Author's Note:

It's still Monday in my neck of the woods! 😉

I ran out of chapters of Threatened that were ready to go just when I caught something.  I've only got mild cold/flu/covid symptoms, but I seem to be forever napping. I keep falling asleep when I'm writing/editing so my productivity has tanked.

(I also get to go get a drive through covid test tomorrow.  According to my kid, who apparently heard from  my husband, who probably heard from someone at work, there's a saliva  test now instead of the swab they stick in the nasal passage thing. Here's hoping that lovely bit of hearsay is correct.)

TMI?  😬

Anyways, so then, I stay awake long enough for this chapter to be pretty much formatted to go, and my computer freezes. Argh!

Poor, poor, pitiable me. (I'm fine, I'm just whining.) This right here is why I try so hard to keep a healthy buffer.

Anyway, thanks for reading!!! I'm going back to sleep soon.

* * * * *

Lady Theresa began interrogating the Wizard Jim again.  "So, has Lord Wildwood dragged Sir Thomas into whatever you've both been doing?"

Jim shook his head.  "Not so far as I'm aware."

She pursed her lips.  "I would feel better if he had.  At least Sir Thomas is a competent healer."

"He is," agreed Jim and then took a drink of tea.

"I see you're still reading magic texts," he said, nodding at a book on a side table.  Anya wondered if he was trying to distract the lady.

Lady Theresa smiled.  "Yes.  Did I ever tell you that I actually started when I was still a cat over Lord Wildwood's shoulders?  As you may imagine, being a cat can be rather tedious."

"No doubt."

"I wasn't truly very interested at first, but there was nothing else to do.  But somehow my curiosity about the topic increased and here I am.  Lord Wildwood's been assisting me.  When he is at home."  Her lips turned down at the last words.

"Are you finding it difficult?" he asked in what seemed a desperate attempt to keep her off the topic of what her husband had been doing.

"Not really, but then again I've only done simple spells.  Oh, but see this!  Remember how when we first met you showed Daphne and me what magic could do?  Watch."

Anya saw Lady Theresa concentrate and the cup in her hand turned brilliant yellow.

The Wizard Jim chuckled.  "Very nice."

"I'll never be as accomplished as my husband, but I seem to be able to do simple things."

"Lord Wildwood has a rare talent."

"Yes, he does," Lady Theresa agreed with a satisfied smile.

"Still, you're better off not comparing your accomplishments to him."

Lady Theresa simply smiled wider.  She seemed perfectly pleased with the state of affairs.

The two continued talking for a while with Jim successfully deviating from the topic of what Lord Wildwood was doing in spite of Lady Theresa's inquiries, before Jim finally excused himself.

Anya's mind whirled through the conversation she had just listened to.  She wanted to know more about what Lord Wildwood's mysterious mission. It seemed the king had him working on a particular task.  Was it connected to why Thorne wanted him killed?  If Lord Wildwood was increasingly working on royal matters, he might be an obstacle to... the king?

Anya shook her head.  What benefit could Thorne derive from killing the king?  She did not know, but she also had no idea who it was he represented and where their motives lay.

As if she had not already been aware of it, Anya recognized that she was in deeply over her head.  She doubted it was simple paranoia.  Either way, the affairs of state were not a concern of hers.  The king had others to protect him, if a threat did indeed exist.

Kallie and Damani had no one but Anya to protect them.  There was no way to go but forward.  She just wished Lord Wildwood would return so that she could finally meet her adversary.

The next day went by much more quickly for Anya.  Hanna was more cautiously accepting of Anya's presence and she helped the other maid with all the required work.

When Anya found a spare moment, she explained to Hanna she needed to go out into the woods and find some herbs. Hanna seemed disinterested and Anya went back to her room and began to carefully compose the letter that she needed to send.  She did not want Thorne to have time to become impatient with her.

Dear Thorne,

I have arrived at Wildwood and am working as lady's maid to Lady Waldwick.  She has been most kind to me.  Lord Wildwood has been off on business since I have arrived and I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with him.  He seems to be a most interesting wizard and I look forward to the time I will be able to make his acquaintance.  Things are very busy with the upcoming wedding.

I look forward to the day that I see Damani and Kallie again.  Keep them well.

Anya Smyth

Anya tried to make the letter as innocent as she could.  If someone found it she could say that Thorne was the one caring for her brother and sister.  Anya felt a tear well up in the corner of her eye.  She brushed it away impatiently.  She had no time for such things.

Anya rolled the small piece of parchment up and hid it in her pocket.  She then drew on her cloak and picked up a woven basket.  She walked down to the servant's exit.

She had her excuses prepared if someone were to question her, but no one seemed interested in her activities.  Perhaps Lady Theresa had told the housekeeper about Anya's request, but she rather doubted it.  The lady was far too busy to be concerned with what Anya was doing.

Perhaps everyone was far too busy to be concerned what Anya was doing.  Thorne had been correct that it was the perfect time to enter the household.

She exited the building and strode across the cut lawn.  There were a number of workmen setting up a sort of pavilion on the grass.  They took no notice of her progress as she passed.  She went into the woods and was soon out of sight.

Anya walked briskly, moving around trees and over branches.  The plants were very much like the ones in her forest at home.  She would be able to make nearly any of the same potions here.

She felt that she was far enough away from the castle that she would not be heard.  "Sabin!  Sabin!  Where are you?  Sabin?"

Anya picked a few plants and called for Sabin at different intervals.  Finally the familiar bird swooped down from the trees and landed on her shoulder as he always did.

"Oh, I should have brought you something to eat.  I'm sorry, dear one."

The bird rubbed his head against her cheek.

"I've missed you too.  I hate that we've had to be apart for so long."

Sabin cawed his agreement.

"I'm going to have to get you to take a letter, Sabin.  You need to fly back home and leave the letter there on the table.  You can get inside through the kitchen window.  I left it open."

Anya scratched the bird the way that he liked to be scratched, and said, "Things are hard, Sabin.  I don't know how I'm going to pull this off.  If only I knew where he was keeping Kallie and Damani, perhaps I could save them instead of doing... this.  I know that I've got no good choice, but I hate it."

Sabin cawed sadly.

"It's all very busy.  I'll come out and visit you more once the wedding is over.  I'll bring you food the next time, too.  At least you are looking good, my boy.  Here, I must give you this."

Anya pulled out the parchment and handed it to Sabin.  He made an odd little sound and grasped the note with his claws.  He then flapped his wings and rose into the air.

Anya wished that he could have stayed longer as she watched him fly away.

* * * * *

Anya gathered a few herbs on the way back in.  She did not find anything of particular value, but she was not concerned.

When Anya reached the edge of the woods she saw that the workmen had finished setting up the white pavilion.  There were numerous wooden benches set up beneath it.  Anya suspected that was where they would have the ceremony.

Anya walked around it and entered the castle the same way she had exited.

* * * * *

The next day Anya was working with Hanna in the wardrobe, preparing dresses for the next few days.  The castle was busier than ever and some of the earliest guests had arrived.  All of the staff seemed to be on pins and needles.  Anya was actually grateful to be cloistered in Lady Theresa's room, away from the worst of the chaos.  It was too much to take in for a girl who had lived an isolated life in the country.

"Anya?" she heard a voice ask.

She turned around and found an unidentified maid looking at her.

"Are you Anya?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm Anya," she agreed, wondering what the woman wanted.

"Her ladyship is looking for you.  She is in her salon," the woman said, then turned and left.

"You had better go.  We're almost done here anyway," Hanna said.

"I'll go then," Anya said, and made her way to Lady Theresa's sitting room.

Anya knocked on the door and opened it.

"Anya!  Excellent, I was looking for you," said a frazzled looking Lady Theresa.  "No, I don't think that's a good idea," she said to Missus White, who was also there.

"I agree," Lady Daphne chimed in.

Missus White began to speak.  "But—"

Lady Theresa cut her off.  "You know what, Missus White?  I believe that you are quite right.  You've done an excellent job of running this castle for years, and I believe that any decision you make will have good reasons behind it.  I've got enough to do with entertaining the early guests without bothering about all the small last minute details."

"But, my lady—"

"I have faith in you to handle everything, Missus White.  You are dismissed."

Missus White nodded her understanding and finally withdrew from the room.  She did not even look at Anya as she went by.

Lady Daphne's mouth was hanging open slightly.  "I can't believe you just gave control to that witch."  Anya's ears reddened slightly at the insult towards witches.

"I've got enough to do without her bothering me about every little thing.  She'll do fine.  I swear, if it was not for Wildwood, this whole overdone affair would not be worth it."

Lady Daphne cocked her head to the side.  "I didn't find it that bad.  I rather enjoyed planning my wedding."

"I remember," Lady Theresa said dryly.  "I also recall that the queen did a large part of the work of planning."

"She would have helped with yours as well if only you weren't so stubborn.  She enjoys that sort of thing and Lord Wildwood is her cousin.  I have a lot less connections and she was happy to help me," Daphne pointed out reasonably.

"We decided to be married at Wildwood, because it's where we met and it's home.  But perhaps being married at the royal palace would have been worth it since it's turning out to be this much trouble.  And it would have no doubt been convenient for the king so he could keep giving Wildwood more and more orders."

Finally, Lady Theresa turned her attention to Anya.  "Anya.  I called you here for a reason."

"And what is that, my lady?" Anya asked.

"I understand that magic is usually easier to maintain at a closer distance.  Would it be easier for you to maintain it if you were closer to Daphne and I?" Lady Theresa said.

"I suppose," Anya agreed cautiously.

Lady Theresa nodded.  "I've allowed all the regular staff to come to the wedding.  You're new, but you fall in that category.  I thought it also might be less of a magic drain on you to be nearer."

Anya wanted nothing less than to be surrounded by high ranking nobles.  "I'm afraid I have nothing suitable to wear."

"I've more gowns than I'll ever wear.  I'll lend you one, you're about my size."

"But, my lady—" Anya began.

"I know that you probably will feel out of place at such a celebration, but I would really like you near.  That way you can rush in and save me if my hair falls down or something."

Lady Theresa looked as if she actually wanted Anya to go.

Anya nodded, realizing that the lady was actually just being generous and there was no way to gracefully escape, although it twisted her insides terribly.  "Yes, my lady."  There was nothing that she wanted to do less.

"Get Hanna to help you pick one out.  She'll know which ones I can spare."

"Thank you," Anya said.  She accepted that she was defeated.