Chapter Twenty-Three

The weather shifted over the next few days, the sun slowly disappearing behind solemn grey clouds that dumped rain upon them day after day. It was the cold, freezing rain of winter, the kind that soaked into the earth and skin, coating the windows with ice and chilling a person from the inside out. Maids huddled together for warmth in the halls, and the menservants had taken to wearing thin gloves as they went about their day.

Mable spent most of her time in the library with a roaring fire or in the greenhouse with Madame Cecile, who rarely ventured out of the temperate, greenery-filled room anymore. She and Labelle still had their lunch dates, only they moved them permanently into the kitchen, where they got an unfair share of food and warmth before heading back out into the chilly halls. She also spent several nights curled up next to Maddie, re-living stories from her childhood or reading occasionally from one of Maddie's favorite books. Afterword, she would spend time with Monsieur Lune in his comfortable living area, having a small glass of chamomile tea before he solicitously returned her to her own rooms for bed.

She had seen Theo the day after her talk with Maestro, but her emotions had been so knotted up that being around him proved difficult. Her talk with Maestro had brought up too many conflicting feelings, and the combination of confusion and fear made her distant as she tried to process it.

He must have sensed how she felt, because the following day he had sent down a note with Maddie, apologizing and telling her he had some work to do and she was welcome to entertain herself however she pleased. She wasn't very good at reading between the lines, but even she could tell that he knew she needed some time to herself.

At first, she was grateful that he understood. She had spent the first day in the library, researching spells and curses, but as her pile of books dwindled down, so did her spirits. At first, she thought it was because she still couldn't find anything. But as she thumbed through an ancient textbook on some archaic magical runes, she realized it was because she missed Theo. She missed hearing his rumbling voice, his hopeful encouragement when they still hadn't found anything. She missed his dry sense of humor and his enthusiasm when he showed her one of his favorite novels.

She missed being with him.

When she got a similar note the next day, she wheedled Madame Cecile into revealing where he was, and got up early the next morning to catch him in the act.

Theo, it turned out, had been spending his time in the greenhouse, among his beloved roses. Mable watched silently for a few moments as he used Madame Cecile's pruning shears to remove dead buds and branches. He wasn't wearing gloves, she saw with a smile, but he didn't need to. His large paws were covered in enough fur to protect him against the roses' sharp thorns.

She then saw a small vase nearly hidden by his bulk over on one of the shelves. After a few moments, Theo stopped removing the dead roses and snipped off a few, healthy blooms and placed them in the vase.

"So, is that vase going to end up in my room?" she asked, amused.

He had been so involved with his task that her voice made him jump, and he nearly fell into the rosebush. "Mable!" His eyes brightened when they spotted her. "I wasn't expecting you. I thought you had come down here already to look after your flower."

His delight with her presence made her giddy. She stroked a nearby rosebud to calm herself. "I actually haven't checked on it yet. I was looking for you." She said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Well, you seemed in need of some solitude, so I've been coming down here every morning to tend to my roses. I've been helping Cecile too, when she gets tired of my pestering and needs to send me off on a task to stay out of her hair." Theo pulled out a stool from under one of the shelves and motioned for her to sit. "I'm almost done here, just give me a few more minutes."

She sat on the stool, watching as he snipped off another dead bloom. "You didn't answer my question." She teased. "Is that vase of flowers going to end up in my room?"

He avoided her gaze. "Perhaps." He mumbled. He fumbled the shears for a second but managed to compose himself. "Well, it's not as if I am going to do anything with them." He explained needlessly. "I need to cut these back anyway, so they'll grow bigger next year, and it is wasteful to just throw them out." His gold eyes slid over in her direction. "I thought that it would at least be worth it, if you enjoyed them."

She smiled. "I have been enjoying them, a lot." She told him. If his face hadn't been covered in fur, she thought with amusement, he would be completely red. "Thank you."

He shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal, but she still caught the hint of a shy smile on his mouth. Braver now, she told him, "I'm sorry I've been distant for the past few days. I've just been trying to focus on finding a way home, especially since we seem to be running out of books on the subject. It made me a bit…single-minded."

"I understand." Theo snipped another live rose off the bush and placed it in the vase. "I know it's frustrating, not being able to find a way out of here." He smiled ruefully at her over his shoulder. "Just being stuck in this place with us is probably terrifying."

It was terrifying, but not for the reasons he thought. She had plenty of time to think about it. It was Maestro's talk of her helping to open up Theo's heart was what had really frightened her.

There was a possibility that she would never find her way out of here, not until Theo found his true love. She knew Theo was her friend, and they grew closer every day. She knew a true friend would stay here, and help Theo find the woman who would release him and this castle from it's curse. A true friend would help the woman to find the gentle, compassionate side of Theo that he kept hidden. A true friend would be happy for them, when they finally admitted their feelings for each other and the spell broke.

But she wasn't truly sure she had the courage to fall more in love with the castle and its people just to be sent home, to her uneventful life, when the curse was finally broken.

"Not really." She told him. "I love it here, I really do. I love the castle, and the people in it. I've made so many new friends here, and when I finally do find a way home I know I'm going to miss all you guys like crazy."

Theo frowned at his rosebushes, deliberately not looking at her. "Would it be such a bad thing…" he said, slowly. "if you couldn't find a way back home? Would staying here be so terrible?"

She couldn't pinpoint how he felt about it, but the question made her heart stutter. She picked at her sleeve. "No. it wouldn't be terrible." She bit her lip, trying to find the words to explain. "But, my family…"

Theo shifted so he could look her in the eye. "You miss them." Sympathy filled his gold eyes.

"I do, so much." She gave him a rueful half-smile, relieved that he understood. "I've grown to care about everyone here, even Maestro—" He snorted out a chuckle, "but I miss my sisters. I know we bicker and argue, but they are still my sisters. And my dad—just because he is sick and doesn't remember me half the time doesn't stop him from being my dad. It doesn't stop me from wanting to make sure he's all right." Now it was her turn to avoid Theo's gaze, and she stared at the floor. She felt as if she had been using the same excuse since she got here, but that didn't stop it from being true.

She didn't see the rosebud until it was right under her nose.

She took it, gingerly placing her fingers in between the thorns, and stared up at Theo.

"Of course, you must be sure he is safe." Theo told her gently. "If I were in your place, I would want the same. But…" he cocked his head, as if the next sentence surprised even him, "I don't think I'd mind it too much if you ended up staying."

"Gee, thanks." She said wryly. She hid a smile when he started to clean up the area with a great deal of self-conscious banging and mutterings. She brought the rose to her face and breathed deep.

She was so busy pretending not to notice his discomfiture she almost missed what he said next. "Sorry, what?"

"I asked if you were finished in the library."

"Yeah, I guess so. Why?"

"Well, it is still early enough for breakfast. I wondered if we could take it in the library like we normally do."

"Ok, that sounds fine." She said, jumping off her stool happily. The thought of having breakfast with him in the library, like usual, went a long way to cheering her up. "Let me just check on my flower."

They spent a few more minutes in the conservatory before making their way to the library for breakfast. The troublesome ache she was feeling didn't quite go away as they talked and ate together, but being in the library, which she had always thought of as their place, did a good job of easing it.

"How are you enjoying the book I gave you?" he asked as they ate. Monsieur Carnier had made them a huge meal of crepes, all light as air and filled with chocolate, strawberries and whipped cream. At his question, Mable nearly choked on her coffee.

When she told him that she had enjoyed the book he had read when she was sick, Theo had been eager to give her similar books that he thought she would like. She had read a few, surprised that they had similar tastes in reading material, but she had been so caught up in her own head the past few days she had worn herself out too much to read for leisure.

"Oh, it's um, good." Her cheeks flushed. She had tried starting it last night but had only made it through two pages before falling asleep with the book on her chest.

Theo was amused. "You haven't read it yet, have you?"

"I tried but fell asleep. The first two pages I read were good, though."

He laughed. The sound of it gave Mable a small flutter in her chest, which she steadfastly ignored. It was nice to make him laugh though, and it pleased her that he was comfortable enough with her to laugh openly.

They finished their breakfast, and Theo offered to escort her up to his study, where he had a few more books he thought she would like. She agreed but wasn't that enthusiastic even by the idea that she would finally get to see his private sanctuary. Still, she walked with him and was glad that he was so focused on her that he missed the maids who pressed up against the wall when he approached.

"What are your plans for this afternoon?" Theo asked when they reached the landing. If he noticed the maids he didn't mention it.

"I'm not sure." Mable cast a dirty look at the rain pelting a nearby window. "Honestly, I would like to do something different other than just spending the day in the library or greenhouse."

"I could teach you how to play chess."

"Or I could just beat myself in a game of solitaire. It would probably be less humiliating."

He smirked. Maddie had spent many nights complaining about how he always won their daily game. "Be nice to me, and I'll let you win. Maybe."

"As generous as that offer is," Mable said dryly, "I think I'll say no." She halted, brows coming together in a frown as she realized just what it was she wanted. "You know what I'd really like to do?"

Theo was almost at the opposite end of the hall. His legs were so long that it only took him a few strides to meet her. "What?"

"Back on days like this, when it was rainy or cold, I would always pop in a movie. A big bowl of popcorn, a blanket to cuddle under, maybe an action or comedy movie, and just veg out for an hour or two …" She wrapped her arms around herself and sighed. "I know it's silly to miss something like movies when I'm staying in a freaking castle. You probably think I'm an ingrate."

"Not at all." Theo assured her. "I just wish we could do it, if it is an activity you truly enjoy. I'm sorry."

"No, I'm being unfair." Mable waved his apology away. "I shouldn't be complaining. You guys are the ones who have been stuck in this place for years. I've only been stuck here for like a month, and I'm missing modern society. How you kept for going crazy is beyond me."

"Who says we are not?" Theo joked as they went to the door that led to the foyer.

"Yeah, you're hilarious." Mable felt a familiar shock go up her arm as she grabbed the knob. Startled, she opened the door and her mouth dropped open. "Um, what's going on in here?"

Instead of another hallway on the other side of the door, there was a small, dimly lit room. It was empty except for a set of red, plush chairs that were placed in the center, facing a wall that held a white fabric screen. Over in one corner was a bookcase, but instead of books it was filled with movies; DVDs, Blu-Rays, Mable even saw some VHS tapes hidden in a corner. In the other corner sat an antique popcorn machine, already filled with the traditional snack, adjacent to a table that held empty bowls and what looked to be two cups of fountain soda.

"Did you know this was here?" Mable demanded as Theo entered the room. She doubted it; he appeared just as shocked as she was, and was touching one of the chairs gently, as if he was afraid it would disappear.

"No idea." He promised. His gold eyes darted from the popcorn machine to the fabric screen and lit up. "Is this for a movie? Are we going to watch one?" The deep, posh carpet muffled the sounds of his paws as he ventured further into the room.

Mable opened her mouth and closed it again.

Theo went over to the bookcase and started rooting around. "What would you like to watch?" he asked over his shoulder. In a few of their talks Mable had told him about movies, and she could see him just itching to watch one for himself.

"How can you be so—so unsurprised by all of this?" She asked, waving her arms around to encompass the entire room.

Theo turned and gave her a boyish smile. "Oh, I am utterly flabbergasted." He told her honestly. "I have never seen this room before in my life. But I've learned over time that the castle will do what it likes."

"The castle wants us to watch a movie?"

"I think it is like the ballroom." Theo said thoughtfully. "You said that you wished you could see it back in its former glory, and the castle went and did that for you. For some reason, it is responding to you."

"Yeah, but it's never done anything like this before." Mable gazed around the room, a bit creeped out. "I mean, the ballroom was already there it just needed to be cleaned. And my closet…"

"Your closet?"

"Well, it does a lot of things. Like it brings in clothes I like, and it brings me home. Well, a version of my home." She corrected herself. "And it will transport me places, like the library, if I need it to."

"I've been wondering how you get down there so fast." Theo narrowed his eyes at her.

"Yes, but this…it's never done anything like this. Everything else already exists, either somewhere in the castle or in my memory, but I've never been in a place like this in my entire life." Mable bounced up and down, nerves making her fidgety. "I don't know how to feel about this."

"If you are uncomfortable, we can leave." Theo told her. He tried for sincerity, but Mable could hear the hesitation underneath. He really wanted to stay.

She took a deep breath, let it out. All that had happened was a new room appeared, she told herself. Sure, it was weird, but it wasn't out of character for this place. Besides, Theo was here with her. Surely it wouldn't have let him in if it had meant her harm, right?

The thought soothed her, and she was able to give Theo a genuine smile. "No, we can stay. But I pick the movie."

Soon they were sitting in the chairs, bowls of popcorn in their laps as the opening credit blared to life before them. Mable had picked out one of the newer movies, one with superheroes and explosions. She knew from past experience that most men enjoyed the genre, and after a month of being trapped by snow and magic, she felt like watching a film with a lot of action. She listened to Theo's amazed mutters with a grin.

It had been a long while since she got to just relax and enjoy a movie. It was especially fun to watch Theo, who gazed at the screen raptly and was prone to jumping about whenever there was an explosion or fight scene. Watching him was almost as fun was watching the movie.

When the movie ended, Theo clapped like he was at the opera.

Theo immediately demanded they watch another one. So, Mable refilled their popcorn bowls while Theo called out movie titles, his voice filled with delighted incredulity. She liked seeing him this happy. It thrilled her knowing that something she had done—albeit unwittingly—had seemed to lift the weight that he constantly carried. The guilt, the anger, the hurt at the servants' fear of him, all seemed to disappear as they stayed in the room, and Mable could see the man Theo would have been if the curse had never happened.

She wanted to keep making him happy, keep pulling away all that pain until it disappeared and he could return to the man he was.

She didn't want to leave.

The realization hit her hard enough to make her gasp aloud. She glanced over at Theo to see if he heard, but he was resettling himself next to her, waiting for the next movie to start with enthusiasm.

She had friends here, good ones. For the first time in years she had people to talk and laugh with, who liked her for herself. They understood the importance of family, encouraged her, and accepted her flaws. With them, Mable had been able to find strength in herself she didn't even realize she had.

And Theo…

Her friendship with him was beginning to shift, to transform into something more terrifying than his mere appearance. He had changed—or, it was better to say, was shedding the protective shell of distrust that he kept wrapped around him. She saw more and more of the man he used to be, the man he still was; the compassion, intelligence, and humor he had kept hidden all because so few were interested in getting past the exterior.

She wanted to stay, wanted to see if it was truly because of her that had made him open up. It was tempting to see what would happen if she let this friendship make that subtle shift from affection to something more.

Mable thought about her sisters, her father. Could she really give up ever seeing them again?

Could she give up her old life for this one? There were some days where it felt like Theo was just a friend, but others it seemed like he might want to be more. She knew he wanted her to stay to break the curse, but what would happen if the curse broke and he rejected her after? If he rejected her, she doubted she would be able to stay friends with Labelle, or Cecile. She would have given up her family's trust for nothing.

But if he didn't reject her, if it turned out he did love her…she allowed herself one brief moment, a short fantasy of how it could be. Labelle and Maestro could finally get married and have all those children they were talking about. Maddie could grow up and go to school like a normal kid, with children her own age. Maybe Mable could even bring her father here to live. She was certain Monsieur Lune and Monsieur Carnier wouldn't mind helping her take care of him. She could still spend her mornings in the garden with Madame Cecile.

She and Theo could be together, a dream she hadn't expected to have.

"Mable?" Theo's paw patted her knee gently, knocking her out of her daydream. "Are you all right? You seemed so far away."

Mable forced a smile. "I'm fine, I was just thinking, that was all." With a start she saw that the credits of the movie were already on screen.

"Worrying about your father?" Theo asked. "I know that movie made me think of mine."

She honestly couldn't remember what they had been watching, but just seeing the sympathy on his face was enough to make her lose her courage to tell him what she was thinking about. "Yeah, that was it."

"Well, we have been up here too long anyway." Theo stood and stretched. "Why don't we head down to the dining room? We would not want to miss dinner." He stuck his head out the door and swore.

Mable jumped up from her chair and followed him, mouth falling open when she also noticed that it was completely dark outside the nearest window. "How long were we in there?"

"It must have been a few hours." Theo glanced at her sidelong. "Carnier is not going to be happy with us."

Not entirely joking, Mable shuddered. "Oh yeah, I've heard stories about what he did to people who missed dinner. Doesn't he string them up in the kitchen?"

"Yes, and he hangs them right over the dining room door, so that everyone can see the sinner who missed out on one of his famous meals."

"And force feeds them dessert."

"No, he makes a wonderful dessert that he serves in front of them, so they can see what they are missing but never get a chance to taste."

"Sounds awful." Slowly, Mable grinned up at him.

"It does. I should hate for that to happen to us." Theo arched his neck to gaze back into the room behind them. "Perhaps we should just watch another movie until dinnertime is over, when Carnier has retired for the night."

"We can't just eat popcorn for dinner." The idea was way too appealing for it to be healthy.

Mischief danced in Theo's gold eyes. "We can sneak down for a snack later tonight. I used to do it all the time when I was young. I even know a secret passage we could use."

"Well, in that case, let's close the door before anyone spots us."