True Love and Necromancy [Featured Story!]

Chapter XIII

THEO AND TANSY MARRIED not long after that.

Theo loved Tansy more than he had thought it possible to love anything.

He loved her in her dark green walking dress, in the white cotton frock she wore for picnics, and in the sweeping, pale blue gown she wore on that day, their wedding day.

He loved her in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening; he loved the way the light at different times of day fell upon her swarthy complexion, glowed in her dark eyes, highlighted her inky curls.

He loved the way she braided her hair. Theo had plumbed the depths of the occult, but he savored the simple mystery and skill of Tansy's braid.

As they walked together toward their wedding altar, Theo smiled. He smiled when he looked at her; she had never seemed shy to him, but that day, her glance darted to and fro. She was nervous. So was he. He pressed her hand, unsure whether he was trying to reassure her or asking her to do the same for him, and he smiled that permanent smile.

A person in a very large and impressive hat led them through their wedding vows. Then they and their witnesses signed the paper that would permit them to file jointly in their obligatory taxes for the realm.

It was all very lovely.

At the conclusion of the brief ceremony, the wedding guests (of which Tansy's outnumbered Theodosius' by several dozen) pelted the happy couple with broken crumbs of cake studded with fruit. This not-so-subtle gesture was underlined, italicized and outlined in red ink by the gifts his mother bestowed upon them: a cradle, a little hand-embroidered quilt featuring lambs and butterflies, and a large crate of Grandmother Maisie's Guaranteed Fertility Tea.

But the obvious expectation that babies would be coming forthwith could not even faze Theo on his wedding day. He was boundlessly happy, and Tansy was, too. By the time they both took their leave of the wedding guests, Tansy still shaking little crumbs out of the folds of her long dress, they were giggly and light-headed with their own joy.

The next steps for their future had been planned in the months preceding the wedding. Theo had not wanted to bring Tansy into his crowded little shop. He wanted to enjoy the first years of his marriage with plenty of time to focus on his wife, and he trusted that his ecstatic wedded bliss would make of his mind a fertile environment for unanticipated academic and sorcerous invention. Tansy, for her part, wanted desperately to see the world outside of the city.

Theo had come across a listing for a little cottage in a quaint location at the End of the World. The listing assured him that there was no more peaceful and wonderful place in the world than the very end of it, and that although there were few conveniences, there was at least one grocery store within carriage-driving distance. Theo had mentioned the cottage to Tansy, who thought it a marvelous idea, and they had put a down payment on the place that very same day.

And so, the happy couple left the city on the day of their wedding in a large hired carriage. In the back of the carriage they had piled all of their earthly belongings, including Theo's extensive materials, books, and tools, Tansy's eggshell porcelain teacups, a large crate of Grandmother Maisie's Guaranteed Fertility Tee, and one disgruntled cat. They turned the horses' heads toward the End of the World and embarked on their journey.

Both Tansy and Theo had been under the impression that the city of Barenn was the very center of civilization. They were thus disillusioned to discover that it only took them about twelve hours (carriage-driving distance, with an overnight stop at a sweet little inn on the way) to reach the End of the World, making a leisurely pace.

"Well," Tansy said, craning her neck as they trundled past a wooden sign that grandly advertised the quaint locale, "At least it will not take us weeks to visit home."

"And yet, it's so picturesque. Pastoral. I think that was a sheep back there."

"That was a rock, darling."

"It was such a fluffy rock. Look!"

Both of them squinted, peering into the distance. A green haze had risen up on the horizon. It was like the city park of Barenn, times a thousand.

"I think ... I think that's a forest," said Tansy, astonished. "I've never seen so much green in one place. Look at all of those trees, Theo!"

"Imagine the treasures we'll uncover here. We'll find plants no one has ever seen. We could concoct cures that will change the world," Theo said, his head full of pretty visions of success and prosperity.

Tansy squeaked with excitement and wrapped her arms around Theo's elbow, leaning her head on his shoulder. In silence they drove on, watching as the forest rose up around them. Their carriage bumped and wiggled over the little-traveled path.

"Are we going the right way?" Tansy fretted, looking this way and that. They had gone some way into the forest by now with no sign of the cottage.

"I think so," said Theo. "There haven't been any turns." He produced the map from the breast pocket of his robe and handed it to Tansy, pointing. The map showed the city of Barenn and the place where the cottage should be. A single red line connected the two—there had literally been no turns.

"But we should—oh, look!"

The carriage had rumbled down a little incline, causing the horses to pick up speed to avoid being bumped in the rumps. They had trotted past a clump of trees and there, in a clearing, they saw the shadowed roof of a squat cottage. And ahead, not a stone's throw away, the forest and the path abruptly seemed to end.

Theo guided the horses toward the cottage and put them into park. Then he helped Tansy down from the cart. Hand-in-hand, they walked around the cottage, taking in the details of their new home. It was in disrepair and clearly uninhabited, but they saw it as an inspiring challenge: the first task of their shared life would be making it into a home.

Before they unlocked the door, the newlyweds went to the end of the path and looked out into the black void beyond the End of the World.

"Huh," Tansy said, nonplussed.

"I guess I didn't think it was quite so literal," Theo said, as if in agreement.