Chapter 1

Louise twirled around, watching in dizzied delight as the frills of her dress spun outward and blended with the greenery of the forest beyond. To a five year old such as herself this was the premiere of entertainment; more than enough to fill her lungs with laughter. After a few more spins she began to loose her balance and stumbled around, slowing her spin to a stop as she fought to keep from falling over. Her giggles slowed in tandem with her movement and after a moment to check that she was still upright, Louise turned to Cattleya. "I did some spins big sister! Did you see?" Why Cattleya had suddenly asked to see her spin Louise had no idea. Not she bothered to care, any excuse to show off her spinning talent to her big sister was more than enough.

The twelve year old Cattleya sat against a tree trunk, controlling her breathing. "I did Louise, they were wonderful." It took effort to force a smile, but it was genuine all the same.

Confused, Louise looked at her elder. Something was off, but her young mind couldn't comprehend just what was going on. "Big sister, are you okay?" Her tiny hands gripped her dress in anxiety.

Cattleya pushed herself up and gave another, less forced smile. "Just a little tired. Come now, I want to show you your surprise." The giggled glee of Louise echoed throughout the trees as the two made their way further into the forest.

A bump in the road jostled the carriage. Snapping awake with a start, Louise looked around confused and half asleep before remembering where she was. That was right, she was returning to the Valliere estate for a voluntary break from school. With no familiar the next couple weeks of familiar studies and bonding were hardly important for her. Unless they had classes on imagined familiars that were dead older sisters. Without moving her head, she glanced to the left where 'Cattleya' sat.

Despite Louise's attempt to hide it, Cattleya noticed the attention. "Good morning, did you have a nice nap little Louise?" The warm smile Cattleya offered only made Louise clench her jaw and turn her gaze back forward. Unaffected, Cattleya just shifted over to the other side of the carriage and took a seat in Louise's vision. "Awww, don't give me the silent treatment." She clasped her hands in a prayer like fashion. "I won't call you little anymore. now that you're all grown up I'll call you big Louise. Just give me a smile~" Louise expression only soured. Cattleya acted just as she remembered; kind, playful, and warm. Of course she would, she was a figment of Louise's own memories after all. Knowing that her own faults were what gave rise to this insult to Cattleya's memory made Louise all the angrier.

Following Louise's gaze, Cattleya spotted the driver through the tiny viewing window. "Don't worry about him," She spoke after drawing the wrong conclusion, "He can't hear us. Besides, you shouldn't try to act so proper." Only silence was returned. "Louise." Cattleya whined. "Loooouuuuisssseee." She drawled out.

The vein on Louise's brow throbbed. "Driver! Stop the carriage." Louise waited to rise until after the carriage jolted to a stop.

A confused driver helped his lady from the carriage and onto the road. "My lady we are almost to your estate. May I ask what the problem is?" Obviously worried that he had performed improperly, the servant waited for reprimand.

Waving off the man's worry, Louise informed. "Tis less than a mile to the manor. I'll walk the rest of the way. It has been some time since I've been home and I'd like to take in the sights." Noticing the servant's hesitation Louise turned her gaze upon him. "Alone." She commanded. Not needing to be told twice, the driver returned to the carriage, tipped his hat to Louise, and drove off.

Technically alone on the road home Louise took a deep breath and started forward. "You should be nicer Louise." The figment scolded.

The dirt crunched underfoot as Louise replied if only to alleviate her stress. "I was nice enough, considering I have to deal with you." It took effort not to even give the figment a sidelong glance, but it was worth it as she fell silent under Louise's scorn.

The sound of the creek accompanied only by Louise's footfalls upon cobblestone as she crossed the bridge to the estate. Turning to the railing, Louise leaned lightly against it and looked to the flowing water. It was an action she regretted as soon as she caught sight of a second reflection in the water. The figment had slumped against the rails beside Louise, a look of complete depression plastered on her face. With a sigh, Louise gave in somewhat, "I'm sorry." Louise closed her eyes, annoyed at herself for giving in this much, "But don't talk to me around other people. If I respond they'll think I've gone mad." turning her head, Louise readied herself to deal with the depressed figment.

Yet there was no lingering sadness upon the figment's face, only glowing happiness. "Oh litt- I mean big Louise! I love you too!" The figment burst forward to hug Louise, only to pass right through her and stumble along the bridge. Watching the figment that looked like a fully grown woman stumble along awkwardly caused Louise to giggle before she could think to repress it. Turning, the figment flushed in embarrassment, but then smiled and giggled as well.

Faced with the laughing face of her dead sister, Louise's laughter died in her throat out of shame. She should not be enjoying this. It was an insult to the real Cattleya. Hurrying forward, Louise passed through her confused figment and onward to the house. Playing along to keep the figment from annoying her was one thing, but that had been something else altogether. "Louise?" The figment called after her, trotting along behind. "Is something the matter?" Louise got control of her emotions just as the figment fell in beside her.

Shaking her head, Louise nodded toward the approaching manor. "No, I'm just worried about mother is all." It wasn't a complete lie, and one told to a non existent entity. So it was hardly a sin at all.

Understanding filled the figment's face. "Oh, mother may be stern Louise, but you know it is out of love." Winking, the figment continued, "Just work some mention of your loyalty to the crown into the conversation and you'll be right as rain."

Glancing once to the figment, Louise shook her head, "If only..." She mumbled and continued on to the manor. Then, noticing the figment had stopped, Louise stopped and turned on instinct. Her imaginary familiar was staring blankly at the stables where a servant was lifting his son up onto the back of a horse. A woman, obviously the boy's mother was feeding the horse an apple and stroking its neck. "They take care of them." Louise mentioned to the figment. "Ever since you... Ever since that day mother hired extra servants to take care of the pets." Louise was still conflicted inside, but she could not withhold the words even if it was wrong to speak them.

It was that internal conflict that caused Louise to turn away as soon as the figment looked back to her. "Louise..."

Not willing to say any more on the subject, Louise hurried onward to the house. "I need to find mother." She spoke with finality and kept her stride even. Luckily the figment managed to read the mood enough to stay silent.

As expected there was a formation of house servants waiting for her when she entered the manor. The echoing greeting of twenty something maids was as much decoration to Louise as the paintings hanging on the wall. The senior maid stepped forward. "Welcome back Lady Louise. Duke Valliere will be back from business tomorrow, but Lady Valliere is here." Louise kept her stride and let the servant fall in with her.

After a brief but polite order Louise was led to her waiting mother in the dining room. "Mother." Louise announced herself to the woman.

Karin Valliere sat at the head of the dining table eating a small bowl of soup. Her bandaged fingers daintily held the spoon to her lips as she finished her bite, then she set the implement down and turned her attention to her daughter. "Louise." She nodded politely. "Shall I call for some lunch for you?" Karin offered.

When the figment of Cattleya screamed out in glee and ran over to Karin it took everything Louise had to ignore the spectacle. Instead, as the illusion jumped around trying to get Karin's attention, Louise just shook her head. "No, I'll be fine." Though she was beginning to feel hungry, Louise could eat alone. "Did you receive my letter?" Karin simply replied with a neutral nod. Anxiety swelled within Louise. "I failed my familiar summoning." A neutral nod. "With that I've yet to successfully cast one spell. My grades are the lowest in my class!" Louise caught herself just as her voice rose. Swallowing, she looked to her mother and the now stunned still figment just behind the woman.

Karin's face tightened ever so slightly. "Please don't yell." She gracefully accepted her daughter's nod and continued, "Did you want me to have your father speak to the headmaster?" At Louise's hesitance, Karin elaborated, "Did you want to redo your second year or shall we see about getting you admitted to an academic focused academy?" Still Louise paused, eliciting further elaboration from Karin, "Or... Did you have another plan you preferred?" Karin waited blankly for Louise's reply.

it took everything Louise had to keep from gripping her fists tight. "I'll think on it." She said before turning and hurrying out of the room. Why she thought this time would be any different she had no idea. It was always the same with that woman. Sadly, Louise was not to find solitude as her 'familiar' caught up with her.

The figment's hand passed through Louise when she tried to pat Louise's shoulder. Undeterred, she still offered praise, "See Louise? I told you it wouldn't be bad." The comforting words fell on deaf ears as Louise just quickened her pace. The brisk outdoor air greeted Louise as she left the manor behind and made her way to the gardens. "Where are we going Louise?" The figments question only spurred Louise on faster, her teeth gritting all the harder. "Louise?" The question was ignored.

Instead, Louise stopped at the end of the path, startling the figment into following suit. "Please," Louise began, holding her emotions back. "Don't talk to me, not here..." Louise's eyes fell to the tombstone before her.

Cattleya Valliere

Beloved Daughter, Kind Sister

The figment looked from Louise to the tombstone. The finely crafted gravestone overlooked the lake down the slow slopping hill. The grass rustled in the breeze while a few scarce petals danced in the air. Silence reigned for a time as Louise looked on her sister's grave, lost in thought. What peace she managed to find was broken when the damnable figment spoke, "I'm right here you know." The light, concerned tone was completely lost on Louise.

Whirling, Louise let loose her rage, "SHUT UP!" She stepped forward, forcing the figment back a step. "I don't care what stress gave birth to you illusion, and I do not care. Do nottred upon my memory of Cattleya." Tears welled in Louise's eyes. What wrong had she committed that caused the Founder to torment her so?

Despite the rage directed at her, only compassion filled the figment's face. "You still think I'm not real?" At Louise's glare, Cattleya just puffed out her chest. "Well lets fix that!" The impetuous childishness stunned Louise enough to halt her tears. "We just need to find a servant to hold their hand behind their back, and I'll tell you how many fingers they are holding up." The figment's wink was met with stunned disbelief.

Shaking her head, Louise let out a breath. She knew it was useless to shout at her imagination. "There is no test that can prove you aren't imagined by me. My magic might be strange, but it is still there. For all I know I have a sixth sense similar to a fire mage's thermal vision you are tapping into." When Cattleya puffed out her cheeks indignantly, Louise just sighed and turned back to the grave.

"Hmph." The deject huff was followed by a calming breath from the figment. "Very well." The figment said mischievously. "It was a poor idea anyway. If you are in a bad mood because you think I'm not real, then I need to cheer you up and prove I'm real. Just one wont do." The figment twirled. "Follow me!" She called out before charging away toward the forest which bordered the Valliere manor.

It was a random enough action it managed to draw Louise's eyes from the grave and toward the figment charging down the hill's slope toward the woods with wild abandon. Louise's mind went blank as fear flared to life within her heart once she recognized what direction the figment was running. Against all logic Louise charged down the hill after the image of her sister. Any rational thought she might have had was drowned out by the screaming panic flooding her mind. "Wait!" Louise called in plea just as she broke the treeline.

Far ahead the figment turned and beckoned on with a gentle, playful smile. Louise could only catch glimpses as the image of Cattleya flitted between and through the trees ahead. A flash of pink here, the trailing of a white dress there. Slowly but surely Louise closed in on the retreating form of her sister. Twice she tried to call out again, but only half yelps escaped her panting lips. Inefficient, fearful footfalls thumbed through the brush. Louise paid no mind as brambles scratched at her. She had a goal, she had to stop the figment before. Before she got to that place.

Then she was there, Louise recognized the clearing. This image had been burned forever into her mind all those years ago. Never had she returned to this forest, but she knew this spot, this place like the back of her and. "PLEASE CATTLEYA! JUST STOP!" Her voice cracked by exhaustion and emotion Louise's scream out split the woods and scattered birds to the sky.

Despite all Louise's efforts Cattleya's image slowed to a stop in the one place she feared. Uncomprehending eyes looked upon Louise full of concern. "Louise?" The figment worried as she approached, "Are you alright?" Her hand reached out, but hesitated with the knowledge that no contact could be made.

Louise panted as sweat dripped from her brow. Hands on her knees, she hung her head and closed her eyes. "Don't... Don't you recognize where we are?" With another gulp of air she raised her head and threw her arm out to the clearing around them. Memories of a young, helpless girl clinging to her motionless elder sister stabbed at Louise's soul.

In her heart Louise could still hear the unheard echoes. "Wake up big sister! Wake up! Mommy! Daddy! Anyone!" She could still feel Cattleya's fading breaths. Still remember how impossible heavy her elder sister had been. To weak to leave, to great a burden to carry.

Louise's knuckles grew white under her grip. "You died here!" She yelled in accusation. Emotions tumbled in battle within Louise. Tears clouded her vision. "And it was my fault! If we hadn't gone into the forest! If I hadn't always relied on you. If I had just understood how sick you were then-!" Louis's head raised, her hair wet with tears sticking to her face as her wild eyes looked on with guilt. "It was all my fault!" Her arms raised to hug herself, her hands clenched tight to stop her shivers. "My fault..."

In the silence of the woods Louise sobbed. Her chest quivered between breaths. She had finally said it. After all these years of believing it, of hiding it. She had said it. It was all her-

"Didn't I die in the capital?" The image's tone was almost light. Louise almost shouted in exasperation at the image's use of semantics but her voice caught in her throat when she saw the sad smile upon the figment's face. "Besides, you are forgetting something." Turning, the image stretched her arms out and began to stroll away. "Though, since you don't believe I am who I am, nothing I say matters right now. So... Let us save the rest until I prove to you I am real." Her soft and light voice fell naturally upon the forest and the image continued onward

Quivering breaths slowly calmed as Louise watched the fading image. He had poured all her rage, all her fear, and all her sadness onto this image and it had all rolled off like so much water off a duck's back. With nothing less to pour, Louise felt empty.

Taking one glance around, Louise decided that any direction was better than remaining here. So, with a numbed heart she trod slowly after the image, her mind clouded with weakness. Just as before Louise trailed behind the image. Following the pink beacon through a sea of green and brown. In her haze Louise did not pay attention to time. She had no energy, no will left to care. Hopefully where ever this figment was going would be the end of it. There was nowhere left in these woods important to Louise. Wherever the figment went, it would find nothing. Then, hopefully, it would fade to nothing and leave Louise be.

Through the trees were dense, the powerful sun above found its way through patches in the leaves. Golden rays dotted around Louise as she walked. Each a beam of radiance lighting up the greenery. With each slow step Louise's dull heart calmed. With each breath her heart slowed its rhythm. Emptiness gave way to stillness within Louise's soul.

As if sensing Louise's improving state of mind, the figment turned and smiled mischievously as she stepped beyond a rather large tree. Curious, Louise approached to investigate. Beyond the tree was a large clearing. Long lines of shadows crisscrossed the grass below. Looking up, Louise spied the cause of the odd shadow. A web of thick cables intertwined the branches above. It was hard to see exactly what they were with the sun behind them.

Louise blinked her eyes clear and looked around for the figment. Yet not one splash of pink was to be found. "Hello?" She called out for the image. Was this it? Was Louise alone once more?

A cloud passed in front of the sun and the beams that lit the woods winked from existence. The world around Louise darkened just as she stepped back onto a twig. The snapping sound started Louise, her wand was out in a moment. Louise tried to laugh off the surprised fear as childish, but the darkened forest had lost all of its friendliness. Her eyes looked to the strange web above in caution. She traced the lines, trying to find and anchor. Slowly but surely, she followed several lines through the branches and down to the tree Cattleya's image had disappeared into. With hesitant steps, Louise approached.

She could see the cables could around the tree's base. Just what were these? Her wand neared, ready for anything. Then, just as Louise's squinting eyes began to fully adjust to the new darkness, a beast of pink erupted from the tree trunk. "BLARG!" Cattleya's cry was quickly followed by the crash of an explosion.

Smoke billowed and the trees shook. The high pitched ting of cables unwinding sung out like a twisted songbird. "Louise!" Cattleya's cry impressed upon Louise as the girl spun, trying to track the sounds all around her. Head snapping to Cattleya's image, Louise followed the figment outstretched hand pointing to the sky. "It's a dragon!" The gleeful, childish shriek Cattleya sounded was lost on Louise as she whirled, wand forward to meet said dragon.

When Louise caught sight of the approaching dark shadow she did not hesitate to let loose her magic. Another crack of power split the air and derbies scattered, covering Louise in bright, multicolored bits of dirt. Stunned, Louise rubbed the powdery confetti from her body and looked back to the 'dragon.' There, hanging from a cable was half of a transmuted clay pot. Pinned to said pot was an old and faded piece of paper with a crude drawing of a dragon on it. "This is..." Louise breath caught as she looked at the unbelievable.

"Aww..." Cattleya's voice drew Louise's attention. The figment looked on as the clay pot began to drift to the right, then back and to the left as the cables above unwound. "You got it on your first try. So much for all that effort I put into it." Dumbstruck, Louise looked on. "I made this so you could practice in secret. I didn't think it was fair that mother and father thought you shouldn't use magic until you were older."

For the first time, Louise saw what was before her. She had never seen this clearing before. There was no way she could have found her way here so easily. "You..." Against all reason, Louise found more tears within her to shed. "You really are!-" Her voice cracked in disbelief. "Cattleya?" Vulnerable, weak, and full of hope she pleaded. Cattleya turned to face Louise. Her dress spun outward, dancing in the shadows. The smile upon her face was warm and full of love.

"I am."

Louise tumbled forward, her arms outstretched desperate for embrace. Yet no contact was found as she passed through Cattleya, and stumbled dumbstruck to her knees, kicking leaves into the air as she slid to a halt. The two sisters fell still in the darkness of the woods, facing away from each other; neither willing to accept that their long awaited embrace had been stolen from them. Cattleya was the first to speak. "You shouldn't blame yourself you know. I was the one who forced you to follow me here." She approached the kneeling Louise.

Sniffing, Louise did her best to keep from crying more. Glistening, ethereal hair filled her vision as Cattleya knelt down behind Louise and leaned over her. The sun above once again broke through as the cloud in the sky passed. Warm rays shone down on the pair. Warmth, real warmth cloaked Louise. "Louise," Cattleya whispered as she embraced Louise, relying on the sun's rays to provide what she could not. "Everybody always tried to help me. I always relied on everyone I met for everything. I felt more like a fragile doll than a living being. But then you were born. Finally, I had a baby sister who relied on me. For the first time in my life it was I who was needed." Cattleya's breath shuddered as she tightened her eyes. "So thank you Louise. Thank you for the purpose you gave me." Ethereal tears fell, and Cattleya sobbed with her sister. Bathed in the sun's light the two sisters were once again together.