The days were dark and the rain almost constant. In the cottage the mood was light and sunny. Catryn's Christmas gift to Jenny and her mum was a pre Christmas spa break. They were to arrive at the spa on December 20th and depart on the 22nd. The three of them were planning their pampering and treatments. Ffion assumed she would drive them over to the spa, return to the cottage to carry on preparing for Christmas then collect her owners on the 22nd, So Ffion was surprised when they told her to get ready for a couple of days away. The spa was at a rambling country house nesting in a valley in the shadow of the moors and when she heard the address, Ffion realised that it was less than ten miles from the house where she had undergone her ordeal at the hands of the witches.
After a restless night punctuated with torrid dreams Ffion the herself at C's feet.
"Please don't send me to the witches, please Miss C. Not the witches!"
"You'll do as you're told."
C's tone made it clear there was no room for negotiation.
"You'll go to serve your trustees. You're a slave who'll do as she's told. The alternative is you'll get punished, and I mean things that will really hurt you and once you've been punished you'll still have to go. It's bad enough that you're whining about it. Get packed before we beat your bottom raw and get our bags into the car."
Ffion trembled at the feet of her owner, "Yes Miss C!"
"You're to take the dress and underwear you wore when you first met the witches but you can chose something Christmassy to wear when you're travelling."
"Yes Miss C."
Ffion hurried to change and grab the witches' dress and undies. She reappeared wearing a soft green Christmas jumper with a dark green corduroy skirt and knee high boots. She applied lip gloss and mascara, grabbed her winter coat and a red cloche hat and was ready to go. She sat driving quietly while Catryn and her owners chatted happily. They pulled into the spa resort, a stylish country house set in well manicured grounds and Ffion carried the luggage up to the rooms. When she came down stairs her owners were checking the lunch menu.
"Catryn, could you be a dear and drive Ffion over to her next duty. I'll ring ahead. Flora will meet you at the gate, " said C.
"Sure mum. Don't start lunch without me."
"Of course not, you should be back in less than an hour."
Ffion drove on the way over, her heart troubled at the prospect of what was in store. She imagined the witches were decent people at heart but she feared their powers. Nothing could erase the memories of the time she had spent with the witches. She could not talk about it and, even if she tried, she knew that she could not convey the effects of that terrible night. Her rational mind might deny the existence of magic yet she knew that the witches had put chains into her mind for C and Jenny to bind her as their slave.
"Why the long face, Ffion?" asked Catryn.
"I'm scared Miss Catryn. I'm afraid of what they might do to me."
"What? You think they might do something awful?"
"Yes Miss Catryn. I don't know what but I'm frightened."
Catryn laughed, "What, something awful like, err, like.... Oh! I know, they could do something awful like make you into a slave! No more silliness, you're going to the witches and that's the end of it."
"That's what mum said," sighed Ffion.
"That's what who said?" asked Catryn sharply.
"Mum," replied Ffion, "that's what mum said?"
"She's not your mother so don't keep referring to her like that. You're not my dad any more, we're not a cosy family unit of mum dad and daughter. She owns you, she deserves respect from you. She's Miss C, just like I'm Miss Catryn. You told me I shouldn't think of you as dad any more and I've put that behind me. You're something my mum owns, not part of our family. My family is mum, Jenny and me now."
Ffion's face fell even further but then she composed herself. "I'm sorry Miss Catryn. You're quite right. I gave up my role in the family when I became slave to Miss C and Miss Jenny. This is what I wanted, it's what I chose. It hurts sometimes when I realise the full implications. I'm sorry."
"That's better. I want to hear you calling her your owner or Miss C in future."
"Yes Miss Catryn."
"Good girl," grinned Catryn. "Now tell me, I know you chose to go to the witches, to let them cast their spells on you; did it work?"
"I think it did work. I did feel different, as though I no longer had a choice but instead I had a destiny. A destiny to be enslaved."
"How do you feel about that now?"
"In a strange way it helps me a lot. When I'm finding it tough there's a part of me that knows I'm a slave and I'll always be a slave. And that part helps me to accept my lot. Not just accept, but to embrace my slavery. To be a slave. To be content. Maybe even to be happy. I think that's what the witches gave me."
"Then why are you afraid? They have helped you become what you wanted to be. You should be pleased to see them."
"You're right Miss Catryn. Underneath the fear I am grateful for what they did to me."
"Good, because I guess we're just about there."