James made one more futile attempt to protest but found himself unable to get another word out. Within seconds of Elspeth completing her brief incantantation a powerful and indescribable force seemed to physically surround him and take control of every inch of his body. It felt as if it was simultaneously forcing him downward and holding him in place.
James tried to move but felt conpletely powerless to shift even a muscle as Elspeth's magic gained complete dominance of his body and did whatever she wanted with it He knew he was getting smaller, and his body dramatically reshaping, but he had no idea into what. There was just too much going on at once and fear was overriding his every other emotion.
Eventually, the forces that had been controlling James let him go, their instructions completed with ruthless efficiency.
Though he had no way of showing or communicating it, James was terrified. He had seen some crazy things since entering the magic shop, but now he had genuinely been transformed into something other than human. This felt at once beyond belief and horrifyingly real. The seriousness of his situation couldn't have hit home any harder.
James still had no way of knowing what he had become. He couldn't move in the slightest, that much was painfully obvious. Surprisingly, he could still see - though only what was directly in front of him, which was currently Elspeth's ankles. He could hear too, as the witch reached down, picked him up and addressed her victim.
"Well, what an appropriate transformation for my handsome prince!" the witch grinned as she carried James into the dining room "Right, I think I know the perfect spot for you!"
Elspeth cleared a vase from a side table, lifted James into it's place and turned him around to be confronted his reflectiom in the mirror opposite.
James could scarcely believe what he wss seeing. He was a bright green ceramic frog squatting happily on a lily pad. He was even wearing a tiny gold crown. There was no doubt in his mind that Elspeth had chosen this form to humilate James and demonstrate her complete control over him.
"There, I'll leave you to admire your new form while I make myself presentable. Don't get up to any muschief!" Elspeth taunted the frog before leaving the room.
Cruelly, James was left with no option but to sit and stare at the cheap and tacky garden ornament he currently was. He couldn't close his eyes, turn his head or even blink for a moments relief from his predicament. The dopey, cartoonish smile on his face couldn't have been further from conveying the horrific tboughts racing through his mind. But there was nothing he could do now, he just had to hope Elspeth was as good as her word and planned to restore him to humanity.