The old munchkin farmer's name was Bolger, and it was his hands that crafted every inch of the very same scarecrow that he would later infuse with Doctor Pipt's Powder of Life in a bid to make him the most effective of all scarecrows, and who after engaging in an unexpected adventure with a lost farmgirl from Kansas would inherit the vacated throne of absolute power in Oz at the bidding of the land's former ruler.
It was to Bolger's frustration that he was unable to finish the replacement scarecrow the feisty, bespectacled munchkin from the Learning Guild had ordered him to complete, as the farmer had inconveniently run out of the necessary materials required to finish the job. But this was work for another day. With a glass of ice water nearby and a hammock to rest in, Bolger was content to be as lazy as he wished, since most of the more important work was done and he still had the benefit of that little deal he had made with the crow king.
Besides, the old farmer thought to himself, it's not like that huffy little munchkin would ever come back to hurry him along again, right? He smiled in self-satisfaction as he brought the large ice water glass to his lips…
*BOM* *BOM*
Bolger's eyes went wide as he heard the raps at the door of his farmhouse. He couldn't believe it! He decided to stay still and keep quiet. Perhaps that annoying little tutor would surmise that no one was home…
*BOM* *BOM*
Bolger had been holding his breath. His head shook and he went cross-eyed. It seemed as if his face was about to turn blue from the strain…
*BOM* *BOM* *BOM*
The knocks were getting progressively louder. Unable to hold his breath any longer, the irritated munchkin farmer loudly released his breath, gulping in fresh new breaths as he angrily dismounted from his hammock and stomped over to the front door to rip it open.
"I RAN OUT OF MATERIALS! THERE'S NOTHING I CAN…" Bolger stopped, seeing the purple-outfitted human woman with the patchwork-quilted skirt standing at her door. It was someone the old farmer recognized from past visits. "…oh! It's you! Sorry…thought you were someone else. What in the name of the great and powerful Wizard of Oz brought you all the way out here, Millicent?"
He was at least thankful that there would be no inquiries about the unfinished…
"I noticed you haven't replaced your scarecrow, Bolger." Millicent began.
The visibly irritated munchkin farmer let out a long and frustrated sigh.
Millicent, however, continued. "You must miss the one that was on there before."
"Huh? Oh, yeah. My, uh, crown prince of scarecrows." Bolger mused. "He's obviously having a hard time keeping his promises."
Millicent tilted her head curiously. "What do you mean?"
The old munchkin then explained of his creation's spoken vow to keep vigil over his crops as gratitude for bringing him to life, although he did not reveal that it was Doctor Pipt's magic powder that provided the stuffed monarch's newfound self-sentience. "I'll admit he started doubting that he could keep his promise, since the crows had started getting used to him and his, uh, scare tactics…I guess that's why he wanted that brain he got."
"But a promise is a promise, isn't it?" Millicent reminded. "He swore to watch over your crops! Did he say he was going to watch over them for a certain period of time?"
Bolger shook his head. "He just made that promise."
Millicent crossed her arms in front of her chest pointedly. "Then he should never have left, should he? Get him back, Bolger. Put him back on the nail of that post, and don't let him out of your sight! March right on over to the Emerald City and remind him he has a promise to keep!"
Bolger bit his lower lip. "But…he…he's the King of Oz."
Millicent's hands now went to her hips as she glowered at the smaller farmer. "As ordained by a charlatan wizard!" She then reminded.
The munchkin now had a confused look. "A…a what wizard?"
Millicent rolled her eyes in irritation. "Meaning he was a fraud! A trickster! A fake! As in he did not know any real magic!"
"But…but…that big head…all those fires…that, that booming voice…"
The larger woman sighed aloud. "He used a machine, Bolger! Some confounded contraption he had the people of Oz help him build so he could drive the wicked witches of the east and the west away from the Emerald City years ago! He was nothing but smoke and mirrors! I was surprised those witches fell for that whole, pathetic act in the first place!"
Bolger shrugged. "Well…not like it matters anymore. I mean…the Wizard's gone now, but…I don't think too many people are going to appreciate my taking away their king!"
Millicent arched an eyebrow. "Unless someone far more qualified to rule were to assume control shortly after you took him out of the city?"
Bolger's troubled gaze lowered to the floor. It was a lot for the old munchkin farmer to take in all at once. As much as Millicent had made many valid points, the farmer at least knew that through his creation's exploits with the lost farmgirl, Bolger's straw-stuffed creation had earned himself a valuable prize…a brain…which the farmer knew the Scarecrow greatly desired. With a brain, after all, his creation could do more than just while away the hours conferring with the flowers. The Scarecrow could figure out new ways of keeping those blasted crows away from Bolger's crops, and the old farmer would no longer need to pay off the greedy crow king just to keep those black-feathered marauders away.
In the next moment, Bolger's expression was one of solid and firm conviction. He knew just what he was going to say, after weighing out the variables. After using his own munchkin brain. As much as he wanted to sit and think some more, Millicent was beginning to look a bit impatient.
Raising his eyes up to meet Millicent's once again, he finally responded.
The hooting of an owl could be heard as the evening's full moon illuminated the many small camps that had been built in front of the farmhouse. Farming implements which could double as weapons had been stockpiled near a freshly-extinguished campfire in the center of the many tents that had been erected for the army's use. Some of the trained soldiers slept outside of their tents, while others preferred the seclusion provided by the triangular canvas coverings, which were logically wide enough for the women to take shelter in.
Once Dorothy had yet another day's supply of bread, cheese, and butter created and prepared for Mombi's use, and all the chores the old witch had tasked her to do was completed, the disguised…and heavily panting…Kansas girl had only enough energy to drift over to the pile of thick, loose hay she had arranged to form a makeshift bed, and collapse her tired-out, rubenesque frame upon it. In the next hour, Dorothy quickly lapsed into unconsciousness.
The four-horned cow, who had opted to eat a few extra rips of grass from the fields, saw the milkmaid drift exhaustedly into the barn, and began slowly clopping over to it so she could begin whispering into Dorothy's ear as she slept, repeating the exact words Mombi had instructed the Holstein to recite so that Mombi's hypnotic hold on her new servant could be reinforced.
Although the bovine accomplice was beginning to warm to the idea of having another cow in the fields with her. The four-horned cow wondered if she could try whispering something a little more…incriminating. Something to compel Rosemary to make a blunder so catastrophic that Mombi would follow through on her warning, and Rosemary would be given a pair of horns, a ropy tail, hooved hands and feet, a set of udders, and a black-spotted hide all her own.
Rosemary sounded like a fitting name for a cow anyway.
As the four-horned cow neared the barn's entrance, however, she caught a scent which was strangely appetizing to her. From behind the left edge of the barn stepped a familiar-looking recruit. The Holstein recognized this one to be the new cook who had passed around the "victory cookies" everyone had enjoyed. In both hands, she held a bundle of hay that had been packed into a cube-like shape. The scent the cow had picked up was very strong on this cube.
The cook smiled as she saw the cow clop over, and she held the 10' x 10' cube out to the approaching Holstein. "Victory hay?"
The cow stopped, a wary look on her horned face. "So late in the evening? Why couldn't I have gotten this earlier?"
"This is from Millicent, not me." The cook revealed. "I was told to give this right to you. Something about thanking you for the work you've been doing with Rosemary."
The Holstein nodded after a quiet moment of wary consideration. After all…it was not as if Mombi was incapable of rewarding those who were loyal to her, and the old witch had provided rewards in extra hay a couple of times in the past. This cube, however, looked…and smelled…especially appetizing.
"Hmmm…how…" She began clopping hungrily towards the cube now. "…nice of her…"
The cook tossed the cube a short distance from the barn as the hooting owl observed from a perch on the barn's roof. The cow moved quickly towards it and began ripping mouthfuls of the packed hay from the cube, making quiet yummy noises as she did.
As the cow began to eat the tainted hay, Cayke stepped towards Dorothy's sleeping form and began to shake her slumbering frame. "Dorothy!" She hissed. "Dorothy…wake up!"
Dorothy frowned as she began to stir. Her larger body laying on its side, she rolled to her back and looked upon the blur of the figure kneeling over her through half-lidded eyes. "W…whuuhhh…"
Cayke shook at the disguised girl's body a little more. "Dorothy, please wake up!" She hissed again. Knowing the exhausted champion of Oz was at least stirred from any semblance of deep sleep, the cook pulled the larger girl's upper body to a sitting position, although her head had drooped down wearily.
Cayke lifted Dorothy's head and gave it a few light slaps. Although her breathing was still slow, the cook could at least see a pair of eyes peeking through partially-closed eyelids. Her mouth was slightly open, as well, with slow inhales and exhales emanating from it.
"Can you hear me, Dorothy?" Cayke asked. "Nod your head up and down if you do."
After a moment, Dorothy's head nodded slightly, although her eyes remained half-lidded.
"I know you're tired, but try to listen." Cayke kept her voice as quiet as she could, although she needed a bit of volume so that Dorothy could comprehend her words, and she positioned her head close to the sleepy Kansas girl's ear every time she spoke. "My name is Cayke. The Scarecrow sent me here to spy on the army, but he and his head maid also asked me to look for you. I have something for you, too. Something Lo helped me prepare before I arrived."
From a round cloth bag attached to her belt, which hung behind her, Cayke produced a fresh, warm chocolate chip cookie. "I'm sorry I was so rude before. I had to keep up appearances." She then held the cookie in front of Dorothy's weary eyes. "Think of this as my way of making amends. Now its effects aren't going to be immediate, but I'm certain that by the morning, your head should be a little more clear."
The first bite Dorothy took was evidence enough that Cayke was the best cookie cook in the entire land of Oz. It was unquestionably the most delicious cookie the disguised heroine from Kansas had ever tasted. Although Dorothy remained very tired, the taste was so pleasing, she devoured the rest of it in the next moment.
Cayke smiled, planting a kiss on the sleepy milkmaid's forehead. "Looks like my reputation is secure, even without the dishpan. Now listen, Dorothy…there's more I need to tell you. It's very important." Cayke hissed this next part right into Dorothy's ear. "I think I found Glinda."
Dorothy's eyes opened a little more. "Wh…wheerre..?" She asked wearily.
"Mombi has a second house not far from here." Cayke then revealed. "It's a house she uses when she's disguised as that Millicent Thrombey woman. Jinjur's officers watch over it very closely and they don't let anyone down in its basement. I think that's where Glinda is being kept!"
Dorothy's weary voice sounded troubled as she spoke. "Sss…ssso…sssso tiiiired…worrrk…"
But Cayke continued to speak. "I'm gonna go give that basement another try. Listen…no matter what happens at the Emerald City tomorrow, you've got to try and look for two things Lo will need to break the spell on Glinda. The first is a six-leaf clover, the other is a quarter-pint of water from that dark well down the road from here. Try to remember that! A quarter-pint of water from the well, and a six-leaf clover! Once you have them, get yourself to Munchkinland and look for Lo. She'll be waiting for you. Try to stay away from that four-horned cow, too. Don't wake her." Cayke then gave Dorothy's forehead another kiss. "I'll try to get back to you if I get lucky tonight!"
After laying Dorothy back upon the bed of hay, Cayke raced away as quietly as she could, leaving the exhausted Kansas girl looking a little alarmed for what she had just heard.
Dorothy reached out for the cookie cook as she disappeared in the distance. "No…please…" She tried to lift herself back up, but the effort was too much for her weary bones. "…C…Cayke…"
In the next moment, she passed out completely upon the mass of hay, lapsing once again into a deep slumber…
…although her evening's rest was nowhere near the kind of unconsciousness Lo's sleep potion, which the munchkin witch had used to taint the cube of hay, had inflicted upon the four-horned cow. In the absence of anyone or anything giving her a solid round of nudging, the Holstein would remain fast asleep for days.
Once Dorothy was asleep and Cayke was well out of sight, the owl perched on the barn's roof launched herself up and away, soaring and flapping in the direction of the Emerald City.
This particular owl was confident, after all, that the next day could be a very rewarding day for Jinjur's army.
As the sun began to illuminate the sky in lighter hues of blue, Private Omby Amby hurried over to the gate, confirming as he sprinted that the arguing was still going on. And on. And on.
The gate guardian's voice could of course be heard, but the second voice sounded older. It also had a munchkin's childlike pitch. Once Omby got to the door, he slammed his body against it, opening it wider as he looked down at the feisty old munchkin farmer standing there.
"What is the meaning of this racket?" Omby asked, in a very authoritative and intimidating tone. "Businesses in the city aren't open yet, and people are still sleeping!"
"I'm here to see the king!" The farmer replied, frowning up at Omby. "He used to be my scarecrow! I'm not leaving here until I get to see him, and I know he never sleeps!"
The Private blinked, eyes widening in surprise, in recognition of this, having heard about how the Scarecrow had been created, and who was behind the stuffed monarch's creation. "You're Bolger?"
"Get me over to where he is, or bring him here!" Bolger huffed. "A promise is a promise!"
After a moment of quiet consideration, Omby turned his head back to the small-statured farmer. "Wait here." He firmly commanded. The Private then headed back over to the royal palace as fast as he could.
About thirty idle minutes later, Omby was spotted heading back to the gate. Another familiar presence…this one with a crown stitched to his burlap head…was right behind him.
Bolger crossed his arms in front of him, smirking, as the Scarecrow stepped over to the old munchkin with a somewhat crestfallen look on his face. "Uh…l…long time, no see, Mister Bolger."
"Day and night, you said." Bolger began, in a very accusing tone. "Day and night! You swore to watch over my fields!" He then wagged a finger to him in emphasis. "Do you know what I've had to do to keep those confounded crows from raiding my crops since you left me?"
Omby arched an eyebrow hearing the old farmer's angry tone. "Might I remind you that you are addressing the…"
"I'm addressing myscarecrow, king or not! Now you stay outof this!" Bolger yelled to the green-clad soldier. He then turned back to his crestfallen creation. "I've had to pay the crow king in crops just to keep my fields safe from their mischief! Sooner or later, I'll have no more crops left to pay! And then, where will I be? I can't even build a replacement scarecrow because I ran out of materials!"
The Scarecrow lowered his head. Under the weight of everything he had just heard, he now felt ashamed to have a crown stitched to his head to begin with. He now regretted being ordained by the Wizard to succeed him as the land's ruler.
Bolger, however, continued his onslaught, wagging a finger emphatically. "You should be ashamed of yourself, breaking your promise to me! Well, you've left me no choice but to enforce the terms of the Wizard's writ of ownership!" The old munchkin then produced a large, yellowed sheet of written paragraphs, all of it beneath larger, stylish letters at the top of the page spelling out the words WRIT OF OWNERSHIP. Two lines beneath the stream of finely-organized and numbered paragraphs had a stamp mark on one, while the line next to it displayed a written signature.
Private Omby took a look at this writ and quirked an eyebrow as he looked back up to the irate farmer. "Mr. Bolger…you're presenting official documentation that was only valid during the reign of the Wizard of Oz. As I'm sure you're aware, he is no lo…"
"Oh, this documentation is still valid, all right!" Bolger quickly countered. He then pointed to one of the paragraphs on the writ. "Paragraph 17 clearly states that ownership of a creation…such as my scarecrow…may be enforced even in the event of a change in sovereign rulership! Which means that no matter who is in charge of the land of Oz, that scarecrow is still rightfully mine…and if I want to return him to his old post, none of you can stop me!"
Omby's expression now looked distraught. "But…who will succeed him? The Wizard made him our ruler before he left!"
"Bah! A blind judgment made by a charlatan! A fake! A con artist!" Bolger then grabbed the Scarecrow's arm and began to pull him towards the city gates. "Why don't you become the land's King, Private? Until you can find someone better, at least…personally, I don't care either way!"
As the Scarecrow was only made of straw and hardly had any significant mass, Bolger was able to tug him quite forcefully behind him despite the miserable look he had on his burlap face. Omby…and the soldiers flanking him…just stared upon the sight of the munchkin farmer pulling their ordained king past, and beyond, the city gates…
…but Omby ultimately judged that their loyalty should be to this ordained king regardless of some silly writ. Now holding his rifle in both hands, he began his defiant approach towards the farmer, his fellow soldiers following behind Omby in solidarity.
But the sight of Bolger dragging the Scarecrow out of the city was the signal Jinjur and her army waited for. Drawing and raising her sword high, she then pointed it towards the city gate.
"CHAAAAAAARGE!" She roared.
Loud war cries filled the air as Jinjur's horde of female soldiers surged upon the gate, each of them holding potentially lethal farming implements, if not other makeshift weapons blunt and otherwise. Once Omby and the two soldiers behind him reached the gate opening, they lurched back at the sight of the charging army.
The Scarecrow's eyes boggled seeing the citizens army begin their attack. He was doubly horrified that Bolger didn't seem to care, which might very well mean that he could have been an accomplice to the invasion to begin with.
But that didn't make sense! Bolger had always been a sensible and often kind farmer, and his only real failing was that he had been occasionally lazy. He even had respect for the Wizard for at least providing moral-minded direction to the people of Oz. Indeed, in his youth, Bolger was among the farmers who provided the many scarecrows to assist in the Wizard's gambit to drive away the wicked witches years ago.
At the same time, however, the Scarecrow did, in fact, break a promise he had made to this farmer, and so Bolger had all the justification in the world to be so angry, especially after he had made that revelation regarding his deal with the crow king. Ever since becoming the king of Oz…indeed, ever since meeting Dorothy Gale…he seemed to have completely forgotten the very reason for his existence.
He seemed to have completely forgotten that he was supposed to be a scarecrow.
Ojo, the Woozy, and the glass cat hid themselves as Jinjur's army began their surprise assault on the city. The invading forces had briefly paused, seeing Private Omby holding his rifle out towards them and apparently preparing to fire…
…but General Jinjur called his bluff all too easily, attacking and subduing the soldier without incurring so much as a single injury nor bruise. With the fall of the wicked witches of the east and the west, Omby Amby did not feel the need to keep his rifle loaded. He was also skeptical of the threat posed by the citizens army, as well. He didn't think they would actually carry out Jinjur's apparent intentions.
Ojo and his companions witnessed the whole thing before securing themselves back in their hiding spots. Other soldiers surged out to try and stem the tide, but they were beaten down by various farming implements and weapons with brutal, but non-lethal tenacity.
The munchkin boy looked to his two companions…both of them better concealed in dark shadows compared to Ojo…as the battles raged. "What're we gonna do?" He hissed.
"I could try my terrifying bellow of rage," The Woozy quietly suggested. "but there aren't too many munchkins in that army. It may not work…and they could capture me, and you'd lose the hairs you'd need from my tail. Besides…you still owe me a cheese sandwich."
"I know!" the cat then hissed. "I have the perfect plan!"
Ojo smiled. "Great! Let's hear it!"
"Stay here, and watch my pink brains work!" the cat replied.
Ojo and the Woozy shut their eyes, sighing in exasperation.
Eventually, the sounds of fighting began to die down, and Jinjur's next words were shouted for all within the city to hear moments after the fighting ended. "Citizens of the Emerald City! Your king has abandoned you! From this day forward, I, General Jinjur, am the acting ruler of the land of Oz until a more qualified leader steps forth to succeed me! Cooperate, and you will not be harmed! Resist, and you will be permanently banished from the city!"
At this point, Ojo felt a feminine hand grab his shoulder from behind, startling the munchkin boy. "Come on, kid. On your feet. Let's go. Don't resist." The uniformed soldier remarked as he pulled the boy up.
Fortunately, however, Ojo was the only one the soldier of the citizens army had spotted, as the Woozy and the cat were so deep in the shadows of their hiding place that they remained unseen.
Other non-combatants, however, who attempted to hide were not so lucky, and they were herded out to the large space beneath a high balcony of the royal palace. It was from here that Jinjur had been speaking, and Ojo saw a very crestfallen Jellia Jamb...still in her nightgown…standing next to the munchkin General as she continued to speak.
"Let me first assure everyone that I have no intention of making any serious changes to the way you all live your lives." Jinjur coasted her gaze down along the sea of worried and scared faces below, munchkin and otherwise, as she spoke. "I remind you again that this is a temporary action, until such a time when a better leader steps forward. Someone more…flesh and blood. Someone who was not ordained to be a leader by a fake Wizard."
A young male voice in the crowd cried out defiantly at this. "But I miss the Wizard of Oz!"
A majority of the voices in the crowd cried out in agreement. Another, older male voice yelled out. "What makes you think you have better brains than the Scarecrow?"
Another, more familiar, voice then spoke out, and this voice was revealed to be Philomena, the Headmistress of the Learning Guild. "Indeed! Who will be the one to choose this 'better leader'? Us? Or you?" Another outburst from the crowds nodded in shared curiosity for this notion. Jellia couldn't help but betray a little smile over these outbursts.
Jinjur, however, had gotten a little more angry and frustrated with every one of these outbursts, and she roared her responses in a fit of rage and irritation. "STOP! ENOUGH!" The crowd went fearfully quiet, seeing her expression of rage, and she first glowered down to the young boy. "Life isn't always fair!" Her angry gaze then went to the older male. "My brains are flesh and blood compared to that…that bunch of hay in the burlap sack of that puppet!" She then fixed her furious gaze on Philomena. "And if I gave all of you the right to choose another leader, you'd just put another puppet on the throne!"
"That still doesn't make you right, shorty!" came another female voice, which happened to come from the glass cat, who along with the Woozy was still well-concealed in a different hiding spot.
This outburst, however, put Jinjur over the edge. She hated...hated...being called 'shorty'. "Who said that? Who said that?" The General scanned the crowd, all of whom shook their heads in denial, or pointed in the general direction of the voice. "You'd better show yourself, or…or…" Jinjur then shot her finger towards Philomena. "…or I will banish that munchkin from the city! Permanently!"
Gasps filled the air around the Headmistress, who defiantly stood her ground in spite of the threat, crossing her arms in front of her. "Hmph! My natural home has always been Munchkinland anyway." She then stuck her tongue out at Jinjur, who was still waiting for the offender to speak out and identify herself.
All the General got, however, was silence in the tense moment that followed.
"Time's up!" Jinjur then fired her finger out towards the Headmistress once again. "You are hereby forbidden to leave the Emerald City, Philomena! I sentence you to invisibility! If anyone gives that munchkin any manner of food or drink, provides that munchkin with any shelter other than the open streets, or even speaks to that munchkin, they will be banished from this city! PERMANENTLY!"
A look of shock was now on Philomena's face as her hands flew to her mouth. Even Ojo was aghast. He knew it was the glass cat that made the outburst, and he had surmised that she had taken it upon herself…in her own way…to help keep the Woozy out of sight for the time being. He hoped that she would be able to somehow get him out of the city and over to Munchkinland.
Jinjur continued to scowl down upon the crowds. "Next time, it might be you! Don't test me! I am not in the mood!"
Jellia had an overwhelming urge to throw caution to the winds and attack Jinjur from behind as she spoke, but she had two of Jinjur's munchkin officers flanking her. The move would have been entirely futile.
"Until such a time as we can establish a citizen identification system, I will have my officers at each of the four gates leading into the city." Jinjur announced. "Starting tomorrow morning, not one person, coming or going, will escape their notice! You will state your business, perform that business, and then leave! No exceptions!" A chorus of gasps and worried mutters was Jinjur's only reply. "That is all!"
With a gesture to the soldiers watching Jellia, Jinjur finally stepped away from the balcony. The eyes of the conquering soldiers were on the crowds now, making sure no one paid any attention to Philomena, who was already trying to get someone to speak with her. All she got was fearful glances.
Ojo, however, had stepped out of sight once again. His eyes were on Philomena, and they never left her. There was no way he was going to let this munchkin suffer as Jinjur had indicated.
Philomena was on the verge of tears by the time she wandered away from the crowds that continued to ignore her. Ojo finally picked a moment in which he burst from his current hiding spot, and grabbed the Headmistress before any of the soldiers noticed them. He quickly pulled Philomena to the dark shadows of another nearby hiding place.
"What are you doing, dear boy?" Philomena quietly whispered. "I don't want you to…"
"Shhh! Don't worry about me. I'm getting you out of the city." Ojo defiantly hissed back. "You are not staying here!"
Both then heard a nearby soldier's voice speak. "Where did Philomena go?"
Related mutters from other soldiers began to spread. Philomena quickly directed her head to the defiant boy. "Can I expect you to be here later tonight? With a bit of food and drink? I…I have to keep up appearances for the moment."
Ojo quickly thought on this, and ultimately nodded his head. "Okay. I'll have something for you. Including a plan to get you out. Be here around 8pm tonight!" He hissed back quickly
Philomena hurried out, looking entirely despondent. Three soldiers saw her, and called out to the others that the condemned munchkin had been found, no doubt wandering briefly out of sight. The building sense of alarm died quickly.
From then on, Philomena continued to wander the streets of the conquered city in plain sight, her head lowered lamentedly. Not a soul spoke to her, nor even acknowledged her existence as she moved, and those who defiantly attempted were swiftly advised otherwise.
But the Headmistress was at least relieved she had one person in the city who dared, by choice, to breach the enforced veil that was now her curse.
EDIT - 1/13/2016: Gender-related typo fixed. Thanks for spotting that, Heathcliff! :)