After Cass' first week she and Madame Beatrice reached something of an unspoken truce. Cass didn't blatantly disobey rules in front of Madame Beatrice, and Madame Beatrice didn't make an example of Cass for minor offenses. Cass had decided it would be easier (and more importantly more fun) if she weren't constantly battling with the person who had the most power over her. Besides, that's what parents were for. Madame Beatrice's reasons remained her own.
It was lucky for Cass that she had this change of heart when she did. Then again maybe luck had nothing to do with it. What she hadn't known was that every fortnight the princesses were allowed to go into the local village and the surrounding areas and spend the day doing whatever she wanted…within reason. On those days undercover guards from the palace were placed strategically throughout the village, so that the girls could feel safe to roam around. If she wanted to go farther than the village a personal guard could be procured. The catch to this amazing gift of freedom was it was only granted to those weren't in disgrace with Madame Beatrice. Cass' attitude greatly improved once Francie and Elaine had informed her of this.
Cass didn't make the cut her first fortnight there, and she spent the day mourning the loss with Felicia (who had accidentally told Bernard what she thought of his special made Torinian suit of armor during diplomacy class) and Bianca (who only made it to good behavior outings about one third of the time).
"You know, it really isn't fair to test me on diplomacy with Bernard. Even if I could lie I don't think I would have been able to. Find me one person, one person in the entire world who could stand up and tell Bernard he doesn't look like giant paperweight." Sighed Felicia.
"In the armor?" asked Cass.
"In general." Bianca answered for her.
The three were lounging morosely on Cass' newly restored bed dourly discussing the fun things the others might be doing, and the profoundly unfair reasons they hadn't been allowed to go.
Bianca sat up and looked at Felicia. "Do you really think Bernard looks like a paperweight?" she asked interestedly.
"Not really. Why?"
"I thought you couldn't lie. Isn't saying that you think Bernard looks like a paperweight a lie?"
"I didn't say I thought looked like a paperweight, I asked you to find someone who wouldn't say so." Answered Felicia.
"Oh." Bianca looked at Felicia sadly. "How do you get anything done? If I couldn't lie I'd be in trouble so much I don't think I could find time to breathe."
"Well, its not easy, but you learn tricks. When not to speak, how to make convincing non-committal noises, how to say two true things that have nothing to do with each other that lead people to believe something different…its only when I get caught off guard that it becomes a real problem. Its not so bad." Felicia said practically.
"I guess that's true." Bianca nodded. "You would definitely have to be creative."
Cass sat up sharply. "Excuse me? What pity party are you two at? Everything is so bad! There is no creativity involved! We are wallowing in our sorrows over here! It's sacred! Its time honored! Now lets all sit back and pout like adults!" she commanded forcefully.
"Sorry." Felicia said truthfully. She immediately lay back and sighed deeply.
"Yeah," added Bianca. "People suck."
The three were silent for a moment and then Cass sat up again.
"Ok, I'm bored."
"I thought that was the point." Said Bianca in confusion.
"Yeah I know, but its boring." Answered Cass.
"So, about three seconds after you scolded us for being optimistic you want to abandon our 'pity party'." Asked Felicia dryly.
Cass thought about it. "Yes. That would be an accurate summary of the current situation".
Felicia and Bianca exchanged a look.
"Ok, let's go make a fort out of library books." Said Bianca jumping off the bed.
"Maybe we can get some of the maids to make one too and we can have a snowball fight." Suggested Felicia.
"Yeah!" agreed Cass enthusiastically. "That would be way fun…in the middle of summer…inside…"she trailed off thinking about this.
Felicia waved away concern. "So we'll use crumpled paper instead of snowballs, same general idea."
The other two agreed that this was an excellent idea. In spite of this, they found they had trouble convincing any of the servants of the merit of this plan, though not through lack of trying. After a while they abandoned the idea completely and spent the afternoon playing a game Bianca invented, which consisted primarily of getting through as many rooms in the castle as possible without touching the floor. It was relatively entertaining, especially when Cass tried to cross a morning room by climbing across the draperies that covered one wall. She made it pretty far before she pulled too hard and the curtains came crashing down around her. After minimal debate Felicia and Bianca generously allowed her to remain in the game. They even convinced a couple of guards who were trying their best not to giggle to help them restore the offending window treatment.
***
By the grace of destiny and Madame Beatrice, all three of the offending persons managed to make the next good-behavior outing. Cass was thrilled since it had been almost a month since she came to Maudeline Hall and this was the first time she had been let out. Bianca was even more thrilled since it had been almost three months since her last excursion beyond the moat. Felicia, who had only missed once, was just ordinarily cheerful. She even stayed and went late with Cordelia, who needed time to liberally apply her repulsion potion.
The moment she crossed the drawbridge Cass dropped to the ground and kissed the earth. "Oh blessed freedom! At last I return (pause to spit dirt) to thy welcoming embrace!"
Bianca stumbled forward as though dizzy. "Its all so bright…" she whispered distantly. "…What is this green carpet spread all over the ground?"
"I know! I remember it from my childhood, its called…grass!" responded Cass in equally hushed tones.
"Yes, that's it…" Bianca tentatively tried the word out. "Gur-asssss."
"But what is that shining golden ball up in the…what is it called…sky?" questioned Cass gazing upward.
"It's called…the offspring." Answered Bianca dreamily. "No, the progeny."
"No," sighed Cass. "That's not it. The descendant maybe?"
"The child?" suggested Bianca.
"The daughter." Decided Cass.
"It's the sun you dolts, and it's the same sun you bask in everyday on the other side of the moat." Said Portia as she passed the swooning maidens.
"Oh yeah." Remembered Cass.
"Easy mistake, could have happened to anyone." Supplied Bianca getting off the ground.
"Honey we are freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" squealed Cass in delight as she took a running start into a cartwheel.
"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" was Bianca's answering cry, while she twirled down the lane. "What first? Should we swim naked in the lake? Go rescue enchanted pastry chefs? Become enchanted pastry chefs?" queried Bianca, full of anticipation.
"How about breakfast?" suggested Elaine, laughing.
Cass put her finger on her chin considering the two of them. "Hmm, both excellent plans. How to decide?" she snapped her fingers in inspiration. "I've got it. I'll cut the pastry chef in half and you may each have an equal share…and then the one who loves him most will let the other have the whole thing." She concluded, bringing her palms together piously.
Bianca and Elaine took a moment to absorb this.
"You're right as usual Cass. I defer to your wisdom. Breakfast it is." Conceded Elaine gracefully.
"Race you!" cried Bianca, and took off running.