A Gilded Cage: The Perfect Disguise

Phillip and Brielle met Griffin out by the stables. They nervously hovered, waiting for their friend to appear while trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Brielle fed her favorite pony, Midnight, sugar cubes, giggling as he slobbered all over her hand. Phillip shook his head.

“Disgusting animals, sometimes. You do know you can just let Griffin take care of that…” His lip curled a little as she wiped her tiny hand against her dress.

“Well where would the fun in that be? Besides…it makes him like me more..” The pony snuffled into her pockets and she giggled, patting him. Phillip tried to pat him also, to be met with a gentle shove and a snort on Midnight’s behalf. This threw Brielle into a fit of hysterics, only made worse as Griffin landed neatly on his feet from the rafters.

“She is right you know. They know who brings the treats!” He had a bundle of cloth in his arms.

“Those are the clothes we can use?” She smiled brightly at Griffin while Phillip looked at the pile with some interest.

“I see there are only boy clothes in there? What about Brielle?” He had a puzzled look upon his face.

“You see, she will blend in better if she is dressed like us. Even on the other side o the tracks, girls and boys don’t play together without someone watching you see. We have rules and…” he snickers “Propriety too, you see.” Phillip looks a bit off put, as if he thought that Brielle wearing pants was a much greater sin than being seen in the company of two boys, but nods. Brielle on the other hand, is glowing with excitement.

“I get to wear PANTS?” She exclaims, nearly jumping with joy, skirts flying and flouncing everywhere. She pats them into place with some annoyance and then brightly babbles on, “oh imagine what I could do in pants! I don’t have to worry about them being upturned or silk being torn or any of that sort of thing! Or mud! I can play in the mud and no one will care!” She giggles and snatches the pile of clothing on top before disappearing into an empty stall and reappearing in the boys clothes, which are comically too big. She rolls up the cuff of the pants and grins brightly. “Do you have a cap? My hair will give me away.” She shakes her hair out behind her. “This won’t do and I can’t just chop it off.” She tugs a silky lock for emphasis and Phillip frowns in consternation.

“This isn’t proper!” he says, sounding extremely vexed.

“What about this any of this idea is proper, Phillip? We are running off without supervision to go play in the mud with our delightful new friend whom our parents would hate!” she smiles a little bit wickedly. “Its perfectly, properly improper, all of it!” Griffin pulls the cap off his own head and tucks her hair up under it.

“There, she’s a proper little scamp, if I do say so meself!” Brielle blushes and giggles in response.

“Phillip, what are you waiting for? Get dressed so we can go play!” He sighs and then shakes his head, smiling.

“You are not like other little girls, mark my words. Alright, lets get this going…” He changes in the stall she just came out of . “So, where are we going in this getup?” He plucks the shoulder of his shirt.

“I was thinking of this old abandoned factory I know of. We can play at being workers, the equipment still all works!” Brielle lets out a delighted squeak and hugs Griffin tightly.

“What a lovely idea! Race you there!” She dashes out the door and Griffin looks to Phillip.

“How far do ye think she’ll get before she realizes she doesn’t know the way?” He chuckles. “You are right, she is nothing like any little girl I know. High fallutin’ or otherwise.” The boys run to catch up to her, finding her out of breath and giggling by the apple tree at the end of the drive that leads to the mansion.

“I realized I didn’t know the way.” She smiles sweetly.

“Told you so.” Griffin smirks to Phillip.

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