Lady Bun took that exact moment, that worst possible moment, to arrive. It could only be worse if the two old friends were strangling each other. To be found imitating her hostess, with the hostess’s daughter! It was a secret known to many that Pennie had been the most notorious pie thief around as a child, and the two had definitely played at it many times, but to get caught? Freya prayed that they hadn’t been overheard.

“Freya! Why it is so good of you to come and visit!” Lady Pennie Bun said as she turned into the kitchen. All utility, her dress today was high fashion meets busy farm mother, the drab brown accented by lines of green that fell loose to allow for plenty of movement.

Lady Bun rang the bell to summon her only staff, yet another brown rabbit in a similar drab brown dress. The rabbit nodded at her demands and led the three to the drawing-room to take in the southern sun as they waited.

Freya explained the visit from Lady Raina to the rapt attention of both Holly and her mother, leaving out the part about speaking to her cockroaches. By the time she had finished her tale, the brown rabbit had returned with a tray full of carrots, biscuits, and some of the sweetest smelling soup.

“Freya, as you are but just finished with your formal schooling let me just give you this little bit of advice,” Lady Bun said to the rapt attention of the two old friends.

They munched contentedly on the biscuits, avoiding both the carrots and the soup.

“You must either make your choices in life or have others make them for you,” she said.

That’s all? I thought that there would be something profound behind her words, something to help me make up my mind, Freya thought.

“And you do understand why Lady Raina was away for so long don’t you?” Lady Bun sipped a cup of water that had arrived once the biscuits had disappeared.

Freya looked at Holly and Holly shrugged.

“Why was she gone so long?” Freya said.

“I must swear the two of you to secrecy before I spill another word,” Lady Bun said, looking between the two of them back and forth, “For the words I say here are private and not for some ears. As this is a generally suspected thing it might not be of much value, but it is good for you to know what is common knowledge.”

Freya and Holly swore up and down that they would not tell a soul.

“Very well,” Lady Bun’s voice dropped down to a whisper, “Freya, You have heard of Lady Raina, correct? Perhaps the rumors about her affiliation with the ministry of the exterior? It may be that this is widely suspected but please never confirm what I am about to say to anyone.”

Both nodded as those things were taught to death in school. The coalition, the sacred bond of the three woodland races meant survival and that fox, mouse, and rabbit must trust each other in the face of a cruel and unforgiving world.

“There are some postings under the Ministry of the Exterior that would be more suitably called espionage activities. Now I am not at liberty to say, but I have a good reason to think that Lady Raina knows a lot more than she has let on about political matters outside of the grasp of Yellowrock. And furthermore, she may be using her official position in the Ministry as a cover as she recruits others to become spies for Yellowrock.”

Both girls had heard tales of Yellowrock spies in the books, but never so much as met one of them before. In the stories, the spies always saved the prim and proper lady mouse from distress in some far-off land, and then… then there were always missing pages in those books at her house as if they had been ripped out. Holly and Freya always read those books and similar ones about reports from the Ministry of the Exterior about far-off lands.

This was too much for the poor mouse to consider all at once. Freya paled.

“Freya, are you alright?” Holly asked, seeing her friend all at once about to keel over and fall into the tray.

“I swear that this day will be the death of her,” Holly said, standing to ring for help.

Druids, society balls, spies, and talking chickens… Freya thought.

“I’m fine Holly,” Freya said, “I can’t accept any aid where I don’t need any.”

“You’re overwhelmed by too many choices?” Holly huffed. She always had a knack for telling when Freya had stretched the truth. It had gotten them both in trouble countless times as Holly always wanted to tell the truth.

“I find it that you both are at a crossroads in your lives,” Lady Bun said, “And I can but stand aside and help as I am able. And should you choose to go with Holly, well I’m sure that we can send our carriage by your way on the morrow.”

Holly looked excited at the prospect of another friend joining her.

“You should come with us, Freya! It’s going to be a grand time, and perhaps my aunt will have some work for us when we’re done,” she said turning to her mother, “Although this could all be fake.”

“If you want to work in politics, you could do worse than have a mentor like your aunt Raina, dear,” Lady Bun said, “ And if you change your minds, her lessons may hold value for you either way. And as you know, Lady Raina had no children of her own, so she may be looking for someone to pass her inheritance on to.”

Holly’s ears perked up at this, as Freya considered a life working in the shadows.

We’ll just have to see then, won’t we?