Cassandry's Ball

Charlotte and her wonderful Mr. Harris are so excited. They are going to Lyonstoke to keep Christmas with Lady Cassandry and her Gerolt and Anthony. Again they shall travel through time to a castle hall.

They finish dressing each in their respective times, and out they slip to the summerhouse. The moon glows golden as a galleon on the crest of a wave of stars. They feel the pull of the summerhouse as it works its mysterious magic.

Lord Gerolt has left beautifully caparisoned horses for them when they arrive. The snow is deep, with a crunchy shell of ice. It sparkles in the sun like a myriad of diamonds, for they have arrived early.

They clatter over the bridge and into the yard of the castle, which stands perched on a hill, it's walls stretching upward into the winter sun. They are met by Gerolt's men, who take their cloaks and usher them into the hall. Such rich scents of roasting meat and greenery boughs and boughs of mistletoe and holly greet their noses.

Cassandry comes to greet Charlotte, curious about her strange manner of dressing. The two are much of a kind, however, and they go off chattering, leaving Mr. Harris and Gerolt and Anthony together.

When the ladies return, Charlotte is gowned in a burgundy gown of velvet, lovely as a ruby to Mr. Harris. He feels so blessed to have acquired such a gem. Cassandry invites them both to sit at high table, just below the salt. They share a trencher and marvel at the delectable repast.

Mummers and jugglers perform throughout the meal, beguiling in their feats of derring-do. After the feast is past, the musicians arrive and strike up. It is most felicitous that Charlotte and her Mr. Harris have taken pains to learn dance steps from the period.

The candles flicker as a slight breeze flutters the rich tapestries. Charlotte cannot contain her longing to actually touch Mr. Harris' hands and feel his arms about her.

Cassandry dances with Anthony and Gerolt, both. Charlotte watches for a moment before she discovers their secret--something Cassandry and her friends may not even know themselves.

You may join the celebration here. Don't forget to click on the clip and let it pull you back to Cassandry's time as Charlotte and Jack were.