Chapter 20

"How can I thank you?" Alexandra said.

"Having the princess drinking tea in my home is thanks enough," replied the old woman. "I would curtsey, but my knees don't bend as they should."

"Please, Widow Black, call me Alexandra. I don't feel much like a princess these days."

"My dear," said Widow Black, "you do me too much honor. But if you will, please call me Miriam. You remind me of my oldest boy. My husband was a blacksmith since he was big enough to pick up a hammer. He saw what a big lad Henry was and just assumed that Henry would become the next generation of blacksmith. The problem was that Henry really wanted to be a forester. He and his Da used to have the worst fights until one day Henry just left."

"So he's a forester now?"

"No, that is the funny part," Miriam laughed to herself. "He was a terrible forester. He got lost constantly and he hated the bugs. He has a forge right up against the forest. He and his Da made up before my husband died. Henry brought his boy to be apprenticed at my second boy Josh's place. He's just on the other side of town. You would have passed it coming in." She poured them both more tea. "The point is that Henry didn't know what he wanted until he tried it. He can't imagine being ought but a smith now, but if he had never struck out on his own there would always be a part of him that wished it was different."

"But I don't know what I want. I just know that I don't want to be the prize at a fair, no matter how grand it is."

"So, what can you do besides princes sing?"

"We had to learn embroidery and fancy stitching. I didn't mind it, but I was never more than average at it."

"I think you will find that your 'average' is well above what most people see. I have a sewing box around here somewhere. It has a bit of thread and doings in it. My daughter-in-law is about your size. I am sure she won't mind trading a couple of dresses with you."

"Could you watch Rust for me, or better yet, take her back to the castle? George will make sure that you are rewarded for your time."

"I would imagine that Josh and his wife would enjoy a trip to the city," Miriam smiled.

Alexandra did little that day but go through the sewing box and try a couple of small patterns. As Miriam had thought, Josh's wife was very glad to trade a couple of plain dresses for the princess's riding dress. She even found some more colored thread for Alexandra's box. The princess did make a quick visit to the shed to explain to Rust that she was being left behind. The mare was too intent on her oats to pay attention.

The day after, Alexandra the fancy worker carried her kit out of town. She was heading for the town a little west that had a fair in the offing. She stayed at inns or large homes, trading fancy work for room and board. In the evening, she worked on her own dresses and listened to the talk of the people around her.