Wicked Stepmother

"You are a girl"

It was a young page who brought me her note. Initially I was flummoxed who was writing to me The note was short and to the point, the writing feminine and carefully formed. Flawless.

"There is a riding habit under the straw in the second stable from the right, which is unused."   I was surprised that a simple chambermaid could read and write, but I supposed that foreign countries might have different ways. I waited until mid-morning when my servants had too much to do and said I would walk alone in the garden.

"Your Highness..." a matron who seemed to me like my personal guard began,

"I will take no risks and not leave the castle" I lied.

"As you wish Madam" she said repressing her irritation with me well- but I notice these things.

I walked sedately down to the herbaceous shrubbery and trailed around it a little, gathering some lavender until I was sure everyone would have better things to do that watch my boring progress. Then I moved quickly into the stables, staying at the empty end, where none of the activity was currently (though I knew that later in the day there was danger of trysts in the empty stalls. I stowed my lavender with my clothes and put on the riding habit. I had never worn such rough and itchy cloth. I wondered what to do with my hair but decided a dirty piece of homespun that the riding habit had been wrapped in was a kerchief to cover it. A queen's elaborate hairstyle is not in keeping with a commoner's dress, but it would be beyond my powers to restore it if undone. Therefore I covered it.

I felt very daring as I walked into the stables but at least these were people that had, had little to do with the ascendant queen and would not know me. I picked a chestnut gelding that looked like he needed a run and started sadling him.

"What are you doing?" an under-groom bristled at me

"Master Binns sent me to exercise the horses" (Master Binns was the head groom)

"But you are a girl" he jeered

"And you ride like a girl" I countered, mounting up out of reach. I didn't trust what he would have done otherwise. He made a half-hearted lunge at me but between the difficulty of getting me from horseback and his lack of surety about possibly consequences of punishing me (I might be Binns' niece for ought he knew) he let me pass him and ride out.

I enjoyed the solitude and pine fragrance of the forest all afternoon, and wished I knew the gelding's name to thank him for the holiday. On my way out the door I had seen a magnificent white mare that I was determined to ride some time, but she looked as if she belonged to the royal family, perhaps even to me...though I wanted to ride her in privacy not in state. I rsolved that a night-ride was in order at my earliest convenience.