[Ivy of the Woods]

Mariah walked outside leading her sister, who followed surprisingly meekly, to the well where she pulled up the bucket of water.
"Lean back" she told Helda and Helda surprisingly did. She dumped the cold water over Helda hair and face and Helda let out a gasp. "Yes, it's cold but you'll have to bear it"
They washed their faces and took turns washing and combing out each others hair, saying not much except for a complaint from Helda now and then that Mariah was pulling too hard.
"Now what shall we do for our dresses?" asked Mariah
The question was not exactly directed toward Helda who replied anyway "I saw a house back that ways that had some clothes hanging out to dry, one of the dresses looked about my size..."
"I don't think stealing is the right was to go about this."
The two stood for a moment is silence, Mariah thinking of where they could find suitable dresses, Helda looking around for a mirror. An old woman passed them, carry a bundle of clothes. The woman stumbled over her own feet and fell to the ground. Helda jumped up emidiantly and picked up one of the dresses and began to turn away, Mariah stopped her with a glare.
"Oh thank you" said the old woman "it's so very nice of you to help me"
"It's a rather large bundle you have there ma'am." said Mariah politely
"Oh yes. My last daughter was just married off to some rich noble, she's no more need of these old dresses now. I was thinking to taking them to my friend who lives not far, she's got a fine hand with sewing. Wrinkles and a weary hands haven't stopped her from sewing yet and she will be until her dieing day I say. It's a good thing too, my does she make the loveliest things. Why she made my daughters wedding dress, and my daughter needed a fancy one too being married to a rich man and all. He might be taking her to Gondor, that I don't approve much of. but who am I but an old woman? An old woman who busted her chops every day for her children, feed them, cleaned them, kept them warm at night, healed whatever caused them ill but no gratitude for me" said old woman, hardy pausing for breath.
"Well" said Mariah "Maybe we could take those clothes off your hands. We had a fire at our house a while back and my sister's and I have lost most of our dresses in the fire."
"Gladly deary" said the old woman handing over the dresses "Such a shame about your house. Why I had a friend about 5 years back who was careless with..."
"Oh dear we really must be running, mother is expecting us home" burst in Helda and dragged Mariah away
"That was a little rude Helda, we could have at least thanked her" said Mariah
"That woman has a lot of steam and I didn't want to stick around to see when she'd run out." Helda said impatiently "I don't think she could stop talking if she tried. Now let's get changed."

[ December 02, 2002: Message edited by: Ivy of the Woods ]