The King

They walk into the room, the guards opening the heavy doors as they approach, bowing to Manda as she passed by. "Is there anything you need madam?"

"No, thank you."

"May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Where did you get the dress? Did you bribe the Keeper to get you a new uniform?"

"I made it with the scraps in my closet."

"The Keeper didn't have anyone make you a noble servant dress?"

"No."

"I see why the Prince has made you Designer, I will take my leave. If you require any materials hand a note to the boy that stands beside the guards and he will deliver to wherever you need it. Just say if it is for food, materials, whatever, he will know where to go."

"Thank you miss."

"Always madam."

The doors close behind her and Manda smiles. Then she laughs and spins, acting like a child in the large room that she now stood in. The stitches on her dress come loose and make the skirt of the dress look as if alive with the spirit of a rainbow. Hmm, alive. If the King wishes his son to stand out, so his son will. Blue and green, why blue and green for the kingdom and she dashes out the guards, all flustered with inspiration.

"Is there a sea nearby?"

"Yes?" The guard looks to the other confused, thinking Manda was crazy most likely.

"What is the major export of the kingdom? Where do they get the money?"

"Fishing and boat making. M'lady, are you well?"

"I'm fine, just flustered with inspiration, if you will be guarding this room often... Get used to it is all I have to say, this happens when I am inspired!"

"Miss, is your skirt alright, your leaving bits of fabric behind."

"Oh, that's good to know. I accidentally found a type of way to make the clothes that is like... well like... like magic!"

"Oh... how so?"

Manda checks the stitching on the dress and knowing that it will hold she steps into the hall. "Watch."

She starts to spin again, the colors flying all about, moving in such a way that it looks like they are alive once again with the spirit of a rainbow. She stops, out of breath, "Now imagine if you didn't have to spin, if it was on the torso where when you took a step if moved! It would be amazing! Do I have access to silk? It would reflect the light nicely. I need a drafting table so..."

She trails off as she walks back into her room, closing the door behind her. She looks around at the dark colored room, wood panels line the room and dark logs support the ceiling. She is on the lower level of the room there is a dining table next to the foundation for the second level and in a little cove there is an angled table that looks out onto the kingdom. The colors of the flags and the kingdom below would bring inspiration to any designer. Oh wait, he wants variety... hmm, one could represent the fishing export, another formal outfit could represent the sailing export and another could be just normal, nothing flashy, nothing moving, just simple. Most likely used for when the common folk in the kingdom come for council. She started drawing, lighting candles when sundown came. She never had this chance in the modern world, and she was glad she fulfilled her mother's dying wish to wear her necklace.

The stars had been out for a couple of hours when a knock came at her door. "Who is it?"

"The King."

"Ah m'lord, please come in."

She rushes to the door and opens it before realizing how out of sorts she must looks. "Are you ill?"

"Sorry for my appearance m'lord I've been planning a new wardrobe for your son all day and was hit by inspiration."

"Ah, yes I've known enough artists to know that when inspiration strikes, all else is forgotten."

"Thank you for understanding m'lord."

"However, don't think that just because my son was impressed by a simple dress means that I will be impressed unless you show me something that will make him the talk of the kingdom."

"Right about that, please tell me you do make boats as a major export, I'm double checking."

"Yes, we are one of the best at ships. Why?"

"Because I made a design that if done correctly, when he walks his outfit will look as if wind is going through sails and another I designed to look as if the ocean is his tunic and when he walks the waves crash on the shores."

"That- that is the type of designer that keeps the position for many years to come."

"Thank you m'lord."

"You learned of my son's distaste for that title?"

"The title m'lord? Yes. He prefers sir."

"Good, you catch on quick. I will be back in a week, I expect at least one outfit done by then. I will give you more time due to your experimentation. Have you measured him?"

"No sir, but I did take some of his current outfits and used those. Many do not like standing still for long."

"Hmm, that is a smart move. Well, I might have you redo my wife's wardrobe."

"Thank you m'lord."

"Well, good night Lady Manda."

"Lady?"

"It is temporary, if you succeed with your moving fabrics then it will become permanent."

"Of course m'lord." She does a curtsy and bow at the same time, however the bow drops her necklace out of her dress and it seems to catch the attention of the King.

"Where did you get that?"

"This?"

"Yes, the necklace."

"My mother."

"Interesting, right, good night." With that he walks through doors and closes them behind him. She sighs at the thought of how much work she has.

She grabs the Prince's clothes off of the table where she threw them and headed out the doors, she looks to her left then to her right and sees the boy standing at attention. She hands him the clothes, "Give these back to the Prince and then go to sleep, a little boy like you needs his sleep to grow big and tall. I have no more deliveries for tonight. But tomorrow will be busy day."

"Thank you m'lady." He takes the clothes and runs at top speed.

Turning to the guards, "Please tell me you have shift changes."

"Yes ma'am."

"Good, because if you didn't I would threaten to burn the moving fabric plans."

"Thank you for caring."

"I was on a type of similar duty at my old kingdom."

"If you don't mind me asking, what did you do?"

"My day job was a bartender."

"Day job?"

"My fashion career wasn't taking off so I had another job."

"Ah. How is it similar."

"Where I'm from there are some bars that are open 24/7. I worked at one."

"I see, similar shifts, but you did not guard."

"We have an age limit on alcohol and you had to show ID so I kinda guarded the alcohol."

"ID?"

"Identification."

"I see."

"Well, can you let me know when you change shifts?"

"Of course."

"Thanks." She ducks back into her room and get's started on the outfits, if he wants at least one outfit a week, she'll go above and beyond. It was her nature.

--------------------

The stars were fading from the sky when she got up and stretched, is coffee a thing here? What year was it? Hmm... silk. Silk would work wonders! And even if it's before the 12th century, the start of its production, it's still known as the royals cloth. She dashes out into the corridor and almost runs into the maid bringing her breakfast. She looks at the tray and sees a cup of black tea. Well, it wasn't coffee but it did the same. "We didn't know your preferred type of tea."

"Do you know what coffee is?"

"What?"

"OK, so it is before the 17th century. So tea will have to do. Is that black tea?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"Your preference?"

"My preference is unknown for a few more hundred years, but this is like another drink back home and it keeps me awake longer. It is the nectar of life."

"Oh, interesting."

"Come, do you have time to chat?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good."

She closes the door behind them and when the maid sets the tray down she asks, "What year is it?"

"1310 miss"

"Ok, so is silk production a thing?"

"No, it is all imported."

"Dang, how much do I have access to?"

"You are the designer for the Prince m'lady, how much do you want?"

"That is good to know."

"So, they want cheap but warm servant dresses as well?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Alright, do you have a way for me to hang papers on the wall?"

"No ma'am."

"Alright."

"Miss, have you slept?"

"What is sleep?"

The servant sighs in exasperation, "Why?"

"The king wants at least one outfit done by the end of the week and I'm over achieving for two."

"Oh, you wish to keep your position."

"Well I get to design with nearly limitless supplies at my disposal, of course I wish to keep it! It's a dream come true!"

"Miss, will you please go to sleep now?"

"I will compromise by going to sleep tonight. Right now I must send for a delivery and get started on your uniforms."

"But no one has asked you..."

"Hush now."

"Yes ma'am."

"I need to work."

"Of course, madam." She takes Manda's signal to leave, closing the doors on her way out.

"Right." She hastily eats her breakfast and then downs the black tea, and is surprised at the honey like taste to it. They make good tea. She's putting the last stitches into the tunic when a knock comes from the door.

"Come in!" I say through a mouth full of needles and thread.

"You greet my father at the door and not me?"

"A bit preoccupied Prince."

"I can see that. Father says you have a moving fabric design."

"Yes." She finishes putting the stitches in and set the needles and thread onto the table.

"What is that?"

"The base."

"Ah, so which is this?"

"A sail like design to show the kingdoms skill with ships."

"Ah... I would like to know when it is done."

"Before the end of the week if I have any say in it. I need to wake up early."

"Hand a note to the boy and he will give to Keeper and Keeper will assign someone."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Well that's a relief."

"You're chipper."

"Black tea."

"Ah... yes that does tend to keep people up. Your preference?"

"My preference is not yet invented here. I'm sure of that."

"Alright."

"But the black tea is sweet so, I do not mind."

"I will leave you to it."

"Wait, put the base on."

"Why?"

"Because I wish to not waste any imported silk. Make sure it fits."

"Yes Mom."

"Hey! I thought that was just a modern reference..."

"Modern?"

"Don't worry about it."

He shrugs his shoulders and heads into the changing room in the corner. A few moments later he comes out with a slightly loose tunic, "Now walk around."

"Why?"

"The fabric isn't alive unless you move."

"Oh, ok."

The Prince's footsteps echo through the empty room as he paces back and forth until she stops him and says, "Right, go change back, it fits."

"So, um... do you wanna know where I found you?" The prince says from the changing room.

"What do you mean? It's a forest."

"Maybe you could use some hints to uh, find a way back home. I mean you don't have to go home," He comes out from the changing room, "You could stay..."

"That's actually not a bad idea. It'd be good to tell my family that I'm still alive and well."

"Exactly, and then come back and design clothes, Dad wants you to do Mom's wardrobe after mine."