The morning after the abduction attempt finds the palace and its staff still suffering from the effects of a disturbed night. Queen Terys tries to make sure that Garia has a quiet day but is only partially successful when Master Gerdas makes an appearance, and the questions about Morlan continue to mount.

Somewhere Else Entirely

by Penny Lane

9 - Conversations with the Queen

Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2011-2016 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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The noise was very faint but unlike the previous night this noise was familiar so that it didn't immediately awaken her. Her mind merely integrated it into the usual wild and bizarre dreams it constructs as the brain swims towards consciousness. At some point, though, logic intervened.

Knitting, that's Gran knitting. I wonder what she's making this time?

Waaait a moment. Gran's dead, isn't she? Who's making that noise, then?

She struggled up into wakefulness. Her eyes opened and for a moment she was totally confused by what she saw. Memory returned, then, and she became merely somewhat confused.

Where am I? This isn't the Lilac Chamber. I must be... huh?

She moved and two heads came into view. One immediately left, the other leaned forward and spoke.

"Mistress?"

"Unh? Who are you?"

"Varna, Mistress, one of Queen Terys's maids."

"Huh? Oh, yes. Of course."

Garia tried unsuccessfully to sit up. Varna helped her and then plumped the pillow behind her. The room she was in was a little bigger than the Lilac Chamber had been but made that room look plain. This one had richer furnishings and more opulent furniture and the decoration of the room had a distinctly feminine bias to it. The inside surface of the heavy drapes looked like silk. These had been drawn open and Garia could see that it was another fine day, more importantly the view and the light told her that a goodly portion of the morning had already passed.

"Oh! I must get up or I'll miss breakfast!"

"Don't worry about that, my dear," Terys said as she came through a door at the opposite end of the room followed by Kenila, her other maid. "Good morning, Garia. We thought that you would need your sleep after last night so we left you to it. Now you're awake we'll ask the kitchens to send something up, you can break your fast with me in the sitting-room there."

"But, Your Majesty, what -" Garia broke off. Obviously today would not be happening according to the routine of previous days.

"We've all slept late this morning," Terys explained. "The King is still asleep, I'm afraid. He stayed up until well after daybreak."

"Did they manage to find anybody?"

Terys shook her head. "Not that I'm aware of. I only awoke after Robanar had fallen asleep and I didn't want to disturb him. I'm afraid he's not as youthful as he once was and he's beginning to find these night escapades a little tiring. Captain Merek will be in his bed as well, I expect. Don't worry, though, dear, everything will be well in hand."

"Yes, Ma'am. Oh! I'm still wearing that filthy nightdress I had on last night. I'd better get up and have a bath before I eat." Garia looked at Terys with a question in her eyes.

"Yes, of course, dear. The bathroom is just behind you, on that side," she pointed at a door by the side of the bed. "By the time you're clean and fresh your breakfast will be ready. Can I leave you with one of my maids?"

"Of course, Ma'am."

En-suite facilities. Yeah, well, they were Princesses, weren't they?

Garia swung her feet down to the floor.

"Ah! Ma'am?"

Terys turned from the doorway. "Yes, Garia?"

"All my clothes are still in the Lilac Chamber, Ma'am. Will I have to go there and get dressed after breakfast? What is going to happen to me, if the door is damaged. I wouldn't have thought that I could still use that room."

"You'll be staying in this suite for the time being, dear," Terys explained. "The King thought it best that you were somewhere safe and I fully agree with him. These suites belonged to our daughters Elizet and Malann and aren't used very much at all now they have homes of their own, so you are welcome to remain here. Your clothes will be brought some time today, I expect, once the palace settles down. The Palace Guard are still conducting searches though I suspect they aren't going to find anyone now."

Garia gulped and then curtseyed. "Thank you very much, Ma'am. This is... unexpected."

Terys gave Garia a warm smile. "Your arrival here was unexpected, my dear. We have to accommodate the changes you bring with you. Now, go and get in the bath."

"As you command, Ma'am."

Garia went into the tiled room next door and Varna helped her take off the nightdress.

"Oh! Bandages. They'll have to come off as well."

The sunken tub was a little smaller than the communal one she had used when she was in the Lilac Chamber but it would still have been big enough to accommodate eight people. She felt a little embarrassed climbing in by herself, it seemed such a waste of hot water. Varna started stripping off her dress.

"No! Don't do that, Varna," Garia protested. "I'm quite capable of washing myself, thank you, there's no need to get yourself wet as well just on my account." She thought, then. "Unless you haven't yet washed yourself today?"

Varna, a girl only a little older than Garia herself, blushed. "I have, Mistress, and thank you for thinking of me. It would be no trouble for me, though. If you're sure?"

"I am, Varna. You can hand me the soap and get ready to dive in if I look like drowning." They both giggled.

"Mistress!" Varna said as Garia was rinsing herself off. "You have a nasty mark under your arm, the left one."

Garia looked and found a huge bruise angling diagonally across the underside of her upper arm.

"It's a bruise I got last night, I expect. I seem to remember I did fall off a roof."

"You're very brave, Mistress. I think I would have frozen with fright if men tried to get into my bedroom."

"Yes, well, perhaps I would too under other circumstances," Garia said, "but I fancy those particular men were trying to kidnap me, and I didn't especially wish to be kidnapped." Varna's eyes became very round. "It's a long story. I guess you'd better check me over once I get out, see if there are any other bruises on me."

There was another big bruise on the back of her right calf. Garia decided that those portions of her anatomy had struck the stone edging of the raised herb bed when she fell into it. Both stung to the touch and were beginning to turn green round the edges. There were a few other very minor bumps and scrapes including the ones on her knees. Garia thought that they looked all right and decided that they would all probably be better left to the air rather than covered with gloop and bandaged.

With a fluffy robe wrapped round her Varna led her through the bedroom and into the sitting-room beyond. Terys was waiting for them, seated in front of a table set for breakfast for two. She was knitting. Also sitting waiting in a nightshirt and robe was Keren.

"Good morning, Your Highness," Garia greeted him. She then looked quizzically between Terys and Keren.

"Don't worry about me, dear," Terys said. "I've already eaten. Keren had a lie-in this morning as well, it seemed silly for you each to eat separately in your own rooms. Sit down, please."

Garia sat and discovered that she was hungry. They both set about the food which had been sent up from the kitchen, Keren eating the most of it.

"Do you know any more about what happened last night?" she asked him. "I mean, after I fell asleep?"

Keren answered with a smile, "In my arms, you mean?"

Garia blushed. "I didn't, did I? I do know I got very tired and had a job keeping my eyes open," she said. "I don't remember anything much after that."

He grinned. "I had to carry you up the stairs and into here," he explained. "I think you were well out of it by the time I put you in the bed."

"Oh, no," she said with a smile. "My reputation is completely shot, isn't it?"

"Nothing happened, Mistress, there were at least six other people in the room with me."

"You don't have to call me 'Mistress' in here, do you?" she asked tentatively. "You called me 'Garia' yesterday evening."

"It's true, I did call you that, but that was for public consumption. Rather, for the specific consumption of those from Yod. However, I would consider it an honor to call you by your given name within this part of the palace. You understand, of course, that proprieties must be kept whenever we are together in public. Mother?"

"She is a very personable young woman," Terys said over the clicking of the needles, "and she's now, temporarily at least, part of the family. I have no objection and I can't see that the King would either. Call each other what you wish, my dears."

"To answer your original question... Garia," Keren said, "no, I know little more. There was a lot of rushing about and opening up rooms and so forth. I don't imagine much useful was achieved." His brow furrowed. "I think I'll discuss that with Father when he's up again. There must be a plan for searching the palace properly but I don't know it's ever been done that I can remember." He chewed a mouthful of food then asked, "How's your body this morning? I know you scraped your knees, any other injuries?"

"I got this," she pulled her left sleeve up and raised her arm to show him the bruise, "and there's another on my right leg, a couple of other minor scrapes and bruises. Nothing that a few days fresh air and healthy living won't cure. I'm lucky I fell into that bed of herbs, I could have broken something if I'd missed."

They finished eating and the two maids began clearing the plates, leaving them each with cups of pel.

"Tell me about Yod, then," she asked. "Who are they and what makes them upset everyone?"

"Hmm. Yod is the name of a state up-river. They are somewhat aggressive and forever fighting with their neighbors over something or another. They consider that the people of Yod are better than those of other Valley states, in fact better than anyone else in all Alaesia." His face showed something between irritation and disgust. "That's why they call themselves the Ascendancy, to show they are ascendant over the rest of the Valley states. Really, they're no better than any of the other Kingdoms, Duchies, Principalities or what-have-you in the region. They just act as though they're superior."

"Oh. Yes, I could see how that might be, from the way they behaved yesterday evening. You thought Yod was behind the intruders."

"Aye. As I said then, what's in your head could be extremely valuable. Imagine that knowledge in the hands of a state who would stop at nothing to subjugate other states."

Garia nodded. "Yes, I get that. There are or were countries on Earth who had ideas like that. Unfortunately, some of them took a lot of stopping. Well, I've already told the King that I'm throwing my lot in with Palarand so you've nothing to worry about on my account." She paused. "If I were kidnapped, though, the situation could get very unpleasant." She gave Keren a meaningful look. "I think I'm going to have to start doing some of my martial arts exercises, start finding out what the condition of my new body is, see if there are ways of defending myself."

"Mistress?" Keren was surprised by this statement as was the Queen. "What can a woman do? Women don't fight."

"Not on your world, perhaps. They certainly can on mine, with appropriate training."

Terys stopped knitting and looked at Garia with alarm.

Garia tried to explain. "Ma'am, I would guess that most women on my world are very much like women here. It's just that there are ways and means of teaching women to defend themselves which I might be able to use. On my world there are women soldiers as well. Nowhere near as many as there are men soldiers, of course, but they do exist."

"I find that almost unbelievable," Terys said.

"Trust me, Ma'am, wars on my world are more bloody and destructive than you could ever imagine. When someone's whole way of life is at stake, they will do anything at all to preserve it."

"That I can believe," Keren said. "But, women fighting? That's incredible. What are your men doing all this time? That's what a man's for, to look after the women."

"There weren't any men in my chamber last night, were there?" she responded. "If there had been, the situation might have turned out different, but there weren't so out the window I went."

"Garia," Keren said earnestly, "I think we need to talk, us three and the King, about some of these matters you've hinted at. I feel we are as much in the dark here about what might be possible as you said you were yesterday evening about Palarand and such matters. Some of the things you are telling us are, frankly, terrifying."

"I know. Don't think I don't. I have some seriously difficult decisions to make."

"I can imagine. Now, if you'll excuse me," Keren said, rising from the table, "I'd better go and do some exercises of my own or I'll start getting stiff. I can also find out what's happening around the palace. Until lunch then, Mother, Garia." He bowed and strode off out of a door at the back of the sitting room.

"Come and sit by me, dear," Terys said after Keren had gone. "I've strict instructions that you aren't to get involved in anything today, the last few days can't have been very good for you, can they? A day or two relaxing will do you the world of good."

"Yes, Ma'am. It's not as if I can go far dressed like this anyway, is it?" Garia flapped the hem of her wrap-round fluffy robe as she changed seats. "It was quite a night, wasn't it?"

Terys sighed. "We had something like this before, many years back. Robanar hadn't been King long, I recall. There was a lot of running around and shouting one night." She paused to reflect. "I don't remember if it was Yod behind that one or another state." She glanced at Garia before returning her attention to her knitting. "Things are a lot quieter these days than they used to be. Most of the Valley states know that they do much better co-operating with one another than by arguing."

"I'm glad that's so, Ma'am. Although, I'm sorry, I have to come along and be the cause of fresh trouble." She had a thought. "Speaking of which, what's the latest news about Morlan? Has he been found yet, do you know?"

Terys shook her head. "Not that I know of. I expect we'll get a report by Captain Bleskin -" she made an aside to Garia, "- he's the Captain of the Guard for the daytime at the moment, he'll report just before lunch."

"Oh! And I'm forgetting Jenet, of course."

"The last I heard Jenet and the other servants in that room were all still asleep. We'll be told if there's any change." Terys gave Garia a reassuring smile. "The healers know what they're doing, leave it to them. Perhaps later, when you've something to wear, we can go and visit, see what's happening."

Garia nodded. "Yes, Ma'am, I'd like that. Anything that's been done to those servants is because of me, I feel some responsibility for what happened."

"The thought does you credit, my dear," Terys said as she started knitting again. "That's settled, then. I'll get one of my girls to go and fetch some of your day gowns as soon as they finish disposing of the breakfast things, that way you can choose something to wear today, the rest of your clothes I'll arrange for Yolda to bring over here to your new chambers later on."

"My new chambers. Ma'am, what did you mean before when you said I was temporarily part of the family?"

"Why, just that, child. Legally you're a minor, so technically you've been adopted, I suppose." She gave Garia another reassuring smile. "Don't worry over that, dear. Robanar said that you would be free to leave whenever you wished and we'll abide by that. It's just a means by which we can protect you properly while you're here. It also means that you have extra rights and privileges granted which should ease your residence in the palace."

Terys pushed her pins through the wool ball and placed the knitting down on a small side table. "Now, dear, why don't you tell me something of your own family? Your father, your mother, they must be on your mind, surely? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Tell me about the place you lived in."

Garia sighed. "It's true, I haven't really had much time till now to let everything sink in properly," she said. "I can't tell you about what they were doing when I left because I can't remember what was happening before I came here. My Mom? She's about the same size and build as Kenila there, I suppose. Her hair is much lighter brown, though, and she has blue eyes. I'm sorry, I'd have to work out how old she is in your years but I'd guess she must be about the same age as you or a little younger. Dad? I don't know, it's difficult comparing someone you've known all your life to others, isn't it? Looks a bit like Captain Merek, I suppose, only nowhere near as fit and with less hair, most of it gray."

"Were they good parents?"

"Oh, yes! Mom's great, she can cook really well. We get a lot of home cooking in our house."

"Home cooking? What other kind is there?"

Garia had to go off into a dissertation about processed food, fast food, take-aways and restaurants, some of which fascinated and appalled Terys in equal measure.

"And your home? Where did you live?"

"Over the shop, to start with." To Terys's unspoken query, "The bookshop, which is in one of the smaller shopping streets. I remember playing in the shop when I was very little. I grew up reading the children's books, although I had to be very careful not to soil or damage them. There was time when money got very tight, Mom had to go back to work, I had to go stay with a child-minder and I didn't like that. Later on we moved to a new house so I had more room to grow up in. That was better, it's a nice area and I've a few good friends who live nearby. The schools are quite close as well so it's easy to get around on foot or by bike."

Terys ignored the strange words. "You have brothers or sisters?"

"No, Ma'am, I'm an only child." Garia frowned. "When I was born it was a difficult birth, I was lying the wrong way round or the cord got tangled up or something. They had to do an emergency caesarian and Mom couldn't have any more children after that."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I always say that it's better if a child has a brother or sister to keep them company but sometimes these things happen. What was that 'emergency something' you mentioned?"

"Ah, it involves cutting the child out of the womb. It can be a dangerous operation but it's done often enough these days that very few mothers die of it."

"Cutting?" Terys shuddered. "That sounds barbaric."

Garia had to go off into an explanation of medical matters including doctors, hospitals, anesthetic and medical care including antiseptic measures. Terys revised her first reaction and decided that Garia's society was not so barbaric after all.

"Your mother works, you said earlier."

"Yes, she's an elementary school supply teacher."

This triggered off another explanation about the schooling arrangements in Kansas and what a supply teacher did. During this Varna brought in a mid-morning tray of pel and small pastry nibbles and shortly afterwards Kenila returned with an armful of gowns.

"Would you like to get dressed now, dear, or carry on talking and dress before lunch?"

Garia decided to get dressed so they adjourned to the bedroom.

"Oh, I liked that one!" Terys said, fondling a pale pink gown. "It seems like only yesterday that Elizet was skipping through the corridors wearing it! What shall you choose, dear?"

"Um, I really haven't got an eye for what I might want to wear yet," Garia replied. "I think, actually, I'll choose this one here as it's got slightly longer sleeves which will cover up the bruise on my arm." She held up a dress that on Earth might have been made from cream linen, with dark blue trim round the neck, sleeves and hem. She turned to Terys.

"Ma'am, you have to remember that a week ago I was a boy on another world, and my world doesn't include boys or men wearing things like these." Well, not so's you'd notice. Garia swept her free hand over the gowns on the bed. "Boys generally don't care too much what they wear so long as it more or less fits and doesn't offend anyone." She gave Terys a sidelong glance. "Unless the boy intended to offend someone, of course. I know I'm not a boy here and I have to learn how to do things the way a girl would do them but it's going to take me some time."

"I understand, my dear. I hope you won't take it amiss if I offer to take you through the mysteries of womanhood, teach you what you need to know, show you what I showed my daughters? Be a stand-in for your own mother, who is now so far away?"

"I think that I might like that, Ma'am. But," Garia emphasized, "you mustn't make the same mistake Morlan did. Inside this girl's head is a boy's mind which grew up in a society totally different than your own. You might not find the job so easy as you did with your own daughters." Garia considered. "I might find the whole thing tremendously embarrassing. We'll have to see."

Once dressed they returned to the sitting room and continued talking. As they chatted Garia could hear bells in the distance marking out the time but she had no idea what they meant. After one particular time check the sitting room door opened and Robanar walked in.

"Ah! Here you are, dear! I guessed you might be with the cause of our latest trouble."

Garia shot to her feet and gave a curtsey while Terys rose more slowly and went to Robanar to receive a hug and a kiss.

"Are you refreshed, dearest?" Terys asked him.

"Yes, thank you, my dear." He turned to Garia. "What about you, Mistress, after last night? Recovered from your adventure?"

"Yes, Sire, thank you, I have," she replied. "I have one or two bruises, nothing serious."

"Have you eaten?" Terys asked him. "I can get the kitchen to -"

"I'm all right, dear, I ate before I retired this morning and lunch will be shortly in any case. Is that a fresh pot of pel?"

"Not that fresh, but you can try it. Kenila, another cup for the King."

Robanar found a seat and stretched a hand out for one of the remaining pastries.

"Sire, I'm sorry, the pel is all gone," Kenila reported.

Robanar waved a hand. "No matter, lunch will be soon enough. What have you two been up to, my dear?"

"Getting Garia settled in her new quarters and she was telling me a little about her family before you arrived. Most interesting."

"Ah? I'm sure you'll tell me if there's anything I need to know."

They continued with small talk while they waited for the lunch bell to sound. Before that happened, however, a knock came at the door and a Palace Guardsman poked his head around it.

"Sire? Good, they told me you would be in one of the suites." He came in and Garia could see that he was another captain who was much older than Captain Merek. He stood to attention and banged his fist on his chest.

"Sire. We have concluded the sweep of the palace and grounds. Regrettably we did not find anything. This is the young mistress who reported the intruders?" He indicated Garia.

"Yes, she is, Captain."

"Mistress, I must be sure, you did encounter intruders? This wasn't just a bad dream, was it? We haven't found anything to show that such persons existed."

"Apart, Captain," Robanar growled, "from the splintered wood of her chamber door, that is. How do you propose she did that in her sleep?"

The man reddened. "Uh, Sire, I apologize. I quite forgot the primary evidence. Mistress, please forgive me."

"Captain, you weren't there," Garia said. "I can quite understand that you might think this all a dream." She raised her left arm and pulled back the sleeve. "This is no dream, I assure you."

"Bleskin," Robanar said, "I'll let you off this time, but you'll have to be much sharper in the future. Didn't Merek give you a report before he retired? Two men attempted to abduct Mistress Garia in the night which is why she has been moved to quarters here. There is more than a suspicion that the abductors were from or on behalf of Yod." The captain went as white as a sheet. "Treat her person as you would my own or the Queen's, understand?"

"Aye, Sire!"

"Have you done everything else I asked for?"

"Sire. Messengers were sent out to all toll posts and ferries as soon as there was enough light. The City Guard has been warned and I sent a detachment to Master Gerdas's residence to fetch back all they found there. Those people are waiting in a room at the front of the palace, Sire."

"Was Master Morlan with them?"

"No, Sire. Master Gerdas, his manservant, a scribe, his cook and a boy, Sire. That was all. We searched his residence thoroughly."

"Bid Master Gerdas take lunch with us. See that the rest get fed decently once lunch is announced but make sure that none of them leaves the room you put them in. And, if they haven't already been told, reassure them all that they haven't been arrested, they have been brought here for their own safety. We'll deal with them immediately lunch is over."

"Sire."

~o~O~o~

As soon as they entered the dining room Gerdas scurried over, his face anxious. He was a tall man, thin but not unnaturally so, his hair white around a bald, browning pate. In his black clothing he looked to Garia like an energetic friar from an old dutch painting. She guessed that he must have been at least ten years older than Morlan. He bowed low before the King, his robe billowing.

"Your Majesty!"

"Master Gerdas, rise," Robanar replied. "There is no need for concern, you are among friends here."

"But what has happened, Sire? To be asked to come to the palace with all my servants, to have my mansion searched, to see all the guard manning the Palace walls! Something is surely wrong, although no-one will tell me anything."

"There was an... incident in the palace during the night which has disturbed us. We looked for Morlan, found him missing, heard that he had gone to visit you, that is all. Did Morlan in fact go to your mansion?"

Gerdas looked confused. "Why, Sire, yes he did! He was passing by on his way to another destination, he said." He eyes brightened. "He told me that he had something new to pass on, that in the course of some research he had discovered some formulae which he said might be more accurate in calculating the movements of the planets. He explained them to me, but I have not had time to investigate the matter any further."

"He left to go somewhere else, you say? About what time of evening would that be?"

"Evening, Sire? No, Master Morlan came yesterday afternoon, soon after lunch. I think he left at about the eighth bell, I couldn't be certain."

Robanar looked at Keren and then both looked at Garia, who nodded. This interplay was observed by Gerdas who looked even more confused.

"Sire?"

"Gerdas, I forget my manners. This is Mistress Garia, who is at the center of much of what has happened recently."

Gerdas bowed and Garia curtseyed in reply. It was obvious that Gerdas was puzzled by the presence of a young girl in such a conversation but had no doubt the King would enlighten him.

"We should not speak of these matters at table," Robanar continued. "Wait until afterwards. Perhaps this has all been a misunderstanding."

The King having arrived, everyone found seats for lunch, Gerdas being placed at Robanar's right hand. Garia was seated next to Keren on the other side of Terys.

"You mentioned 'martial arts' earlier this morning, Mistress," Keren said during the meal. "As I consider that I will be a fighting man soon I might be interested in what your society knows of such matters. Are these 'martial arts' only for women, then, or can men do them as well?"

"No, anyone may practice such methods," she replied. "Most are men, most do it for sport," Keren frowned at that, "because it enables one to learn physical and mental discipline. The lessons learned are applicable in real life, though." She gave him a smile. "I would be glad to teach you. Most martial arts require at least a small group of people to be able to perform them properly. First, though, I must find out what this body of mine is capable of. In return," she said, "I would like to see what your own equipment and training provides. Do you train with the Guard? I can't see you doing it all on your own."

Keren grimaced. "Aye, I train with the Guard, and they treat me exactly the same as they would any young recruit. They make no allowances for the fact that I am the King's son."

"Nor should they!" Garia said. "If that allowance means the difference between living and dying in a fight, they should definitely not treat you so. In battle the fact that you are a Prince makes you a more likely target, not less."

"Well said, Mistress," came a voice from across the table. It was Captain Bleskin. "We treat all the guardsmen exactly alike and the Prince is no exception when he comes to the training field. I trust that you are the reason he has been absent recently?"

"I regret so, Captain."

I'll have to be careful here. Bleskin needs to know some of what is going on but I don't know just how much he can be told or when. Damn! There's so much I have to find out, so much I need to consider, so many decisions I have to make! I need time and I'm not getting it!

Lunch ended and everyone rose. Robanar strode off with Gerdas beside him, Keren and Garia following close behind. Queen Terys watched them go with a frown but said nothing, returning with her maids to her own quarters. Robanar found an empty 'public' meeting room at the front of the palace and showed everyone inside, closing the door to exclude servants.

"Please be seated." Once everyone had found chairs his next statement stunned Gerdas. "Mistress Garia here is not from Palarand or even Alaesia. She came to Anmar seven days ago from another world."

"Sire? Have I heard you aright?"

Robanar sighed. "Aye, Gerdas, it is true. She doesn't know how she came here or where her own world might be. Did Morlan not mention anything to you about her?"

Gerdas shook his head, his sharp eyes piercing Garia. "No, Sire, he did not. So, this then is the source of his new formulae? I wondered as much."

"What do you mean, Master?" asked Keren.

Gerdas shrugged. "It didn't seem to me at the time that the subject was one that Morlan was particularly interested in, Highness. I wondered whether he might have picked up this knowledge from another Questor and was pretending it his own." Gerdas glanced at the King. "It's not something that happens very often, Sire, as it would be too easy to be found out." His gaze switched back to Garia. "She is the source of such knowledge? If this is true, then I can quite believe that she is from another world." His gaze grew attentive. "Mistress, I -"

"Not now, Gerdas," Robanar interrupted. "You'll doubtless get your chance to speak to her. Right now we have much bigger problems." He went on to outline the events of the previous evening and night.

"Maker!" Gerdas breathed at the conclusion. "I can't believe it! Morlan a traitor!" He shook his head. "I just can't believe it," he repeated.

"We don't know that he is guilty of anything," Robanar said. "We just know that he's not in the palace that we have been able to discover, that he went out after an evening State banquet saying that he was going to visit you and that he never reached you. It is entirely possible that he has been kidnapped along the way or he's with another Questor and will turn up later today. Or some other more innocent explanation."

Robanar grunted. "I'm prepared to give him that much of the balance of doubt, at least. He has served me well enough in the past. In the meantime," he stood and paced to the window, "the Questors have no leader, and we may have need of the Society's advice in the next days and weeks. I understand that you can deputize for him in his absence?"

"Aye, Sire, I can," Gerdas answered. "After me, it would be Rindal, but he's away on an expedition at the present time, exploring for new plants and vegetation in the remote upper reaches of the Valley."

"You'll do for now, Gerdas. Make yourself acting head of the Society until we find out what has happened to Morlan. Circulate a note to all the others telling them he's gone missing and to inform you the last time anyone saw him. Don't make any mention of what happened in the palace or of Mistress Garia until I tell you it's safe to do so."

Gerdas bowed. "I will, Sire." His eyes went once again to Garia. "And the mistress?"

"You're dying to talk to her, I can see it. Give things a day or two to settle down, Gerdas, and then you may come to the palace and talk with her to your heart's content."

Garia asked, "What do you know of telescopes, Master Gerdas?"

"Telescopes, Mistress? I do not know the word. What is or are telescopes?"

Keren and Garia looked at one another.

Keren replied to Gerdas, "It was one of the things that we specifically instructed Master Morlan to do yesterday morning, to look at the planets through a telescope. The fact that he has not mentioned such a device to you reveals much."

"We, Highness? You are involved in these matters?"

"Yes, Master Gerdas," Keren replied with a small smile. "Master Morlan was being his usual awkward self when questioning Mistress Garia and I was asked to attend to ensure fair play. I learned much yesterday."

Garia added, "A telescope is a pair of glass lenses in a tube. When you look through the tube at a distant object it makes it seem as if it is much nearer and therefore much larger."

"Oh! Yes, Mistress, I remember, a while back one of the Questors experimented with such a thing. We looked at the stars with it but it seemed to make no difference." His expression became intense. "Do you imply, Mistress, that it does make a difference?"

"Yes and no, Master Gerdas." She smiled. "We will talk about such things when you next come, I promise."

"Do not mention telescopes to anyone else, Gerdas," Robanar cautioned. "They are officially a secret known only to the various Guard corps. You may think about them but do no experimentation yet, it may be dangerous to you."

"As you command, Sire."

"Keren, go to the others of Master Gerdas's retinue and find out when any of them last saw Morlan, will you? I will stay here with Gerdas and Mistress Garia and speak more about what dangers Palarand may face in the near future."

"Aye, Father." Keren went to the door and left.

"Thinking further, Gerdas," Robanar continued, "I would be quite content for you and your staff to remain in the palace for a day or two given the circumstances. I'll get the Chamberlain to find you guest quarters. Are there any pressing reasons you need to be at your observatory for the next few nights?"

"No, Sire, I'll be happy to stay in the palace, if not for too long." Gerdas's eyes fixed on Garia and she knew that once he cornered her in a room she would be talking for hours.

Robanar, in response to Gerdas's questions, spent a little time describing the recent events to the satisfaction of the old scientist. Eventually Garia pleaded tiredness and asked to return to her quarters to rest.

"Of course, my dear," Robanar said to her, "I am forgetting, you had a much shortened night. Let us go and find Keren, we can reunite Master Gerdas with his staff and then Keren can escort you back to your suite."

Robanar, Garia and Gerdas left the room to find Keren and the members of Gerdas's household. As they were walking through the palace corridors the Chamberlain found them.

"Sire! There you are. I have news to report." Kendar looked at Gerdas, uncertain of whether he should continue.

"Speak, Kendar. Gerdas knows what's been happening."

"Sire, the footman Serdel cannot be found. He was present at breakfast but has not been seen since."

"Have you informed Bleskin? If he's gone, I'd like to know how he managed to leave the palace."

"Aye, Sire, I have already spoken with Captain Bleskin. And I have news for Mistress Garia, her maid Jenet has awakened. Like the other servants who were sleeping in that room, she has a headache but does not appear to be harmed otherwise."

"Jenet! Can I go see her?" Garia asked.

"As yet they are still a-bed, Mistress," Kendar replied. "The healers recommend quiet and rest for the remainder of the day." He turned towards the King. "The Queen also wished to visit, Mistress Margra advised her to wait until later also. Perhaps Mistress Garia could visit then accompanying the Queen?"

Robanar nodded. "Aye, Kendar, a good idea." He turned to Garia. "Mistress, you are tired, you should rest. There will be time enough later for visiting the sick."

"As you wish, Sire."

Keren escorted Garia back to the household corridor saying that as it was so warm, and he also had been up in the night, that he would take a nap as well until the air cooled. He led her to the King's suite rather than her own and into the sitting room that was the personal preserve of the King and Queen. This was a bigger room than Elizet's had been, even more opulently decorated but practically furnished. Garia supposed that it had been used as a retreat by the royal family, now mostly grown-up and departed.

Keren led her through the sitting-room and out through a door on the far side. Much to Garia's surprise she found herself on a balcony running the whole length of that side of the inevitable cloistered courtyard. This replaced the sloped roof the Lilac Chamber had overlooked, the roof of the upper story instead stretching out over the balcony to provide shade. Scattered along the slatted flooring were wooden constructions which were plainly sun-loungers. In one of these Terys lay semi-dozing, rousing when she heard Keren and Garia approach.

"Ah, good, you've finally arrived. Take a seat, dear, you'll want a nap after last night's disturbed sleep. Keren? Are you staying too?"

"Yes, Mother. Go on, Garia, take a seat, we do this most days during the hot weather."

Although the seats were not padded they were reasonably comfortable and Garia soon settled down. There was a small pillow she could place behind her head, and once she had arranged herself she soon found herself drifting away in the warm air. The balcony was oriented such that the sun didn't strike that side of the building in the middle of the day so she didn't have direct sun to deal with but it was still very warm. A faint breeze whispered over her legs and arms. Before she knew it she had faded completely away.

~o~O~o~

"Your Majesty! Mistress!" Jenet called, struggling to sit up in her bed.

"No, don't get up, any of you," Terys said as she preceded Garia into the door of the room where the drugged servants were resting. "We've just come to see how you are, see if everything is all right with you."

The room was light and airy with the windows opened but the drapes drawn to keep out the direct sunlight of the later afternoon. Garia went to Jenet's bed and knelt down beside it.

"How are you, Jenet? I'm sorry, this is all my fault."

"How so, Mistress? What's going on? They won't tell us what's happened, the rumors we've been hearing are terrifying."

"Someone tried to break into my chamber last night and kidnap me," Garia told the people in the beds.

There were four others besides Jenet, two men and two women. All looked middle aged, Garia had no idea what they did in the palace. They all seemed alarmed by Garia's words and she hastened to reassure them.

"It's all right, the Palace Guard are on the job, you'll be perfectly safe," she said. To Jenet she added, "Actually, if you hadn't suggested that I lock my chamber door then they would probably have succeeded, Jenet. I left the key in the lock so first they tried to loosen it and drop it on a piece of parchment but I stopped them, then they tried to pick the lock but I stopped them again, finally they forced the door with a heavy pry bar of some kind. I tried the rope pull but no-one came, so by the time they started forcing their way in I was climbing out the window. Fell in a bed in the herb garden, got a couple of bruises, look!"

Garia pulled up her sleeve to show Jenet and the others her bruised arm.

"Then I saw one of them climbing out the window so I screamed and threw stones at other windows to waken people up. That stopped them coming after me, then the Guard turned up and I was safe."

"That is terrifying, Mistress! Fancy jumping out a window! I can't imagine anyone else doing that, not unless the building was burning. Did the Guard catch them?"

"No, unfortunately not. There are two things I can let you know, firstly that Morlan hasn't been seen since our meeting after the State banquet, secondly that Serdel hasn't been seen since breakfast."

"Oh! Master Morlan... surely you don't think..."

"We don't know what to think, Jenet. Morlan went out visiting after the banquet, he didn't go where he said he was planning to go."

"And Serdel? You think he had something to do with it, Mistress?"

"I've only recently heard about that. Never mind, others are working on these matters. All that should matter to you is that you all get well again. When do the healers expect you all to be allowed back to duties?"

"Day after tomorrow, Mistress. Tomorrow we are allowed about the palace but to take things easy."

"That's fine. Do you know that I've been moved to Elizet's suite for the time being?"

Jenet's eyes were round. "Really, Mistress?"

Terys smiled at Jenet. "Yes, my dear, and you will be welcome to rejoin your Mistress when the healers allow you back to work. Garia thinks highly of you."

Jenet blushed again as Garia stood up.

"All of you, I must give you my apology," she said. "It was me they came for, I am the reason you were drugged. I know it wasn't your fault, and it isn't my fault either, but I must take some responsibility for what has happened to you all. I sincerely hope that something like this never happens to any of you ever again."

"Thank you, Mistress," Jenet said. "Your concern means much to us." Her words were echoed by the others.

"Well, Garia, we'd better go now before we tire them out," Terys said. "It's time we went back to our suites and prepared ourselves for the evening meal."

~o~O~o~

"So, my dear, what is your opinion of our new family member?" Robanar asked as he climbed into the royal bed. "I gather you had a long talk with her this morning."

"I did, dear," Terys replied. "She is an amazing person, certainly. Her speech patterns are strange, but then she's not a native of the Valley so I wouldn't expect any different. But her way of speaking is more similar to that of Keren than that of our daughters. When she talked about her parents or her... school friends... it was apparent that she was speaking about them as a boy would. She loves her parents, worries what might be happening back home, worries how she's going to fit in here and is absolutely terrified of what she needs to do to become a young woman."

"That's to be expected if her story is true, and I see no reason any more to doubt that it is. Certainly those of Yod consider that it's true. For myself, I find her presence in the palace very refreshing. She has a manner like no other person in the household. I think we made the right choice, dearest, we'll look after her as long as she needs us to."

"I suspect that she's going to bring big changes to Palarand," Terys said. "Are you sure that we can handle that kind of disruption? Some of what she told me was fantastic by any stretch of the imagination. Some of it, though, sounded as if we really need it."

"Yes, I agree. It's like fire, isn't it? The trick is to learn how to use it to heat our houses in winter, to cook our food, to light our way at night, without being burned by it or having it destroy us or our belongings." Robanar sighed into the darkness. "I can't say I much look forward to what's coming, my love, but I can't really see that we've any other choice. Word of her existence will spread gradually through Alaesia and we can't stop that. Other than shutting her up in a hole in the ground we can't prevent what's coming, we may not even be able to control it, all we can do is try to understand it and ride the storm."

"What of Keren?" Terys said softly. "He can't keep his eyes off her."

"I know. I also know that Keren is aware of his responsibilities to the kingdom. At the moment it serves us for them to be friends but they can never be more than that. He has long known that he is not master of his own marital destiny any more than we were of ours. I think that the girl has feelings for him as well, but that is more your specialty than mine. Certainly she stuck close by him last night, didn't she?"

"She did. Still, this is only the fourth night she has spent in the palace. Much can happen before any decisions need to be made."

"True. Now, let us sleep. If the last few days are anything to go by, we'll need to be fresh when we wake up in the morning."

~o~O~o~

Garia was not asleep. She was lying in the middle of the huge bed, the light covering long since thrown to the foot in the heat, her eyes closed, her mind in turmoil.

I feel like a chip of wood in a raging torrent, she thought. I've been whirled along from one thing to the next and the pressures are beginning to tell. The Queen was absolutely right, I do need a few days to try and come to terms with what's happening, but then Gerdas turns up! I could spend a couple weeks just talking to him, let alone anyone else, let alone doing what I should be doing right now, which is finding out as much as I can about my surroundings. It's so frustrating!

And then there's this whole boy-to-girl business. What's that about? Whatever, it's just one more thing that's complicating my life, and it's something that just can't be left until later. Everyone sees a girl and expects me to act just so. She turned abruptly onto one side, her eyes opening into the gloom of the room. There's a trivial advantage, there, she thought. I got dumped into a whole new culture, so there was always going to be a learning curve. Doing it as a girl would be little different than doing it as a boy, I suppose.

Except that there's no equality here. The only advantage I have is that I've ended up near the top of the heap, and I hope that's by sheer luck. Her face took on a determined look. I think I'm going to have to change centuries of custom, try and shift the balance over a bit. I don't think I'm going to be able to function if I don't. My position will help there, but I bet there will be obstacles all the way. I'll have to find a way to use a carrot rather than a stick.

Uncomfortable in the heat she rolled over onto her other side. Light filtered round the edge of the drapes so she supposed that Kalikan was up at the moment. The other two moons were bright enough when you looked at them but they didn't throw a great deal of light. She thought about her conversation of the morning.

I wonder just how much Queen Terys understood of what I talked about. I must have been describing things that were completely alien to her way of life. Still, she asked a few good questions so she must have some idea about where I come from.

I wonder what's happening right now in Hays, Kansas. What are Mom and Dad doing? Am I still there, even? Am I a clone of the real me? I can't have just vanished into thin air, surely?

Actually, now I think about it, people do vanish like that, don't they? Is that what happens to them, they end up in another world like this one? I wonder if there are any more Earth people here on Anmar?

No, probably not, otherwise my own appearance wouldn't have caused so much fuss.

I'm stuck here, aren't I?

No more baseball, no more football, no more sports of any kind, in fact. No more hanging out with the guys. I wonder what they are thinking, now. What they might be saying about me at home.

No more school. College is gone, too, can't see me getting there now. No more checking out the girls. No more parties. No TV, movies, burgers, pizza, all gone. Never going to ride a bike again. No cell phones, computers, cars, planes, electric light even, any of that. I'm stuck, literally, in the dark ages.

God, it's all gone, literally just like that. Splat. I didn't even get to keep my own body. All I have is my memories of who I used to be, memories of an average teenager in an average American town.

A tear trickled down the side of her face and onto her pillow. She closed her eyes and pulled her legs up towards her chest, into a fetal position. The enormity of her situation loomed large in her mind but she was not yet entirely ready to confront it.

This is going to be tough. I just hope I can find enough reliable allies because there's no way I can do it on my own.

Keren's face appeared in her mind.

He'll do for a start. But he's only a big kid like me. His parents seem okay but they have a Kingdom to run. I just hope they keep believing in me.