The day before the festival, and all the young nobles are in the way as the palace prepares for the procession. After a false start they find a place to gather, and Garia tells them her story. Later, at a State dinner, Garia surprises everyone, including herself, with a new and unexpected talent.

Somewhere Else Entirely

by Penny Lane

34 - Loose Ends

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) 2011-2017 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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Garia looked around curiously. Her sitting room was crowded, so much so that they had had to borrow one of the chairs from her bedroom to seat everybody. Then there were the maids! Jenet and Bursila, of course, but all three of the other girls also had an attendant maid, and they all stood in a row together against a wall waiting for an instruction.

I'm going to have to ask Jenet about all these maids, she thought. Is it really necessary for every single one of us to be followed about all the time? Of course, now I've gotten used to it, I wonder how I ever managed without... I'd better not go there, had I? I'll be getting all stuck up like Marlin. But the question remains, why do we have maids, servants, attending us all the time and the boys don't? They seem to manage quite adequately without, why can't we?

The reason that all the maids were present was that Marlin was seated between his sisters, all three squashed together on the settee. After dinner Marlin had stuck close to Terinar and nothing the older boy could do was enough to shake him off. Reluctantly, then, he had accompanied Terinar to Garia's sitting room, and his sisters felt they had to join the party if only to even up the numbers. Now he sat between them, glowering at all the other teens in the room and wondering what this meeting was about.

"Comfortable?" she asked. "Does anyone want anything to drink?"

"We've only just finished dinner, Garia," Keren observed. "We can probably manage without for a while."

"You seem to have made quite an impression on His Majesty, Milady," Terinar said. "I find your story to be quite incredible, but at the same time your presence and abilities are undeniable."

"Please just call me Garia this evening," she protested. "I'm not used to all this 'Mistress' and 'Milady' business. I know I have to do it in public, but please not while we're just having a talk amongst ourselves."

"As you wish... Garia."

"We missed most of the explanation, because we were so late arriving," Willan added. "Do you really come from another world, Garia? If so, it would seem to make a nonsense of the decrees of the Great Convocation, would it not? How much else of what we were taught is also not true?"

"Ah, I wouldn't give up on the Great Convocation just yet," she replied. "I am absolutely sure that there is no supernatural explanation for how I arrived on Anmar. I don't know how I got here, but I'm sure that there is a reasonable explanation, probably involving forces you haven't yet discovered."

"But, forces you imply your own world does know about, then?" Terinar said.

She shook her head. "No, definitely not, Terinar. Whatever happened to me, there is no-one on Earth who could supply an explanation, despite the fact that we know more about the natural world than you do."

Korizet frowned. "I thought we knew almost everything about our world, Garia. Maybe there are lands across the ocean we haven't discovered yet, but most things are known, surely?"

Garia gave her a wry smile. "You have no idea, Korizet, absolutely no idea. What you - I mean Anmar - will find out as time goes on is that, every new discovery you make will raise more questions than it answers. From our viewpoint we have discovered so much more than you have here, and we know that there is so much more to learn. I don't think it ever ends, actually."

"Would you care to give us an example... Garia?" Stebenar asked. "Something here that perhaps we take for granted that may have an explanation we would not have expected?"

"Um." She shrugged. "Where to begin?" It's going to be quite difficult to find something to pitch at a level they're going to understand. "If you hold something in your hand, and you let go, what happens to it?"

"It falls to the ground, as everyone would expect it to."

"And why does it fall to the ground? Has anyone figured out the reason?"

Stebenar looked at her with a frown. "Is there a reason, Garia? I don't understand. Things fall down, that's what happens, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes, there are reasons which work at a number of levels, some of which are so deep I don't pretend to understand them myself. But the basic idea is that anything that has weight attracts anything else that has weight. So if you drop a brick, for example, it falls down, but simultaneously Anmar falls up to meet it. The brick weighs so much less so that to you it just appears to be doing all the movement."

Stebenar looked puzzled, and Terinar objected, "That's crazy! If the ground were going up and down all the time we'd feel it! We don't feel anything."

"Yes, but Anmar weighs so much more than anything you could ever drop that it isn't going to move very far or very fast. Besides, with stuff going up and down all over Anmar at once, it all evens out."

"Stuff going up and down all over Anmar? What do you mean?"

She smiled at Terinar. "Oh, think of all the waves in the ocean, for example. Every fruit dropping off a tree. Waterfalls. Rock falls, even. The world doesn't just consist of actions people do in it, after all."

Terinar gaped at her.

"That force is called gravity," she said. "It's what keeps you on the ground, and also what keeps Kalikan, the planets and the sun in the sky. I can tell you more, but this probably isn't the best time to start a subject like that." She thought. "How about lightning? What do you think lightning is?"

Willan said, "That we don't know, Garia, though we all know 'tis dangerous." His eyes lit. "You are telling us you know what lightning is?"

"That one's easy, it's a... phenomenon called electricity, although on a huge scale. It is extremely powerful, and you probably all know it can kill men and animals and destroy buildings. On a very much smaller scale, it can be generated and controlled by man to do almost anything we want it to. It heats our buildings, gives us light, pumps water, moves vehicles, sends signals great distances, many, many things."

"This is not the same as those steam engines you are having Parrel build, is it?" Keren asked.

"No, but we can use steam engines to generate electricity."

"Steam engines?" Willan said. "That sounds like a contradiction. What can you do with steam? It's just white puffy clouds you get from boiling water, isn't it?"

"Keren? Do our guests get to come to the demonstration next week?"

"Not to the first one, I don't think," he replied. "We'll want to make sure everything works properly in front of the King and Dukes first. But I don't see why we couldn't have a session with just ourselves." He turned to the girls. "Unless you'd find it boring?"

"Boring?" Dalenna asked. "How will we know it will be boring, if you don't tell us what will be happening?"

"It will be a model made of brass," Garia explained. "I'm not sure how big it will be, but probably about a foot or so long. It will have a tank we can fill with water, which we then heat up to provide steam." She grinned at the twins, getting a scowl from Marlin in return. "More than that I'm not going to tell you, although I do have a good idea what to expect. The whole demonstration may take ... half a bell, maybe. I'm not really used to the way you measure time here yet."

"It's a machine of some kind, then," Dalenna said. "The sort of thing men would be interested in. Very well, we'll come, because it's you, Garia. But I don't think it will be of much more interest to us except as a curiosity."

"Oh, you are so wrong, Dalenna," Garia said. "Suppose I told you that we have machines on Earth that can help you do your sewing? Machines that will let you sew so much faster than you could ever do by hand, and more accurately and evenly as well. Almost all the clothes on Earth are made by such machines."

Terissa nodded. "You told us about them earlier this afternoon, didn't you? It still seems incredible to me that such a thing is possible."

"A hundred and fifty years ago on Earth most households would have had at least one such machine," Garia said, "as people mostly made their own clothes at that period. Mass production of clothing hadn't really got under way at that time. Jenet, will you fetch in the bag, please?"

Jenet walked through into the dressing room.

Marlin asked, "Why do you say please to your maid? It isn't necessary to do so here."

"No, it isn't," Garia replied. "But it costs me nothing and shows Jenet that I value her attentions. Where I come from very, very few people have personal servants any more. Their place has mostly been taken by machines, releasing the servants to do more productive work instead."

Dalenna dug Marlin in the ribs with an elbow. "See! Even a girl from somewhere else entirely understands the importance of manners!"

Marlin sneered. "Manners! I don't need to bother about manners."

"I shall expect manners when you come to visit me," Keren said sharply, leaving unspoken the rider when I am King. "I shall be most displeased with you if you do not behave with decorum, and you would do well to start your lessons now in preparation for the times to come."

Marlin flushed. "Of course, Your Highness, I should never do anything to offend you or your family."

Korizet put in, "But you're quite prepared to offend almost anyone else, is that it?" She glared at him. "If you come to visit me and you don't behave, I'll slap you, you have my word on it."

Marlin glared back. "You wouldn't dare! Women don't assault men, it isn't done!"

Korizet smiled sweetly at him. "We've been hearing what Garia did to Jarwin. By the time you next visit me, I shall have learned some of her tricks. What do you say to that, miserable boy?"

Now Marlin had turned pale. He turned to Garia. "Mistress, His Highness has described the contest between yourself and the Duke Jarwin. Are you really capable of such things? Do all from your world behave in this manner?"

"I am so capable, Marlin, and you'd better take full note of it. In fact, I could have killed him, but I didn't because the King said it would cause diplomatic problems. What I did was quite tricky because I'm not fully fit yet. I still have a lot of training to do before I'm back to the level I was on Earth." Marlin gaped at her. "In fact, I injured my hand in the contest, but I took the risk because I knew he had to be stopped, and I knew that all the men would be powerless to do it. Uh, except possibly the King himself, of course, but that would have caused other problems."

She smiled at Marlin, who didn't quite know how to respond. "On Earth, not many know how to do precisely what I do, in terms of proportion of the population, but it's still a fair number. And there are many, many different kinds of martial arts, as well. Of course, mostly men do them, but a significant number of women learn for self-defense reasons."

"Garia is teaching myself and some of the Palace Guard some of her moves," Keren told them, "as you may have heard. She also has some preparatory exercises which help to calm the mind and make the body ready. I have been doing these for three weeks or so now and I can already notice the difference."

Jenet returned with the satchel and Garia pulled out her clothes, handing them to Korizet and the twins. Dalenna turned the tee shirt over and inspected the hem.

"Is all this done by machine, Garia? It is remarkable."

"More so than you think, Dalenna. The cloth that's made out of is knitted on a machine as well as being sewed together by one."

Dalenna's eyes widened as she discovered she wasn't holding a woven cloth, and she gasped at the tiny stitches.

"But how?"

Garia shrugged. "I don't know, exactly. Lots of clever engineering, I expect, and two hundred odd years of improvement along the way. There's so much happening on Earth no one single person can possibly keep up with all of it, but then we don't have to. I don't really need to know how anything is made when I go and buy it, I just need to know that it fits, if it's clothes, or that it works the way I need it to if it's something else."

Keren, who did know just what Garia had already revealed, was surprised.

"You don't know how a lot of these things are made? Yet you still know so much more than us? How is this possible?"

"Education, Keren. As I have told you all, we spend all our childhood and some of our early adult life in school or college, which is a sort of advanced school. There's a lot to learn in my world, and it takes that long to learn most of it. Of course, some learn more than others, but then not all jobs are the same, are they? You need to learn different things if you are going to become a... farmer, say, as opposed to a Duke."

"Are they all so clever in this world you came from then?" Terinar asked. "Do we look so ignorant to you?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Um, you are ignorant, yes, but that just means you don't have the knowledge, doesn't it? I wouldn't think Earth people are any more clever than you are here, or any less clever, come to that. Keren here, for example, is every bit as clever as I am, and will probably become a Questor in time. I don't know the rest of you well enough to judge how clever you might be."

"Keren become a Questor?" Stebenar said. "Impossible! He will become King, of course."

"What makes you think the two occupations are mutually exclusive? There's no reason he couldn't become both, although being King does seem to take up a large amount of one's time, doesn't it?"

A startled Stebenar began to look thoughtful.

"In fact," she continued, "Keren will probably have to take a great interest in the changes to come, even if he does not actually become a Questor himself. The same will be true for the rest of you as well. Palarand, and probably the whole world as you know it, is going to change greatly over your lifetimes. You will all need to understand what is happening, especially if you, the people in this room, are going to be in charge of it all in the future."

The fact that Garia's ideas and inventions would affect them seemed to have passed them all by until this point, and they all began to look thoughtful, trying to understand the fact that their world had begun changing around them.

"What of us, Garia?" Terissa asked. "Machinery I can leave to the men, but what can us women do? Will we have a part in this changed world of yours?"

Garia nodded emphatically. "Oh, yes! Women will play a great part in what is to come. The big problem will be to get the men to understand that a woman can be as good as a man at most things. That will be the struggle you in this room will face, the struggle to put women on an even footing with men. On Earth, that process took around a hundred years, and hasn't fully been settled yet."

She leaned forwards for emphasis. "Women can do most things that men can! They can write books, become Questors, travel distant lands as explorers, operate machinery, run homes and businesses, even countries! The brain of a woman is every bit as good as that of a man, even if our bodies have different strengths. On earth, machinery has mostly done away with the need for physical strength, so that most jobs can be done by women as well as a man can do them. There are certain jobs a woman ought not to do, but even there one or two have often tried them out."

"Like what, Garia?" Terinar asked.

She shrugged. "Deep-sea fishing, for example. Mining. Ship-building. Construction jobs, building dams, bridges, tall buildings." Other jobs you wouldn't understand, like the oil industry, perhaps. She gave a smile. "Of course, there are also jobs women can do better than men. For example, most of our healers are women, at least those who deal directly with patients. A lot of factory work is done by women," and more poorly paid, "because they have smaller hands for delicate work and they can concentrate better." She shrugged again. "It varies, of course."

Willan said, "You paint a strange view of the future, Garia."

"I can only tell you what happened on Earth, Willan. But the women themselves will protest the need for equality if you don't provide it yourselves. It will come in time, believe me."

And now... I'm a feminist! How the heck did that happen?

There was a glint in Korizet's eye. "It sounds... unusual, I agree, but I think your argument is sound, Garia. It takes a little imagination to realize that we don't have to just keep doing what everyone before us has done, that we women may be capable of other things. You say that these changes will come whether we wish them or no, so I think we will all do well to consider them seriously. Do we not agree?"

Garia abruptly understood that she was talking to the next government of Palarand and realized that whatever she said here would carry great weight in the future. Everyone agreed with Korizet's assessment with a nod... except Marlin, who looked reluctant.

"Marlin?" Korizet focused on the one person who was being awkward.

"I like my life just the way it is," he said. "I, for one, don't want anything to change. Why should I have to put up with all the disruption her changes will cause? Why can't I just forbid them in Brikant and let us continue in the way we have lived all along?"

"Because your Dukedom will become a dead backwater," Garia said. "No-one will want to go there, in fact, all your population will desert you when they find out they can make more money by coming to central Palarand and finding work here."

"I'll just forbid them to leave!"

"And they will revolt and overthrow you," she responded. "That's what invariably happens. You can't keep a people down like that. Eventually they will realize that you are stopping them from enjoying the fruits of progress and get rid of you. It won't be pretty."

He curled his lip at her but his expression paled when he realized that she was speaking from experience.

"They do that on Earth, Garia?" Terinar asked.

"Oh, yes, absolutely," she told him. "The biggest mistake any ruler can make is to think that their people are stupid. Oh, maybe some of them are, but eventually the truth will filter through. If the only reason you haven't got something is because your ruler is preventing you from having it, then that ruler will get removed." Another shrug. "Of course, what gets put in his or her place may not be any better, but that's a different problem. Better not to lose your throne in the first place."

"You're telling us," Stebenar said slowly, "that we really don't have a choice in this matter."

"There is always a choice," she replied. "You do it or someone else does. Would you rather you were there to make sure that changes came in a way that everyone could handle, or would you risk someone else doing it for you? Someone like... Yod, perhaps."

That name brought a stillness to the room, as everyone contemplated the menace upstream. Keren eventually broke the silence.

"We have discussed some serious matters tonight," he told them. "Perhaps this would be a good time to stop and for us to all retire. We'll need the time to think over what we have all said. Marlin, you especially have some thinking to do. You are the next Duke of Brikant, but to become so you need to accept more fully the duties and responsibilities expected of your rank. At the moment, I'm afraid you disappoint me greatly."

Marlin bowed his head. "As you command, Highness."

"What shall we do tomorrow, Garia?" Terissa said, handing the jeans back to Jenet. "Shall you show us your physical abilities?"

Garia considered. "It's certainly a thought, but we must all be aware that with so many people here in the palace there will be things going on we don't know about. But, unless we find out otherwise, I think a demonstration is in order, don't you, Keren?"

He grinned at her. "As you say, Garia."

~o~O~o~

"That's an interesting gown, Garia," Korizet noted.

Garia had entered the Receiving Room and walked over to join the young nobles who had already arrived for breakfast, including Korizet and Keren.

"Why," Korizet continued, "Your gown is made from the same material as His Highness is wearing! Did you ask for that deliberately, Garia?"

"As a matter of fact, yes I did, Korizet." Garia gave a knowing smile. "This gown hides a secret, and I hope to show it to you all after breakfast, if I may."

After a few late stragglers arrived they all took their seats at table and awaited the distribution of food. Marlin, sitting opposite Keren this time, gave her a hard stare.

"Milady, is it the custom to dress alike in the palace now?"

Both Keren and Garia smiled, which was not the response Marlin had been expecting.

"There is no custom, Marlin," Keren told him, "but there are practical reasons for Garia to be clothed this way."

"You dress as the Palace Guard, Highness?" Terinar asked, comparing Keren's tunic with that of the men standing by the doors.

"We do, Terry."

Terinar did a double-take while Marlin simply looked speechless. At the ends of the group, Willan and Stebenar grinned, having determined that something fun would shortly happen. Even Korizet, sitting between Marlin and Terinar, had a smile, as Garia had told the other females about her exercise wear the previous day.

"What possible reason could you have to -" Marlin began.

Keren held up a hand. "Just wait, Marlin. You'll find out once breakfast has finished."

Marlin looked grumpy, but he picked up his knife and fork and attacked the plate of fruit a serving man had placed in front of him. Garia noted that even though he had only reluctantly started using the fork, and after everyone else had begun using them, he seemed to have picked up a certain proficiency in its use. She supposed it would still take him some time to perfect the fine control most people developed when they used forks, but it looked like Marlin would regret returning to his previous methods of eating food if forks ever vanished from the face of Anmar. That was never likely to happen, of course, not now so many had been introduced to them.

The meal over, they could hardly wait until all were ready to leave the hall. First, Keren had to pay a call.

"Father, is there anything I or the others are likely to be wanted for this morning?"

"Eh?" Robanar turned from the intense conversation he was having with Visselen. "Oh, no, I don't think so, Keren. You'll all have enough to do tomorrow, so go with your friends and find somewhere out of everyone else's way for now. Visselen? Did you require your children to be present this morning for any reason?"

"No, Sire, not that I recall. It is a good idea, that the Prince spends time with his peers. Aye, Your Highness, take them with my blessing."

"As you command, Your Grace, Father." He bowed to them both and returned to the group.

"Well?" asked Terissa. "What did they say?"

"I'm to take all of you in charge and find somewhere to keep from getting in everyone's way, is the message I'm getting. Come on, follow me," Keren instructed, leading them to one of the doors behind the thrones.

The group threaded their way through crowded corridors towards the rear of the palace. What they found when they entered the Large Training Room was completely unexpected to all. The floor had been completely covered with straw, and the room was filled with ornate carriages, most being washed and polished by servants in a number of different liveries. On one side of the hall, a row of frayen stood being inspected by what Garia assumed was the equivalent of a veterinary healer. In a far corner there were even three dranakh being washed down by some older boys.

Puzzled, they walked down to the wide-open double doors to the field to discover that a row of tents had been erected, presumably to accommodate the overflow of visiting servants. Beyond, Garia could see lines of picketed frayen and dranakh.

Of course, there's absolutely nowhere else to put these people, is there? The Dukes and their sons and daughters might stay in suites in the palace, but they are going to be traveling with a load of servants and hangers-on, so I should have expected an overflow somewhere. And look at the paint job on all these carriages! We're going to be an amazing sight processing along the streets tomorrow.

So, what do we do now? Let's check the small rooms first.

She led the way across to her training room, but there were men and women sitting in there mending and preparing gowns, uniforms and equipment. A quick check showed that the other room was just as busy.

As they stood in the main room wondering what to do, Dalenna shouted over the noise and bustle, "Garia! Can we go somewhere quieter, if you don't mind? I can't hear myself think, and all these men are looking at us!"

Terissa added, "What did you expect to show us here?"

"That room," she pointed, "is where Keren and I normally do our training. It never occurred to me that all this space would be in use over the festival period. I'm sorry, we won't be able to show you what we do."

"Come on, friends," Keren said, "Let's go somewhere we can find some peace and quiet." He turned and smiled apologetically at them. "Although, seeing as the palace is in such an uproar, I don't know where we might be able to find that'll be quiet."

Captain Bleskin appeared in the door that they had entered by, saw the group and hurried over to them, realizing at once from the way Keren and Garia were dressed what they had intended.

"Your Highness!" He bowed briefly. "Counts, Countesses, Ladies." He smiled at the list of titles. "I must apologize, I ought to have made it clear that we would be borrowing the halls while we have so many guests to stay." He bowed towards the others. "This state of affairs will remain until most of them depart, regrettably. You intended to demonstrate your prowess, Milady?"

This last question was directed at Garia, and she nodded. "Yes, I did, Captain, but I should have realized myself just how busy the whole palace was going to get. Uh, you did know that the King intends a demonstration for the Dukes at some time before they return home?"

Bleskin spread his hands wide. "Aye, Milady, but I have no idea how it may be possible." He smiled at Garia. "Might I suggest that we leave that problem for afterwards, Milady? The festival necessarily requires all our attention today."

"Of course, Captain. Do you know of anywhere we," she indicated them all with a wave, "might go to keep out of everyone's way?"

"I regret, Milady, that I do not. If you would excuse me? I see a problem over there I must manage."

Bleskin gave them all a bow and strode off towards the frayen, where two of the stable hands appeared to be coming to blows.

Keren turned towards the door. "Let's get out of here before we are the cause of any trouble."

They wandered back towards the center of the palace without any clear destination in mind until Garia had a thought. She hadn't relished the idea of them all squeezing into her sitting room again, she guessed that Keren's sitting room - assuming their suites were similarly equipped - wouldn't be any bigger, and she had been racking her brains for somewhere they could all gather in some kind of comfort.

"I have an idea, Keren, where we might go. What about Morlan's suite?"

He stopped suddenly in the corridor, making everyone else scatter.

"Do you think that's a good idea, Garia? We don't want to disturb anything in there, especially now we've cleaned it."

"We haven't cleaned that much, actually, just some of his study and part of the laboratory. He has a sitting room that's at least as big as mine is. It's out of the way, there's a kitchen if we want drinks, and I think we should be able to find enough seats for everybody."

Keren considered for a moment or two, then nodded slowly. "It's not the best place we could have picked, but we'll be out of everyone's way, at least. Jenet, do you know of any reason we shouldn't go there?"

"No, Your Highness."

"What about the rest of you? Any objections?"

"Where do you want to take us, Keren?" Terinar asked.

"The chambers of the Royal Questor, Morlan. Since he died they have been vacant. Nobody dares go in there because no-one knows how to deal with his papers and experimental gear. We've been cleaning it out because we're the only people who might have any idea what he was up to before he was killed."

"Killed?" Korizet said. "I heard there was some trouble some weeks back, but of course we don't often hear the full details the other side of the Sirrel."

Keren smiled at her. "You can all hear the whole story once we get there. Shall we?"

He led the group through the palace until they reached the door that was the entrance to Morlan's chambers.

"Jenet, have you the key? I should have made sure you had it before we arrived here."

"I checked once I knew we were headed here, Highness. I have the key."

Jenet pulled the key from her waist pouch and went to the door.

"Highness, this door is already unlocked."

Keren frowned. "I'm certain we locked it the last time we left here." He turned to Garia with concern. "You don't think that perhaps..."

A cold feeling settled over Garia. "The thought never occurred to me," she replied. "If someone has been in here, we'd better make sure we don't disturb any traces."

"What's the problem, Highness?" Terinar asked.

"We always leave the door locked when we've finished in here," Keren explained. "The door's open, which means someone has been in since we last left."

"Surely some servant has been in," Korizet objected. "These rooms get cleaned, don't they?"

"No, Korizet, not in here they don't. As I explained, the palace staff won't go near the place because of all his equipment. His study is stuffed full of documents as well, we've had to clean it out ourselves because it was filthy. Because he was murdered, and in circumstances which might also involve Garia's kidnapping..." Dalenna gasped, "...we've started going through his study to try and find out what was going on at that time. That's what we were going to tell you about once we got here." His expression grew grimmer. "Now it occurs to me that maybe somebody has been poking around Morlan's documents looking for clues... or to remove evidence. Of course, with so many new faces wandering around the palace right now it would be easy for someone to slip in un-noticed."

Garia looked at Merizel. "I hadn't thought of that, had you?"

She shrugged. "What would I know about the workings of the palace, Garia? I've lived here even fewer days than you have. I don't know what's supposed to be normal and what's not, though the chaos surrounding all our visitors ought to have rung some alarm bells."

"Let's go in," Keren decided. "We'll go into the sitting room, as that's relatively untouched and shouldn't be of interest to anyone looking for items of any significance, but we'll keep our eyes open all the same."

They crowded into the sitting room. Morlan, as Royal Questor, had on many occasions hosted meetings of his fellows so there were enough comfortable chairs to seat them all. Jenet and Bursila made a quick check of the various cupboards, tables and shelves which lined the walls but didn't find anything out of the ordinary. Of course, while they had been in the suite when cleaning the study and the laboratory, they hadn't spent much time in the sitting room, so it was possible that traces might have been missed.

Garia said, "I think Jenet and I should have a look over the laboratory first, Merizel and Bursila can check the study at the same time. We should to be able to notice if anything is disturbed or missing."

Keren nodded. "Good idea, Garia. We'll get settled in here while you're doing that."

Garia and Jenet walked the length of the big workshop slowly, each checking a side to look for disturbances. Once at the far end, by the furnace, Garia turned the handle of the other entrance door and found it still secure.

"Anything?" she asked.

"No, Milady," Jenet replied. "All looks exactly as I remember."

They walked back to join Merizel and Bursila, who were waiting outside the study.

"Someone's been in here," Merizel said. "It's not that apparent if you didn't know, but two of the baskets have been disturbed. I would suggest that someone dumped them on the floor to search through and then just heaped the documents back into the baskets when they finished."

Garia's eyes narrowed. "Which baskets?"

"The third basket, the one with Morlan's own notes, and the fourth basket, the one with everything we couldn't decide what to do with."

"So, they were looking for something specific, then?" She had another thought then and lowered her voice as she said, "What about that box that Bursila found, the one with the pages with secret writing on."

"Still there and intact, Milady," Bursila said. "I don't think anything has been taken from it."

Garia nodded to herself. "Of course. To find anything in that collection they would all have to be read over heat, wouldn't they? The alternative would be to take everything and check them later. Since they haven't been taken, I guess the box wasn't discovered. Look, let's say nothing to the others about any of this. We can inform Keren later in private. Let's go and join the others now."

They entered the sitting room and Garia frowned at the group of maids who stood near the doorway.

"Jenet, Bursila," she said, "I don't think we need all five of you hovering over us, waiting for something to do. We're only going to be sitting and talking. Why don't you draw lots or whatever you normally do, and just choose one to wait on us? The rest can find somewhere else to take the weight off their feet."

"Thank you for thinking of us, Milady. As you wish."

Jenet herded the others out, and shortly afterwards Bursila came back and took station with a curtsey.

"Garia?" Terinar began. "We've heard your story yesterday afternoon from the King, and I presume you've described your story yourself when you were with the Queen. However, it seems that we've not really heard everything that happened. I wonder if you might tell us, now we have time, and peace and quiet, all that happened to you since you came... to Anmar." He grimaced. "Just saying those words sounds very wrong to me, but I understand that nothing else will explain your presence here. Will you tell us all?"

Garia sighed. It seemed that she had spent her entire existence since arriving here recounting her story, and she knew that this would not be the last time it would happen.

"I will, Terinar, as much as I can remember. But," she looked around at every face, "you must all understand that what I will say today will be exactly what did happen to me since I was found. I have no need or desire to embroider the facts with fantasy, the bare truth sounds crazy enough for most people. Once I get to my arrival at the palace Keren can confirm almost everything I have said or done, since he has been with me practically constantly from that time."

"Does the King consider you a suitable match for the Prince?" Terinar asked her sharply. Both Keren and Garia blushed.

"To the contrary, Terry," Keren answered quickly. "The King and I both know the rules, as do all of you here. My association with Garia is threefold, firstly, that I may learn as much as I can of the knowledge she brings, since it is probably I who will have to deal with the consequences, secondly I may act as a protection, since she is an unattached woman living in the palace and thirdly, for simple companionship, as there is almost no-one else our age living here presently. In fact, since father has acknowledged her as an adopted daughter, I consider her as another of my sisters." He grinned at Terinar. "An intriguing one, true, but a sister nevertheless."

Marlin moved restlessly in his overstuffed chair. "How is it that a complete stranger now lives in the palace and becomes adopted by your father, Highness? I did not think this to be the normal behavior of those who rule Palarand."

"For a proper answer, Marlin," Keren replied, "you'll have to ask my father. But first, let Garia tell you her tale, you may find that your questions are answered."

"Okay, then," she said. "The first thing I remember is waking up inside a tent, in the dark..."

The morning passed as Garia went through her life since appearing among the rocks on the mountainside. There were very many questions and a break for pel as she took them through as much as she could remember of those first days, through her arrival at the palace and her arguments with Morlan, the kidnapping attempt and the later discovery of Morlan's body, her meetings with Gerdas and the craftsmen, though not what they discussed, her arguments with Yolda and Shelda, why she wore her hair in that strange style and why and how she began exercising. She had just finished describing why she had made the challenge to Duke Jarwin when Bursila told them that the dinner bell would shortly go and that the girls at least would need to retire to their chambers beforehand.

"Much is now made clear," said Terinar, nodding. "Do you not think so, Marlin?"

"As you say, Terinar," Marlin agreed unwillingly. He shook his head. "The idea that other worlds exist, and that the people on them may not be as ourselves, I find hard to believe, though. Should there not be a simpler explanation?" His eyes turned to Garia. "I do not doubt that you speak what you believe is true, Milady, but I still wonder at the strangeness of your story."

Garia's eyes flashed but Keren beat her to it. "Marlin, she has told you the truth and that's that! Now, I might agree that the idea of other worlds is new to all of us, and that without Garia's presence here it is but an idea, but she brings enough proof to convince any of us, I think. Let's go and get ready for lunch, and we can come back here after our naps and talk some more about it, assuming our parents do not require us for anything. Is that agreed?"

There were nods, and Keren led the way out of the Royal Questor's quarters, Jenet making sure to lock the door behind them.

~o~O~o~

Lunch was a strange affair. Garia excused herself from most of the conversation as her throat was sore from so much earlier talk, but part of the reason was a heightened awareness of her presence in front of so many of her own age. Whenever she looked up from her plate, she would find one or more of the others' eyes fixed upon her, gazes which were not always dropped when she returned the look. She had changed into one of her day gowns and it showed off her figure in the way that it was intended to, but Garia was not used to quite so much close inspection.

I have to recognize the fact that I'm a target for half of them, and a competitor for the rest. Why should that cause me so much anxiety? It would have been exactly the same on Earth, but from the other viewpoint, wouldn't it? So why does it worry me so? I'm just not used to people looking me over like a piece of... hmm. Admit it, that's just what you used to do to the girls back home, wasn't it? Didn't you think they had feelings, too? Not so nice when it's seen from this angle, is it?

On the other hand, I know girls who just bathed in the attention, which presumably is why they dressed the way they did. We used to call them 'popular'. Hmm, popular didn't always mean that they were sluts or anything like that, but there were always guys around to carry their stuff and they had few enemies that I remember. How did they deal with that? Is that something I'm going to have to learn? Or is it something you can only be born with?

It won't be the same for me, though, I have a claim to fame no other woman in this place and time has. I have enemies, true, but they're not against me because of what I am, they're against me because of what I might do to their cozy world. Fortunately, I seem to have as many friends as foes so it should all balance out the way I want it to.

Look at those guys opposite. Terinar is okay, I suppose, but he's a bit stiff. That might be because he's the oldest of this bunch. Now his sister, Korizet, is much better and she's brighter than him as well. I would do well to make sure I stay friends with her in future. The two Kendeven boys, they are more open and friendly. Least, if I was still a guy I'd consider them friendly. Perhaps I might end up with one of them? Keren said that Kendeven is a bit of a rural area, and it seems their home is not far from the estuary. Still, it's not far to come when I need to. Marlin? Don't be ridiculous! His sisters are much, much smarter than they look, though. That often happens with twins, as I recall. They sort of have a 'group mind' thing going. If Marlin becomes more of a problem, they'll be good allies, I think.

I wouldn't want to be married out of Palarand, I shouldn't think. That means I get to choose from Terinar, Willan or Stebenar. Of course, there's always the outsider to consider. How about Sardan or even Tarvan? It's possible there are other nobles of lesser rank around I've yet to meet.

This is fruitless! I've been here barely a month, I can't consider a big decision like that yet! I've got to get the technology snowball rolling, and I have to become properly comfortable in my new skin. If I'm to be a girl, then I need to become a girl properly before I consider any attachments. All I have to remember is that these guys won't necessarily see things my way, since all they see in front of them is a girl, and they're going to assume that I think like a girl, which I don't - quite. And I have to be sure I don't piss any of them off, because I don't want to reduce my future options.

"Milady? You look thoughtful."

"Um, yes, Terinar." She smiled at him. "I was just thinking about the future. I was also thinking how pleased I am to meet you all. Stuck in this palace with just His Highness for company," Keren gave her a gentle dig in the ribs, "oh, and not forgetting Merizel here, it's been interesting to know that there is, in fact, life outside the palace walls."

"You've not been trapped inside the palace this whole time, surely?" asked a concerned Willan.

"Not quite," Garia replied. "I've been out on one or two visits, but only as far as the metalworkers' workshops."

"You'll get more than enough of the outside world tomorrow," Keren told her. "By the end of the day you'll be quite glad to return to the peace and tranquility of our home."

"Of course," she agreed. "But it still won't be like a regular trip outside, will it?"

"Milady," Stebenar said, "after the festival is ended it will be a brief few days before the rains arrive. You will have little opportunity to explore then, I fear. Most of us stay shut away the whole time."

"If you're unlucky," Terinar added, "you might get flooded in, and be marooned for days or weeks afterwards. That's one reason we make so much fuss of the harvest, because once everything is gathered in we can be safe and well-fed until the skies clear again."

"You don't get flooded in where you are, surely?" Keren asked him. "I don't remember it happening before."

"We don't, fortunately, but some of the roads can become impassable. I know it used to be different in the Great Valley in the past."

The talk moved to a general discussion of rainy seasons past, and Garia forgot her preoccupation with her personal future.

~o~O~o~

"Where's Marlin?"

Dalenna pulled a face. "He says that Father wanted him to do something this afternoon."

"That's what he says," Terissa echoed. "We don't believe a word of it."

They had gathered outside Merizel's chamber following their afternoon rest, ready to head off towards Morlan's sitting room again. An annoyed Keren had merely shrugged and beckoned them after him.

"If he wants to sulk, that's fine by me," he said.

"What do you think is the matter with him?" Garia asked the twins as they walked along.

"It's difficult to say..." said Terissa.

"...but we've noticed that he has been worse since we arrived here," added Dalenna.

"We think he might be upset by the attention Garia gets," Terissa said.

"...since he's usually the one who gets it all. Of course, he expects the Prince to get the most attention while he's here, but to be overshadowed by a mere girl, well!" Dalenna rolled her eyes.

"To make it worse, it's not as if Garia's putting on airs and graces," Terissa added. "She has every reason to deserve being the center of attention. And to get the favor of the King, as well!"

"...you should have seen him after her oath of fealty! He nearly exploded with rage!"

"Do you think he will be upset long?" Keren asked them.

"Who knows?" Terissa shrugged. "If he carries on the way he is at the moment, I think Father will have some stern words to say to him. But," she smiled at Keren, "he can be a nice boy, really."

"So far as boys go, that is," added Dalenna mischievously. "Who knows what goes on inside their heads?"

"You do know we're right here listening?" Terinar put in from behind them.

"Not to mention, I used to be a boy myself quite recently," Garia added.

Both the twins blushed.

"Ah, present company excepted," Terissa apologized.

"As for Garia," Dalenna smiled at her, "you're different, so we really don't know what to make of you. You're not a boy and you're not - quite - a girl, despite what our eyes tell us. From what little you've told us about your own world, your society is quite different than ours so that explains why you talk funny sometimes." She cocked her head as they stood aside to let a group of guardsmen pass. "Actually, I think I like it." She nodded. "I think you're going to be good for Palarand."

"That's nice to hear," Keren told Dalenna, "especially after all the trouble I've gone to."

The group dissolved into guffaws and chuckles.

This time, the door to Morlan's quarters were still locked, and they soon made themselves at home again in his sitting room.

"Now, where were we?" asked Terinar, looking at Garia.

"I'll tell you the rest," she said, "but not right now, if you don't mind. I'd like to rest my throat for a while. Why don't you all tell me about where you live, instead? I know a little about Central Palarand, the rest is almost a complete blank."

"Very well, Garia, why not?" Terinar agreed. "We probably have news and items of interest we should be sharing in any case, so let's do that instead. Why not start with Kendeven, as that's the most boring part of the Kingdom."

"Hey!" protested Willan. "That's our home you're being offensive about."

"So? Prove me wrong, then."

So everyone told the group about the happenings in their own segment of the kingdom, with additional explanations for Garia's benefit. The time passed very quickly and before they knew it Jenet was telling them that they would have to return to their quarters to dress for dinner.

"But there's a bell and a half to go, yet!" protested Stebenar. "We don't need that long to change, surely?"

"You might not, My Lord," Merizel said, "but remember, we ladies will need more time than you lordlings to ready ourselves. And tonight, if you had forgot, there is a full State banquet in honor of the King's guests."

Everyone groaned. It seemed that such dinners were not favored among the young.

"We'd better go, everybody," Keren said. "We'll have to put all our finery on tonight." He smiled. "At least we'll get to see how wondrous you girls will look, won't we? Come on, let's go."

~o~O~o~

The girls did look wondrous, too. Garia had found a long evening gown of purple, with short sleeves but a lowish neckline while still covering the shoulders. Without noticing it she had paid particular attention to her hair and appearance, causing Jenet's eyebrows to raise at first. Garia, of course, wanted to make a good impression on the boys but was unaware of how far she was taking her actions. When she had arrived in the Receiving Room on Keren's arm the room had gone silent again, all eyes turning in her direction. She had made a deep curtsey to those present before wafting decorously towards those teenagers who had already arrived.

"Garia," Keren said under his breath, "behave yourself! Just act normally, won't you?"

"What, Your Highness," she turned to him innocently. "I'm a noble now, aren't I supposed to act like one?"

"Please," his eyes pleaded with her, "just be yourself. You're more noble than half the hangers-on in this room, you don't have to try at all."

"As you command, Highness."

"I said, behave, will you? Or I'll have to take you in hand."

She glanced demurely up at him. "Is that a promise, Highness?"

Keren forebore - just - to stick his tongue out at her, considering they were standing in a large room surrounded by the high and mighty of the kingdom. Instead he just gave her a small smile and said, "Our friends are waiting."

Taking her arm, he led Garia over to where Gilbanar stood with Terinar and Korizet.

"Milady, you are a natural at this game, it seems," Gilbanar said.

"As you say, Your Grace. Though I'm not sure how much is natural and how much is me attempting to fit in," she added.

An enthralled Terinar told her, "You do look very beautiful, Garia!"

"He says that to all the girls," Korizet said. She appraised Garia and then added, "I think you will do well, Garia. Whether you are trying or not, I wager you will not want for attention from the men while you are yet with us."

"Thank you both for your kind words... I think. I am not used to having my appearance praised in this way, it will take some getting used to. What boy likes to be told he's pretty? But all three of you have taken some trouble, too. It seems the standard is high around these parts."

"As you say, Milady," Gilbanar said. "And look, here are more, ready to dazzle the gathering."

Kendar banged his staff and called, "The Duke Visselen of Brikant, his son Count Marlin and his daughters Countess Dalenna and Countess Terissa."

They entered the room and Dalenna and Terissa immediately headed for Keren's group, followed slowly by Marlin. Visselen watched them go and then turned towards Gilbanar's wife Vivenne, who was standing with some other women on the other side of the room.

The twins seemed to always dress in gowns in shades of blue, but never exactly the same color. Both approached and curtseyed towards Keren and Gilbanar, the others replying. Marlin followed with a bow, but his eyes were fixed on Garia.

"Well met, cousins!" Gilbanar said to them. "I understand from Terry that you've managed to find a room to hide from all the madness that's happened here today. I hope you'll let me into the secret, I could do with a little peace and quiet."

"Ah, perhaps, Uncle," Keren said. "You'll have to wait till after the festival, of course. Yes, we had a fruitful session or two today, once we'd worked out where to go. I always forget how crazy the palace gets when everyone comes for the festivals."

"You and me both!" The King's brother grinned at Keren. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a word with Visselen before dinner, I can't imagine I'll be able to get a word in afterwards."

Garia noticed that Marlin still had his eyes fixed on her, and the expression on his face was unreadable. Uncertain of his attitude she quickly switched her attention to the twins.

"You two always dress the same?" she asked. "I didn't think you were identical twins, who usually do wear the same on Earth."

"No, we're not identical," Dalenna confirmed. "But we look nearly enough the same that the same kinds of clothes suit us both, so that's why we do it."

"That's right," Terissa agreed. "I expect we'll eventually end up wearing different styles as we get older, but for now, it's fun to be the same, especially when we can confuse the unwary." She smirked. "Most of our retainers can tell us apart, of course, but there are still some at home who have difficulty."

"Not that it matters very much," Dalenna added. "We're the same age, the same status and we do much the same things together. There's little need to tell us apart right now."

Kendar banged his staff. "Count Prasard of Kendeven, Count Willan and Count Stebenar of Kendeven."

"That's everyone," Keren said as the two boys made their way towards them. "We're just waiting for the King and Queen now."

Like the other boys, Willan and Stebenar had also made an effort to impress. That much was obvious as they bowed to Keren and the girls. Garia realized that it was probably the presence of herself and Merizel that had encouraged the boys to smarten themselves up, not that they had been disheveled beforehand. There was new talent for them to inspect, and this banquet was the best place for someone of their rank to do it.

The King and Queen made their customary entrance and then everyone moved towards the tables to start the meal. For this dinner, as it was a State affair, but among relatives and colleagues, they were seated in family groups. Keren sat next to Terys, with Garia the other side of Robanar. Beside Garia sat Terinar, next to Vivenne, then Gilbanar, and finally Korizet. On the other side of the table, Vivenne faced Robanar, Visselen sat opposite Terys, with Marlin facing Garia and Dalenna on the end. Next to Marlin was Terissa, then Stebenar, Prasard, and finally Willan at the other end. Apart from Prasard it was a perfect alternation of men and women.

The meal was full of good humor, far different from the previous major occasion when Jarwin had caused so much trouble. Gilbanar was more extrovert than his older brother, and kept the whole table in fits with jokes and anecdotes. Prasard, as well, was able to keep a good level of conversation going. The only person to appear not to enjoy the meal was Marlin, who was unusually subdued. He would answer direct questions but never offered an unsolicited opinion of his own. He tried hard not to look at Garia directly, but she caught him with his eyes on her on several occasions, which made her somewhat uncomfortable. What change had happened in him to make him alter his attitude towards her and what she represented?

The meal ended and they gathered in groups as usual to allow the tables to be cleared and removed. Garia noticed with an inward sigh the appearance of the band at the end of the room. I wish I had thought to bring some earplugs with me tonight. It never occurred to me there might be 'music' again. A different thought occurred to her and she turned towards Dalenna, speaking quietly so as not to be overheard.

"Do you know what's up with Marlin? He's been acting differently this evening. Has he been told off by your father?"

Dalenna turned to Terissa and they looked at one another for a long moment before Dalenna replied, "We do not. It is true that he spoke with Father before dinner, but I do not think it was a reprimand, if that's what you are thinking. We have also noticed the change in him."

Garia gave a shrug and said, "We'll just have to await developments, I suppose."

The boys conducted the girls to chairs at the sides of the room and stood beside them, talking about trivial subjects. Robanar and Terys took to their thrones and the other high nobles joined them on lesser thrones. From somewhere a signal was given and the band started up, presumably some kind of atmosphere warmer as no-one took any notice at first. A short pause was followed by a few bars from a different tune, and about half the diners stood and took their places for a dance.

"Shall you dance, Milady?"

"Me? Uh, I'm sorry, Terinar, I don't dance. At least not what you call dancing here, I guess. I haven't been here long enough or had free time enough to learn your dances, I'm afraid." She smiled up at him. "Don't let me stop the rest of you dancing, though."

"As you wish, Milady."

He turned and held out his hand to Dalenna, who rose and joined him in the lines. Stebenar bowed before Merizel, who immediately stood and went to join the other dancers.

"Do you not wish that you might join in, Garia?" Willan asked her.

"Sometimes, Willan." The music started up in earnest and she visibly cringed under the onslaught. "I fear that's the main reason I don't," she said over the tumult. "Your ideas of music are painful to my ears, I'm afraid."

"Do you not have music on Earth, Milady?" Marlin asked, surprised.

She turned to him. "Oh, yes, we have lots of music, of many different kinds. Dances, too, although very few I would dare do in public in Palarand. Most would be considered too... blatantly erotic for local tastes, I'm afraid." Marlin reddened, but his attention remained on Garia. "As for the music here, I'm puzzled by the way the musicians all seem to be playing different tunes."

Both Willan and Marlin blinked.

"They are?" Willan said. "I didn't think that was what they were doing." He listened for a few moments and then said, "Perhaps you are right, Garia. But would you have them all play the same notes?"

She smiled at both of them. "That's not quite what I meant, I think. Perhaps this is a subject I need to explore one day. I don't really know enough about music to venture a proper opinion, I'm afraid."

Dance followed dance, and Garia was always kept company by one or two of the boys while she sat them out. It was clear to all of them that the music was distressing her. The only method she could think of to reduce the impact was to drink wine, and by the end of the evening she was becoming somewhat numb, though still able to hold a conversation.

"Your music, Garia," Stebenar asked her, "in what way is it so different than ours? I find it difficult to understand how something that sounds pleasant to mine own ears can cause such distress to another."

"We have many more types of instruments than you do," she said. "And many more of them, too. True, we have bands of as few as three people, but also orchestras of anywhere from twenty to eighty musicians. All our instruments are tuned differently than they do it here, and they are all tuned the same way. I guess the music you get to like is what you hear as you're growing up, and anything else sounds peculiar." She gritted her teeth at a particularly uncomfortable sequence. "What those guys are playing just gives me a headache."

"I am intrigued by the idea of different music," Stebenar said. "Shall you give us a small sample of your own?"

"What, here and now?" She rubbed her temples in her hands to try and clear her head. "I can't play any instrument, especially not those over there, and they wouldn't be tuned right, I told you that."

"There is always your own voice," Willan suggested. "Why not sing us something from your world?"

If she had not drunk so much wine she would never, ever have agreed to do it. But her defenses were lowered and it was not as if she was in a crowd of strangers, after all. And if she kept her voice low, perhaps only those closest to her would hear her... she started singing the first thing that came into her head.

"O! say can you see by the dawn's early light,"

The dancers stopped, astonished, and the band stumbled to a halt with an abrupt skreek. The conversation died in the room within seconds. Everyone turned to hear the unusual interruption. Garia kept singing, unaware that the attention of the whole room was upon her. This was the first time she had attempted to sing since arriving on Anmar. The thought had just never occurred to her before. She had a different voice, a girl's voice, a clear soprano which had cut as cleanly through the music and conversation in the room as a sword.

She finished the song and stood amid a stunned silence, and only then realized what had happened. The room erupted into prolonged applause, and nearly everyone converged upon her chair.

"That was amazing, dear," Terys said to her, as she stood there red-faced. "We did not know that you could do such a thing."

"Ma'am," Garia replied, "Neither did I."

"Such a prodigy of talent, Milady," Visselen added. "Shall you sing some more for us? Robanar, you have here a treasure beyond price."

"Of that we are well aware, Visselen. Milady, shall you sing again? You look somewhat flushed."

"Sire, if you will excuse me tonight, I'm not sure I can, or I ought to. The wine has gone to my head."

"As you wish, Garia." He gave her a smile. "But I'm sure there will be another night, soon, when you might favor us?"

Oh, God, she thought. What have I started now?