An uncomfortable day for Garia as the first storms which herald the start of the rainy season hit the palace, literally. Some visitors depart while others remain, including Marlin. Garia meets the new Mistress of the Wardrobe and prepares herself for life in the wet.

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 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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BANG!

The immense explosion jolted Garia at least a foot above the bed before she landed in a heap again, shocked and abruptly awake. The after effects landed like hammer blows on her ears, rattling the doors and windows of her chamber before rapidly dying away. She shook her head to clear the ringing in her ears before propping herself up on her elbows, still groggy from being pulled out of deep sleep.

What the f..? That must have been lightning! Wow, the palace probably got struck! Guess the rains have come.

A few seconds later, after her head had properly cleared, she had another thought.

Wonder if there's a fire? Am I in danger?

She rolled off the bed and headed for the windows. The drapes were still in motion from the initial shock as she pulled them aside to peer out into the darkness.

Can't see anything in this murk. Clouds, so no moon. Uh, moons. It's raining, all right.

She reached up and unlatched the window, ready to open it to get a better view, then hesitated.

Am I going to get wet? No, silly, there's the veranda outside.

She pushed the windows apart and tasted the fresh, wet air that gusted in. It was raining, all right, quite heavily. Now that the window was open she became aware of the roar as the water hit the many roofs all round her. Looking up past the edge of the overhanging veranda roof, she could still see absolutely nothing at all, the darkness was complete. She wondered what time it was. A sound made her aware that Jenet was standing beside her, yawning as she adjusted her fluffy robe.

"A noisy introduction to the rains, milady."

"So I discover, Jenet. Is it going to be like this for two months, now?"

"Oh, no, milady. This is just the introduction, if I can use that word. Things should settle down in a day or two. And, milady, we always say two months but the rains can last between seven to eleven weeks. Nobody knows how long it will be each year, and nobody has found a way to forecast the ending of the rains, we just have to endure it."

Garia shrugged. "That's weather for you. Even on Earth, we have little idea what's going to happen from one season to the next in much detail. Oh, should we be worried? That sounded like a lightning strike on the palace. Could there be a fire somewhere? Should we get ready to evacuate, do you think?"

"It was a strike, milady. Usually it hits the high tower, that's the one we climbed to watch the stars, although sometimes it does hit other parts of the palace. The tower is stone, there's little direct danger of fire, especially in this..." Jenet gestured to the downpour outside the window, "but falling stone can damage roofs and ceilings nearby. Our chambers are far enough away that there should be no trouble here, milady. If there is any danger someone will come and warn us in good time."

Garia yawned as her body remembered it should be asleep and began to cool.

"Have you any idea what time it is? Is it worth staying up now? Come to that, is there going to be much more thunder and lightning?"

Her question was partly answered by a brilliant flash and slightly quieter bang as the storm moved off over the city.

"You may try, milady. It would be worth getting back into bed at least, it must be several bells before dawn. I don't know that anybody in the city is going to get much more sleep tonight, though."

"As you say, Jenet."

When Garia next awoke it was to sunlight streaming through the window. The drapes hadn't been pulled together, though at least the windows themselves had been closed to keep the noise down. She yawned and started the process of making herself ready for breakfast. She crossed to the window to look out before heading for the bathroom.

Wet wood, mostly. Even with the windows closed she could smell the wood, plus the recognizable odor of parched earth newly soaked, as in the desert. It brought back summers at Uncle Brad's farm, and she smiled at the memory.

"It seems we survived the night, milady."

"Yes, Jenet. That storm's been and gone. It doesn't look too bad out there right now. Let's get dressed."

"As you say, milady. I would suggest one of your normal day gowns this morning. The exercise halls will still be unusable until Duke Visselen and Count Prasard's parties have left, and we have to visit the wardrobe."

"Let's get going, then."

In the Receiving Room, where they would still be eating because of the guests, Terys came over to her.

"How are you this morning, dear? I do hope the noise didn't disturb you too much last night."

"Thank you no, ma'am, I'm okay right now. That big bang nearly threw me completely out of bed, though." Garia yawned, belatedly covering her mouth with a hand. "I think I'll certainly be ready for a nap after lunch, ma'am."

Terys gave her a concerned glance. "...And after yesterday? Do you feel better?"

Garia gave the Queen a reassuring smile. "Yes, ma'am. I wasn't feeling very confident yesterday, and what he said was exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time, I guess. It certainly helps to know that you and His Majesty support what I'm doing."

"Thank you, dear. Once he has returned home, there will be no more of that kind of distraction and you can carry on as before."

The two guard captains came through the door, saw Terys and headed towards her, stopping with salutes. Both looked as though they had not slept at all.

"Your Majesty. We have just left His Majesty, he is presently closeted with Master Terevor arranging for the repairs to be made. He will be joining you for breakfast within a moment or two."

"Thank you, Captain Bleskin. What is the extent of the damage? Have they been able to survey the roofs yet?"

"Some minor tile damage only, ma'am," Merek reported. "Apart from that, there is only the usual damage to the top of the tower. We do not believe that any other rooftop or tower was struck last night, but parties are still inspecting every roof. We believe that the inspection will be complete before any more rain falls."

"That sounds good, captain."

"Does the tower get hit all the time?" Garia asked in surprise. It must be the highest part of the palace and very nearly the highest point in the whole city. Of course it'll draw lightning! Why don't they have...

Why would they think they needed them? They probably have no idea what lightning is. Add that to the list, then. Time to educate Palarand about lightning rods and grounding.

"It does, milady," Merek replied. "It is the highest part of the palace so of course it draws the lightning first. We have continually to repair what is destroyed each time." He blinked and his expression changed to one of interest. "Milady, you are going to tell us that you are familiar with lightning, and that you know ways of preventing it from striking our buildings."

Garia smiled. "As always, Captain Merek, the answer is yes and no. Yes, I know what lightning is, but no, you cannot prevent it from striking buildings... or other high points. However," she gave him a wide grin, "there are ways of making lightning much less destructive, and I'm quite prepared to tell you how." She frowned. "As much as I know, that is. I only know what I've seen around me on Earth, I'm sure there are details I'm not aware of. But, whatever I do know, you're welcome to it."

Merek bowed to her. "Milady, I'm sure that whatever you can tell us will be of help. The continual repairs we must make to the top of the tower consume time, effort and the palace's money, and any way of reducing those will be most welcome."

"Exactly what damage was there this time, captain?" Terys asked.

"We lost part of the parapet on the north-eastern side, ma'am. Ten or eleven blocks or so. The roof of the tower seems undamaged, for which we are grateful. And, of course, the awning is quite destroyed as usual."

"Ah!" Garia exclaimed. "The awning, I remember, the frame is of iron, right?"

"Just so, milady," Bleskin confirmed. "Is that important?"

"Oh, yes! Lightning will always attempt to find the easiest path to earth, and metals are easier than stone or wood. The ironwork, poking up above the tower, will almost attract the strikes. "

The two captains looked at each other.

"It seems our theories about lightning are wrong," Bleskin said. "We thought that the stone somehow attracted it. Milady, we await your instructions with interest."

"I'll need Master Parrel in on the conversation as well," she said. "The answer to your problem is going to be more metal, not less." She grinned at the confused looks on their faces. "Don't worry, I'll explain all I'm able to then."

Robanar strode into the room, talking animatedly to Terevor. He saw Terys, Garia and the two captains and broke his conversation off with a nod before joining them.

"Everything satisfactory, dear?"

"Mostly, my dear," he replied. "There was a blocked storm drain near the stables, a window that was broken when the lightning stuck the tower, and some small leaks. The usual thing, the wood shrunken through the dry summer. A day or two of this weather and the cracks will have swollen shut, nothing to concern ourselves with. Good morning, Milady."

"Good Morning, Your Majesty," Garia replied, curtseying.

The two captains saluted. "Milady was telling us she can help us prevent lightning strikes," Bleskin said.

"Did she now?" Robanar swiveled to face Garia fully.

"Not quite, Sire," she qualified. "But I can tell you how you can reduce their impact. A later meeting of the Council, I suggest."

"Ah. As you say, milady. Shall we eat?" Robanar gestured to the table, with guests waiting either side. "I, for one, am quite hungry."

Keren was still hosting his own table, since although Duke Gilbanar and his party had departed there were still too many visitors to accommodate on a single table as normal. Willan and Stebenar sat opposite Keren and Garia, with Marlin facing Merizel and the twins opposite one another at one end. Garia noticed that Marlin seemed more relaxed this morning, although he barely spoke to anyone the entire meal.

"Highness," Willan said as soon as they had seated themselves, "I fear this will be our last meal together. The Count wishes to set off for home as soon as we may, the disturbances last night have made him anxious to depart before the weather worsens."

Keren nodded. "I understand, Willan. You have perhaps the worst of the journeys ahead of you, now that my Uncle has gotten safely across the Sirrel."

Garia's head snapped to face Keren, and he explained, "A messenger arrived late yesterday evening reporting that they had all crossed safely. Willan and Stebenar are going east, which is where the weather is coming from. Kendeven is almost completely flat so they get everything thrown at them straight from the sea. There's an old wooden bridge which gets them across Crescent Lake. It's the main route to the ferry east, the road to Viridor, but once the rains start nobody likes using it."

"I bet," she said. "If Crescent Lake used to be the actual river, how wide is it just there?"

"About three marks or so, I think. Part of it is on a causeway but the middle section is a long wooden bridge about a mark long. It's only five hundred years old. I don't think the Chivans would have managed to put a masonry bridge across the Sirrel there, it's just too wide."

"I see." She smiled at Willan. "I'm sorry you have to leave so soon."

"We are as well, milady," he replied. "We'd both really like to stay and learn more but Count Prasard would rather we returned to find out how well our father is recovering."

Stebenar added, "Highness, we like coming to visit, you know that, but this year your new companion has excited our attentions greatly. We both definitely wish to learn more!"

"Would it be possible for Garia to visit us one day soon?" Willan asked.

"I'm not sure." Keren regarded Garia for a moment. "As you are well aware, she is very busy with a number of projects, and we expect the situation to become worse before it gets better. After the rains, as you may have heard, we are all going north so I don't think she would be able to visit much before next spring." He gave Willan a reassuring smile. "You won't have to worry, though. We're not hiding all this new knowledge away from everyone. Instructors and teachers will reach Kendeven just as soon as we can train them."

"Will you send them west as well, Highness?" Dalenna asked.

"Of course, Dalenna. They'll be sent to all parts of the kingdom just as soon as we can arrange them. Has the Duke said anything about your own party leaving?"

Marlin coughed and then replied, "No, Highness, but we expect to depart tomorrow. As you are aware we have the easier road, but nobody likes to travel in the rain."

"As you say, Marlin."

At the end of the meal Kendar spoke to the King, and when Robanar rose he beckoned to Keren and Garia.

"The Marshal of the City Guard is here, he has information regarding the incident during the festival. Shall you join us in the parlor?"

"As you wish, father."

Robanar turned. "Lady Merizel, you were there, this concerns you also. Shall you join us?"

Merizel curtseyed. "As you command, Sire."

Once established in the parlor, Robanar introduced their visitors.

"This is Marshal Forton, who in times of conflict commands the forces of Palarand. Presently he oversees the City Guard, and I have charged him with investigating the incident at the festival concerning Milady Garia. The man by his side is Captain Trefkin, who he assigned the investigation to. Forton?"

"Sire." The Marshal, a man in late middle age, bowed. "As Milady Garia is present, and I have not yet chanced to speak to her, would it be possible for her to give us her version of events? In doing so it may assist with my understanding of what I have to tell you."

"As you wish, Forton. Milady?"

Garia thought back and began to recount what had happened that day. There were questions from both Forton and Trefkin, and when she had finished they also wanted to hear from Merizel and Jenet, congratulating the maid on her quick thinking move with the heavy bag. Finally, Forton began his report.

"Sire, Ma'am, Highness, My Lords and Ladies. We have questioned the two survivors of the incident reasonably thoroughly. Both are well known to the city guard as petty thieves, tavern brawlers and swords for hire. Both, questioned separately, give very similar stories which we are inclined to believe, and that is that the man Serdel came to them in the Frayen's Head inn in the Street of the Tanners offering them a job. The three, that is Colf, Mishond and the one who died, Veernal, were to kidnap a minor palace noble, a girl, who had stolen something valuable from Serdel before having him dismissed from the palace. The man Serdel made it appear as though he had engaged with the girl in an amorous liaison which had turned sour.

"The men had not connected this girl with the rumors in the city which surrounded Milady Garia so they readily agreed, the crowded festival being the perfect place for such an enterprise. As far as they were aware the intention was to keep the girl secluded until she could be traded for the stolen valuables. They were shocked by the heavy armed escort surrounding Mistress Garia when they finally located her party in the crowds but thought that they could still succeed. The rest, Sire, you are already aware of."

Robanar grunted. "As you say. Thank you, Forton. What of Serdel? Have you learned anything new?"

"Regrettably not, Sire. It seems his face, but not his name, had been noted in the Frayen's Head on occasion, but then that is a drinking house frequented by many as it is near the main market. The man Colf gave us the address of a property where Milady Garia was to have been taken but when we went there it was completely empty, even of furniture. The owner of the building was found and denied all knowledge of the intended abduction. He appears to be innocent, Sire."

Robanar nodded. "Much as we expected, Forton. You know our suspicions regarding Serdel?"

"Aye, Sire. I have a detachment in the city which does nothing but watch the Residency of Yod and all who go in and out of that building. I fear that they have established a separate organization in the city, with little direct contact with the Residency. We are searching for traces but it will be difficult, Sire. Even if we find such an organization, they may not have broken any laws so there may not be much we can do to them - legally, that is."

Robanar frowned at these last words but didn't object to them. Obviously, if such a setup was discovered, then direct action would be taken, legal or not. The King, in theory, could do anything after all. He turned to Garia.

"Milady? Have you anything to ask, or to add?"

BOOM!

Everybody in the room flinched as the lightning struck again. Garia reckoned by the noise that although it was nearby, it had probably not struck the palace this time. She looked out the window where the sun was still shining brightly, although it was darkening by the second. She recalled herself to the King's question.

"Uh, no, Sire, not at the moment. I would wish to spend some time speaking with Marshal Forton but I fear my time is all taken up by other matters."

"Of course, Milady. Forton, what do you intend to do with the two you have in custody?"

The Marshal frowned. "We are not sure, Sire. It is clear the men were duped by Serdel, but they still agreed to kidnap a woman of the court. Is this to be a simple kidnap charge, Sire, or would this be considered treason, given Milady Garia's status? There is also the matter of threatening members of the Palace Guard, and we could no doubt find other offenses to weigh them down with." He hesitated before adding, "Sire, the two were genuinely upset when they found out who they had been asked to kidnap. They have both declared that, had they known that it was Milady Garia, they would have refused to carry through the enterprise. They ask that you consider this in mitigation."

Robanar gave a non-committal grunt and waved a hand. "How would they have known who it was? Serdel wasn't going to tell them, was he? Very well, make it a simple kidnap charge. These two are mere wood shavings compared to Serdel's solid treason. Let the court know that I will consider mitigation at the appropriate time, but at the same time it needs to be made clear to all that I will not permit such activities in my Kingdom."

Forton bowed. "As you command, Sire." He turned to Garia, hesitantly. "Milady, in the City Guard we have heard rumors about you and your fighting abilities..."

Garia smiled at him. "Of course, Marshal. I am currently training a small number of the Palace Guard who will become instructors in their turn. I suggest you talk to Captain Bleskin for further details."

Forton bowed again. "Thank you, milady."

"Thank you for your efforts, Forton," Robanar told him. He was obviously dismissing the men, and they saluted before leaving the room. The King turned to Garia.

"Garia, it seems that the idea that we should travel north after the end of the rains becomes more favorable by the bell. I know that you will be in demand here, but you will be a constant target the longer you remain in the city. Some weeks spent away from public view will allow interest in you to subside. Do you not agree?"

"As you say, Sire. Not only do I agree with you, I'm discovering a wish to see some more of the country I now find myself in. With all due respect to Your Majesty, the inside of the palace is starting to feel a little... familiar."

Robanar smiled at her. "I understand exactly what you mean, my dear. Although there are those in the palace would deny it, I was once your age, and I remember fretting at the confines of these walls also. Keren will tell you the same." His expression became wry. "Regrettably, while the water descends we will all have to become familiar with the walls around us. It may be necessary for us to travel into the city from time to time but the experience is not pleasant."

He stood. "And now, we must assemble to offer a farewell to our friends from Kendeven, and wish that they manage to reach home before the waters fully descend."

The front entrance to the palace, where Garia had stood the previous day to see off Gilbanar and family, had a wide porch with a tiled canopy covering most of the steps. However, by the time they reached the entrance it was raining hard, hard enough that the noise was so great they couldn't hear themselves think let alone speak. They therefore gathered in the lobby just inside the great iron-bound doors to wait for Count Prasard, Willan and Stebenar to appear. Terys decided to pass the time by asking Garia about weather conditions at home.

"Do you have rains like this on Earth, my dear?"

"A difficult question to answer, ma'am, seeing as this is the first rain I have seen since arriving here. Yes, of course it rains, but only in small areas over the Earth does it usually rain heavily for months at a time. I didn't live in one of those areas, fortunately. We did get storms like this from time to time where I lived."

Garia attempted to convey the large variation in climate and weather over the Earth but found it difficult to explain to people whose idea of long distances was a few hundred miles. She did manage to convey that weather was a large and complex subject she didn't know a great deal about.

"But I can tell you, what you see in the sky is only a small part of what's going on, and it really shouldn't be difficult to start some kind of measurement going, so that you can begin to understand what's happening and get some kind of weather forecasting system operating."

"Maker! Is that possible, my dear?"

"Up to a point, ma'am. It's something I think I'll need to discuss with Master Gerdas and Master Hurdin." Garia turned to Merizel and rolled her eyes. "Add weather forecasting to the list, Merry, along with devices to measure atmospheric temperature and pressure." She turned back to the Queen. "Ma'am, you can usually figure out what will happen for a day or two, even for a week in some cases, but it tends to get vague beyond that. You can predict things like early frosts and such, but the weather will always surprise you when you least expect it."

"As you say, dear. But if that is so, why then might we trouble ourselves guessing what will happen when it will happen anyway?"

"Because it can be useful to farmers, ma'am, or fishermen, or seamen, or even construction workers, people who work outside."

CRACK!

Another strike made them all duck, the noise seeming louder because it hit them via the open doorway. A number of people looked upwards, to assure themselves there was still a ceiling over their heads. That lightning bolt seemed to be a parting shot, however, because the sun came out very shortly afterwards to show a palace courtyard gleaming wet. As if by magic a line of carriages and wagons appeared before the entrance, and Prasard himself made an appearance shortly afterward.

"Sire, I wish this were a less hurried departure," he said. "It seems that I am running away from my King, and it is not so."

"We understand, Prasard," Robanar replied, "but we know your journey might become more difficult if you delay. Where are the two boys? Ah, good. Now, I desire that you take no risks on your journey home. You have our thanks for your attendance at this year's festival, and you may tell Norvelen that we shall likely visit him in the spring. Give our best wishes to Shenna, will you, and tell her we hope all is well with the youngsters."

Visselen, Marlin and the twins had appeared with Prasard and his party, and farewells were exchanged within the crowded porch. The travelers went outside and climbed into the first carriage. Garia noted that all of the accompanying party, those who were not seated inside carriages, wore voluminous creamy-yellow outer garments resembling oilskins, reminding her that she had to collect her own sometime that day. Finally the trumpeter blew his departure tune and the carriages and wagons moved off.

As the procession clattered out of the courtyard Garia found that the twins had joined her.

"Garia, we wish to return the tunic and skirt we borrowed," Terissa said.

Dalenna added, "Seeing as we will shortly start packing ready to leave. It is a very clever design. I know of no seamstress who would have thought of such a thing."

Garia smiled at them. "That's just because you have no history of such styles, and no need for them either."

"Until now," Dalenna said. "We're going to start our own exercises when we get home."

"Daddy says that he will let us," Terissa continued, "having seen what you are able to do here. Nobody thought that a girl or woman could do such things!"

"You will send us one of your instructors, won't you?" Dalenna said wistfully. "When they're ready."

"Perhaps the one named Benith." Terissa added with a distinctly guilty look.

Garia tried to keep her face straight. "Look, perhaps we ought to go to your chamber, you can give me back the tunic and skirt, and we can talk along the way." As an apparent afterthought she turned to Keren. "Keren, are you busy right now? If not, could you accompany the twins and I back to their chamber? They have some questions."

Keren turned to Robanar as Terys raised an eyebrow, but the Queen said nothing.

"Yes, Keren," Robanar said, nodding permission, "off you go. We will meet again at lunch."

As the four walked through the corridors Keren said, "Questions?"

"Ah," Garia said. "The twins seem to be attracted to Benith. They wondered whether he could be sent to train them once he is ready."

His face creased into a grin. "I see why you wanted me along, now." He turned to the twins. "Have you had much dealings with Benith, girls?"

"He conducted us around the festival," Terissa said. "We enjoyed the day with him."

Dalenna added, "He was a perfect gentleman." She giggled. "In every way!"

Keren sighed. "Ah, I regret to inform you that Benith, despite appearances and behavior, prefers his own kind over women. You would not have known this, I have heard he is quite discreet."

The reaction of the twins was not what either Keren or Garia expected. They looked at one another and then Dalenna said, "A project!"

"Let us see if we can show him what he is missing," Terissa added.

This ought to be interesting, Garia thought. If Benith is gay, he could have a hard time of it over there. I won't bet against the twins, though. It's already clear that either one is much smarter than I am. If they can't make an honest man out of Benith, nobody could.

"You two are quite crazy, you know that?" Keren told them, shaking his head. "If you attempt what I think you plan to attempt, you might drive him away, and then you wouldn't get trained at all. I would suggest that your priority ought to be knocking some sense into that brother of yours. Anyway, I can't influence who goes where from those we've been training. You'll have to make representations to Captain Merek."

"He didn't seem to us to be one of those who holds his sword in the other hand," Terissa said sulkily.

"Quite the opposite, in fact," Dalenna added. "If he had been a noble instead of a guardsman Daddy would definitely have accepted him as a suitor."

"You both have a crush on Benith, then," Garia said with a smile. "I can definitely see why."

Both girls rolled their eyes. Garia decided it wouldn't be too long before duh entered the local language.

"Captain Merek, eh?" Terissa muttered.

"We'll have to plan this very carefully," was the reply.

With Garia and Keren exchanging amused glances over the heads of the twins, the four continued through the corridors.

~o~O~o~

Yolda looked up as Garia and Jenet entered her office.

"I understand," Garia began, "that there is special outer clothing needed if I am to go out in the rain. Of course I do not yet possess any."

"As you say, milady," Yolda replied, rising. "It were probably best if I let my successor deal with your request. I shall go and find her."

Yolda left and shortly returned with another woman. Garia recognized the face, which meant she had probably seen her at mealtimes but otherwise knew nothing about her.

"Milady Garia, this is Lady Dyenna who will be assuming the post of Mistress of the Wardrobe once the rains end. Milady, this is Lady Garia of Blackstone, recently arrived in Palarand under strange circumstances and now adopted daughter of the King and Queen. She has a relatively simple request for wet-weather clothing and I thought perhaps you might attend to her."

"Of course, Yolda," the woman said. "I was with the auditors, perhaps you could take my place."

"As you wish, milady."

Yolda bobbed briefly and then left, leaving the new woman looking curiously at Garia.

"Milady, I know of you, of course, but we have not met till now. I have heard, from the Queen, some of your difficulties with Mistress Yolda and I can tell you now that you will not encounter such difficulties once I become Mistress of the Wardrobe. Indeed, the Queen was most explicit on that point. Let me see, somewhere on this desk there is a note concerning yourself."

She searched briefly through the ordered piles of parchment on the desk before finding what she wanted.

"Ah! Yes, I see." She frowned as she read the document before looking up at Garia. "The Queen expects great things of you, milady. It seems that you can do things no woman would have thought possible, and in order to to those things, you require kinds of garments of which Mistress Yolda evidently disapproved. I am to give you my full co-operation, and in addition the services of Senior Seamstress Rosilda will be made available to you whenever you require them." She looked up. "Of course, I should say that there are certain times of the year when the wardrobe is busy, and it might be best if requests for unusual garments are not made at those times."

"I understand, Dyenna," Garia replied. "Like before the festival. I'll bear that in mind."

"As you say, milady. Then, if you'd care to follow me?"

Dyenna led them to a different hut than Garia had been before. This one was filled with wet weather gear, mostly of the pale yellow color. There was a strange smell in the hut. At one end, there was a preparing and robing area where Garia and Jenet waited until Dyenna appeared with clothing over one arm. Dyenna handed one voluminous garment to Jenet. Garia reached out to examine the fabric, which was unlike anything she had seen before.

"What is this stuff, Jenet?"

"It is a plain cloth, milady, soaked in wax. Do you remember, milady, when His Highness showed you the countries surrounding Palarand? In Plif there grows a reed, and when these are boiled up in water a wax can be extracted. I'm sorry, milady, I know little more than that."

"We keep vats of wax to treat the cloth, milady," Dyenna explained. "Once it is soaked and the excess drained, the material is ironed to ensure the wax binds tightly to the fibers."

"That is why it looks so shiny, then."

To Garia the cloth looked almost like it was plastic coated. With a surface this smooth, the rain would roll right off.

"What do I do, then?"

"This fits first, milady," Jenet said, "over your gown. We wrap it round like so."

It was like a pinafore, with a belled mid-calf skirt to accommodate wide gowns and a short bodice which only came up to her armpits. Two wide lightly padded straps went over the shoulders holding everything in place. The front overlapped, the outer layer being secured by ties at the left side and waist. Despite the construction it felt very light to wear. Garia likened the top half to the garments deep-sea fishermen wore, but of course they would never have had skirts below! A wide skirt assured that rain would be directed away from any clothing she wore underneath.

"Next, milady, you put the bonnet on."

This was like an old-fashioned Victorian bonnet with a fairly substantial peak in front. Jenet tied it off under her chin, and then a hooded cape-like garment was pulled over her head and arranged. This came down to about her hips and covered her arms completely.

"What about my feet?"

"We'll find you a pair of boots presently, milady," Dyenna said, "but first I wanted to check that we had sized your water gear correctly. How does that feel?"

"It doesn't feel tight, or awkward, or anything like that," Garia replied. "I won't really know until I go out in the rain wearing it, will I?"

The peak of the bonnet stops the hood slipping over my eyes, and keeps the rain off my face. There's no opening in the front of the cape, so no water can get in. These people seem to have thought these out very well, but then they've had lots of reason to, if the rains are what I expect them to be. Hmm. These could get very warm and sticky if the weather stays hot, though.

"As you say, milady. You are satisfied, then?"

"I think so. I assume Jenet will know about the care and attention of these things?"

"I do, milady," Jenet answered. It seemed that Dyenna had little knowledge of Jenet's long experience in the palace.

"Then, if we may remove them, we can go and find you some boots."

The boots turned out to be made of a heavier material than the water gear, more like canvas, excepting of course the soles which were leather. The boots looked like rubber boots, coming up almost to the knee and being laced at the rear of the calf like all the other boots Garia had worn so far. A folded insert behind the laces ensured the boots were truly waterproof.

"Do these clothes only come in the one color, then?" she asked as the boots were removed.

"It is a tradition, milady, certainly within the Valley," was the reply. "I understand that with one exception, any attempt to use dyed material means that the wax does not hold properly. The exception is the water gear the guard wear, which is made out of a wool naturally dark in color. Everyone else wears this light color. In the rain, the color does not matter, after all."

"As you say, Dyenna. Very well, have we everything?"

"You do, milady. Does your maid have suitable water gear?"

"I have, milady," Jenet replied, "although it is some years old. Perhaps I should bring it to be checked and reproofed."

"Of course," Dyenna agreed. "The wax will eventually wear at certain points and let water through. Bring your gear as soon as you can and I'll have someone examine it for wear."

They carried the garments back to the office where Dyenna found, after a search, Garia's records and added them to it.

These seem quite practical. The cape overlaps the... pinafore, and the pinafore overlaps the boots. It looks like they aren't going to need any help from me here. Unless...

"Um, have you ever heard of something called an umbrella?"

"Milady?"

"Okay. How about a parasol?"

Dyenna shook her head. "I do not know those words, milady."

Garia smiled at her. "Not to worry. Just an idea I had. Maybe I'll come back some time and explain."

Walking back through to their suite, Garia had a question.

"What do the men wear, Jenet?"

"Oh, much the same as us, milady."

"What?"

"The shape is different, of course, because a man is a different shape. But the water gear is almost the same."

"How does one tell the difference, then? I mean, when two people meet out in the street?"

"If it is raining, then nobody minds, milady. There is enough difference to tell. If you were to look closely, you might see that the men's skirts are overlapped to the right, where ours are overlapped to the left."

"They don't have big skirts like us, surely?"

"Actually, milady, if a man is riding, the skirt will be bigger, since it must cover the saddle as well. Walking in town, or when riding in a carriage, the men usually have a narrow skirt, enough to sit down in but no more."

Every time I think I have this society figured out, they go and surprise me. I ought to have expected something of the sort. After all, the men wear tights instead of pants, don't they?

"It's worth knowing that as a warning, Jenet. When I go out in the rain - as I'm almost sure to in the next couple months - at least I'll know what to expect."

"As you say, milady."

~o~O~o~

BANG!

By chance, Garia had happened to be facing a window when the strike occurred, and with the gloom both from the lateness of the hour and the heavy cloud cover her eyes were not prepared for the brilliant flash directly in front of her. In addition the strike was so close, on the buildings directly opposite her across the courtyard, that the sound completely deafened her. The pressure wave from the blast blew in a window along the corridor behind her and she grabbed for support as the world shuddered.

There were sparkles as her overloaded eyes tried to recover, which gradually transformed into multi-colored blotches which slowly moved round her vision. Her ears were completely numb and she briefly wondered if she had split her eardrums. The room steadied, and she released her grip on his waist, wanting to step back and see if she could stand on her own feet yet. She didn't want to release her grip, though, especially as she discovered that he was holding her as tightly as she was holding him.

Wait, what?

A very faint voice came to her from a distance. "Garia, are you all right?"

"I -"

Realizing both that she couldn't hear her own voice, and that Keren - for it must be he - probably couldn't hear her either, she raised the volume and tried again.

"I think so. I can't see anything, and I can hardly hear you at all."

A cloth was dabbing at her face, and she realized that her eyes were streaming from the effort of recovery. With an effort, she slackened her grip and Keren released her to stand on her own two feet. She was somehow aware that there were servants rushing through the corridor behind them.

"Come this way."

Strong hands guided her along the corridor into a quieter one. She discovered that one of the pale blotches in front of her eyes was an anxious face looking down on her, and as she watched it resolved into Keren.

"Wow." Her voice still sounded tinny and far away, but at least she could hear herself now. "That was a bit close, wasn't it?"

"Aye, we were lucky," he said. "How do you feel?"

"A bit stunned. My hearing's off but I can understand you, just. My eyes hurt. What's happened to the palace?"

"Don't know yet. We've got teams ready for anything like this, we should be safe enough."

"Oh, God. Do we have to put up with this for the next two months?"

"Fortunately not, Garia. This will only happen the next few days, and then there's so much rain it settles down. Do you think you can manage to continue, or shall I take you back to your suite?"

She shook her head, a mistake.

"No, let's continue. I should have recovered by the time we get to the Receiving Room."

They had been on their way to dinner, the last to be held in the Receiving Room in honor of their guests before the Duke of Brikant led his entourage home. She had belatedly realized that she wanted to leave a good impression on Duke Visselen, to show him that she wasn't an instrument of chaos out to destroy everything that Palarand stood for, so she had chosen one of her more modest evening gowns in pale green. Now she stumbled on the hem as they assisted her through the palace.

"I'm sorry, I think it's affected my balance."

"Not to worry, we have plenty of time," he reassured. "Here, take my hand. Jenet, go the other side."

When they entered the Receiving Room everyone took in the situation and crowded around.

"What happened, Keren?" Robanar asked.

"A strike, father, right round the corner from where we were. Garia took the flash full in the face. There must have been damage, I don't know how much, I was more concerned with getting her to safety."

"As you should, son. People are always more important than buildings. Come, bring her to sit at table."

With only Visselen's party remaining, they were back to a single table, and Garia was placed next to Robanar's seat. A goblet was placed in her hand and she took a sip, which proved to be of water. Her sight was returning gradually, although she knew it would probably be tomorrow before it recovered completely, and she also knew that tonight would likely be painful.

"Sire." It was Visselen speaking. "Should we delay our meal? I would be uncomfortable dining while your staff endeavor to save the building."

"As you say, old friend. I have sent a runner to discover the damage and report back. We shall inform the kitchen of the delay."

Garia realized that the twins had gathered round her.

"Did you see what happened?" one asked.

"No," she replied. "There was just a flash and that blinded me. The noise was so loud it blew one of the windows in, but not where we were, fortunately."

"Were you that close?"

Keren answered. "It struck a building the other side of the courtyard we were passing by. As close as I ever want to get. How are you two dealing with this? Frightened?"

"Sort of. Concerned would be a better word. We wouldn't want the roof to fall in on us, and fire's never funny, is it? I'm glad we live in a castle that's mostly stone. Sorry, Highness."

Garia could almost feel Keren's grin as he replied, "It's not your fault that this old palace has grown like a stubborn weed. Mostly the lightning strikes the High Tower, which as you both know is made of... stone. The wooden parts of the building are usually spared."

"Garia, dear," Terys asked her, "Shall we ask Margra to attend you? You look quite shaken."

"Thank you, no, ma'am. It is passing. I think I should be all right by the time the food arrives."

"If you're sure?"

"I am, ma'am. I'll ask if I need something."

The runner returned and spoke to Robanar, who turned and made an announcement.

"A hallway where four corridors meet was struck, on the upper floor. Part of the roof is heavily damaged but there is no fire. We have a team endeavoring to pull a tarpaulin over the hole, although it is difficult due to the rain and the darkness. We have instructed them to call on us if there is need but it appears there is no further danger to the building. We may proceed with our meal, then. Please, all of you come and be seated."

The meal was as usual but Garia didn't contribute much since her ears were still not right. She decided that if there was no improvement in the morning she would ask Margra to take a look, although she wondered just what the medicine of this time would be able to offer her. Her sight had recovered, though she knew her eyes would probably hurt tonight.

She caught sight of Marlin sitting along the table, opposite Merizel. He was eating his meal in silence, using his fork properly but it seemed reluctantly. He became aware of her attention and gave her a quick glance before turning away with a resentful expression on his face.

That one hasn't got over whatever is bugging him. I'd hoped we had squelched him enough that he would start looking at the situation rationally. I'll make sure the twins are on his case. I'd rather them sort him out than go chasing after a hunk like Benith.

"Garia?" Robanar asked her while the plates were being removed. "Do those on Earth handle fires any differently than we do here, would you think? I'm wondering if there are ways we can improve our procedures here in the palace."

"We have building codes, Sire, which mean that precautions are built right into buildings as they are constructed. Of course, we have buildings like this one that are very old, and it is sometimes difficult to protect them the way we would like to without ruining them. One thing we do, though, is put water pipes in ready for the fire crews. That means they don't have to run hoses all the way to the nearest water source for their pumps. Of course, all our buildings have running water so it's quite easy to do that."

"This palace has water pipes through most parts," Robanar said, "especially the rear where the living quarters and the kitchens are. Could we use those? They are not designed for such a purpose."

"You may be able to, Sire," she said noncommittally. "I'd have to take a look at the system. Sometimes, even though it is more expense, it is better to put in a whole new system just as an insurance against a fire. Does Palarand, the city I mean, have anything like a Fire Department, Sire? Perhaps that would be the best place to start."

"What might a Fire Department be, milady?"

Garia then riveted the attention of the table with a description of a small-town Fire Department, complete with mobile pumps, hydrants, dedicated firefighters and the associated building codes, insurances and other related matters. She was glad when the tables were finally cleared and she could give her throat a rest.

"We intended to have some small entertainment this evening, milady," Robanar said as they rose. "To share with Duke Visselen and his family. Will you stay? You look somewhat tired, as you might after your experience. Should you retire instead? We would not object if you desired to spend a quieter evening." He smiled at her. "There will be music, and I know that it is not comfortable to your ears."

"If you permit, Sire, I shall retire, then. I should say a few words to Duke Visselen and his children first, though."

"As you wish, Garia."

She sought out the Duke first.

"Your Grace, it has been interesting to meet those on who the King relies," she told him. "I must apologize for making trouble within your family."

"It is not you, milady, who is the source of our trouble, but my eldest son, as you are well aware. If you had been a different kind of person I might resent the changes you bring to Alaesia, but I find I cannot. I can assure you that, if you should ever visit us at home, you will be assured of a warm welcome." He gave a sigh, but the smile was still there. "I have two daughters who are both clever and strong-willed, and I have no doubt that you are of the same mold. I have been forced to review the way I understand the fair members of our society, and I find that I have been doing them a disservice. I look forward to the wonders you promise to us, milady."

"Thank you, Your Grace," she said, giving a low curtsey.

"Well? What did daddy say?"

"He told me he had two smart, strong-willed daughters," she told them moments later. "Was he talking about you?"

"He's sharper than he looks," Terissa said. "He knows exactly what we're doing."

"And he approves," Garia said. "I think it surprised him at first, but he's willing to let you see how far you can get. And with me as an example to follow, I think you'll both go quite far."

Their faces were shining. "Do you think so?"

"I do. But, remember, you're still very young and you will change a lot before you're properly grown up. Don't attempt to do everything at once. Just make sure you build a proper base before you start breaking all the customs."

"You're right, Garia." The two looked at one another. "It's so difficult, though. Neither of us is very patient."

"You have a problem at home I'd like to see you tackle first," she told them. "You have to find a way to handle Marlin. If he stays the way he was when he arrived he'll be a big problem in future."

Dalenna's face was downcast. "Trouble is, he doesn't listen to us. Firstly, he's older. Secondly, we're girls, and girls don't count."

"Oh, I think the last week or so has shown him that's not true at all," Garia said with a smile. "And, once you start throwing him around a mat he'll have a lot more respect for womankind, don't you think?" The smile faded. "It's his attitude towards progress that is our biggest problem, though. See what you can do, girls."

The two were serious. "We'll try our best, Garia." A grin from Dalenna. "And thank you for making our visit so much fun! We can't wait till we meet again!"

Lastly, she had to face Marlin. He was standing talking to Bleskin when she joined them.

"Lord Marlin. Captain."

"Milady." Marlin inclined his head. "Do you retire?"

"After I've spoken to you, yes. I'm still affected by that lightning strike."

"As you say, milady. It cannot have been a pleasant experience." He hesitated, choosing words he might not have used if they had been alone. "Milady, I must accept the truth of what you have told us about yourself. I now know that there is no other explanation but that you come from somewhere else entirely. Your discussion of fire precautions earlier convinces me that you speak freely of matters that are commonplace on your own world, where I originally though you to be a spinner of wild tales. In that respect you have my apology for my previous attitude towards you." His lips thinned as though he were contemplating something unpleasant. "I have to tell you, though that I still do not agree with the way that you are letting all these new ideas loose upon Palarand society. If it were my choice, I would prefer life to remain the way it always has been."

Bleskin could hardly contain himself.

"My Lord! You would allow buildings to burn, and people to die, simply because you refused ideas about fire prevention? I cannot agree at all."

"But, that wasn't what..." Marlin looked surprised, because that argument hadn't occurred to him. His shoulders slumped. "I find I cannot disagree with you, captain. I find the arguments for and against most bewildering. If you will excuse me, I shall rejoin my father."

He bowed, this time, quite low to both of them, and then stalked off across the room.

"Milady," Bleskin said as they watched him go, "that one will cause trouble in future."

"We know, captain. But he's only seeing the disadvantages, not the advantages. Once he's home, the twins will get to work on him. I'm betting he'll come round in time."

"As you say, milady. I hope you are right."