Milsy begins to adjust to public life in the palace and her first occasion is in front of the Palace Guard. Fresh men are chosen and added to her small detail. The new clock for Master Gerdas is assembled and Milsy has to explain to Robanar why it is needed, with the result that the King makes a far-reaching decision. Later, disturbing news is received...

What Milsy Did

by Penny Lane

14 - The Volunteers

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) 2016 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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"Do you think I look all right?" Milsy asked Bursila.

"I see little difference to any other day, Mistress. Is there any particular reason for your concern?"

The younger woman suddenly looked apprehensive. "Um, it is just that I'll be dining with everyone else from the palace from today and I don't want to give them the wrong impression." She thought. "Oh, and we're going to meet all the guardsmen afterwards."

"But Mistress, you dined with the King and Queen yesterday and it did not seem to concern you."

"Aye, but that was before I realized just what would be involved. I'm going to be really visible from today, especially as everyone will still think I'm Garia until they take a second look at me."

"You must needs become used to your change in status, Mistress. Aye, you were once a kitchen servant but that is no longer your station in life. Now you have become a guildswoman with the ear of Guildmasters and Kings and I think that you will not be able to return to the obscurity you once enjoyed."

Milsy sighed. "As you say, Bursila. My whole life has changed and I must accept that, but it is very difficult. I would rather be discovering how to make things in the laboratory than parade myself in front of my betters... and then there are the guardsmen. I will be but one woman in front of so many and they will all see me as a challenge. I know what men are like."

"Indeed, Mistress, but then your association with the King, the Guildmasters and even the Baroness will serve to dampen their enthusiasm. You now have a certain status, you must learn how to use it."

"You give good counsel, Bursila." Milsy smiled. "I hope that Lady Merizel is managing without you! I imagine that you provided her with much comfort in the past."

"Aye, I have served Lady Merizel almost all her life and gently guided her as required but she is old enough to guide herself now, I deem. Besides, they have Jenet and she is capable enough to serve both at the same time."

"As you say. I wonder what they are doing now? Garia has a whole town to govern, I wonder if they like her or not. From what I know of nobles that is not always so. Now, you didn't answer my question. Do I look all right?"

Bursila gravely looked her charge up and down. "I see nothing amiss, Mistress."

"Then perhaps we had better go."

"If I may collect my bag, Mistress."

But Bursila didn't get a chance because there came a knock at the door. She opened it to find Skanik outside.

"If you would tell your Mistress that her breakfast has arrived."

The maid turned to meet Milsy's eyes but she had already heard.

"We forgot to stop the breakfast service," Milsy said now. "We had better eat in here rather than let the food go to waste. Let them in, Skanik."

The two women entered, trays in hand, and went straight to the table, depositing the trays before turning and curtseying to Milsy. They had served meals here before and the looks on their faces told that they both had a good idea what had been going on.

"Mistress."

"Thank you, ladies. Um, I think that I am unlikely to be needing breakfast brought up in the future. If you could let your supervisor know?"

"As you desire, Mistress. And your other meals?"

Milsy grimaced. Why was everybody making this so difficult for her today?

"For now, I think it unlikely that any meals will be wanted in here in future. If anybody needs to eat in these chambers then we'll send a message as normal."

"Thank you, Mistress."

The two curtseyed again and departed. Milsy looked at Bursila.

"That seems to have solved that problem," she remarked. "Let us eat before it becomes cold."

The two laid the table and began to eat, Milsy slightly disturbed by the sudden change to her plans. It was likely that this would be to her advantage, though, as she could make her way to the Large Training Room - which she had never visited - without being stopped by people in the dining room enquiring after her health or activities. She brightened at the prospect.

"At least this way we won't have to speak with anyone in the dining room," she said. "I don't wish to keep Captain Merek waiting any longer than necessary."

"As you say, Mistress, although he could be waiting for you in the dining room."

"You're making this whole business worse than it already is," Milsy grumbled.

"I am making it worse, Mistress?"

Milsy glared at Bursila, who sat unmoved. Finally she relented.

"I'm sorry, Bursila, I'm just not comfortable among so many. Aye, I know I once worked in a kitchen with a great many other workers but this is not the same. Here I must speak as an equal with Kings, Captains and others of high status and I am not used to it. What will they think of me?"

"Mistress, remember that when Lady Garia came to the palace she was of like situation to yourself. She was completely unused to this life as well, coming from a distant land where there are no nobles or any of like status. If she can adapt then I believe that you can as well. You are a woman, you have different strengths than Lady Garia but I believe that you can use what you have to make your way in this palace. And it does not harm to have the ear of the King and Queen to help smooth your way."

"But everybody knew that Garia was a stranger to our lands and customs where I am Dekarran born and bred. They will expect me to behave as they do. That is my concern, Bursila."

"Mistress, we could argue all morning but the Captain and his men will be waiting. Why look for trouble when none may appear?"

Milsy sighed. "As you say, Bursila."

Outside the door all her assigned men stood waiting.

Tord saluted. "Mistress, we are all asked to attend this morning to ensure that we know who our fellows may be and what our future duties will be. It seems that we have been asked to do more than escort the Baroness within the confines of the palace as originally intended."

Milsy's smile was apologetic. "As you say, Tord. When I arrived here I could never have imagined what would become of me," and she added with a wider smile, "any more than the Baroness did, I deem."

"Aye, Mistress, that is true. When she first appeared in the Large Training Room we had no idea what was to follow." He stiffened to attention. "Mistress, when you are ready."

The route started off the same as that to the Wardrobe region but soon turned off down an unfamiliar corridor. From a distance Milsy could hear the odd shout and a whiff of cooking smells so she guessed that the kitchens were not far away. Tord led the party to a pair of double doors that ended the corridor and opened them, bowing.

"The Large Training Room, Mistress."

Beyond was a huge hall, easily the largest space that Milsy had been in since arriving at the palace. The space was not carefully finished like other chambers in the palace but had a stone-flagged floor and the walls were lined with man-height vertical planks. Tall windows above let in plenty of light for those within. To the left, at the far end, were a pair of double doors which were open to the outside although Milsy couldn't see what was beyond. On the right-hand wall there was a double door at each end, presently closed.

The room was filled with men in ranks doing exercises in place. All looked up as their party entered the hall and there was some muttering among the guardsmen. To her left was a space and from that direction Captain Merek strode to greet them.

"Mistress, good morning. I did not see you at breakfast today. Was there some problem?"

Milsy curtseyed. "Good morning, Captain. Aye, we were about to go down when our breakfast arrived on trays. We had forgotten to cancel it."

"Ah." Merek nodded. "An easy thing to forget. Now, Mistress, if you and," he made a very small grin, "your men would join me over there."

Once there they lined up against the left-hand wall. Merek clapped his hands.

"Parade, attend!"

The guardsmen all stopped their movements and came to attention, their eyes fixed on Milsy.

"This person," Merek explained with a gesture, "despite her looks, is not Lady Garia but a retainer, originally a replacement maid, who joined the King's party in Dekarran. Her name is Milsy and she presently resides in Lady Garia's quarters, those chambers being empty while the Baroness is visiting her lands in the north."

There was a definite buzz in the ranks, now.

"Some of you may have noticed the resemblance between Mistress Milsy and Lady Garia," Merek continued blandly, "this was unexpected but it permitted His Majesty to confuse any enemy about the whereabouts of Lady Garia. His Majesty has no intention of confirming or denying any sightings of the Baroness in the city since we returned from Dekarran."

Most of the men had by now worked out what had happened and were openly grinning, despite still being at attention.

"Mistress Milsy is no longer a maid, however," Merek said. "She has proven abilities of her own and has joined the Metalsmiths' Guild as a Journeywoman. She works closely with Craftmaster Tarvan upon special projects for the King and I should warn you now that the two have made an arrangement.

"Because she wears the colors of Blackstone and because of her close resemblance to Lady Garia, it was thought that those who sought to kill, capture or injure Lady Garia might attempt the same with Mistress Milsy, perhaps mistaking one for the other. The King, therefore, feels it necessary to provide her with a permanent escort even inside the palace. These men who stand beside her are those who presently provide that escort. As you can see, with the additional activities which Mistress Milsy now undertakes, both inside and outside the palace, there are too few men for the duty. I am therefore asking for perhaps six to eight volunteers to join this company from among you men."

The faces were serious, now, paying close attention to Merek's words.

"You would no longer be part of your Quadrant but join instead these men led by File Leader Tord. The duty is not a regular rotation but assigned according to the activities of Mistress Milsy. It would mainly be a day and evening duty but a night watch may sometimes be required. Because you will be escorting Mistress Milsy you would wear the colors of Blackstone, both inside and beyond the palace, and it is possible that when Lady Garia returns from the north you would have the choice to remain one of His Majesty's men or become an armsman of House Blackstone instead. Stand forward if you desire to be considered."

To the complete surprise of Merek but not of Milsy, every man took a step forward. She noticed that the Captain's face had become red.

"Um, thank you, men! Your enthusiasm is appreciated! If you would all step back, it looks like I am going to have to select from among you." He looked each way along the ranks. "Vesilan, Burran, join me, I would have your advice."

Two men who wore diagonal sashes stepped from the front of the ranks and joined Merek and Tord. There was an intense discussion in which the two pointed out various men and were answered with nods, shrugs, or shakes of Merek's head. Finally, some kind of agreement seemed to have been reached. The two men turned and faced the assembled men.

One said, "Berin! Torin! Berdon! Hixen! Join us."

One of the named men saluted. "Aye, Quadrant."

As the men walked across to join Tord the other Quadrant called out, "Jaffen! Simmen! Kendo! Join us."

They were soon surrounded by the selected men. Merek took the opportunity to address those who remained on parade.

"Parade, attend! The Crown thanks you for offering your services. You may return to whatever you were doing before. Parade, dismissed! Vesilan, Burran, thank you for your assistance."

As the two Quadrants saluted and walked away Merek frowned and turned to Tord.

"Tord, how many have gone north with Lady Garia?"

"Sir, why, there is Commander Feteran and with him D'Kenik, Brazan, Frando, Soomit and Toranar. Of course His Highness also has his own escort with him."

"As you say. She should be well enough provided for, I deem. Mistress Milsy is another matter. You could do with an extra one."

"Sir?"

"You mentioned sickness, training and at ease time when we spoke before. Here there are seven, you have five, I deem you may need another. With those who have gone north that would make twenty, two files."

"Aye, sir. As you say, sir. Thank you, sir."

Both Merek and Tord looked around. The two Quadrants had gone back to the men and were giving them instructions. The Captain seemed uncertain what to do.

Milsy spotted a familiar face.

"Captain, if you wish another," she said diffidently, "if I may suggest Tilmar. He has crossed our paths on several occasions and knows what we are doing."

"Tilmar? Which is he?" Realizing that there was a simple way to find out, he called out, "Tilmar! Join us, if you would!"

The young man came over and saluted. Merek turned to include all those he had called over.

"Men, you have been selected for this duty but you previously volunteered. If you only stepped forward to remain with your fellows I can understand that but I must give you all one last opportunity to reconsider what I have asked of you. You may return to your quadrants now with no mark on your character."

Nobody moved and Merek relaxed. Choosing men for awkward duties could be a difficult business.

"Right. Follow me into the Small Training Room. We can speak there without having to shout."

Inside the side chamber Milsy looked with interest at the array of weapons and wondered what Garia had made of the place.

I've seen those swords on her back so she must have liked training with the men. Unfortunately, while I like men, I'm not as keen on all this weaponry. I'll let others take care of that for me.

"Right, men," Merek said, and all the men gathered round and gave him their attention. "While you remain in the palace you will not need to change your billets. You may keep your bunk wherever you are. When you are off-duty or at ease you may mix with the others and take your meals with them as you did before."

He paused to emphasize his next words. "From now on, though, you will take no further part in the activities of the quadrant you came from. Your assignment is peculiar, you remain men of the Palace Guard but you form a detached company which appears to all as though you are men of Blackstone. Your purpose will be to escort and protect Mistress Milsy, her maid Bursila and anyone else of House Blackstone who may reside in the palace.

"Tord is a man of Blackstone and he becomes the File Leader of you all. Obey his commands as you would those of any File Leader, Quadrant or myself." Merek gave a short smile. "I doubt you will find your duty onerous but it may take you places that a guardsman of His Majesty would rarely go. Behave as you would do wearing His Majesty's colors and you should not stain the reputation of Lady Garia and her house. Am I understood?"

There were a chorus of Aye's from the men.

"Tord will make disposition of you when I am done. Are there any questions?"

"Sir," someone asked, "What about Master Tarvan? He resides in the palace and has become close to the Mistress."

"Hm. If he is with Mistress Milsy, then of course you should offer him protection, as you should to any other if something should occur around her. I doubt he will be in any danger by himself, however, so there will be no need to guard his chambers, for example, or escort him about the corridors. If there is a general problem in the palace, then of course all those who have sworn to the King will become involved one way or another. Your priorities will now be slightly different, I deem. The safety of Mistress Milsy must come first, the palace and anyone else in it will follow."

"Even the King, Sir?"

Merek cast a stern glance at the questioner. "Jaffen, you try me! There will always be occasions when the King's men must needs use their own judgement."

"As you say, Sir."

Merek turned to Tord. "These men are thus yours, File Leader." Tord straightened. "I will leave them now in your hands."

"Aye, Sir. Thank you again, Sir."

Merek nodded and left the room.

Tord looked at his enlarged company. "Now, let's see about getting you lads some Blackstone sashes. Follow me!"

* * *

When Milsy finally entered the laboratory that morning Tarvan was, as she expected, already there. In front of him on the bench stood the parts of another clock which he was attempting to assemble.

"Good morning, Milsy," he greeted her. "I did not see you at breakfast. Was there some problem?"

"Good morning, Tarvan." She decided not to make any personal contact with him despite the fact that only they and Bursila were present. As Lady Garia had once said to her, "Business, not pleasure." She explained, "I forgot to stop the delivery of breakfast to my chambers so we ate it there. After that we went with Tord to see Captain Merek and have some more men assigned."

Tarvan nodded. "As you say. Captain Merek did mention the matter at breakfast."

"What do you have there? Is that the clock for Master Gerdas?"

"Aye, it is. The parts arrived this morning after breakfast." Tarvan scratched his chin. "It is not so easy as when we took the other clocks apart."

There were the two brass frames, front and back, six rods with threaded holes in the ends and a number of sprockets which were carefully lined up on a sheet of paper on the bench. There were also three paper disks which Tarvan had divided into twelve and roughly marked in ink with the Garian numbers.

"As you say. We saw where all the wheels fitted and wrote them down on the drawing. This time we have only our design drawing." She frowned. "Is that all? I thought there were more wheels."

"Aye, that is all. We talked about this, remember? We do not need any of the bell mechanism, we do not even need the year wheel. Our pendulum swings once per second, sixty of those make a minute, sixty of those make an hour and twelve of those make a whole circle of the hour hand. Since we cannot have a reduction gear with but a single tooth on one side we need more wheels than three but very few more. This is all of them." Tarvan frowned in turn as he continued, "My problem is to place them in the right order and support them as I do."

"Why can you not use a sheet of paper as we did before? I can prick it for you. Which is the back plate?"

"Ah, because some of the axles stick through the front plate to hold the hands." He shook his head. "I am slow this morning, Milsy. We must simply turn the clock over and work from the other side, something the clockmakers cannot do."

"I'll get a piece of paper. Oh," she added with a grin, "I know how the clockmakers do it."

"Hmm? Do what?"

"Hold the wheels in place. They use threads which they tie off around the separator rods. Did you notice that groove running down each of the rods? Once everything is screwed in place they simply run a sharp blade along that groove and release all the threads. I know that because I found a small piece of thread trapped under a screw when we took that second clock apart. I wondered why it was there."

"Ah! As you say." He grinned. "I deem our way is better."

The two worked together to assemble the new clock. As they did so, Bursila prepared the steam engine with charcoal and water before lighting it and waiting for the water to heat. The hiss of the safety valve made them all jump.

"Well done, Bursila."

"Thank you, Master Tarvan."

"Are the wires all connected up to the batteries? Good. Once the steam engine is up to speed, perhaps you could go and start some more water boiling. It will take us but a few more moments to finish here and then we could all do with some pel."

"As you wish, Master Tarvan."

The frame of this new clock had been designed to allow it to stand freely on the bench. Tarvan turned it round, checking that everything appeared to be in order. Nodding with satisfaction, he gestured to Milsy and she hooked the pendulum onto the bottom of the escapement mechanism. He connected the battery and immediately it started swinging, soon settling down to a regular rhythm. On the front of the clock, a crude second hand moved on at each tick.

"We have no idea if it will run fast or slow to begin with," Milsy said. "How can we adjust it? If we wait until noon each day it may take us a whole week to even get close."

Tarvan shook his head. "Not so, Milsy. We talked about this before, though not in any detail. A day has sixty seconds times sixty minutes times twenty four hours which is," he hunted around the bench until he found a specific piece of paper, "Ah, here it is. 86,400 seconds. A bell is a twentieth of that, 4,320 seconds, which is exactly seventy-two Anmar minutes. We can check our clock every bell and adjust it then if need be."

Milsy grinned. "I forgot that. Our clock or theirs?"

Tarvan's matching grin faded. "I know not, Milsy. We do not know which is the more accurate. I deem we must needs consult Master Gerdas, who will probably tell us that neither is correct."

"I would not be surprised. Come, let us take pel and think about what we should do next. I have been thinking about that other clock, the repeater clock. The solenoids -"

As they were sitting drinking their pel Tord appeared and saluted.

"Mistress, I have completed all the steps required for the new men. Did you wish to say a few words to them?"

Milsy raised an eyebrow. "Did you want me to, Tord? Where are they? Not all standing outside, I hope."

"Mistress, the men have been taken from two quadrants, those who were training this shift and those who have just finished night duty, whom Captain Merek asked to remain until this morning's selection had been completed. Of course, that being so, I have released those that had been on night duty to their rest."

"I see," Milsy said, although she didn't entirely understand what Tord had just told her. "They are not all here, then? That's a relief. Where are you going to put them all? I do not think I will need so many as an escort, Tord. In fact, I'm not sure why we have been given so many."

"Mistress, we do not have a need for a night shift, but from the men we now have, some will be at ease -"

"At ease? They have whole days of rest?"

"Aye, Mistress, two days in every week for this duty. It is what Lady Garia arranged with Commander Feteran when her armsmen were first appointed. As I was saying, some will be at ease, some of those who remain will join those on training shift. It is there that we are tested against our fellows to discover any faults in our abilities and also to learn of any changes around the palace it would be useful to know. The rest, I regret, wait outside as you have guessed. I do not know of any place they may go when they are not required for escort duty."

"I'm not sure that I can help, Tord. I know less about the palace than you do, although I intend to learn more whenever I can. Have you asked Captain Merek?"

"We spoke briefly of it, aye, but he is a busy man." The armsman grimaced. "Mistress, we needed more men but you must forgive me, I did not consider the consequences."

Empty rooms. Empty rooms, preferably near to my suite.

Now, why does that remind me of ropes? Ah!

"I may know a place," she said slowly. "You're looking for somewhere near the suite, I deem?"

"Aye, Mistress," Tord replied, looking interested.

"There's a chamber, so I have been told, around the corner from the Royal corridor, which was used by... nurses, tutors and governesses when the royal children were younger."

Tord nodded. "Aye, Mistress, I know of it."

"Well, there are no children around presently, are there? If we could make use of a room which is otherwise empty, I cannot think any will complain." She grinned. "Even better, there is a rope in my sitting room which will ring a bell in that chamber at need. What do you think?"

"I have not seen inside that chamber, Mistress, but it sounds a useful place to me. Shall I make enquiry for you?"

"Aye, Tord, but I will probably be seeing Captain Merek at lunchtime. I will speak to him then and if he approves, whoever looks after the chambers will need to be informed."

"That would be Master Terevor, Mistress. Doubtless Captain Merek will handle the affair, as it touches on palace security." Tord nodded acceptance. "I will await your word, Mistress."

* * *

Milsy entered the family dining room on Tarvan's arm to see Terys walking rapidly towards her. The Queen had a welcoming smile on her face.

"You have finally joined us, dear! I wondered, when you did not appear this morning."

"Ah, an unfortunate misunderstanding, Ma'am," Milsy replied. "Nothing wrong, I just forgot to tell the kitchen I wouldn't be eating in the suite any longer."

"An easy thing to forget, dear. Will you join us at table today? I'm sure the King will not object."

"Ma'am? Are you sure? There must be more important people here already who you and the King must speak to."

"Sometimes, dear, there are, but today I want everyone to know that you rightfully belong in this hall with us. On occasion we select from among those who serve in the palace to join us, we do not desire to appear remote from our people. I regret that you will probably not join us at table every day, dear, but today is your first time and it is a way of showing everyone that we value your abilities."

"If it please Your Majesty."

"It does, dear. Now, we must needs await the King before we may sit, so tell me, what have you done this morning?"

Milsy recounted what had happened so far today, discovering that the Queen had an excellent memory for detail and knew most of the men who had been transferred.

"And we have today assembled and started a special clock commissioned by Master Gerdas, Ma'am."

Any reply was stopped by the arrival of Robanar, who was speaking to Merek. The two joined Terys, Tarvan and Milsy.

"My dear!" Robanar beamed at Milsy. "Merek has been telling me that you have purloined some of my men."

Milsy flushed. "Sire, I did not ask for them. In fact, I did not ask for any of them, though I know why I must needs have them."

The beam faded. "As you say, my dear. Will you join us for lunch today? I do not think you have eaten with us before."

"Sire, the Queen has already invited Tarvan and myself."

"Then let us be seated. Mistress, if you would sit facing me and, Craftmaster, you may sit facing the Queen."

The food was, naturally, the same as that which had been brought to the suite but it seemed to taste better, somehow, eating it in front of the King and Queen. Not to mention much more daunting. Milsy was by nature a tidy person, since service in Duke Gilbanar's kitchen demanded a certain level of precision in the preparation of food. She cringed at the thought of dropping food down her front or on the table, though. For a simple meal it required a lot of concentration.

"Milsy, dear, you mentioned Gerdas as the King arrived."

"Uh, aye, Ma'am. This morning Tarvan received the parts for a new clock for Master Gerdas and we assembled them before we came for lunch."

Robanar asked, "Do you yet have it working?"

Tarvan replied, "Aye, Sire, we have set it going and it seemed to be still going when we left it. Of course, we have no idea yet if it will run fast or slow, it will take time to discover that."

"How will you do that, young man? If Gerdas's clock divides the day by twenty-four, you cannot use the bells to adjust it by."

Tarvan gave the King the explanation he had given Milsy.

"Ah, I understand." Robanar nodded. "A clever idea, young man."

It was as the party were walking back to the royal corridor that Milsy remembered the other matter.

"Sire? Ma'am? I have a request to make."

"What is it, dear?"

"Ma'am, I have this morning acquired eight new guardsmen to help Tord with his duties."

"Aye, dear, Merek told us this morning."

"Well, Tord says he doesn't know what to do with the men who aren't actually looking after me. I had an idea, I remembered when you told me about what those ropes in the sitting room were for. That room, around the corner, where the nannies and governesses used to be?"

"Indeed, dear, how clever of you to think of it. Robanar, shall we look at it before we take our nap?"

"Aye, why not? The room is idle and likely to remain so until after Keren marries." Robanar smiled at Milsy. "By then I doubt not your own place in the palace, and your safety in it, will have been resolved, my dear. Let us investigate before our nap."

The room was large and had three windows. There was a closet to one side with a small pantry beside it but other than that the room was bare. Servants had cleaned the room regularly but the paint and carpet had not been touched since Keren's own tutors had left. Everybody crowded in to look, Milsy's escort included.

Robanar turned to Tord. "Your opinion, File Leader?"

"Sire, it is exactly what I had thought I needed, but I could not think of any chamber nearby that could be used. With your permission -"

"You have it, File Leader. Apply to Terevor for the furniture you will need. Some easy chairs, I have no doubt."

"Aye, Sire. They need not be of the best quality. A table or two, perhaps, a kettle and some crockery for the pantry."

Robanar nodded. "Good. I wish that all my other problems could be solved as easily! Now, let us go and find our chairs for our nap."

* * *

When Milsy woke she was disturbed. She wasn't cold, exactly, but she wasn't completely comfortable either. In the clear blue sky above the palace the sun still shone but it was apparent that the seasons were progressing in the usual fashion. She sat up, yawning.

I am guessing a point will come where we have to take our nap inside, on our own beds.

Ooh! If I do that, the Queen won't know if I am sleeping or not. Suppose I just creep out...

"Milsy, dear? Are you awake?"

Sigh. "Aye, Ma'am, just about. It isn't so warm this afternoon, is it?"

Behind Milsy she could hear sounds as Bursila roused herself.

"It looks like our season for napping is coming to an end, dear." From beyond the empty recliner facing Milsy, Terys rose from her own place of rest, gently stretching. "When it becomes less comfortable to sleep outside we know that the weather becomes cooler and the need for a nap after lunch becomes less." The Queen looked at the sky. "Mayhap we might have several more fine days but I judge the time has come to cease for this year." She turned. "What say you, dear?"

Robanar grunted from further along the balcony. "Aye, I agree, my dear. It is pleasant to doze when the weather is warm but Fall is already in the air. Let us make today our final lunchtime nap, I deem."

Bursila entered Milsy's vision and curtseyed. "If I may help Kenila and Varna make the pel, Mistress."

"Of course, Bursila."

Over their cups Robanar asked Milsy," Tell me about this new clock, my dear." He held up a hand. "I do not mean the details of cutting and filing brass, I can see that whenever I visit Haflin in the Armory. I seek to understand what benefit this will bring to Gerdas and I deem you will explain it to me in a way that a simpler mind like mine may accept."

"Me, Sire? I don't know... let me see. What the people of Earth did many centuries ago was to divide their heavens up into three hundred sixty parts. Apparently that makes it easier to map the sky because three hundred sixty may be divided up a large number of different ways. You remember that Garia said that there was three hundred sixty five days in an Earth year?" Robanar nodded, nursing his cup. "That's another reason they chose that number, because the sky moved about a degree every day."

"Surely that is not accurate enough?"

"No, Sire, any more than our own system is. Earth does not go around their sun in an exact number of days any more than Anmar goes round our sun in an exact number of days." She shrugged. "It is just convenient to use a nearby number you can do a lot with. So, for some reason they chose to split their days up into twenty-four hours, again I think because twenty-four can be divided up a number of different ways. Ten can only be divided by five and two, twenty by five, four and two. Each hour means that fifteen degrees of the sky passes overhead, or looked at another way the sun moves fifteen degrees in an hour. Each hour is split into sixty minutes and each minute into sixty seconds. That can be useful as a second seems to be about a heartbeat for someone at rest."

Robanar nodded. "As you say. How does this clock then differ from those the Clockmakers produce, apart from being smaller?"

Milsy smiled. "It is much simpler, Sire! Because we use numbers which divide easily, it is easier to design and make the wheels which divide the ticking of the pendulum. Our new clock uses less than half the wheels that the normal clocks do and of course we have no need for any of the bell mechanism at all. Our clock presently has three separate dials with hands that show hours, minutes and seconds. Tarvan is thinking of ways to put them on top of one another as Garia's watch does but that will be for a later model."

"And how will this assist Gerdas?"

"Sire, he will have no need to use sand-droppers or make any of the complicated calculations he must needs do because sunrise is at a different time every morning. All he needs do is to look at the clock when he makes his observation and it will tell him the exact time since either midnight or noon."

Terys said, "Dear, we are accustomed to listen for the bells. Must we needs look at a clock every time we desire to find out what time it is? If so, we will need many clocks indeed."

"Tarvan says that Garia told him that was what happens on Earth, Ma'am. I suppose you get used to doing it that way. She also told him that Earth clocks do sometimes have bells to strike the hours, and public ones sometimes struck the quarters as well. The problem we had was that if we tried that with our new clock, no-one would know if it were an hour or a bell being struck, so we left those parts out."

"I understand. So," Robanar mused, "if we desire to use this new system instead of our present twenty bells, we must needs accustom ourselves to silence."

"Oh, no, Sire! Tarvan and I talked about this. Once we changed over from bells to hours we could put the bell mechanisms back, only they would be much simpler to make than what we have now. Again, we would use less than half the parts since everything relates to noon or midnight, which do not move, instead of dawn and dusk, which do."

Robanar's eyebrows rose. "Indeed? From what you say it seems to me that, by chance and the accident of history, we have chosen an awkward way of counting the parts of our days."

Milsy shrugged. "Sire, it seems to work and that's all most people care about. If we chose to follow the Earth system sometime in the future I can see benefits not only in clockmaking but in the way we do many things. Master Gerdas has the sky to consider and that will improve his craft, but he also told us that every ship captain will sing our praises if we can make a twenty-four hour clock that can run at sea."

The King was silent for a long while, taking sips from his cup as he thought. Finally he came to a decision.

"My dear, you have no doubt heard of the Council of the Two Worlds, to which young Tarvan belongs."

"Aye Sire." Milsy was solemn. "Tarvan knows that I would never speak of it to any. If you wish my oath -"

Robanar held up a hand. "Your word is enough, Milsy. The idea of a twenty-four hour system for keeping time is an important one and I must take it to the council before I may make any decision. I will tell you that I am minded to have Palarand adapt to that system and soon, since it may well become impossible for us to do so once the changes Garia foretells begin to alter our society greatly. The alternative, of retaining the bells we presently use, is likely to be the cause of confusion in the future."

Milsy was surprised. "Sire, are you sure?"

Robanar looked at Milsy. One does not ask a King if he is sure, but the question was innocent enough.

"There are other matters... Garia spoke of a railroad. Have you heard that word? Aye? For a railroad to function properly, she tells us that all the places where it operates must needs use the exact same time, else no-one will know if a train is early or late and an accident may be caused. She pointed out that the sun is seen to rise at different times in different parts of our Kingdom and indeed along the Great Valley and beyond. To a traveler by carriage, on frayen back, on foot or by the river, this matters little but at the speeds these new trains will travel it will matter." He waved a hand. "Ships, aye, she did not speak of that but I can see the need. The new semaphore system will be a like concern."

"As you say, Sire." She thought. "Aye. It would be possible, I deem, for a message to appear to arrive before it was sent unless all use the same time."

He looked at her fully. "Mistress Milsy, Journeywoman Milsy, I will issue you not a command but a request. Design for me a clock which will show both the bells of Palarand and the hours of Earth. Give me something I can look at and determine what it might mean for our people."

"Show the time, Sire?" she asked cautiously.

"Aye. If you can make a dial for Earth hours, surely a dial for the bells must be possible?"

"I'm not sure, Sire. The bell mechanism is very complicated. All I can do is to investigate what you ask of me and tell you if we can make such a thing with our present abilities."

"Done." He put his cup down and smiled at Milsy. "I do not ask you to attempt the impossible, my dear, but to discover what is possible."

"Sometimes, Sire, as Lady Garia has shown us, there are things we believe to be impossible which prove not to be. Tarvan and I will do our best."

"Quite so, my dear. What will you and Tarvan be doing this afternoon?"

"Sire, we have been invited to the Printing Works." She wrinkled her nose. "I have seen printed sheets, those brought by Master Korben, but I do not understand why everybody thinks printing to be so significant."

Terys said, "Mayhap that is because your mind is presently filled with clocks, dear. Will Parrel be there?"

"Aye, Ma'am, he is to take us round and explain everything."

"It was Parrel and Tarvan to whom Garia first explained the process of printing, dear, and what happened on Earth after printing became known there. I'm sure they will explain it all to you. It will mean more for everybody to read and that in turn means that everybody must needs learn to read. She tells us that on Earth most children have learned to read by the age of five. There is much to be done before Palarand may educate its children so."

"You mean that everybody would be schooled, Ma'am? At so young an age? I thought the changes to come would be devices and machines, it did not occur to me what else might need to be changed."

Robanar grunted. "You begin to grasp what we discovered these months hence, Milsy. This will be a change in the way of life of all our people, a change we must steer carefully past those dangers which will come with such changes. With Garia to tell us what happened on Earth, we hope to avoid the worst of those dangers. Of course there will be other, different challenges but we will meet them as we may."

Milsy was beginning to see that the changes to come would result in a great upheaval in Palarand and that the King meant to try and control what happened.

Is that what the Council of the Two Worlds is? An attempt to control the future?

"Sire? If the changes are to be so great, would it be better not to have the changes at all? Or, perhaps, to make them slowly?"

Robanar shook his head. "Garia tells us, and I have no choice but to believe her, that the changes she speaks of will come to Palarand - Anmar - whether she tells us of them or no. After all, Earth did not have a traveler from another world to guide them in their Industrial Revolution, they discovered all the methods and devices for themselves, often the hard way."

He sighed. "In doing so, she tells us that there was great hardship, injustice, danger and death during that period, with many of the folk who had been drawn to the towns and cities to work suffering poor living conditions and long days of work with little rest."

Milsy's face fell. "I didn't know, Sire. Garia talked a little about that to me in Dekarran but I didn't know enough then to understand what she meant." Her expression changed to one of resolution. "I understand now, Sire. You may rely on me."

"I never doubted it for a moment, my dear."

* * *

Tarvan held open the sitting room door and followed Milsy and Bursila through. Milsy turned to Tarvan.

"Ugh! My back aches and my feet hurt. If you would excuse me, Tarvan, I wish to take this gown off and find something more comfortable to wear."

"Of course, Milsy. I noticed you struggling when we were in the dining room. Are those a new pair of shoes?"

"Aye, they are. They have a higher heel than I am accustomed to but they are similar to those the other ladies of the court wear. Doubtless I will become used to them in time."

Bursila asked, "What of the gown, Mistress? Is that not comfortable either?"

"I don't know, Bursila. It might just be the shoes. Let us go and find out."

"As you wish, Mistress."

Tarvan said, "While you do that, Milsy, I want to go out onto the balcony and get some fresh air."

"As you wish, Tarvan. Beware, at this time of year I am told there are insects which may be attracted to you in the evening."

"Warning noted, Milsy. Go and change."

Outside it was still mild enough for the season. The sky was almost dark except for a red glow against some clouds to the west. Tarvan leaned on the railing and breathed deeply.

"Young Tarvan. I did not expect to find you here."

Tarvan stood up. "Nor I you, Sire. I will go in if -"

"Nay, remain if you so desire. I have but come for some fresh air myself."

"Thank you, Sire."

"I trust your visit to the Printing Works was successful?"

"Aye, Sire. Of course I was there at the beginning but since I have concentrated my studies on electrical matters much has changed. We both found the visit to be very instructive. I believe that Milsy now understands the importance of printing to our future."

"I had no doubt that she would, Tarvan. She has an exceptionally clever mind, I deem. Only now has it been permitted to function as it should. Did she make any suggestions while you were there?"

Tarvan grinned. "One or two, Sire. Fortunately, because she so resembles Lady Garia the guildsmen are prepared to listen to her."

"Aye, well, she might not be so fortunate tomorrow. By chance Gerdas intends to call after lunch on another matter but I am certain he will wish to inspect the new clock... as will I."

"I foresee no problems, Sire. I need to examine it tomorrow morning to see if it is still functioning properly but the clock is intended for Master Gerdas, after all."

Robanar grunted. "That is not all. I have received a petition from Guildmaster Bayorn of the Clockmakers' Guild concerning the activities of the Metalsmiths' Guild. He is also coming here tomorrow afternoon."

"Maker! Your pardon, Sire." Tarvan was momentarily nonplussed. How could he ask what the King was going to do? Fortunately Robanar answered anyway.

"Bayorn resents what he sees as interference by the Metalsmiths' Guild and he also objects to what he sees as Crown interference in Guild matters. If he believes that, he will have a shock when he comes tomorrow." Robanar's voice hardened in the gloom. "Hurdin and Parrel agree that Bayorn must not be allowed to prevail. I will also point out to Bayorn that there is but one law in Palarand and that is the law of Palarand. I will not interfere with the internal affairs of the guilds but it seems to me now that it was wise of Garia to suggest that they all be merged into one organization. The holding of secrets does us all an ill service, I deem."

"Indeed, Sire."

Tarvan was forced to step back as a large night insect began fluttering around him. He flapped his arms around with little effect.

"Go away! Sire, with your permission, I should withdraw."

"As will I, young Tarvan. Good-night to you."

"And to you, Sire."

Tarvan had not been seated long on the settee before Milsy reappeared, wearing the day dress she had worn earlier.

"More comfortable now?"

"Oh, aye. It looks like it was the shoes. I'll have to take them to Steben and get him to take a closer look at the fit."

"Indeed. I met the King outside on the balcony."

"Oh? Does he object to your presence?"

"Not at all. He did warn me that Master Gerdas will be coming tomorrow afternoon and so will Guildmaster Bayorn."

"Ouch! Is he worried?"

"He is the King, I doubt such a small matter causes him concern. However, he is prepared to use the law to squash Bayorn if he must."

Milsy smiled. "I suppose Gerdas will want to see the new clock?" Tarvan nodded. "Then it seems to me that the laboratory may be the best place to confront Bayorn. Perhaps we should use this evening thinking up arguments to convince the Clockmakers' Guildmaster."

Tarvan matched her smile. "An excellent idea! What are your thoughts?"

"First of all, I realized..."