Sukhana is anxious to try out her new saddle and takes a ride around Blackstone with Garia. On their way back Garia discovers that Senidet has hidden talents and makes her a proposition. Later, the steam engine is demonstrated and Master Yarling makes a confession.

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) 2011-2013 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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The frayen was confused. It hadn't been like this before. Before, the humans smelled bad and just dragged her and pushed her around, hitting her with sticks if she didn't do exactly what they wanted. There had been uncomfortable saddles to bear or heavy weight to carry. Occasionally there had been a change of owner or a change of scenery but nothing really changed.

Now something seemed to be different. This stable was just like many others the frayen had known but the atmosphere was different. She could tell that from the way the frayen in the other stalls behaved, they sounded different and there was a kind of ... calmness about the place. It wasn't the calmness of despair, either, more like contentment. Oh, she wouldn't get her hopes up, since this had happened before and it hadn't lasted long. Just until the new set of humans began pulling and pushing her around as the previous ones had done.

Her ears pricked up as the stable door opened. A human came, one of the nicer smelling ones. He stopped by her stall and opened the door wide, standing back in the central passage. Well, wasn't he going to come in? What did he want? He surely didn't expect her to just walk out as she was, without any halter or harness?

He did! No wonder she was confused! Peering suspiciously at the human, she slowly walked to the entrance to her stall and looked out. Nobody else around? The human surely didn't expect her to walk out of the stable itself? She would get a beating for that, for certain!

Unsure, she stepped back into her stall. This couldn't be right! But the human spoke quietly to her and held out a treat. Now treats were something she definitely approved of! She ambled forward and carefully took the nibble. If he was so good as to feed her, then she could return the favor by not snapping at him. She looked up at his face and he seemed to want her to go out the door. Trembling, she made her way towards the bright rectangle of daylight.

"Come, Tixi."

Her ears pricked up and swiveled to locate the speaker. It was the human who had been speaking to her before! She liked this one, had even let her sit on her back on one of those saddles that were so comfortable. Beside her was the other human, the little one, the one who had first started speaking softly to her. She could trust these two! She walked toward the pair, nuzzling both to see if any further treats would be forthcoming.

"There," Sukhana soothed, laying a hand on Tixi's neck. "You're a good girl, aren't you? This must all be very strange for you, mustn't it?"

"Give her a treat, Sookie," Garia said. "Coming out here on her own will have been quite stressful."

Sukhana fed the frayen a cube of sweet vegetable and Tixi looked up at the pair as she munched.

"See? She wants to know what is going on. Just talk for a few minutes and then we can put her harness on. Once we've done that I'll hold her while you try and fit your new saddle."

Once the harness had been fitted Garia held Tixi while Sukhana lifted the saddle by the handles and swung it over the frayen's back. With a few words of assistance from Garia Sukhana settled everything in the right place and made sure the straps were secured. Tixi turned her head to view this new saddle, because it felt more comfortable than the others had.

Would her human ride? She would feel more confident with her on her back. It seemed so! Sukhana grasped the handles and pulled herself up into the saddle, flicking her skirt out of the way and spreading it out over Tixi's back.

"I think I like doing that," she remarked. "This whole thing seems so right, somehow. Are you going to ride with me?"

"Of course! Snep would never forgive me if I didn't."

Garia called to Brazan and her armsman let Snep out of his stall. Once at the stable door, and in sight of Sukhana on Tixi, he trotted directly over and stood ready, nuzzling Garia for a treat. Soon he was harnessed and saddled with Garia mounted beside Sukhana.

"What shall we do, milady?" Sukhana asked.

"We'll go out the back way to begin with, I think. Let's continue your exercises in the paddock for a while until you get used to the new saddle. Oh, I'd better warn you - remember what happened when Merry and I first rode, along the road to Tranidor? How Snep and Topik decided they wanted to gallop off?"

Sukhana gulped. "Aye, milady. You think that might happen to me?"

"I don't know. But if she does, don't get mad at her. She'll do her best to keep you in that saddle even though she's going like the wind. Just keep talking to her as you have done and she'll eventually slow down."

"If you say so, milady." Sukhana wriggled in her saddle. "This one fits me better than Milady Merizel's did. I have more meat on my bones than she, her saddle did not have enough room for my backside to be comfortable."

"As you say. In theory, we could all use each others' saddles but they are made to fit each rider. You should find that one very comfortable once you have ridden it a week or so."

Sukhana grimaced as they turned to walk out the rear entrance to the courtyard. "Milady, I am not looking forward to that, but since I wish to ride, I know I must bear it. Tixi, walk on."

The two, with Feteran and Toranar keeping mounted guard a discreet distance behind them, rode out onto the paddock area immediately behind the Ptuvil's Claw. Garia watched and encouraged as Sukhana exercised Tixi on the open grass, showing that rider and beast had reached a good understanding and that Sukhana had learned her riding skills sufficiently well. Eventually Garia rode over beside them.

"I have had an idea," she said. "You're wearing a borrowed hat, why don't we go and see if your own one is finished yet?"

"Ride up to the forge, milady?"

"Well, sort of. What I was thinking was we could go up the back there until we reach the aqueduct. Then we can call in the forge and ride back down the street to the Claw."

"Aqueduct, milady?"

"Oh! That's like a flat path that goes along the hillside there. Under it is a pipe that brings the town's fresh water."

Sukhana considered, then nodded. "Aye, milady, we can do that. But I should not spend any more time riding today, there is much that needs doing at the Claw with all the extra residents."

"Nor I, Sookie! I have many letters to write before tonight. It's agreed, then. Feteran!"

Garia explained the plan to her men and the group scrambled up the hillside behind the town until they reached the top of the aqueduct. Turning, they followed it along the contour until it reached the flat space where the caravan had originally camped. Feteran looked around with interest.

"Interesting, milady," he commented. "That building must be the cistern you spoke of?"

"Yes, it is." She pointed to the bowl-shaped end of Bray Vale. "One day I'd like to take a mounted patrol around the end of the valley there."

"What lies over the ridge, milady?"

"I have no idea, Feteran. Jaxen talked about a huge grass plain but I don't know if that's just over the top or some marks away. There might be another valley for all I know. I'm sure some of the locals have been up there."

Toranar leaned forward. "Milady, if you look closely, there is a faint path leading up the far side of the valley to the ridge."

"You're right. Maybe some of the shepherds take their flocks up there and over the top. Something to explore in future, don't you think?"

"Definitely, milady," Feteran answered. "Anyone coming from the north that way would overlook Blackstone. They would have the advantage, milady."

"As you say." She nodded. "Let's give ourselves a day or two to get settled and then we can start making plans to check out the entire area. I don't have to go on every ride but I'll want to join you for at least some of them. For now, let's just go down to the forge."

Garia led the way down to the top of Main Street and over to what she thought was Brydas's house. A wide side entrance led to a group of workshops behind the dwelling. Brydas emerged at the sounds of visitors. He saw them and bowed.

"Milady! Commander! We did not expect you."

"Ah, Sookie's trying out her new saddle and giving Tixi a little exercise into the bargain. We walked along part of the aqueduct to the cistern and I wondered if her riding hat is ready yet."

Brydas beamed. "It is, milady! If I may invite you into my workshop a moment." He gave Garia a deprecating smile. "I cannot claim to be as well equipped as those workshops in Palarand, milady, but I have sufficient to handle what work the town requires."

"Don't concern yourself, Master Smith. Why should you clutter your shop with tools you won't use?"

The four dismounted, secured their mounts and entered the workshop.

"Here it is, Mistress Sukhana," he said, lifting the bowler hat from a hook on the wall, "Mistress Patilla was unsure of the thickness of felt to provide, you may find it a tight fit at first."

Sukhana put the hat on, keeping the straps out of her face as she did so. Her hand went to the back of her neck.

"Ah. I was not sure about the exact angle of the strap fixing, mistress. With the felt inside it makes a difference to how the hat sits. If you would..." Brydas took the hat and carefully bent the fixing slightly with a pair of pliers. "Try that, mistress."

Having become familiar with the straps through using a borrowed hat, Sukhana soon had things adjusted to her satisfaction.

"A fine piece of work, Master Smith," she said. "It is a little tight but Milady Garia tells me the felt will ease with time. I am satisfied with the work."

Brydas beamed. "As you say, mistress. It is always a pleasure to be given a new challenge to work on. I did not ever think I would become a maker of hats, even if the seamstresses have contributed the larger part of the work." He turned to Garia. "Milady, I expect that in the future I will have many more new and unusual items to work on. I look forward to the challenge."

Garia smiled. "As you say. I can't promise that you'll be able to handle all of them, though. Many are only suitable for groups to work on and some will need specialized tools. Are you coming to the demonstration this afternoon? You'll have a good chance to look over the steam engine and see what I mean."

"Of course, milady! I would not miss such a chance for anything."

Senidet came in from another part of the building clutching a sheaf of paper in her hand.

"Father, this is most interesting. I wish - Oh! Milady, I did not know you were here."

She made an awkward curtsey.

"Don't mind us," Garia said. "We only stopped by to pick up Mistress Sukhana's new riding hat."

Garia recognized what Senidet was holding and, together with her father's plea the previous day, had an idea.

"What have you there, Senidet?" she asked. "Is that by any chance the drawings of the steam engine?"

Senidet colored, embarrassed. "Aye, milady, it is. I ought not to be reading secrets of the guild, ought I?" She put the papers down on a bench in front of her father and backed away.

"You can clearly read, then. And what about your numbers?"

Brydas looked at Garia and then his daughter and suddenly realized what Garia was trying to do.

"Milady, my daughter has been schooled by myself. While she may not become a member of any guild that is no reason why she should not be educated so much as her mind may bear. Is that not what you told us recently?"

Garia grinned. "I think you'll find that the restriction of guild membership to men only no longer applies, Master Smith. I'm the living proof of that! I see no reason that your daughter could not become a member... if she so wishes. I would point out, though, that soon enough there will be openings for engineers who won't have a need for the sort of physical strength a smith must have."

Senidet was confused. "Milady, you make fun of me! I seek only to improve myself, as much as any woman in a small town would desire."

Garia replied, "I'm not making fun of you at all. I am, as your father can confirm, Guildmistress Number One and if you come down to the Claw I'll show you my badge and charter." She thought. "I had a different idea, though. Mistress Sukhana, while a very able and busy person, does not have your ability with letters and numbers. I wondered whether you'd like to come down to the Claw and help her out sometimes. With your father's leave, of course."

Sukhana turned to Garia. "Milady, it had not occurred to me to ask for help. Aye, if this young woman is willing, there are documents and accounts that I struggle with. I would welcome someone to assist me."

Senidet spun to her father. "Oh, could I? It's difficult for me to be here sometimes when you are busy elsewhere in the town. I'm sure I could be of help to Mistress Sukhana."

Brydas pretended to consider. "Very well, daughter. But, only half each day, mind! There are still chores at the forge and at our house we must share."

Garia smiled. "That's settled, then. I'll expect you both down at the Claw for the demonstration." She gave Senidet a knowing grin. "And there's a young man down there you'll be closer to, is that not so?"

Senidet blushed. "Milady, you must not think I take advantage -"

"Nonsense! Enjoy each other while you can. He'll have duties, mind, so you must let him do his job as you do your own."

Senidet curtseyed. "Milady, thank you so much! You are very gracious."

"I'm only trying to help. Now, as we have Sookie's new hat, perhaps we'd better be getting back to the Claw. I'm sure it must be nearly time for lunch."

Clang. Clang.

"That is the noon bell, milady," Sukhana said, Brydas nodding confirmation. "While the kitchen staff are capable enough to begin without me, I suggest that we take our leave of Master Brydas and Mistress Senidet and return."

"As you say. Master Brydas, I'll expect both you and your daughter at the seventh bell, okay?" Garia pointed to the bench and grinned. "Oh, and you'd better bring those drawings with you. We might have need of them."

The four mounted and made their way back to the Ptuvil's Claw. Inside the courtyard, there was bustle as the kitchen and serving staff carried the first food across to the common room. Nevertheless, Garia made sure that all four beasts were safely taken into the stable, saddles and harness removed and fresh fodder and bedding provided before they left.

Tixi relaxed in her stall after her walk and munched her feed with contentment. Life had become good and she intended to make sure that it stayed that way.

~o~O~o~

"Heard and witnessed."

"And that, milady, is that. If you would sign here and here, you will become fully authorized to commission Messenger officers."

Garia, as a noble, automatically had the right to commission those who ran the Messenger Service, but it required an oath and a signature to confirm it. Only the rulers of each participating country were above this requirement. With a document signed by herself and witnessed by Keren and Kardenar she could swear in riders, wagonmasters and office agents within her own lands as needed. She suspected that she already had such a document, signed when Kendar had instructed her about her rights and responsibilities, but the Messenger Service had had little meaning for her at that time. She had signed many documents then without fully understanding their significance. Now Kardenar had given both Keren and herself a good grounding in the theory and practice of the service and she understood what was involved.

"Um, do I have to swear Master Selden in as the Blackstone Agent, then?"

"It is not strictly necessary, milady, as he is already authorized, but it will confirm his appointment here and give you practice in the swearing process. Here is the document ready."

Garia took Selden's oath and signed his authorizing document, Keren acting as witness.

"Then we are finished, Highness, Milady," Kardenar concluded with a smile. He looked round the office. "When this place is cleaned out and put right then your new Agent may take possession, but for now I suggest we return to your... residence in order to distribute what mail Wagonmaster Jaxen has brought with him."

"Aye," Keren agreed. "This place cannot be used until Master Brydas has changed all the locks. But before we may read our mail there is a demonstration to be made. Do you desire to see the steam engine in operation?"

"Indeed, Highness! I am interested to learn what such a complicated device may be used for."

"It isn't complicated, really," Keren said as they walked the short distance back to the Claw, "the principle is very simple and even I can understand it."

"Highness, you are too modest."

A small crowd awaited them when they entered the courtyard. Keren had suggested making the demonstration in the common room but Garia pointed out that with all the smoke and steam that idea wouldn't be practical. A cask had therefore been set up on end in the courtyard, near the kitchen to make the most of the afternoon light, upon which the wood base of the engine had been placed. Another cask supported some tools and fire-lighting accessories while buckets of water and of crushed coal stood alongside.

After filling the tank and boiler with water Garia pulled the long, trough-like coal holder out of the engine and with help filled it with coal and some kindling to help start the fire. Once it was properly alight it was pushed back into the engine to begin bringing the water to the boil. Garia took the opportunity to explain to her listeners what was happening and what was expected to happen.

"So you see," she concluded, "the trick is to make sure that the steam goes into the cylinder and comes out only when you want it to. Because the flywheel can only go round and round everything becomes very predictable and we can use the position of the wheel to get the steam to do what we want. Now, I'd like you all to stand right back until the water boils, please. Since I've never operated this engine before I don't know how safe it is. If the valve has stuck then we might have an accident."

Brydas asked cautiously, "What kind of accident, milady?"

"An explosion. Um, boiling water and large pieces of hot, mangled brass could get flung everywhere with great force," she told them.

Everybody immediately moved back to the covered walkways around the courtyard. Garia and Keren walked away more slowly. Everyone waited as the engine apparently did nothing at all. Garia occasionally went over and made sure that there was sufficient water in the boiler and that the various controls had been set properly.

It was just as she walked back to join Keren that the safety valve let off with a loud hiss, causing the onlookers to jump. Garia watched for a short while before going back to the engine and examining it with satisfaction. She pushed the control lever and the flywheels began to turn.

"It's okay, everyone, you can come back now."

Garia operated the engine, running it at varying speeds, showing her audience what it could do. One new feature on this model was the fact she could reverse the direction of operation. She had discussed that idea with Tarvan before leaving and was pleased that he had found a way to make it work. It was a necessary step to making a railway locomotive, a step that was going to become more important if they were to make the most of Blackstone's coal reserves. Finally she brought the engine to a stop and pulled the firebox trough out.

"Astonishing, milady," Brydas said, echoing the feelings of most of the watchers. "To think that you can do so much with the breath of boiling water is amazing."

"An interesting toy, milady." That was Yarling. "But I do not see how such a thing may be of use to us."

"Then perhaps you are not the right man for the job you were brought here for," she replied sharply. "This is merely a demonstration model, made to show the principles of construction and operation. Even so, if you rigged up a rope to the pulley this model is powerful enough to lift you up to that hayloft up there."

Yarling's eyes narrowed as he looked at the doorway above the stable block.

Garia continued, "You as a miner ought to be able to appreciate this, of all people! You can use a steam engine to operate an elevator down a mineshaft, meaning you can dig deeper than ever before. You can use an engine to pump water out of your mines or to blow fresh air into them. Engines can be used to pull your wagons away from the mines to wherever you need your rock to be taken. In some cases you won't even need to dig mines! An engine can be used to dig the rock up and move it elsewhere for disposal. We have removed whole mountains this way."

Yarling now looked as one stunned but Garia continued, "Besides the obvious mining uses, engines can be used for plowing. Set one up on a wagon at one side of a field and use it to pull a plow across. Move the wagon, next furrow and so on. They can also be used for reaping, threshing, baling and for grinding the grain into flour." She turned. "An engine, Master Smith, can operate all the stamps, dies and lathes in your workshops. One single engine can power a whole building full of spinning and weaving machines, and they don't have to be next to a river to do it, either."

Brydas stared to Garia, his expression speculative.

"That's merely the start," she continued. "The whole point of this is portable power. You can set up a steam engine wherever you need to do something, rather than being stuck beside a river. This engine will run for a week without rest, provided you keep it supplied with coal and water. You can mount it on a flatbed wagon and use it as a crane, hoisting building materials, Master Mason, wherever you build something new, and take it away to your next building when you have finished. It can power wood saws, stone saws and winches saving immense amounts of labor. It can crush rock for roads, it can dredge ditches and rivers. It will change Palarand for ever."

Yarling said weakly, "As you say, milady." His expression was troubled.

"About that, milady," Brydas said. "You suggested that such an engine might be mounted on a wagon. Then it must follow, if the engine can pull or push according to how you have arranged it, it must be able to pull or push itself and the wagon, is that not so?"

"It's not quite that easy, Master Smith," Garia replied, "but basically, yes. In that case you would use the engine only to move the wagon or other vehicle. You have to set it up with special gears and other arrangements because of the way vehicles behave on roadways. Now, this all leads up neatly to something I want to propose for moving the coal away from Blackstone and that is something called a railroad. That uses special engines and wagons which stay on the rails at all times but I don't think I need to go into details today. For now we'll have to use Jaxen's wagons."

"This... railroad is in use in the lands you came from, milady?"

"Oh, yes. We can move... Another time, Master Smith."

"As you wish, milady."

He appeared deep in thought and Garia answered some questions from others in her audience. She could see that most were simply overwhelmed by the implications of what they had witnessed. Finally Brydas spoke again.

"Milady, I did not understand. This morning I thought I knew what you were doing for Palarand but I did not consider anything like this. In just a few years Palarand, and indeed all Alaesia, will be completely different than what we know today, is that not what you intend?"

"I don't intend anything, Master Smith. Your future is your own to make. My world passed through this stage about two hundred years ago," there was a gasp from some of her listeners, "and I know that Anmar will eventually do so as well, whether I help it along or not. My purpose here is to make sure that you benefit from the mistakes that we made along the way."

"My Lady," the smith said slowly, "with you to guide us I doubt not that we will avoid the mistakes your own world suffered. We are fortunate to have such a wise person as yourself among us."

There was a general muttering of "Aye," from the small crowd.

"Right!" she said breezily. "It's time I cleaned up the engine ready to be put away. I think we've done enough for today. Thank you all for coming."

Brydas was scandalized. "Milady, you should not be doing such menial work! Let others clean the engine for you."

"And how, Master Smith, will anybody know what to touch and what to leave alone? Do you let just anyone in off the street to clean up your workshop?" She decided to soften her rebuke. "Master Brydas, it maybe that one day we can allow others to clean the engine but for now, only His Highness and myself have the necessary knowledge." She smiled. "Don't worry, we are used to doing this and other like tasks. You'll find in the future that people like us may not mind getting our hands dirty. If you wish to watch us, then perhaps we can tell you what we're doing as we go along. Highness?"

"Aye, Garia, we will welcome the smith's help. We'll have to let the engine cool for a while, it is still too hot to touch." He turned to call to the kitchen door, "Mistress Sukhana, mayhap there is some pel to be had in your kitchen? Being an engineer is thirsty work."

"Is it pel you want or beer, Highness?" Sukhana responded. "I could wipe the casks and wring a cloth out if you desire beer."

There was laughter. All the beer she had produced had been drunk the previous evening.

While the engine cooled everyone stood in the courtyard and drank mugs of pel. The engine was soon cleaned and stored and everyone dispersed, Keren and Garia to clean themselves up before meeting the Messengers in the common room. By the time they came downstairs again they had been joined by their friends as Merizel, Jenet, Jaxen, Jepp, Feteran and Bleskin sat waiting around the table. Kardenar up-ended the bag over the table and packets cascaded out.

"Two for Master Jepp. One, two, three for Master Brydas. Something here for your Steward, milady."

"I'll open that. Can I do that?"

"It is your right, milady, no steward yet being appointed. If it had been addressed to Master Mesulkin by name -"

"- Yes, I know. I'd have to give it to him to open."

"Aye, milady. Now let me see. There are three for His Highness and six addressed to Baroness Blackstone. Two for Wagonmaster Jaxen. There are four others here whose names I do not know but I assume they are townspeople. Master Jepp, can you confirm?"

"Aye, Master Kardenar, I know all these who are tradespeople in Blackstone. I shall send runners so that they may come and sign for the packets."

"A letter for Lady Merizel," Kardenar said. "You are the young lady?"

"Aye, I am Milady Garia's secretary."

Garia asked, "Does Lady Merizel have the right to open my mail if I'm not around? I'm not always going to be sitting around waiting for the postman and I'm sure the King doesn't open his own mail."

"As you say, milady. It requires no oath but you would be advised to write a document of authorization."

Keren groaned. "See what I mean? We won't be destroyed by famine or killed off by a horrible disease, we'll all be buried under strides of documents."

Kardenar smiled. "As you say, Highness. Unfortunately, unless such matters are clearly regulated someone will find a way to bend them to their own use, is that not so? Thus, for important matters we must need make more documents. Milady, is it not the same in the lands you came from?"

"Oh, yes, Master Kardenar! Regrettably, yes. Whole forests have been chopped down to provide work for people who think that the reason we exist is to fill forms and make declarations." Garia's scowl changed into a smile. "Nowadays we've found a way to make documents take up less room. They are still there but don't fill up whole buildings that take ages to search if you want something." She shook her head. "Can't do that here, though, not yet. You just don't have the means or the knowledge to set up on-line storage. You need to learn to walk before you can run and that's going to mean accepting the limitations that go with walking."

Kardenar looked surprised. "You speak of mysterious matters, milady." He looked at those with piles in front of them. "Perhaps Selden and I should leave, allow you to read your letters in private? I see the royal seal upon some of them." He rose and Selden followed his lead. "By your leave?"

The two left and Jepp called a servant to send runners. The others began opening their letters and packets.

Merizel said, "Mine's from Terinar. Maker! He must have been quick to answer this, there's barely been time for a rider to reach Dekarran and the reply to come back."

"Not so quick," Keren said. "I have one here from Uncle Gil. It's only a short confirmation note but he says he is confident we can handle whatever problems arise in this region."

"I've a short note from Uncle Gil as well," Garia added. "He is pleased we have stood the test, as he puts it, and promises to send a longer letter by a later delivery. Oh, and he is somewhat displeased by what we reported concerning Holville. We'll hear more about that later as well."

It did not take them long to read their letters since there were fewer than on previous occasions. Keren put his down and looked at the others.

"Anything we should know about?"

"One of my letters is from Fulvin," Garia told the group. "He's managed to get a brass punch set up and he's now producing bra buckles in quantity. He's sent a batch with the letter in this little packet." She held it up for them to see. "Now, it's no use to me but it might be to Blackstone's seamstresses. There can't be very many in here so I thought I'd give them to Master Brydas and see if he can make some more for local use."

She passed the packet to Brydas who opened it and examined the tiny objects.

"How are these made, milady? I see no marks of filing or smoothing."

She described a vertical punch, demonstrating pulling the lever and moving a strip of brass through the bottom.

"I see," he said, nodding thoughtfully. "I ought to be able to make such a device, milady. How many of these buckles might be required?"

Garia grinned. "How many women are there in Blackstone? Four buckles per garment, five garments per woman, perhaps more."

Brydas's eyes widened as he did the math. "I see, milady, why a press is required. I would grow old making these by hand."

"I have a letter from Guildmaster Parrel," Garia continued, "telling me of progress in various new projects the guilds have begun. Do you know they have had to open a third paper factory, the demand has been so great?" She giggled. "Perhaps Kardenar wasn't so far off the truth as we thought. There is also an unexpected demand for typewriters."

Keren shrugged. "Perhaps scribes see that the results are more readable than when written by hand."

"They'll have to be careful," Garia cautioned, "since the typewriter is likely to put them out of a job. Anyone who can read can potentially operate a typewriter. Although from what I've seen so far the scribes are all busy turning themselves into printers." She smirked. "That's not the fun thing I have to tell you, though. My last letter's from Tarvan. For some reason it was necessary for the Great Clock to be serviced and Tarvan was invited along since he'd never seen it. Naturally, Milsy went along too. Keren, she's invented the electric clock!"

Keren's brow furrowed. "Electric clock? I can't imagine how that would work."

"Oh, yes you can!" Garia said, grinning. "It's easy! Milsy saw the pendulum swinging and they explained that without the weight dropping down the pendulum would stop eventually. Of course, the pendulum does stop while they wind the weights up again every three days or so and this makes the clock lose time, ever so slightly. So, Milsy suggested an electromagnet to pull the pendulum instead, operated by a contact which was only made when it came near. It's just enough of a nudge to keep the pendulum swinging without needing the weight at all."

"They did this with the Great Clock?" Keren asked, alarmed.

"No, they wouldn't risk the Great Clock, not yet anyway. But they tried it on another clock at the Guild of Clockmakers' workshops."

Keren thought the idea through, then nodded. "I can see how that would work. But, surely, you would still lose time whenever the battery was changed?"

"That's the clever part. You can add a new battery into the circuit before you take the old one out. No time lost at all." She gave another smirk. "Then it occurred to Milsy, if you could do that, why not run some wires to another clock mechanism and have that driven by the same circuit? That way you could have clock faces all over the building all keeping exactly the same time."

Keren stared at Garia. "Of course. This electricity, it has implications we have not yet thought of."

Brydas asked, "Milady, what is this you speak of? I have not heard this word before."

Garia and Keren looked at the smith. She answered, "A new subject and one you'll probably be hearing a lot of in the future. I'm not sure that it would be a good idea to introduce it here just yet, even though I think you're smart enough to handle it, Master Smith. There's a lot to learn and, like much else, it can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. I will tell you that if you wish to come to the capital and join the other guildsmen having fun with electricity you are welcome to do so. Oh, and Senidet as well."

"Guildmistress, you dangle a bait I am reluctant to resist. But if I leave Blackstone, who will care for their needs?" He shook his head. "Whichever I choose, someone will be the loser. Milady, I will have to consider your words carefully."

A serving girl appeared then to remind them that the evening meal would shortly be served, a reminder that everyone should go and refresh themselves.

~o~O~o~

The flames died down as the last of the wood was consumed. Around the pyre stood almost all the townspeople, only those too old and infirm being unable to make it. Messenger Agent Polbinar had been known to all in the town and of the words said by many this evening none were of his faults.

The man had no wife or relatives in the town so Kardenar, as the representative of the service, led the mourners in remembering the man. It was Kardenar who turned away finally to lead the procession back into town and their homes. All of Garia's party were there except two armsmen who had remained on watch at the Ptuvil's Claw.

"Highness, Milady."

They turned to find the speaker in the rapidly fading light.

"Master Yarling," Keren acknowledged. "Is there some service we may offer you?"

"Highness, Milady, I desire a word with both of you, if I may. In private. There are things... you should know."

"Perhaps you'd better come with us back to the Claw, then," Keren said. "There is a room there we may use."

Back at the Claw the three took chairs around a table in Sukhana's quarters where they had previously held private meetings. In the lamplight Yarling's expression was unhappy, but Garia thought that part of that might be a trick of the light. After seventeen Earth years of life by electric light it was sometimes difficult for her to adjust to local conditions.

"Highness, Milady, I have a confession to make," Yarling began. "Please believe me when I say that I mean no ill to either of you or any in your party." A grimace. "Our party. If you would recall, when your caravan arrived at Tranidor Wagonmaster Jaxen received a message that he was to call at the Guildhall there."

They both nodded.

He continued, "I was called to the hall to be instructed that I was attached to your party by orders of the Guildmasters at the Guild Hall in Palarand. Neither Guildmaster Moriskin nor myself could disobey such a command, as you may expect, Highness, Milady. But, before I arrived at the hall Guildmaster Moriskin had already spoken to Guildsman Bezan, who had recently returned from the capital. It was suspected by the Guildmaster that the party we were joining contained the new Baroness Blackstone and he saw an opportunity for the Miner's Guild to make some easy money.

"Now, if your party was indeed traveling to Blackstone, it seemed to us that it was a fool's errand since everybody knew that there was nothing of worth in such a remote place. I was given specific instructions, Highness, Milady. I was to pretend to find whatever you thought was there and to begin works to extract it, arranging the works in such a way that the Miner's Guild would benefit greatly from the folly. It was up to me to ensure that we obtained the greatest benefit possible before the scheme collapsed and, at the end, we could arrange some suitable explanation to give to the baroness since, of course," and here Yarling smiled, "it was obviously not possible for any noble to understand the secrets of the miner's art, was it, especially a woman?"

"You must have thought her as an easy mark at a country fair," Keren remarked. "So, what changed your mind?"

"The caravan, Highness," Yarling admitted. "Nothing I saw or heard that first day made any sense at all. There was no person present I could identify as likely to be the Baroness, unless it was the person I now know to be Mistress Sukhana. There were two young girls and an obvious servant - your pardon, Mistress Jenet," Yarling nodded to Jenet, standing in the gloom at the back of the room, "and there were far too many men, some of who were obviously men-at-arms. Highness, it never occurred to any that a Prince would be a member of the party. I began to think that Guildmaster Moriskin had made a mistake and that the caravan was bent on a normal commercial expedition, although the presence of young people and so many armsmen still confused me.

"Then, Highness, we stopped and you explained all to us. I saw at once that Guildmaster Moriskin had been both right and wrong. Right in that the caravan was what he suspected and wrong in thinking he could defraud the Baroness without anyone noticing. I did wonder at Milady's insistence that there was something of worth in Blackstone, since I knew there to be none. I decided to continue and see if there were any way the guild could profit from what seemed to me to be a whim of a young woman. A young woman who could, of course, know nothing about a place she had never been and who, of course, could have no knowledge of the miner's art."

Yarling gave a sheepish smile.

"It seems that I was the fool, Highness, Milady. Once we arrived here - and after defeating an unexpected enemy - I discovered that there was something here of value to Palarand, something I could barely comprehend at first. After all, who would think of setting fire to rocks? Who would think of treating the rock as charcoal is done and then using the residue to make steel? I knew at that moment that neither Guildmaster Moriskin nor myself had any idea what the true circumstances were and that, rather than pretending to make a mine to dig out imaginary ore I was faced with a real task, one that could expand to a huge investment in time, people and materials."

Yarling looked Garia squarely in the eye.

"From that moment, milady, I was your man. Even though you were a woman and so young, you obviously possessed knowledge beyond anything we knew in Palarand and I was eager to learn it, the better to extract the coal I knew was here. I thought perhaps your father had been a miner and you had learned the art that way. I know that in other parts of Alaesia they do not have the guild system we have in the Great Valley, so your knowledge would not have been impossible to obtain.

"Then, milady, Jaxen arrived again with the extra wagons and I witnessed the wonders you have brought with you. To simply see those devices and materials in those crates forced me to understand that I do not know what you are, milady, but that you are the equal of any man in Palarand, even as young as you are. I knew at that moment that the Miner's Guild had the wrong of it and that what you do here is more important to our future than any petty fraud and bickering my guildmasters may propose.

"Even then, milady, I did not fully understand. Not until I saw you operate the steam engine and explain how such machines might be used. I could not imagine such a thing! But there it was, in the courtyard in front of me, and I realized that you had just changed the art of mining beyond all imagining. Tell me, milady, did you speak right? Where you come from, do they really remove entire mountains to obtain the ore? You did not exaggerate, did you?"

"Master Yarling, I had no need to exaggerate. Yes, we do strip off entire mountains. Sometimes, the mountain itself is all ore, other times, the top is taken off to expose ore or huge seams of coal. Most mining, however, is still done the traditional way, though with the aid of many machines."

"Yarling," Keren said, "you attest that the Miner's Guild intended to defraud Milady Garia here in Blackstone?"

"Aye, Highness, but there is only my word to confirm it. All others will deny, naturally."

Keren smiled nastily. "I'm not going to go after Moriskin, Yarling. He will soon discover that he is the fool here, will he not? In a year or two what we begin here will become such a large enterprise that petty thieves like him will become an irrelevance. However, we will still meet resistance from those in the Miner's Guild who cannot see beyond the end of their noses. Shall you assist us in correcting their short-sightedness?"

"Highness, it will give me great pleasure to do so. I will take your instruction in this matter, Highness. And, if you will permit, Guildmistress, I would serve you also. I have passed by Holville and I did not like what I saw. There are other places of similar like in Palarand and it is time that such practices were ended. If we may benefit by knowledge of how mining is conducted in your own lands, then we shall take such instruction as you can give."

"I'll tell you whatever I can remember, Master Yarling," Garia told him, "but I must remind you that I am, actually, no miner at all. All I know is what most people of my world might know."

Yarling smiled. "Milady, even that must be better than what we do now."

"As you say. I'll tell you right away, change won't come that quickly. Making steam engines requires a lot of coal and iron and we have to have that before we can begin to use them for mining."

Yarling nodded. "Of course, milady. There is a saying about avians and eggs..."

Garia grinned. "We have a very similar saying. You understand, then. The first couple years here are going to be quite hard."

"If I may discuss the project another time, milady, when I have my notes and samples in front of me."

"Of course. Thank you for telling us what you have, Master Yarling, and welcome to the future."

~o~O~o~

The courtyard was dark, lit only by a lantern in each corner. Most of the occupants of the Ptuvil's Claw had already retired for the night but five remained. One, on guard, stood concealed under the carriage archway. At the foot of the stairs Feteran stood with Jenet, their faces indistinct in the darkness. Ten paces away Keren faced Garia outside Sukhana's quarters. Sukhana herself was in the common room, tidying up after the last few drinkers had gone.

"Did you suspect that the Miner's Guild was up to something, Garia?"

"I'd have been surprised if they hadn't. Wouldn't you?"

"Aye. Master Yarling seems to have come to his senses, though, especially after today's demonstrations. You have gained another follower, it seems."

"That's not always a good thing, Keren. It means I have to keep producing for them. If I slip..."

"I foresee little chance of you failing to produce, Garia, not for many years. As for slipping, we are only human. You and I are still young, after all, and not expected to have the experience of our elders. Even my father occasionally makes an error, though there are many around him who would prevent it becoming too bad to correct."

"As you say. God, I'm tired."

"We've had much excitement today, haven't we? Unloading Jaxen's wagons, opening the crates, reading our letters, running the engine, a funeral, even talking with Yarling. And you went for a ride with Sukhana as well, returning with a new assistant for her."

"Keren, she can make sense of those drawings Parrel sent with the engine. She's going to become an engineer, I think, in not too many more years."

"And why not? You have always maintained that a woman may be as good as a man. With Senidet and Milsy leading the way you have proved your point. They will both make fine engineers, I am sure of it."

"Aye. Look, do you think we can have a couple of quiet days? I need to... relax a bit, I think."

"We may but try. If you were to ride with Sookie, would that count as relaxing? Of course, we cannot order all that may happen in the next few days but perhaps you can reduce what you do yourself. After all, that's why you have staff, isn't it?"

"I suppose so."

"Now, shall you tell me about your dream?"

"What dream, Keren?"

"Don't be difficult. The dream you had last night about those... things."

Garia paused a long time before replying. "I don't want to. There are some things that I think it's better you didn't know."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Reluctantly she admitted, "I found out something that might affect the decision we - you - have to make. I'd rather I didn't tell you in case it affects what you decide."

"Garia, you can't say that to me! Now you have to tell me, let me make my own judgment on how it will affect any decision I - we - make."

"I'd rather not."

"Look, surely we trust each other enough, don't we? If we are in l... fond of each other, there's nothing we should hide from one another, is there? Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, silly!" More quietly, "With my life, as you well know. But this is different, it's not what you think." She hesitated and then gave in. "Very well, I'm trusting you, but take care. I think I've discovered how these beings operate."

"Why, that's wonderful, Garia!"

"Wait until I've explained before you celebrate. I think what they can do is to take the exact position and motion of every particle you can see, out to the farthest star, right down to the tiniest grain of dust, and then calculate what is going to happen to it into the future. So, in a sense, they can predict the future."

"But that's impossible! Isn't it?"

"For us, certainly. But for them, perhaps not... Now, I don't think they can interfere themselves in what happens on Earth or Anmar or any other world. I'm not sure that's even possible. What they can do, I think, is to transport certain objects, animals and people from one world to another and let them act as agents of change. Just like I'm doing here in Palarand. Of course I still don't know if I'm really here or if I'm a copy and Gary is still wandering around on Earth knowing none of this."

"Aye. But you're saying they brought you here... and they can predict the future... Ah! So they can predict how the future changes with you in it."

"Exactly. It's all to do with probabilities. In other words, if I'm here, then it's more probable that certain things could happen than if I wasn't here, get me?"

"Aye, I do. So, the fact that they brought you here -"

"- must mean that there's some kind of plan. Yes. A plan we probably wouldn't understand if they could describe it to us. But, Keren, this is the point. Because I'm here as a girl, the probability of their plan succeeding appears to be much greater than if I had come here as a boy, which was what they originally intended. In other words, it's much better for me to be here as a girl than as a boy."

"Well, aye. We talked about that before. If you had been a boy then you might have been captured by someone and may not even have been brought to the palace. Just another stranger in the city who tells improbable stories."

Garia was becoming irritated. The day had been long and event-filled and now she just wanted to fall over and go to sleep. She so did not want to have this particular discussion right now!

"That's unlikely and you know it. There's really only one basic difference between Gary and Garia and that is the fact that, as a girl, I can marry you."

"But, of course! Any fool -"

Keren's eyes narrowed as he thought through the significance of her statement. He opened his mouth and then closed it. Garia waited impatiently.

"Aye," he said finally, nodding. "What you are saying is that should you marry me then the creatures' plan would have a much greater chance of success? Maker!" He groaned. "I didn't need that responsibility, Garia. This makes our choice even more difficult. Oh, would that I had never known this! Why did I let you tell me?" He gave another groan.

"Because you told me to trust you, Highness! Did it ever occur to you that this works both ways? What about trusting my judgment as well? Well, it's done now and you'll have to make the best of it." Her eyes stung with the tears that threatened. This was the first time that she and Keren had ever disagreed and it cut her deep inside. "I've had enough for today, I'm going upstairs. Good night, Highness."

Without waiting for his answer she stumped to the foot of the stairs. Feteran and Jenet hastily separated.

"Bed, Jenet. Now."

"As you command, milady."

In her chamber Lanilla had just finished getting Merizel into her nightgown. One look at the expression on Garia's face and the maid scurried out of the chamber.

"Just get me out of this gown, Jenet," Garia commanded. "I can do the rest myself tonight."

"As you wish, milady."

"Garia?" Merizel asked. "Something wrong?"

"Yes!" She bit off a hot retort since it was unfair to inflict her own temper on her friend. "Tomorrow, Merry. Tomorrow."