A day in the life of Milsy as she juggles with tiny screws, joiners, astronomers, clocks and algebra!

What Milsy Did

by Penny Lane

18 - The Dual Clock

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) 2017 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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"Mistress Milsy?"

"Just... one... moment, if you would."

Milsy did not look up but kept her concentration on the task in front of her. Her left hand held a small tweezers which in turn held an even smaller brass screw. Two fingers of her right hand wielded a screwdriver small enough to fit the screw. Facing her across the bench was Bursila, who held the new pair of goggles in one hand while two fingers of the other hand held the rim firmly closed around the clear flat disk of the glass lens.

Milsy carefully guided the screw into the hole and then aligned the screwdriver with the slot of the screw. She gently pushed and turned, heaving a sigh of relief as the screw began to disappear inside the hole, securing the lens to the goggles. For some strange reason, the other three lenses had all been simple jobs to fit, but the last one... She had known similar situations in the kitchens, where for example twenty-three pastries had come out perfectly but the twenty-fourth had been a real pain to get right.

Feeling resistance she tightened carefully and then relaxed.

"That's done it. Thank you, Bursila." Her face twisted into a wry smile. "Only another four to go."

She turned and assessed the speaker, who appeared to be a man of middle age, a bald head surrounded by graying hair, dressed in the typical tradesman's garb of nondescript tunic and tights with a brown linen apron over the top. His face looked faintly familiar, but since she had been in the palace for more than a month now that didn't mean too much. She had probably encountered most of the palace staff at one time or another while passing through the corridors but had been introduced to relatively few of them.

"Master, welcome. If you seek Tarvan, he is presently at the metalsmiths' Guild Hall and is not expected back until just before lunch. If I may help?"

The man smiled. "Mistress Milsy, I am Bassen, one of the palace joiners. It seems that you and Master Tarvan desired some kind of box to be made?"

"Aye, that is so, but it is to be no ordinary box."

"Mistress, this is the palace. We are accustomed to making special items for His Majesty."

Milsy smiled. "Indeed, but this will be unlike anything you will have made before. If you would step over to the other bench."

Sitting on the other bench were a confusing collection of brass machinery, apparent tangles of wires, strange coils mounted on wood plaques and square glass jars full of liquid. Milsy pointed to the two largest devices with a grin.

"These are new clocks that measure time both in the traditional way and in a new way proposed to us by Guildmistress Garia," she explained. "As you may notice this clock has more parts than that clock. What we do is to let this one count the time in the normal way," the joiner could not possibly have understood the reference, but he nodded anyway, "and by means of electricity, have you heard of it?" another nod, "we use these wires to make the second clock show the same time."

"Show the same time, Mistress? I do not understand. I see no bells."

"Actually there is a bell, this one down inside here." Milsy pointed to a small brass tube buried deep within the mechanism of the master clock. "It makes just enough noise for those within the room to hear. However, you'll also notice these big dials on the front by which you can discover the time just by looking at the clock."

"Dials? I am not familiar with the word, Mistress."

Milsy gave the man a quick talk over how the clock could be used to tell the time and why there were two dials on it.

"It sounds... interesting, Mistress." Bassen stared at the clocks and then at Milsy. "If I may offer a guess, Mistress, you desire me to make enclosures to put your clocks in, that they may not collect dust, but so that the dials may still be seen."

Milsy smiled. "That is exactly right, Master Bassen. There is one other important point, though."

"Oh?"

"This clock," she pointed to the master clock, the pendulum ticking backwards and forwards, "we'll keep in here and we want it to be mounted on that wall over there, as you would a painting." She pointed to the wall behind the furnace and beside the 'public' doorway into the Questor's quarters. "Under it we will need another box... a cupboard, if you will, to keep at least two of these in." She gestured to one of the jars on the bench. "These are our batteries and they are what keeps our clock going."

"Batteries?"

Milsy shrugged. "A means of storing the electricity which is what we use to keep the clocks going. You have worked for the palace a while, I imagine?"

Bassen was puzzled. "Aye, Mistress, some eleven years or so now. Why?"

"You probably have not been inside the Great Clock but when they wind up the weights they have to stop the clock else it loses time. Of course, by stopping the clock they guarantee that it will lose time, but in theory they can correct this by means of a sand-dropper." The joiner nodded his understanding. Milsy continued, "Our clocks have no need for weights and if we connect a new battery before we remove the old one the clock need never stop."

"Aye... I wondered, some days, when a bell was missed, but I always assumed that the Clockmakers knew what they were doing." It suddenly occurred to the joiner what he was looking at. "Mistress, I assume all the work I see here is made by contract with the Clockmakers' Guild?"

Milsy smirked. "Yes and no, Master Joiner. Those two clocks at that end of the table were, indeed, originally made for the King by the Clockmakers, but as you can see we have taken most of the insides out as part of our experiments. Since we are not using weights but electricity they are not needed. The two big ones in front were made by the Metalsmiths when the Clockmakers informed us that they could not make them themselves and the last one is a special commission for Master Gerdas the Royal Astronomer. That one was also made by the metalsmiths."

"I see." But Bassen did not seem convinced.

"It is a long story and involves guild politics, Master Joiner. I leave that to those who are of higher rank than a mere journeywoman. If you would bespeak Guildmaster Parrel when next he visits the palace he may offer more of an explanation."

"You are a journeywoman? I had heard in the Guildsmen's Dining Chamber that someone other than Lady Garia had been admitted to a guild, but I was not sure who." He smiled and explained, "I have spent the past several weeks on work in the stables which means I do not always hear the latest gossip... or believe it when I do hear it." He looked around and then back to Milsy. "You are of a like to Lady Garia, then? I see the resemblance. If this is a sample of your work you should be more than journeywoman, I deem."

"As I said, Master, it is a long story. Aye, I may resemble Lady Garia but unlike her I do not come from afar but only Dekarran castle, where I was born and raised in the servants' quarters." She flushed slightly. "Some do consider that I have some of Garia's qualities but I must earn my experience the hard way. Thus, Tarvan is Craftmaster of the new Electricity Department and I am but his assistant."

"As you say. So, to return to your request. One of these clocks is to be mounted... over there. Where, then, will the other be mounted? On the other side of the door?"

"Actually, that is a thought. When we make more they must needs be tested before we install them elsewhere... To answer you, Master Bassen, the other clock is to be mounted in the family dining room yonder. We thought that somewhere above the doorway would be the most suitable place."

Bassen spun to peer through the nearest window. "You desire it placed over there? But your wires..."

Milsy smiled. "May be as long as we need them to be, Master. On this bench we do not need long wires to determine if our experiment works, but the plan is to test our new clock in view of Their Majesties and should that prove satisfactory, we will be asking you to make more boxes for other clocks to be placed in other parts of the palace."

"More boxes? I see." His brow furrowed. "When I was asked to attend this place it was not made clear to me what was required. You require two to begin with, then, and... how many to follow?"

Milsy smiled at the joiner. "I have no idea, Master. Probably somewhere between ten and twenty, I would guess. The Receiving Room has been mentioned as have the kitchens. No doubt some of the meeting rooms at the front of the palace may be chosen. Even Captain Merek has expressed an interest in having a repeater clock in the Large Training Room, since the bells can be hard to hear back there."

Bassen pursed his lips. "A significant new project, then. And your wires, they will be run through the corridors?"

"Aye, when we can decide a suitable method."

"You will need pulleys, then, at each junction."

"Pulleys? Ah, no, Master! These will not be wires like those for the call ropes. They just need to be fixed somehow in such a way that they do not touch and are out of the way of passers-by."

Bassen shook his head. "Forgive me, I do not understand this electricity. If the wires do not move, then how..?" He waved a hand. "Never mind, that is not for me to concern myself with. If I may take some measurements?"

"Aye, of course. We would prefer not to stop any of these clocks unless we have to. Can you manage?"

Bassen looked at the two brass frames. "Aye, that should not be a problem. Let me get my slate and measure out."

"I have paper if you would prefer to use that."

"Indeed! A most useful invention, I deem. Thank you. I have a reedlet in my bag, I can write with that."

Bassen took his measurements and discussed with Milsy how the brass frames were to be secured inside the boxes but still permit removal for inspection and maintenance. There was also the question of how they were to be mounted on the wall paneling. The battery box was designed, positioned and measured. Then Milsy opened the door and the two went outside into the corridor, followed of course by Bursila.

Bassen scratched his chin. "You will need holes drilled, I deem, to allow your wires to pass through the walls. If they are not to touch then each wire will need a separate hole."

"Aye, Master. If we may drill them above the height of the doorways then the wires will be away from accidental touch."

"As you say. On the other side they may be brought down the wall, I suppose, to gain the clock cabinet. The wires should be safe enough inside that chamber."

"Perhaps. While Tarvan and I work on such projects, that will be true, but those chambers properly belong to the Royal Questor and at some time we may be asked to move out when a new one has been chosen."

"Of course. We may box them in, then, as we must needs do for some of the call wires and water pipes."

"You do? That would be perfect, Master Bassen! I was worried about the wires defacing the workmanship of the corridors and chambers."

"Well, sometimes even boxing in pipes and wires may not be done if it would cause problems and then we must needs find another way to manage what we intend." He gave her a reassuring smile. "We have been looking after this palace for centuries, Mistress. There is always a way!"

Most of the palace corridors were the same height as the chambers they gave access to, so there was as much wall above doorway level as below it. It was clear to Milsy as the three walked the short distance to the dining room that, boxed or unboxed, the wires would be noticeable. They went through the double doors into the dining room to be met with curious stares from the few servants cleaning the floor. The three turned to regard the wall over the doorway.

"I see! Aye, I do not see a great problem fixing one of the cabinets above the door, Mistress. The wires may cause more of a problem..."

"Aye, Master Bassen. It would be a shame to spoil the wall because we had not thought through how to join everything together."

Bassen scratched his chin. "Suppose I make the cabinet wider than the frame. As with a painting, I can fit a bezel at the front to cover the gap."

Milsy raised an eyebrow at the strange word.

"Do not concern yourself, you will understand when I show you the result. The point is, this will give you space inside the cabinet to arrange your wires."

"Oh! I see! And we may drill through the wall behind the cabinet! No-one in here will see anything but the clock set in a nice new case."

"As you say, Mistress. Of course, I would not expect the first cabinet I make to be the final one, I deem. With such a novel idea I would suggest that it will take two or three attempts to provide a cabinet worthy of placing before the King."

Milsy was already distracted and she absently waved a hand. "Indeed. We have had to remake the clock frames twice already. The King understands that the double clock idea is a work in progress and that changes may be necessary over time. Why, he may even ask for us to change the color of the dials."

"As you say. If I may proceed?"

"Your pardon, Master?"

"I can begin making the cabinets immediately, Mistress, at your agreement."

"Oh! Aye, if you would. How long will the job take?"

"Two days, maybe three, to make the first one, which will be for your master clock. It is not so hard a task since there is no decoration or carving involved. Then I would make the battery cabinet so that you can begin installing the master clock while I make the repeater cabinet for this wall." He pointed.

"Done. For my part I must needs consider how the wires may be arranged. Until you came I had not thought the problem through in any detail, but I see now that I must." Milsy gave the joiner a nod. "Thank you, Master Bassen."

"I may have thoughts on your wires, Mistress. Though it is not my craft, I will speak to those in the palace workshops who look after the pipes and cables which already run through the palace. They may also have thoughts to offer."

Milsy smiled. "That would be useful, Master Bassen. Thank you again."

The two nodded and Bassen departed. Milsy turned to Bursila.

"Bassen doesn't seem to object to me, does he? I hope most of the other guildsmen in the palace are as helpful." She rolled her eyes. "Right, we had better go back and continue putting those goggles together. I wonder if we can finish before lunch?"

* * *

"Master Gerdas!"

"Good afternoon, Master Tarvan, Mistress Milsy," the Royal Astronomer responded with a bow. "I trust you are both well?"

Tarvan replied, "Aye, Master Gerdas, well and busy, both of us."

Milsy added, "Your new clock seems to be working well too. Have you come to the palace today to see it?"

Gerdas brightened. "I have not, Mistress, but if I may come and see it after I have attended the King..."

"But of course, Master Gerdas. As you must realize it is presently but a bare frame. Since you are here today you can decide how you want to enclose it." Milsy made a gesture towards the window. "Not knowing how you intend to use it, we were not sure if an ordinary box of wood would be sufficient or whether you would require something more substantial."

The old Questor's eyes narrowed. "Aye, you raise a good point, Mistress. The clock will be of no use to me if I cannot see it as I make my observations." He nodded to himself. "When I join you later in the laboratory, we may consider the alternatives."

Tarvan said, "We have talked of the matter but, as we have not yet accepted your invitation to join you at your observatory, we did not know how you intended to arrange matters."

"As you say. Of course, as I have not yet seen the clock I cannot make any suggestion to you either. Until later, then."

Robanar appeared talking animatedly to Kendar. When he noticed Gerdas he waved the Chamberlain off and joined the group.

"Gerdas! Good of you to join us for lunch."

"Thank you, Sire, for the invitation. If I may speak with you afterwards?"

"This is about the extra day, isn't it? Of course. After lunch we may discuss any potential problems and then, should all be well, I will make it official."

Gerdas bowed. "Thank you, Sire."

Robanar noticed Milsy's look. "My dear, every so often the calendar of Alaesia must needs be adjusted, for as you may know the days, months and years are not exact numbers but drift over time."

"Sire, this has been explained to me but I know little more."

Robanar grunted. "Aye. Most folk know little more, I deem, including me. It is a complicated subject, so I am told. Gerdas has consulted with his many colleagues all over Alaesia and they have determined that if our calendar is to better reflect the days, weeks and months an extra day must needs be added to the end of this present year. We have known for some time that this would likely happen but Gerdas has today brought the final decision of all his craft to me."

"As you say, Sire. Perhaps Master Gerdas could tell us more when he visits us after his meeting with you?"

Robanar looked at Gerdas with raised eyebrows.

"Sire," the Astronomer said, "these two clever young people have offered to show me the clock they are making for me and to discuss a box for it."

"Your clock! Of course, Gerdas." He turned to Tarvan. "And what of the new palace clocks? What progress?"

"Sire, both clocks work as well as those others we made. I do not think anything has changed since you last saw them."

"Sire," Milsy added, "today I have spoken to Master Bassen about making... cabinets... for the clocks, and how to fix them to the walls."

Robanar opened his mouth but changed what he was to say. "Here is the Queen. Gerdas, go you to the laboratory after our meeting and you may discover something new. I am sure you will spend a bell or two speaking with our young guild members."

Gerdas bowed. "As you command, Sire."

"Now, let us sit to lunch. Gerdas, I want to ask you..."

Robanar took the arm of Gerdas and led him towards the center table.

"Come on," Tarvan said, "Let us find seats and you can tell me what Bassen said this morning."

* * *

"I like this idea," Tarvan said, "but the dark lenses keep falling down."

Milsy frowned. "The ones on my goggles do but those on Bursila's do not. I used a length of brass wire for the hinge pins and it is possible that part I put in Bursila's was slightly bent." She considered. "I think I may add a small spring clip to the hinge to keep the dark lenses out of the way when they are not required."

"That would be best, I deem, rather than relying on a bent wire. Do you think that you could add the dark lenses to my goggles?"

"If you so desire it, Tarvan, but though Fulvin's apprentices made the parts for us they are very fiddly to put together. I would rather we presented this to the makers of your goggles as a new design and let the experts make them for all who might need them."

"You could not alter what is there already?"

Milsy shook her head. "They are too different, Tarvan. I had to design a bridge between the two original lens frames for the hinge to be mounted on and that meant that the screws for the frames had to be moved - ah, here is Master Gerdas."

The tall figure of the Royal Astronomer walked the length of the laboratory, his robe billowing as usual. He smiled as he reached them.

"Greetings, both. What have you there? Some strange new device for protecting the eyes, I deem."

"Aye, Master Gerdas, welcome."

Tarvan briefly told him about their visit to the furnace site and the need for goggles that had both plain and dark lenses.

"I can see how that might be, young Tarvan. All who saw Lady Garia's demonstration at the Hall of the Questors will understand the need to protect one's eyes and I know several Questors who would welcome extra protection whenever they experiment." He raised an eyebrow. "These will become generally available, I trust?"

"Indeed, Master Gerdas, we were discussing that very point. But it is your clock you have come here to see, is it not? Come over to the other bench."

As Gerdas turned he saw what was on the bench. "Five clocks? You have been busy! Which one is mine? So many wires! What are these coils? I recognize the jars, they are what your electricity is kept in, is it not?"

"As you say, Master Gerdas. You will need some of these and, since you reside so far outside the city, you will probably require a steam engine like that one to charge the batteries every so often."

"Ah? How often?"

"Perhaps once a week or so, Master Gerdas. The task is not difficult and we may teach the art to your staff if you prefer not to do it yourself. As to your clock, it is this one. It has been working for more than a week already and I cannot tell the difference in time between yours and these others."

"This one? But it is so small!"

Milsy shrugged. "Master Gerdas, the size is limited only by our ability to make the parts small enough and the length of the pendulum. There is no reason why we cannot make the dial and hands larger, though, if that makes your task easier."

"So... how would this be used, then? At my mansion I have a platform on top of a wooden tower to which I ascend at night to do my observations. This clock, then, must needs be situated up there with me, that I might see the position of the hands. Do the batteries have to be near the clock? If I must needs have a steam engine up there as well, matters become more complicated."

"That is the whole beauty of electricity, Master Gerdas," Tarvan replied. "Your battery box and steam engine can be anywhere down below that is convenient to you and your staff. All we have to do is to run two wires between the battery cabinet and the clock cabinet."

Milsy had a thought. "Actually," she added, "it has occurred to me that the clock could also be kept below in your mansion, where it may remind you when your observations are required. We can then run wires up to a repeater clock on your platform. Since the repeater will not have a pendulum, it may be even smaller and will not be affected by weather in the same way as the master clock might."

"Master clock? Repeater?" Gerdas looked at the other frames on the bench and suddenly understood. "Ah! What a brilliant idea! I see you have but one pendulum in each pair and that may provide the timing for the other clock. Those two over there are connected together by wires and so are these two." He frowned. "But these two have two dials. If you would explain that to me."

Tarvan said, "This is your doing, Master Gerdas. The King has taken note of your intention to use the twenty-four hour system and desires to see if it may be of use to the rest of Palarand. Thus, we have made a clock which shows both systems such that those in the palace will not become confused. The right side is the twenty-four-hour dial, just as your own clock will have, and the left side is our attempt to make a clock which shows the bells."

Milsy added, "These clocks have no bells, Master Gerdas, to avoid confusion. Since anyone may glance at the dial to know the time there should be no problem."

Gerdas nodded. "Aye. The King told me that he was considering using the twenty-four hour system the last time I called at the palace. To have a consistent system of timing, such that we are not dependant on dawn or dusk, that will be a big change to Palarand." He had a thought. "Then, I deem, all clocks will become like mine! That should make their design easier, so I am told."

"Aye, Master Gerdas. We do not need half of what was originally in those clocks over there, which were made to a new design by the Clockmakers' Guild. Taking out the weights removes even more, though it ties us to electricity. For some purposes, we will still need clocks driven by weights, or perhaps by other mechanical means, until electricity becomes available to all. I am especially glad to be rid of the bell parts since the mechanism is very complicated." She pulled a face. "There are two complete duplicate sets of bell mechanisms in each clock, Master Gerdas, which is stupid! Any fool can see that the lever on the left side of the Year Wheel moves the exact same way as that on the other side. Why have one set for day bells and another set for night bells when one set will do for both?"

Gerdas shook his head. "It is not so, Mistress Milsy."

She stared at the astronomer.

He continued, "Though it seems that the two sides of the wheel move in unison it is not so. As Anmar moves round the sun -"

Milsy was shocked. "Anmar moves round the sun? I thought the sun went around Anmar!"

Gerdas looked at the two. Tarvan seemed almost as surprised as Milsy.

He sighed. "Master, Mistress, you are both clever young people but it is no surprise that your understanding of such matters is small. I have to admit that some of what I know was told to me by Lady Garia, but even before then I knew that Anmar went around the sun."

Milsy asked, "If you would explain to us, Master Gerdas. I have made a fool of myself judging a matter I thought I understood but plainly do not."

Gerdas smiled gently. "Indeed, but you are no fool, my dear, you merely have not had the education or experience to learn such matters which are, after all, of interest to only a small number of people. I think that I may have need of a blackboard, I deem."

"The study, Master Gerdas," Tarvan suggested. "I would learn of this as well, if you would."

"Aye, the study," Gerdas agreed.

"Bursila! It will soon be time for some pel, I believe."

The two youngsters followed Gerdas along the laboratory and into the study in silence. To have something that everybody knew denied by a simple statement had shaken both. Waving them to chairs the old astronomer turned to the board, using a cloth to wipe it clear before picking up a piece of chalk.

"To begin with," he smiled at them, "Anmar spins as a ball does. Do you understand that Anmar is a ball, upon which we all live?"

"Aye, Master Gerdas. That much we do know."

"Then know that the spin of Anmar gives the seeming of the sun going round Anmar instead."

Tarvan objected, "If the world spins, Master Gerdas, then why do we not all fly off?"

Gerdas shrugged. "It is something called gravity, Tarvan. It is the reason that everything falls to the ground and it is very strong, strong enough to keep Teide, Annis and Kalikan in the sky. We knew little of gravity until Lady Garia came, only that it existed and that its effects could be calculated. She tells us that it is a property of all matter and is the reason for everything that we can see in the night sky to be as we view it."

"Wait a moment," Milsy said slowly. "You just said that gravity makes all fall to the ground. But, then, the moons stay in the sky and do not fall."

He gave them another smile. "This is something we call an orbit. If I may draw a picture."

Gerdas then drew them a diagram which showed that the moons were indeed falling but why they would never actually reach the ground. He was gratified to see their expressions change as the concept became apparent to both of them.

"So the sun appears to move in the sky because the world turns," Milsy mused, "and the moons are in... orbit... around Anmar. That must mean, I deem, that Anmar is in orbit about the sun, must it not? Else the two would come together by means of gravity."

Gerdas beamed. "As you say, Milsy! Just so. Anmar is in orbit around the sun and takes a year to make one circuit. That is, indeed, how we define a year, although," his expression sobered, "the definition of a year is a complex thing, I deem. Let me draw another diagram."

He cleared the board and drew a large circle for the planetary orbit, placing a small circle in the center for the sun. At four points around the orbit he drew more small circles, filling in the halves which faced the sun.

"Tell me, then, what you may about this diagram."

"Why... you have drawn Anmar at four points around the orbit, is that right?"

Gerdas watched her closely. "As you say, Milsy."

"But the sides facing the sun point in different directions..." She frowned. "A day is defined as the time from, say, noon to the next noon?"

Gerdas nodded.

"Then, I deem, each day must needs be longer than one would think... There must be an extra revolution in a whole year, to make the sun side face the sun again... um, you know what I am trying to say?"

"Aye, Milsy. As I said, this is a complex subject but I wondered whether you - either of you - could perhaps understand some of it. If by chance you can, then it may assist in your battles with the Clockmakers' Guild."

"That is why I wanted you to explain it, Master Gerdas."

He resumed. "But the situation now becomes worse. Since Anmar takes a year to progress around its orbit, it must needs move along the orbital path by a certain amount every day." They both nodded. "Because it has moved, the sun is now in a different place in the sky. If I measure a day as the time from noon to noon the next day, I will have a different time than if I measure a day at night, by referring to the same star, for example, at midnight."

While Milsy puzzled this out, Tarvan said, "I see what you mean, Master. That is why the constellations move through the seasons, is it not? What is in the night sky in Spring cannot be seen in the Fall," he gestured at the diagram, "since those stars would then be in the daytime sky."

"I think I understand," Milsy agreed. "But while this may explain your problem, Master Gerdas, how does it affect our clocks? Surely we are only concerned with the time from noon to noon. And, as far as I can tell, this does not explain why dawn and dusk vary throughout the year."

"Ah," Gerdas grinned, "that brings me to our next complication, that of axial tilt. Time for another diagram."

With the next picture Gerdas explained how seasons came about and how, although the dawn and dusk changed throughout the year according to strict rules, it also depended upon the latitude, which he defined as the distance away from the equator.

"That explains a great deal," Milsy said. "I wondered why the days should be the way they are. I mean, I knew they were, but there had to be a reason for it. I can also see why a shorter day would make it colder and a longer day makes it warmer, too, which gives us the seasons." Her eyes narrowed. "Very interesting."

"Milsy," Tarvan warned, "try not to become distracted, will you? We discuss clocks presently."

"As you say, Tarvan. Master Gerdas, would you be able to explain further at some other time? What I want is to understand some of what you have explained, to see how you discovered these things."

Gerdas nodded. "Aye, I can do that, Milsy, and for you, too, Tarvan. It would probably be best if you visited me, as I have previously suggested, and then we will have leisure to consider these matters properly."

"As you wish, Master Gerdas." Milsy grinned. "Except, I do not know this word you used, leisure."

Gerdas grinned back. "As you say, my dear. Since Lady Garia arrived amongst us we have all been busy, no? There will be time, I deem, for such matters in the future. Perhaps once her University is established."

"University?"

"Milsy," Tarvan said with exasperation. "Not today! Master Gerdas, if you would continue."

"Very well. You both now understand why the days become shorter and longer? Aye. But, you will say, the dawn of the day should be the same time before noon as dusk is after it. This, I believe, is essentially what Milsy objected to, is it not?"

She thought and then nodded. "That's right, Master Gerdas."

"Then we must needs consider the next complication. It would seem, from discussions with Lady Garia, that the orbit of Anmar about the sun is not a circle but something called an ellipse. Do you know what an ellipse is?"

"Aye," Milsy replied, "I have been told of them but I do not know how they may be used or calculated."

Gerdas shrugged. "As usual, the subject is a complex one. All you need to know for our present discussion is this."

He erased the diagrams from the board and drew an ellipse, upon which he placed four small Anmars as before, but with the sun now offset to one side instead of being central.

"Ah, Bursila, thank you."

Milsy gestured to the table for the maid to put down her tray and the explanation stopped while they all sat and took drinks. Once they had finished Gerdas resumed.

"This diagram is very exaggerated but it will serve to demonstrate the point. A day may be measured from noon to noon, is that not so, with noon being the point at which your location on Anmar directly points to the sun."

"Oh!" Milsy exclaimed. "I see! Because the sun is no longer central, the position of noon will vary according to the time of year." She frowned. "That will make the days vary in length but it should not affect the distance between dawn and noon, and noon and dusk, even though all are changing slowly."

Gerdas nodded. "As you say. The next complication is that the speed at which Anmar goes around its orbit varies according to the time of year as well. On this diagram, the speed is proportional to the distance from the sun. The closer we are to the sun, the faster we go, which means that the change in the position of noon varies over the year. And axial tilt plays a part here as well. Imagine that Midwinter's Night is here."

Gerdas pointed to the furthest point away from the sun.

"You would think that would be so, wouldn't you? The coldest time on Anmar ought to be that when we are furthest from the sun. In fact, it is not so. The tilt of Anmar is such that Midwinter's Night occurs about here and Midsummer's Day occurs about here."

He pointed to a position about a third away from the closest approach and then another two-thirds away on the other side.

"Now, considering the tilt, and the ellipse, how far away we are from the equator and all the other complications, you can see that the Year Wheel, as you call it, cannot be designed by calculation - yet. Mayhap in some future when we have all the marvelous machines Lady Garia tells us will arrive to help us, perhaps then we will have the knowledge to calculate dawn and dusk for every day of the year. For now, we must make do with painstaking observations and convert them into the shape you see in the Year Wheels of our present clocks. That is the main reason why every astronomer in Alaesia wishes to do away with the whole complicated business and convert our craft to using the twenty-four hour clock system."

"But..." Tarvan was not convinced. "The Year Wheel is used the other way up when the seasons have changed, Master Gerdas. If the shape is that complex surely this cannot work?"

Gerdas grinned. "I'll let you into a secret, Tarvan. It does not work. However, the discrepancy is small enough that only an astronomer may notice. I'm sure that in the future, with better instruments and clocks, more will notice the difference and demand that something be done about it. That is another reason why the astronomers and our King desire to make the change. We are doing something about it, before it become important."

With a frown Milsy said, "I'm not sure about the timing of noon, Master Gerdas. If, as you say, it moves slowly about during the year our clocks will always be wrong, will they not? Unless we have our own Year Wheel to make the adjustment for us."

The astronomer nodded. "That is so, Milsy. Lady Garia tells us that it is the same on Earth and what they do is to have something called Mean Time, such that every day is of the same length throughout their year. This makes it easier for people to arrange whatever matters they have, since they know that their day will be twenty-four hours which will all be the exact same length. I have proposed to my fellows and to the King that we do the same here in Alaesia." He added, "For astronomical purposes, there are other problems if we adopt Mean Time, but that is a separate discussion for myself and my colleagues in other lands. It will not concern the clocks of Palarand."

"Thank you, Master Gerdas," Tarvan said. "Much is now made clear and we appreciate the time that you have taken to explain it to us. It also tells us that your own clock is more important than we realized."

"As you say, Tarvan. Um, Master Tarvan, I wonder..."

"Master Gerdas?"

"I have now seen your double clocks and wondered if mayhap I could request one of those instead. I have a small household, it is true, but my servants will be confused should they only be able to see the time by the hour system."

Tarvan looked at Milsy, who replied, "Master Gerdas, there is no reason at all why you should not have a double dial clock in your residence. In fact, we spoke of an idea earlier where you would have a master clock downstairs and a repeater on your platform, there is no reason the master clock cannot be a double one. After all, it will produce the same signals on the wires for the repeater."

Gerdas's eyebrows rose. "And I would have a simple twenty-four hour repeater on the platform? Done. Once I am up there I will no longer be concerned with bells at all."

Tarvan sighed. "Master Gerdas, I must needs ask for another clock to be made. This will cause a delay and, I regret, someone has to find the coin for it."

Gerdas nodded. "Aye, I understand." He smiled. "We will find a way, we always do. Place your order, Master Tarvan."

* * *

"Gerdas! I hope your dealings with these two have been satisfactory?"

"Aye, Sire, very much so." The Royal Astronomer bowed to his King. "I have spent part of the afternoon educating these intelligent young people about the motion of Anmar and the reasons why our present clocks are so complicated."

"I see." Robanar eyed Milsy and Tarvan thoughtfully before returning to Gerdas. "And your clock? Are you satisfied with progress?"

"Ah, Sire, aye, I am satisfied with the work done so far but I regret that I must ask for change to what has been requested."

"There is some problem?"

"Well, no, Sire, but upon the same bench as my clock were the master and repeater clocks intended to provide hours and bells to your palace, Sire. Indeed, I believe it was Milsy that suggested I should have a double clock of my own within my mansion, with a twenty-four hour repeater on my observing platform. When I observe the skies in future I will have no need to listen for bells, Sire."

Tarvan added, "Sire, it seems to me that I proposed a more robust solution. The master clock will be safer inside his mansion and away from the weather. We will only need two wires to run from there to the repeater at the top of his tower."

Robanar gave them both considered looks and then sighed. "Aye, I will authorize what you must needs have, Gerdas. The needs of the Royal Astronomer are in addition to the stipend you presently receive, of course, but the Treasury is not bottomless. Humph! Unlike the Treasury of Blackstone, it seems!"

"Sire," Milsy said tentatively, "Lady Garia receives much from her design rights but spends most of it on many of the projects about the city and the country. The guilds would all be in sore trouble were it not for her commissions."

"I cannot disagree, my dear. It is another avian-and-the-egg situation, is it not? We must needs get the projects running to gain the funds which are needed to set the projects up in the first place." The King shook his head. "We must take care else we trip ourselves up, run out of coin before the income arrives."

"As you say, Sire."

"And what of yourself, my dear? Did you understand much that Gerdas told you?"

"Aye, Sire, and it was only to know that the subject is much more complicated than I ever imagined. Still, I have learned much that puzzled me before." Her face lit up. "Master Gerdas has introduced me to Algebra, Sire! I have learned what a formula is and how to use it. He spoke of x and y and things called a and b, and something strange named pi, which has to do with circles. I am pleased that I understand what he has taught me and that I will be better able to serve His Majesty, Sire."

Over Milsy's head Robanar caught sight of the long-suffering look on Tarvan's face.

"Well, my dear, I do not doubt that you have obtained more knowledge, that is one reason you are here in the palace, is it not? But your first priority is to install the clock in here, I deem. What progress is there?"

"Sire, you asked at lunch and I answered you. Nothing much has changed since then."

"You did? You did! My apologies, my dear, my attention has been on other matters this afternoon. Aye. Gerdas, I have a question to ask you, concerning the Questors."

"Sire?"

"Aye. Tarvan, Milsy, if you would excuse us. Although I know that Milsy is interested in anything and everything, the proceedings of the Society of Questors may not be so exciting to you."

Tarvan bowed and Milsy curtseyed.

"As you wish, Sire."

The two walked off to find themselves seats ready for the evening meal. They sat down and Tarvan studied the wood paneling over the double doors.

"That is where you are going to place the clock, I deem?"

"Aye. Master Bassen, as I have said, is making a... cabinet, he called it, to contain the clock yet permit the dial and hands to be seen. The box is to be larger than the frame, to permit the wires to be hidden inside, and to allow us to drill directly through the wall behind."

Tarvan nodded. "A clever notion. One of yours?"

"Not this time. Master Bassen suggested it to me. I understand that the existing pipes and cables are often hidden in this way." Milsy pulled a face. "In the corridor outside, we will not be able to hide the wires. I hope that some design can be made that will not disfigure the paneling."

Tarvan waved a hand. "Don't worry about that yet. We have to get the clock working in here first, and then we can think about tidying everything up."

"I've been thinking," Milsy said. "We might need some means of adjusting the time on the clocks after they have been installed. It will be messy pulling them out just to turn a wheel or two, and we have to keep the two clocks in step when they are started again."

Tarvan grimaced. "Aye, I can see that. Some kind of switch, I think, will be the answer. For myself, I have been wondering how we are going to connect all the wires together. If we are going to run several repeaters from one master, then the wires will join at various places around the palace, will they not? I doubt that twisting wires together and soldering them is going to be a practical solution, especially whenever something has to be changed - and you know as well as I do that will happen all the time in a place like this."

"You're right. I was also wondering how I would connect the wires inside the cabinet. The spring clips we use in the laboratory are good enough for our experiments but for something that is to be fixed to the wall, I deem we need something more robust."

"And we will need to do the same for Master Gerdas, of course. Perhaps we should spend some time considering such fixings."

Milsy gave Tarvan a sidelong look. "I suspect the answer might be that we have to talk to someone we paid a visit to last week," she said. "I'm not sure if Master Fulvin will welcome the interruption."

"Hmm. Perhaps we should consult Master Parrel first. Fulvin is the person I would choose but he has other projects now. Perhaps the Guildmaster can point us at the right person to speak to."

"As you say, Tarvan. Here is the Queen. Oh, Lady Dyenna!"

The Mistress of the Wardrobe pulled out a chair facing the two and sat down.

"Good evening to you both. Mistress, Rosilda requests that you meet with her tomorrow, concerning the leather outfit you have requested. Whatever was it that made you ask for such garments? They are most unusual."

"Well, My Lady, it is like this. Master Parrel took us to visit a glass works where -"