What Milsy Did -8-

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Today is the day when Milsy gets her first look at the laboratory, wherein Garia and Tarvan have been conducting strange experiments. She learns the rudiments of magnetism and electricity and begins helping in the construction of some electrical devices. Later, Tarvan has not one but two proposals to put to her!

What Milsy Did

by Penny Lane

8 - In the Questor's Laboratory


Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2016 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.



There had been a minor difficulty in the morning. Milsy had to find something suitable to wear and the choice was limited, since Garia had taken almost all her working clothing with her, on the chance of finding it useful in the remote north.

"There is an exercise tunic and skirt," Bursila informed her, "but if it is worn today and becomes dirty you will have no alternative until it is cleaned."

Milsy sighed. "I'm sorry, Bursila. I've been waiting for this day ever since we arrived at the palace and it never occurred to me to check what attire would be suitable. Are you sure this is what Garia wore to go to the laboratory?"

Bursila was doubtful. "It is her exercise attire, Milady, but she also wore it to the laboratory on several occasions... except when we were cleaning the chambers. On those occasions we wore the dresses the palace provides for such activities."

"Hmm. I'll have to wear that today but I deem another talk with Rosilda is in our near future, don't you? Let's find out just how bad the laboratory is and then I can decide what would be the best thing to wear in future."

"As you wish, Milady. The Baroness also possesses a thick leather apron which she would wear when visiting the workshops of the guilds but I believe she has taken it with her. The Prince, Lady Merizel, Jenet and myself also have such aprons, presented to us by Guildmaster Parrel. It is possible that only my own remains in the palace."

"Let's get dressed, Bursila. I don't know if I'm going to be spending much time in the laboratory anyway, do I? I could find it too boring or too complicated."

"I could not possibly say, Milady. If you would raise your arms."

After the usual morning game of hide and seek over breakfast, Bursila went to the door and admitted Tord.

Milsy cocked her head. "Are you not training this morning, Tord?"

"Not this morning, Milady. I wanted to make sure we all understood the route and the routine we must needs follow to get you safely to the laboratory and to return here afterwards. Are you ready to leave, Milady?"

Milsy looked at Bursila. "Do we have everything we need? Can we go?"

"So far as I am aware, Milady, I believe so."

In the corridor Tord treated the whole thing as a military expedition.

"Pardal, Skanik, you take advance point. Mollen and Stonald, rearguard." Tord shook his head. "We are too few for this duty, I deem. Taren, left side, I'll take the right side."

Surrounded by armed men, Milsy and Bursila began their short journey. At first their route looked new but then Milsy recognized where they were, just as they descended a wide stairway.

She asked with alarm, "Are we heading for the Family Dining Room?"

"Aye, Milady, but we do not pass the doors of that chamber. We must needs go round it to reach the quarters of the Royal Questor. The laboratory and the Family Dining Room face each other across the same courtyard."

They turned away from areas which Milsy had visited into further strange corridors. Along the way they passed small groups of servants, mostly women, who curtseyed as 'The Baroness' passed by. Milsy hoped that none would take a good look at her face. Eventually they arrived at a T-junction with a single door in the fourth side. The men formed a semicircle, keeping Milsy and Bursila next to the door while Tord tried it.

"It is open, which should mean that Master Tarvan is within," he reported. "Presently only he holds a key. If you will follow me, I will confirm that he is in fact here and that no-one else is inside."

Tarvan came towards them as they all entered the quarters of the Royal Questor. He had a smile for Milsy.

"Welcome! Did you have any problems?"

"No, not this time," Milsy replied.

Tord added, "Master Tarvan, there were few in the corridors as we passed. It may not be so simple on another occasion."

"As you say, Tord. Do you know how to arrange the guard while we are here?"

"Of course, Master Tarvan. I have stood guard here myself, both outside this door and outside the door at the far end. I will arrange all."

"Good. Then if you ladies will follow me, I will show you where everything is."

He walked down the narrow corridor through what was apparently a domestic setting, gesturing as they passed doorways.

"The quarters of the Royal Questor are arranged to be self sufficient since that august person often worked to his own schedule. There are rooms for a manservant, a small kitchen, his bed chamber, a clothes closet, bathroom, toilet, a sitting room large enough for meetings, his study." He turned to Milsy. "We have used the sitting room to rest during our labors and we'll probably be making use of the study to continue your reading lessons. I think you'll get a shock when you see what is inside that room."

The door at the end opened into a vast space, easily the same size as the brief glimpse Milsy had managed to get while she was in the Family Dining Room. Unlike that heavily decorated and well-kept space, she had difficulty understanding what she was seeing at first. There was nothing in her experience which could prepare her for the heavy benches, the jumble of glassware and other equipment, the odds and ends covering the floor and every shelf, the dust!

"Maker! Is this a real place?"

"Regrettably so, Milady. You must understand that most Questors are of such a character that nobody would dare interfere in their affairs and certainly no-one would be permitted to clean their chambers! I know Master Morlan was such a person."

Milsy gestured at the whole room with her hand. "What is all this?"

Tarvan shrugged. "Most of it we do not know. Some of it may be experiments he has made and not finished, some of these things may be curious samples sent to the palace by traders, perhaps, probably most has been left by previous Royal Questors. The Prince himself found a device which had lain under one of these benches for over three hundred years and nobody knew it was there or what it was."

Milsy walked over to a shelf between two windows, looking closely at a jar which contained three eyeballs. Three eyeballs?

"What's this?"

"Don't touch anything! Some of the liquids in the jars could do you serious harm if they spilled on you, or even if you took a breath. Also, we don't want to disturb the dust anywhere if we can avoid it. It might be useful to learn if anyone else comes in here and starts meddling with anything within."

Milsy was startled. "Other people come in here? Explain."

"It is to do with Master Morlan's death, so I understand. There is a possibility that he was working with agents of another country, although we have no proof. After we began cleaning these chambers we discovered that others had been through and searched for something."

"Really? Do you know what?"

"Regrettably not. Most disturbance was in the study so perhaps they were looking for messages or notes. We don't really know."

Milsy picked up another of Tarvan's statements. "You've been cleaning in here?"

"Aye, but only at the far end. Come along and look."

At the far end of the chamber was a single door. Tord moved past them with Skanik and Mollen to the door, waiting until Tarvan unlocked it for them. The two men were given instructions and posted outside, after which Tord returned and closed the door, giving Tarvan a nod before retreating to the domestic end of the quarters.

To one side of the door stood a small furnace, presently cold. On the other side, piles of wood for the furnace... and sacks of other mysterious substances. There was a clear space in front of the furnace and then a bench on either side which had been cleaned up and contained an amazing variety of... what, exactly? Milsy could make nothing of what she saw. Under one window stood a device of brass, all pipes and wheels. It was supported on wooden shelving which held a copper water tank over the device. On the floor next to it was a trolley with a number of glass jars - square jars? - which had thick ropes going from one to another. Tarvan saw where she was looking.

"Ah, those are our batteries, where we store electricity for our experiments. Be careful, the acid in those jars is extremely dangerous."

"Is all the work of the guilds so dangerous, then?"

Tarvan grinned. "It must seem so, to those who do not understand what they see. In truth, our work is probably no more dangerous than the insides of a kitchen, where one may be burned by an oven or hot pot handles, scalded by hot water or fat or cut by the many sharp knives within."

Milsy nodded. "Aye, the comparison is a good one, Master Tarvan. What you tell me is that it is ignorance that causes injuries, I deem."

"And lack of respect for the tools and materials one works with. Much of my earlier training as a guildsman was to make sure I valued those things and knew their dangers."

"Having worked in such a kitchen, and knowing of its dangers, I will be guided by you. So, what do you want us to do?"

"First, I think, you can make a start on the furnace. These days it is only used to heat my soldering irons but I find it warms this end of the chamber just enough to be comfortable without making it too hot to work. Since preparing the furnace takes time, it is always the first thing I do whenever I come here."

Tarvan inspected Milsy with such care that she felt moved to speak.

"What?"

"I do not think it would be wise for you to work in here dressed like that. If you would take Milsy to the bedroom, Bursila, and both of you change into cleaning dresses. If I understand the circumstances correctly, those worn by the Guildmistress should fit Milsy, should they not?"

"Of course, Master Tarvan, I should have thought of that myself. If you would join me, Milady."

On a line of pegs in the bedroom a number of heavy dresses were hung and Bursila immediately pulled down two of them, laying them on the bare mattress of the bed. Bursila and Milsy each helped the other remove the outer clothing they were wearing and then they took up the dresses, which Milsy saw were of a familiar design.

"I know these! We wore ones just like these in the castle for cleaning jobs."

"Just so, Milady. Can you manage by yourself?"

"Of course. The tie goes through this hole here and then gets tied in front." Milsy looked at the pegs as she hung up her exercise tunic and skirt on an hanger. "Why are there so many of these, then? Who wore all these dresses?"

"There was Lady Garia, of course, and Lady Merizel, and myself and Jenet." Bursila stopped and blushed.

"What?"

"You must not speak of this to any outside these quarters, Milady. Have I your word?"

Milsy was confused. What was so secret about some cleaning dresses? "Why yes, of course, but... why?"

"There was difficulty making the Palace Wardrobe understand that there would be men here helping with the cleaning task. They claimed that there was no suitable attire for such a task, so some of the other dresses were worn by Master Tarvan... and Prince Keren."

Milsy's mouth was an 'O' of shock. "Really? Oh, Bursila! Of course you have my word!" She thought. "But does this mean that Tarvan..."

"Perhaps, Milady, once we have left the bedroom. Sometimes his normal attire is sufficient."

"As you say. I have noticed that sometimes his attire is of a heavier material, is that not so? I would think that all guildsmen must needs have suitable attire for the work they do."

"Of course, Milady, just as a farmer or a guardsman has attire appropriate to their work." Bursila turned to a pile of cloth squares on the nightstand. "We will need to wear these, also. Are you familiar with such scarves?"

Milsy held up the scarf offered her. "Oh, yes. I didn't have to wear these often but we all know how to protect our hair." She began tying the scarf over her hair, gathering up the sides and back so that all was covered.

Bursila gave Milsy another scarf. "I deem you will need to put this over your face, against the dust we must raise," she explained.

"Aye, of course." Milsy doubled the scarf diagonally and hooked it over her nose before tying it off behind. "Nobody can see my face now, can they? I could very well be the Baroness, should anyone call."

"If you can adjust your voice to sound like that of the Baroness," Bursila cautioned. "Let us return to the laboratory, then."

At the furnace Tarvan showed them how to empty out the half-burned coals and ashes from the furnace, separating material that could be re-used and putting the rest into a bucket. This bucket was taken by Bursila and placed outside the main door while Tarvan filled another bucket from one of the sacks.

"Because I don't need my fire very hot I use charcoal," he explained. "I have made a small number of experiments with coal and coke but I am not yet familiar enough with those materials to use them for normal furnace work."

"Tarvan, what are coal and coke?"

"Your pardon, Milsy, you will not have seen either substance yet. Let us finish building the furnace and lighting it and then I will explain."

Tarvan arranged some kindling in the bottom and lit it, fanning the flames until the wood had properly caught. He then carefully filled the furnace up with charcoal, making sure that the fire was not smothered. Soon, a warm glow came from the firebrick-lined metal enclosure making that end of the big chamber a little more comfortable.

"That's it," he said with a gesture. "Someone must needs attend the fire from time to time to ensure that it still has fuel, and I will show you how it is used when the time comes. For now, let me show you the coal and coke."

He went to one of the other sacks and pulled out a lump of what appeared to be black rock, handing it to Milsy. She looked it over, noting with disfavor that the substance came off on her hands.

"This is coal, and it is the key to everything that the Guildmistress is doing for Palarand," Tarvan explained. "Even though it is a rock it will burn and it burns hotter than any wood may burn. The benefit to us is twofold, firstly, it takes much less coal to produce an equivalent amount of heat than wood, and unlike trees it does not take many years to grow but can simply be dug out of the ground as needed."

Milsy's eyes narrowed. "But... it seems to me that trees can always be grown, whereas once dug out of the ground, this coal will eventually be used up."

Tarvan bowed assent. "As you say. However, the Guildmistress assures us that sufficient coal lies in the ground to supply all Anmar for several hundred years, even with the incredible quantities she assures us we will be mining. She tells us that long before the supply ends we will have developed other, cleaner ways to heat and light our lives."

"Like this electricity you spoke of."

"Aye, perhaps. But for now, we will need coal since it holds another secret of great value to all. Do you know how charcoal is made?"

Milsy thought hard. "I know it is a kind of wood, and it seems to me that it is wood that has somehow been heated without burning. If it had been burned already, then it could not be burned again, I deem."

"That's correct. Charcoal is basically wood that has been placed in an oven and baked, so that all the impurities have been driven out. We can do the same with coal and that produces this other substance called coke."

Tarvan put the lump of coal back in the sack and lifted out a piece of coke to hand to Milsy. She examined it, noting the different texture and the lightness in weight.

"Coke will burn much hotter than even coal," Tarvan continued. "For metalsmiths and glassmakers it makes production of certain items very much easier for that reason. However, the main use of charcoal and coke is not as a fuel to heat houses, kitchens and workshops but in the production of steel. For centuries, perhaps even as far back as the Chivans, we have used charcoal to obtain iron out of the ore and then to turn it into steel for use in swords and armor, amongst other things. Using coke instead produces steel of better quality and much faster. That is why you have not yet met Guildmaster Parrel, for he is at a site to the west of the city building some experimental furnaces to make steel using coke."

"I see." Milsy handed the coke back. "But does this just mean we can make more swords, more armor? Surely we make enough as it is?" She shrugged. "I do not know the art of war, of course."

Tarvan smiled. "Aye, that is one way to look at it. But the Guildmistress says that we will soon be using steel for many other items one might not normally consider. We will be making self-propelled carriages of steel, boats and ships of steel and there will be something called a railroad which will make our journeys so much faster, all built out of steel. In fact, she says that her world makes buildings a hundred strides tall out of steel with walls of glass many strides on a side. Steel bridges may one day carry you across the Sirrel without the need for ferries."

Milsy regarded him sceptically. "You believe all that she says?"

Tarvan spread his hands. "You have seen her clothing, her portable clock. Why would she lie about everything else? It makes no sense, Milsy. I must needs believe what I can see with my own eyes, it is a small step to believe what she tells us, especially when she later provides proof. Look at all the experiments we have done on these benches! I am prepared to believe that she knows what she tells us and so is the King. That is good enough for me."

Milsy turned. "Aye, what is all this? It looks... unusual. What is on these bobbins? It does not look like thread. Is this some kind of metal?"

"Aye, it is copper wire. It seems that copper is one of the best substances to use for electricity. Do you wish me to tell you about electricity?"

Milsy looked at the odd collection of wires and bobbins, all collected together on the bench in, she now saw, several different arrangements. It seemed that Garia and Tarvan had spent a lot of time in here setting up experiments and she wanted to know more.

"I think I do," she replied slowly. "What, for example, is that thing?"

She pointed to a curious object which looked like three squat bobbins fixed to a small rod so that the ends of the bobbins stuck out. Other bobbins were fixed to the same board the rod was attached to. There were several versions of this object on the bench but the purpose of none of them was clear.

Tarvan smiled. "Ah, we shall speak of that in time, I deem. First, you must both go and clean the dust and coal from your hands. If you remove those cleaning dresses at the same time this end of the chamber should be warm enough when you return."

Milsy needed no further urging. In the bedroom she and Bursila helped the other take off the thick cleaning dresses and tidy themselves before attempting to scrub their hands clean in the small bathing chamber. When they returned to the laboratory Tarvan was waiting.

"Have you seen lightning when you resided in the castle?" When Milsy nodded he continued, "Lightning is an incredibly violent form of electricity, so the Guildmistress says, but it is possible to make for ourselves a tamer, more manageable form. I am told that there are a number of ways this can be done but here in the laboratory we use only two of the simplest." He held up a hand. "I must warn you that, although much of what happens here is relatively safe, there are still dangers, much like we spoke of before. Here, I will show you."

Tarvan went to the trolley and picked up the ends of two longish ropes which had been placed on the top. He carefully brought them together and there was a brilliant flash and a loud bang. Milsy jumped but she noticed that Bursila did not, so the maid must have seen this demonstration before. Tarvan carefully put the two ropes down.

"That flash was the electricity jumping across the gap between the two cables," he explained. "The heat generated is enough to melt copper and, I am told, we will be able to melt steel in future. What we use on the bench in front of you is safe enough to work with, though you may see tiny sparks from time to time."

"Just like with the big kitchen knives." Milsy nodded. "I understand."

"So. Electricity will flow through anything if it can, even your body. It finds it easiest to flow through metals, which is why we use copper in our circuits."

Tarvan had heard Garia's potted lecture often enough that he could explain it to a rapt Milsy. She began to follow his explanation, understanding that the wires took the electric current from place to place and then back to the battery. He explained that the current created a magnetic field and, if this was set against another such field, movement would be caused. Milsy gasped in wonder as the little motor began spinning when Tarvan completed the circuit.

"What makes it move?"

"The magnets. See, the magnet that is going round doesn't like the magnet fixed to the base so it gets pushed away. Problem is, this just brings another magnet round to take its place. See those sparks?"

"Aye! Is that electricity?"

Tarvan waggled his hand. "It could be considered to be electricity, aye. Now those sparks are where we switch the electricity from the magnet that doesn't want to be near the one on the board to the next one. If we set it up right, the motor will just keep spinning until we run out of electricity."

"That's amazing, Tarvan! To think, such a simple arrangement of wires and bits of wood... The person who thought of the idea must have been very clever."

"So I am told. Of course, he was a clever Earth man, one that the Guildmistress tells us lived around two hundred years ago. On Earth, electric motors no longer look like this except for demonstrating to children in schools. Most are bigger, heavier and use many more than the three coils used here. I am told it makes for a smoother result."

"Bigger?" Milsy paused. "What use are these motors, then? I thought them some kind of... toy, perhaps. Interesting as a curiosity but little more."

"Oh, no! Look, over here."

Tarvan disconnected the little motor and directed Milsy's attention to the area around the big brass machine.

"Here is our steam engine, which I will explain to you tomorrow. When it is running it turns this big pulley here, and the pulley belt goes down to turn this generator here. You can see how much bigger it is than what is on the bench."

Now Milsy was confused. "But you just said that was a generator... and it is turned by that engine thing..." She spun. "But that is a motor! And is made to spin by electricity! Explain."

Tarvan grinned at her. "You're supposed to be the smart one. You explain it."

Milsy's brain whirled. The two devices were obviously linked in some way but how? Linked... by the wires? One made something spin and the other was spun by something... ah!

"A motor is a generator being used the other way round," she said slowly. "Do you understand what I'm saying? I don't mean it faces the other way."

"Aye, of course. This is the second secret that the Guildmistress explained to us, that according to the laws of electricity, the action of a motor could be reversed, thus making a generator."

"So..." Now she thought hard. "What is that generator doing? If it is being turned, then electricity must be coming out the wires! Is that right? Where does it go?"

"That is right, and it is what we use to top up the big batteries on the trolley. We can also use it to charge the batteries we use for the demonstrations, or even drive the motors directly, though that isn't advisable."

"I see. So you're telling me that motors and generators can become big and powerful in time. How powerful?"

"Depending on the care taken in designing and making the battery, a steel carriage carrying four people and all their baggage, powered by a small motor next to each wheel, could travel from here to South Slip in two bells," he said in a flat voice.

"What?" Milsy couldn't believe that statement. She stared at Tarvan.

"Aye. It takes a dranakh and a wagon, or four frayen and a carriage, a whole day to travel that distance. There are, so we have been told, ways in which even more powerful motors can be used to move impossibly heavy loads just as fast but that would require me to explain a railroad and I don't think you're ready for that yet."

"Aye. I think I agree." Milsy rubbed her hands. "So what is it you want me - us - to do today?"

"Bursila has assisted on previous days so knows what has to be done but for you I would suggest you spend the rest of this morning winding coils. We have a need for solenoids for some experiments I am doing."

"What is a solenoid?"

"It is simply a coil of wire made round an iron center. The iron makes the magnet much more effective. Here, I'll show you what to do. Pull up a stool."

There were little, bright cylinders of iron that felt heavy to hold. Fitting snugly over them were spools made from parchment with ends which were discs punched out of stiff leather. Tarvan showed Milsy how to feed the end of the wire through a hole in one end disc, then to wind the wire closely until she reached the other end before cutting a length off and securing it through a similar hole.

"This wire looks different than what I see on the table. It is darker, it looks to me like tarnish though it seems shiny."

"The wire we wind on the coils has to be coated with something to stop the electricity leaking out. We can use anything that the electricity won't go through easily like varnish or paint." Tarvan looked sideways at Milsy. "Why might we want to do that?"

Milsy looked at the sample solenoid on the bench in front of her.

"Because... You told me that the electricity wants to get back to the battery by the shortest route it can find. This means that it will just jump across from one wire to another, and won't go round and round," she said slowly. "The electricity won't mind, but you need it to go round and round to make the magnet work properly."

"That's... correct," Tarvan agreed. Privately he was surprised that Milsy had worked out the reason so quickly. It looked like he might end up with a partner instead of an assistant, but he was content with that. Their personal relationship was becoming agreeable too, and he wondered if it would soon be necessary to take the next step, which could prove interesting. Where matters concerned Milsy, he would have to consult the highest in the land before making any move.

She suggested, "Let me try this next one and you can tell me if I'm doing it right. How long should these end pieces be?"

Tarvan showed Milsy and she began to make solenoids while he and Bursila turned their attention to the steam engine. Bursila had helped operate it previously so was available to help Tarvan clean it out, fill the tank with water and break up the coal into small lumps for the firebox tray. He came over to see what Milsy had made.

"That looks perfect, Milsy. If you would make three more just like that, I'll show you how we mount them on the boards. I only have four boards ready, some more should be delivered in the next day or two."

She had taken notice of what the other two had been doing while she made a start on the remaining solenoids, but it was still a surprise when the engine suddenly went psssh and made her jump.

"Good," Tarvan said. "This will ensure that all the batteries are topped up. When Master Parrel returns I have a few new thoughts on welding to discuss with him and I will need them fully charged."

With that he pulled a handle at one end and the flywheel began to revolve, much to Milsy's interest. As he pulled the handle further out the wheel spun faster and faster until the spokes were a blur. Rods moved in and out and there were little puffs of steam from some of the pipe joints.

"That's the steam engine? How does it work?"

Tarvan merely smiled at her and continued checking that everything was connected properly. Milsy considered what she was looking at, her coil-winding momentarily forgotten. It seemed that the device simply boiled water as a kettle did, and that the steam was captured somehow. If it couldn't get out then it would build up and... oh! How clever!

She asked, "This is just a demonstration model? How big can they be made?"

Over the noise of the rattling cylinders Tarvan answered, "This is about the seventh model we have made, I'm no longer certain how many. It was made just to run this generator so doesn't need to be so big. We are planning a much bigger one to help fill the water tanks which supply the palace, to take the place of some treadmills. For various reasons only small engines can be made from brass, we need good steel to make bigger versions. I understand that steam engines can be made very large, with enough power to light whole cities and propel huge ships across the oceans as well as transport heavy trains along the new railroads."

There were many novel words in Tarvan's statement but the gist was easy to understand.

"Will you teach me how to run that, Tarvan?"

He grinned at her. "Aye, if you will finish the work asked of you today." Milsy blushed and turned back to her bench but Tarvan added, "It is easy enough to tend, little more complicated than the furnace in fact. Operating it is fairly simple as well. I had planned to introduce it to you, aye, but probably not today, there will not be enough time."

Having completed the four coils, Tarvan showed Milsy how to assemble the solenoids. For each one there were two wooden uprights with holes drilled to accept the iron cylinder, thus trapping the spool between. These were then tapped into prepared holes in the base with a mallet. Two brass pins were knocked into the base and Tarvan showed Milsy how to scrape the varnish off the ends of the wires, wrap them round the pins and solder them.

While Milsy assembled the rest of the solenoids she noticed Tarvan pulling the tray from the steam engine and topping up the coals with fresh lumps. He spent some time studying the glass tubes on the front of the engine before returning to the bench.

"You've finished! That was quick."

"It wasn't that hard. The most fiddly bit was scraping the wires to solder them. Why does the solder smell so bad?"

There followed a confused explanation about tarnish and oxidation which proved that Tarvan didn't really understand what happened, but just knew that using flux prevented it. This was something that doubtless the guilds had discovered over the decades as a practical measure without knowing why it worked. Milsy resolved to get a better explanation from Garia when she returned.

Tarvan fixed a set of flexible metal strips to one end of the solenoid and then wired the whole thing up to a battery.

"This is a simple buzzer," he explained. "You can decide for yourself how it works."

He made the last connection and the device made a satisfactory noise. Milsy leaned in and saw that the circuit was broken when the solenoid pulled one metal strip towards the iron cylinder, thus deactivating the magnet and making the strip spring away again.

"That's very clever, Tarvan. I like that, and it is so simple. There's only one question I have about all this," she said, gesturing to the device. "What exactly is a magnet?"

* * *

By the standards of the castle kitchen Milsy's morning activities had been very light but she still found a bath before lunch to be refreshing. On Bursila's advice she changed into a day gown and settled down to await the delivery of lunch... and the arrival of Tarvan, who had used the bathroom in the Royal Questor's suite to clean himself up. Tarvan appeared first and remained in Milsy's sitting room, choosing a chair to sit in while he read some letters which had arrived that morning for him.

Once lunch had been delivered the three sat at the table and began to eat. Milsy noticed that there was a minor tension in Tarvan as they talked, some kind of reserve which made made him consider each statement before he replied.

"You seem distracted," she said. "Is it to do with those letters you have been reading?"

"What? Oh, no, it's something a little more... personal than that."

"Oh. Is it something that I could help you with, perhaps?"

Tarvan blushed and mumbled his reply. "Mayhap, but I would wait until we are finished eating before I speak, if I may."

Puzzled and intrigued, Milsy sat on her impatience until after the lunch trays had been removed.

"You were going to tell me something," she said. "I must needs join the Queen presently for our nap, is this something that could be delayed until afterwards?"

He grinned. "Yes and no." Milsy favored him with an old-fashioned look. "To explain, I desire to ask you a question and then, should the answer be favorable, I must needs consult the Queen."

Her instincts roused, she prompted him. "Then you must ask your question, guildsman."

His face fell. "Is that all I am to you? A guildsman in the service of Palarand? Mistress Milsy, I would be more. Though we have known each other but a brief time, I find our association to be agreeable and I desire to make it more personal. How say you?"

Her heart was pounding and there were strange tinglings running over her body. It seemed that he was of the same mind as herself and his intent to consult the Queen suddenly made sense. She was aware that her own face was heating up, along with much else of her body.

"I would not object at all, Master Tarvan. You should know that my feelings toward you may be similar to your own for me. To be clear, you intend to pursue a personal arrangement between ourselves?"

"With time, aye, I do. I know that it is yet too soon for such a thing, but to proceed further we must involve the Queen. Have I your permission?"

"Tarvan, you do. With all my heart, you do."

He stood and bowed. "Then I will leave you now to join the Queen for your nap. I will return during the afternoon to make my plea before the Queen."

After Tarvan left the room, Milsy stood and turned to Bursila.

"Well! Did you expect that?"

"Milady, the attraction between you was apparent but I did not know if either of you would make any further move. Your association is a curious one and I could not tell if anything would come of it."

Milsy shrugged. "I wasn't sure either. Much will depend on my future status in the palace, I deem. Come, let us join the others outside."

On the balcony Terys had already taken her place but she cast a careful eye over Milsy when she appeared and curtseyed.

"Dear, you have some color about your cheeks. I hope you have not caught a chill working in that big, cold chamber."

"No, Ma'am, it is just that something has happened at lunch. If we could talk about it afterwards?"

"As you wish, dear. Now, find your own chair and settle down."

"As you command, Ma'am."

* * *

As they were sitting enjoying their after-nap pel, Terys asked, "Now, dear, explain what has happened to you. I wonder, is it Tarvan? Is he behaving himself?"

The Queen sees everything, Garia said. She was right! I better behave myself in future!

"Ma'am, it is and, Ma'am, he is. We have discovered a mutual attraction. I believe he would ask your permission to discover if there should be anything more."

"One can tell much by the way people talk, you know," Terys mused. "The tone of voice, the choice of words, all can show a like or dislike. When one is dealing with people from other lands this is a useful thing to learn. In your own case I could see that the two of you were agreeable to each other from your first meeting. You are of the same mind? You would wish to come to an agreement with this man? He will soon become a guildsman in a new trade and I doubt not that he would be better for you than many another you could encounter in our palace."

"Ma'am, this is all new to me. I knew many men and boys among the castle staff but none touched me the way that Tarvan does. I do not expect to rise as Garia did, there is no other like her on Anmar, I deem, but I find myself interested in Tarvan the man as well as the work that he does."

"And he comes to me because of your special status, of course. I have no objection to what he may propose but the two of you must needs realize that your present assignment as a substitute for Garia must prevail over all other considerations. Is that understood?"

"Thoroughly, Ma'am, and thank you."

"Then tell me about your morning, dear. I do not think I desire to hear about the wires and coils, but I would hear of your first adventure as Garia beyond your suite."

"Aye, Ma'am. Well, the first thing was, I discovered that I wasn't sure what I should be wearing in the laboratory. It looks like I'll have to consult Rosilda sometime soon. Then -"

* * *

"The Queen agrees!"

That was the first thing that Tarvan said when he visited Milsy that evening.

She nodded, "Aye. She saw that something had happened and we talked about it after our nap. She permits us to continue, but reminds us that I am supposed to be the Baroness before all else."

He nodded. "Aye, I have not forgotten, but if I may venture, I deem you may be as interesting as the Baroness though in a different fashion." A smile. "That was not what I meant, Milsy. I think that what I am attempting to say is that I believe you could make a good guildswoman. Where the Baroness leads, others must needs follow, and I would have you as my assistant in my experiments, as well as... a more personal association."

"Me? A guildswoman? I never thought of such a thing! " She gestured to the settee. "Come, let us sit and speak of these matters. We have much to talk about this evening."

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Comments

Great chapter

As Tarvan said: "You are supposed to be intelligent, you tell me." (Or words to that effect)

And Milsy has done just that, with little or no preparation. She appears to have grasped some of the principles of magnetism, of generating, of reversible motors, etc etc etc - without understanding the underlying principles. She appears to have a similar ability to Senidet, that of being able to SEE the applications and how they might be used. Senidet of course has this technical drawer's easel and instruments in her head, Milsy, it seems to me on so far presented evidence, that she can accept that things happen, and then IMAGINE using that effect somewhere else (entirely).
Excellent descriptive powers from Ms. Lane, I deem - as well as the usual imaginative excellence.
Thanks Penny
J.
... ... ...

P.S. All the appropriate appendices have been updated!

I wonder

When one of them is going to use an electric motor to power a coiling machine, all it needs is a rotating bit to hold the slug, some gearing and a flywheel to guide the wire

Wonderful

It was wonderful to see Milsy introduced to the laboratory that she is going to making her mark in before Garia returns to the palace.

Thank you.

Jeri Elaine

Homonyms, synonyms, heterographs, contractions, slang, colloquialisms, clichés, spoonerisms, and plain old misspellings are the bane of writers, but the art and magic of the story is in the telling not in the spelling.

Motors

The ones that they are using don't have a magnetic ring around them do they? Just magnets attached to the boards.

I wonder 2

If Garia will have a pinball app on her phone when she returns, not for the game itself but because a traditional pinball machine is within Anmar's electrical capabilities, and the problems that they will have making their own will bring about technology that will be useful elsewhere

Milsy

is not just intelligent, but possibly in the genius level.

Ignorant but intelligent

Jamie Lee's picture

Milsy is going to be such an asset to the lab, based on her deductive reasoning about the steam engine and previous understandings. If Tarvin keeps explaining things to her she will eventually be leaps and bounds above his understanding, because of her ability to leap to the logical conclusion.

Heart palpitations are affecting Milsy and Tarvin for each other, on first sight. While they will work well together, they are meant to be a couple for the length of their lives. People will be surprised what these two come up with when Milsy is up to speed and starts working with Tarvin.

Others have feelings too.