Milsy begins the task of introducing Senidet to the palace and those who work in it. She meets guildsmen, obtains winter clothing and is taken to see the Great Clock, before a visit to the Salon brings unexpected news.

What Milsy Did

by Penny Lane

30 - Senidet Suggests

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) 2018 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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It was definitely cold the next morning, although the blankets Bursila had found had been enough to keep Milsy comfortable during the night. When she rose she saw that the fire was in embers, which probably meant that somebody had refreshed it overnight. If they had not it would have just been ashes. She could feel the chill in the air, and it was an unfamiliar feeling, since the thick stone of Dekarran meant that the inhabitants of that castle rarely suffered from the winter weather.

Those that didn't have duties requiring them to go outside, that is.

Bursila wasn't about yet, so she wandered over to the window and pulled a drape. Outside it was gray, with many flecks of white noticeable in the thin drizzle falling into the courtyard.

The work suit should keep me warm enough, she thought. Assuming somebody is stupid enough to ask me to go somewhere outside the palace in this, that is!

Oh. Rosilda still has it... That means that I will have to stay inside the palace today. Awkward but convenient, I deem.

Still, with everybody returned to the palace there are likely to be interesting things happening in the next few days. I wonder what His Highness will do? I do not know him sufficiently well to guess what his decision will be. If he makes any at all.

Bursila appeared, yawning. "You are awake early, Mistress."

"Good morning, Bursila. It must be the cold in the air. I was just thinking, it was never this cold in the castle, but that was because we were inside so much stone. Is it always going to be like this in the palace?"

"Mistress, I could not say. Like yourself, I have not yet spent a winter in the palace." Bursila paused to think. "I have recently noticed some of the others wearing thicker or longer attire since the weather became colder, and that includes both staff and residents. I wonder... if the Wardrobe can provide us what is required."

Milsy smiled. "We can ask somebody during breakfast, Bursila. If Dyenna is not there then we might be able to approach the Queen."

Bursila looked dubious. "The Queen will doubtless be busy today, with the Prince returned. I am sure some solution will be found. Now, shall I pull for water while you use the toilet?"

The maid was tying Milsy's sash a little later when they heard a knock at the entrance door. Bursila went to find out who was there and came back with Senidet and Molleena.

"Good morning M- Milsy." Senidet just managed to avoid calling her 'Mistress'. "If it please you, I thought to speak with you before you went to breakfast this morning. I have been thinking."

Milsy smiled at the smith's daughter. "Good morning Senidet, good morning Molleena. Senidet, it's just us here. There is really no need to be so formal when we are by ourselves. I don't know what you have heard in Blackstone but the King's court tries to keep formality as short and simple as possible. Now, we are two guildswomen, are we not? Doubtless you have an idea for me, then just speak."

Senidet still looked uncomfortable, but that was inevitable considering her recent arrival. I know, it took me a time to settle in and I was stuck in Garia's suite for a lot of it!

"I did not intend to delay your breakfast, Milsy, so I thought we might speak as we walked."

"Oh. Yes, of course. Are we ready, Bursila? Let's go, then." To Senidet she asked, "What was it about? I know that I sometimes wake up in the night thinking about some problem from the day before."

In the corridor Tord saluted and then led them the short distance to the dining room.

"That is more or less what happened to me," Senidet admitted. "I have been thinking about your holder of gas," she said. "The design you showed me yesterday was, if I understand you right, nothing more than a cylinder like that of a steam engine. Would I be right?"

Milsy thought. "Well yes, but I never thought of it that way when I designed it! Of course it is just a cylinder, now that I consider it, but the... piston, if you will, is fixed and it is the cylinder which moves. Why?"

"I thought, why do you not just make a fixed shape, with no moving parts? You may simply pump water in and out as you require. It is the amount of water in the shape which controls how much gas is inside, and at what pressure."

Milsy stopped, colliding with two of the guardsmen. "Why, you're absolutely right, Senidet! That gets rid of the whole problem with having a water seal and lifting a huge vessel up and down! That's a very good idea, and it will be much simpler to make."

They entered the room, heads together.

"Aye, Milsy." Senidet cast a brief glance at those already inside, noting that the Queen was present, in a small group that included Eriana and Garia. Both girls stopped and curtseyed before heading for a quiet corner to continue talking. "You would need to have a steam engine, I deem, to pump the water, but there would probably already be one or more on the site. I thought that it might be possible for the whole thing to be made to work on its own, so that the pressure in the vessel or tank could be made to start and stop and reverse the steam engine which pumped the water."

Milsy was impressed. "That's very clever, Senidet! I suppose you were thinking of using something like the safety valve to regulate the pressure? It would be a similar device, but probably somewhere inside the vessel." Milsy's brain had already begun to design such a device.

"As you say, Milsy. I was not sure if such a thing would be possible."

"I do not believe that anything like that already exists, since there is yet no need for it, but you provide an argument for making a prototype at least. It will have to wait for Master Parrel to return -"

Merizel appeared in the doorway with Tandra. She curtseyed to the Queen and then saw Milsy and Senidet, walking over to greet them.

"Good morning, Milsy, Senidet, and Bursila. It is colder today, is it not?"

Bursila, through force of habit, curtseyed to Merizel. "Milady, while the cold is noticeable, it is nothing like that we endured at your father's house. Begging your pardon."

Merizel gave a wry smile. "I remember it well! Yes, you are right. It was bad but we knew it not. The palace is a much more comfortable place to be. Senidet, are you having any problems?"

"I have managed so far, Lady Merizel, thank you for asking. Milsy offers to help me learn my way around."

"As you say! I remember, when I first came here, I was astonished - and not confident at all that I would survive even a week! It took the Queen and Garia together to talk me into staying, I recall."

"A story for another day, I deem," Milsy said.

Merizel wrinkled her nose. "Perhaps. It was an uncomfortable circumstance." She looked around, the Queen had moved on. "If you would both excuse me, I must needs speak with Garia."

"Of course, Milady."

The pair watched Merizel go off to join Garia.

"What had you thought to do with the water?" Milsy asked. "Keep it in another tank or have an open pool or pond next to the gas holder?"

"I had not yet reached that point in my design," Senidet admitted. "I was not even sure that my idea was possible, so I did not develop it so far as to think about where the water came from and went."

"Well, my guess would be that you'd have to keep the water that you used separate. You see, the gas isn't just gas, like the air around us, it has all kinds of other stuff in it, smelly stuff, which might get into the water and taint it. That was a concern with my original design -"

The King arrived and everybody headed for the tables. Bursila and Molleena went to the sideboards to begin serving the two girls. For a while they concentrated on eating while watching the happenings on other tables. Gullbrand appeared late, bowed and muttered an apology to the King, and found a vacant seat at the other end of their table.

Senidet said, in a tone that implied that she was doing something she ought not, "I was thinking about some of the other things that you showed me yesterday."

Milsy glanced at her from the corner of her eyes. "I do not recall any guild regulation that prevents you thinking about work when you are not doing it," she remarked. "After what I showed you, I am not surprised your head was filled with ideas. What else have you thought about, then?"

"The clocks." She indicated the repeater clock over the door. "I was wondering about how such a system would work if transported to Blackstone, for example. Unlike here in the palace, the wires which are required to make it function must needs travel between buildings and even somehow make their way across the street."

Milsy frowned. I always thought of these clocks as being entirely inside buildings, like the palace or the Hall of the Guilds. A whole town? Interesting. "Go on, then. You have some ideas."

"Thoughts, mostly. You see, the wires would be exposed to the weather, so we have sun, rain, wind and possibly ice to consider. There would also be rodents who might chew the wires and avians who would see them as places to alight."

"And put their weight on the top wire, causing a short circuit. I see. Do you know, I had only briefly considered taking the clock wires outside, and that would only have been along the cloisters of the palace courtyards. The wires would eventually corrode, of course, with the weather, unless we can discover some means of protecting them. As for taking them across a street, I have no idea how that may be done. You have thoughts?"

Senidet gave a weak smile. "What did Lady Garia keep saying to us? Yes and no. First, I was not sure how long the wires might be made. Blackstone is but a single street which stretches along the side of a hill. At the higher end is our clock tower, which is operated by the family of a friend of mine. The street is about half a mark, or maybe three quarters of a mark, long. Would that be too far, do you think?"

"Maker, no! I would estimate that some of the runs inside the palace are at least that long, Senidet. Don't forget that, even if two chambers seem to be near each other, we must needs use the corridors to run wires between them and that can be several times as far. Besides," she grinned, "I found a way around the distance problem."

Milsy explained about the repeater cabinets and Senidet was suitably impressed. "That is clever, Milsy! I would never have thought of that."

"Well, it came about as the result of another idea, which ended up being different again. So, while I cannot estimate how long your street is, I would wager that we can run wires down both sides all the way to the bottom, if so needed."

"Oh, that is a relief. Well, the next idea I had was for crossing the street -"

They spent the whole meal discussing this new idea, with Senidet offering ideas and Milsy looking for obstacles, with the result that Bursila had to nudge them to stand when the King rose. After the royal party had left, Milsy reconsidered what she would be doing this morning.

"As you can see, I am unable to do what I had planned to this morning, because my special work suit must needs be cleaned following a problem from when I last wore it. So -"

"Excuse me," Senidet said as they retraced their steps to Milsy's quarters, "your work suit? What is that?"

"Ah," Milsy smiled, "because of my special position as advisor I can be asked to go to many different guild works and sites. We - Bursila and I - tried it with just some heavy fabric dresses and aprons but we still had problems, so I asked Rosilda to design and make us some special leather suits to wear. Normally these have proved adequate but there was a fire at the Coke Works the day before yesterday, so they stink of smoke and must needs be cleaned." Milsy thought. "I suppose," she said slowly, "that I ought to ask Rosilda to make you a special suit too. Garia will be getting one, of course, but if you are to be doing similar work to me then you'll need to be protected as well. Oh, and that will include Molleena getting an assistant's suit as well, of course."

"Rosilda? Who is she?"

"One of the palace seamstresses, who has done special work for Garia. Have you seen the exercise attire she wears for the unarmed combat training?"

"Oh, yes! She did it in the yard of the Ptuvil's Claw in Blackstone with her men and not a single person in the town could believe their eyes! It was amazing! To see somebody of the same size and build as you throwing huge men, it seemed impossible, and I believe that many of the girls who saw those demonstrations, as I did, suddenly realized that we girls could do so much more than we had ever imagined."

Milsy grinned at Senidet. "Well, we two are perfect examples of that, are we not? Lady Garia leads and the rest of us will surely follow. I think that what we shall do this morning is to go and find my palace guildsmen friends and introduce you to them. That will give you an idea of what they do and where they are, should you need their services in future. We can call in at the Palace Wardrobe on our way back before lunch."

"Ah, if you please, there might be another matter that you could help me with, and this might be the best time to mention it. You have noticed my hair? Though I do like it as long as it is, it has suffered during our journey here and I think it must needs be trimmed. In Blackstone, there is a woman who attends the hair of all the women in the town. Can I assume that, somewhere in the city, such women also have houses? How may we find them?"

Milsy smiled. "We do not even have to leave the palace to find such help, Senidet! There are so many people working here, men and women, that there is a special department available to all to attend their needs. If I may look at your hair. Of course, mine is so short now that it does not split the same way that long hair does, but it can get out of shape very easily so I have to have it trimmed every month or so. Attendance at the Salon is free, providing of course that you may find the time to spend there."

Milsy walked around Senidet, lifting the hair and examining it closely. She pursed her lips.

"Aye, I see what you mean. Even with careful washing, long hair eventually needs some attention. I think that we had better try the Salon first, do you not agree, Bursila? If we then have time, we may go to the guild workshop."

"As you say, Mistress, though again I would caution that the Salon may be busy with so many returning recently."

"We can but try. Lead the way, then."

As Bursila led the way deeper into the rearmost parts of the palace Senidet became unsettled.

"There is yet more? Do people become lost in here?"

Milsy looked at Bursila, but it was Molleena who answered. "Mistress, most who work here soon learn the ways between the places that they work and those where they may eat or sleep. Most never learn much more. It is only the guard who would know most of it."

"And the guildsmen, don't forget," Milsy added. "They need to know where everything goes so that they can fix pipes or mend windows and such."

"As you say, Mistress Milsy."

The Salon was busy when they reached it. There were a number of guardsmen having hair cuts in the "servant's" part but Milsy just pushed straight through to the inner sanctum. A harassed Shelda saw them and left her client to attend them.

"I am sorry, Mistresses, there is no time this morning. Mistress Milsy, I thought I did your hair a week ago. Is there some problem?"

"We have not come for me this time, Mistress Shelda. If I may introduce Mistress Senidet, who has traveled down from Blackstone with Lady Garia. She is living in the palace for the present. Her hair has suffered during the journey."

Shelda gave a quick glance over Senidet's hair and shook her head. "I regret that I cannot attend you this morning, Mistress. I can see that it needs attention, but you can see that there are several already waiting. If I may ask you to return later this afternoon, perhaps? I may be able to do some urgent repairs then, but for a full session, especially with hair so fine, it may take a whole morning."

Senidet looked doubtfully at Milsy, who merely smiled at Shelda. "I think we can manage with that, Mistress Shelda. We'll come back later this afternoon, then."

"Ah, Mistress Milsy, before you depart. I understand that you have something to do with all the new clocks about the palace?"

Milsy gave her a knowing look. "Mistress Shelda, I know exactly what you are thinking! If you would permit me to discuss this when we come later, we should not keep you from your clients."

"As you say, Mistress. Until later, then."

* * *

"If I may introduce Apprentice Senidet of Blackstone, presently attached to Guildmistress Garia and now residing here in the palace."

Senidet looked around. This was a fairly large chamber and was obviously used by a number of different trades, which would have been a strange idea to her before she came to the palace. It was not as big nor as high as the Family Dining Room but still had a high enough ceiling and tall windows in both walls, looking out over the inevitable cloistered courtyards. Inside she could identify benches, trestles, stools, wall-mounted cupboards at either end and, in one corner, a small furnace similar to that in Milsy's laboratory.

The men in the workshop stopped what they were doing and put down their tools, to come and shake Senidet by the hand. There were only seven present this morning, the rest being about their tasks elsewhere in the palace. Two strode forward immediately.

"Guildsman Tobin, Mistress, Locksmith to His Majesty. Welcome to the mad house!"

"Guildsman Harion, Mistress. My domain is the drains, which regrettably means that sometimes I bring my work back into the palace with me. If you would accept my apologies in advance."

"Ha! What he means is that oft-times the drains are smelly and he stinks when he returns for meals." A third man grinned as he stuck out his hand for Senidet to shake. "Senior Guildsman Bassen, at your service, Mistress. I am in charge of the palace's joiners, or at least I was until Mistress Milsy here decided she desired clocks to be installed everywhere."

"Hey! It wasn't me!" Milsy protested. "This is all the King's idea, I'll remind you. Um, at least until everyone realized how useful the new clocks were and wanted them for their own departments." She grinned. "I may even have a new location for a repeater, should it be authorized."

"Another one? Who this time?"

"Mistress Shelda. I can see she might have the need for it."

"Hmm. Terevor complained about the one we asked for the kitchen, until he saw how useful it would be to them. If I may suggest, the Queen may be willing to help in Shelda's particular case."

"As you say! After all, it is the women of the palace who make most use of the Salon."

Another Guildsman held out his hand. "Guildsman Faranar, Mistress, and also a joiner. Delighted to meet you. I would wager that the palace is somewhat different than what you are used to in Blackstone?"

Senidet shook his hand. "As you say, Master Faranar. The whole of Blackstone could be swallowed up inside the palace, I deem, and never be heard of again! I never imagined that a building could be so large."

The others all chuckled. "Indeed, Mistress," Faranar agreed, "and that is why the palace has such a large number of resident guildsmen. In such a big building, there is always something to be replaced, repaired or updated. We are never short of work and Milsy does not help our cause. We have had to take on two more joiner journeymen and two more workers of brass and copper. That means finding accommodation for them and so on." He shrugged. "And so the palace grows."

"And of course the Guildmistress makes her own mark on the palace," a fifth man added, holding out his hand. "Guildsman Kornik of the Masons, should you be interested in stone. Welcome to the palace, Mistress. How is it you chose to try your luck among the Guilds of Palarand, then?"

Senidet was unused to such interest and blushed. "If it please you, I am the daughter of Brydas, Blackstone's smith. My mother died when I was young and I spent much of my younger years in my father's forge. He taught me to read, write and to number, and I discovered that I could read and understand the drawings sent him by the guilds."

Kornik was intent. "What manner of smith was your father, then? As a mason based in the city, you understand, my knowledge of guild practice in remote places is small."

"Blackstone is... was a small town, Master Kornik. My father filled all the needs of the town, which means that he made or repaired everything of metal that required the services of a smith, and, sometimes, some that did not. We are so small a town that many of the guilds help each other out when there is need."

"Aye, of course," Kornik nodded. "Sometimes we do so in the palace, but until the Guildmistress appeared certain of the guilds disapproved of such activity. She has shown us the error of our ways, I deem."

Many of those present nodded and grunted agreement.

"So then," Kornik continued, "I would guess that Lady Garia appeared in Blackstone to take possession of her rights."

"That is so, Master Kornik, but it was not so simple as it may sound. Blackstone at that time was held by the bandit Trogan and his band, and I was a hostage in their hands."

There was a collective gasp. Faranar asked, "Did they..?"

She nodded, her eyes downcast. "Master, they did. Several times. If I may ask you not to press me on this matter? It is still painful to remember."

The sixth man stepped forward. "Mistress, the Prince sent letters from the north which horrified us all. No-one here can imagine what you must have faced, and we shall of course respect your privacy. If I may introduce myself, I am Pundran, Metalsmith with responsibility for the cutlery, kitchen tools and cookware of the palace. Be welcome here, Apprentice, you make a welcome addition to our ranks within the palace."

There was a mutter of agreement. The last man, a younger person who could not have yet obtained his release, held out his hand.

"Journeyman Sterret, Mistress. I am presently working on some of Mistress Milsy's projects."

Milsy clarified, "The clocks, he means. He is a member of the Clockmakers Guild, but since we now have so many clocks in the palace I expect he will become resident here."

"As you say, Milsy."

She nodded at him and then addressed the whole group. "I brought Senidet here today to introduce her to you. She is properly an apprentice of Lady Garia, the Guildmistress. I have had almost no chance to speak with Lady Garia since she returned to the palace, as you might imagine, so I have no idea what Senidet is supposed to be doing, only that she may accompany me until everyone settles back in again. If she should come and ask questions of any of you, please tell her what she needs to know, for I have already discovered that she has a keen mind."

Bassen, as the most senior man present, answered for the group. "Of course, Milsy. If the Guildmistress commands it, it shall be so. Be welcome here, Senidet."

Senidet bobbed a nervous curtsey. "Thank you, Master. If I may look at what you do in here? I'm sure that we did not intend to interrupt your work."

"As you say. Men? We should resume what we were doing."

The group broke up and returned to their benches. Milsy conducted Senidet about the room, looking at whatever was being worked on. Since the trades were more varied than the work her father did, Senidet found many of the activities more interesting than she had originally thought. She took particular notice of Bassen's current project.

"If I may ask what you do, Master Bassen."

"This is a replacement for a tool drawer in the kitchens, Senidet. As you may see, I have already marked out for the elbow joints but first I must needs make the grooves for the base to be slotted in."

"Elbow joints?"

"Aye, look here at one I have finished. See, these are shaped like a man with his elbows out, so that when they slide into the back piece nothing may move. Look, at the bottom, this is the groove for the base panel."

"Ah, I see." Her face took on a faraway expression, then cleared. "If I may ask, would it be possible to make more than one groove in the wood?"

Bassen was puzzled, but a look at Milsy's' face told him this might be important. "Why, of course. See, this is the tool I use, it is nothing but a kind of smoothing plane with a special narrow blade like that of a chisel. I can adjust this piece here to determine the position of the groove. If I may ask, what would be the purpose? There would be little point in having several bases to the same drawer."

"Mistress Milsy and I were discussing a completely different matter, Master Bassen, and your grooves might make answer." She turned to Milsy. "If we may take a long, thin piece of wood and put a groove in either side, Milsy. Into each groove we put a wire and then fill the groove with wax. That would keep the wire in place and stop the water causing the circuit to fail."

"Why, you are right, Senidet! Another clever idea, I deem. Master Bassen, is what she asked possible? We would be asking for long strips, maybe two or more strides long, with grooves cut in them, and perhaps another piece of wood fixed each side to protect all."

Bassen nodded. "In principle there would be no difficulty with what you ask, Milsy. I admit that it had never occurred to me that wires could be run along the grooves. Perhaps this method would be of use in the palace? If a clock is to be placed in the barracks, for example, the wires must needs go outside and therefore be subject to the weather. I know that you were concerned at corrosion and other damage."

"As you say! It might be a more discreet way of running the wires inside, as well, since only a plain wood surface would be seen. A pity this was not thought of earlier."

"We may only learn by doing, Milsy. As with every craft, we may not guess the future."

"Except, perhaps, when someone like Lady Garia comes and tells us of the mistakes the future has made elsewhere."

"As you say. But even she does not know everything the future may have waiting for us."

After some time - and a mug of pel - in the workshop, Milsy decided that it was time to move on to the Palace Wardrobe. Molleena led the way through some obscure rear passages and across to Lady Dyenna's office.

"Mistress Milsy, welcome! After greeting Lady Garia earlier, I wondered if you would join us today. I assume that, like her, you have brought your party to collect some winter attire?"

Milsy looked surprised. "Lady Dyenna, I did not, it is true, but it was something that I intended to ask you about. Um, if I may first introduce Mistress Senidet of Blackstone, who has traveled down from that town in Lady Garia's party to begin working with her in the palace. Like me she is a guildswoman, though yet an apprentice. Because of what she is likely to be working on, I came here today to request that she be provided with a leather suit like my own, and her maid Molleena with an assistant's suit like that of Bursila."

Dyenna blinked and then smiled. "Another one! Of course, I will arrange it, but you know that Lady Garia has just asked for a similar suit and that will take priority?"

Milsy grinned. "I would expect nothing less, Milady. Oh, and Senidet is now resident in the palace, so she will need a wardrobe tally the same as the rest of us, and of course she has yet to be properly measured and outfitted."

"As you say." Dyenna took a blank square of parchment and then began taking down Senidet's details immediately, to the Blackstone girl's amazement. "I will summon someone to measure her, and once that is completed you will all be able to go into the stores and find yourselves some winter attire."

After the measuring had been completed, the girls went first to the accessories department, where they obtained hats, gloves and scarves, of varying thicknesses and materials to cover wear both inside the palace and outside. Then they went into the courtyard huts, to discover rails of clothing for all seasons. Milsy, Bursila and Molleena concentrated on their winter requirements while Senidet was issued in addition with some more general gowns and other garments as befitting her new status.

Senidet was astounded at the mound of garments. "Surely I cannot just be given all this?"

"It is a shock to begin with, I will admit. Because I was pretending to be Garia, I was already familiar with her gowns and such before I left Dekarran, but the Palace Wardrobe is astonishing. I will remind you that, should you leave, you would not be expected to keep everything that you have been issued, though if garments have been made especially for you, as the suit will be, then I think you would be permitted to keep them." Milsy lowered her voice. "Of course, having become resident here, it is unlikely that any of us will ever leave, you know. The palace is like that."

Senidet's eyes were round. "I find that unsettling, Milsy." She smiled. "But also exciting, in a way."

As Milsy and Senidet trooped back to the office for the documents to be updated they met Garia and Merizel.

"Have you been collecting cold weather clothing as well?" Garia asked.

"We have, Milady," Milsy answered. "I see you have been doing the same."

"Yes, we missed out through being away. Judging by today's weather, I guess we're going to need it all soon. Senidet, how are you getting on?"

"Milady, I have seen some amazing things! I had no idea there was so much more than I had seen in Blackstone."

"Ah, well, some of that will be Milsy's doing, I expect. Some of it I don't even know myself." Senidet looked surprised. "From her letters she has been very busy since she arrived here, haven't you, Milsy?"

Milsy grinned. "As you say, Garia. I'll have to give you a conducted tour when you have the time. I am interested to learn how much of what I have thought of resembles what exists on Earth."

"As you say, but not this afternoon, I think. The King has summoned us to an important meeting and I'm not sure I need distractions right now."

"Of course. We can arrange something, no doubt."

Eriana appeared then, as Dyenna filed their acquisitions. She twitched when she saw Garia and Milsy standing side by side but then recognized who was whom.

"Garia," she began without preamble, "I wish to accept your offer to calm my mind. Although the palace servants are... well-meaning, there have been difficulties this morning, mostly of my own making. Every day I reside here I discover how different Palarand is than my own homeland." She looked at Garia earnestly. "Will you teach me?"

"If you're sure about this, Eriana. What I do may look silly to start with so you'll have to learn to persevere. Do you think that you can manage that?"

"It seems I have little choice, should I remain in this land." She gave a single, sharp nod. "I am a Princess of the house of Yarold. This I will do."

Milsy looked enquiringly at Garia.

"Oh, Eriana has a foul temper, much like my own," Garia explained with a little fudging. "I offered to teach her the techniques I was taught to control my own mind. It goes along with the Tai Chi and the martial arts, of course."

"Bursila taught me the Tai Chi before we left Dekarran," Milsy said. "Would there be any benefit in me learning this mind technique?"

Garia smiled. "Of course, assuming both you and I can ever find enough time to do the sessions! Merry?"

"I will note it, Garia. But I cannot schedule any time for anything until after this afternoon."

Garia's face fell. "Oh, yes. Let's get the awkward business over and done with first."

Another inquiring look from Milsy.

"Oh," Garia waved a hand, "There's a meeting with the King this afternoon. Very important." Milsy frowned, but Garia added, "You'll all find out about it, whatever happens."

* * *

Milsy and Senidet watched the King, Queen, Keren, Eriana, Garia and others file out of the dining room.

"What do you think the meeting is about?" Milsy asked Senidet.

"I could not say, Milsy. The workings of the Royal Court are yet a mystery to me and, I deem, likely to be so for some time to come."

They watched as a guardsman closed the door behind the party and then stood, like all the others still in the room.

"It is so frustrating!" Milsy grumbled. "What happens this afternoon may affect all that we do in the future, so I need to know."

"I do not think the world will change overnight," the younger girl observed. "What shall we do this afternoon?"

"Well, normally we'd go off to have our naps after lunch," Milsy explained, "but now the weather is colder that isn't done any more. If you like, we can go back to the laboratory and think about those ideas you had this morning."

Bursila said, "Mistress, if you remember, Mistress Shelda expects Mistress Senidet later this afternoon."

"As you say! I had not forgotten, Bursila." The maid plainly did not believe her. "I know! If I should take Senidet to see the Great Clock, and then we can go to the Salon. Will that satisfy you?"

"Of course, Mistress." Bursila checked her pouch. "We must briefly return to our quarters for the keys."

"As you say. Let's get going, then. It will take us some time to work our way through the palace corridors and back again to the Salon."

Some time later, Senidet was thoroughly confused. "I do not understand this place! I am sure that we have walked around three sides of a square."

Milsy considered. "You may be right, in terms of distance, but the problem is that not all the corridors meet at intersections that go all four ways. Some go only three ways, I know of two that turn corners one way and that is all. Eventually you learn all the short cuts but sometimes there are none, like... ah, here we are."

They turned a corner to come out on the inside of the old fortress wall. While there were doors to their right, the left wall was mainly of plainly plastered stone. Halfway along was a single heavy doorway.

"This is what I mean!" Milsy continued. "This wall was part of the original fortification and some think it was built by the Chivans themselves. It runs right across the whole palace, so that part is inside the wall and part is outside. There are very few openings between the two parts and this is one of them."

They reached the doorway and Senidet could see that the wall was nearly two strides thick, with a heavy set of double doors each side.

"They could knock more doorways through now, since the walls are more or less ornamental these days, but the wall does serve two useful purposes. Firstly, if there should be some kind of trouble inside the palace, it can be isolated either inside or outside and secondly, it acts as a fire prevention measure."

"Oh, I see. I would think," Senidet said, "that inside such a big wooden building, fire would be a great danger."

"I'm guessing so. That is actually one reason why the Palace Guard makes patrols around many of the corridors. As well as looking out for thieves and others who should not be there, they are keeping watch against things like fire and flood."

Another right-angle turn and they reached a door in another stone wall, this time one that was very familiar to Milsy and Bursila.

"Here we are," she grinned at Senidet, "welcome to the Tower of the Great Clock."

Bursila unlocked the door and led the way in. As the others joined her on the catwalk, the maid lit a lantern and hung it next to the door, which she closed. Senidet gasped as she saw the size of the chamber and what it contained.

"This is... amazing!"

"I thought so too, Senidet, though I did not approve of what the two Clockmakers did when they brought me here with Tarvan." She made a dismissive gesture. "Still, we and they understand each other properly now. Do you desire a closer look? We can go up those stairs to the next level, if you wish."

"This is enough for me, Milsy. Even if I went up there, I doubt I would understand much of what I saw."

"You would be surprised! When Tarvan and I were brought up here, we went up there and watched the clock while the men cleaned and oiled various parts. I doubt we were here more than about half a bell, and in that time I fully understood how the clock worked, and had already thought of several improvements." She smirked. "The Clockmakers did not believe me, of course! A mere girl, and one who was not even a guild member yet! There was a fearsome argument that even involved the King. I am glad that those days are no more."

Senidet's eyes were round. "A fight between the King and the Guilds?"

Milsy smiled. "No, indeed! A fight between the Clockmakers and the Metalsmiths! The Clockmakers thought that the Great Clock belonged to them, and that nobody else should therefore go near it, especially know-nothing apprentices. It was the King who informed them that, since the clock had been installed in the palace, it must therefore be the property of the Crown, and he could choose to permit whoever he wished to enter here."

"Maker! Is this kind of thing likely to happen again? I am not used to such heavy arguments."

Milsy shrugged. "It is just politics, Senidet, and I cannot imagine that, in even so small a place as you tell me Blackstone is, you did not have arguments about what was good for the town and what was not."

"I cannot disagree, Milsy, though while Trogan was amongst us, of course the town was like a pakh that was stuck in a bog, unable to do almost anything. I just wonder if I will be able to cope with Guildmasters arguing amongst themselves, and the King intervening."

"Most of the guilds get along with each other reasonably well now, I deem, but there are a few of several guilds who object to the new way of doing things, and some who of course will object to us women being anywhere near them or their precious works."

"Is there no remedy?"

Milsy smiled. "Aye, my Guildmaster will support us if we are right, and of course your Guildmistress has the ear of the King, so I cannot imagine that you will have much trouble in the future."

Senidet was doubtful. "If you say so. The trouble is, there is so much to learn and I know none of it."

"Don't worry. We'll always be here to give advice, be sure of it."

The Blackstone girl turned to the pit in front of them. "That... what did you name it?"

"The pendulum? It just swings backwards and forwards all the time. See those weights? They are what keeps the pendulum in motion, because left on its own it would eventually stop."

"Aye, I see. How do they know how long it takes to swing?"

"It is something to do with both the length and weight, I deem. Doubtless there is some formula to tell the Clockmakers how long and how heavy it should be. Now, look at the weight on the end. Notice that they have put some small coins on it to make a small adjustment to the weight. Such little changes are needed to keep the timing accurate over a whole day."

"And at the top?"

"Why, an ancient mechanism which is much the same as those in the clocks in the laboratory," Milsy said with a smile. "Only mine are much smaller and quieter, and keep the time better, too!"

"Is it really so?"

"You must think that I am boasting, Senidet, but in this case I am not. Tarvan and I made our first clock from parts of a smaller one supplied by the Clockmakers. Within days it was already more accurate than this clock here -"

Senidet's eyes popped out. "I beg your pardon, Milsy! How could you possibly know that?"

Milsy grinned. "Because we also have a much more accurate clock available to us, the bracelet clock which Lady Garia was wearing when she arrived from Earth. We used that as a reference and found that the previous winding of the Great Clock had not been carried out carefully enough. Most people would not have noticed, but the errors would have eventually built up over time. Now, with the electric clocks, we can be much more confident that the times we show are correct."

"Lady Garia brought a clock with her?"

"You shall see! It is small enough that, apparently, many Earth people wear them in the guise of jewelry. They are so cheap there that almost everybody has one, that they may know the time anywhere. Tarvan told me that the watch, for so it is called, is not even her regular one but a spare, while her own has some minor repairs. It is in her chambers, I can show you after..." Milsy stopped. "Oh, wait, of course Lady Garia resides there again! I am sure that she will permit me to show the watch to you, once she knows of your interest."

"I am astonished, Milsy. All this is here at the palace, and in Blackstone we never knew any of it even existed!"

"Well, some of it is because Lady Garia came, of course. Some of it is, well," she raised her arms, "just the palace. Now, if you should turn around, you will see our master electric clock."

Fixed to the wall behind the door was a tall cabinet with two square glass windows at the top, with locked double doors below them and, below those, two heavy rotary switches made of brass. At the bottom were two deep drawers which Senidet already knew would hold batteries. Bursila flourished a small key and unlocked the double doors, throwing them wide. This revealed a wooden panel with several rotary switches and push buttons, all of brass.

"This looks interesting," Senidet said, peering at the knobs and switches. "What are they all used for?"

"Mostly, they need to be left alone," Milsy explained. "That is why the door is usually locked, to stop anyone accidentally touching something. Almost all of this is to allow us to adjust the time on the rare occasions when Master Gerdas, the Royal Astronomer, deems it necessary. That will happen once or maybe twice a year, just after the Midwinter's Night celebration, and possibly after Midsummer's Day. You see, setting both the dials proved to be a very awkward thing to do, which is why we have so many wires along the walls. Setting the twenty-four hour clock is fairly easy by comparison."

Milsy explained her thoughts as she had worked her way through the setting process and Senidet nodded in understanding.

"I had not realized that our usual bells were so difficult to manage," she said. "No wonder the Clockmakers' Guild did not want you to interfere. Do you think the new system will eventually replace what we use now?"

"More than likely, but I am sure that the old clocks will be kept for traditional reasons. Unfortunately, with the new semaphore, and what Tarvan tells me is called a railroad, it seems in years to come that everywhere must needs use the exact same time or there could be chaos. Imagine if an order was received by the semaphore, and the time sent is after the time it was received, because the clocks did not agree. Accidents could be caused."

"Oh. But, surely, the time is the same everywhere?"

Milsy gave a lopsided smile. "Within Palarand itself, you would probably be correct. Since the sun rises in the east and moves across the sky to set in the west, a moment's thought might tell you that places to the west of us will see a later sunrise, noon and sunset. As little as a hundred marks may make enough difference to cause problems, which is why we must needs make changes. Master Gerdas also informs me that moving north or south can also, apparently, make a difference. In fact, if you were to travel far enough south, you would come to a region where the sun never sets at all in the summer and never rises in the winter."

Senidet stared at Milsy. "You jest, surely... but I see that you do not. It seems that I have much to learn about the world, indeed!"

"Since I arrived at the palace it seems to me that there is always something new to learn, always more questions to ask. I do not think that it will ever end, myself."

"As you say!" Senidet gestured. "What of this clock, then? Is there anything that needs attention?"

Milsy shrugged. "I do not know. Sterret, who you met earlier in the workshop, presently attends the clock each day to check the batteries and make sure that nothing is amiss. Eventually I expect the routine to be carried out by some of the palace staff, once they have been trained." She smiled. "For us, the next time we would attend will be whenever the time needs to be adjusted. I will make sure that you are present to see what happens."

"Thank you, Milsy. That might be interesting."

Milsy snorted. "The interesting part is working out which buttons will need to be pressed, how many times and in what order! Not to mention ensuring that everything still works when we are finished. Of course, this will be something that has never been done before, except on the laboratory benches, so nobody knows for certain what will happen."

"As you say."

Milsy caught Bursila's eye. "I think that it is time we finished here and went to the Salon, do you not agree? It will be your first time, so it may take a little longer for you today."

"Yes, I suppose so."

Bursila added, "As you say, Mistress. If I may lock the cabinet?"

Outside in the corridor they waited until the tower door was locked and then set off into the maze again. This time, just to show off her knowledge, Milsy took a different route that had even Molleena scratching her head.

"Who lives in these corridors, then?"

"I'm not sure. People like Kendar and Terevor, perhaps. I am told that some old retainers have small apartments along here somewhere."

"Kendar and Terevor?"

"Kendar is His Majesty's Chamberlain. He is the one who bangs his staff at meal times."

"Oh, him."

"Yes. He is also His Majesty's chief advisor on matters of constitution, law and custom. Terevor is Master of the Household. I think you might have met him when you had your chamber allocated? An old gentlemen with wispy white hair."

"In an office?" Senidet nodded. "Aye, I remember. He also assigned me Molleena."

"Yes, that's right. I think he has charge of most of the palace staff, but I don't know where anybody's responsibilities begin or end, I'm afraid. It doesn't really matter, it all seems to work and that is all I need to know. I can always ask someone if there is a problem of some sort and I doubt any would refuse to answer."

They eventually arrived at the Salon and were shown to the further room. Shelda looked at Milsy, Bursila and Molleena.

"We don't have anything else to do at the moment, so we would prefer to wait if you have room," Milsy explained. "Mistress Senidet is new to the palace and might get lost if we went away."

"As you wish," Shelda replied. "We are busy, as you can see, so I cannot attend any others of you today, but you are welcome to sit and wait."

As Shelda introduced Senidet to her chair Milsy and Bursila went to the back of the room to find their own seats. Molleena went with them, but cast a sharp glance as Bursila sat down before deciding that it wasn't proper for servants to sit while waiting on their betters. She took a position in one corner, able to see everyone but out of the way.

Shelda shook out the cloth and wrapped it around Senidet, carefully lifting her hair to fall over the chair back. The hairdresser took a comb and began straightening the younger girl's hair. Having done so, she stood back thoughtfully before turning and glancing at Milsy for a moment.

"Perhaps I am making an assumption," she said, addressing Senidet through the polished metal mirror. "You have come here for a trim, is that right? Or should I be cutting your hair as that of Mistress Milsy? It seems to be the fashion these days, especially with Lady Garia returned to the palace."

Senidet's gaze flicked from her own reflection to that of Milsy, sitting behind her. "Mistress, I wish only a trim today, if it please you. I have traveled down from Blackstone to the palace in the Prince's company and, while I think that the short hairstyle suits Lady Garia perfectly, I feel that I need to take some time to think about it before I make a decision like that."

Shelda's eyes fairly glowed. "You accompanied the Prince? How wonderful! If you may speak of your journey as I trim your hair."

"Well..." Senidet glanced at Milsy through the mirror, receiving both a nod and a hand wave indicating caution. "I may not tell you all, Mistress, since I would not break the Prince's confidence, but parts of our journey could be considered interesting, I agree. You should understand, I am but a lowly country girl, and I had traveled with my father only as far as Tranidor on a few occasions. Thus, to travel with the Prince was -"

Milsy listened to the question and answer session, learning a little more both about Senidet and about the journey down from Blackstone. Senidet glossed over the problems with Trosanar at the roadhouse and at his castle, and she omitted all mention of Holville, but was able to describe what had happened when they stayed with the other lords. Shelda had visited Dekarran so was able to understand Senidet's brief descriptions, and her account of the banquet which Gilbanar gave to the Prince and Lady Garia was well received.

Senidet did not speak of the battle after they had crossed the Sirrel, even though Shelda attempted to discover details. Instead the younger girl spoke of her amazement at reaching, finally, the great palace she was now in, and being utterly overwhelmed by it.

"I am sure that you will come to know your way around the palace, Mistress, especially with so able a helper as Mistress Milsy to show you. I understand that her present tasks take her to chambers and corridors that even I -"

There was a commotion at the further door to the other room. An excited bustle of voices made Shelda put down her shears and stalk through to find out what was causing the disruption. When she returned the voices had not quietened, but Shelda's face showed suppressed excitement.

"Mistresses," she announced to the whole chamber, "it seems that, now that the Prince has returned, His Majesty has finally made the decision the whole Kingdom has been waiting for. It would appear, from word which has reached the kitchens, that he will tomorrow announce the betrothal of his son to Her Highness, Princess Eriana!"

Senidet was shocked but strove to keep her face as blank as she could. However, the flash of surprise that Milsy had seen in the mirror told her much.

I wondered if that was what everybody was doing this afternoon. There is a Princess here and Prince Keren is back, so it would make sense to decide such matters now.

Only... from what I know - which is little enough, but significant - and from the look on Senidet's face, I'm guessing that somebody has come to the wrong conclusion. Now, will that be the King, the rumor mill in the kitchens, or Shelda?

I just hope that it isn't the King, because I suspect that Keren will not agree to such a match.

"That will be good news," Milsy diplomatically said to Shelda, "since the Kingdom must needs have a settled succession. Do you know much about Her Highness?"

Shelda gave her a look. "I suspect that you know more about the Princess than I do, Mistress Milsy. Were you not tasked to discover her likes and dislikes, her fancies and failures?"

How on Anmar did she discover that? I had better be very careful what I say!

"It is true, yet I have learned little enough, Mistress Shelda," she replied cautiously. "She mainly speaks her own harsh sounding tongue, of which I know not a single word. I believe that Lady Garia, who has yet been back in the palace but a few days, has learned more about the Princess than I have ever managed."

Shelda's gaze was sharper. "Yet you speak daily to her chamberlain at table."

"...Who struggles, as I once did, with the nature and size of the palace, and the ways of those who work here. Mostly I offer him advice about how he may do what his employer requires, that is all. You must know that, as her chamberlain, he will not tell me anything private concerning the Princess. He is too honorable to do that, and the stakes very high, with a Kingdom as the prize."

Shelda smiled. "And, it seems, that she has won her prize. That means that there must needs be a wedding to prepare. I wonder, does anyone know how the Princesses of their lands... Einnland, is that not it? ...how they attire their Princesses for marriage."

Milsy shrugged. "I could not say, Mistress Shelda. Our only source of information is the Princess and her chamberlain and they have not yet spoken of such matters, at least not in my hearing." She added, "Ah, if you would finish my friend's hair, Mistress. We have yet to prepare ourselves for the evening meal."

"Oh! As you wish."

In fact there was not too much more left to do, so Shelda cleaned up some odd ends and brushed the excess away from Senidet before releasing the protective cloth. Milsy could now see that her hair, which had been almost waist length, now reached to about the bottom of her shoulder blades and looked much tidier. Senidet stood from the chair and gave Shelda a tiny bob.

"I thank you, Mistress, for your attentions. It looks and feels much better now. Before today, I did not know how such matters were managed in the palace. If we may be excused, we must needs go and change before the evening meal."

"Of course, my dear." Shelda gave Senidet a smile as she joined the others. "Come back whenever your hair needs another trim, or if you need our other services."

Once in the corridors again, and out of sight of the Salon, Senidet turned to Milsy. "This cannot be! I cannot believe that I am even thinking this, but I deem that the King has made a mistake."

Milsy put up a hand. The four moved to one side as a group of servants hurried past on some errand.

"Before you become too upset, Senidet, I may tell you that the whole palace is ever alive with rumors, most of them no better than wild stories to be told beside the fireplace. Would you not agree, Molleena?"

Molleena gulped, then nodded. "It is true, Mistress. I could not say if it is all wild stories, though. For those who work for the King and Queen, oft-times it is our only way of finding out what happens within these walls."

"As you say, but I am just pointing out to Senidet that she must not automatically assume that everything she hears is true." Milsy turned back to Senidet with a frown. "But you have some particular reason to doubt the news, I deem."

Senidet looked nervous. "If we may return to your quarters, Milsy. I do not want to create more rumors, or break a confidence more than I must."

"Very well. Let's go!"

Once more in Milsy's sitting room, Senidet said, "When we fought the last battle, on the road from South Slip, His Highness practically swore himself to Lady Garia, Milsy. It was at the end, when we were all exhausted but before Lord Gilbanar arrived to help. I think the battle had confirmed the decision for the Prince. Most of those who were there heard his words and knew what they meant. Even before then, it was obvious that the two had a great attraction for each other."

"So you think that His Highness would defy his father?" Milsy asked intently. "Do you know about the Rule, which says that sons and daughters of Valley rulers must needs marry other noble children, to better prevent conflict?"

"It has been explained to me, aye, but I was never in the innermost circle of His Highness and Lady Garia. I could not say what they thought of the matter. I may only report what I saw and heard."

Molleena bobbed. "If I may, Mistress Milsy. I could go to the kitchens and perhaps learn the truth of all these rumors."

Milsy shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, Molleena, but I believe that will not be necessary this time. After all, we were told that the King will make an announcement tomorrow morning, and then all shall learn what has really happened this afternoon. No need for rumors at all."

The maid looked disappointed. "As you command, Mistress."

"Oh," Milsy raised a finger, "and I do not want you to say a single word of what Senidet has just told us, to anyone, do you understand? It is hearsay, I deem, but also privileged information. Since you are Senidet's maid, your information can only have come from her, and it will embarrass her greatly if it were allowed to spread. If the Prince wishes to tell all of... anything he and Lady Garia may have discussed, that is for them to decide, not us."

"I understand, Mistress."

Milsy smiled. "Besides, once we are ready for our evening meal, it is possible that we may learn something at table. After all, they will all be there, will they not?"

But at the evening meal, only the King and Queen attended, and their expressions gave nothing away. Of Prince Keren, Princess Eriana and Lady Garia, there was no sign at all.