Chapter 11

Summer of the Fifth Year of His Grace King James

Liuz kept his eyes open as the top of the table exploded.

To be honest, exploded might be too enthusiastic of a term. The stone table top WAS still there, after all, sitting on four wooden legs. He could see that in the mirror, angled so they could see inside the enclosed room without being in direct line of fire of anything. The small pile of powder was gone, smoke and a black scorch mark the only remnants of its existence.

"I think that was better."

Zarek nodded beside him, blinking. The blond teen rubbed his eyes with his right hand.

"Looked right at it."

"That's the only way to see it."

"Right at it." Zarek dropped his hand, blinking some more. Liuz chuckled.

"That was with less sulfur, right?"

"Yeah. The rest was the same. We had a cleaner flame, it looked like." Walking along the brick wall, they entered the room as others uncovered windows. "I almost think we have the mixture right. At least enough to start figuring out what to do with it."

Liuz nodded. He wasn't the alchemist of the group. Mixing chemicals or metals wasn't his thing. He trusted Zarek for that.

"Let me know when you're ready for the dangerous part."

The seventeen year old walked out of the brick testing chamber, blinking under the noon sun.

"I want gunpowder," the King had said. "I want to build weapons that can throw a lead ball half a mile at the enemy. Here are the three ingredients. Go."

Liuz shook his head. His Grace had such trust in him and his sister. Trust in no way well placed, as flattering as it was. Yes, so far they had managed to deliver what King James wanted, but it was more chance than skill. Or was accidental innovation a skill? Hmm...

Pondering that, he crossed the meadow. The workshop loomed before him, its waterwheel turning swiftly beside the two story structure. They had barely tapped the power of the falls, its warm water coming directly from the Kikker hot springs up above. Only its location in Kikker lands at the end of the island had kept it free until His Grace had offered it to Liuz. Or had he been saving it for some future use? One never knew with the King. His goals, and priorities, could be strange.

A pair of wagons was moving away, down the raised road towards the city. Another batch of Lincoln Logs for the next Watu trading ship. Even though anyone could make the things, "Polish Pieces" seemed to be popular out in the world. Kasia had early on suggested burning the Polish Eagle onto one end of every wood log. Was that why Harveen's father could not get enough of the things into his ships? Even letting other woodworkers in the city help make them hadn't sated the demand.

A clanging came from across the stream. Good. The metal smith was working on those gears Liuz needed. Wood gears were good enough for toys, but for anything more serious he had to rely on others to make the parts he required. Not that there was a market for clocks, yet. They were expensive, unreliable, and really unneeded. Maybe after he had the four faced one the King wanted for the main plaza finished and installed...

Another horse drawn cart appeared, passing the two loaded wagons. Liuz tried to think of what they were expecting. The coal bin was full (His Graces' reluctance to have the smiths start using that miracle fuel still confused him). He wasn't expecting a wood or ore shipment. Was this just a messenger?

The small cart came to a stop beside the bridge over the stream, as if unsure where to go. The driver, a Kikker, noticed Liuz approach. He waved.

"Greetings!" His Polish was heavily accented. Liuz wondered if any Kikker on the island didn't speak Polish at this point. You almost never heard their language, even the few times he had been in Visvang.

"Greetings." Liuz came to a stop beside the cart. "What can we do for you?"

"I have a passenger for you." The cart shifted. He saw two sets of greenish feet appear on the other side, one very small. "Chief Ajani sends them, with his respect."

Liuz frowned. He didn't like people forced on him. He wanted to pick his workers. Yes, everyone sent had worked out, but it was the principle of the thing. He was not a dumping ground for people too clever to fit in elsewhere.

The woman came into view. The first thing he noticed was her chest. It was covered. Unlike every other Kikker female he had ever seen, she wore a cloth vest dyed purple, fastened closed with two buttons. Her skirt was also cloth, yellow in color. Her skin was light green, with darker splotches. At her side was a smaller, flat chested version of herself, dressed in just a yellow skirt. The girl was gazing around in wonder.

"Hello," the woman said. Her accent was beyond thick, Polish obviously new to her. She bowed her head. "I am Tabia. This is my daughter, Yaa." Gently getting the girl's attention, she signaled with her head. The child bowed.

"I'm Liuz. What can we do for you?"

"Chief Ajani said you were looking for workers." She came to a sort of attention. "I am a very good seamstress, can work with fabric and leather. My daughter cooks." The girl looked up. Liuz knew Kikker aged differently than Poles, but she looked young. Younger than his sister, certainly. A thought came to him.

"Polish food, or insects?"

Tabia's eyes widened. Obviously, that distinction hadn't occurred to her. Liuz shook his head.

"Why did you come here?"

"We heard Nowy Poland was a good place. A good place for Kikker who want to improve their lot. A good place to..." She dropped her head. "Start again."

The fact that she could say that in Polish was almost more impressive than what the words actually meant. New to the language she was, but she had studied hard. He nodded.

"If you're willing to work, we'll give you a try." He motioned with his hand towards the house. "Come."

Harveen sat in the main room, hands and feet holding open a book, one of the first from the new printing press. Liuz smiled. The old press had worked fine, and was now churning out books for His Grace's new schools, but Kasia's improvements seem to have been worth the months she had put into it. The movable type was even better.

His Watu friend noticed him, tossing the book onto a cushion and leaping to her feet. She didn't run to him, instead walking slowly as she smiled, adjusting her feathered vest. Reaching him, she ran her right hand down his bare arm, claws lightly scratching in a way he found amazingly pleasant.

"Did the test go good?" she asked. He smiled, placing his left hand on her head. After his last growth spurt she now stood only an inch or two taller than his belly button.

"I think so. I told Zarek to move on."

Her eyes seemed to notice the two Kikker. They hardened, her fingers wrapping around his arm.

"And these are?"

"New workers, maybe." He looked at them. "This is Tabia, and her daughter Yaa. Tabia works with cloth and leather. Tabia, this is Harveen." The two bowed.

"Are they staying here?" Harveen's hand began moving up and down his arm, one claw lightly scratching. Damn, she had somehow become very good at that.

"I think they have to. There's still that empty room upstairs, right?"

She nodded slowly, seeming to relax.

"Yes. I'll have Dorata get it ready."

"Thank you," Tabia said, bowing again. Harveen smiled, Yaa taking a step back in apparent fright.

"Work hard, and you will be welcomed here."

Kasia swiftly made her way down the cobbled sidewalk.

The new crutches were working well. Lighter, yet giving more support. A better grip on both grass and stone, too. Liuz had outdone himself.

She stopped beside a store window, examining herself in the vague reflection. She didn't like having two crutches. It seemed more ... well, permanent. More a sign this was her life from now on. Which, yes, it would be. No longer could she carry anything, unless it fit in one of the small pouches on a crutch. She was dependent on others. But, she could move faster now. Maneuver easier. Whack people in her way without losing her balance. It was a tradeoff well worth making.

She continued on. People smiled at her as she passed. The city was somehow friendlier than Fredrick, not that the mainland town had been mean. Or, maybe, she was somehow just more likable now. That could be. Kasia was now more of a woman. Not that she was in any hurry to become one. Being a woman could be a huge pain.

Kasia came to the town plaza. Short benches encircled a large stone fountain, main public source of water for the harbor. With a tired sigh, she slid down onto the closest bench. Leaning back, she closed her eyes.

Roda was married.

It had taken longer than Kasia had expected. Longer, she suspected, than Roda's mother had expected. The girl was attractive, after all, and most girls were getting married and popping out kids by fifteen. Had she been pining for Liuz all this time? Had Roda wanted him to call her to Nowy Warsaw? Maybe.

Kasia knew the idea had never even crossed his mind.

Her brother had no interest in girls. No interest in women. Thankfully, also no interest in (ew) men. She had heard rumor of some in the Palace who did that, and just the idea gave her the willies. Thank Jesus she had never seen anyone like that on her visits to the Palace. She would have reported them to Ola right away.