Kasia slowly pushed the unfinished dowel into the shaper.
There probably was a better name for the thing, but she had never bothered to come up with one. The tool sat clamped onto a table in their enclosed workshop. Well, a half filled woodshed with open windows for light and air. It was a bit too windy to work outside. Leaning forward and twisting the doweling, she saw the small slanted blade shave off a long, curved strip of wood. As it passed the blade, the now perfectly rounded dowel passed through a wooden hole. Kasia smiled. It was exactly the right size for her Lincoln Logs.
She looked over at the finished pieces. The last couple weeks had been productive. Enough had been created to allow her to build some rather impressive things. Exactly why His Grace had wanted this for his children was even more apparent. Hell, she wanted one. Still, a Prince deserved more, and more of the single notched pieces were needed. She pushed more of the dowel into the blade.
Kasia needed better tools. More efficient tools. She knew which one, too. A round powered bladed saw, it's adjustable blade poking out of a table. It would take mere minutes to cut this long piece into perfectly sized logs. Add more blades close together, barely sticking up out of the table, and she could cut out perfect notches instead of carving them by hand. She could do a full set of these each day! Five sets! Enough to sell. To give to Harveen to trade.
To make money to allow her brother to experiment.
"Damn it!"
She looked over at Liuz. He was frowning at his work, as if such rebuke would get the gears and such to do their job. Letting go of the doweling, enough of it having passed through the tool that it was in no danger of cracking under its weight, she scooted her chair over towards him.
"What's wrong?"
"All of it. Watch." He turned the front towards her. A large, round circle, a foot wide, sat on a skeletal frame. A wooden arrow, attached to the center, pointed straight up. Adjusting a few things out of her sight, Liuz poured water into the top. "I'm turning it on."
As she heard the sound of water and turning gears, the arrow slowly moved. She watched, entranced, as it moved around the circle. After completing one rotation, it began to slow. It stopped.
"See? I only get one rotation out of this much water. I'd need a room's worth of water to even last a day! A big room! It's... well, pointless!"
She nodded. Kasia could see that. Water power didn't scale well.
"You'd need another power source."
"Or only have them where there's a constant flow of water."
Kasia reached out, turning the clock. The gearing her brother had come up with was amazing, each wooden gear perfectly sized and placed. A stack of gears no longer needed sat nearby.
"It has to be good for something. What you've done is amazing."
"Thanks."
A cry came from outside. Groaning, her brother rose, opening the door.
"We're in here!"
A few moments later Roda stood in the doorway. She peered in with interest.
"Having fun?"
"Nope," Liuz said. "What do you need?"
"A messenger came. He had a letter for you."
Kasia blinked. A... letter? For THEM? She rose, reaching for her crutch. Liuz motioned her back into her seat. Silently, Roda handed a white object to him.
"It's paper," he half whispered. "A paper envelope. Wow..."
"Open it!" Kasia said. Only one person they knew of would be able to waste valuable paper on something as useless as an envelope. Grabbing a small knife, he cut the end open, reaching in to grab the paper message. He moved into better lighting, Roda entering the room behind him.
"To Liuz and Kasia. You are hear-by invited to the birthday party for Prince Marik at the Royal Palace. Present this letter to any guard."
"Oh, WOW!" Kasia jumped up, hand going to the table as she balanced on one foot. "We're invited to the palace! When?"
"Um... five days from now."
She looked at the pile of pieces on the floor. Yes. She could have it all done by then. Have it stained, even. Toys should start off dark, so the dirt doesn't show so easily. A different stain for the roof...
"There is no way," Liuz said, groaning, "that I can have this work by then." He put the letter down on the table. Kasia saw it was signed by the Queen.
"What is it?" Roda asked. Glancing at her, Liuz sighed and sat down.
"Something that doesn't do anything practical." He moved the water basin from the bottom, pouring it into the reservoir up top. Replacing it down below, he put his fingers on a lever. "Watch the front."
Roda moved beside Kasia. The clock started.
"Wow! That's great!"
"But it doesn't last long enough. It's a failure."
Kasia watched the arrow slow. An idea formed.
"Liuz... what if... you put something on the end of the arrow?"
"Something at the end?" He moved around to their side.
"Yeah. Like a fox or something. Have it chase something around the circle."
"Like what?"
She thought. What would a child like? What would be practical, given the gears?
"How about something gets out of the way as it passes?" Roda said. She looked at Liuz. "A bunny or bird goes up, then back down as it passes by."
Kasia's breath caught in her throat. Reaching back, she hand turned the gears.
"Yes... Yes! A little kid would love that! Two levers on either side of the bunny, one to send him out of the way and the other to put him back! I can carve the animals!"
"That... could work." Liuz placed his fingers on the front. "Paint this up, like a forest or something..."
"I saw very small bells for sale by the harbor! Have them ring when the fox passes!"
"We have to keep this simple, Kasia."
"Have the animal trigger hit it. Simple!"
The two of them looked at each other. Liuz slowly smiled.
"Let's do it."
****
Liuz looked out over the ship's railing.
He had never been to sea. Never been on a boat before. Had never even considered it as a possibility.
Hell, he still didn't believe he was doing this.
The cliffs of Nowy Poland were looming ahead, the morning sun just peeking over them. It was an early ferry, for while the trip was not long, they needed time to get to the Palace itself. It may even have left before it was supposed to: on seeing the Royal invitation, the captain had waved any charge to take them, ushering them immediately on board. Tymon was left shaking his head, the coins in his hand unneeded. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to get in good graces with His Grace.
He scoffed. Were he and his sister any different?
Kasia came up beside him. The captain appeared, too. He pointed towards the cliffs.
"We're approaching the entrance to the Anne River."
Now that it was pointed out, Liuz saw it. A break in the cliffs. Up above, a Polish flag flew atop a tall pole. A twin to the signal tower in Fredrick. Kasia grabbed his arm.
"Incredible!"
The ship slowly tacked, approaching the entrance. The channel was not especially narrow, but as the cliffs rose up on either side Liuz unconsciously took a half step back from the railing. He was glad to see the captain now at the helm, rather than talking to two passengers.
"Lock ahead!" The two siblings moved to the front of the ship. There before them, two large wooden doors were opening inward in the middle of the waterway. Looking to the shore, he saw oxen slowly walking in a circle, working the doors he assumed. Ahead was a small channel with smooth stone sides, ending with an even taller set of doors. The ship slowly entered. Ropes were tossed up and out to workers on either side.
"Make those lines taut!" Liuz found himself going from one side of the ship to the other, taking it in. He had HEARD of the Anne Lock, but...
"The boat's rising!" Kasia's cry was one of amazed joy. Liuz could not help but feel the same way. Oh, to have been smart enough to think of this! To have helped build it! It was amazing.
****
The capital was a disappointment.
Liuz wasn't sure what he had been expecting. It was younger than the Prince they were going to visit, after all. A new city springing up from nothing. Many of the temporary buildings from that first long winter still stood, mixed among the new, more impressive structures. Still, it was no Nowy Kiev.
"It's beautiful," Kasia said, holding his arm as they stood at the bow. He looked down at her.
"Really?"
"Really. It's not ugly like Nowy Kiev. That was all stone. This is... pretty. Look at that street." She pointed ahead to an avenue traveling from the harbor up to the Palace Hill. "It has what looks like trees and flowers planted down the center of it. What trees were there at home? Not in the city. You had to look over the walls to see green."
"But it's not done."
"So? Can't you see the beauty to come?"
He took a breath, slowly letting it out. He was looking for things to hate about the place.
"Yeah. I see what you mean."
"I think this is part of why we're here. To help make our home better." The dock was now closer. "Come on. Let's get our stuff."
****
Kasia should have made fewer logs.
She shifted the rope as they hiked up the main avenue. She had the wooden pieces in a canvas bag, the drawstring holding it closed slung over her neck and shoulder, sitting against her side. The weight made using the crutch trickier. More tiring. She wasn't going to complain. Her brother was lugging not just the large, bulky clock, trying not to damage it, but had a sack with a few of their possessions on his back. He wasn't as loaded down as he had been during the march, but memories of that time did come to her. He had not complained then, she wouldn't now.
Strangers made the offer to help the two multiple times. It just felt wrong having others carry their things. This was part of the gift, after all. Part of the effort that had gone into building them.
The Palace loomed ahead.
Actually, loomed was the wrong word. The Palace looked... inviting. Even the stone wall surrounding it looked more decorative than functional. No massive defensive stronghold was this. It rose maybe thirty feet, light grey stone polished smooth. The road passed through a wide arch, metal gate open. Two soldiers stood on either side, chain-mail over a large red padded coat, with blue pants. Each held a pike.
"What do we have here?" One of the guards came towards them. Liuz stopped, gently lowering his sack to the ground as he fished in his pocket. He held out a slip of paper.
"We have an invitation to the Prince's party."
"Oh ho!" The guard took the invitation, looked it over, handing it back. "His Grace had said it was private, so we weren't expecting more people." He turned to his companion. "See a page anywhere?"
"YOU!" The second guard yelled into the Palace grounds. "COME HERE!"
A young girl in a white dress with a red rope belt ran into view. Two black braids trailed behind her.
"Yes Sir?"
"Take these two to the party. If you see one of the older lads, have them help carry all that."
"Yes Sir!" She ran up to the two. "I saw my brother a moment ago. He'll carry that for you! Follow me!"
****
Whatever Kasia had expected, it hadn't been this.
They stood in the open doorway of a small hall, the sound of children filling their ears. A dozen or more ran around, most seemingly under five. Adults were scattered among them, trying to bring order with limited success. Many of the kids seemed to be Kikker...
She blinked.
No... not Kikker. Kikker didn't have hair.
"Don't stare," the girl page whispered. "His Grace doesn't like it."
Kasia nodded, turning her gaze away. She had heard of these kids. They didn't seem evil.
"Your Grace!" The girl took a step into the room, curtsying. The room quieted somewhat. The King and Queen sat on a raised dais, other chairs set up around them. The one nearest him held a brown skinned woman dressed in blue pants and a light green shirt. She held a child on her knee probably younger than a year, their skin a bit lighter than hers. An identical babe sat in the lap of the man beside her, who seemed to be missing an arm. All were now looking at the intruders.
"Your Grace, may I introduce Liuz and Kasia, from the town of Fredrick."
Kasia curtsied, her brother bowing beside her.
"Welcome!" She looked up. His Grace was motioning them forward. Taking the bag from the boy who had been carrying it for her (ego having no longer been a factor after that long walk), she hobbled forward. Her brother left the sack with their possessions at the door, just carrying the covered clock. Stepping up onto the dais, they bowed and curtsied again.
"So these are the two you told me about?" The queen asked. Kasia noticed the black haired mother of the princes was large with child. "They're younger than you said."
"Surrounded by this bunch, they look even older." Kasia blinked. She hadn't expected a comment like that at a royal event like this.
"Your Grace," Liuz said, bowing. "We bring two gifts for the Prince. We hope they please you."
"I know they will." The King straightened. "Marik!"
"Daddy!" A three year old boy ran up, a two year old on his heels. "Daddy, those froggy kids are fun!"
"Yes they are. And someone has brought you some gifts."
"Yeah!" The King held his son's shoulders as he turned him to face the siblings. Kasia, figuring she should go first, stepped forward.
"Your Grace, for your son I have the gift you requested. Lincoln Logs." Opening the drawstring, she pulled out a couple of the brown stained logs.
The King's expression was the same as when he saw her Building Sticks. Wonder, with a sense of... loss? Rising from his chair, he came forward, taking one of the logs from her.
"You did it... and it's the same color..." His Grace knelt, hand going into the open bag. "Marik, look at what they gave you! Lincoln Logs!"
"What are they?" The boy stood beside his father, body pressing against him. The King smiled.
"You build things! Watch." He placed two logs on the wooden floor, parallel, then grabbed two logs of the same length and made a square. The notches, to Kasia's relief, fit perfectly. "See?"
"Wow!" The boy dropped down, sitting beside the new structure. Grabbing into the bag, his small hands grabbed more logs, placing them randomly together. The younger boy, Prince Fred Kasia thought his name was, plopped down beside him. His brother proceeded to teach him how to build.
"Thank you," the King said, rising slowly to his feet. "I can't tell you what this means to me."
"You're welcome, Your Grace." Kasia curtsied again.
"And what else do we have?" He looked at Liuz. Her brother took a deep breath.
"Nothing as fun as that, Your Grace, but I hope it pleases." Carefully, he lifted off the cloth cover.
The wood framed rectangle stood two feet tall, a foot and a half wide. On its front, a wooden circle painted with grass, trees and sky. A stick was attached to the center of the circle, a black wolf attacked to the end. Every ninety degrees around the disk sat a small carved painted animal. Behind, wooden gears were fully visible.
The King stared at it, silently. From behind him, Kasia heard a female voice swear. She saw the Dark Hussar rise, handing her babe to the man beside her. The King's voice startled her attention back to him.
"You came up with this yourself?"
"Y-yes," Liuz said, nervous. "Yes, Your Grace. I... let me show you." Taking a flask of water, he poured it into the container at the top. "Watch."
"Marik," the King said, hand grabbing his son's shoulder, "watch this."
The gears began turning, the fox moving around the circle. As he came to each animal, a bell rang, the cute wooden creature swiftly moving out of its way. As the fox left, it came back to its original position. Kasia felt more than saw the other kids in the room running over to see what was going on. After two laps of failure, the fox stopped its chase.
"Again!" Marik clapped, laughing. "Make him run again!"
"Again! Again!" his younger brother added. Expression one of relief, Liuz took the bottom collector from the base, poured the water back into the top, then replaced it. With a flick of the lever, the fox again began its chase.
"You were making a clock," the King whispered. Kasia and her brother looked at him, shocked. "You were making a water powered clock." Lady Shanna was now kneeling beside him, glass covered eyes peering closely at the spinning gears.
"Impressive," she said. "You were right about them."
"It was an uninformed guess."
"Best kind, Mr. King." They rose. His Grace motioned to someone.
"Liuz, this is wonderful. If you would, show Felek here how it works, then I want you and your sister to come with me."
****
They sat in a room that spoke of power. Beautiful oak paneling lined the room, interrupted by a large six-foot wide window behind an intricately carved desk. A large map lined one wall, smaller ones around it. A smaller desk sat to the left, a bald, delicate looking man sitting at it. The King sat on his desk, hands clasped in his lap. Lady Shanna had taken a chair and sat herself in it backwards, legs spread facing the siblings. Liuz felt himself blush.
"What is said in this room," His Grace said, voice serious, "in this Palace, in my service, is to never be spoken of to others. You are entering a world of secrecy, one where the cost of breaking my trust can be... severe."
"Of course!" Kasia's acceptance was immediate. Liuz was unsure where all this was going, but nodded. It seemed like the safe thing to do. The King returned his nod.
"Good. I know you don't know what's going on. You will."
"When will I?" Lady Shanna glanced at him, a finger pressing her glasses up against her face.
"As soon as I do." He looked at Liuz. "You surprised me with the clock. I knew you could make the Lincoln Logs. That was easy, and I must admit somewhat selfish on my part." He glanced at Kasia, grinning. "Oh, Tinker Toys would be perfect next year." He looked back at Liuz. "But when I saw what your sister had built with your Building Sticks, saw the imagination, I thought... well, you surpassed my hopes."
"But the clock didn't work!" Liuz couldn't understand this King. His Grace smiled.
"Of course not. That's not how you build a clock. You need counterweights, or springs, or a pendulum. But there's no way you'd discover that without years of failure first."
Liuz sat up. Weights. Weight slowly, so slowly, falling. Moving the gears...
"Yes," His Grace said, slowly. "You understand. Good. That is what we need. You see, we," he pointed to the Dark Hussar, "know many things about what can be done. Many wonders. However, we do not know HOW to make them."
"How can that be?" Kasia asked. Lady Shanna chuckled.
"You know what a sword is, right?" Kasia nodded. "Can you make one?" Liuz's sister's eyes widened. "Exactly. James and I know a shit ton of stuff. It's all a matter of when, and how, to re-create it."
"And I want US to do it ourselves. Not just copy what was done before. Come up with new ideas, Polish ideas. Understand the why's. I won't be here forever, and I want my people to keep growing, inventing, when I'm gone."
"What do you want from us?" Liuz asked, awed. The King pushed himself off the desk.
"I'm giving you freedom. Freedom to do whatever you wish. So long as you invent, create. Set up a factory, a store. Make building toys and clocks for sale and trade. Do whatever you wish in your spare time. No resource will be denied you."
"But," Lady Shanna said, leaning forward, "when we ask, you are to apply all your efforts towards the task we give. If we give you the basics of flight, you will fly. If we tell you to make things explode, you will. If we tell you to do the Hokey Pokey..."
"Oh, I wouldn't be that cruel." The King walked towards them. Liuz stood, his sister doing the same. "Do we have a deal?"
Liuz looked up at their King. Looked into his eyes.
"Yes, Your Grace.”