Spring of the Second Year of His Grace King James
Liuz still wasn't happy about the noise.
It was constant, for one thing. Even when the saw was disengaged, the creaking of the water wheel and the roar of the water still filled the air. Add the whirring of leather belts and whining of wooden gears below his feet, the biting of the saw blade into the logs, the steady clanking of the gear wheel moving the log forward into the blade... rarely were his ears not being assaulted.
Not that he had a right to complain.
He watched the squared off log move forward into the blade, hand steady on the long lever poking out of the floor, ready to disengage the saw at the slightest sign of trouble. So far, the day had gone smoothly. Six logs had been sliced into boards, almost completing the order from the tanner. He was adding a second floor to his establishment, moving his family up above as he expanded his work space to fill the entire ground level. Everyone was expanding, it seemed. The rushed construction of last year morphing into larger, more solid constructions.
Even his master was ready to expand.
"Liuz!"
He turned to look at Rafal. Roda's brother was standing beside the large toothed wheel sticking up out of the planked floor. A hinged rod moved the gear forward with each upward slice of the saw, advancing the bed on which the log sat. The boy knelt, pointing at the wooden rods which supported the curved metal rim.
"There's a crack! I don't like this!"
"Damn!" Liuz pulled back on the lever. It shuddered as the gears below separated, the saw slowly stopping. The lessening of noise feeling almost like silence by comparison, he walked around the now still log, kneeling beside Rafal. Rafal pointed.
"Here. See it?"
"Yeah. I see it." He let out a sigh. These damned things were always breaking. The local wood didn't like the stress, and replacing them with metal? Ha! A dream. He glanced over at the silent second saw. It sat, unused, awaiting a new wooden gear and leather belt. "We're going to have to swap it out, use the one from Saw One." Rafal let out a groan.
"I wish Kasia was here."
"So do I," Liuz said, groaning as he stood. "So do I."
****
Kasia hobbled down the stone paved lane, crutch jammed into her armpit.
Why, exactly, Roda had saved the wooden crutch Liuz had made for her was a mystery. So she could use it again if need be was what she claimed, but the older girl had outgrown it rather quickly. Kasia wasn't complaining, its existence getting her back on her feet quickly, but she WAS curious.
Kasia felt a twinge in her shoulder. That wasn't good. The ten year old maneuvered herself against the side of the bakery, hopping until her back was against the brick wall. It made sense, she thought, that the bakery with its ovens was one of the few stone buildings. Any fire would just turn it onto one big oven instead of burning the whole town down. Not that it still wouldn't be a disaster...
She shook her head. It seemed her mind of late was always thinking of how things could go wrong. Of what new disaster could visit her or her brother. As if the current one was not enough. Kasia removed the crutch from its home, rotating her shoulder. Damned foot. She looked down. Even covered by the knit boot Roda had made she could see the swelling. Feel the irritation at just the touch of the soft yarn. Why had she let go of that board? She was lucky her foot had not been crushed!
Kasia let out a sigh, moving the wicker bag to her other hand, trying to work the kink out of her now free shoulder. If only she could change which side she used the crutch on. She had tried it, once. She found her weight almost instantly coming down on the swollen right foot, pain shooting through her body. That had ended that experiment. Even as she thought that, Kasia felt her left leg start to complain about supporting her weight. Was there nothing she could do to please all of her body at once?
Doing errands for Lady Urszuli probably wasn't helping. Kasia transferred the crutch and bag to their proper sides, putting weight on the crutch again. All she was good for was sitting around doing menial tasks, helping with dinner or maybe light sewing. This at least got her out of the house. Away from the new baby crying away at all hours.
In the distance behind her, a child began crying. Kasia laughed. Given all the children born since the exodus, there was no escaping them. Pushing away from the wall, she began the walk home.
****
"I'm back."
Kasia said it softly as she opened the door, not wanting to be blamed for waking Tolek. She needn't have worried. Urszuli was feeding the infant, dress unbuttoned enough for the large breast to pop out. Roda sat beside her, one of Tymon's work shirts in her lap. She looked up, needle paused in its work.
"Did you have trouble?"
Kasia shook her head, shifting the bag in her hand.
"Nope."
"Good," Urszuli replied, not looking up from her son. "Leave it on the kitchen counter."
Roda shrugged apologetically, attention going back to her sewing. Kasia didn't mind. She was lucky she and Liuz were able to live here at all. Tymon was under no obligation to honor his promise, what with marrying the mother of two children having changed everything. He now had Rafal to help at the sawmill, even if the boy was somewhat reluctant. She and her brother were...
She took a deep breath, deciding not to go there. They were apprentices, and that was all that mattered. Kasia walked to the counter, depositing the bread and fish. Her job done, she made her way to their room.
****
It was large enough for a bed, one you were even able to access from three sides. Quarters for either an apprentice or a monk. She liked it. It was efficient. Two chests stuck under the mattress held their clothing, another their meager possessions. Both Roda and Rafal had their own rooms. Roda had offered to let Kasia stay with her, but... well, she slept better with her brother nearby. There was no way she was letting Liuz out of her sight.
She looked out the small window. Should she go to the mill? It was a long walk, but she'd be able to sit and talk with her brother. Her foot throbbed. No, not today. Today she'd just find someplace and sit. Grabbing the short bedpost, she carefully slipped her good foot under the end of the bed. She felt her shoe touch rope. Slowly, she withdrew her leg, a weathered rope and cloth bag slipping into the light. She smiled. She'd go play.
****
Kasia found a place near the street where the grass was short and the goat droppings few. The small herd was around fifty feet away, munching on the spring grass. She sat beside a patch of dirt, arranging her legs comfortably. Her dress was pulled up a bit too high for common decency, but that was never a concern of hers. She was still a kid, after all. With a glee benefiting that thought, she dumped the contents of the bag onto the ground. It was time to build!
You could tell the difference between the building sticks her father had made, and the new ones from her brother. The new ones were brighter, the stain fresher. The quality also varied. You could tell which he had made first, hands unsure. Sometimes she even laid them in order, watching as Liuz's skill increased until the sticks and joints were as good as their father's handiwork. That wasn't what she wanted to do today. Today, she had a plan. Grabbing four of the circular pieces with the holes in them, she arranged them on the ground in a square. Taking four of the longest sticks, she stuck them in the holes around the side, creating a physical square. She repeated this, then stuck medium length sticks into the central holes in the joint circles. On top of this she affixed the other square, creating a squat cube.
Now things would get tricky.
****
"Hello."
The man's voice startled her. Kasia paused in her spinning of the gears, looking up. The stranger stood beside a horse, a soldier holding its reins. He was clean-shaven, hair black and short. Brown eyes regarded her with interest. He looked familiar. Her eyes glanced up beyond him. Winged Hussars sat astride war horses. Recognition hit her, her eyes snapping back to the man before her.
"Your- Your Grace!" She began to rise, hand fumbling for her crutch. The King knelt, hand touching her shoulder.
"Sit," he said, smiling. "I apologize for interrupting."
"No! It's OK!" She tried curtsying while seated, instantly realizing how silly that had to look. She felt her face redden. "W-what can I do for you, Your Grace?"
"You can tell me about this," he said, motioning towards her creation. "It's amazing!"
Her face got hotter. Reaching out, she turned the crank at the bottom.
"It's just a series of gears, Your Grace. It doesn't really do anything, apart from move that wheel up there."
"It reminds me of a wind mill," he said, "if you reverse it." Taking his hand, he spun the vertical wheel on the top. The gears transferred the movement to the handle. Kasia looked on, fascinated. A mill powered by... wind? How? Maybe... sails on the top gear. Yes. Wind pushes the sails like water pushes a wheel. The King spoke again, her attention shifting immediately. "More importantly, what did you build it with?" He ran a finger down one of the sticks.
"Building Sticks, Your Grace." She couldn't keep the pride out of her voice. "My father made them. My brother, too. He made about half." She watched as the King picked up one of the loose pieces.
"I had a toy like this when I was little," he said. Her eyes widened. He chuckled. "Yes, I know. They were called 'Tinker Toys', and had a few extra kinds of pieces, but otherwise were just like this."
"Wow," she whispered. Her eyes went to the Building Sticks. No, to the Tinker Toys!
"What does your brother do?"
"Liuz and I are apprenticed to Tymon at the sawmill by the falls!" There was no hiding the pride now. The King smiled.
"And he made half of these?"
"Yes, Your Grace!"
"Huh. I may have to talk to him. I'm heading to the sawmill anyway." With a grunt, he forced himself to his feet. "And your name is?"
"Kasia, Your Grace." She bowed her head this time.
"Thank you, Kasia. I had forgotten about Tinker Toys. Hell, I've forgotten about many things." He paused, eyes seeming to focus on nothing. His head shook, that smile returning to his face. "Well, thanks again. I must be off, so will leave you with your construction."
Turning, he remounted his brown horse. Trigger, she remembered. His horse was called Trigger. His head bowed to her.
"Good day to you, Lady Kasia."
She watched them ride off. Her hand went to her chest of its own volition.
"Good day, Your Grace..."
****
"Could you at least come get me before you start tearing things apart?"
Liuz grimaced as Tymon knelt beside the now replaced gear wheel. Rafal glanced at him, eyes fearful. Why, Liuz wasn't sure. It would take much more than this for the son of his master's new wife to be in trouble. Not that Rafal took advantage of this, but it was a fact of life. They watched as the man ran his hand over the spokes.
"How long were you playing with this?"
"About an hour, Sir. We're now behind, I know..."
"It's my fault," Rafal said. "I saw the crack, thought it was serious."
"You should have come to me. That crack has been there a few days, and probably would have been fine." He stood. "Still, what's done is done. These things happen. We'll just have to put in an extra hour today to get caught up."
The two boys let out groans. Liuz took a moment to close his eyes, enjoy a moment of self pity. His eyes opened before Tymon could chastise him, feet taking him towards the clutch.
"I'm gonna start it up."
"Do that," Tymon said, moving the damaged gear off to the side. "Rafal, let's get the next log ready."
As his hands grabbed the lever, Liuz heard the sound of horses. Now it was Tymon's turn to groan. He placed a large hand on Rafal's head.
"Go see who it is, Boy. We're busy."
Rafal ran to the door. He opened it, closing it again almost immediately. Tymon frowned.
"What is it?"
"His Grace!"
****
Liuz backed away as His Grace slowly sat in the just placed chair. The royal bottom was lucky there was a chair at all, Tymon having a desk in a small room in the front of the mill. Rafal had scrambled to find something for their Master to sit on, finally finding a short log which could be set on end across from the King. The two boys stationed themselves as far away as seemed polite, yet where they could hear everything without seeming to be listening. Liuz saw the King glance at him as Tymon settled himself. The balding sawmill man bowed his head towards King James.
"To what do I owe this honor, Your Grace?"
"Your request made its way to my Chamberlain, and as I had other business I had been putting off in Fredrick decided to talk to you personally." Looking to his right, he held his hand out. A chalkboard slate appeared from nowhere.
"I am honored, Your Grace." Tymon bowed again.
"My military advisors are against it." The King raised an eyebrow. "They say we can't spare the men for a new gatehouse this far down the wall. We are stretched as it is, what with garrisoning Fort Buffalo and the new road."
"We need access to those forests, Your Grace! You have said you don't want everything cut down, but we're going to end up doing just that if we don't find new sources! And why should we transport logs from the west when there are virgin stands just beyond this cliff face?"
"Because we can protect those loggers, and the cleared land is being claimed for farms. I'm not allowing farms outside the wall this far east."
"These trees are outstanding, Your Grace. Tall, straight. Harder than anything I've worked with. They would be perfect for fortifications, or warships."
The King smiled.
"Interesting. Why didn't you mention that in your request?"
"I hadn't thought of it."
A chuckle came from the King. Liuz had never heard of a King chuckling. He wasn't sure what to make of it. Tymon was smiling nervously. That, too, was a strange thing to see. His Grace stood, walking so he could look across the stream at the ramp climbing the escarpment. His eyes dropped to the slate in his hand, then back.
"I assume you'll be re-building the ramp, to handle logging wagons."
"Yes, Your Grace." Tymon stood, moving beside, yet behind, the King.
"I want it destroyable. Something we can quickly burn, force intruders to follow the cliffside back towards the bulk of our forces. I also want this bridge enlarged to handle a military column." Liuz regarded the small structure. It was kind of unimpressive and temporary looking.
"Yes, Your Grace."
The King glanced at Tymon.
"I'm also opening the land east of here for farming. Your request for a second sawmill across from this one is approved only if there is enough water for a grist mill as well. If not, the farmers get their mill."
"Yes, Your Grace." Tymon let out a sigh, not hiding his disappointment. The King chuckled again.
"Can't let you get everything you want." One of his men came over, holding out a slate. The King read it, nodding. Taking the offered chalk, he made a mark. His eyes unexpectedly turned to the two boys. "Which one of you is Liuz?"
"Me!" he said, surprised. "Your Grace," he quickly added. The King smiled, moving to sit in his chair again. He waved Liuz over.
"I met your sister, Kasia. Smart girl." Liuz tried to hide his surprise. "She was playing with those Building Sticks. Wonderful toys. I had similar ones when I was young."
That shocked him more than the fact his sister had talked to the King. Why would His Grace care about... oh!
"Would you like a set for the Princes, Your Grace?" He bowed as he said it. The King chuckled again.
"Not quite yet. Marik is still a bit young to handle something like that, and Fred would just chew on them. In a few years, probably. No, I want you to make something else for me. Seeing those reminded me of something Marik MAY just be old enough for: Lincoln Logs."
Liuz blinked. The King smiled, waving him over. Turning the slate in his lap over, he began drawing.
"They're building toys named after a leader of my homeland, as the structures you could build with them looked like the type of home he was born in. They're small logs, of a uniform radius." Liuz leaned over, trying to grasp the concept. "There are uniform notches in the logs, top and bottom, and you use these to connect them. Because the logs are round, you can't stack them." The King looked up. Liuz's eyes widened in understanding. The King nodded. "There are a few standard sizes. The most common is a small piece with one notch." He sketched it out. "This is used to fill in gaps, frame doors, etc. There is then a two notch piece, a three notch, and finally a four notch. You can make quite a variety of things with just those."
"I can imagine!" Liuz recalled the notched logs for the bridge. A toy like that WOULD be fun!
"There are also triangular pieces to create a sloped roof, and long flat pieces to make a roof. You can also make fences by putting the small one notch pieces on them." A quick sketch of that filled in the last spot on the slate. He looked up. "Do you think that's something you can do?"
"Yes, Your Grace!" The entire idea excited him! It would be much more fun than cutting logs! Not that his experience with that wouldn't help him with this! "When would you like it by?"
"Whenever you finish," the King said, smiling. "I want a large set, as eventually the kids will be sharing it."
"Yes, Your Grace!"
"Good." The King stood, Liuz stepping back. "Do you want a copy of the slate?"
"No need, Your Grace!"
"Good." He extended his hand. Liuz looked at it, shocked. Slowly, he took it. The grip was firm, even if the skin was a bit soft. Releasing him, the King shook Tymon's hand. "I'll expect updates from both of you. Let me know if you need any more resources."
"Yes, Your Grace." They both bowed. Rafal did as well. They stepped back as the King's mount was brought forward.
Moment's later, the Royal party was gone.
Liuz stared out at nothing, gaze unfocused. He was to make something for the King. No, for the Royal Princes! Oh, just wait until he got home and told Kasia!
A large hand grabbed his shoulder.
"Well," Tymon said, "it looks like we'll be staying here an extra two hours.”