Ken Liu - The Grace of Kings

A fog seemed to dissipate from Mazoti’s vision. She imagined slender frames and lighter bodies on battle kites that soared higher, on balloons that stayed aloft longer, on airships that sailed farther and carried more weapons….

She bowed to Risana in jiri . “You have opened my eyes to an advantage that all the Tiro states have been blind to. It is inexcusable that I, of all people, could not see it.”

Risana leapt off the bamboo pole, landed, and bowed back. “Even a brilliant mind sometimes needs a dull stone to sharpen itself.”

Gin smiled at her. “But only some women will qualify for these tasks. I think you have still more suggestions.”

“The women of Dasu have many skills. An army does not need only to fight; there’s also what happens before and what happens after.”

Gin pondered this for a while. Then she nodded. “Dasu is lucky to have you as her queen.”

Besides calling for nimble and agile women who craved adventure to serve in Dasu’s air force — for now limited only to kite riding and ballooning — Marshal Mazoti also began recruiting women to serve in an auxiliary corps within the army itself.

Herbalists and dressmakers made excellent nurses and field surgeons — the herbal remedies were effective at dulling pain, and sewing silk and lace trained steady fingers for stitching wounds; cosmeticians and weavers improved battlefield camouflage; and entertainers and dancers devised new marching songs and battle hymns that would raise morale and spread the message of Kuni’s vision. Adding women meant more hands to repair and maintain armor, more fingers trained as bowyers and fletchers, more bodies and minds to take up the endless tasks that needed to be done in an army.

The women auxiliaries also took part in and advised on other tasks that men carried out: the herbalists made suggestions to the cooks so that a healthier diet could be adopted to prevent diseases common to marching armies; the dressmakers and weavers shared tips with the armorers to improve the production of armor, leggings, shoes, and so on.

Besides these noncombat duties, Gin also gave the women auxiliaries basic combat training so that they could protect themselves or act as emergency reinforcements in a pinch. If others did not expect them to be capable of fighting, that would give Dasu an advantage.

Slowly but surely, jokes about Marshal Mazoti became affectionate rather than dismissive. When officers saluted her, there was now real respect in their eyes.

DASU: THE SIXTH MONTH IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE PRINCIPATE.

Now that it had been a year since Kuni Garu had come to Dasu, Cogo was finally beginning to see the fruits of his efforts at attracting men (and women) of talent to the island. Rumors spread all over Dara that in Dasu, a hardworking man could count on light taxes and fair laws and that interesting ideas would get a fair hearing, and even a woman would be treated with respect and given a chance to prove the worth of her thoughts.

Many came: inventors with new contraptions, warriors of great strength, magicians claiming new knowledge, herbalists with novel recipes, entertainers with fresh acts — Cogo welcomed them all and tried to sift through the charlatans for nuggets of gold.

“A method for converting base lead into gold,” an alchemist with white hair and a beard that hung to the ground proclaimed. “But I’ll need a great deal of funding to build a laboratory.”

Cogo nodded and politely invited the alchemist to stay in Dasu and raise money from private sources. Next.

“A mixture of potent herbs that will soften stones so that they crumble at the touch,” an old woman from Faça explained. “I’ve been putting on magic shows with it for years.”

“Have you tried to approach miners with this?” asked Cogo.

The old woman nodded. “The mine owners tell me they’re not interested since they can find plenty of men willing to break their backs wielding the pickax and hammer.”

“Not to mention firework powder,” said Cogo.

“But firework powder requires saltpeter, the supply of which is limited, not to mention that firework powder is extremely dangerous. I know there’s potential in this, if developed properly.”

Cogo wasn’t sure what potential she was thinking of, but at least it didn’t sound completely useless. “We would be honored to have you stay with us as the king’s guest.”

“A method for extracting energy from volcanic heat,” a middle-aged man with only one arm said. “I have a prototype that draws on the heat of the earth to boil water, and the resulting steam can be directed to turn a wheel.”

Cogo wasn’t sure how this could be useful, but it seemed interesting. He politely invited the man to stay in Daye and build a prototype for demonstration.

“A treatise on the relationship of the gods to mankind, and how the proper model for the state may be derived from the pattern of rivers and winds,” a young scholar with eyes full of zeal declared. “I will require the king’s undivided attention.”

Cogo’s eyes glazed over as he unrolled the manuscript scroll. The raised logograms were elaborate and painted in color, and the zyndari letters were as dense as flies on honey. He rolled up the manuscript carefully and offered the man a free meal. “King Kuni is somewhat preoccupied with lesser matters,” he said. “But I have a feeling that the hegemon would be extremely appreciative of such a work. I can write you a letter of introduction.”

It was a very busy time in Daye.

Luan Zya came to Dasu dejected and tired.

“I have some things I’d like to discuss with King Kuni,” he said to Cogo, who welcomed him. “But don’t tell him I’ve arrived yet.”

“It’s just as well. The king is away temporarily with Lady Risana to speak with some of the elders on the eastern tip of the island.”

“I see the king is as interested as ever in the details of administration. Would that the other Tiro kings were as diligent.”

“But you and the king are old friends,” Cogo said. “Why don’t you want to go see him right away?”

“It is true that we’re old friends,” Luan said. “But this time, I come not for friendship.”

“Ah,” said Cogo, finally understanding. “You have decided that you may wish to serve him.”

“And what better way to judge a lord’s worth than to get to know his followers first?”

“Then I will introduce you to the marshal.”

Luan appraised Gin’s clean-shaven head, the scars on her face that matched his own, her thin but strong arms. Her clean and simple dress fit her sleek and muscular frame well. She was like a wild lynx, all energy and fury under tight control. He liked her.

“Yes, I’m a woman,” Gin said, since Luan was staring. “You’re surprised?”

Luan chuckled. “Forgive me. I had heard the rumors, but it’s difficult to know how much to believe of such reports. Though considering how long I’ve known King Kuni, nothing should surprise me. When I told him my plan to ride the crubens through Amu Strait, he was the one who assured me that the plan wasn’t crazy.”

They grabbed each other by the elbows, and each felt the heat of the other’s hands through the thin sleeves. Gin was pleased that Luan’s grip was strong. He did not condescend to her.