Sophia sits down next to Rufina,"She'll be alright now. Pass the bread plate and butter, please. Is there any meat left?" I fill her cup with tea as her plate get passed around the table getting various item laid on it.

After her plate is returned and she has eaten about half of it I ask, "Will they be coming down soon?"

Sophia looks up towards Eliza's room, shaking her head with a smile on her face, "I doubt it very much."

"Oh, and what are they doing?" Helen asks.

"What do two people in love do on a bed beside sleep?" is the reply.

"Oh, you mea..." she stutters to a stop, blushing, hiding behind her hands.

To lighten the mood, I ask. "What's on the agenda this afternoon? Any thing planned?"

"I need to weave some more cloth, and Eliza is going to need some underwear made, she only has two pair of draws and two chemise to her name. And one extra dress."

When I hear that I have an idea, "Do you have all her measurements? or just her hips, waist and bust?"

"Just her three."

"Emi do you know if any of our clothes from six or seven years ago are stored away or were they disposed of?"

"Ah, I not sure. Tilly do you know?"

"We can check the attic, there are chests full of clothes up there."

"Remember the dress I was wearing on my first day, it was to small, what happened to it?"

"It's in my room, I was going to let it out for you but haven't had time to. Shall I get it?"

"Yes, please. Helen could you find Eliza's and my measurements, please."

"Nora is there anything you need to be doing today? I kind of abducted you today. So if you need to leave it's alright."

"Oh, it's alright, your majesty. I don't have anything important to do today, I had thought that the trial would take all day."

"Did Sophia give you any idea why you could see the shadow?"

"No she didn't, sorry."

"Do you remember me asking you about dyes? Do you recognize a plant, about this high, about this big around, that has blue flowers that blooms in mid summer that the roots can used to make a reddish dye?"

"Ah, I know the plant, didn't know it could be used as a dye. I have tested it, boiling it in water."

"That's the problem, its pigment is not soluble in water, it requires alcohol or oil to release the pigment. Speaking of alcohol, do you distill some of your herbs? Or make concentrated alcohol?"

"I have distilled herbs but never alcohol. Why would you want that?"

"Don't you use alcohol to make tinctures? Some of the properties that you want to extract from herbs aren't soluble in water, like the dye in alkanets. Alcohol has many uses, it can burn at high purity levels,you could use it the heat your herbs without smoke. It can kill the very tiny bugs that can cause diseases, help to prevent the spread of those diseases."

"How is alcohol distilled? Would it be just boiling beer?"

"No, not if you want high quality alcohol as alcohol boils at lower temperature than water. If you get the temperature above the boiling point of alcohol then water starts to steam off, too. Speaking of temperature, is there a device used to measure temperature?"

"I don't know, I have never seen one if there is."

"Mark, is there such a device?"

"I have never heard of such a thing. What would something like that be used for?"

"Like I said, alcohol boils at a lower point than water, so a device to measure the temperature of the mixture would be helpful to get the least amount of water in the distillate. One of the steps of making the dye from alkanets is that it be heated no higher than a certain temperature. On Earth, our ovens had controls to keep a certain temperature and recipes had a temperature and a time to bake on them, 15 minutes at 350 degree, and the food would come out the same every time, if you did everything else correctly. Many of the processes that industry developed had a set temperatures for them, if the temperature varies to much the process fails."

I notice that everyone had returned, except the love birds. "Tilly, did you find the dress?" She holds it up. "Helen, you have the measurements? Good, what is the difference between mine and Eliza's?"

"Two cm on the waist and hips, only one at the bust."

"Really? She doesn't look it. Or am I that skinny?"

"You are very slender, your majesty." Helen says.

"Anyway, the dress should fit Eliza without modification. There are probably more that will fit her in my wardrobe."

I fall silent for a while, I have run out of ideas, I need to sketch some more, the cleaner has only be in the woodworkers hands for a day. I let my mind wander, something is bothering me but what? While I am in thought, there is a knock on the door which Emi goes to answer. She returns with Harry the potter.

"Good afternoon, your majesty. I have a delivery for you and the bids you asked for. Where do you want the coolers?"

"Oh, the coolers. Bring them in here, place four of them against that wall. The fifth one can go in the kitchen or at least by the kitchen. How much do I owe you?"

"Here is the paper work, the price is there. Would you sign this please." he hands me a charcoal stick and using a document case as a desk I sign that I received five coolers. "I have some samples for the items the bids are for, where would you like to look at them?"

As we are talking a pair of workmen enter, each carrying a couple of large pots, one nested in the other. They place them next to the wall just inside the vestibule, and go back out the door.

"Bring the samples over here, please." I lead him to the dinning room, where everyone is waiting. I show him the seat on the right of the head of the table, then sit in my chair. He takes two small bags from his belt, laying them on the table.

"Everyone, this is Harry the potter, he has been doing some work for me. The items his men are bringing in are to keep food cool. And he has brought some samples of some new products. Helen you should come sit here." I point to the chair to my left. "Harry this is Helen, she is a shop owner in town, making clothes and notions. She would be a customer for the one of the items." I go around the table, introducing my friends to Harry.

"Pleasure to meet you all. These, your majesty, are the buttons." He opens the bags and pours buttons out into his hand. There are about 17 mm across, a slight dent in the middle with four holes or a stud out the back with a hole thru it. They are colored in different shades of the primary colors, white, black, red, yellow and blue. He lays them on the table, all shiny and new. Helen and I pick up a few to examine closely, the surfaces are smooth as are the holes, there is a tiny spot on the back that has no glaze on it.

"What did you think Helen? Are they good enough? or too good?"

"They are beautiful, but so small, people would not be able to see them."

"This are working buttons not decorations, they would replace the frogs on the clothes we have been making." Her mouth makes an O, she gets it now.

"In that case they will be fine. But why so many colors?"

"I couldn't make up my mind when it came time to glaze them so did a few in the primary colors then mixed in a little white. I, myself like these." He points to the lightest shade of pink and blue.

"Mark, you may want to look at these. Helen, why don't you pass some of them to Mark." She picks up a hand full of the buttons, passing them to Mark who is three people away. While this is going on I am looking at the bid sheet. The clay prices, firing charge and wages for the workers is the same as the last bids, there is a small charge for glazing and a charge for the mold. The per hundred price is in my opinion fair. "Mark, what would you value each of these at?"

"Buttons of this quality are a copper each, though they wouldn't be ceramic they would be wood or bone then decorated."

"Here, look at this." I pass the bid sheet to him.

He looks it over then looks at me with a W.T.H. expression. "Ten copper per one hundred? Really? Are you making any profit on them?" He is looking at Harry.

"I am making what I feel is a fair profit. I couldn't price them that low if I made them one at a time but I can make over a thousand an hour. Though I still have to wait for them to dry before applying the glaze and then the firing. My cost to firing the kiln is the same if it is full or empty, I make sure it's full."

"Oh, that reminds me of something. Excuse me a moment." Get up and hurry to the study where I look for the kiln plans. When I find them I return with them.

"The talk of firing a kiln reminded me of something you can help me with. Once we are done here we can talk about it."

"All right. These are the 'Go' stones." Again he pour the contents of a bag into his hand. These are white and black, lens shaped under two cm in diameter by one thick. The glaze on these is uniform on both sides. I look over the bid sheet, the price per hundred is a silver. Examining the sheet I see why, they require a special firing technique. So one gold two silver for the Go stones.

"These price appear fine to me, let me get some paper and a pen and ink." I go to the study again, to get what I need. I notice the men have finished moving the coolers in. I sit down and start writing. When I get to the due date I pause, "Could you have the 'Go' stones done in less than a week? The merchant ship is leaving in a week, I would like the stones before then if I could as I intend on selling four sets."

"I could do that, yes."

"Thank you." I continue writing, when I finish I sign the bottom, handing it to him. It accepts the bid for the buttons and the 'Go' stones at the price stated with a delivery date in six days for the stones and up to fourteen days for the buttons. I get up and goto the domain office, where I pick up the evidence bag, and dig out the bag of coins. I remove one gold, four silver and ten copper. I replace the bag, then return to the table, handing Harry the coins. I write a double receipt, signing both halves then handing him the pen. When he has finished I fold and tear it in two and hand him the bottom half.

"Now to this," I show him the kiln plan that I drew up, "I am thinking of having this built, when I have it built would you be willing to use it?"

He studied the plan, then frowned, "Why do you need such a large kiln? This is about three times the size of my kiln. It will take a lot of charcoal to fire it."

"It's a combination charcoal, pottery and brick kiln. I'm thinking of building at least three of them, side by side as they will take so long to cool down. I will be needing bricks, tiles and pipes in large quantity, which will require large amounts of charcoal to fire. So I need large kiln. Speaking of pipe, how is my order coming?"

"The pipes will be part of the next firing in a couple of days. So they should be delivered in four days."

"One last question, what are your molds made of? Wood or metal or clay?"

"If it's for small parts, like the buttons, all metal, the clay releases from metal better. For large items like the coolers, they are oiled wood. Why do you ask?"

"I have another project in mind that requires molds to cast small metal parts. You have a man with the skills I need, I would like to buy some of his time."

"That could be arranged, how soon would you need him?"

"With in the next four weeks, I hope. It's still in the planning stage at the moment. I'll let you know when I would need him."

"Alright. One last thing, the payment for the coolers."

"Oh, right." I look though the papers finding the delivery sheet. Two silver each. OK, ten silver. "If you write up a double receipt like the other, I'll fetch the coin." I again go the domain office and get coins from evidence bag. Returning to the table I pay the man and sign the receipt, folding and tearing it in half.

As I walk him to the door, he says, "It's a pleasure doing business with you, your majesty. You would be surprised at the number of people that order things then refuse them on delivery. Come visit my workshop if you have any more items for me to make. Good Day, your majesty." With that he is out the door.

OK, time to put a refrigerator together.

"Alright, everyone come help, please."

Helen comes away from the table, "What we doing, your majesty?"

"We are going to setup a food cooler."

"Mark, if you would go out the garden gate, there should a bucket and pile of sand there, bring back a bucket of sand, please."

"Tilly, this needs to be in a spot, not too close to the fire, with good air flow. And preferably close to your work area as you'll want access to it."

She goes to the kitchen, looks around, then points to a spot, "There." I nod.

"Alright, Nora, Tilly you hold these, please." I hand them the lid and lid ring.

"Emi and Helen, you lift the smaller pot out, please. Sophia, help me with the larger pot, please." They do as I instruct, moving out of the way of each other. "This way Sophia," leading her into the kitchen, the others following.

Taking the pot to the spot Tilly had pointed out, Sophia and I place it. As we wait for Mark and the sand, I explain the how it will be put together. "When this is put together, the small pot will be in the larger, the space between will be filled with sand. Then water will be poured on the sand, wetting both pots. The outer pot, not being glazed will become wet on the outside, as the water evaporates, it will cool the outer pot. Because the inner pot is warmer than the outer, the inner pot warms the outer, becoming cooler. This continues until the water is gone. When food is placed in the inner pot the warm food tries to warm the pot, thus becoming cool."

"What is evaporate?" asks Nora, several of the others nod, they want to know too.

"Have you ever thought, when you boil water for too long, where does the water go? Or why do wet clothes become dry if left in the sun on a breezy day?" Mark has returned with the sand, which I take and pour five cm into the larger pot. I then have Emi and Helen place the smaller pot in the larger, pressing it down so the tops of the pots are even. I then have Mark fill the space between the pots with sand. As he is doing that I resume my explanation, "As the water warms, from the sun or the fire, it absorbs energy, when it has absorbed enough, tiny parts of water go into the air. Over time all the water absorbs enough energy and goes, leaving the clothes dry or the pot empty."

"What happens when to the water then, once it's in the air?" This time it's Mark that asks.

"Think about it a second, if the water goes into the air when it has enough energy, wouldn't it come back out if it lost that energy? And it does that. Anyone care to guess as what?"

Mark has the sand to the top of the pots, I have Emi fetch a pitcher of cold water, which she slowly pours over the sand. When that is done, Tilly and Nora place the lids on. The outside of the pot is getting darker as the water seeps though.

"Rain." Says Nora.

"That's right, rain, also fog, dew and snow if it's cold enough. Rain is formed when the water slowly cools higher in the air, first forming clouds, then as the tiny drops of water come together the clouds get darker, soon the water drops are to heavy for the winds to keep them in the clouds and they fall as rain. Fog is a cloud that forms low to the ground. Dew is when the plants get cooler than the water in the air, absorbing the heat of the water, causing the water to form on the plant. Snow happens when the water gets too cold to stay as a liquid, the tiny drops freeze together forming the flakes."

"So that is why you said to rinse the swimsuit to get the salt out, because the water would evaporate leaving the salt behind," comments Emi. I nod.

Nora, with a 'ah ha' look on her face, "Is that why you can't just boil beer to get alcohol, because the alcohol takes less energy to evaporate than water?"

"Yes it is, different liquids evaporate at different temperatures. Boiling is when the liquid nearest the heat source evaporates before the rest forming bubbles of vapor in the liquid."

"So distilling something is heating it to the evaporation temperature, then cooling the vapor back to a liquid. Now I can see the usefulness of something to measure temperature." Nora is getting the rabbit hole look, the look of someone deep in thought. I take her arm and lead her to a chair, sitting her down.

"See, I knew it. She spreads rabbit holes for people to fall in." This is from Emi, who has a grin on her face. I stick my tongue out at her, which cause her to laugh.

A voice comes from the doorway, "What's so funny?" It's Aden, finally back from the trial.

"Rufina has sent Nora down a rabbit hole. And did you know there is water all around us? And the bubbles in boiling water are water vapor. And alcohol has a different boiling temperature than water." As she takes a deep breath to continue Tilly clamps a hand over Helen's mouth, cutting off her babble.

"What have you been doing since the trial, Aden?" I asked before anyone could interrupt.

"Arranging for the burial of Lian. Attempting to find out what killed the mate. Getting the furniture loaded and returned. And going without dinner, is there any thing to eat around here?"

"Tilly, a sandwich for our hard working minster, if you please." Tilly immediately cut two slices of bread and had mustard spread on one and had a slice of ham between them before Aden had a chance to sit down. Once seated he was handed the sandwich with a cup of tea coming shortly after.

I let him eat in peace until half the sandwich was gone, "So what kill the mate?"

"I don't know. Shortly after you all left, I had the guards load both of the bodies in the cart and bring them to the palace guardhouse. Once they were here they unloaded them near the entrance. They sent the cart back to take the furniture back to town and those I borrowed it from. Once I returned the furniture I came to the guardhouse to find the mates body had disappeared right out of his clothes, his clothes were there but no body. There is a wet spot where it lay and the clothes were wet. Lian body was fine, just like it was when unloaded."

I glanced at Sophia, questioning in my head, 'Magic?' With a frown she nodded. Which is odd, that the third time I have asked her something without speaking and she has answered. I look at her again, 'You can hear me?' again a nod. OK, too freaky.

"And what have you been doing besides learning about water?"

"Oh, Harry the potter delivered the cooling pots, one which is right here. And he also brought the bid sheets for the buttons and Go stones I asked for. The Go stones are to be delivered before Mark leaves in a week. And his mold maker maybe able to help with making of the printing press type. And apparently I am a skinny waif as I am only this much bigger in the bust than Eliza." I held my finger and thumb a cm apart.

"You haven't been eating a whole lot in the last year, your majesty. You have been eating much better since you came." Tilly says.

This caused Aden to look at me then Nora with a questioning look. "Yes, she knows. Oh, that's right you didn't hear. She saw something just before the mate attacked Lian. Sophia could you show Aden what Nora saw." She came and stood behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder, one finger touching his neck. He took a deep breath and slowly released it. She removed her hand and went back to where she had been.

He opened his eyes, looked at her, "Do you know who or what that was?" She shook her head. "How about the mates body?"

"That was a god given power, someone with the favor of a god is in this. We must be careful." We were all looking at her. "I didn't sense the shadows presence, so I probably can't sense another gods minions."

I get up and lift the lid on the cooler the stick my other hand into it. I can feel that it is cooler already. I fill a cup with water then place it in the bottom then replace the lid. "Who would like to learn to play Go?"