"Go? What is that? Is it a card game?" Helen goes into rapid question mode. Tilly again clamps a hand over her mouth but get bitten for her troubles.

"Hey, you bit me." yells Tilly.

"You keep sticking your hand in my mouth, what do you expect?" Helen fires back.

"Well, quit asking so many questions so quickly, give her a chance to answer."

"Ladies, NO fighting. To learn Go we need some stones, go out find forty nine white and forty nine black stones about this size." I make circle with my finger and thumb. "Now scram, with seven of you each finding seven stones of each color should be easy. I'll make the board while you are gone."

I goto the study and get a couple sheets of paper and a charcoal stick. Returning to the table I fold one of the sheets forming a straight edge and draw nine lines in each direction two cm apart on the other. A nine by nine go board will suffice to learn Go on. I'm thinking of sketching some plans when voices come from above, "Come on Kal, we have been gone for over an hour. And I'm hungry."

Our horny youngsters are up and about, finally. Though Kalvin is only a few weeks older than me, I still think of him as a youngster. I get up and go to the kitchen before their get down the stairs and see me. I slice four pieces of bread and a couple of ham, spreading mustard lightly on two pieces then put them together. I am finishing the sandwiches when they walk in, "I wonder where everyone is? Did they say anything about going somewhere this morning?" Kalvin sounds worried.

"They are out looking for stones so I can teach them a new game." I say as they enter the kitchen. I hand them each a sandwich, then start a kettle for tea. "Hopefully they will return soon, they only had to find fourteen stones each." I no more say that and I hear voices coming from the garden door, "How many did you find Emi or did Mark find them all?" Helen is teasing Emi and Mark. "Sophia found a whole bunch of them, I think we have fifty of each color."

"Come on you two, it sounds like most of them are back." I lead them to the table, where Emi, Mark, Sophia and Helen are taking hand fulls of black and white stones out of their pockets. We all sit down, them to count their stones while I make a second board. Sophia asks Kalvin and Eliza if everything worked out fine. Kalvin said everything was wonderful, a big grim on his face. Shortly the missing people showed up, everyone with more than enough stones. "Alright, two piles of each color, forty nine in a pile, please."

When they have the stones piled up, I have them move around so I can sit in the middle of the table, with five across from me and two on either side. I have them put the stone piles on their right, white on my side of the table and black the other and a board in front of the person to either side of me, that way they can all see a board without stretching and I can see both.

"This game is called 'Go', it's believed to have originated in a country called China over 2500 year ago. It is mainly played in that region of the world, but there are players all over the world. This is a beginners board, nine by nine, the serious players play on a nineteen by nineteen board. 'Go' is very simple to learn as there are only two rules and the scoring to learn."

"Two players, black and white, take turns placing stones on the lines, thus." I placed a stone on each of the boards, on the intersection of two lines. "Rule one: Stones must be placed in such a way that they have at least one liberty. A liberty being a open line. Observe the stone on the board, it has four lines leading to it, so it has four liberties , if the stone is in the corner it only has two liberties and on the side, three liberties. When there are more than one stone on the same line and next to each other they are a group." I place three stones in a line with a stone on a different line but diagonal to the group on both boards, "these three stones are a group but this one is not in the group." I move one end stone to the side of the middle stone in the group, "The three stones are still in a group. Why Nora?"

"Because they are on a line next to a same colored stone."

"And this one," I point to the one on a diagonal," is not in the group. Why Helen?"

"It's not on the same lines as the others."

"Now if one stone has four liberties, how many does the group have? They share liberties as a group, so this group," I move one stone away, leaving two stones,"has six, and," I replace the stone I removed, "this one has eight. A stone of the other color blocks your stones liberties," I place white stones around one end of the group, "so this group only has five liberties. This stone has no liberties of its own but shares the five from the others of the group. To capture a stone or a group of stones you must take all of its or their liberties. To capture the group white would have to place stones blocking all of the shared liberties, thus." I surround the group with white stones. "This group is now captured, to be removed."

I move the black stones into a diamond pattern with an open intersection in the middle then three white stones surrounding one of the black stones. "This is the other rule, the 'Ko' rule, which is that you can't make a move that returns the the board to state that it was before." I place a white stone in the open space, "White captures this black stone," I remove the stone, "Now black could place a stone here," pointing to the space the black stone was removed from, "but that would cause the board to return the the previous state, so is disallowed."

I then show and explain the concept of atari, eyes, life and death and mutual life. After all that I explain scoring, the simple area method and the more complicated territory method. When I finish, I play Sophia a game, which I lose by a large margin, challenging a god will usually end like that, but it did give everyone a chance to see a game played by someone that knew how to play. Sophia and I then let them play against each other. Tilly and Mark pair against Nora and Emi while the others watch. About an half hour later the the watchers switch with the players.

Mark asks if we could talk so we go to the study, where we sit by the fireplace, facing each other. "You mentioned that you hoped to sell the Go sets when the potter was here. What constitutes a Go set? and how much would one cost?"

"A Go set is a board, the stones, instruction book or sheet and two bowls. I will need to go to Daniel's shop tomorrow to ask about the boards. And the bowls have not been ordered yet. And as I was explaining how to play it occurred to me that I would need a small book to explain the rules to include with the sets. The cost of a set would be about to eight to ten silver, depending on the prices of the board, bowls and instruction books. Why do you ask?"

"I want to buy them and the cooler pots. I would also like to order some of the buttons, lamps and the farm equipment."

"Like I said the bowls have not been ordered yet and the instruction/rule books need to be written. Then there is the paper supply, I don't think we have enough left to make the books. And Daniel is working on the grain cleaner and not the boards at the moment. I could sell you the plans for the farm equipment and lamp like I discussed earlier and your company could make them. And I could let you buy most of the buttons, at the moment we need fewer than sixty and we can order more."

"Shall we go into town and order the bowls then?" Mark suggests.

"What time is it, it must be close to supper time?"

"We can go first thing in the morning then. I could ask for a shipment of paper and a small supply of ink, I'll even pay for it if that would help."

"Yes, do that. And we can go in the morning to visit the shops of the woodworkers. How would we make the books though, hand write them? That would be the only way at the moment, unless..."

"What are you thinking?"

"Where are you planning on selling the Go sets? Your next stops or at your home port?"

"My next two ports of call are small independent kingdoms like yours, with only a few nobles, which I think would be the market for the Go sets. The home port would be a much larger market."

"And you said it would be seven or eight weeks before you got there after leaving here, correct?" He nodded. "Alright, I'll write a copy of the book, which you can send to the home port, where they can have copies block printed and bound, ready to be put with the boards, stones and bowls when you arrive. What are the costs of having a book block printed?"

"Depends on the book, number of colors and pages, type of binding."

"It could be a twelve to sixteen pages, in one color, black, with a heavy paper cover and simplest binding. And I have an idea on how to transfer the image from the page to the block. I can test it before you leave."

"Do you still want me to order you some paper and inks? I will still pay for it."

"Yes, please. Did you ask about the availability of the large paper for the cards? I remember asking about it but don't remember if it was done."

"I didn't get a chance last night, I'll do it tonight. Is there any thing else you need to know or just need?"

"Not that I can think of at the moment. Have you and Emi gotten to talk yet?"

"Not really, we sort of collapsed last night and have been busy all day."

"Could you tell me what the customs are? I have no idea what any of them are."

"Either do I, there are very few of our species in this area, so I haven't be involved in a matrimonial ceremony of my species and have only seen a human one from afar. Perhaps you should ask Nora, Tilly and Helen about their ceremonies as they have been married."

"Shall we ask them at supper?"

"We can do that. Shall we rejoin the others?"

"One more thing. Would your company keep an ear open for rumors regarding the island on the mainland? I have a feeling that someone there is plotting something."

"Of course, your majesty. This is going to be my home in the future, it is always helpful to know ones enemies."

"Thank you." I stand, ready to return to the dinning room.

"Your majesty, don't go yet, please."

I turn and look at him, "Yes Mark?"

"Are you and Emi lovers?"

I sit back down, this is something that I hadn't expected to be asked, at least so soon. "Why do you ask?"

"The last time Emi and I had sex that first morning she wouldn't release me, so I did her in her sleep. When we had both reach climax she said your name not mine. I had seen how you act around each other so it was no surprise. But she will not talk to me about the past eight years, she said you have to tell me."

"Ah," I look at him closely, trying to figure out what he wanted. I decided to start at the beginning, "For my thirteenth birthday my father gave me permission to hire a personal maid but I couldn't find one of my liking here on the island so I traveled to the mainland. There I placed a notice that I was in search of a personal maid. Several older women came to talk to me but they did not satisfy me, then Emi appeared. She had been released from her pervious position the day before, but I didn't even ask about that. I was enchanted by her, at the time she was shorter than I by a small amount, a season younger and had those cute ears. We sat and talked for an hour, she was intelligent but she didn't brag about it. I hired her. We left on the next available ship, while we waited we went shopping, she help me choose some dresses and we bought her some too, as she didn't have much to wear."

"On the way home I became ill, with a high fever, I was out of it most of the trip, Emi cared for me the whole time. My fever broke one day out from the island, when I woke up, she had me in her arms, both of us naked, she was asleep, curled around me keeping me warm. I was going to wake her when, in her sleep she said, "Rufina, don't die, don't leave me, please." with tears in her eyes. After getting a drink of water I crawled back into the bed with her and held her while she slept. She woke me when we reached the island, dressed me in one of the new dresses and had me sit in a corner while the crew move my luggage to the deck. She help me disembark, arranged for a serf to carry me to the palace and put me back in bed. She told father I was sick and not getting out of bed for a week, she then brought food for me, fed me, bathed me, for that week. When the week was up she had me walking around the courtyard a couple of times a day, building my strength up until I was strong enough to walk without falling down which I had done the the first time I got out of bed on the ship."

"We grew very close during the next couple of years, we slept together, we bathed each other, we laughed and talked of the things girls talk about. We were both in puberty, out breasts starting to bud, we experimented with each other, touching and kissing. Father caught us kissing one day, he started to beat Emi, I got scared, then I got angry. I attacked father, scratching and biting him, finally kicking between the legs like my older brother had shown me. I was choking him when Emi got me off him. I told him if he a laid hand on Emi again I would finish him. Father only spoke to me twice after that, once when brother died and again when he and my younger brother left for the mainland, to never return. I must have scared Emi because she wouldn't talk to me like she had before. After father died, she would start to talk but now I was the one to withdraw, I hadn't realized how much I loved my family until they were gone."

"When Lian poisoned me and Rosa arrived things changed, Rosa has access to Rufina's memories and feelings. I realized that Rufina loved Emi and always had after I woke that first night, in her arms. Later that day, we talked, I told her that I still loved her then kissed her. That evening, as we bathed we enjoyed each other,so yes, we are lovers. She told me just last week she wished for children, I was thinking of ways to grant her wish when you arrived."

"When we talked the first day she said she had been longing for a child to care for and would I be the father if she should enter her time. I ask if I could think about it a day or two but she came to me that night. I realized after you asked if I was ready to be a father that I would like that, though it scares me. I was worried about being away so much but when you asked if the company would like to open a shop here I realized I could stay here, have a wife and a shop. Will you care for her while I'm gone?"

"Of course silly, I still love her. I just hope she still loves me, we haven't gotten to talk much the last few days."

"She will return to you shortly, I am sure. It's normal for our women to attach to the males that they successfully mate with for a few days then return to their female relatives. Until recently the males didn't stay for long, usually moving on, leaving the females to raise the young. When in human lands the males support the females as there are so few females in one place."

We sit in silence for a few minutes, each in our own thoughts. Those thoughts are interrupted by Emi coming to call us to supper, "Supper is ready you two. What have you been talking about?"

"Go sets, books, bowls, business. Then we talked of you and me, then of you and him. Were you able to win a game? Or were you defeated like I was?"

"I was able to beat Aden, Tilly, Nora and Helen but not Sophia or Kalvin. I'm not sure anyone can beat Sophia."

We had arrived at the table, where Kalvin and Sophia were in battle. When I looked at the board they appeared evenly matched. Tilly had been busy too, there was a platter piled with different sandwiches and two large pots of tea. Looking at the sandwiches reminded me of the cooler so I went to the kitchen to check the cup of water. It was a good thirty degrees cooler than the kitchen. I replace the cup then poured a quarter pitcher of water on the sand.

When I returned to the table Sophia had won the game, by three points, which is apparently the closest anyone had gotten. I sat at the head of the table, pouring myself a cup of tea. Emi, Mark, Tilly and Sophia sat on my left we waited as Aden and Helen moved to sit on my right as Eliza and Kalvin were already sitting in their places. Tilly served everyone a sandwich or two from the platter when she received their plate. The tea pots were passed around.

When the sandwiches had been eaten and everyone was relaxed I asked, "Alright, which of you has the best hand writing?" Of course no one admit to it. So I told Aden to fetch paper and ink. When he returned I wrote at the top of a page, "Fe Fi Fo Fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman." , in block letters. I then passed the page and ink around, telling them to copy the words written there in the same style. Kalvin and Nora passed the page without trying. The others did as I asked. Soon they had finished, passing the page back to me.

"What do those words mean, Rufina? Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum?"

"They are a line from a Earth tale, Jack and the beanstalk, the story of a young man, magic beans, a enchanted harp and a giant." I was looking at the paper, some of the handwriting is horrid but several are beautiful. I identified the beautiful ones as Sophia, Aden and Eliza. Emi's was good but not compared Sophia's. Helen, Mark and Tilly had readable hands but not neat, mine is at the bottom of this group. "I realized earlier that I would have to write a instruction book to go along with the Go sets. As you can see my hand writing is barely readable. Mark and I came up with an idea though, I will write the instructions out, those of you with the best hand can copy them then we will send the completed pages to Mark's company who will have them copied to blocks, printed and bound in time for his arrival at the main company shop. So Sophia and Aden get to copy my scribbles and Eliza will do the illustrations. I will start writing tomorrow afternoon, explaining the illustrations to Eliza as I do. Tomorrow evening Aden and Sophia can copy what I write."

"Now I need to goto bed, it's been a long day. And I have something planned for over night. Emi, I'll need some hot water please. Sophia are you ready for what we have discussed?"

"When you are, Rufina."

"Give Emi and I about fifteen minutes then come up to my rooms. Aden would you mind escorting Nora home, please. Nora, thank you for coming, I'll see you tomorrow, probably. The rest of you, wake up call is at 600 tomorrow, T'ai Chi at 610, breakfast at 650, Tilly breakfast is your choice. See the rest of you in the morning, love ya all and good night." With that I went up to my rooms.

Emi has candles lit and the water poured. I give her a smile and a hug then asked her if she would go ask Mark for the loan of his razor. As she left I strip, throwing my clothes in the basket. I then did my toilet and cleaned myself. I had started bathing when Emi returned with the razor.

"Mark was curious why a lady needs a razor."

"To shave our beards with, of course." She got a WTH look on her face then she got it, giggling. I soap my arm pits so she could start there when she was ready, then stood with my arms over my head waiting. Soon she started to shave me, displaying her usual skill with the razor. She lay the razor down and started to scrub my back when she finished my arms. She worked her way down my legs and up the front, caressing my breasts before kissing me, which got returned. I whispered, "I've missed you, sweetie."

"Sorry to be so distracted, love. Shall I do your 'beard' now?"

"Yes, please."

"What are you and Sophia planning? Not something dangerous I hope."

"I asked her if she could help me remember things I had seem or hear as Rosa so I could write them down. She said it took up to 20 hours to settle in my head and it was better to do in the evening."

As I said that she was soaping my pubes, occasional rubbing my nub, causing me to quiver. She had me sit on the chest and spread my legs then started. I relaxed and enjoyed the sensation. Soon she had my 'beard' removed and was giving it a final rinse then patted me dry, with a parting kiss on my nub. I got up and gave her a hug and a deep kiss. As she cleaned up, I dressed in a pair of my new panties and a chemise and lay on the bed to wait for Sophia.

I didn't have to wait long as she arrived seconds after I lay down. She whispered something to Emi as Emi was leaving, to which Emi nodded.

"Are you ready Rufina?" I nodded myself. "Alright, relax, I will be putting you to sleep, you will then goto dream space and we will talk more there." She then looked in my eyes, which grew heavy soon closing and I slept.