Six hundred comes early or at least it feels that way to Rufina as someone shakes her to wakefulness. "Okay, okay I'm awake." Cracking open her eyes, she is met by the worried face of Tilly. 'Oh, now what?' she thinks to herself. "What's wrong Tilly?"

"I don't think they came home last night, I'm worried."

"Uh, what?" says Helen from beside me. I reach over an give Sophia a shake. "Sophia, wake up, please." I whisper in her ear.

"Relax everyone, they are fine. Emi and Eliza are still asleep, Mark and Kalvin are up moving around," she mumbles as she snuggles into my shoulder.

"If the resident Goddess says they are alright, they are alright. Good morning, Tilly. Besides being worried about everyone how are you?" I ask.

"Much better now, thank you. It is shortly after six hundred. What would you like for breakfast this morning?"

"Toast and eggs. And if there is a canteloupe available some slices of that, please."

"How many should I make for?"

"For who ever is here, plus Aden and Tobias. You can include the maids and Abbey if they're here. I think I'll tell Mabel and Christina about myself this morning, trying to talk to anyone in the know with them around is too restrictive as I learned on the way home last night."

Sophia and Helen have crawled off the bed, slipped on their robes and left, leaving me alone with Tilly. I had sit up on the edge of the bed, "Sit down Tilly, I haven't gotten to talk to you in a while. Thank you again for yesterday. Having you and Emi here helping run the household is such a blessing. And don't think I don't know what it takes to run a place like this, I was second shift manager at the restaurant I worked at. Did you enjoy yesterday? Were you too busy cooking to enjoy the day? If you didn't I'm sorry, I could have helped more."

"Rufina, I enjoy cooking, yesterday was relaxing in its own way. I did enjoy helping fill the ponds, swimming and being able to lie in the sun which I haven't done in years. And your help cleaning up was most helpful. I am wondering why we take so many breaks though."

"It has been figured out that workers preform better if they have regular breaks, there were even studies that suggested letting them nap at midday. Don't you feel you work better when you are rested?"

"In fact I do. I work best in the morning and after I come back from the market."

"See, breaks are good. But work is good too, and we need to be about it. Sophia and Helen are probably in the kitchen wanting their morning tea so I had better let you go take care of them." We stood, as she started to turn away I pulled her into a hug, "Love ya, Tilly."

At first she was stiff but relaxed," Love you too, princess. You don't mind if I call you princess, do you?"

"You can call me Rufina, you know. But princess is fine." We break our hug, she takes her candle and leaves, I do my morning toilet. Getting dressed in a long tunic over shorts, I snuffed all the candles but one, taking it to put by the stairs. Carrying my slippers and a pair of anklets, head down to the kitchen. When I arrive, Tilly hands me a cup of tea, pointing to a chair.

We are sitting, chatting and drink tea when Sophia let us know, "They are on the way back, they should arrive in a few minutes." Looking at her, I think, 'Are you getting more sensitive?' She nods.

"Helen, did you learn anything in dream space last night?" I asked as I sipped my tea.

"I did. The spinning wheel you want to make is wonderful but I think a better one to start would be a kick spindle. Those are just powered drop spindles and will be easier for spinners to learn to use. I can see the progress from drop spindle to the spinning wheel now. Each is a improvement of the one before. Would you mind if I have Steven or Daniel make a kick spindle?"

"I'll even pay for it if you do. Do you want a sketch made of it?"

"Would you? I'm horrid at drawing."

"They are here." Sophia says, standing.

"Let's go do some T'ai Chi and rib our friends about their night time adventure."

We go out to the garden, where we find not only Emi and company but Aden and Tobias. As the others get ready, I stand relaxed in vertical centering, eyes closed. After it had been quiet for a minute I open my eyes to see them all in vertical centering, waiting. "Thirty rotations to the right," we begin. Thirty minutes later, "And returning to vertical centering.", we finish.

After we enter the palace I stand looking at the new section courtyard when Aden comes up to me. "What on your mind, your majesty?"

"I had thought to have the wheat auction in the garden but with the construction and the plaster being off the walls I believe it should be moved in here. What do you think?"

"Where? The courtyard it's self or the parlor in back?"

"Oh, I hadn't thought of the parlor, good idea. With only the three of them there will be plenty of room. Do you want to do the selling or shall I?"

"You can do it, I'll keep the records. What are we going to need in way of furniture? A couple tables and five chairs?"

"Yes and no, eight chairs and two tables, one for the front and one for you to write at. There should be a sack of wheat also. Are we selling any other grains today? Rye, oats or barley?"

"We have 3000 sacks of rye we can sell, I would like to hold the oats and barley for our own use."

Aden and I are sitting at the table now, the others are being served. Emi and Mark are being teased about staying out all night as are Eliza and Kalvin. I have a question for Mark, "Mark, when you buy rye, what size lots do you like buying it in?"

"Depends, if I can buy a larger quantity I like 500 sack lots as that is near a full ship load."

"So you would buy in 500 sack lots for all grains then?"

"That's right."

"Would all the buyers buy in 500 sack lots?"

"If they are smart they would."

"Thank you Mark."

"Are you selling some rye also?"

"Aden informs me we have 3000 sacks to sell, so yes."

"Good, I have a market for it. Will it be cleaned like the wheat?"

"The cleaner has yet to be delivered so I'm not sure if it even works. We will get it to work eventually. Aden will you have time to check on the cleaner this morning?"

"I'll do so after breakfast."

"If it is ready, have it and a sack each of rye and wheat delivered to test it with and to display at the auction. I'll get the venue set up. Helen, I'll do that sketch and you can go visit Daniel. Eliza, Sophia and Emi, would you gather eight chairs, a table and one writing desk. Mark and Kalvin you get to carry the tables the ladies find, they are to be placed in the parlor at the rear of the new section. Molly, would you and the others give that parlor a quick cleaning before the tables and chair are placed, please."

With that I place my dishes on the tray, refilling my tea before going to the study. Taking out paper and a charcoal stick, I wait for Helen. When she arrives she starts describing the kick wheel to me. A base board, an angled upright supporting a heavy shaft and a flywheel, the upper end of the shaft sticking out of the upright a cm or two, there is a socket in the end of shaft large enough to insert the whorl end of a drop spindle. "Are all the bottom whorl spindles the same or do they have different sized shafts?"

"Different threads need a the different whorl, the finer the tread the lighter the whorl. The whorl I use is one of the most common."

"But spindle shafts are the same size? So any spindle would fit this?"

"Most will."

"I guess I should have the woodworkers make any replacement spindles all have a common size shaft, so any will fit this. Can you think of any problems with that?"

"Not really, anyone would have to get used to a new spindle anyway."

"Does this look like what you want?" She nods. "Have Daniel send me an estimate for cost and delivery. Just a second, I'll get you some coin, you should pay half and get a receipt." I get out the coin purse and hand her fifteen copper and a silver. It shouldn't be more than that. "Alright, off you go."

While I am sitting here I may as well sketch what I thought of last night while in dream space, it's simple enough, 48 wood pieces, each two cm wide and one cm thick, by six cm long. As I finish the sketch there is knocking on the door. Was there someone coming today? I go answer it. Opening the door, there stands John, a thin metal bar in his hands. Oh, yes. He was coming to inscribe the meter stick standard today. "Hello, John, come in."

"Your majesty. Don't you have servants to answer the door?"

"They are all busy doing the tasks that I have set them, so that leaves me." I lead him to the parlor, "You will probably need a well lit area to work in so let's move one of these small tables out to the atrium for you to work on. Did you have any problems making it?"

"No, your majesty. It just a piece of fine work, taking a lot of time to get done correctly." We moved one of the table out to the atrium then get a chair.

"Is this enough room for you?" He nods. "Good, let me get the tape and you can start." I go in search of the measuring tape, hoping Helen isn't carrying it around. I check the table in my sitting room, then her work room. I finally give up, I really have no idea where to look. I go back to John, to explain the problem, "We are going to have to wait for Helen's return as she has the tape."

"Have you ever made a saw?" I asked him, to pass some time.

"I have, two of the pit saws in use are mine."

"Good, I have a plan for a saw I would like made. I'll be right back." Going to the study, I dig out the cross cut saw sketches. "This is a saw used to fell trees, it should be faster than an axe." I show him the sketches.

"Is this correct? You have the length at over four cubits."

"Yes, that's the correct length. It would need to be that long to be able to cut a large tree."

"It would be difficult to make but I could do it. That arrangement of the teeth is genius, cutters on the side then chisels in between. How many of these are you wanting?"

"That depends on the number of wood cutters that would what to use them, so lets make one for now. If more want one, they can wait for you to make one. Any idea how long a wait it would be?"

"Based on this," he points to the meter stick, "a saw will be three weeks."

"And cost?"

"Two silver I think, it depends on the amount of metal and the time needed to finish it."

"That sounds reasonable," I go to the study again, this time getting out my purse. Removing a silver coin, laying it on the desk, I make out a receipt for a saw, price two silver, one paid the other due on delivery. Sign both halves I took it to him to sign, then tore it in half then handing him a half. As we finished that Helen arrived with Daniel in tow.

"Hello, Helen, Daniel. Is there a problem? And do you have the tape, Helen?"

"Oh, right here," she reaches into her pocket, removing the measuring tape, handing it to me, which I hand to John.

"There you go, John. Please be careful with it. Now, Daniel, how can I help you?"

"Uh, he asked the question." says Helen.

"Which question is that?"

"You know the one that we have all asked you, except Sophia who doesn't need to as she has known the answer from the beginning."

"And why would he ask that question?"

"I may have let something slip. I'm sorry," she started to get teary eyed.

"That's fine, sweetie. I think it's to the point that more people should know anyway. Will you go get Christina and Mabel, they should be in the far parlor, if not ask Emi where they are." She took off at a quick walk.

"And what question is this that everyone asks you, your majesty?" ask John.

"Have patience, John. There are others that need to know and I don't feel like explaining more than once." I realize I should have Sophia here also. 'Sophia, could you come to the atrium, please.' 'I'm coming.' was her reply.

A minute later, the four of them arrive, Sophia, Helen and the maids. "Thank you for coming , ladies. Sophia, Daniel has asked the question and I have decided that it's time for these four to know the answer. So will you explain to them?"

"Hello, John, Daniel, this is Christina and that is Mabel, they are maids here in the palace. Mabel, Christina this is Daniel, a woodworker and John, a master blacksmith. Some of you know me, other don't. I am Sophia, God of Knowledge and Wisdom. I have come to Haven to assist and guide my instrument, Rosa Mendez now known as Rufina Faucher, Queen of Haven. Rufina was dead, poisoned by Lian, I placed Rosa in her body, repaired it and restarted her. Daniel, John several days ago you may have noticed a glow around yourselves, that was caused by me, I blessed Rufina and those that helped her and you two have helped her. That is who and why. I will let her explain the what, when and where."

"Thank you, Sophia. Twenty one days ago, I woke up in this body. I have tried to hide who I am but apparently I am too different from the old Rufina to hide. John, I know I confused you several times when I asked you things. Daniel you must have figured it out to have asked the question, Who are you? Mabel, Christina you meet me the second day I was here, did I act strange to you?"

"Yes, your majesty, you did. You thanked us for doing our jobs and you were reading, you didn't read unless you had to, and you rarely if ever spoke to us."

"What I wish to do is to improve the lives of everyone on the island. To do that I need money, right now the harvest is the easiest way to make money. So I remade items from my former world, that you built for me, to help with the harvest. I have had salt ponds built, so we can harvest the salt from the sea, to sell or to use in make other things to sell. I want to grow more flax. I have plans for machines to help process that flax quickly so the people can spin yarn on spinning wheels, which you are going to build, Daniel, then weave that yarn on new looms that all the woodworkers will work on. Then every man, woman and child on the island can have new clothes. And what the people of the island can't use we can sell to buy what is needed."

"Some of the things I introduced are just because I like to wear nice clothes, want to go swimming in mixed company and don't like high stockings while others are to improve the speed of the harvest, improve the threshing and ease the work of the farmers. I made a number of bricks so I can replace the cook fire in the kitchen so my cook doesn't have to breath smoke filled air and doesn't have to work near open flames. I gave my gardener a device to carry heavy loads because I don't want him to injure himself, then I taught him how to improve the chickens he raises to get more eggs. I have taught Helen how to make new styles of clothes and methods of make those clothes. I am going to have a new loom made for Helen so she can make more cloth in less time to make those clothes out of. I have ordered new food plants to feed the people, after I teach Tobias how to plant and care for them, I will teach Tilly and Abbey how to prepare the different vegetables then they can teach others."

"I want to teach every one on the island to read, write and to do sums. Being able to read expands your world, taking you to far places, teaches you things you would never have heard of. Writing allows you to leave a mark on the world if you so desire. Sums are just useful."

"This is why I chose Rosa to be my instrument, she helps people to improve themselves. Dominion is like Earth was a thousand years ago, the ones with the power are violent, greedy and ignorant. I wish for that cycle to be broken so that the world can be a better place. Rufina is just one person, on a small island with few resources and few people but the people she has are good, wise and generous. Together you can do things. So help her on her mission."

"I, for one, will help." says John, "Her ideas have made me think as I haven't in a while and have all ready brought me a few coins."

Mabel and Christina look at each other then nod, "We will help also. Though we are just maids."

I come up to them, pulling them into a hug, "You are not just maids, you are helping by maintaining the palace, so that it doesn't fall in to disrepair. If you weren't here the whole palace would soon be like the study was three weeks ago, only worse. You are preserving an investment."

"I'll help too. Helen said the design she brought me was one she saw in a dream. Are others able have these dreams?"

"Those dreams can be arranged. Though not right away. Now that you know who I am, I want a favor, don't tell others about me until I say that it is alright. This is the only restriction I have for you."

"Now, we all have work to do, so lets get busy. Helen, Daniel did you get the spinning wheel worked out?"

"We were in the midst of working it out, your majesty."

"Is there any thing I could help with?"

"No, I think it's a straight forward design, shouldn't take long to build. What should it be made of, soft or hard wood?"

"Uh, Rufina?" asks Helen.

"The base, upright and wheel could be soft wood, the shaft and spindle out of hard as the spindle needs to be smooth so it doesn't snag the yarn and the shaft so it is strong enough."

"What are the details on the lower bearing?"

"As drawn, the end of the shaft is rounded and polished. It rides in a depression with a bit of leather in the bottom. You could reverse it, putting the leather on the end of the shaft with a raised round metal rod supporting it. Don't make it too frail, it is going to be kicked a lot."

He was making notes on the sketch, "Oh, the shaft needs to be able to be moveable so the bearings can be lubricated."

Christina and Mabel had returned to the back parlor as we discussed the spinning wheel. When Helen and Daniel finalized the sketch and started to haggle the price, I checked on John's progress with the meter stick. He had the first ten cm laid out and is checking his marks against the tape, they were lining up. I wait until Helen shows Daniel to the door then taking her hand we head to the back parlor.

"Did he say when it would be done? and what is the final cost?"

"In five or six days, and 18 coppers."

"Woo, you are a good at haggling, I would have paid much more than that, so good job."