Emi and I enter the kitchen, wash our hands then load trays with all the place settings we need. Taking the loaded trays out to the table, we place plates, saucers and cups that each seat, then I place the utensils. Emi returns to the kitchen reappearing shortly with plates holding bread and butter.

After Emi places the plates, I ask her, "Emi, I would like to do something nice for Tilly this evening. Would you be willing to help?"

"What are you planning?"

"Give her a bath, wash her hair, shave her if she wishes and finish off with a massage. I'll help has much as I can, but you would be the one doing the shaving and massage. What do you think?"

"That sounds good, she works so hard and rarely takes a break. Right after supper or after the treasury?"

"After the treasury. Maybe Helen and Sophia will want to help, too."

"I'll ask when I call them to supper."

Which is not long off as Tilly comes from the kitchen, "Ten minutes to supper. Will you two gather the others."

"Will do Tilly. Emi, any idea where Kalvin and Eliza are?"

"Out in the garden. You want to get them?"

"Yes and I will get Aden."

She heads to the stairs as I step over to the domain office. Sticking my head in the door, "Aden, it's time for supper."

"Thank you, your majesty."

I turn and walk down the hall to the garden. Once there I look around, seeing them sitting under the pergola. "Supper time you two." Continuing on, I check if Tobias is working on the bathhouse. No, Tobias. As I walk back to the door, Tobias comes through the garden gate, pushing the wheelbarrow loaded with stones. "Supper time, Tobias."

"Thank you, princess, I be right there."

"Have you finished checking the walls?" I ask as I walk with him to the bathhouse site.

"Yes I have. The old section walls are not as bad as the new section or the garden but still have rot. I think they have lasted so long because it has a good foundation under them. These walls," pointing to the garden walls, "only have a few feet of rubble as a foundation." Sigh, I was hoping that part of the palace would stay usable.

He starts to unload the stones, so I help, taking the smallest of the stones. When we were done, he leans the wheelbarrow against the wall, out of the way. "Thank you for the assistance, princess."

"You're most welcome, Tobias. Let's go, they are probably waiting on us."

Or not. When we get to the dining room, after washing up, they are sitting there chatting and eating. Tobias holds my chair, sliding it forward after I sit, then seats himself. Tilly has made a couple of meat pies for us tonight, one pork and one chicken, which are mostly gone already. I chose a slice of chicken.

After taking a couple bites,"Tobias informs me that all the palace walls have some degree of rot in them. We will stay in the palace as long as possible, while arranging for some place to live and to store everything. Tomorrow Aden and I will inspect Lian's house, to see if it can be used to house us. There will probably need to be some modifications made to it if it is suitable."

"Concerning the grain sell. We netted over 520 gold today. After supper, Aden and I will be taking the coin to the treasury, I would ask for some of you to help carry the coin."

"Kalvin and Eliza checked the salt ponds this afternoon and report that they are not leaking, though they are losing water to evaporation as planned. They also report that Jason has installed part of the water trough used to fill the ponds."

"Most of you know that the grain cleaner is a success. Aden, tomorrow could you arrange for it to be moved to where it can be used."

"And finally I would like to thank you all for your help today. Without your help today couldn't have happened. Sophia, thank you for writing the notices, Molly, Emi and Sophia, thank you for being the bidding demonstration. Aden, thank you for keeping the records straight. Finally, thank you to everyone that moved furniture today."

I lay down my spoon, "Alright, now who is going to help with the coins?"

When I ask who will help take the coins to the treasury, everyone but Tilly, Molly, Christina, Mabel and Mark raise their hands.

"Alright, all you with raised hands can meet Aden and I in the domain office in ten minutes. For now, let's get cleaned up here." So saying I pickup my plate and utensils, placing them on the tray. Soon the tray is full and being taken to the kitchen. Once the table was cleared, Aden and I go to the office to open the strong box. Placing the bags of coins on the desk, we waited the arrival of the others. Emi and Helen arrived carrying two candle sticks each, soon followed by Sophia, Eliza and Kalvin, then Tobias. Emi hands Eliza and Sophia each a candle stick, which they light off the candle we have.

"Kalvin and Tobias, you get the honor of carrying two bags of coins each." I pickup the odd bag which I handed to Aden then pickup the small bag myself. "Emi, would you lead the way." So out the door we go, Emi, Aden, Eliza, Kalvin, Sophia, Tobias, Helen and Me. In a line we walked down the stairs to the vault, where Aden and I lay our bags down and take out the keys. After opening the vault, Emi is the first to enter, lighting the way. Kalvin and Tobias carried their bags to the table in back, laying them among the others. After picking ours up again, Aden and I do the same.

Before I step out of the vault Sophia stops me by saying, "Rufina, what do you know of this armor?" She is looking at the black and silver trimmed green armor that stands guard near the door.

I dig in Rufina's memory but come up blank, "Nothing, why?"

"I think it is enchanted. I can feel the energy but do not recognize the spells."

I had come to stand by her, looking at the armor. I had seen it the last time we had entered the vault but hadn't paid it much mind. It looked to be over lapping bronze scales fastened to mail, a leather and bronze skull cap, a pair each of bronze vambrace, greaves and gauntlet. I reached out to run my fingers over the scales, as I did they started to glow gently. I jerk my hand away. "What the heck."

"Oh my." exclaims Sophia, "It's a Godly enchant. Who's armor is this?"

"It belonged to the first King of Haven, Rufina's seventh great grand father." Aden explains. He places his hand on the shoulder of the armor, nothing happens.

I touch it again. The glow returns. Why does it do that? "Sophia, do you dare touch it?"

"I shouldn't but..." She reaches out, placing her hand on my neck. "Oh, that's interesting. It's a keyed to the family of the original owner. It's not just one enchantment but several, one to preserve the material it's made of, one to recognize the owner and one very complicated one I can't figure out. Strange."

I take the skull cap off the rack, placing it on my head. It doesn't fit me very well, being too large. The glow intensifies, Emi and Aden gasp, Sophia says,"Ah, that's what it does." The skull cap has changed, it now fits me perfectly. I remove it, it feels lighter. Peering at it closely, I note that it is no longer leather and bronze but appears to be a compost material, resin coated fabric of some kind with gray metal plates fastened to it. It is still green with black and silver trim but the shape is different. It's shaped like the U.S. Army's combat helmet. W.T.H.

I place the helmet back on the rack, taking one of the gauntlets, slipping it on. It is also too large. When it starts glowing, I hold it up so I can see it. It appears to waver, then it shrinks, the material changing from bronze strips over leather to the composite material with the gray metal strips. The weight is considerably less. I wonder. Could the material be carbon fiber or Kevlar. Thinking, I stare at the gauntlet, it wavers again, it looks more like it did originally, the material resembles leather more than it did and the metals strips are bronze colored instead of gray. Picking the helmet back up, I think of the changes I want. The helmet wavers, changing shape back to the original, the metal is now the gray metal coated in bronze, the leather parts are the composite though disguised to look leather like. Holding it out, "Kalvin, try cutting the leather side piece."

He draws his knife, takes hold of the side piece of the helmet, attempts to slice it. The blade just slides off. Cool. I place the helmet back on the rack. This is cool but what would I do with set of armor? I don't intend on fighting anyone. After putting the gauntlet on the rack, I turn to leave bumping into Sophia, who has a spacy look in her eyes. Thinking at her, "Sophia, what are you thinking about?'

She shakes her head, giving me a smile,'We need to talk," glancing around, "later though. We have a date with Tilly, remember?'

As we all head back upstairs after locking up the vault, I talk to Sophia in my head, 'How many are helping?'

'You, me, Emi and Helen.'

'Okay.' "Thank you all for the help, sorry I took so long with the armor. Gentlemen, I'll see you in the morning for T'ai Chi. Have a good night."

"Good night, your majesty." The three say, then go different directions, Tobias and Aden out the front door, Kalvin leading Eliza by the hand, returns to the garden. I lead the remaining three up the stairs to my bedchamber. "Emi would you collect some towels and a blanket or two. All of you will need your robes and night clothes. Sophia, Helen could you bring your pitchers also. Go." When they are gone, I start moving things around, making a clear space. I get the razor out of the chest, laying it on the table next to the basins. After patting my pockets, I remove the tape, placing it beside the razor. Then I start removing my clothes, throwing most of them in the basket. When I am down to my skin, I put on my robe and slippers. Helen and Sophia return, wearing their robes, carrying a towel each and a pitcher. Emi soon enters in her robe, carrying a bundle of towels and blankets. I have her place the bundle on the bed, then hand her one of the two pitchers in my room, taking the other myself. "Now we need water, two pitchers of hot and two cold. And a person to use it on. To the kitchen."

I lead the three of them down to the kitchen, where we get two hot and two cold pitchers of water. The kitchen is dark, Tilly has gone to bed already. Well that only changes the plan slightly. Returning to my bedchamber with the water I tell Emi, "I'll go get Tilly, you fix the water and we will need a towel spread on the floor with a stool in the middle of it. I will be right back."

Going down to Tilly's room, I knock on the door, which Tilly answers. "Your majesty, How can I help you?"

"You can help me by allowing me to pamper you tonight, gather your night clothes and your robe and come with me."

"What are you planning Rufina? I don't have sex with other females."

"Nothing like that Tilly. I have realized that Emi and I bathe each other nightly, we have done the same for Helen, Eliza and Sophia but not you. So tonight is your turn. Get you things and come along, the girls are waiting and the water is cooling."

She stares at me a second, her eyes glistening, then she strips to the skin, dons her robe and picks up a pair of drawers and a chemise. "I'm ready."

Taking her hand I lead her down the hall and up the stairs. When we get in the bedchamber I take her clothes, placing them on the bed. I then take her robe and sit her on the stool that is in the middle of the floor. Placing my robe on the bed with all the others, I take a hand full of water and dribble it on her head. After soaping my hands I start rubbing her head. Sophia and Helen have soaped their hands and are washing her arms and hands while Emi starts on her feet. I hear her sigh as I rub her scalp and Emi her feet. Getting her hair well soaped, I have Emi hold an empty basin while Helen and Sophia lean her back. I then pour some warm water over her hair, rinsing the soap out. Finishing that, we stand her up, Emi returns to her legs, Helen and Sophia her torso and I her neck, head and back. With four of us scrubbing her we soon finish, then rinsed her off. Emi asks her if she would like to be shaved. Looking at us, she says she'll try it once. Emi takes the razor out of it box, checks the edge, giving a couple of pass on the strop then soaps her hands. I hold Tilly arm up so Emi can do under her arm, we switch sides. Sitting her back on the stool Emi starts soaping her pubic hair, which causes Tilly to turn red.

"Do you want it all off or do want a little bit left here," Emi touches above her slit.

"Do it all please."

"Alright, now hold still." Emi glides the blade over Tilly's skin, rinsing the blade occasionally. "There you go, all done."

I pass Emi a towel, the other two already have one. We dry her off, put her robe on her then sit her down again. My hair brushes come out and Emi starts brushing her hair. She does have nice hair, it's longer than mine, fuller too. While Emi does her hair Sophia and I fold the blankets into a pad. When Emi is finished she stands Tilly up, moving her to the side. Wiping up the little spilled water we lay the pad on the floor, then lay Tilly on it. first removing her robe. Laying a towel over her middle, her arms at her sides, Emi starts massaging her. While Emi is doing that Sophia and I start washing Helen. After we rinse her off, Helen and I start on Sophia. While doing that I glace at Tilly, it looks like she fell asleep. Emi is still gently massaging her.

When Helen and I finish washing Sophia, I whisper,"Let put her on the bed and move to Sophia's room."

"How are we going to move her?" Helen asks.

"We lift the blankets she is on, lay her on the bed then roll her off." I explain.

"Emi, you and Sophia take the bottom, Helen here. Hands shoulders width apart, get a good grip on the blanket. We come in from the foot of the bed, Helen and Sophia stay outside the bed, I will get on the bed. Ok, lift. Slowly, good. Lay her down Helen. Let me get on the bed. Ok lift again, bring her up to the head, ok, down." I move the light blanket on the bed over her, she can stay on the pad. The others are collecting pitchers and towels having put on their robes, I empty a couple of basins in the chamber pot. Carrying the basins and a candle I lead them to Sophia's rooms. Emi and Helen detour to the kitchen to refill the pitchers. I return to my rooms to get the stool and snuff the candles. I am returning to Sophia's rooms as Emi and Helen bring in the water.

"You're next Emi," pointing at the stool. Sophia and Helen sit on the floor, a basin between them and start washing her legs. I dribble some water on her hair, wetting it. Soaping my hands, I start scrubbing her hair and rubbing her scalp. Her ears and tail begin twitching. I start massaging her neck and shoulders, then rinse her hair as Sophia and Helen support her. When her hair is rinsed we stand her up and wash her torso, front and back, with lots of rubbing. After wiping the soap off Emi they start washing me, all three rubbing and caressing, soon I am over the edge. They rinse and dry me off. Emi gives me a nice long kiss then tucks me in Sophia's bed, telling me she will wake us in the morning. Helen and Sophia rinse the soap off, drying each other then join me on the bed. Cuddling up we are soon asleep.