"Rufina...Rufina, time to get up." Someone is pulling on my toe. "Rufina, get up." yank.

"Owww. Okay, I'm awake."

"You wanted to get up at first light, which it is." It's Tilly yanking on my toe. "Is there any one else to wake?"

"Yea, Aden, in the first room over the kitchen." I say as I yawn. Tilly goes to wake Aden. I take Emi's arm, so not to push her off the bed, I wiggle around so we are face to face. I start kissing her, nibbling her lips, using my tongue. She is soon responding, kissing me back. As much as I'm enjoying this, it's time to get up, "It's dawn love, let go see Mark off."

She sighs heavily, "I'm going to miss him." She rolls to her back, swinging her legs off the bed, sitting up. "What's the dress of the day?"

"Let's start with trousers and tunic, we can change if we need to. Oh, crud, I have a meeting with Bob this afternoon, too."

She has been picking thing up, laying them on the bed, my underwear, tunic and trousers. "What are you going to do with the armor?"

"Humm, I am thinking of moving father's armor from the study to the vault then moving the armor rack up here to place it on. And I will be wearing it later this morning."

She is giving me the look, you know the one, the don't do something stupid look.

"I need to train with weapons, so need to be protected. Also, I need to get used to wearing it."

"That's correct Emi, she will need it, though she doesn't want to." Sophia has woken, though she is still buried under Helen and Eliza. "If you would help me up, I'll go with you."

I sit behind Helen and gently roll her off of Sophia while Emi disentangles Eliza from her. Once she is clear of her bed buddies, she rolls over and crawl over Helen. Emi then lays Eliza over so she not right on the edge of the bed. Grabbing her robe, Sophia heads out the door to get dressed, Emi follows as her clothes are in the Marks room yet.

I finish dressing, then cover Helen and Eliza with a sheet, then taking my boots and stockings in hand I leave, going down to the kitchen. Aden and Kalvin are waiting, sipping tea. "Morning you two, did you sleep well?"

"Morning, your majesty." Kalvin seems awake.

"Morning." Aden on the other hand is still half asleep.

"When do you wish to train, your majesty? Before or after breakfast?"

"When do you normally do it?"

"I do some early in the day, usually before I come to breakfast, then in the evening after supper."

"This morning is a mess, we need to get to the dock, I don't know when we will be done there. After dinner we have a meeting with Bob at the house and I have to draw some plans to show him what I want done."

"We could run to the dock, you need to work on your stamina. It wouldn't hurt the others to run with you." He nudges Aden in the ribs.

"Are you volunteering us to run, Kalvin?" Sophia asks from the door, Emi peering around her.

"Yes, you all need to exercise some, you don't do near enough to stay strong."

"Do you two need tea?" asks Tilly.

"No, I'm good." "No, thank you." they reply.

I slide my stockings on my feet, then my boots. "Everyone ready?"

"Do you want the basket?" Emi asks.

"Yes, it's better to have it and not need it than the need it and not have it." She diverts to the study, returning with the basket.

Stepping out the front door, I look around. The guards are all lined up, the captain talking to them, telling them the schedule for the day. We walk to the gate, which is open, the bridge is down. Stopping on the bridge I scan the area, "Kalvin, isn't the approach overgrown?"

He stops, looking at the area. "You're correct, your majesty, the approach needs cleaning, there is too much cover. Aden, could you arrange for the some workers to clear it? If this side is this way, I had better check all around the outer wall."

We start jogging down the road, soon reaching the docks. Everyone but Kalvin and Emi is breathing hard by the time we get there. Captain Jones and several of his crew are there, loading their ship's boat with perishable goods and a few bits of cargo.

"Good morning Captain. Are you doing well this morning?"

"Your majesty, good morning. All is well so far. You are about early, is there a reason?"

"My companion's husband is leaving on your ship so we came to see him and you off. Mark isn't on shore is he?"

"Emi is Mark's wife? When did that happen? He is still on board, sleeping I think. He didn't board until near two bells of the mid watch. Was there a sighting of the raiders?"

"No, no sighting. We are still on alert though. Have you gotten all the supplies you need?"

"Yes, we have. The town folk have been helpful."

"It's been a pleasure to have you here. Thank you for your help with the trial and the merchant. You said you make two stops here a year, when do you think you will return? The company that Mark works for will be sending ships here every week and the other merchants will need ships also, you should talk to them."

"Thank you for the advise, I'll talk to them."

"Is you ship equipped with a crane to facilitate loading and unloading?"

"No, we hang a block and tackle on the end of the boom."

"How many sacks of grain can you load at a time?"

"Four usually. Why?"

"I thinking we need to improve the docks so ships can load and unload faster Do you lose much grain to moisture when it's in sacks?"

"No, if we did, we wouldn't be hauling it long. The customers tend to get irate if their product is damaged."

"Ah, I see your men have the boat loaded. Thank you again, I wish you a quick and uneventful trip."

"Thank you, your majesty. It would be ten to twelve weeks before I see you again, so until then I bid you farewell." Saying that he steps off into the boat. "Cast off, we have wind to catch." His men throw off the line holding the boat to the dock then start rowing. When they reach the ship the Captain climbs aboard, we can hear him yelling to the crew to get the boat unloaded and aboard. His crew is well trained, they soon have the supplies and boat aboard. As the pendant atop the mast starts moving in the wind, the crew has the sail unfurled and the anchor raised. As the ship starts moving, Emi spots Mark standing at the stern, waving. She waves back, starting to cry. She stands there until the ship goes around the point, leaving our sight.

As the ship disappears from view, Emi's tears grow larger. Sophia and I gather her in our arms, holding her, letting her cry. Her tear stop after a while, though she is still sad. Pulling a small cloth from her pocket, Sophia hands it the Emi who dries her eyes. Taking her hands Sophia and I lead her off the dock toward town. Glancing at the sky, I estimate the time as about 520, still 80 minutes until the time I normally wake.

Once we are clear of the dock area, Kalvin asks, "Ready to run back to the Palace, your majesty?"

Looking at Emi, "You up for a short run, love." I say quietly to her. She nods, then shakes herself. Sophia smiles at us, giving a nod.

"We're ready Kalvin." As soon as I say it, he takes off. About five minutes later we are trotting across the draw bridge. Again, everyone but Kalvin and Emi are breathing hard. Slowing to a walk, we go around to the garden gate, where we remove our boots. Kalvin asks, "Your majesty, would you go put your armor on and come to the new courtyard."

"May I ask why?"

"I wish to make sure you are putting it on correctly and to examine it the the day light."

"Very sensible. Emi will you help me with that, please."

We walk down the hall, stopping to tell Tilly we have returned. As I am talking to Tilly, Emi places the basket in the study. She is carrying a candle when we meet at the foot of the stairs. After the three of us climbed the stairs, Emi lights the candle and we entered my bed chamber. After multiple candles are lit, I stand looking at the armor, "What is normally wore under armor? I can see wearing a shirt but are trousers worn or not? Long pants would be a pain to remove when you needed to relieve yourself. Plus they would be in the way of the grieves." With that said I removed my trousers then find my shorts, which I put on. I had heard the Scots didn't wear anything under their kilts but no thank you.

Emi and Sophia, having sorted out the armor, start putting it on me. The gambeson is not a problem but the scale shirt is a bugger with its many straps and buckles. Part way though Helen and Eliza wake and want to know what is going on. "Kalvin wants to check that I know how to put on armor and to look at it in the day light. It's about 540 so you have a while before T'ai Chi." Finishing putting on the armor Emi, Sophia and I head to the back courtyard. I picked up the sword on the way out, it is going to need a scabbard, I can't carry it around naked like this. I can see some runes on the blade, near the pommel. It fits my hand well, is less than a hand width from touching the ground as it hangs from my hand.

When we reach the courtyard, Aden, Kalvin and the guard captain are there, waiting. "Good morning captain. How did it go last night?"

"All went well , your majesty. The men are ready."

"Make sure they stay rested, we don't want them to be tired if it takes several day for the raiders to show up."

"Yes, your majesty." He looks at me then at Kalvin.

I may have done it again. I think I will wait for him to say it this time. "Alright Kalvin, here I am, in the armor, what is your verdict?" I slowly turn, arms up.

He watches me as a turn, then steps up, asking quietly, "What are you wearing under it?"

Replying as quietly, "My normal under garments, a mid thigh length tunic and my shorts. You can see the stockings."

"Very good. Would you remove one of the grieves, please." I lean down, unfasten the grieve on the right leg and hand it to him. He calls the captain over and they examine it closely. While they are doing that I go out to the garden and retrieve my boots, putting them on. Returning to the courtyard, I wait on them to finish their discussion. I let my mind wander to what will be needed to arm the people; pole arms, crossbows and bolts, gambeson, someone to train them, some where for them to train. I am interrupted by Aden thumping me in the ribs, which doesn't work well with armor on. He must have hit me fairly hard to get though the armor as he is holding his hand.

"Kalvin asked you a question."

"Oh, sorry Kalvin. What is it?"

"Do you know what this material is, your majesty?"

"I think it is a material from Earth, called carbon fibre, it's a manufactured material made from the same matter as charcoal. And no, I don't know how it is made. The metal is an advanced metal, light weight, strong and flexible but is unable to hold an edge. It is well beyond our current capabilities of smelting. Now you get to tell the captain about me but you can do that later." Kalvin kneels, placing the grieve back on my leg, adjusting the straps then does the same to the other leg.

After he stands, I look at both him and the captain, noting how their armor is worn. They both are wearing chain mail shirts that hang to their knees and cover their arms to the elbow. Wide leather belts around their waists hold pouches and a pair of scabbard, one for their sword, the other for a large dagger. Grieves cover their shins and knees. I lift a leg, looking at the grieve there. It ends short of my knee, offering no protection there. Lowering my leg, I think at the grieves, willing them to grow, extending up and over my knees. I lift my leg again. The grieve now extends over the knee, wrapping part way around the side. Thinking about it, I could probably form it into full plate if I wanted to. But I won't. No need giving the enemy any ideas.

The captain is staring, "It's enchanted, I can change it's form to what ever I imagine."

"Do I wear it correctly, Kalvin?"

"This buckle should be here instead of here," He takes hold of a buckle, undoing it, moving it then redoing it, then turning me and doing the same on my other side. "Other than that it is fine. Good job, Emi." He winks at her. "As her squire you are the one to adjust her armor for her." Taking my sword, he looks that over closely. "Is this from the vault also?"

"Yes, you saw me pick it up last night."

"This is the same sword? I thought that one was smaller than this."

Looking at the sword, it looks like the same one. "Sophia, is this sword enchanted also?"

She reaches out, touching Kalvin's arm, "Oh, my, I see. Yes, it's enchanted, it has similar spells on it, one to maintain it, one to alter it and a powerful one that is hard to read. Kalvin, hand the sword to Rufina, please."

He flips the sword, presenting the hilt to me. I take it in hand, thinking at it. It starts to change, becoming a rapier, long, thin bladed and sharply pointed. Thinking at it again, it changes to a Gladius, the short sword of the Romans. Next I form a double handed long sword, so large I can't lift it, the point is in the ground and the pommel is even with my breasts. I shrink it again to the sword I brought down from my room, about two inches wide, about 21 inches long with a wire wrapped pommel ending in a brass ball about five cm in diameter. Holding it up, looking at it, I start to wonder. Thinking hard again, it starts changing. This time instead of a sword I form it into a crossbow. The others all stare at it. It is strange looking to them, not being what they would consider a crossbow as I form it into a compound crossbow with the arms coming from the middle of the stock, pointing forward, with the cam wheels at the front. "This is the crossbow I used in an archery class I took in college, over a thousand years of innovation here in my hands. Do we have a bolt or arrow handy?"

The captain runs for the stairs, soon returning with a quiver of arrows. Handing it to me, I lead them to the garden door. Stepping to the center path, I armed the weapon, placing an arrow, "See that spot on the wall, just to the left of the place without plaster." Aiming, I squeeze the trigger. With a twang, the arrow flies, straight to where I aimed, burying its self in the wall to half its length. The captain and Kalvin are standing there with their mouths open.

"Oh, to have a weapon like that. We aren't capable of make them are we?" sighs the captain.

"No, but we can build something similar. I asked Mark to arrange for a bowyer to come to the island. When one arrives we can start making crossbows."

"May I try it, your majesty?" asks the captain. I hand him the crossbow. He had watch me cock it so has it cocked and loaded in a few seconds. I explain the sight to him, telling him at this range there will be little drop. He aims and fires.

He placed it about a hand length above mine, "You were aiming high weren't you?"

"Yes, but it hit almost where I was aiming."

"It shoots flatter than the bows you are used to. May I have it?" He hands it to me. Concentrating, I form it into a different crossbow. "Is this what you are used to shooting?" He nods. I am now holding a wooden crossbow, it only has two metal pieces, the trigger and a spring. The bow is wood held on the stock with rope, the nut is horn. He nods. "I will now evolve this." It starts changing, first the bow is now held on with wooden wedges, then a metal strap with a system of metal wedges. The bow itself changes, from a wooden bow, then a composite of wood, horn and sinew, to finally metal. The bow string changes, becoming thicker. The nut turns to metal. Then different mechanisms to span the bows appear, first the stirrup then different winches and a goats foot lever. "Those were the improvements we can make with our available materials."

I notice that we have an audience, Tobias has arrived, along with all the others. "Good morning, friends. Is it time for T'ai Chi?"

"Yes it is, your majesty," says Tilly. I notice that they are all bare foot, ready to go.

Turning to Kalvin and the captain, "Gentlemen, it appears I have a prior appointment. Would you join me?" Kalvin, instead of answering, removes his boots and joins the others.

The captain looks at them, then at me, "And what are you doing, your majesty?"

"It is call T'ai Chi, captain, a form of exercise. It improves your balance, your breathing and reduces the stresses of life." Turning to the Emi,"Love, will you lead this morning?"

She nods, walking to the patio, standing in front of the others. She centers, relaxing, waiting. The others soon follow her lead.

I start showing the captain what to do, explaining as I go. After showing him five forms, I do them with him. When we finish the five, I begin doing some of the other forms I did when I put the armor on last night, including some with the sword.

Finishing T'ai Chi, everyone puts on their footwear and enters the palace, heading to the dining room. Kalvin has the ear of the captain explaining who I am. Emi and I go to my rooms to remove the armor. After shedding the armor, we return to the dining room, ready to eat breakfast. Breakfast is not yet ready, so we are talking about what we can do to protect the island.

"Captain, I would like you to form a militia."

"What is a militia, your majesty?"

"A militia is a fighting force made up of citizens, that periodically trains together, that can be called to arms in emergencies."

"What will they be armed with?"

"I am thinking crossbows, spears and sickles. The kingdom will supply the crossbows and spears, they can use their own sickles. Once the flax industry is up and running gambeson can also be supplied."

Abbey appears with a tray of plates and utensils which she distributes around the table. She returns to the kitchen soon reappearing, closely followed by Tilly. Both are carrying trays laden with platters and bowls. These get placed around the table. Pancakes, fruit butters and fresh berries. Soon the platters are empty, as are the bowls. Tilly and Abbey get thanked for the food. Then the table is cleared and the dishes washed.

After breakfast, I call Kalvin to the study where we talk about what the training will consist of. We decide to train starting about 850 for a hour, giving me an half hour to clean up for dinner. Then a run just before supper. I'm to wear my armor and bring my sword in a sheath if I can find one. That reminds me I want to move father's armor to the vault. Asking Kalvin to stay, I go to the Dominion office I get Aden and his key. I then goto my room to collect my key and Emi who is cleaning the room. Returning to the study, we remove the armor that is there, taking it down to the vault. After opening the vault, we place the armor on the rack, then search the contents of the vault for a sheath, which Kalvin finds on the shelf next to where the sword was. Locking the vault back up, we return to the study. Taking hold of the empty rack, Aden and Kalvin carry it up to my room. After moving the armor, they place the rack in the corner. After I thank them for their help, Aden and Kalvin leave. Emi returns to cleaning the rooms and I place the armor on the rack.

After hanging the armor on the rack, I take the sword, resizing it to fit the sheath, then change them both to my preferred sword size and style. The sheathed sword is then put on a belt and hung with the armor. I ask Emi to come to me at 825 so I can put my armor on before training at 850. I give her a long kiss before returning to the study to draw plans for the house, I only have 75 minutes so need to be quick.

I have decided to put the bath in a room on the back of the house, next to the ground floor rest room. I have come to the conclusion that it would leak water onto the dining room if on the second floor. It wouldn't be as convenient as the on the second floor, but the weight of the water and the leakage problem will offset that. The only thing complicated about the lavatories are the floor joists, they need to be spaced for the tubes to the decomposition chambers in the basement. That is another thing that needs designed, the tubes and the chambers. Those can wait though, the structure needs finished first. The basement is fairly simple also, dig the floor out then put floor joist in, put up some walls. The windows maybe a problem though. I hope they are doable. The decomposition room is just a bare room to start with, the chambers go in later. I start a list of thing to design; the drop pipe, vent pipe, the chambers.

I am writing the list when Emi arrives to help me change. As we are leaving the study I see Eliza at her table, drawing away. In the distance I can hear Helen's loom working. There is noise coming from the kitchen also. "Do you know where Sophia went after breakfast?" I ask Emi.

"She has been going to her rooms or the garden. The times I have seen her she is meditating like you have done."

"Ah, thank you." We enter my bed chamber where Emi takes down the sword, laying it on the bed. I make use of the chamber pot, then clean myself. She holds the gambeson for me to slip on, then the scale shirt. Doing the buckles like Kalvin showed us earlier, it was soon done. My boots, then the grieves, the vambrace, the gauntlets and finally the helmet are placed on me. Fastening the belt around my waist is the finishing touch. Pulling Emi into a hug, I kiss her.

As we head to the back courtyard I ask,"What are you going to do while I learn the sword?"

"Helping Helen with her spinning," she says as I descend the back stairs, "Take care, Love."