Folding the tunic I lay it on the desk then we go back to the table. I rearrange the seating, moving Aden down one so that side of the table is now Emi, Beth, Me, Benny, Aden, Tobias and Mabel. When Mark returns it will change again. Everyone settles down ready to eat. Looking at Benny then Beth I notice they need something to sit on, Benny can barely see his plate, Beth is a little better but she will not be able to reach her cup. "Does anyone have an idea on how to lift the children so they can eat?" The others look at the children, Aden rises, going to his office. He returns carrying a couple of large books, coming behind Beth he says, "Would you slide forward miss Beth." When she does he lays the book on her chair then lifts her up and places her on it. Then slides the chair forward. She is now able to reach her cup. "Thank you Aden." both Beth and I say.

He does the same for Benny, using a thicker book. Once he is positioned he says, "Thank you Aden. Are you our pa, now?"

That question startles Aden but he quickly replies, "No, I am one of your uncles. Is that all right?"

"Thank you, Uncle Aden."

Emi and Tilly are bringing the meal out, it is a baked fish. There are vegetables, carrots, beet greens and turnips. And fresh bread of course. I ask Emi to help Beth as I help Benny. I place a little of everything on his plate, telling him to eat it all if he can but he doesn't have to if he gets full. Tilly has found a pair of small spoons for them to use. They start eating, the sandwich they had earlier didn't seem to lessen their appetites any. Once everyone has finished eating, I gather Benny in my arms sitting him on my lap.

"Did every one introduces themselves to Beth and Benny?" When they all nodded, "Good. Now for their tale, I don't think Beth knows part of it as she wasn't there. After we went our separate ways this morning, Aden returned, bringing some of the items we had ordered. He asked if I would like to observe the ship being loaded, I did, so Emi, Kalvin and I went down to the dock. After observing them load the ship I had some ideas I wish to tell Aden. We were looking for him when several men started pointing to the water, someone was splashing about, floundering in the bay. No one was moving, just watching. I am wearing my shorts under my tunic so stripped to my shorts and bra. After diving in I swam out to where I had seen the person. They had sunk, diving down I found him, pulled him to the surface then to the dock. Once at the dock, Kalvin lifted both of us out, laying him on the dock. I check his breathing, he had none. I gave him mouth to mouth, got him to breathing again. I hadn't realize he was a small boy until I was back on the dock. I was comforting him when Beth came running up looking for her brother. After hearing her story I had Emi bring them to the palace while I talked to Aden."

"Apparently we didn't get off as easily as we thought with the raiders, Beth says her mother and father were killed by them, their home burnt and their animals killed. When I heard they are orphans I told Aden to find out how many others there are. Hopefully any orphaned children have a relative to take them in or friends to help them like Eliza had. Beth and Benny have no family on the island and no friends so I have decided to become their guardian."

"Your majesty, please tell the whole story." Kalvin says from his seat.

"I did."

"No, you left out a lot. The men on the dock were shocked when you took off your tunic. After you started to swim they were grumbling, wondering where your senses had gone. When you returned with Benny and I hauled you both from the water they were wondering how you did that so quickly. As you were kissing the life back in to Benny, they wondered what you were doing. When Benny started breathing again they all fell to their faces in awe. As you sat hugging the boy, tears running down your cheeks, I hear them call it a miracle, saying you had brought the boy back from the dead. Then you told them it was knowledge of the body, that anyone of them was able to do it if they wished to learn."

"That is not all. After you and Emi took the children to the palace she claimed all the orphans as her own calling them the Queens Children, taking responsibility for them if they had no one else."

Beth turned to me, looking me in the eye,"Did you bring back brother back from the dead? Could you do that for ma and pa?"

"I'm sorry Beth, It only works on people that drown and are not quite dead yet, your brother was still alive he just couldn't breath. I helped him breath that is all." She starts crying, sobbing. I turn to her, sliding her into my leg, hugging her close.

"Bethie don't cry," Benny says, himself starting to tear up. They hug each other as I hug them both. Now I am crying too.

Sophia, Helen and Emi come to me, two taking the children, the third standing me up, guiding me up the stairs to my bed chamber. Sophia looked at the children, putting them to sleep, then taking my hand leads me to the bed, telling me to lay down. She had the other two lay the children on the bed, one on either side of me. Once I was situated she stared into my eyes, I sleep.

When I wake, there is a single candle burning on the other side of the room. Beth is draped over me on one side, Benny on the other. Sophia is sitting in the chair next to the bed. 'Do you need to get up?' 'No. What's going on?' 'You needed to sleep, the stress of the morning was getting to you. And the children. Are you feeling better?' 'Yes, I am. Thank you.'

I lay there mind speaking with Sophia, until Benny wakes up needing to use the chamber pot. Getting out from under Beth I help him with his breaches and drawers. 'Did you tell them you are a God?' 'No, and I don't wish them to know yet.' '?' 'They are too young. I will be their mystical aunt Sophia for a few years.' 'As you wish Aunt Sophia.' 'Okay, Mama Rufina.' That causes me to giggle, which get a puzzled look from Benny.

"Do you want to go back to sleep, Benny?" He shakes his head. "All right, let me wake Beth." 'Leave her sleep, she has only had a few hours of sleep in the last day and a half, watching over Benny. He was asleep when she was hunting for some food for them, but woke while she was gone. That is when he got in trouble.' 'Okay, will you watch her.' She nods. Taking Benny's hand I lead him down stairs. It's the middle of the afternoon now, we had slept over a hour.

Aden is back in town, Eliza and Kalvin are out in the garden, Tilly is cooking, I can hear Helen's loom so she is working. That leaves Emi and the maids unaccounted for. When I ask Tilly where Emi is she tells me up stairs, I had passed right by them. I looked up, out the door, catching sight of Emi in the window of the room next to mine.

Benny and I go back up the stairs to that room. The maids and Emi were cleaning the sitting room, the bedchamber doors are open, I can see candle light from them. "What are you doing ladies?"

"The children need a room, Rufina. So we cleaned this one for them. Hi Benny, want to see your room?"

I let him go, "Which ones mine?" he asks as he runs around.

"Did you sleep with your ma and pa and Beth?" Emi asks.

"Yes, all of us in one big bed, not as big as mama Fina's but big."

"Do want to share a bed with Beth or sleep alone?"

"With Beth. It's scary sleeping alone."

"All right this way then, it's this room over here." She leads him to the room farthest from mine.

"Thank you for the help with the bath, Christina. And with the clothes, Molly."

"It's a pleasure helping, your majesty. You are going to need all the help you can get, I remember my two when they were that size, I needed help from both our mothers on occasion, the little hellions, though Beth seems quiet."

"What do you have planned for them?"

"They will both be taught to read, write and do their sums. Later I will let them visit some of the workshops to see if they would like to apprentice to someone but that is a few years off. Until then love them like they should be."

There was a loud knocking on the front door, Molly and Christina looked at me then each other, then Molly said "Excuse me." then dashed out the door and down the stairs. A few minutes later she returned saying, "A mister Howard Schreiber is here to see the queen, on business. He is in the parlor."

"Watch Benny for me please. I'll return as soon as possible." I descend the stairs, going to the parlor, Molly following. Once we get there Molly introduces us, "Mister Schreiber this is Queen Rufina, Your majesty, mister Schreiber. Would you like tea?"

"No thank you." he replies.

"None for me Molly." She returns up stairs.

"Hello sir, what may I help you with?"

He reaches into his jacket, pulling a piece of paper folded in fourths, length wise. He hands it to me. After seeing the impression on the seal I have an idea who mister Schreiber is. The letter is from the Harding company so he is the block printer that I asked to hire. Opening the letter I confirm this.

"To Rufina, Queen of Haven, greetings.

The bearer of this letter is Howard Schreiber, a journeyman block printer. As per your request we have witnessed his skill at his craft and judge him to be competent.

Geo. Hawkworth, general manager, The Harding Company."

Folding the letter back up, I lay it on the table beside me. "Mister Schreiber did they tell you what the contract entailed?"

"They mentioned a two year contract, with a workshop and dwelling but didn't mention what I would be doing, nor the wage."

"The wage will have to be negotiated after we see a sample of your work. But I will say that it be several gold a year a least. Your task, in the beginning at least, will be to carve and print images that we supply you. Later you will work with others to produce books of different sorts. Have you spoken to minster Aden?"

"Yes, your majesty, he sent me to see you."

"Do he show you your shop?"

"No. I spent the night aboard ship then came ashore early this morning. I have been wandering the town, looking around. After dinner I found the minster, we spoke for awhile and he sent me here."

"So you haven't gotten a room at the inn?" He shakes his head.

Standing I go out into the atrium, "Molly," I call.

She comes out of the children's room, "Yes, your majesty."

"Please prepare the center room over the kitchen for Mister Schreiber, he will be stay with us for a few days and inform Tilly that we will have a guest for supper."

I glance at the sky, its mid afternoon. "Excuse me Mister Schreiber." I go up the stairs to the children's room. Finding Emi and Christina,"Emi would you find Kalvin, tell him we are going to town again. Christina, would you keep Benny occupied for a hour or so while I'm in town." Emi leaves to find Kalvin. Christina goes to the bedchamber to be with Benny. "Christina, if you want, there are children's books on the bottom shelf of the bookcase in the study."

"Thank you, Your majesty. I'll do that."

'Sophia, how is Beth doing?' 'She is still asleep. Shall I wake her, if she isn't up soon she won't be able to sleep tonight.' 'You can wake her. Benny is in the room next door. I'm going to town to show the printer his workshop. We should be back in a hour.' 'See you then.'

I return to the parlor as Kalvin enters, followed by Eliza and Emi. "Every one, this is Mister Schreiber, the block printer the company sent us. Mister Schreiber this is Kalvin my guard, his fiancé and our resident artist, Eliza and Emi, my companion."

"Hello , Mister Schreiber, welcome to Haven." Says Eliza.

"Mister Schreiber." says Kalvin.

"Hello, Mister Schreiber."

"Emi would you find the card faces to show Mister Schreiber. Kalvin we will be going to town to show Mister Schreiber his shop. Mister Schreiber, Eliza has drawn the first project you will be working on. And here it is. Thank you Emi."

Emi had found the card faces, handing them to me. I pass him the page with a pair of kings on it. He studies it, "This is very fine work Miss Eliza. What are they? They aren't detailed enough to be portraits."

"They are card faces, Eliza could you fetch the deck of cards." She goes to the side board in the dining room, returning with the deck. Refina searches for and finds the kings, show him each one. "These were drawn by my self and others, before Eliza arrived."

He asks for the other card faces, which Emi hands him. After looking through them, "So you want these printed. How many colors and on what weight paper?"

"The paper is still packed away. Most of the cards will be printed in either black or red, through the face cards could have four colors on them. The backs of the cards will be either one color or multi colored, depending on the design. Lets go to town, so we can return before supper."

Kalvin, Emi, Mister Schreiber and I walk down to the Daniel's old shop, first stopping to get the key from Daniel. I had only been in the back of Daniels shop once so I was curious about it. It is larger than I thought. Mister Schreiber is mumbling to himself. "If you need to make notes of what you need, Emi has paper and charcoal."

"Oh, thank you. Will you help with furnishings or do I have purchase them myself?"

"Oh, I could put a few coins to that purpose. What will you need? Shelves? benches?"

"Yes and Yes. Storage and work space."

"The company man said you would need a lot of storage. Most of it need not be fancy, correct?"

"That correct, not fancy at all, just space to hold the panels, both carved and uncarved."

"Other than the lack of furniture, is this suitable?"

"This is most suitable, thank you. I assume there are living quarters above?"

"I think so, I totally forgot to ask Daniel if he lived here. Everyone search for a stairway." The building had a second story so there had to be a stairway.

"Here it is." Emi found it in a corner, I let mister Schreiber climb the stair to look around. He returns saying it's a bit small but as it is only himself it's big enough for now. Whoops, we will need to add on a apprentice quarters then.

When we finish looking the shop over, we return to Daniel's new shop. Daniel was still moving things to his new workshop so needs the key back, I introduced mister Schreiber to him, telling him that he would be moving in soon. I asked how his work was coming along. He is getting things done and thank you for getting the continued use of Jose', he is a fine young man. We thank him for letting us see the shop and we would see him later.