After we sit at the table I greet everyone,"Morning all, did you all sleep well?"

We talked a while, Tilly served breakfast, omelets filled with pork sausage fried loose, with onions and garlic. Beth and Benny shared one, each getting half. There was toast with fruit butters and tea, with milk for the children. When most of us were getting close to finishing our meal I started telling them about what was discovered this morning.

"This morning as I was going to training I met Beth on the balcony. She touch my armor causing it to glow. You might not know this but I believe this is the armor that belonged to Ajax. His armor is described in a book as being 'Green, trimmed in black and sliver'. I had thought that I, being a descendant of Ajax, was what caused the armor to glow, the armor recognizing its rightful owner. When Beth touched it, causing it to glow, it recognized her as a descendant of Ajax,also, the same when Benny touched the helmet later in the courtyard. I asked Sophia to use her powers to check something that I know of. She confirms that the three of us are related. So Beth, Benny I am not only your mama now, I am a cousin, too, I am family."

"We are related? How?" Beth wants to know.

"We share a great great grand father or mother, I assume one of my great great grand mothers is related to one of your great great grands. So that would make us third cousins."

"I wonder if Mama's book has that in it." Beth states.

"What book, Beth?"

"Mama had a big book, she showed it to me a couple of times. There was a picture of a tree with peoples names on it. I remember her pointing to her name, saying that was her."

"Do you think you could find your mama and papa's house, Beth?"

"It's two, three days walk that way," she points to the east. "There is a trail that goes by the house, I would see people sometimes, they would stop over night if it was late. And the sea was over the hill that way," she pointed north.

"Did you walk on the trail or go through the forest when you came here?"

"We ran through the forest for a while, keeping the sea on this side," she held up her right arm, " until we found the trail again, then followed it to town."

"How did you know to keep the sea on that side?" Kalvin asked her.

"Papa said if we every had to run to town to keep the sea there. He said once we got there to find a town guard, they would help. We got to town really late and couldn't find a guard so found a place to sleep, then Benny wandered off and got found by Mama Fina."

"Beth will you help clear the table, Benny you help too." I take my plate, cup and utensils to the side board, laying them on the tray. Beth and Benny do the same, though Benny makes more than one trip. Beth, being taller can reach every thing on the table so can make it in one trip. Beth asked Tilly if she was finished, when she said she was, Beth pickup her plate, cup and utensils and put them on the tray. The others placed their cups on their plates along with their utensils then stood. I caught Kalvin's eye then when to the study, Kalvin following.

"Kalvin, ask the captain to send four men on the trail to the east. Have them look for a burnt out farm, when they find it have them search the remains, if they find a large book have them bring it back. If they find bodies, have them buried and the graves marked. You heard Beth, about two days to the east, probably less because they are children. If they find any valuables bring them back." I think of something, standing I go find Beth.

"Beth, do you know where your mama keep the big book?"

"No. She didn't let me see where she put it."

"I know where it is." Benny says. "It's under the floor in the bedroom, in the corner. She thought I was asleep when she got it out once."

"Which corner, Benny?"

"The one next to the bed, you came in the room the bed was over there," points to his right, "the back corner."

"Thank you Benny. Are you done clearing the table?"

"No, mama. We still have a few plates to get."

"All right, when you are done clearing the table, ask Tilly what you can do after you are done. I am going to talk some more with uncle Kalvin." I leave them to finish that chore.

"Kalvin, the book is hidden in the bedroom, under the floor, in the far right corner."

"Do you want me to go with them? I'll go if you wish it."

"And who will guard and train me and take care of your wife to be? You have responsibilities here."

"As you wish." he sounds unhappy.

"Is there another that can do what you do?"

"Any of the guards could accompany you to town. You could use a break from training, to let our body recover or you could train with the the captain, he would be happy to help."

"Very well, you can go. Be careful though. If you run into raiders, don't engage them."

"Yes, your majesty. Take care of Eliza for me." He stands, salutes me then leaves, going up the stairs.

I sit there for a few minutes, thinking. Shaking myself, I rise and head to my rooms. Emi is there, cleaning. "Emi, are you close to finishing?"

"In here, yes."

"Good. We are going to town. I need to buy a tunic and some stockings. Is there anything you can use? Stockings, a new tunic and good hard orgasm?"

"I could use a good orgasm, the tunic or stockings not so much, do we have time or opportunity?"

"Not really, which is too bad, I could use one also. Oh, well. We'll need the basket, make sure there are plenty of coins." I move to the wardrobe, getting out a pair of short stockings. Sitting on the chest I swap stockings, slipping my slippers back on. I lay the anklets on the chest to be worn this afternoon. "I'll be getting the little ones ready, join me when you get done." I pull her into a hug, kissing her soundly. "Love ya, Emi."

"Love you too, Fina" returning my kiss. "I see you in a bit."

I find the children helping Tilly in the kitchen, drying dishes. "Who would like to go to town with me?" They both look at me, a questioning look on their faces. I look back at them, waiting.

"You want us to go to town? Now?" Beth asks. I nod. Benny puts his towel down, ready to go. Beth is unsure, continuing to wipe the dish she is drying. "What's the matter Beth?" I sit at the table, facing her.

"Don't want to go to town." She mutters.

"Why don't you want to go to town?"

"He would see me."

"Who would see you?"

She is looking at the floor, tears flowing down her cheeks. I pull her on to my lap, wiping the tears. "I'm a bad girl, I took some man's food then ran away." She started cry harder. All I could do was hold her as she cried.

When she was cried out I said, "Did you take the man's food because you were hungry? or for Benny?" She nods, not looking at me. "And you know it's bad to take things from people without asking?" She nods again. "Would you recognize the man if you saw him?" She shrugs. Humm, that is a problem. "If you saw the man, what would you do?" Again she shrugs.

"What did you take?" She answered.

"A loaf of bread." I can barely hear her.

I stand, picking her up I place her on the chair, "You stay here, I be back shortly. Tilly, will you watch them, please." She nods.

I go to the Palace office, where I find Aden. I sit in the chair opposite him, sighing. He looks at me, "What's the matter, your majesty?"

"Apparently Beth stole a loaf of bread from someone yesterday morning. She knows she did a bad thing. She doesn't think she can recognize the man she took it from. Will you check around town to see if anyone reported having a loaf of bread taken? On another matter, Kalvin is going to search for the farm of Beth and Benny's parents and will be gone for several days. One of the guardsmen will be guarding me in the meantime, I will going to talk to the guard captain shortly to request a guard for a trip into town. I plan on buying a few articles of clothing for myself and the children, and will try to return quickly. I will talk with you later." I stand to leave.

"Rufina, what should I do if I find someone that was robbed of a loaf?"

"Invite them to dinner or supper, as the case may be. I wish to speak with them." He nods.

I meet Emi in the atrium, I think she has been listening. "Sorry Emi, something has come up. Will you make sure Beth and Benny have used the chamber pot before we leave? I going up to talk to the guard captain. I will return shortly." Arriving at the stairs I start up them. When I arrive at the guard rooms, I seek the captain. I find him on the ground floor of the tower.

"Good morning, your majesty, how may I help you?"

"Has there been a report of theft of a loaf of bread in the last day? Probably early yesterday morning."

"There has, the inn keeper Scott reported that a small child took a loaf yesterday morning. That is the first such report in a while. Why do you ask?"

"One of my wards confessed to taking a loaf this morning. I was wondering who the victim was. You may consider the case closed as I will be handling it myself. To another matter, as you probably know Kalvin is on a mission for me. As one of his duties is to guard me when I go to town I require a guard this morning. And would you be willing to train me in the use of weapons in the mornings until Kalvin returns?"

"It would be my pleasure to train with you, your majesty. We begin at 500, correct?"

"Yes, that has been when we begin lately."

"As for the guard," he looks around, "Vincent!"

"Yes Sir." Says a young man, saluting the captain.

"You will escort the Queen and her companions on their trip in to town. Your majesty, this is guardsman Vincent." He salutes me, I nod in return.

Standing I tell the captain, "Thank you Captain. If I don't see you before then I'll see you tomorrow morning." To Vincent, "Meet me at the west garden gate in a few minutes, please." I leave through the door to the outside. Walking around to the front of the palace I enter through the front door. I stick my head in the office telling Aden that the victim of the Great Loaf Snatching has been identified so he doesn't need to look for him. I then look for Emi and the children, finding them in the kitchen, Beth sitting where I left her, sitting beside Emi, who is holding Benny.

"Are you ready?" I ask them. They nod, Beth looking down. "Come along then." I lead them to the door to the garden, where Emi and I change to our shoes. Once shod we go out the gate where we meet Vincent. "Vincent these are Emi, Benny and Beth. Everyone this is Vincent, he is our guard for the day." I take the hands of the children, leading us to the main gate. "Emi, do you know of some where I can get another tunic?"

"Yes, your majesty. It's not far from Clara's shop."

"Good, we need to go to Clara's also."