For once I awaken before Tilly comes yanking on my toe. I would love to stretch, to flex my arms and legs before getting up to use the pot but my bed buddies are laying on top of me as usual. My arms are pinned below warm bodies, so I use my hands to caress first the one on the right then the one on the left. The one on the right has pubes so that must be Emi as she is the only one to sport them. The left one is hairless, thin and small breasted so is Eliza. My bladder is protesting. I start caressing the mounds that are in reach of my hands. Soon my hands are getting wet and both of them are moaning on my shoulders. Suddenly my nipples are being nibbled on. My moans join theirs as two hands press themselves onto my mound, their fingers probing and rubbing. The three of us crest at the same time, shuddering and twitching. As we regain our breathes, kisses are exchanged then we all three climb out of the bed heading to relieve ourselves. Eliza throws open the door and dashes through, a flash of her pale skin visible in the moon light. Emi allows me access to the pot first, preparing the basin as I do my business. We swap places. When I finish cleaning myself, I rinse and soap the cloth for her, leaving it on the edge of the basin. Then I return to the bed. Eliza returns as Emi is cleaning up, snuggling up to me on the bed, Emi soon joins us. Eliza is now the one being buried under bed buddies as Emi and I lay our heads on her shoulders, our legs over hers. The three of us have soon returned to sleep.

I waken a second time as my toe is squeezed and pulled. "Time to get up, your majesty," whispers Tilly as she lights the candle on the bedside table.

"Morning Tilly," I mumble as I sit up.

I turn to face my bed buddies then straddling Eliza I lean down and kiss then both, caressing their lips. When the first wakes I switch to the other. After the kiss I greet them with, "Good morning my lovelies. It's time to go slay the dread and dangerous training post. Will you assist me into my armor, please?"

They both reach up and pull me down against them, kissing my cheeks as their hands roam over me. We end up in a three way hug, giggling. When our silliness subsides, we crawl off the bed. Emi opens the wardrobe, pulling cloths out for me. Eliza pours water into the basin as I use the pot, then we trade places. After getting clean Emi starts handing me cloths. Eliza lights a candle then goes to the sitting room. When I am dressed Emi and I join her in the sitting room.

While they are getting me into the armor I notice that Eliza is no longer the skinny waif she was two weeks ago. She has filled out, her ribs and hip bones not as prominent as they had been. Her cheeks are no long hollow and the dark rings around her eyes are gone. She seems to smile more too. I start smiling as I look at her.

She notices my smile as she places one of the vambrace on me, "What's the smile for Rufina?"

"Oh, just noticing at you are putting on weight and seem happier than you were when you arrived, which makes me happy." I reach up with my unarmored hand to cup her cheek as tears start to roll down her cheeks.

Capturing my hand, she kisses it, "It is all because of you. I would still be sleeping in barns, doing any job I could get to survive, while slowly starving to death. I owe you my life."

I pull her to me, hugging her with my unarmored arm, placing my forehead on hers. "You're welcome Eliza."

We separate then finish get the armor on. After they finish tightening the grieves over my boots, Emi fastens my belt around me then steps back. I stand straight and bang my right hand to my chest over my heart in salute. They both do the same, though it lacks the bang as they are still bare breasted.

"See you at T'ai Chi." I smile at them then walk out the door.

The next hour is taken up with weapons training; sparring with sword and spear, attempting to get as many strikes on Kalvin as I can and getting the tar beat out of me. When the hour is up, I greet the others and we all go out to the patio to do T'ai Chi. Afterwards it's back to my rooms for a quick bath before breakfast.

At breakfast I find out what everyone will be doing today. Helen and Sophia are going to Helen's shop this morning to make sales and get in some spinning. Eliza asks if she can join them, she can. Emi and the maids will be doing their normal routine. Tilly and Abbey have baking to do today and as they are using the oven up stairs they will baking bread for the guards also. Aden will be making rounds of the farms checking the progress of the plowing and the remaining grain harvest. Tobias will be tending the garden and chickens before working on the bathhouse. Kalvin will be sleeping this morning as he had duty last night. I tell them I will be working on sketches this morning.

As we each finish eating, we place our dishes on the tray, then go about our business. Helen and Sophia take the tray to wash the dishes before leaving for the shop, Eliza goes to help.

I enter the study, sitting at the desk. Removing my sketching supplies I arrange them before I begin. First I look over the sketches of the crossbow my made yesterday. Making a few corrections to mistakes I notice I then put them in a folio. I then lay out a new sheet of paper. Today I will start on the sawmill plans a mentioned to Alton last evening. I make a list of components for the mill; water wheel, gears, blade, blade cradle, log cradle, cradle movement mechanism, log dogs and the building itself.

I wonder where it should be built. Ideally by a pond or lake would be best so the logs could be floated to the mill. Is there one close by? I make a note to ask at dinner.

I begin sketching the saw blade, a wide five foot long rip saw blade. John had mentioned that he had made the pit saw blades so this should be in his capabilities. It doesn't take long to sketch. Next I start on the water wheel. I do two different styles for this; a overshot wheel for if I can find place with enough fall and a tub wheel if I can't. They are incomplete when Emi arrives to tell me dinner is soon. I put the sketches I have completed in the folio and the other in a draw the follow Emi up stairs to freshen up.