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The next few days we are all extraordinarily busy.
Gunther and Lazar assemble the crossbows and check out their every operation. They test fire them, they range them, they assemble and disassemble them, they clean them from top to bottom.
The ladies and I uncrate and ready the dragon machine. It is a useful decoy. It keeps the ladies from thinking about how they will be rescued, and it is likely to distract Queen Almidahl, as well. She has not confronted me for years while I cavorted in front of her lair, and that may be in part because she's not sure of the capabilities of my machine.
Finally, Gunther rides off to the lair in the large wagon carrying the dragon machine and crossbows.
"Will she attack the wagon?" I wonder out loud.
"Almidahl wants the ladies." replies Lazar, "She will feel that letting the machine get assembled is essential to having the ladies show up."
The next two days are spent in serious lab work. Lazar now has the full measure of my equipment and supplies. He prepares, and I assist and learn. His techniques are wondrous; I watch and learn. What I learn will help me in the preparation of all sorts of potions. His knowledge of the potentials of these herbs is deep. After the first day I tell him, "You are welcome to come back any time, just allow me to assist so I may learn more."
He smiles.
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