For the first time in her life, the Princess had an army and servants. But 
it was not a conquering sort of army, because the springs in the soldiers' 
backs unwound rapidly, and they did not have the adaptability of human 
soldiers. Still, it was an effective force behind the walls of the castle and 
made her secure from any conceivable aggressor. Following maintenance schedules 
that had been laid down by the original Duke, Princess Nell set the soldiers to 
work greasing the gears, repairing cracked shafts and worn bearings, and 
building new soldiers out of stockpiled parts.