After forty-two laps, I was beyond exhausted, my large body drenched in sweat, my left arm on fire. Every time a citizen came through they stopped in complete astonishment, sometimes gathering in groups to stare, until a frown sent them scurrying about their work. I lived for the nod of approval from Carradock each time I arrived back at the gate against which he leaned, often in conversation with other soldiers. Also, for the thought of a long, long warm bath.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsbwICGJb0
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcrSr3qOs7
A castle servant, the one from breakfast, was ahead of me, twisting her apron in her hands and looking everywhere but into my face.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53tfgWCXrw
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOWfmyHBuK
'Wha'?' I wheezed out.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIqVHdWvAP
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uGnGd4ysK
'Chef–' she flung her hand out in a gesture towards the keep, where a short man in what looked like a grey baker's outfit '–wants to know what to prepare for dinner.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFM9M8PJNQE
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVANiItLY9Q
'Dear lord.' I came to a stop, worried my aching legs would not want to resume. 'It's not important. But keep it simple.' My predecessor had obviously enjoyed eating extensive meals with several courses. 'Just a couple of slices of roast meat and …' What would an athlete eat? Food with plenty of protein and vitamins. 'Wait. Grilled fish. Nuts. Fresh vegetables, like tomatoes and carrot, that don't need much, if any, cooking.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoKmw5AZT2
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPxylG6DB8
I wasn't really hungry just now, my body was too stressed, but no doubt my appetite would revive later.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QVPayi97E
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2Ew2WQJNH
'Ahh…'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHXfUwgqvL
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMzlLW2hA0
'What?'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZs1NLtsLpc
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GHKo9oaqO
'Chef won't be pleased.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTE0B2Ii8iI
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEKYJOQxsZ
I stared at her. 'Hands up if you are king.' I put my own hand up. 'That puts me in charge.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCRITCzRbm
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrs0T02oVJ
Once she had turned away, alarmed, I returned my focus back into my final few laps. Although it was distracting I when I turned a corner and was facing the keep: there I could see the chef remonstrating with the servant. He kept looking over at me, as though in appeal, but I wasn't having any of it and focused on moving one leg, then the next, and on keeping hold of that enormously heavy sword.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxzJ5Y8tKf
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTlWz1Z65b
I wasn't allowed to settle into my rhythm again though, for with a clatter of metal-hooves on cobblestone, a small group of riders came into the barracks yard. Some were soldiers of mine but one was carrying a green pennant (deep green, with a golden wolf's head) and dressed in expensive-looking clothes.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqCWEchNqf
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsy2aVsCzUA
'King Carlos?'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5mhZfwxmP
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFB54WOT8L
Either I looked dumb, having forgotten my name here, or else the new arrival was dismayed by my appearance.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuB2iRASpta
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9vfRERdFG
'King Carlos?' he tried again.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7AYkrNcir
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6BrOIttI9
'Yes?'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtBjI5dzIJ
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhh7X7XuTdV
My impression that this was a man who was attentive to his looks was reinforced as he dismounted and made his bow. No one had a beard as neat his without some effort.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKIBqGL1km
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHluaegXw6z
'Lord Oseso, ambassador to his majesty King Wace of Southway.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLom3L0pNF
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfBV2VWITR
'Pleased to meet you.' My politeness was automatic. I felt no warmth towards this man. Quite apart from the fact his rich, fur-lined cloak and black, oiled hair alienated me, this was the enemy.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWzMU367MD
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwN5KjWdkOv
A crowd was gathering as soldiers and civilians moved closer to hear the ambassador's words.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexLrcrJm6o
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWB8l11iwNO
'Perhaps we can take some refreshment in private?' Lord Oseso suggested.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUbcjXumjE
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZLNEdK25I
I shook my head. 'There's nothing you can say that I would hide from my people. Why are you here?'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEOQlGKq0o
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rnl997nDr
'Are you sure?' There was a knowing sneer in his gaze, inviting some kind of complicity from me.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElOkWScKeW
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0BarwGKqY
'Get on with it. I'm busy.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYj120jTtpK
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINUWY0Ofez
Supressing a smile, the ambassador from Southland shrugged, as if to pass off any blame. 'King Wace, in his generosity, offers to make Greyland a dependency of Southway. You,' he gestured to everyone, 'are spared conquest. And you personally, sire, will be given a comfortable retirement, dining on the finest food of our realm in the company of delightful personal companionship, in return for implementing the decisions of his highness on your interface.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYRnFodU3M
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTMf1XfYO9
A silence fell over the square and even the crows stilled their caws, as if to listen to my answer. I let my heart and breath settle.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrD6r9PUa22
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeNWYld21n
'Firstly, we are not conquered yet. Secondly, we all know what it would mean for our kingdom to be run by an invader…' I raised my voice for all to hear. 'People dragged off to work wherever your ruler wanted; our soldiers used up in his battles to spare his own troops; our wealth drained into your coffers; starvation and ruin here.' I knew what I was talking about, it's what I intended to do to them.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xZRC8I2Sk
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sTBdhATCA
Lord Oseso shook his head. 'Careful what you say next, this offer won't come again.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySN5ROVFAe
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNkmcLCHoK
'Good. If we see you again, you'll be executed as a spy. Greyland will never surrender and you can tell King Wace that unless he withdraws from our territory, it is he who will suffer conquest.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgHbvvoFuw
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40Vqimctcg
'I'll tell him of your empty threat and he will laugh. And he will remind you of it when you are in chains at his feet.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3ZekmBluT
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxJ7qjC9UK
'That is disrespectful.' I was furious and at least a part my anger was drawn from the uncomfortable feeling, fear even, that he was going to be proven right. I walked over to him, using my height and bulk to lean down and snarl. 'Vincit qui patitur, he who endures conquers. And Greyland will endure.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgyXfmjJVi
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShKMiO4Kn8
Perhaps he saw the determination in my eyes. Perhaps he understood how close I was to striking him with the sword in my left hand, which no longer felt heavy. In any case, the ambassador's head dropped and he stepped back, then turned away to find his horse and remount.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZ7QGW78yq
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimZomf9R4k
'Blindfold him and lead his horse. Don't let him look around as he leaves.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF31vA8IDNH
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIHJihx6NY
'Yes sir.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUOlxNcFcr
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8KhKfho5C
'Right, then everyone, back to work. We're going to have to work extremely hard, myself included, to endure and escape conquest.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2VLhKOZUj
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIC7FiX5OG
Muttering broke out among the people and it was hard to judge the tone. Certainly, it was not the cheering enthusiasm of a people rallying to their king. But among the soldiers especially there were several faces that looked brighter and more supportive than they had.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXDZn9DLVy
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nVS4QDcmg
'Now, Carradock. I was on lap forty-four, was I not?'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2VDSLwgZN
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGnF90s0KO
'Forty-three sire.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmRDBf7iHR
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrK2awW0QW
'Damn pedant.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpM7JNhtI5
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4EUE0tWvB
The last few laps were painful. It did help, however, that I could study the town menus and take my mind from the constant complaints of my body. That gave me one measure of the effect of my responses to the ambassador from Southway, which was that the score for Happiness under the people menu had risen from 14 to 16. At least it hadn't gone down, so on the whole, they seemed to approve of resistance rather than surrender.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70Zsz2nQn5
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQK5i5Oix4N
It was the military menu that got me thinking again.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdpq5AFstY
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CHRj1H3og
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzytkaAcIX
Military451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASg4G88iHZ
Light infantry: 32451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZXwRxR8UB
Heavy infantry: 12451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ycyZCVZBH
Archers: 18451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaeSToz8Cg
Light cavalry: 24451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLeMA5XOmz
Heavy cavalry: 4451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVFjtRRK15
Ballista: 1451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZUKVNUTpf
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCZFX3TEbS
Hospital: 17451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7LoluUQvi
Military upkeep cost: 42 gold, 5 silver451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5liquEZxJ
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicH8SJGHmM
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPq0a2zTSuw
Currently training: 1 heavy cavalry451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3y5xBp3KTR
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzI49XWfKxk
Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnd451Y1P7e
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaiaF27I2d
Currently building: tower machicolations, 3 days
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDDw4Dz9EA
Why was I training heavy cavalry? They were costly in terms of iron and tactically useless. We would be holding defensive positions for the foreseeable future and while I hoped the day would come when I rode at the head of a line of formidable heavy cavalry, that was a long way off. Although it meant losing whatever raw materials my predecessor had invested in the project, I cancelled the heavy cavalry from the training queue and instead added fifteen archers to it, at a cost of 10 iron ingots and 15 gold and 15 of the unassigned townspeople.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyC2xZz0NJ
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUItEYoV4s
That left me 12 unassigned townspeople to think about. Before setting them to various tasks, I needed to know about building a trading vessel. When I tried to call up information about ships, I got a frustrating message.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOwMC9z5uM
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulLIHlW2Z8
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sM1t5bkIt
Shipbuilding451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCKCspf7o9
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCUPqAYrda
Unknown.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryBhxAyq9h
Create a Shipwright to unlock this option.
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6gKU3szXB
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsndq9KRxP
'Hey, you!' I called out to a skinny youth, who was hanging around near the steps of the keep watching me with earnest eyes as though I was last man in for a cricket team that was over a hundred runs behind. And I couldn't tell if he wanted me to fail or succeed.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaVYbvcQ1N
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxciF2AGViX
'Sire?'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpfm3H5hzJ
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5x9l4MecJX
'Get the Chief Carpenter for me.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6f21yUtvVc
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkcyTM7dv3
'Yes, sire.' The lad got up without any urgency and strolled down a shadow-filled street.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuI0M4pmc9
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6cqmz3lUw
I was on lap forty-six when the carpenter arrived, he was a bald, confident looking man, with intelligent brown eyes.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvwqljE6Ot
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwtIZRBOEz
'Walk with me,' I grunted.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQe3o4rkoe5
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonGR8BZetC
'Sire.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEFsW3ByGZ
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04lzVFbn41
'Can you make us a trading ship?'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFuvsnuNMp
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NTSzKbbFX
The question came as a surprise but he took it well, hardly faltering in his step. 'No sire.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiSjl0JRUX
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwriYqy6IuO
'What if I researched Shipbuilding One?'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEs90qXp7Qz
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVqI5nmPG2
The man looked at me, surprised, then down at the ground. 'As you know, sire, I only have access to a limited menu in order that I can view my tasks... I couldn't be sure about research, but Shipbuilding does sound like it will make the role of Shipbuilder available to you.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsV9eKp3A0B
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52E4MiUdq4
'And I can then assign someone to it?'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3GT017hCk
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhuJm2RDvd
'If it becomes an option sire.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5oHmyRV88
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRAEK8C0ME
'Would you like to do it?'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gOVDPNCic
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hKYWJCCBk
'Me? It's up to you sire.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9v8NIhErA
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ742mhg6LDq
'Yes,' I said, a little impatiently. 'I know that. But I'd rather people enjoyed their work than hated it.' This wasn't just coming from my innate sense of politeness, it was practical too. I wanted that town happiness score to rise and surely by assigning the right people to the right jobs, at least when it came to specialist roles, that was going to help?451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ677X2y8FHc
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡad7h7nT4Iv
We walked the entire length of the barracks square and turned back towards Carradock before the carpenter answered. 'I think I would like that sire.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1HTwUEwYm
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRZjAH9JYy
'Right so, find someone in your workshop who wants to be the Chief Carpenter and I'll make you Shipbuilder in…' I checked the research menu, dropped Navigation (there was no penalty, but I risked having to restart it again from the beginning), as it still had five days to go, and swapped to Shipbuilding 1, 'four days.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULhZrLUhCn
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTArVv4vRs9
'Thank you sire.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcI59rArSG
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfzQxuBPHP
'Now tell me this. I see a lot of people in the town. But not very many on the menus. Why is that?'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUE7UyxVufb
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjZ0BUTAzF
Again, the carpenter looked astonished. Then a little wary, as if I'd set a trap. 'People want to join the menu, sire, to serve the goddess... and you. But it's limited, isn't it? They can't get on unless you've been able to make room.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYrjfVvfUq
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfJ7W0puke
That wasn't an answer that clarified very much, but I gave him a grunt to signal he could go back to work. It was as much as I could manage. As for the twelve unassigned people in the town, I decided to leave them for now. Soon I'd want shipbuilders and sailors.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bETJ11akU
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjL7sEjaLgc
Forty-seven.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmY3Cct2P8
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nHZcu8o7n
Forty-eight.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfQHDSR3hi
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9DB4AtLNY
Forty-nine.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16fCJIdHoK
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVS9iWcJev8
Fifty.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFHhDFnuhm
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkkleR8eP4
'That's me done for the day.' I spoke to Carradock with as much nonchalance as I could muster. As if I could do another fifty, although every muscle was groaning.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIVMvT96Gl
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6w2QihcurK
'Well done Sire.'451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6v3XDQq9h6
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGBvgN8oZc
That acknowledgement lifted me all the way back to the keep.
