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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaonVdbB2M
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6a5JWQrYw
A castle servant, the one from breakfast, was ahead of me, twisting her apron in her hands and looking everywhere but into my face.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuPmpo6wkC
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEHuGO03Ac
'Wha'?' I wheezed out.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1TgIw1xzn
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3kM9GNVlk
'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.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8o59PThba
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7J2N9ctrAQ
'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.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFHVMuAhMa
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkXZprsddF
I wasn't really hungry just now, my body was too stressed, but no doubt my appetite would revive later.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOq6oqLWuyy
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pdrkbgOhz
'Ahh…'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz99vGz5G2t
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEv3KoUFTR
'What?'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9jOQQgyrW
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOql68cEoZ
'Chef won't be pleased.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAFgy7bIpI
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcIXpVM7LB
I stared at her. 'Hands up if you are king.' I put my own hand up. 'That puts me in charge.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFT0OCeMD2s
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh53thvDA2a
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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTmzz3XXlh
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEeWLJwuki
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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquleqCxhkI
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTOqAYAZZU
'King Carlos?'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAg7meEBDL
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2n4TaAz6O
Either I looked dumb, having forgotten my name here, or else the new arrival was dismayed by my appearance.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4xpPgnLdj
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDHl2E55fN
'King Carlos?' he tried again.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgkupyJWUR
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkBjEpQ8mZ
'Yes?'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7MH9FmO2e
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvvDrs4Hhd
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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yGTawzH2B
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWlQYzctHi
'Lord Oseso, ambassador to his majesty King Wace of Southway.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIhNUBz2u3
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6Sz7oaHIL
'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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnh6HnepKYH
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpA0Pg2EwE5
A crowd was gathering as soldiers and civilians moved closer to hear the ambassador's words.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FGLnuBEjq
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBxChG84XU
'Perhaps we can take some refreshment in private?' Lord Oseso suggested.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZAXRJub7k
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPfJ4lQQ80
I shook my head. 'There's nothing you can say that I would hide from my people. Why are you here?'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmbehuWGLg
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGHzpRxcSS
'Are you sure?' There was a knowing sneer in his gaze, inviting some kind of complicity from me.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQ1raKwyAu
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMR3DERBut
'Get on with it. I'm busy.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmg6puJSGTg
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIDg5KF7o6
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.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN7SphhPzc
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdy2EPa5H6U
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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkt9aLj8wi
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGq3dy8zNW
'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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3s3p8GoTfq
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmXrEU1GzQ
Lord Oseso shook his head. 'Careful what you say next, this offer won't come again.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSx4F5iuW1C
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9PrBW27uF
'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.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcteWIVvaH
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4yrWuBHd7
'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.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUqXY8QUS7
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1Hg7l6HSk
'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.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfy3VjkfkB
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LUHbxbWkT
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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuNTElpAIR
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41pvTUId99
'Blindfold him and lead his horse. Don't let him look around as he leaves.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgGEDh9L3K
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZmkR3c1QL
'Yes sir.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡta8vSg3CTM
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5YLJFD4rs
'Right, then everyone, back to work. We're going to have to work extremely hard, myself included, to endure and escape conquest.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPwFXeQO8C
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTPkfRcTzM
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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOD70KjFMp
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvGg7uiYZv
'Now, Carradock. I was on lap forty-four, was I not?'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukokEfsFYX
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDp1B7UMoC
'Forty-three sire.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwj8yKyY7Xs
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Mc6orxfEj
'Damn pedant.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVylNJAa3F
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPkvQ3Eb6w
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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpvwdmWYDi
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDprsFt30z
It was the military menu that got me thinking again.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmnsyRfCiF
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSHNUILyQ7
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhK29dAfB4
Military354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtq3bwaN118
Light infantry: 32354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnMIkrojfx
Heavy infantry: 12354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPH21hPbAqg
Archers: 18354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60Dl3OoQl4
Light cavalry: 24354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwfdoA9HhB
Heavy cavalry: 4354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MR2xdT7Dw
Ballista: 1354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQIA0l5cXe
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZzhMmPOXX
Hospital: 17354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDz5UqfNBk
Military upkeep cost: 42 gold, 5 silver354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGhGz7i8tz
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kZXSszeIT
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWTjlZJCeG
Currently training: 1 heavy cavalry354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxGXzYDLcy
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIyAsRaQyy
Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOnl3vN9PB
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPowRw0recV
Currently building: tower machicolations, 3 days
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt97xMcM9u2
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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDnTEGrKyt
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5nqNzko7I
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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQDtAX1DJG
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruLCC1dyhR
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYzYxb86sh
Shipbuilding354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgoC0sH74gW
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZGn9iSt0Z
Unknown.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oL4pgkR2q
Create a Shipwright to unlock this option.
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmctFxgrheY
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDHxX2Y9n4
'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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAIyRUIxKl
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RJTqZhNIe
'Sire?'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iju4MSdMm
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwgqUEQjkr
'Get the Chief Carpenter for me.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwx03R5GGbw
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWP8ESAUNt
'Yes, sire.' The lad got up without any urgency and strolled down a shadow-filled street.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRnp5JDTCW
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsvg78FbFY
I was on lap forty-six when the carpenter arrived, he was a bald, confident looking man, with intelligent brown eyes.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6CHEM2Bz1
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLCb4qBbE2
'Walk with me,' I grunted.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqrkSQLN4I
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotAFLVXNXJ
'Sire.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5TCfN9lqA
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGT6UGbRZA
'Can you make us a trading ship?'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5afbSdbFx
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGMO9Z9TAi
The question came as a surprise but he took it well, hardly faltering in his step. 'No sire.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQAVA7tWqh
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzY7lzF2xq
'What if I researched Shipbuilding One?'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryWeGkUN3c
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLX271uBcN
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.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUNoi9vW1i
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDd72OsKNa1
'And I can then assign someone to it?'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8G4eOg1rT
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR81PAqIiCU
'If it becomes an option sire.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0iFGFtg1T
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5UdlFuNiV
'Would you like to do it?'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxwv1sUmgp
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hPT4IquwF
'Me? It's up to you sire.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflGWXVIdaS
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQ9rUwEeRi
'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?354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETdWcQODTe
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjCenfOwej
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.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbdckD1Hfe
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegY04vLuZZ
'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.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5Cq3VzhKe
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75VXHYN5O8
'Thank you sire.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XRhthoeY1
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyT5wfyDk2G
'Now tell me this. I see a lot of people in the town. But not very many on the menus. Why is that?'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftmXz7VRAu
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUnKCJ6EgT
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.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oHX04pQv7
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9qQ4j9eXg
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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18dHmYSyje
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRksbb5Qmz
Forty-seven.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Dn5KpJE8l
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2U7r10lY3k
Forty-eight.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRsZFbTPrR
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVOPcwKMtb
Forty-nine.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgoXkwe2zN
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cn6bnnj2F
Fifty.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRlQRpfBhO
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKY5yaxYdFP
'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.354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvp4T9vS7ZA
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwCBmvcsMZ
'Well done Sire.'354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXd6Yyd7FfP
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvRZ5ufaI1
That acknowledgement lifted me all the way back to the keep.
