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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ88ENCS9uy
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtgGOOtkGW
A castle servant, the one from breakfast, was ahead of me, twisting her apron in her hands and looking everywhere but into my face.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpi6VEYyv4t
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToPIuky5WH
'Wha'?' I wheezed out.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbp5EaiKPXu
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBbbX71BDV
'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.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRcAY2Qvo9
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfovgr2sLnw
'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.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHR1VllwH6
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGavW6Cble0
I wasn't really hungry just now, my body was too stressed, but no doubt my appetite would revive later.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWveMqrqkm
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvB3fkTc36
'Ahh…'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFUhebET3E
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDVbCnLEQN
'What?'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LjgGeNoku
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFkLjxVxjb
'Chef won't be pleased.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrTbQkxnVi
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97Q98xAzWn
I stared at her. 'Hands up if you are king.' I put my own hand up. 'That puts me in charge.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbhWp6UduP
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCiweih5sT
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxOrstcmBN
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgg4mJbb6gM
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisCRmheAMR
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFI9FqeMTlv
'King Carlos?'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCd52sDKJM
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLs0di4bpPI
Either I looked dumb, having forgotten my name here, or else the new arrival was dismayed by my appearance.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQLTQkMzZN
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgFsKWCeVw
'King Carlos?' he tried again.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MhrHAjnod
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32JZFtpzIR
'Yes?'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczzVl2rGim
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYZVqWh8TM
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICniaBQSwI
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHfV6kUXBI
'Lord Oseso, ambassador to his majesty King Wace of Southway.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEb8V5lZhQ
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQsKM3JUOP
'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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiRQ5JQbec
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5je2CIjtL
A crowd was gathering as soldiers and civilians moved closer to hear the ambassador's words.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQWUcXKFZJ
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA41FPnN7Xc
'Perhaps we can take some refreshment in private?' Lord Oseso suggested.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwrll1jlvV
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3r6O4pJx3
I shook my head. 'There's nothing you can say that I would hide from my people. Why are you here?'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqI61BTGnL9
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OCCd5mF50
'Are you sure?' There was a knowing sneer in his gaze, inviting some kind of complicity from me.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhC3X9bo01p
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIBNNZHNDm
'Get on with it. I'm busy.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvjXG1x1cq
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMgXMx5uCq
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.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1txysf8jEI
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IwVNuDlbx
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDjTd82KoT
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJLTAAYO3F
'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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7B0vUS7tX
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctmysv2uCu
Lord Oseso shook his head. 'Careful what you say next, this offer won't come again.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAdAdybKSi
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwros9qVMjU
'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.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfu3XDIJLvv
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsf3eihvBn
'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.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqN5bbCEfL
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqDUL0npiv
'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.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIAMKTtcSD
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd34lqJM8tC
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbnD3P9O4C
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyy4fkn1B8
'Blindfold him and lead his horse. Don't let him look around as he leaves.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTIDBo33H2
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNxGpNOrHY
'Yes sir.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMs8h2P1z2m
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCoQhVNGuk
'Right, then everyone, back to work. We're going to have to work extremely hard, myself included, to endure and escape conquest.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOa8xtFGzka
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKziDrM1Ay9
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaAidpEBu7
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBO2HBX29M
'Now, Carradock. I was on lap forty-four, was I not?'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaz2ail2Ti
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcthJJ6RN0
'Forty-three sire.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2my7GigQvs
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUS43mttSIX
'Damn pedant.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIVNKfikMp
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJktX6Wbkh
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAItFXAJnl
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwuE6emJv1
It was the military menu that got me thinking again.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8DwMBlLkJ
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsDMfU6k2i
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7nGK59kmv
Military394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxR7xmuqwp
Light infantry: 32394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeVm0DT6Hs
Heavy infantry: 12394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZkk2HxOUB
Archers: 18394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3ySkJXDcM
Light cavalry: 24394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33fGPwyHia
Heavy cavalry: 4394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0p82mxJvqa
Ballista: 1394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXgDF1VOrK
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCs4nEuIadz
Hospital: 17394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdeoKiFSzL
Military upkeep cost: 42 gold, 5 silver394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjA09aCdCt
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGKf4Kis9t
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6O7MPqOIg
Currently training: 1 heavy cavalry394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfP08yumgt
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJ9G9WfKau
Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEyMK1HUcK
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zMNx2ObTH
Currently building: tower machicolations, 3 days
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsLNscGowR
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvmO38m1ux
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYLLu0jJlQ
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3WxBSQj9v
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6gigttxKE
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbjn1Y9qcy
Shipbuilding394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotkC6dISeZ
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaEexx6m6z
Unknown.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvXnN2Y3Zb
Create a Shipwright to unlock this option.
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYv01YkhzJy
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCVAqXy74O
'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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpNRRuKGGm
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRcDSASd36
'Sire?'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYeaJeZ2gr
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevkKdxX2y8
'Get the Chief Carpenter for me.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAahPOhQ4Y
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboZ3asPac1
'Yes, sire.' The lad got up without any urgency and strolled down a shadow-filled street.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBGTovfXHb
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5aD9ofChv
I was on lap forty-six when the carpenter arrived, he was a bald, confident looking man, with intelligent brown eyes.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMJCL5qNkx
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHvhEAvxDl
'Walk with me,' I grunted.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQBHKy7NCM
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7uKSsgKP5
'Sire.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeClxNcUt9A
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjohyO8RsW
'Can you make us a trading ship?'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCjff8sZH4
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLSGrAUPBv
The question came as a surprise but he took it well, hardly faltering in his step. 'No sire.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiemPw4dgSj
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIeAbXokPf
'What if I researched Shipbuilding One?'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAodXry1Pz9
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXicp7Jv75H
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.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEMaUAPYFI
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7cs8uvajQ
'And I can then assign someone to it?'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpWZ8OE1mQ
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaG4dByBYGv
'If it becomes an option sire.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnrn9282Kd
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuj1G132O8
'Would you like to do it?'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAXXpoVdSC
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RQz76n60m
'Me? It's up to you sire.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESevRXem1m
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IiRs1vMWi
'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?394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94kSE485vz
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrarzcpJSn
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.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpnd8Wa3JG
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrHEdso7sS
'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.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5z0owg86c7
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhGMswta0q
'Thank you sire.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLcKVNhD9y
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSxjwio7v2
'Now tell me this. I see a lot of people in the town. But not very many on the menus. Why is that?'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0zQxecN8W
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuh3OO1J70B
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.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9z7L4lFaZ
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2kawSU6GN
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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjS5Cd2WNA
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGyLRkVCHy
Forty-seven.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSea1FVqL6c
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cuSvF8hCy
Forty-eight.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnTXgWGW3E
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyFFfzNtLh
Forty-nine.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBYGbKbSWJ
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZ4wLfi1Sn
Fifty.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbU8EI8ylTf
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkB4amx3ugF
'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.394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6GJKMzh1r
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Pc9rzrh8D
'Well done Sire.'394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGWaJTbS5z
394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6cWEivUr6
That acknowledgement lifted me all the way back to the keep.
