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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpylMdvj9h
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsaejWqIRD
A castle servant, the one from breakfast, was ahead of me, twisting her apron in her hands and looking everywhere but into my face.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVjQD7XmZN
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4w0bew3CO
'Wha'?' I wheezed out.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxqwFCnUGF
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCvJETmVHm
'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.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNGOmxWKOD
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rrfnwoMph
'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.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWX2SnUJOVX
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0N6n2Gl2W
I wasn't really hungry just now, my body was too stressed, but no doubt my appetite would revive later.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgEYxVoqMw
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCSJTOBQ4i
'Ahh…'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwmkxCyGGa
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXU6D54KgBU
'What?'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9L6vDAsRhs
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZCM1Mrcl8
'Chef won't be pleased.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0Jjn4FBU9
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiP6FUQAwc
I stared at her. 'Hands up if you are king.' I put my own hand up. 'That puts me in charge.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExLAVtgSS3
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhTJUm8Hgr
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1imRCoEqyL
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirZvha7hmd
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJ93HymjUx
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LnwxenJcy
'King Carlos?'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAJsHsf4zQ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6TJzW0XNu
Either I looked dumb, having forgotten my name here, or else the new arrival was dismayed by my appearance.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUWcHMoAEk
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqZFe0wmJr
'King Carlos?' he tried again.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2hJd4l8SK
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiDkaUF2Mg
'Yes?'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uL455cJfT
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmFAcir13H
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwgusHAx5s
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDImbDYSYw
'Lord Oseso, ambassador to his majesty King Wace of Southway.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogRhInXvBL
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKq4DtMqk9
'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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMdpJibUmI
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAYkA6R5Nl
A crowd was gathering as soldiers and civilians moved closer to hear the ambassador's words.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEBjoX7RG4
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOjRJne31o
'Perhaps we can take some refreshment in private?' Lord Oseso suggested.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkosIbFSPHE
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOc4aQQqfle
I shook my head. 'There's nothing you can say that I would hide from my people. Why are you here?'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOj2QkXZrtZ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSPriU8OWs
'Are you sure?' There was a knowing sneer in his gaze, inviting some kind of complicity from me.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrskZoXM2jk
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOamAyzpK7
'Get on with it. I'm busy.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONEi0HLdDY
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDdoPJYMKj
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.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rtTSMUmCJ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡespxZIjDYz
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYo21peJwQ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENN8FmF1f0
'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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVAYFAVLwc
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLR0ZLyFTGf
Lord Oseso shook his head. 'Careful what you say next, this offer won't come again.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnor71Cc6wb
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9nKBImJHv
'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.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcb1F0DsFhy
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rw6xE1puP
'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.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJpsQjNTka
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdha6LMCH32
'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.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xPXEDjOH4
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX35ujDF8xv
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4N5vQL1tY
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WfZHnJXGz
'Blindfold him and lead his horse. Don't let him look around as he leaves.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBbpkbQJRX
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnogxGOsmE
'Yes sir.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYKoASoqZe
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJL67aRqceF
'Right, then everyone, back to work. We're going to have to work extremely hard, myself included, to endure and escape conquest.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezhJ0eVNJT
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHRawLxp7v
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dDmfSUDqd
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiiRRV5dLp4
'Now, Carradock. I was on lap forty-four, was I not?'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHKH0A47Eu
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvk4HqwbdM
'Forty-three sire.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66z1GDqnV7
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDXGHTO7lZ
'Damn pedant.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoU2TIVltnq
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Yir0t5pw8
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHUdW2TvTZ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKYzfbbUQX
It was the military menu that got me thinking again.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AXGebmXY8
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcyz9ls3FR
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9voahYyGG
Military464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSs1hpzvPzh
Light infantry: 32464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsx16stPST1
Heavy infantry: 12464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrL038cDBM
Archers: 18464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8C1nIPXSg9
Light cavalry: 24464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fuK1JlFJ8
Heavy cavalry: 4464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUBkJN25LB
Ballista: 1464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmCUshplsZ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhu7uWhBVKH
Hospital: 17464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmVRGEA1MG
Military upkeep cost: 42 gold, 5 silver464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzAS2f9lMs
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkNIedZrUL
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTI7YI5AAIv
Currently training: 1 heavy cavalry464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkDW1bv80k
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqR1yeO0lSr
Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cWXJsZOLa
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80g157BllB
Currently building: tower machicolations, 3 days
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9rbBG6VOx
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xDL7EMzBP
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPoAFZaPfWe
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWcLBYCIke
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQcAuaZ3Jr
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJpafr7K9r
Shipbuilding464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVV7GROTLOu
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLS7DXXZX7
Unknown.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPWL1hLolF
Create a Shipwright to unlock this option.
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRrXRkOSPn
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ihrEkvUz7
'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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzJHdr78Uj
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIlYFmh4L0
'Sire?'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOpp9d2etU
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxVvw86mMv
'Get the Chief Carpenter for me.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8Vpfv9nk7
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIAu7yyt5x
'Yes, sire.' The lad got up without any urgency and strolled down a shadow-filled street.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZWTg9oUaa
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6shjPSY35
I was on lap forty-six when the carpenter arrived, he was a bald, confident looking man, with intelligent brown eyes.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdY6LN2XFSJ
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9O3v60dkN
'Walk with me,' I grunted.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRzxh6HWzB
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbpKTrzW6k
'Sire.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTD3DeIYd0
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjElgQZvHD
'Can you make us a trading ship?'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vUSR3eYaV
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXmaEhpTlQ
The question came as a surprise but he took it well, hardly faltering in his step. 'No sire.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijKDRcIaiY
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XMYl7MPk3
'What if I researched Shipbuilding One?'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9L1EsgqQR
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2YTd1gHPY
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.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQaiKvMr0M
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupe0tPMcK0
'And I can then assign someone to it?'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXgccIRGIM
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQU4YVAwhr
'If it becomes an option sire.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBJBg3gSZL
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJ6MZ8dgks
'Would you like to do it?'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zQGKyHxTC
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfQi8EIRoi
'Me? It's up to you sire.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkBMaxIsXC
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvu0utJB2TT
'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?464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNzZIp0QhT
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1pgJCTFaP
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.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7IGFaHNzr
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDGbLfq4lj
'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.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2CGsIZ9C3
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZhdvbXV5X
'Thank you sire.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PIrxYj6cz
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGK3mmvFWk
'Now tell me this. I see a lot of people in the town. But not very many on the menus. Why is that?'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTE5LualYXE
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjguojFDDs
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.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRuIQzAsYA
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VZCkrAb0a
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBn8Kwz4V72
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoV03qctZnv
Forty-seven.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLTYlRVHJM
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2br6mUiXEC
Forty-eight.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFrTUiwwML
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYteXjkiJbm
Forty-nine.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡse3Ibnih49
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QVc7rS8pQ
Fifty.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9bQAp87yw
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCiLgTfSwg
'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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3xZmAxcMY
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVKeJhXpXm
'Well done Sire.'464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaUX3jTAS7
464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZqYxxLtPX
That acknowledgement lifted me all the way back to the keep.
