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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzJ5jj0Xa1
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKh2eFUOKUx
A castle servant, the one from breakfast, was ahead of me, twisting her apron in her hands and looking everywhere but into my face.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzoef1ovYv
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcc3w2n13fM
'Wha'?' I wheezed out.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtE9f5EwHD
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcbC4q9jjj
'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.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTW70Oiu1o
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1GL9RLdnw
'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.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8E8gsS21G
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe81uBKUkWs
I wasn't really hungry just now, my body was too stressed, but no doubt my appetite would revive later.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsu0gVT0PM
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'Ahh…'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XSk2BV2cB
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'What?'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSuWboPFAs
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBZ3ap80ra
'Chef won't be pleased.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TAhf9wWi6
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkfJayyMnu
I stared at her. 'Hands up if you are king.' I put my own hand up. 'That puts me in charge.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKfQHS3bme
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SqLnd3m2G
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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CpnWtaIoW
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaL6zg7feU
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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNgSSNFFRT
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOPVI3Rxyr
'King Carlos?'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIY36uNwll7
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWR1nQagVm3
Either I looked dumb, having forgotten my name here, or else the new arrival was dismayed by my appearance.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMig1ISezx
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlrw681flu
'King Carlos?' he tried again.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscTlR98jpR
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFd711oXAyk
'Yes?'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfg6cBwgs4
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5NSbpLymV
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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEoLrqwW1mf
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxTtmef67T
'Lord Oseso, ambassador to his majesty King Wace of Southway.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkB9KnANIIt
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaucuU7Exrf
'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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8drJcBHrxq
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡko5Jlk5e8g
A crowd was gathering as soldiers and civilians moved closer to hear the ambassador's words.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPc4lWrUsFG
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'Perhaps we can take some refreshment in private?' Lord Oseso suggested.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgosbpcb3C
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSagBv5udTs
I shook my head. 'There's nothing you can say that I would hide from my people. Why are you here?'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHXg0d42nI
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfIpCSA0mu
'Are you sure?' There was a knowing sneer in his gaze, inviting some kind of complicity from me.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkd19e7eYW
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WYLHQUIdF
'Get on with it. I'm busy.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAKdRgxisO
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFB2jyxPTIH
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.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAKxs0AjEk
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepFnIN1vjY
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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrGCro6gDF
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3i5juq1z5P
'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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFklmSSwoa
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyXxKKtQLY
Lord Oseso shook his head. 'Careful what you say next, this offer won't come again.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDKHPP19sw
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkHXx2op3g
'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.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjD3ZTTWt9q
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLIdGUWOms
'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.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VpY5DciGd
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dMlGmCIzO
'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.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmU7DuYvlmi
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4aQAr92VM
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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsk1QzIJ0X
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLkkPGS3RP
'Blindfold him and lead his horse. Don't let him look around as he leaves.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrFJCTgen5
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvEcIXcHBHf
'Yes sir.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCJJ1Yd6DU
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4mEpgIWru
'Right, then everyone, back to work. We're going to have to work extremely hard, myself included, to endure and escape conquest.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMW3TxVGTb2
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXeTKj73yV
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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oDDmRM2Ws
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKl8sxhSYp
'Now, Carradock. I was on lap forty-four, was I not?'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0I1jdyfU29
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TNErjFCVK
'Forty-three sire.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ383c7EZw44
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DUMNhfmtt
'Damn pedant.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyj0FKiwLsg
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18VpzGkVsk
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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzf8mbaUOz8
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYH7Vg523uj
It was the military menu that got me thinking again.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHTYvxtmW4
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKl19IVSb9
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMml68Hdbk9
Military396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagsEn8hu0M
Light infantry: 32396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSkv1u35Nm
Heavy infantry: 12396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATpMQnWISY
Archers: 18396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCskrtaxJV
Light cavalry: 24396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2um4D2V5yy
Heavy cavalry: 4396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7O9wz263vO
Ballista: 1396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkTCWAxC59
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMI46ufHNgV
Hospital: 17396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhx6qEcyi9
Military upkeep cost: 42 gold, 5 silver396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0SopUafLW
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYlDKPoZ7c
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5ErU9H3zA
Currently training: 1 heavy cavalry396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPrKXnd1Dm
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8pEfPdhNP
Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlCkchKtNs
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmnGCOm9It
Currently building: tower machicolations, 3 days
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGmU4SwO6N
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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OwN64qKZs
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNL6S0CVBf5
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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYwdSkkIlw
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6hUyV45c0
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyMNSLeRBn
Shipbuilding396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YodRaNe7u
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvE1xa9ZS5T
Unknown.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9VbupQBa4
Create a Shipwright to unlock this option.
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzydq5lTmcs
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRYXWSMm4u
'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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1U4q88T55
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'Sire?'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4EkMIW7Xp
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRjpNCAx81
'Get the Chief Carpenter for me.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFzrv3VKWL
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZpw078GyU
'Yes, sire.' The lad got up without any urgency and strolled down a shadow-filled street.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JePykViBk
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVshIuYixYY
I was on lap forty-six when the carpenter arrived, he was a bald, confident looking man, with intelligent brown eyes.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghW8yyOQEm
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'Walk with me,' I grunted.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeYY8OmpMX
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRH7nwLHyg8
'Sire.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2VhUIv9CS
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXtR7dCj4A
'Can you make us a trading ship?'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptGSFEkjSk
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjoS1Bs20e
The question came as a surprise but he took it well, hardly faltering in his step. 'No sire.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiME5npZyOu
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHuSdROWff
'What if I researched Shipbuilding One?'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qKYWhfqjE
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5pYoqwkaq
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.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbh4DUfpoLM
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UaLwVeAcn
'And I can then assign someone to it?'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeeTnO6YU9
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmlJX923wA
'If it becomes an option sire.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSCc9XOAGf
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9YbS0KWMo
'Would you like to do it?'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HxmLCuJsY
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhn8GTw2WGG
'Me? It's up to you sire.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigNnxBjWpJ
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYO7FJrRVpH
'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?396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlMfWOTiLX
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWYAabHaQm
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.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJ0ni10I0N
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuivobPZtp
'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.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxDpCpFmuM
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxjKlMtcC9
'Thank you sire.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSzsoHN1xG
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkN5ABANHnY
'Now tell me this. I see a lot of people in the town. But not very many on the menus. Why is that?'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZm83VvoaC5
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeIPjLHjJ1
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.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzu3CdO7VH
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6dvXYqFlE
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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZ89ZNYFvV
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Forty-seven.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1LJFgRYld
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Forty-eight.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5ru9T67rH
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Forty-nine.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4PeZngCMG
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Fifty.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSzbRPDchb
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtT2BCL0qt
'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.396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ157GIyd70V
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzB28bGphbd
'Well done Sire.'396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbe1YYI70l
396Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRn0azkGlM
That acknowledgement lifted me all the way back to the keep.
