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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmdGgZLzCW
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3t2caWbmp
A castle servant, the one from breakfast, was ahead of me, twisting her apron in her hands and looking everywhere but into my face.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmQottyVzm
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9mHwB1yo0
'Wha'?' I wheezed out.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlhtcHrL16
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡME4bTboHNW
'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.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxgGLMslk4
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvrhTQx2ve
'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.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4N35dyeVc
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJmIzqS8XK
I wasn't really hungry just now, my body was too stressed, but no doubt my appetite would revive later.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5vRaBm90R
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'Ahh…'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhbauYGrs8
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'What?'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0jUe5o1vk
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'Chef won't be pleased.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFQ7303NmN
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbcomOh3Be
I stared at her. 'Hands up if you are king.' I put my own hand up. 'That puts me in charge.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGP98L0YIZ
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0v2cnvoKz
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJFWTEEz34
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ykYmduOZ8
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlsyyG4spc
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPu5VWfY4x0
'King Carlos?'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmchT7OGr0J
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vYQ0rJLxh
Either I looked dumb, having forgotten my name here, or else the new arrival was dismayed by my appearance.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBUN5PFb5x
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLnDqdTjhW
'King Carlos?' he tried again.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJnD4uRVue
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxHlp8Frdl
'Yes?'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuh3aF92n4R
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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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl64Lg18icy
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqVCswubEG
'Lord Oseso, ambassador to his majesty King Wace of Southway.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIgRpYsuuI
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjV4LqUoxGi
'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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eYA9nZ4JP
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdFRo6dYgY
A crowd was gathering as soldiers and civilians moved closer to hear the ambassador's words.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQqk8VDjPA
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYJQte4FQH
'Perhaps we can take some refreshment in private?' Lord Oseso suggested.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGSGIUilmX
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I shook my head. 'There's nothing you can say that I would hide from my people. Why are you here?'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZgoSAIy1f
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQbRHumg0K
'Are you sure?' There was a knowing sneer in his gaze, inviting some kind of complicity from me.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXQAEsn7Cf
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEMpVBloqa
'Get on with it. I'm busy.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNmw6IP3ZP
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfn4u2texd
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.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbFJDUYRKm
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcRb6QQ54f
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LAuBTAYIK
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLus3TYpCw0
'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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsUJ8Yf1LA
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM64keUcIg6
Lord Oseso shook his head. 'Careful what you say next, this offer won't come again.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPsiciEvqf
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgVYdjOLtH
'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.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDKZzdLNZq
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnSgwPYLxq
'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.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikoNaeEib0
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvxCvSA66R
'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.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhM3ykTUaT6
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawnwBteIbv
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3E4VaGJEH
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdulWbt9Egv
'Blindfold him and lead his horse. Don't let him look around as he leaves.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bIbtBxwZX
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnHS31sR8G
'Yes sir.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRuMlwAsHV
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXN3opAyX0R
'Right, then everyone, back to work. We're going to have to work extremely hard, myself included, to endure and escape conquest.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQZghXpGhn
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKJH65av0t
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlX8edtj81P
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2D3iNsdXc
'Now, Carradock. I was on lap forty-four, was I not?'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsP2KbjEJpJ
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'Forty-three sire.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZUbVvtW3P
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYPpk2SUAA
'Damn pedant.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQr4loDDIJu
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2HEZ0F60b
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKt7EAloaya
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRdrsljsGP
It was the military menu that got me thinking again.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQOgW3L73C
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSs7379hKG
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjiy2JabOc
Military466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacDkwdexhh
Light infantry: 32466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87sVidjHCQ
Heavy infantry: 12466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfxBJVWogd
Archers: 18466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhawgmmynia
Light cavalry: 24466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡma6cIwVpHR
Heavy cavalry: 4466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJLWwV896X
Ballista: 1466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77eqdnIg86
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VZLBfccUO
Hospital: 17466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JRz8nv3uV
Military upkeep cost: 42 gold, 5 silver466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ic9UvhcmQ
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0AyGlrkAO
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpCrA3pjWz
Currently training: 1 heavy cavalry466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UMWUo1CnZ
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kXLQ8EzE3
Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ce1ICLe1N
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHH6DZiI20
Currently building: tower machicolations, 3 days
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBaAUSciPa
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtyQ2EfV8w
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH85DIlsCem
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceaQMg89sg
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLus5tjGvZ
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGrvqlsEOC
Shipbuilding466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NMZnU3ph9
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SDbQT67WZ
Unknown.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lz4haoOcb
Create a Shipwright to unlock this option.
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466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolFQJZXmA4
'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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMojUGnck5
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'Sire?'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbbJdw6CAe
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZitxFugOOX
'Get the Chief Carpenter for me.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCp8UP9Nl3
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniWwxiQ524
'Yes, sire.' The lad got up without any urgency and strolled down a shadow-filled street.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkPVfUln1G
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNvo5riPnW
I was on lap forty-six when the carpenter arrived, he was a bald, confident looking man, with intelligent brown eyes.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgj1Xrt6jX
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQbFksxRl3
'Walk with me,' I grunted.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyTmdm1iO4
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'Sire.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRd9l2lVImN
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'Can you make us a trading ship?'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfFC1wx3Z4
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepizYnLFWo
The question came as a surprise but he took it well, hardly faltering in his step. 'No sire.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUNlB6mhCs
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSWqFZsfXu
'What if I researched Shipbuilding One?'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGvtMlj3uJ
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUblFltpGk
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.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOA0omYCmD4
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEhbjKYTKh
'And I can then assign someone to it?'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHJ9ttMd5t
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcHG4skefe
'If it becomes an option sire.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyb0iySAT6V
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktSBY3ZKA9
'Would you like to do it?'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHJjz4JVLk
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0PrBgDFGD
'Me? It's up to you sire.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoa976XgUA
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMNhqwnE7Z
'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?466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMoDzt2J4K
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97GLEXE5cV
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.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBC76LslBjc
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOdvM3FMnE
'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.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rXzaapDDI
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRAz5wsI6Y
'Thank you sire.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEs7v6Ubfq
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsDexrxVbp
'Now tell me this. I see a lot of people in the town. But not very many on the menus. Why is that?'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHArNjcDxU
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWSy8DrYw9
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.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CMf9ZsaIS
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcQfiDjjJ6
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdL8c1fgWlD
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8U8WWHp2U1
Forty-seven.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ55Vy0Zg1Y
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Forty-eight.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfITutT4Mw
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Forty-nine.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jzgVo4J7V
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Fifty.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplNiawwkMp
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlV1CUp4oBz
'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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzufMyFyLA
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSkS3orl1C
'Well done Sire.'466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgyzoG5tdj
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVfx5yzsDC
That acknowledgement lifted me all the way back to the keep.
