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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoprPKt8irI
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICHrkZEhwP
A castle servant, the one from breakfast, was ahead of me, twisting her apron in her hands and looking everywhere but into my face.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hAd7tUdW6
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFjhBaemkY
'Wha'?' I wheezed out.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILW3TWxhzY
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOep0vsQDkh
'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.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJX1Xlou3b
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKrY1GZM2X
'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.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqN65Tw9iyA
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aSq2jAA55
I wasn't really hungry just now, my body was too stressed, but no doubt my appetite would revive later.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3qvjaDt9F
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzYaOF1hSK
'Ahh…'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnoRVE9wlA
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsxB7hUkmA
'What?'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxCVRnZZPY
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yWlXCMe3b
'Chef won't be pleased.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkFCqUXq45
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4u5VqdcWh
I stared at her. 'Hands up if you are king.' I put my own hand up. 'That puts me in charge.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPWyZmUSg8
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3NYdQFQSh
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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYzQoYaBF6
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkXtoBw235
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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlCzBj6ijM
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQsMK6Qgqj
'King Carlos?'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl07VNxlO6T
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBt77WH28HN
Either I looked dumb, having forgotten my name here, or else the new arrival was dismayed by my appearance.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHhAycqJ8B
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiiooiFmw4j
'King Carlos?' he tried again.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmE3SsZ9vUy
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstOPSxHIBm
'Yes?'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpRMeXbUlT
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4U1S5lgED
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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOT96INNgZf
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCGJiu2NZW
'Lord Oseso, ambassador to his majesty King Wace of Southway.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zQRdBa2kO
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtgclj4atf
'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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyOVHMIE7h
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdltDSNflc
A crowd was gathering as soldiers and civilians moved closer to hear the ambassador's words.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6i0KDOFPfq
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdflqQUet3E
'Perhaps we can take some refreshment in private?' Lord Oseso suggested.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFWw6YAf62
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6n5GaFgBC
I shook my head. 'There's nothing you can say that I would hide from my people. Why are you here?'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQ1PblNwXN
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRFRxEuoLh
'Are you sure?' There was a knowing sneer in his gaze, inviting some kind of complicity from me.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJIO8BgYl6
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNFflyRDFI
'Get on with it. I'm busy.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8x5s47NCxm
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWEBk6GgYk
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.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKD4XddyKHG
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJWIKxZ4SH
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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFXwncJ4V7
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxxc8zXSGz
'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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrBkiZkNrg
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bbsYPl8L8
Lord Oseso shook his head. 'Careful what you say next, this offer won't come again.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2K5RKxmF8b
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkAdp1n73v
'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.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaFYD5AMQE
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlV2JsnBDhZ
'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.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mCA4kOBAh
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM08lJC5QRh
'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.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡev1RBT5S0m
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyqQlxcc7K
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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgaw6OYMHJ
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfeWwXNg6t
'Blindfold him and lead his horse. Don't let him look around as he leaves.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwtiDxnvqL
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFg03m7IXuO
'Yes sir.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBuFlc7q9p
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7RWQHe43C
'Right, then everyone, back to work. We're going to have to work extremely hard, myself included, to endure and escape conquest.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvf8Nj4Or3
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7IO80qUYi
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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvYdv6iiGz
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb94FeUaxOL
'Now, Carradock. I was on lap forty-four, was I not?'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAUXZkNiec
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyC4o4X4Qae
'Forty-three sire.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiPR4Tt7Uh
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEIhRwNtI4
'Damn pedant.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdYm43J4Ke
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0vC0O7Lc1
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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCoGTzdBaH
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigdtun42TT
It was the military menu that got me thinking again.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJhUGFwkj6
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs55hlJXfc9
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pi4rkafrr
Military467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpSkv5Vo8E
Light infantry: 32467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtUgUXs1Bp
Heavy infantry: 12467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBI7LtEbzCo
Archers: 18467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3dd27D7Kv
Light cavalry: 24467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcotGhNt1m1
Heavy cavalry: 4467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUpTTDo4Hs
Ballista: 1467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NIJRRIcgZ
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNT4jsZFp8R
Hospital: 17467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNhy2xXmjY
Military upkeep cost: 42 gold, 5 silver467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAspGmfu694
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9bnJBpAUs
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDmoC0SxNi
Currently training: 1 heavy cavalry467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFkTqtL0ii
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHkwejr9jO
Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMX3ZEzz9W
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUexLrXjLB
Currently building: tower machicolations, 3 days
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡechesBKe5b
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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7JBxAsUr9
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNA9zC9cdQh
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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsV1vZUQuZ
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyB2wp8Ime
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lhzSEeVpQ
Shipbuilding467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOq8MkOSyb
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzV3wL3QMD1
Unknown.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwy4lVffnk
Create a Shipwright to unlock this option.
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwmJau9qd0
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFJN7o06mY
'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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEEF5ELsTJ
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6Tuv6Hyem
'Sire?'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8Oye6VFA9
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqHF3up2jR
'Get the Chief Carpenter for me.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyWaV8HkTj
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSe6fsUin1
'Yes, sire.' The lad got up without any urgency and strolled down a shadow-filled street.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHJqavQ14v
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmKSXIrC4F
I was on lap forty-six when the carpenter arrived, he was a bald, confident looking man, with intelligent brown eyes.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroVmgxI5aK
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZVWukGsFX
'Walk with me,' I grunted.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VPNBqqjrn
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRH4euIWsZ5
'Sire.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJl9ESFROI
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOB5yS254i
'Can you make us a trading ship?'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocS5YE3tJi
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcK1HnHlhe
The question came as a surprise but he took it well, hardly faltering in his step. 'No sire.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aCICp3NST
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBvpH6F4Bu
'What if I researched Shipbuilding One?'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtk3cFBrsR2
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRdIOxJLZX
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.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUS1wcSAIX
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTpydjCosW
'And I can then assign someone to it?'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRb9w5uwaYf
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yw7Bmg2Go
'If it becomes an option sire.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4sZOCXSau
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBtiyMqtfu
'Would you like to do it?'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Pra996gqa
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jfRrCJMXN
'Me? It's up to you sire.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDO8j6rQlUn
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuLIMIWQAN
'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?467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFa6awia9rZ
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshHkC1FL60
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.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHhyD0dtjN
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lzgAKlTuX
'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.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBW4RlVDY01
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zXBYgYaiu
'Thank you sire.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNzvLASXh7
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRqEbmFQHo
'Now tell me this. I see a lot of people in the town. But not very many on the menus. Why is that?'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqi0savAhE
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHe5M2i5yQx
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.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvM38xmojXv
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKILRd3a0r
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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2Kpqn2XvX
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlBnClozVG
Forty-seven.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEwgsZ1PRU
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgWvzHyvs1
Forty-eight.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBd4Vf0Ph8I
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLb4teP3O9T
Forty-nine.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdJXSws23w
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30IbnOltcE
Fifty.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwWlzbNeLS
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXb33Ik0tJx
'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.467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bdvMBvozg
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRNonGx1mA
'Well done Sire.'467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItDp7CSosb
467Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPx8M6uo2G
That acknowledgement lifted me all the way back to the keep.
然後按「加至主畫面」