Morning arrived with a lot of cries from cockerels and the scents of food cooking. It was probably very early, but I couldn't wait to get started. Rolling out of bed, I dressed myself in a long, loose tunic and a very fine cloak, it was a real struggle, though, sitting on the edge of the bed, to bring my foot up to a position where I could get a sandal on it. Should I wear my crown? For now, I just carried it in my hand.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWJ6RgiZzN
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmxOWEThwk
On leaving my room, a guard outside looked at me in astonishment before composing his face into a neutral expression.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKh7Fr5NQQl
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZO2HEXbAL
It suddenly occurred to me that I had no idea of my way around this castle, yet it would be very strange if I were to ask the guard. So I just followed my nose and again, was met with looks of disbelief and alarm by servants and soldiers until I found my way down and around some wide stairs to a hall big enough for a feast, though all the tables were bare.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOwqSIA6lK
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemtPEasfE6
'Ah, sire, we weren't expecting you for many an hour yet. I'll hurry the cooks.' A female servant came over as I sat myself at the top table in what was obviously the king's large, padded chair.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4953p4j3a
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBev3p2ZqMr
'Just two poached eggs please and an apple and an orange.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRS5CnB89s
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDfzfK7LAD
'We have apples, sire. Not the other.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTbweoXU02
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rcur6TQNC
'Ahh right. Two apples then. And if you can press a few more to get juice out of them, I'll drink that.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGRhoKXNmv
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4C9yBM3s9
'Yes sire.' The servant, a middle-aged woman, had worry lines across her forehead. 'So no roast pork?' She gestured towards a door that I presumed led to the kitchen, judging by the concentration of cooking scents from that direction.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSKZ27k2Fd
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gX4hUMC9P
'No.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjI89rLuDt
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcpWlOdJPn
'Er… forgive me, but just to avoid error, sire, no beef slices in horseradish sauce?'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgtxaBpV3t
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtHjJRu1Ma
'No.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CxyTu6toh
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGso64AuNVp
'Nor the chicken breast in garlic? The bread-and-butter pudding? The…'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHW9t7jZtVK
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRUkAdyzh7
I caught the servant's eye and with a gulp she stopped speaking.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBCe7YMdND
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNKSAoUoLa
'Nothing,' I said firmly, 'other than the eggs, apples and the juice.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71MlSxFPKw
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMd7G3TYvDH
'Certainly sire,' the woman backed away with an anxious bow.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSd4NSn5qJ1
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNITVRMXnh
It would have been interesting to chat with someone and learn something about the world, but none of the guards and servants would dare look at me. The large dining hall was silent as though empty, even though I could count six guards and four servants.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDe8fbeG5wd
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmjat6vAwu
Oh well. I raised my right arm and cascaded some menus. Good, steel pickaxes had been researched, my town now had the knowledge of how to produce them. So I opened up the smithy and planned for a build of 84 new pickaxes, one for every miner. That left my research queue empty and I crunched on one of the hastily delivered apples as I eyed my options, there were hundreds of possibilities, grouped into three core categories: economic, cultural and military. Currently, the food crisis was my biggest concern and my plan to solve it was via exporting ores. Assuming all my neighbours were hostile (and even if they weren't, I wouldn't want any of them to have extra iron supplies), I needed to get my ores further afield. And that meant… Navigation. A six-day research project.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvQTwSXbs5
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oMxia44aP
After breakfast, with the help of a servant, I changed into tunic and trousers and good boots, then sent for my trainer.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75WjgegiWW
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSVBZeq1zs
Carradock Goblinbane was missing an arm at the elbow. I didn't ask; maybe the king knew his story already. On the short walk from the castle to the barracks training ground, I briefed him. I needed strength training as rapidly as possible. I didn't voice it aloud, but I knew that I just could not risk progressing my character until I understood the issue of stats better and, in particular, whether I could push them up through training.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApaJ6Z7N91
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYehprdfKu
'Strength it is, sire, and all-round fitness.' He looked at me longer than most people did. In fact, most people here didn't look me in the eyes at all. 'It will take a while. We must not rush. You're too big and too – excuse me – soft. You'll hurt yourself. For the first day, I just want to you walk around this ground fifty times.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODxHGRZlpF
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zRpv24Ms8
'Fifty?' How hard could it be to walk fifty laps of a square whose sides were only about a hundred metres?521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0MT0rZalf
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qSqmvEuCQ
It was very hard. After one lap I was sweating. After the second my thighs began to ache and I found myself slowing down from my fast initial pace. After the third, I was panting and my huge body was complaining pretty much everywhere. On ten, Carradock handed me a tankard with cool water in it and I gulped it down. Then he offered me a sword hilt. It was a practice weapon, a rod of iron with no sharp edges. I reached out for it.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGmCEyMROn
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1e19Bp94Ke
'Are you sure?' Carradock looked sceptical.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TSTY5Ba3o
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HOKngni6J
'Of course. I can do this.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOR9teTJbNl
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cg7pWj3Ut
'No, I mean, your left hand.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhmgJ8mJCQ
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltLkTdmy8j
I had grasped the sword and raised it in my left hand. I tried it then with my right, shook my head, and shifted it back. 'This is better.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQ1zpkbThH
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvInlr8zig2
Back on Earth, I was left-handed. Had the king been right-handed? Was this a sign to everyone I wasn't their old ruler?521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7VdPpEMz0
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHtrSyPatI
'Carry it as often as you can. It will make your sword arm stronger.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQSl3Xl0ZA
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTpPcXEPOh
'Now?'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteQ4o0orRd
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSF9PrySGp
Carradock nodded, perhaps with a hint of a smile on his narrow, fox-like face.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwisDy8CYus
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQjHT8ume9
Then off I went again, with a new source of pain slowly moving up from my left wrist, my arm and along my left shoulder. At twenty I took another breather. One side of the barracks square was a two-story, grey stone building. The other three were enclosed by a low, wooden fence. And at the fence were gathered a dozen people, looking in at me. On their faces were expressions of dislike but also astonishment.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchodO9NNjS
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBM4IOhVyP
All this walking had been good for my thinking. 'You,' I pointed to a woman with dressed in a tunic whose design matched that of the other castle servants. 'Get me the ambassador, Figus.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuXooXPru0
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQZ0YsDaug
'Yes, sire.' She curtsied, but I could tell from her body language she didn't like the duty.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JK2MsvEx6
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gVfdmmwX5
'And the rest of you, get along with your business.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHtFR76Wjh
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrbWFMEtVV
No one spoke, but they all immediately hurried away.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETOJr33Dze
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIxJlYkRdk
It was another two laps before my ambassador came to the square around which I was walking. No doubt I was red-faced and quite a sight, but that didn't excuse the smirk on his face. Figus was quite the rock star. Unlike everyone else here, his hair was not a natural colour, rather it was bleached somehow and stood up in clusters of spikes. With a grace in his walk and a cynical smile in his bright blue eyes, I could see his Charisma of 15 was definitely in play. What was mine again, 3? I suddenly felt very conscious of my frown lines and a posture that was sagging at every point, including my face.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSAsGopUg7
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRrESBirtS
The ambassador drew up close, took in a breath and then bowed. 'Sire?'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmBrK2FLyY
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvP68uCw4B0
This was a welcome excuse for a break, though I was aware that Carradok was watching and probably disapproved.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1Rb24dYT3
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcd33vuoQt
'We need to trade ore for food, what's the best way to go about it?'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYRt5IUyzW
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjQs1My4lI
Figus looked up with some surprise on his face. 'You are seeking my advice?'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrF3Upe9Rjr
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI765P1sqnr
'Uh huh,' I was still catching my breath or I'd have pointed out that he was our ambassador after all.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1JUF0o7mn
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQgt88CjEm
'Well, as you know, we are at war with Southway and Trolland, our nearest neighbours. So they are out. That also blocks the inland routes. By sea, we could trade with Cantreth, the Kingdom of Lost Souls and Rockguard…' he paused in thought. I paused in tiredness.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ573CVhxBeo
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8anovQZ58
'Your majesty has no scruples dealing with a Necromancer?'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6yTYtPBCa
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmkmdjogwy
'Not at all, some of my best friends are Necromancers.' I was thinking of Storm Wars of course, but the look of consternation on the face of Figus made me feel like laughing.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLDP13GcQT
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzF2s81HiHR
To be fair to him, the ambassador recovered his poise quickly, 'in that case, I think the best deal we could make would be with the Kingdom of Lost Souls.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7R6OJkCV8j
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwL6yQ6tAG
'Right so, off you go and make that arrangement.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcktjMHQP6
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpVYk3gn5G
'Now sire?'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbGDRyW0aT
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZF5VCdfunb
I nodded.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVl2rUokdTc
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcAfVzMjAl
He hesitated. 'How much ore and of what kind and quality will we be offering?'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHTJZsWIHL
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7Y8d9iGLH
I didn't have to call down the menu for the mines, we were currently producing 2 ingots of standard iron ore per day. Assuming that would rise with the new pickaxes… 'Fifteen standard iron ingots a week.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgjUktvi2p
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblcjo7ie0U
Figus nodded and then with a temerity that was unusual in the people around me caught my eye. 'One more question, sire, if I may?'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNioskWccP
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajZsCVDArt
'Yes?'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkGQO2QuZU
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD96zv0tEhn
'We don't have a trading vessel, but we would get much better terms if this exchange happened in our ship.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda0TOphqUl
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zXE1wGfWT
'I'll make that a priority.'521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKn5qUpgrVF
521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aLtu3jXfJ
'Right so, I'll be off then.' There was a jauntiness to the man's step as he left me to my circuits. Had he deliberately just parrodied my turn of phrase? If so, I rather admired him for it.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7IZ1Miiay
