The Challenges of Leadership
As Lott walked into the study, he greeted Morgan with a bright smile. "Morgan, come, I have some good news to share."
Morgan, deeply engrossed in her work, was holding a quill pen in her right hand and using a knife to carve and imprint bamboo slips. She was working hard, her brow furrowed in concentration.
Seeing her in this state, Lott hesitated, realizing his news might not be the most opportune distraction. Given how hard she's working, I should tread carefully.
Morgan, noticing Lott's presence, put down her quill with a sigh. Why did he have to come back so quickly? she thought. All my elegance is gone in front of him now. How embarrassing.
She was relieved that there was no one else around. If someone else had seen me like this, I'd be mortified. I'd want to stop talking if that were the case.
For Lott, this was a moment of reckoning. Seeing her working so hard, I can't just stay silent anymore.
Morgan looked at Lott and said, "Ahem, Lot, your quill seems to be malfunctioning. I tried hard to use it, but the ink wouldn't come out."
Lott, understanding, nodded vigorously. "Hmm, I know, I know."
Morgan studied Lott's heart, searching for sincerity. After a thorough examination, she saw only two words: [From the heart].
Satisfied, she responded, "Yes." Then, she asked, "By the way, what was it you wanted to tell me when you came in?"
Lott explained, "There's a solution to the issue I was concerned about."
"What?" Morgan asked, her interest piqued. Could this be true? She had assumed Lott was just looking for an excuse to escape his responsibilities and go fishing.
Morgan moved closer to Lott and admitted, "I may have misunderstood you earlier."
"It's alright," Lott reassured her. "How can a man be angry with his wife over such trivial matters?"
In his heart, he thought, I'm so clever, handing off all the work to Morgan. It doesn't look like I'm being lazy at all.
Morgan felt a mix of relief and irritation, recognizing that her earlier assumptions might have been premature. She rubbed her temples, contemplating the situation. Sometimes knowing too much can be a burden.
"So, what were you worried about?" she asked.
"I was concerned about the magician on the other side," Lott explained once more.
"Do you have a solution?" Morgan inquired.
Morgan, not fully understanding magical capabilities, was sceptical. If anyone could detect the fleet, it might be a magician.
Lott confidently stated, "My body has a special physique that can completely shield against magical probing. If you don't believe me, you can try using some probing magic on me."
Morgan was initially doubtful but decided to test his claim. Is he serious? Can he be shielded from magical detection?
She performed a probing spell on Lott, only to find that her magic had no effect. "I can't probe you at all."
"See? I wasn't lying," Lott said with a smirk.
Morgan's surprise was evident. What's going on? Normally, I can sense Lott's thoughts without magic, but now, my spell has failed. She was baffled by Lott's immunity to magical probing.
Lott, seeing Morgan's reaction, thought, Her surprised expression is quite amusing.
Morgan quickly regained her composure. I must maintain my authority as Queen. She nodded and said, "It seems that with you, our tasks will be more manageable."
Despite her outward calm, Morgan was internally impressed by Lott's abilities. Why is he so capable? He seems to solve every problem effortlessly.
If only he would focus less on fishing and more on being productive, Morgan thought. There's still much work to be done to transform him into a more responsible partner.
The Burdens of Leadership
In the following days, the aftermath of the wedding banquet continued to dominate the atmosphere. The humble king had started preparing his army for the upcoming campaign. King Youser needed to return to Camelot quickly to ready himself for the impending attack.
With Lott absent, there were additional preparations to be made. Morgan took this opportunity to appoint Kay and Altria as knights. Following their promotion, Lott had also arranged for them to lead two scout knight squads.
Thus, the Knight King and the Knights of the Round Table, who were originally prominent in history, now commanded these two scout squads.
Merlin, too, had stayed in Orkney, ostensibly to guard against enemy magicians. However, Lott suspected that Merlin had also been instructed by King Uther to protect his daughters, Morgan and Altria.
Morgan's New Challenges
As Morgan began managing the affairs of Orkney, she quickly realized the complexity of the task. Two significant issues, both linked to Camelot, were particularly troublesome.
The first issue involved Merlin, whom Morgan found to be an unrepentant rogue. Merlin's flirtatious behaviour with young girls, despite his noble status and good looks, was unacceptable to Morgan. His antics were infuriating, and though she couldn't act against him directly, she wished she could.
The second issue was Altria, who, despite being diligent and skilled, had an enormous appetite. Altria's consumption was so excessive that it was straining the resources of the entire team. Morgan mused, It's no wonder Sir Ector was impoverished. Perhaps it was due to Altria's voracious appetite.
Morgan recalled Lott's comment about the lack of surplus food and found herself exasperated. The landlord's house has no surplus food!
Adding to her frustration was Lott's persistent fishing escapades. Why must he always sneak off to fish? Morgan thought, feeling the weight of her responsibilities more heavily.
Despite these challenges, Morgan was determined to navigate them effectively and ensure that Orkney's governance remained on track.