Lott sighed internally, realizing that Morgan wasn't fazed by his words. She seemed to enjoy teasing him even more, her feet becoming bolder in their movements. Morgan knew him all too well—she was confident that any grudge he might hold would be short-lived. According to her, Lott had the memory span of a goldfish when it came to grudges. He'd lash out in the moment but forget all about it shortly after.
As Morgan shifted to a more comfortable position, she turned serious for a moment. "Lott, you said that our regime is on the right track. Don't you think we should focus on something else?"
Lott, puzzled by the question, asked, "What else is there to do? Are we talking about fishing or dealing with the nobles?"
Morgan rolled her eyes at his nonchalant reply. "No, not that. I mean, it's time to increase your strength. As a king, in addition to ruling skills, personal power is essential. Look at Altria—her people love her because she's invincible on the battlefield."
Lott knew Morgan was right. This was still an age of heroes, where personal strength mattered as much as a ruler's ability to govern. The people of Britain, as with many in history, cared about immediate results—they needed to see their lord's strength and victories.
"You're saying I should become stronger?" Lott asked, intrigued. "How exactly do we go about that? Does the Pendragon family have any secret items or ancient powers that could help?"
Morgan chuckled at his hopeful tone, shaking her head. "If we had anything like that, my father wouldn't have lost to Vortigern. Our family's strength comes from our bloodline and the hard work we put in."
Lott knew he was being overly optimistic, but it was worth a shot. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "So, what then? Am I supposed to go out and train as a knight?"
Morgan gave him a thoughtful look. "That's one approach, but I don't think it's enough for you."
Lott considered the idea of travelling across the land, taking part in knightly adventures, building combat experience, and perhaps forging a few legendary love stories along the way. He was already entertaining the idea of "practising" as a knight when Morgan interrupted his thoughts.
"No, we're not sending you off on a knight's quest. What we need is a Northern Expedition," she explained. "It's time to take the fight to those who still side with Vortigern. By expanding our territory, we increase our power, and yours as well."
"The Northern Expedition..." Lott mulled over the idea. He realized it made sense. Camelot needed more land, resources, and influence. Merely relying on internal growth would only take them so far. A military campaign would secure more land and food, increase their population, and allow them to bring the northern factions into their fold.
Beyond practical reasons, there was Morgan herself. Her strength had visibly increased since she had become the ruler of Camelot. Lott had noticed how her magical abilities had grown, and she seemed stronger with every passing day. If they succeeded in uniting the island, Morgan would become nearly unstoppable, making her a force to be reckoned with in Britain. That alone was worth supporting the campaign.
"Alright," Lott finally agreed, nodding. "We'll head north together and show them what we're capable of."
Morgan smiled, her eyes gleaming with pride and determination. She straightened up and, with a proud tilt of her nose, declared, "We'll make sure they understand the power of Camelot."
Despite being pregnant, Morgan showed no hesitation in preparing for the campaign. She was still a powerful magician, and though she wouldn't be on the front lines, her presence would be invaluable.