Wednesday came and after the morning practice I spent the whole morning explaining how to play Football to the Nobles in attendance. That ended up being well over 200 nobles and their servants.

Rump Roast had already sold out of concessions before the first game was played. I was already dipping into my main game stocks. I would have to get Lawrence on it.

“Lawrence?”

“Sir-Yes-Sir”

“I need you to run find every pound of pork,beef,rabbit, chicken, or fish you can find that's fresh. Also flour too. I think I underestimated the demand of food stocks.” That was an understatement.

“Also before you get started on that, get Lily to make another still or two. I don’t care what she is doing or what it costs but I need another damn quick.”

He started to tell me how she was not going to like it.

“I know she can be a pain in the ass but she is a damn good blacksmith. Tell her I said that Grumpy would have that still done by morning if he had to stay up all night. Then he would brag about how it was the dust in his eyes that made him look so weary. Go!” and pointed off in the distance.

I was missing a golden money making opportunity here. Not to mention getting on every noble's good side if I deliver still more. I was starting to worry about alcohol poisoning with a few.

I had anyone that wanted to enter the tournament wager 5 pounds including myself. Half the pot would go to the stadium for hosting the games and half to the winner of the tournament to be divided equally amongst them. Each team would have 15 players. In other words 11 full time players and 4 subs this is an ego trip remember these nobles won’t be wanting to come off the field.

I ended up having almost all the hundred or so male, even a few female, nobles that came to enter the flag football tournament. I made sure all the women knew that it would not be as violent as no one would tackle so more than I figured joined in the fun. Matilda of course couldn’t resist playing against me so she joined in.

The funny thing is the peasants started showing up wanting to watch the game and see nobles running all over the field. I ended up getting some of my football assistants (ok towel boys) to sell tickets for the bleachers. I sold them for a pence a ticket and you could sit anywhere there was an opening (during the game front row would be a premium).

I ended up making over 5 pounds from ticket sales from what amounted to a flag football game. Pounds as in pounds of silver. Which is where the name came from even though in these days a pound was fluid.

When we picked teams I ended up on the team of Charles the Good of Denmark. I thought I had heard of him but I could not for the life of me remember how. I figured it must be just getting the familiarity with my Charles confused with the name. He ended up being a pretty good guy. Hence the name I reckon.

“I knew you were the one that thought up this game. I made sure you were on my side. I want to win this thing.”

“I did not come up with it Sir Charles but I do know a lot about it.”

“The same I suppose. Do you wish to play QB?”

“No, I think that should be your honor sir. You having the good sense to select me should be tailor made to play QB.”

In truth he was an aging man in this day but probably only in his 40’s. He was shorter like all Agers but also a powerful build and he didn’t act old. I also had made it clear before the game that I was not going to play QB. I would play a new position to be fair to the other players that had never played before.

“Hah. I like you already, my boy.”

Before our first game I got to know the man. He sounded like a straight up saint even for my time. Crusading for the poor, widows, and orphans he donated his time, money, and status to half a dozen charitable means. This was coming from some of my teammates, not him.

In fact he kept waving it off like that was what any good Christian would do which was true. The problem was the words Good Christian and Middle Ages don’t come together much. Ager Christians were more likely to invade you then try and save you.

We ended up going on a winning streak and ended up one on one with the King for the final game. The King along with Matilda and to my shock and displeasure Stephen. I hadn’t seen or talked to him since his drunken confession. I didn’t even know if he remembered it.

We approached the center field and flipped the coin. They won the toss and took the ball first. One of the rules for my flag football was you took the ball at the 20 no kickers. A touchdown was worth 7 points and instead of punting there you would just throw it as deep as you could on 4th down and treat it as a punt.

“It is down to us. I guess the cream has risen to the top, Sirs and noble ladies.” Charles said

“We shall defeat you and taketh the spoils” The King said.

“Shake and bake gentlemen. It's time to shit or get off the pot” I said and walked off.

That left everyone stunned as was my intention. I had decided it would be best if the whole kingdom saw that the royal bloodline could be defeated. Not to mention my wallet would thank me. I would suffer the consequences later.

“What was that about?” Charles asked

“It is what is called psychological warfare in my country. You get into the minds of your opponent. It makes them think too much in combat.”

“Your country must be a frightful place if it practices such to win games.”

“You have no idea. Women in my country are known to practice these tactics just to win arguments in marriages.”

Where do you think I got the idea?

“I think I do not wish to visit your country after all.” He said, which got a full belly laugh from me.

The game stayed tight. We were up by 7 by the end of the second quarter. I was playing running back and middle linebacker and had intercepted the King for a touchdown. He wasn’t happy about that. I had to remind him that it was a game.

The problem was he wasn’t treating it as one. I had found that back in the 21st we are a little better at reading body language and tone of voice then the Agers are at concealing it. I think it is from the constant fear of rejection of the social world around us that makes us more attentive to those subtle signs. The King never developed defenses (he was King why would he) and he was radiating pissed off.

I decided my plan was a death sentence and backed off. We ended up losing 21-14. I let the King run one in at the end by pretending to trip up. I have seen better acting on soccer fields but he bought it. So did Charles it would seem.

“Well its not often you almost beat the King of England. It was fun Sir Arthur. We shall have to play again some time.”

“I would be honored Sir Charles.”

“If you're ever in Denmark I would be honored to have you stay with me”

“In that case Charles I should repay the favor and allow you use of my VIP suite at my Rump Roast Inn.”

“VIP?”

“Oh it means a very important person, Sir Charles. I use it occasionally myself and I have acquired a very comfortable bed for it. I’m sure you and your wife, Margaret will enjoy it. You may also enjoy my balcony for the game as I will unfortunately be elsewhere.”

“Hah you shall be in the thick of battle where I wish I could be again. I can do nothing but accept humbly and thankfully especially of your invitation to your Inn. I hear from the King that your fried chicken and rabbit is delicious.”

“It is indeed Sir.”

Even though I lost I still won. It’s kind of hard to call raking in over a hundred and fifty pounds of silver in a single day's work a loss. I was going to have to do this more often. It was enough to pay for a chunk of the whole stadium and I had intended it as a side show.