Black Ice

The ringing of bells woke Joseph. Using the self-discipline he had acquired at the Academy, he didn't linger in bed and immediately got out of it. Five minutes later, he was already leaving the inn in full gear to join Richard and Hartmann.
Joseph's eyes showed some bewilderment at the poor treatment of the slaves. He wasn't vehemently against slavery, though he didn't approve of it, but everyone knows that the better you treat a worker, the better results you can expect from them.
Joseph greeted the approaching King with an honest, but restrained, bow.