There were definitely some formatting problems, and the story clunks along some, but I still had an immensely good time with it.
I’m sick and tired of reading of the Duchies of Vinci in this writing jam. Seems 1/2 or more of the fantasy writers featured them. (I too fell for this).
However, using them as the unthinking brutes!? Wasn’t expecting that.
Story had a lot going on, and a fairly complex protagonist, considering the word count.