A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor
Chapter 1399 - 1399: Childish - Part 5

"Perhaps. I have different sorts of connections to Ferdinand," Oliver said. "Perhaps this might be to my advantage. Who knows? Whatever the case, it seems like it'll be amusing, and at the very least, it'll be worth pursuing, won't it? Won't you see it organized, Greeves, or are you so keen on playing at cloak and dagger, and being the eternal menace?"

"Damn it," Greeves said. "The time limit is still a problem. A mere few weeks, Ser Patrick. A crow will take a day to reach these different Lords of yours, and that's already a day gone."

"It will be fine," Oliver said.

"I must say, my Lord, I am surprised that you were so quick to call Karstly in," Verdant said. "I had not thought you would wish to be near him, after the events of the campaign."

Oliver's smile shifted, just for a moment. "I think, I understand a slight bit more of how General Karstly views the world since then. It does not mean I approve of the strategy that he used that day, nor Blackwell's use of it… But I can at least understand the thought process that led up to it."

"I see," Verdant said, seeming to accept that, despite his own reservations on the matter. "And, I assume, you shall be sending a letter to Queen Asabel?"

"Ought I?" Oliver said.

"Gods be good, if you secure the backing of a Silver Queen, this thing is as good as sealed," Greeves said, his eyes wide. "Can you? You already asked a favour of the poor woman in seeing Solgrim defended."

"I will not ask of her a favour," Oliver said. "I will merely ask her if she wishes to attend a festival, and give her the opportunity to bring her men along with her, and see them participate. I will not force her, or anything of the like. You misunderstand, Greeves. This tournament should be an amusement. Indeed, it will settle scores for ourselves, and see that we don't fall too steeply in the red, and it will see this business with Ferdinand settled, but we needn't let that mar our intentions. We don't need to be devious in our methods. We will simply invite people with the hope of having a pleasant set of days, and whether they wish to engage in that or not, it will be up to them. Though, I would like to have the chance to see Asabel again. It feels as if it has been a while."

"Gehhh…" Greeves grimaced.

"Satisfied?" Oliver said.

"I will be, when you get more than one of these noble houses to compete, and when you secure the approval of Lord Blackwell, 'cos he'll be bloomin' instrumental in getting it sorted, I hope you realize that. We can't really do an awful lot without him," Greeves said.

"But otherwise, we have our solution, do we not?" Oliver said.

"I suppose so…" Greeves admitted reluctantly. "But I'd still want to prepare for the worst…"

"As we've already said, in that manner of competition, fighting them where they wish to fight us, we stand no chance, no matter how devious we were to get," Oliver said. "There's no point in seeing our hands stained. Solgrim does not need to bear witness to the sorts of acts that the Guild inflicted on us and Harmon in his escape."

"Aye, aye…" Greeves said impatiently. "Fine. I'll count it as a solution. But only time will tell if it will work."

"Our chances, at the very least, are far superior with my Lord's way of doing things, are they not, merchant?" Verdant said.

"I suppose, Lord Idris," Greeves said. "You're the one that comes from such a trade heavy House. Perhaps you ought to get that father of yours involved?"

"I had intended to, with my Lord's permission," Verdant said. "He would not miss an opportunity like this – certainly not if Queen Asabel herself is getting involved."

"Suddenly, there seems to be quite a lot of major players getting dragged into all this…" Greeves said. "Yer were calling my methods underhanded, Ser Patrick, and look what you've gone and done. This ain't a competition between you and Ferdinand anymore."

"Quite right, it isn't," Oliver said. "As I have said, the actions of the Guild casts that competition into disdain. We're not entirely abandoning it – for Solgrim will not be seen to lose the first competition I lead it into – but we're not going to confront them in a duel, when they have refused to do the same themselves."

"Pah," Greeves said. "Yer worse than me, in a different way than me. Yer treating all of this too casually. So many lives hung in the balance there, you do realize, and you were dealing with it all with a smile on your face."

"Hah, what other way was there to deal with that?" Oliver said. "It was ridiculous from the off. Let it be ridiculous to the finish. This festival is coming at a good time for the people, I do think. Winter is well on its way. Another few weeks, and we won't be able to say it's late autumn anymore. The festivities and the coin generated by them will be enough to see to it that the villagers finish the last of their preparations."

"It's annoying," Greeves said.

"What's that?" Oliver said.

"I've been sweating, tears and blood, clawing at the board, coming up with solutions for this mess that you dragged me into," Greeves said. "And this is bloody how we come up with the solution? It's a farce. An absolute joke."

"Indeed, it is a joke," Oliver agreed. "And we will see the punchline well enough delivered. I'll begin writing the messages for the crows now – and you, Greeves, see whatever devious plans you've set in motion halted before you commit something that you can't take back."

Greeves' eyes flashed in surprise.

"Come now, you were alluding to having done as much, you can't act shocked when I call you out for it," Oliver said. "Go on, Judas. Drag your Boss back, and see him cut those knots that he's tied."

"Right you are, Ser Patrick. Come on, Boss, there's work to do," Judas said.

"You pissin' lout…" Greeves fumed. "Where the hell do you find the gall to tell me that there's work to do, you lazy bastard? All you do is stand there all day picking your bloody nose. Are you forgetting who you serve? It's me, ain't it? Don't be wagging your tail for anyone else."

So Greeves said, but he was already making his way well towards the door.

…

…

It seemed a very last minute and sudden declaration for such a large-scale event, but Oliver had committed to it with a confidence that quickly proved to be infectious. Especially since, when questioned along those lines, Verdant and Lasha were as steadfast in their belief as their Lord. They seemed to think that failure was so far from being a possibility as to be a fact that ought not to be entertained at all.