A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor
Chapter 1622 - 1622: The Ripples of Victory - Part 1

The Lord Idris set himself to striding away through the snow that covered the stone ramparts, and with an iron grip on Blackthorn's arm, he dragged her away too, despite the twist of her lips. Having wanted to say something to Nila, the best she could settle for was returning Nila's enthusiastic wave of her arm with a small wave of her own.

"Those two ought to be resting," Nila said, a good deal more lightly than she normally would have, when her voice would usually be so laden with concern. "As should you," he said, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly, as if to drive a psychological spear through him.

Oliver's only eyes narrowed, and his lips didn't move to reflect the smile, but one could tell that he was smiling nonetheless. "We both know that was never likely to happen. But I can say the same to you, little Nila. You've worked hard. You're entitled to a good deal of rest."

"Then, I suppose, we'll have to settle for a different sort of agreement," Nila said. "We can rest together, no?"

"If we only have a short while together, then I suppose, for once, we can make sure that we relax a little," Oliver said.

"You anticipate more business?" Nila said, tilting her head to the side. "Or are you saying that to play at being ominous? Because I really don't like the sound of it. I'd rather you said it in uhm… literally any other way?"

He put a hand on her head, and messed up the red hair that she'd so carefully seen fastened into two little braids, dangling from the side of her head. "You ought to be wearing a hat," he said.

She squinted, trying to dodge the hair that fought to find its way into her eyes. "You're dodging the question, aren't you? Why would you say something like that? Why do we have to think about such things? Can we not simply relax for once? Here's something – I saw the tracks of a fox this morning, leading from the front entrance of the estate."

"Oh?" Oliver said, genuinely interested. He'd developed an increasing fondness for foxes. He liked the solitary way they picked their way through the winter landscape. It was always such a spectle for him to watch.

"Yup," Nila said. "From the looks of it, the creature even managed to slip through the door. There's no sign of the return tracks, so he must have been pottering down the corridor. Funny, isn't it? We're all so exhausted and hard at work, and it might be the most important day of our lives, but for a fox, it's just an opportunity."

"Nature cares not," Oliver said.

"Well, I wouldn't quite put it like that," Nila said. "Just that nature doesn't stop. As big as we think ourselves to be, the mighty heroes of this battle, we're made to look stupid by a simple fox."

"Ah…" Oliver said, raising his eyebrow at the point. "Now that is interesting. We're a big rock, but water still slips in through the cracks."

"Something like that," Nila said, reaching a hand out to pull on his coat. Oliver flinched ever so slightly, seeing her hand reach to dart out. She pulled a face at him. "Did you really think I was going to jab you when you're already so wounded?"

"With you, it's hard to tell. You're always looking for your little opportunities," Oliver said. "You're a merciless woman."

"This, from you?" Nila said. "I've heard it said that you've been quite contemptuous with the good royal prince that you captured, and with the mighty General. And I heard the mockery that you spoke on the battlefield. Is Oliver Patrick set to be such an arrogant man?"

Oliver shrugged. "I do not deny it. Those were some arrogant words. But the battle overtook me. What would you have said in my place? Was it that embarrassing to listen to?"

"I suppose it was soooo bad," Nila said. "But it would have been something else if you had said such things outside of the battlefield. Tell me, Oliver, what do you intend to do with those soldiers?"

The grand General of House Patrick did not need to be such an expert on people to hear the hidden concern in Nila's voice. He picked up on the intent behind her question in an instant. "You fear that I'll take the same route as Karstly and Blackwell?"

She hesitated, but she did shake her head. "No. I don't think you'd do that. But I do still worry for what you will do. This isn't exactly a problem that's easy to solve, after all. The men have barely finished their resting, and already, they're wanting to see our prisoners dead. It's going to be difficult to keep them in line. And what if orders come from Karstly and Blackwell asking for you to do the same?"

"Decisions will be made long before then," Oliver said.

"Then you have a plan?"

It was Oliver's turn to shake his head then. "None in particular. If Volguard were here, it would be easier… He'd have good advice. But for now, there's nothing. A problem it might be, or it might be opportunity. Regardless, I shall not be hasty, so you don't need to worry over it."

"…Then I have said all I need to say about it," Nila said, pulling her hand from Oliver's coat, and grabbing his arm instead, and giving it a gentle pull. "Shall we walk, then, and bathe in the glory of victory?"

"I could think of nothing better," Oliver said.

Tears streamed down Queen Asabel's cheeks. An endless supply of them, wetting the silk fabrics of her pillow. She hated herself for those tears, but the hatred only made more of them spill from her eyes.

Hastily, like a child, she wiped them away with the sleeve of her dress. She had a duty, a meeting that she needed to attend, a war that she needed to fight, she ought not have been wasting time crying. Yet she could not help it.