A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor
Chapter 1901 - 1901: After Victory - Part 4

"Have you seen Greeves yet?" Oliver asked of her.

"He'll be coming. Judas went to wake him up ten minutes ago," Nila said.

"That I did," Judas affirmed.

"You seem rather happy," Oliver noted.

"Happy to be away from the normal orders of an army," Nila said. "That's what he's thinking. For as much of a brute as he is, he doesn't seem to enjoy the life of a soldier."

Judas scratched his cheek. "I can't even deny it, Boss. If it ain't for something right in front of me, I finds it hard to snatch up the motivation. So you saying you wanted to leave me here with Greeves, to see things sorted… I don't find I mind that so much."

"You've worked hard these last weeks Judas," Oliver said earnestly. "Perhaps you do not enjoy soldiery, but our armies were stronger for your presence. Still, there's more to you than a simple soldier's work. You know the people, and Greeves knows to rely on you. If we're to get Ernest back functioning as a city should, and if we're to see its inhabitants safely returned home, then we'll have great need of you to see to the order."

"That's work that I can do," Judas said, adding a hasty greeting to Greeves, as the man came stumbling over, nearly tripping on his lengthy fur coat as he did so. "Morning, Boss."

"Maybe for you," Greeves hissed. "I could have done with another few hours in bed. Do you know how deep into the night I was working to see your schemes carried out, Patrick?"

"And carry them out you did," Oliver said. "Never has an army seen itself equipped so quickly. You've done wonders."

"Wonders that I would willingly give back if I could snatch up a few more hours of sleep…" Greeves grumbled.

"I ought to be leaving another man here, to act as a go between for yourself and General Blackthorn," Oliver said. "You'll have to forgive me on that. What I lack most, currently, even with these new soldiers that we've been blessed with, is enough officers to see them commanded."

"Matters not," Greeves said. "I've worked with the Blackthorn men. Their logistics team knows me. I'll work it out with them."

"You think you'll be able to get her back to her former self?" Oliver asked, looking around him, at where the streets had been battered from the occasional catapult shot that went too far, and more particularly from where they had endured harsh fighting with Tavar by the gates. They still had not finished entirely taking care of the dead, and some bodies were still there to be tended to, by now covered in a blanket of snow.

"I'll need the townspeople sent home for that," Greeves said. "But aye. There's men enough to see the city defended, and that General Blackthorn seems the type to go to a war even for a single trade route, so I reckon I can see it done."

"It's quite a task," Oliver warned. "You'll be practically governing a city by yourself – that's a far different thing to simply governing Solgrim."

"I'm more surprised that you trust me to see it done," Greeves said.

"I don't," Oliver said easily. "I trust your skills, not your morality. That's why Nila's here, for she's got her fair share of both. She'll keep you in check, and make sure you don't go too far, and she'll look after the townspeople if you begin to mistreat them."

"That's right," Nila said. "I'll give you a thrashing as soon as you step out of line."

Oliver grinned to hear it. In truth, he was pleased about her staying for different reasons. He hated to see her brought onto the battlefield. Every time it was done, despite her skill, it was as if she needed to close off another piece of her heart. It was not what the girl was made for. She preferred far different things. It was only duty that brought her towards bloodshed, again and again. Now, her duty enabled her to travel in different directions.

"So I've got a bloody warden looking after me, do I? As if this job wasn't difficult enough," Greeves said.

"You managed in Solgrim with Nila watching over you. You'll manage here."

"The question then, is will you manage, boy?" Greeves said, his voice quieting for a second, as he asked that which they were all thinking.

"...The talk of Tiberius is that he's dangerous beyond comparison," Nila said, a hint of worry seeping into her voice. "That he could push Minister Hod the way he did, and both Skullic and Karstly. I think that's pretty frightening. Will you really be okay?"

"Blackwell, Karstly, Broadstone, Skullic, Queen Asabel, Hod, Verdant, Lady Blackthorn, Jorah…" Oliver listed off the names on his fingers, and he would have kept going, if not for the exasperated looks on the faces of those that were forced to listen. "The point is, there could not be more men of standing in one place. All of our strength is there, pointed at him – just one man. There's no one in the realm that could stand up against that."

"...I guess so," Nila said, shrugging, and forcing a smile. "It's just… you know."

"I'll be fine," Oliver said, speaking not just to her, but to the three of them, for even Judas and Greeves were pulling faces, looking doubtful.

"That the war could all be over just from this," Greeves said. "We've – you've – walked your way through hell, aye, it's true… But it just doesn't sit right to me. Feels like we're missing something."

"Aye," Judas said nodding. "Aye, it feels like that. You don't seem your usual self, Boss."

"Me?" Oliver said, surprised at the comment.

"Aye. I haven't seen you this nervous before."

"Nervous?" Oliver said, frowning. The comment caught him off guard, like a cavalry attack to his flank. He was stunned enough for a second that he really did feel nervous. But before that, he was certain that he'd felt nothing – nothing but certainty. For the war was indeed drawing to a close. He had no reason to feel any different. He laughed it off. "Pah. If you see something, it's the same thing that comes before any battle. Besides, I've never been more nervous before a battle than I was against the Emersons, was I?"