Once Oliver had driven deep enough into the city that he was surrounded on all sides by n other than those that he had collected, he gave a foreman in charge of building repairs a simple instruction. "Leave your duties for a while," he said. "Order the sa of your n. And spread the word to the other workers, if you would."
The foreman looked at him blankly, but nodded. A difficult instruction to interpret. Not ’take a break’, not to do with getting this done, or getting that done, but a simple pause in what they were already doing. A stillness, perhaps, that was what Oliver wished for.
As he walked further, past the steps that led up to the Church of Claudia, Oliver had that ssage delivered bit by bit. Twice more from himself, then from the lips of soldiers, and from civilians. It spread throughout the city. All the way to the Smith Square, and those n that were still hard at work there, dealing with the final preparations. Then to the stables, where the boys that worked there had hardly managed to snatch a wink of rest in recent days. Then to the bakers, where grain was relentlessly turned into hard bread, and other such food items, that might stay fresh for a good while on the road that they were soon to travel.
By the ti Oliver arrived at the city gates, one could practically hear those many grinding gears that had seen the city toward such a whirlwind of activity all suddenly grinding to a stop.
That noise that had been constant during their work began to peter out as well. A strange silence, like that which ca in battle.
At the gates, Oliver found more n. He found Patrick soldiers, and Blackthorn officers of standing. When he looked harder too, he saw Karesh and Kaya who had been busy on gate duty. They gave him a salute when they saw him coming – it must have been them that had warned him against the approach of the coming Ersons.
They marched at a brisk pace up to him, after instructing their n to stay busy. "Your Majesty," Kaya said, speaking on behalf of the two. "General Fitzer awaits your approval to enter into the city with his n. He awaits with Lord Idris."
Oliver nodded. "I will go out and greet those n myself."
Kaya looked at him suspiciously. "We ought go with you, General," he said, his title shifting, as he sensed sothing was off.
"By all ans," Oliver said, nodding his head again. "And I would ask for your n to join as well."
"That would bring our numbers up to three hundred," Kaya said, quickly estimating their strength. "That might be seen as an aggressive act, when welcoming newcors."
"Nonsense," Oliver said, waving it off. "They’re allies of ours, Kaya. We’ve a pact with their King. What n we bring out we do so to honour them."
The conversation spoken between King and Commander echoed loudly for the silence that grew stronger, as the ssage from King Patrick spread, and reached more of the workers, ordering them to halt what they had been doing.
With the silence, there ca many inquisitive ears, wondering what it was that had been going wrong. Looking back along the road that Oliver had co, he could see his own officers and their n beginning to march his way from deeper in the city. And above the houses, on the next road, he could see Blackthorn banners, and supposed that either Lord Blackthorn himself, or one of his Colonels was coming to investigate.
Almost lazily, but still swiftly, and naturally, did Oliver stride forward, and hurry them along. He looked not like a man that was in a rush, but more like a man that could hardly be bothered with what it was that he had to look into. He was the very image of a relaxed and almost arrogant young ruler.
He tapped Kaya on the shoulder, and strolled past him. Kaya gave him a look, and then glanced to the rest of the n, trying to figure out what he ought to be doing. He could feel the tension like the rest of them. He motioned with his head to Karesh, and his cousin nodded. Like the rest of them, he seed to feel the strong urge to be quiet.
The gates were already open, but Fitzer and his six thousand had yet to be admitted. He was on horseback, with a thousand cavalry just behind him, chatting away to Verdant, as Oliver poured out the gate with those three hundred n of his, and a broad smile on his face.
"General!" Oliver shouted to him in greeting, waving his arms out wide.
"Your Majesty," Fitzer said, returning Oliver’s smile, though the look did waver when he saw how many n Oliver had brought with him.
Out into the snow Oliver went, away from the safety of his walls, and his n ca with him, fanning out around the opening of the gate, and broadening their ranks to fifty strong, after the gate only allowed ten n to co through at a ti.
"Your Majesty," Verdant said, coming forth on Casper, and then dismounting, so that he might kneel before his King.
A small thread of relief from Oliver. The only thing that could have interrupted his quiet, almost excitable calm. He was glad to have Verdant near him, and within reach, and was glad of the near predictability of the man’s loyalty. The only thing that could have made him fear for everything – now that calm was set to stay.
He saw the thousand archers that Fitzer had brought, along with that thousand cavalry, and those four thousand infantry.
"You’ve brought quite the welco party, Your Majesty," Verdant said as he rose.
"I did," Oliver said, holding his gaze.
One could almost see the thoughts turning over in Verdant’s mind, lapping at the shore like the waves of so grand ocean. Then he simply nodded, and acquiesced. One must have wondered what he was thinking. For the strength of the work that he’d put in, he could have easily inferred that his King was doubting him, that he had assud him to have failed in his operation. Verdant, however, showed no resistance to whatever judgent might have co his way. He simply rejoined King Patrick at his rightful place by his side, and he brought Casper along with him.
Reviews
All reviews (0)