A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor-Chapter 1121 An Army in need of Improvement - Part 8

1121: An Army in need of Improvement – Part 8

1121: An Army in need of Improvement – Part 8

“Then our current destination seems obvious,” Verdant said, dusting off his hands.

“It does, does it?” Oliver said.

“Not to me.

Where are you planning to drag us?”

“Before Samuel,” Verdant said.

“We will involve him in our plans, and we will secure you further privileges for it.”

…

…

So it was, that Oliver was dragged to Samuel’s tent, despite his protest.

He couldn’t imagine the quiet attendant of Karstly indulging them.

He could hardly see the point of mentioning it to the man in the first place.

It seemed like a plan that they could very much carry out by their lonesome, but Verdant was committed to speaking to Samuel regardless, and so too did Blackthorn follow along behind, with the same fiery glow in her eyes that animated Verdant. freёnovelkiss.com

Oliver couldn’t help but think that their business was only half to do with the matter of the Boundary Break – the other half seemed to be thoroughly focused on the incident of that morning, when his training had been interrupted.

The training of the other Patrick men had been left with Jorah in charge.

The man was a credit for his rank.

He ought not to have been saddled with the leadership of four hundred men, especially when he had no experience dealing with such a number.

Still, when Verdant had told him their selfish request, Jorah had merely bowed and nodded with nary a twitch of his eyebrow nor a look of consternation.

He did not even ask where they were headed, but there was something in his cunning and reserved eyes that told Oliver that the young man might have known, regardless.

Outside the tent, they announced themselves, and a voice bid that they enter.

The voice didn’t seem to contain the slightest hint of surprise, which, as it happened, was a surprise to Oliver instead.

He would have thought that their asking for an audience out of all the people in the camp would be the most unusual.

Especially when they’d already highlighted themselves to such a degree already, and Karstly had warned against highlighting themselves further.

Leaving the way for Oliver, Blackthorn and Verdant paused.

With a resigned expression, Oliver pushed the flap of the tent open in their place, sparing a nod to the guards posted outside as he entered.

Behind a solid desk of wood – a desk that looked far too heavy to have been carried all the way here in the middle of a campaign – Samuel tended to his papers, as other men did much the same around him.

It was a large tent, and it was a whirlwind of activity.

The only men not engaged in something were the ten or so guards that dotted the tent’s walls.

“What is it, Captain Patrick?” Samuel said without looking up.

“This might surprise you, but I am rather busy.

If this matter is not an important one, I will be disappointed.”

Oliver had few interactions with Samuel.

He’d always hovered in the background whenever there was a discussion to be had with Karstly, but Oliver had never had a reason to be speaking to him directly.

Indeed, he’d never really thought the man to be up to much.

Yet here he was, charged with the total defence of the Lonely Mountain in General Karstly’s place – though, on the face of it, it was the Blackthorn Colonels that were meant to have that honour.

“If you’ve come to speak about the matter of your scuffle with Captain Hawthorn’s men, then you will be disappointed to find that I have already heard,” Samuel said.

“I have chosen not to press action on the matter, though the Captain’s Colonel superiors are not exactly delighted to hear what you’ve done.

You’ve picked a fight with the Blackthorn’s as a totality, if you hadn’t realized.”

“They struck me as being further from Blackthorn men than one is likely to be,” Oliver said.

“The link to the Blackthorn main army seems to be tenuous at best.”

“And yet he is a Blackthorn bannerman regardless,” Samuel said.

“And you have stirred the pot without reason.”

“There was reason enough,” Oliver said.

“If things had gone differently, I might not have spared their lives.”

Finally, Samuel looked up, and in looking up, he heaved a long sigh.

“Karstly warned me that I would find dealing with you particularly exhausting.

So, you’ve made your threats on the lives of those men.

What now?

I assume that isn’t your only course of business?”

“If I may, Ser Samuel, they disrespected a Captain busy with his training.

Is that not cause for further punishment than they have already received?” Verdant said, speaking up.

“Is that really the heart of the matter?

Is that why you strode into my tent looking so impassioned?

Such a minor incident has you all stirred, does it?” Samuel said.

He narrowed his eyes at them.

When he looked at them like that, Oliver couldn’t help but think he was a man of higher standing than they’d initially thought.

If he wasn’t a Lord of some sort, then Oliver would have been most surprised.

“Ser Samuel, I wonder if I am even getting your title, right?” Verdant said with a bow.

“I think I ought to at least apologize before proceeding.

I do not know your name proper, and I am asking you for favours.

Do forgive me.”

“No, you have been right, Lord Idris,” Samuel said.

“I am merely Samuel.”

“But surely you have a family name… A house?” Verdant said.

“No,” Samuel said.

“Such matters do not apply to me.

In the service of my Lord, I need no names.

I am simply a tool for him to use.

A tool does not need a background.

It needs to be nothing more than what its wielder requires of it.”

That sounded awfully sad to Oliver, but for some reason, Verdant looked impressed.

“…I have learned something valuable here already.

You have my respects, Ser Samuel.”

The man shook his head.

“Odd group, aren’t you?” He said, looking over the three of them.

“And what trouble do you seem set to cause me?

So, what punishment would you have for these men?

An execution?

For what?

Insulting your honour?”

“For lack of respect for military procedure,” Verdant said.

“Ironic, coming from the Patricks,” Samuel tutted.

“I don’t think you can play that card, when you have so flagrantly ignored it yourselves in the past.

What other reason?”