A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor-Chapter 810: Victory’s Skeletons - Part 4

"The dismembering…" Oliver began. This was the upper crust here, after all, so he could afford to explain his motivation in the action somewhat. "I do not doubt that there's some criticism for it." He put that question to the whole room, rather than just Jorah.

"Not from me, my Lord. I understand your reasoning," Verdant said.

"Nor I," Jorah said. "I only wish I could have performed the task with steadier hands. It is my weakness that has caused you to worry, my Lord. I would not have it so."

Verdant nodded his approval at the quick follow-up. Something about the response seemed vaguely Verdant-esque. Oliver narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Jorah was becoming more like Verdant with each day that passed. He did not suppose that was a coincidence.

"It was barbaric, indeed," Cormrant said blithely.

"But the effect was profound," Northman finished for him. "You will find no criticism from me. You had an opportunity, and you took it. Admittedly, I had my reservations about whether a man your age, Ser Patrick, might have the experience to make the hard decisions. I did not doubt your skill, since I had seen it first-hand, but I'm ashamed to say that I doubted your grit. I doubt it no longer.

In a matter of hours, the mood about here has changed. You did in one move what I could not do in ten."

"Luck," Oliver said. He was trying to be self-deprecating, no matter how it came off. From the way the officers were looking at him, though, that indeed seemed to be what they thought. "It was not even a true mistake on our enemy's behalf. His men were warned not to proceed as far as the forest, and yet in their insubordination they did."

"Luck, Ser?" Northman said, frowning. "I'm afraid, I cannot buy that. You slew fifty cavalrymen with twenty infantry, and there's not a wound on the lot of you. If I had been in command, that would not have been an option. The second the cavalrymen reached us, we would have perished."

"I would hasten to add, my Lord, that it is your provocation that led to the situation in the first place," Verdant said. "You went with the express intention of provoking a reaction, and you indeed provoked one. The results were entirely of your own making. You might say that the General's move was marred by his men, but then, that was his own mistake all the same.

He ought to have realized the temperament of his underlings before giving them that order."

"That… is something I can buy," Oliver said eventually. That was the sort of standard that he would have held himself to, after all, if he made the same mistake. "It still does not particularly help me evaluate my enemy."

"What did you think of the fort?" Northman asked.

"We're in trouble," Oliver replied grimly. "I had thought there would be more to exploit than we have."

"It seems it's only your initial thought that we have in our favour, my Lord – the fact of the mistaken identity of the General. If they are already insubordinate, what would a little extra pushing do?" Verdant asked.

"He's got a point…" Northman said, nodding. "You seem to be good at provoking them, Ser Patrick, so perhaps we might be able to try something else."

"Well, as far as our current position, it's better than it was," Oliver said, sitting up a little straighter, as he laid the cards out in his head. "For one, the men are in a better state. I am happier with them. As they are now, they would not crumble so readily in a fight, but they are still far from complete. The second advantage we now have came delivered to us from Miss Nila Felder."

Nila looked up from her position at the back of the tent, evidently surprised to be mentioned. She met all the eyes being sent her way well. "Hm?"

"We now have thirty-five horses, if we include the steeds that Verdant and I arrived on. More still if we include the animals that pulled the soldiers' carriages. They will be instrumental in avoiding the attacks of these archers. At least now we have room to reach the walls," Oliver said.

He'd been excited about the horses when they had initially been delivered to him, and he was excited again. They'd make patrolling quicker as well. It wouldn't be easy to navigate the hilly forest terrain for an inexperienced horseman, but someone of a higher calibre would absolutely be able to make proper use of them.

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"Ah, indeed!" Northman said, slamming his fist, sharing the excitement. "A mounted division, out of bloody nowhere. Gods be good, you're right. It's like instead of just slaying fifty men, you've recruited them. This first victory of yours is a godsend, Ser Patrick."

"It's still not enough, though," Cormrant said grimly. "I do not know how we are to proceed from here. The enemy can merely hole up all they want. They have no need to attack us, for they know we will not attack the town. They're content to merely wait. What on earth do you suggest we do, Captain?"

He phrased it politely enough, but there was an edge to his voice. He was not being swept up in the excitement that everyone else was sharing. His doubts for Oliver were clearly laid out. Oliver found that he didn't mind that so much. In fact, it was comforting. He might have lost his mind if everyone followed him with blind belief.

"We can only continue to strangle them, I suppose," Oliver said. "I can say nothing more concrete than that. We shall move our encampment closer, for a start."

"And if the enemy surprises us with an all-out attack?" Cormrant asked. That was the initial fear that they'd had as they were waiting for Oliver to take command. What if the enemy called their bluff, and charged them all at once?