A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

Nila dared not say anything. It was certainly a grand theory, but knowing what she did of Dominus Patrick, she wasn't sure he had such long thought about noble intentions. She thought that, if anything, his interest was primarily in Beam. He wanted to keep his prodigee alive, and in the process, he performed his duties as a knight.

"And it is here too that Oliver has made his home," Asabel said. "He makes advisors and warriors of peasants, and he shows the world their competence. Nila Felder, you sit as a warrior of the Second Boundary, my General tells me. I wonder if you are the only peasant in the nation who has achieved such a feat? And at such a young age."

'If only you knew…' Nila thought, holding back a sigh.

"I think Oliver is to blame for that," Nila said.

Nila realized her mistake as soon as she said it. She'd neglected both Oliver's title, and she'd neglected Asabel's. She put a hand to her mouth, as if to correct it, but the damage was already done. Instead of condemning her, however, Asabel affected an affectionate smile.

"You two really are close, aren't you?" She said, as if nothing could make her happier. But there was the barest hint of sadness in those giant two green orbs that she had for eyes. "But there seems to be truth in your words. Lady Blackthorn is one such example of those nearest Oliver ascending to greater heights more rapidly than would be expected of them. Would you not agree, General Blackthorn?"

"…The Second Boundary was years away from her yet," the General agreed, with the most gratingly begrudging tone that Nila had ever heard. "But it remains to be seen whether an early ascension into the Second Boundary is a good thing. It could break a man."

Asabel smiled. "Somehow, I think she shall be fine. She fights under Oliver. Whatever might happen, I am sure he shall take care of her."

The Blackthorn gave a grunt that didn't sound very much like agreement, but Queen Asabel didn't chastise him for it. The look of amusement that she wore seemed to indicate that this was a side of the General that she had grown quite used to.

Nila felt her eyes narrow despite herself, as the Queen turned her face away. It was the opportunity to study a creature that she didn't quite understand, and her instincts took over before she knew what she was doing.

The Blackthorn terrified her, and Queen Asabel mystified her. The two were giants as far as the Stormfront went, and they were people that Oliver brushed shoulders with all too often. She felt that, at the very least, she had to fight to find a way that would prevent her from losing her cool around them…

A knock at the door startled her out of her study.

"Come in," Greeves said, answering first, given that these were his servants.

"Come in?" Blackthorn said, his frown as deep as an ocean trench. "Come in, is it, peasant? Did you mistake your position in this room to be one of command?"

The servant had come in regardless – and Greeves' blunder seemed more extensive by the fact that it was a Blackthorn uniform that he wore.

Greeves dipped his head, looking quite ready to slit open his stomach. After all the time he had spent in quiet, it was habit that had seen him step out of line. "Forgive me, General Blackthorn. I misspoke."

"Go no further, General," Asabel said, showing her fangs just for a moment. Enough to reign Blackthorn in.

The man snorted, like some great bull, but he did as he was told, and turned to the messenger instead. "Well? What tidings? Speak, soldier," Blackthorn said.

"News, General," the man said stiffly. "It bears Lord Idris' seal."

He handed the man a tiny scroll of paper that had likely been tied to the legs of a crow just minutes before. Blackthorn frowned at it, before offering it to his Queen, not bothering to hide his interest. He was like one of the wolves in the forest, reluctant to give up the carcass that he had found.

"You may read it," Asabel said graciously.

The General wasted no time in cracking it open. His reading was not swift. The rest of them were made to wait in silence that felt minutes long, with only the sounds of General loud and methodical breathing to greet them.

"This message is dated from a week ago…" General Blackthorn said.

'It took you that long just to read the date on it!?' Nila wanted to scream. She could feel her eyebrow twitching. Now, and only now, could she properly see where Lasha got her personality from. When Lasha did it, as cute as the girl was, her mannerisms came off as dainty and endearing.

When her father did it, it was as far the opposite of cute as one was likely to get, it sparked a fury that far overrode the fear that Nila had for him. She dug the claws of her fingers into the arm of her rest, doing her best to keep her smile from wavering.

And that was when she felt Queen Asabel's eyes bearing into her. She'd seen it all from start to finish. She wore a smile of the highest amusement, and when their two eyes met, she giggled happily, as if finally getting to see a side of Nila that she'd spent the longest time trying to pry out.

Nila blushed despite herself.

"The campaign is won," Blackthorn continued a few minutes later. "General Khan has surrendered. We've selected cities for annexing."

For a man that was reading out the terms of victory, he didn't sound all too glad about it. He sounded more like a man disappointed to have missed out on the opportunity himself.

"Apologies, General, it's won?" Queen Asabel said, echoing the shock that the rest of the men gathered in the room had felt. "Surely that is too swift a victory? Has it not only been three months? Was this not a campaign that was meant to take years?"