Chapter 1977: Rapid Expansion - Part 1
"It’s better for our politics, Your Majesty," Verdant said. "It is simply a better process. There’s justification for it now. It’s a very Stormfront thing to do, to declare that land for ourselves. Especially with the location, we would be annexing some land from the Yarmdon. A thing that the populace will appreciate. A bloodless takeover of the Pendragon lands in the process would not be something that they would frown as heavily at."
Oliver was almost beginning to regret saying it. For him, it had been a light idea, a childish sort of suggestion. The sort of thing that Beam might have thought fondly to himself as he raced through the trees of the mountains, without seeing a single person. He might have fancied that he ruled them. Now, however, when he said such things, they carried weight. Now when he fancied that he ruled something, terrifyingly, the ball started to role, and his advisors saw to it that he soon would.
He held up a hand before he grew overwhelmed. "We will cease with talk of the Pendragon lands for now," he said. "Very well, if you consider it to be a good idea to establish a kingdom in the Black Mountains, then I say that we move ahead immediately and see it done. For I fear we are in danger of losing our fire entirely at this point."
That was the real source of the dangerous feeling in Oliver’s heart. The real source of motivation for his frantic thought. They had so many resources available to them in terms of men, and even in terms of supplies now that King Emerson was assisting them. The trouble was putting them to work, doing something productive with them. Simply waiting around was weighing on all of them – especially when they had just come back as failures from their most recent diplomatic mission.
"And how will you set about claiming them?" Nila asked. "Will you have men march through them, and see all the trees cut and culled? You would ruin the rich hunting ground for those villages that rely on them, and prevent them from crossing the border?"
Oliver was glad of her for that. The things that he did not think of, and that which neither Hod or Verdant knew to consider as well. The plights of the peasants that would follow, when those up high decided to make their decisions.
"It can be done carefully, can’t it?" Oliver asked her. "The Treeants have managed a precedent for existing well without harming the wildlife around them. We can do the same."
Nila looked uncertain.
"If you use Greeves, he’ll see that it’s done properly, won’t he?" Oliver said.
"No he won’t," Nila said quickly. "He’ll just do whatever solves the job fastest. I’ll have to keep an eye on him, if you’re putting him in charge. Otherwise we’ll just have a few stumps of forest left and a single skinny rabbit."
Chapter 5 – Rapid Expansion
"No," was Blackthorn’s pronouncement, delivered harshly, with folded arms, as soon as they told him of their plans to lay claim to the Black Mountains, and the part that they hoped for from him in the process. "Play in the mountains if you wish, I will not waste my men assisting you in your efforts."
"You would have your men remain idle then, Lord Blackthorn?" Hod said. "We will not see a battle for a good many weeks. Idleness is not good for the soldiery."
"I refuse," Blackthorn said. "It’s an insult to make men that well trained perform that sort of labour. An insult to my House as well, to expect us to take part in your follies. You’ve forgotten your place, Minister, and you, Patrick. You are caught up in a story that you have made up for yourselves. You are no King, and you have no place on the throne. There is only one task you ought to be carrying out – and that is the marching of your men to the Capital, and the slaying of the High King."
"Such things will be accomplished in time," Hod said. "But if you remove a load bearing wall in a house, the entire thing is liable to collapse. The High King for the Stormfront is more than one such load bearing wall. If you have a care for your country, you will ensure there are sufficient joists in place before we attempt such a delicate procedure."
"TO HELL WITH THE STORMFRONT!" Blackthorn bellowed, slamming his fist down into the table. "WE HAVE A DUTY TO ENSURE JUSTICE IS CARRIED OUT! THAT IS ALL!"
His anger was a furious thing. Even his own Colonels that stood next to him cowered hearing him shout. "YOU HAVE ALREADY FAILED QUEEN ASABEL WITH YOUR DALLYING! I WILL NOT HAVE YOU DALLY AGAIN!"
"What will you do then?" Hod asked.
"I will gather my men, and I will march on the Capital myself," Blackthorn said sternly. A decision, it was clear, that he had made long before they had come back from Pendragon lands. They were talking with a man that had made up his mind long in advance – there didn’t seem any chance that he would listen to anything they had to say. Especially not to a plan that seemed like a step backwards, in advancing them towards the Black Mountains.
"We have twenty-five thousand men, Lord Blackthorn, but only if we include the Emerson forces that once assisted us," Oliver said. "How many of the men that we have will respond exclusively to your call, if you so choose to lead them?"
"Ten thousand," Blackthorn said. "The Treeants will listen. My own men will listen."
"There are no ten thousand men between the Treeants and your own," Oliver pointed out.
"Then I will go with eight thousand, or six thousand, or four thousand if that is all," Blackthorn said. "It matters not the number. I will see the job done regardless. Alone, if I must. You can play in the mountains if you wish, boy. You can wear that crown that you stole. I will not follow you."