Chapter 1985: Rapid Expansion – Part 9
“You need not fear, Lasha, all will be well,” Oliver told her. “We march with your father.”
She dug her fingers into his back for that. “Don’t say… stupid things. You can’t risk everything, just because I’m sad.”
She pulled away from him, and wiped the tears from her face, controlling herself in an instant. “And I’m fine now, thank you.”
A display that was far too fragile for Oliver to point out the lie in it. “It’s already been done,” he said instead. “Before I came here, the orders were given, and plans have been set in motion. It is out of my hands now. The Emersons will be here in a matter of days.”
“What?” Lasha frowned. “How? You believe they move? No – better yet, why? Why was I not consulted? Why do you risk it all? My father is being a fool – you can’t risk our entire cause for him. Or are you simply pitying me? Explain yourself, Oliver!”
“Verdant will ensure that they move,” Oliver said. “I trust in him. He’ll rally them, and speedily. And why risk it all? Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it? Because we’re forced to. It was not the plan that we had intended, but a loss of the magnitude of your father is not something that the Stormfront can bear. We have lost far too many great men. The Stormfront can not afford to lose another one.”
“Then… Then what?” Lasha said. “Hod has just gone along with this, despite all that he has intended to do? What of his point about the instability it would all bring? You intend to slay the High King and simply deal with the consequences after.”
“Nay. I intend to capture him.”
“You yourself said that was impossible!” Lasha fumed. “You’re acting out of pity! You damnable fool, Oliver, you’re going to risk it all for nothing! My father and I – we can bear it. Don’t make us bear the weight of responsibility for our crashing cause.”
“I said it was impossible,” Oliver agreed. “But then, what battle have we won recently that has not been impossible? The Emersons, Tavar, Tiberius. Not a single victory have I strongly believed we would achieve. What is one more, Lasha? I will not allow General Blackthorn to die.”
“He insulted you, he rebelled against our cause, and still you’re moving to defend him…”
“Who can understand his suffering better than we?” Oliver said. “If I had been abandoned every time I gave in to my emotions, I would be a very lonely General indeed.”
Lasha shook her head. “I can not foresee it. It’s far too risky. How on earth did you manage to convince Verdant and Hod? I don’t understand it.”
Oliver took a step closer to her, to force her to look into his eyes, despite her attempt at distancing. “Because we have to, Lasha,” he said. “And I shall do whatever is necessary to ensure that the victory that we need comes about. I do swear it.”
“…Damn it, Oliver. It annoys me that I begin to believe you, despite your lack of substance… despite the fact that you’re just acting on impulse again,” Lasha said.
Oliver shrugged his shoulders, and smiled. “Perhaps, also, I begin to miss the battlefield. I believe it will be a good fight this one, Lasha. The strategist Blake, and the High King’s remaining General in Julius, they will be formidable. I think it will be a good contest – a good way to end it all, honourably, and to wash away the taste that Tiberius has left in my mouth.”
“How can you say it like that? Do you not begin to grow weary of it?” Lasha said.
“A soldier’s battle, properly, like what we had with Tavar. Is that not obvious by now that such a thing is what we were built for?” Oliver said. “You are just the same, Lasha. When the battle begins, you know your place, despite your suffering. You have not let me down once.”
“…Naturally I want to tear everything apart with my rapier. Even more so now, after what you have told me… Not fair at all. I’m going to go and see Nila. She’s about the only one that understands. Verdant and you – you’re the same. He allows you to be unpredictable far too easily.”
“Then I would go one step further in my unpredictable, Lasha,” Oliver said, smiling. “I would name you my Pillar of War.”
She had already been retreating back towards the doorway that led to the balcony, but now that stoney faced woman of House Blackthorn turned back, with a pale look on her face. “What did you say?”
Oliver grinned at her. “You heard me, Minister Blackthorn.”
“Foolish… Idiot… Why…” She held her head in her hands, the mask that she rebuilt once more crumbled. “I’m a Captain! Stop making foolish jokes.”
“The look in your eye is why,” Oliver said. “And the state of your heart. More than any other in our faction, you find your peace in war. Yours is the blood of House Black, and it always has been. You have pursued the sword from the very start, and you know the sweetness of its temptation. There is far more to you, Lasha Blackthorn, I am quite sure of it. I wish to see you fly higher still. You have rejected leadership for the longest time, and yet, when it was required of you, you did excel at it. Besides, it is an honour for any supposed King to have a Minister of War from House Black.”
“I’m a Blackthorn, not from House Black,” Lasha said. The woman was beginning to look thoroughly exhausted. “Somehow, I don’t think I’ve got the energy to argue with you. You’ve got such a stupid look on your face. I’m going to talk to Nila – but don’t think that means I’ll accept what you’re saying. The others won’t either, not Hod, or Verdant!”
“We shall see,” Oliver said, folding his hands behind his back. “I will not force you in any direction, Lasha, but I do have great expectations for you. Go and see Nila, and see yourself settled. In a matter of days, we will be set to marching.”