"The High King," Oliver said, dropping the name like a bombshell. Verdant eyed the door that was still open. He would have loved to close it, but as of yet, he could not.


    "Indeed," Verdant said, reluctantly. "Though I would advise my Lord not to mention such a name so casually. Even here, there are ways for whispers to make it past these walls."


    "Be that as it may, what are we to do?" Oliver asked. "It seems to me that our backs are firmly pressed against the wall. We''re an ant that''s just been missed by a giant boot. If ites swinging back again, unless there''s an appropriate man to kill, I don''t know quite how we''ll deal with it."


    "The same hand that wields the knife seems to be the same hand that extends the favour, in this case," Verdant told him. "Your options have expanded. These monthly missions that General Skullic will send your way, I do not doubt that you will be able to make use of them. You have proved on more than one asion, that when ites to the martial, your achievements seem to be all but boundless.


    As a foundation, if we merely y to that, it should be a start."


    Now that was anguage that Oliver could certainly talk. It was much easier to build something new with the scaffolding of something that one already had a considerable amount ofpetence in. He could see what Verdant was getting at. Perform well on Skullic''s missions and use that momentum to build up a faction of some sort, or at least try to.


    A shield to augment what Princess Asabel had already set up for him.


    "We got it," the door burst open as Karesh came through carrying trays of food. "Hm? What were you chatting about, Verdant?"


    "Lord Idris," Oliver corrected him, though he did so with a smile.


    "Ohhh, yeah, I forgot about that," Karesh said, though it wasn''t as if he''d addressed Verdant properly regardless. There should have been a more appropriate title before Verdant''s name, even if he''d forgotten that he was once again a Lordling. "Here, by the way, my Lord," he said, putting down a tray of food by Oliver''s bed.


    Beef. A good chunk of it. There were potatoes there too and a handsome amount of gravy and a chunk of pie to go with it. After so long on prison food, his favourite dish looked even more appealing than ever. There was a side of cake to go with it and a cup of tea, a scent that he recognized.


    "Is that..?" Oliver asked, pointing at the tea. Verdant nodded with a smile.


    "I took the ckberry tea into safe keeping after what happened. I''ll return it to you before I leave today, my Lord," Verdant told him.


    "Ah, you needn''t worry," Oliver said. "There''s no rush. But thanks, regardless."


    "It really is quite small in here…" Jorah noted, as he stepped through the door with Kaya behind him, both of them carrying trays of food. Jorah had been amongst those to argue that it would have been better for them to dine in Oliver''s room, so that Oliver wouldn''t have to make the trip to and from the Advice House… but now he was left wondering where he was to stand.


    "You are of the same opinion, Jorah?" Verdant asked. "Such a room is unbing of our Lord. It will need to be remedied, when we''re given the opportunity. For now, I would think it fine to use the chests as seats, if our Lord permits it."


    "By all means," Oliver said, "there isn''t much in them. Besides, they''re solid enough. Sit where you like."


    He gave his answer somewhat distractedly, as he eyed his te of food with the eyes of a starving animal. He hadn''t eaten during the duration of the trial, and the food that he''d had in the dungeon for the past week had been far less than he''d grown used to.


    "Wow, it''s freezing," Ameliamented, as she came in after Kaya, followed by Pauline and Lady ckthorn. They were carrying their own trays – well, the retainers were carrying them, on behalf of their Lady. "Wait, you haven''t lit the fire?"


    The boys only just remembered to nce towards the firece. They made a valid point. Oliver had almost forgotten that fires existed after his week in the dungeon. He was even excited to see it go on. What a strange appreciation a short period of negligence could instil in a man.@@novelbin@@


    "Ah, I''ll see to that," Jorah said, putting his food down in favour of tending to the fire. Karesh already had a fork in his hand, and looked about ready to eat, whilst Verdant was fixing him with a firm re, warning him off.


    "For nobles and retainers to be eating together like this… It''s so odd," Pauline mused, as she hovered in the centre of the room, looking for somewhere to sit. In the end, she spotted another chest as Karesh impatiently gestured to it, tired of seeing the girls milling around.


    "Is it that odd?" Oliver asked. "I know they segregate things here, but surely you''ve at least eaten with a noble on some other asion?"


    The retainers shared looks. "I don''t think I have have…" Kaya admitted.


    "Nor I," said Verdant. "There had never been a valid reason. The old system worked well enough, but I can see why your Lordship wished to dine here instead, and I believe I can see the sort of boons one could experience from eating with their men."


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    Lady ckthorn plonked herself on the bed next to Oliver and Verdant, having run out of room elsewhere. She was still dressed as she had been for the trial, more formally than usual. They all were particrly well dressed, really, even the retainers who hadn''t had to enter the Hall of the Ministers. It made for an odd gathering.


    "You got the coat," ckthorn noted, seeing it hung up on Oliver''s rack.


    "Oh, yeah, the timing on that was perfect. Thank you," Oliver said. "And for the trial too, thank you. I understand your father has made some troublesome requests of you because of it? Just like Verdant''s father did… I''m really racking up a list of favours that I need to pay back…"