A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

Chapter 499 The Expedition - Part 6

the minister of blades grunted in return, and motioned with his hand dismissively. "see to your people, then, boy," he said.

they were still breathing heavily, as they stood amongst the kills.

"seems a shame to leave these," kaya said, standing over all the goblin corpses. "how much do you think they'd all sell for?"

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"a few silvers. but they don't belong to us. they belong to ser patrick and lady blackthorn," jorah pointed out.

"oh... true," oliver realized as he approached. "i suppose it wouldn't be so bad for you to sell some things yourself, if you wanted to. lasha, do you have any interest in the corpses?"

lasha shrugged dismissively, as she allowed amelia to wipe the goblin blood away from her face with a handkerchief.

jorah frowned at that. "i thought you wished for us to carry some things for you, master," he said. "hobgoblins and the like?"

"i do. but i won't stop you from collecting from the goblins on the way back, if you wish to. provided that you're fine with carrying it yourselves," oliver said.

kaya perked up immensely at that. "we're going to be getting so rich..." he murmured. "i wonder if i can send any back home?" oliver noted that the boy's hands were still quivering from battle.

"more coin, that sounds good to me," karesh said enthusiastically. "what now, ser patrick? another wave?"

"you need not explain yourself to us, master," jorah said. "but i appreciate the explanation nonetheless."

"jorah, you especially exceeded my expectations today," oliver said. for some reason, kaya puffed out his chest as though he was the one being praised. "you would have been wasted as a common footsoldier."

that comment seemed only to make jorah uncomfortable. he turned away. "i'm... glad that you think so," he said, though he didn't sound particularly glad.

"what about me?" karesh asked with a grin.

"i think we'll make a monster of you yet," oliver told him.

"and me?" kaya asked, but there was no confidence in his voice. "i'm too slow, aren't i..? i really didn't do all that much. if not for jorah telling me where to stand, i'll have been useless."

"we'll see where you stand two weeks from now, kaya," oliver said. "for now, i withhold judgement, because i think you'll be fine, once you relax a little."

"and my lady did most of the work," amelia said proudly. "you can take all your praise and send it straight back to her, with two hundred percent interest."

"isn't that a little much interest, amelia?" pauline asked meekly. "besides, i'm not sure if our lady would want that..."

"you make a good point, my lady," jorah said politely, dipping his head to amelia. she seemed stunned to be shown that sort of respect. she opened her mouth to say something, but failed, going red instead. jorah didn't catch her blush, for he was already turning to blackthorn. "your sword was even more powerful than i'd heard it rumoured to be, lady blackthorn. i appreciate your assistance greatly.

had you decided not to fight with us, we would have had a considerably tougher time."

"indeed, you killed what, thirteen?" oliver said, nodding to blackthorn. "that's a rather big improvement on last week."