A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

When they rounded a corner in the path, they could see a shock of red hair already standing waiting. She had her arms crossed, and her back to them, and was already in conversation with the builders when they arrived.

"I assure you, it's good quality wood, Lady Felder…" One of the builders was telling her, doing his best not to sound exasperated.

"And I'm telling you, where you're taking it from is too deep into the forest. You're scarring the animals away," Nila said. "The trees nearest to us are just as good. And it should be a shorter route."

"We've already got all the logs nearest to the road, though…" the man said. "Following the roads and the trails makes our work all the faster."

"Is the effect that bad, Nila?" Greeves as they approached. Nila didn't show any hint of surprise at their sudden appearance.

"It's pretty bad," Nila said. "It's disturbing the animals as they build their nests for the winter. There's still a lot more logging to do. It'll only get worse if it goes on."

"Can't you make yourselves a new trail, closer to the village?" Greeves said. "Solgrim needs its hunting. Making the work for our hunters harder ain't doing us much favours in the long run."

The builder scratched the thinning hair of his head with a troubled look. "I suppose we could, but it would be more work… and more coin from you."

"If it's only more coin, then see it done," Oliver broke in.

"Very well, Ser Patrick…" The man said. "Is there anything else you wanted from me?"

"I'm done," Nila said.

"Nothing from me," Greeves said. "You just be sure you're not cutting corners on those walls. When the next battle comes, we'll see how well your reputation is worth."

"We're just going to have a look around, to see how the progress is getting on," Oliver said.

"Very well," the builder said, dipping his head to them. "I'll leave you to your business."

"You're late," Nila said, once he was a sufficient distance away.

"Blame him," Oliver said lightly. "I didn't know Greeves could talk so much. It should have been a short walk, but he made it a hike."

"Ehhh? You're laying the blame on me?" Greeves said. "You were the one stepping like there were knives on the floor you were trying to avoid. I'd say it's your fault you were late."

"What were you talking about then?" Nila asked. "Something interesting?"

"Mm…" Oliver scratched his head awkwardly. It wasn't the sort of thing that was easy to label the topic of after the fact was done.

"I was cheering him up," Greeves said. "Being the pathetic little governor that he is, I thought I had to do a bit of talking to get him back on form. Can't say it worked though. He's still looking at the world with a ghost's eyes."

"Cheering… up..?" Nila said slowly, her eyes wide. "What's wrong, Oliver?"

Oliver was happy just with that. Just to see her looking at him, and speaking to him like she normally would. But then, that always seemed to be the case when they were in company. Even if it was beginning to get less so. It was when they were alone that her personality seemed to grow frigid, and he found himself unable to stay with her."

"That was him looking too deeply into things. I'm fine," Oliver said. "Why would I not be? We're in a good situation at the moment. Greeves' new soldiers are starting to come in. Firyr is beginning their training, and Jorah is overseeing him.

The walls are getting built higher and restored. What is there to complain about?"

"…True, things are fine now, where it concerns the town," Nila agreed, but she didn't seem altogether satisfied with that.

"I take it you've already had a look around, Nila?" Greeves said, squinting up at the walls. In truth, he'd confessed to Oliver that he didn't really know what he was looking for when he was checking the quality. If the mistakes weren't obvious, then he wouldn't spot them.

The real reason for their presence there was simply to exert a pressure on the builders, and to remind them that they couldn't slack off and start cutting corners.

"A bit," Nila said. "The walls are getting bigger, and uhm… they're shaving off the burned bits of wood where they can, and otherwise replacing it where they can't… That's the most I can notice. I figure they're at least going about it in the best way I would know how to do it. But they're builders. I'm sure they've got other techniques available to them."

"What are they working like?" Greeves said. They'd passed through the gate now, to get a look at the town from the outside. There weren't nearly as many builders as they would have liked in this small section of the village – there were ten at most, if one were to count them all – but they had much to tend to, so it was only natural that the small troop that they'd brought would be spread thin.

The builders looked up when they came, and they made a rather obvious display of exertion, moving faster when they had to carry their logs, and sawing more vigour sly when they had to in order to see them trimmed.

It was the same no matter what line of work one was in. Everyone put on a good show for their bosses when they had to, and even more so for their clients.

"…Measured, I would say," Nila said. "They seem to have a reason to go quickly of their own – they want to be done before the autumn weather starts to get colder. So they're at least putting on speed for that. But it isn't enough to exhaust themselves."

"There isn't an awful lot that needs doing anymore though," Greeves said. In sections, one could see where the walls were beginning to be extended. Frames of wood were built, and further logs were being laid on top of existing ones to make its height even further.

Along with the added height, the builders were making sure to solidify the strength of the foundations, so that the added weight wouldn't bring it all tumbling down. Some sections of the wall now were a good deal higher than others. It made for a somewhat ridiculous sight, but such was the nature of building work.