A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

The store manager must have sensed the magnitude of betrayal that Oliver felt. "Ser?" He asked, alarmed. "Are you well, Ser?"

Oliver was stooped over. That pain to his purse was hard to manage.

"He's fine," Blackthorn said, ruthlessly pinching the back of his neck to stand him back up. "Have it done with red," she said. "He'll collect it in three days."

And now that she'd already slaughtered his purse, she found her voice. He thought he'd spotted a pattern to her quietness, but again she'd dashed the rule. Maybe that was the heart of a traitor, she simply sought to toy with his emotions, and set him dancing like a puppet on the strings, all for one grand laugh where she'd shove a knife through his purse.

"As you say, my Lady," the boy nodded respectfully. Even he seemed to know who Lady Blackthorn was. Everyone did. But it was likely only Oliver who knew just how cold that heart could get. "Is there anything else I should throw in with that? Hat?

Gloves?"

Blackthorn glanced at him. He returned the look. She was looking for his head now. Damn it. With a sword in his hand, he was by far superior, but with the coin that she wielded, he'd never win. His only choice was to sprint at full speed away… but how much more could a pair of gloves cost when compared to the price of that ridiculous coat?

"Gloves, I think. He'd look ridiculous in a hat," Blackthorn said. The boy – a credit to his profession – did not even smile at the dig, he merely nodded seriously. "A fine pair of leather goods for the gentleman, then. A grand total of six golds. How would you like to pay that..?

Through credit, or through coin?"

"Credit, if you would," Blackthorn said.

"Your credit, my Lady?" The boy asked, just double-checking.

"The Blackthorns," she said, agreeing with a nod.

"Excellent, if you would just sign there…" He slipped her a piece of parchment, upon which he'd already scribbled her purchase. She signed quickly, in a clear and artistic hand, and then slid it back.

"Thank you very much… Now, I think I had better measure your chest, Ser," the boy said. "All your other measurements seem quite clear at a glance, but you have an usually wide upper back…" he had a tape around Oliver's chest before Oliver could even react.

Oliver was shell-shocked. He'd thought he was defending his purse, just to realize it'd been another sort of an attack. Or was it even an attack… Blackthorn was buying him a coat? That was what had happened, right? They hadn't discussed this, but that was indeed what was happening, wasn't it?

"Ah, I was right to measure it," the boy nodded to himself. "Yes, you can return for your coat and gloves 3 days from now, Ser. Thank you for your business."

Oliver nodded slowly, and allowed the girls to lead him back into the crowd.

"Blackthorn," he said, when he was a certain distance away from the stall. "What was that?"

"You were cold. I bought a coat," she said, returning to her usual lack of eloquence. She had to be doing this on purpose, didn't she? She'd spoken so clearly with the stall owner, and had gotten exactly what she wanted.

"It's a present, dummy," Amelia said loudly. "You say 'thank you', not 'why'."

"A present of 6 golds is a little more than a present, pigtails," Oliver said impatiently. "That's too much… Way too much."

Blackthorn shrugged. "Then it isn't a present. It's an investment. You owe me something bigger in the future."

Now, of course, she could express exactly what she wanted, she just refused to explain anything else. The woman was… infuriating. That should have stopped the gesture from being heartwarming, but somehow, it wasn't… Was that merely a weak spot in his heart? In the painfilled void that was his current state of being, was that a crumbling in his defences that allowed that certain attack to get through?

It just felt nice, somehow, to receive a gift.

"Thank you," he said quietly, just in case the sentiment was honest. He caught her smile in return. She seemed happy about something. That just made him feel more suspicious.

He sighed. "Do you know if there are any cheaper clothing stalls? I want rags, basically, for the expeditions to the Grand Forest."

Blackthorn pointedly refused to answer. When the silence stretched on a little too long, and Amelia continued to hum irritatingly, it was left to Pauline to flusteredly point to several other streets, where prices were more geared towards yellow-shirted students.

"But uhm, even though they do sell things more cheaply, I really must let you know that it would be… talked about… if a noble were to shop there," she blushed furiously, as she tried to skirt around the main point.

"She means they'll make fun of you, and call you broke, but that's not exactly untrue, is it?" Amelia said.

"I suppose not…" Oliver sighed. "Well, that will be solved soon enough," he decided, glancing at Blackthorn. What would she want as a present? The noble girl who had everything? Where could he even begin narrowing down his options? "I suppose it's time to seek out these alchemy stalls, and see what I can do to resolve that situation."

"You still have those Hobgoblin parts that you butchered?" Amelia asked, she sounded excited, but somehow those words coming out of her mouth seemed wrong. Like hearing a child describe a blood murder. She was irritating, yes, but there was an innocent quality to her that offset that.

"I do," he said.

"Cool! I wonder how much they'll sell for. It's meant to be super strong, right?" She said, enthusiastically.

Oliver shared a look with Pauline. This was the last thing that he'd guessed Amelia would be excited about. She must have detected the odd looks she was receiving, for she frowned, and spoke up. "What? Aren't you curious too? I mean, it's got to sell for lots and lots, hasn't it? Your next chapter awaits on empire

I mean, isn't it like doing the work of twenty people all at once? You'd get paid lots for that, wouldn't you?"