A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

"Hm. What about you? Angrith? What possessed you towards such madness? I don't know if you've noticed, but you riled up over a hundred angry villagers. Are you intent on seeing our defences run into the ground?" The Captain asked icily.

The leader of the men – who Beam could only presume was Angrith – stepped forward solemnly and bowed his head in apology.

"The boy wronged us. We came here seeking justice for those wrongdoings," the man said.

"Did he now?" The Captain said, glancing at Beam, and narrowing his eyes at the cut on his forearm. "And that is the best you managed to do to him, even as you heave your breath in front of me like you've just fought a war?"

The man was unable to meet Lombard's gaze. "We have no excuse," he said solemnly.

Lombard made a clear display of sighing, as he rubbed his eyes in irritation. "So? What did the boy do?"

The soldiers shared a few awkward glances. The thin man from the butcher's stall stepped forward. "He interfered with a business deal that I was in the midst of making, and invoked your name to get me to leave."

"Did he now?" Lombard said with a raised eyebrow, looking towards Beam. "And why would he do that?"

Beam lowered his head, imitating the gesture he'd seen from the soldiers. "I merely suggested that if the man wished to purchase meat, that he pay for it, or he leave," Beam said.

"See how he talks, Captain? He has such arrogance for a peasant," the man said, desperately trying to appeal to Lombard. Lombard silenced him with a raised hand.

"Excellent work, gentlemen. You chose to exercise the rights of your class at the worst possible time, for the worst possible reason. You attempted to cut down a boy as he stood up for his fellow villagers. Can you think of no better grounds for insurrection?" Lombard said, irritated. "And look at this crowd that has gathered. They will not disperse until they see justice for their fellow man."

"That's night duty for the next three weeks for each of you, and Angrith, I demote you back down to corporal. If you are so unable to understand our position, then your lack of understanding will merely infect the rest of the troops. Take this time to relearn what it means to be a sergeant," Lombard said, delivering their punishments on the spot, purposefully in front of the crowd.

The soldiers accepted it gracefully, without letting the displeasure show on their faces, but now they were looking to Beam, eagerly awaiting what punishment he might receive.

"And you… boy," Lombard said, his eyes flickering in irritation. "Your lack of proper manners endangers your fellow men. In different times, in different circumstances, your village could burn to the ground for this.

It is only because I have need of you that my hand will be stayed, but you must take that punishment in their place, you must demonstrate that you and the rest of the villagers have more worth to me alive than dead."

"To that end, you and that giant over there will assist my troops in combat for the remainder of our stay. I have great need of men, now that there are so many monsters pouring down from the upper forest," he said.

A murmur went through the crowd at that, as though they were unsure whether to be happy with that punishment or not. In their eyes, of course, Beam shouldn't be getting punished at all – he was merely defending them.

"I will do as you ask," Beam said, "but I would like something in return – warn your soldiers against using their position to dominate the villagers. They are causing conflict needlessly. I'm sure it will be better for you if the villagers aren't worn to the ground by your men, no?"

Behind Lombard, Beam could see Greeves droop his head in a display of exhaustion. He seemed as though he wanted to let loose the same sigh that Lombard had earlier, but instead, he settled for shaking his head.

Lombard caught that look of exasperation on Greeves' face, and his gaze softened for a second. "It seems you have it tough, merchant, trying to keep dogs like this in line…" he then turned to face Beam, and after studying him for a moment, he agreed. "Very well – but this agreement is dependant on your own performance.

If your combat worth is less than that of any of my soldiers, this agreement will be nullified."

"What about me?" Nila asked meekly.

Far more eyes than she was used to drifted to Nila at once, surprised to see her speak up. She bowed her head slightly at the weight of their gazes, but she said what she intended to say anyway. "You've punished both Judas and Beam, yet I'm guilty of the same crimes as them. I won't be the only one to walk away for free."

Beam raised an eyebrow and shook his head, trying to let her know that what she'd done was beyond unnecessary, but she merely shot him a fierce glare back.

"…What a strange bunch of peasants," Lombard murmured, though despite his stony face, Beam did not think he looked particularly displeased. "Very well. You, girl, will be in charge of overseeing the relations between my men and the villagers. If they grow too overbearing, you may use my name. But if you misuse it, expect weighty consequences."

The crowd murmured again at that, but this time, instead of in anger, there were vague waves of excitement. The agreement struck between Beam and the Captain had been a huge step for them earlier – but they had no guarantee that things would actually end up as the Captain proposed. But now, with Nila there, with the Captain's authority, they were all but guaranteed at least some measure of peace.

Nila didn't look too pleased. She hadn't wanted to get split up from Beam. But after a reassuring nod from him, she hardened her resolve and nodded back.