The First of Many - Part 6

His two knights trailed after him, eyeing Oliver as they went. He nodded to them with a false meekness, pretending to be intimidated. The old merchants followed just after them. Greeves turned away from them, as if forgetting they were there, and the three vanished into the corridor, and then out of the front door after their Lord, without anyone acknowledging their departure.

Only when they heard the clicking of the front door's latch, after one of Greeves' maids closed it, did they dare to speak.

"Messy," Greeves grunted. "I knew it would be, bringing you into matters of diplomacy."

"But the result – it is as you had wished for," Verdant said. "A bold plan, Greeves, and I must admit that I had my doubts… But I can see now what fruits it might bear in the future."