A Ghost's Wish [MxM]

26. A King

When Oliver traveled as a General, he needed to find shelter in remote places.  In the mountains, the best place was a cave, but they needed to be wary of their selection.  They had found a cave with decent living conditions once, but in the middle of the night, their troop was attacked by cave dwellers.  After that, Oliver learned how to scrutinize possible shelters. The longer the inhabitants lived there, the more dangerous they could become.  If the Ravagers had lived in the caves for years, they could have set up a strong and complex home away from the eyes of others.  

"Was there much traffic on the ground? Like a worn path?" Oliver asked.

Max was quick to speak.  "It was smooth.  There was nothing to trip over.  No loose stones."

"And the walls?"

"The same... like it was meticulously carved out." Max was concerned about the peculiarity of the cave. As an assassin, he needed to be hyper-aware of the locations he had entered.

Oliver's concern deepened and reflected on his face.  Even if it was a well-worn path, it shouldn't feel like it was meticulously carved. His thoughts lingered on this... was it magic? 

"What about lighting?" He asked, keeping his suspicions to himself. 

 "Installed light stones... Boss, how long do you think they have lived there?"

Oliver set his teacup down on the counter. "A long time." His voice was low and put the others on edge.

"What does that mean?" James asked tentatively. 

Oliver crossed his arms over his chest.  "The Ravagers have been invading our land and Rucrea for many years and disappearing into these caves.  They have created a self-sustaining system within the caves; food, water, weapons... they have everything they need.  Additionally, they are not weak, so they also have combat training.  They are a secret society that has been growing stronger within the shadows of our lands." 

The room fell silent, but Oliver smiled. "We have found an entrance...  We found one, so we can find the others.  It will be difficult because they know they have been exposed, but it's not detrimental to our goal. This is the first time we can go on the offense. You all have done well." 

The atmosphere bolstered, and Oliver's small troop puffed their chests because of the compliment.  They have come to find that a compliment from Oliver is a rare thing.

"When will Ian and the others arrive?"

"He is right behind us. He has a present for you." Max said with a grin.

Oliver's brow creased. "I should be wary of your gifts."

The men around him joked with him, bringing a lively atmosphere to the cabin. However, while they jested, Oliver's eyes fell on the tall figure in the bedroom doorway. A smile naturally bloomed, and he motioned for Draco to join them. 

As he approached, Oliver's men stepped back with wide eyes.

"Rucrean?" James was simply awestruck when he saw the tall man with red eyes.  

Oliver shook his head helplessly at the blatant admiration in James' voice. He handed Draco a cup of tea.

"These are some of my men," Oliver said and introduced each one.

Draco gave them a traditional northern salute. "Draco."

Oliver held in a laugh because of the different sides he had seen with this man.  In the garden, he was reserved but slightly affectionate.  Last night, he was salacious and shameless.  And now, he was introverted and stingy with his words.