It was not a case of 'if' or 'maybe' for him. He did not calculate odds. He plotted the course. It was a General's job to ensure victory, despite the many instances of surprise that might crop up along the way. The thought of defeat, and all that it might entail, it was a frightening one, but such was the role of a military House. They understood that they could lose it all, at the slightest drop of a hat. Already, before this battle, their enemies had been manoeuvring for their lands. If they lost, and they were disgraced, the end result would be near enough the same.
"…You accept, then?" The High King clarified.
"I accept responsibility," the General said. To Oliver, those words sounded different. Responsibility… for the lives of his family as well as the lives of his soldiers. 'Gods, what a dangerous thing this man has done…' Oliver thought to himself. He didn't know whether to respect it or to be horrified at the decision. After all, the consequences for losing were immense…
