"We've never once been friends. I only made your acquaintance a few years ago. Not nearly enough time for me to call a shady man like you anything close to a friend," the armoursmith said emphatically.
"Cruel, that is," Greeves said. "Perhaps it would be best to wait until the end of your contract with the Guild? You'll probably have what, another year or two left? Then you'll be back to forging on your own terms, and you'll be able to take on whatever customers you please."
"…Wouldn't put my hopes on it," the smith said.
"Oh, it's longer? Three years then? That is too late. Ser Patrick would be back on campaign then, I'd suppose."
"More like… ten," the smith said, that last part of his sentence was barely audible, from how he twisted his neck to say it almost to the world behind him.
