Dragon Wars Book 2 Pt. 02

General White Oak contacted the King, "Those who need to know about Shirana Silver Wood have been informed. Accepted by all as well as the explanation about marrying a Moon Elf and establishing her own Wood Elf line from a long-dead family name. Her hunter unit remains intact. You need to consider a supplemental payment to Wood elf civilians, and those in the military to take on a third wife. The numbers are way out of balance and they cannot afford a third wife in many cases. Too many unmarried females are a part of the Village militias but not the military overall. Like your City Guards, but unpaid and considering affairs with humans just to have children, Your Majesty."

The King sighed, "Any other solution?"

General White Oak smiled, "Yes, require every Gold Elf House and Moon Elf House male to have a Wood Elf third wife if they want a third wife. If financially capable, then they are required to seek out that third wife, Your Majesty."

The King groaned, "My mother did not make third wives mandatory."

General White Oak smiled, "She stated, she would look into it if the need arose. From what I am understanding the need is in every elven community. 3 to 4 wives will be required. I am getting old, but am still fertile. I have 3 wives but would add a fourth. If the rules were changed, to show my support for your efforts going forward. You should put in an extended exception for those breeding Half-Dragons, for as long as that mate is in play to keep that from impacting this new rule or creating a hardship. This is why you rule, Your Majesty."

The King looked at his wife and son who worked to keep from laughing and the King sighed, "I will work to make 3 mandatory and supplemental incomes to the villages to support the wives as a whole, with a fourth wife recommended in every community. All wives from elven and Half-Dragons or even Dragon mates in that count for both males and females. I will add the extension on those who are breeding half-dragons as it is smart, as we need them.

We don't need them going off to breed with humans to have children and be disowned. Corellon would have my sack in a vice if I did that. I will find pay for that from the enchanting money going to humans and dwarves that have been accumulating for years. It is a good response to that issue. Find that fourth wife. Your wives will be pleased, I am sure."

General White Oak smiled, "As will your wife. If you consult them on who to add, Your Majesty."

General White Oak heard the laughter louder this time and let the comms end. He pulled the crystal for his first wife, "Let Cornotta know we could marry soon. Not a dispensation. A change in marriage laws is coming." He heard laughter from the wives.

---

The following day King Goldeagle was in his chambers with his son and spent time going over the treaties they held. Prince Brancart asked, "The Sea Elves. They list an exit strategy via the plane of water if they got into trouble. Yet all plane access is cut off. Except for the astral plane and those exceptions for items or spells that do storage. They are shown as dragon-free lands on our map. They have treaties with us. What if we could get them to have separate treaties with the Dragons before the truce ends? To ensure they have Half-Dragons and Dragons mating with them. When the truce is over, they are better protected and this would not draw them into the surface war they are wishing to avoid."

King Goldeagle smiled, "Get the pearls from your mother. It is time to revisit our protection agreements with them."

King Goldeagle contacted the Dragon Ambassador, "Would you come to my Audience chamber? We may have more treaty issues to work on."

King Goldeagle waited for the Ambassador to arrive and he activated both pearls. He was surprised when both responded fairly quickly. "This is King Goldealge. I wanted to give you an update on the surface war, as it has impacted you for the last 365 years. There was a world truce put into place that placed your Kingdoms into a non-dragon zone.

Meaning no dragons could enter your Kingdoms from either side. You know magic and have true seeing to protect your kingdoms from Half-Dragon attempts to enter them. They don't have the innate ability to breathe underwater that their parents have. In 135 years, this truce ends. You will be susceptible to dragon attacks. Now I already know your stance on joining the surface war, and I am not out to change or challenge that stance. However, to better protect your people, getting an alliance with the Metallic and Neutral Dragons we work with would seem to be in your best interest.

Your access to the plane of water was cut-off as Deep has probably informed your clergy and you have confirmed. I propose you send a representative to the Elven Kingdom to work with the Dragon Ambassador. To include Dragons and breeding into your people for the creation of Half-Dragon. It does not need to be with all of them. There are 6 dragon species here that are also cut off from planar travel. The Gemstone Dragon of Amethyst, Crystal, Emerald, and Sapphire Dragons are all psionic dragons.

The last 2 are magical and Metallic Dragon lines that travel the planes if you will. Adamantium and Mithril Dragons. If you want to have a force capable of defending yourselves when this truce ends; your exit is cut off. Then I suggest some separate treaties could be worked on neutral grounds as the Elven Capital is available to you."

They both responded one after the other, "We will contact you again in 3 days to give us time to speak with our ruler on this matter."

The communications ended and the Dragon Ambassador nodded, "That would be 2 fewer places for them to try and breed Half-Dragons from in the future and we show them exactly where those areas are located. Getting a sizable section of the ocean and sea into Dragon Alliance's hands now. Brilliant move King Goldeagle."

King Goldeagle pointed at Brancart, "He caught the hole in their peace agreements. We never revisited them until I was going over them today with my son. He pointed out that their exit strategy was cut off. I would hope they take up the neutrals at the very least if they only want those who also travel the planes. I gave them 2 Metallics Dragon species to consider. If they will work with the dragons as a whole, all the better. I gave them options to consider given they were much like your neutrals in this matter.

While keeping them out of the surface war. Like our Wild and Snow Elves which you already breed with because of proximity, not that they follow me. I rule over those lands by the direction of the Gods, just not all of the Elves who live within that land regard my authority in matters."

The Ambassador contacted the Royal Dragon Council and briefed them on what King Goldeagle proposed. They were shocked but looked forward to hearing back from them.

---

The Diplomatic Counselor was a thankless and menial job normally but he walked into the Deep-Sea Elves King's throne room. Sea Elves were both magical and psionic. The psionics they used with their kind generally. Most surface elves did not know of those abilities. The throne room was filled with water as the oceans around them did, but like the Sahuagin, they could breathe both. There were sections of the great city that had a breathable atmosphere as well.

He walked in with the pearl in each hand, the pearl to Queen Sea Crown's Diplomatic Counselor in the other as he activated the one to his counterpart, "I am walking into the throne room for our King."

The other Diplomatic Counselor smiled and spoke, "As am I for Queen Sea Crown."

He let the communication end.

King Ocean Crown looked at the Counselor, "Queen Sea Crown wishes to speak with me?"

The Counselor sighed, "We will see. We were both contacted by King Goldeagle to explain what is going on with the surface war, and their knowledge of our exit being cut off. We both told him we could contact him again in 3 days, Your Majesty."

The two Counselors each briefed their respective rulers privately and then those 2 talked with each other.

They both heard from Deep directly, "This is no ploy, and the threats are real. The neutrals are more aligned with you and would aid your psionic abilities. The thoughts of using parts of the metallics and not all of them for this breeding effort and protection are intriguing. It was well thought out by King Goldeagle. It would give you some offensive arcane abilities as well as they could all live underwater. The Half-Dragons from these unions would be able to breathe underwater and communicate with you as both species breathe underwater.

It would strengthen your abilities while keeping you isolated. They are in a truce currently limiting the numbers they could likely do to 1,000 a species. Look at 100 per species while in this truce and move to 250 per species after this truce for each Kingdom. Work this in as a 'Planar Accord' with the dragons. Not fully into the Alliance, like the other surface species are by proximity and being attacked but also being used for breeding. This will also allow for an increase in your fertility rates even more from those offspring.

A treaty working on neutrality and self-preservation to keep the Chromatic Dragons at bay when this truce ends. He did not lie to you and this is not an expansion of the existing treaty with King Goldeagle. Other than being used as a neutral ground to meet with their representatives. Overall, King Goldeagle, his son really who questions your lack of an exit strategy, is impressive. King Goldeagle is the one who looked at the planar connections and neutrals as being a better fit.

While also giving you options for more offensive magical capabilities. King Goldeagle is the one who is acting upon his son's education of those treaties. He is working to keep you from being bred or eaten into extinction by the Chromatic Dragons. They will know the boundaries of your lands, but not your numbers.

Though they will figure those out over time. Leave the door open to calling upon the aid of the rest of the Metallic Dragons if needed, but having 2 of the 8 Metallic species and all 4 of the Gemstone species involved would be to your benefit, also my divine direction to Both Kingdoms as I am speaking with you both."

---

King Goldeagle heard back from both sub-species and had the Dragon Ambassador join him. The first pearl announced, "I am King Ocean Crown of the Deep Sea Elves."

The other responded, "Queen Sea Crown of the freshwater Sea Elves, though that is merely a distinction as our kingdoms are separated, we can both survive in each other's waters when needed. We found your proposal to address our exit strategy to be a compelling issue. We both wish to thank you for understanding why we had not been attacked by dragons. We need to consider a more involved role with the Dragons without participating in the surface war. Assets for defensive measures and breeding in our given Kingdoms.

We would like representatives and ambassadors for those 6 species and the other Metallic species to meet with us at your Palace King Goldeagle. We wish to work with the 6 species involved who are under the same fate that we are. With all of this planar travel being blocked by higher powers. While working an accord to call for assistance, as we have with you with the rest of the Metallic Dragons separately."

The Dragon Ambassador smiled, "I will make the arrangements for them to meet here in the Palace tomorrow with your representatives to work out the details you are comfortable with. The Dragon half of the Alliance is looking forward to a more open dialog on the matter under your terms, Your Majesties."

It took a month to hammer out the finer details, to get them the numbers for the species going forward they found acceptable. They worked toward being isolated and neutrality-centered, in line with the Gemstone Dragons. They could talk with dragons psionically but refrained from that in the Surface Elf Capital. The Dragons did not go poking around in their heads, they knew of the Sea Elves' gifts in those areas. Also, the fact that they were rather closed-minded about sharing that knowledge.

The Sea Elves having to reach an understanding that any information discovered through Neutral Dragon psionics or the other two species would not be forwarded was the biggest hurdle. The information would be held within their Kingdom to all Dragons within the Alliance. It would not be shared with any other species. They found common ground with the Dragons in that regard. They all knew this would take out 2 major breeding grounds for the Chromatic Dragons to pursue.

They wanted them to know they were protected. Just how much they were protected would not be able to tell. Leaving a call for reinforcements open was a good call with the agreements concluding with the plane's access being restored and the breeding times being allowed to finish beyond that date and then they would end.

---

Tiamat, Null, and Task watched as the map changed and large sections of the oceans were reflected as being under the Alliance now. They almost doubled in size with that move, meaning they had worked diplomatic efforts and revealed those areas. Likely Sea Elves would be crawling with Half-Dragons and Dragon defenders when they came out of this truce. The desert blocked the Elves from the humans in the Far West.

The inability of taking Dragons to those areas meant this was likely done through a third party. The King of the Gold Elves or the Elven Deities likely worked this arrangement. They had been outplayed for the oceans and the Metallics would have a foothold and an advantage on them. They knew the Sahuagin would have to be gone after next, but they could not look at that until the truce had ended.

They would want a diplomatic answer and not a total subjugation answer. To keep a balance of power in what remained of the ocean's control. They did not have the forces for more than that with the oceans for now.

---

In the weeks and months that followed funds were distributed to the villages based on the percentages of unmarried females to married females. Same with Moon Elf and Gold Elf houses, though the amounts were smaller for the Moon Elves and even smaller for Gold Elf houses. In general, as the numbers were less out of balance in Gold Elf lines, fewer were on the front lines of this war as many worked to teach at the Academy or train more Gold and Moon Elf Blade Singers, though the latter was coming to an end as a way out.

Many worked in the Palace and City guards to avoid the military, and Blade Singers were being lost in the city guard because of that and then in the Royal Guard as King Gold Eagle was unable to get Snow Elves to be Blade Singer Guards in the Elven Capital as of yet. Something addressed in the code by capping training to 10. Just to get them on the front lines in the years ahead and removed from the Royal Guards and City Guards as well. Unless younger active trainers had not reached their cap or doing a single 20-year stint in the Royal Guard. The new villages on the Northern and Southern borders proposed by the Grand Field Marshal were approved.

Each was occupied by the 20 Half-Dragons across species. The map changed yet again. The Chromatics sent Half-Dragons in to investigate who never returned. Most of the infiltrators they had taught magic to had died. Tiamat explained to his Kings what was going on based on the short glimpses they had. They had Half-Dragons in place in the Far West who had killed and assumed the throne and in the Far East and they signed into the alliances but the maps did not change for them. Once again, the Chromatic Dragon Gods were back with IO who spoke with Task, Null, and Tiamat.

IO looked at them, "You cannot assume the ruler and say they lead the people. That is not diplomacy as declared by 'The One.' I also warned you of this myself. It gains you no ground. Diplomats have arrived and your assets better leave those areas, especially in the Far East. You send in Half-Dragon armies and you will likely capture those locations in the Far West for an overthrow, but lose many. Hard to do with your limits on teaching magic. The ships are pulling into the docks now at the furthest points, destroying some ships that fired on them from the single usurpers you sent to some cities in the Far East.

You have to teach them magic if you want to use them fully; else let fears destroy you. You lost your infiltration units and they have no easy way to the Far West because of the desert. Neither do you Half-Dragons currently as you are not training them to use magic! The Metallic and Neutral Alliance already has the advantage in the ocean, through diplomacy. Else wait for the truce to end and do it the Chromatic Dragon way. You built a Half-Dragon city and establish control over an area. They just did the same thing with villages in unoccupied lands.

You are going for the Drow because they are not covered by your surface zones and remaining ocean zones. I am giving you this advice once and for free. As you are falling far behind. They could end this war by just eliminating the Chromatic Dragons when this truce is over. Not what I wanted for all of my True Dragons. Half Dragons have stormed those cities with Elven and Human diplomates. Their nobles are listening as your false 'warlords' and 'Emperor' are being discovered and killed."

Tiamat ordered the Kings and champions to contact them to get those assets to retreat from the Far East. He only got 3 out of 9 of them back and only because they fled. He did not get his favored Red-Half-Dragon Emperor. He sighed, "This is not how Chromatic Dragons do things!"

IO commented, "I told you it would be entertaining for Chromatic Dragons to do diplomacy. The words were 'legally recognized, rulers.' Not killed and replaced with no authority. You need to send Half-Dragons in to do diplomacy or take over those that are south of you without your direct support. You need to train them in diplomacy, magic, and battle tactics. Get the humans, Orc, Ogres, Drow, Giants, gnolls, kobolds, and other species to surrender to your existing Half-Dragon forces and control them that way. If your followers are not smart enough to do true diplomacy and you wish to do it continuously through conquest by proxy.

While you lose even more assets! You will note the maps on the Far East are now changing over for the Metallic Alliance after your moves. They are almost 10 times larger than you now in the surface lands alone as you have nothing in ocean lands. The Far West, have them breed with the Queen or King and appoint an heir with chromatic dragon blood. Get a new ring or form to 'kill the rulers' and teach the child magic and necromancy to be the new legal Kings or Queens if you wish. People that would welcome your dragons with your Dark Alliance to learn forbidden and dark magic. To breed magical traits into their people.

Then you have a legitimate heir from the existing King or Queen. Lure them in with power and get that heir from royal blood to switch over to join your side. Have them do it after the truce ends and the map for the truce goes away so your actions remain hidden. The Chromatic Dragon way. Then you can send in dragons, and establish an alliance, to make these people strong in magic. In all, there are 9 human settlements out in the Far West. You have abandoned the mountains near Valinta and pulled your assets back, after this move and the loss of your assets. That was a wise precaution.

Their forces and Half-Dragons could have had you wasting valuable time in holding that isolated piece of ground. Now is the time to be using your forces for diplomacy, by bargaining power with these people, or as you prefer to call them, Cattle. Use their rules and customs. Set up small villages and expand your area into unoccupied grounds. Set up governments of villages that sign into your Dark Alliance made up of Half-Dragons instead of a big city. Spread them out. This is the last time I will give any advice on this matter.