Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 17

She looked sternly to her herald, "Send the messengers. Would you all please follow me to the dining room."

She got up a little unsteady. Doc grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. A breach in the protocol but she seemed to appreciate it. Her husband became alert and walked a little funny as he grabbed her other arm. Eldar whispered to his wives, "I have no idea how I knew that."

They followed them down the hall and the Queen sat in the first chair. Her husband sat at the head of the table across from her. The Queen looked at us, "You sit here with your cleric next to you, your lovely wives to my other side. The other two mothers joined the other wives on this side of the table.

While I would like the pretty human female and her brother to sit on the right side. Husbands across from their wives. 'Fireballs." Eldar just smiled at the reference. "I believe it is on the next seat on the right. Jarron on my right and warrior Tranosa Dusk Moon across from him."

Eldar could tell Tranosa was shocked the Queen knew his name. "When those damned Grand clerics get here, I want them sitting on either side of my husband."

The staff removed the six other chairs. To create an empty space. Eldar looked across the table at Eagle-eye and Cook, "Doc, did you check either of them for twins?"

Doc looked to the Queen, she smirked, "Go ahead."

He looked at the door, "Can I suggest that we close the doors and keep the Grand Clerics waiting a few minutes, your Majesty" The Queen looked over at her herald and nodded. Eagle-eye and Cook slid their chairs back. Doc put his hand over Eagle-eye and she was having twins.

The first to have a male and a female. Eldar looked around and everyone's eyes were closed except the King, Queen, and Eldars. Eldar saw it plain as day. The male looks to be an Arcane Archer and the female the Grand Cleric of Aerdria Faenya the spell ends. He moved over to Cook silently not wanting to know. Cook had twin boys.

A Grand Cleric Rillifane Rallathil and a Grand Cleric of Erevan Ilesere. Eldar sighed, "I noticed most people's eyes are closed. Except for the King, and Queen please keep them closed a little bit longer."

He waved Doc over and held up his finger and mouthed 'one more'. He pointed to Keyno. Doc's eyes went big. He walked around and placed a hand on the back of his chair and held his hand over her. The Queen let out a slight gasp as Keyno was in fact with child, three of them. One appears to be a male warrior and another a male archer. The last appears to be a woman with a war hammer in hand. The symbol of Vandria Gilmadrith above her head. Holding a child and with one foot on a skull.

The image on the small child had a small golden heart. The symbol for Hanali Celanil. Eldar motion for Doc to sit. He looked to the Queen as there was a knock at the door. The Herald nodded, "The Grand Clerics are in the hall."

Eldar shook his head to the Queen. She told the herald, "Tell them to wait."

He whispered to the Queen, "Is this table sturdy? And if not, could you bring in one small table that is very sturdy. Then have them have one un-split log for the fire brought to us. Then when we are set, I would like to lead the interrogation because make no mistake that is what we will have, your Majesty."

The Queen waved her herald over, "Have that small stone table from my audience chamber brought down and an un-split log one-foot round and two feet long brought to this room. Tell the Grand Clerics nothing."

He looked at her, "Do you have a side room I could borrow for a few moments." She pointed to a door.

He stood, "Charlemagne, Annette, and Tranosa come with me."

They stepped into the side room. He walked away and then back and looked at Tranosa while whispering, "Do you love her?!"

Tranosa looked at Eldar, "What are you talking about?"

Eldar looked at him, "You know and I know. Do you love her?"

He finally backed down, "Yes, I do."

He shot back, "Call Keyno in here Annette. Also, Tiger."

Annette called out to our human members of the group. He looked at Tiger, "We will be doing another demonstration with the log. I am going to burn into it before you and then turn it over. I want you to split it so your split and my cut forms a cross.

Can you do that?" He nodded with a puzzled expression. "Second question, how much do you love your sister?"

He looks even more puzzled, "I love her very much, she is the only family I have left."

Eldar sighed, "You would support her no matter what?"

He nodded. He turned to Keyno, "Do you love him, not your brother but Tranosa?"

Now she was shocked and her brother was surprised. She turned a little pink. Then sighed, "I gave myself to him. Yes, I love him."

Eldar calmed down and her brother now understood his concern. Eldar looked at the two of them, "As your Commanding Officer and your friend I ask, are you two ready and willing to be married?"

Tranosa nodded. She smiled and nodded as well. He breathed a sigh of relief, "As your commanding officer Keyno this is your last trip to the city for a while. Tomorrow morning get your rings. I recommend armor for everyone or the gray blouses we have for the wedding and the armored bracers. How we are dressed now.

Keyno, if you want to try either of my bride's wedding attire you can or buy something of your own to pass along."

She thought, "I want something to pass along."

He smiled knowingly, "Anyone wishes to hazard a guess as to why I am asking this now?"

Tranosa looks at Eldar, "She is pregnant with twins?"

Eldar looked at him, "You are partially right she is pregnant but with triplets. Two boys and one girl. The girl is the one who concerns me as she looks to be not a cleric but a champion like myself but for Vandria Gilmadrith. She has more, I believe she will be the mother of the Grand Cleric of Hanali Celanil the goddess of love and beauty.

The goddess said you will make beautiful children, Tranosa will have two sons to help carry his family name into the future. One with your skills Keyno and one with a warriors skills. This likely means the man who father's her child will be an elf, probably a Moon-elf so the offspring is a full elf regarding genetics.

Other parts I cannot determine for her, but the two boys one will follow in each of your footsteps. As your commanding officer, you have 6 months maximum to train 4 riders on how to do that trick shot from the side of the horse.

You will be busy building saddles and training archery after that because you will be barred from being on a horse or going on patrol. Twins are high risk enough but triplets! I will not put you at unnecessary risk. You will oversee those four riders training other riders. Are we clear on this?"

She nodded. "When we go back out there it will come up. I will put those cleric's feet to the end of my burning sword. I am tired of the games from them! Do we have an agreement?"

Tranosa and Keyno nodded. Her brother bowed with a smile. "I forgot to say congratulations to you both. Now I have to shock the other mother's in the room!"

They opened the door. The table with the log is on one side of the room. The clerics were still waiting. Eldar looked around, "Everyone please take your seats except for Tiger who will stand on the other side of this table with me. I will be drawing my sword to make a point but not to attack anyone unless directed to by the royal family!"

Jarron looked nervous but did not say anything. "Your Majesty, when you are ready."

The Grand Clerics walked in and saw us in our new attire. The Queen told them sternly, "Sit across from each other next to the King."

They moved across and sat next to the King in a hurry. Eldar stepped out, and looked directly at Grand Cleric Silver Moon, "There are some unanswered questions that have come up. In regards to the prophecies surrounding the preordained replacement of the head of the church. When did this prophecy originate?"

He grumbled as he clears his throat, "My predecessor gave me that prophecy, 6935."

Eldar looked over at him, "Did he give you any other prophecies and have they been relayed to the royal family?"

He grunted a bit, "Yes he had several. No, they stayed within the Grand Cleric Counsel."

Eldar nodded, "Do any of these other prophecies deal with preordained replacements for members of other Churches?"

He was hesitant, "Yes, but they were unrelated to the events with the Lady of Dreams at Silent Falls."

Eldar looked at him, "Are you sure?" He held up my hand. "Before we continue, I want to put on a little demonstration for our guests. The King and Queen have not seen this yet either and are most curious."

He held out his right hand out.

Eldar, "Karti'Ros right hand Moon Fire."

As the sword appeared in his hand with the moonlight glow. He set it to cut a straight line through the thickest part of the log, "The King has seen this part before. I used it to drive home the point of what I could do to a would-be assassin we uncovered."

He stopped at about 5 inches. He walked down to Annette, "Hold up your hand in a fist would you please."

She looked at him and held her hand up and he touched the center of the blade to her hand. She then pulled it back. She showed them she was unharmed. He looked at them, "This is a unique ability of the sword, the only part that heats up is the edge."

He sheathed the sword and walked back to the table. He picked up the log, "Note the log is not burning." He flipped the log over. "The assassin was a caster capable of seventh tier spells and she was subdued by one man. He knocked her out cold with a kick and punches from his hands. Those hands can be quite deadly."

He nodded to Tiger as he split the log in half with one swing. "You can see. I found it a bit humorous that on our first visit to the palace. They asked us to take weapons from the two humans."

Eldar walked over and grabbed the log. He called forth his sword again and cut a couple of inches above the first cut. That way we had two pieces with a burn and a split. Connected with a couple of inches of wood. They looked like two pairs of pants. He walked toward the Queen. He sheathed his sword in route and showed her the two pieces.

He asked her, "Do you know what these two forms of attack have in common, Your Majesty?"

She shook her head and he walked down to the Grand clerics and handed each of them one. "Both of these attacks could be used in a room much like this one to kill. They would not spill a drop of blood on the floor. Before we go any further, I called out several deities involved in the event of that night.

Sehanine Moonbow, Corellon Larethian, Aerdrie Faenya, Erevan Ilesere, Hanali Celanil, Rillifane Rallathil, and Vandria Gilmadrith. I called out Labelas Enoreth for doing nothing about the event. The other thing you both have not seemed to catch on about, I do not ask questions unless something prompts us to call upon you again.

Always assume we know more than we are telling you and it is best to be open and forthcoming. I see a royal edict concerning guards on every Grand Clerics and all prophecies being brought to the King and Queen. The original documents along with any meeting notes from the Grand Cleric Council going back 500 years or more.

Back to the previous question. Any preordained successors have prophecies concerning them coming out of the events at Silent Falls?"

Grand Cleric Goldenrod nodded nervously, "Prophecies for all of them except Labelas Enoreth. Successors in the next 125 years from the events from the coming lunar event."

Eldar nodded, "Let me guess, for Vandria Gilmadrith you have a prophecy for a champion in the upcoming war that is supposed to be triggered in 40 years. The one deity that goes out to 125 years is Hanali Celanil, and she is the only one?"

Grand Cleric Goldenrod looks at him in shock, "Yes to both."

Eldar looked at him, "Do any of the other Churches have any other have preordained replacements in your prophecies or prophesies dealing with this time? Remember the palace could seize control of this archive."

Grand Cleric Goldenrod, "Not that I am aware of, except for the one for your arrival. Which is why we agreed to be at the wedding. Just arrival not on the actions that would be taken."

Eldar looked at him, "So you had a prophecy for me. Good to know you forgot that one too."

He motioned to Tiger and they returned to their seats. Eldar looked to the Queen, "I have done as we had discussed. The clerics do not realize all of the players in those prophecies are in this room right now.

Based on the divinations from this evening all of the preordained Grand Clerics reside in their mother's womb. Most of them will likely be born in Quatarsia. I think that should put more emphasis on the church they build. They still have work to do. Sooner is better than later.

I look forward to seeing these two at the Academy. We discussed getting six priests from the clerics and I think one each of these two Churches. As well as four more from Naralis Analor all capable of casting fifth tier spells or better and willing to do fieldwork.

They remain loyal to the tenants of their church but they will work for me as Sergeants. Members of the Gray Blades until they prove themselves to our complete cause. One last thing the second champion will be a female half-elf."

The Queen looked across the table, "I have had it with your antics! One more omission from the church and your heads will roll first! You two will be under guard and work with our scholars to archive the data. The seconds within the church will focus on the new church and making it perfect! I am also fining your church's 100,000 gold pieces EACH.

Half of which will go to the village of Quatarsia for incidental expenses in establishing the town; this money is not for the Gray Blades costs those are already covered by treaties. This is for road improvements, seedlings, pulling rock from farmland, or building homes for those living there. As the village administrators see fit. You two are staying for dinner. Until your escorts arrive you are going nowhere!"

They nodded sheepishly. Eldar turned to the Queen, "The representative from the founders who will oversee these funds will be Annette as she is not a Gray Blade. Just the first business owner. Could I have a word with the Queen in private, your Majesty?"

She looked over and got up from the table and went toward the side room. She stepped inside and Eldar followed.

He bowed, "Forgive the break in protocol but I had another observation concerning that night that is strictly in your hands."

She nodded, "Please continue your observations, they astound me."

He gritted his teeth and sighed, "This is hard to say but I must put it forward. The goddess threatened to turn the kingdom into a theocracy. Your twins could be in danger. One could die and assume both roles. The goddess has put a timeline on you to get things done to improve the lives of all elven people. The tolerance and acceptance of all elves/elf-blooded people. The issue with the infertility potions and devices. The plural marriages, every child is to be cherished and removing of the disparaging words.

Allowing me to do things at the Academy will help but getting the laws in place and the orders out? That would do more. Now there is the potentially dire circumstance for your unborn children."

She looked pale as she thought about the words from that night. "Thank you again for the reminder and your discretion. I have a lot of work to oversee it seems."

She gave a weak smile and motioned that they should return. He got the door for her and they sat down to dine. The rest of the evening went well and the clerics were escorted back to their churches under house arrest and constant observation.

Eldar turned to the group, "I already told Keyno; who is marrying Tranosa, that she is expecting triplets. One of which is the other champion. The other two will walk their parent's paths. The church of Hanali Celanil is destined to be a child from the other Champion. Eagle-eye has an arcane archer while one child is destined to lead the Church of Aerdrie Faenya.

Cook both of your children are destined to head up churches. Erevan Ilesere and Rillifane Rallathil. I know from experience it is a lot to take in. You look at this room and you are looking at divine intervention with the number of twins and now a set of triplets."

He looked across the table, "Jarron, I would like my father to be at the Academy for the presentation if possible. Status on our dwarves and when they want to see us would be welcomed. I am sure they will at some point. If the King and Queen have nothing else for us, Your Majesties?"

The Queen looked at us, "This is truly an amazing group of people you assembled Jarron. I know Keyno and Tiger are new, but they were a nice addition. Eldar, I hope your recruitment goes well. I will see you all at the Academy, day after tomorrow. Thank you, the King and I have some pressing matters to discuss. My herald will show you all out and stay safe."

They left the palace and Jarron cornered Eldar, "What in the 9 hell's just happened?"

Eldar hmphed, "Which part? The Queen expecting? All of the multiple twins and now a set of triplets? You are asking me what the Gods are planning? I will tell you what I told the Queen back at your room."

He turned to everyone. "We have a lot to cover tomorrow to get our supplies, shopping, builders to work floor plans and hire laborers to do the building. The day after we meet with members of the merchant's guild and any current caravan protection people in town who wish to talk. I want to bring back as many horses as we can safely handle.

Would like 20 workhorses minimum with tack gear for hauling trees, 3 sixteen-foot two-horse wagons, and to ensure every officer has a second mount. The extra teams can be used for moving trees like the ones we cut through on the way here. The Academy after the midday meal will be a huge event. At times it will seem like a circus for the most part.

There will be a couple of demonstrations. I want to put Tiger against the current top fighter at the academy for an unarmed combat demonstration. As well as the killing power of his strike-breaking a log as he did here. I want to get Keyno to show off her unusual skills with a bow on horseback. Just two passes on one target.

One at 100 feet and a second at 200 feet. There will be a couple of presentations. In the coming days, I will have to find a captain to help fill the leadership middle tier. I have a few ideas in that area and I hope to flesh them out over the next few days before we head back. We will have a group of special guests of mine joining us on the return trip.

More on that in a few days as well. When I have an idea as to how many will be joining. The first order of business when we get back is a corral area for the garrison. I would like to know when the wedding is so we can plan accordingly. Your wedding does not have to be a nighttime event, this is your wedding but a Darion Moon at Dusk would seem to be appropriate.

We will have to start checking the routes soon after we get back. Work crews will have to first set up initially in tents in the woods behind the garrison. We will have to split up into at least 3 teams. One team is a one-off trip, that may become a larger short-term repeat group. We will try to talk with the farmers we saved into relocating to this new area.

One team will remain in camp to address any issues. Help with the corral mentioned earlier, clearing the 6 caravan sites, caravan support, and the church site. The third smaller team will start escorting caravans into Quatarsia. We will hold off the major exploration of the dwarven leg of the route unless we have a caravan headed there.