Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 18

Skinner looked at him with his mouth open and Cook looked out the door, "Nice horse! Did you say a 100?"

Eldar shrugged, "We are adding 70 to what we have already added to our existing 24, and we have not even added any recruits from the city yet. As to the horse I had a feeling about it..."

He turned the horse to face back toward the stables so the double crescent on the horse was visible. "I made another wager. Nobody could get near the horse. I got it saddled and out in under 30 minutes. T'suras is trained but very picky about other people and horses."

She laughed at him, "With signs like that you will always get a good deal. I like the name."

Eldar smiled, "Let me check on Charlemagne to see how close she is coming."

Cook laughed out, "If it was Banshee you would already know!"

Eldar smiled, "Only with me! Biana T'suras."

She smiled and shook her head as he rode back to the stable. Charlemagne and Annette were finished saddling the new horses. "How bad was the bill?"

Charlemagne looked at him, "I paid for it. You are not the only one with funds set aside." She smiled at him. "If you must know just under 30,000 gold pieces. After your stunt with the horse, you earned the barding. How did you know about using apples?"

Eldar smiled, "Wood Elf childhood they used them to try and lure in the elusive elven riding horses. Taking a slice out of the apple shows them I am not trying to poison them. This horse is really smart. Responds to elven commands. I do not even need to kick it to go forward. I just say 'Biana'..."

T'suras moved forward. He turned him with the reins and stopped him. "I can hardly wait to try other speeds when we get on the road. Change of subject, I need Keyno, Tranosa, Annette, and Charlemagne. We will go check on labor and floor plans for the buildings. After that Keyno and Tranosa are off to get wedding supplies. Annette and Charlemagne can join you if you want some wedding dress advice."

Keyno nodded. They were saddled up and the Royal Guard led them to the Designers and Builders Guild. They tied off the horse on a post. He told T'suras, "We will be back shortly."

T'suras just shook his head. Eldar knew he did not like it but he could not let him run free in the city. They headed inside and looked for the Design department. The Moon Elf at the front stopped them, "Can I help you?"

Eldar looked at him, "We need surveyors, builders, and building designs."

The Moon Elf asks, "Do you have a permit?"

Eldar sighed, "We are building in Quatarsia, not in the city."

He grumbled a bit, "Well, you would still need permission from your village elders."

Eldar pulled out the paperwork to establish the town, "These 3 names are me and my 2 wives, we are the founders of the village signed by the Queen and King."

He started to grunt and Eldar cut him off. "Before you say anything about having 2 wives talk with our Royal Guard escort. Then get us to the right people."

The escort informed him of the coming changes.

Eldar looked at the Moon Elf who had got him more frustrated than he liked, "We had a lovely dinner the other night with the King and Queen. A few of us will be back there in a day or two. They will ask us, 'how did everything go?' Please make it pleasant for all of us."

He got up, "You will want to talk to the surveyors. How big is the village?"

Eldar smirked as he looked at him, "80 square miles."

He stopped dead in his tracks and looked at Eldar, "Where is this village?"

Eldar decided it was time to stop the back and forth and he told him. He looks at Eldar, "How is that possible?"

Eldar sighed, "We used provisions from 3 treaties to establish a cross-border protection force. Can you take us to the surveyors now?"

He turned around and started walking again, "How many surveyors do you need?"

Eldar shrugged, "I think 6 is a good start for the first 5 structures. Then a couple of hundred homes on both sides of the border."

He stopped again, "SIX for how long?"

Eldar finally resigned that this Elf had better be their liaison through this whole process so he could stop repeating himself, "You are staying with us! I do not want to have to keep repeating all of this. I think that would depend on their ability to survey the borders of 400 square miles. The structures in the town. 2-3 years at least would be my guess. We would need them to start immediately."

He sighed and started moving again, "Right this way."

They got to the surveyors. Eldar was inclined to let him do the talking. Then the Moon Elf behind the desk shouted, "That would be half of our staff!"

Eldar's patience got thin. He interjected, "Might be time to add staff. We need crews ready to depart in 3 days."

He huffed, "In 3 days we could have 4 of them."

Eldar gave him a stern look, "I will take them. Have them at the marketplace 3 days from now. Have them look for the enormous caravan with 100 horses. We will be departing from there. There are no accommodations. They will need to bring food and tents until we get some of these structures built.

At which point we can put a roof over their head. Maybe even a warm meal into them regularly. We will have men coming back if not myself back in 4 weeks to open the southern trade route to general caravan traffic. I expect the other surveyors to be ready by then. You are going to ask for a name next. Eldar Silvertree.

Any of the Gray Blade mercenaries' lieutenants or above there are 11 of us who can answer their questions. Once in town, they will be working with our town Administrator. Annette Silvertree, who will coordinate protection details and priorities with the Gray Blades. She is not a Gray Blade."

He looked at Eldar, "How are you paying for the services?"

Eldar looked at him, "The Palace. Cross-border treaties clearly state what services will be provided by whom. Construction, in this case, falls to those we hire and the dwarves who will be building the military fortifications and the church being built by the Grand Council. Surveying of the land, in this case, falls to the Kingdom hosting the mercenary group.

In this case, it is hosted by the Elven Kingdom. It is in the treaties you can take it up with the King and Queen or talk with our Royal escort. Time to hire and train more surveyors. This will go from a village to a town in 2 years without a doubt."

Charlemagne simply nodded to him, "He knows these treaties but feel free to contact the Palace."

Their liaison turned and started walking, "Next would be building plans."

They walked down a long corridor and Eldar started to wonder how much time was wasted in this one building. He began to wonder how many times they would have to repeat this process and if he should have set aside a year for this one place alone. They walked into the room. They stood in the back so they could have the same arguments all over again.

Eldar walked over, "Please, can we go over plans? We need plans for a sawmill with double blades and double wheels. Then we will need inn plans that are 3 or more stories high with the entire top floor being living space. A general store with 2 stories upper-level storage and living quarters.

Then we will need home plans; 2-story 3-bedroom floor plans being the smallest. I would like the saw-mill plans first. The people building it can settle on the plans and the rest of us will continue onto labor as they continue to have a productive day instead of wasting time in this building!"

The Gold Elf behind this desk looked at Eldar like he just stomped on his sack, "WE have a process for these things, they take time!"

Eldar cut him off and waved the escort over, "WE do not have time for your delays! WE are getting a protection force in place across the southern border. The Queen was most adamant that WE would have cooperation, in a TIMELY manner! WE leave the city in 3 days to begin construction."

The Royal Guard walked up, "Is there a problem?"

Eldar looked at the guy at the desk. The Gold Elf glared at Eldar, "Damned impures and abominations come walking in here like they own the place! Remove them!"

Eldar grabbed the Gold Elf and dragged the guy over his desk and lifted him to hold him against the wall by his shirt with his feet dangling, "You do not understand! The Royal Guard is here to ensure YOUR cooperation! Do I need to remove your head from your body to speak with whoever is going to take over your job before the corpse hits the floor?"

The Royal Guard stepped up and placed a hand on Eldar's shoulder, "I will take it from here."

Eldar dropped the Gold Elf on the floor. He looked at the Royal Guard, "Get him straightened out! I want him at the Academy after the mid-day meal and he can expect to be there a while as I address the entire Academy! THEN if he wishes to continue with the slurs, he can do it to my face in front of the Queen who is attending."

The man on the floor started up again, "I will have your HEAD for this!"

Eldar pointed his hand back at him. He thought, "Karti'Ros right-hand Moon Fire."

His sword was now a mere inch from the throat of the Gold Elf. "I do not like doing this but for some, it is the only way to get through to them! I am Eldar Silvertree, Knight Champion for Corellon Larethian, Grand Master Blade Singer, Commander of the Gray Blades, and the only 4-time Academy Champion.

If you think for one second, I could not take your head off before the Royal Guard even got his sword halfway out of his sheath you are sadly mistaken!"

The smell hit him, "Why don't you call over someone capable of doing their job. I will lower my sword so you can go home and get out of your soiled pants. I recommend you take the rest of the day off. I will see to it you are at the Academy tomorrow after the mid-day meal because if there is anyone in need of education it is you!"

He paused for a second. The Royal Guard was caught off guard. His companions and wives were on their feet but not moving. "You can speak to get me the assistance I need or I can stand like this for hours if needed."

Charlemagne spoke up, "I have seen him do sword practice for 4 hours straight. I do not doubt he can hold that position for 4 times that long at least. Without even dipping the blade. How many more times can you shit yourself in that time before just doing as he asks? If you are willing to take advice from his abomination wife.

I would try to save what little dignity you might have left. If you push him further, I think he will find your replacement in this life much more agreeable to work with while they drag away the 2 pieces of your body."

The Gold Elf cleared his throat, "Staria Crescent Moon would you please help them? I am not feeling well."

Staria who had watched this whole thing unfold stood up, "Certainly, I will see to his needs immediately Master Golden River."

Staria was dripping wet as she watched Eldar do that to her boss. She thought to herself, 'Just 6 more inches, and the asshole would be gone.'

Eldar calmed himself down, "To our bureaucratic escort; we will be seeing the labor section. I am assuming you can go and forewarn them that I have little patience for insults, being talked down to, or those who just want to continue to delay my day.

Royal Guard, would you be kind enough to ensure Golden River makes it home and to the Academy tomorrow to begin his education. I am sure you can find an associate to finish taking him where he needs to be. I will behave as long as they behave and I hate to have to set an example."

Eldar sheathed his sword. The Royal Guard just nodded as he started breathing again. He had seen Eldar fight at the Academy and knew he was always calm and calculating in those matches. He took Golden River out of his office as he trailed a line of urine.

The little liaison just backed away, "I will pave the way ahead for you and be back in just a moment."

Eldar walked over to Staria calm-as-day, "What do you have to show us? By the way, I like your family name. I have a thing for double crescent moons."

Staria smiled and just about came from that statement as she had a younger sister who would have liked this elf as well. She was sure of it, "You wanted to see sawmills; double wheels, double-bladed. Will you be loading from one end, both ends, the one side or down through the middle?"

Eldar had a flash of a vision of her and another nearly identical riding at the crossroads with him and wearing those same wedding bands. Eldar felt it was important, but not for today. He likely faced a future wife for when after Charlemagne and Annette passed. He heard Staria call the other one Astra.

Eldar suddenly found he needed to compose himself. He looked at Tranosa, "This is your area of expertise. I will let you discuss that one with her. I will go and calm down a little more. Have Keyno pull her plans for the leather and saddle shop."

Tranosa nodded as Eldar walked back to his wives and waited. She looked at them, "The plans are the cheap part the lumber, labor, and creating is what will cost you. These plans go for 500 gold pieces. I would recommend getting any plans you want now. Golden River is highly connected; at least his family."

Eldar nodded. "I just have the King, Queen, Corellon Larethian, and Sehanine Moonbow backing me."

She smiled, "How do you know about the Gods?"

Eldar shrugged, "Sehanine Moonbow performed my wedding to my 2 wives. She informed me of being Corellon Larethian Knight Champion. The wedding was viewed by many top-ranking people including the King and Queen. It will start being felt throughout the city after the all Academy assembly tomorrow after the mid-day meal."

She nodded with an impish grin, "Given how that Royal Guard acted I do not doubt you. Here are the inn plans three floors, fifty beds if you want the entire third floor to be family space. Why not a separate home?"

Eldar smiled, "You have never lived in a Wood Elf community; a smaller amount of ground needed leaves more room for trees and growth."

She looked at him, "That would leave thirty rooms of space."

Annette responded, "That is too small, we will need more rooms."

Staria looked at her, "What do you plan to do with it?"

Eldar smiled, "Most of it is to raise a family."

She smiled, "How large of a family?"

Eldar looked at his wives, "Four to start with."

Staria looked at them in shock, "To start with?"

He smiled and nodded as did his 2 wives. Charlemagne looked at her, "I am carrying twin girls."

Annette smiled, "I have twin boys."

Staria looked at them, "Twins are so rare and you both are carrying them?"

Charlemagne laughed a little, "The Goddess told him all of the pregnancies fathered by him will be twins."

Eldar looked at the plans, "We need one that has a back staircase to the lower floor. A private 24-person dining room off of the back of the kitchen For meetings and the like."

She nodded, "I saw something like that! Only one building used the design, 4-story, but they never had enough business to justify the space; it was eventually taken down..."

She searches to the back of the inn diagrams, the last page. "This is a 120 room inn. it would be about 70 rooms if you took the entire top floor for your home. The private dining room has doors into the main room and a door going into the kitchen and there is a back staircase inside the building in place. A spiral staircase that goes up to the 4-floor owner's suite."

She walked over and pulled the plans out, "The only copy." She pulled the page out of the book. "In 5,000 years, nobody has tried to build it again. It should have been pulled years ago. You can have them but I would love to see it when you are done."

Charlemagne nodded, "You are invited to see the whole town as we bring it together."

Eldar smiled, "Do you have anything on dwarven or human garrisons?"

She shook her head. "How about homes, 2 stories 3-bedroom and 5-bedroom designs with a downstairs bedroom in each?

She pulls those up, "200 gold pieces each."

The Royal Guard returned, "I do not know if I am here to protect you or them from you. He will file a complaint."

Eldar looked at him, "File one on my behalf against him. Let the Queen decide the matter."

The guard just chuckled, "I could not believe what you did, but if he were insulting me like that, I am not sure I would have stopped."

Eldar nodded, "Oath to protect all Elves, even ones like that. Blade Singer. He did not call me on that one." Eldar looked back at Staria. "You might have a new job tomorrow taking over for him full-time."

She just chuckled and blushed. He had Staria pull the plans for the blacksmith and tavern that could service 80. A weapon shop, an armor shop, flour mill, a 70-bed inn, and a Bow and Fletcher shop.

It came out to 4,000 gold pieces. He gave her a diamond and she gave him gold back in return. Eldar looked at Staria, "Thank you, Staria."

Staria smiled as they left. They avoided the urine on the floor on the way out. The liaison stood and waited for them, "I will take you to them, they are expecting you. They have been warned to act as if the royal family was making inquiries. They sent a message to the Palace, they got a 'cooperate or else' response."

The Royal Guard chuckled. He slapped Eldar on the shoulder. "You got one big sack on you."

Eldar smirked, "Blame it on my wives they are each carrying my twins."

The liaison looked over his shoulder but kept walking. His jaw hung open. Eldar sighed, "If we name a town 'Quatarsia' do you think we would accept anything less?"

He nodded, "I can see your point, it should have served as a warning."

They walked into the labor department, there was a table off to the side where several Elves waited for them.

Eldar looked over and the liaison pointed for them to take a seat but there was only one seat, "Five more chairs, for our guard and the rest of us."

He had Annette take the one seat. The second chair arrives and he set it beside Annette and asked Keyno to have a seat. They brought in the other 3. He had Tranosa sit next to Keyno.

He put Charlemagne off to his other side as he sat between his wives. He looked at the group, "Do you know why you are here?"

A Gold Elf shrugged, "We heard you need laborers."

Eldar nodded, "The lady to my right is Annette Silvertree and the one to my left is Charlemagne Silvertree. They are both my wives. Annette is the town Administrator for Quatarsia. I know you never heard of it, we are building it on 80 square miles of land. The first business belongs to Tranosa Dusk Moon on the end and that is the sawmill.

Next is a mammoth of an inn that we need laborers for this is Annette's business. Next to it will be a general store, this is Charlemagne's business. Then Keyno will be opening a leather and saddle shop which is crucial to our garrison.

Charlemagne and I are the Commanders of the Gray Blades with the protection of over the area. We need over 600 acres of land cleared of rocks. Rocks that will be used for the foundation of many of the buildings. We need the conversion of an old inn into a very large barn with second-level storage areas. Most of the structure is in place, we need carpenters to start there.

We have downed trees for them to start with while the other labor is being done, Order of events; we need laborers to start clearing the fields, laborers to set and build corrals for both the barn and the garrison. Masons to start laying the foundation, carpenters, and craftsmen. They will have to have their tools to create planks, posts, rails, beams, etc.

Every ounce of wood must be used and reused from each tree as they are precious to the Wood Elf people and us. We need people who will take direction from anyone in authority, regardless of racial status. We have plans for everything except the conversion of the old inn, if you cannot do it, we will get the Wood Elves in the area involved in doing it. We are expecting this to run very hard for at least the first 2 years.