Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 18

I could have burned you, cut you, or killed you for the last two all in an act of self-defense. Instead, we are now standing here talking! It is something civilized people do. My T'suras listens better than you do. Royal Guard what are my options here? Bend over animal."

The Royal Guard stopped to think about how best to answer my question. He finally spoke, "The first line of recourse should be to take the man to his boss for resolution."

Eldar Had moved the sword to the back of the elf's neck. He looked at the boy, "Please tell this man's boss that he is currently bent over with a sword over his neck after attacking a bank customer with a riding crop, and I have a Royal Guard escort."

The boy took off. Eldar sighed, "People wonder why I left the city when such cruel animals roam the streets."

The boy was back with the owner and a couple of city guards. Eldar talked to the Royal Guard, "Would you send the city guard away, please? Boy, would you bring my wife's horse and the Royal Guard's horse out here."

The boy headed out to get the horses. While the Royal Guard was hesitant to move. Eldar asked the Royal Guard, "What were your orders today?"

The guard responded, "To see you safely through the city and clear up any misunderstandings about who and what you are doing. To avoid conflicts and if conflicts occurred to work to resolve them peacefully."

Eldar cut him off, "Somewhere in the upcoming orders is to report any incident that needs to be addressed. Now if you want to avoid a conflict with city guards send them away. Have the owner come over. We can resolve this issue."

The Royal Guard went over and sent the city guards away. The owner walked over and Eldar outlined the 3 mistakes his employee made. He looked at the owner, "Do you carry a riding crop? What do you typically do in this situation?"

The owner looked at the man, "Terminate employment for the attempt to strike you at the very least."

Eldar sighed, "Animal, do you wish to lose your job?"

He was hurting from being bent over, "No, I would like my job."

He looked at the owner, "Do you carry a riding crop?" He nodded. "Three whacks across his ass, one for each insult. Then I will allow him to stand once you hand me that riding crop. Be sure to put some arm into it, else it will not count as he was striking in anger."

The owner came over and cracked him across the ass 3 times. Eldar turned his blade sideways to ensure he was not cut then he handed Eldar the crop.

He looked at the man, "Now have we graduated from animal to being civilized?"

He nodded. "Stand but do not move." He pulled his sword away from his neck. "You just negotiated to keep your job. Now if I ever see you with one of these in your hand; or one my Gray Blades report it! I will come back here and shove this so far up your nether-hole your will tasting leather, shit, and blood in your mouth! Do you understand me?!"

He nodded.

Eldar, "Karti'Ros Moon Fire."

He started weaving from top to bottom and cut the crop into two-inch pieces. Down to the handle. Then he sheathed his sword. "Take this as a reminder of what you are not to carry!"

He looked to the owner, "You would do well to get rid of riding crops but it is your business. If another of your employees does this again to T'suras and actually manages to hit T'suras. I will be whipping them with this sword fully active."

Eldar walked over and got in the saddle, "I cannot abide cruelty or intolerance, you will be hearing my name in the coming weeks coming from the King, Queen, and the churches. That is why I have a Royal Guard as an escort who did not raise a weapon against me. He will report this incident."

He looked at Charlemagne, "Let us see if we can locate Annette and the others. T'suras Biana." They got out of earshot. "Charlemagne was that too much?"

She busted out laughing, "Well you kept the man from getting fired and it was his own damned fault when he failed to listen 3 times. You picked a fine time to ask me! After the fact."

He smiled, "I am just looking for an honest answer. If I made any mistakes there."

She sighed, "I think threatening the owner was the only thing over the top."

He shook his head, "They may provide a free service to stable your horse while you are in the bank, but it should not be mandatory. If it is then you should have a say in how they are treated."

She shrugged, "I concede that point."

He looked over, "Did they crop your horse?"

She looked, "I do not think so."

He smirked, "If they did as they brought it out to you what would you have done? I know you and Annette think of your new mounts just like your babies."

She nodded, "Fair point. Well, the tasting shit and blood comment was over the top."

He nodded, "I will give you that one. So Royal Guard, do you have a name? You are allowed to share, correct?"

He cleared his throat, "New Moon."

Eldar looked at New Moon, "There are certain things I instinctively have begun to know. Take T'suras that nobody could get near, I bought him this morning, did not know if he was trained or what his commands were. I see women and I have our cleric confirm they are in fact with child. I knew the horse could pick out other horses like my wives' horses.

T'suras has a double crescent on the back-left side. I have a double crescent birthmark on the back of my head. The double crescent is a part of me; just like my twin moons my two wives."

Guard New Moon looked at him, "You believe in destiny?"

Eldar chuckled, "It is hard to fight when your wedding is performed by Sehanine Moonbow. In front of two Grand Clerics, three other Grand Master Blade Singers, a few diplomatic types, and two villages of elves and elf-blooded. Then viewed by the King and Queen in the palace.

Then just the other night when we dined with the King, Queen, and both Grand Clerics. The Grand Clerics confirmed they were there because of a prophecy. They had come because the Knight Champion of Corellon Larethian would be revealed. How do you fight all of that?"

Guard New Moon sighed, "I wish I had a destiny."

Eldar looked at him, "Then why do you not pursue one? You got a wife and kids to support? A family member you are tending to who is close to dying?"

He sighed, "None of the above. Just trying to find my place in this world. I like to protect our people."

He smiled at Charlemagne and she knew what he was going to do. "Guard New Moon, do you know how many Royal Guards I have had watching over me since I left the Academy?"

He shook his head. "I had 6 when we left town, 24 who met us when we came into the city. I do not know how many shifts since then of guards or if this is your first time with us."

He nodded, "I was on break when you came into town. Heard rumors and got picked up for this detail this morning. Then asked to pick you up at lunch when your group split up again."

Eldar nodded and explained what they were doing. "We know war is coming; in 30-60 years. We are trying to push it back and weaken them before they can hit us in force. Introduce me to your boss when we get back. I want you in my detail tomorrow at the Academy. You can see the things we are doing."

He nodded, "I can introduce you to him."

Eldar looked at him, "Couple more shops I want to hit today. We need to find Annette first. They went shopping for wedding rings and a wedding dress. Got an idea as to where we can find them?"

He sped up, "Follow me. They should not be far from here."

Eldar look at T'suras, "T'suras Filarna (faster)." He figured he would try faster. they caught up with New Moon and soon Annette, Eagle-eye, Cook, and Keyno. He looked over. "T'suras Veta. How goes the shopping?"

Annette grumbled, "Not great, having a hard time with the dress. Tranosa has our escort finishing up rings and some shops are refusing to work with us."

He looked at Keyno, "Did you see something you liked?"

She looked at Eldar, "Yes, but they would not let us past the front door."

He gave that determined look, "Take me there, I will deal with it if I have too."

Guard New Moon spoke up, "I will talk with them first."

Eldar nodded, "What I wanted to hear. T'suras Biana."

Charlemagne chuckled as they followed them down to the shop in question. He found a place to tie off horses. "T'suras Veta."

He let T'suras stand there. Guard New Moon picked up speed to get ahead of Eldar and beat him to the door by footsteps. Also, what he wanted to see. They walked in single file and were promptly met by the owner who was not happy to see them back. Guard New Moon looked at the lady, "I heard you are having issues providing services to guests of the Queen.

I am one of the guards assigned to their detail and they divided to shop separately. The husband went somewhere while the ladies went shopping for a wedding dress. The Queen's discount applies please show them what they are wanting to see or this will be reported back to the palace and you could be fined and/or forfeiture of your business."

The owner suddenly had a change in attitude.

Eldar looked back at Keyno, "What caught your eye Keyno? Annette, did you want an outfit for the wedding? Charlemagne and I will be in full armor. You like to wear clothes over yours."

Annette shrugged, "Let us see what she decides I might get something to compliment." Keyno walked to the back wall, "This is the one that caught my eye."

Eldar could see the owner about to throw a but clause in there.

"Show her the dress in her size, no arguments." The owner walked in back and Charlemagne and Annette went to help her. "I want to see her in it when she is ready."

A few minutes later, Charlemagne waved him back, Keyno was beautiful in it and she seems to like it. "You love it Keyno?" she nodded rapidly.

He waved the owner to follow him, "How much, add in shoes, gloves, whatever else she wants. Give me a number. The owner walked to the counter writes down the costs with the discounts and comes back with a number on a sheet, 17,543 gold pieces."

He looked at the owner, "You ensure she is treated like royalty. Get these other items if she likes everything, I will give you my account number. Else I will pay for what she gets, you have cost us enough time. Be courteous and kind to her."

The owner just looked at him and headed back to the room with the other items. A few minutes later Charlemagne came out, "She loves everything now she is worried if she can afford it."

He smirked, "Tell her it is already paid for by The Silvertree family. Tell the owner to wrap it like it is fragile glass going to the Palace."

Charlemagne smiled, "You are a lovely person who I am going to ravage later."

She headed back and a few minutes later Keyno came out, "Are you sure? It is so much gold."

He held up his hand, "One, you looked beautiful in it and you love it. Two, I am doing it for at least four weddings if your sons each get married once and you loan it to the bride, plus your daughter. Three, it is already done, after my visit to the bank, that did not even put a dent in my account."

Keyno started to cry and hugged him, "Thank you so much!"

He hugged her back, "You are a talent, you have a daughter who will have a destiny like mine. In a way, she will be my daughter too. She is to be the Champion of Vandria Gilmaddrith who is the daughter of Corellon Larethian. If I am the champion of him then I must look over the champion of his daughter."

She hugged him tighter. He whispered to her, "Beautiful children."

Cook and Eagle-eye just smiled at him. Charlemagne and Annette hugged each other and smiled at him.

He looked at Annette, "Did you find something you want to wear to the wedding?" She jumped up and grabbed something and went back to try it on.

Annette responded back, "This will work. I will wear the pants from my wedding and my new armor underneath. I will be good."

He nodded to her, "Charlemagne take Keyno and other ladies out front. Annette and I will be out with the packages as soon as they are done being wrapped."

They headed out front, He looked at the owner total for everything now. She cleared her voice, "22,400 hundred gold pieces."

He looked at her, "Here is the account number please note our armor. You see that armor or bracers with this design assume I am not far behind. Next time I will file a complaint with the Queen. She has already threatened one inn owner with the seizure of the property from a complaint I made.

You almost lost a very big sale today for nothing more than prejudice. Those days are ending real soon. Watch for the announcements or listen to the rumors coming down the road in the next 2 days."

The owner looked white and looked at the Royal Guard who only nodded. She ran the account. She seemed surprised by the balance. They picked up the packages and walked out.

Eldar looked over, "You did good Guard New Moon."

He smiled, "You still threw a threat at the end."

He shook my head, "A threat does not show commitment to doing it. I made a promise."

He chuckled. Eldar passed the packages off to the other ladies, "I need to borrow my wives. Charlemagne, you have the horse brushes?"

She nodded. "One set for each of them."

He looked at Keyno, "Stay smiling, less crying. I need you in shape for tomorrow."

He gave her a smile and she just chuckled at him. He looked at the ladies, "Mount up".

He looked at Keyno, "How long does it take to train a horse for voice commands? T'suras Unta." T'suras came over and Keyno, "How much does he know."

He shrugged, "So far I have forward, faster, stop, stay, come, and attack/kill."

Keyno looks at him, "You just got this horse this morning! Even if someone else trained it takes time for them to respond to a new owner and a new name. That is incredible! Who did he attack?"

Eldar smirked, "Some stable guy who wanted to hit T'suras while I was on him. The assailant was wielding a riding crop. I gave the command and he put a couple of dents in the man. This was at the bank."

Eagle-eye looked over, "What made you pick this horse?"

He smiled, "Nobody could get near it." He turned it sideways so she could see the double crescents.

Eagle-eye chuckled, "Another hunch huh!"

He shrugged, "It does not top the bet I made with Jarron, netted me 21,000 in gold. Two promotions from lieutenant to Commander, and the rest of the team to lieutenants. That was getting the elven land and the mercenary company. Best bets are when you can spread the wealth across the team without risking a thing of theirs."

Keyno looked wide-eyed, "I had not heard that story, you are very generous."

He shrugged, "Not for a kid who did not have any friends or family for support. Except for my Grand Master. My mother who has been dead for almost 50 years. When you find good people then you treat them well and ensure they are treated well."

She smiled, "You do that."

He smirked toward her, "I am just getting started. I think our caravan is up to at least sixteen wagons without recruits yet. Laborers we asked for will be another twenty-four wagons."

He got on his horse as Annette finally got there, "We will talk later. The first stop is the enchanter shops. The second stop is some sex toy shop Eagle-eye was talking about. Lead away Guard New Moon."

He nodded, "We better hurry then."