Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 21

He nodded. "I thought that the potion..."

Eldar picked him up off the bed and held him against the wall. He asked, "What are you doing?"

Eldar shook his head, "I answered that question. What are the odds of you having four battle-mages if she is not an untrained sorceress or wizard?"

He looks at Eldar again, then Eldar yelled at him, "We now have a responsibility to train her."

He groaned.

Eldar nodded, "I wanted you to evaluate her and keep it in your pants. We could talk about this later. I also wanted you to know it was not us who popped the door on you. It was the girl you were flirting with. You were the one that attracted her to you. I thought maybe you could have a girl right up your alley.

That likes to experiment and try new things. Like Eagle-eye but not married. The perfect girl to have two wives with if you play your cards right. I DO NOT THINK THIS IS WHAT SHE HAS IN MIND! I told her we were hiring her away from this place.

I did not have the heart to tell her hey, 'First time out was with a guy wielding a loaded fertility crossbow. He could shoot through any infertility item. Oops, you are knocked up. With 4 on the way.' You heard my comments at the palace, the teasing, and joking of Erevan Ilesere combined with Hanali Celanil.

I figured that was why you were still hooking up with Eagle-eye. She is safe because she is pregnant already. I will need your help with evaluating any recruits. I can handle wizards and sorcerers even to a point. Most of this evaluation is getting them to work with other races' skills. How we can increase tolerance is harder learned. Are you and I good now?"

He looked at Eldar and nodded. Eldar looked at him, "Looks like someone is vying for the stud title. Take a couple of hours to get your head on straight. Meet in the market, before mid-day meal. You need me to send you someone, Doc, Eagle-eye, Tranosa..."

He did not respond. "If Charlemagne sticks around the inn today then I will have her look in on you or the girl who we JUST HIRED. Charlemagne woke up sore, warm, and then cold and sweaty. She might be out of commission today."

Fireball, chuckled, "Yeah we heard though we thought it was Banshee."

He smiled, "Banshee was riding me and Charlemagne was riding my face. They were back to back having a screaming contest I could barely hear because of thighs squeezing against my head."

He headed for the door, "Married life with two wives is not so bad. Especially when they enjoy sharing. Keep that in mind because you are likely going to find a second at some point. You already know my thoughts on fathers who do not marry the women they impregnate."

He opened the door and left. He walked to his room and Doc was coming out. "How is she?"

He shook his head, "She should take the day off from riding. She is exhausted and had a fever but it broke before I arrived. She might even be out of commission for a couple of days."

Eldar sighed and shook his head, "We need to arrange for a wagon to take her and our stuff to the market; if she is going to be sick, I need her closer to where we work instead of across the city. Get Tranosa and Hunter please."

Doc nodded. He looked at Doc, "Go by Fireball's room and get any of those damned potions he has left. Then destroy them. While you are there check and see if he loves her! Then check the girl. After that let me know and take an escort to the churches. Let them know the Queen has tripled the size of our charter and we are looking for at least another 12 clerics willing to work in our environment.

See what we get. Be sure to stop by and see your superiors, they have something for you. I want the first 6 in the market today."

He looked at Annette, "Make sure everything is packed and ready to go. Leave out some clothes and weapons for your sister. I will put her armor in my bag. We are going to grab food and some fruit and a few more apples for the horses. I am taking Charlemagne's horse with us this morning. I need to talk with Hunter, as the only non-father in the group. We are hiring the girl away from this place. I thought she might help with Charlemagne right now and then your father for a while."

Annette nodded, "Not a bad idea, he would like the company."

He turned, "Charlemagne, you are grounded. You can take a walk in about an hour or two to go and talk with Fireball. I gave him hell. At one point I had his balls in my hand and was squeezing."

Charlemagne looked at me, "You sent her..."

He cut her off, "Yes, I did. Did you see the symbols? Do you know what the odds are of having four battle-mages with one parent being a non-caster is? She is an arcane caster that needs training before she burns someone or something to the ground! She will start manifesting with those children in her."

Charlemagne sighed, "You were right, you just were not a hundred percent sure?"

He nodded, "I will send the girl up with food, toss the other half of the blanket over her. Annette, I am going to need you today...I Love you both."

He went down and pulled Hunter and Tranosa aside. "Annette and I have finished the packing of the gear in our room."

He saw the girl, "Your last job here is to bring food for three to my room and clean sheets. You work for me now and my wives after that. I need you to get packed up and stay with my wife. I will talk with the innkeeper and his wife, they will understand."

He stared at Tranosa, "I need you to ensure everyone had their gear packed and moved to my room. We are moving to the market district."

He focused on Hunter, "We will need 12 rooms and five common rooms to house recruits to start with. We might have every inn in the market filled by the end of the day, but I want our team together. That includes Karra who will have her own room next to ours.

Please take care of your gear. Bring it to my room and then ride ahead to the inns and make the arrangements. We will meet at the wagons. We will have 40 or more wagons show up in the next two days so we may have to send a group of them ahead of the rest."

He nodded and Eldar grabbed his arm. "Oh, one more thing, this is the only friendly warning I can give you. If you use that hunk of flesh between your legs for something other than pissing or making out with your own hand, then be sure you love her."

Karra was back with the food, drink, and a change of clothes and the blankets. Eldar went and found the Innkeeper's wife. He looked at the lady, "Did Karra's mother leave anything behind?"

She thought, "No. Once she got sick, she started going through her stuff and getting rid of it. Anything paper or cloth she burned. She had no jewelry having sold any before she arrived here. Why do you ask?"

He looked at her, "We are taking Karra with us. She is an untrained arcane. You're lucky she has not burned this building to the ground. She needs training. We have both a wizard and a sorcerer. Which every type we find her to be she will get the training she needs to control her power.

She should have been tested 10 years ago. She is going to look after my sick wife for the next couple of days and we are going to move down to the market district to be close to the activity we have going on."

She nodded and then went to his room to say goodbye to Karra. He watched the exchange and gave Karra some final instructions, "Keep an eye on Charlemagne, watch over the guards who load the packs into the wagon. One of those meals is for you. I will grab some food on my way out to the stable.

He headed to the stable with a small block of cheese and some fruit to eat as he walked. He got T'suras armored and saddled. Annette saddled up the other two. They took them out front and their detail has been switched up. All new faces. He looked at one of the Guards, "I need to speak with your Captain."

He smirked, "She is not available."

Eldar looked over to him, "Fine! I will send a messenger to the palace to have her boss come down instead."

He snarled at me, "You think you are some kind of untouchable, don't you?"

Eldar stepped away from the horses and up to the guard, "That would be you who thinks you are untouchable. You are wrong. Now go and get the Captain yourself. Else the messenger will be sent in the next 5 minutes if she is not here!"

He walked back to the horses and he got on his horse and he stormed off. Eldar found Tranosa, "Charlemagne is out today. You are going to have to screen any fighters with me. I want Hunter doing the same with Eagle-eye. I will be pulling double duty as I have to evaluate all casters this morning.

We had our first set of double twins in the mix. I will give you one guess as to who the father is. All the children are battle-mages!" Tranosa shook his head as Eldar continued to rant. "I need some ideas on how to handle insubordination. I sent a letter to Fireball telling him to keep pants on, and to keep his pants on again! Now he is doing what I am doing but in one woman. Just barely a woman!"

Tranosa looked at him strangely, not knowing the circumstances and he did not go into at that time. The Captain arrived on her horse and she did not look amused, He got up on T'sarus. She glared at me, "What do you want now?!"

He waved her over as he moved away from the rest of her guards. She rode over and moved to sit right beside her facing in the other direction. He glared at her, "I am sorry for interrupting your morning tryst with the married Captain. I realize I did not give you a lot of time to get here so I am sorry his seed is running down your right leg right now."

Her face went ashen, "You will need to break things off with him immediately! We also need a wagon and support to move my men's packs and my wife who is ill to the market and to new accommodations. One of my men is making arrangements right now. As most of our activity will be in the market for the next 3 days.

Now before you say this cannot be done let me give you another observation. The gold elf lieutenant that was banging you from behind last night and shot his seed into while shoving his thumb into your nether-hole left you a little something. Infertility items are failing and some are causing an increase in fertility. His cock ring failed last night and you are with child.

I know you won't trust my cleric to confirm this so please check with your own. Once you have and you come to understand the danger you are now in, you will want to get the wagon and get my team moved. You will get a guard detail. Not the dredge of snapping turtles you have in place right now to try and make my life miserable.

Once you have done those things, I will hand you the key to saving your life, your marriage, and your child. I cannot do much for your career as a Royal Guard Captain as you will be placed inactive as soon as you reach one year into your pregnancy.

Then the string of children you will have over the next century will likely keep you from returning. So, instruct your turtles to behave, go check on your upcoming children, then get the wagon here for my wife and get her moved to the market. You will want my help to resolve your problem."

She backed away from him and went to talk with her men and then rode off. Annette looked at me, "I thought that stopped?"

He shook his head, "No it is just slower and more focused. There are things I see that I cannot change. Somethings I need Charlemagne and you to talk over. Because it is very cryptic and it is weighing heavily on me right now. Later when I can talk to you both."

They moved over to our new guards. They seemed less hostile, "Are your troops ready to go? I do not wish to be accused of leaving you behind."

He smirked, "Yes we are ready to go and we heard about your trip through the gate the other day. I still find it hard to believe."

Eldar looked at him, "There are a lot of things you will find hard to believe, and as word spreads you will learn it is better to be on my good side than my bad side. Your Captain is getting that lesson today. She changed your orders, not to hinder us in our efforts until she returns."

He mocked Eldar, "How would you know what our orders are?"

Annette sighed, "Oh shit, you had to ask him that."

Eldar looked at the guard, "The same way I know you spent last night behind your barracks with a male prostitute. You managed to get most of his seed out of your nether-hole this morning. Your wash up job on your cock is a different matter. You wiped your cock down well. But you still have shit on your sack and inner thighs from when you fucked him in his nether-hole.

He had not used a chamber pot recently. It would be a waste, except having more of you running around is not a good idea. It is a good thing you are infertile in the grand scheme of things you do not matter. T'suras Biana."

He rode forward and his comrade's stared at him in horror. They soon caught up and the snapping turtle was in the back of the procession. Annette asked, "Can you do that to anyone?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Only when I am forced to focus on them for a long period of time or they get my emotions to rise. Which is why it is a good thing our escorts up here are remaining quiet on our ride to the market and not drawing my focus."

He heard a sigh from either side of them as they moved forward. They got to the market and he looked at the guard, "We will likely be here all day. We have another who will be coming in before midday. You will stay with me as I will be in and out of the city gates this morning working on evaluating casters outside of the city walls."

The first group of people seemed to be about 80. He pulled up, "T'suras Vita. I will make the assumption you might be waiting to see me."

He got a few laughs. He smiled, "Good, a sense of humor is important because you got to find some good times to draw upon when the day is not so good. Before we get started. Everyone here who is interested must be aware.

You could be reporting to an elf, an elf-blooded, a human, a dwarf, on several other countless races. If you have an issue with that then you are in the wrong place. Second, if you are a tradesman of any kind please head up to the first wagon. If you are an arcane of any kind please head up to the first wagon. The rest remain her as our martial and ranged experts will be working with you.

Annette is one of my wives, the other is sick today. We are running a man down as Annette is the town administrator working business aspects. The other arcane will not be here until the afternoon. One last thing, if you are here because of a special invitation from me? Meet me at the first wagon. T'suras Biana."

He headed up front and Annette followed.

He looked at the group, "T'suras Vita." As He got down. "Arcanes to the left, business people to my right, special invitations in the middle. I would like to start with those that have a special invitation. I put forward a couple of positions that I do not have faces for yet."

He pulled out a book quill and ink and handed them to Annette.

"Annette is our town administrator. She will be the one to coordinate protection for laborers, work with the zoning people, craftsmen, and initial supplies to get this town up and running. We got a little surprise yesterday from the Queen, our charter has been modified from 200 to 600 troops.

This town will be growing fast. Let us get started, Special invitations. The people I know you can wait over there. On the other side of the arcane at the moment, Sir you are?"

He looked at me, "Master Craftsman Greentree I was told about you and intrigued about being your Town Planner. Like yourself, I am of mixed blood."

Eldar nodded to him, "Welcome, I take it your interview of us went well then. Any relation to the stable owner?"

He nodded, "Distant relative. First time I have been asked to interview a client. Yes, I am looking forward to this."

Eldar nodded, "You will be working directly with Annette and she can outline the map and projects we will be starting with as well as what limited resources we have been allowed to bring to the front. A pleasure to have you with us. I am glad to be putting the face, to the name, to the position. What were your thoughts on our little discussion yesterday?"

He shrugged, "You are a little long-winded but you had a lot to tell and a few to recognize. I like that you do public recognition."

Eldar smiled, "More of that will come just not at the Academy."

He got a few chuckles. "Alright, this is for those that are here at the moment. I do my best not to publicly criticize anyone. Unless the message that must be sent needs to be sent to all. You, sir, weren't on my special list but had I known you would be here, I would have had you on it.

Everyone, this is a veteran of the last war and a merchant now. He may have a thing or two to say about what we will face so consider him sagely in advice. Your business is?"

He grinned at Eldar, "I am a blacksmith, I own my own business in the city for the last 40 years."

Eldar smiled, "You are in luck because we are looking for a blacksmith or five. We hold a couple of those in reserve for our dwarven allies as we have yet to talk with them directly. Are you able to finance your own move? Do you have all of your equipment?"

He nodded, "I have 4 apprentices the problem I see is getting wood."

Eldar shook his head, "That has already been worked out. Our Wood-elf neighbors are going to collect firewood for the campsites that will be easily addressed. The reason behind this is everyone is lazy when it comes to firewood. We look for stuff close by. Wood-elves work to protect the balance.

They will bring in stuff from deeper in the woods to the town and no firewood will be collected independently. Does that help?"

He nodded, "Building materials?"

Eldar smiled, "I am glad you asked. The wood-elves will be collecting sapling for sale. For every tree we take down we will be planting 5 on the human side of the border to rebuild the forest that has been lost over the last 200 years. The elven side of the town is 40 square miles. Only half of that will be built on. The rest will be a town green space for safety to visit without getting shot.

Speaking of which if you see an arrow land at your feet pick it up and hold it in your weapon hand. For most that would be the right hand; I am ambidextrous which makes me especially complicated. I am known to both wood elf villages in the area. I was born in one and my wives grew up in the other. Please see Annette in the back and she will try and address your concerns.

Fair warning! The only ones allowed to hunt on caravan patrols are Gray Blades. Poaching is a year of hard labor; unless you kill or try to kill someone then it would be a death sentence on the spot before we would even know about it. Best bet, unless you have a legitimate reason and been given permission, stay out of the woods. The same rules apply. Taking down a tree that has not been approved will earn you jail time."

He pointed to another man he replied, "I am an alchemist."

Eldar nodded, "You know that infertility potions will be outlawed shortly. They are prohibited items in the City. The goddess has been very particular. Every female officer we have is expecting; twins! One is expecting triplets. Our Doc came across an elf blooded lady who had the misfortune of getting a lover with one of those potions.

She is expecting quadruplets; two sets of twins actually. Several of those have happened in the city since we arrived. I expect that will continue. The only safe sex is to already be pregnant or infertile. Go see Annette at the back of the wagon, do you have the money to start your business?"

He shook his head, "Then tell Annette we have our first Gray Blade staff Alchemist. Until you have the lion's share of the money and then I will back you until you can pay me back. You will be support staff so healing potions are going to be a big item and I think the others will come up with some ideas for you."