Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 22

They were trying to change house law before he found out he was the new Patron. I have spent the last 3 days blocking it which has kept me from the Palace and the duties you need me for. My cousin Bartimon is dead from trying to prove the sword a fake. Our house laws tied the Patron to the Moon Blade holder unless the sword is lost.

That became Eldar as of his wedding. I fear there will be an attack, especially from the witch of a wife of mine and her father. Whom my son called out as the father of my youngest son. He's been having an affair with his own daughter for 40 years. Eldar nailed her on fraud against the family and stripped her assets, more accurately he had me strip those assets. A certain amount of satisfaction in doing that I must say. She did not want it done for a cause in front of the Grand Clerics in open court. She decided this private embarrassment was enough, but you know the rumors will spread quickly.

The Queen groaned, "He had Moon Blade running around dealing with prophecy stuff last night. I am signing the order showing him as the Patron for House Silvertree but I must ask, why did you delay?"

Heliar sighed, "I knew he did not like how this house treated him. His first act was getting rid of my wife! I worried assassins would get hired from within. I still do, but he came and faced the challenge as the Gods gave him the knowledge of Silvertree House law and sent him to this meeting.

He chose to come to this meeting today on his own. He knew what they were going to do and he knew the house law without ever having read them, he admitted as much to all of them. Like he knows every treaty he has ever read. His memory is far better than his mother and me as he retains the information over 60 years that we know about.

At least 25 years for those treaties and he retains it all to page and paragraph numbers. I did not want the additional danger for him and I did not think he wanted the role. He appointed me as his overseer for the house so he is distancing himself from the house.

I believe he is doing that because he cannot be in the capital and in the field at the same time. He hit the conspirators where it hurts. He fined them all 10% for the coup attempt. He divided that money across four accounts, two for his wives, the town discretionary fund, and his own, which he buys gear for his Gray Blades from that. I am secondary on an account I had set up for him with house profits.

He knew full well he could have disowned them all on the spot as did they, Your Majesty He is giving them fair warning."

She sighed, "The papers are signed and dated as of his wedding date. A Night I am not likely to ever forget. He has been challenging me as well, Heliar. I had an issue with Royal guards, an affair that got one Captain pregnant as their infertility items are failing all over the city.

She happened to be married to the head of my Royal Guards who is infertile. Enough to say I was the only one who could address it so it saved two more lives. The gods are challenging me would be a fairer statement. I have him covered if anything happens.

I will give them to him when I see him again. I will get Royal guards on standby if I have to send them after the Patron at House Silverbar. In fact, I am going to call him to the palace. In regards to this damning information, I am now hearing."

She ended the comms. She contacted the head of House Silverbar. He answered, "Your Majesty, how can I help you this evening?"

She sighed, "You are wanted in court with your Daughter. I just received word about issues at House Silvertree and I want to go over the legality associated with the actions taken against her. I expect you here in 10 minutes, both of you. I want this resolved before my court is turned into a circus."

The Patron sighed, "We will be there but the allegations are unfounded. She did not wish to remain in a house with that bastard leading it so she relented under the threat of a sword pointed at her. We will be there momentarily." Comms ended and he looked at his daughter, "Our chance to put a Silverbar spin on the events of this evening. It also gives us an alibi for any attacks as we are with the Queen."

Vattia'Desua sneered, "We will make that bastard and that house pay for the insult to our family if we do this right."

They teleported to the palace and walked in. They were shown to a conference room where the King, Queen, the court Wizard, 20 Royal guards, and all of the Grand Clerics were present. She pressed a stone. "All magic is dampened in this room at the moment. Please put restraints on the Patron and his daughter. Then I can shut this off and we will get to the truth of the matter."

The patron stared at his daughter as they were both put into restraints and stripped of any magical gear they held. The Queen looked over, "Grand Cleric, I want the truth on her youngest child. Start Divining answers."

---

They arrived back at the stables and he found Annette stabling the two horses. He put T'suras in and fed and watered him.

He brushed him down. Annette finally spoke, "Where have you been?"

He looked at her, "Ensuring you and your sister will never have to worry about our children financially again. I assumed the head of the household for House Silvertree. I am the Patron of House Silvertree. It apparently came with the sword.

Father was working to fight off the vipers. I ended his miserable marriage, watched one guy kill himself by trying to claim the sword. Put the rest of them in line. Another vision after my aunt mentioned vipers."

She looked at him, "That means what now?"

He smiled, "It means my father will be by this evening with more legal documents. Your bank accounts will grow much larger tomorrow. Including the discretionary fund. I fined all the family members 10% of their assets in gold pieces. For those trying to employ this backroom coup over control of the family. Split four ways.

I use my account to buy stuff for the Gray Blades, you use the discretionary account to buy stuff for the town and now your own accounts to furnish and finish your businesses and have money for our children. Without having to put them in the middle of the vipers. Where is my Aunt?"

She stood there open-mouthed, "What if they try to kill us?"

He nodded, "I put in a provision for that as well, including disowning them all. They will guard each other."

She sighed, "Will it work?"

He nodded rapidly, "They know I was within my right to disown them all on the spot. I used a sharp knife instead of a ballista. If it does occur then we will deal with them. They will fail. Tomorrow after the mid-day meal I want you to go to the bank.

Pull out a 100,000 gold piece in mixed forms for the 2 villages. For buying saplings. At this point, we will have them working for months filling the sapping requests. That would make up to around 10,000 or more saplings."

Annette just laughed, "You and your visions."

He shrugged, "Check your account and see what you have some time tomorrow afternoon. You might want to order your tables, bedroom furniture for a hundred rooms, stools and the bar supplies before we leave. You might get the villagers to do your bar and stools, and kitchen. Speaking of which you should find out how much it would cost to have enchanted ovens. Look at enchanted forges.

Just ones that do not require fuel. It would be nice to have those in every home we build."

She sighed, "You want to get upstairs and get dinner now?"

He nodded and they headed into the inn. He looked at the guy at the counter, "I would like five meals delivered to my room with ten bottles of elven wine and 20 glasses."

The barkeep looks at him funny.

"Feeding family and going straight into an officers meeting."

He nodded and puts the order in as Eldar headed upstairs to their room. They walked in and Charlemagne had sat up and talked with his Aunt and Karra. Charlemagne looked at him, "Where have you been?"

He smiled and looked at his Aunt, "Taming vipers."

His Aunt looks at Eldar, "What did you do?"

He drew his sword and put it across his arms. "Pulled the vipers off my father and claimed my right to be head of the Silvertree household. One poor fool tried to claim the sword, the sword killed him. My father will be by in a while with legal documents. I put them all on notice and am setting up provisions that will destroy the house if they take action against me and my family."

She sighed, "What did your bitch of a step-mother do?"

He smiled, "I dissolved his marriage! His youngest child was not his. It was the product of the 40-year affair with her own father. Prophecies can do some good. I cut her completely out of the Silvertree family."

She looked at me, "The church has to do that."

He nodded, "Yes, but she does not want to contest it publicly so she has agreed to the terms I gave her. I think between what I did with her and what the sword did nobody else had the guts to do anything. I fined all the conspirators' 10% of their assets. Instead of disowning them all."

His aunt laughed, "I wish I could have seen that. They have to follow you and your two half-elf wives. Oh, Gods, this is funny."

He nodded, "Annette is going to the bank tomorrow. To see how big of an impact it has on the accounts. I had the funds split four ways counting the town discretionary fund."

Charlemagne laughed now, "When will he be here?"

Eldar shrugged.

Karti'Ros, "Danger approaches."

He stood and pointed at his head,

Annette, "What is it?"

Eldar, "Danger at the door. Bring them to their knees."

Annette, "Gotcha."

Knock at the door.

Eldar, "Karta Ros left hand Moon Fire on."

He moved behind the door. He pointed to Charlemagne "Come in."

The door opened and it was serving girls. Three of them with the stuff he had requested.

Eldar, "Go one by one and have them shout out if they are an assassin."

The Middle girl shouts out, "I am here to assassinate you!"

She went for a dagger and he cut her hand clean off.

He looked at the other two, "Set that down on the table, remember I am a caster as well so no quick moves." He knocked the screaming girl out cold.

Eldar, "Karti'Ros danger still present?"

Karti'Ros, "Danger I do not sense it."

He looked at the other two, "How long have you known her?"

The one girl looks over, "She started less than a week ago."

He looked at the two girls, "You are cleared to leave, let your owner know we caught an assassin. Odds are good that some of the things in the food have been poisoned; at least what you brought up. Hold off calling any guards yet as I intend to interrogate her first."

They nodded and shot out of the room. He kicked the dagger away and had Annette's search her. He then tied her one hand to her feet. We woke her. She looks up at him while he threw her severed hand onto her stomach, "Who were you supposed to kill?"

She stayed quiet. He looked to Annette, "Have her answer all of my questions honestly but check for geases first."

The Girl looked over, "All of you. The food is poisoned."

He looked at her, "Give me all the details of this task including who hired you."

She gritted her teeth, "I work for house Silverbar, the patron hired me to be in place. In case you caused any problems for his daughter. Your step-mother."

He nodded, "How many other assassinations have you done?"

She looked over, "This would have been my first."

He looked over, "Karra, head downstairs and find one of our escorts."

Heliar arrived and looked at the scene in front of me, "What happened?"

Eldar shrugged, "An amateur assassin from the head of House Silverbar. We get through all the legal documents and I will turn her over to you and the Royal Guards.

Annette, tell her to answer any questions posed to her up to the time she walked in this door by the King, Queen, Royal Guards, my father, or any Clerics. Father ask her something."

He thought and finally asked, "Who is your lover?"

She smiled, "The patron and his daughter; your wife My master and mistress in bed."

He looked at his father, "I will sign what I need to. I want your dissolution done in front of all the Grand Clerics. With the patron, his daughter, and their love child so they can divine paternity. The Patron and your soon to be ex-wife should be arrested as well and taken to the palace. I believe an assassination against one house head from another house head is a royal matter."

He nodded. "I am empowering you to handle it if the King or Queen asks how come she is answering everything, tell her we used the same interrogation methods we use on spies in the past. She will give them every explicit detail."

The Royal Guard showed up and saw the girl on the floor, "What happened?"

He put his sword away. He looked at the girl, "What type of poison did you use and where do you store it?"

She looked up, "I keep vials in my boot. It is a nerve toxin that is fatal after six hours. I put some in the food. I have more in my boot and in my room."

He looked at her, "Anything special about your dagger?"

She nodded, "It will inject the poison. It works near instantly when that is done."

He picked up the dagger and gave it to his father, "So what happens here?"

He sighed, "This will bring his house down; seizure of all assets given to you."

Eldar shook his head, "No, I do not want his money. I want House Silverbar's top five successors here to undergo questioning, no bodyguards other than Royal Guards. I want them here tonight. It will be a long night. Can we make this happen? They have a Moon Blade wielder selected for activation. I cannot destroy the house completely. I want him here as well."

He nodded, "I can get the arrest orders for the patron and my ex-wife."

He stepped into the room next door, "Your Majesty, are you free to talk?"

She sighed, "I have most of the interested parties from house Silverbar here, except for the love child. Also, all the Grand Clerics."

Heliar chuckled, "Well I have an assassin who is spilling her guts. What Eldar had done to the 2 spies he found; this one is spewing from her mouth. Including being the lover of those 2 and the amateur assassin sent by house Silverbar to kill him and his wives. My son does not want the house destroyed.

He wants to see the top 5 replacements for the household and the chosen candidate for the Moon Blade here this evening. I think he wants to decide on a course of action. We will bring the would-be assassin with us, Your Majesty."

She half sighed and half chuckled, "Very well, I will send Royal guards to gather them and take them to the Market. Guards there can point them to the correct room. We will keep them in the dark. I have had them divine the paternity already and now they are being stripped to be taken to the dungeon. We will see you soon, Heliar." She ended the comms.

She looked across, "Eldar became the Patron of House Silvertree the day he married and was given the sword in accordance with Silvertree House law. I have the documentation on it right here. This was a patron-on-patron attack and he is still considering sparing your house somehow. We will see what comes of this. Take them to the Dungeon."

The guards ended up dragging them out as she did not go quietly. The Queen sighed, "It will be interesting to see what the champion does here." Everyone in the room nodded as she waved her hand and they all left after she departed with her husband following.

---

Heliar stepped out as Eldar finished giving the guards instructions. "Guards would you take the poisoned food, the assassin, and collect all the evidence. She will tell you where everything is. Put her hand in her pocket."

Eldar signed the papers as they all checked out. Heliar witnessed it as did Charlemagne, Annette, and his Aunt Triana.

The officers showed up and he laid out our initial patrols based on their current numbers, "We have picked up a hundred forty-three recruits. We have eight lieutenants out of the gate and as I want two of them for Captains. We had twice as many sergeants as we would need for this size, but I am alright with that at the moment. We still have another 450 slots to fill.

He looked at Tranonsa, "I want the two extra lieutenants with New Moon and Blaze. New Moon and Blaze are senior to the other two. I plan on pulling those two to work with me directly so I want them ready to take over."

Tranosa nodded, "Anyone else you want on this detail of yours."

He nodded, "I want three of the new clerics, a couple of extra sergeants one being an arcane archer.

Any humans in those numbers?"

He nodded, "We picked up 27 humans from the other caravans."

He nodded, "How many are sergeants?"

He looks over his sheet, "Three and one lieutenant."

He thought for a second and then asked, "Any breakup of skills between those three?"

He looked, "A caster and two fighter types." He nodded, "I want the casters and one of the fighters in addition to the Arcane archers we picked up today. All of them."

Tranosa asks "Why so many clerics?"

He smiled, "Our human farmers, once I get them on board, I will select one to keep. We will be traveling outside our normal area to check on them. This is after we get back."

He looked at Hunter, "Make sure we have enough workhorses. We have more men than horses. You might want to look at picking up a couple of those 24-foot wagons. For troop transport and temporary quarters until these buildings come together. We will be pulling them in for some of the labor working teams to drag trees from the forest."

They wrapped up and his father was back. With 8 others, Eldar invited them into the room and had Annette move over by Charlemagne. He sat on the edge of the bed. He looked at this group. Most did not like being called out at such an hour to the market district.

He glared at them, "You are all house Silverbar?" Two in the back show themselves to be Royal Guards. "The Royal Guards can wait in the hall. The 6 of you, do you know why you are here?"

They all nodded. One young man, "We heard our patron made an attempt on your life."

He nodded, "It is worse, by House Silvertree law the house is ruled by the wielder of the Moon Blade and that is me. It is a patron-on-patron attack. Not authorized by the Royal Family or divine direction. Your whole house hangs in the wind at this time."

They seemed to have a greater interest in what Eldar had to say. "Who would be next in line?"

A gentleman in the back raised his hand, "I am the Patron's brother."

Eldar stood, "I will forewarn you right now that your answers are being monitored by magical means. Answer truthfully or not at all. Do you agree with your brother's actions?"

He thought before answering, "I do not approve of his methods."

Eldar nodded, "So that means you would have attacked me with a different method. More people as opposed to your brother's way of doing things?"

He turns white and did not answer. "How old are you?"

He turns to Eldar, "Five hundred three years old."

He nodded, "Who is the youngest here on the top five list..."

A lady held up her hand, "Do you follow the same logic you would have done things differently?"

Again, no answer, "Do any of you regret any action that was taken against me."

The young elf up in front stepped forward, "I do."

He looked at him, "You carry your family sword."

He nodded. Eldar asked him, "Are your parents of the same mind as you on this?"

He shook his head. He looked to the group behind him, "You are out to save your house's collective ass by destroying the elven people!"

He looked at the young man, "How old are you?"

He looks at Eldar, "72."

Eldar looked at him, "My father is going to carry this request back to the Queen, all members of your house from seventy-six to nine hundred should be sent to the deep roads on an expedition. As they seem to want to fight with poison the drow would be the best adversary that would be the best place for them.