Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 22

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

He turns to Eldar, "503 years old."

Eldar 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 76 to 800 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.

Here is my wish to the Queen. All adult family members are to be disowned. All disowned family members are to be taken away from society be that a deep road expedition, the army on the drow side of the conflict only, or a prison. She must allow you to act in the capacity of an adult for the next 3 years to tend to whatever remains of your family's assets and minor children.

I would hope the Queen is kind to you and leaves you a manageable house and does not strip all of your assets. I want nothing for House Silvertree in this incident. I request that the assassin and your patron be put to death by his daughter with the very poison-injecting dagger he wished to have me injected with.

If the bitch chooses to take her own life then death for the others will still be with that dagger. All minor children of other members should be judged by you when they reach adulthood or graduate from the Academies. The choices being the army or a job within the house is suitable.

No heir from anyone other than your offspring can assume control of your house assets or that blade. They are all employees of the house. To the caretaker of the Moon Blade. Can you take on that responsibility? To keep your house name intact for the future?"

He looked at Eldar, "What if there are individuals I want to keep to work for the family?"

Eldar nodded, "So long as they are all kept under a geas to do no harm to House Silvertree members or conspire against House Silvertree I would not be opposed to them being employees of the house. If they have children then they can continue to raise them.

Until the day they are judged by you; monitor them regularly through the teachers and yourself directly. The only exception is my stepmother Vattia'Desua. She can never have anything to do with your house again or her children. One of the royal guards or an executioner will end her life with that dagger."

He nodded, "That would be an honorable solution to this nasty affair."

Eldar looked at his father, "Can you ensure the entire house is under house detention. Until the Queen rules on this matter. I will take responsibility for the blade holder. He can come here and stay in the common room with our soldiers until we depart. Bring your mount as well as your family blade. I can store it for safekeeping so long as it is sheathed."

Heliar nodded, "I will let her know and let it be known to those in our house who might get any ideas."

Eldar nodded, "Thank you. The guards can take them. The boy can return tonight to the common room. I will safeguard the sword in the morning. Can I get your name?"

He nodded, "Callium Silverbar."

Eldar waited for them to leave, "Karra, get Fireball and bring him back here."

Aunt Triana sat in the corner, "What just happened? How did Annette get that girl to confess?"

Eldar looked at Annette as she sighed, "This is a big secret, but I am psionic."

His aunt raised an eyebrow, "Does that mean you could pass that into the elven population?"

Eldar nodded, "You remember my saying that we are bringing talent to help the elven people, she is an unspoken part of that. She has interrogated a couple of spies for the Queen. The Royal Palace knows about this. The Gods who restored her fertility and married her to me expected this to happen to bring the talent to the elven people."

Triana smiled, "I will keep your secret for now. I look forward to the day that this is recognized."

Eldar nodded. Karra returned with Fireball. He pointed to chairs, "Time to address the elephant in the room. I will take the lead on this. During my wedding, there were a few things that happened.

The goddess restored fertility to Annette. Not widely known. Also, Fireball's fertility that fact is widely known. She also pulled every infertility item and potion and dropped them in a pile. She said they should be banned. She left them there but said they would have side effects. To the best of my knowledge, nobody took them, I am thinking Fireball might have."

He sighed and nodded. "I spent a lot of gold on those. The rings and such were melted and warped. They looked like they had spikes in them so I left them."

Eldar sighed, "These items have started failing in the city. I know of two instances where this has occurred. Fireball, your turn."

Fireball looks at Eldar and then at her, "Our leader Eldar had Doc check you after our encounter the other night, one of those items was the potion I used. It made you very fertile and very pregnant with quadruplets."

Fireball had stopped talking so Eldar jumped back in, "There is more, all of the babies will become Battle Mages. The only way that can happen is if you are an arcane caster, my guess is you are a dormant sorceress. The note I sent down called for him to not have sex with you.

To hear what you had to say and realize you were attracted to him. I strongly suspected you were an untrained arcane. Carrying that many children with magical abilities you are not likely to remain dormant for much longer. You will need training. Fireball is a sorcerer who trains.

I am a wizard who trains but I train Blade Singers. I could also help you if you are not a Sorceress. Why don't you go with Fireball and talk about your circumstances? I am going to have my Aunt here stay with you so she will be in your room when you get back. She is the only cleric we have that has done a multi-birth delivery. We have five sets of twins and a set of triplets in our officers so you are among the best who are in the same boat.

The job is real. We will have a lot of children coming. My wives have a father who can use a hand as he is getting up there in age. As the kids get older, we will have a very large inn that you will get paid to work in with a good wage. You two go, I will show my Aunt to your room." They walked out and he showed his Aunt Triana the room next door, "Your thoughts on how I handled the assassination attempt?"

She shook her head, "You have a lot riding on your young shoulders. Pass some of the burdens onto those who you trust."

Eldar nodded. "I am working on that very thing."

He walked back into my room and Annette was out of her clothes and she helped Charlemagne. He got undressed, opened a bottle of wine, and drank straight from the bottle. He walked over to the bed and passed it around, "Not sure I trust the glasses."

They pulled him into bed. Charlemagne looked at him, "Get some sleep Annette is going to wake you in the morning." He nodded and cuddled up with his ladies and found solace in sleep. He awoke early because of a knock on the door, "Who is it?"

The voice that came back was Tranosa, "We got the first groups together. I thought you would want to say something."

Eldar sighed, "I will be right down."

The ladies were still asleep. He thought this trip into the city sucked for sex with his wives. He finished getting dressed and headed downstairs. The sun was not up yet. He walked out and saw the mass of bodies.

He looked at the group, "I am expecting more cloaks in the coming weeks. I started with my trainers and Captain. I will not appoint a captain until I have ridden into combat with them. That they have that level of trust to not only watch my back but they will watch yours. The next ones coming in will be distributed to the other Lieutenant, then to the sergeants.

I have enough cloaks ordered to cover everyone we have so far. We will order more to fill out our ranks. During this journey, the lieutenants will start getting a feel for what gear you have. Also, what type of armor you use and what you are lacking.

This will go toward us getting your gear worthy of the work you will be doing. This is the beginning of a long journey. I will travel with each of you over the next few months. I have an excellent memory. Any dirty jokes you tell me I will know. If I do not know it, I will add it."

He got a few chuckles. "Hunter is leading this group out. You are taking most of the extra workhorses. You will come across some downed trees that we cleared on our way up. Please take those logs to the crossroads as they will be starting in that area. You will learn more as you go along.

You have great leaders, excellent trainers, and you will learn a lot in the weeks to come. Enjoy your trip. We have another 40 wagons coming in. You can understand why we are clearing some out this morning. Some of you will be heading out on patrol earlier than others. Enjoy the view and the journey ahead of us all. Hunter, they are yours!"

He walked over to Tranosa, "We got saddles and no bit reigns for the horses we have remaining?"

He shook his head, "We are short 34."

He nodded, "Let us see what the stable master has left."

We walked into his shop and a young boy was watching the shop. He looked over at him, "Let me see what you have in regular saddles black and brown with no bit bridle with reins. Before you run off, I am asking for the total numbers of standard stock. The kid went to the stockroom, and came back, "Fourteen brown and two black."

Eldar nodded, "Ensure they are all bought out. Along with blankets.

Also, pull the four sets I have aside already."

The kid looked at Eldar, "You have not asked how much they are?"

Eldar looked at him, "Tell the stable master they were bought by Eldar Silvertree; add in 16 soft blankets to that and they are 275 gold pieces each. I have bought enough of them in the last couple of days. He should be up in the next hour. I will have men coming in to pick them up. He has my account number."

He left and headed back into the inn. The innkeeper started apologizing right off the bat about last night. Eldar looked at him, "Using your most trusted staff, I would like tea and morning meals sent up to my room. Five of them, three to mine and two to the room next door.

An assortment of fruit. You know they will need two sets of tea and fruit. The two girls I let walk out last night will work. They know what I will do to an assassin. No new staff while we are here, please."

He nodded. "Thank you for your understanding."

Eldar turned to head upstairs and Heliar walked in, "I forgot to leave these with you last night." As he hands him a bag with Silvertree cloak pins. "I got that list you asked for about the disowned."

Eldar looked at the list, "What are your thoughts on this list?"

Heliar sighed, "Most are dead with no surviving family. A few are criminals, there are 6 that were disowned for the sake of marriage. Not counting our cousin Master Trainer Yetto. I am taking care of him before you ask."

Eldar nodded, "Send messages to those 6 that as I am now the head of household their status as being disowned is revoked. Find out their skill sets and put assets in line with their skills if they wish to be involved. Get lists of children they may have had. Ensure they are tested for abilities. Trained privately or at the Academies at the choice of the parents." He nodded. "Did you disown any of them?"

Heliar shook his head, "My father did. I did not approve of the practice for obvious reasons."

Eldar nodded, "Explains why the goddesses released all of the souls. They are corrupting the sword's original purpose. House over the Elven people as a whole."

Eldar looked at the pins. "They are different from the one I am wearing."

Heliar nodded, "I know they are enchanted. Nothing major but put that one on." He swapped out the pin and it showed him the two moons as they were reflected for the coming night. The Silvertree also has a sway to it like a small breeze was going through the air. Heliar looks at Eldar, "I have another 100 being made, only for your wives and children. It will also blackout if worn by a non-Silvertree."

Eldar nodded, "I like it, so will my wives. I would ask that the swaying tree aspect is reflected in all of them. Also, the Silvertree going black if worn by a non-family member. I want the other ones destroyed. Leave the moons to my branch of the family tree."

Heliar smiled, "Good idea I got the swaying idea from the Queen. You have to look at more than the trunk to see the beauty of a tree when it sways in the breeze. I liked that. She told me it was something you told her."

Eldar nodded, "I am glad to hear that my words are not lost."

Heliar laughed loudly, "Your voice is effecting changes. By the time you return with her nephew, the decrees will be in place. The church reforms will be started. Something you told her has lit a fire in the Palace. I am also here to get Callium Silverbar to take to the palace, he has to be there."

They walked to the common room and opened the door. Callium Silverbar was just getting up and Eldar waved him over. "I will hold your sword but you have to go to the palace so the Queen can talk with you. What are you wearing?"

He points to his clothes from last night. Eldar walked over and laid them out and cleaned them with a cantrip. "Do you have armor?" He shook his head and pointed to his wrists.

Eldar nodded, "Best I can do for you on short notice. My father will watch your back. Be courteous and strong in her presence as you have done nothing wrong in this event."

He handed Eldar his sheathed sword and Eldar wrapped it in a blanket and slid it into the bag of holding. "It will be safe until you return, I will give it back to you once the Queen has made her ruling on the matter."

He left with Heliar. Two very annoyed wives stared at Eldar, "Where did you go?"

He went over to the bed and held out a closed hand to each of them. They opened the hands and saw the Silvertree pins. "My father had them made. Tranosa got me this morning to do a sendoff to our first guys heading into the field."

He had them look at his pin. "It will show you the lunar cycle for the upcoming night. The tree sways in a breeze."

Charlemagne gasped, "They are beautiful."

He nodded, "They turn black if a non-family member is wearing the pin. This design will only work for me and my family line, my wives, and children."

Annette looks at him, "You are forgiven, but your cock is mine."

He nodded with an evil grin, "Charlemagne's command as we never finished the last game."

Charlemagne laughed with a wicked smile, "I may be out of action but this will be fun."

The food arrived and the ladies came in and were a little nervous. He walked over to them and placed a platinum piece in each of their hands. He looked at them, "Last night was traumatic. I am sorry you got caught in the middle of it, I hope your day goes better today."

They gave him a quick nod and left the room. He turned to his wives, "Fun and games will have to wait. I have an apprentice to meet and food to eat."

As he grabbed a few bites of food and a couple of pieces of fruit and walked to the door. He sighed at the door, "Can you check on Karra?"

Annette nodded but scowled. He got downstairs and walked outside. He saw the father and son.

Eldar looked at him. He waved over Fireball and Cook to follow. He looked at Fireball, "Check out Narius's gear, rings, armor, and necklace. I want to see the sword. Cook, when we are done, I need you to get this kid outfitted for the field. He is to be one of my apprentices so he will need to have the necessities."

The father handed him the sword smiling and he grabbed the blade and drew it. He looked down the blade on both sides and then he pulled out a dagger and started tapping the blade. Until he found the section that was out of tune. He looked at Fireball, "Well."

Fireball shrugged, "All midline gear. The necklace does fire resistance, acid resistance ring, and a resistance ring."

Eldar looked at Narius's father, "You can return this blade, it is set to fail there is a crack in it. I stopped by that store and bought both of the only 2 weapons above this one. You will pay me in gold and platinum 30,000 gold pieces for what you should have bought Narius in the first place. Return this faulty sword."

Narius's father nodded. Eldar looked at him, "After you are done in the general store, I want you to meet me at the stables. Bring a dozen apples, you will learn something."

Cook took them into the store and he headed to the stable and call out, "T'suras Unta." As he picked up the saddle and bridle and lead him outback. He opened the pen, "Send the gray colt out." He did.

He set the saddle and bridle on the fence. he pointed inside, "T'suras fika." He moved away from the stall and the gray just stood there. Cook led them to him and they could see and hear T'suras banging away as they approach.

Eldar looked at the father, "The gray colt is the one T'suras picked out for your son."

Eldar looked at Narius, "What does "T'suras mean?"

Narius looks at him, "From the sky?"

Eldar smiled, "Close, Coming from the night sky. The horse fucking away at the mares in that holding pen is T'suras. Lesson one, these are not horses. They're War Horses; they're even more than that. They are unbroken. Well, spirited beautiful creatures that can be friendly toward you or crush your skull. Have respect for them."

He looked at Cook, "The gray should not go anywhere. I need to run these two into the stable master's office to work the terms and purchase the gear. I will be just a few seconds."

As they walked, "Lesson two nobody will take care of your beautiful creature but you unless you are incapacitated or dead. They will bond to a single rider, the reason the colt is standing there is T'suras told it to."

The father interjected, "You are going to put him onto an unbroken horse?"

Eldar looked at the father, "No, Narius is going to put himself onto that beautiful creature. Remember no interference, watch, and learn."

They stepped into the stable master's office. Eldar looked at him, "Good morning, this is the man who is buying the gray colt for his son. He will need the usual bit less harness soft blanket and saddle; in black or gray. I will leave the father in your care. Remember nothing less than what I have bought for my wives' horses and we bought out those for my men yesterday. I know your stock is getting low.

I want to place an order for those goat hair blankets. I am looking for 30 more if you can let your supplier know. Gray and black assorted."

The Stable Master shook his head, "I will see what I can do on those."