Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 23

Instructor Moon Bow asked, "Why do you keep referring to Teresana'Via Silver Moon as Dame Silver Moon? A title reserved for knights?"

He smiled, "Because she has been knighted, not by our Queen but by a human King in a far-off land."

Dame Silver Moon looked at him, "How did you... no, forget I asked how you knew. You can be scary with that stuff sometimes."

They looked at Moon Blade who laughed, "This is mild, you did not see the night he sent me off to get word to you, take out a mass murderer and reclaim the third dead Moon Blade. That was scary stuff, it also revealed how he would find his two apprentices, and exactly how I could actually start a family with the lady I love. That night was insane! Yet here we are."

She looked at him, "You heard all of this in that one night?"

Eldar nodded, "Also what needed to be done to perform the ritual and replacing one of the sword bearers. To keep from having a death during the ritual, provided everyone follows instructions." Everyone went quiet. "I am going back to my house I have extended invitations to Dame Silver Moon and my apprentice to join us for the evening meal.

Along with our house guest Greentree so I can provide some additional guidance while we eat. Elder Silver, could you extend the second invitation for your village to the youngest elven Elder and the first goes to you. The other two will go to Elder Strong Oak and the youngest elven Elder."

Elder Silver smiled, "Thank you for the honor, yet again!"

Eldar got up and walked out with his wives at his side. Dame Silver Moon walked with apprentice Moon Ray and Greentree. They got inside. Hunter, Eagle-eye, Karra, Fireball, Doc, Keyno, and Tiger were present. They looked forward to a good meal. Charlemagne and Annette moved forward to get food and drink going for everyone.

He looked at apprentice Moon Ray, "No more than two glasses of wine. Normally it will be one if that. As today is your first day and we have a lot to be thankful for you can have two."

She smiled, "Yes, Grand Master."

He looked at her, "While I have a small crowd."

He unfurled the second cape, "This offers some mild protection but what is important is the symbol on the back. We will be riding into the field, sometimes into combat. This lets any of my men know who you are. You will do your best to stay out of combat. Move off to a safe distance and observer and learn.

Just like you did when those elves fought each other. I do it as well so it is not a criticism but it was one of admiring knowledge. There are only two cloaks like this. This design is unique and like the one on the back of my cloak a design I came up with."

He handed the cloak to her and she looked at it and put it on. He nodded to her, "Anytime you are out of your home you should be wearing that cloak. While I bought your home, it is still your home. After you finish your apprenticeship there are a few different paths you could take. I have one selected for you. The choice though will be yours at that point."

He turned to Greentree, "I had to set your surveyors straight on lot sizes. These are all the blueprints for the buildings that I had pulled. The inn I will want back as it is a one of kind design that will need the fourth floor modified to be family quarters. They assumed standard dimensions. You will need to educate them. I took care of the inn and sawmill when I was down there."

He looks at the inn, "Wow that is a monster building, why so big?"

Eldar nodded, "The entire fourth floor will be my family living quarters. I have two sets of twins on the way currently. We probably will have a total of 12 children living there not counting visiting children from some of the other mothers."

He looks at me, "Twelve? Are you sure?"

Charlemagne and Annette laughed before he responded, "When a Goddess tells you all of your offspring will be twins and if you can afford it raise a dozen then you should raise a dozen." He looked at his wives. "You visited the bank before we left. Can we afford to raise a dozen?"

Annette sputtered, "Probably several hundred times over."

He nodded, "You set up controls for survivors in case something happens? I did on my account." They both nodded.

He looked at the crowd, "Eat and drink, any questions of me I will answer as open and honestly as I have as always."

Charlemagne looked over, "You had a revelation the other day and you asked if we wanted to know who. The answer is no. If we liked the person that was good enough. Anything beyond that is morbid and we appreciate you giving us the choice on that issue."

He smiled at her. Dame Silver Moon, "I have only heard bits and pieces of what you are doing. You are expecting a war here, yet you are building here. You are planning on being on the front lines of this conflict here. All for the sake of the elven people, correct?"

He nodded, "All of the elves and elf-blooded people. The path to saving our race from extinction."

She nodded, "I want in, something worth fighting for is saving our people."

He nodded, "I would bring you in as a Captain, anyone who can be knighted by a foreign human King for your battle prowess deserves to work with me directly. I do not want to put troops under you. I want you as a part of my personal detail helping to advise our direction. Assessing our existing group setups and suggesting changes based upon your combat experience. Charlemagne is the other Commander and I think she would agree your aid would be invaluable."

Charlemagne looks over and nodded with a knowing smile. "I take it you have had time to talk with Keyno and Tiger as you have traveled to some of the same countries?"

She nodded and blushed, "They are talented and your plan to incorporate their combat styles into elven fighting is a great idea."

Eldar nodded, "It is not my idea. Master Trainer Yetto who trained me incorporated ninja and samurai combat maneuvers into my blade song training. We are working to train the next generation of that mixed style into our apprentices. I have to do mine on the front lines."

She nodded, "From what I heard it turned the Blade Singer training upside down."

He nodded, "To an extent, there are two factions now traditionalist and visionaries. I should caution you on one thing. Grand Cleric Silver Moon and I are not on the best of terms. He is in a lot of trouble with the Royal Palace. Part of that reason involves my wife Charlemagne. She is carrying the predestined Grand Cleric that will replace him in just over 100 years. She will be a force of nature and the first female Grand Cleric for that church."

Dame Silver Moon looked at my wife, "I had not heard about predestined Grand clerics before."

He smiled, "Within my group and the Queen herself, we have 7 predestined Grand Clerics identified, one of those is another Champion. She will be the mother of the seventh predestined cleric as well as involved in the upcoming war. Just over 40 years from now."

Dame Silver Moon, "The Champion would be a child!"

He shook his head, "She will be elf-blooded, a daughter of Keyno. Soon to be of house Dusk Moon as soon as they set a date. Now my daughter who is destined to be in that battle would be a child, Charlemagne's other daughter. I am concerned but cannot change it."

Keyno smiled, "We want to do the wedding at dusk as you said before the ritual with the swords; my soon to be husband has been given one. He is also a captain. Currently, the only captain overseeing troops."

Eldar nodded, "She is correct. I have two more candidates who you will be meeting, one will be right beside you at the ritual. Lieutenant New Moon. Part of my tasking is getting these swords into people's hands who will use them and not hang them on a wall. They are a promise to the elven people to be protectors. They are not a status symbol. One of the things I will correct with House Silvertree in the coming years."

Dame Silver Moon, "It would be my honor to help the man who saved my life. To help the elven people at the same time."

He nodded, "That also means you will be seeing a lot more of my apprentices. They will go where I go."

He smiled and looked at her, "There is one other thing you need to do Dame Silver Moon. Find love and have children, heirs for your sword in place before the war. Something I tell every Moon Blade holder. Just in case."

She laughed, "With a few hundred men floating around that should not be a problem."

He nodded, "It will find you and it will be strong."

The night became less serious and a few jokes were exchanged. Followed by a couple of war stories. Eldar's mind drifted off again. He finished eating and excused himself and headed to the room. He made it in the door with his wives right behind him when he hit the floor and was out cold.

He found himself in a totally white environment. In the distance, he saw the shapes of two people standing side by side.

He slowly approached and the first face is one he had seen before, The Lady of Dreams. The other was clad in ornate Elven Full Plate with crescent moons in the center of it. He moved before them and kneeled in front of them as Corellon Larethian stood with his wife.

Corellon spoke, "Please arise my champion."

He got to his feet and they looked at him, "We know you are getting tired and feeling overwhelmed but you're doing great work to save our people but you seem troubled. Especially by the things you have seen but cannot change."

He nodded, "I do not understand the importance of showing me something I cannot change; in some cases, with no detail as to what happens. With my wives for example."

He nodded, "One of the greatest weaknesses a commander faces will always be second-guessing decisions. If I had only done this, they would still be alive. By showing you these things, even partially we want you to understand not to second guess yourself on their destinies. Keep your mind on the battles you can control."

He nodded, "May I ask a few questions then? To keep my mind where it should be focused?"

The Lady looked at me, "That is why you are here now."

Eldar looked at him, "Rillifane Rallathil came to me and told me the choice for me as champion was made after the plan I put together, yet the churches had a prophecy to be at Silent Falls for my wedding. By the time we got there most of the grand clerics were seeded in their mothers. This does not align with what he said about there being others under consideration."

Corellon smiled, "Always analyzing what you hear and see. Things I like about you. This is not to be repeated and you will find you are not able to. This is to settle your own mind and nothing more. I will tell you it is because other deities are watching your conversations in the world. Hence, even psionically, you cannot discuss the answer to this question or any part of this particular question as the answer is long and complex.

The clerics were told to be there for the wedding and the champion would be revealed. We had options. You were our leading candidate given your Father's obsession with your mother. Your brother was behind you as a choice because he did not bridge the gap between the factions the way you could do it. Yet, he was still a possibility especially after he followed your advice and went back to Master Trainer Yetto to learn from him.

We knew long ago that the champion would be wielding your Family Blade for this upcoming war. There were 3 at the wedding who could have served in this role. Your father, your brother, and you. You were destined to be with Charlemagne, your opening up to Annette, and bringing in those additional skills was one possibility and we supported the adding of those skills and her to your wives.

We would have done it even if your brother had been selected to be the champion or your father. The decision was made when you pieced together that plan, combined with your observations of how to help expand and reclaim lost elven territory, and grow the elven population to withstand future conflicts.

It set the foundation to save the Knights for the future as well. The Queen was debating on if the Knights were relevant and you provided the means for them to grow with 3 treaties and one hell of an imagination. To save the elves from extinction.

We looked at a lot of variables and some are with our allies for other species, like Bahamut who is the god over the metallic dragons. He is just as frustrated with this break in the treaty and there is only so much he can do indirectly to aid us from that side. Including getting Silver Moon home for us. She was sent via a teleportation circle cast by a dragon asset at the direction of Bahamut.

Another Moral booster if you will. This one was to the Elven Gods for the fact his kind missed this break in the treaty until you found the issue. To aid in this ceremony and save yet another blade from being lost. Bahamut is watching your actions as well because of your effect on keeping the Knights alive, which he sees as a good thing for his own people as well. The metallics, not all dragons.

All of the ladies being selected to carry the clerics was a given we had decided upon long ago.

This you can say, "Your actions and your plan is what locked that choice into being you for this role. Your actions and plans, not ours. We adopted your ideas."

Those are enough questions on the selection process.

Eldar nodded after seeing the truth to their statements, "Is the Queen doing everything she can? Everything she needs to ensure the survival of both of her children? To keep the kingdom from becoming a theocracy? I worry for her if the Clerics figure out her motivation. They will try to subvert her activities to force a theocracy upon the people."

Corellon nodded to him, "Your concerns and observations have ensured she is on the right course. The existing Grand Clerics are under tight Royal observation. Even if they could plot, steps would be taken to subvert them. As she is listening and doing what she must.

Your task with the Queen in this regard is finished. Her children are safe. Separation of the head of the church and the head of the kingdom are the twins she carries. You have advised her well. You can discuss that with King, Queen, Jarron, and your immediate family only."

He nodded, "I will be working the separation of the sword from House Silvertree rule and turning it into just a position on a council. I will keep my father as a proxy. I felt like I was walking through a swamp neck-deep in muck going into that house.

I am turning it on its head. You know my plans for it. House Silverbar, I have done the same. But I have tied it to the sword wielder. I worry I am setting them up to become another House Silvertree."

The lady looked at him, "Sometimes the tree must be completely pruned back to remove the rot. The roots are strong with him. Let him know what you are doing and why. He will follow your example with his children. This answer you can discuss with others."

Eldar nodded, "I have made a request to the dragons to aid us in regards to the interference of one of their own. I am hopeful that it will bear fruit in obtaining more of the lost Moon Blades. I know I cannot focus on looking for them myself. I wanted your insight into that request because I did not feel your hand behind the idea."

He heard a chuckle from Corellon, "You would be correct, we did not predict your course of action with the dragons. It was not a path we had predicted but we see a great impact on this for our people. It is an idea with great merit that when honored would mean the return of 4 moon-blades from ages past including the one you truly seek.

For that creativity, we are going to add a different ability to all moon-blades that participate in this ritual, and the ones to come. They will not just have a moon-based power but a divine gift as well. This will be discussed at the ceremony and you can discuss it after the fact.

He nodded, "I feel that two of the swords coming back should be in the hands of my apprentices. One I feel would be ready, the other I worry about. I want him to succeed as it would be the first blade in the hands of a wood-elf line; by name anyway. I cannot do one student without doing the other because of animosity."

The lady looked at him, "You do not realize the impact you have already had on him. When the swords become available, they will be ready. One sword will return to an existing house. The new wielder will be a battle bard to fall in line with the family name. Do not voice your concerns over this issue with your students. Stay positive with them. They will learn of this fact at the ceremony that they are now destined.

He smiled, "That brings me to an unusual vision in putting the blade into the next champion. Even though her family will already have a blade in place. Breaking the rules."

Corellon smiled, "Every once in a while. On a rare occasion, a rule will be bent. The champion will assume a new family name, that is why it follows the family name as well as blood. When she does this of her own accord you know the acorn has fallen from the tree. She will be ready to wield the blade. This will be discussed at the second ceremony and you should keep this to yourself until then.

She will have children but never marry in her short life. She will pass on this new family name and it will grow strong; just like Silverbar and Silvertree due to your actions. Yes, she will die during the war, you are wise to keep this to yourself though. She will know it from a very early age. This should not be discussed with anyone but her when she brings up the issue herself far in the future.

You have time for one more question, we know we have lifted several weights off of your shoulders. There is one question lingering in your mind."

He nodded, "Taking my forty-year-old daughter into battle with a dozen years of training under her belt."

The lady smiled, "She will not age normally and your time training her will be cut in half. She will age like a Silvertree for the first 40 years, 2 years for everyone. She will effectively be 80 years old at which point she will age at half of the normal rate for the 40 years following. She will be your right hand for many years.

She will have 24 years of training under her belt as her training will be accelerated. You will graduate her when she has officially gotten 30 'actual' years of training, though she will have gotten a lot more knowledge than most. She will be a force to be reckoned with.

The Master Trainers ring will pass to you just before the war ends. When the war is over you will graduate your first Grand Master of many. Stay the course. Your successes please us very much. Now you have people worried, and a full day of activity ahead of you."

He awoke in bed under the covers and naked. Doc was sitting there at the end of the bed. Annette and Charlemagne were lying on either side of him. He looked at Doc. He shouted, "By the Gods, your eyes!" Annette and Charlemagne woke and looked at Eldar.

Charlemagne gasped, "What in the 9 hells happened? What is going on with your eyes?"

He looked at her, "Can you be more specific?"

She looks at him and Annette just stared, "The silver flecks in your eyes have doubled in the iris."

He shrugged, "I cannot speak for that or what it means I have been given no insight into that. Only other things.. I know 4 more Moon Blades will return to us, and who's hands 3 of them will end up in. The fourth is an active house; the last of the 8 powerful blades."

He went to get up and his wives each had a hand on his chest. Annette pushed him down, "Where do you think you are going?"

He smiled at her, "I am fine the Gods just pick an odd time to have a heart-to-heart talk. I have to meet the elders and I got to assign tasks to my apprentice. To do those things I will have to get out of bed. Do you want answers? I will talk while I get dressed. Unless you are prepared to tie me down, I am getting up!"