Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 24

Eldar, "Have Charlemagne call them out one by one to the center of the room. Find out their purpose here today. You scan them to see if they are being honest. Regardless, send them over to the guards near me to be escorted out. Let me know which one is lying as they move toward me and slam them to the floor. I will let you know if I detect a threat."

Charlemagne called them out one by one and asks them their purpose for being here. She got down to the last two. The next lady walks into the center of the room.

Karti'Ros, "Danger approaches."

He sheathed his sword.

Annette, "She is lying."

Eldar, "Send her over. Annette after she takes a couple of steps this way slams her to the ground, I will wave my arms like I am silently casting something."

The lady took a couple of steps and saw his arms moving. She looked to try and cast as she fell to the ground with her arms outstretched. He looked at the Guards, "Gag her tie her hands my wives will take her and strip search her."

Eldar, "Annette stay behind the guards and let Charlemagne escort the prisoner. I want to make sure she does not have a friend."

He waited for her to finish crossing the room. He looked at the Guard, "Please escort these two ladies out one-by-one." The second lady clears and he walks to the middle of the room.

Karti'Ros, "Danger approaches."

As he approached the side of the room, "The other lady can go."

Eldar, "Annette have her stand perfectly still. She is a threat also."

The guards walked over and the lady did not move. He looked at the guards, "Tie her up and gag her. Two would-be assassins. My ladies will handle the strip search and questioning, let the Queen know we have taken them to the dungeon. Tell her we could use some proper restraints. The men are free to go as are the other ladies if you still have them. Please have the King join us if he would indulge me."

He headed to the dungeon behind Annette and the other lady.

Eldar, "Good work you can drop the connection and the hold on this lady now that she is tied up."

Annette, "I might have to use this to get you to fuck me really good soon."

Eldar, "Sword prevents mind control, but you will get fucked and fucked again tonight. We will see how many times you can pass out."

Annette, "Sounds like you got a plan."

Eldar, "I prefer to work in the moment with sex and you two. Disconnect."

Annette, "Disconnecting."

He smacked her on the ass. Just loud enough for the guards and the prisoner to hear, "Do not get too turned on strip-searching this one. She is not for you, or maybe she is."

Annette giggled, "We could always go for the never-ending orgasm."

The guards snickered. They got down to the dungeon to find Charlemagne just getting the first cell open.

He yelled down, "She has a playmate. We will need to search them both. Hold off on stripping them until the King arrives; he might enjoy the show."

Our two captives looked white as he put them into a sitting position. The ladies started without the King. After the ladies pulled everything off of them. Eldar found a small chest the size of a dagger handle. Also, a couple of daggers like the one he found the knight before.

He looked at Charlemagne, "The same lady who had the chest also had these four wands and these four scrolls. Have her touch the chest and recall it. Easy enough command to follow now is it not." The chest was recalled. "Open the chest and remove the wards. She shook her head."

He looked at the guards, "Leave the room."

The guards walked out and down the hall and he looked at Annette, "Time to make it happen."

Annette looks at the women and at first, she was unresponsive; then she withered in pain and finally complied. She released the wards. It was full of books including her spellbook which went all the way to tier nine.

He looked at her, "A very talented caster and a traitor to her people. Get their names and who they worked for. Also, the targets of their attack. The class of warrior, I am assuming she is an assassin. Confirm. Also, find out which one of them bribed the guard.

When you are done with that, I want the caster's spells in memory listed and wiped. I want to know what she had planned. Charlemagne, while she is doing that strip them down, cut their clothing if necessary."

Charlemagne asked, "Why take their clothes?

He sighed, "Because I won't take their lives. They could provide insight. Jarron will have to decide on what he wants to do with them."

The King arrived as Eldar carried out the chest with all of the contents. He looked at the King, "Spoils of war, you have a master level caster in there. We are working on the other one. I am having spells in memory wiped to make the caster powerless as we can. I would like to go through this with you and my father as it might have a trove of intelligence."

Charlemagne called out, "You might want to hold up a moment they have piercings. Nipples and clit."

He set the box down and cast Detect magic. The caster was shown as having a magical clit ring. The other was shown as having one magical nipple ring. He looked at the ladies, "Her clit ring and the left nipple ring are magical. Annette worked to get the nipple ring.

They soon discover that our 'lady' was a male gold-elf. Different in that it had a polymorph effect instead of an illusion; just like the consort ring. The clit ring Charlemagne could not seem to get off. He stepped down, "Looks like I will have to identify this while still attached. He grabbed hold of it and looked at us and spent a minute identifying it.

He looked at the lady, "I do not know If I should leave it or cut it off."

He sighed, "Charlemagne be as gentle as you can and cut the ring off. It is a malfunctioning anti-fertility clit ring. You will need a cleric to see if she is with a child. That complicates things."

The King piped up, "That man is a disowned Goldeagle. He was caught stealing from the royal treasury over 100 years ago. He was disowned and banished. I do not know the woman."

Eldar sighed, "Another complication. We will be in the next cell going over this stuff and finding out what we can while Annette does her thing. Charlemagne, you can come to give us a hand after the cleric arrives."

He yelled down to one of the guards, "We need a cleric down here and the Queen if she so chooses. As a family matter has arisen."

The guard ran off and they went into an empty cell. He detected magic and determined what was magical and what was not. He separated them out. One item of note was a blue communication crystal. He put that into his bag of holding so it was not on the material plane to be accessed.

He looked at the King, "I have destroyed two of those things leading to Lord Barimus in the last few days alone. If it goes to him, I want him to think it is in the ethereal plane."

Journals went back over 142 years listed names and dates of assassinations within the city and Kingdom. At least 50 a year. Eldar looked at the King, "You might want to look at the names, there are over 7,000 names of people being killed and the method used. As she is an elven caster we should find out if she was Academy trained and when?"

Her spellbook was large and thick and contains a few very rare spells in it. The very rare spell that caught his eye was a teleportation circle. He looked at the King, "If she cast this spell on the same location for a year it became permanent. There could be a way into the city not covered by your guards."

He looked for the unusual stuff while the King poured over names and sometimes gasped. The King looked over, "There is a column listing who the customer was, but it is some kind of code." Charlemagne walked in he showed it to Charlemagne, "See if Annette can get the code."

She nodded, "This might take days I do not know how much longer she can do this."

He nodded to the King, "You still have that room off of your office, Your Majesty?" He nodded. "We need to get cloaks around these two and get them to a room like that. We know the dungeon was compromised once there is too much information in her head to let her get killed before we can extract it."

The King nodded, "They are now the targets for assassination?"

Eldar nodded, "With over 7,000 contract kills anyone who used her services would find her to be a threat."

He looked at Annette and sighed, "Take a break when you get to a good stopping point."

The King calls Eldar back over, "You need to see this Eldar."

He looked at the entry and it was for his grandfather. He looked over at the name. He flipped to the end and found his name, his wives' names, his father, his younger brother along with the King, Queen, and Master Trainer Yetto.

His entry has three hires listed. One was the same as his Grandfather. That name appears next to the Silvertree entries. The King and Queen share the same odd entry that is on his name in addition to the name on his Grandfather. He looked at Annette, "I know you are tired, but I need the names in order on my entry as to who paid to have me killed."

Annette looked at the entry concerning our family. He saw the anger in her eyes and he saw the lady squirming, Annette called out, "Ellirona Silvertree, Gastorma Silvertree, and Lord Barimus."

He looked at the King. "I would like royal arrest warrants issued for Ellirona Silvertree for attempted regicide and Gastorma Silvertree.

She needs to be questioned on her knowledge of Lord Barimus. According to this document she killed my grandfather. She was attempting to wipe out my father's line. Tomorrow we are going after the account numbers of where she has hidden the payments."

He looked at the guards, "We need two of your full-length robes with hoods."

Father arrived, "Who is Ellirona Silvertree and Gastorma Silvertree?"

Heliar looks at Eldar, "The first one is a younger sister of mine and the other is a cousin. Both, very vocal about you, why?"

He looked at the assassin in the room, "She is an assassin, Gastorma was listed in the code for wanting to kill me. Ellirona Silvertree has your entire family line. Both sons, my wives, Master Trainer Yetto, and you. She is also listed for having your father killed. To make it even worse, she hired them to kill the King and Queen. The third name on that list being Lord Barimus. We are moving these two to a different location."

Eldar looked through the stack of scrolls and found the one he was looking for. He placed all of the stuff in the chest and locked it. Then sent the chest to the ethereal plane. He took the replica and stuck it into a pouch. He looked to the King, "Those two guards need to be kept isolated. We do not want them to give away any information on the location of the prisoners.

I would suggest that we make them the guards for the two prisoners for the next several days if not weeks. We need the cipher to crack the rest of the names, identify how much information she has on Lord Barimus, find out if she has established any permanent teleportation circles and where they go. I am sure Jarron would love to talk with them for more items of concern.

Especially given the number of names on that list. Father, can we get him on the crystal after I go see the Queen. I was supposed to talk with the patron for House Silver Moon today."

He looked at his wives, "Ready to ride in 30 minutes."

They both nodded as they were pissed. He looked at the King, "I would like the arrest warrants. I want my father to call an emergency meeting of all of the family members. Please send the Royal Guards to collect them an hour after we depart. I will use my troops at the house to hold every one of interest. If you are agreeable, your Majesty? I do not want them running."

He nodded, "We can make that happen."

Eldar nodded and headed for the stairs, "Ladies please stay with the guards until the prisoners have been covered and moved." He headed to the stairs and went straight to the Queen's Audience Chamber and knocked on the door. Surprisingly the door was open. He saw the Queen with an older Elven woman who had the Silver Moon crest on her gown. He walked in.

He bowed, "My apologies, your Majesty. We had to get the two would-be assassins secured before I could get here."

The Queen looked at me, "There were two of them?"

He nodded, "Yes your Majesty, I was not the only target today, but we can go over that later in your husband's audience chamber when I return in a couple of hours."

He looked to the lady off to the side, "I am Command Eldar Silvertree, head of the Gray blades, House Silvertree and as of yesterday appointed as Knight Protector to the elven people by the Queen. I wanted to speak with you because of something I have done within my own house. I wanted to know your thoughts on the matter.

I had my father working to reverse the disowning of Silvertree family members on the grounds of a perceived slight in marriage laws. Marrying a human, a half-elf, or someone they loved obviously. I wanted to get your take on it as these changes have been requested by Sehanine Moonbow. This was in the presence of Grand Cleric Silver Moon. I wanted to know how House Silver Moon is embracing these changes?"

The patron was definitely caught off guard, "I have not given it much thought. I know the laws are coming into effect but I had not considered looking at those disowned for such acts. That is something I will have to consider."

He nodded, "Your Majesty, would penalizing someone for marrying for love be in compliance with the new laws?"

She looks at Eldar, "No, they would not. They would be counter to the new laws. I will send a message to every house to examine the reasons for disownment and any that deal with marriage should be reversed as soon as possible."

He nodded. He looked over to the head of House Silver Moon, "It was my wedding so of course, I am working to set the example for the other houses. I thought you might want to get a jump on this issue so you look like a supporter of this change in policy. This would apply to future marriages as well.

I know a Silver Moon or two who are considering a marriage that under old traditions would result in disowning them. I would hope when those people come forward their marriages are embraced and not rejected or disowned."

She nodded, "I get the point. One of my relatives is looking to marry someone the house would not approve of. Likely my daughter as she went with you to that ceremony. You, planning on marrying her?"

Eldar laughed, "No, I am not marrying your daughter. Someone at my wedding who was specifically told to marry is another matter. You would likely not care for him. However, the King and Queen would approve. They came to the palace and single-handedly took down a high-level caster assassin and spy in under 30 seconds. The King barely had time to get up from his chair, and the spy was captured and questioned."

Eldar looked at the Queen, "I believe you remember that night fondly, your Majesty. The day after is when we found out you and the King are expecting a royal birth."

The Queen smiled, "Yes that was one very entertaining night of activity."

The patron looked over, "I will ensure that all incoming news of marriages, be it to other elf factions or humans as dictated by the goddesses, are well received."

He nodded, "I thank you for your time. I was not expecting to have to deal with three assassins in two days but I do what I can to protect the Royal Family and the elven people."

She nodded, "Sounds like you are a busy person."

He chuckled, "Commander of a Mercenary company, building a town, training two apprentices, capturing spies and assassins, protection details for members of the Royal Family, Head of House Silvertree, Knight Protector of the elven people, and the Knight Champion of Corellon Larethian. Not to mention two wives and four children on the way. Each wife is carrying twins.

Busy would be a good word. Speaking of which I have to pick up a couple of Royal arrest warrants that I am taking care of personally. If the two of you would excuse me. I would like to attend to that task?"

The Queen chuckled, "You may take care of those arrests as I am sure if you are taking care of them personally, they are of significant importance."

He nodded, "VERY significant importance, Your Majesty."

The head of House Silver Moon nodded, "Good luck in your endeavors."

She sighed internally, "My daughter is marrying someone I would not approve of and I can do nothing to stop it with these changes short of an assassin, and the champion is killing and capturing assassins left and right. No sense in fighting it this time. That does not mean I have to embrace her choices."

With that taken care of, Eldar headed out front and got his horse armored and saddled. A guard came out with the paperwork and a groomsman brought his father's horse to him.

Eldar looked at his father, "We are making a quick stop in the enchanters' district. If you wish to make the announcement for the meeting in 30 minutes to discuss the reallocation of house assets that would be fine. Anyone missing from the meeting is assumed to not care about their assets, we are expecting house leaders and or elders to attend. Including the two names on these warrants."

His father smiled and headed off.

Eldar and the ladies were not far behind him. They actually overtook him before the gate and headed to the enchanters' district. He walked into the cloak shop and the lady smiled, "You are back early! We finished your order!"

He nodded, "I thank you. I have another request. I would like non-magical cloaks in dark blue with the same design with the colors being a shiny and non-shiny black thread instead of the two grays. I would like 200 of those."

She looks at me, "More men doing something special?"

He shook his head, "No, want them for the burial of fallen members. We lost one of our first members and I wanted something that the family or if no family the company can know of the sacrifices made."

She nodded, "I can get that order ready for you anything else?"

He smiled, "Yes do you have any magical restraints, manacles that would suppress spell casting?"

She thought, "Let me check in the back. You want a set?" He nodded, "Two actually." She nodded and she came back, "They are not cheap 50,000 each. We have 6 sets." He nodded, "That will work, we will take all 6 sets then."

She looks stunned. She ran his account and came back with the manacles. He handed them to the wives, "Two sets for each of us, so we can split the command words."

They giggled. Annette asked, "These for play?"

He shrugged, "We'll see how things go." They headed out with our purchases. As the sales lady laughed at Annette's comment. They got outside and headed to drain the swamp he called House Silvertree. He found his Lieutenant, "Gather all the troops' family conference room immediately!"

She nodded and went to find the sergeants and got things rolling. His troops arrived quicker than expected, he looked at the lieutenant, "I would like you by the door, I would like the two squads to approach in single file on either side of the table. He handed a stack of cloaks to Charlemagne and a Stack to Annette's, "Ladies please distribute to these two squads. You will be in this room for the next 1-2 hours.

If after getting your cloak you need a chamber pot now is the time. Before you depart this meeting will be confrontational. When I call out 'BLADES.' I want swords drawn and at the ready. Father, I want you to assign seats. I want our two guests of honor up front next to you. I will be standing behind you with my wives on either side. Put your three non-coup members next. Block off teleportation."