Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 29

He chuckled, "I heard you are not one for court. I would ask you, are the rumors circulating around your wedding true? The rumor that your marriage was visited and overseen by a deity?"

This got a few more murmurers from the crowd.

Eldar looked at the King, "Your Majesty, I am the Knight Champion of Corellon Larethian as informed to me by Sehanine Moon Bow, The Lady of Dreams on the night of my wedding. Yes, she did marry me to my wives and in front of both Grand Clerics for Corellon Larethian and Sehanine Moon Bow. She sent the images of my entire wedding into the bed Chamber of the Elven King and Queen. The story continues though.

I was also given the ritual to purify and activate Elven Moon Blades. We went from 4 active blades to 10 in one ceremony where Corellon Larethian appeared to not only the blade holders in attendance but to the 11 invited guests. The twelfth was not invited. We warned off observers. He left the woods with eyes burned out of his skull from attempting to view the ritual. May I show you my Moon Blade?"

The King looked at me and nodded.

Karti'Ros, "Left-hand Moonfire on."

My blade now in my left hand. Eldar caught some of them by surprise.

Karti'Ros, "Right-hand Moonfire off."

"Is there a weapon-smith paragon present who would like to visually examine the blade and answer a few questions."

A Burly dwarf looked over and walked up. He looked at the sword.

Eldar asked, "What do you know of Elven Moon Blades?"

He smiled, "They are millennia-old weapons possessing great power. One to a family and they are hereditary. Passing to a new wielder after the old one has passed."

Eldar nodded, "If the wielder is found unworthy by the blade? How do you identify a Moon Blade?"

The Paragon looked at me, "If the person is unworthy the sword kills them. As to identifying them the blades are gray and have a rounded moonstone in the pommel."

Eldar nodded, "Do you know of any that are geared to automatically adjust to the hand the wielder uses? Who can make changes to an active Moon Blade?"

The Paragon laughed, "No, they are not geared to either hand. They are geared to the right hand as most are long swords. As to who can work on an active blade, nobody. It would be too risky in damaging them, let alone killing the smith who tried. If one is broken then it loses all of its abilities and the runes on the blade disappear."

Eldar smiled at him, "Your knowledge in this area is impressive. What I hold in my arms is my family Moon Blade, notice the runes and the color. Notice what is different, the pommel has the Moonstone encases with my House symbol on one side and holy symbol for Corellon Larethian. You can still see the moonstone. Then there is the grip. Which is designed for either hand use.

Captain New Moon step forward and display your claimed Moon Blade to the Paragon. It was previously a dead Moon Blade, note the encasing on the pommel, and the fact that the house symbol is on both sides and grip if for either hand. It only has two runes not the twelve on my blade. Normally mine would have had only eleven runes and his one.

Corellon Larethian, through the ritual, added another rune. Each unique to the blade. They can only be discovered by the wielder in combat and cannot be divined by any means. Captain return. Paragon just a few more questions. Do you know anything about the Royal Family's Moon Blade?"

He looked at me "They had one when the 24 were created. It was lost or destroyed thousands of years ago."

Eldar nodded, "The blade was destroyed by the wielder in a retributive strike that according to the Dragon war scholars I spoke with turned the tide in the battle, that turned the tide in the war. The wielder was a Blade Singer. He was also the King. The royal family once again had a Moon Blade to the family name. It was reclaimed at the same ceremony that Captain New Moon's blade was claimed.

Final question Paragon, given what you have seen and heard of the weapons including the one I am holding in my hand. What force would be required to make these changes?"

The Paragon stepped back, "For an artifact of that nature and for so many blades. Divine intervention."

The King looked over as I sheath my sword, "Why the extra symbol?"

Eldar smiled, "People sometimes question if my actions are based on visions, or are these ideas my own. I surprised Corellon Larethian by an action I took. Going through diplomatic channels I made a request to the Council of Nine.

Asking for the return of any Moon Blades they might still possess from the time of the Dragon Wars. They responded favorably to this request and I have another 4 Moon Blades to activate because of this request received in just the last few days.

The elven people have not had that many active Moon Blades since the Dragon Wars. One last fact for the Paragon, about the passing of the previous wielder you would know him as the Diplomat Heliar'vasius Sivertree, my father. He is very much alive because the Lady of Dreams transferred the blade to me at my wedding. Paragon your knowledge of the weapons is only rivaled by two others.

Sir Moon Blade the decedent, Weapon-smith, and Moon Blade wielder. The other being myself as I know of the changes being made, why, and how they are being made. My sword even refers to me now as the Activator of Blades."

The Paragon nodded to him. Eldar looked at the nobles around the room and sighed, "I did not come here to be worshiped, ogled, or feared. I came to get the troops and resources necessary to fortify this section of the border before war strikes. I want this war to be short, decisive, and of course, our enemies are driven back or destroyed.

You will note, it was the King's question that led to this revelation concerning my wedding. It was not something I was looking to capitalize on. Much like your own warriors, I want my actions to be judged by what I do on the battlefield.

To date, I am aware of 13 humans, 3 elves, and 1 dwarven caravan driver who have died in recent conflicts. We have left 300+ enemies dead. Including most of their top tier leadership in a strike behind enemy lines.

I have returned a 137 Blade Singer ring from enemy combatants to assassins in the last few months. To put it in perspective, when I returned the first 30, I was told that recovering 5 in a lifetime was considered high. The attacks will continue. The question remains, will your warriors wish to join this fight?"

This got some murmurs and grumbling and the King looks at Eldar, "You know how to motivate warriors into action. I think you will do well as a Field Marshal, given the things I know you have done."

The nobles still grumbled and the King called out, "Would the leader of the Warriors guild please take our guest to your hall to plead his case."

A big gruff looking warrior came forward, "He has made his case I will spread the word, Your Majesty."

Eldar nodded to him, "I would like to come along as there are questions that have yet to be asked."

He nodded and Eldar followed him out of the room.

He called back to me, "You got some sack on you to be calling out our warriors like that!"

Eldar smiled, "I have 2 sets of twins on the way. I am sure you are not talking about that. I am not calling out your warriors. I am informing them of what is going on, what our structure is like, and what we expect within our company. Most importantly, If I had no respect for your warriors I would not be here. On the contrary, you have some of the finest warriors and some of the noblest."

He smirked, "Trying praise now?"

Eldar smirked back, "I do not give false praise or play in courtly intrigue. I am a Blade Singer a Wizard warrior. My skills differ from your warriors but some hold a similar code of Conduct as mine. Mine is ruled over by the gods. As are all Blade Singers. Humans have their Paladins, so you know what I am talking about."

He nodded, "We have our own order of Paladins. Yes, I know what you are talking about."

They headed down a long road and his guards and apprentices watched all of this in silence until we got to a large building. The Dwarf chuckled, "Warriors Hall if they wield a blade, ax or hammer they will find their way here at some point."

Eldar nodded as they walked inside. He took Eldar's team to a room and asked us to wait.

He returns an hour later, "They are ready for you, the question is are you ready for them?"

Eldar smiled, "We shall see how strong of a foundation you have put before us."

He chuckled at Eldar's metaphor as they walked into a large auditorium filled with dwarves. He looked out and he points him to the center podium and Eldar waved his detail back.

Eldar looked out across the room, "I have been told you know who I am. I am looking for volunteers for a mercenary company securing 90% of your trade route toward the elven border and just over half of your route going toward the human land of Grand Falls. The town this mercenary group is based out of is being built.

The town is called Quatarsia or Tolerance in the common tongue. It is a town for many races and beliefs. We require respect for the laws, the chain of command, and each other.

No unit will be one race. Every unit will be a mix. Some will have elves or humans in charge. Others will have dwarves in charge. I have set aside one Captain slot for each of the Dwarves and humans. This is a slot for leading troops.

I will also be looking for a Captain adviser to be on my council. I have an Elven Captain adviser she has traveled extensively, fought in far off lands, and was even made a Dame by a human King for her actions in battle.

She has also been made a Dame for her service to the Elven Kingdom. This is another position I am looking to fill with each of the partners. There will be lieutenant, and sergeant positions to go along with that. We are just getting started so team dynamics will be changing as we bring in more races.

This is a cross-border mercenary group for the elves, dwarves, and humans. I have one other captain slot that is a wild card. It will go to a dwarf or a human. Another Captain slot might be opening; wild card. Everything is based on attitude and skill. When I say skill, I am talking with weapons, tactics, and keeping your team alive.

With keeping the people on the road protected. Before this question comes up, as I know it will. When war strikes, I will be the Field Marshal in charge of this front. Elven, human, and Dwarven. This has been agreed to by all of the Kings and Queens involved in this decision. This was based on a lot of factors. Some of which I am forbidden to discuss.

Orders if you will from those same leaders. It should be enough to know. I have engaged the enemy. There has been a loss of 1 dwarven caravan driver, 3 elves, and 13 humans. Most of those humans were human army and not a part of my command. We killed over 300 of the enemy.

Anyone who thinks the opportunity to use your weapons will not come would be mistaken. This is real and the war will come. Actions we have taken have given us time to work on fortifying this border and training our strike teams. I will open the floor to questions."

One dwarf stood, "Tell us one thing. How did you begin all of this?"

Eldar looked across the group, "The answer to that is complex. But I will give you a short answer. I am a Grand Master Blade Singer Trained at the Elven Academies and I have a great memory. I saw an opportunity presented with a piece of land one of my wives had rights to. With that, I secured access to 200 square miles of elven land.

Along with 200 square miles of human land enacted small subsections in the 3 treaties binding our people together to create a cross-border protection force. I study history. I know the cycle by which war has hit this area. My hope is that some of the actions we have done and will continue to do will keep war at bay for another 40 years.

By then we will have watchtowers, a frontline fort. A garrison of 600 seasoned warriors who know the enemy, and the arrival of 3 armies who do not know the current circumstances as we will. We will bridge that gap and have them ready to face a horde and bring it to its knees. Then we will sweep away the ash of what is left of the enemy."

This gets a lot of murmurs in the crowd.

Eldar looked across the room, "The even shorter answer. I take action while others sit on their hands and wait to see how bad it gets first. When history is written, the ones who take action are the ones remembered."

That drew silence from the crowd. Eldar walked back to the head of the Warriors Guild. "That is calling out your warriors to put their sacks on the line."

The guild leader laughed, "That it is."

Eldar heard a voice shouting from the back of the room, "I have worked with many races over my life. I had the privilege to be on a mission with him not too long ago. Like him, I am sworn to secrecy but he has a command over a battlefield as I have never seen. He will personally walk through the fires of hell to get to the troops on the front line to ensure they have what they need to get the job done."

Eldar looked across at one of the sappers from the mission. He walked back to the podium, "I was personally very happy that your King allowed you and your associates to join that mission. Even happier that it was a rousing success and we had no casualties."

He and his buddy both stood and nodded to Eldar. Eldar walked back to the guild leader. "Yes, I have worked with dwarves before. We work well together utilizing our own strengths to make the team better."

The Guild Leader walked back to the podium, "I know the dwarf who spoke up. I have served with him. To lay that kind of praise on an elf from one mission speaks volumes. They have people doing recruiting at the border. To figure out where you would fall into their ranks if you decide to join."

He walked back, "You will want to see our money lender to work the transfer of funds for the forges. Follow me."

With nothing more to say and no questions coming at us we left the hall and went to the moneylender.

---

King Thornlord looked around the room and had about 75% of his nobles in place. Some were running fashionably late which he hated and planned to discuss with them later.

He looked across, "I would like to begin. Those running late will just have to hear about this when they find time to actually get to this meeting and hear what they missed from the others. Heliar Silvertree, Elven diplomatic Advisor and Emissary of the Elven Empire, and friend to our court, please step forward."

Heliar got up from his position in the Gallery here and went to the King. He had been told he was wanted here, but not why. He nodded to Heliar as Heliar bowed, "You have provided many services and worked many treaty and trade agreements with us over the years. Yet, your greatest achievement to date in my eyes is not the diplomat, but the father before me.

Your son Eldar Silvertree has formed the first cross-border treaty along our northern border and the elven southern border. He used clauses negotiated over the years from 3 treaties to accomplish this, he sounds like he has some of his father's diplomatic skills. He is also a seasoned warrior, A Grand Master Blade singer. The first to graduate as such from your Arcane Academy.

In addition to being the champion to Corellon, an elven god. He has encountered and faced over 300 of our common enemy with his men, suffered only 4 deaths in his Gray Blades, and the loss of 1 dwarven caravan driver under his care. All while working to help lead and plan a strike against their top ranks of the enemy leadership. Our Army lost 8 in the last encounter.

He not only aided in removing the leader but the top 3 tiers of the horde's leadership in a strike with our allies. He was made a Duke in the Elven Kingdom of this border and the Dwarven King and I both put stipulations that when and if this occurred with a cross border unit, we would have a say in the matter.

That if he proved himself in battle in the service of all 3 kingdoms he would be recognized as a Duke in all 3 Kingdoms, as he has shown us as much respect as he does the Elven and Dwarven people. He will also be the Field Marshal over the forces when war is declared over this region again. It has been slowly heating up and his Gray Blades are only starting to grow.

He is at or near 30% of his allotted size and will be here in the coming weeks to look to recruit additional humans into his ranks. From the message I received, he was in Dwarven lands. He arrived just this morning to start efforts there as he has several humans in his ranks already including 2 who he put into the founding charter."

Heliar bowed, "My son, by way of our Elven House Law and as the holder of the family Moon Blade is also the Patron now for House Silvertree. He has been affecting social reforms. He worked to capture multiple spies and would-be assassins in the elven capital as well.

That aided him in finding a method for our allies to strike this horde leadership. He would disagree with being called a diplomat but he has the skills and brings them to bear when needed. Much like his sword skills on the battlefield, Your Majesty."

Vexxor was fuming mad at this revelation, He tried to hold his composure together. This elf somehow organized the destruction of his pet and the leadership of the horde. He was a much bigger threat than he was told, now to hear he was a champion to a fucking elven god. He was a threat to his own plans and Lord Barimus kept him in the dark over this, the fucking fool.

He caught a lot of movement in the crowd as several people in arcane robes appeared to be intermixed in the crowd of mostly nobles. He noted the last of these royals had arrived and the doors had been sealed at this point. He sighed internally, 'They brought in outside arcane casters to bring me down if I made a move.' He realized he must have been discovered by this Eldar Silvertree. He would not allow them to thwart his planning, not today.'

Heliar's sword alerted, "Danger!"

Heliar looked at the wizard as he still spelled and cast a finger of death at Heliar. The father of this new nemesis. Heliar tried to jump out of the way but was struck down by the ray spell in front of the King. Other casters in the crowds started casting on the mage to find that the mage had set up additional wards in this chamber for any hostile magic cast at him in particular.

Many were suddenly struck down by finger of death wards he had placed throughout the Main chamber. No searches had been conducted on what magic he might have set in place within the Palace.

The necromantic enchanter Arch Mage now unleashed a draconic version of the field of death spell and threw 3 of those as some magic missiles came flying in and guards approached with swords.

Some guards were cut down by lower-ranking nobles in the back. Others died when they entered the death fields he put into place. A few lower nobles were Allies of the Wizard who hoped to assume the throne in this coup. King Thornlord and all 26 dukes in his court were dead in the first 4 spells. The elven ambassador fled the area after Heliar got struck down.

He was a coward at heart and did not engage in the fighting. He ran for shelter and guards ran to enter the throne room past him as he rushed to his quarters. Shocked his lover would attack the human court like that. He had killed Heliar outright, yet did not attack him. At least not yet. He thought back to the restricted books he had gotten the man access to over the years.

Tomes filled with forbidden dark magic and he realized he may have aided in this catastrophe. He knew the man was power-hungry, he just did not count on him being a ruthless mass-murderer.

A small number of guards fled the room in order to look to protect the princess. Vexxor would deal with her later if needed, not that she was old enough to rule. With all of the higher nobles now dead he unleashed more destruction to create the level of carnage needed to complete his ritual. He started uttering his incantation as his allies got to him.