Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 31

She looked at Eldar, "Yes, I thought long and hard on this choice, and given the changes in the Elven community I thought she would be the best choice. She is with the Elven Army as a Battle Bard."

He looked at her, "How old are you?"

She looked at Eldar, "I am 147. I have been with the army for only 7 years. Between my graduation and then I spent some time traveling throughout the elven Kingdom and to our allies. I felt my skills as a bard should reflect the total of our society and our allies. I composed different songs depending on the makeup of the group."

He looked at her, "If I have an elf-blooded, mix-blooded, and pure elf in a group you would have a song for that?"

She nodded. "Now the tough question. Add humans, dwarves, and Centaurs. She thought for a moment, "I have never included Centaurs in a song before. That does not mean I could not."

He looked at her, "What is your name?"

She stood with shoulders squared, "Private Glorus Silversong. Yes, I am fertile and have a chosen mate living in the city. He is an enchanter. Close to becoming a Master level which was when we looked to get married. I will retain my Family name for the sake of the sword and the children."

He asked, "How are you enjoying army life?"

She chuckled, "Fairly boring compared to what I was doing."

He looked at her, "What would it take to move up your wedding plans?"

She looked at Eldar, "We cannot afford to at this point. If not for that issue we would have married a year ago."

He looked at the Queen, "How difficult would it be for me to pull her from the army, Your Majesty?"

The Queen looked at him, "The Gray Blades?"

He nodded. She smiled, "I can make that happen now."

He looked at her, "Would you like to go where the action is occurring?"

She nodded, "Gods yes."

He looked at her and pulled out the box, "The only short sword Moon Blade recovered. We also have one Bastard sword in one of my Captain's hands. Do not remove the sword from the scabbard as it is it might kill you. It is officially returned to what we call the sword candidate or sword-bearer. You will be a Lieutenant in the Gray Blades riding with me initially. You can talk and meet with my people as we go.

Eventually, you will get assigned at the forward fort that is being built. You can spend your time off at home with the aid of teleportation. You will be assigned a new home as soon as you are married and it is built. Homes are being built as we speak in the new town. When your betrothed makes his Masters's Level he can work in the city and teleport back and forth or work for me directly.

I have enough enchanting going on for another century including a few special projects. I would suggest that he be your one guest for the ritual. There might be more guest slots depending on how many active blades participate we have at the ritual. I have to have at least four of them. I am allowed two guests but only because I have 2 wives who will attend. These are not my numbers but the Gods choosing."

He handed her the blade. "Yours to watch over and protect until the ceremony and then the rest of your life. This is the last of the powerful blades. The others are all going to new houses because the old houses died off."

He pulled one of those out and showed her the blade. "A dead blade has no runes and no house. After the ritual, it will have two runes. One from the original creation process and one from the gods. The one from the gods will only reveal to you in battle it cannot be divined by any means." He put that sword away and closed the box and stored it.

He thought, "Karti'Ros left hand."

She looks startled when his sword appears in his hand. "The ability granted this sword when created was Moon Fire. It has eleven wielders, previous wielders each gave it a different ability. You can see from the blade I have six runes on each side now. Each ability is from a former house member who wielded the sword. Now as these are the powerful blades the gods are leveling the playing field over time.

When you pass on you can choose to lock in one of the abilities or change to one you have encountered. I plan to lock in the ability to summon the sword. Once all of the abilities are locked in or changed generations later, then new abilities can be added. The other part of this ritual is that it releases the souls of the past wielders keeping a small piece to hold the power.

This means you will be judged by a jury of one. The essence or spirit of the sword itself. It also means if you succeed you will know them all. I have yet to lose a candidate and even requested a change to one family's candidate because the gods told me he was infertile. Now here is why that is important. The way the gods put it the acorn has fallen from the tree.

Meaning the only eligible wielders for the sword will be your children and so on. If you have references to the blade holder being the head of the house you might want to get that changed. I am working on changing the structure of my house to a council of 9. The blade Wielder who can never rule the house. They represent what is best for the elven people as a whole NOT the house.

Then 8 elders. I am selecting the first 8 elders. In 100 years it will be based on the number of offspring in that elder's branch. To honor the gods' request that we should fuck and have children."

That got the Queen to laugh and the two of them looked at him in shock. "Your Majesty, you can expect that paperwork in a few days. Also, thank you for the restoration of disowned branches that I asked for."

He switched his focus back to the other two, "I went back, rather my father did at my request, and found all of the branches that had gotten disowned because of a choice in marriage. To a human or across types of elves. If the reason they got disowned was because of marriage I reversed it. My first set of children will all be Moon elves my wives are elf-blooded moon elves.

I am half-moon and half-wood elf. I may take wood-elf wives or human wives in the future. I know I will remarry at some point because I know how long each of my current wives has to live. Try living with that kind of knowledge."

The Queen looked at Eldar, "Why would they tell you that?"

He looked at her, "To drive home the fact that I cannot change fate. I do not know which will go first. But they wanted me not to second guess my actions when they do pass it will be fate."

The Queen looked at him, "They did not say anything about your father?"

He looked at her, "They may have at the wedding when she gave me the sword. The one item missing from his body at the Palace was the sword they gave him."

The Queen looked at him. "They changed the location of where he died. But he would have died then anyway?"

He looked at her. "How much cryptic communication was in there. I have not spoken with them on this issue. It is a theory only, Your Majesty."

She nodded, "We should get to that other meeting."

Eldar looked at Lieutenant Silversong, "Report to House Silvertree when you are ready. If you have more questions we can talk then."

He left the two of them with their mouths open and heads nodding as he sheathed his sword.

He spoke to the Queen, "I think I shocked them, Your Majesty"

She laughed, "It is a lot to take in."

He looked at her and talked in a whisper, "I had a thought, this is me not the Gods. I believe anyway. I get Moon Bow to bring Apprentice Goldeagle to the ceremony and he teleports you to the village. You sneak out with your nephew in that teleport and be his guest for the ceremony.

Between all my mercenaries and protection forces it should be fairly secure, Your Majesty." She looked at Eldar with big eyes and whispered, "That would be such a break in protocol! I will talk to them about it in private. I like that idea."

They got to the 'Den of Sin' just as Annette appears to be finishing 'questioning' the guest.

He looked at her, "What did we find out?"

She sighed, "He knows nothing about him going undead other than the instructions he was given to stab into the ashes as they fall and he was gone. He was an isolationist. He wanted to destroy all the treaties and even cut off trade with the other races except those ruled by other humans.

He fucking hates all non-humans and wanted us exterminated, from orcs, dwarves, elves, and everything else all the way up to dragons even! He had absolutely no fucking idea how to do it, he expected the wizard's assistance in the future. The wizard is or was called Vexxor by the way. Just the kind of action they were looking for.

I am not even sure that the Wizard was aware of the breach in caches or the status of Lord undead Bastard. This was staged to take place with all of the upper tiers of royalty in attendance. The Barron was to be the highest one there to survive and should easily ascend to the throne.

For his 'Brave' actions in dispatching the wizard. He is supposed to make contact with him via a crystal in his home. Desk drawer, sickly brown in color in two days. He told him to not reach out to him until contacted."

He looked at the 'Ladies' to finish their check of him. Lady Amy Tryst looked at Eldar, "This was planned two years ago."

He nodded, "They were going to install a puppet regime in the human and dwarven lands and blast through the elven lands with the Kingdom in disarray after the assassination of the King and Queen. The deaths would have occurred within days. That brings up the painful question of who would have been next to reign and if they were in league with the enemy."

He looked at the Queen and she glared, "That would be my Sister. I do not for a second believe she would do this."

He nodded, "Just wondered if you wish your security forces to confirm that given the two foiled assassinations, Your Majesty?"

She looked at Eldar, "What do you mean by my security forces?"

Eldar looked at her, "The four in this room if you can get her here quickly, Your Majesty."

She looked at the four of them, "My Audience chamber in 30 minutes."

Eldar looked at the group, "Are we done with this prisoner?" The Dragons nodded. Eldar looked at him. "In accordance with your own laws you are sentenced to death by my hand as directed by your Royal Princess." He pulled his sword.

He called out, "Karti'Ros, Moon Fire on." His sword lit up and he lowered his sword across his neck severing his head. He looked at them. "I wanted to avoid cleaning up blood which is why I ensured to go slow and burn the wound."

He sheathed his sword, the Queen looked shocked, "That is the first time I have witnessed an execution. You could have warned me."

Eldar nodded to her, "My apologies, Your Majesty. I thought you knew as soon as he was done giving us the information he was to be executed."

She shook her head, "That does not normally happen inside the palace, except the dungeon. Well, at least you kept it clean. You told the clerics that when you interrogated them now, I see it is true. No blood."

He looked at Charlemagne, "Follow me." He walked out and recalled the chest and opened it."

He pulled all the books and looked at Charlemagne, "Open your bag. He moved all the books and items into her bag clearing the chest. He walked back into the room and stuffed the human body into the chest. He took it out of the room and sent it back into the ether.

He looked at the Queen, "How to move a body without being seen, Your Majesty."

She shook her head, "Thank you for getting rid of it."

He nodded, "I will recall it wherever the Princess wants it destroyed, Your Majesty."

He grabbed the crystal, "Yes Eldar you have news for me?"

He looked at the crystal, "Yes Princess, this was in the planning stage for 2 years. The Barron being there was no accident, it was made to make him look like a hero. To put him onto the throne. The execution was carried out. I will have the body when I return. It can be destroyed according to your customs."

She was silent for a moment, "For my father's funeral?"

He looked at the crystal, "I will be coming the day before with my own security contingent. First thing in the morning day after tomorrow."

She sighed, "Thank you I did not want that leach and my father being put to rest on the same day."

Eldar chuckled, "His body is in the ether and preserved. I can call it to you at any time during my visit, before, or after your father's funeral."

She paused, "No, I want to see his body before I put my father to rest, knowing that all of the conspirators we captured are dead."

He got very solemn and serious as he spoke, "I agree, which is why he is dead before my father's funeral."

Charlemagne and Annette looked at him in shock at that comment. The crystal went dark. He led the rest of them to the Queen's Audience chamber. He knocked on the door. "Enter."

He walked in with a lady, not unlike the Queen was standing next to the Queen. He walked forward, "Your Majesty, I spoke with the ruling Princess and she agreed that I should be there the day after my father's funeral. I will be traveling with 9 and I will want a contingent on standby of 18 Battle Mages if needed.

I can probably get half of those from the Gray Blades. My contingent will be myself, my wives, and 6 other officers from the Gray Blades. I know between the ambassador and Moon Bow they know the teleport location. Again, only on standby, Your Majesty."

She nodded, "House Silvertree would be best to not attract so much attention."

He nodded, "I concur, Your Majesty."

He turned to her sister, "I am Duke Eldar Silvertree, head of House Silvertree and Commander of the Gray Blades. I figure you might have heard of me."

She nodded, "Your eyes are wonderful!"

He smiled, "In the last few weeks, I have thwarted an assassination attempt of the Royal family and the Dwarven Kingdom. While the human security forces were unable to stop the assassination as we had hoped. We kept them from installing the puppet government they had planned. The Dwarven Kingdom had conspirators to do the same thing. All within days of each other. We have to ask you a couple of questions as a formality."

She nodded, "I understand."

He looked at her, "The Queen does not doubt you but given recent events, we have to ask. First question did you know of the assassination attempt? Anyone involved with the attempt?"

She looked at Eldar, "No."

He saw Annette nodded from the side. "Are you aware of anyone planning an assassination attempt?"

She thought for a moment, "I know of no plots."

Annette nodded again. He looked at her, "You hesitated on that last answer which is why I need to ask you this question. Has anyone you know said the Queen and King should be killed regardless of specific plans? If so, do you know why?"

She appears to hesitate, "The only one I heard say anything remotely like that is my eldest daughter. She was just mad at something the Queen did to a distant cousin she wanted to marry."

Eldar looked at her, "This the same Goldeagle who was permanently banished from the Kingdom for embezzlement of royal funds?"

She looked to her sister, "I thought we were keeping that quiet."

The Queen looked at Eldar, "Yes, the same Elf!"

Eldar looked at the Queen, "Your Majesty, how would you like to proceed?"

The Queen went behind her desk, rang a bell, and wrote out a letter. A knock on the door and it was the Captain of the guard, "I want my niece brought in for questioning!"

She handed the paper to the guard. Her sister looked shocked and the Queen was fuming.

He looked at her, "Your Majesty, can I tell her about the two assassins. At least at a high level. The Elven related matter of course?"

The Queen looked at Eldar and nodded vigorously.

He looked at her sister. "The two assassins were in disguise wearing items to mask their appearance. We discovered over the last 142 years they killed over 7,000. 92 of those were Blade Singers. I dealt with the two responsible for those who hired the murder of the Blade Singers.

I only know of the embezzlement because the King identified one of the assassins as a banished Goldeagle who had embezzled. I would think that is not a common occurrence in the Goldeagle family. That led me to believe it was the same person."

Her sister just turned white and started to fall. Eldar grabbed her and got her to a chair. He looked at the Queen, "Might I recommend we use the King's Audience chamber for this meeting, Your Majesty?"

She nodded, "That would be a GREAT idea! We have been at odds for years. I hope she is not involved in any of this. I think that location would be better."

He nodded. "We will wait for you there, Your Majesty. I will ensure any sensitive material is out of sight."

She nodded, "Thank you Eldar, you can go. Thank you again for catching my sister. Always the gentleman."

They headed back upstairs and ensured the desk was cleared off. They informed the guards to keep quiet while they sealed the hidden room.

He looked at the ladies, "You have questions for me while we wait. Why don't we clear the air?"

Annette sighed and almost growled, "Why have you not talked to Charlemagne about what is bothering you?"

He nodded, "First do you remember me telling you of the visions concerning one of you dying young?"

They nodded, "The night of our wedding the Lady of Dreams gave one item to give my father. A sword. She told him to stop exploring the deep roads because he would die and lose the family blade."

She nodded, "The one item missing from my father's body was the sword. I believe it was fated he would die, he just did not lose the family blade in the process. Instead, he ends up at the location of the most powerful evil wizard as a marker of something I have to focus on.

Many things in that message that night was cryptic, I believe this might be one of them. I am angry he is dead not because we had a great relationship but because we were in the process of forming a relationship when he died. Which means I was not fated to have that relationship with my father.

Lady Amy Tryst if you want to check Annette's memory of the wedding you can hear everything that occurred. Or better yet..." He extended his hand. "Do my mind. I am immune to mind control but you should be able to read the events of that night. Up to the end of Doc's wedding and then you might want to cut it off, we have a rather colorful sex life."

She looked at Eldar, "Why your mind?"

He looked at her and pulled out three copies of two books, "A set for Lord Regal as well. The gray bound book. I know every word from reading it over 60 years ago. I confirmed that when I recovered the book. I know the content of the dragon war treaties, the human laws over 45,000 thousand pages of them, the elven treaties, and every book I have read over the years. Down to page and paragraph numbers. If you could get a 'good as it was image' of that night it would be with me."

She laughed and then she looked at Lady Silver Hair, "You are serious!? That's right, you did do it to lord Regal, but I had not heard this extended to every book. This sounds interesting."

He extended his hand to her, "I've noticed it is easier for Annette to get to probing memories if she is in contact with the person."

She looked over at Annette and Lady Silver Hair, "I agree, this one is very observant."

She took his hand a few seconds later her body went stiff and her eye turned white and she started to shake. He got her to a chair and pried her hand from his.

After about 30 seconds she looked at him, "You never told me he was god-touched."

He looked at her, "The Lady of Dreams touched Annette to fix her fertility. Does that make her god touched?"

She shook her head. "No. This means you are a servant of a deity. Wait Lady Silver Hair had put that in her report on you. I just did not realize the impact it would have on me doing that."