Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 31

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

Eldar 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 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 he was fated to 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 needed to focus upon.

Many things in that message that night were 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 3 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."

---

Amy Tryst had wanted to get an understanding of him. Of what his mind was like. She remembered that Sartior had spoken with her and only that the necklace was a Draconic health necklace. Nothing more as Sartior had blocked it from her mind. She took his hand a few seconds later her body went stiff and her eye turned white and she started to shake.

She saw everything about him from the age of 6 or 7 forward. It was fragmented, there were holes in his early childhood. Then the assault the Elf tried and was captured in the act. By his mother before he could rape Eldar. She saw the flash of the blade that cut off the Elf's cock and more holes in his mind.

Things Eldar did not remember then at 10 he started recording his life. And everything his mind started doing. Every sight, sound, sensation his entire days and nights and images and sensations just flooded into her as she tried to take it all in.

The fights, his mother, his anger at her loss. It was a raging river of information and every combat and every sex act he had with his wives. She got everything up until he found Heliar's body, his work in Grand Falls, and his father laying on the floor in the very room they met him in. All before the connection was broken by him. Her heart went a thousand miles a minute as she tried to digest it all. She felt overloaded and weak at the knees.

She heard Lady Silver Hair in her mind, "Are you alright!"

She thought back. "NO. Fuck no, give me a second. His mind records everything though it is fragmented as a youth. When he turned 10 and started his journal he did not just start recording his thoughts on paper. He recorded EVERY FUCKING THING ins his life!

The last image I had was his rage at the Dragon Council as he stared at his dead father on the floor in this Palace! He kept it contained, and focused, but it has been building! You should know he talked with Jarron.

When he joined. The way he looks at the world. He can see things we cannot. Like Tallion most likely! He is in pain, grief, rage below the surface, and you are not being open with him and that is only pushing the rage higher!"

Lady Silver Hair sighed, "I don't need a Champion finding the Dragon Council to be the enemy. How do you know Tallion?!"

Lady Amy Tryst replied, "You may be beyond that now. It will take a monumental effort to repair your relationship if that is even possible. You should work, to be honest with him as he will see things we cannot. His mind has everything, but it is raging chaos at the moment.

As to Tallion, the Crystal Dragon of his time, the King. Images of him from the 5th age shared from generation to generation about that Champion and his vision over the battlefield and the world.

He respected the Neutral Dragons! Nobody ever read his mind. If they had they might have been out of it if it was like this or their heads would have exploded. He likely descends from Tallion!"

Lady Silver Hair sighed and thought, "He does, and many others."

---

Eldar got her to a chair and pried her hand from his.

After about 90 seconds she looked at him, "You never told me he was god-touched."

Eldar 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."

Eldar nodded, "I know that and I stated it in the Council of Nine Meeting. I found out I was chosen to be his champion at my wedding."

She shook her head, "You were born to do it. That is just when it was revealed."

He shrugged, "I expected as much, Corellon Larethian touched me when we did the last set of blades. I have questioned if all of my success was in part of being gifted an advantage."

Lady Amy Tryst smiled, "That is not how it works. Certain skills might be born into a candidate, but that would be true of all of them. They might have 10-12 at a time but they only choose and grant the ability to the 1 who proved their worth.

I saw your conversation where Solonor told you they had it narrowed to 3 who were all at the wedding. Then your one with Corellon and the Lady of Dreams though much of it was encrypted or something. Nothing you are allowed to discuss. Your memory might have been a gift from your mother and father. Did you ever ask them if they had that kind of memory?"

Eldar shook his head, "I was young when my mother died."

He pulled out a communication crystal and waited for it to go active, "Eldar?"

Eldar stared at the yellow crystal, "Yes Jarron, I had a personal question concerning my parents. You knew them both better than me. Did they have a memory like mine?"

Jarron was quiet for a minute, "I take it is important. Of course, it is important, probably tied to another vision. The answer is sort of. They could memorize large documents and hold them for an extended period-of-time just not as long as you do it. They both had that talent which came in handy with their work."

Eldar sighed, "Thank you Jarron, this has more to do with a revelation than a vision but I wanted to confirm that. What about acrobatics?"

Jarron chuckled. "Until recently I would have said your mother was better at it. After hearing of some of the stunts you have pulled, I think she would be proud. You take care. Will see you tomorrow."

The crystal went dark. Eldar nodded, "Alright, I could have enhanced abilities in those areas. To a point, from my parents. Some of the stuff I have done lately is another thing."

Amy Tryst extends her hand, "Show me, but stay focused on those images only." He gave her his hand. She looked up. "A 7x7 elk in the dark and a flying leap off of a horse spinning in the air and running your sword straight through an Ogre Magi's heart. In both events, I sensed a visualization and magic about them.

I would guess they came from your sword's new ability that you speculated about. Hearing and changes to your sight you have not noticed yet is probably from the deity touching you. I see why Lord Regal is interested in him now."

Eldar looked at her, "Why?"

She smiled, "Your memory for one. Some dragons spend a lifetime working at what you are doing naturally. Then there is your perception, observation, and action. You do not have the patience of a Dragon but you see things, like conspiracies and threats before others do. Add those together and you have an admirable asset here. What you did for that human Princess was masterful and quick."

Amy looked over at Lady Silver Hair. "You really do need to keep this one informed more. He might see things we miss or catch late in the process. Something to consider. I will make that same recommendation to Lord Regal. No, I did not pry into that, it is just your mind is just so organized that it flooded my senses. How do you like to put it, 'Like standing under a waterfall and drinking every drop?'"

Eldar nodded, "Something like that. I get what you are saying. How much of my life did you get?"

She blushed. "Everything at least for a while I think I might enjoy this red book of yours now that I can hold this form."

Lady Silver Hair opened the red book and gasped, "Oh my! I have heard of books like this but have never seen one. I will have to share this with my mate."

Eldar laughed, "Best way."

Annette looked at Eldar, "Where did this book come from?"

Eldar smiled, "Tiger's book. I heard we shut down the Royal Scribes for days because they were making extra copies of that Red book. The Queen had to get on them to stop. Just to get the Palace's business done."

He just finished his statement when the Queen came in with a Gold Elf woman. He looked at her and she did not look happy to be there.

Eldar walked toward her, "It is good to meet you."

He extended a hand. She grabs his hand. He had that one in a manacle and then the other before she realized what he was doing. Now she was furious, "You cannot do this to a member of the Royal family!"

Eldar looked at her, "You are a caster I can smell the ingredients on you. Your heart is going about twice normal and you are sweating. That was before I put those on. I am Eldar Silvertree. We have a few questions for you.

If everything checks out and we can CONNECT the dots we will be through this quickly. I am authorized to make this interrogation for a reason. I thwarted an assassination attempt here and the Dwarven Kingdom. The humans failed to stop the attack there but I helped to ensure a puppet government was not installed.

In both of those two cases, someone was waiting in the wings to take over ruling the country. We are investigating what knowledge you have about this. Did you know an assassination attempt was going to be made?"

She looks like a trapped rabbit, "Not definitely. I heard some things from friends but I did not know how much of it was true."

Annette, "Push her on the who. She is being deliberately evasive."

Eldar looked at her, "I will be blunt, was one of these friends a cousin who was banished from this Kingdom?"

Her heart rate almost tripled. She starts to answer, "When did you speak to him last, and was it in person in the city?"

She looked at Eldar, "You did not let me answer the first question."

Eldar cut her off, "Because I did not want to hear whatever lie you were going to say! Answer the second question."

She sobbed, "He mentioned it to me a few weeks ago, but he did not give me any details. I heard the assassins here were both women!"

Eldar looked to the Queen, "May I?"

She nodded. He looked at the niece "Wait here a moment." He flipped the switch for the passage and he went into the room and saw the gagged and shackled prisoner. He hooked up his manacles.

Eldar removed his other restraints and walked him out twig dick and all on display. He walked him into the room and the girl gasped. Eldar looked at the man, "Considering what he is packing in genitalia I could see how he could be confused for a woman."

The Queen could not help a cough laugh at that comment. The Silver Queen and Lady Amy Tryst both turned to cover their mouths to stop from laughing.

Eldar looked at her, "This man with another woman. We want an answer."

Eldar, "Annette, walk back and hook her up and bring her forward."

Annette started to and Charlemagne did it instead. She has her looped in as well.

She nodded, "He visited me several days in the market district. He wanted passes to the Palace district to come and see me."

Annette, "She is telling you the truth. But there is more."

Eldar looked at her, "You know by law you were required to report making contact with him. You know by law you provided support to assassins to enter the palace district?"

She looked scared, "I didn't know he was going to do that."

Annette, "That was a lie."

Eldar looked at his prisoner, "Is that bullshit story something you expect us to believe?"

She looked down, "I do not have anything further to say."

Eldar looked at the Queen. "Can we use more invasive means, Your Majesty?"

Charlemagne walked in with the other assassin. The girl looked at her naked form and she looked back down.

Eldar smiled, "You recognize her. A statement, not a question. All of her naked glory. Did he take you to one of his underground sex torture chambers? I bet he did. One of those held the body of a Blade Singer, she was sexually raped and tortured and defiled after she was dead. Did you get to watch any of that?"

She looked shocked, "No I did not see any of that in the place they took me."

Annette, "She lied."

Eldar glared, "Well we have confirmed that you had sex with the two of them. Watched or participated in the torture of that Blade Singer. Gave them access to the Palace District. As well as being aware that he had designs to kill the King and Queen. In addition to not reporting his presence. Did he have plans to kill your Mother too, just to put you on the throne?"

She yelled, "No!"

Annette, "That is a major lie. He was going to kill her mother for free."

Eldar looked at the Queen, "He was going to do your mother for free. Den of Sin for her, Your Majesty?"

She nodded. He took all three of them back and the girl looked around, "What is this place?"

Eldar looked at her, "Right now it is a holding cell for high-value prisoners. He hooked another set of control shackles and removed his. "You sure you are not going to cooperate. You will be treated just like these two. Their brains are bordering on mush now."

She looked at Eldar, "What did you do to them!"

Eldar looked at Annette.

Eldar, "Annette, tell her mentally what you are going to do to her mind."

The Girl faced a training dummy in the corner. The next thing they saw was the head explode off of it.

Eldar looked at Annette, "New talent I see!"

She nodded and the girl looked scared, "Alright! I have been seeing him and his lady friend for the last 54 years. I knew they killed for a living but not who. Even the Army kills. I found out he was not packing a lot which was disappointing but his lady friend has talent. He told me someday we would rule together. I never put much stock in that promise."

Eldar looked at her, "Lying will not work, you were counting on that promise. Did you ever see the contents of his vaults?"

She nodded, "He told me he had a rich partner, Baromissed, or something like that."

Eldar sighed, "He was in league to rule the Kingdom with you in service to this partner of his who was financing him. Lord Barimus?"

She looked at Eldar, "Yes, I think that was the name."

Eldar looked at the Queen, "What do you want to do with her, Your Majesty?"

She glared at Eldar, "Strip her, gag her and let those three go through her mind to see if she has anything worthwhile."

Eldar looked at Charlemagne and Annette, "Ladies I will leave her to you. I will walk outside with the Queen for the moment."

He got the Queen outside. He got her into a chair before she fell over, "I am sorry, Your Majesty. It looks like they were going to play them into wars with each other while he decided which one, he wanted to eliminate first. It did not matter because with necromancy the dead became his army. He could have had us fighting each other for a few decades and then pick us off one-by-one."

The Queen started crying and was holding his hand, "What am I going to tell my sister? I thank the Gods you were able to do as much as you have but how do I deal with my sister?"

Eldar looked at her, "We go back together and I will tell her, Your Majesty."

He stood and took her arm and escorted her back to her Audience chamber. Again, a break in protocol. They got back to the Queen's Audience Chamber and her sister was waiting.

He got the Queen to her chair. He looked at her sister, "She is neck-deep in it. Part of their plans included killing you. This cousin had something against you personally as well. Else he just needed you out of the way so she could rule with him at her side.

Not in the book we recovered, from what we gained he was going to kill you for free. Or they were before we captured them. While she says she did not know the specifics of the plan she has been seeing him and his lady accomplice for 54 years.

She knew they killed people and he talked of killing the King and Queen. She knew they planned to kill you somehow, likely right after killing the King and Queen so you would never take the throne. They might have faked an attack on her to throw off suspicion and then the suspicion would have gone to your son, Captain Blaze being accused, and then his brother.

Regardless, she gave him the passes to get into the Palace district. She knew he worked for a certain Lord, his name is classified. She knew it and he is an enemy of the Kingdom. Responsible for assembling the horde on the southern border that I am dealing with. They are still working on gathering more information from her.

We think we have most of it already. I can inform Captain Goldeagle when I see him. He will likely be shocked but he will hear it from me. I can do the same for Apprentice Goldeagle as well."

The Queen looked at her sister who was sobbing as she knew what it meant. "I would recommend the Queen follow my example on trimming the tree and not burning down the forest. I pruned House Silvertree back quite a bit. I think you have a bad branch if she has any children. Else you are looking at just the one, Your Majesty."

The Queen looked up, "She has 2 young kids in the Academy. Her husband was found dead last year. I will leave them be and seize half her assets as a fine. Half of which I am putting into your discretionary fund."

Eldar shook his head, "I would prefer the money went to testing talented people across the Kingdom. I cannot stress this enough. We are building a Second Academy, we will be able to handle more students. I will give you an example of something you have not heard. I removed an Elf-Blooded Moon Elf from the city who is pregnant with quadruplets. The father is a Moon Elf and had a failed potion. That you have heard.

All four are Battle Mages according to divination and the mother was an untrained Arcane Mimic. Yet another set of abilities we did not have. We are working on training her. Our clerics are gearing up for all of the multiple births. When your time comes you let me know. I will have the most experienced cleric here to help with a multiple birth delivery, Your Majesty."