Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 31

He pulled the crystal for the Queen, "Eldar is everything alright?"

He sighed, "Yes, and no. We are getting horses prepared for the funeral and I have a special request to make of you."

She sounded perplexed, "This could not wait?"

He looked across the stable, "I just became aware of the issue and I would like it fixed before the funeral."

She sounded intrigued, "What do you need of me? If it is for your father you know I would do just about anything for him."

He smiled, "I am glad to hear you say that. Before his death, my father finally acknowledged that he was dating again. I knew he had been for a while and even told him as much when I kicked my step-mother out of the house. That lady is Victria Silver Cloud. She is expecting his twin sons.

I can bring them into the family easily enough but I would rather have her acknowledged as my father's last wife. Can we do anything there? I thought I saw something in the records about this occurring after death but before a funeral."

She thought back, "There is a precedent. It is almost 7,000 years old!"

He nodded, "I would like you to make that formal for her. She works with legal, elven law, house law, and contracts. I would like to make her my new proxy which would be hard to do."

The Queen interjected," If she is not a Silvertree."

He smiled, "I knew you would understand. Can we make this happen, Your Majesty?"

She went quiet for a moment, "I am sending the request to our scribes to transcribe. I will bring it to you at the funeral. You are correct it was time-sensitive and just in the nick of time. I know how much this means to you as well given your parents' history."

He smiled, "Yes you do, Your Majesty. Thank you again."

He walked back to where Doc was at with his guest, "Would you please take her to see my Aunt gets her cleaned up. You will find her with Hunter but they are just sleeping at the moment. Let her know she needs to be cleaned up for the funeral and to get her a House Silvertree cloak with a cloak pin. Whatever they can find for her to wear today."

She looked at Eldar, "Is that allowed?"

He shrugged, "Close enough, the Queen is using 7,000-year-old precedence to make you my father's last official wife. We will deal with the allocation of assets later from his estate. His will does not likely include you or your children. We will deal with the legal hurdles.

I have a Queen who can smooth things over for her favorite diplomat and her favorite champion. If someone from your house objects, tell them they can meet me on a field of honor and challenge me directly. That will shut them up. Name one of them after my father."

She just cried and nodded. He pulled her to him just as his wives came in with food. He looked at them and waved them forward, "Victria, I would like you to meet my wives Charlemagne and Annette. My wives, this is Victria. The lady who my father was dating and she is carrying my twin brothers. I contacted the Queen about precedence to have her declared the last official wife of my father."

They smiled at him and he looked at her. "I needed someone like you. Not tied to house Silvertree politics to fulfill a role for me."

She looked at Eldar, "What role?"

He looked at her, "My father's effort to finish these documents up. Also, working as my proxy for House Silvertree. You know the law and I was working on making changes."

She looked at Eldar, "I know I was working on those documents for your father. A council of 9 and tying elder seats to the population. Very radical stuff."

He nodded, "I think you can help me to finish this work. That work my father and I started together. Anyway, Doc, do the pregnancy checks on my Aunt and tell Hunter congratulations for me. I told my Aunt last night."

Doc chuckled and Victria, Whispers to Doc, "Does he do that a lot?"

Eldar laughed, "Sometimes I am worse than that. You better hurry Doc I think Hunter is coming up on a Happy ending any minute now."

His ladies laughed and she looked startled as they rushed off. He looked at the twins and grabbed a bite to eat from them after checking for poison. He then pulled the horses out of the stall. He saw his brother riding in from the Academy and Eldar waved him over.

He looked at the ladies, "Give me a moment with him."

He dismounts and Eldar walked over and hugged Elios before he got into the whole greeting thing, "Talk brother-to-brother. You know father was dating when he died?"

Elios nodded, "Someone over in the government building. Silver Cloud I think he said. He seemed to be really head-over-heels for her. Why?"

Eldar smiled, "She is here, she is carrying twin boys. Our father's children and our brothers."

Elios nodded, "We are accepting them, of course right?"

Eldar nodded, "I am doing one better, I contacted the Queen. I have a crystal that goes straight to her. I asked about precedence I thought I saw dealing with marriage being recognized after the person died, but before they were buried.

She is working the paperwork to make her his last official wife. When the will is opened, anything coming to us should be divided in half. To allow for our two coming brothers. You agree with this?"

He nodded, "I would never have thought of that but you are the one with the excellent memory. When was this last done? You know."

Eldar smiled, "7,086 years ago next month. Done for the lover of a hero with children on the way. Like this situation. In that case, it was to keep the house from dying out. That house was House Silvertree."

Elios laughed at that, "Explains why you would know it. You probably studied all of House Silvertree history including marriage and birth records."

He nodded, "It was an unusual entry and they were the beginning of the Silvertree family we have now. Without our family, the sword would have died out way back then."

Elios smiled, "I agree, brother."

He nodded," She will ride next to you wearing a House Silvertree Cloak. The Queen will have the paperwork in hand when we arrive. Deflect any questions about her to me."

Elios nodded, "What rank am I riding in?"

Eldar smiled, "Second with our Aunt and step-mother. My apprentices will be behind you. Other house branches will form their own column behind our column. We will be five across with Honor Guard, men who work for me.

They worked with or for our father in some capacity over the years. Center of the second rank. Get two house horses for our Aunt and Step-mother."

He nodded. Eldar went to his ladies, "My brother is on-board fully."

They smiled. "You left Hunter out of your guesses last night."

He nodded, "It is with my Aunt after all."

They smiled at him. Charlemagne spoke, "You did it. You found him, someone."

He shook his head, "They both had lost love and they seemed perfect for each other. I pointed my Aunt at him. The cleric in her led them to heal and then to love."

Elios came out of the stable with the horses.

Eldar looked at him, "I am going to ask that they do a wizard's funeral for him."

Elios looked at Eldar in shock, "Why? I thought he would go into the family crypt."

Eldar shook his head, "I have something more important planned. But to answer your question he was killed by a wizard who was a necromancer. The wizard's body was not found but they saw it turn to ash, so either he died or turned into a lich.

Documents found in his quarters revealed he was researching that at the very least. I do not want father's body desecrated. All but one of the humans from that slaughter are being burned; the exception being the King. The human clerics spent weeks purifying and warding his body against any necromantic intrusions."

Elios looked at him, "Is this something worthy of a Silvertree?"

He smiled, "Yes, it is worthy of a Silvertree."

Elios nodded, "Then I agree."

---

Eldar spent fifteen minutes getting everyone in line. Captain Tranosa, Charlemagne, Eldar, Annette, and Captain New Moon formed the first line. The second line was Hunter, aunt Trisna, his brother Elios, his new step-mother Victria, and Skinner. The third line was Doc, Moon Ray, Master Trainer Yetto, Strong Oak, and Cook. The last line was Fireball, Jarron, Eagle-eye. He had Captain Silver Moon Riding behind Jarron as the rear guard.

---

He looked over, "Captains Tranonsa and New Moon will fall back to the line with my Second rank with my aunt, brother, and Step-mother. They will remain with our column. Charlemagne and Annette's will form a column of two and I will move out in front of them. All outside guards will slide back one row when this occurs. This will happen when we pick-up the funeral wagon.

Jarron and Captain Silver Moon will take up the positions in front of the funeral wagon. As the rest of the column passes Hunter and Skinner will take guard beside the front wheels. Doc and Cook will take side guard by the rear wheels. Fireball and Eagle-eye will have the rear guard. As we approach the wagon, move into your position. You will see me move forward ahead of the group.

Hunter, Fireball, and Doc will stop and do a quarter turn to the right and wait for the group to pass and then move into position."

They all nodded that they understood where he wanted them. He had put Jarron at a position of honor in the front of the Funeral Wagon and he knew it. He knew why. He did it with Silver Moon as well but it seemed to surprise her. She figured he knew more than he talked about.

---

Eldar knew they were good friends a long time ago going through the Academy, yet nothing more. She had her eyes set on Moon Ray, even back then. She was probably one of his oldest friends as he did not Jarron until much later.

---

"One last thing. Before we depart, I will yell out 'Blades' I want you to do a sword salute to the church for Corellon Larethian. I will then say 'forward' and keep weapons drawn until I call halt at the viewing site. I will call out 'Blades' again, to sheath your swords. Then I will yell out 'Dismount.'

Apprentices set your swords for a right-hand draw. My brother is riding right in front of you follow his lead on the sword salute and holding your blades. They nodded as did his brother."

Feeling they have everyone set he called out. "Forward."

They wound their way through the Market district with Royal Guards having cleared the roadway. They rode up in front of the Church. As he reached the end of the Funeral Wagon he rode forward and his wives moved into a column of two. He moved far enough ahead, stopped the horse and dismounted.

He spoke with the Grand Cleric, "Both sons agree. Wizards funeral."

The Queen handed him a tube. He walked over to his step-mother. "Look at your cloak pin." It was black. "Grab this tube."

She did so and she saw the house Silvertree symbol appear. He put the tube away and she smiles at him and nodded. Then mouths the words, 'Thank you.'

He mounted up as his father's body was loaded into the funeral wagon which had glass sides. They stepped away from the wagon.

The Grand Cleric nodded to Eldar. He yelled out, "Blades!" The sound of swords being drawn and the church being saluted. "Forward!"

They left the church and wound their way through the market to the Palace District viewing area. The area that was used as Heliar was a diplomat in service to the Queen. They pulled up to where the wagon was even with the walkway, out to the viewing area.

He had circled around to monitor the approach, "Halt!"

The wagon was square with the walkway. He went back to the front and centered his horse. "Blades!" As swords were sheathed. "Dismount!" He looked at the groom's, "The three horses in the middle here, are the only ones needing to be held. Hold the Carriage horses until it is empty and the driver tells you to move away. Jarron, be sure to move back into the center. We will box in your horse."

He nodded. "Honor Guard, walk your horses forward." They walked up in the order in which we arrived then formed a line for the family with his apprentices and Master Yetto behind them. The Gray Blades in guard positions around the viewing area on the opposite side of where they stood. The Queen looked at him, "I am sorry about your father, he would have been impressed with his honor guard."

He nodded to her, "Four Moon Blades and everyone we both worked with, Your Majesty."

She smiled at him and the King and Queen walked off. A few House Patrons walked around and gave condolences including the Patron to House Goldensong. Who simply said, "We know your pain. Be well."

Eldar nodded at him. He was also visited by all of the other Blade holders and their families.

Once the viewing crowds passed through, which took a few hours. The rest of House Silvertree gathered on the head side of Heliar's body. Far enough away for traffic to move through. The Grand Cleric stepped forward with six other clerics.

Eldar stepped out and addressed the family, "It was the decision of his sons that our father receive a wizard's funeral instead of being interred. The family crypt will be sealed until further notice and heavily warded. The reason for these steps lies in the manner in which he died. He was killed by a necromancer.

The last guard to see him alive saw an ashen form fall away but there were no casters left standing. The one man who had a sword near him was a traitor to the human King. His sword was not magical. This means the possibility exists that this necromancer escaped. His quarters revealed he was researching to become a lich.

As such to ensure his body is not desecrated it will be burned to ash and buried on the Silvertree estates in a ceremony following these events. I invite my selected guests, honor guard, and the Elders of House Silvertree, with the first and second eldest to attend this ceremony. With your spouses of course. Any caster who is able to cast fireball should step forward if they wish to participate in this endeavor."

They had 18 casters who cast fireball twice into the center of the area while the six clerics contained the blast to the body. They then compacted the ash into a small square. They slid the held contents inside of a sealed box and handed it to Eldar.

He placed it in his bag and they headed for the horses. "Mount...Forward."

They rode back to House Silvertree and straight into the garden.

He looked at Annette, "I want you to use your telekinesis from your sword to open the box and then use it to spread the ashes in that hole. I will hold a wall of force over it to keep the ashes from traveling away." She nodded at him. She did her telekinesis.

She popped open the box and spread the ashes out evenly using the box. He kept the wind from spreading the ashes. He looked at the Honor Guard, "Start putting dirt on top of the wall of force. They did as he asked. He released it and the dirt fell over the ash. He reached in and pulled out the box from the center and filled in the hole. He looked at the group that had gathered.

"The other day I had the gardener reworking the layout of this garden. I was disappointed in the lack of trees. One, in particular, was missing." He reached into a pouch and pulled out a seed. He buried it in the middle of his grave. "Doc, create water over this area and then bless the water, would you?"

He nodded as the water fell onto the dirt and he blessed it. "There was a three feet deep hole, four feet wide. When this tree finishes growing it will be forty feet wide. The tree that was missing for three millennia was a Silvertree. One of the things that this tree will do is double the growth rate of all the surrounding trees. In forty years, this tree will launch seeds. Four are to be captured. Two will be planted deeper in the garden, the third will replace this tree as it is removed. The fourth will be a gift to the Royal Palace.

The rest of the seeds will be carried on the wind and will grow where they fall. This is a Silvertree, it is also a tree of change. You will notice the surrounding trees, two for each of the eight elders who will be on the council. One for the current council and one for the future council. These seeds are being used to reclaim almost 200 square miles of plains that once were elven forests.

We are working with the wood elves to bring in sapling and these seeds will be planted in groups. In forty years. The next set of seeds will be collected and even more of them spread over that area. It is my Duchy, so I am naming it the Silvertree Woods in honor of my father. Anytime the Kingdom has a plague, disease, or catastrophe happens. Something that takes out a section of elven forest.

We will send some of these seeds to regrow the damaged areas. The lady everyone is wondering who she is Victria. Formerly Storm Cloud, by royal decree she is the last recognized wife of my father. She is carrying his twin sons and had planned to marry, but my father died. Before anyone says this is unusual, I will point out that a precedent was set over 7,000 years ago.

For a woman in order to allow her unborn children to not only carry the father's name but at that time to keep the House name from dying. That house was Silvertree. None of you would be here as a Silvertree if not for the Royal family's intervention. The Moon Blade I carry would have become a dead blade. The reason this catastrophe almost happened was the Silvertree determination to protect the elven people during the war.

That devastated this family. One of her children went on to claim the blade. Here we are over 7-millennium later doing the same for my father. This tree, the work I did to prevent the human Kingdom from collapsing into chaos after this attack, and this action for this lady. All are a homage to my father and the Silvertree family.

I leave tomorrow to try and get more answers on this necromancer. The day before the human King's funeral and the Queen's planned attendance. I thank you for all attending and seeing the more compassionate side of me for a change."

The crowd broke up and several came to Victria and welcomed her to the family. He looked at her, "My father's room is sealed until after my return from the human Kingdom then my brother and I will go through his belongings to find his will. We have already agreed that anything left to his sons or the two of us by name we would work to split for each of his sons.

Including the unborn sons, who will receive the inheritance. I will ascertain what his holdings are. Half of that will go to you while the other half is split between my brother and I. Unless he called for a specific change in his will. It is my understanding that he last modified his will after my wedding."

She smiled at him, "After you got rid of his witch of a wife, but yes. Your father admired what you were doing. Both to the house and for the elven people. He said your mother would have been proud to see what her son has done for the people."

Jarron walked over, "Your father would have loved this approach to his funeral. Your mother, more so. Besides, he really hated crypts." Eldar chuckled as he continued. "Now his ashes sit on feet of horse dung to fertilize the tree growing and consuming his ashes. The Silvertree was an outstanding idea."