Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 31

The dwarves looked at Eldar with indignation as he teleported out with the group he was with.

Eldar looked at his apprentices, "Stable your horses. Follow Hunter to the wing you will be staying in for the night." He walked down the hall with his wives and was glad this day ended. They got to his room and they got undressed and crawled into bed together with his arms around his two crescent moons for the first time in weeks.

---

Lady Amy Tryst was in the neutral dragon section of the great Dragon city. She had the King of Crystal Dragons and Emerald Dragons with her. She had secured her home.

She looked across at them, "This is mostly for one of you. The one who keeps voting for isolation."

The Emerald King looked at her, "I would prefer we had no contact with them at all. They could be a danger to us if they knew some of the things that have happened in the past."

She nodded and held out her hands. "I had permission to access Eldar Silvertree's mind. It about knocked me on my ass. Both of you, sit and connect to me."

She sent them both the flood of images that made up Eldar's entire life and the things he had been doing. She opened her eyes to see she had to wake both of them up as she had knocked them both out cold. The crystal looked at her, "He has a perfect mind...almost..not quite right. His youth had fragmented. If only he were a psion. My youngest son would benefit from this knowledge as he has been searching for a perfect psion mind. He will want to watch this family."

The Emeralds King shook his head and looked at her and sighed, "You've made your point. He has a son on the way. He may or may not have a mind like that. But we should teach him.

Regardless, from what you showed us it was the right call to bring those 3 into the Order. He is furious with the Metallics at the moment. Especially the Silver Dragon Queen."

Amy nodded, "I cannot say he has no reason to be upset with them. The way his mind works. The way he sees things. His Gods told him 3, but in actuality, I doubt that. I believe he was the only one they wanted in that role. He has affected massive amounts of change and he can save the Knights.

They could help save our kind when war comes. The Gods gave him the ability to make it happen and he has a vision similar, but not exactly like Tallion. What we don't know is why our metallics are refusing to be more forthcoming with him. I shared this revelation with the metallic leaders verbally and in private.

I did not give them all of this. I made sure they knew he could be one of the greatest assets to aid us in the future or if we were declared an enemy of the Elven people, he would be one of the strongest opponents we ever faced. We have to work on handling him better."

She sighed, "His requests and insights need to be handled better. His code is strict and the answers he got from the Silver Queen, you saw his eyes and the way he yelled at her.

She is on the verge of losing him and potentially the others if they don't become less restrictive on keeping him in the loop on developments, ESPECIALLY with this lich. One major push and that might create an irreparable rift between them.

The Gold King was not as convinced but the Silver Queen wants him more involved because of how his mind works. He will find conspiracies and he will work to act, even if we do not support him. That could be damaging to our societies if we fail to support him."

They all nodded their agreement to her. The emerald looked over, "That family will be one to watch and we cannot do that in isolation. Tensions between the Chromatic Dragons and Metallic Dragons are only getting worse. The Chromatic Dragons are failing at following the treaty. Especially the reds after this last revelation."

The Crystal looked over, "I see now we will need to be more supportive of the Metallic Dragons if we want to win peace within our kind as the Chromatic Dragons work to bring outside forces against us and our society as a whole. Even each other. Blocking the vote did not aid us. It will likely hurt us in the long run."

They left Amy as she released the lockout on her home. She looked over at the last of her children, hatchlings that played in another room. She sighed, 'Our kind are not meant for war, but it may come sooner than we hoped it would."

---

Eldar awoke early and got in an hour of sword practice and spell preparation, including getting a 9th tier spell into memory.

He included the phylactery detection spell. He was cleaned up and dressed as the ladies woke up.

He looked at them, "I will get the horses brushed and saddled while you find us something to eat from the cooks. He headed out the door and one of the guards stopped him, "You have a visitor."

Eldar looked over and saw a red-eyed female Moon Elf he had not met before. She had been crying.

Eldar looked at the Guard, "Get Doc and have him meet us out by the stable. You can come with me. What is troubling you besides the fact that you are with children?"

She looked at Eldar, "You know?"

Eldar nodded, "Two boys, but I cannot make what their futures are to be."

She sobbed a bit, "They are your brothers. I did not know it was 2."

He looked at her, "My father mentioned he had started dating again. Though I suspect it has been going on for a while."

She nodded, "Almost two years, he wanted us to marry soon but then this!"

Eldar nodded, "Give me a moment to get these horses brushed down and geared while we wait for Doc. I believe you but I have to make sure. After I disowned 60% of house Silvertree. Doc can do that quickly."

He finished getting the barding on and the last saddled.

Doc showed up. "You rang at this ungodly hour?"

Eldar chuckled, "Doc, I would like you to meet?"

She looked up, "Victria Silver Cloud."

Eldar looked at Doc, "She claims, and I believe her, to be my father's betrothed. She is expecting twin boys. Take that as a given. I need you to confirm the children are in fact, my half-brothers."

Doc nodded. Eldar looked up and they saw a House Silvertree symbol over her head. As well as a Silver Cloud."

He read the signs, "She carries your brothers."

Eldar looked at her, "What would you like me to do for Victria? What do you do for a living?"

She looked at Eldar, "Nothing glamorous like you or your father. I worked over in the government building. Dealing with elven laws, house laws, and contracts. I want my children to have their father's name."

Eldar nodded, "How about yourself? Do wish to be a member of this house, as dysfunctional as it is."

She nodded, "But your father is dead."

Eldar looked at her, "An enchanter and a diplomatic mage like my father. The children are the easy thing to do, they will be acknowledged as Silvertree. As to you, that might take a little more work. Give me a moment."

He pulled the green 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?"

Eldar 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."

Eldar 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!"

Eldar 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."

Eldar 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."

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

He walked back to where Doc was 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?"

Eldar 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?"

Eldar 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."

Eldar 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. Eldar 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 dismounted 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 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 on 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, "7,386 years ago next month At the End of the 5th Age. 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."

Eldar 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 like many others."

Elios smiled, "I agree, brother."

Eldar 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 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."

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

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

Eldar 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 our 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?"

Eldar 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.

---

Corellon looked over the estate of House Silvertree. What Eldar had planned to do. He looked at the Lady of Dreams, "From the ashes will grow an eternal Silvertree. A Relic of this world tied to the Silvertree Family. Nothing that can be wielded by anyone and it may serve a purpose thousands of years from now. They have been in service to us for thousands of years.

Tallion, Adrian'Colar, Sarik'Tor, Heliar, Elara, though they never married at our request. Eldar's thoughts for Victria pleased Heliar. Shows his dedication to acceptance. Heliar and Elara are now concerned he will destroy the Knights or get killed by this Lich."

The Lady of Dreams sighed, "I am not liking his level of rage and anger. He is likely to unload on his wives in bed tonight. He will need more wives. If he makes it through this."

Corellon nodded, "He is effecting change around the city and to the south. He has avoided most of the major hurdles that he can. This lich we could not have prepared him for as his Code demands justice for the attack. He is going into a potential battle with that as well. You gave him ideas for 2 who are good choices. Listen to what he says before deciding on the next 2 wives."

The Lady of Dreams sighed, "Getting him to marry after Annette and Charlemagne pass would be a problem if I had not taken that action. The thing is we have no means of pressing our will in this matter, other than the code but then he could just say it is not a violation of the Code because the promise was not to you, but me.

Stripping him of his abilities for not marrying would be counter to the new laws he has been working towards. He is hearing lies being told to him, it is a perversion of the enhanced hearing you gave him and he has taken it further."

Corellon shook his head, "He is pulling in premonitions you have not been sending, and some that the Dragons have not been sending. I think it is from the Amulet. Part of him...to see what is possible. Something from Tallion but different is what I am sensing. Regardless, watch what forms. They may provide the answers. You just have to work the plausible explanations."

---

Eldar 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 get 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. He did not know how he knew this fact, but he did. She had her eyes set on Moon Ray, even back then. She was probably one of his father's oldest friends as he did not know 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 a 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 stepmother. "Look at your cloak pin." It was black. "Grab this tube."