Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 35

He looked at her, "Watch and learn."

He got all of them together real tight and cast the circle and they were in front of his home. Eldar looked out, "My students are in the next village over running through an obstacle course. Good, he is helping her with acrobatics. They have their horses. Charlemagne and Annette, you should stop and check on your father.

Sounds like he has a cold. Silver Moon and Tiger are upstairs fucking away. They are supposed to be clearing out. Hunter and Eagle-eye are dragging a couple of deer. They got lucky with getting both together. They will be coming around the bend in five, four, three..."

They watched as the riders came pulling 2 deer.

Eldar looked at Hunter, "I will look for Tranosa at the mill. You said one of the blades was giving them fits?"

Hunter yelled, "Fuck man I hate that hearing of yours."

Eldar looked at him, "Did you ask her?"

He sighed, "Not yet why?"

Eldar smiled, "The night of the 12th after the sword ceremony. An hour later, the Lady of Dreams will be here to perform a mass wedding ceremony. Anyone who wants to get married by the Lady should plan on that night. Let them know in both villages and when you go over to the other ones send my apprentices to the river, tell them to find me on the road on the way to the sawmill.

Eagle-eye, would you yell up at Silver Moon in my room that they better be finished, cleaned up, and gone before I get back with guests. Tell Cook we have five extra for tonight. How did things go for Tiger?"

Hunter laughed, "Those dwarves managed to get in with 2 of those armored elbows but he still knocked them both out cold."

Eldar nodded, "When Charlemagne and Annette come out let them know we are slowly riding up to the river."

He nodded. He turned up the road with the ladies and Gabriel in tow.

"Any more questions on my hearing?"

He heard a few giggles from the Crescent Moon Sisters.

Eldar smiled, "At the end of this road we will come up to the one structure that was the making of the original inn and abandoned when the man building it was split in half. He was a human rapist. We paid homage to the man and we turned the planned inn in that location into a stable so every horse under the sun that travels these roads can shit on his dream."

That got a few laughs. "On the other side is what Staria wants to see. The one set of plans we did not pay for."

They got to the end of the road and Charlemagne and Annette came up like the wind and slowed up. Charlemagne looked over, "Yes, it is a cold but he is on the mend. That is what he claims."

He looked at the building and it was missing windows.

Eldar hopped down, "Been a while since I have been back for more than an hour. Why not look around inside."

He walked up and into the building and an Elf he had never seen before started walking toward him, "This is not open yet, they get the furniture in a week or two."

Eldar looked at him, "What is left to do?"

The guy looks at Eldar, "Most of the fourth floor there are questions on the internal walls."

Eldar nodded, "Find Greentree, and whoever is in charge of the crew of this building and tell them I want to see them."

Eldar looked at him, "Eldar Silvertree. One of the owners. Commanding General of the Gray Blades. Let him know I want the dwarf working the Keep as well."

He looked shocked and ran out of the inn. He walked around the corner. "This will be a private dining room that can seat 24. Once they have the doors hung. There are doors to the kitchen there and in the back of the dining room.

He walked back, "There are 5 of the 6 stoves for the inn. Those stoves and ovens are enchanted to cut down the need for wood. We are working the same in all of the homes in the two villages and this town. With the working population, it falls into a town range now. We need to step outside for a second, we have a few centaurs approaching."

Eldar looked out the door and stepped out to see them come around the building, "How goes the patrol?"

One of them looks at Eldar, "Poorly, we are trying to track a couple of poachers. We have removed a dozen traps in the last few days."

Eldar stepped down, "If you got a map show me where you have found the traps."

He pulled out a map and showed them where the traps were found. Eldar looked at him, "The Wood Elves have been brought in?"

He shook his head. Eldar looked at the map.

He marked three spots, "I want 18 Wood Elves in pairs 2 at each of these 3 locations 8-hour shifts. The reason you are having a hard time is this is outside of the normal Wood Elf area. I think they are going into the trees to evade you. Take that to the Elder in the Wood Elf Village and let him know I would like that to start as soon as possible."

He nodded and headed off.

Greentree showed up, "Annette, how are you? Charlemagne, you look well. Eldar you look better than expected with your recent loss."

Eldar nodded, "The attack that killed my father also killed the family of Rachel and Dorothy. Their father became the Duke due to this loss but it is still family."

He nodded and shook their hands. "This is Staria and Astria, Staria is the one who got us the plans for the buildings but she gave us the plans for this one. I see some of the stoves are in. What is the status of the bar, furniture, and I heard there was an issue with the 4th floor?"

He looked at Eldar, "Where to put the walls you wanted it family space but we never got into the internal walls of the 4th floor."

Eldar looked at him, "What is the expected time frame for the keep and where is our dwarven friend who is hiding because he thinks I want to change something?"

Greentree laughed, "Around the corner, I will go and get him."

Eldar walked back into the inn and went to the second floor, "How long on the furniture?"

Annette sighed, "It should have been here yesterday! I will have to check. The counter for the bar is a week out as they are applying many layers of lacquer to give it a smooth glass-like finish."

Eldar stared at her, "Really? With you constantly shattering glass?"

Annette looked at Eldar, "Glass-like, not actual glass."

Eldar looked at her, "Tell it to that poor water pitcher, it was not glass either. At least I could fix that."

Eldar got stares from a few, "Her nickname in Banshee. She climaxes, she can break glass. Let me rephrase that when she has sex with me a certain way and with her, in control, she can hit that."

Charlemagne nodded while she tried not to laugh.

The dwarf showed up and looked at Eldar, "I did not need to hear that."

Eldar laughed, "Technically you have not heard it as far as I know."

That got everyone laughing. Eldar looked around, "They want walls for the fourth story in here, I need to know when the Keep, without any changes, would be ready?"

He looked at the numbers, "About 16 years." Eldar looked at the plans for the second, 3rd, and 4th floors.

"I want the back third as one large master suite. I want this section divided into 9 rooms per side equally sized rooms. I know you got stairs here and here. I want a door at the top of these stairs. Wall off that section for the master. If you need to do an 8 on one side and 10 on the other to make up for lost space from the stairs that would be fine. Those are bedrooms for children. As I am 16 years out, let me see the plans for the keep only."

He pulled them out. He asked him, "What would it take to add a floor on the Keep?" He looked at it, "With the foundation, I could not give you a complete floor. I would have to bring it in 3 feet on each side." Eldar looked at him, "If you went 4 feet could you run two staircases along here, one that goes inside and one that goes outside onto the roof?"

He looked at it, "You want to make this outer area into a balcony?"

Eldar smiled, "Yes my wives like balconies. I want to be able to access it from the lower level so when war hits, I can put lookouts on each of the four corners of the Keep. They will see if anything has made it to the top of these walls without being seen."

He scratched his head, "Yeah that is doable. You sure you were not a dwarf in a past life?"

Eldar laughed, "Who says I don't have a little dwarf in my right now. We could always try a jug of dwarven spirits. See if you can drink me under the table."

He laughed and Eldar's wives ladies tried to wave him off, "You serious about that?"

Eldar looked at him, "I had two shots earlier today with the Dwarven Ambassador from our Elven palace. We were at the Human King's funeral. Tasted like warm water."

The ladies groaned, and he looked at Eldar, "How?"

Eldar pulled his boot dagger and cut his hand...then wiped away the blood.

"Alcohol does not affect me anymore. I had to test it on the strongest stuff I knew."

He looked at Eldar, "That is not normal."

They all laughed and Eldar smiled, "Nobody ever claimed I was normal."

Eldar looked at Greentree, "If the Keep is that far out, I need room for 36 children at least. On that 4th floor, I want a set of doors over by where the stairs come up then I want a double door facing south.

When we are on the balcony we can see toward our front lines. Run a privacy wall on either side so sentries cannot see when I have Annette out howling at the moon."

The dwarf looks at him, "Are we sure that is all?"

Eldar chuckled, "This change is being driven by divine intervention. When a goddess tells you to go from 2 wives to 6. She did not even tell me! She told my 2 wives. I just walked in at the end of the conversation.

I just got the follow-up direction after that. That is why these 4 lovely ladies are here right now. To see if it is something they are interested in, but they are the ladies she pointed me toward."

The dwarf looked at him, "Can you handle 6 wives?"

Eldar looked at Annette and Charlemagne, "Give him a number before I went soft."

Charlemagne looked at him, "30."

Eldar looked at him, "Remember the alcohol and the cut on my hand. They are tied together."

He nodded, "I am not sure 6 would be enough."

The ladies laughed at him as he walked out shaking his head.

Eldar heard the Dwarf as he walked away. Eldar smiled, "We might be a little crazy as you say but if you want to put your money where your mouth is. Go and find my 2 dwarven Captain candidates. We can settle the alcohol right off of the bat. Say 25,000 gold pieces a man winner takes all.

You should know I have an amulet embedded in my chest that is causing these changes. Just to be fair. If you or any of the other 2 are interested in testing that out. Yes, I can hear you. Just like a can hear Gergio whining and cursing that he just smashed his thumb splitting rock at the quarry. Check for yourself."

Eldar looked at the others, "I do that for a few reasons. I sent 2 dwarves against our unarmed fighter and they laughed at me. I wanted to show them that they do not always assume when you look at something that you know what you see. Tiger knocked them both out cold. You challenge a dwarven male, by his prowess in bed, his ability to drink, and skill in battle."

You break those 3 things and a dwarf has to look at you in a new light. When the time comes for battle, they will not question my role. I also let them know that if I am anywhere in the area that I could very well hear them. From having sex to having a farting contest. It does not matter."

The ladies looked at him and laughed. "Let us continue our ride. See how Tranosa is doing now that both blades are working again."

They mounted up and looked at all of the houses that were going up and got to the mill and the Dwarf walked back as Eldar asked, "He going to live?"

He looked at Eldar. Sighed and walked on.

Eldar looked over at Tranosa, "Captain, stop playing with the toys I got work for you."

He laughed. Eldar looked at Gabriel, "Hop down. Tranosa is the one who will evaluate you. Introduce yourself and I will go a little further away and check on our farmers."

Eldar looked at Tranosa, "An honest assessment he has been talking back all day so don't go easy on him."

The ladies laugh and Tranosa knew he was joking. They moved down the road and he waved at one of the farmers who waved him over, "You got a minute?"

They rode over, "You are the one who saved our collective asses and brought us here! They did a great job of clearing these fields and the first couple of homes are almost done. We have never felt safer."

Eldar nodded, "Well to let you know the reason you were in such peril was not the King but a rogue General which we took out. King Thornlord was taking a lot of steps to improve the forces up here after we captured him. The King, most of the nobility, and my father were killed a couple of weeks ago. I have been out there off and on helping to stabilize the government and make sure that our human support does not evaporate."

He nodded, "It would be good to see a few more humans around here."

Eldar looked over, "This is Rachel and Dorothy, they are daughters of one of the new Dukes. Once they figured out who was left for some of the families and lines of succession. It was a mess but the funeral for the King was early this morning. We teleported back here to keep things under a close watch."

He smiled, "Well your men have been great to us."

Eldar nodded, "Well if any of your needs are coming up short, talk with Annette as she is the town administrator. She will work to get things on the right path."

He smiled, waved, and went back to work. "This goes back to visions' a loss of 34 human civilians and 7 of my men if I did nothing. Or the loss of 1 to save a village. We moved them here and gave them workable farms and a good deal on what they raise."

Eldar looked at the farm. "Just past where his field end is where the pasture will start and it will run the length of all the farms up to the crossroads and be as wide as the farms. It will be broken into groups so we can divide out which stud is servicing which mares."

Eldar looked back at the ladies, "Let us see if your brother needs a healer yet."

They rode back and the two of them were going at it hot and heavy. He saw the kid roll away. Tranosa put his weapon away.

Tranosa nodded, "He has had good instruction. I would say he is easily a sergeant and I am willing to bet a lieutenant."

Eldar nodded, "I'll back your bet. Getting him assigned to a patrol in 7 days. In the meantime. Charlemagne, get him on the payroll and get him a cloak. Where are my two Dwarven Captain candidates?"

Tranosa smiled, "They went out on a patrol yesterday morning. They wanted to start to get to know how we do things. I told them they could do it."

Eldar nodded, "I like initiative."

Eldar started riding, "Mount up Lieutenant. We do not want your father to think you are not keeping a close enough eye on your sisters' virtue."

Gabriel laughed, "He was ready to let them go without me until he saw that book. Then I was all in for going."

Eldar smiled, "Having a code of honor is a good thing."

Gabriel chuckled, "Yes, it is."

Eldar sighed, "We have to stop at the new barn." He rode forward and yelled up. "Captain Goldeagle, your presence is required. Tell that cute little sergeant she can ride some more in a minute after you get your tail chewed on."

He looked back, "Doc and Eagle-eye took over this space but I know it is Goldeagle up there."

He shouted up, "Skip the armor this will not take long!" He came out and was a bit of a mess. "I told you, you can report back to fornication duty just as soon as you get chewed on a bit."

Blaze looked at Eldar, "What did I do?"

Eldar brought around the crystal, "Your Majesty, I have Captain Goldeagle with me you wished to speak with him."

She responded back, "Loan him that crystal I will make sure he gets it back to you right away."

Eldar looked at the Captain, "Yes, Your Majesty. I never said it was I who was going to chew on you. I will be over at the corral looking at the horses."

He looked at the Lieutenant, "You know how to fight from horseback?"

Gabriel nodded. "You good at it?"

He nodded. He rode forward, "T'suras we got a hard-charging human fighter who likes to swing big weapons. He needs a fearless mount who won't take any shit from him. He has to learn Elven so what do you have for us."

A big black mare from the last group was there.

Eldar looked at Charlemagne, "Teach him about how to make a pact with an Elven warhorse, the rules. Training falls into your area." Charlemagne smiled.

He looked at the group. "T'suras you stud, any mares in heat right now?"

Three of them came walking up to the fence. He let him walk in, "T'suras fika."

T'sarus got up on the first one and started fucking her. The ladies all laughed. Astria asked, "You taught him that?"

Eldar shook his head, "Did you see the double crescent on the left side. I picked him and started throwing commands at him. I have over 20. He had 12 on the first day. The other horses learn from each other. He is the key. Do my Human ladies know the meaning of his name?" It was quiet. "Would one of the elven ladies like to tell them?"

Staria replied, "It means 'Coming from the night sky.'"

Eldar looked over, "All my wives ride a War Horse like this. T'suras picked them all for my ladies. He picked all of the ones here. Most are carrying a foal or two. Last time in town I told him to pick 12 and he had 14. He knew it but I let him have the extra 2."

The ladies laughed. Eldar looked down the road, "My apprentices are riding up."

Eldar yelled out, "Faster and I want to see an acrobatic dismount from both of you!" He heard Moon Ray as she started to scream as she got closer. Eldar climbed the fence and flipped over his guests and fell in behind her on the saddle.

He looked down, "Got your foot stuck?" She nodded.

He looked at her, "Your stirrups are set too long you need to adjust them up so your knees have some bend and you are not catching your foot on the top of the stirrup."

He flipped off the back of her horse. "Have Doc or one of the clerics take a look at that right away. There are two on the site where the church is being set up. You go with her."

He looked at the 4 ladies who were sitting there with their mouths open. Eldar looked at them, "What?"

Rachel spoke, "You went up that fence over us and landed on the back of a running horse!"

Eldar nodded, "I have also put my feet on the saddle of my horse, launched myself in the air, spun like a top with my head facing down, driven my blade through a fleeing Ogre Magi's collarbone, and straight into his heart. I tumbled away, recalled my sword to my left hand. I got back into the saddle just as fast heading back to my troops using my right hand and left foot. All while the horse was traveling at full speed."

He opened the gate and let T'suras exit. He looked at them, "There are certain things I do that defy logic and explanation, even by me. I see these crises in slow motion and I just do it."

Rachel looked at him, "I absolutely love you!"

She jumped down and into his arms. "This place that your building is beautiful. The people seem to love you, except that dwarf."

Eldar chuckled, "Well, to be honest, I have changed plans on him a few times. Once was the Queen changing it and this time it was an amulet changing things with my need of 4 more wives."

Captain Goldeagle looked at him, "You had to tell her?"

Eldar looked at him, "She was pissed the last time when I did not tell her that you joined us. I was not about to catch her wrath with you getting married and informing her after the fact. I got slapped once for you already.

Speaking of marriage there will be a mass marriage ceremony an hour after the sword ceremony that night. It is special. The Lady of Dreams is conducting the marriages. Something to talk over."