Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 01 Ch. 35

The remaining Dwarven lieutenant will report to my human sword and shield wife Rachel. Both of these 2 new human officers were evaluated independently of me. I asked for honest assessments. Do not think I would throw any of my family into a meat grinder if they could not do the job.

Astria will get evaluated for battle mage duty as work on her spellbook is done. She may become a Lieutenant in the Blades. Staria is going a different route, she will become an apprentice to Lieutenant Silversong's husband when he gets his master's status.

As both he and my wife will be employed by the Blades they will have effective ranks of Captain and Lieutenant accordingly. Just like our Alchemist. Assigned out of the training facility. Eventually, they will set up shop at the Academy. I want at least one training officer at the distant crossroads.

We will start getting humans coming to join after my address at their King's funeral and the Princess telling her people to support us. Those with cool heads could be moved to the town protection force under soon-to-be Captain Dorothy Silvertree. As homes are completed, I want them to go to officers first then work their way down. Any single soldier will be doubled up in a room.

I want temporary barracks for single soldiers to build on the human side of the border. Charlemagne, can you get the plans with Staria. Annette, place it at the top of the housing queue. The sooner the inn is completed the better. I want the Tavern 'Dismount' finished sooner rather than later to give our guys a place to unwind. I want a second Barracks to be built near the fort for the protection forces.

To provide extra bunks for the Gray Blades and the Academy. I have been given a timeline of 16 years maybe longer before the Keep is finished. When it is, the fourth floor of the inn will be a child care center. For soldiers who are out on patrol as well as a play area for the very young.

Doc I want clerics to help oversee that. Keep Dorothy in the loop as she is interested in the delivery of future generations. Rachel wants a hands-on role working with the horse breeding efforts. The sooner the pasture for the horses becomes available the better.

Please get it fenced in as once before the first foals start dropping, we are going to want a place for them to get big and strong. I have 50 more saddles on order from town. We have 40 left and you can assign those out as needed Tranosa.

These will be the last ones ordered. Keyno and the leather-smith should be able to keep up with demand. Doc when we get done here, I want you to stick around. Hunter, what is your task when you leave here?"

Hunter looked over at Eldar, "Ask a certain cleric Trisna Silvertree to marry me before her nephew drives me nuts!"

Eldar nodded, "Also get her to town to get a wedding dress, the cost is already covered. Because I am such a pain in the ass. Ask Jarron. Speaking of him." He pulled out a crystal and activated it.

"Jarron, your presence is demanded on the 12th for a whole slew of weddings following another sword ceremony. Including 4 more brides for me. I expect you to tell me you will be there. Else I will get the Queen to tell you."

Jarron laughed, "I will be there. 4 more wives. I want to hear about that but I am in the middle of something."

The crystal went dark, "To our dwarven members, if you have any married couples on the field then let us know. Annette can work with Greentree to accommodate the change in height for counters and such in a home that is built for them. Please get with us on numbers." They nodded at him. "As you can tell we have a difficult time telling dwarven males from females unless we strip them naked to check."

Several laughed. One of the Dwarven Captains looked at him, "A lot of dwarves think all elves are females unless they see them stand to piss."

Several chuckled at his comment. Eldar smiled back, "I am sure Dwarven females could stand and piss farther than some of your men. So that test does not work for us."

They chuckled back as it had some truth to it. "I would like the Dwarven Captains to take teams out two days apart. The first one leaving tomorrow. I do not like leaving the front without any captains or Commanders in the area. Once this ceremony is finished things will return to normal. Whatever normal is for us."

That got a few chuckles. "You 2 go outside and arm-wrestle over which of you goes out first. The winner gets to be the first Dwarven Captain onto the front." They nodded at that. "Anything I need to know about since yesterday?"

Tranosa looked over, "The Centaurs found another 20 traps and have found nothing thus far."

Eldar nodded, "I will take a ride out after this meeting with a detail and travel that section of road. We will see if I hear anything."

Tranosa laughed, "You would hear an ant fart."

Everyone rolled laughing.

Eldar smiled, "If that is all, you can take off and get your troops in order, Lieutenant Walder and Silversong wait outside and get mounted up."

Eldar looked at Doc, "This is to remain a secret until two days after the wedding. I want you to check my 4 brides and take them to the master bedroom. I do not need details unless there is something unusual. If so let them know and they can tell us."

He nodded. "Charlemagne and Annette ride with me."

He stepped outside, "Captain Silver Moon, get my apprentices mounted up and over we are going on a patrol."

She smiled and rode off. Eldar looked at Hunter, "When you have finished with that task, I want you to join my patrol."

Hunter shook his head, "Jarron was right you are a pain in the ass."

Eldar smiled, "Sounds like someone needs a jar of anal beads."

That got the troops laughing. Hunter rode off with a smile on his face. He knew if he came back with a comment, Eldar would present him with a jar in front of all the men like he did Jarron.

Eldar got mounted up and the 7 of them started riding. "Charlemagne and you have been on my mind lately."

Annette, "Need Something?"

Eldar, "When Hunter gets here, I want you to get him in with Silver Moon. Not everyone is in the know and I may pick up something I do not want to speak aloud."

Silver Moon, "What the hell?"

Eldar, "Annette is using her psionics for silent talking. Just think what you want to say and we will hear it."

Silver Moon, "Good to know. Better than hand signals."

Hunter, "You got this going again?"

Eldar, "With my heightened senses there might be something I find that I do not want to speak. We are doing this with just captains and above. Those who know it is a Secret of the Kingdom and riding with us. But only when I request it. Like a night patrol looking for a poacher."

They rode along the road and headed along the forest headed west for a change past the inn. Eldar kept his ears open. He signaled a stop and pulled out his bow.

Eldar, "We got a problem. I am sensing a grizzly about 150 feet out that has an increased heart rate. I think he wants our horses. 20 feet into the woods and 80 feet down the road someone is setting a trap. I heard the scraping of metal and I heard the metal click in place. Their heart rate quickened when I stopped the group.

The heart for them is beating faster and they have not moved. As soon as I fire an arrow the other is going to move. I am going to fire on the Grizzly. Hunter and Annette go for the trapper, have him step into any of his traps if you see him. Compel him. Silver Moon, you will have a target when I light this grizzly up. Ready yourselves."

Eldar turned and faced toward the Grizzly and he heard it breathing and he heard its heartbeat increase. It faced him from what he could tell. He took aim and fired. His arrow streaked through the woods.

The arrow went straight into the mouth and exploded in liquid fire. Silver Moon fired off at the lit target while Hunter and Annette went after the poacher. The Grizzly pawed at its face trying to dislodge his first arrow and turned to flee. Eldar put a second arrow into the side for the kill shot and the bear dropped.

Hunter flushed the guy out. He turned around, jumped on his trap, and screamed. Hunter and Annette secure the prisoner and Silver Moon put another arrow into the bear just to be sure. They went in with ropes and he looked at this bear and it has to be 3x the size of the one that attacked him on his first trip from the city.

He looked at his apprentices, "Get your horses and ropes as well. It is going to take a lot of effort to get it out. Lieutenant Walder, ride back and get Skinner. Tell him we just took down a monster Grizzly."

The Lieutenant rode off and he looked at the guy in his trap. Hunter just unhooked the chain and left the guy's leg stuck in the trap.

He was a Moon Elf and Eldar looked at him, "Poaching and trapping are both illegal in these woods. What right do you have to be doing it?"

He looked at Eldar and spat. "You kicked your family out. Where did you expect us to go when you left us nothing?"

Eldar looked at him, "I grew up that way and I made something of myself. How many with you? We will not take that trap off until you tell us honestly? Disowned Silvertree family member, likely from one of the assassin's kin. They got nothing. Let us start walking. Just have him walk with that on until he answers."

Eldar, "I do not want him knowing your abilities. Just let me know if he is being honest."

They worked to pull the Grizzly from the woods and Silver Moon looked at him, "I want a bow like yours!"

Eldar nodded, "We can work that. Some like ones that explode but I wanted it to stick and burn the target like lava."

Hunter looked at it, "Not one shot but still in the dark."

Eldar nodded, "That would have been a menace to the villages."

Hunter nodded.

They got the Bear close to the road. Eldar heard the hoofs of Centaurs approaching. They look at Eldar, "Need a hand with that?" Eldar looked over at the prisoner. "He is a disowned member of my family poaching in these woods. He is not alone. He has his foot in one of his traps. Would you take the rope and take him for a walk up the road and see if he wishes to start talking?"

The Centaurs laughed and took the rope from Hunter. The man looked panicked. He screamed out, "There are 5 others! We have a camp. We take what we catch to our families living in the city."

Eldar looked at him, "Where is this camp at? Point it out on this map. He handed the map to one of the centaurs and then he pointed to a location on the map.

Annette put manacles on him, "He is scared and honest. Yet he is hiding something. Something major."

Eldar sighed, "High and big trees. Could easily make a camp in them. Give the rope back to Hunter. Hunter, take the trap off. How did you evade the centaurs?"

He looked at them. "We used magic. Spider climb, fly, invisibility, and levitate to get into the trees and hide."

Eldar looked at the Centaurs, "Go see the Captain in the Wood Elf village and get 12 Wood Elves who are good at capture. I want them alive and I want to know what you find in the camp. Then I want it monitored for the next few weeks to make sure nobody comes in looking for them.

Have Tranosa get contact information on where to find these family members and let them know the loved ones are dead or serving prison sentences at hard labor. Tell them to get a job and to stay out of these woods. Let's head back."

The Centaurs looked at the bear, "This thing has been attacking our village off and on for the last 10 years. You gained favor with the centaurs by killing it."

Eldar looked at him, "We are going to have one of our troop's skin and clean the body. I would like to send the skin back to your elder. Let him know we will continue to look after his people as well as the other fey folk in this forest."

He nodded, "That would be well received."

Eldar sighed, "We have a lot of troops to feed, including your guys. The meat will get spread around to improve morale until we can get some cattle farmers to move into the area."

He nodded. "Help us get this back into town and we will send the skin and 150 pounds of meat back with you to your people." They grabbed the ropes and helped us to drag it back.

Skinner and cook showed up with a wagon and got it turned around. He gutted the bear and cleaned it up and got it into the wagon with a lot of help. I look at him "Give the Centaurs the skin and 150 pounds of that meat to take back to their people. It has plagued them longer."

Skinner smiled and went to work.

He looked over at Cook, "Going to be a long night taking care of this meat."

Cook smiled, "We can pass some of it to the camp of workers. They can cook it up for the people. We will keep half of this and get it to our troops."

Eldar nodded, "Sounds like you got this then. Centaurs, split up get the stuff back to your village but get the Wood Elves moving to close down that camp."

They nodded and split up to take care of that. They kept moving and Eldar took pity on the prisoner, "Cook, keep an eye on this prisoner, have him ride next to you.

Have a cleric look at his wounds. Tell them to leave the scars as a reminder. The rest of us double-time home. Lieutenant Walder, stay with the wagon to ensure the workers do not riot to take all the meat."

He laughed and nodded.

"I am looking forward to a bear steak for my morning meal Cook."

She smiled, "That can be arranged. I will get one for each of your ladies as well. Your apprentices can split one."

They smiled at her as they rode off. "Charlemagne and Annette, you can fly with that armor. I gave you the rings for feather fall. If you want to join the hunt feel free. Charlemagne shot off toward the Wood Elf village. Annette looked at him, "Not that hungry for the action."

They got back to the house and took care of the horses. He gave them an apple each for the extra work of pulling the bear.

He looked at Hunter, "What was her answer?"

Hunter smiled, "You know the answer. She will travel to the city tomorrow."

Eldar smiled, "We will need to organize a hunt for the event, especially the mass wedding feast with 2 villages and some guests from the city. Let Cook know I want it perfect. Anything she needs from the city she gets, to make this a feast to remember. Tell Tranosa I need to see him."

He rode off to get Tranosa for him. He left the door open and cast up the silence on the house. Tranosa walked in, "Ignoring me now."

Eldar smiled, "Close the door the house is silenced. For the big event, I need to ask for something special. I want 4 squads with their Lieutenants and the Captain that is leading them to be in the village. Armor shined, clothes and cloaks cleaned and they have to have bathed. Two squads on horseback and two on foot."

Tranosa looked at Eldar, "What is going on?"

Eldar looked at him, "As a General, it is an order. As your friend, we may have a couple of royal visitors teleport in for the event without royal guards. From two Kingdoms."

Tranosa looked wide-eyed at him, "I will handpick the men and women to form these squads. I will leave the dwarves out due to their aversion to bathing."

Eldar sighed, "If they ask, tell them I want a formal parade of men and women for this event. They will be facing a Goddess. Make sure the units on horseback know the command to make their horses bow for when I call out to take a knee."

He nodded, "Thank you for the heads up on this one. Beats getting it last minute."

Eldar chuckled, "We have had a few of those. You also got your first prisoner to deal with and the possibility of 5 more. Poachers. Charlemagne went on the raid."

He grumbled, "Where do I put them?"

Eldar looked at him, "They are casters so magical shackles and keep them in a tent under guard for now until we build a jail. But we got them for at least a year. We get an account of what they have in camp, we will add a year for every animal."

Tranosa nodded, "You made that promise."

Eldar nodded, "I wonder how much of this is my own doing. They are disowned Silvertree members who got nothing because their Elder ordered assassinations."

He sat beside Eldar, "You followed the law for those 2 assassins. You stripped all of their assets."

Eldar looked at him, "Does not make me feel better about it. That is a lot of people to put on the street. The Queen ultimately signed the orders. I trimmed or eliminated 4 houses counting my own. As soon as I marry the Crescent Moon sisters that will be another house gone. All in the span of months not even years. People are in awe or fear me.

Very few see me for who I am. Instead of what abilities the Gods have given me. I have to put on this facade every time I throw the word 'Duke' out. The only reason I did not turn it down is it allowed me to put 600 more to work as a protection force.

That cut the area in half where I needed the blades. It also protected some of the most able-bodied men and women from being conscripted into the Army. The big thing that makes me the occasional diplomat is my knowledge of everything I have read."

Tranosa chuckled, "There is more to it than that. You have an air of confidence that drives the troops, a commanding presence, and confidence in your actions. You also have a code of honor that you are strictly bound to. You are a good person and others see that in you. Some despise you for it."

Eldar laughed as did the ladies who were upstairs and listened in on the conversation. Eldar stood and looked up, "I am going to be the good Master and check on my apprentices. Dorothy, you get to come with me. I will wait for you outside."

They giggled at the reference.

He stepped out of the house and waited for Dorothy while Tranosa headed off. She was out in about fifteen minutes, "Putting all this stuff back on is a pain."

Eldar nodded. "Especially when you have 4 others playing grab-ass on you. The house was silenced so this was nothing I heard."

She turned red, "Why did you need me?"

Eldar smiled and started walking, "We are going for a walk because my apprentices are split. You have people to meet."

She looked at him, "Like who?"

Eldar walked up to one of the bigger houses in the village and knocked on the door. A lady opened the door and smiled. He gave her a little nod, "Is the Elder Captain in?"

She nodded, "He is getting up from his chair now he heard the knock."

The elderly elf came down the stairs and looked at them, "General, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Eldar smiled, "As one of the Captains, I thought you should meet another Captain. This is Dorothy and she is to become one of my wives. She is skilled with bows, longswords, and riding. She is the Captain for the last area I needed to take care of and that is the new town. She will also be a point of contact for you if you have any issues.

Charlemagne is still dealing with getting you and your people paid. If you come across any problems or have an idea shoot it to her. She sits in on the Gray Blade Meeting anyway and she can ensure it gets heard by a lot of the senior leadership."

He nodded, "Good to meet you, Dorothy. Glad he is getting that rounded out to get the protection force to full strength."

Eldar sighed, "There is a strike going on a poacher's camp, we caught one earlier. I took down a 1,200-pound grizzly just west of the village near where we caught the first poacher."

He looked a little startled, "Thank you for doing that. I hope nobody was hurt."

Eldar smiled, "Took it down from range with my new bow it put a dent in him. He looked over and he saw a fireplace log. He pulled out his bow so he can see what it did. He looked at me, "Don't go hitting any trees with that thing."

Eldar smiled, "I rarely fire into the woods, and when I do it is usually at night with a focused shot at the creature's heart. My first arrow went straight into the bear's mouth and did that.