Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 02 Pt. 01

Silver Moon shook her head, "I cannot fix that. You drove a wedge between them for spite. I told you to leave it alone."

Suter nodded, "I did. I did not say one word after you told me that."

She groaned, "But you had already set the rest of them against him and did not tell me about that."

He sighed, "I told you I warned my men to stay away from him. You did not take action to change that."

She sighed and groaned out, "Why do I feel like I am fucking up by the numbers as a leader?"

He sighed, "I'm sorry. I will talk with my men privately tomorrow."

She nodded, "I will leave it to Silver Rose to talk to her men. It sounds like they know the truth of the matter. We need everyone working together."

Sutter nodded, "Fine. I don't have to like him though. That is not something likely to change."

She sighed, "Give him a chance when you are not pissing him off with your antics. Lord knows I have given you plenty of chances."

---

Silver Rose went back and gathered her men. "I confirmed it with Silver Moon. Sutter was being a shit and giving half-truths to everyone. We all turned on him after he had done nothing but be kind to us. From the repairs to the food. We can barely stomach what they serve and if it were not for all the fruit he bought, we would have all lost weight over the last month. More than we have after spending the first few days being seasick."

Brunt nodded, "We will work to let him know he is appreciated."

She nodded as they all left. Rollins showed up and she rolled her eyes, "I am not up for any company right now. Your damned Lieutenant is on my shit list for what he pulled. I need a few days to come to terms with how I am feeling about everything."

Rollins nodded, "Alright, I'll give you some time."

The next morning Sutter gathered his men together in his quarters with Silver Moon sitting there. He sighed, "I only gave you guys half the story. I did lunge at Brannar and he held me off at sword point. I later learned his sword has a danger sense.

He knew I was coming after him to beat the shit out of him. Silver Moon explained he took the least risky option because if he started casting, he could have destroyed the ship and killed me instantly depending on what he cast. Stop giving him a hard time."

Rollins asked, "What about Silver? Should I stop things with her? Not that she would drop her pants for me."

Silver Moon looked over, "Unless you plan on marrying her, you should stop."

He shook his head, "I will have to take a few days and think on that one. She got good at sucking cock. But I never planned on marrying anyone. I will have to give it some thought."

---

Silver Rose was still being distant. He saw her coming out of her room a couple of days later.

He stopped her, "You have hardly said two words to me since our discussion the other night."

She held her head low, "After what we heard I kept my distance from you but someone else came into the picture. We have moved beyond where we were at but not all the way. I will not do that until I am married."

Brannar nodded, "You could have just told me that. Be honest with me and yourself is all I ask."

He left her standing there as he walked to his room at the end of the day and got some rest.

Rollins stopped by her room later, She invited him in. She shook her head, "I still am working on figuring things out."

He nodded, "We got called in to see Sutter and Silver Moon and they set the record straight. She said unless I planned to marry you, I should back off. I wanted to let you know I am still thinking that over. I am not being distant; I am trying to come to terms with how I feel about you. I had never planned to marry."

She sat back on her bunk, "I should have fact-checked what Sutter said the first day. If I had I would have gotten my guys straightened out and I would likely have never let you into my life that way. He was interested in me and I just crushed him by confessing to him about another who came into my life since then, I did not give him any names. I did not want to see blood spilled and I wanted to know what his reaction would be first.

He told me to be honest with him and myself. That I should simply have told him that upfront instead of continuing to keep my distance. What I feared he might do or say. That was not the answer I expected or the reaction, again going off what your lying Lieutenant told me. Did he encourage you or anyone to pursue me?"

Rollins walked back and sat down on the opposite bunk and she rolled her eyes, "He fucking did. He played you to take an interest in me to drive a wedge between Brannar and me."

Rollin held up a hand, "I had flirted with you before Brannar came into the order. Or not into the order. Fuck if I know where he stands on the order. Sutter knew I was interested but I also had learned you were a paladin. You would not likely go all the way with me. Not with your men likely to kill me if you lost your paladin status because of it.

I was interested in getting some relief. There are only two women in this group and two of the boys are kind of a couple and they relieve each other's needs. The others tend to use their hands when the urge strikes and they are alone. I just don't know if I would consider marriage."

She shook her head, "Go. I need to add these facts to my thinking. You came onto me because you wanted relief for your aching balls. If there was a pretty prostitute on board you would have sought her out instead."

He shook his head, "No she would have charged for her services."

He left the room before she could formulate a response. She laid there and cried until sleep took her. She kept thinking, "What have I done?"

As she prayed for guidance but heard nothing back.

---

Brannar woke and had just got his spell preparation finished. He heard a loud horn, he stepped out into the hall and everyone came out. He went and opened the door to the upper deck.

Silver Moon was on her way in, "Everyone wait here. Silvertree with me."

He headed out as Boy Toy went into the hall with the others. Silver Moon and Brannar went to find out what was going on. They were looking at a ship coming up from behind them. One of the men on lookout said, "Yep it is him. A pirate Captain, known only as Blood. He is believed to be part ogre but few have gotten close enough to him to confirm anything. At least close enough and lived. Brannar looked through the spyglass.

He passed it to Silver Moon and asked her in elven, "Is that a half-dragon?"

She looked up at the man issuing orders and while his wings were bound or under a cloak, it was indeed a half blue. She nodded at him as she was the only one who had seen one first hand.

Brannar looked at her, "Contact Jarron and find out if he wants us to engage. We may be forced regardless as this ship is cargo heavy. Time to end the translator stuff."

She nodded. He looked over at the Captain and to his shock and in his native language, "Give me all the information you have on this Blood. If you want our help, I need to know everything!"

He looked at Brannar, "This guy hates casters! Kills most if not all aboard the ship. Has an undead crew."

Brannar looked at him, "I will be right back." He headed down, and Silver Moon looked at Brannar, "Jarron wants us to avoid at all cost."

Brannar shouted at her, "Get his ASS on that crystal now!"

She pulled out the Crystal, "Jarron we WILL engage this target! He is running with an undead crew! This ship cannot outrun him as it sits low in the water; heavy with cargo. I cannot and will not let this go even if I go by myself! You wanted us to retrace the steps of my missing family. If they ran into him, we know where those steps might lead."

Jarron's voice went muffled.

---

Jarron spoke to Lady Silver Hair who was in the room with him and Lord Regal. He was currently in Dragon lands. She sighed, "You cannot stop him."

Lord Regal looked over, "I told you he was not right for the knights."

Jarron looked over, "Queen Goldeagle has made it known to us that we are not to try and contain him in any manner. If you have issues with that, then talk with her on the matter. As to pursuing the target, he is following the directives given in retracing their steps. Now we know a dragon or half-dragon may be involved.

It is our job to clean this mess up as you are not about to send in assets to deal with it and the merchant ship they are on is being pursued. They are cargo heavy by all accounts I got previously from Silver Moon before this. She said Brannar was born for the ocean. That pirate ship is likely to catch them regardless."

He turned back to the crystal, "What is your plan?"

Brannar looked at the crystal, "I am working on that yet we just saw him. If I can I will cut the wings off the fucker! Speak in elven, we are going back to the Captain."

Brannar looked at her, "You have a wall of force memorized?" She nodded.

"Silver Moon and I are going in. She will get him trapped in a wall of force while I clear the decks from the crow's nest. Then we can go down and try and subdue big and ugly. I will clear my large bag of holding and stuff his ass in it cuffed if I have too. Unconscious if required. Dead otherwise.

I will teleport him to your office. He is MY prisoner. I want you to find my brother John, the psionic one I have not seen in 9 months, and have him meet us in your office. This guy may have information about my missing sibling, the Lich, and MORE!"

Jarron responded back, "You get him here we will let you and your brother have the first crack at him."

Brannar yelled back, "AGREED! Don't fuck with me on this!"

They ended comms.

The Gold King looked over, "This is dragon business, and regardless of what you promised he would be our prisoner once turned over. The Silver Queen will question him, not your Brannar, he is not a knight in my book."

The Silver Queen looked over, "I don't agree with your sentiment but I know you would just take this to the council and force the issue."

He nodded, "Just like you did on the repairs to the Elven Queens walls. That sword cuts both ways."

Jarron looked over, "You realize you are asking for trouble with the Elven Queen with that stance?!"

Lord Regal nodded, "Dragon Business, that is the end of it."

---

They headed back up to the top deck and saw the Captain. Brannar took the spyglass. He looked at Silver Moon, "Tell me there's nothing up there that you see."

She looked, "It looks clear."

Brannar looked at the Captain, "We have a plan to capture the ship or destroy it outright if needed."

He looked at Brannar, "I cannot risk it."

Brannar looked at him, "I don't think you understand."

He pulled his paperwork and handed it to him.

He looked at the wording, "You are a Knight too?!"

Brannar nodded, "I am a Storm Born battle mage. That ship will get captured or destroyed. I am taking Silver Moon. We are going to teleport up into the crow's nest. She is going to trap the Captain inside of a wall. I will clear the decks.

Then we will take care of the Captain ourselves. If he is who we think he is he is an enemy of my people. We will want to interrogate the fucker or kill him! You see the ship slow, you can make the call on if you want to turn back. We can get back to your ship regardless of your approach."

Brannar went below deck and pulled as much of his personal gear as he could out of his bags. Then consolidated it to free up all the room in the larger of the two bags. He ensured it was empty.

He headed back up, "IF they encounter problems over here then I want you to take the prisoner back to Jarron. I can deal out more areas of effect damage. Especially in this environment."

She nodded, "I have scrolls as well and I will use one to take us there. Using them in combat is a pain."

Brannar smiled, "I have several as well. We will need to anchor that ship to ensure when we teleport back it is nearby. You ready? Karti'Ros right hand Moon Fire on"

Brannar summoned his staff to the left, he pictured the destination to help focus the magical energy she was casting. Targeting a moving target took focus. They left the ship as Silver Moon put them into the crow's nest.

Brannar nodded to her and she trapped the half-dragon. He unloaded chain lightning every chance he got. Every time he saw a single target, he used magic missiles and arcane bolts to blast them to pieces.

---

The half-dragon pulled a crystal, "A merchant ship made it past the weather blockade. I am in pursuit but now trapped inside a wall of force. I have casters decimating the undead crew you gave me. They look elven."

Vexxor sighed, "Kill them or bring me their bodies for the experiments. If you cannot handle a couple of casters on your own then you are worthless to me. You killed 2 and captured 2 in that last lot you brought me. Now you are calling me to complain about 2 casters. Pathetic."

Vexxor ended the call and scryed over the area. He opened a crystal and gave coordinates. "Deploy some of your shock troops to the cargo ship. That should divide these casters giving our pursuit ship a hard time. You can have the humans."

The Sahuagin King grumbled, "Troops dispatched Bone Lord."

---

They had one skeleton or zombie that pushed up on the trapdoor that Silver Moon stood upon.

Brannar smiled, "I got him." He cut through the wood of the crow's nest until he heard it fall and hit the deck below.

Brannar looked at her, "I will fly down and see if I missed anything and drop the anchors. Cut the lines to the sails." She nodded, "I have another one ready when this ends."

He nodded, "I have a couple prepped as well."

Brannar flew down to the deck and used his staff to do so as it allowed him to fly or help others to fly. The deck was cleared and he cut the lines to the sails and dropped the anchors.

Brannar went over to big and ugly, "Council of Nine would like a word with you."

He laughed, "You cannot hold me here forever. I will rip your heart out!" Brannar looked at her. He cast up my mirror images. She did the same. He backed up a couple steps and looked at him, he flipped his staff and pointed it toward him. He looked at her again, "Watch this."

He sheathed his sword and pulled out a scroll, "I tap my RIGHT foot I want you to drop that. She nodded and winked."

---

Vexxor looked at the cloak pin and saw the sword. He recognized them both but the man wielding it was not Eldar. He laughed, "Eldar must be dead. The rumors of the champion's death having been heard through his dragon allies appeared to be true. Now his heir apparent is aboard that ship and the woman with him carries another of those accursed swords he had heard about, 2 Moon Blades. He watched the battle.

---

Brannar was close to finishing the scroll and he tapped the left foot she dropped hers as his spell went into effect.

He looked at her, "Back away, He is mine! He flipped out a wand and stored the staff. He aimed the fireballs to go off to keep the fire off the deck of the ship. He breathed lightning on Brannar. Brannar hit him with six back-to-back fireballs.

"Surrender now. I will keep going this wand was full when I started."

Brannar measured the response now and hit him with two more and he looked bad he put the wand away, "You ready to surrender now?"

He growled at Brannar again and Brannar hit him with a magic missile and he was near death, "Ready to surrender now?"

He stuck his hands in the air, "Put your hands through the bars. He finally did. Brannar manacled them together and made sure his wings were tied to his body.

---

The lich hissed, "A pathetic caster, wands, staff, and that sword. The idiot half-dragon surrendered."

He sighed, "Acceptable loss. I see nothing in this elf to be impressed about." He shut off his scrying at that point.

---

Brannar looked at the other ship and it had indeed turned but looked to be being boarded.

He looked at Silver Moon, "You know where to take him. The ship is under attack. Wait there until I come and get you!"

She nodded. Brannar pulled out his staff. He used a teleport scroll and flew up and then teleported over to the side of the ship. He hit the creatures crawling up the side with chain lightning then flew over and hit the group coming up the port side. That just left the 11 on the deck.

Brannar saw them take three of their guys over the side and into the water as they fled. One was Silver Rose. He flew into the water and cast breath water on the way.

Brannar hit the water and saw the ones who had her and she struggled to break free from two of them that had grappled her.

He fired a magic missile at one and that one let go of her and moved off. While his buddy charges toward Brannar. He waited for him to get close before he unleashed a lightning bolt into him. Brannar went further down to her body which had stopped moving.

He grabbed her and cast teleport circle from a spell, he kept it in reserve. Just in case. He took them 500 feet above the surface. He held her while he was being pulled down even though he was still flying. He cast a feather fall on her and dragged her back to the ship.

He dropped her on the deck, "Cleric! She needs to be worked on now!"

He looked at her and cast a healing spell on her and she started sputtering water. Brannar breathed out a sigh of relief and looked at the crew, "How many others are missing?!"

Sutter looked at Brannar, "Six others went in and 1 other made it back. We lost five."

Sutter thought about what he just witnessed. The damage Brannar did. There had to be 50 sahuagin bodies in the water from the 2 spells he cast. He knew Silver Moon was right, he doubted the need for Brannar but he just saved a lot of lives.

Brannar went to the Captain, "How many missing?"

He sighed, "Seven. We will not have enough to crew both vessels."

Brannar looked at him, "How many do you need and how skilled do they need to be?"

He looked around, "At least 4. Not very so long as they do not get seasick."

Brannar looked at Sutter, "How many of your men do you got?"

He looked at Brannar, "We have 4." He pointed at Silver.

She looked at Brannar, "Three are left. Brunt, Gerald my cleric, and myself."

Brannar looked at him, "Our people will help to crew and secure the other vessel. We need a couple of able bodies of course but we got 9 green recruits. I will be back shortly. We claim the rights to the ship and we can look at a split of any cargo."

He looked at Brannar, "What do you need with a ship?"

Brannar smiled, "That is yet to be determined, but we are hunting a few targets including one who would make undead. If we can find out where then we will need a ship to get to them. It would not be a trade mission. Time will tell."

The Captain nodded, "You earned the right." 'That elven Knight saved many as the sahuagin had started boarding before he turned the boat. In the hopes of getting the casters to help. He likely saved them all.'

Brannar looked over, "I will be right back."

He teleported right into Jarron's office. He was there with Silver Moon. He looked around, "Where is my prisoner?"

Jarron looked at him, "He is with your brother." Jarron did not know if John was there or not. He was trying to defuse the situation.

Brannar looked at him, "Take me to him!"

Jarron looked at him, "I do not know where they are at."

Brannar screamed at him, "GET HIM ON A FUCKING CRYSTAL NOW! I was to have the first crack at him. HERE WITH MY BROTHER! You agreed! Get them back here! Get that Lady Silver hair here, we lost 5 men and 7 crew in the effort to collect that bastard!

Two of ours that went into the water made it back. One made it back to the surface on his own. The other had to be revived and she was on death's door. I went and got Silver Rose from underwater! Those ships will drift, we do not have a lot of time. I have laid claim to the captured ship."