Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 04

Jazzia thought, "That makes sense given the guidance I have been given. They want me breeding before war strikes."

She giggled, "You will have a strong stud in hand when the time for war arrives. I am carrying him. All of your mounts will be excellent mounts. Until the day he is ready to take you into war. Not Shi'Drakon but sired by generations of his stallions."

She saddled her up and they walked over to the church. She dismounted and walked inside and looked for her. She went to the section for Corellon Larethian and located her instructing some acolytes. She waited for her to finish and she noticed Jazzia staring at her. She came over, "Master Trainer, is there something I can do for you?"

Jazzia smiled, "Yes Wendia Moon Ray. You are with the Shadow Riders?"

She nodded, "I am."

Jazzia smiled, "I need to get in some time with them. Need to be assigned to one of the units when war hits. Which unit are you a part of?"

She looked at her, "I am with field support for red units. You looking to join them? I thought you were training students."

She nodded, "I am for all of the above. The time will come when I have to move to the front line. Divine direction. It is to be with the shadow riders initially. A red unit will be preferred."

She looked at Jazzia, "You would have to qualify first. Your brother oversees the unit and the Dragon Riders. Qualifying is not easy. Especially for a red unit. You would have to talk to him. I thought you would be susceptible to fire given your draconic lineage."

Jazzia smiled, "My sword makes me immune. I am a cold focused caster for a lot of my sorcerer spells. That and I can change into a dragon form if need be. I will speak with him but what issues are there with qualifying?"

She looked at her, "Aerial skill being the biggest. Why did you ask me?"

Jazzia smiled, "I want to ensure I have a good cleric to watch my back in the field. You want to join me and a couple of others to talk about it? Mid-day meal?"

She smiled, "Alright Master Trainer I will see you then."

She had a big smile as she left.

Jazzia went back to Breka and thought, "Show me my next stallion then. One that is ready for dragon combat fast and hard maneuvers. Up for my acrobatics."

She headed for the pasture. There was a large gray stallion waiting for her. She looked him over. She thought, "Vrinter is a good name for him."

The horse responded, "I like that name. You expect me to be a blur in the sky."

Jazzia smiled and nodded. She dismounted and removed her gear. She yelled, "Live well and have lots of foals."

She heard her chuckle in her head one last time as she strolled off and jumped into a pasture. Vrinter jumped over. She saddled him up and thought, "The saddle will protect from normal missiles and has a death ward ability. I took my father's advice and your reigns will protect you from poison. I know you have some cold and lightning resistance.

Not a lot but some. I will look at adding a couple of spells to help elemental damage. You just have to avoid sharp things. Like claws and teeth."

Jazzia heard chuckling in her head. They headed out to the road where they landed and took off from near the farms. She found her Brother Triiazzaxxa or Traxxa for short. She looked at him, "The Lady contacted me last night. Said my first assignment when all hell breaks loose is with the Shadow Riders."

He looked at her, "What are you wanting to do?"

Jazzia smiled, "Red unit."

He chuckled, "You think you can take on a red?"

Jazzia nodded, "Or a gold if you want to check me out yourself."

He laughed, "Let me get you against a young red. They are more maneuverable than the gold we have."

She nodded, "If you are sending a rider send Grandaxxa. Unless you think him incapable. I am allowed to cast anything short of killing him right."

He nodded. "Grandaxxa is more than capable. He is my second in command. You are aiming really high. Very well. The goal is not to kill them. Avoid using your sword for this we know it can hurt them but we do not want to kill our casters."

Jazzia nodded and looked at him, "Have him meet me in the sky. I would have asked you to do it, but I know you are not up to the challenge."

He glared at her as she headed up several thousand feet into the sky and saw some sparing activity going on here or there. She threw down the gauntlet on her half-brother but he knew she could freeze his ass over if she felt like it and was not about to be goaded into a battle with her at this point.

She was well above the existing frays taking place over the grounds. They circled for a good 10 minutes when a young red bearing a silver rider came flying toward her. She smiled, "Grandaxxa. I knew Traxxa would not want to be embarrassed by me, at least not yet."

He had a practice lance. She took off and put an energy absorption on her horse.

She thought, "I cast energy absorption fire, just in case the breath weapon gets too close."

She heard a laugh in her head. The dragon got to within a few hundred feet and she threw a simple web on the two of them. "Break left and dive."

The 'Dragon Mage' shifted toward her horse too early. Jazzia flipped off the horse and switched into dragon form and came down on the rider. She dug her claws into Grandaxxa. She breathed a cone of cold ice on the red and the rider. Then she locked her dragon mouth on Grandaxa's neck. While the cold would not hurt Grandaxa, the red dragon he was on was another matter.

He looked at her as he freed his lance. He yelled, "Yield!" He knew she could have ripped him apart and frozen the mage to death from her vantage point as she still clung to him with those sharp claws and she had locked her mouth onto his neck. He did not want to admit it, but it turned him on as it appealed to his dragon nature.

Jazzia released and flew down to her horse and switched back a foot off the ground and tumbled in front of her Brother. She looked at him, "Do not tell me you told him to take it easy on me?"

He laughed, "Just the opposite. Let me hear from him and the Dragon Mage. Jazzia looked at him. "Hopefully he had energy absorption on."

He chuckled, "I think he will add it." They came in and landed and he looked at Jazzia, "A web? Why a web?"

Jazzia smiled, "I just needed a momentary distraction while we separated. I could have done a wall of force but I was told to keep the damage to a minimum."

He looked at the mage who was shivering. Jazzia looked at him, "Energy absorption. I put it on my mount in case you got cute."

He nodded to her, "I normally have it on when doing training against other dragons. I did not know you could do that."

She pointed her head skyward and breathed out a cone of cold and then looked at him. The mage looked at her, "She is a natural, based upon that."

Grandaxxa sighed, "Explains why he would put you against me."

Jazzia smiled, "No, it was because I asked for you. It was not like he would do it himself. I would have frozen him solid and he knows it."

He chuckled and her brother Traxxa glared at her and then smiled.

Rizzaxia Dusk Moon landed, "You are the champion?"

Jazzia nodded, "Sorry about your father. At least you got to know him."

She nodded, "My fighter brother took up the blade. He is with the army on the Drow border. He said this place reminded him too much of our father. He has five wives and three children in a village close to him. All of them are expecting except for his first and second wives at the moment. That will change soon enough. He is not creating a Dusk Moon Branch but a bush!"

Jazzia smiled, "Did I qualify?"

They all laughed and her half-brother Traxxa looked at Jazzia, "I had little doubt you would but some of these guys train for years to get on the red team. Not many shadow riders on the red teams. Mostly casters who play bait on them so our silver aka white can get in an attack. Just two squads and a lieutenant. Don't you have students to train?"

Jazzia nodded, "Yes. When I have them doing drills, I will come out here and do some drills. I will want to know where you want me in your rank structure."

He looked at her, "You are better than our lieutenant. I will put you in as a captain and see if, over the next few years, we can expand the group."

She nodded, "Let me know what I need to do. When the time comes how do our guys tell the metallics we are on their side?"

He looked at her, "Good question. We thought of using a dye and having our guys go through it."

She nodded, "Why not just enchant an item on each caster to change their color or design. Make them all one color different from the other groups. Turn them all pink."

He smiled, "I like the idea but I will have to think about color as pink is not the color."

She sighed, "We will be fighting in a dust cloud. At least in the beginning. Something brighter might be better or glasses to cut through a dust cloud."

He nodded, "Things to consider."

She smiled, "I am meeting with an enchanter at mid-day meal. I should talk with her about it, Vivia Full Moon. Then we have our sister as well."

She knew that name would attract Grandaxxa's attention.

Traxxa smiled at her, "Trying to score points with me?"

She laughed, "Let me ask you. Would my trick have worked on you? Would you have yielded to me?"

He smiled, "Maybe, it would have been distracting. I will grant you that. You will have nothing to anchor it to."

She smiled, "Not true. Between the dragon, the rider, and the lance I did. Three anchor points are all it takes and dragons are big enough to get three on by themselves. You gave me enough different anchors by putting a rider on him. It is reading the situation. I was not geared with spells for aerial combat today. I just used what I had that would not kill them. I have to get headed back for that mid-day meal."

She started back and noticed she had company on the ride back. As she hoped and expected after dropping Vivia's name. She looked at him, "Still upset at my distraction?"

He shook his head, "Things to think about. How would you avoid it?"

She smiled, "I have a ring with freedom of movement on it."

He smiled, "That would work. You are well geared."

Jazzia nodded, "When and if I get married so will those I am married to."

He looked at her, "How long do you have for that?"

She smiled, "A year from today. The Lady of Dreams visited last night. Join me for a mid-day meal if you want to hear more on that talk."

He looked at her, "Sure. Why not. We have to eat."

He smiled inside because he was hot for Vivia and Jazzia was not one he had considered before because of her blade and his children having to carry his name. He wondered what game she was up too.

They walked into the inn and all of them were sitting at different tables. She waved them over and they followed her upstairs. She went into her home and walked up to the dining room table. "Order up whatever you would like to eat. I want some fruit, grilled fish, and a pitcher filled with mead in it."

She picked up her food and motioned everyone back to the falls. Vivia looked around, "This is beautiful work."

Jazzia nodded, "My father's concept fleshed out and made real by Lady Staria of the Silver Dragons. Each home up here is different. This is my parents' home and now belongs to Melia, his other wives, and all of his children. The others have moved on or died. You should see the ceiling at night as it reflects the lunar cycle."

They went and had a seat on the grass. Wendia and Grandaxxa knew each other from the riders. A cleric and a Dragon Rider. Vivia and Yarla were sisters. One an enchanter and the other was a magical alchemist.

Yarla looked at Jazzia, "You knew who I was or you asked?"

Jazzia smiled, "I knew who you were. Rumor has it that you are lusting after your sister and you are just waiting to become an adult. The Lady of Dreams visited me last night. She told me that it was not your destiny. I do not know who but someone else catches your eye before that happens."

They both turned red. She looked at them, "My great-grandfather married sisters I am not judging. I am telling you what she said. She wants me to get married in a year as a second or third wife. Bear two sets of children that have to carry my family name even while they want me married. She knows the guy who interests me is the same one who interests your sister. The one that followed me to lunch. Grandaxxa Silverbar."

He looked at her, "I have to claim all of my children. Part of the agreement."

She looked over, "You can acknowledge they are yours but they would be part of House Silvertree. Future sword wielders. Ask the cleric here if she has any insight into this stupid 'Champions code.'"

He looked at her, "You are serious?"

Jazzia nodded, "Vivia is a perfect fit for a first wife. Her work can be done from a home like this while overseeing the care of all of your children."

He looked at her, "What if I wanted to add a third wife like Wendia?"

She thought, "What would happen?"

She heard back, "She would be like you. Infertile after two. It would be allowed."

Jazzia looked at him, "It would be allowed. She would only have two sets of children as well."

Wendia looked over, "Why the limit on me?"

Jazzia looked at her, "Probably the same reason it is on me. To ensure I am on the front line when the fight comes. Same reason the mares are all going to pasture now and stallions will be given out first. To keep those who need to be back and reproducing and nurturing to do that. While those who have skills meant for the front line will be available at that time. We have chaos coming."

Yarla looked at her, "Why did she say that about me?"

Jazzia looked at her, "I would be guessing as she did not share. But she probably needs you as a nurturer to another couple who will be in combat. Ask yourself who you have been lusting after that is not your sister."

She looked red, "But I am into women."

Jazzia looked at her, "Well she might be lusting after a certain someone and you might have to rethink that. I am just guessing on this part. I was just told you would find love somewhere else besides your sister's arms. One of my brothers even.

My elders visited as well. One of the reasons they came and talked at me was because of my concern to never live to see my children being born or have even a small part in raising them. I did not want to be in that situation. I was told that if I started soon after becoming of age that would not happen.

They would be born before war struck. I would get to do better than my father and grandfather in that department. Being a woman kind of helps me in that department."

They chuckled. Then they went quiet and listened. "I put my students into training exercises today. First time I have not watched over them closely. I know with war looming and people are asking these same kinds of questions. I also know these 3 students will be the only ones I train.

I have been told to select a student for the Master Trainer ring. They will need me in the fight starting on the Dragon line."

Yarla looked at her, "You are talking of being married to the three of them?"

She nodded, "Potentially. Also letting you know that you have a shot with whomever it is you are lusting after. I am getting them to start thinking of the possibility, I am not proposing anything at this point other than a possibility. Grandaxxa could start at any time with these two if he desired it. I am a year out from being old enough. Having a beautiful healer watching my back is a bonus to me."

Jazzia smiled at Wendia. She blushed a bit. "I wanted to get you to think about if this is something you are willing to consider. I would hope the Lady of Dreams visits each of you to outline this code or at least Wendia so she can have a copy of the stupid code made."

Grandaxxa looked at her, "Why me?"

She smiled, "Because I have been attracted to you for a while. We are alike in our silver dragon blood. You just have more of it, if I had to guess."

He chuckled and nodded. "Wendia, my brother thinks I would make an excellent Captain for the Red section of the Shadow Riders."

She looked at her, "After one evaluation?"

Jazzia smiled, "On a new mount even. I had a yield against a young red in seconds of the engagement without my sword."

Grandaxxa laughed, "She switched into Silver Dragon form. Then she landed onto me and dug in her claws on me. She breathed on the poor mage and me and then grabbed me by the neck with her dragon mouth while squeezing me with those claws of her. The breath weapon did nothing to be, but the poor mage was suffering from that attack. She pulled her sword and we were both dead. I had to call it as my lance was tangled in that web. She threw one to keep it out of play."

Jazzia smiled, "I cast an absorb energy on the mount just in case but I only did those two things. That and the sharp turn I had the mount do while I flipped up and off. That threw off your Dragon Mage as he followed the horse. Then I changed into my dragon form. I did not make him fly into a wall of force or anything. As to doing nothing to you, you might want to get those claw marks looked at by the cleric here as I dug those into you pretty good."

He looked at the red streaks on his ribcage from where she had grabbed him and he had a few others on his neck from her teeth. Wendia channeled healing into him.

He nodded, "Thanks for the healing, yes she could have ripped into me more as well or used her sword on me from her vantage point and inflicted fatal damage. I knew that after seeing her tactics on me. As to the wall, I had that happen a couple of times. I am normally on a white or a blue dragon.

Waiting for the mothers to be ready to take riders. Them deciding to have more half-dragon children slowed training with them. They are flying now and rebuilding their strength and endurance over the last 5 years. After that big battle at Griffon's Peak, they decided to continue longer. I will be on one of the silvers, Charlemagne. All except Amy who continues to have children. Aerial combat is not her strong suit, but adding more psionics to the elven people she finds useful."

Jazzia nodded, "I am immune to fire and electric. Mind control and cold because of the dragon blood.

My sword is an evil dragon bane to boot. I was talking to Grandaxxa about gear and the fact that I would always have my mates protected. I have funds in the bank. I just cannot touch them for a year. I will get Melia to order my new armor when I see her. Also, a shadow riders' cloak, like my father's. Except for a heraldry sash style instead, that narrows in the back to account for my wings when I have them, they grow out.

I will have to give my father's cloak to another in the unit. Maybe a certain cleric. As a Champion, I will become a target."

Wendia looked at her, "Why would we want to do this given we would only have two sets of children?"

Jazzia looked at her, "We both have a devotion to the upcoming mission. For you, with the mission, you would forgo children until you were incapable of having them potentially. We have no idea how long this conflict will last.

I know there is another champion. Meaning we could be at war for a long time potentially. All of you would know that if something happened to you that your children would be looked after. They would be loved and have the resources to be well protected during this time of chaos."

Jazzia sighed, "Let us move onto another topic. Enchantment. A way for our dragons to differentiate themselves. Goggles to see through a dust storm. Things our riders might need for the return. You should get with my sister to talk with my brother about solutions to those issues."