Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 08

He screamed as his big sword went skittering across the floor. Charlus looked outside and the shield was back up. Charlus sheathed his secondary blade and looked at him. He smiled, "Kill me and you will die. Asmodeus already has you."

Charlus nodded, "I have heard that before."

Charlus switched dialects, "Stealth butcher."

He looked at Charlus wide-eyed as he saw his serpent eyes appear, "Deactivate shield. Charlus ran his blade into his heart and heard the crack.

Charlus took them up a hundred thousand feet. He teleported back, "Activate shield." He waved Rose and Primrose in and they worked to heal him up from the shots he managed to land just as the explosion was heard. Butterfly walked in and he held up a hand as she went to speak. Charlus waved her forward and cast up a shelter. Charlus walked inside and she looked around, "This is different from the one you had us staying in."

He nodded.

His wives followed them in. Charlus looked over, "Seal portal." He took off his armor to find he had not healed from their efforts. He looked at them, "That weapon needs to be destroyed. It prevents magical healing."

He handed his bag to Trilia, "Potions of alchemical healing. Then seal the portal." She took it out and got them then stepped back in, "Seal portal." Charlus tried one and it did nothing. Charlus sighed, "Bed rest for a couple of weeks."

Butterfly looked at him, "There was an explosion. Mystra said there had to be two champions in the area."

He nodded, "Two champions are in the area."

Charlus pulled her to him and hugged her. She heard the high-pitched sound from her amulet and backed away. Charlus looked at her, "My sister was a God's champion. She was to provide cover for my activities. I am the champion of Corellon Larethian. My job was to rebuild the Knights.

The group where I have the 6 others working. To bring the world out of chaos. Ask your goddess, she knows. She owed me and Corellon Larethian for rescuing you and getting you in training. I recognized the talent and signs. You were a candidate for your Goddess. You became 'THE' candidate when I got you into the Academy and told them to stand back and let you go. Not to hold you back in any manner.

Let you learn as much as you could. My instructions before I came to you with the holy symbol and amulet, crafted by my grandmother by the direction of the gods as to what to put into it."

She looked shocked, "I always felt close to you."

Charlus nodded, "Two champions for gods of magic. Based on what I saw they all worshiped Asmodeus, human god of sin. Slavery and cannibalism are just highlights.

Rose came up and hit Charlus with another spell and then tried again. She shook her head, "I tried removing disease." Charlus looked over, "Remove curse, disease, and then try to heal me. She tried it and got some results. Her sister repeated it with a heal and he was feeling much better. Charlus looked at them, "Probably some form of mummy rot enchanted into that weapon. Something like it."

Charlus looked at Butterfly, "Many years ago I found you. I was asked if I loved you. I told them you were too young to consider that way. When you became of age someone had your heart. Someone the Lady of Dreams sent into your life as she filled his dreams of you.

She did not want me marrying you, even though her husband Correlon liked the idea. He said there would be an argument over who the kids would follow but he approved of the idea. The Lady and I had a disagreement over how many wives I should have.

I wanted one. Trilia. She made her fertility too high. She was carrying four, only three were born alive and she lost her fertility. The Lady and I had been at odds for over a decade. You are carrying your fourth child. The daughter from your first set of twins needs to go to the Academy; I know you are worried about elven religion but she is different. She is drawn to it because of your husband. Search your heart and you will know it."

She looked at him, "Why is this important to you?"

Charlus smiled, "Because you have always had a special place in my heart Butterfly, and though we will never have children together. She and I, when she is an adult, of course, could have some beautiful children. The Gods interfered with us becoming a possibility but she could become my fourth wife someday. I came to terms with the Lady of Dreams.

She fixed Trilia's infertility and I added 2 more wives after I got her to admit I was not paranoid. She did do something to my wife to take something from her. All because she did not like my choice.

One I was allowed to make according to the Gods but she forced her will and it nearly took Trilia's life. It did take the life of one of my daughters. I made sure the Gods knew that I was displeased with her. Creating up a training room; you remember that?"

She nodded, "It helped with weapon skills and building strength. I learned to swim there."

Charlus nodded, "I created another with over a thousand training dummies and would run through all of them twice to deal with pent-up rage. Now we have another problem. Your King brought slavers into his court and extorted money from his people."

She nodded, "I knew the prices were getting outlandish. I took to buying in Quatarsia and bringing it back; they searched people coming into the city but being a female Dragon Rider who was pregnant kind of makes me a bit of a legend around here."

Charlus nodded. "Someone has to take over for the King. His court all bought their titles. They need someone to lead them. Is that someone you?"

She shook her head, "No, I am meant to be in the air. You showed me that and Mystra said as much."

Charlus nodded, "You are out of the air for at least a year, can you act as a court wizard and advisor to someone until they have a handle on things?"

She nodded, "That I could do. I would do it for you and the humans of this kingdom."

Charlus nodded, "That brings a sense of legitimacy. There is a lady out there I want you to meet." Charlus looked over and the wound was growing again.

Charlus looked at them, "Remove curse, disease, and heal again until all damage is gone." The two of them went to work until it stopped. Charlus nodded and looked over, "The people of your province had a name for me. Stealth Butcher; the slavers started the name because of the state they found the bodies in."

She nodded, "I heard it used a few times. People were hoping you would save them."

Charlus nodded, "I saved 20,000 only to have them recaptured. I built a weapon. We killed half-dragons by the thousands. I then unleashed it in the provinces. What it did not kill outright the metallic strike teams cleared out. I freed all three provinces of necromancy and the chromatic dragons. That put an effective end to the slave trade. They moved on. Three of them here.

One was the second over the human army. The other the economic advisor to the King and the third was the interrogator. I knew of this family. They were cannibals."

She put her hand over her mouth at the thought of it. He sighed, "You can tell nobody, not even your husband. He kissed her softly on the lips then the forehead, "Think about what I said for your daughter. She is a ranger arcane archer gestalt and you are ill-equipped to train that."

She sighed, "I will send her and the others to the academy when the time comes. Mystra told me you were right. She has three champion candidates from my other three. She will keep them loyal toward her and your god will work to keep the indoctrination at bay so long as they do not choose to marry an elf of their own free-will.

Thank you for telling me. I confess I had a fantasy crush about marrying you since the day you swopped in and saved us. Then to see you as your true self...Well shocking, but in a good way."

Charlus nodded. She reached up and kissed his cheek. She smiled, "Why did you not fight for me?"

Charlus smiled, "I was not about to take a chance in hurting you, your heart belonged to another, and I was not in a good place with the Lady of Dreams. The thought she would hurt you like Trilia or worse. I would not risk it."

She nodded, "Always working to protect me."

Charlus tapped her bracers, "Always."

She smiled and nodded. Charlus looked over, "Portal open. Send in the General and Daisy Thatcher."

The general came in with Daisy and Charlus looked at him, "That guy has been your second for how long?"

He looked at Charlus, "Less than 3 months. My previous one dying of some disease the clerics could not seem to remove."

Charlus nodded, "Cursed disease similar to mummy rot only more virulent. Came from that sword. Took two clerics using remove curse and healing spells multiple times to get rid of it."

Charlus looked at his side and it was still good. He took his armor in the back and rinsed it off in the shower. He burned the shirt.

Charlus looked at him, "Your King brought in 3 cannibal slavers from the Far East. He is under arrest in accordance with clause 87 of our treaty. With no heir and your entire court corrupted that leaves it to me on behalf of the Queen to appoint a new ruler.

This is Butterfly Winter Wood. I rescued her from those slavers when she was 10, or should I say close to 10 by 3 months. She is also a battle mage Dragon Rider.

She has agreed to come in as an advisor for you Daisy Thatcher. As your court wizard.

The only one who was fighting for your people, not knowing you had another course, who is still alive and capable is you. The dragons will remain behind like they did last time to ensure a smooth transition.

General, you need to get a good second in place fast. She is going to need a military advisor. When you find an economic advisor; we will evaluate them."

He looked at Charlus, "What makes you good at that?"

He looked at Trilia and she got in the general's head. "My wife Trilia. There are others. It is also a requirement of the treaty. We can ensure they have the human's best interest at heart. You see her lack of hands. My manacles cut them off when she led an attack against me.

If I am willing to put someone who attacked me in charge that should tell you I am speaking from experience and not putting an elven puppet on your throne."

Daisy about fell over and Charlus looked at her, "Queen's don't faint. You have more than one son?"

She nodded, "Two others, one you released from the dungeon, my eldest, and another who is an apprentice carpenter."

Charlus nodded, "I know Butterfly has books on etiquette, they were required reading for Dragon Riders."

She glared at Charlus, "They were not required! You just told me they were!"

Charlus smiled at her, "Well now you get to use it. Also, how many times have you been in front of Queen Majisa?"

She rolled her eyes and nodded. "True. I will get her trained up."

Charlus looked over, "Read the fucking treaty, all of you. Again, Butterfly before you try and state you have already read it. You don't have my mind for memorization."

She sighed and nodded. Charlus led the group out after getting his dried armor on.

He walked out and disintegrated that weapon, twice before it was gone. Charlus wrote out a long proclamation and handed it off to a court scribe. He contacted the Elven Queen, "Daisy Thatcher will become Queen. Butterfly will work as an advisor and court wizard, and the general will retire from the field and become her military advisor as soon as he has a replacement in place. That leaves economics.

Butterfly knows court Etiquette and the entire royal court has arrived. They will sign away their titles or be jailed for corruption just like the Dukes who paid ten million each for hereditary titles."

The Queen sighed, "I want that 'King' back here!"

Charlus smiled, "Do you wish for me to take care of the manacles in Quatarsia first?"

She groaned, "I will have my court wizard come and get the King you take care of those manacles. Anything else?"

Charlus smiled, "You secure?" She sighed, "I am now." Charlus looked at the crystal, "The second son was a champion to Asmodeus from what he said and did. His sword had a mummy-rot effect. I killed him; it took both clerics to heal me up from the cursing diseases of that weapon. Which I destroyed. He blew up, way up, in the sky above the city shield because I shut it down before killing him."

She sighed, "That is news. Thank you for today."

Charlus walked out and looked at the Guard Captain, "Anything happens here these dragons will rip your ass apart. You work for her now. Whatever is left I will chop into one-inch cubes. He nodded and walked away. Butterfly looked at Charlus, "You need to get laid."

The three ladies laughed. Trilia looked at her, "He wore all three of us down last night and was ready to continue. We had to put a stop to him."

Butterfly sighed, "I love my husband but he is a one sometimes two and done kind of guy."

Charlus walked over to those who came in, "If you have a title in this court you can sign it away and leave now or you can spend time in the dungeon until the Ruler is in place. The charge would be corruption. You do not buy a title. The guards, scribe, and 40 dragons in the room can address any questions beyond that."

He walked away as Trilia held a mental conversation with Butterfly.

---

Trilia thought to Butterfly, "He is tired and frustrated. He fought that other champion for almost 2 hours. One on one. He is more worn down from that than from having sex with his 3 wives last night. He has talked about you over the years. He would have pursued you likely if you had not already found love with another. Still, he has always looked out for you."

Butterfly looked at her, "You are psionic, like the dragons?"

Trilia nodded, "They are more powerful, but yet. Like them."

Butterfly responded, "I always admired what he did for me and those he brought back that day. They all respect him. I often wondered what sex with him would have been like."

Trilia sent her the images of last night after she walked up to her and held a hand over her mouth as she came several times over in rapid succession. She wore a dress and was pregnant and someone might have thought her water broke from the flood of juices running down her legs.

Butterfly thought back, "Alright, careful what you ask for from a psionic. Got it."

Trilia kissed her cheek and thought back, "Something to think about while masturbating. Knowing your daughter could marry into that eventually."

Butterfly groaned and thought, "Understood. Thanks for the memories. I would not want to deny her that kind of caring lover. He was always looking after my best interest. I just wished our stars would have aligned, but then it would have been a fight between our Gods over the children. It was for the best, I guess."

Butterfly moved off and used the clean cantrip to fix her dress before anyone thought she had pissed herself. Her mind raced still at what she had missed out upon but knew her daughter could have it in the future. That gave her a small bit of hope of living vicariously through her daughter's stories. Else getting them from Trillia again in the future. She found herself desiring to have a second wife in the relationship now after those images.

---

The Court Wizard arrived with a couple of royal guards. They changed out manacles. A crowd had gathered in front of the palace and Charlus walked down to his horse as the ladies came down. A man looked at them, "We were told you killed a bunch of humans in the market today and now you are killing our King!?"

Charlus looked at him, "I killed several who attacked me and killed the horse I was riding. There are 40 Silver dragons here overseeing a smooth transition of government. Your court bought their titles. The King violated the treaty he had with us by taxing the people to death out of greed.

He had 3 notorious slavers working in the palace or army that I had to dispatch. They were also cannibals. The new court wizard you will know as the human Butterfly. The Dragon Rider. I rescued her from slavers when she was almost 10. She knows the type of scum your King aligned himself with.

One of those attackers in the market was a woman named Daisy Thatcher. My manacles cut through her wrists when one of her associates destroyed them. She has regeneration going to regain her hands. She will become your new Queen.

Yes, a lady who attacked me. It was why she attacked me. She thought putting someone else into that throne would stop the outrageous taxes. It did not. The former Baron she thought had a right to it did not. I proved this to her.

He referred to all of those who died in the market attack as 'irrelevant.' She did not know of the provisions in the treaty. She does now, Butterfly knows this treaty and will get her up to speed. Your corrupt King and court are being replaced and the money you were overtaxed is coming back to you."

Another man asked, "If Butterfly knows this why is she not being put on the throne?"

Charlus smiled and pointed up, "She says she belongs up there. I asked her first. She agreed to be an adviser to the New Queen as she is with child and grounded from being in the air at the moment. I rescued her and got her into the Arcane Academy. I got her onto the back of a dragon before she started training. She knew that was where she belonged."

A lady asked, "There was an explosion in the sky. What can you tell us about that?"

Charlus pointed back, "I have been dealing with issues in the palace. I saw no explosion but do recall hearing something. There is a public proclamation coming out in the morning. Your scribes have it. I wrote it. The elven Queen and I put in protection for the human people to follow your lines of succession if someone became corrupt then they would be replaced. When no line of succession existed to put in the best candidate we could with the best advisers. All human and working for the human people."

The ladies arrived and got mounted up. The crowd refused to open up any. Charlus rode them back, "Deactivate shield."

It went down and Charlus teleported them out. "Activate shields."

Primrose was the first to notice. "You look like hell."

Charlus nodded, "I do not think that the sword is done with me yet. He rode to the keep where Strong Oak was waiting. He looked at Charlus, "I should put you in manacles."

Charlus looked at him, "Go ahead. I will throw them down when they drop off and cut-off your balls General."

He chuckled and looked at Charlus, "You alright?"

Charlus shook his head, "Where is my apologetic elf-blooded prisoner?"

He laughed, "You might be a general but this is my area."

Charlus looked at him, "I am a field Marshal right now. I just brought down the human King, again. Now find me an apologetic elf-blooded prisoner or you can simply hack his hands off."

He looked at the ladies who nodded at him. He pulled the guy out and explained the predicament he was in.

He looked at Charlus, "I should have been more respectful in not blocking you from doing your duties."

Charlus took the manacles off of him, "I leave him to you. I will be staying in my shelter here tonight. I need the six top healing clerics you have."

Charlus rode to the inn, "Trilia stable the horses, show them your paperwork they have a stall held in reserve for the blade wielder."

He had Prim and Rose take him upstairs. He opened the portal, "Set access to my wives, and Moon Blade holders. set security and access controls to my wives."

They got him back to the room and he got undressed and they saw the other marks. Charlus nodded, "Sword of pestilence. It will try and kill you with every disease it can."

Charlus crawled into bed. "The Arcane Academy in the city, rare artifacts. Sword of pestilence. I probably sent the sword back to the hells but I did not destroy it. Find out methods for dealing with it.