Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 09

She sighed, "My approach is what he was at odds with, I know I will hear about this all over again from her because of this conversation."

He nodded, "I can address it in the journal. Eldar mentioned you representing a lot of deities back in his day but it has not been discussed directly. As to a wife. Yes, I heard you say wives but I was told the amulet would bring the need for wives under control."

She looked at him, "I see two in your future."

Mercian nodded, "Perhaps if it were one at a time."

She sighed, "Champions are more and more difficult about this."

He smiled and shook his head, "I know of the agreement, you know I know this. I also know that while you could direct me toward them and seem like you are pushing me it is easier on you to simply put them into my path.

Let us decide for ourselves if there is an attraction. You give me names and I will know who to avoid if I choose too. I am starting the search and I do not expect it to be as quick as other champions. It took my parents 20 years to come to terms. I hope it is not that long but if it is, then it is.

There is no title resting on the choice, no family trust, and birth circumstance is another matter. I know what they say Eldar's view on that would be. I would still like to hear from him if it is that important in this age."

She sighed, "Eldar is complicated. He is still not happy about the level of corruption and while Jaronus took the steps to deal with it with the trust it pained him every time Charlus was forced to put another down including 6 of his own children. He was happy Charlus got a full measure of life as a champion. He hopes the same will occur for you. Days like today probably have him thinking it is not likely."

Mercian smiled, "From the dragons or you dear Lady?"

The Lady of Dreams shook her head, "Next amulet has to be to fix the champion's sense of humor. Go and start your day."

He woke a little stiff with twenty pairs of eyes staring at his chest. Younger siblings and cousins. He pointed, "Out."

They quickly scattered while laughing. He got up and showered and found the source of his discomfort. He had a rib that still looked black and blue. He used the healing from the sword and that took care of most of it.

He prayed for his spells. He chuckled after he was done, "At least the Lady of Dreams did not give me a spell to locate mates."

He heard Varus'Nor chuckle, "I think I will add a warning to all new wielders to not piss off the Lady of Dreams."

Mercian thought, "I just asked her to not give me names or locations. If I am meant to find them I will or they will push them toward me. Targets toward the arrow."

He heard another chuckle. He got dressed and armed. He went to the library to sit down to update his journal in private. He noticed the bookcase was cracked open before he could sit. He took a quick look and noted the two other suits of celestial chainmail that were kept in there were gone. He went to the Patron's room and knocked on his door. He opened it up. He looked at him, "Who was in the library?"

He looked at Mercian, "Nobody. I am just getting up."

Charlus nodded, "Both suits of celestial chainmail are gone. The bookcase to the armory was open. Who knows what else is missing?! You will need to do an inventory; see what is missing. I will give you two guesses as to whom. The question is how. There are only a couple of places in town that could get sold at as he would not dare wear it."

The Patron sighed, "I will go through the list."

Mercian went down and got mounted up. He rode out and looked at the guard, "List of all departures and when. Also, if they have returned?"

He handed Mercian the list. Mercian found one and looked at the guard, "Said the patron left 3 hours ago and he is just getting out of bed. Was he on foot or a horse?"

He looked at Mercian, "A blue roan."

Mercian nodded, "My Great-Uncle Ferin. This is my new horse. Anyone looking like me comes back on a blue roan, detain them and then get them to the Patron! Did he have anything on him?"

He nodded, "A large bag."

He looked over, "Open up. He opened the front door and he headed to the most likely location first in the palace district but stopped at the bank first. He walked in with his papers and walked up to the lady, "My account and Charlus Silvertree's account came to me as part of the reading of the will 2 days ago. Any transactions on his account or mine?"

She looked. "On his Charlus, yesterday morning 10 million was pulled out."

He looked at her, "Here in the bank?"

She shook her head, "No this was done at this location."

She wrote it down. Mercian looked at it, "This is a residence."

She nodded, "Yes."

He looked at her, "The dead cannot authorize a transaction. Here are my papers, title, and transfer over the remaining funds into my account. Check to see if there are any transactions on Zertanian Silvertree's account in the last 3 days."

She looked, "I cannot give you that information."

He smiled, "Then get the palace. Talk with the King, and let him know you have it set up for a business to operate out of a residence and allowed a transaction to occur on an account that was frozen because the holder was dead!"

She looked, "Says the house patron unfroze the account."

He looked at her, "Here?"

She shook her head, "No, the same place."

He looked at her, "Reverse the fund transfer now. The patron did not hold the will on the account the King did. Look at my papers! The Patron would not be authorized to release it!"

She nodded. She looked over, "They have been informed and the account transfer has been reversed. They want the person who issued the reversal to come to the residence."

He nodded, "Gladly."

He contacted the house, "I need to speak with the Patron now."

He sighed, "He is on another crystal with your Great-Uncle Ferin at the moment. Said his life is being threatened."

He smiled, "Let him know I am getting royal guards to travel with me to the location where I just had a 10 million gold piece transfer removed that they said the Patron authorized. The account released by the patron at a business being run from a residence!"

The guard responded, "He wants to know where?"

Mercian sighed, "Gold Cloud estate."

He headed into the palace district to the upscale armor shop. The girl behind the counter looked at Mercian, "Back again?"

He looked at her, "This is the first time I have walked into this place. Did someone sell you house Silvertree celestial chain?"

She laughed, "You did. Two sets. Mercian set his papers down for her. Did it go into my account?"

She shook her head, "It went into your friend's account."

He smiled, "Let me guess. That account tied to Golden Cloud estate?"

She nodded. He looked at her. "Reverse the transaction and turn over the stolen house property. How did he identify himself?"

She looked at Mercian, "As the new champion to Corellon Larethian. He took his shirt off and showed me the symbol in his chest."

He nodded and he took his shirt off. "This symbol?"

She shook her head, "No it did not have the symbol to the bottom left."

He nodded. "That symbol was added by the Gods for Charlus Silvertree, a Revered Champion of the Gods. The thief did not know of the new symbol. Now reverse it and expect a royal inquiry into not checking the papers of the person conducting the transaction. Unless you turn over everything he sold here. The armory is still being inventoried."

She sighed and went off. She reversed the transaction. She looked at Mercian, "The account holder wished to see the person reversing the transaction. Here is everything he brought in."

Mercian looked, "Two dozen high-end rings, five sets of high-end armor including three full sets of full plate, four amulets, and a dozen cloaks." He took it all.

He looked at her, "Check paperwork especially if the funds are going to that house. Also, cast true seeing."

She nodded, "I am not a caster."

He took the stuff out. He rode to the palace, "Please let the Guard Captain know I need to see him and a contingent of royal guards."

He looked at Mercian, "Why?"

He looked at him, "Just do it! Else I will go into the court's throne room and shout loudly enough the King will hear me in his bedroom!"

The guard took off and the captain arrived. He looked at Mercian, "What is the problem?"

He looked at him, "You have fraud being committed, a Duke's account was illegally accessed after his death, a Patron and a Knight have also been impersonated.

I am the Knight that was impersonated and these transactions occurred with the funds all going to one account at a business being run from a residence in the palace district. They have requested my presence after getting charges reversed at the bank."

He sighed, "Where is this business?"

Mercian looked at him, "House Golden Cloud."

He looked nervous. Mercian looked at him, "I think I will just take this up with the King instead."

He held up a hand. "Wait."

Mercian shook his head, "No. Not so you can warn them at House Golden Cloud. I saw that pale look on your face. They have something on you."

He looked flustered and Mercian got down to go inside. He tried to block Mercian.

Mercian dimension doored beyond him and walked forward. He yelled, "STOP!"

That got the King's attention as Mercian continued forward. The King called out, "What is going on?"

Mercian looked over, "The Guard Captain tried to prevent me from coming to see you in regards to illegal activity, Your Majesty. Apparently, he has some interest in seeing this activity continue."

The King looked over, "Captain, my audience chamber. Champion you know the way."

They did not wait long before the King went inside. He looked at Mercian and said, "Explain." Mercian gave him the condensed version. Mercian showed him what was recovered from the armor shop.

King Goldeagle looked at the Guard Captain, "Explain?"

He looked at the King, "Your Majesty, the head of your guards comes from that house. We are under orders to deflect any inquiries to him."

He looked at the Guard Captain, "Say nothing, get him, 24 guards, out front now!"

Mercian looked at the King, "I can guess who was with my Uncle Ferin to help perpetuate the fraud, Your Majesty."

He sighed, "You are probably right."

He sat down and wrote out a few sheets of paper, "Arrest warrants for the patron of house Golden Cloud, Guard Captain, and your Great-Uncle Ferin. You are a Knight in the court. See to it."

Mercian bowed to him and went out front. He looked at the guards with him, "I have 3 royal arrest warrants. We will not be stopped."

They nodded. They took off for house Golden Cloud and he saw 24 house Silvertree guards out front. Mercian looked at them, "Where is the patron?"

He pointed, "The guards will not let us past."

Mercian nodded, "I was requested to come here as the one who reversed transaction. I have 24 royal guards, my house guard, and 3 royal arrest warrants. Start walking, no contacting the house, or I will lay waste to the 3 of you for impeding us from our work!"

They had them running while they advanced toward the house. Guards in front of the house went inside when they saw them approach. The house Guard Captain came out, "You are trespassing!"

Mercian pointed back, "You notice the men riding with me are Royal Guards along with my House Guards. I was requested here. Take me to my patron, your patron, the head of the royal guard, and these guards are coming with us!"

Mercian got down, "Knight Champion Silvertree and I came with more than guards. I have royal arrest warrants. You wish to challenge the King's Guards?"

He backed off and led them to a large office. Mercian saw a very bloodied Uncle Ferin. Two guards had his Patron in manacles. Mercian yelled over, "Release them, Now!"

The man behind the desk looked at Mercian, "Why would we do that?"

Mercian looked at him, "You the patron?"

He nodded, "This is my nephew who is head of the Royal Guards you brought with you."

The head of the Royal Guards looked at them, "Detain that elf."

Mercian looked at them, "You have been relieved. Those Royal Guards answer to me as a Knight of the court with 3 royal arrest warrants. One for you Guard Captain, the charge is corruption and suspicion of committing fraud.

You patron as you are running a business out of your home, doing transactions from accounts that were frozen, that is robbery and at the 10 million gold piece scale that is a big charge. Let alone what they find when they go through your books. Guards weapons at the ready. The third is for you Uncle Ferin. Your crimes will end in your death."

Patron Golden Cloud looked at Mercian, "I have no knowledge of any business being conducted here."

Mercian looked at him, "We will see what my patron reports back as to why you have him in manacles as that is a patron-on-patron attack."

He looked at Mercian, "They were a precaution to keep him from casting anything on me." Mercian dimension doored behind him and put his two swords on either side of his neck, "You are under arrest now release my Patron. One of those blades is a vorpal blade. The other is a Moon Blade."

He nodded to the guards. Mercian looked at the Royal Guards, "Manacles on the 3 of them."

Mercian looked at Patron Silvertree, "Do you know enough?"

Patron Silvertree nodded, "Gambling! The Patron was aware of it all."

Patron Golden Cloud looked at him, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Mercian smiled as they walked out, "I will request that a cleric come in and divine your involvement while psionic members of the Kings Diplomatic Service go through your mind."

He looked at Mercian, "Perhaps we can come to an understanding."

Mercian looked at him, "Ask the King that question. I don't make deals with the corrupt."

They brought around horses for the 3 of them. Patron Silvertree patted Mercian on the shoulder, "Smart move with the royal arrest warrants."

Mercian chuckled, "Almost did not happen if the Guard Captain on duty did not panic. It alerted the King to my presence and why."

Mercian rode by the armor store, he looked at the girl, "Step outside." She walked out to all of the guards. "Who came in with the fake me earlier?"

She pointed at the Guard Captain.

Mercian nodded, "Thank you, let your boss know you are going to the palace to bear witness on the illegal transaction that occurred because a member of the King's royal guard was involved and is under arrest."

She went inside and came out, "I do not have a horse."

He extended to her his arm and pulled her up. She looked at him, "The owner just fired me for not checking paperwork."

He nodded, "Does he provide you with a means to do true seeing on those conducting transactions?"

She shook her head. Mercian nodded, "Guards, get the owner out here please."

5 minutes later and the owner stepped out, "She should have caught the transaction."

Mercian looked at him, "I am betting the purchase of magical gear by your store is your call. You will buy it and I am wondering how many transactions are going to be tied to you when House Golden Cloud's accounts are audited.

I will recommend your accounts be audited as well. I am willing to bet this is not the first time the head of the Royal Guard has graced your doorsteps. You have quite a lucrative arrangement going on. That will show when his records are examined. Get to the palace in an hour with your books or I am sure the King will give me another royal arrest warrant. He has given me 3 so far today."

The owner tried the same shit, "Perhaps we can come to an arrangement."

Mercian looked back, "The King makes the arrangements. I don't make deals with those that are corrupt. I would like 4 of the royal guards to stay with the owner to ensure he complies with the very reasonable request."

Four of them dismounted and walked over to the owner. Mercian led them all back to the palace. "House guards can return to House Silvertree."

They headed back while the rest of them went to the King's audience chamber.

The King looked at the Golden Cloud Patron, "What is your side of this. Know I will be bringing those in extracting information without pain. As well as the fact that I have sent for the Grand Cleric of the Lady of Dreams."

The patron looked cornered. He finally sighed, "I have been having friendly games of chance at my house."

Mercian pulled his Uncle Ferin forward so the King could see how 'friendly they were.'

The patron rolled his eyes. "This man perpetrated a fraud on me and this young elf here from what I understand, Your Majesty. We inquired to have the one who reversed the transactions come to see me, so we could straighten this out."

Mercian looked at the King, "Your Majesty, He had 6 of his guards, the Guard Captain, my Patron in manacles who had committed no fraud in this matter. All because he said he feared the patron would attack him 7 to 1 after stopping our house guards at the gate."

King Goldeagle looked at Patron Silvertree, "What is your take on this?"

Patron Silvertree looked at his nephew Ferin, "He stole from us, pretended to be me, and the patron wanted me to give him restitution to walk out of there alive. When I explained to him the account in question was not mine, or mine to release. Then he wanted it from me.

I told him that my own account does not have that kind of money in it. He was waiting for Mercian to show to get it returned from him. He cared nothing of fraud even though I told him about it. He claimed I was just reneging on my transaction for my nephew."

Mercian looked behind him, "Your Majesty, this is the girl who worked at the armor shop who identified 'me' as having done the transaction and once she saw the real symbol in my chest and my paperwork, she reversed the charges and returned the gear.

Including gear not normally found in an armor shop. The funds were not paid out in coin but transferred directly to this illegal gambling operation with your head of the Guard Captain standing next to my Uncle Ferin while this fraud occurred.

I also requested the owner of the shop bring his books and an exhaustive examination of the accounts involved with those arrested. His business is a part of this fraud. He fired her for not checking paperwork but provided no means for her to have true seeing.

The amount put back into their account was about a quarter of the value of the gear sold. Not something she would be able to ascertain without a lot of magical skill. She has none. Ask how she was able to appraise what was sold with no magical skill? I am sure the examination of the Guard Captain's accounts will bear this out as well.

Then there is the issue with the bank. Giving access to a home; a non-business, for doing these transactions. Them not confirming the validity of these transactions in unfreezing an account remotely, instead of at the bank. This leads me to believe this has occurred for others."

The King looked at Mercian, "What are you wanting?"

Mercian looked over, "The patron-on-patron matter is an issue for him to discuss in private. Them getting my inheritance unfrozen would seem to warrant a fine at a minimum. The same goes for this so-called business.

Now if they are found to have been involved in a larger fraud with the house that is your call. My Uncle Ferin is to be turned over to House Silvertree for execution based upon house law. I would like to add your Guard Captain did try and have me detained by your royal guards.

Until he learned that I had an arrest warrant for him, his patron, and my Uncle Ferin. The salesgirl was fired from her position. She is owed at least some type of severance pay. Considering the owner did not provide her with the tools to do her job, Your Majesty."