Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 11

He asked her, "Is that true?"

Nova nodded, "It was read out in open court by Silver Silvertree Mother of Paladins from the Blade wielders journal. Before she was Knighted, Sir."

He asked, "Any other instructors not listed here?"

Nova smiled, "One other when I was 10. He lasted all of a week and was questioning my 'Sanity', Sir."

Nova heard in her mind, "You are the girl. The girl with the perfect mind he gave all of his training too!"

Nova smiled at him, "Anything else you would like to hear, Sir."

He responded, "No."

As others were throwing requests.

Nova heard, "Other than to hear you once in my head."

Nova flipped the lute and started playing the battle version of 'The Flight of the Pegasus' with three added verses. Nova thought to him as she walked away, "Since you asked finally, here is your once."

His eyes followed her as she rounded the corner with the Private.

The private pointed, "A bunk. No separate quarters for the women unless you are a captain or above. The eight Sergeants under the Captain set up here. The Captain is nowhere near as nice as the Lieutenant."

Nova nodded, "What is his story?"

She looked at Nova, "Gold Elf who pissed off the King, Also, a Goldeagle. One of the few gold-elves on the front line. Came here as a Commander and could not hack it from what I hear."

Nova smiled, "Academy trained?"

She snorted and nodded as she walked out.

Nova thought, "Where is this would-be rapist?"

She heard the Lady of Dreams, "You cannot kill him. He outranks you."

Nova thought back, "Only if they hear him scream and find the body. You said to practice."

She sighed, "After the war. He would be missed and there would be those standing guard for him."

Nova thought, "Accomplices and enablers, a worthy challenge."

Nova heard her groan, "Do not get yourself killed."

Nova thought to the Lady, "Stop trying to enable a rapist. I read that journal, I know you are not a fan of female champions."

It went quiet. She went outside and undid the ties on the tent near her bunk. She laid down facing the door pretending to be asleep. He came into her tent and stripped off his pants. He had a set of manacles; most likely to suppress spellcasting ability. She rolled on her side away from him.

Putting her hands out of reach. He climbed over her on the bunk. She shook a little to throw him off balance and then time hopped him. Nova rolled off the far side. She put her lute into place. She rolled out under her bunk and out under the edge of the tent. She went around to the Lieutenant.

Nova thought, "Follow me. This show is worth the price."

He walked toward her. They heard the shrilling screams. They ran up to the entrance to her tent. A guy with the markings of a Lieutenant tried to stop her. Nova stopped and he grabbed Lieutenant Moon Eye. She lifted the flap she had untied to her tent and he wailed out again.

Nova yelled out, "Who in the fuck are you and what are doing to my lute?! That is just plain sick!!"

The Lieutenant guard tried to grab Nova as she moved down the side and he could not stop them both. She upped the ante. "GET YOUR FUCKING COCK OUT OF MY LUTE!"

She had half the camp there at this point. His accomplice guard tried to move off but Lieutenant Moon Eye held onto him. He screamed out again before he passed out. Another Captain and the Commander came running up. She stood there and acted exasperated.

She yelled at him, "You know how much those things cost?! That is no way to tune it; let alone play with it!"

Captain Willow came over and laughed at her comment. Other flaps on the tent were being opened by a few ladies on the other side of the tent. They threw it over toward her. They looked at Captain Goldeagle and smiled. She walked away from Captain Willow who held his sides he laughed so hard.

Nova looked over at the Commander and with a straight face, "Sir, I am requesting to requisition a new lute, Sir. No telling what kind of damage has been done to it by this LITTLE PRICK, sir!"

Two clerics went in and they knew nothing about lutes or lute strings. One of them grabbed it by the neck and pulled back. Captain Goldeagle awoke and wailed again as the strings cut into his cock more.

Nova looked over, "Permission to cut it off, sir!"

The commander yelled over, "You keep your hands away from his cock!"

Nova sighed, "I meant the strings, Sir. It is going to have to be restrung anyway. Depending on how much damage the prick has done, Sir."

Captain Willow was at the side of the tent and lost it. He busted out laughing. The Commander waved her forward. She took a boot dagger and grabbed the neck pulled it up, some letting the strings cut more. She sliced through the strings as Captain Goldeagle wailed and passed out at the sight of his own mangled cock. She looked over the lute and it was a total loss. She shook her head.

She set it back down on the Captain's chest, "You sure know how to fuck; I mean fuck up a lute!"

Nova walked off and let the crowd die down. She had 3 new best friends; at least that many but 3 who joined her.

One of them smiled, "I don't know what you did."

Nova shrugged. "Serves me right for leaving my lute on my bunk. Any old prick is going to try and take advantage of it. Poor fucking lute. I have had that over 60 years. I guess it is time to get a new one now."

The ladies giggled. She pulled a crystal. "Please pass the word to our Patron I need a new lute; might as well make it 3 of them in case another prick wants to play the lute with his cock."

Nova heard a chuckle from Nearon, "Hit someone in the groin with it already?"

Nova signed, "No, I heard screaming coming from my tent to find some little prick attempting to fuck my lute. He broke it in 10-12 places; it is a complete loss. Must have been some sort of weird sexual fetish of his. I already asked the Commander here to requisition one for me but we know how fast that is likely to happen."

Nova heard laughter from the other end.

Nova sighed dramatically loud, "Get Janella to go with whoever buys it or them. See if she can find something that is battle-hardened. Can take a fucking prick and stay in tune."

Nova heard him laughing harder, "I will pass the word."

She let the crystal go dark. Nova saw Captain Goldeagle being carried away and one of those that followed was a certain Lieutenant with his hands manacled.

Nova shook her head and yelled, "Lute fucker!"

That had the ladies laughing while she shook her head. Nova was tapped on the shoulder. She looked up at the Commander, "Yes, Sir. How can I be of assistance? If it involves my lute it is all yours. I already contacted my house Patron about getting 2-3 more out here, Sir. In case another tries to fuck another lute. Personally, I don't see the attraction."

He looked to speak and the ladies nearby could not stop giggling.

He pointed, "My office!"

Nova followed him up to his office past Captain Willow. He smiled and shook his head as he worked to keep from laughing. She followed the Commander into his office.

He barked, "Close the door."

She closed the door. He looked at her, "You have any idea what kind of shit storm you started up here?!"

Nova looked at him, "Sir, how is walking in to find some prick fucking my lute a shit storm I started? With all due respect, it is my first day here. Is my lute accused of fraternizing with the prick? If that is the case, I would ask it to issue an apology to the prick if it were not already dead. I was walking toward my tent with Lieutenant Moon Eye.

That was when another Lieutenant tried to block access to my assigned tent because of the screaming. I was told it was for sergeants. Was the fucker a sergeant, Sir? Hard to tell as he was out of uniform, Well halfway out of uniform. I had not met my tent mates or anyone in my unit other than Lieutenant Moon Eye, Sir."

He struggled to find words and finally pointed for her to get out. Nova closed the door and she heard him laughing as she walked away. They were setting up another 6 training dummies. She rolled over and drew her off-handed weapon and sliced it from the groin and out the top of its head.

She drew her primary and caught both halves under the armpits. She picked it up that way and began walking out. The Captain looked at her, "Sergeant Silvertree, where are you going with that training dummy?"

Nova looked back, "My tent, Sir. I want to put it right outside my tent with my fucked lute. I wish to 'train' anyone who thinks fucking a fine musical instrument is a good idea exactly what will happen. Especially the ones I requested from the city thru my house Patron. Or 'any other' fine musical instruments, sir."

He chuckled and nodded, "Carry on Sergeant."

Nova laid the dummy out in front of her tent and picked up the broken lute. She wrapped around the strap around the neck and hung it by the neck over the training dummies groin. Then stood it right outside her tent. Lieutenant Moon Eye walked over and shook his head.

Nova heard Moon Eye in her head, "Priceless."

Nova looked over, "Captain Moon Eye? Get promoted? What happened to our last Captain, Sir?"

He shook his head, "Caught fucking with the wrong musical instrument."

Nova nodded, "The lute fucker, Sir? What was with him having a guard to fuck a lute. It was not like the lute was going to stay silent about it, Sir."

He chuckled, "The former Captain is headed back to the city in manacles with his cousin and accomplice. The Captain was a younger brother to the King."

Nova thought, "Well Lady of Dreams, I hope you found my solution inventive."

She heard her laughing. "He only wished he were dead before he is in front of the King. They were told to send him back with no healing. He would not be alive long enough to need it."

Nova thought, "I think I put any would-be rapists here on notice not to try and fuck with me or my lute."

She heard her laughing again. Nova looked at Moon Eye, "How soon until I am on shift, Captain?"

He nodded, "Get some sleep. If any lutes show up, I will send them over."

Nova thought, "Bintra'Usia over here and I will get you brushed down."

She waited for him to arrive and unsaddled him.

Captain Moon Eye looked at her, "Where did you get an Elven War Horse?"

She smiled, "Walked over to the pasture in my home and asked if any of them wanted to go to war with me. This one did, Sir."

He smiled, "A pasture? In your house?"

Nova nodded, "Riding course, training areas for swimming, acrobatics, sparring ring, archery range, room with over a thousand training dummies that self-repaired and a library the Academy envies. Paladins, Blade Singer, arcane archers, and rangers have trained in it. Charlus, Mercian, Jarronus, and Serius built and expanded upon it. They all had a hand in it somehow. Interlinked secure shelters made permanent, Sir."

Nova stored the saddle and blanket under the bunk. She looked at him, "Be sure to introduce me to your new Lieutenants when they arrive. I can give them a bardic tutorial of the proper way to handle an instrument, Sir."

He laughed and thought, "I would like to know how."

Nova thought, "Time hop. All I did was get out of the way."

She heard a laugh in her head. She laid down and got a few hours of sleep.

She heard from the Lady of Dreams again, "You handled him well. You have people wonder if you are as dense as you seem or a very gifted performer. Most lean toward the latter as you are a gifted performer."

Nova thought, "Why am I getting all of these dream messages, and others were taken to a place like Silent Falls?"

She sighed, "I knew you would ask that eventually. The loss of the relics limits what we can do in that world until they are recovered. Our presence is weakened and a lot went into making you the way you are because we had little choice in the matter."

Nova silently nodded, "Why you have not dealt with the prick of a King directly."

She sighed, "There are things the people have to do for themselves at times. Your job is the war and staying alive, having your children, the blades, and then we will see about taking down this corrupted King in force. You have work to do."

Auga 3rd 10252

Nova walked into the tent with Captain Moon Eye closing the distance. She knew what he wanted. He looked at her, "You are one of the most talented fighters I have ever seen. Why won't you let me promote you? You have the commendations. Hell, you took down that fire giant nearly single-handedly."

She looked at him, "Because you need strong leaders who will be there for you."

He looked at Nova, "You are here for me!"

Nova nodded and thought, "Not in six months when you are forced to send me home because I am with child."

She just floored him. She nodded, "I have known I am with child for a while. Continued to fight regardless."

He looked at her, "What about the father?"

Nova looked at him, "You know how I have a chip on my shoulder about rapists. Accosted by 2 royal guards the night I came of age. They took me to the Palace in the hopes the King would rape me and make me one of his consorts. They would get rewarded of course. Did not work out that way for them. They came to my home to accost me."

Nova thought, "I got my revenge. I sent them to the main gate. I had one kill the other while screaming for the resistance and killing any royal guard who tried to stop him. Then he came to the front and charged into the battlefield that morning. I was not allowed to carry weapons in the city."

He sighed and nodded, "Also why you have spurned my advances."

Nova nodded, "Until they are born and this war is over."

He nodded, "You are wrong, you are out of the field as of now. I just need a cleric to divine your status."

Nova looked at him, "Which you can do in a few months."

He shook his head, "I have my orders. Remain here."

Nova thought to him, "Don't do this!"

She heard him, "I have to protect you. Get packed."

She glared and thought, "I did not ask for your protection. No houses or classes as you know what they would do. Not authorized!"

He nodded. She packed her gear and horse up.

She looked at Bintra'Usia, "I know you heard."

She heard Bintra'Usia in her head, "I did not think the Gods would allow a champion to get assaulted."

She patted his neck, "I had a say in the matter. Not what I wanted but I do need heirs. I know who the father is and I ensured it was a good man instead."

Nova heard, "Understood. The guards did not?"

Nova thought, "I mind fucked them before they get their swords out of their pants."

She heard her horse laugh. She finished getting packed and saddled. A cleric came over and nodded, "She is pregnant. Did you want any other information?"

Nova shook her head, "No, I have several house clerics to draw upon and you have these men and women to look after. They are more important than I am. Goodbye, Captain. I wished you would have respected my wishes in this matter instead of forcing this result."

Octa 9th 10252

Nova received word that Captain Moon Eye was killed in battle. One of his Lieutenants in the field failed him. Nova thought, "I failed him. I let him get too close to me. He felt like he had to protect me because I could not tell him who I was."

She heard from the Lady of Dreams, "It was simply his time champion. He knows what you left out and why now. He is at peace." Part of her heart died that day. She felt she would never love, there was no point to it.

Juna 13th 10254

Jasor and Palorn Silvertree were born. Named one after a dead uncle and the other after Captain Jasonus Moon Eye. Brena took them away.

Nova looked at Brena and Monnius, "You take care of your part. I have to get back in fighting form and moving."

She used every ounce of energy into psychometabolism for 3 straight days, even shutting down lactation and tightening muscles back to combat form. She worked out, practiced, ate, and was back at full steam within a week. Brena was shocked at how fast her body recovered.

Juna 21st 10254

Monnius took Bintra'Usia and Nova back to the front against the wishes of his wife. He knew she'd get there with a scroll if she had too. She walked up to the fort and the guy looked at her, "Military personnel only."

She altered form into her military garb and he looked shocked. She pushed past him to see Captain Willow still sitting there.

He looked at Nova, "Back so soon?"

Nova looked over, "You got enough of those for me to destroy a few more? Sir."

He smiled, "One will do."

She ran up drew her blades. Flipped and locked her legs around the head and chopped from the top of the hip down to the groin. Finished her flip sending the top half of the dummy flying across and into the other side of the fort's wall. She sheathed her swords.

Nova looked at him, "Any questions, Captain?"

He shook his head, "You are reinstated but out of uniform Lieutenant."

Nova switched ranks around. She looked at him, "Sir, who do I report to?"

He pointed upstairs, "He was looking for someone like you. Go see the Commander. Give him this."

The guard from the main gate looked at Nova, "How in the fuck did you do that?"

Nova looked at him, "You can't? Also, that is Lieutenant, Sir, or the 'Destructive Smart Ass' as Captain Willow likes to call me."

He shook his head, "No, Lieutenant."

Nova went upstairs as she watched Monnius depart and he shook his head with a smile. She knocked on the door.

Nova heard, "Enter."

She walked over and squared herself, "Lieutenant Silvertree reporting for duty, Sir."

He looked shocked as Nova handed him the note. He read it. He chuckled, "Said your skills with blades are sharp as ever. Even showed him something new."

Nova nodded, "How to cut someone in thirds and use their head and torso as a missile weapon, Sir."

He chuckled, "Good to have you back. He said you can be an infiltration specialist?"

Nova nodded, "Have before. Stealth, quick, patient, noisy, or unseen. Does not matter. What do you need, Sir?"

He pulled up a plan of the Battle Field. He pointed, "I have tried to get 3 men into this tent."

Nova nodded, "It is a Decoy. The tent you want is this one. That one is a trap."

He looked at Nova, "How do you figure?"

Nova smiled, "How do we get them to waste resources? Setting up a command tent close to the front to kill off their infiltrators. Nothing says that they cannot learn from us. If you like I can kill the guide ropes on the way out. I am betting they got one or two ogres or orog magi in that tent. Waiting in ambush with the ability to see invisible or illusion.

That tent over there is large enough, further back, and yet unassuming enough. Based on your magical map of the field. I need to know what you want. Total destruction, or intelligence, Sir."

He nodded, "If you can manage total destruction do it. Else get me what they are up to."

She nodded. She popped a wand out of her wrist and loaded a new one.

"Best to have a full one."

He nodded, "What does that do?"

She smiled, "Dimension door. How do you think I got away from a would-be rapist who tried to pounce on me, sir?"

He chuckled, "You saw him coming. He did not see the lute?"

Nova smiled, "He was focused on my 'sleeping face', heaving chest, and parted legs. I just got out of the way. Someone warned me about him breaking in the new talent, Sir."

He nodded and grumbled, "He was a pain in the ass I had to deal with until that public embarrassment. Younger brother to the King. Rumor has it the King killed the prick himself in the throne room after clearing the court and with him naked. Then did the same to his cousin.