The Silver Guardian Bk. 02 Ch. 08

The last gift is a name and place. Your first teachers for each of you are in the Lands of Avalon with the Elves. You will seek out Queen Lobelia Oberon who is an old friend that I have aided before. She will help to instruct you along with others. Trust in her and she will not lead you astray, so listen closely and take to heart her messages and others. We have an agreement and accord that you two and your envoy can enter the Lands of Avalon during the next full moon at the nearest to you intersection point. Plan to be away for several months as you learn. Leave others in your place to build the empire who's roots you have started.

Go with grace and with my blessing,

Luna

Dante and Lily just looked at each other absorbing all of this with wonder and excitement in their eyes, as well as a fair size of apprehension for the challenges that were to come. Dante reached into the trunk and pulled out the map which for now looked like a classic pirate map as silly as it seemed. Dante concentrated for a moment and it morphed into a modern appearing road atlas next.

"Just as Luna said in her note. Like our crowns we have to apply our will and concentrate but then without input it holds in its newest form. Best to keep this secure at all times. We'll have to think about that but for now we will keep it here. Besides Astrid and the Hellhounds, no one has access to our rooms that we don't implicitly trust."

Lily reached in next and pulled out what was their new tent though according to Luna just calling it a tent seemed disingenuous. For now it appeared like a rolled piece of canvas the size of a decent thermos. They decided to try setting it up and experimenting with it another time and not in their bedroom. Lily reached in again and pulled out her grimoires as Dante followed and pulled out his. Lily was the first to examine hers, it came in emerald green with mythril embossed designs of the twin crescent moons and scrollwork and filagree along the covers and spine. A simple but effective mythril clasp buckle held it together with a touch of magic. Laying her hand upon it she could feel and hear a resonance and sympathetic response from her own magic deep inside.

Dante held his own grimoire, like Lily's his was around the size of a large bible and done in a rich black leather of some kind that had a silver iridescent sheen to it with the matching silver inserts and twin crescents and filagree and scrollwork of Lily's in mythril as well and containing a locking clasp and felt the sympathetic harmony within his own self and magic within it. He knew in time it could grow into a vast magical reservoir and item.

"These are beautiful and certainly fit for our positions and favored of Luna's my love. I think for now though we wait until our introduction in Avalon before they will see much use. Let's put them back for now and take a closer look at the map. Out of all of this you know the first thing Astrid will want to know is where we are going and who we are meeting with and how to keep us safe and how to travel. Let's try to make it easier on her this time and be prepared."

Lily laid out the map and fed some energy into it so it expanded to fill up their bed in a map of Europe. They began to look and saw a flashing silver wolf print in Germany near Bisingen. "Well that has to be us. Soooooo where is the Land of Avalon, where will we find the elves?"

As soon as Lily asked that little magical wolf tracks started making their way due West to England where the map shifted and zoomed in closer. Dante scrunched up his nose in confusion. "Is that...?"

Lily started laughing uproariously before she could finally speak. "Yes that's Stonehenge of all places, oh my goddess is that funny! Guess it's not exactly a construct by aliens or some ancient calendar. It's the gateway to Avalon among other things."

They spent the next several hours pouring over the map taking a break in the middle to nurse the littles and put them back down after changing them again. All the while they were learning how it worked and what it did as well as starting to learn where all of their own kind and Lycans were spread out across all the world. Information they would soon be passing to the NAGC soon to help with the efforts that were ongoing. By afternoon it was time to get started on everything. Dante reached out through the bond to Astrid to gather their core group for a planning session.

***

It took some time to bring everyone up to speed and like Lily predicted, Astrid wanted to know the details of their target location and to start preparing. They would be traveling there in just under two weeks and now was the time to determine the details of their envoy and who would be going and who would stay. Astrid and Bryn and Freydis and Hilde were masters at this however and guided Dante and Lily through the details.

It would be a Royal visit and therefore a decent sized delegation would be necessary and they were visiting a ruling Queen and a new kingdom, protocol would be required to be followed and there would be a lot of fanfare over this visit. Astrid's main trouble point was not knowing what they were walking into on the other side once they reached Avalon and what their reception would be. On the upside they knew from Luna's letter that they were expected, but what exactly that meant and looked like were not known to anyone.

Dante and Lily would potentially be gone for several months so they would have to leave a support group behind to not only keep some people behind that could and would keep the Pack running but Dante and Lily would need to keep the initiatives that were started in the NAGC going but also the plan for Silver King Trinity going as well. It would take a lot of support to keep everything going and all the balls in the air from falling down. They would be leaving their finance head Wilhelm along with supporting staff from the Pack in stewardship of Silver King Trinity and partnering with NAGC to continue to grow and develop. Different groups inside of the Royal Pack were forming to act as supporting members to the goals and initiatives laid out on a global scale in the last Council meeting and to interface and work with the different groups inside of the NAGC. By the time Dante and Lily got back there should be many new Councils that will have formed and significant progress on the different plans in motion to be at least partially completed and in some cases ready for the Silver King and Emerald Queen to ratify and put into action. It would be a busy time but all headed in different directions simultaneously. Dante and Lily by being in another realm were planning on having little to no outside contact and had to plan extensively for that eventuality. It would be an all hands effort throughout the lycan world, but they were confident that it would work out fairly smoothly with everything they had in place.

Going with Dante and Lily would be Astrid as their primary, Fenrir and Alunra with Bryn as their primary, both of their aides Marcus and Stephanie, and an honor guard and contingent of 10 Hellhounds for their security and reception. There would also be a number of wolves from Silver King Trinity for the treaties and business opportunities. They were visiting dignitaries and had to look the part. Their dress armor would be going with them though in the chest for ease of transport. The breakneck pace they were all running at would continue until they left for Avalon and for now they needed to stay on top of things.

More and more time was spent by Lily and Dante in their office in the castle working from sunup to sundown. One of the days about a week in found Lily staring hard at her bank of monitors working on one of their latest initiatives.

"Dante baby, come over here, I just had an idea for our military contracts."

Dante looked up and smiled at Lily, so proud of how much she was accomplishing lately. Dante pulled up his chair next to Lily's scanning over her screens. Right now each of their Packs, which were global at this point and still growing, were basically their own militias. That worked for the time being of being hidden and integrated but everyone knew they would need their own unique military arm for when the secret came out eventually. With how fast everything was progressing no one could accurately predict or say how far off that would be. Maybe as little as a year or maybe much further out.

"What do you have babe?" As Dante leaned in and kissed Lily's neck making her shiver.

"Well one of the major projects we have to start on now and get going is our military arm. Planning and actual recruiting for won't take long or be difficult, but we will need armaments, equipment, communications, transports and all sorts of vehicles and bullets and everything else. We won't get those without military contracts and that's what I've been focusing on."

Dante looked at a few figures and nodded in agreement. "Yes that's true. Some things we already have vast quantities of or availability to get but not on the scale we will be needing. You're right to think not just about the world of today but also the vision of tomorrow. So what have you come up with?"

Lily smiled broadly at her mate. "This is what I've come up with. In the USA and also Germany where we are now based and several other European nations we have approached the individual companies and contractors directly for production rights. Save for a few isolated hotspots and known trouble zones there is no major conflict right now which means these manufacturers are salivating for increased funds and spending. Most of these companies are legal Warlords basically and war is good for the economy. They hide behind a veneer of civility but the almighty dollar speaks and they listen closely. Using judicious amounts of capital we were able to grease the necessary palms and now have our permits for the different manufacturers we want to use. As you know Astrid and our Hellhounds and Betas as well as the military committee from NAGC we quickly identified who we wanted to supply us and initial orders for the most critical items. By the time we get back we will already be on the second or third round of deliveries worldwide. Now it's up to our wolves to start to build and put together our military arm. We initially got these permits under Silver Security Services and it now falls under Silver King Trinity as being wholly owned by them as a subsidiary. Silver Security Services will grow tremendously and act as cover for our military arm for now. There's still lots more to do but now we have the basic pieces in line."

Dante pulled Lily out of her chair and hugged her spinning her around in his happiness. "That's fantastic news my love, I'm so proud of you for seeing this through and putting this together!"

As Dante was spinning around Lily, Astrid stepped into the office watching their fun and games. Smiling she asked, "What's the good news causing you two to celebrate?"

Dante stopped and set down Lily before pulling Astrid into a brief but warm hug. "Our brilliant Queen was just telling me that we have crossed the first major hurdle for our military efforts. We have the necessary permits for each country and have contracts in place now for the first few rounds of our military needs. That means you need to keep a close eye on it yourself for now General. Put wolves you trust and can get the job done while we are away. We're not missing a beat on this, but especially since we know a significant show of force will be needed when this all comes crashing down."

Astrid blushed at the small hug, still not always used to just how down to earth both Dante and Lily could be in private. "Of course Dante, I had been tracking it closely already and working with Lily on it. I'll make sure that everything will continue to progress smoothly in our absence."

Dante had a roguish grin on his face. "You'd think you'd relax a bit more and know we are quite pleased with you by now Astrid. Didn't that little hug give you an idea that we are happy and very pleased with all of your efforts let alone our Packs? You must know how much we love you and how happy we are with not just you but also our Pack and people?"

Astrid out her arm around Lily's waist and have her a nice sideways hug. "Yes I do and more importantly our Pack and our allies know it too. I just get taken by surprise from time to time is all. You and Lily were always this mythical unknown and dream that we had though and sometimes it still feels surreal to finally have you both here and leading us. We are used to it by now but sometimes it still catches us by surprise is all. But it's still a nice reminder and those of us in your personal guard are always happy when it comes out."

Dante and Lily grasped each other's hand before Dante spoke. "Alright I can see that. So what brought you in here right now?"

Astrid sat down in one of the plush couches as Lily and Dante did the same. "Well while I knew the military contracts were close I was still chewing on our communications problems. It ties in closely with our military needs and I just can't see us relying on human communication networks when the big secret comes out. It's not a problem for now and we have a dedicated worldwide infrastructure in place with existing systems but I can't see us relying on that when the shit hits the fan so to speak. I just don't know what to do about it."

Dante closed his eyes and leaned his head back as Lily snuggled in next to him. "I've been considering this for a while now. It's one of the major hurdles we have to deal with and I've been working the problem when I can. I think I've come up with an answer but it's going to take time and a lot of money."

Lily opened her eyes and looked up at her mate. "Oh? Do tell, they at has that brilliant mind come up with this time?"

"I've been doing some digging and I've come up with a list of labs and launch sites."

Astrid's face screwed up, "What do you mean labs and launch sites Dante?"

Dante smiled broadly, "We are going to put our own satellites in space and build our own communication network. GPS, audio, video, data and the works. There are already numerous private labs and launch services that are doing it already. We are just going to temporarily dominate the market to get our own system in place. We have the money, Luna knows we have the money and right now it's just sitting there. We both know how I feel about money, it's a means to an end and this will be critical to our overall success. Let's make our money work for us. I'm going to finish putting together the brief and contracts I want for us by the end of the week. By the time we go to Avalon shortly this should be started and underway as well."

Astrid was looking up in awe. "That's brilliant! And yet so simple in terms of using what already exists just making our own, I'm not sure why it hadn't been brought up before. Probably because no one was bold enough to think we should just setup our own compatible system to begin with. I will get our teams on it and make sure they interface with the committee from NAGC as well. You both are doing exactly what is needed. You two have the vision, you two have the ideas. Set it up and get the framework built for each piece of this and then we will take it over and make it run and work for us. We have the manpower and the brains for this with everyone united now. We are all pulling our own weight and things are getting done quickly. It's amazing what you can achieve and accomplish with such a large and talented and motivated workforce!"

Dante took a deep breath and blew it out before standing up as did Lily. "Yes it is, but on that note we have to get back to work. Please have Bryn bring down Fenrir and Alunra. Lily needs to feed them and we want to hold our little loves for a while as we work. It's back to the grindstone."

****

For more than a week everyone kept at it. Lily started focusing on the acquisitions and construction capabilities as she knew that not only would Silver King Trinity need a lot of space to grow but so too would all of the companies and subsidiaries under it, not to mention their military arm as well. Lily's focus with Wilhelm's help and their team focused on Germany and particularly the area around their castle and locations near to them. The call had gone out across their building network to start snapping up as much land as each Pack and region could find. New businesses, office space, homes, facilities, "training centers", and communications hubs and many many other needs would end up being addressed. That meant new construction and a growing network of employment for their people. While Lily was working on that angle, Dante was still working on their new communication network and had been working with many preeminent labs for their new satellites. Some were able to be purchased that were either completed or nearing completion while others were starting clean slate.

By the time their departure neared the framework and initial deals on everything were completed or on their way and Dante and Lily were gearing up for their visit to the elves.

***

Dante and Lily watched out the windows of their convoy the moon rising in the night sky. Their flight into Heathrow in London was uneventful and they were nearing the end of their two hour drive to Stonehenge. The stars were out and plentiful and there was a feeling of excitement in the air. It was the start of their new adventure and Dante and Lily holding Fenrir and Alunra safely in their arms cooed at their precious little ones keeping them calm and entertained.

They pulled into what was now an abandoned parking lot near the structure where everyone disgorged. Dante and Lily formed up at the head of the procession before calling out orders.

"Those coming with us form up on me, those staying and taking the cars back and heading back home stay here for the next 30 minutes then leave. We aren't exactly sure what to expect but we are not looking for any trouble so stay loose."

Stonehenge was bathed in moonlight and due to the clear night and their enhanced vision it was easy to see everything. With Dante and Lily leading they marched up to the large stone structure. Just as they passed the outer edge it felt like they had all walked through some kind of barrier. Dante quickly looked up and saw a shimmering haze in the shape of a dome laid out and covering the structure and clearing inside. Astrid's radio quickly went off. "General please check in, you just disappeared."

Astrid glanced at Dante getting a nod from him. "Checking in. We are inside the structure but still here. It appears we are inside of a barrier of some kind and our activities are being hidden. Stick to the plan, we are alright."

Lily was looking around seeing nothing. "So we are here now at the intersection point, but how do we actually get to Avalon..."

Lily's words died on her lips as they all heard a melodic tinkling sound almost like music hang unnaturally in the air. There was a shimmering of light above and everyone looked up to see a portal form in an iridescent rainbow of color about 10 feet off the ground in the middle of the stones. An instant later a hazy and semi-transparent set of stairs lead the way up to the portal.

Dante smirked, "Looks like that's the answer to your question love. I can see why the barrier is in place, keeps the elves activity to a minimum in a highly visible and well known location."

Lily grabbed Dante's hand with her free hand. They had handed off little Fenrir and Alunra to Astrid and Bryn so they would be free to move and act if necessary. "Well my love, let's get going. We don't want to keep our reception waiting. They quickly climbed the stairs and were staring into the otherworldly portal. It was large enough for two to walk side by side through it and the surface appeared almost like a liquid but reflecting all the different colors of the rainbow off of it, it was really quite fantastical and beautiful. Dante and Lily took steadying breaths and walked through with a flash of light. Shortly everyone else followed with Astrid and Bryn going next. Each time a pair walked through the gateway there was a flash of light. Within a moment they were all through. If anyone had been left in the clearing they would have seen the stairs coalesce out of existence before there was a popping sound and the portal disappeared along with the barrier. The wolves that were left counted down the remaining time before they got in their convoy and headed back to Heathrow.