The Silver Guardian Bk. 02 Ch. 09

Dante thought on that a moment. "That might very well be an interesting idea, we will have to see. I will look forward to seeing what King Stormcoat's decision is. I understand that the cost would be tremendous if it is approved but I can afford it. I can either make payment through the Elven banking system with Lobelia's help or if you work with it I also have plenty in the human banking system. Please also let him know that Lily and I look forward to traveling to his Kingdom and meeting him in the future as well."

Bartimas stood at that after nodding at Dante and wrote out a quick note on his desk before he returned. "Now you said you had two projects. We've talked about to big one but what else do you have?"

"Well my other project is an enchanting project and none of the normal stones I know of from Earth fit with what I'm looking for. Not diamond or ruby or sapphire or any other gemstone is right. Some of the projects are going to be used on our personal armor that we are having crafted out of adamantite and mythril. Do the dwarves have access to other kinds of gemstones that humans don't know about? Lily and I are just getting into the wider magical world and a lot of our knowledge still was based on Earth knowledge and that just doesn't always apply anymore."

Bartimas got up and got out a book from his shelving and was flipping through it as he responded. "To answer your question yes we know of and have other gemstones other than just what you know of. They, like some of the metals and ores we have, are only found in magically rich worlds and that is why they aren't known to man but they are known to us and others. There is one in particular I think you will find interesting and might work for you based on what you've said and your own link to their name. We call them Moon Tears and they are found only near especially large mythril veins deep in the rock. The gems look like liquid silver and when cut it almost looks like liquid is moving inside of it and it gives off an opalescent soft glow. Here they are." He set down the book in front of Lily and Dante to show them.

Dante studied them closely and smiled. "These would be perfect actually and I have to especially like the name. About what sizes are available and what do they range between?"

Bartimas thought for a moment before answering. "Small ones are about the size of a small berry, like a blueberry let's say. Medium ones about the size of a strawberry. Large ones about the size of a plum and go up from there for very special samples. These we have a healthy market in though and don't need any special approval for. What do you need?"

Dante thought about it now that he knew what to expect. "Let's say about six of the large ones in varying sizes mixture of cut and uncut. A dozen of the medium ones cut and a dozen uncut, and then say 100 of the small ones a fair mixture of cuts and sizes and some that are uncut as well. I have a feeling that these are going to become one of the most preferred gemstones of lycans as they find out. I'm going to spread the wealth to my Pack a bit with some of this. But it will be good to have things on hand because I'm sure I will find uses and projects for them. When can they be here and can I pay through the Elven banking system? I have an account here thanks to Lobelia's assistance."

Bartimas nodded and made a few notes before answering. "Yes you can pay here through the banking system and they can come in on next weeks shipment. I'll get the order placed through our merchants myself after this."

Dante shook his hand and smiled. "Thank you Bartimas I appreciate it and will see to the bank matters."

Bartimas looked at the clock. "I don't mean to be rude or abrupt but I have a meeting I have to attend soon."

Dante and Lily and Lobelia stood up and Dante spoke. "We'll get out of your beard then and leave you to it. Thank you for meeting with us today."

Lily shook his hand as well, "It was very nice meeting you Bartimas and thank you for your help with my Mates projects."

Lobelia smiled at Bartimas who bowed his head slightly to her. "Thank you for your time today. We will see you again soon."

Lobelia guided them out of the office and back to the Palace's main section.

* * * * *

It was a few days later and Dante was in his design lab again and Dante was on one of his laptops and was working on the coding for the prototype of Eve. He had stopped because a courier had come in and delivered a message to him. It was from Bartimas letting him know that the King had approved his request and let him know the astronomical price and told him it would be delivered with the rest of his order next week.

Pleased with that bit of news he got back to what he was doing. He had been using his photographs of memory and speed reading through vast quantities of data online recently researching different topics and aspects of what he wanted to do. He had been browsing through different manufacturer's products building a list of everything he needed to accomplish his invention. Now that he knew when Eve's core would get here he placed a very large order with various companies for all of the components he would need. Touchscreen's biometric readers, scanners, servers and a host of other various items.

With the addition of some human technology in the Elven nation online ordering from human companies had been much more common and widespread. A new courier service had sprung up and thrived in the new environment transporting and delivering orders through the various intersection points. Dante knew his orders would be in about the same time as his stones would be.

Dante went back to working on Eve's code. He was coding in her programming language and her morality and loyalty clauses as well as thinking about her chassis. He still had to finish designing that as well working on personal devices he and his family could wear. He had gathered up everything he required and it would be here soon. All in all he still had a lot of work to do to prepare. He once again got lost in his work.

* * * * *

Dante and Lily along with the kids and Bryn and Astrid were relaxing with Lobelia in a sitting room in her chambers after dinner sipping on drinks. Conversation was flowing gently and everyone was relaxed. Lily sighed out loud. "This is so nice but I do miss hearing you sing to me at night love. It's been a while since I was serenaded at night."

Lobelia's long ears perked up at that. "Oh Dante you sing? I didn't know you were musically inclined. That's wonderful."

Dante shook his head slightly. "Not professionally by any measure but I play the guitar and can sing a little."

Lily smiled and gentle slapped Dante's arm. "Don't be modest love it's family. You are very talented and have given plenty of shows to our people before. You even did it the night we were mated so don't even try to play that card."

"Dante rolled his eyes. "Ok fine. Yes I play, not professionally but I have entertained our wolves on many occasions. I started playing as a teen to find some peace and solace in my life. It has been a while since I last played."

Lobelia grinned at him. "Then why not play some for us tonight. You can put on an intimate concert as they say."

Alunra who was on his lap pleaded for her Daddy to sing for her. "Please Daddy! I haven't heard you play before! Would you sing to me and Mommy and Auntie Lobelia? Please Daddy, I realllly want to hear you sing!"

Dante crumbled under the cute pressure. "Very well Princess, I will sing for you all tonight ok?"

"Yay! Fen' let's snuggle with Mommy and listen to Daddy play!"

Dante stood up and pulled up a stool that was around and sat on it. He reached into his bag of holding and pulled out his electric guitar.

Let me help you with that." Lobelia snapped her fingers and cast a short spell that amplified the sound. "Now you don't need anything else and we can all hear it."

Dante gently started strumming the guitar and checked the tuning. "First up tonight is a song from the band Seether and is an old favorite of mine. It's about going through hell and overcoming diversity and trying to survive. I think it's appropriate considering. Here is Fine Again.

Dante started the opening cords to the song and played into the intro and started singing.

It seems like every day's the same

And I'm left to discover on my own

It seems like everything is gray

And there's no color to behold...

Dante's deep rich voice was perfect for the song and he sang softly at times as he played.

... And I am aware now of how

Everything's going to be fine

One day, too late, I'm in Hell....

Dante continued to sing and play for several minutes until the last notes rang out. Their small little room was filled with applause and Dante smiled.

"This next song is from an artist named Kenny Chesney and I sing this one for my daughter. It's about a young man that becomes a father suddenly and dealing with the changes in his life only to find that his little girl becomes the center of it and becomes his whole life. This is There Goes My Life. Since you've never heard me sing before this ones for you baby girl."

Dante started playing and his voice came crooning out as he sang the love song from a Father to a Daughter.

All he could think about was I'm too young for this

Got my whole life ahead

Hell I'm just a kid myself

How'm I gonna raise one...

Dante sang and played with all his love and feeling and even some of his fear he felt of being a Father himself. It was beautiful and Alunra was beaming in happiness. Lily had little tracks of tears running down her cheeks as she watched it.

... A couple years of up all night and a few thousand diapers later

That mistake he thought he made covers up the refrigerator

Oh yeah... he loves that little girl

Momma's waiting to tuck her in

As she stumbles up those stairs

She smiled back at him dragging that teddy bear

Sleep tight, silver eyes and bouncing curls...

Dante finished up the song and clapping ensued. The adults that knew the song liked Dante's artistic change from blue eyes to silver eyes in the lyrics.

Dante waited for the clapping to die down before starting his next song. "I can't sing a song to my daughter without singing a song to my son as well. Fenrir this ones for you my son and I'm so proud of you and the young man you are growing into. This one is by Rodney Atkins and is called Watching you. I hope you like it and that it makes you smile my boy."

He started playing the upbeat and amusing song. He started singing and playing and putting a little extra flair and emphasis into some of the lines knowing that much of what was being sung had already happened to him or would.

... He said I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool

I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you

And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are

We got cowboy boots and camo pants

Yeah we're just alike, hey ain't we dad

I wanna do everything you do

So I've been watching you...

As he played the smile on Fenrir's face became wider and wider thinking about being just like his Daddy. The rest of the adults were laughing along and enjoying the song and spectacle. When it was over Fenrir ran up in front of Dante and bouncing up and down said "Daddy I love that song! I do want to be just like you and the song was so cool! It's my new favorite song, I loved it and I love you too Daddy!"

Dante patted him on the head and sent him back to the couch. "I love you too little man and I'm glad you liked it so much. Let's play a few more songs and we will call it a night."

Dante continued to play, some new songs and some that the adults were already familiar with. Dante sang one of his favorite love songs to Lily with his version of Kane Brown's Heaven, and he also sang the old standard of Hotel California from the Eagles. He also sang one of the songs from their Mating Night with Dierks Bentley's song of Long Trip Alone. He finished off the night with a new song, it was simple and very beautiful in its own way but from an unsuspected source for him. He sang a very unique rendition of Blink-182's I Miss You.

When Dante wrapped up he put his guitar away and sat down next to Lily and his children. Lobelia was the first one to comment. "I haven't heard a lot of human music before. Being an elf we generally prefer wood and wind instruments and not many play the guitar. There are some similar acoustic instruments but yours is very unique and I have to say I quite liked it. It was very different from most anything I've heard before and I really liked a lot of the lyrics and some of the stories or messages they told and shared. I'd have to say my favorites were the slower and quieter songs but I did enjoy some of the energy of the ones you referred to as rock and roll. Not a term I'd really heard before and it doesn't make much sense to me but it was fun and almost electric feeling. I wanted to get up and move with several of them. I can see how Lily would enjoy being sung and played to in the evenings. If only I had such a mate who'd do that for me." She sighed longingly at that.

During one of their many meetings they had been talking about their pasts and Lobelia had explained that she had lost her husband, or mate for those who were lycans, to a disease tha ran through their kingdom over 100 years ago. She had never remarried and still missed him dearly. They had been together for over a thousand years and all of her children were grown now with her oldest being a son who was in command of their armies and heir to the throne. Lobelia will still rule for quite some time but eventually she was going to step down and let her son lead them. For now he was quite happy being in the military and staying out of the Court and Politics for the most part. He was named for his Grandfather Arlen Oberon on his Mother's side, Lobelia's Father who had ruled as King and grew the kingdom tremendously during one of their Golden Ages many millennia ago. Lobelia's son Arlenair looked much like his Grandfather in his early years and was a good man and great military leader.

When he had first taken over around the time his Father, Arathorn, Lobelia's late husband, had passed away he had brought about many changes and modernized many new tactics and strategies and improved training and drilling in the army. Lobelia knew that when she decided it was time to retire that the Kingdom would be in good hands and would continue to grow. She knew if her part in Dante's New World Order was successful it would change the way that elves and all races would live and she'd be seen as a visionary for her people that led them into a new age. She didn't really care about all that, she wanted to see her people liberated against the weight of humanities numbers and a new place to be found in the world for her people. They would thrive as equals and expand their lands. It would certainly lead to new nations and lands and realms that mixed together in a melting pot creating places and cities of the future containing all of the races living alongside each other as equals and a new age of the Gods guiding them towards peace and prosperity. What the Earth and all the realms were truly meant to be and not the fractious divided and hidden worlds that it was today.

She tried to picture what that looked like when everyone would come together and advance towards an ideal and a future that would change everything. What would they accomplish? What would they do? Using all of their technologies and Magics and resources and knowledge would we all spread out into the stars? Maybe find new worlds and realms to settle in, and new people to learn and grow change with. Aliens new to them. Though to humans anything other than humans were aliens to them, even elves regardless of how real they were would be seen as aliens since they come from another world. Yes they made be beings of myth but their world, their realm, was separate but connected to Earth. Elves always had been found on Earth, heck that's where the myths first came from, but it was not their world. Avalon was their world and both Earth and Avalon connected to the other realms and worlds as well. What tied them all together was Earth though, Earth for reasons unknown to even the Gods, was the intersection point of all of their realms and worlds that were out there that they knew of.

That was why Earth's and the human's mythologies knew of all of them and had the legends they did. It's just modern humans today don't believe them to be romanticized factual history, but rather stories and legends that were based in make believe. Yes the legends that the humans had were grand. Things like the Norse Gods and great battles and beings really did in fact happen and were witnessed by humans and known on Earth at the times they occurred but over the years the stories were embellished and the truth was lost in time and in today's age no one believed them real. The same was true of other pantheons like the Greek and Roman ones. They came from other worlds but they actually had walked the lands of Earth and interacted with humans at the times. Many worshiped them through the ages, but the people of Earth today had changed. They generally only believed in science and had lost their belief of the unknown. They hardly believed in anything to be honest.

Soon it would be time for Dante and Lily to open their eyes and reveal the truth. He would teach them to believe again and to respect what was forgotten and lost to myth. He wouldn't allow his brothers and sisters of the many worlds to be consumed or eradicated by them when the truth came out. Humanity's knowledge and power had grown vast. Hell they had even made it to the Moon and reached out beyond their world. But Dante knew he could open a new horizon to them all, humans and everyone else. Magic could do the impossible to human's science, but that same science could do incredible and impossible things that magic could not. There was no magic for launching and teleporting into space. There was no magic that would let you survive in space. Sure their was teleportation and using the intersection points there was dimensional travel to other planets and worlds, but that really wasn't the same thing as what science had accomplished such as seeing into the subatomic level of the world, traveling and working in space, plastics and materials engineering and research and many other things. So what if you could unite the peoples and the knowledges together. What THEN could be accomplished?

That was the vision and the future that Dante was driving towards. That goal was what all of the meetings he and Lily attended with their Pack and all of the Guardians Councils that had grown the past month. All the talks with Lobelia and the treaties and Alliance charters they were drafting. All of their training they were undergoing, the transformations they were going through at their Goddess's demand. It was all for this vision. Just imagine what we could all do working together. Imagine how we could achieve and where we could go if we United. Dante's world would always be Lily and his family, but his purpose for being alive was to bring this vision to life, to be the one that made it reality. With Lily at his side, his Goddess behind him, and friends and allies like Lobelia and new races, and family like Odin and Victoria and Astrid and their Hellhounds and their Pack, he could do this and he would.