Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 03 Pt. 01

Travious held up the twisted pieces of metal in his hand. "Was still inside of me and this twisted dagger piece was sticking into my heart. This other piece was in the middle of the shoulder blade you healed back together." He put the two pieces together. "If I had put my armor on normally My own shoulder would have worked to tear a hole in my heart. Because I ordered it in place the weakened metal snapped into two pieces.

Which is why it did not kill me when they took it off in here. See about getting me some food and water. You did the best you could on the battlefield and saved my life. We just had extra work to do to get this out of me."

She looked at it, "I have never seen armor get this mangled before!"

Travious nodded, "I think that Ogre was using an enchanted weapon designed to sunder armor and weapons. He may have been more than a Captain. A Commander or General, I don't know. The Queen rushed off to get in touch with her nephew to get that weapon."

Melia showed up with the other cleric and he looked at Melia, "Fressa had no way of knowing that was in me at the time. Her job was to keep me alive. She did that. The Ogre almost killed me. It took five of you to save me. Bree and Yola to transport me. Yola from the battle site and Bree to the Palace.

Fressa to treat me on the field, Melia to remove the pieces of metal, and Gia to help heal me up as we both sat here pouring healing magic into me."

The other cleric spoke up, "The page told me the Queen needed me and I went to her quarters, then to court, and finally here. I am sorry for the delay."

He looked at the metal fragments in Travious's hand, "I would have to agree with the Knight Paladin. That could not have been found in the field and if it took magic to extract it then no one person could have done it."

Melia went and hugged Fressa and apologized for being such a bitch toward her. The cleric looked at Travious, "You are lucky to have so many looking after you. You will have some scaring back here. At least for now."

Travious smiled, "I have ladies who are into scars."

The cleric laughed and he left the room.

Travious sat and ate, ate, and ate. Melia ran off and stabled the horse while he ate. Gia looked at him, "We do have dinner with the King in a little while."

He nodded, "Good because I am starving." They laughed and they could tell he was dead serious. Gia looked at him and ran her hand over the amulet, "It kept him alive but it needed energy back. My best guess."

Travious nodded, "It is a sound theory."

Melia returned, "Taken care of."

He got to his feet and had 5 pairs of hands. Some worked to steady him, some trying to help him up, and Melia trying to keep him seated. He stood more forcefully. The ladies backed off a bit. "Look, Melia, I know this scared the hell out of you but it came with the deal. I was upfront about this. Want to help me wash up and then I will get dressed for dinner."

Melia came over and sucked his cock while the other four worked on washing the blood off of him. It was sensory overload and he nodded to Melia and she sucked in her breath and jammed his cock into the back of her throat. He grabbed her head and shot stream after stream of seed into her stomach. He did not let go until he was close to being done and Melia looked up, "Thank you for letting me breathe."

He smiled, "Sorry."

He finished getting dressed and the ladies changed as a knock came at the door. He opened the door while the ladies finished. It was the handmaiden who blushes, "Dinner will be in ten minutes. Are you almost ready?"

He looked over at the ladies, "They are here to escort us to dinner."

The ladies finish getting him dressed. He had his sword and bags of holding at his side. His glasses were on as always.

He walked into the King's dining room and was shown to a seat with the ladies. Melia was beside him. Gia was next to him off to the left. The two clerics sat across from the two wizards. The page told them, "Remain seated when the King comes in at his request. The meal is informal at the request of the Queen Mother."

Travious nodded. The King came in and sat at the end of the table with the Queen sitting at the other end of the table with her Handmaiden taking a seat next to her.

The first course came in and Travious sighed to himself. He looked at the King, "I learn some of the most interesting things in the field."

The King looked at Travious, "Like what?"

Travious smiled, "Let me show you one this is an interesting trick." He stood and faced the server next to him, "Would you be kind of enough to help me with a demonstration for the King?"

She smiled and nodded and he took her hands and held them up.

"Very soft hands."

She smiled. He wrapped his hand around the middle three fingers of both hands. He smiled at her, "You look almost good enough to kiss."

As she smiled, he squeezed her fingers together and slammed her hands to the floor snapping all three of the middle fingers on both hands. She screams out. He looked at Melia, "Take my glasses."

As he held her to the floor.

She looked through them and went to pass them to the King. He pulled out a set as did the Queen Mother. They saw he had a blue dragon pinned to the floor. The Queen Mother asked, "What type? A blue?"

Travious looked at her as he held the dragon down, "Yes, to be specific what we call a crying blue. I heard they do not do well in captivity. Melia would you grab my crystals and the communication crystal for my Aunt.

Activate the crystal for my Aunt after you have secured the room. The Crystal became active, "Dear Aunt! I am here with the King at the moment and he was wondering if you could see your way clear of bringing the Countess to the Palace."

She moaned, "Your timing still sucks nephew."

Travious smiled, "We are feeling a bit Blue this evening. The King really feels she would be best to try and address this EPIC problem."

He heard shuffling, "We will be there shortly."

He looked at her, "Undo the middle crystal that undoes the lockout. Grab the manacles and secure its wrists. Yola, detect magic then identify any and all the rings you find."

Yola looked at him, "There are two that are magical. The one over here," She wiggled the finger. "Has a necromancy component to it. The one on this finger." The girl screams. "Appears to be some kind of communication device."

He held her in place, "Bree, please confirm. Fressa please wait on the other side of the door for our guests to arrive. Bree came over and looked at the items and nodded confirmed. He looked at the hand, "Hold that hand down." She did so. He released the finger "Hold that finger back." She pulled it back and she screams bloody murder.

He thought, "Karti'Ros right hand Moon Fire on." He took the sword and cut the finger clean off and she screamed even more. He looked at Melia, "Put the finger and ring in the bag of holding."

She picked it up and put it in the bag, "There was a reason we did that?"

He nodded, "I wanted to know if the creature felt the pain as we would expect. I also wanted to know if Karti'Ros could tell it was a dragon's mind that controlled the body. Also, I don't want that going active to alert anybody."

The Sword responded, "No. It did not show as anything other than elven."

He smiled as he sheathed his sword, "I got the answer to that question. For the Arcane casters in the group, I can confirm this is not a standard polymorph spell. Most chromatics cannot polymorph. Even if they did. They would never do it to enter a kingdom full of casters capable of detecting them for what they are.

There is a necromantic ring that does nearly the same thing. Except it transfers their mind into the body of someone who has had their mind stripped and then enchanted into the ring. Normal True seeing will not pick it up."

The Queen nodded, "His grandfather created the first spell that would do both. His wife Staria enchanted them into glasses. His father gave me a copy of the spell and I had the glasses he wears now created. Those also reduce the glare of the sun."

He sighed as they finally arrived and the Countess put on her glasses. She looked, "Oh my, The Queen of the Blue Dragons!"

He looked at her, "I read something in my father's section of the journal. He wanted to know if this body was killed. The mind went, would the ring retain the body of the dragon minus the mind? I know it did with the orc."

The Countess looked at him, "In the interest of answering that question that is exactly what would happen. That is how they could change forms so often. They capture someone, stick the ring on them, and then kill the old body. We inadvertently tested that theory on the Black dragon your father captured. The head of the chromatic council, a red dragon, killed her before psionic interrogation could be done."

Travious looked at her, "So killing her would give us the ability to train dragon riders using her body?"

She looked at him, "You are serious?"

He nodded, "Yes, Blues are supposed to be some of the best fliers. Of course, someone would have to teach the ring-wearer how to fly like a dragon. Part of my code is to kill evil dragons."

The Countess looked at the King who nodded, "That is a part of his Paladin code."

He looked at her, "Unless you think there is some intelligence to be gained from her, I should kill her now."

The Countess looked at her, "I have known her for too long. She will not break, especially in that form." That was not true but she wanted this female dead more than anything as she silently raged from within.

He nodded, "We found another ring on her, they say it is a communication device." He nodded to Melia and she pulled out the severed finger? The Countess took the finger, "There was a reason for this?"

He nodded, "A couple actually. Including if the evil dragon bane affected her while like this. It does not. Also to ensure she did not use it to summon help."

He looked at the King, "Is there someplace I can take her to execute her now?"

He nodded, "Follow me."

He picked her up by the hair and her broken fingers. She shouted, "You are bluffing."

He smiled, "Repeat that after my sword goes through you."

The King took him down a private staircase and into the dungeons he opened a cell, "You can kill her here."

He thought "Karti'Ros right hand Moon Fire on"

Before he even finished with the word 'here.' He slid it under her rib cage and through her neck. I let the body hit the floor as the blade cut from the inside out. He pulled off the ring while releasing his manacles. They walked back up after he put the sword away. The King looked at him, "Never dull with a Silvertree around. Your father captured a black and you capture the Blue Queen. Then execute her."

Travious nodded, "I would have been forced to turn her over to the Countess before the Knights fell apart. If I were a Knight of that order, which would be against the code. I cannot accept another title."

The King nodded. They re-enter the room. held up the ring and dropped it into the bag of holding. "Sorry about that but before we eat anything that could have been poisoned, I had to detain her."

The Countess looked at Travious, "She was most likely looking for us. Knowing my fascination with the elven people. She killed my mate when the civil war broke out. I hope her body might be of some use in our effort to train the dragon riders."

Travious nodded to her, "I am sorry I did not know of your loss or her involvement. Do you still have the other ring?"

She nodded back, "Yes, we now have two of them. Ironic that the champion I sought out to help my kind, avenged my mate in the process."

She looked to those in the room, "Thank you, everyone. I will be returning now and let the others know the details."

He raised a hand and walked over and gave her a hug. "Tell the enchantress to start working on a cave so we can see how much our minds can process a dragon's body."

She nodded, "Very good idea. Start on the ground and in secret."

He smiled, "Yes I do not fall well, except when from a horse when planned."

She laughed and was gone. Dutchess Silvertree looked at him, "You look alright." He pulled out the two pieces of metal. "That one was in my shoulder blade, that one was between my shoulder blade, two ribs, and sticking into my heart."

The Queen Mother looked at her son, "I told you he was close to dying! I saw that look on his father!"

The King nodded, "Had I known that was inside of you I would have had your medical needs taken care of first."

He looked at the King, "Your Majesty. If you had not ordered me here. If I had not ordered my armor back on. That piece would have split my heart open. After the healing, I had already gotten in the field. It took six to put me back together again, and two of those were my arcane transporters.

Then Melia was able to get these out of me by touching them and teleporting them out of me. One healer on the battlefield and two and not even a half in my own capability. Any word on that weapon?"

The Queen Mother nodded, "They got it, and 20 others like it from the field. Commander Goldeagle told me to tell you, 'thank you.' Sundering weapons are so rare."

Travious sighed, "That magi is an enchanter and most likely an evoker. A gestault like my sister. No undead raised. Not even by the magi who came on the field. I do not expect that to remain."

The cook came into the room. The King looked at him, "One of the servers was a potential assassin. All the food for tonight and food stores needs to be tested."

Travious nodded to the King once again, "I should also apologize for drawing a weapon in front of you like that."

The King smiled, "Better you than her."

The Queen Mother laughed, "Your grandfather did it in the throne room and took down two nasty assassins."

Travious nodded, "I read about it. That is what reminded me to make that apology."

King Goldeagle motioned for them all to sit and he looked at the floor, "No blood."

The Queen Mother looked over and laughed, "When your grandfather threatened the Grand Clerics concerning prophecies. He asked them if he knew what Tigers skills and the sword had in common. The fact they could both could kill without leaving blood everywhere."

The ladies laughed. Travious looked at her, "His form of interrogation and mine are held by two different codes."

The King nodded, "I had that discussion with your Aunt after you interrogated that orc assassin. People are starting to see the differences between the two codes now."

Travious smiled and tried to change the subject, "How did the rest of your conversation go with King Fireaxe after his, 'How much did my explosives help' question?"

King Goldeagle laughed, "He was both flustered and then laughing at your question after answering his. His 75% would have been nothing if he had not responded to our request."

Travious smiled, "I still liked that dwarf Ruble Axe when asked about if it was 10,000. He came back and said no it was more like 12,000."

The people laughed around the table. Melia laughed, "When I heard he went riding into that alone I thought his head was underwater while the keel was even."

The ladies laughed. He looked at them, "I had to be there. The stories those surviving orcs are telling about the lone rider on the hill with his horse screaming and sword waving and then body parts everywhere. That is how you create an infamous legend in your enemies' eyes. We would never have found out about those weapons without it. Better one injured and one suit of destroyed armor than hundreds dead."

The servers came in with food and they started eating dinner. The Queen Mother looked at Travious, "Your Grandfather it was getting breathed on by a Draco-lich. Your father single-handedly captured a dragon and jumped into the mouth of a Draco-lich. I wonder what you will do."

Travious smiled, "I already caught and executed the Queen of the Blue Dragons. Ask me after they have returned and I have gone into aerial combat against them."

The Queen looked at him, "You're joking?!"

He smiled, "Well before getting that ring this evening, I would have agreed with you. Elven warhorse cannot fly so flying in on the back of a dragon would be against the code. Flying in myself presents its own dangers as they can fly faster than I could with a magical item. Then the question is what kind of father and example I would be setting by letting my children take on a battle I would not do myself?"

The Queen Mother looked at the King, "That is the Silvertree determination and dedication that goes back for many generations."

Travious looked at the Queen Mother, "If it were not for the royal decree done by the royal family the Silvertree line would not exist." She looked confused. "Victria, the reference my grandfather gave you. He knew when it was and what the circumstances were. Down to the date. It saved the family generations ago.

When it was one unwed mother with two unborn male Silvertree children. That decree to let her be recognized as his last wife kept this family tree from dying. We have been serving ever since."

Bree looked at him, "There is so much about your family I do not know. Most do not know."

The Queen Mother, "There are things still not known by but a few. Deeds that were historic, helpful, and just plain courageous. Without your grandfather the King would not be here, our population would be on the verge of extinction if not extinct, and the Royal family would have been usurped from within. That is not even a fraction of the things that have happened from the time my husband and I conceived the King and his brother."

Melia looked at the Queen Mother, "What would you say was the most outlandish thing not generally known between those two generations?"

The Queen Mother thought, "The fact that between the two of them they brought an end to the Knights being under Dragon control. Until Travious's mother, Silver Silvertree, read the journals. Then there was the event that led to his great-grandfather having the opportunity and turning down the crown of the Human Kingdom in Grand Falls."

Travious nodded, "I read of those two in the journal. The one I do not think most people know about is the one that almost destroyed the banking system."

The Queen sputtered, "They left that in the journal?"

He nodded. "They took stuff out?"

The Queen Mother smiled, "Your father cleaned up a lot of your father's more colorful personal exploits except for his first. Just think of the impact it could have had later. Your Mother was kind enough to skip over that and focused on the deeds of the Knights and your grandfather and father's role in history. How they both became Dukes and nobody understood why at the time. They did that day. It stopped a lot of wagging tongues."

Travious smiled, "It was encrypted until my sister decrypted it years ago along with several other entries. We put it back in place. My mother never read it that I know of." The Queen Mother nodded.

They finished eating and he looked to the Queen Mother, "Do you still have my cloak?"

She nodded, "It will be with your armor in the morning. I wanted to be sure they get the details right. We took your shield as well. Minor changes because we can. You should also know that medal came with a million in gold into your account."

Travious smiled, "The church will be pleased as they are set up to get 12% of that."

The King looked at him, "I thought you had to tithe 10%?"

He nodded, "There are going to be more paladins coming up from disadvantaged backgrounds. Parents who are disappointed they are not arcane powerhouses. I give a little extra because the church will be buying them. They will be buying a lot of gear for these paladins in the years to come."