"So many," he murmured. "So many. How can I hope to put them in some kind of order quickly enough to aid Evereska?"
"Perhaps you should have thought of that before you sent your voice ringing over all of Evermeet, calling us to your banner," said Vesilde Gaerth.
Short and wiry, even by elf standards, the sun elf knight seemed like a stern-mannered youth barely out of childhood, not the Knight-Commander of the Golden Star. He waited with Seiveril for the rest of the Council of Captains. Each captain led one of the largest contingents within the gathering crusade. Over the past few days Seiveril had drafted them into service as an impromptu staff and command structure. In the case of Vesilde Gaerth, he commanded the Golden Star, one of the militant orders associated with the temple of Corellon Larethian. Vesilde Gaerth personally led more than five hundred clerics, knights, templars, and temple guards in Seiveril's crusade.
"What did you expect from your reckless speech, Lord Seiveril?" Vesilde continued. "You have no idea the trouble you have caused within the faith."
Seiveril nodded, silently accepting the rebuke. Vesilde Gaerth was an old friend and ally within the hierarchy of Corellon's faithful. Seiveril had hoped that the clerics and temple soldiers of his own faith would hear his call, and a great number did. But an equal number, mostly from the southern and western districts where the Durothils and Veldanns were strong, had chosen not to come. In fact, he'd heard just that morning that a Highmeet of the Star-grove had been called, so that the chief elders of Corellon's temple might consider whether Seiveril's actions could be sanctioned by the faith. More than a few of Corellon's priests were sun elves of old and conservative families, and Seiveril suspected that they might seek to remove him from his position in the clergy.
"Those words were not entirely my own, Lord Gaerth," Seiveril replied. "Corellon's hand was on my shoulder."
"So you say, old friend, and I believe you. But many who stand high in Corellon's faith are not so certain. Some openly wonder whether you are indeed speaking as the Seldarine command or simply claiming so in order to realize your own private ambitions."
"Ambitions? What ambitions?" Seiveril demanded. "What could I possibly hope to gain by resigning from the council and leaving Evermeet?"
"Well, for a start, you might succeed and return a hero. Everyone knows that you are high in Amlaruil's favor. I think that the Durothils fear that you are maneuvering to present House Miritar as a successor to House Moon-flower, should Amlaruil pass to Arvandor without leaving a Moonflower heir. The gods know that few indeed of the Moonflower children still live."
Seiveril shook his head in disgust and said, "When someone desires one thing above all others, she cannot believe that another person might not want it. Of course Lady Durothil thinks I'm maneuvering for the throne. She is wrong, you know."
"We are a passionate race, Seiveril. An elf's heart knows heights of glory and depths of despair that few other races can understand. You have given the People of Evermeet a great cause, a purpose suited to their longing, You should not be surprised that your words have taken root in many hearts, for good or ill."
A soft call came through the cool night air, "Lord Seiveril? The other captains are here."
"Excellent, Thilesin," Seiveril answered. "Please ask them to join us."
Seiveril waited while the younger cleric showed the other crusade leaders into the arbor. Thilesin was a priestess of middle rank in Corellon's Grove, the circle of clergy that Seiveril had led until a few days before. Like many others among the Grove, she had chosen to join Seiveril's quest. Somber and studious, Thilesin had proven to be indispensable as an aide-de-camp and adjutant. The quiet sun elf accompanied the other commanders into the arbor, and took up a position standing to one side, waiting for orders and decisions to record.
Seiveril studied his circle of captains. The first was Lord Elvath Muirreste, a tall, strong moon elf with pale skin and hair dark as shadow. He had formerly served as the leader of Elion's Silver Guard, the legion Seiveril was expected to muster and maintain on Evermeet's northerly coasts to defend the isle. Each of the high lords of the realm governing the isle's districts were required to do the same, supplementing the royal army with their own troops. Lord Muirreste served as Seiveril's marshal and captain, supervising the forces that owed loyalty to the Miritar family. Seiveril could not take the entirety of the Silver Guard with him, of course. He had promised Amlaruil that he would not compromise the safety of the realm. But the Silver Guard contingent comprised a company of knights, two of lighter cavalry, and three of infantry, totaling almost nine hundred uniformed knights and soldiers.
Jerreda Starcloak, the Green Lady of the wood elves, had been the first of the captains to arrive in Elion. Her wood elves filled the air with off-color songs and ribald jests as they trotted and gamboled along, roughhousing and boasting to each other. They did not make even the slightest attempt to form any sort of companies or march in any particular order. Each wood elf simply marched at whatever pace he and his friends enjoyed. But Jerreda Starcloak brought not two hundred, as she had promised in the Dome of Stars, but fully five hundred and fifty of the best archers, scouts, and forest-wise folk in Evermeet.
Mage Jorildyn, the fourth of Seiveril's captains, was one of the surviving mages of Tower Reilloch. A half-elf with a heavy and powerful build that seemed more suited to a swordsman than a wizard, he was in fact a very talented evoker and battle-mage who had fought alongside elven armies on many previous occasions. His beard was streaked with gray, belying his human blood, and his manner was blunt to a fault, though few dared sneer at his mixed heritage. Jorildyn represented the arcanists of the gathering army, almost a hundred mages, bladesing-ers, spellsingers, and spellarchers, not a few of whom had followed him from Tower Reilloch. The Circle of Reilloch Domayr needed little urging to consider a counterblow against the daemonfey and their demonic allies.
"Well, we all seem to be here," Seiveril began. "Thilesin, how stand our numbers so far?"
Thilesin consulted a small book she kept with her at all times and said, "The Moon Knights of the Temple of Sehanine Moonbow marched in an hour before sunset. They are only eighty strong, but they are all clerics and skilled swordsmen, and I understand all have some skill at healing magic. Earlier today a flight of Eagle Knights appeared."
"Yes, I saw them," Seiveril said. "I spoke with their captain."
The Eagle Knights were only thirty strong, but each was mounted on a giant eagle. They were invaluable as aerial scouts and would serve well against any flying enemies the army met. Seiveril wished dearly for a hundred more, but the Eagle Knights were indispensable to Evermeet's defenses, and he could not ask for any more to join his cause without straining his promise to Amlaruil.
"Also, Lord Celeilol Fireheart of Leuthilspar sent word that he will be here tomorrow afternoon. He is leading a company of spearmen in mail."
"I don't think I've ever heard of him," Seiveril said. He glanced at the others, who shrugged back at him. "How many in his company?"
"He reports two hundred and fifty. By my best count, that brings us to just over five thousand warriors, plus at least two thousand more in armorers, engineers, drivers, and other such folk."
"The Moon Knights are under the command of Ferryl Nimersyl?"