Alex gently cradled Vale as they sat on the floor while she cried in his arms, he soothingly stroked her hair just allowing her to get it all out. He was intensely curious what had triggered the calm collected beauty to break down into this state. After a few minutes the tears abated and she slowly started to realise the state she was in. She felt safe and warm in his arms and could hear the steady pounding of his heart from her head rested on his chest, thinking about how nice it would be to stay like this she unconsciously snuggled in into his embrace.
Giggles burst out from the three girls looking at her actions, Vale burst out in deep blush as she remembered the other girls in the room and that she had just snuggled into their fiancé.
She raised her head and looked each of them in the eye, curiosity evident on her face she asked, "Why aren't you jealous".
The three girls laughed a little at the question, and Kayla asked, "Who says we aren't and we are just hiding it well?".
Vale shook her head, "None of you are the slightest bit jealous, you have curiosity and worry directed towards me but no jealousy.
They all looked surprised at her declaration.
"Do you mind telling us what triggered all this, you don't have to but I am very curious", Alex gently said.
She tilted her head to look him straight in the eye, again searching for something, without warning she kissed him. It wasn't deep by any means but it was more than a chaste peck on the lips. Drawing her head back she looked into Alex eyes once more and seemed happy with what she saw.
Alex just sat there with a very confused look on his face while the three girls giggled over the display.
"Alex can we stay like this while I explain?".
"Nope", came the prompt response
Disappointment rose up in her chest when she suddenly felt Alex tighten one arm around her back and the other scooped up under her legs as he lifted in his arms as he stood, he walked over to chair and sat down with Vale on his lap her legs hanging over the armrest, she briefly rested her head on his shoulder feeling immense warmth and comfort she hadn't felt in so long flood through her. Once the other girls had re-seated themselves Vale began her tale.
"From the day I was born I could see emotions of people whose eyes I looked into, it wasn't until I started speaking intelligibly that my mother and father noticed something was odd, but because I was so young I didn't know what much of what I saw related to. A six year old isn't going to recognise lust or desire or the concept behind domination. When I turned ten it came to a head when I out gave a gift to someone and he told me he loved it but when I looked into his eyes I could only see disgust for the gift, I ran crying to my mother and father and asked why people said one thing while their eyes said another.
Lily interrupted, "So you can read minds?".
Vale shook her head, "Not so much as I can detect emotion and where it is directed, I can't tell what someone is thinking directly but I can tell the emotions they are feeling happy, sad, lust etc. But only when I look into the person's eyes.
She continues with her story, "that was also the conclusion my parents came to", a small tear rolled down her cheek, "It was also the last day my parents ever intentionally looked me in the eye".
At that statement Alex tightened his arms around Vale.
"Don't get me wrong they never did anything bad to me but the odd times our eyes did meet I could see the feeling of discomfort and fear they held towards me knowing I could tell what they felt".
"As I got older I learned to tell what was what emotion wise and as I filled out so to speak it was all I could do to talk to people, the jealousy in the eyes of women and the lust in the eyes of men sickened me so I spent most of my time isolated, occasionally helping my father on an important business deal by reading the emotions of the competition or partner."
"Then I heard that my long lost fiancé was alive and we were going to meet him so I steeled myself thinking if I had to marry one of those disgusting men with nothing but lust and a desire to dominate it may as well be you".
Kayla, Anna and Lily all laughed aloud at that, Kayla mockingly, "Well Alex you better pick your game up and start being all lustful and domineering to meet our new sisters' expectations".
Alex cocked an eyebrow at the use of the word sister as it means the girls had probably accepted her into the group.
Vale blushed furiously, and muttered, "I wouldn't mind if he looked at me with a bit more desire".
The girls still heard it and Anna chimed in, "Same here" while Lily and Kayla giggled.
Vale looked over confusedly at the girls, Kayla spoke up "We had a bit of communication break down which lead to some frustration building up".
"Hey, I apologised profusely for two day straight if I recall correctly", Alex defended himself with a grin.
Seeing the banter and feeling the warmth between the four of them Vale made her choice, sitting up in Alex lap she stared directly into his eyes, he didn't even flinch, even knowing what she could do his eyes didn't waver, she could feel love directed towards the three girls as well as protectiveness and little bit of possessiveness. She continued to stare into his eyes, towards her she felt empathy and care, some attraction and affection but no fear no blazing lust in his gaze. She knew that lust could be provoked she had seen it in his eyes after kissing him, but it wasn't something that affected his thoughts normally.
"Will you allow me to come with you wherever you go?".
"Of course Vale you are my fiancé how could a leave you behind", he smiled at her.
The group settled down and just chatted amongst themselves as they all got to know Vale and she got to know them.
Eventually Quintus knocked and entered, he was a little surprised to Valeanaria sitting in Alex lap her arms wrapped around his neck looking very happy.
"They have come to a consensus", Quintus said.
"Well let's go see what they have to say" Alex exclaims while gently placing Vale on her feet as he got up the others rose from their chairs and the group departed back to the meeting room.
They all entered the room together Lily and Anna stood together on his left while Vale and Kayla stood on his right, Vale was gripping onto his cuff. He gently shook Vale off and before a look of hurt could even develop, he enveloped her small hand in his.
Noticing the exchange some of the dark elves in the room didn't look happy. One idiot even went so far to tell Vale to let go of Alex and come stand by them, she trembled slightly looking at their eyes, Alex squeezed her hand and she turned to look up to his eyes seeing hints of protectiveness from him toward her made her heart flutter and she smiled at him turned back the one who spoke and simply said, "No".
Alex looked around the room, he could see many of the dark elves had smug looks on their faces where as the wood elves weren't looking very pleased with the out-come.
"So what is the consensus?", asked Alex
A dark elf stood forwards, a smile that never made to his eyes on his face, "I am Bouemont Duedalion of the Duedalion trading company, we have come to the consensus that our help comes with demands that must be met before we provide you aid".
Alex grinned, "State your demands".
"First, you will annul your contract with Valeanaria immediately".
Vale looked visibly shaken at that, Alex just squeezed her and in assurance.
"Second, you will sign an exclusive contract with us for all trading rights from your domain in the elven woods".
"Third using your status as dragon tamer you will procure dragon ingredients for sale in the Duedalion trading company".
"Is that all the demands you have?", Alex lazily inquired.
"It is".
I must say for a shrewd and intelligent businessman you certainly are acting like quite the idiot at the moment. Out of nowhere a barrier popped up around Bouemont Duedalion separating him from the rest of the world, Alex heard the groan and drop to the floor, Alex released the barrier Bouemont reappeared looking rather dazed. Casually strolling over the fallen elf he bent down grabbed a leg and deposited him in the middle of the room. Bouemont looked about asking where they were, after a bit of back and fourth we found out that he had been under some sort of influence for the past day that allowed the other elf to control his emotional and rational though processes.
"How did you know?", asked the grounded elf.
"I didn't really I just followed a hunch that formed after that stupid list of demands came out of the mouth of a shrewd and successful trader. So on the off chance that he was being influenced by an external source I cut him off from the outside world briefly using a space barrier".
"So are you going to spill or do we get physical here", Alex asked menacingly.
After leaving me out here to rot for so long I have no plans to hide anything, I came with this lot as your Uncles spy, the last order I received was to disrupt the talks between you and the exiles so you would at least be alone when you came".
Alex nodded, "Very well you can leave".
"You're just letting me go?", asked the traitorous elf.
"Your already exiled from your home your boss isn't going to keep around a spy that's been found out and the exile community isn't going to accept you anymore, have fun living your life". Explained Alex with a smug smirk on his face.
Realization seemed to dawn on the elf as he went pale then scrambled up stumbling out the door.
"Right now that that is cleared up can I get a proper answer?".
Quintus spoke up "I for one am going back, I miss my homeland".
This broke the dam and a flood of agreement burst forth.
Turning to Bouemont, "And you?".
"I to wish to live under the trees once more, the trading company is well established and can take care of itself while I setup a new branch in our homeland".
Alex leaned in an said in a bright voice, "Oh by the way Vale has agreed to join my group so she will be traveling with me from now on".
Bouemont looked over at his daughter seeing her happily chat to the three girls, wondering when was the last time he saw her that happy, turning back to Alex he nodded then just asked that she be happy.
Alex just grinned and stated, "Of course".