The last leg from the border of the Dragonsmount forest was actually the safest so everyone was pretty relaxed, Quintus fed Alex some information he might find useful like how elves while long lived only have a lifespan of about 300, he explained the difference between dark and forest elves.
Apparently a tribe of elves in ancient times was cursed after committing a great and were exiled for the next 1000 years from the homeland, the tribe lived as nomads roaming the lands they did well for themselves but their skin slowly darkened due to exposure to the elements to the point where overtime children had considerable darker skin when born.
The 1000 years came and went yet they did not return at peace with their lives, one day a missive from the ruler of the elves found them the letter in short the letter told the dark elves that while they understood after 1000 years they may not want to return to the homeland now that there exile was open the gates of the glade would always be open to them.
This small gesture from the ruler of the eleven people showed that their kin had never forgotten about them and would lead to the salvation as the homeland would be attacked by one of the southern nation Arcvien who in their greed lusted after the magic veins that grow under the forest, the forest elves were slowly pushed back despairing as they were badly outnumbered.
When the greatest battle to shake the great boughs a flood of dark elves appeared as if by magic directly behind the forces of Arcvien, with almost no sound the dark elves laid into the soft mages in the rear many died not knowing what was happening, seeing their distant kin come to their aid the forest elves redoubled their ferocity determined to keep their frontline rooted so they couldn't reroute to the rear, between the two forces Arcviens forces crumbled and fled. The dark elves were welcomed back as heroes and were appointed the protectors of the wood, even to this day the majority of warriors are dark elves.
He also explained the current political structure. Elves are ruled over by a king or queen under the queen are the six highlords/ladies and under them sit the lords/ladies. My birth father was a lord under the highlord Rasslen. There was a good chance Rasslen if not in on what was done to my parents turned a blind eye to it.
Alex nodded his thanks to Quintus and hopped off the current caravan, he bounced around using windsteps
Until her reached the caravan the girls where traveling in gently settling down besides Kayla, "Hello my little kitten, enjoying the ride".
"Honestly my ass is sore", grumped Kayla.
"Let me see what I can do about that", Alex picked up Kayla and placed her on his lap and proceeded to stroke her ears. Kayla started to purr in joy.
"Do you know how adorable you are when you purr" Alex muttered.
"Really Nya?"
"Did you just meow?". Alex asked almost having a nose bleed at how cute Kayla was being.
She blushed a deep shade a red and in a very small voice, it's a verbal tick that tends to kick in when we feel safe and happy.
"Then I'm going to make damn sure you are safe and happy so I can hear that more often".
A huge feeling of dread flashed through him, "Something is wrong he muttered". He activated the magic he had placed in the rings, Vales was too far away from the caravan something was badly wrong.
Worry in his voice "Vale isn't in the caravan".
"Quick go", Kayla jumped off his lap.
Jumping over the side of the wagon his lightning armour and windwings appeared and shot off in the direction he could feel Vales ring praying he would be in time.
Vale felt groggy, she slowly came to and realised she was bound and gagged, he eyes shot open and she looked around she found she was in large clearing in a wood land that wasn't far away from where the caravan just passed.
"Well well if the little whore hasn't woken up", a voice called out.
Vales head snapped to the right, seeing a familiar dark elf a gang of what appear to be a mix of beast kin and humans, most likely a bandit group.
"Valdis what do you think you're doing", Vale aske trying not to panic.
"Why did you never return my affections, Im decent looking with good standing we would have looked good together yet barely a week past from when that mix breed shows up you spread your legs for him. Well first I'm going to have little taste of the goods even if they are spoiled before this lot have a turn", a nasty smile spread on his face as he walked towards her his hand raised to ready to tear her cloths off. She closed her eyes.
"I'm sorry Alex".
"What are you sorry for dearheart?" a voice she could never mistake replied, her eyes snapped open to see the back of her beloved looking majestic and mighty with his wings and lightning dancing across his body.
Vladis scream out "How the fuck are you here".
"Shut up Vladis", Alex hit him with a stun shot and he dropped to the floor paralysed.
Quick surround him its only one man the 30 odd men surrounded him, "For what you planned to do to my fiancé I sentence death", Alex cold voice rang out, he slowly wound up is body sinking to the floor twin swords dragging.
"Kill the idiot"
The moment those words were spoken and Alex unwound like a tightly wound coil his swords flaring out, he reached the apex and his arms wrapped around one in front one in back swords pointing outwards, all 30 men dropped dead their heads all taken clean off with not a drop of blood spilled. If he hadn't been so pissed about Vale he would have been delighted that his super-heated wind blades worked. Vale knew Alex was strong but she had no idea due to never have seen him fight, she watched him as he turned to her the cold look in his eyes fading, as they looked at her. Anger, fury were all replaced with compassion, protectiveness and love. He hurried over to her and removed the ropes he picked her up in a princess carry.
"What about Vladis?".
"What about him he will be dead in about 5 hours by estimate, the shock paralysis lasts about 10 hours but there are a herd of beasts heading this way and there is no way they will ignore this feast, and they will be here in approx. 3-5 hours, no one tries to do that to you and lives", he said furiously at the end.
She tightened her arms around his neck and said, "Let's go back".
Launching himself back towards the caravan at a much more sedate pace.
Alex advised what had happened to Bouemont who checked the carriage they were in to see everyone still out cold from the drug.
Bouemont sighed "I knew the boy had been sniffing around Valeanaria but never thought he was deranged".
Alex took Vale back to the caravan and saw the girls all there, he hopped up onto the wagon and sat down with Vale in his arms, he motioned for quite and they noticed Vale had fallen asleep. He briefly explained what happened the three got so angry they want to go where I left him and dismember him themselves.
"How did he pull it off Vale can see emotions so he shouldn't have been able to fool her like that", Lily inquired.
"I think it has a lot to do with her being afraid to look in case she sees something she can't handle not to mention the trauma she suffered when her parents stopped looking her in the eye. She will come around eventually and when she fully masters and accepts her ability none of us will match her in the battlefield of politics and trade.
The rest of the journey continued without hiccup, that was until they got to the border where they were refused entrance for no apparent reason the guard just refused to let them through with no explanation at all Alex was wearing a hood so no one could see his features to prevent issues like this.
Alex spoke up, "I didn't realise that the elves had rescinded the rule that prevents anyone stopping adventurers crossing the border unless it is plague, maybe I should inform the guildmaster that there is plague in the elven kingdom.
"No wait sir, please may I confirm your status ID".
"Certainly" Alex pulled out his ID and activated it up popped the projection, the guard gulped when he saw he was messing with an A class. Alex waved to the girls all of whom pulled out their own IDs all displaying C class, the guard gulped again.
"One moment sir I'll get my commander I don't have the authority to open the gate myself"
"Well hurry up we don't have all day now do we soldier" Alex snapped
The guard ran like his ass was on fire.
He soon came back with his commander a haughty looking wood elf in more ornate armour.
"What is the meaning of this?", demanded
"Exactly my question", stated Alex holding up his ID, "Care to tell me why you are refusing me entry".
"Not you sir just these riff raff he looked at the caravan in disgust".
"Stopping them is stopping me, I am tasked with bringing them to the Brightwood compound.
"Umm let me just get my commander".
Alex snapped.
"How many fucking commanders do I have to go through to open a fucking gate, both of you get your asses over there and let us through or I will tear both you useless fuckers a new asshole". Pulsing out an aura of authority and command.
"I bet mom taught him that one", snickered Kayla
The two elves shocked beyond belief both saluted without out really knowing why and hurriedly opened the barrier, the caravan entered the elven kingdom leaving two very bewildered guards standing at attention before Alex.