NTR quest

NTR Quest 16 - Keep Him

It does not take much thought. "I think I trust you, and it would probably be pretty folly to oust someone like you."

Luire blushes. "I do not know what you mean."

"You were confident about being in the back. I could tell."

Luire looks at you curiously. "You are good at reading people. It is a good trait for a party leader." The elf opens up and becomes a bit more comfortable, despite the fact that he had just flashed you about a minute prior.
"I think both myself and the human woman were able to pick up on that."

It is your turn to feel a bit bashful. "I've just been preparing for this for a long time. I've done a lot of reading, a lot of training." You consider revealing your heroic trait, but think better of it.
"I'm just a quick learner. I'm still going to be relying on you and her a lot for most of the in-the-moment decision making."

Luire nods. "That is a good call."

"Where does the confidence come from? Are you trained?" You ask to smoothly place the focus of the conversation back on him.

"Oh, I am just an old man and I know what I am good at. I have been doing this for a long time. Even with varying success you can not avoid picking up a few things."

You are a bit surprised to hear him suggest that he is 'old.' Looking at him, Luire seems to be around your age but you remember that the age of many of the world's denizens can be quite deceptive. You think back to Kara, who claimed that she is an elder of her tribe.

"How old are you?"

Luire rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "I am fifty-five." You blink, as despite his youthful appearance, that is older than your parents and beginning to get close in age to your grandparents. It is jarring. Luire notices this and adds.
"What they did to me did a number on my body. I was never going to be able to grow into a tall, attractive elven man like my peers." The sadness in his voice as he says that gives you pause. You feel a distinct sense of sympathy for him.

"Can I let you in on a secret?"

Luire perks up, his ears twitching. "Yes."

"I specifically put this party together to avoid funny business. I want this to be a serious group, so I feel like you'll probably be able to shine here." It is a strange claim to make, and it should be obvious for any party, but you can tell that he has been in many groups where bad things have happened. That much was evident simply due to the fact that he was searching for an all female party. However strange your claim sounded, Luire is relieved by it.

"Thank goodness. I look forward to working with you." The elf's smile, and the way he tilts his head slightly as he thanks you genuinely stirs something in you. For all intents and purposes Luire looks like a girl. His face, lips and even his figure are deceptive. You understand completely how he would have trouble in male groups. As he continues to smile and stare at you curiously you feel a distinct sense of guilt. Not from him but from yourself. Forgetting what he is packing, it is somewhat easy to imagine taking such a delicate individual. If you were not already taken with Kara it could be dangerous to have him around. Luckily, you feel confident in your convictions and are therefore comfortable extending your hand in a friendly manor.

"I look forward to it, too." You take his slender hand in yours and shake it. Luckily, it is not impossibly soft, as one would expect of a woman's. His fingers are hard and calloused, as any archers would be. You get up, feeling quite good about the conversation, and leave the elf to get settled in for the night.

Returning to your room you find Kara laying on the bed. "That woman is so annoying and that wolf is basically like a puppy around me. So curious and always asking so many questions." She complains at you.