Tense Meeting

Ariel had been surprised to see Sally and Cameron who came to see her. Sally was all sorts of worried about her and Ariel felt uncomfortable. Why would they care, granted she'd known Cameron for a few years now. She didn't think he really saw her as a friend.

He wasn't as harsh as Malachi had been, but he still told her off for being dumb. Which Sally hit him for being callous in her opinion. Ariel had actually felt good that others might care what happened to her. She kept it inside not wanting to be hurt if she was wrong. It was hard for someone to change their mentality when all their life they were told one thing. Though Ariel was starting to feel better about herself as days passed.

After her little stunt as the others called it, Sally seemed to find it her personal mission to become Ariel's friend. She always came along when Cameron wanted to or needed to come over to see Malachi. She would then haul Ariel off whether she was done working or not to have some alone time.

At first Ariel was annoyed by it. Unsure if Sally was just leading her on to some end. Then she was starting to look forward to the visits and she found herself laughing and enjoying them. For the first time she felt that she had a real friend. It made it easier to stand Natasha's comments because she had someone else whose opinion now mattered to her. She wished she had Sally here right now for this meeting and not Natasha.

"Now try not to say anything unless spoken too. It would probably be better if you didn't speak at all." Natasha said to Ariel who sat as Natasha finished with her hair. Both of them looked extremely elegant at the moment and Ariel felt a bit nervous.

"But if they ask about certain questions."

"Just let Vento and Malachi talk." She said and Ariel didn't argue with her sister. They were having a meeting with Alectro and no one was all that excited about it. What they were really doing was trying to set a few ground rules, and come to an agreement on borders and such. Alectro was being very aggressive at trying to take land. So much so that Cameron's father Michael Corvich had to send trained men to watch the borders. Their military was now patrolling.

"I was planning on it." Ariel said and Natasha gave her a nod.

"Good." The two of them moved out of the bathroom area. They were at a hotel at the moment, seeing that neither side wanted either at their home. They were in a kind of powder room and went out into the hall. As they did so a couple of people were walking toward them.

Ariel glanced at the two men, and then to the meeting room that was right across from them. The two men paused as they approached them and the first man looked them over. He was just a bit taller than them. Had dark hair with just a touch of a beard. His eyes were a light brown and the air about him said that he was important.

She'd never met Ricardo Alectro, but if this wasn't him she'd jump off a cliff. He had nice clothes, and a cultivated look. His gaze said that everyone else was below him and should give him what he wanted because he was entitled to it.

"You must be Natasha Standish." He said looking at Natasha and seeming to like what he saw. Ariel noted that Natasha looked a bit unsure and that comforted Ariel a bit. She wasn't the only one intimidated by the man, but Natasha wouldn't let it rule her.

"Yes, you must be Ricardo Alectro." She said holding out her hand. He took it and released it after a moment. Ariel didn't like him, nor the way his gaze moved over Natasha a bit more thoroughly after she looked toward the meeting room. His gaze then came to Ariel.

"I'm not sure I know who you are." He said, looking her over as well. That made Ariel feel uncomfortable but she kept her back straight and her gaze up. This man would pounce the second he sensed vulnerability and she couldn't afford that here. He'd see her as a weak link. She would not be that for the Ventos and her sister who relied on the things she did.

"I'm Ariel Standish." She said holding out a hand. He actually looked surprised. He took her hand, it was a strong grip and he looked her over again.

"I didn't know the Standish had two daughters."

"Ariel works for us, she isn't the heir nor owner." Natasha said and Ariel sighed inwardly. Always had to make sure that others and Ariel knew her place. Couldn't she just let it be?

"I see, I wonder how the youngest Vento got so lucky to receive your hand. A beautiful woman as yourself would have a great many to choose from." No one knew about the contract that they had and the arranged marriage. To the rest of the world it looked liked they had met socially and were getting married.

"Things just happen sometimes."

"I just bet, and they would have nothing to do with the large amount of land your family owns and moving against me?" Natasha gave him a haughty look.

"I can assure you Mr. Alectro." Ariel said suddenly. "My sister is very happy with Lord Vento's son. Malachi is good to her, and it isn't any of your business about their plan to get married." Natasha gave her a look that told her to shut up. Alectro brought his gaze to her thoughtfully.

"I'm guessing you are the younger sister right?" Ariel just looked at him, her heart beating rather hard in her chest. She wanted to bolt but kept her composure. She was trying to be more assertive as of late, she didn't need an annoyed comment from Malachi again. Nor Sally's sigh if she knew Ariel had run off again.

"Doesn't it upset you that nothing was left to you if your sister is the sole heir?" Ariel looked him right in the eye.

"No it doesn't." She meant that, she had what she needed and a home. He studied her seeming to think.

"Come Ariel." Natasha said sharply and moved toward the meeting room entrance. Malachi had appeared there and Natasha moved around him. Ariel gave Alectro a head nod and then moved into the room as well.

Malachi looked at Natasha as she passed, looking a little red in the face. Then he looked at Ariel who gave Alectro a head nod. He saw the way that Alectro's gaze moved over Ariel as she turned. He wasn't much older than Malachi was, mid thirties. Hector had started the bid for power, but now Ricardo was a force to be reckoned with since his father's death ten years ago. Malachi glanced at Ariel, watching her walk after her sister.

"You should feel lucky, your fiancé is a beautiful woman. Her sister is as well, you're a lucky man."

"I guess you could say that." Malachi said. "Are you ready to proceed?" He asked him and Alectro move to come into the room.

"Clearly since I am here." He said and walked to the left and chose a spot to sit. The man who'd been behind him stood behind Alectro at the ready and there were a couple others already standing there as well.

The table was long and Alectro sat across from Vento and Malachi, and with a chair between Natasha and Malachi, the two Standish women also sat across from him. Behind them was Cameron and his father who looked a lot like him, just older, a younger man that Ariel was sure was Lee. A couple others she didn't know. They all looked rather serious and she knew that they were at the ready should Alectro try something, or his men.

"Shall we start this?" Alectro said. "I do not wish to be here all day and night bickering." He said leaning back in the chair.

"I can't say that this will be easy if you consider it simple bickering." Lord Vento commented and Ariel noted how different his and Malachi's postures were. Tensed like they would leap across the table given the chance. Their eyes were hard and rather cold.

"I would like to talk about mining first off and the fact that you have been sticking your nose in what I am doing. My lands are my business Vento." Alectro said with disdain.

"Not if you aren't following interplanetary regulations, the river that you have started construction on and are piping water from flows down to the lake that we own. Our people's main water source. You have met no codes, nor plan to treat any of the out flow."

"Or just throwing things in my way so that you can get your steel mill up first. I have needs as well."

"It is a moot point, do it right and we won't have a problem nor say." Vento commented and then they started to talk about other things because Alectro knew that Vento was right. There wasn't anything that could be done about it. The meeting was long, and rather dull. Ariel only whispered a few things to Natasha when she knew that Natasha needed a cluing in as she didn't deal with the paperwork.

At one point Alectro attacked Natasha about her holdings and the fact that she was marrying Malachi. He thought it a coo to really do away with him. If he only knew, it was to keep that area protected from him. They were planning on setting up a border to stop his people from taking things from their lands and attacks.

Natasha was calm and collected, and used what Ariel had given her to defend herself. A few times voices were raised but it stayed rather calm over all. One thing that got heated was the fact that people from Alectro's holdings were coming to Vento's cities and towns to get supplies and vaccinations.

"They are your people, and I am not supplying them. I have had to resort to identification cards so that my people can have their needs met. You need to offer something for your people. Seeing that they come because you charge them and offer them nothing. If it continues I will take action more severely than I have."

"There's nothing I can do when peasants come into your land for things. I don't have the men to watch every person in my holdings." Malachi was growing tired of listening to this pompous asshole. He knew damn well that his people were coming into their lands to get what his father freely gave to his people. Especially medical care.

Simple vaccinations that were sent to them, and distributed accordingly, just like Alectro got. He charged his people to receive them. Many couldn't afford to get them for the young and old there and came into Vento's lands. Even into the Standish to get them and some of the simple supplies. Alectro taxed them and charged them for everything. Plus Vento didn't just let them in either, they had to have proof that they were willing to work the land given or the jobs provided.

In the end however they did agree on a border control for all three of them. The cost was divided amongst the three of them seeing that their land's ran alongside each other with part of a mountain range jutting into it. The Standish owning the large valley between Vento and Alectro, rich land with the river delta that went through it.

They also agreed on a few other things. By the time they left the room for good, it was dark outside. Alectro swept out of the room quickly escorted by his guards. He did not say goodbye to any of them simply wishing to leave and get out of their presence. He was rather annoyed that the Standish women seemed very sided with Vento.

"You know it's only a matter of time before he attacks us for control." Malachi said looking at his father and his tired expression.

"I know, I'm sure that he has been trying to get that facility up and running for more than mining. Weapons are what I'm afraid of."

"But we already have that and are far ahead of him." Michael Corvich said. Cameron was standing right next to him. "We are keeping a good eye on him with people in place." Michael gave them a knowing look. One thing that helped being one of the oddities, no one thought about a simple animal roaming the area.

"Good, good." Vento said and moved toward the door. Malachi had moved already over to where Natasha was standing and spoke with her privately.

"You know," Cameron said to Ariel who was just standing there. "Sally wouldn't mind a visit from you. She's bored having to sit and wait."

"I'm sure that she wouldn't." Ariel said with a smile, "Perhaps I will go over to see her." She said walking with Cameron. They were talking lightly as they went down the hall and outside to the waiting cars. Just waiting for the others to get in and they left to where they were staying. Ariel went with Cameron and his father so that she could see Sally. Ariel was way more excited to go see Sally than drive back with Natasha.

"It's about time. I'm bored out of my freaking mind." Sally said standing up and clicking off the TV as they came in the room. "So did you manage to get anything done?" She asked and the two of them started talking to her about what had gone on at the meeting.

"He's a dick." Sally said and they laughed. They moved on to other subjects however. Friendly chatter. Ariel had sat in the chair by the window and Sally facing her from the bed. Cameron got up from the chair and moved toward the door. It was easy sitting and talking with the two of them.

"I'll let you two ladies chat it up. I think I'd rather have a more manly conversation than purses and shoes." Sally blew him a kiss. He went out the door. They were staying in the same complex as Malachi. No doubt that was where he was going. They had all met in a neutral area, it was a bit of travel for them so staying here was easiest. Ariel turned looking at Sally, talking to her they spoke for a while and then Ariel started to get a bad feeling in her stomach. She was getting uncomfortable and shifted a bit.

"Is something wrong?" Sally asked noticing her shift.

"No." she said, and Sally continued on talking. Ariel kept shifting her gaze to the window and finally Sally gave an irritated sigh.

"You're distracted. Want to go outside? I feel cooped up in this room." Ariel gave a smile and a nod. The two of them went out into the hall. They walked down it and out the door. Across the lawn area of the place they saw Cameron and Malachi standing there talking, with them was Michael.

Sally smiled and moved toward them, Ariel following her. Where they stood Cameron had his back to the parking area. Malachi was facing him, both with their profiles to the two women walking up. Cameron's father faced them and gave a smile as he spotted them. Ariel was glad for the fresh air, but something was nagging at her. Just a bad feeling she guessed.