(2022-01-26) Bruuk's Brothers -- The Missing Bro and Surprise Guest

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Author:	Alli
Summary:	Taelei, Cambrin and Silvestre are having a drink in Bruuk's after the Cobalt depature to Outland, when Niris comes by. Their conversation ranges from discussing Outland, to why-is-Sil-not-in-Outland, to dwarf rescues, to memories of family.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: The Bros of Bruuk's Corner

Cambrin waves at you.
Cambrin: Sil! I didn't expect to see you.
Cambrin pulls out a chair and waves Edris over. "A round of lager please, Edris?"
You wave at Cambrin.
Silvestre: Yeah… I… *Sil looks down at his own glass, whicch seems to have something stronger than beer tonight, by the smell* I'm still here.
Cambrin: I thought you were heading out with Atley's squad.
Silvestre: Yup. *Sil considers, then drinks the rest of his glass down.* To another round, then?
Cambrin eyes Sil up and down, then nods and takes a big chug of his beer.
Silvestre: I guess they left. In between me checkin' my messages. *Sil leans back in his chair and stares at nothing in the middle distance*
Cambrin nods solemnly. "That's… got to feel rough."
Silvestre shakes his head, and refocuses on Cam, a little too deliberately. "It is what it is… How're you doin'? I should've asked, when you came up. Had a good week?"
Cambrin nods. "Got a message from the Captain before she left. Told me to get ready for a mission. Some kind of rescue.
Cambrin: So I've been doubling up on training.
Silvestre: Oh yeah? Rescue? *Sil perks up a little.* Who you rescuin'?
Cambrin lifts one arm and cracking noises can be heard. He grimaces.
Silvestre: I can help, maybe. I'm…. *Sil looks down at his glass, and for a moment looks like he might cry.* I'm reliable.
Cambrin: She didn't say. Said I'd get more instructions soon.
Cambrin signals Edris for another round for the table.
Silvestre nods. "You need me, you just let me know. Or just come by my place. Or I dunno, make sure you send the message more than twenty-four hours in advance."
Cambrin: I bet you could! A rescue sounds like a job that needs someone quiet to lead the way.
Cambrin: Titan's balls, I sound like a convoy of tinkers walking down the road.
Silvestre: I can do quiet. I'll be so quiet you don't even know I'm there.
Silvestre grins a little. "That's the armor. I couldn't melt in th' shadows half so well if I had all that metal on."
Cambrin chuckles and blows some foam off his new beer. "Comes in handy when a giant bug is trying to chomp on you, though."
Cambrin shivers a little at the memory.
Silvestre: That's true, but that's when I let folks like you lead up, and I sneak around behind. *Sil smiles a little at some memory*
Silvestre: You think they're just a person short? You think Mr. Atley's gonna die because I'm not there..?
Cambrin waves at Taelei.
Taelei collapses bonelessly into a chair.
Cambrin: Hi Taelei!
Silvestre looks across the table and blinks. "Whoa you come outta nowhere. That's some stealth. How you doin', Taelei?"
Taelei: I haz surprisemonster. For ride.
Cambrin beckons to Edris. "A drink for our friend here, please."
Silvestre: Like… *Sil picks up his new beer, and takes a drink* the thing from Outland.
Cambrin thinks for a moment. "Oh, like the pictures you drew?"
Taelei blinks exhastedly at the mug
Taelei: Yes.
Silvestre: Don't have to drink it if you don't wanna. We can get you food or whatever.
Taelei: Vas going to buy elekk, but, vell, learning mage is much monies.
Taelei: So I gots to catch thing that goes inn-vis-i-bell
Cambrin nods in agreement. "You look like you could use some food. And maybe a night in an actual bed."
Taelei: Food. good.
Taelei pulls out a bowl of Soothing Turtle Bisque.
Silvestre: If you need a place to crash, you can stay at mine. *Sil frowns* That was not a come-on, actually. Unless you want it to be. But there's a free bed."
Taelei: Vhat is you do tonight? And…vhere is every body?
Taelei: Bed good. You vant I come on vhat?
Silvestre: Ben's off to Outland. They're all off… *Sil looks off in the distance sadly* …to Outland.
Silvestre: You saw the letter, right? The first one?
Taelei: So Portal vorked other vay?
Niris ascends the stairs with her usual brisk and slightly breathless dignity.
Taelei waves tiredly at her.
Niris: Hello. Cobalt, yes? Don't mind me, I was going to —
Niris blinks at you.
Silvestre: Yeah, they all went through. *Sil boggles at Niris*
Niris: Silvestre.
Niris eyes you up and down.
Silvestre backs into a corner and tries to hide.
Cambrin: Good evening, ma'am. We haven't met, I think.
Taelei: Hiiiii.
Niris: Silvestre Sulliv— Silentstep. Stop that.
Cambrin blinks, then looks around for Sil.
Taelei: Sit, sit. Ve no bite.
Silvestre comes back and sits heavily in his chair. "I guess you already saw me…"
Cambrin looks relieved as he sits back down.
Niris puts a hand on the back of the vacant chair and surveys the others, her golden gaze sharp. She nods politely to each.
Niris: Niris.
Silvestre: You look well, ma'am.
Niris settles in the chair and smooths her skirts. She gives Sil a Look.
Cambrin: Cambrin Cooper, ma'am. One of the recent recruits, along with Taelei here.
Cambrin nods in Taelei's direction.
Niris: It's nice to meet you, Cambrin. Taelei.
Taelei: I is recent to As-er-off. hi! Velcome.
Niris smiles at Taelei. "I could tell. Welcome to you, dear."
Niris: I was formerly a lieutenant of the Company. Before this.
Niris gestures at her pregnant belly.
Cambrin nods. "I can see that might keep you out of the field."
Niris: Yes. So now I sit idly in Ironforge with far too much time on my hands. I had thought I might … see if anyone had come here tonight, since Ben is —
Niris eyes you up and down.
Silvestre: Everything goin' well with the… with little Dane? *Sil looks over to Edris* You want a water or somethin'?
Niris: Everything is perfectly well. And I do not, thank you.
Silvestre: So… what's new with you all? *Sil asks weakly*
Cambrin looks from one to the other and decides it's time to hunker down in shield wall position.
Niris is sitting very upright in her seat and apparently trying to bore holes in Sil's forehead with her gaze.
Niris: Please, do tell me about yourselves, Cambrin and Taelei.
Silvestre takes another drink of beer, and looks back at her with a bland smile.
Cambrin: Oh. Um.
Cambrin: I'm a line fighter, ma'am, like Ben and Atley.
Niris isn't fooled by beer and bland smiles; she is related to Ben. She does look politely away from Sil to Cambrin, though.
Taelei grins at Cambrin. "My people from vhat you say Outland."
Cambrin: Originally from up north.
Taelei: …oops, I find pin vas missing before.
Niris: Ah. Excellent. It will be good to have more of your sort around, Cambrin. Ben and Mr Atley both work very hard. — oh, dear. Are you all right?
Niris blinks at Taelei.
Taelei: I sew
Taelei: Sometime I sew me in fabric.
Niris: … oh, dear.
Niris smiles faintly.
Niris: And where up north, Cambrin?
Cambrin glances towards what he thinks is north. "Silverpine. The ferry town by the lake."
Silvestre: I was just up that way, recently.
Silvestre: Very pretty trees. *Sil does not meet anyone's eyes*
Niris hesitates. "Ah. My — I had an old friend who was from Silverpine. I understand it was, yes, quite lovely."
Taelei: …and volves. Oh no! I sorry.
Silvestre: I suppose magical mail doesn't deliver up there anymore, least not that I saw…
Cambrin: Oh yes. Wolves for certain.
Niris: Taelei, as you are from … it's Draenor, is it not? 'Outlands' is surely not the proper name. As you're from there, do you know … what our people might be dealing with? At present?
Taelei: Ve say Draenor. But is helpful, say name in Common tounge.
Niris nods.
Taelei: Many tounges make confusing. Much confusing vhen I say name in common, is diffrent than vhat you use.
Silvestre: You speak real good Common, Taelei.
Taelei: Is learning better.
Cambrin nods. "Better than I speak any other language."
Niris: Indeed. Both your people and the Kaldorei have learned Common well enough that I should think the rest of us ought to feel a little embarrassed. I suppose I could take up learning a language ….
Niris looks thoughtful.
Silvestre: I'd like to learn Dwarven. *Sil looks around the room* Seein' as we're here and all.
Niris: Mm.
Taelei: Dwarfs make good food, good drink! Could learn!
Taelei: They must have many vord stone, like how ve have many vord for Light.
Silvestre: Yeah, I bet so. And like different types of stuff you find in excavations, like the Titan stuff. *Sil brightens a little*
Niris: Oh, I suppose that's true! It would be interesting to know. Dwarves -do- make very good food and drink, and are excellent people. I really ought to drop in on Oranna and Bargrimm, that reminds me. Speaking of people who are here and all, Silvestre.
Niris eyes you up and down.
Silvestre: Yeah?
Niris: Well. Here you are.
Silvestre: Yeah.
Niris: How unexpected.
Silvestre: To everyone.
Niris: Oh, indeed?
Niris arches an eyebrow at Sil. An Eyebrow. A Hazan Eyebrow.
Silvestre flinches away from the eyebrow. And the whole woman, honestly.
Cambrin thinks it's a good time to to pay attention to his beer.
Silvestre: I. Um. *Sil clears his throat nervously* I reckon they sent word Saturday night? And I was up in Tirisfal. Didn't see it till Sunday late. I did check my mail every day.
Cambrin looks up. "What was up in Tirisfal, Sil?"
Niris sits very still and very upright and regards Sil with an air of pleasant expectation, as though she awaits the rest of his explanation because surely there is more.
Silvestre looks down at the table, and says quietly, "My sister, I guess."
Niris blinks.
Niris: The one who tried to murder you?
Cambrin opens his mouth as if to ask a question, then closes it.
Silvestre shrugs uncomfortably. "Yeah, just got the one."
Cambrin: Er.
Cambrin: That doesn't sound very… sisterly.
Cambrin shrugs at Taelei. Who knows?
Silvestre: Mr. Atley said I ought to make amends with my family, or like, at least say goodbye. On account of, maybe we'd die, and…. *Sil hesitates, and backpedals* I mean, I'm not tryin' to say it's on…. I know this is my fault…
Niris: How unfortunate. Or fortunate, I suppose, if you had multiple but they were all to take after one another.
Cambrin: Not that I'd know, I guess.
Cambrin shuts up.
Niris gives Cambrin a brief, assessing look, and then turns her polite attention back to Sil.
Silvestre carefully doesn't look at Niris and asks, "You all got sisters? Like, the non-murder sort?"
Cambrin shakes his head. "No, not really."
Cambrin: I mean, there were a couple girls in the orphange I was close to, but that's becuase we came down from the north together.
Silvestre nods. "I reckon that's a more real sister than mine, in a way."
Niris: I only had brothers. All very much of the murder sort. Ah, a northern orphan? I'm very sorry to hear it, Cambrin. I don't suppose you ever spent time at Northshire Abbey?
Niris eyes Cambrin up and down.
Cambrin nods. "A bit. More in the city, though."
Cambrin: And then with the militia, before Cobalt. That's where I met Ben. We overlapped there a little.
Niris: Oh! Oh, you knew Ben. I didn't realize.
Niris thaws immediately.
Silvestre sits back relieved to not be the target for the moment.
Niris: I'm his aunt. Well, he's probably mentioned. Or his mother. It's … I suppose it's complicated. Anyway. Niris-formerly-Hazan.
Taelei is doing hr best to follow the conversation.
Cambrin: We weren't exactly close, but we were on a couple of missions together.
Niris nods firmly and smiles. Cambrin is clearly a Fine Young Man.
Cambrin: And no, I don't remember him mentioning it.
Niris: … oh.
Niris loses a touch of smile.
Niris: Well. Young men, hm?
Silvestre: He didn't? Aunt Nir, he calls her.
Cambrin says hurridley "But I get hit in the head a lot, so maybe I forgot?"
Niris glances at Sil and tries not to look appreciative. She casts Cambrin a wry half-smile.
Niris: I appreciate the effort, dear.
Taelei: Cambrin is good fighting. Hit in head because he blocking!
Cambrin squirms a little in his seat.
Silvestre: Yeah, protecting other people.
Cambrin flashes Taelei a grin.
Niris smiles at Taelei and nods. She looks back to Cambrin.
Cambrin: Taelei sling a pretty mean fireball.
Niris: An excellent trait, and calling. Protecting people.
Niris: I'm sure fireballs are excellent as well.
Taelei: Yes. Easy see over shoulders.
Silvestre: Ms. Sparkwire's big on fire. You all ought to get along. Only she's out in… *Sil gestures in the general southerly direction*
Niris: Indeed.
Niris: With Ben. And the rest.
Niris glances at Sil.
Silvestre: Yeah, where I should be. I know.
Niris: Mm.
Niris: Well. I didn't come to put a damper on your party, so I'll excuse myself and go home before Elohad frets. I just wanted to … see … well.
Taelei: I should be there. Is home!
Taelei: But…no enough magic to work portal yet. Need to train hard!
Niris 's expression wobbles slightly and she rises with haste.
Taelei: You need help? Feather spell make anles hurt less?
Cambrin: Pleasure to meet you, Niris.
Niris smiles wryly at Taelei. "I have a feather spell of my own, dear heart. But no, that's — not what I need at the moment."
Taelei: Is good.
Niris touches the back of the chair in which she was sitting. "Is this … it's a strange curiosity, I know, but if Ben were here, where would he …?"
Niris looks around the table.
Silvestre: Probably where you were sitting, ma'am. If he hadn't given up the chair for somebody else.
Cambrin nods
Taelei: Ben do this. He very polite.
Cambrin: He does that a lot.
Niris pats the back of the chair wistfully, smiles at them, and steps away. "Well. Good night, all. It was lovely to meet you, Cambrin and Taelei. And what a surprise to see you, Silvestre."
Taelei waves.
Taelei: Nice meet you too.
You wave at Niris.
Niris: Take care, all of you.
Taelei: I vonder, vhy "take care" say so much. Do humans not take care? Forget?
Silvestre: It means, be safe.
Taelei: Ah!
Silvestre: I better head out myself, too, I think.
Cambrin: I'll let you know when I hear more about the mission, Sil. I'm sure we could use you.
Silvestre looks seriously at Cam. "I would love to help."
Taelei: Aye. Cambrin, you say you have bed, not dwarf-size?
Cambrin: That was Sil, I think? My place in Stormwind is pretty small.
Cambrin: Just a room, really, in the back of the Whistling Pig.
Silvestre glances back at Taelei. "Ben's bed's empty, for Outlands reasons. It's human sized, but he's a pretty big human."
Taelei: Oh, sorry, still try remember all name.
Taelei: Vould be good. I miss Ben.
Silvestre: Want to stay over? I know he wouldn't mind.
Taelei: Sure!
Silvestre smiles at Taelei. "It's a townhouse not far from HQ. I can show you the way?"
Cambrin: And let me know if you need a hand with anything, both of you.
Taelei: Vait, is this the sleepover that involves hair braiding and giggleing?
Taelei: Vill do. Need train lots
Cambrin: I hear that.
Silvestre laughs and runs a hand through his hair. "We can do hair braiding if you want!"
Cambrin stands and various popping sounds can be heard.
Cambrin waves goodbye to Taelei. Farewell!
Taelei: Okay, vhy not?
Silvestre: See you later, Cam!
Taelei makes an after-you gesture.
Taelei: Ve go gryphon?
Silvestre: Oh, no, it's here in Ironforge.
Taelei: In guild hall?
Silvestre: Right near it, yeah…
Sil and Taelei go off in the direction of the Townhouse he shares with Ben.