(2023-06-07) Bruuk's Brothers: Many Questions
| Author: |
Alli |
| Summary: |
Sil, Skylarke, Sintha, Jonas, Iphindra and Zalael (Miss Leafblower) attend the usual Bruuk's Corner gathering. Several targets are sought, questions are asked, pebbles are thrown and covers are blown. ~3500 words. |
| Rating: |
T for Teen |
brief description of violence
Sil is the first one there at Bruuk’s Corner when someone arrives.
Skylarke arrives at the top of the stairs and pauses. "I expected a crowd," she remarks.
Silvestre waves cheerily. "It comes and goes, I guess. I only just started coming back down from Northrend myself."
[Silvestre]: Are you… *Sil looks Skylarke up and down* …Cobalt?
[Jonas]: Evening, Sil.
Skylarke steps closer. "Hah! No, nor likely to be if they're as careful who they…" She pauses and looks over her shoulder, then back at Sil. "… they let in."
Jonas eyes Skylarke as he goes past her to the table. He nods politely.
[Silvestre]: Hey, Jonas. Uh… there a reason I ought to be wary, miss?
Iphindra walks up the stairs, a hand on the railing, disappointment on her face. Vines reach from her arms to the railing, settling there.
Skylarke eyes Sil some more. "Sil. You wouldn't be 'Silvestre', would you?"
Jonas takes a seat, watching the stranger.
[Iphindra]: Hello, Cobalt Company! Is there no Maisha again here today?
[Silvestre]: Uh, yeah, that'd be the long form. Why? Do we… have we met? *Sil looks her over once again, carefully.*
Silvestre blinks at Iphindra. "Maisha? No, I don't think so. You looking for her?"
Skylarke looks back at Iphindra, then does the double-take that the Night Elf deserves.
Jonas signals at Edris wordlessly for a round for the table.
[Iphindra]: I have met her, the first time I was here. I come back from time to time, I hope she will too.
[Jonas]: Maisha comes fishing with us, sometimes. Saturday afternoons.
[Jonas]: If you're looking.
[Silvestre]: I bet she will sometime. People wander in, wander out. *He looks back at Skylarke* I'm real sorry, but if we met I don't recall.
Skylarke shakes her head. "We haven't." Then she grins. "People usually remember meeting me."
[Iphindra]: You… take… *She pauses.* No! Pull? You pull fish out of the water when you fish? That is the meaning, yes?
[Síntha]: Hell-o, Jonas, Sil! *she singsongs.*
[Skylarke]: I heard you were with Cobalt. That's a littl-
Skylarke blinks at Sintha.
Síntha flops comfortably into a chair.
[Síntha]: Who's buying me a drink tonight, darlings?
Iphindra beams at Sintha. A song? She loves songs!
[Jonas]: Um. I ordered… a round? For us all?
[Síntha]: That will do. Now who have we got -
Skylarke sets her hands on her hips. "I've gotten caught in less subtle traps, but not many."
Síntha blinks at Skylarke.
Silvestre nods at Jonas, good man. "But yeah, I'm with Cobalt, have been for a while."
Síntha sits up and looks Skylarke up and down.
[Síntha]: Well, look what the wind's fetched up. Whatever are you doing here, darling?
Jonas , meanwhile, leans slightly to the side to nod at Iphindra past the other two women. "Yes. Fish."
[Skylarke]: It's a bar, why wouldn't I be here? What're you doing here?
Iphindra looks confused between Sintha and Skylarke.
[Silvestre]: So like, I'm here because usually Cobalt folks meet up for a beer? But uh… there's Jonas and… I don't think the rest of you are Cobalt?
[Silvestre]: Which, I mean, you're totally welcome, I love new people.
[Síntha]: What I'm doing here is having drinks with my close friends Jonas and Sil, as I do every week. Well, usually there's Mayellen and Anni as well, and -
Skylarke flaps a hand at Silvestre. "I know why you're here, I'm here because you're here."
Iphindra frowns a little at Jonas's answer. A leaf wilts and falls from her hair. "I may be joining, then. If sometimes Maisha is too!"
Skylarke then frowns a little at Sintha. "Do you worry that you'll run out of verbal italics?"
Jonas eyes Sintha askance. He clears his throat and nods at Iphindra. "Saturday afternoons. In Thelsamar."
Iphindra smiles at Jonas.
Síntha smiles sweetly at Skylarke. "I can always make more."
[Skylarke]: Obviously.
[Silvestre]: Wait, you're here because I'm here? Am I famous? *The italics may be catching*
[Síntha]: You're an elite scout, darling, aren't you?
Skylarke turns her attention to Silvestre again. She mouths silently 'darling', but then just says, "You're a Sullivan."
[Silvestre]: …Yeah, of course. *Sil smiles* Cobalt veteran and Seventh… What? No.
Síntha eyes Silvestre.
[Silvestre]: My name's Sil Silentstep.
Jonas decides to just sit back and wait for beer.
Iphindra perks up. "Oh! That is some thing I desired to ask! What is Cobalt Company do?" The italics are catching. She's imitating the inflections of the native speakers to fit in, obviously.
[Jonas]: Cobalt's a mercenary company. *Jonas doesn't do italics.*
Skylarke snorks. "Yes, and I'm Sky Larke, mild-mannered sailor girl. You were born a Sullivan, weren't you?"
[Silvestre]: Well Miss Larke, I don't know if anybody told you but it's impolite to talk 'bout childbirth in the presence of a noble lady. *He gestures at Sintha. He almost keeps a straight face through that one.*
[Síntha]: What?
Síntha stares at Sil.
Skylarke stares at Sil, too, in complete agreement with Sintha for once.
[Silvestre]: What?
Iphindra nods. "And when you say mercenary company… You mean?" Iphindra gets onto the last available chair, climbing over the backrest.*
[Síntha]: Darling, I was raised by sailors. And I've spent the last two weeks listening to a contract negotiated around childbirth. Gosh, I didn't realize mercenaries were so squeamish. Or is it only the elite scouts?
Skylarke looks at Sintha. Then at Silvestre. "I don't actually want to talk about childbirth. Just names. If it helps, I'm not actually after Silvestre Sullivan, just his family."
Silvestre sighs. "Okay, fine, don't get me out of this."
[Jonas]: Um, when I say mercenary company, I mean that we're… fighters, healers, scouts, that sort of thing, and we're for hire.
Síntha smiles sweetly at Sil.
[Síntha]: Thank you, I won't.
[Silvestre]: Well, you can find the Sullivans in Stormwind. What's left of 'em. Which is not me.
Edris returns to the table with a tray of pints, and begins distributing them indiscriminately.
Iphindra turns to Sil. "What is a Sullivans?"
Silvestre eagerly takes one and has a gulp of beer.
[Skylarke]: It's a family of smugglers. *She watches Silvestre as she speaks.*
[Síntha]: Skylarke - with an e, if I please - would you like to share my seat?
[Silvestre]: Well, traders. *Sil corrects automatically, then winces*
Síntha pats the chair beside her.
[Silvestre]: Oh, I'm sorry. You can have my seat if you like. I can pull up a chair.
Skylarke eyes the chair, then grins at Sintha. "Business first, pleasure later."
[Skylarke]: I don't want your seat, Sil, I want your sister.
Silvestre stands up, gesturing to the open chair. He edges over toward the staircase. Probably going to get another chair.
[Síntha]: Don't worry, Sil, Skyla-
Síntha blinks at Sky's last remark, and then considers Sil with more interest.
[Silvestre]: Wait, what? My sister? No one wants her.
[Skylarke]: Oh… no, believe me everyone wants her. They just don't know it yet.
Jonas drinks his beer and does not know what anyone's talking about. He gives Iphindra a wide-eyed look, the facial expression equivalent of a shrug.
Silvestre looks remarkably like a trapped rabbit, for an elite scout.
Skylarke narrows her eyes. "So you do know."
Iphindra gives a similar look back at Jonas.
[Silvestre]: Do I? What should I know? Or… not know?
[Síntha]: Gosh, well what does he know? Let's don't keep the whole class in suspense, darling.
Skylarke glances back at Sintha, then just shakes her head a little. "Trust me, precious. Keep your little pert nose out of this; it's … not good."
[Silvestre]: She's disowned anyway. On their side. Not like me, I left.
[Skylarke]: They say you're the one to talk to about her, so I'm talking. Where is she?
Iphindra turns around sitting on her knees, her hands on the chair's backrest, looking at Skylarke and Sil.
[Silvestre]: Uh. Why do you want her, exactly? Are you with SI:7?
Síntha picks up a pint, her gaze suddenly sharp.
Iphindra looks back at Jonas, with a 'what's a SI:7?' look on her face, because he is apparently her question-answerer of the day.
[Skylarke]: No! What a fate. First you want me to be Cobalt, the noble mercenaries, then SI:7?!
[Skylarke]: I want her so I can rip her skin off her and stitch it into my topsail, keelhaul the rest of her and ship her around the southern seas until there's nothing left for the fish to get at.
Jonas leans forward to tell Iphindra quietly across the table, "SI:7 is the royal intelligence. Spies for the crown, and whatnot."
[Silvestre]: Oh, well… um. I don't know if I hate her that much. I mean she didn't actually torture me that one time.
[Síntha]: Ooooh, *she says to Skylarke.* Gosh, that's very dramatic.
Iphindra nods joyfully at Jonas, before she notices what's being said behind her. She doesn't seem to get all of it, but she still has a shocked expression on her face.
[Silvestre]: Even if I did have her address, I'm not sure I ought to give it to you? That seems kind of violent.
[Iphindra]: Did… Did his sister make you hurt?
[Síntha]: I'm not sure how your scale runs, darling, but that seemed awfully violent, in fact.
Skylarke nods slowly. She does pause to give Sintha a wink because hey grrrl. "Well, then you obviously don't know your sister as well as I was worried you did.”
[Silvestre]: Why d'you want to keelhaul and… all that? She run out on you in the middle of a deal or something? Might've been when I got her arrested, if so.
[Síntha]: Is this a person Shay might know? A wicked smuggler sort? *Sintha looks Skylarke up and down. No reason.*
[Skylarke]: No. No, we… *She sighs* Look, just trust me. She needs to be brought to accounts.
Skylarke looks down a little, disturbed. Then she looks back at Sil.
[Silvestre]: Okay, okay. I know she's done some stuff. I haven't really seen her since I tracked her down in Tirisfal. 'Cept I thought maybe I saw her once in Shattrath? Could've just been some brown-haired girl.
[Skylarke]: Shattrath… Where's that?
[Silvestre]: Outland. I dunno what she'd be doing there, but… that was a while back, really. Maybe like… almost a year ago now?
Skylarke flings her hands up and sighs before sinking into the chair next to Sintha.
[Silvestre]: Then I told… um, well, then I talked to a contact of mine in SI:7 and said I was done worryin' with her.
Síntha scooches over and gives Skylarke a narrow smile.
Jonas continues to drink his beer and mind his business.
[Skylarke]: Great. *She reaches for a mug and downs half of it in three long gulps.*
Silvestre takes his own seat back, since the ladies are sharing. He looks a touch jealous, even past the anxiety of talking about ~Sylvie~.
Skylarke looks over at Sintha and grudgingly says, "You look pretty."
[Síntha]: I do, thank you for noticing!
[Silvestre]: On account of her being a Horde agent. I mean, seriously, I don't know why I feel like I ought to protect her reputation.
[Síntha]: You look… shapely.
[Skylarke]: Thanks for noticing.
Silvestre nods absently at Sintha. Good way to put it.
[Síntha]: Well, you clearly would like people to, so.
[Skylarke]: And you shouldn't. She hasn't got one left to protect.
[Jonas]: … hold on, Sil's sister is a Horde agent?
[Skylarke]: I doubt it.
Jonas is so far behind he hasn't even caught up on the shapeliness thing yet.
Iphindra looks a little awkwardly at the drink in front of her. Phew, what a conversation, and that drink of hers sure looks interesting. She does throw a brief glance at the others at Jonas's question.
Skylarke drums her fingers on her mug, thinking hard.
[Silvestre]: All right there, miss? *Sil shoots a friendly smile at Iphindra.* Just family drama, you know. Everybody's got that one causin' problems.
[Skylarke]: You said you had a contact in SI:7. Did they know how to get in touch with her?
Síntha drinks some beer. She makes a small, wrinkle-nosed face and sets the pint down again.
Iphindra doesn't notice he's speaking to her immediately. "Oh? Me? Well… I… no, I don't really have family drama?" she tilts her head, making sure she repeated the word correctly. "I just… Does your sister deserve the… bad things she said?"
[Silvestre]: Uh… maaaybe? *Sil may be answering both of them.*
Zalael flings a small pebble at the back of Silvestre's head.
Síntha 's attention sharpens.
Silvestre ducks instinctively when he hears the sound, but it still hits him at an angle. Sil looks around, bewildered.
[Silvestre]: Miss Larke, did you…?
Skylarke sighs again and stares into her mug.
[Síntha]: Sorry, is it raining stones in here now?
Skylarke laughs a little. "Skylarke, I'm not really Miss Larke. Sky'll do."
[Síntha]: Skylarke with an e, if you please.
Skylarke murmurs to Sintha, "Miss Larke. How cute is he?"
Zalael facepalms.
Silvestre chuckles. "Alright, Sky then. When did you last see her?"
Síntha regards Skylarke blandly. "Well Shay did say Lady Larke. I had to explain that you'd struck me as no sort of lady."
Skylarke shakes her head in answer to Silvestre. "Not important."
[Silvestre]: But if she's done somethin' recent, you probably saw her last after I did.
Zalael is not full of original ideas. She zings another pebble at Sil.
Skylarke leans away a bit to stare at Sintha. "Lady Larke, really?" She thinks about it, her expression suggesting her beer has gone off.
This time, Sil ducks. "Okay, who's throwin' rocks?"
[Síntha]: Oh, for the tides' sake, Sil. Are you in fact an elite scout?
Skylarke keeps thinking about it. "I guess it could be sweet of him." She watches the pebble bounce across the table.
[Silvestre]: I am, but I'm tryin' to have a beer.
[Síntha]: I feel strongly that elite scouts don't sit and let pebbles bounce off their heads. I really must stand firm on this point.
Skylarke offers, "Someone behind you wants to talk to you, Silvestre."
[Silvestre]: To be fair, I dodged the last one.
Iphindra notices the flying pebble this time, and decides to follow the direction it came from with her gaze. "From the door."
[Síntha]: To be fair, if you'd attended to the first one, there might not have been a second.
Silvestre gets up from the table. "Who is it? Miss Leafblower? Or is somebody else sneakin' round me now?"
Síntha reaches for her beer again before remembering it's beer. She sighs.
Zalael waits…eyeing the doorway expectantly. But gets impatient.
Skylarke takes two more gulps of her beer. "Well…" She wipes the back of her hand over her mouth. "I suppose that's the only answer I'll get here tonight."
[Zalael]: PSST!
[Silvestre]: You can come have a beer, Miss Leafblower. Folks are friendly.
Zalael facepalms again.
[Skylarke]: Silvestre, someone behind you wants to talk to you in private.
[Zalael]: You are the least subtle sneak ever, Silentstep.
[Síntha]: Sweet stars, remind me to hire a different elite scout, if I should ever be in the market for one.
[Silvestre]: Okay, okay. Sky, if you want, I can go over all the times I saw Sylvie in the last year sometime. I'm not protecting her anymore, at least.
[Skylarke]: Thanks for the seat, princess.
Iphindra giggles at Zalael.
Síntha eyes Skylarke up and down.
[Síntha]: Oh, next time let's make out, hm?
Jonas is suddenly paying attention.
Skylarke drops a couple of silver on the table. "Don't tease. You know how sensitive I am."
Silvestre moves out onto the balcony.
[Silvestre]: Wanting an update on the search?
[Zalael]: Well…fel…everyone knows I'm here now.
[Silvestre]: Or is there somethin' new?
[Síntha]: Well I don't, but I could find out if you'd let me.
[Silvestre]: None of 'em saw you, I don't think.
Síntha smiles sweetly at Skylarke. She looks at Jonas. "That is a joke, Jonas. Please remain your usual color."
Zalael levels a 'seriously?' look at Sil.
Skylarke points to Jonas. "You, thank you for the beer." Then to Iphindra. "You, I don't know what your thing is but you have lovely hair."
[Silvestre]: Okay, fine, but as long as Leafblower's not your real name, it'll be fine. Is it?
Jonas just kind of nods uncertainly at everyone.
Zalael stares at Sil for a moment.
Skylarke turns to leave, then turns back. "Sintha, let me know if you're serious about finding out. Ask Shay, he always seems to know where to find me."
[Zalael]: So…what's the story? You got somethin' for me?
Iphindra covers her right elven ear, out of politeness, then turns to Skylarke. "Oh! Thank you!" She puts a hand in her hair and hands Skylarke a flower, roots and everything. It moves on her hand.
[Silvestre]: I do, but I'm still working. I've got an in to contact Elowel Aro'ephel. My contact knew her, mostly.
[Skylarke]: Ah… yes…. Sea and stars it is moving. Yes. This is a plant that is moving… as I hold it. I'm going downstairs where I absolutely will not throw it at the fire.
[Síntha]: I can find anything out, darling, *Sintha calls after Skylarke's departing back.* You'd be surprised!
Iphindra waves at Skylarke.
Zalael groans.
Iphindra turns to Jonas, resuming that previous conversation as if nothing happened. "And mercenaries, they help people, is that it? And they travel?"
[Síntha]: That woman. *Sintha rolls her eyes grimly.*
[Zalael]: Mostly? So…any word on how soon this contact might be able to learn anything?
[Silvestre]: Or, knew somebody who knew her. Anyway, I can get to her to ask. And I did not give your name or anything to any of 'em.
[Zalael]: Good…that's good.
[Jonas]: She seemed… nice?
Jonas tries.
[Silvestre]: Well it depends. I got two options to get to her. A Kirin Tor fellow or… a death knight.
Iphindra looks conflicted at the mention that she was nice.
Zalael grimaces.
[Silvestre]: But if it's urgent, I'll see which one I can get to faster. Before next week?
[Zalael]: Death knight, huh? That's…hm…can the knight be trusted, though?
[Síntha]: Well, this was rather un-fun, but awfully informative. If you don't mind, darlings, I think I have some places to be, people to see. You know how it is.
[Síntha]: Good evening!
[Silvestre]: Can any of them? But… I know her sister, so… maybe?
[Jonas]: Evening, Sintha.
Silvestre pokes his head in the room to wave. "I am not a terrible scout."
Iphindra doesn't nod. She just stares at Sintha. She doesn't seem to know how it is. She seems like she doesn't even know what 'it' is.
[Síntha]: Oh, Sil, it's too late to try, darling.
[Zalael]: Kirin Tor sounds a little more promising. Maybe. But yeah, who can say.
[Jonas]: I… don't know which of them was… more.
[Jonas]: But they were both a hell of a lot.
[Silvestre]: So I'll give it a try. Meet back here next week?
Iphindra looks at Jonas, wide-eyed. They were more what? They were a lot of what?
[Zalael]: Will you be less obvious if I try to get your attention next time?
[Silvestre]: Fine, sure. Sorry about that. It was just… supposed to be a calm evening with friends and beers.
[Jonas]: Anyway. I am going to, uh. Get back to my girlfriend. *Who is an excellent, normal girl, his tone implies.*
[Silvestre]: And then there was this girl grilling me about my sister… and…
[Zalael]: Ah…right. Sorry…
[Jonas]: It was nice seeing you?
[Iphindra]: Okay! It was nice seeing you! *She repeats, smiling.*
[Jonas]: Evening.
[Silvestre]: But sure, next time I'll answer the secret summons.
Zalael smirks.
[Zalael]: I'll, uh…try not to interrupt your quiet evening again.
Iphindra goes onto the balcony, where Sil and Zalael are. "I had a question, when I came here, can I have help with it?"
Iphindra looks at Zalael, then seems to take a very small step back.
[Silvestre]: Um, sure. What question?
Zalael peers at Iphindra and does the exact same thing.
Iphindra sinces Zalael takes a step back as well, Iphindra takes a second one. "Well…" she looks a little anxious, looking at Zalael, trying her best to focus on Silvestre. "Is the company…" She seems to look for the correct way to translate her words.
[Iphindra]: … Adding people to its group?
[Zalael]: Hiring. The word you're looking for is 'hiring'.
[Silvestre]: Or recruiting? Not like, actively, but they take in applications! Always on the lookout for more good people.
[Silvestre]: HQ's over in the Mystic Ward. Sir Ference has been mostly handling applications down here lately.
Iphindra nods, a hand on the doorway, thorny vines reach down from her shoulders to the stone architecture. "Hiring or recruiting…" She nods again. "Sirference, in the… edchkue. I will remember this! Thank you."
[Silvestre]: Good luck to you!
[Silvestre]: And I better head out, myself. Take care all. *He turns around, and tosses down a bit of flash powder half-heartedly*
Iphindra nods. "Thank you! Good luck to yo-" She stands there awkwardly now that Sil is gone.
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