"It’d be pretty crowded though, with all of us and two visitors. Luckily Kiera and Astalis are out at Halfhill, staying a couple days to do some trading, get some supplies," Fendien commented, pouring three squat cups of tea from the pot sitting idle on the table.
Taking a seat, Keleros continued to study the children as the others spoke; his forearm rested upon the table, finger tapping. “If we had to, I’m sure Chasz and I could find somewhere else to stay nearby. This place is hardly inhospitable.”
Chaszmyre for her part could hardly keep her attention off the children or on the conversation. She watched Jespere and Seinne waddle after the little bird, Seinne’s flower mostly smooshed against her face to keep smelling as they went.
When the bird stopped, both of them dropped to the floor and laid on their sides until Chaszmyre rose to wind the bird up again. “That’s true, maybe next time we’ll do that,” she finally added, looking to the other adults as she retook her seat.
Fendien simply shrugged. “We’d make it work, for you. But it sounds like it’s going to be a while, til next time.” He looked between both of them, his expression grave, though not entirely disapproving.
Chuckling, Kel shrugged a shoulder half-heartedly. “What’s a man to do? I can hardly pass up the chance to see what’s being offered across the portal. That, and I have an obligation. Chasz here…well, she’s just too bloody stubborn to see reason.” He waggled his eyebrows at her with his last words.
Rolling her eyes and trying to look indignant did nothing to prevent a bit of color in Chaszmyre’s cheeks. “That isn’t all of it,” she murmured, looking more soberly to Fendien. “You should see the portal, and what’s pouring out of it. The Blasted Lands truly aren’t far from Quel’thalas. Who knows how far this invasion can spread if it’s not stopped.”
She bit her lip, knowing how often she’d used those words and how many more times she’d say the same thing. “I just want them to be safe, if I can do something, I will.” She dipped her head to look at the depths of her teacup.
With a light chuckle at Keleros’ assessment of the situation, Fendien kept otherwise quiet, watching Chasz and listening to her answer. “You’re doing what you think is right. Finally,” he finally added with an unreadable expression. “I’d be going too, if it weren’t for them,” he tilted his head to his niece and nephew and got up to revive the lot of them by re-winding the bird.
"For the greater good, hm?" Kel’s words were almost wistful, eyes back on the children as they began to chase the bird once more across the room. "There are worse motivations in life, I suppose." With a shake of his hand, his old coin appeared. Pressing it into the table, he rolled it back and forth across the wooden surface, drifting into silence.
"Like money," Fendien quickly interjected, watching the coin move. "We spent so much of our life following that promise, following someone who was always after that. Maybe he wanted a better life for all of us, but that day never came." He watched Chaszmyre’s face and she was quiet, her left hand bending so that her thumb rubbed the back of her ring finger, the intricate floral ivy tattoo there.
"It’s really just for them," she murmured with a nod to the pair of children, one’s loud giggles and chirps making up for the silence of the other. "That’s all I care about now. And their little sister. There’s nothing more important."
Keleros simply nodded, flicking his hand. Ringing softly, almost like a bell, the coin flipped through the air, landing squarely in the rogue’s waiting palm. With another spin of his hand, it was gone. “I want you to remember that when we’re on the other side.”
Chaszmyre nodded to Keleros and sipped her tea. “I will.” For the first time, the anxiousness, the fear showed. It had been there, as with any venture of this size, as it had been there in Durotar, in Dalaran, it finally showed here and she shivered under the weight of it, watching the children play.
Seinne had picked up the ‘dead’ bird and tried winding it herself, struggling with it in silence for several moments while Jespere looked triumphantly to the adults. “We got it,” he shouted, waving from over by the heavy screen separating the cozy main room from the sleeping area.
"Things will be fine, Chasz. I’ll be there, after all," Keleros said softly.
Fendien watched the adults more keenly than the children, clearly still making up his mind about them altogether. “I take it you’ll be well-prepared, you have, a unit or somesuch you’re traveling with? Not just the two of you, bounding off into the unknown?” He sipped at his own tea, waiting for an answer.
As he did, Seinne approached and pawed at Fendien’s elbow. He held up his teacup and she nodded. The small ceramic cup was passed down and Seinne set her flower down on her uncle’s knee to hold the cup in both hands as she sipped from it.
"I’m with the Hospice, personally." Kel replied, waving a hand dismissively. "Though I’ll likely end up jumping back and forth between groups. Going through by ourselves, especially in that initial rush? I think it’d be foolhardy."
Fendien shrugged. “Plenty of objectives can be done with a small strike team, where a large company would be noticed. I do not think this is one of those, from what Chaszmyre has been telling me about the orcs pouring out.” He gave a vague nod of approval.
"The Sunbornes, the family I spoke to you about, they’re going as well. I’m not sure if in the first rush, or following. Nothing is quite set yet. Though we’re getting close." She sipped at her own tea.
Kel let his fingers move to play with the teacup, though he never lifted it as he stared down at the contents. “I have no idea what’s planned. Nor do I really worry much about it. One way or another, things will work out.” He chuckled. “Likely after a lot of trouble and pain, but in the end.”
"Hopefully not that much pain," Chaszmyre amended. She shifted the topic then, ready to be done with the gloom ahead for now. "The only thing I’m not sure about is the lounge. I’m going to miss it and I don’t know how it’s going to keep together without me there, running things."
"Eh, I’m sure things will be fine while you’re gone," Keleros said.
"Well without me, that leaves only one artist and no official bartender. I just wish I knew more people who could be involved over there, keep it going strong while I’m gone."
Fendien frowned. “What could be so difficult in keeping a business afloat? Clearly you were doing well, with the trip you made out here before and how you’ve helped out.”
"Exactly." Kel said, grinning at the woman. "She’s always so prone to worrying over every little thing. Let issues handle themselves…we have enough problems to face."
Chaszmyre scowled into her tea, hastily refilling the cup whiel Fendien chuckled. “I only meant, it doesn’t seem like a hard job, and why not find someone to keep the place running smoothly. You keep records, and the like, do you not? Of vendors and customers.” He shrugged.
Chaszmyre shook her head. “That’s just it though, who am I going to ask? Certainly not Braeden. There are few others I have at my disposal who I’d trust with that sort of thing.”
"What about that Melada friend of yours?" Kel asked curiously, continuing to study his drink as he spoke.
Chaszmyre shrugged. “After the blowup of the Ravenwoods kicking her out and trying to attack her in the lounge? I Just don’t think it’s a good idea. I think she’s trying to lie low.”
"You know, you were always saying you wanted to bring the twins home, to Quel’thalas. Now, you want them closer to their sister, and you’ve tracked down and handled any remaining threat to them or the rest of us…" Fendien lifted a dark brow at Chaszmyre and refilled his own tea.
Smirking, Kel let his gaze shift to the man before sliding over to the woman, eyebrow now arching as he waited for her reaction to the words.
Looking up uncertainly from her tea, she studied the dark-haired elf. “You actually want to go back there? I don’t have a home to offer you, aside from the lounge itself. It’s cramped but, I.. it would put to rest a lot of concerns and a lot of things I have hoped for.” She shrugged.
"As you can see, I don’t need a lot of space. Besides, I think Astalis and Kiera deserve to finally have a home of their own, without us intruding. We could make it work."
"The Lounge is nice. I’ve never had any complaints while I visited," Keleros offered with an encouraging smile.
"Then it’s settled," Fendien said. "We’ll be closer to their little sister, your business will be in the hands of family and Astalis will finally be free of the Blacksuns. Now that’s done, I need to get some things gathered from the garden for dinner. Chasz, why don’t you get the little ones washed up and get some water boiling and that dried fish there into it." He looked almost sternly to Keleros then, and nodded to the door.
Straightening from his seat, Kel stretched before offering Chaszmyre a wink. “Mmmm, I should probably go help gather.” Turning away, he strode out from the room with his usual cat-like stride.
"Yep, menfolk work," she teased, making a little kiss in his direction before scooping up Jespere. "Are you ready to help with dinner? I remember you were a very good helper last time, let’s get some water going." Seinne climbed into Fendien’s chair and finished his tea as soon as the men headed for the door.
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