#briegw2

7. A heartfelt gift

“I will treasure this fake mustache forever, even though it’s a totally stereotypical thing to give to a Whispers agent. I mean we all have like ten of them each.” 

She then gives her friend a big hug, giggling to herself. 

Who's the romantic one: Both of them

Who's the overprotective one: Both of them, again.

Who's the cuddly one: Vashti

Who's the jealous one: Also Vashti

Who's the one that is scared of scary movies: Vashti again

Who's the one full of surprises: Shen

Who's the one that's better at teasing: Shen again

Who's the rough one: Also Shen

Who's the messy one: Vashti

So Ira has sent Winter's Day gifts to the few people he knows.

Carson and Zoey Price

Aaron Leoni

Urthryn Rage

Valder Amand

Caleb Malone

Cristian Eskara

Alissa Loxlie

Mouna Kazmi

Please visit his page if you wish to see what it is!

  Bar chatter

  Brie rubbed at her forehead and sighs. She was still mortified from her sisters embarrassing her, again. Deciding she needed to escape from Ebonhawke for awhile, she found herself in the Maidens Whisper in Divinity. The petite woman looks over at the barkeep and quietly orders an apple cider.

  ~*~

Cylis strolled into the tavern, his confident swagger and his charming grin present as always as he made his way towards the bar, his hand resting casually upon the hilt of his rapier. In passing Brie, he dipped his chin in a polite greeting, tipping his wide brimmed hat her way as he took the vacant space beside her, rapping upon the bartop with his knuckles to garner the barkeeps attention.

  "A whiskey, my good man." he bade merrily, placing coin upon the bar.

~*~

Brie flickered her hazel eyes over to Cylis briefly, before moving them to the countertop of the bar. She inclines her head just a little in acknowledgement. After paying for her drink, she takes the mug carefully and has a drink from it

  ~*~

Cylis's grin was all charm upon his handsome face, sweeping his hat from his head and placing it upon the bar next to his drink as it arrived, fingers peeking through fingerless leather gloves giving a quick pass through his sandy hued tresses.

  "Nothin' like a drink on a day as lovely as this, would you not agree, M'Lady?" he implored of the lovely woman beside him, raising his glass for a light pull.

~*~

Brie gave him a somewhat nervous smile and nods her head.

  "I..I suppose," she replies.

  She frowns as a piece of long blonde hair flies into her face. She brushes it away with slight annoyance. Her hair was halfway pulled back and reached her hips.

~*~

His smile remained, growing slightly at the woman beside him, his tall and confident posture affording him some height over her. He turned to her a bit more, offering a hand towards her in introduction,

  "Forgive my manners, M'Lady, I am Cylis Inali. It is a pleasure to meet a rose as lovely and radiant as yourself."

  He would bring her hand to his lips if she allowed it, pressing a gentlemanly peck upon his knuckles before releasing her and tossing her a roguish wink.

  "Might I be graced with a name? Or shall I merely call you Sunshine, M'Lady? For you certainly light up this dreary bar."

~*~

Brie shifted uneasily as he loomed over her, being petite herself, and only standing at 5'5. She slowly withdrew her hand, feeling her cheeks start to turn a rather rosy shade of pink.

  "I..my name is Brie..." She replies with a slight stammer, looking at him briefly beneath long eyelashes.

  ~*~

He flashed her a warm smile,

  "A lovely name for a lovely woman."

  He turned to his drink, raising it to press to his lips for a lengthy draw of the liquor within. Once the glass was lowered back to the bar, he regarded her again casually,

  "So tell me, M'Lady, what brings you in here when the day is so lovely and fair out there?" he inquired, gesturing towards the exit and the square outside.

  His teal blue eyes roamed her curiously, noting the hint of pink to her face. He leaned lightly against the edge of the counter, nonchalant and at perfect ease, his navy blue tunic left fairly open at the top, revealing a teasing peek at his broad chest beneath, black leather riding boots high on his legs clad in brown leather britches, looking very much the dashing Musketeer type, an ornate silver pistol in a holster upon his hip and an elegant but well used rapier on the other.

  ~*~

Brie followed his gaze to the doorway. She was wearing her Vanguard uniform, having come directly from duty. Her overall demeanor seemed anxious. But whether it was from him directly or something else wouldn't be clear.

  "I..just wanted to get out of Ebonhawke for while.." She replies quietly.

  ~*~

He nodded slightly in understanding, his lopsided grin remaining, his overall demeanor pleasant and friendly,

  "Ah- a soldier! I can understand, M'Lady. I too came in for a relaxing drink after a hard day's work doing some good for good people." he remarked.

  He considered her thoughtfully, seeing her anxiousness.

  "If you don't mind me saying so, darling, you seem tense. Surely all is well?" He implored, lofting a curious brow.

  ~*~

Brie continues to blush slightly.

  "I...just call me Brie...I'm not a lady by any means..." She replies softly.

  She shifts slightly on her feet at his question. "I'm fine..."

  ~*~

Cylis seemed unconvinced as he considered her carefully.

  "Well, if you need an ear to listen, darling, I'd be more than happy to accommodate you." he offered in a friendly manner.

  He took up his whiskey glass and drained the remains.

  "I hear sometimes having someone to talk to helps. Especially in stressful lines of work."

  He slid his gaze back towards her and offered her a warm smile, flashing his near flawless pearly teeth at her in a charming display.

  ~*~

Brie flashed him a somewhat nervous smile again. It wasn't something that could be easily discussed, especially with a stranger. Instead of addressing the subject, she promptly decides to change it.

  "What is it you do?" She says with curiosity.

~*~

  Cylis figured she would swap subjects and accepted it gracefully, bobbing his shoulders lightly,

  "I am a Bodyguard of sorts, M'Lady. I am under the employ of the renowned and prestigious House of Leoni, serving as a Guardian for one of the Nobles. Before that, I was a Lionguard. My charge is currently keeping himself preoccupied with a missus and so I am here killing time, sort to speak." he stated candidly.

  There was a clear sense of pride in his service to such a household and it showed, and the mentioning of his days as a Lionguard seemed to also hold as a proud accomplishment in his past.

  ~*~

She nodded slowly and offers him a small smile.

  "Please, call me Brie..." She insists. "I'm certainly not a noble." She pauses. "I am a field medic for the Vanguard." She nods her head

  ~*~

He dipped his head slowly,

  "My apologies, some habits prove hard to break, darling. Brie it shall be then."

  He offered her a dazzling smile.

  "A combat medic, then. Those of your profession are rare and in great demand these days. I can imagine you keep yourself busy."

  He glanced down to her drink, nodding to it, "Would you care for a refill? My treat." he offered.

  ~*~

Brie felt her face slowly start to flush with color again.

  "I...yes, please," she replies quietly, looking at her empty mug.

  "And yes..I do stay busy. My captain trusts me to do some work alone out on the field."

~*~

Cylis nodded as he listened, gesturing for the barkeep to refill his glass and placing coin upon the bar.

  "I see. Such work can not be easy. It takes courage and dedication to do such duties, darling. I commend you for it." he stated earnestly.

  His teal blue eyes shifted back towards her, regarding her with admiration,

  "A true lily among the thorns." he complimented. He moved his hands to readjust his baldric so his pistol and rapier sat more comfortably as he resumed his casual lean against the bar's edge.

  ~*~

Brie felt her cheeks flush another shade of red.

  "I..well. I don't know about that," she replies quietly, glancing at her feet.

  "I..just like to help people," she adds.

~*~

  He only smiled more at her humbleness.

  "Nothing wrong with that, Brie. World needs more good people like you, willing to help those in need when others won't. You're a good person with a good heart, anyone can see that just by looking at you, dove. That is something to be proud of I would say."

  He beamed at her, the sincerity in his words clear as day.

  "So then, are you off duty for the remainder of the day? Or are you merely on break? I suppose someone in your field of work is almost always busy, eh?"

  He chuckled softly, a soothing husky sound as he considered his empty glass, contemplating a refill for himself as well.

  ~*~

Brie chuckled softly.

  "Well, I am busy often, but fortunately my captain doesn't overwork me too much."

  She pauses, getting a bit more comfortable with him.

  "To be honest, before I came here, my little sisters were terrorizing Ebonhawke." She rolls her eyes and sighs softly.

  ~*~

A look of intrigue crossed his dashing features as he regarded her questioningly,

  "Oh? How so?"

  Then he chuckled pleasantly, running his fingers through his sandy hued hair,

  "Though I can understand, my own little sister can be quite the terrorist when shes in the mood to be!" he quipped jokingly,

  "Yes, she's a handful but one can not help but love their baby sister, no?" He flashed her a playful grin.

  ~*~

Brie rolled her eyes.

  "I have two younger sisters. Ages 20 and 17. And they are very immature. They were running around Ebonhawke, following me on my patrol and making comments about the captain being cute."

  She sighs and has a drink of her cider, still feeling rather mortified

  ~*~

His laughter was genuine and good humored,

  "I know the feeling, trust me! My sister is 19 and thinks she has everything figured out, performs as a belly dancer in a gypsy caravan, and is always making some sort of quip about some guy being cute. Its like trying to keep track of a puppy that has gotten into a barrel of sugar that I keep tripping over!" he chortled.

  His features softened however,

  "Ah, but she is all I have and though we do not always see eye to eye, I do love her dearly and I fear I can not be there to guide her as often as I would like. But she does well on her own all things considered." he admitted, nodding thoughtfully.

  "Kids." he chuckled.

  ~*~

Brie chuckled softly.

  "Mine are just immature, but they are determined to marry Vanguard soldiers. Though my mother would see us all married off to nobles, if she had it her way. My older brother, Nic and my father are my only relief from their antics. They think it's funny to embarrass me and try to repeatedly set me up with this or that person."

  ~*~

"I feel for you, I only have to deal with one! I can't imagine -two-!"

  He ran his hand over his face, chuckling softly.

  "The Vanguard... how -is- Ebonhawk these days? Im afraid I have not visited there in some time." he admitted, looking back to her, his undivided attention fixed upon her once more.

~*~

  Brie's hazel eyes move to look up at him.

  "I only just recently returned," she admits.

  "To the Vanguard and to Ebonhawke. But it seems better than it has been..."

~*~

  He dipped his chin lightly, considering her words with a thoughtful expression,

  "I see. This is good news at least." He quirked a brow,

  "So then, where were you stationed before?"

~*~

  "I...well...I was with the seraph. But I..had to take a leave of absence. And before that I was stationed with the Vigil. And before the Vigil, I was in the Vanguard..." She explains

~*~

  He listened intently and offered an approving grin when she finished speaking, resting his elbow upon the countertop,

  "Lady with a career in the service I see. That's truly impressive! So you've got quite an impressive resume under your belt."

  He paused, rubbing his chin and the well groomed scruff that lined it, not quite a beard but not cleanly shaven either, adding just a hint of rugged charm to his appearance.

  "I served in the Lionguard for years before I devoted my time to the Leonis. Lets see... I started out as a recruit when I was 18 and served up until the recent Scarlet incident. After helping with evacuations I got injured and could no longer serve in the ranks. One of the people I evacuated was of the Leoni house and he offered me employment under their family, and since I had my sister to care for, I accepted."

  ~*~

Brie nodded slowly as she listens to him speak.

  "I was with the seraph during that fiasco. We deployed to Gendarran fields to assist the neighboring settlements and also go into the Arch itself to assist. I...it was a mess."

  She shakes her head slightly, her face paling as painful memories start to come back to her

  ~*~

He seemed to share her thoughts on the matter, his handsome visage going a bit gloomy,

  "That it was. So much unnecessary pain and destruction. Good people suffering, homes gone, young ones orphaned... I never want to see such a catastrophe again."

  He sighed, shaking his head slowly,

  "I grew up in the Arch, was my home for as long as I can remember. I miss it and even now I still do what I can to help rebuild it. The Leonis are good people. Not like most nobles who think they and their money are too good to lend a helping hand. The Leoni's estate is located in the Ascalonian Settlement and they have been providing relief to the refugees since Scarlet's attack happened. Food, clothing, shelter, work... They do what they can to support those suffering. Its good to see some nobles don't shy away from rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty with the rest of us." He rolled his shoulder lightly to loosen up.

  ~*~

"I've grown up around war," Brie says and takes a drink of her cider.

  "I grew up in Ebonhawke. And my parents being..well...proud Ascalonians, didn't want to leave and move somewhere safer." she glances at her cider.

  "I've lost a lot of friends and loved ones over the years," she adds quietly.

  ~*~

He nodded slowly in understanding as he watched her, his charming features softening,

  "We have all lost loved ones to war. It is all we can do to remember them and continue on with them in our hearts."

  He raised his teal blue orbs to the ceiling in thought,

  "I should pay a visit to Ebonhawk sometime. I miss the beauty of it, the colors and the architecture... a true gem. The Ascalonian Settlement reminds me of the place but its not the same as visiting Ebonhawk in person."

  ~*~

Brie nodded her head slowly, looking at her cider with slightly watery eyes. "It is beautiful," she agrees.

  "Despite all its faults."

  ~*~

He flashed her a gentle smile,

  "Sometimes it is the faults that make things truly beautiful."

  He straightened and stretched before drawing out a pocket watch from his pocket and checking it,

  "I regret I must be going. It was a pleasure talking with you, M'Lady and may we cross paths again in the future." he offered her another of his dashingly charming grins, placing his hat back upon his head.

  ~*~

Brie inclined her head to him a little.

  "It was nice talking with you.." she replies, feeling her cheeks flush slightly

~*~

  He tipped his hat to her as he nodded politely,

  "Please take care, Brie."