Parties, Pompadours and Prime Suspects (Brenner)

[Tobias]

Frost 46th, 121

Zorrothy Residence
It was that time again, another party to get ready for; the absence of Richard Zorrothy appeared to have made things even tense between his family. The previous event he had attended with his father was the wedding of Stefan Dornkirk, although it was unusual to not miss it. Eitan had been his friend and ally through thick and thin. He delved into his troubles and unlocked potential that he never thought he had and yet it was liberating. To trust someone, but not only to trust but to have a strange connection with someone. He questioned it and shrugged it off in denial everytime.

Love?

He wasn't sure what he felt, but it appeared he was ready for the big occasion. He was dressed to the nines, donning a purple waistcoat, white shirt, slacks and a pair of comfortable smart shoes. He looked into the mirror one more time as he laced one hand with pomade and combed his hair with the other, into a magnificent coif. There was a decent shine to his silver hair as he took a moment to look at the graces of the mirror "Hail Zaichaer" He muttered as he turned around, shutting off the lights as he left the house.

The White Knight Hall
It had been a blast of a day at the wedding; but the party wasn't exactly over. After the Midwinter Masque, all of the younger folk was invited over to White Knight Hall, where Tobias appeared to be more drunk than ever, and slightly more talkative, compared to before. He had three women on his arm who were all chatty, giddy and full of excitement, but yet the uncomfortable experience he had was when they kept playing tug of war with him "Cynthia! Can't you find your own man when you keep trying to steal mine!" She exclaimed.

Tobias would hear the same arguements over and over again, but yet one thing occurred to him. That coven witch he was hunting was a masquerader. It could've been anyone, yet it had Tobias in somewhat worry and skepticism, yet in his merry state his sense of judgement was also impaired "Ladies, ladies... Why don't you calm down and just have another drink another bottle, hic." He asked, hoping it would calm down as Cynthia looked at the other lady "Maria! Did you hear this, by the mists he's trying to get out of the fun!" Tobias' nervous laughter was obvious, yet he tried to keep himself in slight posture. It was lucky he had not been drunk yet, but there was probably no hope with these mischievous women that he had been trying to entertain. However, he was clearly dying inside. Dying of embarrassment, guilt and other emotions that whirled through his mind. A vortex of embarrassment and guilt.

There was no escaping it, yet he tried to act cool, calm and collective.

[Brenner Dornkirk]

Like many of the soldiers present, Air Commander Brenner Dornkirk was decked out in one of the stylish dress uniforms specific to his branch of the Zaichaeri military. There were a few embellishments that fell within what was acceptable, but by and large his mode of dress was identical to that of many of the other men present. Due to a recent affliction that had slimmed him down quite a bit, he'd needed to make a visit to the tailor in advance of the function, but he looked sharp albeit gaunt.

Though he'd spent much of the reception in the company of his brother and new sister-in-law, the newlyweds had slipped off to speak to some of Delia's acquaintances and Brenner found a cadre of other airmen to share a few shots with, before they dispersed into other social groups elsewhere in the hall.

With a rare moment to himself, the younger Dornkirk made his way back to the bar and elected to switch from schnapps to ale for a spell, as not to overindulge whilst the night was yet so young. He'd miss the after party if he continued to imbibe at the rate he had been thus far, but that was partly due to being the last bachelor amongst his nearest and dearest.

"Imperial Bitter." He said, rapping his right index finger on the bar as if in punctuation. His eyes followed the barkeep as he sauntered to the tap and let the rich, thick, foamy beer pour forth into a stein. With a nod of acknowledgement, he turned round and leaned his back on the bar to take in a view of the room. The sound of shrill ladies' laughter drew his eyes toward an unfamiliar little grouping, but for the moment he sipped at his ale and remained mum.

[Tobias]

A bead of sweat dripped down from Tobias' forehead as the ladies continued to laugh. The man was nervous, unsure of what to do in this type of situation "Err, Ladies... If you'll excuse me I need to-" As soon as he tried to escape the ladies advances, they clutch onto him once more. His eyes widen in abject terror for a moment. He had not been use to full blown physical contact by two women as they latched onto him like wolves arguing over prey.

"Oh no no no, I see what you're doing. You're thinking of getting out of the fun. Well the fun's just beginning" Cynthia said as she laughed hysterically, before Maria slapped her on the arm "Oi! I saw the man first!" The women would continue to bicker and slap at each other as Tobias would roll his eyes, noticing the event conspiring in front of him. There was a burning anger raging inside of him that he kept on hold. However, it was difficult, watching the two women begin to have a catfight. His look became stern as he couldn't hold in the rage any longer "Well, that settles it. I seriously need another drink after dealing with you two all evening..." He said rather bluntly.

He left the two women to their own devices as they looked shocked for a moment, noticing that Tobias might have been annoyed. Afterwards, they would continue arguing as the silver-haired reconciliator made his way to the bar. He masked his annoyance with a friendly nod to the man by his side as he looked over at the barkeep "Gelerian Wine, please" He nodded as he watched the barkeep grab a bottle and a wineglass from one of the shelves. He crossed his legs as he tapped his fingers on the bar, waiting patiently.

"What a day..." He spoke out to himself as he surveyed the room as he was still cautious. Vigilant. One moment a party could be absolutely fine, but the next thing all hell would break loose. Although, it appeared to be calm, perhaps everything was alright and Tobias was overthinking.

He had every right to be cautious.

[Brenner Dornkirk]

Brenner's icy blue eyes followed the path of the man from the group he'd been idly observing as he parted from their midst. He was a striking fellow with a chiseled jaw and a nice physique that filled his well-tailored garments quite nicely. He took a sip of his ale and turned his eyes back to the chittering ladies as the fellow drew up beside him at the bar.

He cast a sidelong glance to the man when he spoke up and a slight smile curled one corner of his lips.

"Rather a lively bunch." He noted with a nod toward the bickering birds. He could infer from how the scene had played out that they were fighting over the man who'd just retreated to his side. He was aesthetically pleasing enough to warrant that sort of attention, Brenner supposed, but the women seemed impossibly childish in their handling of the matter. He'd have shirked such attentions as well, if they were cast upon him, but mercifully he'd escaped the bulk of the doting damsel division of the reception's contingent.

"I take it you're a popular one?" He shifted his body, so he was now facing the man at a diagonal. Brenner rested his elbow on the bartop and leaned his hip against it as well, shifting his weight to one foot- the other crossing at the ankle of his boot. He could see Stefan off in the background behind this handsome stranger, attending to his Delia. He'd been lucky to find a serious woman to take to wife. Seeing the behaviour of those bickering in the foreground made hopes of his own nuptials feel that much farther off.

[Tobias]

He sighed to himself as he watched them arguing and slapping at each other like children, before shaking his head "Yeah, they are." He said seemingly grumpy as he turned his head towards the man slightly to take a glance, before diverting his attention to the ruckus ahead. The night seemed to have gotten much worse for him, especially when he warranted the attention of childish cabaret performance that followed him. He watched as the women were barely standing as they would continue their arguement on how they lost a man for the night "Look at them go at it, if this was a fighting ring, I'm sure people would throw money at it, like they were 1 Aven pole dancers, only they'll have to find another pole to dance on" He said watching as it looked although they finished their arguement.

They were suddenly fighting on the floor rolling around like a pack of hyenas arguing over meat. Tobias was the meat in this case, although he did not treat himself as such, only that the women were desperate for the advances of male company. It seemed they picked the wrong sort for that. He shook his head and sighed as he turned towards Brenner, shifting his body on a diagonal posture as he leaned his elbow on the bar, taking a sip of his wine "Popular? Well, I guess you could say that." He said, not blowing his trumpet in the slightest as he turned to make conversation "So, I take it you're close friends with the groom. He's a saint I'll tell you, one of the finest reconciliator's we have in this country. I'm honored to be under his wing as his Aspirant." He told him with a smile.

He glanced over and saw Stefan with Delia as he looked away for a moment. A somewhat hidden guilt from what happened before had still been channeled within him. Although the difference was, he was a changed man when Eitan took him under his wing. From the training sessions to the deep conversations. Perhaps he'd find it in his heart to forgive him for what happened before.

[Brenner Dornkirk]

Brenner wrinkled his nose in distaste at the unseemly display. Some people just couldn't hold their liquor-... At least he hoped it was alcohol that had sent them into such a gormless tizzy at a formal function. He imagined they must have been acquaintances of the bride, or perhaps relations who were, like many members of the Old Guard, hindered by inbreeding. He turned away from the display, though out of sight out of mind was difficult given their volume.

"It is always a pity when a formal reception requires security." He noted, as he sipped his drink. He smiled at the mention of the groom.

"I am indeed. We attended the Battle Academy together, though he was a few years behind me." He arched an eyebrow at the man's identifying himself as another Reconciliator. His spine stiffened and his smile faltered slightly.

"The Order is a pivotal pillar of our society. Without your work, I fear civilisation itself might collapse." He hesitated for an awkward moment before extending his hand in greeting. "Brenner Dornkirk." He inclined his head, "Air Commander and Executive Officer aboard the ZADC Searing Victory." He followed the man's eyes toward Stefan... His older brother was the sort of man to whom many eyes were drawn. Tall, tanned and toned, the elder Dornkirk brother was a paragon of the human form. He could hardly blame the stranger for admiring him.

"Are you acquainted with my brother Stefan?" He wondered aloud as he withdrew his hand it set it to the task of collecting his drink for another gulp. As he placed it back down on the bar top, he appraised the form of the stranger at his side curiously- His eyes lingering on his hair. He seemed young to have gone grey, but Brenner kept that observation to himself.

[Tobias]

There was a moment where Tobias had felt an awkward shiver down his spine. A shiver of guilt as one would call it. Although he remained calm as he seemed nervous about the whole situation at the moment; he was socially cornered between telling the truth and not revealing too much about his past, especially when he was focusing on rehabilitation and change. He looked over back at the handshake he gave him as he took it and shook it firmly "Tobias Zorrothy, Aspirant of the Order of Reconciliation." He nodded, already repeating himself as he identified himself as a reconciliator before. Perhaps it was nerves. "I don't have any other fancy titles though, but I do have certain aspirations that I'd like to achieve hopefully, at some point in the future." He nodded.

He wasn't use to being social, but yet talking helped get conversation going, particularly with a stranger that he had met, until it occurred in his mind when he realised who the man actually was. Stefan's brother, Brenner. He smiled in a chameleon-like way and turned his attention to Stefan who appeared to be dancing with his wife, Delia "Erm, Yes I must say, he taught me how to box. He's a very good pugilist himself and also a great teacher. I admire him. Although we haven't spoke much lately, probably because I've been too busy with matters of the state most of the time." He nodded "If I got a chance, I would like more lessons with hi-" He paused as Cynthia and Maria would continue arguing over a game of truth and dare.

They ended up climbing on the bar table as he wrinkled his nose in disgust, before shaking his head "Goodness gracious! Is this the way to grab attention of a man? You're barking up the wrong bloody tree for starters!" He said as he was enraged by the sudden petty games of the two women, not to mention the wine and imperial bitter that Brenner and Toby were drinking had split onto their garments. Toby appeared to be extremely pissed off after that, although he bit his tounge and kept it in as he looked at Brenner awkwardly "Fucking hell, this outfit better not stain."

[Brenner Dornkirk]

Brenner met Tobias' firm handshake with his own, and nodded sternly in response to his self-identification.

"I'm a modern sort." He smiled faintly in response to the caveats. "I am more impressed by earned titles than inherited ones, so you have time." He inferred from the man's words that he was younger than his greying hair might suggest, but it made it difficult to guess. His features were smooth enough that, without that element, he'd never have guessed he might be older.

"Well." Brenner chuckled, "I should hope Stefan is a good pugilist at this point, after how much he practised upon his younger brother when we were children." There was more of jest than of truth in it, but of course as youths they had arguments that sometimes came to blows and Brenner was ever at the disadvantage due to age and size. It had, at least, taught him that it was important to be clever.

Brenner shot out of his seat as the women made their way onto the table, and glared up at them.

"Enough!" He barked, loudly enough to startle them. "You will leave this reception immediately. You heard me, get off this fucking table before I turn it on your empty heads. You are embarrassing yourselves, disrespecting your hosts and bringing shame to your Fatherland. Get out. Now." With that, he slid his jacket off and checked the spot where it had been dappled with ale.

"And get me a fucking club soda and a serviette before you go." He muttered, before glancing back up to the man at his side.

"Barking up the wrong tree..." He repeated Tobias' assertion, arching his eyebrow. "And what might you mean by that?"

[Tobias]

He would take off his jacket and glare at the women who had been harrassing him for the whole duration of the party. Sure, he was good looking and would warrant that sort of attention, but it appeared that Tobias wanted serious company, not two drunken harlots who had bitten more than they could chew.

Tobias watched as Brenner's rage also had him shook for a moment. It appeared that it startled him somewhat as Cynthia would stop dead as she tried to get off, Maria's shoe heel however would break, causing her to fall backwards as Tobias was about to explain what he meant. He winced at the woman falling backwards in the bar before getting up and laughing as she was limping from the broken heel of her shoe. "I'm terribly sorry, I... You see they've been-" As Cynthia got off the table, she would wrap her arms around desperately around Tobias as he cringed with disgust "At last, I've won!" She laughed as she continued further, before Tobias' rage shot up as he pushed her away "Get off me! You're a complete embarrassment, I said no about a dozen times and yet you still come at me, desperately like some mad incubus! Get out! Take this bloody harlot with you! Go!"

Cynthia watched as she appeared to be angry for a moment as she picked Maria up; they both limped out of the wedding reception as Tobias' anger raged within. His shoulders were tense "If you hear what I meant by barking up the wrong tree, I mean they literally barked up the wrong bloody tree, maybe wrong phrasing there. Never been good with words." He shrugged, although he was still annoyed by the moment of sudden rash rudeness; especially at his friend's wedding, it had been a moment he found someone to bare his children with before he was called to sacrifice for Zaichaer. It was something Tobias would have to take on board aswell, maybe years from now; they were both still young and vibrant, but the hidden fear of magic was amongst the Zaichaeri people. It would be their job to regulate it, but for now it was a time for celebration "I was debating not coming, but I couldn't let a friend down." He sighed.

Tobias hated parties, he was more comfortable being the wallflower than engaging in any acts of dancing or heavy drinking. Not that he knew how to dance anyway. He turned the conversation back to Brenner once more, from their previous subject "Anyway, what were you saying about Stefan?"

[Brenner Dornkirk]

Having said his piece, Brenner pivoted away from the table and stalked to the bar to get his own bloody seltzer water, since the harridans balked at most of his instructions. It was almost gratifying to hear someone tumbling behind him. If the fall didn't break her skull, perhaps it would at least knock some common sense into it. Whatever transpired behind him as he was wetting the spot on his jacket and dabbing, seemed to be of no concern to Brenner. He heard Tobias snapping, much as he had himself moments earlier, but he also heard one of the shrill, cloying voices responding. Finally when things had quieted down he glanced over his shoulder and found them in retreat. The ale spot, by that point, was also receding.

"A fresh Imperial Bitter." He instructed the barkeep. As Tobias returned to his side, he glanced to him as a question was posed.

"Hm?" Indeed what had he been saying? Those awful harpies had been terribly distracting, and when he was riled he could often forget himself.

"Oh." It came back to him all at once. "I'd only asked whether you were acquainted with Stefan. He is my older brother, you see." There really wasn't much more to it than that. He'd only been making conversation, before they were so rudely interrupted. He was happy to make the acquaintance of a friend of Eitan's (and perhaps Stefan's) but he hoped this incident didn't betoken future such interruption. If this man was a magnet for that sort of behaviour, Brenner would give him a wide berth in the future. But for now, he would accord young Tobias the benefit of the doubt.