Obligatory Disclaimer: I don't own, etc.
When they reached Cenarion Hold, Bruim took the troll to the stables first, to find his mount. The red raptor was noisily enjoying a bucket of meat when they found her, looking decidedly worry-free for a kidnapping victim, but she squawked happily when she spotted Ga'vik and practically purred as he stroked her. For his part, the troll seemed to be scolding her in rapid Zandali as he examined every scale for signs of mistreatment. As soon as he had deemed her hale, he demanded to be taken straight to Commander Mar'alith, and could not be convinced to wait until morning, though the hour was late.
Commander Mar'alith received them graciously, and Bruim translated softly for the troll as the two night elves spoke.
"He says the human is safe – she is being held as a guest in a comfortable chamber until they receive word from the goblins. He has sent a letter to Gadgetzan about her, and expects to hear back within the week," she murmured.
"And if she is a slave?" the troll asked anxiously.
"Tiadonaolos is asking. The Commander says… if the goblins have documents proving she sold herself to them, they will most likely send someone to retrieve her." The Commander had turned to gaze off into the distance. His thoughts were clearly elsewhere.
Ga'vik sucked in his breath, and Bruim had a dreadful feeling he intended to tell the Commander what was actually going to happen if the goblins came for Litha, but Tiadonaolos cut in before he could speak.
"Tiadonaolos speaks now of the silithid attacks you described, and how you and the human were the only survivors. He is telling him about the Qiraji you saw."
Commander Mar'alith's attention snapped back to the small group, and he seemed to notice Ga'vik for the first time. His eyes narrowed as he took him in.
"Ga'vik… is it? Have we met?" The Commander spoke in Taur-ahe, and the troll jumped.
Ga'vik averted his cobalt eyes and hunched his shoulders a little further before replying that he didn't think so. Bruim felt a surge of curiosity about the troll. The Commander stepped closer, studying him.
"Are you certain you saw a Qiraji, troll? Not just a… a large reaver, or the like?"
Ga'vik straightened a little but kept his eyes down. "It was riding a reaver and wearing a robe, sir. It had an imp, sir, casting fireballs."
"And how did you survive, soldier? As I understand it, these attacks have left few, if any, survivors."
The troll grimaced but answered steadily. "My friend, Eikahe, sacrificed himself so we – the human and I – could escape on my raptor, sir."
The Commander nodded slowly to himself, muttering, then turned back to Tiadonaolos to speak in Darnassian again. Bruim translated in a murmur as they discussed what a Qiraji invasion might mean for the Cenarion Circle, the Alliance, the Horde, and all of Azeroth, though the troll no longer seemed to be paying attention. He was shifting impatiently, clearly anxious for another opportunity to speak. When Tiadonaolos and the Commander exchanged their Elune-guide-yous, the troll jumped in.
"I'm sorry, sir, but… the human? If the goblins can't prove she belongs to them, will you take her collar off?"
The Commander turned to him in surprise, and the troll looked away again, ducking his head a little. "That isn't in my power. However, on the off chance that the goblins have lost the paperwork -" the Commander's tone implied that he found this scenario to be tremendously unlikely – "we'll put her on a hippogryph to Stormwind, I suppose, and they can deal with her there."
Tiadonaolos and Bruim managed to drag the troll off to the inn, after that, though only once they had promised to do everything within their combined power to help him check on the human in the morning.
They met in the dining hall for dinner before turning in for the night. After only a few nights sleeping out in the open, Bruim was looking forward to sleeping in a real bed, but wasn't sure she could sleep until she knew she had a better sense of what the next day might hold. She waiting until the troll had put away several pints of ale before asking him what he intended to do, if the goblins came to retrieve the human.
He looked at her sideways, the lie forming behind his dark blue eyes, but didn't answer for another pint.
"Stop them, and take her away from here," he said at last, "and the goblins can fuck themselves, for all I care."
Once more, she had received an unexpectedly honest answer, but Bruim was not relieved. She shared a worried look with Tiadonaolos.