Chapter 18 Overwatered
With heaved breaths, raw hands, and stinging cuts decorating my body, I lay sprawled out on the ground. The cool emerald-green grass felt as good as my bed.
Ugh… I… I think I…
“Robin??” called a familiar voice.
I tilted my head back, spotting Erik upside down. “Oh, hey Erik,” I mumbled, out of breath.
“What are you doing out here lying on the ground? Dusk is falling.” Erik stopped by my head.
“I was training,” I grunted, sitting up.
“You look like you could use a drink or two.” Erik grinned. “Come to the tavern with me. The knighthood usually relaxes at the tavern the night before setting off again. Just don’t go overboard like Cedric or you’ll be puking from your horse the whole ride.”
Why do I feel like that was a blatant lie?
I wobbly hauled myself to my feet, brushed the grass off my pants, and returned the smile. “That sounds lovely. I accept.”
“Lovely?” Erik snorted. “That’s one way to put it. You’re definitely royalty or at least nobility with the way you talk.”
Right… If I talked informally, Mother would’ve given me her famous, heated squints. Guess I don’t have to worry about that now, huh?
“Let’s get goin’,” I said.
“Now that’s better. For a while there you made me feel like I needed to wear a suit!” Erik joked and led the way through the kingdom.
The tavern. One of the most bustling places on weekend nights. I recalled always seeing the knighthood spend a night here, filling the place with laughter and bliss, but not once had I ever stepped inside despite the tavern being triple my age.
The smell of alcohol and hollering voices reached me before I even entered. I froze up at the doorway. As expected, the room was full, with at least six men sitting at each table, laughing and telling tall tales. Some were already swaying and slurring. Beautiful waitresses served everyone—their eye-catching giant bosoms, exposed cleavage, and vibrant lipstick on their vixen smiles were hard to look away from.
I recognized many of the men from the knighthood.
“C’mon,” Erik said, waving me over.
I loosely grabbed the back of his shirt, and he smiled, leading me through the tavern and to the bar table.
“There you are,” Cedric called. He tilted his head when he saw me. “Robin?”
“Hey, Cedric.” I gave a small smile and a brief wave.
“I invited her. She’s a knight now too, and we’ve got a long journey tomorrow,” Erik explained and ordered a drink. He glanced at me while taking a sip of his ale. “What do you want? I’ll pay.”
“Um…” I awkwardly rubbed the back of my neck. Admitting I’ve never drunk alcohol before was more embarrassing than I’d imagined. “I—uh, I’ve never had any… you know.”
Erik choked on his drink, thrown into a coughing fit.
Cedric’s eyes flew wide. “Never?? How old are you?”
Good question.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.” Erik cleared his throat and turned to the bartender. “One mug of ale, please—”
“Ale?” Cedric echoed, voice slightly slurred. “That shit-water is too strong. This is her first time! Get her a beer.”
“Shit-water?!” Erik exclaimed.
Here we go again, I thought to myself as the brothers bickered. I glanced around the tavern. All the voices made it barely possible to think, and yet I smiled. The atmosphere was warm and lively. A drunken man tripped and dramatically tumbled to the ground. The tavern roared with laughter. I covered my mouth with a snort.
Never in my life have I felt like this, been in a place like this, nor experienced such. The tavern was the complete opposite of the royal palace.
Amongst the crowd of seated men, I spotted Jackson. His black hair was in a loose bun, wavy bangs swept behind his ear, and he wore another baggy olive-green long-sleeved shirt. I had never seen him smile before, but I never expected his grin to be so charming. I couldn’t tell if his cheeks were flushed from laughter or intoxication. As if sensing my stare, his hazel eyes shot to me while taking a sip of his drink.
My heart leapt into my throat as I quickly turned away.
Did he see me??
Two loud clacks brought my attention back to the brothers, both of them setting a mug in front of me.
“Um… guys?” I asked, glancing from mug to mug.
“Try them both and decide which is better,” Cedric explained.
“Try mine first,” Erik whispered.
“Hey—I heard that!” Cedric snapped.
Before the brothers could get into it again, I grabbed a random mug. Erik grinned, and Cedrik rolled his eyes. The smell of the alcohol was enough to make me gag, but my eager, adventurous side still made me swing back a drink. Instantly, I regretted it. I sprayed the ale across the table, coughing hoarsely.
“S—sorry!” I croaked. “I mean, it was delicious…” I tried to cover my pathetic lie with a satisfied “Mmm” sound.
The brothers stared at me until Cedric cackled, and Erik squinted at him. I never thought the serious man was capable of such laughter. My cheeks flushed hot.
Cedric scooted his mug closer. “My turn.”
I take it this is the beer… Smells the same. Is it the same?
Now prepared, I took a sip this time and still gagged. The taste hit me worse than a horse’s fart.
“It’s—urgh—it’s good,” I grunted, holding back a belch.
Erik snorted, and Cedrik slapped his forehead.
“Don’t worry, it’s like that for everyone’s first time,” Erik reassured me.
I smiled gratefully, reassured by his words.
Erik lifted his mug. “To a long life as knights!”
“What kind of toast is that? You probably jinxed yourself,” Cedric grunted but still lifted his mug.
I laughed, lifting my mug too. We clacked them together and drank. The alcohol gradually became bearable.
To a long life as knights.
As the moon sailed across the sky, we drank, laughed, and joked. Like other knights, they had plenty of dramatic tall tales. The ‘no-nonsense’ Cedric was surprisingly nice and entertaining. When he’s drunk, anyway. As for his blonde brother, the outgoing man was ridiculously goofy.
I snorted and laughed, almost spitting out my drink again. My next sip gave me barely a drop.
Oh.
My body felt warm and head hazy. A feeling foreign to me, yet it didn’t scare me. I liked it. With wobbly hands, I set down the empty mug and reached for the full one. Before I could press it to my lips, a hand snatched my wrist.
“I think that’s enough for the night,” came a stern voice.
I glanced up at the man and was met with Jackson’s disapproving gaze.
As always.
I yanked my arm free, spilling some ale. “Don tellh me what tah do,” I slurred.
“Do you have a place to stay tonight?”
“I’ew figure it ouht.” I went to take a sip, and Jackson ripped the mug from my grasp. “H—hey!” I reached for it, but he held it high above my head. “Giv ih back…!”
“You’re coming home with me. No excuses.”