The Exiled King's Guard

Chapter 8:The Festival

I looked around, determined to find whoever was spying on us. Not liking the feeling of being one step behind. I hated being behind in a competition, and this was one of the most dangerous ones, spying. I started moving through the crowd, looking in every direction, for something, anything. I felt someone grab my arm and pull. Aha! I got you spy person! I thought as I brought my other arm to hit him squarely, using his own momentum. But then, unexpectedly my other arm was also caught by this person, effectively holding me in place. What I really wasn’t ready for was how close I was standing to my attacker, Zach.

“I know all you moves, Ashley.” He spoke low in my ear sending shivers down my spine. I gave a small gasp, wanting to suddenly run away yet stay exactly this way, this close to him. “bjrjgo jwoeronfrk elkwmf, wife” he spoke in the same low tone, this breath tickling my neck. My brain was suddenly turning into mush. What was happening?

Wait! What language had he been speaking just now!!? Why hadn’t it made any sense!! Oh my God, WHAT was happening to me!!??

Zach smirked as he moved away, probably noting my face going from focused to confused to full blown panic.

“I said, come on wife, the drinking game is starting, you wont want to miss it.” he repeated louder, dragging me with him

Wait, had he been speaking the same language the whole time, I might be losing my mind, I thought grimly. As we moved, him still holding my hand, my brain snapped back into place, everything around me coming back into focus. Whew! I thought I was gone there for a second.

Tina was looking at me with a wicked grin but looked away as we approached.

“All the best, Zach and Jeff. You have to win, so that we can get the best rooms in the tavern!” she pushed them enthusiastically towards the tables that were set up for the contestants.

“ Whichever team drinks the most beers gets the prize, which is the best tavern accommodation.” I must have looked confused because she pre-emptively explained.

“ By the way” she added in a lower tone. “ I am happy to see that romance doesn’t totally go away after a few years of being married.”

“What do you mean?” I looked at her confused.

“Oh you know, the way your husband was flirting with you, and you were blushing like a new bride, it gives me hope.” She said matter-of-factly.

Realization hit me like a ton of bricks. So that’s what has been happening this entire evening. And I have been feeling uncomfortable because I haven’t ever received this attention from Zach before. And I am liking it, the thought hit me strongly. But why though, why now Zach? What changed? Should I discourage it? Its not like we could be a real possibility, the king had been very clear about that. But then again, it was innocent fun right? I was allowed to enjoy the attention, wasn’t I?

I continued to grapple with these confusing thoughts as I turned to watch a bunch of men down beer after beer enviously. I could use some ‘drowning my thoughts in alcohol’ time myself. They hadn’t even started and I noticed Jeff was looking queasy, the boy didn’t look like he could drink anyway. I decided to walk up to them, an idea for free beers and lodging forming in my head.

As expected, almost immediately, Jeff threw up all of his insides, and lost his balance, I caught him just in time before he fell on his own vomit.

“Do you have a replacement?” the host asked Zach. Zach opened his mouth, looking glum but I cut him off.

“yes we do!” I said passing Jeff off to his sister and taking the seat next to Zach. “ Unless you are scared to let women participate” I looked at the stunned men on both my sides, daring them to object.

“Oh let her. I doubt she will outlast that lad over there anyway” one bearded man with a potbelly said loudly, pointing towards Jeff.

I shrugged, smiling inwardly. If only they knew. I had outdrank so many of our soldiers that people had lost count. I was a local celebrity at our army tavern. Zach gave me a knowing look and shook his head, his lips hinting a ghost of a smile.

The contest started, the host glancing towards me every once in a while, expecting me to pass out any second. I decided to have some fun with him.

“Oh Zach, I feel dizzy” I said exaggerating my words. A few of the contestants looked at me, hope in their eyes that we would be disqualified soon. Zach looked at me with concern, then, catching the glint in my eyes, he immediately relaxed.

“Honey, come on, you can do this. Think of the prize” he said playing along.

“Don’t worry luv, you can give up anytime, we don’t want a pretty one like you to suffer.” Potbelly man leaned towards me and said condescendingly, loud enough for everyone to hear. His stench filled my nose, alcohol and sewer, and I involuntarily wrinkled it.

Leaning away from him slightly, I said innocently, “ Oh good sir! Please stay nearby, your smell is helping me sober up”

He glared at me, murder in his eyes and I blinked back, still pretending innocence. It would have been a stare off if his buddy had not nudged him to get back to their own table.

As the contest progressed, the looks from other men went from, is she quitting now to why wont this b***h quit, but we continued to outdrink them. Soon it was just us and potbelly man with his friend. The audience had split between us, most of the women supporting Zach and I, some batting their eyelashes at him, while others looking at me in awe. If I had not been used to having an audience when I sparred, I would have been very uncomfortable because they were cheering as one would for a duel.

This went on for a while, I had to admire potbelly man, even if his motivation was only to one up me, the man could drink. As they set down another mug in front of all of us, Zach looked at his in despair, he was very near his limit. I looked at mine and took a big gulp, almost puking it out, but somehow managing to keep it down, it wasn't looking good for us. Potbelly man’s friend gave a long sigh and said, “I quit, sorry Arnold. But I cant even look at beer right now.”

“Coward”, he spat, and downed his in one go. He lurched to his feet and shouted “We WIN!!” he turned to me venom in his eyes and he started trudging towards me, “ You b***h, how do you..” he stopped abruptly, eyes widening in horror and then equally as abruptly, he puked all over his shoes. The strain causing him to fall to his knees, almost comatose.

Zach and I exchanged looks, with sudden enthusiasm, both of us started gulping down our beers, making sure to pace ourselves a little bit. As I drank the last drop and wiped my mouth, cheers erupted. The host’s voice carrying above the chaos, “Victory by one!! Breaking Angry Arnold’s six year record!!” Our women cheerleaders started swarming us, chattering away excitedly. Zach was happily indulging them in conversation. I scoffed, obviously he loves their attention. Mildly irritated and decidedly drunk, I excused myself, planning to walk a little before getting something to eat, I needed to lower my inebriation levels, we were still on a mission and I couldn’t afford to black out. Zach can take the prize, its not like I cared, I had to sleep with one eye open till he became king.