A/N Hey everyone, finally an update. Thanks for your lovely reviews, they really make me a happy person when I read them!
A big thanks to Inwe Nolatari , your review really made me smile. All through reading Eldest I kept imaging Legolas and Gimli in it, and strangely enough I have found myself thinking what it would be like to have Aragorn in this as well... hmmm...
Enjoy!
Chapter 3- A Lesson Learned
"Have you heard what this celebration is in aid of?" said Gimli hurrying alongside Legolas.
"I am not sure, but whatever it is, the Dwarves are extremely excited," Legolas replied.
The two friends had reached the heavy wooden doors of the banquet hall. The rumble of happy Dwarves' laughter and the scrap of chairs could be heard through the thick wood. Legolas and Gimli pushed the doors open and were met with a riot of shouting and laughter. The thick stench of alcohol hung on the air and the Elf and Dwarf were met with a wave of it.
Legolas had to restrain himself from gagging, while Gimli's squinty eyes lit up with pure joy, he rubbed his podgy hands together with glee moving forward into the thick of things- headed towards the barrels upon barrels of mead and ale that had been brought out. A heavy stone mug was handed to him by a fellow partying Dwarf.
"Come on Legolas!" he shouted back, barely heard through the overwhelming noise of the merry Dwarves. He was soon lost amongst the crowd.
Legolas remained where he was near the door. Then he noticed the commotion that was taking place over in the far corner. He was surprised to see Saphira raise her head and admit a great belch followed by a tongue of bright flame that flared to the ceiling. This caused the surrounding Dwarves to scatter, afraid for their lives. Though they soon recovered from the shock and rolled out another barrel, setting it before her. This she quickly drained, swaying happily where she stood, humming along with the songs the Dwarves sung.
"Legolas! There you are!" a Dwarf broke free form the crowd and came towards him.
Orik carried a full mug in one hand, a half full one in the other, slurping from it as he went. The other sloshing all over the place. He thrust the full mug into Legolas' hands splashing a good helping of it causing Legolas to jump back to avoid getting soaked with the thick amber liquid.
"You must come join us!" Orik roared with uncontained laughter, grabbing Legolas' tunic and pulling him into the crowd.
"Wa- wait Orik! Please let go of me!" Legolas yelled as he stumbled along, dragged by the sturdy being.
But the Elf went unheard and was hauled forth helplessly.
"Orik, what is all this about?" Legolas asked.
Orik waved his tankard at him and proceeded to lead him in the direction of Eragon and Saphira.
'Hello Legolas!' Saphira greeted him with a roar. 'A toast to me and Eragon!'
Legolas placed his mug down on the table next to Eragon who was drinking deeply from his own stone mug. "What is all this about?" Legolas asked for what felt like the hundredth time that evening.
"Saphira has promised- hic- Hrothgar tha' she'll- hic- fix Isidar Mithrim," Eragon supplied, his speech slurred by his consumption of alcohol.
'Yes! The Dwarves shall assemble it to what it once was, with not shard out of place. Then I will fit it all together using magic!' Saphira said cheerfully before lowering her jaws to the fresh barrel that had been placed before her.
So that explained it. Though Legolas was ready to question Saphira further, he was prevented by the Dwarves bursting into yet another song. Saphira and Eragon joined in enthusiastically. When Eragon opened his mouth it was not his voice that came out but a deep rumble, almost a roar. The voice of a dragon? Though he did not seem to care.
Gimli had made his way through the mash of Dwarves towards where his friends were gathered. Two other younger Dwarves came with him and quickly started up a gam4e- one which both Legolas and especially Gimli, were familiar with. A drinking game.
Gimli and company laughed as the two young Dwarves drank mug after mug of the heavy potent ale until one finally gave in, slumping forward in his seat, ale lacing through his thick braided beard.
Eager for another round, Orik pulled himself up and planted himself firmly on the table top, knocking over many empty discarded mugs in his bumbling drunkenness. He held a mug full to over flowing high above his head and declared in his slurred voice, "I challenge you Legolas to a drinking game! Will you except?"
Legolas sighed rolling his eyes.
Gimli burst into laughter. "Bad move Orik, very bad move! He'll drink ye under th' table! I'm warnin' ye!"
"Bah! Nonsense, he 'asn't tasted our fine ales!" replied Orik confidently.
"I speak from past experience Orik! But be my guest!" Gimli warned, flashing back to the first and last time he has challenged his friend to such a contest.
"So what say ye Legolas?" Orik asked gazing down at the Elf form his place on top of the table.
Legolas sighed again and picked up his mug. "Last one standing wins?"
The surrounding crowd that had gathered around them to watch erupted with cheers, egging the Elf and Dwarf on as Orik stumbled down from the table, dumping himself down and planting his mug before him ready for it to be filled.
"Ye know the rules I trust?" Orik said in his guttural voice.
"You'll never live this down Orik!" Gimli called out in the background.
Saphira let out a mighty roar and the game began.
"Isn't this a little unfair, I mean, Legolas not 'ad nothing to drink, he's completely sober," Eragon said to Saphira.
'Unlike you young one!' Saphira replied.
"Um, but Orik's not 'ad a lot to drink already so…"
'Don't worry about it Eragon, just enjoy the contest! It's Orik's own fault for challenging Legolas in the first place!' Saphira said excitedly.
Eragon shrugged and took her advice, egging both of them on with the rest of the crowd.
Legolas put the brimming mug to his lips and proceeded to drain it. The heady amber liquid slid down his throat, burning it slightly and leaving a rusty taste in his mouth as he moved onto the next cup full that was handed to him.
"That stuff is nothing to ol' Legolas. You should taste the stuff his father used to keep! You'd be out for a week with a glassful of his wines!" Gimli danced around, swigging mead.
Orik could not be discouraged though. He carried on downing pint after pint, swaying where he sat slumped on his chair.
"Surely it's not healthy for even a Dwarf to consume that much alcohol in one evening?" Eragon commented, having lost count long ago of how much his two friends had drunk.
Legolas appeared to be completely unfazed by the amount of drink he had had. Though it would only take another Elf to see that this one was slightly off balance by now. Legolas was slowly beginning to feel the affects of the ale. A slight tingle in his finger tips. Ever so very slight.
He lifted yet another full mug to his lips and drained it in a few gulps. When he set it down to be refilled he noted Orik slump forward in his seat, knocking his mug out of the way. All that he admitted were the earth shaking snores that only a Dwarf was capable of producing.
"Game over, Legolas wins!" Gimli confirmed, scrambling up onto the table, grabbing his friend's wrist and holding it up in the air in victory. "Nice one Master Elf!"
Legolas managed a smile, and then with as much grace as he could, sat down in the seat next to Eragon who had now found he could take no more of the Dwarves' liquor.
"Eragon, are you alright?" Legolas asked as the Dwarves gathered around them began to disperse now that the games were over.
"Yes, think I had bit much to drink," he replied with a feeble smile.
He suddenly tensed, his arms clamped on the table top, his face a mask of the pain he was experiencing.
"Eragon…!"
He heard some one yell his name, though it seemed as though it came from far away. He couldn't concentrate on anything but the excruciating pain that was currently shooting up his back.
He slumped forward and was immersed in cold blissful oblivion.
A/N Poor Eragon. Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed that chapter, I simply couldn't resist writing that, lol! And the moral of this chapter is, never challenge an Elf to a drinking game!
Laters
Lolly pop
