Disclaimer: Still don't own anything here.

Nerwen Caladen: They haven't told me yet, so I don't even know!

Imbefaniel: Thanks for the kind words. I would love to see what your class would be like! LOL

Ch. 6

As they rode along, Estel thought about the stream they had found, and about the taste of the water. He came to a stop as he suddenly realized where he had tasted something very similar. He had been on an errand for Elrond, and had stopped at an inn for the night. He had been given a glass of clear liquid with his meal. Before he took a sip, the innkeeper had approached him. "This is a new type of beverage," he explained to Estel. "I would like to know what you think. I am going to send some to Lord Elrond as thanks for his assistance with the illness we had a while back."

Estel took a sip of the liquid. It tasted almost like ale, but was much stronger. He told the innkeeper that he thought it needed to be diluted. The innkeeper brought some water, and did as Estel suggested. "Just right!" he told the innkeeper, who beamed with pride.

When he returned to Rivendell, he told his father about the new beverage, and gave Elrond the sample the innkeeper had provided.

Later, as the two of them were sitting and watching the sun set, there was a disturbance in the courtyard below them. As they looked over the balcony, they saw two elves trying to climb a small tree. Because it was a small tree, they were not very successful.

Elrond went down to see what was going on. He realized they extremely intoxicated. He asked them, "What did you have to drink?" "Shus' the water that was in the bottle in the study," one replied. "I only had one little drink. It wash good."

Elrond told Estel what the elves had said. "I would rather not have any more of that ale. Even diluted, it has an adverse effect on elves." It took several days for the effect to disappear and for the two elves to return to normalcy.

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Estel knew he had to get the other three back to Rivendell before they ran into Orcs. However, he also knew from experience, that it would not be easy. As the others came up to him, he could see that they were, indeed, intoxicated. All three were moving side-to-side and giggling the whole time.

"This is going to be a long ride home," thought Estel. "Why me?"