Hangover
She was sat in a bar in the middle of the Varden's camp. Alice couldn't remember much but that was the way she liked it. The light was dim and the bartender, who didn't like her much, sat three metres away glowering at her and shooting her dirty looks. Alice looked down at the green liquid that glinted evilly at the bottom of her glass.
"What is this stuff?" Alice asked the Barkeep roughly.
"Mixture of Dwarven ale and Elven spirit" He growled from a corner
"Has it got a name?"
"Galffëon" said the barman "But its strong stuff one tankard is usually enough to knock-out a fully grown man, I don't know how you got through three" He muttered suspiciously
"Yes well I will be going now." Alice handed him 8 silver pieces and made to stagger out of the bar but before she could get to the door she was stopped by Eragon who put a hand out to block her way.
"What's she been drinking?"
"Oh get lost Shadeslayer and mind your own business," Alice spat
"She's been drinking Galffëon a mixture of Dwarven ale and Elven Spirit and guess what! She's drunken three tankards one's enough to knock-out any normal human," The barman said eagerly giving Eragon an oily smile as he said it.
Eragon sighed and led her out of the bar by the arm, but not before she could make a rude hand gesture at the bartender. It was dark outside with only the odd person milling around talking in whispers or else hurrying through the maze of tents with bundles of cloth or weapons. They weren't far from the Burning Plains and the smell of smoke floated across to them on the thin trickles of night air. The two of them approached a small tent that cast a dark shadow over the dewy grass. Angela sat at a table playing with a pack of cards laying them in patterns, picking them up again and then shuffling them. As they approached, Solembum appeared near Angela in the form of a boy with black shaggy hair and pointed teeth. Alice began to stagger as a pounding headache set into her mind and her vision swirled, as she felt increasingly dizzy.
"Angela?" Said Eragon
"Eragon what can I do for you?"
"Can you look after her for me?" He then leaned towards her and whispered something Alice couldn't here although she caught short bits of conversation… "…Its because of Murtagh…" "…Dangerous stuff…" "…Look after…" "…No drinking…". Alice had heard enough and began to edge around the tent trying to blend into the darkness. But as she tried to turn into a wolf her vision flickered again and she almost collapsed.
"Damn Galffëon!" She muttered under her breath and then staggered to her feet.
But before Alice could even take one more step Saphira landed right in front of her, scales glinting in the darkness, teeth bared.
"Please Saphira!" Alice hissed under her breath. But Saphira just growled and snapped her jaws.
"Fine!" Alice huffed folding her arms and turning her back to the dragon.
Suddenly Eragon and Angela came running out of the darkness towards them looking flustered with Solembum padding silently along behind them.
"We think it's better if Angela keeps a eye on you in the evening. Because all this drinking is really bad for you and you…" Eragon paused "We think that…your doing this because of-"
"-Because of Murtagh!" Alice interrupted harshly
"Yes…" said Angela gently "…and we think you need to just get over him being well…"
"You know what just leave me alone! This has nothing to do with Murtagh and I would thank you" Alice looked at pointedly Eragon "Not to meddle where your not wanted Shadeslayer!" And with that she marched off into the darkening campsite.
Alice stormed into her tent kicking pots and bags as she went. In her blind rage she didn't notice Solembum slinking around the tent in human form eyeing her. Alice sealed up the entrance to the tent and flopped down onto her bed. She remembered how it had been when her and Murtagh had been tracking the Razac. It was far better than staying with the Varden. She didn't feel like she was doing anything with the Varden and at least when her and Murtagh had been travelling together they had had the freedom to go wherever they wanted. Her head spun violently as she turned to blow out the candle and even in the dark her dizziness made her feel sick. She turned herself over very slowly, so as not to cause another nausea spasm and closed her eyes. She dreaded this time of the day, where she could so vividly remember her time in entraebaen. The tall stone walls and small concrete cells, the large exercise yard where all the new pups would play and recover from the 'treatment' that had turned them into the Empire's super soldiers. She even remembered the torture rooms' deep underground for which no scream or shout could escape. So much pain and suffering…for what? Sleep itched at Alice's eyes and eventually she drifted into an uneasy sleep full of distorted screams and raging fires.