Third person POV

Meanwhile, elsewhere on Asgard…

"So there we were: surrounded by these enemy warriors, completely outnumbered and with no hope of escape. For a moment, it looked like all was lost. But then, I drew my sword, lunged forward and started to slay as many as I could and my friends, inspired by my courage, followed me…"

"Really?" The barmaid gasped in awe, staring at Fandral with wide eyes, "How many did you fight off?"

"Oh, I lost count, my dear. Twenty at least, maybe even thirty."

"Is that so, Fandral?" Volstagg interrupted, "Clearly your memory is much sharper than mine, because I can only recall you slaying four or five warriors."

The blond man glared at his companion. "Yes, well, as I was saying to this dear lady, it was all quite a long time ago, so I wouldn't expect you to remember exactly. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, I'd drawn my weapon! And then what I did was…" Reaching out, Fandral took hold of an unlit candlestick and pulled it out of the holder in the centre of the table, using it as a makeshift sword, "…I drove them back with my amazing swordsmanship! First I used this old move on them, then I used this one…" At this point, he rose to his feet and started sauntering down the length of the table, waving his candlestick wildly.

Volstagg rolled his eyes, while Thor and Sif, who were sitting on the other side of the table, roared with laughter. As their giggles eventually subsided, Thor decided, somewhat reluctantly, that it was probably time for him to leave. After all, he had promised Jane that he wouldn't stay out for too long and he didn't want to think of her waiting around in their bed-chamber for him to return.

Pushing his empty tankard aside, Thor got to his feet. "My friends, it has been wonderful seeing you all again, but I fear I must leave. I hope my absence won't dampen your spirits."

"Already?" Sif asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Surely not, Thor? Not while the night's still so young?" Volstagg replied.

Fandral, overhearing Volstagg's last question, stopped abruptly in his battle re-enactment and turned around. "What's this? What's going on?"

"Thor's about to leave," Volstagg explained.

"Why, you can't do that, old boy - we haven't seen you for months! What's more, now that you're living on Midgard, who's to know when our next meeting will be? Couldn't you spare another hour or so with us?"

Sif, guessing the reason behind Thor's desire to leave, stood up beside him and leaned in to whisper in his ear, in order to prevent embarrassing him: "I'm sure Jane wouldn't mind if you stayed here a little longer. I doubt you get much of a chance to celebrate like this on Midgard – she would probably be pleased to think that you were enjoying yourself for a change."

Thor glanced down at Sif as he reflected on her words. She had a point; it was true that he didn't get much time to drink and be merry while he was on Midgard. There were so many disasters – both natural and man-made – that he felt compelled to try and solve that often he could be fighting opponents and saving people for days on end, only stopping at night so that he could sleep and regain some of his energy. What's more, he had missed his friends while he had been away – obviously, if it had been the other way around and he had been separated from Jane that would have been far worse, but he frequently found himself wishing that his comrades could be there with him.

Maybe he could spend a little longer here. He could still return to Jane at a reasonable time – it wasn't as if he'd be out all night.

"Very well," Thor smiled, sitting back down, "You've persuaded me. But only…" he added, in a mock-serious tone, "…on one condition: Fandral, you put that candlestick down before you poke someone in the eye."

The blond man laughed. "If I can be trusted with a sword, I can be trusted with a candle! But I'll do as you ask."

"Quite right, Thor," Volstagg said approvingly when they were all seated again, "You wouldn't want to leave us before we've had the chance to get some proper drinking underway!"

"Ah!" Fandral exclaimed, snapping his fingers as if suddenly remembering something, "Proper drinking! That reminds me: Lady Sif, you owe me a rematch."

Sif grinned slightly smugly. "Really, Fandral? Are you sure you want to be defeated a second time?"

"A rematch to what, exactly?" Thor inquired curiously.

"A drinking competition," Fandral explained, "On the previous occasion, I am ashamed to say, Sif managed to out-drink me. Though I've no idea what sort of trickery she used in order to do so…"

"You know perfectly well that I beat you fair and square. And I'm about to do so again!" Sif replied confidently.

"I don't understand why the two of you are so competitive," Volstagg said, "Does it really matter whether one of you can hold your ale better than the other? Thor was able to out-drink all of us for centuries!"

"True, but that's all in the past. Can you remember the last time Thor joined us in a serious drinking competition? I certainly don't!" Fandral turned to face Thor. "You've probably lost your touch now, haven't you, old boy?"

Thor smirked. After his banishment to Earth, he had lost most of his former arrogance. However, it could not be denied that he still had a competitive streak in him – a streak which Fandral's remarks had now caused to resurface. "You'll be regretting those words, my friend, when you're lying on the floor in a drunken daze while I celebrate my victory!"

"You mean to say you're joining us?" Sif asked.

"Of course! Nobody mocks my drinking ability and gets away with it!"

"Wonderful!" Fandral declared, slapping his hand against the table enthusiastically, "It'll be just like old times! You'll take part too, won't you Volstagg?"

"No, Fandral, I'm going to sit quietly at the end of the table and drink water for the rest of the night," Volstagg replied sarcastically, "Obviously I'm joining you!"

"Right then!" Turning back to the barmaid, who had been watching the whole exchange with growing excitement, Fandral said: "My dear, would you kindly fetch us four tankards of ale? The strongest in the house!"

The barmaid nodded and hurried off, returning a couple of minutes later to place four very large tankards on the table. As the assembled warriors prepared to take their first drink, Sif raised her tankard to Thor and said, half as a toast and half as a challenge: "Who knows? Maybe I'll even succeed in stealing your title as the best drinker in all of Asgard!"

"We'll see about that," Thor smiled, though there was no doubt in his mind that he would emerge as the winner. His friends had never been able to hold their ale as well as he could – he'd be able to drink them under the table and return to Jane in no more than an hour.