Manon's Child

Part 58

I sit in my rooms, a second bottle of my finest aged wine already half empty on the bedside beside me. The rest of today has been, well - it's been hell. The meetings, the bullshit of people who think they're important and, unfortunately, the consequences of my own stupid, lovesick actions - maybe it is best that Manon left.

I sigh, leaning further back against my bed, swirling the wine around my glass and staring into it's deep red depths. Though I know it's not the best idea to drink when I feel, like this, I can't find anything else to do. Aelin's still out with Yrene, and Chaol's with his son, and in all honesty, I'm just not in the mood to read a book right now. 

I stretch . I'm spread out across my bed now in a most unkingly manner, and I just don't care. I top up my glass, the colour too deep to be blood, but still conjuring up that image. It reminds me of the time Manon told me that blood to witches was like wine to men - intoxicating and delicious, but not strictly necessary. Ha.

Oh Manon, my loosened brain thinks, why did you have to leave me, my beautiful queen? What has become of you, my beautiful queen? Why -

I'm pulled out of my ridiculous thoughts when Aelin barges loudly and unceremoniously into my room. She's barefoot, her heels dangling from her freshly manicured hands. "Woo!" she caws. It's obvious she's been drinking too. 

She sees the wine in my hand. "Pass some of that," she says, and I oblige. She sinks onto the bed next to me, taking a swig straight from the bottle.

I peer at her, my brain working slowly. Surely I'm not drunk after only one and a half bottles of wine? "I didn't think Yrene was one to take people drinking," I comment blearily.

"She isn't," Aelin says, leaning her head back onto the headboard. "She left me a while ago. We got dresses and manicures and shoes and then... she left." She seems momentarily confused, before ploughing on. "Then, I wandered through Adarlan and I remembered what I did when I lived here and I remembererered what a piece of shit I am, and how I shouldn't be queen, and I drank a little bit. But I'm not drunk, oh no," she says, even though she clearly is. "I didn't drink enough to be drunk already." She laughs.

"You're not as bad a monarch as I am," I mope, rolling my head over to look at her. "I threatened war over my pregnant ex."

Aelin grins at me. "Seems like a fair reaction to me."

I grunt my agreement, reaching for the bottle from Aelin, and finding it empty. I scowl. "I know," I agree with her earlier statement. "But apparently, my lords didn't think so. Who even made them lords anyway?"

"I know!" Aelin agrees excessively.

I sigh and push myself up. My head spins. "To the wine cellar!" I cry as I stumble upright.

"Yeah!" Aelin crows, getting up and careening into me. "Let's go!"

*****

I never thought I'd get lost in my own castle, but as Aelin and I stumble through the catacombs trying to look for the good wine cellar, I have to say I'm not entirely certain where we are. Someone told the guards not to allow me, their own king, anymore to drink after the 4th bottle, so we had to take matters into our own hands. Which may not have been the best idea, I finally realise, and Aelin and I stumble around in the semi-darkness.

"I think... we're getting close!" Aelin slurs. "I recognise this - woah!" She pitches forward, and I burst into laughter. It's not funny, but I can't help it. I try to take a step towards her, but I trip over the exact same thing she fell over. This time she laughs, having already dragged herself out of the way and up to standing on a... staircase?