The Winter Born [COMPLETED]

Chapter 21 - Drunk Night

Cathellyn slams down the mug onto the wooden table, wiping her mouth hastily with the sleeve of her blue dress and shouts, "Another! " The drunk crowd surrounding her roar with cheers. A smiling servant comes and replaces the empty mug with one that is full of red wine and the servant withdraws, bowing.

Caspien is laughing, taking a gulp from his own goblet of wine. He seems unfazed by the alcohol, unlike Cathellyn. Her once pale face is now red and her eyes are half-lidded. She can feel the wine burning throughout her body and it feels good. She can't remember her father, the king or anyone. The only thing in her mind is the fire, in her belly and heart.

The drunken girl takes hold of the handle of the mug, tipsy a little before draining all of it in one gulp, earning yet another cheer. A servant is already coming to fill her mug but Ethan waves her away, scowling. He didn't know she's such a heavy drinker, no doubt she will have a headache tomorrow.

When Cathellyn looks like she is about to fall, Ethan catches her arm and let her fall against his body. He lets out a heavy sigh and looks toward the grand chair where his father should be seated at but he is not there.

He must've gone inside, Ethan thought, a hint of relief in his heart. The king will not be happy if he sees the girl Ethan brought home like this.

The proper ladies and lords also had gone home and there is only Caspien's close friends here, all of them drunk. They won't remember Cathellyn doing this, Ethan hoped.

Cathellyn chuckles a little when she falls against his chest and closes her eyes completely, finally passing out. Ethan catches her before she can fall to the ground. He sighs, he seems to do that a lot tonight and shoots Caspien a look that could kill.

Caspien gives him a shrug and an apologetic smile before turning to the crowd. " It seems like the feast is over now, my friends. " He hears loud groans from the crowd and the scowls in their faces. " You lads are already drunk enough now. Better you go to bed now and face the headache less tomorrow, eh? Now go home you lazy bastards. " The crowd laughs.

As he talks to the crowd, Ethan hoists Cathellyn to his back so her arms are over his shoulder, her chest against his back and Ethan catches the crook of her legs. She groans when Ethan stands up easily. Cathellyn is quite heavy but he carried a drunk Caspien once. Compared to Caspien, she is as light as a feather.

The crowd starts to thin out but there are people still staying to talk to Caspien in drunken slurs, a few of them women. Ethan shrugs off his gaze from Caspien and hoist Cathellyn up slightly.

He can feel the warm breath against his neck and his skin tingles. Ethan tries to ignore it as he walks up to the stairs, taking careful steps and into the castle.

A few servants rush to him to help but he waves them off and after a second thought, Ethan tosses them each one gold coin to keep their mouth shut. Without saying anything, the servants nod and scurry away, stuffing the coin into their pocket.

Ethan knows they won't tell anyone, he is a prince, disobeying him would mean punishment but he gives them the coin because he can't stand their hollow cheeks and thin arms.

After a few turns into a few halls, he arrives at a door of gold. Pushing it open with his shoulder gently, he walks into the room that is lit with torches and the moonbeam coming from a window. Ethan sighs in relief to see his bed and he drops Cathellyn onto it.

He stretches his back and arm, groaning at the sound of cracks. His eyes are hurting from the lack of sleep and his back is aching. Cathellyn is splayed on the bed, face in a pillow, sleeping silently, Ethan suspect.

He can't be sure, sometimes he can see the flashes of her violet eyes. Her braided bun has already unraveled itself when he carried her here, silver hair covering most of her face.