Rodrick, the Royals, Gwynevere, and Mr. Keeper entered a tent filled with merriment.
Drinks were being passed around by the dozen. Glasses, bottles, and tankards were overflowing with pure liquid enjoyment.
The Chosen One immediately felt out of her element; the Royals' awkwardness didn't help the situation any.
"I don't know if this place is for me."
"Nonsense!" Mr. Keeper pulled Gwyn to the bar. "Ye see, if ye drink the cheap shiet, ye end up regrettin' it." He held up two fingers. "Give this woman a Lavenderlass!"
Lavenderlass? Sounds like a candle.
"I think I'm good, Mr. Keeper, really. You can drink! I'll hang out and..."
Rodrick was already holding three tankards full of alcohol, chugging them as though his very life depended on it. Rodrick addressed the barkeeper.
"It's incredible! How do you get it to taste like peach pie, good sir?"
The barkeeper simply replied with a shrug.
"I love this place!" Rodrick spun around and grabbed Artero and effortlessly twirled him about. "Young Master! You have got to try this!"
It seemed Rodrick was spilling more of his drinks than he was consuming.
"I think I'm—"
Artero was accidentally released and thrown across the bar, smashing into some patrons.
One of them brushed themselves off and picked Artero up off the ground by his collar.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
Before the patron could even raise his fist, Rodrick was upon him, wrapping the stranger in a firm hug.
"Drinks are on the Kosmairian's!"
And the whole tent cheered.
Elise strode up to Gwyn, who was watching this all unfold in bewilderment.
"Is this a normal thing that happens, Elise?"
Elise let out a weak laugh.
"This is why we never go to bars with Rodrick anymore."
Gwynevere's drink arrived, and it was a soft purple, just like Elise's eyes. It sat in a dainty glass with ice along the rim. A single flower with brilliantly white petals floated on the surface of the liquid.
"Aye, lass, eat the flower than chug the drink." Mr. Keeper gave the order, then proceeded to do it himself. He thoroughly shivered afterward. "Woo! That hit the spot! Barkeeper! Two more!"
Gwyn looked to Elise for approval, who simply shrugged.
The Chosen One lifted the flower and placed it in her mouth. It was certainly a flower; Gwyn had never eaten one before, but this was sort of what she imagined they tasted like. She slowly chewed, but as she did.
"Go on! Drink it before ye ruin the drink!"
Gwyn hesitantly lifted the glass to her lips. She could detect no smell of alcohol, which was slightly concerning, but she quickly downed the whole drink.
Her mouth was coated with a warming sensation, followed by an extreme tartness that nearly made her spit out the drink. Yet, before she had the chance, the drink was perfectly sweet and refreshing.
Gwyn shivered as the drink was swallowed.
Mr. Keeper and Elise eyed her expectantly.
"So what did ye think?"
"Yes, Gwyn. How was it?" Elise asked.
A pause filled the air. Gwyn looked over to where Rodrick and Artero were. They all seemed to be singing some sort of shanty with some strangers. Well, Artero was trapped beside Rodrick as the Royal Knight boastfully sang some music.
"That was... incredible!"
As those words left her lips, a second Lavenderlass arrived.
"Can I get one as well?" Elise asked the bartender.
They only nodded in response.
Time passed, and it seemed Artero had finally broken free from Rodrick, and Mr. Keeper was doing some sort of dance in the middle of the room. Patrons clapped and cheered him on.
Gwyn stumbled right beside Artero, who seemed to be nursing a bitter beverage.
"I am having soooo much fun, Artero!"
She immediately planted a kiss on his lips.
Surprised, the Prince fell into her affection and allowed himself to be consumed for a moment before stopping.
"Gwynevere, do you think you've had a little too much?"
"Much, much what? Much um..."
She didn't finish the sentence.
"Yes, I see." Artero turned his head and looked towards Elise, who was clapping along to the music, encouraging the awful dancing to continue. "I think I'm in love with you, Gwynevere."
The words left Artero's lips, yet he didn't mean them to. The alcohol seemed to loosen his lips and say what he was truly feeling. What had been bothering him the entire night.
Gwyn turned her head back to Artero.
"Huh? What did you say?"
The music was too loud, and Gwyn hadn't caught what he said exactly. Being slightly intoxicated didn't help either.
This gave Artero an opportunity.
"I said: I'm in love with this festival, I'm really glad we got to go."
"Me too!" Gwyn collapsed on Artero, finding a place on his lap and wrapping her arms around him. "I am soooo happy we get to do this together."
Their eyes met, and it was as if they were all alone and the world ceased to exist.
They leaned in to kiss once more before Rodrick slammed a few empty tankards on the bar, startling them both.
"Thish is the best Ela Lunaris festival ever! Here, barman guy, er. You got more pie peach?"
Rodrick was thoroughly wasted.
The barkeeper only nodded, conjuring him another peach pie-flavored drink; however, this one was nonalcoholic.
"Thanksh bar guy." Rodrick turned his head, noticing Gwyn sitting on Artero's lap. "Oh! Madam. Um."
A silence filled the air.
"Um?"
"I forgot."
Rodrick stumbled off with his drinks.
The Prince and Gwynevere made eye contact, and they laughed before Gwyn rested her head on his shoulder, listening to the music.
About three drinks later, Gwyn was thoroughly sloshed. Giving away the giant prize Elise had won for her earlier to a small child.
Rodrick departed with Mr. Keeper riding his shoulders. They sang songs while Elise, Artero, and Gwyn walked to the nearest place to teleportation coffin to return to the Kosmairian Estate.
Gwyn's words were slurred.
"That was like... shooooo much fun, guys."
Remembering the lavender liquid that touched her tongue. Velvety and smooth with no hint of alcoholic flavor. It was extremely tart for a moment, but the reprieve from said tartness was exotic and overwhelming.
"Me too," Elise said, helping guide her.
"I could say I had a good time," Artero said coolly.
He remembered Gwyn sitting on his lap as they kissed and held one another; hours felt like minutes, and it was all a pleasant blur.
Artero was a little buzzed, but Elise could drink forever and never get drunk. Her ears and cheeks would only flush.
"So... where are we going?" Gwyn asked.
"Back to the guest house at my Estate," Artero said.
Gwyn looked turned to one Royal, then the other.
"But... Elise won."
"She has my permission to stay at our Estate, she won fair and square after all." Artero looked a little hurt that he had lost the competition. "Even though you gave away her prize."
"That little kid was eyeing it!" Gwyn shouted, defending her actions. "He looked at me over and over, and his little eyeballs were like 'I need that thing you got'."
"I think that was just a really short man, Gwyn," Elise said, chuckling.
"What?!" Gwyn nearly fell over, and both Royals chuckled. "Nooooo, that's like impossible!"
"You may have had too much to drink," Artero said through a smile.
"Me? No... I've never drank... drank this... um." Gwyn looked confused. "What was I saying?"
Elise shook her head.
"We're almost there."
The party stepped onto the ruby coffin, all of them holding hands. But Gwyn was only holding hands with Elise. Elise's fingers grasped tightly around both of them.
The ruby tendrils arose and locked them in, then a lurch. And they were at the Estate, Gwyn nearly collapsed, but both royals helped her up.
Gwyn nearly emptied her stomach contents right there.
"Jesus, that's rough when you've had some drinks, huh?"
"It's only a short walk now, Gwynevere."
Artero gently guided her, but her legs didn't seem to want to work.
"Carry me," she said pathetically, almost falling asleep right before them. "Carry me like those brides, it'll be sooo cute."
Artero was tight-lipped, thinking of carrying her like that as his wife, only spurred his imagination. He glanced towards Elise, who seemed unaffected by the comment.
He lifted her up effortlessly. She wrapped his arms around his neck and gently rested her head on his chest. They silently walked through the garden together, Artero carrying Gwynevere as though they were newlyweds.
Gwyn spoke through a sleep haze.
"Did I do good? Do I look like the little green guy?"
"A very cute Lotmon, you are," Elise reassured her.
Gwyn smiled comfortably before feeling herself drift off in Artero's arms.
The two Royals didn't speak to each other. They just walked through the moonlit night, the familiar smells of the Kosmairian Estate penetrating their noses. Each gust of air would carry flower petals, and they'd dance unpredictably.
"Ya know, I like both of you a lot," Gwyn muttered softly, breaking the silence.
"We like you too," Artero said.
"Is there any way we can all just stay... together...?" Gwyn asked before peacefully snoozing on his shoulder.
"She must be exhausted," Elise said, trying to ignore what Gwyn just suggested.
"And a little drunk."
"Well, we all remember our first time drinking."
"I think most of us don't," Artero said through a laugh.
A smile reached the Sylvian's lips.
"I guess you're right."
Before they knew it, they were at the guest house. Artero brought her inside and placed Gwynevere in the upstairs bedroom.
The intoxicated Gwynevere had a lustful look in her eyes as she grasped for Artero's pants.
"I want you both, right now."
Artero flushed as he felt excited at the offer, but Gwyn's hand fell on the bed. Elise leaned over her, brushing her hair to the side.
"You've had too much to drink, Gwyn. Get some rest."
She tucked the Chosen One in, and Elise placed a pillow in her arms, which Gwyn immediately started strangling with her desire.
Elise stood and then clicked her tongue.
"She could have been cuddling the prize I won for her, but no. She had to give it to some old man."
"He seemed very pleased about this gift," Artero said.
"Pleased? He kept saying, 'I don't know you, get away from me.'"
"He secretly wanted it."
"Probably just took it so she'd leave him alone."
Elise let out a soft laugh, but her face was sullen.
Artero was constantly catching glances towards Elise. He noticed that something had been off for a long time.
This time, he finally had the courage to ask.
"What's wrong, Elise?"