I never understood why Eveline never allowed herself to have more than one ale or mead until tonight. She kept calling for more and tipping our waitress heavily for each one. She cried and talked about Twill and Sasha and I just sat there sipping my one ale. I had never seen her in such disarray. Finally, I took her coin purse from her and told the waitress we were leaving.
"Alistor," she slurred.
The way she said it, it sounded more like "Aleestare".I found it slightly cute, but she was drawing way too much attention to us.
"What?" I asked, stealing her mead before she could take another drink.
She glared at me. Her gray-green eyes stared me down intently and her eyebrows were knitted. Usually this look scared me, but tonight it didn't hold the usual intensity.
"You look pretty."
I smirked, downed her ale and then took her hand, helping her to stand up, and led her through the pub.
"Best take the miss home now," said the pub owner. I nodded my head.
"I will, sir."
Once outside, I saw it would be a chore to drag her half across the city to our inn called the Mountain Comfort. The streets were all muddy and it was raining again. If she were not drunk, she would have protest what I did next, but if she was sober I wouldn't have to. I scooped her into my arms with her legs thrown over my one arm and supported her. She looked up at me glassy eyed. She was lighter than I thought from all her workouts.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Carrying my drunken mouse home," I said.
She shivered in my arms, squirming closer to me, and I walked quicker knowing she was like a cat when it came to rain- she hated it. The coldness usually made her quite grumpy. Once we were back in our connected rooms upstairs, I lit the fire.
"Eveline, you need to get out of your drenched clothes," I said.
I had sat her on the edge of her bed. She was shivering with her arms folded tightly around her. Her clothes clung to her, but I made myself focus on her face. She was beautiful, but right now (even though I never thought it possible) she was more beautiful. Her platinum blonde hair had slightly ruffled into loose curls that framed her face. It had grown out longer than she usually allowed since she refused to let anyone but her servant cut it. Her gray-green eyes shimmered with a new light too and I had to force myself to tend to the fire.
"Eve," I tried again.
"You're in here," she said.
"I'll be back in a few minutes to check on you," I said, smirking.
Even being drunk, she still had her standards and I loved her for it- even more so.
She stuck out her tongue and I went to my quarters to change and also get the fit of laughter under control. She was a sweet drunk. Not angry, sad, depressed or a fighter- just adorable. I could deal with that. I untied my ponytail, allowing my hair to fall on the back of my neck and redressed in dry clothes.
Should I start my fire? Would she be upset if she woke in the morning to find we were sharing a bed? I knew she buried most of her feelings for me deep inside due to the rule that we weren't really supposed to be dating, but lately… lately we were being more affectionate. My mouse held my heart and had me wrapped around her fingers more than she chose to see. I swooned over her. I sighed rubbing the back of my neck. She would need to be tended to probably tonight. That was all the convincing I needed.
I looked at my beard that I had grown in. I wanted to shave it so badly. Did she like it though?
I walked over and knocked on our connecting door. "Eve?"
There was only silence.
"Are you dressed?"
No answer.
"Eve?"
I waited a moment before opening the door slightly seeing her in a nightgown made of silver silk. It was hard not to stare. She usually just wore that days clothes to bed, but I guess since her clothes were soaked she had pulled this out. She was stunning. She was running a brush through her platinum hair and looked at me with a quizzical look.
"Alistor?"
She said it in the same drunken slur.
"Was just … checking on you."
She smiled. "You're so sweet."
I flushed. She never usually complimented me. She shivered.
"Want me to stay and keep you warm tonight, my mouse, or go to my own room and leave you be?"
"Would you stay?" she asked biting her lip.
I smiled. "Of course."
I shut our connecting door so that the heat was trapped in our room and crossed the floor back to her bed where she scooted towards the wall and allowed me to have a space beside her.