The King's Court

XLV

It was a bad decision.

I looked at Evelyn who had already downed five glasses of wine. From what I observed before, she doesn't have much tolerance for alcohol.

She took another bottle and almost dropped it. She giggled as if it was the most amusing thing. I am fascinated by how she gets amused by the littlest things when drunk but I know I have to stop her now. 

She was about to pour it into her glass when I grabbed her wrist. Her glare pinned me on the spot but I did not back down.

"That's enough," I said. 

She tried to pull her wrist from my grasp but my hand remained firm. 

"You said I could let loose," she said, and for the love of Visaris, the way she looked like she was sulking made me want to give in and just let her do whatever she wanted. 

"I did but I did not say you kill yourself by drinking too much." I used enough force to take the bottle from her grasp and she huffed a breath before she marched onto the settee and settled there.

The smoke had already filled the whole room. It wasn't a very thick smoke. It was just enough to fill the whole room for all of us. Luckily, it was just like that.

I looked over at Leon sitting on one of the sofas, one of the chambermaids was already sitting on his lap. I could tell both were already drunk and intoxicated. As for me, I could feel myself getting heavy-lidded. But for the sake of Evelyn, I have to stay sober and awake. 

When I turned to look at where Markus was, he was also already talking to one of the maidservants too. One thing about being drunk and at the same time, intoxicated with the Rauchenliche is that it makes people feel feelings they'd rather not feel. 

That's why I immediately went to where Evelyn was and grabbed her arm. She started protesting but I pulled her harder, forcing her to stand.

I turned to look at where Lorence was and she was already looking at us. She raised her glass and smiled before nodding slightly as if giving us permission to get out of the room. 

I dipped my chin lightly and went for the door, practically dragging the mumbling Evelyn out. 

"Where are we going?" she asked and with her slurred speech, I heard something else. 

"Out." 

"I know we're going out. But where exactly are we going?" 

"I'm sending you back to your chambers--"

She got away from my grasp and almost fell over. She would have slammed face-first to the floor if not for the wall next to her. I heaved a deep breath.  

"You're not sending me back to my chambers!" 

"I am and I will. Now, come along." I went to hold her arm but she took a step back. But with the alcohol and the Rauchenliche, her balance have become poor and she stumbled back. 

The thud was loud enough that I winced. 

"Aw, fucking hell," she muttered and I closed my eyes firmly. I forgot this woman's mouth can be quite vulgar. I looked around and saw no one but I knew better that the maidservants had probably already seen us and were avoiding this hall because we're here. 

"Your Majesty!" I heard Louis call and he rushed in our direction. 

"Evelyn, we have to go."

"Have you completely lost your senses?" she muttered and glared. Louis arrived right on time to hear her snapping insult.