The Dragon Games

A Litte Tipsy

 I hesitated until I saw a knight grabbing a pledge and slamming them into the wall. Then I nodded, following Atlas out. We ran, each of us putting one of Bianca's arms over her shoulder – the girl had one pint, and she was wasted. I should have never recommended she drink. No doubt she had never had more than a couple of sips of her mother's wine.

Once we ran out of range of the guards, I caught Atlas' eyes and we started laughing. At what? I don't know. We laughed at a joke no one told like it was the funniest bloody thing in the world. 

We slowed down our pace to a walk, and when we reached castle grounds, the exit we left through was blocked by a group of knights and scowling squad captains still in their nightgowns.

"Come on," Atlas said, jerking his head to the side. "I know a different entrance. He led us through a trick door hidden in the floor of a garden shed.

"How do you know that?" I said as I followed him into the dark of a tunnel.

He smirked, his teeth a glint of white against the darkness. "I'm Atlas Windsor. My many greats grandsire built this castle."

Suddenly, two pairs of footsteps echoed down the turn of the tunnel. I froze, recognizing the voice. Atlas turned to me, a question on his face. "R–"

I clamped a hand around his mouth, pushing him back against the wall. From the turn of the corner, we would not be visible to any who happened to pass by. He raised his eyebrows suggestively; I could feel him smiling beneath my palm.

'Edmond,' I mouthed.

Immediately, his posture changed. His body tensed, and his eyes narrowed, cutting to the direction I was nodding to. Edmond strolled down the tunnel, a young woman leaning heavily into his side. 

Drinks and isolated locations were a recipe for disaster. Our best bet was staying quiet and unnoticed. Too bad I had forgotten all about Bianca.

"Hey!" she shouted. She stumbled out of the dark, splashing her cup of ale over her hand. "What the hell did you do to my chamber?"

Edmond turned around, giving Bianca a once over, taking in her sloppy, drunken state. His lip curled, his eyes gleaming in the dark of the tunnel. The girl beneath his arm was forgotten in an instant in favor of newer prey. "Ah, it's the little girl from the boat."

"The little girl from the boat?" Bianca sneered. "Like you don't know who I am, like you didn't get me blacklisted from bidding just because I didn't fall at your feet as soon as I heard your family name and start kissing your boots."

Edmond smirked. "I haven't the faintest clue what you speak of."

"Oh, so on top of a dirty schemer, you're a dirty liar, too."

Edmond's smirk only widened. Without taking eyes off from Bianca, he tipped his head toward the girl. "Why don't you run along, sweetheart? It seems I must teach another Tudor some manners."

When the girl continued to blink stupidly, completely out of it, Edmond gave her a push. She staggered forward, swaying on her feet, then collapsed on the floor, even drunker than Bianca. 

The back of her dress was ripped open, the ribbons undone all the way to her waist. Edmond stepped forward, reaching for Bianca, just as Atlas and I stepped out of hiding.

"Yeah?" Atlas said. "And what lesson is that?"

Edmond stopped short, his eyes flickered between me and Atlas. He was surprised at first, but then his lips twisted into a slow grin. "Ah, I see I'm not the only one taking some nightly entertainment home. Where'd you get this one from? From Maud's? Or the Gentleman's–"

Atlas strode forward, but I put a hand on his chest, stopping him.

"It's three against one," I told Edmond. "Leave while you still can."

"Is three-on-one good enough odds for you?" Edmond said. "Are you finally ready to fight me now?"

I said nothing and made sure my face gave nothing away, either.

Edmond sneered. "Coward." 

He hoisted the girl into his arms, letting her head droop against his chest as he carried her away. He would have left in peace had Bianca not thrown her drink at him, dousing him head to toe. 

He froze, his shoulders tensing, ale dripping down his shiny blond hair. Then he slowly looked over his shoulder, his eyes bright and livid, honing in on Bianca and her empty cup. In a calm, soft voice, he said, "You will live to regret that."

Then he faced back around to part.

"Edmond," I said. "Leave the girl."

Without another thought, Edmond dropped the girl in a muddy puddle, then stepped over her body to disappear into the darkness of the tunnel. The girl moaned loudly, rubbing her backside. 

Atlas let out a low curse and hooked his hands under the girl's armpits, trying to pull her out of the puddle. The girls didn't make it easy for him. She started pawing at his collar, pulling it down to reveal some skin, and a gold chain strung around his neck.

"Is this real?" She curled a hand around his necklace, tugging it like a rein. "Are you rich?"

"No." Atlas tilted his head up, trying to dodge her claws. His pity for the girl quickly faded, growing more annoyed by each tug on his chain. "Quite poor, actually."

"Oh," she purred. "And you're humble, too."

I stepped between them, grabbing the girl's cheeks between a hand so she had to look at me. To my surprise, her face looked quite similar to mine. Pale skin, freckles, and gray eyes. I pursed my lips, swallowing the unease rising up my throat. "Where are you from?"

The girl's stare returned to Atlas, her lips falling into a sleazy grin. "You can take me anywhere you desire."

"No, no," I said bluntly. "I did not ask if you wish to sleep with him; I asked where you are from."

The girl blinked a couple of times, then slurred out her address. She was no whore, as Edmond had implied. She was a miller's daughter.

A dry heave interrupted the girl's speech. I turned at the noise, just in time to see Bianca pitch over her knees, retching up her dinner. A nicer girl would have rushed to her side and held back her hair, but all I managed to do was pinch the bridge of my nose and squeeze my eyes shut.

"You take Bianca back to the tower. I'll worry about this one," Atlas said, throwing the girl over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Buy her a new dress before she goes home," I said.

Atlas saluted me, flashing a crooked grin as he left. "Your wish is my command, Miss Black."

Then I turned to Bianca, who was breathing hard on her hands and knees. "Up you go," I said, sliding an arm under her shoulders. Gritting my teeth, I pushed us to standing and began the long trek back to the tower.

"Reginee, my dear sweet, sweet Roogan," Bianca slurred in my ear. "I must confess something to you."

"Must you?" I grunted, struggling to keep Bianca standing. 

While I had a thief's build, she was built like a warrior, with a good four inches and twenty pounds of muscle on me. If I wasn't afraid of accidentally burning her skin, I would use my Divine to carry her lumbering arse.

"Promise not to think less of me for it."

"I don't make blind promises," I wheezed. "Best play it safe and tell me nothing."

"I think... "

Oh gods, she was telling me anyway. She would make a lousy criminal, spilling her guts after one measly pint. Literally and figuratively.

"... I think I'm a little tipsy."