6: Darken Flower

20: mistakes were made

Father ordered us all rounds if ale while we talked.

"Are you sure you're ready for married life?" Uncle Alexander asked.

"I still think it is too soon," Robin said then drank the entire pint in one go.

"Says the one who married my sister pretty much as soon as you met her." Aaron laughed, drinking some juice.

"At least i can drink." Robin teased.

"Whatever." Aaron took a drink of his juice. 

"look, if i have to be stuck with someone for the rest on my life, at least its someone i like." i took a drink. "shes a nice girl."

"she was back in the day too." Robin agreed as they brough him a new drink.

"isnt it weird that you are marrying someone that Oberon was with?" Aaron asked. 

"shut up." i took another drink, finishing the pint. 

"that was a couple hundred years ago." Robin shrugged. "not that weird."

"how old are you anyways?" Aaron asked Robin.

"Thousands of years." Robin answered, taking another drink. "i lost track."

"so, my sister is married to an old man, and my brother is marrying his ex who is also an old lady." Aaron tired to piece things together.

"dont think to far into it buddy?" Uncle Alexander laughed. "if you want to be technical, your mother and i are also thousands of years old."

"we have a strange family." Aaron laughed. 

"we are Darkens, of course we have a strange family." i laughed as i was brought another drink. 

"can you even get drunk?" Aaron asked our uncle who was chugging back his third pint.

"yes and no." he answered. "normally no, but i can make it so it can effect me if i choose. your mother is the same way. and honestly buddy, im getting drunk tonight."

  "we also have a naturally higher tolerance because of our elven heritage." i told my little brother. "youll find that out one day for yourself."

"what about him?" Aaron pointed to Robin who was on his fifth pint and looking very green.

"depends." Father laughed. "fairies normally get sick touching the stuff. it looks like Oberon is reaching his limit."

"i... i am noooot." Robin said as he rested his head on the table. 

"so i have to explain to my sister why her husband is drunk." i sighed, then looked over to father who was on his sixth drink and looking fine. "i guess you can handle it."

"i used to drink a lot when i was human, never really changed." father shrugged. "dont worry about our dear Oberon, ill make sure he gets back to his room in one piece and explain why hes like this."

"thank you father." i laughed. 

the bar maids kept us topped up at all times, they also started brining us food as well. fried potatoes, lots of meats of all types, breads, and nuts. 

i looked over to Lunar who had been quiet this whole time nursing a glass of wine. "just wine for you?"

"im a fairy." he shrugged. "i can handle wine though."

"Robin told me you used to be a moth." i spoke quietly to him.

"i was." he nodded. "i remember that time fondly. but being a fairy by Oberon's side for as long as i have has also been nice."

"wait, you were a bug?" Aaron must have overheard us.

"i just a Luna moth." Lunar answered. "that is a fact i do not try to hide."

"that explains the moth wings." Alexander laughed.

Aaron looked at Robin, "you can turn bugs into people?"

"into fairies." Robin nodded. 

"Are you and uncle Carlisle together?" Aaron asked, getting more excited.

"we are." Lunar answered. "i love your uncle very much."

"so hes fucking a bug." Aaron started to laugh.

"Aaron." father warned. "that is enough from you."

"okay." Lunar stood to his feet. "i am going to accompany master Aaron back to the palace before the rest of you get too drunk." he looked over to me. "congratulations on your marriage and for soon becoming king."

with that the two left the tavern. 

Uncle Alexander shoved another pint into my hands. "once your married, you wont get out to drink as much, trust me, i know. so enjoy yourself."

"aunt Alana cant be that bad." i laughed. "plus you both ruled over different kingdoms and were apart a lot."

"with a portal connecting kingdoms." he reminded me, he emptied his pint. 

"hes right you know." father laughed. "even i cant get out much to drink."

i looked at my father, uncle, and Robin, the later of which was now passed out and drooling on the table. "thank you for brining me out like this, it was needed."

"we know you are stressed about all of this." father smiled at me. "we have all been there. not just the marriage, but becoming king."

"the two of us became king twice in our lifetimes." Uncle Alexander explained. "i first became king when my father died, then again when your mother stepped into her higher title. James here became king when your mother died, then when she came back and he became fairy king. we know the stress you are going through, you do not have to be alone in this."

"thank you." i smiled to them both. "i am happy to have such a wonderful family."

"now lets get this idiot back to your sister." father went to pick up Robin from one side, and Alexander on the other. "pay the tab for me, ill pay you back tomorrow."

"will do." i walked over to the barmaid at the bar. "how much do we owe you?"

"fifty-seven gold." she answered. 

i pulled the pouch from my belt and just handed it to her. "there should be a hundred there." and walked out of the tavern. 

i was thankful the tavern was close to the palace, not only because i knew i was drunk, but because father and Robin cant go far from my sister at the same time. 

i watched as father and my uncle struggled ahead of me to carry Robin, his large raven wings mustve added a ton of weight to him. 

i couldnt help but laugh, i managed to have some bonding time with the men in my life. i did still miss Althie though, i hoped he was okay.