You, Me, and the World Between Us (Dragon Quest)

XXIV - Raise A Glass

"Tonight, we celebrate Maxim!" Caspian shouted out into the room, causing the group to quiet down. All of the Doughlas sons had gathered in the saloon, and they had dragged the Tsarevich out of bed on their way. 'You'll find out when we get there,' they had told him each time he tried to ask a question. Now he sat half asleep and irritated, sitting on a barstool and glaring at anyone who dared look at him. Of course, that didn't stop them from doing so. "I can't even imagine how much more difficult it would have been to fight off the Seasaur without his strategical genius. And of course, we owe just as much credit to your sister," Caspian nodded to Maxim, "if she hadn't been aboard, I probably wouldn't be able to give you this speech. To our dear Zamoksvans!"

The group cheered loudly, arms pulling Maxim every which way to congratulate him. He smiled and laughed half-heartedly, inside wishing nothing more than to go back to sleep. Then, Dylan stood up from his seat, jumping right in front of Caspian, holding several tall bottles in his hands. "And of course, what's a celebration without drinks? Grab a glass, boys!" he called out, causing the eldest brother to sigh and shake his head. As soon as the words left his mouth, each brother sprung into action, darting around the room to grab whatever they could. Before he knew it, Maxim found himself with a glass sloppily filled to the brim with a clear liquid. Various bottles with various foul-looking liquids littered the table, and the six Doughlas' raised their glasses high into the air. "To Maxim!"

At once, the six men downed their drinks in but a few chugs. Maxim, on the other hand, looked skeptically at his own glass. It was clear, but it smelled a bit odd. Still, he figured that there would be no harm in trying it. But as soon as the sip passed his lips, he spat it back out all over the counter. A hush went over the group, but a split second later they erupted into chaotic laughter, causing the Tsarevich to blush furiously. Lincoln laughed heartily, clapping a hand onto Maxim's back. "What's your deal? Haven't you ever drank before? Or is this a bit strong for you?" he questioned between laughs, picking up the glass in front of the redhead and swishing it around.

"I haven't," Maxim answered sheepishly, swallowing his pride. Alcohol never held a prominent role in the royal family; it only appeared at important occasions or tournaments. He had a reputation to uphold, too. As next in line for the throne, the Tsarevich couldn't be caught with a drink in hand. Even with that, the activity never appealed to him, much to his parents' relief. "I'm not of age yet in Zamoksva, I won't turn eighteen until February."

"Who cares if you've still got several months left? There's loads of boys all over the world who've drank before they were of age!" Hurley scoffed, waving a lazy arm through the air, "Besides, you're out at sea! She doesn't know the difference, she doesn't care, and she's not going to tell anyone if you did it or not. There's no time like the present!"

The foul taste still lingered in Maxim's mouth, making him cringe. "What did you even give me?" he asked, raising a brow as he glanced at the glass.

"Er, vodka, I believe," Seymour replied, fumbling around as he looked for the original bottle. He picked it up by the neck, showing the label to Maxim. Zamoksva's Finest, it boasted on the front. "Isn't this your country's national drink or something?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean everyone in the country is conditioned to like it," Maxim stated, curling his lip in disgust. He pushed the glass away from him as Jordan popped the lid off of a smaller bottle and handed it to him. "Thanks."

Jordan merely nodded, instead turning to his brothers with a slight smirk on his lips. "Come on now, we all remember our first experience drinking. It's no secret that the first one is the hardest to swallow. We can't just give him something strong right off the bat, let's start him out with a light one. Come on now, Maxim, drink up," he urged. The six brothers had squeezed shoulder to shoulder around the table just to catch a glimpse of the redhead's first drink. The Tsarevich gripped the dark glass, shakily raising it to his lips. He sighed, tilting his head and the bottle back. He felt his stomach tie itself into knots as the liquid went down, and it didn't take long for him to set the drink down on the table again. In that time, the Doughlas brothers seemed to have circled even tighter around him. "So? How was it?" Jordan asked him.