Broken Remedy |L. Odinson|

Chapter Eight

"When my parents said that we were to have a competition, I really had not expected it would be a drinking one."

Eir smiled slightly at Loki who seemed quite unsure as he sat amongst his brother and his friends, examining the wide smiles on their lips. Turning to her, he sent her a look. "I can't win in something like that."

"Look at the bright side," she told him as she placed an arm on his shoulder. "That means that you don't have to compete against me. You have more chances to win."

"There is no bright side to this, I would have at least beat someone if you were to take part in this competition," he scoffed, "now, I'm just helpless."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, Brandt isn't much of a drinker."

"Did someone call my name?" the man asked as he looked up, catching sight of his sister and Loki sizing him up immediately. "What were you talking about?"

"Nothing important, brother," she assured him, "you focus on winning."

Scowling, the man rolled his eyes before shaking his head at her.

"You believe I won't end up being last, then?" Loki asked as he tore his eyes away from the brunet to look at his sister.

"Perhaps you won't, yes," she smiled before taking some steps back. "I'll leave you to concentrate."

Turning around, she made her way to the balcony and leaned against the railing, watching the seven men that were preparing themselves. After some time, some handmaidens arrived, and the drinking competition began.

Eir started twirling her cane in her hand absentmindly, smiling slightly as she watched her brothers, mainly Brandt, struggle. Volstagg and Thor on either side of him, however, did not seem to have a problem as they drunk and drunk and drunk, until she had lost count of how many drinks they had actually managed to drink. Lost in her thoughts, she did not hear the person approaching her.

"It is amusing to see them like this, isn't it?"

Turning to the voice, the brunette inclined her head to her Queen before turning her attention back to the men. "It is indeed, though I do not know how they'll get home tonight."

"They could always sleep here," she smiled slightly as she turned to her. "I see you brought your cane."

"I thought it would be some sort of a fight," she explained as she looked at the fine weapon. "I had gotten ready for something like that. A drinking competition had never really crossed my mind."

"I thought it would be unexpected and that it would also be quite amusing to see," she smiled as she gestured to the men. "Brandt is already affected."

"He never really enjoyed drinking," she explained as she smiled at her wide-eyed brother. "He'll probably pass out at some point."

"I'll just have to tell your mother that you will all stay in the palace tonight," she smiled as she gestured to the table. "Cuyler is already out."

Following her line of vision, Eir could not help but laugh at the sight of her brother. He had laid his head on the table and his eyes were closed, while Fandral beside him was laughing at his predicament, pointing at him and calling everyone's attention to him. He was humiliating him in a way, but then again, it wasn't like he was awake to defend his honour either.

"I suppose we are not really fond of drinks in the family," she admitted as she glanced to the place the Queen had been, only to see she was gone.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she looked around her, but Frigga had simply dissapeared. A small frown formed on her lips before she shook her head and turned her attention back to the drinking competition. So far, Fandral, Volstagg and Thor seemed to be in the lead while Hogun and Loki were hesitant about drinking. Brandt had also passed out, as she had expected from the beginning.