what to do when having a hangover

What to do when having a hangover - a ranger's apprentice fanfic

Will didn’t know if it was wise of him to accept Gundar’s invitation.

Of course, he couldn’t refuse Gundar when he and his men appeared on his doorstep yesterday morning, telling him how they came all the way from Skandia, so they could ask him and Horace to join them in their feast of brotherhood.

The feast of brotherhood, they told him, was an Skandian tradition. Every year at the third full moon, friends would gather and they would spend the whole night together to cherish their bond.

This year was Will’s lucky year.

They told him excitedly how they hired an Inn in Redmont for tomorrow night and brought Skandian drinks and food with them, so they would still be able to party in Skandian glory.

Will never really was a party animal, but Gundar left him no other choice.

Apart from all the hard work they had done, he told Will that Horace had turned down the invitation, because he was too busy planning his and Cassandra’s wedding.

If Will also turned down, they would have come to Araluen for nothing.

He had no choice but to accept.

-

This was why he was sitting between a bunch of drunk Skandians, who were currently singing a song about a woman called ‘Big-boobied Bertha’.

‘Luckily,’ Will thought, ‘there aren’t any other guests tonight.’

He casted a glance at the barkeeper and saw him cleaning his mugs while looking at the partying group in fear.

Will was glad that he didn’t bring his Ranger’s cloak, or the man wouldn’t know what hit him.

Will was shaken out of his thoughts by a hard “THUD”. He look in front of him to see a big mug with a foaming liquid in it.

“Will, you musht be sho thirshty. Here, drink thish.” said a drunk Gundar to his left.

Will studied the drink and came to the conclusion that it must be one of the Skandian beers Gundar had brought with him.

He shoved the mug back to Gundar.

“Erm… no, but thank you. I think I’ll order some coffee instead.”

This must have been the wrong answer, because Gundar started yelling.

“WHATH? YOU WANTH TO ORDER SHOME COFFEE WHEN YOU CAN HAFE THISH?” By ‘thish’ he pointed to the mug.

The whole group went silent. Will could hear the barkeeper exiting the room.

Will looked around the table and saw that every Skandian was looking at him with wide eyes and slightly open mouths.

He got very uncomfortable. “Uhm… yes?” he said quietly.

At this, Nils Ropehanger, who was sitting at the end of the table, slammed both fists on the table to get their attention. All eyes shot towards him, while he glared at Will. His brow furrowed and the corners of his mouth pointing down.

“Whath ish ith with Rangersh and coffee? You nefer sheem tho drink anythin’ elshe, while thish ish much betther! I think thath we musht teach you a lesshon, a lesshon in drinkin’.”

When Nils finished he wore a proud smile on his face. The others started cheering while chanting: “DURINK ITH UP!”

Will gulped. The mug was shoved in front of him once more.

Gundar hit him on the shoulder. “Come on, Willy-boy,” Some Skandians giggled at that. “I know you can do ith!”

Will looked at the drink again. He knew that Skandians liked strong beer and he was sure that this was such a drink, because the Skandians were gone after their second mug.