Manon's Child

Part 58

"I think I know this place," I whisper in awe, not bothering to stand

"Yeah, I'll say," a dry voice says out of the shadows. Aelin lets out a noise of alarm, and grips me arm, her already wide eyes widening.

"What was that?" she whispers.

I pause, considering. "A ghost!" I conclude triumphantly. It makes perfect sense.

"Am not!" the ghost says, annoyedly. "And will you please get off me."

I move, but see nothing there. "Below you," the ghost says. Aelin and I look down simultaneously, and see - 

"I think I'm hallucinating," I say.

"Don't be stupid. I can see it to." Aelin's eyes widen again. "Maybe we're both hallucinating."

"Oh for god's sake, you are not hallucinating," the talking golden skull says. "You know me. It's Mort, the skull you antagonized for ages and ages and then forgot about? I helped you figure out wyrdmarks, guarded an ancient tomb, introduced you to Queen Elena." Aelin and I squint at him. "Nothing?" 

"Oh!" Aelin suddenly exclaims. "I know you!" She turns towards me. "That's Mort, a talking skull."

"That's what I just said!" The skull narrows it's tiny golden eyes at us. "Are you two drunk?"

"Are not!" Aelin crosses her arms over her chest. "We haven't had enough to drink yet."

"Yeah, we only had 4 bottles."

"I had five."

"Oh, sorryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy," I say.

The skull sighs like a long suffering parent. "What were you drinking to get so drunk? Some super liquor?"

"And red wine," Aelin adds, leaning against me. "Old red wine."

"Very very very very very old," I say. "OH YEAH! That's why we're here! We need more wine!"

The skull raises an eyebrow. "If there's one think you two do not need it's more alcohol. Maybe a nanny to keep you in control, though."

Aelin scowls. "I am the King of Tela - Tele - Telrasenn!  I will have more wine if I want it!"

I burst into laughter. "You're not a king!" 

Aelin pauses, before realising. "Oh yeah!" she says happily. "I'm a God!"

"Oh my gods," the skull says. "You know what, I've had enough of you two. The cellars are that way." He jerks his tiny golden head.

"HA! I knew I'd get it out of you eventually! Come on Dorren!"

"For your information, I gave you that information of my own free will. And you're going the wrong way."

"The other way! Let's go get more winahol!" 

***

When we finally stumble (completely by accident) into the wine cellar, Aelin pulls down the first bottle she sees, but her wine-weakened limbs drop it immediately onto the floor. "Oh," she says, surprised. 

She goes for another one, and drops it took. She looks me seriously in the eyes, and we both burst out laughing. 

"Let - let me try," I slur, and lift one off the shelf. It's heavier than I expect, but I manage to keep hold of it. 

"YAYYYY!" Aelin cheers. "Now open it!"

It proves more difficult than expected, but eventually, the lid pops off, and wine sloshes down the front of my shirt as I lift it to my lips. A moment later, Aelin pulls it from my hand. "My turn!"

A significant way through my wine cellar later, Aelin and I are slumped against each other on the floor, sticky with alcohol, empty bottles on the floor around us. "Let's not go back up there," Aelin mutters, sounding as half-asleep as I feel. 

"Mkay."

"No one will find us down here," she continues as if she didn't hear me. "No one can tell us we're doing a terrible job or we shouldn't start another war or we don't deserve to be queen. Lets..." she trails off, and a moment later, snores loudly. I close my eyes too, and darkness takes over.

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HI peoples, 

I am so, so sorry that it's been such a long time, but on the other hand I've been busy and updating on ao3 and it was my birthday. truthfully, this is the first time I've touched my wattpad account in over month and i profusely appologize to any comments i haven't replied to and that i've been gone so long.

i probably won't update again for a while because i'm going to finish writing this fanfic before i update on here again. after it's done, i'll be able to promise regular posting (once a week etc) which i think will be better than just doing it when i have a few spare moments. its the easter holdiay atm so i'll hopefully have time to finish this and then i'll be able to start posting again when i go back for the summer term. hope you understand.

happy easter and stay safe :)

OH and also thank you for 35K

AND Also i finished my notebook :( that i was writing this in