"Ay, c'mon mate!" exclaimed y/n suddenly. "Get back on the horse so we can go back!"
As soon as they were back preparations for a victory feast began, much to the pirates and the dwarfs delight. Legolas took more joy in watching his friends and his love be happy than the thought of the party itself.
Y/n was happily chatting with Gimli when she was suddenly approached by Éowyn.
"Y/n?" she asked in a shy tone, making the pirate give her a comforting smile once she had turned her face enough to meet her blue eyes.
"There somethin' ya need, lass?" responded she.
"In preparations for the party, I was wondering if you would like a change of clothes." her voice trailed off.
Y/n chuckled nervously.
"There be no need for that. I'm fine like I am." assured the woman waving her hands.
"But surely youd want to dress up for a special occasion like this?" insisted he blonde. "Who knows Maybe you could impress someone." she said in a suggestive tone of voice while her eyes, very obviously travelled over to the nearby elven prince.
At this point Gimli busted out laughing, having tried to hold back before.
"I can see his face now." he chuckled. "You have to, you simply have to!"
"Id like his face better when you came in wearing a dress." countered she, half joking half mad. But before she could continue or Gimli could respond a soft hand gripped her rougher one as Éowyn started pulling her away.
"Come now, come. I have the perfect thing for you."
Y/n huffed but followed her none the less. She was led to a room that looked much like any other room in the caste other that the furniture made out of light wood and carved with delicate flowers. Y/n presumed that it was Éowyns room.
The blonde walked over to a closet and began taking out several flowy dresses. Y/n immediately shook her head.
"Sorry, doll but there is no way I'm wearing that!" she refused.
"Oh please. Its just for one night." insisted Éowyn but the pirate stubbornly shook her head. The two women went back and forth for a while until y/n was finally convinced to put on a long red dress with a corseted front and straps for sleeves. Underneath she wore a white blouse, though left it mainly unbuttoned to reveal a bit of cleavage. She attached her belt and sword above the dress and hiked up one corner of the red fabric, tying it to the belt to expose the white petticoat she had to wear underneath.
Èowyn wasnt too happy about her improper way of wearing clothes but bit her tongue as she knew that actually managing to make her put on a dress had been a strike of luck in the first place.
The two of them then headed back to the others and saw that the feast was just about to begin.
Food was covering all the tables in the hall and most people were already holding big cups of ale and mead while ogling the meat roasting over open fires.
When Legolas spotted y/n his eyes almost burst out of his skull and his face flushed into a bright red colour. Gimli who had been previously talking to the prince took notice of his friend frozen state and followed his gaze just to burst out laughing.
"Youll stare a hole through her skull if you keep looking like that." he chuckled and landed a rough hand on his back in a friendly push before continuing.
"Or were you not looking at her face?"
The elfs head snapped to the dwarf as his slips fumbled to bring out words but he was too flustered to speak.
He didnt have much time to regain his composure when y/n walked over to the two of them. Her face was sour when she saw the giggling dwarf. With her arms crossed she stood next to him.
"Not even a word." she threatened coldly and Gimli bit his lip, his face turning red as he tried not to laugh. The pirate was too mad to notice the blushing elf stealing glances at her.
King Théoden was standing in the middle of the hall, chalice in hand and spoke in a loud and confident voice.
"Tonight, we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country. Hail the victorious dead!"
The crowd cheered, raising their glasses and chugging them down with intent.
Y/n was over by a couple of tables sitting next to Gimli and with Legolas standing at the table next to them. In front of them stood Éomer, ales in his hands and a smile on his face.
"Are you sure you want to join?" he asked for the third time making the pirate roll her eyes.
"Mate, its ale. Thats breakfast where Im from. Ill be fine!" she assured him once more and finally he nodded, giving in.
"Alright then." his gaze turned to Gimli and Legolas.
"No pauses, no spills." he explained before Gimli loudly chimed in.
"And no regurgitation!" He lifted his glass as the other people around their table started laughing.
"So, its a drinking game?" asked Legolas, confused by this strange human custom.
"Aye!" cheered a laughing guard.
"Last one standing wins heh heh heh!" began Gimli before emptying his tankard in one go. Y/n followed his movement and rose the cup to her lips.
"Lets drink to Victory! To Victory!" cheered the people before drinking as well.
Legolas hesitantly rose is cup, suspicious and uncertain of the drink he had been offered. His gaze fell on y/n who was lowering her cup as it neared its end and gave him a wink over the tankards edge. Legolas would not admit to himself that that had nearly made him choke.
The game continued with y/n easily holding her ground, she wasnt much of an ale drinker, preferring stronger liquor like rum but that just gave her an advantage over the others, it was an easy game to her. Legolas had also grown comfortable with the bubbly ale and was chugging them down as if it was water.
Y/n could feel her head starting to spin in that comfortable and familiar way. She was less concerned about winning than just having fun. In her days as pirate captain this game would have been no joking manner to her, constantly feeling like she had to prove herself to everyone around her. Nowadays she still felt like that sometimes but not as aggressively as she used to. Besides she knew that she realistically had no chance of winning against an elf.
Next to her Gimli was starting to fade into the abyss of a drunken stupor, frequently making gurgling, burping or farting noises. Y/n ignored him and focused more on Legolas who had been giving her glances all day. And while that was nothing to unusual it felt different today.
A loud fart stemming from Gimli ripped her from her thoughts and almost spill some of her drink as her head snapped to him with a disgusted face.
Gimli was swaying on the spot and giggling while talking nonsense.
"Heh heh heh heh" He laughed, "Here, here." he muttered while taking another tankard. "Raaar it's the dwarves that go swimming with little, hairy women ha-ha" he said while burping frequently and raising the cup to his lips.
"You should try swimmin' with'a mermaid, mate." slurred y/n without making eye contact. Her words went ignored by the people surrounding her.
Then Legolas suddenly spoke after putting down another empty cup.
"I feel something." He rose his hand up and stared at his fingers. Y/n watched with wide eyes while Éomer rose a quizzical brow. "A slight tingle in my fingers. I think its affecting me." Legolas looked around concerned. Y/n chuckled lightly while Gimli bust out into a loud drunken laughter.
"Heh heh heh, what did I say? He cant hold his liquor." he exclaimed proudly slurring his words.
Suddenly he went quiet before his eyes crossed and he keeled over backwards off his stool. Legolas and y/n watched their friend fall. With raised brows he looked at Éomer.
"Game over." he stated calmly. Éomer chuckled.
"Not quite, she's still standing."
Y/n gave a toothy grin to the two men.
"Y'Know technically" her voice trailed off, "I've been sitting from the beginning." she lulled.
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Sorry for the late update. Ive been in a bad place mentally and feel like its showing in my work. Im trying to keep myself from editing everything from the beginning and starting all over because then Ill just cycle into not finishing a story again. And I really want to finish it. So sorry for the irregular schedule and bad chapters.
~1470 words