Absinthe

After a memorable event they'd prefer forgetting, Princess Jilian and Prince Odo sneak into the liquor pantry for something that might temporarily help with that.

    Jillian looked around her. The palace corridor was completely deserted. Good. That was just what she and her brother needed. Things had finally quieted down some, now that a few  hours passed- it must be nigh on midnight- but that also meant they might actually be noticed amid the turmoil tearing her family's home apart. That just would not do. Never, in all her twenty-six years, had she so desperately wanted to drown something from her mind.

    Something Jillian did not want to admit to herself had happened. She had to drown the thoughts. It couldn't have happened. She'd wake up and find out this was all just a horrible nightmare.

    Then again, one needed to be asleep to have nightmares. This would help. Though, their father wouldn't like it. Or perhaps he wouldn't care. After all, Dremeadow's king had worse matters to address than the youngest  princess and older of the two princes doing what Jillian and Odo were about to do. The guards were certainly occupied. The corridor was deserted aside from themselves.

    "Coast is clear," she called into the pantry housing the royal family's liquor collection."No guards, no servants, no Father, no Nora." Folco was another possibility, but Jill knew her youngest sibling would have much more on his mind than informing their father the king on them. He would be in much deeper trouble than they would be, even if the king himself walked in and caught them at this, after giving false orders at the gate.

    Nora, on the other hand, would not hesitate to tell if she caught them drinking more than the ale they'd drank before greeting guests and the feast and part of their wine. She'd always been quick to inform on them to their parents.

    Odo came out, smiling a smile that did not reach his eyes. In his grasp was a bottle of absinthe from Spolingharrow. The drink most likely to obliterate what happened a week ago from their memory. Good. They needed this.  Uncorking the bottle and holding it aloft to Jill, Odo said "care for a drink? This ought to surpass the wine from earlier by leagues and leagues."

    Jillian gave a grin equally devoid of joy. "Isn't there two? Might as well open two. We could each have some of one and hide these under our clothes until we get to our bedchambers. Then, well..." she winked, "our little secret."

    "Well said, big sister," said Odo. He handed Jillian the one he'd opened, then took a second and unsealed it before holding the bottle as though toasting her.

    That simple hand motion... Jillian felt dizzy even though she hadn't drank anything. Now she really wanted that absinthe. "Please don't" she said, jerking her chin to his hand.

    Cringing, her brother lowered the bottle. "Bottoms up?"

    "Bottoms up." Together, the two Foxtrot siblings began taking heavy swigs.

    The absinthe burned but tasted excellent. It was the best present to forget everything that happened here. "Sorry, we don't tell Nora everything l did," said Odo.

    Just then, a pang of uneasiness seized her in its grasp. Her father would be more than a little displeased if he learned about their excessive drinking. Even given how horribly everything had gone wrong that day. "D'you suppose Father will figure out how much we were drinking?" she asked with trepidation."Or what if someone notices two absinthes are missing?"

    Odo shook his head. "No... he'll be too busy with everything that just happened. Dealing with Folco and all. Where'd that kid go, anyhow? I haven't seen him since dinner!"

    "Me either," Jillian replied slowly. "Perhaps Father already got hold of him. He's in for it, that's for sure." Tucking the absinthe inside her billowing sleeve and sliding her hand inside to prevent it falling out, she exited the pantry

    Suddenly, a  guard emerged from around the corner. Jillian was grateful she'd already discarded the incriminating empty bottle. "Hello, Walto," she said slightly louder than would be expected. Odo needed to be warned the coast was not clear.

    "Princess Jillian." The guard's tone was expectant.

    "Did you wish for something?" queried the youngest of the king's daughters.

    "Actually, yes, Your Highness," replied Walto. "Your father wishes to see you. You and all Your Highness' siblings. He said it was to discuss earlier events. The message His Majesty wished me to convey, verbatim, is... Throne room. Now."

    Jillian's stomach turned over with dread. Something else must have gone horribly wrong for him to not only be that brusque but demand the very words were repeated as said.  She nodded her understanding and dismissal.

     Once Walto had gone, presumably to look for Nora and her brothers, she rapped her knuckles on the wall. "All clear," she said out loud. As Odo emerged with not only his absinthe but a wine, she added "Father wishes to see us. Best put that away. We'll need to act sober. Bad enough what's happened without him realizing we had a wee bit more to drink."

    "Let's hide these under there," said Odo. He indicated one of the many small tables covered in red, gold and brown cloth with a plant on top. "We can get them later."

    "Seems like a good plan." Jillian gulped. "Do you think they've found Folco, then? He's going to be in terrible trouble. Though," she said, thinking of what he'd done and hardening her expression, "he deserves it."

Author's Note

If you've read any of my books, you may be able to guess what the event before was. I hope this did not come out too incoherent, may have been a wee bit drunk myself writing this. (Thank you rum and cream soda!)

Reviews

[Mister_Sir]

I was immediately attracted by the title, and now I am really excited about reading the rest of the story. However, given what some of the others have said, it might seem as though there might be previous chapters or a prologue of some sort to this story. If this is the case, then I would really appreciate a link to it.
I greatly enjoy stories that deal with the higher classes of society. I am assuming that this also takes place sometime during the Victoria Age, considering the focus on Absinthe. That is also one of my favourite time periods.
Anyway, good job, and I am looking forward to the rest of the story.
Also, I posted a story entitled "Temperance Fire." It is about an alcoholic artist. Considering that you have written some works that deal with alcohol, I would really appreciate your input on the piece.

Neurotically yours,
Mister Splitbrain

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

Hey, thank you so much for the review! To answer your question about previous chapters and prologues, there is one, in a sense. More accurately, this is an offshoot from my book "Fallen Ones". This chapter was originally meant to be a side story and a standalone but then a couple of site friends suggested I expand upon it. I'm glad they did; there are things in here that I never anticipated but help solidify certain plans and holes in Fallen Ones. All the events in this novella happen after the first two chapters (but before any of the rest of it). As for the relation and how it ended up being an offshoot, let's just say the protagonists here are among the antagonists in Fallen Ones, and the protagonists there are considered enemies here [=

Chapter 1: http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/speedyhobbit/1136427/
Chapter 2: http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/speedyhobbit/1422598/
A couple of hours after the end of chapter 2 is when this kicks off.
(3 onward happens after the end of this novella; I do not intend it to go past a few hours after what drove Odo and Jillian to go nuts with the drinking)

On the time period: I love the Victorian era! It's in my top 3 (along with Greco-Roman times and the High Middle Ages) I would not place this squarely as the equivalent of any time period in our world. The weaponry is pretty medieval; even the most advanced places on the continent do not use gunpowder. Philosophy-wise, there are a few places stuck in the Middle Ages or earlier on things such as crime and punishment while others have more modern ideas about things like international relations and human (and other races) rights. Some places think leeches and bleeding are a good idea for treating illness, others prefer mixing potions and medicines from herbs. Some of them have hygiene almost reminiscent of our own, others think it strange to bathe more than once a season.

I considered switching from absinthe to mead, considering that this is meant to be a (mostly) medieval-esque setting, but then I decided to make it an import (Spolingharrow is far closer to modern times in its ability to produce alcohol for consumption and trade. It's their main export Random side fact I plan on having come up someplace eventually, public drunkenness is illegal and tends to lead to public flogging. But I digress. Can you tell I'm a little too obsessed with devising random facts about places I plan on having come up?)


Anyhoo. This, Fallen Ones and my several other books (and a bunch of stories about characters you see popping up in my books) take place on a fictional continent that I'm still developing. [=

[Mila]

I mean I have been known to have a little too much wine while reading some people's stuff, so no worries here! :D Great installment with this one, really enjoyed it! :D

-Mila

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

Wine is a good poison of choice

[Zahra]

An interesting chapter. Though I was wondering was it necessary to be in a terrible trouble in the last paragraph? Or perhaps it's just me. Well penned. :)

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

Well, you'll see a bit more next chapter as to why their brother will be [=

[Jack Wolfe]

The palace corridor was (completely) deserted. (Deserted implies emptiness, no need for completely)

That just would not do. (This is a fragment, you can set it aside through an em-dash, brackets, or internal thought.)

(Suddenly), a guard emerged from around the corner. (In fiction, nothing happens suddenly, the pace, tone, and writer’s dictation carries the momentum, it’s also an LY adverb, if you omit, cap the A, the guard becomes the subject, and makes a stronger sentence.

I haven’t read the other story, so I’m ignorant, but if this is a stand alone, or a prologue, you have presented questions? What happened? Who’s Folco? Why’s he in trouble? A little be of maintenance, but an interesting start.

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

Thanks for the markups and advice, I shall certainly address the grammar stuff when on a computer. This began as a short story and is now turning into a novella. it's currently functioning as a sort of offshoot from Fallen Ones in the point-of-view in those who would be considered antagonists for that book. It may eventually be blended in there

[Craig2591]

That's okay. I may have been a wee bit drunk when I read it. (Thanks Cabernet Sauvignon.)

A fun little chapter that adds a touch of realism to the overall story.

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

Yum, Cabernet Sauvignon sounds delicious

I'm having fun with this one since it involves less-used characters and makes them a bit less one-dimensional- especially the next chapter, from the POV of King Hrothgar himself

[Jennie Baron]

Did someone mention Cabernet Sauvignon? :)

[Rana]

Oh, I could see it all happening, inside my head.. So much like a scene from the movies.. Theres grand lot of drama in here; and I loved the way you described their sad smiles.. Royal but small-sized, the characters are real fascinating..

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

Thanks so much! It's encouraging to hear the novella offshoot from my books-in-progress (specifically, Fallen Ones) is coming out well!

[NoelHC]

Bad little hobbits! One of them should have said "Sure why not, what could possibly go wrong?" Rum and cream soda, hmmmm? White rum I assume?
I enjoyed this chapter.

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

Ha, great quote idea! May have to borrow. The comment that one missing bottle or two won't be noticed and acting sober def fit in- that act won't last for long! And wait til daddy wises up

[jjwilbourne]

This wsa a cool tangent. it's actually nice to see (from where I am in fallen ones) how Falco's siblings are dealing with their mother's death.
I hope there's a part 2 for this.
I wonder if they goof in the throne room or if some really cool side story that could work its way into fallen ones if it takes off.

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

You know, I intended this as a standalone but your review has sparked ideas. The beginning of a scene involving the king, his three "nontraitor" kids and perhaps an advisor/servant/guard or few

[jjwilbourne]

I think that would be awesome if you can find a good thread to follow. Something to re-enforce the theme of Falco's plight.

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

It'd definitely add some extra depth and dimension skewering the side of the Foxtrots that aren't disgraced!