Quinus watched her for a bit until he noticed she had a weird expression on her face.
"Well, looks like you might be a lightweight," Quinus told her as he laughed a little.
"Ha! Ha! *Hic* You have no idea how long it's been since I've had a drink! *Hic* And I would like another one, p-please?" Rya said as she pointed at the bar.
"I think one is good enough for now, Rya. That's quite a lot of ale to drink in just a matter of minutes," Quinus told her.
Rya looked at Quinus with a confused look.
"I-I didn't d-down that ale-e that f-fast *hic*," Rya said as she struggled to talk.
Quinus could tell by looking at her face that she was drunk.
"Rya, I think you're done. Here, let me help you back to the room?" Quinus said as he offered his hand to help her out of her chair.
"N-No. I-I want t-to hang-out w-with you guy-s! *hic*" Rya said as she stumbled a little.
"Well? How about this... I'll let you stay... if you can stand up on your own... Does that sound good to you, Rya?" Quinus asked with a smile.
"Y-Yeah! I-I can... li-ke total-l-l-y stand up... n-no problem! *Hic*" Rya said as she started to stand up.
Rya thought this challenge would be a piece of cake. But once she stood up, she realized that she couldn't even hold her own weight. She fell right back down onto the chair with a thud.
'Come on, Ryan. You can do this~' Rya thought to herself as she tried again and almost fell out of her seat.
"Eck! Ugh! That was a close c-call! I almost tum-bled out of the seat!" Rya said in a high-pitched voice.
"Here. Grab my hand. We're going to get some rest. I'm sure you need your beauty sleep." Quinus told Rya as he helped her up. She was wobbly, using Quinus for support.
"B-But I don't wan... Wow? Quin, were you always this strong? Hehehe..." Rya said with a smile. In her drunken state, she thought Quinus was very cute, and she wanted to flirt with him.
'Mmmm, Quin always looked handsome, but when did he start looking better? Was he always this sexy? Hehe! He's a very good friend... I think I could l-love him... WHOA!? I-I can't fall in love with... Gah!... Quin's right, I'm drunk... After one beer, too... Ugh! I guess I really am a lightweight. Stupid female body!' Rya thought to herself as she pouted in Quin's arms.
"Hehe. L-Lead the wa-y, my prince! *hic*" Rya said as she kissed Quin on the cheek.
"Oh, you're playing with fire, Rya. Haah... I wish you weren't drunk when you said that." Quinus said as he chuckled.
"Just g-go ahead and p-pick me up! *hic*" Rya giggled as she wrapped her arms around Quin's waist.
All he could do was smile and shake his head.
"I'll see you three later. Don't stay out too late." Quinus said to Percy, Dalia, and Sir George.
"We shouldn't be too long," Sir George said as he was still eating his meal.
Rya then turned and gave Dalia a wink, and she followed behind Quinus. The wolfkin gave Rya a thumbs-up.
Quinus and Rya left the tavern and were in the lobby, and just as they were about to head into the hallway to where their room was, Quinus realized he had forgotten something.
"Dammit... Rya, wait here for a second... I'll be back," Quinus said to her before he turned back to the tavern, looking for Sir George.
"Hey. George, I forgot the key. Do you have it?" Quinus asked Sir George.
"Oh yeah. Sorry, Quin. Here you go." Sir George said as he opened his bag and pulled out the key.
"Thanks," Quinus said as he took the key.
While Quin and the group got distracted trying to find the key, Rya was walking around the lobby in her drunken state.
Rya wasn't paying attention to her surroundings when she bumped into another person in a cloak as she rounded the corner.
"OOPH!" Rya said as her hood fell, displaying her Dark Elven ears and white hair to the world. She somehow didn't fall over, but the cloaked figure she ran into took a tumble to the ground as she landed on her butt, causing her hood to drop down as well. Revealing her golden blonde hair, green eyes, and a pair of elven ears.
"OW!... Bloody drunk! Watch where yo~" The Elf was in panic or shock when she looked up and realized she bumped into a Dark Elf. She was told at a young age that Dark Elves were creatures to be feared in all the lands. They were evil and dangerous beings who showed no mercy to anyone, especially the Wood Elves.
"N-N-No please d-don't-" The Wood Elf was struggling to find her dagger as she saw Rya coming closer to her. She closed her eyes, thinking this was the end. 'Mother was right! I should never have become an adventurer! How were you cursed with such rotten luck, Nieren!'
But instead of death, Nieren felt her hood getting pulled up and over her head again.
"S-Sorry about t-that. I-I have to say you have c-cute ears like mine? *hic*" Rya said as she smiled at the Elf.
Nieren didn't know what to do or how to react in such a situation.
"Y-You're a Dark Elf? R-Right?" Nieren asked as her eyes widened in fear. "Yo-You're an evil creature... Aren't you?"
"Pfft! E-Evil? Maybe th-ose stupi-d goddesses are e-vil. *hic* But not me," Rya said triumphantly as she tried to get up.
The Wood Elf carefully watched Rya get up and struggle to keep her balance. Nieren wasn't sure if this Dark Elf would change her mind and kill her on the spot. She heard the stories from the elder about how barbaric the attacks by a Dark Elf were, and she knew what was in store for her if things went south.
"W-Wait! Please don't hurt me!" Nieren begged.
"Hmm? W-Why wou-ld I hurt you?" The confused, drunken Rya asked.
This only further dumbfounded the Wood Elf. This Dark Elf didn't show any hostility towards Nieren, and all she did was sit there on the floor, stunned by Rya's comment.
"Whoops!" Rya loses her balance and braces herself on the nearby wall. "God! Hehehe. Oh, I'm definitely tipsy... I must look like a fool... Hehe... Hey, watch ou-t for the dw-arven ale. It's a bit str-onger than I g-ave it credit..." Rya said as she smiled at the young lady sitting on the floor, but then her face morphed into a sad look when another thought crossed her mind. "Or-r I'm a lightweight? *hic* N-No! That would suck! I li-ke beer."
The wood elf was having a hard time understanding the situation, as she thought she knew how Dark Elves worked. All of her life she was taught that Dark Elves were bloodthirsty, savage, and heartless. She never heard of a Dark Elf acting friendly towards anyone, especially a Wood Elf.
"Wel-l... You have a good-nigh-t," Rya said as she tried to find her room.
Nieren was struggling to understand what had just happened. The Dark Elf acted friendly and even tried to help her up. She thought this was some kind of sick joke the Dark Elf was playing.
"She has to be lying, right? D-Dark Elves aren't like that. They are evil... Were the Elders wrong? She doesn't seem evil to me..." Nieren whispered to herself as she finally stood up from the floor.
She feels bad for thinking the Dark Elves are evil creatures, but she can't help it. It was all she ever heard about them, and this was her first time encountering one. She watches Rya until she hears the sound of footsteps coming from the tavern and quickly finds cover to hide behind the counter, wondering what will happen when the Dark Elf gets spotted by somebody else.
The footsteps grew louder, and a handsome young man with golden eyes and dark red hair walked into the lobby and saw Rya struggling to find her way to the hallway.
"Rya? What are you doing over there?" Quinus asked with a smile on his face.
"Quin-n! I-I'm a lightwei-ght? Because I like be-er and I'll be s-ad if this is how I am aft-er one pint? I'm sorry I tripped. I'm so f-fatigued. I've been running th-this whole d-day." Rya stuttered out.
The young prince kneels down beside her and holds her hands.
"Well, Dwarves like their beer stronger than most races. I think you'll do better with human breweries." Quinus said as he walked over to her.
"A-Aw! You're the best Q-Quin! I want-ed to t-tell you that earlier but I f-forgot." Rya said, blushing as she looked away in embarrassment.
"Well, you better watch out, Rya. If you keep sweet-talking me like that. I may start to get ideas," Quinus said with a chuckle.
"C-Can you carry me? I-I feel useless right now." Rya said nervously.
Quinus smiles and picks her up with ease. He carries her princess-style as he walks down the hallway to find their room.
***
Nieren saw it, but she still couldn't believe it. The Dark Elf wasn't evil. She was cute and innocent. She was weak. She needed protection, but she didn't know it yet. She always thought the Dark Elves were evil. They were supposed to be evil. That was why she hated and feared them. But now she was questioning what was real.
"M-Maybe she's not a Dark Elf? But her skin was so tan? Maybe she was a half-breed? N-No, she was a full breed! I don't understand?" Nieren said to herself.
The Wood Elf was still having trouble believing that the Dark Elf she once hated and feared was nothing like what she thought they would be. Now that she saw the Dark Elf, she wanted to know if Rya was playing a trick on everyone. So, she was going to observe this Dark Elf to see if she was truly evil or a normal, kind being.
"If you're evil, Rya? I'll have to stop you!" Nieren said to herself.