He helped me to my equally unsteady feet, and I leaned heavily against him to say quietly, “You just flashed your daggers to one and all. Reckless, cousin.”
Caspian quickly pulled his long leather coat closer to his body, concealing his illegal blades—since any blade was illegal in all kingdoms—and glanced at the customers surrounding us. Fortunately for them, they were as smashed as we were and too involved in their own conversations to notice. He shoved me gently toward the door, mumbling, “The sooner the king wants us back, the better. My blades need blood.”
I laughed as I trudged from the tavern, holding the door open for him with gallant flair. We were soon walking down the cobblestone streets and singing at the top of our lungs for one and all to listen to, despite the late hour, allowing them to join in the olden, jaunty tune if they wished. Of course, we disregarded any angry shouts sent toward us…
The merfolk swim quicker than thee,
The shifters bite harder than thee,
The gorgons stone better than thee,
The casters spell quieter than thee,
But, oh…but oh…
The elves will swindle thy enemy!
But, oh…And oh…
The elves will burn thy enemy!
And oh…Wee oh!
The elves will decimate thy enemy!
Yay oh!...Fae oh!
We elves will drink thee under.
We elves will drink thee under!
Fae oh!...Fae oh!
We elves will drink thee under!
Caspian banged open the front door to the summer house, our laughter and our repeated rowdy melody filling the quiet space. A few groans and rolling of eyes came from the guards in the shadows of the nooks in the walls, but we continued with our amusements. The crystal chandelier may have swung precariously above us a few times, but the lighting fixture never fell in our revelry—though, the colorful table Mother had once favored was no longer in working order. It would give the servants something to do tomorrow from their tedious, vocally whispered, boredom as of late.
Caspian and I linked an arm with each other and skipped round and round the broken table. Our laughter was merry, and our souls were light for one evening. The songs never ended, and neither did the wine bottles we had found in the kitchen. The staff had been prepared. Well done, ye fellows of mine!
My cousin and I hunched over ourselves in a fit of laughter, tears rolling down our faces when we couldn’t stop. We clinked our wine bottles in an agreement of a fabulous night. Neither of us first noticed when the ground vibrated under our feet; we simply started dancing again.
When I lost my footing, stumbling over my own feet, I threw my arms out to steady myself. The grin plastered to my face slowly melted away, though. A tremble of the ground had made me trip, not my own drunken self.
I set my wine bottle on the tiling, questioning breathlessly, “Caspian, do you feel that?”
“Feel what?” He was turning in fast circles and staring at the ceiling, waiting until he could spin no more, a crash inescapable just as he wanted.
“Stop moving, you twit. The ground is shaking.”
“You’re drunk.”
“As are you, but I’m right! Stop your confounded spinning and listen to me!”
His white head of hair gleamed under the chandelier’s light as he finally swung to a stop. My cousin’s unhidden dark blue eye instantly narrowed. He muttered in awe, “I think you’re right! The ground is shaking!”
“That’s what I said! But why is it shaking?” My nose crinkled as a memory tried to invade my intoxicated mind, something from my lessons years ago. “You know…I believe this is called an ‘earthquake.’ Grandmother Isabella taught me of these things.”
“I’ve never heard of such before.” Caspian scratched at his head. “Are you sure you have that right?”
“Princess Trixie is correct,” one of the guards inside the living area said behind me. “I’ve experienced these before many, many years ago. This is only a slight tremor, though. You have nothing to worry about. You may continue doing…whatever…it was that you were doing before. You are safe.”
I tipped my head to him in thanks. “We were celebrating my birthday, good sir. But I believe it’s time for me to retire before we break any more of Mother’s furniture.”
“That sounds like a wise choice, Your Highness.” He slipped back into the shadows so far I was unable to make out his features anymore. “And if I may make a suggestion?”
“Of course.” I waited patiently.
“Take the trashcan from the kitchen with you and place it next to your bed. I have a feeling