((open)) A lazy Drink

[Esme Kingsley]

Her eyes raked his face, and it was clear he was lying, but there was no point pushing it. She laughed lightly as he suggested that the man watching them was a friend of hers - the suggestion was, in her mind, ridiculous. "Certainly not. He's the innkeeper here." The innkeeper who made her life hell. She could tell that Carter was not a stupid man...despite his drunkenness, it was obvious he could see through her attempts at conversation.

"The Holy Land, huh?" she replied, realising this was why she hadn't seen him before. Also, explained why he didn't look poor, like the majority of those living in Nottingham. People seemed to come back from the Holy Lands with some sort of money, if they'd done well. "Well, I'm glad to see that some of our men are making it back." It was not a woman's place to speak of matters of war, but Esme didn't care: she'd lost a brother to the Holy Lands, and so felt she had a right to speak of it.

She took the final tankards, and felt as though his polite nod was a dismissal. "Enjoy your evening, sirs," she murmured, as she left them to their conversation.

[Roe]

Roe could see that the drink was having quite an affect on Carter, as he could see that the young lady was as well, Esme was it? If he was going to find out more he really should encourage him to drink more, but he felt friendly enough toward him that he really did not want to take advantage of him. "Are you really sure that you are ready to leave, Carter?," he said motioning with his eyes to the young lady. "Thank for your time and attention, Esme, we do .... appreciate it," he said with a small smile. We understand its part of your job duties and the expectations of her employer, so here is a coin or two, for you," he whispered.

"If you are sure Carter, my horse awaits, although you could still have one for the road, or purchase enough other beverage for a coupe of flasks for later after we get to the house. What's your pleasure," my new friend. He waited to see what Carter would want to do. He thought that Carter might want just about anything in his current state, and he thought he would also remember this pub in the inn .... the girl was intriguing and he was sure Carter felt the same way.

[Carter]

"No, I really think we should be going Roe..." Carter said slowly, as one thing he had previously fogotten just sprang to mind. "I don't have any money." he said through gritted teeth. He slouched again casually and then cleared his throat, giving Roe a dont-say-anything-more look.

"On my signal, we get out of here." he whispered, readying himself. He subtly looked around the pub, and waited until all staff members had they're backs turned. He took one last look at Esme, who was making her way towards the man he had waved at earlier, and then hissed, "NOW!"

Carter leapt up, knocking over the stool he was sitting at. "Damn." he cursed matter-of-factly. He then sprinted with all the power he still had left in his legs out the door and flung it open. He ducked as the bell that was used to signal someone had entered fell from the force Carter had opened the door with and narrowly missed his head. When they were outside he tripped over a rock and stumbled for a second, but still somehow managed to carry on running.

[Roe]

Roe thought to himself quickly .... no money .... uh-oh ..... that meant the departure was going to be somewhat rapid and immediate. He wondered hurriedly whether Carter had factored in how drunk he was, and whether his legs and feet would respond. Given Roe's somewhat better sobriety, he had properly oriented his stool so his legs weren't entangled at the beginning, and made it out the door just before Carter came slammin through.

Out of the corner of his eye, Roe saw Carter trip and go down. He quickly reversed course, half grabbed and half-carried Carter around the corner. "Fortunately, my horse is down this way, tied up, with the supplies already loaded. Can you follow me under your own power, or will I have to carry you the whole way, before they send search parties after us. Fortunately, I don't think there's anybody who's ever seen us before. We may be fortunate and that the coins that I left her may offset most of our bill, and they won't be as likely to have as much of an incentive to track us. If they do, I have enough experience to shake them, or take them out one-by-one. Let's go!," as they slowed to a fast walk, hoping not to draw any more attention than necessary.

[Carter]

"Wooaaaaaaah," slirred Carter as Roe caught him.

"Yes, yes I'll be able to follow you," he said, letting go of Roe and standing up straight. He resumed movement in a wobbly jog, and then slowed to a fast walk. "Yeah I'm sure no-one will come for us, besides, I'm sure we don't owe them that much..." And that was when he remembered exactly how many pints he had consumed. "On second thoughts..." he quickened his pace back to a jog, feeling a little hazy.

[Roe]

They walked quickly around a couple of more corners, and there was Roe's Arabian. "She made it all the way from the Holy Land, after having served me well for several years and battles. Up you go and treat her well .... she'll appreciate you as a lighter load ..... let's be on our way, going steady and slow ..... not attracting too much attention. We'll need to get to the main gates before the bar-keeper realizes that's the first place that we would head. Come on!"

Within a few short minutes they were through the gates, nodding respectively to the few guards that were there and were well their way to Locksley. They had not talked for some time. Roe figured they shouldn't until they were a bit more safe. "How are you feeling Carter? I generally don't risk life and limb over an unpaid bill with someone who's been a friend for only a few hours, and I let him ride my horse the whole way too!," he laughed.

[Carter]

Carter did a meek laugh at Roe's comment. "I think I've been a little bit foolish," he said quietly, "A little too much to drink perhaps?" It was a rhetorical question, but they both knew the answer. Carter felt completely shattered, and closed his eyes. "I should be alright If I get a good nights sleep." he said, his voice getting slower and slower. His eyes opened again. He was not going to fall asleep on a horse. Especially in the state he was in. Carter looked ahead of him and saw the flickering lights of Locksley. He smiled sleepily. It was getting quite late into the night, and it was dark enough that you could see the candle light emerging from every house. It looked quite picturesque, and Carter could appreciate it, even though he felt half dead.

"Remind me never to have this much to drink again." Carter said with a grin, whilst swaying slowly.

[Roe]

After listening to Carter make his comments about feeling foolish, Roe felt a bit guilty and chastened. 'You shouldn't feel too guilty Carter. After all I did encourage you quite a bit if you'll remember. Its obvious that you were a bit out of drinking practice. Maybe before you take leave of Locksley we can give you a bit more experience. Yes .... some good rest tonight and some recoevry tomorrow and I expect you will be fine."

"I have a feeling, though, that you may want to continue talking until you entirely pass out. By the way, Carter, you asked me about the Earl and Robin Hood. What do you know of them,"[ he asked, being quite curious why Carter had asked when he had been more sober. "Here we are .... we'll take the horse around back and go in through the rear entrance. There's a straw mat in the back room, and you can lay down there .... and Carter .... Never have that much to drink again .... at least until tomorrow," .... he laughed, helping Carter down from the horse, and half-carrying him inside the house.

[Carter]

At Roe's mentioning of Robin Hood, Carter snapped back into reality. Had he asked Roe about Robin Hood? He couldn't really remember much about the time he had spent in the Inn. Oh well, he'd dismiss the matter and then talk about it in the morning. Right now Carter was too drunk to think straight.

Carter flopped down onto the straw mat and sighed. Right now it felt like the most comfortable thing in the world, and he smiled in satisfaction. "Thanks Roe." he said, "I really appreciate this." He did a small laugh at Roe's concluding comment, and then bade him goodnight. He spent a few minutes laying down with his eyes open, and then drifted into a natural sleep.