Thar Shaddin

Talia leaned over to Shade and whispered into his ear. "How does this work?" She asked, "I've never done this before and it's been a long time since I worked in a place like this and even then I didn't pay much attention to what the customers did." She looked in her hands, her cheeks a tiny bit rosy due to the close contact and her nervousness in playing a drinking game for the first time.

The bartender had wasted no time bringing them their drinks, pausing to give her a sweet smile before scampering off quickly. She ventured a quick look at Shade but if he had done anything he was back to normal now. The gnomes had seemed to settled into their seats, most of them looking pretty happy and cheeky to boot.

"Basically we all chug back our drinks as quick as we can, and the last people standing win. Usually only a couple coins but nobody really pays attention to the winnings. Not unless you go against a dwarf but then their cheating." He snorted a bit as he rolled his eyes. "Each drinking game is a bit different though, some ask questions, some do the daring game, all that things. Oh, ready? First chug!"

With that Shade raised the beer to his lips and took a long swallow, draining it of its contents before slamming it hard on the table. He glanced at Talia and gave her a sly wink before eyeing the gnomes. Distantly he wondered if this was a good idea but when the back of his head gave a dull buzz he quickly realized he wasn't going to care later anyway so not to worry about it now. After all, there was masculinity contest and a woman was present. He needed to show of his male ego!

Talia started drinking at the same time as the rest but she was certainly the last one to finish her drink. She caught them all grinning at her as she set down her cup. Blinking a couple times she grinned back. So far so good, the room wasn't spinning yet.

"Sure you can keep up to us?" The fat one squeaked with a chuckle. Talia nodded, her face a little flushed. "Well then! Bartender! Another! This round is on me gentlemen, and little lady of course. Why don't we make this a little more interest hmm? Any ideas boy?" He had leaned forward and grinned, looking back and forth between the both of them before winking at his friends.

"If it has anything to do with removing clothes, having sex, or something of that process then no." Shade snorted sharply giving them all the eye. "Bets of money, dares or perhaps even a secrets game and I'll join though."

He made the eye contact with the hairest of them, his wolf immediately daring the other to keep locking gazes until they came to blows. Yet he was still sober, at least so far. He wasn't going to let the wolf eat him. Hopefully. "So then, Taila? Gentlemen? Round two!"

He threw his head back and chugged.

The chubby gnome chuckled but looked a little disappointed as he chugged back his drink. The other two didn't seem to have any feelings about the matter although one did seem to have a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, although perhaps it was just the light.

Talia took a deep breath before lifting the glass to her lips. Closing her eyes she tried to focus on drinking as much as she could as fast. Placing her glass down she realized that she was the last one to finish again. How did those little guys do it? This was only her second and already she was starting to feel a little lightheaded. But she could handle another around, maybe two, before things really went down hill for her, the gnomes couldn't last that long right? One of them was already falling out of his chair and giggling every few minutes.

The second drink went down without much issue, his eyes straying around the table to eye the gnomes. One was nearly down, the other two close to it as well. Yet glancing at Talia he began to wonder if how long she'd last. Not longer then him, that was obvious but perhaps past the gnomes.

"Feelin' alright there Lassie?" He chuckled giving her a gentle nudge with his shoulder, the taste of ale still thick on his tongue. "Don't go falling over now. Between the two of us, I think you'd be the more responsible one and I'm pretty sure that middle guy is eyein' you up something fierce. Much more to drink and that little challenge 'll be yers."

Oh, here came the starting of the slurs. This was some pretty strong ale.

"Round th'ee!"

Talia giggled and rolled her eyes at Shade. Of course that seemed to make the room spinner and add the nudge from Shade and she almost fell out off he chair! "Whoa there fella!" She giggled. "You are stronger then you think....or I am more wobbly then I think. Either way, I can handle a couple more rounds. How about you fellers?" Talia asked the gnomes, leaning forward and grinning.

Sure she could handle one more. Maybe two before things went really downhill for her. Although she couldn't help crinkling her nose up a little at the taste. It wasn't that bad but the fruity stuff she had before tasted so much sweeter! This stuff was rather bitter in comparison. Oh well, perhaps this drink would finish the gnomes up and they could continue on with their plans.

Talia leaned close to Shade as they waited for the next round of drinks. "No offence to the little guy but I would rather win the bet with some other guy. He isn't really my type."

"Hey! I do take offence to that!" The gnome said standing up on his stool and slapped his hands on the table. Apparently Talia hadn't whispered as quietly as she thought she had. "Just 'cause 'm a gnome don't mean I ain't the bes' lover you's ever have! 'M big for a lil guy." He finished with a wink leaving Talia to wondering blushing if he mean height wise for a gnome or if he was referring to.......other things.

"Dun make any innuendos towards m' lady friend." Shade warned as he slumped an arm around her shoulders. " She's got a nasty man on 'er side! Huge! He'd rip yer man....parts off without a thought I say! Is.... Well It'd be terrible fer a gnome with such gif-... gifts to lose such a treasure... eh?"

He snorted a low giggle as he gripped his new mug with deterimation. He wasn't drunk yet. At least, not fully drunk. He was just shy of tipsy. Yet something was odd, his eyes narrowing in wary curiousity. How much farther were they going to go? Come to think of it, he hoped they didn't do anything stupid. Oh well. He swigged back the next mug without a hitch.

Worries caused wrinkles after all.

Talia debated shrugging off Shade's arm, or pushing him away with some sort of 'I ain't your lady friend remark' but the way she was feeling, perhaps it was good that he was holding on to her like so. The room seemed to be rocking now and she could have sworn that she was on a boat. Blinking her eyes a couple times she giggled and then sighed happily as the room seemed to level out a bit.

Talia raised her new cup to her lips, staring over at the bartender who kept bringing them drinks. Perhaps he could help her win the bet? Tipping the cup she attempted to chug it down like the rest but came up sputtering halfway through. Placing the cup down she stared at if as if it was its fault she couldn't finish it. The amber liquid did seem to be mocking her as it slowly stopped swishing around in the glass.

"Well it looks like I am out boys." She stated slowly, once more wording everything carefully even though it was hard. Was it possible for one's tongue to grow? Hers certainly was starting to feel thicker. "Let me know who wins." Standing up, and then catching herself before she fell into one of the grinning gnomes Talia headed towards the bar. Perhaps a drink of water would smooth things out. Sneaky wolf probably planned this game in hopes she would be too drunk to pick anyone up.

Shade watched as she staggered to the bars, eyebrows up and curious as he knocked back another drink. She'd be fine, right? After all, Drayel would be around if something happened. Always was. He growled in agreement with himself before eying up his competition. Two more drinks tops before all of 'em would be down on the floor.

"Dun worry 'bout the lady." Shade mused more to himself then the others. "She's fiesty. She'll kick 'em in the nards 'n run if it comes to it....Wait. What the hell? I can't feel my fingers?"

He couldn't. Stunned he stared at them in disbelief. He couldn't be drunk yet. He just had what... four? Five?....Six? How many had he had? He glanced over at the others across the table and realized with a shock that there was none. They were all on the floor by the looks. Turning he glanced in disbelief at the rather amused barmaid. He gave her a pouty frown.

"When was d....th....the last time I got drunk? I think Mmmm loosin' my toh...tolerancezzuss." Shade grumbled as he tried to locate Talia. Just how much had he drank? How long ago did he look for her? She didn't run off did she? Inwardly he began to panick as he stood abruptly from his chair and tried to find her familiar face. "T-Talia? Youzz 'ere?!"

Talia heard Shade making a ruckus back in the main room and with a eyeroll she rushed back into the bar. Entering the room from behind the counter she most likely looked quiet the sight. Her once perfectly piled hair now was starting to fall apart as loose ringlets fell down around her shoulders and the back of her dress was slightly damp and had bits of stuff stuck to it, she had obviously had been on the floor.

"What's wrong Shade?" She asked relatively coherently as the boy from the bar came up behind her, doing his best to straighten his rumpled vest that was now missing a couple buttons.

"Oh good job." She grinned at Shade as she looked at the passed out gnomes. "It appears as though you have won. Did you win anything? You know....I feel bad if we just left them there, we really should take them some place until they come too. Where do you live? Could we take them there? My place won't work of course otherwise I would offer it for them."

Shade may have been drunk but he was pretty sure he knew what just happened. He let out a roar that shook the floors and caused eyes to turn to him. Many males immediately went for the walls, not wanting to get in the furious man's way as he stormed to the suddenly mortified looking bar boy.

Grabbing him up by the vest Shade hauled him high in the hair and pulled his other fist back, ready for a well placed crack in the nose. What startled him however was a sudden weight gripping him, stumbling him off balance as he tried to locate the source. A nearby gnome gripped his arm with intense ferocity, slurring about how he'd caught him. Furious he gave him a rather sharp toss across the room and slab into the face of another man. Not caring he turned his attention back to the man in the air.

"Y...Yer gonna get a poundin' now boy." He sneered as he cranked his fist back again. This interuption wasn't as polite as the last. This time he got a good fist in his own jaw. Howling in surprise he dropped the boy and hit the floor, stared in disbelief at the fuming man he'd hit with a gnome. Bar boy scrambled away much to his fury but the larger male needed to be put in his place first. Snarling he raised himself on unsteady legs and slid his fists into a boxing position.

"C'mere ya fat lug." He slurred furiously. He bared his teeth. "FER DA LADY!"

Everything happened rather fast and if Talia hadn't been afraid that Shade might just try and kill someone, or get killed in the process of the attempted murder, then she would have been falling over laughing at the whole thing. How many times does one get to see the reaction of a man getting hit in the face with a flying gnome.

But in a way Shades' behaviour irked her. Who did that man, that shifter, think he was? If she decided to bed with someone then that was her choice and not his. And although he mightn't know it she knew how discourage unwanted lovers. Sure it had been a while, that being more of an issue before she came to the bakery, but it wasn't someone a girl really forgot how to do.

Stalking over to the counter she grabbed a bucket of melted ice and stomped around to where Shade was ready to start and all out brawl. With a quick flip Talia emptied the bucket of ice water over both men, the majority hitting Shade.

"Shade you are lucky I don't know your full name because otherwise I would be using it right now." She glared at him, swaying slightly as she tried to remain on her feet, the affects of the alcohol still in her system. "I can handle myself and what I chose to do is MY choice and I don't need you defending me from me. You don't even now what happened!"

If Shade had been trying to stake the odds against her, this definitely would have done it. Even if this cleared up there was no way any of these men would be interested in here as they would most likely fear incurring the wrath of Shade.

When the icy water hit Shade, he yowled something even a sailor would be shamed to say. He turned on the newest rival...only to find Talia staring at him with the look of drunken fury. Startled he stared at her, listened to her yell at him, and finally sniffled. Teary eyes made themselves appear as he slowly put the terrified boy down and bowed his head shamefully at Tal.

"M'surry." He slurred as he stared sadly at his boots. "D'n....D'n wan' ya doin' somethan yer gonna regret....later."

That and he liked his man bits where they were currently and if Drayel caught wind of this, they most definitely would not remain in their place. He sniffled and gave her large sad eyes, long lashes dragging almost in a bat as he tried to express his apologies through his drunken stupor. He wasn't sure if he made it right.

"S....Sh....Shiznits....."

Talia tried to maintain her stern face but it really was too hard with a wet and slightly shivering Shade snivelling in front of her. "Oh quite with the moaning, it's not the end of the world." She sighed, find a fairly dry cloth from the bar and tossed it to him. It wouldn't do much but it would help get some of the water out of his face. They could go outside and find a warm sunny patch and he could dry off if he didn't feel like going home and changing.

"As for doing things that I would regret, that is my choice and not yours or even Drayel's, ya hear me?" She softened a bit and chuckled at what she must of looked liked coming out of that store room looking the way she did. "Anyways I did nothing I would regret. Edward here was showing me some of their wine selections, I wanted to see where they kept everything and since you were busy I didn't think you would care if I was gone for a few minutes. Unfortunately I am still wobbly and being in heels doesn't help any. Long story short, I fell backwards, reached out to grab something for support and ended up grabbing on to his vest. Hence our appearance of disarray. Happy now?"