Authors Note: Sharing this incredible vampire AU art of Ridley and Vandel from @aegel013 on IG. They both look so cute here and I absolutely adore the textures in this piece! Also Vandel is rocking those bracelets. As always any fanart can be sent to my Instagram @Captaincleanfreak :D

Ridley

Skeever gestured to a small wooden table near the center of the tavern and Annette and I slowly followed him. He pulled out a chair for Annette (which screeched obnoxiously), waiting for her to sit down. The giant of a man then proceeded to make his way to the other side of the table.

Nervously I sat down beside Annette, trying my very best not to panic. I thought I'd trained for nearly every situation but how could I have ever predicted that one day the entire fate of my kingdom could rest in a stupid drinking game.

Everyone in the tavern was watching us now, clamoring over each other to get a good view. The bartender approached, placing a large bottle filled to the brim with a mysterious thick brown liquid down on the table.

One of the tavern goers gave me a little pat on the shoulder. "This'll be fun," he said with a chuckle. "Skeever's never lost a drinking game in his life."

My shoulders sagged. "Thanks for the encouraging words."

"No problem!" he said cheerfully before scuttling off to get a good view.

The bartender slid a small grimy shot glass towards me, Annette and Skeever. "The rules are simply," he said, going to stand behind Skeever's massive form. "We ain't into no complicated games here. Ya each do a shot per round, last man...err...or lady," he gave Annette a thin smile, "wins!"

Skeever filled his glass up before handing the bottle off to Annette and I. I cringed slightly at the foul scent of the liquid as it sloshed into the glass.

Skeever cast me a patronizing glance from across the table, slowly lifting up his drink. "Bottoms up on the count of three fancy folk. One...two...three..." with that he tossed his head back, taking the liquid into his mouth in one quick go.

I brought the glass to my lips as well and nearly gagged the moment the liquid touched my tongue. This had to be...the most disgusting thing I had ever drank in my entire life. My throat burned as it went down and it took everything in me to keep from coughing. I glanced anxiously to Annette who looked surprisingly put together, her glass empty. Annette had always liked parties in our teenage years, she must have had at least some experience with this kind of thing. My gaze tracked from the small bodied princess back towards the towering giant of a man who was already pouring his second glass. How were we supposed to stand a chance?

Anxiously I poured my second shot of the liquid. My body was starting to feel strangely warm. The alcohol still burned as it went down and I cringed at the bitter taste.

Annette looked to me now, a worried expression on her face. "Are you doing okay?" She whispered.

I nodded. "Yeah..I'm fin...fiii....fiiiiine..." for some reason the words to form my sentence seemed harder to put together than usual. But it was the truth...I felt good, kinda light headed maybe...but surprisingly the best I'd felt in awhile.

I quickly grabbed the bottle from Skeever, going to pour my third shot. The liquid went down far easier this time.

"So," Skeever said, "I know we're mid game but I'm just a little curious, normally when people like you come to a place like this it's only for two reasons...power or romance."

My eyes widened. "Romance? Reeeally?" Normally I wouldn't have cared and would have wanted to just get out of here. Now however, feeling so warm and light headed, surprisingly I found myself wanting to talk.

The man nodded. "Yeah, it's a surprising business. Disheartening new suitors, breakin' up marriages, the fancy folk like you seem to love those kinds of things. You don't seem like the power hungry type so tell me...who's the lucky person yer doin' this all for?"

I felt Annette give me a small kick from under the table.

"We...we aren't doin' this fer that," I stammered, the words coming out a little more slurred than I would have liked.

Skeever smirked when I spoke. "Don't try to fool me kid. I saw the expression on your face. You thought about them just now, didn't you?"

I could feel my cheeks burn as I grabbed the bottle to pour my fourth shot. "It's not fer romance..." I mumbled. "But even if it was...he wouldn't...he made it clear we could never..." I caught myself too late, the words leaving my mouth before my mind could even register what had just slipped from me.

Annette looked the way I currently felt...absolutely mortified.

Skeever grinned now. "What's he like?"

The words seemed to be coming out of me before my mind even had the time to catch up. "He's sarcastic and a complete jerk face and I can't stand him shhhoooometimes but he's also shmaart and witty and soooOOOOoo pretty to the point where it's almost irritatin'...it shouldn't be allowed riiiight? Fer someone to be THAT pretty-"

I was stopped mid sentence by a second painful kick to my leg under the table.

"Ridley," Annette hissed under her breath. "I mean this in the nicest way possible but you need to stop."

"I know, I'll shhhhtay quiet," I slurred.

"No," Annette said, snatching the shot glass away from me. "You need to stop drinking. You realize he's just fishing for information to milk us for more money, right?"

"I'll be fiiiine," I whispered.

"You obviously aren't. Listen, we need you in top shape if we actually have to confront this man tonight which you clearly won't be if you pass out drunk. And I know it's not your fault but it's a serious problem that you can't seem to keep your mouth shut despite the fact that no one can know-"

"But princhesss-"

Annette slapped a hand over my mouth. "Don't call me that. This is exactly what I'm talking about! Thank God your speech is so slurred no one can actually understand what you're saying..." Her gaze darted around the tavern, then back to me. "Listen, I know you hate to give up on anything but just trust me...okay? I have a plan."

I sighed heavily, my gaze drifting from my filled glass in Annette's hand then back to her. Through my drunken fog I knew she was right.

"Okay," I said softly, finally looking to Skeever.

The giant of a man flashed me a smile. "You two done with yer little chat?"

I nodded stiffly before raising my hands in defeat. "I'm out."

Skeever let out a low boom of a chuckle. "I see, well...I'll just be takin' yer money then-"

"Not so fast," Annette cut in. "He said he was out. Not both of us." She raised my filled shot glass, shooting Skeever a little smirk.

Skeever grinned at her, running a hand through his mane of thick black hair. "Ah, so yer a fighter little lady. I like it. By all means then, let's keep goin'."

They threw back their heads, doing yet another shot. As they went to pour another glass however I noticed something odd, Skeever's cheeks looked a little pink. Could the alcohol actually be starting to get to him? As the game kept going the color in his cheeks continued to grow. It was clear the giant was beginning to get increasingly intoxicated while Annette still seemed like she wasn't even fazed. After what appeared to be their seventh shot Skeever finally threw up his hands, bowing his massive head, his face almost completely red.

"That's it," he stammered. "I'm surprised as any to say this but...ya win miss." This was followed by a series of gasps, and a few rogue cheers from around the tavern. Skeever pulled out a piece of parchment from his bag, quickly scribbling a few words before he slid it back across the table to Annette.

"Here," he said. "That's where you can find him. I'm warnin' ya now, chances are he won't take yer request, he doesn't do this kinda work anymore."

Annette gave him a small nod. "So I've heard." She glanced to me. "Are you ready to go?"

I nodded and went to stand up only to have my legs almost immediately give out from under me. Annette quickly moved, throwing my arm over her shoulder.

"Ya might want to get yer friend some water miss," Skeever said awkwardly. He lowered his voice slightly. "Was that his first time?"

"And most likely his last," Annette said, beginning to move us towards the door.

"Uh miss," Skeever said, bowing his head. "I err...I know fancy folks like you probably don't come around these parts often but um...if ya ever return I would be happy to take ya out for dinner...show ya the sights."

Annette shot him a small smile. "Thank you. I'll consider it. Good evening sirs." And with that we exited the crowded tavern, stepping into the cool night air.

Finally I felt stable enough to walk on my own, freeing myself from Annette's support. The ground felt as if it was shifting from under me but luckily I was able to keep upright without the embarrassment of toppling over again.

"How did you do that?" I asked, eyes wide. "That was amazishing I didn't knooow you could drink like that!"

Annette smirked at me. "Simple, I cheated."

"You WHAT?! But prineshhh that's not honerabible...honorabile...honora..." for some reason the word honorable seemed determined to not come out of my mouth at this current moment.

"It was the only way we could win. I may or may not have started playing footsie with him under the table to keep him distracted while I put into play some old party tricks Percy and I used to pull when we went to balls. Guess you really did miss out on some things when you spent all that time training," she said with a chuckle as she unfolded the piece of paper with the directions to James Andrew's humble abode.

"Shhhhould we apologize to them?" I asked nervously. "I mean...we broke the ruleshh. How are we supposed to live with ourshelves knowin' that."

"It's just like how you worked with Vandel," Annette said, giving me a little pat on the back. "Sometimes solutions aren't as black or white, or as clean cut as we wish they could be. There isn't always a heroic option. To do the most good for everyone sometimes you need to do bad things." She took a deep breath. "And with that being said, come on Ridley, there's no time to lose...we have my brother's wedding to destroy."