The Hangover

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur was dragging his feet . . . quite literally. He was still trying to recover from last night as it did not seem that long ago. Arthur did not feel as if he got any rest, and whatever 'sleep' did grace him, did so because of the abundance of wine and other drinks he consumed at his crowning ceremony. Thank goodness he had not been drunk for the actual event, but more so the celebration that followed. He had drank too much, too fast, and he was only grateful that he had not looked like a complete idiot . . . in public. Otherwise, his father would have already yelled at him by now.

But it was at this moment, or well since the moment he had hazily opened his eyes, that he felt the aftermath of his fun filled night. His head was bounding, and he felt horribly dizzy. On top of everything else, this was the second day of the tournament and Arthur felt as if he was in no condition to practice his swordsmanship. The one thing that granted him comfort, was the fact that he was not the only one who would be in this condition.

He made his way onto the field, only dressed in some pieces of armor, which was usually the case when practicing and training. He would wear his chainmail and such when Merlin was done polishing it. He had to admit that he was glad heaviness of it would not be extra weight dragging him down. He lacked the strength and stamina right now and really had no clue how he was going to get through the day, let alone the next few hours.


_{Setting: Training arena
Time of Day: Early Morning
Timeline: Day 3, the morning after Arthur's crowning ceremony
Tag: Sir Richard Vawdrey II and Sir Kolby of Arleon}

[richard]

Standing in the room of his chambers, Richard stood in front of a water basin of cold water. Usually, it would have been warm, but not this day. There were a hundred knights marching around outside his room in their noisiest armor! Or perhaps that was just his head throbbing. He had never imagined it was so possible to drink so much wine and other beverages of the same sort! And to get so drunk off it! Oh yes, his head hurt indeed!

He couldn't recall most of the night's events. He remembered Arthur being crowned, and then there being a celebration. But after that.... He couldn't remember much of anything after a certain part through it. Shaking his head slightly, he splashed his face with the cold water over and over, trying to clear his head without much success. Finally he just gave up and got fully dressed in light armor before heading out for the arena to get some practice. Though how helpful that would be in this condition he knew not...

When he got to the field is when he saw Arthur. He smiled a little before heading towards him. "Oi, milord!" he called to try and get the Prince's attention. He was quite sure that the man would also be hungover, knowing that he had to have drank also, and not doubting for a second that the Prince drank equally as much -- or perhaps more -- as him.

[Sir Kolby]

Bloody 'ell, the wench was knocking at his door. 'Sir Kolby? I you still with in?' Lady Jane asked in her voice that normally was light and held a melody of songs but not seemed shriekishly high pitched. No, he was not in. He was going back to sleep. Last night he had spend a few rather pleasing moments in the garden with lady Jane; but stealing a kiss did not mean he wanted more. 'I do not think he is with in, let us go in and leave him the note!'

That caused his eye lids to force them selves open long enough to be blinded by the bright light. Damn women! While he had not drank enough to forget his actions from the night before (more's the pity) he had drank enough to make his morning very un pleasant. 'No, no my lady, let us just slide it under his door!' Kolby rolled out of bed, and his head spun. Damn women! 'I am not going to leave my note on the floor! I want to leave it on his pillow!'

Kolby pushed him self up off the floor and grabbed his pants to slide them on. Then he found a shirt. He managed to pull his padding and chainmail off the floor and get tot he window just as the door started to open. Damn woman was breaking into his room! He sat on his window seal and jumped down to the next level a few feet below' thus escaping Lady Jane and her note.

Half an hour later, Kolby was dressed in his chainmail but no armor, and carrying a wine sack as he entered the training field. As a man of more years then most the young bucks, Kolby had learned the cure to a hangover. He approached the prince and friend. "My lord!" He gave him a overly loud and cherry greeting with a nod before turning to Richard to do the same; "Vawdrey!"

He held out the bag, "Don't ask what is in it. Just drink what you can and try not to smell it." Just to be annoying, and because he knew hangovers could make sounds louder, and people dizzy he reached over and gave a friendly --and rough-- slap on Richard's back. "It will cure what ales ya and put some hair on your chest!"

[Arthur Pendragon]

Richard had not spoken in an unusually loud voice, but considering everything seemed to be amplified in the Prince's head, it came out ten times louder than it probably was. Arthur paused, squeezing his eyes tightly shut for a moment, trying to stop the pounding in his head. He opened them, about to say something when it only got worse: Kolby was here. Why the hell was he so cheery when the other two of them were this miserable? Arthur shot him a glare, and he would know exactly why. He looked at both men. "Can you not be like a normal person and be in the same insufferable pain that Richard and I are in right now." Arthur was just being dramatic. He was easily agitated right now . . . he had a feeling they all would be. Or well, perhaps Kolby would not.

That was when he offered him some sort of strange substance. "Unless that came directly from Gaius, I'm not drinking it. I don't trust you enough to take my chances." He was of course kidding . . . uh . . . somewhat. "Or on second though, Richard, I now appoint you my official taste tester," Arthur stated, motioning his hand forward as if to present his first test. "If you die from it, then we'll know its poisoned." Obviously Arthur wasn't being serious in that matter . . . but what was the fun of having friends if not to mock and tease them.

[richard]

He could only imagine how Arthur had felt when he had called out to him -- for his own voice hurt even his own head! -- but when Kolby called out, it was a whole new thing altogether. He brought his hands to his head as he fought off a dizzying spell that swarmed down upon him from the Knight's loud voice. Finally shaking his head, Richard looked over at the man, and nodded his own greeting, "Kolby." When Arthur spoke up, though, he found himself more readily to stand by the Prince's side. After all, he had the same headache as him, and it did appear that Kolby was much better off than them. "That's just it, he's not normal, my lord," he spoke humorously. "You obviously hold your own better than us," he added with a hint of intrigue coated with just a slight irritation from all the loud noise. "You seem better off that we do."

And then his features crossed from a cringe, into a reluctant stare at the object Kolby held out. "Don't ask what's in it?" he asked incredulously. "What is in it?!" His reaction time was much slower than usual, and he didn't think he really would have moved much had they been at their normal peak, so when Kolby clapped him on the back roughly -- albeit friendly -- he almost fell over. He groaned at the new dizzy spell, and shot another slight annoyed glare at him. He snatched the bag from him, and stood up straight. Wrinkling his nose, he looked back at the Knight. "Cure me? I fear it might do quite the opposite! And perhaps I don't want hair on my chest, Kolby!"

At Arthur's "orders", Richard rolled his eyes with a sigh. Well, it appeared that, if they were ever to determine exactly what this beverage was, then someone would have to drink it. And as the new appointed "taste tester" it seemed he was the only one who would. Well, Kolby might, but would that really get them anywhere? "Well, if I die, I won't be missing ya," he joked, giving a slight smile now. Taking one more look at the thing in his hand, trying his best not to smell it in fear it would knock him out or sicken him, he raised it as if in a toast. "If I die, Kolby, I'm coming back to haunt you. Well, to your health, my lord!" And with one quick motion -- before he lost the nerve to do so --, he downed part of the contents.

[Sir Kolby]

"If you hunt me, try to avoid my bedroom. You might see me comforting whatever heart you broke by leaving this world." Kolby joked to the younger knight in the way way most knights riled each other. Nothing overly disrespectful for no names were ever spoken but nothing they could repeat while females were present! "Just don't smell it, and down it fast enough that you don't taste it."

In it was some ale mixed in with some eggs, tomatoes and other ingredients. He did not know the details about why all these things worked so well after a night of drinking but he knew that if you could stomach the cure then the headaches, and everything that came with it would start to fade and then disappear shortly after. If these youngins could get down a few mouth fulls then they would be alright in a half hour. "On the bright side, if it kills you then you will not have to face my blade!"

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur just watched the two men exchange joking words. He still felt his like his head was about to explode so whatever Kolby put in there, it had better work. Arthur did not have time to see Gaius about a remedy for the painful aftermath of too much alcohol. Besides, he should not have to go out seeking remedies. They should come to him automatically and Kolby had proven that. "If it looks like he can hold his own, it only means that the man is still drunk," Arthur mumbled, though still in an audible voice. He was talking to Richard, but referring to Kolby. He always seemed to be able to handle his drinks . . . Arthur had his theory that it was because the man was rarely sober.

Arthur watched with mock anticipation, as he knew there was not actually any poison in the drink. "Well? Do you feel any different?" He asked a bit impatiently. If not, he knew who he would be sparring with today -- aka Kolby -- . If it did work, then it just meant he would be feeling well enough to train with more people; maybe even blindfolded. Oh wouldn't that be a fun thought. He really, really hoped the damn remedy worked!

[richard]

Richard nodded his agreement to Arthur's words. Yes, that must be it, right? A remedy to get rid of an alcohol headache was more alcohol, correct? You couldn't be hungover, if you never got to that state. Therefore, logically, either this cure truly worked and Kolby took it, or he was always in some state of drunkeness.

"Ah, I fear that you wouldn't have many hearts to comfort, then," he replied with a grin. "For I don't put myself in the same situations that you do -- At least, not intentionally!" The rest of the Knight's words made him look back at the "remedy" once more. Don't taste it... Well, this sounded appetizing... "With the way you make it sound, Kolby, I think I would prefer more alcohol."

When he downed the contents, he didn't taste it... much. What he did taste though made him cringe and feel like spitting it back out. However, he was stronger willed than that, and he managed not to do so. What was in this thing? Eggs?! What else? He remained motionless for a moment afterwards, even after the Prince questioned if he felt different.

"Never felt better!" he exclaimed, though it wasn't the truth. Truthfully, he didn't know how he felt at the moment. Was the remedy working? Did the remedy even work? All he knew was that it had tasted awful. If the remedy truthfully was a real cure for a hangover, it would probably take a few moments to work, at least. With a grin, he held it out for the Prince to take. "You won't believe how well it works!" Prince or no, the man had made him taste it first!