Wine With Women

You follow right behind Ashe and Karisi as they make their way towards the kitchen of the castle. You don't really pay much attention to the two of them as they are continually talking among themselves. It appears they are both still a little bit on edge and angry at one another but they are at least keeping it civil for the time being.

As you make it to the kitchens and have a seat next to your ladies and immediately a housekeeper comes out with three chalices and a giant vase of wine. She lays them out before the three of you and then takes the vase and pours the wine into all the chalices. Once they are topped off, she sets the vase back down, says her compliments and heads away.

You suspect because Ashe and yourself will be leaving for war after tomorrow night that she didn't want to stay angry with Karisi for the time being. Sure, she was extremely pissed off when she initially learned Karisi lied to her constantly, but you imagine Ashe can be a bigger woman, hold those thoughts back and maybe down the road, after the war, she will rehash those issues.

Speaking of war, you decide there is one more thing you need to let your Queen and High Commander know because this directly effects both of them as well, "So, both of you, I have something else I need to tell you."

"Oh no." Ashe grumbles out, "Please tell me it's good news this time?"

"And please tell me it's not another thing I did..." Karisi groans out, taking her chalice up to her lips and taking a hefty drink, "Or do, because may as well get all the shit out in the open."

"Is there even more I should know about?" Ashe questions the Queen, "Please tell me there isn't anything else..."

"Oh, Karisi has done a lot of bad shit!" you laugh, "I'm sure the list is never ending and if you want her to talk about it we'll be here for weeks."

"Screw off!" Karisi snarls back, taking another drink of her wine to steady her bodies anger but to also prepare herself for what you may be saying.

"Anyway, it's about the war." you take a hefty drink as well and set the chalice back, "In regards to Zoe."

"Zoe?" Ashe raises an eyebrow, "What's up with her?"

"She's not coming." you tell Ashe, "She's staying here in the Syndicate, with Lexie and with you, Karisi."

"W-What? Why? Zoe has been training non-stop for the longest time, this is something she desperately wants to do?"

"She's no longer a Sunrider either, nor a High Commander."

"You're joking?" Ashe retorts, "Why? What happened?"

You share the story between Ashe and Karisi about what happened with Zoe, the journey to Loner's Reach and the issues she was having with Snuff. You allow them to ask any questions they have and do your best to answer them but in the end, you tell them you gave Zoe an order, told her not to continue with abusing the drug but she kept lying to you so you had to put your foot down.

"I've seen that drug do terrible things..." Karisi replies, "It's made me do a few things I wasn't very proud of..." her voice trails off.

"Y-You did Snuff?" you ask, slightly curious now.

"A few times in my younger years." she shrugs, "When you get rich and powerful you go to a lot of parties or invite many people over, you remember all the get togethers I had at my place in Rathkin, yes Darien?" she asks which you nod, "I've dallied it in before here or there, it can definitely be an addicting substance so I can see why Zoe was having problems, she is very young and quite inexperienced, I could see how she'd fall down that hole."

"You know I've done my fair share of drugs!" Ashe smiles, looking at you and remembering, well recalling as much as she can of the night in the Murnic Bath House, "But the worst of the worst stuff, I never care to do. I like to have fun, you know that, but I've heard stories of Snuff and have seen many Sunriders fall to it's power."

It was weird because you knew people from Sicilian did Snuff but you never really paid much attention to it because you only assumed it was random drugs but now, every time you heard of somebody doing a drug, you could only think of Snuff and how much you wanted to get rid of that entire drug in the Syndicate.

"So how did Zoe take it?" Ashe purses her lips, looking somewhat sad, "She doing okay?"

"She doesn't really like me very much right now." you reply, immediately taking down the rest of your chalice and reaching forward to get the vase to top it off again, "Like, really really doesn't like me."

"Well, if she needs any help, I'll do what I can." Karisi nods, letting you know she's there to help, "It's what friends are for eh?"

"What?!" Ashe looks shocked, staring at the Queen, "Who are you and what did you do with Queen Karisi?" her mouth drops open, feigning shock, "You...caring about somebody other than yourself?!" With a giant laugh from your belly and a roll of the eyes from Karisi, Ashe continues her teasing assault, "I'm actually concerned for Karisi, are you sick? Not feeling well? Are you actually looking out for a friend of ours?"

"Okay, okay Ashe!" Karisi shakes her head back and forth, downing some more of her drink, "I get it, ha ha ha." she sarcastically laughs. "Plus come on, you know secretly I'm just thinking how this benefits me. Help Zoe, earn your trust only to stab you in the back at a later date?" she shrugs playfully causing Ashe to roll her eyes this time.

The three of you go back and forth for quite awhile, enjoying the company of one another and also, drinking wine, lots and lots of wine. By the time the third vase is empty, Ashe and Karisi are both pretty much out of it and you're definitely feeling quite great yourself.

"So you threw him in the fucking Pit?!" Ashe stares at you, her body wobbling slightly, "Alive?!"

"Oh you should have seen Darien!" Karisi recalls the night, "That was, honest to God, the scariest day of my life. I thought I was going in next...holy shit I was a disaster after that!" Karisi replies.

"No way, no way would he ever throw a pretty girl like you into The Pit." Ashe flirts a bit with the Queen, "Charming blue eyes, gorgeous body features, powerful women. That'd be such a waste!"

"Oh my God, he was in his armor too. He played it all off that we were just going to take a walk." Karisi sips down her drink some more, "I wasn't expecting it at all, he was very convincing and then...holy shit when he pulled me towards The Pit and I saw Hawk just hanging there!"

"You were so pissed off." you laugh, recalling how angry Karisi got with you, "It wasn't until I showed you that coin from Loner's Reach that your face went completely pale." you continue to chuckle out loud, "Holy shit the look in your face when you realized I knew you were lying."

"Still though, dropping Hawk? Did you have to? He was such a good looking, well trained guy..." Ashe trails off, thinking about the crush she had on him, "I mean...you could have just given him a warning."

"Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda, didn't." you stick your tongue out at the red head, "There's a lot of things I should do, but whatever, gotta put my foot down every once in awhile, show you broads who's actually in charge here." you say with a cocky grin.

More wine, more laughing and more jokes were going around the table as the three of you were continually getting more and more intoxicated. The next thing that got said though, was what really caught you off guard.

"Hot springs!" the words roll off Karisi's lips, "I've never gone swimming in the hot springs in the mountain! We should go!" her somewhat drunken words slurred with excitement.

"You know the place will be crowded yeah?" Ashe fills the Queen in, "Before war ya know, tonight and tomorrow night it's probably just going to be one massive orgy down there." she laughs a few times.

"So?" Karisi replies, pushing herself up from the table, "You guys are leaving for war, my friends!" she holds the chalice up high as she wobbles in her step, "Let's enjoy it as it could very well be our last!"

What she said was true, as sad as it could be there was potential that you or Ashe wouldn't make it back to the Syndicate. You could tell Queen Karisi was a little more intoxicated then you think you've ever seen her before so you didn't know if you should take advantage of that situation or not.

"Or!" Karisi mentions, "I hear you have a private one in your chambers!" her head turns towards you and gives you a ear to ear smile, "Maybe that would be a better idea! Grab some food on the way, get some more wine and see where the night brings us?!"

"I like that idea!!!" Ashe exclaims out, "Don't get me wrong, going to the public hot springs is great but a private showing, with the Queen and Darien and potentially anyone else that wants to join..." Ashe bites her lower lip and stands up too, "Darien, Darien, come on!" she asks.

It was most likely close to dinner time, so grabbing some food on the way down and chilling in your personal hot spring in your chambers with Ashe and Karisi did sound awfully nice. Plus, the wine was flowing pretty hard through your veins so at this point, almost any idea would good. The only problem was if Lexie and Zoe are still in your chambers talking, you couldn't bring yourself to kick them out or ruin their moment together.

"Well?" Ashe finishes off her wine, "We going to your chambers or...?" her arms fold across her chest as she gives you a flirtatious smirk.

"Yeah, Darien? It'll be my first time, you can't deny me that!" Karisi butts in as well, egging you on, "I'm your Queen, you can't defy my orders!" she teases.

"Okay okay!" you throw your hands up in the air causing squeals from both the girls, "We can go BUT!" you exclaim out, "If Lexie and Zoe are there still talking, we're leaving because I won't kick them out." you tell both the somewhat intoxicated girls, "Alright, let's go!" you wave them on.