Korant denies

Korant looked at me and shook his head.

“No, my prince,” he replied in his usual gruff voice, “I’ll keep watch here. This is an unknown land, I’d rather retain my sobriety.”

I nodded in understanding. He was loyal to a fault, but it really felt like him joining us could really bring this group together. The dwarves seemed to treat drinking as a rite of passage. You didn’t drink, you didn’t get to be treated as part of them.

Sighing, I turned back to the dwarves and their tales of legendary battles and treasures. I was actually starting to enjoy their company! Still, I did my best to fit in. Tankard after tankard, I tried to keep up with their drinking pace, but fuck me... they drank a lot! Were I more sober, I probably would have noticed the frustrated stares coming from the barwenches.

The dwarves noticed the barwenches, but for a... different reason. Every time they brought a round of ale over, a dwarf would pinch their ass or run a hand up their thighs accidentally. Finally, the innkeeper couldn’t take it any longer.

“No more ale for you! Go upstairs, you pigs, and sleep it off. You’re lucky you’re diplomats or I’d report you to the town guard!”

The dwarves just found it extremely funny though they did comply.