"Alright lock your arms me king, Frann" Don and Frann placed their elbows on the center of the table and locked Don's right hand with Frann's right.
"Go"
Even Ken and Benedict paused their discussion and came to see the match while Elrond stood on the bar counter to get a better view.
It was clear that Don's biceps were smaller than Fran's however as seconds pa.s.sed Don looked calm and cool unlike Frann who's trying his best to force down Don's hand but Don's hand never even moved a bit.
"wen sotz hand's kat ae rock"
(man his hand's like a rock)
Seeing Don's hand was not moving, a goblin crawled towards the table and poked Don's bicep with his little finger before a dwarf pulled him away.
Frann's bicep looked like two stones in his arm covered by flesh while no one could see Don's biceps as it was covered by his long sleeve shirt, but previously his long-sleeved seemed a little loose and now it was stretched by Don's muscles.
"Let's finish it shall we?" Don calmly said and started to push down Frann's arm little by little.
"Oh come on you clearly have more muscles than him, push him down" Amaryll shouted at Frann from the crowd.
Amaryll's shout didn't help Frann as his arm got closer and closer to the table.
"You put up a good fight" as he said Don pushed down Frann's arm as the coins and the drinks on the tables went up and down due to the force of Frann's hand hitting the table.
The crowd went crazy when Frann's hand hit the tables, the dwarves jumped up and down in joy as although the elves didn't celebrate like dwarves, they were drinking and booing Frann and his supporters.
"Me king ye be stronger than we thought" Don saw Stodemar standing among the dwarves with Arwen and his group.
"Toast for our king " Stodemar raised his mug toasted to Don and everyone in the tavern did the same with cheering and roaring in joy.
"Keep this" while everyone was celebrating Don threw a gold coin to Frann and said. Catching the coin, Frann's eyes almost jumped out of his sockets in surprise but he quickly controlled his excitement and thanked Don with a deep bow.
Seeing Don giving out a gold coin to Frann everyone got excited.
"Me king, can I challenge ye ta a match?" Stodemar pushed away Frann and asked Don and behind Stodemar, there were many dwarves lining up to challenge Don in case he accepted.
Don knew what was motivating these people to challenge him
"Beat me you'll get double the amount Frann got, lose you'll get nothing"
The moment Don said this, the excitement on the dwarves' faces disappeared, however Stodemar didn't back away as he nodded and placed his elbow on the table before Don.
"Lock your arms" Don and Stodemar locked their arms and the tavern went back from shouting and roaring to deathly silence again just like before when Don was challenged by Frann.
"Come on, Don" Arrora cheered for Don while drinking the last of her ale from the mug. The tray Arrora brought now had many empty mugs but she still asked for refills while watching the match.
Unlike before the match between Don and Stodemar ended up very quickly when Don easily pushed down Stodemar's arms
"Me king, let's do best o' three" Stodemar couldn't believe that he was beaten in mere seconds and asked for a rematch.
"Don't you have any shame" someone from the crowd shouted at Stodemar as everyone started to laugh again.
"Your majesty, I'll challenge you next" one by one people in the tavern decided to challenge Don and one by one kept losing. Every time Don beat someone Arrora would shout to cheer and finish the ale in one gulp.
During the matches surprisingly Don was challenged by goblins which made everyone laugh till their stomach aches. Don didn't know what motivated the little goblins to do this or what were they thinking but he still gave them a chance. Don couldn't lock his arm with goblins's little hand so he just used his pointing finger to push down the challenger goblin's arm.
As far as Don concerned it was a good opportunity to get to know the people in Everlight and bond with them. After beating many people inside the tavern Don left the table while others continued the game.
While walking away Don could see Arrora walking unsteadily due to the obvious hangover.
"Sorry" Arrora tripped but she was able to grab Don's shoulder and steady herself without falling. Don sighed and helped her to find the chair and sit.
"I think I had too much of this" Arrora said, pointing at the empty mug in her hand.
"You think?"
Hearing Don, Arrora laughed and looked kinda funny to Don, unlike the calm and cool person she was before drinking all this ale.
"Why you don't drink?"
Don realized Arrora turned on her talk freely mode in hangover
"At first you take the drink then the drink takes you," Don said and signaled at the waitress to bring him a lemon and hot water as the waitress giggled and went back to get the remedy.
"I don't understand" Arrora scratched her head in confusion
"Yes, now in your condition you won't"
"Did you order me another drink? You are indeed not as cold as you look" Arrora grabbed the lemon water thinking as ale and started to gulp before coughing up
"Yuck, what the heck is this?" she frowned and looked into the mug to find two halves of lemon floating in her drink
"Just drink it,it'll make you feel better"
"But I feel..." before Arrora could finish what she was going to say, the lemon water lifted from the mug and floated into her mouth by Don.
"It's so bitter" Arrora coughed and cleared her throat as she said.
"Give me a drink like that too" Arwen shouted at the waitress from across the room sitting near Amaryll.
Except for some demihuman men and dwarves, most of the crowd looked no better than Arrora or even worse due to the hangover. Seeing Amaryll blabbering and making funny faces at Arwen, Don understood why Arwen noticed what Don did to Arrora and asked for the lemon water. Unlike Amaryll and Arrora, Arya's face was down on the table while Benedict tried to get her up to leave the tavern.
Taking a couple of silver coins from his s.p.a.ce ring, Don placed them on the table and stood up to leave the tavern and call it a night.
"I'm leaving, are you coming?"
"Yes, I will follow you wherever you go, your majesty" as she said, she tried to stand up just to fall on her chair again.
Even after drinking the lemon water, she was still in the hangover phase.
Seeing Arrora's condition Don understood he had to take her with him since he didn't want the people in Everlight or the soldiers to see Arrora in this state.
Don took her hand and put it around his neck to support her
"Come on let's go" Don started to head towards the door to leave the tavern while Arrora mumbled something under her breath.
Fortunately, most of the people in the tavern didn't see Don leaving or they were too drunk to notice. Stepping out of the tavern, Don noticed the evening had now become night as the moon and the stars filled the sky with their beautiful light.
The castle looked tall and stunning in the distance and the roads were still packed with women and kids. Don held Arrora tight and slowly took off from the ground to fly towards his castle.
"It's funny, you were carrying me just like this when we first met remember?"
"Yes I remember"
"Even after becoming a great-master, I need you to carry me"
Arrora smiled and said.
"Well, drink like this again I'll throw you in the river "
"I promise I won't drink anymore" Arrora placed her other hand on her chest and vowed.
"Did you love anyone in your other world?"
Don was slightly shocked to hear such a question but he blamed the ale that was making Arrora talk like this.
"I probably forgot everything, so you can tell me"
"Yes " seeing Arrora staring at him expecting his answer, Don decided to answer her
"You did?" Arrora was taken back in surprise and shock by Don's answer.
"Is she?"
"No, she's not dead"
"Why didn't she stop you from leaving?"
Don couldn't fly faster and put an end to her hangover questions but he had a feeling that she would probably throw out on him if he did.
"Because she thought, I'm dead"
"What would you do if you meet her again?"
The second she asked that question Don became silent for a moment
"For her sake, I hope she doesn't see me again" Arrora shut her mouth when she felt a sudden murderous aura from Don and it disappeared in a flash but Arrora was sure she felt the killing intent from Don.
Finally after a long slow flight, Don reached his castle and he flew directly towards Arrora room without being seen by anyone in the castle.
Arrora's room had a single candle lit and windows opened. Through the moonlight and the light from the candle, Don could see the neatly tied room as the room was clean and everything seemed organized. On the corner of the room, Don saw the single bed covered by a clean white bedsheet and walked towards the bed to place her on her bed before leaving.
"Thank you Don" Arrora said after Don put her on her bed, either she was too drunk or too tired Arrora went to sleep the moment Don put her down on her bed.
Seeing the half-elf peacefully sleeping Don took the bedsheet and covered her before leaving.
