We finally stopped complaining as we were getting used to the throbbing in our heads. "I think I know how they ‘helped’ with the punch, Katy." I groaned as we walked.
"Really?" Katy asked, "Do you think they might’ve spiked it?"
"How did you know?" I asked groggily, "I thought I was being smart…"
It didn’t take us long after that to deduce that if we just didn’t say anything our ears were fine except for that buzzing in the background… And since that’s usually there anyway, and it was only amplified somewhat right now, it wasn’t that bad, we walked down the halls in silence. We were headed towards the dining hall once again since we had finally learned where it was; why, exactly, we were heading someplace that would probably be full of people—er, elves, gabbing loudly, I don’t know, but we were. Who said we’re smart during a hangover? Whoever it is must’ve lied.
It hadn’t been long when we passed a group of five elves talking together near the wall. When they noticed us they all stopped talking and I’m sure I heard some snickering. This wasn’t really all that unusual for this morning, as we had already passed two or three elves that had also behaved this way, but it was starting to get on my nerves. The least they could do was tell us what was so funny and get it over with, right?
"What?" I finally asked. I had actually waited so long to ask them that we were already passed and I had turned around abruptly (not a good idea as my head swam for a moment afterwards) to ask them.
They looked at each other as if wondering who among them was brave enough to tell us. Finally—they must have remembered that I like swords and might have skewered them if they didn’t tell me—one of them spoke up, "You are the young ladies who were with the Halflings last night, correct?" He asked (I was starting to be able to tell the two genders apart and was pretty sure it was a he).
"I think so," I said, "why?"
"You do not remember what you did?" He asked—a regular Sherlock Holmes—and proceeded in telling me the story…
**Flashback**
"Hey, Pip!" Merry slurred, "I’ll bets I can drink more punch than you can!"
"I accept!" Pippin declared then added, "Both of you!"
"I think you two have had enough punch." Stacey told the hobbits, I think she was the only one still sober enough to think above a second grade level.
"Yeah." I agreed, "You’ve had pelentely, leave some for us!" With that I got up to get another cup.
"Why don’t we just play a quiet game instead?" Stacey suggested pulling me back down.
That was a mistake, "A game…" I said, thinking… Or at least my expression resembled that of thought, "Yes, a nice, quiet, little game!" I agreed.
"Yeah." Stacey was agreeing, then she noticed that Katy, Merry, Pippin and I were all walking out through one of the doorways. You’d think she’d catch up with us right away as we weren’t really walking at all, more like staggering.
We were soon lost and Stacey couldn’t find us anywhere as we weren’t heading in any predictable direction and all to give away our position was the occasional *thud* of one of us walking right into a wall or our attempt at stifling laughter at the plan.
We found our way back to the exact same door we had just left and I declared it was the ‘perfectest’ location for our plan. We proceeded to dig; we had brought our spoons with us from the table for just this purpose. We sat—or collapsed, depending on your definition—on the floor and started ‘digging,’ attempting to break through the marble.
"Dig faster!" I said, "They might notice us!"
"You know what this reminds me of?" Katy asked.
"What? What?" the drunk hobbits inquired enthusiastically.
"It reminds me of the people on TV who dig out of their cells with spoons!" Katy said and burst out laughing. Then I laughed finding the pathetic attempt of a joke (at least the possibility that it was meant as a joke) hilarious. The hobbits joined in too, even though they didn’t understand any of it.
I regained myself and told the others through stifled mirth, "Quiet! They’ll hear us!" We all started calming down and shh-ed each other causing more stifled outbreaks of laughter.
By this time there wasn’t an elf, man, or other in the whole palace who hadn’t noticed us. Finally Stacey came back into the hall and looked down at us, "What are you doing?" She asked.
"We’re digging a pit." Pippin told her.
"Through marble?" She asked skeptically.
"Yup." Merry answered.
"Why?" Stacey questioned again.
"We’re gonna catch Legolas." Katy informed her.
"Legolas isn’t here yet, Katy." I told her.
"Oh, yeah." Katy said, "Then who were we gonna catch?"
"Elrond!" I said, "we can hold a randsome."
Just then Aragorn walked up to see what we were doing, "What are you doing?" He asked.
"We’re digging a pit." Pippin told him.
"We’re gonna catch Elrond." Katy informed him.
Aragorn cocked an eyebrow, digging through marble to catch Elrond… Right.
"Shhh!" I scolded Katy, "Not supposed to tell him that!" I turned to look at Aragorn although my eyes were having quite a time attempting to focus on his face, "Elrond go away, it’s not done yet." I told him.
"I’m not—" Aragorn began but I cut him off.
"Away!" I repeated and turned back to my digging. Several others asked us what we were doing also and I got tired of them interrupting, and finally announced loudly: "Everyone, listen up! We’re digging a pit over here to catch Elrond in! So don’t anybody tell him!" I went back to my ‘digging,’ not even noticing the raven haired elf who had just walked up.
"Going to catch who?" He asked.
"Elrond." I told him, "Now go away or grab a spoon Aragorn."
**End Flashback**
The elves were laughing too hard by now to finish the story. After many irritated questions from me and Katy, all we were able to get out was that Elrond was not very happy at being mistaken for his foster son.