20 [Zandali + Translated Text]

[drinkuntilidie]

You know, as shitty as places like this and the boat are, I have really got to hand it to them.

[He pauses as he downs his eighth bottle in a row.]

They definitely know their liquor around here. Seriously, I don't even recognize half these brands. Guess I had better spend some more time getting well acquainted with everything in here.

[Not that

Comments

[audio]

[sacredbrand]

Even for you, this is getting to be a bit much.

[audio]

[drinkuntilidie]

What are you talking about? I haven't even passed out yet.

[audio]

[sacredbrand]

You have such high standards.

[audio]

[drinkuntilidie]

Somebody needs to.

[audio]

[sacredbrand]

Are you saying that what you're doing to yourself is a necessity?

[audio]

[drinkuntilidie]

When hasn't it been?

[Remember those withdrawals he went through Nel? They weren't fun.]

[audio]

[sacredbrand]

[She remembers. Those were the days she would have intervened sooner.]

I wonder if Talia agrees.

[audio]

[drinkuntilidie]

[Hey now don't go dragging the wife into this.]

Haven't heard any complaints from her about it.

[audio]

[sacredbrand]

[Nel is willing to wager that Talia couldn't be dragged anywhere.]

I also wonder if you ever thought to ask.

[audio]

[drinkuntilidie]

If she had a problem with it I think she would have told me by now.

[Audio] /jacks

[thequeensown]

[Talia's voice is soft, and thought not angry in the slightest, it does sound a bit resigned.]

I cannot say that I have ever particularly had a problem with your drinking, my love. You are not violent when you drink, or else this would be a non-issue. [She would have personally nipped that shit in the bud a LONG time ago if this were the case. One alcoholic in her family had been more than enough to deal with and had left her terrified as a child.]

However, I am afraid that I must side with Nel on this. You did not want to become sober on the Shore, and I doubt any did, truly, but there was no choice. However, had you had the chance to fully recover from your withdrawals before we came here I think you might have been better for it.

I do not think you should have to rely on alcohol to see yourself through the day... That you think it a necessity should speak enough that it is time that we consider breaking the habit.

[Audio]

[drinkuntilidie]

I...wait what?

[This has absolutely floored the troll.]

I been drinkin' since I was a little mon. [Sadly this is no exaggeration. His father introduced him to alcohol very early on in his life. In fact, he doesn't even seem to be aware that giving children alcohol might be considered a bad idea.]

It ain't evah been a problem in da past.

[Kevas isn't sure how to handle this situation. For as long as he's known either of them, they haven't said a thing about his drinking. They've seen him go through withdrawal. How could they possibly want him to go through that again?]

[Audio]

[sacredbrand]

[Nel has voiced the occasional comment, but she knows she can't nanny him 24/7 and expect him to thank her for it. As for going through withdrawal-- it's sure as fuck cliche, but no pain, no gain is apt as it ever was.]

Yes, it has. I worry. I can tell your wife is worried, though I do not know her well.

Saying this may be out of line, but I don't care; your father should have known better. Children should not be fed liquor, and he was wrong to give it to you when you were so young. You cannot function without it.

[Audio]

[thequeensown]

[Talia nods to herself, feeling badly about teaming up on Kevas in this way, but knowing that enough is enough.]

Kevas, I love you and that will never change, but I do not think it was in your own best interest that your father was thinking when he began bottle feeding you alcohol. It started a dependency that you don't even consider a bad thing, and that is one of the worst things about this entire issue.

No, your withdrawals were not enjoyable to you, but I could say the same. But even helping you through a second round of withdrawals would be better then watching you drink yourself to death.

[Hey, hey Kevas... If Talia goes through your withdrawals, what do you think she deals with every time you get drunk? :|a]

[Audio]

[drinkuntilidie]

[Suddenly he feels like he's being backed into a corner, and by two of the people he cares about most. Needless to say that he doesn't like this one bit, nor does he like any shots taken at his father.]

I won't evah say dat my faddah be a puhfect mon but he raised me, cared fuh me, and kept me from bein' an orphan wid no family. Do not disrespect dat mon.

[Even after everything that his father put him through, Kevas still loves and defends the dwarf. Brainwashed much? But that's a problem for a different time.]

Talia joo said it joorself, I ain't be gettin' violent and I don't hurt anymon. So what be da problem? As long as I be havin' sometin' to drink I be fucntionin' just fine.

[Well Kevas imagines she'd feel as awesome as he did. :|]

[Audio]

[sacredbrand]

[She spares a thought to recall the lesson learned aboard the MS Elegante, that good intentions did not justify manipulating the people close to her. The part of her that values such advice, given by a man (a friend and almost more) who didn't exist, is almost completely deadened. The twinge of shame is gone before it registers.]

There will be a day you no longer have access to this vice. You will be made to survive without it, and perhaps you'll be put into a situation where the lives of others depend on your ability to stand tall and think clearly.

And you won't be able to.

You endanger yourself by clinging to this addiction, and you endanger the people who care about you.

[She goes in for the kill.] Kevas, I've never had a conversation with you where you hadn't had a drink or were in the stages of withdrawal. I have no way to tell if I've ever known you at all.