It had been rather last minute, but a bit of stray conversation and Jolyon realized that no one was giving Johnny a bachelor party. Now, Johnny seemed of a modern type culture that would be familiar with them, and with a little rooting out of information, some last minute arrangements, he took the honor of hosting such a party on himself.

Having convinced the Drs. Matthews and Ralven to experience the medical facilities in town, Hamish and he set to gathering up the necessary beverages and food for the night as well as notifying the few people he had been able to catch on short notice that knew Johnny. So it was, when he arrived on Johnny?s doorstep with the announcement of a boy?s night out and a few persuasive words, Johnny had joined him in the curricle for the ride down to Rumors Mill.

It was turning out to be a good night for the ride, the conversation hitting on interests of both the men: family, culture, and wondering what the evening might hold. Jolyon laughed as he opened the door to his house, the sounds of others could be heard from inside. "I think they are probably in the kitchen." It was only a guess, but that was where the beer, wine, and food was for the moment and a reasonable place to start.

Johnny followed with a broad grin on his face as he looked around the house. "Doc, ya work miracles. Din' even think'a somethin' like this comin'. Who-all's here?"

As he lead through the foyer to the kitchen. "I got the names from Sianna, so I hope this is right. Ewan Corinsson, Gaerwyn Caisson, your soon to be brother in law Hudson, and Locke..." he paused "DVest...I can't pronounce it."

Ewan jabbed Gaerwyn's ribs with an elbow. "Don't start cousin." He lifted the glass of wine for a drink. Still, he laughed, "I will not have you jeopardizing Johnny's ability to attend his wedding."

In the kitchen and leaning against the counter, Hudson smiled over at Johnny and the entering Jolyon and lifted his own wine glass. "Th' stray has arrived! Dinnae fraitch, lad, we'll make sure ye're tae th' kirk on time."

Jolyon grinned to see that people had found the place without trouble. "We have a variety of things to drink." Motioning to quite a collection of beers, ales, some regional brand names, as well as wines and ciders.

Gaerwyn rubbed at his ribs, but then grinned at the arrival of Johnny, "Welcome to the party, and about time as well. You're down a pint."

Johnny grinned more broadly as he saw the others. "Locke! Bro, glad ta see ya - an' ya too, Hudson, Gaerwyn. Ya have somethin' ready fer me ta drink already, or 'm I 'tendin' t'nigh' too?"

Handing over an opened bottle of Silver Mark, Gaerwyn chuckled, "Would I let that happen to you? No, by thunder."

Locke was nibbling away in the kitchen on a tiny, cold-cut turkey sandwich, seeming not to care about getting his lambskin leather dress gloves dirty. As always, his fashion sense was impeccable: a light blue dress shirt with an odd patterned tie, black dress slacks, and shined patent leather dress shoes. As Johnny and Jolyon arrived, he grinned at the pair. "Evening, mates! This evening finds you faring well, I assume?"

Johnny laughed as he took the bottle and a healthy swig from it. "Tha's th' ticket. Go' hooked on this stuff, lately. Yeah, doin' good - an' wha' abou' y'all?" The last in answer to Locke's question

Pouring himself a glass of wine, Jolyon grinned, "What was this about jeopardizing his ability to get to the wedding?"

"My cousin had a thought of a race up and down the vineyards." Ewan smirked and shook his head. "To what purpose I do not know."

A smile deepened as he looked over to the debate between the cousins. "Tae see th' winner, o' course." Another sip of the wine followed that statement.

"Ah-ha!" Gaerwyn pointed to Hudson. "That is it exactly. Well said."

Locke posed a little in place, as he finished off his sandwich. "Why bother? When we all know it is I who would win." He sent a round of winks around the room, to let them all know he was kidding. No need to start trouble with those he'd just met.

"I suppose making sure all contestants are properly intoxicated first." Another drink taken hid the twist of a smile. Ewan chuckled at Locke's pose and clapped. "The winner!"

In the middle of taking another swallow of beer, Johnny sputtered and tried not to spit out the sip, at the byplay between Ewan, Gaerwyn and then Locke. "Ain' ya s'posed ta le' th' groom win?"

Jolyon nodded, tapped on the counter, "Too true, point of order, groom wins all contests."

Gaerwyn guffawed. "Doesn't mean we'll be making it easy on him, though."

"But where be th' fun and challenge in that, then? And as th' Captain says - 'tis nae reason tae coddle th' lad." Mischief sparkled in black eyes. "We should make him work for th' privilege."

A laugh as Johnny took a lean back against an open stretch of counter. "Y'all are absolutely crazy, ya know tha'? Ain' no reason ta be runnin' up an' down th' vines when there's a perfectly good driveway t'han'."

Gaerwyn went over and set a broad hand on Johnny's shoulder. "It's the challenge of it man. You have to be worthy of your lass." All certain with that smile that he is joking.

"Insanity, ahh...the freedom of it." Jolyon chuckled.

Hudson hid a smile behind another sip of wine and managed to recover a serious expression to nod agreement to Gaerwyn's words. "Aye. After all, I ha'e tae see if ye be worthy o' my sister, dae I nae?"

Johnny looked over at Locke with blonde eyebrows raised. "Ya in on this'n too, bro? 'Cause y'all jus' know I'm goin' ta run every one'a ya inta th' groun'."

Coming in on the round of banter, Jolyon gave a solemn nod and added, "It is customary in many cultures to weigh the worth of the groom by tests of strength and agility."

Locke smirked, as he went to grab his own bottle of Silver Mark pale, opening it swiftly with a nearby bottle opener. He took a taste sip of the beer, frowned, then slipped off his left glove. Eyes shut, and a cold breeze surrounded surrounded him, as the bottle was chilled. He shot his best blank look Johnny's way. "I can neither confirm or deny that, mate."

After another swig of beer, he shook his head sadly. "Sad day when I hav'ta run a group'a grown men inta exhaustion. Doc, ya go' a field tha' ain' goin' ta be hurt by th' runnin'?"

A scratch at his brow, "Well, the captain's suggestion of the vineyards would be the best. Clean lanes seen to each day."

Ewan looked soberly over the men gathered. "If this is going to happen, I will take a look at the lanes to be sure of their safety." He took it rather solemnly to make sure Sianna's new husband was in one piece. "At least Johnny's lane."

"'Tis most like a good idea. Sianna would ha'e murder for us if th' lad broke his leg th' night afore th' wedding." Hudson nodded, but he was smiling again as the challenge looked to go ahead.

"Then," Jolyon smiled, "I should lead the way I suppose." He does, however, pause to see Locke's drink. "Amazing...and convenient on hot days."

Ewan was laughing inside, but the most that revealed was a broad smile as he lifted his hand. "Mark, set, go!"

Off with the mark, Hudson opened up into a pace that was deceptively fast for all that it looked easy - he wasn't holding back against this challenge.

Jolyon gave a push forward and started off. It had been awhile since he had run at University, but he felt the nice stretch of the stride.

Gaerwyn was not a runner by any sense of the word, a man of the sea, he was fit but not particularly fast in the legs. Still, he was running with a grin, knowing full well he was not going to win this one.

Johnny had always relied on his long legs in running, and this was no exception - stretching them out gave him a considerable turn of speed even without full effort.

The ice elf fell into a easy lope as he sprung from the starting line. By no means was he a trained sprinter, but near as he could tell, he was shorter, lighter of build, and younger than the rest of those present. However, he was also wearing dress clothes, so that prevented him from running all out as he might have normally. No need to ruin a perfectly good pair of pants or shirt, after all.

Hudson was smiling a wolf's grin as Johnny and Jolyon caught up to his quick start - and then he opened out a bit more. Raiding cattle did have some uses, it seemed.

Ewan called out to rib his cousin, "And no cheating, Gaerwyn!"

Just when Jolyon thought he was gaining, a glance to his right or left and he would have lost ground again.

Ewan watched, the natural affinity for darkness helping him keep track of the progress as he paced up and down the lines.

Johnny laughed as Hudson sped up and the competition spurred him on to a greater effort as they neared the halfway point and had to negotiate the turn.

Gaerwyn was definitely behind, but the other four seemed to be making a good race of it.

Locke was a competitive soul, though, and at the sight of Hudson starting to pull ahead of him, Johnny, and Jolyon, he turned on the afterburners. Here was where being an elf was an advantage, as short legs started to push him right back into the thick of things.

Neck and neck through the turn and on the start of the way back, Hudson's smile faded into set concentration as the dapper ice-elf pulled ahead - a glimmer of white hair in the moonlight showing the change of position.

Ewan wondered, actually, who would come out in the end, as Locke seemed to be turning on some speed.

Johnny wasn't laughing anymore, since the finish line was coming up and he was now trailing behind both Locke and Hudson - and air was really a better thing than laughter when a person wanted to sprint all out.

In preparation for the crossing of the line, Ewan raised his hand again.

Jolyon was starting to lag farther behind, and in that realized he should probably do more running, less riding or walking, around the countryside.

All out wasn't enough against Hudson, however, and if he couldn't quite catch the ice-elf, he certainly wasn't going to let Johnny think that things were all over yet. The bit he had held in reserve for the ending came to play now.

Locke's tie flapped with each footstep he took, and even though he had intended to take it easy when he started, that killer instinct had soon kicked in. He seemed to run almost effortlessly in the moonlight, passing Hudson with what seemed like casual ease. Locke crossed the finish line first, barely panting once the race had concluded. A good spot of exercise, all in all. Hands on his knees, he waited to see how the rest of the competition shook out.

Ewan's hand came down as Locke crossed the line. "And the winner is Locke, who claims the rights to punish his competitors!"

"What?!" Gaerwyn used air to yell out from the back hearing Ewan's announcement.

The blue elf shot an evil grin Ewan's way. "Punish? How so? I am willing to take suggestions..."

Moments behind, Hudson skidded to a halt after crossing the finish line and then bent to take a few deep breaths. "'Tis been tae long saen I've had tae run sae."

Ewan tapped his bottom lip as he thought of appropriate punishments.

Johnny loped up just after and walked a few paces before he looked for that pile of drinks Gaerwyn had brought out. "Was jus' savin' m'strength fer more importan' thin's, tha's all! Good job, Locke."

Jolyon followed in after Johnny and flopped onto the grassy ground.

Gaerwyn tramped his way up and claimed a bottle of the Silver Mark. "What's this about punishments?"

Ewan gave his cousin a smile. "Most definitely the last racer must be punished, particularly since it was his idea."

Upon turning to Locke, Ewan offered, "Make him run again. Twice."

Gaerwyn took up a clump of dirt and flung it as his cousin, knowing full well he would duck and it would miss. That wasn't the point.

Locke chuckled, as Ewan offered up his suggestion. "Mate, that is just cruel and unusual punishment." He grinned devilishly, after a moment's thought. "I would settle for once."

Jolyon rolled over onto his stomach and found a way to get back on his feet as he laughed.

Laughing as he popped open another bottle of Silver Mark as well, Johnny took a swig and then a deep breath. "How abou' we have th' last in do all th' 'tendin' t'nigh', if'n runnin' again's too harsh?"

Ewan's smile could be as fiendish as a devil's. "Both very good suggestions. I say...both. What say you, Locke?"

Straightening with a laugh of his own, Hudson watched as the fate of Gaerwyn was decided for the night.

"Sounds aces to me, mate." Locke winked at Ewan, as Gaerwyn's fate was sealed.

Gaerwyn handed his opened bottle of Silver Mark to Johnny and then on reconsideration to Hudson. "Watch that for me.?

Ewan gave a soft kneeing to his cousin's rump, "Come on, look alive."

Gaerwyn twisted and grumped. "Good thing I like water!"

Hudson chuckled as they neared the pond. "'Tis nae as if it be winter still - will ye let us think th' seafarer fraitches tae a bit'o water, then?"

The pond reflected some of the moonlight, soft ripples of the breeze played on its surface and with the reeds along the far edge. "Here we are!" Jolyon called out.

"Now, where's th' deepes', muddies' bit aroun' here, Doc? An' who wan's th' coun' ta throw?" Johnny looked at the others holding Gaerwyn and grinned.

"Well," Jolyon motioned around to the side, "over there is a good spot if you can get him in about four feet from shore."

"Johnny, you are the groom, you take the count." Ewan suggested. Gaerwyn was letting his head loll back, accepting his fate, and even laughing now, because the carrying had let him get his wind back.

"Think we can manage four fee'." Johnny nodded, and then started the swing and the count going. "On three... an' one, an' two, an' three!" Ewan let go on the count. Locke followed Hudson's lead as he swung the portion of Gaerwyn's body that he was holding on to, letting go once Johnny finished his counting. Gaerwyn went sailing through the air, arms and legs flailing for no reason but to do so, and up went the great splash as he went down.

Releasing on the count of three with the others, Hudson laughed as Gaerwyn went at least the necessary four feet and landed with a mighty splash. "And a well done job!" Jolyon clapped and cheered for the show. Locke wiped his hands clean once he was done. Ewan gave a nod of satisfaction. Gaerwyn came up sputtering, wiping his face and then whacked at the water to send a mighty spray onto the shore.

With a grin, Johnny wiped his hands on his jeans and watched Gaerwyn as he struggled up - and then the splash hit and he jumped back not quite in time to avoid the spray. Jolyon blinked as some droplets hit his eyes, moved to shore to kick water back at Gaerwyn. Locke was able to get out of the way of the brunt of the splash with a deft back flip, but the ice elf's clothes still bore drops of water from Gaerwyn's watery assault.

Getting splashed again, Gaerwyn sent another volley of water at Jolyon as he trudged his way out of the pond. "So, am I also still serving all night?? If so, who needs a drink?" Answering his own question, with a hand up, "I do!"

Ignoring the splash of water as it landed, Hudson clapped at the nimble back flip Locke had used to get out of the way. "A tumbler, nae less! Nae wonder ye took th' race sae easily. And aye, another drink would be grand!" The last of course called in answer to Gaerwyn's question.

"Grand, grand..."he grinned. "I feel rather refreshed," he mocked his appearance as he went to gather up a bottle for Hudson and for himself. Ewan followed along behind, laughing in a low voice.

"Another fer me while yer over there, bro!" Johnny called over as he looked back at where his bottle had fallen when they ambushed Gaerwyn, and followed the others back in that direction.

Jolyon found Locke all the more interesting. "Is that a common trait, the umm...tumbling of your people?" Shame having an archaeologist along. Of course, interesting in a cultural sense.

Another bottle picked up, Gaerwyn tossed it Johnny's way. "We may need to head back to the house for more provisions."

Hudson's words brought Locke's arms out to his side, like a gymnast finishing his tumbling routine. "TaDa! I am all sorts of talented, mate." His gaze followed Johnny's, once he realized he, too, had dropped a bottle.

Ewan corrected Gaerwyn, "You may need head back to the house, though," he looked around, "don't know what else we might do out here."

"I suppose I too could use a beverage as well," Locke said to Gaerwyn, before turning to Jolyon. "I am, sadly, not as familiar with the specifics of my people as I should be. Though there are certain traits we do share in common."

Catching the bottle, he popped it open and took a drink before tilting his head a bit in thought and then shaking it. "Nah, I'm ou' of ideas fer anythin' else we could do ou' here. Back ta th' house, then?"

"Back to the house. There's an old billiard table in one of the rooms, but I must confess, I know nothing of the game." Ewan did not even know what billiards was, but he picked up what empty bottles he could on the way back to the house.

Hudson was listening with some interest to the conversation between Locke and Jolyon, but at the discussion of moving back to the house he looked over. "Aye, let th' Captain intae sommat dry afore he takes ill, and we can learn th' game. I've heard o' it, but nae played afore."

Jolyon was considering Locke's words on the way back. "Perhaps some time you will allow me to speak with you about those traits. I have something of an interest in different cultures, but I won't bog you down from the party tonight." He laughed and grinned as they arrived back in the house.

Locke followed behind the rest of them, nodding to Jolyon as the man spoke. "You have probably seen most of them already mate, to be perfectly honest." A tug at the skin of his blue cheeks, for emphasis.

"Anyone know how to play?" Gaerwyn asked as he walked in. "And do you have anything dry to spare while my clothes dry out?" The last to Jolyon.

"Ah, well," Jolyon nodded, "I see your point." Then turning at Gaerwyn's question. "Yes, yes, follow me and I will see you to a change of clothes."

"So if'n ya ain' played b'fore, Doc, nor Hudson 'r Ewan 'r Gaerwyn - I can play. Locke, how abou' ya, bro?" Johnny answered thoughtfully as he looked over at the ice-elf.

"The billiard table is in the room down this back hall, last room on the right." Jolyon gave directions for others if they were interested.