Masks

   This breakfast had been every bit as good as the wedding feast of Kafei and Anju. Just towards the end everything eased up a bit and also Romani had once more squeezed herself at Link’s side and at each opportunity tried to get closer to him. This time he had been fed up. After repeated overtures he had, to almost general amusement, utterly sat himself onto Kafei’s lap and eaten on from there. After first mistrust even Zelda had remembered what Link had told her about the wedding feast. After Romani had moaned at him why he was just so hostile to her, he had to tell her that he was taken. Though he hadn’t said by whom, but several times repeating the word `taken´ somewhen finally managed to make her give up hope for now and leave him in peace.

 

   The rest of the day went rather hectic. Anju and Kafei attended to their duties. The lunch was a coming and going. After it the Mayor-couple only showed up again; Kafei in his workaday-dressing and makeup-free; at a way too short dinner, during which Anju’s sister turned up and they both, with the dragon, who hours before almost had to be saved from the princess, had taken the flight without further ado. During the cooking Zelda had flipped another time and had thrown an empty pan at Anidja when she had cursed Kafei worse than ever. Link somehow was glad that it had been Zelda’s pan and not the kitchen knife in his hand, as that one would have hit the target. Link only assumed that their sudden leaving of the dining room had something to do with the sabres mentioned by Zelda and their costumes.

   Cremia and Romani, who had helped in the Inn the whole day long, followed the other three women. Without frittering away much time, Kafei’s children dived headlong into the festival buzzle and left the three men behind with Zelda and the – senior circle. Zelda had tried to get closer to Link all over the day. But to her misfortune he had assisted as well like she and the milksisters and had always exactly in these moments been assigned to any kind of work and so enticed away from her.

   With time he noticed that especially Dotour had grown a fond for abusing him for any kind of trivial tasks. To Link’s amazement the former-mayor-couple had tried to make themselves useful everywhere. Anidja had played sergeant and had commanded Rim about, much to Cremia’s displeasure. He however had just put up with all. By now Link also knew that Malon had actually been the cousin to Romani and Cremia. Their mothers had been twinsisters. In the meantime Cremia, who had also known Malon, had finally more or less gotten over a fact that she couldn’t really believe Link. Also for him it was still quite difficult to believe that the rescue of Termina had changed the course of history so much.

   By the clash of the moon some subterraneous lava flows had been changed in direction and thereby the earthquake had been prevented, which thanks to the avoidance of the crash had broken out and therefore had also killed Malon and Talon – at least the theory with the lava flows was that of the Gorons and Zelda’s. As he hadn’t heard any more plausible explanations for the earthquake, he took this one and also spread it betimes. Fact was anyway, that the change of the past back then had modified the whole future. Though he bemoaned deeply that so many had to die, so it did now those Hyrule die and not as primarily those in Termina. There had always only been the choice between dead and dead, with the difference that he now knew some who should have died and some who he had known before, were dead. But Kafei was alive. As ruthless as it might sound towards the dead, it was all that counted for Link at the moment.

 

   So the reduced group sat now by the rest of the dinner and Zelda finally left the room with Rim for changing. Also in the same breath she agreed to beautify Triri. Esra had already dressed up before dinner. Solely her mask she hadn’t let be seen so far. Dotour followed Zelda out with the excuses of still wanting to masquerade and throwing the girls-clique out of the bathroom. Esra didn’t want to miss that fun.

   Remaining were just the twosome manqué and some guests. Suddenly the door went open and interupted the silence of the duo. The face of a person appeared whom Link hadnt’ expected at all. In all the chaos he had simply forgotten to get his costume.

 

   “There ya are! What was on there?”, sang Ora, who was only to be recognised when she lifted her mask – Link found that she looked like a mixture of a fairy, Horror Kid and a warrior.

   “I’m so sorry.”, moaned Link and stood up, Kafei giggling on his heels. „I totally forgot about that.”

   “Move on! Ydin’s out there. She’d pack’d all in a trolley an’ covered it, that none sees it.”

 

   Without a another word they followed the designer to in front of the Town Hall. Ydin, herself in a motley watchmen-armour, told them that she had taken the most complicated detour for not having to pass stairs. As she told it with a smile though, Link knew that she wasn’t angry with him. Nevertheless he showered her with apologises, which she dismissed. Together they heaved the pushkart over the staircase to the first floor and laid the armour onto the marriage bed. There Ydin shooed out her employee with the wheelbarrow.

   Before she closed the door, Link didn’t believe his eyes. A horde of wildly giggling Gerudo-women ran past it. Kafei locked and asked Link to give him back his stuff. But instead of telling or even showing him what they were, he just put the two boxes on the bed and began undressing Link. It was a bit embarrassing for him as Ydin was in the room. Therefore he wanted to help him, but Kafei playfully slapped Link’s hands out of the way and kissed him intimately, while he continued undressing him. Link understood it as sign that Ydin knew about them and got more relaxed.

   He had missed these incredibly sensual lips already so much, though it had only been fourteen hours. Kafei stopped the kiss and helped Link with dressing. When he had lashed down the armour, he went to his notorious chest while Link put on the necklace, first crammed his other stuff in the green cap and afterwards his hair beneath the two caps which stuck in each other. Kafei came back with a small case, a cloth and a kind of cream caddy and placed all on his bedside table.

   Link was flabbergasted when his boyfriend opened the sheer superlative vanity case. Ydin had taken the sketch with her and put it next to Kafei on the bed. Link stood as still as he could and watched each of Kafei’s concentrated movements. First he applied a restrained, black accent of the eyes, then subtle highlighted the rest of the distinctive parts of Link’s face with rouge, now followed the coloured outlines for the other makeup. With a brush and some water which he had created magically in a bowl, he filled the spaces and at last blured the colour with his fingers. Link enjoyed the warm strokes to the last.

   Last should be another kiss, before Kafei rubbed in the visible hair with the substance in the caddy and brushed them out after a short drying time. Then he girt the sword and nodded. Just now he let Link step in front of the cheval mirror.

 

   “Have we forgotten something?” Ydin just asked, but Link shook his head, at which he noticed how soft his hair fell nevertheless.

   “My eyes were completely white. But I don’t want to frighten anyone to death. If it’s even – ”

   “Really? Because I,”, Kafei picked a little flask and shook it playfully.

   “What the – do you actually have some liquid that could – ”

   “Yes. But I’m not sure how well your eyes would take it, or how long it would last. I’m a Sheikah, after all. They might – ”

   “No, thank you. I’d rather not go blind.”

   “There’d be fairies, you know. But I can understand – ”

   “For what reason would you want your eyes turn entirely white?”, Link moaned.

   “Um – Carnival?”, Kafei giggled.

   “Yes, he did.”, confirmed Ydin. “And it looked incredible.”

   “Ah – yes. But thank you.”, Kafei dropped the flask back in. “I think – I was also much taller, but as I’m not that sure, it doesn’t matter. I thank you with all my heart.”, smiled Link and gave Kafei a kiss on the cheek. “And don’t look at me like that just because I’m not really ready for all of your experiments. So. Will you show me your costume now?”

   “No.”, grinned Kafei and fumbled underneath his hair. “Can you keep that one safe for me?”, he pulled out the pendant with the blue stone from under his shirt and gave it to Link.

   “Er – yes. Sure.”, considered the latter and took it.

   “Thanks. And now out with you. You’ll see it soon enough.”

   “You throw me out or what?”

   “Yes. It is my room, my house, my town and you’re mine too. I throw you to wherever I want. And don’t you consider waiting for me.”

   “Yeah, yeah. I’m gone already.”, chuckled Link and Ydin let him out of the room, before she locked the door again behind him.

 

   Was this believable? Sighing he stared at the pendant for a moment, but then put it under his caps nevertheless, went down and found the entrance hall quite crowded. Ora stood behind Triri’s wheelchair. The old lady wore her most beautiful dress, a dream in orange-gold, probably a relic of old days. Her mask fitted in terms of colour and shapes. Esra’s blue and red pomp had been a feast for the eyes earlier already, but now she had found an addition in shawls, ribbons and an utopian bird mask. Kafei’s children could have been Ora’s children, whereas Tatl stood a bit out of the row with her Keaton-Mask.

   Rim’s wide, black-violett robe let him look like a mage. Also his face was covered with a fitting mask. Zelda’s pink dress was simple in style but still quite provocative and insanely iridescent. Of course she couldn’t do without jewellery. Her feminine half-mask was decorated with feathers.

   A Zora with pompous jewellery on ankles, wrists and forehead as well as the five fully armoured Gerudos stood by too. What was strange though, the women didn’t exactly have the hair colour of Gerudos and also blue eyes. Their ears were everything else than typical for Gerudos and compared to all Gerudos Link had seen so far, they were extremely pale. One of them stuck out especially, as her body measures were quite unusual for the warlikely tribe. Anidja’s costume was green, her daughters orange and violet, Cremia white and Romani bright red – not only her clothing but also what was to be seen of her face above her veil.

   Suddenly Zelda stormed towards him. She had her hands already at the height of his face, but he could catch them in time and direct them onto his armour.

 

   “Don’t touch.”

   “What?”

   “It’s – ”, he squeezed his eyes. “It’s just colour.”

   “Colour?”

   “I’m sorry. No, this all is not real. But if you imagine my eyes completely white, I would have looked exactly like this.”

   “What now?”

   “I idiot haven’t thought of the fact that the mask doesn’t work here.”

   “But – but how then have you – ”

   “That was the reason why I always disappeared. Ora and Ydin have saved my life. Kafei even more. He hasn’t only introduced me to the best artists in the world but has proven himself as one. The makeup is just perfect, isnt’ it? And the best, the blacksmith has made a contribution. Step back a bit.”, he pulled his new sword, what amazed them all. “This is by far the most beautiful sword I’ve ever seen. Also the blade is almost, if not exactly as sharp as the original.W

   “Are these – I know these materials – ”, breathed Zelda. “They are from Ikana! Out of the mountains of the Hinterlands, near Ordon! The mines already border on the forests in the south of Hyrule. The lightest and hardest metals in the world. Only a smith of the Sheikah could have created such a weapon.”

   “Well – he’s none though, but he had learned from one.”, Zelda nodded.

   “But it is not tempered.”

   “Not?”

   “No.”, she cautiously moved her hand over the flat side. “No. A masterpiece, but it will not make it long.”

   “Thought so. A hundred hits until it starts cracking?”

   “Yes. For sure not more. In this case the tempering would need two whole days.”

   “Then it’s quite clear why he had it done so fast.”, sighed Link and carefully put it back.

   “If you stay longer, you could let it be tempered with Saszir Dust. But it’s even more rare than Gold Dust and I have no idea where to get it.”, said the Zora and Link didn’t believe his ears.

   “Dotour?”, he faltered.

   “What did you think, who I am?”, he laughed.

   “Your eyes – ”, they were entirely purple and shadowed to look almost exactly like a real Zora’s eyes.

   “Yes, what about them?”, Dotour grinned.

   “So it’s not dangerous?”

   “I already assumed that Kafei might have tried.”

   “Yes, he had. But – ”

   “I understand your concern. Never has a Hylian tried this.”

   “But you’re looking so real! How – ”

   “A gorgeous costume, isn’t it?”, he shortly pulled the fabric on his belly, which went back into shape immediately. “And – from someone my son must have learnt doing makeup. Unfortunately the beard had to die.”

   “Oh yes – where actually is my husband?”, came it from the orange Gerudo and Link was glad that this one thing was at least sorted out for tonight.

   “He’s still up there. Ydin is with him and helps him with his costume.”

   “What is it? What is it?”, sang Romani energetic.

   “I haven’t got the slightest clue. He’s thrown me out.”

   “What?”, several laughed.

   “Yes. What do I know what it is that he makes such a secret of it. Anyway, he asked me not to wait for him by any means. So I suppose he’s not interested in any of you seeing it before he consideres it necessary.”

   “This stubbornness he’s got from his mother.”, sighed Dotour. “We should join the fray.”

 

   A fray it was, indeed. If here were already so many people, how would it look like at midnight in the Southquarter? Kafei hadn’t lied about the Gorman-Troup. From the Southquarter echoed happy dance music. Also at the Eastsquare dancers and fire artists made their performances to the music of a way too familiar man’s phonograph. All people wore partly lavish costumes and masks. Link somehow was ashamed for not being masked that much but nevertheless he was proud of his spontaneous dressing.

   As they went past the Milkbar, the door was being opened and a gaggle stormed in. Link heard a familiar style of music and recognised Lulu’s voice. Immediately he followed the group into the totally crammed bar. The others managed to go after him too, but not without difficulties. Inside it got quite cramped because of this. They could go a bit downstairs though, where they had a better view at the band. Mr. Barten had engaged three waiters that whipped back and forth behind the counter for quenching the thirst of the guests early enough.

   From up here he could look behind the barrier in front of the stage. In the area between sat seven little Zoras and bobbed up and down to the music. The new guitarist, by now already close-knit with the band, did a wonderful solo and the crowd cheered. To the end of the song he downright played against Japas, who at the very end duetted the chorus with Lulu. Anju explained to Link, that due to the many solos and improvisations the live-songs of the Indigo-Go’s always went twice as long as the original versions. Link nevertheless found that they didn’t pall because of this. The opposite. They proved the enormous talent of the musicians. Lulu’s voice had a range he wouldn’t have believed possible.

   After the seventh or eight song they took a short break. Also Link badly needed fresh air and cleaved out of the bar with his fellowship. The cooler air felt good. Unfortunately the entrances to the Southtown were very bustled. So their group split up and Zelda disappeared with Link and the fake Gerudos into Northtown. There a small but elaborately staged play was performed, which told the story of the Carnival. To the end, Link got sight of the Deku-Queen and took a flight to the passageway. The other women noticed it and ran after him a to West Clock Town bit confused, where the Rosa-Sisters danced with seven other women.

   When they finally had managed to get through to the main square, the tower’s clock already showed after half past eleven. The entire square was a dance floor. In front of the wooden tower, from which a gigantically high footbridge with a handrail reached into the sky, played a multicultural, colourfully dressed troup with the strangest instruments. The crowd itself danced between the decorated market stands; underneath which the boxes had been removed; and four strutted wooden posts, which should later on support the bridge to the Clock Tower. The wooden tower was additionally connected with the staircase to the Laundry Pool by a secured, momentarily blocked footbridge.

 

   “Is this a dress!”, came it from Anidja.

   “Divine.”, rhapsodized Cremia.

 

   Link and also the other women followed their looks. An absolutely beautiful woman in a pink, white and golden, floor reaching, magnificent dress with light blue ribbons stuck out of the mass. The dress was over and over; but not too much; embroidered with pearls and silk-strings and skintight around the upper body, but wide-brimmed from the hip down. The tightness of the upper part highlighted her Decolleté extremely, on which gentle jewels rested. The delicate jewellery was golden and decorated by little sparkling pink and blue stones. She wore fitting earrings and a ring on her right ring finger.

   The sleeves of the off-the-shoulder dress were baggy at the upper ams and stitched down at the elbows. Beneath they went into wide swinging, white but in colour fitting embroidered trumpets. Her hair was entirely covered by an embroidered, soft blue veil, which reached far below her hips. Of her head were solely the ears, as well as the parts down from the cheeks to be seen, as she wore a glistening maks.

   Her sensual lips and the cheeks were highlighted by a soft pink. She had obvious joy in dancing and, as Link noticed after watching her for a while, flirting with all males that came in her reach. Also he analysed his companions, who just fascinated, yes, almost jealously stared after the being. She had something of a princess, thought Link and knew that he wasn’t alone with his opinion. Somehow she actually seemed familiar to him. Especially her ears, that weren’t exactly of a Hylian standard length.

 

   “I think I need to go over to her and ask her, where she’s bought this piece.”, aspirated Anju-Sorrei and her sister agreed nodding.

   “One needs to admit, she has not got much.”, giggled Zelda and all laughed as she held up her own breasts to emphasize what she meant. “But what she has, she definitely knows to accentuate.“

   “Ha! There you are!”, the other part of the group had found them.

   “Ah – yes.”, laughed Esra. “We’ve been watching her the whole evening long. Except with Dotour she’s probably danced with all men already. And how she mates – I believe, she has earned an honouring as the Queen of the Festival. A lovely girl.”

   “Rather provocative.”, laughed Rim.

   “Yes. That too.”

   “But she’s not that pushy though.”, noticed Link. “She’s just flirting.”

   “And how.”, grinned Dotour.

   “And this dress is worthy of this divine being.”, sighed Ydin. “It could actually have been made by me.”

   “Where’s Kafei gone?”, asked Cremia.

   “Haven’t you seen him yet?”, asked Ydin in return. “You’re really blind. But fine. Latest at his speech then.”

 

   Suddenly Link discovered another known face in the crowd. Also she must have noticed him, as she briefly smiled to him. It was the having been less covered of the three woman who he’d seen in the Town Hall two days ago. She was dressed the same. He already wanted to storm off, but Zelda grabbed him at the arm and pointed on another person. The shimmering eye-catcher came striding towards them. To be precise, directly to him.

 

   “Can this be possible?”, she had a quite lovely, amused voice, considered Link. “A face, of which the owner hasn’t danced with me yet?”, she stepped in front of him and dropped a curtsey. “If Thou allow, my Lord? The night is still young and the lust for dancing has taken possession of me.”

   “Go on.”, hissed Zelda and urged the bewildered Link to the stranger.

   “I-I-I can’t dance – ”, that one stuttered, not sure whether it would be such a good idea and received a heart-touching laugh, not only by the one who had asked him.

   “Of course you can dance.”, giggled Zelda. “Everyone can. If you do not go, I will. Just for being allowed to touch the dress. So now. Or do you want to dismiss a Lady?”

   “I – er – no – I – ”

   “There you got it.”, smiled the outstandingly beautiful woman and offered him her hand. “If you wish, I’ll lead.”

 

   When their hands touched and he was pulled head over heels into the dancing crowd, he found his assumption confirmed. He knew this woman. A lot, actually. About in the middle between the stands near the Clock Tower, she pulled him to her and brought his aimless arms in order. At the way there, he had tried to study the steps of the others. But somehow every pair danced different. The song was over. Right on began a new, to Link’s relief slower piece.

 

   “What’s the matter?”, giggled his opposite, who somehow was equally tall. “Why so shy?”

   “Can it be that I know who you are?”, he was already pulled into the first turns, amazed that he had hardly any problems with keeping up.

   “Maybe?”, she smiled. “Maybe not?”, just at this close her bloodred eyes shone through the mask. “What? You like what you see?”

   “And how.”, giggled Link embarrassed.

   “All just wonder where the Mayor is. They say, it soon is time for his speech. Have you seen him?”

   “Maybe?”, countered Link. “Maybe not? Do you know that all women are jealous of your dress?”

   “Indeed? Until now only the men were jealous of each other. At least until they were allowed to dance with me themselves.”, Link took a short glimpse at his people, who all watched him dreamingly. “The fair maiden at your side doesn’t seem to have objection that I have kidnapped you.”

   “Oh – she’s jealous of you too.”

   “Fascinating. If she just knew.”, Link got to hear another pitched giggling and was instantly but slowly brought to halt in front of the Clock Tower, though the song still went on.

   “What’s the matter, Kafei?”

   “Sh! Not so loud.”, he chuckled barely audible in his normal voice and laid his hands on Link’s chest, while this one lightly took him in his arms. “I’m sorry, but I have no other choice. I love you.”

 

   Despite all watchers he pulled Link into a minutes lasting, passionate kiss, which let both forget everything around them. In the middle of the next song, Kafei suddenly separated their lips, dreamingly ran his fingers through Link’s hair and placed a last, little, soft kiss.

 

   “Have you seen the Mayor?”, he said with disguised voice again. “It is time soon. If he doesn’t turn up eventually, he will miss his speech. I think, I will let be searched for him.”

   “What? What are you – ?”

 

   Kafei answered with a broad grin and vanished eastwards, to the upper passageway. At the small ramp stood a guard with who he began a questionable appearing conversation. Link couldn’t hear what they said though. Instead he felt several hands on his shoulders. His whole pack had hurried to him for admiring him. Even Zelda didn’t hold a thing against him.

 

   “And? How was it?”, she nosily aspirated.

   “Sweet.“, considered Link. “The lipstick was – fruity somehow.”

   “You’re so damn lucky.”, sighed Cremia and both Anju’s nodded agreeing.

   “What – what’s she doing now?”, faltered Anidja when Kafei let himself be helped onto the porch by the watchman.

   “Please don’t.”, moaned Dotour quietly. “What are you doing there. Not in this dress.”, Link understood that he had recognised his son long ago already.

 

   This one placed himself in the middle of the platform and tried to catch the attention of the musicians with convincing feminine arm-moves. If abruptly though, they cut off the song. Now it was on Kafei to get the attention of all others. The square was full as fuller it couldn’t be, as in the meantime people out from the other parts of the town had squeezed in too. However, due to his position and the glittering, massive dress, it was not that difficult to become the centre of the event again.

 

   “Could all please listen?”, as loud as he could, he addressed the crowd with disguised voice. Wonderful, thank you. We have a little problem here. Has anybody seen the Mayor?”, a questioning murmur went through the mass and uncountable heads began searching. “Not? But it’s time for his speech! Has somebody – no? Can this be for real. But never mind. I hope, it doesn’t bother anyone if I take over in the meantime?”, the whole square burst out laughing. “I see this as release, so let’s hope that I have it in my blood and don’t screw up anything. Fine. Well – at first I’d like to apologise to all Ladies, if I stepped a bit too close towards their beloved companions. By no means I wanted to ruin any relationships. Also you shouldn’t be angry with your men, if they gave in to me. They’re just men.”

 

   He made another break for laughter, which he used to throw Link a glance.

 

   “Well – where shall I start best? Yes. The Carnival of Time. I myself am not from here, therefore I had to work on my knowledge in shortest time. According to what I’ve heard, exactly seven years ago this town was the right opposite of what it is now. It was like died out, as one of our moons wanted to join the celebration.”, he threw the sky a glare. “But I think, it was given a lesson and it celebrates where it belongs again. Well then. To the Carnival itself.”

 

   Link knew that he didn’t want to cause laughter by it. Still the sudden silence was frightening.

 

   “It is a celebration of joy, joy about that there is life. Exactly this life we celebrate today, I think. We dress in all sorts of magnificent drapery; take your example on me; cover our faces with masks and bathe in the crowd, partly recognised, partly unrecognised. But why do we wear masks? We wear them for being someone else than we are. We pretend a different identity. But do we just do it at the Carnival? I think each one of us knows that this isn’t so. We wear our mask every day, many of us have uncountable. We wear them to hide our true self. We wear masks to protect ourselves and to protect others. We all do this, day by day. An example – what makes a great woman? Does somebody know?”, he did exactly what Zelda had done before. “Socks.”

 

   Even louder laughter filled the Southtown and he had serious problems to make himself heard again.

 

    “Yes, day by day, year come, year go. Therefore we forget one thing however – there are those in our circle that are able to look through our disguise. With some they are many, with others just a handful or even only a single person. How many there are, is not important; the important thing is that they are there and we recognise them as such.”

 

   With a soft gesture of his head which he neatly disguised as a rhetorical mean of expression, he explicitly looked at his father as well as his own wife.

 

   „It are exactly these persons we can really trust. They are those, in whose hands we sometimes can downright put parts of our fate. It are those, that love us the way we are. They recognise us under each mask, under each disguise. And don’t care if we deny our true identity. Because they love us so much and all about us, that they don’t bother how much we disguise ourselves. They always recognise us. For them we celebrate today. Then as said, they love us always, no matter if with – ”, he pushed his mask plus veil backwards down and finished the sentence in his own voice, “Or without mask. And for this, we should be grateful.”

 

   After the first astonishment wore off, the whole square burst into thunderous applause and conjured an embarrassed smile onto Kafei’s lips. With a short, playful curtsey he thanked the crowd. Link was close to tears. Interested he studied the people around him. Dotour roared, clapped and whistled cheerful. His wife clapped as well, but hesitantly fascinated that it was her stepson who stuck in this absolutely beautiful dress. The other women just stood there and stared bewildered at Kafei. Anju-Anila apparently had recognised her husband earlier as well, as she just smiled up to him. The expression of her mother wasn’t much to Link’s comfort though. Her bewilderment changed more and more to obvious disgust. Kafei looked over his left shoulder to the clock and brought the crowd to silence.

 

   “Heaven, how time flies by. Who helps me counting?”, he waited shortly. “Ten – nine – eight – ”, almost the whole square joined in; only Anidja suddenly disappeared southwards out of sight. “Five – four – three – ”, Link saw how Kafei gave someone to his left a sign, “Two – one – ”

 

   The noise that burst out now was overwhelming. The square almost trembled beneath the cheer as the clock went to midnight, the bell rang, the gigantic fireworks started, the ball raised and fell along with the clock into its new position, the door opened and afterwards the bridge to the Clock Tower was let down slowly.

   Right as this had happened, a massive woman in a tight Gerudo-costume stormed across the footbridge, towards Kafei and slack him in the face with such a force that it almost threw him off. Likewise sudden, silence fell over the place, only disturbed by the last rocket and the whispered questions of the community, not sure what this was supposed to mean. Instinctively Link meant to rush for aid, but Zelda had unconsciously grabbed his wrist in shock.

 

   “You!”, raged Anidja, but her daughter suddenly showed what was in her.

 

   Kafei’s wife climbed as skilful as her own daughter onto the market stand next to herself, jumped off the roof and landed after a roll with drawn sabres between her instantly shocked mother and Kafei, who held his left cheek.

 

   “You as well!”, her tone was not less cold when she held one of the sabres to Anidja’s throat, while she loosened the veil on one side, but eventually went into attacking position with the other sabre as well. “Don’t you dare to.”

   “Anju! What are you doing there?”

   “Haven’t you heard what he’s said?”

   “I have seen, what he has done!”, her fury came back again.

   “Yes. And I too. We all have seen it and assumingly many others. But I ask you, haven’t you heard what he has said?”

   “Depends on which part of his confession you mean.”

   “You know, which part I mean. I don’t care how many masks he wears, alright? Because I love him – and her. No matter if with or without mask. And if you haven’t figured this after so may years, I feel utmost sorry for you.”

   “Anju – ”

   “I’m his wife and I love him more than you have ever loved someone. And I pity you for your inability of acceptance. If you just can’t accept him the way he is, then at least leave him in peace.”

   “Anju! Don’t you see, what he is? Don’t you see how he uses you and even cheats on you?”

   “You must say this. Do I have to remind you on Grog? And don’t you see how Kafei really is?”, she countered. “You just don’t want to see it. You, in your little, narrow minded, with prejudices postered world. Either you open your eyes or leave him alone. He hasn’t harmed you nor anybody else and you tyrannise him merciless. I’m sick of it once and for all. Either you accept him the way he is, you let him in peace or you are no longer part of my family.”

 

   Now it was deathly silent. Kafei though had other worries at this moment than his mother-in-law. Link saw that something was not alright. He felt for himself too, that something wasn’t alright. Zelda, Rim, Dotour and the two children got worried as well. Kafei only looked around hectically, pure fear burnt into his face. His breath got faster and his eyes desperately directed on something to his left, which nobody could see.

   Then everything happened fast. Something rushed through him. He stumbled a step backwards, the mask slid out of his hand and he fell lifeless off the platform. Link reacted just in time and caught Kafei, sinking to his knees as the shocked crowd backed away. Anju rushed around, jumped desperately to them and let her sabres glide to the floor carelessly. Also Zelda and Ydin came for help. Zelda knelt herself on the opposite of Link to Kafei’s chest.

 

   “I knew I shouldn’t have laced up the dress so tight.”

   “No.”, aspirated Link and stared at Kafei’s closed eyes and the slightly opened mouth.

   “This was not the dress!”, moaned Zelda, also the others had gathered around them, when she tore her own mask off her face, lifted Kafei’s eyelids and shook her head. „Stay away from him. Please. Link. Lie his head into your lap, carefully hold his forehead and also his right hand. Anju – you the other hand. Ydin. Hold his legs to the floor.”

   “What was this? What’s attacked him there?”, Link trembled.

   “I do not know. Something evil. It is in him – and somewhere around us. I feel it. But I think I know where it comes from.”

 

   She took a deep breath and rubbed her palms against each other, which she then held shortly above Kafei’s chest. Now she closed her eyes and began to speak words in a totally strange language. Link had already heard many languages, but this one resembled none of them even slightly. Though he had heard something similar two days before. It sounded exotic, was very stressed and a bit staccato. The deep vowels were partly pulled into length.

   Zelda’s voice seemed to echo slightly. He felt something that watched them changing its position more often. Zelda always said the same sentences. Again and again, but nothing happened. Suddenly another woman stormed towards them and knelt herself at the princess’ left. It was the mysterious woman with the orange hair and the turquoise-black skin colour. Zelda looked up to her desperately but didn’t stop her try. The other woman went into her chant in the same way.

   Finally something happened, though not what Link had wished for, but at least what he had expected. Still with closed eyes, Kafei began to tremble heavily and gasped for breath. Link tried to hold him down as good as he could. Also Anju and Ydin gave their best. The two other women pulled something red, billowing out of Kafei’s chest, who immediately broke down motionless again.

   The apparently immaterial ball looked like dancing flames and pulsated lightly. The unknown removed her hands with a cry of pain and robbed them in hope to ease it. Zelda was just too beside herself to notice the pain, as it began to attack her right hand.

 

   “What is this?”, came it not only from Link.

   “Quick! Give me a Light Arrow!”, begged Zelda. “Please!”, as fast as he could, he pulled out one from inside his caps and gave it to her. “Do not look at it! All of you! Please!”

 

   But she couldn’t keep anyone from doing so. She pressed her lips and glowing bloodred eyes shut, raised the arrow and rammed it with fullest force into her right palm. Her own cry was drowned by a deafening, abnormal shriek, as the arrow burst into millions of harsh sparks and vanished along with the red veil. Panting she made a fist and Link saw how the hole closed flawless. Then he followed her in the air rushing look around, but couldn’t see anything strange.

   A heavy gust of wind blew across the crying crowd and them. The stranger picked herself up panicking and took the flight. Zelda’s own fear gave way to a sudden determination. She pushed herself up, climbed onto the platform off which Kafei had fallen, walked a bit onto the bridge and listened over the crowd that fell silent of fear.

 

   “Lens of Truth?”, was all Link managed to say.

   “No. I will find this beast this way as well. But thank you.”

 

   As she saw that Anidja still knelt on the footbridge, she reached out her arm towards the confused woman and let her float gently to the floor. Now she did exactly what Kafei had done when he had blown away the rock, though with different cause. Slowly a whirl of wind formed around her which, the faster it turned, changed into light and then gently laid itself on her. Now she held a golden bow in her left hand and a long, thin silver sword with golden hilt in the right. The sword she carefully laid on the floor, pulled a Light Arrow out of nowhere and put it into the bow. Deeply breathing she closed her eyes another time.

   She drew the bow, aimed and, a bit bent upwards, shot directly over the footbridge. With another blood-curdling shriek something big, greyblack fell out of the sky and came to lie panting on the bridge. The creature seemed as immaterial as what the two women had freed Kafei from. It solidified. Link knew that it didn’t come from their world. On its face it carried a silvergrey mask with a peculiar black sign, behind which tentacles wriggled out. Its darkgrey body was covered over and over with black, geometric lines. On the chest they shimmered as red as the essence Zelda had destroyed. The most striking things however were its long arms and legs.

   On all fours it crept towards Zelda who nocked another arrow. The creature stormed ahead, jumped off, Zelda skilfully rolled through beneath it and shot it down anew. This time it came to lie, winding of pain, between the group around Kafei and the stand. Zelda sought in the bow through her hand, grabbed the sword while sprinting, jumped off; pulling it up; with one leap across them all and rammed the creature the sword into a spot, where normally one would assume a heart.

   The shriek the shadow creature let out, was louder than anything before and let many clap their hands on their ears. It wound back and forth once more, before it vanished to black, rectangular flitter, which partly shimmered turquoise at the edges. They rushed into the air, formed a black square with the shapes Link had seen on the skin, turned into a whirl and were gone. In addition it had left behind another red waft which slowly disappeared and a small bright lightshimmer on the floor. Everything looked to this small light which raised, floated towards Kafei and gently laid on his chest, where it became one with him. Kafei’s breath got more noticeable. Slowly he opened his eyes and Link felt a stone falling from his heart, as well as tears from his face. Kafei looked up to him and – smiled, if though a bit dizzy.

 

   “You – you have – caught me.”, he breathed.

   “Yes. I did.”, Link smiled back, pulled him up on his arms and cuddled with a soft kiss, briefly to his forehead. “Do you know what happened?”, Kafei nodded.

   “A being from the Shadow Realm has exchanged a part of my soul with a part of his soul.”

   “S-soul?”, faltered Link and Zelda nodded, as she sat down on her previous spot, while Dotour took a seat at Kafei’s head.

   “Yes. I tell you. This feels horrible.”, laughed Kafei timidly but still, raised his hand and and stroke over Link’ right cheek, careful not to smear the paint. “At the beginning I was afraid. But then you were there. And you too – ”, he looked to Anju, who smiled through tears and wiped his the hair out of his face. “Then I knew that everything was going to be just half as bad. And Zelda – thank you.”

   “Not worth mentioning.”

   “It is. Please thank her as well, if you should see her again.”

   “I will do.”

   “Who was she?”, asked Link, noticing Kafei’s darkblue mascara and pink-golden eyeshadow.

   “Not here. Here are too many people.”

   “Daddy?”, asked Tatl. „Has it hurt you?”

   “It was not that bad, my darling.”, smiled Kafei and managed to sit up, but Link didn’t let him out of his arms.

   “You know, you look like a princess.“, giggled his daughter.

   “Thanks.“, he laughed. „Yes.“, also Dotour put his arms around him.

   “She’s right.“, he smirked and kissed him right on top of his head. „If you just don’t want to be king of Ikana, why don’t you become queen then?“

   “Lekuim.”, spat Kafei.

   “Daddy!”, his children told him off.

   “Tha? How are you talking to your old man?”

   “Nish triminesku áretija.”, whatever that meant, thought Link. “Nice costume, too. And – ”, he looked to Anju, „Hot. You should wear that more often. In the office and so.”

   “Oh shut up.”, she laughed and kissed him. “Mh.”, she loosened the kiss. “You were right, Link. Fruity.”, now laughed everyone who heard it. “Tell me – whose lipstick is this?”

   “Mine.”, grinned Kafei proud. “All mine.”

   “And in the next three years we can’t effort having another child, right?”, she tipped him on the dress.

   “Make as many children as you like to so.”, said Ydin. “It was a present.”

   “Pr- present?”, chuckled Link. “Why then did you make such a fuzz about it?”

   “I haven’t. Only the jewellery wasn’t that cheap.”

   “He didn’t know for whom it is, right?”, dawned it on Link.

   “No. Could you just let go of me for a moment so I can stand up?”

 

   They didn’t let go of him though, but at least helped him with standing up, which was necessary.

 

   “So. We’ve got that.”, he giggled. “Someone wants to dance?”, his name indignantly rang out around him. “What? It’s Carnival!”

   “You’ve been attacked!”, warned Anju.

   “And? I survived it. Isn’t this a reason for dancing? Come on. Let’s celebrate the Carnival. Where’s my mask?”

   “Here.”, Anidja stepped to him, with the mask and the veil cautiously in her hands, something like regret in her face. „You are truthfully a child of sunshine. Anju is kept well at yours. Also Link. If you like and if they like, you are allowed to have them at your side. I know my daughters not even nearly as much as I should anyway. I’ve noticed this and shouldn’t judge on you, since I know you even less. I’m sorry. I hope, you can forgive me. If not, I think I’ll have to live with it. But I’m ready to pay this price to see my daughter smiling and knowing that it is no mask.“, Kafei took his possessions to him with tears and fell around his mother-in-law’s neck, who patted his back slightly confused.

   “Grandma?”, came it from Tatl and the two let go of each other.

   “Yes?”

   “Am I allowed to retaliate for Daddy?”

   “Er – ”

   “Tatl – well – that – ”, stammered Kafei.

   “You are the fattest Gerudo I’ve ever seen.”, with this she earned quite a lot of laughter, even from the addressed.

   “You could be right with this.”, smirked Anidja after they all finished laughing. “And I’m not even a real Gerudo.”

   “Still.”, grinned Tatl.

   “Fine.”, smiled Kafei and pushed the mask and veil into Link’s hands. “You forgive? I’d also like to dance with my wife once, now that she’s officially allowed to be it. Music, please!”, he yelled southwards.

   “But only if I’m allowed to take the lead.”, smiled Anju malicious, as the musicians started to play a happy song. “I’m the one with the pants on.”

   “If you really insist on it, fine.”

   “Could anyone please get my sabres out of the way?”

   “Done already.”, said Cremia, who held them in her hands.

   “My goodness!”, startled Zelda, let her sword disappear and hasty picked up her own mask from the floor, which she, a bit careless though, put on like a little crown, when the married couple already began to dance lively.

   “May I?”, smiled Link and offered her his hand.

   “I-I-I can not dance – ”, she now stuttered, serious and with wide opened, again blue eyes.

   “Of course you can dance.”, chuckled Link. “Everyone can. I didn’t believe either that it’s so easy. Come. I’ll show you.”

 

   While Anju glided past, Cremia skilfully stuck her sabres back into the sheaths on her back. Then she grabbed Rim and many more joined their dance. Esra and Dotour downright wiped across the cobbles, probably most of all because of Esra’s mass. Tatl and Juro jumped more than they danced. Also Anidja and Anju-Sorrei were asked by someone. Ora made the best of Triri’s physical condition, quite to the pleasure of the old lady.

   Ydin clattered over the square with another colourful soldier named Frano. Only Romani stayed disappointingly unnoticed for the first song. When the next began, Link saw how a boy in her age stepped towards her. He had mousegrey hair and wore a very elegant but simple red and brown clothing with golden buttons. As he shortly lifted his similar mask, Link noticed the enormous resemblance to the tailor-couple, whereas the boy had his nose definitely from Ydin. Romani suddenly beamed brighter as any star and took the offer.

 

   For the next two hours they all danced almost without stopping, always changing the partners among them. Kafei was once more with Link. While they still danced, Kafei unnoticed took on an unusual direction and zigzag-manoeuvred them to the northeast. Out of the celebrating community, he pulled the slightly confused Link to the Easttown and into the kitchen of the abandoned Inn.

   There he rummaged in a cupboard for a bottle with a yellowish, transparent liquid. Then he lead him up to the first floor and waited for Link to understand that he should lock. During it, he put the bottle on Link’s bedside table and lit the fireplace by shooting a little flame into it. Now he went to the small chest of drawers and pushed it in front of the door.

   Interested, Link watched his activities, but moved his look shortly to the bottle, of which he assumed that it contained some kind of alcoholic drink. He read the text on the etiquette and raised an eyebrow. It was salad oil.

 

   “Erm – you’ve forgotten the salad.”, faltered Link and Kafei turned around to him giggling.

   “You silly. I’d rather like to eat blades of grass.”, aspirated Kafei, went towards Link and kissed him deeply but soft.

 

   He laid the hands on Link’s neck and began fondling his cheeks with his thumbs. After a while he went further down, opened the black belt and let it float to the floor cautiously together with the sword, without ending the kiss. Then he pulled Link as tight as he could and tried to loosen the belts on his back. Link let his gloves fall to the floor and helped Kafei, if though a bit uncoordinated. For getting off the armour, they unfortunately had to separate.

   Link now laid his arms around Kafei’s back and kissed him with closed eyes, tenderly from the left cheek over the neck down to the shoulder. Also Kafei closed his eyes again and enjoyed. Link lead his lips further across Kafei’s chest back to the middle and to his Adam’s apple, whereas he skipped the necklet, up over Kafei’s chin and back into that one’s mouth, where, after some moments, their tongues met again and tenderly stroked against each other.

   While at it, Link tried to open the lacing at his lover’s back, at which he was as clumsy as with his own armour. It costed Kafei a giggle, as he separated their mouths again for helping him. Then he opened Link’s buttons at the front of his underskirt one after another and pushed this one down over his shoulders. As soon as Link had the hands out of the sleeves, it fell on its own and got stuck at the boots. He really couldn’t care less about it, as he currently was busy with freeing Kafei from the sleeves of the dress, who broadly grinning pulled the socks out of the short brassières of the corset-like top and threw them in theatrically into the room, before he pulled Link’s caps off the hair.

   Kafei let the Moon’s-Tear-Necklace float to Link’s bedside table and dedicated to the dark undershirt, which he slowly, not without touching two very sensitive parts, wiped from below over Link’s head, happily grinning when Link moaned eyesrolling at the touching of these two parts. The undershirt fell and Link pushed Kafei’s dress likewise slow down entirely. Because of the mass, the corsett stayed standing up to his knees. Both giggling, Link helped the other man out of the pompous drapery and noticed a lot. Now he knew why Kafei suddenly was equally tall. He wore golden stilettos. Also the short, tailor-made, white lace panties amused him.

 

   “Have you actually – ”, giggled Link. “Have you shaved your legs?”

   “You mind?”, smiled Kafei embarrassed.

   “Zelda had been right. You really understand it to stage yourself to the tiniest detail.”, he bent his knees, took off Kafei’s shoes one after another and kissed each foot after it.

   “Do they stink?”, chuckled Kafei.

   “Would I do this then?”

   “No. Probably not.”

   “There you got it.”, smiled Link and raised again.

 

   He turned Kafei around and removed the necklet. Kafei pulled it carefully out of Link’s hands and let it float over to the bottle, where it laid itself down evenly. The same happened to the eardrops and the ring. Link carefully pushed Kafei’s panties over the hips. After some time it fell by itself as well. Kafei leant himself back with closed eyes and cuddled his head sideways to Link’s, as the latter laid his right arm around Kafei’s waist, glided with the other hand to the middle of the other’s body and began massaging him gently. Quietly moaning, the older man sunk into the touch and woke out of his trance abruptly, when Link stopped and turned him around once more to be able to kiss him contortionless, whereas his hands wandered backwards onto said height.

   Kafei loosened the kiss giggling like a little child, as Link pinched him with both hands into his buttocks. As answer Kafei moved with lips and tongue over Link’s chest down to his navel, bending his knees doing so. Kneeling he laced down Link’s boots and helped him out of them and the still stuck underskirt. Then he wiped off the tight dark pants forbiddenly slow, careful enough that he only moved the underpants in the same direction after Link’s feet were pulled out of the other. Unnecessarily and to stretch everything in the length, he pulled them down completely and let Link slip out of them as well. Finally he also pulled off his own panties which had hung at his ankles until now.

   After that he repeated this one special thing he had already done at Great Bay Coast, only this time so extremely slow that Link already almost died away. In addition he stopped after some seconds and pulled himself up on his dumbfounded feast. Smiling he placed a little kiss on the tip of Link’s nose, went across the room and picked up one of his fine white socks. With it and saliva he took the make-up off the totally confused Link. He turned the sock over and wiped off the colour on his own face by feeling. Link helped him a bit with it. Finished, he threw the sock down again, took Link by the hand and lead him to the bed, where he laid down slowly and seducingly. Link was a bit embarrassed, but he had to laugh.

 

   “Well?”, grinned Kafei. “Has the cucumber finally understood?”

   “Er – cucumber?”, faltered Link.

   “If you don’t mind.”, Kafei’s look got softer.

   “I don’t know.”, considered Link seriously, as he carefully sat on him settled his hands on Kafei’s chest.

   “Yes. I know that you’re just sixteen and I’m almost twentyeight.”

   “I actually didn’t mean this.”

   “Oh. Well, fine that we have the same opinion at least on this.”

   “I love you, Kafei. I wouldn’t care if you were fifty.”

   “One hundred and thirty?”

   “Also that, if you’d manage to.”

   “If we don’t get killed otherwise, we Sheikah are blessed with a very long life. How long this is in general, I can’t say though.”, he lifted his left arm and fondled the young man’s cheek in different ways. “Do you actually know how beautiful you are?”, Link lowered his head embarrassed.

   “By far not as beautiful as you are.”

   “Me.”, giggled Kafei and shook his head. “It’s not my fault. It’s my mother’s. And I must admit, partly maybe even my father’s.”

   “Do you think it’s my fault that you find me so beautiful?”

   “Your self-hate is sweet somehow.”, chuckled Kafei. “But inappropriate, if I want you to fill me with your nature given beauty.”

 

   Link went slightly red. Kafei meant it serious. He was serious too. He knew that he actually wanted nothing else than melting with him now. From the moment on Kafei gave Link the bottle with the salad oil, no word was spoken anymore. He only tenderly instructed him with his hands what he should do. At first Link had teething problems, but they wore off when he saw how Kafei’s eyes closed and he pushed his head with opened mouth back into the pillow.

   Kafei himself hadn’t expected that it could feel so wonderful in this way too. He had always asked himself how this could work with two men without pain, but it worked. And how. Less and less he needed to help Link into a pleasant rhythm. Soon he just gave himself into the divine moves of his lover who, the longer their connection lasted, sunk further into bliss.

   Together they lifted themselves up into higher and higher heavenly spheres, until they touched the sun and, caressed by her beams, floated down, for landing softly where they took off. Before they got incapable of acting, they loosened their melting, cuddled tightly together under the blanket and, both with a smile on their lips, glided into the worlds that completely belonged to each of them alone.

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~