The stream was not frozen yet, but the icy breeze presaged what was in coming. Also thick clouds hung above the mountains far in the south. Those further in the north were already snowed under. In the basin below, only visible by its shimmer, twinkled the blue roofs of the castle in the setting sun’s shine.
Often he had secretly climbed up onto the highest tree from the side that was averted to the village. Through between its topmost branches, pale against the horizon, he could see the silhouettes of the Stone Towers. On fine days even Woodfall and a small line of sea behind Snowhead. Clock Town laid too deep and the Clock Tower stood not tall enough. But at night its ray was clearly visible.
The quake had sunken Lake Hylia so far that it was only recognisable as a crate in the landscape. Above the Desert behind it, shadowless clouds circled. Too deep the sun stood, but still high enough to touch Hyrule Castle one last time for that day.
Lost in thoughts he watched Fado lock the barn door and leisurely head for the village. The village itself was still bustling, but most people were already on their way to their houses. The quiet conversations, the peaceful bicker, the creaking of the waterwheel, the whispers of the wind in the already nearly bald trees – a gentle quiet was in the air. Nevertheless Link felt as if the sky was burning. Not the colour, it was a real feeling. As if the air was about to be torn apart. Also not like before a lightning storm. It was a strange feeling. As if any moment a biting ice storm would dash from all clouds, to suffocate everything in its way and at the same time burn with its cold.
He felt so uneasy that he already meant to climb back down, just in case he would get sick. But something drew his attention. It was only a little cloud of dust, like a sandstorm sweeping low over the ground. What troubled him was that it didn’t bluster in the Desert, but along the border, approaching the gateway to Ordon. Link strained to see more. Only faintly he could spot supposedly several riders at full gallop. Who ever rode ahead, was much taller than the others.
Since they made no move to change their direction, Link understood that the village had to prepare for a clash. To his relief, Hanch was on his usual post, even armed with bow and arrows, which he had never been required to use ever since Link’s arrival in Ordon – just as if he had suspected today to be the day.
As fast as he could, Link climbed lower, let himself drop onto the porch of Fado’s house unnoticed, slid down on his dark, grey-green cloak, ran towards Hanch and climbed up the vines to him. The distant racket startled him so much he didn’t even notice Link. Only when that one already begged him, he jumped again and gazed at him aghast.
“Please! Quick! Your arrows!”, moaned Link
“What?”
“The arrows!”
“Uh – w-what – ”
While he could only stammer, Link was already at the end of his tether and had pulled the belt along with the quiver off him. Hastily he threw it over his own shoulder and even wrenched the bow from Hanch. The noise had made everyone run to the path through the village, what, given the situation, couldn’t have been worse. Luckily Rusl was among them.
“Rusl!”, Link yelled desperately. “RUSL!”, he repeated, when the latter searched for the source of the call. “Get them off! Get them all out of the way! You have to get off the road! Quick! Or you’re all dead!”
“Dead? What? Link! What’s the matter!”
“CLEAR OFF!”, he raged, while he already nocked the first arrow and targetted the arch behind Bo’s house.
Fortunately Rusl understood and pushed them all towards the patches. Then already, the black rider came around the bend, his horse completely breathless. Even from this distance Link could see the fear in the exhausted steed’s eyes. Behind, grunting wilder than the boar it sat on, a hooded Bulblin, club poised. Its swinging didn’t make it easy for Link to aim at him.
Only the fraction of a second. A minimal timeframe was enough. Whirring, the arrow zoomed past the horse’s hind leg and hit the boar right between the eyes. With a howl it went down with the Bulblin tumbling over. Another arrow killed the Bulblin. An entire horde followed, with different spears, clubs and even bows. Link answered the uncoordinated rain of arrows and the screaming of the children with fast, pinpoint shots, glad that Rusl had taken him on the occasional hunt. Thanks to it he wasn’t out of practice.
The black hooded cloak billowing, the tall rider hurried past him. Three more arrows and even the last raging boar lost its boisterous master as well as its life. As if it noticed that the danger was over, the horse slowly came to halt and its rider sagged forward with exhaustion.
It took some moments for all inhabitants to comprehend what had just happened. Meanwhile Fado and Bo had managed to reach the centre and fearfully searched for a way to get through between the carcasses. Link’s eyes though were on the stranger, who lastly managed to pull his horse around.
His breath got caught and his heart stopped for a moment when their eyes met. If though all vigour seemed to have ceased shining from them, they still were of unmistakable colour. The others too must have seen the red, as he heard some gasp for breath. Him however that didn’t bother at all. Something was not right. The rider appeared dazed and unable to hold on any longer.
Fearing the worst, Link jumped off the broad rock pillar, rushed up to him, hanging the bow around the chest as well while running. Just in time he stopped slithering and threw his arms up to stop the rider from falling off, which instantly brought that one back to consciousness. Limply he blinked down to Link.
Though the rattling breath was muffled by the shawl, Link realised that the rider was actually a woman. In a way he tried to equally calm her and her horse with his hands, working out some lines from the few bits he remembered to have heard once.
“Na thetrak.”, he aspirated. “Mna saithendajar.”, relieved about the slack nod, he continued to try. “Nanmloth?”
“Na – isamemna – tharmesku triminesku lathé – ìchja – ”
“What the –? Link?”, Rusl had broke loose from the group.
“Link?”, breathed the Sheikah as well.
“Not now!”, he snarled. “She’s in pain. I think she’s injured. I have to get her to the Spring. Repair the gate. As fast as possible, please. And bar it.”
“But – from where – ”
“No time!”, he hissed. “She’s dying!”
“What?”, moaned Rusl, but Link had already carefully swung his leg aloft behind her. “What’re you doing!”
“Please, light the fire in my house and put on the biggest pot with water. Then see to get to the bridge. Keep watch there and cut the ropes, if any Bulblins should try to reach the village from that side.”
“But Link!”
“DO IT!”
Without further ado he laid his arms around the almost unconscious woman, took the reins in his hands and got everything out of the horse that was still possible, for reaching the Spring. There he took bow and quiver, threw them carelessly to the ground and freed themselves from their cloaks, which he equally dropped. Only then he saw that the woman wore a way too familiar, skintight uniform. However, it was not of the usual blues, but black. Somehow he managed to loosen her shawl before he had to force the horse to step into the cold water. He too shivered when he dismounted.
With more caution than effort he could pull the badly injured Suro down to him and clenched his teeth. He did pity her, but the agony of the cold was the only way to save her. Careful he laid down with her into the shallow water and tried to keep her warm with his own body, her head resting on his right arm so she wouldn’t drown. He didn’t know whether she trembled from pain or cold. Also her hollow panting couldn’t be matched, mostly since she must be realising just now which malady had come upon her.
“Sh. Tholus triminesku salri.”, a flat chuckle escaped her and he felt a long cut on her back closing, when the ruddled water began to clear again.
“You still need to – practise.”, she meant.
“What?”
“Your Sheikjiarnjinjiú – it is – horrid.”
“Oh. But I hope – ”
“Yes. I know – what you – mean to tell me.”
“Good.”
Link sighed with relief. However, he hoped to notice the moment all her wounds were healed. By no means he wanted to expose her to the cold longer than required. Also his toes started to freeze in his linen shoes. Now he knew he had to see to someone making him a decent pair of fur boots – or that Rusl got him some. Otherwise he would be unlikely to get through winter without an inflamed bladder. Even the horse was already fed up and left the Spring on its own into the bald grass.
“Link?”, said huffed.
“I thought, you’d guard the bridge.”
“I locked the gate.”
“And you think, that’ll stop them.”
“I don’t know. But the others already work at the other side. It looks really bad.”
“And you don’t know whether this one here will do.”
“Link – I – ”
“I don’t believe it has to.”, slowly the Sheikah tried to sit up and he assisted her. “They’re not after the vill- argh!”
“Every thing alr- no.”, he had noticed the still bleeding wound below her left ribs. “Wait – I think there’s still an arrowhead in there. That’s why it’s not healing.”
“Figured that much myself. At my – oh.”, he had been faster to bend down and pull the dagger from her leg.
“Stay still.”
“You don’t say.”, she grumbled, but swallowed her screams when he tried to remove the piece of metal.
“Link!”, Colin and Uli had arrived at the Spring as well. “What are you doing there! The water must be – oh my God! You – ”
“Be quiet, please. I’m – nearly – there – ”
“Daddy! What’s Link doing there!”
“That.”, hissed Link and the Sheikah sagged back into the water, panting heavily, while he showed him the bloody, rough-and-ready arrowhead. “You’re fine?”
“Yes. Thanks.”, aspirated the woman. “Been worse before.”
“Oh really. What did you mean?”
“Whereby?”, soon also this wound only left a hole in the thick fabric.
“About the village. Wait.”, he helped her onto her feet and out of the water.
“Yes. I hardly believe they’re interested in a village full of Humans. What? Don’t look at me like that. I may have been about to snuff it, but not blind. You’re the only Hylian here, right?”
“Yes. But what – ”
“They’re hunting.”
“And what, exactly?”, asked Rusl.
“Please tell me he’s the only dull one around.”, she mumbled quietly to Link who threw the cloak back around her shoulders and tried to cover her wet hair and bandages with the shawl. “Goodness, you never did anything like it before?”
“Er – no.”, chuckled Link. “The’re hunting Sheikah? Are they suicidal?”
“No idea. Anyway, they wiped out the whole village. How many actually survived, I don’t know. I could barely escape on my horse to raise alarm at the sentinel. But I didn’t get to that. They’d been literally caught off guard.”
“Not good.”, aspirated Link.
“Tz. No. But I think that was it, for some while.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“You struck them down, remember?”
“Sure.”, Link snorted.
“They mowed down the borderline and you them. Basically they’re only henchmen. Unimportant to their leader. Little rats of no value. As long as they achieve what they’d been ordered to, they won’t be missed. And if not, they won’t be missed either. I think they just wanted to see how far they could go.”
“And where do they come from?”, Link wrapped himself in his own cloak.
“Likely from the Desert. I haven’t heard anything from the Gerudo in a long while. Now – don’t look at me like that.”
“And what am I looking at you like?”, murmured Link.
“I don’t know what’s going on there. There was never much contact to the nomads. But they’re selfish and cunning enough, and they lack just enough pride they’ve probably joined those beasts.”
“And what’s your impression?”
“That I don’t know whether those Bulblins are simply bored or if something’s going on out of everyone’s control. So no, I haven’t been told of any war plans. And actually, what’s it your business. Your part of the border to Ikana is dead now. They’re operating from the Desert. If there should be plans to attack Hyrule, it’s from there. They’re too afraid of Ikana itself. The centre disposes of powers, a handful of Gnomes can’t stand against.”
“The Archpriests?”
“Those? No. Facing a war, they’re too cowardly for. Seeing as they don’t even manage to tame the dead they accidentally summon back into the world themselves. No. Ikana’s might lies in other things. But, even though that you saved my life; which I am thankful for; you – ”
“You don’t exactly need to tell me in front of Rusl what kind of forces lie slumbering in the Stone Towers.”, meant Link courtly.
“Ah. You think you’re an expert, do you? First learn our language properly. And yes, you’re right. That’s less the business of a Human than it is a Hylian bumpkin’s.”
Link only smirked. The thought though, that Ikana’s border was so weakly guarded that a horde of Bulblins had actually managed to wipe them all out, worried him immensely. Did Kafei know of it already? Would he react? Would he – be allowed – to react?
“And anyway, winter’s coming. Those creatures aren’t cut out for snow. They’ll pull back to the Desert and won’t be heard from sooner than by Bloodsun. Enough time to warn Hyrule.”
As if she had called for them, some individual snowflakes floated down. One of them landed directly on the tip of Link’s nose. Annoyed by it and her chuckle about it, he brushed it off.
“What I say. Listen, boy. Sorry if I’m a little gruff. I only try to – ”, she swallowed briefly, but he understood anyway that it was the drill that had dictated her not to show any weakness.
“It’s alright. You need to get out of that wet stuff. And sure you must be hungry.”
“Can you read minds?”, she chuckled
“No. Otherwise I’d know your name by now. But I’m not exactly warm right now. In addition I don’t want to have yelled at Rusl for nothing.”
“Don’t bother me.”, meant that one. “You were desperate. But say, how did you know that – ”
“I saw it?”, hesitated Link, but then he remembered that he had watched it all secretly.
“Whe– ”
“From the tree.”
“Which tree!”
“Er – the big one? Come.”, last he said to the woman, who thereupon called her horse to her.
“How do you get onto that tree!”
“I climbed?”
Too bewildered, he nevertheless let go of it to Link’s relief. He even managed convincing him to leave him alone with the Sheikah. By Link’s house the family left them, but Epona joined. The mare’s interest was immediately caught by the other horse.
“Does he – ?”
“Epona is a mare.”
“Ah. Narsháij as well. But that doesn’t say anything.”
“I think I’d know if Epona was lesbian.”, meant Link.
“What do we know about horses anyway.”
“Oh, I believe I know Epona better than she knows herself – and the other way round. I would know if I rubbed off on her.”, the woman hesitated for a moment. “Yes?”
“Oh nothing. Good to know.”
“Yes, you don’t need to worry that I’d want to take any advantage of it. Just feel – like – well – help yourself already.”, at that moment he realised that she didn’t have a home anymore and he briefly nodded up to his door. “I still need to – return the bow – and ask Jaggle whether he’s still got some stew left.”
“Stew?”
“I thought you were hungry? I already shifted lunch’s leftovers.”
“Sure – but – you – ”
“Oh yes, I do need to bother.”
“Uhm – actually – how shall I say – ”
Her sudden embarrassment troubled him a little. But as slow yet sure as more snow fell, it was her eyes that told him what she was going at. It was an expression he had never seen like this before, but it reminded him of a feeling he had had himself long ago. It was exactly the feeling he had had, when he had understood that –
“Fine. Go get warm. I’ll be off to hunt a hare before it’s too dark. I don’t want to expect you to put up with that stinky meat of those boars.”
~o~0~O~0~o~
Curious she watched him. He felt it. Her eyes tried to get a glimpse on what he was doing, although he knew that she knew what he was doing. Meanwhile she had settled with having to wear some of his clothes. Nevertheless she wrapped herself up in her travelling cloak as good as she could without dropping the steaming cup of tea in her hands.
After the second summer storm he had lastly boarded up the opening in the ceiling, so the warmth of the ingel remained nicely in the high room. The pleasant light however only filled the lowest level. Outside it was already pitch-black, but in front of the small windows, lightened snowflakes danced. Gently Link washed the fur and hung it onto the bar above the chimney for drying it along with their wet clothes. He himself merely wore linen pants to prevent stains. The carpet covered wooden floor was warm enough as well so he needn’t wear any shoes.
When he had removed all inedible parts, he briefly opened the window above the sink and threw out the content of the bowl, for the crows. Everything else he neatly placed on a big plate. This he put onto the table he had brought closer to the fire. He washed his hands and knife, filled another bowl with water and carried it over as well. along with a cloth and last he picked the bowl in which he had collected the hare’s blood.
“Are you sure you’re a Hylian?”, chuckled the woman.
“Yes, quite. Why?”
“Why?”, she laughed. “Well, I don’t know, there aren’t too many tribes among the Sheikah that eat only raw meat. But watching a Hylian as he – ”, she laughed again.
“Yes?”, Link just meant, but had to admit that the first sip did taste peculiarly unusual.
“Well, is taking a nip on a bowl of blood with such relish,”
“How shall I say, they needed to teach me that meat can be roasted or even cooked. Enjoy your meal.”
“Thanks. For everything.”
“Not worth mentioning.”
He wouldn’t have thought receiving such a warm smile from her, when she wiped a strand of her slightly bushy antique pink hair behind one of those ears that faintly pointed backwards. Now that she ate, he finally had time to study her. Her face appeared somehow like that of a predator, what though was not due to the fact that she dug into the raw pieces of hare with gusto. It was over-elongated, but beautiful nonetheless.
“Now. Tell me. How come such a young Hylian like you to have his parents having named him after Hylia’s fosterling, wanting to learn how to speak Sheikjiarnjinjú, rescuing one of us with his uncommonly incredible bowman skills and peculiar knowledge of healing waters, serving her a fresh bunny not batting an eye, drinking its blood – and yet living among helpless Human dolts?”
“That’s probably because I’ve been raised by the Kokiri.”, he said resolutely, sat down on the chair to her left facing her with his legs crossed and drank another sip from the bowl he held with both hands.
It took her a few moments to notice that he had even answered. And another moment in which she only gazed at him questioning, with her blood-smeared lips and fingers. When she had finally understood his words, she found herself forced to hold a hand to her mouth so she wouldn’t laugh back out the little kidney. With a grin gasping for breath, she swallowed and took a fine gulp of tea.
“How come your uniform is black?”, smiled Link yet a little mischievous when she had somewhat calmed down.
“Curious, isn’t it? I just meant to leave for an execution when they attacked.”, Link slightly choked. “Shit happens, right,”, she sighed. “That’s life.”
“Yes.”
Exactly that life had just hit him hard. At once completely beside himself, he could only stare out of the window. This woman; regardless of her abilities; had had to helplessly watch all her friends and assumingly even family being murdered, right in the moment she had been expected to report for some duty, which Link hadn’t considered necessary nowadays. But she was from Ikana. Ikana was different.
As terrible as the thought of an execution was, right now Link wished; and maybe she as well; that she had left sooner. Though – how would any understand what had happened? If they came back home from an execution – and in the meantime everyone there had been executed alike? What kind of world was it, that this world was once again about to turn itself into?
“Well?”
“Er – what?”, he startled from his impuissance.
“I don’t suppose you were being serious about the Kokiri. So? Where are you from?”
“Where I was born? Or where I spent my childhood?”, he said calm nevertheless.
“Depends. Where have you been longer.”
“Kokirkaivuke.”
“Tz. You can stop it.”, she murmured.
“Do you know the sound of their language?”
“A few years ago I ran into some when I meant to go to Hyrule with a message. And yes, these little scoundrels have discussed in front of me long enough whether they want to let me through or not, that I was about to strangle them.”
“That’s not very nice,”, Link smirked.
“At that moment I actually couldn’t care less that they’re childlike Guardians of the Forest. Their arrogance wasn’t exactly a testimony of innocence.”
“Ne kamndi doruke sumalandai kala.”, sighed Link; she though only gazed at him with confusion. “Mavuena.”, he meant and helped himself to another sip.
“Now you’re really shitting me.”
“Saradi komodainike?“
“Damn! That’s just what one of them’s said! I know it exactly! I’m just hearing him again! What by Din does it mean!”
“Why should I?”, Link’s voice remained dead.
“You – so you actually speak their language?”
“Nardiku. Elikameneka sano.”
“But I don’t, you know?”, she moaned.
“Relax.”, Link smiled into the half emptied bowl.
“So. Once again. How does a young Hylian, whom they call Link and who’s obviously proficient in the language of the Forest, not fearing the Sheikah, come to end up in Ordon. Because you know, boy, I don’t really believe in coincidence.”
“Well, neither do I.”
Without looking up, he briefly removed his left hand from the bowl and showed her its back, only to continue drinking then, peering out of the window above the sink.
“So if you go to Hyrule for greeting Zelda, please greet her from the one as well who was egoistic enough to jib at a relationship with her.”
“Ah. So she’s coming on to you.”, Link merely shrugged. “And what shall I tell her?”, he pondered for a second.
“`I hope you feel good about yourself. Get stuffed.´”
“At last.”, chuckled the Sheikah.
“At last, what?”
“Oh nothing. I suppose the more people present the better?”
“Feel free to force her into a council for smacking the news into her face. After all you have to warn her of a war, right?”
“Do you think there’s going to be a war?”
“If I remember right, it was you to have said that the Desert has changed.”, he directed his eyes back on her. “A creature from the Shadow Realm bursts in on the Carnival of Time. Zelda does a runner and has me moved to no-man’s-land, believing I haven’t fully achieved what everyone had hoped for. Half a year later, suicidal Bulblins have gathered in the dunes of the Gerudo Desert, for wiping out Ikana’s border watch on full length. I’m not dumb.”
“Nobody said that.”, she remained serious too.
“They mean to cut the countries apart. In a way Hyrule can be attacked from two fronts. Let’s be honest; as bad as the reputation of the Sheikah is in Hyrule, as much they will eventually remember all the services they did the Royal Family and lastly beg for help. There is no army in Hyrule. A pack of fraidy cats in chain mail who never learned anything apart from picking their noses day in, day out and occasionally screaming at people who want to enter the castle without permission. The Deku and Kokiri will retreat into the woods and protect those with their prayers. Zoras and Gorons rather die at their own front lines, should there be such. Concerning the Gerudo, you already called the spade a spade. Which leaves only Ikana.“
“Yes. Ikana.”
“And nothing against you, but should there actually be a war, Ikana will first and foremost protect itself. There is no king to call for a renewal of old alliances. Ikana is a collective of peasant villages and scattered warriors that are though made for being bodyguards and making insidious attacks, but in my opinion, stand no chance on open battlefields.”
“Yes, you’re right. Ikana will primarily defend itself. If, and only if there are enough of us left then, Hyrule might receive help.”, she agreed.
“Exactly. And that is why there won’t be a war.”, she narrowed her brows and already took a bite off the second forepaw. “An open war is not necessary. A siege is fully enough for bringing Hyrule to its knees. There is going to be a hard winter. The stocks will run low, if not out. Everyone is weak, ill. Several relief supplies from the south will be intercepted and destroyed at the dead border. Until the east can provide their own reserves, Zelda will long since have surrendered for the good of all.”
“She’s not that weak.”
“But she’s no callous murderer either. Rather she sacrifices her people to slavery than starvation. She prefers a proud life in agony and a reinvigorated counterblow above a quick death. She is only half a Sheikah. Yes, she is a strategist, but no merciless warrior fighting to the last. Before she ends up with no folk, she’d rather have one that is oppressed but can somewhen turn the tables. Or what do you think?”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to think.”, she sighed candidly.
“Kafei didn’t agree to bring me here for nothing. By it he hopes to prevent an attack on Ikana and Termina. If I’m not there, there is no reason to march upon Clock Town. Ganon wants my head, not his. And Zelda’s idea was, that I’m still faster from here if Hyrule should be in danger. That she’s jealous of him, we’d better ignore at this point.”
“She has no reason.”
“Tell her that as well, while you’re at it. And that she shall not think she could use me for stuffing herself.”, chuckled Link into his last gulp.
“She will never love you the way he does.”
The spitting of burning oven wood could indeed rival the cracking of bursting ice, Link had to acknowledge. However it was outstripped by his own coughing. With a smirk she handed him the tea cup so he could wash down his last gulp of hare blood properly.
“Did you honestly think you’re the only keeping secrets here, Link Radim Bakino?”
“S’rry.”, gargled Link.
“It is your tea. Drink as much as you please. Honestly. Did you actually believe you can bed the heir to the throne of Ikana without sooner or later finding half the world knowing about it? And no, it’s not known by half the world yet. I mean, it’s not like he’s described each and every hair of yours that he’s had between his teeth over those three days. Also he hasn’t told me where exactly he had to drop you.”, Link’s eyes shot wide open and he now emptied the big teacup as well.
“You know him? Personally?”
“Tz. Yes, we grew up together.”, she murmured. “But that doesn’t give me the right to claim knowing him personally. Not even Kafei Maranóshu knows Kafei Maranóshu personally. Sometimes I believe he must be a broken canon, considering how often he shoots himself in the foot. Maybe even you know already more about him than he himself does. Will there be a war? I can’t tell. Perhaps I should take your considerations up on it, because they are the best I could figure out so far. But no matter what happens, before Kafei helps Zelda, he remembers how egoistic he is, crowns himself the king he never wanted to be, drags you out of it and shuts up Ikana.”
“I don’t know either.”, aspirated Link musingly, his eyes following the small heart as it was the last to find its way into her mouth. „I don’t know whether I shall believe him to be capable of such or not.”, she washed her hands with the water and cloth he had given to her.
“And I don’t know whether you’re aware of that or not. He shares equally the blood of the Royal Family and their biggest enemies. That doesn’t quite not make him the best candidate for sacrifice and self-destruction. If there is something he puts above the good of the world, and of course his own, then it is that of his family. And he did make it clear that you are a part of it. If he notices you don’t stand a chance, he consigns Hyrule to its fate and throws himself into the deepest dungeon with you, only to save – ”
Hastily Link jumped up, snatched the empty dishes and the cloth and threw everything into the sink. Even faster he had washed his mouth and hands.
“You from it.”
“Damnit, Rusl! Can’t you knock? For how long have you been standing in front of the door!”, raged Link.
“I – actually I just – ”
“What have you heard.”, he snarled.
“What?”, faltered Rusl. “I – nothing! What shall I – Link?”
“Forget it.”, he turned around huffing and tried to figure out how to wash away the blood relatively inconspicuously.
“Is there anything you want to tell me? Is there something I need to – ”
“I said, forget it.”
“Link?”
“Oh, he only banged me like a trooper and I was about to return the favour.”
The nugacity she had said this with, let Link’s head tilt forward. Aware of the heartiness of the defence of his inexplicable anger, he couldn’t help but laugh, if only quietly to himself, of shame.
“Well, if it’s nothing else,”, meant Rusl not less casual and Link could see the reflection of his fire-lighted eyes in the window.
“Rusl – ”
“No, no. I don’t want to disturb you. Neither do I want to know, why in the world you speak her language or have such a sudden interest in world affairs. But I have to trot out some story to the others, why you have saved a Sheikah’s life so fear- and regardless, while everyone knows that you know how they duffed me up on my last ride through their lands.”, Link huffed
“Tell them, the next Bulblins I’ll allow to cut through the village, and then some Sheikah too, who seek revenge for not having defended one of them against Ganondorf’s spawns with my life.”
“Ganondorf? This king of the Gerudo? I thought, somebody killed him?”
“This somebody may have thought it too many times as well. I don’t know. Maybe he’s dead, maybe he isn’t. But the demon that has controlled him, seems to still be murdering bouncily. Or rather, ordering murders.”
“Was the impact of his attacks noticeable in Termina as well?”
“If you’re actually that deeply interested, there are Gerudo in Termina.”
“I do indeed know that,”
“And well, what they speak of may occasionally find its way to the capital.”
“I understand. But you haven’t told me what you want the others to hear.”
“I honestly don’t care. They saw what happened. Shall they make up their own little stories.”, forcefully he washed away the last remaining blood.
“But I do. I don’t want them to make up stories that are far from the truth. Especially not now that they all took a shine to you.”
“Then they shall accept that there is nothing to fear from the Sheikah, unless they are brazen and stupid enough to not want to negotiate in proper manner. Tell them that, and what I just said. And for all I care, tell them I know because I shagged the heir to their throne.”, both ignored the woman’s snort. “And that I plan on doing it again, until they get that we all dwell under the same stars. And even when they managed, I won’t stop.”
More resolute than angry he dried his hands, skilfully threw the cloth off onto the drying bar and turned to Rusl with an unwavering look.
“And by the way, you may be tall, but that doesn’t stop the cold air from flowing past you. So either in or out.”
Rusl’s expression was nothing short of his when he finally stepped inside and closed the door behind. However he exuded some fatherly concern Link had so far only seen on Dotour. It was capable of swiping his frustration away at such an instant that he already expected Rusl to put down a broom beside himself. Rusl’s eyes changed, more and more matching said concern.
“Go bombard me with your despair. I am the village’s voice in the world and married for many years now. I can stand it. And quite frankly, I find your try to shoo me with some utopia even a bit charming.”, Link said nothing on it, but only looked him deeply in the eyes. „But I know you are forced to acknowledge that the life; whichever; you have tried to escape, is about to catch up with you. You know you can trust and count on me. No matter if you believe that this life would be a threat to our village and you want to leave before whatever may be too late, or if you wish to stay; you have my full support. Let me help you.”
“No.”, Link shook his head, not breaking the eye contact. “You can’t.”
“But I want to try. What ever you are running away from, I am behind you. I will help you with your escape.”
“Rusl.“, he said deliberately soft, but also with necessary certainty. “You can’t. Nobody can. Yes, maybe I can, but I don’t think it is really on me to be able to. At least not yet. Maybe one day I manage. In this life or another. But the odds are so long that I cannot take responsibility for loading you with such pointlessness.”
“Maybe you didn’t listen,”
“Oh, I did. But you didn’t listen to me. You may have a strong will, but this is out of your league.”
“You forget that I am much older than you. I have a lot of life experience you lack.”
“I won’t fully dispute.”
“See. So don’t act as if you were that boy who allegedly stopped that Majora. You don’t have to solve your problems all by yourself.”
“I do. And believe me, said boy would agree with me.”
“You can’t know.”
“Let’s drop it. That’ll get us nowhere.”, Link said bleak. “I do take note of your care, but that’s that. One day you will understand.”
“And people say, these were stubborn.”, Rusl threw a quick nod to the woman at the table but looked away then.
“Well,”, Link gave a laugh, “Maybe she’s right and I’m actually less Hylian than the Goddesses claim.”
“Do they claim this?”
“Oh yes.”, he nodded.
“You know, lad, I envy you for your faith. Honestly. But ultimately I even envy my wife for it. Yes, you both believe in different deities, but I may be a little to pragmatic for believing that somewhere in a different sphere there’s some being sitting around and directing the events in the world. It doesn’t make any sense! Why are we here at all, if we’re but puppets? I believe in cause and effect.”
“So do I.”, said Link.
“And sometimes the cause is too far away to be spotted. I can’t cope with the justification that it is the fault of some ethereal being. If a sword isn’t good, I haven’t read the coals right, hewed the steel wrong and not considered the weather properly. But I don’t believe that deity such-and-such doesn’t want me to forge a good sword today.”
“That’s not entirely right.”, the Sheikah threw in.
“I don’t care what you think it is. I respect your view of matters, but that doesn’t make me share it.”
“Nobody expected you to.”, confirmed Link. “I know of the existence of those beings, but I’m not fanatical enough to command people to believe me.”
“Then don’t command me to believe I couldn’t help you.”
Link needed to blink heavily. Yes, he had just thwarted his own plan. It was one and the same matter, if not fully. But basically Rusl was right, if he though couldn’t consider the details he had no knowledge of.
“All right. Just know that, should you really need help, I’ll be there.”
“Thanks.”, meant Link, hoping that he would finally leave it at that. “And concerning the others; I really couldn’t care less what they think. All my life I’ve been used to people having their own thoughts on my matters. Sometimes it does drive me mad, but all I can do is give them suggestions, not change their mind. That they will have do by themselves.”
“Yes.”, Rusl nodded understanding. “You’re right with that. Fine. I hope you don’t decide to run off tonight without another word.”
“What do you think this would make me look like.”, laughed Link. “And anyway, I can’t allow you to go hunting alone all winter long.”
“No. You’re just too good at shooting for that.”, Rusl turned to the woman with a significant expression.
“I won’t stay. My clothes should be dry by now. I’ll try to sew them as good as I can. Then I’ll leave. I must inform Princess Zelda of the attacks. And no, I don’t need any provisions. I know to fend for myself.”
“Well then. I wish you luck.”
“Thanks. I’ll need it.”
“Good night.”
“I wish you as well.”
“’Night.”, sighed Link and just let himself fall to the edge of the sink when Rusl left the house.
“What does he think?”
“What?”, he startled.
“What the sign on your hand means?”
“Oh that. You heard him. He envies me for my faith. I mean, it never glowed in his presence. Shall he continue not having to believe his mindset may be wrong, if all it is is liberating though. It is not on me to convert him. Zelda is the voice. I’m only the sword. And not even that I still have. Hopefully it’s not stuck in some innocent’s skull.”
“Come again?”, chuckled the woman and stood up to examine her uniform.
“Kafei threw it into the sky in the Stone Towers.”
“He did – what?”, shocked, the suit slipped from her fingers, but she could just catch it.
“Yes.”
“He threw – the – Holy Sword of all Holy Swords into the sky?”
“Yes?”, repeated Link, if though a little confused now.
“Is he completely daft?”, Link had to restrain himself not to laugh – her fury was frightening, but her momentary indignation didn’t quite make her appear serious.
“If it really comes back down, and depending on how,”
“Let alone that! There he knows that Hethriol did exactly this and three days later he was dead! Oh well, the Goddesses did throw it onto him when he was already laid out on the Castle Square, but – what! Don’t stare at me like that; that’s – scary somehow, in this light,”
“Kafei is alive though.”
“Yes, yes. Of course he’s alive. Still!”
“And it was my sword.”, stressed Link. “And Kafei is no chosen one. Oh – and just by the way, it was on the second evening of the Carnival. Now,”, he ostentatiously looked at the falling snowflakes before the window, “Winter has begun.”
“Tz. And that’s exactly why you’re going to sew this thing here back together.”
“What?”
“I told you not to look – ”, she huffed. “Oh forget it. It won’t hold if I fix it with some random thread. I have to put it on and you will try to sew up the biggest holes with some leather.”
“And that’s supposed to do.”, he put a hand on his hip.
“It’s got to. We’re not getting any younger.”
~o~0~O~0~o~
She hoped that he didn’t see her. At least it was dark enough. A bit hesitantly she looked at the pile of clothes on the landing stage. Also underpants were among them. He was actually naked. It became more and more interesting. This was what she’d always heard in the middle of the night? Link went swimming? Even at this season? Most of all – he could swim? And that especially in the stream? Here, where it got faster? She had never seen him swimming. Why did he do it secretly? This man was a mystery. His fairy didn’t tell much about him either. Maybe he had brought her to silence. He never talked much. As he wasn’t so good at their language yet, it was no wonder. Only with Rusl he spoke often. They were a well-balanced team by now.
Rusl had tried to teach Hylian, Link’s language, to them all, but it was insanely difficult. Most of all difficult to pronounce. Though Link never really replied to her, she knew that he already understood her quite well. After all he’d been here for nearly a year. Nevertheless he still was a riddle.
Most of the time he lounged around with the kids or helped at the Ranch. Navi almost never left his side. But now? Where was the fairy? Actually she preferred the fairy not to be there. So she had a bigger chance not to be spotted. Link’s look shortly rushed to the bank. Hasty and silent she retreated into a blind spot and peeked around the corner. He hadn’t seen her. The water glistened in the moonlight and his hair shimmered slightly silver. But what did he do now?
It would be absurd, he thought. He swam to the second highest of the natural rock pillars and examined the stone. It was quite feasible. The edges seemed safe and big enough. He searched for halt with his hands and found it. With his feet too. Carefully he searched his way up. Every now and then he slid off but could hold himself again. Even the last bit wasn’t very hard. He had the strength for it by now. He had left out the overhang nevertheless. When having reached the top, he let himself fall into the snow, relieved.
She knew though that he was a bit muscular. But strong enough to climb onto the pillars with bare hands and feet? He was further away but she couldn’t deny that not only his face was very pretty. He really had a beautiful body. Of course he was extremely nice, friendly, helpful – but also talented and damn well built. She giggled inside herself.
He stood up and looked around. The view over the village was not as good as from the big tree, but the quiet night and the soft moonlight had their magic. It was cold. Snow still laid all around, the water however was warm enough not to freeze anymore. He felt like he was being watched, but he didn’t care. He laid back down, watched the stars and enjoyed the fresh air.
She heard footsteps behind her and turned to them. It was Rusl. What was he doing here? The same question he asked himself when he saw Ilia. He wanted to open his mouth but she meant him to be quiet and hide as well. She pointed to the rocks right in the moment when Link sat up another time.
Slowly he really felt being watched. Who by the Goddesses was out of their house at this time – except him of course? Still none to be seen. He decided to keep ignoring it and directed his look to the biggest pillar. Should he try it? The rack was smaller at the water’s surface and therefore hung over not only on the top. It wouldn’t be easy for sure, as he wanted to take both overhangs this time. What did he have to lose? If he fell, he fell into the water. So what of it? He raised, went to the edge and considered. Should he? He simply did it. He let himself fall with spread arms, did two somersaults forward and dived in absolutely straight with both hands above his head.
“Is that – ”, aspirated Rusl in their mother tongue, “Is that Link?”
“Yes.”, giggled Ilia quietly.
“How does he get up there?”
“He climbed.”
“No.”
“He did.”
“Fascinating. I didn’t know there is so much in him.”
He made it to the other rock with one dive and, splashing water, threw his hair back into the nape of his neck. quickly he wiped the water out of his eyes and looked for a spot to start his try. Soon he hung there on all fours and the back turned to the water. And now? He hung, yes. But how would he get further? There was just one way. Very careful he let go with one foot after another but balanced with his legs.
Now came the difficult part. He concentrated all his strength on the fingers of his left hand and let go with the other. Then he reached for an edge he had spotted before and even got it. In this way he shimmied further to the outside of the pillar, where he held himself under the overhang with his toes to relieve his arms a bit. Getting around the bend was the next challenge, but he mastered it as well, not only to his own amazement.
Finally he hung vertically and could regain strength in his fingers, before he climbed further up. Compared to the following overhang, the first had been a cinch. A bit exhausted though, he laid down up there. This rock was covered with snow too. He took a deep breath and stretched his limbs properly. Self-satisfied he grinned to the sky. One needn’t always take the easy way over the smaller pillars and the roof.
`At minimum once a week´, he heard Kafei’s voice. If he knew. Clock Tower. What was a Clock Tower? But Kafei could climb up the rock faces in Ikana as well. A bit disappointed, Link sighed. He’d still need to train. Wistfully he crawled to the edge and looked down. It wasn’t even high. He’d really need to train a lot. Disappointed he stood up, placed himself with the back to the water, swung his arms over his head and did a gracile back somersault, another forward and dived in like before. Kafei’s present still lasted. He saw a shoal of shimmering fish sluggishly flee from him. In the moonlight that came through the surface he saw each scale. Without diving up, he pushed himself off the rock with his legs, rushed to the bank and did two more dives until he dived up shortly before the landing stage.
When he wanted to pull himself out of the water, he got a fright and let go. In front of him Rusl squatted and smiled at him. At his side stood Ilia, an enraptured look on her face. So indeed. He hadn’t imagined.
“You do that often?”, he asked in Hylian.
“No. Just almost every day.”
“Oh – really? Shall I help you out?”, he laughed.
“What kind of question is this?”, murmured Link and Rusl made way for him.
He raised, shook off himself to Rusl’s slight amusement and wiped the water off his body with his hands as good as possible. He noticed that Ilia watched him closely when he laid his hair in order. Girls, he just thought and went to his clothes
“You’re an enviable young man, you know? Not many at your age can do something like this.”, he said in his own language but Link understood every word.
“Then you don’t know many.”, Link answered deliberate.
“Maybe. But you know what you lack?”, Link suspected it but said nothing, instead he just dressed. “Someone at your side.”, he saw Ilia’s look at these of Rusl’s words and he knew that he hadn’t been mistaken.
“I have someone.”, Ilia got stiff and also Rusl listened attentively, but Link no longer wanted to deny it, though he wouldn’t say, who this someone was.
“Where? In Clock Town? I thought you’ve finally left this life behind?”
“I have. But not him.”, Ilia was visibly shocked. “Never. When it is time, I will go back to him.“
“Him?”, aspirated Ilia, probably hoping for a grammatical error.
“Yes, him.”, he went to her and laid his hand on her shoulder. “If I have given you false hopes, I’m sorry. I love him. More than anything else. It will always be so. Please understand this.”, he had always been a bit ashamed of disappointing girls this way, but there was no other option.
“Who?“
“This is not important for you. You don’t know him. Believe me. You will find someone who can give you what need. I have found him too.”
He gave her a soft smile, wished both a good night and set off to his house. He felt sorry for them. He felt sorry for them all – Malon, though she was long-gone – Saria – Ruto – Romani – Zelda – Ilia – even the Deku Queen. But that was it. He loved Kafei and this was settled. Also girls really just didn’t appeal to him. The thought of touching female breasts seemed strange to him. That wasn’t him. He would never be able to have a relationship with a girl or woman. That was out of the question for him. Especially as he knew how happy he was with Kafei. He wondered how he could have managed that long without him.
“Him?”, Rusl stopped him, but he didn’t turn around.
“Him?”, repeated another voice, which was even less use to him in this moment.
Flickering she buzzed out of her hiding place in the bushes and stayed hanging directly in front of his face.
“What now – ”, she aspirated. “Him? Who? And since when – ”
“Since when what?”, snorted Link.
“Since when you are gay!”, laughed Rusl.
“Yes?”, he turned around to him at last, a bit angrier though.
“I’m so sorry.”, he slowly calmed down. “But you don’t honestly want to tell me that you’re – ”, Link’s look immediately brought him to silence. “Oh.”
“Is this a problem for you?”
“I – no! What makes you think that? It’s just – ”
“That you just wonder why you tried to set me up with Ilia for all these months?”, this one just stared from one man to the other as she didn’t understand a word. “I’ve told you that she’s not my type. This, she wouldn’t be either if she was male and once again, I’m taken.”
“And? Who is it?”, grumbled Rusl, but Link’s look stayed serious.
“I tell you again as well, this is not important for you. Nor for anybody else here.”
“Where? In Clock Town? Honestly – why are you here? Did you even want to come here?”
“If it calms you, I like to be here.”
“Thanks, but that doesn’t answer my question.”, he went serious too and crossed his arms.
“Link. Listen.”, oh how he loved that. “Whoever that is, it won’t work.”
“Ah?”, he turned to her, hands put on his hips. “Because she says it?”
“What now?”
“She said that you should talk me out of everything in connection with Clock Town, right?”
“I – er – not concretely like this, but – she had – given hints – ”
“And? You? Do you actually listen to me once?”
“If you mean your theory that she is whatever for jealous of whoever and therefore – ”
“Yes, exactly this fact I mean.”
“Tz.”
“Goddesses!”, he snarled and let his arms sink. “You weren’t there! So don’t you still act as if you knew what’s it all about.“
“She just said that, whatever happens, you mustn’t pass the gate to Ikana. At no rate.”
“Ah!”, he shook his head. “There we’ve got the bug, haven’t we? She doesn’t even allow me to go to Ikana! Not only not to Termina, also not into the Hinterlands. Because she knows that he’d know eventually that I’m back. She knows how fast the Sheikah communicate. He’d know where I am, before I would. And even faster he’d be with me. He just doesn’t leave his country because – oh what do I know why. Maybe because she told him that it would be the worst political mistake he could make?”
“Who by all Great Fairies are you together with?”, Navi murmured.
“She had mentioned him.”, he snubbed. “You excuse me, I’m tired and tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”
At smart pace he set off to his house but Navi wouldn’t let him. Hasty she flew after him and stayed floating in front of his face again. He could stop just in time. Now he was really starting to get angry.
“He?”
“Yes, he. And I love him more than I can express it with words. Neither she, nor you, nor any other forces of this universe can change this. You can fly to her and tell her like exactly that; I won’t stop you.”
“Damnit, Link! He’s married! And has children!”
“They, as well as his wife, don’t mind that he loves me equally, because they love him too. And just by the way, he on his part is married happily. Almost eight years ago I was accepted to this family. I could still be with them, if she wasn’t so jealous. Just because she was the first to have kissed me on that day, it doesn’t mean at all that she’s got the right to my heart or even to my life.”
“She did what?”, aspirated the fairy.
“Yes, you heard me right. Maybe you finally believe my version of the story that wasn’t censored by a post-pubertal crush.”
“Post- ?”
“Or not? One should assume that she’s left that phase behind with the age of twenty, what do you think?”
“She’s older than you?”
“Tell me – where have you forgotten your encyclopaedia? Normally you know everything, don’t you?”, he hissed at her.
“Could you please come down so we can talk about it rationally?”
“Maybe you didn’t get it – I don’t want to talk about it! I just want to go to bed, if I my.”, he stormed past her once more.
“But we’ll talk about it tomorrow, will we?”, she flew after him again. “Link? Link! I’m talking to you! Stop running away immed– ”
All she noticed was that she was grabbed by something and pressed against the rock face to her right. Desperately she tried to free herself from his flat hand which wedged her from the stomach down, but gave up quickly. She didn’t even see his whole furious face, so close was he. His features shimmered monochromatic in her blue light and he could see her own reflection in his eyes.
“We won’t talk about it at all, got it? And don’t you dare to get the idea that you can sleep in the house tonight. Tomorrow, maybe. We’ll see. But don’t count on it.”
“What are you playing at? Let go of me! And you don’t have the right to throw me out!”
“Says who?”, hissed Link. “You don’t give the orders around here. And especially not she.”
“But she can. And when she does, you must obey her.”
“I’m not her dog!”, he snarled. “Every dog would have been wiser and ran back. But I old fool have let myself in for her game. That’s over.”
In the corner of his eye he could see Rusl, who obviously could hear
everything, as he himself heard better and understood that he translated for Ilia. Somehow he found it brazen, but he really didn’t care at the moment. He just tried to hold Navi without crushing
her, as he just wanted to stop her but not hurt her.
“What’s the matter with you!”, Navi moaned. “That’s not you. The Link I know, would – ”
“The Link you knew, had just shut up on everything because he hadn’t found it worth defending himself against other’s opinions for hours. But this Link had never been happy either. Until he found someone very special. And shall I tell you something? Your good old friend Link is almost seventeen years old now, has spent the majority of this time with saving other’s arses and is tired of it. Yes, I like to help. Yes, it’s always nice to see, which helpless beings can live a happy life because of my intervention. Don’t you think that I also want to live a happy life? Especially when I’ve found someone with whom I can?”
“But – ”
“I was three years old when I had to watch my parents die. I have no idea whether my grandmother or sister are still alive. My happy life was over before I was aware that I would grow up without my family. Two whole days I sat on this bridge and hoped that my father was just wounded and would come to get us. Mother was dead already when I still hoped that he’d come. Only when Saria had found me, I knew that he wouldn’t come. The following years I spent with people who were there for me though, but have never been a family. Then you came. And you know what, I’m even really grateful.”
“What?”
“Yes! I’m grateful that she made me move away this piece of rock. By this I got a family again. But instead of feeling glad for me – instead of being thankful towards them that I finally got a life, she tears me out immediately. Twice. Cowardly from distance. Do you understand now, why I said that she’s not the one to give me orders?”
Somehow he felt sorry for her. Her fragile wings hung limply down her shoulders, the arms over his hand.
“I beg you. Just leave me alone tonight, alright? I haven’t been by myself for a long time. And now I’m finally at an age I can say, I’m not afraid of being alone. Alone in this way. In another way I’ve been it for the whole of my life, despite a few days, if you count the hours together. I let go of you now.”
She just nodded exhausted and spread her wings. Carefully he removed his hand. Assured that she could hold herself in the air, he turned his back on her and went away.
“But you will do what she said, won’t you?”, she called after him.
At this moment he decided to never speak with her ever again and also that he would saddle Epona right at the beginning of the next week and instead of, as Rusl additionally had asked him today, riding to Hyrule, it would be Termina. Though the thought of giving Zelda a sharp clip around the ear was really tempting. But what use would it be? He needed to regain control of himself. He had really just gone too far. But the only thing that would be able to calm him down, was Kafei. Therefore he had an even better reason for riding to Termina instead of Hyrule.
That he wouldn’t be able to implement his plans, he didn’t guess at all..
~o~0~O~0~o~
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