Returning Home

   Deeply in thoughts he packed his things. He wanted to leave the house like he had found it. Last he stored the photos on his table in his cap. A bit wistful though, he looked at the photo of Fado and himself. Ilia had tried to take photos of all people in the village with the camera Rusl had bought in town. They had just meant to lay their arms around each other’s shoulders and smile. Exactly in the moment Ilia had hit the button, a goat had moved into the picture and had almost knocked them over. Then he looked at the second try of the image. The goat was still in it but at least they stood next to it, grinning up to their ears. Link now grinned almost like on the photograph.

   Sighing, he put the two pictures to all other stuff and gazed into the little mirror. Thinking, he ran his hand through his hair and parted it in the middle. Then to the side again. His thoughts created another person’s face next to his. She smiled. It was his mother. Now his father. Saria. Zelda as a child and now. Malon. Ruto. Romani. Even Shad.

   And finally Kafei. The most beautiful smile of all. He could hardly await having this smile in front of him in real. Ilia. Her look was sad. He didn’t want to see this face. Kafei should return to this mirror. But Ilia didn’t move. He looked back on the table once again to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything and put on his cap. When looking in the mirror again for adjusting it, Ilia’s face was still there. Suspicious, he slowly turned around. She actually stood there, wrapped in a grey cloak. Why did she wear a cloak? She just looked around sadly, then back on him.

 

   “You’re leaving us?”, she said in her language, Link nodded. “You – you – want to go to her, right?”

   “Zelda?”

   “Yes.”

   “Just to– ”, he considered, “Say goodbye to her? Is it called so?”

   “Say goodbye? You – don’t want to stay with her? Where else will you go then?”

   “Back.”

   “To where?”

   “Home.”, it even sounded good in this language. “My real home.”

   “But – your home is here.”, he had guessed it.

   “No.”, he shook his head.

   “It is. Here. With me. You don’t love me anymore?”

   “Ilia. This – memory – is wrong.”

   “Not you. Don’t you say so too.”, she begged.

   “It is the truth.”, he moaned.

   “You can’t leave me.”, she went closer to him. “Please don’t leave me alone. I need you. I – I want you.”

 

   Desperately Link closed his eyes and put his hand on his face when she brushed off her cloak. That for she wore it. Yes – he had seen naked girls before. But always just accidentally. And now that at least she purposed it, it was even more embarrassing for him.

 

   “Please. Look at me.”, he only directed his look onto the floor to his right. “You don’t need to be embarrassed. I’m not embarrassed either. Or am I so ugly?”, he just shook his head. “What then?”, she came even closer and turned his face on her.

   “You forgot it, right?”

   “What?”, she urged.

   “I can’t.”

   “What can’t you? What’s so difficult?”

   “I don’t want this.”

   “What don’t you want?”

   “T-this – “, even more desperate he somehow tried to hint without having to touch her.

   “This? This – what? This?”, she grabbed his hands and pressed them on her breasts. “This? Ah!”, he hadn’t intended to hurt her. “What the heck’s the matter with you?”, she spat moaning as he had pulled away his hands a bit too rough.

   “Sorry.”

   “Yes?”

   “I – ”

   “What?”

   “I am gay. I have told you already. But you have – repressed. I’m not from here. I was born on – an island outside Ludia and have grown up in Hyrule. In Termina I have – fallen in love. I’m going to Termina. My true home. To the one I love and who loves me.”, he went to the cloak, picked it up and laid it around her shoulders. “Please understand.”, she gazed at him for a while but then nodded and went to the door with her head hanging. “Please – don’t hate me.”, she glanced back to him.

   “I don’t hate you.”, she smiled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Now everything makes sense. Why Rusl told me not to go to you. That it would only hurt me. Fare well. And – take care, okay?”, Link nodded to her another time before she left the house.

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~

 

 

   “No. Please stay here. You have to run a country.”

   “Are you sure? I have such an uncomfortable feeling.”

   “No. Stay. Even if, whatever it is, I could always cope with everything so far. Yes, you’ve saved my life a couple of times and I thank you for this. But I guess, we’ve prevented enough and if I’m more careful, I’ll manage my crazy life alone as well. And I’ll have Kafei, you know?”

   “Fine. It is your decision. But do not be so foolish to go without your sword.”

   “The sword stays where it belongs. I’ve already stuck it into its pedestal. That’s it. The hero lays down his arms. I go to Termina and there I’ll stay. If I’d need a sword, I know where to get one from.“

   “So is it. The sword stays where it belongs.”, finally she removed her arms from behind her back and Link saw that the unusual posture had had a reason. “It is yours. It was always meant for you. Ever. It is a part of you. You yourself know quite well that you are not good at running away from your destiny. Please. Take it.”

 

   She was right. Whatever had happened, he’d just always been the one to straighten everything. And as he already had to confess in front of Rusl, swords were a part of his life. He could go as much without a sword as without Kafei. Now he understood, that if he wanted to be together with Kafei, he wasn’t to give up his sword. Otherwise he would be separated from Kafei once more. Somehow these two parts of his life seemed to be connected to each other.

 

   “How did you get it out anyway?”

   “It was never in. As highest of the Sages I have a little more freedom. There is a very simple, ephemeral spell that avoids that two or more things connect. With clothes this is especially funny. They then billow like wuuuuuh – ah!”

 

   Her giggling stopped immediately, as she had placed the sword on the ground and had performed her example waving around without thinking. Fortunately Link caught it and gave her a quite killing look.

 

   “I am sorry!”, she moaned. “I do not know what this was now. I guess, I am really in need of a time-out. And it is exceptionally heavy. Almost impossible to carry. I had to lug it all the way because I could not teleport myself with it. I hope this is just the ban and that it is much lighter for you.”

   “It’s not so heavy actually. And you convinced me. I obviously can’t leave it in your hands. But you hopefully know that I only do this in case Kafei comes up with any idiocy that brings us in a situation in which I have to stab something down.”

   “Yes.”, giggled Zelda when he bound on the sword plus sheath. “Also do I find it fascinating how the forest can devour a whole temple in only so few years.”

   “Quite, yes. But it did collapse during the quake. How did you get in and out again?”

   “By foot, I did say this, did I not?”, her look turned slightly sarcastic.

   “Er – yes – well – one more question – can it be that it comes from a town behind a cloud bank?”

   “Yes – “, aspirated Zelda. “Where do you know that from? Do not tell me, from another dream?“

   “Exactly.”

   “Hm. Well – I never doubted that you get secret information through your dreams. Nevertheless. I still do not understand how your brain comes up with the idea that anyone would raise the Great Sea’s level to drown someone like Ganondorf. You must have grown a very big hatred towards him.”

   “Hatred – I don’t like this word, to be honest.”

   “Neither do I. It is a very evil word. But I have seen your look. When you struck him down, this was no luck. You did not plan anything else than killing him.”

   “For how long did you want to go on banning him into somewhere? It never helped. Last time he even annihilated one of the Arbiters! And in the end it wasn’t me who killed him. It was Zant. You know it as much as I do.”

   “But you would have, if he had not still been under Din’s involuntary protection. Actually you have murdered him in cold blood.”

   “He attacked us and I defended myself. Anyway – how many did he murder in cold blood, or rather, let be murdered?”

   “I know. Nevertheless, through the wish of bringing Hyrule peace, you have become very much like him for a moment. Never mind.”, she shook her head slightly as she understood his expression. “Just take care of yourself, alright?”

 

   She laid a hand on his cheek. Doing so, her eyes actually became glassy, so dreamingly she stared at him. Slowly he lead his hand towards hers, watching her eyes getting bigger. His fingers barely touched hers. Nevertheless it was easy for him to losen her hand from his face and forcing it down and away. He noticed her shoulders sinking slightly disappointed. So he stepped closer to Zelda and embraced her, though just on principle.

 

   “I will. But as hard as you may try, you can’t reverse me. You do have a place in my heart, but it is of different nature. Please understand.”

 

   Without letting go of her, he looked her directly in the eyes. Zelda just nodded oppressed. Then he mounted and rode thence, not without a last smile back to the worried princess.

   He knew the way through the woods already. Aware he was being watched with no mean of harm, he yet crossed it with fastest gallop and just slowed down when he reached the entrance to the Ancient Ways. By descending the shaft he had to get off Epona to enable her a secure step. Within shortest time he arrived at the big trees. There he was overcome by an uneasy feeling for the first time. Was Zelda right? Had his heart hurt not only because he was separated from Kafei? The bridges appeared as if nobody had been down there for servicing them since his last visit. Already a bit more concerned he conducted Epona to the other side and went through the door to the Clock Tower.

   Silence. Only the whispering of the wind a bit further up and the dripping of the moisture. The waterwheel laid torn out of the anchoring. This needn’t mean anything. For sure the axle had become rotten and the carpenters were too busy to tend to it. More careful though he lead his steed upwards. But before he could turn to the door, Epona got anxious. Also he heard a noise from behind the door. Somehow it was familiar but he wasn’t entirely sure. Presumably it was his own memory playing tricks on him.

   Then he saw something lying in the corner. It was a huge sack. Slowly he pulled his horse towards it but let it stand away from it within short distance, when he recognised what laid next to the sack.

   At first he thought the Masks Salesman was sleeping. But this wasn’t a way a sleeping person looked like. He reminded him more of a ReDead. In his hands he held a book. Hesitantly Link approached him, but he wouldn’t wake up. A knot formed itself in Link’s stomach and wandered up to his throat. What had happened? Even more cautious Link knelt down to him and took the book from his hand. It was a kind of diary. As he couldn’t read the characters, he leafed through, hoping to find something useful. Further to the end he came across several peculiar entries in Hylian.

 

   If you should read this here, I’m probably dead. From now on I won’t write in the language of my folk, as you might not understand it, but it is important that you know what happened.

 

   I don’t know who or what they are, but they’re here. Nor do I know where they are from. Suddenly they were here. Kafei was wise enough to send Link to Ordon. The boy wouldn’t have survived this invasion, I assume. Kafei has told me that one of them had attacked him during the opening of the last Carnival. Also he meant he had been warned that there would be something in progress. Probably the sending of this being was a try. Or a warning, I can only guess.

   Almost a year passed since Link went to Ordon. I’d really like to know how he’s doing but I’m afraid I will never get to know. They are so many. I don’t know what’s going on out there. Kafei wanted us to flee into the tower, but not into the Ancient Ways, as we would stand less a chance in Hyrule. I’m the only one who made it into the tower. The clock crashed down behind me and blocked the door. I can’t get out. Screams – from everywhere out there screams echo inside – children cry – the wild shrieking of these creatures. I hear Kafei ordering to evacuate the town. A whistle in all the noise.

 

   I hear a clattering and clacking. It must be horses. Uncountable. He’s called them. Kafei’s voice echoes across everybody, telling them to just get on the horses as they know their way. Also I know their way. But I can’t get out. Nor can I teleport. One of them wounded me and I feel too weak. The noise goes further away with the hooves. I hope they make it in time. I know he’ll come back to pick me up.

 

   They’re back again. Obviously they settle down in the town. I suspect the worst. Hopefully Kafei could save many. Ikana is big and fertile and saved from intruders by the ban. The barrier doesn’t last long but if he’s fast enough to activate the seals in the towers, they’re safe. Tatl climbs as good as he already. I think they can manage to even activate the seals in the same moment. Then they’d be totally safe.

 

   I don’t know for how long I’ve been in here. They’re still in town. Every now and then I hear them. Kafei didn’t return. Hopefully nothing happened to him. Not that I’m afraid of dying of starvation here but; he doesn’t deserve dying so young. I run out of provision but at least I have enough water here. I don’t dare entering the Ancient Ways. My wound just won’t heal.

 

   No food left and the water’s already so stagnant that it tastes horrible. I’m hungry. Kafei didn’t return yet. I still can’t get out. But I’ve found something in the tower. A bare stone. I could recognise pale, peculiar signs. They’re arranged in a circle. In front of it stands an old mirror. It’s broken. Maybe when the clock fell. It seems to me like being a portal. But I feel that it can’t be opened without the mirror. If it’s really a portal, I’m afraid they came out of it. I don’t know for how long I’ll still make it.

 

   I’m on the ropes. No sign of Kafei. I think, I’ll have a sleep. Whether I’ll wake up again, I don’t know.

 

 

   So they didn’t invade Hyrule only. Yes, more than a year had passed since Kafei had begged him to go to Ordon for building himself a new life. And what use had it been? Exactly one year long he had tried to leave his past behind, denied everything that could have been brought in connection with it. What for? That he was pulled into the Twilight and bossed around by the looniest princess, for finding himself in a remake of his old clothes and, together with Navi and Midna, chasing after his destiny again?

   Honestly, he was already getting pissed off. The time with Kafei and the one year in Ordon had been the only life he had had so far. Yes, he didn’t have a problem with being a hero. He didn’t bother constantly saving Hyrule and other countries. They were worth it, though he was sick of it. He missed Kafei. Most of all after the hassle with Zant. At least Ganondorf was dead finally. The Twilight was again were it belonged. And now? He had now idea what had happened to Termina in the meantime. The door Midna had come through was destroyed. But the beasts were still here. At least they wouldn’t come back when he took care of them.

   Though he would have to tell Zelda. Or did he? Zelda had other things to do. She had to govern and rebuild an afflicted country. And his curiosity was bigger than the urge of burdening her with sorrows. Why was everything so complicated? Couldn’t he just simply go through this door, run to the Town Hall, tear all doors open and fall into Kafei’s arms? Why did also here monsters stand in the way? At first he wanted to put back the diary but then he crammed it into his cap. If Kafei was still alive, and he had the feeling that he was still alive, he would be able to translate the other entries for him.

   So he raised, went to the door that was slightly pressed inside askew as well as blocked by fallen blocks of stone and tried to get it free. Something must have happened outside, as the door moved, if only enough to enable him to slip out. But maybe it was just because he was stronger than the Masks Salesman.

   The town was dead. Several, still dressed skeletons laid on the Southsquare. The sky was clouded. An overwhelming silence. He didn’t know how, but somehow he managed to expose the door enough for getting Epona out. In the moment the horse entered the square though, it backed away into the tower, scared. Link felt something behind him. When he turned around, he saw that it was quite a number of them.

   He got out his bow and Light Arrows which he had received from Zelda, right in time for stunning two of them. The others attacked. He wanted to get back into the tower, but one of them jumped into his way and pressed the door shut. He was surrounded. They zeroed in on him with no chance on hope. When he shot off the next arrow, they stormed on him simultaneously. This was it. Hadn’t he just been so stubborn and taken Zelda with him. He could pull his sword though, but it were considerably more than he was used to.

   Suddenly they ground to halt, their heads rushed around in direction of the Southportal and they ran away shrieking. It was an eerie figure, a good piece smaller than he, covered entirely in a black cloak. Slowly the unknown strode towards Link. That one faced him, sword ready, but the cloaked raised a hand.

 

   “No. I will not harm you.”, his voice sounded utmost familiar to Link but at the moment he didn’t know where to put him. “Which one cannot say about them.”, he lowered his hand again and hid it beneath his cloak. “They fear me. To deep have I fallen. I did get a second chance, yet the old Shadows still remain deep inside me. They also prevent me from being able to do anything more to them than having their respect. Yes, they give way to me. But this does not eventually make me able to control or even destroy them. To deep the Shadows rest, as for having the power of Light. Also my abilities with material weapons are not enough for striking them to death. As they; as you might have known before; always attack as a pack, it would be useless.

Yes, I have changed. Nevertheless I can not help Termina. Termina, Link, has almost fallen. Those who remain, could only find safety through the renewal of ancient bans. But hiding is no solution, even if they can maybe survive and safe the future of their tribes. You come late. For many, too late. But there is still hope – if all hold together and release those, who are stuck between Light and Darkness. from their agony. When they find peace, Termina will regain peace as well.

Midna had the opinion that the door she came through would not be big enough, as the mirror and the stone were careless copies. Therefore she had kept the mirror intact after her warning of the bigger portal, in case this one would be destroyed before she could return. No, it was not big, not stable, but big and stable enough to destroy Termina. I do not beg you to trust me. I only beg you to believe me that I have nothing to do with the extinction of Termina. I was ordered by the Goddesses to bestead Termina – I failed. Your help comes late, but it shall not be in vain. Also I know that you will be forgiven for your delay, as you had no choice. Though we have formed and gained new strength in the last months, but nevertheless we need you here. And most of all – the King needs you here.”

 

   Termina had a king – but which king? Of which tribe? Which tribes remained? He decided waiting on the answer.

 

   “Do you believe me?”

   “Thinking about what I’ve seen, I have to, haven’t I?”, Link stuck back the bow into his cap and the sword into the sheath.

   “Thank you.”

 

   The stranger wiped back his hood and showed himself as being a young man, Link in fact knew more than he wanted. He stood in front of him in his almost Hylian form, in full; if though not really enormous; height, the despair written into his pleading look. Nothing had changed of his appearance. The soft lavender skin – the one visible, left red eye with the same mark beneath – the long pointed ears – the long straight but thick, baggy hair in the same colour as the skin – yes, not even his hairstyle had changed. Though he didn’t seem like an adolescent anymore, more like a young adult already, of an age between Link and Kafei.

 

   “Vaati?”

   “Let us get away from here, before they start to think different and dare to get near me as well.”

 

   He reached out his right hand invitingly towards Link but kept his expression. Timidly Link accepted and felt the light warmth when Vaati’s long, dainty fingers closed around his. With a meaningfull look he urged Link, who momentarily was a bit too fixated on Vaati’s clawlike fingernails, to something he wasn’t sure to have understood right. Nevertheless he completed the grasp. A smile laid itself onto Vaati’s lips. It was a smile he had never seen on him before: gratitude.

 

   “It would be senseless to teleport us away from here. I cannot get through the ban. Also I tried to take a horse with me once. You do not want to know what happened to it. If you allow, I sit at the front.”

 

   Link still didn’t quite know what to think of it. He could imagine what would happen if someone like Vaati tried to teleport animals. The thought alone turned his stomach over. And now even letting him ride Epona? But it seemed to be better like this. The Shadowbeasts would swerve him. He opened the door and lured his horse, which was reluctant to come out of the Clock Tower, with the cheapest trick ever: carrots. Then though, Vaati stepped forward and Epona did an about-turn. The Mage raised his hands and reassured her in his mother tongue. Link didn’t understand a word but it somehow sounded calming. Step by step Epona came towards him, if still with some mistrust. When he had her at his side, he gently stroked her head. He stopped talking to her just before he pulled himself lively onto her back without using stirrups or reins.

   He reached out his hand to Link once more and helped him up. The latter didn’t really know where to hold to. Vaati noticed this, grabbed Link’s arms and laid them provocatively around his own waist. Then he reached for the reins and Epona rushed out of town as fast as she could.

 

   It was an unusual ride. Link had never sat at the back, especially not out of the saddle when there was one. Holding to the hips of an other man than Kafei seemed absurd, especially when thinking about what Vaati had done. One thing however amazed him. Epona’s back had never been so calm and balanced. Vaati obviously knew more about riding than Link himself did, who tried to dodge the other man’s dashing hair, though it wasn’t necessary as the hair strangely enough dodged him on its own.

   The Field was bare. The green couldn’t to called green anymore. Link compared it to his own clothing and found it being rather a dead greybrown with a waft of former green. Wherever he looked, the cursed Twili were more numerous than one could imagine. Nevertheless they gave way to them slightly anxious. They rode the shortest way to Ikana, and didn’t even have to jump over the fences as those were mostly broken. In front of the rock face they came to halt and were surrounded immediately, though with some distance.

   Link looked upwards and noticed for the first time, a yellow shimmering, transparent wall which disappeared across the canyon as a gigantic dome. A cloaked person stepped to the edge, safely behind the magical shield. The masked reached out his hands. But instead of tearing stone out of the wall, strings of light streamed from his palms. The soft strands flew through the shield and formed a wound, evenly inclined path upwards. Link understood that this was their only way getting up without having hunters on their heels. But when they stepped onto the path, the peace was over.

   Vaati really had to chase Epona up because the creatures followed them over the walls and grabbed for them. Link pulled his sword and hit back. Just in time they could pass a created door before one of the beings could follow them. Epona was downright distressed but Vaati comforted her with strokes. A bit nerved, Link dismounted at the back. Much further, he didn’t get.

   Jerkily two hands turned him around and pulled him into the kiss he had missed more than anything for over a year long. From one moment to the other both forgot everything around them, even Vaati’s stare. Link felt how his cap was pushed off his head and carelessly fell to the ground, then Kafei’s hand rooting through his hair. He couldn’t resist imitating him, so big was his need of touching every bit of Kafei. He wiped back his hood and felt something like metal as well as some thin chains, but ignored them for now.

 

   “Have you taken leave of your senses?”, murmured Vaati behind them, still on horseback.

   “Oh shut up.”, Kafei groaned back without fully separating their lips.

   “Fine, I have to look after a horse, if you do not mind.”, he got no answer. “Tz.”, he shook his head and rode into the Canyon with unhurried walking pace, while Kafei pulled Link into a warmly comforting embrace.

   “Welcome home.”

 

   Vaati must have heard this. Kafei looked into his direction when he brought Epona to halt, waited a second and turned around again. The two men let go of each other a bit and threw questioning looks to him, but didn’t really losen their embrace. Link was confused. A mixture of fury and disappointment laid in Vaati’s expression as he looked at Kafei.

 

   “What’s the matter?”

   “I mean – yes. It was to be expected. But you could at least have – ”

   “What?”

   “Oh forget it.”, hissed Vaati and Link recognised the look. “You did not even notice it, did you?”, it was the same look Romani had always given him when he had evaded her.

   “What’s the matter?”, urged Kafei and let his arms sink, stroking.

   “Forget it, yes?”, he turned around once more, but Kafei stumped after him, stopped Epona and swung himself onto her in front of Vaati.

   “Please tell me what’s going on.”

   “How blind are you actually?”, raged Vaati and gave Link confirmation.

   “Erm – ”, he noticed and put his hands on his hips interested. “If you have to argue already, could you please don’t do it on my horse?”

 

   Kafei slid back down but didn’t take his eyes off Vaati. That one wrinkled his nose, threw the left leg over Epona’s neck, jumped off gracile and came towards Link. Suddenly he took the latter’s face in his hands and stared at him for two seconds. When he spoke, Link saw his sharp corner teeth for the first time.

 

   “Forgive me.”, he whispered to him and pulled him without warning into a deep, demanding kiss.

   “What the – ”,came it from Kafei in same moment as from Link, who tried to cut loose and even managed to.

   “Well?”, Vaati spat to Kafei and let go of Link. “How does this feel?”, angrily he marched off, further into the Canyon, ignoring the drilling looks of the other two.

   “I thought you changed?”, Link brought him to halt, Vaati just turned around questioning.

   “I am sorry, yes?”

   “I’ve understood and noted it. But it’s not what I meant. Questions can’t be answered, can they? One always has to demonstrate the answer encrypted and to the discomfort of others, right? Like in old times, not?”, Vaati closed his eyes and drooped. “A simple `I love you, Kafei´ would have done it too.”

   “And I’m not blind.”, said the latter. “After everything you did I unfortunately didn’t have the heart to give you a refusal. Especially as you always mention how much you still tend to overreact. You proved it just now. I know, it must be hard for you. For the first time you feel something like this but have to face decline. Believe me. I know how I would have reacted.”

   “Ah?”

   “At first I would have locked myself up several days long, rioted every now and then, boozed myself mad and rioted even more.”, this confession hit Link harder than he could understand. “I love Anju. I’ve been loving her for a long time already. When her mother found out, I was close to killing myself. This woman had made me sick. And I’m glad that I could control myself in the end enough to neither kill me, nor her. But fine. That’s Anidja. She’s got a talent for this. I’m not completely bad, but I also tend to overreact like you.”

   “You don’t say,”, now it was Link to whisper in.

   “With the only difference that it already drove you so far into madness that you murdered because of it. In fact cold-blooded. Even if you changed. You always say it yourself that you can’t really get rid of it. You fight on our side, not against us. Make that clear to the monster in you as well. I really like you. You mean a lot to me already. But I don’t love you the way you love me. You understand?”, Vaati nodded depressed. “Thanks.”, Kafei went to him and took him amicably in his arms. “I also want you to be able to use your second chance. I trust in the good in you. But I can’t give you what your heart longs for.”

 

   He loosened the embrace and Link saw a tear rolling out of Vaati’s uncovered eye. Kafei noticed it, wiped it away and afterwards gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. Somehow Link found the scene touching. Vaati had always fought for his acceptance. His despair had made him a tyrant. But now, as he was allowed to start again, he was so overwhelmed by his feelings that they downright overstrained him. Link understood it as a sign that Vaati never really experienced love and therefore had never really known it either and much less accepted it. His jealousy towards those who were capable of such feelings had driven him into mania. And now that he finally carried this very own, most peculiar, most contradictory sensation within, it turned over his head so much that he couldn’t think clearly anymore.

 

   “And please don’t think I’ve only used you for getting Link safely into my arms. I’ve asked you to go because the chance that you fall apart by doing something like this is many times lower than with all others. I would have gone myself if I didn’t know that I’m still too vulnerable.”

   “Oh yes.”, Link remembered, picked up his cap, put it on again and went to them. “How did you know I’m coming?”

   “Don’t ask for things you know.”, Kafei only smiled.

 

   Link stepped very close to him to finally take a look at the delicate but not pompous golden tiara on his forehead which disappeared under his hair to the sides. In the middle was a bigger, round, clear, red cabochon set. He recognised the symbol from the Stone Tower Temple. Its forms shortly continued outwards, made from wire. Behind Kafei’s ears it left his hair again. The sides of the tiara were made of bigger rings of the same kind of wire. Link made a step around Kafei. On each of the back-sides were three fine golden chains fixed, hanging like nooses, which became longer towards the middle of the back of his head. The last ones fused at the bottom of the drop of the Sheikah-Symbol, which framed a red cabochon as well and had two drop-like wire shapes at its sides like the front part.

 

   “You actually decided to become king?”, asked Link.

   “Let’s say, the situation forced me to accept the decisions of my tribes. They wanted it like this. Not only the Sheikah. But you should know that I’m not to be recognised as king by this tiara at all. The king’s jewellery is far too heavy for me and always and everywhere inconvenient, except when you sit still. Anju’s tiara is much more handy. To say, a queen is a sensitive being. A sensitive being that hacks the carrots with sabres so the five years old prince can cook them before the seven years old princess spreads them all over the rocks. It’s my mother’s tiara. She apparently had the same measures and shape of head as I.”

   “So you still wear women’s jewellery?”, Link couldn’t stop himself and earned a finger being flicked to his cheek. “Sorry.”, he added giggling.

   “Yes, you’re right. But this isn’t about my habits as you hopefully know. I have something for you.”, he reached beneath his hair, pulled out something from under his clothing and put it around Link’s neck. “And don’t laugh. It almost knocked me down. The Heavenly Beings really have a bad sense of humour.”, it was the locket Link had gotten from Dotour for his birthday.

   “Thanks.”, Link really tried hard not to laugh but still it burst out of him and he got a light hit on his head. “You love to torment me, right?”

   “Idiot. I’ve taken a look. Everything’s still inside.”

   “You didn’t get my hair back, did you?”, Kafei hesitated because of Link’s serious expression.

   “Pardon? You’re one Rupee short of a full wallet.”

   “Sorry. Let me play.”

   “Yes, yes. Let this kind of games, will you? I wouldn’t mind other games though – ”

   “Do I hear a Hylian speaking?”

   “Must be so.”

 

   Two hooded figures jumped down from the high rocks. One of them landed a bit groggy and had to be caught by the other for being prevented from falling over.

 

   “Oh dear!”, giggled Anju and removed her scarf from her head which was decorated by a magnificent dark tiara with golden-yellow stones. “It seems I should train more.”

   “And how you should.”, laughed Rim and freed himself too.

   “Er – yes – that’s what I kept asking myself for some time as well. Is it usual for Sheikah to make such entrances?”

   “Well – ”, considered Kafei.

   “I’m not one, so I’m allowed to stumble.”, grinned Anju, scurried towards Link and cuddled him to his amused discomfort. “I’m so insanely happy to see you again.”, even faster she let go of him so Rim could hug him too, who friendly patted him on the back.

   “Well? Is everything fine again in Hyrule?”

   “Yes. To some extent. What’s going on here? Why are the Shadow Beasts still here?”

   “We don’t know.”, said Kafei. “Probably it’s because the mirror has been destroyed. We can’t really kill them. Some of them we could strike down. They returned to the Twilight. But I assume we were just lucky. We have to kill them in the groups they came out. This is as good as impossible as they look the same on the one hand and and as they have mixed immediately on the other hand. Many of us died. Far too many.”, Anju’s smile vanished. “Triri died from age. Sorrei didn’t survive the second of so far four tries to attack the creatures. Romani is still injured and cures too slowly. At least she has somebody who stays with her day and night.”

   “Ydin’s son?”, Link threw in.

   “Yes. How do you know?”

   “Just a guess. What’s his name anyway?”

   “Very difficult to memorise. Franin.”, Kafei giggled shortly.

   “Eh – yes. I think I should thank him.”

   “Maybe, yes. Anyway, his parents are also quite shaken. They visibly aged about ten years. Though they still have the same vitality but the whole thing has really exhausted them. I had no idea at all that both of them are such good fighters. Mother lost about the half of her weight. You will barely recognise her. Cremia is suffering from a light persecution mania since Romani’s calamity. Half of Clock Town’s inhabitants is dead. Mother had assumed something and sent the postman to Hyrule before the invasion. Have you met him? Is he alright?”

   “He’s even crazier than before.”, sighed Link.

   “Understood. What’s left of the other tribes has settled down in the Hinterlands. This barrier – ”, he pointed at the dome of light, “Keeps the Shadow Beasts away. It reaches over entire Ikana, so also to the surrounding borders of the Hinterlands. Tatl and I could activate it in time before they broke through the emergency ban.”

   “The Mask Salesman had hoped you would manage to.”

   “You’ve seen him? How’s he doing?”

   “Not so fine. He’s dead. Starved.”, Kafei’s expression became numb.

  “No. Is it – he didn’t – ? But how do you know – ”, Link took out the diary, opened the pages and let Kafei read.

   “I’ve sent him to death – ”, moaned Kafei quietly and Link laid a hand on his cheek.

   “You’ve tried to save him.”

   “And killed him by doing so – ”

   “He’s killed himself by being cowardly enough not to go further. There he would just have been swallowed by the Twilight temporarily, but so – ”

   “He trusted me and – and I let him down – ”, sobbed Kafei and Link pulled him into his arms comforting.

   “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known that the clock would fall.”, Kafei nodded and looked him directly in the eyes. “Are you – are you wearing makeup again?”, Kafei’s eyes were framed black and he obviously wore a bloodred eyeshadow which seemed to shimmer rosy to inwards.

   “And if.”, he snuffled.

   “I didn’t say that I mind. It looks good on you.”

   “Thanks. There’s really nothing wrong with you. I’m the crazy lunatic of us. But I thank you, that you love me in spite of everything, because you do it more than perfectly. Yes, there was this moment when I sent you away. And I’m sorry. We both know that it was right for the world but wrong for us. I’m standing at the abyss. I don’t see a way out anymore. But I think you can save my life. You’ve shown me the true value of life. I want to have dreams again, without knowing that they’ll never come true. I want to believe in miracles again. I’m afraid. Take away my fear. I know you can. I lay my fate in your hands.”

   “It’s not less difficult for me to be without you. Constantly I have to give everything for making it possible for others to have a life, though it might cost my own. I was supposed to leave back my identity but I couldn’t forget you. I’ve sworn to myself never to forget you. I can’t even remember how often I’ve thought back to that day I could call my life a life. You were always with me. For myself I didn’t live on to save others; I lived on to see you again. I wanted the Sheikah to keep their right. And here I am. I had a dream. I was allowed to send it into Heaven with the wish to come true. It came true. Already at the evening of the same day. Kafei. Lighten a candle and think devoutly of the dream which you want to become reality. Wish it with all your heart. You will see, it will become reality. You just mustn’t forget to believe in it. You best do it on your birthday, of which I know that it’s in three days. Or am I mistaken?”

   “I never told you when my birthday is.”

   “I can think and count, you know? Because I know that three days ahead it will be exactly one month after the beginning of the Carnival. Your father had said once, I quote, `One more month to go. Then I retire. That’s it. My last Carnival.´, right? But if the Carnival just lasts a week, why should he stay in charge three weeks longer? Maybe until your twentyfirst birthday? Or have I interpreted this wrong?”

   “You’re really worth it.”, aspirated Kafei with big eyes. “Come with me. We have to tell him that you solved his riddle.”

   “He – he meant this as a riddle?”

   “Yes.”

 

   Kafei pulled Link and Anju to Epona and mounted, placing himself in front of the saddle. Link climbed behind him into the saddle and helped Anju up behind his own back. Around Kafei he rather preferred to wrap his arms than around Vaati. Also he didn’t bother Anju clinging to him in the same way. He just had some doubts concerning Epona’s resilience. The mare however wasn’t interested in such things. Meanwhile she didn’t seem to care about anything anymore. Kafei took the reins in his hands, softly patted on her neck and she stormed of with fastest gallop into the Canyon, leaving a stunned Vaati and Rim behind.

 

   “I don’t believe this.”, murmured Vaati. “I just do not believe this.”

   “Calm down. We don’t need them.”

   “What?”, Rim stepped closer to him.

   “Don’t rack your brain over him. You’re not even sure whether you actually love him or if you just fancy him.”

   “Stop it, will you?”

   “Yes, I know that you don’t like to hear this, but you will get over him. Forget him.”

   “You say this as if it was the easiest thing.”

   “Vaati. Neither I stood a chance. And I’m his best friend. I’ve come to terms with it. He’s like a brother for me. The rest vanished into thin air and I’m glad about it.”

   “Interesting.”

   “You see? Kafei simply turns everybody’s head. He’s a Sheikah, has a wonderful personality and is a natural beauty in addition. It’s no achievement to fall for him. Link and Anju really love him though.”, Vaati let his shoulders sink. “What would you say if I told you that I know who can give you what you hope to get from Kafei?”

   “I would say, you are dreaming. There is nobody who would even feel the slightest bit different from hate or indifference towards me.”

   “Oh, there you’re pretty wrong. You are liked much more than you think. Also you’re more desired than you think.”

   “I don’t believe you a word.”

   “But you should. We have a lot in common.”

   “For example?”, he stepped very close to him.

   “I know why you’re wearing your hair like this.”, he wiped away the bundle and softly kissed Vaati on two of the four long scars that appeared to be from an animal’s attack and afterwards laid his hand on them, stroking with his thumb. “Also do I have a lot in common with Kafei. Except maybe that my wife is not as tolerating as his. But you’re worth this risk.”

 

   This warmth – this softness – this seemingly eternal comfort – Vaati downright drowned. He didn’t bother dying. He had died several times already, mentally and physically. But this kind of dying was – it was more like drifting on the waves of a calm river. He had given up hope on being allowed to experience such a moment again long ago; wrongly, as he hated himself for it now. It was wrong to give up hope. This was the reason why his opponents had always survived and triumphed. They had hope which they didn’t give up. Hope, yes, this was what Vaati had never really had. And now, being filled with this almost everlasting seeming luck, he knew that he could hope. He could hope for being loved not only in this moment, but in the future as well.

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~