Family

   Link felt a look. Was it his instinct, that had felt the look and woken him up? Actually he wasn’t sure whether he really felt a look. And now, half asleep; but still a bit too tired to move in any way; thinking, he wasn’t even sure, whether there was’t more than one. But at the moment he didn’t care. As said, he was more tired than before, still half in his dreams – and felt absolutely comfortable. Kafei’s guarding warmth was more beautiful than anything he had ever felt before. Not that he had ever felt more than the contact with happenings in his surrounding or diverse creatures, as well as very painful magic – but of all that hadn’t been unpleasant, this warmth though was the most beautiful. Now he knew that he actually missed the comfort of parents – or a least a big brother. And he thanked Kafei for his understanding and his doubtless care.

   Slowly the feeling of being watched turned out to be quite unpleasant. Though he felt that Kafei was also still asleep – or it rather felt like he was – but there must really be someone else in the room. Perhaps actually at the foot of their bed. Kafei’s hands on the back of his head and his left shoulder, the cheek between the upper hand and the forehead snuggled against him, made the assumption unimportant. He just wanted to sleep on. Though now, thanks to his thinking, a feeling of hunger grew in his stomach. And then his odd assumption was confirmed. He heard quiet footsteps moving away from the bed. Also he heard that it were two persons. The one far more well-built than the other. But they were definitely female footsteps. According to the lethargy of the heavier footsteps, it was Madame Aroma. The others he recognised as Anju’s. The door was opened and closed again with careful silence.

 

   “Someone should take a photograph of me once in a while.”, suddenly Link’s eyes stood gaping wide open, as Kafei whispered. “I would really like to know whether women just think that I look – cute – when I – pretend to – sleep or if I actually do. And no, I wouldn’t have said a word, if I hadn’t noticed that you did the same.”, Link moved away a little bit and stared at him. “Good morning.”, Kafei smiled and gave him a kiss on his hair-covered forehead. “Dreamt something nice?”

   “To be honest, I saved a blue cucco from a cruel fate through a torturing-experiment and brought it to Anju’s sister. She was overjoyed – and me too, somehow.”

   “You truly can’t stop it.”, chuckled Kafei.

   “Apparently not.”, sighed Link and snuggled himself back.

   “Maybe I should call my first son after you.”, Kafei considered.

   “Yeah, yeah. Sure. Go for it.”, mumbled Link.

   “Hungry?”

   “And how.”, yawned the boy. “But I don’t want to get up.”

   “Mmm. The same here.”, murmured Kafei yawning as well. “But I can at least tell that it’s normal for me.”

   “What else did they think?”

   “Not much. You would beaten me to death anyway, if I told you.”

   “Now even more.”, Link pricked up his ears.

   “And every female family member in addition, as I’m devious enough to tap into their brains.”

   “Tell me.”

   “Mother finds your hair – cuddlicious.”

   “What?”, spat Link in disbelief and pressed himself, though not really wanting it, a little away from him. “What by all means is – ”

   “Not I claimed this.”

   “They are horrible! If I hadn’t that cap, they would stand in every direction!”

   “Maybe that’s what it is.”

   “And how could she possibly have seen much of my hair?”

   “Don’t ask me.”, sighed Kafei and Link’s stomach gave a strange sound. “But I think it would be better if we got up.”, he added giggling and climbed out of bed.

 

   Link watched him closing his eyes tightly and stretching his arms diagonally upwards, until reaching the impossible. Then he let them sink into his nape, opened his eyes again and went around the curtain for putting on his festive-dressing anew. Link sat up cross-legged, though eventually let himself fall forward like a Goron and buried his face puffing into the blanket. Taking another deep breath, he raised and got out of bed as well. Momentarily he was hit by some cold so hard that he fought with the thought of snuggling back into bed. But he wouldn’t get around facing it.

   So he spread the different clothes on the bed and considered which he liked most. Some were ikana’n, others he recognised as typically hylian. He heard Kafei mumbling something to himself but didn’t understand it. And it definitely wasn’t because of the volume. Then the door to the attic was opened again. In this moment Link realized too, what Kafei had forgotten: shoes.

   Briefly laughing inside, he made a decision. He wanted to mix, at least in a way it didn’t look pathetic. So he took the white shirt with the red flaming-pattern at the seams and the fitting trousers. Kafei had even brought him underpants and socks in different colours. A green, sleeveless uppershirt with red and violet embroidery particularly hit him in the eye. So he could hide his awkward hair beneath his cap like always – and away from Madame Aroma.

   When dressed, he loosened his sword plus sheath off the belt, put these things as well as the other belt into the cap and widened the seam as much as possible, to be able to stuff also his shield, boots and his personal clothing in it. Though he felt utmost naïve, one could never be prepared enough for emergencies. The cap immediately pulled itself back in its original shape. He put it on, stepped in front of the mirror and laid his visible hair into the style he liked. At least this part of his hair did what he wanted. Kafei came back with several boxes, saw Link, laughed and climbed back up. Link though wondered quite a bit, how skilful Kafei was. When he returned, he had only three boxes remaining on his left arm.

 

   “Do you really think that we’re going to be attacked?”, laughed Kafei.

   “W– ? Hey!”, Link protested understanding. “Could you please stop it? You know more about me than I do anyway.”

   “I’m sorry.”, Kafei smiled. “Won’t happen again. At least not by me, alright?”, Link nodded and Kafei put the boxes onto the table, opening one after another. “They match the colours. Try which get along with your feet too.”, already the first pair fitted. “Fascinating.”, Kafei was astonished. “Fine. Let’s go.”

   “And putting them back?”

   “That’s got its time. The meal’s ready for sure. Otherwise they wouldn’t have come.”

 

 

 

   On the roof of the Milkbar were two utmost busy persons. Kafei’s parents had made up a big table with white sheets and flowery decoration, as well as benches. There was a third table, obviously for the sideboard. Now they prepared the plates, glasses and cutlery.

 

   “Thank Giants.”, Esra took a breath. “I thought you would sleep forever. Could you please ask the others how things go in the kitchen?”

   “Of course.”, said Kafei.

 

   They went downstairs and entered the reception. Nobody was to be seen. From the kitchen came typical sounds that were caused by preparing food. They could also catch a conversation.

 

   “That was so sweet.”, said Anju. “It was by far the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

   “What was it?”, asked Anidja.

   “I’ve told you that Kafei stayed with Link to keep him company, haven’t I?”

   “I thought, Link sleeps?”

   “He does.”, giggled Anju. “But Kafei’s with him. Link had probably felt lonely. Anyway, when Esra and I went up a moment ago for telling them that we’re almost done with the meal, they both were still asleep.”

   “How – both?”, asked Cremia.

   “Not in one bed, right?”, murmured Anidja.

   “I am sure that Kafei will be a wonderful father. As caring as he held Link in his arms – ”, something broke, that sounded very much like a plate. “What?”, Anju shrieked.

   “He did – what?”, hissed Anidja. “Tz. I told you, you can’t trust him.”

   “Pardon? I don’t understand exactly – ”

   “You understand me quite well. He’s just married for some hours and is already indecently assaulting a child!”

 

   Not only Link and Kafei were stiff from shock. The words `Mother´ and `Anidja´ fell simultaneous and extremely stunned.

 

   “Now don’t act like this! It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

 

   Silence.

 

   “Anju. Why won’t you see what a danger this man is? You’ve said it yourself, how cold he was when he killed that Poe – or raided the royal crypt of Ikana. Ikana, Anju. Ikana! That has always been a dubious area full of black magic. He’s one of these Sheikah. One cannot trust them. It is bad enough that we have such as Mayor. And then him having a son who blinds an innocent girl with a spell, neglects her and then in addition molests the saviour of our country.”

   “I believe I’m dreaming!”, aspirated Cremia.

 

   If Link hadn’t been so shocked, he would have stormed into the kitchen and slammed a pan on Anidja’s head, that he knew for sure. Kafei was simply – not there anymore. Link hadn’t even noticed that the man had sunk to the floor. With empty eyes he sat there and stared straight ahead. Link put a hand on his shoulder. At least Kafei noticed it, moving his look into Link’s direction, though his expression didn’t change.

   Then Link heard angrily running shoes. In a small angle behind the counter, he saw a light shimmer rush by, chased by another. Both colourful shimmers turned, followed by a smaller one, upstairs. A door was opened and shut again. Then – loud sobbing. Link got grip on himself, summoned all strength he could bring up now and tried to pull Kafei up, but that one wouldn’t let him. Slack as a sack of potatoes and heavier than a Powder Keg he sat there and cried silent tears.

 

   “Come on.”, whispered Link. “Let’s go to them. They need us now. And we need them.”

 

   Kafei nodded barely noticeable, though managed to stand up on his own to follow them upstairs together with Link. Link timidly knocked three times.

 

   “Yes?”, was Cremia to be heard.

 

   Carefully Link opened the door, trying to get in sight as fast as possible and pulled Kafei in.

 

   “Oh. It’s you.”

 

   Both women sat on Anju’s bed. The latter, shaking and crying in the arms of her friend. When she looked up, wiped the tears from her eyes and noticed that Kafei was crying too, she burst into bitter sobbing anew. Romani stood in the middle of the room and didn’t understand the world anymore. Kafei curled his lips and with sideways lowered head, avoided every possible eye contact. Link pushed him further into the room and closed the door. Just now the fury in him really rose. It was a cold, despondent fury. Without looking up, Kafei went to the bed, sat down on Anju’s other side, laid his arms around his trembling wife and cuddled to her.

 

   “I suggest, we’ll let this damn wedding-feast be, loot the stockroom instead and move to the Ranch. Far away from that beast.”, Cremia meant.

   “No.”, replied Link. “I have a better idea. She likes me. I go downstairs and ask her politely to leave. No matter where, just out of the Easttown. At least for this day.”, all four stared at him.

   “W-w-what?”, came it from Anju.

   “This is my full seriousness. Either I do this or I strike her dead. With the guestbook, if I have to.”, he took off his cap and let it fall to the floor carelessly.

   “What for – “, Kafei began.

   “I leave it here. So I don’t get tempted to pull my sword and stab her down. Believe me. I never had the need to kill someone. Ganondorf perhaps. But never as much that I can say, I’d willingly see him suffocate in his own blood. I’m sorry, Romani, that you have to hear this. But at the moment I’m even scared of myself. Either I throw this heartless serpent out of town right away or I kill her. And if I have to poison her.”

 

   Without waiting on further reactions, he left the room, went down the stairs and turned into the corridor to the kitchen. Anidja stood at the stove and stirred mechanically in a big stock pot. When she noticed Link, she deadened the fire and looked to him.

 

   “Link!”, she smiled artificially. “You look amaz- what’s wrong with you?”, she finally noticed his cold look.

   “Please.”

   “What? I knew it.”, she put down the ladle and took a step towards the boy. “What did that bastard – “

   “If you mean Kafei by this, I must disappoint you.”, she stopped dumbfounded. “He is the kindest and most caring being I have ever gotten the chance to know. Therefore – ”, he lowered his head but looked back up right after. “I ask you with my whole heart. If you care about your daughter, go. No, not upstairs to her for apologizing, but away. At least out of East Clock Town. Until tomorrow at least. You can take as much food with you as you need. After all you have cooked it. But an apology doesn’t justify what you have said. I know, you haven’t meant it bad, but this time you have gone too far. Go. For all good’s will. Because you don’t want to know what I said upstairs, nor will I ever even have to think it. So please. Go. We’ll get along here. Today your daughter has married the man she loves and who loves her as well. If you want this to remain the most wonderful day in your daughter’s life, then do her the favour – and be no longer part of this day.”

   “W-w-what – dear! What are you talking there?”

   “You heard what I said. It is my opinion and my full seriousness. Go before Dotour gets wind of it and becomes that Sheikah you think he is. Because he isn’t. Not yet.”

 

   Totally dumbfounded, but nodding, Anidja packed a few things into a basket which stood in a corner and left the kitchen. He himself stepped outside just enough that he could watch her disappearing through the frontdoor. For a while Link just stood there. He was still ashamed of his thoughts but he had done the right thing. Slowly he went to the staircase. This he took running. The room’s door was still open, like he had left it. Silent he entered the room, when Esra’s and Dotour’s voices came from the reception.

 

   “Hello? Someone here?”

   “Kafei? Anju? Link? Cremia? Anybody?”

   “We’re up here.”, was all Link got out loud enough, then he heard how the two came running.

   “What the – what’s the matter here?”, Esra asked confused. “What’s with you? Why – Anidja suddenly left the town – with a basket – and you? Will someone tell me what’s going on?”

   “She’s gone.”, aspirated Link without turning around and took a deep breath.

   “How – gone?”, asked Dotour.

   “Gone. I asked her to leave.”, said Link.

   “But where?”, Esra’s voice became higher.

   “Just away.”

   “Why?”, good gracious, could this woman ask – like a little child.

   “That’s not important. Let’s get the food and go celebrating. Distraction will do all of us good now.”

   “But – ”, Esra urged, Link however just turned around, gave her an unambiguous look, picked up his cap and put it back on its place of destination.

   “Please. If I was older, I’d ask everyone to go get drunk with me. And I’m sure that nobody except you two and Romani would have something against it. But I’m not older anyway, don’t think good of alcohol and I’m hungry. So. Can we leave it and go eating?”

   “Alright.”, sighed Esra. “My stomach’s rumbling too. And the best remedy for cheerlessness is food.”, she turned back, pushed Dotour out with her and went directly to the kitchen.

   “She must be sad many times.”, Link turned around to the others in the room, raising an eyebrow and glad that he had managed to give them at least a little laugh.

 

 

 

   The first minutes of the feast went by rather like at a funeral. After they all had filled their plates, Cremia, Esra and Dotour sat down with their backs to the west. They took Esra in the middle. Link knew that they just did it, as otherwise the bench would fall over. He himself sat down in front of Cremia. Kafei took seat at his right and Anju next to him. Link would have, for a better sorting, wanted that Romani had rather joined the bride. But the girl wouldn’t do any but sitting herself on Link’s other side. And she sat exceptionally close to him.

   After they ate silently for several minutes, she even moved closer. Nobody noticed, but he felt quite pestered. There was just one way out. Link emptied his glass and reached for the jug of water in front of Anju. In this moment he moved closer to Kafei, who didn’t fail to catch it, however, said nothing about it. But now it was too much of the good thing. Not even two minutes had passed, when Romani again stuck to him like a leech. He was fed up. A bit provocative, he put down his cutlery and turned to her.

 

   “Romani?”

   “Yes?”, she grinned.

   “Don’t you think that Kafei could find it disturbing when I sit on his lap while he eats?”, she went red at once.

   “Romani!”, warned her sister. “Leave Link alone.”

   “But I’m not doing anything.”, she moaned.

   “Listen. I might be exhausted and still tired. But I’m not stupid.”, spat Link, even for his taste a bit too harsh.

   “I’m sorry.”, she aspirated depressed and slid a bit away from him.

   “Thanks. It’s not that I don’t like you.”, she pricked up her ears, “But still I decide for myself, whom I let close to me. At least when I have the choice.”

   “Alright.”, sighed Romani and ate on with her head lowered.

   “So much for your selflessness.”, smirked Kafei.

   “I have never confirmed this pathetic rumour. If I would just care for others, I wouldn’t even have become four years old.”

   “Let us hear.”

   “He wanted to sacrifice me!”

   “How? And – who?”

   “Oh – yes. Mido. The current head of the Kokiri. It hadn’t stopped raining for several days. The whole village had almost turned into a swamp. That was when he decided to sacrifice me for calming the Goddesses. What a rubbish. Though he still insists that I wanted to kill him, it was the other way round. I just defended myself. And then he – unimportant. We’re eating.”, snorted Link.

   “You know,”, began Romani, “That fits you really good. The clothes, I mean”, did she actually try to flirt?

   “It’s not mine.”

   “I would have wondered.”, laughed Dotour. “It somehow looks familiar to me. I believe that Kafei had worn something like this once.”

   “Oh – really?”, meant Kafei curtly. “How do you come to this conclusion?”

   “So it is, then.”

   “What did you think? That he’s saving the world with a closet? He’s not a girl.”

   “I wouldn’t save the world with a closet either.”, Romani defended herself.

   “Besides, I just needed one clothing so far. Yes, this might sound disgusting, but I don’t need more.”

   “Above such things, right?”, smiled Dotour. “As immaterialistic, as a hero is though.”

   “I have also never claimed to not be materialistic.”, considered Link – he put a lot of value in material things.

   “Exactly, Dotour. The boy’s got fivethousand Rupees at the Bank. The whole fivethousand.”, grinned Esra.

   “Where do you know that from?”, Link listened.

   “Someone has dared to lift his banking secrecy to us. But no worries. Your money’s in safe hands.”

   “That’s what I’d like to hope. I partly really bled for it.”, he felt Romani’s examining look. “And no, you are not allowed to see my scars. Besides, I don’t have any.”, disappointed let her shoulders sink.

   “Let her.”, giggled Kafei quietly.

   “Tz.”

   “By the way – do you want me to wash your clothes before you leave us?”

   “You leave us?”, moaned Romani.

   “Romani. He can’t stay here forever.”, said Cremia. “He still needs to save his own country. Maybe you don’t understand this, but while the people on the Southsquare are happily celebrating the Carnival, while we peacefully eat, the Evil does not rest.”

   “I know that, sister.”, she murmured forceful.

   “But you could stay a while though.”, said Esra. „At least ’till the end of the Carnival.”

   “No. I’m sorry. I have to. Best, today. I know, I don’t like to go either, but I have to. Besides, I’m quite fed up with Carnival and such by now.”

   “I really believe you that.”, sighed Dotour. “One more month to go. Then I retire. That’s it. My last Carnival. Ten years are enough. I have no idea how my father could stand this for fifty years. And then the constant there and back.”

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~

 

 

   Dusk had come already, when Link announced that it really was time now. Until then they had sat together, talking about trivial things, yes, not rarely even laughed. Link said goodbye to each. Now he even bore being hugged by everyone. Esra actually held herself back – what couldn’t be said about Romani however. Afterwards he felt like he’d been squeezed between two walls. Kafei had asked him to keep the clothing. So he could go to the Southtown without a stop. He would change inside the Clock Tower, where he wasn’t disturbed.

   Now – that could get a little difficult, he thought, when he saw the crowd in front of the Clock Tower. Nevertheless he managed to slip through the doors without any bigger effort. However, he felt that someone had followed him. He turned around to that person.

 

   “Did you really think that I’d let you go just like this?”, smiled Kafei. “Do you mind that I accompany you for a part of the way? I need to take a look at the trees anyway, so I know what’s ahead.”

   “Alright.”, said Link, happy somehow, that Kafei had gone after him.

 

   They talked about a lot of stuff. Mostly about girls, Termina and other madnesses of the world. Finally they reached the trees.

 

   “Damn it.”, aspirated Kafei. “Not a splinter left. That smells like a lot of work. A lot of dangerous work. Never mind now.”, he knelt down in front of Link and laid his hands on his shoulders. “Do you even approximately know at all, how much you mean to me?”

   “I can imagine, according to how you behave on me.”, Kafei smiled a bit embarrassed.

   “Once again. I’m sorry that I pulled you into my family head over heels.”

   “You haven’t. It was my decision.”

   “Still I took you by surprise.”

   “That’s not that bad. I think, I got through it. Except the fact that I’m nine years old, saved two countries already – of which I have to safe one again – and just went through a combination of Carnival, wedding and funeral, as well as that a girl in my age tried to conquer me – ”

 

   He faltered and watched Kafei, as he fiddled with his bracelet. Then he loosely bound it around Link’s right wrist.

 

   “No – that – I can’t accept this.”, aspirated Link.

   “Please.”, his hands wandered back onto Link’s shoulders. “It’s a present.”, then he gave the boy a soft kiss on the forehead. “Farewell, my friend. We’ll meet again one day.”

 

   With tears in his eyes but a smile on his lips, he stood up and turned to go. Link already wanted to take out the Deku Mask. But then he turned back and grabbed Kafei around the belly. He felt how the man pulled him close as well. For a while they kept standing like this. Then they let go almost simultaneously.

 

   “For sure.”, Link aspirated, also close to tears and Kafei left him into the darkness, not without a last smile back.

 

   It really was peculiar, Kafei laughed inside. His life was just crazy. And this fact he shared with someone he hardly knew. Nevertheless was Link so familiar to him – as if his soul knew how much time he and Link had actually spent together. His father wasn’t rusted. It was himself. That had to be changed. When a little boy could travel through time and safe thousands of lives – he couldn’t let it happen, that such a unique folk like the Sheikah let themselves be eradicated so easily. He couldn’t let it happen that he himself went on vegetating like a Hylian. They had forgotten their innate power a long time ago. But the few still living Sheikah knew about the secrets of their folk. Yes, they were a fringe group. Yes, they had theoretically vanished into thin air. But no, they weren’t extinct yet. And as long as there was even just a handful of Sheikah, it wasn’t too late.

   Right before he wanted to go aloft the interior of the Clock Tower, he raised his right palm in front of himself and went inside his mind. A few moments later his self-satisfied smile was illuminated by the orange shine of a small flame that was dancing on his palm. Smiling even broader, he closed his fingers and went up, towards Clock Town. Not forgotten, no. Just a well kept secret. He took a deep breath, laid his hand on the heavy wooden door and –

 

   “Yes, Kafei. The things that really mean something to us, always return to us. How much time will pass, none of us knows. But they return.”

 

   Kafei knew the voice. Though he hadn’t heard it for long. And he knew about the meaning of these words. Slowly he turned around and looked his old friend in the eyes. Not forgotten, no. Just a well kept secret. Though a few more know about it now.

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~