His cloak bagged up when he paced through the corridor. Sunlight fell through the large windows and refracted glistening in the glass. The here and there positioned guards stared after him, but didn’t dare to stop him. They were quite used to see completely cloaked people passing through this corridor. The two guards at the end would stop him anyway. Only if these needed help, they would intervene. Though it wasn’t meant to happen, but if it had come to this, they wouldn’t have been able to achieve anything against him anyway, even though it momentarily seemed that they had big advantage over him. With lowered head he came to halt in front of the last two guards, silent. Questioning, the two men exchanged some looks before one of them began to speak.
“Whoever you are, you are not allowed to enter.”
“I would like to talk to the Princess.”, he whispered back.
“I am sorry, matey. She receives nobody else than those who are already with her.”
“I would like to talk to the Princess.”, he repeated with the same tone, not louder than before.
“Go back to the entrance hall and let yourself be given an audience appointment.”
“I would like to speak to her now.”, he already sounded a bit more demanding.
“Well, that’s bad luck. Either you go for making an appointment or we will have to lead you off.”
“Believe me, you do not want to do this.”
“Ah?”
“I am certain the Princess will not mind receiving me as a guest now.”
“What is your name, stripling?”
“My name is not relevant. And I am not a stripling.”
“Fine, then show yourself at least.”
“Nor does my face matter.”
“I am sorry. I cannot help you. Leave now.”
“I won’t.”
“Then you leave us with no option.”, they got ready for grabbing him, but he raised a hand and the guard who has spoken to him was pressed against the wall, struggling for air.
“Please leave me the choice to not revert back to my old ways. It is not my intention to hurt you.”, the other guards just watched bewildered, how he let the man down again. “Will you let me join the Princess now or do I have to open the door by myself?”
“You’ll go nowhere else than outside.”, the second guard pulled himself together.
“Oh – how wrong you are.”
With a light wave of both hands he blew the big wings of the massive wooden door open and entered. Various people sat at a large table and had just enjoyed their lunch, when their peace had been broken quite severe. All of them stared at him. The guards tried to catch him, but they were treated the same way like the door. Clattering they landed on the floor. He removed his hood and scarf. What happened then, had been to be expected. The people around the table panicked slightly, but Zelda managed to calm them down.
“It is all right.”, she had raised from her seat, made a step to the right and asked him to join her with a smile. “Step in.”, a bit more hesitating though, the not that strange one paced towards the Princess. “I take care that they will not tear you apart.”
“Please forgive my behaviour, Highness.”, he humbly prostrated before her. “I know these men just do their work. It was not in my interest to harm them. They just did not want to understand why I could not reveal myself.”
“Please. Stand up.“, he did what she said but kept his head lowered. “My goodness.”, he heard her sighing and felt the silky cloth and the soft pressure when a delicate finger lifted his chin. “Please. You can look at me. Though it is my concern that people know who is standing in front of them, but I do not want absolute humility from anyone, if the situation does not require it.”, she gave him a friendly look and nobody except her saw his embarrassed smile before she laid a hand on his shoulder. “Oh – guards, you can close the hall again. What about joining our lunch, hm?”
She pointed at a chair to her right, the only seat next to her at the face of the table, which had remained empty since Impa had taken her place in the Chamber of Sages two years ago, but which was always set nevertheless. While the watchmen tried to close the two heavy wings of the wooden door and went back to their positions, Vaati sat down on the offered chair hesitantly and let his eye wander across the table.
The expressions that hit him were a mixture of fear, despair and anger, if not hatred. He felt smaller than he already was. Zelda sat down and continued eating. Only when she did, the others did as well and she signified to him that he could take whatever he wanted. So he took bits of everything within his reach. Just the salads were too far away, even the closest. Nobody felt the need to help him either. The opposite, they leant away from him. A bit annoyed though, he sat down again, raised his flat hand, directed the floating bowl to him, put something on his plate and smoothly sent the bowl back. Zelda didn’t miss the reactions of her household, though decided to watch for now.
“Tell me, what is the situation like in Termina?”
“First of all I would like to thank Thou with all my heart for everything Thou have done for me. I have no idea how I could return this favour.”
“This is not worth mentioning as you already helped freeing a country from a plague.”
“Still. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.”
“Naturally. Well?”
“The wounds were treated, the horses cremated. They started with the reconstruction already. Everyone that can lend a hand, does it. And it is strange. They celebrate while working. They sing and make jokes while heaving heavy stones and wooden posts. Concerning Kafei, he has recovered so fast it is almost utopistic. This abundancy of power doesn’t do him good. But I know it was right and that he will learn fast how to use his intensified abilities conscientious. He is enormously childish though, but he is also a prudent man. Thou should experience them. They act like little children. But when seriousness is asked, they stop and go on at exactly that point right after. And the rest of the family is not much different. They all have such a joy of living, even after all that happened.”
“These are truly pleasant news. And why did you not stay and celebrate with them?”
“I wanted to thank Thou for everything more than anything else. And I badly needed a break from this chaos-clique. I haven’t told them when I will return, but I promised to keep up correspondence.”
“This sounds as if you wanted to stay longer?”
“As long as my presence is desired.”
“Of course it is.”
“I really appreciate Thy acceptance, but it would be nice if it infected others, so I could take a look at the new Hyrule without having to defend myself against an army of farmers.”
“I could indeed take care of this. Of course I will not prohibit any opinion, but I could take you around.”
“T-that – Thou would do that?”, he looked up to her, flabbergasted.
“My country means a lot to me and no country can be ameliorated from inside a stone hall. If one sees the causes of problems with their own eyes, they can eliminate them easier.”
“Apropos, Highness,”, a slim, grumpy man with short dark brown hair and moustache, who sat three seats away on the opposite, threw in, “Thy unconcern is Thy business though, but Thou know who Thou welcome here so warmly, not?”
“I am totally aware of this, Kurim. Also would I like to mention it is my fault that he is even able to sit here. I have granted him a second chance to acquit his mistakes and to live a quite normal life, as possible as it would be for him.”
“Why?”, murmured an elderly woman with a grey hair bun to each side of her head, sitting in the middle of the table at Vaati’s right. “It is still uncertain to me why someone like him should deserve a second chance.”, he found it more than impudent of her, talking about him like this in his presence, but was he to expect anything different?
“Because he acted from pure despair, not from sheer lust for power.”, Zelda said shortly.
“And this entrance was pure despair too, of course.”, said a man with curled, shoulder-length, grey-white hair subdued from behind Kurim.
“This was the only way without having to wait three months on an appointment, which I wouldn’t even have gotten.”, Vaati countered coldly.
“This is my fault as well.”, sighed Zelda. „I should have told them to let you in.”
“I assume, I nevertheless wouldn’t have looked into their heads to see whether they had received such an information. I still prefer a little discretion.”
“I prefer that too.”, said Kurim. “I am for freedom of expression and everyone’s right to fashion themself the way they like to. But maybe people would be less disinclined if the Mister Mage would at least look at them with both eyes.”, Zelda’s eyes widened but she neither took them off her plate nor stopped eating.
“I don’t know how this wishful thinking would be a use for anyone.”, Vaati meant simply and took a bite from his haunch of chicken, almost with relish. “I don’t see a general dress code here, except a little classiness. Also it seems to me that far more outrageous hairstyles aren’t that unwelcome here.”, he referred the woman with the buns and another one that sat at the first seat left to Zelda and had pinned up here green-pink pomp in shape of a cone.
“This may be, but even if the Princess seems to trust, I do not know whether the other eye hatches plans of murder behind its veil.”, Zelda put her cutlery aside with anger but couldn’t get a word in edgeways.
“I never met any dead yet, that murdered on purpose. In case Thou know one, it would be my pleasure to meet and ask them, how they can even think so clearly in their state.”, nobody except Zelda knew what to do with this answer.
“I am sorry, but I am afraid none of us here could follow this little anecdote.”, said a young man next to Vaati, his blond hair bound to a ponytail.
“Would you ask a deaf man to listen to you? Or tell a mute to speak louder?”
“What now – ”, aspirated a Goron woman at the other side of the table.
“Fine.”, snorted Vaati. “If this kind of stuff satisfies you – ”
“No. Please.”, Zelda moaned quietly to him. “There is no need for you to let yourself be humiliated.”
“I would just let myself be humiliated if I would let myself be massacred mentally for the rest of the meal. We are just aware of the things we had, if we don’t have them anymore. But maybe I can make others aware of what they have, if I show them what it is like, to having to live without them.”, with these words he wiped the covering hair behind his right ear. “It doesn’t hurt me anymore. No matter if I have the hair behind my ear of in front of my face. Quite the contrary. It would probably be good for my skin to grant it some more air. Nor would I see better. But it actually seems to me that it is far more pleasant for some of Thou, seeing more of my face, or am I wrong?”, his pale, scarred eye moved with his sound one when he surveyed them.
“I can truly understand what it is like to not having something anymore.”, said the Zora to Kurim’s right side, whose feet stuck in a metal bowl filled with water under the table and pulled a long glove from his hand that didn’t differ in terms of colour. He revealed a prosthetic forearm made of wood. “I have learned to deal with it. It holds good enough for using it as paddle. Though the wood takes a long time to dry and it is no use in any other way either. Except for pretending to have a healthy body.”, Vaati took a slight relieved breath, as he had found at least one sympathizer.
~o~0~O~0~o~
“When it is time for them to leave, the mortal carriers of our forces leave their world. When doing so, they take the force that has been given to them with them into our realm. There the forces remain until the birth of their successors. It has always been the carrier of my Power that has been born first – a King in the wide land between Ocean, Mountains and Desert. Nayru steadily sent her force to the wise leaders of Hyrule, Farore out to Sea to a seemingly unimportant child, though connected to one of the Royal Families in a way, a descendant of a great hero. When these two followed, a new Era begins. This is the Cycle. Onnoru, possessed by the demon Ganon, killed the carriers. Your world precipitated into chaos. He shattered the Door of Time and pushed the Master Sword into the Pedestal of Time with such brutality that it broke and the blade splintered. Nevertheless a connection was built and he entered the Sacred Realm for the first time. At this moment he died. He died continuously. At the end of his strength, having annihilated the guards, he stood in front of the guarding shells of our forces. He longed for my Power. It was only possible for him to seize my force as the breath of life left him in exactly that moment. He died and was reborn at the same time.
Nevertheless he was trapped. Still, my Power kept him alive until the smiths of your tribe, yes, they could even be called foolish, renewed the Sword. In the moment they stuck it into the rebuilt Pedestal of Time, he came free and infested and rushed across your world. In his rage he landed far away from Hyrule, not even knowing where he was. There he carried on his atrocities. Until he met a woman who didn’t fear him. She saw the innocent Onnoru behind the murdering façade of the demon and fell in love with him. This offended the demon so much that he secluded himself into the deepest depths of Onnoru’s soul and concocted a plan for destroying this emotion that even rose inside his host. But love was something incomprehensible for him. So he needed to study it first for finding a way to smash its tenacity.
You were born already, struggling along in a world of prejudices. You slashed your way through with the inherent rest of the Power that would have been meant for you. He had stolen your Destiny. It was possible for me to guard you, but impossible to give you what was supposed to be yours. Maybe you have not seen the coherences yet. Yes, it might be unfair towards the other races, but you Sheikah and the Hylians have the biggest influence on all other living beings. You can bring them to terms when they are close to smash each others heads. Unfortunately you assimilated more and more in the course of Time.
But this is a different chapter. I always gave my Power to one of your tribe, Farore to a Hylian and Nayru to someone who shared both your Wisdom.
Back to Ganon. Link had weakened the thief of my Power chosen by him so much that he had again reached the point he was at when entering the Sacred Realm for the first time. He was so weakened that the Holy Sword could cut the last connection to the stolen force. It left him and came back to me. In the moment Link killed Ganon, Onnoru was barely alive. Being in control of his conscience again, Zant discerned the situation and delivered Onnoru from his agony, preventing Link from becoming a murderer. Zelda noticed this act and and saw the truth as well. Therefore she asked us to grant Onnoru’s martyred soul eternal peace. When Midna returned to the Twilight and saw Zanto, she noticed that not everything was all right yet. They found out that elsewhere, against all logic, the Twili cursed by Zant in his madness, still walked abroad. They destroyed the Mirror on the island and freed it. Though, the third and weakest Mirror was broken already. Not even I know what went wrong there. The Mirror is destroyed entirely but still there is a connection. Probably it just still exists because of the mere presence of the twilight-beings.
Right in the moment they gather the last warriors. Zelda has begged for help and Midna has answered. They will free you from the plague. Now back to you. You shall finally get what you were to receive many years ago already. Use my Power with caution. I can only go on besteading you, if you keep using your abilities for the welfare of the innocent only. You have proven to be worthy my blessing. It is such a pity that Ganon stole it from you. Now take my Power and carry it out into your world, Kafei.”
“Kafei?”, all of a sudden he had to wake from his trance.
“Y-yes?”
“Everything alright?”
“Er – yes. I just – again – what Din said to me just won’t get out of my mind. But don’t bother.”, he sighed and disappeared.
That the bonfire had already been replace by a ball of Eternal Light during Dotour’s term, made the whole thing way easier. So no tower janitor was needed and nothing sooted. The light went on and shone flawlessly over the town. Kafei appeared again between Link and Anju, the blue, hiplong mane bound to a massive garland of braids. Behind his right ear stuck a pencil. His formerly white linen shirt teemed with all kinds of dirt and his robust black trousers had seen better times as well. What was visible of his skin, had received the same treatment his shirt had.
The other craftsmen and helping inhabitants didn’t look better. Franin laid exhausted in the middle of the Southsquare. His parents and the Milk Sisters sat around him. Link felt like a sack of stones. He also knew that if he would have sat down, his legs would hurt more than if he hadn’t stopped running for multiple days. It already dawned. The children had gone to bed long ago and thereby missed this historical event. Kafei had been so nasty and had pilfered a gossip stone from a grotto. Link had the wonderful task to occasionally hit it with his sword. Now he was ordered to do so again.
“Fine. That should be enough.”, they had wedged the heavy, rebounding doors of the Clock Tower open. “Charge, level two!”, he shouted loud enough for being heard inside.
“Why level two already?“, asked Anju.
“It’s better this way. Otherwise we would have to retorque the clock.”
It rushed. Link could see several posts inside being pushed up. The clock-face and ball raised as well, until they were at the edge and fell over, backwards. The studs for the stair-door upwards fell as well. Kafei climbed up for taking a look at everything from inside. Everything was perfect on top as well. He climbed onto the ball and checked it for possible damages. Nothing. He climbed down and back onto the square.
“Hit it again.”, he said to make sure – one minute to six o’clock – Kafei counted down in his mind. “Reduce water, level one!”
Each of the stairs was pushed back up and interlocked again. The posts dropped and pulled clock-face and ball into regular position. The wheels started turning as normal, so was the ball, the clock-face moved barely visible, the bell rang once and loud and the clock-face jumped to six o’clock. The day-night-disc flipped smoothly. The whole square burst into cheers. Kafei slackened. It was done. And he too. He limply laid his arms around the shoulders of his favourites.
“Well. Whom of you am I supposed to kiss first?”, he giggled, his eyes at the clock.
“Ladies first.”, meant Link smiling.
“Then you’ll take the responsibility.”, said Kafei and kissed his wife first, then him.
“It’s wonderful to see that the town has a heart again.”, sighed Anju. “Good that we came to grips with that quite early.”
“Yes.”, aspirated Kafei and addressed the others. “Well, folks! Let’s call it a day – er – night! Break for the next three days. Dedust what’s left of your own four walls or do whatever else you want. If you need something, you know where to leave a message!”
“That’s great.”, smirked Link. “Does it mean you’ll neglect your charge during the next three days?”
“Yes. Placing myself in the office after such a drudge? I’m not that nuts! A good rest’s the order of today. Tomorrow I’ll take a look into the other regions, whether they caused such a havoc there as well. The rest accrues from it. And you know what I need now? Our outsized bathtub in Ikana, warm water, loads of foam and a steaming cup of hot chocolate. And then just our bed.”
He whistled for Ijaron. An other horse was faster though. It was a courier. Kafei went towards him and engaged him in a short conversation during which a letter was handed to him. The rider turned his horse on the heels. In this moment Ijaron came galloping in. They almost collided, but the black stallion had a reaction like a fly and dodged away in the last second, so close that the herald gazed after him with amazement before he rode out of town. Kafei welcomed his horse with gentle strokes, but was more fixed on the letter. While he opened it, the other two went towards him. He began to read aloud with Vaati’s voice.
“`I am allowed to – ´ what? Stop laughing! I’m only doing it professionally.”
“Oh yes. Quite.”, giggled Link.
“Shut it. Well. `I am allowed to write on her letter pater! I’m even allowed to use the royal seal. She means, it would look more important this way. Anyway. How are you doing? Clock Tower fixed? It is so beautiful here. Zelda is so kind. She has shown me the castle already. I was allowed to move into Impa’s room, as she already made me her highest advisor and bodyguard on the first day! Can you believe this?´”
“No, I can’t.”, hissed Dotour and Link eyeballed him questioning but Kafei ignored both.
“`Today we took ride through Hyrule as the weather was simply wonderful. She treats me like a longtime friend and expects me to be as uninhibited towards her. It is still a bit difficult for me, but slowly I get the knack. This woman has so many different sides.”
“You don’t say.”, Link meant.
“`On the one hand she is just a very girly young woman, on the other hand a very dominant and consequent ruler. We always eat with her whole staff. They were having dinner when I arrived. I tell you, they downright undressed me. Though I have found an ally quite early, a Zora named Aris, whose left forearm had been severed at the half, but nevertheless Zelda had to shout sometimes for bringing them to terms. Anyhow, they try to accept me, though it is hard and now they search for hidden ways to abase me. I decided to ignore these immature idiots. Zelda has to know for herself, whom she calls her closest people. And in this case she has come to a conclusion that seems like a dream to me. Enough of the rhapsody. I only know that I won’t return to Termina for quite some time. I hope you all are fine and still whole. Greetings, Vaati´”
~o~0~O~0~o~
“I actually don’t really want to disturb you.”, Link mumbled to the kissing married couple with his closed eyes and head tilted back.
“No, no. It’s alright.”, smiled Anju when Kafei had turned away from her. “What is it?”
“I’ve just been wondering – for years – what – what’s the deal with the Stone Towers.”, Link aspirated, but only looked up to the ceiling.
“Concerning?”, Kafei asked, heaved his hair over his left shoulder to the front and leaned back with his head to Anju’s décolleté.
“They are a mystery to me. I have seen so many symbols there, I only understand by now. But still they bother me. And I’m sure there are many more I haven’t even noticed. Why for example can a Light Arrow shot at the Royal Emblem invert gravitation in the towers? Why are there symbols of the Giants and the Goddesses in equal measure? Why is the symbol of the Goddesses displayed at the bottom side of stone blocks that look like a demon which lets its tongue hang out? And why by all means is there a portal in there, that teleports one into a part of the desert, where there are piled up stone blocks with Majora’s Mask on? Why for example does the door look like the mask but has a fusion of the royal emblem and the Sheikah-Eye on it? Or the entrance itself?”
“These towers had always been a mystery to me as well. The thing with the melted symbol in connection with the mask can be explained. As you hopefully remember, Majora wasn’t actually evil at the beginning. The Archpriests worshipped this demon. According to the legend, the portal leads to the Sacred Realm. But I believe what you saw. This makes me assume that Majora switched the portal over. And history calls this gravitational converting the Curse of the Goddesses. Though I know from records that the towers were constructed and built in collaboration with the Oocca. Are you familiar with them?”
“If you were a little less discreet, you would know that I’ve been to one of their cities.”
“Oh.”, Kafei giggled. “They are the allied tribe I told you about.”
“Now it’s quite clear to me why the Great Bay Temple is the way it is like. I’m still surprised though, that a tribe like this is able to build such things. But if you say they’d come up with mechanisms to invert gravitation ages ago – ”
“Oh it’s not that long ago yet. But you are right. They are said to having been at a technological level for centuries, we down here can just dream about. Though I have no idea about the other symbols. But I think, Father knows more. I’ll get him, if it’s alright?”
“There’s no need. Stay here. I can talk to him later.”, meant Link and looked at him for the first time in an hour.
“I didn’t say I’d leave this outmost comfortable tub.”, grinned Kafei mischievous.
“What?”, the other two startled.
“Kafei! You – argh!”, as fast as he had appeared, he turned to the wall and leant his head against it. “Could you please warn me next time?”
“What did you expect when I asked you to come to the bathroom?”
“Yes, yes. It’s fine.”, sighed Dotour and turned back to them. “I hope it is urgent. I wanted to go to bed.”
“I told you it can wait.”, murmured Link and let his head fall back again.
“It can’t.”, countered Kafei stubborn. „Otherwise I can’t sleep. Come here, Father. Sit down please.”, with a wave of his hand, the wooden stool rushed to the bathtub and Dotour sat down slightly gloomy. “Link wants to know more about the Stone Towers. And I as well.”
„If it has to be.”, he sighed and looked Link thoroughly in the eyes. “Fine. You already noticed a lot.”
“There! You see?”, Link threw in, addressing Kafei. “He does rummage in my brain. I told you that you’re allowed to again. So why don’t you do it then?”
“Because I rather prefer to hear your voice.”, Kafei mumbled and blushed slightly.
“Oh.“, aspirated Link astonished. “That – ”, a bit embarrassed, he ran a hand through his wet hair.
“All of this is a bit complicated.”, considered Dotour. “I don’t really know where to actually start. I had only been four years old when they had been built. As far as I know, there had been arguments among the Archpriests whether the Giants were equal to the Goddesses, which actually is complete rubbish as the Giants are only guards committed by the Goddesses. It all started with this damn imp. To be honest, it doesn’t surprise me that he stole the mask. I think Majora called him.
Anyway, the towers and the temple were built under conflicting opinions. During this time Ikineij was renamed. The Sheikah kept seeing the Goddesses as one and only leaders and expelled everyone who thought different. They actually went without need of being forced. My grandfather Termin defended the opinion that the Giants were to be seen as godlike and he became Mayor of a country that wasn’t in need of an overall king anymore. The races finally split, but there was someone in Clock Town they could go to in cases of transregional problems. He had lived between Termina and Ikana though, but nevertheless he had never tried to reconcile them ever again. Even when my father took in his position, nothing changed. And when it was my turn to lead, Ikana was a dead land. Extinct by its own mistakes. Termina as well, as it is clear to me now, had been supposed to pay for these mistakes. The mistakes of my family and those who agreed with their silly opinion.
I stopped questioning and analysing these things. These intrigues aren’t only ingrained in our world but are embogged deep into the Sacred Realm. That is beyond my will to imagination. Higher things I don’t want to mingle with. Maybe because I’m afraid to be as foolish as my ancestors. I don’t know. If you want to busy yourselves with this, fair enough. But please keep me out of it. And most of all – please take care that you don’t drift in too far. Yes – your role in the universe differs a lot from mine. Nevertheless. These are things you shouldn’t dally with. I for myself solely prefer to neither worship the Goddesses nor the Giants, nor anybody else. The true good doesn’t need to be worshipped for helping. It likes to help and does it on its own. If you excuse me, I’m tired.”, all three nodded and wished him a gentle sleep. “You too.”, Dotour smiled a little exhausted. “And don’t stay in there for too long. In the end you’ll become Zoras. Though I have no idea how that would work.”
“I was drilled in this various times already.”, smirked Link. “I think I would cope with it quite well.”, Dotour smiled one more time and teleported himself out of the room. “How old actually is he?”, asked Link with big eyes.
“One hundred and two.”, said Kafei shortly.
“What?”, shocked, he slid a bit more into the water and lifted himself again.
“One hundred and two.”, repeated Anju.
“But – he looks like – sixty – sixty-five at maximum!”
“I told you we can reach high age.”, Kafei said with a little amused smile.
“Damn!”, Link moaned frowning. “Does that mean – he was seventy-four when he became father?”
“Yes.”, confirmed Kafei.
“And your mother?”
“Was almost a year older.”
“Does Esra know that?”
“No.”, said Kafei with empty eyes. “She also thinks he’s forty years younger. He never wanted to tell her his age. When they fell in love, he was afraid her parents would want to ruin their relationship. But Esra broke off contact anyway. Their attitude was similar to Anidja’s, you know? Nevertheless he didn’t want her to know how old he is. Igos was one hundred and seventy-eight when he died.”, Link swallowed.
“Does that mean, you will survive us?”
“I won’t let that happen. I have no idea how I could live without you.”
Anju lowered her head and buried mouth and nose in Kafei’s hair. Link crawled through the already foamless water and cuddled his face against Kafei’s.
~o~0~O~0~o~
It was the first market day. Actually it was the second market day for Link in Clock Town, but it was the first market day after the catastrophe. After they had repaired the huge piece of wall, which had lead Kafei to eventually being granted his full destiny, had been repaired, Ydin and Frano had reopened their workshop. Their son however, had moved to Romani and Cremia and, according to his opinion, did something useful now. He wanted to breed horses, for giving the big green a use. They also had to cocker up their cattle population again.
Lulu had appointed herself to be the leader of the terminan Zoras without further ado and reconciled with the pirates. Now they were building a proper harbour for Termina together, for allowing the country a better import of goods. Oddly enough, even some Gorons participated in the building work, though every step was made with caution, as it could easily become their last. After all, there were not many Gorons that could hold their breath under water and even were strong enough to push themselves back to the surface.
A Suro had headed off the Postman and had deported him back to Clock Town, quite to the latter’s gratitude, as he had gotten lost too many times in Hyrule. The Bookstore and the Bank were opened again as well and the Lottery was now a Pharmacy. Many apartments stood empty and it would take time until anyone new would move in.
Not too pleased however, Link had agreed with Kafei’s idea of using his fame. So he was supposed to give special education in the Swordsman’s School every now and then, for a higher price. The Rupees gained through this should benefit the rebuilding and the poorer victims of the catastroph. The enthusiasm kept within limits though, but Kafei was optimistic. Unfortunately Dotour and Link seemed to be the only ones to notice the biggest reason for it: Many disagreed with Link’s relationship with Kafei.
However it was the first market day. There wasn’t much to be seen, but at least the most necessary. Somebody was even bold enough already to sell jewellery. When Link strolled past the fruit stand of two Dekus, he was suddenly attacked from behind. A bigger something had jumped onto his back from below and clung to him.
“Tatl!”, Link just laughed and tried to take a look at her, which he didn’t manage to, as she always moved her head to the other side. “What have I done that you grill me like this?”
“Nothing.”, she giggled and climbed onto his shoulders without problems, where she held herself easily.
“Tz. What? Not you as well.”, Link moaned pretending when her brother, not in his Bombers uniform this time, had taken up position and reached up his arms. “On your responsibility, yes? It’s not my fault if I drop one of you.”
“All right.”, grinned little-Link and let himself be taken on the arms by his idol, whereby this one couldn’t have acted more awkward.
“And where are we going?”
“Don’t care.”, Tatl shone with happiness. “Heya!”, she slightly kicked him, but only with her right heel, as otherwise she would have had to kick into her brother’s head.
“You need to feed me, you know?”, Link joked but regretted it immediately.
“Stupid horse.”, she giggled, let a carrot come flying from the neighbouring vegetable stand and threw a Rupee, which she took from her locket, towards the seller. “Here you go.”, she stuck the carrot into the grinning Link’s mouth. “Forward march!”
Link just shook his head, but tried to eat the carrot as fast as possible, which was difficult due to the fact that he couldn’t use his hands. In addition, Tatl directed him back and forth by his hair. At least he knew now how Kafei could ride Ijaron without reins. He would have to have a word with him on this animal abuse – yet then he remembered, to his discomfort, that himself had used to ride Epona without saddle or reins when he had been a child. Ignoring the mixed looks, he carried the two kids through town, navigated between the market stands. He could even hear people whispering behind him.
“Yes. The poor children.”, he heard a woman saying. “Now he claims them as well.”
Not believing what he heard, he stopped and turned around. Still half of the carrot in his mouth, he raised an eyebrow. And she had clearly talked about him, because right in this moment she hectically looked away and pretended to search for something under her table. Her friend looked down as well, as if nothing had happened. But the red in her face was unambiguous. The other red too, which suddenly went in front of Link’s eyes. It were widely opened eyes with black makeup he liked to see so much.
“What’s going on here?”, Kafei chuckled. “Why do you have a carrot in your mouth?”
“Link is our horse!”, grinned his son and the reluctant mount nodded desperately.
“What?”, Kafei giggled and took the carrot from his mouth.
“Thanks.”, sighed Link relieved and relaxed his jawline.
“You didn’t eat it this way, did you?”, Kafei faltered and looked at the little bite marks.
“I’m not one to spit a freshly bought, full-value food on the ground.”
“Fine. Then please be so kind and take the two to the Inn. Lunch is ready.”, smiled Kafei and stuck the carrot back into Link’s mouth, whereupon tears went into Link’s eyes as Tatl had made him turn with a heavy pull on his hair.
“Serves hin right.”, whispered the woman who had commented condescending before, but Kafei didn’t notice it.
“Hey! Be careful with him. He’s sacred to me.”
“Am I sacred to you as well?”, Tatl asked and turned Link around once more, who really squinted his eyes now and tried not to drop the carrot.
“Yes.”, Kafei snorted.
“Would you admonish him too, if he sat on my shoulders?”
“What?”, Kafei’s eyes widened again. “I – er – yes! And how I would!”
“Thanks.”, Tatl grinned giggling. “But you would have to be fast. If he sat himself on my shoulders, I would be as flat as a too slow fly beneath Grandma’s butt.”, when she pulled on his hair another time, Link actually played with the thought of turning the table. “I wonder how Grandpa can bear this butt in bed.”
“Tatl!”, now Kafei was really appalled by his daughter’s trains of thoughts and felt a little ashamed for the open minded education she had had.
“What is it?”, this one sighed, though because Link wanted to say something and, to be fair, took the carrot from him.
“Grandpa.”, Link just aspirated and turned back to Kafei.
“Pardon?”
“I – er – I had a Grandfather.”
“I assume, you had two of them, hadn’t you?”, chuckled Kafei.
“No.”, Link rolled his eyes.
“What now – ”
“I did – but – what I want to say – you remember when you told me all these names of your family members – I told you about my family as well.”
“Yes. And?”
“And I simply forgot about my mother’s father. They met because of him. He was a blacksmith, working for the soldiers of Hyrule as well. And well, he hadn’t lived in Hyrule for a long time. But some months before his death he moved back to Hyrule. I lived at his place during this time. After that time I moved to the castle. I – I don’t know why I forgot to mention him. Maybe because it was when Vaati attacked Hyrule and I didn’t have much time with him. No idea. But it was him who told me that Father was supposed to have a brother.”
“Hm.”, was all Kafei got out.
“I just – remembered now. So I though – you might want to kn- ah!”, Tatl had pulled on his hair again. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Tatl.”, warned Kafei. “If you can’t wait, eat the carrot. But please stop hurting Link, yes?”
“Forget it. This won’t accomplish anything.”, sighed Link and turned to go, so the torture could find the soonest end possible.
“Maybe you were just too busy with complaining about having no family?”, and again Link stopped.
“What?”, Kafei went around him, rested in very short distance and laid his left hand on the others right cheek.
“I love you. Father and Esra are very fond of you and Anju really likes you too. And even our children seem to be keen on you. Link. You have a family.”, he said softly and fondled Link’s cheek.
“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”, began Juro and Tatl joined in as well, whereupon the couple had a quiet laugh and did their bidding. “There we go.”, murmured the boy after the two had separated their lips.
“What do you mean?”, smiled Kafei, took his small nose between two fingers and shook it shortly.
“It also works without tongues.”
“As you think.”, grinned Kafei.
“Yuck.”, the boy shook himself off. “Stop it. That’s so disgusting.”
“That’s so not true.”, protested Tatl and made her father laugh so hard he almost choked on Link’s tongue and the other way round.
“What do you know?”, hissed her brother. “You only see their hair.”
“But I know what it looks like. And if they love each other and like it, it’s alright.”
“Tz.”
“I give up.”, moaned the girl. “You’re still a child. You don’t understand that.”
“And you’re no child anymore, or what?”, chuckled the older Link, looking up.
“When you were at my age, you saved Hyrule.”
“What else should I have done? I was ordered by the Deku Tree. I wasn’t to refuse. Even if I thought that tree was mad.”
“You thought the Deku Tree was mad?”, giggled Tatl.
“And iiiiiiiiiif?”, he panted as his scalp was tormented again.
“Tatl. Please.”, moaned Kafei.
“Oh let her.”, sighed Link. “That doesn’t make her stop. She’s right even. I already survived far worse paaaaaaaain!”
“You would really be a good father.”, giggled Kafei.
“Dream on.”, murmured Link. “I am seventeen years old. As I’m a Hylian through and through, I’m still underage. And I’m not intending to implement this utopia at any point of my life. The thought – I and a womaaaaaaaah!”
“That’s enough now!”, hissed Kafei.
He reached behind Link and beneath the left leg of his little daughter. With the other arm he grabbed her around her belly and pulled her down with ease. Doing so, he also pulled the light, white, buttonless linen shirt off Link’s right shoulder. Giggling in Sheikjiarnjinjú, he spun around with his squeakily laughing daughter before he let himself fall to the sandy ground of the Northsquare with her. By that moment there was nothing and no one that didn’t have their eyes on the four. But they didn’t care. The little Link cuddled to the left shoulder of his watching namesake.
“It’s alright if you find it disgusting.”
“Really?”
“Totally. I’d have never though that I’d find something like this wonderful.”, he smiled as the boy made a muffled grunt.
“Am I heavy?”
“No.”
“Really not?”
“I have a really big spiked mace. I got it off a lizard. Believe me. That ball is heavier.”
“How big is it?”
“Huge.”
“How huge exactly?”
“As big a Esra’s butt.”
“Woah!”, his blue eyes were almost at risk of falling out when he looked up. “Show me!”
“Not here!”, chuckled Link.
“Why not?”, he wiped a bundle of his violet-red hair behind his left ear.
“What impression do you think would that give if I showed my most devastating weapons to you publicly?”
“What’s your worst weapon?”
“You don’t want to know!”, Kafei called, obviously having heard everything though he was trying to catch his running daughter.
“Wha- ”, faltered Link.
“What does Daddy mean?”
“It think what he meant, is especially not meant for you to know.”, moaned Link, watching with interest how Tatl teleported herself from one point to another, but Kafei always got her before she disappeared again.
“Stop – always – being – where – I – am!”, Tatl raged, at a different place in the Northquarter with each word, creating a strange mix of volumes.
“Then – give – up – already!”, countered Kafei giggling.
“Ne – ver!”
“I – though – you – are – hungry?”
“What the heck is going on here now?”, Anju just arrived through the eastern passage and placed herself at Link’s right side.
“Just don’t start asking.”, that one answered when the bitten carrot was stuck into Kafei mouth.
“And what’s the point of the carrot?”, she aspirated. “Fine.”, Link’s expression had been more than clear. “How you walk around. Almost like him already.”, she pulled his shirt back up his shoulder.
“Oh. I didn’t notice that. Thanks. Must have slid down when he freed me from Tatl.”
“Freed? Good gracious. You sound as if she besieged you. What’s this under your hair? Why’s your scalp so red?”
“And I thought, Kafei had a lot of influence on you. But you clearly spent too much time with Romani.”
“What?”
“You simply ask for everything, though the answer should be logical to you.”
“She abused you as her horse, right? And I though she ceased doing that.”, lightly dreamy, Anju shook her head.
“What’s wrong? You sound so absent.”
“What? Oh – I think, I’m just tired. Did he tell you it’s time for lunch? The carpenters are done already. I didn’t even want to check whether they left enough for all of us. Yes, they do good work. If they don’t decide to be lazy. But they’re enormously hoggish.”
“Mummy!”, Juro warned.
“I know. That’s not really a good word. But they eat like horses until we have nothing left. And Kafei even pays them.”
“You’re telling me? I have to scour half the country for financing these crooks.”
“And in the end it will always be the Minish that batter in the dark and raise crystals to the surface, huge to them, for cutting them painstaking and – giving them to us. In exchange for clutter.”, Anju sighed.
“Yes. How do you know that?”
“Vaati.”
“Oh. Sure.”
“Some acts let the origin of a person be forgotten.”, she aspirated in thoughts when Kafei picked up their exhausted daughter.
“You’re telling me?”, Link repeated.
“Of course. You must know best.”
“But it’s not as if Vaati would mind that – ”
“I don’t know. Though he claims to detest the Minish as much as they detest him, it are his roots he’s denying.”
“Because they denied him.”
“Quite true. But he will always be connected to them. There is a lot he doesn’t talk about. I know that because there are many things he doesn’t like to talk about. But only if he doesn’t talk about them, it doesn’t mean that he won’t hear of any of these things. I just hope that he won’t cave in to his self protection. Zelda didn’t bring him back lest he let himself be annihilated once more.”
~o~0~O~0~o~
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