“Link!”, a voice, quite familiar to him, echoed.
Just by now he noticed the crowd, that had gathered outside the Westportal of Clock Town. They were familiar faces. Not few of them he had helped during the last three days again and again. All were smiling brightly. Over the town seemed to float a rainbowlike veil. Perhaps only his eyes played him a trick. The crowd was waiting in two rows, obviously for someone’s arrival. Privily he knew that it wasn’t his. Above the group, the map-salesman Tingle hang on his balloon, which wasn’t nearly as big as his smile.
Link recognised the man that had called for him, though he remembered him in half the size he had now. Tall, slender and still with bushy, now a bit more than shoulderlong, flashing blue hair, Kafei stood there, a mixture between eternal delight and deadly nervousness written in his still red eyes. At first Link had thought that the eyecolour was a side effect of his transformation. But now that they were still red, he doubted it a bit, because also his father’s had the same colour, if not much bigger than usually. Link saw it as a sign that Dotour had got at least a bit sleep, when though a worried sleep. But maybe it was just the mere joy that cheered him up.
So he rode upon the crowd and dismounted. Looking up to him was momentarily a bit strange. His clothes were simple but fine. Also they showed similarities in colour and decoration to his usual clothing. The trousers and the upper clothing however were longer and the material shimmered. Instead of the brown leather boots, he now wore fitting shoes and over his shoulders was laid a white cloak which almost reached the ground, the seam decorated with the same flamelike ornaments as on the long trumpet sleeves. Its two ends were connected with a golden, wound chain at the chest. An eye-symbol was embedded in the little metal plates on the collarbones that seemed too familiar to Link and confirmed his guess about Kafei’s eyecolour.
“Grasshopper!”, gasped Romani, who stood next to her sister and Anju’s grandmother, on the opposite of Kafei.
“You didn’t want to miss my wedding, did you?”, smiled Kafei down to him.
“I – er – actually – you know – ”, Link could just stammer.
“As you are my witness.”
“What?”, gargled Link because he had choked.
“You’ve shot it, not?”, warbled Romani completely beside herself.
“What?”, was all Link got out.
“You’ve shot the moon, not? You have driven it away, like you have driven Them away, not?”
“Erm – yes.”, a bit confused, Link dazingly scratched his temple. „That’s another way one can see it. I haven’t actually shot the moon – but driven away – I did. Or so. Sorry. I just fell out of the sky.”
“No problem.”, giggled Romani. “I also fell off the barn once.”
“What is almost the same in height.”, mumbled Kafei subdued, so that Romani wouldn’t hear him and smirked to Link.
“You say it.”, Link smiled back, struggling. “Maybe a hand in difference – not considerably more though – ”
To Romani’s luck, Link was interrupted before she could notice his cynism. Somebody clattered in the town from the east to the Westgate.
“I can feel with you a bit better. I once fell from the Clock Tower.”, whispered Kafei.
“Honestly? And you survived this?”
“Seems so, doesn’t it? Anyway – since then, Mutoh has got this little white dog. The four times bigger, blackbrown one had probably saved my life. I his – rather not.”
“Well aimed.”, Link pulled a grimace.
„Oh – I think, it was fate. Though I neither intended to fall, nor directly on him, but everyone except Mutoh hated this fleahurling slobber-cur. Tragic end. He might not even have noticed.”
Finally the rattling something came in sight. It was captain Viscen – or rather a second Romani in Viscen’s body and armour. He toddled like a little child past Kafei, Link and Dotour, as he obviously wanted to place himself between Madame Aroma and the Postman. Though he jerkily slowed down and turned around jumpy.
“Huh? Who – oh! You! It is you, right? You are Link, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Or what’s left of him.”
“Great, that you are alive.”
“If one could call it so – “, sighed Link depressed.
“No hero should die before he can be honoured for his actions.”
“A soft bed would be more to my likeness than honouring.”
“And a humour he got too, the kiddie – oh!”, quick and loud clattering, Viscen jumped into the row.
“I feel like I got what is described as a hangover, but all the others here apparently seem to be drunk.”
“This will go by.”, whispered Dotour.
Link found it better to not say anything anymore, as he saw why Viscen had taken his position so quickly. All heads turned towards the gate, when Anju’s mother came in sight, though slightly moved to tears, but nevertheless with a very questionable look, guiding her daughter on the right arm. Link knew that he wasn’t the only with this thought: Anju looked like a princess. Her shining, silverwhite dress shimmered in all possible colours, as the morning’s light fell on it. In her elegant stuck up hair she was wearing a wreath of flowers with a veil and in the hands she held a little bunch of the same rose-white hedge-flowers. Even brighter was her smile, when Kafei, trembling visibly, stepped forward and offered her his hand. Her mother let go of Anju’s arm and went after her, while Cremia strode past the wheelchair and sneaked at Anju’s side.
Yet before Link could understand the order of procession, Kafei pulled him to his own side. And by the moment he could barely walk, some kind of coloured shreds fell on his nose. When he looked for the origin, he regretted it immediately. Spluttering he sneezed more tinsel away. Now Tingle had clearly gone too far. But Link was too busy with being able to see again for demonising someone – especially not a gotten a bit long in the tooth, confused wannabe-fairy.
An enforced, decorated altar, made of an old table covered with a white tablecloth, had been built. Behind it stood the person, who should hold the wedding. Once more, Link didn’t believe his own eyes. The in a simple, lightblue toga covered woman looked exactly like Anju. From the hairstyle to the tip of the nose, Link couldn’t spot a difference. That Anju had a twinsister, was probably the peak of the whole madness, that Link involuntarily had to call his life. In his opinion, now also the fact why he knew Anju as a chicken-keeping woman from Kakariko, cleared up. It seemed, that both sisters even had the same name. How could Kafei be sure to marry the right Anju? But parents could differ twins too. How this was possible, would always be a phenomenon to Link.
Link had expected the couple to do a runner, but instead the whole clan returned into town. What had he really missed? The town was crammed with people and beings from Termina’s other regions. Even the Gorman-Ensemble had found their way back and tried to entertain the masses spontaneously. Cremia had taken the flight together with Anju’s mother right after the wedding. Where they had ran, he hadn’t seen. Everyone was happy and celebrated the Carnival. Many were wearing colourful masks and costly clothing.
“I’m sorry that everything went so fast and that I moreover, in spite of your condition, pulled you into this head over heels.”
Link startled a bit from his trance. Yes, everything actually went very fast. Obviously the message system in the rest of Termina was far faster than the Postman of Clock Town. Link wondered, that even he joined the celebration. Maybe Madame Aroma had forced him to.
“It’s alright.”, sighed Link to Kafei. “I’m used to surprises by now. Though some of them can still shock me.”
“You know, this might sound peculiar now, but it feels good to hear your voice.”, now Link was really a bit confused about this statement. “I mean with this, that you’ve been extraordinarily quiet until this morning. But Tatl didn’t even let you breathe actually.”
“I’m used to that too. My actual fairy, Navi, is the same.”
“Yes – that’s what I wondered. Why isn’t she allowed to enter Termina?”
“Erm – I – can’t remember having told you that?”
“Forgive me. I’ve abused my telepathical abilities and I read up myself a bit in your memories.”
“Oh! Good to know.”, said Link casually. “And why Navi isn’t allowed to enter Termina, I don’t know. Perhaps it’s the reason why she was chosen as my companion. Some kind of making up for whatever crime she committed.”
“I understand.”
“Where did the two runners disappear to?”
“You mean Cremia and – cooking. Anju bought and stored all the food for the wedding’s celebration, but fortunately she hasn’t touched a thing afterwards.”
“Ah!”, echoed Dotour’s voice towards Link. “There you are. I haven’t even really thanked you, Link.”, beamed the Mayor and shook the boy’s hand strongly. “You are a blessing for all Termina.”
“I’ve heard that before, a couple of times actually.”, mumbled Link. “And I’d prefer it wasn’t like that.”
“I can absolutely understand this. Also I had no childhood.”, Kafei raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment. “My own father used to travel between Ikana and Clock Town and always took me with him. You know, he was Mayor too and besides this, advisor of the King of Ikana. I suppose, I didn’t really inherit his stamina, but instead my son has received some of it.”
“It keeps within limits.”, meant Kafei.
“Well then, I have to prepare for my eluded speech. Considering the happenings, they expect me to hold it even more.“
“Say,”, began Link, when Dotour had disappeared in the crowd. “How come, that Anju’s twinsister is called the same? I’ve met her in Kakariko in the future.”
“That’s one thing I still keep asking myself.”, sighed Kafei. “The Anju I just married is Anju-Anila. Her sister is called Anju-Sorrei. Anju because – well – her grandmother is called so too. I could never understand this Anidja. Nor her husband Tortus could. A few years ago he moved to Hyrule with his two daughters and his stepson because he got a job from the Royal Family. I don’t know why he took the children with him. When he was done, Anju-Sorrei and her halfbrother Grog didn’t want to go back home. Sorrei had decided to grow cuccos, as she and also her halfbrother love these animals, even though she’s allergic to them. She thinks of it as a way to get rid of her allergy.”
“She won’t.”, smirked Link.
“Thought so. Grog, as you know, returned in the meantime and is currently living on the Ranch. Tortus went back to Clock Town with my Anju. Normally the path goes through the Hinterlands of Ikana, at the verge of the Great Desert and through the Gerudo-Valley, or, a lot less dangerous, through the passage to Ordon and further through the Faron-Woods. There is also a path through Woodfall to said big forests in the south of Hyrule. But Tortus knew about the so-called Ancient Ways. They lead from the underground of the Clock Tower in a tunnel system into the woods. You have used them. Unfortunately you fell into the big shaft, what I also wonder, how you survived that.”
“They say, I’m indestructable.”, Link mumbled to himself.
“There is a staircase. You need to activate a mechanism to extend it. That’s possible from above and below. Only, as you have seen yourself, there are huge cut trees in the depths. They could grow down there though, but someday became too big. Originally there were stairs and bridges built around them. But when the trees died, they were cut and solely connected with simple bridges. These were Anju’s and Tortus’ doom on their way back. They got rotten by the humid air and broke below their feet. The last bit only Anju managed to pass. She had to watch her father fall. She said that she hadn’t even heard him hit the ground, so deep is the abyss. I will order a memorial stone to be set up and to rebuild the bridges. But this time they should be of a more stable material, because the Deku-Flowers that grew of the dampness, are not much of a use to the vast majority. The way trough the tunnels is shorter and in spite of the deep caves, less dangerous than the others.”
Link wanted to leave another comment on Kafei’s story, but he didn’t get to it. Dotour had climbed the rostrum to the Clock Tower’s steps and asked for attention. The conversations slowly died down with the music.
“Honoured inhabitants of Termina. At first a little hint in your interest: please do not imitate my little acrobatics. As, due to the recent happenings, the bridge to the tower could not be finished, our carpenters try to build a provisional staircase up here, because we do not want to not grant a view over the expanse of our homeland, especially not now, as we can call ourselves lucky to still have it.”
Many around them nodded, as far as Link could see it. However he preferred to miss general reactions of the crowd above being seen by everyone.
“Well then. The Carnival of Time has ever been a festival to honour one of the most powerful forces of this universe. It was a festival that should let us remember, no matter of which tribe we are and where in Termina we live, that we are still a part of a greater thing. During the last days we might have become aware of this more than ever. For many it is still a riddle, how luminaries can fall, or how entire regions can be cursed. My son Kafei has connected my own knowledge with his acquisitions on this and opened my eyes. As the majority here might not know, because my father never made a big thing of it, my family comes from Ikana.”
His words were received with a murmur. Apparently the reputation of Ikana was far more threatening than Link had assumed.
“We belong to the last survivors of a once powerful folk, that was victim of its own sciences. The Archpriests of Ikana owned a valuable ceremonial mask. One day one of them managed to conjure up a powerful demon, the demon Majora. An ambivalent figure. On the one hand fighting for acceptance and love in the Dark Realm, on the other hand not much different from it’s kind. Quick-tempered, deceitful, aggressive, but still kind to those that held its ideals.
The Priests were overburdened by the wilfulness of the demon and banned it into the mask. It had been a secret for a long time, until one of our folk, a Royal Guard named Urol, who had a lot in common with Majora, bribed one of the Archpriests for getting access to information about their actions. He found out about the mask and saw it as a chance to push King Igos off the throne. It should look like a tragic accident and Urol himself, restoring the order, would be accepted as new king by us Sheikah. But his plan backfired.”
So this was the betrayal Igos had spoken about in riddles. His own man had tried to replace him brutally.
“Majora, disappointed of Urol’s intentions, killed everyone and cursed them to eke out their miserable existence as undead until its own destruction and the morning after. My first wife, Kafei’s mother, through a row of unlucky circumstances, became the mask’s first victim. I myself, could flee with my son in the last possible moment. Majora could not get out of the mask though, but had not lost anything of its power. Yet it forgot itself and sank into the wish to destroy everything and everybody. Many years did the mask lie in the dead valley of Ikana, until our Mask Salesman returned to find it there.
Feeling the power of the mask and understanding that it had fault on the destruction of his home, he wanted to bring it to Hyrule, for there letting it be destroyed by the attendants of the Royal Family, some of the last ones of his folk. But in the woods he got attacked by a little boy who had once been turned into an Imp. The Imp stole the mask in which Majora lived. Immediately he was captured by the power of the demon and became its puppet. Through his hands, Majora just had its fun in making little jokes, to see how far the Imp was controllable.
Soon Majora cursed the other regions of Termina and brought one of our moons to fall onto Clock Town. At this point the role of another little boy, who had been chosen by the wise Goddesses to stand at our side, begins.”
Link had feared that he would eventually be mentioned. But he still had hope that it would remain a mention.
“His part in this universe is considerably bigger than anyone can imagine, but through the few words of his I heard, I understood that he’d prefer me to shut up now and especially not ask him to climb up here. Because though he did not only save Termina and Hyrule, as well as make my son’s wedding possible, he is still just a child and I think we should grant him the bit of childhood he has left. Nevertheless I would like to give him with this, in the name of entire Termina, my utmost thanks.”
If though hardly anyone knew who this boy was, still the whole crammed Southtown burst into thunderous applause and cheers of joy.
“Well then,”, Dotour calmed the crowd with a gentle gesture, “As this is said, I want us to celebrate this year’s Carnival more than the previous ones. Because this is not only the Carnival of Time, it is the Carnival of Love and the Together. The Carnival of whole Termina, a festival to honour each and every one of us.”
Again the thunderous applause echoed across Clock Town, while Dotour was guided to the northern of the two passages to East Clock Town by Viscen and three more watchmen, for safer mingling with the crowd from the south. He wasn’t even gone, when the Gorman-Ensemble already went on with their performances. Mutoh fixed the provisionally built staircase with his men and let off the reserve-fireworks. The anyway horribly loud spectacle bothered the poor Link a lot. In addition, a massive red and yellow figure stomped towards him, arms wide spread.
“There you are!”, called Madame Aroma out loud. “Finally I can thank you like you earned it!”
“No!”, Link felt how two gently guarding arms were laid around his upper body and looked up to Kafei, who brought his stepmother to halt with his firmly determined expression. “No, Mother.”
“But just a little hug.”, she plead with the expression of a begging puppy.
“No. He doesn’t like this.”
“But you – ”
“I just return a favour. And you’ve heard what Viscen said. ``No hero should die before he can be honoured for his actions.´´ Especially not in the intention of honouring him.”
“I ask you please, Kafei. I know that I have a strong grip. I promise, I will hold myself back.”
“No.”, laughed Kafei. “I haven’t made him my witness for losing him right after. He still has to save another country, remember?”
“Philistine.”, she grumbled with a smile and strode away towards her husband, whom she eventually pushed back into the Easttown.
“Thanks.”, Link breathed with relief and Kafei let go of him.
“That was the least I could do.”, giggled the man as Link turned around to him.
“I wonder. Where do all those people and the inhabitants sleep? I mean, the Inn has only ten beds.”
“No. There are rooms on the attic. Did you never notice the rod with the hook next to the boxes? With it you open the folding door in the ceiling and pull down the ladder. Up there are five more big rooms. But you’re right. Usually just the Gorman-Troup sleeps in the Inn and those who neither have relatives nor friends in town. As this applies on most people by now, it’s not such a big problem anymore. The Gorons sleep in the Bombstore. Through it you also get to the upper apartments. I thought you took a look around? The apartments above the stores have their windows out of town. Above the Bank and the Lottery are also flats. Have you never been to the Lottery?”
“Sure. Once I’ve gambled away ten Rupees. Then I gave it a damn.”
“Didn’t notice the door inside?”, Link shook his head. “Oh. Neither the one behind the gong in the Swordsman’s School?”, Link shook his head again. “Honestly? Above the School and the Postoffice are a Bookstore and a Tailor’s. Hot tip. She sews really everything – if the price or the personality fits.”
“How – everything?”
“Everything – just.”, Link could have sworn to see Kafei blush a bit. “No matter. Well, the Zoras throng the Laundry Pool and the corridors to the Observatory and the Dekus hide in a huge cave in North Clock Town, where you perhaps know already, that two of them run a game of chance. And concerning the Indigo-Go’s, they have their fixed place behind the stage of the Milkbar. I wonder if they have found a guitarist already or whether you’ll have to do that part once again. But no worries. They will have their show in the evening. So you can prepare a bit.”
“I don’t think I will stay that long.”
“What are you talking about? Listen.”, he put his left hand on the boy’s right shoulder. “First you take a rest. I’ll wake you up when the feast is ready. You need to eat. Hungry and tired like now, I can’t let you go back to Hyrule. Besides, I would appreciate it if you could join our celebration for a while. Come on.”
“Well, well. You’re right.”, sighed Link, remembered of his tiredness.
He brought Link to East Clock Town and into the Inn, where loud clattering, bubbling and laughing came out of the kitchen. But instead of leaving him there, he asked him for the key to his room. A bit confused, Link gave it to him. Kafei reached beneath the counter, pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote a note, which he; with some contortions; placed well visible on the floor behind the counter, along with the key.
“What for – ”
“You can sleep in my bed. You won’t get rest here. Besides, it would do you good to get on something else. Though you’ve often been in the water – ”
“Yes. I know. I stink in every direction of every direction. But I got used to it. Have you miraculously got anything in my size?”
“My father’s an old collector. He keeps all, and, to be precise, really all my old stuff on the attic. Once I wanted to throw out everything up there, but then nostalgia hit me and I gave in.”
“Where’s Anju by the way?”
“I hope, between the guests and not in the kitchen. But I would have heard her if she – ”, a laugh came from the kitchen. “Oh no. Wonderful. But Cremia can tame her, maybe.”
Fortunately the women were too busy to hear what was going on at the reception. So Kafei brought Link up to the Town Hall unnoticed. Inside the entrance hall however, stood two persons Link rather wouldn’t have needed to meet again before going to bed. Kafei solved the situation.
“What are you doing here? Go party!”, warbled Esra.
“Thanks, I will party enough today. Why don’t you go instead of me now? Link needs to rest. Otherwise he can neither this nor save his country. As the Inn is too noisy, I ask you to keep him the silence in here.”
“Have you heard it, Esra? Our hero needs silence. Do you grant him this?”, giggled Dotour.
“I just do this for you, Kafei, you know?”, she pointed at him.
“Certainly, thanks.”, Kafei grinned back and went with Link into her office and the room behind it.
Link had been here just once, out of curiosity. On a chair hung Kafei’s usual clothing. The curtain between his bed and the two of his parents was pulled almost shut. Link asked himself again, how a married couple could bear to sleep in separated beds. But immediately he was reminded of Madame Aroma’s mass and couldn’t blame Dotour.
“Where has your mother actually got her nickname from?”, he asked and watched Kafei with interest as he picked up a comb from the floor and put it down on the table in the middle of the room.
“She loves perfumes. Also she’s got a good taste on food and drinks. You can put down your things wherever you want. The area behind the curtain is yours today. I’ll get you something from the attic.”
He snatched a rod next to the big closet and pulled with it on a hook at the ceiling. A folding door opened, on which was a ladder in tracks. Kafei pulled it down too and climbed up to the attic. In the meantime, Link took his magic cap off his head. He was so happy to have it. He could store almost everything he wanted in it. It was as if the things would disappear into a not really existing room, out of which he could pull what he momentarily needed. He put it carefully on the chair in front of Kafei’s desk. The diary was shut now. Kafei must have closed it when he had changed his clothes. Then Link leaned his shield against the wall and hung both his belts over the chair’s back. His boots he placed next to it. In this moment Kafei came down. On his arms he carried several pieces of clothing.
“So. That should fit you. On top there’s one of my old nightclothes. The other is for later, that you won’t get mistaken for Tingle at the festival.“, Kafei joked and got a withering look. “Ah – you don’t like him either?”
“Not quite a lot. He never harmed me though, but he’s disturbing somehow.”
“Good to know. Well – I’ll wake you up when the meal’s ready, alright? Do you need anything else? A glass of water or so?”
“No – thanks.”, considered Link. “I think, I got everything I need.”
“Fine. Well then – ”, Kafei smiled and went to the door, while Link undressed quickly and put on the lightblue nightcloth. “Kafei?”
“Yes?“, he stopped shortly before the door.
“I – ”, somehow it was embarrassing for him. “I – well – ”, it was even very embarrassing for him, nevertheless he peeked past the curtain. “Would you – erm – would you mind,”, he tightly closed his eyes, “Would you mind staying here?”, Kafei listened but fortunately didn’t laugh. “I don’t know – erm – somehow, though they both bug me, I miss Tatl and Navi. They – well – even though I sometimes would have preferred to be alone, there was always someone around me. Also before Navi came to me. I’ve never really been alone. And well – it might sound wicked, but now that I have the chance to be all on my own – I’m somehow afraid of it.”
“Alright.”, Kafei nodded understanding and it was a load off Link’s mind. “I just tell my parents that they shall get us when the meal is ready.
“Good.”, sighed Link and climbed into the fresh bed.
His assumption had been true. Right when Kafei had closed the door and was out of earshot, the overwhelming silence of the isolated room crashed down on him. No sound came from outside. He wished for the buzz of a fairy, but no fairy would come. So he lay on his back there now, stiff as a board, covered up to the chin and stared at the wooden ceiling. The bed was comfortable. Very comfortable actually. The clean material on his body pleasant. But it didn’t help. The few minutes in total loneliness appeared like days to him. Finally footsteps could be heard and the door opened. Kafei came around the curtain and had a brief laugh at Link’s sight.
“You really don’t seem to be well alone.”, Link shook his head. “Shall I sit down beside you?”, for a moment Link hesitated, but nodded then.
Kafei got a chair from the table in the middle of the room, put it between curtain and bed and settled himself on it. For a while they just looked at each other. Had he actually – ? Yes. Kafei wore black make-up around his eyes. It first looked unusual to Link, but he knew that the Sheikah were a very peculiar folk. Somehow the colour fitted him. Suddenly Kafei smiled. It was strange to see him smile. During the whole three days before the Carnival he never even made any move to smile at all, nor to laugh. But in the last hour, or how long ever it had been, he had laughed that often tat Link wondered why he hadn’t noticed earlier.
“It must be peculiar.”, said Kafei quietly, his smile almost faded to melancholy. “For such a long time going through the same days again and again but knowing about it.”
“They were never the same. Never. Everyone followed the same activities though, but depending on what I did, everything changed. You know, often I was really sad about having to turn back the time. At first it was a mixed feeling. Half relief because I had as much time as I wanted and half anger because Tatl and I should be the only ones who would remember what I did. Well – I think, the Mask Salesman has a little clue. But that’s it.”
“And I know it.”
“Yes. You know it too by now.”, sighed Link, pulled the arms from below the blanket and placed them on his belly. “You are quite strange.”, he aspirated, whereupon Kafei began to giggle.
“Not only the Sheikah, I mean. Yes – the Sheikah most of all – but Termina. You are living completely after time. In Hyrule, time has a very spiritual meaning. But here it means simply everything. Where does it come from? And please don’t tell me it’s the Sheikah’s fault.”
“Well, in this case I must disappoint you.”, Kafei smiled. “It is our fault. The Gossip Stones were the first clocks. Thanks to you, I know that they exist in Hyrule too. But you know, as here time is the centre of everyday life and as, which sadist ever conceptualised the stones, had not given a thought to the fact that not everyone carries a blade with them, they had to consider something else. In the end it were the Hylians actually, that moved away from magic and came to other solutions for the calculation of time. Let’s say, what the Sheikah reached magically, the Hylians tried to overtrump technically. Yes, Hylians have partly magical abilities, but as their support went down increasingly, just a few of them still know about the old magic. As you see, even your abilities had to be awakened through the hands of those who are capable of magic. Everyday life almost without magic is mostly so present in Termina, that many fall into panic when several torches go out at the same time. Then it was for sure some mage. And relighten these torches brings misfortune. Believe me, it is very difficult to teach idiots. Good gracious – what’s wrong with me? I want you to sleep but on the other hand I won’t stop talking.”
“It’s alright. How long does preparing such a feast take?”
“If my mother-in-law is in the kitchen with Cremia, everything must be perfect. And when Anju interrupts, probably even in her wedding dress, this is a good excuse for taking one’s heels and time.”
“And are you happy?”
“With what?”
“With the family you’ve brought yourself into.”
“They aren’t more wicked than I am. Sometimes unbearable, yes. But that just makes me more aware of how much I love Anju. Because I really can’t be angry with her without hurting myself by doing so.”
Link just nodded on it and looked back straight in the air. Suddenly he felt something at his right hand. Though he knew what it was, he privily looked there, as Kafei’s fingers closed around his own. Gently he returned the gesture. He noticed a with blue, violet and orange threads knotted bracelet shining from underneath his sleeve.
“Sleep now.”, Kafei whispered. “You will need your strength when you’ll really get to know my family.”, Link smiled timid but didn’t close his eyes, looking up to the young man instead. “I know. Sometimes I’m also too tired to fall asleep. But it’s so easy. You just need to close your eyes and think of something that calms you.”, Link curled his lips. “What is it?”, Kafei hesitated. “Shall I lay myself to you?”, Link said nothing but Kafei knew that he was right. “Alright. I’m a bit tired too anyway. But I just change my clothes. This material isn’t really as comfortable as it looks. And the cloak makes things even worse.”
Kafei stood up, got something from his chest of drawers and went to the other side of the curtain to spare Link the sight. He had never had a brother. Also had he never thought that a complete stranger could get so close to his heart that he became like a bigger brother for him. He felt that Kafei liked him a lot too, though he hadn’t seen him, Link, as often as the other way round. Kafei had changed extremely fast. Link had thought that getting out of such a splendid traditional dressing was more difficult. Carefully he lifted the blanket and Link moved a bit aside. Though he was a little ashamed of needing this, Link waited for Kafei to comfort himself and snuggled against him. Was he just imagining or did Kafei have – muscles? And why – did this thought even occur to him? It was nothing special that a man had muscles.
“Oh – there’s someone really in need of love.”, giggled Kafei quietly. “Wait.”, he pulled out the left arm between himself and the boy, who more understood the meaning of this than his own momentarily considerations and slightly raised his head. “Is it fine like this?”
Link nodded against his chest. Kafei covered the little hero a bit more and took him in his arms. Soon his eyes fell shut too and the two slid into a gentle sleep.
~o~0~O~0~o~
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