Fruitcake

   How busy they all were. Nobody even gave him a short glance up where he was. Link sat on the roof above the door of Ikana Castle, dangled his legs and watched the people in the centre of the village. It felt strange sitting on the exact place Rim had committed suicide. Was he still here? Link felt someone next to him but there was nobody to be seen. Life went on. He was glad being allowed to sit there. Yesterday they shooed him away. No outsider was allowed to watch the Suro-novices’ training. Everything was top secret.

 

   “Though it is us who linger,”, he startled a little, “It is them who stand idle. They are so busy with every day things that they forget to live. And mind that they belong to a race that puts great value in living life rather than drowning in unnecessary `duties´ until the end of said life.”

 

   He hadn’t been mistaken. She sat to his right, red eyes on the people below them. At first he only had an idea who she was. Interested, he eyed her slightly bushy, shoulder length antique pink hair that barely noticeable moved in the soft breeze. Finally she looked at him, sadness in her face and he recognised the woman whose life he had saved many months ago. A photo came into his mind and he understood who was actually right before him. She had barely changed. Only – she seemed much older than Kafei now.

 

   “Oh – I’m sorry. I recall, I still haven’t told you my name.”, she woke from her trance and determinedly offered her hand. “Sirileij.”

   “Pleasure.“, Link smirked and returned her gesture.

   “I like to be up here, you know?”, Link nodded.

   “Me too. On nice days you can see Woodfall. But with these clouds down there – I guess it’s raining. Or it did rain.”

   “No. Look at the clouds properly. They are coming from the east and just gather around the crater. It will be raining there in about an hour or two.”

   “Oh. Well – I don’t really have it with the weather.”

   “Nothing to worry about at all. You might ask yourself why I’m here?”

   “If you ask this way, I assume you’re here because of me?”

   “Yes. You have something you shouldn’t waste. You did it again and again. That’s avoidable.”

   “What are you talking about?”

   “About your essence of life. You strengthen it and then you let it become weak again. But you could keep it in the state it still is in. And that without having to eat several hearts you freed from demons.”

   “And how else?”

   “You only need to exercise it. You must keep your stamina like that, if possible even enhance it. I’m not talking about occasional tries to climb, morning workout or daily running rounds for mowing grass. I am talking about mind-altering. You must change your way of thinking towards the possible. And this way of thinking, you have to get across to your essence of life as well. Even though there is no current danger, your energy must believe that it has to reckon having to defend your body anytime. You want to be better at climbing? You are good at climbing already. You’re only lazy. You are too lazy to sharpen your senses. You have the heart of a wolf.”

   “I used to be a wolf for some time.”, she shook her head.

   “That’s not what I meant. It’s in you. You have the senses of a wolf, also in this shape. Don’t turn them off, use them. Others don’t have such but still climb up seemingly even walls. Your problem is that you are afraid of falling off. That’s totally normal. But this fear makes you blind. You don’t see the possibilities. Of course it doesn’t work without training. Without the necessary strength, the necessary sensibility for it, you won’t get up a wall of course. But you need to be able to see it. You need to be able to see where the tiny irregularities are that form your way up. Also this is a matter of training. The most important thing though is that you are in accordance with yourself. Only then you can empathize with your surrounding. Become one with it.”

   “Can you teach me?”

   “Yes.”

   “That would be great. When do we start?”

   “Now.”

   “Now?”, Link was actually stunned.

   “Yes, now. If you don’t want to die of a fall from here in two weeks, now.”

   “Oh. And – what – do we do?”

   “We watch.”

   “I’ve been doing that for the last half an hour or so.”

   “It was twenty seven minutes until I started talking to you.”, she directed her look on the square again.

   “Oh. Wait – how do you know – ”

   “The sun.”

   “You – watched the sun and ascertained that I – ?”

   “No.”, she giggled. “I’m not Kafei.”, she got out a little, very precise sundial. “He would be able to. But it isn’t important to him. Well? What did you see?”

   “A lot.”, considered Link.

   “Look at me and tell me the colour of the water in the stream.”

   “It – ”, he looked directly into her eyes. “Clea- no.”, he closed his eyes for a moment and lightly shook his head. “No. It’s slightly brown coloured. The ground is churning because there are so many people getting water from it. The sun lets it glisten in a soft yellow and the sky is mirroring in between. But the sky isn’t too blue because of the clouds. It’s a dead light blue. And the mix with the creek bed – creates a blueish-green greybrown.”

   “How cold is the water?”

   “How cold?”, Link bridled.

   “Don’t look down. Just tell me.”

   “At the spring it’s colder than in the middle where the sun warmed it. At the waterfall it gets cooler again.”

   “That’s good but I didn’t ask you for logic. I want to know the fact.”

   “It – is almost constantly cool. There’s a cool gust of wind falling in at the middle. The tree shows it. And a girl robbed her hands dry in a very thorough way. She’s not conceited. Her fingers got cold from the water.”

   “That’s a start.”, Sirileij smiled askew.

   “No. It’s not. I guessed. And the girl – it was a boy with long hair.”

   “No. That was a girl. And you didn’t guess. Don’t let yourself be fooled by my expression. You’re not stupid. Only complicated. You are well at watching and connecting. Your only problem is that you know the answer but don’t believe it. You are making yourself unsure. And then you mentally kick yourself for having tried all possible lines though you just would have had to blow away the leafs in front of the door. It was clear to you which sign the pillars form. But you thought too complicated. When you discovered the solution, you facepalmed because you got aware that you knew the solution but were too naïve to try it. You didn’t believe yourself. You ignored your intuition. And that is foolish, considering how good your intuition is.”

   “But you don’t dig around everywhere, do you?”

   “Could you stop me?”

   “No.”

   “You will be able to.”

   “What?”

   “I shouldn’t tell you, but I will. Kafei completed the education for being a Suro.”

   “That was obvious to me. Relatively soon actually.”

   “But he didn’t learn anything by doing so. It was his mother he learned from. He was ahead of everyone of us. Stayed humble. And after the lessons he continued training with the group we were in. For me he was unstinting of his time. Why, I don’t know. He can close his thoughts. It is sapping a lot of his energy, but when he wants, he can do it. Anyway, they caught us. It’s forbidden to practice extracurricular. We were foolish enough to have wanted to defend Kafei against Master Lathiru. He’s scary. And very tempered. He only trains the Masters-to-be. His speciality is the brain. Telepathy, telekinesis, brainwashing. Simply everything that deals with thoughts. He can control almost each and everyone with his thoughts if he wants.”

   “If you already so carefully use the word `almost´, I assume – ”

   “Kafei actually just looked at him. He told me afterwards that Lathiru had tried to make him torture himself but hadn’t managed to. That this hadn’t fascinated but made him angry was seen by all of us. Three more Masters had to intervene. They had to rescue him from himself. Kafei had done nothing but reflecting Lathiru’s mental attacks. He had been half dead when the others finally could stop him from attacking Kafei. That was the point Kafei had lost conscience. But he’s strong. Within only a few minutes he had recovered entirely. That can be due to the fact that he’s a chosen one of course. But I think there is much more to it. He carries the stowed power of generations inside.”

   “I saw that.”, something however told him that he was far from being able to even nearly estimate the true meaning of her words.

   “He himself preferred to live with a bad reputation rather than telling the truth. He never boasted about his power. He rather had the others thinking he had tortured Master Lathiru with full concern. He wanted to keep the Master’s prestige. And the other three wanted to send him into both exams immediately.”

   “What he didn’t want, of course?”

   “No. On the next day he took them on nevertheless. He passed exceedingly. Reportedly he had solved the tasks in a way no Master had considered to be possible. Whatever Rim had said about these exams, he was just jealous. Though Kafei’s only reason for not becoming a Master was Master Aslios, our Master, who had convinced him that it would kill him. Kafei needs freedom. He needs a life. Master Aslios kept him from laying himself in chains. He still educated me secretly. Also I have done and mastered the exams in the end. But the second, I refused to accept.”, Link nodded.

   “And now you want to teach me? Why?”

   “Kafei sees me as a friend. Only as a friend. But for me he’s more. He showed me the value of life, made me understand what really counts.”

   “And what is it?”

   “That, I can’t do for you. You’ll have to find out by yourself. What you learn from me and how you go on with it, is your business. In fact, you already mastered the exams for being a Suro. Though with help of some objects, but you did it.”

   “What? But – ”

   “All these shrines – what do you think they were for? They stand on holy ground. Nobody can teleport themself there. Superb places for exams. Or why else do you think you met with so many different puzzles and traps?”

   “These are exam halls?”, aspirated Link, not believing what he heard there.

   “Of course some sacred objects are kept there, but most of them had always been conceptualised as exam halls.”

   “But why are there so many ornaments and symbols in them?”

   “For at least reminding that the ground beneath is holy and that these halls are to be entered with awe. There are only a few parts of the exams that are held here in the castle.”

   “And they are?”

   “Normally I should keep silent on this. But never mind. One of them deals with teleporting.”

   “Interesting.”, considered Link. “Then the castle isn’t that safe.”

   “Oh it is. There is a ban. It can only be changed by the current King. The King decides who can teleport themselves into the castle. Kafei just finds it mean that this doesn’t work within the castle walls. Once in with permission, you can teleport to any room you like. Except the cellar. Underground parts of the castle ask for a special permit.”

   “How long does the ban last? I mean, until the next king ascends the throne?”

   “Generally, yes. It is the successor who has to renew the ban with the Archpriests. This happens shortly after the coronation. Therefore it is a very precarious situation when one King dies before his successor was coronated. During this time the castle is unprotected.”

   “That’s how the Garo could settle down here after Igos’ death.”

   “They were here?”, asked Sirileij amazed. “I didn’t know that.”

   “Some were here. But they weren’t much more alive than anything else in Ikana at that time.”

   “Do you know who the Garo were?”

   “Enemies of the king, right?”

   “Yes. They were Suro. Many of them joined this group of traitors. Their name means nothing less than Shadow. They were constantly against the King. Already King Ikan himself had his troubles with them. These parasites were always there since then. They were against the Great Empire of Ikana. They wanted an autonomous folk that ruled itself. Also they were very positive towards apartheid. The `purity´ of the blood was their highest law. That made them not even stop before direct incest. Different than with other races, where incest can cause deformations, it makes us Sheikah strong. The mix of the same or similar genes strengthens the outstanding abilities. This way the Garo bred their master warriors. They studied who was good at what and specifically interbred gifted people. It was never really about love.”

   “That is sick.”

   “It is. But they saw it as best possibility to bring down the Royal Family. They kept attempting murder again and again, but these could be prevented, mostly.”

   “Mostly?”

   “Igos. Both of them. Also the father of the last King was killed by the Garo. His son never forgave them. Chased them. He didn’t even shy away from children, when they supported their parents’ opinion. He slaughtered them all. With his own hands. Only a few could hide. And he was powerless against their leader. But only because he didn’t want a war. He so to say stood in his own way on his bloody campaign. And then something happened he never would have guessed. For a long time he accused them of trying it this way now. That they had decided to honeycomb the Royal Family by wanting to plant a shared heir on them. But Dotour was different. He was disgusted by the attitude of his ancestors.”

   “Dotour is a Garo?”, Link burst.

   “How much do you actually know about the family you call your own?”, she murmured.

   “Of course! Termin! He – he divided the kingdom!”

   “Ah. And I already thought I was to expect the worst.”, she giggled subdued.

   “And – the races finally separated.”, aspirated Link, directing his look on the stream again.

   “Yes. What did you think why the Hylians became rampant in Termina though they are ruled by a Sheikah?”

   “Igos killed them.”

   “Yes. Just imagine the panic that broke out when he appeared in the town. I still was a little child back then, but I was witness once. My parents were friends of the Maranóshu. Not in all respects, but good enough that we came to town sometimes. They were in the town hall when he was about to go there. I played with some other children in front of it. Dotour must have heard the panic of the citizens and came out. It was a heavy quarrel. Shortly before Igos got violent, Ajrini came up. She was in the third month of pregnancy but didn’t care about the uproar. She had more guts than Dotour. I only remember that Igos called her a blood traitor. Her answer; which I can remember well though; was, `Other than you, I managed to give the Royal Family of Ikana an heir. If you want to kill your only successor, just go for it.´”

   “What?”, Link hissed.

   “Yes, he wouldn’t have shied killing his pregnant grand-niece. But she had more influence on him than he preferred. He only looked at her and left. Dotour told me that they hadn’t spoken a word to each other until Kafei’s birth. But after the birth he was said to have come, apologised and offered them all support he could bring up. Dotour told me that he had said to him if he wanted to reunite Ikana again, he would have no other choice. That it was on him, which path he, Dotour, would walk, as soon as he had followed in the steps of his father. Unfortunately another Garo, Urol, had foiled the reunion by having wiped out his own country.”

   “And Kafei tries to mend what his great-grandfather had torn apart.”

   “Exactly.”

   “So there’s another reason than the one Anju told me.“, Sirileij examined his thoughts.

   “Anju isn’t aware of the full extent of this case. But slowly she should start working on it. After all it is her land as well.”

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~

 

 

   And again. This time he had been wise enough to shut his mouth and breathe through the nose. It was more than exhausting to constantly struggle at trying to stand up from a heap of sand.

 

   “You don’t listen to me.”, Sirileij said coldly when he finally stood straight.

   “Yes, yes. I am sand and the sand is a part of me. I can push myself off it. Ow!”, she had given him a clap around the ear.

   “That didn’t hurt you.”, she countered shortly.

   “No.”, considered Link and received another one.

   “Hey! I’m trying!”

   “You aren’t. You don’t listen to me properly.”

   “I am sand and the sand is a part of me!”, he hissed. „I got i-”

 

   This time he was faster. He caught her hand in the air and bent her arm over. She though wound herself from his grab without effort and used her flat left hand to push his shoulder, back into the pile of sand. In this moment something must have clicked in his mind. Back flips without taking a run-up had never really been a problem. But on sand he had failed at most of the tries. She used to train his flexibility. And now he finally took advantage of it. He took the dash she had given him, pushed his arms over his head and let the power wander through his body that; the moment his legs took off; his palms landed on the sand grains, from which he pushed himself so fast that they reacted almost like solid ground. Before the force could leave his feet, he transformed it another time for his own benefit. He took it with his legs and let them be pulled down by it again.

   The second back flip off the pile of sand was just a cinch and he stopped behind it, as if nothing had happened. Actually he wanted to be proud of himself, but he wasn’t. It felt to him like he had ever been able to do such things but had just been too lazy to do them with the necessary consequence. He looked at her, but nothing happened. Sirileij only stared back. Then she nodded once, wished him a good night and disappeared.

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~

 

 

   He snored. He had never snored before. No. Link went to the door and eavesdropped. The two slept still like ever. The snoring came from somewhere else. Considering the volume, Link didn’t even have to bother walking quietly. The snoring got louder. Eventually he stood in front of one of the guest rooms. He pushed down the door handle and the door did indeed move. Within a split second it thudded essentially louder. Lightened by the torches at the square, the big frame laid there. But something else mixed with the horrible roar. He rushed around and found a startled Anju in the door.

 

   “Oh.”, she sighed. “You found him. There was no space in the Inn because of the Crafts Market. I had to relocate him into here. Believe me. If I’d known that, I would have shut my mouth. You’re coming?”

   “In a moment. I’ll just have a wash.”

   “All right.”, Anju yawned and shambled away.

 

   He heard her opening and closing the door again. All that remained was the monstrous snoring of the Goron. Thoughtfully he turned to him and watched the ball swelling and dropping. A whisper tore him from his thoughts. He wasn’t quite sure which part of him had whispered into his head.

 

   “Tap him on the back.”

   “What?”, he hadn’t planned to say that aloud.

   “Tap him on the back. Then it will stop. Do not mind doing it harder.”

 

   Not knowing what to think of it, he still did it. And it worked. Instant silence.

 

   “Finally!”, he heard Kafei sighing muffled.

   “Interesting.”, he whispered to himself and raised an eyebrow.

   “Indeed.”

 

   There was the other whisper again. As fast as he had turned to Anju, he did again. Someone was standing in the shadow of the right corner in front of him. At about his size, slender, Suro-uniform. First he thought it was Sirileij. But why would she had covered herself? Then he noticed the bundles of blonde hair. Slowly he also noticed how familiar the few visible parts of the face were to him. He just had to have a laugh. Though he did it quietly, he shook his head and put his hands on his hips.

 

   “How naïve are you?”, the red eyes dilated. “If you had kept it for yourself, I would have clung to your neck now. But this way it’s simply naive.”, the eyes widened one more bit. “How often do I have to tell you that I love Kafei? This disguise won’t help you anymore. And most of all, you are and will remain a woman.”

   “I am no woman!“, the sizzling of the voice did sound convincingly manlike though.

   “I beg you.”, hissed Link back and dropped his arms.

   “I believe, you are mistaking me for someone right now.”, crossing his arms, he looked at Link coldly. “That hag must really annoy you considering the way you hiss at me.”

   “Stop it, yes?”, he went to him and pulled down his scarf.

   “And? What is this going to be now?”, he chuckled in view of Link’s expression.

   “You – ”, he just aspirated.

   “Yes?”

   “Damn. You really are a man!”

   “I told you, not?”, his tone couldn’t have been more bored.

   “But you look so much like her – like a copy.”

   “Obviously yes. Even though I don’t know who you mean.”

   “What’s your name?”

   “That is not relevant.”

   “What is your name ?”, repeated Link more demanding.

   “I have said, that is none of your business.“

   “Do you have a sister?”, Link pushed on.

   “I’m the only child of my parents.”, his tone got more and more angrier.

   “Who are your parents?”, his eyes drilled into the Sheikah’s.

   “I never got to know them. I was told that my mother died in childbed and that my father had left her shortly before.”

   “And that you are half Hylian?”

   “How do you know?”, all of his coldness was gone.

   “A mere guess. What are you doing here?”, the Goron started snoring again.

   “Watching him.”

   “Who? The Goron?”

   “Yes.”

   “What’s so important about him that a Suro has to guard him?”

   “I said watching. Not guarding, watching. He carries something with him that must not fall into the wrong hands. It is on me to keep an eye on it and to watch where he brings it to.”

   “And what?”

   “You owe me something.”

   “What for? And what?”

   “For asking so many questions. And – ”, he gave a nod to the bed.

   “Alright.”, hissed Link, went over and hit the Goron’s back another time. “And? What does he carry with him now?”

   “What does who carry with him?”, the corner was empty, instead, Kafei stood in the doorway, half naked, sleepy and Link’s pyjamas on his arm. “Who are you talking to?”, Link took a closer look into the corner and back at Kafei. “What’s there?”, he took a glance into the corner as well. “Or – what was – there – Link? Everything all right? You look whacked. Have you seen a ghost?”

   “I – don’t know – he – was – he was real – no – yes – no idea – I – ”, he got more desperate with each word.

   “The ghost?”

   “It wasn’t a ghost – it was – Sheik – only – really a man – I’ve insulted him first because I thought he was Zelda – but then – ”

   “It’s in the middle of the night. Come to bed.”

   “Yes – I – I’ll just – have a quick wash – ”, he considered. “You believe me – don’t you?”

   “Yes. I believe you saw this. But you’re tired. It’s you who shouldn’t put much trust into that.”, he went towards Link and took his hand. “I’ll go with you to the bathroom.”, he brushed his cheek shortly. “So you won’t see any more ghosts.”

 

   Gently he pulled him out of the room and closed the door. Arrived at the bathroom, he started undressing Link. That one, lost in thoughts, let it pass. Only when Kafei kissed him, he was almost back with his thoughts at where he stood. However, not entirely. Kafei took his hand again and lead him to the shower. He placed Link inside, put a hand on the other’s mouth and turned on cold water for a short moment. Link’s pitching scream was slightly deadened by Kafei’s hand.

 

   “Are you nuts?”, he moaned.

   “Awake?”

   “Yes.”, aspirated Link.

   “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want something you saw when you were half asleep to bother you all night long.”, now he entered the shower himself, pulled the curtain shut behind himself and pushed Link softly against the cold tiles.

   “What’re up to?”, mumbled Link with closed eyes from between Kafei’s lips, but the latter turned both valves magically, so lukewarm water would purl down on them. “You still got your pyjama pants on.”, Link noticed when Kafei licked over his left ear.

   “Then get them off me, if you can.”, he whispered into Link’s ear and slightly leaned against him.

 

   The back side was easy, but the front turned out to be quite difficult, mostly because Kafei’s right hand was now wandering down on Link’s bottom, almost entirely closing the little scope between the middles of their bodies. Playfully their tongues met, dancing a seductive roundel while the warm water met soft with these moves. Link just wanted to give pulling off Kafei’s pants another try when he noticed where one of Kafei’s fingers was moving to.

   With every of Kafei’s dainty touches, Link’s breath became flatter and he feared he would choke. But Kafei knew how to prevent Link’s groaning in time by merging their lips. Link wanted to clutch both his hands into Kafei’s hair, though he just managed to do it with one. The other was held back at the waistband by Kafei and pushed down slowly. The feeling of the wet fabric being pulled down between them almost made them explode. Carefully he turned Link around. Only now he replaced his finger with something else.

 

   A childish smile on the lips, facing the ceiling above the bed, Anju felt a light warmth rising in her face. She pressed her lips close, only hoping that the children wouldn’t wake up – or already were awake. But after all they knew such noises by now.

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~

 

 

   “I’m so sorry.”, sighed Link to his fruitcake, cut off a piece and put it into his mouth.

   “What?”, chuckled Kafei. “You apologise to your cake for eating it? I didn’t know we have such a big influence on you.”

   “Idiot.”, hissed Link back. “I was talking to you.”

   “Oh.”, Kafei giggled bashfully. “What are you sorry for?”

   “I just can’t get him out of my head.”

   “Yes. I still hear him snoring too.”

   “Stop making fun of me all the time. You too.”, he grumbled when Anju went for a second helping, giggling. “I’m serious. He was there!”

   “I know.”, she meant. „I’ve heard him.“

   “It’s enough, yes?”

   “All right.”, Kafei calmed him down with a smile – that this smile was enough, thought Link. “I know. Zelda screwed your life. After all, even if you didn’t notice then, you had a crush on that Sheik. And then he suddenly stands in front of you and isn’t a woman anymore. I admire you, you know? In your position I would have kissed him straightforwardly.”

   “Yes, yes.”, murmured Link.

   “Have you at least told Zelda about it?”

   “That’s two months ago. I’ve neither seen that guy again, nor do I know what exactly that Goron carried with him that this Suro had to watch him.”, he listed vigorously. “Much less I’m entirely sure he was real at all.”, he added droning. “Zelda’s mother was murdered. Yes, she was still very small. Maybe they repressed it. Maybe there were planned complications at the birth. Perhaps the midwife had sold the child to another woman even before it was born and told Zelda’s mother that the birth had weakened it so much that it died in the following night and so she buried it immediately. Instead, she stole it.”

   “Perhaps they just looked similar.”, sighed Anju.

   “Way too similar.”

   “And if you only imagined things?”

   “Yes. As long as he doesn’t turn up again, we’ll never know.”, Link shook his head. “The only ones who could know about it are out of reach for us. Zelda’s father’s dead as well and Impa is in an other parallel dim-en-s-i-o-n-“, a voice came to his mind, though only the memory of it. “Auru! He said he used to be Zelda’s teach-er. Oh. Well. I hardly believe that a king would tell the teacher of his daughter about a deceased twin brother.”, he interpreted Kafei’s spontaneous expression right.

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~

 

 

   It was still there. And still he hadn’t told her. As often as it had been possible for him, he had teleported himself to the Hylia Bridge, invisible, and studied it. It hadn’t changed. Meanwhile almost three months had past since he had discovered it. What Zelda wanted from him, was still a mystery to him. He wasn’t brazen enough to read her mind. Though that had resulted in constant growth of his feelings for her. He just had no clue how to break the news. Assumingly she even knew but didn’t say word about it.

   Slowly his head was getting hot and he changed the bench he was sitting on. The summer midday sun downright roasted the castle yard. Some people were strolling around in the gardens. Nobody paid attention to him. It really was a hot summer. The gardens dried out more and more and the Water Park at Lake Hylia was overrun on a daily basis. The masses waiting, always reached the bridge. Some bold tards used to jump off the bridge. One of them underrated the situation and barely escaped with his life. Though he was now paraplegic. Since then guards patrolled the bridge day and night as even the nights were warm enough for going swimming.

   This turmoil was nothing for him. He preferred the basin in the north of the town. There he was undisturbed, at least at night. There was nothing more pleasant than swimming in the moonlight. And nothing more stupid than getting lost in thoughts while reading a book. So he had read the page for the fourth time by now. Sighing, he took a look around. He already wanted to shut the book and take a walk as well, when he noticed that he was totally alone. Except for – he nearly fell off the bench with a fright. He hadn’t noticed her at all.

 

   “I am sorry. Is everything all right?”, moaned Zelda, who was almost the same size as Vaati when she was sitting.

   “It’s fine.”

   “Really?”

   “Yes.”

   “What are you reading there?”, he gave her the book. “`The best Fruitcakes of Holodrum´? Do you want to learn how to bake?”

   “No. It was among the books in my room. I wondered as well and started reading, in case I might find any hidden messages.”

   “Do you tell me, Impa had a book about fruitcake?”

   “Looks like it. Therefore I thought she might have used it as hiding place for something. But I haven’t noticed anything peculiar yet. Except that the culinary demands in Holodrum are absolutely horrible.”

   “Link has told me that already.”, laughed Zelda.

   “Just moments ago there were people walking around here. Now we are alone. Can you make sense of this?”

   “Assumingly, they all went home for having lunch. I, actually, told everyone I would not come for lunch. When the temperatures are as high as currently, I am usually not hungry.”

   “Same here. And after the last two recipes it is a miracle, if one doesn’t lose their appetite. Except of course, if you are from Holodrum.”, neither could avoid a laugh. “You – there is a leaf in your hair.”

   “What? Where?”, he took it off.

   “Oh. Thank you. The trees get less water every day. But these clouds seem willing to bring them some.”

   “Clouds?”

 

   He hadn’t even noticed that the sun wasn’t hiding behind the leafs of the tree but had vanished behind thick grey clouds. He hadn’t seen that front coming at all, nor had the temperature gotten lower. There was a lightning. Its thunder wasn’t long in coming.

 

   “My goodness! I almost forgot how fast a summer storm can emerge.”, Zelda sighed.

 

   Though they didn’t make any inclinations to leave this quite dangerous place beneath the tree. There was no need for it anymore either. Another thunder. Then the downpour pattered onto them. Zelda sighed once more and took a short glance at Vaati, who wasn’t less wet than she was within only a few seconds. She slowly began giggling. Vaati couldn’t resist joining in. He had been able to store the book in the locket just in time before it fell victim to the deluge of water. When he took a brief look through the leaf canopy, he felt something at his hair, which was already glued to his face. It was Zelda’s hand that wiped the hair behind his ear. He slightly turned his head towards her and noticed how close her face was to his already. Their noses almost touched. Then they did. The next thunder failed to impress. Also the one after. Nothing could make the two startle.

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~

 

 

   It was odd. If he had been sad, had he snuggled up to Ezlo. If he had been feeling cold inside the cave or the castle, Onnoru had laid his arms around him for warming him. But now a young woman laid in his arms, who definitely wanted it. She was a princess, he only a luckless, outlawed sorcerer. He had done horrible things to her, nevertheless she had forgiven and fallen in love with him. He constantly used to take away the feeling of safety from others. Wanted and unwanted. But now there was this person. He gave this person security, without knowing how he did that. He only was there. She was already sleeping, with a happy smile on her soft lips. He felt comfortable when being with her. Though his luck couldn’t fully burgeon. It was so new for him that it kept him from falling asleep as happy she did.

   She had abstained from her splendour chamber, her small idyll, just for being with him. Because it was Impa’s old room? No. For that, she was smiling too much. Because she wanted to spare him all the pink? Probably. His thoughts were spinning wild. Maljema-Sanduni-Cream-Roulade. Disgusting. He tried to think of strawberries. No chance. His brain generated the bitter taste of the Sanduni-Nuts on his tongue. And they were to be used in whole. He didn’t even have a glass of water standing on his bedside table so he could wash down this illusion.

   Zelda’s delicate fingers wandered higher and rested on his shoulder. And the slimy, way too candied jelly of the Maljemas. He pointed his right arm towards the desk and caught the cookbook easily. There had to be something edible in it. Somehow he managed to flip the pages with his thumb. He didn’t get far though. A piece of parchment slid out of between the last pages of the book. It seemed very old. Interested, he put down the baker’s book on the bedside table and pulled out the sheet as careful as he could. The letter must had been folded several times already as the folded edges were brittle. The writing confirmed its age as well.

 

   `My dearest Royal Highness, I failed. I feel utterly abashed. A maddening disgrace. Hyrule, I had been able to redeem from Evil, though defending a weapon in a chest, was beyond my power. Withal, he was so young – almost still a child! A buck in green robe, rather slight, though so deft with the sword, I were never granted to behold alike before. I cannot comprehend. He fought like myself – deployed techniques I was neither taught, nor passed on. His sword – I seem to have recognised. Admittedly I do not know whether my eyes were not fooling me severely, though they tell me it had been the Grand Sword, a Master of its kind and unmistakable. Or so I claim, since I had held it in my own hand as well the moment I fought him. He himself seemed bless’d, a lone Wolf like I. Still the Goddesses ne’er bless more than Three in number. Nor would I know how one could imitate one of the Holy Swords in appearance and strength, even more, when I had not taken my eyes of it in such long time and even then the Goddesses kept watch on it. I am at loss with this. Notwithstanding, the staff is gone. He shattered my armour as if ‘twas made of glass, dashed me to the ground and left into the four winds with the staff. To me he may not have seemed to have intentions evile with the staff´

 

   The page ended here. Vaati turned the sheet, but the backside was empty. The rest of the letter was missing. Again and again he read through the letter. He had heard of three powerful staffs before. Ancient relics which where said to be lost. Could this really be about one of these staffs? `A buck in green robe´ – `deft with the sword´ – `one of the Holy Swords´ – it sounded more than obviously like Link. As cautious as possible he placed the letter on the book and tried to get Zelda off him. Although it took a while, he managed to do so without waking her up.

   Quietly he carried the letter to the desk, adjusted it in the incident moonlight, weighted it down at the corners with small objects, got out his camera and tried to get some reasonable shots. For keeping the legibility of the text, he had to photograph it sectionally. Then he sat down, picked up a sheet of paper, dipped his feather and started writing.

   The letter was rather short. Not only because he was momentarily missing the right words. He just wanted Link to know what had evolved between him and Zelda and what he had come upon. Fortunately the ink dried fast in the balmy air coming through the window. He folded the letter, put it into an envelope together with the photographs and wanted to teleport himself downstairs already. However, he remembered what he wore, took a cloak from his wardrobe as silent as the old door would let him and found himself in the entrance hall.

   The porter was snoring loud with his mouth torn open widely. His head hung back in such a histrionic way that Vaati wondered why it hadn’t been chopped off by the back of the chair yet. A bit to the side, a man sat on a simple chair with a shawl bound around his ears, reading a newspaper. When he noticed Vaati, the courier looked at him almost pleadingly.

 

   “I have to send a very important, top secret letter. It is urgent.”

   “I thank Thee from the bottom of my heart.”, the courier sighed, took off the shawl and rushed towards the entrance with the letter.

   “Um – wait – the destination! I have – ”, with a grunt, the porter startled up aghast and sought for the disturber.

   “I assume, to Ikana?”, the courier stopped and turned back to him.

   “Probably. But it may also be possible that he is in Clock Town. It is for Link, anyhow.”

   “I understand. Thank you.”, relieved, Vaati dropped his shoulders.

   “What is the point of such a racket in the middle of the night, in front of my nose?”

   “What is the point of such snoring during your shift? If you are tired, note down your hours and get yourself relieved. Honestly.”, hissed Vaati back and was in his room again.

   “Where were you, darling?”, not that as we- had she just – ?

   “I – had to send a priority letter.”

   “Priority letter? In the middle of the night?”, chuckled Zelda faintly and yawned with blatantly open mouth, without holding her hand in front.

   “I got no sleep because of this stupid baking book. So I wanted to see whether there was at least one edible thing written into it. But I found this here instead.”, he picked the letter up from the desk, climbed into the bed and handed it over to her. “I had been right. Impa had hid something. Can you read it?”

   “Yes. Only just.”, she shortly robbed her eyes. “It must be ancient. This seal had not been used by my family for at least two hundred years. Also the writing is – wait – green?”

   “Exactly.”

   “A staff? That – that fits – everything fits together – that – ”

   “I immediately thought of Link. But which staff? I once heard about three powerful staffs, but could it be one of those?”

   “Quite certainly actually. Namely, the Dominion Rod. This explains simply everything!”

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~

 

 

   “What by all means in the world – ”, murmured Kafei.

   “Oh open.”, moaned Anju. “Otherwise it’s never going to stop.”

   “Yes?”, Kafei asked loudly.

   “You shall open the door.”, Anju moaned again. “It’s closed.”

   “I’m going already.”, sighed Link.

 

   He tried to get out of the bed somehow, what turned out to be difficult as he had knotted himself in the blanked. Out, he managed to get then, though lead by the full force of gravity.

 

   “Link?”, came it from the married couple.

   “I’m fine. Yes! I’m coming already!”, he hissed because there was another knock on the door. “What the heck is that important?”, the moment the door was open, a letter was given to him so quick he could just grab it in time. “For me?”

   “Yes.”

   “Tz. Thanks for the patience.”

   “It is fine.”, the courier smirked and disappeared lazily downstairs.

   “Fascinating.”, Link shook his head and turned to Kafei. “Didn’t you lock the front door?”

   “No idea.”, that one yawned.

   “No idea?”, Anju startled. “Honestly. You’re slowly getting senile.”

   “I’m twenty nine.”

   “Sure?”

   “Yes. Who wrote the letter, Link? Link? Can you hear me?”

   “Huh?”

   “Yes, you.”

   “Oh. What?”

   “Who does it come from?”

   “It – it’s from Vaati. Second – what?”, he stared at the letter again. “Ha! I’m rid of her!”

   “What, what, what?”, now Kafei was wide-awake and Anju as well because he had sat up abruptly.

   “Zelda. She and Vaati – they’ve kissed each other.”

   “No!”

   “Hey! That’s my letter!”, Kafei had simply let it rush towards himself, which forced Link to go back onto the bed.

   “No.”, Anju grinned sleepy.

   “And what’s the other thing you got there?”, asked Kafei.

   “Some kind of photos – didn’t get that far yet.”, the other two pressed their heads against Kafei’s, for a better view on the letter.

   “And what had he found? Oh yes – the photos. There’s the line. Yes.”, Anju yawned.

   “They seem to be photos of another letter. He even numbered them, in case we’d make a mess.”, Link noticed and tried to read them as well.

   “Sounds like you, somehow.”, Kafei chuckled.

   “And how that was me!”, Link was amazed. “The staff – the Dominion Rod – ”

   “What thingamajig?”, aspirated Anju.

   “The Dominion Rod.”, repeated Kafei. “It is said to have been a present from the Oocca given to the Royal Family of Hyrule. The king discerned its power and locked it up in the Temple of Time. Originally this thingamajig came from us, you know? To be precise, from my great-great-great-great-great-great-granduncle Ilchanji.”, he counted with his fingers. “The brother of Ikan. He was responsible for building the Temple of Time. The Oocca had constructed and built the traps against intruders. In return he had relinquished one of the three staffs to them, with which one could move certain stone statues. The second staff was the Time Rod. Allegedly one could stop time for a moment. Or turn it forward. Or back. I can’t really remember. The third of these staffs was the Rod of Worlds. I never got to know what that one can do though. Why they gave back the Dominion Rod, I don’t know either. I assume you have it?“, Link nodded, opened his locket, got out his cap and pulled the Dominion Rod out of it. “My goodness! When will you finally empty that thing?”

   “Shove it.”

 

   “And it still works?”, Kafei asked, starring at the staff like paralysed.

   “Again. Shad awakened its power with a spell of the Oocca. It was written in a book I got from a Sheikah. She had only been allowed to hand it over to a `royal messenger´ with a staff. Wait – yes – it makes sense. There was this ghost knight. He taught me some sword fighting techniques. Look what this guard writes here. He – just taught me these techniques because he recognised me! After all this time he understood that I came from the future and learned these techniques from him. I’ve beaten him with techniques in the past, he had taught no one. But in his future, he had, be cause he recog– ”

   “Yes. I know what you’re driving at.”, sighed Kafei. “And you’re right. It does make sense. Look here. His sword. One of the Holy Swords. This so-called guard must have been one of your predecessors.”

  “The sword – I’ve never really cared about it because I had been too busy with fighting. One question remains – no. We are meant for each other, aren’t we? I mean – there’s no way I could have actually changed the past. That far before my own birth. Could I?”

   “I’m sorry. I’ve given up such considerations long ago. Some day you will always get to the point you ask yourself whether you can decide any tiny bit of what you do or whether even the thought of it is already predestined.”

   “Hm.”

   “It’s after three o’clock.”, murmured Anju. “Stop thinking as profound as this.”

   “Zelda had told me, that the Temple of Time hadn’t always been the door to the Sacred Realm. Before the Spiritual Stones were created, you could only enter the temple with one of the Holy Swords. It’s said that a powerful weapon had been locked up in there. That had been the Time Rod, for sure. And later, the Dominion Rod of course.”

   “And the Spiritual Stones contained minor power of the three Goddesses.”, Kafei added.

   “Yes. With them and one of the Holy Swords one could create a portal into the Sacred Realm. Before I saved Termina, I brought Zelda the Kokiri Emerald again. She was slightly shocked, but could remember everything as well. I wanted us to change the run of events. She meant that it was already happening merely by the fact that we knew what was going on. But nevertheless she destroyed it with Impa and ordered me to get her the other two Spiritual Stones, so she could destroy them too. She even let the pedestal be demolished, on which the stones were usually put, as well as re-awakened the ancient guards for watching the entrance to the temple. Of course – everything was messed up and by now and the temple has even collapsed during the earthquake.

Probably that’s why I was sent back to a certain point of time before the Spiritual Stones had existed. You see? If the earthquake hadn’t been, I would have never been able to travel to the past – wait – you know what I think? I had to steal the rod in the past no so evil being would get their hands on it. That’s why the Master Sword was back in its pedestal, even though Zelda had meant that – ”

   “One of the Holy Swords. Yes.”, nodded Kafei. “Only you can wield this sword. Logical. Totally logical. So you would get the rod. If I think further, you’re either damn powerful with this sword or we’re really just being fooled and free will was affected to us. And what I said now was meant to be said as well.”

   “Please.”, begged Anju and laid back down.

   “On more thing.”, Kafei urged. “A spell of the Oocca? Have you still got this book?”

   “Yes. Shad handed it back to me.”, and he pulled another thing from his cap.

   “Hm.”, Kafei pondered while flipping the pages. “Hm.”, he was growing amusement. “Yes. Oocca – as if. I was certain that he understood something wrong. Though I can hardly decipher half of what’s written there, but what I can read, I is clearly Sheikjiarnjinjú. It must be an ancient form of our language. Evident, considering the age of this rod. Oh!”, he came across the big, faded coloured drawing on the first page. „That’s what they look like?”

   “Yes.”, Link confirmed. “Do you know now why I wondered how they could be capable of such technology? They only range up to my knees.”

   “Whow! Yes – that’s amazing. But wait! They don’t have such eyes, do they?”, he giggled, because both eyes of the frontal shown, birdlike being had been replaced with the Eye of the Sheikah.

   “No.”, smirked Link. “Damn. Why haven’t I noticed that earlier? And why actually didn’t Shad notice it? Shouldn’t that have rang a bell in his mind immediately?”

   “Could you please continue discussing this by daylight?”, Anju grumbled into the blanket.

   “Yes, yes.”, Kafei murmured in response and Link put the staff and book back into the cap again.

   “Tz.”

   “What.”

 

 

~o~0~O~0~o~