Kafei lead them through the northern passage to the still died-out-alike Easttown. Just three Zoras were strolling leisurely across the square. They had not even reached the Inn’s front door, when a little boy came scurrying towards them. He had shoulder-length violet hair with red strands and blue eyes. His blue Bomber’s uniform fitted perfectly to them. Kafei bent down and pulled him up onto his arms.
“Hey, little mischief. What are you doing so early out on the street again?”
“I couldn’t sleep. I just don’t know how I can help Naturi getting that stupid necklace back.”
“Can’t that wait for after breakfast?”
“Alright. I’m hungry anyway.”
“Fine. Look who’s here.”
“L-l-link?”, the boy was astonished. “You exist!”, he beamed. “But you’re not a little boy.”
“Not anymore.”, smirked said. “And you are therefore – ”, he needed a short laugh, “Also Link.”
“Yep!”, grinned the little one.
“If that name was not so rare, I would not even have found this bizarre. But so – ”, sighed Zelda.
“Yes. I’m sorry. This was a decision in mutual agreement of the whole family. By the way – don’t be surprised. Cremia’s married too. She’ll come at Carnival’s day for helping. I’m eager to see how long Romani can hold herself back. All the years she just raved about her Grasshopper. That’s really unnerving in times.”
“Oh dear. But say, now that you mention it – one thing never got out of my mind. How could she remember me at the wedding?”
“I still don’t know. Maybe you should ask her yourself.”
“She was a child – ”, aspirated Zelda before Kafei could open the door.
“What?”
“A child – she was still a child! Her sister had never believed the story of the ghosts, has she?”
“No.”, considered Link.
“Cremia could also never explain where Romani knew Link from.”, Kafei narrowed his eyebrows thinking. “She’d said that she’s met you so many times and that she learnt to chase – Them – away on her own.”
“And you said that the Goron-Baby had always looked at you as if it had known you for ages.”
“That’s maybe because he thought that I’m Darmani. But you mean that – do you mean – ?”, it dawned on Link.
“Children. I am sure that all children in the world noticed that these three days repeated many times.”
“In the whole world?”
“Link. You have not only changed the time in Termina. Also Hyrule was pulled into your time warp again and again. If I had not stopped counting at some point, I would have known better than you, how often you turned back time. And this is for sure not only due to my role in this universe. Children are simply more receptive to such things. As well as for all kinds of magic and the specific parallel dimensions.”
“What are you talking about there, Daddy?”
“Oh nothing, my dear. Adult stuff. You don’t need to rack your brains about that yet. Oh yes – step a bit into the square and take a look at the Inn.”, they did as told.
“Whow!”, Link looked astonished at the additional floors.
He hadn’t even noticed that the wooden post that had formerly held the porch, had been replaced by a tick stone pillar. The porch had vanished. Instead, two entire floors throned above them. On the roof was cut in a terrace with a railing and big plant pots. The bell, after taking a short look around, found Link on the roof of the Milkbar.
“Now that the Gorman-Troup is more than twice as big and still masses of people celebrate the Carnival, we had needed this more than ever. We extended at the back as well. We used to have a small green courtyard between the walls. There’s a dining room now. Formerly the meals were served on the rooms or we put a table into the kitchen. Not anymore now. The kitchen has been reduced to the least necessary to gain more space for the dining room. One thing’s still missing. Your room. We’ve left this junk room. When Anju was told about your coming, she really had a lot of work for making it kind of liveable. Now the whole stuff fills the anyway crammed stockroom next to the washroom in the cellar. At first look you won’t see much as we left the reception almost as it was. Just some little faults were repaired.
“You’ve got nerves.”, chuckled Link.
“Maybe. Oh and something else. Anidja might welcome you with open arms, but her hatred towards me never wore off. She still tries to find all possible excuses for harassing me at utmost. So don’t wonder when it’s getting too hot sometimes. Nobody will blame you for fleeing. The only thing that can probably calm her down is, when you remember her on the discomfort of the guests. But it’s understandable, now that Anju doesn’t live with her anymore – for which she gives me the alone fault, just as if I was forcing Anju to. Well – the Town Hall has one more floor too. Anju moved in. We have our own room now, at case of emergency one children’s room too much and two guest rooms, as well as big bathroom with separated bathtub and shower. Ah!”, he had heard something.
Somewhere a door had been opened and footsteps were coming closer. They sounded familiar to Link. And actually, it was a known person. She had her hair a bit longer now and parted to the other side. But her favourite colours hadn’t changed. Her long reddish brown, blue embroidered skirt swung with every step. As top she wore a tight blue cardigan with white frills at the seams. As she drifted out of her thoughts and saw who was watching her, she stumbled down the last stairs and clapped her hands on her mouth. The next thing Link noticed was that he spluttered a bush of red hair.
“Oh – I’m so sorry. Everything alright?”, she let go of him.
“I live.”, panted Link.
“I was just momentarily so happy to see you again. Oh – and – you – must – ”
“Yes.”, smiled the addressed. “I am the notorious Miss Ledaz.”
“Anju.”, a bit hesitating, she nevertheless shook Zelda’s hand discreetly.
“I shall greet you from your sister.”
“Thou – um – you – know her?”
“Yes. She lets herself be excused for turning down, as she can come nevertheless. Though just on Carnival’s day.”
“Honestly?”, Anju seemed very distrustful. “Not that there will, again, something get inbetween.”
“No. She has promised to come. At first she was not sure. I have asked her, whether not I shall take the sabres with me, but she ensured to come.”
“She’d promised too much but hardly kept any.”, snorted Anju, waving off.
“Sabres?“, asked Link and Kafei together.
“Daddy. I’m hungry.”, moaned the little Link.
“Oh! You’re here too!”, Anju startled. “Oh yes. Of course. Who else would have welcomed them.”
“Yes, we’re here too.”, mumbled Kafei a bit sullen. “Alright. Now that we all are aware of our presence, we can face the dragon, can we?”
“Is she really so horrible still? Dominant, yes. That she’s impudent and perverted, was clear to me. But actually such a monster?”, asked Link.
“Wait and see.”, said Anju. “Who goes first? We’re both as good as dead.”
In Link’s eyes this obviously meant nothing to joke with. Kafei decided taking the risk and opened the door. There had really hardly anything changed. And there, behind the counter stood the green dragon, the red hair pinned up severe and proudly presenting her belly measurement.
“Good morning.”, lilted Kafei, not letting himself be torn out of calm and put his child down. “Run to the dining room already and entertain the first people there. I’m sure there’s someone up. If not, wait for us there, alright?”, he whispered to him, the little one nodded and toddled away.
“You call that one good?”, she spat across Kafei’s order. “I’m exhausted and then the first face I have to see is yours.”
“Mother!”, warned Anju. “We’ve got guests!”
“Oh – your miss Ledaz? Is she here yet?”
Anju stepped aside to let the two in. At once the expression of her mother changed. Obviously the first impression that the simple dressed but well-groomed Zelda gave her, was positive.
“A beautiful good morning and welcome to the Stock-Pot-Inn. Please forgive me my mood, but I haven’t chosen my son-in-law. Mayor or not. He – ”, she spotted Link. “Anju, you deceitful little thing.”
“Honestly, Mother. I didn’t know he would come.”
“Yes, yes. Tell that someone else.”
“She didn’t know I would come.”, Link defended her as Anidja opened a board of the counter as well as a little door beneath and came to welcome him with arms wide open.
“That you dare to turn up here after all these years.”, to Link’s fortune she saw his held out hand in time and stopped. “What now? Still fear of contact with women?”
“I – er – ”, he wasn’t quite sure whether he should hurl directly into her face that he didn’t want to be crushed, but then he found it better to keep his mouth shut.
“As you mean then.”, nevertheless she shook his hand strongly. “You’ve become damn tall. Taller than this lad, if I look at that.”, she quickly compared him and Kafei, quite obviously looking more at Link. “And how do you get to such a pretty company?”, she turned to Zelda.
“You can call me Leunija.”
“Leunija Ledaz?”
“Exactly.”, said smiled, letting far less on than Link and shook hands with her as well.
“Anidja.”
“My pleasure.”
“Oh yes. The keys.”, she hurried to the counter and back and gave them to Link. “I suggest you still know where it is.”, Link nodded. “Good. From seven until nine there’s breakfast and dinner. Lunch is between one and three. The rest of the time is yours. And as we’re at it, breakfast’s ready. You look very emaciated, so quick, quick. I ate already. Therefore don’t expect me to share a table with that one without a reason.”, she nodded curtly on Kafei and went back to her post.
Kafei wagged his head, but said nothing on it. He had given up defending himself against this woman a long time ago. Against her only helped; as Link remarked once; poison or a sword, though he wasn’t even sure whether she wasn’t resistant to both. He went ahead with Anju in silence and the other two followed. Until the door of the dining room was closed behind them, nobody said a word.
By a table at one of the corner benches, at which also stood two chairs, sat Little-Link, waiting desperately. Just a few early risers were already in the quite big room. In the middle was a buffet set up. As they went there, the boy jumped up and joined them.
There were various things from the regions of Termina. Link wondered if and how long it had taken them all to prepare on the different kinds of food. He however wanted to know immediately and filled his plate with bits of everything that looked fairly edible. During his first stay he had never eaten at the Inn. The wedding-feast wasn’t really to be seen as part of the Inn. Actually he’d consumed hardly anything but potions and occasionally milk back then – though – once he had tried a Rock Sirloin, just to find out why the Gorons liked it that much. In spite of the transfiguration, he hadn’t taken pleasure in it.
“Leunija?”, Link hissed giggling, as Zelda almost emulated him, just that her plate wasn’t as filled.
“Stop laughing. This is my second name. She does not need to know yet, who I really am. Oh give that to me.”
She took two plates from the pile at once and put cutlery on them. These plates she held between her left thumb and index finger, put her plate on her thumb supporting it with the other fingertips and pulled Link filled plate out of his hand. This one she put, without needing to try balancing it, in the middle of her forearm and picked a glass of juice with her right hand. Leaving her totally stunned friend at the buffet, she went to the table and put down everything easily.
“Do you come or are you planning to play Deku Tree?”, she joked and sat herself next to Anju, leaving him the seat at Kafei’s side.
With a jar Link was pulled out of his trance. He chose his drink quite fast: fresh made herbal tea and water. He needed something neutral, just in case. The family and Zelda had started eating. Link the-younger-one sat between his parents and ate with relish something pulpy – or rather something formerly solid, which he had mixed with milk and poured it to a gelatinous mass. Still stunned, Link sat down and stared at Zelda.
“What? Have you seen a ghost – oh no. You would have cut it into pieces already. Could you at least take off your weapons for breakfast?”
“No.”, grumbled Link. “I’m hungry. The only thing against it is called eating, not undressing.”
“Depends on the kind of hunger.”, giggled Kafei subdued.
“Kafei.”, warned Anju hissing. “First, we eat, second, Link’s at the table.”
“I don’t mind such.”, said named and started eating.
“Not you.”, groaned Anju.
“Mummy. I know what Daddy meant and that I didn’t fall down from Heaven.”, Kafei choked. “And I don’t care about what is talked during meals. I know how children are made and what happens to food after it is digested. Also I’m not afraid of monsters, nor find blood disgusting.”
“Fine, little man. But I do care, about what is talked during meals.”, snorted Anju and provocatively took a bite off her bread.
“Her genes, yes?”, smirked Link.
“I’ve sad they had a small chance.”
“You know what, little namesake, we should give you a nickname.”, considered Zelda. “That you two are not mistaken for each other.”
“My name has got one syllable. Nicknames are there to shorten long names. What do you want to shorten there?”
“Nicknames don’t shorten compulsorily.”, meant the older Link. „I don’t know what’s shortening about `Grasshopper´.”
“Fine.”, said Kafei. „That’s solved. From now on you’re called Grasshopper and my son can keep his name.”
“No!”, protested Link moaning.
“You’ve got a nickname. Why should I rename my child now? He just got used to his name.”
“No!”, repeated Link in the same tone. “I’ve got mine longer. And you haven’t asked me whether I’m all right with you naming one of your children after me.”
“I did. And you agreed. Twice actually.”
“N- ”, he wanted to contradict again, but unfortunately remembered. “Hey! That was meant ironic!”
“You’ve said Yes two times. A court reporting doesn’t show how careless you sounded when you said something.”
“It does, when it is important for the meaning.”, defended Zelda.
“You, keep out of this, if you can’t defend me.”
“I am not your lawyer, Kafei.”
“Silence in the courtroom, please.”, warned Anju.
“Dismissed.”, munched her son coldly.
“What?”, she faltered.
“You have heard the judge.“, conciliated Zelda. “Appeal dismissed.”
“This is unfair! I just want to eat in peace!”
“Then you are at the wrong place here for the next days.”, grinned Kafei. “When Link hasn’t got a fairy with him, he will have to speak himself and he won’t let this advantage be taken from him. And I’m not in the mood of letting my ears being talked off without resistance.”
“In three days we’re gone anyway. Then you have your peace for the next seven years.”, smiled Link.
“No!”, threw Anju in.
“Ah?”
“I beg you. Please stay at least to the end of the Carnival. You have seen my mother. Maybe you can reverse her. I hate her attitude towards Kafei.”
“And she hates your attitude towards Kafei.”, completed Link.
“And on top of it she hates every single spark of my existence without a reason.”, added the new topic of the conversation.
“Does the Carnival last a week again?”
“No. This time it’s two. But only this time.”
“All right. We’ll do our best.”, sighed Link. “But just if I don’t have to give up my name.”
“Thanks.”, aspirated Anju.
“So, boy.”, considered Zelda. „To be fair to me, what about Knil? Or Nilk?“
“Nikl.”, giggled Kafei.
“Iknl – Ikln – Ilkn – Ilnk – Inkl – Inlk – Kinl –Kiln – Klin – Klni – Knli – Lkin – Lkni – Lnik – Lnki – Likn – Nkil – Nkli – Nikl – Nlik – Nlki – “, his neighbour listed surprisingly fast all other possibilities.
“Link!”, warned Zelda.
“Yes! I’ll take the last one!”, grinned the boy.
“No. That’s what I’m called already.”
“How did you do that so fast?”, asked Zelda.
“I – I’ve memorized it.”, he pulled a face.
“What?”, the others chorused.
“Sometimes I was bored though. Is that a crime? Besides – where have you learned to be a waitress?”
“Do not change the topic.”, hissed Zelda.
“Where have you learned to be a waitress?”
“Do I look like a little, pampered princess?”
“If I may remind you,”, Link lowered his voice, “You are a little, pampered princess.”
“I have never been.”, said Zelda shortly. “I have just silently accepted what was given to me. If you have not noticed until now, you should open your eyes for the next days. Then you might probably see how little and pampered this princess is.”
“Now – don’t take it this serious. You know how I meant it.”, moaned Link.
“I just mean as well.”, she swallowed her last bite. “If you excuse me, I would like to give Anidja a hand. Maybe I can tame the dragon today already.”
With these words she stood up, took the dishes and cutlery with her that was not needed anymore and polished off at the other tables too. Dropping no more words, she left the room.
“What by all forces of Heaven was that?”, aspirated Kafei.
“If I’m not mistaken and can remember right, that’s called puberty, isn’t it? At least I don’t need to do the washing today.”, sighed Anju. “Thank you, Link. Though you should apologise in the course of the day.”
“She’s a princess, not?”, asked Kafei.
“She’s half Sheikah.”, sighed Link.
“Yes – that’s right. I’ve felt it. But she’s a princess, not?”
“I know what you mean. But I wondered that several times today already.”
“Anidja?”
“Yes, dear? Oh my goodness! What are you doing with the dishes?”
“I have finished and thought I could help you with the Inn.”
“You are guest here!”, Anidja astonished.
“Please. I want this. Besides, it is the least I can do in exchange.”
“In exchange?”
“I need help. To be honest, I just need a cake – until tomorrow morning.”
“You’ve got to explain me that. But first I’ll wake up Kari that she fills in for me here.”
~o~0~O~0~o~
“Are you done?”
“In a second.”
“Even Anju’s faster at changing.”
“Shut up. I – have – become – kno- ”, a muffled noise came out of the room.
“Link? Are you still alive? Everything alright?”
“Yes.”, groaned said. “Knot loosened.”
“What by all forces of Darkness are you doing in there? You just wanted to change.”, Kafei listened.
The door opened. Kafei was quite astonished. Link wore a tight brown waistcoat with a long-sleeved green shirt beneath it. Down he wore tight black trousers that widened at the boots to trumpets. Just the cap hadn’t changed.
“You wear – something tight.”, aspirated Kafei half giggling.
“Is that a problem?”
“No. Unusual, but it suits you. Wait. You’re totally messed.”, he combed the hair at Link’s forehead with his fingers and pulled his cap into the right position. “So. Now you’re ready for the public. What happened?”
“I was foolish enough to put back on my boots before the trousers and didn’t want to take them off again. I had my problems, but I managed, as you can see.”, Kafei just shook his head. “Tell me, does this notorious tailor still exist?”
“Yes – why? Did a seam burst? I can sew a bit too.”, giggled Kafei.
“No. It’s a bit more complicated. I’ve promised Zelda something. She wants me to wear that Feirce Deity’s Mask at the Carnival. She didn’t let me convince her otherwise. And so I idiot have agreed. Unfortunately I haven’t thought about one thing. The mask doesn’t work everywhere. I don’t want to disappoint her, as she’s so eager to see me like that. Before the fight against Majora – well – the walls of the room reflected like mirrors, so that I stood there for several minutes and – let’s say, I know exactly how I look after the transfiguration. Though I don’t know where to get a sword alike so fast, but as you said, this tailor makes everything as long as the price fits.”
“You’re serious?”
“I don’t know how else – ”
“Just tell her the truth.”
“Please. I too want her to see it.”
“All right – well – if it’s not overcomplicated, she’ll be done with it by the Masks-Ball for sure.“
“That would be fantastic. We would just need colour for my face then and something I can bleach my hair with.”
“Bleach?”, laughed Kafei. “No. I know something better. I have such a cream you can smear into your hair. Thinking of your hair colour, it should turn almost white. The stuff is washable.”
“You are my saviour, Kafei. And the other colours?”
“It’s not my first Carnival.”, he winked. “So we have a goal now, I think. I need to pick up something from her anyway.”
Leisurely they left the Inn to Westtown. Kafei wanted to take the shortcut, but Link asked him to take the southern way. The town wasn’t as sleepy as one and a half hours before anymore though, but there was no sight of Carnival-mood. Much more was going on than Link was used to however. The reason why he had asked Kafei to make a detour, was an interest that was not necessary, but could save a lot of work. Arriving at the place of his interest, he stopped without warning. Kafei walked straight on. A bit confused he stopped as well and rushed around as he heard Link’s voice.
“Good morning.”, he addressed the Banker.
“Good morning. What can I do for you, Sir?”
“I – how shall I say – I’m back.”
“W- by the Giants! If this isn’t our high earner! Link! How are you?”
“Just about. And you?”
“I can’t complain. You know though, that I still have a pretty sum from you here, right?”
“Really?”, fine, this question was answered.
“Yes. You are lucky. Normally I store at the maximum of five years, if there is no sign of life. But as I couln’t store at all without you – ”
“My pleasures, thanks.”
“Ah – the Mr Mayor.”, he noticed him just now, as Kafei started to giggle. “A beautiful good morning.”
“That is it in fact.”, grinned Kafei. “Nevertheless we have to get going. Come, you blade of grass. Otherwise you can sew your showpiece by yourself.”
“Then – have a nice day.”, wished Link.
“Thank you very much. I wish it to the gentlemen as well.”
“Selfless?”, giggled Kafei. “Immaterialistic?”
“Once again. I never claimed that.”, grinned Link. “I’m just too lazy to mow my money again.”
They entered the Swordsman’s School, greeted monotonous and went through the door behind the gong, upwards. All that Link found was a rarely lit, narrow corridor with parquet flooring. Light only came through two small windows, respectively in front of and behind them. From now on it became a little tighter. Two women, their arms crammed with books, came out of the further away door of the only two in the corridor. Link already wanted to open the first door and enter the Tailor’s, but Kafei was faster – unnecessarily. He slid sidewards in front of Link, pushed down the handle with the back at the door and disappeared with a grin.
Shaking his head, Link followed him and closed the door behind, just to see an elderly lady bent over a big table on which rolls of fabric and paper patterns were spread. At another table sat a girl not much older than Link with short, untidy dark-brown hair. In front of her lay obvious sketches. Even when she looked up, she didn’t stop nibbling on her pencil. There were two more doors at the left. Behind the tables was a passage with a curtain hung to block it. Basically the room was quite small. Nevertheless, one didn’t feel cramped in there.
“I see, you are beaming.”, said the elderly lady, whom Link had already seen at Kafei’s wedding and smiled mischievously at Kafei from below. “No – you think, you are beaming.”, Link had no idea what this could mean. “And who is the young man at your side?”
“This, Ydin, is Link.”, Kafei grinned broader.
“Oh!”, her expression increased. “May I welcome you with my whole heart. In company or a request?”
“Erm – somehow both.”, considered Link.
“Fine, fine. well – Ora can help you. I need to make our prodigal son happy. Come, sweetie pie.”
Now Link was even more confused. Normally he would have taken it for an idiom. When Kafei waved grinning excited, as if he would wave to a child, Link really had his issues what he should think about it. Even the door was being locked. He decided to wait for the answer and moved towards Ora.
“Don’ worry.”, she sighed. “They’ve ever been so. No clue, what’s behind. I learnt takin’ it.”
“Fine. Well the thing is this – ”, he took a look at the sketches, “I don’t know where to start best. Erm – ”
“What’s it be?”, she asked monotonous.
“A kind of armour. Do you make such?”
“We’re makin’ ev’rythin’. Ya’d be s’prised what materials we’ve got. If ya wan’a metal-armour though, then ya’re ’rong here.”
“I know. Then I need to go to the mountains.”
“Good. Ya know ya way ’round then.”
“Yes.”, smirked Link.
“Then stand there straight.”, he did as told. “Straight. Not like a board – yeah – that’s good.”, she snatched a bigger empty piece of paper and started scribbling. “Tha hood on it too?”
“Yes.”
“Can ya put’cha hand on ya hip an’ tha same foot a bit forward aside? Perfect. It’s for tha views.”, she scribbled on. “So. Turn ’round an’ tha whole thing again.”, he heard how the pencil swept across the paper. “Good. Thanks. Take a look. That’s tha groun’ sketch. There’ll get tha rest on.”, Link was amazed by the resemblance to him. “How ya think tha stuff should look like?”
“Well – a light underskirt and a cuirass on top. I have something here for the underskirt.”
“What’sa?”, he took off his cap and pulled out his green fighting-tunic. “Am I gonna mad or what? Na. ’Till now I jus’ knew that from purses! It’s available like that too?”
“Yes. But I suppose you won’t get hands on such a cap. Long story.”
“No prob. Let me see. Material like it?”
“The material doesn’t matter. It should be comfortable, fall somehow like this and not easy to be torn. Just in case. And as there’s going to be the cuirass over it, it can be a bit tighter. And I have the underwear here as well. It should be in a very dark blue, almost black.”
They fiddled on like this for quite a while, until Link didn’t believe his eyes anymore. It was exactly the picture he had in his memory. If he’d just get a sword. Maybe he should really drop in at the Mountain Village.
“Ev’rythin’ fits so far? Tha glov’s too?”
“Couldn’t be better. You have really got such a material in this colour? And also the strong leather?”
“Think so. ’Till when it’d be done?”
“Beginning of the Carnival.”
“Hm. Calculatin’ all complications – it’d be feasible. Even a bit sooner. We’ll have ta giv’a bit of extra time anyway, in case there’s somethin’ ta be changed. I’d come here again t’morrow ’bout midday. Jus’ in case. Now I need ya measurements.”, she gave him more orders how to stand, measured and scribbled the numbers down with acronyms. “Tha hood. I s’ppose ya won’t let it here?”
“No. There are my whole possessions in it.”
“Jus’ don’ say that in public.”
“Oh – don’t worry. Nobody’ll get on in.”
“That’s what all careless people say.”
“I certainly know to defend myself.”, smirked Link.
“If one believes tha stories on ya name, yeah. Good. Can I measure ya hood now?”
“Oh. Sure. Sorry. But it should be a bit bigger, so I can put it over this one.”
“Tz.”
“But not much bigger.”
“An’ that stuff ya’ll take with ya too.”
“I would like to.”
“Right.”, she measured the last bits. “So. We’ve got that. Tha unpleasant part. Costs. I can jus’ tell ya tha fix price at tha end. But when I look at that all, plus tha waycosts to tha blacksmith for tha metal-parts – ”
“Oh – I can take that on. I need to go to him anyway, I remember.”, he said hasty and put his cap back on.
“Then that’s omitted. But make sure that tha stuff’s done latest at morn’ in two days. Otherwise we can’t sew them on. Ya got a sword for tha sheath?”
“I’ll entrust the blacksmith with it.”
“Good. I’ll make ya a note what he’s got ta do for tha armour. Anyway I’d say – projected, it’s ’bout sev’nhundr’d, as a part’ll stay at Zubora’s.”
“Sevenhundred only?”
“Ya can pay more if ya want.”
“I don’t mind.”, laughed Link.
“That’s funny. Ya act like that’s nothin’. Where’cha get ya Rupees from?”
“I mow grass – kill greedy creatures – bet with the Postman – go hunting Poes – but mostly I just mow grass. You won’t belive what can be hidden beneath the bigger grasses.”
“I’ve heard too that there’re such loonies that actually hide their stuff in tha grass. What’re they doin’ in there so long anyway? I thought that thing’s done?”
“What thing?”
“Oh what do I know. They’re makin’ a whoppin’ secret of it. I wasn’t even allow’d ta do tha sketch’s.”, it clicked and the door went open. “Oh fin’lly.”
Kafei came out first, a huge paper box on his hands. His grin hadn’t worn off. However, his anyway red eyes had gone red where they normally shouldn’t. Also the black colour around his eyes had sloppily been wiped in order. Link wasn’t sure. Had he cried? If yes, they must have been tears of joy. But why?
“What have you got there?“, Kafei said nothing, instead he let Ydin pass.
“And it’s really not too tight”
“No.”, beamed Kafei. “It is just perfect. You are a true blessing.”
“This means a lot to me, you know?”
“Yes. It means much more to me.”, he hugged the tailor shortly, which was a bit difficult due to the box.
“Your costume?”, asked Link.
“Yes.”, Kafei beamed even more, like a little child at its birthday.
“What are you dressing up as? A Dodongo? Like Like?”
“No.”, he laughed.
“May I see it?”
“I’m sorry, but it’s a surprise. Nobody’s allowed to see it until I wear it. Thus – can I trust you?“
“Yes. So you show me?”
“No. I want you to keep it save. You know where. But please just keeping, not looking at it.”
“All right. You can trust me. I still owe you something anyway.”
“Thank you. Both of you. You are truthfully gifts of Heaven.”
“Now don’t let Anju hear that.”, laughed Link. “In the end she’ll be jealous.”
“Help me! How time flies by! It’s almost ten o’clock. I should really hurry. Do you come with me or what do you do?”
“I need to go to the Mountain Village. Then, I think, I will take a look around in the town – check, whether and what has changed – shoot Tingle – ”
“Fine.”, laughed Kafei. “It’s probably better that way. Now that quite everything is sorted out, my job is boring. And anyhow, it’s not that varied. Unless one sees the regular switching of boredom and total stress as variety. See you.”, he left without any further word.
~o~0~O~0~o~
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