Thou Art No Craven, Grim and Ghastly Raven



On the first day of his new and strange life, Link, the Deku Scrub, emerged from the clocktower doors to find himself in a cheerful little town. The sun was bright that day, shadowed only by the looming presence of evil sealed in the shape of the moon, which hovered gloomily above the clocktower behind him. Sheilding his eyes from the radiant beams of light with his small, wooden hands, Link saw a new adventure unfold before him. He felt rather sidetracked and awkward to be in this odd new place with a fairy he didn't know in place of his beloved Navi, whom he originally came to seek in this land. It made him sad to remember his old friend; after being the boy without a fairy for so long and then finding her by his side, it broke his heart into tiny, lonely fragments to loose her.

Disturbed abruptly from his hopeless daydream, Link yelped as he was slammed into the cobblestone streets by a small, feisty terrier. Bewildered by the onslaught, he snapped to his senses and moved to a safer distance. There was a small pool of water just a little ways from the doors he entered from. With the thought of a cool drink on such a warm day, Link inched closer to the edge. Just when he could almost taste the water, a shrewed voice startled him and he splashed into the pool.

"Excuse you, but this is my property! Who do you think you are stealing someone's possesions? I should report you to the guards!" Looking up and wiping his face, Link saw a short, portly Deku standing angrily ontop of a large, yellowish flower.

"I'm sorry," Link replied, meekly, standing from his previous, seated position in the pool of water. The Deku didn't even acknowledge his apology, and it plunged into the center of the flower.

Soggy and sadened, Link climbed out of the water and drudged forward, without getting his intended drink. Up ahead, there was a group of busy people, all bustling about with hammer and nail ready for work. Beyond that, was a mailbox, set precariously beside a set of stairs. With a clicking of shoes, Link turned and saw a boy, wearing the ever-popular Keaton mask, step down the stairs and slip an envelope into the red-topped mailbox. Approaching the box as the boy hurried up the stairs, Link read the words 'Clocktown Postal Service' across the front, in bright, red letters. Clocktown...He thought. That must be where I am. Seeking more answers to his unasked questions, he walked onward to explore his new habitat.

East of his starting point, several new buildings folded into view, all just as colorful and peacful as the last. Placing his foot atop the last step, Link turned and saw a group of posters stuck tight to the side of one building, which was oddly shaped like a treasure chest. The sign advertised some sort of chance game, which brought back fond memories of the similar shop in his beloved land of Hyrule's Castle Town market. Link laughed squeakily through his Deku snout as he remembered playing that game and how he cheated using the Lense of Truth when he wasn't supposed to. At the sound of his own voice, he stopped in mid-thought and realized that those days were past. He stared down at his own two hands and felt a cold shadow of reality sweep through his small body. Weighted down by his own despair, he suddenly did not feel obligated to explore the town anymore, and decided to stake out a place to stay, as the sun was beginning to set in the milky, cream twilight sky.

Although his feet felt heavy, he dragged himself towards a building, who's sign read "Stock Pot Inn." He needed to get inside, yet the doorknob was just out of his reach. While he was puzzling over how to reach the knob, a man in fine, expensive-looking clothes knocked him aside and he fell once again to the cold, hard stone street.

"Bah! What's this?" Said the man, leaning downward at the tiny Deku obstructing his path. "I have no time for your antics! Get going!" He shooed his hands at Link, who ducked out of the way. The man opened the Inn door and went inside. Propping the door open with his foot just before it swung shut, Link saved himself a bit of trouble and followed into the Inn.

It was a cozy little place with cushioned benches lining the wall before him and pleasant smells of dinner cooking in the kitchen behind the counter. The woman behind the counter bowed politely as the man, obviously named Gorman, accepted his room key and went up the stairs to the right. She was a tall woman with red hair which hung neatly at the sides of her head. She had bright, blue eyes that matched just right with her green-blue dress. She had a pretty face and smile and Link found himself staring adoringly at her.

"Welcome to the Stock Pot Inn. Um, may I help you?" She said, leaning over the desk. Blinking and realizing his impoliteness, Link snapped out of his gaze.

"Can I stay the night here?" He asked, bowing slightly to show his apologies.

"Well, do you have...a reservation?" She replied hesitantly. Link shook his head. "Where's your mother? Our rooms are filled. I'm sorry." Looking down sadly, Link turned and started for the door. "It's getting late. You should find your mother and get home." The woman advised. With barely a glance back at her, he hopped for the doorknob at left before she could say anything further.

It was night already, and the stars were beginning to shine through the remaining light of the fading sun. Tired and lonely, Link plopped down into a nearby flower, and lay there, looking up at the sky. He'd had quite a day in the town so far, with several unpleasant encounters with townsfolk. With the reeling barks of the canine echoing in the back of his mind, Link was beginning to think that this place, this land, was not going to be a very nice one...