Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda or so I want you to believe Muwahaha. If you have not read through the other books, please do so now. This story will not make sense without it, however i will warn you, I have been told by a few people that the prologue sucks so do me a favor and give the fic a longer read then that, I'd really appreciate it and hopefully you'll enjoy my story.
A few work filled days at LonLon Ranch had passed since Link last visited the castle, but despite Malon's pleadings, the boy had another place to visit first."
"… so the magic was heading straight for him and BAM, Mirror Shield…" the fourteen year old boy performed as he rolled on the ground and removed the Terminian Mirror Shield from his back.
"Is it just me or does Ramon sound an awful lot like that Gannondwarf guy you are always rambling about?" Mido taunted as he saw Saria's eyes aglow.
Before Link could open his mouth to vanquish his smaller opponent, another voice seemed to rise from the crowd, "Well, Gannondorf is a Gerudo so his power most likely comes from the same source, right Link?"
The blond nodded in agreement at his old friend's assessment before continuing on with the tale, ignoring a certain red haired girl tapping her foot who continued to do so until at long last the story had concluded. "Alrigh' Link, time to get goin', the Princess ain't gonna wait all day."
"You are returning to the castle already?" the green haired Kokiri asked, not wanting her friend to leave again, "But it is barely noon."
"Sorry, it's just Malon she…she…" Link leaned in closeto whisper in the girl's ear, "She scares me, and she really wants to hear more of the story."
"You're going to go read the story!" Saria suddenly perked up, "Can I come?"
"If Epona doesn't mind, I guess I have no problem with it."
"Book of Forest
Chapter One
Enter Kaede
"Master, it would seem the seer has picked up a new companion, should I dispose of him?"
"As you wish."
As she rode on Ramon's stolen cart, Zelda listened to the soft music of the young gypsy boy sitting across from her. Only a week had passed since leaving Gillie and despite the onset of autumn, the young boy had already managed to gain more color then any of his companions, with the possible exception of Sir Tobias. Though he travelled all his life, Cato still seemed ecstatic to see the countryside, refusing to put up the caravan's cover, claiming that the sights inspired him. When at last his song had ended, both the Princess and the Seer clapped softly for the boy, "Thank you, you really don't have to do that every time," Cato blushed from the attention. When at last his cheeks had returned to their natural color, the young gypsy found himself turning to fellow sorcerer, "I don't mean to be rude, but how long do you think it will take to find the next one of us?"
"I am not sure, for all I know, we could be heading in the wrong direction entirely," Theo responded in his nonchalant manner, but suddenly a new thought occurred to the Hylian, "But if you are wondering how long this mission is going to last, I suppose there is something I could do if you are will to assist."
"Really, of course I will," a wide eyed Cato responded, wondering what would be asked of him.
"Alright, but first, you might want to strip," the seer smirked, tossing Cato the canvas that would normally cover the cart. If he were embarrassed, Cato did not show it as he obediently hid under the cover and removed his clothing.
"What are you planning Seer? You know if anything lewd were to occur, as the Kid's gaurdian…" Wyatt began as he approached on horseback, a deep gash still visible on his forehead.
"You aren't my guardian," the Knight of Time commented from the other side of the cart.
"I never mentioned you. I was talking about the Kid."
"But I was led to believe that I was 'the Kid'."
"No, you're 'Kid', Zelda's 'Princess/your Highness' and I'm 'Seer'," Theo corrected, followed by a resounding, "Ah…" from those parties involved.
"Honestly, are there not things of greater importance to discuss?" The Knight of Spirit spoke up, attempting to regain control of the conversation.
"You do not believe it important to clarify to whom you speak. What if you were to be in battle and in need of aid and the wrong person came?" the seer retorted, causing the princess to hold back a smile of amusement.
"Hmph, like I would ever be in need of either of them, but if shall get you to seal your lips, I shall refer to 'the Kid' as…Cato," Sir Wyatt at last concluded, having forgotten entirely how the conversation had begun.
Erol was about to open his mouth to ask why he himself could not simply regain his name when he who was formally 'the Kid' emerged, having left the cover to conceal the more private areas, "All set."
"Take my hands," the seer instructed, holding them out palms up.
The necromancer simply nodded and once again followed instructions. As he did so, an odd tingling sensation seemed to come over him as the canvas wrapped around his waist seemed to tighten. "Hey, this ti-hickles," Cato laughed, his voice cracking in mid sentence as the Princess and knights on horseback stared in amazement at the boy aging before them.
Barely a minute had passed before the tingling at last stopped, and Cato watched bewildered as the seer seemed to examine his face, somehow looking slightly upward, and the princess seemed to stare with an odd, almost enamored, look on her face. "Yes, this was definitely the man I saw in my vision."
"What are you…" the gypsy began, but something was not right, "Something is wrong with my voice, it's all deep."
"Seer, what have you done to him?"Wyatt requested, pointing his finger and the now teenaged necromancer as he played around with his new voice.
"Kay-toe. Hell-oh. I am your fa-ther…"
"Don't get your braies in a bunch, I shall reverse the spell in a moment," Theo responded as he closed his eyes, concentrating on the altered timeline flowing around the now young man.
From behind the cart, Sir Ethan's eyes lay on something other than his own reflection as he saw the reddened face of his Princess as she stared at the attractive, half nude Gypsy, "You do not believe him to be more attractive than I, do you?"
"Of course I do. All I have to say is, we had better enjoy the ladies while he is still young," Robin thoughtlessly responded as the seer opened his eyes.
"Hm, it would seem that you have about… nineteen years at the moment, which means either I leave you this way and the other five sorcerers are standing ahead of us in the middle of the road, or we still have about six and a half years left of this mission," Theo reported, widening the eyes of the seven knights and partially breaking Zelda of the green eyed sorcerer's thrall.
"Six years and a half years?" Erol was the first to make the statement as he reflected back on his life in Hyrule. Sir Eli waking him up for their morning exercises, raising his horse across the plains, bathing in Lake Hylia, careful to make sure no Zoras were around. It would be over six years before he would return.
"Yes, and seeing as we have so much time, we had might as well stop for the day while we still have some light," Theo suggested as he stared up at the sun laying about an hour before sunset in the sky. The Knights nodded and the horses came to a stop. Theo prepared to leave the cart when he remembered the naked teenager sitting across from him, "Alost forgot." With a light hit to the forehead, the spell was broken and Cato returned to his twelve year old state.
As Cato dressed, Zelda followed the seer off the rear of the cart, "So, Cato's really grown on you hasn't he?" Theo teased as she touched the ground.
Zelda's face grew rosier as she thought of how foolish she must have looked, staring at the handsome man who, she knew, was truly only twelve years old. He was just so different looking then the pale men she had grown accustomed to, but she could not allow for Theo to hold the moment of weakness above her head, "I was simply pondering about how amazing it is that we rescued this boy, how if we hadn't perhaps he would have never had the chance to grow into the man we saw."
"Hmph, don't be foolish," Theo spoke low as they walked away from the cart, "It's obvious that Cato was preparing to flee for awhile, we were simply lucky enough to find him before we did. Who knows, had we waited for the royal vessel, we may have lost him forever."
The seer seemed to have a unique way of somehow causing the Princess to feel shamed for being raised with privilege. At times like these, it was best to shift the focus. Quickly, Zelda glanced her peripherals to oversee the knights. Erol seemed to be walking towards them, as was his duty, but that being said, Sir Wyatt seemed to be walking away from the cart, "Sir Wyatt, should you not be watching over young Cato?"
"Yes, Wyatt, should you not?" Theo echoed, knowing full well that Zelda was simply attempting to distract him and so felt he already made his point.
"Well, I was preparing to go train and believed he would be safer here," the knight partially lied. Though he was indeed going to train, his reasons for leaving the child behind were not quite as pure. If he was going to surpass what he had seen of Erol the week before, he would need perfect concentration; he could not be worrying about a child or holding his hand as he went to the bathroom.
"Well, I suppose if you cannot handle a simple child…" the blond young man trailed off, knowing full well the knight would catch the gist.
"Listen you arrogant little, errrr, I can handle him just fine, he's not dead yet is he?"
"No, I suppose you do have a point, and I suppose that he would be perfectly fine accompanying you on your training. Who knows, he might even teach you a thing or two," Theo responded, then turned to the cart and yelled, "What do you think Cato, do you want to help Wyatt with his training?"
"Um, alright," the boy responded as he adjusted his red vest. In a single motion, Cato pressed his right hand down on the side of the cart then flipped onto the ground, "I am ready when you are."
Sighing, Wyatt relented and begrudgingly walked to the gypsy, "Then let us be on our way."
The first five minutes through the woods were spent in silence and as Cato was beginning to wonder where it was they were heading, he was approached by one of the spirits that observed the group from time to time, for as the dead, they understood the importance of what was going on, "I thought you should know that you are being followed."
Cato's expression did not change after hearing the news, not from a lack of surprise, but out of a need to appear oblivious to the outside observer. "Does the person pose a threat?" Cato asked under his breath so that his guardian would not hear, he would only make a scene if he knew.
"It is hard to tell, the woman does not carry any weapons, and yet she hides herself in the trees."
"For now, keep an eye on her for me. Report back if she does anything suspect," following the boy's order, the ghost disappeared into the tree tops.
"Did you say something Cato?" Sir Wyatt asked casually as they continued forward.
"No, just thinking aloud," the sorcerer replied, clearing the point of his ear with his pinky nail, stalling for time until he could think of a change of subject, "You're jealous of Erol aren't ya?"
"By the Goddesses, why the hell would I be jealous of a kid?" Wyatt barked back, straightening his posture to appear taller to the boy who already barely reached the top of his chest.
"Because if you weren't, I doubt you would yell," the boy responded, staring up at his guardian with a look eerily similar to that of the seer. When the knight failed to speak, Cato took it as a sign to continue, "But I suppose the question becomes why you are suddenly taking action. From what Theo has told me, you have always been hostile towards the man, but only now are you attempting to improve you own skills."
"Hmph, you travel amongst us for a week and already you believe you understand?" the brown eyed man at last stopped in his tracks and turned towards the boy, "I could be just as powerful as he if I had a damned sorcerer teaching me little magic tricks."
"Well then I suppose you are in luck, I just so happen to be a very powerful sorcerer," Cato smirked up at the man then held out his hands, "Lend me your sword and I shall show you what I have to offer." Though skeptical, Wyatt handed over the sword to the twelve year old and stepped back. Closing his eyes, Cato swung outward, weak magic flowing up his arm as it unfurled, gaining speed until at last it reached the edge of the sword and escaped in the direction of the point, leaving a sizable mark in a nearby tree.
"You could teach me to do that?" asked Wyatt as his eyes left the scorch marks of the tree and returned to the green eyes of his charge.
"Of course, but first, I think a little sword training may be in order."
As the sharp blade cut through another Poe, Wyatt turned to the sorcerer and yelled "Don't go easy on me now!"
"Alright, you asked for it!" Cato called back, transforming two more of the willing spirits into Poe form. It was while they swung their lanterns that the blond haired spirit from before returned.
"Watch out!" almost instinctively, the young sage rolled to the side just in time to avoid a very determined lightning bolt.
"Cato, are you alright?" Wyatt rushed to the young man's side, shield and sword held out in front of him.
"Yes, but it would seem we are not alone," the gypsy spoke, scanning the wood for signs of life before finally asking the spirit, "Where is she?"
"I would not know," Sir Wyatt responded, believing the question was aimed at him. However, the boy seemed to ignore him entirely and stare off into the woods.
"Wyatt, hold up you shield!" Cato ordered, pointing into the woods. No sooner than the knight aimed the polished surface, was it struck by a bright light and sent back to its owner. A loud bellow resonated from the wood, and without a word between them, the knight and his charge raced toward the source. In a nearby clearing stood a young woman, only a year or two younger than the knight himself, or at least so she appeared. Her hair was dark like Tobias's and fell halfway down her back, while her skin was slightly darker.
"You are from the desert, are you not?" Wyatt asked, holding up his shield for protection.
"Yes, my name is Kaede, and I have been sent to destroy this young sorcerer," the woman laughed, and then suddenly, her hair seemed to point towards the sky and turn yellow with electricity."
"Kaede?" Nabooru spoke the name outloud as she laid the book on her lap.
"Have you heard of this woman?" Impa asked from her nearby chair.
"Of course, all Gerudo have heard of the 'great' Kaede," the warrior spoke sarcastically of the woman, "Mother of Twinrova, first bride of the first Gerudo King. She died two hundred years ago."
"Wow, thert's old," Malon chimed in, then added, "Weren't you only going to read one chapter?"
"Well, I… let's just get back to the chapter," Nabooru cleared her throat, and a moment later, her painted white lips moved to the words once more.
"With a swing of her arm, a bolt of electricity shot toward the knight. Once again he raised his mirror shield, but the magic did not wish to return and the metal grew warm, "Cato, I believe your shield is broken."
For a moment, the boy was thrown aback by the event, but as he saw the slight yellow blue light dimly shine on the polished surface, a small smile crept onto Cato's face, "Just keep using it!" Cato shouted back then began hovering above the ground, "I'll tell you what, Kaede. If you can defeat my guardian, I shall willingly lay down my life before you."
The woman simply smiled and nodded at the boy's offer, knowing that the knight would be a far simpler target as long as she kept up her stronger attacks. Once Cato had safely hovered above the trees, the woman continued her onslaught.
'What is that child up to?' Wyatt thought as he stared down the woman. His first instinct was to reach for his sword, but as the boy's warning came to mind, Wyatt gritted his teeth and tensed his shield arm as another blast of lightning charged at him.
"Why do you not give up, sir knight? I doubt that shield of yours shall last another attack," Kaede smirked as she powered up another spell.
"I guess we shall see," the man responded, trying his best to keep up his own confidence as the mirror shield grew warmer.
"Hm, don't ever say I did not warn you. Not that you'll have much of a chance," and with that, a third bolt struck forth, causing the shield to shine with the same brilliant light. Wyatt's legs held tight to the ground as a strong force pushed him back. But the force, it would seem, had not come from the woman herself, but from the mirror. In the twilight, the powerful bolt of lightning shot forth towards the woman. Another brilliant scream emitted from the woman's throat as she was struck.
"Wyatt, now!" a voice called form above. Following in suit, Wyatt removed his sword from its sheath and rushed toward the woman.
As he was at last upon her, a bolt of lightning came from the sky, striking the woman, and then she was gone. "You may have one this time, but someday your knight shall not be around to protect you, and then I shall take my revenge!" A voice boomed from the sky as Cato returned to the ground.
"I think that's enough training for today, don't you?" the gypsy smiled, ignoring the witch's warning entirely.
"So, we've been followed, huh?" Theo remarked, after hearing the two regaling their story around the campfire. "I guess that means we're doing something right," Theo added, putting a smile on Cato's face alone.
"But Master Cato, how did you know the first attack was coming?" Robin asked from his stump. All were surprised by the comment for two different reasons: that they had never noticed in the first place, and that Robin of all people had.
"Oh, one of the spirits warned me. He wasn't one of my normal spirits but maybe one of you would recognize him. He had blond hair, blue eyes and looked around Erol's age."
Zelda's heart sank at the description. She knew there were hundreds of men in Hyrule with that same hair and those same eyes, three of whom were amongst them, but somehow she knew, and by the look on Theo's face as he stared at girl, it would seem that he had come to the same conclusion as well. "Asher…"
The knights all stared at the ground as she mentioned the name of their deceased prince, leaving Cato to stare confused, as the girl excused herself to her tent. "Who's Asher?"
None of the knights seemed willing to speak the answer, and so the burden fell to Theo, "Asher was Zelda's older brother; he died three and a half years ago."
"I suppose that is something I can understand," Cato spoke softly then stood to his feet, following after the young woman. Inside the tent, the muffled sound of tears could be heard, "Zelda, I am terribly sorry."
"I have no idea what you are talking about, I am fine," the princess responded, hiccupping as he suppressed her emotions once more, "I am simply tired."
"Please, do not insult my intelligence, I know a person in pain when I see one, I simply wish to help," Cato responded, avoiding thoughts of his own parents.
"If you truly wish to help…" Zelda began as she turned to face the boy, "… then summon him here, let me speak with him. I want to hear his voice!"
"I…I'm sorry, but I can't…" Cato paused, his green eyes staring down at the ground as he sat cross legged, "But not because I do not want to. If I were to return your brother, he would not be the man you remembered. The farther away from one's own body that a spirit emerges into this world, the farther away from being that person they become. To summon him here, so far from your home, would mean to summon a mindless Poe with no memories of his life before. While he would still be your brother, he would no longer remember you were his sister."
Cato saw as the tears welled in the princess's eyes, makeup already staining the tops of her cheeks, "So, there is nothing you can do?"
"I never said that, if you would like, I could translate for him," the necromancer smirked, ignoring his own sadness as he had done for years. The Princess's eyes lit up for but a moment as she nodded. With his right hand, Cato reached above the Princess's head and withdrew three flames; a red, a blue and a green, "These are known as spirit flames, they are left behind by the dead so that at any time they can watch over the ones they've left behind. These three were the brightest of all those that followed you, now close your eyes and tell me which belongs to your brother."
Fallowing his instructions, Zelda's eyelids closed. At first, nothing seemed to happen, all she saw was darkness, but as the minutes flew by, she began to feel the warmth of the flames and as she allowed the flames to take control, she could feel the warmth of her brother. "The blue one."
Returning the other two, Cato concentrated on the blue flame and brought forth the royal spirit."
Alright, been alittle busy so this one took awhile, but hopefully you all enjoyed it... anywho, seeya later.