Pens: (Twiddling thumbs) So… no one to do the disclaimer.
Paper: Right yal are.
Pens: … hm… How about Midna Hytwilian? She reviewed the last chapter and seemed to like our story…
Paper: Yeah! I type Kirby to celebrate. And I do not own Kirby! (o o)Pens: (types letter to Midna Hytwilian asking her to do the disclaimer) Okay! Now we wait.
(Doors explode and Midna Hytwilian runs into PensAndPaper's room)
Midna Hytwilian: Le gasp! I've been chosen to do a disclaimer!
Yxme24: Hey! I paid for that door! D=
Midna Hytwilian: Man oh man, I don't even like doing these on my own stories... Pens and Paper don't own any familiar characters: for if they did, you would know. The Legend of Zelda is owned by Nintendo, who refuses to email me back about Vaati. Damn them…
Chapter 3
Gabrielle looked back at Ada with a mixture of interest and confusion. The strange young thing was staring at the window as if nothing had happened to interrupt her vigilant watch of the clouds. And in truth, almost nothing had. The short exchange of words Gabrielle had with the girl had been one of the fruitless attempts at conversation Gabrielle often undertook. Time and time again Gabrielle tried to get Ada to talk to her, but the said servant had an uncanny way of rendering such things impossible. Many of the other laundry maids asked Gabrielle why she even tried, and she always gave the same answer.
Because Ada needs a friend, Gabrielle said to herself, Nayru knows she hasn't got many right now, and with her parents gone, who's going to look after her?
Gabrielle turned around and started walking towards the laundry room, wondering why in Hyrule she had decided to take Ada's basket of dirty clothes for her. It was just as heavy as her own, and the extra weight was not at all welcome.
Oh well, Gabrielle thought, sighing and turning a corner, it's only for today.
She walked down some spiral stairs, opened a door, and sneezed as the harsh scent of ammonia, bleach, and soap filled her freckly nose. Gabrielle hated the steam-filled room more than anywhere else in Hyrule Castle. It was hot, wet, smelly. All the things Gabrielle despised rolled into one. Yet the maid walked on without complaint, emptying the two wicker baskets into a tub of hot, soapy water and grabbing a stick.
Gabrielle stirred the steaming vat idly, pouring a little lemon juice into it to make it smell nice. As she stirred, water sloshed onto Gabrielle's crisp white apron, making the pretty blonde washerwoman groan with uncharacteristic annoyance. Water. She had had enough of it. Since the storm, everyone had gotten fed up with water. It was all rain, rain, rain, day after day. Two weeks of rain was enough. When would it stop?
(Insert Divider here)
Adelle looked around, got up, and walked towards the kitchens, going over in her mind which cooks were pushovers, which cooks required the "puppy dog look", and which cooks would hit her with a spoon if she asked for anything. Even though she didn't intend to be caught, it was Adelle's nature to be ready for anything. She had been working in Hyrule Castle many years, and had learned quickly how to deal with certain servants.
Adelle snuck into the kitchens and looked around. It was almost completely deserted, except for-
" Omigosh! It's like, just me, Olivia! What are you doing here Adey? I mean, like, what do you need? "
Ada groaned and slumped against the wall as the pretty cook walked over to her. Olivia had to be the most annoying, shallowest, self-centered person ever to walk the planet. She was also the most popular servant anywhere.
Adelle couldn't stand her.
Olivia twirled a strand of her perfect black hair around her index finger, smiling and showing off her glossy pink lips.
"Omigosh, Adey, did you hear about Bambi? They say that she's, like, some Gerudo or something. But I really don't care what they think, as long as I find out the truth about whether or not she's dating Cara's brother. "
Anger rose up in Adelle, and she frowned at the shallow little kid, but Olivia didn't seem to notice. How could anyone talk about Bambi like that? Bambi hadn't done anything wrong, and she was hardly ever mean to anyone.
"Speaking of Bambi, did you know that she snuck out the other da-"
"I really don't care, Olivia. And I highly doubt Bambi did any of those things. However, if she did, then it's really none of our business, isn't it?" Adelle said,
Olivia frowned. She then turned on her heel and walked back to where she had been washing dishes.
As soon as she was out of the annoying maid's sight, she started running through the castle.
Or perhaps a more accurate word would be sprinting. She had the air of someone who did not want to be followed or seen, like a thief stalking through the halls of a wealthy family's home. Her feet made loud banging noises on the cold wood floors, but the way Adelle saw it, nothing and no one cared one bit about her and her unusual habits, so even if she was seen- which she wouldn't be - not a soul who noticed would bother going after her. After all, she was weird, she was antisocial, she was this, she was that. No one wanted anything to do with her, and quite frankly, Adelle liked it that way.
As soon as she was into the courtyard, where it was still raining, she ran towards the gates. When she saw that they were closed, she groaned and started trying to shove them open. Her hands pressed against the age-worn wood with every ounce of her strength, but they refused to budge.
After a couple minutes of pushing against the ridiculously large door, Adelle sighed and folded her arms over her chest.
"They must be locked." She said, started to feel very discouraged.
"They're not locked." Adelle looked up. Bright golden eyes were staring at her from on top of the wall. Adelle's eyebrows rose as a dark-skinned girl leapt from on top of the bricks to the ground. Her hair was a brilliant red that usually stood up in unruly spikes, but it was now flat against her head with rainwater. "You're just not shoving them in the right place."
"Bambi, what are you doing here?" Adelle said, annoyed.
The girl – Bambi – shrugged and put her wet hands in her pockets. "I was about to ask you the same thing."
Adelle was silent, as she looked the other girl straight in the eye. Then she said, "It's no one's business but mine as to why I'm sneaking out, and it's no one's business but yours as to why you were sitting on the wall. I just need to get out of this place for a few moments. I feel like I'm in a prison."
To Adelle's surprise, Bambi seemed to buy it entirely. "I see," she said,
Adelle became full of relief.
"But I'm entitled to be curious. Where are you going?" Bambi continued.
Adelle's spirits fell and she shrugged. "Out," she said.
"As in out of the courtyard, or out of Castle Town in a whole?" Bambi's eyes glinted with knowing. "You've got food with you, too. Why?"
Adelle's sighed. Bambi was smarter than she looked. Reluctantly, Adelle said, "Out of Castle Town."
"Why would you want to do that?"
"It's none of your business."
"But I'm the only one here who knows how to open that gate." Bambi smiled at her.
Adelle pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm not going to tell you why I'm going out," she said, getting very irritated, "So we're accomplishing nothing by just standing here in the rain and having this argument. Just open the gate, please."
There was a long pause. Adelle wringed out her now-soaked hair and looked at Bambi expectantly.
Bambi couldn't argue with that logic, so the red-haired youth placed her olive hands on the gate and opened it with a shove.
As soon as it was opened, Adelle ran through the gap and into Castle Town.
(Insert Divider here)
Pens: You like? We know it's still pretty short, but whatever! Yxme24 complained.
(Bambi Appears)
Bambi: If you read and review, you get a beignet!
Pens: A delicious, powdered-sugar drowned beignet, from Café Due Monde!
Paper: So, Read and Review, okay? If not, I will make you eat this onion!