Hello everyone! Finally, after the important character introductions, I give you PLOT! Something actually happens! Things get INTERESTING from now.
I hope.
Anyway. Thank you so much for your patience, and I give you,
His Sword Arm - Chapter 4
ACTUALLY WAIT.
One edit I should probably mention. Zelda's age. It was seven, at first, but now it's ten. I wanted to have her and Link be seven years apart in age, not ten. My bad. Apparently I shouldn't have graduated highschool math.
So yeah. Zelda's ten years old now.
ANYWAY
Here it is:
HSA - 4
By the end of spring and the cusp of summer, Fi had figured out a place in which she belonged. Which was, admittedly, not the best of places; she belonged somewhere outside of everyone else, too busy to socialize, too uninteresting for them to bother with. Instead she often found herself welcome by the staff, and the servants' corridors proved useful in moving around unnoticed. Yet despite her low rank and quiet demeanor Zelda seemed to like her, which was… bemusing, Fi supposed, since she'd never really dealt with a girl Zelda's age for long periods of time. Fi could hardly count her little cousin, since she only ever came to visit for Din's Day.
Still, Zelda liked Fi, which was flattering.
And she wasn't completely friendless. Fi had been relieved to find Lady Stonehearth of Snowpeak living in the castle too, an old, kind if gruff childhood friend. Sir Wardsworth, Ashei's aide, was clearly besotted with her. Poor Shad, Fi lamented with fondness. The three of them sometimes came together by the training lawns, Ashei's favourite haunt (for the weapons, mostly, though good looking men didn't hurt either), where they'd claimed a table for themselves, at which Fi spent most of her time enjoying the summer shade and spring breeze as she studied. To the side of her Ashei and Shad were playing chess, the former being taught its fine intricacies by the latter. Beyond them the Squires were sparring, though Ghirahim wasn't amongst them that day.
Ghirahim had made friends of his own, though 'friends' was a generous term. Fi prefered lackeys. It was a little depressing to note that even a lackey had lackeys of his own, a pyramid of semi-intelligent boys doting on her brother, whom Fi suspected to be almost too clever for his own good. His social sphere was as wide as hers was narrow; he flirted with any and all women, flattering them at least, capturing their hearts at most. It didn't miss Fi's notice that Ghirahim seemed to be particularly forward with Lady Lon, who blushed and swooned under his attentions.
"Can you imagine the look on that Prince's face if I manage to steal his lady from him?"
Fi's innards had churned at his smirk.
"I'm being but a humble, loyal subject, testing the faith of his majesty's chosen," he had drawled when she had gripped his hand and told him, fiercely and with gritted teeth, don't you even dare, "If she strays for me, clearly she's not right for our beloved Prince Link, neh?"
Fi had given up after two weeks of him persistently chasing the redhead, and ceased to talk to him to avoid being associated with his schemes. Where did he find the time to train and learn and flirt and have a social life, when she was often behind a stack of papers anyway? It was so… irritating.
"Well," Ashei commented idly as she knocked over one of Shad's pawns with her knight, "That line on your forehead tells me you're thinking about your brother. That, or whatever you're dealing with is giving you a hard time."
Fi smoothed her features and nodded. "A bit of both, unfortunately."
Shad made a noise as he bunched his hands into his hair.
"That tells me you're being very careless," Fi said as Ashei frowned, "At this rate Sir Wardsworth's patience will be an irrevocable mess."
"It can't be that-"
"You've opened your King to defeat. Not attack, since attacks can be deflected, but immediate defeat, on two fronts, Lady Stonehearth."
"...Oh."
Shad made another noise, at a higher pitch. Ashei sighed and patted him, bemoaning his fate as her teacher. Fi pretended not to notice his blush.
"So what are you doing, Fi?"
"Managing the estate on Skyloft," she replied, and looked up when she received silence in turn. Puzzled by their shocked looks, Fi cocked her head. "Yes?"
"You're managing. Your estate. By letters?"
"Lady Gladios," Shad took his hands from his hair, quiet despair wiped from his long and angled face, "You have family remaining in the estate, do you not? Wouldn't they be handling the estate?"
"The probability of Grandmother driving the estate to bankruptcy in our absence is so high, Father may as well set the manor on fire and be done with it." shrugging Fi ducked back into the long ledger of expenses and income. "At least with me the risks are manageable."
"Why isn't Master Gladios handling it, then?" Ashei queried, leaning over and scowling at the columns of numbers and equations, "As Head of House, wouldn't it be his duty?"
"It would have been had I not asked to do it myself," Fi replied, rounding up expenses and rounding down income as she stacked them on another piece of paper, testing the balance between optimistic goals and bare minimum budgets, "I thought it worth my time to learn the workings of home."
"Yes, but aren't you already studying tradesmanship under Master Gristmill?" Shad prodded, turning to her, clearly interested.
Fi nodded. "With his son, Malo, yes."
Ashei frowned. "Isn't he the same age as Zelda?"
"Younger. And for all that he is… uncomfortably shrewd."
Fi's companions thought of the little round boy, so very unlike squat, square Jaggle. Shad examined his glasses, and extracted a kerchief from his pocket to clean them. "Lady Gladios, didn't Malo have a brother?"
"Yes, Talo. An endearing scamp, if a little reckless. Zelda thinks him stupid. Then again, she thinks many boys her age are stupid."
Her companions snorted. "How is our little Grace, anyway?"
Fi smiled. "She is well, I think, though she struggles with History and would prefer to go hawking. She hasn't complained of any undue punishment, last I heard, and is looking forward to seeing Aryl of Koholint isles. Though…" Fi tapped the quill against her paper, thinking. "She may not be coming for the season. What news have you heard of Termina?"
Their expressions turned uneasy, knowing glances shared. Fi sighed through her nose as Ashei told rumours of snow-related disasters all around Snowhead because of the terrible winter, which had led many Gorons to hibernation so deep they were starving, and the people in her land were busy sending their neighbours aid. Shad spoke of the unrest in Clocktown brewed by a cult known for its pillaging and rather festive masks, how they targeted people who worshiped the Triforce.
"Do either of you have family in Termina?"
"No, but Lady Lon does," Ashei replied, scowling thoughtfully, "Her older sister married into the country. Anju, I think her name is. Hope this unrest dies down, for her sake. Terminians can be so… hot-blooded."
Fi set her notes aside, uneasy with the news. The reason she had requested the management of Skyloft and its lands was to prove that she could, and to petition an ambassadorial role in the southeastern borders of Hyrule, specifically between Lake Floria and Holodrum. But if conflict was likely towards the west… Could she possibly be permitted to stay at Snowpeaks? It was only a few miles to the west of Skyloft, and Snowpeaks controlled Glacier Pass that led to Termina's Snowhead…
She would think on it, and present her case to Father. For now, it would be best to ask after the situation in Termina. And Labrynna. That country shared borders with both Termina and Hyrule, so their ambassadors would be the ones to enquire after.
Fi jumped when a familiar voice squealed: "Fi!"
A blond bombshell of a girl smacked into her and the desk, and Princess Zelda, tiara askew, marvelled then shuddered at the pile of papers scattered over the table. "I thought you were doing something fun."
"Unfortunately not the case," Fi said with a hint of apology as her friends snickered, packing their chess game away. Zelda made a disgusted face at the chess pieces also before asking whether Fi was doing anything and if not she insisted that Fi would sit with her and Link at the Summer Courtyard where everybody would be gathered for snacks and tea and juice. "And," she added grudgingly, eyeing Shad and Ashei, "Would Lady Stonehearth and Sir Wardsworth like to come too?"
"Please," Fi said, as the two of them shared another glance, "The only ones I'm well acquainted with is the Princess."
"And Colin,"
"And Colin, yes," Fi repeated after Zelda, sounding unsure at best.
Ashei and Shad peered over the training grounds, where the Squires were also packing their gear away. Beyond them nobles ranging from Zelda's age to young adults a little older than themselves were milling about, politely waiting for their future liege, who was clutching Fi's sleeve.
"We would be honoured, your Grace." Ashei responded, bowing, Shad following suit.
"Indeed. I shall go get Lord Stu-, I mean Lord Brother. There's going to be lemon cakes!" giving an excited squeal Zelda skipped towards her peers and orchestrated an invasion of the Prince's privacy, waving haphazard flags in their wake.
"She's really taken a liking to you, Lady Gladios," Shad commented as they rose to their feet, "I suspect her Grace enjoys your company more than Lady Lon's."
"I doubt that," Fi demurred, but Ashei rolled her eyes and grinned.
"The only thing in doubt about Cremia Lon is her loyalty to the Prince. I hear your brother's been dallying with her?" Fi gave her a cold look and Ashei snirked. "I can't help that it's true."
Fi had to concede the point and let her shoulders droop as she collected her sheafs of paper and tucked them into her messenger bag, for which she'd earned many snickers by the nobility. "Sometimes I don't know what he's thinking."
"Who cares what he's thinking as long as what he's doing is fun to watch?"
"Lady Stonehearth…"
"How many times have I told you to call me Ashei? We're friends, aren't we?"
Fi squirmed, though pleased. "It's, it's not very proper?"
"I wear trousers," Ashei deadpanned, and Shad's eyes flickered towards her legs as they headed towards the party, "I would have thought propriety would have escaped through the windows by now."
Fi gave a soft chuckle, and nodded. "I suppose. May I propose a compromise, Lady Ashei?"
Ashei rolled her eyes. "Fine. But are you really going to call Shad Sir Shad? Sounds like the beginning of a tongue-twister."
"Only if he prefers. Sir Wardsworth?"
"Whatever makes you most comfortable, Lady Gladios."
"Sir Wardsworth it is. It's a grand name."
"Thank you, Lady Gladios."
Ashei made a disgusted noise and the proper two shared a small grin. The Summer garden opened up before them as they stepped through the stone archway, pillars covered in vines dotting the court yard, fruit trees framing the open space. Fi picked a fuzzy berry from a pillar, her nail catching on its skin and bleeding green juice across her fingers. She gave it a quick taste as her companions found someone else to talk to, finding it thick-skinned and full of seeds, but devilishly sweet. "Kikwifruit," she muttered, licking her fingers.
Someone cleared their throat beside her and Fi found it to be the Prince.
"Lady Fi," he greeted, to which she gave a small bow, "How are you?"
"Fine, thank you," she greeted back, a maid offering to take her bag back to her room, to which Fi gratefully accepted, "And yourself, Lord Prince?"
"The same," he admitted, looking around, "Is your brother nearby?"
"Not that I'm aware," Fi replied, a growing ball of unease twisting in her gut as Fi watched his expression darken, following his gaze to see Lady Lon arriving to the party in a lavender dress, hanging on Ghirahim's every word. Beside her, Ashei snickered and Shad coughed.
Fi was thankful that Cremia wasn't hanging off Ghirahim's arm, since the Prince's gaze was hot enough to burn as it was.
"Never mind, I've found him," he gritted out, and followed after Ghirahim as he and the redhead parted ways.
"I'm not missing this," Ashei chuckled, jogging up to the Prince and tapping a hand against his arm.
Fi blinked at the gesture, watching them disappear into the crowd. "Are they close?"
"Well," Shad grumbled, taking two glasses of lemonade from a passing manservant and handing one to Fi, "I wouldn't know. They like to sparr."
"So, Lady Ashei enjoys fights," she murmured against her glass, thanking him for it, "She specializes with the halberd, yes?"
Shad looked at her over the rim of his drink, brows wiggling. "How did you know?"
"All children in the snows learn how to wield a spear," Fi said, biting back a smile, "But the spear seemed too… tame, for Lady Ashei. It was a lucky guess."
Shad made a conceding gesture, and sighed wistfully. "I still can't beat her in a fight."
"I just witnessed you trounce her," she countered wryly to which he rolled his eyes.
"At chess. But on these fields, physically? I don't have a chance."
"I wasn't even aware that you trained with a weapon."
"Being a hereditary knight, it comes with the name. Not that I'm any good with the sword. My speciality is, well. It's not one for battle," he admitted, drawing from a thin holster at his hip, "Knife-work, mostly for defensive maneuvers; assassins beware."
"It's a lovely blade," Fi commented as he tucked it away.
"Thank you. But, well. It's nothing compared to her, or dare I say you."
She snorted. "I haven't touched a spear since I was twelve. I'd say I was less prepared for a fight than, say, Lady Lon."
They grinned at each other and at the mental image of flowery, faint Cremia trying to wield a needle, much less a knife or spear. Then Shad sighed again, eyes straying towards the crowd in which Ashei and Link had disappeared. "I mean no disrespect to Lady Lon, of course, but… Ashei's a good person. I would have thought she and Prince Link would have made a better match."
Now that was interesting. Fi took another sip of lemon water, puzzling that over. She could imagine the two in question getting along, in fact she could picture a halberd and a sword casting sparks amid friendly banter, but a match? The two of them courting? Fi imagined the sword and halberd again, sparking against the other, forever at odds. "Why?"
"Just, because," he said lamely, staring at his glass. Fi smiled at his morose profile, at that endearing dimple that appeared whenever he frowned.
"She deserves the best."
He met her gaze, looking almost cheated. "Yes. She does."
"Oh Shad," Fi sighed, seeing the topic of their conversation wending her way back to them as an idea bloomed in her head, "Prince Link may be Prince, but Lady Stonehearth could do better than even him."
"Oh come now. Like who?"
"Before I answer that, hold this for me?" she said, tucking her glass into his spare hand, and making sure Ashei was watching from the corner of her eye she cupped his face with a hand and kissed his cheek.
Shad froze. Fi wasn't sure how Ashei reacted, careful to keep her eyes solely on Shad, smoothing a lock of his hair back. "Yourself, of course."
Shad gaped.
"Excuse me," she added loudly, backing away with a wink, "I should go thank the Princess for the invitation again. I'll be back momentarily."
As she hurried off she thought she heard Ashei's offended "What was that?" and Shad's stammered excuses. She saw Zelda with a group of her peers, handing them cakes from the table they had gathered by, but Fi instead went to the young woman handling the group, her red hair sporting a blue zinnia at the nape of her neck.
"Lady Cremia?"
She spun round, smiling. "Lady Fi! How wonderful to see you."
"Likewise," Fi curtseyed, one of lower rank to a higher lady. "I hope the day has treated you well, my lady."
"You're too kind, Lady Fi. Romani, this is Fi Gladios, daughter of Advisor Gladios," Cremia said to a smaller version of herself, though this girl was dressed in earthy browns and pinks. The youngest Lady Lon blushed hotly as she gave a wobbly curtsey, mumbling an embarrassed hello. Fi curtseyed back, a little deeper than she had for Cremia, and Romani hid behind Cremia's skirt before asking to be excused. Cremia rolled her eyes and told her yes, and Romani scarpered off, joining Zelda's side.
Fi had found it difficult to keep a straight face. "She's adorable."
Cremia nodded, linking her fingers together, "But so painfully shy, it's amazing she's managed to be friends with any of the children, much less the Princess."
"She's done well," Fi commented lightly, "Much like yourself."
"Me? Well, yes, I suppose," Cremia said, a touch of laughter colouring her tone, "I never would have imagined Prince Link taking an interest in me, before coming here. Though sometimes I wonder if he loves Epona more than he does me."
"...Epona?"
Cremia's smile turned crooked. "The mare my family gifted him for his coming of age. An Ordonian Draught."
Ah. She should have known that tasteless barb would come back to haunt her. She'd known that the Lons were famous for their vast lands and the horses that grazed from them, hence the 'eating horse steak' nonsense, but to give it credibility she'd needed any breed as reference, and well. She knew why it was so famous, now. But she wasn't about to apologise again.
"I confess I'm very much an amateour when it comes to anything equestrian," Fi shrugged, "Though I have heard that breed is not very famous for warhorses."
"Yes," Cremia admitted, "We were all surprised when he chose her, especially since she was so... cantankerous. But Link insisted, saying that a common horse was befitting a Prince with a common name, or some such."
Fi nodded and braced herself for unpleasantness. "How is the Prince, by the way?"
Cremia pressed her arm against her torso, looking away. "Fine, but distant. It's understandable, of course, a Prince has much to do, but sometimes... it's as if he expects me to just be there, waiting for him. As I said, I wonder if he loves that horse more than myself. But he is fine."
"He seemed far from fine when he saw you and my brother together."
Cremia whipped round and glared at her. "How dare you."
"How dare I?" Fi repeated tonelessly, "How dare I what, my lady? It is only an observation."
But her face was flushed with embarrassment and anger, and her teeth were showing as she spoke. "Your brother has shown me great kindness and you're twisting it into something malicious, Lady Gladios, and I do not appreciate your observations."
"I know my brother, and I believe I told you of his humours."
"He has shown me no such tasteless humour, unlike you."
"True," she acceded with another shrug, "But nonetheless your close association with him is damaging your relationship with Prince Link. I only wished to warn you of that."
"Who I spend my time with is none of your business."
"Ghirahim is my twin. As such it is half my business." then she cocked her head, contemplatively. "Was it him that suggested the Prince was being distant?"
Cremia opened her mouth, closed it, and glared.
Fi sighed, curtseying again. "Thank you for your time, Lady Cremia. This was far from enjoyable."
"Always so graceful," Cremia said, making Fi blink, "You're like a swan, Lady Gladios, truly."
Somehow she had the feeling that this sudden topic change was not going to go in her favour. "Thank you?"
"So poised and beautiful, if a little plain. Well. Very plain. Don't you love the way they glide over the water? How easy they make it look? Yet one wonders how desperately those awkward feet must be paddling beneath the surface." One leaned forward, smiling grimly as the other leaned back. "Have you seen them walk on land? Great big waddling messes throwing their weight around just to take a step. So, Miss Swan, you may glide through your books and your manners, but in terms of this society, you are on dry land."
Fi told herself not to flinch. Not to even blink. Her fists were clenched, as were her teeth, her face a smooth mask of indifference as she said, "Swans break bones."
Cremia's expression soured. "Excuse me?"
"Swans have surprisingly agile necks," Fi explained serenely, confidence behind every word uttered, "Capable of inflicting similar damage as say, a snake. Attack a swan and you risk a snapped wrist. They are fierce, and stubborn, and most of all underestimated, so I thank you for your compliments, Lady Lon. Now if you will-"
There was a violent cough near the children. Fi felt her stomach plummet as Cremia spun round, gasping at the sight of a brown haired boy doubled over in the grass, red dripping from his mouth.
A blonde boy was crouched beside him, shaking his shoulder. "Talo?"
Cremia screamed when Romani bent over, throwing up half-digested cake.
Fi clapped a hand to her mouth, panic threatening to override her mind as Zelda in the midst of it all called her friends' names as they dropped, one by one, crying out that their stomachs were aching and they were throwing up muck tinged with bright blood, and the Princess was crying and screaming stop it stop it it's not funny and they needed people to stop eating right now.
"Poison," Fi gasped between her fingers as the surrounding young adults began to take real notice, "Poison!"
Fi regretted it immediately as everyone started running, screaming as if the children were contagious. Cremia was holding onto Romani as the little girl convulsed, hacking on bile and blood, and Fi grabbed the hysterical Princess and dragged her away from her friends, never mind the kicking and screaming. She snagged a manservant and nearly tripped him with her iron grip and ordered him to find a healer or medic or someone right that second. He stammered obedience and Fi released him and then she spotted Prince Link racing to their side, her other companions right behind him. He was deathly pale. "Zelda!"
"She's fine," Fi strangled out as the Prince skidded to a stop beside them, holding the Princess tight as she bawled and bawled and bawled, "But her friends, goddesses they need-"
"Romani! Romani no!" the little redhead was terrifyingly still in her sister's arms. "Romani!"
"Give her to me," Ghirahim said, scooping the girl out of the lady's arms, "Wardsworth, Stonehearth, hurry!"
Ashei and Shad leapt into action, grabbing a child each and hauling them up, ignoring the blood and sick, and Link was shushing Zelda and telling her to stick with Cremia as he promised to save Colin. Then they were all storming away, and Fi was collapsed on the grass amidst the putrid smell and the two hysterical girls wailing in each other's arms; heart hammering with wild, wild panic, letting it eat her alive.
... ... ... ... …
Dun dun duuuuun.
So there it is, the exciting thing. Right at the end of the chapter.
Bit of a cop-out, I know, but forgive me?
Before I go into review replies, I'd just like to say THANK YOU! I was amazed by the number of reviews I got for the last chapter (I wonder if this means Ghirahim needs more screentime...) and such a positive response, too!
Thanks again, and I hope to hear from you all again! XD
MasterShortPantsx3: Oh yeah, that line. XD Funnily enough, that was exactly what I thought when I played the game. I was kinda disappointed with Nintendo when he ended up like that, cuz he just seemed like another Zant. Plot twist at the end totally made up for him, though. And yes I did favourite one of your stories. The ghostie one. It was original! Thank you so much for your support, and see you again soon!
Ayako Zetra: I love that Dragon Ball Z quote. XD Oh God Ghirahim is so suggestive *facepalm* the kind of character you love to hate, right? Anyway, thank you for the review! Glad you enjoyed it XD
Hero-of-Cheese: Oh Ghirahim. In real life you would have a book solely made out of restraining orders. I'm actually really surprised that Fi doesn't have many fics, I mean, it's Fi. She's up there with Midna in terms of coolness. Definitely above Navi. Anyway I'm rambling. Hope you had fun reading this!
bookwormsrule: Oh yeah, Skyview. I was like (0_o) the whole time he was introducing himself. Hope you enjoyed this, and I look forward to hearing from you again!
Lady Kurina: Thank you so much! Balancing out Fi and Ghirahim and their personalities is easy; it's just a matter of making them believable as siblings, you know? Oh, Link. He just doesn't know how high the level of crazy Ghirahim has in him. I can tell you now they're not going to like each other. :P
Code Geass Viceroy Destiny: Thank you so much, really! It's awesome to see an old name and know that they still enjoy your writing, truly. Thank you so, so, much. I was initially tempted to make Ghirahim a cousin or something, but I thought, you know, twins make more sense. And tension. Writers live on tension, right? XD I hope you enjoyed this chapter too, and I look forward to hearing from you again!
