Chapter Six
Differences Aside
The girl opened her emerald eyes, only then noticing me standing there awkwardly. 'Oh!' She gasped, stepping away from Link. 'Who's this?' She asked him, her eyes sizing me up.
'You don't recognize your own Princess?' Mayor Bo asked from the table. 'Ilia, where are your manners? Introduce yourself.'
I was surprised to find myself glowering at her. I quickly composed my expression and smiled softly. 'Hello,' I said with a forced friendly tone.
Ilia curtsied like an idiot. 'How do you do?'
My fake smiled faded as I seriously wondered if this girl had been dropped as a baby.
'Come and sit down, your food is going to get cold,' Uli said as she began filling up the plates.
Link gestured for me to sit with him. Ilia sat on his opposite side and I wondered if he felt superior having two girls flank him. Once all of our plates were full with the lovely smelling pumpkin, asparagus, and goat cheese frittata, everyone began eating.
'This is delicious,' I said to Uli. 'Who made this?'
'Pergie, Sera, and myself. I'm glad you like it.'
I smiled at the women.
'So, what brings you here?' Jaggle asked from across the table.
'Well, strange as it is, the castle burned down and I had nowhere else to go. Link offered to let me stay with him for a while,' I explained, smiling at Link.
Ilia stared at me strangely, her eyes brooding.
'Oh, dear!' Sera gasped. 'How in the world did your castle burn down?'
'Well...'
Link nudged my leg with his knee. I turned to look at him and he was staring at his food. He shook his head subtly, hinting for me to shush.
I looked back to Sera. 'The fire in the fireplace,' I lied. 'The guard who lit it didn't make sure it was safe like he was supposed to.'
Pergie sucked in a loud breath. 'Did anyone get hurt?'
I shook my head. 'No, thank the Goddesses.'
'But you lost all your stuff?' Beth asked from the other side of the table.
'Unfortunately.'
'Did you cry?' Talo wanted to know.
'No, there was nothing I could have done.'
'What a shame,' Mayor Bo said. 'But you're always welcome here, you know?'
I smiled. 'Thank you for your generosity.'
For the rest of the dinner, it was Link's turn to get asked the million questions. His answers were always sarcastic and the residents laughed along with each other; everyone was in a good mood.
I leaned back in my chair, sipping at my water, and for the first time in a long time, I felt whole.
'So you like it here?' Link asked as he began setting up our sleeping arrangements. He had positioned two mattresses so that the warmth from the fire reached both of them.
'It's a beautiful village and the people are kind. Thank you for letting me stay.'
Link grabbed some blankets and pillows from a chest in the corner of his room and placed them on our beds.
He then kicked off his shoes and let him slide against the Southern wall of his cosy home. 'You look tired,' he noted as he sat down on his bed and began to take off any excess clothing that would be uncomfortable to sleep in.
'I'm exhausted,' I admitted, moving to my mattress and plonking down on it. I yawned loudly as I took off my heels, jewellery, and gold plates.
Link had removed his belt and green sleeve, and he waited with a frown on his face for me to finish getting ready for bed.
'What?' I asked once I was done.
'Why do you wear so many unnecessary things?'
I looked down at the items I had just removed. 'I have to look presentable,' I said with a shrug as I began to comb my fingers through my hair.
He shifted so that he was lying underneath his covers, his arms crossed under his neck and his feet were close to the fireplace. 'Not here you don't,' he said with closed eyes.
I sighed. 'Although I'm away from my home, I'm still a Princess and I have to look like it, no matter where I am.'
He simply shook his head. 'The things you wear are just going to get in the way tomorrow. I'll have Pergie or Ilia lend you something.'
'What's happening tomorrow?' I asked as I crawled into bed, shivering slightly. I pulled the covers up to my chin and scooted closer to the fire.
Link opened one eye and peered over at me, a smile threatening to appear at the corners of his mouth. 'It's time you stopped acting like such a Princess. Tomorrow you're going to see how the other side lives.'
