This chapter was sooo fun to write. I will be really, really sad if someone said they didn't like it...so fun to write. Tell me what you think of it.
Chapter 9
The History of Khema
Khema and Sheik trudged through Arborvitae Forest. Everything was green and beautiful.
'How did Sheik find such a place?' Khema thought with amazement.
The time needed to slow down so Khema could take in all the sights around her. They were moving too fast for her. She wanted to stay and examine everything. If you saw the place you would also. Along with discovering new flowers and trees, she also caught sight of new animals. She saw one that really caught her interest. It looked like a cross between a squirrel and a rabbit. She watched it hop away in the direction we were going. Khema was about to ask Sheik what it was she just saw before he answered her thoughts,
"I'm not sure what those animals are called, but whenever you see them, you know you are getting close to the edge of the forest. I have the feeling that they prefer the mountain's ashes over the forest's grass."
"The mountain's ashes?" Khema repeated, "Wait, does that mean we are close to Death Mountain?"
"Yeah…You figured it out. We are behind Death Mountain in the forest that I have found."
"Actually, I didn't really figure it out. You just said 'mountain' and I assumed." She said, sounding sheepish.
"Oh, so are you telling me that you forgot to try and figure out where you are?"
Before Khema could answer his snide remark he continued, "I must be quite the charmer! I mean, you forgot all about trying to find your way home and focused on the handsome Sheik! I'm flattered!" he said turning around so he was walking backwards. He sighed and raised a hand to his heart.
"Oh, shut up." Khema said.
They kept walking until they met a clearing.
"Wait here in the trees. I'll come and get you when we are done talking." He said to her.
Khema looked around and said, "Done talking to whom?"
Sheik laughed and pulled out his harp and walked to the center of the treeless area. He plucked the cords and let The Serenade of Water sound through the forest and bounce off the mountain. It seemed only seconds before the flapping of wings could be heard.
'Well, he must be anxious to know if he came that quickly…' Sheik thought as he shaded his eyes from the sun to look up.
The owl circled down and made a graceful landing in front of Sheik.
"Well, well, look who finally decided to call." the owl said irritably.
Sheik put his hand behind his neck and let out a nervous chuckle, "Yeah, sorry. I kind of forgot to come and tell you everything."
"All is forgiven. But do tell me everything you have learnt." the owl said with curiosity, "She isn't here, so am I to assume that you…killed her?"
"No, actually I didn't. It turns out she isn't a spy!" Sheik said to him.
The owl cocked his head, "Is that so? Do tell me more then!"
"She is a Sheikah."
His feathered friend merely nodded. He was going to stay quiet.
"She is a Sheikah of the green rank and her name is Khema. She has become a…good friend of mine."
"Khema? Khema, did you say?" said the owl with excitement.
Sheik lifted an eyebrow, "Yes, Khema. Why are you so excited?"
"I knew Khema's parents! Oh, I should've known it was her! Is she here now?"
"Whoa, whoa, calm down! You knew her parents?"
The owl puffed out his chest and said with pride, "Yes, I did. Do you remember the story of how two Sheikahs protected the last village from destruction?"
"Of course, it is one of my favorites…but…are you telling me that her-
The owl bobbed his head before Sheik could finish, "Her parents were those two Sheikahs! Isn't that amazing? Yes…," said the owl obviously remembering those days, "I remember when Khema was born. They were so happy when she came."
"Will you tell me? The story, I mean."
Smiling any way an owl could smile he said, "Yes, but first you have to tell me if she is here or not."
"She is. I told her to hide in the trees and when we were done talking, I would get her."
The owl nodded and started his story:
"Where to begin? Well…her parent's names were Kareem and Yuca. They were both very powerful. Kareem was a red. Yuca was a purple. Kareem could withstand some of the highest temperatures of heat; so naturally, he was one of the Goron's guardians. Whenever they called he was always there. Yuca could blend in with darkness like a shadow, so she was assigned any night time jobs. You are a Sheikah, Sheik, so you know what the night time jobs include; mainly assassinations. How those two met, I doubt anyone will ever know. They were just so unlikely a pair! Both of them started to show up less and less at there jobs and were eventually fired from them. I do believe they were too much in love with each other to care. To tell you the truth, I don't see what Kareem saw in Yuca. Who would want a woman who is likely to kill them when they are sleeping at night?" the owl said with a shake of the head.
Sheik repressed a laugh.
"Anyway, they lived together and eventually got married. At first they lived in the last Sheikah village, but then they disappeared for the longest time. 10 months to be exact. When they came back, Yuca was holding a baby. And Kareem, of course, being that he had a nature as fiery as his suite, was threatening to kill anybody who goes near them. Eventually, he stopped and let people in looking distance of Yuca and her baby. They only answered one question and that was from me. All I asked was, 'What's its name?' And they answered, 'Her name is Khema.' I don't know why, but I had a feeling that Khema would be a great Sheikah warrior when she grew up and I was right!"
"Wait, how do you know if she is good or not?" Sheik asked.
"Well, her suite is green."
Sheik nodded, "True. Continue."
"Well, Khema's life passed by like a normal Sheikah girls. She trained with her mother and father. Kareem taught her endurance and upper body strength for climbing and traveling long distances. Yuca taught her how to move stealthy in the dark and different flexibility tactics. And both Kareem and Yuca taught her speed. I observed her growing in the distance and growing she was! Everyday she got stronger and faster. She was nine when the time came to take the test to see what will become of her. They tested her in everything; intelligence, speed, climbing trees and mountains, endurance, swimming, infiltration, flexibility, and stealth tactics, and of course, loyalty. She excelled in all, but swimming and infiltration tactics. She could swim, but she wasn't the best at it. And she could infiltrate a place, but it would take a little too long. I heard the judges talk together about where to put her. They decided on either red or green. She would have been a blue if she could swim perfectly, but she had a hard time getting her movements in control. Not good enough. And she would have been a purple if she could infiltrate a building in less then 5 minuets. She did it in 8. Not good enough. There was a slight disagreement between the red and the green. Thought she was quiet good at climbing mountains, she was better with trees. They also observed that she could blend very easy with the trees and was able to travel even faster through them. There was a little disappointment from the red clan that she wasn't going to be a new member, but they knew it was for the best. The green clan however, was practically running in circles and hopping up and down when they saw how great she was with trees. They knew that when she grew up they would have a valuable asset.
"Her parents were so proud when they heard what happened. Right after she obtained her badge, she and her parents moved to the green clan's village so she could get used to her new brothers and sisters in arms. However…they didn't get to much time to celebrate Khema's accomplishment. It was around this time when Ganondorf started attacking the tribes. The green clan was the last to get struck. They put up a terrific fight too. I do believe that was the saddest I have ever been in my life when I saw what became of the village when I arrived. Everything was burnt down and the bodies of Sheikah's who died trying to protect there village scattered the area. I felt proud of them when I saw that there were more fallen enemies then fallen Sheikah. I flew to the gate of the village and saw something that just tore my heart out. Kareem and Yuca were dead. By the look of the arrows piercing both of them, it seemed that they were surrounded. I bowed my head next to them and mourned their loss. I couldn't believe that two people who were so powerful could possibly die. I dug in there pockets and placed their badges on there chests. I couldn't give them a proper burial, but I could let them rest with symbol of the Sheikah. I whispered a few parting words, before I took off. I almost left to inform Princess Zelda too what had happened when I remembered. Khema! I swerved around again and scanned the village. Though there was no hope in my heart that she was alive, I still wanted to find her and place her in-between her parents. She was Kareem's and Yuca's pride and joy, they had to be together. I flew to the house that they lived in and spotted something. An arm poking out from under a heap of burned wood. I dug her up as fast as I could. Her little figure was dressed in Sheikah warrior clothing and a blood stained sword was clutched in her tiny hand. My first thought was,
'This girl died fighting with honor'.
I was about to say blessings for her departure when she moved. At first I thought my brain was playing tricks on me, because I was mourning the loss of my courageous girl, but she moved again! As gently as I could, I pushed her over with my talon. Joy rushed through my veins when I saw her big purple eyes open and squint up at me. After positioning myself I told her to climb up on my back. She managed to roll unto my wing, so with all my strength I lifted it up and let her slid onto me. I made sure that it was safe to start flying before I took off again. One last thing I had to do first. This one thing I did still haunts me. I swooped down low and snatched Kareem's and Yuca's badges right off there chests. It felt as if I desecrated a sacred grave, but I knew that Khema needed something to remember her mother and father with and that something might as well be something that a Sheikah slave over just to get. I had feelings of guilt, sadness, and joy when I flew towards the castle. All in all, you can say I was pretty confused. Khema wasn't making a sound from on my back, but I did feel something wet sink through the feathers on my neck. I felt like weeping also. I saw Impa and Zelda in the courtyard of the castle. Relief replaced all of the other feelings as I dove down. I didn't have to say a thing before Impa took Khema off my back. I had a feeling that she suspected what happened. She caressed Khema's half conscious form and looked up at me. I shook my head. She nodded. She knew.
'I'll take care of her' she said to me, then she said, 'But if something happens, I'll make sure someone else can do it.'
I silently signaled my thanks and said to Zelda,
'Give these badges to her when she is fully conscious. They were her parents'.'
Zelda took them from my talons and held them to her heart. 'I promise I will,' she said to me.
And with that, I flew off. I went to see if I could luck into any more survivors. Needless to say, I didn't. It wasn't days after I delivered Khema to Impa and Zelda when Ganondorf attacked them. I flew over the grey horse hoping to see Khema, but I didn't. Then Impa's voice floated through my head, 'But if something happens, I'll make sure someone else can do it.' With as much speed I could muster I shot off to the castle again just in time to see a hooded figure riding a black chestnut horse carrying my darling green clad Khema towards the Lake Hylila, but I also saw another. Heading to Kakariko Village was another hooded figure on a bay horse carrying a blue clad boy. I saw you, Sheik. Though you both might not remember, you two probably met each other when you were at the castle. Anyway, I didn't know it was you at the time, so I disregarded your presence in the situation. I flew over the galloping chestnut horse to ensure the safety of Khema. The gates to the lake opened for them and that is where Khema lived since. I'm not sure where they lived exactly, but every once in a long while I would glimpse Khema paddling along in the lake or climbing on top of the professor's house. I cherished those glances. But then after 4 years, I stopped seeing her around. She was thirteen when she went out traveling on her own. I scanned Hyrule everyday hoping to see her once more, but never again did until, that day in the forest. She is sixteen now. Three years, I have worried. Please, Sheik. Will you call her?" the owl pleaded.
At first Sheik was too shocked by the whole story to realize he asked him a question.
"Khema!" he called to her.
He saw Khema poke her head from the branches of the tree she sat in. Her face was sad. She heard everything. She climbed down the tree and walked over to where the owl and Sheik were. She stood in front of the owl and stared at him. A tear fell down her cheek as she lunged at him and constricted him in an embrace.
The owl's eyes went shiny, 'Khema…I have missed you so…'
Sheik stepped back and gave them some room as he let the owl's story sink in.
Author's Note
I know, I know, I made the owl's story a little too long, but hey. Khema needed her past written! -nods- I just wanted to know if anybody saw the similarities of Khema's suite and her parents? I probably didn't say this in the story, but Kareem's eyes were green. Khema's suite is green. Yuca's suite was purple. Khema's eyes are purple. See? -sigh- It was really fun writing this.
HimmelsDraculina
