"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." Ningan dismisses Laurel's story with a roll of his eyes.
"There's no such thing as a Golden Cucco, Laurel!" Ezra laughs. "I thought a boy that was raised on a ranch would know that!"
"I'm with Ezra on this one, Laurel." Dakota apologises. "Are you sure you weren't dreaming?"
"No!" he insists, presenting his mud-caked hands as proof. "The Cucco appeared to me and showed me the way to the stream! It told me that the stream would take us to Anther!"
To prove his point, Laurel directs them to the stream of dead leaves. The others share sceptical glances.
"I'm begging you to trust me!" Laurel pleas. "This is the only way we're going to escape this cursed wood!"
After much deliberation about the little options they had, Aurarius tows the wagon along the banks of the stream. They follow the fast flow of the river downstream until the forest eventually clears. The summer sun pierces the canopy of trees and illuminates the path to a glorious golden peninsula. They squint their eyes at the glare of the glistening water that reaches beyond the horizon.
"The ocean!" Dakota gestures to the expanse before them.
The stream continues downhill until it meets the oncoming flow of a river that passes beneath a bridge. Beyond the bridge, sunlit steeples of bell-towers shimmer as they protrude over the towering city walls.
"We've made it!" Ezra cheers. "We've made it to the city of Anther!"
Laurel throws Ningan a sideways glance of smugness as the wagon trundles down the road. Aurarius trots across the grandiose bridge that crosses the rushing river; his nostrils twinge with the sweet scent of flowerpots that border either side of the bridge, enticing him to inspect. Laurel steers him towards the town gates, where a guard checks them in.
The beauty of the city's architecture steals their breath away: canals splitting streets in two; elegant bridges with torches lining the handrails; flower baskets blooming at the sides of buildings; tall bell-towers with pointed spires topped with flags that billow in the sea breeze. Businesses is booming, ranging from inns to restaurants and coffee shops; every street corner is occupied by a busker, hoping to snag the attention of passers-by with their delightful tunes. Anther is a magical menagerie; the likes only found in fairytales or romance novels.
Their first priority is to secure suitable accommodation where all four could stay for the night, with the addition of Aurarius, all for a comfortable price. The place that catches their eye is a splendid hotel that boasts a basket of anthuriums outside its entrance and overlooks the main canal. Upon enquiry, they are pleased to discover that it offers a stable out back and caters mainly for travelling tourists. At the price of just 100 Rupees a night for the four of them, it is a bargain not to be missed.
"Welcome to the Gard Inn." the receptionist beams as she hands them their room key. "Enjoy your stay."
The room appears very basic and bare, save for a pot of anthuriums on top of the chest of drawers. Two bunks beds line either side, with a window in the centre. Dakota rushes to the windowsill and casts her eyes over the view: a town square with cafes coupled with laughter as children frolicking on the pavements.
"Oh, isn't this just wonderful!" she gasps, and turns to claim her bed. "And a bed! An actual bed!" Dakota rolls onto the mattress and squeezes her pillow tight. "I feel like Princess Zelda herself!"
"You're easily pleased, aren't you?" Ningan smirks.
"We should take a tour of the city!" Ezra suggests. "There's plenty of sights to see! We could start with the square, then walk along the main canal. After that, we could investigate the tourist attractions, to see if there are any museums…"
Ningan tunes out to Ezra's nonstop ramblings and turns to Laurel. "So, are you looking forward to venturing out into the city?"
"I think I've seen it all." he declares. "I'll have you know that as Commanding Knight of the Royal Hylian Forces, I'm primarily based in the Castle Town barracks. It's all the same to me."
Ningan rolls his eyes and glances out of the window. In all the noise of the music, the chatter, the laughter, he can't help but wonder: what does the city have to offer him?