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Chapter 14:
Waking up to the world
Link blinked several times, incredulous, before reaching out to the cat's conscience and asking:
So you can speak? You couldn't say he wasn't surprised, but in a way, he wasn't. He'd always known cats were smarter than they seemed… And they seemed pretty smart to start with.
Don't worry, they can't hear us. As long as I'm your main focus, you won't have any problems. Reassured the cat.
-Link, a little help here…
Jenifaël's voice jolted him back to reality. He realized they were all still fighting , screaming at each other over he-didn't-know-just-what, but he didn't feel intent on knowing. All he cared about was stopping them… And figuring out this whole mindreading thing.
He took out his ocarina and blew in it as hard as he could, producing a loud shrilling whistle that made everyone yell and cover their ears. Jenifaël then proceeded to tell the now-quiet children to "stop it and not dare to start it over again… Or else."
They all mumbled apologies before going back to their activities.
Jenifaël then turned to Link, instructing:
-Orf brought us some bread earlier. We left you a slice, thinking you'd be hungry when you'd finally wake up.
Jenifaël sounded grumpy, but what with the early morning, the fighting kids and the busy day she had ahead of her, it was understandable. She flipped her scarlet hair over her shoulder before declaring:
-I'm going to work. Maeka, you're coming with me, Zarkan, Link, you keep an eye on these two, She ordered as she designated Meryk and Willow.
-Now, you two be nice… And you too Zarkan.
Zarkan hissed through his teeth as only response.
Jenifaël and Maeka headed upstairs and disappeared through the curtains.
-Bye Jeni! Called out Willow before grabbing Link's hand and saying:
-Come on, let's go outside.
"Outside" in this case happened to be the inn's garden… Or it used to be anyway. Now, because of the drought (and also because Orf is a bad gardener) it was a smallish expanse of dried yellow grass, speckled with the occasional dry twigs and dead dandelions. It wasn't much, but to Willow, it was a whole other world.
Zarkan sighed loudly:
-You two have fun and stay out of my way PLEASE…
Willow stuck out her tongue at him and dragged Meryk to play whatever crazy game she'd invent with her mind whose complexity Link just began understanding. He pondered what she'd do if this garden was anything like the castle's. She'd probably insist on exploring every inch of it, over and over again, picking any flower that seemed different to her.
He sighed. If only.
It's amazing, isn't it? Asked the cat, who apparently just came up behind him. It was strange that he'd barely discovered its ability to speak, and already he was used to it.
Link slowly sat down, his back leaning on a dead tree stump. The cat curled up next to him.
If someone had told me I'd be able to read people's minds a week ago, I would've ran away as fast as I could, believing him crazy.
The cat looked up at him, his whiskers lifted up so it looked like he was smiling.
Ironic, isn't it?
Link smiled back, as the cat blinked, its pupils thinning a little as it looked at the sun.
How did you come by this power anyway? Because it is new, isn't it? Asked the cat.
It's a long story…
It's a long morning.
Link hesitated at first, but then he told him everything: how he'd met Zelda, the King who chased him out, even the Promise he'd made to her. He also told him about what happened when he'd came back to see her, the ceremony they'd performed and finally, of the strange triangles that had appeared on his hand.
The cat's ears pricked at that. Triangles?
Link nodded slowly.
Show me.
Link hesitated. What was so special about those triangles to make the cat react that way? Should he really show them to it? What did this all mean?! …And why was he afraid of a cat anyway?
Trembling nonetheless, Link raised his right hand for the cat to see. Its eyes widened, in fear or surprise Link couldn't tell.
You can't show this to anyone else.
Link blinked, a little confused.
Why? What's so special about them?
The cat looked around, suspicious all of a sudden.
I doubt I am the best suited to tell you this…
The triangles felt hot on his skin.
What do you mean?
Stay here, I'll be back.
Wait, I don't understand…
The cat bounded off, leaving a bewildered Link alone with his thoughts. What happened to the world? Yesterday, he was just a child who was a thief struggling to keep him and his family alive. Now he was… He wasn't even sure. Some mind-reading magician of myth? Possibly a princess's best and only friend?
-You have to tell me something.
Link had been so lost in his thoughts, he hadn't seen Zarkan stalking over. Link sprang to reality, hurriedly shoving his hand in his pocket. Luckily, Zarkan didn't seem to notice.
-You didn't really see the princess, did you?
Link rolled his eyes. Not this again…
-Did you?!
Link nodded. Zarkan sighed, annoyed.
-I don't think you understand my question: I do not believe you saw the princess. Where were you really?
Link raised his left hand in an I already told you kind of way.
-Never mind! Growled Zarkan as he walked off to his corner and went back to using his knife to sharpen a stick.
As if on cue, the cat bounded in at that very moment, with… Was that a mouse in its mouth?
No, not a mouse. He realized as Myu set them down in front of him. Gloves.
Put them on. Said the cat. You can't show this to anyone, understood?
But why?
It's dangerous. Bluntly answered the cat.
How? What do you mean?
The cat didn't answer, just oriented its head towards the sun, which was already a little over the houses. Guessing he wouldn't say anything until he put the gloves on, Link picked them up and slipped them on.
They were nice gloves too. Made out of a dusty brown leather, they were fingerless, leaving his fingers free to move as they would (which is important when you live on thieving and music). He decided he liked them.
But he still did not understand.
Myu was now looking at Willow and Meryk, the latter of which struggled to keep up with Willow's crazy game and rules. At last, he spoke.
You are a wonderful person, Link. I… Those people had nowhere to go, but you helped them, and brought meaning back into their lives. Promise me you'll never change that.
I promise.