Chapter 24 - Your Good Name
The greenery recently wetted by the rains in the forest sparkled in the moonlight as they moved along, following Nissa. The sound of a small waterfall grew a little heavier while they drew closer to the base of the natural formation, water tumbling down a sloped rock wall into a small pond and stream, trickling downwards gently. The small fall that couldn't be heard from the camp Link and Zelda had set up, but it was very pretty to look upon nonetheless.
Looking the scenery over, they glanced up when Nissa called to them, showing them a growth of shrubs against a rocky wall which Link reached out to and pushed back, revealing the entrance of a cave hidden behind it. So this was where it was hidden, he considered before he stepped to the side.
Looking back, he allowed Zelda to walk in first, and he stepped in behind her, letting the shrubs fall back into place once they were inside of the dark corridor. Moving on, drawing to the end of the tunnel, a magical glow of blue lit the room as if sensing their presence, revealing to them a pool of clean water with marble walls, statues standing on each end of the pool carved into Fae people. In the middle of the front wall sat a stone with the symbol of the Triforce on it, and Nissa flew over towards it.
"Touch this panel to summon her. Since you carry parts of the Triforce, it should be as simple as that."
Walking over, Zelda looked at the stone and then asked her, "Who is she again?"
"She's a fairy maiden, something like a Sage of sorts to us. This cave belongs to Lake Hylia, and she can bestow you with gifts to allow travels there to be safer if you're worthy for it. But I know you two are, so go ahead!"
Nissa flew back over Zelda's shoulder and waited, and with a nod of her head, Zelda reached over and she touched the stone. Once done, a glow began to emerge from the center of the pool they were standing before, and Zelda stepped back slowly as she watched along with Link. Bubbles began to form in the water as it lifted up, raising as if controlled by an unseen force, forming into the shape of a young maiden with wings on her back, floating there peacefully. Her blue hair and pristine appearance was no doubt due to the water she projected herself through, and glancing over at the two who had summoned her, she giggled softly.
"Nissa, you were just here! How did you find them so quickly!?"
"It was coincidence?," Nissa mused. "I honestly just happened across them!"
"Well, you're a fairy," said the maiden with a little giggle, "you're known for your good luck!" With those words spoken, she turned her attention to Link and Zelda, flittering toward the edge of the pool. Unlike Nissa, she wasn't so small, perhaps about two feet tall in height, and as she moved, the water she'd projected herself through dripped across the surface of the pool below her.
"My, what a lovely pair!," she smiled at them. "I'm and the Fairy Maiden of Lake Hylia, pleased to meet you both."
"Thank you," Zelda replied, "I am Zelda, and this is Link. We're honored."
The maiden's laughter filled the cave cutely, her words adding to it, "I'm so glad to finally meet the true daughter of Nissandra and Hadinaru! I've heard so many stories, and they were so sad, but being able to see how strong you've become gives us all hope in the Fairy Kingdom." She paused for a moment after those words, then added, "And you," she pointed at Link suddenly.
With her sudden movements, Link blinked his eyes a time or two, asking, "Yes?"
"You're a handsome one!," she smiled, leaning her head against her shoulder as if admiring him. "They never said the hero would look so good."
Link couldn't help himself, clearing his throat, actually blushing a slight bit due to who this was as well as the fact that she was actually, well, flirting with him almost. Seeing the blush, she began to giggle again, adding, "He's so modest too! Quite a rarity!"
Zelda couldn't help but smile, knowing the maiden's words were completely honest, and though she herself was attracted to Link, trying not to think of just a short while ago and what had happened, she had to snicker softly. "That he is," she responded."
Wanting the talk to get off of him, Link shook his head slowly, just saying, "Well, I'm apparently blessed with the company of pretty women as well, so I think we're all even."
"Oh, flattery!," the maiden snickered, covering her mouth with her hand. "I'd love to hear more, but I want to know first, where is it you're heading now?"
"Lake Hylia," Zelda told her. "Myriad said that was the next step of our journey."
"Wonderful! Then I have just the thing to help the both of you!"
The Fairy Maiden seemed more than happy to bestow a few gifts to them, flying up and into the air a bit higher, looking down at them. "I can increase both your magic powers. To you, Zelda, I gift with the ability to draw from Nayru's power to heal wounds should you need to." She flittered to the side a little, then added, "To Link, I give the gift of her shielding, to invoke upon yourself during treacherous times."
The Maiden turned a backwards circle in midair, the room going dark around the two she was empowering for a moment as she drew up her legs and crossed her arms over her chest. The magical whir of her abilities grew in volume as her body began to disperse outwards and towards them in a flitter of light and magic, filling Link and Zelda both with that which she'd promised them.
As this happened, and the Maiden began to fade away with a soft giggle, the blue glow to the room returned and all that was left of the Fairy Maiden was a gift sitting before them in a bottle, two pink fairies. Seeing this, Nissa flew to the glass and her wings tinkled with sound while she commented.
"Look, she gave you two healing fairies too! That was kind of her!"
Link stepped forward and lifted the bottle up, nodding his head at Nissa, "It will definitely come in handy." With those words, he looked back at Zelda and asked, "So you can heal wounds now and I'm able to shield myself?"
"Yes," she nodded, walking over to look at the fairies for a moment. "It's called Nayru's Love, and eventually, you'll be able to project it onto other people."
Was she trying to distract herself from looking at him? Link had to wonder that as he listened to her because she hadn't looked at him since they'd been in camp. Right now she'd just wanted to look at the fairies herself while he held them, turning to offer them to her to carry if she wished.
He really hoped he hadn't done anything wrong at the camp. If Nissa wasn't around, he would have asked her, but since it was a personal matter, he had to let it go for now. They'd have a lot of time to talk on it later, and instead of focusing on that, when Zelda took the bottle from him, he just went on, "I guess we should get going though. It will be daylight soon, and we might be able to arrive at Engleton during the afternoon if we do."
Finally, Zelda looked at him. He was glad for that, seeing the nod and smile she gave, hoping maybe she was just embarrassed still. After all, he got the feeling she'd never been specifically close to someone before, so that did make sense, and it did relieve him a good bit. Concentrating on that fact - as well as promising himself not to put her in a situation like that again - he started leading them both out of the cave.
As they began walking, Zelda looked to the fairy following them and asked, "Nissa, would you like to accompany us? Or are there others you need to inform?"
"Really? I would love to go with you! I've told everyone I can already, so I'm free to tag along!"
With a smile as the fairy sat on Zelda's shoulder, she replied, "Good, then we can all catch up on what's been happening."
Link, pushing the shrubs to the side again, allowed both ladies out of the cave once more before he followed in behind them. As they went, he thought about all they had to tell her, trying to consider for himself everything they'd been through thus far. In doing so, he remembered one of the first problems they'd encountered, and his mind settled on his dark half. It'd been a while since they'd heard from the shadow, and Link could only wonder when the next time they might see him again would be.
Hopefully not too soon. As far as Link was concerned, he hoped the bastard had stepped into a chicken coop and been pecked to death. But, Link got the sinking feeling that anything which could stop him just hadn't happened.
Sadly, he got the feeling they'd be meeting again fairly soon.
---
The afternoon was still a grey and gloomy one. The clouds had grown to be a part of the landscape it seemed, two days straight now with very little sunlight. Heading down the path, toward the town of Engleton, didn't seem to settle the situation either. In fact, a fog had grown, and while it wasn't completely dense, still allowing the riders to see the village before them, something seemed off about it.
Perhaps it was the smell. It seemed as if there had been a fire somewhere and the smoke smell was still lingering in the air around them. They'd ridden for a good bit of the day, telling Nissa stories and hearing her own in return while heading to the small town of Engleton, and almost there now, the scent had hit all three of them. Coming over a hill that led down into the rural village, the dirt ground muddy, patches of golden grass here and there lining the paths, Link let himself take in the scenery before him, trying to pinpoint the possibility of the fire.
But he couldn't see any particular building the arson could have been set in from their location. Nissa flew towards Zelda's belt and climbed inside of her pouch as they went, hiding there as she sometimes did just incase there was danger lurking about she may have been defenseless against, and Zelda looked on with Link. The structures of the town settled about the roadsides looked to be in good condition, telling them that wherever the fire had been, it was probably in someone's home somewhere.
Zelda couldn't shake a bad feeling that had formed in the pit of her gut, informing Link, "Something's not right."
He nodded in agreement. Things didn't seem to be equal somehow, and as they made their way into town, he replied, "Just stick close until we can find out what's going on here, alright?"
"Alright," she replied softly, glad he wasn't telling her to wait outside of the village like she'd thought he might. Instead, he'd rode on into it, and keeping up with his pace, as she looked the houses over more closely, she had a sinking feeling that whatever had happened had been something to do with their arrival, or would at least effect it somehow.
"It's so quiet for mid afternoon," Zelda told him softly, as if not to disturb that quiet herself with spoken words.
Glancing to both sides, agreeing that it was indeed silent in the small town, Link turned and dismounted Epona, deciding he might be able to cover ground easier off of his horse's back rather than on it. Seeing him, Zelda turned in her own saddle. Once her feet had hit the ground, she reached up and took Frost's reigns, then walked over to her friend. As she did, he told her, "I don't know why, but–"
Before he could get his words out, someone yelled from the nearby hill behind them, riding toward the two of them with haste.
"It's him!"
The man on horseback affirmed what Link had been thinking, what he'd been about to mention to Zelda - they were being watched. More riders came from around the corners of the roads when they heard their comrade calling to them, apparently men whom lived in the village and were possibly assigned to it's protection. Drawing closer and closer to Link and Zelda, five of them total, they were surrounded. Epona and Frost acted a bit spooked by the sudden attention, and their owners both tried to keep them calm even though they themselves weren't sure what to think of all of this. Once Epona had stopped her fretting a good bit, Link stepped toward them slowly after motioning to Zelda to stay near their own horses, handing her the reigns of Epona.
Looking up at the riders, he shook his head. The words shouted 'it's him' seemed to somehow prove to him that his sinking feeling was true. These people had mistaken him for his darker half apparently. Whatever the shadow had done, Link now had to answer for it seemed, and remembering a similar event in Roshala, Link somehow got the feeling Zelda wouldn't be able to use her innate logical sense this time around to prove his name clear of crime.
"What happened here," he asked them sincerely, knowing he'd probably get ridiculed for it, but since he honestly was innocent, he had to ask the question anyway.
"Don't pretend as if you don't know!," the very first man who'd yelled the notice to the others called to him. "I saw you with my own two eyes!"
The man accusing Link now was a bigger, burly guy, though he seemed to have more muscle than fat, though he wasn't a body builder of any type. He had a crop of red hair also, reminding Link of the girl Kiama, and he could only wonder if this might've been her father. But he left her name out of it for now, hoping that she wasn't one of the ones who'd been hurt by his dark half's meddling.
Interrupting his thoughts, another voice came out of the small crowd of people, "Betarro! It was dark when this happened, are you certain this is the same man you saw?"
"Yes, Olnor! The same hat, outfit, everything. But there wasn't anyone else with him," Betarro added, looking over at Zelda. "She could have been waiting outside of town though!"
Link gave the men a look that was half surprised, half indignant, and he shook his head, replying sternly, "She had nothing to do with this!"
"Then you admit it?," Betarro asked in return, riding up a bit closer to Link. "How do we know for sure she wasn't in on your murdering plans?"
What had that dark bastard done, Link wondered in his head for a moment. Murder? Fisting his hands, Link waved one swiftly toward Zelda as if to cut her off completely from the situation, replying, "She's not involved! If you saw me, then it must have been me, right?"
"Link!," Zelda gasped out. She'd certainly come to the same conclusion that Link had, and hearing Link saying those words made her fear he might claim to be guilty just to keep things from getting ugly.
"You little!–," Betarro yelled at the same time that Zelda had gasped his name, over powering her voice.
"Betarro!," Olnor called, riding in front of him before the big man's temper could really get hold of him. "Calm down right now. I'm the town's elder councilman, I'll handle this, you just let me do the talking."
The two shared a look while Link watched, and Betarro calmed down. That's when Olnor turned his face back to Link and regarded him quietly. Like Betarro, Olnor was a bigger guy, just not as burly as his friend, with black hair, greys sprinkled through it, and a beard settled neatly around his chin, giving him a somewhat wiser look. Once he'd looked down at the young man, he began to explain everything to him, taking the innocent until proven guilty stance apparently, which Link was very grateful for.
"Last night, someone came through here and boarded up a house in the middle of the night, then set it aflame. Betarro saw a young man leaving the home, and had to run to get help and water as the flames started to consume the residence, allowing the criminal time to escape. By the time the fires could be put out, the family within were all dead, and another house managed to catch fire as well, though thankfully, that family got out in time with everything going on. Are you admitting to this crime?"
Hearing this, Link's teeth had clenched, his fingers still fisted, and he knew he couldn't say he'd done this, because he was truly innocent, but things were definitely delicate right now, and he had to do something. He was enraged however, at his dark half, ready to find the shadow and literally throttle it. During his thoughts, Olnor's voice rang out again, enunciating his words.
"Are you admitting to this crime!?"
"Enough of this, they won't admit it, just seize them both!"
Betarro's words got Link's attention, and he reached up his hand as if to stop them, shaking his head. "No! Leave her out of this. She wasn't there, and had no idea any of it was taking place."
"We don't know that for sure," Olnor told Link more calmly than Betarro probably would have ever been able to get out. "If we don't–"
"She won't leave the village as long as I'm here," Link interrupted him with a serious voice, "and if you leave her out of this completely, I'll go with you peacefully."
Olnor lifted his head back over the words as if a little surprised, looking over at Zelda, then at the rest of his comrades who'd been listening, and he considered it. Betarro put a hand on the man's shoulder and leaned in, the whispering setting Link to unease, but Olnor replied to him after Betarro finished his whispered words.
"Very well. But on the condition that your lady friend is put on house arrest until we can get to the bottom of this. She'll be bothered by no one, and your horses will go with her."
"Link, don't–"
Zelda had started to tell him not to give in, but he cut her off, replying, "It's a deal," and he looked back at her and shook his head, telling her without words to just go along with it. Nissa watched from the pouch on Zelda's belt while this happened, frowning over the whole scene, wondering what in the world had happened. The men dismounted their horses and two of them grabbed Link's arms, tugging them behind his back in order to shackle them.
As Link was taken into custody, Olnor had dismounted his steed as well, and gone toward Zelda, being fairly well mannered as he stopped near her and said, "If you would come with me please, my lady."
Zelda felt mindless as she nodded her head to him without thinking, but her gaze went from the tall man and to Link, watching as the villagers had shackled his wrists, Betarro gripping his upper arm and pushing him forward so hard that Link fell into the dirt. She gasped when he did, and let go of Frost's reigns in order to go to him, but Olnor grabbed her shoulder. Reaching up to struggle her way away from the man, she only stopped when she heard him calling to the other men.
"Betarro!" Olnor's voice was stern and not to be denied, getting all of their attentions. Once they looked back, he continued on, "That is not necessary. He's going willingly. If you can't control yourself, I'll assign you to house arrest as well and find someone else who can take your place until all of this is over with."
Betarro looked contrite almost immediately, then nodded his head to affirm that he could perform his duties properly. As they started taking Link off to be imprisoned much more humanely this time, Olnor looked at Zelda and told her, "Don't worry too much. Betarro's just angry, it's explosive, but it doesn't last long. Soon," Olnor looked back up and over at the young man she'd called Link before as he was taken off to their towns prison, "he'll come to question this situation as I am."
Hearing those words, Zelda looked up at Olnor's face, her brows narrowed somewhat angrily though also very slightly relieved by hearing those words of hope that maybe he wasn't completely sure all of this made sense, and she replied, "I should hope so, because Link didn't do this. But I know who did do it, someone who's after Link in order to get him trapped so that he could kill him, and when he comes back, you'll have to let Link go, or be the cause of even more bloodshed."
Olnor genuinely listened to Zelda's words, taking them to heart, then he nodded his head silently. From there, he started escorting her along with him to have her put safely into an unoccupied home, replying, "I'll keep my eyes open for anything strange, my lady. I'm not one to want to imprison someone innocent, much less invite more bloodshed where none is needed."
Zelda hoped that Olnor's words proved to be true. She watched the group of men with Link as they walked until she couldn't see them anymore, taking a breath in the hope that Link would be alright as she herself was taken to the home she was meant to stay in situated on the edge of the small town near the trees that bordered it. The inside of the home was a bit dusty from disuse, but it was still a nicely built home, so Zelda tried to count her blessings where she could. As she stepped inside and Olnor shut the door, being alone now, Nissa emerged from Zelda's pouch.
"That was really scarey," the little fairy told her as she lifted up before Zelda's face evenly in the air.
"Yes," Zelda replied, taking a hand to rub her eyes in thought. "We can't just sit here and wait for that shadow to return and kill Link though. We have to do something to convince the people to set him free before he returns and causes even more problems."
Nissa pursed her lips in thought, her brows narrowed, asking Zelda, "I agree, but what!? Fairies aren't known for lying, so I could tell them he was in my sights all evening. They'll at least take it into consideration don't you think?"
"That's true," Zelda responded, "but I'd rather keep you a secret, just for now. At least then, if something dire happens, you can go find someone to help us."
"Okay, but if it comes down to it, I'm going to tell them what I know. In fact, would you like me to sneak and go check on Link?"
The idea had it's merit, and Zelda nodded her head, smiling, "Yes. Go do that, would you? I'd feel much better if I knew how he was, and I'm sure he'd be better off if he knew the same of me."
"Okay!," Nissa drew out happily, then she started checking the windows for cracks she could slip through since someone could be watching, and if they saw the door opening, it could get Zelda into trouble. Finally finding one, a panel of glass missing from a room in the back of the home, Nissa took off carefully to make sure no one saw her.
Once completely alone, Zelda turned to the front window of the house, looking outside. She saw the ball of light that was Nissa flying swiftly away into town without being spotted, and then glanced down. Dark Link, she thought in her mind with a grumble, was going to continue setting these traps until he was taken care of completely. Somehow, they had to get a step ahead of him so they could do so.
Unlike Link, his dark half had a tendency to run away from things, call it cowardice or irresponsibility, either way, he wouldn't just stick around in order to be brought down. There had to be some lure to bring him out of the darkness he hid in and keep him in one place long enough to be destroyed.
As well as some way to get everyone to believe Link was innocent. Nissa would be a good witness to Link's whereabouts, but somehow Zelda got the feeling it would still be their word against Betarro's, and Zelda put herself in Betarro's shoes for a moment, understanding that if she'd seen something like what he had, and it had been dark, she would also blame Link for the crimes. Then she remembered something.
Kiama was from this village, and she also remembered thinking that Betarro had the same color hair as she had. Olnor said he was the elder councilman, and if he was Betarro's friend, it stood to reason that Betarro was Kiama's father for certain since the fifteen year old girl had said that her father was on Engleton's town council. So Kiama could definitely serve as a character witness. Unfortunately, Zelda hadn't seen the wagon when they'd come into the village, though honestly the thing could have been destroyed. Still, Olnor or someone else would come back to check on her later, and when he did, she could ask him about the girl.
Hopefully, that would give the villagers much more incentive to let Link go.