"I am surprised how quiet the road is here, for so close to the border," mused Sahasrahla. The old man looked around the front room where Link and Aryll had been sitting.
"Lyon says that the military has taken control, father, and that they are mainly after me. By Nayru's love, they must think we've gone into hiding if they've already let down their guard. What luck!" Aryll cheered with a hushed voice.
"It isn't luck. Trust me," the old man responded gravely. Link rolled his eyes and made eye contact with Bouer. He felt an urge to punch the redhead, but stopped after his eyes caught the gold necklace around Bouer's neck.
A set of footsteps came from the kitchen. Link turned and saw Lyon staring at Sahasrahla. The short Kokiri had a grimace on his face and was breathing heavily.
"So Aryll, these are your guests?" asked Lyon. Aryll gave a nervous nod, while Link and his other two companions stood awkwardly in the living room.
"Hello Sahasrahla," the Kokiri gritted. He turned to Bouer, and Link suddenly remembered that Aryll had called him by that name.
"This is my friend Kafei," Link blurted out, trying to spare any problems from occurring.
"Fascinating," replied Lyon dryly. "Supper will be ready soon. Sahasrahla, would you mind helping me? I have some roots that need cutting before they become useless. The rest of you can make yourselves at home."
The old man followed the short Kokiri, leaving Link with Aryll and Bouer in the sitting room.
"What is with him? Why is he so creepy with you and mean to your dad?" Link whispered to Aryll. She didn't immediately reply, and Link tensely drummed his fingers against the white shirt he had been wearing for days.
"We'll be out of here soon enough. Within the hour we should be leaving the country," Aryll replied simply. Her words echoed in Link's mind. It still seemed so strange that soon enough he'd be in a foreign land. He took solace that the people he cared about most were either with him, or he was on the way to find them.
However, Link realized there were some people that were left behind. While waiting for the food to be done, he had an idea, so he got up and walked to the old desk on the side of the room.
"What are you doing?" Bouer asked, but Link ignored him as he looked through the desk.
"Let's go help with dinner," Aryll uttered to Bouer, leaving Link alone in the room. He found a piece of parchment, a reed, and a bottle of black ink, and he set about writing a letter to Nabooru, the girl who worked at the Drigoor Bomb Shop. He addressed one side of it as such, and set about hastily writing a letter.
Dear Nabooru, I can't thank you enough for your help. This is all a misunderstanding with the queen. But there is something going on in Arcadia, maybe the whole world, and I am going to try and find out what I can do to help.
I am sure you have questions, but I can't say too much now.
Link paused, wondering how to finish the letter. He heard Bouer shout from the other room, "I thought that Kokiri couldn't leave the forest or they'd die!" Link chuckled, and then gasped at the boy's comment. He had to finish the letter quickly in case they were leaving soon.
If you want answers, there is a girl named Ilia in Torrhes. They probably think she's crazy, but everything she's saying is true. If you get this soon enough, I'll be at the Nockturn Inn in Kakariko in Hyrule. Don't refer to me by my name…
He paused again, looking around the room. The name "Link" might well be tarnished in Arcadia.
…and instead address me as Forest Boy.
Sincerely,
The guy you kissed by the rock
Link folded up the letter and sat it on the table. He heard a clatter of pots from the adjacent room, and decided it was time to sit down for dinner. He entered the kitchen and saw Bouer and Aryll sitting around a large wooden table, much too large for a person living alone.
"I hope you're hungry kid," told Lyon to Link with a tone that reflected a nervous child. Ignoring the tone of voice, Link's stomach let out a large grumble – the last good meal he had was at the festival in Torrhes.
"Thanks Lyon!" Link replied as he was given a large plate of beans, rice, dali flowers, and mashed meat. Ignoring his manners, he ate his meal quickly. In the back of his mind, he still felt he would have to make a quick exit. However, both Aryll and Bouer threw caution to the wind and ate to their hearts' content. Sahasrahla, on the other hand, ate the slowest, picking at his food questioningly.
"Thank you old friend," he uttered as he ate a forkful of meat.
"You know each other?" Link asked through a mouthful of rice and beans. He swallowed and let his mouth hang open.
"You could say that," replied Lyon. Link imagined Sahasrahla accompanying Aryll as they participated in bronzeworking activities.
"We were both in the Arc of the Triforce," Sahasrahla muttered with a hint of disappointment. Both Link and Bouer stared at each other. Link tried to remember where he heard that before, at least until Aryll spoke up.
"They both were revolutionaries against the Hyrulian tyranny, back before my time."
"And I helped turn those revolutionaries into this great nation of Arcadia we have today," Lyon retorted pompously. Despite the kind meal the Kokiri offered, Link was beginning to grow annoyed with him. He looked at Sahasrahla, and the old man's face turned a bright pink.
"Weren't you too, Sarsa?" quipped Bouer. Link glared at the Hyrulian boy for being so familial with the old man. He tried to think of something witty to both berate Bouer and save Sahasrahla from telling his story; he suddenly remembered that the old man traveled the world after working with the Arc. However, Lyon spoke up with a big smile on his face.
"He abandoned us! He was the Historian and was supposed to help us!"
Link saw both Aryll and Sahasrahla wince at those words. He wanted to leave immediately, regardless of manners.
"I think we should…" Link started, before Sahasrahla cut him off.
"Thank you lad, where are my manners. We should be giving back to our host instead of boring him with the past that we all wish to forget. Now… let me tell you a little story. Kafei, could you pass me that bottle?"
Bouer looked with excitement at Sahasarhla keeping up the naming charade, and handed him a bottle of wine. Link sat down his fork quietly with disgust. He didn't think he could eat anymore with such tension in the room. Why can't we just leave, he thought. However, Lyon eyed the old man with a slight smile… whatever that means, Link thought.
"My father once got me a job as a delivery man when I was a teenager. I transported a variety of goods of odd shapes and sizes. Now, a farmer gave me a jar of peas to deliver to a man living in the woods who claimed to be the Master of Strength. I gave him the bottle, only he couldn't open it. The 'Master' took me into the nearby village and had everyone in his sight try to open the bottle. None of them were successful. He paid me with a grimace and let me leave. For the next few weeks I lifted weights and set to become stronger, for fear I was weak like the villagers.
"The Master of Strength came to visit my house one day. My dad answered, and the Master demanded a refund of his money, due to the jar being impossible to open. I walked up to the two and offered my hand. The master declared, 'if you can get this open, it's yours!' I gave a quick prayer to the goddesses and put my hands on the bottle. With fierce determination, I turned my hand and opened the jar. The Master was flabbergasted, and he renounced his title on the spot. I put my fingers in the jar and pulled out a single snap-pea. Happily I put it in my mouth.
"'How was it?' the former Master of Strength asked. I replied that it was delicious, although they were quite horrible tasting to be honest.
"So you see, it doesn't matter what your title is; rather it is what you do with your life that defines you as a person," Sahasrahla spoke as he looked at Link, who looked down bashfully.
"And furthermore, it shows that the power of many people can make an impossible task doable. If it weren't for the townspeople and everyone trying to open the jar, I wouldn't have been able to open it," the old man added.
A round of applause erupted from the other end of the table, as Lyon was sitting there with a jaded smile. "Well spoken, my old friend," the Kokiri spoke with a grimace on his face. He continued, "I suppose the Historian couldn't have just sat around and watched the world pass him by."
"Not with so much of the world to see," Sahasrahla replied with his face glowed by the candles on the table.
"Tell me, do you still have that old flute?" asked Lyon. Link noticed there was a trace of hesitance in the Kokiri's voice, but didn't bother saying anything. So long as the old man was in control, everything would be fine.
"Yes, I carry it with me all of the time," responded Sahasrahla. He reached his hand into the pocket of his old dusty overcoat, and pulled out the same silver flute the old man had used that morning to stop the rain.
"That's it!" spoke Lyon excitedly as he stood up from his chair. Link's hairs stood up on his back.
"Could I try it out?" asked the Kokiri.
There was a moment of silence in the room, as Aryll, Bouer, Link, and Lyon awaited Sahasrahla's response. Slowly, with a wrinkled smile, the old man handed over the instrument across the table to the Kokiri.
"Majestic, isn't it?" asked Lyon as he studied the flute.
"I think we should be leaving. The sun is nearly down, and we truly enjoyed your hospitality," remarked Aryll with concern. She stood up and held her hand on her stomach. Without any other words, Link and Bouer followed her lead, eager to leave such an unusual place.
They stopped as Lyon put his lips up to the flute and began playing a haunting piece.
"No!" Sahasrahla uttered with grave fear as he stood up still. Lyon finished and looked up at the four of them.
"The Traitor's Lament…" he spoke simply. The wind suddenly shifted in the air.
"What does that mean?" asked Bouer with fear.
The candles on the table extinguished, causing Aryll to let out a gasp. Link's heart was pounding, for he knew their streak of luck since the night had of the festival had run out.
"What do we do?" shrieked Aryll in the darkness of the dining room.
"There's nothing you can do. They'll be here soon enough to take you traitors in," laughed Lyon. Link was panicking, and he tried to think of some way to escape. This way no way to end a quest. He concentrated on his hand and attempted to produce a ball of fire. He would burn the place down if that's what he needed to save his companions.
"ARGH!" Link shouted in frustration. He flailed his arms in his efforts to create a flame, but to no avail. He felt a small hand on his back and hoped it was Bouer.
"Your friend didn't tell you that your type of magic doesn't work here?" Lyon whispered from behind him. Link punched in the direction of the voice but missed in the darkness.
"They're coming…" Lyon muttered with a laugh. Link felt sick; he pulled out his sword instinctively.
"Father! What are we going to do?" Aryll asked impatiently.
Link backed up with the sword in his hand. He felt a set of curtains behind him, so he swung his sword at them. The faint glow of the moon illuminated the room. Link saw Aryll and Sahasrahla frantically whispering.
"It's no use, they're already here," Lyon uttered over the clamor of footsteps approaching the house.
Link held his sword steadily, ready to attack on a moment's notice. He contemplated stabbing at Lyon, but killing was not an option, not after how he felt after killing the soldier on the train all those weeks ago… when he lost Malon and Kafei to Hylian soldiers.
His heart swelled while thinking of his two friends stuck in a prison. He couldn't let the same thing happen to him.
"I suppose they forgot how to find my house among the decoys… I thank you, my love, for letting me share this night with you," Lyon remarked to Aryll. The faint moonlight showed her scowling at the little Kokiri, and it looked like she was ready to snap the man cleanly in half with her bare hands.
Aryll refrained from harming the man, and didn't move until Lyon left the room to walk to the door.
"Why didn't you just finish him?" Link whispered.
"After he served us dinner?" Aryll responded. Link glared at Sahasrahla, who seemed equally unable to do anything in the state of not using magic.
"There are soldiers… right outside. We can't let them just take us!" Link pleaded toward his companions. To his utter disappointment, Sahasrahla let out a dismissive sigh.
"We tried to leave the country, but we couldn't. It was either the soldiers taking us or the shadow creatures," Sahasrahla complained. Link couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"We can't just give up! We have to save Malon and Kafei. We have to save Zelda!" Link retorted. The old man's eyes glared at him.
"She's going on trial in five days for treason. I'm going to help her and my friends, with or without any of you," Link responded. He heard Lyon speak from the adjacent room.
"I'm sorry!" Link whispered as he opened the window. Somewhat reluctantly, he put his right foot up on the ledge, looked back, and jumped down onto the barren ground of the forest.
"Wait for me!" shouted Bouer from behind him. The red-haired boy jumped out of the room in a single leap. Bouer wasn't Link's first choice for a companion on the adventure, but at least the boy would be able to help him enter Hyrule and finish what he set out to do.
Link and Bouer quietly scurried away from their house, trying to run parallel to the dirt roadway. They weren't free yet, not with soldiers hot on their trail.
A few seconds later, they heard a brawl erupt from Lyon's house. Link winced, wondering if his two mentors would be able to escape.
