Chapter Twenty-Three

Superstitions

The autumn noon sun shone softly through parted curtains. Rays of fleeting warmth parted the room only to mix with steady fire and candle light. The mixture of natural and manmade illumination gave the large office a ethereal feel, reflective surfaces glowing faintly. Yet the peace which normally came from standing within the warm sunlight and watching the leaves dance upon the wind eluded her.

Minutes had long since given way to hours which passed with each set of scrolls she read. Zelda rubbed her temples as she stood before the picture window, eyes staring without sight at the kingdom below. A pained sigh parted her chapped lips as she closed her eyes. Something was coming and she need not Wisdom to know that. The harsh wind which rattled the castle windows and glass-pane doors warned everyone of hard times yet to happen.

With another sigh, she shook her head. Time was a fickle thing and no matter its course, free will could and would always change what may be in the future. Now was not the time to think on what may be, for the sensation of warning which fluttered down her spine like butterflies was as fleeting as the fall sunlight. Pressing a hand to the leaded glass, she allowed the outer chill to seep into her delicate flesh.

The first stirrings of mental and spiritual silence began as a loud crash and raised voices filtered through her open doors. Wondering what trouble had been caused, she sighed once more and turned from the window. She held her head high and shoulders back as her spine elongated. The pain which reverberated through her skull never showed on her noble face as she made her way to the open doors.

The sight before her turned her polite smile into a twisted expression of horror. Her pup was curled behind a suite of armor, clearly frightened of the people attempting to reach it. Several servants and, what was worse, members of the Royal Guard, were vainly reaching for the mutt. One tried to shoo him from behind the historical display with a broom.

"Just what do you all believe you are doing?!"

Her shrill words sliced through their raised voices. As if one body, they turned to face her. Some wore expressions of fear, others anger and yet a few appeared as if they had not a care in the world. None spoke as she crossed her arms.

"I believe," she hissed slowly, "I have asked you all a very simple question. Yet if you did not understand my first utterance, I shall repeat myself. What are you doing?"

"It's a Wolfo pup!" squeaked the woman holding the broom. She pointed a shaking finger towards the cowering, whimpering mutt.

"I can see that. Just what has it done to offend each person in this gathering in such a manner that you are demanding its death?"

Her icy tone sent shivers down their spines as the primal part of their minds whined in fear. Her emerald eyes had begun to darken, smoldering with an anger which had not been present since Ganondorf's reign. Instinctively, they took a step back only to recoil once more as she matched the motion.

"Answer me!"

"It's evil!" crowed a man from behind the broom-wielding woman. She stepped aside to allow the Queen's full attention to be upon him.

"I fail to see how an innocent pup, one who is clearly injured and cowering in fear, can be evil, sir."

"It's the Wolfo in it, m'lady. And it bit him," he added, gesturing to a man standing beside one of the Guards.

One of Zelda's golden-brown brows slowly rose as she pursed her lips. "Come here, sir, and let me see your wound."

The man scrambled to obey, all the more frightened from her calm command. He held out her hand, wincing as she turned it. "He broke the skin, but it does not appear to be deep. In fact, it barely bleeds. What I know of animal bites, especially those given in aggression, is that there is often severe tearing of skin and much blood. Yet before me I see a bite, painful to be sure, as his jaws contain much strength, but not severe. Certainly not severe enough to warrant a posse to catch him."

The man cradled his hand to his chest. "My Queen, h-he'll hurt you! It is fortunate he left your office before he could harm you. I would gladly take a thousand bites from such a vile beast if it meant sparing you pain. He must be killed immediately!"

Idly wondering when the men and women around her had become sycophants rather than people, she ever so slowly shook her head. "That vile beast, as you call him, is a puppy. If he did not harm me when I pulled him away from his dead mother, he will not harm me now. Truly, the only assurance I have of this fact is the past evening and this day. None can be sure of the future, ladies and gentleman, myself included."

A squeal of pain drew her attention from the group as a whole. Her head snapped to the side, her tassels whipping against her cheeks. The sight of her injured pup being held by the scruff of his neck, none too gently if his growing howls of pain were any indication, only stroked her ire. When the man holding him began to shake him, she snarled. "You shall not harm that dog a second longer lest you wish to face my wrath!" she roared.

As those gathered stared in shock at their normally passive Queen, Impa pushed her way through the gathering crowd. The site which met her set her teeth on edge. Her Charge, her mate, was slowly turning from red to purple. Her green eyes were nearly black, her pupils dilated with rage as she shook from the force of her control. White knuckles showed the strength with which she dug her nails into her palms. The air around her all but crackled as she restrained herself. Following her gaze, the Sheikah choked slightly.

The pup whined as he struggled in the vice grip which held him by the neck feet above the ground. The bandages around his side was spotted with blood and at least one of the stitches in his leg had come out. His eyes, like that of his savior, were dilated to the point of pure black. Yet where Zelda's eyes reflected rage, all that could be found in the mutt's gaze was primal terror.

"Give me the dog," she told the man as she neared him. Her red eyes met his brown orbs in challenge, daring him to disobey her. He held it out without hesitation. Impa cradled the pup to her chest as she turned to the infuriated Sage. She handed her the pup.

"Keta," she whispered as their hands brushed. "He is safe now, my love. Calm yourself."

"No," the Queen of Destiny hissed. Her eyes, the same eyes which for so many years always had held submission few would ever understand, now glowed with wrath beyond words. So great was her rage, even those oblivious to her fragile recovery could see the glint of insanity buried within the depths of her orbs.

"Someone tell me this instant why you all found it necessary to harm a defenseless and injured pup. A pup, might I add, who more than likely injured your comrade in an attempt of self-defense."

None spoke until her gaze landed upon the male Sheikah gathered. One of them murmured, his baritone timbre reaching their ears without waver. He met her eyes with humble confidence. "Wolfos are considered messengers of evil and destruction, much like the ReDead, my Lady. Unlike the Keatons, they are thought to be too primal and wild to be intelligent. Wolfo mutts are usually killed due to superstition, because to many, they represent bad luck and death upon any who shelter them."

She held his eyes as she calmed the pup. She knew the Sheikah, much like the Twili, regarded wolves as sacred. In a quiet tone, she asked him why he and his brethren would attack an animal they appeared to hold different beliefs of. She nearly laughed at the skill in which he explained he and his brethren were trying to give the pup some freedom. Sheikah may be many things, secretive and manipulators when circumstances called for it, but none could truthfully call them liars. They had too much pride and honor to sully themselves with untruth.

The pup stared at the two-leggers with fear. His heart thudded against his chest as the loud two-legger kept making the weird sounds. He pressed his head to her heart and put his paw over his head. She and the home-smelling two-legger had saved him. Even if he didn't really like them, they were better than the other ones. With a whimper, he pressed his ears to his head. He just wanted to explore. How was he supposed to know they would attack him? They'd been quiet, not as much as momma, but enough not to alert the two-legger that held him...not at first anyway.

Zelda ran a hand over his shaking body, careful of his wounds. She returned her attention to the group as a whole. "You all are idiots," she spat without an ounce of her normal indiscriminate tone. "While I normally keep my opinions to myself, this is not one of those times. To attack a pup you saw come out of my office, without thought of how he got there, and then to have to audacity to tell me to kill him..." She shook her head, at a loss for words. "You, the one who hurt my pup. You can either leave the castle permanently or move to the kennels. And you, with the broom...you can join him."

They stared in shock and fear as her eyes became colder by the second. She was giving them an ultimatum over a mutt?

"Yes," she hissed once more. "I am telling the two of you to either leave the castle or relocate because you listened to superstition instead of rational sense. You took it upon yourself to harass and injure a defenseless pup with your fear and mistrust, rather than trying to coax him out of hiding or leaving him be.

"I had thought the people of this land had learned their lesson when the war had ended. Does your Hero not also have a wolf form? Does my sister monarch, the Twilight Queen, not also take the form of a dark sprite? Are not many of those who fought against the despot's army different in appearance than us? You are all idiots for refusing to see past your petty discrimination. Ignorant fools, all of you! Shame on you. If you treat a pup this way, simply because of his origins, Goddesses help the child whose life you ruin when it needs you the most.

"We may be Hylian, but we are all Hyrulean. Created under the same sky, chosen and beloved: Hylian, Goron, Zora, Oocca, forest being and desert dweller, and those who exist beyond the realm of our borders. To harm one is to harm all." Her chest heaved as she stared upon the frightened people. "You shame us all- your country, the Goddesses, but above all, yourselves. Now get out of my sight!

"All of you!" she added as she noticed the Guard resuming their usual place.

Without waiting to see if they followed her order, she spun on her heel and returned to her office. The doors slammed behind her as she allowed her anger to flow. She cuddled the pup gently despite her wrath and sat curled in the corner with it.

It took nearly a half hour, and the tree-smelling female returning with the horse-smelling man, for the pup to lift his head from the loud female's chest. He snarled at the hand reaching towards him despite his fear. He could take one two-legger. He'd bite and bite and bite until they left him and his two-legger, Hylian she called herself, alone.

The veterinarian chuckled as Zelda held out the pup, not moving from her spot. He checked the stitches on both wounds and re-bandaged his side. "He did break a couple stitches, but the others are holding nicely so I don't see a reason to replace them. He may not have an appetite for a while due to the stress."

Zelda took the pup from the man the second he set him on the floor. She cuddled him again, nuzzling his neck. She smiled when he licked her cheek. "Good puppy." She kissed his head. "You need a name."

The trio looked at one another. Though her anger continued to simmer, it no longer threatened to break free. As she thought of a name for the rascal who apparently lived to make trouble, she wondered what he had been like in the woods with his mother.

The veterinarian rubbed his chin. "You know...he reminds me of the Garo."

"Garo." She rolled the name around her mind and let it fall from her tongue. Recalling stories of the Garo, she nodded.

"Garo it is."

The pup, Garo, looked at her. What was she making those weird noises and looking at him for? Garo...what was that? Realizing she was directing the odd sound at him, he laid his head back down. If that was what she wanted to call him, since there was no way she could say what momma named him, he'd answer. Maybe. If he felt like it.

Right now though, if that dinner-smelling male didn't get away, he wouldn't feel like anything but a snack. Just because he made the pain stop didn't mean he could stay. He growled in warning then smirked in pleasure when the male backed away. See, he could take on a single male. Give him time, he'd take on them all!

The three Hyruleans shook their heads and chuckled at the proud pup. The vet bade the women good evening and took his leave. He had new help to train after all.

Without a word, Impa sat beside Zelda on the floor. She kissed the younger woman's head when it rested upon her shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too. Thank you for rescuing Garo."

"You're welcome."

Garo looked up as the home-smelling female's scent got closer. Grumbling, he pushed his way between her and his Hylian. Momma said sometimes four-leggers like them had people to watch out for them...that his dad called them masters and mistresses. The good ones were nice, like the Hylian woman, who fed, cuddled and maybe played. They weren't always mean like the ones that grabbed his neck.

And by the great wolf, this-this-this forest-smelling female was not getting any closer to his mistress! If she wanted to cuddle with his two-legged female, like she just did with him, then she could at least bring her a big-eyed four-legger or even a small, big-eared fluffy thing. Until she brought dinner, she didn't get close. It was only fair.

Oblivious to his thoughts, Zelda and Impa watched him with matching grins. Really...it should be a crime for something that cute to be such a terror.

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AN: Thanks to StorytellerLore for not only helping plan this chapter, but also supplying Garo's name.

I recently received a review from an unsigned (meaning I couldn't reply) reader. I hadn't planned on posting this soon but decided to go ahead. Both I and my beta (StoryTeller Lore) have decided to reply to this.

To A Non-E-Mass,

You are correct when you say it is difficult to balance realism and pacing. Most of the time I let the story write itself, realism and all. I have an outline that is mostly used to keep track of the plans I have. I'm not a writer who can go off a script (outline/prompt) and over time I've learned to write for myself. I've learned that reader's input is valuable but should never be the basis of my story. And when I began Lotus Jewel, I kept that in mind. Thankfully, my readers are all very good with following the story and not asking me to change it.

She is insane to some degree most of the time, which I suppose is the same as crazy. The fact is that she has been broken and "put back together" by an evil psychopathic tyrant. He made her what he wanted her to be, for the most part. In front of others (anyone other than Link and Impa) she keeps her pain and true state of being hidden. It isn't for them to know, especially when it could be used against her. She is eccentric as you said. Very much so in fact. Point in fact: Garo.

Zelda and Impa forever! Unfortunately, there's not that many stories about them. And as much as I love reading them, I won't be writing a billion stories about them just to fill the void.

Thank you. In the beginning, I'd wanted Link to have problems. As the story developed, so did his relationship with Shad. Eventually Shad was given his own history (which will be revealed) that ties into Link's. Because this story is based no real people, events and their stories, I refuse to write a perfect/always happy/never hurting character. It doesn't happen.

I hadn't actually planned for the main characters to all be homosexual. It just...happened. The characters fit together. There will be at least one supporting heterosexual couple many many chapters from now. There are heterosexual characters (such as Mikal and at least some of the Sheikah). One of the reasons most of the main characters are homosexual/bisexual is because they're based on my friends/chosen family. Link was originally based off one man who is without a doubt homosexual. However, over time, as I used several others for his inspiration, a couple of my heterosexual friends helped shape Link in my mind. After Navi and Midna's wedding you'll see more of the heterosexual characters entering the story. And as for the realism, I don't think it takes away from it. The majority of my friends/chosen family are either bisexual (such as Impa and Shad) or homosexual. Only a few of us were "out" to each other before we became close friends. We didn't chose to be friends because of who we love, but because of who we are. So I don't believe it truly takes away from the story for the main characters to be homo- or bisexual. But as you said, everyone has their own opinion.

Again, thank you for the compliment. I would tell you what the name means but that would spoil the story. I ask you (and any other reader) who may know/look up the answer not to spoil it for other readers. I believe the symbolism is fitting.

Your review was in no way "douchey". It was very well written. I almost cried when I read it. It warms my heart to know what others think of my story and to hear in such detail how I'm doing as a writer.

Thank you,

HermioneSparta

A Non-E-Mass

First off, I would like to say thank you for your review. It was indeed well-written, a very constructive piece of criticism. Apart from my alpha receiving warm fuzzies, which makes my day, it gave me a small sense of pride as well. Because she really is doing a damn good job. You don't sound "douchey", so to speak at all, and you don't have to be a writer to give a good review.

She tries for realism, yes, and a good pace, and I try and make sure that the pace is kept, ask questions, such things. Sometimes we throw ideas but there are some chapters that, even if we've thrown ideas, write themselves. Sometimes a chapter might be too long, however a story should be told in as many words as need be said. If you add too little, then you're not giving all of the story; likewise if you add too much. Even if you have a story worth a page, if that's where it needs to be told in, then Bob's your uncle.

Zelda, I believe here, is crazy. And eccentric, sometimes happy, sometimes angry, sometimes needy, sometimes wanting, brave, afraid, hurt. She's, as we say, human. She's prone to make mistakes, make decisions, to try and live even when it's hard, to fall in love with the woman who's closest to her, to bring a wolfos pup into her home, and damn the world who stands in the way of that.

The story should not lose a realistic edge because the characters are homosexual. I can see where you're coming from. However, a relationship should be based on a comfort level, how comfortable you are with someone, even in those chaotic times. There are relationships, regardless of sexuality, that don't work but for some that do, it's not impossible or unrealistic to hope for that sense of comfort and trust elsewhere, and in this case, it's this story. Where Zelda can wake up next to Impa and have that rock against tumult, even if sometimes they don't agree. Where Link, problem-child though he is, can have someone who loves him, someone who is trying to protect him like Impa would do for Zelda.

To whom or what indeed...I was shocked with this one as well but each time that I read a chapter or reread the story, I find that the symbolism fits very well to it and everything just fits into place after that.

Many thanks,
StorytellerLore