PART TWO - THE SHADOW OF MY KIN
Link was in a sour mood.
It wasn't the attention from his inadvertent fame. The first night in Desmera hadn't been a pleasant one even when he'd been given the best room—his heroism had some merit in it. Though the nightmare had faded from his memory, he could still recall the terror it brought to him.
He shivered in the hot weather. It was just a dream. The sun rose a few hours ago, appearing red from the lines of the cliff like smoldering coals. The cliffs were jaggy, going around the back of the town and down on both sides like a rough shaped U, with the manor on its mountain at the very back. The dewy mound Link and Katie settled on wasn't too far from the town, somewhere in the weald. Here, no one bothered them during their lessons.
Bugs incessantly buzzed around him. Beetles were shoving a small rock and Link, often bored and cruel, took the rock and tumbled it down the hillside. His neck ached as his head hung down to look at the paper in front of him.
"Sometimes I can't believe you," Katie said as he wrote down the sentence diligently. "Seriously, I can't. I feel like I'm in a nightmare when I'm with you. Why did you do have to do that? He was so nice to us!"
Link fought against the urge to snap at her. Leaves fluttered around them, the branches were more like skeletons, doing little to fight against the powerful rays. They were exposed under the sun, and his head couldn't take more of that hammer of hers.
Link groaned softly. "When will you let it go?"
"I just can't believe you sometimes." She beamed angrily. "You better apologize when you see him again!"
Link ran his quill down to write the letter 'n' and her bold statement lead his quill to go astray. Him, apologizing? How will that help anyone? It's not going to solve anything.
"And what are you trying to write here?" she demanded. "That's not what we were practicing."
Link quickly crumpled up the paper much to her dismay, but he didn't want her to see that he was trying to emulate the fancy writing he saw on that framed contract. Papers weren't exactly cheap anymore, and so he was careful when he brought out another sheet.
He returned to writing in the same manner as she had taught him. He itched to move his quill faster, to have it dance on the paper like he's seen the innkeeper and many others do it, but the sprit kept stopping him. The only way he'd learn is if he went slow.
And so he did. Painfully. Excruciatingly. It led him to be clumsy and so each letter was fattened with ink, sloppy and out of shape. He figured he'd be better in writing, but it turned out to be way more different than sword fighting. In the first few lessons, he managed to poke holes into a few papers from pressing too hard, and the quill was still unfamiliar in his hand.
Though his writing showed little progress, he had graduated from reading little kids book to more advanced literature that older kids normally read in academies. Katie selectively chose stories that would interest him such as the Dragon's Demise, The Blue Kingdoms, and The Endless Seven Skies.
They were mostly for children nearing their preteens. Now he would never admit it, not without endangering his pride, but he really loved the stories. Goddammit. They were so pointless, just a bunch of made up silly stories for kids, but he found himself looking forward to reading lessons. He just can't wait for the sequel of Rainy Dance or another book by famous author Flair Windergood.
Katie also taught him a very unique sentence, one that actually contained all the letters of the alphabet. He didn't believe her until he checked it out for himself.
The quick fox ran over the brown dog, he recited in his thought as he carefully drew a capital 'Q'.
He couldn't read the books himself, though he wished he could. How pleasant would it be if he found a nice quiet spot, a bottle of sake at one side, a couple of apples at the other and just enjoyed himself for a peaceful moment? But he still needed to fix his pronunciations, and he still kept hesitating on each word.
Katie insisted that he had to take his time but he hated how slow it took him to reach a paragraph. He wanted to read properly, to let his eyes skip over the words, to be able to drink in the story the same way you hear it around a campfire. He'd seen kids read off signs without stopping to enunciate.
The idea of reading on his own excited him more than it should. He didn't like how quickly he was getting attached to literature but he really did want to start reading books his own age, namely those that don't shy away from exposing the dark side of reality. Heck, he could even try reading those thick books in the library. He could even try reading history books or even—
Link paused. Oh my words, he thought almost with dismay. What is happening to me? I'm starting to sound like some hippy scholar.
The hand that held the quill started to sore; he'd been writing for so long, he felt his hand would fall off. The heat wasn't helping him.
"Just take your time," she repeated. "Don't hold the quill too hard. You'll get it."
He clicked his tongue in frustration when he took a long look at his handwriting after he was done. It looked like someone wrote this with their other hand and with their eyes closed.
"When then?" he said impatiently, about to tear up his mistakes. He thought against it when she summoned her hammer.
"Don't use that tone with me." She reddened. "I swear, people are always trying to help but you never make it easy." This wasn't about literature anymore.
He groaned in exaggeration, dragging his free hand down his face. "Will you just let it go already? It's over."
"How can I let it go when you keep acting like a jerk all the time? You heard the apothecary; there are some people going through a lot worse."
He knew this argument could go on for hours, so he decided to do the mature thing and change the subject. He was hungry; there was a bakery and he wanted to check it out. Part of the truth was to elude a lengthy argument, and the other part was to mostly escape his lessons. Katie knew that, and wasn't happy about it. She told him that he will have a quick bite before visiting Lord Silas and offering his most sincerest apology.
Link grounded his teeth. This fairy was getting a little too comfortable in bossing him around. "Don't tell me what to do."
"I'm just saying—"
"I'll take my damn time."
She fumed. "If you want Lord Silas's help, you better not keep him waiting."
He scoffed at her but didn't say anything. As they strolled through town, Link was relived no one approached him. He saw people trudging along to their daily routines. The exhaustion wore them down like bricks on their shoulders.
There was one glancing over his shoulder every few minutes like he expected someone to jump him; another was a bundle of nerves, shaking and twitching, blinking rapidly as he kept looking around and rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes; and two more men were arguing with each other with two guards separated them.
The shining day seemed to be dimmed down by this despondent cloud looming over the town. There were many jewelry shops, but their display windows were shut and barred, as if warning off their customers.
He shivered at chilling breeze, watching a mother drag her kids inside of the house, ignoring how they whined about wanting to play. The streets were nearly empty and the lines of where the houses were in stacks looked ominous somehow, as if no one was living in them. No one but ghosts.
"I don't like this place," Katie muttered.
"It could be the monster attack." Something told him it was more than that. His teeth clenched when an icy wind touched him. "Damn, it's cold."
Katie looked as if she was about to say something until a woman and a little girl approached him. Unlike the others, they at least made an act to pretend like they were doing well. The woman looked at him keenly. "You're Link, right?"
"In the flesh," he said, watching the little girl hide behind her mother's skirt. The child had a braid that started from the top of her hair and sloped down the side of her face, resting on her shoulder, and dangling just above her waist. She wore a red shirt overlapped by a worn out jumper.
With a winsome smile, he went down on one knee, crocking his head so he could take a better look. "And who is this little flower?"
The mother smiled as she patted the child's head. "You saved her yesterday. Now what do you say, love?"
The little girl peeked out, still glued to her mother's side. "Thank you," she said.
The mother looked at Link with gratitude. "Yes, thank you so much. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up."
He could tell she was having a hard time thinking about it. He stood up, patting the dirt from his pants. "Don't mention it."
"My father-in-law is one of the apothecaries. You've met him the night before, right? He said that the best time for you to visit his lordship is an hour from now." She pointed over one of the buildings. "A carriage would be waiting for you near the inn and he said he'll be waiting for you at the manor."
"That's nice of him," Katie said and the child looked at her with awe.
The mother paused as if trying to remember something. "Oh and he said it would be better if you hurried. He mentioned Viktor would probably rebuff you at the door."
Yeah, he'd also call the guards on his ass. "Thanks for the tip," he said. "Is there a good place around for a quick bite?"
"Actually, I have a friend who sells the best cherry pies. Just down the street, you can't miss it." The woman hesitated. "Actually, you might want to take the other way around though."
"Why?"
"Mad Frank is close by."
"Who?"
She seemed a bit uneasy. "He's a bit of a loony around this part. He's mostly harmless but it's best to stay clear of him."
Link had a feeling that she was talking about the man from last night. Out of all the gloominess that seemed to have dragged Desmera down, a man scourging through trash had shown Link a simple act of welcome by waving at him. The guy didn't strike him as a loony. But of course people would think you were crazy if you didn't act like them.
Katie thanked her and when they left, she said, "People call him Mad Frank?"
"Well, you have to give crazy people names, right?" He tried not to let that bother him. The heat returned, prickling his skin with sweat.
As they walked down an incline, which was more of a natural bulky hill covered by a blanket of cobblestones, he spotted the loony. Mad Frank wasn't that hard to miss when he was the only one on the street digging for gold in the alleyway. Some villagers wearing woolen clothes came out from a store and immediately took the sidelines that was opposite of him. They didn't even look at him when they did that, as if the act of avoiding him was so natural.
Upon the sight of him, Katie glowed green. "Ew! Why's he doing that?"
"Could it be that maybe he doesn't have money for luxuries?"
She missed the sharpness in his tone. "Why doesn't he get a job then?"
With the addition of 'Mad' in front of his name, people wouldn't be very keen to hire the man.
"Hey, you," Link called out.
Katie gasped, horrified. "Link, don't! What's wrong with you?"
The man didn't hear him. Link went in closer and called for him again. Frank had a thick black beard, and small beady eyes. Unlike the rest of the people, he gave Link a smile. He clapped his hands from the dirt and came out from the dim alleyway. He was what you'd expect of the homeless: haggard, tattered shirt, worn out shoes, unkempt hair, and an unpleasant odor. Yet, the smile seemed to have the opposite effect of the appearances, making him look friendly..
"Morning," the man said, sizing Link up. "You came here just yesterday? Boy, you gave folks a lot to talk about, didn't you?"
Wow, so normal. No wonder he's insane, Link thought wryly.
"Guess you could say that," Link replied, ignoring Katie's querulous color. The man's clothes were a patchwork of rags held together by fastened ropes. "You're Mad Frank I take it?"
"I'm quite famous, aren't I?"
"I know the feeling."
"Can we please leave?" Katie begged in his ear.
Frank gave him a smile, but his eyes were clouded. "Be careful of the Haidruned's, kiddo."
Link's eyebrows furrowed. "What's that suppose to mean?"
"The dad's a good fellow and his son's from the same cloth but I can't say about the uncle. You'll want to watch out for that gambler."
"I don't get it." Katie looked at both of them.
Link did and that was enough. Nodding to the man, Link and Katie went on their way. He noticed a few stares, though people turned away when he eyed them. Katie didn't seem to notice it. "Weird man," she muttered. "Someone like him shouldn't be walking around freely."
He would have said something sardonic until a lovely smell pacified him. His mouth watered. Something was baking and damn did smell delicious. The bakery was found just around a corner, a tall, squared building with faded blue paint.
The air inside was hot, saturated with sweets. The place seemed to glow inside. Here, you have some remnants of the town where people were at least trying to go back to normal. Several of the tables were occupied, there were conversations with laughter, friendly arguments, rupees spilled on the table.
A young woman stood behind the counter. Her eyes brightened when she saw a new costumer.
"I'll have whatever that smell is," he told her promptly, fishing out his rupees. Katie glowed a hopeful color, and he sighed. "And a jug of water."
The woman smiled. "So I take it you want our cherry pie?" Her eyes were mirthful.
Leaning on the counter with a smooth smile, he said, "For a second, I thought it was from you."
The girl's smile dropped. "Do you want it or not?"
"Sheesh, touchy."
"And how would you feel when you have people come in just to gawk at you?"
Link could've said something witty until he remembered how people stared at him in the streets. "Eh. Point taken. I'll take it." He smiled charmingly. "The pie I mean."
She frowned, eyeing him as if to see what he was playing at. Then she went over to fetch the last pie that was out on display. Link rubbed his hands eagerly.
"It's for twenty five," she said, and paused. "But for saving our town I'll take ten." She placed the pie in front of him, about to put it in a box but he told her he didn't need it. He was ready to dive in. He stuffed the water jug in his bag and turned to the door.
"Link, you dropped a rupee," Katie told him.
It clinkered on the ground just as he turned around. He sighed. His wallet was starting to show its weather.
The warm, pleasant atmosphere of the bakery, very fragile if you think about it, was abruptly shattered when a loud voice snapped, "What do you mean you're out?!" Link nearly dropped his pie. The other voices in the room hushed at once.
He picked up his red rupee and turned to see the commotion. A short pugnacious man fumed at the young girl who didn't flinch. She just looked annoyed. "I just sold the last one, sir—"
"I want my pie now! You know I always frequent here!"
"I will be making another one so if you could just—"
"Shut your mouth when I'm speaking!" he bellowed, and it only flared the girl's eye. Seeing her defiance, he shocked her by grabbing a fist of her hair. "You want to talk to him instead?"
A man stood next to him. This one was a hand taller, bearing no interest over the dispute. He had to be in his thirties at least with flat, dark hair and dark eyes, and with an odd looking silver earring on his upper earlobe. There was one thing that Link discerned about the stranger and it told him enough. Although the man looked bored, he had a cautious hand rested on the hilt of the sword that hung at his hip. If someone like him was on his guard even at a place like this, then it could only mean he was trouble.
The costumers glanced at each other worriedly. Link sighed. Of course, they were all just waiting for someone to step up. The girl held out a fight of her own, cursing at the man and trying to shove him back. The man shook her head roughly. "Who did you sell it to?" he demanded.
"Your mom. That's who," she shot back, gritting her teeth. "You let me go right now!"
"Link, we have to do something!" Katie said. The sunlight didn't reach here for her to interject.
The sword man wearing the sliver earring noticed Link. He saw the pie then smiled, and tapped his boss's shoulder. "I think I found our culprit."
The man released the girl, and his friend gestured over at Link. "Hand it over, boy," the pugnacious man hissed. His hair was thick black, curly and unkempt. Despite his slovenly appearance, he had a straight posture, an air about him that only the ritziest nobles showed—arrogance, demanding, thinking that the world existed only to make them happy.
Glancing over at Katie's red orb, Link knew that she was thinking the same thing. With a smile, Link ostensibly obliged, proffering the steaming pie. When the man got close enough, Link shoved the whole thing in his face. There were startled cries from the crowd, some were just gob smacked. The man shrieked, stumbling back. The plate clattered on the ground, throwing up bits of gelatinous cherry.
"Straight from the oven. Hope you enjoy," Link said with a chuckle.
The sword man didn't seem concerned for his boss, only amused. "Now aren't you a darling one?" he said with a grin.
"Hey, he had it coming."
His boss stood up, hissing through his teeth as he wiped a smear of pie from his. With darkened eyes, he pointed a thin finger at Link. "Banard, kill this bastard."
Costumers took this as a clue and left. Others stayed behind, curious and even excited.
The swordsman, Banard, took out his sword with a gloved hand, and Link followed. He could hear people crying out for the guards. He better settle this quick. He had an audience with a noble and wasn't going to miss it.
However, before he could strike first, the most stupid thing happened to him. His foot slid off from the ground by the slime of the pie. He didn't have time to recover as the back of his head collided with the edge of the counter. The last thing he heard was Katie's voice shouting and heavy footsteps thundering nearby.
o-o-o-o
Someone kicked him awake. "Get up. You're in my spot."
Link groaned, rolling to his stomach. He opened his groggily eyes, wincing at the smell. It smelled like rotten eyes and spoiled milk. The first thing he saw was a forest of legs and old shoes. He got to his feet but sat down when a sudden shock of pain splintered his head.
It was like an oven in here. The raunchy smell made him nauseated and dizzy. There were dozens of men here, old and older. Link saw a few men with that cold distant look in their eyes. Some of them had been here for a while. A few were up and pacing about restlessly, looking as if they were waiting for someone to collect them.
There were several cells nearby but all of them were empty. All but theirs, which was so crowded that you had to be careful when walking around lest you get punched for stepping on the wrong toes. The bars were old, crusted with rust, and in the afternoon light that slanted through the barred windows, you could see silvery lines. They were obviously from escape attempts.
He groaned softly, rubbing his pounding head as he tried to remember exactly what happened. There was that man who was being a prick, a guy with the sword and then a pie. Did he really fought over a measly thing like that?
And most importantly: did he actually lose to that?
Shit, this is embarrassing. He was kind of glad he was in jail.
The burning stares of the inmates were becoming annoying. Men who were here the longest tended to take advantage over the weak. He was like new meat to them. He shot them a look of his own, and they knew immediately that it wasn't his first time being locked up. You need to let them know that quick and be firm about it.
The first time he got arrested was when he got accused for stealing. They threw him in a dank cell to scare him into confession, and when he didn't talk for the longest time they opened the door, thinking that they might've done a mistake. He wasn't intimidated by anyone here. Heck, he could beat them all on his own with his—
Oh shit.
"Hey, where's my sword?!" He shoved his way to the bars. No sign of guards. "Give me back my sword!"
The idea that someone had taken it from him when he was unconscious wasn't just infuriating but horrifying. That was as bad as undressing him. The inmates were startled by the outbursts, then glowered, hissing at him. He didn't care. None of them could understand. Ever since that bloody thing started working again, he had this quiet fear in him that it would stop working again.
"We tried everything you're doing," a man told him when Link started to pull the bars back. "You're not going anywhere."
Link knew that. The silvery lines skidded at the bars told him enough. Still, he had too much energy, and he exhausted himself on a few more tries. His stomach rumbled and he longed for that pie.
Where's Katie? He wondered. Did that ass have her? Was he planning to sell her? Fairies were rare; they fetch a high price.
If she doesn't split his head first, he thought with a wry smile.
"It's not that bad," the same man said to him when Link slid off the wall and sat down in defeat.
"What can be worse than losing all my shit and being locked up in here with you lots?"
Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say. He could easily be overwhelmed. He could take a few but without his sword he was like a shark with no teeth. But he was just fumbling with frustration, his tongue spitting out words without his mind double-checking.
A few shot him glared but the man easily dismissed them. "Who knows? You could be out of here in an hour."
True. Jail wasn't permanent. It was just a place they throw you in until they decide what to do with you. He could be given a trail, could be set free. Prison was something you need to worry about.
"Who'd you piss off?" The man asked. "I could tell you're the reckless type."
Link shrugged. "Don't know his name but the guy got it coming." The social status between him and the man must've been large enough if Link ended up in a cell just for throwing a pie at his face. He tried not to think about it too much. "How long was I out for?"
"About a couple hours." The man was pretty built with blacksmith muscles ripping on his arms and a square jaw. A scar ran down his eye, white in the sunlight. "You took a big hit."
Link winced. The man was looking at him almost impressed. Link felt no need to correct him. Tripping on pie wouldn't exactly help his reputation.
Feeling the cool, empty air on his back made him restless. "I need to speak to the guards," Link said urgently, already feeling embarrassed for asking. Every word that came out of his mouth has already been so many times to the point where the guards would just sigh. It was the newbies who acted like idiots. Link knew the rules, but he was too worried to care.
The man snorted. "Come on, kid. I can tell you've been places like this before."
"I know," Link chided. He gritted his teeth. "Goddammit."
He had to think about this. He needed to be smart. Who knows how long he was going to stay here? In just a matter of minutes, he already alienated himself from the other inmates. Fighting and whining on the first day was fatal for some. You don't know how on edge some people are, how quick they were to silence anyone that were irritably clueless. You don't know how many friends this person has or how much influence he held over the guards. The smartest thing he should do is keep his head down and take notes.
All this happened because I wanted pie, he thought idly, and his fingers started to twitch. When I get my hands on that bastard—
He took a deep breath to calm himself down. From over the corner he could hear some men talking. "Din's flames take me. Couldn't get any sleep."
"Yeah. Haven't had a decent sleep in ages."
Link looked up at the man who had first spoken to him. "How long will I be in here for? Or is the pyramid busted?"
The man grinned. "Busted and corroded to hell. Since the Lord died, monsters keep the guards busy and we're lucky if they still remember to feed us. Say, where you from anyways? You've got a Necluda's vibe on you, I can tell."
"Long story."
Necluda was where he formed his gang. He then left them once Ages fell ill, and didn't look back.
He felt a sudden chill and turned to see a man staring intensely at him. The gaze was nerving as he seemed more haunted, frustrated.
"Don't mind him," the man said. "Some guy they brought in months ago. Won't speak to no one. Anyways where was I? Oh yes, I have a friend up Necluda. He's got a snappy tone on him but let me tell you he's a—"
He stopped when the men all around them, once languid like tired workers, froze at the sounds of urgent footsteps thundering toward their cell. The prisoners that were on the ground sprang up, and began to shout and yell, beating against the bars. The bars rattled and rang. It looked as if it would fall forward but it held strong. Link was forced to move with the wave of the prisoners as they were pushed forward.
They settled down when the guard gave the bars a few whacks. "Quiet! The lot of you!"
The nose wasn't doing well for Link's head. He couldn't even see anything. It was jungle of bushy hairs, smelly men, shoving shoulders and nudging elbows.
"I'm calling out for someone named Link!"
Link raised a hand. "Present." He shoved his way through, ignoring the resentful looks. Next to the guard was Katie flickering green. She changed to gold at the sight of him, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't glad to see her too. Much to his surprise, Lord Silas happened to be there.
He looked old in that gloomy black robe of his rather than that nice vest. He hid it well, but he was a bit disturbed at how the prisoners shot out their arms through the gaps, shouting and spitting.
"Can you please release him?" Silas asked.
The guard nodded, had a hand on his hilt, sending a warning look over a the cell. "I'm opening this here door and if someone other than Link gets out they'll be losing a hand."
There were some that were desperate to try anyways. Fingers shot out from the gap of the door the moment the guard unlocked it. There were shrieks. A man clutched his hands, raising it to show blood gushing out from the fingerless stumps.
Taking his chance now, Link lunged forward, and fell out. The guard grabbed him, throwing him back and was about to slam the door when a man got out free, the same man Link spoke to. His eyes, crazed at the corners, fixed on Silas and they hardened. He was too fast for the guards but not fast for Link.
The man nearly had Silas but Link grabbed the back of his head and slammed him straight at the ground. "Can't let you mess with my ticket to freedom," Link said archly.
The guard seemed aghast. "Apologizes, Lord Silas. It's hard to control them these days."
The man kept cursing as a few guards were onto inmate, strapping him down and throwing him back. The inmate didn't go down quietly and it took a few more guards to settle him.
Silas nodded, a bit shaken. "No trouble at all."
"Are you okay?" Katie asked him.
"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Silas turned to Link. "Link, I'm afraid we're in dire need of your help again."
"Monsters?" Link asked.
"Yes, in larger groups. My forces can't take this any longer."
"My Lord!" Someone shouted over the chaos, voice lost. It was that same man with the haunted gaze, the one who had just stared. He looked frantic now, eyes wide as his hand reached out through the gaps. Whatever he said didn't reach them as he was shoved back.
Link eyed the guards. "I want my shit back."
When they gave him his pouch, he quickly went through it to see if all things were accounted for. The scale of Naydru, Hank's battered invention, elixirs, map, the crystal from the Pirate's gem. The only problem was the sword. Now that the leather cover was gone, everyone could see the glory of the sword. The scabbard was intricate with golden outlines, curly as it ran down the shaft with patterns of the triangle.
Silas gasped. "Is that—"
"You want my help or not?"
He blinked at the question. "If you would."
"You'll be buying me breakfast then." Link crackled his knuckles, shooing Katie when she insisted on hurrying.
"Of course. But please we must hurry."
It was chilly out. The air was fresh against his face, pleasant after spending so long in that oven they call a jail. Monsters broke through the lines of defense, spilling out from the narrow streets into the wide area. He cursed. He knew them to tantalize people but this was out of hand. They weren't doing this out for survival, but seemed enraged like this plundering was an act of revenge.
Silas was horrified by the chaos as he watched his soldiers struggle. "Please, you have to help them!"
"Yeah, yeah, leave it to me."
"Lord Silas, what are you doing here?!" It was Captain Grey in his golden plated armor. It clanged as he came up to them, out of breath. His dark skin was slick with sweat despite the cold weather. "You shouldn't be out here."
"Grey, have your guards really arrested Link?" Silas asked sharply.
Grey blinked, looking at Link then back at his Lord. "He was arrested? I didn't give an order for that."
"It was that ugly man!" Katie insisted. "He wanted to kill Link but when the guards came along he told them to drag him away instead!"
"What man?" Silas asked.
Link crossed his arms and jutted his chin out. "That man."
The man of the hour looked like he was going to have a heart attack. The constant attack of the monsters had him festinating over to them. The chilling wind pulled back at his robe, making it flap at his legs. He gaped when he noticed Link. "What's he doing here?"
"That explains it," Grey muttered.
"It's you! How dare you!" Katie snapped.
Silas sighed tiredly. "Uncle Tristan," he said with reluctance. "Nice to see you again after so long."
So this is the one cut out from the cloth, eh? Link thought. Seems about right.
Link smiled tightly. "Hey, thanks for the visit by the way. I had so much fun."
Tristan's face showed signs of blisters from where the hot pie hit him. The man jabbed a finger at Link, looking at Grey. "Arrest him at once!"
The captain arched an eyebrow. "I'll take a guess: you've threatened to have my men sacked, right? That's a bold move, Lord Tristan."
"You can't talk to me that way!"
"Uncle," Silas said firmly. "Have you really arrogated Link's arrest? What gave you that right?"
"Yeah!" Katie chimed in.
Tristan was outnumbered but he didn't care. His jaw clenched tightly. "He deserved to get his hands cut."
Silas was taken back. "We need his help! Having him maimed won't solve anything. The town is under sieged or haven't you noticed?"
There were men crying out as Bokoblins swung their weapons. The monsters weren't taking anything. They weren't here for loot; they were here to kill.
Link waved a hand. "Hey, the more we talk—"
Tristan made a sharp gesture at his nephew. "The town's been under sieged for weeks now, boy, and I don't see you doing anything about it. Maybe people are right and you are too young to lead."
Silas stiffened but it was Katie who came to his rescue, beaming like a bright coal. "Don't you speak to him that way, you dummy! This good noble is doing everything he can! You're just mad that Link got the best out of you!"
"Who in Din are you?"
"I'm the fairy of the Goddess and if you try to mess with Link or me then you'll be talking it with my hammer!"
Link was growing tired of this. The monsters never seem to get tired no matter how much the soldiers take down. Tristan was about to speak but Link cut him off, "Listen, jackass, why don't you just shut up before I fix your teeth?"
Tristan's eyes flared. "You—"
"Enough!" Silas snapped.
"He insulted me," his uncle hissed. "You'd ought to have him in a cell—"
"Be silent or I'll have you in a cell," Silas said hotly. Tristan went quiet, shocked. "My people are in danger. The town is in danger. I don't have time to suffer you." He let out a breath and faced Link. "Are you ready?"
Grey's eyebrows furrowed. "Ready for what?"
"He'll be fighting the monsters for us."
Grey seemed taken back. "My men are doing that right now."
"Your men are losing," Silas said curtly without looking at him. He watched the siege go on. The ubiquitous monsters were spreading, going at the intersections that lead to several of the markets. "I can't allow any more casualties if Link could handle the monsters on his own."
The captain tried to protest, "Silas—"
"Grey, this is not a request," Silas said sharply. "Have your men retract at once and let Link deal with this. I want them working on clearing the area and seeing to the casualties. I'll expect a full report afterwards."
Link noticed that the captain didn't address Silas formally. Seems like these two have a history together. The captain stared at the youth lord for a moment, as if he didn't recognize him, before reluctantly nodded. Turning to Link, the captain began to say, "Now you watch your back. These things are a lot quicker—"
"I got it already." Link saw that Tristan had already left. No doubt his pride took a big hit.
Grey's eyebrows rose up to his hairline when he saw the Master Sword's resplendent light. If Link didn't know any better he could guess the sword missed him. He wasn't planning on ever letting anyone take it away from him.
Like an unfettered wind helped back for so long, he rushed in on his enemies. Being in jail even for a short period of time had made him longing for freedom. The sword left a blue, fading trail behind it like luminous mist. It went through the monsters like butter, no recoil, no need to brace himself. In was adroit in his hands, knowing when to be light, knowing when to be heavy, when to be swift but it was always deadly.
He used his hookshot to bring any enemies close by. He didn't want to give them a chance to retreat. He wanted to use the sword longer, to paint the air in its blue light. Deep into the battle, Link enjoyed himself too much that he nearly missed the Moblin approaching from the side. Katie's warning helped him react a little faster. But counteracting the attack left him in the opening. A Moblin tried to seize the opportunity but a silver sword pierced into its back and jutted out its chest.
It was that bastard Banard smiling cheekily at him. His silver earring glinted in the light. "Need a hand?"
"Go away," Katie said unkindly.
"Not talking to you, sprit."
Link would've repeated what Katie said until a fresh horde of archers brought down a sharp rain on them. Link was stunned at first, not by the monsters but by Banard. The man moved with a frightening speed. He didn't use a shield like Link but instead ran with his thin sword extended at his side, tip nearly touching the ground. Arrows broke from their shafts, splintering and falling dead at his feet. The two swordsmen made an unspoken truce as they punctured through the enemy rank.
Banard was no ordinary swordsman. Link couldn't place a finger on it but something was terribly familiar about the way the man preformed his fighting technique. That, and the earring hanging on his lobe. Where had he seen that before?
Then came the man's skills. His hands were expectedly dexterous; he moved as if he was dancing, every step was perfect, just right. This was the skill of someone who had been fighting much longer than Link.
The monsters retreated. Link, out of breath, exhausted from hunger, dizzy from being under the sun, didn't give chase. Around them, the villagers cheered. Link sheathed his sword, not taking his eyes off of Banard who brushed the flakes off his shoulder.
"Who is he?" Katie muttered nervously.
Banard walked up to him. "Nicely done, kid."
"I could've handled that," Link said peevishly.
"Yeah, but you could've slipped. We can't have that, could we?"
Link's energy suddenly returned to him as he stepped forward, his sword glowing at his side.
Banard waved a placating hand, chuckling deeply. "Relax. Just needed a warm up." He smiled and turned with a wave. "Don't be too careless now. Take care."
The man was baiting him, trying to wind him up. Link would've fallen for it if he didn't hear someone calling out his name.
Rushing over to them was Silas, his black robe ruffling. Witnessing the fight seemed to have revitalized him. His face had color with a smile cracking on it. "Link, that was incredible!"
Link just chuckled. Silas was a reserved kid but he had an interesting, childish side to him. The way he looked at Link was much like his gang when Link did the impossible. Remembering that killed Link's mood. "It's not a big deal."
"Not a big deal? You've completely annihilated all of them!" Then, he noticed Grey and caught himself. "Of course my soldiers fought just as hard as well."
Grey looked like he wanted protested but then he saw the area speckled with flakes. There had been dozens and now they were none, in only a matter of minutes. He could only sighed. "We haven't lost anyone today so I'll say it was good of you to bring him."
Katie giggled. "Happy to help. Right, Link?"
"Sure. Whatever. Can I eat something now?" He yelped when she brought out her hammer. For a little thing, she sure could swing that thing easily. "What?"
"Stop using that tone with his lordship!"
"I don't see him complaining!"
Silas and Grey were surprised to see the hammer. Silas smiled. "It's quite alright, Katie. If anything, I owe Link an apology on behalf of my uncle. Rest assured, you're vindicated."
Link didn't care for that; he was starving. Grey went ahead to call for a carriage, and when he was out of earshot, Silas spoke more softly so that no one could hear him. He looked flushed, seeming much like a young boy than someone who had threatened to toss his uncle in cell. "I'd like to…apologize for how our evening ended yesterday. It was unbecoming of me."
Katie glowed softly. "That wasn't your fault. It was this idiot—" She used her hammer right on Link without a warning. "—who should be sorry. Aren't you now?"
Silas jumped. Link hissed in pain, rubbing his head. This fairy was going to get it. She looked like she was going to fustigate him again and so Link said, "Okay, sorry!"
"I um didn't know fairies could use that," Silas said with a nervous smile.
Katie giggled and—to Link—it sounded a little sinister. "Call it a new development."
Link snorted. "New development. Sure. Gah!"
"What was that?"
"Nothing! Nothing!"
"Thought so."
Silas chuckled. He looked brighter somehow, as if his face had been foggy and was now clear. "Now that this little misunderstanding is cleared, I have a proposition for you, Link. I've already discussed it with Katie here but I think it's appropriate to get you something to eat."
Katie glowed yellow and orange, which told Link enough about this 'proposition.' If it was enough to get her jubilated, then it meant he was going to hate it. In the carriage, Silas was on the edge of his seat, his eyes laced with worry as they glanced over the window. Link recalled that exulting tomfoolery from earlier, and wondered how much of a burden this lordship duty took out of Silas.
He still looked pale, his eyes a sharp, stark grey in a white mask. He still had dark circles around his eyes and his fingers wrung nervously.
In the daytime, Link got to see the weald a little better. It was much thicker than he would have thought with trees in groups, their heads like fat bushes, eating up the sky. The tips of pine trees rose at the peaks of the mountains, covering the mountain. There were sharp ridges in the area that weren't so fertilized. He wondered how it was like, to have such a small manor sequestered away from the town through this thick forest.
But then again Desmera was sequestered from the world with its rough geography and its scorching weather.
When they arrived at the manor, the bumps on the carriages finally ending, Viktor looked like he wanted to throttle his lord. At the sight of Link, he spluttered, "You?"
"Nice to see you too." Link grinned. "Where's my breakfast?"
Silas walked past the butler. "Have Sally prepare an extra plate. Link's been busy."
Viktor straightened up. "Lord Silas—"
Silas kept on walking, going up the steps. "I'm getting awfully tired of repeating myself. I'm sure you recall that we've already discussed this."
"And so we have." Viktor's tone held an edge, not too conspicuous as he fell a step behind them with hands clasped at his back.
Link found it hard to focus on anything when his stomach was making noise. Being wrongfully imprisoned and then sent out to fight could do that to you. The brightness of the day banished the dark corners of the manor, showing off the polish of the wood, the long marbled tables, the adorned curtains that billowed back from a gust of wind.
Despite the small staff, he couldn't find a speck of dust on the paintings nor on the antiques put out on display. The manor was small with humble beginnings, impressive. Though not everyone could agree on him. From the corner of his eyes, he caught a dissatisfied color that reflected Katie's feelings.
Somehow, the manor seemed a lot better than it had in the night. At night, it felt as if the dead roamed around. It was ominous, the silence so dreadful it was almost as if the world had vanished.
Silas lead him the way. Katie went further ahead to inspect the paintings. Statues of knights stood at either side of the wall to greet them. The table had been set up, and Link sat down at once, piling his plate with food. Sally was there, setting the plates down. Unlike Viktor who at least tried to emote civility, the maid didn't hide her feelings from Link.
Her eyes were sharp, shooting looks over at him when she thought he wasn't looking. Link could've snapped at her but Viktor was quicker, sending her away to tend to other chores.
They didn't start speaking until Link ate enough that his stomach didn't feel like it was squeezing in on itself. "So what's this 'proposition' of yours?" he asked, popping an orange slice in his mouth.
Silas and Katie exchanged a look. The young lord folded his hands, looking astute. He didn't touch any of the food. "I want you to defend my town."
A piece of orange lodged into Link's throat. He patted his chest softly, trying to clear his airway. On Katie's advice, he drank some water and cleared his throat. "What?"
An uneasy smile came on Silas's face. "Katie told me how you need the red tunic in order to reach the Goron's, correct?"
Link eyed the blushing fairy. "What else did she tell you?"
"Only that you needed the tunic." Silas seemed unsettled. Lines on his forehead grew deeper. "You've seen it yourself. The monsters keep importuning us with abnormal regularity. I don't know much more of this my people could take. Without the support of the monocracy, we're left on our own." Silas already knew Link's first concern. "It won't be permanent," he added quickly. "Just for the time being. That's all I ask."
Viktor walked in with a jug of water. He knew about this and looked just as unhappy about the arrangement as Link.
Link took in a deep breath. "For how long then?"
Silas looked over at his butler. "I have sent missives to the nearby villages to recruit sell swords, mercenaries, and to buy food stock. It would be reasonable to wait a fortnight for their response. Until then, I ask that you lend us your strength."
"What's in it for me?"
"I'll do everything in my power to get the red tunic."
Link frowned. "You sound like you don't have it."
Silas deflated; he looked so tired all the time, Link couldn't help but feel bad for the guy.
"It was…" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "It had been stolen before my birth. My…my father had done everything he could to find it. You see, the red tunic was an heirloom given to my family centuries ago. There are paperwork done regarding my father's sleuth for it, also theories on its whereabouts. I'll have people look into it, but I'm afraid I can't make you any promises. Though if you do accede to my proposition, you will be compensated one way or another."
"I don't want money though." Link wanted to argue but he didn't have anything substantial to argue about. If what Silas said was true then this was out of his hands. "It could be on the other side of the country for all we know."
"Not likely," Viktor joined in. "Yes, his investigation was mostly without much proof but Lord Lawrence strongly surmised that the attire is still in this town."
Upon hearing of his father, Silas bowed his head down. "Yes, it's somewhere here." He closed his eyes for a moment then lifted his head up, eyes determined. "I promise you I will do everything I could to bring it back if you do this for me."
Don't make promises you can't keep, Link wanted to tell him. It would be useless though. Link knew Silas was the kind of person who would bite through steel when he gave his word.
"And," Silas added, "I'll even make a search for your missing horse. A red horse with white mane, correct?"
"Epona." Katie sounded hopeful. "It doesn't sound like a bad idea, Link."
"Yeah, but we're will I be staying?" Link asked.
It was a good question. He didn't know if he had enough to keep him fed and under a roof, even with his little fame growing. Considering they'd be here for a while, he might as well join Mad Frank on the streets.
"No need to worry for that," Silas said. "The barracks with the other soldiers is suitable enough. I'll write to the captain—"
"Nope. Not happening." Link ignored Viktor's sharp eyes. But this butler wasn't the only one who found him disdainful. Link knew how Grey and the other soldiers felt about him. They won't be too thrilled when they see him taking over his jobs, and he wasn't planning on dealing with their wounded pride on a regular basis.
"Well, umm—" Silas cleared his throat. "I'm not sure how we could proceed…" His eyes lit up. "Why don't you stay here then?"
Viktor gaped. "Isn't that a bit rash?"
"No offense, Lord Silas," Katie started to say, "but wouldn't it be better if Link was closer to the town?"
Link raised a hand. "Hey, if I'm doing this it's going to be on my terms. I don't want to be stuck with a bunch of people." She glowered at him but Silas hummed.
"Then I'll have a room arranged for you if that will make you comfortable," Silas said and looked at him firmly. "On the condition that you familiarized yourself with the town as well as make hourly visits."
Link crossed his arms with a sigh. "Anything else?"
Silas showed his hands. "Well, all I need is your word."
It might be longer than two weeks. This would be a long walk for him, but what else could he do?
He reclined back in his seat, chewing on another orange slice. Silence sunk into the room like sand in the water as he thought. He could see Silas fidgeting around, undercurrent by anxiety and restlessness. He looked at Link hopefully almost desperate. Link finished his orange and reached out for another.
"Fine," Link said finally, peeling the fruit with his dagger. He wasn't looking at Silas. "I'll be your guard dog. Just make sure I don't see that uncle of yours."
Silas let out a held in breath, smiling widely. "Of course. Thank you."
"And that Banard too." Thinking about him just pisses him off. "What's the deal with him?"
"You don't know? Banard is a hired mercenary from the Silver Company."
Now it came to him. That earring was a symbol—a silver one. It was a mark. Link straightened in his seat. "No shit?"
Katie was also too surprised to reprimand him. "Really? A silver sword?"
A man from the country's most lethal mercenary company. The silver earring was proof of that. Link did remember seeing those on other mercenaries when they offered him to join them. How could he forget about them?
"He's the formidable bodyguard to Lord Tristan." Viktor made a face as he said that, like he tasted something he didn't like. "Fortunately, you won't be seeing those two for a while."
"I know my uncle can be unpleasant," Silas said apologetically. He shook his head with an exasperated sigh. "I can't believe he accused you of throwing pie in his face. What kind of nonsense—"
"Oh it's not nonsense. That actually happened," Katie said frankly before catching herself. "My lord."
Silas seemed a bit loss for words as he turned to his butler for support. Link grinned rubbing his hands. "Food is great here. A guy can get used to this. Monsters won't be a problem so long as I'm around." He got up, taking one an apple and spoke through his bite. "If you see your uncle again, tell him I won't be using pie next him."
He could already hear Katie apologizing on his behalf. The look on Viktor's face though was priceless! It'll be a long job so he might as well get some fun out of it. It might not be a bad idea.
Now there was only the matter of finding Misko. Link knew the bastard was in town somewhere. He could ask Silas to track him down but Lord goody two shoes might not allow some…experiments to take place. No, Link planned to do some things on his own and that included getting payback along with his hard-earned medal.
Link reminded Sally so much of those recalcitrant louts who think they own the world. He was the very kind of person she feared Silas would become. But no, her sweet Lord was better than that. Even his father admitted that his son was a far better person than he could ever be.
So sweet, so humble, under such terrible burden. Silas was prone to making rash decisions and quick judgment when placed in duress, which was why he often went to the town on his own. It worried her endlessly. He was intelligent, no doubt about that, but he didn't seem to understand: people aren't as he thought they were.
Lord Silas went out his way to make sure Link was further exculpated from that vile Tristan's accusation. All Silas did really was free one brute from another. Were it up to her, Sally would have Link kicked out but the town's exigent circumstances prevented her from voicing out her thoughts.
She stood in silence as she watched Silas scribble in his papers. Much like his father, he gave his papers undivided attention. His eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes ran through each sentence before moving onto the next paper.
He always worked. He didn't stop to cry for the horrors of what had happened. He didn't talk about it. It was as if it never happened, but, no, that wouldn't be right. She could see the shadow clouded on his face. You'd only notice it if you got to know the bright side of him. The stress had aged him, it matured him, changed him from that once passionate boy into someone else.
If his sister was here, she could change that.
No, don't think about her!
Sally knew she ought to leave the room since Silas didn't appreciate people in his working space but she was nervous about leaving him alone. She rarely got to see him anymore ever since Viktor, that fool, fired half of the staff. The rest took it upon themselves to resign and leave.
Viktor assured her that he was planning to hire plenty of maids but in this delicate moment, they had to take care of their Lord. Cleaning the manor as well as serving meals and providing Silas's medication was more than enough, but now she had to deal with Link. At least she didn't have to clean all the rooms; Viktor had locked them from the world, refusing to look at how much dust they had collected.
And he also took great care to lock her room as well, Sally thought, feeling her heart ache.
"Do you need something, Sally?" Silas asked as he shuffled more of the papers to the side.
"That's my question," she said respectfully. "You've been working yourself to the bones. Shouldn't you take a break?"
Silas rubbed his eyes. He was growing tired of their concern, but knowing him he was too kind to point it out. "Please don't worry yourself over me. I would like it if you made sure our guests are just as comfortable."
It was a good thing he couldn't see her face or he would have seen how annoyed she was. Couldn't he just hire someone else rather than that brute? What would Grey have to say about it?
Maybe it wasn't her place to say. The constant attack of the monsters had shook Silas to the core. Leadership had seemed arduous for one so young, but he was trying his best. She knew him too well. Behind that imperturbable mask was a boy grieving for his family. Her heart cried for him. He lost too many people. He gave up his freedom for his people.
He was too much like his damn father.
"Sally, you don't need to worry about me." Now Silas turned around. His grey eyes soft and warm, unlike his father's who often be stern and sharp. Silas could easily match that when he was angry, but most of the time he was gentle.
"I know," Sally said with a sad smile, placing her hand on his cheek. "I just can't myself I guess. You're just so young. It doesn't seem fair."
"Nothing ever is." He took her hand from his face and squeezed it. "But I will do my best to change that."
She knew she shouldn't hug a lord with her status. Lord Lawrence wouldn't be too thrilled but to hell with him. He was dead. She helped raise this precious boy. Silas didn't pull her away and his grip was a little tight.
"I'm fine. I am." His voice had a little shaky edge to it and he gently pulled her away, not meeting her eyes. With a deep breath, he turned to his paperwork. "Now if you'll excuse me I have a lot to do."
"Of course, my lord." She bowed a little and at the door she paused. "You know you can talk to me, right?"
"I know." He didn't lift his head up in the reply. She tried not to take it to heart. When boys turn to men they tend to forget who made them that way. He was just trying to do his job, and she decided that she should do hers as well. She picked up her cleaning supplies and went to work.
