Chapter 4: Royal Visitor

…

About one month ago…

…

Link sat on the front edge of his desk as he talked to the person sitting in the chair on the other side. Well, an image of the person.

Princess Zelda sat with a dignified poise appropriate to her station: back straight against the back of the chair and hands clasped in her lap. But whereas one would expect a formal outfit like a dress, Zelda wore a combination of tunic and work trousers over a full-body thermal suit similar to Link. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail, and a pair of pins held a few strands to the sides to frame her face. Perhaps the most striking thing of all was that the princess, her clothing, her hair, even her skin, were all varying shades of pale-blue. It was an effect of one of Irleen's magic gems, one which had originally allowed the user to understand Link's crew. During the crisis two years ago, Zelda's then-unknown habit of performing miracles had given her the ability to modify the gem until she could manifest herself within Link's vision. It had not been an easy process to get used to; most often, Zelda would announce herself in ways that would cause Link to jump out of his skin and, by extension, unnerve the crew.

This visit, however, had been planned. A little. Zelda did not have any means of scheduling with Link, but she averted her usual habit of startling him by appearing to him on the deck outside. Their standing agreement was that he would excuse himself to his cabin so that his crew did not have to watch him having a conversation with himself.

"So," the princess said after having listened to Link's latest report on their progress, "where is this new island?"

"We just confirmed its location with the technoworks underneath Might Island," Link answered. "There's a single, uncharted Sky Line that winds around north of here and West Iron Island. Leynne says that the island is probably about a month away on the Sky Line."

"How is it that a Sky Line has not been charted before?" Zelda asked. "I thought that all Sky Lines through the kingdom had been charted."

Link nodded as he slid his thigh off the desk. "It took us a while to notice it, too." He pushed away from the desk and stepped up to the map table nearby. After looking through the pile of notes and drawings on the table, he picked up a local map and held it up to show her the penciled-in line running across the printed parchment. "We actually used this line a couple years ago when we were running from Captain North, but we didn't really think about where it came from. As far as we can tell, it was first noticed after we had returned the Sky Lines with the Might Island technoworks. It goes, uh, west off the map for a bit, and then, according to the technoworks, it hooks around and leads south to this new island."

"This new island which… is actually a long-lost library?"

Link set down the map and shrugged. "Uh… yeah, something like that. We've looked over our notes from that tree on Forelight Island. There's not much mention about the island itself, but the library was supposed to have a lot of literature that went missing when Cunimincus broke the islands apart. We think that, if the Sorians are still here in the sky, they would've gone there."

"Do you have the means to make such a journey?" Before Link could answer, Zelda then giggled at him. "Oh, perhaps I have forgotten that I am speaking with the 'Hero of Journeys'."

"Huh." Link scratched at his brow and said in an aside voice, "Well, you're remembering better than I am." He cleared his throat and told her, "Leynne's figuring our supplies now. We won't have enough space to store things for the journey back, but we figure on being able to resupply on this new island. The rotten thing is we won't have Lidago or Helo with us."

"They are important members of your crew. Why are they being left behind?"

"Eeh, it was… it was Helo's decision. It sucks, but I also appreciate his reasoning."

"What reasoning?"

"Well, mostly that carrying two Gorons on a month-long journey without any supply stops on the way would be too much of a strain on the ship's supplies."

"But I thought that the Gorons only consumed rocks."

Link nodded. "They do. And that was Helo's point. In addition to carrying two Gorons, we'd have to haul around a month's supply of rocks for them to eat. That sort of weight adds up."

Zelda nodded her understanding. "The ship, whether running on its engine or inside the Sky Line, would slow down from the extra weight, and it would create a problem with storage space. Still, it is rather disappointing to not have two long-running members of your crew along. But, if they should happen to find their way to Castle Island, I should like to meet them again."

"Well, they shipped out on the Sailwind this morning. The company's gonna assign them some shore duty while we're away, but I'll see about relaying your invitation."

"That would be wonderful. If they would contact Governor Lore's office, I am certain that she could handle the arrange—."

Kon kon kon. "Captain, ah you available?"

Link and Zelda exchanged helpless smiles. "What is it, Leynne?" Link then called to the door.

"Crew assignment," Leynne replied through the door.

Link moved to his desk and opened up a drawer. He found the small book he was using as a crew roster, although it took him an extra moment to tug it out from under his copy of the shipping record. "C'mon in," he called as he set the book on the desk.

Leynne opened the door and directed four tunic-clad Skyrider airmen into Link's cabin. Three of them looked to be in their early thirties; the fourth could not have been much older than twenty. Two of the older men sported thick, muscular frames and beards. The third older man had a little more fat than muscle and a round baby face, at least that was Link's first thought. The youngest man was scrawny, like he had not eaten for months.

Leynne stepped forward and turned over a small bunch of papers. "New transfehs from the Bold Horizons," he told Link. "Two deckhands, two engine hands."

"Is that Mister Gillam?" Zelda asked just as Link began to read the transfer notice from the captain of the Bold Horizons. "It cannot be…"

Link, without thinking how odd it would look, turned in response to her surprised tone. "You know one of them?" he asked what Leynne and the new airmen perceived to be an empty chair.

"Mister Gillam, the man on the far right," Zelda replied, pointing. "He is Sir Gilliam's younger brother."

Link looked up at the man she had indicated, the second-largest with a full beard. "You're Sir Gilliam's brother?" he asked.

Airman Gillam, his face already contorted with confusion, gained a spooked look. "You know he's my brother?" he asked.

Leynne, also spooked, asked, "You know his brotheh?"

"Wuuuuuh…" Link droned when he realized he had just made a mistake. "Uh—yeah! Yeah, it's the whole, uh…" He used a hand to indicate his own face while he struggled with the words. "It's-it's family resemblance."

"Uh… yeah…" Gillam replied, uncertain eyes cast to one side. "I-I get that a lot."

Zelda giggled. "Sorry, Link," she said before placing a hand on her mouth.

"I hope you don't mind, Captain," Gillam spoke up, "but I requested this assignment. Gilliam told me about you, and I wanted to see for myself. So when I heard you were looking for some new airmen, I asked Captain Tomlin for a transfer."

"Ah," Link replied, glancing down at the paperwork in his hand. "Well, I don't know what you're expecting, Airman. We've been routine ever since what happened two years ago."

Gillam shrugged. "Call it a hunch."

Link watched him scratch at his furry face. "Beard itching you?"

"Lice, Captain."

Link grimaced, and Leynne and the other three airmen took a step away from him. "Make sure you get that treated," Link told him. "Otherwise we'll all be scratching our heads by the end of the month."

"Are we going it slow for the next month, Captain Link?" the other bearded airman asked.

Link shook his head. "Not the plan. Airman…?"

"Brandon, sir."

"Captain," Leynne spoke up. "Considering the natuh of ouh next voyage, now might be the best time to infohm them."

Link nodded. "That's a good point. You four should know that we won't be doing things too routine for the next two months, at least. We'll be traveling out of the kingdom."

"To the surface, right?" the young airman asked, a sudden eagerness in his eyes.

Link and Leynne exchanged an awkward glance. "No," Leynne told the airman in a flat tone.

"Our voyage is outside Skyriders' business," Link said.

"As well as the kingdom," Leynne added. This caused the four airmen to give him synchronized looks of bewilderment. "Foh the next two months, we will be traveling to an island beyond any map on the new Sky Line neah Might Island."

"As in… out there," the young airman said, pointing out the window. "Where no ship has ever returned from. Where no other islands have ever been found."

"Good," Leynne said with a satisfied nod. "We've an undehstanding."

"That may be all you have," the round-faced man said. Then he appended, "Sir."

"At least we've established you ahn't a bunch of fools," Leynne commented.

Link resisted glancing at Zelda as she giggled. "If you'll hear us out first," he told the airmen with a calming hand raised. "We've recently confirmed that there is an island out there. We think that the former residents of Forelight Island may have gone there, so we're going there to look for them."

"There were people on Forelight?" Brandon asked Gillam. Gillam could only offer a shrug.

"One of them is still with us," Leynne continued. "In ouh endeavohs, ouh ultimate goal is to get heh back to heh people. We do not expect you to remain out of sympathy foh heh. In Aihman Gillam's case, I can only recommend the voyage as pehhaps the only time you might see the truth behind youh oldeh brotheh's wohds. As foh the rest of you…" He sighed. "Pehhaps a chance to escape the general tedium of a Skyrideh's life. It is a ratheh ambitious and risky voyage indeed."

"No one has to say anything if you decide to cancel your transfers," Link added. "The company can send you here, but I say who stays."

Brandon and the other two airmen shared looks with each other. The youngest airman then repeated to Link, "There were people on Forelight Island?"

Airman Gillam puffed his chest out and made a slow show of crossing his arms. "Captain, my brother is a Royal Knight in service to the king," he said in a careful, clear voice. "The knights won't take me, so I gotta earn my own bragging rights the hard way. And I'd say a noble voyage with the 'Hero of Journeys' would be the closest thing I may ever see in my lifetime. So, no. My transfer stands. Captain."

Link stared at Gillam for a moment. Then he asked Zelda, "How'd he know about the…?"

"It would appear that word has left the walls of the castle," Zelda answered with a smile and a helpless shrug.

"Is he… talking to his chair, sir?" the young airman asked.

"Cehtainly puts ouh trip to the beyond in pehspective, doesn't it?" Leynne replied with a nervous grin. He cleared his throat and said, "Look, if you decide to remain, it will all make sense. As it is, though, if you decide not to take up a behth, we can still ahrange foh you to join anotheh crew."

Looks passed between the three remaining airmen. Then Brandon said, "I trust Gillam's instincts on this one. I think I'll stick around."

"I can't say I share his enthusiasm," the third older man said. "But it sounds interesting enough to me. I'll stick around, too."

The young airman glanced around the cabin for a moment. Then he asked Leynne, "At least two months?"

"Have you something you'd ratheh not be away from?" Leynne asked.

"My wife," the airman answered. "She's pregnant. Due in about two and a half months."

"Congratulations," Leynne said with a tinge of surprise in his voice and expression. Link, Zelda, and Brandon nodded their agreement with his sentiment. "But… pehhaps this soht of assignment would not be appropriate. I would imagine you and youh wife would prefeh that you be present foh the child's bihth."

The airman scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, well, that was my thinking before I shipped out last month. She can't stand having me around; I'm a… I guess I'm a bit of a pest. My parents are with her, though. She'll… she'll probably be all right."

"I cannot fohsee being gone foh any longeh than two months," Leynne told him. "Howeveh, I would not wish to impose on you, as I'm suh Captain Link would not as well."

"Nope," Link agreed.

"Weeeell…" the young airman said. "Without this assignment, I'm due for shore duty in another month. That means going home after hours. I don't think my wife will enjoy it. So… it sounds like I should hang around, too."

Link leafed through the forms in his hand. "Okay, then," he said. "Airmen Gillam and Brandon, you two will report to Chief Dubbl for assignment. Airmen…" He paused to glance at the forms again. "Airmen Beech and Botu, you will report to Chief Sello." Link then set down the papers and crossed his arms. "Beech, Botu, I know you're probably used to an engine room being run with a strict hand. Please note that while Chief Sello may be a little eccentric and… very drunk… I expect the rest of my engine crew to behave professionally. Or… at least close enough to keep my ship running."

The young man, Beech, and the older man, Botu, exchanged looks. "You have our word, Captain," Airman Botu said.

"Lieutenant Leynne, if you will show them to their stations," Link said, indicating Leynne with a hand.

"Undehstood, Captain," Leynne replied with a nod. He pointed to the door and told the airmen, "Gentlemen, if you please."

Link and Zelda watched as Leynne led the men back out onto the main deck. Then Zelda said, "I had assumed that Mister Sello would have embraced a sober mind by now."

Link placed a hand on his brow and rubbed. "Yeah, we tried that," he said with a groan. "Let's just say that there were more drunks when we gave up than when we began." He stepped to the side of his chair.

Then he paused to stare at Zelda. She offered him a soft smile as if to innocently ask "Is something wrong?".

He crossed his arms in response. "I know you're only in my head and that you're not really here. Still. Can I have my chair now?"