Chapter Three
The king, Link, stepped out first. Young girls all around gave silly laughs and murmured to one another. Anju could understand why. The king was probably the best-looking man she'd ever laid eyes on. His hair was golden blond and parted in the middle, and his eyes the color of the ocean. He was about six feet tall, and he wore a gray tunic. A sword was bound at his waist.
Queen Zelda poked her head out, and the king extended his hand to her. She took it and climbed out as well. She looked unusually similiar to her husband, with light blond hair that fell to the middle of her back, and blue eyes. She was petite and slender. Her gown was crisp white, and around her waist a purple apron with the crest of the royal family imprinted on it. A shining gold crown was on her head.
And then Azaelia. It seemed that over the years she had gotten even more beautiful. Her hair was the same shade as her mother's, but slightly shorter. Her eyes were the most brilliant blue Anju had ever seen. She was the most elaborately dressed out of the royal family. Her gown matched her eyes, and was trimmed in silver. Around her neck was a necklace that held sapphire after sapphire, and pure silver intertwined the gems like vines. A shiny silver circlet was around her forehead.
An older woman stepped out of the carriage. Anju remembered her as Impa, the queen's attendant. She was the last remaining Sheikah in Hyrule. Sheikah were human, but looked slightly different, with darker skin and more dramatic facets, including red eyes brighter than Kafei's. Sheikah were known to possess profound and mystical powers that not even they had entirely discovered. This Sheikah was particularly daunting, for she was not much shorter than King Link, and she studied the Clock Town folk with a fierce look Anju could not interpret. It was a cross between unsure and threatening.
Suddenly a tiny faerie flitted out of the carriage. When she moved, she made a lovely shimmering, tinkling sound. She fluttered around King Link's head for a moment before settling on his shoulder. No one could really see what small faeries looked like, for they were encircled by a beam of light. All that was able to be seen of her was her wings, that looked so delicate yet divine.
Kafei made his way through the throng of people until he was in front of the royal family. "Your majesties," he said, acknowledging them. He shook the king and queen's hands. "It is so good to see you again." He smiled genuinely at them. Then he turned to Azaelia, who was looking at him as though she knew something he didn't. "Azaelia..." he started.
Azaelia managed to let out a "Kafei!" before hugging him tight. Kafei was taken aback, but then he smiled and enfolded his arms around his young friend, returning the hug.
"We've missed you," he said into her ear.
"As I've missed you," she answered, pulling away. She surveyed the multitude of people before her, beaming joyfully. Happy tears filled her eyes.
Zelda smiled warmly at Kafei. "Friends of Clock Town," she said loudly enough for everyone to hear, "I want to thank you on Azaelia's behalf for letting us reside here in town with you for the next seven days. I am glad to be back here. You are all wonderful people. Thank you all for taking care of my daughter for the first fifteen years of her life."
Anger clouded Azaelia's face. "Mother!" she jeered. Her eyes blazed in annoyance.
Queen Zelda flashed Azaelia a silencing look. "We are delighted to be staying with the good and kind Mayor Dotour, and his wife Madame Aroma at their home for this week. Thank you. Let the festivities begin!"
The crowd cheered vociferously. Zelda glowed radiantly. A strange look of shock was on Azaelia's face. Her eyes narrowed, and she again looked at the mass of people in front of her. She spotted Anju, and hastened over to her, greeting and waving to her other acquaintances.
Anju stood when she saw Azaelia coming. Once the younger girl was in front of her, she curtsied respectfully. "Your majesty," she said earnestly.
Azaelia rolled her eyes and drew Anju up from her obeisance by the wrist. "Stop that, Anju," she said, half-grinning. "Give me a proper greeting, sister." She opened her arms for a hug.
Anju didn't vacillate, and grabbed the princess into a tight hug. They stayed that way for a moment, before withdrawing. Anju felt tears fill her eyes. "Oh, Azaelia, I don't know how I've survived without you," she said through the tears that threatened to pour down her cheeks.
The princess looked surprised. "Don't cry, Anju," she said soothingly, wiping a tear of Anju's cheek. "I'm here now," she said softly. "For a whole week." She smiled, but it seemed forced, and repulsed in some way.
Anju saw the abnormal smile on Azaelia's face and asked, "What's wrong?"
Azaelia looked angry. "My mother," she huffed. "I thought for sure we'd stay at the inn with you and Kafei. But we're staying with the mayor." She folded her arms across her chest. "I thought my mother was more considerate than that." She stared forward unblinkingly, lockjawed.
Anju was surprised too. She bit her lip, considering, then said, "Well...maybe you can persuade her to let just you stay with us. They don't have to. I mean, if they don't want to."
Azaelia shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno. Maybe. Anyway, let's talk about something more interesting than my impolite mother." She gave a tiny smile. "So...how's business?"
The two started slowly walking along the streets. People often stopped to say hello to Azaelia, but in between greetings and the courteous conversations Azaelia made with the other townspeople, Anju told her everything about her life for the past few weeks: Kafei's unmotivated quality, the inn's business, Madame Aroma's pretentiousness, and even her latest idea to open a dress shop. Azaelia listened patiently, and occasionally sharing her own deliberations and opinions.
At one point, around seven-thirty, Kafei caught up with them, holding a cup of ale, his cheeks flushed red from laughing. "Good evening, ladies," he said. "Azaelia, what do you think of this celebration? Pretty nice, huh?"
Azaelia nodded. "Yes, the town looks fantastic. In fact, I've never seen it look more festive, not even for the Carnival of Time."
"We did at all for you, Princess," Kafei responded, grinning.
Azaelia blushed a deep crimson. Kafei laughed, and said, "Still haven't gotten used to people calling you that, eh?"
The princess shook her head, her blonde locks falling over her shoulder. "No," she said, "in fact, I don't really like being an authority figure. I hate having servants."
Kafei looked envious and weary at that moment. "Ah, well, you're young, you have energy. When you're my age you'll learn to appreciate them," he said sensibly.
Azaelia nodded slightly. "Perhaps," she replied thoughtfully.
There was a moment of stillness among them, and in that instant, Luken wandered over, looking nicer than usual, with his brown hair combed back and fine clothes on his body. "Evening Anju, Kafei," he said, nodding at them. His gaze then reallocated to Azaelia, and he regarded her with an expression she couldn't interpret. "Princess," he said, his eyes locked on hers. Her cheeks again flushed red, and she bowed her head, not rejoining, distrusting this boy, for some reason. Maybe it was the roguish flicker in his eye, she didn't know.
Anju sensed Azaelia's self-consiousness and immediately tried to help out. "Luken just moved here a few months ago," she said quickly.
That seemed to spark Azaelia's interest. "Oh, really?" she said, wide eyes staring up at him. He was quite a bit taller than her, which wasn't hard, for the princess just barely over five feet, three inches. "Do you like it here?"
"Oh, I love it," answered Luken. "There's so much to do. I had about five different choices for a job. You can't that anywhere else."
Azaelia agreed. "No, you sure can't. What do you do, anyway?"
"I deliver the mail," he said casually, not a hint of embarrassment in his tone. This surprised Anju, because from what he'd told her, he abhored his employment of being a mailcarrier. He wanted to open a big business. He had tried several times to convince the milk bar owner, Mr. Barten, to let him take over the bar. He had been rejected. This bothered Luken, but for the moment he was conversing with Azaelia, none of this was mentioned.
As the night went on, Azaelia reflected on Clock Town. Not much had amended since she was last there. Mutoh was still tall and bulky, and always swanking about his carpenter apprentices and their work, the mayor still fickle, and Anju still conventional and kind. Yet at the same time, in her heart she felt that everything had changed. People who used to tease her and have standard conversations with her were stiff, polite and unnatural. It bothered her beyond even her own comprehension.
Midnight was drawing near when she spotted two familiar faces: the ranch owner Cremia and her tiny sister Romani. Azaelia instantly thought of Anju. Had she seen them yet? Azaelia knew how Anju felt about Cremia, and how she had nearly lost Kafei to her. Her heart squeezed in commiseration for both of them.
But she felt mostly felt for Cremia, because she had loved Kafei so, and although she had attempted to win him over during the few nights he had hidden at her ranch, she had not succeeded. After a short time, he went back to Anju.
Azaelia now felt eccentric anger toward Cremia. She knew it was because she had tried so hard to take Kafei away from Anju, even though Anju and Cremia had been best friends. She glanced around, and neither Kafei nor Anju was in sight. The coast was clear.
She stood to the left of Cremia's sister Romani, and placed her hands on her hips. "Cremia," she said frigidly. "I didn't expect to see you here."
Cremia stared angrily at Azaelia for a moment before bending down to whisper in her sister's ear. Romani nodded and darted off. When she was gone, Cremia stood tall and sauntered over to Azaelia. "And why's that?"
The princess didn't answer the question directly. "If you came for Kafei, get out," she warned.
Cremia's lower jaw jutted out. "And if I didn't?"
Azaelia's cerulean eyes flashed. "Then get out anyway," she snapped coolly.
Cremia seemed entertained by the whole ordeal. "I got an invitation in the mail," she explicated, seeming to be on the edge of laughter. She strode in a circle around Azaelia. "It said that all people from Termina were invited." Cocking her head so that her strawberry blonde hair slid off her shoulder, she said, "I think that means me."
Instead of denying what she knew was true, Azaelia retorted back, "You're not from Termina. You're from hell."
Cremia's wicked laughter filled the air. People around them turned to stare before returning to their own conversations. Azaelia willed her cheeks not to redden again, and she said through gritted teeth, "I'm warning you, Cremia. Stay away from Kafei and Anju. Or else."
The older girl stepped toward Azaelia, looking so calm and cool Azaelia wanted to hit her. She wondered how a woman so pretty could be so cruel.
The words Cremia spoke, they were menacing. "What you say doesn't matter, you spoiled princess. I came here to get Kafei for good. And I am not leaving without him."
Then she turned on her heel and walked away, looking as though nothing had happened.
Azaelia was quick-minded, a quality she had gotten from her father. She rushed off into the horde, searching for her him. She saw him standing by the inn, talking with Mutoh. Hovering over his left shoulder was Navi, his faerie.
Navi had abeted King Link on his quest to save Hyrule. Faeries were the most intelligent creatures in the land. People always wanted faeries so they could have answers to their questions. They couldn't do much magic; that was the job of Great Faeries, who were human-sized and lived in fountains across the land. Navi had stayed with Link in case anything else should happened to Hyrule. She and Azaelia had gotten to be good friends over the past two years.
Azaelia motioned for Navi to fly over to her, and the faerie did. "What is it?" she said in her lovely high voice.
"I need you to do me favor," Azaelia answered, her tone barely above a whisper.
"Of course!" Navi replied willingly. "Your father's talk with Mr. Mutoh has been lackluster. What do you want me to do?" Her wings fluttered enthusiastically.
"Go find Anju and Kafei," Azaelia instructed. "Then come back here to me and tell me what they're doing and who they're talking to. Okay?"
"I'm on it," Navi said. Then she fluttered off into the mass of townspeople. Faerie dust fell from her glittering wings onto the ground. A few specks landed on the back of Azaelia's hand.
As she stood waiting for Navi return, with good news or with bad, Azaelia thought about her relationship with her father. He was actually rather shy, an outlandish quality for a king to have. But he made up for his coyness with his valor. No matter how hard her mother tried, there was always something going wrong in Hyrule, and it didn't matter how big or small the problem was, Azaelia's father was always aiming to solve it. She admired him, yet felt an uncanny fear of him the pit of her stomach. But they connected in ways unmentionable.
Just as Azaelia's thoughts were getting too deep for her own good, Navi came back. She flew until she was directly in front of Azaelia's nose, and reported, "Anju is in North Clock Town, talking to Judo. I can't find Kafei."
Azaelia felt the color drain from her face, but brushed it off, not wanting Navi to see her disturbed. For a faerie, she did an awful lot of worrying.
Unfortunately, Navi was sharp-eyed and saw Azaelia's distress. "Um, Azaelia," the fae said, "can I ask a question?"
"Of course," Azaelia responded, shocked Navi felt the need to ask.
"Well..." Navi dithered, then asked, "why did you have me look for Anju and Kafei?"
A sad smile snuck onto Azaelia's lips. "Because Cremia is in town, Navi. And I wanted to protect Anju, but I fear I was too late."
Navi's wings fluttered faster. "You're not too late, Azaelia. It is never too late to help a friend."
Azaelia realized that the tiny faerie before her was right. Instantly prepared to take action, she said, "We gotta find him, Navi! I know just where to look!"
With that, she sprinted off again, Navi at her side. They hurried into South Clock Town. Azaelia saw through the thick cloud of people the stairway that led to the laundry pool, Kafei's old hiding place. She bolted toward it, and made a mad dash up the steps. Her legs weren't even tired. The only annoyance was her gown. It's long length got in the way of the Azaelia's strides.
She slowed a little when they were in the laundry pool, her hopes high that Kafei might be in there. She followed the path that led to the door of the hiding place, and when she reached it, she twisted the knob only to find that it wouldn't budge.
"It's locked!" cried Azaelia in alarm. "Navi, what're we gonna do?!"
"Kick it!" Navi said back. "It's an old and weak door and shouldn't be too much trouble!"
Azaelia obeyed and punted the door with all her might. It fell the floor. She heard a gasp from inside and a voice cry out, "Who's there?"
Azaelia's eyes widened. Navi flew close to her ear and said in a low voice, "Shhh. Be very quiet."
To make sure she wouldn't make a sound, Azaelia's slapped a hand over her mouth. Slowly, she backed out of the room.
Navi made a tinkling sound of disapproval. "Get closer!" she hissed.
Azaelia did, and she heard another voice. "Did that stupid door fall over again?" There was no doubt it was Kafei. No one else squandered their time in a putrid smelly place where people did laundry.
"Yeah, it looks like it did." Cremia's voice. Azaelia knew it. Her heart thudded in her ears.
"Well, then pick it back up!" said Kafei unkindly. "C'mon, girl, we haven't got all night!"
Azaelia hopped into the water where people washed their clothes and pressed her back against the wall, praying no one would see her. Navi settled on her shoulder.
She heard the door be picked up, and Cremia grunted, struggling to lift it. She propped it against the wall and walked back up the stairs to the main part of the little cabin. Azaelia climbed out of the knee-length water and poked her head in the doorway. She didn't need to see them, only to hear them.
"I don't see why we have to do this," snapped Kafei.
"I'll kill your wife if you don't," Cremia answered. "Now c'mon, like you said, you don't have all night."
"This doesn't feel right."
"Doesn't matter! Do you wanna have a dead wife, Kafei?"
"No..."
"Then c'mon! Do the deed so we can get on with our lives! We gotta party to get to!"
"Fine." Kafei was clearly angry, but Azaelia didn't hear anything for awhile, except for a few moans and hushed mumblings.
Fifteen minutes must have passed before Kafei said, "Cremia, we can't keep doing this anymore. It's tearing me apart and I think Anju's suspicious."
"Good," answered Cremia. "It serves you right for choosing her over me."
"I wasn't about to marry someone I don't love."
"You love me. If you didn't we wouldn't be in here."
There was a long pause, and Azaelia heard footsteps coming down the stairway, towards the door where she was huddled, Navi on her shoulder. "It's gotta stop, Cremia. I can't do this anymore." The echo of Kafei's footsteps got even closer. Azaelia ran off as fast as she could.
She sat down at the top of the staircase, her feet dangling, letting the wind blow through her dress. The edges of it were soaked with mucky laundry pool water. Navi fluttered around in front of her, in a frenzy. There were a few quiet moments between them before the faerie said, "Let's go find Anju, we've got to tell her."
"No!" cried Azaelia, hopping off the flight of stairs. "No. We can't say a word to anybody."
"Why not?" asked Navi urgently. "If she finds out later that we knew but didn't tell, she'll be furious."
"But she won't know that we know if we just shut up," Azaelia answered back. "Please, Navi. We have to protect her. She's so sensitive. She won't be able to handle it...besides, it's obvious that Kafei's feeling pretty guilty. Let's let him tell her himself. When he's ready, okay?" She clasped her hands together in front of her, trying to convince the obstinate faerie.
Navi exhaled noisily in annoyance, but said, "Fine. But you should go see Anju anyway. She's your closest friend here."
"I will," Azaelia assured her. "But what are you doing?"
"Going to find your father. He'll be looking for me....Behave yourself, Azaelia. I'll see you later tonight."
Azaelia nodded. "All right, I will. Remember, not a word to anybody, okay? Not even my father." She tried to stare Navi down, but the faerie was fearless.
Navi nodded. "Okay. Goodbye for now, Azaelia." She flew off backwards, still facing the princess. Azaelia waved to her, and went off in the opposite direction.
She made her way to North Clock Town, where Navi had seen her. Sure enough, there she was, standing by the slide, but unaccompanied. Kafei should be with her, Azaelia said silently, inside her head.
As she paced over to her friend, her legs felt anesthetized, like it wasn't really her walking, she was being pushed, or she was drifting. But the sensation wasn't as wondrous as one would think. She felt awful. Still, she gathered herself together, and managed a simple "Hey stranger" to Anju.
"Azaelia," Anju said cheerfully. "I was wondering where you were. What've you been up to?"
The truth pressed against Azaelia's lips, but she swallowed and forced it away. Then she prepared herself to lie to the one person who had been absolutely candid with her all her life.
"I've been with my parents," she fibbed.
"Ohh," Anju said. "Okay. Do they like it here?"
"Oh, yes," Azaelia answered, grinning. "They wish Hyrule Castle Town was this full of activity."
"Someday it will be," Anju said sensibly. "You just wait..." She winked at her young friend.
Azaelia arranged a smile onto her lips and glanced around. She couldn't bear to look Anju in the eye.
She noticed as she looked about North Clock Town that not many people were there. "Where is everybody?" she questioned, eyebrows furrowing.
"I think the Indigo-Go's just started playing," Anju replied.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Azaelia asked, smiling as brightly as she could. "Let's go!"
That was how she spent the rest of the evening: inside the Milk Bar watching the band, Anju seated beside her, Kafei across the room and guilt looming over Azaelia's head. It made her exhausted. Sometime in the middle of "Ballad of the Wind Fish" she fell asleep, and slumped backward into the boy named Luken.
It was well past midnight when King Link carried her to their provisional home, the mayor's residence. She woke up while she was being held in her father's strong arms, but not long enough to comprehend where she was. She was fully alert when she was placed into a bed, and an uncomfortable one at that.
She opened one eye, and saw her mother, the queen, unpacking her dresses from a large bag. Azaelia rolled over onto her back and looked around. There was no doubt this was the mayor's house. This made her irate, for she really did want to be at the inn with Anju, no matter how much guilt hung over her head.
The room's walls were bright yellow, and there was a timber desk with a few sheets of paper and a quill and ink pushed against the wall near the door. Two beds sat next to each other. Azaelia's blanket was the color of plums, with white spots in the shape of diamonds. The other bed's blanket was a simple jade. A curtain blocked half of the room. The changing area, Azaelia supposed.
Azaelia sat up, and swung her legs over to the side of the bed, so she was facing her mother's back. "I don't see why we can't stay at the inn with Anju," she said heatedly. She stood up and stomped over to the luggage, seizing a pile of her own gowns. She then put them under her bed for safekeeping. She didn't trust Madame Aroma very much.
Zelda shrugged, as if what Azaelia said didn't matter. "The mayor is the most noble person in this town," she said steadily. "You didn't think we'd stay with a commoner, did you?"
Azaelia reamed. Had her mother forgotten that Azaelia had been a commoner once herself? She stood there for a moment, fists clenched at her sides. For a minute she wanted to punch her mother. She got that feeling almost on a daily basis. Her mother was a kind woman at heart, but not very considerate of Azaelia's thoughts, needs, or whims. Azaelia knew this was because she had gone so many years without a child, and it was a hard thing to get used to. She made an effort to understand, but this time, succeeding was not on the agenda.
When she was finished composing her thoughts, Azaelia said, "Well, then...perhaps only I could stay at the inn? You and Father could stay here."
"I don't know, Azaelia," her mother snapped. "Really, just for once can we be a family? For Farore's sake..."
"We are a family," Azaelia said. "Nothing can change that. But these people have been my friends since I was a child. I'm not her royal highness Princess Azaelia here. I'm just Azaelia."
Zelda turned to face her daughter, who was looking at her with such desire and longing that the word yes floated in the air. She sighed loudly, blowing it away. "I don't know. I'll...I'll think about it."
Azaelia was irritated, but didn't illustrate it on her face. Trying to distract her mind from resentment and shame she felt in her soul, she pulled out a nightgown. She stripped off her royal blue gown and slipped on her nighttime attire. Off came her jewels and circlet as well.
"Go to sleep," the queen said resolutely. "I am as well."
Azaelia climbed into the rigid bed with the scratchy bedspread and stretched herself out, eyes still wide open. After a moment her mother blew out the candles that had lit the room, and and crawled into bed herself. Everything was very silent, unil Azaelia heard manly laughter coming from the Milk Bar. which wasn't far off. One laugh was her father's.
Hardly a minute had gone when she heard her mother's faint snoring. Heeding more mirth chime from the Bar, she reminisced about the time when she and a group of her male friends broke into the Milk Bar through a window when Mr. Barten wasn't there. She couldn't have been older than fourteen, same for her friends. They had been desperate to try the milk at the bar, particularly the costly yet delicious vintage milk, Chateau Romani. The milk at the bar came from the cows at Cremia's ranch, Romani Ranch. Her sister Romani was given the same name as the farm. Once a week Cremia would deliver the milk to the bar herself. That night, Azaelia and her friends lingered outside the bar until Cremia came. They lied and said that they worked at the bar. Cremia believed them and gave them the supply for the forthcoming week. When she was out of sight, they smashed the transom and went inside, and drank all the milk inside the bar. Azaelia remembered what it felt like to be drunk off milk. Part of her yearned to leap from her bed to see if she could experience it again, but her other half felt sick just evoking it. Around midnight of the night Azaelia and her friends broke in, Mr. Barten came back and was livid at the children. They were literally thrown out, because they were too intoxicated to walk, and that includes the short walk back to their homes. Azaelia's home at the time, the inn, was less than six feet away, but she stayed with the boys. She remembered sitting there with them, sprawled over, drained and lightheaded, watching the sun rise.
The laughter from the Milk Bar became Azaelia's lullaby, before long, sleep claimed her.
The king, Link, stepped out first. Young girls all around gave silly laughs and murmured to one another. Anju could understand why. The king was probably the best-looking man she'd ever laid eyes on. His hair was golden blond and parted in the middle, and his eyes the color of the ocean. He was about six feet tall, and he wore a gray tunic. A sword was bound at his waist.
Queen Zelda poked her head out, and the king extended his hand to her. She took it and climbed out as well. She looked unusually similiar to her husband, with light blond hair that fell to the middle of her back, and blue eyes. She was petite and slender. Her gown was crisp white, and around her waist a purple apron with the crest of the royal family imprinted on it. A shining gold crown was on her head.
And then Azaelia. It seemed that over the years she had gotten even more beautiful. Her hair was the same shade as her mother's, but slightly shorter. Her eyes were the most brilliant blue Anju had ever seen. She was the most elaborately dressed out of the royal family. Her gown matched her eyes, and was trimmed in silver. Around her neck was a necklace that held sapphire after sapphire, and pure silver intertwined the gems like vines. A shiny silver circlet was around her forehead.
An older woman stepped out of the carriage. Anju remembered her as Impa, the queen's attendant. She was the last remaining Sheikah in Hyrule. Sheikah were human, but looked slightly different, with darker skin and more dramatic facets, including red eyes brighter than Kafei's. Sheikah were known to possess profound and mystical powers that not even they had entirely discovered. This Sheikah was particularly daunting, for she was not much shorter than King Link, and she studied the Clock Town folk with a fierce look Anju could not interpret. It was a cross between unsure and threatening.
Suddenly a tiny faerie flitted out of the carriage. When she moved, she made a lovely shimmering, tinkling sound. She fluttered around King Link's head for a moment before settling on his shoulder. No one could really see what small faeries looked like, for they were encircled by a beam of light. All that was able to be seen of her was her wings, that looked so delicate yet divine.
Kafei made his way through the throng of people until he was in front of the royal family. "Your majesties," he said, acknowledging them. He shook the king and queen's hands. "It is so good to see you again." He smiled genuinely at them. Then he turned to Azaelia, who was looking at him as though she knew something he didn't. "Azaelia..." he started.
Azaelia managed to let out a "Kafei!" before hugging him tight. Kafei was taken aback, but then he smiled and enfolded his arms around his young friend, returning the hug.
"We've missed you," he said into her ear.
"As I've missed you," she answered, pulling away. She surveyed the multitude of people before her, beaming joyfully. Happy tears filled her eyes.
Zelda smiled warmly at Kafei. "Friends of Clock Town," she said loudly enough for everyone to hear, "I want to thank you on Azaelia's behalf for letting us reside here in town with you for the next seven days. I am glad to be back here. You are all wonderful people. Thank you all for taking care of my daughter for the first fifteen years of her life."
Anger clouded Azaelia's face. "Mother!" she jeered. Her eyes blazed in annoyance.
Queen Zelda flashed Azaelia a silencing look. "We are delighted to be staying with the good and kind Mayor Dotour, and his wife Madame Aroma at their home for this week. Thank you. Let the festivities begin!"
The crowd cheered vociferously. Zelda glowed radiantly. A strange look of shock was on Azaelia's face. Her eyes narrowed, and she again looked at the mass of people in front of her. She spotted Anju, and hastened over to her, greeting and waving to her other acquaintances.
Anju stood when she saw Azaelia coming. Once the younger girl was in front of her, she curtsied respectfully. "Your majesty," she said earnestly.
Azaelia rolled her eyes and drew Anju up from her obeisance by the wrist. "Stop that, Anju," she said, half-grinning. "Give me a proper greeting, sister." She opened her arms for a hug.
Anju didn't vacillate, and grabbed the princess into a tight hug. They stayed that way for a moment, before withdrawing. Anju felt tears fill her eyes. "Oh, Azaelia, I don't know how I've survived without you," she said through the tears that threatened to pour down her cheeks.
The princess looked surprised. "Don't cry, Anju," she said soothingly, wiping a tear of Anju's cheek. "I'm here now," she said softly. "For a whole week." She smiled, but it seemed forced, and repulsed in some way.
Anju saw the abnormal smile on Azaelia's face and asked, "What's wrong?"
Azaelia looked angry. "My mother," she huffed. "I thought for sure we'd stay at the inn with you and Kafei. But we're staying with the mayor." She folded her arms across her chest. "I thought my mother was more considerate than that." She stared forward unblinkingly, lockjawed.
Anju was surprised too. She bit her lip, considering, then said, "Well...maybe you can persuade her to let just you stay with us. They don't have to. I mean, if they don't want to."
Azaelia shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno. Maybe. Anyway, let's talk about something more interesting than my impolite mother." She gave a tiny smile. "So...how's business?"
The two started slowly walking along the streets. People often stopped to say hello to Azaelia, but in between greetings and the courteous conversations Azaelia made with the other townspeople, Anju told her everything about her life for the past few weeks: Kafei's unmotivated quality, the inn's business, Madame Aroma's pretentiousness, and even her latest idea to open a dress shop. Azaelia listened patiently, and occasionally sharing her own deliberations and opinions.
At one point, around seven-thirty, Kafei caught up with them, holding a cup of ale, his cheeks flushed red from laughing. "Good evening, ladies," he said. "Azaelia, what do you think of this celebration? Pretty nice, huh?"
Azaelia nodded. "Yes, the town looks fantastic. In fact, I've never seen it look more festive, not even for the Carnival of Time."
"We did at all for you, Princess," Kafei responded, grinning.
Azaelia blushed a deep crimson. Kafei laughed, and said, "Still haven't gotten used to people calling you that, eh?"
The princess shook her head, her blonde locks falling over her shoulder. "No," she said, "in fact, I don't really like being an authority figure. I hate having servants."
Kafei looked envious and weary at that moment. "Ah, well, you're young, you have energy. When you're my age you'll learn to appreciate them," he said sensibly.
Azaelia nodded slightly. "Perhaps," she replied thoughtfully.
There was a moment of stillness among them, and in that instant, Luken wandered over, looking nicer than usual, with his brown hair combed back and fine clothes on his body. "Evening Anju, Kafei," he said, nodding at them. His gaze then reallocated to Azaelia, and he regarded her with an expression she couldn't interpret. "Princess," he said, his eyes locked on hers. Her cheeks again flushed red, and she bowed her head, not rejoining, distrusting this boy, for some reason. Maybe it was the roguish flicker in his eye, she didn't know.
Anju sensed Azaelia's self-consiousness and immediately tried to help out. "Luken just moved here a few months ago," she said quickly.
That seemed to spark Azaelia's interest. "Oh, really?" she said, wide eyes staring up at him. He was quite a bit taller than her, which wasn't hard, for the princess just barely over five feet, three inches. "Do you like it here?"
"Oh, I love it," answered Luken. "There's so much to do. I had about five different choices for a job. You can't that anywhere else."
Azaelia agreed. "No, you sure can't. What do you do, anyway?"
"I deliver the mail," he said casually, not a hint of embarrassment in his tone. This surprised Anju, because from what he'd told her, he abhored his employment of being a mailcarrier. He wanted to open a big business. He had tried several times to convince the milk bar owner, Mr. Barten, to let him take over the bar. He had been rejected. This bothered Luken, but for the moment he was conversing with Azaelia, none of this was mentioned.
As the night went on, Azaelia reflected on Clock Town. Not much had amended since she was last there. Mutoh was still tall and bulky, and always swanking about his carpenter apprentices and their work, the mayor still fickle, and Anju still conventional and kind. Yet at the same time, in her heart she felt that everything had changed. People who used to tease her and have standard conversations with her were stiff, polite and unnatural. It bothered her beyond even her own comprehension.
Midnight was drawing near when she spotted two familiar faces: the ranch owner Cremia and her tiny sister Romani. Azaelia instantly thought of Anju. Had she seen them yet? Azaelia knew how Anju felt about Cremia, and how she had nearly lost Kafei to her. Her heart squeezed in commiseration for both of them.
But she felt mostly felt for Cremia, because she had loved Kafei so, and although she had attempted to win him over during the few nights he had hidden at her ranch, she had not succeeded. After a short time, he went back to Anju.
Azaelia now felt eccentric anger toward Cremia. She knew it was because she had tried so hard to take Kafei away from Anju, even though Anju and Cremia had been best friends. She glanced around, and neither Kafei nor Anju was in sight. The coast was clear.
She stood to the left of Cremia's sister Romani, and placed her hands on her hips. "Cremia," she said frigidly. "I didn't expect to see you here."
Cremia stared angrily at Azaelia for a moment before bending down to whisper in her sister's ear. Romani nodded and darted off. When she was gone, Cremia stood tall and sauntered over to Azaelia. "And why's that?"
The princess didn't answer the question directly. "If you came for Kafei, get out," she warned.
Cremia's lower jaw jutted out. "And if I didn't?"
Azaelia's cerulean eyes flashed. "Then get out anyway," she snapped coolly.
Cremia seemed entertained by the whole ordeal. "I got an invitation in the mail," she explicated, seeming to be on the edge of laughter. She strode in a circle around Azaelia. "It said that all people from Termina were invited." Cocking her head so that her strawberry blonde hair slid off her shoulder, she said, "I think that means me."
Instead of denying what she knew was true, Azaelia retorted back, "You're not from Termina. You're from hell."
Cremia's wicked laughter filled the air. People around them turned to stare before returning to their own conversations. Azaelia willed her cheeks not to redden again, and she said through gritted teeth, "I'm warning you, Cremia. Stay away from Kafei and Anju. Or else."
The older girl stepped toward Azaelia, looking so calm and cool Azaelia wanted to hit her. She wondered how a woman so pretty could be so cruel.
The words Cremia spoke, they were menacing. "What you say doesn't matter, you spoiled princess. I came here to get Kafei for good. And I am not leaving without him."
Then she turned on her heel and walked away, looking as though nothing had happened.
Azaelia was quick-minded, a quality she had gotten from her father. She rushed off into the horde, searching for her him. She saw him standing by the inn, talking with Mutoh. Hovering over his left shoulder was Navi, his faerie.
Navi had abeted King Link on his quest to save Hyrule. Faeries were the most intelligent creatures in the land. People always wanted faeries so they could have answers to their questions. They couldn't do much magic; that was the job of Great Faeries, who were human-sized and lived in fountains across the land. Navi had stayed with Link in case anything else should happened to Hyrule. She and Azaelia had gotten to be good friends over the past two years.
Azaelia motioned for Navi to fly over to her, and the faerie did. "What is it?" she said in her lovely high voice.
"I need you to do me favor," Azaelia answered, her tone barely above a whisper.
"Of course!" Navi replied willingly. "Your father's talk with Mr. Mutoh has been lackluster. What do you want me to do?" Her wings fluttered enthusiastically.
"Go find Anju and Kafei," Azaelia instructed. "Then come back here to me and tell me what they're doing and who they're talking to. Okay?"
"I'm on it," Navi said. Then she fluttered off into the mass of townspeople. Faerie dust fell from her glittering wings onto the ground. A few specks landed on the back of Azaelia's hand.
As she stood waiting for Navi return, with good news or with bad, Azaelia thought about her relationship with her father. He was actually rather shy, an outlandish quality for a king to have. But he made up for his coyness with his valor. No matter how hard her mother tried, there was always something going wrong in Hyrule, and it didn't matter how big or small the problem was, Azaelia's father was always aiming to solve it. She admired him, yet felt an uncanny fear of him the pit of her stomach. But they connected in ways unmentionable.
Just as Azaelia's thoughts were getting too deep for her own good, Navi came back. She flew until she was directly in front of Azaelia's nose, and reported, "Anju is in North Clock Town, talking to Judo. I can't find Kafei."
Azaelia felt the color drain from her face, but brushed it off, not wanting Navi to see her disturbed. For a faerie, she did an awful lot of worrying.
Unfortunately, Navi was sharp-eyed and saw Azaelia's distress. "Um, Azaelia," the fae said, "can I ask a question?"
"Of course," Azaelia responded, shocked Navi felt the need to ask.
"Well..." Navi dithered, then asked, "why did you have me look for Anju and Kafei?"
A sad smile snuck onto Azaelia's lips. "Because Cremia is in town, Navi. And I wanted to protect Anju, but I fear I was too late."
Navi's wings fluttered faster. "You're not too late, Azaelia. It is never too late to help a friend."
Azaelia realized that the tiny faerie before her was right. Instantly prepared to take action, she said, "We gotta find him, Navi! I know just where to look!"
With that, she sprinted off again, Navi at her side. They hurried into South Clock Town. Azaelia saw through the thick cloud of people the stairway that led to the laundry pool, Kafei's old hiding place. She bolted toward it, and made a mad dash up the steps. Her legs weren't even tired. The only annoyance was her gown. It's long length got in the way of the Azaelia's strides.
She slowed a little when they were in the laundry pool, her hopes high that Kafei might be in there. She followed the path that led to the door of the hiding place, and when she reached it, she twisted the knob only to find that it wouldn't budge.
"It's locked!" cried Azaelia in alarm. "Navi, what're we gonna do?!"
"Kick it!" Navi said back. "It's an old and weak door and shouldn't be too much trouble!"
Azaelia obeyed and punted the door with all her might. It fell the floor. She heard a gasp from inside and a voice cry out, "Who's there?"
Azaelia's eyes widened. Navi flew close to her ear and said in a low voice, "Shhh. Be very quiet."
To make sure she wouldn't make a sound, Azaelia's slapped a hand over her mouth. Slowly, she backed out of the room.
Navi made a tinkling sound of disapproval. "Get closer!" she hissed.
Azaelia did, and she heard another voice. "Did that stupid door fall over again?" There was no doubt it was Kafei. No one else squandered their time in a putrid smelly place where people did laundry.
"Yeah, it looks like it did." Cremia's voice. Azaelia knew it. Her heart thudded in her ears.
"Well, then pick it back up!" said Kafei unkindly. "C'mon, girl, we haven't got all night!"
Azaelia hopped into the water where people washed their clothes and pressed her back against the wall, praying no one would see her. Navi settled on her shoulder.
She heard the door be picked up, and Cremia grunted, struggling to lift it. She propped it against the wall and walked back up the stairs to the main part of the little cabin. Azaelia climbed out of the knee-length water and poked her head in the doorway. She didn't need to see them, only to hear them.
"I don't see why we have to do this," snapped Kafei.
"I'll kill your wife if you don't," Cremia answered. "Now c'mon, like you said, you don't have all night."
"This doesn't feel right."
"Doesn't matter! Do you wanna have a dead wife, Kafei?"
"No..."
"Then c'mon! Do the deed so we can get on with our lives! We gotta party to get to!"
"Fine." Kafei was clearly angry, but Azaelia didn't hear anything for awhile, except for a few moans and hushed mumblings.
Fifteen minutes must have passed before Kafei said, "Cremia, we can't keep doing this anymore. It's tearing me apart and I think Anju's suspicious."
"Good," answered Cremia. "It serves you right for choosing her over me."
"I wasn't about to marry someone I don't love."
"You love me. If you didn't we wouldn't be in here."
There was a long pause, and Azaelia heard footsteps coming down the stairway, towards the door where she was huddled, Navi on her shoulder. "It's gotta stop, Cremia. I can't do this anymore." The echo of Kafei's footsteps got even closer. Azaelia ran off as fast as she could.
She sat down at the top of the staircase, her feet dangling, letting the wind blow through her dress. The edges of it were soaked with mucky laundry pool water. Navi fluttered around in front of her, in a frenzy. There were a few quiet moments between them before the faerie said, "Let's go find Anju, we've got to tell her."
"No!" cried Azaelia, hopping off the flight of stairs. "No. We can't say a word to anybody."
"Why not?" asked Navi urgently. "If she finds out later that we knew but didn't tell, she'll be furious."
"But she won't know that we know if we just shut up," Azaelia answered back. "Please, Navi. We have to protect her. She's so sensitive. She won't be able to handle it...besides, it's obvious that Kafei's feeling pretty guilty. Let's let him tell her himself. When he's ready, okay?" She clasped her hands together in front of her, trying to convince the obstinate faerie.
Navi exhaled noisily in annoyance, but said, "Fine. But you should go see Anju anyway. She's your closest friend here."
"I will," Azaelia assured her. "But what are you doing?"
"Going to find your father. He'll be looking for me....Behave yourself, Azaelia. I'll see you later tonight."
Azaelia nodded. "All right, I will. Remember, not a word to anybody, okay? Not even my father." She tried to stare Navi down, but the faerie was fearless.
Navi nodded. "Okay. Goodbye for now, Azaelia." She flew off backwards, still facing the princess. Azaelia waved to her, and went off in the opposite direction.
She made her way to North Clock Town, where Navi had seen her. Sure enough, there she was, standing by the slide, but unaccompanied. Kafei should be with her, Azaelia said silently, inside her head.
As she paced over to her friend, her legs felt anesthetized, like it wasn't really her walking, she was being pushed, or she was drifting. But the sensation wasn't as wondrous as one would think. She felt awful. Still, she gathered herself together, and managed a simple "Hey stranger" to Anju.
"Azaelia," Anju said cheerfully. "I was wondering where you were. What've you been up to?"
The truth pressed against Azaelia's lips, but she swallowed and forced it away. Then she prepared herself to lie to the one person who had been absolutely candid with her all her life.
"I've been with my parents," she fibbed.
"Ohh," Anju said. "Okay. Do they like it here?"
"Oh, yes," Azaelia answered, grinning. "They wish Hyrule Castle Town was this full of activity."
"Someday it will be," Anju said sensibly. "You just wait..." She winked at her young friend.
Azaelia arranged a smile onto her lips and glanced around. She couldn't bear to look Anju in the eye.
She noticed as she looked about North Clock Town that not many people were there. "Where is everybody?" she questioned, eyebrows furrowing.
"I think the Indigo-Go's just started playing," Anju replied.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Azaelia asked, smiling as brightly as she could. "Let's go!"
That was how she spent the rest of the evening: inside the Milk Bar watching the band, Anju seated beside her, Kafei across the room and guilt looming over Azaelia's head. It made her exhausted. Sometime in the middle of "Ballad of the Wind Fish" she fell asleep, and slumped backward into the boy named Luken.
It was well past midnight when King Link carried her to their provisional home, the mayor's residence. She woke up while she was being held in her father's strong arms, but not long enough to comprehend where she was. She was fully alert when she was placed into a bed, and an uncomfortable one at that.
She opened one eye, and saw her mother, the queen, unpacking her dresses from a large bag. Azaelia rolled over onto her back and looked around. There was no doubt this was the mayor's house. This made her irate, for she really did want to be at the inn with Anju, no matter how much guilt hung over her head.
The room's walls were bright yellow, and there was a timber desk with a few sheets of paper and a quill and ink pushed against the wall near the door. Two beds sat next to each other. Azaelia's blanket was the color of plums, with white spots in the shape of diamonds. The other bed's blanket was a simple jade. A curtain blocked half of the room. The changing area, Azaelia supposed.
Azaelia sat up, and swung her legs over to the side of the bed, so she was facing her mother's back. "I don't see why we can't stay at the inn with Anju," she said heatedly. She stood up and stomped over to the luggage, seizing a pile of her own gowns. She then put them under her bed for safekeeping. She didn't trust Madame Aroma very much.
Zelda shrugged, as if what Azaelia said didn't matter. "The mayor is the most noble person in this town," she said steadily. "You didn't think we'd stay with a commoner, did you?"
Azaelia reamed. Had her mother forgotten that Azaelia had been a commoner once herself? She stood there for a moment, fists clenched at her sides. For a minute she wanted to punch her mother. She got that feeling almost on a daily basis. Her mother was a kind woman at heart, but not very considerate of Azaelia's thoughts, needs, or whims. Azaelia knew this was because she had gone so many years without a child, and it was a hard thing to get used to. She made an effort to understand, but this time, succeeding was not on the agenda.
When she was finished composing her thoughts, Azaelia said, "Well, then...perhaps only I could stay at the inn? You and Father could stay here."
"I don't know, Azaelia," her mother snapped. "Really, just for once can we be a family? For Farore's sake..."
"We are a family," Azaelia said. "Nothing can change that. But these people have been my friends since I was a child. I'm not her royal highness Princess Azaelia here. I'm just Azaelia."
Zelda turned to face her daughter, who was looking at her with such desire and longing that the word yes floated in the air. She sighed loudly, blowing it away. "I don't know. I'll...I'll think about it."
Azaelia was irritated, but didn't illustrate it on her face. Trying to distract her mind from resentment and shame she felt in her soul, she pulled out a nightgown. She stripped off her royal blue gown and slipped on her nighttime attire. Off came her jewels and circlet as well.
"Go to sleep," the queen said resolutely. "I am as well."
Azaelia climbed into the rigid bed with the scratchy bedspread and stretched herself out, eyes still wide open. After a moment her mother blew out the candles that had lit the room, and and crawled into bed herself. Everything was very silent, unil Azaelia heard manly laughter coming from the Milk Bar. which wasn't far off. One laugh was her father's.
Hardly a minute had gone when she heard her mother's faint snoring. Heeding more mirth chime from the Bar, she reminisced about the time when she and a group of her male friends broke into the Milk Bar through a window when Mr. Barten wasn't there. She couldn't have been older than fourteen, same for her friends. They had been desperate to try the milk at the bar, particularly the costly yet delicious vintage milk, Chateau Romani. The milk at the bar came from the cows at Cremia's ranch, Romani Ranch. Her sister Romani was given the same name as the farm. Once a week Cremia would deliver the milk to the bar herself. That night, Azaelia and her friends lingered outside the bar until Cremia came. They lied and said that they worked at the bar. Cremia believed them and gave them the supply for the forthcoming week. When she was out of sight, they smashed the transom and went inside, and drank all the milk inside the bar. Azaelia remembered what it felt like to be drunk off milk. Part of her yearned to leap from her bed to see if she could experience it again, but her other half felt sick just evoking it. Around midnight of the night Azaelia and her friends broke in, Mr. Barten came back and was livid at the children. They were literally thrown out, because they were too intoxicated to walk, and that includes the short walk back to their homes. Azaelia's home at the time, the inn, was less than six feet away, but she stayed with the boys. She remembered sitting there with them, sprawled over, drained and lightheaded, watching the sun rise.
The laughter from the Milk Bar became Azaelia's lullaby, before long, sleep claimed her.