Chapter Six: A Pretty Thing Like You
The day was ending and so was the second day of the Fall Bazaar. As part of tradition three huge fires were lit each to honor one of the Great Goddesses, Nayru, Farore, and Din, who created Hyrule. There would be light dancing and singing, with a few special performances put on by adult groups as well as children. The whole thing was rather boring to Link, who had spent his day out of the eye of the public for once and with some very good friends of his. Hanging out with Loraefin and the rest was one of the scarce moments when Link felt like he could act like himself and not like the great Hero everyone made him out to be. He was just a man; some people seemed to forget that. Though, as the local hero he knew it was his duty to be present for at least some of the ceremony, King Harkinian would demand it. As for the moment Link sat quite comfortably against a tree with only Loraefin in the tree above him, and Navi perched happily on the edge of his boot. The others had left already to go and eat, leaving Link alone with Loraefin for the first time in a long while. They had talked about nothing in particular and not noticed the long shadows on the ground until they almost covered the tree they sat under in darkness. Link looked up and could make out Loraefin's darkened figure swinging her leg indolently from one of the branches but he couldn't make out her face.
"So you used to chase cuccoos just to get them angry? What kind of strange child were you?" Loraefin laughed and scraped her nails absentmindedly against the bark of the Oal tree.
"You mean what kind of strange person is he now," Navi chimed in.
"I don't know, it was something to do I guess," Link replied and swung at her foot which was dangling rather close to his head. Loraefin made an agreeing noise and watched in her branch perch to make sure her boot was out of Link's way.
"Did you also chase lame cats in the alleys when no one was looking?" She grinned and purposefully dangled her foot in tempting reach of Link's grasp.
"No, but I could get a pack of dogs to follow me without so much as strip of bacon," Link grabbed her boot suddenly with hero-fast reflexes and yanked harder than he meant to. Loraefin lost her place in the tree branches and came sliding rather ungracefully down; legs sprawled over Link's own legs. She was to stunned for a moment to say anything but regained her senses quickly when Link burst out laughing. She took a big fistful of leaves and twigs and threw it at him.
"Nice one, how about I yank you out of a tree next time?" She couldn't help but smile as Link's laughter died down but she made no effort to untangle one another yet. She did however notice how sorely her rear end was hurting.
"Couldn't, you're not strong enough to pull me out of a tree," he didn't try to stand up either, now noticing how warm she was keeping his legs in the chilling air.
"Oh I could pull you out of a tree alright Hero," Loraefin grinned and threw another stray leaf at him which clung in his bright golden hair. Link looked over Loraefin's shoulder and saw the Hylian people start to gather around the fires on the nearby bank and sighed.
"I have to go," he grumbled, nodding his head over in the direction of the crowd. Loraefin lazily glanced over too and made the effort to get up off her sore arse. She looked over in the other direction where her own people were building a fire to honor their traditions. If the Hylians were so quick to judge, then why waste time with them? Obviously many didn't like her people being there and had tried to alienate them, the half-and-half hybrids of crooks and thieves. If the Hylian people wished to come and join their fire, they would be welcomed with open arms, but her people would not go and join theirs. Link stood up and stretched, Navi floating up from his foot and taking her usual vigil flittering above his head.
"I'll be back, I just have to be seen there or else people…" He tried to find the right way to put it so he didn't sound like a complete arrogant bastard.
"I know, I know Hero, go and make your 'appearance', we'll be waiting," Loraefin stretched and gave him a good healthy push in the right direction, "just hurry back and remember that you owe me a dance for pulling me off of my branch!" Link looked back for a moment grinning before nodding and jogging the other way, his featured blotted out by shadow. Loraefin turned back and started a slow walk back to the campfire. The trees that hung overhead were very thick and gloomy with dark shadows that draped the path. Loraefin started to walk a bit quicker for the darkness made her weary. There was always something about the darkness of shadows that she was never comfortable with. She froze when she heard the crunch of a footstep that was not her own and spun around on legs braced to flee.
"It's alright, it's alright," one of the two men tried to sooth her as if she were some kind of wild animal.
"Who are you?" She demanded with legs still fasten firmly for flight. Her fists were clenched at her sides, but without a moment's hesitation she could put them to use. The men held up their hands in front of them, showing her they had nothing with them.
"We just wanted to talk to you," the second man grinned, exposing his yellow, dirty teeth. "What's a pretty thing like you doing wandering around alone hmm?"
"I was just walking back so if you'd excuse me," she turned and quickly began to walk away but the footsteps continued behind her. Again she turned to find them standing there. "Do you need something?" She snapped, irritated and a bit frightened of them. Gerudo blood or no, she had never had dealings with men outside her village and she was weary. The men laughed and one sat back on his haunches and started to make clucking noise with his tongue.
"Here kitty, kitty, kitty, we won't hurt you, we just want to pet you," he laughed again and motioned her with his hand, holding it out like he had a piece of fish. Loraefin had had enough and spied a rock about the size of her hand lying by her foot. With one swift movement she had it in her palm and hurled it toward the taunting man. It struck him right across the forehead and knocked him on his arse with a dumbfounded grunt. The other man laugh as his companion scrambled to his feet and called out to Loraefin as she ran back to camp.
"Come dog, come! Bad bitch! Sit girl!" And his laughter taunted her all the way back to the fire. She ran in, puffing and gasping for breath. Lycus, who was sitting on a log nearby looked at her curiously.
"Something wrong Fin?" He inquired with raised brow. Loraefin took a large glass of water from the flask and gulped it greedily down.
"No, nothing, just some cat calls from the locals. It's okay," she stood in front of him and cocked her head to the side.
"Are you sure? Something you want me to do?" He stared into her eyes, making sure she was not hiding something from him. She grinned and bent to kiss him on the brow
"No, but kenata," she said and Lycus grinned and caught her by the hand as she walked away.
"You tell me if you have any more trouble, okay Loraefin? We have to stick together out here and I don't want anyone bothering you, got it?" His gray eyes matched her own and were filled with concern. Loraefin nodded and he let go of her hand.
AN: Yeah! I'm getting reviews!!! Thank you everyone. I actually have all the rest of this story, and the next one finished (this has been going on for years), and am all the way up to the big Gannon scene in the third, and am stuck again! I've been waiting for years to write that part and I'm stuck!!!! Dang writers block, I have to get back on track…