With Eyes to the Heavens
Chapter II
Impa and Zelda sat alone in the room dark and smoky room, the light from the fire place casting flickering shadows over the two women's figures still figures. Impa was slouched in an ancient rocking chair, a blanket around her frail and bony shoulders, her eyes shut with fatigue and sleep. Across from her, lying sprawled on a cot far too small for her, was Zelda, her blonde hair forming a fan around a pale yet stunning face, shivering and shuddering from cold and terror.
Outside, in Kakariko Village, thick snow fell to the ground, twisting and swirling patterns in the air, the icy wind from the north blowing them diagonally into deep drifts. The sagging little walls in of the house were not nearly enough to keep out the blasts of draught that came through the cracked windows and crawled underneath the flimsy and unhinged door.
The entire room reeked of beer and smoke, due to an underground bar situated directly beneath the small flat. The thick haze of the cigars and sickening heat, which was not enough to heat the room, wafted up through the cracks in the floor, along with occasional catches of drunken singing or cancan music. There was a party going on downstairs. The woman that lay trembling on the bed saw little to celebrate.
It was all because of him that she and her guardian were here. Ganondorf, the bastard, the traitor of her father. She and Link had defeated him once, but that hadn't been enough. Nothing was enough. Nothing she had done could have ever prevented this. And she could never have anticipated this, she who allegedly had all the wisdom and intelligence of the world contained in the palm of her hand, in a stone in the palm of her hand.
Impa mumbled in her sleep, and stretched out her hands, arching her back like a cat. She slowly opened her eyes large dawn-tinted eyes, and blinked benignly a few times before looking at Zelda.
"Zelda," she said quietly, sitting up and rubbing her shoulders to warm herself. "You should be sleeping. You'll need your rest for the travel ahead of us."
The blonde woman sighed and pulled the pillow over her head. She lay like that for a few minutes, not moving, not even breathing, only listening to the wind howl outside. Then she slowly pulled the bag stuffed with rice off of her face, and looked at up Impa, who was still awake and peering at her in interest.
"We should have told Link, Impa," Zelda said, rubbing her eyes, "He'll panic when he realizes I'm gone."
"He would have insisted on coming with you," Impa said sternly, shaking her head a bit, "And Hyrule needs him."
"Where are they?" she asked the gray-haired Sheikah, her voice cracking with worry and weariness, and the weight of her fear.
Impa shook her magnificent head, a cable of her hair swinging across her pale face.
"I'm not sure," she confessed, shrugging. "I only know what Rauru said. To get you out of Hyrule as fast as I could, as quietly as I could."
"Where is Louise?" Zelda repeated. "Why didn't he come back for us?"
Impa looked at Zelda sadly.
"Your husband is a very busy man, child. He has a nation to rule," Impa said gently as she could.
But Zelda would not be soothed.
"It's my nation!" she hissed. "Not his. He doesn't actually care about the people. He only wants honor."
The Sheikah gazed at the girl for a few minutes. Then she said:
"And do you, Zelda, little daughter of the king, believe that your father or Link was any different? That they did the things they did out of love and not merely their craving for honor and power and respect?"
Zelda shivered again, as much from doubt as from cold.
"I don't know about my father," she said, "but Link would never do that. Never. He adores Hyrule."
Impa stared at her, the piercing stare only a Sheikah could ever have. She seemed to see right through to Zelda's heart, to her very soul, her core.
"Does he?" she asked softly. "Does he love our land? Does he love yours and my people?"
Zelda said nothing, only lay back down on the pallet she was stretched out on. Behind her, she heard the door fly open, and felt a rush of cold air across her back. She could hear the wind moaning through the streets, and she saw the fire flicker and waver, almost extinguished by the strong draft.
"Jozen!" Impa said sharply, raising her eyes to someone behind Zelda. "Close the door."
Zelda turned around and saw Jozen bound through the door, his cheeks red from the cold, his expression cheerful, but worried.
"Hey!" he said, plopping down in front of the fire, pulling his black boots of his feet, and extending his leg towards the merrily dancing flames.
"So?" Impa said bluntly, glaring down at the young man sitting on the worn rug below her.
"Nothing, regarding… you know. But, as they say, no news is good news, right? As for Malon and the kids," Jozen grinned, "they're fine. The really bad weather hasn't touched the plains yet, and when it does, they've got plenty of food to last them the winter."
"This isn't a natural winter," Zelda said. "It's only Syptombra. Cold weather usually doesn't arrive until Nyveninni, and even then, it doesn't snow this much."
"What do you mean, 'no news'?" Impa asked distrustfully.
"Like I said. No new updates on him," Jozen sighed. "Look, ladies, I know you're both witches or whatever. But, come one, Sir Link really did a number on The Dark One. Forgive me if I don't share your paranoia regarding this."
"Witches?" Impa asked, sounding amused. But that wasn't what bothered Zelda.
"Jozen, I know you don't believe us, but Ganon is coming! I know he is! And if it's not Ganon, it's something just as bad."
Jozen guffawed loudly, and turned to look at Zelda, grinning.
"Come on, baby," he said, chuckling quietly. "Why do you think that?"
Zelda stayed silent, not quite knowing what to say to the skeptical Jozen, and not knowing how much information would be too much for safety.
"You've done your jobs well, Jozen," Impa said kindly, and nodded. "Now, if you wish, you can go home to your wife and family. I'll pay you just what we agreed upon."
Jozen stood again, beaming.
"Thanks, Impa. But don't bother paying me. It was enough getting to work with two beautiful gals like yourselves."
Impa rolled her eyes, looking mildly vexed.
"Jozen, get the hell out of here before I change my mind," she said. Jozen saluted her bravely, nodded at Zelda, and marched out the door, grinning wildly.
"Jozen doesn't realize the danger he's in. I almost envy him," said Impa, looking sad suddenly.
Zelda ignored her, and stared after him, watching his figure fade into the snowy darkness.
"Impa?" she asked quietly. The woman looked up and nodded at her. "I don't think I can leave Hyrule."
Impa was taken aback.
"But you can't stay here. It's too risky. If he comes back, then-"
"Then I will share my fate with my people," she said coldly. "I'm tired of running. I spent my whole life running. I'm staying here. This is my country."
Impa walked towards Zelda, her eyes glazed with tears, though her face still was a mask of composure. She cupped the girl's face in her hands, peering into her azure eyes, searching for something Zelda wasn't sure she could offer.
"If you make such a decision, you cannot go back on it," Impa said bitterly, dropping her hands to her hips. "If you stay here, you stay here until the bitter end, and, for better or for worse, share it's fortune."
Zelda nodded, trying to hide her fear.
"I know. I want to stay."
Impa sighed, her expression heavy, and threw the coarse cloak around her shoulders.
"I'll get our horses ready," she said, tossing her gray hair over her collar. "Gather our things. I don't want to stay her a minute longer than is necessary."
Zelda nodded, but did not move from the berth she sat on. She stared wordlessly at Impa, the blanket pulled over her hair.
"Where are we going?" she asked Impa, standing as the woman headed towards the wobbly door.
"To the last place he will ever look for us," she said, with a twisted grin. "Right under his very nose, in the house of his second in command."
Zelda stared at her as she left.
"You cannot, do not, mean Nabooru," she called as she ran towards the woman, who had walked out the door. Impa turned and stared at her, the wind twisting snow flakes around her face, her hair flying out behind her.
"I do," she said.
Well hello there? What did you all think? Good, bad, mediocre? Sorry this was a bit short. I just got a bit of writers block, and needed to write another scene.
Later!
-Thalia