Chapter III
"It's beautiful," he said, to no one in particular, opening his eyes and gazing at the vast town that stretched out before him.
"It is," said someone. Their voice sounded soft, almost frightened.
Rauru turned to find himself staring at a young man, who seemed a few years younger than Link. He had disheveled black dreadlocks, and dazzling black eyes that gleamed as brightly as the newly fallen snow. The boy smiled hesitantly, as though he was afraid of Rauru.
"I'm Bîlítõ," the boy said, extending a tanned hand. Rauru, a bit surprised, took it. He wasn't used to being treated so... well, so equally. When he had been a priest, people would have bowed to him, or kissed his hands in some cases. But here was a young man, not more than twenty, addressing him as if Rauru was just another of the city's elderly; with kindness and respect, but not worship.
"What?" the boy asked suspiciously, and Rauru realized he had been smiling. "What did I say?"
"Nothing," said Rauru, still smiling warmly. "I was just thinking how little I know about Link."
"Oh," the man named Bîlítõ said, blushing an impossible shade of crimson. "We're not... going out... or anything, if that's what you mean."
Rauru chuckled kindly, and turned back to the window, the heat from the fire at his back. His expression was friendly, but the warmth in his face did not reach his eyes, which seemed sad and distant as the stars above. "How well do you know the Her- how well do you know Link, Bîlítõ?"
Bîlítõ shrugged, lowering his black eyes to the rough wooden floor. "Not a lot, sir. I've only moved here a few months ago. But Link is the best friend I've ever had, and I would gladly stand by him whatever the cost."
"Whatever the cost?" asked Rauru, a bit surprised. "Explain."
"When I first came here, sir," Bîlítõ said, walking towards Rauru, "Nobody came to my shop, because they thought I was just another thief from the desert. I couldn't get any money, and I began to starve, because the charities... well, they wouldn't help me. Everyone... everyone knew, but only Link... Link helped me," he said, his voice breaking with emotion. "He helped me back on my feet, and convinced every one that I wasn't... like... him."
Rauru nodded at Bîlítõ's reflection in the large window. "What about his past? What do you know of it?"
"Nothing," said Bîlítõ, shaking his head. Then he caught the expression on Rauru's wizened face, and he stiffened slightly, furrowing his brow.
"Why?" he asked, a harsh edge to his voice. "Did Link kill anybody, or something?"
"Of course, I cannot tell you."
"Where is Link, anyway?" said Bîlítõ suddenly, looking around the large and rustic room. He glanced at Rauru, and seemed surprised with himself. "And, well, who are you?"
Sighing, Rauru met his eyes. Grey ice searched black shadow, for something, anything, to tell the old Sage what he needed to know. "Link has not told you anything, I see. But I shall tell you my name, at the least. I am Rauru the Wise, a lowly disciple of the Gods."
The boy turned away from him, but Rauru saw the shock and dazedness he wore on his swarthy face.
"A... cardinal, are you?" Bîlítõ asked, widening his eyes in surprise, a look of dismay working into his gentle features. He smiled sheepishly, and ran a hand through his hair distractedly. "Oi... I didn't... I didn't-"
"You don't need to worry so," Rauru said, nodding in Bîlítõ's direction. "When Link comes, he will explain everything, I am sure."
"Yeah, well, he damn well better," said Bîlítõ, laughing and shaking his head at Rauru. "But if you really are a friend of Link, then that's enough for me. You have my pledge, until the very end. Er... not that I really know the beginning, for that matter."
"You soon shall," said the old man, touched by the kindness and trust of a stranger. Too often, he felt, mortals were cynical and distrusting, glaring at foreigners such as himself with baleful and reproachful eyes, uncaring for others. Perhaps there was hope for the world, after all, if people were open to the unknown.
His thoughts were interrupted when Link, looking very ruddy cheeked and worried, burst into the room, shivering and brushing snow off of his hunter green cloak. He seemed unconcerned, at first, by Bîlítõ's presence, but after the dark boy cleared his throat and glanced meaningfully at Rauru, Link dropped the cape to the ground, and stared at the two, wordless.
Finally, after an eternity of silence, Rauru broke seal of quiet, and said,
"Link, methinks that you have not been completely honest with someone who deserves utter truth, especially now."
The blonde man did not so much as glance at Rauru. He was too busy gawking at Bîlítõ, his expression horrified.
"Bîlítõ? How exactly did you get in?" he asked, his voice soft and frightened.
"Oh! Well, I tried knocking on the door, but you didn't answer. I knew you were home, 'cause the light was on, so I snuck in the back to talk to you. See, me and Fridgia got in a fight. She says we're not compatible, but I think she's just being stupid. When I went to your room, I saw Rauru, and he almost knocked me out with some book or somethin-"
"Rauru?! How do you know his name?" Link said, paling slightly, his blue eyes large.
"I told him, Link," said Rauru gently, not wanting to upset Link when already Rauru's presence was clear to have caused damage.
"What else did you-"
"Nothing else, Link," said Bîlítõ matter-of-factly, "and I think you should speak more politely, because he's a cardinal."
"A cardinal?" said Link, laughing bitterly, "Oh Bîlítõ, you'll never know, never, ever know how stupid what you said was. A cardinal! A mere cardinal."
"Don't be so disagreeable," Bîlítõ said accusingly. "You're always making fun of me-"
"At least I don't sneak around to your house at night."
"I didn't sneak around. I just wanted some advice. It's the least you could do after abandoning me at Lon Lon Ranch yesterday. Some friend you are-"
"Oh, yes that's right. You broke in."
"Link, shut the hell up before I-"
"Enough!" yelled Rauru suddenly, his voice surprisingly loud for one so old. "Link," he said impatiently. "I understand your worry. There are things you have not yet told Bîlítõ. But time for preparation is short, and unless I have your complete attention and understanding, I fear that it will not be evil that causes our destruction, but our battles amongst each other. Link, is there anywhere we can sit down?"
Either Rauru's words had had their desired effect, or Link already understood. "Upstairs," he said, pointing to a flight that rested behind a large bookshelf. Rauru swept past Link, ignoring the searching look he received from Bîlítõ and the frightened one from Link. He knows too well, thought Rauru. He knows too well what I will ask of him. I put your bravery to the test, Link of Hyrule. Please do not dwindle now.
* * * * *
"You know the history of the Tri-force, do you not?" Rauru asked Bîlítõ once they were seated in Link's loft, on a couch before another crackling fire. The boy nodded hesitantly.
"I think so. The Gods created Hyrule, and when they departed, they left the Tri-force at their departing point, a token of good luck for it's holder, right?"
"Yes," said Link. "But the Tri-force gives its bearer more than good luck. Whoever holds the three pieces can have a single wish granted, whether it's peace for all of the Creation..."
"Or the destruction of the Creation," said Rauru.
"Oi!" said Bîlítõ. "I can see the problem."
"But that's not the end of it," Link explained. "If someone with a pure and good heart makes a wish, the Sacred Realm, the resting place of the Tri-force, will mirror that. It'll become a good place.
"But if an evil one makes a wish, that'll be mirrored too."
"Okay, so I've got that," said Bîlítõ. "And what's the problem? Someone is trying to steal the Tri-force? Like... well, like he did?"
"No, Bîlítõ," said Rauru quietly. "The Tri-force and its power has been sundered. When Ganondorf tried to steal it, it split apart, and he only received a part of it: power, the part he most desired. Courage went to the Hero of Time, Wisdom to the Leader of Sages. But as long as the holders hold their pieces, the power of the Gods has been vanquished. For good or for evil, the Tri-force will never cause mischief again so long as the holders live."
Bîlítõ looked at Rauru, with eyes that went down to his very soul. "Rauru," he said, his voice urgent. "Who are the two holders?"
"The Leader of the Sages is Zelda," said Rauru. "And the Hero of Time is... is...."
"Me," said Link.
Bîlítõ looked at him, and then burst out laughing.
"Oh come on, Link," he said, his eyes watering with mirth. "This other stuff is hard enough to swallow... but you, the Hero of Time?"
"Laugh not, Bîlítõ," Rauru said, his gentle voice grave. "Link's words are true. Show him the scar, Link."
Drawing the sleeve up around his wrist, Link thrust his hand into Bîlítõ's face, holding the triangle shaped blemish under Bîlítõ's nose.
"Anything could have caused that," said Bîlítõ, pushing Link's hand away. Despite his nonchalance, Link could hear the pleading in his voice. "Right? Am I right?"
"Link was the Hero of Time, Bîlítõ," Rauru said as kindly as possible. "He holds within him the Tri-force. Nothing, short of death, could ever claim that piece from him."
"Oh... my... good... Gods!" yelled Bîlítõ shaking his head. "No, no, no! It- it can't be," he begged, looking at Rauru, his eyes beseeching. Rauru regarded him with only kindly pity.
"It is?" Bîlítõ whispered, turning to Link, his expression changing quickly from disbelief, to fear, to awe.
"It was me," said Link.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" demanded Bîlítõ angrily. "I was best friends with a celebrity. No, a religious Hero, and I didn't know it!"
Rauru answered. "You would never have believed him, would you Bîlítõ?"
"No," Bîlítõ admitted. "No, I don't suppose I would."
Link, though, seemed puzzled. "But Rauru, there's something I've been wondering about," he said, ignoring the looks of reverence he was receiving from Bîlítõ. "Everyone knows that Ganondorf craved power above everything else. I mean, otherwise he wouldn't even have bothered, right? But what if he wanted... say, wisdom the most. He grabs the Tri-force, it splits apart, he gets wisdom, I get courage, and... who gets power? Who was the Tri-force of power intended for?"
"Link," said Rauru, his old face more weary and weighted with age than Link could have ever imagined it. His very spirit seemed burdened by concern. "This is exactly the nature of my strange visit. You see, the Tri-force was not intended for Ganondorf. It was intended for the traitor Sheikah, Zosime-"
"I heard of her!" Bîlítõ interrupted. Link noticed that while he seemed as easy going and free-spirited as usual, he made a great effort to avoid catching Link's eye. Inwardly, the Hero cringed.
"She's that pirate," said Bîlítõ, nodding wisely. "She's taken about six eighth's of the world under her control. She hasn't come to Hyrule yet, though. So she's the rightful owner of the Tri-force? Does she know?"
"She knows," Rauru assured them, chuckling harshly. "She's known all along. She just never made a move on it. Never needed to."
"She can't like Ganon too much, can she?" Link asked, shaking his head. "At least that's a comfort."
"You'd be wrong to think that," said Rauru heavily. "She was one of Ganondorf's biggest and loudest supporters. She followed him everywhere. She was the one who sent the Redead into town and destroyed everything in Kakariko. And she was the one who convinced him to take precautions in case of his death to make sure that all wouldn't be lost."
A heavy silence fell over the three men, each lost in their own thoughts and fears. But Link broke the silence by saying:
"She's coming to Hyrule, isn't she Rauru?"
Rauru nodded, his attention focussed on the merry flames before him. "As surely as Ganondorf did. She's coming."
"How long have you known?" Link asked quietly.
"A few days," Rauru said simply, shrugging his large shoulders.
"And Zelda! What about her?"
"I sent her away, Link," Rauru said softly, rising and heading towards the small balcony. "Zosime must never find her."
"Rauru?" Link asked, rising and standing behind him. "How long do we have? I mean, when is she coming?"
Rauru turned to him, his gray eyes suddenly deep and turbulent, and harsh in a way that made Link apprehensive.
"She has already come," he said, grief clouding his face. He turned away from the Hero of Time, and looked out at the city. A city that Link, it appeared, would have to sacrifice all he loved and held dear for again.
So... what did y'all think? Like it? I hope so! Ahoy-hoy! Please read and review! Now the real fun begins. Next chapter: Bîlítõ confronts Link about the whole Hero o'Time ordeal. Rauru sees that Impa has taken Zelda back, and is enraged. The Zoras and the Gorons act hostile to each other, and Zelda's husband is introduced.
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-Thalia (xoxoxoxoxoxo)