The characters in this story are the property of the Nintendo corporation
and not my own. Likewise, the poem "The Golden Road to Samarkand" is the
intellectual property of James Elroy Flecker, who I think will not object
to my usage of it as he has been dead for 88 years. And now, without
further ado.
Leaving Places
What would ye, ladies? It was ever thus.
Men are unwise and curiously planned.
They have their dreams and do not think of us.
We take the golden road to Samarkand.
-James Elroy Flecker
"I'm sorry. I have to go."
A pause.
"Will you be hear, when I get back?"
Tetra did not speak for fear of what she might say. She regarded the green- clad youth before her coolly for a moment, then gave a curt nod.
Without further goodbyes or questions, the Hero of the Winds climbed down a rope from Tetra's ship to the waiting King of Red Lions below. Quickly setting the sail, he darted off towards Windfall Island.
Tetra watched him go. The coolness did not leave her eyes, nor did she speak now that he was gone. She simply stood there, the image of calm, while her mind boiled like long-simmered broth.
Damn damn damn damn damn. He just had to be a goddamned hero, didn't he? A single Moblin attack on Windfall, a failed one at that, and before the last monster dropped his spear and fell to his knees he had to be on his boat, cruising towards the merchant isle. Stupid boy. Idiot boy.
But even as she thought these things she was saddened to see him go. But that was always the way it went, wasn't it? Link never remained in one place for too long. He left places, darting madly from situation to impossible situation. He had spent so long being a hero that he had no other life but that.
What was the last time he had gone a month, a week even, without being called off to some emergency? And she had always waited for him to return, ostensibly because he was a useful kid to have around, but partially because it was good to have someone to talk to who wouldn't blindly agree with everything she said. Link was unpredictable. Too unpredictable. And yet she stayed, because she knew that one of these days, he would hear news of some distant battle and leave it to the combatants, and one of these days he would stay on the ship when, for example, chuchus attacked the new colony on Greatfish Isle.
Maybe. The Great Sea was vast and unpredictable, and in a way she supposed she was Ling's anchor. If she sailed off, he would probably be unable to find her. And she knew he would come back. He always did. She knew she wouldn't leave. Link depended on her. He needed someplace where he could come back to. And besides, if she left she'd never see him again. And in truth she was quite fond of Link. And eventually, he'd settle down. One of these days
She wouldn't leave. She couldn't leave.
"Gonzo!" she called out. The hulking man started and looked up at her. "Er, yeah, miss?"
"Get everyone going. We're setting sail for Dragon's Roost, there should be something there we could steal."
Gonzo scratched his head in confusion, which, Tetra would have to admit, was his default emotion. "But, but, miss, you always waited until Link-"
"Are you questioning me? Damn it, Gonzo, set sail! I can always get another first mate-"
But the threat served no purpose, because by the time she had swore he had spun the wheel, and the pirates were already dashing around the deck, pulling ropes, adjusting sails, and generally getting in the way. Tetra stayed where she was, watching the already distant dot of the King of Red Lion's sail retreat into the dusk. She wondered if it was something she and Link had in common. At the end of the day, neither could stay put for too long. She had to do what she did. Tetra justified her actions to herself as the black-bannered ship sailed off into the setting sun, and she stood there on the cold deck long after midnight, as the two boats sailed on. The vessels knew not what they did, and she envied them. She envied their blissful ignorance to the way they were leaving places and people behind.
fin
Leaving Places
What would ye, ladies? It was ever thus.
Men are unwise and curiously planned.
They have their dreams and do not think of us.
We take the golden road to Samarkand.
-James Elroy Flecker
"I'm sorry. I have to go."
A pause.
"Will you be hear, when I get back?"
Tetra did not speak for fear of what she might say. She regarded the green- clad youth before her coolly for a moment, then gave a curt nod.
Without further goodbyes or questions, the Hero of the Winds climbed down a rope from Tetra's ship to the waiting King of Red Lions below. Quickly setting the sail, he darted off towards Windfall Island.
Tetra watched him go. The coolness did not leave her eyes, nor did she speak now that he was gone. She simply stood there, the image of calm, while her mind boiled like long-simmered broth.
Damn damn damn damn damn. He just had to be a goddamned hero, didn't he? A single Moblin attack on Windfall, a failed one at that, and before the last monster dropped his spear and fell to his knees he had to be on his boat, cruising towards the merchant isle. Stupid boy. Idiot boy.
But even as she thought these things she was saddened to see him go. But that was always the way it went, wasn't it? Link never remained in one place for too long. He left places, darting madly from situation to impossible situation. He had spent so long being a hero that he had no other life but that.
What was the last time he had gone a month, a week even, without being called off to some emergency? And she had always waited for him to return, ostensibly because he was a useful kid to have around, but partially because it was good to have someone to talk to who wouldn't blindly agree with everything she said. Link was unpredictable. Too unpredictable. And yet she stayed, because she knew that one of these days, he would hear news of some distant battle and leave it to the combatants, and one of these days he would stay on the ship when, for example, chuchus attacked the new colony on Greatfish Isle.
Maybe. The Great Sea was vast and unpredictable, and in a way she supposed she was Ling's anchor. If she sailed off, he would probably be unable to find her. And she knew he would come back. He always did. She knew she wouldn't leave. Link depended on her. He needed someplace where he could come back to. And besides, if she left she'd never see him again. And in truth she was quite fond of Link. And eventually, he'd settle down. One of these days
She wouldn't leave. She couldn't leave.
"Gonzo!" she called out. The hulking man started and looked up at her. "Er, yeah, miss?"
"Get everyone going. We're setting sail for Dragon's Roost, there should be something there we could steal."
Gonzo scratched his head in confusion, which, Tetra would have to admit, was his default emotion. "But, but, miss, you always waited until Link-"
"Are you questioning me? Damn it, Gonzo, set sail! I can always get another first mate-"
But the threat served no purpose, because by the time she had swore he had spun the wheel, and the pirates were already dashing around the deck, pulling ropes, adjusting sails, and generally getting in the way. Tetra stayed where she was, watching the already distant dot of the King of Red Lion's sail retreat into the dusk. She wondered if it was something she and Link had in common. At the end of the day, neither could stay put for too long. She had to do what she did. Tetra justified her actions to herself as the black-bannered ship sailed off into the setting sun, and she stood there on the cold deck long after midnight, as the two boats sailed on. The vessels knew not what they did, and she envied them. She envied their blissful ignorance to the way they were leaving places and people behind.
fin