~ Hey! This'll be the first update for Death's Shroud ever since I put it up on the site. Yea, MAJOR delay, but when people started saying that they liked it and wanted more I decided to add on some chapters. Thanks to you all!!!! ^_^
This chapter was actually written a long time ago, same time as when I first started writing it so the style wouldn't be different. When I do start writing new parts, the style might be a little different (and hopefully the punchlines will be better, this has ddrrrryy humor) I might actually start drawing pictures based on this fic like I do with RL (please R&R that one!) If I do, I'll notify anyone on my mailing list, so:
IF YOU'RE NOT ON MY MAILING LIST FOR NOTICE ON CHAPTER UPDATES, PLEASE SUBMIT A REVIEW WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!! THANK YOU!
Read on, and please review!
~elfboylover
Chapter Eight
Helena turned the eggs over on her plate with a fork, one cheek resting on a hand as she listened to Kroahn's rambling about preparations towards their wedding over breakfast. 'Gods, what did I ever do to deserve this?' she lamented to herself. "…the orchestra members could be at the balcony, or should we scatter them across the aisle? No, the balcony would be more glamorous, don't you think so, my pet?"
She gave him a fake smile, which started him on the line of her wedding dress. The princess looked down at her plate of food left untouched, stabbing over and over at the eggs. A malicious grin spread over her face as she thought of Kroahn while the fork pierced through the eggs and split it into chunks. She watched from the corner of her eye her father trying to keep an interested expression while Kroahn explained in thorough detail of the seating arrangements.
"…yes, I believe that would be lovely. Yes, that's quite novel. I agree. Of course," the king repeated the phrases in different orders whenever Kroahn stopped to catch his breath and ask his opinion. King Dykat cursed to himself. 'I shall die an old man, watching my daughter suffer from this embarrassment.' He smiled again at one of Kroahn's remarks, and noted the prince's fair white-blond hair and his youthfulness. 'At least Helena doesn't complain about his looks,' he comforted himself.
A few moments later, a herald approached the dining room and interrupted Kroahn's speech of an ideal ring. The prince looked a bit agitated, but the king and Helena allowed the messenger in with eagerness. The herald performed the protocol and held out a parchment to read from.
"Your Royal Majesty and Her Highness are to be reminded of the inspection of the northwest towns tomorrow. The procession shall begin near dawn and end in a few days' time for His Majesty to reach Portula and return. Her Highness is not objected to join, if she does not wish to," the herald ended. "Well," Kroahn beamed a toothy smile, "That's wonderful! We could spend a few days for ourselves, right my love?"
Helena nearly jumped from her chair. "I'll go!" she blurted, "My…poor father never had an opportunity such as this to show me the ways outside of the palace. It should be a very valuable experience." Kroahn looked surprise at this, but he grinned and said, "Well then, I should go too!" "No!" both the king and Helena shouted. The messenger looked onward on the scene quite humorously.
"Ah," King Dykat began, "It's quite a tiresome journey, and only the royalty from Nemix should bother with it. Please do not tire yourself at your stay here and admire what the palace still has to offer at our hospitality." The prince gave him and hard look and beamed. "All right," he answered, "I suppose it is too much excitement for me to handle." Unaware to him, the king and Helena gave a sigh of relief.
"Ahem," the herald implied, a bemused look on his face, "There are still some details to the inspection that calls for His Majesty's attention. Should I wait until after His Royalty has dined?" "Oh no," King Dykat said immediately and rose abruptly, "I'll see to it immediately." Helena stood up as well. "I'll see to it as well," she added.
They bid the prince a good day and hurried out of the dining room with the herald. Helena waited until they were past the great hallways connected to the dining room before departing herself from her father. "Send me a notice by the briche tomorrow morning," she said as she laid a kiss on his cheek. "You're not seeing to the papers?" he asked comically. Helena smiled and turned down the hallway towards her room.
* * *
"So," Rufio implied to Link over a round of cocktails, "What brings you to Portula?" Link set his drink down and licked his lips. "Well, nothing really," he answered, "Just a bit of traveling to get away from my homeland for a while." "Where are you from anyway?" "Same place I got my horse."
A look of confusion crossed over Rufio's face. "Hyrule? You've got to joking." Link gave him a skeptical look. "Why would I be joking?" "Well," the horse trainer began, "You know anything about all that business going on there just a few years ago? I used to go to Hyrule, had some small businesses there that reached out a bit towards Termina, but I haven't seen it for six years." "Six years?" Link asked him. During that time, Ganondorf was busy turning Hyrule into a wasteland while he was being shut in the Temple of Light.
Rufio nodded and continued, "It was a bloody pile of shit. Started spooking my horses the moment we got there, and at night I kept hearing things crash along my tent. When I got out to see what the hell could've done that there was nothing. Also didn't see a lot of Gorons or Zoras, and they're one of my better clients." "Gorons and Zoras use horses?" Link asked amusedly.
"For hauling carts of sirloin rocks or fish from one place to another like the market, that sort of thing. But I barely stayed there for a week. The sky was always dark and I started seeing some fucking creatures that weren't there before," Rufio ended. "So, you must have been one of the refugees or something. Don't see a lot of Hylians here ever since, but maybe some shit is being cleared up back there." Rufio raised his glass to him and gulped down most of the cocktail.
Link nodded and took another sip. "What part of Nemix are you from?" he asked him. Rufio let out a sigh and placed his glass on the table. "I'm from Caravon, one of the more farming areas. Not too far from here, but most of business is in the capital so I stay here for a while, give my horses a bit 'o rest, and go to the place after a few days. But I'd be staying here a little longer."
"What for?"
Rufio looked surprised. "You mean you don't know?" he asked, "The royal inspection with King Dykat is stopping here last, and I'll save myself some energy by letting him come here." Link smirked, "You actually have business with the king?" At once that smug look crossed the horse trainer's face. "I've been having business with him. Always wants another horse, either for his daughter or replace some for that huge army of his. But he only deals with the best, and I've got the best there is."
"Hold it," Link stopped him, "You mean the second best." Rufio glared from over the rim of his glass, but smiled a moment later. "I let you easy on that race," he said quickly. "Really?" Link said with a smile, "I could have sworn that we could've gotten killed that morning. If that's your kind of easy I'd hate to race you when you're feeling a bit hard." Rufio let out a loud laugh and waved at the bartender for more cocktail.
"You're a sly one," he said as his cup was being filled, "but I've got a few years over that elfish head of yours. I want to live hard and die old, but you risked your neck jumping over that building, not to mention a fine mare." "You should talk shit," Link replied, "You nearly killed an old woman." "Kyoreleah could jump higher than that easily," Rufio retorted.
He drained half the glass and looked at Link. "How long are you damning this place by staying here?" he asked comically. Link grinned at the remark and answered, "As long as I feel like it, but I want to see more of the capital and this Caravon you're talking about." "In that costume of yours?" the trainer chortled, "If you want to stay here that long, you've got to get rid of that damn forest stitch on you. Besides, a man wearing tights…" He stopped there in a stifled laughter.
Link scowled but reasoned the idea to himself. It made sense that if he were to stay here then the tunic would have to go. He looked at Rufio's loose breeches stuffed into leather boots that matched his own. There was not too much difference in their clothing, just the breeches, the light shirt under a loose-fitting vest, and no cap to go with it. Suddenly Link felt a bit uncomfortable in his own clothing.
Rufio noted his friend's silence and gave him a pat on the back. "I'll be your tour guide, and I'll let you in on Nemix's traditions and all that other crap. Are you willing, schoolboy?" Link gave him a wry smile. "Call me that again and I'll wipe that smirk off your face." They exchanged a bit of light laughter and stood up. Rufio left rupees for the drinks on the table next to their empty glasses, and the two men left the bar.
The bartender watched as they left, and collected the money. He left the beer glasses on the table and slipped to the backroom. Glancing around to make sure no one was there, he lifted a flap under his chin and peeled off his skin. Admyn shook her head and untied the bun under the bartender's cap. She placed all of this in a small sack next to a pile of black clothes and began to unbutton the bartender's vest.
Something struggled and thumped somewhere in the room. With an exasperated sigh she went over to a closet at the corner of the room and yanked it open.
A middle-aged man looked up at her, his mouth gagged and his limbs trussed up like a turkey. He had only his undergarments on and a furious face as he made futile attempts to scream. "Oh shut up," Admyn said testily and knocked his head against the closet. The man's eyes rolled and he relaxed; unconscious.
She changed into ordinary clothing and threw the bartender's outfit inside the closet with the man before slamming the door shut. Fishing out another mask from the sack, she gently placed the skin over skin and peered out through the eyes of an old man. She took the sack, her black clothing, and a saber that rested in a black scabbard against the wall and hid it over the corner of the wall. Then she left through the back door as an old, hunchbacked man.
* * *
Jacobson was surprised when the tall Rufio knocked onto his door. He greeted Link wholeheartedly and looked on to Rufio with foreboding fear towards his son. "What brings you here, Mr. Rufio?" he asked kindly. The trainer shifted his feet nervously and answered, "I'm looking for that son of yours."
"Our Gatle wasn't anywhere near your horses today," Jacobson defended, "He was at home all day." "This isn't about my horses," Rufio assured, "I'm here for business." "Business?" the father started when Gatle stumbled into the room. He saw Link and ran towards him excitedly, until his eyes met Rufio that he stopped in his tracks. "Mr. Rufio…gahtan," he said slowly.
Link looked back and forth between the two of them and cleared his throat. "Rufio wanted to make an offer to you, Gatle," he said helpfully. At once the clear blue eyes gleamed in joy. "Really?" he asked, "Does that mean you won? Does that mean I get to choose a horse?" Jacobson looked shocked and sputtered, "Gatle! Don't talk such nonsense!" He looked back at Rufio apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Rufio."
"No," Rufio objected and rubbed his hands uneasily, "Gatle's right." The boy began to jump around the room maniacally, unaware of those around him. Jacobson looked back at his son and Rufio. "Surely you must not be serious. A boy his age, and we couldn't possibly handle such a beast in our modest little home." "Actually my real offer was to have him at my ranch as an apprentice," Rufio said tensely, "and I'd teach him the trade with the horses so that one day, hopefully, he could take my place." His voice tinted with a bit of sadness, but he smiled gently at Jacobson.
The father was nearly shocked beyond relief. "Mr. Rufio, that is a very generous offer, but what could our son provide to you?" "Gatle has a love for the horses, which is the greatest thing that a trainer should have," Rufio explained briefly his eyes darting from side to side, "I would like to have him as my apprentice, and I'll take him off the trade with his current kaykhan, Oryl."
Before Jacobson could say anything more, Gatle ran up to Rufio and took his hand. "Thank you, gahtan!" he shouted happily, "Thank you so much!" Rufio eyed him and gave a light smile and said, "You should thank this hell demon here. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't think my horses could get any better." Link grinned and let out a surprised gasp as Gatle jumped on him and tightened his skinny arms around him into a hug.
"Thank you, Mr. Link! Thank you!" Link laughed and held the small boy in his arms until his father pried him away. "We cannot show our gratitude enough," said Jacobson, smiling, "Please stay at our home before you leave." "No," Rufio objected quickly, "We should be on our way. I'll come by and take Gatle with me when my trade here is finished. I expect him to be packed and ready to go by then, is that clear?" Gatle nodded eagerly and answered, "I understand, kaykhan."
"Avakch schnae," Rufio said to them. "Avakch schnae, Mr. Rufio and Mr. Link," the father replied and shouted towards the house before the door closed, "Daren, Lysell, Maryanne! I have wonderful news!"
Rufio glanced at Link's beaming face while they walked down the street. "Well?" he asked humorously, "Did you like that, you bastard?" "The part when you were turning red or when you started pissing in your breeches?" Link answered half laughing. Rufio shot him a dirty glare and laughed. "You bloody son of a bitch," he joked, "Couldn't stop laughing at me, could you?" Link shook his head and answered, "I just wonder how a daredevil like you could start sweating talking to a little boy's family."
The horse trainer grinned. "I suppose it felt a bit funny standing there not yelling damnable curses," he replied, "Shit, we'd better begin on that teaching of yours. Let's start with that shop there and get you out of that clown suit." Link objected when Rufio pushed him inside the store.
A tailor came up to them and gave a heartwarming smile to Rufio. "Ah, Mr. Rufio!" he said happily, "Are you here to make another purchase?" "No, Francois," he replied, "I'm here for a friend." Francois, a skinny little man with a flat chin held a long rope of measuring tape and eyes that seemed to see everything that went around him. He inspected Link's attire, shaking his head disapprovingly. "Tsk tsk," he said shaking his head, lifting one of Link's arms up and tugged at the cloth of his green tunic. Link felt as if he was a dog placed in front of a judge who kept poking and tugging at him.
"He's a size ten at the slim area, just so or about," Francois muttered as he placed the tape measurer around and along Link's waist, arms and legs. The tailor nodded to himself muttering, and jotted down on his notepad, "Six foot two, we'll have to make some minor changes. Yes, form is acceptable." He added a few more things to his notes and looked at the two men with an air of business. "Yes, I think so. I have a few outfits I would like for you to try on," he said to Link, "Would you please wait near fitting room next to my office while I go prepare it? Oh, I'm going to make you look gorgeous."
Link nodded absentmindedly while Francois led them towards a large white room surrounded by curtains and a stand at the middle. Over at the corner was a private changing room, and a few seats were lined up against the wall. A client was already standing in the middle of the room, a seamstress giving measuring to the outfit while her client stood.
Rufio and Link waited outside the room near the door while Francois went into a back corner around his office. Link gave Rufio a peevish look and asked, "Do you go here often?" "Yes, that's why Francois now knows me by name," the horse trainer answered and noticed a grin on Link's face. "Just what the hell is so damned funny?"
The Hylian shook his head and leaned against the wall, eyeing Rufio with his violet blue eyes. "I just can't imagine that a bastard like you worries so much about his appearance," he answered. Rufio gave him a cold smile. "But it's worth it," he answered. Link raised his eyebrows. "Why?"
Just then, the client from within the room stepped down and left out the door. Rufio and Link stared as a pretty young woman gave them a sideways glance and smiled. Rufio smiled right back and turned to Link smugly. "See what I mean?" "No," he replied. The horse trainer was confused. "Why no?" Link smirked and answered, "Because she was smiling at me." "Was not, you son of a bitch," Rufio retorted and slapped his hand against Link's arm.
Francois emerged with a large array of clothing folded over inside plastic sheets and with hangars. He staggered slightly before Link and Rufio offered him a hand. The tailor's face emerged and said his thanks, while the three men entered the dressing room and hung the clothing on a bar against the wall.
"First," Francois started and handed Link a pair of white boxers, "I want you to change into this. And this," he pulled out a shirt and pants, along with a box of shoes and handed them all to Link. "They should be around the right size," the tailor assured and pushed Link into the private changing room.
Link stood baffled in the small, square stall with the body length mirror. He sighed and placed the articles on the ground before undressing. His tights were a matter of taking off his gloves and boots, and after that he felt as if a layer of his skin had been removed. Link dressed into the boxers and pulled out the clothes, looking at them quizzically. How was he supposed to fit that over his head, or was that for the arms?
"Are you done yet?" Rufio yelled from the outside. "No, give it some damn patience," Link retorted. He looked at the clothing again and shrugged to himself. The dark slacks looked easy enough to slip into, and he tightened the belt around it. He found it slightly short, but ignored it and placed on the black leather boots with clicking cuffs. The shirt came last, and as he as he turned the royal blue material in front of him looking for the head, Rufio's voice shouted impatiently, "Are you done changing into that blasted thing?!"
"Almost!" Link yelled back. He tossed the shirt over his head, hoping to find the sleeves and felt them sticking out next to a slit in the cloth. Link tugged at the neck, and saw that the shirt was very opened, revealing a bit of his lean muscular chest while the long sleeves extended to his wrists. He pushed open the door stepped outside.
Francois shook his head and dragged him to the stand. He buttoned the cuffs at the sleeves that Link missed and made him tuck in the shirttail into the black pants. "Oh, get rid of this thing!" he said dramatically and threw Link's cap across the room with a flair. Link's short blond hair under the cap, that had barely seen the light of the sun, was revealed in an untidy, lax arrangement around his head. He suddenly felt that his head was a bit too loose and uncomfortably exposed to the fresh air. Francois, however, kissed his fingers and allowed his hands to fly across the air emotionally.
"Oh, it's ravishing! Absolutely sup-erb!" he ranted, "You are a beautiful man, but let me revise the size on those trousers." Link wasn't very sure if he wanted Francois so close, but seeing the amused expression on Rufio's face forced him to stand still. The tailor muttered numbers and wrote them all over his notebook. Then, he raced over to the cloth hangers and grabbed another set. 'Holy Farore,' Link moaned to himself.
He was dragged again into the stall and forced to change into an electric blue and black robe much like the one Rufio had worn that day at the inn. It was full length and embroidered around the neck in gold designs against a black and blue fabric. A matching collared vest went over a thin, black, cotton shirt with loose sleeves and no cuffs. This apparel ended with a pair of black slacks tucked, as Francois ordered, into a pair of sleek black boots which turned above the knee at the front and below at the back.
"It looks radiant on you!" Francois prated while blowing kisses, "Melifique Nayru (Blessed Nayru), I just knew that blue was your color! Oh, if I was a woman I'd come begging from your hand."
Rufio couldn't keep a straight face as he stifled fits of laughter from behind his hand. Link couldn't help a smile too, and he was more than ready to leave when Francois shoved more outfits for him to try on.
The process went on for two whole hours, changing and twisting and turning then standing for moments on end listening to Francois's remarks. Link found himself in countless shirts of different styles and designs, fifteen different pairs of boots mixed and matched, not to mention the different comfort in some pants that were too large or too painfully tight.
'How do women do this?!' the Hylian thought miserably as he held out a creamy white sleeveless shirt. When Francois was satisfied with most of the results, he asked which of them Link would like to buy. He waved his hand and asked for them all, mounting to a cost of eight hundred and seventy nine rupees. The sooner he left, the happier he'll be.
Francois resented giving him the right to wear his tunic when he made the purchase: "I'll not have the town see one of my clients in such monstrous accouterments!" So he settled on wearing the attire he first tried on and went to pay at the register. "Mr. Link," the young woman at the desk announced. Link stood up and walked towards the desk, in his hand the receipt with the list of all the items.
She took it from his hand and briefly looked at him, then stopped herself and looked at him again. The young woman eyed him to his face, which was looking towards the exit frequently. She smiled to herself and decided to take her time with this one. "Ah, I see," she said slowly, "These items here, I'll have to check them." The girl went around and grasped the large bag of clothing and sorted them out, one by one. This alone took nearly ten minutes, and when she was finished she placed it on the desk.
"That would be two gold Sarrons and seventy nine rupees," she said. "Sarrons?" Link asked hesitantly, "The tailor said it was eight hundred and seventy nine rupees." She gave him a wry smile and answered, "Surely you must know. One gold Sarron equals to four hundred rupees. I'll take rupees, if you have that much." Link immediately dug into his wallet for four yellow rupees and the seventy nine and handed it all to her.
The girl's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Well, you certainly are a rich man." She took her time counting through the seventy nine rupees when Rufio stepped up from behind and placed a hand on the desk. "Excuse me," he said restlessly, "But you're holding up a lot of people."
From behind, five customers were wearing haggard looks. An old man began to sigh impatiently while placing a hand on his crooked back. The girl looked behind them and at Rufio's hard expression and nodded quickly. She tore out another receipt and handed it to Link. Her hand brushed past his as she gave him the bag, and she smiled at him coyly.
Link took no notice of this and answered, "Thanks." He and Rufio walked out the door of the shop.
Outside on the streets, Rufio grinned at his friend and nudged his arm. "See?" he said, "What did I tell you?" Link gave him a queer look. "What?" Rufio flicked his head towards the shop. "That girl was putting the moves on you, thanks to your get-up. Don't tell me you didn't notice?" "What are you talking about? You mean the clerk?" Link asked.
Rufio shot his hands up into the air. "What did you fucking think I was saying? That's why I butted in, or else she would've tried to get your ass in bed," Rufio said with a smirk, "You should thank me." Link grinned at him. "Thank you? For trying to ruin my moment?" The horse trainer gave a twisted smile. "Well if you're gonna get laid, you might as well fuck around with the right woman." Link exploded in laughter.
"You sound a bit too experienced," he stuttered through laughs. "And you, my friend," Rufio answered with his finger pointed towards him cautiously, "Need a little experience. I see there's a lot more to teach you, and with my help you'll be swarming with ladies." "Trust me," Link answered him with a secretive smile, "I don't need any trouble with women."
They laughed among themselves on their way. From behind, the old man from the store followed them with his bright eyes. He walked into an intersecting street, fingering the two yellow rupees he sneaked off from the clerk's money box. The old man walked down the street, coughing as he wobbled with his back hunched and nodding to a few residents. While he passed the townsfolk he took a little money purse, a couple of jewels and a few spare rupees.
The old man looked around the street and saw Link and Rufio near the market across the street. He made his way towards them when a large carriage of items and horses cut him off. The old man impatiently tried to push himself past the carriage, and when he emerged the two men had disappeared. 'Din-damnit,' he cursed.
Link and Rufio browsed around the stands looking at miscellaneous items, when a large riot occurred near them. People scrambled out of a small store, followed by the storekeeper himself yelling, "Demon! Demon!" Link stopped him and asked, "What's going on?" The storekeeper shook a finger at the store. "Don't really know, gahtan," he answered, "We saw this large ball of light come in yelling curses into the air. My store could be hexed!"
'Ball of light?' Link thought with a smile. He went towards the store when Navi emerged from the store yelling, "Fucking assholes! How can you think about charging that much for a fucking perfume?!" Link scowled and said irritably, "Navi, you should be at the inn." The fairy hovered above his head with a disgruntled tinkle. "Do you know just how damn boring it is there?" she complained, "Besides, you left the window opened again so I could leave whenever I wanted."
Link sighed, "I didn't mean for you to go to the market and freak out an entire store. You should be near the fields or something, people here don't know about fairies." "They don't know about elves either," Navi protested and dipped a little in the air. "Hey, you actually look a little better today!" "Oh yeah, thanks," Link answered sarcastically and pointed to Rufio, "I have him to thank for that."
"What are you, some fashion police?" the fairy asked rudely, "I thought you were supposed to be a horse trainer but you're just another damn make-out artist." Link restrained a laugh and coughed lightly. To his surprise, Rufio commented back. "What's with that voice impression of yours? Sounds like you're a cross from an ass and a even bigger jackass." Navi flew in front of his face, her glow dangerously turning red. People around them stopped to look, a tall man staring down an oddish ball of light.
"You've got anything more to say to me punk before I think up of something nasty?" "Well don't hurt yourself," the horse trainer answered detestably. "You fucking little-" "All right," Link said as he stepped in between them, seeing the crowd that came to see the scene. Navi darted around his head and under his hands as he tried to catch her and hold her still from using her magic on Rufio. "Navi," Link struggled with the fairy, "Let's just get back to the inn."
"I'm gonna' kill him!"
"Navi, calm down!" Link shouted and groped around his bag of clothes for his old tunic. In one of the pockets he found it, and while Rufio and Navi let out all the obscenities known to man Link grabbed the fairy and stuffed her into the bottle. The glass vibrated as Navi rammed herself against it, demanding out. Link quickly dumped her into the back and headed down the street back towards the inn. The crowd let out a sigh of disappointment and began to disperse.
The old man with the hunched back looked on towards the two men, and followed a bit behind. He stopped and hid around a corner when they entered the inn, and saw the sign with the two dolphins above it. Nodding and smiling to himself, he hobbled along the street.
~ Hope that was okay. When I came back to reading this I just sort of gagged ^_^ ; sorry if it's not that great, but I will add new chapters, though I'm not sure when I can. I'll let you know ASAP!
REVIEWS!! (and for the first time for this fic!)
Togey – yay! Yay! You read my story!!
Coolchick1124 – lol, I'll remember about the chickens, don't worry.
Hyper Shadow – thank you so much for reviewing! I'm really touched you liked this fic, and I'll remember to write on for the sake of it ^_^
Lilyclover924 – hahaha.. well I can't say that the review thing is a lie but *cough
Nefetiri – awww, thank you so much!! You make me feel so special!! ^-^
N_Yah – yea, humor is dry. Hope I get to improve it once I start writing more. Thanks for the comment, I'll work on it!
This chapter was actually written a long time ago, same time as when I first started writing it so the style wouldn't be different. When I do start writing new parts, the style might be a little different (and hopefully the punchlines will be better, this has ddrrrryy humor) I might actually start drawing pictures based on this fic like I do with RL (please R&R that one!) If I do, I'll notify anyone on my mailing list, so:
IF YOU'RE NOT ON MY MAILING LIST FOR NOTICE ON CHAPTER UPDATES, PLEASE SUBMIT A REVIEW WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!! THANK YOU!
Read on, and please review!
~elfboylover
Chapter Eight
Helena turned the eggs over on her plate with a fork, one cheek resting on a hand as she listened to Kroahn's rambling about preparations towards their wedding over breakfast. 'Gods, what did I ever do to deserve this?' she lamented to herself. "…the orchestra members could be at the balcony, or should we scatter them across the aisle? No, the balcony would be more glamorous, don't you think so, my pet?"
She gave him a fake smile, which started him on the line of her wedding dress. The princess looked down at her plate of food left untouched, stabbing over and over at the eggs. A malicious grin spread over her face as she thought of Kroahn while the fork pierced through the eggs and split it into chunks. She watched from the corner of her eye her father trying to keep an interested expression while Kroahn explained in thorough detail of the seating arrangements.
"…yes, I believe that would be lovely. Yes, that's quite novel. I agree. Of course," the king repeated the phrases in different orders whenever Kroahn stopped to catch his breath and ask his opinion. King Dykat cursed to himself. 'I shall die an old man, watching my daughter suffer from this embarrassment.' He smiled again at one of Kroahn's remarks, and noted the prince's fair white-blond hair and his youthfulness. 'At least Helena doesn't complain about his looks,' he comforted himself.
A few moments later, a herald approached the dining room and interrupted Kroahn's speech of an ideal ring. The prince looked a bit agitated, but the king and Helena allowed the messenger in with eagerness. The herald performed the protocol and held out a parchment to read from.
"Your Royal Majesty and Her Highness are to be reminded of the inspection of the northwest towns tomorrow. The procession shall begin near dawn and end in a few days' time for His Majesty to reach Portula and return. Her Highness is not objected to join, if she does not wish to," the herald ended. "Well," Kroahn beamed a toothy smile, "That's wonderful! We could spend a few days for ourselves, right my love?"
Helena nearly jumped from her chair. "I'll go!" she blurted, "My…poor father never had an opportunity such as this to show me the ways outside of the palace. It should be a very valuable experience." Kroahn looked surprise at this, but he grinned and said, "Well then, I should go too!" "No!" both the king and Helena shouted. The messenger looked onward on the scene quite humorously.
"Ah," King Dykat began, "It's quite a tiresome journey, and only the royalty from Nemix should bother with it. Please do not tire yourself at your stay here and admire what the palace still has to offer at our hospitality." The prince gave him and hard look and beamed. "All right," he answered, "I suppose it is too much excitement for me to handle." Unaware to him, the king and Helena gave a sigh of relief.
"Ahem," the herald implied, a bemused look on his face, "There are still some details to the inspection that calls for His Majesty's attention. Should I wait until after His Royalty has dined?" "Oh no," King Dykat said immediately and rose abruptly, "I'll see to it immediately." Helena stood up as well. "I'll see to it as well," she added.
They bid the prince a good day and hurried out of the dining room with the herald. Helena waited until they were past the great hallways connected to the dining room before departing herself from her father. "Send me a notice by the briche tomorrow morning," she said as she laid a kiss on his cheek. "You're not seeing to the papers?" he asked comically. Helena smiled and turned down the hallway towards her room.
* * *
"So," Rufio implied to Link over a round of cocktails, "What brings you to Portula?" Link set his drink down and licked his lips. "Well, nothing really," he answered, "Just a bit of traveling to get away from my homeland for a while." "Where are you from anyway?" "Same place I got my horse."
A look of confusion crossed over Rufio's face. "Hyrule? You've got to joking." Link gave him a skeptical look. "Why would I be joking?" "Well," the horse trainer began, "You know anything about all that business going on there just a few years ago? I used to go to Hyrule, had some small businesses there that reached out a bit towards Termina, but I haven't seen it for six years." "Six years?" Link asked him. During that time, Ganondorf was busy turning Hyrule into a wasteland while he was being shut in the Temple of Light.
Rufio nodded and continued, "It was a bloody pile of shit. Started spooking my horses the moment we got there, and at night I kept hearing things crash along my tent. When I got out to see what the hell could've done that there was nothing. Also didn't see a lot of Gorons or Zoras, and they're one of my better clients." "Gorons and Zoras use horses?" Link asked amusedly.
"For hauling carts of sirloin rocks or fish from one place to another like the market, that sort of thing. But I barely stayed there for a week. The sky was always dark and I started seeing some fucking creatures that weren't there before," Rufio ended. "So, you must have been one of the refugees or something. Don't see a lot of Hylians here ever since, but maybe some shit is being cleared up back there." Rufio raised his glass to him and gulped down most of the cocktail.
Link nodded and took another sip. "What part of Nemix are you from?" he asked him. Rufio let out a sigh and placed his glass on the table. "I'm from Caravon, one of the more farming areas. Not too far from here, but most of business is in the capital so I stay here for a while, give my horses a bit 'o rest, and go to the place after a few days. But I'd be staying here a little longer."
"What for?"
Rufio looked surprised. "You mean you don't know?" he asked, "The royal inspection with King Dykat is stopping here last, and I'll save myself some energy by letting him come here." Link smirked, "You actually have business with the king?" At once that smug look crossed the horse trainer's face. "I've been having business with him. Always wants another horse, either for his daughter or replace some for that huge army of his. But he only deals with the best, and I've got the best there is."
"Hold it," Link stopped him, "You mean the second best." Rufio glared from over the rim of his glass, but smiled a moment later. "I let you easy on that race," he said quickly. "Really?" Link said with a smile, "I could have sworn that we could've gotten killed that morning. If that's your kind of easy I'd hate to race you when you're feeling a bit hard." Rufio let out a loud laugh and waved at the bartender for more cocktail.
"You're a sly one," he said as his cup was being filled, "but I've got a few years over that elfish head of yours. I want to live hard and die old, but you risked your neck jumping over that building, not to mention a fine mare." "You should talk shit," Link replied, "You nearly killed an old woman." "Kyoreleah could jump higher than that easily," Rufio retorted.
He drained half the glass and looked at Link. "How long are you damning this place by staying here?" he asked comically. Link grinned at the remark and answered, "As long as I feel like it, but I want to see more of the capital and this Caravon you're talking about." "In that costume of yours?" the trainer chortled, "If you want to stay here that long, you've got to get rid of that damn forest stitch on you. Besides, a man wearing tights…" He stopped there in a stifled laughter.
Link scowled but reasoned the idea to himself. It made sense that if he were to stay here then the tunic would have to go. He looked at Rufio's loose breeches stuffed into leather boots that matched his own. There was not too much difference in their clothing, just the breeches, the light shirt under a loose-fitting vest, and no cap to go with it. Suddenly Link felt a bit uncomfortable in his own clothing.
Rufio noted his friend's silence and gave him a pat on the back. "I'll be your tour guide, and I'll let you in on Nemix's traditions and all that other crap. Are you willing, schoolboy?" Link gave him a wry smile. "Call me that again and I'll wipe that smirk off your face." They exchanged a bit of light laughter and stood up. Rufio left rupees for the drinks on the table next to their empty glasses, and the two men left the bar.
The bartender watched as they left, and collected the money. He left the beer glasses on the table and slipped to the backroom. Glancing around to make sure no one was there, he lifted a flap under his chin and peeled off his skin. Admyn shook her head and untied the bun under the bartender's cap. She placed all of this in a small sack next to a pile of black clothes and began to unbutton the bartender's vest.
Something struggled and thumped somewhere in the room. With an exasperated sigh she went over to a closet at the corner of the room and yanked it open.
A middle-aged man looked up at her, his mouth gagged and his limbs trussed up like a turkey. He had only his undergarments on and a furious face as he made futile attempts to scream. "Oh shut up," Admyn said testily and knocked his head against the closet. The man's eyes rolled and he relaxed; unconscious.
She changed into ordinary clothing and threw the bartender's outfit inside the closet with the man before slamming the door shut. Fishing out another mask from the sack, she gently placed the skin over skin and peered out through the eyes of an old man. She took the sack, her black clothing, and a saber that rested in a black scabbard against the wall and hid it over the corner of the wall. Then she left through the back door as an old, hunchbacked man.
* * *
Jacobson was surprised when the tall Rufio knocked onto his door. He greeted Link wholeheartedly and looked on to Rufio with foreboding fear towards his son. "What brings you here, Mr. Rufio?" he asked kindly. The trainer shifted his feet nervously and answered, "I'm looking for that son of yours."
"Our Gatle wasn't anywhere near your horses today," Jacobson defended, "He was at home all day." "This isn't about my horses," Rufio assured, "I'm here for business." "Business?" the father started when Gatle stumbled into the room. He saw Link and ran towards him excitedly, until his eyes met Rufio that he stopped in his tracks. "Mr. Rufio…gahtan," he said slowly.
Link looked back and forth between the two of them and cleared his throat. "Rufio wanted to make an offer to you, Gatle," he said helpfully. At once the clear blue eyes gleamed in joy. "Really?" he asked, "Does that mean you won? Does that mean I get to choose a horse?" Jacobson looked shocked and sputtered, "Gatle! Don't talk such nonsense!" He looked back at Rufio apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Rufio."
"No," Rufio objected and rubbed his hands uneasily, "Gatle's right." The boy began to jump around the room maniacally, unaware of those around him. Jacobson looked back at his son and Rufio. "Surely you must not be serious. A boy his age, and we couldn't possibly handle such a beast in our modest little home." "Actually my real offer was to have him at my ranch as an apprentice," Rufio said tensely, "and I'd teach him the trade with the horses so that one day, hopefully, he could take my place." His voice tinted with a bit of sadness, but he smiled gently at Jacobson.
The father was nearly shocked beyond relief. "Mr. Rufio, that is a very generous offer, but what could our son provide to you?" "Gatle has a love for the horses, which is the greatest thing that a trainer should have," Rufio explained briefly his eyes darting from side to side, "I would like to have him as my apprentice, and I'll take him off the trade with his current kaykhan, Oryl."
Before Jacobson could say anything more, Gatle ran up to Rufio and took his hand. "Thank you, gahtan!" he shouted happily, "Thank you so much!" Rufio eyed him and gave a light smile and said, "You should thank this hell demon here. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't think my horses could get any better." Link grinned and let out a surprised gasp as Gatle jumped on him and tightened his skinny arms around him into a hug.
"Thank you, Mr. Link! Thank you!" Link laughed and held the small boy in his arms until his father pried him away. "We cannot show our gratitude enough," said Jacobson, smiling, "Please stay at our home before you leave." "No," Rufio objected quickly, "We should be on our way. I'll come by and take Gatle with me when my trade here is finished. I expect him to be packed and ready to go by then, is that clear?" Gatle nodded eagerly and answered, "I understand, kaykhan."
"Avakch schnae," Rufio said to them. "Avakch schnae, Mr. Rufio and Mr. Link," the father replied and shouted towards the house before the door closed, "Daren, Lysell, Maryanne! I have wonderful news!"
Rufio glanced at Link's beaming face while they walked down the street. "Well?" he asked humorously, "Did you like that, you bastard?" "The part when you were turning red or when you started pissing in your breeches?" Link answered half laughing. Rufio shot him a dirty glare and laughed. "You bloody son of a bitch," he joked, "Couldn't stop laughing at me, could you?" Link shook his head and answered, "I just wonder how a daredevil like you could start sweating talking to a little boy's family."
The horse trainer grinned. "I suppose it felt a bit funny standing there not yelling damnable curses," he replied, "Shit, we'd better begin on that teaching of yours. Let's start with that shop there and get you out of that clown suit." Link objected when Rufio pushed him inside the store.
A tailor came up to them and gave a heartwarming smile to Rufio. "Ah, Mr. Rufio!" he said happily, "Are you here to make another purchase?" "No, Francois," he replied, "I'm here for a friend." Francois, a skinny little man with a flat chin held a long rope of measuring tape and eyes that seemed to see everything that went around him. He inspected Link's attire, shaking his head disapprovingly. "Tsk tsk," he said shaking his head, lifting one of Link's arms up and tugged at the cloth of his green tunic. Link felt as if he was a dog placed in front of a judge who kept poking and tugging at him.
"He's a size ten at the slim area, just so or about," Francois muttered as he placed the tape measurer around and along Link's waist, arms and legs. The tailor nodded to himself muttering, and jotted down on his notepad, "Six foot two, we'll have to make some minor changes. Yes, form is acceptable." He added a few more things to his notes and looked at the two men with an air of business. "Yes, I think so. I have a few outfits I would like for you to try on," he said to Link, "Would you please wait near fitting room next to my office while I go prepare it? Oh, I'm going to make you look gorgeous."
Link nodded absentmindedly while Francois led them towards a large white room surrounded by curtains and a stand at the middle. Over at the corner was a private changing room, and a few seats were lined up against the wall. A client was already standing in the middle of the room, a seamstress giving measuring to the outfit while her client stood.
Rufio and Link waited outside the room near the door while Francois went into a back corner around his office. Link gave Rufio a peevish look and asked, "Do you go here often?" "Yes, that's why Francois now knows me by name," the horse trainer answered and noticed a grin on Link's face. "Just what the hell is so damned funny?"
The Hylian shook his head and leaned against the wall, eyeing Rufio with his violet blue eyes. "I just can't imagine that a bastard like you worries so much about his appearance," he answered. Rufio gave him a cold smile. "But it's worth it," he answered. Link raised his eyebrows. "Why?"
Just then, the client from within the room stepped down and left out the door. Rufio and Link stared as a pretty young woman gave them a sideways glance and smiled. Rufio smiled right back and turned to Link smugly. "See what I mean?" "No," he replied. The horse trainer was confused. "Why no?" Link smirked and answered, "Because she was smiling at me." "Was not, you son of a bitch," Rufio retorted and slapped his hand against Link's arm.
Francois emerged with a large array of clothing folded over inside plastic sheets and with hangars. He staggered slightly before Link and Rufio offered him a hand. The tailor's face emerged and said his thanks, while the three men entered the dressing room and hung the clothing on a bar against the wall.
"First," Francois started and handed Link a pair of white boxers, "I want you to change into this. And this," he pulled out a shirt and pants, along with a box of shoes and handed them all to Link. "They should be around the right size," the tailor assured and pushed Link into the private changing room.
Link stood baffled in the small, square stall with the body length mirror. He sighed and placed the articles on the ground before undressing. His tights were a matter of taking off his gloves and boots, and after that he felt as if a layer of his skin had been removed. Link dressed into the boxers and pulled out the clothes, looking at them quizzically. How was he supposed to fit that over his head, or was that for the arms?
"Are you done yet?" Rufio yelled from the outside. "No, give it some damn patience," Link retorted. He looked at the clothing again and shrugged to himself. The dark slacks looked easy enough to slip into, and he tightened the belt around it. He found it slightly short, but ignored it and placed on the black leather boots with clicking cuffs. The shirt came last, and as he as he turned the royal blue material in front of him looking for the head, Rufio's voice shouted impatiently, "Are you done changing into that blasted thing?!"
"Almost!" Link yelled back. He tossed the shirt over his head, hoping to find the sleeves and felt them sticking out next to a slit in the cloth. Link tugged at the neck, and saw that the shirt was very opened, revealing a bit of his lean muscular chest while the long sleeves extended to his wrists. He pushed open the door stepped outside.
Francois shook his head and dragged him to the stand. He buttoned the cuffs at the sleeves that Link missed and made him tuck in the shirttail into the black pants. "Oh, get rid of this thing!" he said dramatically and threw Link's cap across the room with a flair. Link's short blond hair under the cap, that had barely seen the light of the sun, was revealed in an untidy, lax arrangement around his head. He suddenly felt that his head was a bit too loose and uncomfortably exposed to the fresh air. Francois, however, kissed his fingers and allowed his hands to fly across the air emotionally.
"Oh, it's ravishing! Absolutely sup-erb!" he ranted, "You are a beautiful man, but let me revise the size on those trousers." Link wasn't very sure if he wanted Francois so close, but seeing the amused expression on Rufio's face forced him to stand still. The tailor muttered numbers and wrote them all over his notebook. Then, he raced over to the cloth hangers and grabbed another set. 'Holy Farore,' Link moaned to himself.
He was dragged again into the stall and forced to change into an electric blue and black robe much like the one Rufio had worn that day at the inn. It was full length and embroidered around the neck in gold designs against a black and blue fabric. A matching collared vest went over a thin, black, cotton shirt with loose sleeves and no cuffs. This apparel ended with a pair of black slacks tucked, as Francois ordered, into a pair of sleek black boots which turned above the knee at the front and below at the back.
"It looks radiant on you!" Francois prated while blowing kisses, "Melifique Nayru (Blessed Nayru), I just knew that blue was your color! Oh, if I was a woman I'd come begging from your hand."
Rufio couldn't keep a straight face as he stifled fits of laughter from behind his hand. Link couldn't help a smile too, and he was more than ready to leave when Francois shoved more outfits for him to try on.
The process went on for two whole hours, changing and twisting and turning then standing for moments on end listening to Francois's remarks. Link found himself in countless shirts of different styles and designs, fifteen different pairs of boots mixed and matched, not to mention the different comfort in some pants that were too large or too painfully tight.
'How do women do this?!' the Hylian thought miserably as he held out a creamy white sleeveless shirt. When Francois was satisfied with most of the results, he asked which of them Link would like to buy. He waved his hand and asked for them all, mounting to a cost of eight hundred and seventy nine rupees. The sooner he left, the happier he'll be.
Francois resented giving him the right to wear his tunic when he made the purchase: "I'll not have the town see one of my clients in such monstrous accouterments!" So he settled on wearing the attire he first tried on and went to pay at the register. "Mr. Link," the young woman at the desk announced. Link stood up and walked towards the desk, in his hand the receipt with the list of all the items.
She took it from his hand and briefly looked at him, then stopped herself and looked at him again. The young woman eyed him to his face, which was looking towards the exit frequently. She smiled to herself and decided to take her time with this one. "Ah, I see," she said slowly, "These items here, I'll have to check them." The girl went around and grasped the large bag of clothing and sorted them out, one by one. This alone took nearly ten minutes, and when she was finished she placed it on the desk.
"That would be two gold Sarrons and seventy nine rupees," she said. "Sarrons?" Link asked hesitantly, "The tailor said it was eight hundred and seventy nine rupees." She gave him a wry smile and answered, "Surely you must know. One gold Sarron equals to four hundred rupees. I'll take rupees, if you have that much." Link immediately dug into his wallet for four yellow rupees and the seventy nine and handed it all to her.
The girl's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Well, you certainly are a rich man." She took her time counting through the seventy nine rupees when Rufio stepped up from behind and placed a hand on the desk. "Excuse me," he said restlessly, "But you're holding up a lot of people."
From behind, five customers were wearing haggard looks. An old man began to sigh impatiently while placing a hand on his crooked back. The girl looked behind them and at Rufio's hard expression and nodded quickly. She tore out another receipt and handed it to Link. Her hand brushed past his as she gave him the bag, and she smiled at him coyly.
Link took no notice of this and answered, "Thanks." He and Rufio walked out the door of the shop.
Outside on the streets, Rufio grinned at his friend and nudged his arm. "See?" he said, "What did I tell you?" Link gave him a queer look. "What?" Rufio flicked his head towards the shop. "That girl was putting the moves on you, thanks to your get-up. Don't tell me you didn't notice?" "What are you talking about? You mean the clerk?" Link asked.
Rufio shot his hands up into the air. "What did you fucking think I was saying? That's why I butted in, or else she would've tried to get your ass in bed," Rufio said with a smirk, "You should thank me." Link grinned at him. "Thank you? For trying to ruin my moment?" The horse trainer gave a twisted smile. "Well if you're gonna get laid, you might as well fuck around with the right woman." Link exploded in laughter.
"You sound a bit too experienced," he stuttered through laughs. "And you, my friend," Rufio answered with his finger pointed towards him cautiously, "Need a little experience. I see there's a lot more to teach you, and with my help you'll be swarming with ladies." "Trust me," Link answered him with a secretive smile, "I don't need any trouble with women."
They laughed among themselves on their way. From behind, the old man from the store followed them with his bright eyes. He walked into an intersecting street, fingering the two yellow rupees he sneaked off from the clerk's money box. The old man walked down the street, coughing as he wobbled with his back hunched and nodding to a few residents. While he passed the townsfolk he took a little money purse, a couple of jewels and a few spare rupees.
The old man looked around the street and saw Link and Rufio near the market across the street. He made his way towards them when a large carriage of items and horses cut him off. The old man impatiently tried to push himself past the carriage, and when he emerged the two men had disappeared. 'Din-damnit,' he cursed.
Link and Rufio browsed around the stands looking at miscellaneous items, when a large riot occurred near them. People scrambled out of a small store, followed by the storekeeper himself yelling, "Demon! Demon!" Link stopped him and asked, "What's going on?" The storekeeper shook a finger at the store. "Don't really know, gahtan," he answered, "We saw this large ball of light come in yelling curses into the air. My store could be hexed!"
'Ball of light?' Link thought with a smile. He went towards the store when Navi emerged from the store yelling, "Fucking assholes! How can you think about charging that much for a fucking perfume?!" Link scowled and said irritably, "Navi, you should be at the inn." The fairy hovered above his head with a disgruntled tinkle. "Do you know just how damn boring it is there?" she complained, "Besides, you left the window opened again so I could leave whenever I wanted."
Link sighed, "I didn't mean for you to go to the market and freak out an entire store. You should be near the fields or something, people here don't know about fairies." "They don't know about elves either," Navi protested and dipped a little in the air. "Hey, you actually look a little better today!" "Oh yeah, thanks," Link answered sarcastically and pointed to Rufio, "I have him to thank for that."
"What are you, some fashion police?" the fairy asked rudely, "I thought you were supposed to be a horse trainer but you're just another damn make-out artist." Link restrained a laugh and coughed lightly. To his surprise, Rufio commented back. "What's with that voice impression of yours? Sounds like you're a cross from an ass and a even bigger jackass." Navi flew in front of his face, her glow dangerously turning red. People around them stopped to look, a tall man staring down an oddish ball of light.
"You've got anything more to say to me punk before I think up of something nasty?" "Well don't hurt yourself," the horse trainer answered detestably. "You fucking little-" "All right," Link said as he stepped in between them, seeing the crowd that came to see the scene. Navi darted around his head and under his hands as he tried to catch her and hold her still from using her magic on Rufio. "Navi," Link struggled with the fairy, "Let's just get back to the inn."
"I'm gonna' kill him!"
"Navi, calm down!" Link shouted and groped around his bag of clothes for his old tunic. In one of the pockets he found it, and while Rufio and Navi let out all the obscenities known to man Link grabbed the fairy and stuffed her into the bottle. The glass vibrated as Navi rammed herself against it, demanding out. Link quickly dumped her into the back and headed down the street back towards the inn. The crowd let out a sigh of disappointment and began to disperse.
The old man with the hunched back looked on towards the two men, and followed a bit behind. He stopped and hid around a corner when they entered the inn, and saw the sign with the two dolphins above it. Nodding and smiling to himself, he hobbled along the street.
~ Hope that was okay. When I came back to reading this I just sort of gagged ^_^ ; sorry if it's not that great, but I will add new chapters, though I'm not sure when I can. I'll let you know ASAP!
REVIEWS!! (and for the first time for this fic!)
Togey – yay! Yay! You read my story!!
Coolchick1124 – lol, I'll remember about the chickens, don't worry.
Hyper Shadow – thank you so much for reviewing! I'm really touched you liked this fic, and I'll remember to write on for the sake of it ^_^
Lilyclover924 – hahaha.. well I can't say that the review thing is a lie but *cough
Nefetiri – awww, thank you so much!! You make me feel so special!! ^-^
N_Yah – yea, humor is dry. Hope I get to improve it once I start writing more. Thanks for the comment, I'll work on it!