Part 4
(Answer Me This: The Keatons Game or Encounters of the Keaton Kind)
It is not a well-known fact that Keatons are capable of assuming a human- like form. Keatons, for those who don't know, are fox demons who are fond of good riddles, good wine, and good sex. They are sly and tricksters, but not bad people. Those who encounter a Keaton always walk away either very satisfied, or very puzzled, and always treated like royalty. Keatons, after all, loved guests and company, and were very hospitable creatures.
Presently, a male Keaton had encountered a young traveling bard and is now intent to win a small riddle contest.
It is the Keaton's turn. Shall we observe?
"Answer me this: What has wings, but never flies,
A useful beast when it dies,
Not as bright as it may seem,
And not as good when scorched or steamed?"
The bard smirked. "That's easy. A cuccoo."
The Keaton looked very ruffled. They had been at this for hours, holding a contest of who would get the first glass of the summer's brew, and then get to be on top when. well, no need to describe why the bard and Keaton were competing. But it had been long, and filled with riddles, and both were now scraping the bottom of the barrel.
"Answer me this: It touches trees and reaches ground,
Not too easy to be found,
Neither night nor day does it sleep,
Over nothing does it weep,
Plagued by moths, and birds, and moss,
Harmless though, it is always lost."
The Keaton was at a loss. Wagging his shimmering tails in contemplation, he stared fixedly at the bard. A while passed and finally.
"Well? Do you know? Or not?"
"I don't."
"Ah, then pass the wine and let us make merry and love."
The Keaton smiled as he poured the rich liquid into two goblets. "Here you are, the first glass of the summer's brew."
No one ever lost out in a riddle contest with Keatons, unless it was someone despicable and hateful, but people like that were often avoided anyway.
The bard drank deeply from the goblet. Ah, what a splendid taste! The Keaton's treated their guests well, as always.
"Now, answer me this." purred the Keaton in the bard's ear. "What is more of a man than a man?"
The bard did not know, as he was already drowsy with the fine wine.
"Would you like to know?" the soft tongue ran along the edge of the bard's ear.
"Yes."
"Two men, entwined in bed."
The morning mist had just begun to rise as the three travelers set out. The sky was bright and clear and the sun warming their cheeks in the cool damp air. The day had begun interesting. Unbeknownst to Nabooru, Sheik, and Link, it would get even more interesting before the day was done.
There were three fairies. On was male, the other two were female. There was also a fourth member to the small meeting, but he was much bigger than the fairies, and at the moment, not there.
"So you're Navi, huh?" Said the first of the Fairies. Her name was Taitle.
"Yes." Said the one named Navi.
"So you were with our friend, Link, right?" Remarked the male fairy. His name was Tael.
This time Navi only nodded.
"The skull kid and us have been looking for him for a long time."
Nod.
"Would you like to come with us?"
"Yes."
The pale green light filtered through the leaves and created little patches of light on the forest floor. Link felt at home in the forest. It was, of course, where he spent the better ten years of his life.
Unable to help himself, he let a goofy grin spread across his lips. He had been kissed before. He wasn't too inexperienced. but he had never been kissed like that.
He looked up at Sheik, the grin still plastered on his face. Sheik grinned nervously back, a happy glazed expression on his face.
It really was a good kiss.
Nabooru, however, was getting a bit fed up with them. While they should have been keeping their eyes peeled for enemies or spies, Link and Sheik were instead fawning over each other.
Finally, her tried patience collapsed.
"Oh for chrissakes, take a picture you two. It'll last longer."
Nabooru was not, by any means, homophobic. As an Amazonian leader, she had a few escapades with some of the other women in the tribe of Gerudos. However, if Link and Sheik didn't stop acting like a couple of love struck schoolgirls, there was going to be Hell to pay.
It's amazing how an angry Gerudo can make people suddenly focus on the task at hand.
Cool stream water flowed over the Keaton's body. It had been a good day in this neck of the woods. The bard bade his thanks and farewell after the wine and sex. He had people to entertain, and he was seeking the legendary thief Sugar. Everyone in all the three kingdoms held Sugar as either a great Hero, or a great Villain, but she was renowned, and to a thief, that was all that mattered.
Fame and glory. It boiled down to that.
Scrubbing the sweat and smell of sex from him, he pondered this thief. He knew she was a historical figure. But there were also recent robberies that had occurred by the same thief.
Perhaps she was an immortal? The Keaton wondered.
It was then that he heard the clopping hooves of approaching horses. Travelers perhaps? Grinning, he assumed his fox form, hopped out of the stream, and vanished into the undergrowth to see just who had entered his territory. Perhaps they were as handsome as the traveling bard?
"I swear, you two, if you do not get a grip on yourselves we won't get to the inn by nightfall. We're falling behind, now focus on something other than each other!"
Link and Sheik had returned to fawning like newlyweds. This had stretched Nabooru's nerves far too thin and once again she snapped at the two of them. But there was no bite behind the bark. She knew these woods contained no danger, for the map read that Keatons heavily guarded it. The worst that could happen was that they would have to refuse some overly generous hospitality.
It was really no surprise when a yellow three tailed Keaton the colour of marigolds and shimmering in the afternoon sun hopped out into their path.
"Answer me this: Why does the Gerudo stray so far from her valley?"
Ah, thought Nabooru. A game. And she knew the rules.
"Only to seek another's advice. Answer me this: What does this fair Keaton desire of these weary travelers?"
"Only their company for a meal and good spirits. Answer me this: What separates the quality of wisdom you seek so far away from that of your homeland?"
Nabooru frowned. Keaton's were rarely so direct in questions. They liked riddles, games, and chit chat.
"We three seek the wisdom of the priestess Shyoka."
"You are on a hunt for the Thief of Time herself I presume?"
"Somewhat. We wish her no ill fate, and the priestess is a good friend of mine. I'm sure you are aware of the release of the Dark Lord?"
"Sadly, I am well aware of the tragedy. Many of my kin were lost to him."
Nabooru smiled. An ally, and a trustworthy one. Keatons, despite their slight flaw of vanity, were always good people and opposed Gannondorf viciously. They were not on best of terms with Gerudos, but were not mortal enemies nor were they about to make judgements on an individual.
"Then I will let you in on our journey, and you may be able to help if you wish. The thief has stolen an ancient blade from our Temple of Time. How she managed to obtain it is beyond any of us. But we must retrieve it in order to seal away Gannondorf."
All the while Link and Sheik were edging ever closer, in hopes to steal a kiss without Nabooru noticing. They were inches apart when.
".And THESE TWO aren't taking the journey nearly as seriously as I would expect them to. ARE YOU?"
Link and Sheik at the same moment fell from their horses in a tangled heap on the forest floor.
The Keaton raised a brow, suddenly very interested. The two young men were enchanting and that was an understatement.
"I think." Said the Keaton, choosing his words carefully ".That I will be of great use to you."
Link grinned nervously at Sheik who looked equally as pleased. Deciding to take advantage of Nabooru's presently turned back, he leaned over breathing softly into Links sensitive ear.
"Looks like we'll have to finish this morning's kiss later tonight. pri- vate-ly." He had drawn out the last syllables to give Link the idea that they were going to be finishing a lot more kisses than just the one they had shared that morning.
Link gaped at the implications.
End of Part 4
It is not a well-known fact that Keatons are capable of assuming a human- like form. Keatons, for those who don't know, are fox demons who are fond of good riddles, good wine, and good sex. They are sly and tricksters, but not bad people. Those who encounter a Keaton always walk away either very satisfied, or very puzzled, and always treated like royalty. Keatons, after all, loved guests and company, and were very hospitable creatures.
Presently, a male Keaton had encountered a young traveling bard and is now intent to win a small riddle contest.
It is the Keaton's turn. Shall we observe?
"Answer me this: What has wings, but never flies,
A useful beast when it dies,
Not as bright as it may seem,
And not as good when scorched or steamed?"
The bard smirked. "That's easy. A cuccoo."
The Keaton looked very ruffled. They had been at this for hours, holding a contest of who would get the first glass of the summer's brew, and then get to be on top when. well, no need to describe why the bard and Keaton were competing. But it had been long, and filled with riddles, and both were now scraping the bottom of the barrel.
"Answer me this: It touches trees and reaches ground,
Not too easy to be found,
Neither night nor day does it sleep,
Over nothing does it weep,
Plagued by moths, and birds, and moss,
Harmless though, it is always lost."
The Keaton was at a loss. Wagging his shimmering tails in contemplation, he stared fixedly at the bard. A while passed and finally.
"Well? Do you know? Or not?"
"I don't."
"Ah, then pass the wine and let us make merry and love."
The Keaton smiled as he poured the rich liquid into two goblets. "Here you are, the first glass of the summer's brew."
No one ever lost out in a riddle contest with Keatons, unless it was someone despicable and hateful, but people like that were often avoided anyway.
The bard drank deeply from the goblet. Ah, what a splendid taste! The Keaton's treated their guests well, as always.
"Now, answer me this." purred the Keaton in the bard's ear. "What is more of a man than a man?"
The bard did not know, as he was already drowsy with the fine wine.
"Would you like to know?" the soft tongue ran along the edge of the bard's ear.
"Yes."
"Two men, entwined in bed."
The morning mist had just begun to rise as the three travelers set out. The sky was bright and clear and the sun warming their cheeks in the cool damp air. The day had begun interesting. Unbeknownst to Nabooru, Sheik, and Link, it would get even more interesting before the day was done.
There were three fairies. On was male, the other two were female. There was also a fourth member to the small meeting, but he was much bigger than the fairies, and at the moment, not there.
"So you're Navi, huh?" Said the first of the Fairies. Her name was Taitle.
"Yes." Said the one named Navi.
"So you were with our friend, Link, right?" Remarked the male fairy. His name was Tael.
This time Navi only nodded.
"The skull kid and us have been looking for him for a long time."
Nod.
"Would you like to come with us?"
"Yes."
The pale green light filtered through the leaves and created little patches of light on the forest floor. Link felt at home in the forest. It was, of course, where he spent the better ten years of his life.
Unable to help himself, he let a goofy grin spread across his lips. He had been kissed before. He wasn't too inexperienced. but he had never been kissed like that.
He looked up at Sheik, the grin still plastered on his face. Sheik grinned nervously back, a happy glazed expression on his face.
It really was a good kiss.
Nabooru, however, was getting a bit fed up with them. While they should have been keeping their eyes peeled for enemies or spies, Link and Sheik were instead fawning over each other.
Finally, her tried patience collapsed.
"Oh for chrissakes, take a picture you two. It'll last longer."
Nabooru was not, by any means, homophobic. As an Amazonian leader, she had a few escapades with some of the other women in the tribe of Gerudos. However, if Link and Sheik didn't stop acting like a couple of love struck schoolgirls, there was going to be Hell to pay.
It's amazing how an angry Gerudo can make people suddenly focus on the task at hand.
Cool stream water flowed over the Keaton's body. It had been a good day in this neck of the woods. The bard bade his thanks and farewell after the wine and sex. He had people to entertain, and he was seeking the legendary thief Sugar. Everyone in all the three kingdoms held Sugar as either a great Hero, or a great Villain, but she was renowned, and to a thief, that was all that mattered.
Fame and glory. It boiled down to that.
Scrubbing the sweat and smell of sex from him, he pondered this thief. He knew she was a historical figure. But there were also recent robberies that had occurred by the same thief.
Perhaps she was an immortal? The Keaton wondered.
It was then that he heard the clopping hooves of approaching horses. Travelers perhaps? Grinning, he assumed his fox form, hopped out of the stream, and vanished into the undergrowth to see just who had entered his territory. Perhaps they were as handsome as the traveling bard?
"I swear, you two, if you do not get a grip on yourselves we won't get to the inn by nightfall. We're falling behind, now focus on something other than each other!"
Link and Sheik had returned to fawning like newlyweds. This had stretched Nabooru's nerves far too thin and once again she snapped at the two of them. But there was no bite behind the bark. She knew these woods contained no danger, for the map read that Keatons heavily guarded it. The worst that could happen was that they would have to refuse some overly generous hospitality.
It was really no surprise when a yellow three tailed Keaton the colour of marigolds and shimmering in the afternoon sun hopped out into their path.
"Answer me this: Why does the Gerudo stray so far from her valley?"
Ah, thought Nabooru. A game. And she knew the rules.
"Only to seek another's advice. Answer me this: What does this fair Keaton desire of these weary travelers?"
"Only their company for a meal and good spirits. Answer me this: What separates the quality of wisdom you seek so far away from that of your homeland?"
Nabooru frowned. Keaton's were rarely so direct in questions. They liked riddles, games, and chit chat.
"We three seek the wisdom of the priestess Shyoka."
"You are on a hunt for the Thief of Time herself I presume?"
"Somewhat. We wish her no ill fate, and the priestess is a good friend of mine. I'm sure you are aware of the release of the Dark Lord?"
"Sadly, I am well aware of the tragedy. Many of my kin were lost to him."
Nabooru smiled. An ally, and a trustworthy one. Keatons, despite their slight flaw of vanity, were always good people and opposed Gannondorf viciously. They were not on best of terms with Gerudos, but were not mortal enemies nor were they about to make judgements on an individual.
"Then I will let you in on our journey, and you may be able to help if you wish. The thief has stolen an ancient blade from our Temple of Time. How she managed to obtain it is beyond any of us. But we must retrieve it in order to seal away Gannondorf."
All the while Link and Sheik were edging ever closer, in hopes to steal a kiss without Nabooru noticing. They were inches apart when.
".And THESE TWO aren't taking the journey nearly as seriously as I would expect them to. ARE YOU?"
Link and Sheik at the same moment fell from their horses in a tangled heap on the forest floor.
The Keaton raised a brow, suddenly very interested. The two young men were enchanting and that was an understatement.
"I think." Said the Keaton, choosing his words carefully ".That I will be of great use to you."
Link grinned nervously at Sheik who looked equally as pleased. Deciding to take advantage of Nabooru's presently turned back, he leaned over breathing softly into Links sensitive ear.
"Looks like we'll have to finish this morning's kiss later tonight. pri- vate-ly." He had drawn out the last syllables to give Link the idea that they were going to be finishing a lot more kisses than just the one they had shared that morning.
Link gaped at the implications.
End of Part 4