Thievery
Disclaimer: 'Please return to sender at this address.....'
How could I say no to kizna's review? Simply worded, but heart felt methinks. [Hugs]. Thanks – nice to know I'm not forgotten.
Now that the troupe is safe in the Sheikan camp beneath Death Mountain, what by the Golden Goddesses are they going to do next? Only the muses and I know [evil smirk.]
You know the drill :: :: = Ganondorf's thoughts, [] = Alexis'/Blaise' thoughts, {} = Navi's thoughts and italics = memories
Enough of the brightly coloured tents had been set up so that we had one of them each. Rather than withdraw into the one I'd been designated, I sat before the open entrance, and kicked off my sopping boots, so that my (still bare) feet could dry off. The one large pillow that had been inside the tent, I had dragged forwards, and I pulled it towards me so that I could lean back on it. Now that there was no longer a need to move around, my adrenaline levels had gone back down, and I realised just how blasted cold I was.
As if sensing my discomfort, Artemis came by only a few minutes later with a blazing torch held in his hands, closely followed by Firen, who had an armful of firewood. "Follow us – we're going to light a fire in the central chamber," he called in his small voice, and I did as I was told, not bothering to put my boots back on, and instead walking barefoot over the rock, which, as I went back towards the main cavern, became warmer..... [Must be the heat of the magma from the crater,] I guessed, carefully stepping over a gravelly patch in the floor, and thanking my lucky stars that I had tough feet to begin with.
Back in the main cavern, I could see that everyone else had already gathered, and they were sitting around an already large pile of firewood. All of them looked up as Artemis and Firen came in, and I hung back a little until their eyes were all diverted away again. I didn't feel up to scrutiny – I had the horrible feeling that I was on the brink of a fever or some such, and didn't feel too good, so I guessed I wouldn't look too great either.
Firen dumped the last load of wood onto the pile, and then Artemis touched his burning torch to the whole lot – it took immediately, and crackled all over the bone dry wood. Even from my vantage point at the arch to the third cavern, I could feel a tide of warmth wash over me, and was drawn forward by the inviting flicker of the flames. Even the presence of Sheik (and his formidable mother), not to mention the other two Sheikah and the telepath who would know my every thought if I wasn't careful, could not quash my desperate need to warm myself up before vital appendages (like my feet) fell off.
I stepped down from the archway and across the rough steps that were hewn directly into the rock, and took up a seat near the wall, directly opposite the fire. A banner attached to the wall above had me half in shadow – sadly, what with having such pale legs, the part of me that was in the light stood out like a sore thumb. "Hey, Blaise, come over here, you'll get warmer quicker," Catherine beckoned, holding her own hands out before the fire, and then rubbing them together briskly.
I did as she had suggested, and came and sat down next to her (luckily, this also meant that I was as far away from Sheik as physically possible). "So, James, are you going to tell the rest of us what you saw out there that made you fall, or not?" Catherine asked, turning back to the group. Evidently, this was a conversation that had been going on for a while. James cast a glance at Sheik, obviously asking his superior whether or not to tell. Sheik frowned, and nodded.
James gulped, and then quickly looked around at the whole circle. "It may sound stupid, what with all the monsters all of you must have seen....."
"Just tell!" Catherine urged, giving him a playful shove, and he blushed in embarrassment.
"Yes – urm. Well, it was just a pack of skultullas, a few of the black kargoroks and the lesser wizrobes.....nothing really, but seeing them in such great numbers shocked me." All those who had heard of the creatures were shocked – Catherine, however, just smiled and nodded, as if to say 'is that all?' Obviously, James' tone of voice had assured her that this was nothing to worry about. Wizrobes? They only ever, ever came out of their lairs when true dark magic was over a land.
I caught Sheik's eye, and wouldn't allow him to look away. Again, I had one of my brief internal battles, mentally shot myself in the back of the head for being an idiot, and got up. Sheik got up also, and followed me all the way out into the first, entrance cavern. Looking back, I saw that the group, which had been tensed, was beginning to relax, and Catherine must have cracked some sort of joke, as they all began to laugh, and then the chatter came back up to a normal level.
"Wizrobes, Sheik? Is this how you plan to tell your guards about monster problems then?" I slumped against the wall, and then winced as I managed to widen a tear in my tunic. "Damn it."
"No, this wasn't how I was planning to tell, actually," he answered stiffly, pulling his facemask off, and discarding it. "Sodding thing – it's soaked." He kicked it, and then left it crumpled on the floor. "And what was that 'damn it' for?" I looked down at the tear in my tunic, and then decided against dignifying that with an answer. His eyes flickered to follow my eye line, and he raised an amused eyebrow.
"Oh, shut up!" I growled.
"I didn't say a word."
"You didn't need to." I slumped again, albeit more carefully this time. "Question; what is a 'black kargorok'? I've never heard of them before....."
"Ah – well, you wouldn't have. They're a new type of monster Aghanim managed to procure. He managed to cross a hawk with a bat, and then crossbred that with a vulture. And then made the things twice as big again as a normal Hylian man." He narrowed his eyes. "That bastard's always had a sick fascination with manipulating nature."
"Meaning?" I asked, and then yet again found myself mentally thwacking myself. [Of course, Artemis.] "OK, ignore that I asked that."
"I was going to anyway." A wry smile managed to cross his face, before it was wiped out with a worried frown. "The proximity of all those creatures does make me wonder." He scratched the back of his head, the frown growing ever more obvious.
"You don't think; he wouldn't be here, would he?" I of course, was referring to Aghanim.
"I don't know. I can't see any reason why he would be here – and yet, I can't shake the feeling." Suddenly, he snapped his head up, and I could visibly see his ears perk. I strained to catch some sound that shouldn't have been, but, whatever it had been, I couldn't hear it. "Can I tr- wait, stupid question. Let me rephrase this. Will you do what I say without arguing?"
"If it'll help the mission, then I suppose so," I sighed. "What did you hear?"
"I'm not sure." He rummaged around his person for a few seconds, and came out with that Sheikah amulet. "But may as well check, just in case." My eyes widened as he grabbed my arm, and then dropped it as though it had burnt him. "Follow me," he ordered softly, ignoring the brief contact, and moving towards the wall we had entered through a short while ago. He held the amulet up, and the wall disappeared, opening out onto the mountainside, which was still being battered by the rain and the wind.
"Wait – you've not got any of your weapons," I pointed out, surprised that he had taken them off. He never took them off; such is the way of permanent 'adventurers'. He looked down, and then shrugged.
"If something attacks me, I'll bite it," he decided, and then strode out onto the cliff-face; the storm didn't seem to affect him at all, and I envied his ability to stare directly into the on-coming rain without difficulty. I followed, and he closed to rock-face door behind us. Looking around, it was hard to make anything out through the murky nighttime air.
It was only when a shrieking call sounded from above that I realised we might be in just a mite of trouble. Sheik peered up, and visibly blanched – I already had my sword out, but was unable to use it, as he backed into me, and knocked it from my hands. I reached out, tried to catch it, missed, and it fell away into the darkness. "Damn it!" I cursed loudly, and he jumped, as I had yelled it directly into his ear. "That was my sword you idiot!"
"Better your sword than your life," he hissed back. "Now, for the love of the Goddesses', be quiet!" Then, he turned around to face the cliff again, and took out the amulet. "Keep me covered."
"Yes sir," I saluted in a parody of a soldier, and wondered how exactly I was supposed to 'keep him covered', since the git had just knocked my sword down a mountain. [Idiot]. The only weapons that would be of any use were my daggers, and then, only at short range. [Hang on a minute – long shot?] I couldn't believe my stupidity, and I hurriedly removed the shining contraption from my waist.
Another of those shrieks, and finally I saw a form to go with it. Like a giant bird, huge enough to block out the stars (had any been visible), with an outstretched neck devoid of feathers, and a cruel, sharp beak. It was completely black, apart from the mottled grey/blue feathers upon its tail. It hovered, and then made to strike; I bought up the long shot in my right hand, and, since it was still there, my dagger in the left. The long shot I fired, which managed to deter the bird – or, as I had guessed, the black kargorok.
"Sheik, what's taking so long?" I asked, straining eyes and ears to prepare for another inevitable attack.
"I can't find the dratted keyhole!" he grunted, and turning my head slightly, I could see him running his hands hurriedly over the rock, amulet dangling around his left wrist. "I can't see a thing.....if that cloud would move, and I had some light, it would be easier." I just sighed, and hurriedly wrenched a few dregs of un-focused magic from myself, and eased them into a fire charm. Un-focused magic, whilst not very reliable, does work for short bursts, which was all we'd need it for.
"Will that do?"
"That's fine – now, it must be to the left some more....." I shuffled along so that he could study the piece of wall I'd been leaning on. I held my left hand up, and in my right, the long shot was cocked, ready to fire. A click told me that Sheik had managed to find the keyhole, and I turned around, just to be sure. He looked up with a tight smile, and then his eyes widened in horror.
"Wha-" Something grabbed me from behind, and sharp claws sliced through my tunic and into my skin. I was lifted from the ledge, and pulled away sharply – craning to look upwards, I saw a long, outstretched neck, devoid of feathers..... Something else grabbed onto my leg, and I looked down to see Sheik straining to pull me down again. Finally getting over the shock, I too began to struggle, to try and get out of this creature's iron-grip.
"Firen!" Sheik bellowed into the cavern. "Help!" Sheik's grasp was slipping, and he called again, more desperately. "Move it you idiot!" But, it was too late – Sheik's grip on me failed completely, which sent both the black kargorok and I spiralling away from the mountainside. Then, we were buffeted by the wind, and the bird, so surprised by this sudden change of air-currents, relinquished its grip.
[Shit!] As I fell towards the ground, I closed my eyes, and fainted.....
::Useless, bloody fool. Of all the-:: Ganondorf's thoughts were cut of abruptly when a communication portal announced itself brightly in the nighttime air. "What is it, you blundering idiot?" he snapped, as he wiped away the other portal, through which he'd just seen the desired girl drop to inevitable doom. ::Of all the idiots I have to choose!::
"One of the black kargoroks lower down managed to catch her on it's back, your worshipfulness," Aghanim said meekly, mewing his words like a frightened kitten. "What would you like to be done with her now?"
::There's a few things I can think of,:: he thought with a smirk, which the sorcerer picked up on.
"Apart from that," he said, imitating the smirk with one of his own. Ganondorf was then able to remember just why this boy – well, man now, had been his chosen apprentice. He remembered just why he had taken so much trouble and effort to call him from the sacred realm, before his voice was lost. "Shall I hold her under a sleeping spell until you're ready to see her?"
"That would be most – splendid," Ganondorf decided after a few short moments of thought. "I'll send for her when I've managed to retake the dratted fortress. No doubt not all will be happy to see me return, after Nabooru's little freedom run."
"Aye – the traitorous wench," Ganondorf was pleased to see his sorcerer's face curl in fury at the very mention of the name. "In due time then, worshipfulness?"
"In due time," Ganondorf agreed, and he used his hand to dissipate the magical communication. ::Goddesses, it feels good to be called that again.:: Looking up, he could see the shadowy outline of the fortress before him. ::Now to see what's happened to my race since I've been away.:: He hurried forth, face set in a seemingly un-removable smirk.
The vampire advanced on me, fangs bared in eager anticipation. I swore, loudly, and the sound reverberated around the ice-cavern. How many times did I have to come back to Vyxennia before all these demon creatures would go away? It was beginning to get ridiculous now – the first time I'd been, I had been a mere thirteen – now I was twenty one, and back, yet again.
A large pool of blood had already formed around me, trailing backwards for a distance farther than my eyes could see. The ability to walk had escaped me a long time ago, and I had been dragging myself forwards with numb hands for hours. As I knew was bound to happen, sooner or later, one of the vampires had followed my blood trail, all the way to me. Her fingers were tainted with my blood, and she casually flicked out a cat-like tongue to taste it, watching me with amused eyes.
"Hello, little immortal – having a spot of trouble, are we?" she purred, already trying to induce a state of hypnosis on me. In my weakened state, I actually seemed less prone to it, rather than more. With an annoyed flick of my wrist, I succeeded in sending a ray of UV light from the watch-like contraption around my wrist. She recoiled, hissing, and looked at her hand, once pale, now burnt black. She glared at me, and then launched towards me.
"Fuck!"
I sat up with a start, and the ground beneath me gave way, sending me tumbling downwards – I stopped abruptly on a hard surface, and groaned. [Where am I? Navi, are you there?] There was no answer. With trepidation, I opened my eyes, and promptly shut them again. [I didn't just see that. I didn't. I can't have.] But I had – I did. I opened my eyes to see whether I truly had gone insane, half-hoping...
"Fuck!" I repeated the phrase from the dream, and backed up against...whatever I'd just fallen from. The Stalfos looked down at me with empty eye-sockets, and tilted its scarcely attached head to one side, where it flopped precariously. Then, seeming to realise I wasn't posing it any current threat, it returned to standing to attention, and looking straight forwards. Naturally, I reached around for my sword – before remembering that Sheik had knocked it from my hands.
A quick search informed me that I had no weapons to speak of – and a small test told me I wouldn't be using magic for a long time. The un-focused magic had completely drained me.
If I couldn't escape right now, the least I could do was plan an escape for later. Slowly, I stood up again, and I carefully retook my place on what I now realised was a bed. The Stalfos didn't seem interested at all, so I looked around the room boldly, taking in the rich fabrics all around me, and the gold leafing that seemed to adorn every available surface. [This looks very upper class indeed.]
How by demons had I managed to get here in the first place? The last thing I could remember was being dropped by that black kargorok and blacking out and – oh dear. Something suddenly clicked in my mind, and I went over to the window I'd only just noticed, which was in the wall farthest away from the Stalfos and the door. Looking out, my suspicions were immediately confirmed, as I saw the Castle Town stretching away down below, and turrets and towers in the peripheral vision that the window allowed.
I was in the palace. Which meant, whilst I was probably no more than a few hundred yards away from Link, I wouldn't be able to get any help from him whatsoever. [How frustrating!] I banged my forehead against the windowpane, and growled in annoyance.
"You shouldn't do that you know," a silky voice pervaded the air, gaining access to every nook and cranny, and using the acoustics of the room to swell and boom into a rich, fruity sweetness. And, only one breed could ever speak like that. Turning around, I had to reign myself from swearing loudly at the black-robed man standing before me. "You might very well break the glass, and that could pose a nasty fall."
"Nastier than the one your kargorok gave me?" I asked mockingly. He brushed off the insulting tone, and looked abashed,
"Well, really, the poor creature was stunned by the weather. It wasn't its fault."
"In the same way that it wasn't your fault that so many Sheikah died or fled Hyrule?"
"If they wanted turf-wars, who was I to refuse?" his eyes twinkled dangerously, and I reigned myself further, deciding to pin him with a stare and dare him to open his mouth again. He rose to the challenge immediately. "I trust you've slept well?"
"Well enough," I answered shortly. "Where are my things?"
"Ah – well, I had to confiscate them, or else they might have proved hazardous to my staff," he signalled to the Stalfos by the door. "And I like to ensure that my staff have a safe working environment at all times."
"How very – noble – of you."
"You think so?" he grinned a dazzling smile, that bought me to a conclusion that Hyrule was an incredibly cruel and contrary world. Most of the time, those of the darker, less attractive side of life, seemed to hold more vitality and beauty than those on my side.
[Bloody annoying. Especially when you haven't had a lover for God knows how long – wait a minute – where did that come from?] I was startled at myself, and didn't realise until too late that the sorcerer had taken a step closer, and was staring down at me intently.
"You have a fever."
"No I do-"
"Yes you do. And you shouldn't be up. His worshipfulness ordered it – and now I can understand just why." At my age, I could recognise the flash of lust on his face, and wondered whether I could use it to my advantage. But, before I even had the chance, a ball of blinding light formed directly in front of my face, blinding me. "Goddesses!" Aghanim exclaimed, backing away – I did too, ramming myself into the window alcove.
"Aghanim!" I knew that voice – oh, how I knew that voice.
"Worshipfulness?"
"She should be asleep."
"Yes. Sorry."
"You're lucky I like you enough not to let that offence annoy me too much. Now, if you please." Aghanim nodded, and I tried to duck out of the alcove and make my escape – the Stalfos wasn't moving at all, and the door was so close and – I tripped over the large rug on the floor. This spectacular foul-up on my part, led to the sorcerer grabbing me by the scruff of the neck, and then lightly touching my temple – I was out like a light.
::The fool's lucky I was in a good mood:: Ganondorf thought, looking down on the destruction he'd caused already in the few short hours he'd been back at the fortress. Within a day or two, he'd have regained control of the place, and he would soon after be able to start waging his war on Hyrule. The cursed land that had tried to deny him his right to power.
::Not for very much longer.:: Feeling bored, he conjured up an image of the girl. She was, as ordered, now sound asleep, and looked for all the world just as she had those many years ago – perhaps a little careworn, but otherwise unscathed by the years. Something stirred deep within him; something greater and more profound than the instinctive want to have her. The emotion was quashed almost immediately, as yet another Gerudo woman, less than willing to give in, attempted to throw herself into a heroic battle with him.
He flicked her away like an annoying insect, and carried on in his inspection of her. Alexis. Oh, how long and hard he had had to torture just for a name... ::I wonder whether Ayesha's descendants will be quite so good at the torturing business:: he wondered briefly, casting his mind back to the 'good old days'. How distant they seemed – how hazy and fuzzy and yet so damned tangible. He could almost reach out and-
"Worshipfulness?" a tremulous feminine voice shattered the vision of her into a thousand tiny wisps of nothingness. He cast his eyes towards her, and was startled to see a quite living, breathing replica of the very woman he'd just been thinking of, standing right there before him. To warn her not to try anything, he held a ball of dark magic suspended casually between his hands. "Worshipfulness?" she repeated, her eyes filled with sudden wonder. "So it's true – you have returned."
::How very observant of you,:: he wanted to say, but instead he nodded, keeping his mystique to maximum. She clapped her hands delightedly, an action that caused one eyebrow to creep diligently up his forehead, and reside there for a long while. ::...Interesting...::
I was prodded hard on the shoulder by a sharp finger, and I raised a hand in order to bat it away. However, the prodder was persistent, and I, as the prodee, had to concede, and awaken. When I opened my eyes, it was to find David's face staring down at me, upside-down. Confused, [I'm sure I was just – I mean – what?] I sat up, and looked around. And realised that this was nothing more than a dream meeting.
I was in David and Loki's private rose-garden (which they had only commissioned two years ago now.) Already, the flowers had matured, under the careful magical tending of the gardener and David combined. Heavy blooms weighed down the rosebushes, and the air was heavy with their scent. I had never been quite so happy to see the place in all my life as I was now. David and Loki would help, of that I was sure. And I needed help...most definitely.
"I see you're in a spot of bother, little one?" David said shrewdly, adding another prod for good measure.
"You could say that," I agreed, grimacing as the full implication of the events of the past [Oh demons, how many days?]
"Nearly two now," David answered my unspoken question. "And if you weren't wondering how many days you've been out, that made little sense," he grinned.
"I swear, you and Loki get weirder by the day."
"It's more than likely. Now, speaking of Loki," he pivoted around, and the gust of air from his great wings as he did so ruffled my hair. "Loki! Hurry up, will you?" Loki appeared from nowhere (as people are wont to do in dream-meetings), carrying a vial of some vile-looking green liquid. "Is that it? Isn't it meant to be...a less vibrant colour?"
"I couldn't find any mountain spring water to mix it with, so I had to use the salt stuff," he explained, waving the vial about in an agitated manner.
"...care to explain...?" I queried, reminding them that I was still there.
"Ah – well, technically, we're doing something ever so slightly illegal," David said, whirling around again and smiling the sweetest smile he could manage.
"Yes...well, you two seem to do that quite a lot." I said, raising an eyebrow. "What is it this time?"
"Well, since it's really all Sheik's fault that you lost your sword and were thus kidnapped by a giant birdie," Loki grinned as David said this, "we decided to turn his hair green."
"And you bought me here to tell me that?" I said flatly, disbelieving.
"Oh – no, not just that," Loki cut in. "This potion, when you drink it, will bring you out of the sleeping spell on you in Hyrule. And then, well, we've took the liberty of sending another warrior in to get your weapons, and magic them back to you."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously," he said. "And, if anyone finds out, both David and I will be royally stuffed."
"Me? I had nothing to do with it," David said airily, and he popped out of sight.
"Coward," Loki muttered, still with a smile on his face. "But, he's right – I must go. Here," he pressed the vial into my palm. "And don't you dare say again I never do anything for you!" With that, he was gone, and I marvelled at the way he had changed over the past twelve years. Before, he's been a rather law-abiding citizen, but now...
[David's having an awful affect on him!] I couldn't help it – I started to laugh out loud at this, and it was only a warning thunderclap (who sent it, I don't know) that reminded me of what I was supposed to be doing. I looked at the disconcertingly green potion, which seemed to glowing slightly within the glass container. With trepidation, I removed the stopper, and then put my eye over the top, to get a better look.
The smell was worse though. I wafted it under my nose, and then physically recoiled from the stench. [Have to do this, have to damned well do it.] I pinched my poor, suffering nose, and swallowed it at once – the sensation was like a multiple slug race going down my throat, and it was all I could do not to spit it back out. Slowly, caterpillars of grey and black wriggled across my vision, and they had a brief tournament for power, before the black caterpillars finally won, and obliterated the scene around me.
I woke up slowly, forcing myself out of the dream-spell and into the land of the waking. Before daring to sit up, I pretended to shift in sleep, and turned my head to the side. Through squinted lashes, I peered towards the door. It was no longer guarded. [Thank the demons for that.] I could have whooped for joy, but managed to contain myself – my weapons, I found, as promised, on the table beside me. However, I still lacked my sword – I would just have to do without it then...
Carefully, I sat up, and reached out for my weapons – the coverlet that had lain over me slipped onto the floor, and I registered a terrifying fact. [I'm...naked?] I grabbed the silk sheet hastily, and wrapped it around myself in a panic. [Where by demons are my clothes?] I searched the room swiftly, but only managed to find a long, and completely unsuitable dress (of bright green velvet), as well as some under-garments, in the whole room. "Oh..." I groaned, returning to the dress. "This isn't going to make this any easier!" I felt like throwing something very large across the room, but as it would no doubt alert people to the fact that I was awake, I stopped myself.
"Now what do I do?" I wondered aloud, sitting back down on the bed. My daggers glinted in the light of the sun, which was pouring through the one window of the room. Looking at them gave me an idea, and I went back over to the dress once again – naturally, it looked to be about my size – I was probably supposed to wear it when I came out of the sleeping spell... I lifted it off of its hanger, and bought it back over to the bed, where I lay it down flat.
Then, taking up one of my daggers, I set about butchering the beautiful fabric. After all, it would be much easier to move around in something with a short skirt, rather than one that trailed underfoot. Every few seconds, I'd stop and listen, to see whether the ripping sounds the fabric made had been heard. And every time that I found out they hadn't, I felt jubilation surge through me. [Really, what is it with 'evil' and stupidity? They seem to go hand in hand so well...]
Finally, the dress's skirt had been completely decimated, and the frayed edges would probably settle at around knee-length. I retrieved the under- garments (which I realised, thankfully, were my own), and slipped them on, before also donning the dress. Whilst it would give me manoeuvrability, it would be a bitch trying to get around without being seen in such a bright colour. [But, if I can just make it to Link's part of the castle before being caught, then maybe...] I wasn't really sure what would happen, only that I had to get out of here before he arrived.
I didn't want to see him ever again. It would be...too...difficult.
Grabbing my dagger belt, I fastened it around my waist, and clipped the long shot into it – those were the only weapons the other warrior seemed to have retrieved, so I then made my way over to the window. There was no latch whatsoever, so I had to take up a small wooden stool that sat before a dressing mirror in order to break the glass. [Please don't hear me, please don't!] I prayed, as I drew the stool back, and then rammed it as hard as I could against the window. It didn't shatter, and my arms jarred terribly.
I tried again, and then on the third try, managed to achieve my goal. Sure that I must have been heard by now, I squeezed myself out of the window, not caring about the jagged edges of the glass that cut through both skin and cloth like a knife through butter. Looking down, I could see the ground was a dizzyingly long way down, and I took out my long shot, knowing that I would probably need it.
Peering around, I could make out a balcony-like protrusion on the outer wall, and decided to make that my point of travel. There was just the small problem of how to get there...whilst it was only about twenty feet down, it was also twenty feet to the left of the window in which I sat. [The long shot's chain is sixty feet, so maybe if I swing...] I quickly did some calculations, realised how incredibly risky what I was going to do was, decided that I didn't care, and sent the sharp tip of the long shot into the wood of the window sill.
After looking down once more, to see whether there were any guards wandering about (which luckily, there weren't), I pressed the trigger which would allow the chain out of the long shot. As it slowly did this, I sat down properly on the window ledge, and dangled my legs over. Long shot held in my right hand, I used my left to tuck my unruly hair firmly behind my ears. Then, biting my tongue as I did so, I let myself drop, and was stopped abruptly when I came to the end of the current length of the chain.
Then, I waited for it to slowly let out more length, until I was just slightly below the level of the balcony. Transferring all of my weight onto just one arm, I used my left to push myself along the wall – by doing this a few times, I managed to set up a pendulum motion. As I did this, I also let out a few more yards of chain, so that the arc I made bought me closer and closer to my destination.
One final swing, and I clicked the other button on the long shot, which was the release mechanism for the hook – instead of continuing my arc, I flew diagonally upwards, and over the balcony rail, before gravity remembered what it was meant to do, and bought me crashing down on the stone surface. "Ow..." I rolled over, somewhat dazed, and looked up into a familiar pair of eyes, which were full of concern.
"Bl- sorry, Alexis? What in Goddess' name are you doing on my balcony?"
"Link, I – I mean we're – us – Hyrule – is in very big trouble," I babbled, unsure of my wording. "Hide me!" I said suddenly, fearing that Aghanim might find me gone any second and see me gone. "Please, for the love of all things holy, hide me!"
"Hide you from what?" Link gestured out to the day, which was clear, bright, and completely un-menacing. "And I already knew Hyrule was in trouble – it seems you're the one with memory loss, not old me," he chuckled, and the merry sound turned into a brittle fit of coughs.
"Grandfather? How many times, you're not supposed to go outsi- oh my! It's you!" Both of us looked towards the glass doors that led onto the balcony, to see Melissa standing there with a look of shock on her face. "Wait a minute – is that one of my dresses?" I looked down at the dress; the edge that I had cut had managed to fray even more during the last couple of minutes of activity.
"Please, can we just go inside?" I begged, managing to heave myself off of the floor. Link, taken aback, nodded, and Melissa, with her mouth agape, stood out of the way of the door to let us inside, and then closed it behind us.
"Grandfather – what's going on?" she asked, as soon as she had pulled the latch of the door into place.
"Nothing, my dear one," Link assured her, and she looked sceptical.
"Nothing indeed, when a woman whom I met at the ranch turns up on your balcony wearing my dress. Oh yes, this sort of thing happens every day, doesn't it?" She threw her hands up in the air, and then placed them on her hips. "Explain, now, or will I have to go and get father?"
Link held up his hands in defeat, "All right, all right. Just calm down!" She dropped her angered stance, and nodded for him to continue. "Melissa, this is Alexis – Alexis, this is Melissa, my granddaughter. Apparently you've already met."
"Hang on, you said your name was – oh," comprehension dawned on her face.
"Exactly. And, you'll now understand how I know her. What she was doing on my balcony, not even I know." Link turned to me with twinkling eyes. "Care to explain old friend?"
"About the dress as well, if you please. I've been looking for it for days now."
"I, um, in a nut-shell, was kidnapped by a certain court sorcerer," Melissa gasped, and Link hushed her with a stern look. "And I made my way to the balcony, as it was the closest one to the room I was put into."
"Hang on – do you mean to say you just climbed the walls?" Melissa asked.
"When you put it like that – yes."
"You're kidding!"
"Not at all."
"Wow – that must have been so cool, I have to try-"
"Granddaughter," Link said warningly, and she stopped mid sentence. "This is quite a problem...if you're found here, Aghanim will go to Thelia, and will no doubt complain...and our station here is already hanging by a thread after a certain somebody," he looked at his granddaughter as he said this, and she blushed guiltily, "decided to paint the royal carriage orange."
"It was drab," she said as way of defence.
"It was also a very silly colour to choose – why not green, green's nice."
"Uh..." I interrupted, and they both looked at me. "I really need to get out of here, with all due respect..."
"Of course...and you really need some new clothes, no doubt?" Link said shrewdly. I nodded. "All right – Melissa, do you have anything spare that Alexis can borrow?"
"Probably; what about my riding tunic – that's pretty much the same design as her old clothes were."
"That would be splendid. Go and get them now dear." She hurried out of the room, but stopped at the door.
"Let me guess – 'not a word to anyone'?" she said with a grin, and Link nodded. Then, she closed the door behind her, and I returned my gaze to Link.
"You always did have a knack of getting into trouble," he mused with a soft smile. I just nodded in agreement. "Since you're here, would you care for something to eat?" My stomach answered for me by rumbling loudly, and he pointed me over to a platter of fruits that lay on his bedside table. "New this morning."
"Thank you."
"Not at all. How are you and Sheik getting along?"
"Terribly."
"I meant with the mission."
"Oh..." I blushed deeply. "All right – we've managed to get the girl to a safe place. And..." I trailed off, wondering whether to go ahead.
"And?"
"And we also managed to find the lady Impa and Saria in the shadow temple."
"Indeed?" I could hear the surprise in his voice. "Any – anyone else?" he asked hopefully.
"Aye...a certain flying light bulb called Navi." I turned around just in time to see a look of absolute joy cross Link's face. "I thought that'd cheer you up!"
"You thought right then! How is she – does she want to see me?"
"Of course she does! As soon as she can – in fact, I think when I get back to them, I'll make sure to send her to you."
"What, in a bottle?" I snorted at the image, and he tittered. Taking an apple from the fruit bowl (after having perused the many fruits within), I finally went back over to my old friend.
"How do you propose to get me out then?" I asked, completely turning the conversation.
"Hmm? Oh, that'll be easy," he said, waving a hand vaguely. "I've some Deku- nuts lying around here somewhere – I can't use them anymore, but I bet you can." I nodded. "Good... Of course, you can stay for a little while if you want," he wheedled, but I had to shake my head.
"I'm sorry, I can't...Sheik might do something..."
"Stupid?"
"Yes."
"Oh... all right. I understand, of course. But, if you ever want to come back..."
"I'll drop in whenever it's possible," I assured him. "Look, I really think you should probably leave the castle," I said in a rushed undertone. "I've just got this feeling..."
"I cannot – my people need me to be here," he said firmly.
"But what if?"
"If he arrives, then I shall flee as you've asked. If he doesn't, then there is no harm in me staying."
"Link, please, I just-"
"Grandfather?" there was a knock on the door, and then Melissa burst in, holding a bundle of brown and grey cloth. "Found them – but you might want to hurry up, because I saw Thelia and Aghanim strolling along, and they're bound to come in and see you." She came over to me, and pressed the clothes into my hands. "Good luck with whatever adventure you're on." Then, she placed a kiss on Link's forehead, and hurried out again, shutting the door behind her.
"I'll just go and..."
"Of course – the Deku-nuts are in the second drawer of the dresser in the bathroom."
"Thank you." After a brief thought, I repeated the action of his granddaughter, and kissed him on the forehead. He took my hands, and squeezed them gently between his own. "Please – just think about leaving, even if it's only for a little while."
"No. Now, good luck." He let go, and I hurried into the bathroom. It was only a matter of half a minute to get changed into the clothes (a brown tunic and grey slacks), and then I rummaged around in the second drawer of the dresser, until I found a softly glowing bag. I took it out, and withdrew one of the shining things.
The sound of movement in the next room alerted me that I was ever so close to being discovered again, so I held the bag of magical things in my left hand, and the Deku-nut I'd taken out, I dropped onto the floor. Thinking of the mountain-camp, I felt myself whisked away. [You'd best keep yourself safe Link. Demons only know what's going to happen now.]
Bleurgh. That was horribly written. I'm so sorry! Don't leave a review, because there are many things I did horribly there. Yuck. Next chapter will be better, I promise.
This chapter – in all its yuckiness (I'm sorry!) – is nonetheless dedicated to:
H7 (naturally), InnocentEyes159, Lossemare, SkySong, amaya, and of course, kizna1200, who's review was the thing that spurned me into writing this. (As well as the angst. Hooray for the inspirational angst).
Soda [oh God, so horribly written – yuck!]