A/N:
WOW So many peeps like this story! I'm SHOCKED! I wasn't even sure if I was going to post this one in the beginning b/c it seemed so plotless. Lol OH WELL!!! Thanks for all of the great reviews! ^^
PS: I just wanted to let you guys know that this fic will not feature any lemons. I mean, it is only PG, and it won't be jumping any higher in the ratings. Actually, there won't even be any alluding to lemons. Remember folks: LainieG304 doesn't write anything lemon-y sour-y citrus-y (you get the point). Just in case you were wondering…yumyumyum XD
Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda, but I do own 4 Orlando Bloom posters which are currently plastered to my wall. (wait, I shouldn't have told you that OOPS) O___o But Orlando Bloom is SOOOOOOOOO HOT!!!!!!! (you know you agree, you silly numnuts ^^)
The Carnival
Children
Link and Zelda arrived back the Stock Pot Inn at twilight. Parcels in hand, Zelda went directly to her room upstairs, mentioning something about "freshening up" to Link. He sat down at a table to wait.
It had been a fairly productive day. Zelda had certainly purchased enough items to last a month's worth of shopping; Link, however, only bought a few things, such as a new green cap (which Zelda had insisted on) and a new dagger. Zelda had also attempted to persuade Link into buying some new fabric to be made into clothing, but he had stubbornly resisted. He wasn't much for new clothing, unlike the princess.
"LINK!" a voice suddenly cried, startling Link. Turning to the sound, he soon found himself enveloped in a bone-crushing hug by a surprisingly tiny woman. "Link! It is so wonderful to see you!" the woman exclaimed happily.
"Ah…" was Link's reply. "Er…do I know you, ma'm?" To his relief, the woman let go of him, allowing him to breathe once again.
She frowned. "Have I become so old that you don't recognize me? It's me, Anju."
Link's eyes widened in shock. He looked closely at the woman and finally recognized her – the red hair, the sweet face – it was, indeed, Anju. The woman he had aided so long ago, here in this very town. "Anju, I'm so sorry. It's been a long time," he replied earnestly.
"Yes, it has! Where have you been all this time? It's been over seven years that I have seen you!" Anju exclaimed, now smiling. "Look how you've grown. My, my, my…" She then looked over her shoulder and called, "Kafei, come over here! It's Link!"
A man not much taller than Anju appeared, an infant in his arms, and a little boy and girl with him. He came over to Anju and Link, grinning. "Well, if it isn't that fairy boy from so long ago!" Kafei exclaimed, handing Anju the infant. "Where have you been for all these years?" he asked, grabbing Link in a manly hug.
"Oh, around, I suppose," Link replied lamely as Kafei slapped him on the shoulders. He then watched as the happy family continued to exclaim over his presence. "You guys have certainly been busy," he added, eyeing the three children.
Kafei laughed and wrapped an arm around his wife. "Yup, busy as a bunch of rabbits, I'd say."
Anju elbowed him in the stomach, blushing. "Don't listen to this pervert of a man, Link. We wouldn't want you to follow after him." Kafei simply wrapped his arm tighter around her, causing her to laugh. "Kafei!" she exclaimed, "you'll squish Leiland." Both turned their gaze to the infant in her arms.
Her husband took his son from his wife's arms again and patted his back gently. Leiland yawned in response. "Link, meet Leiland," Kafei said. He then pointed to the two children now hiding behind Anju's skirts. "And these two brats are Ferian and Calera," he added, chuckling.
Anju reached behind her and took hold of each of their little hands. "C'mon now, Link won't hurt you." The little girl and boy peeked around, their dark eyes wide with curiosity. Eventually, they ventured over to Link, although cautiously; he, in turn, knelt down to their level.
"Hello," Link said softly, not certain as how to approach the little ones. He didn't exactly know much about children; the only thing he could go by was his own memories of being a child.
"Hello," Ferian whispered in reply. His sister stood behind him, the shyer of the two. Both had dark azure hair like their father's and rosy, chubby cheeks. "Do you know mama and papa?"
Link nodded. "I helped them long before you were born," he replied. "Before they were even married."
"Oooh…" Ferian soon turned to his sister. "Callie, stop pulling on me!" he whined. "Mama! Make her stop!" He attempted to push her away, causing Calera to hold on even tighter to his tunic.
Anju sighed and picked up both four year olds, separating them. "Time for bed, I suppose. Both of you are getting cranky. Say goodbye to Link."
Ferian waved while Calera said nothing. Eventually, Anju left with both children slung over her shoulders like bags of flour; they began to giggle loudly as a result. When they were out of sight, Kafei remarked, "Well, it's been very nice seeing you again, Link. How long are you in town?"
"For the rest of the week."
"You aren't here all alone, are you? That wouldn't be an enjoyable way to spend Midsummer's Eve." Kafei smiled as Leiland began to drift off into the land of sleep.
Link rubbed the back of his neck absently. "No, my friend Zelda is here, too. We're having a bit of a holiday, I suppose you could say."
Kafei looked up from his son. "Just friend…?" he asked slyly, his eyebrows raised.
"Yes, just friend," Link stammered, flushing. "I mean, can't a boy and girl just be friends and not be romantically involved? I mean, that is such a stereotypical thing to say –."
Kafei raised a hand in defeat, laughing. "I get your point. Don't get yourself into a dither, now."
Just as he was about to say something else, both he and Link heard Anju yell, "FERIAN! CALERA! LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! KAFFFFFEI, HELP ME!"
"What have they done now?" Kafei sighed. He looked to Link. "Will you watch Leiland for a moment?" He handed him the infant and was off, before Link even had a chance to reply that he knew absolutely nothing about children, especially babies… Eyeing the sleeping child, he sat down gently at the chair he had occupied earlier, careful not to jostle Leiland.
Link held the baby stiffly, completely out of his league at the moment. He sat stick straight, almost afraid to move. Unfortunately, when Leiland noticed that he happened to be in the arms of a strange man, he began to whimper and eventually cry. Link moaned inwardly.
"Don't cry!" Link said, feeling like a complete idiot. It was then, at one of the stupidest moments of his life, that Zelda appeared. Typical.
"Link!" she cried, "why in Goddesses' name do you have a baby? And the poor thing's crying! What did you do to him, you blockhead?!" In one swift motion, Zelda lifted Leiland from Link's arms and began rocking him. She cooed softly to him.
Link scowled. "I didn't do anything to him! He just started crying for no reason! Goddesses, why is everything my fault, Zelda?"
"Because it almost always is in the first place. Secondly, you can't put a baby at fault for anything. Seriously, Link, I wonder if you do possess a brain sometimes." The infant's cries became steadily softer until he finally became quiet again. His head rested on Zelda's shoulder. "I would assume that he's not yours, right?" she asked in a whisper, smirking.
Link turned a bright red. "Nooooooooo," he replied, waving his hands. "Most definitely not mine. He's Anju and Kafei's kid."
"Really? Where are they? I want to meet them." Zelda sat down across from Link and patted the baby's back. "He's so sweet. Why in the world did they let you watch their child? And what's his name?" she asked.
"Leiland, and it was because their two other brats did something to cause Anju to yell for Kafei's help. He just handed me the kid before I could say anything."
"Aww…poor Linky. Forced to go shopping and hold a baby all in one day. The horror of it all." Zelda grinned broadly as Link continued to scowl in annoyance.
Silence ensued for a time, while Anju and Kafei were cleaning up their two children's mess. Link watched Zelda with Leiland, as she rocked him and kissed his dark head. When he whimpered a few times, she cooed soft words and he fell right back to sleep. She was in her perfect element: the feminine mode of motherhood. He had never seen her as such, so tender and maternal. It was so unexpected from someone who could be so prickly at times. "Zelda," Link said softly, "do you want children?" It was only after that he realized what he had said. He cursed himself inwardly.
Zelda looked to him, her blue eyes wide with surprise. A blush stained her cheeks at the seemingly innocent, yet surprisingly intimate, question. "Yes…" she replied slowly. "I suppose. Even if I didn't desire them, I would have to bear at least one, right? I am a princess, after all." Her voice was slightly bitter in tone.
Link didn't know what to say.
"I'll have to marry someday, of course, although it is doubtful that it will be for love," she added resentfully. "Some man whom I do not even know – I'll have to become his wife and be forced to share his bed –." She covered her mouth with her hand, embarrassed at her words. "Sorry. I shouldn't speak of such things to you," she stated softly.
"It doesn't matter to me, Zelda," Link replied, surprisingly understanding. "I wouldn't enjoy being forced to marry some man I didn't know either." He grinned when Zelda began shaking with silent laughter.
"Link!" she whispered, "shut up! You'll wake the baby." She continued to laugh, though.
Finally, Kafei returned for his son. Zelda handed the infant gently to his father, while Kafei murmured, "Now, I don't recall you being the one I gave my son to. Are you Zelda?"
She nodded. "And you're Kafei? You have a beautiful son, there."
"Thank you, and thank you for looking after him. I guess Link here isn't much of a babysitter, ay?" He winked at Link, and then left with a wave.
Zelda and Link sat in silence for a moment, before Zelda said, "Well, I'm hungry. Shall we get some supper?"
"Sure. I'm starving after all that work. Sheesh, babies are tiring."
Zelda snorted. "You dope, you didn't even do anything. Except almost dropping poor Leiland when he began to cry."
"Give me a break, would you? Fine, I don't know anything about babies. Are you happy?"
To Link's complete surprise, Zelda leaned toward him and placed a light kiss on his cheek. "Extremely," she whispered.
And for the rest of night, Link contemplated her cryptic answer, with a blush forever staining his cheeks.
Yey, another chapter done. But the plotlessness of this fic is bothering me. T__T So, that means you reviewers must tell me how wonderful it is! Hehehe lol I love ya guys!
I'm actually off to NYC for the week, so the next chappie will be a little late. Not to mention the fact that I won't be able to check my email for FIVE DAYS!! THE HORROR!!!!!! But I'm really excited. Never been to the east coast, just west. YEY!!! See ya soon, mis amigos!!! ^________^
FYI: Did you know that rupees are the real currency in India? But I don't think they are diamond shaped and come in green, blue, red, purple, yellow, silver…you get the point. ^^
