As Link entered the inn, he was hit by a blast of warm air tainted by the
smell of ale. In the center of the room was a large coal furnace that Sheik
and a few others had gathered around. Link crept up next to Sheik and stood
there a moment, warming his frozen joints. He let his gaze wander around
the room. There was a bar at one side of the room where a tough looking guy
"cleaned" glasses with a dirty dishrag. There were tables everywhere with
customers drinking or playing cards. Most of them were Hylians, but Link
noticed a few old Gorons sitting in a corner. He quickly turned his face
away, not wanting the Gorons to see him. After freeing the Gorons and their
Temple, he was practically worshiped by the peaceful but powerful mountain
people; considered to be not only their "Brother", but also their Savior.
They all knew his name, and would probably remember it for many generations
(he still smiled at the memory of meeting the young Goron called "Link").
At any rate, Gorons aren't very good at subtlety, and would probably blow
his cover if they saw him (he still shuddered at the memory of the "Big
Goron Hug").
But as he turned his face from the Gorons, he got a bigger shock: a group of Moblins were sitting around a table, speaking to each other with strange snorting sounds and clutching spears as thick as trees. No one knew what exactly Moblins were, whether they were beings of Gannondorf's creation or an actual race of pig-men that sided with the Dark King. At any rate, everyone knew they were incredibly strong and mean-tempered. While not the worst of Gannondorf's forces, Link had no desire to go up against them tonight.
"Sheik!" Link whispered urgently. He pulled the hood of his cloak closer around his face. Sheik looked and nodded.
"We better get a room. Follow me and keep your face hidden."
Link nodded and they began to move towards the nearby stairs leading up to the rooms. They passed the Moblins quickly and quietly. The Moblins didn't even give them a second glance. Everything was going fine until about halfway up the stairs.
There, stood a girl who was wearing more make-up on her body than clothing. She watched the Sheikah boy pass with sleepy eyes, but as Link tried to pass, the girl suddenly blocked his way, grinning playfully.
"Hey there, lad, you look a bit chilly," she said in a husky voice, "a few Rupees and I'll warm you right up."
"Oh, well, do you need money?" Link asked, a little surprised but never unwilling to help someone out.
"Almost as badly as you need THESE," the girl said, thrusting her ample bosom forward and wrapping her arms around his waist. Link was so started he nearly fell down the stairs. Meanwhile, under Link's cloak, Navi darted out of the way before the girl's painted fingers could touch her.
"Not AGAIN," she muttered, and nearly choked on the cloak's material.
"So whatdya say, cutie? I'm only three Rupees an hour. Five if you wanna add a bottle of ale."
"Uh..." Link was completely confused. Three Rupees an hour for WHAT?
Zelda had made it to the top of the stairs when she realized Link was no longer with her. She turned around and saw Link in the arms of a girl. By the look of her clothes and posture, it was pretty clear what profession she was in.
"Oh for Nayru's sake..."
Zelda stormed down the stairs.
"Link, get away from that wench!"
Link looked up, startled. The girl glared.
"Back off, Sheikah dirt, I'm trying to do business here!"
"Conduct your 'business' somewhere else, he doesn't want it! Besides, it's illegal in this village."
"WHAT'S illegal?" Link exclaimed. His face was full of confusion.
Zelda stared at him for a moment before realizing he was serious. She had to bite the material covering her face to keep from bursting out laughing. Poor guy, he was still just a little kid inside that manly body.
"I don't care if it's illegal," the girl was saying, "I need to make my living somehow! If you could live one day in my shoes – OW!"
The girl suddenly winced and jerked her hand out from under Link's robe.
"Something bit me!" she cried.
"Oh, um, there must be, uh, mosquitoes in here!" Link stammered as he backed up the stairs toward Zelda.
"So...I guess you're not interested?" the girl asked.
"NO," Zelda snapped. "Come on, Link." She began to go back up the stairs, but realized she wasn't being followed. She turned back to see Link reaching under his cloak. He pulled out a small bag. The jingle of rupees could be heard. Zelda narrowed her red Sheikah eyes, puzzled, but something told her to watch and stay quiet.
"Here," Link said, holding the bag out to the girl, "take it. It's all I have."
The girl blinked and stared at the bag suspiciously, as if expecting a trap. "You're just...giving it to me? You don't want anything in it an early birthday present." Link grinned, "Or late. I dunno when your birthday is."
The girl blinked again and slowly took the bag from Link. "Thanks..."
"Take care."
Link turned quickly and headed up the stairs. Zelda stared at him but said nothing.
Reaching the second floor, they found a dark hallway with doors on either side. The started down the hall in silence. Finally Zelda spoke: "Link...why did you do that?"
Link stopped and sighed.
"I don't know. She just looked so...desperate."
Link looked at Zelda, and she was startled by the sad look in his eyes. "I see it everywhere. This constant, gnawing desperation for...something. Something to give them hope. I even saw it with the Kokiri. They all look like kids but there's a darkness in their eyes that makes them look old and...weary. Gannodorf's evil has tainted everything and it drives me crazy. I...sometimes I wish I were like you."
"What? Why?"
"You're just...it's like..."
"What?"
"You don't feel. It's like nothing touches you. Nothing hurts you."
Zelda stared at him for a long moment. There was a strange feeling in her chest, as if her heart was being smothered. Is that what she had really become? Unfeeling? Even as she thought this, another part of her mind cried, 'Why do you even care? You're saving your nation; you have no time for feelings!' But it was a very tiny voice that said it.
Against her better judgment, she reached out and gently toughed Link's shoulder.
"Link...I feel as much as you. When I think of how beautiful this land once was, it kills me. But I don't show it. I...I can't afford to show it. There's too much at stake. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I guess so..." Link bit his lip and was silent for a moment. Suddenly he cocked his head slightly, looking curious. "Hey, what was that girl selling, anyway?"
Again, Zelda clenched her teeth to keep from laughing as she racked her brain for an answer.
"...Flowers. She was...selling flowers."
"...And that's illegal in Kakiriko."
"Yes."
"...Kakiriko's a weird town."
"Yes..."
"EXCUSE ME!"
Link and Zelda jumped at the sound of an angry voice coming from under Link's cloak.
"What's going ON out there!? Can I come out now?"
Link barked out a laugh, "I almost forgot about our little mosquito."
"HEY!"
Zelda shook her head. "Come on, in here," she said, opening a door. They all went into a dark room with a bed and a dresser. Link threw off his cloak and Navi came flying out, gasping for air.
"Oh come on," Link protested. He lit a small lantern on the dresser and a dim light filled the room. "It can't have been THAT bad."
"Link, you RARELY ever wash that tunic, and when you DO, you just dump it into a river or lake – or a moat! Do you have any IDEA what kind of FILTH swims in a moat!? Why – "
As the Faerie ranted, Zelda went over to the window and began to close the curtains. She paused when she got a look at the sky. Black clouds were rolling over the horizon, blotting out the stars. A low rumble of thunder could be heard overhead.
"Sounds like it's gonna rain," Link said, lying on the old bed. It creaked under his weight. "This isn't exactly top class, but at least we'll be dry."
"Okay, that's ANOTHER thing," Navi cried, "I'm trying to talk to you and you just completely ignore – "
Suddenly there was a crash and the shattering of glass. The room became dark again. Zelda turned from the window. Link was sitting up from the bed, eyes wide with alarm. The lantern had been knocked over. Navi lay beside it, holding her head in her hands. She let out a soft moan.
"Navi!" Link leapt off the bed and gently scooped Navi up in his hands. "Are you alright?"
"Link..." As Zelda watched, Navi slowly staggered to her feet, holding onto one of Link's thumbs for balance. "We have to get out of here."
"What? Why? What's wrong?"
"I felt something. Something bad. I've felt it ever since we entered Kakiriko, but it got really, really strong just now. Something...something is coming, something evil!"
There was another clap or thunder, much louder this time, followed by lightning. Zelda looked out the window with a feeling like ice covering her heart. No, it couldn't be...
"Link, stay here," she said suddenly. She ran towards the door and opened it.
"What?" Link cried, "Sheik, what's happening?"
"Just stay here!" she shouted. The door slammed with a bang.
AN: Yayness. Okay, sorry it took so long to get this out. Hope you like. Please review. Or Puss in Boots will make "the face"!
Puss: puppy eyes Mrrow?
But as he turned his face from the Gorons, he got a bigger shock: a group of Moblins were sitting around a table, speaking to each other with strange snorting sounds and clutching spears as thick as trees. No one knew what exactly Moblins were, whether they were beings of Gannondorf's creation or an actual race of pig-men that sided with the Dark King. At any rate, everyone knew they were incredibly strong and mean-tempered. While not the worst of Gannondorf's forces, Link had no desire to go up against them tonight.
"Sheik!" Link whispered urgently. He pulled the hood of his cloak closer around his face. Sheik looked and nodded.
"We better get a room. Follow me and keep your face hidden."
Link nodded and they began to move towards the nearby stairs leading up to the rooms. They passed the Moblins quickly and quietly. The Moblins didn't even give them a second glance. Everything was going fine until about halfway up the stairs.
There, stood a girl who was wearing more make-up on her body than clothing. She watched the Sheikah boy pass with sleepy eyes, but as Link tried to pass, the girl suddenly blocked his way, grinning playfully.
"Hey there, lad, you look a bit chilly," she said in a husky voice, "a few Rupees and I'll warm you right up."
"Oh, well, do you need money?" Link asked, a little surprised but never unwilling to help someone out.
"Almost as badly as you need THESE," the girl said, thrusting her ample bosom forward and wrapping her arms around his waist. Link was so started he nearly fell down the stairs. Meanwhile, under Link's cloak, Navi darted out of the way before the girl's painted fingers could touch her.
"Not AGAIN," she muttered, and nearly choked on the cloak's material.
"So whatdya say, cutie? I'm only three Rupees an hour. Five if you wanna add a bottle of ale."
"Uh..." Link was completely confused. Three Rupees an hour for WHAT?
Zelda had made it to the top of the stairs when she realized Link was no longer with her. She turned around and saw Link in the arms of a girl. By the look of her clothes and posture, it was pretty clear what profession she was in.
"Oh for Nayru's sake..."
Zelda stormed down the stairs.
"Link, get away from that wench!"
Link looked up, startled. The girl glared.
"Back off, Sheikah dirt, I'm trying to do business here!"
"Conduct your 'business' somewhere else, he doesn't want it! Besides, it's illegal in this village."
"WHAT'S illegal?" Link exclaimed. His face was full of confusion.
Zelda stared at him for a moment before realizing he was serious. She had to bite the material covering her face to keep from bursting out laughing. Poor guy, he was still just a little kid inside that manly body.
"I don't care if it's illegal," the girl was saying, "I need to make my living somehow! If you could live one day in my shoes – OW!"
The girl suddenly winced and jerked her hand out from under Link's robe.
"Something bit me!" she cried.
"Oh, um, there must be, uh, mosquitoes in here!" Link stammered as he backed up the stairs toward Zelda.
"So...I guess you're not interested?" the girl asked.
"NO," Zelda snapped. "Come on, Link." She began to go back up the stairs, but realized she wasn't being followed. She turned back to see Link reaching under his cloak. He pulled out a small bag. The jingle of rupees could be heard. Zelda narrowed her red Sheikah eyes, puzzled, but something told her to watch and stay quiet.
"Here," Link said, holding the bag out to the girl, "take it. It's all I have."
The girl blinked and stared at the bag suspiciously, as if expecting a trap. "You're just...giving it to me? You don't want anything in it an early birthday present." Link grinned, "Or late. I dunno when your birthday is."
The girl blinked again and slowly took the bag from Link. "Thanks..."
"Take care."
Link turned quickly and headed up the stairs. Zelda stared at him but said nothing.
Reaching the second floor, they found a dark hallway with doors on either side. The started down the hall in silence. Finally Zelda spoke: "Link...why did you do that?"
Link stopped and sighed.
"I don't know. She just looked so...desperate."
Link looked at Zelda, and she was startled by the sad look in his eyes. "I see it everywhere. This constant, gnawing desperation for...something. Something to give them hope. I even saw it with the Kokiri. They all look like kids but there's a darkness in their eyes that makes them look old and...weary. Gannodorf's evil has tainted everything and it drives me crazy. I...sometimes I wish I were like you."
"What? Why?"
"You're just...it's like..."
"What?"
"You don't feel. It's like nothing touches you. Nothing hurts you."
Zelda stared at him for a long moment. There was a strange feeling in her chest, as if her heart was being smothered. Is that what she had really become? Unfeeling? Even as she thought this, another part of her mind cried, 'Why do you even care? You're saving your nation; you have no time for feelings!' But it was a very tiny voice that said it.
Against her better judgment, she reached out and gently toughed Link's shoulder.
"Link...I feel as much as you. When I think of how beautiful this land once was, it kills me. But I don't show it. I...I can't afford to show it. There's too much at stake. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I guess so..." Link bit his lip and was silent for a moment. Suddenly he cocked his head slightly, looking curious. "Hey, what was that girl selling, anyway?"
Again, Zelda clenched her teeth to keep from laughing as she racked her brain for an answer.
"...Flowers. She was...selling flowers."
"...And that's illegal in Kakiriko."
"Yes."
"...Kakiriko's a weird town."
"Yes..."
"EXCUSE ME!"
Link and Zelda jumped at the sound of an angry voice coming from under Link's cloak.
"What's going ON out there!? Can I come out now?"
Link barked out a laugh, "I almost forgot about our little mosquito."
"HEY!"
Zelda shook her head. "Come on, in here," she said, opening a door. They all went into a dark room with a bed and a dresser. Link threw off his cloak and Navi came flying out, gasping for air.
"Oh come on," Link protested. He lit a small lantern on the dresser and a dim light filled the room. "It can't have been THAT bad."
"Link, you RARELY ever wash that tunic, and when you DO, you just dump it into a river or lake – or a moat! Do you have any IDEA what kind of FILTH swims in a moat!? Why – "
As the Faerie ranted, Zelda went over to the window and began to close the curtains. She paused when she got a look at the sky. Black clouds were rolling over the horizon, blotting out the stars. A low rumble of thunder could be heard overhead.
"Sounds like it's gonna rain," Link said, lying on the old bed. It creaked under his weight. "This isn't exactly top class, but at least we'll be dry."
"Okay, that's ANOTHER thing," Navi cried, "I'm trying to talk to you and you just completely ignore – "
Suddenly there was a crash and the shattering of glass. The room became dark again. Zelda turned from the window. Link was sitting up from the bed, eyes wide with alarm. The lantern had been knocked over. Navi lay beside it, holding her head in her hands. She let out a soft moan.
"Navi!" Link leapt off the bed and gently scooped Navi up in his hands. "Are you alright?"
"Link..." As Zelda watched, Navi slowly staggered to her feet, holding onto one of Link's thumbs for balance. "We have to get out of here."
"What? Why? What's wrong?"
"I felt something. Something bad. I've felt it ever since we entered Kakiriko, but it got really, really strong just now. Something...something is coming, something evil!"
There was another clap or thunder, much louder this time, followed by lightning. Zelda looked out the window with a feeling like ice covering her heart. No, it couldn't be...
"Link, stay here," she said suddenly. She ran towards the door and opened it.
"What?" Link cried, "Sheik, what's happening?"
"Just stay here!" she shouted. The door slammed with a bang.
AN: Yayness. Okay, sorry it took so long to get this out. Hope you like. Please review. Or Puss in Boots will make "the face"!
Puss: puppy eyes Mrrow?