Hey, everybody, happy to see you all again. Sorry for being late and all. It's actually a miracle that I got off my ass and updated. The third and last part is written, so it's coming up soon. I just need a few more details and all that.
(Tout l'or des hommes
ne vaut plus rien...
si tu es loin de moi
Tout l'amour du monde ne me fait rien
alors surtout ne change pas.―Tout l'or des hommes - Céline Dion)
(Translation:
All mankind's gold
Is worthless…
If you are far from me
All the love of this world does nothing to me
So please don't change.―All mankind's gold- Céline Dion)
Nothing New
Part 2
By CM
It was late already. Zelda barely glanced at the hands of her glow watch and readjusted the tray with steaming cups on her arm, lifting with her other hand the strap of her bag and shouldering it. It was dark, but she stepped out of the café nonetheless. It was a fresh night, with leftover heat from the day and frisky wind from the north. She made the way to her car, placing the tray with the two cups carefully on the passenger seat, and sighed as she turned on the ignition.
She drove straight to her estate. It was only a few minutes up the road, on a climbing trail, and the now familiar gravel crunched under her tires. The car drove under an age-old stone gate, which loomed over her, lit by spots hidden in the bushes.
She parked the car outside the main building, which had been renovated to be an entrance and tourist souvenir shop. The glass door jingled a small bell, resounding in the closed shop with a 'ding!' She breezed passed the counters and postcards, cups in hand and purse on her shoulder once again.
Softly pushing the door behind the counter open, she entered the back room, knowing what she would see.
Link Forester, bent over a metal, rusted artefact, shot up to help her put everything down. Zelda smiled, politely pecking both his cheeks, the usual greeting between friends, and offered him one of the cups.
"I figured," she explained at his curious blink, "that you wouldn't be reasonable and get some sleep, so here's to you and your devotion to work."
Raising the other Styrofoam cup, mocking a toast, she flipped the plastic lid off and took a sip of the steaming coffee. When she looked at Link, he was staring at his own cup with a look of surprise. He looked up at her again, pinning her with a wondering gaze.
"How did you know I liked espressos?"
Zelda huffed, shaking her head and shrugging, looking at him as though he were a bit slow. "You always take an espresso when we meet down at the restaurant in the morning."
Link blinked again, before looking back down at his coffee, and back up at her. "Oh. That's right. Thanks."
And he proceeded to down half his cup. Zelda gazed at him in silence, pressing her lips together, before speaking, as he tried to wipe the corner of his lips with a finger trying to be as subtle as possible, "what in the world kept you so busy today?"
Link shot her an apologetic look, putting the cup down and dusting his hands on the sides of his slacks, as he often did when he was about to get into something or other, and motioned for her to walk closer to the busy table. She obeyed and looked down at the old fashioned, rusty blade, laying flat on the table alongside its scabbard. She smiled, seeing the ancient Hylian crest on both pieces.
Being the last descendent of the Harkinian family, she knew what her family's coat-of-arms and history were, though not half as well as Link Forester, the youngest, but possibly most gifted historian on the grounds. For a reason she could not fathom, Link was both fascinated by her ancestors and the land they lived in, having discovered new areas to the estate and ancient fortress ruins.
The day Zelda had come back to her family's estate, the chief of the land's safe-keeping had presented her to Link, and they'd been friends ever since. Link was, unlike Rauru (the previously mentioned fearless leader of archaeological researches), capable of discussing other topics than history, though it still remained his one true love, to Zelda's secret chagrin.
Because, fortunately for her, or unfortunately, perhaps, Link Forester was not only gifted with incredible intellectual skills, he was also gifted with very agreeable looks. With skin only lightly tanned from working out alternately in the shade of trees and sunlit mountainsides, and eyes a deep, cheerful blue, and sun-touched, dirty blonde hair, Link Forester was definitely enough to make any normally constituted woman sigh.
And Zelda was every bit a normally constituted woman.
"You noticed your family's crest, I suppose," Link's smooth voice pulled her out of her thoughts, "I was actually busy cleaning that sword you saw last week when I showed you the Hero of Time's tomb."
Zelda smiled, not daring to touch the rusty blade, having noticed Link take cloth gloves off as he greeted her a few minutes ago. She smiled because Link never dared calling the Hero of Time by his true name.
Because Link and the Hero shared the same name, and, for some reason, the fact made him a bit uncomfortable. Zelda was rather sure it had to do with how the Hero of Time had married one of her great, great, great grandmothers, after whom she herself had been named.
And it would just figure he'd know about it. In fact, he'd been the one to tell her about it.
"I'm cleaning it up a bit because," Link explained, "I want to see if I can spare the carvings and if I can give the metal a treatment to keep it from rusting anymore than it already has."
Zelda nodded, smiling still. Link was standing close behind her watching her expression, as he often did. He seemed to think she was every bit as interesting a piece of history as the rest of her estate.
Though she sometimes caught herself hoping that he just liked looking at her, but that seemed unlikely, knowing Link.
"You were working on the shield yesterday, weren't you?" She asked, turning her face to his, enjoying how he looked away in embarrassment, as he often did when she caught him staring at her.
"I was," Link confirmed. He sidestepped her, hurriedly running to a large, flat, curved object covered in thick brown paper that lay across the room on a table pushed against the wall. He picked it up, carrying it back to her, and lay it atop a stack of books. He carefully unfolded the flaps of paper, and revealed the shield beneath.
Zelda leant over, feeling awe take over her. The neon lights reflected off the ridges, the edges, and grooves, and faded colours caught her eye. The Hylian religious symbol, the Triforce, and the country's ancient emblem, the Phoenix, were clearly represented, cleanly cut out on the metal board. It seemed a sturdy defence, as slashes had clearly chipped some of the colour away (Zelda caught herself wondering whom her ancestor had fought so courageously), but never had it been broken.
Link carefully traced the edge of the shield with the tip of his finger, as a modern boy would touch a car, but true care and appreciation were etched on his face. This time she caught herself staring at him.
When he met her eyes, his lips stretched into a thin, heartfelt smile. Her heart thudded, and she shot him a brief smile, going back to her cup of coffee, nervous.
"This piece," Link explained as he cleared his throat, "was a very expensive one in the time. It wasn't melted into a mould, but actually hand made. The symbols on the front are meant to symbolize eternal hope. At least, when used together, they are. The Phoenix, eternal, and the Triforce, a commonly used synonym for hope."
Zelda nodded, downing the rest of her coffee and throwing the empty cup into a nearby trashcan. Link motioned for her to come back and look at the blade, his eyes lighting up as they often did.
"This," he excitedly commented, indicated the sword, "is a one of a kind sword, made expressively for a close relation of the crown. The Hero of Time was known as such for stories that were made into legends, and for which, quite obviously, he was highly regarded. The handle is tainted metal," he went on, and Zelda had to hold back a dreamy sigh as she nodded. For some reason, the way the words rolled off his tongue was enough to make ladies want to swoon. His accent was soft, and his voice was steady. He was not rough or high-pitched.
Obviously unaware of his charm, Link went on with excitement. "Tainted metal was extremely hard to make. Especially metal of this purple colour. The pigments were natural and had to be very resistant to heat, so that they didn't burn when mixed with the molten metal. The usual method was to apply the pigments as the piece was still red-hot but not liquid. Nobody ever uses this technique anymore, because the time and effort it costs are not worth it. Besides, the colouring being natural, it takes a lot of plants to make a very small quantity of pigment. Our Hero of Time," he concluded his explanation with a cheerful smile despite the late hour, "was worth the time and effort."
Zelda hadn't taken her eyes off the sword. "And the crest indicates that it belonged to my great, great, great, great grandfather."
Link nodded, putting on some cloth gloves and handing her an extra pair for her to put on. He picked the sword up and gripped the handle, carefully.
"Do you want to weigh it?" He asked, as twinkle in his eye. Zelda stared at him warily.
"I bet it's really heavy, and you're just pretending it's nothing," she muttered. Link laughed, handing her the blade as she outstretched her hands.
The shock of feeling the sword's lightness made Zelda gasp. Link grinned. She lifted it up and down slowly, awed.
"I was surprised too," he commented. "I picked it up and I was so ready to take up a heavy object that I almost stumbled backwards." He grinned wider. "But it's as light as wood."
Zelda gently put the sword back on the table, shaking her head. She turned back at Link, who was staring down at it with a thin smile. She took the gloves off and placed them neatly on the table, all the while saying, "I've been in the area for a week now, and things back in the city are calming down." She uncomfortably went on as he gazed at her, a curious frown on his face. "I have business to take care of there, and I can't stay in the countryside forever. Unfortunately," she added, feeling like she had to precise it to him. "In any case," her discomfort was obvious, "I'm afraid I won't be coming back before some time. Things there are crazy, and it's a miracle I got away before they called me back." She sighed. "But I can't run away all the time."
"What is there to run away from?" Link's frown had gone from curious to serious. "You're not being harassed, are you?"
"No, that's not exactly it," Zelda hastily corrected. "It's just that when I refused to sell the estate to the consulate, well, my advisors disagreed. Especially Ganondorf Dragmire." She noticed Link's gaze darken unsurely, and she explained. "He's a very influent man, and he wanted to make the land part of the greater ownership. I wasn't ready to sell, and he got a bit angry. So I came here to let them cool down."
Link said nothing, not encouraging her to continue, but not discouraging either. For some reason, she felt she had to justify herself. "You see, I'm usually quite willing to give in to those things, but this time around, I wasn't ready. I needed closure before I return tomorrow."
Link's eyes became expressive again, and they showed slight anxiety. "You wanted closure? Closure on what? Leaving tomorrow?"
"I can't refuse stubbornly forever. When I go back, it'll be because I'm ready to sell."
Link's eyes unsurely gazed down at hers, and she read the disbelief in them.
"You want," he muttered, "to sell your family's estate?" He seemed both shocked and severely hurt. "You're willing to give it all away to the consulate?" The feelings of betrayal made him sound sharper than he meant to. Zelda felt it stab her heart, but Link didn't leave her any time to explain. "So you were just delaying it?" He shook his head, as though he couldn't believe it. He paced away from her, before turning back to her, and this time she had no doubt. He was hurt. "Did you come here, knowing all the time that you were to sell it all away?" He asked. "You . . . pretended . . . to be awed? You don't actually care about this place?"
She felt her heart throb as Link's thought train made him scowl, as though disgusted.
"You never really meant what you said. You thought it would make it better on the team if you befriended them before selling them off?"
"You won't be fired―" Zelda tried explaining, but he cut her off, much to her shock.
"That's not the point!" He exclaimed. "You don't understand. If the consulate takes control of this land, and they have intended to since long before you came last week, trust me, they're going to pillage the historical landmark your family preserved. They want to make this place a resort or something. They've been around the place all spring doing some prospecting, and there wasn't a darn thing we could do about it."
Zelda, frozen into her spot, didn't say a word. Link's expression softened to one of betrayal as he interpreted her silence.
"And you knew," he whispered in conclusion. "You knew all along." He stayed silent a long moment, before noticing his half-empty coffee cup, and motioned to it with his chin. "Thanks for the coffee, but I think I need a day off."
He covered the artefacts with brown paper carefully and stormed past her, his shoulder barely grazing hers, as he opened the door and disappeared into the dark shop. Zelda shook herself out of her own hurt, and turned on her heel, hurrying after him.
He was looking for his car keys, and the bell to the shop dinged again. She didn't let the door close, pulling it open wide enough to surge into the fresh night air. In the night silence, the only thing aside from the rustling of trees and crunching of gravel was her voice calling him. "Link!"
He didn't seem to hear her, fumbling with his keys to find his car's in the dark. She put a hand on his arm, and he stopped moving, stubbornly looking annoyed.
"Link, please," she begged. And, as it was the only thing that came to her mind, she tightened her hold only slightly on his sleeve. "Link, take me to the tower." Her voice wavered.
He said nothing for a long while, but he finally pocketed his keys and shrugged her hand off his arm. Then, shoving his hands in his pockets, he turned and made his way down the weakly lit pathway, as though he wanted to be over and done with her. Zelda couldn't see his eyes, but she was sure they were chillingly cold because of her. Her chest constricted painfully, but still she followed him silently.
It took a good ten minutes for them to get to the small ancient building on the top of the hill. They were surrounded by trees, and since there were no actual lights installed yet, as it was a new section they'd discovered roughly a week ago, Link and Zelda were standing in the dark, the only light coming from the stars, which were clearly visible. Down in the valley, she could see the houses and roads. The sight was as beautiful by night as it was by day.
Though at the moment, she wasn't inclined to observe the scenery.
To her surprise, Link was the one who broke the awkward silence first, his voice carefully inexpressive. "So, this Ganondorf guy . . . You like him that much?"
Zelda, horrified, turned her head to stare at him. He wasn't looking at her, instead turning his face towards the night sky. She spoke, since he wasn't watching her. "No! I― I could not― He's― No." She declared. "No, I don't care for him at all."
"And still, you agree to giving him your most valuable possession?"
Zelda, who was feeling tears well up in her eyes, responded, "You have no idea how much it would entail if I didn't give in."
"I rather think that you don't."
All right, now the tears were actually pouring over for real. She hoped he didn't hear the tremor in her voice as she answered, "This isn't about what I want or not. The consulate has power, Link." At his name, she felt her voice falter, and had to catch her breath to keep going. "They don't take no for an answer."
"What could they have done to make you so scared?" Link asked, incensed.
"Nothing," she whispered. "Yet."
It was then that Link chose to turn and gaze at her, an unreadable expression on his face. The only thing that reassured her was that he didn't look angry anymore. A long, breathless moment passed, and she waited for him to do something.
Which he promptly did.
"Zelda," he asked, his voice soft once more, "let's not talk about it anymore. If you're uncomfortable, I have no right to make you feel worse about it. Let's just . . ." He sighed, dusting his hands on his slacks again in discomfort, "let's just . . . take it like responsible adults. You're right, I don't know how it is, and so I shouldn't be making any hasty judgments." He looked awkwardly at her, uneasily searching for his words. "Please don't cry anymore, okay? I hate it. To see you cry, I mean, not― well, I mean . . ."
Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Zelda smiled weakly. Link took a step closer to her carefully, in case she wanted to keep her distance, but closed the gap between them and brought a hand behind her shoulder, hugging her closer to him, ill at ease. They turned to face the dark horizon, watching the night sky studded with stars. Through her last tears, Zelda felt their light diffuse, and she smiled softly.
"I wish I could stay forever," she whispered, "and forget that I have issues to work out back there."
Link said nothing, but she felt his hold on her shoulder tighten, as though he wanted to prevent her leave by restraining her bodily. Her heart flip-flopped in her chest as she briefly pictured Link throwing himself in the car's way tomorrow as she passed the gates, begging her to stay.
She knew it wouldn't happen, but it would be quite interesting indeed. Of course, she wouldn't knock him over, but if he chose to pull her out of her car and kidnap her to the highest room of the highest tower in the region, she was sure she'd develop the quickest Stockholm syndrome in history.
Not that she would mind, of course. Love for a jailer such as Link might turn out to be quite exciting.
"Zelda," his voice, coming from so close beside her, made her turn slightly to look at him. He was gazing up at the stars, and she had a very nice view of his throat. "I don't want you to leave."
Oh, this wasn't exactly as lively as the kidnapping option, but it certainly retained other romantic notions. She definitely didn't mind.
"I have to." Her voice was a whisper. Link looked down at her, and his arm snaked down from her shoulder and around the back of her waist.
"Do you really have to leave tomorrow?"
"Yes." Would this trigger anything desperate from him?
Apparently not. Link sighed, and shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably. He finally gathered the breath to ask, "When will you sign the papers?"
Zelda, frustrated to conclude that Link really didn't care more for her than he did for his historical mistress, tried to bite back her disappointment and answered as softly as he'd spoken, "Maybe in a few days. I'm sorry."
"No." Link turned to look at her, boring his gaze into her eyes. "No, don't apologize. I'm the one who's sorry." He let out a breath, pausing a long moment, before releasing her waist. "Look, I'll try to be there for when you have to do it, okay?" Zelda, taken aback, gazed at him in bewilderment. Her surprise showed, and Link explained himself. "I just want to be there if you need me." He hesitated, before adding, "As any friend would do."
Zelda was silent a long moment, before smiling at him. A soft smile spread on his face as well. She knew he was disappointed. She knew he was hurt, and still he wanted to stay her friend? Her heart swelled.
"As any friend would do," Zelda repeated, a bit dazed that he would care enough to want to support her. She was shocked her actually knew she needed it in the first place. She was pretty sure she'd put up the independent façade. How had he known?
She supposed it came with being Link, and the conclusion made her long for him.
They stayed silent and thoughtful for a long moment, until Link brought his wrist watch close to his face and lit it up to check the time. He finally turned his face to look at her, and said, in a soft, smooth voice that made her melt inside, "It's ten to midnight. Do you want me to take you to your hotel, or do you want to stop by a café for a drink with me?"
To her great sorrow, Zelda had to answer, "Well, the road will be long tomorrow. I'm afraid I'll have to catch all the sleep I can tonight."
She was sure she saw defeat shine briefly in Link's eyes, and she knew it matched her own, but he didn't put up a fight. Taking hold of her hand in his warm one, he guided her down the hill again.
Zelda knew, almost for sure, that this would be the last evening she'd ever spend with him. As they made their way on the dark, earthy path, she remembered every day she'd spent in the past week. In all her life, she couldn't ever recall another moment where she'd felt so welcome and genuinely liked.
In the past few days, she'd wake up around eight, which she considered late, by city standards, and would take her time to leisurely shower and dress. Then, she could meet Link at the local breakfast café, and they'd eat together. Link would often tell her about the day ahead of him, and she would listen intently, fascinated by the light in his blue eyes.
And she'd fleetingly wonder if he'd ever speak of her that way one day.
After breakfast, they'd part ways temporarily for him to get to the site and she to tour the area, as she liked to explore other landmarks. She'd spend a few hours in a place or other, before returning to the estate and meeting with Link. Near noon he was practically always on the field, and it was like a treasure hunt to find him.
Needless to say, seeing Link sweaty from work was definitely what she would call a treasure worth hunting.
He'd always look surprised to see her again, as though he wasn't aware of the time he'd spent working, and he'd apologize for the awful sight (he meant him dirty and sweaty, though she never really minded, since he'd often work only in slacks and a white, tight camisole that contrasted with his slightly tanned skin), and she'd laugh. Then, he'd pick up his tools, or leave them in the care of the rest of the team, and they'd go back to the main building, where Link would take a quick shower in the tiny bathroom, then come out clean and wet-haired (she'd often ruffle it teasingly, though she really just loved touching it) and smelling like Ivory soap.
And he'd treat her to dinner. No matter how much she argued, he kept on paying for her. It wasn't as though she hadn't tried to pay in secret for her part of the meal, but he'd always manage to get it done before she could react.
Then, he'd listen to her as she spoke of her exploration of local sites, and he'd smile and nod in response as he ravenously devoured his sandwich or whatever it was he was eating. And he'd suggest a visit to another place for the next day, and she'd nod in interest as he described it to her in such vivid details that she knew exactly what the place looked like before she set foot in it the following day.
And they'd part ways again, though this time it was for her to discuss important matters with her office in the city from her hotel room, and he to get back to the estate and analyse and classify whatever the team had uncovered before noon.
When suppertime came around, Link would usually be waiting in the lobby to the hotel by the time she came down, both all dressed up, and he'd smile, extend his arm, and take her to local restaurants, places only locals would know, where you could eat delectable specialties at an impossibly low price. She'd had the occasion to taste wonderful filets and delicious regional wine in calm and chic little house-turned-bistro places, with candles and local musicians playing on a cheap but sturdy stage in the back. They'd usually talk until it was dark out, and Link would pay the note, no matter how much she argued, before taking her back to the valley village.
There, they'd spend time discovering new cafés, which seemed to be overabundant in the area, and taste every known dessert possible. When Link didn't have any suggestions to make, they'd take combos and share, stealing bites from each other's plates. And they'd keep talking.
They never would run out of subjects to talk about. Zelda had discovered so many things about Link in the past week. She'd found out he'd always been fascinated by history, and that he'd studied ancient languages in college to be able to decipher texts when he found them. And she'd discovered he had one younger sister, who was still in high school, and she'd found out that Link's sister was a proud vegetarian and intelligent girl, like her brother. And she'd discovered that Link had been a boy scout at the age of seven, until they kicked him out because he always wanted to walk off and explore new places, to the point where he got every other boy in the band curious about things too. And those were just a fraction of what he'd revealed.
She, on her part, had also told a bit about herself. She told him how she inherited the estate after her father died in a car accident when she was eighteen, and how she regularly sent money to her retreated mother. She told him how she always dreamed to be a dancer, but had to relent her wish because her mother needed immediate financial support. Now she aimed at being a leader in managing, and was very satisfied of the way her life had gone so far.
With their desserts done, Link would escort her back to her hotel, and she'd peck both his cheeks (she wouldn't dare try his lips. They weren't dating, after all!), and he'd say goodnight in a way that would make her knees go weak, and she'd reluctantly part with him until the next morning.
It was strange how they'd fallen into such a daily routine. They hadn't really spoken of anything. They'd done it once, and it'd become their schedule.
The simple life Zelda had been leading had fooled her into thinking it would last forever.
It was what she was contemplating as Link took her keys and sat her in the passenger seat, quietly taking place behind the wheel. It was what she was contemplating as he led her up the steps to the entrance of the hotel.
What made her snap out of it, however, was how he didn't kiss her cheek goodnight. He didn't at all.
She caught his wrist as he was turning away, and spun him around the best she could, staring up at him with a frown. He looked down at her, embarrassed, and she knew he knew what he'd omitted.
"I thought we were still friends," she murmured, trying to disguise her hurt.
Link sighed, taking her chin and lifting it up as though he wanted to raise her spirits as well. "Zelda, we are still friends. But I was an ass to you and you would have every right not to kiss my cheek."
She scowled at him, feeling her fear ebb away, replaced by playfulness. "I think I have the right to choose, don't I?"
Link nodded, a faint smile on his lips. "Yes, though I'm surprised you're not angry at me."
"I'm not." His fingers were about to slip away from her chin, but she grabbed them before they could fall back to his side. "Link, this past week has been like paradise on Earth to me. It means a lot that you showed me around and paid for my meals, though I could have done so myself―"
"―I'm just treating my guest," Link defended himself, as he had often before. She laughed softly.
"I just mean to say . . . well, thank you. You are the most reliable person I know, and you are interesting, and you have qualities that anyone can admire. Thank you for letting me join you on your mealtimes."
He smiled, and she had to stop and admire that too.
"I enjoyed this past week too, Zelda."
And then, without any warning, he swept down and kissed her right on the lips. Her eyes widened in shock, before her heart started hammering and her eyes fell closed. He was as talented a conversationalist as he was a kisser, apparently.
By the gods, why couldn't she just have shut her trap about selling the estate?
The thought seemed to occur to him as well, as he pulled back roughly and licked his lips nervously and stared at her in shock. Apparently, he hadn't planned his little outbreak of tenderness. Which was why he stammered apologetically, his breathing erratic, "Uh, I― I'm sorry, I didn't― I shouldn't . . . I, uh . . ."
Well. It seemed this impromptu kiss had made him as breathless as she was.
Which was why Zelda had to ensure, strictly for scientific purposes, that she truly could make him do crazy, unreasonable things. Like respond to the kiss she suddenly pressed to his lips, for example.
There was something almost sacred to the way he kissed her, as though he was revering every second of it. On her part, it was simply mind-blowing. Literally. She felt like her brain had receded to some dark area at the back of her skull, and that her heart had leaped out of her chest to go flip-flop on the sidewalk. And it bounced and jumped and―
Suddenly, the kiss ended. She wasn't sure how long they stood, staring at each other like that, but she knew one thing: as he walked away, he was shaky and his step was unsure, as though he were dazed. That was a very good sign indeed. She hoped he would make it back home alright.
She climbed to her room, she stripped of her clothes and changed into her pyjamas, and snuggled under her covers, her mind full of images of Link.
She was about to fall asleep when she realized that she wouldn't be seeing him anymore before a long, long time, and that she hadn't had time to tell him a few very important things.
Mainly one thing.
She loved him.
Wherever you are tonight
I'll see you in my dreams
Wherever I go tomorrow
You'll be here next to me
And though we are a world apart
I know you'll never be that far
'cause here in my heart
There's a picture of us
Together forever
Unfaded and unbroken
Wherever you are
Your love covers me
Forever more you'll be
Here in my heart
Whenever I miss you so much
It's more than I can bear
I won't cry, I'll just close my eyes
And know you'll be there
Your kiss and your touch
I'll never forget
'cause you're as close
As my very next breath
'cause here in my heart
There's a picture of us
Together forever
Unfaded and unbroken
Wherever you are
Your love covers me
Forever more you'll be
Here in my heart
(Here in My Heart - Plus One)