Title: Broken Promises
Game: Zelda
Rating: G
Genre: Romance
Summary: As peace and order returned to Hyrule, he left. But a certain princess has sworn to herself that she will find her best friend and bring him back.
Warning: none
Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time belongs to Nintendo.
A/N: How sad, I've finished yet another chapter and I haven't been on the net. What does that make this… a triple post? sigh Well… yeah… I'll be updating more often soon, because I am getting cable internet parties so yeah… until then, please put up with my unable-to-go-on-the-internet-ness .
[the above is a comment I wrote when I finished this chapter… here's an update on that comment: I HAVE CABLE NOW!! THAT MEANS UPDATING AS SOON AS I FINISH EACH CHAPTER! parties]
Chapter 9
Shoveling food for horses and cows wasn't really the ideal job for Sheikah. We were meant to be arcane, mysterious, cryptic, enigmatic… wow, my head is like a thesaurus. Anyway, my point is, I didn't exactly like doing this, but I was paid and had a home until I quit this job, so I supposed my ego could learn to live with it.
I heard my name being called so I turned and in the doorway was my employer- about my age, red hair and sparkling blue eyes. The perfect disguise in a world among superficial fools. I almost felt insulted. The face was that of one who had suffered heartbreak, yearning and perhaps even depression. The smile, one that the owner had practiced many times so it would hide the natural grimace. The eyes… more used to shining with tears than sparkling with happiness…
"Sheik?"
I snapped out of my small daze as I wondered who could have caused so much pain and shook my head.
"Sorry?"
Romani smiled at me and my stomach writhed, knowing it was once again, fake.
"You've been working real hard since even before dawn. Take a break. You haven't even eaten lunch yet."
Not until she had mentioned it had I realised that I hadn't eaten. My stomach let out a low growl and I could feel my ears turn red.
"Come on," she said, smiling, "There's heaps of food left for you."
I followed and found myself thinking of Zelda for some reason. I wished I knew where she was. I knew she was with Link so I knew that she was safe from harm, but the fact that she was with Link annoyed me greatly. What if she managed to convince Link that she actually did like him? I knew Link had a strong will, but I also knew that there was quite a great chance that he liked her too. My stomach writhed for the second time in the short while. I sighed and wished I could just see her again, even if it was from afar.
But she and Link were probably far away from Termina, probably a day or two away from here, even on horseback, by now. Damn it, life was unfair.
Zelda sat on her bed, hugging her knees and leaned against the wall. Her tears had dried ages ago, but she liked the peace and solitude.
Sighing, she lifted her eyes to the ceiling, as if Sheik would just drop down from there, his usual cocky grin on his face and announce that he was only playing with her mind, that he was following her all along. She would then yell at him, laugh with him, hug him and tell him that she-
"What the-?" Zelda snapped out of the daydream-like daze and shook her head.
She knew what her daydream self was going to tell Sheik, but she found it insane. She knew she didn't feel that way. Not even if Impa and Link said she did. They were wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Sheik was her best friend.
The door opened, breaking Zelda's train of thought and she looked up into Anju's eyes.
"Feeling better?" Anju asked, sitting on the edge of Zelda's bed.
Zelda nodded, "Yeah. I'm fine. I just liked the quiet."
"Want me to leave?" Anju asked, making to stand up.
"No, no it's okay," Zelda said quickly, holding Anju's hand, "I like your company."
Anju smiled back, "So… you forgive Link for whatever you were cursing at him under your breath before for?"
Zelda went slightly red, "Ah… yeah… Yeah, he's forgiven. I just… tend to over-react sometimes."
"Think we should tell Link you're not mad at him?" Anju asked, grinning, "I know where to find him."
Zelda nodded immediately, "Yeah, sure."
Standing up, they both made their way out of the Inn and Anju led the way to the Archery Gallery Link and Kafei were in.
"Hey hey! Good to see you, Mrs. Dotour!" the man behind the counter said, raising an enormous hand as a greeting.
Anju smiled back and then turned to Kafei and Link, both oblivious to their entrance, seemingly in the middle of some sort of competition.
Zelda didn't seem to mind being ignored and leaned against the wall, intently watching the game.
"Woo! I win, by thirty points!!" Link cheered, punching the air.
"Well, you are the Hero of Time," Kafei said, smiling, though embarassment was detectable in his voice.
"Oh, hi Zel," Link said, his smile fading and his arm slowly dropping to his side.
Zelda smiled and shook her head, not making comment, though none was needed as Link read her expression, figured he was forgiven and grinned again.
"Anyone have any plans for the rest of today?" Anju asked, clasping her hands together.
"Well, Cremia asked me to go visit the ranch, but I suppose I can do that tomorrow," Link replied, "Why? What do you have planned?"
Anju smiled and blushed slightly, "I just thought we could all go for a picnic at Great Bay. I'll cook."
Link and Kafei looked at each other, their eyes wide.
"Why don't you let us men cook this time around?" Kafei suggested, smiling widely.
"Yeah! I'm sure it'll be a great experience for us. Besides, you can take a well deserved break. It looks like you work hard all the time," Link added hastily.
Anju smiled, not realising the reason behind their sudden eagerness to cook, "Sure! Gosh, that's so kind of you two! Don't you reckon, Zelda?"
Zelda smiled, "Yeah. I say; let them. It'd be interesting to see how well they can cook."
Only then did it strike Link and Kafei that they had no idea how to cook anything. Looking at each other, they smiled, but the expressions in their eyes told each other everything. Neither of them had ever even touched a frying pan in their lives.
"Can we use the kitchen in the Inn?" Kafei asked, smiling.
"Of course!" Anju replied, "Oh, and in case you're interested, I have some cookbooks in the room that used to be my grandmother's."
"What-" Link was about to ask what happened to Anju's grandmother, but Kafei elbowed him, unnoticed by Anju or Zelda, "…Never mind."
"Okay, we'll be off now, then!" Kafei said, grabbing Link by the arm and dragging him off to the Stockpot Inn.
"You have no idea how to cook, do you?" Link muttered as they walked into the Inn.
"No I don't. I take it you don't either," Kafei replied.
Link shrugged, "What can I say. Eating vegetables and berries that grew in the forest was all I did when I was little. Only thing I can make is a Kokiri Salad, but of course, you need fruit native to the Kokiri Forest."
Kafei swore, "We are so screwed…"
"Where are those cookbooks Anju told us about?" Link asked, "If we follow the instructions, surely, we can't go wrong."
Kafei sighed, "It's worth a try."
"Zelda is never going to let me live this down if we burn the food real bad or something…" Link said, though he grinned at the thought.
"Don't jinx it," Kafei warned and then walked into the red room once inhabited by Anju's grandmother, who Link could make quite an educated guess, was deceased.
Finding the book on the shelf, Kafei pulled it out of its place, with considerable difficulty, seeing that it was quite a thick book.
"Here, let me," Link said, taking the book from Kafei, holding it as if it were nothing but a thin piece of parchment, which made Kafei flush with embarassment.
"When I came here before, I realised the only thing that Anju ever cooked was stew. Is that still the case?" Link asked.
Kafei shook his head, "Thankfully, she got her hands on this book. Her egg noodles were okay, I suppose we could make them…"
"That can be one of the meals," Link said, flipping through the book, "Ooh, how does this sound? Thick bread with a vegetable and cheese filling…"
"It'll do," Kafei replied, "What do we need?"
"Flour. Potatoes. Peas. Carrots. Cheese." Link said, as if the answer was obvious.
Kafei flushed again, "I knew that. Just checking."
Link grinned, "Let's get cooking."
A/N: Ahahaha, I'm making Link and Kafei cook!! prods Link and Kafei while they try not to set the kitchen on fire I know I'm making Kafei get really embarassed that a guy seven years younger than him was stronger than he was, but hey; if an eight year old was stronger than I was, I'd feel ashamed. Probably would happen, y'know .
Anyhoo… tell me what you thought of this chapter. Suggestions are welcome if you want anything to happen in any of the coming chapters. Except for couplings involving Link, Zelda or Sheik. I already planned what's happening there. taps fingertips together deviously
Ehh, the voices inside my head are telling me to leave y'all alone now, so I shall. bows and retreats to shadowy corner
