Woot woot, chappie 21! Ooooooo! Yeah! Don't own Legend of Zelda,
probably never will! *dances*
**
Ch. 21: Discerning the Path
There was a long silence that rang around the room. Angered at the it, Airaen hissed, "Hello!? Are you even listening to me? Didn't you hear me?"
Link, still in disbelief, moved over to her; placing his hands on her shoulders, he said, "Airaen, listen to me: you've got to stop this nonsense, understand? Stop this 'I'm not human' game, hear me?" His voice shook a little.
But Airaen would not be subdued; pushing him away, she said, "Why won't you understand me? Don't tell me that you didn't see how I fought Ganon! Please don't tell me that you're complete idiots! You saw how I was...I wasn't myself! And I'm still not!"
"What are you talking about?" Zelda whispered, leaning forward, thought, Now she'll tell me. Link, too, was looking at her, concern on his face.
Airaen, trying to calm herself, tried to search for the right words. Her mind picked out different key points, dissected them; all the while, she thought, I have to keep control over myself...I have to keep control. Clenching her fist, she said slowly, "I...see things...when I'm awake...things that just...appear in my mind that are...real. And...I can...sense things...like right now. I can...I can sense...him. It's like Ganon's standing right next to me...I can sense his energy." She trembled, then stared down at her feet, not wanting to meet their gaze. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "And...I have this...I don't know what it is, but...it's like this heightened...awareness, or thought-pattern, or something! I'm constantly...analyzing...everything around me...I can't...stop it! I think up solutions before anyone else can, and I know they work! I can tell what others are thinking...what they're feeling...just by reading their movements, their actions...everything!" She looked up at them, tears falling down her face. "Don't you understand? I'm not even close to being human anymore...I'm some...some...freak! That's what I am! A freak!"
She took a step back, her whole body trembling, her mind screaming, I don't want to be different anymore! Link stood rigid, shaking in anger, then cried, "How dare you say that?! That is not true! You are NOT a freak, Airaen! Listen, you're my child, understand?! You're human!"
Airaen took another step back, her awareness gathering data in the dialogue, finding solutions...analyzing...analyzing...analyzing. "Stop it!" she said aloud. "I'm not human! I never was human, and I'll never be human! EVER!" Tears falling down her face, she ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her; nearly stumbling down the steps, she jumped the last two, sprinted down the hallway, and was out the door to the left, faster than she had ever moved in her life. Shutting the door quietly behind her, she tore off down to the right, sprinting along the garden, then turned left, coming out to the main entrance. Ignoring the stares from the guards around her, she crossed the bridge over the moat, then crossed the grass, continuing on to the Market.
Her bare feet now bleeding slightly from the gravel, she slowed to a walk, then turned right, walking swiftly until she reached a small, secluded alleyway. Exhausted and panting, she leaned her back against a wall and slid down to the ground, hiding behind a basket full of fruit. Wiping her eyes, she whispered, "I will not cry...I will not be weak." She could feel her awareness analyzing everything that had happened, trying to discern its purpose. Pressing her hands against her head, she screamed in her mind, STOP IT! STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT! She slammed her head against the wall, thought, I'm losing it...I'm losing my mind...going insane. "I've got to get out of here...I've got to," she whispered. Getting shakily to her feet, she moved off slowly, staggering a little. Step by wary step, she walked on in a daze, barely aware of herself until she felt a soft carpet beneath her feet. Shifting her eyes from her feet, she looked up. The Temple of Time, she thought to herself, Why did I come here? She moved on, past the altar bearing the three Stones, then on down the hallway until she stood in front of the Pedestal of Time.
Wanting some time to think, she walked around it to the shadows near the opposite wall. Sitting down with her back against it, she brought her knees to her chest and placed her forehead on her knees, her eyes closed, thought, I'm missing something...there's something I have to do, but I don't know what! What do I have to do?!
Taking a deep breath, she pushed her back against the wall, straightening. Crossing her legs Indian-style, she placed her hands in her lap and closed her eyes, focusing on her awareness. Ok, she thought, I've got to analyze every vision I've had...got to open up all possibilities...got to focus this awareness...might as well put it to good use, stupid, stupid thing...I hope this works.
**
"I can't find her," Link said with a sigh, sitting down on the bed, exasperated. "Goddess, we screwed up big time." He rubbed his temples. "I've searched everywhere...she's nowhere to be found. Ah, what have we done?!" He slammed his fist into the bed. "Damn it!"
"Maybe...maybe we should just...let her be for a while," Zelda whispered, lacing her hands in discomfort.
Link sighed, then sat down next to her. "Is that a good idea? She still needs some rest," he said slowly. Zelda, after a pause, nodded.
Lying back on the bed, he whispered, "Goddess, I guess so."
**
Airaen's breath was short and labored as she let her mind settle; she slipped back to reality as Time slowed down to its normal pace. Perspiration trickled down her back as she leaned forward, placing her chin in her hands. Ok, she thought, I've got two options...two doors. Either I choose a normal life, then try and gain the people's trust and rule through political power...or do I choose the other path? The more dangerous road...over sea, over land, to lose myself completely? Do I choose to abandon my own humanity in order to save this land? And I can't beat Ganon politically. I know I can't...fine...I will choose the other path.
Sighing, she looked up at the ceiling through the darkness, letting her awareness take over her again. The sun was at my back, she thought, in my visions. That must mean I have to keep the sun rising at my back and setting in front of me constantly...now I just need a boat. Not Sidar's...I don't want to steal from them...who?
She closed her eyes again, focusing, letting her mind analyze the question and opening up all possible doors. Energy drained from her as she sought her answer, found nothing but closed doors, empty solutions. She searched again and again, ignoring her bodily fatigue, her shortness of breath; recounting her journey, she searched for her answer...until...There! The map, she thought, The old man's map from the Lake! I remember...there was a darkened area, a drawing of cliffs that went off to the water...there was a dot there, signifying a housing of some sorts. I know it; it was there on the legend of the map. Ah, but what does it signify?
She recounted the discussions at dinner earlier; her memory played it back in her mind, the images almost tangible. "That doctor at the Lake is such a mysterious and solitary old man, always wanting to research everything," a subject had said to a curious man from Sidar, "just like his relatives, I'm sure. They say his family is small, but legendary...they stay in one spot and research it their entire lives."
A tremor ran through her as she found the answer, thought, Of course that old man would note that area so clearly! One of his relatives lives there alone on the beach! And where one lives by the water must have a boat! That's it! That's my answer!
She was brought out of her awareness with a start and a shudder. Feeling a little nauseous and dizzy, she stood, stumbled, and fell to her knees. "Damn it all," she whispered, "how much energy did I use, anyway?" Airaen, she thought, you fool...
Getting shakily to her feet, she pushed off from the wall, staggering a little as she passed the Pedestal of Time, through the Door of Time, then out of the Temple.
She felt cold as she stepped outside; she shivered both from the cold...and from fear. However, with a firm resolve, she moved onward through the Market. As she made her way out of it, she remembered the guards. Using her memory, she recalled her father recounting how he had dodged the guards to get to Zelda, then a princess. The vine on the cliff, she thought with a grimace. Feeling along the cliff with her hand, she came across the fabled vine that rose to the top. How I will manage this will be a true test of character, she thought with a trembled sigh. Gritting her teeth, she hoisted herself up the vine, limbs screaming in agony as she climbed, digging her nails into the vine itself and stepping upwards. After an agonizing eternity, she managed to reach the top; digging her fingers into the ground, she pulled herself up and over the top, gasping at the wave of pain that coursed through her body. Nearly collapsing at the top, she got to her feet once more, then walked down to the edge of the cliff until she reached where the gate to Hyrule Castle met with the cliff. An opening in the part of the gate nearest to her led down to a torch-lit room; the climb down the ladder seemed a vacation to her body.
Carefully opening the door and shutting it without a sound, Airaen stole down the path, then across the grass, avoiding the idiot guards, who now loitered about in a lazy stupor, talking in low voices, a few drinking. Rolling her eyes at them, she ran across the bridge that crossed the moat below, turning left through the garden once more.
The fountain.
It lay before her, chattering happily as water poured out from it in an endless bubble of sound. She felt a small tremble as that now-familiar feeling came upon her. Trying to suppress an inane giggle, she moved on, averting her eyes from it. Quietly now, she pressed on.
**
As Airaen made her way down the hall, she was surprised to find a light coming from an open door, a striking contrast to the usual gloom. Curiosity winning over, she made her way cautiously to the open door, keeping against the wall, hand tracing over it. Stealthily, she peered around the corner, then smiled at what she saw.
Roh sat, head down on his desk, asleep with an open book in front of him, mouth partly open. Suppressing yet another giggle, she strode quietly into the room, shutting the door softly behind her. Leaning against the desk to catch her breath, she leaned forward, gently caressing his cheek. He stirred, then slowly opened his eyes.
As his eyes came into focus, he started when he saw Airaen leaning over him with a smile, then returned it. Standing, he asked, "What...what are you doing up?"
She shrugged, said, "Just...wanted some time alone...to think. I came by here and saw you asleep, so I thought I should put you to bed." Losing her battle, she giggled.
Roh crossed his arms in mock severity, then, laughing, drew her into an embrace. "Well," he said in her ear, "I'm too tired to carry you to your room, and you look exhausted. You might as well stay here tonight."
She agreed. Pulling apart, Roh blew out the candle on the desk, then, slightly fumbling in the sudden darkness, led her by the hand to the bed, letting her in first before he followed, wrapping his arms around her. Sighing happily, she moved upwards and kissed him, letting the emotion swell inside her, calming her and enticing her at the same time. She smiled, then drew closer to him, glad to relax once more.
**
Darkness!
It enshrouded everything, blinding vision, burdened with fear, doubt. There was nothing before it, nothing after. Darkness: the cause of human doubt, the cause of human fear. It brought shame, betrayal, secrecy...and atrocity. Where there was darkness, only silence.
The silence!
Alluring, dangerous and mysterious; it was always hand in hand with the dark. Fear could be smelt even by the most simple-minded, the densest.
What did she search for in the dark?
There were no answers, no solutions, no problems to be solved.
Nothing.
Why was she here? What had allured her so?
Darkness and the silence: silence and the darkness.
She urged herself forward, lost in the unchanging darkness. Silence bore down on her like a weight, crushing her spirit, invading her soul.
Darkness and the silence: silence and the darkness.
There was no end to it, no beginning! It was eternal. Prescient vision could not escape it. Light could not survive it. There was nothing.
Only darkness.
And then the agonized screaming of the dying.
**
Airaen awoke from the vision, shivering from fear. What was it?
She sighed, then sat up, rubbing her temples, frustrated that she could not find the answer. Damn all of it to eternity and back, she thought angrily. She noticed a sudden emptiness next to her. Roh had gone. A note, lying on the pillow next to her, was left: Business as usual, dammit. They want to leave. I'll try to see you today.
"They want to leave."
Sighing again, she got out of bed, using the light that seeped in from under the door as a guide, opened the door. Sunlight streamed in, flooding the room. As she turned to leave, a gleam of something caught her eye. Turning, she saw, lying on the desk, a bundle. The gleam came from an exposed piece of whatever lay inside it. Curious, she moved over to it and removed the bundle, then raised an eyebrow as she saw its contents.
The hilt of the Master Sword, as well as a broken portion of the blade still connected to the hilt, gleamed in the light, a sleeping, wrathful predator. A tremor of purpose ran through her as she touched the ruined sword. Looking around quickly, she wrapped it again, placed it securely in her arms, and stole out of the room.
**
The bath had been lovely and relaxing, and her clothes were comfortable, but the odd silence around the Castle reminded her of her dream. She shivered, thought, I never want to hear that sort of scream again.
Sunlight bounced off the Castle and cascaded into the secluded garden from before, casting an eerie contrast of darkness and light as Airaen sat back, the remains of her usual breakfast at her side. She sighed. It was oddly quiet and still. The relative calm before the panic, she thought glumly, And now to figure out how to leave without notice
Stretching, she stood, then moved off down the steps, through the arch, then turning left down the garden path, past the fountain.
Though she knew that was her destined road, she was glad beyond human understanding to leave the Castle. She didn't belong there at all. But I don't belong anywhere, she thought suddenly. The Ranch is not my home because it is not my birthplace...because I have royal blood.
She thought of the open road, the bright sunshine and the comfort of a traveling cloak and a warm, self-made fire and a good meal, curling up under the wide, open, star-filled sky. The open road! The traveler's road...the simple life of a wandering nomad. It enticed her and filled her with a comforting peace.
She opened the side door, then entered down a long corridor, turning right, and then left as she walked down the familiar hallway to the bothersome steps.
But the thought of leaving Roh behind drove an unbearable pain searing through her heart, bringing an overwhelming sadness and sense of loneliness.
She stepped inside her room, shutting the door behind her, then looked around questioningly at the place.
I'll have to travel alone this time, she thought, without Gate...and Perigan, once I reach the cliffs. She sighed as she thought of the journey she had spent with the fairy and her four-legged companion. Must it truly come to such a sacrifice?
Repaired and folded as if in reverence for its wearer, her old traveling clothes lay on top of the bureau that sat near the window. Slowly, she took off her clean clothes, folding them neatly and placing them carefully on the untouched bed, then slipped into the pants and tunic, carefully wrapping the belt around her waist, then put her boots on.
Suddenly curious, she opened a drawer of the bureau to find a neatly folded traveling cloak with a large hood that, when put on, covered the face quite neatly. It was of a rather washed-out brown, weather-stained and used. I guess my mother likes to travel a lot, she thought with an inward smile. Well, then, I guess she won' t mind if I take it as a parting gift.
Placing it around her shoulders, she used the Triforce-shaped clasp to secure it, then looked around again in search of a bag. The bureau was helpless, and so was the desk. Curious, she bent down carefully and looked under the bed; there, she found an old, weather-stained traveling pack that looked to be a decade or so old. Airaen smiled, thought, Ah, I guess Mother did more serious traveling than I thought.
Grabbing it, she placed it on top of the bed, then, carefully taking the bundle containing the remains of the Master Sword from underneath the pillow for safe keeping before her bath, she placed it in the bag. "Now for some food," she said aloud. Feeling a bit better, she put the hood over her head, swung the pack over her shoulder, and was just about to leave until she remembered.
Turning to the small desk that lay near the corner, she took the quill pen and a stray piece of parchment and wrote a simple phrase on it. Then, replacing the pen, she put her note on the bed, then left the room, shutting the door quietly on its serenity.
**
"Hey, now, and where are you off to?" the guard asked the cloaked figure before him.
Hiding her face in her hood and staring at her feet, Airaen replied in a gruff, boyish voice, "I need to get to Lon Lon Ranch for some of their milk, sir. Please let me through."
"Lon Lon Ranch, eh?" the guard replied as he leaned against the closed gate. "That's a bit of a ways from here, boy. You got a horse or something?"
Airaen nodded.
"Well," the guard said, scratching his chin, "I normally don't do this for commoners like you, but, I'm willing to reconsider if you promise to bring some of that milk back for me."
"I promise."
A greedy look in his eye, the guard called out, "Alright, lower the gate, boys! You heard me!" With a loud clang, clang, clang, the gate came slowly down, crossing the moat until it hit the ground with a soft thud.
Bowing, Airaen whispered a thanks, then walked slowly out to Hyrule Field, her traveling cloak swishing behind her.
With a signal from the guard, the gate rose up again. Mumbling to himself, he said, "That'un's a bit scrawny fer a boy." Shrugging, he walked on.
Airaen felt glad that, upon inquiring her father, Perigan had been let out by Link to do his own bidding as soon as they had arrived. She sang for him, wondering if he would truly hear her or not. There was a long pause...nothing answered but the soft chirping of unseen birds and the whisper of the wind in the grass. She sang for him again. Nothing.
Sighing, she sat down on the grass and waited.
Nearly an hour went by before she heard the soft patter of hooves. Grinning happily, she stood as she saw Perigan making his way towards her, his mane flowing behind him. As he saw her, he neighed happily.
"Perigan!" she cried as he came up next to her. "Your saddle's still on, silly! I guess you refused to let anyone remove it before I did, huh?" The horse snorted and stamped his foot. She pressed her face against his and whispered, "I have an important destination ahead of me. Will you bear me?"
Perigan neighed and jerked his head towards his saddle. She smiled, then patted him on the neck. Then, she climbed onto the saddle, adjusted her pack, and spurred Perigan on, turning a hard right to gallop onward, dust kicking up at the horse's flying hooves.
As Perigan galloped, she thought suddenly of her mother...her father...and of Roh, the one she truly loved. Just as she had written on the parchment, she whispered, "Forgive me."
*%*%*%
And so Airaen goes off. This is the end of Part 1 (I've decided to split this into two parts...the first being called "Journey"). Chapter 22 will start Part 2: Awakening. If it takes me a long time, don't worry...I'M COMING, PRECIOUSSS. Continue with your reviews, my friends! I love it all! And, yes, for the Roh/Airaen fans, there will definitely be some more...um...Roh/Airaen stuff that gets a little...heated...as in passion heated. Yes...I'M SO EXCITED, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THE END! BWAHAHAHAHAHAAA! UNTIL NEXT TIME!
**
Ch. 21: Discerning the Path
There was a long silence that rang around the room. Angered at the it, Airaen hissed, "Hello!? Are you even listening to me? Didn't you hear me?"
Link, still in disbelief, moved over to her; placing his hands on her shoulders, he said, "Airaen, listen to me: you've got to stop this nonsense, understand? Stop this 'I'm not human' game, hear me?" His voice shook a little.
But Airaen would not be subdued; pushing him away, she said, "Why won't you understand me? Don't tell me that you didn't see how I fought Ganon! Please don't tell me that you're complete idiots! You saw how I was...I wasn't myself! And I'm still not!"
"What are you talking about?" Zelda whispered, leaning forward, thought, Now she'll tell me. Link, too, was looking at her, concern on his face.
Airaen, trying to calm herself, tried to search for the right words. Her mind picked out different key points, dissected them; all the while, she thought, I have to keep control over myself...I have to keep control. Clenching her fist, she said slowly, "I...see things...when I'm awake...things that just...appear in my mind that are...real. And...I can...sense things...like right now. I can...I can sense...him. It's like Ganon's standing right next to me...I can sense his energy." She trembled, then stared down at her feet, not wanting to meet their gaze. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "And...I have this...I don't know what it is, but...it's like this heightened...awareness, or thought-pattern, or something! I'm constantly...analyzing...everything around me...I can't...stop it! I think up solutions before anyone else can, and I know they work! I can tell what others are thinking...what they're feeling...just by reading their movements, their actions...everything!" She looked up at them, tears falling down her face. "Don't you understand? I'm not even close to being human anymore...I'm some...some...freak! That's what I am! A freak!"
She took a step back, her whole body trembling, her mind screaming, I don't want to be different anymore! Link stood rigid, shaking in anger, then cried, "How dare you say that?! That is not true! You are NOT a freak, Airaen! Listen, you're my child, understand?! You're human!"
Airaen took another step back, her awareness gathering data in the dialogue, finding solutions...analyzing...analyzing...analyzing. "Stop it!" she said aloud. "I'm not human! I never was human, and I'll never be human! EVER!" Tears falling down her face, she ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her; nearly stumbling down the steps, she jumped the last two, sprinted down the hallway, and was out the door to the left, faster than she had ever moved in her life. Shutting the door quietly behind her, she tore off down to the right, sprinting along the garden, then turned left, coming out to the main entrance. Ignoring the stares from the guards around her, she crossed the bridge over the moat, then crossed the grass, continuing on to the Market.
Her bare feet now bleeding slightly from the gravel, she slowed to a walk, then turned right, walking swiftly until she reached a small, secluded alleyway. Exhausted and panting, she leaned her back against a wall and slid down to the ground, hiding behind a basket full of fruit. Wiping her eyes, she whispered, "I will not cry...I will not be weak." She could feel her awareness analyzing everything that had happened, trying to discern its purpose. Pressing her hands against her head, she screamed in her mind, STOP IT! STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT! She slammed her head against the wall, thought, I'm losing it...I'm losing my mind...going insane. "I've got to get out of here...I've got to," she whispered. Getting shakily to her feet, she moved off slowly, staggering a little. Step by wary step, she walked on in a daze, barely aware of herself until she felt a soft carpet beneath her feet. Shifting her eyes from her feet, she looked up. The Temple of Time, she thought to herself, Why did I come here? She moved on, past the altar bearing the three Stones, then on down the hallway until she stood in front of the Pedestal of Time.
Wanting some time to think, she walked around it to the shadows near the opposite wall. Sitting down with her back against it, she brought her knees to her chest and placed her forehead on her knees, her eyes closed, thought, I'm missing something...there's something I have to do, but I don't know what! What do I have to do?!
Taking a deep breath, she pushed her back against the wall, straightening. Crossing her legs Indian-style, she placed her hands in her lap and closed her eyes, focusing on her awareness. Ok, she thought, I've got to analyze every vision I've had...got to open up all possibilities...got to focus this awareness...might as well put it to good use, stupid, stupid thing...I hope this works.
**
"I can't find her," Link said with a sigh, sitting down on the bed, exasperated. "Goddess, we screwed up big time." He rubbed his temples. "I've searched everywhere...she's nowhere to be found. Ah, what have we done?!" He slammed his fist into the bed. "Damn it!"
"Maybe...maybe we should just...let her be for a while," Zelda whispered, lacing her hands in discomfort.
Link sighed, then sat down next to her. "Is that a good idea? She still needs some rest," he said slowly. Zelda, after a pause, nodded.
Lying back on the bed, he whispered, "Goddess, I guess so."
**
Airaen's breath was short and labored as she let her mind settle; she slipped back to reality as Time slowed down to its normal pace. Perspiration trickled down her back as she leaned forward, placing her chin in her hands. Ok, she thought, I've got two options...two doors. Either I choose a normal life, then try and gain the people's trust and rule through political power...or do I choose the other path? The more dangerous road...over sea, over land, to lose myself completely? Do I choose to abandon my own humanity in order to save this land? And I can't beat Ganon politically. I know I can't...fine...I will choose the other path.
Sighing, she looked up at the ceiling through the darkness, letting her awareness take over her again. The sun was at my back, she thought, in my visions. That must mean I have to keep the sun rising at my back and setting in front of me constantly...now I just need a boat. Not Sidar's...I don't want to steal from them...who?
She closed her eyes again, focusing, letting her mind analyze the question and opening up all possible doors. Energy drained from her as she sought her answer, found nothing but closed doors, empty solutions. She searched again and again, ignoring her bodily fatigue, her shortness of breath; recounting her journey, she searched for her answer...until...There! The map, she thought, The old man's map from the Lake! I remember...there was a darkened area, a drawing of cliffs that went off to the water...there was a dot there, signifying a housing of some sorts. I know it; it was there on the legend of the map. Ah, but what does it signify?
She recounted the discussions at dinner earlier; her memory played it back in her mind, the images almost tangible. "That doctor at the Lake is such a mysterious and solitary old man, always wanting to research everything," a subject had said to a curious man from Sidar, "just like his relatives, I'm sure. They say his family is small, but legendary...they stay in one spot and research it their entire lives."
A tremor ran through her as she found the answer, thought, Of course that old man would note that area so clearly! One of his relatives lives there alone on the beach! And where one lives by the water must have a boat! That's it! That's my answer!
She was brought out of her awareness with a start and a shudder. Feeling a little nauseous and dizzy, she stood, stumbled, and fell to her knees. "Damn it all," she whispered, "how much energy did I use, anyway?" Airaen, she thought, you fool...
Getting shakily to her feet, she pushed off from the wall, staggering a little as she passed the Pedestal of Time, through the Door of Time, then out of the Temple.
She felt cold as she stepped outside; she shivered both from the cold...and from fear. However, with a firm resolve, she moved onward through the Market. As she made her way out of it, she remembered the guards. Using her memory, she recalled her father recounting how he had dodged the guards to get to Zelda, then a princess. The vine on the cliff, she thought with a grimace. Feeling along the cliff with her hand, she came across the fabled vine that rose to the top. How I will manage this will be a true test of character, she thought with a trembled sigh. Gritting her teeth, she hoisted herself up the vine, limbs screaming in agony as she climbed, digging her nails into the vine itself and stepping upwards. After an agonizing eternity, she managed to reach the top; digging her fingers into the ground, she pulled herself up and over the top, gasping at the wave of pain that coursed through her body. Nearly collapsing at the top, she got to her feet once more, then walked down to the edge of the cliff until she reached where the gate to Hyrule Castle met with the cliff. An opening in the part of the gate nearest to her led down to a torch-lit room; the climb down the ladder seemed a vacation to her body.
Carefully opening the door and shutting it without a sound, Airaen stole down the path, then across the grass, avoiding the idiot guards, who now loitered about in a lazy stupor, talking in low voices, a few drinking. Rolling her eyes at them, she ran across the bridge that crossed the moat below, turning left through the garden once more.
The fountain.
It lay before her, chattering happily as water poured out from it in an endless bubble of sound. She felt a small tremble as that now-familiar feeling came upon her. Trying to suppress an inane giggle, she moved on, averting her eyes from it. Quietly now, she pressed on.
**
As Airaen made her way down the hall, she was surprised to find a light coming from an open door, a striking contrast to the usual gloom. Curiosity winning over, she made her way cautiously to the open door, keeping against the wall, hand tracing over it. Stealthily, she peered around the corner, then smiled at what she saw.
Roh sat, head down on his desk, asleep with an open book in front of him, mouth partly open. Suppressing yet another giggle, she strode quietly into the room, shutting the door softly behind her. Leaning against the desk to catch her breath, she leaned forward, gently caressing his cheek. He stirred, then slowly opened his eyes.
As his eyes came into focus, he started when he saw Airaen leaning over him with a smile, then returned it. Standing, he asked, "What...what are you doing up?"
She shrugged, said, "Just...wanted some time alone...to think. I came by here and saw you asleep, so I thought I should put you to bed." Losing her battle, she giggled.
Roh crossed his arms in mock severity, then, laughing, drew her into an embrace. "Well," he said in her ear, "I'm too tired to carry you to your room, and you look exhausted. You might as well stay here tonight."
She agreed. Pulling apart, Roh blew out the candle on the desk, then, slightly fumbling in the sudden darkness, led her by the hand to the bed, letting her in first before he followed, wrapping his arms around her. Sighing happily, she moved upwards and kissed him, letting the emotion swell inside her, calming her and enticing her at the same time. She smiled, then drew closer to him, glad to relax once more.
**
Darkness!
It enshrouded everything, blinding vision, burdened with fear, doubt. There was nothing before it, nothing after. Darkness: the cause of human doubt, the cause of human fear. It brought shame, betrayal, secrecy...and atrocity. Where there was darkness, only silence.
The silence!
Alluring, dangerous and mysterious; it was always hand in hand with the dark. Fear could be smelt even by the most simple-minded, the densest.
What did she search for in the dark?
There were no answers, no solutions, no problems to be solved.
Nothing.
Why was she here? What had allured her so?
Darkness and the silence: silence and the darkness.
She urged herself forward, lost in the unchanging darkness. Silence bore down on her like a weight, crushing her spirit, invading her soul.
Darkness and the silence: silence and the darkness.
There was no end to it, no beginning! It was eternal. Prescient vision could not escape it. Light could not survive it. There was nothing.
Only darkness.
And then the agonized screaming of the dying.
**
Airaen awoke from the vision, shivering from fear. What was it?
She sighed, then sat up, rubbing her temples, frustrated that she could not find the answer. Damn all of it to eternity and back, she thought angrily. She noticed a sudden emptiness next to her. Roh had gone. A note, lying on the pillow next to her, was left: Business as usual, dammit. They want to leave. I'll try to see you today.
"They want to leave."
Sighing again, she got out of bed, using the light that seeped in from under the door as a guide, opened the door. Sunlight streamed in, flooding the room. As she turned to leave, a gleam of something caught her eye. Turning, she saw, lying on the desk, a bundle. The gleam came from an exposed piece of whatever lay inside it. Curious, she moved over to it and removed the bundle, then raised an eyebrow as she saw its contents.
The hilt of the Master Sword, as well as a broken portion of the blade still connected to the hilt, gleamed in the light, a sleeping, wrathful predator. A tremor of purpose ran through her as she touched the ruined sword. Looking around quickly, she wrapped it again, placed it securely in her arms, and stole out of the room.
**
The bath had been lovely and relaxing, and her clothes were comfortable, but the odd silence around the Castle reminded her of her dream. She shivered, thought, I never want to hear that sort of scream again.
Sunlight bounced off the Castle and cascaded into the secluded garden from before, casting an eerie contrast of darkness and light as Airaen sat back, the remains of her usual breakfast at her side. She sighed. It was oddly quiet and still. The relative calm before the panic, she thought glumly, And now to figure out how to leave without notice
Stretching, she stood, then moved off down the steps, through the arch, then turning left down the garden path, past the fountain.
Though she knew that was her destined road, she was glad beyond human understanding to leave the Castle. She didn't belong there at all. But I don't belong anywhere, she thought suddenly. The Ranch is not my home because it is not my birthplace...because I have royal blood.
She thought of the open road, the bright sunshine and the comfort of a traveling cloak and a warm, self-made fire and a good meal, curling up under the wide, open, star-filled sky. The open road! The traveler's road...the simple life of a wandering nomad. It enticed her and filled her with a comforting peace.
She opened the side door, then entered down a long corridor, turning right, and then left as she walked down the familiar hallway to the bothersome steps.
But the thought of leaving Roh behind drove an unbearable pain searing through her heart, bringing an overwhelming sadness and sense of loneliness.
She stepped inside her room, shutting the door behind her, then looked around questioningly at the place.
I'll have to travel alone this time, she thought, without Gate...and Perigan, once I reach the cliffs. She sighed as she thought of the journey she had spent with the fairy and her four-legged companion. Must it truly come to such a sacrifice?
Repaired and folded as if in reverence for its wearer, her old traveling clothes lay on top of the bureau that sat near the window. Slowly, she took off her clean clothes, folding them neatly and placing them carefully on the untouched bed, then slipped into the pants and tunic, carefully wrapping the belt around her waist, then put her boots on.
Suddenly curious, she opened a drawer of the bureau to find a neatly folded traveling cloak with a large hood that, when put on, covered the face quite neatly. It was of a rather washed-out brown, weather-stained and used. I guess my mother likes to travel a lot, she thought with an inward smile. Well, then, I guess she won' t mind if I take it as a parting gift.
Placing it around her shoulders, she used the Triforce-shaped clasp to secure it, then looked around again in search of a bag. The bureau was helpless, and so was the desk. Curious, she bent down carefully and looked under the bed; there, she found an old, weather-stained traveling pack that looked to be a decade or so old. Airaen smiled, thought, Ah, I guess Mother did more serious traveling than I thought.
Grabbing it, she placed it on top of the bed, then, carefully taking the bundle containing the remains of the Master Sword from underneath the pillow for safe keeping before her bath, she placed it in the bag. "Now for some food," she said aloud. Feeling a bit better, she put the hood over her head, swung the pack over her shoulder, and was just about to leave until she remembered.
Turning to the small desk that lay near the corner, she took the quill pen and a stray piece of parchment and wrote a simple phrase on it. Then, replacing the pen, she put her note on the bed, then left the room, shutting the door quietly on its serenity.
**
"Hey, now, and where are you off to?" the guard asked the cloaked figure before him.
Hiding her face in her hood and staring at her feet, Airaen replied in a gruff, boyish voice, "I need to get to Lon Lon Ranch for some of their milk, sir. Please let me through."
"Lon Lon Ranch, eh?" the guard replied as he leaned against the closed gate. "That's a bit of a ways from here, boy. You got a horse or something?"
Airaen nodded.
"Well," the guard said, scratching his chin, "I normally don't do this for commoners like you, but, I'm willing to reconsider if you promise to bring some of that milk back for me."
"I promise."
A greedy look in his eye, the guard called out, "Alright, lower the gate, boys! You heard me!" With a loud clang, clang, clang, the gate came slowly down, crossing the moat until it hit the ground with a soft thud.
Bowing, Airaen whispered a thanks, then walked slowly out to Hyrule Field, her traveling cloak swishing behind her.
With a signal from the guard, the gate rose up again. Mumbling to himself, he said, "That'un's a bit scrawny fer a boy." Shrugging, he walked on.
Airaen felt glad that, upon inquiring her father, Perigan had been let out by Link to do his own bidding as soon as they had arrived. She sang for him, wondering if he would truly hear her or not. There was a long pause...nothing answered but the soft chirping of unseen birds and the whisper of the wind in the grass. She sang for him again. Nothing.
Sighing, she sat down on the grass and waited.
Nearly an hour went by before she heard the soft patter of hooves. Grinning happily, she stood as she saw Perigan making his way towards her, his mane flowing behind him. As he saw her, he neighed happily.
"Perigan!" she cried as he came up next to her. "Your saddle's still on, silly! I guess you refused to let anyone remove it before I did, huh?" The horse snorted and stamped his foot. She pressed her face against his and whispered, "I have an important destination ahead of me. Will you bear me?"
Perigan neighed and jerked his head towards his saddle. She smiled, then patted him on the neck. Then, she climbed onto the saddle, adjusted her pack, and spurred Perigan on, turning a hard right to gallop onward, dust kicking up at the horse's flying hooves.
As Perigan galloped, she thought suddenly of her mother...her father...and of Roh, the one she truly loved. Just as she had written on the parchment, she whispered, "Forgive me."
*%*%*%
And so Airaen goes off. This is the end of Part 1 (I've decided to split this into two parts...the first being called "Journey"). Chapter 22 will start Part 2: Awakening. If it takes me a long time, don't worry...I'M COMING, PRECIOUSSS. Continue with your reviews, my friends! I love it all! And, yes, for the Roh/Airaen fans, there will definitely be some more...um...Roh/Airaen stuff that gets a little...heated...as in passion heated. Yes...I'M SO EXCITED, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THE END! BWAHAHAHAHAHAAA! UNTIL NEXT TIME!