Excalibur's comments: This goes for Lunatic Pandoral, thanks for the advise, I should be more careful with that, now about that last review, what did you mean by corny, I'm not very good when understanding expressions like that one.
Chapter 6: Love against the flow of Time.
Two years have past since Link's arrival to Hyrule Castle. Link has managed to recover all of his energy completely and now spends his days training in order to defeat, once again, the "Gerudo King", and his nights, in a more
personal duty. It was about 8 o' clock that night, Zelda and Link were inside one of the towers of Hyrule Castle, watching the outside world and
talking about almost everything.
Link – You know, sometimes I think...nah forget it.
Zelda – What?
Link – No it's nothing.
Zelda – Come on, tell me.
Link – Well, it's just that, if someone would have told me I would find
myself in the way I am before I came here, I wouldn't have believed it.
Zelda – And why is that?
Link – Because...
Link grabbed Zelda's hand gently.
Link – I've dreamed with this since the dawn of our...
Servant – Princess Zelda!
Link – (DAMN!)
Zelda – Hide, you're not supposed to be here.
Link – Fine.
Link hid himself inside the large closet where Zelda had the most expensive
dresses.
Zelda – Come on in.
The servant opened the door to the room, revealing a large amount of fancy
dresses that she had just cleaned.
Servant – Here are some of the dresses that you might like to wear
tomorrow.
Zelda – Thanks.
Servant – Now if you don't mind, I will place them in the closet...
Zelda – NO!
Zelda's reaction startled greatly the young lady, as she was not expecting
such an act from the princess.
Servant – My apologies princess, I should have...
Zelda – There is nothing you have to apologize from, I am just a worried
because of Link's doings and maybe it has affected my nerves a little.
Servant – (yeah right) Even so your highness I must apologize for not
understanding that.
Zelda – Don't worry, now, can you please leave me alone for now? I will
call you if I have need of your aid. Leave the dresses on my bed.
Servant – Certainly your highness.
The loyal servant left the room quietly and closed the door.
Zelda – [sight]
Link – May I?
Zelda – Sure.
Link came out of the closet, breathing heavily because none of them
expected a servant to appear so inconveniently.
Zelda – You okay?
Link – [breathing heavily] How do I look?
Zelda – You look terrible, and smell even worse.
Link – I don't smell!
Zelda – [chuckles] No, but seriously, I think you should leave my room.
Link – Why?
Zelda – Can you imagine my dad's face if he finds you inside my room?
Link – Why do you always have to be right?
Zelda – Because you're always wrong [chuckles].
Link – May I take leave, ma'am?
Zelda – Just shut up and leave already!
Link – [laughing] See ya!
Link suddenly jumped of the window falling on the castle's rooftop and made
his way down, as he used to every single night since he recovered his strength. Once he got down, he saw Crit, taking care of some of the horses at the stables and since he didn't have anything to do, the Hero of Time
went to chat with her for a little while.
Link – Hello!
Crit – Hi.
Link – Why are you so quietly alone?
Crit – You don't wanna know.
Link – 'Course I do!
Crit - [sigh] (I can't tell you 'bout my feelings).
Link – Well?
Crit – You don't wanna know.
? – Sir Link!
Link – What!
He turned back and saw a soldier, holding something big within his arms. Something that was covered with a large piece of cloth, and had a letter
tied to it.
Link – Is that what I think it is?
Soldier – Certainly.
Link – Can you please, stop talking formally to me?
Soldier – Fine, be my guest.
Link – Now, let me see it.
Soldier – I think you should read the letter first.
Link – Fine.
Link took the item within his arms and as soon as he did, the guard retreated. It was so heavy that Link had to put it on the floor in order to
take out the letter, which he started reading silently.
Crit – What does it say?
Link – Dear Link. I made it following the instructions you gave me and with a lot of courage, but I must ask you, why would you want such a small thing
for? Sincerely, Biggoron.
Crit – That's it?
Link – That's it.
Crit – What about the item, what is it?
Link – Something I have longed for.
Link took out what was covering the item, revealing a huge iron sword that
was almost as big as him, or a little bigger.
Link – Say hello to our new friend.
Crit – Are you mad? What would you do with such a thing?
Link – Hey, take it easy, I just wanna train with it. You know, to become
stronger.
Crit – Have you gone nuts or something?
Link – Yes, may I have the honor of fighting you?
Crit – Only if you stop being so stupid.
Link – Hey, I'm a teenager.
Crit – So what? I'm also young and I don't act that way.
Link – Because thanks to those hundreds you have experienced you've
matured, besides, you don't age, do you?
Crit – We were going to fight, not talking about me.
Link – So you agree, right?
Crit – Cut the chat already!
Link – Fine, grab the Great Fairy Sword, it's almost as big as this one.
Crit – Why would you want two big swords anyway?
Link – Just in case.
Link took the Great Fairy Sword out of his back and handed it to Crit. They
both assumed a fighting pose before their battle started.
Crit – Remember, you cannot be all wounded by tomorrow; we're having a big
party.
Link – What are you trying to say?
Crit – You still have time to retreat.
Link – No way I'm fleeing!
Crit – I warned you!
They spend the whole night fighting continuously; the castle guards even found them both lying on the floor by next morning, both of them terribly wounded. Link woke up unclothed, inside a golden bathtub filled with ice-
cold bloody water. He was having a headache, because he did not have a
peaceful night like the ones he was used to.
Link - Where the heck am I?
Link turned his head to his left side and saw some servants cleaning the
blood he and Crit left all around the floor near the stables.
Link – (was that because of our fight?)
? – Quite a view, eh? Especially when you watch what you did for yourself.
He turned back in surprise, only to find Crit was standing beside him. For the first time ever she wasn't wearing that armor, instead, she had a red
and white dress. The upper part of the dress was red colored and pretty
tight, enough to acquire the shape of the one wearing it and it's lower part was a simple long red skirt, with lots of white colored accessories all around it. She was also holding a set of red clothes and a bottle full
of red potion with her delicate-looking hands.
Link – What the heck are you doing here?
Crit – I just came to give you this.
She threw some clothes over the floor of the bathroom. It was a red tunic,
same design as the green one Link wore always, his silver colored tight pants and shirt and, of course, his brown boots and the golden gauntlets.
Link – Thanks, now, can you do me a favor?
Crit – What is it?
Link – LEAVE THE DAMN BATHROOM!
Crit – Hey, take it easy, there's still one more thing.
Link – Make it fast!
Crit placed the red potion beside the bathtub.
Crit – The princess wants to speak to you.
Link – Fine...now GO!
Crit – Okay, okay I'm leaving.
Crit turned back and began to walk towards the exit, but stopped in front
of it. She stared at Link by looking from over her shoulder.
Crit – Personally, I don't think you should wear those clothes.
Link – Why?
Crit – Because you look better the way you are right now. [Chuckles]
Link -...!
After that, she left the room silently, closing the door slowly and with
care.
Link – (she wasn't wearing her armor?) That's weird.
Link came out of the bathtub, still bloody and all the stuff. At his left he saw a set of four towels, two were wet and the others were dry. He used
them to clean his skin so he wouldn't get his newly washed clothes all bloody. He came out of the bathroom, wearing his clothes of course, and saw a female servant walking desperately in his way. He held the young woman
from her arm, stopping her.
Link – Can you tell me what's going on?
Servant – What do you mean?
Link – For the first time, Crit wasn't wearing her armor and second, why is
everyone in such a rush?
Servant – That's because we are getting ready for the princess' birthday
party, you should be getting ready too.
Link – Isn't it a little early for that?
Servant – Even so, you should...did you drink the red potion?
Link – [gasp] No.
Servant – You should go get it.
Link – Wait a second. How do you know about that red potion?
Servant – I know because I was supposed to give it to you, but lady Crit
told me that she would.
Link – [humph]
Servant – Now, if you excuse me.
The servant kept on almost running down the hall, while Link remained there
thinking.
Link – (what does Crit want? Does she...like me? Or is it just that she
wanted to see me naked? Damn, almost forgot! Gotta go to the princess).
Link went inside the bathroom once again and drank the potion with one
big gulp. Then he quickly ran to Zelda's place and knocked the door.
Zelda – Who is it?
Link – Sir Link wants to speak to thee, your majesty. May you allow him to
proceed?
Zelda – You may enter.
Link entered the room and closed the door. Zelda was sitting on a chair by
the window.
Link – Did you want to talk with me?
Zelda – Yeah.
Link – Well, here I am.
Zelda – I just wanted to ask you why?
Link – Why what?
Zelda – Why did you do such a thing?
Link – You're talking about the fight, don't you?
Zelda – Of course I am, do you want to get killed or something?
Link – I was just training.
Zelda – Just training! You could have gotten killed! I almost fainted when
the guards found you!
Link – Sorry 'bout that.
Zelda – Sorry, that's it? You should try to be more convincing.
Link – Well, it was not my intention to alarm you, my liege, please accept
my apologies.
Zelda – What kind of apologies?
Link – This.
Link got close to Zelda's lips and just when he was about to kiss her,
someone entered the room desperately. Link tried to pretend that the
princess had something on her face and placed a hand on her cheek.
Servant – My apologies for entering like this, but I must inform you.
Zelda – Of what?
Servant – There are some kids outside.
Zelda – So?
Servant – They are babbling some weird stuff about Link and call themselves
the bombers. Worst of all, they want to bust in into the castle.
Link – They're looking for me.
Servant – You sure?
Link – Damn sure.
He jumped down the window as he always did and made his way to the bombers' location. The little kids were talking with one of the guards at the very
entrance of the castle, just when Link popped into the scene.
Link – What the heck's going on in here?
The boys all had a number on their back, except for the one with the yellow bandana. Their leader was the boy with the number 1 and the red bandana;
the other four had blue ones.
#1 – We came here looking for you man.
Link – I already know that. What I do not understand is why.
#1 – Well, it's that...
The bombers' face went down. Staring at the floor and with teary eyes the
boy tried to speak, but his feelings didn't let him.
Link – What it is?
#1 – The old man at the observatory, he's...dead.
Link – WHAT? But how?
#1 – Heart attack.
Link – Damn, but, why does that bring you to my place?
#2 – He was the one taking care of us, no dad nor mom, just him [sniff]
Link – I don't know if you can stay here, you should talk with the king.
They all remained silent for a moment. Knowing about their feelings, Link
came up with something.
Link – Do you like horses?
The bombers looked up straight at Link's blue eyes.
#1 – A bit.
#4 – They're kinda cool.
#3 – Horses?
#2 – Yay!
#5 - ...
Link – Well, I was thinking, did you see the ranch at the center of the
field?
#1 – Umm.
#5 – I did!
#2 – Yeah, me too! Link – Only three people take care of that ranch and, I think they wouldn't
mind if you all stay there.
#1 – Really?
Link – We should try it out.
Since the kids agreed without any hesitation, Link took them to Lon Lon
Ranch. Once they got there, Malon came close.
Malon – Hi! Welcome to Lon Lon Ranch! May I help you?
Link – No thanks, I came looking for your father, there's something I want
to ask him.
Malon – Well, he is taking care of something right now so you'll have to
wait.
Link – Sure.
Malon – Aren't you introducing your friends?
Link – Sure! These are the Bombers, a secret organization of I don't know
what.
Malon – About their names.
Link – Their names are the numbers on their back.
#1 – I'm number one, the leader.
#2 – Number two here.
#3 – Here's three!
#4 – Four!
#5 – Five!
Boy with yellow bandana – And I am...hey, I don't have a number.
#1 – You don't?
At that very moment, Link heard an echoing voice calling his name from
afar; it seemed to be on of the soldiers from the castle.
Link – I'm sorry to leave you here, but there's something I've to take care
of.
Malon – Take care!
Link – I will (duh!).
Link ran swiftly to the outside of the ranch and into the field. Once
there, he found the guard exhausted taking a rest.
Link – What is it?
Soldier – It's lady Crit, She is missing!
Link – What?
Soldier – I was sent to inform her about some business stuff, but when I entered her room, she was not inside, more surprising was that was that the room was literally destroyed, like some kind of battle took place in there.
Link - ...What about her horse?
Soldier – Still at the stables.
Link – Any signs of her?
Soldier – We found out that her sword and armor were also missing.
Link – Damn!
Soldier – What is it?
Link – She left.
Soldier – How would you know?
Link – I know. Let's just go back to the castle.
They walked silently back to the castle. Link seemed to be thinking, with his face down and a bit discouraged because his best friend actually left,
without saying anything. They had reached the castle, Link was still feeling the same way he was when the guard told him about Crit. As fast as he could he went to his room and locked himself up, looking for some rest, but instead he found a letter from Crit. He took it up as fast as lightning
and started reading it.
The letter goes like this:
Dear Link: I'm afraid I cannot stay any longer by your side because you have recovered completely and thus, don't have need of my protection anymore. I apologize for not telling you this personally but I don't have much time left. Under your bed you will find the item I took so much care of, my most precious possession, the sword forged at the very fires of hell, the Evil Excalibur.
Yours truly, Crit.
P.D.: I really enjoyed our fight.
A crystal like tear escaped from Link's eye as he finished reading the
letter. A stream of thoughts flowed through his mind as he took out the
sword from under his bed.
Link – (What did she mean by that? Is she actually...nah! I don't think so,
but still).
He hadn't forgotten that in five years he would also leave but didn't care about it. He knew that those years would be really hard and lonely without
Crit, but he had to go on with or without her.