Hey, sorry for the long, very long delay. I apologize. Things should (hopefully) speed up now, as my History project is over! Celebration!
To get back to the story, you'll remember that Link was on the road, Kafei was operating from 'HQ's and Zelda was caught with Ganondorf and that idiot Sakon (whom you can now despise to your heart's content, if you haven't done so already).
No Malon or Sheik this part. I'm going to bring 'em back in eventually. Don't fret.
Special note: Sexual comments.
I can't believe I'm warning about this, but whatever. I'm assuming the majority of you who are in age of playing LoZ and reading on Internet know this already, but who knows.
Love to all!
Nighttime Activities
Part 5: Enter Relief and Stress...
By CM
The Stock Pot Inn must have been a luxury hotel. Way back when it was built. As Link stepped through the door, taking off his sunglasses in the blinding obscurity, a contrast compared to the glaring sunlight outside, he was greeted with a used up rug, a scratched counter, walls with peeling paint, and a strange smell of urine floating lightly in the air. He crinkled his nose, taking a careful breath and slipping his glasses in his front pocket.
He was so going to get back at Kafei for this.
Link stepped up to the dark wooden counter, noting absently how the floorboards creaked under his feet, and looked around to find some sort of employee. He was very much alone in the 'cozy' waiting room. Unsteady chairs invited him to sit and wait, but he wasn't feeling patient.
Zelda was next door. Or so Kafei had told him.
And he was tired. He'd driven all damn night, and all he wanted right now was to drop his bag, get Zelda back, and move the fuck out of here.
At least, that's what he'd planned.
And then, he'd make sure Zelda never got out of his sight. Ever. Again. Oh, she'd hate it, all right, but if he couldn't keep her safe otherwise, then it was obviously the only way to keep an eye on her. She'd warm up to him… Maybe.
Link finally found an old-fashioned bell. He tapped it, and it didn't make a sound. Thoroughly annoyed, he picked it up and shook it. Something inside dinged, but he was unsure what.
In any case, his agitation called somebody from the back rooms.
A forty year-old woman came from behind the doors, her hair in curling rolls and thick, white cream on her face. She was holding two slices of cucumber in her hand, and they dripped down sloppily to the already maculated carpet. Her nostrils flared as she sighed loudly, realizing that a customer was there. She grabbed a registry with her non-cucumber armed hand, and flung it in front of Link, before she finally looked up at him.
Her eyes widened, and before Link could interpret her surprise, she started batting her cream covered lashes at him seductively. Needless to say, the poor young man was disturbed.
"How may I be of . . . help?" She asked, hesitating to find her words. Her lashes were still drumming a solo. He smiled awkwardly, taking out his wallet.
"I think I have a reservation. My name is Link Kokirin"
"Oh, yes. How could I forget, Link—Can I call you Link? You're our only guest registered to arrive today." She smiled, complacent.
And I can see why, Link thought, though on the outside he smiled his most dashing grin, trying not to notice how the woman's cream was slipping down her chin and onto her faded pink and holed shirt. She seemed to feel faint when she saw his attractive smile.
"Actually, I'd appreciate it if we could remain on a last name basis. It's not because of you," Link explained, leaning over the damaged counter as though to confide. "It's just that if my girlfriend heard I was on a first name basis with another woman, she'd probably make a scene."
Her smile fell slightly. "Oh? Will she be joining you?"
"Not tonight, no," Link shook his head, grinning. "But that doesn't mean I'd allow myself to see another woman… As heart shattering as that may be."
She smiled coquettishly.
"If you say so," she cooed, and one of her curling rolls came undone. She looked down at the registry, and a drop of cream fell on the pages. She flicked it away with one finger, then pursed her lips in what she may have thought a 'subconsciously-attractive pout', which was really more of a grimace.
Link had only seen a perfect subconscious move like that on one, and only one, woman before.
Zelda...
"You have a single room, no bath, and a view on the street. Am I wrong?"
Link's eyes widened. "What? No bath?"
She raised her shoulders, leaning towards him flirtatiously. "I'm afraid you'll have to take your shower down the hall upstairs. My room is just beside the hallway bathroom." A 'seductive wink' was thrown his way. Link had to force himself consciously to smile at her.
"I'm afraid I'm faithful, despite how..." He hesitated as he searched for the proper word, "… tempting that sounds." And he slapped down a credit card. She tried to keep eye contact with him, but her fingers helplessly searched for the plastic card on the counter. When the tip of her fingers encountered it blindly, they knocked it over and it fluttered to the ground.
Link held back a tired sigh and just strained to smile patiently.
"Oops," she giggled. "I'm sorry. I guess I'll have to pick it up."
And, turning her back on Link, she dipped over, and Link got an eyeful of her big backside. He averted his eyes, refraining from rolling them. Didn't this woman have any shame?
Finally gripping his credit card, she stood straight again, and her face was red, the blood having rushed to her head in her brief time upside down, and she looked breathless, like it had been a great physical exercise.
All Link did was raise a sceptical eyebrow, which she took as an approval, and she smirked at him.
"This way," she breathed, still winded. She 'strutted' out of behind the counter, and Link noticed she was barefoot, with bright red nail polish slowly coming off her toenails. She motioned for him to follow her, and he obeyed, staying at a safe distance behind her. They walked up a suspicious-looking staircase, and came into a long, badly lit hallway. At the end, a door with a handwritten 'restroom' notice, a crate beside it, told him where he'd be showering for the next few days, if things went slowly.
She walked up to one of the numerous doors and inserted a key inside the lock. When the door didn't open, she gave a loud kick in the wooden panel, and it finally gave in.
She opened it to reveal a single bed, a tiny rug, a small round table and a chair, with one small window. In the bright rays of sunlight, he saw the dust floating about in the room. The walls were whitewashed, and a single light bulb hung from the ceiling. It flickered on when the hotelkeeper turned the switch. She smiled at him, still unaware of his annoyance.
"This is one of our best rooms. And the view is to die for."
Link walked on the creaking floorboards up to the window, and peered out. To his satisfaction, he could clearly discern the entrance to the Milk Bar Latte. But to any other ordinary traveller, the view would have been rather horrid.
He turned back and faked a heartfelt smile. She was leaning in an awkward way against the doorframe, and she was looking at him in appreciation. Uncomfortable, Link cleared his throat, hoping that she would get the clue.
But she didn't. She stepped in, hands behind her back and speaking as sweetly as before. "If you want to take a shower, you have to go down the hall. If you ever have trouble getting the shower to work, feel free to call me. I'm just next door." A wink. Link had no doubt on what kind of 'help' she would have loved to bring. He resisted the urge to shudder. "And all meals are served in the cafeteria, at 8, noon and 6. But you can have them whenever you want, if you ask me."
"I can get whatever I want if I ask you, right?" He absently commented. She smiled broadly, flush with anticipation.
"Yes, of course."
She took another step towards him, and he had to back his face away so that he didn't get his serving of cucumber cream.
"Is there anything," she breathed, and he found the woman smelled of beef, "you would like to ask me?" Link suddenly understood what she meant. She was smiling, the cream wrinkling with her face. "I would positively love," she muttered, "to be young again. You look pretty energetic and strong."
Oh my Din, this is so not happening.
"Um," Link asked, though he knew the dreaded answer to his question, "what do you mean?"
She giggled as though she were already enjoying it. "Why, don't play stupid, young fool. You know you want it. I've got experience. You would love it."
"Love what?" Link asked, though he stepped away. The cucumber-monster got closer still.
"We could make love all darn night. I never get tired," she added, to his horror. "Your little girlfriend is probably nothing in comparison to my experience. Give me one night, boy, and I'll have you begging me for more tomorrow."
Link felt panic seep into his veins. He just wanted to sleep in a decent place, and instead, he was forced to fight off a sex-deprived hotelkeeper. Life truly sucked, when you thought about it. "Um, actually, my girlfriend has yet to be matched."
He resisted the urge to slap himself. That was not what he needed to say to get her off his case.
"I can do so much better, boy. Give me one night. One day, even."
She reached out to grasp the front of his shirt, and Link jumped back, holding up his hands.
"Listen, Miss—"
She started giggling, "Oh, 'Miss', I haven't been called that in ages. Oh, come over here, poor male mortal, I'll show you how much of a woman I can be."
"I'd rather not!" Link exclaimed, and she stopped smiling. "Listen, I've been doing a lot of travelling. I've no doubt that you can last a long time. No doubt at all. But I'm practically sleeping on my feet. I. Need. Rest."
He was relieved to see her withdraw. She still shot him a seductive smile.
"All right, sweetheart. Whenever you want me, though, you know where to find me."
He nodded, finally allowing himself to breathe, and accompanied her to the door of his room. When she was out and he had a hold of the door. "Yes, I know. You're down the hall by the bathroom. Good day!"
With that, he promptly shut the door and locked it, just in case. Leaning against it, he heard her walk back downstairs. Judging by her step, she was… Could it be she was … Skipping?
As he fell into exhausted sleep, Link chose to believe his mind was playing tricks on him. It was safer that way.
"Get up!"
Zelda resisted the urge to kick the intruder away. Until she realized there was an intruder. Eyes snapping open, she let out a shriek and sat up, moving away, towards the wall. Sakon looked particularly annoyed.
"Stop fooling around. It's morn'. Ganondorf wants a word with you."
"A word can wait," she stubbornly commented, fighting back sleep. "If he wants to chat, why doesn't he come into the cell, huh?"
Sakon smirked repulsively. "He'd be much too tempted, what with that bed of yours in the way."
Zelda was up faster than Sakon thought possible. She ordered, with as much dignity as possible, "Well, let's go then."
Rolling his dull eyes, the horrid minion let her out. Zelda fleetingly considered making a run for it, but knew that having just come awake, she'd lose the race. And anyway, she had no idea where to escape.
"What does he want?"
"That's none of my business," Sakon mumbled. "He just said he wanted to speak with you."
It figured. He smartly had taken off her advantage at mental preparation, the sneaky asshole. If only she could prepare herself mentally to a verbal showdown, then she might at least have a small victory.
Sakon followed her down some stairs, and they came into a short hallway. Sounds of breakfast came to both of them. Sakon licked his lips. He probably hadn't eaten yet. She realized she was starved as well. She hadn't eaten since her lunch with Link yesterday. It seemed so far away now.
Now, if only she could have the advantage of knowing what Ganondorf wanted...
Her eyes sought the tall, fiery haired man. When she did find him, she realized no type of mental preparation could have made her ready for this.
A woman was violently sucking his tongue out, seated across his lap. Zelda's eyebrows shot up, and she turned to look at Sakon in astonishment. The stupid little man only snickered.
"That's Mariah Majora Masklee. She's his woman."
"No kidding," Zelda sarcastically commented. Sakon glared at her and roughly pushed her towards the table, then forcefully made her sit. Ganondorf and his 'woman' looked up, both looking a bit confused at the interruption. Zelda crossed her arms and sat back, eyebrow raised.
"Am I interrupting something?"
"Yes—" Mariah started, but Ganondorf silenced her. He put her back into her chair and joined his hands on the table surface, smirking.
"Ah, princess. How did you sleep?"
Zelda glared at him. "Don't call me that. I never spent such an awful night, though, if that can satisfy you."
"Oh, it does, it does."
Mariah was scowling, visibly piqued that her make-out session with Ganon was over. She was shooting daggers at Zelda from her side of the table. "So, this is Harkinian's progeny? Hmph. I've seen better."
Ganondorf didn't seem daunted by his lover's annoyance. "She is worth millions, Mariah. I understand that it doesn't seem like it at the moment, but it's true."
"She doesn't seem like anything. Ganon, you said she'd be worth it."
Ganondorf ignored her comment. He peered at Zelda, who was forcing herself not to fidget. "Miss Harkinian, are you aware of the complete circumstances for which you were kidnapped? I'm not saying this because I expect you to understand. You just have to comprehend that your father's company should be mine, instead of yours. Besides, you aren't truly interested in his work, are you? Dragmire corporations could boost Harkinian to new heights, if only your father dropped out of the course."
"I've mentioned this before. It won't happen."
"Stubborn as always. I will be honest with you, Miss Harkinian. If your father gives in, then you will be set free. I'm afraid, however, that if your father does not relent his company soon, severe consequences may come to you. Would you like to call him and explain this clearly to him, for your sake?"
Zelda rolled her eyes, watching as her kidnapper fell into silence as the waiter put a plateful of food in front of her. When he left, she dug in, pretending that she hadn't heard Ganondorf, despite how much she wanted to phone someone out there and plead for help.
Link, perhaps.
"Did you hear me?" Ganondorf asked, irritated by her silence. She raised her eyes.
"I did. But I'm too hungry for now."
Mariah leant forward, glaring icily. "Now listen up, little piece of snot, you're wasting our precious time. Either you call now or we withdraw our suggestion!"
"We will have none of that," Ganondorf hurriedly growled at his lover. Zelda snorted as she swallowed a greasy potato.
"You can have your little fun back in your room. I'm not moving until I'm done eating."
Amused, Ganondorf fixed his gaze on her. She kept her eye on her plate, pretending that she wasn't intimidated. He spoke again, calmer this time. "I take it you're playing it peacefully. So you gave up arguing?"
Zelda shot him a brief smile and said, certainty in her voice, "You won't win."
"I wouldn't bet on that. I received a call when we arrived here last night. All of Hyrule is out to find you, princess, but I doubt anyone will truly find you. One single agency knows I'm out of the country, but they probably have no idea where in this vast land I hide. A respectable place like this one is the last place they'll think of."
Zelda's eyebrow rose way up. "Respectable? And they serve grilled potatoes for breakfast?" Mariah glared like she wanted to strangle her. "And who's this caller you talk of?"
Ganondorf smirked, apparently ignorant of his lover's anger. "I have a few friends in the international business locales. Just last night, a certain Kafei Dotour called asking to restrain me within Hyrule. This quick-witted young man works for the detective agency your father hired to find you."
Link. Kafei Dotour had surely spoken to Link.
Zelda smiled, not letting her thought train show. "Fine then. Whatever. I'll be calling my father now."
Ganondorf tossed her a cell phone, and she slowly dialled, bringing the tiny device to her ear.
It rang twice, and suddenly the butler answered. "Harkinian residence. How may help you?"
"Jenkins, it's Zelda. Could you please hand me my father?"
"Miss Zelda!" The butler exclaimed, visibly surprised. Zelda refrained from smiling fondly. Mariah was staring at her like a cat examines a canary. "Oh! You're alive! I'd hand you your father, but he's at the detective agency! Where are you?"
"I'm not sure, Jenkins. Could you redirect the call to my father's personal phone, please? I'm sure I won't be a bother," she added, and the butler chuckled, relieved to hear her fooling around.
"I will. A second, please."
A few seconds later, the phone began ringing again. Zelda did her best to hide her happiness. Things were turning out even better than she had expected. Her father was at the agency. Maybe she'd get a hold of Link or someone and slip them a few subtle indications. Her father answered, "Yes!"
She giggled, "Daddy?"
"Zelda?" He all but shrieked into the receiver, and she heard a sudden quiet around him on the line. He was not alone. Perfect. "Zelda, dear, how are you?"
"I'm unharmed, Daddy, but please, I've got a message for you. It's urgent. Do you have a pen and paper?"
Ganondorf raised an eyebrow, but Zelda smiled at him, shrugging nonchalantly.
"I do, sweetheart, but where are you?"
"Daddy, I can't tell you, alright? I hardly know myself. Ganondorf and his girlfriend are watching me." One clue. Come on, they could find this. "But he wanted me to tell you to surrender the company or I pay for it and whatnot. Don't believe him, Daddy!"
Ganondorf laughed loudly, and her father gasped. "He's with you, Zelda! Oh, when I get my hands on him, I'll"
Zelda cut him off, "Daddy, please, could you—"
"Are you on conference, or on speaker mode?"
"No."
"Good. I'll hand you Kafei Dotour. He's a fine young man. He'll help you, sweet—"
"Miss Harkinian?" A smooth voice cut her father off. He'd taken the phone out of her father's hands. "I'll be quick. They must be timing you. We know where you are. You mustn't despair, all right? Don't do anything rash. We've already dispatched a friend of yours to help you out. Link is coming, don't worry, and I repeat, don't do anything stupid, alright?"
"Alright," she answered, holding back her extreme happiness. "I trust you'll be taking care of everything."
"Very well played until now, Miss Harkinian. Stay alive, and all will be well. Don't worry. Now I'm handing the phone back to your father. Be safe."
"Thank you. … Daddy?"
"Sweetheart?" He asked, voice squeaky and worried.
"Just…" She shot a look to Ganondorf, who hadn't noticed a thing, she had tried so hard to keep the same tone, "… Just be careful what you do, alright?"
"Same to you, Zelda," her father sadly said. "Love you."
"I love you too, Daddy."
With that, she shut the phone, and Ganondorf grabbed it, checked the number that had just been called, saw it was the Harkinian mansion, and smirked. Zelda felt relief flooding her veins as she saw him pocket the phone again. He probably thought Jenkins had redirected the call to her father's office.
She would be saved, be fine. Link was coming for her! She had never been so happy.
She would be a model hostage. Ganondorf wouldn't know what hit him. The bastard.
Link groaned as he heard a knock on his door. A giggle on the other side told him exactly what, or rather whom, it was. He rolled over, slung a bare arm over the pillow and tugged it so it covered his face. He'd locked the door. The woman would go away.
"Oh, Mister Kokirin, I have a friend to present you!"
Link would have rolled his eyes if they hadn't been tightly closed. He tried recalling what the dream he'd awoken from was all about. If he remembered well, he was spending some 'quality time' with Zelda… Oh, that's right. And she'd been wearing this really nice little number… It was too early for him to censor himself anyway.
Which was why when the hotelkeeper called him from behind his door, he let out a loud cuss. A long silence hung over the place, and a weak voice could be heard, probably the hotelkeeper's friend.
"I think he's not up to it."
"You're right. Well, I guess we'll wait. But you have to see him. I could just picture his nice little—"
Link tightened his jaw and muffled any sounds with the pillow. He didn't care about what women thought of him, so long as they didn't say it aloud when he was in the near vicinity. He forced his mind back to more pleasant thoughts, mainly how Zelda's legs were endless and looked so darned perfect to the touch…
When he was fairly sure the two annoying women were gone, he opened one eye and shot a weak glance at the bedside clock. It was three in the afternoon. He'd slept the morning and most of the afternoon away. His clothes were lying in a heap on the floor. He vaguely thought of picking them up so that the hotelkeeper didn't get any more ideas. Reaching up, he touched his chin. Very light stubble scratched at his fingertips. Nothing worthy of a shave, he decided.
He let the covers slip off his bare torso and swung a leg out. Perhaps he'd change boxers, but whatever.
His beeper was flashing a message. He picked it up and had to consciously focus on what was being said.
'Got a call from her. Call me for details.'
Link felt all the sleep fade away. He snapped to attention and grabbed his cell phone. Pressing the same familiar button, he waited, half dressed, for Kafei's response.
"Kafei Dotour."
"You messaged me."
Kafei's voice perked up. "Link! There you are! I was wondering if you were alright!"
"I drove all damn night and crashed as soon as I could. When and how did she call?"
"She called early this morning. Apparently Dragmire ordered her to call her father's mansion. From what the butler told us, she asked to be redirected to her father's cell phone. Her father was here with us, so I got to slip her a word without Dragmire's knowledge. She agreed to stay put and wait for you to come up."
"Good," Link breathed, suddenly relieved.
"Link, you didn't take time to grab your laptop, did you?"
"No."
Kafei sighed. "Too bad. I could have sent you some interesting stuff. Like Mariah Majora Masklee's bio. But I guess I'll just supply that to the authorities. I'm currently in contact with Termina's juridical system. They've accepted to help us out. Apparently, they've been trying to catch some recent illegal gangs, and their leader. Just happened like that, their targets and our little friends across the street from you are the same."
"Great. Things are turning out pretty well."
"I wouldn't get too cocky about it. More likely than not, Dragmire has a trick up his sleeve."
Link muttered as they both hung up, "Right now I just want to keep him from killing Zelda."
Zelda knew when she was being watched. And not just obviously watched by Sakon, who was not at all subtle about it. Someone else was watching her. Someone hidden. Indoors? How strange.
Her eyes carefully took in the room. It was a bar, with a badly lit stage in the back and black walls and big plants in the corners. Small round tables all over the place… She was seated close to the counter. A few people chattered, and her attention focused on them first, before falling on someone who would have easily been bypassed, so unsuspicious-looking as she was.
She was a dark skinned beauty, tanned and bright haired, with light lipstick contrasting with her tan. Her legs were long and crossed under the table, with long pants flowing around her round hips. Her well-manicured hands were toying with a spoon lazily. She wasn't staring directly back at Zelda, but their eyes met from below the woman's lashes.
And Zelda swore she saw a secretive wink. Immediately feeling safe, Zelda acknowledged her with a tiny nod. Her mind questioned the woman's identity. Why was she here, and how did she come into the whole thing? She looked over at Sakon, who was seated across from her, a magazine open before him, hand in his coat, most likely holding his gun. Running was not an option. Ganondorf and Mariah had disappeared to an area unknown. Zelda wondered if Ganondorf had been serious when he'd said that, should anyone question Sakon's and her presence in the large room, they were to say they were dating.
Like she would date a man like Sakon, of all people.
Zelda had been handed a magazine herself, and she pretended to flip through the pages. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the tanned woman, seated a few tables away, scribbling something down absently, like she was an author and she was taking notes.
Zelda fleetingly thought that it would be just peachy if this woman turned out to be a simple author looking for ideas.
She saw her stand eventually. Sakon noticed her then, and his eyes widened appreciatively. Dark-skinned-beauty shot him a seductive smile, but came straight to Zelda, putting a hand calmly to the back of the young woman's neck, leaning forward—so that Sakon got a busying eyeful—and asked, "Are you alright? You look a bit pale."
Such genuine concern made Zelda's heart warm up. "Oh, I'm fine." Here goes. "I'm just, uh… Spending some time with my brother, here. Say hello, um… Sakon."
"Hello," Sakon dumbly mumbled, eyes not leaving the woman's chest. Well aware of this, she allowed herself to roll her eyes.
"Well, if you ever have a problem, feel free to call me."
Zelda feigned discomfort for Sakon's sake and interest to pretend nothing was wrong, despite how a folded piece of paper had been slipped down her collar by the woman's seemingly empty hand, both exchanged a tiny understanding glance, and Zelda's curiosity was perked, "Oh? You're a doctor?"
"Officially, yes," the woman warmly said, bringing her hand down from Zelda's neck and outstretching it in presentation, "Nabooru Gerun, pleased to make your acquaintance. You are…?"
Sakon seemed to snap out of it. He shot Zelda a meaningful glance. "My sister." He couldn't wipe away the small trail of drool that had made its way down to his chin fast enough. Nabooru Gerun refrained from laughing.
"I guessed that." She sighed, then. "Well, you're both lovely company, but I'm afraid I've a meeting with a colleague in half an hour."
Disappointed that a friendly face was leaving her, Zelda smiled weakly. "Good day, then."
"Yes. I trust we'll be seeing more of each other," Nabooru cryptically said, a gentle smile on her light lips. Sakon seemed pleased to hear this, unaware of the tone she was using. Zelda was relieved.
"Alright."
Then, Nabooru Gerun, a complete stranger, walked out of the room.
That's done. Expect more soon. And I mean it, this time.
What's going on now? Zelda knows she's potentially safe, Ganondorf is being his nasty self, Masklee is a bitch (you know you thought it), Link is harassed by crazed hotelkeepers (though as a female, I would find it very hard tokeep quietmyself, but whatever), Kafei is at work against the forces of evil (oh, great), and what's this? Nabooru?
Honestly, did you think she'd be kept out? That woman is just perfect for the role I'm thinking of. cackles in anticipation of what is to come
Alright, now. Review and whatever, if you think it was nice of me to add more. This is not a threat, I repeat, this is NOT a threat.
:P
Love,
CM