Um, hehehe.
Warnings: Sexual themes. Aren't you getting used to it, though?
Oh, and the beginning of the fun part, right there.
Hylian Kings
By CM
Eleventh Chapter: Lessening Time
The tavern, low ceilinged and smoky, nevertheless was a warm and welcome change from the fog and cold of the canals. The smell of meat and wine and hot potatoes was more than Link or Zelda could hope for.
At that moment in time, however, they wished for no more than a change of clothes and rest.
"I'm starving," Link mumbled as he and Zelda passed through the doors, followed by Kafei and Keaton, who quickly excused themselves to search for Darmani and Mikau.
Noticing the leering looks of other patrons sent in her direction, Link motioned for Zelda to remain near him. He made his way between the tables over the bar and counter, where a young woman, short red hair cropped neatly, was wiping the surfaces and mugs.
Anju Stoke, looking up from her work, blinked in surprise at the two drenched and smelly newcomers.
"Hello?" She tentatively welcomed them. "Are you looking for a room?"
Link and Zelda exchanged uncertain looks. Finally, Zelda leaned over the counter, avoiding Link's questioning gaze.
"We'd like to book a two bedded room with a warm meal, and we'd like to have a tub of clear water brought up."
Anju, furrowing a brow, bit her lip. "Ever since King Ganon rationed the water supplies, it comes expensive."
Zelda took out a small pouch of coins and put it onto the counter. Stunned, Anju weighed it.
"Where did you obtain this sort of money?"
"Can I count on you?"
Nodding slowly, still shocked, Anju walked into the back-store to fetch the keys. Link leaned on the counter, staring at Zelda intently.
"That was all the money we had left," he said, concerned. "Are you sure of what you're doing?"
She smiled, touching his arm lightly, before reaching into her sleeve to retrieve a golden rupee. Link sighed, shaking his head. He was too tired to comment.
Anju returned, having regained her senses. She handed Link the key, and said, to Zelda, "I sent a kitchen boy to fetch water for you. With that sort of money, we can give you a larger tub."
Smiling tightly, Zelda took Link's hand, to the young man's shock. They made for the stairs at the back of the tavern, and climbed, realizing at last exactly how much had happened since they'd left the forest.
Once they were out of sight, Zelda turned to glance at Link, unsure. He furrowed a brow and waited for her to talk.
"I'm…" She started, hesitantly. "I'm sorry for anything I might have said. It was wrong on my part to call you a coward, and…" She looked down at her feet, speaking barely above a whisper now, voice hoarse. "And I want to thank you, for what you've chosen to do. It means a lot to me. More than you'd imagine." She smiled at him, making his heart thud. "You're wonderful, Link, you're strong and I'm glad to be your friend and have you at my side."
Link, about to speak, was interrupted by the arrival of the kitchen boy, carrying the first two buckets of water. Link jumped back from Zelda, having not realized how close they'd just been. The boy smiled unknowingly at them, entering the room and dumping the water in a large wood tub that he pulled in the middle of the room from where it was against the wall.
Link, suddenly ill-at-ease upon seeing that where were supposed to be two distinct beds was a single large one, placed their packs as neatly as he could near a wall, and offered to help bring up water.
Zelda, having noticed the same thing as Link, turned to the kitchen boy and asked, "I'm sorry. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding. We asked for two beds and—"
"'Tis all we have, ma'am."
Falling silent, Zelda watched a flustered Link walk out with the boy, and she sunk down into a straight backed chair, worried of dirtying their bedding.
While the two were gone, Anju came up, smiling brightly, with a platter of food. It was far from the rich, elegant food of the castle, and it was far less attractive than that of the forest goods, but it was steaming warm and, to her empty stomach, it looked a feast.
When she was left alone again, Zelda walked to the only window in their room. It gave into a back alley, and this satisfied her. They wouldn't be seen for the time being.
Realizing what this could also mean, Zelda reddened, even as the object of her thoughts came in, carrying four buckets of water on a rod, followed by the kitchen boy who seemed awed by Link's strength.
It took two more trips for the tub to be full. When it was, the kitchen boy retreated, happy of the ten rupee tip he'd been awarded, leaving Link and Zelda to their own awkward musings.
Link said, "You go first. I'll eat now. I won't look."
"Are you sure?"
He motioned for her to go on, turning the chair away and beginning to take bites of food. His long ears reddened at the tips, but he resolutely stayed turned away to give her privacy.
In silence, Zelda got rid of her dirty clothing, letting it flop wetly to the floor, and entered the wooden tub with a relieved sigh. She didn't notice Link tense at the sound, too glad to feel dirt slide off her skin was she.
Upon feeling clean again, and satisfied that the water was still clear enough for Link's bath, she looked around.
Only to realize something which made her blood run cold.
She had no extra clothes. In her haste to finally get cleansed, she'd forgotten to get some.
Not one to be put off, she slid out of the tub and padded quickly to the bed, where she took one of the bedspreads, and wrapped it tightly around her lithe body.
"I'm done," she said, finally, and kept her eyes averted from Link as he turned to look at her.
Had she looked up at him then, she'd have seen him go wide-eyed, take her in completely, before closing his eyes as though in prayer, and she'd have seen his Adam's apple bob up and down.
But all she did was, prude, to walk towards the table and sit down on the chair he vacated for her, beginning to eat, shielding her scarlet cheeks from him with her long, wet tendrils of dark blonde hair.
She kept her eyes averted all through Link's bath, enjoying every bite of her meal, and doing her best to readjust the cover inconspicuously around her torso.
Finally, she heard the water splash, and Link moved around the tub, shuffling. She wasn't sure what he was doing, but when he told her he was done, she understood: he'd washed his thick trousers summarily before putting them back on, and cleaned her large shirt for her.
Gratefully, she took the soaked cloth from him and slipped it over herself, only to find that wet fabric had a tendency to stick to her skin.
She knew Link had noticed, but thankfully, he didn't say a word on the subject. He politely piled their plates on the platter and put it by the door.
It was strange, she mused as she watched him move around the room, that they should be so uncomfortable with each other even after having discovered every last part of the other's person.
Stranger still that she wanted to renew the experience.
Furrowing a brow, she watched Link pensively. He turned to look at her.
"Zelda?"
"I was thinking…" She said, and her cheeks reddened again. "But it's nothing. Never mind."
"Which side of the bed do you want?" He seemed as unsure as she was.
"It doesn't matter… Um… I can take the window side…"
"Are you sure? That's the colder side…"
They both lapsed into silence. Then, together, their lips stretched into sheepish smiles.
"We're being ridiculous," Zelda declared.
"We are."
"When things get better…"
"If…"
"When things get better," she insisted, "I hope you'll stay by my side." She scowled. "Even when that Din-forsaken consort shows up."
Link, uncomfortable, asked, "But won't your husband be angry if I stay around?"
She snorted. "See if he can control me." Then, her face fell. "Oh, Link, the idea of a consort makes me ill. If only it were but a suitor. At least I could get rid of him. The fact that my dead parents chose the man for me—they must have planned this back in the time when we were together, before Ganondorf took over and killed them! It's sickening! Don't you think?"
"Yes," Link mumbled. "Sickening."
"It's out of principle," she explained, assuming that he agreed with her. "Even if he is a good man. Even if he means well. Even if he turns to be a good politician. Even if he is strong and kind. I want to marry a man of my own choice." She turned to him. "Like you." Her cheeks burned.
Link's head snapped up, and his wide eyes stared at her, stunned.
"You… Me!"
"I'm sorry. That must be strange."
Link's response was to walk over to her. He tilted her head up.
And kissed her square on the lips.
"I have this feelin'," Mikau mumbled, "like dropping by their room would interrupt somethin'."
Kafei shrugged. He was slightly more lucid now. Trailing behind, Keaton looked at the large Darmani with awe as the man described his earlier town fights, with force demonstrations and examples.
Leading the way, Anju held a small grease candle, and stopped before one of the many doors of her inn.
"This it?"
She nodded, knocking on the door. Her eyes sought out Kafei's. He smiled.
"Thank you, Anju." He moved to embrace her, but she pushed him away, as though to scold him.
"You drank. Nothing for you."
Disappointed and sheepish, Kafei watched her walk away. Meanwhile, inside the room, there was a loud shuffling, and hushed whispers. Darmani, pressing his ear to the panel, was frowning.
"Link, Zelda, what're you up to?"
There was a long silence, and then, Mikau heard a cuss. Link's voice, no doubt.
"Told ya we'd bother 'em."
The door creaked open, and Zelda's face appeared. The high colour of her skin told Darmani everything. She was clutching a sheet close to herself, otherwise bare. Looking beyond her, he saw Link, running a shaky hand through his hair, covered by the bedspread, though his bare shoulders and chest indicated just what the two had been up to.
And he looked displeased.
"Maybe we should talk tomorrow morning?" Keaton looked highly amused.
"We should," Link said, glaring.
"Alright then, men. Let's leave the two young 'uns to their own devices," Darmani said, unable to keep the huge grin off his features, to Link's annoyance.
"Be sure to get married," Kafei advised them as the door swung shut. "We wouldn't want any illegitimate princes, would we?"
The door closed in time to protect them from a suddenly airborne dried flowers vase.
From inside the room, they could hear Zelda: 'Link, you didn't have to throw that vase. Now we'll have to pay for it.'
'They asked for it.'
Shaking his head, Mikau dragged his old friend back down the stairs, preceded by Kafei and Keaton, who were laughing like madmen.
Reaching the tavern, where people had only barely noticed the commotion, they chose a secluded table, and sat, ordered drinks, and relaxed.
Until the inn doors slammed open, revealing a small group of panicked men. One of them pushed aside a couple of men, climbing onto the table and screaming, to cover the rumble of voices.
"GANONDORF IS ON A RAMPAGE! FIND COVER!"
Chaos broke out. When sudden fear, shouts and panicked yelps, amidstthe commotionand harried escapes, thetwo travellers and two drunk menlooked unsure of what to do.
"Blasted Farore," Mikau said, too light and only a bit annoyed, "can't a man get a decent pause in this bloody town? We don't even have our drinks."
"You didn't understand, mate," one of them exclaimed. "He's bringing everything to the ground! He's lost it! He's burnt down the whole of West Castleton! He's killing all of the citizen! Run while you still can!"
"Methinks that's a serious problem," Darmani observed, still calm.
Around them, men were panicking, running around, trying to break the windows in their hurry to escape. Anju, seeing her tavern destroyed, was at a loss. Kafei moved to protect her from the shards of glass.
"Should we go call the lovers?" Mikau asked, unwilling to go back to Link's wrath.
"No need. They're here." Darmani nodded towards the staircase. Surprised, Mikau turned. Link and Zelda, their clothes still damp from the cursory cleansing, were running down in a hurry. The commotion had obviously called them down from whatever they had been up to. If Mikau didn't now see the truth of the villagers' statements, he would have found the situation laughable.
Out the windows, the glow of the blaze lit the town with an eerie, dancing, hellish light. It danced in Link and Zelda's eyes, even as the two realized the horror of it. They stayed in the now deserted tavern, their shadows projected long on the floor.
Screams in the distance and the thunder of crumbling structures, along with the eardrum splitting cracks of consumed wood reached them. In the distance, the castle, ominous, dark, unforgiving, overlooked the brazier, distorted by the yellow smoke, the way the blacksmith's hammer waited an eternity to strike the molten blade.
The mothers and children rushing down the street past them looked starved, dirty and fearful. The sight, with the horrible plumes of orange tinted smoke in the backdrop, filled Zelda's heart with rage.
"He's looking for someone," Keaton breathed beside them, glancing at Zelda. "He always had. He'll kill all those in his way."
"Keaton," Zelda ordered, calm in appearance, "help the people out of the city. Stop at nothing. Our earlier attempt was useless. This time, Ganondorf is declaring war. Our next move will have no choice but to be a success."
She had been talking to Link, Mikau and Darmani. The three men, stunned by her commanding attitude, suddenly realized that she wasn't just the Princess of Hyrule in name.
"We have to go."
Review!
Love,
CM