Chapter 7: On the Way
Linka pulled on her fingerless gloves. She wore a green tunic and had
her hair tucked into the hat her father had given her. Linka wore her
scabbard across her shoulders instead of her on her waist. Her Hylian
shield covered her scabbard as well as a magic pouch Link had given
her. Link had decided to help them prepare for battle and gave each of
them a magic pouch. She exited her room and met Sheik and Ralf. They
all looked ready to fight to the end.
Sheik wore the gloves Nabooru had given him along with a blue tunic. His hair was down, but tied near the bottom. He wore a shield, a scabbard, but hoped not to use the sword in his scabbard. He hoped that his magic would serve him best.
Ralf wore a red tunic. His fingerless gloves were barrowed from Link and a little big, but not by much. The ranch-hand looked unusually natural with a sword in his hand, but then again his father, Vincent, had taught him to wield a sword since he was young.
Tula and Cally looked at them from where they stood. Cally's voice trembled as she whispered in an angry voice, "Do we just sit 'round here? Shouldn' we send an army to ya aid?"
"No, it wouldn't do any good. I've seen your army and they wouldn't stand a chance," Tula said with a downcast gaze.
"It's best if it's just us," Sheik wrapped his arms around Tula, comforting her.
"Don't worry Cally, Tula, the boys will come back, no matter what. I promise," Link's voice was strong and determined. She started to walk down the hall. Ralf didn't like how she had phrased that.
"Good-bye Tula," Sheik hugged her. "Good-bye Cally," Sheik hugged her as well and followed after his sister and Ralf. Zelda and Link met them in the stables. Link's face was a mixture of anger and sadness. Zelda's was however the face of a queen, holding in everything, all the grief, she felt.even though it was obvious to them she was hurting inside.
Linka hugged her parents and mounted Shadow. Sheik and Ralf followed suit. They rode off in the direction that Link told them the sages had decided Melia's fortress must be. Linka managed to stay ahead, no matter how fast they were riding. They arrived at the Gerudo Fortress and were stopped by the guards.
"Who are you?" A Gerudo dressed in white approached them.
"We have permission to enter the desert," Linka held out a parchment with Nabooru's signature on it. The Gerudo allowed them through, but gave them suspicious glares. They rode to the desert, but then left their horses with the Gerudo.
As they started to make their way through the desert it became dark. They set up camp in silence. As Sheik cooked some lizards they had found, Ralf couldn't take the silence from Linka anymore. "Linka," he started, "You ARE coming back with us, right?"
"Of course I am. Why?" she didn't look at him, but drew the Triforce in the sand.
"You told Cally that the 'BOYS' will come back."
"Yeah, so?"
"Your not one of the 'BOYS'," Ralf sat next to her.
"I'm glad you noticed I'm a girl Ralf," Linka said with an amused smile.
"Why didn't you say WE would come back?" Ralf was trying to catch her gaze, but she wouldn't look up, "Linka-"
"I don't know, but we'll all come back," she leaned against him.
"Promise me," Ralf put his arm around her. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. 'Why won't you promise me?' Sheik came back with some sort of dead animal in his hand.
"What's wrong Ralf?" Sheik sat across from them.
"She wouldn't promise me she'd come back and she won't look me in the eyes."
"It'll be fine," Sheik started to skin the animal, "We should have brought provisions."
Ralf picked Linka up and put her in her tent and came back out, "how can you be so calm? She's not telling us something."
"I learned a long time ago that it's wiser to trust her than fuss and worry over her," Sheik turned the meat on the spick over.
"Is your heart made of steel?"
"No," Sheik looked Ralf in the eyes, "She's my sister and I love you. You think I'm not worried? That I'm not concerned about what she said or more importantly what she didn't say? Then you are wrong, but it won't do any good to question her. She's too stubborn and besides she'll come back. We won't let anything happen to her."
"I don't see how you can be so sure," Ralf sat across from Sheik.
"I'm not, but I like living in denial," Sheik smiled, "You should try it."
As they sat by the fire, Linka lay awake listening to them. She rolled over and actually fell asleep. Sheik stood guard as Ralf went to bed before it was his watch. As morning approached Linka awoke, 'I hope our training has been enough.' She prepared breakfast and afterwards they all prepared for what they hoped was the last time. They started to go when a little whitish-blue light flew into towards them and almost crashed into Linka. A pink and purple light followed.
"Hey Tatl watch where you are flying!" The whitish-blue light declared. Upon further inspection they noticed that the floating lights were fairies like those in the Kokiri Forest.
"EXCUSE me Navi!" the Pink one, Tatl, declared back.
"Ladies stop, we have a mission," the purple one went in between the other two, "Hello, I'm Tael, this is Tatl, my sister, and this is Navi."
"We are here to help you," Navi but in, "Although Tatl won't be of much help."
"What is that suppose to mean?" Tatl asked offended.
"Wait, who are you?" Linka asked.
"I'm Navi and I guided-"
"You're Navi? My father has told us stories about you," Sheik spoke up, "Where have you been? He went looking for you a long time ago."
"It's a long story. I'll tell you the short version. I went to report to the Deku Tree Sprout and was put into a slumber before I could reach him."
"Then, you must be the 2nd fairy that our father aided."
"Yeah, he helped me find my brother."
"So, why are you three here?" Linka held out her hand to allow Navi to rest on it.
"When I awoke, Rauru sent me to find Tatl and Tael, saying that we would all be needed soon. Skull Kid wasn't too happy to be left behind, but he said it was okay."
"So, then you are going to help us?"
"That's the plan."
"Okay, who is with who?" Ralf assumed since there were 3 fairies and 3 of them that they each got one.or something like that.
"We haven't thought about that," Tael confessed.
"Hhhmmm.let's see, Linka can partner with---HIS HAT!" Navi flew straight into Linka's hat.
"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Linka asked in surprise.
"Yes, just like before.only your hair is softer."
"I guess Navi is with Linka," Sheik smiled as Linka attempted to see Navi through her hat.
"Tatl who d you what-"
"Oh, no Tael you pick first."
"No YOU!"
"I'll take Miss Attitude, she reminds me of my sister," Sheik's smile grew.
"That mean you're with me little guy," Ralf held out his hand for Tael.
"Great let's go," Linka started off again.
"You're in a hurry," Navi told Linka as she sat on her head. All three fairies and their new 'partners' were having quiet conversations.
" I just want to get this done and over with."
"Just like Link. So you're his daughter Linka right?"
"Yup."
"I'll just sit in the hat. You know you are a lot like your father."
"Thanks."
"So, Tatl you helped Link?" Linka heard Ralf say.
"Well, I wasn't a lot of help," Tatl sat on Sheik's shoulder as they followed Linka, "I just yelled at him a lot."
They all laughed. "What about you Tael?" Ralf glanced up on his head.
"Nope, I only met Link when he and Sis saved Skull Kid. I didn't get to help or yell at him."
"Hey we're here," Navi said as they reached a stone fortress. They all stared at it until Linka started walking towards it. The other two warriors followed her into the dark luminous entrance.
YAY ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE! Thank you everyone who has reviewed and stuck with me. You are all my motivation.especially Zoshonel, TheGoddessKnight, Leander-the-Hawk, and Maleven. Hope you enjoyed it!