Seven Years

Chapter Two

Year One

What of You

Lei walked downstairs to the empty tavern. It was almost morning, and Bill was already up, sweeping his floor as he does every day. It had been a week since she had found out both Ganondorf and the King's followers were going to meet at the Red Deku Inn. Bill was actually looking forward to it because of his lack of business. She had been the only customer that whole month. Though, she enjoyed the peace and solitude. Bill kept to himself, mostly, as did she, but they formed a unique and quiet friendship, an understanding.

"Think today's the day, Bill?"

"I can feel it in my roots, Lady Leikette." He squeaked.

"We'll see." She chuckled to herself, thinking it odd that the scrub would call her Lady. She took a seat by the window and braided her hair.

The sun barely began to brighten the sky. The stars disappeared into quiet slumber for the day. Lei stared outside. A figure rose on the horizon, on foot. Her eyes locked on as it made its way toward the Inn. Her ears twitched as a tree branch broke outside.

A man came forth from the woods. His boots were plated with rusted metal and covered in dried blood. His skin was dark and his eyes, thick and yellow, were deeply set into his socket, classic Gerudo traits. But, this was, indeed, a man. Gerudos are all women, save one. Lei studied him closely. A thin, frantic smile slithered across his face. His eyes rolled from one side to the other, shooting a glance toward the figure on the horizon, another man. This one had no Gerudo traits. Full blood Hylian, by the looks of it: blonde hair, blue eyes, arched chest – puffing with pride. They started talking.

"How did I know you'd join us. I guess you finally got tired of writhing in pain, eh, old man?" the dark man licked his lips in greedy anticipation for reply.

"My loyalties still lay with the one true King of Hyrule." The proud Hylian announced. A small, unwavering smile pursed through his tight face. Staunch wouldn't even begin to describe him.

"So you have joined my force." The dark man chuckled.

The proud Hylian glared without squinting. He took a step forward, removing his eyes from the dark man, and entered the Red Deku Inn.

Paying no mind to Lei, the proud Hylian set his eyes on Bill.

"You must be the owner." Bill rustled as he nodded, "My name is Quartes Sandrock. I am here to serve the true King of Hyrule."

"He is too, I suppose," said Lei, staring out the window at the dark man. He picked his teeth with a knife as he slouched against the porch support beam. "Both sides are gathering here."

"So it seems." Quartes looked back for a split second, then turned his sights on Lei, "and what King do you serve, Miss?" He extended his hand, grasping at a name.

"Leikette." She paused, "And it's Lady." She set her hand upon his. He smiled and took it up for a kiss.

"Lady Leikette, what King do you serve?"

"I serve the lord of my house. The Royal Rupee."

"Glad to see you're still in gleeful spirits at such a trying time for Hyrule. The elite shall be here shortly. Surely, Ganondorf found someone better than that tactless murderer, Darae, to lead his troops." Quartes sat down at the table next to Lei's nook.

"It looks like he's good at what he does." She said, keeping the dried blood on his armor in mind.

"He is no leader. He lives by his own contract and would sooner leave his troops to die at the hands of the enemy than risk a hangnail."

"I take it you two aren't on the friendliest of terms."

"He took something very dear to me. I'll not let him take Hyrule."

Lei eyed Quartes. An X-shaped scar on his cheek did little to disfigure his stone face. It was a perfect slice. His garb was thin and loose fitting. A silver chain around his neck disappeared beneath his shirt. His blue eyes were but spheres of ice. A cold glance sent shivers down her spine. He was caught in the moment where one feels most alive mere seconds before the heart stops. She wondered what was taking him so long to die.

"Do not doubt your abilities as a woman, Lady Leikette. The Hylian army could use all the support they can get. Do consider joining us in the preservation of our great nation."

Lei smiled and nodded.

The next few days passed by in a flash. Darae had not spoken since he first met Quartes. Though he had laid a hand upon Lei, he quickly learned it was not alright to do so. He sat at the bar, his cheek still tingling from her hand.

Lei's curiosity grew with each passing day. Why did this man look like a Gerudo? If his intentions are not to serve Ganondorf, why was he here? She kept her questions to herself. She'd be leaving soon anyway.

Greyling chimed as he followed Bill around the tavern. Forest creatures always have things to talk about. Lei felt a bit abandoned by her companion as she sat in her room, listening to the faint music playing in her head. Slowly, it got louder. It was the old melody the Kokiri used to play. She loved to sing along when she was a child.

Don't get lost in the wood
It won't do you any good
The fairies will go, the music will slow
And shadows will take your mind below
You will change your frame
And you won't be the same
Farore will say, "forever, you'll stay
A part of my forest this way"

"A part of my forest this way," she whispered. The music grew even louder still. She sat up and looked out the window. It couldn't just be her head anymore. She latched onto the sill and peered outside. Sure enough, right below, a Kokiri played his flute as he walked into the Tavern.

"Oh!" she exclaimed and raced downstairs. The music stopped as the Kokiri approached Bill and Greyling, who jingled happily. Lei stopped herself at the bottom of the stairs. She peeked below to see who it was exactly. The boy had wisps of sand colored hair poking through the straw that came out of his brown skullcap. His wardrobe was much different than she remembered, but there was no doubt who it was.

"Zulan!" she yelled.

"What?" he turned, "Wow!" His jaw fell open as gawked at Lei making her way across the tavern toward her old friend, "I guess you really aren't one of us."

"Oh, shut up and give me a hug."

He laughed and stood up on a chair to reach her.

"How long has it been, Lei?" he asked.

"Nine years. Ten this coming season," she said, "Zulan, you haven't changed a bit, except your clothes."

"Can't say the same about you," He smiled, still holding her ribs. She glared and promptly smacked him across the face, "Ow! You can't hit kids!"

"Zulan, you have to be at least fifty years older than me,"

"Shut up."

"Though one wouldn't know it by talking to ya," She laughed.

"Why are you dressed like that, Zulan" Greyling asked, a bit worried. "And where's Dyni?"

"Nothing gets by you, Grey." Zulan forced a smile and drew his chin toward his chest. He hopped off the chair and sat. Lei followed suit, "I don't suppose you've heard the news, have you?"

Lei looked at Greyling, who turned to Bill. Bill squeaked and shuffled off.

"No, what is it?"

"It's the Great Deku Tree. He… he died, Lei,"

Her face dropped, "What? What do you mean? The-the Great-Deku Tree can't die." She felt flabbergasted, "He can't die."

"He did,"

Her adrenaline welled up in her throat and her eyes darted from one edge of the table to the other. Though Lei had never spoken to the Great Deku Tree, she routinely crept into his clearing and slept at his roots. His bark was unexplainably warm, and his rustling leaves lulled her to sleep night after night. She'd never felt so safe as she did on those nights.

"I didn't think it was possible either. But one day, shortly after that boy left… he was gone." Zulan's solemn words brought Lei to realize her old friend had changed. The color in his cheeks had faded away. His frame was tight and defined. He wasn't the bright, chubby boy she once knew.

"Boy, what boy?" asked Lei, blinking a few times.

"I… can't remember." He scratched his straw-filled cap. "Heh, must be a side effect of… this," he raised his hands, showing off his new garments.

"Zu?"

"I got lost in the wood." He said, half-smiling. Lei's eyes softened. She put her hand upon his, comforting him, "Dyni… she told me not to leave the forest. But I didn't listen. I couldn't just… let this happen. She stayed with the others. When I tried to leave, I kept coming back to the same places over and over again. The same trees, the same thickets. I kept going in circles. That place is cursed… it drove me insane! And the next thing I knew, I was like this, and I was standing at the edge of the forest. Every so often, I hear this laughing in my head. Only to find out… that it's me."

"I'm sorry Zulan," Lei whispered.

"Don't be. It's a small price to pay for avenging the Great Deku Tree." He took his hand from Lei's and laced his fingers upon the table. "I overheard the scrubs talking about Ganondorf's strongest… grouping here. I came to stop them,"

"Zu, don't be an idiot!" Lei's words were harsh and low.

"I've been training! Can't tell the difference between my eyes and an owl's. It's true."

"You'll get killed."

"Greetings, young lad," a voice from behind spooked Lei from her stare. She turned to see Quartes standing beside them. "I see you are an acquaintance of Lady Leikette. Any friend of hers is a friend of mine." He extended his arm, smiling, "Quartes Sandrock of the King's Finest."

"Zulan, sir." He set his small hand inside the palm of the proud Hylian.

"Have you come here today to save Hyrule from the clutches of Ganondorf?" Quartes chuckled, "Perhaps your father is here for that very reason?"

"No, sir. I am here alone. I am here to fight Ganondorf." Zulan stated. "I have no father."

"Oh… my condolences."

"Quartes. This boy is a Kokiri." Lei interrupted, "He thinks he can fight in this… organization you're starting. Please, tell him the dangers that lie ahead,"

"Lei. I can take care of myself. Quartes, sir. My archery skills are above any of your finest men. Don't let my appearance fool you, I may well be older than yourself. I know that stealth is a Hylian's weakness. Your soldiers are always decked in shiny metal garb. One can easily spot them in the natural terrain of Hyrule. I am small. I know my way around the trees,"

"Hm." Quartes thumbed his chin, listening intently to Zulan's testimony.

"You can't seriously be considering Zulan's enrollment?" Lei became more worried with every passing second, "Zulan!" She tried desperately to reach their common senses, "You both know as well as I do that this war will be nothing more than mindless bloodshed!"

"Lady Leikette, Young Zulan may have a point. We are looking for candidates that wouldn't be recognizable as a top operative in Hyrule's force."

"You're gathering with the damned enemy!" Lei argued.

"All the better to keep an eye on their strategy." Quartes pointed out.

"Listen to you!" She stayed silent for a moment, searching for sanity. Greyling floated above, apprehensive and nervous. He flew away, avoiding the inevitable mess. "No." she stated.

"You can't decide for me, Lei." Zulan uttered softly. "You have no right. You left." Her jaw shut tight. Quartes stood up straight, feeling awkward to be caught in the middle. "Where was your concern nine years ago? Huh, Lei?"

"Your safety wasn't called into question when I left. You are putting your life in even more danger than when you decided to leave the forest, Zulan! Do you ever wonder why Kokiri don't leave the forest? They can't, Zu. You're falling apart. Look at you!" She grabbed a piece of straw from his hood and set it on the table.

"Small price to pay." He glared, coldly. "What will I have if my home is destroyed? I have to fight, Lei. I was in danger whether I left or not. This way, I at least know that I fought."

Lei opened her mouth to speak, but no words came forth.

"What of you, then? Are you going to leave again?" he asked, spitefully.

Lei, fed up with Zulan's persistence, pushed the table away and stood. She walked passed Quartes, shooting him a glare of death.

Another couple of days passed before anybody else showed up. Lei kept her distance from Zulan. She prepared Greyling with thoughts of leaving. Quartes and Zulan trained together in the woods as they awaited any and all others that would join them. Quartes had come to find that he would have to be the one to assemble his team, not the King. Lei took the last swig of ale and set the empty glass next to Darae's. To this day, they hadn't spoken a word to each other. She liked that about him. The talkative types rattle her nerves.

The door swung open behind them. Lei looked at the mirror to see who it was. Another dark man, though lighter than Darae, scrutinized the place with his light hazel eyes. His black wiry hair covered his forehead and curled out at the ends in the back. He was thin but defined, unlike the beanstalk sitting next to her. He folded his arms and smirked. His garb gave him away as a follower of Ganondorf, donning the signature Gerudo sun symbol. A gold-plated chain across his chest kept his black cloak closed. He looked toward Lei and Darae, slouching silently over the bar, and walked toward them. He stood over them imperiously.

"Kariou Serijo. Are you two all that is of my task force?" His voice was deep and smooth. It had the sound of velvet. Lei raised an eyebrow as she turned to face him. She leaned back and put one leg over the other.

"Leikette," she spoke with full lips, grinning slightly. "And I believe he is all that is of your task force," indicating Darae, still slouched over the bar. Kariou Serijo leaned over to get a good look at the man.

"Well. I've seen worse in the Hylian league." He shrugged. He'd obviously witnessed Zulan practicing his archery outside. "Look alive! It's not everyday we seize a kingdom." He slapped Darae on the back, "Though… it is in my head." He laughed.

Lei mistook this man's arrogance for nobility when it was actually derangement. She stood up and stepped aside. Before she could flee the embarrassing scene, he stopped her.

"Yes?" she asked, removing his hand from her shoulder.

His eyes dropped to her feet, and they slowly traveled back up to her face, scanning her body. He saw within her the talent she hid so well. "Join me." He said curtly.

"Why?"

"The insurrection is upon us. We are rising. It would in your best interest to be a part of it." He twisted his head, staring deeply into her green eyes, "I'm caught…"

"What?" she looked up at him.

"Ah. You blinked. I am free."

"I've… got somewhere to be," she uttered, confused.

"Think about it."