Hello everyone!
I hope you all enjoy reading long chapters, because starting with this one I cannot, for some reason, write a moderately sized chapter :S But it's definitely one of those 'sorry, not sorry' kinda deals ;)
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Disclaimer: I own nothing of LoZ; just my OC's and plot.
Once we got back to the inn the chairs around the fireplace were vacant and Telma motioned for us to take a seat. She told us that lunch wouldn't be for another hour or so, and the meeting will take place closer to dusk, so we might as well stay around the inn and relax. She had to oversee some matters concerning the camp and said that she would rejoin us the moment she was done.
We thanked Telma and Rusl for the tour and said goodbye as they left the inn. But Telma poked her head back through the door to reminded us that she wouldn't be gone too long and would meet us all here in time for lunch.
Right, the whole prison guard thing…
However, I wasn't in the mood to just sit around. I told the others that I felt like walking for a bit more and quickly got up to leave.
The inn had a little more activity than before, and I took a wary look around while walking to the front doors. Once I was satisfied that I wasn't being watched by a pair of waiting, dark blue eyes, I left the inn.
As I made my way down the ramp Parker came out the doors.
"Want some company?" he asked.
I didn't. The forest grove was all I could think about right now and I wanted to go back, even if it was just to look at it from the safety of the lofty cliff. And I don't know why, but I had this strong, selfish desire to explore it on my own. However, I didn't want to brush Parker off.
"Sure. I was just going to wander around," I told him.
"You okay? You seem a little distracted."
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I was just thinking that maybe we can go find the stables that Rusl mentioned earlier?" I said quickly, trying to cover the fact that I really was distracted.
"I thought you didn't like horses?" he inquired, raising a questioning eyebrow as we started to walk away from the inn.
"It's not that I don't like horses, it's just that they intimidate me a little," I said sheepishly.
Charlie's family used to own a horse; one of those huge working ones that helped plow the fields before tractors. This horse belonged to Charlie's grandfather, and after he passed away the family kept the horse on the farm to help with little tasks. I remember when Calli and Charlie used to ride him and I would watch from the fence, too afraid that the four legged giant wouldn't like me and throw me off.
But we needed something to pass the time, so Parker and I went to look for the stables.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Once we neared Eldin Springs we found the opening in the bend that Rusl was talking about on our left. There was no distinct path, just a narrow pass in the mountain wall. We walked only a short distance until the passageway opened up into a large and spacious cul-de-sac-like area.
Taking up most of the rounded space was a wooden fence that surrounded tough looking grass and scattered hay. Towards the back of the fence was a large wooden stable that sat next to a natural pool of water.
There were more horses than I thought living in the pen. As I scanned the area, a cream coloured horse was playing with a dark beige one. Both had manes, tails, legs, and noses that were inky black. They were long and lean and very fast.
Another two horses were over by the pool of water, taking a long drink and soaking up the warmth coming from the early afternoon sun. As we approached the fence, a dark brown horse with a dark tail raised its head from drinking to take a look at us. At first it seemed as if this horse's mane was sheared off, but when I looked harder I saw that the hair was made up in a way that resembled tiny individual nubs. Its colouring was solid brown, except for a striking network of white hair that ran from under its left eye, down to its upper left shoulder. It reminded me of a clap of lightning.
The horse next to it, however, was the most dazzling creature I have ever seen. Its coat, as well as its mane and tail, were all the same off-white colour that had a metallic luster to it. What was spectacular about this horse was when it moved in the sunlight its colour became flashes of gold.
While I was staring mesmerized at the golden horse, a shuffling sound followed by a soft wheezing started to come from the direction of the stables. I turned to see a squat, middle aged man tugging at a bale of hay. He was bald except for a small wreath of dark brown hair tied in a ponytail at the base of his neck. His nose was large and bulbous, and in true Hyrulean fashion, sported a great mustache that ran from under his nose, across his cheeks, and over his pointed ears. The red shirt and dark overalls that he wore were covered in dirt and straw. He spotted us, dropped the hay and walked over with a huge smile.
"Well, now! You must be the foreigners I have been hearing so much about. I was wondering when I might run into you. Welcome to Hyrule! And welcome to the Kakariko Stables! I am-"
"Talon!" I blurted and the man looked taken aback. I turned to Parker with a puzzled expression that matched his. "But, how…?"
If we're supposed to be in the Twilight Princess Timeline then why is there a character from Ocarina of Time?
Talon startled us by laughing gleefully. "Aha! My reputation has preceded me! Foreigners from another land have heard of my greatness. Tell me, am I famous where you are from?" he asked, leaning in towards us, an inquisitive brow raised and a cocky smile on his lips.
"Uh…" Parker started, but seemed to be at a loss for words.
"Umm… Rusl told us that you ran the stables," I said, giving him a half-truth.
"Ah… right, yes…" he said as we watched him visibly deflate. Then he shook his head quickly and puffed right back up with a smile. "No matter, no matter. Yes, I am Talon, owner of the prestigious Lon Lon Ranch, and renowned breeder and trainer of the finest horses in all of Hyrule," he exclaimed proudly. "I am at your service," he said, giving us a sweeping bow.
I giggled. He was quite theatrical.
He beamed at me, seemingly pleased at making me laugh.
"You breed horses?" Parker asked as he placed his arms over the top beam of the fence.
"Sure do! I am known for having the most magnificent and intelligent horses around! Golden Gods, they even come at your beck and call! Ai!" he yelled turning towards the pool of water, "Come here, boy!"
A horse that I didn't notice before shifted slightly in the shade at the back of the pool. He looked to be dark grey in colour, but I couldn't be too sure from here. He stared at Talon, snorted, and then lowered his head to graze on some tough-looking grass.
"Heh, the rascal… making me look bad," he laughed embarrassed as he scratched the top of his bald head. "Ai is from the Upper Lanayru Province, and is a little more stubborn than most of his breed. But he is the most intelligent horse that I have ever owned; not to mention produces the most wonderful offspring! You see those two mares playing?" he pointed to the cream and dark beige horses. "They are his mates. Two purebred Gerudo mares; known around the world for their sheer strength."
I looked at the lean build of the horses and gave Talon a skeptical look. He just laughed.
"Do not let their looks fool you! They are the most powerful horses you will ever come across. They have to be, living in the wild, desolate wasteland of the Gerudo Desert." He smiled as he looked at the two running around. "When Suna (he pointed to the cream one) and Aveil (the dark beige one) mate with Ai, their offspring are born with both intelligence and strength. Citizens flock from all over to bid on my foals." He took a deep breath, and then sighed. "But they have no desire to breed right now. Horses are intuitive; they know when something is wrong. And no foals means no money."
I felt sorry for him. Forced from his home, his livelihood put on hold until his world was safe again.
However, the bizarre thing is this shouldn't be his world. This wasn't the right timeline for him.
But… he did say that he got Ai from the Lanayru Province, which isn't seen in Ocarina of Time.
If things weren't going to follow the timelines anymore then I needed to put together a new mental map of this place, so I asked him where Lon Lon Ranch was. Somehow I felt that by him stating the existence of the ranch would be confirmation from him that he was supposed to exist in this time.
"My ranch can be found in-between Lower Lanayru and the Gerudo Desert. Suna and Aveil are pretty good with almost any weather conditions, but Ai prefers the climate of his territory, which is closer to the north. My ranch gets the cold winds from the glaciers of Snowpeak Mountain, especially at night. Keeps Ai… frisky," he smirked, waggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.
I chose to ignore that last remark as I processed what he said.
I guess he is part of this timeline... This is too weird.
I was going to ask him more questions about the ranch and his family history to try and understand how him being here is even possible when Parker nudged me in the shoulder and pointed a finger towards the stable.
My heart skipped a beat. Emerging from the opening was a large copper coloured horse whose mane, tail, and bottom legs were pure white.
Epona.
She walked over to the pool to take a drink. Talon was talking again about something, but he stopped when he realized that Parker and I were too caught up in seeing Epona and shuffled off to do his work. Parker picked up some hay lying close to the fence and tried calling her over. She turned to look at us when he called her name, but stayed put.
"Come on, girl. I have some nice hay for you," he said, waving the hay up and down. Epona shook her mane and flicked her tail but didn't budge. "Why don't you try calling her?" he asked me.
I shook my head. "You know I have bad luck with animals. Remember when I had a hamster? He bit me every time I picked him up," I said, looking at my fingers and the tiny white scars left from the small demon.
"That's because you always held him too tight!" Parker said, laughing.
"I didn't want him to fall!" I cried in my defense.
"Just try," he chuckled, shaking his head.
"Fine," I grumbled as I took the hay from his hand and called Epona's name. She looked my way, dipped her head and then started trotting. "I did it!? She's coming over here!" I said in a mix a shock and excitement. "Come here, girl. Come here."
She walked right up to the fence and I backed away a little, startled. She was a lot bigger than I thought. Parker chuckled at me again, then moved his hand tentatively over her and stroked her nose.
"Do not be scared. She is a sweet thing," Talon said sitting on a bale of hay with a canteen in his hand.
I stepped back to the fence but off to her side so she could see me. I hesitantly lifted my hand towards her, and was about to chicken out and drop it once more when she placed her nose in my palm. I beamed at Parker and I moved my hand to scratch her forehead. I laughed as she leaned in closer to me. "Well, at least you seem to like me- unlike your master," I half-whispered to her.
"I've been meaning to ask about that. What happened between you and Link this morning?" Parker asked as he stroked Epona's neck.
I was about to tell him but stopped as I saw Talon trying to discreetly eavesdrop. He was focusing on sorting through some hay, but I could see his body start to slowly lean in our direction.
"Later," I said, and saw Talon frown and sit straight again. I didn't know if he was the gossiping type but I didn't want to risk that story circulating among the refugees and adding more fuel to the fire that was Link's dislike towards me. I went back to petting Epona when I noticed another horse exit the stables.
This horse was a giant and greatly resembled the horse that Charlie's family used to own. Its body was pure muscle, and its hooves looked like the size of a small dinner plate. Its colouring was different than all the other horses: it was white but looked as if someone had dusted tons of light brown powder all over it, creating thousands of tiny spots. It was equipped with a saddle and bridle; and a young girl with soft black hair and blunt bangs sat atop.
"Ah, Luda. Come meet our new guests!" Talon said spinning on his spot of hay. "This is Luda, daughter of Renado. She helps me with the stable and horses."
"Hello," Luda said, smiling at us as she and her horse approached the fence.
"And these are two of the foreigners from a different land, umm… Golden Gods! I never even asked your names!" he exclaimed while he laughed at himself.
"I'm Parker, and this is my cousin Del," Parker answered.
"Calli and Charlie are the other two, but they're back at the inn," I added.
"It's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot a about you, but that shouldn't come as a surprise since gossip spreads like wildfire around here," Luda said, eyeing Talon as she spoke. He lowered his eyes and started whistling as he went back to sorting hay.
So I was right in thinking he was a gossip.
"It seems like Epona has taken quite a liking to you," Luda mentioned as she smiled sweetly at me.
I smiled back. Since I started petting Epona she hasn't let me stop, even for a moment. "Yeah, I think she has," I said softly. As I continued to scratch her neck I could see out of the corner of my eye that the giant horse Luda was on started to look a little agitated. Suddenly, the horse came quickly at the fence, startling Epona away and making me jump back.
"Roan, you big bully! That wasn't very nice," Luda chastised the giant as he stuck his head over the fence, stretching his face in my direction. "Sorry if he startled you. He can be a bully to the other horses sometimes. But he's really just a big baby and wanted a turn at being petted."
I looked warily at the horse, whose head towered over mine.
"It's alright, he's very gentle," Luda said, patting the side of his neck. I walked back and had to reach up to touch his nose. Then the horse lowered his head and rested it over my shoulder in an odd sort of embrace as I stroked the underside of his neck. The horse gave a soft snort as Parker started to scratch behind one his ears.
"Looks like you're pretty popular among the horses of Hyrule," Parker said.
"I wish I had a camera because the others will never believe this," I laughed.
"Hang on," Parker said, and reached into one of his pants pockets, taking out his cell phone. He pointed it at me and said, "Say cheese!"
I smiled, and after I heard the camera click I asked, "Your phone works?"
"Well, there's no signal- obviously- and the screen is cracked, but it still has power and the camera works. It was the only one that didn't completely break when our stuff went over the cliff."
I sighed. Great, now I have to replace my phone.
Luda leaned over and asked Parker what he had done. He showed her the picture of me with her horse. "Amazing! This device makes instant portraits," she said in awe.
Talon looked up curiously from his hay sorting and walked over to see the "instant portraits". As Parker was trying to explain how a camera worked to him I turned to talk to Luda.
"So, you like helping Talon with the horses?" I asked her.
"Yes, very much. I love being around them, and helping at the stables means I get to be here every single day," she said brightly. Then she leaned closer to me and lowered her voice, "Besides, Talon really needs the help. His daughter Malon came to the village with him, but doesn't help out as much as he likes." (So, Malon is here too!). "Don't get me wrong, Malon loves the horses and comes to visit them often. It's just that she isn't very good at the labour part," she smiled and rolled her eyes.
I laughed a little. "Yeah, I happen to know someone like that too," I said, thinking of Calli. "Is this your horse?" I asked, still stroking his neck. I was fairly certain that he fell asleep on my shoulder.
"No, he belongs to my dad. I suppose I should properly introduce you, since he's basically in a catatonic state on your shoulder. This is Roan, our Mountain stallion."
"Hello, Roan," I said and he snorted in recognition of his name. "Who do the other horses belong to?" I asked curiously since Talon only claimed three of them to be his.
"Well, Talon must have already mentioned his pride and joys Ai, Suna, and Aveil." The statement was rhetorical, but I nodded anyways. "The brown mare with the white veins of hair is Blitz. She belongs to Nobu. And the golden mare next to Blitz is Eos. She belongs to Princess Zelda."
I should have known, I mused.
"And Epona belongs to Link," she said, not knowing that I of course knew that already.
Parker and I were having a great time talking to Luda and Talon about the horses. We must have lost track of time because after a while Telma came sprinting around the bend and down the short passageway. She stopped in front of Parker and I and put her hands on her knees to catch her breath, letting out large puffs of air that sounded remarkably like Roan's snorts.
"There you two are!" she said between intakes of air. "Almost though you left the village," she added with a wide smile that faltered a little as she seemed to have a stitch in her side.
"Why would we leave the- ahhh, I see!" Parker said with a chuckle.
"See what?" I asked curious.
"She thought we went to join the enemy," he said to me. "Didn't you?" he smirked at Telma, cocking his head to the side.
"Mercy, no! What makes you say that?" she asked, chuckling lightly. She smiled innocently, but the guilt in her eyes gave her away.
"Oh, I don't know. I can take a guess and say that the reason you are so out of breath is because you ran around the whole village when you thought we were gone; plus the fact that you came barreling towards us with a look of relief on your face when we were found." Parker answered with a shrug.
From the way Telma was looking at us she was not very impressed. But I knew Parker had her from the darkening of her cheeks, and the both of us just laughed.
"Oh, quiet you two! It is not as if I like having to think of you as an enemy. Nobu just wants to be cautious," she said in her defence.
"It's alright," I said, and she relaxed.
"Now, it is time to head back to the inn and get ready for lunch. Talon, Luda, lunch will be served in about fifteen minutes."
Parker and I said our goodbyes as we followed Telma away from the stables. I heard Roan whinny as I left and I turned to take a look over my shoulder. Luda laughed and waved again, and I saw that Epona came up to the fence once more, watching us walk away.
I was pretty sure that my small fear of horses was gone now, because after lunch I wanted to come back.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
As we entered the inn we headed straight for the dining hall where Calli and Charlie were already sitting at the same table from breakfast.
"Found Del and Parker, I see," Charlie said to Telma with a smirk. She stopped at the head of the table, placed her hands on her hips, and pursed her lips.
"You two should have seen her!" Calli exclaimed as Parker and I sat across from them. "It was like watching a chicken with its head cut off. Running around in a panic, thinking you two went to the dark side," she said, adding an ominous tone at the end for dramatic effect.
Parker and I just laughed. "Yeah, we managed to catch the tail end of her freak out," Parker said gleefully.
Telma huffed and glared at each one of us in turn, causing the three red dots under each eye to turn into half-moons.
"We're sorry, Telma. We know you're just looking out for us," Charlie said, flashing her a charming, heart stopping smile.
"Mercy," she said rolling her eyes, giving us a wide grin. "How can I stay mad at such adorable faces?" She trailed a finger down the side of Charlie's jaw, winked at us, then said she would grab us all some tea.
"You only have yourself to blame for that," Calli said matter-of-factly as Charlie shudder deeply.
"Why does she keep coming after me?" he whined.
"Because you have such a pretty face," I teased in a mothering voice as I reached across the table to pinch his cheek. He playfully swatted my hand away, and I laughed along with Calli.
Telma came back with the tea, which was a different kind than this morning. This one was extremely bitter, but she brought a pot of a lavender coloured liquid, which had the same consistency of honey, to sweeten it. We sat drinking tea and talking about what we did: Telma writing letters to their secret suppliers; Calli and Charlie relaxing at the inn; and me and Parker at the stables. (Luckily I had photographic proof that I was petting the horses, because the others refused to believe me). The bell that signaled the start of lunch rang, and Telma had us line up at the service window once more.
"That bell is pretty loud. Aren't you afraid that it could alert an enemy to your whereabouts?" Parker asked Telma.
"Not to worry, hon. The barriers around this place contain any sounds coming from the village. We could set off bombs and no one outside them would hear." She grabbed her tray from the window and walked back to our table.
I was next and grabbed mine. There was a large bowl of what looked like assorted steamed veggies, two slices of warm bread, and a chunk of soft cheese most likely from the Ordon goats. I thanked the chef and followed Telma back to our table, sat down and started eating. Like breakfast, the food was delicious: the veggies were savory, the bread was sweet, and the cheese was creamy.
Once the others joined us I spotted Luda in the lunch line. I quickly excused myself and walked over to her.
"Hello, again," she said brightly.
"Hello. Hey, I was wondering if I could join you at the stables after lunch?" I asked. "I'm going to the meeting tonight but have to wait around till dusk, and helping out with the horses would be a nice way to pass the time."
She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, of course! I would love the help, and the company. Don't get me wrong, Talon is great but it would be nice to talk with someone else for a change," she giggled. "I have a lot to get done today, so I will be taking my lunch to the stables. Head over whenever you're finished."
"Okay, great." I smiled and then went back to my table.
The others asked what was going on, so I told them. "I'm going to help Luda at the stables after lunch, to pass the time before the meeting." But then I remembered the short leash we were all on and I looked over at Telma and said, "That is, if I'm not on lock down after your little "enemy" scare."
Telma gave me a look for that one then said, "You are allowed to venture around the village without me, as long as you four tell me where you are going."
And the leash lengthens a little bit.
I smiled and asked if anyone wanted to join me. They all said no. Calli wanted to soak her feet in the hot springs as her new sandals weren't properly broken in yet; Charlie wanted to take a nap; and Parker said he was interested in looking at the library that was in Renado's hut.
I ate my meal pretty quickly because one: I wanted to get back to the horses, and two: Link hadn't shown up yet and I wanted to avoid another confrontation.
People were still trickling in as I excused myself from the table. I took my empty tray to the service window, where the chef gave me the evil eye- he probably wasn't ready to take dirty dishes yet- and left the hall, waving at Rusl, Bo, Hanch, and Renado on the way.
As I walked past the staircase I heard someone calling for my attention. The voice was coming from the stairs, and as I turned in that direction I saw two girls around my age quickly walk down them and over to me.
The first girl was slightly taller than me and wore a simple white blouse with a yellow scarf, a light purple skirt that fell to just above her ankles, and her long, bright red hair was draped over one shoulder.
"You're Malon!" I said excitedly. "And you're Ilia, aren't you?" I said turning to the other girl. She was a bit shorter than I was and wore a sleeveless, long white top with a pair of dark brown, capri-style pants. Her short, light brown hair was pulled to the side in a low ponytail, and her green eyes were open wide in shock as she timidly nodded in response to my question. "I'm Del," I said and smiled at them. Ilia smiled softly back, but Malon just frowned.
"How do you know who we are? We've never met before," Malon asked, her light blue eyes glaring at me suspiciously.
Whoops, I have to stop doing that…
"Uh… you're father told me about you. I met him at the stables before lunch." Another half-truth.
"I see," she said, and crossed her arms, still glaring at me. "Well, I have a few things that I want to talk to you about. You see, I want you-"
"Malon, don't. Please," Ilia interrupted. Her voice was soft but her eyes were pleading.
Okay… what's going on?
Malon brushed her off and continued. "I want you to leave Link alone. I don't know what nasty things you said to him today, but it's been putting him in a particularly foul mood, and completely ruined our plans for the day," she said acidly. "If I ever catch you talking to him again, the outcome will not be pleasant," she added darkly.
All I could do was blink at her a few times.
Is this for real?
I looked at Malon, her eyes daring me to defy her, and then I looked at Ilia whose cheeks were coloured with embarrassment. I felt bad for Ilia, having to witness this awkward situation that she probably hoped wouldn't happen. I took a breath to compose myself, squared my shoulders and faced Malon.
"Okay, listen here. I now have a few things I would like to talk to you about! First of all, you have no right to tell me who I can or cannot talk to. Second, you're in luck because, as of right now, I have no desire to talk to Link. And third, if you ever threaten me again, it'll be your outcome that won't be pleasant," I said, staring darkly into her eyes. I was satisfied to see that she recoiled at my last remark.
Then I changed tactics and smiled at her. I turned to Ilia. "It was nice to meet you, Ilia," I said sincerely, and she smiled timidly. Then I turned back to Malon, who was glowering at me. "Have a nice day," I said as sweetly as possible, then walked away from them and exited the inn.
Well, that was unpleasant, I thought as the doors swung closed behind me.
I saw movement to my right as someone was coming up the ramp, and ended up locking eyes with Link. He looked stunned for a moment, as if he wasn't expecting to see someone- or maybe me- outside. He composed himself, a look of determination on his face, and walked swiftly up the ramp towards me.
And I walked swiftly down the other side.
"Hey, wait! Stop! I want to talk to you!" he shouted, jogging to catch up to me.
"Yeah, well, I don't really want to talk to you!" I said loudly from over my shoulder as he got closer. But then I changed my mind and swung back around, which caused him to slide a little on the dirt as he made an abrupt stop so as to not crash into me. "No wait, I do want to talk to you. I want you to tell your girlfriend to back off and not be a bitch to people she doesn't know," I said, glaring.
"Girlfriend?" Link asked confused.
I rolled my eyes. "Malon…? You know, she's very territorial of you. You should tell her to ease up on the reins a little bit," I said, giving him a mocking smile.
He sighed loudly and looked uncomfortable. "She's not my girlfriend," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"No?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Does she know that?"
His look of guilt was perfect, and I smiled smugly.
Having enough of this conversation I turned and started to walk away. He called for me to come back, but I just waved a hand before taking off at a run; only slowing to a walk once I got to the entrance of the mountain pass that led to the stables.
As I made my way through the narrow passage I started to feel a tiny pang of guilt myself. Maybe I was being a little too harsh on the guy and should cut him some slack. I mean sure, saving the entire world of Hyrule is a daunting task, and maybe he just isn't… ready?
But as the stables came into view, I saw Luda sitting on a bale of hay, her face full of mirth and innocence as she teased Roan with a piece of bread. Her laughter was high and sweet, revealing just how young she really was.
My heart fell.
She was probably no older that fourteen- still at an age where she should be wide-eyed and carefree. Not a refugee in a war.
Link hasn't done anything to help them, even though everything he needs to prevail in this battle is waiting for him! No, until he smartens up I'll keep being harsh. And for his sake, he better hope that we find a way home tonight because I just might be tempted to smack a little sense into him.
Luda spotted me and came to greet me at the fence. She brought me over to the gate and opened it. I hesitated and she just smiled. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had a slight fear of horses."
I smiled shyly. "I thought I overcame it today, but I'm finding that I think I felt okay around them because I had the fence between us. Inside the pen there's nothing to stop them from trampling me," I laughed nervously.
"Don't worry, I'll teach you the cues so you'll know when to jump out of the way."
I must have given her a look of pure terror because she said, "Oh! I'm sorry, I was joking. All the horses are wonderful. Please, come in."
I gave her a small glare, but entered the pen. Luda closed and locked the gate behind me and then led me to the bale of hay that she was sitting on. She had me sorting the straw as Talon had done earlier, showing me which pieces were good and which were bad.
She was wandering around completing her chores: mucking out the stalls, raking the old hay in the pen, cleaning the riding gear. We were chit-chatting every now and again about the horses and the village, and I found that sorting hay was weirdly therapeutic- when two large horses weren't vying for my attention.
Epona and Roan would stand in front of me and mess with my hay piles if I didn't offer any neck scratches. Even Zelda's horse Eos came to see what was going on. She allowed me to pet her nose and stroke her neck before heading back over to stand with Blitz.
After a while Calli (feet soaked and happy) and Charlie (refreshed from his nap) showed up, wanting to get away from the inn for a bit. After their pleasantries, Charlie offered to help Luda and took a brush to clean Roan. Calli didn't offer to help but she sat next to me and distracted Epona as much as possible while I sorted.
Talon came by, but after seeing all of us working he decided that he wasn't needed and said that he was going to take the night off.
The four of us were having a great time talking and laughing about nothing as the sun sunk low over the mountain, turning the sky pink and orange.
Then we saw Parker.
The meeting was about to start.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
As we entered Renado's hut a blast of warm air hit my face, which was pleasant as the village got cold quick once the sun started to disappear. The fire pit in the center of the room was lit and a square table was placed in front of the bench facing the front door.
Rusl and Bo were standing and looking at something on the table, Bo squinting at whatever was on the wooden surface. They both looked up when we approached, Rusl greeting us in turn and Bo giving us all a curt nod.
"The others are coming shortly. It can take a little while to gather everyone," Rusl said as he noticed me looking around the empty room. I nodded then looked down at the table. Rusl and Bo were looking at a large, detailed map of Hyrule, but it looked as if a kid had drawn on it as thick dark lines and circles covered the surface.
"What are these for?" I asked, pointing at them.
"They represent what has been conquered by the enemy. The lines are the roads that cannot be traveled, and the circles are the villages that have been invaded. These markings grow more and more every week," Rusl said with a weary sigh.
Renado suddenly came through his kitchen door holding a tray stacked with mugs. His wide mouth was set in a gloomy line, and I immediately knew why: Telma was on his heels carrying two pots of hot tea. He walked over to the table and set the tray down on the edge. Bo snatched the map away before Telma put down the pots.
"Is there not someplace else you can place the tea? This is the only map we have and we need this table," Bo said gruffly.
"This is the only table that I own, and as such I choose to use it to place the tea. Feel free to bring your own table to the next meeting," Renado retorted smoothly.
Bo started to grumble something under his breath as he took the map and tried to spread it over the narrow bench to the right of the fire pit.
I laughed a little under my breath.
"I hear that you have been helping Luda at the stables," Renado said to me.
I nodded. "Yeah, I have. Luda is such a sweet girl. I really enjoy her company."
His sullen mouth broke into a proud smile. "I am sure she enjoys your company as well."
I smiled back.
Grabbing a stack of mugs and a tea pot, I brought them to Parker, Calli, and Charlie (who already took a spot on the bench on the opposite side of Bo) and poured us all a cup. I placed the pot back on the table in front of Renado and went to sit down with the others as the front door swung open.
Hanch entered the room, followed by a dark haired girl with pigtails, who was minimally clad in shiny armour, and a young man who had pointed ears and glasses, carrying about five large books in his arms. Behind the book guy was Link (but I avoided eye contact with him) and then Nobu, still dressed in his full armor. I was waiting for Zelda to walk in last but Nobu just looked around the room then shut the door.
"Good," he said as he removed his helmet," everyone is here."
It hit me that up until now, I didn't know what Nobu truly looked like. Whenever I pictured him he always had a helmet for a face, so I quickly studied his features in the light of the fire.
He had short, dark, straight hair that flicked up a little in the front, and his eyes were dark and aware as he took in everything within the room. His face was slightly circular and the bridge of his nose had a flattened look to it as if it was broken a few times and never healed properly. He wasn't the most handsome man I have ever seen, and compared to Link, Nobu would be considered plain. But his features had a rugged charm to them and made him look every bit a knight.
I watched as he turned to Telma. "Telma, if you wouldn't mind?"
She nodded then climbed the stairs that led to the bedrooms. I could hear a soft knocking and then low voices. A moment later Telma emerged from the doorway, followed by Princess Zelda.
She was more beautiful than I could ever imagine. Her hair was a light, golden brown that was braided down her back and shined in the flickering light of the fire. Her nose was straight and petite and her lips were soft and full. It was too dark to truly know what colour her eyes were, but they sparkled with knowledge and power. She was all grace and beauty, even if she didn't dress as such. She wasn't wearing any of her royal garments or jewelry. Instead, she wore a simple, cream, full-length dress with a long sleeved, light blue cover-up that tied in the front.
Once she descended the stairs all the Hyruleans gave her a short bow, and she inclined her head in acknowledgement. Then she walked to where we were sitting and smiled at us.
"Welcome travelers. I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule. I have heard a lot about your unusual predicament and I would like you all to know that I will do everything in my power to get you home safely."
I smiled, relieved to hear her say that. When a moment passed and no one said a word to thank her, I turned to see that the others were too preoccupied to say anything. Parker and Charlie were just staring at her, mouths slightly agape, and Calli was busy glaring daggers at Charlie. I sighed internally at this wonderful impression we were making. "Thank you. That means the world to us," I said graciously.
"I hope your accommodations are good, and that everyone has been treating you well?"
"Oh… ah, yes. Telma has been a great guide," I said. "Oh, and Rusl too!" I added. I didn't know if mentioning him was necessary, but she was their princess so I wanted to give credit where credit was due. I looked at Rusl to see if I embarrassed him but he just smiled. A lump suddenly formed in the back of my throat as the warmth in his face reminded me so much of my dad's. I quickly looked away.
"I am glad to hear it," Zelda said. "I would not want any guests to be treated as if they were prisoners," she said, shooting Nobu a teasing look. (I was happy to see that he at least had the decency to look mildly guilty at using Telma as his watchdog). "Now, if everyone would like to grab some tea, our meeting will begin."
The hut suddenly erupted with movement, which startled me, and it took me a moment to realize it was because as soon as Zelda entered the room it was as if everything stopped and stood still.
While people were getting their drinks the dark hair girl and bespectacled young man broke away from the table and walked over to us. As their features became more visible in the dim light I smiled, knowing exactly who they were.
"Hey, there!" the dark haired girl said. "I'm Ashei, and this is Shad." He gave us a small wave. "Welcome to our humble little camp," she finished with a smile.
"Hi, I'm Del. This is my cousin Parker, and my friends Calli and Charlie," I said as the others greeted them in turn.
"It's wonderful to finally meet the rest of you!" Shad said enthusiastically. "Of course, I already met Parker this afternoon in the library. It's nice that someone enjoys books just as much as I do," he beamed. Then he laughed, the sound a mix between amazement and disbelief. "I just can't believe it! Travelers from another world, here in Hyrule! I have been researching natural and unnatural phenomena that could have caused you to come here, and-"
"Give it a rest, Shad," Ashei interrupted in an annoyed tone. "No one wants to hear your scholarly-babble, yeah?"
"Actually," Charlie said, "if it helps us figure out how we got here then-"
"Trust me, you don't," Ashei interrupted again, rolling her eyes.
I looked over at Charlie, his eyes saying what a bitch as he looked back at me. I nodded in agreement. I wasn't impressed with her either.
One by one, everyone started to gather around the fire either sitting on the benches or leaning against the walls (as Link was doing). Shad went to the opposite bench and sat next to Bo, and thankfully Ashei followed him. Zelda took the bench at the head of the room, while Nobu stood behind her, leaning against the table. She took a sip of her tea and then turned to look at us.
"How about we start by telling me your names," she said.
I inwardly groaned at having to introduce ourselves for the hundredth time today and hoped that one of the others would do it, but the boys were back to their open-mouthed staring and Calli back to dagger-eyes, so it was up to me to speak once more. I put on a smile as I named us off and she nodded at each of us in greeting.
"Now, please tell me what happened that brought you all to Hyrule," she said with controlled curiosity.
Parker, Calli, and Charlie seemed to snap back at that and we all started to talk at once.
"We went for a hike in the woods-" I started.
"Then we found that giant Beku tree-" Charlie added.
"It's called a Deku tree," Parker corrected.
"Whatever," Charlie said rolling his eyes.
"And Del went inside the tree, and we followed her, and found a giant room filled with lights, and the room got so hot, like fire, and then…" Calli said, but her voice faded away. She looked as if she was reliving the memory from the way fear flashed in her eyes.
"And then we fell through a hole that opened in the ground," I finished for her. "And we found ourselves here. In Hyrule."
"That is an interesting tale," Zelda said, a pensive look on her face.
"But you do believe us, right?" Charlie asked.
"I do." She gave Charlie a reassuring smile, and his cheeks burned red.
"Has this happened before?" Calli asked, scooting her body away from Charlie. She wasn't impressed with his reactions to Zelda.
Zelda set her gaze on Shad, who smiled in delight. "Yes… yes! As a matter of fact it has," he said as he stood. He reminded me of a teacher getting ready to present a lecture. "You see, our history books have documented past heroes entering portals through various means, a tree being one example. The old trees have ancient magic, and from extensive research I-"
"Alright, that's enough," Ashei said, pulling hard on the tail of his jacket and making him stumble back onto the bench, causing his glasses to slide down his nose.
"Thanks for the history lesson, Shad," Nobu said in a sarcastic tone, "but what I want to know is why you four entered that tree?"
"Curiosity for curiosity's sake?" Charlie said with a disbelieving chuckle at having been asked such a stupid question.
"Del, I think you should tell them," Parker whispered- none too quietly I might add- and everyone's eyes focused on me.
"Tell them what?" I asked, having an idea of what he was talking about but hoping it was something different.
"That you heard, you know..."
I mentally sighed. He did mean the voice. I had this sudden urge to punch him in the gut, and I think he understood from the look I was giving him as he slowly moved his body away from me.
"Del, what are you not telling us?" Zelda questioned softly.
I took a look around the room. Everyone was waiting for me to answer, eager to hear more. My eyes landed on Link without really realizing it. His body language said he was indifferent to what I had to say, but his eyes betrayed him and were full of curiosity. His gaze held mine and it took me a moment to register who I was staring at. I could feel my cheeks start to burn as I looked away and back to Zelda. I took a deep breath.
"What Parker is talking about is that the reason we- I," I corrected. "The reason I went into the tree is because I heard a… a voice in the wind. When it talked it was almost as if I didn't have any control. I had to follow it." I shook my head and corrected myself again. "No, I needed to follow it," I said with shame in my voice. My hand started to tingle lightly as I remembered the sensation of being guided by that invisible force. I sighed deeply at the memory. "And because I did, I landed us all here."
I took a quick scan of everyone again. This time there were multiple emotions that were displayed. Some looked skeptical (Nobu the most), some curious. Shad looked excited and bounced in his seat as if he wanted to run to his books and research what I said. However, Zelda's expression was slightly perplexed and it disturbed me. I was about to ask why but Calli spoke first.
"Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell us that the reason we're here is because you were hearing "voices"?" Calli asked me in disbelief, her voice barely above a whisper. Charlie sat silently and stared at me, waiting for my answer.
"I tried to tell you! But you all looked at me as if I was crazy. And then I thought that maybe I was crazy and…" Calli's eyes were becoming watery as she glared at me. "I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry," I said, my eyes pleading to the both of them to forgive me- again.
Charlie let out a deep breath and nodded, accepting my apology. He gave me a look that said what's done is done; time to move on.
I smiled softly at him. No matter how many times we fought, Charlie and I were never able to stay mad at each other. We didn't know why; it was just the nature of our friendship.
However, Calli was hurt. I could tell by the way she held her middle that she was trying to hold herself together. I only hoped that she wouldn't pull away from me. I needed her to stay by my side. There was no way I could survive all this without her.
Calli inclined her head and looked past me at Zelda. "You can help us get home, can't you?"
"I do possess the power to open portals," (I could feel a wave of relief wash over all of us), "however… I am afraid that from what I understand of your story, a higher power might be at play." Her voice sounded troubled.
"You mean…" Telma said, trailing off as she tilted her head to look at the night sky through the smoke hole.
"But that is impossible. The goddesses have not intervened in the affairs of Hyrule since ancient times. All the stories say that those having traveled through portals have always done so by destiny and never by divine intervention," Renado recounted. Shad started nodding his head vigorously in confirmation and stood up, looking as if he had a lot more to say on this topic. Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, he was cut off.
"What makes you believe that it was the goddesses that brought them here? Are we forgetting that there's another that has god-like powers? One who just happens to be hell bent on destroying Hyrule?" Nobu said.
"Nobu, you cannot honestly believe that Ganon would transport four innocent humans from another world for his own nefarious plans?" Zelda countered.
"We can't rule it out, Your Majesty. Who's to say that he didn't bring them here as a distraction?"
I thought that Nobu actually made a good point. If we were brought here as a distraction then that was a pretty clever move on Ganon's part. Zelda and her Resistance would be focused on us, giving Ganon the opportunity to further conquer an undefended Hyrule.
"Okay, distraction or not, can you help us get home?" Parker asked, a hint of annoyance seeping into his tone.
"I am afraid I cannot." (My heart froze and I heard Calli whimper softly). "Not on my own. You see, it is known that Hyrule is connected to many different parallel worlds through a holy domain called the Sacred Realm. However, I sense from the four of you that you do not belong to any of our worlds, but come from somewhere else; someplace far. While I have the power to open portals to our connecting lands, I do not possess enough to open one to another world all together." She turned and looked directly at me. "Del, the fact that you heard a bodiless voice that compelled you to follow it, has me to believe that a greater power brought you all here. Whether it is good or bad, divine or earthly, destiny or mistake, I do not know. Because of this, I am afraid that the only thing powerful enough to take you home would be the Triforce."
Parker let out a groan of disbelief. "You have got to be kidding me..."
"What's wrong?" Calli asked confused.
My mouth went dry. "What Zelda is saying is that for us to get home we need to have all three pieces of a magical relic called the Triforce. Zelda has one piece, Link has another, but the third is with Ganon," I said, my voice echoing my own disbelief at this turn of events. Any hope that I had about Zelda being able to send us home was extinguished.
"Well, let's get it from him! Maybe he'll co-operate if we…" she trailed off as she saw me shaking my head.
"No, he won't. Ganon's the bad guy here. He's literally Evil Incarnate. Getting the piece of Triforce from him… is next to impossible." The misery growing on Calli's face was overwhelming and I had to blink back the tears that were forming in my eyes.
We are so screwed. And it's all my fault.
"How do you know so much about the Triforce?" Nobu demanded, utterly shocked by what I said.
Just as I was about to tell him my 'legend' cover-up story Calli got up and raced out of the hut. Charlie stood to go follow her but I placed a hand on his arm to stop him. "Let me go," I said as I stood next to him. He hesitated for a moment. "Please," I whispered, "I have to fix this." The guilt that I felt was weighing heavily on me. It must have been written on my face because the next moment Charlie's eyes softened. He nodded and sat back down.
I ran after her and left the warmth of the hut, but not before noticing that Link's eyes followed me the whole way until I closed the door behind me.
Calli didn't get very far beyond Renado's and I caught up to her easy. "Calli, wait. Please stop," I said as I grabbed her shoulder.
She spun around to face me, tears streaming down her face. "What… what are we going to do, Del? We're stuck here! We're stuck here and I don't even really know what here is! This is your fault you know! Why, in all the years that I've known you, the day you decide to go batshit crazy is the day that we all end up in another world? Fuck, Del! What were you thinking?"
"I wasn't thinking, okay! How was I supposed to know that walking into a tree would be a portal to another world? If I could take it all back I would in a heartbeat; you know I would! I'm sorry that this happened. I'm sorry that I was stupid enough to follow voices that shouldn't exist. I'm just so sorry, Calli." I said desperate for her to believe me, to forgive me.
She wiped the tears from her cheeks then crossed her arms, shaking her head. "What are my parents going to think when they hear- Oh god, my parents… What are they thinking happened to me? They must be going crazy searching for me." She started to hyperventilate. "Del, I'm all they have, and I'm stuck here and they don't know that. They don't know if I'm alive or…"
"I know. I know. Please calm down, Calli. Everything will be okay. We'll find a way home," I said softly, trying to help calm her breathing before she passed out.
"Will we? Can you be sure of that? Because the people who live here certainly don't think so."
"We will get home! I know we will, I know-" And then it hit me: I did know! Both Parker and I knew things about this world that the people here probably didn't…
"Listen to me, Calli. We are going to get home because Parker and I've been playing these games for years. We know the theories, and secrets, and histories. Now, I'm not saying that we will find a way back by tomorrow, and we may be stuck here for a while, but I can promise you that nothing will stop me from getting what we need to go home," I said with determination. I felt a tiny flame ignite within my soul as I started to hope once more.
Calli let out a tiny sob and then flung her arms around my shoulders. I hugged her for a moment while she quieted down, and then she pulled back with a smile on her lips.
"Ready to go back in?" I asked, relieved that she wasn't mad anymore. She nodded and wiped the tears from her face.
"Now I kinda wish that I played those stupid games with you and Parker," she laughed.
I laughed too, and I put my arm around her as we walked back to the stone hut. Pushing open the door, we walked in, and everyone went silent as they turned to look at us as we approached the table.
Charlie was up and over by Calli's side in a heartbeat. He went to embrace her but she gently placed a hand on his chest and smiled beautifully at him, letting him know that she was okay, that she was being strong. She walked away from my arm, squared her shoulders and stood next to me.
I made no movement to go back and sit on the bench so Charlie went to stand just behind his girlfriend. Parker was staring at me questioningly, but I gave him a soft smile and beckoned him over with a slight flick of my head. He got up from his seat and walked quickly to me.
"Is everything okay? What's going on?" he asked with concern.
I just smiled again and asked him to stand next to me. He looked confused, but didn't say anything as he stood on my other side.
At this moment I needed to feel confident and brave, and having my friends beside me gave me strength. And I needed that strength because I was about to ask a dangerous question.
I turned to face Zelda.
"Princess Zelda, you're sure that the only way for us to get home is with all three pieces of the Triforce?"
Her eyes were soft and a little sad as she looked at me. She didn't say anything, but just nodded her head in confirmation.
"Okay." I took a step closer to the fire so that everyone here could see me, summoned all the resolve that I owned and asked, "Then how do we get the Triforce of Power from Ganon?"
Everyone stared at me and remained silent.
I stood my ground and kept my chin high, waiting for some sort of reaction. Then I heard a snicker. Assuming that it came from Link I looked over at him, still leaning against the wall, but saw that his facial expression was straight and serious. His eyes were not on me (for once) but looking down at the bench in front of him. I followed his gaze and noticed that Bo's shoulders were shaking and the corners of his non-existent eyes were wrinkled.
"Something funny, Bo?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"Well, yeah," he said defensively, crossing his arms as well. "If we knew how to get the Triforce of Power from Ganon in the first place, we would not still be here, now would we?"
"I still say we storm the castle and take him out!" Ashei said enthusiastically. "We have the best swordsmen in all of Hyrule here, yeah? We can defeat him and take the Triforce, no problem," she said looking back and forth between Link and Nobu.
Link snorted softly. "As flattered as I am that you think of me as a great swordsman Ashei, you seem to conveniently forget that there's no way you, me, and Nobu can take out a few thousand of Ganon's lackeys," Link said to her.
"So much for men of valor," I heard her mutter. "Then what if we lured him away? Use the princess as bait and get him-"
She was interrupted by a loud bang. I looked to my left and saw that Nobu had slammed his fist onto the table; his face was full of anger.
"Don't you even think for one moment that we would use our princess as bait, Ashei!" he practically yelled. "Her safety must never be jeopardized, not even-"
"Calm yourself, yeah? It was just a suggestion!" Ashei defended, glaring at the knight.
Nobu's eyes seemed to have gone a shade darker and I saw his jaw clench. Zelda softly called for his attention and he turned to look at her. Her eyes were beseeching him to calm down, and after a moment he bowed his head while mumbling an apology and took his spot behind her once more, leaning against the table.
The room became thick with silence and it put me on edge, so I said, "If we want to get the Triforce of Power, killing Ganon won't work. He and the Triforce are connected, right? If he were to die then the Triforce would leave this world with him, and would only return when he is reincarnated. We need to think of another way to take it."
What I said had the opposite effect of what I wanted. Instead of loud chatter, the silence became deafening and everyone was staring at me again. Looks of shock, curiosity, and suspicion were splashed across each of their faces.
Dammit, Del! Think before you speak!
"Is that true?" Rusl asked Zelda.
Her clear eyes were round as she looked at me. "Yes. When the pieces of a separated Triforce find its destined guardian, it becomes one with their soul. If the guardian dies then that piece would follow the soul into the afterlife. How do you know this, Del?"
I guess this is as good a time as any to tell the truth.
"Well, you see-"
"Oh, Goddesses of the Heavens… You must be an oracle!" Telma said with bated breath.
I started to laugh at the joke she made, but when I looked at her I choked on air and my heart stuttered. She had her hands pressed to her chest and a look of pure awe on her face. Her eyes started to water and a few tears escaped and slid down her cheeks.
Wait… what? She can't truly believe that I'm an oracle!?
"I'm not-"
"Of course… Of course! She heard a bodiless voice and it led her to Hyrule. She must be an oracle!" Hanch squeaked excitedly.
"Amazing. A direct connection to our very goddesses, here, in our time, after millennia of silence," Renado said, his honey-smooth voice full of wonderment.
This was getting ridiculous. "Okay. Come on, this isn't fun-"
"But why would our goddesses choose to speak through someone who is not even from our world?" Bo questioned gruffly.
All eyes turned towards their princess, hoping that she would have the answer. I was hoping that she would tell them that they were all nuts and to get back figuring out how to get the Triforce.
"To be perfectly honest, I am quite as baffled as the rest of you," she said softly. Then she turned her body to face me and smiled brightly. "However, our goddesses do work in the most unpredictable of ways. It would seem to me that your presence here, whatever the reason may be, might not be so random after all."
She… she can't be serious?
The entire hut erupted with noise. The cacophony of everyone talking at once was grating inside my head. Even Parker, Calli, and Charlie added to the din of voices, all of them laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. Right now, I would've given anything to get the silence back.
I made the mistake of looking over at Link again. He was standing away from the wall this time, but his gaze was back on me. He wasn't shouting or singing like the others were, but just staring with those intense, dark blue eyes of his. He was looking at me like he did this morning, as if he was trying to figure something out. I felt my cheeks start to burn again and I looked away- which wasn't the best idea because my gaze landed on Telma who was crying freely while beaming and singing in my direction.
I had enough. This time it was my fist that slammed onto the table. Thankfully it worked and everyone went silent once more.
"Please, will everyone just stop and listen to me? I'm not an oracle! The reason I know so much about Hyrule and the Triforce is because in my world, all of this (I made a wide, sweeping gesture with my hands) is nothing more than a very popular game!" My heart was beating wildly as I waited for their reactions.
I was expecting shouts of anger, not peals of laughter.
"That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, yeah?" Ashei laughed.
"Our sacred world used for a game, just ludicrous!" Bo guffawed.
"But it's true!" I said, indignant at their laughing at me. "The game allows you to follow the Goddesses' Chosen Hero as he quests for relics that help defeat Ganon, and save the princess and Hyrule."
I would be lying to myself if I said I wasn't curious about how Link reacted to my explanation of the gameplay. And as everyone erupted into laughter once again- louder than before, I might add- my curiosity got the better of me and I took quick look at him. His head and eyes were downcast, and I could see a slight reddening of his cheeks.
Could Lazy Link actually feel a little ashamed by what I said?
Renado cleared his throat, and the laughter died down. "Del, have you considered that the goddesses have given you visions of Hyrule in your dreams? And as a way to understand these dreams of a world that you did not know existed, you created a game out of them?" His voice was warm and sincere and held no trace of laughter.
But I shook my head, hard. "Nope, that's impossible because there are millions of people from my world who also know of Hyrule by playing the game." A few people chuckled at this. I rolled my eyes. "Besides, Parker knows a lot more about Hyrule than I do. He loves learning about the histories and legends," I said matter-of-factly.
"Del, what are you doing?" Parker whispered harshly as everyone's eyes switched to him.
"Trying to take some of the focus off me!" I whispered harshly back. He gave me a steely glare for that one. Now it was my turn to shift away from him.
"Well, of course he knows our history," Shad spoke up, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "He's been here reading the old tomes since lunch. Fast reader, too. I even went to my study to grab him some of my books to read before the meeting started."
Dammit!
"Yeah, well, Calli and Charlie also knows that this is a game," I retorted. It was pathetic, I know, but I was scrambling at this point.
"Of course they would, sweets," Telma said softly. "They are your best friends, and you would have told them your dreams of Hyrule, even if you do not remember doing so."
Oh my god! They have an answer for everything!
I groaned and lowered my head into my hands in defeat. There was no winning against these people! The thought of everyone thinking that I'm someone with a goddess-given gift; someone important- someone I'm not! - made me sick to my stomach.
However, once Telma called me an oracle I wasn't blind to the small shift in the Hyrulean's attitude towards me. It was easy to see that everyone in this room, whether I befriended them or not, never truly let go of their suspicions of why we were here. But now, it was almost as if they had a slight reverence for me.
I didn't like where my mind was going with this, but I made a promise to Calli- to all three of them- that I would do anything in my power to get us home. And here I was, given power from a title; a power that I knew exactly how to use.
Besides, I would be quite the hypocrite if I fought against it.
I took a deep breath, lowered my hands from my face, and let out a soft sigh.
"Renado?" I said meekly as I raised my eyes to him, "Maybe… maybe you're right. About my dreams being visions. I mean, I suppose I've always known that they weren't just dreams, but after years of not truly understanding what I was seeing, the truth is quite astounding."
Renado gave me a kind and warm smile, nodding his head in understanding.
Parker, Calli, and Charlie all spoke at once in a chorus of "Del, what are you saying?"; "I knew it! She really is batshit crazy"; and "I don't know who she is anymore."
I spun around to face them and mouthed "trust me" and gave them a wink. They all looked puzzled but thankfully kept quiet as I turned back to the others.
"If- if it's alright, could we possibly get back to figuring out how to get the Triforce of Power from Ganon? So my friends and I can go home?" I asked with an innocent shyness that I hoped disguised my intention of trying to use a power trip to get this meeting back in our favour. I expected some sort of fight on this subject, especially from Nobu, who looked irritated that I brought this topic up once more, but there was nothing but silence again.
Then Telma's voice broke through the quiet. "What if we took it by force? Subdue Ganon somehow and take it away?"
"That, unfortunately, would not work," Zelda's serene voice answered. I looked towards her and noticed that her gaze was on me. Her face was passive, but her eyes were bright and curious.
How long has she been starting at me?
She continued. "Once a piece of the Triforce is connected to the soul of its guardian, it can only be given to another by willing it away. If it is taken by force then the guardian would die and the Triforce would disappear."
I don't think I ever knew that, I thought in amazement. But I had bigger things to think about than hearing Triforce lore straight from the source. We couldn't kill Ganon or take the Triforce by force as it would disappear with his soul to the afterlife. It needs to be separated from him somehow. But how do you separate something from a soul?
"We need to figure out if there is a way to separate Ganon's soul from the Triforce of Power," I said aloud and looked to Zelda for confirmation. She smiled warmly at me, and I felt that tiny flame of hope turn into an inferno.
"Shad?" she said, and turned to face him. He quickly jumped out of his seat (hitting Ashei with his elbow in the process) and stood ready to do his princess' biding. "I believe that this is a good place to start researching."
"Yes… yes! Of course! Our history books must have something that will help us. Now, I'll have to go far back… Can potions separate a soul… relics, or magic spells, or…" he started mumbling as he headed towards the stairs on the right-hand side that led to the tiny balcony library.
With this new revelation of a way to take the Triforce of Power and defeat Ganon, all the Hyrulean's spirits seemed to be lifted. Everyone was chattering happily. Renado didn't even seem to mind Telma placing her hand on his knee as the two talked.
"Alright, alright," Nobu said loudly over the noise and everyone stopped talking to pay attention. "I know everyone is excited about this new development in our battle against Ganon. However, since separating his soul from the Triforce is just a theory right now, we need to focus back on reality, and that's the war."
I felt my body slump. The long day was finally catching up to me and all I wanted to do was go to bed. Did we really need to stay here and listen to war strategies?
"Nobu?" I asked before he started. "Is it necessary for the four of us to be here for this part of the meeting?"
Nobu, apparently caught off guard with my question, blinked a few times then said, "Uh, well no, but-"
That was all I needed to hear and quickly interrupted him as I turned to Zelda. "Princess Zelda? If it's alright with you, may we be excused? It's been a really long day for us."
She gave us her permission by smiling and inclining her head.
"Thank you," I said, giving her a small bow.
Out of the corner of my eyes I saw that the others gave her small bows as well. Then we all turned, Charlie taking the lead, and walked towards the front door.
As we left the hut, the only sound that could be heard was the fervent muttering of a busy scholar, high up within the rows of ancient books.
Now, let's watch the ball of plot chaos roll...
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~lavender phoenix~