Chapter 5 -
Link looked to the sky as blue gave way to the stars and the night. Gradually the movement on the street slowed down, the jubilant city begun to retire to rest.
During the night, bars and taverns populated the streets. Laughter and spirited singing by alcohol had a distant and silent sound when compared to the day.
Link smelled food, taverns preparing the evening meals. The smell of meat on the fire invaded his senses making her stomach rebelling in a protest hunger. Link sought rupees that were not there and sighed as his mouth watered. He thought about leaving town and go find something to eat in the woods, who were near the city, but a wall the only entrance or exit was through the drawbridge surrounded the city's castle and during the night it was closed.
His day was not easy; though he had a clue, it was hard to find a store that admit sell-stolen goods. He tried to shops selling old stuff at first, but did not succeed in his quest.
He had not yet found the stolen artifact.
Link was lost in thought for a moment, a man bumped into him; the two almost lost their balance. Link's sword and the shield fell to the ground, the man helped him to collect his belongings, Link then realized it was an elder, he smiled at Link, his bushy eyebrows bringing him a strong resemblance to an owl.
"I'm sorry my young, I had a bit of a hurry."
Link's eyes took on that sir, his features were familiar, and Link then shook his head.
"I was distracted too."
The man nodded and walked away briskly. Link then looked down, there was a pouch, he took it and it overflowed with rupees. Link widened his eyes, he had never seen so many rupees together, should belong to the man who bumped. His stomach growled in his mind and one voice whispered.
"He will not even notice a few missing pieces."
The idea tried as his fingers counted the rupees that had overflowed, he closed his eyes for a moment, and he had been raised better than that.
Link put all the rupees back, his eyes caught the image of the old man turning sideways in a curve. Link tried to follow, when he turned the corner the man was no were to be seen, his eyes quickly swept through the streets, and he saw the old man turning into another corner. Link ran after him, always seemed to be a step later, just keeping in view his shadow, his feet then started running alone, the curves he took became increasingly familiar. He found himself in a narrow street, the houses, the tiles on the floor, the kerosene lamps.
All so close to his memory and still a step away from remembrance. He crossed an alley, something inside him made him stop, his heart tightened, and he looked down.
Inside the alley illuminated by the kerosene lamps had a crate, his hands shoved it aside; his body seemed to work alone, without his thought.
There was a scrawl already time worn, an ink drawing, whose form had begun to get lost. However, in his mind it seemed vivid memories. His eyes flew to the past and there he saw a girl, a child smiling wide, her hands dirty with paint, blue eyes shining with pride of the design had just done, her blond hair like his locked by twin tails, her flowered dress with spots of paint here and there, and she talked to him. She was so excited, so happy. He could not hear, did not want to...
"Mister?"
A worried voice yanked the past and threw back alley without color, and he had a blurred picture, Link rolled his eyes and there was a little girl, brown hair and abundant spots, dark eyes looking worried for him.
"You okay?"
Link felt a knot in his throat and could not speak, his vision was blurred, and his eyes were watering. The girl continued to look at him apprehensively when she heard her father call away.
"Pamela come! Do not be talking to strangers!"
The girl then ran toward the father and cast a worried glance to Link that remained there.
He stood and clapped in the face with force, the pain was superficial, he knew what was really being hurt in battle, but it was enough to get him out of his reverie. His memories were buried and thus he would keep them.
His eyes became focused and he swept the street probably had lost the old gentleman, he walked a little further and found a tavern, it had a series of exposed outdoor tables, with two floors, the colors stood out from the rest of the street that seemed all painted in pastel shades, the tavern had vibrant colors. As if screaming amid the city that it was alive.
Link approached and heard the buzz, people sitting talking to each other, played and sang some songs that Link was unaware. When he saw him sitting quietly at a table sipping a beer, the elder that he was looking for, Link approached him and he smiled.
"Well, how can I help?"
Link gave his pocket.
"You lost it when the stumbled earlier."
The man took the pouch and smiled.
"Thank you young man."
He then looked at Link.
"Do I make sure all rupees are here?"
Link smiled and shook his head; himself knew he had kept his integrity.
"No need, but if you want I'll understand."
The man smiled and nodded.
"Very well then, I'll take your word for it. My name is Raurur and what is your young man?"
Raurur remained calm, even when Link's smile broke and he swallowed hard, his brown eyes swept Link trying to figure out what caused the change. His first review claimed to be himself. Link apparently knew his name. Raurur had only a vague impression of the wanderer of who Zelda spoke. He then bowed his head with his worried brow.
"Is there a problem young man?"
Link then shook his head.
"Not a problem is just ..."
Link took a deep breath and then said with a smile.
"My name is Link ."
Raurur smiled, there was something unspoken in length and that smile, brought more than one meaning to experienced eyes, Raurur just nodded.
"Very pleased to meet Link. I gather by your clothes that have been on the road for a while. I have also been a traveler a long time ago. Why do you not sit down and let's share some stories."
Link looked around looking ready to refuse, Raurur smiled.
"I pay, as thanks for your good deed."
Link's stomach then revolted as any noble idea that his mind could be in the form of a snore easily heard by Raurur who smiled in response.
"I take that as a yes?"
Link nodded and sat with him. Raurur asked one of the girls that were circulating among the tables delivering orders. He then looked back at Link.
"Link so what new things can you tell me of the Eldin province."
Link scratched his head in thought.
"Eldin? There is no big news that side of the world. Dust and fire, as they say ..."
The two then talked through the night about the kingdom, rumors and talks of travelers. Things they saw and heard. Link told about the places he visited, however, Raurur remarked that the wanderer were always very careful not to reveal the real interests of his journey. That seemed to have escalated Link to the four corners of the kingdom.
The eyes of Raurur did not failed to recognize the bloodstains in Link.
"And as for Bulbins? Has had some specific news."
Link paused to reconsider his journeys.
"Well, I actually had very constant encounters with them. I even had the impression that they were following my movements."
Link stared at Raurur.
"What would be really weird."
Raurur agreed.
"Indeed. It would be very strange; after all, they have been very quiet in recent decades. Do not you agree?"
There was some suggestion in the voice, a feeling that had a remote point in Link's mind; which caused him to look over his shoulder while walking at night, Link gave voice to these thoughts.
"It like the silence before the storm"
Raurur and Link were quiet for a moment, both locked eyes on each other, something seemed to be on the verge of happening in Hyrule and both could only confirm that they had a hunch and nothing more.
"This zora is crazy!"
The two quickly turned their eyes to a table where one of the servants of the tavern had finished turning a mug of beer on the head of a customer.
She was a little smaller than Link; her skin was a tint of blue pearly, with marine blue patterns. Her large dark eyes seemed to glow with anger and disgust as she had her hands on her hips. She wore ordinary clothes like other girls but her attitude was haughty, as if she saw the world from the top down and the man in front of her was the lowest of the cheap and nasty.
"Crazy is you! Who said that a commoner like you had permission to touch me! Or any other girls of the establishment!"
The man stood up and applied a heavy slap in the face of zora; she fell to the ground making noise, drunken man laughed.
"What now zora! Fell off the horse?"
The large eyes of Zora boiled with anger as she stood up, the man squinted and gave broad steps toward her raising his hand to another slap, the zora raised her arms to protect herself when Link went down between the two. One of his arms stopped moving while the other gave the drunken man a punch in the middle of the face. The drunken fall behind and tried to get up, two others who accompanied him stood to face Link, but his fierce eyes met eyes of both and They felt weak in the knees. They contented themselves and raise his friend's shoulders and run.
Link turned to the zora on the floor, her eyes were wide in amazement, and Link looked at her worried. Link could not help but notice how young zora seemed fragile, despite all her act. Where had the man beaten was swelling and a line of blood ran from the corner of her mouth.
"You okay?"
Link held out her hand she slapped his hand and ran into the tavern, Link looked apprehensively as she disappeared in one of the doors.
A woman with short red hair, trimmed at the time of her neck came up to him. He wore ordinary clothes and an apron over everything. She bowed in apology.
"A thousand pardons, sir. Thank you for helping Rutel. I am Anju, the owner of the establishment. Sorry for the inconvenience."
Link grabbed Anju by her shoulders, his blue eyes fixed on Anju's purple eyes.
"It was not her fault. That man was being a drunk. She did what she should. I apologize if I put you in a bad situation with your clients, I could not help it."
Anju looked puzzled at Link and did something that surprised him, her hands cupped his face, and she rubbed her thumbs over his cheeks as cleaned up the dirt road, her eyes wide with amazement.
"What's your name wanderer?"
Link hesitated, spooked with the girl.
"My name is Link."
She then hands away with a simple smile.
"Welcome Mr. Link. Do you by chance have a place to spend the night?"
Link blushed awkwardly, was already predicting where it would get him to, he shook his head while denying the proposal.
"I cannot accept Anju, it ..."
Anju interrupted, completing his sentence.
"It would not be right?"
Link just stared, Anju nodded with a smile.
"My husband Kafei is out of town business. He usually takes care of drunks at night. The guards don't come any more to this part of town, they say it is very quiet and has no serious offenses."
She then walked over to Link.
"I wonder if during the hours of the night I could use your presence to ward off such complications of my hostel. However, I must be honest, I have no money left. Nevertheless, I can give you a room and food. By the time, you can spare for me while my husband does not return. Maybe we could call a favor from a friend to another rather than a job?"
Link nodded his head in a smile. He did not feel very well in getting to help others by payment. However, he was not bashful to accept the help of a friend whom he helped.
Raurur watched everything with great curiosity, Anju had never accepted help from strangers, the woman had a pride that can move mountains, and although she was a gentle heart she knew take good care of her business.
In addition, there she was ready to offer the fourth wanderer, without question.
He raised an eyebrow.
Who indeed was the wanderer?