As promised, here's the second chapter. Enjoy. Thanks again Magewriter14. I hope this chapter is more readable!

Chapter Two - Lazy Afternoon

It would be nice to sit out here in the sun all day. The thought is as unbidden as it is unusual. I sip my water serenely and watch Athena's kittens play with a leaf. Athena herself, despite being the best and most active mouser I have ever owned, is basking in the hot midday sun, keeping one eye on her mischievous kittens. She sees me looking her way and rolls on her back, begging for attention. She always manages to lay just a little bit too far away from me to reach her. It's a game with her. She always has to be one step ahead of me. I reach towards her, even though I know my arms are not long enough and she purrs contentedly. Her kittens thinking she is playing a game bounce over and pounce on her tail. Athena is too lazy and it is too hot for her to attempt to reprimand her progeny, and I think, by the way her tail is flicking slowly up and down, she is actually teasing her children.

Malo, the most enterprising of the kittens (a little brown and white tom) decides at this moment to jump onto his mother's head and goes for an all out attack on her ears. I laugh as the poor kitten realises the error of his ways as Athena grabs him mid air and pins him down. Little Malo is subjected then to a thorough wash, all the time wriggling desperately. Obviously the embarrassment of being cleaned in public by his mother is getting to him. Athena gives his head a final lick and releases him. Malo bounds off happily and within a second is playing tag with his siblings.

It would be nice to have a family, I think as I watch them. Another unbidden thought, although this one is less unusual than the first. Of course I do not remember my mother, who died just after giving birth to me but I do remember my father vividly. He died two years ago, on my sixteenth birthday. Perhaps I don't grieve for him, as others would grieve. I miss him continually, that goes without saying, and I think of him but I accepted his passing. I had always expected it and for as long as I can remember I had prepared myself for it. Perhaps my friends thought it unnatural that I did not shed a tear. They did not know that all my tears had been shed long ago in secret. I had always known that one day he would not come home. One day his past would catch up with him. He often said it himself, when he was drunk. The only think I did not expect was the manner of his death.

He had always taken risks, of course. That was what he had lived for. Excitement, adventure, romance. To him nothing else had mattered more. Now that I am older and wiser, I understand his motivation. His life had been one of adventure, true, but I now understood that he was always running. The only time he had settled down was when he had bought this farm. As soon as I was old enough to help run it, he was off adventuring again. He always returned. Sometimes pouring rupees onto the bare table, sometimes clothed in little more than his worn pants. Never once did he offer to take me with him. To be honest I would have refused to go. I loved my father but his life was not for me. I have never craved adventure or romance or risk. I am happy here on the farm, caring for the livestock, looking after myself. I enjoy my own company. Perhaps I took after my mother.

The sound of excited voices breaks into my reverie. I sit upright against the wall, not wanting to be caught slacking off. I would never live that down. A moment later the three gossiping figures come into view – it is my friends Mali, Markis and Erik, the children of my closest neighbour, the Mayor of Ordona Village. My village.

Mali looks tired from her walk. Her bright red hair is damp at the ends and I can see the sheen of sweat on her forehead. There is something different about her. I must try to establish what it is before she reaches me. Markis and Erik, the twins, almost fall into the cow barn as they shove one another. They are always squabbling, just like Athena's kittens.

I smile a welcome to them all. One part of me is pleased to see them return. From a practical standpoint, Markis and Erik are useful to have around. Neither is afraid of hard work and I employ them as often as I can afford. It took me ages to figure out who was who with them. Now I know that Markis, who is currently shouting at his brother, is the shorter of the two. He also has deep green eyes, like Mali. Erik, who has currently vanished into the cucco barn, obviously intent on pestering the poor birds, has lighter eyes.

All three of them have shockingly red hair. All three of them have shockingly quick tempers. All three of them have been my best friends for as long as I can remember.

Mali is the eldest. She is also the only girl in the family. At the moment, that is. Her mother is pregnant with their sixth child. It could well be the girl break through they are looking for. She swears it's a girl. Her husband Gustov swears it's a boy. I swear that whatever the sex, there's more than one little bundle of joy in there! Poor Bela is huge. Both proud, and probably exhausted parents, have also sworn this will be their last child. I don't believe that either. Even I can remember them saying that after the births of Suki, Loren and Kadenz.

"Hey you!" She calls as she gets within hearing distance.

I stand respectfully and hold out my hands. Skipping the last few steps, Mali almost tumbles into my embrace. She has always been my closest friend. She turns those big green eyes up at me and grins.

"You missed me, huh?" She says. I know she is teasing me because the corners of her lips have curled up despite themselves. I nod seriously. The other part of me is glad they are all back. Life in Ordona is dull without them.

"Aw, look at the l'il lovebirds, Marki."

"Sweet. We should just leave 'em." Replies his twin with a decidedly evil grin in my direction.

One part of me is missing my solitude already. I rise above the bait. I always do. Ever since their joint fifteenth birthday they have been on a permanent quest to tease me about their sister. I ignore them and smile back down at Mali. To my surprise, I can see the faintest blush of pink in her cheeks. I release her from my embrace and finally see what has changed about her.

"I like the dress." I say. She catches her breath and her eyes flick up to meet mine. "Yellow suits you." I add blandly. As if I know anything about colour! Her eyes are so expressive I can read her like a book. "Your hair looks nice too." My final blow makes her gasp for the second time. I'll bet she was sure I wouldn't realise she's had her hair lopped off.

I may be a man but I am not blind.

"You like it?" She asks in a shy voice. I frown a little at this. Why is Mali, the loud, confident and sometimes a little embarrassing, suddenly uncertain of herself?

Acquitting myself with unusual aplomb, I manage to say without blushing "It looks great."

Mali is definitely pleased now. She gives a little squeak of pleasure and grins at me. I'm not lying. I liked her hair before – it was very long and this, with a sort of split fringe, but now it is shoulder length and very…er… choppy. It looks nice.

"I had it done in the town." She begins to explain to me the ins and outs of her decision to cut her crowning glory and swiftly moves on to what she bought, when and where and who said what when she chose this. I hope I am nodding at the right points and making the appropriate listening noises as she speaks. Try as I might, I cannot interest myself in the glories of shopping and hair styling. I cut my hair with sheep sheers when it gets in my way.

It seems I have passed this test too, for Mali smiles at me when she has exhausted her supply of works and thanks me for listening. I accept her hug of thanks and then as quickly as I can, turn to her brothers and ask how Castletown was.

Markis and Erik take pity on me as one poor man to another and explain in a few words, as only men can, that Castletown was good and they had an excellent time.

"We met the Princess too." Mali interrupts the boys' succinct conversation. I nod, feigning interest. Why would I be interested in a dignitary that I have never met and am not likely to meet?

"She is gorgeous." Exclaims Markis.

I can't help but gaze at him in surprise. The Bo's are well known for their extrovert natures but this outburst is something unusual. Markis is the 'steady' twin. I turn to Erik for help but to my amazement, he is blushing too.

"Oh yeah." He says when he realises my eyes are fixed on him. "She's a stunner."

"She was very nice." Acceded Mali at length. "Very gracious."

"Gracious?" Markis half laughs at this, "you sound jealous, Mal."

I can almost feel the heat from Mali's angry glare. I wonder if I should let the siblings carry out their war in my yard or not. I wonder if I could actually stop them. All three voices begin rising in pitch, speed and volume. I wonder if this argument will ever end. I am not at all interested in Princess Zelda even if she is stunning and gracious. Perhaps I should tell them.

I will if I can get a word in.

I hope you enjoyed. Please R&R.