Chapter 16- Fall out
LINK POV
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!
I guess that means I have to get up, and go eat breakfast… or try at least, I am still not completely recovered from the Princess's personal brand of nourishment. I don't know what I was thinking, it was a small bite but it did a lot of damage, my stupid ass JUST HAD to make sure if she was really going to kill me.
Link gets out of bed, gets himself dressed in a tunic and some breeches, grabs his cellphone and stores it, then washes his mouth and heads to Nana's kitchen for some breakfast. He stops in front of Zelda's door; he grins and was about to knock on her door but stopped himself.
What the fuck am I doing? This is NOT the way… I want her to publicly realize her plan failed, and have to fake a smile to keep appearances, THAT IS THE WAY.
Link turns and continues down the stars towards Nana's kitchen. Once he reaches the kitchen, he looks around hoping she is not there… but finds her serving what appears to be soup
"HELLO THERE" he yells waving his hand at Nana, she smiles back at him
"I thought today you were going to skip the guard's breakfast today, with the ball preparations and all, I was sure you were too tired to wake up early and come"
"Why would I miss it? I need it if I want to survive the ball" he tells her very seriously but avoiding eye contact
"HAHAhaha, stop being so dramatic, you are going to do just fine"
Link just sighs if only… "you are not the main cook Ivanna, and the guards are gone because of the ball, why are you still here?" Please just go, you don't have to be here, it's not safe, JUST GO.
"I was thinking about taking the day as suggested by the butler, but I can't leave my 4 big boys without food, I stayed to cook breakfast and prepare a small treat for later"
"4 boys?" Link asks her a little jealous
"3 guards that stay today to protect the King, but they will be disguised, and YOU of course"
She stayed because the idea of leaving us hungry bothered her? She needs to set her priorities straight, she wakes up early EVERY DAY for them, she is allowed to be selfish today, isn't she?... NO, I guess not, that would not be her, she is a mother in soul and in practice, if you let her, she will baby ALL of us, and smack us if we fuck up, but who cares about the bruises.
"And now I was thinking maybe I should stay, it's the ball… somebody may need help, I will gladly help even the Cook if he asks me, unlikely because he hates me though"
Link looks at her directly in the eyes "Nana… leave, take this as a day off, go visit somebody or do whatever, but don't stay, you already work hard and long hours, let the rest of the workers earn their salary, LEAVE"
"OH, WOW… sounds like YOU don't want me here, and I thought you and I wer-" Link hugs her, this makes Nana stop talking immediately
"You are right, I don't want you to be here today, enjoy your free day, and sleep well because I want to try some beef liver or heart tomorrow" he releases her from his hug, and smiles.
Nana looks at Link with curiosity and suspicion, then releases a sigh "all right, I will leave if that makes you happy, right after breakfast of course, is beef gut in green salsa, how much do I serve you?" she says happily grabbing the ladle.
"As much as can be spared, I am ravenous" Link answers her
Nana gives him a BIG serving, and Link repeats that 3 more times praising Nana on the flavor, she just stares at him trying to decipher something, he keeps avoiding her gaze.
"You are clearly not angry with me, why do you want me out of the castle? Was it something I did? or are you trying to DO something? Nana asks with an inquisitive gaze, Link struggles finding something to say when she just burst out laughing LOUDLY.
"ARE YOU SERIOUSLY TRYING TO SURPRISE ME? Hahahaha, I love surprises hun, a promotion will be nice, but to what? I don't want to take Rolo's spot as the main cook, he has a family to support, I am fine where I am, son DON'T do that, what else could you possibly… OMG! It's my casserole is it not? You DID get me a new one? How big is it? no don't answer, I will come tomorrow and act all surprised"
Link just half smiles and places his index finger across his mouth winking at her. Nana finishes her breakfast all exited, and prepares to leave after hugging Link good bye.
I hate lying, if there is one thing, I take pride on is my word, I don't lie, I mean what I say, and I keep my promises… but I am not feeling bad about lying to Nana right now, if that keeps her away from the castle, I would do it again. I have to think of something witty to tell Chacha, she has to leave too, the last thing I need is a distraction… worrying for their safety IS A DISTRACTION, I need them both safe and away from here ASAP.
He starts going up the stars to his room when he hears a low scream, looking up he finds Zelda at the beginning of the stairs in shock, he just smiles and continues to climb the stairs, once he reaches the top, he stops right next to the princes and leans a little to whisper.
"A little too high on the arsenic, I noticed on the first bite and threw it all away, good job on sprinkling it on the food without anyone noticing" he says and continues heading to his room
I wish I could have noticed on the first bite; I am lacking on that part of my training, I just waited half an hour after eating a piece to see if it was safe, but she does not need to know that.
"Why… why can't you just fucking die?" Zelda says to Link's retreating figure, not expecting him to hear, surprising her when he suddenly stops and turns to look at her
"Why indeed" Link answers, sadness pouring out of him, puzzling Zelda, then the door to his room opens
"OH, you are here already, come and see what I did in your closet" Chacha tells Link with a prideful grin
"Chacha, today is going to be a LONG day, whatever you did I forgive you" Link says as he finally reaches his door pats her head struggling to hold his laughter.
Chacha squints at him and slowly mouths: FUCK YOU, then grabs him by the edge of his tunic and pulls him into the room to show him what she did.
"TA-DA!" Chacha opens the closet door and revealing all the chest no longer on the floor, but accommodated on the shelves and with tags attached to them.
Link whistles as he enters to inspect
"I had not noticed the shelves, or did you just bring them?"
"NO, I am strong but not THAT strong, they were here already, you just missed them because you are obviously blind, or got overwhelmed seeing all the chests on the floor, cuz you know men are weak that way" she tells him smiling
"Maybe that is why… the writing on the tags looks odd, like done by a toddler, when where they done and by whom?" Link says looking at the tags an laughing a little
Chacha frowns "yesterday, by ME with a hammer and a pointy rock"
HOLLY MOTHER OF… she did them cave man stile? Damn... my comment was not good at all.
"I didn't mean… the tags are beautiful" Link tells her with sorrow
"Pff, like I am going to believe that, done by a toddler you said, be grateful you CAN read the doodles of an illiterate maid who…" she immediately shut up when she sees Link bending on a knee in front of her
I SWEAR I did not plan ANY of this… maybe the goddesses DO love me, this is just too perfect, I accidentally insulted her, now I just need to sweeten her ears, and maybe bribe her with an off day, she is a proud girl, she will take the bait and leave. DID SHE SAID SHE IS ILITERATE?
"I am terribly sorry if my comments insulted your hard work, you were not obligated to do it, it's not a part of your job description, I just asked for it and you took care of it like the incredible maid… the amazing friend you are, I just hope you find it in your heart to forgive me" Link tells her still on a knee, Chacha's face is red with embarrassment
"By Din's flame please just stand up, this brings me shame, why do you keep punishing me" Chacha whines
Link stands up laughing low
"Fair, I don't want to punish you further… I must ask though; how did you do the tags?"
"I… asked Maco for the wood pieces, he is a nosy little bugger so I ended up telling him what I was going to use them for, he wrote the names of each tag I was going to use in a piece of paper, I just did my best to copy it."
Maco? Who the fu… [young boy with glasses smiling and shaking his hand] MACO!, I forgot about him dam it.
"Looks like he did us a solid, I should thank him before the ball" I need to get him out of here
"Maybe tomorrow, or next week Link, he is just here for a couple of hours, and he is not an official worker, so he is not coming today to avoid curious stares from other nobles"
OH YEAH, he had informed me of his particular training schedule. Link don't let anxiety fog your head, FOCUS.
"All right, I will thank him later… this must have taken a lot from you" Link gives her a side glance with a half-smile "I am actually very proud"
"You have NO IDEA; I deserve a reward" Chacha says raising her chin with pride
"You are absolutely right" Link reaches to open his desk's drawer and grabs a purple rupee "you have the day off… also take this and buy something nice for yourself, or use it as you please" he says throwing the rupee at Chacha, who grabs it midair and open her eyes wide once she looks at it.
"Ar… are you serious?" Chacha asks incredulous
"Not good enough?" Link grabs another purple rupee and throws it at Chacha who quickly grabs it
"DON'T DO THAT! My salary is good enough already, you insult me offering money" she says stressed
Link takes a deep breath and stares at her with anger "YOU DESERVE A REWARD, this is the only reward I can currently offer, you don't deny it, you shut up and accept it with gratitude, unless you want to offend me"
Chacha looks down at her hands currently holding 100 rupees, then back at Link and mouths ´I HATE YOU´ then walks up to Link and hugs him "Good Luck today, just don't bite their heads off and everything should be fine" she then turns leaving the room
Link breaths in deeply once he is alone in hell, relief evident in his facial expression, then walks towards his closet, reads the tags searching for the chest that holds the Jackets.
Found them, THANK YOU SO MUCH CHACHA, the fact that she was able to pull this off, despite being illiterate juts adds value to the feat. Now I should choose what I am going to wear, there is brown-red, dark-grey, dark-blue, black, brown and green-brown. Green… it's fitting, if I die today, I want to still be me, I will be wearing green.
Link starts to dress up, white inner tunic, breeches and jacket, then a belt and shoes that combine with the gloves he still refuses to take off. He then looks at his image in the mirror behind the closet's door. The attire reassembles high rank military uniforms, Martin must have been inspired by the specifications asked, or maybe it was just easier to pull off with this cut in mind. The silver embroidery makes Links grey eyes stand out even more, giving him a dangerous vibe.
I am ready for the fall out