Author's note: I do not own Hylia, Hyrule, Dragmire, Link etc, or any variation thereof. They belong to Nintendo.
Breakfast the next morning was still joyful but subdued. The staff had another long day of repairs even though the electricity had not come back on yet. Sarah sat with her leg propped up at a corner while sitting near Natalie and her father. The latter was bleary eyed from his current bout of insomnia. Natalie's sharp gaze was shifting from her father to Sarah. They were carrying on an easy conversation, which Natalie might not have thought possible a few days prior.
"Did you have trouble sleeping last night, Da?" She asked during a lull in the conversation.
"I did, why?" he answered, diverting his attention from the Hylian.
"You left the suite late last night," Natalie pointed out.
"I've had a lot on my mind," he replied, taking a sip of strong coffee.
"You never came back," she added, shooting him a suspicious look.
"Are you keeping watch on me now?" he asked, sensing her mood.
"I'm a light sleeper, Da. I notice these things," she answered lightly. There was a slight pause before she added, "The gardens are flooded; where did you go?"
"I went to the lobby," he replied levelly. "There is a good view of the storm from the front windows."
"Sarah sleeps in the lobby," Natalie added suspiciously.
"Aye," was all O'Dragmire replied. He stared back at his daughter, trying to figure out what she was going on in her incomprehensible mind. Natalie suppressed a smirk and switched to Gaelic.
"Do you have to go to confession now?" she asked with a sardonic smile.
"What?" O'Dragmire shouted in surprise. The entire table went silent and stared at their boss, eagerly listening in on the conversation.
"I see the way you have been looking at her," Natalie goaded, eliciting giggles from the table to show that they had all noticed the same thing.
"Just how have I been looking at her?" O'Dragmire demanded.
"You like her," Natalie pointed out.
"She is a sweet girl," he replied vaguely, wishing he could escape from the stares down the table.
"What is she saying?" Sarah whispered to Anna, who was seated next to her. Anna giggled in reply.
"You still havenae answered my question," Natalie probed, despite the fury gathering on her father's face.
"I'll willnae have this conversation with my own daughter," he replied curtly.
"You are supposed to be my moral compass," she chided maliciously. "I really need to know where you stand."
"God help you if I am your moral compass," he sighed and refused to say any more. The table went slowly back to eating and a light buzz of conversation refilled the room. Natalie began chatting with Sarah about her university while shooting her father probing glances.
"Is there anything else you need, Sarah?" O'Dragmire asked. Natalie studied his face carefully.
"Da, you know she is closer to my age," she threw in teasingly. O'Dragmire threw his hands up and stormed off.
"Where are you going?" Sarah called in alarm at his sudden change in mood.
"There is too much estrogen in here," he grumbled as he disappeared.
"What was going on?" Sarah asked Natalie pointedly. Natalie smirked in reply. Anna had some compassion for Sarah and leaned over to her.
"O'Dragmire has been around too many women for too long," Anna whispered vaguely. "He is remembering what it is like to feel like a man."
"I don't understand," Sarah admitted, looking over at Natalie. She had fallen silent and moody.
"The boss spends almost all his time at the hotel," she explained quietly. "We are all family. He cannae look at any of us without thinking of Aislin. Then you come along with your blond hair and thoroughly Hylian attitude and remind him what men usually feel around women."
"You mean Natalie thinks we…" Sarah gasped in sudden realization, blushing furiously.
"Honey," Mona interrupted, leaning over Anna, "we all think it. Natalie is just the only one who can get away with saying anything. We are nae judging, either. Some of us have boyfriends. We just have enough sense nae to bring them to the hotel, at least nae when O'Dragmire would find out."
"It is nice to know O'Dragmire is human, after all," Anna added. "Speaking of whom, I better go find him before he sulks too much. If you thought women were moody you havenae seen him get upset."
Anna left Sarah at the table to blush brightly while she sought out her boss. She found him sitting in the darkened pool room. She would have missed him if a flash of lightning hadn't outlined his silhouette. He was sulking on the edge of the pool with his pant legs rolled up to dangle his feet in the water. "You are going to be okay, O'Dragmire," Anna said as a statement, not a question. He merely huffed and remained silent. Anna sat down next to the larger man and noisily plopped her bare legs into the pool. "Natalie worries about you, you know."
"Is she worried I am trying to replace her?" he finally grumbled, his gaze still directed at the ripples in the water.
"Nae at all, She is worried that there will be no one to take care of you when she leaves for college next year," Anna explained.
"I will be fine," O'Dragmire replied sullenly. "I will miss her but I will get along without her."
"I know that," said Anna. "You know that. Natalie is only seventeen. Her mind does nae understand that life manages to go on despite the changes."
"That is nae true," he answered. "She lost her mother."
"Yet she has always had her da, and this hotel," Anna countered. "Those have been her two constants. When she goes to college everything will change for her. She willnae be the assistant manager of her father's hotel anymore, so she does nae comprehend that life will continue the same here. In a way, she is trying to see that you will be taken care of when she is gone."
"I am her father, I am supposed to be taking care of her," he said ironically.
"We are family," Anna reminded him. "We take care of each other. That seems to include a certain Hylian now."
"I still love Aislin," he whispered at last.
"And you always will," Anna confirmed. "Aislin has been gone a long time now. Just because new feelings are being kindled does nae diminish the fire you felt for my cousin."
"I do nae understand why I feel anything at all," O'Dragmire confessed. "She is young, vivacious, spirited if nae stubborn…"
"Which is exactly why you like her," she added with satisfaction.
"I do nae feel about her the way I felt about my wife, though," he protested. "I think she is a pleasant girl, but she seems distant somehow. I feel respectful and somewhat protective, even possessive. I do nae understand why, but she seems familiar."
"We all feel that about her," Anna offered. "Even though she is pale and distinctly Hylian, she could be a Gerudo. Be it by God or fate, that girl's destiny is intertwined with ours. You are the only one able to make her proper family."
"No, Anna," O'Dragmire replied firmly. "I married my princess a long time ago. Some family you are born to, some you marry, and some you choose. If you want a new cousin by all means call her such, but it will nae be through my doing." Anna glared at him with piercing curiosity.
"What are your plans for her then?" she directed to the larger man. "You cannae get her to Hylia, true. The roads west of her are nae so bad. You could get her to Acrimon."
"I will keep her here for the time being," O'Dragmire answered bleakly. "She knows why you are here." Panic spread across Anna's eyes but she carefully guarded her expression. "I do nae know why I told her, but she knows. I want to keep her here until I know what she will do with the information. I will nae let anything happen to you."
"Are you so worried about us, or is it yourself you are concerned with?" Anna replied cryptically. O'Dragmire grunted a response but did not answer. They sat beside each other in pleasant silence until Anna's mischievous nature got the better of her. "You never did answer," she asked casually. "Do you, or do you nae need to go to confession?"
"We are nae going to bring that up again," he growled, and shoved Anna, laughing, into the pool.
Another morning passed with Sarah alone on her couch. The flashlight dimmed from its constant use as Sarah read to pass the hours. The rain still pounded the hotel without mercy. Thunder rolled in the background seemed to shake the very doors. Sarah realized with surprise they were creaking open. She clicked off the flashlight and pushed herself up to get a better view of the doors. No one from the hotel had been outside, and Sarah knew it would only take one scream to bring the owner running if the intruder was unwanted. She let out a startled gasp when a figure tentatively crept into the door and shut it again. "Fitzdeku!" she called in a loud whisper and motioned him over, then realized he probably couldn't see in the dim lobby. Sarah turned her flashlight back on to give him a point of reference.
"Miss Hyrule, Sarah," he breathed with immense relief. He was sopping wet, wearing kaki cargo pants and a muddy green t-shirt. His head was mostly dry, thanks to a handmade wool knit cap that would have looked ridiculous on any other person.
"What are you doing here?" Sarah asked in a low voice, immensely glad to see a familiar face. "Has the bridge been repaired?"
"No," he replied, looking almost embarrassed. "There is a panic all through Hylia. They found your car by the falls, but not you. Your father thought you were dead and was going to have the river combed, even in the storm, but someone reported you were kidnapped by Mr. O'Dragmire. I didn't get a malicious vibe from him the time I brought you out here, but your father is organizing a raid. I thought I'd come out here and see what was really going on and if you were okay.
"I'm fine," Sarah assured him, noting there wasn't the slightest hint of a stutter in the usually bashful boy. "Not entirely, I broke my leg. In the car wreck, the hotel staff has been nothing but kind to me."
"I'm glad to hear it," Link answered sincerely. "Everyone is worried about you. I should probably get back and let them know you are okay."
"Have you finally gone mad and are talking to yourself, Sarah?" a teasing voice called curiously as someone entered the lobby. Sarah quickly looked back to Link, but he had ducked behind a chair.
Sarah waited for the speaker to get closer before calling out, "It's okay, Link. It's just Natalie." Link grinned sheepishly from behind the chair he had ducked behind.
"Link? What are you doing here?" Natalie asked incredulously, dashing to the cluster of chairs to see if he were really there. He was, and she was glad.
"I came to see if Sarah was alright," he replied with a smile. "Everyone in Hylia is worried about her."
"That was nice of you," Natalie replied happily.
"How did you even get out here if the bridge is still out?" Sarah questioned.
"Sara, from Parks and Recreation, showed me a path through Kokiri Park that winds up here," Link explained.
"That is the path I take to school," Natalie offered excitedly. "Part of it still goes over the river. Is it nae flooded there?"
"Yea, it is," Link replied a bit timidly. "I managed to swim across."
"Link," said Natalie, a bit disbelievingly. "It is nae exactly a trickle there."
"I am scuba certified," he replied, a smile creeping to his face. "I actually brought my tanks and iron weights and pulled myself along the foot bridge on the path."
"My bridge is still there?" Natalie asked with excitement. "I built that, with a little help from Da."
"I'm impressed," Link admitted. "It is a brilliant design and wonderful construction." Natalie was beaming.
"I'm amazed you managed to get here relatively clean and dry after fording the river," Sarah smiled. She was used to Link being timid and shy. She felt like this was a pleasant change.
"I wore my dive suit in the river and brought clean clothes in a waterproof bag," he explained eliciting curious looks from his audience. "What? I was in scouts."
"I can't believe you went through all that." Sarah said while shaking her head. "I am very glad to see you though."
"I really need to get back," Link whispered conspiratorially. "Like I said you father is about to launch a full raid and hopefully I can stop it if he knows you are alright."
"Alright, bye Link," Sarah said grasping his hand firmly. "I didn't realize you had a tattoo."
"I used to attend Renaissance festivals," Link explained, looking at the small mark on his wrist. "I like Celtic culture, so I had this done. I had an allergic reaction to the ink, though. In the light you can see the skin on one corner is discolored." He turned to Natalie. "Could you point me back to the path so I don't lose time running around the gardens in the storm?" She gave a mischievous smirk.
"I can do better than that," she replied proudly. "I'll take you back to the bridge."
"It is rather muddy," Link reminded her, seemingly amused.
"I'm not sure that is a good idea," Sarah observed. "The storm is still bad and I'm not sure your father would want you out in the rain."
"I'll be fine," Natalie countered. "I'm old enough to make my own decisions."
"Natalie, I don't think…"
"Wait here and I'll put my shoes on," Natalie ordered as she bounded for the stairs.
"Don't let her follow you out there," Sarah pleaded.
"I won't," Link promised. "I'll send her back as soon as I get to the path." They sat awkwardly in silence for a brief moment.
"Nice hat," Sarah offered, trying to break the oppressive silence. She had been sitting in the quiet darkness too long and didn't realize how overjoyed she would be to see someone familiar.
"Thanks," Link grinned as he adjusted the cap. "Sara, from Parks and Recreation, made it for me.
"You two are very close," Sarah observed.
"We were neighbors while I was growing up," Link explained. "Mom worked two jobs and Dad was a drunk, so she practically raised me."
"I hadn't realized she was that old," confessed Sarah.
"She is a lot older than she looks," he remarked.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters," she probed, suddenly interested in Link's past.
"I didn't think I ever would," he grinned back, "but Mom had another kid later on."
"That must be nice," Sarah remarked, envious of his family. Link silenced her as he sensed someone passing through the dim hallway.
"You would think so," Link whispered wryly. "I always wanted a sibling growing up because I felt alone most of the time, but she is the most annoying and bossy little thing. In her defense, she is only seven and practically an only child herself."
"Seven?" she asked incredulously, trying to calculate how large the age gap must be. Link flashed her a knowing smile.
"Ready?" Natalie called as she bounced into the lobby wearing chunky boots and a jacket.
"Lead the way," Link replied, and gave a farewell greeting to Sarah. The rain fell lighter than it had been but visibility was still poor. Natalie expertly navigated through the intricate gardens she had been raised in.
"Thanks," Link said as he stopped where the path turned from neat gravel to dirt. "I can manage from here."
"I do nae mind going the whole way," Natalie protested.
"I promised Sarah I'd send you back," Link replied firmly but kindly. "It is a straight shot from here but it isn't all that safe."
"You did it," she argued stubbornly.
"Yes, but I am an adult risking only his own neck," he countered. "You have a lot of people concerned about you."
"I'll be fine," Natalie insisted, teenage whininess creeping into her voice.
"I'm sure you would be," Link replied diplomatically. "I would rather not risk it though." Natalie stood pouting as he left her in the rain to head down the familiar trail. She was about to sulk back to the hotel when an impulse sent her running over the uncultivated terrain.
Link slid down a muddy embankment, jumping to avoid the mud puddle at the bottom. He didn't mind that his clothes were stained and his feet were being rubbed raw from hiking in wet shoes. Sarah was alright, and that was what mattered. Now that the immediate task at hand was done he realized how incredibly risky the trip out here had been.
"Keeyat!" he shouted as a red blur descended upon him as he rounded a craggy path. The blur laughed as she stood up from where she had landed, mud splattered over her clothing. "I thought you were going back to the hotel," Link admonished as he recovered from being startled.
"I wanted to see the river," Natalie shrugged, looking expectantly at Link.
"It isn't safe," he insisted, but it was obvious Natalie would not be swayed. He marched on a bit more cautiously, but it became apparent that Natalie was perhaps even more capable of him at navigating the terrain. She knew the land's quirks which actually sped the trip a great deal. Natalie chatted mindlessly the entire time, only giving Link a few opportunities to speak.
"You really should head back now," said Link as the river pulled into view. Natalie stared at the angry river in alarm.
"You got across that?" she asked, pointing and the flooded bed. Link nodded.
"You aren't going to try and follow me, are you?" he asked suspiciously. Natalie shook her head, still staring in awe.
"How did you get across?" she whispered. Link grinned and dug a pack out from the scrubby plants that grew in this part of the country. He pulled out a wetsuit and small tank. "Zora Armor, impressive."
"Do you dive?" Link asked hopefully as she recognized the brand of his gear. She shook her head again.
"I cannae even swim," she confessed. "You do nae have to worry about me following you anymore." Link gave her a smile.
"Are you going to be alright getting back on your own?" he asked.
"I'll be fine," she assured him.
"The path won't be getting any better, I'll take you back if you would like," Link offered.
"I'll be fine, you should go. The day seems to last forever, but once night comes it falls fast," Natalie smiled back. Link had reservations about leaving her alone here, but he had no idea what time it was and had to go back. He hoped Natalie was as capable as she appeared
"I'll come back as soon as I can to check up on you and let you know what is going on," Link said as he strapped the small tank onto his back and headed for the river.
"Okay," Natalie replied. "When did you change? I didnae see you."
"That is kind of the point," Link replied, giving her an odd look. "Don't expect me back too soon," he added before fitting the mouthpiece and pulling on his goggles.
"Enjoy the rest of the gauntlet!" Natalie called as she waved. Link waved back and dove under the surface. Natalie sat down and stared over the river, trying to see any sign of Link, but the churning water made it impossible to tell where he was. Eventually Natalie gave up and decided to head back to the hotel. She stood up and attempted to brush some of the mud off her pants to no avail. Natalie turned around and ran into the massive wall that was her irate father.
"I'm old enough to make my own decisions!" was heard through the door before it was even opened. Sarah breathed a sigh of relief knowing Natalie was alright.
"While you are living in my house you will live by my rules," O'Dragmire shouted back, throwing open the front doors and dragging Natalie inside by the hood of her jacket. It was apparent they had been shouting the entire way back to the hotel.
"We do nae live in a house," Natalie spat acidly. "This is a hotel. I've never had a normal home."
"You have a father and you will obey him," O'Dragmire growled, obviously stung.
"I havenae seen any rules about nae taking a walk in the rain posted anywhere," she sneered back, ripping off her soaked jacket and throwing it in a heap.
"What about always letting me know where you are?" he demanded, fury still showing on his face.
"I never go anywhere," she whined. "You never had a problem with me going on walks before."
"It usually isn't a deluge outside!" her father spat back. "I do nae have rules just to make you miserable. I have them for your safety. Running about in the rain, by a swollen river, when you cannae swim at all is nae a good idea."
"You cannae keep me here forever!" Natalie screamed.
"No," her father agreed calmly, with more composure than the previous conversation would have suggested he could muster. "I cannae, but until this whole mess clears up you will remain in the hotel. Do you understand?"
"You cannae force me to stay in here!" she shouted back with irrational stubbornness that teens manage. O'Dragmire glared at her with all the impatience, exhaustion and frustration of the day visible on his face. He silently marched over to his daughter and grabbed her by the arm and pulled her through the lobby. He lifted her over the counter and pushed her into his small office.
"You will stay in there until we have both had a chance to cool down," O'Dragmire growled through the door. Banging and screaming was heard in reply. He threw his hands up in defeat and headed out.
"This probably is nae the best course of action, O'Dragmire," Mona warned, creeping around the corner she had been eaves dropping behind.
"You let her out and you will be sorry," he threatened. "I cannae deal with her right now but it is nae like I'm going to keep her locked up for seven years."
"If you need some help…" she offered.
"Just leave me alone," O'Dragmire snapped and he stormed up the stairs.
Sarah sat dumbfounded at the sudden turn of events. The hotel had fallen silent except for the incessant banging on the walls of the office.
"This is not good," Sarah whispered to Mona as she passed by. Mona stopped and looked at the girl.
"No," she admitted softly. "Things never turn out very good when he gets like this."
"You have seen this happen before?" Sarah asked, shocked. He had seemed so nice, even if he became frustrated easily.
"Aye, but it was a long time ago," Mona explained helplessly. "I probably should nae be talking about it. It takes a lot to push him over the edge but when he goes it is best to just let him be."
"You aren't going to leave Natalie trapped in there, are you?" Sarah asked. Mona shrugged.
"He's the boss," she sighed and left Sarah alone in the darkness.
Natalie was released from the office sometime later. O'Dragmire was still brooding, but he allowed her out to eat before hauling her up to her room where she was to remain the rest of the evening. Neither were screaming anymore but neither were talking much either. The atmosphere had become as dark as the storm outside.
"Can't sleep again?" Sarah asked as she heard the stairs creek. Total darkness had descended and the hotel had become still, but Sarah had been unable to fall asleep. Inactivity and boredom had made her restless, and she didn't want to dream again. Her query paused on the stairs before entering the lobby.
"I didnae mean to wake you," the deep sullen voice replied.
"I wasn't sleeping yet," Sarah assured him. "Are you going to be okay?" O'Dragmire remained in a brooding silence.
"Everything is falling apart," he lamented at last. "The hotel still has no power, the repairs are getting behind schedule, I am still worried about the land acquisition, and now Natalie is acting up. I feel powerless, and I do nae like it."
"Did Natalie tell you why she went out in the rain?" Sarah asked tentatively.
"No," O'Dragmire replied curtly. "I do nae know what possessed her to go out in storm like that. She is nae to fond of water. She started hollering about her age the moment I found her and told her to come back."
"She went because someone from Hylia came here," Sarah explained, not knowing what to say for fear of angering her host further.
"Oh? Is the bridge repaired?" he asked nervously.
"Not yet," she replied. "He found an alternate route, asked Natalie for directions how to get back and she followed him out."
"You Hylians cause me so many problems," O'Dragmire accused. "Why did someone come out?"
"Apparently they found my car," Sarah explained timidly. "They assumed I was dead but someone reported seeing you dragging me off." O'Dragmire let out an oath in reply. "Link said they are planning a raid to get me back." Another longer and louder oath was released.
"I try to help you and I get an invasion," he groaned.
"Link went back to try to sort things out," Sarah tried to assure him but he was still agitated.
"I do nae foresee a way this can end well," O'Dragmire replied, the same troubling intensity that had bothered Sarah before was creeping back into his eyes.
"Neither do I," Sarah admitted, losing her nerve under his piercing gaze. "I didn't mean to cause you all this trouble."
"The first time you came here it was with the intention to cause me trouble," O'Dragmire replied ironically.
"I'll help you in anyway I can," Sarah offered, trying to diffuse the rising tension.
"I think you have done enough already," was the biting reply as the hotel owner stormed away. Whatever truce they had come to in the past few days was broken.
O'Dragmire stormed up the stairs and pounded on a door on the top floor. Anna answered immediately, looking expectantly up at her boss.
"The Hylians are coming," he said desperately. Anna left the room and shut the door to let her roommate sleep.
"Of course they are," she chided. "Sarah is here and you never let them know you had her and she was safe."
"Our phones went out with the power, how was I supposed to call them?" O'Dragmire spat back in a loud whisper.
"We are the only ones without power," Anna reminded him.
"We need to get her to Acrimon," he replied decisively.
"It is too late for that," Anna replied firmly. "If you take her there you will have to explain why you didnae get her there sooner. She will have to be seen at a hospital and there will possibly be a police report made out. The Hylians will be here before you could get her to a phone. I do nae think they will take to kindly to paying us a visit just to have Sarah missing again." O'Dragmire wiped his face with his hand.
"Can we just leave her outside where they will find her?" he asked in frustration.
"Aye, if you want it to look like we are hiding something," Anna replied. "There is nae a way out of this now."
"So we let them invade?" O'Dragmire asked angrily pacing the hallway. Anna stared at him coldly.
"They intend to invade, then?" she asked sadly. Her boss nodded his head in ascent.
"They will invade," he stated firmly. "We have done nothing to provoke them so we would be within our right to defend ourselves."
"We all stand to lose much when things go wrong," Anna told him. "You especially."
"What would you have me do, Anna?" O'Dragmire demanded. "I will nae see my home attacked for trying to help someone."
"We have run before," Anna replied, waving her arms to indicate the staff sleeping on the floor. "We could do it again."
"This is my home," he growled in reply. "I will nae leave it for a misunderstanding." Anna nodded her head.
"We will be ready then," she replied resolutely.
"You already know how this will turn out," O'Dragmire accused.
"There is nae a way this can bode well. I know my history, O'Dragmire," she replied sadly before closing herself in her room.