Chapter Nine

Link slowly finished his drink, giving the members of the Group time to talk amongst themselves. He did not feel insulted at being left out; he knew that he had done the same for a long time. If he was to know, he would be informed; if not, then he would just have to tough it out.

Eir offered him a refill; he mutely declined, but she did so anyways, telling him, "This is on the house; I'll pay for it. We don't get many handsome swordsmen round here" and giving a genial wink. He chuckled at this and accepted the drink.

"You're certainly like your aunt," he muttered, taking a draught of the ruby liquid.

"She basically raised me," explained Eir, resting her elbows on the bar and her chin on her clasped hands. "My upbringing was...very scattered, I suppose. My birth was quite a surprise for my mother." She laughed at this, smiling prettily.

"How are you related to Telma?" asked Link, glancing towards the five. "Through your father or your mother?"

"My mother," she replied, waving a hand to indicate her hair. "All of us had this color. My mother died, though, a couple years back, and Telma's been raising me since, helping me and all."

Link nodded, not really sure how to add to this conversation. Instead, he drank long from his mug, observing Eir. He did feel slightly eerie around her, as though in the presence of something foreboding and otherworldly. She was a pleasant enough girl, so he would make no comments, but it was not a very comfortable feeling.

When he put down his drink, Eir caught his chin in a darkly delicate hand and jerked his face to look into her eyes. They scrutinized him, like a separate entity; while most might find red eyes a disturbing sight, they were actually comforting in Eir. They fit her overall persona. If she were to have brown or blue eyes, it would have been stranger.

"You're not like the rest of them," she whispered, sweeping over him. "You hold many pains, don't you?" She released him, but still held the gaze. Link didn't dare break it. "Don't let it get to you, Link. All those things that hurt you: I've seen that before. In my mother. She held so many things from me, but I could tell. Her sadness led to her eventual death. Don't let that happen to you."

"What do you mean?" whispered back Link.

"You hurt, here," she indicated her own chest with a clenched fist. "Don't look so surprised; I grew up around it. My mother, my aunt – "

"Telma?" This information surprised Link so much that he broke the stare to look at the bar's owner, who was still in deep conversation with her friends. "With whom?"

"That Kakariko shaman," explained Eir, still in a soft, low voice. "And my mother…well, my father…he told her that he was going off to make her proud, and he never returned. They never even got married, and I don't know if he even knew about me. She grieved for him and pined away every single day, but he never came back. Link, don't let the disappointment of love get to you." She gripped his gloved hand with hers, looking at him pleadingly. "Don't do anything drastic, anything that could upset the balance."

Link snatched away his hand with unwarranted force. He turned from Eir, muttering, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Eir just kept on watching him with her wide, knowing eyes, her face without smile. She could easily tell that he was lying, but did not speak.

After a few minutes, there was some rustling in the back area of the bar; Link looked up to see Telma beckoning him to join them. Just as Link stood up, an idea occurred to him, and he turned to Eir. "Eir…you're…well, this might seem like an odd question, but what's your, ah, heritage?"

She shot him a quizzical look. "'Heritage'? What do you mean?"

"Link," called Telma loudly, her voice sounding very terse, "come here, honey. Now."

Link smiled briefly at Eir. "Never mind." He turned to Telma and walked over to them. Telma had her arms crossed across her chest, looking impatient and disapproving. "What?" he asked innocently when he approached. "What's that look for?" He knew what Telma knew – or at least he had a fairly good idea – but he wanted to hear it directly from Telma herself.

"You know perfectly well," hissed Telma, looking extremely cross. "Asking her about her 'heritage'…"

"It was a question of curiosity," replied Link simply. "Why? Is there something more to it?"

"Don't play dumb."

Link crossed his arms as well, giving her a cool, appraising look. He finally spoke, choosing his words carefully. "That's a good idea. I won't play dumb. Tell me about your niece, and your sister. And you."

Telma glared at him for a few moments, but suddenly all the fight seemed to leave her. She dropped her arms and sighed, looking at the tabletop. "You got me, honey. I'm never been good at actin' fierce." She gestured towards an empty chair in the corner. "Take that, Link honey, and bring it up to the table. Let me tell you a story."

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