The last chapter of this story...Sorry if I couldnt make it longer, but I wanted to do this just right...I apologize ahead of time if it didnt meet your expectations.
Please Read or Review...or criticize, whichever comes first.
Chapter 5: A Mask Made of Wood
Princess Althea set down her Deku Pipes, looking back at the sky; the sun was already setting, creating shades of blue, yellow, and red on the sky. The princess smiled at the sight as she seated herself near the pool, waiting for that young Deku boy. She played with the small pearl necklace that he had bought for the Deku princess just a year ago. A year ago…the greatest time in her life had lasted three whole days, with him alone no less. She recalled how they both were chased by that little dog, how they entertained themselves with the games that some merchants had set up nearby, and how they watched the fireworks together…that had been just a year ago. They were definitely going back to Clock Town this year, even if they had to escape the palace altogether, she wasn't going to miss it.
She looked up at the sky again, finally noticing the sun was no longer in sight, and that the moon had taken its place. There was no sign of the Deku boy, anywhere. "..Strange," Althea murmured as she looked all around the already darkened sky. "he usually arrives before this hour…"
"PRINCESS ALTHEA!!" Althea suddenly blinked, and turned away from the moon and stars, to face the Chamberlain nearby. He was facing the other way, calling her name.
"Chamberlain?" Althea asked, finally catching the Deku Butler's attention. He turned almost immediately at the sound of her voice.
"Ah! There you are! I was looking all over for you…should have known you'll be here in the gardens." He then winked at her, and added, "Waiting for my son, are you?" Althea tried to hide the blush that had overtaken her wooden cheeks with her hands, but she wasn't so successful. The butler smiled at her.
"…Kind of…" she confessed, still hiding the blush. The Deku Butler, as well as everyone in the Deku Palace, including(surprisingly) her father, knew about the two Dekus' close relationship, in fact the Deku King had once mentioned 'husband' and 'marriage' when talking about the Butler's son. It was love, even if they didn't like to admit it.
"Kind of…eh?" he asked her, making the Deku girl blush even harder than before. "Don't let his tardiness worry you, princess, that boy of mine can pretty much take care of himself."
"I know…" the Deku Princess told him, her blush halfway gone. Chamberlain turned to leave.
"Dinner is all set, milady, you should go to the main hall as soon as you can." Althea nodded at the retreating Deku, and then looked up in the sky. "…please, be safe…" she whispered. The princess, with one last look, she left the garden and followed the butler's path.
The soldier gulped as he looked back at the huge wooden palace before him. He looked down at the small bag he carried with him, and sighed, looking back at palace once more. "Captain Viscen shouldn't have sent me to do this thing," the soldier muttered as he made his way towards the small floating platforms in the water. "…I was never good with giving bad news…"
The soldier crossed the small lake that surrounded the palace, and was about to walk inside, when suddenly out of the ground two Deku guards, covered in yellow and red leaves sprouted. "Halt!!" one of the called, scaring the already spooked soldier. "State your business here, stranger!!" The Deku Guard ordered.
"…ummm…" The soldier stammered, but managed to continue after taking a deep breath. "I…I request to see the Deku King, Kinsley!" The other guard laughed.
"Ha! What would a peasant like you want to see the king for?" he asked the man. "Someone like you can't just demand to see him."
"It…it is very important that I speak with King Kingsley, sir!!" cried the soldier, making both soldiers jump. The first guard that had spoken looked back at him, and nodded to the other.
"…who sent you?" he asked the foreign soldier.
"The Mayor of Clock Town, Mr. Dotour, sir." The Dekus nodded, allowing him to continue. "…It is about the king's royal messenger…" The second guard to speak looked at his partner.
"Princess Althea's playmate?"
"He is the only messenger I know of," the first Deku Guard looked back at the soldier. "What about him?"
"I regret to say…to say that…he…he…won't be coming back, sir…" The second Deku Guard stared at the soldier confused.
"Eh!?" he cried, shaking his body as he did. "What are you talking about, peasant? That boy abandoning the king? Impossible!" The first Deku Guard shook his body as well, staring at his fellow guard.
"Never thought he would do such a thing…like abandoning, little princess Althea…" The soldier sighed, and shook his head. He noticed another Deku, with strange green hair looking back at him or rather at the two guards before him.
"I…I believe you don't understand me…sirs…" Both guards turned to look at him, now, even more confused than before. The Deku behind them, suddenly froze, staring at the soldier right in the eyes. "He won't be coming back…because…because…he is dead…" He managed to choke the last word out, coughing as if to hold back some sort of emotion.
"W-what did you say?" the first Deku Guard asked him, shaking calmly.
"I'm sorry," the soldier began. "he…he was flying near the mountains…"
…What?...My son…dead?
"he spotted a dodongo attacking my fellow soldiers…he tried to help…"
…dead?...Dodongo?...Dead? Dodongo? Dead?...he tried to help?
"He…he managed to distract the beast long enough for the injured soldiers of the my platoon to escape…but we were unable…to return to help him…and when we did…we were already too late…" The soldier showed him the bag he held in his hand. He stared to the ground as he spoke. "…this is all we were able to save…I'm so sorry…" The two guards looked at each other, and then, the first guard went to grab the bag, before a scream made them all freeze.
"MY SON!!! NO!!!!!!"
"That day," the Deku Butler said, as he drank more milk from his cup. "was a horrible one…the princess cried herself to sleep for many months after that terrible day…we tried everything in our power to help her recover from my son's death…the king, her group of monkey friends…even I when I could no longer cry, and when I buried my son with this two hands…under a bark of tree that was his spitting image…" Mr. Barten watched coolly as the old Deku drank the remainder of his milk. "…she could never forget him…but, she is better now…explosive as ever…" He added that last part with a chuckle and then turned to look at the clock. Behind them, the newlyweds were talking with a group of friends, and Lulu was finally smiling with her friends on the stage.
"I'm sorry…having you tell me this must be…" The old Deku laughed, silently.
"Oh, no, no…dear bartender…remembering those that have passed on is the best medicine for the living's loneliness…and talking about my son keeps me alive…"
"That son of yours…he was a true hero…" Mr. Barten told him, smiling. "I'm sure the little princess remembers him as that…"
"And you are correct…" He looked back at the bartender and nodded. "He was a hero that had yet to awake…and I'm happy for that…my friend…"
TICK. TOCK.
"Chamberlain!" A small voice called, interrupting their conversation. Everyone in the bar looked up at the stairs, were a young Deku girl, accompanied by two white monkeys stood. On her hand she held a small bundle of flowers, while her two monkey friends bottles of water. "…sorry for being late…" By now, everyone had returned to their business, ignoring the newcomer, although the newlyweds spared her a glance or two, curious. The old Butler bowed, and gave her a smile.
"Do not worry so, princess…" he told her.
"But…I made you wait so long…"
"Please….you wanted it to be at midnight, during the carnival…I couldn't say no."
"Oh…well…" the Deku Princess turned to her monkey friend. "Shall we get going, Mr. Monkey?" The white monkey nodded.
"Yes..let's go visit the boy," the trio left the bar, leaving behind the old Deku, who bowed to the bartender.
"I thank you for your company, my dear friend…it was nice talking to you about my son…and now, I shall beg you to forgive me for leaving so soon…"
"Wait!" called Mr. Barten. "Before you go…here…" The bartender went to the counter, and got out a bottle of milk, which he gave to the old Deku, who looked at him in puzzlement. "My gift to your son…the best milk in Termina…and the only trophy one such as myself can give to a hero." Tears slowly slid down the butler's face, before he looked back at the man behind the counter who nodded.
"Thank you…my dear friend…"
We are the masks,
we are the spirits,
we are the hidden heroes that seek to feel alive.
Help us, help us,
oh! Hero of another time.
Our legend came to an abrupt end,
but yours has just begun.
In the masks we hide,
carry with you our will and heart,
oh! Great hero of another time…
And that ends the story, I added that small poem at the end, something random I know, but I wanted to add a little extra because Christmas is around the corner.
Well...hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it...see you in my next story.
-Fyras14(switch pen name!)