Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda, but you probably don't either.

"Book of Forest

Chapter Two

Time Scars

Four months had passed since first the Hylian Knights had adopted the gypsy boy into their care, and now, in the harshness of winter, their mid-length capes had been replaced by heavy blue cloaks. For almost a month, their trek had slowed to a stop as the snow fell around and stranded the group in their tents, awaiting the snows to thaw. Yet two weeks had passed since their escape, and at last a sign of civilization came into view.

Not even a minute had passed since the Knights had tied up their horses before one had made the suggestion of hitting the local pub, after all, there is nothing like a few pints to warm the body. Instinctively, Wyatt initially went to follow after the other five knights, but soon was reminded of his responsibilities as a small cloaked figure descended from the cart. "Hm, I suppose that we should begin gathering information on the next Sorcerer," the knight sighed as he joined the remaining four.

"Really, well that is very noble of you, I was personally going to suggest that you and Erol join the others after our long trek, but if you are so eager to help…" Theo informed him in the way that was his norm.

For a moment, Wyatt simply stared in confusion at the seer, who's long hair had been let down to keep the cold off of his ears, wondering why he suddenly took an interest in helping him out before at last deciding that it must be some sort of a test, "Hmph Seer, if I we were to do that, who would protect the Princess and yourselves?"

As the scarred knight waited for the inevitable response, he was surprised to find it coming from an unexpected source, "It's alright Wyatt, we can take care of ourselves and Zelda for awhile."

Wyatt lowered himself to eyelevel with his charge and placed both hands on the boy's shoulders, "Are you certain? I shall remain if you wish." Cato simply smiled and nodded his head, "In that case, come on Kid, I shall drink you under the table," and off he went, dragging behind a very confused Erol.

The sorcerers waited until the knights had at last left their sights before they spoke, "Hm, I wonder how long it shall be before they realize that we do not have the coin to support this?"

"They believe that our King is good and is looking after them, but I doubt he believed we would be so fortunate to live this long and spent so much," Theo replied, knowing that both of his remaining companions were aware of the truth.

"So why do you not simply tell them the truth? I am certain they wouldst understand," commented the Princess in her own calm manner, not entirely certain what the consequences would be; after all, money had never before been an issue.

"And why would they wish to listen to us, two young men who have never had jobs of their own and 'The Princess'," the seer responded as his eyes quickly scanned her wardrobe, a long light blue hooded coat atop a billowing blue satin robe, with matching sapphire earrings with hanging diamonds and a silver tiara, "Besides, to shatter their faith in a man they hold so high, so important, it would break their spirits."

"Well then, I suppose we had better get to work," replied Cato before moving into the middle of the square, "Speak to you dearly departed, only fifty Quite!" (roughly 20 rupees)

As the gypsy's filled his lungs to once again make his proclamation, he felt a shivering hand on his cloak covered shoulder, "Cato, you do not need to do this, why not simply play some music?"

With a smile, Cato stared up at the seer, knowing full well the true meaning behind his words, but choosing to ignore it, "Theo, you know as well as I that I shall make far more as a median then a musician. Besides, after all the evil my powers have brought, I would like to do some good."

"I suppose that you expect for me to join you," Theo insinuated, a shaky smirk appearing on his face.

"Of course not, I simply wish to help," there was no malice in the boy's voice, nor guilt or expectancy, and yet Theo knew he had lost, and begrudgingly raised his hand.

"Read you future! Only forty Quite!"

"And what, pray tell, do you expect for me to do whilst the two of you are working? Who shall protect me?" the Princess intruded as the two boys began walking away.

"Zelda, you are seventeen years of age. Most girls by now are married and raising children, I am certain you can survive one afternoon by yourself," Theo replied, looking straight into her blue eyes, then continued towards the center of the square, shouting to those who would listen.

"Why Mrs. Averay, how lovely it is to see you again," a trader greeted as the woman approached, kissing her hand in a flirtatious act. He had just arrived in Hyrule that morning, along with many like him, searching for those whom he could quickly sell his foreign merchandise, and perhaps purchase some of his own. Though a sale was never a guarantee, Mrs. Averay was renowned amongst the salesmen for two things: the first was for always being the first ant at the picnic, beginning her search for items of interest, which her husband would sell for several weeks to come, mere minutes after the traders arrived from their different land.

The second was for the now six year old boy who seemed forever attached to her hip. Though many young children were quite fond of their mothers, this mother and son's relationship had always seemed off for reasons that no one could quite understand. Perhaps it was the way she allowed for him to play with every piece they found, or perhaps, it was the odd way they seemed to whisper in the other's pointed ears, as if they were discussing business.

"Do you see anything you like?" the man asked as the woman scan over the items with her eyes. For a moment, she said nothing, until at last she noticed a small jewelry box.

Lifting the box for the man to see, Lilah Averay summoned a smile as she spoke, "Tell me about this item?"

"Oh, a very fine chose. That jewelry box comes all the way from Lysicht, made from the finest wood and crafted by a master carpenter."

"From Lysicht you say?" Since the war had started two years past, the journey to Lysicht, which at one time was a mere month's journey through Calatia, had turned into almost seven months around the country's border. As such, demand for such items had risen, as had the prices, "And what is it that you ask for such a piece?"

"Ordinarily, I would sell this item for thirty rupees, but for you, only twenty-seven," the man smiled back at her.

Turning to her son, Lilah placed the box in his already open hands, "What do you think honey?" The boy stared blankly for a moment before looking up to his mother, summoning her to bend down to his level. A smirk appeared on the mother's face as the six year old whispered in her ear, "We shall take five."

"An excellent choice," the trader responded, reaching underneath his stall for the additional four boxes the woman required, "Would you like anything else?"

"I'm not sure, what do you think?" Lilah asked her son in the condescending tone of a parent trying to make their child feel important, but it would seem the blond haired boy was already occupied as he stared off at a small group of boys, most only a year or two older then himself, playing in a nearby alley, "Theo, you don't want to play with those boys, they aren't special like you are. Wouldn't you rather help mommy?"

"I see a child in your near future, a boy. His name, its Julian," Theo spoke as he grasped a woman's hands.

"Oh my, my father is named Julian. We were planning to name our second son after him, how did you know?" the woman gasped, tightening her grip on the Hylian.

"I told you, I'm a Seer. That will be forty Quite," the sorcerer replied in a bored tone, holding out his hand for payment.

"Of course, of course. My husband will be so happy, we have been trying for a second child for months now and I feared…" the woman began to sob as she placed the coins in seer's hands.

Theo however, was not very interested in the young woman's story; instead he counted down the quota he had set for himself, 'Twenty three more.' As he prepared for his next customer, Theo felt the sudden need to lean his head to the left, followed by a homemade ball narrowly missing his head, colliding into the necromancer sitting behind him.

The spirit of an elderly woman, who had chosen the form of a far younger self, was speaking to Cato when he was struck. The gypsy politely held up a finger to the spirit as he turned around to see the cloth all rolling beside him. Within seconds, three young boys around his age had arrived, "Are you looking for this?"

At the gypsy's query, the eldest of the boys nodded his head, "Yes, thank you." The adolescent grasped the ball in his hands and turned to leave when his brother whispered in his ear, suggesting that they ask the gypsy to join, "We could always use another player, if you would like…"

A grin graced Cato's face upon hearing the request, but from the corner of his green eyes, he saw the spirit float, and remembered the job he had to do, "Sorry, I can't right now, I…"

"You should go, I will cover for you," Theo spoke up, having listened in on the conversation as a man approached him.

"Really? Are you certain?" Cato asked, not wanting to burden his companion.

"Of course I am, go, enjoy yourself," the seer dismissed him, pretending to be occupied.

"Thank you so much Theo, I promise I shall work twice as hard tomorr…"

"Hey kid, I paid you good money. If I wanted to talk to the living, I would do it myself!" an angry man grumbled, having asked to speak with his mother.

For a moment, Cato's eyes seemed to glisten as he turned to the three boys, "You'll have more fun without me." The happy grin returned to his face as Cato turned to his costumer and continued his interpreting.

"…seventy-five rupees." Nine years old, Theo held the green broach in his hand, looking forward towards the future. He saw a woman grasp the broach of an unknown table, placing one purple and one yellow on a table. Staring up at his mother, the young seer simply shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but this simply is not what I am looking for." Lilah told the trader, placing the brooch back on the display table, "What about this…"

As his mother repeated the process that had become her routine over the years, Theo carefully watched as some other boys played in the marketplace, performing little tricks and hiding from one another. He had long ago given up the thought of joining them, too much time had passed for such a thing to be possible, but still at times he still imagined he could. It would seem that they he had been staring for too long, for the boys began staring back, their noses wrinkled in a sinister way, "Hey Momma's boy, watcha starin' at?"

Theo began to open his mouth to reply when a new item was shoved into his hands; he saw nothing. "So what do you think?"

"Aw, cantcha hear us Momma's boy?" the boys continued to taunt him, but his mother came first.

"I didn't see anything," Theo whispered in her ear.

"Cryin' to your Momma already?"

"Then try again," the woman hissed impatiently.

"I am trying," Theo answered, his eyes darting back and forth between the boys, his mother and the blue ocarina in his hands, all the while, his heart pounding like a drum, "It doesn't always work."

"I am sorry Mrs. Averay, but there are others waiting." "I apologize we are thinking it over. Hurry." "Why don't you answer, you scared?" "Theo please, we haven't the time for your antics."

Voices seem to shout at him from all directions, breaking his thoughts and disorienting the seer. His heart continued to race, as magic surged through his veins. All Theo wanted was for the world to slow down, and when he looked up, it had. He was not entirely certain what had happened, but he was certain that it was his own doing. For the first hour, while barely a second had passed for the rest of the world, the young boy spent trying to wake the near frozen people around him. For another hour, he wept, frightened that he would never escape the world he had created, but when at last the tears ceased falling, a moment of clarity at last arose. What was there for him to miss in this world? A mother who claimed to be looking out for him but was truly looking out for herself? Children who laughed at him and would likely never accept him? He was only nine years old, and already he felt that his childhood was over. For hours, he contemplated his life in the silence of slowed time, until at long last he fell asleep at his mother's feet, the ocarina still in hand.

"Theo, what in the world are you doing on the ground?" the seer woke moments later to the sound of his mother's voice. A bewildered look appeared on his face as he stared around at the restored world, "Now tell me, should I buy the ocarina?"

With a new sense of resolve, Theo stared blankly up at his mother, "Yes, this is mine."

The rudeness of her son's voice was like nothing she had ever heard before, and as she stared into the boy's eyes, she could tell something had changed. But still, she could not scold him in such a public area, and so, begrudgingly, she bought her son the gift, "Come, let us see the other stands."

"No, now I am going home," and without a single glance back, Theo walked away.

"Hey Momma's boy, where's your momma?" the boys taunted as he passed by, but the anger he had once felt did not seem to surface, instead he simply flashed a condescending smirk and walked on.

"Who's next?" the seer asked in a tiresome tone, knowing that he only had a mere three readings left before he would be done for the day. A confident looking man in his mid twenties was the next to approach, "Tell me Seer, how long shall my mother-in-law be living with me?"

"I do not believe you understand, I cannot control what I see, nor can I guarantee that I will see anything at all. I can only tell you what I am shown. Would you still like a reading?"

"I suppose," the man grumbled, joining the seventeen year old on the ground.

"Give me your hands," Theo instructed, holding up his palms. As the flesh touched his own, the seer's eyes went glassy and suddenly he was in the future, "Tell me, your wife, does she have brown hair down to here?" Theo asked, pointing halfway down his torso.

"Yes, yes she does," the man spoke excitedly.

"I am afraid she has bedded another man… wait, two other men… three?" reported the seer to the now infuriated man.

"How dare you spread such filth about my wife?"

"I told you, I have no control over what I see," Theo dismissed him, but the man did not seem content to leave. In his furry, the man took a swing at the seer with his fist, striking the boy's right cheek. The man prepared for another punch, but in a blur, the seer seemed to disappear, his eyes glistening at memories of his sister.

Zelda had spent the majority of the afternoon exploring the small town, surprised at how well she survived on her own. Not only had she navigated the streets without a dispute, but also had managed a conversation or two with the local women, an act she found quite refreshing after being surrounded by only men for almost a year.

On her return to the caravan however, the robed Princess found something she did not expect. Sitting on the edge of the covered cart was a long haired young man, leaning forward as if staring at the ground. His golden hair proved a great barrier, covering the seer's face from the curious princess and vice versa. But as the young woman walked forward to approach him, gently, Theo's fingers combed back the hair which fell on his face, revealing his tear filled eyes. The strong, confident figure she had grown to know over the year seemed to shatter in that moment and the memory of their meeting played through her mind. The rejection of Asher's hand, the anger towards his sister, even his reluctance to work earlier that day. Was this boy, crying before her, what he had been hiding inside?

An odd feeling of being watched came over the seer, causing him to wipe his tears on his long cloak. He could not allow himself to be seen in this condition, he could not be weak again, and so, he put the small child in his mind away, and plastered on his stoic face. But when he at last turned to greet the observer, no one was there.

Over an hour had passed before Cato wouldst return, mere minutes before six knights stumbled forward, the youngest of which being held up by the twins, "Hmph, how much did he drink?"

"About three sips, I had to finish off his pint," Wyatt laughed at the clearly delirious Erol's expense.

Erol smiled gaily as he turned towards his charge, but in his inebriated state, all he noticed was the seer's long blond hair. "Princess, I am so-hic happy to… to see you," and with those words, he freed himself from the brothers and briefly ran to the 'girl', collapsing with his arms around 'her' neck.

"Erol, I am not Ze..."

"You're such a pretty, pretty princess. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty," the knight rambled on before noticing the red rose in his gloved hand, "I got you a present because you are the prettiest purr-ins-esss in the wide wide world."

As Erol continued on with his misplaced compliments, Cato turned to the other knights, his day's gains hidden deep within his wallet, "So what have the rest of you been doing all afternoon?"

"Well Sir Ethan is off with a married woman he did meet at the pub, but do not fret, she hath already been unfaithful with another two young men if the rumors are to be believed," Wyatt smirked down at his charge, then turned back towards another knight, "And Sir Robin, he…"

"I found a KITTEH!!" the twenty two year old proclaimed proudly, holding out a struggling tabby kitten with black stripes.

"I thought I told you to return that beast," Sir Wyatt lectured, causing Robin to pout.

"But I love him," the knight responded moments before the kitten bit down into his palm and freed itself. Once landing safely on the ground, the three month old cat sought refuge at the feet of the young gypsy.

"Awe, he's so cute, does he have a name?" Cato asked as he carefully lifted the kitten from the ground. Robin shook his head back and forth as his inspected the tiny holes in his gloves, "Alright, I think I shall name you… Caepio."

Wyatt opened his mouth to protest, but as the kitten purred as the boy's touch, he found himself unable to speak, and so turned to another, "Seer, tell him we do have not the time to give that kitten the proper care."

But as Theo turned around, having just placed the passed out Erol in the cart, he could not help but form a small smile, "I think every child should have at least one friend." And with that, the issue had been settled. As Theo lifted himself to sit beside Erol, he a new thought occurred to him and he grabbed the knight's red rose, "Where did he get this, flowers should not be blooming for another month."

The five knights stared blankly at him, feeling slightly ashamed for having not made the connection themselves, "I believe that the vendor who sold the rose to Sir Erol mentioned being from Kikoro Village," Sir Tobias spoke up.

"Well, I believe I would like to have a talk with this vendor. Let us go."

"Where art we going?" asked a feminine voice. As Theo turned he saw the Princess at last arrive at the campgrounds.

"I believe this is for you," the seer half responded, handing over Erol's red rose. Zelda's cheeks flushed at the gift as the Knights began their trek back to the flower stand.

"Why Theo… thank you dearly. I…I have something for you as well," quickly rustling through her enchanted bag, the princess removed a large wallet, "I was searching through my belongings and I stumbled upon this. I believe it should last us a few more months."

Opeing the page, he found it to be filled with hundred Quite coins. He was prepared to concradulate the girl when he noticed something underneath her blue hood, "Zelda, where are your earrings?"

"I must have lost them.""

Yey, not only did I finish the chapter, I gave a third character last name (Theo Averay, Cato Gerudo, Zelda Hyrule). But I still need last names for the knights. Unfortunately I suck at last names, so if you have ny ideas, i'd appreciate it if you'd give them via reveiw. I may not use the name for that character, but I may still use it. if you don't, no worries. seeya