Chapter 42 – The Children's Mistake
It was a grey sky under which the children played that afternoon, and everyone could see their forced smiles and played happiness as clear as spring water. The sticks serving as swords laid long forgotten in the mud, covered with splinters and bark partly birched away. Shuffled feet and quiet murmuring echoed around the destroyed houses and was swept away by the low, cold breeze of spring.
In the centre, the children of Ordon walked up and down, heads hanging low and arms gripping each other tightly from the chilly air. They looked sad and disturbed, restless and lonely despite their united group safe and sound.
''Colin, why are you not afraid of that Midna?'' Beth asked while kicking away a lone stick. The mud flew up around her foot and rained on her toes. ''I mean she looks kinda weird to me, not human at all.''
''Yeah, I thought she was one of those monsters who kidnapped us at first.'' Talo jumped in, his usually strong and high-pitched voice raucous from disuse. The poor boy had turned strangely quiet after Link arrived five days ago; it was plain to see that his hero's gravely wounded state troubled him deeply.
Colin was the only one of the three kids still having a shine to his innocent eyes. While the other two glanced at him with heads low, he walked next to them with an unfaltering pace, looking resolutely at his two friends. ''She's Link's friend, so she is mine as well. If Link trusted her all the time even if she looked strange, then we have nothing to worry about her.''
Beth dropped her gaze to her feet once more and nodded sadly. ''I wish we could pay him a visit. Why doesn't Renado let us in anyway?''
''Because we would wake him, dummie.'' came Malo's low voice from the door of his shop, causing the others to turn around. ''Where have you been all the time, Malo?'' Talo asked combatively, folding his arms. ''You haven't been inside asking news about Link! Are you not worried about him at all?''
The small boy trudged down the plank to the mud and stared up at his older brother fiercely. ''Of course I'm worried about him, brother. I was so worried that I sneaked up into the kitchen yesterday and overheard Mr. Renado and this black girl talk about him.''
All three jumped in surprise. ''What?!'' Beth even let herself fall to her knees and jostled Malo by the shoulders. ''What did they say?!''
The little shopkeeper wound himself out of her grasp, mumbling a curse under his breath while dusting himself off. ''I'm not sure you wanna know.''
''Yes we want to know, Malo! Tell us now!'' his brother commanded, stomping his feet in a tantrum. Colin had to grab him by the arm to make him calm down, hissing his name.
All three then bend down to their youngest friend, who shook his black-haired head in despair. ''Well, if you really want to know … They said something about blood and infection and a fermentation or something like that – or formentation … never mind, they said that Link was going to die.''
A united gasp resounded before him, accompanied by a quivering whimper from Beth and Talo's chin hitting the ground. ''Did they really say that?'' Colin asked voicelessly; he was as white as a sheet.
''Not sure, but it was in any case negative.'' Malo answered, huffing once before turning his back to them and shuffling towards Elde Inn. The two older children were like petrified, but Colin called out to him and chased after the young Ordonian. ''Where're you going?''
''To Link. I'd like to have my shield back.''
''What?!'' the smith's son could not believe his ears. Could that sarcastic brat really be that heartless? Having only his shop in his mind?
As they both entered the inn, Luda turned to them with a little smile, and Malo addressed Colin softly without looking at him. ''Nah, just kiddin'.''
The blonde boy stared for a second at him before quickly looking down and hiding a grin. Malo approached the shaman's daughter and folded his arms. ''We would like to see Link.'' he said in a voice as resolute as rock.
The similar-haired girl looked surprised. ''Oh? I don't know if you can, my father's still up …'' But she was cut off by Malo's little body sharply turning away from her, his hidden feet instead shuffling towards the flight of stairs. ''You coming, Colin?''
Colin cast the aghast Luda an apologizing nod before hurrying behind Malo who held his much too long skirt up in his hands to not stumble over it while ascending the steps. ''Malo, we're not allowed to go into Link's room, Renado forbid it!'' he hissed. Luda was already coming after them, as were Talo and Beth running through the double inn doors.
''I know.'' Malo mumbled back, so soft that Colin nearly overheard it. ''As I said, I need my shield back. And as shield I mean Link.''
The blonde looked even more confused at this last reply, but already his little friend reached the top of the stairs and truckled in his slow pace towards the door in front of them, which was the first in a long corridor counting six doors in total.
Malo knocked fiercely on the wood while the others amassed behind him. Beth and Talo asked what he was up to, but he did not pay them any of his precious attention, which was solely locked on the similarly locked door.
A mechanical clicking resounded in front of them, and Renado stuck his head through the open door. ''Yes?'' he asked.
''We want to see Link.'' Malo said stubbornly, looking up fearlessly at the much bigger man before him. To Colin he was already intimidating, so what Renado must look like for the little shop keeper half his own size, he did not want to know.
''I understand your wish, but Link needs a lot of rest which you cannot guarantee, I'm afraid.'' the healer replied kindly, now crouching down to Malo's eye-level which he could not reach even on his knees. ''But you can prove me wrong.'' In his voice swept a mysterious tone along with his words.
At that quick climb-down, even Malo was taken aback. ''How?''
''You can watch over him while Midna, Luda and myself are taking in supper this evening. If you are quiet and do not disturb him, then you can come to him as often as you like.''
The other children gasped in surprise, glancing at each other happily. Renado however shushed them with a single hand move. ''But at the very first we have to ask Link if he consents. Shall we?''
Malo, as well as the other three children, nodded eagerly and waited while Renado went inside once more. After a second he waved them into the room, and they all stepped through the doorframe carefully. Colin could not believe he was here at last, after five days and nights of painful waiting and praying his brother would make it through. His heart beat quicker as he circled around the dark door and clapped his eyes on the big bed to his left.
''Link!'' he could not prevent himself from shouting out as he raced towards his symbolic brother with a huge grin on his young face. Link was propped up against a pillow which held his head a little higher, and on his exhausted looking face shone the brightest of smiles he had ever seen. ''Colin … Beth, Talo, Malo … you're here at last … I missed you … !'' he whispered softly.
Midna was seated on the other side of the bed, quickly jumping from her chair with a last smile at Link before joining Renado and Luda next to the door. The kids assembled around their big brother, each claiming one half of the bedside as their own.
''Are you all right?'' Beth asked worriedly.
''You look tired!'' Talo chimed in.
''Where's your shield?'' Malo mumbled.
''We were all so worried about you, Link.'' Colin said, shushing the two eldest children who already fought about who would ask the next question.
As all of their voices died down, Link smiled and answered in a whisper, looking between them all. ''You don't have to worry about me. I'm very tired, but I'm regaining my strength with every day. Mr. Renado takes good care of me, and I'm sure I'll be back on my feet soon.''
As giggles of relief arose around him, Malo broke through them instantly. ''Mr. Renado said you would die. So you're gonna make it?''
In the distance, the shaman's head shot up, and Colin could feel anger sweep up from behind him. He looked back at Link, expecting a shocked countenance, but his hero only chuckled weakly. ''Of course I'm going to make it … Malo. I still have to bring you back home to Ordon, so I can't go right now.''
With that statement full to the brim with truth, all the children got happy smiles on their faces, even Malo who now had to pay for his to-the-point question by an irritated looking Renado who dragged him back out of the room to have a serious word. Luda and Midna also left the room to grant the children some time with their Hero. While they were away, Colin and the two others entertained Link by telling him all they had done while he was away, and also asking him about his own travels and, especially, about Midna.
''Where did you meet her?'' ''Why does she look so strange?'' ''Would she play with us if we asked her?'' ''What's that thing on her head?''
For a while, Link let them ask away without interrupting, for with his weak voice it wouldn't have worked anyhow. Colin soon hissed again and reprimanded his two friends to be quieter, at which point he saw the endless thankfulness in Link's eyes.
''Midna is a mystery even to me … kids. The bit I know about her … I would prefer to keep it secret as well.''
''But how did you meet her? Is that a secret as well?'' Beth inquired.
Link smiled. ''She freed me from a prison cell … and decided to team up with me.''
Beth gasped in shock. ''You were imprisoned?!''
''Yes, but only for a short time, and Midna got me out of there. I owe her my life.''
Colin could already see his eyes droop further as they already were, and decided to cut this reunion short. ''Link, are you tired?''
The youth in the bed looked at him, still smiling. ''Yes, quite. Could you do me a favour and get Renado? He always gives me something to sleep.''
The first time Link woke up after being drugged almost against his will, he had indeed been outraged – at least as much as he could with barely enough strength to separate his eyelids. For quite a while, him and Renado had argued quietly about the morphine and why Link had refused to take it in the first place. He admitted that he had been in atrocious pain all the time, especially when his senses awoke from unconsciousness and bombarded him with painful sensations against which he could do nothing to stop them. At Renado's subtly asked question as to why he was so cruel and reckless to himself, he had cracked, shriving that he didn't want them to worry, firstly, but principally because he refused to believe his condition himself.
''I thought that … if I made you think I was all right, I'd believe it myself as well and the pain would go away.'' he had sobbed. Renado had nearly shed tears in emotion as well, along with the weeping Midna, and had assured him that there were other ways to make him suffer less. After that Link had gladly accepted another dose of morphine, and had slept through the night like a rock.
''What are you giving him, Mr. Renado?'' Beth inquired curiously while she watched the shaman pour a small amount of the brown liquid from the bottle into a bowl.
''This is a painkiller. With it Link will sleep much better and recover even quicker.''
He went over to his patient, who already awaited him with glistening eyes. Even if the stuff tasted terrible, Link downed it in one go. Renado placed the bottle on the bigger table again, this time turning to the children and waving them nearer. ''Come here little ones, let me give you some instructions. Midna, Luda and myself will eat supper while you stay here and keep a watchful eye on Link while he sleeps. You do nothing without asking me, and if there's any problem you call me immediately, understood?''
''Yes Mr. Renado!'' they called out excitedly. Malo had joined them once more, wearing a sulking expression and just nodding in response.
''Good.'' the shaman said and turned to Link, who was busy breathing deeply and relaxing his body while the morphine acted on his tensed nerves and blew the pain out. The first time he had passed out instantly from the drowsing effect of the drug because of his effeteness. The Kakarikan healer had enlightened him about this, telling him he would not pass out all the time when taking morphine but simply be a little drowsy. As long as the agony disappeared he would be happy, the Hylian had assured Renado.
''Okay Link, try to sleep a little, I'll check on you during the night.'' Link nodded, already closing his eyes as sleep slowly expanded over his mind and body. Colin approached him and squeezed his hand once, smiling at his older brother. ''Sleep well, Link. We'll watch over you.''
''Thanks …'' he mumbled as his lids touched, and he was out before Renado even left the room.
0
''Hey, you cannot invade my castle like that, you evil beast!'' Talo called in a played, deep voice and tapped his wooden figure over the floor towards Colin's small bulblin. The sword his warrior held high smashed against the axe of the monster, and Colin groaned out, making his figure fall to the ground in an exaggerated manner.
''Aarrrrg! You got me!'' he said softly so as not to wake his sibling sleeping in bed behind him. ''But I'll call for my friends the other bulblins, and then they'll take over your castle, sir Talo! Whoahaha!''
''Aaahh!'' Talo screamed suddenly and let his knight retreat into the mass of books piled up to form a cavern.
''Shhhhhh!'' Beth hissed from the bed, her brows knitted furiously. ''Will you two be quieter! Link is sleeping!''
''Sorry Beth, sorry Link!'' Talo whispered, completely unfazed by his friend's scolding. In the distance, Malo rolled his eyes before returning to the open book in front of him.
Fuming, Beth returned to her most important duty which consisted in guarding the resting youth who was quietly breathing away in his sleep. She was feeling very responsible that evening, and was already lighting candles around the room to replace the light of the fading day. As she accidentally tripper over one of the boys' play figures which they had found in one of the broke down houses, she cursed under her breath, causing Talo to gasp. ''Beth! You said the bad word!''
''What?!'' she hissed back. ''I heard Link say it once when he bumped his head into the joist up in the barn, so it can't be that bad!''
''But Link is older than you so he's allowed to say it.''
''Don't tell me what I'm allowed to say and what not! I am older than –''
''Shut up you two!'' Colin stepped in and threw his figure to the ground. ''There's something wrong with Link!''
Beth and Talo relapsed to silence immediately as Colin ran to the bed, where the youth was slowly tossing his head about while moaning lightly. One of his arms was trying to clap on his belly but just lifted a few centimetres then fell back down once more. His eyes were screwed up a little, causing Colin to instantly think the worst.
''He's hurting! We have to call Mr. Renado!'' he shouted, running out of the room and bellowing the shaman's name. Downstairs, three chairs were pushed aside instantly and the big form of the healer dashed up the double stairs. ''What's wrong?''
He entered the room and stomped over to the bed, the two girl following him quickly. He bend over the wriggling Link and first held his hand on his neck, then on his forehead, trying all the while to wake him. Link didn't react to his voice, just kept on moaning and turning his head about.
Renado nodded while leaving the bed and moved to the bigger table next to the window, where he poured a little sip of morphine into the bowl standing pat before forcing it gently into Link's mouth.
''Don't worry, he's fine. The morphine which I gave him earlier can cause nightmares, and he's probably just having one. If it lasts longer we'll give him a little more, then it should be all right.''
The kids looked at him with wide eyes. They had never heard of a medicine which caused nightmares on purpose, and why giving more could ease that.
But Renado stayed with his statement, assuring them that Link was all right and that it would soon go away once he slept deeply. He, Luda and Midna walked out once more to resume their meal, and Colin tried to focus on Talo and his figure as they continued to play.
The only one not able to concentrate was Beth. She paced around the room with arms folded in her back, never leaving Link's moaning form with her eyes. It was the first time Colin really saw her that distraught, yet his multiple attempts at calming her she rejected vigorously. At some point he even made out fresh traces of tears on her innocent cheeks, and more on her tan shirt.
Link's disquieted sleep didn't settle in any way; it became worse instead. Occasionally he let out soft cries and gritted his teeth more and more, which Beth answered by plopping down on her chair beside him in an attempt to calm him down. But whatever she said or did, the Hylian was unattainable.
''That's enough, I can't stand it any longer!'' Beth suddenly cried, jumping up and dashing for the table where the morphine bottle stood like a rescuing angel. She grabbed it quickly and opened the cork, just about to pour a good amount of the repulsive stuff into the clay bowl when Colin stopped her. ''Beth, no! Mr. Renado said we mustn't do anything without his permission!''
The girl drenched in tears turned to him sharply. ''He said if it gets worse, we'd give him more moffin, and that's what I'll do.''
''But –''
''No but, Colin! He said it's a painkiller, remember? So if there's more, Link will suffer less, right? I don't know why Mr. Renado gives him so little, since he's still hurting.''
''But Mr. Renado said he had nightmares.'' Talo joined hesitantly, instantly being silenced by the stormy girl. ''Nightmares never look like this!'' she spat, pointing at the wriggling Link in the bed.
As both boys were silent and looked at each other worriedly, Beth grunted while carrying the full bowl to Link.
''I wouldn't do that, Beth.'' came Malo's low, nearly threatening reply from the floor where he sat, eyeing all of his older friends suspiciously.
''Shut up, Malo.'' was all Beth said, instead focusing on Link's moving lips as she brought the morphine to his mouth.
She was not as skilled with the feeding of an unconscious person as the healer, mostly because an insensible did not necessarily swallow on instinct. But the attentive girl had intently watched Renado softly rub Link's throat to trigger the reaction earlier, and as she did Link instantly downed the liquid with a pained gulp. She forced every bit of the medicine into his mouth all while mumbling comforting words to him, until all had disappeared between the Hero's lips.
As if on cue, the moment she placed the bowl aside Link became slack. His head became still on the pillow, his breathing calm and even, letting all the children watch Beth in wonder and amazement. The young girl beamed proudly at them, stemming her arms into her sides. ''See? I told you it would be fine.''
''You didn't.'' Malo said quietly and sat back down to skim through the book in front of him. Talo came up to his friend and tapped on her shoulder, saying excitingly. ''You did it! Yo saved Link!''
As Beth looked belligerently to Colin, the blonde boy dropped his face to the ground and sighed. ''Maybe you were right.''
''Of course I was right. It's the only logical way to act, no? If there's more pain, he needs more painkiller. As simple as that. And I really thought you had the wits to conclude that, Colin.''
The smith's son scowled as she ambled past him and towards the table, where she demonstratively sat down and opened one of the medicine books lying around, pretending to read the randomly picked page with immense interest. Talo plopped down to the floor once more and played absent-mindedly with his wooden figure, Colin sitting down next to Link instead. His older brother really looked at peace now, quietly breathing away in his deep sleep which the morphine had induced forcefully.
Maybe Beth had been right indeed. It pained him to neglect an instruction or let someone disobey it without doing anything, but Beth's argumentation only seemed logical. And besides, she had assisted his own mother, who was after all the household physician in Ordon, countless times in healing sprained ankles, mixing herbs together or treating minor inflammations with what he remembered was called a fomentation, the same treatment Renado had used on Link, according to Malo. Then the girl was two years older than himself and thus more mature, so she just had to know what she was doing.
He didn't know why, but the more he tried to convince himself that her actions had been right, the more he began to doubt them. Renado was the healer, not Beth, and he surely had a reason why he didn't give Link that much morphine. If this stuff really caused nightmares, something which was rather uncommon in the art of medicine he knew from his mother, then it must be quite a strong agent which the shaman had given his brother. It was also an incredibly strong painkiller due to the fact that it made Link insensible to those large wounds he had endured, and which was in a form he had never known before since it let Link fall asleep almost instantly. He just couldn't convince himself that a medicine with such strong effect was entirely secure. Maybe he was just paranoid, but when it concerned his big brother he was as protective as a loving mother.
In front of him, Link's breathing could be heard quietly in the dimly lit room. It became more audible with every passing minute, until it rattled feebly in his exhausted lungs. Colin watched him silently, just wondering if he had a nice dream for once. It would do him only better if he could at least sleep peacefully rather than be tormented by nagging pain and horrible nightmares all the time.
A strange noise suddenly came from his sibling. It sounded like a cornet being stuffed by cloth and thus prevented from producing any decent sound. As Colin eyed his brother thoughtfully, he saw how he constantly had more difficulties in breathing correctly, his chest moving along with his inhales and producing more abrupt fits than slow heaving. He frowned in alarm, slowly standing up and turning to the girl at the table. ''Beth? Link's making strange sounds. What's wrong with him?''
The farm girl hurried over to him and looked at Link strangely, whose mouth now opened and closed feebly to obtain air.
''Something's wrong …'' Beth stammered, standing next to the bed like petrified. Talo and Malo also approached, Colin's eyes widening in shock as he saw his brother struggle for air. As Talo turned to Beth and told her to do something, resulting in naught but a tremble from the girl, Colin waited not a second longer and dashed for the door once more, shrieking Renado's name.
Beth stepped back a little as Link screwed up his eyes and balled his fists, his chest performing uncontrollable movements in an attempt to fill its lungs. He made choking noises and gritted his teeth, his body starting to wriggle in loss of air and frantic tries to regain it. Talo was shaking her by the shoulder and screamed her name to make her do something, but she just stood there, unmoving, eyes glassy in shock, until the big arm of Renado pushed her aside.
''Link!'' he gasped, taking his head in his big hands and pronouncing his name multiple times in order to rouse him. But Link didn't seem to hear him, for his body constantly tensed up more as his mouth opened and closed like a fish on dry earth, wriggling for oxygen. The shaman turned sharply to Beth who could not move, looking at each child in turn. ''What happened? Tell me, now! What have you done?!''
Beth couldn't answer, her shock and guilt cording up her throat to the limit, nearly letting her choke as well. Talo and Malo were shaking their heads and moving back in fright, until Colin stepped up next to Renado. ''We gave him moffin …''
''How much?''
''A bowl full …''
Renado's brown eyes opened wide as the turned to the suffocating Link. ''Oh no …'' he breathed.
As Midna shrieked Link's name and flew to his side, Renado was already gone, dashing out of the room at full speed. His daughter took on the means to try and calm Link down, also taking his head in her smaller, tanned hands and calling his name. Colin had hurried to Beth who was sitting on the ground, hyperventilating terribly, and helped her as best as he could while trying desperately to hold his wits together and not panic on his own. Malo and Talo had retreated to the farthest corner of the room, holding themselves tightly.
Like a raging storm, Renado crashed back into the room with another bottle in hand, grabbing the bowl frantically. ''Luda, get the children out!'' he gasped while uncorking the bottle and pouring with a suddenly calm hand the liquid into it. Luda assembled the trembling children and ushered them outside, supporting the heavily breathing Beth and speaking calmingly to her.
Midna was the only one refusing to go out. She knelt beside her convulsing partner and constantly called his name, fright well written across her face. Renado didn't even wait for the bowl to be full before he forced the content into Link's mouth. The moment he swallowed, the squeaking and choking he made was cut off, indicating his airway shutting completely. Soon after his struggles slowed down, his spasms becoming weaker and lesser with every vigorous try to breathe. His lips had taken on a pale shade of blue, his hands twitching randomly as well as his chest.
''No Link!'' Renado shouted in fright as the youth in front of him gave up, going slack from prolonged loss of oxygen. The healer was holding his paling face in both palms and watched how the Hylian went limp in his embrace, completely devoid of strength.
''Oh Goddesses, we're loosing him!'' Renado gasped, quickly drawing himself up and taking the Hero's nose and chin in his fingers. Midna watched him breathe in deeply before pressing his lips against Link's, only now understanding what he had meant with his last reply; Link was dying right before them.
Her tears soaked Link's arm against which she pressed her face, sobbing in shock and disbelief. Renado sent a few breaths into the Hero's throat before bending over his unmoving body and pressing his palms on his chest, pushing down forcefully several times. Breathing for him just after that, then resuming the thrusts with his hands now smeared purple red from Link's wounds which he tore open again. The bandage was soon soaked through, dark oxygen-less blood coating the cloth from the inside. And even after the fourth thrusting in an attempt to revive his silent heart, Link gave no reaction.
''Come on Link!'' Renado shouted out, now banging his fist on the bloodied chest exactly three times and gasping with quivering voice. ''Don't – give – up!''
At the third smash, Link suddenly jumped with a gasp, his clearing throat emitting a terrible sucking sound as he forced air into his lungs and filled them to the brim. His entire body toppled to the side and he started to cough horribly, painful spasms and tremors shooting through his every limb. Renado whimpered once in relief, as well as Midna who embraced her coughing companion tightly, still sobbing terribly.
''Good, Link. Very good.'' the shaman said while holding him gently in place on his side to give him the most space to breathe. Link's eyes were still tightly closed, and as his inhales calmed down gradually he rolled on his back once more, falling into unconsciousness immediately.
0
The children were in a horrible state. As Renado stepped out of the sick room some time later and called for his daughter to take his place at Link's side, he saw the young ones all huddled up under the big circular table on the ground floor, with a very white Ilia kneeling next to one of the chairs and talking soothingly to them. The shaman recalled having not seen her the entire day, and considering the state of her knees she had apparently been praying in the sanctuary all day.
The only one in a more decent shape was the stout little Malo, who was now crawling out from under the table and waiting for the shaman at the base of the stairs. ''What are you all doing under the table?'' the Kakarikan asked sympathetically.
''Hiding from you.'' Malo answered as if that were the most common reply in the world. Renado eyed him confusedly as the boy stood unmoving next to him, staring into his eyes. In the entire time he had cared for the kids since the day they came to him, he had never been able to understand the youngest among them with his sarcastic, mysterious way of talking and seeing the world as it was.
''Why do you hide from me? I won't harm you.'' he answered truthfully, kneeling down in front of the table and pulling a few chairs away to have a better look at the rest of the kids. Beth was trembling with her arms wound tightly around her legs, staring at him fearfully. Talo just looked shocked, and Colin sad.
''You can rest easy now, Link is fine.''
The blonde gasped in relief at that statement and quickly crawled out, taking the healer into a big embrace. Renado smiled, pressing the child tightly against him. ''You acted well in telling me what you did.''
As he set Colin aside he looked at the two others. ''But may I ask why you did it? I will not punish you or be angry, I promise.''
His calm voice seemed to have a magical effect on Beth, who immediately started to sob. ''We – we thought that – that if we gave him more moffin he'd be bet – better!'' she cried, burying her head in her arms and weeping freely. Talo placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, but said nothing.
''Beth, you gave him the morphine?'' Renado asked kindly, resulting in a shaking nod from the young girl.
''Okay. Please come out, Beth, and let me show you something. Would you come with me?'' he asked, stretching an arm out to her. She eyed the offered hand a little while, looking as if she considered the pro and contra about trusting him, then slowly reached for his palm and let herself pull out from under the table, Talo following close by.
''Where're we – going?'' she sobbed.
''First I want to take care of you and treat your shocked state. I'm going to put you in your bed and give you a tranquillizer, then we'll talk about what happened in Link's room.''
It took not long until the shocked girl calmed down, warmly packed in woollen sheets and a bottle of hot water at her feet, the tranquillizer having its effect on her soon. The other kids assembled around her on their own beds, Ilia among them.
Renado sat down on a chair next to Beth, looking stern but kind. ''First of all you have to know just how serious it was what you did, and with this I mean not only Beth, but all of you. Link suffered a respiratory arrest, which means he could not breathe for a certain amount of time. The morphine provoked that because you gave him way too much.''
The children looked down in shame, and Beth began to cry anew, however softly from tiredness.
''I gave him a medicine which totally reversed the effect of the morphine, and he's fine now, so you needn't worry about him further. Yet what I think is the most important thing right now is that we all apologize to him, and do all our possible to make him feel better. I'm sure he will not be angry, but it's the least we can do, right?''
He tapped lightly on Beth's shoulder, who nodded while looking to him. ''Why do you have to apologize, Mr. Renado?''
The shaman smiled. ''Because it is my fault you were even able to give him the morphine, since I forgot it in his room. We are all blameable, but I am the most.''
''No Mr. Renado! I gave it to him and I was so sure I was right … you had to save him!'' Beth sobbed.
''Yes, but I'm older than you and I should have been more careful. It is my duty to make sure you are all right, but that you don't do anything wrong is also my responsibility.''
Beth nodded, understanding just how right he was. Renado smiled and leaned in closer to her. ''Do you know where the morphine comes from?''
The farm girl gasped, looking at him with exhausted anger. ''Surely from a demon's teeth, it's evil and poisonous!''
But the shaman shook his head, instead standing up and quickly hurrying out of the room and into the kitchen. As he came back, all the children, and Ilia alike, exclaimed in wonder at the sight of the big, long object he held in his hands; a beautiful, violet poppy. ''Here, Beth. For you.'' he said with a smile, handing her the plant. Beth took it cautiously and eyed the wonderful flower, resting the big purple bloom in her palm like a puppet.
''This is the opium poppy, also called papaver somniferum in scientific Hylian. My plantation in the mountains is just blooming and I took this one this morning to check on the growth progress. If you have a look at this smaller flower inside, you'll notice a round, green ball beneath. When the poppy is ripe only this capsule remains, and with the juice inside I make morphine.''
The little girl stared at him. ''Really? The flower is so beautiful …''
Renado nodded. ''Morphine is not evil, it's a natural medicine which, if used correctly, can heal a person from their sufferings. If you like I can show you how to extract the morphine from the plant, and you can help me prepare other medicine.''
For the first time in surely a long time, Beth smiled a true, happy smile. ''I'd be happy to, Mr. Renado. I've always loved medicine and herbs.''
Renado tapped on her shoulder affectionately before standing up again. ''Then rest now, and we'll see about that tomorrow. I suggest you all go to bed and sleep as much as you can, tomorrow will surely be a long day.''
The children agreed without complaint, even Talo who was normally more than stormy in the evening when he was tired. Renado and Ilia bid all of them a good night, and the healer saw how Beth lay the violet poppy carefully on her bedside table, stroking once over one of the purple, paper-like petals before closing her eyes for a much needed night's sleep.
Outside, Renado sat down at the table and poured some water for Ilia, who still wore a light pallid shade on her face. ''Are you all right, Ilia? Where have you been all day?''
The young woman drank the cup empty, exhaling deeply. ''In the sanctuary, in front of the spring, a little everywhere where I could pray.''
Renado hummed positively. ''Yes, I know. You prayed for Link, didn't you?''
Ilia nodded tiredly. ''Of course. I cannot go to him so I pray for him. I just hope the spirit can hear me.''
''Why can't you go to him? I forbade the kids but I gave you permission.'' The shaman looked slightly confused.
The girl sighed, now looking down in shame. ''Oh, not so important. I think I'd better go to bed now. Long day tomorrow, eh?''
Renado nodded thoughtfully, watching the sandy haired woman stand up and head to her room up the stairs. She was sharing the fourth chamber of the corridor with Luda, and his daughter had already told him that she slept bad. ''Wait, Ilia. Do you want something to sleep better?''
She halted at the railing and gazed down at him. After a short while she answered in a strange voice. ''Why not some morphine, it would ease my sufferings.'' Then she disappeared in her room and closed the door shut.
Renado stayed for a moment on his chair, musing over what had just happened. In Ilia's voice had swung a certain amount of sarcasm, but the major tone composing her last reply was sadness, a grief rooted deeply into her very core since the day Link mysteriously vanished. Maybe she had felt that something was wrong all the time, and that she now just couldn't face her friend so seriously wounded because the pain would be too great to see him in such a state. Or maybe there was something which he couldn't understand, couldn't guess because he knew her not long enough. He hoped with a tired sigh that Rusl had received his letter, and that the blacksmith was on his way to aid not only his two sons, but all children of Ordon who were taking refuge in Kakariko, and give them at least a little feeling of home with his presence.
After another tired sigh, he stood tall again and made his way into Link's room. For the night he would stay with Midna and guard their protégé, and maybe Link would wake in the night, at which point Renado could ask forgiveness for his mistake.
He just hoped that no serious aftermath of Link's near-asphyxia remained. His body was worn enough, and if ever such a thing was to occur again, he was not sure if it would end well a second time.
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