As I mentioned in my updated profile, I'm back! After three years of distractions, I have returned to write my ideas down and post them up for criticizing (and some reading, if you're into that kind of thing)! Anyway, I need to at least leave a warning/disclaimer: I haven't looked at this story in years. The original plot I had half-conjured up was accidentally deleted in some frenzied computer cleaning. To tell you the truth, writing a story is one of the hardest things I've ever tried. With Sands of Time, I guess I'm cheating because there is no definite plot for now, but the other story I'm thinking of writing (it's an Avatar one :D) has all these different scenes and no way to put them together. I'm working on that, though.
Anyway, back to the main point: I apologize if my writing is a little shabby (I'm not even a fan of this chapter...call it a filler if you will) or something doesn't line up with the last three chapters. I will try to keep it consistent as much as I can, but hey, I'm not promising anything perfect. Other than that, enjoy!
"Just breathe, Nabs. You're going to be okay."
Nabooru kept her eyes closed, trying to block out all sound and the feel of hands on her shoulders. She was sure everyone could hear her teeth grinding.
"Do you hear me? You aren't the first one to go through something like this. For the first few nights, you'll try to block out the pain. You'll think you're okay. But then...after a while, you'll find yourself breaking down in your own room, crying yourself to sleep. I've seen it before in the barracks, Nabooru. I know you're strong, but I don't know if you're strong enough."
"Makal?"
"Yeah?"
Nabooru slowly opened her eyes and took a deep breath. Finally, she looked up with annoyance. "It's a game of stones. I think I'll be okay."
Makal took her hands from Nabooru's shoulders with a huff, turning away from the gameboard. "Just trying to liven things up a little. 'S not like Taiiya's never been beaten, anyway."
On the other side of the board, Taiiya was trying to hide her giggling behind her hands. "It's...it's still your turn, Nabs," she finally gasped.
"Nabooru!"
The three young women turned around to see one of the generals striding towards them. Their recent training taught them to stand and salute smartly. "General Kira," they chorused together.
"At ease you three, I'm off duty," she gave them a motherly smile. "But I do have some news for you, Nabooru. Your time has come."
The four of them were silent for a minute, the shock lying heavily in the air. Finally, Nabooru opened her mouth. "You don't mean..."
"Yes, I do." Kira held out a hand, and Nabooru broke into a huge smile. "The generals have decided: you're going into the field early!"
For the first time ever, she actually shrieked in excitement. "I...wow! Wow, that's great! Din, thank you! Thank you so much!"
Kira gave a laugh as Nabooru jumped on her in a huge hug, quickly followed by a beaming Taiiya and Makal.
"We always knew they'd take you first!"
"Well who else was impatient enough to bother the generals into submission?"
Their excitement, their happiness at the idea of being sent out so young...it's touching and heartbreaking at the same time, Kira thought. They think they've seen it all, but theyre still so innocent. If only they didn't have to live like this...
After a couple more minutes of merriment they slowly broke away, calling congratulations and thanks across the yard. Nabooru ran off, most likely to find her other friend, the Prince, and Taiiya wandered back to the gameboard, clearing it and shouting both the good news and a new challenge to passerby.
Makal and Kira were the only ones who remained in their places. Makal, who'd dropped her favorite dagger in the celebration, took her time in picking it up and polishing it. "I'm proud of her," she said genuinely, a slow smile still hovering on her face.
"But you're scared for her, huh?"
Makal looked up at the general, trying to keep her face impassive. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You know what can happen. I can see it." Kira watched the young woman carefully.
She went back to polishing her knife. "If only I knew what happened out there," she snorted. "I'm not like Nabooru, I'm not a prodigy. I won't get into the field for another year maybe. Seventeen like all the other new soldiers."
"I'm not talking about out there."
Kira sat down on a nearby crate and motioned for Makal to join her. "Your sister was a lot like Nabooru, wasn't she? I remember Na'ala well. Young, eager, ready to jump in far before she was ready. Even after the shock of her first raid, that drive to do her best for the tribe kept on. She took the creed to heart."
"'To preserve the life of your sisters and annihilate the life of your enemies,'" Makal quoted, a little sharper than before. She remained standing, but she'd stopped polishing the knife and was now staring at it intensely.
"Some people just aren't made to kill," Kira sighed. She bent down and picked up a handful of sand, letting it trail away from between her fingers. "Most surprisingly, your sister was one of them. Do you remember how much she changed after a while? The nights she spent crying, washing her hands for hours on end, muttering something about the blood still being there..."
Makal tightened her grip on the handle. "That's enough," she said tersely.
Kira looked up sadly. "I know this is hard, but you're Nabooru's close-"
"What do you want from me?" Makal's face was contorted as she tried to hide the tears and snarl angrily.
"Please, Makal, try to stop her!" Kira's perfect façade suddenly broke as she looked up at the young woman. "Her mother was smart enough to escape, but Nabooru is too stubborn! She would rather waste away than admit any pain, do you want her to end up like your sister?"
"Stop mentioning her!" Makal slammed her fist into the crate next to the general and it shattered upon impact. Kira didn't flinch, but Makal, realizing with horror how she'd acted out, took a few terrified steps back before turning and fleeing the scene.
Kira sadly watched her go. She looked so much like her sister...the difference was unbelievable, though. Makal seemed to represent everything opposite of her sister: she was withdrawn, cold and calculating, refusing to let emotion get in the way of anything. Watching a loved one go insane as Na'ala had would surely turn any young girl the way it had her.
Kira stood up and stretched, looking up at the sky. Maybe Makal would say something to Nabooru. Or maybe she saw something that her sister hadn't had.
"Din..." she breathed the goddess' name pleadingly. "Help them to make the right decisions. All three of them."
A little fast-paced, I know, and Ganon was completely MIA in this chapter...he'll be back soon, though, I promise! Expect an update sometime in the near future!
