Chapter 7
"Eivie?" Link's voice sounded uncertain. "Are you… What happened?"
I slowly turned, not sure what to do. He heard me talking with the Poes. He saw the jinx spell. He saw my unnecessary cruelty in killing that Poe. How would I even begin to explain my actions? To prove I was not a monster myself?
"I…" My voice was unsteady and quiet. "I didn't…"
"Eivie, were you… talking to them? You were talking with the Poes?" He nearly shouted the final part. His words were filled with suspicion, shock, and perhaps even hurt.
"I can… I can explain." I had to look away from him. The expression of betrayal was ever present in his eyes. "I have been able to sense them for a long time. That gold one used to follow me around but suddenly abandoned me. I do not know why, but the Poes have turned against me." I looked back up, trying to sound determined, I said, "I had not meant for them to attack anyone. I had no part in ordering them to do so. Please, believe me when I say I meant no harm."
"And what about that blue fire, then? That was magic. Where did you learn that?" His harsh, accusatory tone remained.
"I discovered how to use that spell accidentally only a day ago."
"And that bat-thing?" He pointed to the sentry that hovered only a few feet away from me. "I've had a horde of those things attack me before! I know Wendal controls them, so why is it with you?"
I cringed, not expecting Link to recognize the sentry as Vaati's. I should have guessed, though. Vaati found using his magic for trickery endlessly entertaining. "He sent it with me," I answered honestly. I may as well share all of my lies; he hates me already anyway.
"Why would he do that?" Link seemed genuinely confused, reminding me that I never quite figured out why Vaati had given me the sentry.
"I am not entirely sure. I have known him for a while, but he is more of an acquaintance than a friend. I promise I have not condoned his tricks against you."
Link frowned, but did not speak. He only stared at me. He was judging me, I could tell, and I could not blame him. I had been keeping a fair amount of information from him. For now, all I could do was try to hold myself together and not lose my little remaining dignity be breaking down in front of him. If I lost him I essentially lost my best friend. The prospect seemed horrifying.
He sighed after a long silence. "You will be telling me everything later. Right now, we need to get you home and report that Poes were in the city." He walked past me briskly, showing he was trying to be business-like and fulfill his duties as a knight rather than discussing personal matters at such a dangerous time. "Come on," he said when he noticed I had yet to move.
I nodded weakly before following him, dragging my feet and focusing on the cobblestone street. Why had things become so complicated? Only a day ago I had felt relatively normal, but I was suddenly thrust back into the questioning nature that had been my childhood. Once more, I understood nothing and I was fully aware that I was bothered by my own ignorance.
The question of Poes' motive had returned with a more nefarious edge. The nonsense of their pledge to eliminate me for my supposed betrayal of their master the most worrying. I honestly had no idea who they were speaking of. As if I could provide such a threat to a powerful master of Poes. I could use a jinx spell; hardly something dangerous to an entire class of monsters as well as its strongest members.
Even my own behavior was beginning to seem foreign to me. I had been terrified of the Bokoblin and the Poes. I could not bear the thought of the murder victim's demise. Yet I had somehow become so enraged with that Poe that I slashed it into a mangled pile of flesh. I had gone from one extreme emotion to another so quickly and without warning I could not remember what I had been thinking about at the time. I only felt those emotions and nothing else, leaving an irritating gape in my memory, making me question what specifically had triggered the intense loathing and rage to take over and allow me to commit such actions, even if it had been but an attacking monster.
"Link, I am sorry," I mumbled, unsure if he heard me or not. I now regretted lying to him for so long. He was one of the few that may have actually accepted the fact I could communicate with Poes. That is, if he had not witnessed the savagery of tonight, he could have. Now it was very uncertain if he would even speak to me again. "I should have told you sooner."
He glanced over his shoulder before looking forward once more. "Why didn't you?"
My lips twitched, attempting to form a pathetic smile. At least he would allow me to further explain my actions. "In Ordon, the people feared me because of the Poes. I had not wanted the same thing to happen here." As an afterthought, I added quietly, "I thought no one would talk to me if they knew."
"You could have told me, you know." Link sighed. "I get that you were nervous, but still… This isn't something you keep from people."
"I know," I whispered, fully agreeing with him. I should have told him, but I had not because I feared rejection. I should have considered the possibility that it was possible for people to notice on their own.
There was a silence as we came ever nearer to home. I returned my focus to the ground, not wanting to see Link's occasional peeks over his shoulder. He did not trust me following him, his back open for me to attack.
When we reached the entrance of the shop, we both stopped. "Stay here and don't leave for the rest of the night," Link ordered, sounding very much like a knight issuing a command.
I nodded once. "I will not leave for the remainder of the night," I promised.
"We'll talk later, okay?" Link said almost softly, perhaps noticing how depressed I seemed. "I'll listen to what you have to say, but I am still mad at you. Friends shouldn't keep secrets from each other."
"Thank you, Link." I managed a smile.
He nodded before beginning his trek to the castle. I watched him walk away for a few seconds before making my way to my room's window. I hauled myself onto the roof and sat down, not wishing to go inside. I hugged my legs to my chest and stared into the starless, clouded sky.
Once my neck began to ache from looking up, I decided to go inside and to bed. There was nothing I could do right now. Sleep also seemed like a nice escape from reality. I carefully slide open the window and crawled inside. It made a slight creak when I closed it, making me cringe and hope Syrup had not heard. I relaxed a bit when I did not hear anything. I grabbed my nightgown and threw it onto the table as I reached for the small hand mirror.
As I expected, dark stains were smudged across my face, arms, and my legs. After rubbing the blood off of my skin, I set my clothes aside, knowing that I would have to clean them as best I could tomorrow. There were a few potions could try using, but odds were my clothes were ruined. I stared at myself in the mirror, noting how dark the area around my eyes had become. I needed sleep or I would continue to look like a ReDead. I actually shuttered at the comparison, remembering the Poe Sisters mentioning that ReDeads were similar to Poes. There may be ReDeads attacking the city soon enough.
I quickly pulled on my nightgown when I noticed the sentry eye watching me. I gave it a backhanded slap and knocked it to the other side of the room, the creature shrieking in surprise. If Vaati could see me, he was probably laughing like a lunatic. He easily could have had that bat hide from sight to spy on me. He just wanted a reaction from me by letting the thing fly around in plain sight. Not that I would prefer either one. I was likely blushing from embarrassment considering how warm my face suddenly felt.
"You are extremely irritating and immature," I stated while glaring at the sentry. It squeaked again and I rolled my eyes at it before letting myself fall back onto my bed. I was too exhausted for this right now. Sleep would be nice considering how much I had to deal with tomorrow. Trying to explain everything to Link would be emotionally draining and hunting down and speaking with Vaati will prove frustrating, I am sure.
I met him by the fountain early the next morning. I had been surprised at first, not expecting him to arrive so early. In truth, I thought I would have more time to consider how to best explain things to Link, but now I would have no organized plan, leaving me with my lacking social skills to get me through it.
We had been sitting in silence for a few moments. Link seemed to be waiting for me to begin the conversation. I opened and closed my mouth a few times, trying to find words to begin my worst nightmare of explaining my connection with Poes to Link. Link had made it clear he did not like monsters; he knew every guard and knight that was injured or killed by monsters. It was natural for humans to despise monsters as it was instinct for monsters to hunt humans.
"I should have told you," I repeated once more, the statement perfectly reflecting my view of the situation. "When I lived in Faron, there were a number of Poes that lived in the forest. I found that I could understand them and sense them even when they faded from sight. I had isolated myself from the villagers and the Poes were essentially all of the company I had. When I came here, I met Hue, the golden Poe from last night." I paused finally. It felt somewhat good to share this with someone.
Link nodded and took a moment to process the information before asking, "Why are they attacking you now? What happened?"
"Two nights ago, I had been in the fields with…" I almost said Vaati but I corrected myself. "With Wedal when some Bokoblins attacked. He left me to fight them and I accidentally used that spell." I glanced at Link, noticing he frowned even more with the mention of Vaati. "Hue left after that and returned last night."
"Do have any idea why the Poes are coming after you?" He sighed before adding, "Last night, they found a dead beggar. If the Poes keep attacking people…"
"I know. If it should continue, I will leave. There is no point in staying if the Poes are so determined to kill me."
Link looked down at his hands, guilty I was so quick to come to the conclusion the town was better off if I left. "I hope it doesn't come to that."
I nodded. "I do not know why they are trying to kill me, but I have some ideas of where to begin researching. If I cannot find an answer in the library, I will go back to Faron and try questioning some of the Poes there, if possible. Wendal may know something as well," I mumbled with a hint of irritation. Vaati may know something but getting him to tell me may be impossible. "Do you know where he would be?"
"I don't know," Link grumbled, "I try to avoid him as best I can. If he's not in the library or castle, I have no idea where he'd be." Before I said anything, Link quickly asked, "How long have you known him?"
"I met him soon after I met you. Because of how strange his abilities are, I thought that perhaps he would know why I have such a connection with Poes. He is infuriating but knowledgeable."
He rolled his eyes at the mention of Vaati being intelligent. There was a brief pause, both of us watching the people beginning to mill around the open square. Link surprised me with his next statement.
"You were acting sort of strange last night."
I nodded, not having an explanation. I was hoping that perhaps he would let it slip by without needing discussion. "I do not know why I did what I did last night." As vague as my answer was, I did not want to say "brutally killed that Poe" out loud. "I think I will go to the library." I stood up, eager to leave and drop the subject. "Unless you have anything more to ask?"
"No, not right now." Link stood up as well. "I need to go to."
We walked to the gates of the castle together. The guards allowed us both to enter, Link being the sole reason I was able to go as well. Because both his father and Link were well respected, their judgment was trusted. Link had told the guard that I would not be any trouble and that it was perfectly fine for me to enter. I was lucky he still considered me trustworthy enough to enter the castle or finding information would be even more difficult.
Once we entered the courtyard, we parted ways. I went into the castle and directly to the library. I could not rely on the Poes and Vaati to answer all of my questions. I would have to find the answers for myself.
Sort of a short, almost boring, chapter, I guess. I had planned for a lot more but midterms sort of killed me this week. Discoveries will be made in the library, I assure you of that. But what? The next chapter will hopefully answer some of the nagging questions Eivie has encountered. And a big thank you to everyone that read, faved, and followed! Once more, thank you for the continued support Miss Ominous and Awkward passerby! The next chapter may or may not be posted on Saturday because I have an essay I need to work on this week. It will probably be between Sunday and Wednesday instead.
Awkward passerby- I am seriously happy that anyone takes the time to review. The least I can do is tell you how much I appreciate it and to answer any questions! Glad to have you around and thanks for reviewing!
Miss Ominous- No problem, even a short review is much appreciated! I know how being tired is… midterms and studying are wearing me out. And I actually never anticipated updating so much, but, after I started and actually knew some people were reading, I got inspired. My ideas fell into place and I actually have the majority of the story –well the general things- outlined. I just have to make individual chapters out of it, which isn't too difficult, meaning fairly quick updates. I'm not sure how long I can keep it up though… life likes to get in the way. Thanks for reviewing again!
-AwkwardBlackCat