Coin-Operated

9.0

Kings and Queens All Knock on His Door

"Psst!" Link stops. I hear him sigh wearily, and he turns on the path and looks around. The gardens are lush, even in the little moonlight. The chill of early spring hangs in the air while the budding flowers try to spring forth from their plots and grow anew for the season. Vines have already sprung, strong and wild, curling up the walls. In the gardens, however, surrounded by the stone of the castle walls, no one else is out and about wandering around under the stars. "Link!" the voice calls again, and this time, Link looks up. His lips twitch into a slight frown, and his brow deepens as if to say, "Really?"

"What?" he calls back, trying to be heard but also trying to keep his voice hushed.

The lady knight hangs over a balcony above, bemused by Link. A muffled voice sounds behind her, and she straightens up. She motions for Link to stay put where he is on the path before rushing back into the castle, and he grumbles to himself, putting his fists on his hips as he looks down at his feet. A little stone sits in his path, and he kicks it away idly until the princess calls for him again.

"What do you want?" he groans.

"What're you doing?"

Link looks one way, then the next. Still no sign of another person around. "I'm walking," he tells her. "Or at least I'm trying to."

"That's stupid," she chides, picking at the elegant hood on her head. "Come up and play a game with me. I just sent the maid away."

"It's late," Link says. "I'm going to finish my walk and go to bed. My brother is expecting me."

"What if I order you?"

Link rolls his eyes. "Look, Zelda," he sighs. "I'd like to keep my head on my shoulders, and breathing is a very important pastime of mine as well."

A cheshire grin spreads across the princess' face. "Hold on."

"Zelda-!" is all he gets out before she hurries away. Link's hands fall limply to his side, slapping his thighs. He gives another look disbelieving around him to make sure the gardens are empty, but nothing comes to creep through the night.

The princess flies back out onto the balcony, the rich skirts of her amethyst gown flowing with her. When Link protests further and states that he's going to retire, she calls out for him again. He ignores the crown princess, looking quite crossed at this point, and for a moment, I have to admire Link's guts. Link turns around and begins to march away from the princess when she yells out, "Hey Link!"

He turns around, his mouth open and ready to spit a retort back at the lady knight on the balcony. "Wha-!" He yelps, and his hands fly to his face. "Zelda! What the hell?" he cries. He looks incredulously at the object at the ground, and he bends down and picks it up. "What-? You threw your gauntlet at me?" he shouts, no longer caring to watch his voice.

"Oops," the strawberry blonde lady teases. "I must have dropped that." She cracks him a mischievous smile, her chin in one hand and the other arm and hand draping over the rail of the balcony. Even in the dim light of the moon, the spark in her eyes flashes through as clear as crystal.

Link's fingers twitch as he holds his hands up. He bellows at her, "You're stark, raving mad, woman!"

"What? Scared of a challenge?" she taunts. The smile never leaves her face but only grows wider the more worked up she gets the young knight in green.

Link points a finger at her, the gauntlet gripped in his hand. "Lady, throwing down the gauntlet is supposed to be a mere figure of speech!"

"Oh dear. My mistake. I suppose we'll have to duel over it now."

Clanking sounds through the gardens, and Link slams down the gauntlet and curses, running a hand through his messy locks. "Your Highness! Are you well?" one guard calls out as small group of patrolmen come into view.

"Perfectly well, thank you," the young princess calls back, the mischievous smile transforming to one of polite courtesy. "I just dropped my gauntlet on accident, and Sir Link here was kind enough to offer to bring it back to me. Isn't that right, Sir?"

Link fumbles for a few seconds as he looks between the lady and the guard, earning himself a few suspicious looks before confirming the princess' words. "Yes, Her Royal Highness lost her gauntlet over the balcony," he mumbles to the patrol.

The guard casts Link one last glance before turning back to the princess. "If you do not require further assistance…"

"I'm fine, thank you," she says with a regal smile.

The patrol nod in unison, charmed by the woman, and then they disperse back to their posts within the gardens. As the clanking drowns out with the sounds of the night, the princess leans again on the balcony. This time, the smile on her face is all smug. Link stoops and picks up the "dropped" gauntlet and turns away, all the while grumbling under his breath. "Where are you going?" the noblewoman asks, and Link stops.

"Bringing you the gauntlet that you threw at my face."

"Just climb the vines, fool." And she motions with her hand at the plants that weave and wrap up the walls and balcony. Link looks between her and the vines, and then back to the princess.

He says, "You're mad."

"You're mad."

Link's eyes shift around the gardens, and the princess tells him, "I don't see anyone, if that's what you keep looking around for."

"Did you not see how fast those guards stormed over here?"

"That's only because you opened your big, stupid mouth," the princess retorts.

Link stuffs the gauntlet into the shirt of his tunic and grapples onto the vines. "You're uncouth," he spits. "Aren't you supposed to be Her Royal Highness, the ever regal Princess of Hyrule?" He slips a little on the vines, but regains his footing, and Link continues his way on up the wall of the castle. I follow him up the wall, having a significantly harder time doing so. By the time Link has himself hanging off of the balcony, I'm only halfway up.

"Oh shush, love," the princess says, and she leans over and grabs onto Link. She helps him up over the balcony ledge, and he just allows himself to fall onto the stone beneath the princess' feet. She cocks her head to one side and nudges him with her foot.

They continue to speak to one another in hushed voices as I pull myself up little by little. I silently curse them both for not just having Link take the stairs or something. I take a brief look around and see that only the sky above, the balcony and the princess are in focus. Everything else is blurred like I've suddenly become nearsighted and am in need of spectacles. I lean over, silently praying that I won't fall, and take hold of the vines weaving through the balustrades of the balcony. Just as soon as I finally get myself thrown over onto the balcony as Link had done, I see him sit up.

Link fishes in his shirt and produces the gauntlet. He holds it out for the princess and she takes it from him. "Come on then," she says, and gestures him inside. He crawls up to his feet and slips inside. I scurry after him. The princess closes the door to the balcony after tossing the gauntlet aside on the bed. A warm fire crackles in the hearth across the room next to a writing desk and table. Expensive tapestries and rugs cover the bedchamber and are plush under my feet. The princess pulls the drapes closed, blocking all views to the gardens, and she takes a candle from the bedside and lights it in the hearth.

Link stands awkwardly by the balcony door. The lady puts the candle down on the round table, saying, "Well, don't just stand there, dear, are you hungry at all? I had sent for a snack earlier."

"A little," he admits.

She waves him over. "I keep wine in the armoire," she tells him and she brings over a tray that sat on the writing desk. "It turns out to be a perfect hiding spot." The lady places the tray of bread and cheese on the table, and pulls out a chair and sits down while Link fumbles around in the armoire. He pours her a glass while she removes her hood and hands it to her before pouring a glass for himself. Her strawberry hair tumbles down and around her shoulders, and with one hand shakes it out, the other holding the wine. The princess settles herself and looks at the wine in the glass and says, "I like white wine."

She snorts with laughter when Link's face hardens. "It's a joke, silly." But Link does not relent, and he whips the chair out and plops himself down onto it. "Honestly, love, you need a little humor in your life. You'll end up with all these grumpy lines on your face in five years otherwise.

"So, how about some rummy?" she asks, pulling from the pocket of her gown a pack of cards. She undoes the twine that holds the cards together and begins to shuffle the deck.

"How is your mother?" Her hands fold under and the cards bridge.

Link says, "She's well enough."

"Well enough?" One blonde eyebrow rises up.

Link shrugs, watching as the cards mash together. "She's not too happy with me at the moment. She thinks I've botched the whole thing with you, but…" He puts on elbow on the table, and rests his chin on his palm.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Link?"

"No thank you," he mumbles into his palm and fingers.

"Link."

"Hm."

"Link."

A sigh. "Yes?"

"It's bad manners to have your elbows on the table," she says, the teasing tone worming its way back into her voice. Link gives her another quick eye roll, but complies, pulling himself off of the table. Both of them have the smallest hints of smirks on their lips. "Have something to eat. You're hungry, right?" The cards flip from her hands, sliding across the table or landing in front of her as she deals their hands. The deck slaps onto the table and she flips the top card over.

"You first," she says as Link chomps down on a slice of the bread.

I look on as the silent scorekeeper as they play through a few hands, all the while trudging through the food and drink. The longer they play, the looser they both become. They joke about the court, Richard Percy's awful attempts at poetry being a popular topic. Plans for the summer progress crop up every now and then in their conversation as well.

Eventually in one of the final hands, the princess traps Link like a cat a mouse. She smirks at him, her cheeks rosy as Link's brow needles and his rubs the back of his neck. His eyes flick from the cards in his hand, to the cards laid out on the table, to the deck, to the princess' triumphant smile. His cheeks are tinged, and not from defeat or embarrassment, and he sighs and throws down his cards.

"You're not even going to play."

"You'd slaughter me the next move anyhow.

"I think I should be going though," Link says with a yawn. "My brother's probably wondering where I've gone off to."

She laughs and gathers up the cards. It tinkles in the air, and I see the slight curve of Link's mouth fighting to rise up. The cards are tied up once more, but she leaves them sitting on the table. Link pushes himself out from the table and corks the wine bottle. He goes and stashes the bottle back in the armoire and moves to go to the balcony.

"Can you help me before you go?"

"Wha-what?"

The princess giggles a little. "I need help," she repeats.

Link stammers a little. "Shouldn't you get somebody else…?"

"Just help me out of this, Link."

He flushes a little more and grumbles, "Fine," to which she just laughs. She spins around, kicking off her silk slippers. With Link's help, the sleeves of her gown come off and then the bodice as well. She slips off the outer skirts, leaving her in petticoats, and Link begins to try and untie the knot in her corset. "No wonder you need help," he mumbles as he picks at the knot. "I never knew lacing could be forged together." The princess shakes with laughter. "Got it."

"I'm sorry," she breathes. Link pauses for a moment and looks up from the corset lacing. "I am."

"About what?"

"Your family. I know what it is they want, and I feel terrible tearing you with their ambition."

Link shrugs, and he goes back to picking at the tight lacing, loosening it up. "It's not your fault," he says. "They're ones killing themselves over it."

Her head moves to the side. "You think that?"

"Well, maybe not yet, but it'll be their downfall. I can feel it."

The princess looks straight ahead once more. "It is my hope then that you will not be a part of that." She grunts a little as Link rips one of the laces out of the grommets, and she sways on her bare feet a little with each motion.

"Mine too."

When Link gets the last of the lacing out, he hands both laces to her. She clutches the corset to her chest and tells him to wait. "I'm not quite done with you yet."

Link moves over to the table and takes a seat again. The world blinks out as he slams his face into his arms. The princess rifles through her stuff, and then her voice drifts through the black. "Are you tired? Or are you just being overly modest now?" she asks, not even bothering to hide the laughter in her voice.

"Tired."

A trunk slams shut.

The bedchambers come back.

The princess has Link by the hair. She stands in nothing but her nightshift; the exposed, pale skin on her limbs glow ethereally in the firelights and her hair shines golden. "You still haven't finished off your wine," she tells him. Letting his hair go, she grabs the glasses from the table. He follows her like a loyal dog from the table over to the bed. She clambers up onto it, the wine sloshing dangerously in the glasses. Link merely sits on the edge of the bed and takes back his glass. They stay like that in silence, the princess nursing her drink and Link swirling his around in the glass. Finally, Link throws back what's left of his wine and puts the glass on the bedside table and the princess' glass soon follows.

Link runs his hands through his hair.

The princess reaches out and pulls him back onto her stomach. Gentle fingers massage his scalp, and she says, "They'll want something out of you. I'm sure they know you're here."

Link mumbles the affirmative.

"What do you want though, Link?" she asks him. "Your brother is heir to all your father's, correct?"

"Yes," Link breathes.

"What would you like then, dear? I can speak with His Majesty." Link doesn't say anything, his eyes darting back and forth. "A title of your own? Land? You won't have any land once your father passes on, and your brother will take his title." Link still remains silent. After a bit, she removes her hands from his hair. One hand lies on his chest, and the princess releases a frustrated huff. "Link. Talk to me," she commands.

"What I want gets pissed on like dogs marking territory by my family," he says blankly.

Looking down at him, the princess blinks. "Oh, love," she laments. "You know why I love you best of all? Court life is not your type of strategy game. While everyone else here is multifaceted, switching from one face to another depending on who they're speaking with, here you are with your one face. They may think that's a death wish, but trust me, love, have courage and you'll see the light soon enough."

The room gets hazy as she curls herself over and kisses his cheek. Colors blend into one another, and the fine edges of objects blur and fuzz. "Go back to your brother and lie through your teeth now. Can you do that for me?"

"You say this is not my type of game; you trust me to keep your secrets?"

"Always," she whispers, nose to nose with him.

The world snaps back to focus when Link finally rises up from the bed, straightens his tunic and moves towards the balcony. "Not that way," she murmurs from behind. The princess pulls him along to one of the smaller rugs in the room; she lifts it up to reveal a small square of flooring that doesn't quite match the rest. The princess yanks the trapdoor free, and Link bends down the peer into the black. When he looks back up, the princess has produced a spare candle, already lit for him. He takes it from her while she tells him, "This leads to a few places, so listen carefully. Keep to the right. There will be a few forks, but if you keep to the right, you'll end up down by the kitchens."

"Is this how you sneak food after hours?" he jokes, and the princess breaks out one last smile for him. She slaps his arm playfully, but he continues on, "Seriously. You had this here, and yet you make me drag my ass halfway up the castle walls? You are mad."

"Oh, kill me for a bit of romanticism, darling.

"Now go!" she urges, and gives him a little push. "Get back to your brother."

"Going, going," he mumbles.

She gives him one last swift kiss on the corner of his mouth, and he slips down the passageway. As I slide down after Link, the princess closes the trapdoor, and the rug thumps the door when she throws it back. The passage is shrouded in darkness with the only light being the candle in Link's hand. He shuffles down the passageway, keeping to the princess' instructions and kicking up dust and dirt. Every now and then he'll stop to shake off cobwebs from his arms or hair and swiping his hands occasionally when the feeling of the webbing doesn't leave.

Eventually, we come out from behind a large case of shelving cluttered with preserves, and I hear the clattering of pans from above. Just as she'd said, we've ended up down by the kitchens in a cold room. Link looks around to get his bearings, shuts the passageway and then he takes off with purpose in his stride. I follow him through the maze of the castle; I have to wonder how anyone can find their way around in this place. Link moves in long, swift strides until I'm lead back to Link's shared chambers.

When Link opens the door, Raven lies on the bed a knowing in his face. As Link closes the door, Raven asks, "What happened to your face? I knew the princess was a bit feisty, but-"

"She threw her gauntlet at me."

"She what?"

"You saw, didn't you?"

"Well, I obviously didn't see that part," the brother drawls with exasperation. "I saw you hustling up those vines though."

Link pulls his boots off and then shoves his brother to the side of the bed. He crawls onto the bed and then curls up in the blankets, his back to his brother. Weary, Link's eyelids flutter open and closed as he stares into the crackling fire across the room. It snaps and flicks its flames here and there with little care. The fire's soft laughter fills the room, but Link doesn't shy away from its mocking nature.

"Link."

"Shove it."

"Link, come on. Tell me."

"She threw her gauntlet at my face, and then we played cards. Had a few drinks, I lost terribly in the game and thanked Farore we weren't playing for money, and then I left."

The fire cackles away in the hearth, and the glowing light it casts dances through the room. Link shifts around under the blankets, trying to get comfortable.

"That's it?"

"Yes," Link snaps and closes his eyes.

…

Birds caw, and the trees rustle as they take flight above me. I turn my head and see Ordona lying out on the surface of the spring next to me. "Was that helpful to you at all, child?" Ordona asks as I sit up in the spring. It flicks its tail a little.

"I think so," I say. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, child."

The golden goat raises its nose in the air. It rises up on all four legs and shakes its coat out, sending little flecks of gold spraying out like water off of a shaggy dog. Little balls of light swish this way and that around the spring. Ordona steps off of the spring and onto the solid ground. Grass sprouts forth with new life at each touch of the light spirit's hooves. I watch as the great golden goat reaches up and plucks a few leaves from one of the trees above. It chews on the greenery thoughtfully. "The woods aren't as sweet as they used to be," the spirit says.

It takes a few steps and then lies back down on the water, folding its front legs under. The goat continues to grind the leaves as it stares down at me.

"You're not quite so talkative today," it observes.

I lean back in the water. "I don't feel right," I tell the spirit.

"Dark times often brood dark thoughts," the spirit offers me, but a more guilty sort of notion eats at me. The memory I'd witnessed made me feel more intrusive than the others.

I say instead though, "I think he knows I've been coming here." I shake my head. "Sorry; I know that he knows."

The goat plucks some of the grass out of the spring and chews on that.

"He really loved her, didn't he?"

Insects sing out their chorus, and the birds occasionally caw out to one another. The forest is alive all around us, but everything surrounding the spring seems frozen, and it is just me and the light spirit Ordona. The goat continues to gnaw on the grass in its mouth, all the while staring unblinkingly at me. Little wisps of ghosts brush my skin, kicking life into the dead air of the woods.

Finally, the goat offers me some words. "Pure hearts rarely stray from truth," the goat says.

"I'm not really in the mood for puzzles," I grumble, turning my head.

I yelp at the sharp pain in my scalp, and Ordona lets my hair go. It stares down at the grass it dropped. The blades drift apart in the water, and the goat moves to scoop them back up.

"I should ask him myself?"

When the goat does nothing to contradict me, I sigh and stare back up at the canopy of trees. I close my eyes, enjoying the cool water lapping away at me, the way my hair flows through the clear liquid and fans out. A frog croaks out from somewhere close by. The soft grind of Ordona chewing is a steady effect in the background of spontaneity.

Ordona eventually nudges my cheek. "You should head back, child," the goat tells me. "I smell moisture in the air."

"Okay," I whisper and get to my feet. The golden goat bends once more and kisses the crown of my head to send me on my way. A mother bird pushing a young one out of the nest to fly.

…

"Ms. Firefly?"

Oh… Agitha.

I turn around and give the girl a small smile. "Hello Agitha. How are you today?"

She smiles, and she once again offers me a quick curtsey. "Did you find the spring, Firefly?" she asks me. "There are many bugs to be found."

"I can't say I was out looking for insects, but I did find it," I tell her. "Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

"But um… listen, Agitha," I begin gently, and I take a quick look around us. Few people are out and about in the town. Some are trucking home groceries on their arms. Others are school children like Agitha, whooping and chasing one another in the street. Even people in the shops look preoccupied more with their thoughts than anything. "Listen," I start again, "it's probably best you don't talk to me or seek me out."

The little girl's eyelids flutter as she considers this. "What do you mean?" she asks, and I feel my heart wrench a little. How am I to explain this to her? She doesn't understand at all. My magic marks me as something unknown, something dangerous… something to fear. We are living in a time where fear, hatred and misunderstanding are supposed to rule. How is a child supposed to understand all that when their vision is blissfully clouded by ignorance? I bend down at my knees and place my hands on the girl's shoulders. "Ms. Firefly?"

"Zelda!"

I spin on my feet, rising up to full height in a flash. Link pounds his way down the sidewalk, hands stuffed in his tweed slacks. "Hey," I greet weakly as he stops just before Agitha and me.

"Ms. Firefly, who's that?" Agitha asks, tugging on my shirt sleeve.

Link peers down at the girl, Mido's green cap shielding his eyes from the late sun. "Link, this is that girl I was telling you about." His brow twitches, but he keeps himself in check. A bubbling in my chest begins to build, and I see Link as a green-clad knight, slamming his brother up against a wall by the throat. He shoots me a look when he sees me place a tentative hand at the base of my throat.

"My name's Agitha!" the girl chirps. She gives Link the same courtesy, pulling her skirt out on either side of her and does a quick dip.

She turns to me, and she says, "Ms. Firefly, I'll see you another time. Dinner should be ready by now." Then to Link: "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Grasshopper!" With that, she hurries off and turns to give a swift wave.

Link turns to me and glares at me. "What?" I say. "I was trying to tell her not to talk to me again. I'm worried for her."

"Well, that aside," Link spits, "I'm 'Grasshopper'? Are you kidding me?"

I shift on my feet. "You're mad," I say as he strides past me. I turn to see him stopped in his tracks, looking at me with his jaw somewhat slack. "What, mad that I'm right now?" I press.

He clamps his mouth shut for a moment, his eyes darting to look anywhere but me. Then he turns and continues down the street, calling out, "You're mad!" I chase after him, giggling away while he fumes.

"Grasshoppers aren't so bad," I say.

I call out, "Where are you going?"

Link turns, walking backwards, his hand still in his pockets. "I figured you might be in need of that food thing that you do."

"Eating is a 'food thing'?"

He rolls his eyes at me, but I can see the smirk that pulls at his mouth as he turns back. I hurry up to fall in pace with him. "Let me fix your suspenders," I say. "It keeps coming loose in the back."

He stops and allows me to adjust his shirt and suspenders. As I reattach the loose clip, he asks, "Why're you wet, by the way?"

"I went down to the creek," I tell him.

"Do you want to go back to the inn and change?"

"It's okay, Grasshopper," I say. "I think it's supposed to rain anyway."

Link scowls. "Seriously, 'Grasshopper'?"

"Watermelon sherbet."

"Now that's two things I've never had."

...

I'm shaken from my sleep. Opening my weary eyes, I see Link's glassy ones looking back at me. "What?" I grunt, and I smack him away. I hug the pillow to me and curl a little more in the blankets.

"Come on, Zelda, get up," he says. A quick jab to my side makes me squirm a little, but I stay put on the bed. "Zee, come on." He adds an extra whine, "Pleeeaaase?"

"What is so important?"

"We're going into the woods."

Upon hearing this, I rouse from my sleepy state. "The woods? What for?"

"Remember that triangle I told you about?"

"Yes?"

"We're going," he says definitely.

I say, "You want the sword?"

Link's lips thin for a few moments before he replies, "I don't know. I'm not exactly me anymore. I don't know if she'll recognize me."

"She?" I repeat, dazed. "It's a sword. Not a boat or something."

"It's a girl, trust me," he chuckles.

He nudges me again. "Now get up and get dressed. We're taking everything; I got you food as well."

I drag myself out of bed. Before I can even step towards the bathroom, Link hands me Malon's clothes, underwear and a new heavy knit sweater, everything freshly washed. I thank him and shuffle off to wake myself from my sluggish state.

The same girl is working the counter when we reach the lobby. Her eyes are still glued to the magazine in front of her; she doesn't even bat an eye as she takes back our key, and Link pays her what we owe.

Once we're out in the morning air, I can feel the first signs of the autumn frost trying to settle itself in. I stuff my hands under my armpits to keep the warm from the morning chill, and I silently thank Link for having the sense to grab something warm for me. We take off down the streets. The morning is solemn and quiet within the sleepy town, but as I look around, it's almost as if there's nobody else actually up and about. Ghosts float across the road, thick and white, and I can barely see the end of the block. The town's aura is off this morning, and one quick look inside to my core, the leathery wings give a soft flutter. Link seems to catch onto this as well for he walks at a brisk pace, our bag's strap caught in a death grip within his hands. His eyes dart around the empty street. One hand releases the strap and snatches my arm. I whimper a little, and Link lessens the pressure but continues to pull me along at his pace.

"Much colder this morning," I comment.

"It is."

Our shoes clip the sidewalk with each step. The hanging signs from the storefronts creak a little when a slight breeze flows through. Closed signs do not stir from their places in the front doors of shops, and I see nothing within that shows any clue to life inside the buildings. We stop at the end of the block, looking one way and then the other for any sign of a car coming, but there are none out on the street. There is not one engine chugging, not one pair of lights trying to cut through the fog. There's not even one car out on the road even parked along the side.

Instead of crossing, Link and I stand stock still at the street corner. He relinquishes my arm.

"Link, something's wrong."

"I know."

I look up and down the streets, straining to see anything through the white cotton clouds, but everything seems empty. When I take a second sweep through, Link nudges me with his elbow and mutters to me, "That general store down the block is open."

"Let's go then."

Link turns to me, his arm up and out in offering this time. The smallest of smirks grace our faces as I take his arm, and we stroll down the deserted street to the general store. This is absurd. A string of bells chime when Link swings the door open. A cat snoozing on the counter stirs from its slumber; it arches its back and slides its front paws out while it greets us with a lazy yawn. The tabby meows loudly before slinking off of the counter and out of sight.

Behind the counter is a doorway blocked off by a curtain, and the smallest hint of a face pokes through a crack. A heavy sigh leaves her lips as a woman pulls it back. Her smile is crooked, more akin to a grimace than anything as she waddles up to the counter. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asks.

Link glances one around the shop, drinking in the mishmash selection of items. Items, but no people. There are no other customers in the store besides the two of us, and the large woman behind the counter cocks an eyebrow at us. She slumps down onto the counter and tugs a little at one of her brown curls as she waits for one of us to respond.

I can hear the faintest of clicks when Link blinks.

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Where is everybody?" Link presses.

The woman stiffens somewhat, and her knuckles crack as she fists one hand. The wings begin to beat their rhythm within my breast. Slick and black. She chomps down on the back of her bottom lip, trying hard not to let us know, but I see it. And I can't imagine that that's something Link would ever miss or overlook.

And he doesn't. "What do you know?" he rounds.

"I-!" she exclaims, flinging herself back from the counter. Her arms fly up, hands next to her round face. "They're coming!"

The blood in my veins cools to slush at those words. It sounds foreign to me, when my voice lets out, "Who?"

The woman lowers her hands, and her eyes do a quick scan of the shop. Her lower lip quivers a little, and then she leans onto the counter toward us. "Somebody here has been using magic." I don't dare take my eyes off of her to look at Link. "A woman that lives on the south side of town saw it, so the squads are coming."

"Hiding out isn't going to do anything for anybody," Link says. "They have the authority to enter whatever home or establishment they please."

"Just drop it!" the woman snaps.

Link steers me out without another word.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. I hang my head, my vision focused on nothing but the toes of the shoes on my feet.

Link shrugs. "No harm done, unless we don't make it a good way into the woods in time."

"But it's my fault."

Link turns me and lifts my chin up to face him completely. "Zelda, listen," he tells me. "They were going to come no matter what. Nothing will stop this short of a total overhaul in the government." His head tilts slightly, and then he says, "Zelda?" I give him a curt nod. We both give the general store one last glance before Link takes me by the arm and leads me down the street.

"I don't get it though," I say. "It's just as you say, what's the point of hiding?"

"They're afraid" is all Link says.

A cluster of trees comes into view when there's a break in between the buildings, and we head down the alley. Halfway down, Link stops all of a sudden. When I speak to him, he shushes me. He gives a slight tug on the tip of my ear. I try and strain my hearing, but nothing comes to me. I turn to Link and shake my head.

And then it comes to me. In the distance, bouncing through the town's quiet streets are the callings of men. "Do you hear their feet?" Link asks me. I don't, so I shake my head again. "They're pounding," he whispers. "There's quite a number of them." In only a few seconds, we're gone from the alley and gone from the town of Ordon and into the woods.

The trees have begun to turn. Many of the leaves haven yellowed around the edges, others have already to drop a few leaves here and there. What litters the forest floor, however, are the dead leaves of seasons past, still trying to go back to the earth as they crunch under our feet. Other than the sound of my heavy breathing, the crackling leaves as Link and I step and the quiet hiss coming from Link's body, there is no other sound in the woods as Link expertly guides us through the brush. There's not even a rustling from the wind.

The hair on the back of my neck begins to prickle, but when I look inside, the wings have settled down from their earlier alarm.

By midday, it's warmed up so much, I've shed the sweater and have the sleeves of my shirt rolled up. Link digs through our pack and gives me a meager meal, but I eat it without complaint and take the water he offers me gratefully. The forest around us is as still as ever and quiet like death. It's as if the place has been hollowed out of its life, slowly being sucked dry from the inside out.

"What's wrong with this place?" I ask Link finally. He takes back the canteen and shoves it into the pack. The bag gets slung over his shoulder, and Link readjusts the strap so the bag sits flush against his back. "It's as if there's nothing here at all."

"There isn't." At my startled look, he continues, saying, "Animals have better intuitions than people do. They've already received the warning."

"About the squads?" I ask. My brow needles. What in the world could the president's squads do to the life that filled this forest?

But Link doesn't answer me. "There's a ridge a few hours northwest. We'll camp there tonight," he tells me, already on his way, so I rush after him. "Tomorrow we can tackle the Sacred Grove."

Later in the night, when I lie down for sleep, Link tends to the fire. We're safely snuggled in the bush, surrounded by the towering trees. The eerie quiet leaks into my muscles and bones and makes it so that I cannot sleep. I lie awake, watching the fire. When it starts to die, Link feeds it a little more until it's satiated. I lie there until the crackling lulls me to sleep.

By morning my limbs are stiff and ache from the long hike the day before, but I truck on, following Link as he expertly navigates the woods. The trees begin to close in around us; the patches of sunlight shrink the further we go. My feet protest with each step until we stop to let me rest at the base of a cliff. I collapse against the rock and look up. There's a crack of light streaming down to us from where the cliff ends, but apart from that, the forest is dark and dank.

I pull the sweater I'd shed earlier in the morning back on. By the time my head pops through the collar, I look around to see that Link has disappeared. I'm left alone with the duffel. If it weren't for the cliff, there'd be no break in the canopy of trees, and I sit there for a while as the shadows creep across the firmament. With my feet throbbing, I make the decision to just stay where I'm at, and I curl a little into my sweater.

The tangible quiet tucks me in.

I end up dozing for a while, only stirring when I hear the rustling of the plants around me. The vegetation flickers before me until my eyes focus on the lanky figure trudging through. Link looks sour. Still drowsy, I slur, "What's wrong?"

"It's changed," he bites. "We'll have to go up the cliff and see if we can find a new entrance up there."

"What're you talking about?"

"We're in magicked territory now, love," Link explains, plopping down next to me. "Remember how I told you this place likes to change? The goal is to make whoever comes here lost; it's to protect the Grove from being easily accessed."

I mutter back, "Fantastic."

"You rest at all?"

"I guess," I mumble. I rub the sleep sand from one eye. "I was sleeping for a little bit there. I don't know how long it's been since we got here."

Link drags the bag over to him and opens it up. Digging through he says, "I don't either, in all honesty.

"Are you thirsty?"

I hold out my hand, and Link passes the canteen to me. The lukewarm liquid slips down my throat when I tip back the canteen. When I've had my fill, I cork it and pass it back saying, "We're going to have to refill that. There's not much left." Link gives it a little shake, the water sloshing about.

"Guess so.

"Ready to go up then? Or do you need to stay and rest some more?" Link asks.

I groan. "Help me up," I say. "Let's just keep moving. I'll be sore no matter what."

Link chuckles and pulls me up from the ground. "That's my girl," he laughs as I complain about my bottom going numb during the time he'd left me.

My joints crack and protest, but I trail along behind Link as he shows me a small alcove in the cliff side that we use to move up. My dirt covered hands grip the rock's face as we scale up the cliff. Every now and then comes a ledge for us to pull ourselves up onto, and Link, being as patient as ever, waits for me at each ledge to collect my breath and rest a little. "We'll have you running marathons in no time, city girl," he tells me. I drag myself up the rest of way while Link simply flings himself upwards.

Link takes ahold of me when he reaches the top and lifts me up. I worm away the moment he sets me on the ground, and he does nothing but laugh. "Maybe if I get a little more muscle, Malon's clothes will actually fit right," I mutter.

"I don't think a little more meat will do much for your height though," Link teases me. He points out the rolled cuffs of the denim overalls. Like dead weight, he falls over still laughing when I kick him square in the chest.

"What do you think's happened to Ordon?"

Link shrugs, rolling back up onto his bottom. "Can't really say." His feet tap rhythmic beats on the earth. "I do hope everyone's alright there though."

"Yeah," I wheeze.

I turn my head and catch sight of a dragonfly whizzing through, and my thoughts snap to Agitha as her laughter rings through my head. The insect settles down on a stray rock and flutters its wings. It sparkles a little in the sunlight like her little pools of grey.

But I shudder a little when I hear her mother's shrieking.

My heart lurches a little thinking of the squads storming through the sleepy town the way they did the carnival. The unsettling waves in my stomach rise up a little more when my mind drifts to Ilia and Darunia. Where ever they ended up, I can only hope and pray they're fine. Marin is determined enough, I have faith she can wiggle her way out of trouble. Where are they now? Do they see how everything is crumbling before them?

But Agitha's mother's shrieking doesn't cease when I think of the bright, bright, bright flames. The uniformed men stomping through the chaos in organized lines, Lenses out front. Fanadi caught in the debris of a burned wagon. Her skin and clothes wet with sweat from the heat. The drumming of feet on the grassy terrain.

The drumming stops.

Link pats my shoulder. His hand is as heavy now as his voice. "Come on, let's move," he tells me. My feet say otherwise. My muscles throb a little more. My joints flare up. I'm the dead weight now, even heavier with the thoughts that plague both Link's mind and my own.

"Can we just camp here?" I whine.

"You don't want to go the rest of the way?"

"No!"

"No need to be sour, love," Link says lightly in response to my pouting. The smirk never leaves his face. "Do you want grump lines?"

"Maybe I'll actually look twenty-nine then!"

"Or forty."

He dodges it, but the duffel bag goes flying.