Chapter 108: Where Legends Whisper
…
~~Day 92 (Command, Day 55)
~~My face hurts. I don't know if that Darknut might've broken something when he hit me, but I've got a large bruise on my cheek. But now, we have Captain North and the Moon's Shadow on our side. We threw the Darknut over the side of the ship so that, if it came back to life, it wouldn't hurt anyone. Unfortunately, there was damage done to the Moon's Shadow's main-mast. North says that I owe him a new mast, but for now, they're gonna steal a mast from the shipyard and work all through the night and into tomorrow replacing the main-mast. It's occurred to me that the Darknut looked like the knights standing in front of the castle wall. I'm glad that we can get past them into the castle, but I hope they'll disappear once the fake princess is gone. Otherwise, it's gonna be hard to get rid of six more of them.
~~We still haven't heard or seen the Summer Breeze. They'll probably be in some time tomorrow, though; lately I've forgotten that mail is gonna take some time. I hope they get here soon. I'd hate to think that even the captain of the Moon's Shadow can be suspected of playing hooky from his duties.
Link looked over that last sentence and grinned to himself.
…
"Captain Link!"
Link looked down from his position between the port main-mast and the gaff near the top. This did not offer him much of a picture, but he could make out two black-clad people on the deck below, standing next to whom he believed to be Flower. With one hand firmly grasping the throat halyard, he cupped his opposite hand over his mouth and called down, "I'll be right there!"
"What you zink, Kyabtin?" Dubbl asked, standing further along the gaff with her hand grasping the peak halyard.
Link glanced up at the top of the mast (partially blinding himself with the near-noon sun), and then he looked past Dubbl to the end of the gaff. "Well… I wouldn't mind giving it a try," he told her. "I mean, sure, you could probably squeeze a bit more speed out of the ship. But… I think… with how much extra mast we have now, it wouldn't make much difference. You're gonna have to rig up an extended topmast. And then, you'll have to make sure it's secure to the rest of the mast or else the first Sky Line we jump into is gonna take it right off. And probably tear up the rigging as well."
Dubbl nodded. "I unde'stand, Kyabtin. We haf time to make zis?"
Link shook his head. "Not really likely." He could not help grinning as he added, "Maybe once we're done overthrowing fake royalty."
Dubbl frowned at him for a moment. Then she seemed to catch on to Link's intended joke and gave him half a grin. "Okay, Kyabtin."
Link reached out and took hold of the shroud attached to the mast. He pulled himself onto it and started climbing down on the inside. Dubbl watched him until he was about halfway down. Then she stepped over to where Link had been standing. She reached a gloved hand around the mast and grabbed the other side of the throat halyard. Then she swung herself around the mast and grabbed the peak halyard with her other hand as she fell. She tightened her grip to slow her fall, and she landed on the deck just a few seconds before Link.
Flower stepped over to Dubbl, took her hand, and raised it over her head. "Winner!" he hollered. Dubbl, annoyed, ripped her hand out of his grasp and elbowed him in the ribs. "Dohf!"
"Giyroxwan," Dubbl spat before walking away.
"Ach…" Flower groaned as he rubbed the spot she had struck. "Sore winner…"
"Walk it off, Mister Flower," Link said. Flower grumbled and started toward the stern. Link then turned to his guests, and his eyes lit up. "Captain Luke!"
"Hope I'm too late," Luke, one of the men wearing the black tunics, replied. "Your letter said you were ready to make your move."
"I might've gotten ahead of myself," Link replied.
"I've taken the liberty of explaining the gist of the plan to Captain Luke," Captain North, the other visitor, spoke up. "I feel at this point, after a few more preparations are made on the Grand Sails, we should be ready to leave tomorrow morning."
"Boy, was I cutting it close," Luke remarked with a grin.
"Have you guys explained what's gonna happen to your crews?" Link asked.
"Just about as much as I know," Luke said. "The princess is fake, and we're gonna help get her off the throne."
"I've had similar words with my crew," North said with a nod. "I felt that they are safer knowing that we are only going to return the king and queen to Castle Island."
"Safer?" Link asked.
"Plausible deniability," Luke said. "The less our crews know, the better the chance they have if things go bad. And, although I trust you, Link, this whole thing can go straight to the ground if she gets our fleet moving against us before we can even get to the castle."
"It isn't likely to happen," North told Luke. "Although she has our own ships patrolling the skies around the island, we have the advantage of betrayal."
"Betrayal?" Luke asked with an amused grin. "Is that what you call this?"
"Captain Link," North said. "I understand that your second-in-command is finished making fake weapons for the Grand Sails' crew. Have they been distributed yet?"
"Leynne said that he'd be taking care of that this afternoon. He says they should stand up to distant observation, but the crew's in trouble if someone boards the ship."
"I bet the King of Hyrule stepping off the Island Symphony will take care of the scrutiny," Luke said.
"His Majesty King Lauris requested your presence," North said.
Link frowned. "What for?"
"I didn't question it, Captain. He asked that you be on the Royal Winds as soon as you were available."
Link nodded. "Okay, let me tell my chief-of-the-deck," he said. Then he started jogging across the deck while calling out, "Dubbl, wait a moment!"
…
Link had never gotten a good look at the deck of the Royal Family's vessel, the galleon Royal Winds. Its main deck and quarterdeck were almost the same length. He found that, as he boarded the Royal Winds at the quarterdeck, there was a dais with three thrones arranged with one sitting further forward than the other two. The crew bustled about the deck in rich-looking tunics or robes, looking nothing like the hardened airmen he was familiar with. The general feel was strict professionalism which Link had never encountered before, a far cry from the rugged and casual methods he had seen on his previous assignments or the whimsical and outright crazy works of his current crew.
King Lauris stood at the helm, his clothes fresh and his cuirass and newly-added pauldrons looking recently polished. Link was not sure how he should approach the king, so he waited a moment. He spent that moment remembering the difference between superiors and subordinates saluting (mostly because he had spent so much time saluting like a superior). Then, when the king finished his conversation with his staff, Link saluted with his left hand once the king had spotted him and said, "Permission to board, Your Majesty."
"Please," the king replied. He held out an inviting hand and added, "Place yourself at ease, Captain."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Link replied, dropping the salute and stepping forward.
The king whispered something to a nearby youth wearing a white robe before taking two steps toward Link to close their distance. "Thank you for responding so quickly," he told Link. "There were just a couple of matters I wished to discuss. First, I wonder if you have heard from my daughter recently."
Link put on a hesitant look before shaking his head. "Sorry, Your Majesty. She hasn't said anything to me since we returned to Skyrider Port. I don't know why yet."
"But you have spoken with her recently. Do you know of her condition?"
Link took in a breath. "She was worried, Your Majesty. Mostly about Queen Arla."
The king nodded. "Zelda knows her mother's ailments well. How natural of her to be concerned of others in spite of her own plights."
"She is… very brave, Your Majesty."
"She is very intelligent, Captain. Compassionate as well." He stared at the bow, but Link could see that his eyes were looking beyond the distance. He was not sure if he should say anything else, but the king's concentration broke before he could speak again. "How are the preparations coming along?"
"We should have everything we need by tonight, Your Majesty," Link answered. "We're on schedule to depart at dawn, like you wanted."
"Good. Another matter concerns me before I release you to your crew. I have spoken with Captain North regarding his pursuit of you over the past month. Am I to understand that you abandoned the tunic given to you by my daughter on Might Island?"
Link looked down at the deck in embarrassment. "Yes, Your Majesty. My tunic was shot up. And, when I found out that Captain North was still looking for us on Might Island, I left my tunic behind to help convince him I was getting desperate. Now that I think about it… I-I just realized how irresponsible it was."
"The captain described the tunic as being shot up and covered in blood, as though you had just been through a battle. He was convinced, however, that it was action that he was not aware of, something apart from your encounter on Tabletop Island."
Link nodded. "It was a fight on Might Island with some of the creatures holding the princess. One of them was shooting at us with some kinda new gun. But most of the blood came from Layna, the Gelto Your Majesty knows as my bodyguard. She… nearly died."
"Captain Link." Link looked up. "While I am dismayed whenever one of my servants destroys something as proud as a green tunic, I find more worth in the person wearing it and for what it was destroyed. I applaud you in your actions. And I would like to present you with a replacement." Link did not know when the king's attendant returned, but the king turned around and retrieved a green bundle from his arms. "We have very few extra clothes on-board. I had this tailored for you, however I fear that it may yet be a little large. This is a style of tunic worn by one of my knights." He handed the bundle to Link, who found it to be the same material as his first tunic but significantly heavier. "I would appreciate it if you were to wear this tomorrow morning. After all, the one who will stand with me when the false princess is confronted should be prepared for anything."
Link looked down at the tunic in his arms and ran a finger under the V-shaped collar. He found that a layer of mail had been sewn to the tunic's interior. He then looked up at the king in awe. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will."
"One other thing." The king turned back to his attendant. In response, the attendant removed a strap from across his chest and offered something large to the king. The king then turned to show Link a shield. It looked brand-new and polished. It was a heater-shaped shield which also had a point on the top edge. Over a field of blue was the familiar half-circle and spurs design that he had seen in the castle, each of the spurs ending at the field's edge. Seated atop the half-circle was a down-pointing, yellow triangle. "This is a gift from Sir Gilbert," the king explained. "He felt that, if you intend to carry around a sword, you should have a shield to go with it. It is a little bulky, but I assume you know how to use one."
"I've learned, Your Majesty," Link answered, shifting his new tunic into one arm. The king turned the shield, and Link slipped his arm into the small straps on the back. He felt the weight of the shield for a moment. "It's perfect, Your Majesty."
"Excellent," the king replied with a smile. "I look forward to seeing you with both of these in the morning."
…
~~Day 93 (Command, Day 56)
~~Preparations are complete, and, for once, the entire crew has had the opportunity to rest before we set off again. I'm amazed by their willingness to continue on with me, especially since we are now at risk of being blow out of the air sailing into hostile areas. I hope I can arrange a reward for them once the Skyriders are back in business. They deserve it.
~~With the Moon's Shadow, the Summer Breeze, and the Grand Sails on our side, I'm confident that we'll be successful tomorrow. The other Skyriders would have to be crazy to fire on our ships. And the king is sure to get us into the throne room. I don't know what it was Cunimincus used to replace the princess, but it couldn't possibly be any more of a threat than what I've already seen. I may be jinxing our luck by even thinking this, but we're ready. Nothing's gonna stop us now.
~~I'm a little concerned that Princess Zelda hasn't said anything for the past few days. I wish she would; I'd like to tell her that we're on our way.
…
Link was restless. Between excitement for the next day and worry over the princess's silence, he just could not relax long enough to fall asleep. So he patrolled the Island Symphony's lit deck, occasionally pausing to examine some nearby rigging or to see what the night crew was doing. Although he had informed the entire crew that they would be leaving in the morning, he eventually became concerned that some of them might have decided to stay at the Sail Tavern for one last drink. Against his better judgment, he decided to leave the Island Symphony to see if any of his crew lingered.
When he reached the Sail Tavern, he found that business was winding down. The bar was packed with local people, some of which recognized and greeted Link. He was a little surprised to find Helo there, although Helo quickly explained that he was not there to drink; he had gotten lost and only knew where to find the tavern. Link pointed Helo in the direction of the ship, which made it easier for him to start walking back. Link decided he would have to check when he returned to the ship. Leeta gave Link a few drinks, and, by the time he was finished drinking, all desire to sleep simply left him. So he visited with a few of the patrons, finding out about people he had not seen for months and telling anyone who would listen about his own adventures on the surface. He had lost track of time, and, by the time he decided looking for a clock was a good idea, it was well beyond midnight.
Still, Link found himself unable to sleep even after Leeta offered Link a room. He tossed around on the bed until he decided to get dressed and find the ladder to the roof. There was no moon out, so Link could only see the edges of the slightly slanted roof by the light of the streetlamps below. That was fine for him. He lay down on his side with his head propped up by one arm and watched the eastern sky. With his mind blank, he figured that it would only be a matter of time before he fell asleep.
"Wow…"
The whispered voice made Link stir out of his haze and sit up. First he looked to the hatch in the roof from where he had stepped out, but no one was in sight. So he asked aloud, "Is that you, Zelda?"
"Yes," Zelda replied in a regular voice. "I apologize, I must have awoken you."
Link shook his head. "No, you're all right. I wasn't really sleeping anyway."
"Where are you that such a beautiful sight exists?"
Link grinned as he looked back to the east. "Back at Skyrider Port. It's good to hear your voice again; I was getting worried."
"I am sorry, Link. The Smiling Gunner gave a great shake not long after we last spoke, and I dropped Irleen's gem. I only recently recovered it. How long has it been?"
"Four days. We got a lot of stuff done. We've got the Summer Breeze, the Grand Sails, and even the Moon's Shadow escorting us to Castle Island tomorrow morning. Uh… well, later this morning; it's after midnight now."
"So I see."
"And after we get your parents back to the castle, we'll try to get to you as soon as we can. I… I don't really know when; we won't have anything figured out until after we get rid of the fake."
"That's okay, Link. Knowing you have come so much closer in the time we have not been able to speak… you have renewed my spirit. Thank you." Link's smile grew wider, her words bringing about a great amount of relief. "So, why is it that you cannot sleep?"
"Ah, well…" Link paused for a moment. Then he realized something. "Uh… you know what? I completely forgot."
"Would you like me to leave you be so that you might sleep?"
Link shook his head. "No, it's all right. I got a feeling that I won't really sleep much anyway."
"How has your crew fared?"
"They're doing okay. Well, Sello was a bit of a problem. So was Dholit, but that's completely expected."
Zelda giggled. "Yes, you have told me about their previous antics."
"It's about the same thing. Sello's drunk… Dholit… does… things."
"And my mother?"
Link nodded. "She's all right, too. She'll be on the Royal Winds tomorrow, and we're gonna have the knights take her to Governor Lore that way she's safe in case something happens."
"An excellent idea. At least she will be looked after." Both of them fell silent for a moment. "Link. May I ask you something?"
He shrugged. "Sure."
"Throughout your ventures… have you ever stopped to wonder about what you are doing? Perhaps ponder the motivation behind some of the more outrageous things you've done?"
Link crossed his arms and contemplated in silence. "I don't really think I did. I mean… I suppose. But…" He scratched the back of his head. "There really hasn't been any particular reason to question what I've been doing. Why? You're not worried, are you?"
He thought he heard her sigh. "No. Not at all. From the moment I met you… it is difficult to explain, but… I had this feeling that you were different from any other captain I had seen before."
"Heh. Yeah." Link held his hand above his head. "Probably because they were all twice my height."
"Link… I think that there is more going on here than you believe. I have had this feeling since meeting you. It is… as if our paths were supposed to cross. There are legends of the surface kingdom which speak of such chance encounters as being the wills of the goddesses of old."
Link scrunched his face. "Iiii… Well, I don't really know about all that." Then he started blinking quickly as he remembered something. "But, you know, that kinda reminds me of something that happened on the surface. It was in the Tower of Spirits. This little guy I met… he was—he was a Lokomo."
"A Lokomo? They still exist?"
Link shrugged. "In a way, I guess. He said he was waiting for me to get there, and that I was supposed to be… hmm. What was it? I think he said the 'Hero of Journeys'."
"The Hero of Journeys…" Zelda mused. "I like it. It sounds appropriate."
"I guess he expects me to defeat Cunimincus once we get you to safety."
"Then perhaps it is not a stretch to call this an act of fate."
Link sighed. "I don't know. Maybe."
"Link." Link frowned when he realized that the princess's voice had changed. Hearing it in his head was like she was standing right in his boots. But that last time she spoke did not sound right. It was as if she was standing to his right. So he looked in that direction.
He jerked and backed up a bit, startled by the appearance of an ethereal figure next to him. It was definitely Zelda, still wearing her airman outfit. But her whole figure was pale, and he could see the stars in the sky and the roof behind her. She gave him a soft smile, not put off by his surprise a bit. "We are both in the midst of an adventure," she told him, her voice coming from her likeness strong. "Chance must sleep for the duration."
"H-holy…" Link trailed off, words failing him for a moment. "H-how are you doing that?"
Zelda looked down at her arm and seemed to admire her skin for a moment. "Faith manages," she told him. "I cannot be certain how, but I have found that the smallest amount of belief in the world can go a long way. It is perhaps the only way I have remained rational."
Link gulped. "A-are you s-s-sure you're not…?"
She closed her eyes and softly shook her head. "No, I have not died."
"Positive? Because the last ghost I talked to didn't really know he'd died, either."
Zelda fell silent with a look of surprise on her face. "Oh, my… you have… spoken with the dead before?"
"Yeah. Yeah, that was a pretty weird train ride."
"Well, I assure you that I am not deceased," she told him with a smile returning to her face. "Irleen's gem seems to feature more function than she mentioned."
Link adjusted his legs so he was comfortable again. "Actually, she said that you might be changing it around. I guess… well, whatever magic you use for your miracles or whatever makes the gem act different from the way it should."
"I am doing this?" Link watched her put a hand in a pocket of her skirt and remove an oval-shaped gem from her pocket. She pondered at it for a moment. "Dear. I know that strange things happen around me, but I find that this is rather confusing."
"The queen said you make these little miracles happen. So Irleen thinks you're using it to change the gem."
Zelda stared at the gem as if waiting for more explanation. Then she placed it back in her pocket. "Then I hope that it lasts long enough for you to find me again." She carefully squat into a seat in front of Link. "So. If you cannot sleep, why is it that you are on the roof of a building?"
"I don't really know," Link confessed. He turned to look toward the east again. "I was just thinking that I might just fall asleep if I watched for the dawn."
"Do you think you still may?"
Link chuckled and shook his head. "Not really. Not at this point. Now I guess I'm just waiting."
"Do you mind if I wait with you?"
He shrugged. "It's fine if you want." He heard shuffling, and he glanced over to find that she was carefully sliding herself across the roof toward him. He quickly looked away, his cheeks warming up as she settled down next to him.
"Have you spent many nights just waiting for the dawn?" she asked him.
"No-not really," Link replied, trying to keep his voice even and casual. He could not believe that being this close to just an image of the princess was making him uncomfortable. "I jus—I just needed something to do."
"Somehow, it does not seem to be a terrible way to spend time."
Link dared a glance at her and found her giving the horizon a soft smile. "You think so?" he asked.
"Perhaps it is an effect of my captivity. Or the fact that I have never seen such a bare sky before. What about it do you suppose attracts you, Link?"
Link realized he had been staring at her and quickly turned his head in the opposite direction, causing it to crack. "I-I don't know," he said, one hand rubbing the dull pain he now felt in his neck. "I-I just… thought it was… w-well, you know… something to do."
"You could have remained inside."
"I-I didn't feel like it."
"You could have sat down to read."
"Li-library's closed."
"You might have done this on your ship."
"I-I don't wanna walk back right now. Be-besides, if I started talking to you in front of the Gelto again, they'd freak out."
"I think this will be the best dawn I have ever witnessed."
Link pondered at her statement until he turned back to her. "Why?"
She finally looked back at him. "Because you are showing it to me. Of all that I have seen through you, Link, this is the most beautiful."
"Ah—" Link started before he clapped his jaw shut. He looked back out at the starry horizon and indicated it with a hand. "We-well, it hasn't really started yet, so…"
"I still love it, Link."
Link scratched the back of his head so that his arm would block out her view of his face. It felt like his cheeks would explode at any moment, and he tried to focus on something else. When his shyness abated, he told her, "You know… I-I kinda like this, too. Watching the sun rise with you. I'm-I'm glad you stuck around."
"As am I."
Link took in a breath, but he found that he had run out of conversation. What was there to talk about now but their current circumstances? And, really, was there anything they did not already know about each other? Well… yes, Link admitted that he and she had not really been quite that open with each other. Still, what was there to discuss other than the fact that she was still on a demon airship and he was coming to her rescue? Should he talk about the dawn some more? He did not have anything else to say about it. It was the dawn, and that pretty much spoke for itself.
In the silence, Link's eyes shifted between watching the horizon and glancing at Zelda. Then, when Link realized that the faintest stars were beginning to disappear, he stared at the sky. Black faded into purple, and then the purple faded into indigo. When Link identified the color blue, he stood up and took in a deep breath.
"Time to go," he told himself. Zelda stood up and nodded.
…
End Arc 2 of 3.