Have fun!
Chapter 39
Link
It's funny how quickly one gets used to some things… and, conversely, how short a time it takes for something usual or familiar to feel completely off. Zelda and he were trotting on the road... and it felt weird! There were people around! The subtle sounds of the forest that they had gotten used to were now overshadowed by hoofbeats and the sound of wagons cluttering along… and voices! How utterly bizarre!
Valewyn was close now… either they had made really good time somehow, or they had, during their mad flight, drifted inadvertently to the west. It didn't really matter… Link had expected them to arrive at the village after sunset, but as it looked now, they would reach it with about 2 hours of daylight remaining.
He looked sideways at his companion, her eyes already darting from person to person, trading cart to trading cart, eager to catch every little detail. The joyous little smile that played around her lips captivated him, made him daydream… He recalled last night… goddess, it had been so hair-raisingly awkward! He stifled a giggle and shook his head almost unnoticeably. Their intimate night seemed to have made everything a tad more complicated… incredibly delightfully so, but still… Whenever he looked at her for too long, his mind unerringly began to think rather… salaciously. He wanted her… Din's inferno, did he ever… and those unmistakable looks she shot him whenever she caught him looking did NOT help… Bloody hell, he felt like a lecherous dog sometimes… But, of course, he would wait. She had ridden as marvellously gracefully as ever, but… he had caught her wincing once or twice, when Celeste had had to take a rougher step. 'I'm a bit sore'… Simple, harmless words, but they still burned deep in his bones. Especially the way she had said them, almost as if she was sorry that she had to say it… He knew it was dumb to think himself blamable for her discomfort. She had been rather adamant about that and he did believe her, but… emotionally he felt like a selfish prick.
So, he had been caught between sharp, hot bouts of lustfulness and cold, wilting lows of self-reproach, which he knew were stupid. So, in short, he had wondered not if, but when he would go insane.
When they were making their camp for the night, both of them had been marginally coordinated, glance throwing, awkwardly blushing messes. After Zelda had, distractedly, handed him a turnip that was clearly meant for the horses, and they both realized that Celeste and Janna were rather confusedly nosing hard cheese and sausage, they could finally laugh at the silliness of it all. And it had been the most liberating giggling fit imaginable. He thanked the goddesses for it… he had been about to suggest sleeping on his own mat again, just to avoid any… confrontation. But, with tension mostly released via the divine medium of laughter, they had gladly decided that falling asleep in each others arms was still possible, despite the relentless jig their brains were staging.
Today it was better, thankfully. Watching her angelic grace still quickened the blood in his veins, but he could far better distance himself from any sexual wants. He would like to think that his mental fortitude was getting stronger, but… he suspected taking matters into his own hands behind the bushes this morning while she was still dozing was the real reason for the… release of this particular burden. And while he did feel a tad ashamed of himself, he still preferred a clear head over obscene drooling.
"More are going south than north…" he heard her say, pulling him back into reality. "Sorry?" he answered dumbly. 'Appears I'm drooling nonetheless…' he thought to himself.
"More people are going towards the capital than the other way round… noticeably so…" she clarified, glancing at him with a smirk that told him she knew exactly what he had been looking at… and how long.
Get yourself together, you buffoon! "Well… could just be the time of day, but… I'd say word has gotten around that the army is assembled at Hyrule. A lot of money can be made where tens of thousands of bored men and women congregate…" he mused.
"Hmm… good point. Though that doesn't explain why I saw many women riding on the traders' carts..." she added thoughtfully.
Oh… Oh dear… "Erm… you see…" he began stammering, but was thankfully interrupted.
"MAKE WAY!" an enormous bellow came from behind. Link barely had time to manoeuvre himself out of the path before a rider with the white and blue uniform of a messenger of the royal army thundered past them towards Valewyn, both she and her horse panting heavily.
Zelda and he exchanged questioning looks as around them the hubbub of hoof, wheel and low complaining began anew. "Good news rarely travels this fast…" Link said, setting his jaw. She nodded and bit her lip pensively. "I wonder what could have happened…"
"So do I… but standing around, pondering, won't bring us closer to an answer." he pointed out.
"Agreed. Let's go! I would like to explore the town a bit before we lose the light!" she said, her enthusiasm recovered.
Link nodded and smiled at her, even though she had already turned back towards the city. He knew that roaming the markets and streets of villages and cities bore a number of risks… not only was there the enigmatic evil they were combating, but also more mundane troubles like pickpockets, robbers, drunkards… and girls as astoundingly pretty as she was would always get a second look, especially from elements whose attention could become something to fear.
That said, he would be damned before he stood in Zelda's way, if she wished to delve into the life of her people. He knew how much she wanted to know them, how much she cared. He keenly remembered the enchanted, rapturous look on her stunning face when he had 'abducted' her out of the castle walls for the first time. The memory still filled his chest with warm feelings of accomplishment and delight. If their mission placed only half as much hardship on them as he feared, he would rather watch doubly and triply as careful to ensure her a few moments of genuine joy, instead of attempting to keep her locked up in illusory safety. She had had to suffer through quite enough of that already. And if he could not keep her from harm without stifling her with restrictions, he wasn't better than her father. Link loved to see her happy… so he would do everything in his power to give her the happiness she deserved. And in his book, she deserved it all.
Chaos… that's what the entrance to Valewyn was. A mash of dozens of carts, carriages and horses, each convinced that their right of way was a matter of course, squeezing through the a far too narrow gate, spiced with a creative bouquet of colourful curses. The guards at the gate had their hands full trying to keep everybody from going on a murderous rampage when someone cut in front of them, bumped into them, or just generally breathed in their general direction.
Link felt right at home. Them being just on foot leading their horses, and so, easily manoeuvrable, nobody paid any attention to them and they were free to watch and listen to furious traders promise all kinds of hell to each other… as long as they didn't get in the way…
"YOU THERE! Get your fucking nag outta the fucking way, you blonde bimbo, or you'll feel my whip! MOVE!" a hoarse voice bellowed fearsomely. Link's head whipped around and saw a short, fat man with an impressively red pate nearly jump up and down furiously on the coachbox. Zelda, who had been the target of the assault, had apparently slowed to dangerous levels in her fascination of the rowdy hubbub. Unfortunately, the coach-driver's outburst had had an adverse effect; now she had stopped completely and ogled the wildly gesticulating man wide eyed and open mouthed.
A guard was approaching to try and control the situation. "You are blocking traffic, girl!" the sweating man shouted at her. "Stop bloody staring and get a move on! Or, so Din help me, I'll arrest you for interfering with Valewyn's trade! MOVE!" he yelled, grabbed her shoulder and shoved her into the right direction.
Link was there in an instant, just in case. "Sorry about that, sir. We'll be off!" he growled, shooting the man a steely look, before taking Celeste's reins as well. He led the four of them through the palisade, then guided them out of the constant flow of near mad travellers. He looked at Zelda, who had an odd expression that he couldn't quite identify… befuddled, yes, but there was more…
"Err… everything alright, dumpling? Don't take it to heart or anything, it's just…" he began, but her head swivelled around and she looked at him puzzled but grinning widely.
"Are you kidding me? I love it!" she exclaimed, eyes sparkling. "This is the first time anybody has ever spoken to me like this! Neither had any idea who I am!"
Link snorted. "I wished I could be as excited when someone called me blonde bimbo…" he chuckled.
"You don't understand!" she whispered joyfully and extended her arms in a grand gesture. "I am incognito… I am free!" Her felicity was catching… he noticed a tiny joyous tear in her eye as she grinned at him so free of any care… he felt his heart melt for her, both because of her irresistible cuteness, and because of what getting violently cursed at being something to celebrate implied about her life thus far. Link stepped forward, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a long, passionate kiss. He felt her initial surprise, then her arms folding behind his neck to pull him even closer. He couldn't even express how glad he was to see her like this, that she was here so he could show her what little he knew… that she simply was here, with him.
"That was sudden…" she gasped with a smirk when they had let go of each other.
"Sorry…" he mumbled, a tiny bit embarrassed at his show of sloshing emotionality. "I just felt like doing it…"
"I hope you feel like that more often…" she replied, smiling impishly, driving him out of his mind. "Now, let's go! I want to gooo!" she sang, pulling on his arm. Farore's mercy…if she doesn't stop being so ravishing…
"Easy!" he laughed. "First let us find an inn so we can stable the horses and stow our luggage. Agreed?"
Now she looked a bit sheepish about her unthinking enthusiasm… that's certainly not what he had wanted. "And then…" he continued, having one of his utterly brilliant ideas."…then you will buy our supplies!"
Her eyes lit up again, both in excitement and slight tension. "Me?" she asked, with just a hint of nervousness.
Hah! Perfect! "Of course you, my adorable little dumpling! You're going to find an appropriate stall in the milling crowd, decide what you want, haggle with the proprietor and pay. And I will watch and snigger at you from the side! Would that be to the lady's liking?" he questioned, flashing her one of his playful grins.
The smile that erupted on her face was as warming as the rays of the summer sun. She crashed into him in a quick, almost violent hug and placed a boisterous kiss on him that burned deliciously on his lips. "Perfect!" she squeaked and ran off, dragging him by his hand.
Finding a decent inn with a stable wasn't difficult. Finding one that wasn't laughably expensive was! Link wasn't about to pay 25 rupees or something preposterous like that for a chamber with a bed for one night! Thankfully, the places a little off the main avenue were a lot more reasonably priced. Though booking had inadvertently lead to a rather precious moment when the rotund lady behind the counter had asked him, whether he and 'the lady' wanted one room or two. He had looked rather helplessly at Zelda, feeling like a complete idiot for not thinking of this rather important question sooner. "One room is fine…" she had finally said squeakily, her whole face turning a deep, magnificent crimson. He understood her… he himself was pretty sure that steam might be coming out of his ears when he saw the mildly amused shrug of the receptionist.
Their key in hand, they had just dumped their bags in the tiny room and had immediately entered the busy streets again, ready for an interesting evening.
Link had to admit: Valewyn was very pretty. The light, marble-like stone used for the sidewalk gleamed in the sun where the bright green leaves of chestnut trees didn't provide shade. The houses along the main road were of whitewashed stone on the ground floor, then fair wood for the first and often second floors, richly adorned by handsome carvings. A little stream gurgled along the western side of the road, captured and redirected in a smooth, round stone ditch. Along both sides of the road, the houses that no longer fit into the narrow flat part of the valley climbed the hillsides, connected by steep, criss-crossing ways and stairs.
"I have to say… I really like how this place looks. Especially those homes that appear to be just barely clinging onto the hills." he mused aloud as they were walking towards the market.
Zelda nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, absolutely! They must have such a stunning view over the whole town! Ooh! Look!" she exclaimed and pointed at a little stall at the side of the road. 'Fresh Apple Juice!' it said on the handwritten sign in gay colours. She had already swerved towards it before he could say anything, so he just followed, grinning slightly to himself. This could be interesting!
As per tradition, the proprietor was an old, wrinkly lady that practically radiated trustworthiness. Always a sign that caution was advisable. And as soon as the crone spots Zelda there'll be… There it is! That wonderfully kind, innocent, toothless grin that allayed all your suspicions. Let's see how cautious the dumpling is!
"Hello, dearie!" grandma greeted her with a voice at least as wrinkly as her face. Link had to suppress a grin… she really had mastered her role. The slow, deliberate way she moved, the convincing wince as she stood up from the hard stool she had sat on, the slight tremble of her hands, which made an open, inviting gesture. And, of course, the almost comically perfect 'old-lady-voice' which was meant to say 'I'm old and weak, every little bit helps'. Great theatre!
"Greetings, my good woman!" Zelda said sweetly, but a little stiffly nonetheless. She subconsciously spoke to her like a lady to someone of lower standing… which wasn't surprising, since she had probably a very rudimentary idea of how common people spoke to each other. The unnerving, gummy grin twitched just a tiny bit and the old baggage immediately switched gears.
"No need to be so formal, young lady. Everyone just calls me Millie." She said, the pinnacle of kindness. 'Millie'?! Really? Now she was overdoing it with the act… He had a hard time keeping his giggling in.
"Nice to meet you, Millie!" Zelda greeted her with a radiant smile while he hovered to the side, watchful and almost bursting.
"Would you like some apple juice, love? It's fresh from the orchards around Ord village, the finest apples in all of Hyrule. 6 rupees, 8 if you want it in a cooled cup." the crone crinkled gently.
Link nearly had a coughing fit at the outrageous price. Zelda turned towards him briefly and shot him an excited smile before turning back. "Ah, your home! That's great!" she beamed. Watching the old woman's face almost crack at hearing that an Ordian was present was pure delight. Her eyes became just a hint wider when she looked at him, his arms crossed in the completely relaxed way that unmistakably said 'I can un-relax myself in an instant.'
"That is great…" he said softly, with a mild grin for the woman. "And even before harvest season! Phenomenal!"
The crone rallied magnificently. "Why, what a pleasure having someone from our neighbour here at my humble stall. Tell you what, dears! Since your lovely village has been so helpful in keeping poor Millie and her grandchildren healthy, I'll give you two cups with ice for fiv… four rupees!" she corrected herself at seeing his expression.
Zelda looked back and forth between them, slightly confused. "That's so kind of you, but we can't…"
"We gratefully accept your genial offer! You are a true lady and I'll never forget you." he interrupted, then nodded at his even more puzzled companion. She fished out the heavy purse, rummaged briefly in it and pulled out a little blue gem. "Keep it… for your kindness…" she said.
Link smirked, but he let her. It didn't really matter. They drank the proffered juice, he suppressing a wince as he did so, then returned the cups and bid their farewells. He could almost feel the nasty glare the old witch must be drilling him with… and it felt good…
They had only taken about ten steps before Zelda halted abruptly and smacked her forehead with her hand. "Harvest season! Nayru's wisdom, I'm such an idiot!" she exclaimed. Link could finally release the hearty laugh he had been holding in by biting his cheek… he knew she would catch on soon.
"Don't laugh! I'm feeling like such a fool! Goddess, how gullible am I?!" she ranted at herself, somewhere between being distraught and laughing with him.
"Now now, dumpling! Don't be too hard on yourself. Far more experienced people have been tricked in much more costly ways… it happens! This is these people's trade! Bootlicking and trickery." He chuckled as he supportingly caressed her back. "At least you immediately caught on that something was amiss!"
She made a sulky face. "I still feel dumb…" she mumbled, pouting her lips. "I assume six rupees was too expensive?"
"Yeah… ludicrously so." He answered, still laughing. "Two rupees was too much for that muck!"
"Why didn't you stop me?!" she demanded, exasperated.
"Because this is a valuable lesson. It cost us almost nothing… but still, it did cost us something. And through that, you'll never forget it. Believe me, everyone has an experience like this…" he added thoughtfully as he gently pushed her to continue walking with him.
Her face became quite scarily grim. "To be honest, I really want to go back there and give that 'kind old lady' an earful! And dump her juice over her head! It wasn't even that good!"
Link snorted, partly in amusement, partly in disgust. "Hah! No, it wasn't. They use apple puree from last year and just add water. Wah!" he exclaimed screwing up his face and shaking his head. "Repulsive!"
He heard Zelda's high, sweet giggle. "You make it sound like the single most deplorable malefaction imaginable!" she
"Close enough! My dear mother would probably have made the crone drink all of her slop, while giving her a tirade she'd never forget… she'd probably have made her eat the cups as well…" he mused. "Oh! Before I forget… I'm afraid I have to nag about another thing…" he warned her, careful not to seem overly didactic or even gloating.
Her adorable face showed an almost pained expression and she made herself seem small. "Mhm?" she hummed, guiltily.
Now he felt bad… great job… "Please don't take the purse with all our money out into the open… That's like asking for trouble. Everyone who happened to be around us at the time now knows that you carry a heavy bag full of rupees…" he explained and let the implications form on their own.
Zelda eyed him, obviously startled, then buried her face in her hands. "I. Am such. An idiot." he heard her muffled voice.
"No you're not." Link said matter-of-factly and lightly embraced her. "You are only just at the beginning of your shopping career!"
"Did I put us in danger?" she asked miserably.
"No. We are in a rich part of a rich town. We are both armed and look like soldiers on leave. Plus, a heavy purse isn't an uncommon sight here. We're safe, don't worry about it, sweetie." he calmed her, stroking her back. People were giving them looks, standing in the middle of the sidewalk as they were, but he couldn't care less.
She unburied her face slightly and sky-blue puppy eyes looked at him. "I think you should handle the rest of our grocery shopping…" she mumbled.
"Absolutely not!" he refused and grinned at her. "Come now! You know so many things, far more than me! Allow me to provide you with a little practical knowledge as well… it's all I can do anyway!"
"That's not true…" she said, still sulking a bit.
"Okay, enough moping. The annoying, educational part of the day has been dealt with. Now we can begin exploring the town in earnest! Unless… you want to stop here?" he asked, smirking, for he already knew the answer.
"Noooo…" she moaned.
"Alright!" he chuckled and quickly gave her a peck on her nose. "Let's go build your spirits back up!"
It didn't take long, thankfully. The boulevard itself became more marketplace with every metre and Zelda was quickly back to her adorable, bubbling self. While Valewyn market might only be small in comparison, it still boasted a fascinatingly large variety of goods and a surprising amount of activity. Although the sun was already mostly behind the western hill, the general hustle and bustle seemed in no way ready to disperse and his excited girl was eager to be a part of it all. Link was certainly not unhappy with the situation, he too greatly enjoyed strolling through places like this, watching, discovering, savouring… He just had to be a tiny bit more watchful than usual… which wasn't easy when his charge was flittering from stall to stall like a psyched up puppy, trying to see everything at once.
She was browsing over a Gerudo's lavish display full of colourful confectionary that seemed incredibly appealing. "Link, look!" she grinned at him excitedly, pointing. "It all looks so pretty! I wonder what they all are!"
"What do you wish to know?" the majestic looking lady-proprietor asked with a business-like smile.
"Umm… what are these?" Zelda asked without hesitation, indicating a mound of yellow, wrinkly lumps.
"Candied Voltfruit. A delicacy of the desert." the Gerudo explained in her exotic accent.
"Hmm. And this?"
"Chickaloo nuts in Wildberry jelly, my most praised item." she declared proudly.
"It looks magnificent!" Zelda raved. "And that?"
Thankfully, her genuine, infectious enthusiasm would be enough to soften even the most grouchy trader's heart.
"Awwwww… can I buy some?" she asked squeakily, giving him the most enchanting puppy eyes. Wasted effort, of course… he wouldn't be able to refuse her anything anyway…
"It's your money, sweetling! Go ahead!" he chuckled, knowing that she wouldn't go overboard anyway. Her resplendent smile alone was worth it!
In the end they left with a few bites of the nuts in Wildberry jelly each, which was pricey, but delicious.
"Mmmh…" Zelda sighed, contented. "I was soooo hungry!"
Link had to chuckle. "Hah… I doubt that this little gem is enough to fill your stomach…"
"Nowhere near!" she confirmed, grinning. "But at least now I can think again. Now! Let's find a store that sells provisions and try to avoid it for as long as possible!"
"I see you thought of everything!" he smirked and poked her cheek purposefully with the finger that was most sticky after the sugary treat.
"ACK!" she squawked and vehemently wiped it off. "You mudlark!" she yelled and wiped her own finger along the bridge of his nose.
"Aw, sorry, dumpling. Here, I'll get it off!" he chuckled and quickly leaned in to plant a firm kiss on the spot where he had soiled her perfect skin. She grinned at him, slightly lopsided and mischievous. "Well… as far as master-plans go, not to bad either…" she snarled, grabbed his ears and pulled him down so she could give him three quick pecks down his nose.
Giggling, they went on their way hand in hand.
It must be at least ten in the evening and still there was plenty of activity in the streets. They were sitting on a hard bench at a sticky table belonging to a tavern on the hillside that overlooked the market at night, lit by hundred of oil-lamps, big and small. Link had scouted this one out with persistent asking of locals, who were loath to give up the knowledge of where they would go to eat to a tourist.
Zelda, across from him was beaming with pride and glee, and she was outrageously beautiful in the soft candlelight. He was probably grinning like a complete loon as he stared at her like that while she enjoyed the view, but he hardly cared.
"I think I've done pretty well, considering…" she suddenly said. Reluctantly, he pulled himself out of his reverie, so he could answer with more than mindless grunts. "You did! We got everything we need and we got a pretty good price, at least for this town." She really had done well! When hunger had finally forced them to abort their exploration and to get on with their actual goal, she had quickly found a suitable shop. Remembering what Link had brought with them and considering how much both of them ate over the course of a day, she had then proceeded to order hard-cured sausages, hard cheese and coarse travelling bread for about a ten days, timidly at first, but rapidly gaining in confidence. Link hardly ever had to interfere… all he'd had to do was quickly prime her on where the snares were, that one had to avoid. Thankfully, the middle-aged man behind the counter was of the honest sort… and probably had taken quite a liking to her. He couldn't fault him for that…
She grinned at him happily, clearly pleased that he acknowledged her success. She bit her lip in an impish way… it nearly knocked him off the chair. "You did well yourself! I love this place already, the view is gorgeous! How did you find it?"
He raised a conspiratorial eyebrow.
"Now now… I can't just tell you all my secrets and tricks all on one day, now can I?" he replied mysteriously.
"Fine!" she decided regally. "That way you can keep surprising me like this!"
He laughed and hoped that he would, in the future, be able to do just that.
"Well, new young faces! What can I get the cute couple?" a youngish voice addressed them. They both looked at the waitress, back at each other, grinned and blushed a bit, all in perfect unison. "Dear Farore's love, you are young! Alcohol's definitely out for you two!" the well-bosomed woman in her early thirties stated with an amused expression. Link sighed dramatically. "Curses! We have been caught! I think we must make do with juice, dumpling!" he wailed.
"Easy there, hot shot! Don't get too cute with me, or I might get weak knees!" the waitress chuckled, showing a rather appealing smirk. He felt his face grow hot… he certainly hadn't expected that! But he was not defeated yet! "I do apologize, madam. I wouldn't have thought that even my harmless jests have such a stimulating effect on you…" he declared grandly.
"Heh, not bad, kid. Now, you're hungry and I'm busy. We still have some strawberry juice left, I can get you that. And I recommend the meat patties, they're excellent." she said, still smirking.
After a brief look at Zelda, who nodded, he said: "We're sold!"
"Great! I'll be right back, handsome!" the voluptuous woman flirted with a twitch of her eyebrow and left with an eye-catching swing of her hips.
Link was quite a bit embarrassed, which probably meant the waitress had reached her goal. He almost didn't dare to look back at the girl that actually interested him in fear that she might be disgruntled. Thankfully, that lovely little devil seemed to mightily enjoy herself, judging by her malicious smile.
"Well now, sausage knight. It appears even women of a riper age are falling for your charm. And what a lovely shade of red you presented her!" she practically cackled.
"Pfff…" he answered eloquently. "I'm beginning to wonder why I'm wasting my time with a young whippersnapper like you, anyways… Now there's a woman who could show me some things…" He made a very roguish face to accompany his saucy tone of voice.
"I bet she could!" Zelda giggled. "I doubt, however, whether you would survive it…"
"Her physical instruction or your infernal wrath?" he questioned cheekily.
"If you lived through the first, I'd be happy to finish you off…" she stopped rather abruptly, then finished with "Err… that could easily be misunderstood, I realize…"
They looked at each other for a second, both attempting, and failing, to hold in the ever increasing flood of laughter that hammered against their insides… then they erupted in a clangourous giggling fit that probably made everybody turn their head and stare at them in confusion.
They were still breathless when food and drink arrived, accompanied by a dry "You have to show me how to get this drunk without even drinking, kids…" from the waitress.
Link's stomach growled eagerly as he observed the two large meat patties in a hearty brown sauce, the copious amount of mashed potatoes and the abundance of roasted onions garnishing the whole marvel. When the smell hit, there was no stopping the two. Occasionally between bites he took a second to watch his usually so well-mannered princess stuff herself with the wonderfully delicious meal… it truly was a sight to behold! And her moans of pure pleasure were a delight to listen to. The portion was huge, though, and she stopped her onslaught about two thirds in to sit back for a spell.
"I can help you finish it!" Link spoke, radiating innocence as he leaned forward, wooden spoon ready to attack. He couldn't say whether there was a short enough measurement of time to describe how quickly she whipped forward and built a protective wall around her plate with her arms. Her face was quite possibly the scariest thing he had ever seen, it promised nothing but painful death. "Not a millimetre closer, you Hinox, or I'll have your arm as dessert! Back off!" she hissed like a cobra. He daintily removed his offending limb and made himself small like a scolded dog, grinning mischievously.
As if to prove her point, she took a huge spoonful of mash and gobbled it up noisily. "Aww who shtand bekween me and my food musht DIE!" she promised loud and clear… mostly loud.
"Well, now everybody knows…" he said dryly, chuckling, but trying very hard not to make eye-contact with anyone.
They finished their meal, revelling in its deliciousness and in each other's enjoyment. For a few minutes afterwards, no-one said a word… their bellies were much too full for movement of any kind.
"Well now… you two certainly were hungry…" the busty waitress applauded from somewhere in his peripheral vision.
"Hmm… it was sooo luscious!" Zelda sighed, her expression almost regretful, as if she were sad that it was already completely in her stomach.
"I'll be sure to tell the chef!"
"Say…" Link stirred from his stupor as she was picking up their wooden plates. "We spotted a rider, a messenger of the army, galloping into town earlier… would you know what this might be about? Did anything happen?" he asked on a whim.
"Mmmh… no. No idea." The waitress answered. Now, he wasn't the biggest expert in detecting lies… but she also wasn't a very good liar. The way she had decidedly no facial expression whatsoever was a rather big tell. Something had happened… but she didn't want to speak of it… or couldn't…
Worrying… he was glad that his dinner-mauling companion still had her eyes closed and possibly hadn't caught the hint of deception. He hoped that he was jumping at shadows… it really could be anything… the mayor caught with someone else's wife and the messenger delivering his resignation form, already signed by the king…
…he hoped… but didn't really believe it.
"Stay seated… nurse your gut. I'll just go and pay." he offered, rising arduously.
"You don't have to tell me twice… try not to be abducted by her… the knight being saved by the princess doesn't quite have the right ring to it." she muttered, still draped heavily over the backrest.
He snorted and shuffled off towards the busy woman.
"What can I do for you, hot shot? Don't be shy now!" she smirked with a very mischievous glint in her eyes. For a moment Link wondered whether she was just messing with him, or whether she actually was a bird of prey, trying to get her claws into him. The thought was a little disturbing…
"You can tell me what I owe you…" he said aloud, then continued in a tone that was lost in the hubbub around except for her. "…and I would really appreciate if you could tell me what has happened. We are leaving tomorrow and I need to know whether the road is safe…"
For a second she looked angry and about to deny any knowledge of what he was talking about. But something in his voice, maybe the urgency of caring for two people, made her pause and her features smoothened again.
"I ran out of small change, I have to get more. Come with me!" she announced. She really wasn't a good liar, but everyone around was busy with their beers anyway. He followed her as bidden until they were against the wall of the tavern where it was relatively quiet.
"Two people have gone missing… a young couple who were meeting on the eastern hillside. The soldiers searched for them the next day and found only their remains… eaten…" the woman uttered, her voice strained, her face grim and full of worry. "That was a week ago. People report seeing movement in the dark streets at night… the mayor ordered everyone stay quiet to not disrupt trade, the fucker! Wouldn't lift a finger for any of us if it meant making his purse even heavier!" she spat viciously. "We've heard reports of Bokoblin sightings around the smaller villages, but they were always singular and not all that believable… I've no idea what's happening…" She looked at him, clearly scared and almost pleading, as if she hoped that he would tell her what nonsense it all was.
Link pondered what he had heard… It did sound very unlikely that Bokoblin were responsible… they weren't smart, true, but even they would think thrice before attacking a town like this… and stealth wasn't their strongest of skills. Then there was the matter of the hillside… the eastern one was steep and rocky right where the buildings ended… he doubted that these creatures would risk navigating this potentially deadly terrain for an assault, especially at night. But the fact remained… two people where dead…
"Thank you for telling me." he finally said. "It doesn't sound like Bokos… but until it is known what really happened, you probably shouldn't walk the streets at night… at least not alone…"
She swallowed, all levity and flirtatiousness gone from her features. "You think there is something?" she asked, obviously trying very hard to keep her voice calm.
He was surprised how this woman who had seemed so confident minutes earlier, who had teased him, the 15 year old boy, with her aggressive dallying, was now wide-eyed, hoping for his opinion… It was an interesting lesson, seeing how reluctant people were to accept a threat as real, even though they already feared it… and how easily this fear made people turn to anybody who might offer even an inkling of relief… or direction… no matter that if that anybody was a teenage stranger… "I think it would be unwise to disregard it. Don't make yourself crazy by expecting danger around every corner, but also don't live in denial of reality. Think about what you need to do, should things get unsafe." He tried to choose his words very carefully, getting his message across without evoking panic.
After a second of her biting her nails, thinking, she nodded. Then her eyes narrowed suddenly. "How… old are you again?" she asked, apparently confused.
Link had to think about how, conceivably, he was an ancient soul, rebirthed into a new body. If he thought even more, he did sometimes have… ideas, opinions that were very clear in his head, despite never really having considered them. A worrying line of pondering…
"Sometimes I wonder…" he replied cryptically and fished out three blue rupees.
Every fibre in his being wanted to keep this secret, to spare her from knowing that even in towns like Valewyn safety was beginning to crumble and people were worrying. He so much wished he could just let her enjoy this evening unblemished, careless as if nothing were wrong with the world. But he couldn't… he knew it would be a catastrophic betrayal of the trust that he cherished unendingly, needed desperately. He was not about to treat her like her father would… One good evening wasn't worth the sorrow of a promise broken.
Just not now… let her be carefree just a few minutes longer…
"Shall we go?" he asked once he had returned to the table.
She made some non-committal noise that mostly said 'fuuuuull…', but nodded. That, however was about as far as her movement went.
"Would you like me to carry you, my stuffed little dumpling?" he asked, giggling.
"Pff… I don't think you could carry me right now…" she replied, her face content.
"Am I supposed to understand that as a challenge?" Link responded with a mock indignant tone.
Zelda opened her eyes and studied him, almost as if she were really considering it. "Another time, maybe…" she muttered and, slowly, without any rapid movements, she got up.
"So full?" He couldn't quite keep a certain malicious glee from his features.
She made something between a sigh and a little laugh. "That's what you get for introducing me to such delectable fare…"
"Understood. Bread and water it is. My liege has spoken!" he announced obsequiously.
"Your liege will have your head for even thinking such blasphemy!" she growled like an angry lioness.
"Why don't we go to the edge of that terrace? Enjoy the view a little longer while we wait for your stomach to cope with its titanic load?" He suggested and pointed to a little ledge just a few steps away of the tavern's plateau. Link really wanted to let her commit this enchanting view of the nocturnal town to memory, but he also had an ulterior motive. He didn't want to navigate the steep stairs of the hillside at night with who-knows-what lurking in the vicinity with someone who could hardly move her gluttonous self.
They stepped towards the edge, which was secured by a rather intricately hewn stone banister. A soft, nightly breeze cooled the valley and played with Zelda's hair. The sounds of subdued activity from the tavern mixed with the distant noise of the still going market and the chirping of crickets. The view from here was spectacular… a labyrinth of narrow roads, dotted with the warm shine of torches or oil lamps, going down their hillside and up the other, like a brisk wave of warm starlight. In the middle was still the epicentre of commerce and, apparently, some sort of performance for tourists and traders. The night air, carrying the scent of warm earth and rosemary, mixed with her intoxicating scent that always seemed to render him both calm and invigorated. …It was one of those moments were every sense felt at ease, every detail fell perfectly into place for a grand picture of peace. A rare moment… a precious moment…
He looked over and saw that she had her eyes closed, a fair smile on her tranquil features. She had the same sense for the moment, found the same enjoyment in its simplistic consummation. For reasons he couldn't quite fathom, this pleased him to no end.
He stood beside her, shoulder against shoulder, but suddenly this was all too far away. Very carefully, gently caressing her back and shoulders as he moved, he manoeuvred to hug her from behind, cautious not to disturb the mood with so much as a rustle of clothing. Snaking his arms around her belly, delicately so she wouldn't be uncomfortable, he rested his cheek against her head. She responded by leaning back just a little, closing that last bit of distance between their bodies, fitting herself wonderfully against him and into his embrace. As if their senses were shared, everything seemed even more alive, without losing its tranquillity. For a luxurious instant there was no worry, no wrong, no darkness over their heads. No thought was necessary, nothing needed to be planned or considered or feared. Their minds were still, everything was at a perfect equilibrium, every sense, every emotion, an immaculate harmony between two souls and the world around them.
The moment passed, but it had been savoured to its fullest. Thinking returned, but a little peace remained.
Zelda stirred a tiny bit in his arms, snuggling against him, resting her head against his shoulder and nuzzling a tiny kiss on his neck. "Thank you for bringing me here… to this town, to this tavern, to this spot… thank you, Link, my sweet knight…" she breathed.
He didn't really know what to say… no words, no phrase seemed even remotely adequate to show his own gratitude for choosing to come with him.
No, that wasn't entirely true… he knew three words that would come close. With every day that passed, he grew more assured that he wanted to speak them. They were almost on his tongue, so strongly did he feel for her… maybe, once again, waiting for the right moment was folly and it was upon him to create it for them. But… no… the time wasn't now. The bitter truth of what he had heard, what he needed to impart returned to his mind… the peace was broken. And as much as it tormented him to put hers in jeopardy, he knew he had to… She was his equal in this mission. She needed to know.
He still needed to respond to her words that had made his heart quake and his soul weep with emotion. Since words failed him, he hugged her ever so slightly tighter and put kiss after kiss on her hair, her forehead, her ear and finally, on her lips. It was a gentle one, but long and profound. She felt what he had almost wanted to say, he was sure of it… he thought he could feel it from her… at least he hoped he did…
Link broke the kiss and swallowed heavily. He prayed that she wouldn't be afraid, but also that she wouldn't be angry with him for prematurely ending this wonderful moment with dark words.
"Zelda, I… have to tell you something." he whispered, his eyes closed.
"Hmm?" she hummed, nuzzling his neck again.
"I, err… I talked to our waitress… because I thought that she wasn't honest with us…" he began.
"About not knowing what the envoy might be about?"
"Hm." He took a deep breath, mostly to calm his nerves. "She told me that the people of Valewyn are afraid… Two people were snatched in the night from the hillside, then found the following day…" He was sure he didn't need to go into more detail… especially about them being a young couple. "People say they have seen shapes move through the streets at night. I am not sure what to make of it, to be honest. The hill is steep, the risk of attacking a town is great… But with everything we've seen already…" He trailed off, then waited, both hoping and fearing for her to say something.
She was still in his arms for a few seconds, though she had lifted her head off his shoulder while listening and was looking straight ahead. The suspense made his stomach cramp… In the end she gave a single, grim chuckle.
"No rest for us, then..." she muttered and sighed.
"I wouldn't go quite so far. We really don't know… everybody could be jumping at shadows, no need to join them quite yet…" he answered, trying to put the situation into the right light.
"Maybe this simply is the level of threat we have to get used to… for now." Zelda interjected. "Maybe we have to learn to live as normally as we possibly can despite a constant sense of peril…"
"An ugly prospect… but unfortunately a likely one…" he had to admit.
"What did you tell her?"
He sighed. "Something similar. Don't disregard it, but don't let it drive you insane, I said."
She nodded… then laughed, subdued. It did him good to hear it, even though he didn't know where it came from. "I knew something was amiss when you came back from paying…" she said softly.
Link could have guessed as much… but he still wanted to know "How?"
Now she turned slightly in his embrace so she could look at him with those magnificent eyes of hers, reflected torchlight seeming to make them sparkle even more than usual. "Your expression, your voice… haven't we established that you can't lie to me?" she asked with a sly smirk.
He made a face. "Well… that limits my tactical acumen quite a bit…" he joked, but then got serious immediately again. "I was always going to tell you… I promise!" he asserted, hoping to all three that she believed him.
She smiled at him softly, like a mother at her child, who was being a bit dumb. She turned around fully so they were belly to belly and let her hand cup his cheek. "I knew you were. That's why I didn't ask."
Link was so befuddled and relieved that she practically had to pull him into another kiss, this time noticeably more intense. His inaction didn't last long as his body didn't need his brain to respond correctly. When before everything had been all innocent tenderness, now a certain hunger was roused from its rather light sleep. He broke the contact of their lips to form a trail of little kisses along her cheek towards her earlobe, which he nibbled gently. He felt her body shiver in his arms. Naturally, he did it again, this time, very gently, playing with it between his teeth. Again, a delightful little wave coursed through her body, accompanied by the cutest sigh… both of which urging him on.
"This is a dangerous game you're playing…" she giggled into his ear, her voice wavy, her breath hot and exciting.
"Oh? Dangerous is it?" he replied and kissed whatever his lips could find. Well… she wasn't wrong… and they were in the open… in darkness with no people immediately around, but still…
"Verrrry dangerous…" she whispered.
"Hm. How so?" he questioned further, softly sucking on her neck, which earned him another little quaver.
"I might get some ideas…" Zelda answered, enticingly cryptic.
"I might be willing to bear the consequences…" he assured.
The way back to their inn could NOT have been longer… every step was too much, every minute lost was too precious. When they had finally fumbled the key into the lock they nearly fell into their chamber, already entangled and giggling like idiots. Someone, didn't matter who, had the presence of mind to remove the key and lock the door from the inside. Their lips wrestled with each other, desperate not to miss the tiniest moment of their fiery kiss. His wandered lower, stroking over her shapely back and slim waist to reach her womanly rear. She gave a funny little squeak and giggled into his face. Her fingers brushed threw his hair over and over again… he loved when she did that. Her amazing scent made him wild and sent shivers down his spine. Without the slightest effort he picked her up where his hands already rested and carried her the two steps towards the bed, where he laid her down, not all too gently. Their noses were smooshed together and they laughed before his mouth found hers again, both enchanted fully by the ever building sensations their lust brought with it.
Link's fingers had a new target… he let them flow over her front, contouring her belly and chest, before getting to work on the pesky buttons on her blouse. It took all his patience not to rip the bloody thing away, especially when the damned things refused to cooperate. Nibbling on her lower lip, he vowed to get much, much practice in opening the buttons on her clothing…
Both he and her were already riding the incomparable high of desire… both on their way to paradise… both so focused on each other that they only noticed the town bell's frantic ringing after an endless minute…