Link thanks the pretty handmaiden after he hands him his meal. Link didn't realize how hungry he was and ate greedily. After downing his ale, he paid for his meal and tipped generously.
Alais watched him as he walked out. She hoped his quest went okay, especially about the monster that slept underneath the well. Her boss shouted at her to clean the kitchen. Alais sighed. Even when the village was on fire, he still remained opened. If only Sheik could come around again. Speaking of, who was he? He had the red eyes, but his hair was blonde. He must be from the south, the Sheikah that resided there had fair coloured hair.
Once Link returned to his room at the inn, he lit the oil lamp beside his bed and stripped down to his underwear. It was late, but he wanted to read a few more pages before he went to bed. He wanted to know why the well made the townsfolk uneasy.
He knew it was a maze of sewers linked to Hyrule Castle Town and Kakariko, but what he couldn't figure out why the place was haunted with the dead. Especially the subbasement. What exactly happened down there? He opened up the diary.
"I can't believe we have to drag this tree inside. What's the point?" Allard complained.
"Cecily insisted. It is the Winter Solstice remember? We decorate the tree and exchange gifts to one another. Then on Eve of the New Year, we pray to Din for protection for the New Year and the town gives a sacrifice to Farore for the gifts She provided before the year end." Usually a lamb or a goat was slaughtered to Farore before the clock struck midnight, and the town prayed for good luck for the upcoming year. Then everyone took a piece of the animal after it was cleaned and cooked and ate it. It was tradition. Then they thanked Nayru for the meal.
"The Winter Festival. How old fashioned." Allard complained. "Instead of exchanging gifts and staying indoors huddled by a fire, we should be helping the less unfortunate. Like in Hyrule Castle Town. Many people there have no homes. Their bellies remain empty, we should instead use this time to help them."
"Sounds like you'll make a fine priest. When you move, suggest to the Sage there to open up a shelter. Ask the townsfolk for money. Advertise for volunteers."
Allard's eyes lit up.
"That sounds like a great idea! I always feel guilty about having so much and others having nothing!"
Just then Cecily walks in and kisses her husband on the cheek. She was wondering what they were talking about, Allard's face was animated in excitement.
"What did I miss?"
"Just in time! Cecily, how do you feel about volunteering at Hyrule Castle Town."
"Volunteering? For what?"
When Allard explained, Cecily's eyes lit up.
"That is a great idea! Honey, when you see the Sage, maybe you can suggest he opens up a shelter here too?''
"I guess. I hate to be a bother."
The money we won from the lottery, we used some of it to pay back Barten's family, from our work in Goron City, luckily it wasn't very much. Then we used some to fix our home, and with Allard's and Cecily's blessings, we used the rest to put in a fund for Allard's shelter. But, when I asked the Sage about opening a shelter for Kakariko, I was surprised he said yes. But the location mystified me. He wanted to open it beyond the graveyard, above the hill instead of town.
The priest known in Hyrule Castle Town as Raymond, was delighted go hear from the three Sheikahs. He was delighted to hear about their plans, and was pleased about their generosity when they donated their winnings from the lottery.
"Thank you! Oh thank you! The Goddesses must have heard my prayers. I was worried about the children and adults that have nothing. With your generosity, we can open up a shelter for those people, helping those get back on their feet."
It took us a while to find a building to house the homeless and needy, and with the King's blessing, Raymond and Allard opened up Hyrule's first soup kitchen. It was a great success. We managed to get funds, we were surprised the Skulltula family provided so much funds. We didn't have time to open before the end of the Winter Soltice, or even the New Year, but I was surprised to hear that the shelter in Kakariko was being built so quickly. However, that is not what worried me. It was meeting Mary.
The Sheikah plus some Hylians were doing construction work, plus some Gerudo women the priest Raymond hired. No one trusted the Gerudo, but they needed many hands to finish the building so the homeless shelter can exist. A woman that lived among the Gerudo came and introduced herself.
"Hello. Which one is the one that provided the shelter for the poor?" A petite woman asks.
Allard's eyes went huge. He was studying to be a priest, but he was immediately enamored with the beautiful brunette. She looked really familiar though. The guard's eyes was studying her. Who did she remind him of? His question was answered a minute later.
The woman must have noticed everyone's eyes on her. She blushes and clears her throat.
"Oh where are my manners. Forgive me. My name's Mary. You may have ran into my brother, Robyn."
Every one of the Sheikah froze. His execution was announced to the Hyrule King, all executions were reported to the Royal Guard. No one knew what to say. Luckily Mary broke the ice.
"My brother. He is living among the Goddesses now. He is at peace, I assure you."
Allard swallowed.
"Our apologies for being so rude. Please. Accept our prayers for your family." He bowed.
"Thank you." Mary teared up. "Robyn was misguided. But he had a good heart." She wiped her eyes away. "But lets not talk about that. I want an audience with your Sage."
The Sage? He rarely was seen talking to the Sheikah never mind outside races, why does Mary want to talk to him?
"Please. I had a vision. I need to talk to him."
We escorted Mary to Kakariko. Not right away, not until the shelter was finished. But we did send a messenger. The shelter was opened with good fanfare, even the King of Hyrule showed up.
Citizens far and wide came to attend the ceremony. The King was rarely seen outside the castle, he came here along with his advisor, a mysterious man named Agahnim. Every citizen bowed to the King, even Agahnim.
"Welcome. I am the King of Hyrule. I welcome everyone citizen far and wide that came for the grand opening." Everyone that attended applauded. "Thank you. It is unfortunate about our poor and needy, however with this shelter no one will starve no more or sleep with out a roof over our heads. We will give thanks to the Goddesses for bringing the two Sheikah that were responsible for our shelter. Come up here."
Both Allard and his brother in law walked up blushing to the applause.
"Thank you. With our Goddesses' blessings we shall open the shelter. Bless." He hands a blade to Allard. Once the ribbon was cut, everyone applauded again.
The priest Raymond gestures for the temple's members as well as some volunteers for feeding and running the shelter. Soon it was full of people. Different races came to seek assistance during the rough times.
Diary, our intentions were pure. But what we weren't expecting was a great war. There were rumors about a treasure. A very rare treasure. It was coveted by many. It was known as the Golden Triangle. Mary's vision. She wasn't human. She was cured, however her body was a empty husk. We didn't know. She went to the Sage to till him about her vision. She stayed at Kakiriko for a few weeks, then one day she disappeared. No one knew where she went. No one cared for her, she was just a poor maiden. Her body, it became something. Something monstrous. The wizard only known as Agahnim changed her. The shelter in Hyrule Castle Town became a hospital for injured soldiers over the years, however the one in Karariko, it became a den of evil.
"That is such as weird place to put our shelter. Why above the graveyard?"
"It is the Sage's decision. We do not question it."
Cecily walks past the two gossipers. She was curious herself. She just came back from the clinic. She was fighting a cold, she did not feel good. She was confident she wasn't pregnant, she did not have the symptoms. She wanted to pick mushrooms at the Lost Woods for her cold. No one wanted to enter the forest, it was believed to be cursed. Cecily wasn't sure it was, but she heard rumors. The guardian of the woods put a curse on outsiders.
There was talk about a rare key that can enter the Sacred Realm. The Great Guardian guards it. Plus to protect Its children, the never aging Kokiri. The Sheikah needed permission to enter its forest, they just have to wait for the Deku guards. Those that didn't obey became Stalfos.
Cecily was just waiting for her best friend. She sneezed.
"Achoo!"
"Bless you."
"Thank you." Cecily looked over at the woman that excused her. "Mary? What are you doing here?" She looks over at the young woman. "I thought you were with the Sage?" Cecily saw her go in that house.
"He sent me to keep an eye on you. He thanked me for what I saw, and gave me permission to stay with him for the time being."
"That is a great honor. You must be proud." Cecily was envious. No one in the village went in the house. Except for those that worked for the Sage. Like her husband. When she asked what was inside, all she said it was just an ordinary house.
Most of the men were at Goron City working, they wouldn't be back for months. Her brother instead was working as a priest. He confided in Cecily how enamored he was with Mary, but he wouldn't court her. Priests were allowed to marry, but wouldn't be able to become a Ministry Guardian. Only one was chosen, it was those that could see inside the Sacred Realm with a vision. Allard talked about nothing but Mary though, he was conflicted. Cecily giggled at his crush, but didn't tease him.
"Cecily! Sorry I took so long, I bought Roesia." Her best friend Isoda and the magic shop's daughter Roesia came and greeted them.
"Roesia, I'm surprised that you can come. I thought your parents wanted you to run the shop." Cecily says. ''Oh! Where are my manners. This is Mary."
"Pleased to meet you." Both Cecily and Isoda talk amongst themselves including Mary, but Roesia felt uneasy around Mary. She worked with magic long enough to sense it. Mary, she was surrounded by it. She didn't want to be rude, but she asked Mary during their walk towards the woods.
"So Mary. Are you a magician? Or a witch?" Neither Isoda or Cecily were listening, they were too busy yapping. The trip to the Lost Woods was far, at least a day and a half walk. They couldn't ask for transportation, the carts were used for transporting building materials for the shelter in Kakariko.
"No. I admit I studied magic while I was in Gerudo Village. Their citizens, they study magic."
Roesia, she learned about the Gerudo while attending school, they worshiped the Seven Heroines, and their goddess Hylia. They rarely accept visitors and are loyal to the King of Hyrule. They report to the King, and like the Zoras, any visitor needed to ask permission to enter their territories. It was a mystery why the Gerudo were a all female race, but according to Gerudo history, a leader was chosen to be born very hundred years, a lone male. The only male that was born recently, thirty years ago was stillborn, devastating the Gerudo. The current leader was a woman named Petronilla, the mother of her son that died. She mostly was seen in the desert fortress, she prayed everyday for her son. The citizens were fluent in magic, they used it to protect the dessert fortress.
"I see. How is the leader doing?" Roesia asked.
"She mostly keeps to herself, she spends her days at the desert temple praying for her lost child. Other than that, she is a fair leader."
"Mmm hmm. Excuse my rudeness, but I have a rather sensitive topic to ask." Roesia felt awkward asking, but she had to know. "Your brother, rest his soul, said you were ill. He said he stole to pay for your doctors and medicine. Forgive me if I'm being rude."
"I don't mind." Mary sighed. "Our mother passed away when I was young. She died giving birth to me. I was born sickly. My father was poor. He drank a lot, and Robyn was the only one that raised me properly. He was forced to steal and rob to provide food and shelter. When I got sick, our father abandoned us. Robyn had to take rather drastic measures. He took me to a shaman. He said he can cure me, however the treatments were expensive. My brother was a master thief by then. He even broke in the Royal Castle and stole from the King."
Roesia gasped.
"That is grand treason. He would have been executed on the grounds." The King was known to be unforgiving and showed no mercy. If Robyn's punishment was bad enough, it would have worse at the castle. He would been executed even more brutally and mocked. His corpse would have been paraded around town as a warning.
"I tried to stop Robyn. But he refused to listen. I made my peace and was willing to die. I even picked out my final resting place." Mary teared up. "My brother." She sniffled. "He didn't need to steal. I was feeling better. The shaman cured me."
They were interrupted by Cecily and Isoda.
"We're here! Mary. Stay back. The Dekus. They only talk to the Sheikah. Did you guys bring your masks?" Cecily asked her two friends.
"Yes." Isoda answered.
"Me too."
"Mary. I don't know of you are familiar with our customs, but the Dekus like the Sheikah mask, The Mask of Truth. Our ancestors, they leave ancient stones behind. With these masks we communicate with the stones. The Deku whenever they see us, they ask us what the stone says. Okay. Here we go."
The three women stand on the edge of the wood's entrance and speak a unfamiliar language. They were wearing those masks, when a young Deku peeped out of the ground, he let out a small cry alerting the other dekus. The leader, a large Deku scrub started talking in Hylian.
"Greetings young Sheikah. May I ask why are you here?"
"We would like to pick mushrooms and plants for our medicines." Roesia answered.
"Normally I would let you in, but there is talk of war. The Great Tree told us to not let in visitors. Forgive us."
"Please. It is important. If what you say is true, then we need supplies." Cecily begged.
Before the deku can answer, a small fairy came fluttering by. She came and whispered to the deku scrub.
"Very well. However, I can only let in the Sheikah. The Hylian must wait here."
"Okay. Then I can escort Mary back to Kakariko. I don't feel right leaving her behind. C'mon Mary, I'll tell you about our history." Isoda said in a apologetic tone.
"That's okay. The Gerudo, they exercise everyday. This is nothing. I'll see you again." They walk off.
"I feel bad about Mary and Isoda." Cecily said.
"Isoda never was patient around children. The Kokiri, they are mischievous and nosy creatures. I doubt Mary would appreciate their tricks and pranks. Let us go in."
Both Cecily and Roesia went in the woods. But before they can do their chore, a Kokiri by the name of Sara greeted them.
"Hello. You can take off those masks. Our leader, the Great Deku Tree is expecting you. Come."
Both Cecily and Roesia were surprised. Even the Sheikah were barely allowed inside. The Great Deku Tree was a wise leader. Oh! I see a rat, I'll tell you about their trip inside. But first, I need to eat.
As curious as Link was he let out a huge yawn. He had to return to the dungeon. Before he fell asleep, he wondered if that homeless shelter in Kakariko was a front for something darker.