Super apologies about how long it took to get this chapter out. It was not supposed to take this long. But my house was hit pretty hard by the earthquake in Northern California right before Christmas. With all the clean up and recovering from some injuries, not to mention the Holidays themselves, by the time I thought about getting back to this story much of my inspiration had diminished. But I really pushed myself to get this done for anyone that following this story. I'm hoping that now my inspiration will come back now that the set up chapters are done.
Angstober 2022 Prompt #1 – Miscommunication
Link was quietly getting ready for the coming day, in the early morning chill. Having put on his normal greet tunic, and brown boots, the boy went to equipped his sword and shield. It wasn't that he was planning to do any fighting; it became a habit during his quests, to always keep his sword and shield on him and ready. Nowadays he almost never takes them off, even sleeping with them on his back, as uncomfortable as it sounds. It brought comfort to him, knowing his best weapon and defense was nearby at all times. The only exception was when he managed to find a place to rest insdoors. Even then, he would always keep his sword and shield laying right next to where he slept.
He wasn't in that habit with the rest of his equipment, other than the Ocarina of Time, which had previously been kept on his belt at all times before he returned to Zelda. Everything else was kept with Epona. Depending on his situation or predicament, the rest of his items or weapons would get switched in and out of his satchel, which he usually didn't bring with him on days he wasn't planning to do any fighting. Since the boy's only plan today was wishing farewell to Impa, Link chose to leave everything else he had in the spare bedroom he was using. Anju told him yesterday that it was now his room, since he would be staying at the cuccu farm until further notice. But he has been without a home or space to call his own for so long, it was hard to think of any room being his.
When Link entered the small kitchen, Anju and her mother Nashi were already up and getting breakfast ready for everyone. "Good morning Link," Anju greeted him with a smile.
"Good morning," the boy responded, and recalling his mornings back when he stayed at Lon Lon Ranch he automatically glanced around the room for anything he could do to assist with breakfast. Anju was at the stove, hovering over a pan of scrambled eggs. Nashi was on the other side of the kitchen spreading butter on toast. Not seeing anything tondo he asked, "What can I help with?"
"Oh I think we got everything covered here, darling," Nashi brushed his question off with a wave of her hand. "You just have a seat right over their and we'll get you a plate of breakfast."
Link frowned slightly at the response. At the Ranch, everyone pulled their own weight with everything. You never got anything, without doing some work to make it happen. Even the meals. Unless you were severely ill or outside doing chores the whole time, everyone helped get food on the table. During his travels he usually had to work for his meals, the only exception being when he stayed at the Stock Pot Inn in Clock Town. All you had to do was say you were hungry and a tray of food would be brought to your room. Tatl and him usually didn't take advantage of this since Anju's cooking didn't taste very good. Luckily this version of Anju seemed to be a better cook.
Deciding not to voice any of his thoughts, Link sat down at the table Nashi had referred to and waited for his promised plate of food. He had a suspicion that any insistence on helping the two woman wouldn't really go anywhere. After a moment a plate was set before him filled with bacon, eggs, and toast. The boy's mouth fell open at the extra large serving of food he was given. He had never seen a plate so full of food before.
At the child's questioning look, Nashi put her hands on her hips and sternly said, "You are to eat all of that. Lord knows you're thin enough as it is."
Slightly taken aback by her comment, Link wisely chose to remain silent and picked up his fork to begin eating. It's true that he had basically been only eating enough to sustain him for a while now. Their wasn't a lot of time in Termina to spend eating three square meals a day, and since he left the land, he hadn't had much of an appetite. But he really didn't think forcing him to eat until he vomited would help much.
Link spent the next few minutes eating the serving of eggs, and began starting on a piece of toast when he asked. "Where's Impa?" He knew that the Shieken woman was heading back to Hyrule Castle today; perhaps she had left already? Link had assumed that she would give him the chance to say bye to her, but maybe he had been mistaken.
"She is outside getting her horse ready for the journey today," Anju responded as she gave him another serving of eggs without asking if he wanted any more. Considering he still had three pieces of bacon, and a whole slice of toast left on his plate, he probably would have refused. Maybe that was why she didn't ask.
Just as Link was frantically trying to figure out how he was going to tell these women that he couldn't possibly eat all this food, the door to the farmhouse opened and Impa came striding in. "Link lad, may I have a word with you outside?" she asked.
More than grateful for the excuse to leave the table and his unfinished plate of food, Link stood up from the table and followed the woman outside. Her beautiful white stallion was all saddled up and looked about ready to get going. Impa went a few paces outside the front door, before turning around with her large arms crossed over chest and eyed him critically. Link cast his eyes downward, getting a nasty feeling like he was about to be reprimanded. "Well Link, how are you feeling about our current arrangements?"
The young boy was very taken aback by this question, as it took him completely by surprise. He was also unsure what she meant by it, maybe if he hadn't been just expecting a scolding moments before, it would have been easier to find the meaning of her question. The confusion must have shown on his face because she clarified after a moment, "Meaning, are you comfortable staying with this family for a while?"
"Oh… um… yeah I think so," Link responded not sounding too certain. But he didn't think his worries about Anju and her mother trying to stuff him like a turkey would be a relevant concern. Neither would his gripes about Mutah's constant grumpiness.
Impa cocked an eyebrow at him, as if she knew what he was thinking, but did not pursue the issue. "I believe you will be well cared for here. Now before I leave there are a few things I want you to abide by while staying here." The Shieken woman frowned in a business like way. "You are to listen to Nashi and her family, and follow any rules they set for you." Link nodded his head with a foreboding feeling, wondering if this meant he needed to eat all his food when told? Before he had a chance to dwell on this thought, Impa was continuing. "You are not to venture outside Kakariko Village without the company of Nashi's family or someone else they deem fit to accompany you. This also means under no circumstances are you to leave the village alone, or go off on any new quests you may come across."
Link felt almost offended by her words. It sounded as if Impa was suggesting that he actively went out searching for dangerous adventures. It's the danger that finds him, not the other way around. And if it wasn't for him, Ganondorf would be ruling Hyrule and the Skull Kid would have crashed the moon down on Termina. After all that, who was she to order him not to go out and try to save the land again, talk down to him like a misbehaving child. Though all these thoughts pounded in the boy's brain, he wisely kept his mouth shut.
If Impa noticed the stoney look that had crossed over the young boy's features, she chose to ignore it. "So with all that said, I think it's best to put away your weaponry," she concluded with a piercing look.
"What!" Link's eyes, which had been looking anywhere but Impa's, suddenly snapped back to her face. Not quite sure what she meant, but had an ill feeling at the prospects.
"You sword and shield," Impa explained, making sure there was no misunderstanding at what she was referring to. "It's time for you to take them off."
The boy looked abashed at the statement. Leave himself unarmed? He could not even think. "W-why!?" he stammered out after a moment.
"Because I see no reason for you to walk about armed everyday," was the Shieken's answer.
"But what if I need them!" all pretense of respecting the wise woman who knew more than him, gone, Link was almost shouting in hysterics. The conversation he'd over heard the other night coming back to his mind, clearly remembering how Impa implied him being dangerous. That must be what this was about, Impa feared he may hurt Anju or someone else in the family. So now she insisted that he lay his weapons down to make sure he wouldn't hurt anyone. Not for the first time, he began to think about how this wasn't such a good idea. If he was that dangerous, he should be put in a place where he could not hurt anyone. This train of thought led him to different places he could be locked up for everyone's safety, and places like the castle dungeons and Shadow Temple came to mind; certainly not putting any ease to his mind.
Despite Link's hysteric shout which could be seen as insubordinate, Impa did not show any anger at the outburst, and responded with much patients. "What would you need them for? If you are to abide by what I just outlined, there would be no need for you to face off with any monsters or enemies."
Link desperately tried to think of a reason he may still need his sword and shield with him, but found it difficult. "W-What if a wolfos or some other foul creature comes to attack the farm?" he finally suggested in a weak voice, somewhat pleased with finding a logical suggestion.
Unfortunately Impa's response punctured most of the air from the idea. "The Cucco Farm has survived this long without you defending it. But if the need was dire enough, you could easily go and retrieve your sword."
Link was so put out by this answer, he didn't even pick up on the incentive that she wasn't suggesting that his weaponry be taken away indefinitely. When Impa stepped forward and placed one of her hands on the hilt of Link's sword, the boy panicked; shouldering his way out of her reach with a scream of, "No!" before taking off running.
Link wasn't paying much attention to where he was going, but he had scoured Hyrule so long, mostly during his search for Navi there wasn't much chance for him to get lost. So he was surprised when he came upon a stream that he didn't recognize. He couldn't have gone that far, going by where the sun stood it can't have been longer than five minutes since he ran away from the cucco farm. He didn't actually intend to go very far, just far enough to stop Impa from taking his weapons away. Link followed the stream a little ways till he came upon a tree growing near the water's edge.
With a heavy sigh, the boy plopped down on the soft grass under the tree, and leaned his back against the trunk. There he sat, watching the water stream by, the occasional fish springing out of the water when it passed over a large rock. He was in trouble now for sure. Impa may not be blood related to the Royal Family, but she was still considered a royal attendant, and a wise Sheiken leading. Defying her had to have some type of consequence. This thought heavy in his mind, Link rested his head in between his knees and began to sob. His cries and wails echoed through the air, startling nearby birds, but the boy was in too much anguish to care. Indeed someone could walk by and start mocking him, and would not even glance up to defend his actions. What was he to do now?
The child wasn't completely sure how much time had passed before he began to calm his sobs down to the occasional hiccup. It had to have been at least a couple hours, and was a little surprised that no one had come looking for him. He couldn't have gone that far, and wasn't actively trying to hide. The villagers probably heard his wails from miles away. Eventually heard the sounds of someone approaching him
Looking over his shoulder, the boy spotted, with some surprise, Anju approaching him. He half expected it to be castle guards coming to arrest him. "Should have known that I'd find you here," she spoke while taking a seat next to him under the tree. The comment somewhat confused Link. She spoke as if she knew him well and that this was a favorite haunt of his. Her next words gave some context, "This was my brother's favorite spot… he'd always sit right under this tree and fish for hours on end. At least before he-" she abruptly shut her mouth with a quiet choke. He could see her chin tighten with the effort to not start crying. Link almost felt like he was intruding on something, and felt suddenly uncomfortable.
Their had been occasional talk at the farm about the older brother of Anju going missing some time ago. His name was never mentioned, but Link was aware that in Termina his counterpart's name was Grog, and considering Anju's name being the same in both worlds there was a fair chance her brothers was the same as well. Link wasn't going to ask though. He didn't have a lot of interaction with the guy in either land, but the little he got, had Link summing him up as a very depressed kid with no outlook on life. He was keenly aware that both Anju and her mother were devastated by his disappearance, and Link hadn't the heart to say that he probably wouldn't return. It was also best not to mention that in a few years time from now, he would most likely be strolling through the lost woods and end up as a Stalfos.
"It's so hard when you don't understand why people do certain things." Anju spoke to the flowing water, not looking at Link. "My parents had everything planned out for us since we were young. The plan was always for the two of us to take over for them. I would take over the farm, and my brother would go on with fathers building business. In my mind, it was never an option to go against mother and fathers plans. It was what we were brought up to do. They were almost blinded by their dream. Couldn't see how my allergies to the cucco's would make it hard to run a cucco farm, or that my bother never showed any interest in building anything. Wouldn't even make his own fishing pole, despite his love for fishing. I always had to make it for him…"
Link listened to her story in silence. It certainly explained Grogs attitude when he spoke with him. He always had sharp ugly words against his parents, the kindest being words like disgusting, repulsive and vermin. Those feelings made sense if you grew up resenting the things your parents pushed for. Link didn't have parents, or at least parents he could remember. The closest thing he had to a father was the Great Deku Tree, which probably wasn't the best comparison.
"Father was always so hard on him." Anju continued; still looking out at the small stream. "Constantly shouting how useless and lazy he was… I just can't help but think maybe if he tried talking to us… explain his feelings. I know he would have never been able to change fathers mind, but he could have come to me. Help me to understand his reasons… maybe he wouldn't have felt so alone…"
A long silence. "...maybe it was too much for him…" Anju still spoke vaguely.
There was another short silence before she said, "Your shoulders aren't big enough to support everything you're trying to carry. You got to let some of it go."
Link looked over at Anju and was a bit startled to see her looking at him. When did it switch from her talking about her brother to talking about him. He didn't even understand what she meant by that. He wasn't carrying anything but his sword and shield now. And he had been carrying those for years now. It wasn't too heavy.
A memory from long ago came to his mind. When Navi was trying to explain what a metaphor was. "It's when you say something, but it means something else," she had said. Maybe that was what Anju was using. But what did she actually mean by it?
There was another long silence where neither said anything for several minutes. Then Anju broke the silence again, "We should head back so we can see Impa off."
Actually going back to Impa was the last thing he wanted to do, but thought it was best not to voice this. Instead he sighed softly, and allowed Anju to help him to his feet and made their way back to the farm; where more than likely the Shieken woman would demand his weaponry before riding off with it. He'd probably never see it again…
When the two made it back to the Cucco Farm, Impa was actually on her Stallion, looking like she was about to ride away. Maybe Link should have waited a few minutes more, as it seemed the wise woman was not against leaving without his farewells. Nashi was speaking up to Impa as they approached and a look of relief fell over his face as she saw them, "Oh there they are!" she pointed at the two.
Impa turned the horse around to face them, "Link," she said pleasantly. "I feared I would need to leave without a proper farewell." Link just looked at his feet without responding, suddenly feeling foolish. "Link, look up at me please."
Her words were kind, but there was still a trace of firmness that clearly told the boy that he needed to obey the order. So very slowly he drew his eyes up to look at the wise Shieken woman. "About what we spoke about earlier," Impa started and Link felt his breath catch in his throat. "Anju's parents assure me that when you are ready to part with your burden's, they have a safe place for them to be stored."
Link's mouth dropped open in an undignified manner, at the shocking statement. He suddenly realized that Impa was not about to demand he take his sword and shield off so she could take them away. She was still giving him the control to take them off when he was ready. A weight that had settled on Links heart that he had not realized was there, lightened considerably. Link now felt even worse for running off; he had most likely delaying Impa's start. "Th-Thank you Impa," he stammered grateful. "I'm sorry for running off…"
"That's quite all right. I realize I was in haste with that decision, and that you needed more time with the idea. Will you forgive me, my lad?"
Not really thinking that Impa needed to apologize for anything, Link just nodded his head mutely. "Take care of yourself Link," Impa said with an approving nod. "Send word to the castle if you need anything," this was clearly an invitation for all of Anju's family as well as Link. They all said bid goodbyes and Impa at last rode away.
After Impa left, Nashi announced that it was almost time for lunch, and that everyone should go freshen up. A sinking feeling of dread came over Link at the thought of more food. He wasn't the least bit hungry, and it all honesty, he wasn't accustomed to eating a mid-day meal. Their had been three meals while he lived in Kokiri forest, but by the time left to go see Zelda, he usually didn't have time to each lunch, and settled for eating when he first woke up, and shortly before going to bed. A habit he stuck to religiously while in Termina, and Impa and everyone at Lon Lon Ranch seemed ok with him skipping the mid-day meal. He doubted Anju and her Mother would be agreeable to it.
Hoping to stall for time, for his stomach at least; Link went back to his room. He pondered what Impa had said before leaving. Referring to their disagreement and indicating that his sword and shield were burden's he needed to part with, and then what Anju had said about trying to carry too much. Was she referring to his weaponry also? They weren't too heavy? Maybe when he first got them they were, but he'd grown used to the weight.
Feeling a headache coming on, Link shook his head. All these metaphors or whatever they were called, were too much for his hysteria ridden mind. He looked down at the front of his sheath. It's not like they would be helpful in warding off the food that was sure to be placed in front of him soon enough. What would it hurt taking his weapns off, while he ate lunch. He could always put it back on afterwards. With a heavy sigh, Link took the shield off of his back, and shouldered off his swords sheath. Laying them gently on the floor where he left theme while sleeping. As he left the room a few minutes later, Link felt a weight that had nothing to do with the actual weight of his sword and shield, had been lifted from his shoulders. He sat at the kitchen table feeling lighter and almost hungry.
If anyone wants to give an angsty Prompt for this story you are welcome to. No promises that I'll use it, but I'll give any prompts a good deal of thought and consideration and it may help bring my inspiration back.