Chapter 27: Castle Town
The column had finally arrived in Castle Town. The rest of the journey had taken them another few hours as the day had worn on.
The column had marched to the army barracks in the courtyard of the castle. Zelda had parted from the column, heading back in to the castle, but not before looking to Link as she paused for a moment. A swarm of attendants flooded out of the castle though and started fussing over her. With a dejected look, she turned and returned to the castle interior. Link sighed, he would have to wait to talk to her again.
Getting inside the barracks, everyone was already unloading things. Some put their armour in to storage, others gave their weapons to blacksmiths and the rest unloaded the carts. Amongst the chaos, Williams organised the routines and directed people flawlessly. Karlsman helped co-ordinate the sergeants who directed the regular soldiers. All the while, Link simply sat down, relieving his aches and pains significantly. Some of the soldiers nearby offered to take the pack for him, for which he thanked them profusely.
"So, how's your back?" Williams said as he came to see him.
"I'll live. After a month of sleep probably." he replied.
Williams smiled at him, then sat opposite him.
"This is most likely where we part ways. At least for now. Despite your...decision making process, it was a pleasure to work with you, Link. I hope we can work together again some day." he said with a warm smile.
Link felt touched at his kindness. He could see why he was appointed as a Colonel.
"Hey, likewise. Meet me at Telma's bar sometime. Plenty of good whisky there." he offered.
"I'll do that. But, before all of that, you're going to figure out how to apologise to the princess right?"
Link froze on the spot. He had hoped to avoid bringing that up any more. Enough people had spoken to him about it. Still, Williams had been the most incensed by it. He supposed his role required him to answer to Zelda a lot and seeing her upset must have been difficult. Even more so, considering he couldn't do anything about it.
"You have my word. I'm going to do anything I can to make it up to her" he said honestly.
Williams relaxed, breathing out a held breath. He looked over his shoulder and had one of his men pass him a pack from his horse. He rummaged around inside of it and pulled out the expensive bottle of whisky he had shared around.
"I've grown bored of this one. You take it. That swill is probably more to your unrefined palette" he said, winking at him. Then he stood and left to manage everything going on.
Link stared at the bottle in disbelief. Telma didn't sell full bottles of this whisky. It was pricey and rare enough that she could only ever buy a few bottles at a time. He wrapped it carefully in a thick cloth and put it in his pouch. Zelda may have important to Williams, more than he realised. He would try and find out more about that later.
Wanting to go and find a comfortable bed, he stood and rolled his shoulders to try and shift the intense ache he felt. He said his goodbyes to the troops nearest to him, Karlsman included, and left the barracks.
They had all arrived late in the evening, the sky tinted with darkness. Without wearing the pack, his limbs felt odd, as if they were disconnected from him. They were also a lot more difficult to move and co-ordinate.
It took him longer, but after shambling through the streets of Castle Town, he finally made his way back to Telma's bar. He had been looking forward to this far more than he realised. Not just to see Telma, but his friends and family from Ordon Village too. So much had happened since he was last here.
Opening the door, he felt a rush of warmth soak in to his body and the smelled the rich wood and ales in the air.
Stepping in, he didn't have much time to react. A whole chorus of people erupted with calls of his name.
"Link!?"
He saw the face of Rusl, the closest person he had to a father. He almost tripped over himself as he rushed out of his seat to come and meet him.
Link couldn't even form a word of response as Rusl hugged him tightly.
"Link...it's been too long." he said as he let go of him and looked him over.
"Heh! It's good to see you too Rusl. I've had a hell of a week...or however long it's been"
"I make it about ten days" Rusl said with a warm smile.
Bo and Telma had made their way over to him now.
"Oh honey, it's a fine thing to have you back here" Telma said, hugging him too.
"Hah! Good to see you again Link!" Bo said as he smacked Link's shoulder, getting a grimace in response.
"Oh, I'm sorry Link! Are you OK?" he asked, suddenly worried.
"Ah, I'm alright Mayor Bo. Just very tired and full of aches" he lamented.
Telma rested hand on his shoulder.
"Well, how about you take your regular room? Have a nice long rest, then we can chat tomorrow, hm?" she suggested.
Link knew it had been a good decision to come here. It wasn't just the whisky or the nice food or even the atmosphere. Here, people understood him better.
"That sounds perfect. Thank you. Also, please could you fix me a breakfast too? Sausages and eggs." he said as he passed her a blue rupee. She pocketed it, nodding with a smile.
"Rest well Link. I have a day off tomorrow so I'll try and get everyone together. Figured you'd rather only explain it all once." Rusl said, making Link feel right at home in an instant.
"I look forward to it!" Bo said cheerfully.
Link nodded. "Thank you all. I promise I'll tell you everything tomorrow. Good night" he said, feeling his eyes struggle to stay open.
Rusl, Telma and Bo all went back to their business as he made his way up the stairs. He went in to the room he had stayed in so many times in the past. He was really looking forward to the bed. As he closed the door and turned up the lanterns in the room, he felt it odd at how quiet it was. The past week had been so busy and chaotic that to sit somewhere quiet was strangely unsettling.
He undressed and threw his clothes carelessly on to a chair as he sat on the bed and crawled under the thick covers. Though he lay down, the unsettling quiet kept him awake for a while longer. There was no rustle of trees or errant talk from soldiers heard nearby. It felt like a void.
He stared blankly at the ceiling for a while. His mind idling, decided to fill in the blank space for him.
In the dark corners of the room where the lantern light didn't reach, he could swear he saw shapes moving.
Taking in a sharp breath, he saw the face on an afflicted Zora looming over him. Looking at the corner, he saw nothing. Twisting around to check behind him, he saw nothing there either.
He slapped his cheeks to focus himself and shift his wandering thoughts. Leaning over, the turned up the lanterns to full brightness, then placed them on the other side of his bed. The room had few shadows now. Observing the room carefully, he was satisfied.
Laying down once more, he relaxed his guard and took deep breaths.
"You're fine...they're fine...relax" he whispered to himself.
With the bright lights, he felt a lot safer. Finally, he started to relax. Within minutes, he fell in to another deep sleep.
As he slept, he dreamed of himself floating in a black void. There wasn't a single sound except for his own dull heartbeat. Aimlessly he drifted through the black space, trying to find anything to grip on to or to distinguish. There remained nothing. He heard a strange sound come at him from all directions. It didn't grow any louder as he looked around, getting more agitated with each passing second.
It was everywhere. His panic began to fester in him as he looked around more frantically. There was still nothing there. As his breathing quickened, the sound began to get louder as it felt as if it was pressing in on him. Then he heard a dull thunk from somewhere specific.
Link opened his eyes quickly as he drew a sharp intake of breath, trying to calm himself. Someone was knocking on the door. As he came back to the waking world, he steadied his breathing as his heart began to calm.
"Enter" he said listlessly.
Telma walked in to the room carrying a large pot of fresh coffee and a plate of thick sausages and scrambled eggs, some toast too. The smell permeated the room in an instant and brought life back to Link. He sat up in his bed, not caring that he didn't have even a shirt on.
"Good morning, honey. Did you sleep well?" Telma asked cheerfully.
"This bed works wonders, Telma. I'd live in it if I had nothing else to do."
He didn't feel like exploring the meaning of his dreams first thing in the morning. He wanted breakfast. He took the tray from her and sipped the coffee, marvelling at the rich taste as it soothed him.
"Mmm...perfect! Got to thank you for the percolator you gave me. Used it a few times since I was last here and it made the days a lot better"
"Aw, you're very welcome, honey. I'm glad you actually put it to use" she said happily.
"Well, don't let me interrupt your breakfast. Come down whenever you're ready. Also, I've drawn a bath for you too"
"I was hoping you would. Thank you. See you soon" he said as he returned straight to his meal, almost inhaling it for how fast he ate it.
The hot meal revitalised every part of his body as the flavours danced on his tongue and warmed him from the inside. In minutes, the plate was almost clean along with the cup. He sat back against the bed for a moment, letting the satisfaction wash over him.
It was daytime, at some point in the late morning. The sky was clear from what he could see through the window. The slight dustiness of the room made light beams cast themselves through the curtains Telma had opened. It almost looked like a fairytale.
Eventually, he started to feel restless. The coffee had worked its magic. He got out of the bed and slipped in to his underclothes, before heading for the bath.
The room swam with steam vapours, only this time Telma had added lavender sprigs to the water, making the whole room smell incredible to him. He closed the door and undressed. Sitting in the bath, it was at the perfect temperature. The warmth rushed through his entire body as he was soothed in an instant. Every aching fibre was softened in the heat of the water as he let out a long sigh, enjoying the moment to himself.
He thought of Zelda as he lazed in the bath. She had to leave the very second he had told her about coming to her tent and hearing her cry. She hadn't had enough time to process it or even respond to him. It had left him feeling frustrated at best. Now, she was tied up with Royal Duties again, so seeing her would be difficult at best.
As he thought, he realised that it may take her a couple of days to straighten out her work and be able to rest. He would go and see her then. It was too much, just waiting around to finally discuss what had happened between them.
He finished washing his hair and got out of the bath, drying and dressing himself.
Back downstairs in the bar, there were a lot more people there now. He saw the familiar faces in the crowd. There was Uli, Rusl's wife and their child. Some of the farmhands he used to work with and Mayor Bo sat at the a table talking to someone out of sight. He waved over to Link, gesturing for him to join him.
Uli smiled sweetly at him and waved her baby's hand at him. Link waved back with a wide smile as he headed to Bo's table.
"Good morning, Mayor Bo. How are…" Link stopped himself as he saw who he was talking to. "Ilia?!"
She sat shyly on the other side of the table, holding Lilia in her arms as she looked around aimlessly, trying to eat her own hand. Link almost did a double take. This was the last thing he had been expecting. She looked pale, her hair unkempt and shoulders dipped. She looked like a shadow of herself.
"Hi Link…" she said, barely above a whisper.
He stood still for a moment as his mind caught up with what was happening. The last time he had seen her, she had told him she had never wanted to see him again.
"Yeah...uh...hey!" he said, unsure of anything any more. He looked to Bo quizzically.
Bo smiled at him, understanding his confusion.
"Ah, don't worry Link. Ilia has told me she wanted to speak to you, with me here. I wondered why seeing as you two used to be so close. But she hasn't really said why." he said as he scratched his chin.
Now things were going to get more difficult. But he hadn't imagined she would have shown up like this, out of the blue.
He sat at the end of the table, then Telma came over to them.
"Good morning to you all! Can I get any of you a drink?" she asked.
Link ordered a pot of tea to share with everyone, passing her a few green rupees in exchange. She smiled warmly and set about preparing the drinks.
"Well...it's good to see you all again at least." he said as he looked over Lilia.
Without the threat of Ghirahim nearby, he could finally take the time to meet his daughter. His heart fluttered at the sight of her. She looked perfect to him. Her curious eyes darting all over the room as she appeared fascinated by everything.
"Would you...like to hold her, Link" Ilia asked, exactly as quiet.
"Yes! Please" he burst out with. Ilia flinched at his enthusiasm but recovered quickly enough.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you. I wanted to since I first saw her" he said honestly. Then, he realised he had no idea if babies had to be held differently.
"How do I...hold her? Do I have to do something different?" he asked, wanting to take no risks with his daughter.
"Yes, you need to support her neck. Baby necks don't have developed muscles for a while and they can, well, flop around." Ilia explained, clearly this time.
Link crooked his arm as Ilia passed Lilia over to him. Paying close attention, he took her carefully in his arms as he rested her neck in his elbow. As Ilia handed her over and let go, he felt the weight on his arm.
All at once, his heart felt close to bursting. He looked in to Lilia's eyes. They had the same shade of blue as his own. The shape of them even looked like his. He stared in wonder at her as he started grinning without realising it.
"Hello Lilia" he said softly as he waved to her. She looked to him and narrowed her eyes. He felt her tense a little.
"Oh, is she not sure about me?" he asked Ilia, worried he had upset the baby somehow.
Then before Ilia could respond, Lilia farted loudly in to his hand.
Link and Bo, burst out laughing. Ilia too, but more reserved. At the sudden noise, Lilia started crying. He held her to his chest and propped her neck up with his free hand as he apologised to her profusely. Instinctively, he started rocking her from side to side as he tried to soothe her.
She cried for another moment as Link tried his best to calm her. She started to calm down as he gently stroked her head, humming a tune to her
"Hah! Would you look at that? He's a natural" Bo said proudly. "She'd never be quiet for me. Not that I'm sad because of that or anything"
"Oh, Dad. She likes you a lot!" Ilia said.
Everyone remained quiet for a moment as Link held Lilia in his arms. He lifted her up, making sure her neck was secure. He looked at her as she stared vacantly around the room, trying to figure everything out.
"Link… I wanted to talk to you about what I said the last time I saw you" Ilia said.
He knew this would probably come up at some point. He cradled Lilia in his arms again as he listened to her.
Bo's ears perked up a little as he looked curious. Ilia closed her eyes as she focused on what she wanted to say.
"I'm sorry…" Ilia said shakily. "After everything you've done, I ended up screaming something horrible at you. That I never wanted to see you again or have you have anything to do with Lilia"
Bo's shock was audible. He sat open mouthed at her admission.
"Ilia...what in the world made you say that?" he asked, unable to believe it.
Ilia looked helplessly to Link, wishing she could say anything else. Link sighed. He would have to recount the details.
"Bo, she has a valid reason. I'll spare the lengthy story because I'll be explaining it to everyone later on. But she was in the room where I brutally attacked someone. It was bloody and...well it was horrifying." he explained.
Ilia nodded as she shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to stop herself from recalling the details.
"But...what...how…?" Bo stammered.
"She saw me act in a way that you'd never forget. Which I think is the problem" he said as he looked to Ilia, who nodded as she fought back tears.
Everyone sat quietly as they processed what was being said. Lilia grabbed Links nose and squeezed, feeling out the shape.
"Ever since that night, I can't get the images out of my mind. I go to sleep, and I dream it in perfect detail. The screams, the blood, the snapping noises…" Ilia said breathlessly.
Bo remained still, trying to wrap his mind around what Ilia was saying. And the thought that Link could have acted as such.
"I've really tried to forget it Link, and I know he needed to be stopped." Ilia explained. "And yet, I recall every detail multiple times in a day. And I feel sick every time I do"
"Ilia...if I could change what happened, I would in a heartbeat. I hate that I let myself lose control like that. In the end, it turned out to be exactly what Ghirahim wanted. For you to see me do that. I played right in to his hands" Link remarked coldly. Hating every part of what Ghirahim had painstakingly orchestrated.
"I know Link, I know you are not evil. The thought that you would willingly act like that is unthinkable." Ilia cried. She wiped her eyes as Bo looked helplessly at his own daughter.
"Every waking moment I think of you, all I see is what you did. I can't look at you any more without recalling it."
Link felt a vice tighten around his chest, crushing him. This had been what Ghirahim had wanted, for the mother of his own child to be unable to love him.
"Please...tell me anything. Anything I can do to help you. I don't want to just leave things like this…" he pleaded.
She looked to him for a moment, wishing for anything that could help.
"I'm so sorry Link...there is nothing" she lamented.
They both sat, unable to look at each other now. Bo was horrified at what he was hearing as he looked desperately between the two. Then he spoke.
"No! There is something. It's not ideal, but it could help!" he remarked.
Link and Ilia looked to him, listening through streaming eyes.
"Time. You continue living as you have. Eventually, you will likely find yourself able to forget."
"I know, Dad. I know. But until then, I have to bear with it." Ilia said weakly. Then she looked to Link. "I still want you to be able to see Lilia, Link. You're really good with her and I don't want to deny her the chance to know her father. But until I am able to be around you without feeling like this, I don't...I can't be around you."
The vice in his chest gripped painfully hard now. He held Lilia close to him, entirely for himself. He had no choice in the matter. Everything suddenly looked cold and colourless to him.
The silence extended. Ilia couldn't look up, Bo sat there in pure shock and Link held his daughter as if she was a lifeline to his old life.
"Please Link, whatever you take from this, please don't let it be that I hate you. I could never." Ilia said, her voice a little stronger.
Link nodded silently.
"Look, this is obviously deeply rooted stuff. I wish I knew what to say that could help. For what it's worth, why don't I come along with both of you when you are able to see Lilia? Perhaps with all of us there, we can at least talk?" Bo suggested, desperate to knit old wounds closed.
Link felt enormous respect for him. Despite being thrown in the deep end of something so personal, here he was immediately trying to do the best for everyone. He was a fine mayor and had always stepped in between disputes to mediate.
"Thank you, Bo" Link almost whispered.
"Link, my boy...you owe me no thanks. Whilst I don't know the specifics, your are as good as a son to me. Don't think I've forgotten how hard you worked in the village. Or what you did during the Twilight crisis. You're family!" he said proudly.
Despite what Ilia had told him, the vice around his chest loosened ever so slightly.
They sat together for a while longer as they discussed how they would meet in the future. They agreed that for the time being, they would stay in Castle Town to make it easier for them to meet.
The villagers had all been given work they were all suited to. Telma had found them lodgings around town at cheap prices so living here for now was no issue.
Link suggested meeting at Telma's as everyone knew it well. They would spend a day together and Link would be allowed to see Lilia alone for a time to get to know her, depending on how free he was. Link agreed, grateful that Ilia hadn't run so far away to never be seen again.
She told Link that she ran through the woods with Lilia and a Gerudo woman who spoke a little Hylian. She had taken her to the edge of Castle town before disappearing from sight. After that she had made her way to Telma's bar and met the other villagers, but had not told them anything about what had happened.
Link vowed he would tell everyone everything. They deserved to know why Ilia was now ghost white.
Eventually, Ilia's discomfort overtook her and she stood to leave. Link handed Lilia over to her, missing her the second she was out of his arms. She apologised to Link once more, but promised that she would do her best to overcome her demons. She held out Lilia and let him kiss her head.
Then, with Bo, she left. The mayor nodded to him before the door shut.
He sat in his seat at the now empty table, unable to process a thought. He stared in to the window as he mentally shut down. He felt a gently hand touch his shoulder.
"Oh honey...you've had a rough morning, huh?" Telma said delicately.
He nodded blankly, continuing to stare aimlessly.
"Well, you're always welcome here. That Bo is right you know. That time heals all wounds. Though it may take some months, even years, you'll be able to talk to her again."
He looked to her, hoping she was right.
"I don't mind telling you that your little girl as an absolute beauty. You're going to be a fine father to her" she said sweetly as she wrapped her arm around his neck and hugged him firmly.
Hearing her talk about Lilia managed to eke a smile from him, despite the situation.
"She's beautiful! She had my eyes, and Ilia's nose…" he said fondly.
"Absolutely, Link! Be proud of your little girl" she said warmly. "Now, I have some advice. It's entirely up to you if you want to take it, but I think it could help right now."
He looked over, wondering what she could have to say.
"I know you're likely going to be feeling pretty rough after what Ilia said. Sorry sweetie, I overheard."
Link didn't really mind. He'd had enough of dealing with problems by himself at this point.
"What I would suggest, is that you find ways to keep busy. Keep that young mind of yours occupied. I happen to know that Ashei is still looking for you to train the soldiers."
He blinked. Then, he recalled that Ashei had asked for help training soldiers a while ago, before the forest fire had started. Focusing on the idea, he felt a pang of urging him to do something.
Telma had effortlessly helped him once more.
"Damn, Telma. You're a treasure. Thank you" he said with a smile.
She returned the smile and pointed to the door.
"Room will be here for you when you get back. Your friends from Ordon usually come here in the evening. Think they like the place" she remarked as she returned to the bar, cleaning and preparing for the day ahead.
Link, feeling like he had a sense of purpose, headed out.
As he walked through the bustling streets, he saw people wearing fine clothes. Some were odd, including dresses that blossomed out at the waist whilst others looked dazzlingly colourful.
He looked over his own drab underclothes. It was the same thing he wore under his chain shirt and tunic and it looked threadbare. Feeling self conscious suddenly, he looked around for a clothing shop.
Seeing one in a side street, he stopped in and spent a good amount of time wondering what to wear.
The shopkeeper came to him.
"Good morning! Would you like some help picking something?" she asked.
She was a cheerful middle aged woman with long and curly hair. Both she and the shop had a smell of cinnamon about them.
"Please. I don't really know much about what would suit me. Usually, I just have plain clothes" he said as he gestured to himself.
"Oh, not to worry dear! Like food, there's one thing that's perfect for every person. If it's alright, could I take your measurements?"
She was bright and cheerful, he found himself wanting to listen to her. He nodded and she took out a measuring tape from her sleeve and rapidly sized him up.
"There we are. So, there are several options, but tell me about yourself dear. How about a favourite colour for instance?"
"Dark blue. Everyone I see in it, I like by default" he admitted.
"Ah! A fine choice indeed! They say that people who like dark blues prefer wisdom and patience. Exuding a quiet strength and reliability. They also seem to value introspection to the spotlight, if I recall correctly" she said as she held her chin thoughtfully.
Link was surprised at her assessment. "You can determine peoples natures just by their favourite colour?"
"Well it's more guesswork to be honest. Still, there's a lot of personality types that line up with their favourite colours and their habits. For instance, beware a woman who wears orange and a man who wears red. They say the former prefers constant adventure whilst the latter prefers constant passion." she remarked cheerfully.
He stood in surprise, wondering how much of his own personality was true to her remarks about dark blue types.
"I'd never considered anything like that… You're quite insightful. So, I generally prefer practical clothes. Something easy to move in, isn't going to tear easily and also won't make me stick out like a sore thumb. Some clothes I've seen look explosively colourful."
The kind woman smiled widely.
"That's sweet of you! Thank you, young man." she said happily. Wandering around several racks of clothing, she took out several shirts and trousers. A few minutes later, she brought them back to him.
"Here we go! Personally, I believe you'd suit this."
She held up a navy shirt with white seams on it. It was a minimalist design but the colour contrast looked perfect to him. The trousers were a darker shade of blue and paired well with the shirt.
"Wow! They look really nice. I'd love to have those. Oh! Also some plain clothes for physical work please."
"Not a problem, sir." she said as she disappeared behind the racks of clothes again, returning with a matched set of cream coloured clothes.
"These ones are double layered. You should find them tough and flexible. Though if you have any problems with them, please come back and we'll see what we can do to fix them, okay?"
"Of course. How much for all of them?"
"Thirty rupees, please."
He rummaged through his pockets and paid.
"If you wish, you can change in to one of them in our changing room? I can also dispose of your current ones. They look like they've been through a grinder!"
His undershirt was frayed and faded and his trousers were no better. He was feeling excited by the prospect of wearing them, so he took her up on her offer.
Taking a few minutes, he changed in to the cream coloured ones, knowing he was going to see Ashei soon enough. He stepped out of the changing room, old clothes folded over his arm.
"How do they look?" he asked, hoping for something positive.
"You look ready for a hard days work! I think the dark blue ones would be perfect for a relaxed evening" she said brightly.
"Thank you, I really appreciate your help. What's your name?"
"Oh, I'm Marie. And you, sir?"
"I'm Link. Nice to meet you." he said, bowing his head a little.
Marie's mouth hung open for a moment.
"Wait a moment, Link? As in the one who saved us from the Twilight crisis?" she blustered suddenly.
"Well...I suppose?"
"Oh my goodness! If I had known, I wouldn't have charged you a thing! Here, let me give you your money back…" she said as she rushed back to a till.
"No, wait…" he said quietly, hoping to have avoided this.
"And to think I spoke to you so casually...I am a fool!" she carried on by herself.
She returned from the till with the rupees he paid with and a beautiful flower from a vase on her counter. She hurried over, nearly tripping along the way. She held out his rupees and the flower.
He looked helplessly at her, wishing he had told her a different name.
"No, please…"
"No, no! You saved all of us from ruin! How could I not be grateful to you for what you did? Please, take these clothes as thanks!" she said, exactly as cheerfully.
He felt a little irritated. She meant well, but more than anything he just wanted to be treated normally.
"Look, this is very sweet of you, and I accept your gratitude. But you've used your years of expertise with clothes to help me. I want to pay for the service." he said a little bluntly.
Marie recoiled a little. "Oh! I'm really sorry! I didn't mean any offence." she said as she awkwardly took her hand back.
"No no, it's alright. It's very sweet of you to offer me those things for free, but honestly? I just want to be treated like any other person. It was really interesting what you said about peoples favourite colours. People who know who I am usually bend over backwards to do anything they can for me…" he lamented.
"Oh, my apologies! I had no idea." she muttered, embarrassed. After a moment of awkward silence, she regained her composure. "I'll make sure I do my best to treat you as any other person. You just seem...larger than life I suppose" she observed thoughtfully.
He smiled a little. The idea that people saw him as such was still alien.
"That's all I ask. Thank you, Marie. Look, I better go, but I'll be back someday for more clothes. Take care" he said as he turned to leave.
"Thank you!" Marie said as he left, her face still red.
Link took a deep breath and made his way to the castle grounds. He imagined Ashei would probably be working now. Hopefully she wouldn't mind the sudden interruption.
The new clothes felt wonderful on his skin. The plain cream colour helped him blend in better. He looked like any labourer, drawing far fewer curious looks than he usually did.
Eventually, he made his way to the castle grounds. Two guards stood at the gate and challenged him.
"Halt. Who goes there?" one of them asked dutifully.
"Are you stupid?" the other one asked. "That's Link. Don't mind him, sir. He's a little overeager"
"Not a problem. Vigilance is exactly what we need." he remarked, not wanting to dash the guards spirit. "I'd like to speak with Ashei. Is she available?"
"Hm. I think she's either on lunch or screaming at some fresh junior knights? Want me to take you there?" the other guard asked.
"You are on duty" the first one seethed.
"Yeah and we've been stood here for hours and nothing has happened."
"Look, it's fine. I know where to find her. Plus, you don't want Williams to catch you off your post, believe me on that."
"Ah...good point. Alright, all yours Link." he said as he thumbed over his shoulder, letting him through.
He thanked the guards and made his way through the grounds. He had no idea where to find Ashei, but someone would be able to point him in the right direction. Several guards saluted him as he passed, some off duty soldiers recognised him from the Battle of Lake Hylia and pointed him to the knights training grounds.
The grounds were well maintained as people went from one place to another. It was as if the Twilight Crisis had never happened, the daily work proceeding easily.
Soon, he got to a large structure at one end of the gardens. Link recalled he had faced King Bulbin here, over a year ago. This time, he heard a single loud voice coming from the same building.
Peering inside, he saw Ashei inspecting the lined up prospective knights.
"You! There's dirt on your boots. Get down, fifty press ups" she barked.
Moving to the next one, she looked over him.
"Your armour has a dent in it. Get down, fifty press ups"
The junior knight dropped quickly and started his exercises. There were ten men arranged in a line in front of her and all but one of them were doing press ups. She moved to the last one and took longer to look him over.
"Impressive! No faults at all!" she claimed loudly as the young man relaxed ever so slightly.
"Fifty press ups. Get to it!" she barked again. Then she walked up and down the line observing the men.
"Welcome to your first day, prospective knights. I'm here to put you through hell, so that if you become knights, your duties will be easy. Thank me!"
"Thank you, ma'am!" came ten replies in unison.
Finally, she looked to Link. He was waiting patiently, silently grateful he never had to go through such training. He smiled and waved to her, getting an imperceptible smile in response. She gestured to him to come over.
As he walked, she addressed the hopeful trainees again.
"Lucky you!" she shouted. "We have a guest today. Stand to attention!"
The men jumped to their feet and stood straight.
"Those of you looking to become knights, rather than just a well paid soldier, look now. Here is what you will aspire to be. We have with us today the hero of the Twilight Crisis, none other than Link"
The soldiers were all looking dead ahead, fearing a single misstep in front of Ashei. Some were smiling, through the sweat pouring off them.
"Tibbits! What qualities must a knight possess?" she shouted, an inch from one of the mens faces.
"Ma'am! Courage, resilience and honour!" came the nervous reply
"Fine words, Tibbits. But just words! Link?" she said a little more softly.
"Yes?" he replied, unsure of what she was planning.
"When you first starting fighting against the Twilight Crisis, did you have any idea if you would be successful?" she asked aloud. Link recalled Zelda explaining something like this to him, back on Snowpeak.
"Hah! Not at all" he answered honestly. Some of the troops were looking straight at him now, eager to listen.
"So then why try at all?" she asked, loud enough for the room to hear.
He thought for a moment, wondering why. He had a lot of expectations put on him but he still willingly did everything he could. Then it dawned on him.
"I had to try" he shrugged.
"And there it is!" Ashei proclaimed. "A knight, worthy of the title, keeps going in spite of the odds. So, all of you drop. Another fifty press ups, then twenty sit ups. Push on!"
The men obeyed and started their work, looking more determined this time. Ashei gestured further down the room and walked over, Link following.
"They'll be done in about five minutes. It's good to see you again. Only ten days late too!" she smirked.
"I'll try not to help people ever again" he teased back
"Of course. Sorry, but I don't have the luxury of time. What do you need?"
"Oh nothing. I came to help like I said I would the other week. As well as apologise for the slight lateness."
She giggled quietly. "I'm glad you remembered at least. Still, I was going to do a sparring match with you initially. Kind of a 'Hey, look what level you need to be at' lesson. Assuming you don't need to get any more cats down from trees, would tomorrow be alright instead?"
"The cats can rescue themselves for a while. Doing this will be a welcome break. Tomorrow it is. But hey, later I'm going to be talking to everyone about what I've been up to. If you're free, come to Telma's this evening" he replied.
"Oh. Why are your doing that?"
"Well, people are likely going to ask me constantly anyway. Figured I'd get it all over with in one go" he shrugged.
"I'll be there. Shad too, assuming he's free"
"It'd be good to see you both, catch up properly."
"Oh, I look forward to it" she smiled. Looking over to the trainees, she took a quick breath.
"Look at that form… he's going to bend his spine out of shape. Sorry Link, but duty calls. I'll see you later?"
Link nodded and made his way out as Ashei berated the men once more. She was a model knight and he felt sure the men that passed her training would be excellent at their jobs, eventually.
He thought of Zelda and how much of a nightmare it must be to organise so many things all at once. Looking over to the castle itself, it's silhouette was enormous. Still, she was doing the work so it was at least possible to get used to it. He hoped she had some time to herself to relax. It had been a difficult ten days at best.
Walking back through the grounds, he decided to walk around the shops. He hadn't had the chance to take time off like this in a long time. It helped him focus, as the memory of Ilia's words still stung.
As he got to town, it was as bustling as it had been before. People rushing back and forth or talking with friends made the scene of it look peaceful. Something caught his eye. There was a young child crying by a corner with nobody nearby looking for them. They looked haggard and starving. Feeling curious, he wandered over. The child saw him and looked fearful, before darting down an alleyway. Concerned, he followed them.
They had stopped at the end of the alley. As he neared them, he noticed how dark it was. Quiet too. The perfect place to be unseen. He stood still for a moment as he sighed, turning around.
Three teenagers stood behind him, grinning wildly as they bared rusty knives in their hands. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the other child was nowhere to be seen.
"Your money. On the floor. All of it" whispered one of the teenagers.
The dull knives waved around threateningly. Link looked at them. They were brash, full of confidence. He had no idea how many times they had done this, but more than once at least.
An idea sprang to life in him.
"So. Why do this?" he questioned.
"Are you stupid? Money. Floor. Now!" one of them barked. They drew a little closer to him.
"I'm giving you a single chance. You're not stupid are you?" he asked sharply.
"'course not." sneered one of the other ones, throwing his knife a short distance between his palms, as if it was threatening. He looked like he'd learned to do it just recently.
"So don't do stupid things. Put those knives away and leave. Then I'll forget that this happened." he said firmly.
The teenagers looked at each other and laughed.
"We're the ones with weapons. Not you. Seems you're the stupid one. Money. Now" a scrawny one jeered. He held his knife high, far too easy to disarm.
Link took a single step forward, to get in position a little better. All three of them tensed.
"Back up! Unless you want to get cut?" one of them said as their voice cracked.
He knew it was time to act. They were tense and nervous, not used to people not giving in.
"Alright. You win. Here." he said as he withdrew a handful of red rupees from his wallet.
He held them out in the palm of his hand so they could see the lustre of them, their eyes going wide in greed. Then, he threw them up in the air over their heads. They all looked up, dropping their knives as they jumped to grab them with both hands.
Link clutched all three out of the air in a deft movement, before they had even realised what they had done. The red rupees clattered to the floor as the teenagers finally realised their mistake. All three tried to turn and run. Holding three of the rusty knives in one hand, he grabbed one of the boys by the back of his ragged shirt.
"Help! He's got me!" he bleated. The other two paid no attention as they ran back out of the alley.
"Pick my money up" Link said calmly as he stood behind him.
The boy scrambled to pick up the rupees scattered in the alley. In a minute he held a shaky hand out as his eyes went as wide as they could. Link counted ten of them.
"Now, come with me" he said as he started walking back, holding on to the boys shirt.
As they left the alleyway, two guards were rushing over to them both. The other two who ran away must have alerted them.
"Halt! Explain...wait a minute...Link? Is that you?" said one of them.
"Karlsman?" Link said, unable to believe his luck.
"Help me mister! This man is trying to kidnap me!" squealed the teenager, fear getting the better of him.
"Shut up!" Karlsman barked back. "Link, what happened?"
"Him and his friends thought it'd be funny to try and rob me"
"Ah, understood. Young man, you're under arrest. Wayne, cuff him and escort him to the barracks."
"Yes, sergeant" said his second man as he snapped iron cuffs around the teenagers wrists.
The boy had turned pale at this turn of events and resorted to using an almost impressive vocabulary of swearing at Link and the guards. Wayne didn't seem to have much patience?
"Be quiet!" he shouted in to the boys ear, silencing him from shock. He was lead away quietly after that.
Karlsman remained behind with Link as onlookers turned their heads, trying to see what was happening. They looked to each other and shared a single laugh.
"It's been a day since we got back, and you already have children robbing you?" he teased.
"Yeah, and you got roped in to guard duty in the same amount of time, so neither of us win here."
"Fair point. What did they take from you?"
"That one had ten red rupees, the others probably got about five or six between them. I wouldn't mind asking a favour though, if you wouldn't mind?"
Karlsman raised an eyebrow
"Keep that kid locked up overnight. Tomorrow, I'd like to have a chat with him myself."
"Hah! What, you want to tell him that stealing is very wrong and that he must promise honestly that he'll never do it again?" came the sarcastic reply.
"Not exactly. More along the lines of I'd like to figure out his situation, why stealing was the best choice for him."
"Hm. Likely a rough home. But sure, I don't mind doing that. There's some perks to being a Master Sergeant after all" he explained. "So, want me to escort you to your home, then you can give me a plate of cookies as thanks?"
His puppy dog eyes were impeccable.
"Wipe that look off your face. I'll bring you some treats tomorrow, but only if you're house trained"
Smirking, Karlsman gave him a mock salute and waved to him as he walked off. Link took a minute to exhale. He had barely been back in town for a full day and already things were mounting up.
At least following some crisis usually led to a single point that demanded his attention.
A clock tower rang three times as he perked his ears up. There was still some time before everyone finished their jobs and went home.
Link decided to go back to Telma's bar. Just relaxing sounded nice, he thought.
He wound his way back through the streets, picking up a pack of fresh sweet buns from a bakery.
As he neared the bar, he heard lively voices inside.
Link pushed open the heavy door of Telma's bar, the creak announcing his arrival. The mid-afternoon light spilled in behind him. The bar was a hub of activity, yet as soon as the door swung open, everyone inside seemed to pause. In a heartbeat, the children of Ordon were on their feet. Beth, Colin, Malo and Talo each calling out his name with voices full of excitement and relief. Even Ilia was here too with Bo by her side. They waved to him happily, though he could still see hesitation in Ilia's eyes. He did his best to ignore it.
"Link!" they shouted in near unison, rushing toward him. Close behind, Uli rose from her seat, a warm smile breaking across her face, while Rusl and Fado stood, their eyes lighting up at the sight of him. The sudden rush of bodies moving toward him, all voices blending together in a cacophony of greetings, made Link's heart lurch. For a split second, the warmth of Telma's bar seemed to vanish, replaced by the crushing cold of the depths. The eager faces blurred, replaced by the snarling visages of the afflicted Zora. His hand twitched toward his sword, but he forced himself to steady his breath, blinking away the memory.
"Link, you're really here!" Colin exclaimed, his eyes wide with admiration. The others crowded around, their chatter loud and overlapping. Rusl clasped Link's shoulder firmly, grounding him in the present with the strength of his grip, and Uli gently took his other hand. Link managed a smile, nodding as he tried to focus on each of them, letting their familiar faces pull him back to safety.
"Alright, alright, give the poor boy some space," Telma's voice boomed as she moved from behind the bar. She began pushing a few tables together, her strength more than enough to shift the heavy wood. "Let's all sit down, eh?"
Link gave her a grateful nod, allowing himself to be guided to the newly arranged seating. He could feel the tension in his shoulders slowly easing as everyone settled. He chose a seat where he could see the door, waiting for Ashei and Shad, knowing he'd need to explain everything, but not just yet.
"So, how have all of you been?" Link asked, his voice steady though his eyes still flickered toward the entrance from time to time. It had been ten days since he last saw them, and he wanted to hear their stories first, to feel connected to home again before delving into everything he had done.
The children's excitement got the better of them. Though they were more than a year older now, they still had boundless energy.
Beth proudly said she had found work with farmhands around town and had been helping to plant an autumn crop of root vegetables. The work was tiring but at least close to how life had been in Ordon village, so she didn't mind. The nice farmers also gave her some rupees for her efforts. Link noticed she wore cleaner clothes than the others.
Malo eagerly described helping around the soldiers barracks. Some days he would clean, other days he would haul things around. On some really lucky days, he was allowed to watch the soldiers train. He beamed with enthusiasm with every single word.
Talo didn't waste many words. He said the shop stall he had in the market was trading fairly well and he had hired several townspeople to work there. Link was certain he was still in his single digit age and refused to devote more brain power to analysing it.
Colin had been working with Malo in the guard barracks. But in his case, he seemed to prefer watching the archery sessions the soldiers had. He had even been allowed to use one a few times. Since the Twilight crisis, he had become a lot more dependable. He mentioned how lots of people were asking for his help with basic things.
It was nice to hear that they were keeping busy and helping in some way where they could.
Colin sat very patiently, eager to hear Link's story. The others were close to running aroundin circles from their own excitement. Talo however remained perfectly still.
As the children finished sharing their stories, Link turned his attention to Uli and Rusl, who had been listening with warm smiles. Uli looked serene, her eyes reflecting the contentment that came from caring for her and Rusl's baby. She had taken to life in Castle Town as naturally as she had in Ordon, managing their small town house with ease. She spoke of her days with the baby, describing a sense of fulfilment and the joy of watching their child grow.
Rusl, on the other hand, had found a way to put his skills to good use. He had taken up work as a freelance scout, tracking herds of game outside the town. It wasn't quite the same as patrolling the familiar woods of Ordon, but it gave him a sense of purpose and connection to the wilds. There was a part of him however that longed to return to their village. Both he and Uli shared that unspoken desire for the quiet life they'd left behind, the place where they truly felt at home.
They lived modestly, the townhouse offering enough comfort for their needs. Thanks to Mayor Bo, who had taken up work as an aide to the mayor of Castle Town, they paid a lower rent than they might have otherwise. It was clear that Bo had not forgotten the people of Ordon. His influence had helped all the villagers find a more manageable place in Castle Town, and his efforts had eased the burden on their community. Link knew Mayor Bo would be eager to hear his stories as well, to catch up on everything that had happened since they had all been scattered by circumstance.
For now, though, Link let the conversation flow around him, content to be here, surrounded by familiar faces, their stories forming a comforting rhythm.
As Telma came to the table with some snacks and drinks for the children, the door opened once again. Ashei and Shad had both arrived, looking worn out. As soon as they saw Link and the others, they waved cheerfully and made their way over to the table.
"So good to see you again, old boy!" Shad said, his accent fitting right in with the castle staff.
Link wondered what Zelda thought of the mannerisms of her staff. Every person in the castle spoke in measured and polite words to the effect of it changing their personalities a little. Shad however, seemed born for it.
"I've had a hell of a week. But it's good to see you again. You too, Ashei"
"Thank you, Link." she smiled back to him.
Telma took drink orders for the adults at the table. Ashei sat opposite Link, Shad right next to her.
"Well old boy, do you recall what you asked me to look in to? The Mirror of Twilight?" Shad questioned.
"Of course"
"Well, I've made some progress with it! I would be happy to discuss it at length with you when the time is right. Though maybe not tonight, if you don't mind of course?"
Link smiled. He almost sounded disappointed in himself that he was too tired to explain what he had found.
"Shad, please don't worry about it, alright? Honestly, it's just good to see you again. And you too Ashei" he added.
She smiled in response but said little else. The table was lively now, with everyone back together and eager to catch up. Plenty of questions were thrown at him, from where he had been and what he had been up to. Shad took great pleasure in showing a book to the wide eyed children. Ashei nursed a drink quietly as she relaxed. Uli and Rusl kept the children in check whilst Fado joked with Telma.
It was serene. A far cry from his mind making him see the afflicted Zora again. He shook his head, dislodging the thought before it could spin out of control.
"Everyone?" he asked.
Quiet fell over the table as everyone turned to look at him.
"I know most of you will want to know what I've been doing. So, I thought I'd tell you all, save me from having to tell it all again and again." he explained, taking a drink of his favourite whisky.
"I'll answer any questions you have, only after I've told you it all. Because, frankly, its a whole load of crazy"
Everyone nodded in response, almost in unison, as they sat. They were eager to hear everything.
After taking a deep breath, Link began.
"So, after I left here last time, I went to see Princess Zelda. She was the only one who could help me, because I needed to find pieces of a holy relic. The Triforce of Power…"
He detailed everything he could, sparing nothing. He had no idea if it was worth mentioning the existence of the Triforce. But he felt an urge to let everyone know the details. He started with how how he and Zelda had scaled to ice cliff in the Snowpeak mountains. Then, how a single swing from his ice axe had caused the entire ice cliff to collapse.
The children went wided eyed at his description, whilst Rusl and Bo looked horrified. This was only the start of his story too.
"How did you both survive that?!" Malo asked. Link smiled, the boundless enthusiasm was endearing.
So, he detailed how he had used his clawshot at the last moment to escape falling to his death as Zelda clung to him.
Then, how they had walked down to the centre cave of the mountain where the horrific spider creature had been. To prevent things from becoming too miserable, he told them how he and Zelda had banged their heads together when they had tried to open the door. The younger villagers enjoyed it a great deal.
After, he told them how he and Zelda had killed the creature and claimed the first piece of the Triforce of Power. Then came more pointed questions.
"Is it really from the goddesses?"
"What does it feel like?"
"Why did the goddesses leave something so powerful behind?"
He evaded answering anything about the Triforce itself, not feeling it was smart to detail it.
Still, he could understand the fascination at least.
"Look, I barely understand it myself but if I tried, we would be here all night. Some other time, maybe" he explained.
From there, he told of how he and Zelda had narrowly escaped death in an avalanche and made their way across the plains of snowpeak towards Zora's Domain.
At this point, he drew curious looks from the older people. He hadn't said much about what he and Zelda had talked about and he wanted to keep it that way. But he knew he would likely have to deal with more questions about it later.
He continued with the story, of how he had noticed the Zora being on guard and the sudden disappearances of their people.
"Oh no! I remember talking to Ralis...he was such a sweet boy" Ilia commented.
"I wonder what was going on?" Malo questioned, with an irritated Talo next to him.
"He's literally explaining it to us" he quipped.
Talo was a strange one, being as blunt as a sledgehammer at his young age. Still, Link appreciated him trying to let him tell the rest of the story.
So, he told of how the next day, all of the Zora had disappeared without a trace and how he and Zelda had organised what to do. Link finally brought Ilia back in to the experience.
He said how much getting back to her was weighing on his mind, so he and Zelda rode hard, stopping at the castle so she could deploy troops to search for the Zora and also explain how the Gerudo had gotten involved.
This surprised everyone. Most had heard stories about the women of the desert, but to hear that a group of them had taken up working for Ghirahim in their own village alarmed them. Telma looked particularly interested in what he had to say about them.
"Why did they do that?" Beth asked, at a loss.
"Did they mess with our stuff?!" Fado wondered nervously.
"I hope they didn't destroy anything…" Bo said, concerned. Ilia spoke up.
"No Dad, they actually camped in tents outside" she explained.
Link took the moment of pause to sip his favourite whisky. The pleasant flavour warmed him from his core. As the chatter settled down, they looked to him eagerly once more. Colin had been quiet as he absorbed every detail of the story. Rusl and Uli both sat patiently, concern etched on their faces.
He took a moment to explain the diplomatic situation with the Gerudo, that they had no contact with anyone in Hyrule for years despite Zeldas best efforts. Adding that he thought it was likely Ganondorfs intervention that had prevented any communication in the first place.
"Figures. Make your enemy weak so it's easier to take them over" Talo said casually.
"So they've been isolated from us for years until now?" Fado asked, eager to know more about the women.
"It'd be easy to see why they would mistrust Hylians after that…" Rusl added thoughtfully.
"I wonder what they were doing untiil now" Uli thought aloud.
Link smiled. Even though the Gerudo had invaded the empty village and turned it in to a fort, the villagers were more curious about them than resentful. They would likely meet them at some point soon anyway.
Taking a longer sip of his drink, he observed the room. The children were energetically inventing stories about the Gerudo and then the adults where quietly discussing things amongst themselves, wondering about them.
"Alright. Now, I need to tell you a difficult part. What Ilia saw me do, what happened to the princess and then Ghirahim..."
Then, Link started to talk about what had happened, how Zelda had tried to sway the Gerudo by showing them the letters she had written them in her past. He was quiet for a moment before he told them about Ghirahim destroying her exposed hand along with the letters. Everyone went quiet and listened intently at this. Ilia looked away, as if trying to forget it.
He told them how he had seen red and beat Ghirahim in to a bloody mess, as he utterly lost control of himself in a blinding rage.
The children looked between him and Ilia, trying to process what he was saying. The adults look of shock was enough to sour the mood.
"Oh my…" Shad had said quietly.
"I don't believe it…" Rusl whispered
"I have to imagine I would have lashed out too" Ashei added.
"I count it as one of my greatest regrets. Because it's exactly what he wanted me to do, in front of Ilia" Link lamented.
He explained Ghirahims words before he had vanished from the room, 'I didn't even have to do anything to you'. That everything had been to just bait him in to horrifying Ilia, and it had worked flawlessly.
Ilia meanwhile stared vacantly away as Bo came to understand just what had been upsetting her so much. The horror of what Link had done as well as it all being a manipulation. He gently held her hand and didn't say a word, unable to think of anything that could help.
Link swallowed, suddenly very tired.
"Look, there's more to the story including what happened with the Zora. But I really don't feel like explaining more right now"
He finished his measure of whisky and stood up.
"I'll tell you the rest some other time, but reliving that was draining. I'm sorry." he turned to leave for the bedroom as everyone looked helplessly at him.
"Link, wait."
A chair scraped backwards as Rusl came over to him. "Everyone, excuse us for a moment"
Link walked to the stairs with him as everyone nervously looked to each other. Ashei seized the initiative and started talking to the others about his story.
"What is it?" he asked with little energy.
"That was harrowing. I can scarcely believe half of what you've been through." Rusl replied calmly. He sighed as he looked over him.
"But I have no doubt about you Link. You did the best you could with what you could at the time. Do your best to not regret what you did, because it was not you that manipulated things like this. It was him. That Ghirahim who, like his master, delights in pulling strings. You're not a bad person Link. You never were"
As tension unwound in him, he let his head rest on Rusl's shoulder. He wrapped an arm around his shoulder as Rusl did the same to him.
He felt relieved, that despite everything and all of his fears, he was still good in Rusl's eyes. His opinion meant far more to him than he had considered before.
As he stood there wordlessly, the room became quiet. He thought of how Zelda had told him the same thing, even when she was under intense medication.
Both she and Rusl had ended up saying the exact same thing.
He exhaled and stood straight again, with a warm smile on his face this time.
"Thanks, Rusl" he said quietly.
Then, without a word, he went upstairs to bed after waving to everyone assembled below.
Much further away, as the evening blended in to night, the skeletal remains of the dead marched towards the summit of death mountain. Ghirahim led them up the slopes, to the home of the Gorons, a wicked gleam in his eyes.