Termina's Twilit Troubles

The figure emerged from her shadow and looked at the stew. After taking a few bites, he muttered "That actually tasted better than I thought it would!" At this point they were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Ester! Kafei just remembered why he was out in the rain in the first place! He needs to talk with you about something important!" Link's voice said from the other side of the door.

"I guess that's my cue to disappear!" the small creature said as he vanished once again into her shadow. Link opened the door then and said, "Let's not keep company waiting!"

He then led his daughter downstairs to a patiently waiting Kafei. When he saw her, he smiled and began his explanation for what he assumed was waking her up after she said she was going to bed.

"I'm sorry for waking you Ester, but I recently remembered why I was out in this awful storm in the first place. You see, I need someone to go deliver some things for me. they may not be anything special right now, but there are some... parcels... I don't trust the mailman here to deliver that need to go to the Deku palace in the south, as well as the Goron shrine up north. And the Zoras have requested a meeting with your father at the Great Bay since he cannot breath underwater, but I feel you should both take the trip to the Bay. perhaps you will get to see a few Zoras. The culture should be good for you!"

Link stopped his friend. "I don't believe that's a very good idea. I'm on... thin ice with the Zoras..." He said hesitantly, his eyes growing distant.

"Liar!" something whispered in Ester's shadow. Both men turned to each other. "What was that?" they said simultaneously. without either man noticing, Ester's shadow moved and passed over a pot of flowers on the windowsill, causing it to topple over onto the floor. Link immediately forgot what he had been saying and went to clean it up, only just missing Ester's shadow retracting back to it's normal appearance.

"Well, we'd best get some sleep until this storm dies down." link said once the water from the pot was cleaned up. "Kafei, should I prepare the guest bedroom, or are you going home to get the parcels ready?"

"Unfortunately the latter. with any luck, the storm will die down at least a little. I'll have the parcel's ready in Anju's Inn when the storm clears, and ester can go then. And I do hope you reconsider the Great Bay trip. well, see you, old friend." Kafei said, heading out the door. Link sighed. "I'll think about it." he turned to Ester when Kafei left.

"Want to tell me why you snuck in to get some stew while we were chatting about life? Don't give me that look, I know you did it. I'm your father for crying out loud! so why did you say you weren't hungry?" Link said disapprovingly, crossing his arms.

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Ester was glad she was able to please this little guy, but she jolted in her seat on the bed when she heard the knock. "Yes Father" she called, getting up and following him down the steps. Taking her seat by her father, she listened in silence. Why did SHE of all people need to go? What were in these parcels that Kafei couldn't trust the mailmen with? Why did the Zoras want to speak to her dad? Of course, she was only thinking these things, and, as she had never been any further than Romani Ranch, this sort of thing excited her. But her father didn't seem as excited. 

Suddenly, she stiffened as that little voice spoke up. This was it; they were caught. Her father would send this little person out into the storm, or maybe even KILL him! Before she could start explaining, however, a plant was knocked over and the entire thing was dismissed. She let out a huge sigh internally, watching Kafei leave, and she was about to get up when her father crossed in front of her. She stared up at him, sitting with her hands grasping the chair seat in between her legs, looking downright awkward about it. "Well.... I THOUGHT I wasn't hungry, but my stomach growled, and I decided, since I didn't want to bug the two of you, I would just take the soup up to my room" Once she had spoken, she gave an innocent smile. She could only hope he believed her.

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Link sighed. He was too tired to argue with her at this point, even if he didn't believe her. "Alright. Let's just get some sleep and we'll get ready for your trip tomorrow." he dismissed her to go back to her room, and once she got there, the small figure of the almost impish creature sprung from her shadow again.

"Well, you heard the man! sleepy time! So, where's my bed?" he asked. Without waiting long enough for a response, he laughed. "Just kidding! Gosh, lighten up!" and he disappeared into her shadow for the night.