She Bears A Triforce

Here it is, the long-awaited Chapter 5. The maddness continues LOL My Thanks go out to those who've reviewed up to this point. Snaps to The Anonymous Reviewer, BC, N, and a special thanks to Lady Goddess Sephiroth. You've all been a tremenous help and more than once I've gotten some ideas for little twists and details here and there. Thanks a bunch. Those who haven't reviewed, well you all still suck monkey. So there. Finally, I'm begging you guys to read some of my other stuff too PLEEEEEEAAAAASE? *GLOMPS EVERYONE* THAAAAAAAANKS!!!!!!


CHP5


Link had to admit, even though he doubted the reliability of the plan, it definitely worked; at least it had worked thus far. With the Emperor’s guards still looking for her everyday, and being none too subtle about it, Aurea had found a way to avoid them without really leaving the Inn. Apart from keeping her ears covered with that odd bandana, and staying mostly out of sight, whenever they came poking around, she would simply slip away. If she was in the kitchen, she slip outside and hid in the stables until they left. If she was upstairs she found a way to climb out the window of her room and up onto the roof, from where she was able to see them leave. To the young hylian, it seemed a mix of madness and carnival slight-of-hand.

And she only has to slip up once before they catch her. Link couldn’t help thinking. There was a great deal of curiosity as to why the Emperor would want to see someone from the market place. And as always, rumors were flying faster than fire on a windy day. Some held that he was looking for an official wife, while others said he just wanted another whore. The political tem was concubine, but nobody in the market really used it, since it was obvious what the women in his harem where there for, and why they agreed to it. The young blond found himself hoping that Aurea knew better than to pass those gates; then he found himself wondering why he cared again. It’s not like I’m courting her right? The fact that he had to ask himself this was proof enough that, whatever he told himself, he really did give a damn about her. Another three weeks had passed, and he had yet again yielded to the temptation to see and talk to her again. No words Link could think of really described why he wanted to be near her and hear her laugh like she did. Maybe it was the fact that Aurea’s laughter and sense of humor were just so contagious, but he doubted that alone was it. It was a strange attraction to say the least, but there it was. Walking over the cobblestones, guiding Epona behind him, Link was surprised when he found himself at the stables just in time to see a white bandana and a long brown-and-gold braid whip around the wooden corner of the stables. He looked towards the Inn entrance and sure enough, there were about three guards standing in armor and spears, and looking rather disgruntled. Being more careful than usual, Link led Epona into the stables with a small smirk on his lips. He found Aurea squatting down, her face a mixture of pale and flushed colors, the result of a bad shock and its aftermath. She was staring straight at him and looking both relived and a touch annoyed.

“Will you not sneak up on me?” she hissed in a whisper, then rearranged herself to peer over the side of the stable. “I’m really high-strung right now.”

“I noticed.” He muttered, keeping his voice low so as not to draw any attention. But she shushed him again, and he heeded her this time, but it was mostly because he wanted to eavesdrop a little.

“Listen fellas,” the Barkeeper was saying in a pleadingly high tone of voice. “She’s very temperamental. The last time you came calling she refused to sing that night and we lost a lot of business.”

“Pal I feel for ya,” said one of the guards, with enough honey in his voice as to be sickeningly condescending. “But we have our orders from the Emperor himself. What are we gonna do when we have to come back again empty-handed?”

“Look,” The barkeeper tried again, not wanting to bring down the wrath of the Emperor. “I’ll talk to her tonight, see if I can convince her to go along with it, but for the love of the Goddesses don’t hang around here so much.” He cast his eyes around and Aurea ducked to avoid being seen. “If she knows you’ve been looking for her again, and I talk to her about it tonight, she’ll say no and that’ll be the end of that.”

“Oh really?” Said another of the guards shifting his weight to one side and folding his metal-clad arms.

“Now I don’t want any trouble; I just want to deal with this as quietly as possible.”

“Fine.” The first guard relented. “But if tomorrow comes and nothing’s changed, we’ll drag her out kicking and screaming if we have to.” That said, they turned towards the stables, and with a squeak of terror, Aurea had buried herself in a tall mess of hay to one side.

Oh for the love of… Did she practice doing that? Link wondered, hearing the guards approach. Hastily grabbing a stiff brush, and trying not to look in any way suspicious, started to brush the mare.

“Think his royal pain-in-the-ass will let us have her when he’s done?” One of the men snickered as they entered the stables and found their own horses.

“I shouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.” Another one snorted, shaking his head. “You know what he’s like with his women; the only way he let’s them leave is if they snuff it.”

“What a pity.” Said the third one idly. “Some of them are damned tempting aren’t they?” The three of them laughed in agreement. There was a steady pulsating motion going behind Link’s left temple now, causing his eyebrow to twitch.

“You there!” It took a lot of self-control to not make a stupid remark that would likely land him in prison. Link would have dearly loved to say ‘yes, me here, you there,’ in the grunting voice of a wild-man. But he restrained himself, knowing better. “Look at an imperial guard when he speaks to you.” The man barked, and with a sigh that only seemed to magnify his irritation, Link looked around at him. “You seen anyone unusual around here lately?”

Link was sorely tempted to say ‘Define unusual.’ But what was the point in annoying them, especially when they probably wouldn’t get it anyway. So he simply replied, “No.” his voice flat and uninterested.

“You’re sure?” The second one asked as he mounted his own horse. “No strangely dressed women hanging about?”

“You might ask some of the prostitutes.” Link said pointedly. “When it comes to women, there’s only so much a man really needs to notice, am I right?” They laughed, thank Farore and on that note, departed. Link waited until they had turned another corner beyond his range of vision. Then he tossed the grooming brush to one side and shoved one hand into the pile of hay. About 3.578 seconds later he was lying on his back feeling the sharp sting in his left cheek pulse similarly to that of his eyebrow twitch.

“You wanna warn me the next time you do that?” Aurea hissed as she rose from the hay like some bad attempt of a monster in a cheesy horror flick. Ordinarily, she would’ve been more bothered by the stray bits of straw clinging here and there on her clothes and in her hair, but she was too irate just now.

Needless to say, Link learned a valuable lesion that day: Never grab or grope unless you can see what it is you’re grabbing. It was either follow this advice, or run the risk of Aurea slapping so hard his face fell off. He didn’t have any desire to think about the latter, seeing as how it left a sick sensation in his stomach.

Aurea was busy picking the straw from her person now, and made and angry sound in her throat, not unlike that of a cat’s growl. “I’m gonna lose my marbles, I swear!” She was ranting while pulling the bandana from her hair to fix it properly again. She kept on about how this whole situation was completely ludicrous, and Link could only lie there like a green, hylian rug and watch her. It was strange to think that he had nearly forgotten how different she looked without the odd head covering in its usual place. But maybe it wasn’t that strange since she always kept it on, even around him, and only removed it to sleep as far as he knew. He had a sudden image of her sitting in a bathtub, naked, and still wearing that ridiculous bandana. A faint blush touched his face at that thought. But as there was still a red hand-shaped mark there too, it was difficult to notice. It wasn’t until he noticed her hand waving slowly back and forth in front of his eyes that he blinked and realized he’d been staring. “C’mon, I didn’t hit you that hard.” Aurea muttered, trying not to look concerned, which resulted in her looking agitated instead.


Some time later, after a good six round of archery practice, the two sat at the little battered table in the kitchen eating dinner. It was nothing too complex, just a good-sized sandwich for each of them with water for Aurea and wine as usual for Link.

“You oughtta be careful with that.” Aurea remarked as he took a long drink. “Remember what happened last time?”

“Up to a point.” Link gave a lopsided, guilty grin. There was a long silence that followed this, during which they ate quietly, glancing at each other every now and again. “Are you feeling alright?” Link asked, startling her slightly, if that little jump was any indication. The meal thus far had been conducted in such a subdued atmosphere that it made him worry. By her standards, this was not normal behavior.

“I’m fine, just…” she let her voice trail off as she stared at her sandwich, but wasn’t really seeing it.

“Just what?” Aurea sighed with something like resignation at this. She had the distinct feeling that this was one issue Link would not willingly drop. Maybe if she tied him upside-down for a while; but it was too much effort to try something like that, as funny as it would have undoubtedly been.

“I don’t know.” She heaved another sigh and set the nearly finished sandwich down. “There’s just something about this that I just don’t understand.” Resting her elbows on the scrubbed wooden surface and letting the heels of her hands set themselves against her forehead, she looked petulant.

“What’s that?” Link asked, trying to at least seem calm, hoping that she might relax a little too. It was somehow unnerving to see someone usually so strong showing a weakness, even though he himself was capable of it. A memory came to mind then, a picture from nine years ago. Zelda, not as an adult, but as a child of maybe ten, was looking at him. Her gentle features were marred only by the frown and worry displayed there, and with the nervous wringing motions of her hands.

“Granted for a minute,” Aurea’s gentle alto voice brought him back to reality, with less shock than usual. “I’m not normal for this place. I mean I stick out in more than one way.” She gestured with one hand as if this was everyday chatter, while the other supported her chin. “Why does the so-called Emperor want to see me?” She let her free hand fall to the table with a flop and watched her companion, half-expecting a smart-assed remark. And as sure as the sun sets in the west, she was right.

“So people here are actually making an effort to keep rumors from you now?” The young male asked, a bit sarcastically, but did not smile at it. In truth he was worried too, but that was mostly because he knew what people were saying; that and the overheard conversation this afternoon had done nothing to abate these poking issues.

“No,” Aurea sighed and looked a little aggravated. “They haven’t bothered to keep their voices down. Which means either they don’t know it’s me, or they don’t give a damn either way.” So she knew what the scuttlebutt around the local society was, but it still didn’t seem to have answered her questions at all.

But there was one theory Link had, and was loathe to admit it. Among other things, they had talked a good deal about politics and what was right and wrong. Aurea had a very clear definition in her mind as to right and wrong, and a lot of what she deemed right was, by proclamation of the Emperor, very wrong indeed. For example, she didn’t see anything wrong with holding a peaceful protest against some policy or other of the system. Link had been fascinated by the ‘Freedoms’ her people were allowed and theirs were not. Where she was from, protesting in this manner was allowed, and more over encouraged, since its main objective was to bring about change in a peaceful manner. But she had also explained when certain freedoms were denied to an individual, which usually had to do with said individual putting others in danger or breaking some rather reasonable laws. There were times, once or twice, when Link wondered if Aurea was making it all up. True that the late King had always said openly and often that if anyone had a problem with the politics, they were free to come to him and discuss the issue, and more over they were free from fear of incarceration. Nowadays in Hyrule, things were really what Aurea referred to as a ‘Dictatorship.’ Based on what she told him describing this kind of government, Link whole-heartedly agreed. The signs were all there: One person with supreme authority, things run in a generally militant style, no governmental body put in place to stop him, and the little amount of delegated power going to his closest and most trusted allies. Hylians no longer had the right to point out problems the system had. The second they did so, they would be arrested for treason, or else defamatory remarks against the Emperor. And as things currently stood the general living situation for most people, the middle and lower class, was on the decline, since all the power now rested with the elite and upper class. There was no representative to argue for the majority of the people now, and Aurea had remarked more than once that this pattern smacked of revolution. Knowing all of this, Link had to wonder…

“Maybe it’s because of how you think?” He suggested, hoping he was dead wrong on this one. Aurea seemed to come out of a trance at this statement and stared at him for a moment, one eyebrow arched in confusion.

“Meaning what?”

“You’re thoughts on politics, philosophy, the like.” Link leaned back in his seat and watched her with a thoughtful expression. “Could he have heard?”

“Not likely.” She said frowning at the burn mark on the table. “You’re the only one I’ve told, so…unless…” She trailed off and looked as if someone had just narrowly missed her head with an arrow. It was not really a scared looked, but rather shocked, as if she’d been struck by more than just lightning.

“What? What’s wrong?” Link said then sat up abruptly, the front two legs of his chair snapping off as they hit the ground, thus depositing him under the table after banging his chin against the hard wooden surface. Sometimes I really hate my life. He grumbled to himself as he pushed himself off the floor with a groan. Then he cursed as the back of his head hit the underside of the table with an audible CLOP sound. Giving up on getting up, he just sat on his rear for a minute rubbing the back of his head with one hand while touching the tender spot on his chin with the other.

“Furniture really doesn’t like you does it?” Aurea remarked as she leaved over to look under the table at him. Then felt a bit sympathetic and sat down there too. Her fingers lightly brushed the sore spot on his chin and Link jerked back slightly. “Sorry!” Aurea said quickly, worried that she’d hurt him even worse if possible.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry.” If truth be told, Link was not really embarrassed by her concern for him, on the contrary, it was nice to know she cared. But he wouldn’t tell her that, he couldn’t.

“Yeah you’re just peachy after falling off your chair and hitting your head twice.” She shook her head, the long hair waving.

“I’ve got a pretty hard head.” By the time he realized what he’d said, it was too late; she was already giggling, and still shaking her head. “What were we talking about?” Link asked to change the subject. It took Aurea a minute to calm down, but at last she managed it.

“I think it was politics and why the Emperor wants to see me, or something like that?” She said a little uncertain, she had just suffered a severe distraction.

“Yeah, and you said you didn’t think he’d know what you think.” This was getting more than a little convoluted to Link’s dazed brain, but still he sort of kept up.

“Oh yeah, I remember now.” Said Aurea, the light of reflection and remembrance dawning on her at last. But just as quickly as it had come, it was gone again; an in its place rested apprehension. Aurea looked around at the two doors and at the one window before she dared to speak again, though in a nearly inaudible voice. “If I haven’t told anyone but you, and you haven’t told anyone, then that means someone’s been eavesdropping.”

“But we would’ve heard-.” He began but was sharply cut off.

“C’mon, who checks for anyone listening when it’s just casual conversation?” Well she had a point there. Neither of them had expected than anyone might make the effort to keep their ears open while they where just talking about this that and the other. It was just talk, and not ever real serious talk at that. But try convincing those in power of such a truth, and they may as well write out their last wills.

“So,” Link cast his own azure eyes around to make sure there was no spy upon them. “Any idea who it might be?”

“Maybe the Barkeeper was gossiping and didn’t realize what he was doing.” Aurea said doubtfully. “But that really doesn’t make much sense, because then, there goes his entertainment and the money that brings in.” She pointed out.

“Very true.” But Link with remembering the conversation between the Barkeeper and the imperial guards that afternoon.

“Besides,” Aurea added. “He’s been helping me avoid the goon-squad, and I can’t think why he’d help me out if he’s just going to turn me in.” That was a good point. From any angle one looked at it, there was really no way for the Barkeeper to gain much, if anything from this scenario.
“Well then? Who was is?” Link wondered aloud, he head starting to hurt again from hitting so many mental blocks as well as the table.

Aurea looked at the odd band on her wrist she called a ‘watch.’ “I don’t know, but I have to go change now.”

“What for?” Link probably didn’t know it, but he was kind of cute, even adorable when he was confused, or more accurately, confused and not angry.

“I’m performing tonight like I do nearly every night.” She reminded him with a smirk. Then she stood from under the table and Link just sat there for a minute, watching her brush the dust from her legs. Then he could see her face again as she leaned down to his level. “If you want to wake up with a memory of the evening’s events, I suggest you either keep an eye on your drink, or just leave it here.” That said, she left him there sitting under the table, wondering why he would probably end up taking her advice.

After weaving this way and that through the mass of bodies, chairs and tables, Link finally found a seat for himself and settled in, hoping to high heaven that the local prostitute population would just do the smart thing and leave him be. The last time he’d missed quite a lot of the show and wanted to see it this time. For the moment, everything seemed just fine, meaning of course that they either had yet to spot him, or they were wisely avoiding him. In a way, he hoped it was the latter, since that would most likely mean their avoidance of him would continue for a while, if not forever. And, he had chosen, for the sake of his well-being, to leave his drink in the kitchen; his thoughts had turned a tad paranoid about whether or not he should retrieve it and risk being drugged, or worse poisoned. The general population of Hyrule was pretty harmless, but there were a few snakes in the grass that wanted him dead, that was inevitable.

The whole of the dining area went almost completely silent when the first soft notes floated from the piano. A sharper light came up and focused on a velvet-clad form. Aurea’s long brown-and-gold tresses were artfully pinned up so that her ears were still hidden, but the long waves rolled gently down her shoulders and… Link was surprised to note that his throat and lips had gone very dry, and swallowed hard, trying to restore the proper flow; his tongue passed over his parched lips. The dress Aurea wore, as she sat on the edge of the piano, was made of blue velvet, so deep in hue as to look purple and black as well, depending on how the light fell. It seemed to swipe up from her chest over her left shoulder and wrapped around her neck only to come back down to her front again. A single, soft, pale white rose rested where the fabric around her neck rejoined the rest of the dress. The whole outfit, and the way she held herself was enough to draw several gasps from her audience, and not all of them were male. This elegant simplicity had the strangest effect on a person, as if they were seeing some ethereal being rather than a real living person.

With her head bent at a gentle angle, she started. “Little Lottie let her mind wander.” The words were soft, the tune simple, but it was so haunting as to be a little eerie too. “Little Lottie thought ‘Am I fonder of dolls,” she lifted her head just slightly and opened her eyes in an almost dazed, dreamy manner, like the calm of the lightest breeze thought the woods in the morning. “’Or of goblins or shoes? Or of riddles or frocks? Or of chocolate?’” A smile so gentle as to be a little sly curved the pink-rose lips. And to everyone’s surprise, she spoke rather than sang for a moment. “Father playing the violin, as we read to each other dark stories of the north.” And now she looked up as if some light only she could see, like the warmth from the sun, enveloped her. The music to a lighter tone now too. “’Know what I love best?’ Lottie said, ‘Is when I’m asleep in my bed, and the Angel of Music sings songs in my head.’” A change came in the key of the bewitching melody, but it only lasted a moment. “The Angel of Music sings songs in my head…” The last word faded.

Link felt as if an ice cube had been dropped down the back of his shirt and ran all the way down his spine. He shivered, and his skin tingled with pins and needles at the otherworldliness of it all. All was a deadly quiet, but that died swiftly as well. Another series of gentle though warmer notes sounded from the piano now and Aurea lifted her head to give a smile that was almost sad, to her audience. “Think of me; think of me fondly, when we’ve said goodbye.” Now this was definitely lighter than the last one. While the other had placed a kind of chill around them all, this song seemed to have the reverse effect, as though she were sending away the cold she had summoned. “Remember me, once in a while. Please promise me you’ll try.”

Link took in a breath that he didn’t know he’d been holding. He leaned slightly back in his seat and relaxed again. “When you find, that once again you long, to take your heart back and be free, if you ever find a moment, spare a though for me.” The music changed again, and it seemed to the listeners that there was now a greater life in both themselves and the artist before them. “We never said, our love was evergreen, or as unchanging as the sea. But if you can still remember, stop and think of me.”

“She could charm birds with a voice like that.” Someone whispered, and was only answered by a half-dozen shushes.

“Think of all the things we’ve shared and seen. Don’t think about the things which might have been.” Now Aurea slid gracefully off the piano and stood as regal as any royalty her head high, her bearing erect and even proud.

Link was wondering about the lyrics as he took them in. They seemed kind of sad, as if she were saying goodbye, like she was dying, and not the least bit worried about that; only worried about being forgotten.

“Think of me, think of me waking, silent and resigned. Imagine me, trying to hard, to put you from my mind. Recall those days, look back on all those times, think of the things we’ll never do. There will never be, a day when, I won’t think of you.” The audience was already clapping thinking she was done as the piano played the rich rolling cords on. “We never said, our love was evergreen, or as unchanging as the sea. But if you can still remember, stop and think…” There was a very pregnant pause, then an escalating series of staccato notes, before the highest not of all. “Of,” As she held the note for the proper timing of the song, the ringing of a few tiny glasses shattering, and a cork popping itself from a bottle could be heard, and only some people noticed. “Me.” She held the last note until the pianist had played himself out, and they ended at the same moment. There was an immediate roar of applause and many stood up to clap. Aurea blushed visibly as a few whistles came through the ruckus as well. Rupees soared, flew, and pinged from every corner, and a few people could be seen touching a napkin or a handkerchief to their moistened eyes. She bowed respectfully, not enough to give anyone a bird’s-eye view of her cleavage, and the spotlight dimmed and went out. The house lights came back up and Link could see, through the sea of bodies and haze of pipe-smoke, that Aurea had gathered her earnings, and was heading for the stairs. But he could also see the trouble she was having, since several men did not want to let her pass just yet. The young blond sighed and a tired kind of smile touched his face. Being attractive was both a blessing and a curse for her. So, naturally thinking she could use some help, he made his way over to where she was barred from her escape. The words that met his ears were not exactly pleasant, and Link did not register the fact that his muscles had grown tense from it.

“Lady really, a flower such as yourself should not be cursed to waste such talents in a mere bar.” One man was saying to her. “If you could only bring your unique talents into my house, then-.”

“My dear I could pay you easily five times as much as you have here.” Someone else cut in. “And it would be such a relief to my son to see a creature of such beauty and joy again. He would-.”

“Sweet Lady, your voice has enchanted me beyond all reasoning.” Said yet another, swooping in, like some bird of prey towards her. “You would do me no end of honor if-.” But before he could finish, Aurea turned and her vivid green eyes locked for a second with Link’s. She smiled, and he returned it as he came closer. Several of her male admirers looked annoyed that she was paying far more attention to this young man, a commoner of base birth at best when compared to themselves, they being middle, if not upper class of society. Link took one of her soft slender hands in his, bent over and kissed it. The gesture was elegant, especially from what most considered a commoner, but the other men around Aurea were surprised when she smiled the most genuinely to him. Link straightened up again and beamed at her, his grin smug to say the least.

“How are you Lady?” He asked politely.

Aurea pretended to giggle as eh brought the hand he had kissed to her mouth. “Very well thank you.” She said, just as politely back to him.

“Gentlemen if you please.” Link said as he took Aurea’s hand again as if to lead her away from them.

“And if we don’t please?” Said one of them sarcastically. A few snickers followed this, but stopped dead when the noticed the sudden stiffening of lovely woman’s features.

“Gentlemen,” She said, and there was not trace of warmth left in her tone now. “Excuse me.” She allowed Link to play out leading her up the stairs and into her room, just in case. Once the door was closed again she let out a breath. “Crimany.” She sighed irritably while Link leaned against the door, chuckling and shaking his head. “Just tell me one thing, just one thing.” He looked up, trying not to smirk. “Why do they always look at me like I’m dinner?” she asked, though it was not really meant as a question. It was rhetorical and meant as a kind of insult.

After an outburst of laughter Link regained himself enough to speak coherently. “Well, it could be the fact that you sing so well, you cook like no one else can, and you’re beautiful.” At that last compliment, Aurea froze and looked around at him with eyes as wide as saucers. “What?” Link asked, ready to spring aside if she lunged or something.

“Now I have serious concerns for your mental health.” She said and then laughed. “Besides, you left out the fact that they’re all dirty old men.”

Link snorted at this. “So am I.” He remarked, still catching his breath.

“You’re a dirty young man, there’s a difference.” She replied, dumping the excessive amount of rupees on the bed. He laughed again at this comment, shaking his head. She really did have a knack for making him laugh. “Could you turn to the door please?” Aurea asked, smiling as she picked up her usual clothes again. Feeling less than compelled to do so, Link turned to the wooden door, and tried to concentrate on the pattern of the wood while hearing the rustle of the female’s clothes nearby. It wasn’t easy. Then again, if he turned around now, he might just wake up to find it was two weeks later than he remembered it being. “You can look now,” she said and he instantly turned about. “You shameless pervert.” She added, smirking.

“Hey, I do have some sense of shame.” He shot back, his pride only slightly wounded.

“Sure you do; once you’re caught red-handed.” She remarked. Link would have probably come up with some sharper reply, but a sound on the stairs outside stopped him. His head turned automatically his ears pricked, waiting for the sound again. CLINK CLANK CLUNK was the sound of metal on the stairs. Blue eyes darted around the room looking for somewhere, anywhere that Aurea to hide. The only possibility was under the bed, and the sure as hell didn’t have enough space for a full-grown adult. “What-?” Aurea never got the rest of her question out when Link’s hand covered her mouth and the other hand came up to his own face, one finger up to his lips, signing her to be silent. She could only nod, then looked and listen.

To her utter shock, Link was suddenly very close and his voice breathed in her ear in a barely audible whisper. “Window.” It was all he said before pushing her towards it, while hiding her small fortune beneath the bed, where the candlelight could not reach. Aurea had looked puzzled, but was out the window and hanging onto the side of the building when a loud pounding came on the door of the room. “Alright, ALRIGHT!” Link yelled from inside, checking once over his shoulder to make sure Aurea could not be seen. For a second he was stunned; she was not only invisible, the window was nearly closed, to make it look like she had never been in the small room in the first place. He breathed again thinking, She’s too good at this. Link hoped to the Goddesses that he looked angry enough as he opened the door. “What?” he snapped as rudely as if he’d just been woken from the best kind of dream way before the crack of dawn. He was, not surprised to find himself faced with three imperial guards, though not the same ones that had been around this afternoon. Link did not falter, remembering his fury from the other lackeys’ comments earlier that day.

“We’re looking for someone, may we come in?” Asked one, clearly establishing himself as the little group’s representative. Link stood his ground and put on fist against the doorframe.

“That depends.” He said, meaning to sound tough, something he could command when he was especially angry. But that was the only time it worked for real. “What do you guys want?” he said after a minute, forcing himself to sound grudgingly reasonable.

“We’re looking for this woman.” Said the leader again, pushing past Link and into the room. The man looked around, as if he could detect some hidden space or trapdoor or something. “She’s about yay high,” He gestured with his hand while looking at the corner of the room by the head of the bed. “Fair skinned, green eyes, really long light-brown hair, kinda temperamental.” Link had to actually bite the inside of his cheek to keep from so much as smiling at that last remark. “And,” the man added turning back to Link as if this information were gravely important. “She’s got the mark of the Triforce of power on her right hand.” So it was clear beyond all shadow of doubt; they were looking for Aurea. But Link merely leaned against the wall by the door, and folded his arms over his chest.

“That’s one impressive line of bullshit.” Link remarked, rolling his head from side to side in a cocky manner. “Really, can’t wait to see where it goes next.” He added. The sarcasm wasn’t really asked for by any means, but it helped emphasize that he was irritated, bloody clueless, and didn’t give a damn anyway; all this basically meant he was worthless to them. “But what’s this girl got to do with me?” he finally asked, as if anything they told him was barely worth his notice.

“Several people saw her come up here with you.” The leader said, the smirk on his face a little too smug for the young blonde’s liking.

Link cursed mentally but otherwise showed no sign of his fury. “Yeah, so?”

“Well where is she? She’d obviously not in here.” The other two guards that still stood outside in the hall snickered like a pair of idiots in a comedy hour.

Link shrugged. “She came up here but left again.” He said as if women came and went around him like birds came and went with the season.

“Any idea why?” The leader asked, clearly hoping Link would drop a hint by accident. But Link was smarter than they guessed.

“Said something about getting some fresh air.” He smirked when they all looked as if they’d just been had. “Said she really hates pipe smoke; bad for her voice she said.” That had clenched it for sure. The leader exchanged a look with the others in the hall muttered a thanks to Link and left, slamming the door hard behind him. Link tiptoed over to the door and listened for the CLINK CLANK CLUNK to fade all the way down the stairs. Once they had gone, he was by the window by the bed in two long strides, and threw the shutters open. He poked his head out and looked from the left to the right. There was Aurea, hanging onto the building by her hands, and keeping her position with her feet up against the wall too. It was hard to imagine that she was able to cling to the side of a building like that, but there it was right in front of him. Link reached out, thinking she might fall at any second. Aurea didn’t hesitate in accepting his help as she slipped back through the window and into the room. Once the window was shut and locked into place again, they just sat on the bed for a few minutes.

“Some fresh air?” Aurea finally said with the kind of look that says “What the hell are you on?”

Link shrugged, with that shit-eating smirk he sometimes had. “They fell for it didn’t they?” Aurea nodded, still looking as though she thought he was both brilliant and an eternal dumbass.

In the end, she just settled with shaking her head and saying, “You’re nutty as a fruitcake Fairyboy.” She smirked at the name, but Link could only stare at her. Only Malon, the redheaded girl of LonLon Ranch had ever called him that, and it had only ever been in affection. With Malon it was only a friendly nickname; with Aurea it seemed something she found more funny than affectionate, though he couldn’t think why. After a minute or two had passed and her laughter had not abated, he became worried. He brought one of his arms up around her shoulders and hugged her a bit, his hand gripping around her shoulder carefully, securely. Her smile had become stiff and false, and he could see her lip twitch just before her hand came up to her face. What could be clearly identified as a tear rolled down her cheek and fell to her lap, creating a small dark dot on her blue jeans. Without a word Link’s other arm came up around her and he pulled her closer, cradling her against his body, letting her tears soak through the right shoulder of his tunic and shirt. He could feel when they started to creep down the skin of his bicep; she was crying that hard, though the sobs were actually very soft. He guessed she was trying to stay as quiet as possible and not make a fuss. Link rocked her back and forth gently, rubbing up and down her back with his left hand, his right now around her waist. The young man didn’t know what to say to comfort her, since he wasn’t entirely sure what was wrong. Eventually, he just helped her lay down in the bed and after snuffing out the candle on the bedside table, tucked himself in next to her. Aurea curled up to him almost instantly, her right hand fisting itself in the front of his tunic, her eyes shut so tight as to look painful from his perspective. After what seemed like ages, her breathing evened out and finally stopped hiccupping. But if her facial expression was any indication, she was still being tortured in her dreams even if she was no longer crying her eyes out.

The damp section of Link’s shirt and tunic stuck to his shoulder, and he didn’t care. Wit his arms still around her, still holding her close, that relentless raven called guilt pecked at him. On the one hand, he felt like he was doing the right thing cradling her close like this, when she was clearly so vulnerable. Then again he was very aware of how she felt against his body. His mind would not let him forget that he had often wondered how Zelda would’ve felt in the same position. And even all guilt for his dead princess aside, he wondered if he was slowly replacing Zelda’s place in his heart with Aurea, and that left a stung for both women. He had loved Zelda, though he had made the mistake of never telling her, and therefore felt this was the worst kind of insult to her memory. But it was no better than that towards the woman in his arms now, because she didn’t deserve to be anyone’s replacement, not even Zelda’s. Two such women were special in their own rite, and in his mind neither could compare to nor replace the other.

The young man heaved a sigh as he curved his neck just enough to touch his lips to Aurea’s forehead. His nose was full of the scent of her hair, and his own eyes stung as his circular thoughts refused to stop running the track in his head.

As ever,Read and review or I will send the redheaded ninja after you LOL FCD should get a kick outta that! For futrue refernece: PLEASE NOTE ALL FLAMEW WILL BE USED IN THIS WEEK'S WEENIE ROAST! If you've got some criticism, or don't like the story, that's fine; you're all entitled to your own opinons. But notice, there is a difference between reasoning behind why you dislike it as opposed to just saying "this story suck." Hence the differ4ence between a criticsm and a flame. And to quote I Claudious (Which it is safe to assume most readers have neither heard of, nor watched, nor read) "Never mind that you don't think much of it, just remember it."