Reaching the walls and the gates that connected the castle grounds to the aristocratic quarter of the city, he spotted at least fifteen knights watching over the area. Most were up on the top of the gates, while others were walking up on the wall to patrol. Talking with the few knights on the ground was a Goron. Link slowed, walking forward uneasily. He did not want to meet Dolo or Durmuni again, wondering if they would tell the Princess of his departure. Yet he recognized the Goron as Golo and straightened up, walking easily towards the gate.
The knights spotted him and Golo turned, his expression surprised. "Link! What are you doing out here?"
"I'm heading home," he replied. "Look, thank you for training me. It helped a lot." He grinned as well as he could. "I might have been killed by those Moblins if you hadn't helped me."
Golo grinned unassumingly, shoving Link's arm in a firm but friendly manner. "It's nothing, nothing! I'm glad you survived though. Durmuni was telling us about it, you were brave for someone so small."
"Right." He stretched his arm, saying, "I should probably get going."
"Hey." Golo's expression turned serious. "Are you going to find your friend, your brother?"
As the knights were otherwise occupied, Link answered with a small nod. Golo smiled again.
"I knew it. Durmuni said other peoples don't do that for their kin, but you're…a little different. Good luck."
"Thank you."
Truett awoke after Link reached the edge of the quiet aristocratic quarter of the city. She guided him through the maze of the smaller roads leading to the East Gate of Hyrule Castle City. The sun had arisen by the time they reached it, and the city was already bustling; Link knew he would have gotten lost if Truett was not whispering directions in his ear. He reached the drawbridge gate just as it was lowered for the morning, and, despite the activity within the city, he was the only one to leave it, and none were entering.
Hyrule Field, which had been full of different landmarks such as rocks, patches of undergrowth and the like, now only appeared a single, endless sheet of white snow. The river flowing into the city was not frozen over as the moat around the castle was, but was flowing freely. Like any bare trees that appeared in the landscape and boarded the eastern areas beyond the river, the water appeared black against the snow.
Truett had him stick by the river as they traveled, only leaving it to cut across land to save time. At night she would help him find some sort of trees, bushes or rocks that were bunched together for cover. Then he would clear the snow away from around the area, making enough room for a fire, and then she had him pack the snow into a ring that circled his camp. The first night, after Truett had fallen asleep, he heard strange, distant rumbling sounds like snow falling off of a high roof. Recalling stories he had heard of monsters made of snow, he poked Truett until she woke up.
"Whuzzit?" she asked dully, not moving from her place inside Link's hat.
"What is that sound?"
The thumping sound returned, coupled with a faint, inhuman wail in the air. There was a distant sound of snow crunching, as if something much larger than a Goron was roaming around.
"Your fire is still on," Truett said dismissively. "The monsters will stay away."
"What monsters are there? The snow ones?"
"Uh, sure. The fire and the circle of snow will keep them away. Just don't let the fire die. They won't try to extinguish it, so don't worry." With that, she fell asleep and did not allow Link to rouse her again.
In the morning, as they left the campsite and continued along, they passed areas where the snow had been furrowed violently. There was also the sparse remains of several snow rabbits and other small creatures of the plains. The bones were crushed, and he spotted a rabbit skull that had been half-eaten. As the days went by, there were similar signs of monsters in the day and night, and yet none disturbed him and there were no signs of creatures like Stalchildren.
The snow was thick, still wet, and showed little sign of melting away. The days were clear, with a cold sun and cold air that allowed for no warmth to sink into land or water. As they traveled during daylight, it was usually completely silent. When Link had traveled with the caravan, he had been surrounded by the noise of the men, horses, wagons and even just the sound of the grass and brush being blown by the wind. Now with the snow and little breeze, the fields were completely quiet and still, save for the river.
Link had both Auru's and his share of food, so he had no need to hunt. Each night he would warm up some of the water from the river and drink the hot water slowly before settling down to sleep.
On the afternoon of the fourth day, the river curved down to the south-west and he saw where it met the southern woods, leading to his home. Spotting the bridge that connected the fields to the side of the river the fishing villages were on, he made a beeline for it. A sharp breeze had spun up at noon, and at the moment Truett was in his hat keeping warm. She only looked out once to see the bridge and told him to continue on his way. Walking briskly, Link soon crossed the enormous bridge, trying not to think of when he had crossed it with Auru and had seen the fields for the first time. He continued steadily onwards towards his village, keeping in mind he had some distance to go.
The early dusk of winter was well on the shoulders of the black, bare trees by the time Link reached his village. A freezing wind came from the river which was flowing strongly, clear of any ice floes. All the villagers were inside their warmly lit houses, and outside the village lantern was glowing like a beacon. As he looked at it, Link felt a sharp twinge of guilt as he remembered the lantern in his memories of Auru, how Auru always used to steal it when they went out into the forest.
Feeling strangely hollow inside, he kept his eyes away from the lantern and was glad no one was about as he walked into the village and towards his house. The lights were on in the inside, and Link supposed Layrel might be eating alone.
Reaching the door, he could hear two voices: Layrel's no-nonsense, young, feminine voice and the old, slightly scratchy voice of Purel. Sighing, Link knocked on the door lightly.
"You stay there, I'll get it," Purel's voice came through, and in a moment, the door peeped open.
"Link!" The old knight was beaming as he flung the door opened and gestured for him to come inside. "You're back so early, too."
"Link! Auru!" Layrel rushed over to him, looking behind him for her fiancée. Not seeing him, she shoved past Link and out the doorway, and looking around hurriedly before turning back, asking, "Did he go to his house?"
Link shook his head. "I have something I need to tell you, both of you. I don't want the whole village to know."
Layrel closed the door and walked over, grabbing Link's shoulder, making him face her. Her eyes were narrowed, searching his face, her voice scarce as she asked, "Link, where is Auru?"
"Let's all sit down," Purel interjected quickly.
They settled down near the fire, Purel and Layrel sitting beside each other, facing Link. He did not look at either of them, and instead focused on his hands as he began, "We went to Hyrule Castle to see Bolek, and once we were there, there was this snowstorm. It lasted for days. The night after it ended, monsters attacked the castle. They got inside—"
"Outrageous," Purel muttered, half to himself. "These young knights, don't know what they're doing, letting their guard down—"
"And then what?" Layrel asked, ignoring the old knight's mumblings.
Running his hand over his chin, trying to keep himself steady, Link continued, "They got inside, and they didn't try to steal anything or kill any of the royalty or anything. They only tried to kidnap one of the Gorons who was visiting and they also…" He took a slow breath, then as he released it, finished, "They also took Auru."
"No." Layrel stood up, shaking her head, looking down at Link. "That's—that doesn't even make any sense." She sat back down, glaring at Link. "I mean, why would they do that? How could that even…"
Link just shook his head. "Both I and another Goron who was there saw it happen. There were these magical monsters, Wizzrobes, I think, they helped the other monsters escape with him."
Layrel shot up again and opened her mouth to speak, but could not manage anything. Her expression was aghast, her face suddenly ashen. Immediately Link made to get up and go to her, but Purel took a hold of her hand, saying, "Sit down, let's hear his story. Tell us all about everything, the trip, the storm and that night. There may be some explanation hidden."
After his sister sat down, Link told them about how he and Auru traveled with the Gorons, how they arrived at the castle and met Bolek, how the blizzard started and continued for days, and about the night of the monster attack and how he had lost Auru by saving a fairy. Layrel was listening with her face in her hands, leaning over with her elbows on her knees. Purel kept a hand on her shoulder the entire time.
After Link finished, the old knight asked, "And did you bring this matter to anyone?"
"Yes, I told Princess Zelda. She was surprised, she didn't know anything about why it happened or…" His words seeming to catch in his throat; he raised a hand to his mouth and looked away at the fire.
"How could this happen?" Layrel's voice was a faint croak. Link looked back to see her face was stained with tears. "I don't believe it. I…I can't believe it. It doesn't make any sense!"
Rising, Link walked over and sat down before her, putting his hands on her shoulders. After trying unsuccessfully to speak, he leaned forward and embraced his sister. She returned the gesture rather feebly, her hands and shoulders starting to tremble. Leaning back, she finally met his gaze.
"Layrel, have I ever lied to you?"
Grinning cheerlessly, she shook her head and leaned forward into his shoulder, letting herself cry freely, like she had not done since their parents died.
A while later, it was dark outside and Purel was serving tea made from the needles of the pine trees that grew around Zora's Domain. The drink was rejuvenating, and Link felt some energy coursing back into him, though his eyes and limbs felt far more exhausted than they had for a very long time. They sat closer to the fire. Layrel was in a blanket, staring at the flames, her eyes still wet, every now and then wiping her nose with her sleeve. Inside Link's hat, Truett had stayed still and silent, and now she had fallen asleep, becoming a miniscule dead weight on his head.
As the other two were silent, Purel had been talking for a while, analyzing the magical blizzard and the monsters' attack. "I would not put such a storm past Wizzrobes, they can be capable of such feats, if working in a large enough number." He shook his head a little exaggeratedly, almost looking like a hen as he sat down with his own tea cup. "It's just strange over all. Though, considering everything, I think we have very little reason to worry for Auru's life."
Layrel was crying silently into her tea. Wrapping his free arm around his sister, Link cleared his throat, raising his eyebrows at the old knight. Shifting in his seat, Purel fell silent and began to drink his tea. For some reason, he looked far older and wearier than Link had ever seen him.
Two more servings of tea later, Layrel was dabbing her eyes dry, saying, "I shouldn't be acting this way. Here this is hard on everyone, and I just…" She sniffed loudly and wiped her eyes roughly with her sleeve.
"It's alright," Purel said, though his voice sounded very strained. "After all, you were to be married—"
"Not were, are." Link sat up straight, looking directly at his sister. "Princess Zelda said she would do what she could to look into it, and I'm also going to go out and search for him."
Layrel's face lit up and she nearly smiled, but then she frowned, puzzled. "How are you going to do that? Were there any clues?" She looked uncertainly at Purel, who shrugged.
"I've got someone who will help me." Link took off his hat, and looked inside. Truett was still asleep, and he could hear the very faint sound of her snores. Giving his hat a small shake, he whispered, "Get up. I need you to meet my sister."
The fairy only replied with a more pronounced snore that sounded like a snort.
Turning his hat upside-down, Link shook it with one hand and held the other out underneath. He kept shaking until Truett plopped out and onto his hand, her wings fluttering faintly, wearily. She was still snoring.
"A fairy!" Layrel nearly shrieked; Purel practically flew out of his seat, jumping up and staring wide-eyed.
"Impossible!" He stepped forward and sat down close. "Link, how on earth did you find her? Is this the one you saved during the attack?"
He nodded, settling Truett on the ground and then pulling his hat back on. "She came to me the next night, and said she'd help me find Auru. She said that her magic lets her track magic, the Wizzrobe's magic, and find her way around Hyrule. She guided me back here well enough."
"That's just funny." Layrel leaned down, peering at the fairy, who rolled over in her sleep. "I thought all fairies were sky blue, or pink or green, or yellow even, just not this light teal blue color."
"Well, there's no reason why there can't be variations," Purel said solemnly, also looking at the fairy, then sitting up. "So, Link, when will you be leaving?"
"Well…" He looked over at Layrel. "Tomorrow morning, if you don't need me."
She reached over and grabbed his free hand. "Can I come with you? Please let me come."
"I, uh…" He gulped and looked at Purel for help.
The old knight was already shaking his head. "Absolutely not. You don't know what dangers some areas of Hyrule hold for a young woman."
"I'm sure they hold dangers for young men, too!" she snapped, gripping down tightly on Link's hand, pinching him with her fingernails.
"Yes, but Link has learned how to fight from his early boyhood. He can protect himself. He knows the stars and how to read maps, so even if he is separated from his fairy, he'll do alright. I taught him about the caravan routes, so he can always join one if things get rough. He knows how to escape from all sorts of perils, thanks to the worst of Bolek's bullying. And, he knows how to hunt on his own. And…" Purel's expression grew dark, and he stroked his thin white beard restlessly, "I hate to say it, but I'm sure the slave trade is still out there, and if you were to be separated—"
"Alright!" Layrel had gotten to her feet, seething. Tears had sprung back to her eyes and she turned away, wiping them away quickly. Truett had stopped snoring at her shout and fluttered up lazily from Link's hand, making his hat that was lying on the ground.
"Layrel, don't worry." Link cupped his hands around Truett, who stayed put as he stood up and walked over to his sister. "We'll find Auru and bring him home. We'll do everything we can." He looked down at the fairy, saying, "Right, Truett? You'll help me find Auru, right?"
She gave a yawn that sounded like a tinkering bell, then said, "Yes yes. I can trace the monster's magic, and him too, to a degree. But we'll find him, don't you worry. Now can I go back to sleep?" Without waiting for an answer, she flew out of his hands and swooped down inside his hat.
"So, you'll go tomorrow?" Layrel asked. The light in her eyes that had come with seeing the fairy was dying, but she did not look as pale as before.
He nodded. "If that's alright."
"Of course. Of course, we can't leave him out there any longer than…" She took a shuddering breath, then turned away to Purel, asking, "You said they probably won't…try to do anything to him, right?"
Purel nodded slowly. "If they went out of their way to do such a thing, I don't believe it'd be merely for some quick sport…and you and I both know that Auru is a little thin for a snack. But yes, we have little reason to worry. He was captured unharmed, and we both know he has an excellent head on his shoulders. Why, he might have already escaped them." He met Layrel and patted her shoulder, saying in a heavy, serious voice, "I have every faith in him."
"Thank you. You're right."
Layrel arose and began to clear things away without another word. As Purel went to help her, Link remembered that he had purposely left out that Auru's arm had been broken. As he watched them work, he decided it was for the best.
Rather than getting to sleep early, Link and Layrel stayed awake late into the night, during which Layrel talked, entirely about Auru. She often repeated the same stories, talking about how he teased her when they were young, the times they pulled pranks on Bolek together because Link refused to do so, and how they had wasted time together last winter, wandering and talking while Link was busy.
Although he had hoped to get to sleep earlier, Link was glad that his sister was willing to talk, supposing it helped her and found that it was far more accommodating and pleasant while sleeping inside by a large hearth and fire. When she finally went to sleep and he followed, he found the next morning that the rest was far better than any he had gotten out in the cold, hard ground of the fields.
He woke up early, long before the first sign of dawn. The moment he sat up, he heard the slow, steady breathing of his sister die as she too awoke. Immediately she went down to the cellar as he dressed in fresh clothes. She brought back with her a fresher variety of preserved and cold food. As he boiled water on the fire for more tea, she unpacked his belongings, as well as what of Auru's bag Link had managed to bring back, and then repacked a single bag with mostly fresh items. Amongst them was a good-sized, clean glass jar of honey.
"Save it for cuts and burns if you don't have any water or anything nearby," she said, giving him a look that warned against frivolous use. Link nodded as she packed the jar, adding, "Once you're finished with it, wash it out with clean water and it'll be good for just about anything."
"Anything but fairies," muttered Truett, who as fluttering around the fire. She mostly ignored everyone else, and just waited for them to be finished with their work. When the water boiled and Link prepared the tea, he asked her if she wanted any. She refused with a small laugh.
Someone rapped lightly at the door, and Link went over and opened the door to let in Purel, along with a sharp breath of freezing wind. The old knight was clutching something under his cloak, hiding it as he walked inside and took Link's cup of tea for himself. Layrel finished her work and joined the others by the fire, all drinking tea together again. To Link she silently gave some hearty bread that was just a few days old. He ate it quietly as Purel spoke, still hiding something under his cloak.
"Link, I give you full permission to take my sword and shield. You'll be needing them."
"Yes. Thank you." Link realized he had forgotten the previous night to even think of asking the old knight's permission. He shifted and looked down at his cup, embarrassed.
"But you'll need more than a fairy and some flint and fire to protect you from the cold." He shook his head wearily. "This is going to be an especially cold winter, I can feel it. There have been signs all autumn that this frost we've had, it's going to stick throughout the season, and while it's here, it'll be completely merciless. So…"
He looked at the two siblings, and then drew out from his cloak an old iron lantern. They gasped, recognizing it as the village lantern, still ablaze by magic as always, letting off warmth and light, but never burning anything or anyone. Purel held it up towards Link, but he hesitated to reach for it.
"It's mine to give." Purel gave him a small smile. "It was my family years ago that brought this lantern here. I sent it with them. They died, and it was left in the center of town, but it's still very much my own. I just kept it a secret, to see what stories the villagers would make up about its origins. But the mayor knows that it is rightfully mine. So, take it."
As Link took the lantern in his hands, he realized this was the first time he had held it on his own. The object had always perplexed him too much; he preferred to work with normal, solid wood, stone and water, nothing mystical or mysterious. Yet, he reflected that he was also going to be following a fairy around the vast lands of Hyrule. With a small smile, he looked at the dancing light of the lantern and decided he might as well get used to the unusual.
"That's such a gift," Layrel said in a low voice. "Are you sure?"
"Auru always loved it." Purel smiled sadly, the expression half hidden as he looked down and absently stroked at his beard. Link noticed his face had the same worn look as last night. "I taught him all these years. He was my brightest student, and certainly one of the most eager, especially when it came to books. Even after his parents died, he always remembered me. I remember…" He broke off into a short sigh, then finished, "Auru always loved it, so it should help you find him."
Afterwards he pulled out some maps and, after they finished their tea, helped Link pack them properly. He spoke of a compass that he had lost in his youth that would show him where the north star was, even on cloudy nights. As they finished all of the packing, he continued in one of his long stories of his early knighthood in which he used the compass to save his life while lost in the never-ending north mountains past the castle.
When they made it outside, the wind was still blowing cold. Truett did not go inside Link's hat, but instead flew in slow circles either around him or whomever was talking to him. After Purel gave him some last advice, Layrel and Link embraced as Truett flew around the two of them. Link could feel Auru's engagement necklace in his leather pouch, hidden in his front pocket. As Layrel stepped back, wiping her eyes furiously, he considered giving it to her. Internally he shook his head.
"Just come back with him." Layrel looked up, straightened up and managed a firm smile. "I'll be praying for the both of you, I…"
"Farewell, Link," Purel interjected, giving him a firm handshake.
When Link hesitated to turn away from them, Truett floated over to him, saying, "You ready to go? I already can feel the monster's magic. I know how to find them. None of you should worry while I'm leading him." With that she flew up and impatiently hurried on ahead, away from the village.
Link left Layrel and Purel both waving goodbye to him. He had the lantern at his waist, covered, as the soft light of the near dawn lighted the world. The wind blew at him fiercely, but he ignored it, and did not slow or stop once as he walked away from his home towards the frozen plains of Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda and characters copyright Nintendo
"The Legend of Zelda: Deluge" writing and original concepts and characters copyright Mahira / Mahira-chan
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