The Link between a page and a knight - PSL for Link in Tortall

[chicklet]

 Passage into this world would not have been easy, and there would have been an odd sensation like ripping through the remains of a barrier that tried to keep him out, but was too tattered and torn to work properly. Thankfully, the gods were with him in one respect. He could have easily landed in a company of the King's Own, or the Queen's Riders, or the Palace Guard. Instead he dropped down just outside the palace in front of a youngster, all of eleven years old - though topping five feet already at that age, heading to the city proper. 

Kel stopped dead, seeing a boy with pointed ears appear out of nowhere, then drew her small knife, wishing she had her naginata, or even one of the horns the pages used on their field trips. She didn't even have her dog or the birds with her, all of whom had proven themselves this past year. But she was still a page of the kingdom, to the shock of all, and she was not going to let some immortal get past her. Even if this was the first time she'd ever seen an immortal that looked like a kid.

But with those ears, and appearing like that, he had to be an immortal? Right?

All of this was running through her mind, but none of it showed on her face. Her expression was blank, as though she were a carved statue of a person rather than flesh. Her stance was practiced, though she never thought to be fighting off an immortal with just a belt knife, no matter how fine the black handled blade was! Her brown hair was cut short above her ears, her hazal-green eyes watched him with no seeming concern. No seeming emotion at all, really. 

But Mithros' spear! She could at least have a weapon or back up or something!

<i>No, Kel. Stone</i> she reminded herself sharply. <i>No, not stone. A serene lake. </i> she needed to be able to flow into her motions, rather than stiffen up.

"Who are you and what business have you here?" she asked, and her voice - as emotionless as her face - was pretty much the first, last, and only hint that the person menacing him with a short blade was female. 

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[younghero]

Link already wondered if world hopping was just a bad idea, when he heard a young voice speak. He turned and saw--

A girl, taller than him. With a knife.

Great. Juuuust great.

He kept his sword in its sheath, and kept his shield on his back. For now. Getting into a fight immediately upon landing in a strange land, was just beyond irresponsible.

"I'm Link, and I'm lost."

[chicklet]

She didn't frown, though she kind of wanted to. He was small, she saw that now. "What manner of immortal are you?" she asked, her voice betraying nothing, though she did cautiously sheath her knife. Not because of his words or his sword, but because of his shield. Because she wanted to see it, because of what carrying a shield this close to the castle was supposed to represent, though she knew well enough that sometimes raiders used them.

Still. She was committing the next seven years of her life to trying to earn her own shield. So the sight of one on a kid littler than her did all sorts of funny things to her stomach, even if he was an immortal.

need better shield icons

[younghero]

"The mortal kind. I'm Hylian."

If she hadn't just pulled a knife on him, he'd have shown her the collection of scars he had to prove it, but, refrained for the moment. Link noticed that she was looking at his shield, and carefully took if off his back to show off the design.

"You like it?"

Re: need better shield icons

[chicklet]

She could have cursed herself thrice over for letting her interest be that obvious, but that was best saved for when she was alone. Self recriminations had no place on a battlefield and she still wasn't sure if this would become one.

"The mortal kind of immortal?" she asked, clearly not believing it. "No mortal has ears like that, and the way you just appeared is no mortal magic." she considered, and managed to not frown, but once again it was a near thing. "Are you a god or a god-born?" she asked, voice and face still even and calm.

That could explain it. God-borns were the stuff of legends. But the Gods mucked about in human affairs all the time. She knew there were rumours that her hero, the Lioness, had only won her shield because she was chosen by the Goddess, but Keladry didn't believe it for a moment.

She did know, however, that if she got mixed up with a God's kid... they'd whisper worse about her just as a page. She could handle the whispering. But if he cost her her chance to be a knight.... she'd never forgive him. Ever.

Re: need better shield icons

[younghero]

"What? No, I'm Hylian. I mean, I've been....chosen by our goddesses, but, I'm just---"

Link stopped short. A regular kid? That wasn't true, even though he sincerely wished it.

"A Chosen Hero and friend of Princess Zelda of Hyrule. I will be a knight, but, until grownups take me seriously I'll be a rancher."

[chicklet]

She frowned. "I don't know any kingdom or fief called Hyrule, nor any princess called Zelda." And as a page, knowledge of fiefs and baronies in Tortall was expected of her. As well as knowing their closest enemies and allies. And she hadn't heard of any Hyrule or Zelda among the Yamani either.

[younghero]

"S'probably because we're a parallel world and not an intersecting one."

He glanced at the Triforce marking on his left hand. "It's complicated, but, I'm not here to cause trouble."

[chicklet]

"Parallel? I don't understand. If you are making fun of me, you will be sorry," he informed him still seeming calm and emotionless.

[younghero]

"I'm not making fun of you. S'just how worlds are. Either they touch---" He linked his hands together, "or they just each exist elsewhere and never touch." Link pulled his hands apart.

[chicklet]

"This is more magic then I know anything about," she said, and showed the first bit of emotion as she pressed her lips together.

"Maybe I should ask one of the mages..." and for the first time there was some emotion to her voice. She sounded unsure.

[younghero]

"I probably should be going," Link remarked, putting his shield away. "Any forests nearby I could sleep in?"

[chicklet]

"This is the Royal Forest. To get outside the land that is the King's is a five day hard ride east," she said, flatly, her face losing all emotion again.

Still as the water an a calm day, firm as stone, Kel.

"How did you just appear?"

[younghero]

Link chewed his lip. He could hide in a forest, sleep in trees, no problem. Less likely to cause a Flaw that way. He did wish he'd brought Epona, though.

"Magic," he said honestly. "Hylians can do magic."

[chicklet]

"Never known the craft to present like that," she said, and actually shifted from one leg to the other, all the unease she'd show. Then she finally nodded. "I'll bring you to Master Samalian, he will know what to do with you," she said, showing none of the uncertainty she felt.

[younghero]

"Bring me to who, now?"

'Don't get into a fight, Link. Zelda and Shadow expect you to be smarter than that, more careful than that-----well, maybe not careful, they do know you pretty well....'

[chicklet]

"He's the mage, and him and Daine, they're the palace experts on immortals." And on weird magic things. This kid qualified for that, at least. And animals, but anyone who didn't know Daine's name this close to the castle deserved what he got if he messed with any under the wold mage's care.

[younghero]

"I'm not immortal," Link insisted. "And I'm not really keen on being studied."

At least not for anyone outside of Hyrule.

[chicklet]

"Yeah, but I'm just a page, I can't give you permission for anything, and can't judge if you're a threat or not, they're adults, they can." If only duty were clearer about EXACTLY who she was supposed to bring him to, and how, being on summer as they were.

[younghero]

"I'm not a threat. I'm the best swordsman in Hyrule, but, I'm not here to fight."

He chanced a hopeful smile. "Don't suppose you know anyone who teaches swordsmanship?"

[chicklet]

She just stared at him for a long moment, before saying, "My lord Wyldon does not care for boys with egos, if you are looking to learn swords from him you will have to be properly humble as any page."

[younghero]

"It's not ego. I can't find anyone I can't beat back home. I want to learn more, but, I best every master I go against."

[chicklet]

She managed to keep her face stone. "The pages fight any number of masters, and we have two Shang here in the fall." And she would give anything to see the Lioness fight in person, but so far her hero had failed to show while she was in residence.

[younghero]

"You have...what?"

Link tilted his head.

"I keep breaking men's swords when we spar. It'd be nice to find someone who could teach me some new stuff."

[chicklet]

She didn't think much of any child who felt the need to brag so, but she was Yamani enough not to show it. "So sign on to be a page."

[younghero]

"I'm Hyrule's." Link shook his head. "And Princess Zelda's. Thanks, but, no thanks."