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. 

Comments

[younghero]

"So, either way, I'm basically a prisoner."

Link was less than thrilled. There was something about that, that absolutely bothered him. He'd been imprisoned by the Gerudo and immediately broke out of his cell within five minutes. Heck, even being grounded by Clef he'd immediately created an escape network.

This was trickier since all eyes were upon him. He scowled to himself and wished he still had the Stone Mask, so he could just slip past everyone and leave this world behind. How in the world could he get past this crew?

The Oni mask was out of the question. An eight-foot-blank-eyed-tattooed version of himself with snow white hair---that would negate the 'not a threat' and 'not an immortal' argument right there.

Turning into a wolf---that still had merit, but, people had few qualms about killing wolves. If he timed it wrong.....

His scowl deepened, fists clenched slightly. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid--- he berated himself for getting into this situation in the first place. What kind of world was it where you couldn't even trust another kid??

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Link decided he'd just wait until everyone was asleep and bail then.

[chicklet]

She shook her head, then considered. "How about this, we have a border not far from here that opens into free waters. Those that would fight us from those directions are busy licking their wounds. We can get you a boat small enough you can sail it yourself. Accept our escort to the port, and our gift of the ship, and once you cast off from Tortallian soil and leave our waters, if you wish us to leave you be, we shall."

She chewed her lip, considering. "If that isn't good enough, I s'ppose I could ask the gods..." she toyed with something she wore under her shirt like a pendant. "I know they'd answer, I just don't know if they'd help, and sometimes the gods' attention isn't exactly pleasant, and their answers aren't always what we'd want them to be...."

[younghero]

Link still looked rather listless at both suggestions. "I doubt your gods would like me, considering I bear the mark of our goddesses."

He sighed. Best to play along and flee while they slept. Link hated to be dishonest, but, he couldn't see any other options. And teleporting right in front of them just wasn't feasible.

"I'll sail," he muttered unhappily. "Since I'm apparently a criminal or something."

[chicklet]

"Why would out gods not like you just because other gods have touched you?" she asked, confused. "Unless your god is Usoe, I don't understand." And she frowned, like someone who was talking about real people, not the distant way many spoke of gods.

"And you are not a criminal," she said with a sigh. "At least, not that I know."

[younghero]

"Their names are: Farore, Din, and Nayru. I'd imagine god and goddesses from other realms aren't friends, if people can't even visit here."

Link shrugged. "Not a criminal, but, sure treated like one."

[chicklet]

She frowned. "I don't know any of those names. Do you, Badger?"

There was a flash of silver light beside her pony and a large badger stood on its hind legs where the flash had been when it faded. The badger studied her, then him. Then he used a paw to wash his whiskers. "Know which names now, kit?"

"Farore, Din, and Naryu," she repeated dutifully. "He says they're the Goddesses that touch his life, and he thinks that the great gods and the lesser ones wouldn't want anything to do with him, because of them for some reason. But I figured you'd know better than I would."

He made a bit of a snort. "That much you'd be right about kitt, but can't I leave you be a single year without you getting tangled up in the gods own messes?"

She tried to look sheepish and failed miserably. "You'd miss me if I didn't call on you sometimes."

"I'd knock you on your head if you weren't mounted. Oh hush, Cloud," he said to the pony, then he waddled over towards Link, sticking to a two legged stance. "So your a chosen for Gods from another realm are you? Let me get a good sniff of you, get down here." then a mutter "great tall plodding things, humans are."

[younghero]

Link watched this entire exchange intently. And he quite willingly sat on the ground when asked. "I've heard stories of gods and goddesses not getting along, and those ones were family. I figure if family can't get along, there's no way gods and goddesses from other worlds would get along."

Luckily, Link was fairly used to being sniffed, thanks in a large part to Skullkid. Link knew he had a distinctive scent, based on that conversation, but, had no way to know the particulars. He suspected he reeked of magic, especially with a third of the Triforce affixed to his soul. It was possible that there was a faint scent of the three (or....four) goddesses, based on that as well. And he was someone who spent a fair amount of time around shadow magic, for some reason.

On a more mundane level, Link was a fairly clean kid, who obviously spent a lot of time outdoors, and around animals.

[chicklet]

Badger made his way over and gave a good sniffing, as he talked. "Not all our Gods get along, and most of the human ones are family. But that doesn't mean there are none that would be willing to help. And for Daine, even if the Great Gods won't sometimes the animal gods will."

He backed off, thinking. "None of the gods scents on him are ours," he said to Daine. With the likes of the Trickster, the GraveYard Hag and Usoue, one never knows till they get a good sniff. Get a feeling so far you'd most appeal to Mythros and the Goddess, but not sure yet, and I'd still have to ask. And I'd like some info to take to them when they ask if you please," he said plopping down to sit. "How is it you came to this realm from a place that smells both like and unlike Usoe's chaos?"

Daine startled, paling.

Badger, his back to her, waved a claw back at her to settle down. Even the pony seemed nervous.

[younghero]

"Occasionally I visit other worlds. One world was suspended above chaos by chains."

That was the truth, if not much detail.

"Another world had a falling moon that I had to stop."

[chicklet]

"Harumph," he grumped. "Well so long as that other world keeps its chains strong and its chaos to itself, that's none of my nevermind. Though a Goddess that lets her moon fall..." he shook his head, not thinking much of these other gods. But to each their own. "So. right, what is it you want then, kit?"

[younghero]

"A demonic mask was making the moon fall. I'm not sure Termina's goddess had much say. I know it's beyond Hyrule and her goddesses, anyway."

Link sighed.

"I originally wanted to see if I could train with a swordsman for a bit, to learn new skills. But, everyone is sure I'm a bad guy, so I was just gonna go home."

[chicklet]

"I never said you were a bad guy," Daine protested.

"Mithros rarely trains mortals," the Badger said. Weryin is more about bow hunting, than swordsmanship, and he's restricted to his lands for most of a century still," he said, giving a small sympathetic look back to the girl before focusing on Link again. "Learning from mortals is so bad?"

"I thought he was looking for a way home or to prove himself or something, Badger," the girl said. "If he just wants to train with a fighter... I could see if we can get a message to the Lioness, see if she's willing to take a student."

"Isn't that a bit mean to do to a lad?" Badger asked, scratching an ear.

"She's not THAT bad..." she considered. "Well, maybe in the mornings, but sos Ouna."

[younghero]

"I can't stay too long. My dad and brother and princess will worry if I'm gone for very long."

Link paused. "See...I surpassed all the teachers in my world, so, any bit of extra instruction helps."

[chicklet]

"How long is not long?" Badger asked, scratching his ear again.

[younghero]

"No more than a few days. A week at most."

[chicklet]

Daine frowned. "There is no way to get to the Lioness that quickly, last we heard she was in Pirate's Swoop. That's a week and a half's ride over land."

[younghero]

"That's okay, I understand."

Link nodded. Not everyone could teleport via song, after all.

[chicklet]

"Not sure who else I could ask," Daine said, thinking. "Most of the Knights are on patrols now, and Sir Wlydon only trains the pages and squires...."

[younghero]

"It's alright. It was a long shot anyway."

Link smiled slightly.

[chicklet]

The Badger grumbled. "Don't expect this all the time, kit. Go get your stick man and be quick about it. You'll have to get back to Corus yourselves."

Daine slid from the saddle to hug the small creature. "Thank you, Badger. The two of us can travel quick enough on our own so he'll be back in time for the pages and Squires."

The pony huffed, flattened her ears, then turned and trotted off back the way they came.

[younghero]

Link rubbed his neck, wishing he had brought Epona.

[chicklet]

Numair came walking up several moments later. "The ponies promised to head back to the stables and behave. Cloud even said she wouldn't nip at Peachblossom."

Daine snorted and wrapped her arms around one of his. On their feet the difference between their heights...and apparent ages... was more obvious. He had more than a foot on her, and at least twenty more years from the looks of it. And as she seemed closer to Link's age than to his, that was more than a little disturbing, potentially. Especially given that the look she was giving to him was loving, but not in a family sort of way. He leaned to press a kiss on the top of her head, then looked to the badger. "And an honor to see you again, good sir."

The Badger snorted. "No whining to me if the Lioness isn't in her sett or you two go back late," he warned. Then he looked to Link. "Come closer, I'm not as young as I used to be."

Daine hid a giggle in Numair's shirt.

[younghero]

Link wasn't one to judge, at least not after meeting Anju and Kafei in Termina.

He obediently came closer at the badger's request.

[chicklet]

The Badger nodded once, there was a bright flash of light, then they were in a completely different forest. Far less dense, and the air carried hints of ocean to the east. To the north was a fortress, flags flying.

Daine let go of the mage to bend and kiss the Badger on his head. "Thank you, Badger."

"Yer a good enough kit," he said. "Just don't go thinking the Gods are always going to be at your beck and call, Weiryn's daughter."

She grinned. "Perish the thought. Besides, when you call for Gods, half the time you get the wrong one anyway, at least among the Two-Legger Gods. The People are far more sensible about that sort of thing."

He gave a small snort. "You meet the Dawn Crow then tell me about sensible," he muttered but he sounded flattered, anyway. He twisted to look at Link again. "Be good, don't get my kit killed." With a flash of silver, he vanished.

"No words for me, I noticed," Numair said, somewhat amused.

[younghero]

Link felt mildly incredulous that his teleportation caused such concern, only to find himself teleported into a new location.

He bristled slightly at the suggestion he'd get anyone killed, when he'd offered to leave just moments earlier. But, he managed to just sigh to himself, wondering what he'd ever done to annoy his own goddesses....