ZELDA POV
"But if you enter Kokiri Forest you become a slalfos… I don't want to turn into a stalfos" Whimpered Chacha.
"That happens only if you enter Lost Woods, we are not going there, just Kokiri Forest" Zelda says trying to calm her.
The maid rolls her eyes "It's the same"
The Princess rolls her eyes "It's not, Lost Woods is inside Kokiri Forest, but it's not the same. Raziel owns a house there and we need it right now, please help me"
"Don't take me wrong my Princess… I do want to help, but I am scared. Are you completely sure it's safe?"
Zelda throws her most empathic and appeasing smile "I am sure, I have been there already and I am not a stalfos. Link used to live there and look at him now"
"That he is raw, skilled and completely disturbed?" The maid accurately describes her Prince.
Zelda rolls her eyes "YES, but you know that is not what I am referring to. What is important is that he is healthy and DEFINETLY NOT A STALFOS"
Chacha sighs "All right then, I will follow you to pandemonium"
Zelda half smiles "Wait for me by the castle's entrance" she says heading to the storage room.
Chacha ponders about leaving Nuthaniel with José since his job can be a little rough, little Nutty could get squished. So, she decides to take him with her… they were just going to clean a house, right?
The Princess finally arrives wearing a backpack and pulls the maid with her out of the castle. The Princess requested a carriage driver to take them to Kokiri Forest. During the ride, Chacha could not keep her legs still. The idea of entering Kokiri Forest made her very anxious.
As both of them approached the bridge, bridge that lead to Kokiri Forest. Zelda suddenly stopped, making Chacha a little nervous.
"Did you see something Princess?"
"I didn't… l have a confession to make. I am afraid of heights"
Chacha shakes her head "But… that means you can't cross this bridge, then how did you got to Kokiri Forest? Or did you lie to me?"
Zelda smiles shamefully "Link carried me across the bridge... I am not asking you to do the same" The Princess says as she pulls her tunic over her head, but only half way, so it only covered her eyes and head. Revealing she had been wearing two dark tunics all along.
Zelda extends her hand "Just grab my hand and pull me across"
Chacha holds the Princess hand and starts to giggle "are you serious? I can sing too if you need me too" the maid jokes.
"That is a great idea, please do" the Princess answers without shame.
Chacha widens her eyes realizing that her Princess is not joking. She sighs and delicately pulls the Princess across the bridge. They had to stop once in the middle of crossing it because the Princess just could not continue, but after taking a few deep breaths, Zelda was able to continue. A minute later they were done crossing the bridge, but the maid didn't bothered informing the Princess, she was too busy looking around with her mouth agape.
Zelda took the extra tunic off and and allowed Chacha to continue staring in awe. After a while, Zelda headed inside one of the houses searching for the Kokiri version of a bed. Once she found it, she quickly started to remove the mattress cover, leaving a pile of leaves and old hay behind. She then rummages around searching for whatever they must have used to cover themselves and smiles once she finds it. Chacha stared in shocked.
"Why are you doing this my Princess? Once the children that live here come back, they will no longer have a bed to sleep, doesn't that bother you?"
"Chacha, the forever children of the forest are no more, they went away a few years ago. These houses are abandoned"
Chacha gasps in shock "The Kokiri left? I thought they could not get out of here"
"Well…they didn't leave. They took a new form; they are no longer eternal children. It's complicated so let's drop the subject" the Princess looks around and points at a house "The Prince's house is the one over there" Zelda exclaims referring to a house inside a tall tree trunk with fixed stairs to access it.
"I believe most of what is inside can be cleaned, but not the mattress. You start cleaning the walls, the floor and other surfaces. I will be going up and down the stairs getting rid of the old bed, and bringing new blankets and bed covers from the other houses to make two new beds"
Chacha stares oddly at the Princess "Two beds… who is going to occupy the house?"
"Robert and Zidane... you have not met them, but soon you will. They come from the Quantum world and are considered mine and Prince Raziel's brothers" she giggles "You will realize why once you meet them"
Chacha shakes her head, not wanting to ask anything further on that topic. All she should care about is that these men are important for her Princess and the Prince, and that is more than enough reason for them to be important for her.
The maid reached the stairs and started to climb, she really wanted to enter Link's previous home, maybe find some secret she could later use against the Prince. Then she started smelling something putrid. She stopped for a second, and looked down at the Princess who was starting to climb the stairs.
"That foul smell is not coming from the house, is it?"
Zelda raised her head to look up at the maid "That smell is one of the reasons why I need your help to clean it and make it habitable"
Chacha rolls her eyes "I did tell him to be a man and make his room filthy so I wouldn't get bored, but he never really did. For a while I thought he just wasn't that type of man but apparently, he IS. That is why men are not meant to live alone"
The maid was saying as she finally entered the house and screamed. There were lots of broken glass around; the walls had hateful and offensive messages written in blood. The bed was covered on the remains of what used to be birds or squirrels, surely the animals used decorate the walls. There was also a strong reek of piss all around, and probably some dry human feces.
Zelda also entered and just stood next to the maid completely silent. The Princess was not sure how to proceed, Chacha was obviously irate, she didn't want to speak and make it worse. So, Zelda waited for the maid to break the silence first.
"Princess… I do not recognize Prince Raziel in any of this. So, who did this atrocity?" the maid asked half turning.
"The eternal children of the forest did this before they banished"
The maid throws a punch at the closest wall "Figured… only a bratty, sadistic, degenerate would do this to someone else" she sighs "it's good that they are no longer around becase if they were, they would have to face me and I would show them hell" Chacha says with an intensity that could have burned a hole in the middle of the house.
I get it now… why Link looked so happy when Chacha tried to faint him with an upper cut. He figured she was just trying to protect me from a peeper. And the idea of someone else caring and protecting a person you also value brings peace of mind.
In my case, knowing that he is not alone anymore eases my soul… because he doesn't deserve to die in solitude; he deserves people who value him.
Wait, why do i feel like that about Ziel? I am sure that I still hate him, but I will be lying if I claim to not care for his well being. And if Edna was correct, emotions are a two way rail... And that would mean that deep down, he cares for me to. That I am not just his charge. It would be nice if it were true.
"Princess, did you bring the cleaning liquid and a scrub bush?"
Zelda nods and puts down her backpack to retrieve the cleaning materials from the side pockets and hands them to the maid.
She then starts unpacking the blanket and bed cover, puts them aside and grabs hold of Link's bed cover, she tries to wrap it around itself, gagging at the smell and the sight of the decomposed animals.
LINK POV
The Prince holds the Pirate by the shoulder and sighs.
"Zid, before you knock, I need to warn the both of you. Martin is my personal tailor, and he is very dear to me" the Hero of time sighs "He also bats the other way if you know what I mean… I don't want any offensive talk or behavior directed at him, is that understood?"
---------Both at the same time-----------
"Why would I care if this mother fucker prefers dick instead of coochie?" Li bluntly states.
"I guess I am not allowed to ask him about anal douching am I?" Zid asks.
------------------------------------------------
Raziel closed his eyes and face palmed.
This is just them pulling my leg, right?
Link says in a low menacing voice "You both realize what you have just done?"
Robert smirks "That we just destroyed the small ray of hope you still had in us? yeah, we know. We just could not pass on this opportunity to remind why you love us"
I knew you both were monsters. Robert in a more crude and tactless way, and Zidane… I don't even know where to start with that monkey. His smile and apparent childish innocence is disarming, but I know it's just a well-worn mask of manipulation.
The Pirate laughs loudly "Dude, relax. We just missed you really bad" He knocks on the door loudly "We won't bring shame on the royal family, I promise"
After a minute Martin opens the door smiling, he opens his arms for a hug but soon lowers them as his smile starts to fade away. Zidane smiles and waves at him, as Link pushes him aside and hugs Martin. The tailor starts touching the fabric on the Prince's vest, his eyes start to glisten upon recognition of his work on the fabric.
Martin holds Link by the shoulders at arm's length "You are Prince Raziel Link Nohansen, aren't you?"
"I am" Link answers confidently.
Martin smiles widely, and then looks down with sadness.
"My Prince, I believe there is something wrong with me, I may be going senile. I need to see a doctor because in this state, I am of no longer of use to you or to anyone"
Link laughs in a low volume "Senile? Of course not, you must be in your late 30s or early 40s. That is still too young to even consider it"
Martin shakes his head and insists "I was about to hug and allow entrance to someone else because I thought it was you, I cannot trust my eyes at the very least"
Robert chuckles "And he hasn't even gotten a glimpse of me"
The tailor opens his eyes wide and steps back into his house. But Ziel pulls him out and makes him stand next to him.
"Martin, these are Robert" Rob raises his hand with a smile "and Zidane" Zid waves. "They both are visitors from the Quantum world, and are considered my brothers for obvious reasons. We will soon perform the Goron ritual. But right now, they need everyday clothes, can you help with that?"
Martin nods and approaches Robert amazed "So, my eyes and sanity are intact. These two do resemble you" he sighs "that is good to know"
The tailor grabs Zid's hand and makes him turn around to get a good look at him. The presence of the monkey tail surprises him, but doesn't make him flinch at all.
Link clears his throat "By the way… I am going to need clothes too. I grew out of the previous suits. Just take my measures and you take care of everything else. For these two I was thinking 3 outfits each and a pierce-less vest"
Marin chuckles "Only 3? You know you are THE CLIENT, I can…"
Link interrupt raising his voice a little "NO Martin, 3 is a good start. If they want anything else, they can buy it themselves"
Zid loudly gasps "You are just throwing us out into the world all helpless and confused?"
Link rolls his eyes "You are not helpless, and I am not your father. I don't need to provide for you more than this" the Hero clearly states.
Martin chuckles at that and everyone stares at him "But you are kind of acting like a father my Prince. Forcing a child to leave and learn how to care for himself is how Hylians raise their boys"
Fuck you Martin; you are not helping at all.
Zid breaks into thunderous laughter. Robert smirks "Aww… we love you too" the engineer says.
Martin opens a drawer to retrieve a notebook, and his measuring tape "All right, time is of essence" he says pulling at his measuring tape "This may tickle, and I am going touch you all around with no sexual intent. I am a professional"
Rob and Zid stood straight opening their arms wide, waiting for Martin to measure them.
Well, they behaved confrontational towards me, and that actually made my tailor at ease with them. Why do people easily trust anyone who barks at me?
Oh well, once we are done here, we head to Kokiri Forest. I hope it was enough time to clean that house. If not, we will help.
MEANWHILE
Back in the Forest, Chacha was struggling to take of a particular stain on a wall, but it was slowly coming off. She will be done in a few minutes, but it was past 6 pm, Nuthaniel was already waking up. So, she just pulled him out and released him.
Zelda watched in panic "NO, what if he runs away?"
"He won't, Pepe has been playing with him and training him. He runs back and jumps on you if you clap 3 times"
Zelda smiled completely amazed "So, the little critter is a smart one"
The maid rolls her eye "You would think that with all the shit he has learned so far, but he isn't. He just responds well to positive reinforcement… That means, I should always carry a small bag with some nuts or dried fruit to reward his obedience"
Chacha was saying when they noticed the squirrel gliding between them to catch a cricket, or so they thought… soon they start hearing screams as Nuthaniel landed on top of a Korok.
The Korok tries to fight Nuthaniel, but the squirrel is relentless and just would not let go. Eventually a crack was herd as the squirrel bit hard on the Korok's head, that is when the screams stopped and the Korok just fell forward.
Nuthaniel continued to bite hard on the Korok's head viciously, and when it finally cracked open something that was not a nut came out. The flying squirrel tried to eat it, but ended up tossing it aside and jumping back on Chacha.
A wail was heard as another Korok came out running towards the remains of the previous one, but other Koroks quickly threw themselves at the sobbing one and dragged it away. The maid's face was lowered, full of sorrow and regret, staring at Nuthaniel with vile. But Zelda on the other hand was smirking, and soon stared to laugh wickedly.
"Well," the Princess points at the maid "You delivered… I believe you just showed them hell"
Chacha gasps "Those things… where the Kokiri?" Chacha asks. But without waiting for an answer, her face morphed from shame to pride, she just retrieved her pet from her shoulder and kissed it.
"Hope that teaches them to stay away from this house… by the way, I am done" Chacha says.
Zelda looks up at the sky and answers "All right, I will catch up with you in a few minutes; I want to bury the remains before the boys get here"
Chacha rolls her eyes "It's more than it deserves but ok, I will go inside"
The Princess stared to dig a hole with her hands, she also thought that it was more than it deserved, but she felt that she needed to hide the evidence of what just happened from Link. Then she felt a gloved hand on her shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Raciel asks.
*Dude, you know what she was doing, the real question is why*
I don't think she had the malice to actually kill a Korok, she just found the remains or it must have been an accident... I am sure.
"Fuck" Zelda says trying to cover the Korok remains with dirt.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" Chacha screams.
They both turn towards the house "This isn't over Princess" Link says as he starts climbing the stairs.