Derae sighed, looking out at the sunset. It was day three of their journey and they were still a day away from Hyrule Castle. The past three days went by without so much as a hint of any creatures, except of course for the horses and Kou. They were making camp for the day and Derae waited for Levi, her designated caretaker, to take her off the horse and untie her so she could eat and go to sleep. They still didn't trust her at all, but she hadn't made any trouble so she had hoped they would softened up a bit. She'd grown quite found of Levi. He was fun to talk to and seemed to love what he did.
"You ready?" Levi asked, walking up behind Derae.
"Like always." She answered and smiled at him. He reached up and pulled her off the horse. Kou jumped down and waited for Levi to untie Derae so she could pet him.
-For a guardian sent from the Goddess, you sure act like a spoiled pet.- She teased him.
-It's not my fault it feels good.- he muttered, and she thought she caught him blushing. She laughed, making Levi look over with a funny look on his face.
"Sorry. Was thinking about something." She lied. She didn't want to tell anyone about Kou again for fear of being ignored like with Mamoru…
"And what would that be?" Levi asked her, genuinely curious.
"Well, my father used to make faces at me as a child and I was giggling at the thought of it. I miss him…" She half-lied. She was thinking about her father a lot lately.
"Sorry. I know how you feel. My father was killed by rebels when I was 10." He spoke softly, trying not to show his face.
"Ah... Well, let's go eat!" She exclaimed. She didn't want to talk about depressing things like death. He finished untying her and she finally reached down to pet Kou. She gave him a big hug and stood up, nodding towards Levi. The trio walked towards the campfire where everyone was waiting. They sat down next to the usual group. Derae sat next to the only other girl in the group, Marita. Her blond hair was pulled up into a tight bun and her camo suit fit her well. She stood out among the men, but was a bit of an introvert. Derae spoke to her frequently, but never got a reply. The men called her foolish because no one could make Marita speak. They thought she must be mute. Still, Derae spoke to her.
"Good afternoon, Marita." Derae greeted her smiling. She sent her a look and then went back to eating her food. Sighing, Derae sat next to her. Levi brought Derae's food and the group ate in silence. Derae hated this. They didn't trust her so when she came to eat they all stopped talking. Kou put his nose on her knee, procuring a small chuckle from Derae.
-Mind giving some of that to me?- he pleaded. Derae chuckled again and put a hunk of meat on the ground. She could feel the men's sharp looks as Kou silently gnawed at the meat. Derae wasn't much of a meat eater anyway.
"Why do you waste our food like that?" one of the men came over and asked.
"You give it to me, therefore it is mine. And Kou needs food too. Besides, I don't like meat, so just give my share of meat to him. He needs it more than I." Derae explained calmly. The soldier just huffed and walked off.
-Well, atleast I can defend Kou.- Derae thought.
-You don't need to do that. I'm here to defend you.- He told her in return.
-I want to, Kou. You're my friend.- She smiled as she explained herself to him.
-Suit yourself.- he huffed and sauntered off.
She sighed, looking at her food. She wasn't particularly hungry and didn't think she could keep anything down. She wasn't particularly worried about what the king would do to her. She was more worried about her0 friends and loved ones. Would they be okay? Her thoughts drifted from place to place; memory to memory. Suddenly a loud sound interrupted them.
"Tie up the girl! You, go find whatever the hell made that sound!" She heard the Commander say to a few of his men. Levi walked over and tied her hands up again.
"Something has infiltrated our area. They just want to make sure it's not your doing or anything. You understand right?" Levi explained. It was sort of sweet how he was trying to defend his friends.
"Yes, I understand." She answered.
After a moment, She saw a man in the shadows; dagger in hand. He was coming for Din. She had to tell him! The man lunged for Levi. Shit, there wasn't enough time! There was a flash and suddenly Derae felt the release of pressure on her wrists. She grabbed her dagger, not really thinking about what she was doing and slide behind Levi. She hit the man's hand with the hilt of my weapon and his own dagger went flying and
landed off to the side. Derae advanced on him and pinned him down pointing the dagger at his throat.
"You!" the man muttered. He knew her?
"Do I know you?" She asked, glancing at the frightened Levi behind her.
"No. But I've heard a lot about you. Derae, daughter of Link." he said. Why does everyone seem to know her father?
-Your father was a great man. The hero of time. But now is not the time for that. Find out who that man is!- Kou told her.
"Kou, bring me a stick and light it with fire." She ordered Kou as she continued to watched the man under her dagger. "Move and die." She explained, a cold tinge to her voice. Kou came back with the stick and she held it up to the man's face. Bright blue eyes shown back at her; fierce and unwavering. His hair was unkempt but clean and bright blond. He had no scars and was cleaner than most of the soldiers. He didn't seem like a thief. He seemed like royalty…
"You ready?" Levi asked, walking up behind Derae.
"Like always." She answered and smiled at him. He reached up and pulled her off the horse. Kou jumped down and waited for Levi to untie Derae so she could pet him.
-For a guardian sent from the Goddess, you sure act like a spoiled pet.- She teased him.
-It's not my fault it feels good.- he muttered, and she thought she caught him blushing. She laughed, making Levi look over with a funny look on his face.
"Sorry. Was thinking about something." She lied. She didn't want to tell anyone about Kou again for fear of being ignored like with Mamoru…
"And what would that be?" Levi asked her, genuinely curious.
"Well, my father used to make faces at me as a child and I was giggling at the thought of it. I miss him…" She half-lied. She was thinking about her father a lot lately.
"Sorry. I know how you feel. My father was killed by rebels when I was 10." He spoke softly, trying not to show his face.
"Ah... Well, let's go eat!" She exclaimed. She didn't want to talk about depressing things like death. He finished untying her and she finally reached down to pet Kou. She gave him a big hug and stood up, nodding towards Levi. The trio walked towards the campfire where everyone was waiting. They sat down next to the usual group. Derae sat next to the only other girl in the group, Marita. Her blond hair was pulled up into a tight bun and her camo suit fit her well. She stood out among the men, but was a bit of an introvert. Derae spoke to her frequently, but never got a reply. The men called her foolish because no one could make Marita speak. They thought she must be mute. Still, Derae spoke to her.
"Good afternoon, Marita." Derae greeted her smiling. She sent her a look and then went back to eating her food. Sighing, Derae sat next to her. Levi brought Derae's food and the group ate in silence. Derae hated this. They didn't trust her so when she came to eat they all stopped talking. Kou put his nose on her knee, procuring a small chuckle from Derae.
-Mind giving some of that to me?- he pleaded. Derae chuckled again and put a hunk of meat on the ground. She could feel the men's sharp looks as Kou silently gnawed at the meat. Derae wasn't much of a meat eater anyway.
"Why do you waste our food like that?" one of the men came over and asked.
"You give it to me, therefore it is mine. And Kou needs food too. Besides, I don't like meat, so just give my share of meat to him. He needs it more than I." Derae explained calmly. The soldier just huffed and walked off.
-Well, atleast I can defend Kou.- Derae thought.
-You don't need to do that. I'm here to defend you.- He told her in return.
-I want to, Kou. You're my friend.- She smiled as she explained herself to him.
-Suit yourself.- he huffed and sauntered off.
She sighed, looking at her food. She wasn't particularly hungry and didn't think she could keep anything down. She wasn't particularly worried about what the king would do to her. She was more worried about her0 friends and loved ones. Would they be okay? Her thoughts drifted from place to place; memory to memory. Suddenly a loud sound interrupted them.
"Tie up the girl! You, go find whatever the hell made that sound!" She heard the Commander say to a few of his men. Levi walked over and tied her hands up again.
"Something has infiltrated our area. They just want to make sure it's not your doing or anything. You understand right?" Levi explained. It was sort of sweet how he was trying to defend his friends.
"Yes, I understand." She answered.
After a moment, She saw a man in the shadows; dagger in hand. He was coming for Din. She had to tell him! The man lunged for Levi. Shit, there wasn't enough time! There was a flash and suddenly Derae felt the release of pressure on her wrists. She grabbed her dagger, not really thinking about what she was doing and slide behind Levi. She hit the man's hand with the hilt of my weapon and his own dagger went flying and
landed off to the side. Derae advanced on him and pinned him down pointing the dagger at his throat.
"You!" the man muttered. He knew her?
"Do I know you?" She asked, glancing at the frightened Levi behind her.
"No. But I've heard a lot about you. Derae, daughter of Link." he said. Why does everyone seem to know her father?
-Your father was a great man. The hero of time. But now is not the time for that. Find out who that man is!- Kou told her.
"Kou, bring me a stick and light it with fire." She ordered Kou as she continued to watched the man under her dagger. "Move and die." She explained, a cold tinge to her voice. Kou came back with the stick and she held it up to the man's face. Bright blue eyes shown back at her; fierce and unwavering. His hair was unkempt but clean and bright blond. He had no scars and was cleaner than most of the soldiers. He didn't seem like a thief. He seemed like royalty…