Chapter 33 Familiar Ties.....

Chapter 33

 

Familiar Ties.....

 

“Your grandmother is the wise-woman?” Calhan asked disbelief fringing his words. Dahrin shrugged as his grandmother handed Selene a tea cup.

“Why is that so hard to believe, Lore Sage?” She asked, “As a wise-woman I’m not allowed to fall in love and have a family?”

“No, ma'am that's not what I mean at all-” Calhan began, her laugh cut him off.

“Ma'am, so formal. Please call me Granny. All the Gerudo's do. Firefly is my grandson by blood though. His mother is my daughter, therefore he is my grandson.” Her weather worn face crinkled when she smiled.

“Firefly?” Selene asked with raised eyebrows.

Dahrin blushed, “Long story.”

“But a funny one. Though, one we'll have to save for another time. You wanted information Lore Sage?” Granny smiled turning to Calhan.

Her assistant entered the hut carrying another kettle of tea. He put it down on the low table, bowed to Granny, glared at Dahrin and left, the assistant was still dressed the same as before.

“Yes, we were wondering if you could tell us the history of the Temple.” Calhan said leaning forward slightly.

Granny took a deep breath, “It’s a very long one. What specifically do you want to know?” She sat back and crossed her arms across her chest making the beads that hung there click together.

“We believe Ganondorf has loosed an evil inside the temple again, and we're wondering what it could be.” Gerad answered.

“Ah, so you want to know what you're up against.” Granny mused, “I can help. It will cost you though.”

“Cost what?” Meria asked wary.

“For the girls, a lock of hair. For the boys, a drop of blood. And for the Lore Sage, a memory.” Granny answered looking at each one in turn.

“Just, a memory?” Calhan asked, “What would you want with a memory?”

“That's for me to know and for you to not.” Granny replied smiling not at all friendly.

“You won't help out your grandson for free?” Meria asked shocked.

“Magic isn't cheap, dearie.” Granny replied looking at her in contempt. She lit a long pipe and took a pull, “Well?”

“Are you willing to give up a memory, Calhan?” Gerad asked turning to him.

Calhan sat in contemplation, tapping his finger on his chin, “Yes, we need the information to be prepared.” He replied after thinking it over.

Granny clapped her hands together startling everyone, “Alright then! Ludd! Get the scissors, the pin, and my coat.”

She grinned at them with the pipe clenched between her teeth, “Let's do some magic.”

 

Selene sat still as Granny gathered her hair together and snipped off a lock. Meria stared at the ends of her own hair that were cut. Gerad and Dahrin had bandaged on the tips of their left pointer fingers. Granny hummed to herself as she put Selene's hair in a boiling cauldron along with the other things she had sent Ludd running around to get.

The bubbling goop in the pot turned orange when Selene's hair was added. Granny's humming kept up its happy tempo as she stirred the pot. She put down the spoon and walked to where Calhan sat on a stool a few feet away from the pot.

He looked slightly comical being stripped to the waist and sigils painted over his chest. The rest of the group stood off to one side.

“Are you ready?” Granny asked him.

He looked up at her and nodded, “Yeah, let’s get this over with.”

Granny smirked then returned her face to an indifferent mask. She stood just at arm's reach and put her pointer finger against Calhan's forehead.

“To gain knowledge unknown, through means of the unknown. One must sacrifice the known, to gain the knowledge to be known.” Granny said in a clear loud voice. As she repeated the spell a hollow voice echoed after her own.

Calhan's eyes grew wide as she finished the spell a third time, he screamed when she pulled her finger away from his forehead. A blue silver thread connected her fingertip to his forehead. She gave a sharp tug and the thread disconnected from him. He slumped forward holding his head in his hands and groaned.

Granny paid him no mind as she brought the thread to the pot and threw it in. The cauldron erupted in a cloud of smoke when the thread hit the liquid inside. The group fell to the ground from the force of the blast, only Granny remained standing.

She cackled, “Ask your question and know your answer.”

“What?” Meria asked to no one.

“She means ask the question we came to ask her originally before we got into this mess.” Calhan groaned rubbing his head.

“Oh, What did Ganondorf let loose in the Spirit Temple, what awaits us?” Gerad called out.

“He let loose the one with twin minds but one brain. A betrayal, and a death await you in the Temple. Stay on guard, little Hero.” Granny replied opening her eyes. They weren't her normal amber ones but glowing orange, like Dahrin's did when he used his sage powers.

“What do you mean?” Gerad asked raising his voice to be heard over the sucking noise of the cloud shrinking back into the cauldron.

“Stay on guard, little Hero.” Came the disembodied voice, as Granny fell to the ground unconscious. Dahrin caught her just as she was about to hit. Silence reined after the cloud shrank all the way back into the cauldron.

“The one with twin minds but one brain, how does that work?” Meria asked from where she sat next to Selene. Selene shrugged.

“I don't know.” Gerad said half to himself staring at Granny.

 

“They know we're here now Bai.”

“Shut-up Ciar, this changes nothing.”

“It will make it harder to strike, Bai.”

“No, we just need the right vessel.”

“What about the assistant?”

“My thoughts exactly, Ciar.”

 

Ludd led them back into the hut and directed them where to put Granny so she could sleep. For Calhan he prepared a drink mix for his headache and helped him drink it. He then showed him to a cot to lay down on.

“Thank you, Ludd.” Selene said smiling at him when he handed out more drinks to everyone else. Ludd mumbled a “your welcome” as he shuffled off. Once he was out of his assistant’s uniform, Ludd was actually a tall well-toned young man with short spikey black hair and grey eyes.

“I thought there were only two Gerudo males?” Meria asked Dahrin, sipping from her cup.

Dahrin nodded, “There are, Ludd was found wandering the desert by Granny a few years ago. And going against custom as usual, instead of killing him she adopted him.”

“Ya’ll kill people wandering in the desert?” Selene asked raising her eyebrows in surprise as she sipped the drink. The drink was some kind of spiced tea that had a slight honey taste.

“Not anymore. But back when Granny was young there was a group of raiders that would try to infiltrate us, taking advantage of our goodwill.” Dahrin replied sipping his tea.

“So he’s like your uncle?” Gerad asked.

“Not that kind of adoption, more like a work horse. She’s not very grandmotherly as you might have noticed.” Dahrin corrected.

Ludd came back into the small common room carrying a tray of fruit; he set it down on the low table then took a seat a little away from them.

“You can join us Ludd, we don’t bite.” Meria said smiling at him.

“Well, not often anyways.” Selene said softly, smiling into her drink.

“It’s not customary for the assistant to fraternize with the Doctor’s guests.” Ludd replied softly, his voice was quiet and soothing.

“Not customary but also not forbidden, please come join us?” Selene asked sweetly. Ludd’s brow creased in cautious thought while he looked Selene up and down. Selene just smiled at him patiently.

“I’ll take the blame if you get in trouble.” Dahrin suggested, “So, come on.”

Ludd laughed, “I still owe you for that punch you hit me with earlier. Don’t think I haven’t forgotten Firefly.”

Ludd joined them at the table sitting between Gerad and Meria across from Dahrin and Selene.

“What that little love tap?” Dahrin asked in mock hurt, “That was just a friendly hello, and a repayment for the last time.”

Confusion crossed across Ludd’s face followed by mirth as he remembered what Dahrin was referring to, “Oh yeah,” Ludd laughed, “You have to admit it was a brilliant plan, just the execution was poor.”

“Yeah, that was all, your fault.” Dahrin chided as he poured Ludd a cup from the pitcher.

“Pssh, not my fault you couldn’t fly.” Ludd mumbled into his drink as he took a swig.

“What are you talking about?” Gerad asked looking from one to the other.

“Oh, how Dahrin got his nick-name.” Ludd replied taking a piece of fruit, “Basically the entire escapade ended with Dahrin’s rear-end on fire and Granny’s hut completely demolished. She still randomly hits me for it.”

Once they got their laughter under control Meria asked through her tears, “What were you trying to do?”

“They were trying to get to Moon Isle; liked to blow a crater the size of it in the desert.” Granny’s voice floated in from her room. A few seconds later Granny came out doing her hair up.

Ludd bowed low as Granny walked in and stood up to get her a cup of the spiced tea. Once Granny was seated and had her cup Ludd sat behind and to the right of her, his face once again an impassive stone.

“What’s Moon Isle?” Gerad asked.

“It’s a legend, or a myth, depending on who you talk to.” Granny replied taking a sip from the cup, “Mmm, Ludd you always make the best tea.”

A small smile cracked the corner of Ludd’s lips at the compliment but other than that his face still remained impassive stone.

“Moon Isle, is an island that floats in the night sky all across the land. It’s rumored to be the resting place of King Shal, and his immense wealth.” Granny continued letting her voice get deeper with the telling of the story.

“Who was King Shal?” Meria asked leaning forward.

“He was rumored to be the king of the Halmites, according to legend they died out about a thousand years ago, and he was their last ruler.” Dahrin answered.

“A plague struck the kingdom and wiped out almost three quarters of the population. The king in his selfishness and greed ordered the magicians of the land to cast a protective shield around his palace. They asked if their families could be in the palace with the king but he refused. They refused to aid him and he had some of them executed. Again he ordered them and again they refused unless their conditions were met. He had more of them executed. This kept going till finally they agreed and cast the spell.” Granny said lighting her pipe.

“Why wouldn’t he let their families in?” Meria asked.

“They king was afraid that they would be carriers of the plague and didn’t want to chance catching it. So safe in his palace the king sat and waited out the plague. Many more died. One day a cure was found and the plague was beaten. The king sat in his throne room rejoicing. The shield was let down and people came to ask the king to share his wealth to recover the kingdom. He refused.” Dahrin picked up the story while Granny smoked.

“Greedy.” Gerad said listening to the story.

“Very much so, one day the seven surviving mages came before him. They had all lost their families to the plague; they demanded that the king help the kingdom recover. Again he refused and sent them away. They came back the next day and again he refused. They did this for seven days and seven times he refused. On the last day he became extremely angry and threatened that if anyone came and asked him again he would kill them.” Dahrin continued.

“The next day, while the king slept, the seven mages cast a spell on the palace. The ground tore and the palace began to rise into the sky. The king awoke at the noise and ran to the entrance, there stood the seven mages. ‘What have you done?’ the king demanded. ‘Because of your greedy and selfish heart, we have banished you from the kingdom. You will live the remainder of your days alone with your treasure you value above the kingdom.’ The lead mage answered. They then vanished before the king’s eyes and he was left alone for the remainder of his days.” Dahrin finished.

“Leaving all that wealth floating in the sky for all eternity.” Granny mused blowing out a smoke ring.

“But it’s just a legend, right?” Meria asked looking from Granny to Dahrin.

“That part is yes, but there is an island that floats through the night sky.” Granny replied holding out her cup for Ludd to refill.

“Has anyone been to the island?” Meria asked holding out her cup for more tea.

“Not that’s been recorded no, but there have been attempts.” Ludd replied filling her cup, “At any rate, it’s still just some silly legend, and now you know how Dahrin became Firefly.”

“Alright, you should all go to bed, you have an early start tomorrow to go back.” Granny grumbled as she stood up and went back to her room.

“Pushing us out is she?” Selene yawned.

“Granny isn’t one to suffer company very long.” Dahrin answered with a grin.

Ludd snorted as he started to clear the table away, “That’s an understatement.”

“I was hoping she would explain what she had told us earlier. ‘Twin minds but one brain’ what does that even mean?” Gerad asked leaning his elbow on the table and resting his chin on his fist.

“Ludd, are there any legends of monsters that might fit that description?” Selene asked him. Ludd came back to the table after putting the dishes aside and sat back in the spot he had vacated for Granny. Ludd’s eyes lost focus as he searched his memory thinking hard on the question.

“The only twins I know of were Twinrova that your dad killed.” Dahrin supplied crossing his arms over his chest.

“I can’t think of any, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t.” Ludd answered shrugging his shoulders apologetically.

Meria yawned, “Well worrying ourselves into the wee hours of the night won’t get us anywhere.”

“True, well goodnight guys.” Gerad said standing up and heading to the mat designated to him. Meria and Selene headed off to their mats as well and soon light snoring could be heard throughout the hut.

Ludd stood up and motioned Dahrin to follow him outside. As Ludd ducked through the door Dahrin followed. His eyes slowly getting used to the gloom Dahrin saw Ludd’s form sitting in a chair to the right of the door.

“She’s a beauty.” Ludd commented as Dahrin sat in the chair next to him. Ludd pulled out a flask from his coat pocket, took a swig and handed it to Dahrin.

“Yeah, she’s the one I’m always telling you about.” Dahrin replied taking a sip of the concoction in the bottle, “How do you stand this stuff?”

“Heh, practice.” Ludd answered accepting the flask and putting it away, “Have you told her your dark secrets yet?”

“Some of them.” Dahrin answered in a flat tone.

Ludd nodded, “But not Granny’s prediction.” Ludd looked at him, “You know, the one where you kill them all?”