[Unaware of how time has proceeded differently for the kidnapped Princess, to Kakariko, it's only midway into the fourth day since Jewel vanished. The first day, plans were made. The second day, preparations were made. Yesterday, Linksha and Harper entered the castle to try and rescue her. And today, Linksha is practically climbing the walls (as best he can, with a couple fractured ribs) trying to figure out just what the HELL went so horribly wrong yesterday.]
[So when the current lookout sounds the call that someone's approaching, Linksha goes running out, heart for a moment soaring with the hope he can now go back and retry what he so royally botched up yesterday. When he sees Jewel, he runs to her, thinking everything will be alright, now. She's still just at the village square when he starts calling for her.]
"SIIIIIIIIIS!"
[She's not bloodied or bandaged, so he tackles her -- albeit gingerly, and with much wincing -- and presses his face into the crook of her neck, eyes already going teary.]
[... She's playing dumb, right? This is a prank they've joined forces on, isn't it?] "... That's not funny, Jewel. H-he's the one that got you out, right? ... Wasn't he?!" [He's trying not to panic, but it's not working very well. It hurts even to breathe, right now, and the fact he's close to hyperventilating makes it just this side of unbearable.]
"He--" [Oh, Goddesses...] "He's still in the castle, then?" [His voice is small and his eyes unfocused, mind going back to yesterday for the hundredth time since, running the same events over and over with no new clues to work off of. His hands don't so much let go of Jewel as drop off of her, numb and weak. He feels cold.] "I'm so-- I'm-- s-so sorry-- so..." [He's babbling. All he can think of is to go back. Go back and FIX THIS. His feet are pounding against the pavement before he consciously gives the order.]
[Jewel's shouting, mercifully, attracts the attention of the others in the inn, and Shad is the first one out the door. His eyes go wide at the sight of her, but she brushes off his greeting by gesticulating wildly at Linksha. With a nod, the scholar moves to intercept the frantic hero, trying to restrain him long enough to get a sensible word out of him.]
[Oh, CRAP! She figured something like this would happen, yeah? Damn Heroes.]
[She's farther away than Shad, but her legs are longer and she weighs less, so she manages to reach their target right on his heels. Unlike Shad who keeps trying to talk to a guy who isn't in his right mind, however, Ashei flattens one hand and smacks Linksha in the ribs, the blow to his damaged ribs being painful enough to fell him.] "IDIOT!"
[She grabs Linksha under one arm, ignoring his moans as she makes eye-contact with Shad.] "Help me get him inside, yeah?! Dumbass is gonna pop a stitch, at this rate!"
[Shad nods gravely, supporting Linksha on his other side.] I've got him. Let's go.
[He clucks softly at Linksha, faintly disapproving, before looking up to make eye contact with Jewel.] I say, it's good to have our den mother back again. Suppose you come inside and tell us how you managed to escape from that horrid place. But where is Harper, then, if he's not with you?
[He instantly regrets the query. Jewel's face is pale and distraught. Wordlessly, she follows them into the inn, watching as they bear the slight burden which is her surrogate sibling.]
[Linksha has started to get over the pain and is squirming slightly, not wanting to be restrained.] "Keep being stupid like this and, I swear, I'm TYING YOU DOWN, yeah?!"
"Harper and Linksha went in to try and rescue you yesterday. Harper's been missing since." [She drops Linksha into a chair non too gently.] "And since then, this imbecile's been trying to go back in, with five fractured ribs and a gash -- we think he got hit by an Iron Knuckle's mace, or something."
Linksha, for Nayru's sake, sit down. You can't... [She swallows.] You can't go back in there.
[She looks from one face to the next, frantic.] He wasn't captured. Ganondorf said if any of you tried to rescue me, he'd have you killed -- and he would make sure I knew about it. So Harper can't have been taken prisoner. But...where is he, then?
[She puts a hand to her head.]
He'd never...he wouldn't leave me. Not if he could help it. Which means...
Which means he must be...
Oh.
[The floor is coming up to meet her awfully fast.]
[Hearing Jewel's voice, which usually is so comforting, fills him with dread. He failed her. He failed Harper, too, but mostly he failed HER.]
"He-- ... He was right there, beside me... this... thing started falling on our heads from the ceiling, and I pushed him out, and when I looked up..." [His eyes have teared up.] "He was just gone! Just-- ... NOWHERE! I looked! I swear to you, Jewel, I looked for him! Even-- I got careless. Tripped an alarm... Had-- had to leave... I didn't--" [He's blubbering. What if Jewel's wrong? What if Ganon DID capture Harper? What if--]
[Linksha isn't realizing it, but Shad quickly figures out that the Princess is fainting.]
Jewel! [He leaves Linksha to Ashei's 'care' and scuttles around the table, scooping her up and carefully moving her to a chair.] Come on, Highness...I say, do come round... [He taps her gently on the cheeks and forehead until she revives, and blinks at him dully.] There she is...Ash, is there any brandy or something of the sort behind the bar? She's pale as death.
[He hears the scuffle, and blanches when he realizes it means Jewel's fainted. He feels horrible for this, but the first thing that comes to mind is that now he'll have to force the tale out all over again, and how he just wishes the earth would swallow him up first.]
[He keeps his head bowed, eyes to the floor and vision blurred, while he hears someone (presumably Ashei) rummaging around the kitchen and coming up with something, the sound of something liquid being poured, and the metallic clink of Ashei's boots as she approaches Shad and Jewel.]
[Jewel sips the brandy, vaguely aware of Shad saying that the color is coming back into her face and suggesting that Ashei get Linksha a drink as well. The scholar, evidently desiring to spare Linksha the difficulty of having to repeat what he's already said, relates the situation to Jewel in gentle, patient tones.]
I see. [She looks at her drink.] Perhaps...perhaps he was sent home? He wouldn't leave me of his own volition; but if he were dead or captured I would know. He must have gone home. [The thought simultaneously comforts and depresses her.] You did all you could, Linksha, I know you did.
[So when the current lookout sounds the call that someone's approaching, Linksha goes running out, heart for a moment soaring with the hope he can now go back and retry what he so royally botched up yesterday. When he sees Jewel, he runs to her, thinking everything will be alright, now. She's still just at the village square when he starts calling for her.]
"SIIIIIIIIIS!"
[She's not bloodied or bandaged, so he tackles her -- albeit gingerly, and with much wincing -- and presses his face into the crook of her neck, eyes already going teary.]
"What--?! How?! W--" [He looks ( ... )
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Then the words sink into her consciousness, and she pulls back to look Linksha in the eye.]
What do you mean, where's Harper? Isn't he here?
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I...escaped. I haven't seen Harper since before...before I was taken. Linksha, what are you talking about?
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[Jewel's shouting, mercifully, attracts the attention of the others in the inn, and Shad is the first one out the door. His eyes go wide at the sight of her, but she brushes off his greeting by gesticulating wildly at Linksha. With a nod, the scholar moves to intercept the frantic hero, trying to restrain him long enough to get a sensible word out of him.]
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[She's farther away than Shad, but her legs are longer and she weighs less, so she manages to reach their target right on his heels. Unlike Shad who keeps trying to talk to a guy who isn't in his right mind, however, Ashei flattens one hand and smacks Linksha in the ribs, the blow to his damaged ribs being painful enough to fell him.] "IDIOT!"
[She grabs Linksha under one arm, ignoring his moans as she makes eye-contact with Shad.] "Help me get him inside, yeah?! Dumbass is gonna pop a stitch, at this rate!"
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[He clucks softly at Linksha, faintly disapproving, before looking up to make eye contact with Jewel.] I say, it's good to have our den mother back again. Suppose you come inside and tell us how you managed to escape from that horrid place. But where is Harper, then, if he's not with you?
[He instantly regrets the query. Jewel's face is pale and distraught. Wordlessly, she follows them into the inn, watching as they bear the slight burden which is her surrogate sibling.]
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"Harper and Linksha went in to try and rescue you yesterday. Harper's been missing since." [She drops Linksha into a chair non too gently.] "And since then, this imbecile's been trying to go back in, with five fractured ribs and a gash -- we think he got hit by an Iron Knuckle's mace, or something."
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[She looks from one face to the next, frantic.] He wasn't captured. Ganondorf said if any of you tried to rescue me, he'd have you killed -- and he would make sure I knew about it. So Harper can't have been taken prisoner. But...where is he, then?
[She puts a hand to her head.]
He'd never...he wouldn't leave me. Not if he could help it. Which means...
Which means he must be...
Oh.
[The floor is coming up to meet her awfully fast.]
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"He-- ... He was right there, beside me... this... thing started falling on our heads from the ceiling, and I pushed him out, and when I looked up..." [His eyes have teared up.] "He was just gone! Just-- ... NOWHERE! I looked! I swear to you, Jewel, I looked for him! Even-- I got careless. Tripped an alarm... Had-- had to leave... I didn't--" [He's blubbering. What if Jewel's wrong? What if Ganon DID capture Harper? What if--]
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Jewel! [He leaves Linksha to Ashei's 'care' and scuttles around the table, scooping her up and carefully moving her to a chair.] Come on, Highness...I say, do come round... [He taps her gently on the cheeks and forehead until she revives, and blinks at him dully.] There she is...Ash, is there any brandy or something of the sort behind the bar? She's pale as death.
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[He keeps his head bowed, eyes to the floor and vision blurred, while he hears someone (presumably Ashei) rummaging around the kitchen and coming up with something, the sound of something liquid being poured, and the metallic clink of Ashei's boots as she approaches Shad and Jewel.]
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I see. [She looks at her drink.] Perhaps...perhaps he was sent home? He wouldn't leave me of his own volition; but if he were dead or captured I would know. He must have gone home. [The thought simultaneously comforts and depresses her.] You did all you could, Linksha, I know you did.
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