The Mercenary (Beautiful_Disgrace and I)

This was good for Palutena since there was something she actually had been wanting to talk to Link about. For a while actually. When they were outside of the inn, she decided to just outright ask him. "Still having nightmares?"
 
"What?" Link blinked in surprise, glancing at her. "How did you-...right...Goddess of Light," he sighed, rubbing his neck a moment. "...It's not a problem," Link murmured. "It's just the stress and everything."
 
"Are you sure? I've tried not to be too invasive. But...it doesn't seem like normal nightmares you've been having. Normal nightmares don't occur every single night. I also don't sense...the things I sense in you when the others have nightmares." They were common in the group, but Link's were different. They were bad enough to wake Palutena at times, just from the evil she sensed within them.
 
Link glanced off in the distance a moment, but he didn't say anything for a time. "I am a hero," Link said, it wasn't arrogant...it was merely the truth. He was the Hero of Time, the sworn defender of Princess Zelda, who was the reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia...and Ganondorf, their curse. "...But lately, I don't feel like one." he murmured. "...Perhaps that's why I am...unsure of Ike, and what he is doing. But...I understand that the world can be complicated. As are my thoughts."
 
Palutena was quiet for a moment before she stopped walking, giving him a serious look. "Even heroes struggle with the darkness sometimes, Link. Those complicated thoughts might turn into something dangerous. But I might be able to help you. You just need to accept my help."
 
"...And how is that?" Link mumbled. "What could you do to help me rid of these horrible thoughts?" He'd love a reason, or some help...or anything. Anything to stop making him feel so...angry.
 
"I could talk to you," Palutena began, looking up at the sky thoughtfully. "Either here, or perhaps, in your dreams. It seems like more than anything, the negative thoughts are stemming from those nightmares. I can feel that. At any rate, you're so used to others depending on you that you bottle everything up inside. Well Hero, now is your chance to confide in a Goddess." She gave him a confident smile.
 
"...I'm...flattered, my lady." Link admitted. "...But I don't think these are the kind of thoughts I would want a Goddess to see."
 
"Then how about just regular Palutena?" She asked with a warm smile. "I'm not going to judge, regardless. Link, you have to trust me and let me in. I very well might be the only one who can help you right now. I know you don't like suffering like this."
 
"...I suppose it is better than just...letting them fester," Link mumbled, rubbing his forehead with a faint sigh. "But one thing at a time, I want Zelda as comfortable as possible."
 
"Then we'll talk tonight in your dreams." Palutena said with a wink. "She needs you, Link. More than anyone else. I see it whenever she looks at you, and I know you want to take care of her as best you can. When I look at you two, I...just don't ever want to see that disappear. That's why I want to help you get all these horrible thoughts out of your head. This goes beyond guilt or grief, Link. This is more serious than that..." She wasn't sure what it was, but she supposed she'd find out sooner or later.
 
"...I know." He said with a faint sigh. "...Trust me, I know." He recalled all of them, vividly. He didn't know why he was getting them, but it disturbed him greatly.
 
Before Palutena could say anything more, she hear the sound of a wagon and she looked ahead. Nephenee was back with food as she promised..an exceptional amount. "Wow, that's all for us?" Palutena asked, giving the green haired girl a smile. She nodded and stopped in front of them, though she couldn't exactly look Link in the eye for whatever reason. Palutena thought that was cute.

"Yes, everyone offered whatever they could to...you all. Do you two need anything?" Nephenee asked, wondering what they were doing walking around already. She figured the two would want to get settled in.

"One of the women with us needs new clothes, comfortable ones. So we were going to look for some. But since you're here, Nephenee, I'm sure you can guide Link to wherever he needs to go, right?" Maybe a pretty girl would cheer him up..one that wasn't carrying the child of his sworn enemy.
 
"Huh?" Link blinked in surprise, glancing at Palutena. "...But didn't you want to go with-...I mean," Link hesitated. "Not that I mind, of course...I just..." He was so out of his game lately, maybe Palutena was right...he just needed to...relax, stop focusing on everything he couldn't change.
 
"I know, I know. Is there a tailor in this village, Nephenee?" Palutena asked as she pushed her forward, away from the wagon. Nephenee was..confused. But she didn't argue.

"Of sorts," She started, but Palutena just leaned over and whispered the measurements in her ear. "..Ah. Okay. I'll get something good for her."

"Good, see you two later!" There was a hint of mischief in the Goddesses voice, but she was gone before they could notice it. Nephenee turned to Link, giving him a somewhat puzzled glance.

"Uhh..is she always that cheerful?" ...And forceful?
 
"...Yes," Link sighed, scratching his cheek. "...I'm sorry, Nephenee, you don't have to follow me around if you don't want to. I'm sure I can find my way around." he smiled.
 
When he smiled, she could feel that flutter in her heart again. "No..it's alright. No sense in you wandering around the place when I know where you should go. I'm also worried about...umm, your ears. I want to make sure nobody mistakes you for something you ain't..aren't." Ugh, she probably sounded like a bumbling idiot to him.

She knew she should have spent more time with Calil.
 
"You can speak normally," Link chuckled. "Really...I was raised in a place called Ordon Village, nestled in the woods...these kinds of places are more familiar to me." Yes, it was quite the heroic tale all around...a handsome young man from humble origins, rising to be Hyrule's savior.

...Hard to feel like that now.
 
"Really?" Nephenee asked, raising an eyebrow. He didn't look like he was from the country...but then again neither did she until she opened her mouth. "I didn't..catch your name. Link, right? I don't mean to sound fake or nothin," She muttered as she started to walk. "But back when I was working with Commander Ike an' all...I hated soundin' the way I do. I started learnin' how to speak proper with a really talented mage named Calil. She was teachin' me how to speak like a lady...But since I haven't seen her in a while, my accent is as thick as ever..."
 
"You shouldn't hide who you are," Link murmured. "There is something to be said about someone who is honest with themselves and others...it's a valuable trait to have in a person."
 
"Well, that's true. It's just...well I've always found women who can speak proper admirable an' smart. I suppose I just wanted to be like that...but I'm not. I'm good with a spear, an' that's pretty much it. I can..live with that. It gets me by." It was about the only thing she felt she was good at. Make up and words? Not so much. Well, she couldn't be like Calil or Elincia...she was just Nephenee.
 
"You're smart on your own, Nephenee...and brave," Link mused. "If Ike liked you, then it was for good reason. You've got more good traits than you think...don't let the way you sound make you feel otherwise."
 
Nephenee could feel her cheeks warming up at his compliments. Brom would tell her stuff like this all the time, but she just...something about it coming from a guy she was attracted to, it was hard to ignore. "..Do you really think so?" She asked with a smile. Did he actually know Ike? She wondered what he was up to..maybe she'd ask. Not that it was any of her business.
 
"I think so," Link smiled. "You'd put some of the finest Hylian soldiers to shame, I bet."
 
"Hylian..? Is that where you're from? Can't say I've ever heard of that, but I've never been outside Tellius like Commander Ike..." Maybe that explained the pointy ears? She had to wonder what else existed outside of their country.
 
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