Pieces of Time

Ch 11: The Apprentice

The night air cooled Kali's skin quickly. She had stormed back to her room to grab a cloak, and  strapped a couple of daggers to her thighs beneath her dress as the princess's warning needled her thoughts.

She saw a faint ghost of her breath in the form of a light mist when she exhaled. The tip of her nose felt a little numb, and her cheeks stung a bit when the wind picked up. She followed the path of torchlight back into the castle town in what felt like mere minutes.  Before she knew it, she was on a cobblestone path that led to the town's central plaza.

Maybe she should have let Link know where she'd gone, but she hadn't seen him on the way to her room or on the way out. Surely Impa would let him know.

The streets were bare now compared to during the day, but there were still some people milling about. Mostly elderly people taking their pets out for walks before it was time to settle into bed.  Couples walking arm in arm, giggling and whispering to each other.

Periodically, she would spot a guard patrolling the streets, but they didn't pay her any mind thankfully.

She stepped up to the fountain at the city center and gazed down into the water, seeing spots of her own reflections between the ripples.

The princess and her teacher thought that Kali had some kind of power, and that's why she was here. Completely ridiculous.

She frowned and sat down on the stone edge of the fountain. It was cold and unyielding beneath her, and the cold sent a small shiver up her spine. She pulled the edges of her cloak more tightly around her as she gazed into the water, feeling confused.

She wasn't sure if she should believe Zelda's words about her having powers, but it was the only thing that really made sense right? It was the only connection she could have to the twins, or to the portal, or to this realm.

But how had she done it? She tried to remember, going over her memory of that night again and again.  Where had she passed through a portal or created it to begin with? Could she be the one that created it?

As she continued gazing into the ripples she saw a flash of a face behind her, and she furrowed her eyebrows. She blinked and suddenly three people were standing behind her in the reflection.

"It's you," A familiar male voice said.

She jumped, startled to a stand with her hands up to defend herself.

"Whoa!" exclaimed the voice, as she saw the figure behind her jump away.

The rattling sounds of glass jars clinking together brought her out of her panic and her eyes focused in the dim light.

"Easy there!" He said, adjusting his grip on a wooden box he was carrying.

"Kiden...?" Kali breathed, trying to make her heart stop galloping.

She slowly lowered her hands, unsure of what to do with them now that there was no threat.

"It's only you." she sighed, and then put a hand to her forehead, "Sorry, you startled me."

The potion master's apprentice reached up and adjusted a pair of glasses that she'd never seen him wearing before. She supposed that he probably needed them when he wasn't looking through a thick set of goggles for his work.

As he adjusted them, she noticed he was looking her up and down. Her heart, most certainly did not stop galloping. She only hoped the dim light of the town hid her pinking cheeks.

"I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that." he chuckled. "But, what are you doing out here ...and...so dressed up?"

Her eyes widened and she looked down, internally cursing herself for how out of place she'd made herself look without changing. Why didn't she just angrily undress and put on a damn pair of pants?