A Wolf's Love Howl

A Walk in the Garden

A Wolf's Love Howl
Chapter 3
A Walk in the Garden

    The brute of a man sauntered towards the pointed ear duo, his cape fluttering behind him with each large heavy stride. Ike could see the princess gulp and the hero's eyes narrow. "The hero finally seemed to show up and here I thought you would have turned your tail between your legs and ran away-" the man stopped to look at the bluenette beside him. The man had menacing golden eyes that seemed to burn like flames from sun as he looked Ike up and down surveying him. "-and with this… trash no less." He waved his hand like a king would draw a butler to serve him. Disposable and worthless. "A new face to pummel anyway." Ike instantly went to grab the hilt of his sword when he felt a smaller hand push him aside. Link got between the two of them and only glared up at him more intently. "Your quarrel is with me Ganon, not him. I've beat you, your plans, and your evil minions over and over and I'll do it all again. I know we're not in our homeland, but surely you haven't forgotten what would happen if you attack someone outside of a designated battle?"
     Even though Link was smaller than the other he did not back down an inch, both toe to toe and glaring eye to eye. A swallowing, raging ocean clashing with a scorching, unforgiving sun was only broken when Ganondorf cracked a toothy grin. He wordlessly trudged away back to his convoy of ruffians just as a large booming voice came from above them as if it were some omniscient god.
    "Welcome champions, I am the master and coordinator of this event. Tomorrow you will fight in the arena according to your skill level-" The "master", more or less a talking hand, droned on about the stadium's expected performance, rules, and terms. Ike should have been listening, but his mind was occupied elsewhere. He looked over at Link observing his intrigued expression. "I wonder just how many times he's heard this lecture over and over through the years, but is still so vigilant. Honorable indeed." He thought. Link's face looked scarless and youthful, not like himself. He had more scars than he could explain and not all on the outside.
       Ike looked at the intricate details on Link's green tunic. The color reminded him of the sea of trees he and Mist would run though or hide within the lush shrubbery to get a cheap scare out of his mercenaries. Ike felt homesick already, but he also found comfort knowing that his new companion probably felt similarly. They both knew what it was like to fight an unbeatable foe in a seemingly futile war and living amongst mother nature's many creatures and trees. Finally the hand dissipated and everyone started to disperse, some going to get food from the self-serve dining tables up front in the room or getting their luggage to their respective rooms. Ike was feeling a little peckish so he went up to the tables lined with different foods. Filling his plate up with otherworldly yet visually appealing cuisines he searched for a private place to eat his feast. He noticed a spot near the windows that looked pretty sparse of people.
     The large venetian windows were so massive and clear that one could forget that they were in a building and not in the elegant topiary garden outside. Even the ceiling was huge glass panels that let in all of the sunlight like a sky light. This place was overall breathtaking. "It's even more beautiful at night or when it rains especially. I love coming here when it's storming to watch the rain fall down the windows." Link sat down quietly across from Ike and slid a white envelope with blue embroidery and a unique wax seal with his name on it. "Your room key is inside along with an ID. I was asked to give it to you by Marth since he's helping Roy and Pit to their rooms. Tomorrow is a big day so make sure to rest up." Link clasped his shoulder and stood up hoisting his bag over his shoulder. He gave a small smile and a wave before leaving out the room as effortlessly as he had arrived. He got a few bites down before hearing a woman cooing beside him. "Well who's this hunk?" He turned towards her. Her hands were folded under her chin, her blond hair was spiked upwards at the ends, she wore a large puffy pink dress, and a small crown upon her meadow hair. "I'm Princess Peach." She held her hand out in a way Ike thought she wanted him to kiss her knuckles. He shook her hand instead out of respect for his own queen, getting an unappreciated frown.
    Behind her he saw a short man in a red shirt and blue overalls moving people out of his way to get towards them. "Princess Peach? Where did you go?" He huffed coming to her side. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing him into the side of her bosom. "Well she's clearly not a stranger to affection." Ike thought as the smaller man's face flushed beet red. "He's a newbie! I was just getting his name which is-?" "Ike." "Ike, what a strange name, but nice nonetheless! This is Mario." Mario gave a shy wave and started tugging on Peach's arm. "Let's get you to your room Princess. It was nice meeting you Ike." Before he could give him the same courtesy, they were already making their way through the crowd, Peach giving a hearty wave and a wink. Ike's mouth twitched to a slight frown and finished his food. He picked up his bag and made sure to tuck the envelope into his shirt as he went to throw away his trash.
      He walked outside the doors he came in and followed the herd of warriors that seemed familiar in their surroundings to the dormitories. "40..41…42… 43." He took the key and turned it in the lock. Click. He turned the knob and walked into a considerable sized bedroom with an attached bathroom. He sat his bag down on the blue satin sheet bed and began unpacking his clothes when he heard a loud thud and groan from the room beside him. Stepping into the hall he noticed his neighbors door was slightly ajar. Knock knock. The door opened to reveal the shocked electric blue eyed man once again. "Oh sorry I thought I heard a loud noise from your room. Just checking that you were okay." Link laughs lightly and opens the door more, showing the inside of his room definitely more decorated than his own. In the middle of the room was an open bag with many weapons and gadgets and lastly a large… bomb? "I was unpacking and accidentally dropped it on my foot." He limped to the comically large bomb contraption on the floor and rolled it with his hurt foot. "I'm fine though and thanks for checking up on your neighbor even though I doubt you knew it was me. You're very caring." Ike scratched the back of his head nervously as he felt his cheeks heat up. "Just being a normal person I guess." Link smiled at him and uncliped his belt and stood his sword in the corner near the bed before walking behind Ike outside his room. The door closes with a soft click. "I was about to walk to the garden, if you want I can give you a tour." Ike nodded and Link began talking about all the history he knew about the mansion and its occupants.
     He talked about his friend that they met earlier and how he met Marth. It was common ground for the both of them to open up more conversations about their personal life. Before they knew it they were in the woods walking through a botanical garden. "Zelda introduced me to most of the people here. I wouldn't have this many friends without her since I don't care much for socializing. Princess Peach is a hopeless romantic, but she cares about everyone and Snake is…. A lot." Ike chuckled remembering their exchange earlier. "Your "soon to be lover" you mean?" Link rolled his eyes and blew a few strands of his fair hair out of his face.
    "Snake loves messing with people and pulling pranks. He knows it makes me uncomfortable and it kind of just jeers him on. He doesn't mean any harm and I'd trust him to watch my back in battle." The mood lightened and Link caught himself talking much more than he usually ever would. "He helped me when I was badly injured is all. Plus he seems like a nice person to get to know."  Link thought. Without realizing he had taken Ike almost out to his secret hideaway that only Zelda knew about. Habit he supposed. He took the moment to walk to a rosebush to draw Ike's attention towards it and not let him think that Link had a different destination in mind. Ike walked over and held the red flowers in his hands. Link talked again about all the new additions to the garden and its expansion to the woods when he noticed he was talking to the air.
    He looked around the other side of the bush and saw Ike sitting on the ground beside it making a crown made of the grass and rose buds. "That's beautiful. I didn't take you for someone who's into arts and crafts." Ike smiled warmly back at Link. His eyes a deeper blue than his, piercing yet steady. His blue hair and attire contrasted the greenery around them magnificently only highlighting his attractive attributes under the shade of the trees.
      His broad shoulders leaned into the bush just enough for support, careful not to break any limbs, as he smiled back down at the crown. "I'm really not. I learned to do them with my little sister Mist." "You have a family back home?" Ike reminisced to memories of his sister, his mother,.. and his father. His death is still a seemingly fresh wound on his soul as his smile broke. "I lost my mother when I was young and my father relatively recently. It's just us now. Well us and the rest of the Greil Mercenaries. How about you?" It was Link's turn to look perturbed. "I don't think so. If I do, I've never met them or have any memories of them. I like to think they were important people who maybe died protecting the ones they loved. It's bitter wishing someone, especially my parents, died, but it's better for me to think of it compared to them just not wanting me." Ike stood up from his spot on the ground leaving a barely noticeable indent on the rose bush to place the finished flower crown around Link's Phrygian hat. Link reached up to lightly touch the petals and blushed a lighter shade of the rose. "Well I can't think of a reason why anyone wouldn't want you around. I certainly do even though we just met. You just give off this feeling of optimism." The gentleness of the gesture made him think about how tenderly those large hands tended to the wound on his chest. "Ouch!" He thought and touched his chest lightly and grimaced. "Right, I forgot to reapply the suave." Ike put his hand on Link's shoulder, "Hey are you alright?" Link fained a smile, "Uh yeah just a little cut I had before arrival. Speaking of it, it's getting late. We should go back inside to eat and retire for the night." Ike felt uneasy at the aloofness of his injury and the quick redirection of his question, but decided to leave it alone so as to not drive a wedge in this budding friendship for being too nosy.
       They engaged in more small talk till they reached the dining room that was already filled with people coming to eat after their previous excursions. They got in line for their food and were flagged down by Marth to a table that sat both their parties. Ike had learned quite a few of their names from Link. Ike went to seat himself between Marth and Link when he saw a peculiar looking box on the seat. He looked around at the others, but no one seemed to notice it or pay it any mind. He sat his tray on the table and went to reach for the box to remove it. Catching the glimpse of what Ike was doing from his peripheral vision, Marth jerked his hand up.. but it was too late. Snake came out from under the tiny box, surely too small to hold him, and boo'ed at his unsuspecting victim. Thank goddesses Ike wasn't holding his tray or else Ike would have bludgeoned it against his head. "Woah there big guy. Was just poking fun is all, I didn't think anyone was gonna fall for it." Snake chuckled from the seat he now stole from Ike. "Does it really count as stolen when this box was probably here before me?" Ike thought. He was about to take his tray and move to a different spot when Snake was smacked by an ethereal light sending him on his ass to the floor. Princess Zelda cheekily turned her head and fained ignorance even though it was definitely her magic that sent him flying. Ike took his spot back as Snake grumbled obscenities and found another seat on the opposite side. An angel seated next to Marth stuck his tongue out at Snake and blew a raspberry. "Oh shut it Pit." Pit threw over a roll from his plate which Snake caught and began munching on. Ike was enjoying the conversations around him more listening than talking. Only interjecting to ask questions or when someone asked him something. Zelda was telling the story of how she and Link came to the mansion the first time and how it was difficult for them to adjust too. A few stories on how Link had gone to the wrong room or how he mixed up his laundry with Peach's made him flush in embarrassment which only made Ike smile watching how easily it was for the smaller man to be flustered. If he turned any more red then he may turn into a tomato. Unbeknownst to him three sets of eyes were watching him intently.
      After the meal finished everyone was getting up to clean their plates and go to bed when Ike felt a tug on his cape. "Princess?" Ike asked as the elf looked at him with serious eyes. "I've been watching you and I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but I should let you know just in case. If you do anything to danger us or Link-" She pulled him down to her height with surprising strength Ike would have never guessed she possessed, "-I will personally end you." She quickly let him go and wiped her hands on her dress skirt. "Goodnight Ike." She turned on her heels and began her ascent to her room. "Looks like you got the princess's attention. Well that didn't take long." Snake said as he slithered his arm around Ike's shoulder. "Between you and me, I just think she's just jealous of our good looks." Ike scoffed at the idea and walked forward letting Snake's arm drop off his shoulder. "I'm just saying she never likes anyone who crushes on him. What's the odds of that happening?" Ike looked questionably behind him to Snake, but he was nowhere to be found. "Huh.. wait a minute.." Ike then saw a small box start moving underneath the stampede of feet towards the hall. Ike threw his tray away and began his trek to the room contemplating on everything he's learned today when he noticed Link was at his own dorm's door going inside. "Oh hey." Was all he could muster up when those azure eyes met him. "Hey, good thing I saw you before bed. I wanted to wish you luck for tomorrow. I'll be watching and rooting for you on the sidelines. Can't wait to see how you do. Good night." Link waved goodbye as the door shut behind him. Ike was left alone outside, his hand froze in a wave. He broke out of his trance and unlocked his door and took a final look at room 45. "Goodnight Link." His door shut behind him with a soft click.