Courage is the Gift I Offer

Chapter Two: Telma

CHAPTER TWO

TELMA

It is near midnight when I stumble into the town the road had led me to. It seems like it may be the epicenter of entertainment and such. Even at this late hour, the streets are full. I sit down in one that is surprisingly empty and lean my head against the building behind me. I feel myself sinking into the ground. When had it become so comfortable? I yawn and stretch my arms to wake myself up. I can't sleep here.

I open my eyes to look around, only to find the world above me! I had actually fallen into the ground!

With a small cry of surprise, I jump, and land on the normal level. Waiting for my heart beat to return to normal, I look around. No one had noticed. Terrified of what I would see, I look down to where I had been moments ago.

Nothing. Just the shadow of the building I had been resting my head on. I furrow my brow and walk to the front of the building, wondering if its contents would tell me how that magic trick worked. I squint at the sign, trying to distinguish the letters in the sparse torch light.

TELMA'S BAR.

I hesitate, not wanting to see the sight of drunk people, but I enter anyway.

The bar is surprisingly empty of customers. Only four people sit in the corner, huddled over a map, talking about strategy and such. They don't seem interested in my entrance, not even looking my way. The bartender, on the other hand, looks up from her glass cleaning.

"Come here sweetie." She says, smiling. "I can fill you a glass."

I hesitantly walk over to the bar where she had motioned. With her back to me, filling my mug, she speaks.

"You can take you hood off, honey. No one will hurt you in here." She says, turning around. "My name is Telma, as you probably read on the sign."

I smile at her and shake my hood off. Her eyes widen momentarily, but she is quick to mask her surprise.

"Who did your tattoos, honey?" She asks, trying to make conversation.

"I...don't know..." I say quietly into my mug.

"Ah. I thought I saw the eyes if an amnesiac." She says knowingly. My 'amnesiac' eyes widen.

"You can tell?" I ask, taking a sip of the bitter beer.

"Oh honey, I helped a young lady once who was amnesiac. Couldn't remember anything, the poor dear. So she helped me around here, and did all that she could for the sick and wounded." She smiles at the memory. "A young man from her village came in one day and recognized her. He helped her regain her memory. The girl's name was Illia." Telma looks over at me carefully to see my reaction.

Illia...I sort of remember the name.... No images come with it, though. Nothing.

The hoof beats of many horses suddenly approach the tavern.

"Oh." Telma says. "That will be the captain and his men." She smiles at me. "Young lady, can you please take a table. There are a lot of them to serve."

I nod and start back to a table in the corner across from the four consultants. Telma calls over.

"Midna dear, you might want to put your hood up. You never know with this group." Telma calls. I set my mug down on my table and start to sit down but stop myself.

Midna. That's what she just called me. Many images follow the discovery of my own name. I sit down slowly, processing all of them. Mostly they are of a world, one the complete opposite of the one that I am currently in. The people bowing to me. I am their princess. Then, there is an image of myself looking in a pond at my reflection, not unlike this afternoon. But the reflection reveals a small form of myself, with a hideous mask covering most of my features. The next image is of a wolf. Was it my pet? I seemed to have used it as transportation often....