Chapter Seven
Auralii awoke on a small cot. It wasn’t very comfortable, but when Auralii sorted out what must have happened to her recently, she was glad that it was dry and mold-free. What did happen? Someone who looked like Link (and like Liam, now that I think about it) kidnapped me. Why? What did I do? The conversation that she had had with Link before came to mind. He had told her to be careful of what she wished for. She had always wanted adventure. Being kidnapped was an adventure. Now, she understood what he had meant. Right now, the only place she wanted to be was home, with her family.
Cautiously, she opened her eyes and sat up. She was in a small, barred cell with no windows. All that was in her little room was the cot she sat on and a hole on the other side of the cell. There can only be one use for that, she thought with disgust. Outside the cell seemed to be a small room and a door. There were no other cells at all. A few torches tried to brighten the room in vain. Auralii was glad that she wore her warmer nightdress now. She found a thin blanket at the end of the cot and wrapped herself up in it as best she could. At least she wasn’t tied up.
After a short while, Auralii heard the sound of a key in the lock of the door. She looked up with what she felt was a defiant expression as the door opened.
It was the man that she had thought was Link. In the dim light she could see that he definitely was not. His hair was as black as night, and his eyes were red as blood. His skin, in contrast to his hair, was white as could be. He’s like Snow white, except his eyes are red, not his lips. His expression was what made him even more different. He seemed to have no expression at all. Auralii couldn’t help but shudder.
Before she could interrogate him, another figure appeared through the door. This shape was not in any way that of a person. Auralii felt herself shrink back involuntarily as the shape loomed before her in the light. It could only be one thing: Ganon.
“What do you want with me, Ganon?” she asked, her voice surprisingly steady. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“I don’t care if you are,” he snarled. His voice was full of rage and hate, and Auralii doubted her words. No, I have to be brave. He’s just an overgrown pig. I’ll make him into bacon and serve him to my family for dinner tomorrow night.
“Well, what do you want with me? You still have yet to answer me.”
“You’re being foolishly brave again, just like the last time,” he growled.
“Last time? What last time?” What, is there something I missed?
“You remember! Don’t play games with me, Sapphira. I won’t stand for your cheek again.”
Auralii laughed out loud. “So, I’m Sapphira, am I? Looks like you’ve mixed up your girls again, Ganon. I thought it was hard to think that Sapphira was Kalunera, but this is even better.”
“What?!” He stomped forward for a better look. “Loki! Bring her out of the cell!”
“Yes, Master,” replied the man. He pulled out a key and unlocked the cell. Auralii wouldn’t have though of running, but he was next to her in a split second, dragging her to her feet and out of the cell. Now, she stood right in front of Ganon. It’s a good thing that he’s not scarier close up. The Evil King studied her in the better, yet still poor light.
“Loki,” he said, his voice even, yet still full of rage, “How did you manage to find this girl?”
“I did as you said, Master.” He didn’t seemed distressed as he spoke. His life might be on the line for his mistake! thought Auralii. Isn’t he scared at all? “You told me that Link would be a man who looked like me aside from coloring. I saw him kissing a red-haired woman. Later that night, when the coast was clear, I kidnapped the red-haired woman.”
“But this isn’t Sapphira!”
Auralii thought to herself for a moment as Ganon fumed. Link’s never kissed me. Neither has Liam. Liam has kissed Kalunera, who also has red hair. I saw him do it tonight…
“I can tell you what happened,” said Auralii. This ought to make him feel stupid. “I don’t know if you recall a man named Liam.”
“What? No!” cried Ganon. “I should have remembered to warn Loki!”
“Exactly. He looks like Link except for coloring, and I suppose that means that he looks like…Loki…except for coloring, too. So, instead of attempting to kidnap Link’s wife, he tried to kidnap Liam’s.
“He remembered what Kalunera looked like because she had red hair. It’s not a very common trait. However, that night, the girl he kidnapped, me, also had red hair. That’s because I’m Kalunera’s sister.”
Ganon stared at her for a second. “Well,” he said gruffly, “I managed to mix up Kalunera and Sapphira. I guess that would make it forgivable if my minion mixed up three people. You’ll have to do as the hostage.”
“What? I’m being held hostage?” It was Auralii’s turn for the tone of disbelief. “I’m the middle child! I’m supposed to get the least attention.”
“Tough. You don’t have a choice, Princess. What is your name, anyway?”
She straightened up. “Auralii.”
“Fine. Deal with it, Auralii.”
“I will. On a few conditions.”
He sighed. “Isn’t the youngest supposed to be the spoiled one?”
She ignored him. She was on a roll. “If I’m going to be held hostage, then I will require a bigger room, a more comfortable bed, more blankets, windows, suitable food –”
“Okay! Shut up! Loki!”
“Yes, Master?”
“Take the prisoner to a third floor room. You know which ones.”
“Yes, Master.”
Loki pulled Auralii out of the room and into the hallway. Auralii was surprised at getting her way. I heard that the King of Evil was supposed to be no one to be trifled with. I didn’t expect for him to listen to me so easily. He must be going soft. He should have been angry with me for using such tone with him. Weird.
“So…Loki,” she said as they walked. “Why does Ganon rely on you so much? Doesn’t he have other minions?”
“Of course he does.”
“What makes you so special? Did he make you better than the rest?”
“Oh, no. The Evil King did not create me.”
“Then who did?”
“Link did.”
“How did –”
Then, she got quiet. When she had talked to Link, he had been very curious on what her book had to say about the Lake of Shadows. His face had been haunted, and he had asked about what happened if the person made it out alive. He had checked the date. And Loki looked exactly like Link. Then it hit her.
