Louise was on the top of the world, she had managed to summon an elf. That would show Kirche, why she bet that no one else had managed to pull off something so amazing. Finally she had proof that she wasn't a Zero. She was about to shove it in all their faces when the elf began speaking in a weird language, his hands outstretched and gesturing expressively. "Get away Louise, he's casting a spell." Colbert yelled at her and pointed his wand at the elf. Louise wanted to yell at Colbert but then her familiar took one more step forward and she cringed from the explosion. It was tightly compacted and struck her new familiar in the chest knocking him to the ground.
When he didn't move any further, Louise moved in front and blocked Colbert's aim. This was obviously a big misunderstanding if everyone would just calm down they'd see that she had everything under control. To Louise it had been a frantic few minutes with her fear that her summoning spell had not worked the first time and that she would have to suffer the embarrassment of trying again. The joy of finding out her summoning had been a success. The embarrassment of giving her first kiss in front of such a large group of people. The shock when the elf had removed his hood to reveal his identity to every one around. The satisfaction that Louise had done something extraordinary just like she had promised that idiot Kirche yesterday. The silence when Mr. Colbert knocked her familiar out with a single spell.
Louise looked down at her fallen familiar and wondered what would happen next? Would Mr. Colbert kill her familiar as something to dangerous to allow within the grounds? Louise would not accept that. Here was proof that she was a powerful mage and she would not let that proof be destroyed. With shoulders back Louise stood in front of her familiar and held her wand at the ready. "Louise, what do you think you're doing? Put your wand away Zero." Kirche yelled out, scandalized that someone would be so brazen as to threaten a teacher.
Troubled, Mr. Colbert slowly lowered his wand, it was anyone's guess if Louise's failure at a spell would even reach him but there was no cause for him to hurt her. His response to her familiar's identity had been rash and foolish, if the elf hadn't been caught unaware he could have caused it to run rampant through the school. He would have to apologize to Louise at the very least, and her familiar if it didn't prove too life threatening. "It's alright Kirche. In fact, I am sorry that I behaved in such a reprehensible way. To make it up to you would you allow me to help you carry him to your room?"
"I... Uhm, yes that would be most acceptable." Louise put her wand away and walked stiffly back to her room. Mr. Colbert picked up the fallen familiar and followed her lead, not wanting to make the situation worse then it already was. Looking at the rest of the students, whispering amongst each other over what had just happened. "This ends the Spring Summoning Festival and you now have the rest of the day off to become more acquainted with your familiars. It is a bond that should be cherished." Colbert declared, motioning for the students to disperse before following Louise to her room.
When they arrived in Louise's room, she watched as Mr. Colbert searched her familiar's person, removing several objects from his person. Some were quite innocuous, a piece of bark with some figures etched in, a four leaf clover, a shard of pottery, an empty bottle, a blue instrument of some sort, while others were clearly weapons. Two knives the length of a hand, popular among trappers, a cord of rope, a small sword that gleamed like new, a metal shield with strange markings, not belonging to any noble house Louise knew of. It was when the bracers were removed that Louise caught sight of the runes that proclaimed this unconscious man her familiar.
Pulling out a piece of parchment, Mr. Colbert sketched them down and said, "This will take some additional study but I think I've seen them some where before. Louise, I would like to speak to your familiar tomorrow morning, to apologize personally to him. Would that be alright?"
Louise nodded her head, "Of course professor but why are you taking my familiar's things?"
"As much as I trust you and the summoning ritual, your familiar is to much of an unknown to let him wander freely with weapons. At a later date, when he has proven himself trustworthy I will return what is his. Until that time will you make sure to look after him for me?" At Louise's hesitant nod Mr. Colbert left Louise to a wait her familiar's return to the land of the living.
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When Link woke up he felt himself lying on a bed of straw. Comfortable as far as that went, he couldn't hear any animals that would place him in a barn, nor smell the waste. Figuring he wouldn't learn anymore this way, he opened his eyes to find himself staring right in to the pink eyes of the girl from the field who had kissed him. "Gaah!" Link pressed himself back against the gray stone of the wall even as the girl fell back on to her butt.
"So," Link said, trying to break the tension, "I get the feeling I'm not in Hyrule. Could you tell me where I am?" As he reached towards her the girl backed away and began shouting at him in some strange tongue he didn't recognize but reminded him of doves.
"Look, I don't understand a word your saying." And that's when she pulled out her stick and swung it at him, shouting. Link was hoping that whatever she was doing that it would hurt less then the old man had thrown at him.
Well, it had hurt less but if this was what he had to look forward to in this land, Link decided that being on the wrong end of a wand should always be avoided.
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As the smoke cleared from the explosion Louise heard her familiar let out a groan, "Well, this sucks." Louise could understand her familiar. Not what she had wanted but this could be just the thing to get her familiar to follow her commands. "I am your Master, Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. What may I call you?"
"My name is Link."
Louise was taken aback, such a simple name with no family name connected to it. There was probably a story behind that. "That seems like a silly name, do all elves have names like yours?"
Link waved a hand in front of his face, "Elves? I'm not sure what you mean by that but as far as I know I'm unique."
"You don't know what an elf is? How can you not know that?" Louise found the whole idea completely ridiculous.
"No idea, why don't you tell me what an elf is and I can tell you if I am." The innocent look on his face didn't bode well for her and for a brief moment she wondered if it was a mistake but Professor Colbert wouldn't have reacted so strongly if he hadn't thought he was an elf.
"You should be able to tell what you are. Well an elf has long pointy ears, wear green clothes, and are fair to look upon, like you," Looking at the small smile that brought had her face flush, "They have powerful spells and they are mighty warriors able to take on armies single handily. Oh and they can live for centuries."
"hmm, I don't know any powerful spells and taking out armies would be more then I could handle but I suppose I fit the physical features close enough. Don't know how long I'll live but I don't think I'm living centuries. I'm only 19 years old right now, or am I past my twenties yet?" Link mused to himself.
"You're an elf," Louise said in a voice that brooked no argument, "Your Master is a powerful mage and you are not some simple commoner. I can tell there is something special about you."
Link shifted uncomfortably, "I am not that special, just a wanderer you picked up between planned destinations. Is there anyway you could return me back to field I was on before?"
"No, the summoning is one way. You are now my familiar, bound to serve me for the rest of your life."
"I had hoped to return some things I borrowed. If I can't go back can you at least have some of my belongings returned...?" Link began patting himself down and realizing that everything was missing, his search became more frantic. Patting down his body and looking around the room he found himself in. It was very well furnished, with a big four poster bed and a solid desk with old books stacked on it. The room was lit with candles spaced throughout so that most spaces were well lit.
"Where are my belongings?" Link's voice was strained, "There are two items, one a small sword, and the other a blue ocarina. It's important that I get them back to where they belong."
"Mr Colbert confiscated them, he said he would return them when you were trustworthy. If you tell me where their from I could have him send them back."
Link frowned, "No, this is my responsibility but what do mean when I'm trustworthy? What could I have done to receive such distrust? I just got here after all."
Louise grinned, "Its because you're an elf. The strongest magical people in all the land. There's been a couple wars between us and them and even outnumbered a hundred to one in a battle they tend to win so you can't really blame people if they get a little nervous around you."
"Din's Flame, then what am I supposed to do?"
Louise sat down on the bed, "Your people are feared in this country due to the acts of the past. Still if you prove yourself as my familiar then they won't have anything against you and your belongings will be returned. Can you do laundry?"
Link looked at her askance, "Well yes, it is one of the things I can do. Learned it when I was young."
"Good, as my familiar you'll perform certain duties until everyone realizes that your not someone to fear. Is that understood?"
"I think so, you wish me to be your servant and what do I receive in return?"
"I am your Master and you are my Familiar. It is a magical bond with certain benefits granted and can only be ended by death. A fair relationship."
"What are these benefits?"
"A Familiar is able to grant its Master an enhancement in vision and hearing by letting the Master see what the Familiar sees. A Familiar will retrieve items that its Master desires. Like reagents for spells. Most important of all, a familiar exists to protect its Master! Protecting them from any and all enemies is a duty of the highest priority!" Louise was on her feet and shouting, fist raised up in the air.
"And what if I refuse?"
Louise fist dropped and she was stunned by what her familiar was suggesting to her. "You can't refuse! You're my familiar. You said so yourself that you don't know how to get back home. The summoning spell is one-way, as in there is no way I can return you. Really what choice do you have?"
Louise didn't like Link's contemplative look and knew she needed to distract him. She pulled off her shirt and tossed it to the blond and almost laughed as he noticed her state of dress and turned his back to her. Just to add the icing to the cake she tossed her panties on his head and went to get her nightgown from the dresser and put it on. "I'll need you to clean those by the morning."
"Doesn't it worry you that I'm a male?"
"Of course not, you are my familiar. I might as well get embarrassed by getting dressed in front of a dog." Louise finished dressing, turned around, and froze at the sight of Link's eyes hardened with distaste.
"I see. Well, I'll leave you alone for the rest of the night. Laundry to do." Link picked up the clothes and balled it together before leaving the room, slamming the door behind him.
"Stupid familiar, he needs me. Why's he have to be so irritating?" Despite her grumbling, Louise could barely fall asleep from the excitement of having such a rare familiar. Louise was no longer the Zero.
----------------------------------------------------
Link walked down the halls, down the stairs and near the entrance he saw a fop of a boy laughing it up with a younger girl. "Sweet lady, truly your beauty is greater then that of the stars, for your eyes shine with a light that captivates my heart."
"Guiche, you are just to much. To think someone like you would spend time with a first year student. Its like a dream."
"What does age matter to a flower, as long as beauty is present. If anyone is dreaming I think it surely must be me."
He was a smooth talker, no doubt about it but Link had better things to do with his time, and the sight of him might send the two in to a panic. Considering what Louise had said, letting him wander the grounds unsupervised was foolish but getting in to an argument with her over it would also be stupid. Going by his experience with the man that had shot first and asked questions later, Louise was likely to be his only ally until his presence became unremarkable.
Link entered the main courtyard and when he looked up in to the night sky he saw two moons, one a cool blue and the other a bloody red. Link knew he had been sent further then he had ever feared. No matter how far he had traveled there had only ever been one moon. No tales told around the campfire on caravans or other adventurers had hinted at such an impossibility. It appeared he wouldn't be able to return, nor give back the precious gifts that had helped him survive to this date.
He would always be in their debt from now on. Link sighed and roamed the grounds till he found a fountain with a washboard and a maid with black hair also working late in the night. Link hated to be a bother but asked, "When you are finished may I use your washboard?"
The maid glanced at him and froze, like a mouse in front of a hawk, her knuckles white in the moon light. "Of of course, good sir." Link laid down on the grass and looked up at the stars and the strange new moons. Purposefully not looking at her lest he scare her away,"My name's Link. What's yours?"
There was a long pause when the woman's cleaning stopped and the silence was becoming oppressive. "Siesta, Sir Link."
The silence between them transitioned from awkward to comfortable and the sound of chirping insects filled the night air.
"That's a nice name. Does it mean anything?"
"No, Sir Link. Just the name my parents gave me. And yourself, does Link have any special meaning?" Link grinned at that, the maid must be feeling brave, maybe it wouldn't take so long to fit in after all.
"It might. I never got the chance to ask." Link clasped his hands together and bowed his head. The maid seemed touched by his actions.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
"Thank you." Link let Siesta finish her work without distracting her for the rest of the night. True enough she left the washboard for him to perform his own labors. The water from the fountain was cold but the night was warm enough that the clothes should be dry by the morning. Link thought about returning to that large room, fit for royalty but the thought of waking up on a bed of straw didn't make him happy. It looked beautiful out tonight, and it wouldn't do to leave his master's clothes unguarded. He laid next to the tree and rested his eyes.
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When the sun came up the next morning, Link was up with it. The clothes had dried and he went back to the room to find Louise still asleep. Link was in a good mood, seeing all sorts of new constellations had cheered him up, and he gently shook Louise awake. "It's time to get up."
Louise let out a groan and tried to pull the sheets over her head but Link would have none of it and puled them straight off. Chilled by the loss of her bedding, Louise cracked open one drowsy pink eye before mumbling, "Oh good, for a second I was afraid you were a dream."
Link waited and it wasn't long before Louise was awake enough to sit up from her bed and looking at him in a way that brought back memories to Link. He knew that look because at one time he had worn that look himself. "Master, what is a familiar to you?"
"It is a symbol of my power, that I am not worthless." Link could hear the pride in the girl's voice, and hoped he was worthy of it. Her expectations of elves were so great, even the Hero of Time might have trouble living up to them. Her words also made him realize that he was a status symbol, much like fairies of his childhood home.
"Worthless? I understand now. I'm your fairy."
"Fairy, what are you talking about?"
"A companion and guide, given to every person in my homeland as soon as they are born. Being without one can be deadly." Nestled deep in the heart of the Lost Woods, powerful enchantments had been laid in to the bark, branches, and roots of the forest by the Great Deku Tree himself so that without that guide a person would become lost, wandering in circles until the day they died. Even death didn't promise escape from those trees, this generally kept all but the most foolhardy from trespassing in to the Lost Woods.
For as long as Link had been in his homeland he couldn't leave the Kokiri village with out Saria or one of the others by his side. With Mido always bullying him for taking up so much of Saria's time, sometimes it had just been easier to stay in his tree house.
"I suppose. Now you will help me dress." Louise's words broke him from his reminiscing.
"Why?"
"Nobles cannot be expected to dress themselves when a servant is at hand."
Link looked at the girl in front of him and thought about doing as she asked, he didn't want to make her angry. On the other hand, he had saved kingdoms and some brat was going to treat him as a simple servant? This wasn't part of the duties as a familiar that she had told him last night.
"Which am I Louise, a familiar or a servant? If the first then expecting me to dress you is absurd, I don't expect the other students are getting dressed by their animals. If a servant, then where is my bond for entering in to your service? Where are my lodgings? Or am I some pet undeserving of respect, to do with as you please? That seems a dangerous idea considering what you think I am. I will allow you to choose the role I will fulfill and will do so to the best of my abilities but I will not be your servant, your pet, and your familiar."
Louise was flustered at his reaction, "Fine get out of the room, but you will be escorting me to breakfast."
Link didn't think this was settled for a moment, Louise was only giving herself time to think. She wasn't holding the leash of a whipped dog but a feral wolf, with unknown powers that could savage her if she took things to far. It couldn't be helped, after breakfast Louise would be taking Link to meet with Mr. Colbert and speak with him.
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Louise finished dressing herself, and when she exited her room to rejoin Link to go down to breakfast it was to see her rival carefully inspecting her familiar. Kirche the Ardent; had flaming red hair, was taller than Louise, though a head shorter then Link, and while her face was attractive, Louise would have to say that Kirche's biggest claim to fame was her captivating bust line. Her breasts were like melons.
Kirche was well aware of this fact and used it to get every boy to give her gifts and occasionally in to her bed. The top two buttons of her blouse were undone, highlighting an impressive cleavage which had drawn many peoples' eyes in. Her skin was tanned, giving her the look of healthy and natural beauty. Despite her immoral behavior, she was a powerful fire mage and received good grades in application even if theory wasn't her strong suit.
In point of fact Kirche was everything that Louise wasn't and when their family history was accounted for as well, it was no surprise that Louise really, really, really hated this girl.
When Kirche saw Louise a big grin formed, "Good morning, Louise."
If only Kirche ever thought of her as more then a cute nuisance that she could humor.
"Good morning Kirche."
Kirche's hand moved to touch Link but stopped inches away, slightly trembling, Link looked a little lost on what was happening here. Well good, it served him right for walking out on her earlier. "And this is your familiar?"
"Of course. I told you that I'd summon something truly amazing and I did."
Kirche's cheeks flushed scarlet, but she pulled her hand back and seemed to regain control over herself, as she focused on Louise.
"I summoned an impressive familiar yesterday too. Flame!"
Out her door walked a large red and white lizard, as long as Link was tall, with a bright flame on its tail.
"Is that a Salamander?" Louise couldn't stop herself from asking, even though she knew it would only feed in to Kirche's inflated ego.
"That's right, a fire lizard! See, look at the tail, a flame this bright is without a doubt a salamander from the Fire Dragon Mountains! Such a rare creature is priceless. But an elf, that's also impressive. You really have a way of getting the wrong result from a spell, Louise the Zero. Though this time it looks like it worked out to your favor. So, what's his name?"
"My name is Link." Louise looked at her familiar and didn't like the way he was looking at Kirche.
"What a strange name."
"I get that a lot."
"I am Kirche the Ardent. Everywhere I go I inspire the smoldering passion of others. Should I inspire that heat in you... well I am just across the hall." Kirche blew Link a kiss and the big breasted floozy and her, not impressive in the least, salamander departed for the dining hall.
Louise gave Link a furious look, "If I ever catch you in her bed, I don't care if you are an elf, I will make you rue the day you were ever born."
Despite the threat, Link still looked thoughtful as Louise stormed off.
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Breakfast was truly fit for nobility, Alviss Dining Hall was one of the largest dining halls Link had ever been in, the tables laden with all sorts of food, high quality stuff that Link wasn't likely to see outside of a castle. Louise had Link pull out her chair for her but when Link was about to take a seat at the table by his Master's side Louise gave him a sour and directed him to a bowl lying on the ground. It was filled with some kind of mash.
"So I am your pet."
Louise looked to the side. "Hmph, I still haven't decided anything. Familiars are supposed to stay outside. You're only in here because I specifically requested it."
Link decided to let the matter drop for now but continued to stand by her side and asked something else that had been bothering him, "While I'm here, what kind of place is this to have so many children of the same age together? The place is far to wealthy for any monastery I've seen before."
"Are you so uncultured as to not know what a school is?" Louise was scandalized.
It would be best not to answer that question.
"This is the renowned Tristain School of Magic, a place of learning, where all the noble's send their children to learn the art of magic in a secure environment without putting their own lands at risk. It also allows us to make friendships with our peers and ease future relations. How do you educate the young where you come from?"
"On the job training mostly. Parents apprentice their kids to a certain tradesman and they learn everything they need to know that way. Not sure what the Princess did, I think she was privately tutored."
Louise gave him a strange look, "Did you know this princess personally?"
Link looked around and saw their conversation was drawing a lot of attention. "I'll see you outside, in fact from now on I think I'd rather eat with the other familiars." Link got to his feet, leaving his bowl of mash on the ground and headed for the exit.
"Wait," Louise called after him, "we still have to meet up with Mr. Colbert."
Louise finished her breakfast even as the snickers rose from the other tables.
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Colbert was in his workshop, his experiments shelved as he studied the plain looking items that he had taken from Louise's familiar. Some of them, were exactly as they seemed while others gave off an obvious aura that made him want to burn them with his strongest spells. Colbert picked up one of the masks showing a strange face with red eyes and a snout, the face rough with bark. Turning it over he could see the smooth surface of the back of the wood, with no way to see through the eyes. Perhaps it was not a mask but a totem of some sort, if only he knew what it did he could test it out.
Colbert's musings were cut short as a knock came from his door. To his relief it was Louise and her familiar. Seeing the elf conscious and on his own two feet Colbert could see that the familiar was a tall man head and shoulders above Louise. His stance was tense and he looked like he was ready to leap.
Touched by the elf's desire to protect Louise and wariness of him Colbert decided it would be best to defuse the situation. "I am Mr. Colbert, one of Louise's instructors here at Tristian's Magical Academy. I wanted to apologize for my rash actions yesterday. I shouldn't have doubted the summoning."
Unspoken were the words of his faith in Louise, and the girl looked down at the ground while the familiar nodded his head, "Louise explained that elves have a fearsome reputation here. I commend your courage. Now give me back what is mine so I can protect my Master."
Colbert shook his head, "I'm afraid I can't do that. I don't know how Louise managed it but you are an elf and until I can trust the lives of these students in your hands, I refuse to do anything that will endanger them further. However if you tell me what enchantments are on these items, it would prove useful to my research."
"Whatever you do, don't put on any of the masks. They are cursed to change a man's form and I don't know if I could remove that curse. Everything else isn't dangerous, just trinkets with minor effects. I keep them for the memories." The familiar did not sound happy about the idea of Colbert doing anything to his things but at least he had given that warning.
Colbert looked to Louise and was interested to see that far from being outraged by the elf's rudeness, Louise looked happy about her familiar's attitude. Elves were strong magical beings, and even removed of all his weapons he didn't show any hesitation in front of a noble who had knocked him out with a single spell, or maybe it was from his plain declaration to protect her. Which brought Colbert back to the question that had been bothering him all night. "Why didn't you block my spell after you were first summoned?"
The elf shrugged, "I was unprepared for that type of attack, most of the casters I've fought have a longer casting time and the attack flies from them to me. If you'd like to give it another go I could use the exercise." Not to mention the summoning could have been disorienting, Louise's familiar hadn't looked steady when he'd gotten to his feet.
"No thank you," Colbert shook his head, "I think that will be all for today. I recommend you stay out of trouble while here. I have alerted the headmaster of your presence and the staff and students will be assured of your good behavior but I can make no guarantees of your welcome here."
The elf's eyes lingered on the table, staring at one item in particular near the end but finally Louise got his attention and two of them left for her next class.
An informative meeting but too many mysteries. Colbert would have to look to the library for more answers.
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(Posted Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:56)
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