#Telma Shutter

[alanyahnke]

Old Favorite On D (B and W) by Alan Yahnke Via Flickr: 1937 Zeiss Ikon 515/16 - 1:6.3 F=7.5 cm Netter Anastigmat Lens -Telma Shutter - Expired Kodak Portra 160nc - Epson V750 Scanner

[vigilantdesert]

@tenebriism liked for a starter with Telma

The fire crackled in the corner of the tavern. Moonlight shone in through a half-shuttered window, and the Castle Town outside was mostly quiet, save for the occasional shout or the passing by of a cart. Telma had closed for business an hour ago, though one patron remained. She'd made good on that promise of a necklace and the two had gotten on since. The captain was a shameless flirt, always willing to show off, and something of an open book. As much as a criminal could be, at any rate.

However, tonight she'd grown quiet. The Twilight wasn't something mentioned much anymore - and was forbidden on her own ship. Most of her crew had been with her, and those that hadn't quickly learned not to ask. Urbosa turned over her canteen in her hands for a moment, eyes firmly planted on the wall ahead of her as she leaned on the bar, staring right past Telma. Her green eyes, usually brilliant as emeralds, lost their luster and almost formed a film.

"... Telma, I will tell you nearly anything you ask of me. I'll tell you where my taxes are paid up and where I'm wanted for theft. But please, don't ask me again what happened during the Twilight."

She held her breath before taking a long drink from the contents of her flask.

"I can't tell you or another soul. For everyone's sake."

[marcherren]

Another tea break on a Brompton tour

shot with a 1930s Zeiss Ikonta 520/2 (Novar-Anastigmat in Telma shutter) on Ilford HP5+

[clumsydarknut]

The Brothel Fic - Part 4: Shatter

Please read parts 1-3 first - the context is important for this series.

Beginning | Previous | Next | Most Recent

---

“I think you already know what I like to do, honey.”

Twilight nearly choked on his chicken. Somehow he’d been managing to ignore the sickeningly sweet voices cooing into his ears, but he was not prepared for that comment to come floating across the table. He looked up nervously from his plate, hoping desperately that the remark wasn’t directed at him.

To his relief, it seemed to come from a girl who was wholly absorbed in Legend’s iron-blue eyes. The man didn’t seem the least bit phased by the attention, leaning into the woman’s hand and twirling her hair around his finger with a grin. Had he not been supremely uncomfortable himself, he might have laughed; right now, Legend seemed an awful lot like Warriors.

“I don’t think he’s listening, Ashlyn.”

Twilight froze as soft hands crept over his shoulders and draped casually across his chest. He felt the girl’s breath on his neck, and a hushed whisper drift into his ear.

“That’s too bad, Trixie.” A warm torso leaned against his back. “Poor boy. So tense. Your shoulders are just begging for a good massage.”

Twilight cursed inwardly and did his best to gently brush off the woman’s arms rather than throw them off with a swift chop. “I, uh… I think I’m okay, thanks.”

The girl gave a disappointed hum but stepped around his chair into his view. She was slender and tall, maybe a few inches taller than himself, with silky black hair and a flowing, almost translucent dress, draped across her in ripples of a calm, pleasantly sunny orange. Her dark eyes met his and her delicate lips twitched up into a smirk.

“You can’t tell me you aren’t sore from your journey,” she purred, “I know the way Linky likes to travel. Let me help you.”

“I’d really rather you didn’t…” Twilight replied hesitantly.

“Oh?” She leaned closer, her face uncomfortably close to his own, as he pushed back further into his chair. “If you’re nervous, honey, you don’t have to worry – I don’t bite.”

Twilight gulped. The eldest of the heroes was locked in a hushed conversation with Wind, and it seemed the others were in much the same position as himself. No help this time, I guess.

“Ma’am, I think maybe you’ve got the wrong idea…” he laughed awkwardly. “I’m not looking for anything more than a meal and a bed…”

He felt another set of arms wrap around his neck and curled brown hair brush against his face. The touch sent a chill down his spine.

“Aw, c’mon, a handsome man like you deserves to relax now and then.” The voice was melodic and gentle. “It looks like Ashlyn was right – your shoulders are desperate, sweetie.”

Gee, you think? he growled inwardly. Every second they spent staring at him put another knot in his already sore muscles. Not that he wasn’t used to this sort of attention – he was well aware of how attractive women found him and had been in many a strange situation concocted by Telma at the bar, but it was looking more and more like these girls weren’t going to take a hint.

“Look,” he said guardedly, moving the woman’s hands off of him, “I appreciate the hospitality, I really do, but I’d like to be left alone right now. Is that alright?”

The two women blinked and exchanged surprised looks, before bursting into giggles. Twilight decided to interpret that as a good sign.

“This one’s rather bold, isn’t he?” the woman in orange sang, covering her small simper with a dainty hand.

“I like a man with spunk,” the brunette intoned with a playful pat on his head. “But as you wish. If you change your mind, we’ll be around.”

The two girls waltzed away, laughing giddily, and Twilight melted into his seat with a silent thank you to the Goddesses. He wasn’t like Warriors – or Legend, apparently. Flirting and teasing was not his idea of a good time. It felt so… insincere. He couldn’t play that sort of game. His feelings couldn’t be compartmentalized like that. How could you want to be vulnerable, intimate, and passionate with a girl if you didn’t have that deep-set devotion to her first? He didn’t really understand, and he didn’t really want to find out.

He sighed, rolling out his shoulders some before stabbing his fork back into his chicken. It seemed Time had a pretty good handle on preserving Wind’s innocence, keeping a firm arm glued around the boy’s shoulders and a sharp warning shining in his eye. Whether the kid had just never encountered a brothel or didn’t know about sex at all, he seemed equally bewildered. Twilight chuckled softly. Better that than the sorry state the rest of us are in.

He took another glance across the table. Warriors seemed completely absorbed in wooing a very pretty blonde who was thoroughly attached to his arm, a suave, self-satisfied smirk gracing his youthful features. Alright, everyone but Warriors.

He turned his gaze further to the right and found Legend was almost entirely obscured from his view by a myriad of bubbly beauties. Based on the man’s smug grin, he was also enjoying himself. Okay, everyone but Warriors AND Legend.

Almost as if on cue, however, Legend’s grin faltered.

“I think I’m going to turn in for the night.” The words were quickly obscured by the whines of his crowd of girls. The man took an uncharacteristically large gulp of his wine and got to his feet. Twilight passed him a concerned look. “Could one of you lovely ladies show me to my room?”

Twilight got the impression that wasn’t a seductive invitation.

A woman in scarlet led the red-clad man from the room, clutching his wrist tightly, as the other girls continued to lament his departure. It didn’t seem anyone noticed the slight change in his demeanor. His shoulders weren’t as proud, nor did his smile reach his eyes like it usually did. Twilight was excellent at reading people, but he’d never expected Legend to make it so easy. Something was wrong. Really wrong.

Twilight continued picking at his chicken, watching the two figures leave the dining hall in the corner of his eye. Legend wasn’t the type to want a shoulder to cry on or a friend to listen intently. He walked his own path and kept to himself, and it seemed he liked it that way. Twilight could understand that. The solace and strength in walking one’s own path was very familiar to him.

So… you can handle this by yourself, can’t you?

He took his time finishing his meal. Hyrule wasn’t kidding – this Raven girl was quite the cook. It had been a good long time since he’d had a dish that reminded him of home. And thankfully Ashlyn and Trixie had spread the word that he didn’t want to be bothered, allowing him to eat in peace. He watched patiently as the others began to head to their rooms, and when he figured enough time had passed, he too left, leaving only Four and Warriors still in the dining hall.

The house had gone mostly quiet, aside from the few patters of bare feet in the kitchen and the gentle hum of hushed conversations muffled by the heavy carpets and tapestries. Twilight made his way down a darkened hall, being careful to tread lightly as he approached the room Amber had directed him to. He pressed an ear to the door, and after a moment of silence, cautiously pushed it open.

The room was dark, with only the embers of a fire still glimmering in the fireplace. As with the rest of the building, the carpet was overly plush and the walls strewn with trinkets and fabrics. The bed, however, seemed to be completely untouched. Twilight slid into the room and shut the door behind him gently. Nothing seemed to have been disturbed. Is Legend even here? He paused and listened.

Breathing.

He found the source on the floor between the wall and the bed. Legend lay still, curled over in a tangled ball with his knees pulled to his chest and his arms pinned awkwardly against the floor. He still wore his boots and his rings, his long hat tangled around his head. With Twilight’s good eyesight, he could see even in the black that trails of salt stained the man’s face. Was he… crying?

Twilight was tempted to move the man onto the bed, but knowing Legend, that would only hurt his pride. It was clear he hadn’t wanted anyone to know. He always made out his journeys to be purely adventurous, never giving any indication of anything weighing down on his shoulders. But now, in the dark and silence beyond the eyes of their companions, Twilight could see that depiction was a farce. And not a farce he was going to tear down any time soon. They all had things – and people – they didn’t talk about.

He silently made his way to the other side of the bed before removing his gear and setting it by the fireplace. The room was completely black now, with just the smallest hint of the nighttime chill seeping through the hearth. He chose not to close the shutters; the sound would wake Legend, and he didn’t really mind the cold. Instead, he turned back to the bed and gingerly tugged the tightly-tucked blankets from beneath the mattress and carefully slid the down comforter partway off the far side of the bed. Twilight froze for a moment when Legend stirred, but the older man settled quickly, shifting just slightly in response to the blanket now draped across him. Satisfied, Twilight climbed into bed himself, pulling the remainder of the sheets up over his shoulders and curling away from the sleeping hero. He hoped that when the man awoke, he’d assume he hadn’t been seen and that the blanket had just slid off the bed.

Twilight took a long, peaceful breath, settling into the fluffy mattress and letting his eyes slide closed. If it had been a long time since he’d had a hearty, homey meal, it had been an eternity since he slept in a bed as comfortable as this. It didn’t take long for him to find the tranquil haze of sleep.

---

Can you at least promise me this?

The sky was hazy and dim, splaying glimmers of orange across the vast lake. Rising from the opposite shore, a distorted version of Fyer’s carnival music danced through the heavy air. His feet sunk into the wet sand. Icy water sloshed into his boots. Standing atop the lake in front of him, a close childhood friend.

You don’t need to worry about me any longer.

She took a step back. She was clad in a beautiful white gown, the light silk flowing off her figure and mixing with the ripples beneath her bare feet. Her short, ash blonde hair was slicked against her head, plipping droplets into the water. She took another step.

Whenever you return…

Unease pressed at his consciousness. The distant music grew louder and closer. Another step.

I’ll be waiting for you.

The unease peaked into dread and he desperately pulled his boots from the sand, reaching a trembling hand toward her as she suddenly dropped into the depths of the lake. He dove into the water, scraping his way after her through the murk as she continued to sink. The sky above burned amber. Her blank stare met his eyes.

You were always there… You were always beside me…

Grabbed by an unseen hand she was wrenched into the black and he let out a garbled cry. Suddenly, the orange glow pierced the surface, changing the black to white and turning the world to glass. A girlish cackle echoed around him, and a new presence tugged at his senses.

You know, we could be assembling something truly terrible here…

A figure flitted through his peripherals. He twisted about trying to catch it, but it moved too fast.

It could be something we ultimately have to destroy…

The void of glass lurched and he fell, landing with an awful crack. Something unseen sliced into his hands. The earplitting clash multiplied, and harsh fractures creaked their way through his vision.

You’ll come with me… won’t you?

The space shattered, and he once again hit water. The sky was blue and the trees green, the bubbling pond clear and cool. Ordona Spring, as beautiful as ever. He could see the grass waving in the wind and feel the wildlife around him, but only one sound could be heard: the thundering of hooves.

You might not be able to come back here, but… do you still want to go?

He opened his mouth to shout and was drowned out by an enormous boom. He turned toward it. The gate to the spring blew apart and a massive beast took its place, growing ever larger, its shadow stretching across the pool. Seven arms. An otherworldly glow. Atop its head, an ancient, cracked mask.

So what are you going to do now? My lonely little hero… Eeh hee!

---

Twilight jolted awake with a gasp, throwing himself upright and tearing at the sheets. His lungs burned as his breath came in hoarse, searing pants. Sweat drenched his brow, but his hands felt cold and clammy. Knowing now that he was awake, he forced his breath to slow.

Where… where did that come from? he thought.

He took his left hand in his right and rubbed his thumb over his palm. No cuts. Only a dream. He sighed. I haven’t had one like that since… before. He shut his eyes. The uneasiness lingered.

“Bad dream?”

The voice startled him and his heart rate jumped again. The room was dim, but it wasn’t black anymore, and the chill it had held when he climbed into bed was gone. A small fire flickered in the hearth, and a bare-chested figure tended it with an iron poker.

“We’re not being ambushed,” Legend continued, “if that helps put you at ease.”

Twilight took another few moments to calm himself, letting out a slow exhale. It was still night, it seemed. The house was still silent and calm, and the older man had shed his gear. The comforter had been replaced on the bed, and the fire crackled softly.

Legend rehung the poker and stretched with a soft grunt. “I’m not one for heartfelt touchy-feely stuff, but if you’re itchin’ to talk…”

Twilight thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I’m alright.”

Legend nodded and got to his feet with a yawn. He started toward the opposite side of the bed, but paused.

“I know those dreams,” he said quietly. His firelit gaze met Twilight’s. “You’ll find her again. One day. I promise.”

Twilight gulped, then nodded.

Legend took the last few strides to his side and climbed into bed, tugging the blanket up over himself with his back to Twilight. Twilight took a similar pose, turning away and letting his eyes rest on the fire.

“Uh, Twi?”

He turned his head slightly. “Yeah?”

“…thanks.”

[alanyahnke]

Zeiss Self by Alan Yahnke Via Flickr: Trying out the self timer on the old Zeiss. It works. 1937 Zeiss Ikon 515/16 - Netter Anastigmat Lens -Telma Shutter - 400 ISO Konica Pro Outdated 2001 - Epson V750 Scanner