The Courtship of
Link and Marin
By Paul "2ie" G.


The waves crashed, the seagulls cried overhead, and the smell of salt was in the air as the small sailboat sailed across the ocean. Its sole occupant, Link, sat with his feet up on the bow and his hands behind his head, and his eyes were closed. Yet despite his relaxed appearance, his mind was raging with feelings.
It had been eight years since he had left Koholint, and he had since been to many other lands, such as Holodrum, Labrynna, and Terminia. But all that time, one image, one girl, remained etched in his mind and in his heart…Marin. When she had first woken him up in her house, he found himself staring into the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. And these eyes belonged to an even more beautiful girl…Marin. He had felt an immediate bond to her, and had felt increasingly growing feelings for her as his journey progressed. And when she joined him to travel to the walrus, his head was just swimming with love, and she often asked him why he was staring at her. However, he thought he glimpsed her staring at him in a similar fashion, but she never said anything. And when he was finally ready to leave the island, and he talked to her one last time, he cried. He couldn't help it. She smiled at him, and gave him a quick kiss, and sent him on his way. She was the sweetest girl he ever met in his life. He just could not stop thinking of her. It was for these reasons he was now on his boat sailing back to Koholint.
He sat up and consulted his compass…he was heading southeast, which was the proper direction. He then checked his map, and his heart skipped…he was less than a half-mile from the island.
"Easy, boy," he told himself, "When you get there, you gotta be smooth…you gotta be cool. You can't lose control."
At length, the gleaming sands of Toronbo Shores appeared on the horizon. Link pulled his sail up higher to get more speed, and soon, he nudged his ship onto the beach. He anchored it, then stood and looked around. He was here!
Everything was as he remembered. The beach with the big coconut trees, the familiar smell of tropical fruit, and the Tal Tal Mountains rising gracefully in the distance. He looked higher, and there was the Wind Fish egg, still nestled atop Mount Tamaranch.
"It's good to be back!" he said with a grin. Then he started walking up the beach to Mabe Village.
A group of Octoroks were ambling along the beach, and when they spotted Link, they started jumping up and down.
"Hey, look! It's Link!"
"Wow, is it really?"
"Awesome!"
Link strolled over to them. "Hey guys! Long time no see! How ya been?"
"Ah, it's not the same without you, man! All the monsters here have missed you."
"Aww, that's sweet." Said Link.
"So…why are you back?"
"Well, actually, I'm here to see Marin."
"Oooooh," they murmured, "Quite the loverboy, are we?"
Link laughed. "Yeah okay. Well it was great seeing you guys!"
"Same here, man!"
"Alright, see you later!" he said, and continued walking. Soon he came to the region simply known as "South of the village" and he found the road leading to Mabe. Soon, he was back in the familiar town. He stopped and said hi to everyone.
"Don't you two ever get tired of playing ball?" he said to the two kids by the library. He then stopped to visit Bow-wow, the dog. At first, Bow-wow growled at him, but then stopped to sniff his hand, then barked happily and licked Link's face.
"So you remember me!" Link said. "You were such a good dog to me!" Bow-wow barked again. Finally, Link said, "Okay, time to get down to business." He adjusted his hat, said a prayer, and slowly walked towards the house in the center of town.
He softly knocked on the door.
"Come in!" said a musical voice from inside. Link opened the door, and there she was! She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her red hair was flowing down past her shoulders, and she was singing softly to herself. She turned to see who it was, and gasped.
"Link? Oh my God, is it you, Link?"
He smiled. "Yep! The one and only!"
"Oh my God!" she ran to him and threw her arms around him. "Oh, I've missed you so much! You have no idea! What are you doing here?"
"Well, actually, I came to see you, Marin."
She pulled back and stared at him. "You…you did? You came all the way here just to see me?"
"Yes."
She put her hand to her mouth. "Link…that's so sweet…I don't know what to say…"
"I couldn't stop thinking about you, Marin. All the time, you were in my head. I just had to come back."
She struggled to speak. "Link…I…" She leaned in and kissed him gently. Then she whispered, "Thank you."

Later that day, Link took Marin to play the Trendy Game. He managed to win some extra Rupees, but Marin was just as mischievous as ever. She picked up the operator with the crane, just as before, and also just as before, they were booted out.
"God, you just never learn, do you?" Link said with a grin.
"Oh, stop." She laughed, giving him a gentle noogie. "It's just so much fun doing that."
"So what do you want to do next?" He asked her.
"I don't know, you pick something."
"How about we go on the rapids ride?"
"Nah, too wild for me." she said. "How about we just go sit on the beach and catch up? I want to hear everything you've done since you left!"
"Fine with me." said Link.

Shortly, they sat together on Toronbo Beach, staring at the waves.
"So what kind of adventures did you have after you left here?" she asked.
"Well, I saved Holodrum from an evil General… I also rescued Labrynna from a sorceress, and I pretty much halted the destruction of Terminia."
"Wow! That must have been hard."
"Yeah, it was," he said, "but I had fun doing it."
"Well, I'm glad." There was a short silence, and then Link spoke.
"So what's been going on here since I left? Anything big?"
"No, not really…" she said. "Tarin often goes after mushrooms, and sometimes the owl visits, but for the most part everything's been quiet."
"How is that owl, anyway?"
"He's fine. He actually wanted you to come back."
"Really? Yeah, he was pretty cool."
There was a longer silence, and finally Link slowly put his arm around Marin. She smiled and moved closer.
"Marin," he said, "I don't think you know how much I care for you. When you first woke me up in your house, I thought you were the most beautiful girl in the world. But during my stay here, I never told you, and the whole time after that I was kicking myself. I wish I could have told you then, but I'm telling you now."
She was silent for a moment, then looked at him and said, "I understand perfectly. I…I felt the same way."
Link's eyes widened. "You did?"
"Yes. When I first found you on the beach, my heart flipped. Not only did I know you were the one who could save the island, I also thought you were very handsome."
Link took her hand.
She continued. "While you were here, I just felt more and more attracted to you. But I never had the nerve to say anything. When you left, I…I cried. I knew I would miss you so very, very much. It's been so hard to stay happy all these years without you."
They stared into each other's eyes.
"Marin…" said Link softly, "I love you."
"I love you, too." She whispered. They stared at each other for another moment, then she put her arms around him and they kissed, letting the magic surround them as the sun so brilliantly set in the western sky.

They walked back to the village with their arms around each other, oblivious to the stares of the people. They reached her house, and she led him in.
"You can sleep in this bed." She said, pointing to one in the corner.
"Okay." He said, and gave her a quick kiss. "Sleep well, Marin."
"Sleep well, Link." She said with a sweet smile, then turned off the lights.
In his dream he was surrounded by darkness. He called out but got no answer. Suddenly, he was back on that platform high above the island. Then, a shimmering image appeared before him. It was the Wind Fish!
"Greetings, Link." It said in a deep voice.
"Good evening, your honor." Link said in return.
"You look good."
"Thanks."
Then the Wind Fish asked, "Link…why have you returned here? Were you not happy that I sent you home?"
"I WAS happy…" said Link, "But the reason I returned was to be with Marin. I simply couldn't get her out of my head."
"Hmm…I see, I see. Love is a powerful force indeed."
"So can I stay?"
"You may, Link. Enjoy your second visit here! You'll be pleased to hear that there are no more Nightmares to fight."
Link laughed. "You got that right!"
"Well, I shall return you to the island. Sleep soundly, Link."
"Thank you, your honor." Link replied, and then he could feel himself back in the soft bed. Marin was in the adjacent bed, sleeping soundly, a vision of loveliness even asleep. Link smiled, and lay back down. Soon, he too was fast asleep.

The next morning dawned sunny and warm, the cuccos welcoming the sun. The sun poured through the window of Marin's house, striking Link's face. He sat up slowly, to see Marin standing by the bed.
"What a relief!" she cried, "I thought you'd never wake up! You were tossing and turning…"
"NO WAY!" cried Link.
Marin laughed. "Just kidding, silly!" She ran her hand through his hair. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yep." He said. "Did you?"
"Very well. I had dreams of a certain someone…" she elbowed him playfully.
"Ha, ha, ha! That's cool. Me too…"
They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, then she said, "Listen, I was planning to go to Animal Village today to deliver a package to Zora. You want to come?"
"Of course!" He said, smiling, "I'll go anywhere with you!"
"Oh, Link, you're so silly." She said, "Well, come on, get up. I want to be well across Ukuku prairie by late morning."

About a half hour later, Link and Marin trekked hand-in-hand across the great Ukuku prairie. Many monsters greeted them as they passed, and they waved back to them. Soon, Link looked to the south and saw Pothole Field in the distance.
"You know what? I wanna go say hi to Richard." He said.
"Hmm…okay!" said Marin, "Let's go!" she took his hand and they turned south. Soon, the humble villa of Prince Richard came into view.
"Think he'll be surprised?" Link asked.
"I bet he will be!" said Marin. "Let's go in."
They entered the house to see Richard polishing his golden leaves. Upon hearing them enter, he looked up, and his eyes widened.
"I do say! Young master Link! How good to see you!"
Link walked over and shook his hand, but Richard used the old "one hand shake, one hand hug" trick. Link laughed.
"It's good to see you, too, Richard! What's been going on?"
Richard sighed. "Nothing much. Even though the castle is safe now, I have decided against moving back. I like it here in the country. But tell me about you, boy! What's been happening in your life?"
"Ah, nothing really. You know, saving worlds, fighting big monsters, the usual."
"Ah, very noble. And may I ask why you have come back?"
Link put his arm around Marin. "Because of this vision of beauty."
Richard laughed. "Ah, well done, master Link, well done!"
Marin said, "We'd love to stay and chat more, but we really have to get to Animal Village."
"Yes, yes, I see. Well, don't let me hinder your progress. Just let me say that it was most spectacular seeing you two once again."
"Same here, Richard, same here." Said Link. "Maybe I'll come and visit again soon."
"That would be smashing!" cried Richard. "Well, be on your way!"
Once again, Link and Marin set out into the prairie.
"Boy, this brings back memories of us on our way to the walrus." Link said.
Marin laughed softly. "Yes…those were good times. I loved every moment I was with you."
Link took her hand again as they walked.
"Tell me," he said, "What's being done to prevent another crisis like the Nightmare invasion?"
"Well, once the monsters were freed from the Nightmares' black magic, the Wind Fish organized them into a millitary of sorts. We have every monster on the island ready to defend our home. Even Rolling Bones and the Hinox."
"That's awesome!" said Link, "But don't forget, if you ever need me, all you have to do is ask."
"Oh, Link…" she said, smiling. "I actually brought that up at the meeting, and the Wind Fish said that's always an option."
"Cool! I'd always be ready to help."
"My hero!" she sighed, putting her head on his shoulder. He smiled.
As they walked, he recognized many of the monsters he had become familiar with, however, something was amiss. Finally he put his finger on it.
"Hey Marin, where are all the Buzz Blobs?"
"Oh…the Buzz Blobs are our power source now. They love it."
Link raised his eyebrows. "Power? You mean, like, electricity?"
"Yep! Koholint is becoming quite modern. We even have radio now."
Link grinned. "Does this mean I don't have to keep throwing powder into the lamps? All I have to do is flip the switch?"
Marin laughed. "Yeah, pretty much."
"Sweet!"
"Alright, calm down…we're here."
They stood in front of the gate leading to the magical Animal Village, where animals spoke and fun was the rule. They entered the city, and Link looked around, smiling. He really had liked it here.
Suddenly, a group of rabbits saw Marin, and they cried out, "Hey! It's Little Marin! Wow!" They all ran to her and hugged her at once. Marin laughed.
"Hey, guys! Great to see you, too."
"Have you come to sing for us? Have you? Please say yes!"
"Well, I actually have a package to deliver to Zora, but I'll sing for you afterwards if you want."
The rabbits jumped for joy. "Yipee! Hooray! She's gonna sing! Let's tell everyone!" They ran off to inform the other animals. Marin and Link just looked at each other and smiled.
"Hey listen," she said to him, "I have to go see Zora, and he's a bit of a talker, so I may be awhile. So you can go exploring a bit if you want, and I'll catch up with you later."
"Hmm…okay." He said. "I'll be swimming in Martha's Bay."
"Okay."

Link swam happily in the warm waters of Martha's Bay, swimming under the small waves produced by the wind. He remembered how much fun swimming here was, and he found himself asking more and more, "Why on earth did I ever leave this island?"
After about an hour of swimming, he stood in the shallows watching the surf, when he heard a voice behind him.
"So, how's the water?" It was Marin. She was sitting on the grass on the other edge of the bay.
"Great!" said Link. "You should come in!"
"Oh, no… I don't want to get wet. You have fun."
"Aw, come on! Come on in!"
"Nope!"
Link got a sly look in his eyes, but said, "Fine then. I'm getting out now anyway. Help me out."
Marin put her hand out to help him up, but when Link took it, he instead pulled her into the water with him. She came to the surface with a look of surprise.
"Link! Why did you do that? Now I'm all wet!"
"Oh, no! What are you going to do to me?"
"Oh, I'll show you…" she said, grinning, and she jumped on his back and forced him under the water. He then rolled over so SHE was under the water, and she came up laughing. She then kicked him, and he fell back into the surf. However, he didn't resurface. Marin walked over to the area, puzzled.
"Ah-ha!" cried Link, jumping up and pulling her under. She laughed in surprise. They came up together, facing each other. She stopped laughing and stared into his eyes. In the next instant, they flung their arms around each other and kissed, holding each other close in the warm water. Link broke the kiss, but Marin pulled him back and kissed him again, wanting it to last forever.
"I love you so much." She whispered in his ear.
"I love you with all my heart, Marin." Said Link softly. They kissed once again, wanting nothing in that moment but to be in each other's arms. Link held her tighter, loving every moment of it. Suddenly, Link felt a sharp blow strike him on the back of his head, and he instantly fell unconscious.

He slowly came to, lying on the grass. He opened his eys, and cried out in disbelief. The land was ravaged! Fires burned everywhere, smoke filled the air, and the smell of death was all around. He looked around wildly, trying to find someone to explain all this, but there was nobody around.
"Dear God…Marin!" he cried, and set out at a run for Mabe Village. When he got there, the scene was the same. The buildings were destroyed or burning, and dead people lay everywhere. Link ran to Marin's house and kicked open the door.
"Marin? Marin are you here?" he said, struggling to see through the smoke. When it cleared, he did not see her, but he saw another figure lying on the floor.
"Tarin!" cried Link, and ran to the old man's side. "Tarin, are you okay? Tarin, speak to me!"
Tarin slowly opened his eyes. "Link?" he said groggily, "Link, it's too late. Run away, Link. Leave me…"
"Tarin, what happened here?"
Tarin coughed. "The…Nightmares…uuhhhnn…de…stroyed…" He slumped over, and said no more.
"Great. Just great." Said Link angrily as he walked outside again. "The nightmares are back. Perfect!"
Suddenly he heard wings on the air. He looked up to see the Wind Fish flying towards him.
"Your honor, what has happened?" cried Link.
"It is most unfortunate…two Nightmares I have never seen before came, and they caused all this havoc and destruction. Brings back flashbacks…"
"Do they have Marin?"
"Yes," said the Wind Fish. "They captured her and are holding her hostage."
"Well, what the heck are we waiting for? Let's go get her back! Rally the army!"
The Wind Fish frowned. "I'm afraid the army has been captured as well. We are powerless."
"Maybe not." Said Link. "Listen, you have to transport me to a few places. I'm gonna get us some professional help!"

Holodrum's northern peak was still dark and gloomy, but Link knew he had nothing to fear now. He strode up the tall staircase and entered the castle on top. It was deathly dark inside, and Link could barely see anything. He took a torch off the wall and lit it, which provided some help.
"Onox?" he called out, "Onox, are you here? Onox!" There was no response. Link stole through the dark halls, and then opened one door to the saddest sight he had ever seen.
Onox, the General of Darkness, lay sprawled out on his couch, the TV blaring endlessly. Several bags of chips and pizza boxes lie at the foot of the couch, and the remote hung loosely from his hand. He seemed to be asleep.
Link walked over to him and shoved him. "Onox! Hey, wake up!"
Onox opened his eyes slowly and mumbled, "Who is it?"
"Onox…what's happened to you?"
The General sat up and focused his eyes. "Oh, it's you, Link. Why are you here? You don't want to fight again, I hope."
"No, I don't want to fight. But, look at you! What's going on?"
Onox sighed. "Well, after you defeated me, I could no longer continue being evil, so I tried to earn a living for myself, but kept getting fired, and I eventually worked myself into a depression."
"I'm sorry." Said Link, "But let me tell you why I'm here. I need your help."
"What?"
Link told him the story of the Nightmare attack on the island. Onox rubbed his chin.
"Hmm…so you want me to help you save this island? By Ganon, I'll do it! I will gladly help!"
"You the man, Onox!" Cried Link, slapping him on the back. "Okay, listen…meet me on the island in an hour. I still have some more help to get."
"You got it!"

Link's next stop was Labrynna, where he had rescued Nayru. He made his way across Lynna Village and entered the Black Tower. He climbed carefully, fighting off the monsters within. Soon he came to the uppermost room, which contained a tall, black statue of an ancient warrior.
Link knelt by the statue and whispered a chant in the ancient Hylian language, and shortly, there was a flash and a puff of black smoke. When the smoke cleared, there stood a tall, green skinned woman named Veran, Sorceress of Shadows. She stood looking around for a moment, then saw Link.
"Oh, Link…" she said, "Why have you summoned me?"
"Veran, I know we had some tough times in the past, but I've come to you for help."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. The Nightmares have returned to Koholint Island, and the destroyed everything and captured Marin. Only with your help can we save the island."
"Link," she said, "I am honored that you have come to me for aid, and I will absolutely help you in this time of need."
"All right!" cried Link, "I love ya!"
He went to hug her, but she said, "Don't push it, kid."

Later, Link stood in front of the Wind Fish, Onox and Veran at his side. "Your honor, I have returned with help. Surely now we can thwart the Nightmares!"
"Yes, you have done well." Said the Wind Fish. "The Nightmares are hiding in a vast cave in the western mountains. I wish you luck!"

Onox, Veran and Link hiked all the way up to the Tal Tal Mountains, and Link then said, "Okay, now all we have to do is find a cave."
"Easier said than done," muttered Veran. They searched far and wide, for hours on end, to no avail. Onox began to get angry.
"I cannot believe it! We came all the way here for nothing but dead ends!" He swung his mace at a rock wall in anger, and they were startled by the entire wall caving in. When the dust cleared, a looming cave stood before them.
"Genius," said Link with a smile, and they all entered the cave. The inside was dark, and it stank. Monsters, mainly Keese and Gels, attacked them from all sides, but with Link using his sword, Onox with his mace, and Veran with her magic, the monsters were no match at all.
The cave seemed to go on forever, twisting and turning every which way.
"Great. We're lost." Muttered Veran sourly.
"I wanna go home." Whined Onox.
"Shut up, you two." Snapped Link. "I know exactly where we are." Veran just rolled her eyes. After much more walking and fighting off monsters, they saw a faint light ahead. They followed it, and it grew brighter. They then rounded a corner, and gasped.
The two Nightmares stood dancing in a large chamber. Not only that, they were putting logs and straw at the feet of a girl tied up on a pole…it was Marin!
"Marin!" called Link.
"Link! You came!" she cried. "Help me!"
The two beasts turned and glared at the intruders. "And who are you?" they hissed.
"Allow us to introduce ourselves." Said Link. "I am Link, the hero of Hyrule!" he lifted his sword high.
"I am Onox, General of Darkness!" bellowed the General, swinging his mace above his head.
"And I am Veran, Sorceress of Shadows!" cackled Veran, producing a ball of fire in her hand.
"And we've come to stop you! You're going to pay for destroying this island!" declared Link, moving closer.
The Nightmares laughed. "You are so foolish! We cannot be beaten! Neither magic, nor steel, or brute force can stop us!"
"Guys? Should we try?" Link asked to his friends. Then he saw Marin struggling in her ropes, and he was immediatley answered. All three charged into battle. Link slashed with the master sword, Onox flung his mace, and Veran cast powerful magic spells. However, they seemed to take little damage.
"God, we just can't hurt these guys!" Link muttered.
"Yes, yes, you see? Your weapons alone cannot harm us!" snickered the Nightmares. That gave Link an idea.
"Hey guys," he said, "They said our weapons ALONE can't harm them… but what if we combine them?"
"How?" asked Onox.
"Well, you've got the brute strength… Veran has powerful magic, and my sword is packed with power."
"So what are you saying we should do?" demanded Veran. Link whispered his idea, and they both agreed. They turned and stood against the Nightmares once more.
"Oh, ho, ho! Back for more?" they hissed.
"Yep!" said Link, "And this time, you're goin' down! Guys, execute the plan!"
Veran conjured a powerful lightning spell, and shaped it into a ball. Link touched his sword to it, and the sword became infused with the spell. Link then attached it to one of the spikes on Onox's mace. With the glowing sword attached, Onox flung the mace into one of the Nightmares with all his strength.
"Yaaaaaaah!" screamed the beast as it writhed under electric shock waves and pain. It soon exploded into a zillion pieces. They followed the same plan for the other, and it too was destroyed.
"That's it! We did it!" exclaimed Link happily. He high-fived Onox and Veran, then ran and untied Marin. She collapsed in his arms, and they kissed.
"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" she cried softly, "You are truly my hero! The one I love…"
They kissed again, and then Link said, "I really owe everything to these two…" But when he turned, Onox and Veran were gone.

Safely back in Mabe Village, the aura of celebration was in the air. Everyone was in a festive mood. Link and Marin danced the night away, having the best time of their lives. Finally, the party was over, and they returned to Marin's house. She kissed him gently, and then they went to sleep, dreaming of nobody but each other.

The next morning, they awoke with their arms around each other. Link nudged Marin awake, and she gazed at him with sleepy eyes, smiling.
"Good morning, my love."
"Good morning to you." Said Link. "I need to take you someplace."
"Um….okay, sure."

Later that afternoon, they sat in a grassy field at the foot of the Tal Tal mountains, arms around each other. The mighty waterfall rushed before them, and the animals were at play.
"It's so romantic…" she sighed, holding him closer. Then she said, "So why did you bring me here?"
Link turned to her. "Marin, I need to ask you something."
"Okay, go ahead. Anything!"
He leaned in and kissed her softly, and whispered, "Marin…will you marry me?"
Marin's eyes widened, and she started breathing heavy. "Link…I…um…." Finally, they locked eyes, and said with the sweetest smile, "Yes. Yes, Link, I'll marry you!"
Link cried out in delight. "Oh God, I love you!"
Grinning, she leapt on top of him, knocking him on his back. "And I love you! I will never, EVER leave your side! I need to be with you."
Link smiled up at her, and they kissed once again, a rainbow slowly being painted in the sky above the Wind Fish Egg where the Wind Fish watched, smiling down on them.

In the open square of Animal Village, the crowd assembled. People and animals from all over the island were present for the wedding. In the center stood Link and Marin, lost in their own private world where nothing existed but each other.
"Do you, Marin," began the Owl, "Take Link to be your husband? Will you love him at all times, and keep yourself only for him?"
"Yes, I do!" said Marin, flashing Link a big grin.
"And do you, Link, take Marin to be your wife? Will you also love her at all times, and keep yourself only for her?"
"You bet your ass!" said Link happily.
"Then I pronounce you man and wife!"
Link and Marin threw their arms around each other and kissed, wanting nothing more than to hold each other like this forever. Everyone around them cheered happily. This was the happiest day on Koholint Island!

Later that evening, the crowd followed Link and Marin to Toronbo Shores, where Link led Marin to his boat.
"Must you leave?" questioned a Moblin, "We will miss you an awful lot."
"Always remember us!" chattered the Stalfos.
"We will." Link assured them. "We may even return one day. But for now, goodbye."
The crowd waved excitedly as Link hoisted Marin into the boat, then cut the rope and sailed off.
"So," said Marin as Link sat down beside her, "Where are we off to?"
"Wherever the wind takes us, baby!" answered Link with a grin. "Now it's just you and me! We can do anything!"
Marin laughed and rested her head on Link's shoulder as the small sailboat disappeared over the horizon.

THE END!!
This story done by Paul "2ie" G. sideshowmel601@aol.com