The Legend of Zelda: The Weakest Link

Chapter one: A Mother's Devotion

A tall, dark woman dressed in solemn mourner's garb stood in the rain, looking down at the ground where her late husband lay buried. She stared at the stone marker in pained silence, unable to say the words that swirled around in her mind. She was overwhelmed. She was afraid. She was lonely...

But she was not alone.

"Mommy," the little blonde boy at her side gently took her hand and tugged, prompting her to look down into his vibrant blue eyes. So innocent, so pure, so... So... "Mommy, it's going to be alright. I promise." She smiled down at her little six year old son.

"You're right, Link," she said, gathering the child into her slender arms, holding him close to her aching heart. "Everything is alright..." She stared out over her beloved son's little head, her gaze landing on the imposing figure standing by their carriage. A man, only a man, she thought... She hoped.

The man was tall, dark, and devilishly handsome. He had piercing gray eyes and raven black hair. His name was Kaid. And she was going to marry him.

Fear. Worry. Mistrust. Darkness. So many emotions raced through her body upon the sight of that man. But along with those emotions came hope. Hope for her son's future. Hope for a better life for them, together.

Kaid had promised her upon the morning of the third day after her husband's death that if she agreed to marry him and be a wife to him and a mother to his two sons, he would take care of her and Link.

But unease gnawed at her soul. She knew that if she didn't marry the man soon, he'd find out her secret. He'd never agree to marry her if he knew that she was pregnant with the child of her dead husband. He had already seemed somewhat put off at the idea of two more people to add to his family. One more mouth to feed, and it would be over. But... She thought... It would be different if he thought the baby was his...

So that's what she planned on telling him. But that meant she couldn't wait. She'd have to marry him soon. And then they'd have to consummate their marriage... Soon. Much sooner than she'd like. But she had to. To protect the baby. To protect Link.

She'd do anything to protect them. They were a family. And family sticks together... No matter what.

"Danika!" She jumped at the sound of Kaid's deep voice sternly calling her name. "We are leaving. Now. We have wasted enough time here. No amount of mourning will bring him back to you. Get in the carriage." Her husband had never spoken to her like that... But Leon was no longer her husband. And Kaid was her intended. So she turned, obediently, and softly answered the dark man.

"Yes, Kaid?" She saw a glint of silver in his gray eyes, and quailed before him. She instinctively pulled Link closer to her. The man she was to call husband gestured to the carriage impatiently. The door was open and inside were his two sons, Ajax and Kiefer. The two boys were quiet as their father led his broken hearted fiancé and her son to the carriage. Link hid his fair face in his mother's skirt and huddled in the corner, stealing quick glances at the two boys who were to be his brothers.

Ajax, the elder, looked very much like his father. Danika looked at him closely for the first time as she took her seat next to Kaid, across from her future stepchild. The sixteen year old boy had Kaid's dark hair and sharp features. His eyes however were a rich red color. He was tall and thin, his strong young body covered in wiry muscle. But he seemed nervous, awkward, and uncouth.

Keifer was much more polite albeit much more shy than his elder brother. He was a very petite child. At nearly twelve years of age he looked like the average eight or nine year old. His silver eyes seemed softer, more delicate than his father's steely eyes. His soft pale blue hair hung in loose waves over his thin shoulders, framing his angular face quite beautifully. If there was one word to describe Keifer, it was beautiful...

"Danika!" Suddenly she felt her face being roughly grasped and turned, and found herself staring into her future husband's face. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, woman! If I am to be your husband I will have you know that I require my woman to respect me enough to look at me when I am speaking, do I make myself clear!?" The vicious gleam in his dark eyes frightened the young widow into submissive silence as she stared at the man, appalled.

"ANSWER ME!" He shouted, gripping her by the shoulders, spit flying onto her pale face. The little boy next to her began to cry. His own two sons didn't even flinch. Is this yelling, this- this violence a normal part of their lives? Danika thought, suddenly wondering if she had made a huge mistake.

"Yes, Kaid," she whimpered, pain shooting down her arms as he squeezed her tender flesh cruelly. "Yes, I understand." When he let her go she shifted so that she could wrap her arms around her little boy and looked out the window. They had arrived at the temple.

"Now," Kaid said firmly, taking her by the hand more gently this time. "It wouldn't do for my bride to be upset with me on our wedding day, now would it?" Danika gulped, noting the irrational look in his eyes. It's too late, she thought. I am about to tie myself to a madman. I wish I could just run away... Maybe I can...

As she looked for a way to escape, she looked down into her son's wide blue eyes. Then her gaze met that of Keifer's. Her heart almost stopped. The boy was looking at her with a look of such hope, hope that she could somehow change things for him and his sullen brother... Her fears didn't disappear, but her courage grew. Maybe she could help.

She was afraid. But she made her choice. Danika married Kaid that day, and Ajax and Keifer became her sons just as much as Link had the day he was born. And she would do anything- ANYTHING- to protect her children.

Read on as time passes by... Danika discovers that she has indeed made a terrible mistake. Kaid is worse than she could ever have possibly imagined. He is abusive and cruel. And one day he pushes too far...

How will Danika and Link cope with their new lives? Will Link's newfound brothers be good to Link, or hurt him deeply- more deeply than ever before? Maybe both? How will his childhood affect his future...?

Find out why our hero is so silent, so mysterious, so emotional... This is the story of Link, hero of Skyloft, hero of legend, champion of the lost Princess of Hyrule. This is a deep and slightly twisted version of the story.

Read and review please! If you have any ideas, I'm always willing to read them. :)