I came up with this idea kind of all of a sudden. As far as I know, it hasn't been done before, and I like being unique. I don't know exactly where I'm going with it yet. I'm just thinking up things as I go along, so I'm very open for suggestions. Tell them to me in a review. I'll try to keep everything PG rated as best I can.
Disclaimer: Is it really necessary? Obviously, I don't own Zelda, so I won't have a disclaimer after this first chapter. I do have some invented characters and ideas in here, however, so those are mine. Feel free to use them, though, if you want to. Just give me the credit.
If you like it, then please review. Reviews will give me motivation to continue. Zero reviews, and I probably won't. At least, that's what happened with my last fic.
Any suggestions at all are more than welcome!
Chapter 1
The small, cloaked figure moved slowly across the common room of Hyrule Town Inn. It was much quieter inside than it had been out in the bustling streets of the town. She went silently toward the counter, many of the other visitors watching her curiously. She kept her face down, and the hood of her cloak hid the rest of her head, making it impossible to see who she was. "May I help you?" the innkeeper, a young man of about twenty, asked. The girl seemed to be a child, judging from her size (she was barely tall enough to look over the counter), but there was something strange about her. She did not seem to notice the many people watching her.
"I'd like a room, please," the girl said. Her voice was much like a child's, but different from any voice ever heard before. It was somehow magical, and seemed to captivate the ears of all who listened. It was a peaceful, friendly, and innocent voice, making it impossible to refuse her request.
"Of course," the innkeeper said, taking out a schedule book and opening it to the appropriate page. He looked through it for a minute. "Ah," he said. "Here we are. We have two rooms left. Just sign your name on one of the blank lines. They're both pretty much the same," he told the girl, handing her an ink quill, and turning the schedule book toward her. Without looking up, the girl signed her name. The innkeeper took it back and looked at the name. He was shocked, and didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth as if to make a better offer, but the girl held up her hand, which was also completely covered by the long sleeve of her cloak.
"Please," she whispered, looking up just enough for the innkeeper to see her warm, red eyes, "keep it a secret." The young man nodded. The small girl left toward the stairs, the eyes of the other visitors following her intently.
"Wait!" the innkeeper called. The girl stopped. "You forgot your key."
"No I didn't," the girl said, holding a small, golden key out from under her sleeve. The young man said no more as she went up the stairs, but looked down again at the name written in the schedule book. There, written in clear, firey red ink (the ink in the container was black), was the name, Din.
About half a day south of the Hyrule Town, right in the middle of Hyrule field, and about half a mile away from Lon Lon Ranch, was a small house. Inside, a father and mother were very busy preparing for the family's dinner, while their seven children, all of them girls, played out in the field. The oldest child, who's name was Malon, after her mother, sat alone, away from her sisters. While the others were running around in a wild game of tag, Malon sat among the late spring flowers, humming to herself. She sang the tune that had been invented by her grandmother, and taught to her by her mother. It was a soft, quiet melody, which made one think of a time when everything was in harmony, and the world was at peace with itself. It was a song that could tame even the wildest of hearts. This was, indeed, what it had once been used for. It was called Epona's Song, named after the horse that had first belonged to Malon's mother, and later, her father. According to her parents, singing this song was the only way to tame the wild horse, but the animal had died in child birth, along with the colt, just a few weeks before Malon had been born. When that happened, both of her parents feared the possibility that they may be faced with a similar loss in the birth of their own child. Nine years had passed since then, and so had six other pregnancies, each ending successfully and with no harm to the mother.
As Malon sang, she began to feel a strange presence approach from behind her. When she felt it, she stopped singing, and turned around. Standing behind her a little girl, about her height. She looked to be about the same age as Malon, but somehow seemed older. Perhaps it was the look of wisdom, or adult-like maturity that could seen in her bright, green eyes. She had long, green hair that matched the color of her eyes perfectly. It was well kept, and fell smoothly down her back. She wore very little, except for a short, sleeveless, green tunic and a leather belt about her waist. Her hands and feet were bare, and her fair skin was smooth and unscarred. A pale, golden light seemed to resonate from her body, but not so much that it was real obvious. "Hello," she said in a sweet, friendly voice. Malon just starred, not knowing what to say. "I said, hello," the strange girl repeated, though not in an unfriendly or harsh manner.
"Hi," Malon finally said, not able to take her eyes off the new girl. She hadn't noticed that her sisters had gathered behind her, also captivated by the presence of this stranger.
"Who awe you?" the youngest girl, Lily, who was only two, asked. Her speech was barely audible, but the new girl seemed to understand it without any difficulty.
"I can't tell you," she said. "If you could tell me where your father and mother are, I should like to speak to them."
"There in the house," the second oldest girl, Saria, said, pointing to the house nearby.
"Thank you," the strange girl said, then turned and started walking toward the house. The seven girls just stood starring after her, curiously.
"Who is she?" Saria asked.
"I don't know," Malon responded.
While all this was going on outside, the girls' parents were preparing things for dinner. As the mother, Malon, was setting the plates around the table, her husband, Link, took a break, leaning back casually against the wall. He stood there for several minutes, thinking quietly to himself. He listened to the sounds of his daughters' cheerful voices outside, and let out a sigh. Since he and Malon had been married, they had prayed continually for a son, who could take over for his father as Hyrule's defender when Link was old, but the goddesses had not yet blessed them with one. Instead, they had all girls. For nine years they kept trying. Malon was almost constantly pregnant, but had never given up hope. After Lily had been born, however, they finally decided to take a well deserved break for a few years. They didn't regret their decision either, since Malon was very much affected by each pregnancy. For once, she was not so moody, and wasn't sore almost every morning of every day. It was a great relief to both her and Link, not to mention that it was hard enough raising a family of seven without the extra stress.
"You know, you could help," Malon said, putting her hands down on the table.
"Sorry," Link said, standing up straight and walking over to the cupboard where all the dishes were stored. He pulled down the eighteen forks and spoons that hung on pegs in the back of the cupboard, and took them over to the table. He began setting them around. Malon just stood there, as if not noticing. "Well?" Link said, stopping in mid setting of a fork.
"It's okay," Malon said, waving her hand at him to continue what he was doing. Her voice sounded somewhat shaky, and Link knew something was wrong.
"Are you okay, dear?" he asked, slowly setting the last fork at its place. Malon said nothing, but Link could see tears starting to fall from her eyes. "Malon?" he said, worried. Again Malon just shooed him on, but her crying was getting harder. "Malon, what's wrong?" he asked, walking up to his wife and placing his hands on her arms.
"I don't know," Malon said, wiping a tear from her eye. It's just—"
"Honey?" Link said, then led her toward the couch against the wall. He sat her down, and sat next to her. "Are you okay?" Malon said nothing, but continued to cry silently, sniffling occasionally. Link recognized the symptoms that Malon was going through. He had seen them quite often, and knew them well. Still, he couldn't think how it was possible. It had to be something else.
"I don't know why I'm like this," Malon said, obviously thinking the same thing Link was. Link sat back and drew Malon in close to him. He listened, noticing a change in the sounds round about.
"I don't hear the girls," Link said, gently pushing Malon back up to a sitting position and rising to his feet. Malon watched him, obviously feeling better.
"Excuse me," a voice said from the open doorway of the house. At first, Link thought it one of his girls, and was surprised when he saw that it wasn't. Instead, the doorway was occupied by another little girl, who Link immediately recognized.
"Saria!" he said, very surprised.
"No," the girl said, her voice firm, yet friendly. "May I come in?" she asked. Link and Malon both starred at the green haired girl, and nodded. The girl stepped inside the house, her bare feet slapping the wooden floor quietly, a sound that Link had grown very fond of during his married life.
"Who are you?" Link asked. It was now clear to him that this girl was not his life long friend, who he had grown up with as a child. Saria's hair was much shorter, only hanging down to her shoulders when left straight. This girl's hair reached all the way down past her waist and just a little above her knees, and she looked about a year younger than most kokiri. Otherwise, she looked very much like Saria.
"I am here to explain," the girl said.
"Explain what?" Malon asked.
"Your situation," she said. Link and Malon both starred at her, not knowing what she was talking about. "Your pregnant," the girl said to Malon. Link and Malon looked at each other, the same thought coming to both of them.
"But how?" Link asked. "We haven't even—"
"I will explain," the girl said, interrupting him. Link and Malon looked at each other again. "Sit down," the girl said. They sat back down on the couch. The little girl sat crossing her legs on the floor. "Link—"
"Wait!" Link said. "First tell us who you are."
"Do you not know?" the girl said, looking at them as if it should have been obvious. Don't you recognize me?" she said. It was almost not a question, but more of a command. She starred at Link, her green eyes piercing into his. Link thought for a second. He knew the obvious answer, but it didn't seem possible. Why, of all people, would she be there? "You do know," the girl said, when Link didn't say anything. "I can perceive your thoughts." Link starred at her blankly. Farore smiled at him, a strangely contagious smile. Link couldn't help but smile himself. "Link," Farore said, becoming more serious. "Your wife is pregnant." Link could not think of anything to say to this. "Don't worry," Farore continued. "It's all right. Your finally going to have a boy."
"By who?" Malon asked. Link looked at her stunned. "I mean—" Malon said.
"It's okay, Link," Farore said. "It's your child." Link looked back at her.
"How?" he asked.
"The forest did it," Farore said. "When you lived there, you were under divine protection. The kokiri raised you, and the kokiri are my children."
"What?" Malon asked. "You're only a child yourself. How could you be the kokiri's mother?"
"I did not carry them," Farore said, somewhat sternly. "They were born of the Great Deku Tree. I simply fertilized them." Malon looked at her questioningly. "Don't dwell on it. You wouldn't understand." Malon accepted the answer, thinking it was better not to question a goddess too deeply. "Anyway," Farore said, getting back on subject, "you, Link, were protected by the power of life that flowed from the spirits of the kokiri. Even though you are hylian, you were not subject to the magic of the Lost Woods, so long as you stayed close to my children, you would not become a monster, like other hylians would. Over time, the power of life spread out from the kokiri, and found its way into your soul. All life bearing cells in your body are effected in some major way by this. Most are altered in such a way that you will only have daughters. The very select few, which are not changed, are made immortal. Only one of these immortal cells has been effective, which shows just how rare they are. It is this cell which has caused your wife to become pregnant. Does all this make sense?"
"No," Link said, completely confused. "What are cells?"
"Good," Farore said, smiling again. She laughed lightly to herself. It wasn't a mean laugh as would be if she was telling a joke, but a more girlish laughter, much like the joyful laughter Link knew well from his daughters. "It shouldn't make sense— yet. Although, some day, when the world is ready, it will all be explained. It won't be within your generation though."
"Will this power of life be passed to our children?" Link asked.
"No," Farore said. "Only to you. Hm... Maybe you understand better than I thought." Link was now even more confused. This time, Farore's laughter was meant as a joking laugh. He didn't know exactly why, but for some reason, knowing that the goddess had a sense of humor was comforting to Link. "I must go now," Farore finally said, standing up. "Thanks for allowing me to talk to you," she said, then turned and walked out.
