Author's Note: I removed Moon Shadow because the first time I had posted it I saw many mistakes (thought I reviewed it countless times) and the separations of POV between Luna and Dark had disappeared, making it a little confusing. Hopefully it will be better this time. Please Read and Review! It's IMPORTANT to me! This is my first fic so I am open to criticism or whatever people have to say! And not to worry, Moon Shadow will get better! One more thing : I do not own Legend of Zelda or anything that may belong to it!
[Luna's POV]
What in the name of all that was holy was going on?
Where am I?
What is this place?
No matter how many times I asked myself these questions, I could never answer them. Yet, I couldn't help myself. I was so frightened that nothing else stayed in my head but that. I stood among trees and bushes, and saw the ivy cling to the trees' bark and wound up high into the canopy the upper branches made. Trees! Where I lived everything was a barren desert with the occasional mesquite1. The ground was a soft blanket of grass that let out a sweet smell as I crushed it underneath my shoes and the aroma of wild flowers reached my nostrils as I moved along. I couldn't help but let out a frightened moan as I thought even farther. This was not right! The ground should have been hard and covered by countless rocks and pebbles covered in fine powder rather than the grass. Only a few weeds managed to survive the harsh 101 degrees that constantly ravaged my home in south Texas.
I was lost. I couldn't get around it. I had been driving on my way home from Corpus Christi with as much speed as possible and disregarding the speed limit altogether in my little black Ford Mustang. I'd been enjoying the road when I saw a strange red light that seemed to pulse with life. I was unsettled and, very foolishly, I stopped and got out of my car. What would my big brother say to that? Even in my dire state, I couldn't help but smile and feel ashamed as I pictured his reaction.
His dark brown eyes would be livid with fury and shine with a fire that instantly warned me of great danger that was not altogether dangerous. His huge sun-tanned hands would grip my shoulders, gently but firmly, and shake me just the tiniest bit. Ok, I was fooling myself. He'd rattle me until my whole frame shook but stop before he could actually hurt me. His lips would be frowning and twitching in a way that would make me want to cry because I knew of all the dark thoughts that were running through his head and were torturing him.
"What were you thinking?" he would ask and I would not answer. Instead, I would hang my head and try to avoid his gaze. Of course I would be unable to answer him. I had not been thinking at all! "Look at me!" Big Brother would make me look at his eyes and then soften his quivering voice. "What have I told you before? You could have been hurt! Something could have happened to you! Never, and I repeat, never do that again, little sister!" And with a weak nod of my head, Big Brother would release me and go away as he shook his head and ran a hand back across his hair as he did so when he was stressed.
So what had Big Brother always told me? Never stop unless you have to. Don't go over the speed limit (something I would always conveniently forget since he never followed THAT rule). Don't stop to give help. It could be a trap and land you in heaps of trouble. Try to always have someone with you when you travel for long distances. However, in this occasion, my travel buddies, had been unable to come so I had gone off alone and received an angry voicemail from him. Let's see… What else? What about if I ever got lost? With a sigh, I couldn't remember anything. It probably was that he believed me smart enough NOT to get out of the car. Oh! What had I gotten myself into?
Reluctantly, and with no clear idea of what to do, I looked again at my surroundings. Everything was alive and, I had to admit, beautiful. I had been walking unconsciously and had reached a little brook amid the forest. The water seemed clean and cold as it ran on downstream where I could hear it joined some river or turned into one. I could hardly see anything ahead of me. The trees clustered together and were wide and thick. The ivy covered them from bottom to top and a few vines swung here and there. The very little light that had made the forest look visible and make the many flowers look bright dressed in many colors was beginning to fade and I knew the day was coming to a close.
When it came to time, I was lost. Night had just fallen when I had seen the red light along the road home; but when I got out of the car and gone after it, I must have been knocked out or something of the sort. By the time I had awoken, resting down in the grass surrounded by the beautiful narcissus, it had been day and the slim yellow crescent moon had vanished. Now night had again come to cover the world and I, for once, dreaded its approach. As I continued walking, the light began to grow dimmer and dimmer until there was none left. The stars could not penetrate the thick canopy the leaves made and I was overwhelmed by loneliness. The stars would not have been able to help me. I was no expert when it came to my constellations and the navigation by the stars but their presence would have made a better company than the eerie silence that touched the forest. Not even the wind came to make the leaves dance in their branches.
So what was I to do? I looked around in vain in hope for some sign to help me decide my way but I was at a loss. What about the river? Where there was a river, there was bound to be a town or a city. Or at least I hoped so. That was something I had read in books and seen in movies. But what was I to do in the city? I could get lost in it too! There were criminals and evil people! Could I find a police station?
Oh curse me the moment I decided to leave the shelter of my car! I would've been home now! I'd be sitting in my sofa watching TV or studying for the next exam the Professor would give us. I'd be safe and bored with the occasional text coming to my phone from my friends. Tears sprang from my eyes and I couldn't help but despair! Mother must be worried sick! Maybe even Big Brother had called my cell phone a thousand times and gotten a little angry then worried. Eventually, he would have figured something was wrong and used his connections at the sheriff's to start a search for me. Oh, I was so bloody stupid! What would they find? Would it be an empty car? It probably had been hijacked by now. I had lost my keys and my cell phone mysteriously. I wanted to be home! My sobs didn't stop until I had a strange feeling.
A menace clung to the darkness and there was a sudden feeling of unease. The forest was silent but there was something wrong with it. The silence seemed to press all around and escalated my fear to panic. I squeaked and looked about. My eyes seemed to be able to decipher shapes all around but I had no clear vision of anything. And then a sense of dread came. My breathing hitched in my throat, making a funny sound as I exhaled. Perspiration covered my brow and ran down my neck and made my shirt cling to my body. I was aware that my legs shook underneath me as I slowly stood up from where I had fallen. My heart raced in my chest and it sounded loud in my ears. There was no way it could not be heard. Frantically, I searched for what I did not know. I stumbled a few steps back and fell again to the forest floor. And then I saw it.
Huge red orbs of light sprang in front of me. Some of the red orbs where higher than the others, and others were farther away from me; and then I could distinguish the shapes of some beasts. My first thought were wolves but, even in my panic, I never once recalled wolves having red glow-in-the-dark eyes, nor any creature for that matter. I stood rock-still and desperately hoped that they would overlook me or where vegetarians. My hope was dashed when a growl broke the silence and then others followed it. In an instant, I sprang up and began to run as never before in my life I had done. Had I been in a race, there was no doubt, I would have won the gold medal.
The growls intensified and turned to snarls as they pounded after me. I could hear a few snaps and feel hot breath on my calves. I cried out and forced my adrenaline-pumped body to go even faster. Everything was lost and turned into a blur as I ran. Something caught my sleeve and I shut my eyes but did not stop. A hot pain shot from my arm and I gasped. A strange sound entered the confusion of yelps and whines that I did not understand. It was of running water and I could even feel the coolness of it. It sounded like a pressurized jet of water shot out from a hose. A sharp whine cried out and what had caught my sleeve let go. The yelps suddenly turned to ferocious howls and barks and the chase sped up. Oh, heavens! I was reaching the end of my strength. The adrenaline had been exhausted from my body and it was only fear giving my feet wings. I was surprised I could run at all since I had not eaten anything all day and I had been starving. Branches wiped at my face and I could begin to feel hot pain in my face. A few times I fell but in the next bound I was up. Unconsciously, I was running along the water as I had at first intended to do. Then I felt a cold presence behind me and heard the snarl of something monstrously huge. Hot breath hit the back of my neck and I knew it was over. I couldn't run anymore. Vaguely, I had the vision of some enormous dog decapitating my neck with sharp teeth.
Just then, something caught my foot and I felt the entire world twist. My right ankle seared in pain and I screamed loud enough that I could hear an echo just before all sound was cut off. Cold entered my entire body like sharp knives stabbing every inch of my body. I was being trashed against some rocky floor and a new wire-hot flame pierced my left side. Fruitlessly, I struggled for breath and only inhaled water. I knew that I had been thirsty but, for all that was holy, this was too much! What had I done? For a moment I surfaced and breathed precious air before I slammed into something and the breath was taken out of me. The scream I was about to let go as the pain in my side renewed was cut off. Feebly, I clung to what I supposed was a tree trunk across what had turned into a river. My body shook with convulsions as it tried to keep warm but only managed to send disastrous waves of pain. The tree quivered and I imagined it was that monstrous beast coming to kill me. As I clung to the tree trunk, I considered letting go and let the river take me rather than be eaten to death. Perhaps it would be a better death. My hands began to slip and I did not make the effort to hang on to my grip.
"Do not let go!"
The sudden voice startled me so much that I let go but managed to cling to the bark by my very nails. A branch whipped at me by the sudden movement and hit my left side. Heaven seemed to have it for that particular spot right now. I screamed and felt everything slip into a darkness different from the night.
"H…help…me." What I had intended to be a loud plea turned out to be no more than an audible whisper. My throat was dry and raw, ironic to all the water surrounding me. The last of my strength was gone and my fingers slipped at last. Before I was swallowed by the torrent of water, a warm hand caught my forearm and I was pulled up. Pain wracked me but I was so far gone that I only managed a groan rather than the appropriate scream.
"You are safe now," the voice said. Even then, I couldn't help but notice the beauty of this voice. It was a male's voice and it was softly soothing. It was a little deep and, in a way, musical. What I imagined an angel to have.
The warmness from him seeped gently into me and I was so glad for it. My body continued to tremble and the pain, numbed by the cold, was doubling. He seemed to be walking carefully, aware that every movement he made wracked my body with a renewed slash of pain. Unaware of it, I had started weeping and I didn't know if it was because I was relieved I was safe or because I ached so much. My savior seemed to think it was the latter because he began to whisper. "It is all right. Hang on a little longer and I will make the pain go away. Din, I am surprised you made it that far. I would have imagined someone as tiny as you to have shattered all their ribs by the way you were slammed into that tree trunk." Well, it felt like it.
So what was my savior's name? I felt obligated to know the name of the person who had taken me from a watery death. What was he doing in the forest? More importantly, where in the world where we? I wanted to know how I had come to be in a forest I had never seen before in my life. Had I been kidnapped? What if there were bad people about, the ones who had kidnapped me? Would my nameless stranger be able to save me a second time? Oh heavens…
"Do not worry. You are safe. My name is Dark Link. You have nothing to fear," he said and I was soothed by that. Dark Link? What a queer name. But, somehow, it rang a bell in my mind, like I had heard it before. Had I heard his name before? His steps slowed down and I wondered if we had reached our destination from where he had saved me. Brilliance and a soft crackling suggested fire and warmed the air and illuminated the night. Dark Link lowered me into what seemed to be a cloth spread over the ground. I could feel grass and small little pebbles underneath the cloth that dug a little into my flesh. In another moment, I could hear him shake something and start muttering so low I couldn't hear but his voice sounded irritated. It wasn't long before there was a thudand he was back to where I lay. "Din, how did you survive and outran a pack of Wolfos?" he muttered.
What was going on? Where were the hospital wings? Where were the nurses and the smell of antiseptic that I absolutely hated? Wolfos? What in the world? Nothing of the sort lived along the dark lonely road in Texas! Wasn't he going to call the cops and alert them? Surely, he had some cell phone and he could dial 911, right? Oh, what now?
I was aware of something that tugged at me again and I was reminded of that monstrous beast. For a moment, I stiffened but then his voice came and pacified me. "Do not worry. You are safe now and I shall tend to you. I am afraid that this is going to hurt a little more before it gets any better." His words soothed me but it also distraught me! More pain was to come? How could it be possible? If I wasn't screaming was because I was so weary but I was aware of everything.
A hand caught my chin and someone was staring at me from crimson eyes. Dark Link's face was a little pale but not deadly or unhealthy. His face was framed by untidy black bangs that for some reason, it seemed to be arranged in an artistic way. Something peeked beneath his hair and I realized he had long pointy ears, each one with a small little silver hoop earring.
Oh, butter biscuits! This was not rational! How could it be that I had been saved by someone that wore realistic looking elf ears? And Wolfos? What in the world was that? How was it that I was here, in so much pain, and not in the comforts of my home? This was insanity! This couldn't be real! Then a sharp pain shot through, sharper than all the others! I couldn't help but scream and twitch as my side hurt unbearably. Yet, it had to be real! This pain couldn't possibly be a figment of my own imagination! "I am sorry," Dark Link apologized, "but your side had begun to heal and I had to break it again." I said nothing, concentrating really hard on catching my breath again as the pain mounted to extreme levels. Wait, how could my ribs have begun to heal already?
"What is your name?" he asked me in an effort to keep me focused but I shook my head.
"Whe-where am I?" I asked, instead and grew rock still. I had spoken but this was not my voice! My voice was a little too gruff for a girl's and, at times, it was high-pitched when it broke. Now the voice that I heard was silvery, like moonlight, and it had a sort of chiming-bell undertone.
Dark felt my stiffness and looked over to my face and I, as I concentrated really hard, could see reflected in his eyes my pale face.
Then total darkness overwhelmed me.
[Dark's POV]
"What in the name of the Goddess just happened?" I exclaimed as I just managed to catch the girl's head from smacking on the floor. I had to admit that past all the scratches and the bruises that were fading incredibly fast, the girl before me was a true beauty. The hair, now plastered with mud, twigs, and her blood, was a strange midnight blue and reached the small of her back. Her skin was an ivory moonlight white that seemed to have a shimmer of its own. Her eyes! I had never seen such eyes! The eyes of the unconscious girl had been the lightest silver! Who was she?
It was not every day that one walked among the forest and came upon a frightened girl running like the wind with a pack of Wolfos hot on her heels. Din, was I surprised. But, most importantly, I wondered what had come upon me to save her. She was strange, alien. I was sure that had it been anyone else, I would have watched the river swallow them. Why was she an exception? Moreover, I would have to deal with her constant fear. With the crimson eyes I possessed, I frightened a lot of people, even some of the bravest. For Din's sake, she had fainted at the first good look she had of me.
Curses filled my mind as I thought of what I had done and of what I had to do. Now that I had saved her, I would have to help her heal and return to wherever she came from, the sooner the better. Din knew I had no intention of being close to anyone. I was not worthy of having friends or people close to me, not after all I had done. With a sigh, I packed everything up and readied my horse so we could be off as soon as I got the girl. The Ordon Spring was not far and I would let the waters heal her injuries. If it had been only me here, I would be able to reach the spring in a matter of a few hours. With the girl, hurt as she was, it would take me the entire night.
Din, what have I gotten myself into?...
[Luna's POV]
"Wake up, little one!"
I opened my eyes to find the morning sun shining in my face. I felt absolutely terrible. My body felt as if a monster truck had run over it and I'd been laid down in a bed of needles while it had run over me. Above me, Dark Link was staring down at me with crimson eyes. His eyes seemed to be guarded and I wondered why it could be. It was as if he expected something. "Where am I?" I croaked and was glad because my voice sounded okay. Still a little silvery, but a lot closer to my real voice and that was very good. He sighed, satisfied for some reason.
"You are in the Ordon Province near the Ordon Springs," he answered and I trembled. Ordon Province? What spring? My head had begun to spin as I processed what he said. I had no clue of what he was saying and I made no effort to understand at the moment. I was glad to wake up and find him, though. It was a relief to find Dark Link. At least he was familiar in this strange predicament I found myself. Somehow, while I had been knocked out, I had decided that all this was very real. How could it not? Moreover, I knew I was nowhere close to home and the chances of going back would be slim, perhaps nonexistent. I didn't want to know for sure if that was true, so I would not ask to be taken home. Abruptly, I was aware we were on a horse. A horse? Yes, the constant sound of the hooves confirmed it. Besides, my left side hurt with each movement the horse made, something I had just noticed. "What is your name?"
"Luna," I answered and smiled inwardly. My mother, the mother who must be worried sick about me at this very moment, had said that when I was born, it had been a surprise when the doctor had announced I was a girl. Mother and Father had been expecting a boy and ran into a bit of trouble when they were asked for a name. Mother said that the first thing that popped into her mind when she looked at me was an image of the moon. With that, they decided to name me Luna. Mother was fond of calling me her little personal moon and would say that she expected any day now for me to come home with an astronaut to ask for her little moon's hand in marriage.
"Where do you come from?" Dark Link asked.
I looked away into the distance and watched the trees and the many flowers. There were birds of all kinds flying into the blue sky that was visible ahead. The sun rays here were different from the ones at home. The sun at home was strong. It burned very quickly and, especially in high summer, it was unbearable. The light was blinding and it hurt to be outside for long. The sunlight that surrounded me here was soft and gentle. It felt warm rather than the hot I was used to. I closed my eyes and felt a twinge tug at my heart. I knew what it was. I was homesick already. Even though I did not like much the sun at home, I missed it. The burning sensation had been familiar, unlike the warmth that I felt now. I missed the dry air that should have brought relief from the harsh sun but did nothing other than add to the hotness. I wanted that air. Not the cool breeze I was feeling now that carried the smell of many flowers I did not know. That alone should have been driving me crazy. I was allergic to grass and trees and other stuff. I had no reaction to it here. A lump formed in my raw throat and I sniffed. A few tears escaped my closed lids and I wiped them away.
"I don't know," I finally answered. It might have been foolish, but an instinct told me that the truth was not convenient at this time. Something held me back from saying Texas. Heavens, maybe the lack of oxygen I had sustained while in the river had damaged my brain somehow. I just hoped he would believe me. As much as I had accepted what was going on, nothing made sense. "I can't remember much. Only so little bit. Oh heavens!" I whimpered and I wanted to cry. I honestly didn't know what to believe anymore. I just wanted to forget everything right now. Something kept nagging me that if I was honest I could end up locked in an asylum. Even through my thoughts, I heard him whisper the word amnesia.
Dark Link was looking at me, cradled in his arms. I don't know how he was able to ride like that. He was an expert; that was apparent. Compassion and pity flooded his eyes and he nodded. "How did you get intothe forest?" he asked.
"I would like to know that," I answered. Well, that much was true. Heavens knew how I ended up there.
"What are you wearing?" he pressed. Maybe he suspected me already.
I looked at myself and was astonished at the state of my clothes. I knew I had been wearing a plain, black, cotton tunic but it did not look like it. It was caked with mud and torn at some places. My hands-never mind those! I did not recognize them. What had been jeans now looked anything but it. My shoes had been lost somewhere in my trip downstream. I could answer with a half-truth. "My tunic is ruined!" I exclaimed.
Dark chuckled and shook his head. "We have reached the springs, little Luna," he said.
"Ok," I said and I made to move but that was impossible without the wire-hot pain. "Oww!"
"Easy, there, little one," he said, "let me handle it." No sooner had he said that, and we were on the ground. I only heard the soft sound his boots made as he touched the ground, felt the small wind as we traveled from the top of the horse to the ground, and saw the sky overhead whirl. Carefully, Dark helped me onto my feet and helped me keep steady. But I cried out when I tried to move my ankle and wobbled. The pain of all of my body nearly made me black out but I managed to hang on. His arms wound around my waist and he helped move to the spring's edges. I was confused. The last thing on my mind was a day of fun by the waters. I wanted, for once in my life, a hospital so I could be treated for my injuries. As soon as the water touched my bare feet, I felt a cool sensation that gave me renewed vigor. When my ankle was submerged, a sudden warmness seeped into it to the very marrow of my bone. It felt that the very cells of the tissues of my skin were repaired and nourished by the clean spring water. Gingerly, I moved my ankle left and right and rotated it into a circle. I was thrilled that there was no pain at all to be felt.
"That feels better, thank you," I said, astonished. Heavens, was this some miracle water or something?
"You are welcome," Dark said. "I shall leave you here so you may bathe yourself in the healing waters of the spirit Ordon. If you need any assistance, do not hesitate to ask. I shall not be too far."
Without another word, Dark strolled away and went out of sight. Unexpectedly, I felt uneasy with him gone and really wished him to come back. I felt my eyes widen in confusion because I was not sure of what to do. The waters had healed my ankle on contact. Perhaps it would work the same way for the rest of my body. I was glad the waters existed. Every breath I was taking hurt my ribs and it was rather uncomfortable. I looked around and went around the rocks to have some sense of privacy. Awkwardly, I reached and began to pull off my shirt. The movement sent shearing pain so I stopped. My breathing sped and I leaned against the rock wall to compose myself. With a sigh, I reached and pulled again. Gingerly, I unclasped my brassiere and let it slip to the ground where it got soaked with the water. It felt strange to be topless out in the open. With another sigh, I unbuttoned my jeans and let it go down by itself. My undergarments came off and I wore nothing but my skin. The spring seemed to get deeper and I, after shaking off my jeans and everything, went deeper inside.
The warmth that I had felt in my skin now turned to a cool sensation that entered my very being as I submerged underwater. It felt nice to have all the water surround me. For a moment I was reminded of the water from the river, the feeling of despair as I fought for air, and the agony of the many injuries I had obtained. The memories vanished as I opened my eyes and saw the stone ground. Everything was bathed in a gentle blue light. The very light from the sun overhead seemed to be tainted by blue. I saw my hair float all around me and gasped out. The air I had been holding in came out and I swallowed some of the water. The cool sensation spread to my throat as it was healed and I went back for the surface. Ripples formed out from where I had broken the surface.
I just couldn't get around it anymore. My physical being had changed so much. My hair had turned to a midnight blue that shone clean now. All the mud had been washed away. My skin, that I had ignored earlier, was a warm moonlight white. I whimpered and waited for the water to settle around me. When it did, I could see a face I did not recognize. She was beautiful, no doubt about that. The face I saw was one that any super model would give up their souls to have. The only thing that seemed out of place was the pointy ears I reached up and touched. I staggered back and found a flat stone that made an appropriate seat. I sat on it and for a long time did nothing but look into the water and think of my situation.
[Dark's POV]
I ventured not far from the waters were I left Luna to set a camp and get a lunch ready for her to eat once she returned. As the night had progressed, I had come upon a sensation of immense curiosity about her. I pitied the girl because she had no idea where she was. The name Ordon was strange to her and made me think Luna was foreign. Her small size and bizarre clothing only confirmed it. I could not help but think that her beauty suggested some lost princess or something of the sort. Din, what was wrong with me? Many strange thoughts had run across my mind the moment she had stumbled upon my life.
I heard the sadness in her voice whenever she spoke and an idea struck me. Quickly, I put the idea out of my mind before I let the thought solidify in my head. Din! Luna confused me! I had no idea why, but I really wanted to protect her. It was irrational that I should feel that way towards her. After all, I had only met her and she was a stranger.
Yet, I could not help myself. The very sight of her made me want to protect her. Could it be her small size that endeared me? Maybe it had something to do with the prospect that she was lost and did not know a thing of what was happening or where she was. Nevertheless, it was queer I should feel this way. It felt like I had to protect a child. This train of thought brought a new question to my head. How old was she? Even if she was not Hylian, she looked very much like it. Her features made her ageless and I could not tell if she was 30 winters old or a millennia.
I heard her move in the water and wondered if she was done with the spring. When she did not appear I assumed she was not, after all. As I brushed Night's, my horse, already gleaming coat, Luna appeared. She wore her wet and torn garments. Without hesitating, I reached and pulled a set of women's clothes and boots I had obtained as part of a payment and handed them to her. While I stood one side of Night's side, she disrobed and changed on the other side, reappearing not long after. Her legs now wore white leggings meant for riding and her feet were protected by soft, black, knee-high boots. Her long unbound hair was wet and clung to her face so that it nearly looked black against her pale moonlight skin. The astonishing silver eyes she had met my crimson and the apples of her cheeks turned a rosy color. She smiled and came over to me, much to my surprise.
[Luna's POV]
I felt someone looking at me and saw Dark standing by his onyx horse with a brush in his hand. He eyed the clothes I wore and, after rummaging inside the bags on the saddle of his horse, he handed me some boots and some clothes. The sky blue tunic was just a little big but fit fine, nonetheless. I was grateful for the clothing as I was afraid of catching cold. Our eyes met and I felt my cheeks blush and a smile tug at my lips. On a swing decision, I headed over to his direction and bowed as I had seen in many movies.
"Thank you for your hospitality," I said and felt a little foolish as I straightened out from my bow. I'd never done that in my life but it seemed appropriate. Back in Texas, a simple 'thank you' sufficed but I did not know the customs of this strange and beautiful place that had waters that healed on contact.
"Is that something from your country?" he asked, looking at me carefully. I turned scarlet and looked away. He gently grabbed my shoulders and waited until I looked at him. He seemed relieved and anxious at the same time. What could be going on in his head? Maybe my charade of amnesia was not a good one. If so, I had to work at it. There was no way I would wind up in an asylum. "I meant no jest or offence. If I have offended you then I plead you to forgive my ignorance," he said gently. With a small smile of his own, he bowed and said, "You are most welcome." I couldn't help but giggle and bow again. This was silly but it didn't matter. I felt glad that at least I had one friend in this strange unknown land.
When we straightened out he looked over me with his eyes. I felt like I was being x-rayed and hugged closer the bundles of clothes I had in my arms. It was my only reminder of my world and I would not lose them or suffer them to be thrown away. "Um, is there any way I can keep these?" I asked nonetheless. Dark nodded and rummaged for a little in his saddlebag. Next he handed me what looked like a small bag. Gratefully, I slipped my clothes inside and closed the fastenings the bag had. It was simple brown leather with a long strap with a clasp. I slung it horizontally and clasped it shut. I'd keep this close until… Until what?
What was going to happen next? Where was I to go?
Dark had been looking at me and sensed my worries. "What is troubling you, little one?" he asked.
"Where am I to go? I don't know my way home. I don't know anybody," I voiced my thoughts and looked down at my booted feet. I'd always wanted boots like these back home but I'd never gotten any. It seemed strange I'd get my wish in this unknown land. What? So I get the boots in exchange for my entire world? That hardly seemed fair. I looked up to find him staring at me with intense scrutiny.
I gazed at him and tried to see what was on his mind. He really was very different from anyone I had ever known. There was just something about Dark Link that made me trust in him. I liked Dark Link. Really, I owed him so much. I couldn't help but smile at him again. It was just so easy with him. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, after all.
While I had been sitting in the spring, I had come to terms with the changes in me. I accepted the change of voice, my body, my hair. But I just couldn't come to terms with losing everything I had known. Thinking on that made me feel gloomy again but I shoved that aside. I couldn't feel longing for what I couldn't remember, right?
"How old are you by the way?" he asked, breaking into my thoughts. Should I be able to remember that? "Right, you cannot remember. I am sorry," he said, mistaking my contemplating gaze.
"No, no, it isn't that," I answered. "I think I'm 20." It couldn't hurt, I think, to tell him that much at least.
"Can you remember what year you were born?" he asked. Again, I brooded over whether I should say so or not. To him it must have looked like I was trying to remember. To keep him thinking that way, I gently touched my right temple as if it hurt and closed my eyes. "Do not strain yourself, little Luna. It will come back," he said.
"Wait a little," I told him. "1992, that's the year I was born."It couldn't hurt, right?
"Din's Fire!" he whispered. His eyes searched my face and looked at me with a strange expression. "Do you know what year we are in?"He asked.
"2012?"I tried. Perhaps it was better if I shut up. Could I have slipped out? Oh, blast it! If I was to end in an asylum for telling him the truth, so be it. "All right!"I exclaimed. "Ï don't have amnesia!" He looked at me and there seemed to be a knowing look in his face. "You knew!"Oh, what a fool I had been! Of course! I was a horrible liar. He would have seen it from the beginning. Then, why had he played along? What was going on? "You believe me?"I questioned.
"There is no deceit in your eyes, little Luna.-he chuckled- Well, that seems inappropriate now, since in Hylian standards you're 715 years old," he responded. I felt my eyes widen in surprise as he said that. 715 years old! What was the appropriate term for surprise in Hylian? I'd heard him use one. What was it?
"Din's Fire!"I gasped. I didn't feel that old.
"Luna, you are in Hyrule now," he began and took me by the shoulders. "In here, we are immortal until we decide to join the Goddesses to the Sacred Realm. I, myself, am a thousand years old."
Dark was a thousand years old! He was immortal? Did that mean I was too? I would live on forever and forever? But-but my family back home was not! They were mortal and doomed from the moment they were born. I had been too but now I would live on and on, long after their names were forgotten. This revelation rattled me so much I was struck speechless. I felt the blood leave my face and I knew I had grown deadly pale. Alarm registered in his face as he looked at me and saw new tears brim over my now silver eyes.
"Luna? What is wrong? For the love of the Three, answer me!"He pleaded, cupping my face in his hands. I could only look at him as my tears continued to slide down my face and into his fingers. No sob had yet broken and I was absolutely silent.
My family! They were doomed and I was not! I would never see them again! I would never see my mother with her tired face and weary smiles. I'd never hear Big Brother's voice as he told stories of his day at the police academy or of the times that we were little. Never again would I watch my cousins' quarrel with each other and laugh at the idiocy of it. My hands and arms would never again hold my dear baby niece and I never would feel her small baby hands on my face as she touched my lips and gave me a sturdy smack on the cheek in one of her temper tantrums. The evenings with my friends at the movies were over. The laughs and taunts were gone and I had taken them all for granted. Oh sweetest heavens! What had I done to deserve such a thing? My hands gripped at my hair so tightly that my knuckles went a further shade of white and I finally sobbed out loud as a fresh torrent of tears rushed down my face. "Please Luna, for whatever you love the most, tell me what is wrong?" Dark pleaded in a panicked voice. I never would have imagined I'd ever hear him sound so out of composure. He struck me as the type of person to keep their cool through all but I didn't care at the moment. All I could do was continue to cry and then I pressed myself to him like I had done so many times before with Big Brother. That brought a fresh torrent and Dark grew really frightened. "Din's Fire," he swore and made me sit down on the floor with him. "Please tell me what is wrong?" he pleaded, stroking my hair hesitantly.
"I'm im-immortal, aren't I?" I sobbed into his shoulder. My silvery voice was muffled by the fabric of his soft black tunic so he listened closely.
"You have taken Hylian form and did not perish the moment you came to Hyrule. I would think so," he answered and stopped. "Immortality is not a bad thing, you know. It is just a matter of keeping up with the world."
I thought about that as I grew quieter but kept on hanging onto him. "I do not cry because I am immortal," I finally said after a moment of silence. "My family is not immortal." I moved back so he could see me. He knew I had been lying before but I just had to show him I was in earnest right now. "They are not immortal. They are doomed. What will I do when they are gone? How do I know they are still alive and well? For all I know, they could have been dead for more than a hundred years! How do I know they are safe? I miss them Dark! I miss them so much right now! How would you feel? How would you feel if you had been snatched away from everything you knew?"
He looked at me for the longest time as my tears ran out. Finally he answered, "I do not know the answers to your questions. I cannot say how I would feel because I have never been in that position."
"Well, I can," I sobbed and couldn't help but think that I sounded like a child. "It sucks."
He laughed with dark humor and wiped the last of my tears. "Yes, you would know. What I can tell you is that you have a friend in Hyrule. I will never leave you alone and I will see to it that you have everything you need," he assured. Since we were sitting down, I only bowed my head in thank you and then grew conscious that I must seem like a clinging child to him, a burden.
"I'm sorry I am burdening you," I apologized. "But I cannot help it. I need your help Dark. I'm sorry to ask, but I need it so bad right now." I hung my head ashamedly and turned away.
"You don't need to ask for anything. It is given and you are no burden," he assured. "The burden shall be me, though." I frowned at that and looked to the side so he could see the confusion in my eyes. He turned to look at me and said, "I am very curious of you world," he said and I understood. He wanted me to tell him of my world. Well, I owed it to him. My mood, slightly better, went downhill again as I remembered everything again. "That is if you are willing to, little one," he added.
I looked up at the shining sky to prevent a few tears from slipping out. I smiled grimly and wiped them away before they could set off others. "That would be nice," I nodded. Wait, hadn't he just called me 'little one' again? I thought it did not fit anymore. "Little one?" I laughed. And stood up when he did.
"Meaning no offense, Lady Luna," he said, "but you are rather on the short size." With that, he placed a hand gently on my head and gave it a pat. I frowned slightly and stomped my foot in mock anger.
"I beg your pardon, sir, but where I am from I am a little tall!" I retorted and smiled despite myself.
"Just one question, Luna, if you please," he said after he chortled for a little bit.
"Yes?" I waited.
"Why amnesia?" he asked.
"Oh," I knew what he meant so I answered quickly. "I figured that even in Hyrule it was not a common thing to just up and vanish; then turn up in a forest and be hunted by, what were their names, Wolfos. I have no desire to end up in an asylum." He pondered my words and nodded in agreement.
"Perhaps it is best to keep it that way with others," he voiced.
"Ok," was all I said and then followed him to where he made a fire. I hadn't realized it but I was starving. I gobbled the rabbit meat without second thought and felt incredibly grateful for everything. I was amazed that I had not cringed when he had told me it was rabbit meat. I would've thought that I would have minded the change from the processed food I ate back home.
As I ate, Dark began to explain life in Hyrule. He explained the three goddesses this land revered and of the many places that Hyrule had. After I finished, he recounted the wars of Hyrule and of the Hero of Time and all his descendants, of the Princess Royal named Zelda, and the King of Evil, Ganondorf. For some reason, I had the feeling when it came to the wars, Dark was not being completely honest but I let the matter go. He was kind enough to tell me what was I to expect from the people and of what was expected of me. It was a relief that I would not be walking in the dark. He stood from where he had been sitting and headed towards a tree with me following close behind.
"It should be easier for you," he said, climbing onto a tree. I stared bashfully up at him and wondered just how I would get up there. Like the gentleman he had proven himself to be, Dark offered me his hand and helped me sit with him on a tree branch.
"Why do you say that?" I asked him, truly terrified of what lay ahead of me. I should only look forward, not backward. I'd convinced myself of that as Dark explained to me the ways of Hyrule. If he remained with me, perhaps, just maybe, I could get through this. It was kind of startling how easily I had made my choice.
"Well, you have no red eyes to startle the ladies of the court or to make even the bravest noblemen jump back," he answered and a bitterness entered his voice. Now it was my turn to feel sympathy. Yes, he would know more about that than I did. It was very unfair, really. Dark didn't look scary at all. His crimson eyes were saddened at the moment and I felt angry.
"You tell me which fool is bothering you. They'll find my foot down their throat," I joked and was answered by his half-smile. Truly, he was so kind. "Well, we shall see how it goes," I said after a silence.
"So," he broke the silence that had followed my words. "What would you be doing right now in your world?"
I thought a little about it before I answered him. "About now would be around seven in the evening. I would be alone in the living room sitting at the computer, watching a movie in the plasma, or be at my room reading a book. It's summer so I have vacation from school; because of that I would be looking at my books and see which was the one it had been a while since I had read. I have only a small amount of books so I constantly have to search for new readings. "
"Mother would be cooking in the kitchen, getting ready for dinner for the both of us. Most of the time it's something simple like a fried egg and a soft drink. If she was in the mood, she would cook something really tasty like lemon chicken with mashed potato and orange rice. It was always the two of us in our little kitchen with a table for six people but because it was pushed up against the wall only four could sit comfortably at it. The kitchen would be warm to the point where we would sometimes sweat as we ate, especially if it was spicy wings with mashed beans."
" Afterwards, I would go to my room, fetch a new set of clothes and take an hour-long shower. Afterwards, I would sit outside in the rusty white chair we kept at the front of the house and just look up at the sky. For a long time I'd watch the stars and I'd always get the feeling the earth was round. The times that the moon was out were the best. Evenings at home were a lot cooler than the days, you know. The moon was so bright I could see everything around me. I had poor sight and needed glasses but with the moonlight there was no need for them. The wind was a lot cooler, too. I could hear it run through the laurels that surrounded the house and make the leaves dance as it pleased. It would make me shiver and I'd be glad to feel it against my skin."
" A little afterwards, Big Brother would come home, weary from much toil, with his wife and my niece. He'd eat and either linger in the living room for a while or go upstairs to sleep the night away.-I smiled at that at some insider joke-I would still be there and I'd be hanging out with two of my cousins. They would be playing a video game in the 64 or something and have small idiotic quarrels that would have me laughing. Sometime after midnight, I'd get sleepy, shoo them out, lock the doors, and go to bed. Often I slept with music all night until late in the morning next day."
After I finished talking I fell silent. As I had spoken, I had nearly forgotten I had been speaking to him. I could see myself with my mother at our table. The kitchen is small with the dining room attached. She would be sitting at the edge of the table and I would sit near her left. I could nearly taste the lemon chicken she made, smell the lemon in the air and taste the sweet flavor of my favorite grape soda pop. She'd have a few beads of sweat running down her neck into the long flower dress she always wore around the house. The make-up Mother put on the morning would be all but gone. She'd tell me of the latest gossip she'd heard and I'd listen patiently and nod on a few occasions. As soon as she was done, I'd pick up her plate and wash it for her. Mother would be putting the left-over away in the fridge. Money was tight and we had none to be wasting good food. I'd stretch luxuriously and give her a hug. My mother was absolutely tiny. She reached my nose and I could easily embrace her without any discomfort. Her shoulder-length hair would be picked up in a messy ponytail and loose strands would hang over her face. Gently, I'd kiss the top of her forehead and tell her thank you and an 'I love you'. She'd smile weakly and shake her head. There was no need for thanks.
I remembered our tiled bathroom with the wall-length mirror and the fancy lamp holders. The shower was long and wide and I often sat down as I let the water run down and course it's way as it pleased. I could feel it cooling my body from the hot 101 degree day it had been through. I could feel the sting of my shampoo as it got into my eyes and I used a towel to make it go away. I'd enjoy the water so much I would always have trouble getting out. I'd remind myself that the water wasn't free and we had enough to pay as it was without a mounting water bill.
I was back in the chair gazing up at the sky. I vaguely knew Orion's Belt (or was it the Hunter's Belt?) and distinguish the Big Dipper. The moon would be small in the sky. So far away it seemed and, yet, it was not so. The moon's radiance would bathe everything in soft silver light and create shadows that seemed to forever be in a dance only their snow-white queen manipulated. I could hear the laurel leaves rustle like the fingers of women in silk. The wind was tugging at my unbound hair and making my body shiver in pleasure as it felt it caressing it gently.
It was with difficulty that I forced myself to stop thinking of home too much or I would surely start again with the waterworks. Abruptly, I realized many of the things I had told him he would have had no knowledge and wonder what I had been talking about. I looked sideways at Dark and saw concern in his eyes. "Are you all right?" he asked.
I looked at him, to the waters of the spring that reflected the colors of the setting sky, the red sun that had all but vanished in the horizon, and back to Dark's crimson eyes. I smiled a little, knowing it was not a very happy smile, and shook my head. I was not all right. I'd be a fool to think so and a liar if I told him otherwise.
"No," I answered, "but I will be in time. I hope."
Author's Note: well, I have revised it once again. It's not 100% flawless but I hope it will be a little easier to follow now. Please READ AND REVIEW! If you have any ideas please let me know! I'm welcome to suggestions though I'm sure the direction the story is to take is yet to be revealed. I'll post again as soon as I can. -Dea Lux
1 A mesquite is a tree common to south Texas along the border.