Authors note:
I actually began writing this story a while back when I started getting familiar with fan fiction. This actually takes palace during the great war from Ocarina and ends with a little aspects from the Wind Waker. For right now I plan on leaving as is and making it a short story. But if I get anymore ideas then I will continue, all in all I hope you guys enjoy it:) Oh and before I forget, some scenes maybe a bit gory so I ask that the faint of heart tread carefully.
Thank you
Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda
The lost Boy
Her legs throbbed in pain.
from both fatigue, and from the fabric of her nightgown. As the fabric stiffly glued to them by the blood that trickled through the scratches, as she ran through the sharp dark thickets of the forest. She had been running for hours, hours away from her home that was now being swallowed by the ravages of fire. The wails and howls of war filtering through the sky and making the maiden's heart lurch with dread, as she thought of her love who was called upon by the King Of Hyrule only hours ago to gather arms and fight for the freedom of their land. which was slowly being taken, by the dark forces that wanted nothing more then to ravage and rape her of its wealth and splendor.
"Promise me, Ava," Ava remembered her beloved husband tell her, as he laced his fingers through her loose golden braid. "Promise me that if you see the red of war bleeding across the sky you will take our son, and flee as far away as you can from here."
"What about you my love? you will follow close behind will you not? "Victor?Victor!" Ava barked, when Victor remained mum, his sharp blue eyes regarded her with an errie calmness that made her bare feet shuffle nervously, against the tiled blue floor of their bed chamber entrance.
"Of course."he finally nodded, "As soon as we have the border that runs through Termina secured, I will look for the both of you." he said, as he placed a large hand gently atop the soft blonde curls of the infant that nuzzled sleepily against Ava's soft breast.
"Link sleeps so peacefully,even as the world shifts and changes around us, he sleeps on without a care in the world. My brave lad, If there is nothing more that I can do for this land Ava. then I wish for nothing more than for Link to grow up in a land that lacks strife and is full of peace so that he will never know the darkness of war. I will not allow it."
Victor's eyes harden as he heard the shrill voice of his squire Bulger swiftly riding up to the entrance of his castle.
He was a boy of no more then thirteen, it pained Ava as she regarded his thin limbs, that shook and buckled from a mixture of both fear and the rain. And had the notion, that this would be the final night that he would stare at his mentor through wide worried green eyes, before a quick swing of the sword would quickly snuff the life out of a sapling that could of been.
"Master," Bulger wheezed. his red cold nose popping from under the wet heavy cloak, as straightend himself to appear more fearless. "They are cutting though us quickly, leuitenant Harkinian is doing all he can,but we are in great need of you. more are coming by the drones and there is no end to them."
"Have the archer been assembled and dispatched yet?
"Yes sir," Bulger spoke carefully, when he saw his mentor's face harden. "The prince dispatched them before any of others in the front line, he thought that it would be wise to rid ourselves of as much enemy soldiers as possible given the great numbers."
"That damed deku-headed fool! a loud shrill erupted from the silence the infant had awoken from his fathers booming remark. "That is what they expect of us to do first," Victor hissed in a softer tone.
"Go back to camp and tell Harkinian to command all the remaining archers to fall back. If he protests, tell him it was strict order from me do you understand? If it is true that most of are best archers have perished, I believe it is time to figure out another strategy, or if need be as much as hate the idea, we must humble ourselves and ask for assistance from those two shriveled up prunes.
"You Don't mean Witch Koume and Kotake?!" Bulger trembled visibly, " Those batty old loons would no sooner rip your heart out and eat it in front you, then help in the future of this kingdom, you know that very well."
"If that what it takes so be it. I'd rather that,then have that idiotic fool of prince continue painting the fields carelessly with my men's blood."
"Now go Bulger, ride as quickly as your steed can take you, I will be behind you soon enough."
"Yes sir, Master Victor! Bulger saluted, before riding off in to the night.
Victor rubbed his tired eyes, and sighed as he looked back at his lovely young wife. Ava and Link kept him tethered to sanity, a sanity that he feared he would lose if they perished in the fires of destruction. wordlessly and hastily the small family gatherd what ever clothing,food, and rupees mother and son could carry. Victor placed Ava and Link, who was swaddled in a sling fashioned around Ava's shoulders atop Eton, a sturdy black Mare.
With eyes glistening, Ava placed trembling fingers on her lips and kissed them,before pressing them against victors lips, that where drawn in a sullen weathered straight line.
With one swift slap, Victor urged the horse to ride as swiftly as possible leading his family away from him for the first time. The war would trudge on, of this he was certain, as certain as he felt that he would that he would die on the battle field.
Did he long to embrace his beloved and feel the weight of her breast against his chest, or feel the tickle of his sweet boys curls against his face? Goddess only knows he would, However time itself was a very cruel and selfish thing, and he no longer had any of his own to spare.
Ava cried silently, as Eton rode on. the wind whipped and swirled around them as Eton's hooves squelched against the rain soaked earth, and looped around the many dark branches. Ava smiled as she listened to Link giggle and babble as he played with the leather pouch that contained the rupees.
"Already a pick-pocket I see," Ava giggled, as she raised a slender finger to his chubby cheek. to enthralled was the young women, that she did not see the dark figure that stepped before her, until she felt the world spinning underneath her.
she felt like she was in a vortex, as she saw piles of clothes and food tumble around her. she held on to Link tightly as she was pitched in mid air violently, before being knocked against a tree so hard that darkness quickly enveloped her when she felt the seering white pain split though her skull.
It felt like eons before Ava came to, when she heard a piteous cry through the darkness. the maiden slowly opened her eyes that felt heavy and swollen and looked around her. she saw tendrils of her golden hair soiled and dirty from the mud as she laid splayed across the ground. her pure white night gown now dirty and nearly transparent, clung to her delicate form like a second skin, as she shifted and rose painfully on the ground. She hobbled quickly and picked up her baby, who was crying more from fright, then from injury which relived Ava given these dire straights. Eton however, was gravely wounded the mare bucked and twisted painfully from a broken back. Ava, her eyes filled with tears and pity squeezed them shut, she stood there reasoning against every fiber of her gentle being from the grim reality of what she must do, quietly she placed Link down amongst a tree root and found the biggest, heaviest rock she could find. She stood sullenly before Eton who now regarded her with large dark eyes, his thrashing stopped, as Ava lifted the rock high above her head.
Eton closed his eyes and his body calmed as if anticipating this permanent relief from a now useless body.
As tears fell from her soft blue eyes, Ava mouthed a "forgive me." before ending the pain that the once proud Eton felt.
"My, such a soft pink thing. That contains such malice towards innocent creatures." A thick dark voice spoke through the brushes before making itself known. A tall dark figure shrouded in black stood before the maiden who's pale face was now speckled with blood.
"I suppose you had no option though," the cloaked figure regarded the lifeless horse before turning back to Ava, "That horse was making far to much noise, so much so, that it has made it easier for me to find you and that yellow little larvae of yours. '"Ah yes," the figure sighed and shrugged."I'm ashamed to say I do get a bit excited and forget how capable my powers are. Thought I launched mother and babe straight to the moon I did. how lucky was I to find you."
"What do you wish of us?" Ava squeaked, as the figure loomed over her, white teeth flashing under the cloak as the man smiled maliciously at her question.
"My child and I are no more stronger then a fairy wing, why do you wish harm on us?"
"Let us just say that, I've seen the outcome of which the fruit of your womb has greatly been a burden to me, and my lovely plans. And I wish nothing more to destroy the creation, as well its cast that stand against the dawn of a new future."
"It dose pain me to kill such a lovely thing as yourself," he purred, as two large hands lifted Ava painfully off her feet with a strong tug."But seeing as I am a soft-hearted fellow, I shall kill you first." The figure said sweetly, as he spun Ava around like her husband would on the ball room floor, and wrapped a strong arm around her, holding her against his hard chest. "Death will claim you swiftly," he said, as he placed his index finger that glowed a sickly green against Ava's sweaty temple.
"And the best part is, you won't be alive to witness as I rip your helpless babe apart limb from limb. "Oh my dear, I knew that would make you happy, see how over come with relief you are its bringing you to tears."
The man placed a hard kiss on Ava's wet tear stained cheek, her lips moved quickly in silent prayer as she prayed to the goddess for what ever means of escape they could offer her. As she felt the man once again press his index finger harder against her temple, she felt the heat of his magic searing against her skin. Ava's immense eyes looked at the starless sky pleadingly before they skirted and locked on Link, his little hands flaying for his mother when the absence of her warmth became un-bearable to him.
Ava's tears became uncontrollable sobs as she closed her eyes and prepared herself, the man started to mutter in a foreign tongue. Each time he spoke the light against her temple became brighter, and stung more against her skin. She screamed, thrashed and bite his arm deeply until she tasted blood. she cried out to the goddesses to help her.
"Farore,Din, Nayru!Come to my aid. I have been just and faithful, please take pity on both my babe and I."
"Praying to the goddesses are you? How primitive of you." The man laughed, "Do you honestly think that something will come out of this blind faith of yours?
As if by divine intervention, a light shout out and fluttered around the man taking him off guard and dropping Ava. His arm flayed around wildly trying to shake the small assailent that fought with as much reselience as a tiger. Giving Ava the opportinuty to scoop Link in her arms, and run for safety. she paused however when she spotted a shock of blonde hair. She stood there, as she regarded the figure that looked no more then a child, as it motioned for her to follow them. With out thinking, and with Link in arms, Ava plunged into the foliage,and began following the figure, which Ava surmised to be a boy. The boy knocked the branches down with a long stick.
Whomever this boy was, he was brave. Never once faultering as they moved forward towards their destination, his back straight and true reminded her of beloved Victor. the notion itself stilled her rapid beating heart as the angry cursing of the man melted into the distance.
each time Ava attempted to reach out for the boys arm, his pace quickened. no matter how hard she tried she couldn't touch him or speak to him, he never answered back when Ava would ask for his name. The only way Ava knew that he was not indeed a figment of her imagination, was from time to time he would pause, and wait until she caught up just enough for her not to get lost.
"T-thank you." Ava stammered "I don't know who you are, but thank you, my silent hero." she smiled sweetly, when she heard a gruff grunt as he nodded his head briskly.
A comfortable silence past as they went deeper inside the woods. the old began mixing with the new as Ava noticed. The once old dry trees were replaced with green lush ones that seemed to have there own magic, and the young trees glistened as they swayed and danced as if greeting the two weary travelers. the air itself was different, it felt cooler and smelled sweet and pure.
"It won't be to long," the boy spoke softly. "I'm sure he will help you, I know he can."
"My, you do have a voice it appears." Ava smiled. "I wish you would of used it, I do not even know your name or from where you came from."
"My name or where I'm from is not of any Importance." the boy said, as he stopped at the entrance way of a large hollow tree bridge. "The only thing that matters to me is..." the boy bite down on his lip as he felt his body slowly beginning to tremble. he fisted his hands until his knuckles turned white trying with all he could to fight off the dark spell that began weaving through his body. but failing miserably, when he felt his legs grow heavy and immobile like they always did.
"Boy?what is the matter?" Ava reached out and placed a cool hand on his hot trembling shoulder.
"The only thing of importance to me is that I help you before I wake up." The boy strained the last words as he looked at Ava who regarded him with a sort of bewildered recognition.
"Run," the boy moaned, as he tried to free himself from the tethered ground. his sharp blue eyes flashed imploringly at Ava who watched in horror, as the ground erupted underneath the boy.
Skeleton hands grabbed and scrapped against the boys ankles, as they held him fast to the ground.
"Please, goddess Din no!" the boy sobbed and shook his tangled mop of hair as he tried to free his legs from the skeletal fingers. He didn't want to see the images that had been plaueging him since the day he spoke his first words.
"RUN YOU FOOL!" He yelled at the women bringing back a spark that made he react. She began running, each step she took sounded hollow to the boys pointed ears, her sprints slowed and slackened as she ran past him as if she were underwater. The boy looked down, and felt relief when the only thing he heard was his haggard dry breath and hoped that it would be enough to cover the horrors he was about to hear.
A shrill scream rented the air,
tears filled the boys eyes, when he saw blood splash and dot the dusty ground before him.
"No," he sobbed, looking up when he saw the women crumpled to the ground a black arrow jutting from her back.
He couldn't speak anymore, as he watched the women look at him with her wide eyes. and with a bloody hand she reached out for him, a thin smile appear across her tired lips as she mouthed out the boys name.
"M-mother." the boy choked "Mama." the boy cried, he felt helpless as he watched the cloaked man appear in a flash of red smoke before the boys dying mother. The man kneeled and grabbed a tuft of the woman's hair as he yanked her up painfully enough for the boy to see her long white neck.
The man pulled out a dagger and held it to her throat pausing to look at Link. The man gave him a triumphant grin, as he sliced the dagger deeply across the woman's throat.
"Mother!" Link cried out with a start, his blue eyes looking wildly around, he realized he was back In the sleeping quarters of the ship.
The trees from his nightmare where soon replaced with sturdy, dark, stained wood walls. And the grass and foliage, by deep wine colored tapestry and rugs. He leaned his face against the palms of his hands and rose from his bed that was now damp with sweat. His room felt dark and vacant, as he sat there, and listened to the soft snores and sneezes from the ship crew next door, as well as the soft creaking of the boat traversed through the waves of the sea.
He hated that nightmare, it exhausted Link. Brought back his childhood fear of night terrors and ghost, and there was nothing he could do about it except for one thing that is.
There in the darkness of his room Link cried for the first time, since he had returned from Termina.