Hi everyone! I just want to say thanks a million for the reviews! Here's the next chapter in 'The Heroine!' Enjoy!

Link

'So you're telling me that my brother was supposed to save the whole country, if Ganondorf hadn't killed him?'

'Perhaps.'

'Perhaps?'

'It might just be a coincidence.'

'You wouldn't have told me all this if it was a coincidence.'

Sheik fell silent. He was sitting on the fallen tree, surveying the girl he had just met. She was sitting in a small tree in front of him with the falcon on her right shoulder, scratching under his wing. Sheik looked up at her.

'What is your name?'

She paused, and surveyed him as if trying to see through him. She then looked away. 'You can call me Lin,' she said. Then she turned back to him. 'And you?'

'I'm Sheik.'

Lin surveyed him.

'You're one of the Sheikahs aren't you?'

Sheik nodded, but kept silent. Lin didn't press the matter further, as she looked down in the ground.

'Link was my older brother,' Lin said and sighed, 'and he was always referred to the bravest boy in the village even though he was only seventeen.'

Sheik froze.

'Seventeen?'

Lin nodded. He frowned.

Seventeen is too old. Link might still be alive. But why was his name then Link? And why did Ganondorf seek him out? There is something that doesn't make sense…

Sheik's thoughts were interrupted as his eyes caught the falcon. He had stopped scratching himself, and was now sitting still, as if listening and looking. Sheik suddenly felt a darkening in the environment and something told him to…

'What is it?' Lin had noticed Sheik's sudden concerned look. Then suddenly the bird shrieked and left her shoulder.

'Get down!' Sheik grabbed Lin around the waist as he dashed from the fallen tree. An arrow pierced the spot were Lin had been sitting. They tumbled down a rocky hill by the trees, and they both found themselves on the ground, Lin on top. She quickly rose, but Sheik pulled her behind the downhill.

'Hey! What are you-' But Sheik placed a hand upon her mouth and she fell silent.

Out from the trees two Stalfos warriors suddenly came, one bearing a bow. The two youngsters stood extremely still as they sniffed in the air, grunted a few inaudible words to each other, and then left. Lin crept up the hill. looking over the top before she climbed all the way up.

'What was that?' she asked. Sheik swiftly made his way up the hill but he didn't answer.

Why did they come here?Ganondorf wouldn't have sent them unless he hadn't finished the job…

Then it hit him.

He didn't finish the job.

'What?'

'Never mind.'

Sheik sighed and sat down on the fallen tree again, yet Lin remained on feet.

'Do you call that coincidence?' she asked and looked down in the ground.

'What?'

'They were looking for me, weren't they?' she asked but didn't wait for him to answer, 'Cause I'm sister to the great Hero.'

Then she turned her head towards Sheik. He looked at her; he could see her clear blue eyes for a while in despair. She turned down her eyes from Sheik's piercing gaze, knowing she shouldn't trust him. The falcon left her shoulder, flying away in the mist. Sheik looked after him, wondering what it was up to. Normally it was easy for Sheik to tell what people and animals were thinking, but not that bird. He looked back and his eyes widened as he saw that the girl was gone.

Hours later, Lin found herself gazing out on the field of Hyrule. She had only been in the heart of Hyrule once in her life, before all the evil times. She sighed and sank down to the ground. She had run and run until she found herself here.

So the evil man, Ganondorf, had found out about the village's secret. Her secret. The falcon flapped its wings as he landed on her shoulder.

'Why is life so cruel, Amon?' she asked him. He didn't answer, but gratefully took the seed that she held in her hand.

A sudden howl caught her attention. She turned so quickly she lost her balance and with a surprised yell tumbled down the hill she had been standing on. Sighing at her own clumsiness, she then looked up to find herself standing face to face three dark grey wolves with red piercing eyes.

Alarmed, she quickly jumped to her feet, thinking quickly. Well, this was just her luck. Come to Hyrule, and what do you get? That's right, three wolves attacking you. Probably hungry ones, too, by the looks of it.

She backed a few steps Then she suddenly found that she couldn't back anymore, as she hit the trunk of a tree. The snarling wolves approached her, sealing her only escape route as they did. Lin suddenly caught the eye of one wolves, just as he crouched down, preparing to attack. It growled, and leapt…

Slack.

She had pulled out her knifes in the last moment and slashed them through the dirty fur of the wolf. It whined and fell to the ground. She twisted the knives in her hand and looked one of the wolves straight in the eyes as he lunged for her…

Sheik emerged from the trees, looking around. He had tried following the girl, and followed her steps to Hyrule field, the very heart of the country. He had been so close to find Link, he was not stopping now, even if Link was dead. He had to know the truth. And Lin… There was something not right, he could feel it.

Noises below suddenly caught his attention. He spun around to the sound, and his hand grasped around his chain, which was his weapon of use.

Lin gasped as the wolf's claws dug into her forearm, ripping it. Then it leapt onto her and she fell to the ground. Damn, she thought, as it snarled, its head only inches away from Lin's and saliva dropped from his mouth landed on her cheek.

No, there will be no dying today, she thought, desperately trying to reach for one of her knives that lay inches away from her fingertips.

Then, as the wolf was about to strike something suddenly wrapped itself around it's neck. It was a chain, and the wolf whined as it was pulled away, dragged in the dirt, before it managed to get up in its feet again and shook of the chain. Lin watched as Sheik pulled back the chain in a swift move.

What is he doing?

Yet, her thoughts were interrupted, as the last wolf leapt onto her, and they tumbled around on the ground before Lin managed to kick it off herself. But then the wolf's claws caught her already wounded arm, and it ripped up whatever remaining flesh she had.

The pain was unbearable and she fell to her knees, tears forming in her eyes. But with her healthy hand, she weakly grabbed one of her knives. If it leapt on her again, she thought, her vision getting darker, maybe she could just… just thrust it through…

She suddenly saw a flash of light, created by Sheik, how she did not know, but it scared the wolves enough to run away. The Sheikah looked after them as they disappeared to the east, where the mountains grew high and dark.

'Well, I probably wouldn't call that coincidence either,' he said and turned to Lin but fell silent as he saw her lying on the ground, unconscious. Sheik immediately located the reason for her unconsciousness by the wound on her arm that was bleeding quite badly. He looked up to his right.

There lay the peaceful Lon Lon Ranch, pretty much ad it had the past hundred years…

Lin slowly opened her eyes, and found herself staring into the eyes of a blond man. At first she thought it was Sheik, but this man had green eyes, not red. Though he was blonde, but not the same shade as the Sheikah. His colour reminded her of hay and he had freckles in his face. It was then she realised that it was a complete stranger.

She sat up with a jerk, and would have fallen out of the bed, if it wasn't for the boy who grabbed her shoulders, steadying her.

'Hey, relax,' he said and quickly released her as she narrowed her eyes against him. He raised his hands to show his innocence, 'I'm just helping you.' Lin looked down to her right arm and found that it was bandaged.

'I've put in some heeling herbs under it, so you'll be better in a few days,' the boy continued. Then he smiled. 'My name's Gimel, by the way.'

Lin nodded and looked around. She found herself in a barn house, lying on a soft bed.

'How did I get here?'

'Sheik brought you here,' Gimel answered. 'He's outside,' he added to her questioning look.

She quickly rose from the bed, backing away, and left the boy in the barn. As she opened the door to the barn house, the setting sun struck in her eyes. She found herself looking out on a field where a herd of horses ran around and played with each other. To her left, she saw another house, smaller than the one she had been in.

Where am I?

Suddenly she heard the soft tones of a harp reached her ears. She slowly turned, and discovered Sheik, sitting on a large pile of hay, playing on a golden coloured harp. The melody was so soft and sad, and Lin could not help feeling sad.

'Feeling better?'

The tones died, as Sheik put down the harp, and looked at Lin with his red eyes.

She shrugged. 'I've had better days.'

Then she fell silent.

'Thanks for saving my life.'

Sheik gave a smile, but did not say anything.

Lin climbed up on a pile of boxes, so that she almost was as high up as Sheik. She regarded the man beside her. He was tall, taller than her, and, she couldn't help to notice, very handsome. His blond hair almost reached down to his neck, and it kept blowing around his face and his deep red eyes. His face was tanned, and he was clad in a pair of dark blue leggings and a shirt in a much darker shade, almost black-like. Link suddenly realised that she was staring at him, and she dropped her gaze, embarrassed at herself.

'So what is this place?' she asked, clearing her throat.

'The Lon Lon Ranch. Don't worry, the people here are nice, you can stay a few days.'

'What about you then?'

Sheik was silent for a while, watching the horses as they played.

'I don't know.'

A sudden shriek in the air caught their attention. Amon circled above their heads, before landing on Lin's outstretched arm.

'Amon, where have you been? I was worried about you,' she cooed and stroke the falcon's head.

'Your falcon?' Sheik made a nod towards the bird. Lin looked down.

'No. He was my brother's.'

'…I'm sorry.'

Lin and Sheik watched the horses once again under silence.

'Can I trust you, Sheik?'

He looked at her.

'I would more say that the question is for you to answer,' he said.

She frowned at the mystery in his speaking. She reasoned with herself for a moment or two, if she was going to speak. As she opened her mouth, she had no knowing of what she was about to tell him would drag her into.

'You know what the sad part is, Sheik?'

Sheik looked down at Lin and surveyed her as she sat with a leg dangling from the boxes, still looking at the horses as she talked. She was indeed a beauty, with her long blond hair, deep blue eyes and pale skin.

'What?'

'He wasn't... Link.'

Sheik froze. She slowly turned her head to him and looked at him with her dark blue eyes.

'I am.'

Sheik looked shocked at her.

What is she saying?

She gave a sigh.

'When I was born, it was to the day 200 years since the death of the Hero and my parents decided to name me Link. My brother's name was Mil. He taught me everything I know about riding, archery, sword fighting…' Her words trailed off, as her voice broke a little. But when she spoke again, her voice was strong again.

'We had no idea about Ganondorf was back, but when a merchant came and told us about the shadow, the elders in my village started talking about the old legend again. The one with the Ganondorf and the Hero, Link.'

Sheik was silent, taking in her words, slowly realising what she was saying. Then she spoke again.

'Of course, I never thought for a second that the Hero… and I…' She sighed. 'But everyone thought in other ways. Especially when another merchant told us that Ganondorf was looking for Link, to kill him. It was then my brother decided that he would claim to be Link, if anything would happen. We never thought it would, but…'

Her voice trailed off, and silence ruled.

Sheik's feelings were a mix of disbelief, relief and a feeling of utter dumbness.

Link. She was Link. It wasn't her brother after all. Why had he been so stupid and not realised it? It was because she was girl… He sighed at his stupidity.

Have an open mind while looking. Sava's advice echoed in his head.

'It was no coincidence at all,' he said, shaking his head.

Then he suddenly realised that she was in grave danger.

'Yet know I realise that my brother's death was in vain, since Ganondorf has found out the truth.'

She looked down in her lap.

'What am I supposed to do, Sheik?'

He looked at her, studying her.

'Well, first,' he said, 'you'll have to get better in your arm, and then you'll go to the castle.'

Link frowned, looking up. 'Castle? What castle?'

Sheik smiled, nodding his head towards the horizon where, conveniently, a big castle lay. 'That castle.'

Link narrowed her eyes. 'Why?'

'Because there is someone there, who can tell you what your destiny is.'

Then he suddenly jumped down the pile of hay.

'Where are you going?' Link asked him. He turned to her and his eyes shone with a sparkle as if he had found new hope.

'I have to talk to someone.' Then he suddenly disappeared in a flash of light. Link frowned as she looked after him. Normally she would have been suspicious. What if he was an ally to Ganondorf? He wouldn't have saved her life twice if he were. And yet, he was so mysterious.

'Oh, sure, 'talk to someone'… yeah, I get it,' she said sarcastic, turning around, only to give a startled jump as she saw Gimel standing there.

'Sorry if I startled you,' he said, 'I was just wondering if you were hungry.' He held up a loaf of bread. Link smiled.

'So you live her alone?' Link asked, her mouth full of bread.

'Nah, it's my uncle and I who drive this place.'

Gimel and Link was sitting on the roof of the barn, gazing out over the field, where the now calm horses were grazing.

'Where is he now?'

'He's delivering Milk to Roseclint, so he'll be back next week or so.'

'Uhu.'

Then she suddenly remembered something. 'You know Sheik?'

Gimel nodded. 'A lot of people know him.' Then he seemed to reconsider. 'Well, know and know. I don't think anyone knows him any better than that he's a Sheikah, but that's about it. He doesn't really talk about himself.'

Link nodded. Not surprisingly, he had struck her as the mysterious type.

'Well, he's everyone's friend, but no one knows him. Saved for the Princess, I'd guess' Gimel continued. Link looked up.

'Princess?'

Gimel nodded. 'Whenever Sheik's in Hyrule, and not off on some journey, he lives in the castle. I think he's appointed as the Royal Adviser, or something.'

Link nodded. 'So he's an important guy.'

Gimel looked at her. 'It's not like that. No one thinks of his title, but by his personality. I mean, if you put your trust in that guy, he would never betray it.'

Link took a bite out of the bread thoughtfully, when she suddenly noticed a horse on the field she hadn't seen before. It had the strangest colour with its dark red body and white mane.

The horse lifted his head to Link and surveyed her with his dark wise eyes.

'Who's that?' Link said, watching the horse breathless as he lifted its head high.

'Magnificent, isn't he? My uncle said that his great great great grandmother long ago, was the horse of the legendary Hero. His name is Epone.'

Link watched as the horse started to trot around the herd. Gimel sighed.

'Unfortunately, he answers to no one. We've tried to tame him, but…' Gimel showed the bruises on his arms, 'he keeps throwing me off.'

Link smiled.

'Well,' Gimel said and jumped down the roof, 'I have to look after the cows, so… I'll see you tomorrow,' he smiled and went inside the barn. Link was left, looking at the beautiful Epone.

'What a surprise… a surprise indeed. The Hero… a woman!' Caled chuckled as he thought of it.

'Nevertheless, the courage in her is great,' Sheik said as he was discussing the matter with the priest in the Chamber of the Sages.

'Sheik, this is a great risk. You are sure of this?' Caled's eyes were now troubled.

'Her name is Link and Ganondorf wants her dead. What are the odds?'

'We do not know for sure.'

'If she can wield the Master Sword, she is the Hero.'

'Sheik,' Caled leaned forward and surveyed him from his old and tired eyes, 'the Master Sword has been lost for centuries. How do you expect her to find it?'

Sheik narrowed his eyes. 'Why do you have so little faith in her?'

To this, Caled did not answer. Instead he sighed.

'We have very little time. You, Sheik, will have to aid her in the quest to find the Master Sword.'

Sheik, still not happy with the way Caled had responded to his news, nodded.

'Very well,' Caled said, 'Good luck.'

Link awoke with a jerk. At first she was not able to locate herself, but then the memories came back from the day before. She sighed.

The same dream had been haunting her for days. She rose from the bed in the barn were she had been lying and looked around in the dark house. The air from the hay and dust made her thirsty and she went out for some fresh air. As she opened the door she was surprised by how chilly the air was. There was a thin mist floating around the ranch that had an unexplainable sense of foreboding in it.

Yet the moon was clearly visible as Link climbed up on to the roof to the barn. She sighed and the memories suddenly swelled over her again. That horrible day…

… The rain started to fall hard on the ground and dark clouds appeared up in the sky.

'What a peculiar weather,' the old man, Link and Mil's protector, said. She nodded, and held out her hand to the rain as it had a sense of foreboding in it.

For once, the Creel Village was silent. Link looked around, to see that it was the same activity as it used to be in the village. The merchants were out, their shops open, the kids were out playing… Everything was just… silent.

She looked up at Mil, leaning against the shield he had in his hand. Link sighed; she didn't like the idea of her brother taking her name if Ganondorf would show up. The thought of her being protected made her feel like a coward. She wondered what their parents would say about it if they were alive.

She was suddenly aware of the fact that something was going to happen. As in slow motion the rain dropped on the villagers as a man on a horse suddenly came racing into the village.

'Hide! The Dark King is coming!'

Everyone in the village gasped in terror and started hiding, except Link and her brother. She knew he would come. Link looked at her brother who unsheathed his sword. The old man pulled her away behind a pile of boxes, as they watched in horror what happened.

'Remember,' the old man said, 'Whatever happens, you must remain silent.'

And so, in a strange mist of darkness, the Dark King, Ganondorf, paced into the village, upon his black stallion. With him, he brought a great fear. Everyone in the village seemed to quiver with each step the Gerudo man took. Everyone saved for Link. She felt no fear for this man. Only anger.

He stopped a few yards away, looking over the village with bored dark eyes. He then snorted to himself, as if thinking the village was too small for his attention.

'Where is Link?' he asked, in a booming voice. But instead of Link standing up and pacing forth, Mil straightened up and walked forth with sword and shield, standing alone in the rain.

Ganondorf surveyed him up and down, then cracking a grin. 'Well, we meet again,' he growled. He dismounted his horse, who turned its gaze over the other villagers, locking its red eyes on Link, who let her eyes drop to the ground.

But the sound of steel being drawn brought Link's gaze back to the battle. She gasped as she saw Ganondorf draw a mighty sword. As he swung it though, Mil rolled out of the way, to Ganondorf's anger. He swung his great sword again, and this time Mil did not have the time to avoid it. Instead he tried to block the swing but his sword was cut in half. Ganondorf grinned.

'I see you have not your Master Sword!'

Link's heart sank in her chest as she saw Mil desperately trying to avoid his attacks with only his shield as defence.

With a swung of his fist, Ganondorf knocked it out Mil's hands as well. Link could not believe it. Mil was the best fighter she'd ever seen, and he was losing quickly. She made several moves to stand up, but the old man restrained her.

Ganondorf bent down and picked Mil up by his neck. The boy hardly made any resistance as he was knocked out of his senses. As Ganondorf closed his fist around Mil's neck, Link couldn't help to stand up.

'No!'

Ganondorf ripped his gaze of Mil's face and locked his eyes upon Link. He surveyed her, as she stood in the rain, her blondhair flying in the wind, dressed in a simple farm dress.

He rose his eyebrows. 'Family, eh?'

Then he grinned. 'Well, strangling your brother might not be the nicest thing to do, eh?'

Link took a step forth, hope suddenly in her chest.

'I guess I could drown him instead.' Then he threw him away. Mil, seeming lifeless, landed hard on the ground, and tumbled around, towards the great cliff that lead down to the swift Hylian River. And just like that, Mil tumbled over the edge.

Link sucked in a breath full of air, ready to scream, but she couldn't. Her voice had left her. She began running forth but the old man grabbed her.

'No!' he said.

'Mil,' she sobbed quietly. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Link watched as her brother had managed to hold onto the cliff edge and he tried to pull himself up. He looked Link in the eye.

'I have to do this,' he whispered. Then he lost his grip and fell down the cliff, never to be seen again.

'Nooo!' Link shrieked and desperately tried to squeeze herself out from the old man's grip, but he held her tight. She wanted to believe that he hung on, he wasn't dead. But she knew, inside. Her brother was dead. He died, trying to defend her.

Ganondorf who had watched the girl, threw back his head and laughed. Link's grief was replaced to hatred towards this ugly, foul man. He turned around to walk away, still laughing. Link, with sudden newfound force, ripped herself out from the old man's grasp, and started walking forth to the Gerudo Man, every step filled with powered rage.

She picked up her brother's sword that had been ripped in two, and stalked forth to the Gerudo man. 'You foul bastard!' she shrieked after him, and he suddenly stopped.

Slowly he turned, looking at her, his eyes seeming entirely black. The two of them locked eyes, for what seemed an age. Then, quick as lightning, Ganondorf suddenly struck out his hand and hit Link with such force that she flew back and slammed into the stony wall of a house, knocked unconscious.

Ganondorf stood still, looking at Link for a moment, with a strange look in his eyes. Then he turned, mounted his horse and galloped out of the village...