Mistakes

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda.

Gabriell stared at the wagon with her father's body and she slowly sunk to the base of the trunk. Things were going so well and now... now everything was taking a spiraling turn in the wrong direction. The last thing she wanted was her father to be dead.

"Colin, you jerk! Don't scare me like that!" Alicia yelled from the wagon. Gabriell looked up and scrambled to her feet. Marak glanced behind at her, sneaking a thumbs up to answer her worries. The majority of the wounded soldiers laughed and helped Alicia down from the wagon and continued down the village with the wagon.

Gabriell glanced to her mother who now stood silent looking in the direction that the wagon came. She knew what Alicia was waiting to see, another wagon carrying more wounded and one certain individual. Gabriell sunk down to the ground once again.

"It was his choice to go, mother. If he dies, I don't care anymore." Gabriell mumbled, Alicia turned to look at her, Marak blinked and looked at both of them

"You don't mean that, Gabriell." Alicia said, turning around to look at Gabriell still sitting on the ground.

"He wanted to go out and be a hero! He can die for all I care!" Gabriell screamed, clambering to her feet and running to the village. Marak almost went after her but Alicia grabbed his arm.

"Let her go, she's upset and needs a second to breathe." Alicia said, letting go of Marak's arm. "She's still hurt by someone... so don't keep your hopes up."

Marak froze at this and looked at his hands, it felt like it was just yesterday that he was holding Marian in them. His hands balled into fists and he could feel his blood pump and almost reach his eyes but he quickly shook it off.

"Would you husband know?" Marak asked, turning to look at her.

Alicia thought about this. "Possibly. They left together so I'm sure Colin would know what happened to him. Why?" she asked.

"So she'll be at peace when she hears if he's dead or not." Marak said, Alicia nodded; understanding what he meant. "What's his name?"

"Lyle, he's the son of the Hero of Twilight."

"Link?" Marak said, slightly taken back. "Now I understand why he left to fight."

"He left things behind, Marak. Yes, he has to live up to his family's name but which is better to be proud of? Going to fight that may lead to your death and leaving the people who care about you behind or staying with them. Link never lived long enough to see his grandchildren, neither of the Heroes did. They both died. Is that how you would want to live?" Alicia asked.

Marak shook his head, glancing down the road towards the village.

"Lyle may have made the worst mistake. Everyone makes them, what you want to learn is how to fix them. Gabriell.. she... he should have stayed to help her. I can only do so much to help her heal." Alicia said.

"Heal? What happened to her?"

"I was a horrible parent. I didn't fulfill my job as a mother, like my mother did. I'm trying my best to make up for it now."

Marak ran his hand through his hair. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked.

"Because Lyle isn't here anymore, only you are." Alicia answered, heading towards the village.

Marak stood still, glancing around him. The wounded were all gone already, sent to the village to heal. "Learn how to fix mistakes... Okay." He murmured to himself, balling his hands into fists and running to the village.

Ordon...

Colin lay on a bed, his bed he knew; in his house. A hand stroking his forehead as he rested reassured him to where he was. The fighting at Hyrule caste was faint in his mind as he slept. The horror of the Creepers stuck in his mind and almost tormented him but the gently hand helped keep him sain.

The Creepers, a terrifying horror, descended upon the castle. Colin and the others had arrived at the castle just a few minutes before the Creepers arrived. A commander took them under and instantly strapped them all with a sword and shield. Some were posted at the wall and other at the ground at the gates. Anyone who could wield a bow from Ordon were instantly posted on the wall to fend off flying Creepers.

All the archers and swordsman posted on the wall layout of view from any ground forces. Lyle hunched down with his back leaning against a stone railing for the wall, holding a bow. Other soldiers sat with him, soaked from a daylong rain that filled the moat high. Colin at across from Lyle, holding only a sword. He remembered the seriousness of Lyle's face.

"Have I done the right thing, Colin?" Lyle asked, his voice harsh from not being used. Colin hadn't heard him speak once since leaving Ordon.

"On leaving?" Colin asked, pushing his wet hair out of his eyes. Lyle nodded in response. Colin thought for a second, before Lyle joined the others for Hyrule he had seen Lyle with Gabriell. "No, I don't think it was wise. But, Lyle, what you do is your decision. I'm not your father."

Lyle's eyes widened and his head slumped, the grip on his bow tightening. "She probably hates me now." he murmured.

"Keep her in your mind, Lyle. If you keep her close... you'll be back to her in no time at all." Colin said, clasping Lyle's shoulder to reassure him.

Lyle nodded slowly but his body still slumped. No doubt he was considering whether or not his decision was a bad one.

"WATCH OUT!!!" someone screamed. Something crashed into the wall and all the men scrambled to their feet, arming their bows. Millions of Creepers waited on the other side of the moat. Even more were coming up from the moat and were climbing up the wall. Colin readied his sword until a blood curdling cry was heard as the flying Creepers descended on the men.

The rest of the memory was blurry. Colin slightly recalled a Creeper impaling him with its arm. He remembered Lyle fighting it off and then the figure of a flying Creeper swooping down...

"Lyle!" Colin yelled, nearly jumping off the bed when the memory came to him.

"Colin! Calm down, it's okay." a soft voice called to him. Pain shot at his gut from the wound. The pain blurred his vision but the voice reminded him where he was; he sank back into the bed, a hand placed on his wound. "Just relax, you have to heal." the familiar voice softly told him. Colin's eyes slowly closed and he reached for the hand on his wound, squeezing it tightly. A head rested on his chest, and he touched it; feeling the hair of the woman he married. He opened his eyes.

At times he had questioned himself on why he married Alicia. The answer constantly came to Gabriell. Now, it seemed, as he looked into the eyes of Alicia, the answer was no longer Gabriell. The answer was, because Colin loved her.

"Never thought I'd see that again." Colin murmured, smiling.

Alicia raised her head, curious. "What?" she asked.

"You smiled."

Alicia pulled her hand away from his. "Did I? I didn't mean to." she stammered, covering her mouth.

"No, it's okay. I miss it. It's good to wake up from a nightmare." Colin said, smiling again.

"Jerk." Alicia muttered, a blush forming that she quickly covered. "Do you know what happened to Lyle?"

"Lyle?... He... The Creepers got him." Colin said, his voice fading as he recalled the rest of the memory.

"He's dead?"

"No. When we got there, the castle had already been attacked once. So the warned us of what might happen. The Creepers captured people and took them to Lake Hylia. They took Lyle. I tried to save him, but then I got wounded and they took him. He's still alive; I'm sure of it."

Alicia dropped her head and gripped the bed tightly; thoughts going through her mind on what to do. "Don't let Gabriell find out. The least she wants to know is that Lyle was captured." she murmured; looking at the ground.

"Are they together? I saw them back at the ranch..." Colin started; Alicia nodded in response.

"I talked to her about it a few days ago. They haven't gotten too far in it. Lyle has been careful with her and taken his time." Alicia answered, Colin chuckled and quickly grasped his side after doing so.

"Good, I won't have to kill the kid then. I doubt Lyle will die out there. He's the son of the Hero of Twilight after all. Being captured by a bunch of Creepers won't kill him. He'll live; I bet Hyrule is even planning a way to save the prisoners but the need more men in order to do it." Colin protested; sinking into the bed.

"The Gerudos said they will leave tomorrow back to Hyrule after much needed rest." Alicia said. Colin jerked up a bit from the bed and then settled back down after another shot of pain.

"Leave? They have too many wounded."

"The wounded will stay here and heal while the others set off to help the ones they left behind to fight at the castle. They plan to leave tomorrow after some food and rest. Dawn perhaps."

"I guess I can't complain. Hyrule needs all the help it can get right now in order to fend off the Creepers this time around." Colin said; laying down onto the bed and closing his eyes. The door to the house suddenly shut and both of them turned to the door.

"Gabriell?!" Alicia shouted, jumping to her feet and running to the door screaming the name.

Spirit Spring...

"Gabriell!!" Marak called stumbling down the path as he approached the spring where she sat. "Gabriell! Pack your things." Gabriell looked over her shoulder to the breathless Marak.

"Why? You expecting to go out and get kidnapped again?" Gabriell asked, turning back to look at the pond.

Marak shook his head and crouched down next to Gabriell. "I know where Lyle is. We can save him."

Gabriell continued to stare at the pond; her face responding to his words. "Why do I want to save him?"

"Listen to yourself Gabriell! You saved me! And I know you have feelings for him. Pack your things; we are going out and saving him." Marak said, grabbing Gabriell's arm.

Gabriell scrambled to her feet and pulled away from Marak's grasp. "Why should I save him? He left me! I don't care about that ungrateful jerk! Let him die." she yelled, Marak shook his head and grasped her shoulders.

"We all make mistakes Gabriell. Your mother told me that herself. I make mistakes myself. That ungrateful jerk probably didn't think that he wouldn't be able to come back." Gabriell turned her head away but Marak quickly shook her back into focus. "Listen to me! I've made too many mistakes in my life to be repented. You may not want to save him but are leaving with me! I need you help fixing what I've done."

"What?"

"This... this war is my fault... and.... I was blind; I couldn't... I was mad at my family; mad at myself and for being misunderstood. I need to fix my problem. Don't you see!? Come with me Gabriell; come help me fix this. Help me end this stupid war between the Creepers." Marak stammered; shaking Gabriell furiously.

"You started the war? You let the Creepers out?" Gabriell said, astonished. Marak shook his head and backed away, turning away from her.

"I didn't let the Creepers out. I didn't do that, no. Someone else did; that someone is the one I freed. I was angry at my family and found him; he was sealed inside a tomb and I was young. I let him out. My mother... she has... magic of some kind... it runs in my blood and when I touched the tomb... I broke the seal on it and he got out. It was a long time ago... but with the things going on now... It's started. He's doing this not me. I still blame myself for it though." Marak stopped and turned back to a now stunned Gabriell. "This... inside of me.... Some kind of demon inside me, controlling me; fueling my anger and want for revenge; and it's not just one. There's two! Two demons raging war inside my brain telling me to do this and that. I don't want that anymore. I need to fix this Gabriell. Help me fix this...... Please." Marak finished, cautiously offering a hand to her.

Gabriell stood still; still stunned by his words. "I..." she stammered, glancing away at a spot on the ground. Remembering the moments she spent with Lyle at this very place; and now she stood in front of another man asking for her hand. She blinked her eyes; no Marak wasn't asking her hand; he was asking for her help. Gabriell looked back at Marak his eyes a slight bright red; almost pink. She looked at them, thinking about what he said about the demons inside of him. She knew his line; his blood line and who he descended from. In a way however, they were family; a bond that was formed by his father and her ignorant grandmother. She blinked back tears and took Marak's hand. He smiled in return.

If things had been different they would have been like brother and sister. Now, however, things weren't that way and they were just friends. One stranger who saved another stranger's life that ended up to be a friendship. Now that friend was asking for her help. Gabriell couldn't say no to his request. If she could help him fix his mistake... who was to say she couldn't help Lyle fix his own?

Marak squeezed Gabriell's hand and they ran back to the village to get the things they would need for the journey.

Uh oh! Twist!! Lol