*This chapter was posted a while after I first started typing my comments so they may be some 4 hours out of date!*
OH MY GOD! YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! I updated today (Australia time reference) and was wondering when someone would review so I read a few fanfics and come back to find that I got 5 MORE REVEIWS! Then I checked my e-mail to find out that I actually had a total of 6 MORE REVIEWS! I was like "WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED?!" so now I'm like "SCREW THIS! I'M UPDATING AGAIN TODAY COS YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!"
I have one person who I would like to thank because they gave me an idea that I decided to use in this chapter. Because of this, I am dedicating this chapter to Da Amazing Po-Po-Pony! I'll explain why in more detail at the end of this chapter but I would first like to thank my reviewers individually:
Icetail of WindClan - Meta-If: I've just noticed that I've been typing your username wrong… I'M SORRY! I could be thanking your… um… "unpleasant" little brother for all I know! (I'm guessing that he finds Fanfiction stupid or something) Meh! I need to play Minish Cap but I gotta beat all the Zelda games that I currently own first! (Teehee! I'm so lazy!)
AreiaCananaid: XD! YOU REVIEWED 3 TIMES AND UPDATED YOUR STORY! XD! THANK-YOU SO MUCH! I feel very lucky to have an awesome writer like you read my story and love it so much! You may find the logic a little confusing (I DID!) but I tried to explain it as best as I could so yeah! I tend to think a little TOO realistically about Zelda which can lead to either getting angry at Nintendo for defying Zelda logic (that incident involved Nabooru) or some rather sick-minded stuff (I shall not give an example for your sake!)
Guest/Tr1pp89: Your review hasn't shown up on the website yet but I got your PM and read it from my email. I LOVE YOU! YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO HAPPY! I can't believe that you actually didn't log in because you were so excited! Well, here's the next chapter and I'm kinda sick of being 6 chapters ahead of you guys! (Chapter 20 is completed and I have started chapter 21)
Po-Po: *squeeeeeeeeeeeeee* I'VE BEEN WAITING TO POST THIS CHAPTER SO THAT I COULD DEDICATE IT TO YOU! You're awesome you glittering mug you!
SC: Darcy, Po-Po is allowed to type to me if she wants to!
Darcy: BUT YOU GUYS MAKE EVERYTHING GO CRAZY!
SC: FR Link? Can I get some help over here?
FR Link: Sure! *pushes Darcy off a cliff*
Darcy: YOU'LL REGRET FR THAT LINK!
Chapter 14 ~ The Curse
This was it. He would punish me; the Gerudo who was forbidden to care about Hylians and hate her King but did so anyway. I waited for Ganondorf to tell me my fate. But it was not he who spoke… It was Twinrova.
"Lord Ganondorf," said Koume, "May we make a suggestion?" He nodded.
"Even though the young traitor's actions are punishable by death," Kotake began, "She is very powerful and the Gerudo worship her almost as highly as they do of you."
"Where are you going with this?" Ganondorf asked.
"Our point," Koume told him, "Is that she's useful."
~†~ The Price of Sins ~†~
Link was in panic as he carried an unconscious Nabooru back to the campsite. He had never meant for this to happen. He should have never tried to deal with things that he did not understand.
By now, it was almost completely dark and he could barely see anything. He could only hope that Zelda had started the fire and he would be able to find her and Fi in the night. Then he saw a golden flame about half a kilometre ahead. (A/N: You may have guessed it already, but I use the more modern units of measurement such as metres, grams and litres instead of feet, pounds and gallons because I'm more familiar with them but occasionally I will use the word 'inches' because it sounds better than 'centimetres'.) It gave him hope as he ran as fast as he could over to it.
He saw two figures sitting by the fire and called, "Fi, Zelda! I need your help! Something's wrong with Nabooru!" The girls heard him and instantly reacted, rushing over to help Link with Nabooru. Together, they half carried, half dragged her over to the light of the fire.
Zelda knelt down and placed a hand on her chest, over her heart. The Triforce glowed for a moment on the back of her hand with the bottom left triangle shining brightest. "I knew it," she said, "It's the curse."
"The curse?" he questioned. Whatever it was, it could not be good.
He did not get an answer. Instead, Fi looked at him with a combination of fear, anger and concern. "What did you do?!" she asked him, her voice trembling a little as she spoke.
He stuttered his reply, "I… I…"
"You did what Link?!" asked Zelda furiously, "What happened?!"
A single tear ran down his cheek, "We kissed." he confessed.
They did not show any reaction, not the slightest clue of surprise or anger. They just stared at Nabooru's blank face. Finally, Zelda said, "Did she kiss you back?"
Link was surprised to be asked such a question, but answered anyway, "Yes."
This was the first sign that Zelda showed some kind of emotion. The slightest shock was reflected in her eyes. "I don't get it, she knew…"
"Knew what?" asked Link.
Zelda sighed, "I'm not sure whether or not Fi and I should tell you."
"You mean you both knew what Nabooru was hiding all along?!" asked Link, shocked.
Fi was the one to reply, "Yes Master Link, but you must understand, we knew it for years, in my case, centauries even. It is not well known among the common citizens of Hyrule."
This made Link realise something for the first time; he was the only commoner in this party. Zelda was a princess, Nabooru; the leader of the Gerudo tribe (after Ganondorf) and Fi was servant to the goddesses. Him, he was just a mere delivery boy.
But still, was this really any reason to still keep a secret like this from him? Nabooru could be dying for all he knew!
"Please," he begged, "I have to know."
"Alright," said Zelda, "But I'll warn you; what you will hear will be very painful."
Link felt a wave of emotions rush over him; curiosity, satisfaction, fear and concern. He sat down, opposite Fi and the princess. Fi was the one to begin.
~†~ The Price of Sins ~†~
Long ago, when Hylia had returned to the Realm of the Gods, people descended from the sky to colonise the Surface, now known as Hyrule. The Hylians found a race very much like their own already living there. They were thought to have been former Hylians which the Goddess of Time had deemed unworthy of being sent skyward, away from the demons below.
The Hylians soon came to realise that these people were part demon and a war broke out between them. Only the men of each race fought and all of the enemy's worriers were slain... all except for one boy of demon blood. The Hylians rounded up every survivor and banished them to the desert where they would eventually die out altogether due to lack of men.
The very same desert became an exile place for sinful Hylian men. The women who were there would always fall in love with them. The other Hylians found out about these relationships and killed all the males except for the one demon boy who had then grown into a man. Rather than kill him too, they decided to ensure that the race could never fall in love again.
They weaved a curse that would prevent any demon descendent of becoming too close to a male of any race, especially the Hylians, without feeling great pain. The remaining man was spared to remind them of their loss. The women descended from demons were fated never to be loved again.
~†~ The Price of Sins ~†~
"But somehow, the all-woman race survived, still managing to reproduce. They came to hate men from all other races, especially the Hylians." explained Zelda, "The curse did not break. It was passed on throughout the generations. One man was born every hundred years, he would become their king because he was the only male they had. That part of the curse still lives too, to serve the very same purpose as back then." she said, "Ganondorf is one of those men."
Link was lost for words. He had no idea about any of this. But if the story was true, then that would have to mean, "Nabooru… is she part demon?" It terrified him. How could someone as caring and brave as her could possibly be descended from a being so evil? Ganondorf, he could understand but Nabooru?! It was impossible! She had the blood of some of the most feared monsters in the history of Hyrule running through her veins.
Fi could sense Link's shock and a memory from her time with her former master rose up from the deepest depths within her mind. "Master Link, do not despair. Not all demons are evil." This made Link slightly hopeful and he turned to her, anxiously waiting for her to continue. Zelda could not believe what she just heard, This better be good! she thought.
"During the travels of the Goddesses' Chosen Hero, a child in Skyloft went missing. Eventually, my master came to find her in the company of a demon which she had befriended. Though it is true that all demons have a wish that they will attempt to grant by any means necessary, this one only desired acceptance. My master took pity on him and helped him achieve this goal." Fi explained to him, "One other thing that you should know is that the Gerudo were not the only ones who became close to the demons. The Sheikah did the same."
Zelda gasped, "But the Sheikah hate demons as much as everyone else does!" she argued.
"Princess Zelda, you lack knowledge as to why." said Fi, "They were betrayed by the Demon King when their sacred blade was stolen. Since then, a tear drop was added to the insignia of the Sheikah tribe."
Zelda was rather taken aback. Could Impa have hidden this from her? Were there still so many things that she did not yet know about the Sheikah? This was the first time that this possibility opened up to her. She had only lived as one of them since she was thirteen. Other children would have learnt their ways from birth, but for Zelda, it was a mere seven years.
"So, what's going to happen to Nabooru?"
The princess was so lost in thought that she almost jumped when she heard Link speak to her. "I'm surprised that you still care about her after hearing the story."
"How could I not?" asked Link, "The Hylians had just as many faults as the Gerudo and even if she is descended from demons, it's not like it's her fault!"
Zelda felt guilty after hearing this because deep down, she knew he was right. She hated the Gerudo because of their devotion to Ganondorf. She came to believe that they really were part demon and that's why she hated Nabooru as well. But after hearing what Fi had said, she put everything into perspective; Nabooru had defended her on their escape from Hyrule Castle and Link must have a very good reason to trust and… fall in love with her.
Zelda felt robbed, like the Hero of Time had been snatched away from her just so that the Gerudo could have him instead. (A/N: Although Zelda was in love with the Hero of Time, she has had no romantic feelings for the Hero Reincarnated/my Link.) But it was not Nabooru who took him away. It was Ganondorf.
Fi sat down next to Link, "Master Link," she said, "I calculate with 98.33% accuracy that you still have many questions that you wish to have answered." He nodded his reply. "I will try to explain as best as I can." she said, "Firstly, and I am 98% sure that you are most eager to know this information; whether or not Master Nabooru will be alright. Readings show that she is going through some form of mental torture, but I am pleased to say, it is only a warning. She will be fine."
Link felt a wave of relief wash over him. Nabooru was okay, she was not going to die… or not yet, at least.
Zelda took over from Fi, "Link, these types of curses are quite complicated in the way they work. It has changed since it was cast long ago."
"What do you mean?" asked Link, curiously.
"I mean that curses are persistent." she told him, "They thrive on pain and adapt to any circumstance, including this one. It has grown stronger, absorbing the hatred of generations of Gerudo and saving it for when it would one day be used. All that hatred is now going to be used against Nabooru. The curse would now be too powerful for her to fight it completely. But I now know that she has a strong heart. She might be able to suppress it to some extent."
"So, what will she be like when she wakes up?"
Zelda sighed, "Now that the curse has been fully activated, she may be a little unstable and become possessed with the Gerudo's hatred from time to time. But Link, no matter what happens, it will be very difficult for you to be there for her without triggering anything or causing her pain. Fi and I will try to help her as much as we can, but neither of us understands her like you. Sometimes she will be on her own."
Link thought about this, it was true that he had always been there for Nabooru. But now, just when she would need him most, the curse prevented him from being by her side. The kiss was the most amazing moment of his life, but it was not worth it. He would trade a thousand of them just so that Nabooru could be free, so that he could still be there for her.
"How come the curse hasn't had any effect on her until now?" Link asked.
"The curse begins to take affect when a Gerudo's feelings become too strong. The process accelerates if they act on those feelings." Zelda explained, "I think that maybe Nabooru guessed that you had feelings for her not too long after we escaped from Hyrule castle and realised that she felt the same way. Also," Zelda blushed, "Maybe my company had something to do with it." Her face went red and she looked away. For Link, this was the least of his concerns.
"Is there any way to break the curse?"
Zelda stared at him as if he was mad. Link blushed with embarrassment and a few moments of awkward silence followed. "Yes," she finally said, "But it's impossible! I barely even understand it myself."
"I do." said Fi, "For the curse to break, it must first be weakened. This would require somehow countering the hatred of both the living and dead Gerudo. From there, Nabooru may be able to free herself from it with her mind but it still may prove to be too much for her. Even if she does succeed, the other Gerudo will still be under the curse. Further analysis is required to discover a method that would erase its existence completely."
Link's heart sank. There was absolutely no way that they could end the hatred that every Gerudo felt for the Hylian race without at least breaking the curse first. But of course, it could not be broken until that happened so it was like an impossible cycle. (A/N: I'm sorry if you're all confused. Inventing logic is quite hard! My brains are about to explode!) He would lose Nabooru whether or not she lives or dies.
"I can't protect her anymore." he said sadly.
"No Link, that's where you're wrong," Zelda assured him, "The curse can kill, but only as a last resort. Keeping her out of harm's way won't have an effect. It's not like any Gerudo would stop a Hylian from saving their life."
"So then, what should I do when she wakes up?" Link asked.
"Keep your distance." said Zelda, "Also, be cautious! Nabooru may be a little unpredictable and I don't know exactly what she might be driven to do."
He just nodded and looked at Nabooru. This was the first time that he had come to fully appreciate just how beautiful she was with her tall, thin and slightly muscular figure, long eye lashes, perfect tan and long, shiny, red hair. The list could go on for ages but nowhere near as long as what lay beyond.
"Link, with Nabooru in this condition, we'll have to keep a close eye on her." said Zelda, "One of us will have to watch over her and make sure nothing bad happens."
Link was just about to volunteer when he heard someone do so before him. "I'll do it." It was Fi.
"Are you sure?" asked Link.
"Yes Master Link," she assured him, "Unlike you, I do not need rest because I am a created being. You have had a tiresome day. I recommend that you sleep."
Link nodded his agreement and realised just how tired he was. Grateful to Fi, he lay down on the soft grass and closed his eyes. But sleep did not come easily. There was so much to think about and… he would have to accept that he and Nabooru would never be together.
~†~ The Price of Sins ~†~
Nabooru could feel herself drifting through a familiar darkness, very much like that of when she was brainwashed and imprisoned within her own mind. But this time she was not alone. Voices, very much like Twinrova's, (A/N: The voices were inspired by Twinrova, they are not of Twinrova themselves.) echoed around her.
What a coward, trying to run away from who you really are…
He is Hylian; your people have suffered for hundreds of years at the hands of his ancestors…
The gap, you forgot about the gap. Anyone who dares face it will plummet to their doom…
"But Link… he isn't like that…"
SILENCE! the voice hissed, HE HAS WRONGED YOU WITH BOTH HIS FORGIVENESS AND AFFECTIONS! SCARS CANNOT HEAL!
"But…" She did not get to finish her sentence for just then, she saw things that terrified her. Link was there, but he was different.
He was sheathing a blood stained sword and many tanned, red haired men lay dead around him. What was worse was that he showed no remorse, he did not seem to even care that he had killed so many people.
Then she saw Link advancing on a Gerudo woman, his sword drawn. She could not hear anything, but it was clear that she was begging for mercy. It happened in a flash, but for Nabooru it lasted forever. There was a thud as she hit the ground. Nabooru could see the woman's lifeless eyes staring back at her.
Link turned around and Nabooru noticed that he showed not expression what-so-ever. His eyes were the worst, her heart sank when she saw the faint scar that she had given him so long ago because that meant that this was the Hero Reincarnated. It was her Link. But she saw something else; they were blank and glassy, very much like Zelda's had been when she was brain-washed.
Link was moving towards her and did not put away the Master Sword. Nabooru, realising why, tried to run but couldn't. She was no longer in control of her own body and remained frozen where she was. All she could do was hope as hard as she could that this was not real, that this was not Link, that she would not die.
Though it is true that scars will never heal, they can fade…
~†~ The Price of Sins ~†~
The sun was rising. Nabooru woke and sat up so suddenly that it took Fi a few seconds to realise what happened. The Gerudo saw herself back at the campsite and looked to the sword spirit, "Fi, what happened to me?"
"You were unconscious since last night." said Fi, "I am sorry, but now Master Link knows about the history between Hylians and Gerudo."
Nabooru gasped in both shock and fear. "How… how did he take it?" she asked, afraid of what she might hear.
"Quite well actually," she told her, "He still accepts you regardless of your heritage."
Nabooru felt a tense feeling in her chest and knew what it meant. Little things like this just make her like him more than she already did. But, now that she thought about it more, it was not little. Most people would bitterly hate her if they found out that she was descended from demons. But not Link, he didn't care.
What was worse was that she couldn't like him, not without feeling great pain either emotionally, physically or mentally. If she distanced herself from him, if she pushed him away, it would break her heart. If she allowed herself to act on her affections, she would be tortured by the hatred that every Gerudo other than her had burning within them. The curse would hurt her no matter what she chose to do.
"Master Nabooru, I have a question."
Nabooru realised that this was the first time that Fi had a question of her own. She had always been the one with the answers, the one who would always be asked, never would she ask.
"What is it like to love?" said Fi.
Nabooru thought about this for a moment. "It's hard to explain," she replied, "For me, I have barely known myself for long. It's not something you can describe with words. Maybe you'll find out on your own when you have created a heart."
Fi thought about this; she had always been able to explain everything she needed to with either words or numbers. Clearly this was different, something that could only be explained with… experience.
Not everything can be taught, but anything can be learnt…
~†~ The Price of Sins ~†~
As you must have guessed Po-Po, I got that idea from your theory about how Ganondorf could be descended from Demise who is a demon but I said that it would mean that all the Gerudo are descended from demons. When I thought of that plot twist when typing chapter 12 I had almost no clue what I was going to do. Even when I mentioned the history last chapter I still had no idea what the actual 'history' was until I started typing it when I got stuck… and then it came to me! Being part demon would have been the perfect reason why the Hylians would curse them!
You guys might be wondering why anyone would fall in love with demons but I can tell you for a FACT that it will be explained in chapter 20 as well as some very important information about (removed due to spoilers).
I'd like to thank everyone for being so supportive and reviewing!
Link: I HATE YOU! YOU CURSED HER!
SC: YOU'RE THE ONE WHO KISSED HER AND AWOKE THE CURSE INSIDE HER!
Link: *sniffs* Now we'll never be together!
SC: Now you can add this to your list of failed relationships!
Zelda: QUIT PICKING ON HIM SCARLET CURLS! *pats Link on the back* It's okay, she's just being the insensitive little brat that she is.
SC: I HEARD THAT ZELDA! DO YOU WANT ME TO KILL YOU OFF?!
Zelda: Empty threat! You need me cos otherwise; you can't pretend that you own my franchise!
SC: *pouts angrily* Stupid imagination!
Hey guys! R&R for the next chapter cos there's gonna be something very interesting going on as well as a new Zelda character making an appearance and one that hasn't made an appearance for a while.
Okay! Now I'll just ask the questions to keep you interested:
Will Fi grow a heart of her own? How will Link and Nabooru cope with the curse? Can Zelda and Nabooru ever get along and will the curse ever be broken? And let's not forget the mysterious visions about Hylia and the Goddess of Life; we still don't know who she is. We also don't know what Rudo is planning and why she supports Link even though he's Hylian.
Okay, I SHALL UPDATE AT LEAST WITHIN 3 DAYS!
Bye now!