Chapter 5
Link stood up weakly, using the castle's wall for support. He tried desperately to keep his eyes away from Malon's body. He couldn't bear to see his friend like this; bloody and dead. The scent of blood and death circled around Link, and despite the silent protests in his mind, his gaze wandered to were Malon lay. He saw her round face, smudged with her own blood. He saw her white apron, stained so heavily with blood, that you wouldn't be able to tell that it was once white. He saw her yellow head kerchief, torn from her head, and lay a few feet from her beaten body. She lay in a huge puddle of blood, which was growing larger ever few seconds, from the fatal wounds.
Link couldn't take it anymore. He fell to his knees, buried his face into his bloody hands, and wept. It didn't feel uncomfortable to let himself cry, it felt natural to him, yet he didn't know why. For the first time, he needed to be the one comforted from his sadness. He longed for Zelda, he wished for Saria. He prayed one of them would find him, for he thought he couldn't make his feet move from the spot, to find one of them. He removed his hands from his face, and let the tears role down, and leave water streaks on his smooth cheeks.
He heard many footsteps, but very faint at first. They became louder, and sounded as if a few people were running toward him. He looked up, and saw a few blurs. He wiped his watery eyes on his arm, and saw three castle soldiers standing, as if stuck to the ground, shocked at what they saw. They looked down at the bloody girl, and then looked over at the boy, covered in the girl's blood. Link couldn't help but think he had been caught in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
One of the soldiers, a tall thin one, with blonde hair, flecked with brown, and emerald green eyes, which shown through his stringy hair, ran over and knelt down by Malon's body. The other two soldiers, cautiously walked over to were Link sat, through the deep puddles of the dark red substance. They grabbed him roughly by the arms, and hauled him up from his knees. They twisted his arms behind his back so violently, that he cried out, more from anger than from pain. He gritted his teeth, and turned his head sharply around, to look at the two soldiers. ''What are you doing?'' He tried pulling himself free, but the soldiers held him tightly. The young soldier, who knelt by Malon's body, looked up at them from her battered face. ''It's the girl from the ranch.'' The other two soldiers nodded sadly in response as the boy stood up, wiping flecks of blood from his hands, and onto an old, tattered rag, which hung carelessly from his leather belt. He sighed deeply, and nodded back at the other two. ''Take him to Princess Zelda.''
Link didn't realize he was holding his breath. He let it out into a heavy sigh, and turned his head around, as far as he could, to face the other soldiers at either of his sides. ''You think I, killed Malon?! You think I would kill my friend?!'' He glared at them, menacingly. His deep blue eyes were raging with anger, although he was relieved that they were taking him to Zelda, and not executing him on the spot.
The soldiers stayed silent, none of them speaking to one another, nor to Link. They bowed their heads to him. They both had curly black hair, which hung below their ears. One was slightly taller than the other, and well built, while the other was thin with a weaker appearance than the other, but he had determined brown eyes, flecked with gold. The taller one had darker skin, but his skin against his dark hair, made him look paler than he really was. He had steel blue eyes, which looked like the cold icicles in the winter. All three of the soldiers wore royal armor, which was well polished to a shine finish.
The smaller one looked at Link with his soft brown eyes. The look he gave Link, seemed to be sad, almost pity. The taller one gave Link a rough shove. "Start walking," He ordered. Link tried to twist his arms out of the grasps of the two soldiers, but the tall blonde soldier pulled a thickly braided rope from around his waist, and tied it tightly around Link's wrist. The other two soldiers still held on to his arms, just in case he would try to run.
His wrists now bound together, the two soldiers at his sides, and the blonde soldier at his back, there was absolutely no way to get away from them. Not that he was going to try to anyway. He turned his head back around to them. ''I would never kill Malon! She was one of the only friends I had-!'' His words failed him. His knees buckled beneath him, but the soldiers held him up as he wept. The small soldier glanced over at the taller one. His look was soft, sad, and full of pity; feeling sorry for the boy crying over a lost friend. The other soldier kept his look solemn; his eyes still cold, and expression unreadable. ''Don't stand there. Move out.'' The blonde soldier said from behind them. The small soldier didn't move. He had a look of a warrior that respected the enemy. He slightly shook his head, his curly hair sliding out of place. The soldier at Link's back raised his voice a bit louder, so that he might get the message through to the stubborn boy. ''You heard what I said, boy. Take him to Princess Zelda. She will decide his punishment.''
The small soldier sighed, the other one nodded, and the one blonde one jabbed Link sharply in the back with the handle of his sword. The tears continued to roll down Link's face. They made Link's eyes look even deeper than they already were. The small soldier had no power over the other two, so he tugged lightly on Link's bound wrist. Link let them take him, a soldier at each arm, and one at his back, whom every once in a while jabbed him in the back with the handle of his sword to get him walking faster. The tears silently rolled off of his face as he thought of Malon, but he knew that Zelda would set things straight.
Link looked like a criminal taken prisoner by his comrades, who he had betrayed. He looked helpless and worn out. He looked like he had given up everything. But even so, a fire raged inside him. An angry fire, telling him to never give up. Telling him Zelda would bring hope, and Saria would bring ease. But he knew he would never seek comfort from Malon again.
He let them take him into Zelda's quarters. She sat so elegantly on a high wooden chair, she looked like one of the goddesses of Hyrule. A Goddess of Destiny in which Hyrule's fate depended upon. The wooden chair was carved into what appeared to be the Triforce, but Link couldn't tell. His vision was blurred with tears, frustration, sorrow, and deception, all at once. The only thing he could see was Zelda, her golden hair, flowing down her back. Her lavender, satin dress embroided with beautiful golden designs. She stood up, concern, and worry in flooding her face.
The soldiers roughly pushed Link into her room. The blonde soldier hit him so harshly on the back of the neck; Link was forced down to his knees, at Zelda's feet. He didn't dare look up at her. He kept his head bowed, kneeling at her feet. Like a prisoner. The blonde soldier spoke. ''He was found with a body. It's the girl from the ranch. She's dead.'' Zelda kept her soft stare on Link, and didn't respond to the soldier. ''As you can see My Lady, he is covered in her blood, and is with no doubt the murderer.'' Zelda waved the young soldier's announcement away, and gave Link the permission to rise. When he didn't move, the soldiers hauled him to his feet. He kept his head bowed, and stayed silent. Zelda walked closer to Link. She placed a delicate finger under his chin, and gently lifted his head, so that she may see his face. His eyes looked defeated, and he had tear streaks down his pale cheeks. Zelda looked Link in the eyes, her stare soft and worried.
A few more tears ran down his face, and rolled off of his chin. Zelda set the palm of her hand on his smooth cheek, and wiped the remaining tears away with her fingers. She slightly tilted her head to one side, not taking her eyes off of Link. ''Did you kill Malon?'' Her voice was as soft as her eyes, not accusing, but seeking a truthful answer. Link shook his head sadly; his eyes fearful, but knowing Zelda would believe him. She stared deeply into his eyes, as if to see deep into his mind, deep into the depths of his soul.
''Leave us.'' She said to the three soldiers, still staring into Link's sad face. The two soldiers that held Link by the arms backed away, and left the room without question, but the tall blonde soldier who stood behind Link didn't move. ''Is this wise, My Lady?'' He took a single step forward. ''He could very well be lying. And what could become of you if you were to be left alone with-'' He was cut off by a sharp look Zelda gave him. ''You heard me, Vasil. Leave us be.'' The soldier named Vasil could do nothing to change the Princess' mind, and knew better than to argue with the Princess of Hyrule. So he bowed respectfully, gave Link a warning glance, and without any further arguments, turned and left the room.
Zelda unbound Link's tied wrists, and offered him a damp rag to clean his face and hands. She watched him, a sad look in her eyes. ''Do you believe me, Zelda?'' He asked, running the wet cloth through his hair, and behind his neck. A weak smile overcame her soft pink lips. ''I believe you Link, but I must tell you what I see in my prophesies. I believe that now is the time that you should know.''
Link looked up at her, from the stained cloth. She leaned closer to him, her eyes watered over with tears, and her expression, once again sad. ''I didn't want you to know. I didn't want anyone to know...'' She said this in a low whisper, even though no one else was in the room. Link could tell she was holding back tears, trying her best not to cry. She reached her arm up, and gently ran her fingertips across his cheek, to his chin. A single tear ran down each of her fair cheeks. She felt as if she wanted to wrap her arms around him and cry, but she held her sudden urge back. She sighed heavily, and continued what she had started. ''Hyrule's hero will fall. Link...'' She paused, her eyes not looking away from him, and then continued. ''Link...You will die.''
Link stood up weakly, using the castle's wall for support. He tried desperately to keep his eyes away from Malon's body. He couldn't bear to see his friend like this; bloody and dead. The scent of blood and death circled around Link, and despite the silent protests in his mind, his gaze wandered to were Malon lay. He saw her round face, smudged with her own blood. He saw her white apron, stained so heavily with blood, that you wouldn't be able to tell that it was once white. He saw her yellow head kerchief, torn from her head, and lay a few feet from her beaten body. She lay in a huge puddle of blood, which was growing larger ever few seconds, from the fatal wounds.
Link couldn't take it anymore. He fell to his knees, buried his face into his bloody hands, and wept. It didn't feel uncomfortable to let himself cry, it felt natural to him, yet he didn't know why. For the first time, he needed to be the one comforted from his sadness. He longed for Zelda, he wished for Saria. He prayed one of them would find him, for he thought he couldn't make his feet move from the spot, to find one of them. He removed his hands from his face, and let the tears role down, and leave water streaks on his smooth cheeks.
He heard many footsteps, but very faint at first. They became louder, and sounded as if a few people were running toward him. He looked up, and saw a few blurs. He wiped his watery eyes on his arm, and saw three castle soldiers standing, as if stuck to the ground, shocked at what they saw. They looked down at the bloody girl, and then looked over at the boy, covered in the girl's blood. Link couldn't help but think he had been caught in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
One of the soldiers, a tall thin one, with blonde hair, flecked with brown, and emerald green eyes, which shown through his stringy hair, ran over and knelt down by Malon's body. The other two soldiers, cautiously walked over to were Link sat, through the deep puddles of the dark red substance. They grabbed him roughly by the arms, and hauled him up from his knees. They twisted his arms behind his back so violently, that he cried out, more from anger than from pain. He gritted his teeth, and turned his head sharply around, to look at the two soldiers. ''What are you doing?'' He tried pulling himself free, but the soldiers held him tightly. The young soldier, who knelt by Malon's body, looked up at them from her battered face. ''It's the girl from the ranch.'' The other two soldiers nodded sadly in response as the boy stood up, wiping flecks of blood from his hands, and onto an old, tattered rag, which hung carelessly from his leather belt. He sighed deeply, and nodded back at the other two. ''Take him to Princess Zelda.''
Link didn't realize he was holding his breath. He let it out into a heavy sigh, and turned his head around, as far as he could, to face the other soldiers at either of his sides. ''You think I, killed Malon?! You think I would kill my friend?!'' He glared at them, menacingly. His deep blue eyes were raging with anger, although he was relieved that they were taking him to Zelda, and not executing him on the spot.
The soldiers stayed silent, none of them speaking to one another, nor to Link. They bowed their heads to him. They both had curly black hair, which hung below their ears. One was slightly taller than the other, and well built, while the other was thin with a weaker appearance than the other, but he had determined brown eyes, flecked with gold. The taller one had darker skin, but his skin against his dark hair, made him look paler than he really was. He had steel blue eyes, which looked like the cold icicles in the winter. All three of the soldiers wore royal armor, which was well polished to a shine finish.
The smaller one looked at Link with his soft brown eyes. The look he gave Link, seemed to be sad, almost pity. The taller one gave Link a rough shove. "Start walking," He ordered. Link tried to twist his arms out of the grasps of the two soldiers, but the tall blonde soldier pulled a thickly braided rope from around his waist, and tied it tightly around Link's wrist. The other two soldiers still held on to his arms, just in case he would try to run.
His wrists now bound together, the two soldiers at his sides, and the blonde soldier at his back, there was absolutely no way to get away from them. Not that he was going to try to anyway. He turned his head back around to them. ''I would never kill Malon! She was one of the only friends I had-!'' His words failed him. His knees buckled beneath him, but the soldiers held him up as he wept. The small soldier glanced over at the taller one. His look was soft, sad, and full of pity; feeling sorry for the boy crying over a lost friend. The other soldier kept his look solemn; his eyes still cold, and expression unreadable. ''Don't stand there. Move out.'' The blonde soldier said from behind them. The small soldier didn't move. He had a look of a warrior that respected the enemy. He slightly shook his head, his curly hair sliding out of place. The soldier at Link's back raised his voice a bit louder, so that he might get the message through to the stubborn boy. ''You heard what I said, boy. Take him to Princess Zelda. She will decide his punishment.''
The small soldier sighed, the other one nodded, and the one blonde one jabbed Link sharply in the back with the handle of his sword. The tears continued to roll down Link's face. They made Link's eyes look even deeper than they already were. The small soldier had no power over the other two, so he tugged lightly on Link's bound wrist. Link let them take him, a soldier at each arm, and one at his back, whom every once in a while jabbed him in the back with the handle of his sword to get him walking faster. The tears silently rolled off of his face as he thought of Malon, but he knew that Zelda would set things straight.
Link looked like a criminal taken prisoner by his comrades, who he had betrayed. He looked helpless and worn out. He looked like he had given up everything. But even so, a fire raged inside him. An angry fire, telling him to never give up. Telling him Zelda would bring hope, and Saria would bring ease. But he knew he would never seek comfort from Malon again.
He let them take him into Zelda's quarters. She sat so elegantly on a high wooden chair, she looked like one of the goddesses of Hyrule. A Goddess of Destiny in which Hyrule's fate depended upon. The wooden chair was carved into what appeared to be the Triforce, but Link couldn't tell. His vision was blurred with tears, frustration, sorrow, and deception, all at once. The only thing he could see was Zelda, her golden hair, flowing down her back. Her lavender, satin dress embroided with beautiful golden designs. She stood up, concern, and worry in flooding her face.
The soldiers roughly pushed Link into her room. The blonde soldier hit him so harshly on the back of the neck; Link was forced down to his knees, at Zelda's feet. He didn't dare look up at her. He kept his head bowed, kneeling at her feet. Like a prisoner. The blonde soldier spoke. ''He was found with a body. It's the girl from the ranch. She's dead.'' Zelda kept her soft stare on Link, and didn't respond to the soldier. ''As you can see My Lady, he is covered in her blood, and is with no doubt the murderer.'' Zelda waved the young soldier's announcement away, and gave Link the permission to rise. When he didn't move, the soldiers hauled him to his feet. He kept his head bowed, and stayed silent. Zelda walked closer to Link. She placed a delicate finger under his chin, and gently lifted his head, so that she may see his face. His eyes looked defeated, and he had tear streaks down his pale cheeks. Zelda looked Link in the eyes, her stare soft and worried.
A few more tears ran down his face, and rolled off of his chin. Zelda set the palm of her hand on his smooth cheek, and wiped the remaining tears away with her fingers. She slightly tilted her head to one side, not taking her eyes off of Link. ''Did you kill Malon?'' Her voice was as soft as her eyes, not accusing, but seeking a truthful answer. Link shook his head sadly; his eyes fearful, but knowing Zelda would believe him. She stared deeply into his eyes, as if to see deep into his mind, deep into the depths of his soul.
''Leave us.'' She said to the three soldiers, still staring into Link's sad face. The two soldiers that held Link by the arms backed away, and left the room without question, but the tall blonde soldier who stood behind Link didn't move. ''Is this wise, My Lady?'' He took a single step forward. ''He could very well be lying. And what could become of you if you were to be left alone with-'' He was cut off by a sharp look Zelda gave him. ''You heard me, Vasil. Leave us be.'' The soldier named Vasil could do nothing to change the Princess' mind, and knew better than to argue with the Princess of Hyrule. So he bowed respectfully, gave Link a warning glance, and without any further arguments, turned and left the room.
Zelda unbound Link's tied wrists, and offered him a damp rag to clean his face and hands. She watched him, a sad look in her eyes. ''Do you believe me, Zelda?'' He asked, running the wet cloth through his hair, and behind his neck. A weak smile overcame her soft pink lips. ''I believe you Link, but I must tell you what I see in my prophesies. I believe that now is the time that you should know.''
Link looked up at her, from the stained cloth. She leaned closer to him, her eyes watered over with tears, and her expression, once again sad. ''I didn't want you to know. I didn't want anyone to know...'' She said this in a low whisper, even though no one else was in the room. Link could tell she was holding back tears, trying her best not to cry. She reached her arm up, and gently ran her fingertips across his cheek, to his chin. A single tear ran down each of her fair cheeks. She felt as if she wanted to wrap her arms around him and cry, but she held her sudden urge back. She sighed heavily, and continued what she had started. ''Hyrule's hero will fall. Link...'' She paused, her eyes not looking away from him, and then continued. ''Link...You will die.''