Princess Zelda and Xanath made their way to Kakariko Village. They jumped off their horses and entered the now dangerous village. The people were out side, looking so glum and dull. Some were crying out their hearts, even the youths of this place were walking around with extreme weariness.
"This is worst than I had imagined," Xanath murmured. The princess nodded sombrely, swallowing her sadness.
"You slut!" someone yelled out. Zelda turned around and saw the boss of the carpenters. "How can you abandon us like this? We sent a letter for help and you should have done something about it!" Xanath was about to say something, but she motioned him to stop.
"For your rudeness I wished that animal had killed you. But I apologise for my inconvenience," Zelda said. A girl sitting on a wooden crate caught their attention. "I…haven't seen you before. Who are you?" The girl looked very much like a Hylian. She had ebony coloured hair and ruby eyes, but something about her sent shivers down Zelda's spine. Something predatory. At the same time, she looked…unwell.
"My name is Nisih. I'm just here visiting. This is such a lovely, peaceful village," she said in a husky voice. "Shame it isn't going to be here for ever." Zelda narrowed her eyes.
"Do you know something? Is there something you aren't telling me?" she asked. The girl only twisted a strand of hair around her index finger, her face completely void of emotion.
"Maybe I do, but why should I tell you for? You're going to spoil my fun…" she said. This girl was starting to work on Zelda's nerve. How hard was it just to get a simple answer?
"Please you must say. This problem could escalate into something else, and it wouldn't be right to sit there and watch it become like that," she pleaded, her eyes shining. The girl looked down at her feet for a while, swinging them as she did. Then she directed her attention to Zelda once again.
"I'm looking for someone I met accidentally in the forest. It has been quite awhile, and I'm not very sure if I can find him," she began. "Have you seen him?" Momentarily Xanath and Zelda exchanged confused looks. "He has blond-brown hair, wears a green tunic…"
"What the–"the princess stammered, her face flustering. Has Link been seeing this, this…thing?! How dare he. Perhaps that is the cause of his strange behaviour, she thought ill like. "You must be talking about Link. Hmm, I'll gladly show him to you, and kick his ass later." She said the last part to herself.
With the help from Nisih, Zelda and Xanath managed to round the people up in time before noon. The villagers were all too happy that they were finally being moved away from this place, regretfully, but happy. The great Impa would understand.
"Now that wasn't too hard was it?" Nisih said slyly, smiling. Princess Zelda almost laughed at her. Who does she see me as? I know she has something on her mind, she thought.
"Yeah, whatever," she sighed, turning away from her and facing the crowd before her. "Okay everyone. This is it. As I have already said to one very rude person, I'm really sorry for my absence. But all that is going now. I guarantee optimum security and the best luxuries you'll ever experience. Now just follow orderly." The people gave her a small uproar, the least they could do, and walked with her to the castle.
After getting the people settled by sundown, Zelda reluctantly showed Nisih Link's room to her. And she knew this strange girl was thinking something, it wasn't that hard to tell by the nervousness in her voice.
"Here we are. Just knock on the door," Zelda explained. "Sure you'll be alright?" The girl nodded once, and Zelda left her then. After this, she was sure to get her hands on Link. Once the princess was gone Nisih opened the door without knocking and shut it behind it. Link was on his bed, looking out the window, deep in thought.
"I've been looking for you…"she crooned. Startled, Link turned around and gasped in astonishment.
"How did you, get out of here! How dare you," he said in a shrill voice. The girl walked, or rather stalked up to him, looking smug. There was a disturbing look of hunger in her cold eyes. Link had risen to his feet, unconsciously, his body tensed.
"Aw c'mon. The least you could do is give me a hug first," she laughed. It wasn't a nice laugh; there was bitterness in it. Link snuffed her.
"Don't you get it? I don't love you, let alone like you. You're just an obsessive whore who uses me as a toy, as an object," he snapped, his voice almost guttural. Nisih drew closer to him, until she was an arm's length away.
"You are my toy, my chew toy," she hummed, her eyes dreamy. "Can't you feel it?" She lifted a hand to stroke the side of his face, but he whacked it away. She didn't seem affected by the painful action.
"Listen you. I never wanted to be with you in the first place. I have no desire," Link said, his eyes once again wounded. "I can't live the way I used to do any longer…can't interact normally without having thoughts if the person might be challenging me. The food I use to love is now bland to my mouth."
"Why do you
resist it? It's the greatest gift I could offer you. The same wild blood that
courses through me is also in you. Doesn't your body sing with jubilance every
time you release yourself?" she whispered. "These people here will kill you if
they figure out what you are. They fear what you have become because you're so
much more powerful…no…superior than them." Link closed his eyes, no longer
wanting to look at her.
"You might find pleasure, but all I find is endless agony and guilt," he said,
exasperated with her. "Tell me. What kind of sick being finds pleasure in
killing the helpless?" Nisih smiled, her eyes narrowing.
"You experience the same thing when you kill those awful creatures of Hyrule do you not? But enough with the flapping of gums, come hunting with me," she urged. Link shrugged her away, obviously bored with her. "Bastard. By staying here you'll only kill your friends, or rather they will kill you." Link snorted, and the girl couldn't help growl a little. Angrily she stormed out of the room and left out the castle. Shortly after her departure, Princess Zelda walked into the room, casually.
"So how did everything go?" she said. Link sighed out.
"I don't want to talk about it," he murmured. Zelda walked up to him, standing before him.
"Who is she? Why was she looking for you? Do you know her, and if you have, for how long?" Link stared at her, knowing that he couldn't explain. For a moment he was silent, then he breathed out slowly.
"I don't know her, and I never wanted to. She just, appeared," he said. He hoped that would do, and seemed to work. She looked more relaxed, calmer.
"Is that it? So you don't have any relations with her?" Zelda asked to be sure. He nodded. "I'm glad to hear that. For a moment I was getting worried." Link tilted his head a bit, his eyes slightly narrowing. It was now he realised that she was a bit possessive of him. Of course, why hadn't he noticed it sooner? Princess Zelda had not allowed him to move around the land as freely as the earlier days. She had not let him go see his other friends, for goddesses' sake she had even given him a room. The room somehow felt smaller, the ceiling was too low. He felt trapped, and the furore was starting to surface.
"Link. I don't like you seeing strange people. Please be careful next time," she told him. Finally she left, and Link could emit the nervous growl he had been suppressing. The room was massive, but now he was feeling trapped, oppressed. His lungs felt heavy and his throat felt tight. For once he wanted to be outdoors, not in this artificial environment. Without realising it, his bones were shifting and cracking under his skin, dark suffering surging through him like electricity. He tried to fight it but he was quickly losing his resistance. Instinctively he turned his head to the window. It was dark out, and the black clouds danced across the crescent moon. The night is singing…I want to be part of it. Before he could go to the window, a knock came. Link summoned up every ounce of strength he could muster up to stop himself from leaping out. Damn. He wanted out so badly.
"It's me," the voice was Xanath's and it caused him to loosen up a bit.
"Yeah, what do you want?" he called. The man stepped in, somewhat cautious.
"I wanted to talk to you," he said, walking closer. Link sat down, his body finely shuddering. The need was that bad, it was still a mystery why he was holding it back for this long. "I know this isn't the best of times, but what happened this morning, I couldn't let it pass under my nose like that."
"I'm sorry I acted like that, but right now I need to clear my head. I just need some time to myself," Link reassured him, trying to speed things up without much notice. But Xanath did notice, he was far too wise to not notice such a subtle thing.
"What ever is bothering you please tell me. This is the first time you've kept something from us. Are you afraid?" The man seemed to be looking through him.
"You could say that," Link muttered, "but I really need to be alone. Can't you talk to me later, like tomorrow?"
"See? This is the type of avoidance that will only make matters worst," Xanath pointed out. Link had enough; actually he didn't have much time left. If Xanath wouldn't leave, then he would have to. He rose up and headed for the door, grabbing the handle. "Where are you going?"
"Like I said. I need some time alone, and you being here isn't helping," Link said, his voice indicating that he was struggling to keep his fury in check. Dumfounded, Xanath watched him walk out of the room, leaving an air of tension behind.
If he had waited any longer he knew he would have lost it in there. Not wanting to waste anymore time he ran down the plight of stairs, out of the castle and into the courtyard. Halfway there. Before he could cross it his legs buckled from underneath him. Damn, he didn't want to change now, not whilst he was exposed to wondering eyes. He looked around himself, knowing it was too late to run now, and making sure there wasn't a soul insight he allowed it to take over. Link groaned in agony as the shifting of his bones progressed, as his muscles ached with growing strength, bared his teeth as his organs advanced beyond normal. A harsh sensation came over his skin like a sweat outbreak as pale fur bristled out; he growled deeply as his teeth formed into fangs, and he even ran his tongue over them. Suddenly, his growing sense of smell caught the whiff of someone approaching. They were too close, and getting closer. Hurry…he strained, forcing the transformation to come on him more quickly. He felt the pushing forwards of his mouth, the enlargement of his chest.
"Hey, is that someone I see there? Do you need any help?" a male voice called, friendly mannered. Link closed his eyes, muzzle wrinkling, all caused by the caudal vertebrae elongating. The pain subsided, and the wolf was left panting heavily. "What the hell…" A man was now standing before him, mouth flapping like a fish out of water. Link let loose a low growl, his muscles ready to pounce on the man. No, not here, please…no more bloodshed, he screamed. He backed up, obvious that it was nearly difficult for him to do so.
"Get away," it was the only thing he could manage to say with his bestial form. The man was shaking still, frozen with fear. "Now!!" This time the man did run, wailing with terror. Link snorted and headed to the farthest reaches of the courtyard, leaping over the stone ten-foot wall with flawlessness. He paused, sniffing out the cool night's breeze. Catching a scent he raced after it, his form melting into the night.