The Legend of Zelda: The Return

(I apologize ahead of time for the long Author's Notes, but I've had a few questions asked to me more than once, which means that there's probably even more of you out there who just aren't asking, so I figured I'd answer them here and make it easier on everyone. Feel free to skip them if you've no interest in that, as there's not much in the way of news after the first paragraph).

Hey all!

Well, as I'm sure you all must have guessed by now, I'm home! For the next three weeks anyway. I'm moving on the 19th of August, so I'll try and get as much writing as time/energy/inspiration allows between now and then just in case something goes wrong and I wind up without the net for a while. It shouldn't, but Murphy's Law seems to have taken over my life lately, so you never know . . .

Q & A

I've had a few people ask me if I accept fanart, so I'll clear that up here and now: Yes. I would absolutely love fanart. Send away! If/when you send it, let me know if you mind me putting it up on my website (whenever I get around to updating it again)!

I've also been asked by quite a few people (in varying ways) about the status of Link's inventory. To the best of my (horrible) memory, these are the items he's got that are from the game (it's possible some are missing from the list as I've forgotten to add them, but I've stared at it for about ten minutes now and nothing else has come to mind):

· Magic Arrows (all three)

· Hookshot

· Master Sword

· Deku Nuts

· Deku Sticks

· Ocarina of Time

· Fairy Ocarina

· Slingshot

· Mirror Shield

· Bow (with associated quiver)

· Din's Fire

· Nayru's Love

· Farore's Wind

· Bottles

· Sacred Stones (all three)

· All the songs

I realize that I haven't necessarily mentioned all of these or brought them up in the story, and for that I have two excuses: 1) There's no reason/opportunity (or I am still looking for a reason/opportunity) to mention them at any given point in the plot (if at all), and 2) I managed to completely forget about their existence until after I've written and posted said opportunity to mention them . . . without mentioning them. Odds are at this point in the story, however, if they're not on that list, they won't come into play.

In answer to any and all questions about what's going to happen next/in the future in the story: I'm not telling. :-P Ask away, but that's the only answer you'll get out of me :-).

In answer to whether or not I'm an L/Z fan or an L/M fan (I think this is the one asked the most . . .) I am neither, however the games seem to suggest an L/Z pairing so I went that route.

A lot of people ask if I can read their own stories, to which I can promise nothing. However, if it's really, really important to you then ask me anyway and I'll keep it in mind. I can't say I'll ever get to it, but if I get the urge for reading some fanfics, I'll probably head for ones I've been asked to read.

I think that's about it for now. If I get any more mass-questions, I'll probably do this again. If not . . . then I won't!

Once again, sorry for the long notes, and I hope that clears some things up for everyone!

Enjoy!

Lady Rose

Chapter 29

"Sunlight!" I try and shout brightly.

What comes out is more of a very relieved exhalation of breath as we step out of the Sheikah Caverns and into the sunlight.

We've been walking all night . . .

I'm so tired . . .

Goron City is just up this path . . .

Then I can rest. Or pass out. Whichever comes first.

"Odd," Hunter remarks as he follows me out.

"What is?" Malon asks.

"Well, most of the Sheikah got out before the Moblins took over," he says. "And even if the Gorons aren't that hung up on security, the Sheikah should be. But . . ." He turns and looks back. "I didn't once see any . . ."

Before he can finish a large, heavy net descends from out of nowhere and knocks us all to the ground. I gasp in pain.

Farore . . . I know that reopened something . . .

Jinni lets loose a furious growl and immediately begins struggling, Malon too. Hunter and I don't bother wasting our energy.

If we've been caught, it's likely the Sheikah who've caught us.

If it's the Moblins we'll be full of arrows in a minute anyway, so who cares?

An excited whoop, followed by two others, rings on the morning air.

"I know that shout," Hunter growls darkly beside me. "I'm going to kill them . . ."

"We did it!" Someone shouts. I struggle and peer through the net, just barely making out a few Sheikah separating themselves from the rocks around us. "We caught 'em!"

"You caught nothing, you morons!" Hunter shouts. "Get this damn thing off us!" There's a startled silence.

"Hunter?" Gasps the first voice. "Is that you?"

"Yes it's me!" Hunter shouts. "Would you hurry up and get this net off of us? Farore, Thomas! One of us is hurt!" Thomas gives a panicked, apologetic squeak and the pressure of the net is almost immediately lifted off us.

"Link, you all right?" Malon asks as the Sheikah move the net over and away from us.

"Oh yeah," I grunt, trying to push myself into an upright position. "Just peachy . . ." She grabs my arm and helps me up. I hear the distinctive sound of a scimitar clearing its sheath.

"Jinni!" I snap. "Stop it! They didn't mean it!" I hear Jinni growl in frustration, but I don't hear her scimitar go back into its sheath. I push myself away from Malon and turn to raise an eyebrow at her. "If we try and walk up this path with our weapons out, we might wind up with more than nets thrown at us." She glowers at me, but grudgingly puts her sword away. I breathe a bit easier. I hear a gasp behind me.

"The Master Sword!"

I turn back around and take my first really good look at the Sheikah who 'captured' us.

I blink in surprise.

They're only about mine and Hunter's ages.

The one in front, Thomas I'm assuming, has gray hair, similar to Impa's, and bright blue eyes. Behind him stand two girls, who look exactly alike, with sandy colored hair and crimson eyes. They're all dressed in the traditional Sheikah uniform. They all stare in surprise at my sword.

Surprise they quickly cover up with an impassive expression as they turn to Hunter. Hunter grins at them.

"Don't worry about it, guys," He says. "These guys are friends."

"Even the Gerudo?" Thomas asks doubtfully with a frown at Jinni, who scowls at him. Hunter hesitates and it's my turn to scowl. He makes a pacifying gesture in my direction and nods.

"Yes, even the Gerudo," he says grudgingly.

The Sheikah relax and their expressions melt again into something a little more human, and little less stone.

"Oh man, Hunter," Thomas said. "It's good to see you alive. We weren't sure you'd made it. When we heard Kakariko had been taken . . ."

"I wasn't here," Hunter said. "Sheik and I went on a mission with this guy," he points at me, "and we've been gone ever since. We kind of stumbled into the occupation."

"Hey, where is Zelda?" One of the girls asks, looking around at us.

It's official.

I was the last person to hear about Zelda's multiple personalities.

"Is she back in the Caverns?" Her face falls when she see the expressions on mine, Hunter's and Malon's face. "Oh no," she says. "She's not . . ."

"She's alive," I interrupt, fiercely. "Just . . . she's captured. Back in Castletown."

"And you are?" The girl asks. The other girl shoves her roughly.

"What are you blind?" She demands, pointing at the sword over my shoulder. "He's the Hero of Time!"

"Among other things," Hunter says wryly. "Guys, this is Link, son of Brayden and Natalia. He's a Blood. That's Malon, from Lon Lon Ranch. And this is Jinni, of the Gerudo."

"Obviously," Thomas says, eyeing her outfit and hair. "I'm Thomas, and these losers are the twins, Bel and Mel."

"Losers, eh?" Bel asks, raising her eyebrow. "We're not the ones who ordered the dropping of a net on friends." Thomas colors slightly.

"Yeah, well," he says. "It's not like we were expecting anyone to come through the Caverns. They surprised me is all."

"You guys are hopeless," Hunter said, rolling his eyes. "How the Hell did you ever get on without Sheik and I?" He grins. "But it's good to see you're all alive anyway." Malon clears her throat.

"Not to interrupt or anything," she says. "But . . . Link's still bleeding to death."

"I'm not bleeding to death," I say with a frown. "To unconsciousness maybe . . . but not death." Hunter shakes his head at me.

"Come on," he says. "Let's get to the City and get you fixed up." I frown at him.

"It better be a Sheikah doing the fixing and not a Goron," I say darkly.

xxx

"Hey sleepyhead," says a voice. Something jabs me in the side. "Get up!" I open my eyes and stare blearily up at the person jabbing me.

"Hunter?" I ask. "What's wrong? What time is it?"

"It's just after noon," he says. "You've officially slept for 24 hours.

"What?" I gasp, struggling out of the bed. "Dammit, Hunter! Why didn't you wake me up? Aw man . . ." I start flying around the room, trying to locate my tunic and boots. I grab the black leather and struggle to get it on around the bandages tied tightly around my waist. They don't hurt as much as they did yesterday. Someone must have had a bit of potion or something . . . "Do you have any idea what Rue's going to do to me? I told her we'd be gone a couple of days at most. We've already been gone a couple of days and we haven't even accomplished anything!" I grab my boot and yank it on, followed by the other. "Maybe I should warp back to the desert and fill her in . . ." I blink when I realize that Hunter's laughing at me. I stop and stare at him, crossing my arms. "What?" I demand. He grins at me.

"Do you have any idea how entertaining you are when you've just woken up?" He asks.

"Shut up and help me find my hat," I grumble, pulling back the blankets on the stone slab that served for my bed.

"You don't have a hat, Link, you left it in the desert," Hunter says. I blink.

"Oh yeah," I say. "Do you know where Karun and Goron-Link are?" I ask.

"Yep," he says. "Putting the finishing touches on their preparations to move their troops to Lake Hylia." I stare at him in surprise.

"What?" I ask. "They already . . ." He raises an eyebrow at me.

"Hey," He says. "You're the one who made me an ambassador. Just doing my job." I grin thankfully at Hunter.

"How did I ever get on without you?" I ask.

"You probably fell down a lot," he says with a grin, tossing me something. I catch it and stare at it in surprise.

"What's this?" I ask.

"A ball," he says. "You do know what a ball is, right?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Obviously I know what it is," I say. "Why do you have it?"

"Because Thomas, Bel, Mel, Malon and I want to play a game with it. But we're short a player. Karun and Goron-Link are going to be holed up in their conference room for a while and they told me to tell you to enjoy yourself until they're done." He raises an eyebrow. "So do you wanna play?"

xxx

"You guys realize that we're screwed no matter how this game turns out right?" I ask. "Girls against guys? We're doomed."

"How do you figure?" Thomas asks.

"Easy," I say. "If we win the game, the girls are going to hate us with all their bitter little hearts. But if we lose the game, we'll never hear the end of it. Ever. They're going to gloat from now 'till kingdom come."

"Ah the ever-lasting Battle of the Sexes," Hunter says with a grin. "Life would be boring without it, ne?"

"Well then," Thomas says, "there's really only one solution."

"If you've got one I'd love to hear it," I say.

"We kick their scrawny little asses," he replies. "Since we get the raw end of the deal either way we might as well win and have that little bit of satisfaction to ease the pain." I grin at him.

"I like the way you think," I say.

"Malon doesn't look half-bad in that uniform," Hunter says, looking over at where the girls are talking in low tones, every now and then casting furtive glances in our direction. Malon had borrowed one of the twins uniforms to play in, as her dress would make it kind of difficult. He grins. "Maybe she could be a Chosen." I laugh.

"That might make Neesha feel a little outnumbered," I say with a grin. "She'd probably complain about too many Sheikah."

"Neesha?" Thomas asks.

"A Gerudo friend of ours," Hunter answers. "Much happier than Jinni over there."

"But wouldn't the Sheikah already outnumber the Gerudo in that case?" Thomas asks. "You're both Sheikah it's already two to one."

"Nope," I say. "One and a half to one and a half."

"Link's mother was a Gerudo," Hunter adds. Thomas blinks in surprise.

"But wouldn't that make you . . ."

"Yep," I say with a grin. "Why do you think Jinni's over there on that rock watching us like a hawk?" He twists his head around to stare at Jinni in surprise. She raises a cool eyebrow at him and frowns. I roll my eyes.

"You really need to work on her people skills," Hunter says with a frown. "She's not making herself any friends."

"She doesn't want any friends," I answer. "She just wants to go home. Who's that with her?" I ask, nodding my head at the Sheikah woman seated not far from Jinni and watching us just as closely. She has a long braid of hair the same color as Thomas' and her eyes are the same bright blue. Thomas makes a face.

"That's Ketari," he says. "My sister. Self-appointed babysitter of things-that-no-longer-need-babysitting. I think you're Gerudo friend freaks her out a bit."

"Hers and Thomas' mother is the leader of the Sheikah with Impa gone," Hunter says. "I talked to her too before you start panicking about that. She says the Sheikah are ready to move as soon as you give the word."

"The Sheikah are always ready to move," Thomas says.

"Looks like the girls are ready," I say, ignoring Hunter's crack about panicking. "Are we gonna play or what?"

xxx

A Interlude

Jinni crouched with a scowl on the rock and watched the King and the others play their game. They had set a couple of targets opposite each other on the rock walls of the small gully they were in. She had overheard the two Sheikah boys explaining the rules to Link earlier. It was a simple enough game. The basic point was to throw the ball at your enemies target. If it hit you got a point. Not that they actually looked like they were playing that. There was more shouting and laughing and wrestling over the ball than any kind of actual playing of the game.

As she watched Hunter managed to gain control of the ball and he took off at a run for the other side of the gully and the girls' target. The identical Sheikah moved relieve him of the ball but Link and the other Sheikah boy exchanged mischievous grins and leapt at the girls, tackling them around the waist and sending them to the ground, leaving Hunter with an almost free shot at the target, the Hylian girl the only one in the way. He moved as though to throw the ball and Malon leapt up, but he twisted suddenly and ran around behind her, hurling the ball at the target and striking it. Link and other boy leapt to their feet with a cheer and Hunter laughed and gave a florid bow while the girls shouted 'Cheaters!' with grins on their faces as they picked themselves up.

Jinni frowned at Link's laughing face in consternation.

She just didn't get him.

He was so . . . unpredictable . . .

When he had first showed up at the fortress – had it not been for the Witches interference – she wouldn't have spared him a second-glance. He had looked more or less like a child who's dog had just died. He was bruised and tired and though she hadn't been able to place the emotions in his eyes, and still couldn't, they were definitely on the despairing end of the spectrum. He had been just barely hanging on to some distant hope of victory against an enemy a thousand times stronger than him and that was all that kept him upright in his saddle.

That was the impression she had gotten from.

They say that first impressions are lasting . . .

But she had barely had time to process that first impression before he was throwing another one in her face . . .

The next time she had seen him was at the Maeasm test. At first he had looked nervous and doubtful, especially upon Hunter's reaction to the Maeasm. She had been convinced at that point that there was no way he could be the King and that she had done the right thing in going to the Witches. Any true Gerudo would have faced that Maeasm with confidence and determination and courage instead of with nervousness and doubt.

But then he went and did just that.

His face had hardened and he had reached out for the Maeasm without so much as a blink.

And then she started to doubt herself.

And then he had survived the sting . . . proving he was, in fact, a King of the Gerudos, and that he had a Gerudo's heart. Strong and hard and unforgiving.

Or so she had thought.

He proved her wrong once again.

The next time she had seen him had been at her trial.

She had expected to die. Given the way he'd handled the Maeasm, and then the Witches, there had been no doubt in her mind that he was going to do the only proper thing a Gerudo could do.

Sentence her to death.

Instead he'd merely demoted her and assigned her as his bodyguard – which was technically an honour. Her first reaction had been that he was crazy, and weak, and foolish.

But then she'd looked at him.

There was no weakness in his expression.

He knew what he was doing. He meant everything he said. And he expected her to do nothing but her best in her attempts to redeem herself.

He hadn't looked anything like Ganondorf . . . but still, somehow managed to look kind of like a King. Like the guy in charge anyway.

She had thought that maybe, finally, she was starting to understand him . . .

And then he went and proved to her that she didn't understand him at all.

At Vicea's. He hadn't killed Vicea. He had let her live.

And even after hearing and watching her doubt herself and him . . .

He had turned to her and set her free. Giving her a choice.

And he hadn't looked at all like a King, or a leader then. He just looked like someone who wanted nothing but the best for her . . . who wanted her to be . . . to be . . . herself. He hadn't looked at her the way a King looks at his subject . . .

He had looked at her . . . almost the same way he looked at Neesha, or Hunter.

And then he left. Trusting her to make the right choice.

But after what he had said to Vicea about living in fear . . . there hadn't really been that much of a choice left for her.

She had only been a little girl when Ganondorf had ruled the Gerudo, but she could remember it. The whole fortress was a place of fear. Everyone was afraid to act, or say anything that went against Ganondorf. The Gerudo weren't a fearful people, but whenever Ganondorf was at the fortress they strangled themselves on their own fear. And she had hated Nabooru for rocking the boat. Nabooru constantly defied Ganondorf. And it made things worse for everybody. It had been easy to write Nabooru off as a trouble-maker.

But after meeting Link she found it wasn't so easy to write Nabooru off . . .

Nabooru knew her people were destined for better things . . .

And now Jinni knew it too.

Link had been right. To follow Ganondorf was to live in fear. And she didn't want that.

For herself or her people.

So she convinced Vicea to follow Link on her own, and had been fully intent on jumping her ex-sister the instant she was focused on Link, but once again the young King had thrown her for a loop. When he had looked at her, holding his Hylian friend tightly, the friendly look never left his face. But this time it was a bit different. He had looked . . . sad and disappointed. Sad at what he had thought she'd chosen for herself. Disappointed that he couldn't save her. She had been startled and had hesitated, but not for long. She had moved to go after Vicea finally, but she once again caught a glimpse of his face and had paused again.

The sad, friendly look was completely gone.

Through the bruises on his face she could see a cold, furious determination. The fact that he was beaten and tired and weakened didn't even affect his decision to fight. He had given Vicea a chance, and she hadn't taken it. She had declared herself an enemy and he was prepared to do what he had to, to defend what he fought for.

Whatever it was he fought for.

It wasn't until the Sheikah had fallen that she had managed to get over her surprise and do something.

And then the fool had gotten in her way and almost cost the King his life.

She knew he had only been trying to protect him in the long run, but it still made her furious.

She had every intention of redeeming herself for her crime, and no intentions of ever seeing that sad, disappointed look directed at her again.

She had never been ashamed of herself a day in her life.

Until he had looked at her like that.

After the fight, after she had killed Vicea, his face had settled into a kind of neutral expression, probably brought on by fatigue.

And again, she had thought she understood him.

She thought she had seen every possible face he could throw at her and she could deal with them all.

And again he proved her wrong.

As she watched him now all traces of kingliness, or fury, or determination, or anything she had seen before was gone.

Now, his face shone with boyish excitement through a sheen of sweat. He looked like a kid, playing a game with a bunch of his friends, and with no more worries than to make sure he's home by supper lest his mother lecture him.

The fate of the world rested on his shoulders and he played ball as though he was . . . was . . .

. . . an 18-year-old boy.

Which, ultimately, he was.

"He fits in quite well, doesn't he?" Asked a voice at her side. She blinked in surprise and scowled down at the gray-haired Sheikah seated beside her out of nowhere.

Damn Sheikah and they're slyness . . .

"Link, I mean," the Sheikah continued, oblivious to her scowl. "You'd never guess from watching him today that he's the Hero of Time. Or the King of the Gerudo. Or anything special at all. He fits in with them like he's been playing with them since he was three." She smiled sadly at him. "It's a shame he's got so much responsibility. At his age he should be playing like this everyday. But I've got to say I admire him. From what I've seen, and what Hunter tells me he's handling it quite well."

"Is there a purpose behind your babble or are you just trying to irritate me?" Jinni asked sourly. The woman smiled as though Jinni hadn't just insulted her.

"There's a rarely a point behind babble," she said holding out her hand. "My name's Ketari." At first, she wasn't going to take it. She didn't want anything to do with the Sheikah woman. But out of the corner of her eye she could see Link watching the meeting like a hawk, a small frown on his face at her hesitation. She growled inwardly and took the Sheikah's hand.

"Jinni," she said flatly.

"Nice name," Ketari said warmly. "So tell me, Jinni, are the Gerudo really as good as everyone says they are at fighting?" Jinni raised an eyebrow at her.

"Better," she said, her tone flatter than before.

"Great!" Ketari said. "See, I've beaten everyone here in the ring, and I've been looking for a half-decent sparring partner. Hunter says you're not too shabby at fighting, and he doesn't seem to like you much, so for him to say that, well . . ."

"Are you asking to fight me?" Jinni demanded, staring at her.

"I'm asking," Ketari said. "For a friendly spar. If you're up to it that is. I mean, you've probably had a rough time of it, and if you don't think you can handle it . . ."

"A fight?" A voice in front of them asked. "Cool! Can we watch?" They blinked and looked over at where the six kids sat watching them. Everyone looked excited except for Hunter and Link. Hunter and Link looked nervous.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Link said cautiously.

"Don't worry, Link," Ketari said with a smile. "I won't hurt your friend."

"Hmph," Jinni said, getting to her feet. "Damn straight you won't. You'll be lucky to lay a finger on me."

"I take it that's a yes then," Ketari said with a wide grin. "Great! Come on! We've got a makeshift ring set up just up the path there." They started up the path. Link quickly caught up to her. She noticed Hunter speaking to Ketari in low tones.

"Jinni," Link said, his face uncertain. "Listen, don't . . ."

"Relax, Highness," she interrupted. "It's just a 'friendly spar.'" She sped up and away from him.

Hunter left Ketari's side and joined Link.

"There's no such thing as a friendly spar between a Sheikah and Gerudo," he said, his face dark. "And I've got the history books to prove it."

"How, uh, how good is Ketari?" Link asked.

"Good enough to give Jinni a run for her money," Hunter replied.

"How's her temper?" Link asked.

"Her temper's almost non-existent," Hunter answered.

"Good."

"But her ego's on the large side and I don't know how she'll react if it gets bruised."

"Damn."

"This is gonna be great!" Thomas said excitedly.

Hunter and Link could only exchange glances and pray he was right.

xxx

"Piece of cake," Neesha told herself, bolstering her courage as the last vestiges of the statue's face crumbled to dust under the light reflecting off her shield. She slipped it back onto her back and pulled a whip from her bag. "I can do this . . ." She cracked the whip and its end snapped around the bottom of the chain link that was slowly rising to reveal a large door behind it. Sucking in her breath she leapt off the platform she was standing on and swung towards the door.

"Please hold, please hold, please hold, please hol – NO!" Her weight on the end of the whip pulled it loose from the chain link. Two facts broke through the panic in her mind. First, she had about one second before her upward movement became a downward movement and she landed hard on the stone below. Second, half of that one second was already up. Swearing furiously she scrambled to stop her descent, her fingers just managing to catch the edge of where the statue's face used to be.

She drew in a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slowly.

"That was too close," she muttered. The gouges Dark Link had made in the statue to free Link were still there and she used them as footholds now to push herself up and over the edge, then collapsed on the floor, taking a moment to calm her heart back into its normal pace.

"Come on," she growled at herself. "Toughen up. What kind of a Gerudo gets scared over a little drop?"

She could picture Link and Hunter staring at her with their typical bug-eyed expressions.

They wouldn't have considered that a little drop.

She wondered if they were all right . . .

"Probably getting into all sorts of trouble without me," she said, rolling her whip back up and fastening it to her waist instead of putting it away. "I bet Link's already been run through a couple times, and Hunter's probably running around like a cuckoo with its head cut off. They're hopeless." She loosened her scimitars in their sheaths and walked up to the door, scowling slightly. "They'd better miss me."

Her scowl darkened when she realized that the huge lock that should have been on the door, wasn't.

"They're expecting me," she murmured, once again considering giving up there and going back with what she had.

She shook her head and steeled her courage.

She wasn't going to go back home like some baby.

She was going to be a Red.

And nothing, especially not a couple of decrepit old women, was going to stop her.

The next room looked like an Iron Knuckle's room, only there was no Iron Knuckle to be seen. She frowned.

There was no door either.

Link had mentioned something about this though . . . something about the wall not being a wall. She walked up to it and touched it. Her hand went through it.

Conflicting emotions battled inside her.

Through this wall she would find the witches, of that she had no doubt.

But of the two other things she might find behind the wall, only one of them would actually be there.

One of the things was painful, agonizing, death . . .

The other was honour and pride . . .

It was a risk, a gamble . . .

Once again Link's scowling face floated, unbidden, through her mind.

Honour and pride are not worth dying for . . .

Her face hardened.

Maybe they weren't worth it for him . . .

But they were for her.

She had wanted nothing else since she was old enough to understand the words.

Besides, Link was a jerk, so who cared what he thought . . .

"I'll just make sure I don't die," she said huffily, stepping through the wall. "That'll show him."

The instant she was through harsh, abrasive laughter filled the air.

"Easier said than done, child . . ."