Kaela: Hi, everyone! This chapter is quite a bit longer than the others, as a bunch of you requested via review, so I hope you enjoy it!
Thanks to dan heron and Split Infinitive for reviewing the last chapter. And a special thank you to Lizzie (aka goldentresses) for taking the time to read my fic! You're awesome!
Disclaimer: You know the drill. I'll spare you the details.
Oh, by the way, don't hate me yet, all you Mila fans! I like her too: she's not always going to be this mean!
I now present...
Chapter 3: The Fortress
The bird carried me far out over the water, flying what appeared to be due north. I struggled as long as I dared, until Outset was not even a speck on the horizon. Then I made a serious mistake. I looked down.
I have always loved the sea. I live on an island, so we are surrounded by water as far as the eye can see. I loved its deep cerulean hue, its soothing sound that lulled me to sleep at night, the feel of its accompanying breeze on my face, the spicy smell and salty taste of its waves. I swam in it as often as Grandma had let me, though I was always careful of the undertow.
However, I had rarely before looked down on it before from such a height, and never without land beneath my feet. The swells tossed and turned in a dizzying motion, and its sweet, reassuring smell was being interrupted by something else. After a few minutes, I discovered the source of the sickening smell, and its nature.
Coming from the bird's feathers was the smell of fresh blood.
The combination of my distress, the motion of the waves below, and the horrible odor of the bird finally took its toll on me. My stomach heaved, and I was promptly sick.
The bird shrieked in disgust and shook me violently, trying to clear itself of the bile. This did not help matters; my upset stomach was not yet empty. Finally, the bird contented itself to keep flying. Nevertheless, every time I did something it found unpleasant, it would squeeze me until I almost couldn't breathe.
As we flew on and on, the day began to wane. High noon came and went; the afternoon left as rapidly as it arrived. Finally, the bird, which hadn't wavered from due north all day, made a sharp ninety-degree turn and flew directly towards the setting sun. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I could get my hands free to cover my face. Blackness surfaced out of nowhere. I opened my eyes, and shuddered.
The distant silhouette of an island had appeared on the horizon, covering the sun. The air around it was dark; not the darkness of a moonless night, but the darkness of fear, of being suffocated. Spanning the entire island was a vast fortress. The only light came from some spotlights operated by monsters I had never seen the like of. But it was the vibe it gave me that sent shivers up my spine. It was more sinister than any nightmare I ever had.
The bird bore me to the upper reaches of the fortress, past the central keep, and hovered before an observation platform. A man in dark blue robes stood there, waiting for us. I twisted and turned my head, but I could not make out his face.
"Ah, my magnificent Helmaroc King," purred the most evil voice I had ever heard, "what have you brought me?" The bird dropped me on the floor at his feet and screeched a reply. I shrank into a corner, trying to get as far away from the man as possible.
The man turned his face to regard me. His eyes took in every detail: my stained dress, my unkempt hair, my quivering form. I covered my eyes and began to cry.
"YOU STUPID PIDGEON!" His thunderous shout shook the floor. "SHE ISN'T THE PROPER AGE!"
Then he collected himself. "No matter. Perhaps the child knows something. And she does have the ears of the Hylians. I shall interrogate her later." He snapped his fingers.
Three horrible pig-like monsters came in, grunting and sniffing the air.
"Throw her in the cell with the others."
The largest nodded and grabbed me. I screamed and kicked at it, but the monster held on. It grunted and motioned to its companions. They bore me off the platform and down into the actual keep. After carrying a struggling me down a spiraling tower walkway, they opened a cage with wooden bars and threw me in.
"Let me out of here!" I screamed. "Somebody, help!"
"Oh, sweetie," a voice behind me said soothingly, "I'm sorry, but screaming for help won't do you any good."
"So stop that racket, at once!" another commanded imperiously.
I turned around. There stood two other girls about Link's age, looking back at me. One was dressed in rags, and her brown hair was filthy, but she gave me a kind smile. The other, a richly dressed blonde, looked decidedly bored and annoyed. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, her fan waving incessantly.
"It's all right," said the brunette, smiling reassurance. "We're prisoners, too." She indicated herself and the other girl, who sniffed. "What's your name?"
"Aryll of Outset," I answered, suddenly rather shy. "Who are you?"
"My name's Maggie," she answered. "And this is--"
The other girl cut in. "How dare you speak in my presence without being asked? Hold your tongue!" She turned to me, and added haughtily, "I am Lady Mila of Windfall. My father is the richest man on the island." She gave me an appraising look and raised a delicate eyebrow. "Obviously, your family is not so fortunate."
I looked down at my stained, tattered dress, then at her spotless silk gown and the gems in her hair. I felt a flush rise in my cheeks.
"Mila!" Maggie gasped. "That was really harsh. You should be nicer to people!"
Mila rolled her eyes and went over to the barred window.
"Don't let her get to you," Maggie whispered to me. "She's like that to everybody." She noticed my expression. "Are you okay, Aryll?"
I gave her a wavering smile. "I'm okay," I lied. "I just need to be alone for a while."
She gave me an odd look, but she nodded sympathetically and went off into a corner.
I leaned against the bars, losing what little hope I had once had. I was imprisoned in a terrible place, and I could find no way out. For the first time in my life, I began to despair-and it was not to be the last time.
After a little while, a seagull flew in and landed in front of the cell. He cocked his head and cried experimentally.
"Brightbeak?" I gasped in astonishment. And indeed, he was Brightbeak, the boldest of my seagull friends. I reached a hand out through the bars. As Brightbeak nuzzled it, I marveled at him. "You brave, darling creature, how in Din's name did you find me?" He ruffled his feathers in reply.
At this, Mila gave a shriek. "What are all these filthy birds doing here?!?" She backed away from the window.
I rushed to her vacated spot and found the rest of the flock waiting for me. They were flying about the bars, looking for a way in. Occasionally, one would ram the window and stagger in the air, before regaining its balance. My heart clutched in my chest. They were being so brave! But they were going to die if they stayed here; the monsters were bound to find them.
"Shoo!" I waved my arms at them. "Fly away, friends! You aren't safe here!"
They didn't, only continued to circle the window. I waved my arms frantically, but nothing was going to change their minds. They remained where they were. I sighed and went back to visit Brightbeak.
The sun finally set, and the fuzzy stars became visible. A little time passed, then I heard and felt something crash into the fortress.
What was that? I wondered to myself. But no one else seemed to notice. Maybe crashes were commonplace occurrences in the fortress. Or perhaps it was only my imagination.
We remained like that for a time: Maggie twiddling her thumbs, Mila sulking, me stroking Brightbeak and trying not to cry. The flock showed no signs of giving up.
My back was to the window, so I never saw the searchlights turn up in the air, one by one. I didn't hear the commotion outside the huge wooden door. I barely heard it open.
But I certainly saw that beautiful vision: a boy clothed in green, standing in the doorway, staring at us with wide eyes. I didn't dare believe it for a moment; it had to be a dream. I pinched my wrist. It hurt. I looked up properly then, and felt my hope return.
There could be no mistake. It was my brother.
I gasped, and Brightbeak flew off. I didn't care.
"Link?"
He smiled. "Aryll!" He ran towards us, joy filling his eyes. I wish that moment could have lasted forever. But, sadly, it was not to be.
We both heard it: the sound of gigantic wings flapping. He stopped short, and his expression turned wary. He looked up and yelled as the Helmaroc King screeched and grabbed him in its talons.
"NO!" I cried, but it was too late. The bird had my brother, and now he was gone. A little while later, I heard him yell again, then a splash. I sank to my knees and began to weep.
Link was dead.
Kaela: Well, that's it! Hope you enjoyed it. Review, please! And constructive criticism, please, not flames!
Thanks to dan heron and Split Infinitive for reviewing the last chapter. And a special thank you to Lizzie (aka goldentresses) for taking the time to read my fic! You're awesome!
Disclaimer: You know the drill. I'll spare you the details.
Oh, by the way, don't hate me yet, all you Mila fans! I like her too: she's not always going to be this mean!
I now present...
Chapter 3: The Fortress
The bird carried me far out over the water, flying what appeared to be due north. I struggled as long as I dared, until Outset was not even a speck on the horizon. Then I made a serious mistake. I looked down.
I have always loved the sea. I live on an island, so we are surrounded by water as far as the eye can see. I loved its deep cerulean hue, its soothing sound that lulled me to sleep at night, the feel of its accompanying breeze on my face, the spicy smell and salty taste of its waves. I swam in it as often as Grandma had let me, though I was always careful of the undertow.
However, I had rarely before looked down on it before from such a height, and never without land beneath my feet. The swells tossed and turned in a dizzying motion, and its sweet, reassuring smell was being interrupted by something else. After a few minutes, I discovered the source of the sickening smell, and its nature.
Coming from the bird's feathers was the smell of fresh blood.
The combination of my distress, the motion of the waves below, and the horrible odor of the bird finally took its toll on me. My stomach heaved, and I was promptly sick.
The bird shrieked in disgust and shook me violently, trying to clear itself of the bile. This did not help matters; my upset stomach was not yet empty. Finally, the bird contented itself to keep flying. Nevertheless, every time I did something it found unpleasant, it would squeeze me until I almost couldn't breathe.
As we flew on and on, the day began to wane. High noon came and went; the afternoon left as rapidly as it arrived. Finally, the bird, which hadn't wavered from due north all day, made a sharp ninety-degree turn and flew directly towards the setting sun. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I could get my hands free to cover my face. Blackness surfaced out of nowhere. I opened my eyes, and shuddered.
The distant silhouette of an island had appeared on the horizon, covering the sun. The air around it was dark; not the darkness of a moonless night, but the darkness of fear, of being suffocated. Spanning the entire island was a vast fortress. The only light came from some spotlights operated by monsters I had never seen the like of. But it was the vibe it gave me that sent shivers up my spine. It was more sinister than any nightmare I ever had.
The bird bore me to the upper reaches of the fortress, past the central keep, and hovered before an observation platform. A man in dark blue robes stood there, waiting for us. I twisted and turned my head, but I could not make out his face.
"Ah, my magnificent Helmaroc King," purred the most evil voice I had ever heard, "what have you brought me?" The bird dropped me on the floor at his feet and screeched a reply. I shrank into a corner, trying to get as far away from the man as possible.
The man turned his face to regard me. His eyes took in every detail: my stained dress, my unkempt hair, my quivering form. I covered my eyes and began to cry.
"YOU STUPID PIDGEON!" His thunderous shout shook the floor. "SHE ISN'T THE PROPER AGE!"
Then he collected himself. "No matter. Perhaps the child knows something. And she does have the ears of the Hylians. I shall interrogate her later." He snapped his fingers.
Three horrible pig-like monsters came in, grunting and sniffing the air.
"Throw her in the cell with the others."
The largest nodded and grabbed me. I screamed and kicked at it, but the monster held on. It grunted and motioned to its companions. They bore me off the platform and down into the actual keep. After carrying a struggling me down a spiraling tower walkway, they opened a cage with wooden bars and threw me in.
"Let me out of here!" I screamed. "Somebody, help!"
"Oh, sweetie," a voice behind me said soothingly, "I'm sorry, but screaming for help won't do you any good."
"So stop that racket, at once!" another commanded imperiously.
I turned around. There stood two other girls about Link's age, looking back at me. One was dressed in rags, and her brown hair was filthy, but she gave me a kind smile. The other, a richly dressed blonde, looked decidedly bored and annoyed. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, her fan waving incessantly.
"It's all right," said the brunette, smiling reassurance. "We're prisoners, too." She indicated herself and the other girl, who sniffed. "What's your name?"
"Aryll of Outset," I answered, suddenly rather shy. "Who are you?"
"My name's Maggie," she answered. "And this is--"
The other girl cut in. "How dare you speak in my presence without being asked? Hold your tongue!" She turned to me, and added haughtily, "I am Lady Mila of Windfall. My father is the richest man on the island." She gave me an appraising look and raised a delicate eyebrow. "Obviously, your family is not so fortunate."
I looked down at my stained, tattered dress, then at her spotless silk gown and the gems in her hair. I felt a flush rise in my cheeks.
"Mila!" Maggie gasped. "That was really harsh. You should be nicer to people!"
Mila rolled her eyes and went over to the barred window.
"Don't let her get to you," Maggie whispered to me. "She's like that to everybody." She noticed my expression. "Are you okay, Aryll?"
I gave her a wavering smile. "I'm okay," I lied. "I just need to be alone for a while."
She gave me an odd look, but she nodded sympathetically and went off into a corner.
I leaned against the bars, losing what little hope I had once had. I was imprisoned in a terrible place, and I could find no way out. For the first time in my life, I began to despair-and it was not to be the last time.
After a little while, a seagull flew in and landed in front of the cell. He cocked his head and cried experimentally.
"Brightbeak?" I gasped in astonishment. And indeed, he was Brightbeak, the boldest of my seagull friends. I reached a hand out through the bars. As Brightbeak nuzzled it, I marveled at him. "You brave, darling creature, how in Din's name did you find me?" He ruffled his feathers in reply.
At this, Mila gave a shriek. "What are all these filthy birds doing here?!?" She backed away from the window.
I rushed to her vacated spot and found the rest of the flock waiting for me. They were flying about the bars, looking for a way in. Occasionally, one would ram the window and stagger in the air, before regaining its balance. My heart clutched in my chest. They were being so brave! But they were going to die if they stayed here; the monsters were bound to find them.
"Shoo!" I waved my arms at them. "Fly away, friends! You aren't safe here!"
They didn't, only continued to circle the window. I waved my arms frantically, but nothing was going to change their minds. They remained where they were. I sighed and went back to visit Brightbeak.
The sun finally set, and the fuzzy stars became visible. A little time passed, then I heard and felt something crash into the fortress.
What was that? I wondered to myself. But no one else seemed to notice. Maybe crashes were commonplace occurrences in the fortress. Or perhaps it was only my imagination.
We remained like that for a time: Maggie twiddling her thumbs, Mila sulking, me stroking Brightbeak and trying not to cry. The flock showed no signs of giving up.
My back was to the window, so I never saw the searchlights turn up in the air, one by one. I didn't hear the commotion outside the huge wooden door. I barely heard it open.
But I certainly saw that beautiful vision: a boy clothed in green, standing in the doorway, staring at us with wide eyes. I didn't dare believe it for a moment; it had to be a dream. I pinched my wrist. It hurt. I looked up properly then, and felt my hope return.
There could be no mistake. It was my brother.
I gasped, and Brightbeak flew off. I didn't care.
"Link?"
He smiled. "Aryll!" He ran towards us, joy filling his eyes. I wish that moment could have lasted forever. But, sadly, it was not to be.
We both heard it: the sound of gigantic wings flapping. He stopped short, and his expression turned wary. He looked up and yelled as the Helmaroc King screeched and grabbed him in its talons.
"NO!" I cried, but it was too late. The bird had my brother, and now he was gone. A little while later, I heard him yell again, then a splash. I sank to my knees and began to weep.
Link was dead.
Kaela: Well, that's it! Hope you enjoyed it. Review, please! And constructive criticism, please, not flames!