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CHAPTER FOUR
[In the Wake of the Helmaroc King]
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When Link awoke the storm had passed, though at first he was not aware that it had. He wasn't even aware that there had been a storm at all-- or that he was lucky to be alive.
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He was, however, aware of the throbbing ache in his head. And when he sat up and felt an explosion of pain in his skull, Link recalled just how he was dealt the blow. He then remembered he was supposed to be saying 'hi' to Davie Jones at his locker, but Link appeared not to have sunk to a watery grave after all.
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He sat on a projection of smooth slate on the backside of the island, warmed by the late afternoon sun. The thunderstorm had broken apart into numerous, puffy cumulous clouds that drifted pleasantly overhead. The winds were southerly; Beedle could finally leave port for Windfall.
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The girl! Where had she gone? Who had taken her? And then Link remembered the winged-beast. Link had a sinking feeling the bird hadn't left peacefully and he prayed that it hadn't totally demolished the island. He hoped Aryll had sense enough to find shelter…and come to think of it, she still had his hat!
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Wearily, Link got to his feet and by the narrow paths he made his way back to the grassy slopes of the island. He past the place where he had left Aryll, as if almost expecting her to be still there, ready to berate him for running off like that. Link didn't find it odd, though, when she wasn't there. After all, she probably went home when the storm struck.
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It was his hat lying forgotten on the path that stirred the first sense of uneasiness.
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As he bent to pick it up, he assured himself that Aryll just must have just dropped with a fright. Storms always scared her, especially the thunder.
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He past the docks and he met the disheartening sight of overturned boats, tangled nets, and wasted catch high and dry on the shore. A few storm-shutters had blown off the houses. A group of children were picking through some of the wreckage and Link thought it strange that Aryll wasn't there bossing them around. However, he didn't find it strange enough to ask them where she was.
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Beedle was shaking his head at his slightly damaged sampan. He did not see Link go by.
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"Hi, Beedle," Link said.
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"Hey, Link," Beedle replied, distracted. "Link?" Beedle whirled around and gasped. "You're alive!" Link was engulfed it a rough, bear-squeeze.
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"Yeah, I'm alive. What did you think?"
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"We though you had died! Oh, thank the goddesses!"
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"We?" said Link. " Aww, no! Gran doesn't think I'm dead, does she? She'll be furious with me now for worrying her!" Link broke away from Beedle. "Hey, have you seen Aryll?"
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Link's stomach sank as he saw Beedle's face fall. "Er, Link sit down," he said, motioning to an overturned barrel. "I've got something to tell you."
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But before Link allowed Beedle seat him, he saw an awful sight behind Beedle. It was his house. The canopy over the porch had collapsed and the verandah swing was upside down on their lawn. The roof was damaged and not one storm-shutter remained on its hinges. A support beam had given away and the entire frame of the house sagged because of it.
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Link pushed past Beedle and sprinted towards the house. "Gran, are you in there? Aryll?"
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Beedle caught up with Link and gripped him by the shoulders. "Gran's fine. She's resting at Orca's for the time being. Now hush, so she doesn't hear you and think your ghost has risen. The woman has been through enough today."
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"Where's Aryll?" Link demanded, fighting Beedle's hold.
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Beedle refused to look him in the eye. "She's missing, Link. The sea took her."
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His fears were confirmed. He felt an odd, numb detachment to Beedle—to the world.
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"But don't lose hope, Link. I mean, you turned up, didn't you."
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The bird…it's got her…" muttered Link.
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"What?"
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But Link was paying no attention to him. The bird must have taken Aryll after it tried to do away with both Link and the girl. Aryll and the girl bore a slight resemblance to each other with their fair hair and Hylian features; the beast could have easily mistaken one for the other.
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"I need to find the pirates…they chased the bird all the way out here…because the bird had the girl…but why did the bird have the girl?" He was thinking aloud, pacing back and forth. There was a piece missing to this puzzle.
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"Pirates, Link? What are you talking about?" questioned Beedle, concern creasing his face.
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"Didn't you see them? Didn't you hear them?" cried Link. "They were firing at the bird."
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Beedle shook his head. "That was the thunder you heard, Link. And what bird are you talking about? That bump on the head must of made you see things. It was a hurricane—it is the season for them. The Helmaroc King sent us the worst one in years."
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Link almost jumped when the realization hit him. "The Helmaroc King! Of course!"
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The Helmaroc King was the mighty spirit of the fierce, hurricane winds. It was said that he was a winged-beast that soared along with the winds of his own devastating, storms. Link had always believed it to be imaginary, like the Hero of Time. It was something old women and children spoke of; Link had never taken it seriously—until now, that is.
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"Where did you say Gran was?"
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Beedle was looking apprehensive. "At Orca's…but, Link, I don't think this is a good time to go barging in. Why don't you just take it easy here…Link? Hey come back here! Link!"
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Link pounded up Orca's porch steps, his chest rising and falling heavily. Orca was absent from his usual perch on the verandah swing where the crusty old man liked to growl at neighborhood kids. Link wrenched open the door and brushed past the group of islanders congregated in Orca's kitchen.
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"Link?"
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"He's alive?"
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Link ignored them and went into the backroom. As he expected, he found Gran, looking worn and listless, sitting in a heap in Orca's chair. Orca stood with his arms crossed and his wide, Indian-bow mouth fell open when Link came in.
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"By, the Goddesses!" he gasped.
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Gran looked up from her lap. "Link!" She rose from the chair with swiftness Link had not seen from her in years. Her sharp wit failed her and embraced him instead.
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"Gran, Aryll's…" Link began.
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"She died just like your mother did: taken by the sea," Gran said softly. "Your father is going to be devastated. At lest you're safe. I knew the Goddesses weren't wicked enough to take both my babies away."
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"No, you don't understand," said Link, stepping back. "Aryll was snatched by the Helmaroc King. The pirates know something about it, and if we just find them maybe we can find her."
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Panting, Beedle barged into the room. "I'm awfully sorry," Beedle said to Gran. "Don't mind him, he doesn't know what he's saying; he's talking nonsense. I think he suffered a concussion."
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Author's Note: I know, I know-- a lot of this chapter just consists of people saying, "Goddesses! You're alive, Link!?" The pacing is going slower than I anticipated and you may be thinking 'Holy Crap! It's been four chapters and Link hasn't even left Outset yet!!!' I'm also doing things the hard way: like, how I just didn't have Tetra fall into the woods and then Link hitch a ride with the pirates to the Forsaken Fortress. Please let me know if you think I'm dragging this on far too long. In other words, REVIEW!!!
Also, I should have mentioned this in the beginning: this fic is based extremely loosely on the actual Wind Waker Game! The plot only strays more from the game from here on in. There is an introduction of new characters, canon characters are explored and expanded on, and some technicalities of the game's plot had been bent. As one reviewer (and thank you for the lovely reviews, by the way) pointed out, Link is actually 12 in the game, whereas in this fiction Link is 16. I'm aiming for a less cutesy atmosphere in this story and am trying to achieve that 'Ocarina of Time' epic feel. I loved the Wind Waker, but I don't want to write a play by play description of it—I want to write the story inside my head!
~ Thanks!
Disclaimer: Is this necessary on every page? LOL. I do not own Zelda!