Author's Note: This is really only half a chapter. I sort of forgot I had this on my computer and decided to post it. I'm discontinuing this story but I'm seriously toying with the notion of revising and starting anew. Let me know what you think in a REVIEW!

. C H A P T E R 5 [Convincing Gran]

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"I do not have a concussion!" shouted Link, which, he realized as he said it, was an utter lie. He was still feeling the ache from where the pirate had whacked him on the head with an oar. Link rubbed his head subconsciously.

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"Link, I know you're upset, but it will do you no good to get all worked up like this. For your Gran's sake, calm down," reasoned Beedle.

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"Oh yeah? Well, what good will it do Aryll just sitting here, doing nothing? We can still save her! If he had wanted her as a meal he would have already gobbled up the first girl." It would have done Link good to step outside his head and listen to exactly what he was saying. He must have sounded like a complete lunatic to those present. The events that had just occurred did seem a bit far-fetched: his sister stolen by a gigantic bird that was pursued by pirates? Even Link began to doubt himself.

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To Link's fury, Gran felt his forehead for a temperature.

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"C'mon, Link, let's go down to the sampan. I've got some crushed Boko seeds that will make you feel better." With much protest, Beedle began to lead Link out of the room.

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"No."

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But it wasn't Link who objected—it was Orca, using the low, guttural growl he usually reserved for haranguing the neighborhood children. He was eyeing Link in the most unusual manner as he moved towards him. With his flat face, measured movements, and calculating stare, Link was thoroughly reminded of a snake ready to strike.

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"Tell me, boy, what did the Helmaroc King look like?"

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Link couldn't find fitting words to convey the image of the terrible, winged-beast. "He was a huge bird-creature."

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Orca snorted, unsatisfied. "Beedle could of told me that and he doesn't even believe in such nonsense. Everybody knows what the Helmaroc King is supposed to be—a gigantic, flying monster. But what did you see? What do you remember the most about the monster…what scared you the most…what still scares you when you bring it to mind's eye?"

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Link thought and thought hard. "The eyes…" he answered slowly and truthfully, "…when it looked at me."

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"Go on," croaked Orca.

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"It wasn't so much the color of them--and come to think of it: I can't even remember the color. They glowed like a thundercloud does just as lightening leaps out. Kind of like a wildcat's eyes at night when you shine a lantern on them… but it was day and his eyes shined with their own light. And when he—it—looked right at me…" Link swallowed, and suppressed a shudder. He could not bring himself to finish the description; instead he appealed to Orca. " I swear to you, he's real. I've never seen anything more real in my life."

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All eyes were on Orca.

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"You're not very convincing, boy," he said.

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Link's heart dropped like a stone. Gran and Beedle both let out a sigh of relief.

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"—But, I have recently come across some information that lends your bizarre tale some credibility." Orca strode over to his table and retrieved a newspaper—The Windfall Daily—with last week's date on the cover. "The Rito postman brought this yesterday morning." He cleared his throat and read the title aloud, "WEATHLY MERCHANT MISSING A DAUGHTER. In a series of disappearances, Mila Finchfeather, daughter of Sir Walter Finchfeather, is the latest girl to vanish without a trace…girls ranging from early adolescence onward have been kidnapped—ten so far—since last winter. Island authorities are dumbfounded and their only link between the kidnappings is that they seem to occur during particularly violent storms." Orca folded the newspaper and tucked it under his arm.

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Series of disappearances? Link gulped. He had always yearned for some excitement in his life and now he had it. But it was anything but what Link had hoped for.

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Unfortunately I got bored and frustrated with this story after a new idea popped into my head, an idea that has since turned into The Lost Trove of the Desert Kings. (Don't worry, I won't be giving up on that story anytime soon!)

However, while skimming through it after receiving some renewed interest, I decided that this fic wasn't so bad after all and it only needed some TLC. So some boring Sunday afternoon I'll restart it with only minor changes.

Feedback would be greatly appreciated, especially with some helpful criticism and a few pointers!