DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Zelda games or characters, so don't sue me.
Hi! This is DragonGirl speaking. First things first, if you follow my stories and haven't read my profile yet, do so. I have an announcement about my future stories/sequels, and I don't really feel like re-typing it here. ^_^;; Second, there probably aren't that many here who even read my bad writing. ^_^;; Third, I'm going to be gone for about a week, so my stories are going to go un-updated until then. (Like I would've written anything anyways.^_^;; ) I plan on updating Mirrored and Bloody Tears when I get back (two of my other fics I really wish more people would check out), so...yeah. Anyways, onward with the Zelda-ness! ^_^
Thank you to Jenna aka Kitty, MungoJerry, Princess of the Dark, dragonia, and Kimna for reviewing. Your support is appreciated!
Warnings: Painful sounding things. ^_^;;
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Zelda shut the door behind her as she left the room. Hot tears still rolled down her cheek, but she did not reach up to brush them away. How could she? Her mind raced over the conversation still fresh in her mind.
("I...I am sorry. Do I...do I know you?")
It hurt her to see Link in this condition.
("You don't remember...!!")
("Link, you have to remember! You...you're a hero. Heroes can't go through this. Heroes always remember everything.")
("Come on! Stop teasing me! Link, stop it! You have to remember! You have to!")
It hurt them both, really.
("I do not...remember anything. I...Link is not a name that I know.")
Link had fallen back asleep only moments before.
"Princess, are you okay?"
Zelda looked up, her eyes free of tears. She looked into the stern, but worried, face of Impa. She tried to smile, but faltered.
"It's him, Impa. I found him. Finally." Zelda knew that she wasn't making much sense, with her babbling. But she couldn't stop the words from coming, "He's sick and hurt and he doesn't remember anything, but he came back. That has to be it. He came back to us."
Zelda began crying again. She sank to the ground. "Oh...gods, Impa! I can't stand this! Seeing him like this...it hurts..."
Impa embraced the princess, as she had when she was a very young girl. It reminded Zelda vaguely of the time they had prepared to flee Ganondorf. "It'll be okay, Princess. It'll all be okay. Link's here, he's safe now, and he'll heal."
"Yes." Zelda stood up. She turned away. "Link will heal. He will. Now." Zelda turned around, "I called you here to ask a favor. Would you...alert the rest of the sages to Link's return? Please? I must attend to matters here."
Impa smiled reassuringly, "Yes. Of course."
* *
* *
Malon had enjoyed the peace of things in the past few years, like everyone else. Sure, she had missed Link, but she had her horses. And the ranch. Which was enough, right?
Was it?
Was it?
Malon brushed a little of Epona's into place as she led her into town. Epona had appeared at the ranch two days ago, covered in small bruises and scratches. She had no rider. Link was no where to be found.
Like everyone else, Malon had memories of time being reset. She knew what the future could have been. She knew of a future where she was nothing but a slave to the man who had nearly killed her father. Where her horses were mistreated and misused, where everything was broken.
She knew of a future where Link was more than a hero. He was her friend.
Epona was Link's horse now. Link had set out with her four years ago. Where was he? Why was Epona hurt?
Malon entered the gates of the castle, holding back tears. Was Link hurt? Was that why he had sent Epona to her? A warning? Hardly. It was more likely that Link had sent Epona to save her from being injured. That is, if he were in danger.
She sighed. She stood before the castle gates, and requested an audience with the Princess. She was from LonLon Ranch, she said.
A friend of Link's.
She had news concerning him.
They led her directly into the castle when she mentioned the name of Link.
* *
* *
"Princess Zelda." A servant entered the room, curtseying slightly. Zelda turned and smiled at the meek girl.
"Yes, Vran?"
"Princess, a girl from the ranch has arrived at the castle. She claims to have news concerning the hero."
"News?! About Link...!" Zelda masked her excitement a bit too late, "Take her to my private meeting chamber, and tell her I shall be with her shortly."
"Yes, Princess. Immediately." The girl ran off.
Zelda turned to Impa, "Impa, I must be off. So, you will deliver my message?" She smiled sadly.
Impa returned the smile, "Yes, of course I will. I will go to the Chamber of Sages right now."
"Thank you, Impa." Zelda hugged her and ran off.
* *
* *
Malon looked around the rich room that they had led her to. She had allowed them to lead Epona to the stables, only after making them promise to be careful.
The door opened. Malon stood up quickly and curtseyed before the princess. Zelda waved it away.
"There is no need for such courtesies. Your name is Malon, right?" Malon's eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you know my name, Princess?"
"Link spoke of you before...before he disappeared." Zelda's smile faltered for a split second.
Malon blinked. Hadn't it?
"Yes, Princess. You see, two days ago...well, Link's horse Epona came to the ranch. She was covered in small injuries, and appeared with no rider." Malon's eyes flickered down to the floor.
Zelda's eyes bore into her. She jumped to her feet and stared, "Are you sure? You are sure it was Link's horse?!"
"Yes, Princess." I am the reason he had her. "I raised Epona from the time she was a filly, until the day that Link got her."
"Yes. Link told me the story. He saved the ranch, did he not?"
Malon blinked. Twice. "Yes, he did. We were friends."
"I see...have you not wondered whether Link was found? Is that not the real reason you came to tell me of this clue?"
Malon grabbed her by the shoulders, not caring if she was the heir to the throne or not, "Did you find him?! Is he here?!"
Zelda chuckled lightly. Then stopped. Her eyes welled with tears. "Since you are a friend of his, I will tell you of his condition."
His...condition? Link...gods, what could have happened?
How bad could it be?
Hi! This is DragonGirl speaking. First things first, if you follow my stories and haven't read my profile yet, do so. I have an announcement about my future stories/sequels, and I don't really feel like re-typing it here. ^_^;; Second, there probably aren't that many here who even read my bad writing. ^_^;; Third, I'm going to be gone for about a week, so my stories are going to go un-updated until then. (Like I would've written anything anyways.^_^;; ) I plan on updating Mirrored and Bloody Tears when I get back (two of my other fics I really wish more people would check out), so...yeah. Anyways, onward with the Zelda-ness! ^_^
Thank you to Jenna aka Kitty, MungoJerry, Princess of the Dark, dragonia, and Kimna for reviewing. Your support is appreciated!
Warnings: Painful sounding things. ^_^;;
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Zelda shut the door behind her as she left the room. Hot tears still rolled down her cheek, but she did not reach up to brush them away. How could she? Her mind raced over the conversation still fresh in her mind.
("I...I am sorry. Do I...do I know you?")
It hurt her to see Link in this condition.
("You don't remember...!!")
("Link, you have to remember! You...you're a hero. Heroes can't go through this. Heroes always remember everything.")
("Come on! Stop teasing me! Link, stop it! You have to remember! You have to!")
It hurt them both, really.
("I do not...remember anything. I...Link is not a name that I know.")
Link had fallen back asleep only moments before.
"Princess, are you okay?"
Zelda looked up, her eyes free of tears. She looked into the stern, but worried, face of Impa. She tried to smile, but faltered.
"It's him, Impa. I found him. Finally." Zelda knew that she wasn't making much sense, with her babbling. But she couldn't stop the words from coming, "He's sick and hurt and he doesn't remember anything, but he came back. That has to be it. He came back to us."
Zelda began crying again. She sank to the ground. "Oh...gods, Impa! I can't stand this! Seeing him like this...it hurts..."
Impa embraced the princess, as she had when she was a very young girl. It reminded Zelda vaguely of the time they had prepared to flee Ganondorf. "It'll be okay, Princess. It'll all be okay. Link's here, he's safe now, and he'll heal."
"Yes." Zelda stood up. She turned away. "Link will heal. He will. Now." Zelda turned around, "I called you here to ask a favor. Would you...alert the rest of the sages to Link's return? Please? I must attend to matters here."
Impa smiled reassuringly, "Yes. Of course."
* *
* *
Malon had enjoyed the peace of things in the past few years, like everyone else. Sure, she had missed Link, but she had her horses. And the ranch. Which was enough, right?
Was it?
Was it?
Malon brushed a little of Epona's into place as she led her into town. Epona had appeared at the ranch two days ago, covered in small bruises and scratches. She had no rider. Link was no where to be found.
Like everyone else, Malon had memories of time being reset. She knew what the future could have been. She knew of a future where she was nothing but a slave to the man who had nearly killed her father. Where her horses were mistreated and misused, where everything was broken.
She knew of a future where Link was more than a hero. He was her friend.
Epona was Link's horse now. Link had set out with her four years ago. Where was he? Why was Epona hurt?
Malon entered the gates of the castle, holding back tears. Was Link hurt? Was that why he had sent Epona to her? A warning? Hardly. It was more likely that Link had sent Epona to save her from being injured. That is, if he were in danger.
She sighed. She stood before the castle gates, and requested an audience with the Princess. She was from LonLon Ranch, she said.
A friend of Link's.
She had news concerning him.
They led her directly into the castle when she mentioned the name of Link.
* *
* *
"Princess Zelda." A servant entered the room, curtseying slightly. Zelda turned and smiled at the meek girl.
"Yes, Vran?"
"Princess, a girl from the ranch has arrived at the castle. She claims to have news concerning the hero."
"News?! About Link...!" Zelda masked her excitement a bit too late, "Take her to my private meeting chamber, and tell her I shall be with her shortly."
"Yes, Princess. Immediately." The girl ran off.
Zelda turned to Impa, "Impa, I must be off. So, you will deliver my message?" She smiled sadly.
Impa returned the smile, "Yes, of course I will. I will go to the Chamber of Sages right now."
"Thank you, Impa." Zelda hugged her and ran off.
* *
* *
Malon looked around the rich room that they had led her to. She had allowed them to lead Epona to the stables, only after making them promise to be careful.
The door opened. Malon stood up quickly and curtseyed before the princess. Zelda waved it away.
"There is no need for such courtesies. Your name is Malon, right?" Malon's eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you know my name, Princess?"
"Link spoke of you before...before he disappeared." Zelda's smile faltered for a split second.
Malon blinked. Hadn't it?
"Yes, Princess. You see, two days ago...well, Link's horse Epona came to the ranch. She was covered in small injuries, and appeared with no rider." Malon's eyes flickered down to the floor.
Zelda's eyes bore into her. She jumped to her feet and stared, "Are you sure? You are sure it was Link's horse?!"
"Yes, Princess." I am the reason he had her. "I raised Epona from the time she was a filly, until the day that Link got her."
"Yes. Link told me the story. He saved the ranch, did he not?"
Malon blinked. Twice. "Yes, he did. We were friends."
"I see...have you not wondered whether Link was found? Is that not the real reason you came to tell me of this clue?"
Malon grabbed her by the shoulders, not caring if she was the heir to the throne or not, "Did you find him?! Is he here?!"
Zelda chuckled lightly. Then stopped. Her eyes welled with tears. "Since you are a friend of his, I will tell you of his condition."
His...condition? Link...gods, what could have happened?
How bad could it be?