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Author's Note: This is an unusual Wind Waker sequel. It merges with the story line of OoT. Ten years have past and Link and Tetra still haven't found the new land and have parted ways. The PoV is told in first person by several different characters—mainly Link and Tetra. It changes from chapter to chapter, but you can always tell who is telling the story by the chapter title.

This is potentially a Link/Tetra romance, but only if you guys think I should take the story in that direction. If or if not, please let me know in the reviews.

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda. Shocker, I know.

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THE LOST TROVE OF THE DESERT KINGS

.. By F. J. Stellar..

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[Link]

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Tetra found the ocarina seventy-seven knots south of Outset in a secluded scattering of islands called the Jungle Archipelago. That much is true, or I'm willing believe it is, but I knew from the start that the rest of her tale was a fabricated sham. Only Tetra could summon the nerve to look me square in the eye and tell me it was fate that led her to the Ocarina of Time, not her own insatiable greed.

But I came with her anyway on that crazy treasure hunt through time. It wasn't the loot I was after. Tetra had dangled the notion of revenge over my head and, eager and unwarned, I had leapt at the chance like a puppy leaping for a tainted treat. I was going to steal what mattered most to Ganondorf like he had stole Aryll and my childhood.

At least, that was the plan.

But now we're here, centuries from home and trapped in a colossal, desert shrine. This is the end; I can taste it in the heavy, dead air. But I'm not sure how long the wait will drag on. The crew, Tetra, and I are sitting here in the dark, silent and contemplating our ends, when I start to contemplate the beginning. How did we get infixed into this unfixable jam? At what point could we no longer return home; at what point did we seal our fate?

It's best that I start at the beginning, but even pinpointing that is difficult. I could say it started with the Hero of Time and Ganondorf but that means a confusing loop of time, which just makes my head spin. I could say it began when the Helmaroc King kidnapped Aryll but that story has been told a thousand times over. Frankly, I'm sick of it. Really it began when Tetra stole the ocarina, but I wasn't there and her rendition of it is a tangle of lies that even now she refuses to straighten out.

So I'll begin when Tetra first came to me with the ocarina and a plan. It was a bleak Tuesday morning and the sun hadn't yet risen high enough to burn off the fog around the cabana. Everything beyond my porch steps was shrouded from sight by the thick blanket. If I had looked, which I hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to see her ship moored off my island.

I was starring at the ceiling when she knocked, but I was seeing Molgera's thrashing, vermin spawn bursting through the sand. I was seeing a Stalfo's head whirl on the ground while its body swung a club at me. A black hand reached out of a black pool and dragged Makar in. Keese took turns making dives at me as Puppet Ganon's tail slammed repeatedly against the wall. And Ganondorf roared from above, "Link? Link, I know you're in there! Open the door for Din's sake!"

I blinked out of my half sleep. That was a new one. Ganondorf usually had something a little more ominous to say.

"Link! Open up!" called a voice called from outside, apparently the same person who was pounding loudly at my door at this ungodly-hour. If I had any neighbors they would have been severely ticked. Tousled, bleary-eyed, and not bothering to put on a shirt, I shuffled to the door and when I swung it open there stood Captain Tetra, absolutely furious.

"Hey Tetra," I mumbled with a sleepy smile.

"Where were you? I've been knocking forever!" The sea captain was disheveled with impatience; her white-blonde hair was working its way out a raggedy twist.

"Downstairs," I lied, leaning against the doorframe and yawning. "Setting up a few rat traps."

If Tetra didn't believe me, she didn't let it on. "Well, I'm sorry for disrupting such a crucial task, but can I come in."

"I'll have to ask the rats. They might get offended."

Tetra tried to suppress a smile. "I'm sure they'll thank me. Now can I come in?"

I blocked her way. Squeezing my eyes shut, I began to rub my temple with my forefingers. "I'm thinking…I'm thinking of a word…a magic word…"

"Please," she laughed. "Please, may I come in?"

"Bingo. You got it." I moved aside and allowed the sea captain entrance. Tetra gave me a playful chuck on the shoulder—for being a twerp, she told me—as she swept past.

I watched Tetra shrug off her coat as I snapped the door close. Goddesses! During our previous meetings, which had been rare the past few years, we either ended up having a fierce screaming-match or locking lips—sometimes both. I hoped it would be the latter this time. Despite everything, she was still the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on. She was slim as a boy, her legs long and shapely. Tetra's face was angular and tanned and her eyes were blue and piercing. Ten years had past since I had first laid eyes on Captain Tetra, but I was still twelve when I looked at her.

Ever since she found out that she was royalty, Tetra has had this habit of flipping her hair over one shoulder and turning up her nose in a snobbish, regal fashion whenever she sees the inside of the cabana. She continually harped on me to tidy up. I could see her point this time. Dirty clothes were strewn across the rug and chairs were turned over. Yesterday's lunch was still on the counter, half eaten, next to empty bottles. A broken mirror was propped up in the corner.

I had lived alone at the cabana for years now. And when you live alone, well, you tend to let some things slip. Of course, that was hardly an excuse for the sorry state the cabana was in.

"Not expecting company, I see."

I frowned. "Did you come here for a specific reason or just to insult my housekeeping?"

Tetra turned around and gave me a thoughtful look, as if she was deciding exactly how to weigh her words. "Niko rowed me in from the ship, but I've made him wait down at the shore with the longboat. I have something to discuss with you…privately."

"Let me guess: You're going to give up pirating and marry me?" I hope she knew I wasn't serious.

"No, but I do have something of a… proposition for you. I've found something extraordinary. " Tetra strode over to the table and cleared it of clutter with a swipe of her arm. She set down her bag and began to root through it and when she finally found what she was looking for, she pulled back the gaudy wrappings and grinned. It looked like a kargorok egg with finger holes; it was deep purple and caught the light with a strange gleam. The Triforce symbol was marked near the spout embossed in a band of gold.

It took me a moment to realize just exactly what this new trinket of hers was.

"It's the…" she began.

"Ocarina of Time," I finished.

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