Thanks to: T-Bone (My thanks is slightly sarcastic because despite your muses' attempts toquarantine you, you gave me your cold...JK! ; ) and Tizami (Yeah, I don't think the ocean is all that cracked up to be, but then I live a half an hour away from the beach, so I do kinda pity you.)

Caranril: Hm, I seem to have lost quite a few of my reviewers. Or readers. Or both. As long as someoneis readingDark B4 Dawn...

Legolas: What she's saying is review or else she'll sic me on you.

Caranril: Which wouldn't be much of a threat since you still haven't found your bow...

The Dark Before The Dawn - Chapter 11: A Confidence Found

Link woke late that morning, ten o'clock or so judging by the rays trickling through the window. He placed his hands behind his neck as he gazed at the ceiling and sighed contentedly. An answering sigh came from next to him, and he glanced over, startled. He smiled at Zelda's peaceful repose as he recalled why someone was in the bed with him. He had remained on top of the sheets, using only a blanket over his robe, while she had snuggled into the layers like they were her own. Her eyelids fluttered while she slept, and her mouth twitched slightly. Link wondered what she was dreaming about, but didn't get a second thought on that subject as she woke up. Her eyes were blurred from sleep, but she recognized him lying next to her.

"Link?" she asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"We're in Impa's house, remember?"

"Oh yeah." Zelda sat up and stretched. She walked to the bathroom and closed the door, giving an audible "brr!" as she washed her face with cold water.

Link raided the fridge, finding he didn't have much of an appetite after the wondrous meal they had eaten before. He found some dried fruit and meat to add to their supplies, just in case they needed to camp before reaching civilization. He could hear Zelda puttering around in the bathroom and figured he could change in the bedroom without any danger of being burst in on. Just in case, he kept the purple robe about his shoulders as he bent over to pull on his leggings. At that moment, Zelda swung the bathroom door open. Link shot straight, yanking his grey leggings up, but not before the robe slid from his shoulders and Zelda saw a wink of his derriere. She gasped in embarrassment while Link turned to face her.

"I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, ducking back into the bathroom. "I didn't see anything, I promise!"

"It's okay, I'm done anyway," Link said rather calmly, though his face was slightly pink. Zelda meekly stepped from behind the door. She tried hard not to stare at his bare, chiseled torso, but as he pulled his boots on, she found herself mesmerized by the working muscles underneath the smooth skin, and the glint of the contrast between the blue metal band and his pale neck. Link could feel her eyes, as he always could when she focused on him, and his cheeks reddened. He wasn't used to this sort of scrutiny, especially when half-clothed. He cleared his throat as he looked up from lacing his boots and grabbed his tunic. Zelda had realized what she was doing and that Link had as well, bringing a blush to her cheeks. She hem-hawed and then settled on finding something to eat in the kitchen, out of Link's sight. Or perhaps, with Link out of her sight.

Preparations to leave didn't take much time at all, so less than an hour later the two elves were standing outside Impa's front door, while Link summoned Epona with his ocarina. She was there within moments, eager to get underway. Link offered the saddle to Zelda, who silently accepted it and pulled the hood of her cloak firmly over her blond hair and tan face. They were both untalkative through Kakariko Village, but once they passed the wooden gate, Link began whistling a tune unfamiliar to Zelda.

"What is that?" she asked curiously, energized by the peppy jig.

"What's what?" Link responded.

"What you're whistling."

"Oh, it's Saria's Song. She taught it to me ten, no make that eleven years ago." Link fell silent.

"So we're going to Kokiri Forest?"

"Yes."

"And after that?"

Link's eyes narrowed. "The caverns I woke up in."

"What will we find there?"

"Hopefully, the same people who sent me to look for you with the claim that they were helping us escape 'Lord' Meltose's wrath," Link said bitterly. "Daegond said that only his followers call him 'lord', which Jeric did. They also had the scabbard and quiver that belonged to the weapons that Impa's mother and father owned. And when I left, I felt a familiar magic in the door. Sheikah magic. Darunia told me that when the Sheikah surfaced, many stayed behind in the caverns. The time might be too old for anyone to tell us, but it's possible the Sheikah race used to worship Meltose. Either that or it's a recent development since the rising. Daegond also mentioned that the War was caused by a man whose followers were from the ancient Sheikah race. I intend to find out exactly what Jeric and his race are all about."

"Good plan," Zelda agreed, mulling over the information that Link had revealed to her. Discovering a race of Sheikah would mean a lot to her, since at the moment, Impa and technically Sheik were all that was known to remain of the Shadow People.

Link's right hand rested on the hilt of Beleguial, his fingers tracing the eye symbol on the end. He thought about the third hole in the cross-hilt and wondered where he could possible find a tiny gem that would ignite Beleguial's blade. If the sword's powers were anything like his arrows, then the third gem would probably be golden and produce flames of light.

"This is the second time I've lost half of my life to unconsciousness," Link said suddenly. Zelda snapped out of her sedated hypnosis from the beat of Epona's walk. Link was staring straight ahead, and she wasn't sure if he was talking to himself, to her, or to both.

"I've had to rediscover everything that has happened in that time, and gather new armaments so that I can survive against some evil force that is determined to kill me. I've found people I know in trouble, as well as people I don't know, and somehow someone I love always ends up hurt." Link drew silent, then added, "So far it hasn't been that case this time around, but I have a feeling this is far from over."

"So, who was hurt last time, those four years ago?" Zelda asked quietly.

"Everyone," Link said, a little too forcefully. "Everyone I'd come to know and appreciate as a child and even after I began my journey as a 'hero'. Saria and even Mido, Darunia and his son, Impa, Malon, Epona... I suppose I'm grateful for Ruto, too, even though she is quite irritating. And yes, even Nabooru. And..." Link's cobalt eyes met Zelda's, "...and you too, Zelda. You've probably been hurt the most. You are the Sage of Wisdom and the ruler of Hyrule, so everything you have to do must be in the best interests of the Sages and the Hylians. And from what I've heard, your kindness has spread to Clock Town and the kingdom of Termina."

"Nowhere you haven't touched first," Zelda smiled sadly.

Link nodded. "But still...the worst part is...that you rely so much on my help, and most of the time I haven't been there for you. I've been shut away and haunted by strange dreams until something out of my control deems it time for me to wake up," Link continued angrily. "It's just not fair!"

Zelda hesitated, then slid from Epona. This caused both Link and the horse to stop in surprise, but she fished through her pack without giving them a thought. Her hand closed around what she as seeking and withdrew it from the bag.

"Link, I know that many things that have happened throughout the years, or even recently for you, haven't been fair to anybody but those who oppose our efforts, but I never knew it had bothered you so much. What I'm trying to say is I'm sorry, and I know that I could never make up those years for you, but I want you to have this." She held out her fist, then opened her hand to reveal a golden ring in her palm. Link took it and examined the carvings of the traditional owl clutching the Triforce on one side and of the royal family's crest on the other. A strange stone was set in the center, one that looked hazy with clouds, like a crystal ball. He slid it onto his middle finger, and the stone whirled with angry oranges and reds, then settled for a rosy pink and pale orange hue that leisurely swirled around like oil on water.

"It was supposed to be my wedding ring," Zelda said, a touch of sorrow in her voice. "When Impa told me to flee the castle for my life, that was one of the few things I grabbed on the way out. I don't know how old it is, but it's been in my family as long as we have ruled Hyrule." She sighed. "I doubt that rule will continue any longer, so there's no sense in me keeping it."

"Zelda..." Link made to take it off. "I can't accept this. We will survive this ordeal and you will continue to be the ruler of Hyrule. You'll marry and have lots of blond children, and you'll grow old and happy and these times will only be memories that return in your dreams." He tugged at the ring, finding it wasn't loosening from his finger. It wasn't stuck, it simply would not budge. He couldn't even twist it around.

"It seems the ring begs to differ," Zelda said wryly. "It has magical properties, for I can see them flowing through the band and the stone, but I don't know what they do. I have yet to use it myself, since, well, it's a wedding ring. To put it on would imply I'd found...a suitor I was intending to marry."

Link gave the stubborn ring one last jerk before giving up. "So you gave it to me to wear? Does this mean I've found a...I don't know, maiden? I'm intending to marry?"

Zelda almost didn't answer, but felt she'd better save face. "It applies to the women of the royal family."

"Oh." Link took up Epona's reins. "Are you going to hop back on?"

"No, I think I'll walk."

They walked in silence, Link letting Epona go, for she seemed anxious to run. They could see the tops of the trees of the Lost Woods, and the sun was still well over the horizon.

"Looks like we'll make it in plenty of time," Link said casually.

"Mm," was all Zelda said, deep in her own thoughts. Link found himself lost in his own, particularly focusing on the ring Zelda had given him.

"By the way," Link said, his voice sounding odd for some reason, "thank you."

Zelda looked at him questioningly.

"Oh, um, for the wedding ring. I mean the wedding. I mean..." Link trailed off, losing his train of thought as he noticed the sudden silence in the air and focused on the blur that was rapidly approaching behind them.

"What?" Zelda stared at him in confusion.

"Nothing...just, run!" Link grabbed her arm and pulled her after him.

"Link!" Zelda tried to talk sense into him. "Link! What are you doing?"

Link found a better grip with her hand and pulled even more insistently. "Storm!"

Zelda glanced behind to see a very dark boiling of clouds chasing them too quickly for them to be natural. She turned and began running with Link rather than against him. He released her hand so that they might both run with more ease, though it didn't do much good against the winds that were driving at their faces. The storm was definitely unnatural, for the clouds were driving against the winds too. Zelda didn't know where they were going, for she had never been in the Lost Woods before, only at the Forest Temple entrance as Sheik. It didn't matter if she did know, for a sudden onslaught of hail limited the visibility to zero.

She gasped as she realized that she had lost Link. He knew the right direction to take and without him, she wouldn't survive this storm, especially now that the hail had teamed up with the berserk wind and both were now delving into her face. She shielded her eyes with her arm, but that didn't seem to work very well.

Zelda cried out for Link, but she could barely hear her own voice. She stopped short when she heard a whisking sound, searching about her for the source, only to stare in disbelief down the trunk of an airborne tree. She fell to her hands, though not quite soon enough as a branch caught the side of her head. Zelda screamed at the pain, then moaned as blood bubbled from her temple and soaked into her hair. She began shaking violently, unable to control the strange shivers that were running through her body. Her mind began to grow fuzzy, and through it she pictured Link holding his hand out to her. She felt someone grab her waist and heave her to her feet, then realized that he had been standing in front of her, but hadn't known that she was hurt. She touched her hand to the pain on her head and the itching feeling of something running down her cheek. She stared at the blood on her hand, just stared, finding it rather fascinating.

"Zelda! Work with me!" Link cried as he continued to haul her forward. She was in a daze and didn't' seem to be responding to anything he did. They would both die out there if they didn't make it to the forest...With that thought running through his head, Link forwent any qualms he had about her dignity and hefted her over his shoulder. Relying on his own legs was so much more reassuring.

Each step he took was rather wobbly as he fought against the winds that would suddenly change directions, like they were purposefully trying to bring him down. Link's foot struck the root of a tree, a tree that was still firmly planted in the ground. Just ahead, through the small hollow that held off some of the weather, Link could make out the black tunnel that led to the Kokiri's village. Just five more steps...

He practically fell into the tunnel as the howling winds suddenly died and the hail no longer tore at his face. The Kokiri Forest was protected from these odd storms with magic that wasn't governed by the Triforce, though it was an obscure spinoff, but rather by the Great Deku Tree. In this calm tunnel, Link set Zelda down gently and checked her vitals. She moaned as his fingers pressed against her neck for a pulse, then blinked her left eye slowly, as her right eye was covered in drying blood.

"Who are you?" she asked sluggishly.

"Just hang in there Zelda," Link promised as he lifted her in his arms, a position much easier on his back. Her head flopped around dangerously, then settled on his left shoulder.

Link proceeded through the tunnel and into the quaint village that he knew so well. Next to nothing had changed. A few new houses and gardens here and there, a few olds ones long gone to decay or fire. Probably not due to the latter, since the Kokiri were none too fond of flames.

Almost as soon as he stepped foot into Kokiri Forest, the children-like inhabitants gathered around him, wide-eyed, whispering, pointing at his strange clothing and the wounded woman in his arms. Those that were keen enough to recognize Link's pale and battered face ran off to find a Kokiri who was levelheaded enough to deal with them. Most likely Saria.

Link maneuvered through the throng of Kokiri and headed for his old home. He knew none of the Kokiri would have changed anything about his dwelling, for it was the house of a legend. He carefully propped Zelda against the trunk of his home while he scurried up the ladder to find his old supplies. He had placed everything that would fit into a chest so that weather, insects, and other Kokiri wouldn't bother any of his personal items. Right on top was the Deku shield that he had borne as a child. He carefully set this aside as he looked for medical supplies. Even if he had taken his pack out of Epona's saddlebag, Zelda was too delirious to eat any heart-fruit, so patching her up until then was his only course of action. The nearest fairy fountain was quite a distance away...

Link's hands touched the child-sized items that sat at the bottom of the chest. He ran his thumb over the smooth wood of his old boomerang, and with a smile recalled the first time he had used it. He had been aiming with Navi's help, but had hit her instead. The poor fairy had held on for dear life as she was hurtled around the room and back into his hand. He replaced the weapon and held his slingshot. The rubber had frayed over time and was now worthless. He had to admit that a bow was a much easier weapon to wield.

Excited chatter sounded outside, drawing Link's attention from his memories. He slid down the ladder and knelt beside Zelda, who had fallen unconscious. The noisy Kokiri were rushing to the side of a tall figure approaching, wearing a purple cloak and silver armour bearing an eye. She nodded at the children, not really listening. Her eyes met Link's, instantly reassuring him that everything would be okay.

"She was struck by a tree branch," Link explained as he moved the cloth he had been holding firmly against Zelda's head, so that Impa might have a closer look.

"Do you have any heart-fruit?" she asked, gently tilting Zelda's head for a better light.

"Yes, but they were in Epona's saddle, and she ran off."

"Dania," Impa said to a blond Kokiri next to her, "Bring us the horse."

The blond girl curtsied and loped off on her task.

"She's here?" Link asked in disbelief.

"Oh, yes." Impa washed the blood out of Zelda's hair with a cup that she dipped into a bucket of water.

"She never could come here before!"

"It wasn't a matter of 'could', more like 'would'. She was more frightened of the storm than she was of that tunnel."

A whinny sounded, followed by eager hoof beats. Link turned his head to find Epona's nose shoved into his face.

"Epon-whoa!" Link lay on the ground, holding his breath as his horse's avid tongue knocked him over and gave his face a jubilant greeting. He groaned and pushed her back gently. "Oat-breath," he muttered as he sat up to watch Impa crush a heart-fruit into a bandage.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously.

"Heart-fruits can be used for more than ingestion," Impa explained. "Absorption through the bloodstream is slower, but useful when necessary."

"I'll have to remember that," Link mused. He watched her finish cleaning Zelda up and binding her wound.

"Help me take her up the ladder," Impa said, beginning to climb. Link lifted Zelda and passed her to Impa, who laid her on his bed.

"You know, I had forgotten you were here," Link admitted. "I half expected Saria to be the one who'd greet us."

Impa froze for a second, then slowly continued to cover Zelda with a blanket. She turned around, tears in her eyes.

"Link, Saria...she's dead."

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Caranril: (dramatic music) Da, da-da-da!

Legolas: You're so cruel.

Caranril: (sheepishly) I didn't think anyone noticed.

Legolas: Yeah right.

Caranril: Honest! Anyway, I liked writing the embarrassing situations that Link and Zelda got themselves into. They weren't anything big, but still...

Legolas: You're a bloody romantic.

Caranril: (glares, then sticks nose in air) Hmph! I like it this way!

Legolas: Have you thought that perhaps your readers think the story is going too slowly?

Caranril: (gasps) Oh no! (eyes grow wide and teary). (to reader) It's not going too slow, is it? I mean, is it okay? Please review and let me know!

Legolas: Hey! You took my job!

Caranril: And you made me fret over mine.