Hey, extra special thanx to the person who reviews and then never puts their name in the box. Whoever you are, I love you!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey, I think I'm getting the hang of this writing thing! Ha HA! J.K. Rowlling, you've got competition! Same day as chapter eight was written. Sorry. I've got a cold, and my voice is lower than my dad's. Ouch. Have fun with this one, cause I sure did! ************MUSHINESS WARNING**********. Just to let you know. Not like it matters anyway.nobody ever reads these things.Will you teach me how to fly? See, I'm scared to die, 'Cause I've only just begun to Learn To Crawl. Spiderman CD still playing. Yup. See, I can say anything I want to because no one will read this, and if they do, I don't even know their middle name for God's sake! So HA! -A Sickly Shawshank

Chapter 9-The Secrets Behind the Truth

When Zelda got back to the tent, Link was still snoring. Loudly.

"Link! Wake up!"

She hissed this between her teeth, hoping to wake only him up and not the neighbors, though she doubted they were sleeping, what with all the noise Link was making. Zelda decided to change tactics.

"Link, if you don't wake up, I'll tell everyone you snore!"

Still nothing. She changed tactics yet again. Zelda kneeled on the floor, as close as she could get to Link without touching him. She held back her golden locks and blew gently on his eyelids.

Nada.

She was ready to tear out her hair in frustration. Instead, she extended a single finger and traced the lines of his face, very gently.

He stopped snoring.

Her finger went down his throat, gliding over his voice box and down to his collarbone.

His breathing became ragged.

She used the whole of her hands now, extending her palms over his skin and sliding them up over his face. She ran them through his hair, which was tousled from where his hat had rested. Zelda's hands smoothed over his neck, and she felt the small hairs there standing on end. She saw a muscle in his jaw throbbing.

She leaned over to him and kissed the point where his jawbone met his neck. He inhaled sharply. She knew it was not appropriate for a princess to use her 'feminine wiles' to influence any great decision, but, after all, this was no great decision. She admitted to herself that she was enjoying it, in a guilty way, and she found herself wondering what would have happened had he been awake.

She used her fingers to attempt to comb his hair into place, giving the simple sensation of touch a purpose. His locks, however, refused to be tamed. She grunted, and decided to use more direct methods. She left the tent.

Link began to breathe normally again. He had pretended to be asleep when she had first come in; he was in one of those situations in which he was too tired to fall asleep. His body refused to slip into unconsciousness. He had tried to ignore her attempts to 'wake him up', but then she.Goddesses! He shouldn't have let this happen. He should have gotten up. Now, he found himself yearning for her to come back, for her touch. It felt so right, and yet so wrong.

He was shocked out of his thoughts by the freezing cold water which cascaded upon his face in a single, huge splash. He sat straight up, sputtering, and glared at Zelda, who was standing over him with a large, wooden bucket. She had a look of determination on her face. He sprang to his feet, and rubbed the water out of his eyes.

"What are you doing?"

She grinned, losing control despite herself.

"Waking you up, you great ignoramus. What do you think I was doing?"

He was so angry, he forgot himself. He used his height to full advantage, looming over her and backing her into a corner. He took the bucket and threw it behind him, not caring where it landed, then trapped her with his arms against the wall of the tent. He stared deep into her eyes, wanting to stare deep into her soul. She cleared her throat, and laughed halfheartedly. Her gaze was trapped by his. Zelda was almost afraid, such was the look he had on his face.

"I think you were doing something else entirely."

He traced her face with a single callused finger, mimicking what she had done before. Realization hit her like the bucket of water which had hit Link.

"You were awake."

"I was *trying* to sleep, and suddenly you were all over me. Why did you want to wake me up so badly, anyway?"

She gulped visibly.

"Uh, well, there was this young boy at supper, he wants to meet you in about an hour in the clearing, he wanted me to let you know, so I was trying to.umm."

He leaned in closer, his haunted blue eyes hooding over as he gazed at her. Now, she really *was* afraid.

"Just what were you trying to do, Princess?"

He lazily traced her forehead with his index finger and middle finger. His hand slid over her temple, and he suddenly pressed down hard, stunning her. He used his magic to do the rest. She was asleep in a trice, and he set her up snugly with the blankets in the tent. Then, he left, padding out into the night like one of the wild cats of the Dark Forest.

***

It took him a while to find the clearing in the pitch black, but when he did, the boy was waiting for him. They sat down together in the tall grass, and Link kept a small light in his hands so that they could see each other. The boy began.

"I have information for you. If I give you this information, though, I want you to do two things for me in return."

"What are these things?"

The boy set his jaw. Instead of being happy and interested as he was when they had been talking earlier, he was grim and serious and dark. Something was going on here.

"I want you to teach me to use magic, and take me with you when you leave."

Link stared at him.

"It will take several days, maybe even weeks, for you to learn to use magic, and even then I can't guarantee that you have it. And why do you want to come with us?"

"I want to come because I know there is something beyond this huge grassy plain. I don't know where we'll find it, but I know there's something out there. I couldn't stay here for the rest of my life. I was planning to run away soon anyway, but now that you're here, I might as well come with you.

'As for magic, I know I have it. That's why I'm spending my days washing dishes."

"What?"

"The witches. The women. They do not have magic. Instead, they steal it from others, then use that magic to steal from others, and so on. Once a man reaches the Age of Initiation, as they call it, they perform the ritual upon him, and steal all of his magic. Then, he washes dishes and pots and pans for the rest of his life."

"I don't understand."

"I wouldn't expect you to. Women are not born with magic. Their mothers give it to them so they can steal others'. Very few women are born with magic, and if they are, they are sent to live among the men. The men are given permission to 'break them.'"

"'Break'?"

The boy's face suddenly seemed full of shadows and age.

"You don't want to know. I-I've seen it happen. It's horrible."

He shuddered, then continued.

"Men are always born with magic, but they do not know how to use it unless they are taught. The women who *are* born with magic know how to use it from birth, and theirs is a different kind. It is very.potent, and a major part of the woman's life. If it were to be stolen.they would become no more than a shell, alive but dead at the same time. They have no mind of their own, and nothing means anything to them. Meanwhile, those who have taken it become extremely powerful. They will use their newfound powers for evil. There is no question there. So, you see, had Zelda not been seen as a Goddess, she would have been immediately taken and her powers stolen. The Zelda you know would be no more. It is lucky for her that she did not immediately reveal her power."

"I understand. What do you mean by 'potent'?"

His eyes shadowed over again.

"They can be sensed from thousands of leagues away, so strong is their magical aura. If it is stolen, it affects the thief like a powerful drug; it is addictive, and easy to use for the wrong purpose. Your Zelda is lucky, she was born with the know - how to control her powers, but others were not so fortunate."

"Uh, yes. Well, umm.is that all?"

The boy stared at him for a short length of time before replying.

"No, not quite. We must leave now, tonight, if you agree to my terms."

"Yes, I agree."

"Good. Go back to your tent and retrieve Zelda. Do not wake her up, the sooner we leave the better. I will retake your supplies and such, and find you. Don't worry."

He paused, and smiled.

"By the way, you're welcome for the safe return of your sword. I was thinking of keeping it for myself to use when I ran away. Then I found out that you could use magic."

The boy shook his head as Link stared, and got up and walked away into the night without a sound. Link got up slowly, and extinguished the light in his hands.

How had the boy known that Zelda was asleep?

***

(The Last is manipulating them. Toying with them. What do you think?)

I think the same, Scholar, but...

(But what? Speak up, Apprentice!)

The Prophecies. Remember what they said...

(You don't actually think that-)

I'm not sure, Scholar. I hope not, for the Hero's sake.

(What of the Other? The One Who Holds Many Secrets? Do you have any insights for the Other?)

I'm not sure, Scholar. I just don't know.

(You are the most gifted of my Circle. You must know!

I'm sorry, Scholar. Wait. The Last..the Last will be freed! They will free it!

(Surely, you're not serious? It has been trapped for many millennia, since before even *I* was born. That part of the Prophecy could never come true.)

Oh, Scholar. It just has.

(No. The fate of the world rests on the shoulders of the Hero now...just as it did in the alternate time...)

When will he be given rest, Scholar?

(If the Prophecies are correct, Apprentice, and they have been so far, the Hero will *never* rest. He is destined for other things.)

Why are the Goddesses so hard on him, Scholar? When will they repay him for all he has done for the life on this world?

(Once again, if the Prophecies are correct, it is *he* who owes the Goddesses. It is not said why or how, just that it is.)

I do not understand, Scholar.

(Nor do I. Nor do I.)

***

Good question. I still have no idea why the kid knew. I'll think up an answer for next time.

Until then, -Shawshank

(Hey, if anyone out there has the Spiderman CD, #8 is my fav song of all time! Check it out!)

Sorry.