Hi everybody! I thank you all for your reviews! I have another story planned after this…it's going to be really cool, I think. I love this story so much! I'm glad it's not going to be over for a while. Here you go!
Chapter 6
Consequences of Disobeying
Zelda woke up first; she almost rolled over Link. She jumped a little, and then relaxed. He had slept with her last night. It just took her a moment to remember. She rolled over, and hugged him tightly.
"Mom? You can let me go now." She almost screamed when she saw Link. He had grown again! And this time, boy had he grown! He had shot up at least another year, probably more. Zelda was not happy with this. The first thing she decided to do was ask him how old he was. She asked, and then she noticed his hopeful expression.
"Am I old enough, Mom?" he seemed to be pleading with her. She pursed her lips.
"How old are you again? And what do you want to do?" he snorted as if he were insulted.
"I'm eight Mom! More than old enough to ride Epona on my own, right?" he looked up innocently. She shook her head.
"Of course not, Link! You're still a kid! You can't ride her on your own! Not until you're forty!" she hadn't even realized what she said until it came out of her mouth. Link gaped in amazement.
"Forty? You are kidding, right Mom?" the look on his face was so funny that Zelda couldn't help but giggle.
"Okay, maybe seventeen." She rumpled his hair. "Run along and eat breakfast! Then you can decide where you want to go today!" she shooed him along; he ran eagerly to the kitchen. "He's so young and innocent." She said to herself.
After a couple of minutes, Link was done with his breakfast. He came into the main room where he found his mom reading a book on magic. He sauntered up to her. "Can we maybe go to the graveyard, mom?" he muttered it under his breath, knowing she would say no.
Zelda was already irritated at Impa's sudden disappearance. When she heard this suggestion, she grew even more frustrated. "What? Why would you want to go there? I think we might be able to go to the village, but not the graveyard." Link gave a disappointed sigh.
"Oh, alright." He wasn't happy, but it was better than nothing. Kakariko village was too boring. If he was ever going to be a warrior, he needed more than that. "At least it's a start." He nodded. In no time at all, they had packed a lunch and set off. He was growing tired of riding Karisha. She was an old horse. He wanted more action, more than that.
As soon as they arrived, Link started running off. "Hey, where are you going young man?" Zelda called after him. Link returned slowly.
"I was going to play with the village kids." He looked up sulkily. Zelda sighed.
"Alright, but don't go too far. I want you to report back here by the time the sun hits the bell." She pointed to the shadow that was slowly crawling up the tall tower. Link smiled.
"Thanks mom! See you later!" he ran off, finding a few new playmates who were exploring around the town. He spent the rest of the day playing and laughing. He played for so long that he almost missed the meeting time. He ran up to Zelda, who was ready to go. "Mom, can I please please please stay just a few more minutes?" he looked up hopefully. "We just found a bug! It's a caterpillar! Pleeeassseee!" he begged. Zelda assumed he made friends with a few boys. She had never seen Link so happy before.
"Well, I guess so. Just make sure you are back at the castle by night. Don't forget Link!" she made him look her in the eyes. "Promise me you won't forget! Promise me you'll come back by then!" she made sure he heard her.
"Okay. I promise Mom. I won't forget. I'll come back before night." Zelda left regretfully, but she needed a break anyway. So she reluctantly galloped off, heading for the castle.
Link was frustrated when he saw the sun almost down. This caused him to doubt himself. "Should I really go back?" he thought. "Mom won't mind if I stay a few extra minutes, will she? I mean, it's not like she told me to come back right away, right?" Link knew he was disobeying her; his heart told him so. Oh, why did they have to be having so much fun? He looked in the direction of the castle; the sun was sinking lower every minute. Finally, the wrong decision won over the influence of right.
Link stayed with his new friends, running around and having a good time. That is, until he heard their mothers calling them. It was at this moment that he realized what time it was. He glanced at the sun, which still showed a glimmer of light behind the horizon.
He didn't think, only ran off in the direction of his home. "I don't know what Mom was so worried about anyway…" he grumbled as he ran. "So I'm a few minutes late, big deal." Link was almost there when he heard a strange creaking noise. He stopped for moment and listened. Link then saw something that made his heart freeze in terror.
The drawbridge to the market…it was raising! "No!" Link yelled; sprinting as fast as an eight year old could have. But by the time he arrived, it had raised itself up. Link stood at the edge of the moat, dumbfounded. His terror did not end there, for as soon as he shook himself from the pure horror of being locked out until morning, he heard another strange sound.
It was a clanking of some sort, as if someone was rattling dozens of chains at once. He turned and screamed bloody murder. Ambling towards him clumsily were skeletons. Two or three of them, with eyes glowing red. Link had heard about these nightmares. They were called "Stalchildren" or something like that. He somehow knew about them and that they attacked only at night.
Out of pure desperateness, he made a flying leap into the water. The skeletons made their way to the water's edge and dissolved instantly. Link swam to a small inlet on the water's edge. Much to his unbelievable relief, they did not follow. He let himself lay down on the ground, freezing cold and with a scraped knee. Oh why did he have to disobey Mom?
He leaned against the lone tree on the outlet; hugging his knees for warmth. The morning would come…a thought suddenly hit him. The girl in his dreams! She looked just like his mom. But, why? Mom looked so young, so helpless, as she galloped by with Impa. Then, that man came. The one with the evil glint in his eye. He knew he had seen this man before, but where? He did not have time to think about it, for he drifted off into a deep, miserable sleep.
Before the sun came over the mountains, Zelda had ordered the whole town out to help with the search party. It was Impa who found Link. She yelled to Zelda, jumping over to the inlet and grabbing Link. She returned to Zelda, who grabbed Link in her arms. She held him like she would never see him again. "Link, I was so scared." Link woke up instantly. She was so thankful that Impa was smart enough to order the drawbridge down.
"I'm okay Mom. I'm…sorry." He looked at her with sad eyes. She shook her head.
"Link, I think you've been punished enough. You need to rest for awhile…" she stopped. A bright light had engulfed him. It blinded her for a moment, and when she opened her eyes again, she caught her breath in her throat. Link was ten. She didn't have to ask. She knew. He looked exactly as he did the first time they had met. He looked up at her.
"Mom, I…" he wanted to ask a lot of questions about the dream. He stopped, and shut his mouth. It would be better to keep it to him self for a while. He pulled on her dress, motioning to the castle. "Can we go home now, Mom? I'm a little tired." He asked.
"Yes, Link. Just let me pick up something at the market." She held his hand as they strolled off. Impa started a brief walk about Hyrule. Something told her that everything was not alright. Her sage side told her something was wrong. Little did Zelda know that someone was following her...
Well, did you like it? I tried to make it a good length. I'm going to be gone for a week, so I don't think I'll be able to update for a while. I'll try to have the next chapter written when I get back for you so all I have to do is print it up. Okay, time for something completely new…reviewing replies!
GoldenSunGeek: Hi new person! Thanks! So glad you like it! I know how you feel about finding new fics!
SomeSayTheWorldWillEnd: Yes, I am going to go somewhere with Link's attitude here…but I can't say anymore! (Glances about suspiciously) You might find more of a clue in this chapter!
Meowzi: I know, I want him to stay young forever too! (Hugs young Link) Unfortunately, that would make the story way too long! (laughs) And yes, I can tell you. He will be troublesome. And welcome! I love new reviewers!
KrazieShadowNinja: Yes, school is evil. We all know it. (sighs) I'm trying to update as fast as I can! I'll try even harder just for you. When I get back from this week, of course.
FrodoBaggins87: Yay! A new person! Hello! (looks at review) Do you really think "Okay" is slang? Hmmm…I guess it is. I never really thought about it before. Sorry about that. I'm right along with you for the "Hyrule is a real place thing." Glad you like it though!
Shadow Link50: Thanks! I'm especially happy that you like my writing style and think I'm getting better. You're so nice!
