NOTICE: IF YOU DID NOT READ LAST CHAPTER, PLEASE DO SO. I KNOW IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE I UPDATED, BUT I DID, I JUST TOOK OFF CHAPTER 12 BECAUSE IT WAS HIDEOUS AND IT RUINED THE STORY, SO PLEASE GO READ THE NEW CHAPTER 13, "For Freedom?" AND then READ THIS ONE. ...thank you.
A/N - Sorry for how late this chapter is. I got grounded for two weeks all because I walked to my old middle school to see my two favorite teachers in the whole wide world and stayed out a could hours late, like only two. I was sposed to be home at 3:30 and I went home at 5:30. Geez, SORRY. And that would only give me like half an hour with my teachers anyway, if I had gotten home at three thirty. That's so unfair to me. All I wanted was a little "Hello, howzit goin' alright seeya." with my teachers but NO! GROUNDED! TWO WEEKS! WHAT IS THIS?? DrunkenLullabyes has more on this.
So there ya go, now that you know that I'm just a boring 15-year-old girl with boring 15-year-old problems, we can get to the story. And... ALRIGHT! I'm finally struck with inspiration! So I can finally give you another chapter!! This one might also be a little short too. I have the whole outline and everything, just not so much in between.
Link and Nathaniel: KILL CAMERON!!!!!!
Coolies: Hey, hey, not 'till the near-end, a'ight? Geez...
A couple days later, Link and Nathaniel were in Link's quarters bent over a map of the fortress with their breakfast. Link had a pen and Nathaniel held one as well, as they worked out a way to get Zara out of the dungeon without Nathaniel having the chance to know.
"But if I go in THAT way," Nathaniel argued with Link, "I'll make all sorts of noise, no, I don't think that will work."
"Well what other way is there besides the main entrance??" Link asked, leaning back on his hands, exasperated.
"Well...what about here?" Nathaniel tapped his pen on what looked like a secret passage up towards under the closet.
"Hey, yeah, I didn't see that!" Link said in realization. "But...do we even know where the keys ARE?" he questioned.
"Oh, wow, no, we don't. Said Nathaniel, touching a finger to his chin. "That IS a problem."
"Well, DUH, Nate!" Link exclaimed, using Nathaniel's nickname. "Wha--what clued you in, there, buddy, huh? What was it?"
"Temper, temper, Link, geez!!"
"Sorry, Nate...it's just..." Link sighed. "Your brother raped and impregnated the love of my life and that's hard to take sitting down."
"I understand. He didn't rape Zara, but I guess that would do no good since she's..."
"...Infertile. Yeah. Layla told me."
"Yeah. But he imprisoned her and she's barely clinging to life as it is."
"Well, why don't you take Nika and Nabooru down to her?"
"Cameron will kill her. Plus, since he has the keys..."
"But won't they just take them?"
"THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE ANY BETTER THAN WE DO, YOU FOOL!" Nathaniel exclaimed, waving his arms in the air.
"Oh. Right. Alright, sorry. I was stupid. Guess that makes us even then."
"Look, we better stop, I have a feeling we'll get caught if we continue this. But tomorrow, over breakfast, we'll continue."
"Alright, see you, Link." Nathaniel got up and walked out, promptly stopped by somebody grabbing his hand. He started to yell, but stopped when he heard t he feminine shushing and saw a tan hand reach over and place slim fingers over his lips.
"Geez, Nathaniel, panic much? It's me, Layla!"
"Layla?! Why are you-- Cameron is going to be so mad when he finds out you're here!! And WHY!! You ARE here to see Link, right?"
"Well, yeah...but he doesn't have to find out...right?"
Nathaniel looked over at Layla, both of her hands clasping his left one. Her eyes implored him for a chance to see Link, just once, after 6 months of separation. Nathaniel bit his lip and looked out to the desert sky, then back at Layla, her stomach swelled with her involuntary pregnancy. At this sight, Nathaniel's fury for his brother swelled again, and he nodded.
"You don't have to worry. I won't tell him, alright?"
"Really?"
"Really." Nathaniel laid a reassuring hand on Layla's cheek and she put her own hand on top of it.
"Thanks, Nathaniel." She said, with a soft smile, before whipping round the corner into Link's room.
She walked into Link's room, and to her surprise, he didn't really seem to notice anything. He didn't even notice she was there, he was too involved in poring over the map of the fortress he had somehow acquired.
Layla walked around to the other side of him, leaning over him and turning her head to one side.
"Whatcha lookin' at?" she said, her red hair slipping over Link's shoulder a bit. He jumped.
"Ah! La-Layla! Oh, wow! I didn't even notice--" he got up. "Oh, hey..." he finished softly, hugging Layla. To his surprise, she sort of flinched at the contact, but loosened up and hugged him back. Link pushed her back a bit and looked her up and down. "You look..."
"Ugly? Fat? Odd? Yeah, I know."
"No, I was gonna say VERY pregnant but VERY pretty." He patted her stomach fondly.
"Mmm, yeah, Gerudos usually stay pregnant for less of a time than usual. Like…seven months I think?? Not the usual nine. So, I'm due in about 3 weeks."
"Wow, pretty soon, huh?" Link said, looking at the floor.
"Yeah..."
"Link, I—" Layla began to tell him what she basically came for, but he kissed her before she could get it all out. Layla tolerated the kiss, but pushed him back softly.
"What is it?" Link looked at her sadly.
"Link, you KNOW I love you, but, ever since I've been pregnant, I've been thinking—and feeling—like...I don't think we should be together until…somehow the baby is with somebody else? I mean...you know I love you, but I just feel kind of irresponsible...and of course after the rape...it's kinda like…I'm like eeeehh...towards any contact whatsoever, especially sexual contact. That's why I flinched when you hugged me."
"Oh...alright. I understand..." Link said, partially lying.
"Oh, Link. You know...no look, as SOON as I find SOMEONE, I don't really know WHO yet, to give this baby to, because, I know it's cruel, but...I kind of don't really want it..."
"No, no, I understand."
"Yeah, well, anyway. As soon as I find somebody to give it to, I promise, my first stop will be you, because I'll be free of burden, and I'll come to you and we can have some...alone time, kay?" Layla giggled and touched a tip of a finger to Link's bottom lip and he sort of shivered.
"Sounds fun...I don't want to rush you or anything though...I mean..."
"Link, believe me, as soon as I'm not responsible for his child anymore, Cameron will be out of my mind and I'll be ready...for...you..." Layla said seductively.
Link gulped. Damn, she was still sexy, even while pregnant.
"But...now I have to go before Cameron gets back." Layla said.
"Okay." Link said hesitantly. "Uhm...do I...can I..." he said, scratching the back of his head and blushing. Layla sighed and laughed a bit, holding her arms out to him. He still hesitated.
"It's OH. KAY." She told him. "I'm initiating it." She laughed.
"Oh...right." Link walked forward and hugged Layla tightly, feeling how soft she was and wishing he could hold her like this forever, but knowing how she felt, he let go.
"Okay...bye..." Layla said, her arm sliding away from his as she walked away. Her hand was still grasping his as he realized something.
"Layla!"
"What?"
"I know who you can give the baby to!"
"Really? Who??"
"Somebody who's closer than you think." Link hinted. Layla thought for a moment, then smiled.
"I think I get your hint..." she said, pointing a charismatic finger at him and shaking it up and down. "Very good! Very good."
(A/N - And if you know, don't say anything in the reviews, please, you'll spoil it for people who don't know it. Right, reviewer who shall remain unnamed?)
A week later, Link and Nathaniel were in the great hall for breakfast, over the map yet again. They had figured out that the tunnel to the closet started in the bride's room, off limits to men, which made it very hard for Link and Nathaniel to get in there. Well, more like impossible. Somehow, they had to get in there to sneak in while Cameron went out, or when he was in the shower or SOMETHING to snoop around for the key.
"But then, if we find it, then what do we do? He'll KNOW if we take it. HE probably checks it every coupled minutes..." Nathaniel bit his finger.
Link bit his pen in response. "Well, then there's also the problem of getting back, no matter what we choose to do with the key. Like, when we get back to the bride's room, if we ever get in, what if there are people there?"
"Yes, serious trouble. But somehow we have to get Cameron back...we need to get him OUT!"
"Oh, really...?" A voice said behind them. Fear struck through both Link and Nathaniel that it was Cameron, but it was just Kunti, one of the most cunning, beautiful, and mischievous Gerudos in the fortress. "And what did he ever do to you?" she smirked.
"Oh, Goddesses, Kunti, PLEASE don't leak anything please!!" Link pleaded.
"But why not? Is it not against the Gerudo's highest rules to conspiratise against another one of us? True, Cameron is not one of us Gerudos, but neither are you or Nathaniel, and you are considered Gerudos in your own right."
"Kunti, do you realize what Cameron is? DO you realize what he's done? Haven't you known Layla since you were young?" Link pried.
"Well, yes actually, I have..." Kunti pondered.
"Is she as happy now as she was before?"
"No..."
"Is she even close?"
"No..."
"Well, that's all because of Cameron."
"...Hmmm...No, I don't believe you." Kunti waved her hand dismissively.
"WHAT??" Link cried. "How can you--"
"If she hated him, why would she marry him?"
"Because she HAD TO?? Hello!!! It's not like she could say anything, otherwise he'd do something terrible to her."
"Oh, Link, you have an overactive imagination. Well, ta, maybe I will tell and maybe I won't!" and with a playful spin, Kunti was gone into the mass of Gerudos eating breakfast.
Link groaned and fell forward across the map, just missing Nathaniel's plate of toast and bacon.
"I'd like my breakfast with no hair, thanks." Nathaniel said irritably, picking up his plate.
"Yeah yeah, very funny." Link said into the map. He shoved himself up and looked at Nathaniel in a push-up like stance. "What are we going to do about Kunti?"
"Oh, don't worry, she won't tell, she's all talk. Believe me, both Judith and Zara have told me all about her."
"Really?" Link sighed in relief. That's good."
"Now, I was thinking earlier today, and..."
Cameron opened his hands and closed his eyes, and concentrated on Kunti, that airhead. What did she know? He'd seen her bent over Link and Nathaniel just now in the hall, what was it that they were doing? Was she with them or against them? He concentrated all of his spirit into his hands and blue energy surrounded them and began to stretch into and invisible line of mind reading. He passed out of his room, into the compound, into the great hall, and around half of the Gerudos and finally reached Kunti. Cameron slowly widened his hands and then clasped them together, forcing the spirit into Kunti's head. Kunti blinked and shuddered, but thought nothing of it and began eating again.
Cameron searched her mind for everything. Past the memories, past the injuries, past the basic skills...past the announcements...AHA! Secrets. He entered that part of her mind and looked at the list of secrets that now appeared underneath his eyelids. He waited until he reached the last of the list and read the very last one:
'Link and Nathaniel are conspiratising against Cameron.' it said. Immediately, Cameron opened his eyes and got up, strolling into the great hall, careful not to be seen by Link and Nathaniel, and swooped up dear Kunti into and arm.
"Hello, Kunti." he said, softly.
"Er...why, hello, Cameron." she said.
"Come with me." He led her out of the hall and across the compound to Nika and Nabooru's quarters.
"Where are we going??" Kunti asked nervously.
"To Nika and Nabooru. Because you are going to tell them everything you know."
"Oh—no—I promised Link and Nathaniel that I wouldn't!"
"You did not." Cameron contradicted. "You said you might or you might not. And, right now, you are."
"But everybody knows that I say things but I don't meeeeaaan theeeem!" Kunti moaned.
"Well, this time you did. Okay? Okay. Good." Cameron dragged her in to Nika and Nabooru's quarters and knocked on the door of the primary room. Gasps were heard and rustling of paper and fabric, before Nabooru's:
"Hold on a second!!"
Cameron waited with Kunti for a minute or two until Nabooru, fixing her ponytail, opened the door and smiled wearily, with Nika in the background trying to look natural as she adjusted her top. She parted her hair and pushed it in front of her shoulders.
"Hello, Cameron. What have you brought Kunti to us for?"
"Well, I think Kunti has something to tell us. She has information on conspiracy."
"Do you? Who is it, you can tell us, we'll get rid of them!!" Nabooru urged. Kunti looked at the floor and bit her lip. She didn't want to tell. She WOULDN'T.
"Go on, Kunti. Tell Them." Cameron commanded. Kunti didn't want to tell at all, but she knew that if she didn't, Cameron would do horrible things to her.
"Can you leave the room, first, Cameron??" she asked, in hopes of being able to tell Nika and Nabooru the truth, that Cameron was a horrible person and Layla and Link deserved to be together.
"Now now, theres nothing you have to tell them that you can't tell me. After all you told me first, right?" Cameron trapped Kunti into having him right there as she sold out Link and Nathaniel. But then, she never really told him anything...Oh well. She sighed in defeat.
"Link and Nathaniel are conspiratising against Cameron." She mumbled.
"Two against one, that isn't very fair, isn't it?" Cameron pouted. Nika and Nabooru stared, aghast.
Nika was in awe. Link and Nathaniel? She didn't think so, they were too respectable to do anything like that. She had to investigate.
Nabooru was in awe as well. Link and Nathaniel, who would have thought? She always thought that if there was too much of a good thing, something bad was sure to come out of it. She was going to exile the both of them.
The next day, Link and Nathaniel were yet again bent over a map of the fortress, when somebody burst in uninvited.
"Link, Nathaniel, tell me what's up!!" Nika demanded.
"What?"
"Kunti says you're conspiratising against Cameron!!"
Link looked at Nathaniel. "All talk, huh?" he grumbled. Nathaniel chuckled nervously.
"Yeah, well, see, about that, Nika..."Nathaniel began.
"Oh, cut the crap! You probably are, but WHY?? There's no proof Cameron did anything!!"
"Okay, no proof? What about the fact that Layla and I are FUCKING IN LOVE, AND YOU AND NABOORU JUST LET HER GET MARRIED OFF TO THAT MALE CHEAUVANIST WHO DOESN'T EVEN CARE ABOUT HER, AND THEN, EVEN BEFORE HE MARRIED HER, HE RAPED HER!!." Link advanced on Nika and yelled louder and louder until Nathaniel came up behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Link..." He said. Link looked at Nika, and for the first time realized how scared he was making her. She was trembling and looking up at him through watery eyes. He sighed.
"Wow...I-I'm sorry Nika..." Link said. "I just, well, yeah..." he said, biting his lip.
"No, Link..." she said. "I totally understand."
"You...do?"
"Link, theres something that I'm about to tell you that you mustn't tell anybody else. You either, Nathaniel." Both men nodded and Nika plopped herself down and sat on Link's bed, sighing. "Nabooru and I are together. You know, a couple." She said at their confused faces. They still looked clueless. "HOMOSEXUAL. Do I have to spell it out for you?" she growled. Link and Nathaniel stared, jaws dropped all the way open.
"Oh, wow. I didn't see that one coming." Link said, flipping some hair out of his eye.
"Yes, anyway. When I was 15, I was put into the station of being Nabooru's chambermaid, and we had to defeat the Spirit Temple together and, well...you know the legend."
Link and Nathaniel both racked their brains and remembered the Legend, and Link had a sudden realization. So THAT'S why Nika understood!! She went through the same thing with Nabooru that he did with Layla! He sat down next to her.
"So, what you're saying is, you know I'm telling the truth, but there's really not anything you can say about it."
"Not unless Nabooru changes her mind, no."
"Changes her mind?" Nathaniel inquired.
"Well, it was yesterday that we were informed, and as soon as Cameron and Kunti left—"
"Wait wait wait. CAMERON and Kunti??" Nathaniel stopped her.
"Yes..."
"He must have used his powers to get into her mind! See, I TOLD you Link!!" Nathaniel shouted in triumph.
"Can you NOT??" Link asked, exasperated. "It's not the time, man." Nathaniel looked at Link and nodded.
"Anyway," Nika continued. "After they left, Nabooru was FURIOUS with you two. Conspiracy goes against the highest of Gerudo guidelines.
"Yes, we know." Link grumbled.
"Kunti has the 'kindness' to inform us of that yesterday..." Nathaniel said.
"Oh. Well, yes. So, uhm...you...you're going to be exiled."
"Say WHAT???" Link hollered. "You are kidding me! After who CAMERON IS?? That's...INJUSTICE!" Nika looked at him sympathetically and smiled.
"If you can prove that he did anything else, maybe we can sway Nabooru's decision." Nika offered. Link looked at Nathaniel, Nathaniel looked at Link, and they nodded in unison.
"Nika, come with us."
"Oh My Goddesses! Zara...are you REALLY in there?" Nika cried, panicked.
"YES I'M IN HERE!! WHAT, DO YOU THINK IT IS THE GHOOOOOOST OF ZARA OR SOMETHING!?" the nurse snapped through the door. She coughed and Nathaniel got scowl on his face.
"It must be filthy in there, damnit." He cursed. Link stared.
"You've NEVER...EVER...cursed before, man. What the hell?"
"Well, I kinda feel the SAME WAY as Link does about Layla, so…I'm guessing that gives me liable reason to curse anyone's brains out." Nathaniel thought aloud.
"Point taken." Said Link.
"Well I—how do we get you out??"
"You don't! Cameron has the key, and so I can't get out...at all, unless you get it!"
"And that's what we were planning." Link told Nika. She bit her lip.
"Somehow we'll get you out of there, I promise, Zara." After they bade long and pained good-byes, Nathaniel, Link, and Nika all left the dungeons, but walked outside to a sight they didn't expect to see. The entire Gerudo population, with Nabooru, Cameron, and Layla (being held against her will to his side by Cameron) in front. They were in cavalry form, and Nabooru began to announce something.
"I hereby decree," she began, "that Prince Nathaniel III and the Hero of Time are exiled from Gerudo's Fortress for conspiracy against a fellow member of the tribe!" she finished.
"Wait! No, Nabooru, you can't!" Nika pleaded. "They have every right to do so! It's just...they..."
"CAMERON RAPED LAYLA!"
"HE CLOCKED ZARA IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT!"
"LAYLA DOESN'T LOVE HIM!"
"HE'S BEEN LYING TO ALL OF YOU!" Link and Nathaniel (respectively) spouted a list of accusations.
"SILENCE! GET OUT OFMY FORTRESS!" the Gerudo Queen pointed to the exit. "NOW."
"But they're telling the TRUTH!" Nika argued with Nabooru. Nabooru scowled dangerously.
"CHAMBERMAID!" she snapped, pointing to the spot next to her. Everybody gasped. Nabooru NEVER called Nika 'Chambermaid.' Nika got tears in her eyes, turned to Link and Nathaniel, and apologized before shuffling over to stand next to Nabooru, head bowed and hands folded in front of her.
"Now leave us, Din Damnit." Nabooru grabbed Nika's hand to keep her next to her.
"Very well." Nathaniel said. A smaller Gerudo came up next to them with their things in bags and dropped them next to them. Link and Nathaniel grabbed them up and walked towards the exit without a word as the Gerudos began to disperse, leaving just Nabooru, Nika, Layla and Cameron to watch them go.
Layla bit her lip desperately.
Link and Nathaniel stood at the entrance to the grounds, and Layla stood with Cameron's large hand on her shoulder. She wrenched herself away suddenly, with yells of reprimand from everyone back there, but disregarded them and ran up to Link.
Link looked down at Layla as she pressed her face into his chest. He fought back tears as she sniffled into his tunic and patted her head. She looked up at him and put her soft hands on his cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Layla." he said.
"No, don't be Link...I...I love you!!" she whispered.
"I know...I know..." he said, hugging her. She pulled away and looked up at him.
"I know what I said and I know this is irresponsible, and I KNOW Cameron, Nika, and Nabooru are all watching, but..." she began. Link looked down on her kindly and knew.
"One last kiss before I go?" he suggested. Layla nodded and stood on her tiptoes, reaching up towards his face, as he bent down a bit to reach her. Their lips met and fingers laced, and after a few seconds, they separated and Layla squeezed Link's hands before shuffling back to Cameron and the others.
"Love me forever..." Layla pleaded.
"I will." And with that, Link turned and left with Nathaniel, wishing that they could have at least gotten Zara out of solitary confinement. He didn't see Cameron grab Layla to his said and whisper savagely into her ear: "How dare you?".
A/N- Well I suppose that is a satisfactory Chapter. If anyone believes Cameron's death should be slow and painful, like torture, please raise your hand! I love you all!
Cameron: You...You're so mean to me! (sniffle)
Coolies: ...You're the villian. You CHOSE to be the villian.
Cameron: ...(sniffle)
Please review, chilluns! This is your Resident Insane Genius, Coolies, signing off!