Thicker than water
Chapter Two: Release
The day I stumbled into that ranch I was only seeking something to heal my wounded back, but I found something more. Something much more. Something that healed my wounded heart...
–Alistair.
Link stared up at the dark storm clouds that had blanketed Hyrule since this morning. It was beginning to sprinkle lightly.
"Are you sure it's gone?"
Link nodded. He was at his favorite spot in the whole world, Zelda's balcony. He was watching as the sun started to slowly creep behind the neighboring mountain range.
He had just returned from a very unpleasant visit to his old house, and his stash of magical items from his various journeys. Only one item was missing.
The Mask.
First the sword starts reacting to something, then his mask is gone. Now the familiar bad weather was here to greet him like a cold slap in the face. Something bad was about to happen. Something terrible.
"Zelda... would it be alright if I stayed here tonight?"
Zelda had a curious expression to her face. "What do you think is going to happen?"
Link looked into her eyes, trying to reassure her. "I don't know... but I don't want anything to happen to you."
Zelda wrapped her arms around her personal guardian. She truly loved him... but was worried for him at the same time.
The darkness of the sky didn't help comfort her. Something was defiantly going to happen tonight.
- - - - - - -
Drop. Drop. Drop.
Alistair slapped his face.
Drop. Drop. Drop.
His weakened eyes slowly opened. The sky was filled with anger. The rainstorm was about to begin. He raised his head and looked around. Apparently, his horse had understood where he was going all along, because over the next hill he saw the ranch.
Actually, it was quite hard to miss the ranch, seeing as part of it was on fire.
Sensing trouble, Alistair tried to rouse his weary body into action, and kicked the horse to increase the pace.
As he neared the entrance, he noticed two shady looking people guarding it. One had a nasty looking cleaver, and the other had a spiked club stained in blood.
Obviously, these men were bandits, taking their fee upon the ranch.
"Hey, you! Gettouta 'ere!"
Alistair dismounted.
They drew their weapons threateningly. The club wielder advanced first.
"You deaf boy? I said-"
The man's voice was cut short by the hilt of Alistair's scimitar.
Alistair wasn't in the mood for conversation.
The other, less equipped bandit decided that it would be best to flee inside the ranch for backup. Alistair managed a weak smirk. Then he kicked the club wielder while he was down.
He groaned.
"If your not gone by the time I come back out, I'll cut your throat."
Alistair moved into the ranch.
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The leader of the bandits gave the girl a toothless grin.
"Listen here little lady, if you just tell us where the money is, we'll take your horses and be on our way."
He ran his dirty hand through her fine red hair. She slapped him across the face.
He drew his dagger from his belt.
"You'll regret that. It'll sure be hard doing ranch work without your hands..."
A figure burst into the barn. It was Spray, the one of the places watching the front.
"Boss! Cleet is dead! Some guy just came up on a horse and beat him silly!"
"What!" The leader said.
The leader watched as Alistair moved silently behind Spray, and belted a blow to the back of his head with the hilt of his blade.
The leader began to laugh. "Boy, you just signed your own death sentence."
The leader wasn't alone in the room. He had four of the bandits with him in this room, and four were in the stable getting the horses. This man wouldn't be leaving this ranch alive.
Alistair looked over at the red-headed woman in the corner. Her blue eyes were fresh with tears, and her blouse was ripped. He looked around the room, and noticed a large fat man, dead.
"Let her go." Alistair's voice was slightly weak due to his injuries, but his voice still commanded the same authority.
"Sure." The leader shot a look at the two men to the left of Alistair. Then the leader grabbed the woman up and pushed her to Alistair.
As soon as Alistair caught her he felt the cold, sharpness as a blade entered his thigh.
The men had advanced.
He pushed the woman away from the danger and struck out with his blade, finding the man that had so boldly stab Alistair.
Blood splashed against the walls of the tainted barn. Another man came in from his right, wielding twin daggers.
Alistair parried the first few attacks, trying to find an opening, at the same time deflecting attacks from the two men at his left.
The dagger man lunged at Alistair, but found a slight problem within his attack strategy.
Alistair's fist striking his face.
As the dagger man fell down, Alistair raised his sword to finish the job.
He felt something coil around his arm, preventing him from executing the blow.
The Leader had a whip, and obviously knew how to use it.
Alistair watched in horror as the two men from the left saw their opening and began their attack. He looked around swiftly for a way out and notice one of the man's daggers lying on the ground.
He kicked it with all of his force, and luckily hit the Leader in the abdomen. The tightness of the whip decreased and Alistair had enough mobility to parry one of his new attackers blades.
Swiftly, he used his free arm to give the whip a mighty tug. The whip came free from the Leader's grasp, and Alistair swung the hilt of the whip wildy, hitting one of the attackers in the side of his face, laying him down.
And then there was one. He watched as the man dropped his sword.
"Good choice, now leave."
The woman screamed. Another man had entered from behind and snagged a piece of rope around his neck. The air was being choked out of him as he struggled to stab the man behind him. The man tried to stop Alistair from scoring a hit with his vicious blade, and kneed him in the back to stop his resistance.
The red haired woman picked up the sword that the other man had dropped, and slashed out at the man behind Alistair.
The man used Alistair as a shield, and the red haired woman's downward strike hit Alistair in the shoulder. But, conveniently also cut the rope that was wrapped around his neck.
Alistair, not caring about the new wound that had been inflicted, turned around and grabbed the whip. He flicked the whip out skillfully, lashing the man across his unprotected face, and watched as the skin tore.
He ran. The man behind him also ran. Outside he herd the fleeing of hooves . They had successfully taken the horses and decided to abandon their leader.
Alistair, now mortally wounded, fell to the ground in weakness. The darkness had won.
------
The next thing Alistair knew, he was coughing. Someone was trying to get him to drink water, and his unconscious-self was putting up a fight it would seem. He felt the cool liquid tame the dryness of his mouth as he fell back into the world of dreams.
------
Another awakening from the darkness. He heard a soft voice singing as he felt his thigh twitching. Someone was sowing it up, he was being healed.
"Th-thank you..."
He felt a warm hand across his face as the darkness overtook him once again.
------
Alistair's nose had pulled him from the darkness once more, and his stomach growled in agreement. Alistair smelled food. His groggy eyes looked around the room he was in. It wasn't very big, but obviously some form of small house where a farmhand would live. The window's drapes were open, letting the full warm sun of the day in.
Then he heard footsteps coming up the stairs.
It was her, the girl that he had fought to protect. And even better, she carried a tray of warm food!
Not the gruel he had been eating for years, real food. A home cooked meal.
When she came through the doorway she was surprised to see Alistair awake. Alistair sat up in preparation for the tray of food.
She smiled. "I guess you must be hungry."
Alistair nodded dumbly. He was slightly transfixed by her beautiful, yet country like voice. He recognized it as the voice that sang to him in the infinite darkness.
She sat the tray on his chest, and he began to drink the soup and sandwich she had made.
She pulled up a chair and watched him eat. Alistair felt slightly uncomfortable as her eyes slowly scanned his body as he consumed the meal.
His stomach didn't mind as much.
After he was finished she took the try and put it on a nearby dresser.
She then began to inspect his wounds. The wound on his shoulder was healing nicely, as was the one on his thigh. The one on his back had finally stopped bleeding, and was starting to close.
"Why did you sow me up?" Alistair asked as she poked at his wound, testing its healing rate.
She seemed taken aback by the question.
"What else did you expect me to do, let you die on the floor?"
Alistair looked up into her beautiful blue eyes. "I know a lot of other people that would have done just that."
She crossed her arms. "Well im not one of them. Now go back to sleep, you need your rest."
Alistair didn't exactly agree with the idea, as he tried to get up out of bed.
Except, he soon realized that he had no cloths on under the blankets.
"What did you do with my cloths?" Alistair cried.
"You mean those rags? I got rid of them! Im making some cloths you can have, but only after your healed. Until then, you can either stay here and heal or run around Hyrule naked."
Alistair was impressed that he had only known this woman for a short time and he was already being forced into things he didn't want to do.
"Would it be alright if I asked the name of my captor?"
She smiled at his joke.
"Malon."
"My name is Alistair, pleased to meet you."
She jokingly curtsied and left the room.
It was the first time that Alistair can ever remember falling asleep in a bed, with a warm smile still on his face.
The sword wasn't about to leave the castle anytime soon. After all, he was the only person that could remove it.
Okey, Okey, I know your all probably pissed that Link wasn't in this chapter enough, but fear not, the next chapter is totally mostly about Link, and the Hero of time gets into a big fight of his own! DUN DUN DUN!
But yeah, Alistair and Malon, didn't see that one coming didja?
Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda. Go away now.
So, I know I say "Hey, leave me a review" and you guys all laugh and say "Ha I just totally read his story and Im not leaving a review because this guy totally sucks!"
But if you could leave a review anyway, that would be spiffy.
The next update will be a lot faster, seeing as its Link VS a "Dark force" that you'll just have to read about. But im excited for the next chapter because I have yet to put the hero of time into an epic battle.
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