Chapter 13. Of Love and Other Demons

The black wind that made up Zeld's cage suddenly closed in on him like a fist. He thought he heard Torexclaim something, but couldn't make it out over the roaring of wind. He was disoriented, couldn't tell if the cage was moving or just the wind, all he knew for sure was that it was dark and the air was being squeezed from his lungs. He gasped for breath, and then darkness of another kind took him over.

zzz

Zeld moaned and winced. There was something different, but he couldn't figure it out. He opened his eyes and sat up.

He was inside a crystal.

"You have got to be kidding me," Zeld moaned. He tapped the crystal experimentally, but no good. It seemed plenty solid. "Could that bastard get any more cliche?"

"I doubt it."

Zeld looked up and was surprised to see Link in front of him. Tied to a chair with cords of black wind.

"For the record, this isn't at all the way I planned this." She pouted adorably. "He even took my hat. Why did he take my hat?"

"I...I don't know. You look..."

"Awful, right?"

"No...not really."

She sighed and leaned her head back. "I can't tell. Who's worse off, me or you?"

"I hate to say it...but probably you."

"You're in a crystal."

"He trusted you."

"Oh yeah. Crap."

The room they were in was small and dark, but there was bright sunlight coming from two windows. It looked eerily familiar to Zeld, but if it was the room he was thinking of he had never seen it through clear eyes before.

"This is one of those torture chambers isn't it?" Link asked, voice suddenly serious.

"Yeah, I think it is."

"You're quite right young ones."

They turned toward the voice. Vaaltos stood in the doorway, glowering down at them. He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled, coldly.

"I really should have expected this. I honestly don't know why I didn't. I will admit though..." he started down the stairs, slowly, clearly trying to be intimidating, "I didn't expect a woman."

"You should have know better," Link said.

Vaaltos' smile widened a little. "Your false bravado is showing."

Link gulped.

"I'm disappointed in myself," he sighed theatrically. "I really should have known better. But what's done is done, and maybe you know something the fool prince does not." He was close to her now, and reached out and touched her chin. Link jerked her head away.

"Of course, you're obviously a fool too. Why else would you be here?"

"At least my reasons are noble."

"Please," Vaaltos snorted. "You've got some sort of silly crush on your prince, and you thought you'd win his heart by rescuing him. It's been done, girl."

"That is not-"

"I don't care." His smile disappeared. "You know, I really don't know what to do with you. I should kill you both, but then I have even less of a chance of getting what I want from you." He shook his head and sighed. "I guess the best thing to do is just toss you away somewhere and worry about it later. I do have other things to do."

He snapped his fingers and the black wind ropes that held Link thickened and started to spread across her body. She yelped and Zeld pounded on the faceted walls of his prison, screaming curses.

But the crystal darkened and he was, once again, blinded.

But this time he remained conscious, and he was very aware of movement. He felt as though he was being pulled through the air, twisting and turning corners. He thought he heard Link's angry voice, but the wind was howling and he couldn't make out what she was saying.

There was one last lurch, then Zeld was hurled end-over-end and hit the ground, hard.

"Owww..." he heard Link say.

"Link?" he asked.

"Zeld?" she replied.

They scrambled toward each other in the dark and found each other's hands. It was pitch-black.

"What happened? Where are we?"

"I'm not sure. A room? It's dark."

"Really dark."

"What do we do?"

"I...don't know."

Link squeezed Zeld's hand and smiled in the general direction of his voice.

"But we'll be all right."

Zeld squeezed back. "I...I believe in you. I want you to know that."

"I know. I'm glad."

They sat in silence for a while, staring at the darkness. Neither one had ever been somewhere completely without light. It was spooky.

So they sat there, holding hands, eyes involuntarily straining to see. Time passed. How much time, they couldn't say, the darkness was disorienting, but it seemed like hours.

They both knew things were bad. They didn't know where they were or what was going to happen, and Vaaltos had seemed serious about killing them.

They were probably going to die.

Nothing makes silence louder than the knowledge of impending doom.

Then Link remembered she had something else to clarify.

"Zeld I..." She pulled her hand away from his. "That stuff Vaaltos said, about me having a crush on you...it's not true."

"I know. I didn't think so. You're my hero Link, you wouldn't be in this for a silly reason like that."

"Yeah...silly..."

Zeld recognized the warning signals in her voice. "A crush is silly, love is not."

"Zeld?"

"Nothing. Forget it."

"No." Link found him in the dark once more, managing to put her head on his shoulder. "You wanted to tell me something earlier."

"You said to wait until this was all over."

"I...I think it is all over."

"Link!"

"Think about it! What can we do? What can we possibly do..."

"Link...What about failure not being a possibility?"

"I...maybe I'm just tired. But I want to tell you this."

"Okay, but only because I am physically incapable of saying no to you."

"I don't have a crush on you," Link said firmly. "I love you Zeld."

For a moment Zeld said nothing, and Link felt her heart start to crack with fear. But then Zeld put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him, hugging her tight.

"I...I love you too Link. So much. I..."

"Ssh." She raised her hand to his face, touched his cheek, and giggled. "Help me find your mouth."

He took her hand in his and kissed her fingers. She replaced the fingers with her lips.

They kissed in the dark, eventually toppling over and winding up a happy tangle of limbs. Untangling wasn't something either one felt like doing, so instead they explored one another with hands and lips and tongues. Clothes got in the way, so they removed them.

The hero and her prince, the prince and his hero, for a moment were one, finding themselves in each other. And afterward, lying together, spent, they could barely remember why they had been so afraid before.

Link giggled. "I'll never find a good husband now," she said. "You've spoiled me."

It took Zeld a moment to realize she was joking, it was a legitimate concern. "You'll have no trouble finding a good husband," he said. "I'd say a prince is about the best catch you can get."

"What do you mean?" Link asked, not sure whether he was being serious or not.

"Just what I said." From his voice Link could tell he was smiling. "If worst comes to worst you can always marry me. If you want to, that is."

She sat up. "Are you serious?"

"Yup."

"That was the worst marriage proposal in the history of ever."

"So will you?"

"Of course you idiot!" She threw her arms around him and squeezed, hard. Then she remembered something.

"Unfortunately, I'm already betrothed."

Link blinked as she realized Zeld was the one who had spoken. "What?"

"It was arranged by my parents. I've never met the girl, I don't even know her name. It'll be easy enough to get around though."

"How so?"

"You know the stories. When the hero rescues the princess he always gets her hand in marriage as his reward. I don't see why that can't work here too."

"I...I suppose you're right... But that's assuming we make it out of this."

"Oh we will. I have a plan. Of sorts."

"Of sorts?"

"It's better than your 'work for the bad guy' plan."

"Hey! That worked. Mostly. Sort of. A little."

"At least you got laid."

"Then there's that." She snuggled up to him.

"I love you," Zeld said softly. "Never forget that."

"I love you too. And I won't forget. Never."

A world where love could exist wouldn't let evil triumph over good. That was silly.

zzz

Tor knew better. Evil could very easily win, which was why good had to carry a can of whoop-ass at all times.

Unfortunately, Tor's can was hermetically sealed by his oath to Vaaltos.

The Wizard of the Black Wind had ordered all of his human servants to go about their normal duties and stay away from the Darkroom, then disappeared into his inner sanctum.

The Darkroom. Naturally Vaaltos would have put the prince in there. It was a very small room, once a closet, now an escape-proof and completely lightless room for the slow and very mental torture of particularly hated prisoners. Leave a man in utter darkness for weeks on end and he will go mad.

The small room was in a secluded corner of the ground floor, secluded mainly because no one wanted to go over there. You never knew when there would be screams, or scratchings on the door.

Sometimes while there wasn't anyone in there.

It wasn't until late in the afternoon the day after the mess with Link that Vaaltos emerged, and it was only for long enough to snap at Tor to bring some food and water to the prisoners, then vanish into his library. He was very explicit in his instructions, so there were no loopholes. Tor couldn't free them.

When Tor approached the Darkroom with a tray of food, he heard sounds from the room. Normal, comforting sounds. The sounds of two familiar voices talking.

He rapped on the door.

The voices stopped.

"Zeld?" Tor said.

"Tor?" The prince's voice came from the other side. "Is that you?"

The door opened and Link and Zeld hissed as the light flooded the room.

"My eyes!"

"It burns!"

"The pain!"

"I'm blind!"

"You've been without light for a good twelve hours now," Tor informed them. "It's bound to sting a little."

Zeld told him to do something painful and inappropriate. Link just hissed some more.

Once their eyes adjusted to the light, Link and Zeld were able to see the room clearly for the first time. It was round, made of unadorned but extremely smooth stone, and only slightly wider across than Zeld was tall. Tor wouldn't have been able to lay flat in it. There were three steps that led down from the door into the room, so that whoever was standing in the doorway would be able to look down on the person or persons inside.

Tor set the tray down on the second step and sat on the floor just outside the room. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry, but there's nothing I can-"

"On the contrary," Zeld said, smiling and still blinking a little too often. "You can do something." He got up and stood in front of Tor. "Give me your hand."

Tor did.

"You are from Hyrule, right?"

"Well...yes."

"Good." Zeld held Tor's hand in both of his and closed his eyes, suddenly solemn. And when he spoke, there was almost an echo to his words, as though there was more to them than just words.

"I, Zeld Delorean Hyrule, crown prince of the kingdom of Hyrule, hereby call upon the oath that is in your very blood, the oath that all Sheikah are bound to, the oath to protect and serve the royal family of Hyrule. I hereby release you from all other oaths, and charge you to serve myself and my family above all others. ANTORES IRERU KOJIN, YOU WILL OBEY."

Zeld opened his eyes and smiled. "When youfeel like it,that is."

Tor blinked his eyes several times. "What...what just...how did you..."

"You're a Sheikah. All Sheikah are sworn to obey the royal family. I just called on that oath and erased your oath to that bastard Vaaltos."

"R- really?"

"Yuh-huh."

"I'm free?"

"Yup."

"Thank you!" Tor threw his arms around the prince and almost knocked them both to the ground.

"Watch it!" Link scurried out of the way. "And keep your hands off my man!"

"Do you have any idea what this means?" Tor exclaimed, not hearing her or not caring. "I can help you! I can break into that bastard's inner sanctum! I can let you go! I can... I can..." He pulled back from Zeld and looked at him. "How did you know my full name?"

Zeld shrugged. "Hell if I know, I was calling upon the oath in your blood, your blood probably told me."

"That would be creepy if I wasn't so happy right now."

"Magic's like that."

"I know. Oh!" He snapped his fingers. "That reminds me! That bastard Vaaltos' magic."

"What about it?"

"I can learn it. More importantly, I can learn how to fight it."

"You can?" Link got to her feet and dusted herself off. "How?"

"It's simple really." He smiled wryly. "When I was a kid I was never much for studying, especially magic. I learned almost everything by making my friends learn it for me, and then demonstrate. I learn through example, and I've been watching that bastard do his magic for almost five years." His smile turned into a grin. "Goddess I love being able to say that."

"Yeah, it's nice isn't it?" Zeld grinned too. "So where too now?"

"My sword." Link came forward to join the boys. "The Black Rose Blade. Do you know what that bastard did with it? When I came to after the door ate me it was gone."

"The door ate you?" Zeld asked.

"Basically, yeah."

Tor sighed. "It does that." Then he paused. "Wait, did you say the Black Rose Blade?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Nothing, I've just heard of it. It might get you through the door."

"Kick ass. So where is it?"

"Downstairs, come on." He led them out of the Darkroom and down the hall.

"Where's that bastard Vaaltos?" Zeld whispered.

"You don't even know you're doing that do you?"

"Doing what?"

"Never mind. He's in his library. Plotting probably. He does that."

"Hey Tor?" Link asked.

"Hm?"

"What's your story?"

Tor stopped walking. "It's...kind of long."

"I want to know."

"So do I," Zeld said.

"Well...I'll do the sort version. It started with me being stupid. I went somewhere I shouldn't, and I wound up here. I was upset, naturally, and Vaaltos said he could help. He said he do his best to return me to Hyrule, and all I had to do was swear an oath to obey him. He seemed normal at the time, so I agreed. And at first it wasn't so bad. He asked me about Hyrule, and I told him. I told him...everything. Even about the Triforce, and Ganon, and how much power existed in just one of the pieces. So he came up with this plan... Well, you were there."

"It took five years?"

"He did have to find a way to Hyrule."

"Well, he found one."

"Yes..."

Zeld put his hand on Tor's shoulder. "It's not your fault. Anyway, it'll all work out. You'll see."

"I hope you're right."

Link put her hand on his other shoulder. "He is. You'll see."

"We all will." He shook his head and smiled. "Come on, I think I know where he would have put your sword."

The room was full of what appeared to be umbrella stands full of weapons, as well as several suits of armor and big wooden boxes.

"Armory?" Link asked.

"Armory," Tor confirmed.

"Bad idea on the bastard's part."

"Help yourselves."

Link and the prince charged into the room, running from umbrella stand to umbrella stand until Zeld remembered he didn't know what the Black Rose Blade looked like and just grabbed a bow and a quiver of arrows.

"Found it!" Link pulled the Blade from one of the stands. The roses, which had looked wilted, bloomed again at her touch.

"Ooh, pretty." Zeld reached out to touch it. "I can never keep mine that shiny."

"I can, but I haven't been using my technique with this one. I think it's just, you know, magic."

Tor was frowning at them thoughtfully. "Am I crazy, or do you two seem more relaxed all of a sudden?"

Link and Zeld glanced at each other, both blushing slightly.

Tor winced as realization dawned. "Okay, ew. That was not a mental image I needed."

"Pshaw, have you ever been in love?" Link asked.

"Yes."

He said it so firmly and with such regret, that Link was instantly cowed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It doesn't matter," he waved a hand as though to brush the thought away. "Once this is all over I'll raid Vaaltos' library and figure out how he got to Hyrule to kidnap the prince. It shouldn't take long."

Link looked down at the Blade. "Let's go."

Tor led the way downstairs, and though they got a couple of odd looks no one questioned them.

Then Link was once again facing that black door. "We meet again," she said, shifting her grip on the sword.

"Just whack it," Zeld told her.

Link grinned. "Don't tell me what to do honey, I'm the hero here."

"Yes dear."

"This would be sickening if I didn't miss doing the exact same thing," Tor sighed.

"Tor."

"Hm?"

"Go raid Vaaltos' library." Link looked very serious. "We may want to leave in a hurry."

Tor bowed and melted into the shadows. You listened to heroes when they talked like that.

"Ready?"

"Always."

Link drew back the Blade and swung.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Notes from the Author

We are reaching critical mass. Ooooh...

A couple notes. A) No one questioned the title of the last chapter, so either you all knew what it meant, or you all Googled it and found out what it meant. Good for you! B) Internet told me denkou means lightning. Dictionary didn't have it at all. Internet could have lied to me, but I am too lazy to change the chapter. C) This is a happy chapter! I liked it, I like making my characters happy. And love. Love is good. My semi-poetic way of saying Link and Zeld got it on was supposed to be pretty.I guess I shouldn't be dwn on myself,ought to let youguys judge. Ah well. D) And now we know Tor's real name. Antores Ireru Kojin. No, it doesn't really mean anything, though the last two parts are Japanese. I just thought it sounded good. I meant to not reveal his name until later, but I like the image of Zeld saying it, when he couldn't possibly have known it, in this big booming voice. Zeld has a nice voice, for the record.

I'm done for now. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.