Link Fangirl01: Wow, thanks for the compliment! I was surprised at how all of the stories pretty much had the same plotline, so I wrote this! 8D
LadyAkki45: As much as Zelda would want to go after Zach, she can't…because…um…I made it so! Other wise there might be no plot… :(Nienna Calmcacil: Wow, so many reviews from you! LoL. I love reviews. I eat them! Anyway, thanks.
maximushyrule: Thanks for the review! Yes, things are beginning to heat up…in a way. Let us venture forth and see what results!
Ayadin: If I had to be one character in this story, I'd be…uh…I'd be…hmm. I don't know. xD
UszumakiNaruto: LoL, no offense taken. I'm glad you like the story.
ShinigamiLenne: Yes, Talon is an old fart. :3 LoL. And he falls asleep all the time…
sasukeuchiha180: Yeah, I heard, and I'm VERY excited. I'm hoping also for Daisy, Krystal, and Knuckles!
Turtel: Wow, a nice long review from you! Thank you! I'll make sure Link doesn't say "well" so much.
Black Thief Dragon: Haha, I'm glad you chose my story over bed. xD
SnowCrystal: Mmm, I love Coke. :) Glad you liked the donut! LoL, good for slapping Byral! I want you guys to not like him!
Alli-dunno: LoL, yes, everyone is proud of Zach. –pats Zach on the back- Hey that rhymed! LoL I do that a lot.
TheGoddessKnight: Yeah, I didn't realize that I had made his name start with a "Z" . :) It hit me in the end, however.
Well, I've decided for this story to have only ten chapters. I may write a sequel, but I'm not sure.
Living the Legend
Chapter Eight: Discussion
Zelda came down the stairs, ignoring the fact that she was practically running. Right at the doors of the Great Hall she stopped herself, and walked politely in.
"Malon, it is good to see you again," Zelda approached the ranch owner.
"I thank you, my Queen," Malon curtsied.
They were silent for a second before bursting into laughter. Zelda ran up to Malon, giving her a loving embrace. Malon returned it, and they pulled apart.
"Let's go into the tea room," Zelda suggested, and they walked into an adjoining room.
After Malon seated herself, Zelda ordered for some tea and food, and the servant walked away to carry out the order.
"I must ask why you called me here," Malon said. "The servant asked for Link, and when I said he wasn't there, they searched the place. I was so scared, as if he had done some sort of crime. I said he'd left the ranch to go meet you, as you were coming to Hyrule. I would have come, Zelda, but a rancher's duty is never done. Your messenger ordered that I come to see you, and I persuaded Ingo to take care of everything tonight."
"That is wonderful," Zelda commented. Then she grew serious. "Malon, I called you because I have grave news. Link is gone because he is with my son."
Malon looked down. "I-I can't lie to you, Zelda. I knew that already."
Zelda looked shocked. "You-you knew?"
"Before the two left, they came to the ranch in need of supplies," Malon said in a voice barely above a whisper. "Link did not give me the location, but told me that Zach wanted to leave. I read the letter you wrote to him." It was Zelda's turn to look at the foor. "But, oh, Zelda, your son looks exactly like Link. He is so handsome, and he's so brave!"
"I thank you," Zelda nodded to her friend. "I'm just so worried for him."
"That he'll get hurt?"
Zelda smiled, and closed her eyes. "No." She looked at Malon. "That Byral will find him."
"Wake up," Link shook Zach gently.
The young Prince yawned and looked out; the sun was just setting. Nodding groggily, he sat up. Link handed him the canteen and the boy drank thirstily, but not too much. They gathered their things and walked over to the ledge.
"There's Kakariko Village," Zach said softly.
"You can see more of the castle now," Link point out. "And part of the town."
"I can't see the lake," Zach mused.
"You'll see it when we reach the top."
Zach nodded, and they continued on. The night air was cool and comforting, and it was actually quite easy for him to see where he was going. Suddenly, Link shoved Zach hard against the mountain side, and Zach was about to angrily ask as to why, when something rolled past them.
"A rock?" Zach cried.
"A Goron," Link replied. He added under his breath, "He never gets tired of that…"
Zach cocked his head at the elder, but Link pressed on. Zach would have liked very much to talk to the Goron, but it rolled past too quickly.
"We have too choices from here," Link said an hour later. "We can continue up that path, and reach Goron city by tomorrow morning. Or, we can go up the mountain, and reach there by tomorrow evening."
"How about we go up the mountain?" Zach asked. "And we can visit the Gorons on the way down."
"Fine by me," Link agreed, and they pushed up. "You may have to do some jumping, but it won't be hard for you." After some climbing and jumping, Zach and Link made it to the path that would take them onward. "Here's where most of the avalanches occur. You can probably duck under your shield."
"What about you?" Zach asked, slightly frightened.
"I can bob and weave," Link winked at the boy, making Zach smile. After another hour on the trail, there was a slight rumbling. "Get ready," Link warned.
A rain of giant rocks came rushing at them. Link danced around them easily. Zach shouted a lot, mostly out of fear, but also calling Link. Whenever a huge rock came near him, he ducked down, covered almost entirely by his shield, and it would practically bounce harmlessly off him, but not after making the boy lose his balance.
A gap began to find its way between Hylian and Prince, and Zach found himself screaming for Link. Link turned, a flash of worry in his eyes, and he came running back. Grabbing the boy by the front of his tunic and practically tucking him under his arm like he was a package, Link ran past all the thundering rocks until it stopped. By now they were up against a practically verticle wall.
Zach was gasping for breath, and Link was breathing heavily. Zach knew that was probably unnatural for Link; when he scaled this mountain before, he probably didn't have to carry a ten-year-old boy up with him part of the way.
"We…" Link breathed, "…have…the climb…this wall…once…we catch our…breath…"
Zachary nodded, too shaken to breathe right.
"There will be ledges we can rest on during the day," Link informed.
Neither needed the canteen to quench their thirst, so once they were good, they continued up. Zach wondered why there was wood embedded in the mountainside, but decided not to ask Link. It was easy to climb, but it would be a long way. Zach thanks the Goddesses for having ledges for them to rest on.
"There is no easier way up?" Zach queried, hoping it didn't sound like he was complaining.
"Unless you want to use your Hookshot," Link offered.
Zach pulled it out. It was quite heavy. He picked it up, aimed, and shot just as his arm gave out and the sharp end almost collided with Link, had he not dodged. The sharp end clattered to the ground.
"I'm sorry," apologized Zach.
Link laughed. "No, it's alright. I had trouble using it at first, too."
Zach made the chain recoil back in, and he aimed up at the wood again. It shot up, hit the side, and came back down. Zach let out an involunatry scream as both the sharp end and chain came back down. Link tried not to laugh. Zach pulled the chain in again, and this time aimed more carefully, this time intent on driving the sharp end into the wood. He felt pleased as it hit the hard wood and stayed there.
"Good job," Link smiled, "but you won't have a ledge underneathe you to land on. It will be difficult to climb over to the closest one, but I think you'll manage."
Zachary cursed at missing that point, but pressed the button and went flying up. He met the wall as gently as he could, and held onto the wood. Pulling the sharp end out (after some difficulty) , he inched his way to the closest ledge, and jumped down, heart pounding.
Something thudded next to him, and Zach saw it was Link's Longshot. It pulled Link up and in seconds he was next to the boy. All Zach could do was stare with jealousy. He knew Link couldn't help it; Link was experienced with his weapons, and Zach—well, he just wasn't. After an hour of shooting out the hooks and pulling themselves up, Zach found them much higher than they were before, and could see nearly the entire castle. Also, a sliver of blue appeared far off; it was Lake Hylia.
"We're near the top," Link said. "Though it isn't dawn, you should rest after all this climbing. We'll sleep through the day, and continue tonight. Let's eat something now."
Zach didn't realize how hungry he was. Aside from the frequent water drinks, he hadn't eaten anything since the fish at the lake. Link produced some bread rolls and fruit from his sack, gave the majority of it to Zach, and ate in silence.
"Why are you doing this?" Zach asked Link.
Link looked quizzically at Zach, clearly saying with his eyes, "Excuse me?"
"Why are you helping me?" Zach queried. "You don't have to. You have no obligation."
Link stared off into the night sky. "It is something you wouldn't understand."
"How would you know that? My mother knows I am smart for my age."
"I'll explain another day," Link murmured.
Zach knew Link was just saying that in hopes that he would forget.
"Explain now. We have plenty of time," Zach demanded.
"No." Link had said it in such a firm, strong voice, Zach cowered back. Link noticed this and looked at the boy. "I-I'm sorry. But I can't tell you everything just yet. You will know when the time is right."
Zach stared at Link for a minute, then lay down on the rocky ledge, watching the stars overhead.
Mwahaha! Yeah. Anyway, only two more chapters to go! If I change my mind, I change my mind. And yes, I made Zach able to use the Hookshot. Oh, and the reason why they have the Goron rolling by and not the other ones around the mountain was because...I MADE IT THAT WAY! >8D I love controlling everything…in my own Fan Fiction, I mean. xD