Chapter 6
The wind was coming more fiercely than before. It whipped and slashed across Link and Zelda's faces as they made their way to the bridge.
Link turned his head slightly to see Zelda pushing against the wind, her hair flying backwards and every which way. It was becoming tangled and dirty.
Her cheeks were bright pink from the harshness of the wind, and Link could see her eyes watering from the debris floating about.
He reached back with his hand, and took hers. Their grip wasn't too strong as they came to the bridge.
"Not much farther to Epona!" Link called over the howling.
He had tried to summon her with the ocarina, but either she was afraid of the water or couldn't hear her song over the wind.
Zelda nodded, although she didn't know if Link saw it or not.
The bridge was shaking violently under their feet, and Zelda feared that at any moment, she would fall off.
She tried to grip Link's hand a little tighter, but found it difficult.
They were about halfway across when Link tripped over his boots.
"Link!" Zelda screeched, losing his hand in the jumble.
She tried to go to him, but wobbled as the bridge shook more and more.
Link looked up from the wood just in time to see Zelda fall over the side, screaming in horror, her arms flailing.
"Zelda!" He shouted, getting to his feet.
Without thinking, he jumped over the edge, and saw Zelda plummeting to the water below him.
He reached out, hoping to grab a part of her dress or a lock of her hair, but he came up empty.
He braced himself as he hit the cold water, and felt dizzy for a second as the stinging pain ran through his body.
His lungs felt as though they had collapsed as he swam frantically under the water, looking for Zelda.
"Zelda!" He called weakly, coming to the surface.
He searched the water for her body, his breaths coming quicker and quicker as his search came up empty.
Behind him, something splashed, and he turned around to see a Zora standing before him, holding Zelda's limp body in his arms.
Her dress was soaked, clinging tightly against her skin. Her hair was matted to her face and to the Zora's delicate, white skin.
"Zelda!" He called once more, but felt someone behind him, pulling him upwards.
"Link, it's Princess Ruto." The voice breathed in Link's ear.
He barely heard her over the wind and the rushing waters.
She lifted his body into her arms, and followed after the other Zora, muttering comforting phrases to Link. He didn't know if she was trying to get his mind off Zelda or just trying to keep him conscious.
His eyelids drooped as they neared Lake Hylia. The other Zora was in front of him, and he could see that Zelda still hadn't stirred since falling.
He wanted desperately to go to her, but Ruto's grip seemed iron with his weakness.
Once the Zoras had reached the dry land, they gently laid the bodies of Link and Zelda on the grass, and stepped back to let them be.
Link crawled over to Zelda, moving the hair away from her face. His skin was ice, and hers was too.
"Zelda, wake up." He whispered against her hair as he held her to him.
There was a faint pulse where her neck was, and Link breathed a sigh of relief. She needed to get warm and she needed rest. So did he.
"Ruto," Link said weakly, turning, "will you take us to Zora's Domain?"
"Yes of course Link. We were worried since we saw the attack on the castle."
Zelda' eyes fluttered open, and she tried to sit up, but Link held her closer.
"Don't move Zelda, you're weak." He said.
"The castle…I must go." She whispered.
Link turned and motioned for Ruto. She whispered something to the other Zora, and came onto the land.
"I'll take her Link. You change into your Zora tunic, and follow close by."
Ruto carefully took Zelda from Link, and carried her to the water, sliding her on her back.
"Zelda, when you need to breathe, just tap my shoulder." Ruto said gently, entering the cold water.
Zelda shivered, and gripped Ruto's neck tighter.
Link watched as they disappeared into the passageway, and peeled off his dripping wet Kokiri tunic. As the cold embraced him, he shivered, changing quickly into the Zora tunic.
Once he had done so, he threw a glance up the hill, but saw nothing. He wished he could see the castle, he wished he knew if everyone was holding up alright without him.
But then Link thought of Zelda, and hurried into the water, and swam through the passageway and into Zora's Domain.
The Zoras greeted him warmly, telling him how worried they were when they heard about the castle being overthrown. This only upset him more.
"Where is Zelda?" He asked dizzily, gripping a wall for support.
"Princess Ruto had her taken to one of the caves," a Zora pointed up the set of stairs, "just go up the stairs and follow the green flags."
Link didn't need to be told twice. He hurried up the stairs, searching for the green flags. He paused along the way, coughing up a fair amount of water.
He looked around, and spotted a corridor lined with green flags.
A flame flickered at the end, and he saw shadows on the walls.
"Zelda?" He asked loudly, stumbling down the corridor.
He came upon Ruto and the Zora that had rescued Zelda. They had laid Zelda on a bed, and were whispering of where they could find blankets and anything else to keep her warm.
Ruto looked up and met Link's eyes, trying to hide the deep concern.
"Link, do you have anything dry Zelda can wear?"
"My Goron Tunic." Link mumbled, searching his tunic for it. He tossed the red clothes to Ruto, who nodded in return.
The other Zora took Link's arm gently.
"Perhaps you should lie down."
"I should stay with Zelda."
"Link," Ruto turned, "please, let me take care of her. Rest, and then you can see her."
Link cast one more look to Zelda, who was moaning a little, her eyes opening and closing every few seconds.
He nodded, and let the Zora lead him into another cave.
Once Link had laid down, he fell into a deep sleep.
Ruto wrapped Zelda's head, touching the bump on the back of her head very gently.
"How is she?" The Zora asked, re-entering Zelda's cave.
"She's hit her head, and she's cold, but I'm sure with some rest she'll be fine." Ruto sighed, and leaned back against the chair she had pulled up next to Zelda's bed.
"I had a few Zoras go out to get blankets and pillows in Kakariko Village."
"Are they equipped?"
"I made sure of it." The Zora nodded.
"I'm sure that Link and Zelda are going to ask for our help in fighting off the Gerudos from the kingdom." Ruto frowned.
"The Gerudos?"
"Yes, I saw many of them with weapons, heading for the castle."
"Are we going to help them?"
Ruto turned to see the Zora, and shrugged.
"I don't know. It all depends on the numbers."
She turned back to Zelda.
Ruto didn't know if she wanted her people to suffer anymore. After Ganondorf came into power, Zora's Domain had frozen over. Luckily, many had survived, but many had also died.
"I'll go see if the Zoras have returned."
Ruto nodded, and rubbed Zelda's arms as her teeth chattered.
Ruto had never really liked Zelda, ever since she had stolen Link away from her, but Ruto loved Link, and if he loved Zelda, then she was going to help her.
"Since when did I become a nice person?" Ruto asked herself out loud.