Chapter 20
Link grasped the hilt of his sword tightly, and paced the beach. His mind was racing with thoughts of Zelda. Why was he listening to Darunia and Nabooru? He needed to go find her.
Kou had told Link that Darunia, Nabooru, and the Gorons were coming, and told him not to go after Zelda until they had reached Great Bay.
The wind whipped across the beach, slapping Link hard in the face.
He nervously unsheathed his sword, and swung it hard against a lone jar. It shattered into pieces and blew across the sand with the passing wind.
Link looked out to the water, and saw Pinnacle Rock in the distance. As his eyes scanned the surrounding area, he saw something in the distance.
Squinting, Link cupped a hand to his forehead and looked out. Finally, the object was identified.
It was a boat – and its passengers were dressed in purple.
"Damn it!" Link swore loudly.
He sheathed his sword, and ran into the camp. The Kokiri were resting there, until of course, he had shouted.
"Link, what's wrong?" Tek asked, getting to his feet.
"I'm going out to Pinnacle Rock. Stay here." He ordered, grabbing his Zora mask.
"Let me come."
Link shook his head and thundered down the beach. If the Gerudos found that shield before he did, there would be some serious trouble.
With one movement, Link was in the water and putting the mask on at the same time.
He spun in the water, his legs flailing behind him. As he swam, he searched the water ahead of him.
The Gerudos from Termina must be on the same side as Devika. If those were the Gerudos from Hyrule, I would have heard them riding on the beach. Link thought as he swam faster.
When he reached Pinnacle Rock, he stopped and saw that no one was getting out of the boat. There was no way they could have seen him, so why weren't they going after the item?
That's when Link realized too late that it was a trap.
As the net captured him, Link swore he heard muffled cries for his name from under the water. He struggled against the net, slashing at it with his fins. Although he sliced the net open, he was already being dragged in.
The Gerudos tossed Link into the boat, and he looked up to see the one person he had been longing to see.
"Zelda." Link breathed, thanking the Goddesses she was alive.
She seemed a bit taken aback by his Zora mask, but recovered quickly.
"Don't do it Link! Don't worry about me!" Zelda cried suddenly, her eyes frantic as she tried to go to his side.
A Gerudo quickly grabbed Zelda's arm to restrain her. Zelda got free, and her fist met the woman's chin in a beautiful punch. She was slapped hard across the face in response as the Gerudo staggered to her feet.
"Stay still or we'll kill your little boyfriend!" She snapped, restraining Zelda once again.
"Let her go!" Link demanded, getting to his feet.
"Not until you comply with our demands." One of the Gerudos sneered.
"What do you want?"
She stepped closer to Link, standing directly in front of him. She looked up at him with evil eyes, laughter dancing in them.
"Go down and get us the shield…and then give us the scabbard."
"Never." Link spat.
"Fine." The Gerudo shrugged, and tossed a dagger to the Gerudo holding Zelda hostage. "Kill her."
"No!" Link reached his hand out, but the Gerudo kicked him backwards. She tackled him to the ground.
"Give us what we want, and we won't harm her."
Link looked past the woman at Zelda. She was shaking her head as the dagger pointed at her neck.
"Don't Link. Don't."
"You have to swear that she'll be safe, and that you'll return her to me." He growled, his eyebrows furrowing in rage.
The Gerudo nodded, and got off of Link so that he could get up.
He looked over at Zelda as her head hung. The dagger was still pointed at her neck, but she didn't really care.
"I'll be back soon Zelda." He promised quietly.
When she didn't look up, Link turned and dove back into the water. He wanted so badly to overturn their boat but he couldn't. Not with Zelda aboard and a dagger ready to slit her throat.
Link swam down to where Maya and Tek had been fighting the sea snake, and waited for the monster to emerge from its hole.
He wasted no time in cutting at the creature's flesh. It thrashed around, knocking Link to the ground. He watched as the blood flowed from the wounds he had made.
In a cloud of red, Link rolled at the sea snake, and began attacking it once more. What he didn't expect was for it to thrash around so hard that it knocked him inside of the hole.
He landed on the ground, and before he could even blink, the sea snake had smothered him into the ground.
Link struggled to free himself, his body aching from the weight being put on him.
With one thrust, he sent his fin into the sea snake's stomach. Guts spilled out, and Link was consumed once more in a pool of red.
Once the sea snake had pulled itself deep into the hole to die, Link got to his feet. He was exhausted, but forgot that as he eyed a chest at the back of the hole.
He went to it, and bent down on one knee before it. There was no inscription anywhere, so Link assumed it was the shield.
When the chest opened, a bright light filled the hole. Link closed his eyes, and moved his fins in front of his face to protect himself from the sudden brightness.
When the light died down, Link saw a shield lying on the floor in front of him. It was made of pure gold, and was encrusted with emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. A Triforce was carved into the center.
Link touched it with a finger, tracing the Triforce. It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.
Once Link regained his composure, he picked the shield up with care. Although it was heavy, he managed to swim it to the surface.
The Gerudos helped him into the boat, and left him to lie there for a minute.
"Give me the shield." One of them snapped after a moment of silence.
Link glared at her as he got to his feet. Zelda was still being restrained, the dagger still at her neck.
"The scabbard is at the shore. When we get there, I'll give you both items."
"Fine."
Link tried to go to Zelda, but the Gerudo poked his chest with a spear.
"Stay over there." She eyed the other side of the boat.
The whole ride back to the shore, Link stared at Zelda. She seemed ashamed of herself as she stood there. She wouldn't look up from the floor of the boat.
When the boat reached the beach, one of the Gerudos jumped out, and waited for Link to get out. When he had, she pointed the spear to the middle of his back.
"Lead me to the scabbard." She ordered.
Link did as he was told, and walked into the camp. The Kokiri were horrified, and some grabbed their weapons.
"Don't." Link muttered. "Just stay where you are."
He kneeled next to the place he had sat when he had been watching over Saria, and grabbed the scabbard.
"Here." He thrust it to the Gerudo as he turned to face her. He then threw the shield at her, making no attempt to be nice about it.
She backhanded him, and Link went forward to beat her senseless when she poked him with her spear again.
"Let's not forget that we have your girlfriend." She smiled sweetly at him, and motioned for one of the Gerudos to grab the items.
"Give her to me." Link said through clenched teeth.
"Hear that? He wants his girlfriend." The Gerudo laughed. "Bring her forward."
Link watched as the Gerudo holding Zelda captive came forward, the dagger still pointed at her neck.
They stopped, and from then on, everything seemed to move in slow motion.
Zelda grabbed the Gerudo's wrist, and twisted it so hard that it snapped. The Gerudo screamed in pain, dropping the dagger.
Once Zelda was free, she rushed at the Gerudo with the items. What she didn't see, was that the Gerudo had her spear ready.
"Zelda! No!" Link screamed, running towards them.
But it was too late. The Gerudo brought the spear forward into Zelda's chest, shoving it all the way through.
"No!" Link already had tears streaming down his cheeks when he reached the two. He grabbed the Gerudo, and snapped her neck unmercifully.
He then dropped to his knees where Zelda now laid. Her blood was collecting in a messy puddle in the sand.
Link didn't even care when the other Gerudos grabbed the items and fled the scene. Some of the Kokiri followed, shouting and carrying weapons.
"I'm sorry…Link." Zelda choked, cracking a small smile.
Link slid his hand under her neck, and pulled her head up close to his. Their noses skimmed each other. With his other hand, he held her waist.
"Shh. Everything's going to be alright." His voice was husky and shaky as he spoke. He knew everything wasn't going to be alright.
"Link…promise me…one thing."
"Anything." As he spoke, more tears escaped.
"When you beat Devika…and you get…your wish…wish for peace to re-return to…Hyrule."
"No," he shook his head, "I will wish for you to come back."
"Link…promise me." She gasped.
"I promise." Those words hurt Link more than any stab wound. He didn't want to waste the wish on returning peace to Hyrule. He wanted Zelda.
Zelda's eyes shut tightly, and she gripped Link's hand as it rested on her waist. Her body shuddered from the pain.
"I love you. You…you are the only…one…I…would ever…marry."
"I love you too Zelda. In my heart, you're always my wife." He looked into her beautiful blue eyes one last time before they closed.
Link pressed his forehead to hers as he felt her hand drop from his. He shook his head, and looped his arm around her waist, pulling her up into a hug.
His hand still rested on the back of her neck.
"No!" He shouted to the Heavens. "No!"