A/N: See? Two chapters! Told ya! Well, read on, enjoy your little One Year present, and review!
Chapter Twenty-Nine - Another Encounter With Dark Link
Link and Zelda burst into the castle just as another bolt of lightning ripped through the clouds, startling Saria. She gasped and fell back as Link walked into the large room.
"Nice entrance," she grumbled, sitting back up.
"Sorry. Had a little accident out there."
"What?" Saria asked, concerned. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Zelda almost got nabbed by the Stalchildren, though."
"But I'm fine now, no worries," Zelda interjected.
Saria nodded. "That's good. You might wanna go get some rest. Kidnappings usually take a bit out of people."
Zelda laughed. "Well, yeah. The whole adrenaline bit's starting to wear out. G'night guys," she said, walking up the stairs to her room.
Link sat down in the chair across from Saria. "Remind me to let Epona rest for a few days."
"I'm sure she understands. You'd be surprised how much animals, particularly horses, actually understand. With Zelda probably freaking out and the lightning, I'm sure she was just as anxious to leave as Zelda was."
"Yeah, and me too."
"You? You were afraid?" Saria asked, surprised.
"Not of the Stalchildren."
"Then of what? Something's got you tense these past few days. First, you demand that I not leave, and then Zelda actually asked me what the best way to get your mind of things was."
"So that's why she had that picnic idea. Trying to unstress me."
"Unstress isn't a word. But yeah, that's the reason. What's got you wound up tighter than a clock?"
"You remember when I was telling you about my adventures the first time I beat Ganon?"
"Yeah..."
"In the Water Temple, I ran across someone, someone I'll never forget. It was me, but an evil me. Dark Link. Well, he's sore about me beating him and he's set out to destroy my life, starting with my friends."
"Meaning me," Saria said, connecting the dots.
"Yeah. Remember when I stormed out of the castle and came back the next day all but dead? That was the day I went out after him. I would have killed him if he wasn't invincible. That's when he threatened me with that. That's why I didn't want you to leave. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry, but I guess it's better that you know."
"And tonight?"
"Well, I'm not one hundred percent sure how, but he had something to do with the Stalchildren trying to get Zelda. I'm positive I saw him in the shadows while we were riding away."
Saria nodded. "Okay. Thanks for telling me. Listen, if there's anything I can do to help, just tell me."
"Thanks for the offer, but at this point all we can do is keep me healthy and you and Zelda close so I can get there fast. I'm the only person who even stands a chance of beating him, and that's only because he's me, just twisted."
She stood up. "You're right. You should get some rest, just in case. It would really be bad if he popped up when you were worn out."
He nodded and followed suit, rising to his feet. He walked up the stairs and down the corridor to his room. Opening the small door, he stepped into the pitch black of his room.
"Well, well, well, look who we've got here."
Link sighed. "Can't you just leave me alone for a few days? I'm not up for fighting right now."
Dark Link, slowly becoming visible in the moonlight, laughed as he sat down on the windowsill. "No, I'm not here to fight you right now. Just thought I'd commend you on your escape earlier."
"I knew you had a hand in that."
"Well of course. You're not the only one who knows Skull Keeta. That, however, is beside the point. I see that you told the wood child about her predicament."
"Saria? Yeah. She has a right to know that you're scheming something."
"You can tell her that she's safe for the next day or two. I have a few other things to do."
"Other things? Like what?"
"Wouldn't you like to know…"
Link sighed, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "Just tell me. You're going to sooner or later."
"Well, that just ruins the fun. For your information, I wasn't going to gloat until after I finished with the girl and the Queen."
"Just spill, will you?"
Fine. Spoil sport... You're not the only thing Ganon has on his priority list. Now, he doesn't know I'm telling you this, but I figure you have a right to know. Question: what do you know about the royal side of war?"
"Royal side? You mean the whole 'calling the banners' bit?"
"Yeah."
"Nothing."
"Well, you see, in a war, an army is gathered and they march on the castle of the defending nation. A smart general will gather about twice as many troops as the defending castle has. Now, when a King's, or Queen's, land is in danger of such an attack, all those loyal to the 'Crown,' the Royal Family, can be instructed to summon their troops to provide reinforcements. This can sometimes prevent the attacking force from overrunning the castle and sometime even win the battle."
Link started at Dark Link. "I understood about half of that. Got an example?"
"Well, let us say, theoretically of course, that Ganon gathered a giant army twice the size of Hyrule's army and marched on Hyrule. In this theoretical war, Zelda would easily lose. However, given prior knowledge of this pretend battle, she could hypothetically tell King Zora and Darunia to supply her with more soldiers. Using these assumed soldiers, she could protect herself from Ganon's made-up attack and live through it, assuming of course that all of this was real and not an example, which it is just an example."
Link nodded. "Simple enough." He watched as Dark Link rose up to a standing position, precariously balanced on the edge of the window.
"Tell me, Link, why do you fight?"
"I fight to protect Hyrule from Ganon and any others who think they can threaten it."
Dark Link sighed. "No, that's what you fight for. Tell me, why do you fight?"
"Because it's the right thing to do."
Dark Link smirked in the darkness. "So, you mean to tell me that you put your life on the line fighting for something that not even the smartest people in the world can explain?"
"That's one way to put it."
"And the 'right' thing is based on your morals, yes?" Once Link nodded, Dark Link continued, "And if those morals were challenged by a command from, say, Zelda?"
"She would never tell me to do something that I disagreed with."
"Well, let's play pretend again and say she did. Then what?"
"I'd refuse to do it."
"The way I look at it, you'd have three choices. Do what you are told and don't tell anyone, do what you're told and tell someone, or don't do it."
Link nodded, understanding what Dark Link was getting at. "Might as well tell if you have to do it, isn't that right?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Dark Link said innocently. "I shall see you in a day or two, then," he commented, taking a step back and plummeting out the window.
"And so you shall," Link replied to the wind and the empty room.
A/N: Alright! Review if you don't mind (I really enjoy reading them and will respond in next chappie if there's any tomorrow. Otherwise, Chapter 31 awaits!) and I shall post Thirty tomorrow, just for you guys, 'kay? Have fun!
