MangaMaid's Notes: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Okay, before you yell at me, hear me out. One, I do have a life. A life that is demanding and eats up my time, not to mention people who have me do things that eat up my time as well. Not to mention, I have a job with awful hours (Honestly, I'm constantly switching between late nights and early mornings... Not fun...) and I have some personal problems that are affecting my life. Anyways, moving on. Two, this story takes a lot of research and a lot of time and when I say a lot, I mean A LOT. This piece is probably my one of my 'darkest' pieces in the fact that this is war-torn and defeated Hyrule which is quite a bit different from what we see in Zelda games. Anyways, because of that, I've spent several hours of research for this and not just by playing Zelda games. I've also been reading up on world history for ideas. Yeah... not fun stuff there. I also look up things like war games, particularly Hyrule: Total War for this piece to see how warfare would work in Hyrule and to figure what I'm going to do later. Yes, there are going to be battles in this, but I don't think I'm really giving away stuff here since, you know, it's set in Ganondorf-controlled Hyrule. So yeah... My life in a nutshell.
Still trying to get that list. Thank you to all those who did review, favorite, etc., etc. Anyways. On with the chapter!
Chapter 6
A large snarl rang throughout the halls of Hyrule Castle followed by the sound of breaking china coming from the throne room. Within it, another Gerudo cowered in the corner as she watched her king seethe with fury at the news he had just received from her.
"Do you mean to tell me," Ganondorf growled, "that for these past three months, you've searched Hyrule and you still can't find a helpless, little princess?!"
"I'm sorry, sire," the Gerudo whispered. "But it's true. There's no sign of her."
Ganondorf sat in his throne, irritation on his face as he rubbed his mouth, thinking. "Very well." He looked at the Twinrova. "You two, find those imbeciles who let her escape. Inform them that they will be punished."
Both women nodded, gleeful at the prospect of inflicting pain. "Of course, Lord Ganondorf." In a flash, both had transformed into little wisps of flame and ice before they both disappeared.
"Lord Ganondorf?" the Gerudo whispered, lifting her head.
He turned a glare on her. "What?"
"Well, it might be possible she is… dead?" A soft trickle of hope leaked into her voice.
A cruel smile crossed his lips and his tone became mocking. "Yes… it might be possible. But, if it were so, why haven't you found her corpse?" He stalked over to the woman, who returned to cowering away in her corner, crouched next to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to flinch. "Unless…"
"Unless what?"
"Unless, of course, she died the way you did…"
"What do you-?" The Gerudo's words were cut off by sudden screams as dark fire began to engulf her body. She stared at him, betrayal and pain evident in her eyes until her eyes were no more. In a matter of moments, all that was left was a small pile of black ash.
Ganondorf closed his eyes and exhaled before standing up and making his way back to his throne. Slumping in his chair, he rubbed his temples, trying to relieve himself of the headache he had now.
"You really shouldn't have done that." A voice called.
The Gerudo King looked up to see a young Gerudo woman walking into the room. Her flaming red hair swayed as it cascaded from a hair clip inlaid with a topaz that held it in a high ponytail. She wore a red Gerudo's uniform that consisted of harem pants and a strapless bra while dark red shoes covered her feet. Gold armor covered her shins and forearms while on her left bicep rested a obsidian bracelet. A smirk graced her pale pink mouth while her golden eyes glinted with dark humor in them.
"Not now, Aveil…" Ganondorf murmured.
Mock pouting, Aveil said, "Ah, Lord Ganondorf, I'm hurt. I bring you good news and you don't want to hear it?"
"If it's has nothing to do with finding Princess Zelda, then no, I don't want to hear it."
"Forgive my bluntness, sire, but I'm pretty sure you do."
Ganondorf waved his hand apathetically, staring at a window. "What is it?"
"There have been rumors of a lone Gerudo haunting the path to Castle Town whose been raiding our caravans."
Aveil smirked as her king's eyes focused back to her, his attention gained. "Nabooru?" he asked.
"Most likely, Your Majesty."
Something flashed in Ganondorf's eyes, but it was too quick for Aveil to tell what it was. He then said, "Very well. I shall think on what to do about this. In the meantime, keep searching for that Princess."
Aveil bowed low. "Of course, Lord Ganondorf." With that, she straightened, turned, and left the room.
Looking forward, the Gerudo King glared. "Soon. Very soon, Princess. I will find you and you will be mine!"
In Ordon…
Zelda's eyes shot open as a brisk gust of wind blew over her, causing her to shiver in her blankets. Pulling the flimsy, patched pieces of cloth to her, she closed her eyes and wished for sleep to return. However, sleep would not be able to come, for at that moment, a warm hand touched her shoulder.
"Marin," Uli called, softly. "Marin, wake up."
Slowly, Zelda opened her eyes and let out a gargled reply. "Uli? Wha-?"
"I'm sorry to wake you, Marin," Uli said, softly. "But could you please go get some Cucco eggs for me? I'm afraid I've run out."
Nodding, Zelda pushed down the covers and sat up. She rubbed her eyes before grabbing her clothes and going behind the screen to change. After she had dressed, Uli came up to her with a large basket in hand. Her face was apologetic.
"I'm so sorry I have to make you do this, Marin."
"It's okay, Uli," Zelda murmured, still partly asleep as she pulled on her thick cloak. "I understand." Before Uli could apologize again, Zelda turned away, opened the door, and left.
As she stepped out, a sharp bite of cold gnawed at Zelda's skin, rousing her into alertness. Blinking, she looked out to see the little town of Ordon sparkling in the sunlight and painted paler by a frost. The first since fall had come.
Zelda gritted her teeth and stepped out into the icy grass, wishing for shoes to cover her toes. She had been aware that the frost was coming, but hadn't thought better of it yet. Shivering, she forced herself to focus on other things besides the icy cold that was numbing her toes.
It had been three months since she had been brought to Ordon. In those months, Zelda's gaunt appearance had filled out, making her look more herself rather than a corpse. She had also become quite integrated into Ordon's daily life, becoming a helper to Uli as the pregnancy progressed. There were only about a couple of weeks left at maximum until the baby was to be born and as such, Zelda, or rather 'Marin', had become someone who Uli could depend on to help with chores that Uli couldn't perform anymore.
The town had opened up to her, little by little, starting with the children. Colin had been the first, but Beth had quickly opened up to her after, glad to have another woman who could listen to her troubles. Soon, Talo and Malo had joined in and after gaining the trust of the children, mostly everyone had accepted her into Ordon. However, Link seemed more and more wary of her and she still hadn't seen Aryll, making her wonder if Link had evacuated Aryll from Ordon.
Zelda snapped back to reality, knowing that it was going to be a long day. Cucco eggs were a pain to collect as Cuccos laid them willy-nilly. They laid them in the fields, in trees, behind houses, and even on top of houses. Also, if a Cucco caught a person trying to steal their eggs, it would attack. The frost wasn't going to help that as Cuccos always had to keep their eggs warm. So, while Zelda would be able to find the eggs, it would be getting them from the Cucco that would be the hassle.
As she walked about, Zelda shivered as she looked. Finally, she noticed a Cucco sitting next to the waterwheel. Slowly, she crept over to it, hoping not to be noticed. As she approached, the Cucco turned to look at her, its golden eye assessing her. Taking another step, the Cucco squawked in warning. Zelda moved very slowly, only to have the Cucco squawk loudly.
At that she looked around see a small mass of Cuccos surrounding her, all angry. She dropped the basket and ran the opposite way, the Cuccos in hot pursuit. As she ran, her feet began to sting from the cold that touched her bare feet with each step. Unfortunately, she tripped, rolling onto her back and allowing the Cuccos to catch up to her and begin pecking at her.
Zelda covered her face and neck as sharp beaks and claws began to rain down on her in stinging drops of pain. She bit her lip, hoping that they would soon lose interest before her skin or her shirt was damaged badly. Curling up, she tried to shake the Cuccos off, but to no avail. She began to bleed as the claws and the beaks nicked her skin.
A gruff voice came out of nowhere. "Come on! Get out of here! Shoo!" When the Cuccos paid no heed, a sharp thwack sounded and one of the Cuccos sailed through the air, its destination unknown. With that, the others quickly scattered as the voice shooed them away from Zelda.
When they were gone, Zelda slowly removed her injured hands away from her face, peering up to see who had saved her. Link's exhausted blue eyes looked down at her. He was obviously tired as he asked, his eyelids drooping, "You okay?"
Zelda nodded, "I'm all right Link."
"Good…" Link murmured, his eyes nearly closing. His eyes then snapped open, before drooping again. Slowly, his knees buckled and he fell onto the ground, unconscious.
It would've been an understatement to say Zelda panicked.
"Link! Are you all right?! Are you hurt?!" After seeing no visible wounds, she placed an ear to his mouth, hearing the slow breath of sleep. A relieved look crept onto her face. "Oh..." She looked around, trying to figure out how she was going to move him out of the snow.
Link groaned slowly, before shivering slightly as he slept. Quickly, Zelda took off her cloak, putting it over Link. As the cold nipped her skin, she rubbed her arms, looking around for help. At that moment, Pergie stepped out of her house, getting ready to start her chores.
"Pergie!" Zelda cried, garnering her attention. "I need help!"
Pergie strode over to see Link unconscious on the ground and Zelda covered in nicks and scratches. "Marin?" she said, looking concerned. "Good heavens, what happened?"
"I got attacked by Cuccos and Link helped me. Then, he just passed out…"
Concern crossed Pergie's face as she knelt next to Link. "He likes to stay up late and sleep in the morning, but passing out? We should get him to Uli." Quickly, she lifted the boy over her shoulders as if he was a sack of flour. She strode to Uli's house, Zelda quickly following behind her, the Cucco egg lying forgotten in the snow.
When they reached Uli's house, Pergie rapped on the door before adjusting Link into a more comfortable position for her to carry him. Zelda bit her lip as she looked at him. He looked very pale and exhaustion seeped from him. At that moment, Uli's door opened.
"Marin, are you back alread- Oh my!" Uli's hand rose to cover her mouth as she saw Pergie carrying Link and the grim looks upon both Pergie and Zelda's faces. She stepped back, ushering the women in. "Set him on the couch." After Pergie had done so, Uli quickly checked him over and touched his forehead. She then looked at the two women. "What happened?"
Zelda spoke, "Link passed out after saving me from a Cucco attack… Is he going to be all right?"
Uli turned to her, a soft smile on her face. "He should be fine, Marin. From what I can tell, he's just overworked himself again."
Zelda breathed a sigh of relief and Pergie cleared her throat. "Well, if that's all it is, I'm going to get started on my workload. See you later, Uli. Marin." With that, she turned and left the cottage.
After she left, Zelda said, "I should probably go get the eggs now."
"Actually, Marin," Uli said, a worried look crossing her face. "It's probably best if you stay inside. The Cuccos need a little time for them to forget you were trying to steal their eggs."
Zelda nodded. "Do you need anything else done then?"
"Mmm…" Uli shook her head. "I don't believe so… Wait…" She paused before asking, "Could you watch Link for me? I'm running low on lantern oil and I need to go see if Sera's has any."
"I could go get it for you," Zelda offered.
"No, no… I want to stretch my legs for a little bit and it's not as if a little frost is going to hurt me and the baby." Uli walked to the door before turning back. "Oh, and Marin? If Link wakes up and tries to sit up or move around, don't let him. Every time he's done this, he's run a fever, like now, and that cold air won't be good for him. Anyways, if you need anything or if Colin wakes up, I'm at Sera's." She smiled and then left quietly, closing the door behind her.
Zelda looked at Link before placing a hand on his head. Automatically, she removed it from how warm his skin was. There were even little drops on sweat forming on his brow. With a gentle hand, Zelda brushed them aside. "Link…" she murmured as she began to move the bangs out of his face. "Why do you do this? At this rate, you're going to kill yourself…I…"
She sighed, "I don't claim to know exactly what happened, but… if this is some form of misplaced guilt because I got kidnapped…. Well, not exactly kidnapped… I wonder if Rusl ever told you that Sheik and Impa were the ones who took me…" A small chuckle escaped. "I doubt it… You would've come, sword drawn, and ripped them both to shreds. Aryll wouldn't have liked that…
"Where is she anyway? I mean, did you send her with the Kokiri? Or did you move her somewhere else? I wish she was here. Then maybe you'd be yourself and I could tell you I'm Zelda. You must hate me now anyways… I miss the old days, you know. The days we'd go around playing Knights and Princesses… Bah, if only we'd known, huh? I'm a little surprised though, what with you ma…" Her throat closed around the word. Finally, she forced out, "You and Ilia… It's funny… You promised me that you'd marry someone who you loved… and I thought you hated Ilia. But I guess love changes with time, right?"
She paused. "I know I should be happy for you… I know that. But… every time I see you two together… I just feel angry. Angry at Impa and Sheik for taking me away before I could tell you how I felt, angry at Rusl for keeping you here, angry at myself for being stuck in a prison camp for four years, angry at Ilia for having the gall to take you and-" She cut herself off. "I know I don't have any right to say that… I mean, you have a right to choose who you marry, but… I…When I gave you that silly locket, you know the one, although you probably threw it away… Well… I had hoped… That is to say… Maybe… you would've… we could've…"
A loud shout caused Zelda to immediately remove her hand from Link's forehead. "MARIN!" Suddenly, the door flew open to reveal Sera, her face bright red as she gasped for breath.
Zelda turned to look at Sera. "Sera? What's wrong?"
"Uli's water broke! The baby's coming!" Sera screeched. "We need Link's help!"
Suddenly a nervous voice came from the corner. "Is my mom okay?!"
Both women turned to see the young boy. "Oh, Colin!" Sera said, looking surprised and a little nervous. "How long have you been awake?"
"What's going on?! Is my mom okay?!"
Zelda strode over to Colin and knelt next to him. "She'll be fine, Colin… Your baby sibling has just decided that now's a good time to come. But you need to be calm. All right?"
"But… But, my mom…"
"Colin." Link's voice cut through the tension, both relieving and startling Zelda. She spun to see Link slowly getting up off the couch. How much had he heard? Had he been awake this whole time? Pulling herself from her thoughts, she watched as Link stood up and came over to kneel next to her, all the while looking at Colin. "Marin's right. Your mom will be fine. But she needs you to be strong for her. Can I ask you to do that?"
Colin looked down, worry on his face while he made his decision. Finally, he looked up, mouth set and eyes determined, before he nodded.
Link ruffled Colin's hair before turning to Sera. "Sera, can you bring Uli here?" After a quick nod and rushing out the door on Sera's part, he turned back to Colin. "Colin, you're going to have to wait outside okay?"
After a nod, Colin walked out and Link looked at Zelda. "Why don't you go out and be with Colin?"
"Link," Zelda said, serious. She knew that Uli was the village's 'official' midwife and when Colin had been born, Impa had taken over. She wasn't sure if Link knew how to deliver a baby, so she asked, "Have you ever delivered a baby?"
"I've helped the doe goats with their kidding. It shouldn't be too different."
As a child, she had watched several goat births, but she had seen and helped to deliver at several of the rare births that occurred in the prison camp, two at which the women and their babies had died. A humorless laugh escaped Zelda. "You have no idea…"
Link raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me that you've midwifed before?"
"Several times." At Link's skeptical look, Zelda turned to him. "What?"
"That seems like a strange occupation for you. From what I understand, your father was a merchant was he not?"
Inwardly, Zelda cringed. She remembered that was one of the lies she had told. After telling the women that her father had not approved of the marriage of her and her husband, she had later been asked why. Her explanation was that her father was a merchant and her husband was too poor for him. Slowly, she answered, "Yes…"
"Then why-?"
But before Link could finish, the door flew open to reveal Ilia and Pergie helping Uli walk in, while Sera flitted nervously behind them. Uli's face was contorted into pain, but she looked okay. Quickly, they moved Uli to the bed and helped her get settled before moving away. Pergie left to go get water, rags, and blankets from her home, but Ilia and Sera stayed.
Sera was babbling, "Link, I'm so worried. She kept whispering for Rusl. What if she's sick? What if something goes wrong? What are we going to do?" While she babbled on, Ilia looked paler than snow while Link's face turned grim before he looked at Uli.
Zelda clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Okay. Everyone listen. I've helped deliver several babies before. First, Sera, if you can't stop this, go outside until you're calm and then go help Pergie gather supplies. You're not helping by bringing up what ifs." After Sera left, she looked to Ilia. "Ilia, you look very pale, so I think you should go keep company with Colin and the other children. Can you do that?"
Ilia nodded. "Yes…" Within moments, she was gone.
Turning to Link, Zelda said, "I'm going to need your help." She led him over to where Uli was. Uli had her eyes closed, so Zelda gently touched Uli's shoulder. When Uli looked at her, she said, "Uli, how are you feeling?"
"Marin…" Uli said, her voice strained, yet somehow calm. "I think I'm okay."
"That's good. Now, it's going to be okay. Link and I are here to help. Pergie's out getting supplies and this baby is going to be fine. Okay?"
Uli's nodded and then took Link's hand. At that, Link began to talk in quiet tones to her while Zelda waited for Pergie to get back. She sighed and closed her eyes, preparing herself for the long day ahead of them.
…
It wasn't until an hour before sunset that Ordon heard the lusty cries of Uli's new baby daughter. After a few more minutes, Zelda came out, exhausted with her arms covered in the mess that the birth had produced and carrying a clean rag on her shoulder, but cheerful. As Colin ran up to her, he took her in and worry crossed his face.
A soft smile crossed her face. "It's okay Colin. Your mom and baby sister are both very healthy. You can go and see them. Link's with them too."
Colin smiled back at her before running in. Zelda watched as Ilia walked up to her, Sera and Pergie, who Zelda had sent out earlier in the day, following with their children. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes. Uli and her baby girl are just fine. You should be able to visit in a little while. Now, I need to go and wash up." She walked away from the three women, who had begun talking to each other excitedly, and went to the edge of the deeper water.
After she dipped the rag in the water, she began to scrub at her left arm, cleaning it up. As she did so, she lightly hummed to herself the lullaby Link had made for her all those years ago, as it helped her to relax. However, when she finished and looked at her right arm, a frown crossed her face. In all the excitement that had been going on, she had forgotten to remove her bandages, which were now filthy and stained.
A sad sigh escaped her and she slowly unraveled her bandages. The angry red of Hy. F. GC. 0001 stared up at her and she wished as she began to scrub that she could scrub it away as well. But as she hummed and washed away the mess on her arm, the red letters just seemed to get brighter.
Finally, Zelda moved to the bandages, but after several minutes of hard washing, it was apparent that they were beyond saving. She hadn't checked their condition regularly, but they were fraying and coming apart now as well as being filthy. It would be a fool's errand to try and save them. Sighing once again, Zelda gathered the bandages up before standing.
"Hey."
Zelda gasped and dropped the bandages, hiding her right forearm and spinning around to see who had spoken. There stood Link, looking at her. "Oh… Link!" She looked down at her feet. "I didn't see you there. Is everything okay?"
A contemplative look was on Link's face. After a pause, he said, "Thank you for all you did today. I know you really helped Uli remain calm."
"Oh… It was nothing, really." Kneeling down, Zelda gathered up the bandages and then smiled at the Hylian man. "Now, if you will excuse me…" She walked past him to go find a place to dispose of her bandages.
He began walking with her, keeping her pace with ease. "Still, I wonder… Why would a merchant's daughter have such a skill as midwifery?"
"Oh… Uhm…" Zelda stopped, biting her lip, knowing that wouldn't be an easy thing to answer. Many merchants didn't like having their daughters work, instead preparing them for marriage. Still, she hadn't thought anyone would actually question her on it.
"Not to mention, there aren't many merchants in the Great Bay area…" At this, Link gave her an amused look. "But then again, perhaps your father lives there because there isn't as much competition. Am I right?"
Zelda, stiff as a plank of wood, jerked her head up and down in the form of a nod. "Yes," she muttered, her throat tight.
"I thought as much. There are only about seven left in the Great Bay Area, aren't there? I know a couple of villagers there, actually." A smile crossed his face, but it wasn't one Zelda remembered. Instead, it felt as though he were a predator who had just cornered his prey with no means of escape.
"Oh?" Zelda gave him what she hoped to be a curious smile. "Really? Who?"
"Ulrira and his wife for starters."
"Oh…" Zelda was at a loss for words. Unsure of what else to say, she decided to keep silent and resume her walking.
Within moments, Link caught up to her. "It's funny though. They often talk about you and your father, Tarin, but they never mentioned that he decided to change his job of gathering things such as mushrooms and honeycombs to a merchant. In fact, last I heard, Tarin and his daughter were taken by Ganondorf's soldiers."
As his words penetrated her, Zelda felt her chest tighten and the atmosphere around her suddenly became like a cage. Vaguely, she remembered Marin mentioning something similar as her father's profession and as the memories came to her, she inwardly cursed herself for not remembering that. Looking at the sun, which was now close to setting, Zelda said, "Link, as much as I would love to continue discussing this topic with you, it's getting late. So if you'll excuse me…"
A firm hand suddenly gripped her right wrist. "Listen, I know that you aren't Marin. I also know that you have been lying to everyone since the moment you got here. What I don't understand is why. So, tell me…" His hand tightened, causing pain to travel up Zelda's arm. "Who are you and why are you impersonating her?"
"Link…" Zelda whimpered. "You're hurting my arm…"
Link's grip tightened again and Zelda let out a startled gasp of pain as the force nearly crushed her radius. "Answer me." His voice wasn't loud, yet it was a dark snarl, as if it had come from a dangerous beast.
Zelda turned to face him and saw, to her horror, that he had noticed she wasn't wearing her typical bandages and he was looking down at her bare forearm. Before he could notice anything, Zelda tried yanking her arm free. However, Link's grip was far too strong and, feeling her resistance, he tugged back, forcing Zelda to stumble forward and into his arms.
As Zelda tried to move away, Link forced her right forearm up and whispered in her ear, "What are you hiding?"
"Link! What are you doing?!" a young female voice shrieked. Instantly, Link released Zelda and both of them turned to see Beth, Talo, and Malo walking towards them. Using the opportunity, Zelda turned and fled.
"Isn't it obvious?" Talo said as he looked at Beth. "They're wrestling! And Link was winning until you yelled at him, Beth!"
"Yes…" Malo muttered, sarcastic. "Because your opponent running away from you is winning. Obviously."
Link's head snapped back to look where 'Marin' had been just in time to see the door to Uli's house shut. A guttural rumbling ripped from his throat as his eyes narrowed at the now-closed door. 'She got away.'
"Link?" Talo's voice cut through the angry haze clouding his mind. "Are you okay?"
Link's eyes darted to the three children looking at him with worry, as if he had just realized they were there. Noticing his body had somehow shifted into a half-crouch, he straightened himself before inhaling. As his did, his nostrils flared.
Closing his eyes, he took a moment before answering. "I'm fine… Just…" He paused before continuing. "Just upset I lost."
"Are you sure?" Beth asked her voice suspicious.
"Yeah… Yeah, I'm sure…" Link looked to the sun. Seeing that it was beginning to set, he looked back to three children. "I need to go. It's almost time for me to start patrol. You three, go home."
"But, Link…" Talo protested.
"Go home," Link barked. "Now."
Hurt registered in all three sets of eyes. Never had Link been this angry at any of them before. Sure, he would be firm, but never had he gotten so angry. Talo and Malo looked at their feet before trudging back towards their home, while Beth looked as if she might cry before she fled for her house.
As the children left, Link slapped his hand to his forehead. He shouldn't have lost control like that, especially not at them. But right now, there wasn't anything he could do. Sighing to himself, he walked towards the exit of Ordon, preparing for what lay ahead.
…
When Zelda entered Uli's house, she was on the verge of tears as she pressed her back against the door. Never before had she been so frightened in her life, and never by Link. Wrapping her arms around herself in a hug, she sunk down onto the floor, trying to calm herself down.
"Marin?" Uli asked, causing Zelda to look at her. Uli was sitting up in her bed, looking quite worried. In her arms was the newborn, who looked to be sleeping. From the bedside, Colin looked at her, worry in his face.
"Marin?" Uli repeated. "Are you all right? You look as if you've seen a monster."
Zelda nodded, trying to collect her thoughts. "I'm… I'm fine…" Looking at her forearm, she whispered, "Uli? Do you have any more bandages? I can't use mine anymore."
"Oh…" She shook her head. "I'm afraid not. If you need more, you'll have to ask Link or Fado. Both probably have some left over, but if not, you'll have to wait until Link gets more from his trip."
"Trip?" Zelda asked. As far as she had seen, Link had not left the village since she had arrived.
"Yeah…" Colin answered. "Link goes out from Ordon every time we need supplies. He's getting ready to go again soon."
"Oh… I see…"
"Anyways, Marin?" Uli pointed to a basket that Zelda recognized as an Ordonian cradle. "Can you bring that over here?" After Zelda had complied, she whispered, "Thank you." Tenderly, Uli placed her baby in the crib and tucked her in before setting it onto a small table that had been placed next to the bed. She turned to look at Zelda, but Zelda had walked out of the bedroom to lay on the couch.
As she lay on the couch, she looked around, her eyes taking in everything around her as she tried to wrap her head around what had happened with Link. Never before had Link been so… vicious before, especially never with a woman. It frightened her. Closing her eyes, she tried to figure out how Link had become this way.
Rusl had always said to her and Link as children that war changed people. Zelda knew from firsthand experience that that was correct. Gone were the days of Zelda, the adoptive daughter and sister of the Ordonians, Impa and Sheik, naïve to the world and what evils lay outside Ordon. Instead, she was now Princess Zelda of Hyrule, someone who was expected to be controlled and wise, but on the inside, a frightened girl who could trust no one. But it wasn't just her. The fear and darkness had tainted even the kindest people she knew.
She had seen the looks of those in the prison camp, some angry, other fearful, but Rusl had been one change that had surprised her. The teasing smile and eyes lit with promises of lighthearted stories that had often adorned Rusl's face had become a grim line and his eyes had become haunted by tales of bloodbaths and destruction. However, he still was the firm Rusl underneath. But Link…
It made no sense. Though he had been brash and assertive growing up, often making impulsive decisions, Link had always been gentle and kind, especially when dealing with others. As children, Ilia had stolen his horse on multiple occasions, often scolding him over his negligence to the smallest things, but he had never once retaliated with a backhanded retort, instead taking it in silence, although his face often showed how he felt on those occasions. Link also had never backed down from defending those who couldn't defend themselves. When he had visited the Kokiri and found out they were being bullied by a Skull Kid, instead of punishing it, Link befriended it, as if he knew it had just wanted someone to play with.
Even in later years, when he and Sheik somehow changed from being childhood friends to bitter rivals, fighting at every opportunity that presented itself, Link never landed a foul blow or spat a foul word… At least not in front of her or the other women anyways. When Link and Fado had begun apprenticing under Rusl for taking care of the goats, Fado had often lost them, usually having them end up in someone's pumpkin patch, but Link never complained or cruelly teased Fado about the extra work. Rusl had always pushed Link as well, especially in their sword lessons, scolding him when he was being stubborn about something. However, instead of losing his temper and quitting, Link pushed himself until he finally rose to the occasion and proved himself.
Even though he had lost his parents at a young age, Link had never once changed in his demeanor towards others. Until now…
Sure, he'd had his bouts of temper ever now and again and he had also been protective of those he cared for to a fault... But he also had had limits of what he would do, one of those limits being he would never forgo another person's safety unless it was deemed necessary. And yes, she was a stranger, one who had been lying to them from the day she had gotten here, which didn't bode well since Ordon had already been ransacked once, but still…
As she thought more about it, Zelda touched her wrist. It still ached where Link had gripped it. A shudder passed through her as she remembered the cold look Link had given her, calculating and feral, like a beast. That wasn't Link.
Rusl's words echoed in her head. War changes people. It brings out their truest selves. Curling up, Zelda tried not to listen. Link's truest self wasn't violent and cruel, was it? He'd never been that way before… had he?
No. Link had been good. If he hadn't, there was no way Zelda would have survived those awful nights in the prison camp where her only comfort was in the memories she had of home and of Link. She knew that. She knew him. He would never do anything to hurt her… But yet, he had… And there had been no signs of remorse or care in his face.
That was what frightened her the most.
Tears welled up in her eyes. Always, Zelda had held Link close to her heart, relying on his strength to get her through the tough decisions she had to face. Even when she had been in the prison camp, she still relied on her memories of him, often longing for his boyish grin and kind words to help cheer her up. But now it seemed as if that the Link she had known was exactly that. A memory.
No. He was still there, Zelda knew it. He was still in there, just buried. After all, she had seen his kindness return to him when he was with the children or when he was addressing Uli. He also took what Sera and Pergie said with stride, rather than flying off the handle about the ridiculous rumors that they passed amongst the village. And Ilia… Zelda's heart panged at the thought of their impeding… union… and she shook her head, trying to banish the thought.
It was just her that he seemed to dislike. Was it because she looked so much like a person he thought was dead? Guilt crept into her as she recalled her last conversation with Ilia. Ilia had implied that once he had thought Zelda was dead, he had closed up and become a shell of his former self. Is that why? Is it really my fault? The thought upset her. She didn't want to be the reason he had become like this. As she thought about it, another thing Ilia brought up stuck in her mind. The fact that Link wouldn't talk about her. Another painful thought crept into her mind: Maybe, Link was still in mourning. Could that be it? After all this time?
Maybe it wasn't war, but grief that had changed him. Zelda had seen him grieve before, at age eight, when his mother, Tana, had passed away from illness. But he hadn't acted like this… At least, not to outsiders… Zelda curled up, trying not to think about it. If this was grief, then Link becoming this, a violent and aggressive person, was her fault. Even so, that didn't excuse his actions, but still, she couldn't bring herself to be angry with him.
Even after everything that had happened, she still loved him.
Sighing, Zelda sat up off the couch. What was she doing? She needed to get out of Ordon. If Link had figured her out, then staying could mean much worse troubles headed her way. Standing up, Zelda tiptoed into the other room to find Uli and Colin asleep in Uli's bed while the new baby slept soundly in her crib.
A sad smile crept on her face before she murmured, "Sorry Uli." Turning, she walked towards where her cloak hung, still untouched after all these months. Wrapping it around herself, Zelda felt a bulge in the fabric where a pocket was. She reached in and pulled out the Deku Toad bag that Sheik had given her. Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered what was in there.
Opening the bag, Zelda pulled out the two letters that Rusl had given to her. Both were in envelopes and as Zelda looked at them, she was pleased to find that the Deku Toad bag had done its job in protecting the letters from water damage as the ink that marked who each letter was for had not run and there were no wrinkles in the paper. Walking over to the table, Zelda placed the letters on the table before pulling up her hood and going outside.
The moon, round and full, sat high in the sky, illuminating everything in pale light. Zelda grimaced, knowing it wouldn't be the best time for her to run, but at least she'd be able to see her way. Walking down the pathway, Zelda noticed that each house's windows were dim, signifying that the villagers were asleep. Zelda hurried her pacing and walked out of the village.
As she walked past Link's house, Zelda stopped and looked at her bare forearm and the scars that blazed red on it. She knew that if she was ever caught with those marks, she'd be taken back to Ganondorf or killed. Though her heart filled with dread at the thought of talking to Link, Zelda walked over to the ladder that led up to his house and began climbing. Once she had reached the top, she knocked on his door.
In response, Link's door creaked open on its own accord, causing Zelda to frown. Link hadn't even closed his door properly… She shook the thought from her mind and decided to look in to see if he was asleep. Poking her head in, Zelda called out, "Link? Are you home?"
No answer.
Zelda took a few tentative steps inside Link's house, looking around. The house was similar to what Zelda remembered, mainly a large room with ledges that held bookshelves and Link and Aryll's once shared bed on the right while on the left stood the entrance to the offshoot that led to Link's basement. Supplies and furniture also sat against their walls in an old familiar way. However, it was very messy as sets of clothing carpeted the floor, things were scattered here and there, and Zelda could tell the room needed to be dusted badly. However, the room was empty, meaning that Link must be on night patrol.
Biting her lip, Zelda weighed the consequences of waiting for Link or taking looking around for some bandages. After a moment, she shook her head. Why was this so difficult? It was simple: Protect herself and Ordon from Ganondorf by stealing some bandages and running away OR stay until she got more bandages and risk getting caught. Assuming Link wouldn't be home until morning and that she didn't run into him in the woods, she would be long gone by the time he got back. It was just that simple!
But… If Link caught her… She shuddered, trying to push away the thought of his behavior earlier. Then again, it was better to have Link angry with her than have Ganondorf find her again. After shaking herself from her fear, she walked into Link's home and started looking for bandages.
It only took a few minutes to find them, hidden in the top shelf of a chest of drawers near the doorway. An almost full roll of bandages sat in amongst some bottles filled with what Zelda could only guess to be medicine. Taking the roll, Zelda began to wrap her forearm with some difficulty. After a few more minutes, she tore the bandages free and managed to tie it together. Looking at it, she grimaced at the sloppy way the bandages hung as if they were going to fall off, but it would have to do for now.
Without another moment to lose, Zelda darted out of Link's house, making sure to close the door behind her, and rushed down the ladder. Pulling her cloak tight around her frame, Zelda moved through the trees with careful steps, sticking close to the shadows so as to not reveal her presence to who or what might be out in the woods.
However, Zelda paused when she passed Ordona Spring, still dead the way it had been when she'd arrived those months ago. Sadness welled inside her, but before she could do anything a snarl caught her attention. Turning, Zelda saw several pairs of glowing yellow eyes watching her, the closest pair set in a large shape that she knew to be a wolf's.
Without further warning, Zelda ran.
Ending Comments: Yep. I sic'ed the wolves on Zelda. I'm just not kind to her, huh? Oh well. This is a war. And it's not nice. Don't worry, she'll get some good things happen sooner or later. But we're not there yet. Anyways, thank you for review and please leave a review!