I got one review that stated the reader was excited! I would have to say that I am also. Hopefully this chapter is more fulfillingthan the last. xx

"What the fuck…?"

NOW where was I? It was dark, dimly lit, wherever I was. This time, indoors and in an actual bed, but…how did I get here?

"…wow, that's the last thing I expected to come out of you mouth!"

I turned my head and saw a young man sitting next to the bed. He had soft, almost angelic features and bright blue eyes. An air of familiarity was surrounding him, but not one I could pinpoint right then. His arms were folded, he was leaning back, comfortable. I somehow knew this was his home.

"Uh…sorry, but…what's going on?"

"You tell me," he said, "I was out for a walk and I heard screaming."

I closed my eyes. He'd seen me faint. Wait, had I fainted? I wasn't even sure anymore.

"Yeah, you passed out and I couldn't just leave you there. You know, with the wolves and beasts at night, if you were left there for long enough, you could get eaten."

I gave him a look, "So you brought me to your bed?"

His cheeks flushed, "No. I brought you to safety, and also because…"

He made a gesture to my arm. I sighed and remembered. Yet another thing in this merry-go-round of insanity that was my day, that I couldn't explain.

"Where did you get that?"

"I don't know."

"Ok…is there a reason why you were screaming?"

"Yeah," I rolled up my sleeve sheepishly, "It hurts."

"Tattoos usually do. I wouldn't know from experience, but-"

"You don't understand," I said quietly, "It feels like my skin is burning. Hell, I could actually SMELL my skin burning when this thing appeared."

His eyes went wide, "…appeared?"

I rubbed my eyes, "Look, mister, uh…"

"Link."

"Right, Link, I'm really sorry, but I can't remember much of anything right now, let alone where this weird thing came from or why I have it," I said, "All I know, is I woke up this morning and my village was burned away. My family is dead. I don't recall the last few months, or maybe even years, I'm unsure, but–"

Link's face grew increasingly pale, "…you have lost your memory?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I don't know, I can remember talking to my dad or something, and then it all goes from there. Gone. I woke up, there was this weird set of…" I paused. "Wait, why am I telling YOU this? I don't even know you!"

Link held up his hands, "Hey, that's fine. If you want to leave, I–"

I sighed, "And go where? Everyone I love is gone…"

His tone softened, "I know that feeling. I'm sorry, miss, er…?"

"Hanna," I replied, "I know my name is Hanna, at least."

"HEY! LISTEN!"

I jumped back as Link's hat flew off and a tiny fairy emerged, ramming herself into the side of his head to get his attention. He swatted at her and she hovered between us.

"Ganondorf threatened he would find a Chosen One to bury his powers in, did he not?" the little fairy spoke, "Don't you remember, Link?"

Link muttered, "Yeah, I remember, Navi…"

"Put your regrets behind. LISTEN. It is not above Ganondorf to abduct a girl and do this sort of thing, so I think–"

"Wait, GANONDORF?" my jaw dropped, "My father told me about him. I didn't think he was anything but a fairy story." I felt the fairy shoot me a look. "Sorry, I meant I didn't think he was real."

"That's just it. WAS," Link stood up, "Ganondorf, is dead, Navi. We have had this discussion before."

Navi was getting more hyped up by the second, "NOT dead, and nor is Princess Zelda–"

Link drew his sword and I found myself up against the wall to get away from their quarrel, "Don't say that name."

"Well she isn't!" Navi insisted, "There's a cure!"

"IF there is, I can't find it!"

"PUT down your sword, you idiot!" Navi snapped at him, and he dropped it to the ground, "Now…what we have here is a girl without memories. How old are you, at this point?"

Unsure as to who she was asking, Link and I both said in unision: "Seventeen."

Navi seemed to smirk, "Well. Ganondorf DID say–"

"I don't care what he said…" Link rolled his eyes, "It's useless."

"What is this about?" I asked, crossing my arms, "I mean…it's none of my business, but since you think I'm somehow involved, perhaps it is."

Link replied, "A friend of mine died, at my expense, and so did many others. Ganondorf had made threats, most of which he fulfilled, and I arrived too late to save her. I was able to push him off a cliff into a river, one that was so deep and filled with perilous rocks, there is no chance he survived…"

I was taken aback, "Well, that's not the best day to have…when was this?"

Link sighed, "About a year ago."

"Yeah, and he's been hiding in this cave ever since!" Navi said with mock laughter, "The people of Hyrule need you, Link!"

"They don't! There's been peace since Ganondorf died. Everything's fine."

"Clearly not. This girl's village was destroyed."

"Could've been just from someone forgetting to put out their fire at night."

"Well, she's got a very dark mark on her…"

"Why's it dark?" I interrupted, "I don't even know what it is…"

Link sat down in front of me again, offering me his hand. I gently took it, wincing as he ran a thumb over the mark. He was studying it.

"This symbol is very powerful," he said quietly, "And for it to appear on a girl from a village, someone so ordinary…"

I scoffed, "Thanks."

"It's not meant to insult you," Link insisted, "I mean, there's some very, VERY powerful magic here. This didn't just show up. I'm pretty sure someone put it here."

I felt sick, "Did someone do this to me, then?"

Link nodded. I withdrew my arm. It still was very sore.

"Hanna," he said, very slowly, "It might be a good idea to see somebody about this. I mean…I think you could be in danger."

"In danger? How?" I asked. After all, I wasn't anything special.

"I don't know, but there are people out there who would probably love to harvest this from you, and not in a nice way." He stood up. "Have you heard of the Great Deku Tree?"

I nodded, "Of course. The tales of places far away that we told in the village often spoke of it."

"I can take you to it," Link said, "But you have to promise me you won't stray from me. You have to trust me."

I swallowed, "I don't know…"

"You SHOULD trust him!" Navi insisted, "He's the Hero of Time!"

I felt like I had been slapped across the face.

"…you. No way. You're…?"

Link's face was now red as he gave Navi a glare. I couldn't believe it. The years of hearing about the Hero, his rescues of the greatest powers and the countless people he saved, and now he was standing in front of me.

"But…how can you be seventeen?" I frowned, "Unless your timeline is out of sync…?"

Link nodded, "Very much so."

"So you're much older than me," I smiled a little, "You must think I'm a little kid. I was born the year of the Fire, which wasn't that long ago."

His face changed again. Now to shock. Had I said something wrong?

"Hanna…" Link's eyes were filled with worry now, "We have to go to the tree immediately. This is worse than I thought."

"What? Why?" I asked. Again, I worried I had said something wrong.

"…the year of the Fire was almost a century ago."

The color drained from my face. I could feel it. Link steadied me so I could lie down. The shock and fear was overwhelming.

"I promise I'm going to help you," Link said to me, "The Great Deku tree can tell us why this is. Why your timeline is out."

I said nothing. I couldn't think of a response.

"It's really strange that you don't look older than seventeen, though!" Navi commented. I felt even worse. I think Link noticed this, because he shushed her and placed her into a jar.

"Hanna, we'll go see the Great Deku and find you a place to be," Link told me, "This will all be over very soon."

I shook my head, "I don't know…"

"Listen, I'll protect you. I've protected many before you. You've heard the stories about me, right?"

I mustered a "Yeah," under my breath.

"Then believe them, because they're all true. I won't let anything more happen. Trust me, I have seen worlds and people out of place, and they always find their way."

I closed my eyes. It wasn't long before I felt him lift a blanket over me and dim the small light nearby. Link was kind enough to let me gather myself as I fell asleep. Not that I knew what I was going to do or say when I awoke anyway.

–-–

"She has the Triforce."

"I know."

"I think she's Ganondorf's Chosen One."

"It….possible."

"If she is, Link, she'll try to kill you. She's destined to kill everyone. Hyrule will fall and never get back up."

Link swallowed. Navi looked out onto the horizon with him.

"There will be dark forces looking for her, you know."

"Yes."

"They'll try to take her from you."

"Yeah, TRY. I won't let them."

Navi laughed, "I knew the old you was in there somewhere."

Link shrugged.

"The poor girl is so defenceless, it would be easy for an enemy to lift her and take her…"

An idea rose in his mind as Navi made that comment.

"Unless…"

"Unless what?"

"I could train her."

"Wait, what?"

"Basic combat," Link said, "The way I was taught, when I was young. How to fend off bad guys, you know? Blocking, striking. It's not THAT hard."

"You're crazy. She's from Bamoor. They're farmers with not a single tough bone in their bodies!"

"WAS from Bamoor," Link said quietly, "Now she's of Hyrule. I can teach her. I know I can."

"What makes you so sure?"

He met the fairy with a sly smile, "Call it a sixth sense."