I'm BACK guys, and BETTER than EVER!
No, just kidding. My chapters will be no better than usual.
On a random note, I'm thinking about putting Harry Potter quotes into my chapters. Like,
"One thing I would like to know though," she said, fixing her eyes on a spot a foot over Ron's head. "How exactly did you find us tonight? That's important. Once we know, we'll be able to make sure we're not visited by anyone else we don't want to see."
…BURN. Hermione just dissed her future husband.
ANYWAY…. Thanks for the reviews, guys! Love you all! I mean really- 71 reviews?! That's gold if you ask me. Yes, I've seen those 9000 reviews on a story, but I'm quite content with all my readers and their reviews. Love you all!
…
Silence is golden. Duck tape is silver.
…
Favorite quote. Randomness!
On with the story then! As Link says, YA!!!
(Link's POV) Faster… Faster… C'mon… Link thought as he kicked Epona's ribs for the sixth time on the field. Epona neighed, and reared. She turned her head and looked at Link.
"Sorry, Epona, but this is an emergency! We need to get to the castle!"
As if she understood, she looked at Hyrule Castle's highest tower peeking up over the mountains. She started galloping towards it, and Link held on as tight as he could. He was about to lose his foothold in the stirrups, and slowed Epona to a normal canter. They reached Faron Province eventually and entered through the South Gate. He let Epona drink the water flowing out of the fountain and he sprinted to the door.
Cheers erupted when he got inside- it was the three girls who loved him so much. It seemed as if their eyes were hearts and they were smiling at him so intently. Link said nothing but shoved past them and they shrieked when he brushed their shoulders. He ran faster than they did, but Castle Town was very crowded today, making it harder to move. He went into the central square and hid behind a man talking to his friend. The girls' confused expressions told Link that he had lost them. When the girls walked away, the two men smiled.
"Got some admirers, do ya, eh?" one of the men asked.
"Uh, guess so," Link said, looking continuously behind him to the castle.
"You gots some good lookin' ones too," the other added on, watching them walk back to the southern throughfare.
"Bah, they're too young for you, you old cook!"
"Yer just jealous that I look younger than you do!"
"I am 62 years old, and you're what, 105?"
69!"
Link took the opportunity to leave, and sprinted to the castle doors. He met the two guards at the gate, and halted when one stuck out his spear.
Oh come on, what else could slow me down? Link thought.
"Halt! Who goes there?"
"Aren't you original," Link muttered under his breath.
"Pardon me?" the guard sneered.
"It is I, Link, and prepare to meet your doom," Link said, sounding bored.
"Hey, that's the password!" the other guard said.
"Shut up, you idiot!" the guard with the spear said and poked the other guard in the stomach. "I'll kill you now!"
The guard hunched his shoulders and looked down.
"Now," the guard with the spear said, "what business do you have with the Royal Family of Hyrule?"
"I have to see Princess Zelda, now."
"Wait, what's your name again?"
"Link."
"Link what?"
"Just Link."
"… Whatever. I don't really care now that Ganondorf is dead. You may pass."
Link started walking, but was stopped when the guard without a spear grabbed his arm.
"I know you killed Ganondorf," he whispered, "and you'll pay for it. Zant said—"
"What are you doing? Let him go!" the guard with the spear said. The guard let go of Link's arm and let him pass.
Link didn't even register what the second guard said in his mind- he sprinted to the castle without a second thought. He opened the front doors without a knock, and the Queen of Hyrule looked up from her book.
Link noticed that there was furniture in the main hall now. Was it ever furnished? He didn't know.
"Good afternoon, Warrior!" the Queen greeted him. "How may I help you?"
"I must see Princess Zelda. It is an emergency," Link said urgently, making sure there was might in his voice.
"Of course dear! And really, you can call her Zelda. She won't mind."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Oh, you can call me Mom!"
Link put a fake smile on and started up the stairs, then grimaced. Once he got inside a door, he shuddered.
"Link, are you cold?" Zelda's voice came from around the corner. She walked out in front of him. "I saw you shivering."
"Just… got the chills. But I have to talk to you."
"About?" Zelda asked, turning her head a little, showing her concern.
"Midna."
Apparently, Zelda had expected this, because she gulped.
"She's gone missing," Link stated.
Then Zelda's eyes flew open- not what she was expecting at all. "Pardon me?"
"I don't think she was kidnapped- I think she jumped."
"Jumped where?" Zelda asked, growing impatient.
"Into the Open Twilight."
Zelda was silent. She glanced over her shoulder, but turned quickly back to Link.
"Use the chains then, right?" she asked.
Link looked over her shoulder to where Zelda was looking. Four people were snipping off and adding on fabric to a beautiful white gown. Link tried not to show disappointment.
"That's what I was thinking."
"What if we run out?"
"We find something else. But you're not going down there, and you're not strong enough to hold me without dropping me," Link said sternly.
"I have magic on my side."
Link nodded. It would have to do.
"Then tonight…"
"We use my magic to rip the chains off their hooks and smuggle them away to Arbiter's Grounds," Zelda finished, sounding worried.
"You won't get in trouble," Link said softly, trying to calm her. "You're helping a friend for the better."
"I hope so. I just hope… we're not too late."
Zelda just stated the nightmare of his life- if Midna were to die and Link not being able to help her. Of all the times she almost died for him, of all the times she saved him, Link owed her. And saving her life this time was going to be it.
That ear piercing scream Link had heard played over and over again in his mind- like a broken record player. It tortured him, and he held his head up with his hand and slid down the wall. Zelda sat beside him and rubbed his shoulder.
"Emotional pain causes more damage than physical," Zelda said quietly. "The heart takes longer to mend than bones do."
Link nodded. "Yeah. No kidding."
They sat there awhile, Link hoping Midna was okay and Zelda probably hoping Link still "loved" her.
Wait, Zelda was implying that Midna was dead. Link looked alarmed at Zelda, and Zelda couldn't meet his eyes. She only closed them and a tear slid down her cheek.
"No… she's not…"
"I think she is, Link. She couldn't have survived the fall," Zelda said, more tears falling from her eyes and landing on his knee.
Link kept shaking his head no, and remembered the night that Link and she had kissed… that beautiful night, and then Midna walked out and almost killed herself.
The door opened and a brilliant light shone in- the Queen walked in. "Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?"
Zelda almost said yes, but Link spoke sooner. "No. No, it's fine."
Zelda looked disappointed, but stood up. Link continued sitting and the Queen walked over with the people making Zelda's dress. She told them what a great job they were doing, and how she wished they made her wedding dress…
Link couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed Zelda's arm and quietly slipped out the door.
"The chains are with the drawbridge, correct?" Link asked, but it sounded like a statement.
"Um, yes, that's where they should be, like every other castle…"
Link went out the doors and stopped when they got outside the castle walls.
"How will we get you across without you being seen?" Link asked, narrowing his eyes at the crowd in the Town Square.
"Must I not be seen?"
"They'll know you're not in the castle."
"But they won't know where I'm going."
Link stared for a moment, but decided to just go for it. After all, time matters.
They both continued down the ramp, Link set on getting the chains, Zelda was set on doing something else.
When they reached the Town Square, nobody paid any attention to them. Not until someone bumped into Zelda.
"Hey, watch where you're… Princess Zelda!"
Everybody stared and bowed, almost in unison. It made Link claw at his leg where his hands hung. He didn't like attention, and being King would drive him insane.
The woman got to her knees and bowed deeply. "I'm so terribly sorry! I didn't know… I'm sorry, Your Highness."
"It is alright. Now please, if you wouldn't mind, may you step aside?"
"Of course!" the woman jumped right up and moved to Link's side. Zelda grabbed Link's hand and didn't look at him as they moved across the square to the Western Throughfare. Whispers of delight echoed across the plaza- they were so happy to see Zelda loving someone. But more importantly, no one loved her back.
Link tried several times to make Zelda let go of his hand unnoticeably, but it failed. Zelda's grip was too strong. When they got out of Castle Town, Zelda let go.
"Why'd you do that?" Link asked, trying to not sound annoyed.
"Link, we're engaged, and you don't even want to hold my hand? We should be closer. I mean for crying out loud, we haven't even kissed!"
Link coughed when she said that- trying everything he could to not hear it.
Link started to get mad when Zelda walked closer to him, so he picked up the pace. "We will at the wedding," Link said, his teeth clenching.
They didn't say anything as the lowered the drawbridge down as quietly as they could and unraveled the chains from the hook. They were rusted to the stone and left marks where they were, but eventually they both got them out. Zelda used a lot of her magic and was exhausted but daintily drank from the river below. It still looked odd for the princess to do that for herself, but she managed to not leave a stain on her dress.
Zelda lifted the chains up into the air with her magic and a gold glow enveloped them. Link called Epona and they both got onto her back, Link steering and Zelda controlling the chains in the air. By the time they reached Faron Province she was sweating.
"Could we take a break?" she asked, panting.
Link knew there was no time for breaks, but Zelda was his only hope of getting the chains to the Twilight Realm. And once they were there, how were they going to lower him down?
Zelda dropped her arms to her sides and let out an exasperated sigh. She drank from the river nearby and plopped herself on the ground.
Link quickly took off Epona's saddle and threw water on her back and neck, and the water dripped down her legs and onto the grass. She happily chomped on some while Link put the saddle back on. Zelda braided Epona's mane and Link jumped on her back again. Zelda shortly followed and picked up the chains with her magic. Epona reared and started galloping east. Link, by instinct, let his eyes wander the area in front of him in case a bublin were to pop out and fire arrows, but nothing did. It made the trip a lot smoother.
Link parked Epona by Lake Hylia to keep her cool and Link and Zelda continued their journey on foot. It seemed to take longer with Zelda. Not just because Epona was weighed down more, but Zelda's company dragged seconds.
Zelda dropped the chains once they reached the front of Arbiter's Grounds and they both stared at the top of the huge building. A bright light blue light shone out at the top after a few moments of staring at it- and Link automatically took out his sword and shield and was prepared to fight. Zelda narrowed her eyes and clenched her gloved fists.
Black and grey bodies jumped from the balcony at the top to the ground and ran past the two people, heading for Lake Hylia. More and more jumped out, some giving the two dirty looks, some smiling. But they all seemed to have a common goal.
"Hyrule is left unprotected!" Zelda exclaimed.
"The army knows what to do—"
"They'll be massacred!"
"Zelda, they'll be fine! Midna needs to be here too to keep her country under control!"
They started up Arbiter's Grounds as visions of Midna clouded Link's mind and Zelda held Link's hand and leaned into his cheek.
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Um, well, it's not the best, but hey, it's okay. Please review! I mean, you've reviewed every other chapter, why stop here? =D
Keep at it!
WOO!!
