~Chapter 3~
Shinda did not have a name until she was about five years old. For five years she lived with her mother in the dark depths of her home, living freely and happily alone with her only parent. She roamed the dripping wet hallways and explored every corner of her quiet world without knowing she lacked one important feature of the human race.
She remained nameless until the day she almost killed her mother.
She didn't mean any harm to her mother, of course. She was only a child who barely knew enough words to speak her thoughts and whose skills as a fighter had only just seeded inside her brain. Yet even so she became a threat to her mother.
The well was a dangerous place to live. There were many guarded secrets that resided within the mold-protected walls, and even after living in the darkness for so long Shinda's mother had not yet come to a full understanding of these hidden dangers. She knew this, and did not explore her home in fear of her safety.
Shinda did not share this fear, and one day decided to follow her spider friends outside her mother's safe abode, moving beyond well-known areas. Shinda's mother followed to bring her back and fell into a hole, with a drop of at least twenty feet.
Shinda had seen the hole; she simply skipped over it. But her mother seemed blind and without care stepped into the opening in the floor. Shinda could not understand why her mother had done such a stupid thing. Over and over again she asked her mother, "Mama, why did you do that? Why did you jump into the hole? Why, Mama?" But her mother understood what had happened. A part of the truth was revealed to her, through her near-death experience, and the veil that covered her eyes was lifted, and for the first time Shinda's mother understood the gift of her child.
And named her child Shinjitsu Noko.
"A long, long time ago, there was great peace in a land known as Hyrule. Behind this peace was a golden power that lay hidden in another dimension, out of the reach of greedy hands. Harmony filled the land with great joy until one day this secret realm was discovered.
Out of greed and lust, wars broke out through this peaceful land, and blood stained the innocent ground so that the trees withered and animals fled. Out of fear for their land, the royal family of Hyrule sealed away this realm, blocking it off from the evil hearts of men. There, the realm remained untouched until one man entered the scene. A thief from the desert, the King of the Gerudos known as Ganondorf.
When Ganondorf seized the green terrain of Hyrule, darkness swallowed it, consuming both people and spirits. His evil control crushed the royal family, and took hold of the forbidden realm. The golden power became his.
But before Hyrule's doom was nigh, a ray of hope shone like a beacon through Ganondorf's dark cloud. A young boy, clothed in green bearing the evil's bane, traveled through time to defeat the evil king. He sealed the evil one away, and the shadows dispelled from the world. This boy was known as he Hero of Time."
The servant stopped talking for a moment, staring up at the spider-infested ceiling in deep thought. Shinda blinked as she watched the strange, young girl become silent, before speaking up.
"What does this have to do with me?" Shinda asked, digging her toe into the moss growing between the broken bricks. The clanking of chains echoed through her cell as she moved her ankle, and Shinda moaned with agony as the rusted steel rubbed up against her irritated skin.
The servant looked through the bars at Shinda and rubbed the back of her head. "Oh, nothing, actually. I just love that story."
Shinda frowned in anger. "Then cut to the chase and explain to me why I'm here!" she growled in her irritation. Her chains shifted again and she bit back another moan. The servant looked at Shinda's ankle.
"Does it hurt? Would you like some wool or cloth to put around the chain? It would stop the rash," the servant girl offered, but Shinda scowled and backed up. She still couldn't believe that she was taken from her home only a few days ago, and put in chains like an animal. She was promised that as long as she tried not to run away, she would be free from the steel, but Shinda broke one of the guard's nose and she was punished.
"Oh, come on, Shinda, I've already told you a million times. Your tribe has vowed to protect the Hylian royal family as longed as they lived, so as long as you live, little Sheikah, you must serve the royal family as a personal guard," the servant spoke with laughter in her voice, a warm sound of comfort that even wrapped Shinda in a blanket of tranquility. Shinda sighed at the sound; she has not heard laughter in a long time, but quickly shook off the feeling with a glare.
"Personal guard? What is that? Why was I taken from my home? What are you creatures? What is going on? Where am I?" Shinda asked with fear and uncertainty in her voice. She sat down onto the filthy ground, pulling her legs toward her for protection. She stared hard in front of her, as though watching an invisible scene before her of her life. She saw herself growing up with her mother, watched as her mother played games with her in the moldy hallways, saw her self burying her mother's corpse. She watched as she was dragged out of her home into the blinding light unknown to her to, and as she was thrown into the darkness again, chained to the wall and feed very little. She felt a tear slide down her face, but was quick to wipe it away.
"So many questions! It's hard to keep up," the servant's laughter continued.
"Besides, you're one to talk, calling me little when you're so young yourself," Shinda mumbled, "I'm much older than you."
The servant's laughter stopped. Shinda looked up at her face to see a serious expression on her face, one she has not seen on this little girl before. The girl bent over so that she was level with Shinda's face, and her eyes locked unto Shinda's.
"You let what you see judge what you know. I'm much older than I look. Perhaps it's because of what you saw that you were caught," the servant said quietly, in a soft yet dangerous tone. Straightening up, the servant stretched again and walked out of the cell. Shinda heard the door click as it closed, then the awful sound of a key locking her in with her own sorrow.
Shinda sighed, not taking anything the girl said to heart. She knew better than anyone about seeing, because she had learned long ago that she could see things that others could not.
"Hey, Faren! Let's play!" Link called out through the courtyard, running toward his self-proclaimed friend. Faren's expression changed with every word, and by the time Link reached him he had picked up the nearest stick and swung at his target: Link's face.
Link ducked in time, almost with practice, and grabbed the stick in mid-swing. Smiling, he crushed the stick and let the broken pieces fall onto the ground. The soft thuds of wood meeting grass was muted by the cry of a nearby crow. Faren dropped what was left of the stick and shuddered. Why does no one else find that creepy?
"We don't play, Link. We are soldiers in training, not children that make mud pies and play house. We're sixteen, or at least I think you are. Now, why don't you go climb a tree and fall?" Faren said coolly, turning away from the annoyance. Link grabbed Faren's arm, causing Faren to flinch with annoyance.
"Aw, don't be cold. Perhaps a warming hug…"
"No," Faren held up a hand.
"No, no. No hugs. Right, personal space," Link chuckled to himself before returning to talking. "Do you want to see the Sheikah with me?"
"No," Faren growled before attempting to turning away from the boy again.
"Please?" Link begged, once again stopping Faren with a hard tug on the sleeve. "I don't want to go alone! Besides, I want us to become friends." Link stared hard at Faren, his blue eyes gleaming. "You're like a stone wall, no matter how many arrows I shot at you I cannot bring it down. Come one, don't be stone wall. Be a cake wall!"
Faren raised an eyebrow with amusement. "A cake wall?"
Link considered his words carefully. Faren looked interested, Link thought, I must trend carefully now. He's like a wild animal. Be kind and gentle, let him test you out first.
"Yeah. Doesn't it sound yummy?" Link smiled with genuine happiness. Faren placed a hand on his temple and sighed deeply. There it is again; that terrible headache that comes with Link, like a plague that engulfs Faren in a cloud of sickness. Pulling his sleeve clear of Link's grasp, he sighed again.
"Link, I'm busy. Perhaps another day…" Faren began, but Link would not hear of it.
"Oh, come on," Link tried again, but Faren looked distant. Time to bribe, Link thought. "I'll stop talking to you for a week."
Faren's attention was instantly caught on the hook. "Make it forever." Link laughed at the silliness of his friend.
"Two weeks and you won't even see me."
Faren was quick to the draw. "Deal. Let's go now," Faren said urgently, determined to get this out of the way so that his next two weeks would be two weeks of heaven.
Link pointed behind him. "This way!"
Link and Faren walked down the shadows of the dungeon hallway. Behind the rusted bars of the cells sat decaying men as they sat in punishment for the rest of their days. Sobs of fear and hysterical laughter echoed through the brick-lined walls, making Link shiver. Faren looked at the men and felt sick to his stomach, but he stopped himself from being taken over by the feeling.
At last, they came to a door, an iron and steel door with metal bolts and rust lining the edges, making an interesting coloration of red and grey. A servant, a girl with a look of an eight year old, stood by the door, preparing food for the prisoner that slept behind the looming door. She hummed to herself a strange song, pulling her short hair behind her ear as she poured a cup of water on a metal tray.
Hearing the footsteps of the new arrivals, she looked up from her work and her eyes twinkled with joy. "Oh, my. Are you here to see the girl? Oh, that's great. She doesn't have a lot of visitors." The girl laughed to herself. "And for good reason. She's got a tongue of fire when she gets going."
Link took the tray from the girl's hands. "Please, let me help. After all, we are coming at the most inconvenient time. We apologize." The girl giggled.
"My, what a gentleman! Thank you! Really, it's no trouble at all. Here, this way," the girl took out a key from her apron pocket, inserted it into the keyhole, and turned to unlock the door. A loud click quieted the ruckus of the men, and as she opened the door a sea of eyes followed her steady movements, curious to see what would happen. She took no notice and walked into the silent cell. Link and Faren followed, both taking no notice in the change. Instead, they let the sight of a strange new creature take their attention, and they both lost their breath at the sight of Shinda.
They have never seen a human with red eyes. It has never happened before, it was unthinkable. Link took in the sight of her snowy white hair, captured by the net of curiosity, and he smiled at her. His smile was returned with a scowl. Shinda's eyes were like weapons on their own; they seemed to pierce the very souls of the three intruders.
"Lunch time!" the servant girl sang, placing the tray by the edge of the cell. "Today, it's bread and water! The bread is fresh today. Eat up!"
Shinda made no move at first, but as she moved toward the meal she looked at Link and Faren with a strange stare, then her expression changed into one of horror. She withdrew her hand and pulled herself toward the far wall, letting her clothes become wet with the slime that dripped down the bricks. Her breathing became shallow; her eyes were large with surprise.
The servant girl bent down, level to Shinda's head. "Shinda? Are you alright? What's wrong?" she asked, but Shinda did not reply. The servant picked of the tray, unlocked the cell door, and walked inside to give the food to the terrified girl. As she handed Shinda the tray, Shinda grabbed the cup of water and hurled toward the two boys. Water flew through the air and landed on Faren, drenching him. The cup went flying toward Link's face, but he dodged the cup, and the metallic thud rang out as the cup hit both ground and wall.
"Shinda! What was that?" the servant spoke sharply, before hitting herself in the head. "Arg, you boys better leave. I forgot, Shinda is terrified of men, the poor dear."
"What?" Faren asked, shivering with both rage and cold, but the servant sighed.
"Never mind. I'll tell you later. Please, leave."
Faren wanted to yell at the girl, but was stopped by Link as he pulled Faren out of the room. The door shut behind them, and the servant shook her head.
"You need to buck up. Those boys are nice. Well, at least one of them is." The servant picked up the cup and looked inside. "All that water wasted. Shame."
Shinda whispered something that the servant did not catch. "What?" the servant asked, but Shinda withdrew herself, indicating for the servant to leave her alone. Confused, she left the cell to leave Shinda alone with her fears.
It was not the fact that there were boys in the room. Shinda was not afraid of that. No, what terrified her is that the servant let in three creatures, three people that watched her like something a child would watch. And she was even more terrified when the servant said there was only two people. One was normal, a boy with blonde hair and bright blue eyes, but the other was surrounded by a dark cloud that shifted and formed the body of a boy, an illusion that tricked the humans in the room. This other boy was not human; he was a creature of darkness.
The last person, an older man, was the one that Shinda stared at the most. A man of green skin and flaming red hair, and evil yellow eyes that plotted and hated with extreme passion. He wore robes of royalty, ugly yet fine thick cloaks of black that covered his massive body. He followed the boys into her cell, and followed them out, but before he left the room, he turned to her, smiled and introduced himself.
"My name is Ganondorf."
Hey everybody! Wow, sorry for the late update! I've been to busy that I just can't keep up!
Anyway, I would love to hear from you! Please don't be too evil, I'll work harder to make better chapters. I know there are a lot of breaks and stuff, but as stories come together those will disappear. Poof!
Thanks for your interest!
~Maannga