A/N: Thanks to alwaysingirl, RoseWing and Kirkysaurus for their reviews! Yup, my first attempt at a cliffhanger was there. Was it okay?

Also, Kirkysaurus, here's a hint. It's not Ganon, but the creature has been in the story already :3

Broke 40 reviews! Thanks guys! ^_^

Chapter 19 - Revenge

The Octoroks didn't reappear in the river, making Zelda sigh with relief. Ruto was still shivering, even though the air began to warm as they walked away, and that she had a blanket on her shoulders. They hadn't really talked much since they left and the silence was starting to bug her. On the other hand, she didn't really have anything to say that was really tactful. After all, the girl had just lost all the people she had ever known under the ice.

'How are you feeling?' She decided to go for the more 'neutral' approach.

'O... okay,' Ruto stuttered.

'Sure? You're shivering quite a lot.'

'No, it's alright.'

Zelda shut her mouth, mostly because the cold air hurt her teeth. Instead, she and Ruto just walked in silence to the exit of the river, Ruto's chattering teeth filling the silence on occasion.

XxX

They made it to the exit and crossed the river to Hyrule Field. The sun was quite high in the sky, and Zelda guessed it was almost noon. Even though the temperature was starting to warm, Ruto was still shivering like mad. Zelda decided the best option was to make a fire for Ruto to warm her and herself up.

'Can I have that blanket please?' she asked Ruto. Ruto looked confused, but still gave the blanket to Zelda, shivering violently afterward. Zelda laid out the blanket on the grass like a rug and beckoned Ruto over.

'Sit here. I'm going to make a fire.'

Ruto nodded, still shivering. Zelda walked up to a nearby tree and climbed up expertly, pulling off branches and throwing them to the ground below. Once she felt she had a sufficient amount, she dropped down and scooped it up in her arms. As she walked back, she dropped the wood in front of Ruto. Finally, she threw an Ember Seed onto the dry branches, and as it made contact, the wood was engulfed in flames. The process was too fast for neither Sheik nor Ruto to see.

'Sit a bit closer and warm yourself up,' Sheik said. Ruto complied by shuffling closer to the mini inferno, putting out her hands in front of it. After a few minutes, she started to shiver less. Zelda had lots of questions for her, that must have been answered whether Ruto wanted to or not.

'Ruto,' she spoke. Ruto looked at her with an inquiring face. 'Can you remember anything that happened to Zora's Domain?'

Ruto didn't seem the least bit fazed. 'Yes, but it's quite a long story.'

'That's alright.'

'Okay. Then here goes.

'It all started seven years ago. I was feeding our guardian deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu, when all of a sudden the big galoot swallowed me along with his actual dinner. I wrote a message and put it in a bottle, then threw it out of his blowhole. From then on all I did was wait to see if anyone would come.

'After a few days, I heard the sound of rushing air. I went back to the entrance where my would-be saviour was standing. He was young, probably about nine or ten, and he had some weird green clothes on that I'd never seen before. Also, he had a really annoying glowing thing that circled his head, shouting out warnings every few seconds. Oh, but he was good-looking, even though he was young... Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

'He told me that he needed the Spiritual Stone of the Zoras, that is the Zora's Sapphire. Usually I'd only give the stone to someone I was going to marry, so that's exactly what I told him. You should have seen the look on his face!

'Anyway, we went through Jabu-Jabu fairly quickly. By the end, though, I was taken captive by some weird jellyish thing. What does anyone do in distress? Well they shout!

'I was shouting myself hoarse for the guy to come, and he did only an hour later, after which I saw him slaughter the thing with ease. Oh, how dashing he was then, swinging his sword this way and that, oblivious as the beast screeched and thrashed about. He killed it and I escaped with him.

'When we went out, he looked zoned out, and I took the opportunity to take a closer look. When he finally noticed, he fell backwards into the water! I tell you, I don't know whether I would have laughed as much as I did if I didn't stop myself.

'Once I got myself under control, I gave him the stone. Well, he did save my life, right? Anyway, after that I told him we were now engaged. So, naturally he ran right off! Rude, I know.

'After I got back to the Domain, my dad just stopped crying and hugged me. Well, he tried, but then again he can hardly move. For a while, everything turned back to normal. However, disaster struck only three years later.

'A dark man with evil eyes came to the Domain and threatened my father to serve under him. My father disagreed, and the man became very angry. He ran off, shouting,"Your tribe shall meet its end some day!" I was really scared, but my father comforted me, so I didn't worry about it for a while.

'That is until a few months afterward. The temperature dramatically fell, and the water started to get cooler and cooler. The Zoras didn't think anything of it, probably thinking it was a freak weather thing. One day though, I woke up, and the water was completely frozen, with all the Zoras underneath. It was so cold that the waterfall had also frozen, and it would take quite a lot to do it. Worst thing was that my father was also caught up in the attack, covered in a stranged red ice. I tried everything, but I couldn't thaw it. He just stayed there, and to this day hasn't moved.

'All I did was walk around, moping. Everyone was dead, I was alone. What was I to do? I just stayed, doing nothing. Sometimes I would venture out into Hyrule Field, but other than that, I was bored to death.

'It was only recently that I got stuck under the ice. I was just walking around the Domain when I slipped and fell through the ice. The water was so cold that I passed out when I went in. When I woke up, a thin layer of ice blocked my only exit. I was there for a while before you came and got me out.'

Zelda was listening all the way through the story. Now she knew exactly how far Ganondorf's rule had spread, and she had to stop it.

'Thank you, Ruto,' she whispered.

The faster she taught Link the way the better. Ganondorf will pay.

'Oh, what a sad story,' a sneering voice called out behind them. Zelda turned around, and her jaw fell.

'A fitting fate for that tribe for disobeying the mighty Ganondorf,' the husky voice bellowed, 'I was just walking around when I heard that little story when who should I find but you?'

'No way...' Zelda mumbled.

'Yes way! This is what you get for attacking me all those years ago. You should know that a Lizalfos never loses a grudge, however long it has been.'

Drazzil flicked out a knife, and shifted into a combat stance.

'Prepare to die.'