Chapter Twenty Six

~Normal POV~

We've been riding for about a day. I hate that Castletown is so far from the Lost Woods, it wasn't that far in Ocarina of Time. Now it's a three day ride and I have a serious case of saddle soreness. We've decided to camp out in this clearing for the night. Everyone was ready for a break, which kind of sucks considering we sill have two days of riding ahead of us. Link and I sit on a log next to the fire, while Sheik and Zelda sit over by the trees. Link and I silently agreed that we should give them some space, they've been separated for two months after all. Navi is actually not sleeping in Link's hat (gasp in shock) but catching up with some fairy friends she found on the other side of the clearing.

Link stares at his hand for what seems like a year. He's been silent ever since he received the Triforce. I think it may be the shock of becoming the holder of the most important item in the history of Hyrule, that sort of thing usually causes people to stare of into space for long amounts of time.

"You okay?" I finally ask. It's like he's reverted back to the Link I knew in the video games, no speaking whatsoever.

He looks at me, confused. "Huh?"

"Are you okay? You haven't said anything for the past, like, day."

He shakes his head as if to clear it. "Oh yeah, I'm fine. I just, didn't really expect this. It's funny, I didn't react this way when I found out I was the Hero of the Goddesses. When I got the Triforce, I guess it really hit me how... powerful, I guess, I am."

I smile back. "Yeah, you are. You're a hero. And not just any hero, you're Link. Nintendo's second golden boy."

"Second?"

"Yeah, Mario's the first."

"Mario?" The word sound foreign coming from his mouth.

"Yeah, the little Italian slash Mexican man with a mustache."

"The little what slash what with the what?"

I laugh. "Never mind."

We sit in silence for a little bit longer. Then, "So, why wasn't me being a Triforce holder including in that list of things I needed to know about myself?"

I laugh again. "I told you, it's hard to remember every little detail of the 16 different games that you're in. Plus, I kind of just assumed you'd already gotten it when you found out about the whole hero of the world thing."

He whistles. "16? That's a lot of games."

"Actually, 17 counting this one."

More silence. "I'd like to go to your world one day, meet this Shigeru Miyamoto guy and Nintendo. Tell them to stop putting Hyrule in danger and then making me come back to save it."

"You're welcome anytime."

"I'll plan on it."

"Just don't make them stop making games. I like the games."

"And you can show me what M&M's are."

"Oh they are divine, you'll love them."

He laughs. Then he reaches out and pushes a lock of hair that must have fallen out of my pony tail behind my ear, his fingers lingering for just a little bit longer than necessary. "Sorry, it was bugging me." He mumbles as he pulls back.

I smile shyly. "Thanks,"

"Yeah, no problem." He clears his throat. We sit in silence for a few more minutes.

"I think I'm gonna go to bed." I say as I stand up.

"Ok, great." Link says. "I mean, not great that you're going to bed like great that you'll be getting some sleep because you know sleep is important and–"

I laugh softly and bend down to kiss him on the cheek. "Night, Link."

~X~

We stand a few yards away from Castletown concealed by a group of bushes on the edge of the forest. Hyrule Castle still looks absolutely gorgeous, but the beauty is dimmed by the gloom of the rest of Castletown. In front of the Main Gate a huge cage attached to a wagon sits with soldiers on either side. People are ushered into the wagon, which Zelda explains to me is a slave wagon designed to transport slaves to slave camps. They were shut down years ago, considered barbaric for decades. Apparently Ganondorf has reopened them for business.

Zelda trembles with rage. "I can't even begin to describe how much I hate the idea of slave camps. They're just wrong. My people, innocent bystanders, are going there for no reason just for Ganondorf's amusement."

Sheik puts his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay Zel, calm down. We'll get them out."

Zelda relaxes at his touch. "Right, I know, I know. But that doesn't make me hate them any less."

"Okay, so how do we get in?" Navi asks.

"How else?" Sheik says. "Link turns into an epic alpha wolf and scares the helmets off of the guards, they run away and we sneak in, freeing the prisoners along the way. Easy. Right, Hero?"

Link snorts. "Yeah, easy. Super easy. I don't know if you noticed, oh wise and smart Sheikah warrior, but there's a whole lot of guards with sharp swords and spears. They won't be afraid of a mangy wolf."

"It worked pretty well in Twilight Princess." I say. "The guards screamed and freaked out if you got too close."

"And they were probably braver than the cowards Ganondorf's rounded up." Sheik says.

"I kinda doubt it. For knights of Hyrule they were pretty big wimps. Are all guards like that?"

"Pretty much, yeah. You should really do something about that, Zel."

"Not my department," She says, her attention focused on the slave wagon.

"So, what do you say Link?" Sheik says.

"Might as well try, I guess." Link shrugs. He brings out the Shadow Crystal. "Here goes nothing," He touches it and instantly transforms into a wolf. He bounds off to the slave wagon.

~Link's POV~

I run over to where the guards and prisoners are. They already have most of them caged up, the last stragglers not too far behind. When the guards catch sight of me they look like they might wet their pants. They get out their swords and spears, ready to attack. But just like Nicky said, they look one scare away from running away like a cucco. I growl menacingly at them, and they take a few steps back in fear. This is kind of fun. I leap at them and they scream like little girls, running off faster than should be possible in all that armor. Man, that felt good.

I glance over at the prisoners, all of who are gaping at me, terrified. For a second I'm just going to go back to the others, but a very familiar face catches my eye. I whip back to face him.

I can't believe it.

It's him. Tanner. My older brother has the same facial features as me, although he has dark green eyes instead of blue and brown hair instead of blond. He's also older, and paler. I guess it's because he's been stuck in the dark dungeons for the past couple months. He needs a haircut, his hair reaches just below his shoulders. I feel like fainting with relief at the sight of him. He's okay, he's safe, he's alive.

I'm about to call out his name, but then I register the horrified look on his face. Why is he looking at me like that? I don't look that bad, do I?

Oh wait. Right, I'm not human at the moment. I close my eyes and concentrate on being human again. I feel the shifting of my spine and then I have skin again.

"Link! Wait, Link? Link!" My brother cries out in surprise.

I smile so wide it hurts my mouth. "Yeah, it's me."

Tanner grins back. "You're okay!" Then he looks confused. "You're a dog. Why were you just a dog?"

"Really long story," I laugh, unlocking the cage. All the other prisoners look at me as if I'm from another planet, but relieved to be out of the cage none-the-less. Tanner jumps out weakly and embraces me as hard as he can. He feels thinner, but it's still him. I laugh in relief. I've already lost Mom and Dad, I don't want to lose Tanner too.

He lets go and studies me. He looks so tired, like he's aged ten years in the past few months. "You look different," He says, tilting his head. "Older. And absolutely exhausted."

"I could say the same about you," I say. We laugh and he claps me on the back. Jeez I've missed him. "Why were you in the slave wagon?"

"When I didn't tell Ganondorf where you were, he sentenced me to a slave camp."

"But weren't you already in a slave camp?"

"Yes, but Ganondorf wanted to take it one step farther to get more information out of me."

I can't help but feel guilty. Tanner sees it. "Link, it wasn't your fault. We're family, it's what we do. You have my back and I have yours."

I smile. "Yep."

"Link!" Sheik calls out from the edge of the woods.

Tanner looks over at him in happy surprise. "Is that Sheik? And the princess?"

"Sure is,"

"Who's the other girl?"

"A friend. I met her a few weeks ago. She has an... interesting back story."

Tanner smiles with half of his mouth. "Just a friend huh? She's pretty."

I shrug, hoping he doesn't notice my red face. "Yeah, I guess."

He punches my arm playfully. "I approve."

"Shut up."

He laughs. "You have a lot of things to explain, little brother. Like the whole wolf thing and why Ganondorf thinks you're going to kill him," He looks at my ears. "And why do you all of a sudden have earrings?"

I laugh too, fingering my ears. "Yeah, but it's going to take a while. There's been a lot of changes over the few months."