Sorry for the week's delay! I've had a lot of things going on, all of them good, but they've been distracting me from my writing.
Thanks to Ashlee S, ShadowNinja1011, Alfred pierce, Neez, A Shadow's Lament, Kamil the Awesome, Gojira Geek, Guest, Shaveza, Mira Moonshine, thespiritmaiden, MajesticStallion, Zelink005, WolfenAmphithere, richardbg2, Mangageek26, , ZeLinkFanGirl, R. Recollect, tentsubasa, CosmicZelda, CaptainAzenor, Zeldafreak2000, GameCivilization, TDWfan, Y1'814, and Laurie Chausse for your reviews!
Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda
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Part I
Chapter Six
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The walk to the Lumpy Pumpkin Inn gave Link time to think. Zelda was being quiet, though the tension between them had eased. She was examining her new paint brushes in the evening light, Hyrule Field spread out around them. They had left the last town behind, and in the far distance he could see the warm lights of the Lumpy Pumpkin. About a half hour more, he figured.
He felt great. He felt so, so great. Even the arguments with Zelda couldn't damper his spirits. He was free. No more bars separated him from the rest of the world. He could feel the sun on his skin, the wind through his hair, and even grass under his boots. He could interact with people, and sleep on a bed, and carry a weapon at his side. He could choose what he ate, and now everything tasted so delicious. He craned his neck up to look at the darkening sky, seeing a full moon and the beginnings of stars.
How long had he been a prisoner? Months, certainly. Not over a year, but no one had bothered to give him the date or time in a cell. And with no sun to judge it by, no changing seasons, no holiday markers or calendars to see, he'd lost track. He was sure it wasn't over a year, but it may have been close.
"Link?"
He blinked, yanked from his thoughts. Zelda was a few feet ahead, looking back at him curiously. He realized he had stopped walking.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm just . . . thinking about all that time I spent locked up. I can't believe I have my freedom back."
He was surprised at the expression of sympathy that crossed her face. Surprised and a little angered by it. After all, she was behind the laws that locked him up. But he knew that was being unfair. She was just a part of the system. She didn't create it.
"But I'm fine," he said with a grin. "You know what I always say: Move forward and don't look back."
She laughed as they started walking again. "I didn't know you always say that, but I'll listen for it now."
They talked easily the rest of the way to the inn. As they approached it, Zelda slowed to a stop, looking it over. It truly was shaped like a giant pumpkin. Square windows let out an orange glow that lit up the night.
"Ah, I love this place," Link said, leading her towards the door. "It's very casual and no one questions you."
"It's . . . cute," she commented.
"That it is, Princess."
They went inside, greeted by a large circular room full of tables and customers. The air smelled of spices, and a girl was singing on a wooden stage. It was dimly lit by multiple lanterns, moths gathered around them.
They went up to the counter and Link bought a room for the night. The rupees were starting to run low. He'd have to save the rest for Zelda's boat ride home. As they headed away from the counter and towards the stairs, he asked, "Are you hungry?"
"Not right now," she answered. "Maybe later."
He looked back at her and saw, coming in through the front door, three soldiers. He grabbed hold of her arm, yanking her after him as he ducked around the side of the stairs and pressed his back against the wall. His heart leapt into his throat.
"What is it?" Zelda whispered.
"Soldiers," he breathed.
She looked at him in concern, then slowly leaned forward to get a glimpse into the dining area. She pulled back. "Captain Karane isn't there. They must just be a local patrol."
He visibly relaxed, closing his eyes a moment. The jolt of fear had left him light-headed.
"C'mon, Link, let's go up to our room."
She grabbed his sleeve and he let her lead him up the steps and to the door to the room. He unlocked it and they went inside, shutting it after them. It was a small, cozy space. Two beds were in this one, with a desk and a chair.
Zelda glanced out the window. "I probably won't be tired for an hour or so. What do you want to do?"
Link grinned as she turned back to him, shuffling a deck of cards in his hand. "You ever played any peasant card games?"
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LoZ
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King Daphnes didn't know what to do.
He was usually a somewhat active man, but now he just spent hours sitting in his throne. He had the curtains closed, the sunlight just barely lighting the place. He didn't want any sunshine right now. He couldn't feel happy unless Zelda was home.
Captain Karane was out searching, which was good. And he'd had the patrols doubled around Hyrule Castle City and had letters sent out over Hyrule. But it hadn't been that long. Most of the letters probably hadn't reached their destinations yet.
What bothered him most was that there was nothing he could do. He had to just sit and wait for something to happen. He was tempted to take a horse and go out looking himself. He'd even put on his riding boots and walked all the way to the stable door three times before turning around and going back inside. Leaving the castle wouldn't do any good. With the princess gone, Hyrule needed a steady and strong king.
He wanted the news of Zelda's kidnapping to not leave the military. But he was sure gossip or rumors were spreading. There was no need to get the country alarmed, so he made no formal statement about anything. The last thing he needed was country-wide panic. Or for other criminals to get their hands on his daughter.
That criminal . . . Link. He'd known it was a bad idea sparing his life! He should have ignored Zelda's request and hung him. He had been so close to bringing him to execution a second time, also. Maybe he should have just had his head removed that night and been done with it. He didn't know why Link would kidnap Zelda. There had been no ransom notice. If it wasn't to hold her hostage, then why?
Daphnes rubbed the bridge of his nose. Zelda was the only family he had. He couldn't lose her. She'd never been outside Hyrule Castle City. She was probably so lost and confused. So scared. Danger was everywhere. But he had to stay behind these stone walls.
Lacking anything else to do, the king bowed his head and prayed for her safe return.
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LoZ
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Zelda laughed, throwing her head back, three cards clutched in her hand and a plate of half-eaten cake at her side. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun.
"I'm being serious!" Link exclaimed, laughing just as much. His face was flushed and he was holding his own set of a cards. "He ran out of there as naked as the day he was born! He was that afraid!"
Zelda shook her head, wiping away tears from her eyes. "That story cannot be true, Link."
"It is!"
They had been playing for an hour after he had gone down to get them some food. They'd both had small sandwiches, but she could tell he was craving chocolate by the large cake he brought up. She was in the mood for something sweet herself. The object of the game was to win each round by having cards with higher numbers. The winner had to request something from the loser. Zelda learned quickly this was merely a game to laugh and have fun. With requests from Link like "tell me the worst joke you've heard" and "try to lick your elbow".
"Okay, okay," Link sighed, catching his breath. "Here's my move." He laid down a four-card and a three-card.
She gazed at him, with his wide smile and shining blue eyes. It made her realize his youth. He couldn't be more than a couple years older than her, if that. He was so very young to be running for his life and waiting on death row.
She looked down at her own cards. She then played a four-card and a five-card. Giggling, they both took hold of a card from their hands, waiting for the other to make a move.
And all at once they slammed both down, Zelda with a four and Link with a five, making her final score for this round ahead of his.
"Oh no!" he laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, you go."
She thought for a moment, staring at him. Then she said, "Tell me something no one knows."
He was still laughing as his eyes drifted to the side, thinking. But then the laughter subsided, the energy draining from his eyes. His voice was soft as he answered, "That I'm actually really scared of Veran. I'm terrified." He met her gaze. "The thought of losing control of myself, of becoming someone's pawn to take over Hyrule . . . it's the worst thing." A small smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. "I've never told anybody that. I don't want anybody worrying or to think I'm weak."
Zelda blinked, taken aback by his sincerity. "Why did you tell me?"
He shrugged. "I guess because I don't know you very well. So I don't care how you judge me. And we're going to part ways tomorrow, so . . ."
She nodded, thinking this over. Not wanting him to feel too exposed, she said, "You know, I've always hated the rules of the castle. The routines, the expectations, the way they stifle personal expression. I've never told anybody that, because it would disappoint them. It's hard enough to fight my father on letting me body-paint."
"Why doesn't he like you to body-paint?"
She shook her head. "Because it's a 'young person' thing and not his generation. It's new and it's contemporary and he doesn't know how to handle it. He thinks the princess shouldn't follow the trends of the peasants."
"Seems a little narrow-minded," Link remarked.
"Yeah, I think so, too."
"Well, you bought a new paint set!" he told her. "Go on, paint something."
She grinned, reaching down to grab her bag off the floor. She took out the paint and brushes, moving her cup of water closer. "Any suggestions?"
"Something green. I like green. It's my favorite color."
She smiled and wet her paintbrush, dipping it into the green. Just a light amount, it didn't take much to make a solid line. Looking herself over, she decided on the back of her left forearm. She held it out, her skin seeming pale in the lantern light, and started painting.
Link was watching with fascination, his head tilted to one side. She tried not to smile too widely at his interest. No one had ever cared about her body-paint. Even Mila would just make vague compliments before talking about herself again. Zelda created a curving pattern that ran over her skin, accenting it with spirals to make it seem wild like the wind. It took her nearly ten minutes until she was satisfied. Then she washed the brush off and put her paint set up, holding her work out for Link.
He looked over it, grinning. "That's really pretty. You're very talented."
The princess laughed. "Thank you. No one's ever complimented my body-paint before."
He leaned back, stretching as he rolled his shoulders. "It's getting late. We should probably sleep. Big day tomorrow."
"It is."
They put up their game and finished off the cake. The bed wasn't very comfortable but Link was asleep instantly. Zelda tossed and turned for awhile before sleep claimed her as well. But her dreams were filled with shadowy images of Veran chasing them. Of Link being possessed and attacking her. And she would scream at him, trying to get him to remember who he was.
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LoZ
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The docks on the edge of Hyrule were foggy at this time of evening. The ocean stretched out dark blue under an orange sky. A few ships and boats were visible further out. The water sloshed against creaky wooden docks, and Zelda was amazed the one she was standing on didn't break underneath her. A cool wind tugged at the cloak she had wrapped around herself. The green body-paint was still on her forearm, despite the long day of travel they had had once they'd left the Lumpy Pumpkin Inn.
Link extended his arm, pointing out to the horizon. "You see that big dark lump with the lights coming from it? Way out there?"
She squinted through the fog, the wind blowing a dirty and salty smell against her. She could make out an angled island-like structure. Multi-colored lights glowed from it, showing that it was inhabited. She had no idea what it was, though. "Yes. What is it?"
"Trash City."
She blinked, surprised. "It's an island?"
He sighed. "Have you been completely ignorant your whole life? Yes, it's an island. The ship is coming soon to take me there. It comes once a week to take people to and from the island. It'll probably arrive about the same time your boat does." He grinned at her. "The sailor is trustworthy, he's a good man. I'll pay him for this ride."
"Okay. Thank you for doing this."
"Oh, no, thank you for helping me escape. And, uh, saving my life."
Zelda smiled. "My Triforce wasn't wrong about you. You're special."
He looked away, out at the horizon. She stared at him a moment before lapsing into her own thoughts.
She was having doubts about leaving him. He'd be on his own again with Veran hunting him down. It would be like nothing had changed since he'd first been taken to Hyrule's prisons. And Zelda didn't like that idea. She wanted to feel as if she had made the situation better somehow. But she hadn't. She'd just offered her sympathy and now she was going back to the safety of her home and he was still in danger.
Losing Link also meant losing her only connection to Veran. How was she supposed to find out more about this Sorceress of Shadows? How could she track her down or combat her? This young criminal was the only predictor of Veran's whereabouts. And he knew so much about her abilities and tactics. His information was irreplaceable.
Zelda shook her head, sighing. Well, there was nothing to be done about it. They were going their own separate ways. She couldn't bring him back to Hyrule Castle. And it's not like she could go with him to Trash City.
. . . Could she?
Zelda blinked, a new idea taking form. What if, theoretically, she didn't go back to the castle? What if she went with him to Trash City? He could keep her safe, and she could keep him safe from Veran. They could try to stop her together. At least Zelda could find out more about the situation and devise a plot to take down this threat.
She paused, discreetly glancing up at him. "Link . . . is Trash City dangerous?"
He chuckled. "Depends. If you're a soldier, then yes. There aren't any laws or any government there. But all us criminals that stay there do so to escape. It's our safe haven. With this kind of population of course it's dangerous. But not in the way you're thinking. You can walk the streets without worrying of being mugged any more so than if you were in Hyrule Castle City. It's just . . ." he tilted to the head, squinting his eyes, "it's just a different lifestyle. I feel safer there than anywhere else."
"And if . . . I came to Trash City with you, would I be safe?"
"Of course. I mean, you would blend in with the crowd, given how dirty you are right now. And I would keep you safe, naturally. But you'd never go into Trash City, so you . . . don't . . . have . . . to . . ." He drifted off, eyeing her with curiosity and then surprise. "Are you thinking about coming with me? Not going home?"
She took a breath, facing him. "I just think there's unfinished business with you. And I want to complete it."
"But what about the king?"
"He'll just think I'm still kidnapped. And when I do get back home, I'll explain everything to him. I'm sure when he learns about the greater threat I was investigating he'll calm down . . . hopefully. That's not important," she shook her head. "I want to do this."
"It's not pretty in Trash City," he warned. "If you were disturbed by me stealing that man's knife then you're going to have a panic attack seeing what these people do."
"I can handle it," Zelda snapped indignantly. "I'm not a child."
A bemused smile crossed his face, and he responded, "Okay, well, if you want to come with me I will keep you close and protect you. But if you get there and change your mind, you can't leave again until this time next week. Understand, Princess?"
"I understand."
The light of many lanterns cut through the fog as a small ship drew closer. It creaked and swayed on the water, coming into the dock.
"That's my ship," Link said. "Or, perhaps, our ship?"
She took a deep breath, considering one last time if this was what she wanted. Deciding it was, she answered, "Yes, our ship."
When it docked many haggard people climbed off, most with heavy bags on their backs. As the plank cleared and the captain cried for people to board, Zelda stared up at the ship with a thrill of nervousness. The red evening sun made the ragged sails seem transparent. She was aware of a few other people boarding. Link took her arm and then she was being led onto the deck. The gravity of the situation weighed on her. Even if it was only for a week, she was leaving the safety of Hyrule behind and going to Trash City. With a criminal who was running from a sorceress that possessed people.
Zelda found herself laughing at the strangeness of it all.
"Do you get sea sick?" Link questioned with a grin as they leaned against the railing, watching the dark waters below.
"I don't know, I've never been at sea," she confessed.
"Goodness, you have got to get out more often!"
" . . . You're right, I do."
When the ship took off again, Zelda's short hair blew back from her face and the ship bobbed under her. The sun was slowly sinking below the horizon, making the world around her darker. She could barely see the stars through the fog. Several minutes passed in silence.
"Why do you want to help me?" Link suddenly asked.
She blinked, turning her head to him. "What?"
"You came along to complete the 'unfinished business'. So why do you want to help me?"
"It's not just you, it's Hyrule-"
He held up a hand, shaking his head with frustration. "No, I know that. But if you hated me then you wouldn't care what happens. You'd leave me and find another way to stop Veran. You might even wait until she possessed me and then kill us both at the same time! But you didn't, because you don't hate me. So why do you care?"
She paused, considering this. He had a point. She chose her words carefully, not wanting him to think she cared too much. "You're . . . hurting. You may be a criminal, but you're not really that bad of a guy. I don't think you deserve the fate that you have. And you don't deserve for Veran to take control of you, either."
He gave a small smile, looking out at the water. "I appreciate it."
It was two hours before they arrived in Trash City. Zelda kept watching the island as they drew near, expecting them to be there already. But they kept sailing, and it kept getting bigger. It was massive. At least the size of Hyrule Field. As they pulled up to the dark docks Zelda could see ramshackle buildings that stretched up a few stories, dwarfing small shacks tucked between them. The place was lit with many lanterns that had been painted different colors so that there were multiple colors that lit the docks. Green, blue, red, orange, purple. She could hear a rowdy fiddle being played somewhere in the shadows that the lights didn't touch. The smell wasn't too pleasant, either. And it was obvious why it was called Trash City. The whole place was littered with trash. There were even massive piles of it as tall as the three-story buildings.
"You know why it's called Trash City?" Link asked as they descended the walkway, leaving the ship and getting onto the island. "You know why all this trash is here?"
"No," she confessed.
"It used to be a dumping ground for Hyrule, before you and I were born. All the trash was shipped out here. But when people started living here, the trash was disposed of in other ways. We still get ships sometimes that drop garbage off. But, as you can tell, the people on this island have made use of it."
Zelda looked around, taking in the details. Everything did seem to be made out of trash. She spotted one shack with the name "Little Smoke Shop" painted on it. The walls were rusty metal slabs bolted together. A porch was held up by axles from a carriage. A broken vase sat near the door.
Link flashed her a grin. "Regretting your decision, Princess?"
She lifted her chin. "No. So what do we do first?"
"Get some rest. Follow me."
And so they went into Trash City.
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End of Part I
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In one of my college classes, my professor told us about a real "trash city" where the people lived among piles of garbage. And he told us about the kind of crime and lifestyles those people had because that was the only way they could make their living. While certainly not as flashy and city-like as my Trash City is, it served as the inspiration for this part of the story, and thus influenced a great deal of the plot.
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