Chapter 61: Belly of the Whale

Link's arm burned. Each throw of the boomerang threatened to make his arm fall off. But he was almost done, almost through. He had run out of stones for his slingshot two segments ago. Was that the right word? Segments? How was he supposed to describe the different parts of the Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly? Segments? Intestines? All of that sounded gross, thinking about it made the hair on the back of Link's neck stand on end.

He was eaten. He was inside the belly of a powerful creature centuries old. He was practically food.

Rooms. That was it. He would think of them as rooms. Not the fleshy guts of a centuries old monster. Nope. Rooms.

Thankfully this room wasn't as full as the last one, or the one before. Only a handful of octoroks splayed across the floor. Weak and starving, they barely fought back. Only one tried to swipe at him and spat scalding liquid. But the blast didn't reach him, and all Link needed to do was step back to avoid the splash entirely.

They were so pathetic. Drained from all strength, it wasn't fun or exciting dealing with them. It felt wrong to hurt them further. To the best of his ability, he aimed for the ground around them. Clearing a path rather than hurting them. Though the few times he accidentally struck them the look they gave him was one of purest hatred. Looking into their eyes all he could see is the desire to kill, to strangle him and pull him beneath the waves.

And yet, he couldn't find it in him to attack or kill them. After all, if he was captured and someone was attacking him, wouldn't he defend himself? Wouldn't he fight to the very end?

But was leaving them alive kindness? Was he helping them? They were all so weak, would it be better to finish their miseries quicker? Was there a way to escape Lord Jabu-Jabu for them? Would they spend the rest of their days in this foul-smelling darkness? He weighed the boomerang in his hand as he looked at the last of the octoroks before him. Would it be better to aim for its head?

"Are you done yet?" Link's companion complained. The Zora princess Ruto sat a few paces behind him. Legs crossed, propping herself up as she did nothing but watch him. Well, that and complain.

"Almost," he threw his weapon. It smacked just below the octorok, sending it squirming away the last few feet to clear the path. He raised his hand to catch the boomerang as it came spinning back toward him. It smacked the palm of his hand. His fingers could barely close around it, and it flopped out of his grip. Groaning, Link picked it up. The muscles in his arm twitching as he shook the residue off it and tucked it into his belt.

"That's it," Link said and turned to the Zora princess. "If we hurry, we should be able to make it through."

"Took you long enough," Ruto lazily stood and stretched.

"A thanks would be nice."

"I will thank you when you do something worthy of praise. My father could have just sent his guards to clear out the beasts. I would already be done by now."

"Your father isn't here. Neither are the guards."

The princess looked at him, as if she was waiting for him to get to his point.

"Forget it. Let's just go."

As they walked to the other side of the room, some of the octorok tried to drag themselves toward them. Link waved his boomerang, hoping they would realize the threat and back off. It worked well enough, though Link still made certain that he stood between Ruto and the monsters. And yet, not once did the girl pick up her pace or even acknowledge the creatures. She strolled with her chin held high, as if the entire world could do nothing to even inconvenience her. Thankfully, she at least moved fast enough to reach the other side before the monsters were close enough to attack them. Though a few reached at them with their tentacles writhing. Trying to nab Link or Ruto's ankles.

It would almost look as if they were begging, were it not for the lingering hatred in their eyes.

We need to get out of here.

Ruto strolled past them, walking up and out of the room. Not stopping until she reached the next constricting muscles that separated the rooms. She placed her hand on it. They pulled open. Link took a moment to look back over the path he had just crossed. Already the creatures were closing up the gap Link created.

It would be so easy to just leave her here. What would she do if he went back across? She couldn't fight through them all herself. It was horrible to think of it, he knew. What would Navi or the Great Deku Tree say if they knew? But, still, the longer Link spent with Ruto the more he understood Captain Miashir's wish to be rid of the girl.

But that was only a fantasy. Ruto would not leave until she got what she wished. And he couldn't help the Zora people without her. Besides, Miashir said she demanded the Sapphire. That was likely what she was in here searching for. Maybe once they had it, Link could convince her to give it to him.

"Hylian!" She called from the other room. "Attend me, peasant!"

Link sighed. Slim chance he could convince her of anything. "I'm coming," he stepped through the … passage. That was a good word for it. Passages between rooms.

The next of the rooms was vast. Most of it completely covered in a green tinted liquid, that smelled foul and made it impossible to see how deep the pool went. At the far end of the room, a jewel hung in the air. Gold held its center, around it set three blue stones, each of them gleaming with a deep blue light. Its radiance casting the entire room that same shade.

"Beautiful," Link said.

"That's it!" Ruto smiled. "The Lord's Jewel. My engagement stone!"

Link took a moment to marvel at it, the way it shone how it hovered in the air. It even made the green slime over which it hovered look majestic. Magical. "Well, then let's get to it."

The princess frowned and looked to the filthy waters. "No."

"No?" What is it now? What more could she possibly want? "All this time we've been in here trying to get the Sapphire and now you don't want it. Why?"

"The water is foul," she crossed her arms. "A princess does not let that which is befouled touch her. You will have to carry me across."

"You can't be serious."

"Are you questioning me?"

Link's arms felt like soup, his legs on the verge of cramping. Now he had to carry her? "Fine." Just get this over with.

"Hold out your arms." She crawled into them, draping herself dramatically over them. Immediately he felt his arms cramp up.

"No. No. Get down." He barely managed to say before he lost his grip near dumping her onto the ground.

"What's the matter with you? I said carry me!"

"I'm tired, hold on," Link shook out his arms though it didn't relieve the burning at all. "Can you climb onto my back?"

"Don't be absurd."

"I can't carry you that way. So either get on my back, or I will just go get the stone myself."

"Fool, as if someone like you could even touch it. The Lord's Jewel is for important people, not children such as you." She gave a prolonged sigh. "I suppose it cannot be helped." Walking around Link, she grabbed his shoulder and lifted herself up. Her arms wrapped around his throat, thankfully not too tight. "So undignified."

"You ready?"

"Obviously, move already."

Grumbling, Link waded into the liquid. Thankfully the princess was not particularly heavy, if anything she felt lighter than Saria, and Link had carried his friend many times when they played around. But after the hours of fighting through monsters she felt like he was trying to carry a whole tree. The waters did him no favors either, it was thick, like slime that dragged at him with every step.

"Princess," Link said as he marched. "I don't think anyone ever told me, why are you trying to get the Sapphire?"

"It is not the prerogative of royalty to answer the questions of the peasants."

Of course, that was her answer. Why had he even bothered asking?

"But if you must know, I plan to use it to propose my marriage."

That was a word Link had heard before, though he was somewhat unfamiliar with the details. It seemed like something that adults did. "Why would you want to do that?"

"What kind of ridiculous question is that?"

"Sorry, just trying to make this go faster."

"Then walk faster," she prodded him in the shoulder.

"No that's not- fine. Who are you going to marry?"

"Why must you keep pestering me? If I told you his name, what would that do? I doubt a peasant child like you would even know who he is. All you need to know is that he is… tall. A great warrior. A leader."

That was a surprise, "I didn't know the Zora valued being a great warrior."

"Well… it's… he's special. Besides, who the person is does not matter. I just need people to know that I am serious."

"What does being serious have to do with marriage? We didn't get too much into it back home, but I thought it had to do with love or something."

"Spoken like a true bumpkin. Noble women get married, that's the way of things. And when they do they are treated with respect. If I'm married no one will treat me as a child. I'll take my place with my father. There's no way he would think of me as his helpless little girl then. I present my engagement stone to someone, especially when that engagement stone is the Lord's Jewel everyone will know that I am not a child anymore. I'm a princess, with ideas. With plans of my own."

"You certain that's the best way to do that?"

"You have a better idea?"

"No. I suppose not."

"Good, then be silent. And walk steady." She jabbed her fingers into the side of his neck. "You're going to splash me."

"Don't do that," Link swatted her hand away from his neck.

"And hurry up. You're moving so slowly."

"Do you want me to go fast or not splash you?"

"Both."

Almost done. Just keep going, and hopefully soon he would never have to deal with her again. He took a few steps forward. The ground moved beneath his feet. The whales muscles constricting unseen beneath the foul water. Link stumbled, near toppling headfirst into the liquid. Barely managing to keep himself upright, the green waters splashed around him.

"Walk steadier! You are getting me wet with this filth."

Just keep moving. Just ignore her. Another step, and the ground moved again.

"Listen to me! Peasant!" She pressed her thumb into the side of his neck digging her nail into his skin. "When I tell you to do something you do it! You don't get to ignore me! I am a princess."

"Ow! Ow! Stop that!"

"Then stop splashing me with this filthy water. Do you have any idea how bad that is for my scales?"

"Your scales? Why would I care about your stupid scales? What about my neck?"

"Of course, a peasant like you wouldn't understand how delicate scales like mine need to be treated. Now learn to walk without splashing me. And be quick about it."

"No."

"What?"

"I said 'no.'"

"One such as you does not refuse a princess."

"One such as me? I should drop you right here."

"You wouldn't dare! When my father hears about how you have treated me-"

"Your father isn't here. No one is but us. And I am not going anywhere until you – I don't know- at least apologize. Or something."

"Hylian."

"No, I'm not done. You are a horrible person. I thought I knew some bad people. But even Mido didn't treat people like you. And I don't know, Ingo at least knows how to care for horses. What do you do but boss people around and hurt them?"

"Hylian!" She poked him on the neck again.

"I said to stop that! You know why no one takes you seriously? Because they all hate you. Because you're a whiny, selfish, annoying child. I know you don't believe me, but I've met kings and princesses before and they at least try to help their people! What do you do? What have you ever done for anyone else?"

"Link!"

"What?"

"Look!" Her hand pointed out past his eyes toward the side of the room.

Perhaps twenty paces away, the water rippled. A thin purple tentacle rose from it, before it descended back beneath the waves. It was bigger, thicker than any he had seen before.

"What was that?"

"Move! Fool!"

Link turned around, could he make it back to the shore?

"Where are you going? The Lord's Jewel. You need to bring me to the Lord's Jewel."

Another tentacle rose, this one much closer. Then another and another. Its body breached the water. Some twisted combination of a red and blue water flower and a bari, but far bigger than any he had seen before. The shaking spindly arms reached out toward him.

"Get to shore!" Link shouted.

"What? What are you-"

Link shook his shoulders and pulled Ruto's hands away from him. She splashed down behind him. She came out of the waters screeching, but it didn't matter what she was saying. Link watched the monster ascend. It's bulbous body and spinning tentacles flailed about, splashing the muck all around it.

Sword drawn, Link readied himself to meet the monster's assault. Too late to make it to dry land, he would need to fight half in the water. Where his legs would be slowed, and he couldn't even see the terrain before him. Just his luck.

The creature reached out with three massive tentacles. Two of them stretched and spun toward Link, the other went well over his head. Covering him in shadow and dripping the sludge down over him. Link struck at the closest two. Swinging the sword from one side to the other. Roaring with the hope that it would scare the monster away.

It did not.

As he hacked at one of the limbs, the other would twist about, lashing at him from the other side. Each time it struck it stung, making Link gasp and shout in pain. Trying to drive back the tentacles as best he could.

Ruto screamed.

The tentacle over his head went taut. It must have her.

Pushing aside one of the creature's arms he spun away from the other and jumped. His feet did not clear the water. Still he swung with all his might. The last inch of the blade snipped into the tentacle leaving a long gash that burst open, releasing squiggling white and blue pustules that sprouted from the wound.

"Link!"

Again the other two tentacles came for him. He slipped to his knee to dodge one. The thick liquid splashing up to his waist. He could feel it dripping from his nose. Pushing himself up, he jumped back to get to Ruto. To where the tentacle was low enough to work on.

The beast had wrapped its arm around Ruto. As she writhed it pulsed with light. Just as the bari did before releasing the lightning within them.

"Unhand me! You cannot treat me like this!"

"Hold on!" Link hacked at the limb with all his strength. More the work of a smith with a hammer than any form of swordsmanship. It took three strikes until the limb severed completely. Electricity sprouted from the stump. Zapping the air and water. Link felt the sting run up his leg, his muscles seizing. "Ahh! Run, Ruto!"

The princess pulled herself from the tentacle. Her eyes wide with fear. "Look out."

Another of the creature's tentacles lifted into the air, the tip of it opened, sprouting like petals on a flower. Pulsing, it pointed at Link. His pain in his legs lowered, at least enough for him to move. But he did not wish to get any closer to this creature and the lightning it could summon. Thankfully, this tentacle was much too far away.

Once the pulse is done, then Link could rush in and strike. He would have some time before the next wave of electricity.

But the pulsing on the blossomed limb did not stop. It crackled, the electricity running across its surface, scorching the air before it.

The lightning shot out, tearing toward Link. He dived. He plunged beneath the foul waters, acidic steel taste filled his mouth and nose. The bolt struck the water. Light, then pain, surrounded him. Every muscle in his body clenched. His spasm churned the filth of the waters around him. Was that blood in his mouth? Everything burned. Everything hurt. He tried to breathe. But his mouth was still clenched shut. When he tried through his nose, he only swallowed water. He was still under water.

I'm going to drown.

Drowning, in waters shorter than he was. If only he could move. But his legs wouldn't stop shaking, his arms couldn't pull himself up. When he tried to move them there was only pain. A pain unlike any he had felt before.

Something wrapped around his chest, pulling him up. He broke free of the waters, gasping and choking he filled his lungs with air. His moment of relief ruined when he saw what held him aloft. The creature's tentacle lifted him high. It swung him about, dragging him closer to the great bulbous pillar that all the limbs stretched out of.

His sword. Where was his sword? He couldn't feel his fingers, it was only when the tentacle twisted and he was facing the ground did he see it dangling from his fingers. His hand still clenched around it. If he could cut himself loose. He needed to do something. Please let him do something.

His arm would not swing.

Only a tremor went through his fingers when he tried to adjust his grip.

And the monster continued to lift him high. Until he was dangling over the center of it. A thousand writhing feelers reached for him. They glowed, pulsing with energy. The tentacle lowered him.

Move, arm. Move. Do something!

The mass of tangled arms spread apart, revealing a gaping toothless maw. Just a deep pit of flesh that constricted with the surges of light.

It's going to eat me.

Help.

The mouth grew wide as he dropped toward it.

Swing arm. Move. Please. Help. Please.

Electricity and flesh, light and death. Pulsing over and over. Dragging him inside.

"Help."

Water crashed down upon him. The monster reeled; its arms swung about. Another wave smashed into them. Link slipped free of the grip of the tentacle, swept away in the waters. He slammed into the walls of the room. The force of the water pinning him there, along with the monster.

What was happening?

Then the water carried him away. He swung halfway across the room, before being deposited on the damp ground. Only a thin sheen of the green liquid remained of the once thigh deep pool. The creature did not stop. The waters carried it from one wall to the other. It's arms reaching out, trying to force itself free. But whenever a limb managed to force itself from the wall of water, the wave would swell and crack into it again.

Princess Ruto stood before it, her hands outstretched. Swirling them around her before forcing them forward. Each time her arms pushed out the wave struck the beast, and as she went back to churning the air before her, the wave did the same. Gathering itself, growing in size and power until she was ready to strike again. "What are you waiting for? Stop being useless."

Link's foot twitched. Then his hand. The pain still lingered but he forced his fist down. Pushing himself to his knees, then to his feet. With staggered uneven steps he walked to the monster. His hands still shook. His arms still burned. But when he raised his blade, it did not matter. Too large to miss and unable to defend itself, the beast could do nothing but thrash about.

The blade plunged through the waters, into the pink sacs of fluid that was the monster's body. With each thrust of his sword, he went deeper. Piercing through slime and rubbery flesh. Clear liquid seeped out of it. It writhed in what must have been pain. But Link did not stop. Not until the tentacles hung limp, and it bobbed only through the force of Ruto's water. Not until he had carved through it completely.

Only then did the waters recede, and the corpse of a monster spilled onto the ground. It was done. Link did his best to wipe his blade clean before returning it to its sheath.

"There," Ruto said once she reached his side. "You see, I do help people. I will be accepting your apology now for those horrible lies you said."

Link glared at her. His body still burned from the creature's electricity. No. He would not deal with this brat any further. "Apologize?"

"Yes, apologize. For saying those untrue things, and for dropping me into the water."

"You could have done that the entire time! All the octoroks I fought to get us here. All the passageways I cleared. I carried you! And you could have swept them all away with just your hands!"

"That would have been labor, and nobility does not get their hands dirty." She said with a smug smirk that made Link want to scream.

Instead, he turned his back on her.

"What? Where are you going? Where's my apology?"

"I'm finishing this," he muttered. He waded through the pool all the way to the other side. The entire time, Ruto screamed at him to wait to say something. But he didn't. He didn't speak. He didn't stop. Not until he reached the floating stone.

"You'll never touch it. The Lord's Jewel is meant for lords."

He grasped the stone. Its weight returned. The wariness in his arms almost made him drop it. Ruto would have loved that. He managed clutch it to his body, keeping it steady. Grabbing his bag, he laid it down inside, resting beside the Ruby. That was two of them. And the fairies had the third. All he needed to do now was bring them back to the Princess. And they could find some other place to hide them from Ganondorf.

He was almost done with this.

But then what would he do?

"Peasant! I'm talking to you. What are you doing with my jewel?"

"It's not yours. It's Lord Jabu-Jabu's, and I'm going to take it. I'm going to bring it somewhere safe."

"No, you are not. Thief! You are going to give it to me this very instant."

"No."

"You cannot refuse me!"

"Yes, I can. And maybe if more people had before you wouldn't need a stone to make people respect you."

"Give it to me, now. For my future husband. You have to give it to me." Her voice was almost pleading. Begging, as if she was on the verge of tears.

Link looked away from her, feeling the pang of guilt. But no. Why should he? He didn't owe this girl anything. He wasn't the one being mean. "Listen, Ruto. If you want to be respected, you have to earn it. You have to be good. You can't demand respect just by showing up with a stone."

"Give it to me."

"No."

"Please," her voice was barely a whisper. "I'm asking you. Nicely. Please give it to me."

"I'm sorry, but no. This is important. I need to take it."

"But my fiancé needs it too."

"I'm sorry Ruto." He turned away from her, heading back the way they came.

"No, I'm sorry," Ruto said. Her hand touched his side. Steel slid across leathers as his sword was taken from its sheath.

"What are you do-"

The blade plunged into Link's back before he had a chance to turn.

"I'm sorry," Ruto sobbed.

Link fell to his knees. His sword erupting out of his side. His sword. The weapon the Great Deku Tree said was his birthright. The one thing the wise old tree feared would bring destruction. "Why?"

"I didn't want to do this. But my love. He demands it. He must have the jewel."

Link grabbed at the steel hanging out of him. Blood welled up between his fingers. Hot and slick, pouring down his side, mixing with the slime. "You… you killed me." He slumped to his side. It didn't hurt. That was the strange thing. It should. He knew it should. But he just felt as if what little energy he had left was ripped away. "You killed me."

Ruto cried as if she had been the one stabbed, but her tears did not stop her from opening Link's bag and pulling out the Sapphire.

He couldn't look at her anymore. He didn't want Princess Ruto to be the last thing he saw. He turned away, trying to find something else, anything else. His eyes were so tired. There was really nothing here. A dead monster that he took no pride in beating. His own wound. The strange muscles that he called a door.

If only he had gotten out. Just one last failure then.

At least he wouldn't be alone anymore.

The muscles pulled away. The door opened.

Just before his eyes shut and he could see no more, a small blue light appeared.