Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ A Different Point of View ❯ Of Legends and Secrets ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Okay, this particular idea stemmed from a single question. It's a question I've wondered before, but never really acted on. The question has many possibilities, and this is just one of them.

To get started, yes, it's a little cliché, but this is a Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time fanfic. I asked myself a question a while ago, and the idea for it sprang into my head. Besides, it doesn't help me that I'm playing it right now. Well, obviously not RIGHT now, but still.

The question is this: What if the Hero of Time, Link, was a girl, not a boy, and what if originally, she was a twin? And something I just thought of… what if Link is a nickname?

This story will start kind of in the middle, like STAR WARS did, but that's the way it worked out in my head. Oh well, here we go!! ::hums the first six notes of the Mario song::

--Sage-Chan

*~*~*~*~*

The female figure lay prone beside Epona in the middle of Hyrule Field. A fairy bobbed over her head, trying futilely to wake her. From her position—reaching desperately for the nearby Master Sword, legs at awkward angles—she had obviously just been violated, quite possibly repeatedly. Her blue tunic was torn, revealing much of her physiognomy. Overall, if she had not been bleeding, she would have looked like a fallen Angel, waiting to be rescued.

After a time, a traveler found her. The first reaction the man had was shock, and then concern. He looked her over carefully, then picked her up and carried her to his cart he was leading, and laid her in it. Epona shied away at first, but when she sensed that he wanted to help, let him hitch her to the cart and collect the Master Sword and further off Hyrule Shield. He pondered these items as he laid them beside the young woman, wondering why the girl would be carrying the Hero of Time's gear, and riding his horse.

After several indecisive moments, the fairy, who had hid when the man came up, trailed along behind, worrying over her friend.

“Oh, Link…”

*~*~*~*~*

After two weeks of recovering, the young woman awoke in Kakariko Village. Her bright blue eyes opened to the rough ceiling of the Gravedigger's Hut. She sat up abruptly, realizing she had no shirt on, panic filling her features.

Suddenly, the door began to open, and she shrieked and pulled the blanket over herself, instinctively grabbing for a sword that was not there. The Gravedigger quickly slipped inside and closed the door, putting his hands up in a peaceful gesture.

“I mean you no harm, lady.” His tone was soft, though he was not the most beautiful of people. But she still flinched away, fear in her eyes. The blanket remained clutched to her chest, and she groped again for the sword that was not there.

“Stay back!” Her voice was low, and a bit harsh from being unused. She scooted back until she was pressed against the wall, pulling her legs underneath herself, eyes impossibly wide.

The Gravedigger did not advance more, but instead sat in a chair on the other side of the room, sighing a bit. He did not look at her, but tossed her a bandage. She stared at it in confusion.

“To bind yourself, lady. I would have done it, but that would not have helped you heal.” He did not smile, still looking away. He knew the girl reminded him of someone, but he could not place it.

After a long moment, the woman responded, “Thank you…” She picked up the bandage and used it to do as he suggested, wrapping it around her chest. Then she realized that she did not know where he clothes were.

“Sir… My clothes…” She looked at him imploringly, the blanket now dropped to her waist. Yes, she definitely reminded him of someone. But who?

“I washed them for you, and repaired your blue tunic as best I could. I will get them.” He stood again, going outside. She watched him go, hands shaking slightly. He returned quickly, placing a bag beside her. She flinched as he did this, but didn't scream.

“Thank you…” She reached inside and pulled out an outfit. It was a red tunic this time, with a white undershirt and white leggings that hugged her body. She pulled everything on quickly as he looked away, then looked around for her boots.

“The boots are under the bed, lady.”

She frowned, and reached down, pulling them on, following them with a red pointed hat, completing her disguise as Link, Hero of Time. “Thank you for helping me, Gravedigger…” She was still frowning, her voice naturally low and easily mistaken for a young man's.

“You're welcome…” He turned around, then gasped. “That's who you reminded me of, lady. The Hero of Time.” His eyes got wide. “You are the Hero of Time!”

She nodded a bit, eyes narrowing. “Don't tell anyone. They wouldn't believe you anyway, and I've been… male for so long, it's just easier.” She stood up, looking about for Navi and her gear.

“I left the gear outside, by your horse… Link.” The Gravedigger smiled faintly now, no longer worried about frightening her. He received a smile in return, and he stood aside to let her out. “If you have any troubles, Link… you know where to find me.”

The man apparent smiled faintly, and nodded, picking up his stuff and putting it where it belonged. Then `he' took Epona's reigns and led her away, limping slightly from `his' ordeal, though it had been two weeks ago. Eyes burning with a fury that could not be contained, the two, horse and rider, left Kakariko Village, intent upon finding someone.

It did not bode well for the man they sought.

*~*~*~*~*

Several days later, Link, Hero of Time, rode away from a small cottage in the corner of Hyrule Field with a grim smile upon his face. The man who had hurt him would not harm another soul that way again, and it was a very satisfying thought.

He continued on his way, going to visit Princess Zelda in the castle, though he took his time now, letting Epona walk. He sat easily in the saddle, and he hummed a familiar tune softly, still smiling grimly. Princess Zelda would not like the message he had to give her. Not at all.

*~*~*~*~*

When he finally reached the castle, he dismounted, leaving Epona outside, knowing that if she wandered, Epona's Song would bring her back again. He was now wearing the repaired Zora's Tunic, mostly because it was the only clean one left. He absently fingered the almost undetectable seam the Gravedigger had sewn as he entered Hyrule Market Town.

He smiled faintly as several girls waved to him, all of them blushing, and waved back. He wasn't interested, but he was polite. He stopped to chat with a few people he'd met somewhere along the way, but made it very clear that he was headed for the Castle and wouldn't be distracted from it.

Malon tried to stop him on the way, but he merely smiled faintly again, and waved her off with a soft, “Later.” He continued single-mindedly, keeping a fake smile on his face until he had passed the town and came upon the guards. There, they tried to stop him.

“You can't come in here…” The guard tried to stop him. Link merely raised an eyebrow, and put a hand on the Master Sword.

“And who's going to stop me. I've come to see Zelda, and she will see me… even if I have to fight my way in… I didn't defeat Gannon for nothing.” The guard paled at his comment, and backed off a step. This made the Hero of Time smile.

“S-so s-s-sorry, Ser…” The guard promptly stamped the butt of his spear on the ground, which opened the gate. Link merely nodded, and walked on, hoping that he would not get the same reaction from the guards ahead.

*~*~*~*~*

“Lousy, stupid guards…” Link stood in the front hall of Hyrule Castle. He'd had to deal with all of them in the same manner. `Guards never learn…' He tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for Zelda to appear. `What's taking her so long. What could she possibly be doing that's taking this long… I've been here for ages.'

He shifted a bit, looking around. As many times as he'd seen it since vanquishing Gannon, he couldn't help but overlap the awful, dark castle Gannondorf had built with the clean, bright reality of the actual castle. It was the worst memory in his life, aside from the events roughly a month ago now.

He stretched a bit now, yawning, then tapped his boots on the floor, still uneasy with the fit, though he'd been wearing the same size for years now. For some reason, his stomach felt queasy, but he pushed the feeling back as a fanfare heralded Zelda's arrival. He looked up, and Navi appeared.

Zelda beamed at him once she saw him, and, throwing away all manners and propriety, rushed down the steps with a small squeal to throw her arms around his neck. He took this stoically, and balanced himself even as he threatened to topple over, but didn't hug back. After a moment, Zelda got the hint, and let go.

“Oh… What did you have to tell me…” She blushed a bit, and looked at the ground. Link blushed as well.

“I'd really rather… In private…” He looked away, anywhere but her, not wanting to give the bad news in front of everyone. He scuffed his boot on the floor, looking at Navi, floating above his head, not really focused on anything.

“Oh… Alright, Link…” Zelda nodded, and led him to someplace more private. She was curious about what he could have to tell her that he couldn't say in front of others, but she was willing to let him be if it was that important. Neither could she understand why he wouldn't look at her.

As soon as they were somewhere as private as possible, Zelda's personal quarters—despite the rumors that spread—Link sat abruptly onto Zelda's bed and sobbed softly, shoulders shaking. Zelda, who had never seen Link so scared in her life, instantly went to him, hugging his shoulders.

“Zelda… I've been keeping secrets… From everyone.” His eyes were filled with tears as he began to relate the story he dreaded telling, yet couldn't hide forever. As he spoke, Zelda's eyes widened in horror.

*~*~*~*~*

“My tale begins… A month ago…

“There was a girl… Not just any girl. A beautiful girl.She was very brave, and very good at heart. As she traveled across Hyrule Field, she came across a man. This man was cruel and vicious. He had very bad intentions for the beautiful, brave lady.

“He stopped her, tricking her into thinking that he was down on his luck. She, being the goodhearted person she was, stopped to aid him, against the counsel of her companions. She approached him recklessly, intending to bind a wound he claimed to have.

“As she got near enough to examine him, she found no wound. But it was too late. The cruel man grabbed her, and forced her to the ground. He knocked away all of her defenses, and kept her companions at bay.

“Then, forcing her companions to watch, he forced himself upon her. He took her most guarded treasure… repeatedly, tearing at her clothes and beating her when she struggled. She attempted to escape and fight back, but he was too strong.

“Even after he beat her senseless he continued to violate her. She was powerless to stop him, and eventually fell unconscious. When he finally finished with her, he left her exposed and bleeding on the road, expecting her to die.

“But she did not die. She was rescued by another man… A kind, gentle man. He took her to his home, where she was able to recover… In that aspect, she was lucky… In another, she was not.

“She would bear the cruel man's child. She knew it to be, and yet she could not bring herself to destroy the child. So she did the only thing she could… made it so that the man could not hurt another like he had hurt her… and went to see the Princess.

“I think, Princess Zelda, that you have probably guessed who this story is about… and I would have to say that you are probably correct…”

”Because she's sitting on your bed, sobbing, telling you this story…”

*~*~*~*~*

“Oh, Link…” Zelda hugged the woman tighter, crying with her, realizing that she had been mistaken about why Link had come. She had come to tell the only person she felt she could tell without alienating them. And she had come to the right person.