The Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction / Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ Choices of the Heart ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

A/N: Did you know that someone actually had the nerve to flame me on fanfiction.net? It was because he flamed one of my friends, so I told him just how immature he was, and dared him to flame me. He did, but he didn't even bother to read the story. I know because I checked my hit counts.

Chapter 6:

Malon shivered slightly. She lay on a cold, hard surface, and her body felt heavy and uncomfortable. Something tickled the bare skin on her upper arm, causing her to twitch. It tickled her arm again, and she realized that the sensation was someone lightly stroking her arm, and her eyes slowly blinked open. She raised her head with effort, still feeling groggy from sleep. Turning her head sideways, she saw the figure of a man sitting beside her, his long pale fingers stroking her arm repeatedly.

Her body jerked roughly as she came to her senses, moving as quickly from him as she could, staring into his hooded face with wide fearful eyes. Her memories slowly came back to her. Ladarius had come to the ranch, and the next thing she knew, darkness had covered her eyes, and she had lost consciousness. Now here she was, waking in a dark, unfamiliar place, with Ladarius sitting right beside her, stroking her arm. She shivered at the thought of him being so close this whole time. He could have done anything to her, and she might not have known. A cold, sick feeling pooled in her stomach. How long had she been out? What if he had done something to her? She focused her senses on her body. She felt no different, except a little cold and sore, which was understandable if she had been sleeping in this room for any length of time.

"Don't worry. I haven't done anything to you," Ladarius said, watching her reactions to her own thoughts with a slight smirk. "It is inappropriate for a man to touch a woman if they are unmarried. I am a gentleman."

The sick feeling in Malon's stomach did not go away, only increased. It was as though he had read exactly what she was thinking. She stared at him with new fear, bringing another smirk.

"Don't worry," Ladarius said, rising in a smooth, fluid motion to his feet. "I'm going to give you a second chance."

Malon cringed further away from him as his gaze rested upon her. Her mind did not even seem to be processing whatever it was he had just said. She could only feel his eyes boring into her, and she longed to escape from his cold presence.

Ladarius' eyes lingered on her for a moment, and then he turned away and crossed to the opposite side of the room, where a heavy, iron door was set in the corner. Pulling it open, he exited the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Malon heard a click echoing from the other side of the door, and then she was alone.

All at once, her senses seemed to return to her. Her eyes darted about the room she sat in, taking in her surroundings. The only light leaked in from a slit near the ceiling of the wall she leaned against, leaving the room a gloomy grey color, and giving out only enough for her to barely see her hand if she held it out in front of her. Pulling herself to her feet, she began to slide her feet carefully across the floor, feeling the air around her with her hands for any unseen obstacles. Eventually she reached the corner of the room farthest from the door, and made out a single bed pushed against the wall.

Sitting down on it, she let her mind begin to work everything out. She had been kidnapped by Ladarius, and taken to the goddesses knew where. She snorted. And he had called himself a gentleman? What kind of a gentleman went around kidnapping young, defenseless girls and locking them up in dark rooms?

She let her eyes survey the darkness surrounding her once again. She would like to just sit here, on this less than comfortable bed. Perhaps Link would come to save her, like in her dreams. She knew better, though. Being rescued by a knight in shining armor was reserved for fair princesses locked away in a tower, not for coarse, redheaded farm girls. The one thing Malon had learned from life was that she had to fend for herself if she wanted to survive, and that was what she would continue to do.

What had Ladarius said? He would give her a second chance? She shivered. Whatever he meant by that, she was sure it wasn't anything she would like.

---

Zelda paced back and forth across the floor of her bedroom, occasionally pausing to glance at the clock beside her bed. The time read fifteen o' two. The message should have reached Link now, right? She tapped her foot against the floor, and began pacing again. She heard the sound of the door handle turning, and practically jumped on Impa as the Sheikah entered the room.

"Have you heard anything? Did he send a reply?" Zelda asked, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.

Impa placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, holding her steady. "Princess, calm down," she said.

Zelda obeyed, stopping her bouncing, and looking up into her nursemaid's face. "Well?" she said.

Impa sighed. "The messenger who delivered the message returned a few minutes ago. He said there was no reply."

Zelda's face fell, and her eyes dropped to the floor. She had known this would be the result, no matter how much she had hoped against it. "I see," she said.

"I'm sorry, Zelda," Impa said in a consoling voice. "Perhaps he'll come anyway."

"Yes," Zelda said. Two days had already passed since her argument with Link, and she had neither seen nor heard from him since. She had hoped Link would come to her coming of age ball, now no longer for only his company, but because they had things to discuss. A message had arrived from Ren earlier that morning, and she wanted to talk to Link about it. She wouldn't be able to, though, if he didn't show up.

Impa's brow creased with worry at the young princess's torment. Whatever was bothering Zelda, Impa knew it was more than simple pouting that Link had not replied to her message. She wished Zelda would tell her what was wrong, but she did not press it. As Daphnes had said, she would open up when she was ready.

---

"Link, what does this mean?" Saria asked gently, coming to sit by Link on his bed, where he lay still clothed in the tunic from two days ago. He had not moved from that spot since his walk in the Lost Woods.

Link did not move or reply. He only remained staring blankly at the ceiling. Saria sighed, and took his hand in hers. "Link, please tell me," she said. "I want to help you."

Still he did not move, and Saria sighed. She glanced at the discarded parchment lying on the floor, and bending to pick it up, she read over it once again. It was from Princess Zelda, saying that Ren had sent a message, telling her what he had learned about Malon and Ladarius, and that he would not be able to come until late the day of Zelda's coming of age ball. She wanted to make sure Link was coming, so that they could talk about Ren's message.

Saria sighed, and lay the sheet of parchment next to Link's hand, where he could easily grab it. She had read it aloud to him when he had refused to take it, but perhaps he would read over it himself once she was gone. Standing up, she reluctantly left the tree house, leaving Link on his own.

She was so worried about him. He had not moved from his bed at all the past two days, and he had refused to eat or drink anything. From the ever darkening bruises around his eyes, Saria could tell he was not sleeping well, if at all. How much longer could he last this way? Sighing, she walked back to her own house and climbed into bed for another restless night herself.

---

Ren ran into his bedroom as the early light of dawn streamed in through the windows, grabbing a dark blue jacket out of the mahogany wardrobe beside his bed, he threw it on over his white linen shirt, combing his fingers through his hair. He needed to get to the castle as soon as possible, so he wouldn't miss the ball. He knew Zelda would be eager to hear in more detail what he had told her of his visit to Ladarius's house in the letter, and she was probably contacting Link this very moment, if she wasn't with him, which he had a feeling she wasn't. He had other matters to deal with, much more important than consoling his cousin's curiosity.

Running out of the room, he hurried down the hallways of his mansion, ignoring the servants' calls to him. He did not slow his pace until he reached the stables, and climbed onto his favorite horse, a dark grey stallion with patches of white around his hooves. He had only so much time to get there, and he had to make it in time, no matter what.

He rode away from the mansion, and sent the stallion galloping in the direction of Hyrule Castle.

---

"Breathe in, Your Highness," the seamstress ordered, pulling the strings of the corset so tight that Zelda felt her ribs would burst.

"It…hurts," she gasped, trying not to cry out as the seamstress tightened the strings yet again.

"Beauty costs. You're a woman now, My Lady," the seamstress said in reply.

At last, the woman finished tying the corset, leaving Zelda feeling short-winded and bearing sharp stabs of pain in her chest. Not resting a moment, the seamstress began to pull the gown over Zelda's head. The gown was long, trailing the floor a foot behind Zelda. Behind her, the seamstress fastened the buttons at the back of the dress.

"There," the woman said, once she was finished. "Now, have a look, Highness." She turned Zelda to face the floor length mirror set beside her.

Zelda felt her breath draw in. She looked like a completely different person. The neckline was cut lower than anything she had ever worn before, coming across her chest just above the crevice between the small peaks of her developing breasts. The deep blue silk of the gown made her white skin seem even whiter, and flowed down her body to a beautiful, thin waist, where it flared out slightly, until it reached the floor. The dress held only a few of the many ruffles she was accustomed to, making her look much more mature than ever before. As the seamstress had mentioned, bows and ruffles were the symbol of childhood, and Zelda was no longer a child.

Zelda's hair was worn loose over her shoulders, curled only slightly in the front so that it hung in delicate half-curls over her shoulders, and the rest hung straight down to the middle of her back. A single, thin blue ribbon was tied loosely through a small portion of her hair, so that it rested as a graceful decoration on the side of her head, the ends hanging down to blend in with the soft, golden hair.

"You see, Your Highness? You look so lovely now," the seamstress said, smiling at the young woman before her with a pleased look at her work.

Zelda suddenly felt a wave of guilt. What was she doing, staring at herself in the mirror, when something horrible could be happening to Malon this very instant. She quickly hid the troubled look that crossed her face, but the seamstress seemed not to have noticed, and turned away to gather her sewing materials. With a swift curtsy to the princess, the woman left the room with a proud stride.

Zelda fingered the golden Triforce pendant hung around her neck. She hoped that Link would come today, even though she doubted he would. Her eyes drifted to the floor beneath her, and she stared unseeing at it, lost in thought.

"Princess!" a voice broke into her thoughts as a young servant girl hurried into the room. "Your Highness, the ball is about to start. His Majesty wants you to come to the ballroom so you can greet your guests."

Nodding, Zelda followed the frantic girl into the hallway and to the ballroom, where her father waited for her at the end of the grand staircase, looking extremely nervous. She hurried up to him. "I'm here, Daddy," she said, and he looked at her, smiling with relief written all over his face.

Zelda stood beside her father, waiting for the guests to arrive, but her thoughts remained elsewhere.

---

Saria peered into the dim tree house. "Link, the ball is about to start soon," she said to the figure lying on the bed. He had moved to his side now, and she saw the sheet of parchment lying on the floor again.

Quietly, she crept into the room. "If you go now, you might not be too late. I'm sure Zelda wants you to be there."

Link moved his eyes up to look at her. What was the point in going anyway? He saw no reason to bother.

Saria waited for another moment or two, then turned and left the tree house. It was just as well. He wished everyone would just leave him alone. He had long gotten used to the empty feeling in his stomach from not eating. It had nearly gone away by now. He was perfectly content to just lie here, and never go anywhere again. Then he wouldn't be able to screw anything else up. He would never be able to screw anything up again.

---

Hours passed by at the ball, as Zelda paced the room, her eyes still searching for Link, still hoping that he would come. She was obliged to dance with various men now and then, some of them older, some of them closer to her age. She hated it, too. She hardly knew any dances, and the ones she did know she was clumsy at, having skipped out on many dance lessons to do other things. She knew Daphnes was embarrassed. She knew as well that he had been hoping to find her a suitor today, and he was probably thinking that no one would want to marry a girl who danced so poorly, even if she was a beautiful princess.

Zelda wasn't worried about that right now though. Normally, she would have been angry at him for trying to find her a suitor, but the thought barely crossed her mind. She wished that Link would come today, so that they could talk about Ren's letter. She was frightened by what he had written. He said he had seen something in the window, and he was afraid something terrible was going to happen tonight. She wished as well that Ren would get here. She needed a companion to console her right now, someone who knew what was going on. Instead, she felt alone in this wild sea of stiff aristocrats, who worried about nothing more than if their hair or their clothing looked alright.

Heading over to the punch bowl, Zelda grabbed a glass of it and sipped at it. She looked around, and spotted a servant carrying a silver platter of h'orderves, and hurried up to him. "Excuse me," she said.

The servant stared at her, looking terrified that the princess was talking to him. "Y-yes, Your Highness?" he stammered nervously.

"I was wondering if you could tell me what time it was," Zelda said.

"Oh, um, it's almost sixteen thirty, I believe, Your Highness," the servant replied, still looking nervous.

"Thank you," Zelda said, turning away from him and heading back to her father, who was now conversing with an elderly couple.

As she drew closer, Zelda recognized the man as the one who had tried to throw Link out of her birthday party. He seemed to remember this incident as well, for when he caught sight of her, he hastily paid his pardons to the king, and nearly dragged his wife away as quickly as possible.

The king laid his hand on his forehead, sending a glance at the tall ceiling before looking down at his daughter. "How are you faring, Zelda?" he asked.

"You look awful, Daddy," Zelda said, not bothering to answer the question. "You should try to relax."

"That's what Impa said this morning, but I just don't seem to be able to," Daphnes replied. "Where is Renaldo? He said he had some urgent business to attend to, but he should have returned by now. Surely he realizes how important this is."

"I'm sure he has a good reason, Daddy," Zelda put in quickly.

Daphnes looked at her. "Do you know what this is about, Zelda?" he asked in a low voice.

Zelda bit her lip. "No, of course not, father," she said. "I'm going to go get some punch now."

She hurried away from him, heading in the opposite direction of the punch bowl. Why did she have to be such a terrible liar? She could feel the king's curious gaze on her. She looked around for something to distract herself with.

Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around Zelda's chest, holding her in a firm grip, and a thin hand grabbed her throat, choking off what little air supply she had left. Out of instinct, her hands quickly moved up to tear at the hand closed around her throat, as black terror took her over, removing all thought so that she was unaware of the shrieking that suddenly filled the room, and the armed guards that ran up to her, their spears and swords aimed at her kidnapper.

"Don't move," a cold voice said above her head, and something sharp pressed against her side, "or she dies here."

The guards froze in place, watching the man holding their princess with angry stares, while around them the guests of the ball watched fearfully the scene playing out before them. His face white with fear, King Daphnes stared with horror at the sight before him, of his precious daughter at the instance of death.

"Who are you?" the king managed to choke out, somehow keeping his voice calm and steady. "What do you want with my daughter."

"Now, now, King Daphnes," the man said. "Don't worry. As long as you behave and do as I tell you, your precious daughter will be just fine."

"What do you want then?" Daphnes asked. "Is it money? Treasure? You can have as much as you want."

"Oh no, I want nothing of those sorts," the man replied. "If you wish to see your daughter alive, bring the boy Link to her prison in eight days. Your little nephew will know where to go. If that boy has not shown by the morning of the eighth day, I will kill her."

Keeping the point of the dagger pressed against the princess's side, the man carried her out of the room, his eyes remaining on the guards, daring them to try anything. He disappeared through the doorway, and the doors slammed shut behind him, as if of their own accord.

Moments of terror-filled silence filled the room, before life began to breathe itself back among the people, and whispers of panic began to arise. Impa hurried over to the king from her place at the back of the room, and placed a supporting hand on his shoulder as he stumbled backwards. Her own face was much paler than its normal tan shade, and she looked as though she would be sick, despite herself.

Regaining his composure, Daphnes straightened up, shaking Impa's hand off of his shoulder. "Guards," he said, and two guards hurried up to him immediately. "Ready my stallion. We are riding to the Kokiri Forest."

The guards bowed, and immediately hurried off to complete the task.

Daphnes heard one of the doors slamming shut again, and turned to see Ren running breathlessly across the room towards him. His hair was messed, and his shirt was partially untucked. Taking a look around the room, Ren took in everything that had just happened.

"Oh no," he moaned, leaning his head in his hands. "I was too late."

---

"Link! Get up!" Saria cried, rushing into the tree house.

Inwardly, Link groaned. Why wouldn't she just leave him alone?

"Link, the King of Hyrule is here, and he's demanding to see you," Saria said breathlessly.

That almost caught Link's attention. King Daphnes was here?

"Link, that Ladarius guy has kidnapped Zelda, as well as Malon, and if you don't show up he's going to kill Zelda. The goddesses only know what he'll do to Malon," Saria said. "Link you have to get up. Please."

Slowly, Link sat up, letting the black velvet subside from his eyes before standing up on wobbly legs, weak from hunger and lack of use. Seeing this, Saria rushed over, and placed his arm around her shoulders, supporting him as they walked across the tree house out onto the balcony. Saria helped him lower himself onto the ladder, and watched him nervously as he climbed down, relaxing only when he reached the ground safely, and climbing down after him.

Link steadied himself as best he could, and looked up to see the king standing outside his tree house beside a tall war horse, and three guards on horseback flanking him. "Link, that cursed man has taken Zelda. You must go save her," Daphnes said.

Link stared at the ground beside the king's feet. "I can't," he said simply, turning to head back into his tree house. Many curious Kokiri began to gather around, easing closer to hear what was going on.

Saria grabbed his arm. "Link, what are you saying?"

Link shrugged her off. "There's nothing I can do anyway," he said. "I may as well just leave things alone, before I make them even worse."

Daphnes frowned, glaring sternly at the boy before him. "I did not know the proclaimed Hero of Time was such a coward," he said.

"You don't even remember that," Link said. "No one does. What's the point of trying to live up to something I'm not?"

"Link, don't say that!" Saria said. "I remember, and so do all of the Sages. And Zelda remembers. Link, for her sake, and for Malon's sake, for the sake of Hyrule, you have to do this!"

"Hmph. Let him be a coward if he wants," Mido said, pushing forward in front of the other Kokiri, arms crossed against his chest. "He always was an annoying little brat anyway."

Saria whipped around to face Mido, her face angry. "Mido! How dare you say something like that!" she shouted. "I'm so tired of you always teasing him, and you have to pick now to continue?"

"It's okay, Saria," Link said, looking up with a grin to look Mido in the eye. "Go yourself, then. I'm sure you'll do a fine job of being a hero yourself. Go on. See how easy it is, especially when everyone forgets all about you, and they only call on you when they're in trouble."

"Link, you know that isn't true! Stop it!" Saria said.

"Stop it, all of you," a strong female voice said, breaking through all other noise and echoing throughout the forest.

Kokiri and Hylians alike turned their faces to stare at the owner of the voice. A young woman stood there, clothed in a graceful green dress, covering the contours of her body, which glowed with a faint golden light. Green hair fell around her shoulders and hung loose down her back, wrapping around her like beautiful green leaves on a vine.

"Lady Farore," the Kokiri breathed at once, falling onto their knees, their faces lowered to the grounds, leaving only Mido, Saria, and the Hylians standing.

They Hylians stared in disbelief at the woman standing before them, and Mido's mouth dropped open. Saria's wide green eyes stared at the goddess, and she slowly sunk to her knees as well, pulling Mido down with her.

The goddess walked forward to Link, until she stood just in front of him. She was tall. The top of Link's head did not even reach her shoulders. She lifted a graceful, golden hand up to Link's chest, and placed it there, over his heart. A warm, tingling sensation traveled through his whole body, and Link could only stare up at her.

"This is the heart of the one I have chosen to bear my mark," Farore said, looking into Link's blue eyes with her own, endless green ones. "Though it has been hidden, buried by dark magic much too strong for one so young to bear, it is still there, beating strong. Life has not left it yet." She still held Link's gaze as she reached down and gently held up his left hand. "If you do not believe me, then look at my mark. It is right there."

Link looked down at the back of his left hand. Slowly, dim at first, then growing brighter, the Triforce symbol on his hand appeared.

"Now go," Farore said. "You are the one that I have chosen, and I am with you."

Beams of golden light shot out of her body, and she disappeared, leaving her audience staring breathlessly at the place where she had stood. Link stared at the symbol on the back of his hand, then slowly he lowered his hand. His strength felt renewed from the touch of the goddess, and he began to climb back up the ladder to his tree house.

"Link, where are you going?" Saria called after him, standing up. Could it be that after all that, he was still refusing to rescue Zelda and Malon?

"I'm going to get my sword and shield," Link called back down from the balcony, hurrying into his house.

Saria smiled wide, feeling her heart lighten as though a weight had been lifted from it. Finally, the Link she knew was back.

"Hey, uh, Saria."

Saria turned to glare at Mido, her hands on her hips. "What?" she snapped.

Mido shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "About, uh, about earlier…I was just, uh, trying to help," he said.

"Well, you certainly have an interesting way of showing it," Saria said, turning her back on him.

Mido's usual frown returned to his face, and he stalked away. Faia, a Kokiri girl with bright blond hair always worn in pigtails, giggled at him, and a little timidly, some of the other Kokiri followed suit.

Link reappeared out of his tree house, sword and shield slung across his back, and jumped off the balcony. His face was set in determination. He was through being such a coward. He was the Hero of Time, and not even his nightmares were going to hold him back.

He followed Daphnes and his guards out of the forest, and once they were in the field, pulled out his ocarina and played Epona's Song. He mounted the mare, and the five Hylians galloped in the direction of the castle.

"Why are we going back to the castle?" Link asked Daphnes.

The king glanced at Link, riding beside him. "Ren said the ride will take almost a full day," he replied. "We need to make sure everyone is well rested and ready for the ride. We will spend the night at the castle tonight, and head out first thing in the morning."

Link turned so that he faced forward. "Aren't you worried?" he asked cautiously after a moment.

Daphnes brow creased in response. "As a king, one learns to put one's own problems aside for the benefit of the kingdom. It is a difficult job, but one that must be done," he said. "You may learn this yourself, one day."

Frowning, Link nodded. The rush of strength and courage he had felt from his encounter with Farore seemed to be quickly dissipating. He suddenly felt very afraid that he would not be able to do anything to save Zelda or Malon. An image of Malon floated across his vision, her face brightened by a smile, her red hair hanging in waves around her shoulders. How could he have been so willing to give up on her? Wasn't she supposed to be his best friend?

His vision cleared, returning to the darkening sky over Hyrule Field, and the outline of Hyrule Castle in the distance. He suddenly felt very strange. It was a feeling he could not quite explain, yet he was almost certain he had felt it before, though he couldn't think of when. A different kind of courage seemed to be flowing through him now, pushing him onward, knowing that tomorrow he would ride out to save not only the Princess of Hyrule, but a friend that was very dear to him.