Chapter 2

'Let the sword be the cure for your suffering.' - The Aenied

 

"How is it that the boy still lives?" Ganondorf paced his chamber, snarling the words with such ferocity that none dared to answer. He turned on one foot and looked to the centre of the room, where the Master Sword lay. It was still coated with his own blood, and it sickened him to be near it, let alone touch it, but he had to keep it in his sight. It had, after all, almost destroyed him. And if it fell into the hands of his enemies again, he would have much to fear. And Ganondorf loathed feeling that feeling. He had not slept since the whole fiasco in court – when the hero he had thought dead had returned to taunt him. The hero needed to die. While the hero still lived, those that sought to defy Ganondorf had hope. If he was dead, then they would have no one left to fight their corner.

"He must be killed. He must be..." Ganon's voice grew quieter as he seemed to talk to himself, but one Gerudo stepped forward, her clear green eyes on her King.

"My Lord – if I might make a suggestion?" Ganondorf turned to face her, and he waited. "Nabooru. She is one of them, is she not? Would it then be so strange that perhaps one of us may have sympathies with her?" Ganondorf frowned, fury returning to his features.

"What are you getting at, wench?"

"Please sir, hear me out. What if one of us were to go to their camp, pledging allegiance to Nabooru and her friends?"

"To what effect?"

"Send someone into their camp, as a friend. Gain their trust. Then kill him, kill the boy, and others if possible." Ganondorf's frown slowly turned to a wicked smile and he let out a chuckle.

"A very interesting idea, Mhalsim." Mhalsim smiled, and stood back. Licking his lips, Ganondorf surveyed those in attendance. They were all Gerudo, all loyal to him, and all as wise as any Sage. The majority were also deadly with any weapon. "Who would volunteer for such a glorious task?" Every Gerudo stepped forward. Ganondorf let forth another chuckle. "If only I could let you all go," he mused with amusement. His eyes finally settled on one of the volunteers, an exceptionally beautiful girl who went by the name of Kalasil. Her red hair was long and lustrous and flecked with strands of gold, and her eyes sparkled like amber diamonds. Her skin glowed as if it had been blessed by the Sun himself, and her body was lithe and graceful – Ganondorf was sure there was no one more suited to the task. He had seen her with a sword, and she was as deadly as any skilled warrior – if not more so. He motioned to her, and the rest of the Gerudo stepped back, whilst she stepped closer to him.

"I am honoured, my Lord." She knelt before him, head bowed, and Ganondorf smiled. He walked to where the Master Sword lay, and picked it up by the hilt, even though it burned him to do so. He walked calmly back to the kneeling Gerudo and spoke.

"Rise Kalasil and take the Master Sword. I trust that you alone will kill the boy, and that you will kill him well. Offer this to them as a gift. Then they cannot doubt your...good intentions." Kalasil rose to her feet and took the sword from her Master's hand, regarding him with both respect and pride. He had chosen her out of all the other Gerudo.

"I will not fail you, my Lord." Ganondorf nodded.

"Indeed, you will not. Now go." Kalasil smiled and hung the Master Sword from her belt. Bowing once more to Ganondorf, she left his chambers, leaving the rest of her envious clan behind. Ganondorf turned to the rest of the Gerudo.

"What are you fools waiting for?" The remaining Gerudo looked at one another, confused by the words of their Lord. Mhalsim stepped forwards once more.

"Sir, what is it that you expect of us?" she inquired bravely. Ganondorf laid his eyes on Mhalsim, admiring her courage. His lips turned into a sneer and he spoke, his words dripping with malice.

"Did you not see? That wretched traitor has just stolen the Master Sword. After her!" The remaining Gerudo's drew their weapons, as their King had demanded it, and with a cry, they all ran from the chamber, all of them intent on only one thing.

Kalasil walked through the corridors of Hyrule Castle, contemplating the task which she alone had been given. A tremendous sense of pride filled her, and she knew that she was the one person who could achieve the goal given to her by the great Ganondorf. And the rewards for completing such a task would surely be what she had never, even in her wildest fantasies, dreamt about. Her footsteps echoed loudly as she walked down another lonely corridor, but she suddenly heard additional footsteps – as if there were many people running at once.

"Traitor!" She heard a woman scream and she turned, only to be confronted with her own clan, chasing her down with weapons drawn. Her heart began to pound faster and she turned back in the direction she had been walking, but this time she broken into a swift run. As she rounded one corner, she spotted an open window, and with no hesitation she sprang onto the ledge and plunged outside.

"She went out of the window!" cried one of the chasing Gerudo.

"It matters not – we know were she is headed. We'll catch up with her in no time!"

As she hit the ground, although landing on her feet, Kalasil had to grit her teeth. She looked back to the window from which she had leapt – none of them had followed her reckless dive – and she was glad they had not. She did not know whether or not they had intended to kill her but she had heard their words. Traitor. Taking a deep breath, she stood and began to run once more.

Link approached Lon Lon Ranch with a heavy heart. The old ranch sign lay askew, half charred by the ravaging flames that had been here not so long ago. He swallowed uneasily, a lump in his throat, and walked through the entrance. People might still be taking shelter here, and he had to let them know there was a safer place they could stay. He had left the Kokiri Forest undetected, and he was glad for it. Although he was deeply saddened by the sight that now lay before him, he was somewhat glad for the solitude.

"Hello?" he called out. His voice echoed in the empty ranch, and with every step he took, his heart sank deeper and deeper into despair. The building that had once been Malon's home, was now destroyed. There was little to even suggest that it had even been there, save for black, charred ash. The stables were no better off, but a few of the stalls were still standing which the fires had evidently not reached. Link continued to walk further into the ranch, whereupon he came on the horse paddock. Where lush, green, grass had once grown, it was now replaced with a smoking, desolate plain. Link grimaced as he saw large, darkened forms lying in the field – the horses that Malon and her father had raised. Link closed his eyes for a moment, crouching down, and grasping a handful of ash between his thumb and forefinger. A sigh escaped his lips, scattering the ash. "Why?" the question escaped his lips unexpectedly, but it did not surprise him. He had been asking himself the same question in his head ever since he had walked into this desperate place. His whispered question seemed to carry like a breeze, gently shifting over the fields of grey dust – only disturbing its slumber slightly, but doing so enough to make it visible to the naked eye. Link stood again and looked all around him. The senseless destruction gripped his heart like a claw of ice, and he knew at that moment, that whatever his own feelings, he would pay Ganondorf back for all of this. Even if he was not the one to destroy Ganondorf, he would do whatever he could to aid the fall of Hyrule's wrongful King.

"Is anyone here?" his call echoed again through an empty field, and Link almost turned his back when he received no reply but then he spotted the small storage tower – right at the end of the ranch. It lay untouched by the furious flames sent by the Gerudo King and Link knew he had to search it before he left or he would be constantly thinking of it whilst he made his way to Death Mountain. The walk seemed to take an age, and when he finally reached the storage tower, he stood a moment, listening. He heard nothing but silence. Taking a deep breath, he slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside the small tower, a rotten smell of decay hitting him straight away. He almost stepped back, but he pushed on and into the tower. At first, he saw nothing. A pile of rotting hay was in one corner, and a disused water trough in the other. But the foul smell that reviled his nostrils still remained. Then, as a gust of wind buffeted the tower, Link heard an ominous creak, and his eyes turned upwards. He let out a gasp of misery at the sight he saw above him, and he averted his gaze for a second. Taking another breath, he confronted the view again and cringed. High above him, two people were hanging from the support beam at the top of the tower. Link knew who they were almost immediately – from their clothes. One of the bodies was clothed in red and blue, the other green and white. Talon and Ingo. Link leaned against the wall for a second, feeling nauseous, wondering who had done this and why. He knew now that there did not need to be a reason for senseless death – not in the land where Ganondorf was King. Part of his had hoped that he might find Talon here, but still alive. So that Malon could have something to smile about again. But now...now he must return to the forest with bad news. With terrible news. How they had been hung from the support beam, Link did not know. But he knew he could not leave them there. He walked towards the haystack, and grasped the twine that held it together, pulling the stack beneath the hanging bodies. Then he drew his dagger from his belt and clamped it beneath his teeth, before climbing the walls of the tower towards the support beam. As the tower was built from wooden slats, it was possible to climb the walls – but it was a scramble. By the time Link had reached the top of the tower, his muscles were trembling and he was covered in perspiration. He carefully made his way along the support beam, hoping it would take his weight, and then cut down first Talon, and then Ingo. They both hit the hay, but Ingo rolled off the stack and onto the floor with a sickening thud. Link stayed on the beam for a while, contemplating his way down. He could take the short route and jump, but risking landing on top of a corpse, or he could climb down. He opted for the latter option, and scrambled back down the slatted walls, scraping a lot of skin from his fingers as he did so. Allowing himself to catch breath, Link looked around the storage tower – recalling that the last time he had entered this building there had been tools, like a fork and a shovel. He soon found both said items, lying in the dust, and he picked up the shovel, before walking back outside.

The ranch had been Talon and Ingo's life. Link supposed it fitting that they would be buried here. At least at the ranch, he thought, the two would be safe from the scavenging Redead. Link eventually found a suitable spot for burial, near were the ranch home had once stood, and began digging. It was a tiring and somewhat tedious task, but Link was not prepared to leave two men rotting in a storage shed. Especially not men he had known. It took him a while to dig both graves. One had been hard work, but two was back breaking.

The sun had just begun to set when Link had finally buried both Ingo and Talon. He had said a few words for both, and hoped that they could now rest – but even performing such a simple ritual left Link feeling empty and violated. He was not even yet in his seventeenth year, yet he had just buried two friends. He had marked both graves with the only things he could find, two stones. He had scratched each of their names on the two smooth stones he had unearthed whilst digging the graves and laid each stone on the corresponding grave. It would have to do for now.

 

"Malon? Have you seen Link?" Malon turned to be confronted by the tiny form of Link's guardian fairy, Navi. She smiled and nodded.

"Well, yes, but that was hours ago now. I gave him some bread and talked to him for a moment or two...last I saw of him he was heading back to his home," said the young farm girl, who was busy in the process of producing more bread for the camp. Navi frowned.

"I've been there and he's nowhere to be seen. I can't find him anywhere, and I think...I think some of his things are missing from his hut...I do hope he hasn't decided to do something reckless." Malon's eyes widened as Navi spoke, her heart wincing at the thought of Link away from the forest.

"He surely wouldn't? He doesn't look strong enough to withstand a gust of wind, never mind venture out of the forest alone," gasped the girl, horrified at the thought of Link in danger.

"He's stronger than he looks...remember what he survived," reminded Navi, although her own words made her feel no better. Malon smiled sadly and nodded.

"How could I forget? But...where do you think he is?" Navi sighed.

"I just don't know...if he's gone out there then we'll just have to hope he can fend for himself long enough to see sense. If he isn't back by tomorrow morning then I'll go and look for him myself," stated the fairy resolutely. Malon shook her head.

"But wouldn't that be putting yourself in danger? Maybe...maybe Link is just somewhere in the forest. He's been very withdrawn lately...maybe he just wanted some time alone?" she suggested. Navi let out another sigh.

"No...I can feel that he isn't in the forest. But if only I knew where he was – if only he had told me. I'm supposed to be his guardian and I don't even know where he is!" said the fairy, a little angry with herself for allowing Link to give her the slip. Malon busied herself by preparing more ingredients for the bread, making them into a dough.

"Don't fret too much Navi, has he taken Epona?" questioned Malon, her back to the fairy.

"No...no he hasn't," replied Navi thoughtfully. Malon turned to Navi and smiled.

"Then perhaps he does not intend to go far. He'll be back before you know it," she concluded with a cheerful smile. Navi did not look convinced by Malon's words, but supposed she could be right.

"I hope he is. As things stand, he is Hyrule's only hope now." Malon was silent as Navi spoke, and she looked saddened by Navi's words.

"It's such a burden on him you know. I can see it in his eyes that that is all he ever thinks of. If only there was someone else who could help him...when I think of all he went through...alone," Navi cut in.

"I was with him, you know. He wasn't completely by himself – and there were the Sages too."

"Yes...I know. I don't mean to diminish your roles in all of this, but in the end, it was Link who had to face Ganondorf. It was Link who had to kill him – that he didn't...well Link has taken it to heart. It doesn't matter what anyone says, he thinks he is responsible." Navi listened to Malon's words well, with a heavy heart. She knew the girl was right. And it made her feel for Link all the more.

"It would be a lie to say I haven't often wondered what the Goddesses are playing at – expecting one so young to take on such a burden. Even if this ever ends...I do wonder if Link will ever have peace. I hope for his sake that he does. He deserves a little peace more than anybody."

Link let out a sigh as he left Lon Lon Ranch, the sun well and truly setting. He couldn't stay in the ranch; there was a presence of death there that made him too uncomfortable. He supposed the same might be said of Kakariko – but Link knew he could not rest. Not now. Not until Ganondorf was dead. He had hardly slept since he had awoken from the fever that had held him down for so long after his battle with Ganondorf. It was not that the hero could not sleep – it was the nightmares that kept him awake – the thought that if he had done things differently so many lives might have been spared. As he walked across the great plain of Hyrule Field he drew his sword. The Bigoron Sword. Crafted for him by a giant Goron who resided at Death Mountain. It had served him well, but it was not the Master Sword. It could not kill Ganondorf. But then Link supposed, neither could the Master Sword. Link knew Hyrule Field was dangerous at night – the threat of Wolfos was not a light one, but it did not concern the hero. Almost on cue, as the last rays of the sun left the land of Hyrule, Link heard the scrabbling of earth, and a huge wolf-like beast unearthed itself before Link. The hero barely blinked before bringing his weapon down upon the beast, taking out his anger. The Wolfos let out an anguished cry as steel bit into its soft flesh, and it tried to back away from Link, who could already feel the rage building inside him. He would give this creature no mercy – just as it had given no mercy to the doubtless many innocent victims it had taken in its life. He swung the blade again, catching the beast on the neck but it was not quite enough to sever its head. He did however cut into the Wolfos' jugular and bright arterial blood spurted forth from the vein...the very life blood of the beast. A pitiful whine emerged from the creature, and Link finally decided to end its misery with a decisive blow to the skull finishing both its pain and its life. As the creature slumped to the earth from which it had come, Link let out a sigh. He plunged his sword into the earth beside it, and clenched his fists, then sank to his knees, his eyes squeezed shut. Killing the Wolfos had given him no peace, but he had known even before the first blow had been struck that would be the case. He had done it for survival... necessity. But the fury that now filled him when he reached for his sword was unbearable. He became another person, a person he was growing to fear. He looked down at his bare hands; they were covered in lines and creases, dirt, sweat and blood embedded in the skin. He had killed so many with his hands...he dreaded to think how many more he would have to kill. Link shook his head, and got back to his feet, grasping his sword. He had never wanted to be a killer. And now it seemed that was to be his life. It didn't matter that those he killed would be only too willing to do the same to him. There was only one life he wanted to take now, and that was Ganondorf's. Link looked to the sky, his eyes on the white, bright moon that hung high over him like a watchful eye. He drew a long breath, then began to walk once more, towards the village of Kakariko. The village of the dead.

Kalasil let out a shaky breath as she peered around the corner of one of the ruined buildings of the Hylian village. She had fled in this direction from her pursuers in order to fool them. She thought they might have assumed that she would head straight to the forest, but Kalasil had different ideas. She had once heard that the forest of the Kokiri could be reached from Death Mountain, and it was this route she intended to take. She had run for what had seemed an age, and dusk had fast been approaching by the time she had reached the ruined village of Kakariko. She had sprained her ankle when she had jumped from the castle, and now it was red and swollen...and the pain was beginning to leak past her carefully constructed defences built by years of training.

The village had initially appeared completely deserted when Kalasil had entered it. The burned out shells of buildings were all that remained of this once bustling settlement. But now that night had fallen, Kalasil had began to hear things...creaks and groans...and see things flit past from the corner of her eye. Kalasil was an able warrior, fast, agile and intelligent. But she had never left the desert until she had been selected to become part of Ganondorf's elite bodyguard at Hyrule Castle. And now she was afraid – a feeling that was completely alien to her. As the night grew darker, an eerie mist had fallen on the village and Kalasil had encountered her first ReDead. It had sneaked up behind her and she had turned at the sound of its shambling approach only to be confronted by its grasping hands and its open jaw. She had frozen at first, right until it had latched itself upon her outstretched arm, and then she had reacted. She had swung her sword at its neck and ended its unlife in less than a second, but now her arm bore the mark of its evil hunger. Now, the town was awash with ReDead, and Kalasil had never been more afraid in her life. Their shambling footsteps and mournful groans filled her ears and she felt as though she was stuck in some nightmare. Except it was a nightmare that was more real than any bad dream.

"Hello?!" called Link as he walked up the steps that led to Kakariko village. Everyone was dead. He knew it. He had smelt the smell of death and decay as soon as he had crossed the river, and the foul stench had grown stronger as he neared the village. But he had to hope. Hope that someone else could have survived this nightmare. He called out again, when he rounded the corner, and stopped in his tracks. Redead were everywhere. Their groans stung his ears and chilled his blood, and Link instinctively reached for his sword.

"Redead," spat Link, eyeing the shambling zombie-like creatures. Mindless scavengers of the dead, that was what they were...and predators of the living. With this many of the creatures about, Link would be amazed to see anyone alive. He pulled his sword from his belt and rushed forward with a cry, determined to kill as many of their number as he possibly could.

Kalasil first heard the stranger calling even before he had set foot in the village. The next moment all she could see was a flash of deadly steel followed by a spray of blood, gore and bone. Minutes later it was over and Kalasil could not determine whether she was more afraid now than she had been before. The Redead had been repulsive and very disconcerting, but Kalasil knew she could have dealt with them, had needs been. But this stranger...they looked like a threat. Taking a breath, the Gerudo stepped away from her hiding place, her hand on the hilt of her sword.

Link heard her before she could call out. He turned on one foot and pointed his sword at her neck, a mixture of anger and terror on his face.

"Who goes there?!" his voice was hoarse and the blood of the Redead streamed down his face. He could not see the stranger, for her form and face was veiled in shadow, but he almost immediately realised she was a Gerudo, her dark skin and blazing hair were unmistakable. Kalasil took a step back, and help up her hands.

"Please, drop your sword, sir," she said in a low voice. Link did not oblige. He saw the weapon glinting at her hip and nodded to it.

"Only if you do the same," he compromised. She undid her belt, and the sword fell to the ground, and she stepped out of the shadow, her eyes lowered. Link looked down at the curved blade, and saw the blood on it. Then he turned his attention to the Gerudo stranger before him.

Link's breath was literally taken away from him when he saw her for the first time; her beauty was unrivalled. He felt, for just a moment, his heart stop, and he lowered his sword, swallowing visibly. Her hair, lustrous and red as fire shot through with gold, was tied back revealing a sun-kissed face and dazzling amber eyes. Her red lips glistened, even in the dim light, and her entire body seemed to give off a radiant glow, as if she were the goddess Farore herself. Her slim and lithe form did not disguise her athletic physique, and her walk told of utter confidence and poise. Link had to tear his gaze from her...he dared not reveal that he was so entranced by her, still remembering that she was a potential enemy as much as a potential friend.

"What brings a Gerudo to a place such as this?" asked Link, wiping the blood from his face. The stranger looked up at him, and smiled, although something told Link it was not a smile of potential friendship.

"I might ask you the same question." She stepped forward, and surveyed the scene of destruction that lay around them. "This is no place for the living," she added.

"It used to be," retorted Link, his voice laced with bitterness. At these words, Kalasil's face softened and she sensed something within the man before her. This was no cold blooded killer looking for potential sport. This was someone else, someone entirely different.

"Perhaps...perhaps you know of the one I am seeking," she ventured. Link sheathed his sword, and tried once more to remove the blood from his face with the back of his sleeve.

"Who is it that you seek?" he asked, stepping forward. It was Kalasil's turn to be stunned. She knew the man before her now, and cursed her stupidity. He had been stood in shadow, as had she, and the blood that covered his face had misled her. This was him. Her master's bane. The so called hero. Kalasil stepped back, reaching for the sword at her back. The Master sword. She could kill him now, and return the sword, and no longer be called a traitor.

"I could not see before. Now it is clear that it is you," she murmured. A look of confusion shot across Link's face, which turned to horror as Kalasil drew the sword. But his eyes were not on Kalasil, but above her, and he let out a cry as there was a distinctive creak. Moments later, the entire wall of the building that Kalasil had stood by had collapsed in a pile of rubble and with a deafening crash, but not before Link had launched himself at her, knocking her off her feet and at the same time saving her life.

"Get off me!" demanded the Gerudo as she and Link hit the ground. Link obliged and stood up, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry...I..." he began, looking back to the spot they had just been. Kalasil followed his gaze and shakily got to her feet.

"I almost died..." she began, covering her mouth with her hand. She looked to Link, who was looking at the ground, he appeared visibly winded. The perfect time for her to strike...She drew the Master Sword from her back in one swift movement and held it to Link's throat. Link turned his weary eyes to hers, and then to her arm which he noticed was shaking.

"Is this the first time that you have ever pointed a sword at a man's throat?" She looked infuriated by his question, her amber eyes narrowing in defiance. Link thought he saw something else there too. Fear.

"What do you think?"

"Your eyes would suggest so; as would your arm. It's trembling." Before the stranger could reply, he had drawn his own sword, and rested the tip of its blade on his opponent's jugular. Her eyes widened in surprise at his swiftness, but when her eyes turned to his they darkened again, and her mouth turned downward into a grimace. Kalasil let her eyes run across Link's face, they were only a breath away from one another, and she found herself strangely drawn to him.

"I think this belongs to you," she whispered, before sliding the sword into his belt, letting her hand linger by his groin for a little longer than was comfortable. Link backed away, lowering his sword once more, and swallowed again, looking down at the weapon she had given him.

"The Master sword?" he questioned. Kalasil smiled at the hero.

"Is that what you call it?" she asked with a wicked grin.

"Er..." began Link, blushing furiously at the Gerudo's insinuations. "Where did you get this?" he asked, trying to change the subject, lifting the sword from his belt.

"Ganondorf." Link stared at Kalasil, confusion flashing across his face.

"You...you stole it from him?" Kalasil stepped towards Link, making him feel a little nervous.

"He gave it to me," she said softly, reaching out and touching Link's blood stained face. He flinched at her touch and backed away, but he did not deter her.

"He...he gave it to you?" asked Link, his confusion now evident.

"Yes. He gave it to me and asked me to give it to you." Link's eyes widened at Kalasil's words, and in a moment he had a dagger pressed against Kalasil's stomach. She looked unfazed by the turn of events, and kept her eyes on Link's.

"Don't try anything," warned Link, stepping back. His voice low. Kalasil merely smiled.

"And then he set my own sisters upon me, calling me a traitor," she continued, her voice becoming bitter. Link frowned, totally thrown by the conversation. She walked back up to Link, and pushed down his dagger wielding hand to his side. "Is it so hard to understand?" she murmured, placing one hand on Link's chest.

"So who's side are you on?" asked Link, wary of the Gerudo stood before him.

"My side," she replied, before catching his lips with hers and delivering a crushing kiss that left the hero absolutely breathless.

"Your side?" questioned Link, his voice hoarse. Kalasil smiled at him.

"Yes. Would you like to join me?" she propositioned.

"You just tried to kill me!" exclaimed the hero in exasperation.

"I changed my mind," said Kalasil, tracing the line of Link's jaw with her finger.

"Could you cut that out?" asked Link, pulling away from the Gerudo's partial embrace.

"Why? Part of you is obviously enjoying it," argued Kalasil with just a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

"I don't even know you!" retorted Link, backing away from the stranger.

"My name is Kalasil. Happy?" Link shook his head.

"No, I am not happy. Some Gerudo who has been sent to kill me has just given me the Master sword and is trying to...to...seduce me," cried Link, turning his back on Kalasil. She followed him and draped her arms around his shoulders, but Link shrugged off her advances, turning back to her.

"You know, you're far more handsome than I expected. I had heard you were just a boy. And there's something about you...something even my own Lord doesn't seem to have," said Kalasil, running her fingers lightly down Link's chest.

"What?!" blurted Link, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Ganondorf...he radiates sheer power. But you...there's something more..." Link blinked in disbelief.

"Well how about a little humanity for a start?! Or decency?!" he snapped.

"No...it's not that," murmured Kalasil, letting her hand touch Link's face.

"Okay, maybe I'm not a complete psycho!" said Link, his voice rising in volume. He slapped Kalasil's hand from his face like he might a fly.

"No? You looked pretty psychotic when you killed all those Redead. Frenzied, I'd say," said Kalasil, her hand back on Link's chest.

"Could you please stop pawing at me like I'm some toy?!" demanded Link, an intense heat beginning to worm it's way to his cheeks.

"What is it about you that loathes a woman's touch so?" asked Kalasil, one eyebrow perfectly arched.

"You were trying to kill me only moments ago, and now this? For all I know you're just trying to find a weak spot!" replied Link, grabbing hold of Kalasil's wandering hand by the wrist.

"Oh, I think I have already found that," whispered Kalasil by Link's ear. Their eyes met, and Link knew that he wanted her, more than anyone or anything at that moment. Kalasil's lips turned into a contented smile and Link leaned forward to kiss her, their bodies pressing together, and the hero finally gave into her advances, wanting, just for a moment, to feel and experience everything he had been denied...and to feel less like a hero and more like a man.

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