Disclaimer: I don’t want to get in whatever trouble people can get into when using other people’s characters so - The Legend of Zelda, Link, Zelda, Ganon, Hyrule and other related characters and settings belong to to that wonderous console company, Nintendo. No infringement intended.

Shadows of Fate

Juliet A. Singleton (juliet@northcastle.co.uk) & Kirsty Singleton (arcadionseye@btopenworld.com)



Chapter 1

     Leigh woke up, feeling drowsy. She also felt sick. She glanced around her surroundings, not quite taking them all in. What had happened? The last thing she could remember was making her way back to Hyrule, after her little hi-jack, could she call it that? Sea-jack, whatever, had gone wrong. Well, it looked like she was back on a ship. She lay back down, her head was killing her. She hadn't felt this bad in a while, not since she'd returned to Hyrule anyway. She let out a soft moan, covering her eyes. She didn't even know where she was, but she could tell by the rocking movement that she was on a ship. She tried to get up, move her aching limbs, but every joint protested, and she could only manage to get on all fours. She crept over to the side of the cabin and peered out of the porthole. Water was all she could see. Well, it wasn't exactly unexpected, was it? She had been hoping to see a bit of land, even if that bit of land was Hyrule. She glanced around the room, then the cabin door clicked open. She managed to turn her neck to see whoever had entered the room. She hoped to see a friendly face, maybe she'd been caught in a strong current and thrown from her boat. Maybe she'd been rescued. Only thing was, she had absolutely no recollection whatsoever. However the face that belonged to the visitor was far from friendly. Closer to unfriendly, or maybe psychotic. The man had long wavy, black hair, and an unruly beard, that looked like, well anything but something that should adorn anyone's face. It looked positively foetid.

"Ah, I sees ya've come out of it lassie," said the man, walking over to Leigh. Leigh stood up, wobbled for a second, then looked at the man square in the eye.

"Where am I?" she asked, before an uncontrollable wave of nausea cascaded over her, and she collapsed to the ground. The man smiled, nudging her with his wind cracked boot.

"Don't worry me love, ye'll be back home soon," he promised, before letting out a grating cackle, and leaving the room.



***



Timothy looked up at North Castle, an awful feeling of failure filling him. He had promised Zelda he would return with her daughter. The best he'd managed was to bring back her horse. He'd already had his own stabled, as well as hers, now he had to go and tell Zelda. His hands trembled with the cold, they were frozen, as was he, no doubt he would end up with pneumonia if he persisted on staying outside. Nonetheless, it was all he deserved after his failure to bring Brianna home. This whole thing was his fault. He should never have trusted Brianna a minute alone with that fiend, but he stupidly had. And he wished he didn't have to live to regret it. But that was a cowards way of thinking. He had to face this, for his own sake. After all, what doesn't kill you, can only make you stronger. He would find Brianna, he just needed a boat first. He marched into the castle, his clothes dripping from his swim. He wove his way through the castle, up the many flights of stairs without stopping for so much of a breath. He prayed Brianna was okay. He prayed that her brother was not yet dead. Ewan couldn't be, he was the strongest of them all. He had the power of all three Triforces! There was no way he could die. Timothy shuddered to think. Perhaps if Molasar hadn't kept him and Brianna for just those few minutes, if Timothy hadn't kept his pace to a minimum, he would've got to Ewan in time. Perhaps just for the prince to name his attacker, but Timothy was already pretty sure of that. It had to be Molasar. He had tried to kill Ewan. What if he did the same to Brianna. This time there would be no Tim to discover her crumpled, bloodied body by the roadside in the rain. Just as Tim had found Ewan. He stopped outside the door to Ewan's room. He heard a soft sobbing inside. He let out a sigh. How had things come to this? In a short, few hours, his life had been totally ransacked, and he was let off lightly. As for Zelda, both her children were gone from her, just in a few hours. He opened the door, without bothering to knock. Zelda was the first thing he saw, she turned and saw him, saw his expression. His eyes travelled to the bed, where he saw Ewan, his face a whiter shade of pale. Zelda saw Timothy's clothes, and stood up. She walked over to him, and hugged him.

"I'm so sorry your highness," he whispered, surprised by her reaction.

"You tried Tim, you tried," said Zelda, holding onto Tim as if he were the only thing that would prevent her from being blown from the thin beam of stability that she was precariously balancing on.

"I can find her, I know I can," assured Tim, feeling in his heart, that this time, he was speaking the truth. Zelda looked up at him, a young man, who even though he had recently slogged through a mire of despair and discomfort, was still willing to go back out there and do it all again.

"Oh Tim," she cried, holding onto him again. Timothy did the same for a few moments, then held her away from him, looking at her.

"Your highness, I pledge no empty promise, all that I need is a boat and I will go and find Brianna, and return her to you," promised Timothy. Zelda nodded.

"You know where she is?" she asked, gulping back another sob. Timothy nodded, although he could never admit he was taking wild shots in the dark.

"Yes, I believe she is headed for the coast of Benlucca," said Timothy, looking to the ground.

"Benlucca? But, what about Sosaria? The pirates!" exclaimed Zelda. Timothy looked back up.

"That is where she is headed," was all he could say.

"But why?" asked Zelda, slumping back into her seat. Timothy shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably.

"She is being accompanied by a young gentleman, who goes by the name of Molasar, Molasar Anacreon I think. That's what Brianna told me anyway," said Timothy, running a hand through his damp hair. A dull light of recognition lit Zelda's eyes.

"Anacreon?" she questioned. Timothy nodded.

"That's what she..." he began.

"Oh praise the goddesses! Anacreon, there is only one Anacreon in Benlucca that I know of, that of Balayna Anacreon, queen of the Gerudo. I know she died shortly after we last saw her but, but she was good, surely this Molasar has to be her son!" said Zelda, looking slightly relieved.

"Her son, but wouldn't that make him King?" asked Timothy, recalling a few things his father had told him concerning the Gerudo race. Timothy wasn't so sure if that was a good thing. Ganondorf Dragmire was King of the Gerudos, or at least, he had been.

"She shall surely be in safe hands, no son of Balayna's could ever do harm to my daughter," said Zelda, a faint glimmer of hope passing across her features.

"I know this Molasar, Zelda," said Timothy unsurely, he was beginning to wonder if he should voice his suspicions about the Gerudo King. Zelda glanced at him.

"But I can't understand, how does she know him, why has she left with him?" asked Zelda. Timothy sighed.

"She believes she is in love," he told her. Zelda looked up at Timothy.

"Love?" she echoed. She paused, reading Timothy's expression. "But you do not believe so?" she questioned. Timothy felt a strange heat creeping to his cheeks, he stumbled upon his words. If he let Zelda know about any of this, he could risk upsetting her, without reason. He knew he couldn't trust Molasar, he had attacked Ewan most certainly. But these were only his thoughts, and to be frank, they could be clouded by his feelings towards Brianna. But then who else would have the motive but Molasar? The two clearly disliked one another, and Ewan would never have allowed Molasar to have his sister.

"I wouldn't know," Timothy finally breathed, water trickling down the nape of his neck. Zelda looked at him, he had certainly been silent for a while. She stood up.

"I know you and Ewan were like brothers, you deserve at least a minute alone with him," she said softly. Timothy smiled gratefully as Zelda left the room. Timothy closed the door, then walked to Ewan's bedside, crouching beside him.

"Ewan, I don't know if you can hear me, maybe you can't, maybe I'd have better luck talking to a wall, but, in case you can, I know who did this to you, and they're going to pay, you don't have to worry about that, but first, first I have to go and rescue your sister, but you know, if you could just hang on until I get back, until they find someone to help you, well, that would just make everything worth it, okay?" said Timothy, trying to keep up with a nonchalant, casual tone, for Ewan's sake, and just managing it. He stopped and swallowed nervously. He finally let out a shaky breath, then turned to leave. "I've got to go," he murmured, before leaving.



***



"You are sure about this, aren't you?" asked Molasar, not for the first time. Brianna smiled. She nodded. Molasar smiled back. "It's just, I wouldn't like to think," began Molasar. But he cut his sentence short as a crashing pain seared through his temples, and he leaned forward, clutching his face with his hands. Brianna leaned over towards him, worried.

"Molasar, what is it?" asked Brianna, concerned for him.

"Fool! Do you think that by escaping back to that pathetic country you can escape me!? You will pay for this, a son never neglects his duties that are required for his father, no son of mine anyway!" screamed Ganondorf. Molasar keeled over. The pain that his father had caused soon faded, and eased away from him. He opened his eyes, and looked straight into the worried, angelic blue of Brianna's.

"What happened, are you okay?" asked Brianna, stroking the side of Molasar's face. He said nothing. He pressed his hands together and looked down at them, interlocking his fingers.

"What have I done?" he murmured to himself.

"Molasar?" questioned Brianna. He looked up.

"We aren't far from Benlucca, we shall soon be there," promised Molasar. He smiled at Brianna, an attempt to reassure her. He leaned forward, a little shakily, and gently touched her lips with his own. It was different from the kiss the two had shared earlier that night, but just as special, totally different from the first passionate embrace that the two had shared, but more feeling was in it, more emotion. And trust. They parted. "I'm so sorry," whispered Molasar.

"What for?" inquired Brianna, her heart still beating too fast. Molasar looked up at Brianna and smiled, a wry ironic smile.

"You're so innocent, so sweet, so naive of all this damned world has to hold for us all," he said. Brianna looked a little confused. Molasar took her hand. "You are the only one like you, no-one else shares the passions that you do anymore, you cherish everything," said Molasar, his voice soft and strangely sombre at the same time.

"What are you talking about?" asked Brianna, not really knowing the meaning of the words Molasar was mumbling.

"I've never known anyone like you Brianna, I've never felt like this about anyone before," confided Molasar.

"Nor have I," said Brianna, smiling at Molasar.

"She will soon feel differently, when she finds out you are my son," murmured Ganondorf. He seemed to have calmed down. Molasar did not even flinch at his father's invasion. He took Brianna's hand.

"Then marry me," he asked. Brianna smiled a little at first, then laughed.

"Oh, surely not," she said, her eyes twinkling. Molasar did not smile.

"Marry me Brianna, you say you've never felt like this for anyone else, and neither have I, it must be so! We are meant for each other," he said.

"You imbecile! What are you doing!" screamed Ganondorf in rage. Brianna looked down at her delicate hand, held in Molasar's strong, firm one.

"Molasar, I, I don't know what to say," said Brianna truthfully. Molasar paused, smiling hopefully.

"Say yes," he prompted her.

"But, we hardly know each other," protested Brianna.

"Yet you were willing to travel with me, away from your country, and you barely even know me?" asked Molasar, raising his eyebrows. Brianna paused.

"Yes but that was because I thought I may never see you again!" she said, realising it was barely an explanation.

"I love you Brianna," said Molasar, his intense gaze piercing through her, to her very soul.

"Oh, I," began Brianna. She'd heard of whirlwind romances, no, in fact, she'd only ever read about them. In poems, in fiction, but she'd never known it happen to anyone. Ever. But right now, it was happening to her.

"Ever since I heard your voice, ever since I set my eyes on you, I knew, you were the one," went on Molasar. He took her hand and kissed it softly, his eyes on hers at all times. "You would make me happier than any man on this Demiari," he murmured. Brianna had to look away.

"I wish I could say yes," she said.

"You wish?" asked Molasar. Brianna looked back up to Molasar.

"We only shared our first kiss this very day!" she exclaimed, although it seemed odd to say so in the darkness. This storm was certainly relentless.

"Then why not share our engagement?" asked Molasar.

"What's your hurry? You say you love me, well then why can't you wait for a bit?" asked Brianna, deciding it was time for things to slow down.

"Because I love you. I don't need to wait, why waste time?" asked Molasar, slightly impatient.

"But I don't know if I love you," said Brianna. Molasar paused, and took a deep breath, leaning back. "I'm sorry," she added. Molasar smiled at her.

"There's no need. Soon, soon you'll know," he said confidently.



***



As Timothy finished tacking up his horse, ready to ride to Saria, he felt a strong hand clap on his shoulder. He turned, and smiled.

"Aden!" he exclaimed. Aden Junior was the son of Fayzie of the Kokiri, who was now married to Damon Owen. His father had been a bitter man, who had hated Link irrationally. But Aden Junior was nothing like his father, he was handsome, clever, and a good friend of both Ewan and Timothy. He'd been in Catalia, visiting his father's grave. Although part of him hated his father, for the torture he had made his mother endure, part of Aden still regretted his death. And he had to pay his respects.

"Hi, just got back. There's been storms in Catalia for days, couldn't get away, you don't know how sorry I was to miss Ewan's 21st!" said Aden. He glanced at Timothy, and saw his morose expression. "Going somewhere?" he asked, looking at the horse. Timothy scratched the back of his neck. "Something up?" asked Aden, sensing all was not quite as it should be.

"Yeah, you could say that," said Timothy. Aden waited. "Ewan, Ewan is...." Timothy paused.

"What, come on, what is it?" pushed Aden.

"Someone tried to kill him, this morning. He's, god, you should see him Aden, he's on the brink," said Timothy.

"Ewan?!" asked Aden in surprise. Ewan was a strong and able fighter, there was no-one in Hyrule who had ever been able to match him. He knew how to take care of himself. "How's Brianna taking it?" he asked, his concern leaping to the princess. Timothy mounted his horse.

"She doesn't know, or at least I don't think she does," said Timothy.

"She doesn't know?" echoed Aden.

"She'd disappeared, that's where I'm headed, Benlucca," went on Timothy.

"She's in Benlucca? Trust me to miss all this!" said Aden, running a hand through his wet, dark hair. He had more of his mother's looks than his father's, he had short dark red hair, with thick eyebrows, a feature of his father's, but the rest, his gentle eyes, mouth and defined nose were all his mother's.

"I think so," said Timothy.

"Then I shall come with you!" announced Aden. Timothy shook his head.

"No, you should stick round here," said Timothy.

"For what?" asked Aden. Timothy shrugged.

"See, you know I should come with you, besides, I always wanted to do some sightseeing in Benlucca, what with the lovely Gerudo race and everything," said Aden with a wry grin. Timothy shook his head.

"Only you would think of such things during such a time!" accused Timothy. Aden wasn't sure whether his friend was amused or disgusted. He shrugged.

"If you don't let me accompany you, then I can justly say that you want to rescue Brianna all by yourself, and make yourself to be out some big hero," said Aden, shoving his hands in his pockets. Timothy looked down at Aden.

"I just don't think it's such a hot idea to get both of ourselves killed," he said.

"So am I coming?" asked Aden. Timothy shrugged.

"If you want to follow me, how can I stop you?" conceded Timothy with a sigh. Aden grinned, and got back onto his horse.

"Lead the way," he invited. Timothy obliged, wishing he could share the cheerfulness that his friend had.



***



Link returned to the castle downcast. He had been to every town in West Hyrule and was unable to find Leigh. So it looked like she had somehow found passage to Sosaria, or at least somewhere else. Someone recalled seeing her in Mido Port early on the day that Ewan had been found. Even thinking about it made Link feel sick. It was early morning the next day. He was exhausted, and Link knew he needed some rest, but he even felt guilty about that. How could he rest when his son was dying, and his only hope was surely on her way to Sosaria by some means right this very second. He knew what he was going to do. He was going to go and see Zelda, and get just a few hours sleep. Then he was going to Sosaria, but not by boat. He was going to take Sal.



***



Leigh woke up, still feeling sick. She managed to stand, and shakily made her way to the porthole, and peered up. The ship was moored, tied to a pier. Of course, she still didn't have a clue about where she was. The last thing in her memory was some guy, with a beard, and then her collapsing. She had definitely over-exerted herself aboard that pirate ship. She made a mental note not to try anything of the sort again too soon. She rubbed her forehead with her hand, trying to ease the pain, but it was pretty useless. She wandered over to the cabin door, and tried to open it. Either she had suddenly lost all of her strength, or the door was locked. She frowned and looked around the cabin. There wasn't much, a bunk in the corner, which she had neglected to use, a chest in the other corner. All in all, it was pretty bare. She walked vaguely over to the chest and managed to open it. It was empty. She sighed and walked back to the porthole. If she could smash it, she could easily climb out. As she contemplated this, the door to the cabin was flung open, and two surly looking men walked through in single file. They turned and glared at her.

"Hi," she greeted flatly. They stared at her, walked up to her and were about to both take her by the arm, when she raised a hand. "You'd do well to keep your hands off me," she warned them. They just laughed and grabbed her anyway. She attempted to struggle free of their grasp, but she wasn't strong enough. She was dragged through the door with little resistance. "Where are you taking me?" demanded Leigh. The men just laughed. "There was absolutely nothing funny about that question!" fumed Leigh. She was hauled up some steps, and onto the deck.

"You'll find out soon enough," one of the men rumbled. Leigh looked around. Not the ship, outside the ship. She knew where she was, and it certainly wasn't Hyrule.

"Sosaria?" she asked, totally thrown. How had she ended up here? From the tip of east Hyrule to Sosaria took at least a day or two, even by boat, even longer now that the seas were infested with pirates. So, either she'd slipped through some portal, or she'd been out for a lot longer than she had originally thought.

"That is right! Art thou gladst to be home?" asked a voice behind her. She turned, and saw a familiar, sneering face.

"No...wait, you can't be..." protested Leigh. The man she saw, a sneering face who went by the totally original name of 'Hook' whom had been killed, by her own hand, not so long ago. Well, about 16 years if she considered the whole time thing, but still, she could still remember the look in his eyes as she had killed him. Hook walked up to her, and lifted her chin with his hook. Leigh kept her eyes on his, trying to retain as much dignity as she could, despite being held at both sides by those two buffoons. He hadn't changed, well barely, he still had that moustache that framed his upper lip, the neat goatee set underneath his bottom lip, the patch over one eye, the long unruly hair.

"Long time no see, we never did go fishing," said Hook, somewhat wistfully, although still retaining his gleaming grin.

"You needed bait, I do recall," said Leigh, her tone calm.

"Yes, strange, thou didst refuse to oblige," said Hook, flipping his hair over his shoulder. He let Leigh's chin drop.

"What are you doing here?" asked Leigh. Hook smiled.

"Why I thought thou wouldst be grateful Avatar, after all, thou wert so very desperate to return to these shores, the Guardian said so!" exclaimed Hook. Leigh didn't think she was liking the sound of this.

"So, what are you going to do with me?" asked Leigh. Hook smiled again.

"Do not tempt me dear," he said slowly. "In any case, I have been asked to deliver thee to the Guardian's door. A favour for a favour if thou wouldst like. He did restore mine life, after all," said Hook. Leigh frowned.

"I would hardly call it a favour, it's no fun being killed twice, especially by the same person," said Leigh, managing to pull free of the two men's grasp, and pushing Hook to the ground. She went to pull her sword from her belt but her hand passed through a belt turning out nothing. As soon as Hook saw her expression, he pushed her off him and began to laugh as she was heaved off her feet.

"Nice try Avatar, I see that thou still possess the fire in thy belly thou didst a few years back, but sadly for thee, all thy weapons were confiscated as thou didst board this ship," said Hook. Leigh let her head hang, and could not believe how stupid she had been. The next thing she felt was a hard blow to the stomach, causing her to almost keel over.

"Welcome back, old friend," said Hook, before bursting into laughter. Leigh grimaced, wondering if coming back to Sosaria, even though she didn't think she was going to, had ever been such a good idea after all.



***



Zelda collapsed down on the edge of the bed, weeping openly. What had she done, that was so terrible, to have both her children so cruelly snatched away from her? Am I really such a bad person, that the goddesses should treat me this way? she thought sadly. Slowly, she wiped her eyes once more, and turned to look at her son. He was on the edge, precariously balanced on that slender thread between life and death. Zelda had never felt it herself, but she knew that with every passing second, that Ewan was surely closer to breathing his last. "Oh Ewan... Ewan..." she murmured, gently running her hand through his reddish-brown hair. He looked so delicate, so precious, so... childlike. And yet she knew her son was a young man. He has the courage of his father, he has to live! Zelda thought desperately. If Ewan died, she didn't know what she'd do. Now she knew how Fayette had felt, when her husband, Raymundo, had been murdered in cold blood. She couldn't imagine why anyone would have wanted to kill Ewan. Everybody had liked Ewan, surely? She remembered many years ago, when an evil woman named Mara, had tried to kill her. She'd been absolutely terrified, helpless. Was that how Ewan had been? She ran her hand over his cheek, shocked at the coldness. But still, he breathed. She took her hand away, clasping it in her other, to try and warm it. Suddenly, the door to the room was pushed open, and the queen turned, surprised. Link walked quietly in, head hung. He closed the door behind him, and walked over to the bed, his face an expression of devastation. Link had known more death than Zelda had, yet it still affected him as badly. Almost all of Link's family had been savagely killed by the raiding Tanolians, and his brother murdered by one of his worst enemies. "There's been no change?" he enquired, taking his son's hand and gazing down at him.

"No," Zelda replied quietly.

"I didn't find Leigh... she's... she's already left," Link said, turning to look at his wife. Zelda looked down, biting her lip. She'd made Leigh leave, and now...

"It's all my fault! If I hadn't been so proud and stubborn..." she began, her tone angry.

"No! Zelda, don't blame yourself, we can't blame anyone for this, apart from the evil that did it!" Link retorted. He turned back to Ewan.

"Thank god Tim found you..." he whispered. Zelda stood up, and placed a hand on her husband's chest. "Link, there's.... there's something else," she stated, her eyes watering.

"What?" Link questioned, not liking the sound of her words.

"It's Brianna... she's..." Zelda began.

"Tim didn't find her?" Link asked quickly. Zelda nodded.

"But he thinks she's... she's..." she continued, stammering. Link didn't dare ask.

"Not..." he began.

"No, thank the goddesses. But... Oh Link..." Zelda cried. She flung her arms around him, and wept into his chest. It was all Link could do but to hold her back and stop himself from crying too. Presently though, he stepped back.

"Tell me, Zel, please. Where is Brianna?" he questioned. Zelda looked up, tears still shining in her deep green eyes.

"Link she... she's left Hyrule," she answered.

"Left Hyrule?" Link echoed, puzzled.

"With a man. A man called Molasar Anacreon," Zelda finished. Link's brow furrowed.

"Molasar Anacreon? But why?" he asked.

"Timothy says she fell in love with him. I guess you could say... they eloped," Zelda replied. "She's only fifteen years of age! That's crazy!" Link said. He sounded angry. "How can she do this? At a time like this? How could she just up and abandon us?!" he continued. "And who's this Molasar too?"

"Molasar, I believe, is the son of Balayna," Zelda said quietly.

"Balayna had a son?" Link questioned. Zelda shrugged.

"I've no idea. Maybe it's a coincidence," she said.

"She's far too young!" Link continued.

"I know," Zelda agreed quietly. "But... it is possible to be in love... so young," she added, giving Link a meaningful look. Link nodded.

"I guess it is, but..." Zelda leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Timothy is going after her, he'll bring her back, I'm sure of it. Besides, if he was related to Balayna, surely Brianna will be safe," she said.

"I don't trust the Gerudo," Link retorted bitterly. He shoved his hands in his pockets, and walked out of the room.



A short while later, Zelda found him sat up in their room. "Link! Won't you stay with me, with Ewan?" she questioned. She'd decided to keep up a constant vigil by her son's beside, just in case he should take a turn for the worse.

"I can't bear to," Link replied. Zelda frowned.

"He's your son, Link! Don't you care?" she questioned, a little harshly.

"Of course I care! But... I can't... I just can't stay there," Link snapped.

"But you have to!" Zelda argued.

"I can't. Besides, I'm leaving soon anyway," he replied.

"What?! Leaving? Why?" Zelda asked, shocked.

"I'm going to Sosaria," Link answered.

"You... you can't! You'll surely be killed!" Zelda cried, absolutely horrified at the notion.

"I'm leaving in a few hours. Sal will be flying by soon," Link said. Zelda remained silent. She paced up and down for a while. Link didn't say anything either.

"You can't leave me!" Zelda finally said. She rushed over to the bed, and joined him there. "Don't leave, please, don't," she wept.

"I have to find Leigh. She's Ewan's only hope," Link whispered quietly. He wrapped his arms around his wife, trying to calm her. "Zel, I love you so much, I really do, and I hate to do this to you. But I have to. Please try and understand," he spoke softly.

"I understand," Zelda finally sniffed. He pulled her close, and kissed her gently.

"I love you, I love you," he repeated.

"I love you too," Zelda replied, matching his kiss with one of her own. "Why are we so unlucky?" she murmured sadly, her thoughts back on their children again. Link suddenly thought about Kylara, and about her warnings. But, he dismissed them. True, they had been unlucky, and lots of bad things had happened, but they were both still here, still together.

"At least we still have each other," he said softly, kissing her again. Zelda kissed him back and then sighed.

"I guess," she remarked.

"We're going to get through this, like we got through everything else. We're strong, Zel, we'll win," Link whispered, gazing right into her eyes. She gazed back, and nodded.

"You're right. You will find Leigh, and Timothy will find Brianna. We'll get through this." Link pulled her down onto the bed.

"Come on, get some rest. You need it," he said, looking down at her. Her face was pale, yet reddened from so much crying and she looked extremely tired.

"You too," Zelda said. He smiled a little.

"Well, it was the plan. I'll rest... wake me when Sal arrives, if I don't," he said. Zelda nodded, and then kissed him goodnight.

"I'll miss you," she murmured. "Not half as much as I'll miss you," Link replied wistfully. He lay down close beside her, a comforting arm around her shoulders, and then down to get some much-needed sleep...



Back to Story Menu