Disclaimer: I don’t own the Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, or any of these characters.

Author’s Note: Ahhhh, sorry this took so long, but I wrote this on a napkin and then... well, the napkin was torn into itty bitty pieces and I had to try to put it together again in order to get this chaper to you. Some of it is the original chapter, other parts of it I filled in from memory. Okay, I hope you enjoy this, because I went through very muchly to get it, including a horrid cold... which I still have, but okay. Anyway, enjoy this chapter, I’ll see you at the end.

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Chapter 5: The Massacre

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Link stood beside the silent Princess Zelda, staring off into the dark abyss that had cloaked the young Gerudo Lord from their sight only mere moments ago.

He fought to regain control over his fingers, to right the numbness and trembling that had so violently plagued his limbs only moments ago. It was… when he touched that man’s hand, when he’d looked into those ruby eyes and seen the amusement, the cool, blatant disregard he’d seen shining malevolently in Ganondorf’s eyes.

There was something about that Lord that had made him feel sour the moment he lay eyes upon him… something… out of place and ominous. The dark man had positively reeked of dark magic; his hands were permanently dyed red from crushing fragile lives between his fingers like stone. Link had no doubt that only the righteous had ended up dying by Ganondorf’s hand.

Still, if he had been such an evil man, why did the Lord bear the mark of Hyrule, the Triforce, upon his hand? Perhaps it was a tattoo that a tribeswoman had done for him after killing a prominent member of Hyrule's court?

Perhaps it was the actual relic that had come to rest upon Ganondorf's bloodstained hand.

If, in fact it was truly the relic that Link expected it to be, the Gerudo Prince had far more power than any alive. The strength of the Triforce was limitless; it was the power of the Goddesses themselves bestowed upon mankind for the good of all.

'However,' Link thought, looking toward the frozen Princess, 'at the moment the thing that I must worry about is Her Highness. She seems quite rattled by the experience... I sense much dislike radiating from her end. Maybe she feels the same horrid vibes emanating from the Lord as I do.'

"Mr. Greene, are you alright?" a soft voice asked, rocking him from his thoughts.

Link shook himself from his clouded thoughts, looking at the Princess' concerned features. Her voice had counteracted the poisonous effects of Ganondorf's presence, bringing him back into the world.

As quickly as possible, he grabbed the chalk and board, writing quite slowly upon the surface with his still trembling hand. "I am quite fine, your Highness. Although I must ask, are you alright yourself? You seem a bit... winded from that insufferable man's appearance."

Zelda was quite surprised as she read his low opinion of Ganondorf. Not many would be so open and blatant about their dislike, let alone someone who was... mute. Perhaps his dislike was a trick to get her to open up to him...

But his features seemed too genuine to be a farce. His blue eyes were staring directly into hers, lips and brow furrowed deep in worry, hands tightly clasping the writing tablet as though it were his last lifeline.

"I am used to being in Lord Ganondorf's presence," Zelda explained, shifting closer to Link. "He is... my suitor, perhaps the worst of them all. I loathe being in his presence, as I am sure you could feel the seeds of evil that have taken root in his heart."

"Yes, I could feel it. It seemed all encompassing, determined to destroy everything about it. Lord Ganondorf seems to be quite the power-hungry man..."

Zelda stifled a laugh. Ohhh, the young man had pegged her 'suitor' quite well for a mute musician from Ordon. He seemed quite well studied in manner, but it was quite clear that when he disliked someone he would state it loud and proud. It was an admirable quality, yet also a flaw.

It was then that a sudden thought hit her and guilt consumed her once more.

"Mr. Greene, before the Lord's appearance I was going to apologize for asking about your muteness," the Princess said, violet eyes crestfallen in the moonlight. "It was a rude, personal question for me to ask of you. I apologize for my foolhardy question."

Link's eyes widened considerably, his strong countenance melting from his young features. As soon as the vulnerability appearance, it disappeared just as quickly once more behind the kind, powerful countenance so unique to his personality. The chalk in his hand descended once more upon the tar colored surface...

“Do not worry of it, Princess. Many people have asked that question, I do not mind it in the least. I apologize if I made you feel any guilt because of my countenance. I should have guarded my expression quite a bit more, ‘tis my own fault, Your Highness.”

As if to reassure her, Link gave her a wondrous smile, so warm and friendly that she felt all the others she had seen were mockeries. What a unique gentleman this was, and though she loathed the thought of returning to the festivities, she had little choice. She had been in his presence far too long to be deemed acceptable.

“Perhaps we should return inside, I believe I have been missed for quite a while,” the Princess said, returning Link’s smile. “Would you be so kind as to escort me to the banquet hall? You do not have to if you would rather adjourn to your room, stay here, or just return yourself.”

Link nodded still with that glorious smile upon his lips as he extended his arm to Princess Zelda.

As they walked inside together, Zelda burrowed perhaps a bit closer than normal into Link’s side.

‘This,’ she thought, feeling the silky, pine smelling fabric of Mr. Greene’s sleeve, ‘feels so right... But how is it that a total stranger can just come along and bring with him what I’ve been searching for my whole life...? Is this the man, the friend I’ve been waiting for?’

For the first time in her eighteen years Zelda felt a warm, unfamiliar emotion well up within her bosom...

It was the warmth of friendship.

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Link’s quarters within the castle were surprisingly good despite his only being a lowly performer from the small region of Ordon.

A small, soft bed lay against a cool stone wall. The floor had been covered over in an ornate rug, the Six medallions of the Sages of Hyrule weaved into the plush surface, at the center the crest of The Hero of Time was carved in a glaring gold. Against the farther side of the wall rested a beautiful mahogany drawer of stained wood for holding clothes. A fireplace rested in the wall, flames crackling merrily in the pitch black.

Link lay upon the bed, covered in the soft sheets as he looked up at the stone ceiling, lost in his thoughts.

Today had been quite strange. He had arrived that day, expecting to just have come to Hyrule Castle, perform, then disappear rather than stay the night. The rest of the Nobles rested around him in these guest quarters, he had been leaving only to find that Zelda had cordially invited him to stay the night. His attendant, a rough, white-haired woman named Impa had brought his things to his room and quartered Epona for the night within the Royal Stables.

Within moments he had gone from a simple musician to being a ‘friend’ (as Impa had told the guards to the quarters) of Princess Zelda herself.

There was much to think about tonight, more than he could think about at that moment.

But what stood out in his mind most prominently of all was this: someone had befriended him despite his muteness. For once someone couldn’t care less about his inability to speak... for once someone cared for him because he was just himself.

No, he couldn’t let her wriggle her way into his heart just based on one moment of joy. It had to be much harder, he’d been betrayed all his life, he mustn’t be so quick to let someone into his heart.

Still, there was something much more to Princess Zelda. She wasn’t a regular noble.

She was far beyond. Perhaps someone who could finally understand his suffering.

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Screams echoed in a great symphony in the glaring darkness of the night. A burst of flame pillaged the skies in tall, burning towers of Godlike fury.

Men and women screamed, their bodies clad in the light flannel of night clothing, the light autumn colors already stained red by blood or charred away by the sheer torrents of fire.

Little rustic houses that had once been inhabited by the townsfolk burned, people lay day in rivers of blood, the once clear waters of a babbling brook stained bright crimson as corpses lay facedown, motionless forever.

One by one the people fell like dominoes, wailing in pain and agony as they fell to the ground in heaps of motionless dolls.

Amid the chaos a single figure sat astride a horse, flame red cloak fluttering in the night breeze as he loosed a terrible laugh.

The beast he sat astride gave a wild whinny, galloping forward and progressing upon the few remaining survivors of the massacre. It’s maw foamed, armored legs knocking over the living with anguished screams, advancing upon those still living with glowing red eyes.

At last one remained, a boy crouched against the wall holding the decapitated head of his Mother between trembling arms. The boy looked up, green eyes pleading the rider as he begged in a terrified voice...

“My father... please help me find him...”

The rider said nothing, merely staring down with ruby eyes upon the little boy. Without a word, he extended a hand, a crackling ball of light gathering into existence under his hand.

The boy, unaware that he was in trouble, dropped the head upon the ground and came closer to the man. “My father... please...”

The rider laughed as the crackling volts of electricity descended upon the boy, sending the young body flying across the clearing and slamming into a burnt tree.

The broken body gave a sickening crack as the boy gave a horrid cry, blood spurting from all parts of his body. Slowly, he looked up, barely coherent, at the rider who had violently struck him...

“My father... Help him... find my friend... Link...”

Without another word the boy slumped, dead.

The rider turned his beast upon the last bit of remaining identification of the living Hell he had created at his own will. A sun tanned, heavily ringed hand extended from beneath the train of the cloak, fingers snapping and sending torrents of all consuming fire toward the town’s main gate...

The sign fell to the ground, the wood giving way into a flaming heap. The edges of the wood curled their edges like black butterfly wings, the words slowly lost for all of eternity along with its slain inhabitants...

“Welcome to Ordon”...

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Author’s Note: And now what will happen to Link?! Thank you to ALL my reviewers, I LOVE getting your comments, thank you so much for everything. Thanks to SirJoshizzle as well for his new story, it certainly helped me write this chapter, as I needed a bit of inspiration. Please review, it really helps me write my chapters.