Hearts and Heartache
By Aeris Strife
Link and Malon sat on their horses at the entrance to Lake Hylia. The sun sparkled on the clear blue water, the grass was green, and small pink flowers were everywhere. Link and Malon got down off their horses to look at the beautiful scene.
"Malon… this is perfect," said Link not paying attention to his new bride.
Malon mounted Epona and began to ride circles around Link, then off to the bridge. Link knew it didn’t pay to try and got on Malon’s brat of a horse, so he ran after her, until the reached the small island in the center of the lake.
"Well, Malon, looks like you’re stuck now," said Link, as he began to walk towards her.
Malon knew she was stuck. She quickly stripped of her pale pink dress and dove into the water. "You didn’t get me!" she yelled, and then stuck her tongue out at him.
Link grinned, "So you want to play that game?" He stripped off him tunic and took off his boots, then he dove in after her. Swimming after her, as fast as he could, he finally managed to catch her. Link turned Malon to face himself, and brushed the fiery hair out of her deep blue eyes. "So beautiful," he whispered as he leaned forward to kiss her neck.
"It was so wonderful of Zelda to keep this place off limits for us," whispered Malon, "There’s no one here to see us."
Link smiled when he was reminded of that. He lead Malon into the shallows, picked her up, and carried her over to the shore. There he began to kiss her passionately and laid her down in the short grass. He ran his fingers through her hair and looked deep into her eyes. "Malon, I love you."
"I love you too," said Malon as she pressed her lips to Link’s. When their lips parted she continued, "I don’t know how I could ever live without you. You are so wonderful, I couldn’t imagine life without you."
Link found himself at a loss of words and laid down next to her. Malon moved closer and rested her head on Link’s shoulder. Soon after she fell asleep.
* * * *
Link was proudly fighting Ganon. He held the Mirror Shield high and walked into Ganon’s immense swinging swords. Link slashed, with the Master Sword, at Ganon’s tail and missed, he quickly turned and struck Link with his swords. First across his back, then his right arm, then his chest. The slash to his chest sent him flying and away from the terror he was facing. Dark red blood began to trickle from his wounds. His green tunic was wet with blood.
Link sat up, and was very startled. Sweat was dripping from his forehead. His body was shaking with fright. He gasped in relief realizing it was only a dream. He fell back and let out a deep sigh. He leaned over to look at Malon’s sweet face. "What is this dream? Why is it so familiar, but not?" He leaned over and kissed Malon’s soft tan cheek. He got up, "A ride will do me some good…"
He walked outside and felt himself drawn to Hyrule. He mounted Epona and kicked her flanks until he knew she could run no faster. "Come on Epona!" he whispered harshly. He walked into the city, which no longer closed the gates at sunset, and walked in. The Temple of Time was calling him.
He walked to it slowly, hesitantly. Three stones gleamed with a radiant light. A green stone, a red stone, and three blue stones connected to each other. A song came into his head, it got louder and louder until he screamed, "Arrrrgh! What is this song!"
"Song… song… ong… ng…" echoed the Temple. "Sing the song…." It then spoke.
Link was confused, but whistled the notes loudly. The stone doors began to disappear. "Link, come back here," a female voice called. He walked back hesitantly. A Gerudo sat near the pedestal where a truly beautiful sword was. "Don’t you remember me?"
Link looked at her, confused at who she was, and where she came from. "No I don’t."
"I was your lover… Link!" she cried.
Pains shot through his head, as if he was trying to remember something that never happened. "Who are you?!"
"Shreanda… I loved you, Link…" she replied.
"Stop saying that!" he yelled.
"Nabroo’s Second in Command, Ganondorf’s favorite sister!" she yelled. "Recall the memory."
The Triforce of Courage reappeared on his hand, and he began to scream from the burning pain. His eyes went a possessed glowing white color, and he fainted.
"I knew I could make you remember, Dark Link…" said Shreanda. "I will take the Master Sword for you to kill that wife of yours with."
* * * *
Malon awoke, alone, shivering. She sat up, "Link!" She left the tent where they were sleeping. She walked out into the dangers of Lake Hylia, at night. "Link, where are you!" she screamed into the cold night. With no reply she called her horse. "Demi! Come now!"
The horse ran up, her golden mane shining in the moonlight, and her dark brown coat barely visible. Malon ran her hands up to her saddle and pulled herself up. From one of the saddlebags she pulled a small sword, that would prove a dagger to anyone but a child. "Come on, Demi, canter!" The horse ran faster than Epona ever did. Malon rode her horse to the Gerudo Fortress. "He’s here, I can tell…" Demi shook her head in disapproval. "Come on, Demi, we must!"
After ten minutes of trying to get Demi to enter the Gerudo Fortress, Malon finally won. It was quiet, and the bridge was broken, so no guards were around. She ordered Demi to canter again, but when they reached the edge of the bridge the horse stopped. "Demi, come on, we have to get over!" Demi shook her head, letting her mane fly. "Come on, Demi!" Malon kicked her hard on the horse’s flanks. Demi, in return, reared up and Malon fell off the horse. She was going to fall in the river but caught onto a board still connected to the bridge.
Malon’s fingers slowly began to slip, and her hands let lose. She was falling, then stopped in mid air. She felt something latched to her back, and some one was pulling her up, from the other side. She made it just fine, but looked into the eyes of a Gerudo. Her eyes widened in fear and she back away, a bit.
"Worry not," began the Gerudo, "I am Shreanda. I wish you no harm."
"Wh-what do you want with me?" said Malon, with a shiver in her voice.
"I only wish to know the great Link’s wife!" said Shreanda.
"Link… where is he?!" Malon yelled.
"It’s okay," said Shreanda, as she placed a hand on Malon’s fiery hair, "you’ll see him again, in time."
Malon saw, before her own eyes, the Gerudo turn into herself. Her hair stretched down long to her waist, her eyes became blue, and her outfit turned to a pale pink dress. "No…" said Malon weakly, in an attempt to get up. Malon fell, hard, to the ground. Her breathing was labored. Before her eyes closed she saw her skin had turned a deep tan. The Gerudo turned, laughing, and walked back to the Gerudo Fortress.
Malon saw her walk off. She crawled forward and stopped by a small puddle of water. She gazed into her reflection. Her nose had grown longer, her eyes a dark brown, long reddish-orange hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She looked at the eyes begin to get tears in them. "That can’t be me…" she whispered. Her voice wasn’t hers either, it was Shreanda’s. "No…"
* * * *
Link awoke to what he believed Malon’s smiling face; little did he know it was Shreanda. He reached out and pushed her hair behind her ear. "Hello love."
Shreanda sat back on her feet and just kept smiling. "Good morning Link."
Link leaned forward to kiss his wife. "Thank the Goddesses that was all a dream."
Shreanda sat, still smiling at Link, and slowly began to unbutton her silky, yellow, nightgown.
"Malon, it’s still early…" said Link.
"But, that’s okay," said Shreanda as she leaned forward to kiss Link.
* *
Malon was exhausted after her over exertion the night before. She had no idea how to leave Gerudo Fortress. The puddle Malon had gazed into the night before had evaporated. Demi still stood across the bridge looking at Malon. "Demi! Come here."
It was no longer night so Demi turned around, ran to the bridge and jumped it. She shook her head at Malon, thinking she was a Gerudo. "Demi, relax." Malon held out her arms for Demi to smell, and began to sing the song she sang every morning at the ranch. Demi relaxed and allowed Malon to mount her again. She rode into the main part of the fortress.
Malon saw so many Gerudo women she couldn’t believe. Her color was a deep blue silk. The others, however, wore purples, greens, pinks, yellow, reds, and every other existing color that silk could be. Their hair was all pulled back in tight pony tails, a few done their own ways. They all had well formed figures, even the younger girls, like no Hyruilian female could ever maintain. Malon looked down and realized she had a figure like all the rest, she could walk freely among them.
Malon had heard of their leader, Nabooru; that had a hide out in the Spirit Temple. She recalled the legend; Gerudo women are light as a feather, and stealthy as a ghost. She remembered that the Desert Colossus was surrounded by quick sand. ‘That must be how they get there!’ she thought. She dismounted Demi, and walked to the gate, leading Demi with her. "I wish to go to the Desert Colossus."
The Gerudo guard nodded. "Open the gate for Shreanda!" she yelled up to the gate’s operator. "I’ll watch your horse while you are gone." She reached out for the reins.
"No, you can’t… She doesn’t like strangers," said Malon.
"Okay then, your choice," said the guard, and then she put a Gerudian Spear on the back of Demi’s saddle.
Malon mounted Demi once more, and gently kicked her flanks. Malon guided the horse well through the desert by the red flags, until a Poe came into their presence and the flags were no longer there. Not knowing what to do Malon followed the Poe, her heart beating in anticipation. The Poe disappeared and before Malon towered the Desert Colossus; a structure made entirely of sand.
In the path she saw strange little creatures that resembled cacti moving about. She drew the spear the Gerudo Guard had given her and began to ride towards them. They began to race to the horse, and spun their blades cutting Demi’s legs. Malon took the spear and slashed at them and urged Demi to ride on faster. "Come on, Demi!" she yelled as she slashed at and killed two more of the creatures. They reached the steps and the creatures stopped chasing them, and began patrolling the steps. "Demi," she put her hands on the horse’s neck, "stay here, I don’t want them to hurt you, and you are my only way to get Link back."
Demi shook her head and whinnied. She nuzzled Malon’s cheek, and backed away. Malon walked to the Temple.
* * * *
Link lay with Shreanda in his arms. He knew something was different about her. How she had been in the weeks before was different than five minutes ago. It looked like her, but so much was different, everything was. She wasn’t acting the same.
Shreanda stirred and opened her eyes. She looked at Link, happiness shining in her face. "Are we awake now?" She slowly ran her fingers through her own hair.
Link smiled back at her, but she flashed as Shreanda, and Link’s smile left his face.
A mild look of fear showed on her face, as she realized what had happened.
* *
Malon looked around the Spirit Temple. "It’s so beautiful," she whispered.
"Yes, it is," said another voice.
Malon turned suddenly to see another female Gerudo standing before her. She was very tall, and her eyes a light brown, almost yellow. She wore a golden necklace and there was a ruby in her hair band. Armbands wrapped around her arms, rings on her fingers, and she wore pink and white silks. "Nabooru…."
"Shreanda, you act as if you’ve never seen me, or this place for that matter!" said Nabooru with a laugh. "What is troubling you that you would go into the ‘Hell’ of the Desert Colossus?"
"I am not Shreanda," said Malon, placing a hand on her own chest. "I’m Malon, Shreanda did something to me… and she has Link… I know it." Malon’s eyes began to fill with tears.
Nabooru’s eyes widened. "She really did it… I never took her seriously!" She shook her head. "We can still stop h..." Nabooru stopped as Malon quickly flashed from Shreanda’s form to her own. Nabooru continued, "her, and save you."
Malon’s eyes lit up. "Really, you can reverse it?"
"No," began Nabooru, "but I can make her change you back, or kill her."
Malon shook her head, "I see it unfit she should die."
Nabooru grabbed Malon’s shoulders and shook her. "Look what she has done to you! You don’t want her dead! She’s stolen your husband!" Nabooru took her hands off of Malon’s shoulders and put them on her hips. "Now, we need to work on your Gerudo look. You look scared to death, and not very proud."
"What’s wrong with my look now?" asked Malon.
"First of all your ponytail is much to loose," began Nabooru, "tighten it. Also, stand up straight, you’re slouching! Okay, your spear goes over your shoulder when you’re walking and not using it, rest it on the ground when your standing still. The other hand goes on your hip… good, that’s right."
"I look okay?" asked Malon shyly.
"Ack! All wrong, not so shy, think proud!" commanded Nabooru.
"Like this?" asked Malon, not regretting what she had said.
"Perfect, now to plan our strategy."
* * * *
Shreanda looked at Link while he swam out in Lake Hylia. "Ha," she whispered in a raspy voice, "soon our fun will be over and you will die." She stroked the case of the silver dagger she carried. She gave a crooked smile, as Link looked over at her. "If only you knew the fate coming to yourself. Murdered by your new bride."
Link came up on shore and picked up Shreanda, "It’s lonely in there!" Link threw her in the lake and jumped in after her.
Shreanda surfaced and spit out the water she had swallowed. "Link! I didn’t want to get wet!"
Link got a puzzled look on his face, "Okay, Malon, whatever you want."
Shreanda walked back onto the shore and laid back down. "That time shall come sooner than I thought."
* *
"She’s going to attack soon, she’s done this before," said Nabooru.
"No! I won’t let her. She can’t do it…" Malon began to cry.
"Malon, be strong, we know what we are going to do, we can go now. We’ll need your horse," said Nabooru.
"Demi isn’t very friendly, it might not be a good idea," replied Malon.
"Make her, she listens to you!" yelled Nabooru. "I know a spell that can take us back to the Gerudo Fortress. If we can ride your horse it will take no time to get to Lake Hylia."
"But…" began Malon as tears began to fill her eyes, "Princess Zelda had guards posted so no one could interrupt our honeymoon. We can’t get past the guards."
"Surely they have a password, or something of the sort for emergencies…" said Nabooru.
"Well, I think it was shirak, the Shiekian word for began or light," said Malon. "Yes, that’s what it was."
"Yes then, well get that high-strung horse of yours, and we’re going!" said Nabooru.
"Yes," said Malon, an indescribable joy in her words. "Demi!" Malon hummed the song.
Demi ran into the Temple, shook her mane, and reared up on two feet. Malon ran to mount Demi.
"No, wait Malon, I have a better idea," said Nabooru as she grabbed Malon’s shoulder. "Hold the horse, I need to touch her."
Malon gripped Demi’s reins tightly as Nabooru placed her hands on Demi’s back. "Creatame almianya!"
Slowly the horse turned into a slender female with tan skin, blue eyes, and a leather tunic for fighting. "What’s happened to me?"
"Demi, I’ve turned you into a human, we will need your help," Nabooru handed her a Gerudian Spear. "I’ve created you to be a fighter, and you naturally have strong muscles, you will be useful to us."
Demi bowed her head, "If it means helping Malon, I shall do whatever it takes!"
Malon, Demi, and Nabooru tightly grasped their spears and Nabooru began to chant. "Shranika yamakianda." A light surrounded them that got brighter and brighter until Malon couldn’t look at it.
* * * *
Nabooru looked around and saw Malon and Demi with them before she ran to a horse. "Quickly, get a horse, our time runs short!"
Malon and Demi ran to get horses, and followed Nabooru across the broken bridge and out to Hyrule Field.
* *
Shreanda had drawn the dagger from under her pillow, and looked at Link as he swam. "Link, come here!"
Link looked at her and began to swim to shore.
* *
Malon soon passed Nabooru and was leading the way. At the gate a guard instructed them to halt. "Shirak!" yelled Malon without stopping.
* *
Link looked at Shreanda and kissed her, Shreanda kissed him with passion and force realizing she would never kiss him again. She drew the dagger from behind her back slowly, keeping his lips locked to hers.
* *
Malon rode in and saw Link and Shreanda kissing and tears came to her eyes. She saw Shreanda slowly pulling the dagger from behind her back. "NOOOO!!!" she yelled as she charged forward on her horse. As she rode past Shreanda she knocked her over with the butt of her spear. She dismounted and glared at Shreanda with an indescribable look of hatred burning in her eyes. "He’s mine…" Malon turned the spear.
Shreanda fell back and grabbed the Master Sword that she had kept hidden. "You can’t defeat me, I can control you," hissed Shreanda.
"But you can’t control us!" yelled Demi as she rode up, and jumped off her horse in front of Shreanda.
"I never knew you’d go this far," said Nabooru from behind her.
Shreanda turned realizing how bad her odds of winning were. She placed her hand on Link’s shoulder, and his eyes, once again turned a possessed white. She threw him the Master Sword and picked up her dagger. "See how well you do now!"
"Demi, Nabooru, hold off Link but, for the love of Nayru, don’t hurt him! Shreanda… your battle’s with me!" said Malon as she stepped menacingly towards Shreanda.
Shreanda expertly twirled the dagger through her fingers. "You think you can beat me?"
"Yes!" Malon slashed at Shreanda hitting her stomach lightly.
Blood began to turn the pale pink dress red. "Ha, that’s can’t hold me!" Shreanda glared at Malon, and suddenly she couldn’t move. Shreanda began to advance towards her and stopped inches from her face. Slowly and painfully she slashed both of Malon’s cheeks.
Nabooru heard as Malon shrieked out in pain. "Hold him off Demi!" Nabooru ran and slashed at Shreanda’s back.
Shreanda turned to face her. "You should have never been first in command, I should have. You are so stupid as to face me, you don’t deserve the position!"
"It’s you that is wrong. It’s about decisions and yours was a horrible one!" said Nabooru.
"Ha you nev…" Shreanda stopped and her body became stiff. A blade had passed through Shreanda’s breast and blood began to pour from it.
"Never trifle with true love!" yelled Malon as she twisted the spear. Malon pulled out the spear and Shreanda fell backwards.
"Forgive me, I just wanted to experience true love…" said Shreanda, and then deep red bubbles of blood began to form between her lips. She slowly turned back to her real body.
Malon looked down, and saw she was herself again. She looked over and saw Link lying on the ground. Above him was Demi with a hand over her mouth.
* * * *
Malon ran over to Link and lifted his head. "Demi… did you hurt him!?" yelled Malon in a panic.
"No… I don’t know what happened…" said Demi, as she looked away and her long blonde hair fell into her face.
"Link! Open your eyes… speak to me… please…" whispered Malon as small beads of tears began to roll down her cheeks.
One landed on Link’s forehead, and he slowly opened his eyes. He reached up to touch Malon’s cut cheeks. "Malon… what happened?"
Malon opened her eyes to see Link’s bright blue eyes looking at her. "Oh, Link…" The tears began to increase as she leaned down to hug him. "I though I’d lost you."
"You’d never lose me," said Link as he leaned forward to kiss her.
* *
Nabooru stood looking at Shreanda’s dead body. "Now I need a new Second in Command…"
"Nabooru," said Demi walking towards her, "I don’t want to turn back to my original form… I wish to learn the ways of the Gerudo, and be one of your kind."
"Really, well, maybe you’ll even be Second in Command," said Nabooru with a smile.
"Well, I must go tell Malon, and interrupt her little moment with Link," said Demi. She walked over to Malon and tapped her shoulder. "Malon, I won’t be turning back, or going with you. I’m going with Nabooru to learn the ways of the Gerudo."
"Demi, I will miss you, but I understand having the feelings of a human, even for a short while, have made you wish to be one for a long time," said Malon with a smile. "I’ll miss you," she leaned forward and hugged Demi. "Goodbye Demi, Nabooru… and thank you."
Demi and Nabooru walked out and back to the Gerudo Fortress, leading the horses behind.
"Malon, those cuts, what are they from?" asked Link.
"I’ll tell you later… but for now, I just want us to be together in a moment of perfection," said Malon as she pressed her lips to his.
Shreanda lay dead and slowly disintegrated; all that was left was a pile of dust. For, she was a witch.
~end~