Fan Fiction ❯ A Link to His Past ❯ Chapter 2
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Alexandra Spears 
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Psychological / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.13.2002 | Updated On: 09.13.2002 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 313 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Psychological / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.13.2002 | Updated On: 09.13.2002 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 313 | Status: Completed
chapter 2
The following morning, Link and Zelda were taking a break from the wedding preparations by going for a walk through the plains near North Castle. Link had his arm around her shoulders.
"Link, are you okay? You seem awfully tense," said Zelda.
"Yeah--yeah, I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about. Really," Link insisted.
Zelda stopped, turned to face her fiance. "Sure?" she asked.
"I'm okay," Link told her. "There's nothing you have to worry about." He sighed. "Just missing my parents, that's all."
"Where are they?" asked Zelda. She realized she knew next to nothing about Link's past.
"They--they died in a fire. Ganon's monsters attacked the village in Calatia where I used to live. I was only twelve."
"Oh, Link, I'm so sorry." Zelda wound her arms around his neck. "You're missing them, and you wish they were here to see us get married."
Link nodded, not volunteering any more information. It was hard for him to talk about the year after that, about the physical and emotional abuse he'd endured before running away. "I'll be okay, Zelda." He paused. "That was what my nightmare was about last night, if you want to know."
Feeling sympathy for her husband-to-be, Zelda gave him a gentle kiss. "Sure you'll be okay?" she asked as she hugged him.
"Yeah...once we're married...I'll feel a lot better," Link told her as he hugged her back.
"Link...you said you were adventuring at the age of thirteen...but your parents died when you were twelve. What happened during that year?" Zelda looked into his eyes, was surprised when she saw fear and pain there at the mention of that particular year in his life.
Link's shoulders sagged visibly. Tears were welling up in his eyes as the memories came rushing back to him. "I was placed with foster parents...and they abused me," he said quietly. He sat down in the grass, and Zelda sat down with him.
"Oh, Link...I'm so sorry...."
"Maybe I should tell you," said Link. "My real parents were really nice. My mother always had a hug and a kiss for me, and my father was great--we played together. It was my father who got me interested in sword-fighting when I was seven, and it turns out I was really good at it. I mean, they were the best parents a kid could have Then one day the village was attacked."
Link paused, took a deep breath. Zelda could tell he was trying to keep from crying. "It's okay, Link, you don't have to hold it back," she told him. She was wondering what had happened to him--she'd never seen him cry before. It must have been terrible, she thought, for him to cry now, four years later.
"Right after my parents' funeral I was placed with a childless couple, Jon and Trina," Link said, the tears freely flowing down his cheeks. "They were mean from the start. Jon beat me over every little thing, and if I cried he beat me more--with a belt. Trina was no better. If I so much as said 'hi' she slapped me in the face or pushed me away. There was no getting along with them. Sometimes I was locked in the shed with no food or water for a day or two at a time over something I was supposed to have done. And they kept telling me I was worthless. I was no more than a slave."
Tears were in Zelda's eyes too as she listened to his story. She got on her knees and gave him a hug. "You're safe now," she said.
"I'm just worried they'll come after me. They can, since I'm not married to you yet, and I'm still only sixteen," said Link. "And surely they know where I am, because now everyone knows how I reunited the Triforce."
"Maybe they're glad you're gone," Zelda suggested. "Besides, even if they were to try something, I'm sure you could defend yourself."
"You're right," said Link, drying his eyes on his sleeve. "But sometimes I wonder what kind of father I'll be. I mean, we are going to have children, right?"
"Of course," said Zelda. "And I think you'd make a great father, Link. You're already good with the small children who come around here with their parents. I've seen you. Just do what your real father would have done, forget about that jerk who abused you. Or at least try to."
"I'm just glad I was able to tell someone. I was always made to tell people I fell or tripped or something, if someone asked me about any bruises," said Link.
"Well, that's over and done with," said Zelda. "But be sure if I ever see them, you'd be having to hold me back." She hugged him again. "Let's go back to the castle, my hero...."
After lunch Link decided to do a little fishing while Zelda worked with the royal tailor on her wedding dress. His wedding attire was already done, and Zelda had encouraged him to go out and do something.
Link set out for a pond he knew of, fishing rod over his shoulder. Zelda was right. He should forget about Jon and Trina. They were in the past now, and Link wanted to look towards his future with Zelda.
Sitting with his back up against a tree, Link cast his line and relaxed. Maybe this time he'd get more than a nibble.
Link thought he heard something moving nearby. He shrugged, figuring it might be an animal or something.
"So...lazy as usual, eh?" said a familiar voice.
Link thought his heart would stop. He dropped the pole and stood up, ready to draw his sword. "Who's there?" he demanded, thinking, no, this can't be....
A large, dark-haired man came out from behind a tree, a crossbow aimed at Link. "Don't you remember me...Son?" Jon grinned evilly. "Your mother and I want to take you back to Calatia. There's a follower of Ganon's we can sell you to for a high price, and no one will even know...."
"You're not my father!" snapped Link, drawing his sword. "And you can't take me back. Princess Zelda and I are getting married!" Maybe they'd leave him alone and just let him go ahead with the wedding.
"Drop it," said a hard, cold feminine voice behind him. He felt a sharp prod in his back.
Link recognized the voice as Trina's. He dropped his sword; she had a knife to his back and knowing her she probably wouldn't hesitate to use it.
Jon came up to Link, handed the crossbow to Trina, and took Link by the shoulders and slammed the back of his head up against the tree, knocking his hat off. Taking the young man by the front of his tunic, Jon took Link's belt off, so Link couldn't get to whatever was in the pouch that was attached to it. "Come on, boy," he said, throwing Link's belt to the ground. "We've got business to conduct."
Link had no choice as he was led to two horses. Jon pounced on Link and tied him up, Trina aiming the crossbow at Link. Link was then draped over one of the horses--Jon's horse.
Zelda and her father were worried when Link didn't show up at dinner. "I haven't seen Link since he went to fish," said Zelda, concerned.
"Maybe he's in his room," King Harkinian suggested as they ate.
"It's not like Link to miss a meal," said Zelda.
After dinner, a messenger came with a message for Zelda's father. "It's from Jon and Trina--Link's parents," he told Zelda. He frowned as he read it. "According to this--Link has decided not to get married and he's gone home to his parents...." His frown deepened. "Did you and Link break up? And this close to the wedding?"
"What!?" Zelda took the letter from her father's hand. "Daddy, Link and I get along great now! He was looking forward to marrying me! And this Jon and Trina are not his real parents--in fact, he wants nothing to do with them!"
"What are you saying, Zelda?"
"I'd better tell you what Link told me today...."
Once they were back at Jon and Trina's house in Calatia, Link found himself being deposited in the familiar shed. He was being kept tied up so he wouldn't escape. Jon, of course, couldn't resist giving Link a good kick in the midsection.
"Normally we wouldn't bother with you, but there's someone looking for you, wanting to avenge Ganon. Thought you could make us some money," grinned Jon. "And no one's gonna come after you from Hyrule, 'cause they'll think you came with us. And we wrote that you don't want to marry that princess."
Link lay on his side, watched as Jon stalked out and the door slammed shut. All his bad memories came to the surface, and he tried not to cry. "Zelda...," he whispered. "I do want to marry you, please don't believe that note!"
The following morning, Link and Zelda were taking a break from the wedding preparations by going for a walk through the plains near North Castle. Link had his arm around her shoulders.
"Link, are you okay? You seem awfully tense," said Zelda.
"Yeah--yeah, I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about. Really," Link insisted.
Zelda stopped, turned to face her fiance. "Sure?" she asked.
"I'm okay," Link told her. "There's nothing you have to worry about." He sighed. "Just missing my parents, that's all."
"Where are they?" asked Zelda. She realized she knew next to nothing about Link's past.
"They--they died in a fire. Ganon's monsters attacked the village in Calatia where I used to live. I was only twelve."
"Oh, Link, I'm so sorry." Zelda wound her arms around his neck. "You're missing them, and you wish they were here to see us get married."
Link nodded, not volunteering any more information. It was hard for him to talk about the year after that, about the physical and emotional abuse he'd endured before running away. "I'll be okay, Zelda." He paused. "That was what my nightmare was about last night, if you want to know."
Feeling sympathy for her husband-to-be, Zelda gave him a gentle kiss. "Sure you'll be okay?" she asked as she hugged him.
"Yeah...once we're married...I'll feel a lot better," Link told her as he hugged her back.
"Link...you said you were adventuring at the age of thirteen...but your parents died when you were twelve. What happened during that year?" Zelda looked into his eyes, was surprised when she saw fear and pain there at the mention of that particular year in his life.
Link's shoulders sagged visibly. Tears were welling up in his eyes as the memories came rushing back to him. "I was placed with foster parents...and they abused me," he said quietly. He sat down in the grass, and Zelda sat down with him.
"Oh, Link...I'm so sorry...."
"Maybe I should tell you," said Link. "My real parents were really nice. My mother always had a hug and a kiss for me, and my father was great--we played together. It was my father who got me interested in sword-fighting when I was seven, and it turns out I was really good at it. I mean, they were the best parents a kid could have Then one day the village was attacked."
Link paused, took a deep breath. Zelda could tell he was trying to keep from crying. "It's okay, Link, you don't have to hold it back," she told him. She was wondering what had happened to him--she'd never seen him cry before. It must have been terrible, she thought, for him to cry now, four years later.
"Right after my parents' funeral I was placed with a childless couple, Jon and Trina," Link said, the tears freely flowing down his cheeks. "They were mean from the start. Jon beat me over every little thing, and if I cried he beat me more--with a belt. Trina was no better. If I so much as said 'hi' she slapped me in the face or pushed me away. There was no getting along with them. Sometimes I was locked in the shed with no food or water for a day or two at a time over something I was supposed to have done. And they kept telling me I was worthless. I was no more than a slave."
Tears were in Zelda's eyes too as she listened to his story. She got on her knees and gave him a hug. "You're safe now," she said.
"I'm just worried they'll come after me. They can, since I'm not married to you yet, and I'm still only sixteen," said Link. "And surely they know where I am, because now everyone knows how I reunited the Triforce."
"Maybe they're glad you're gone," Zelda suggested. "Besides, even if they were to try something, I'm sure you could defend yourself."
"You're right," said Link, drying his eyes on his sleeve. "But sometimes I wonder what kind of father I'll be. I mean, we are going to have children, right?"
"Of course," said Zelda. "And I think you'd make a great father, Link. You're already good with the small children who come around here with their parents. I've seen you. Just do what your real father would have done, forget about that jerk who abused you. Or at least try to."
"I'm just glad I was able to tell someone. I was always made to tell people I fell or tripped or something, if someone asked me about any bruises," said Link.
"Well, that's over and done with," said Zelda. "But be sure if I ever see them, you'd be having to hold me back." She hugged him again. "Let's go back to the castle, my hero...."
After lunch Link decided to do a little fishing while Zelda worked with the royal tailor on her wedding dress. His wedding attire was already done, and Zelda had encouraged him to go out and do something.
Link set out for a pond he knew of, fishing rod over his shoulder. Zelda was right. He should forget about Jon and Trina. They were in the past now, and Link wanted to look towards his future with Zelda.
Sitting with his back up against a tree, Link cast his line and relaxed. Maybe this time he'd get more than a nibble.
Link thought he heard something moving nearby. He shrugged, figuring it might be an animal or something.
"So...lazy as usual, eh?" said a familiar voice.
Link thought his heart would stop. He dropped the pole and stood up, ready to draw his sword. "Who's there?" he demanded, thinking, no, this can't be....
A large, dark-haired man came out from behind a tree, a crossbow aimed at Link. "Don't you remember me...Son?" Jon grinned evilly. "Your mother and I want to take you back to Calatia. There's a follower of Ganon's we can sell you to for a high price, and no one will even know...."
"You're not my father!" snapped Link, drawing his sword. "And you can't take me back. Princess Zelda and I are getting married!" Maybe they'd leave him alone and just let him go ahead with the wedding.
"Drop it," said a hard, cold feminine voice behind him. He felt a sharp prod in his back.
Link recognized the voice as Trina's. He dropped his sword; she had a knife to his back and knowing her she probably wouldn't hesitate to use it.
Jon came up to Link, handed the crossbow to Trina, and took Link by the shoulders and slammed the back of his head up against the tree, knocking his hat off. Taking the young man by the front of his tunic, Jon took Link's belt off, so Link couldn't get to whatever was in the pouch that was attached to it. "Come on, boy," he said, throwing Link's belt to the ground. "We've got business to conduct."
Link had no choice as he was led to two horses. Jon pounced on Link and tied him up, Trina aiming the crossbow at Link. Link was then draped over one of the horses--Jon's horse.
Zelda and her father were worried when Link didn't show up at dinner. "I haven't seen Link since he went to fish," said Zelda, concerned.
"Maybe he's in his room," King Harkinian suggested as they ate.
"It's not like Link to miss a meal," said Zelda.
After dinner, a messenger came with a message for Zelda's father. "It's from Jon and Trina--Link's parents," he told Zelda. He frowned as he read it. "According to this--Link has decided not to get married and he's gone home to his parents...." His frown deepened. "Did you and Link break up? And this close to the wedding?"
"What!?" Zelda took the letter from her father's hand. "Daddy, Link and I get along great now! He was looking forward to marrying me! And this Jon and Trina are not his real parents--in fact, he wants nothing to do with them!"
"What are you saying, Zelda?"
"I'd better tell you what Link told me today...."
Once they were back at Jon and Trina's house in Calatia, Link found himself being deposited in the familiar shed. He was being kept tied up so he wouldn't escape. Jon, of course, couldn't resist giving Link a good kick in the midsection.
"Normally we wouldn't bother with you, but there's someone looking for you, wanting to avenge Ganon. Thought you could make us some money," grinned Jon. "And no one's gonna come after you from Hyrule, 'cause they'll think you came with us. And we wrote that you don't want to marry that princess."
Link lay on his side, watched as Jon stalked out and the door slammed shut. All his bad memories came to the surface, and he tried not to cry. "Zelda...," he whispered. "I do want to marry you, please don't believe that note!"