By: Blue_Ocarina

Chapter One: The Deadly Secret
 
    Link checked the fit of Epona's saddle, tightening just a bit. He lifted Zelda onto her, then mounted the horse himself.
        They started off at a slow trot, gradually speeding up to a canter. Link smiled. The two had just finished a romantic dinner down by Zora's River.
    They reached the castle about ten minutes later. Link hopped off Epona and helped Zelda down.
    "Walk me to my room?" Zelda asked. "It's an awful long walk."
"Anything for you, babe," Link replied. He put an arm around Zelda's waist and they began to walk. They walked as slow as humanly, or hylainly possible, hoping their time together would never end.
    They reached Zelda's room. Zelda pushed open the door slowly. She pulled Link closer. They kissed. Link slipped his hand into Zelda's pocket, then retracted it quickly. Their lips parted. Link thought he could look into Zelda's eyes for hours. He smiled and turned to leave.
    Zelda reached into her pocket, where she had felt Link's hand. She pulled out the golden ring.
    "Yes," Zelda said softly, tears coming to her eyes.
    "What?" Link asked, turning to face her.
    "Yes," Zelda repeated. "Yes Link. I will marry you."
Link smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that." He left, closing the door softly. Link slipped out of the castle quickly and rode home.
 
    Link straightened his bow tie. He looked up at all of his friends. They were all there. Saria, her eyes glowing with pride, knowing she'd raised him. Malon, his (and Zelda's) best friend for twelve years. Daruina, his sworn brother. Ruto, jealous of Zelda but a friend to Link in the end. Nabaroou, even she had come.
    Zelda entered the Temple of Time, accompanied by her father. Link couldn't get over how beautiful she looked. Zelda reached the pedestal. Link lifted up her veil. Her lips were coated with deep red lipstick. Her dress was made with the purest, finest white silk.
    Rauru performed the ceremony. "Do you, Link, take thee Zelda, to be your wife? To have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
    "I do," Link said, flashing a grin.
    "Do you, Zelda, take thee Link, to be your husband? To have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
    "I do," Zelda replied.
    "By the power vested in me by Din, Naryu, and Faroe, I herby pronounce you man and wife!" Rauru closed his book.
    Link and Zelda kissed.
 
Three months later...
 
    Link paced around the room eagerly. Would his wife be alright? Why were they here? Was his unborn child sick?
    Just then, Zelda came out of the exam room.
    "Twins," she said. "The doctor said not just one baby, but TWO!!"
    Link fainted.
    "Good thing we're in the hospital," Zelda said, looking down at her unconscious husband.
 
    Link did everything he could to make it a perfect pregnancy. Every chance he could, Link took time off from his job as commander of the Hyrulian army. He ran around doing errands for Zelda, what ever she needed. Milk? Fine. Not from the storage in the kitchen? Fresh from Lon Lon Ranch? No problem. Fruit off the trees in the Kokiri Forest? Piece of cake. You're in labor? Ok.
    "L-L-LABOR???" Link stuttered. Link called for two soldiers to bring a stretcher. Impa helped carry the stretcher to the infirmary.
    "Push!" the nurse cried. "Come on Zelda! One more ought to get the first one out!"
    Link paced around in the hallway outside. He winced every time he heard his wife scream.
    He heard a cry. Then another.
    Link raced into the infirmary. He saw Zelda sitting up in one of the beds, holding to baby boys.
    "Boys!" Link exclaimed. He kissed Zelda, then each baby on the forehead. They we're identical. They had Link's shade of blue eyes, and Zelda's degree of pointy ears.
    "What will we name them?" Zelda asked.
    "How bout we each pick a name?"
    "I like Gabriel, Gabe for short."
    "Where'd you get that?" Link asked.
    "That was my great-grandfather's name. He was a great warrior."
    "How about Travis, for the other one? I did some research. I found out it was my father's name." Link smiled.
    "Which one is which?" Zelda asked.
    "Let's see... any volunteers for Travis?" Link asked. The boy on the right  waved a hand.
"So you're Gabe, and you're Travis," Zelda said, tapping each of their heads.
 
    Link entered his room and sighed. He looked down at Zelda, who sat on the rug playing with their four week old twins.
    "I need to talk to you, Z," Link said.
    "Sure," Zelda replied cheerfully. "What's the matter?"
    "I need to go away for a few days. I've been called to a castle in the bordering land of Koolye. There's been enough evidence revealed that they're conspiring against us. They're sending in a sweeper team to kill all we see."
    "Link!" Zelda cried. "We've only had our kids for a month! I need you here!"
    "I can't!" Link yelled back. "If I don't do this, they'll come and kill us, do you understand that? I've got to go. Love you."
Link stormed out, taking only his sword and shield.
    Link changed into his commander uniform: A black long sleeve tunic with black pants (and hat, of course), a blue cape and the Triforce symbol on his upper right torso. Bleow the Triforce was Link's name. He gathered  100 of his troops and set out for Koolye.
 
    Link rode up and down the line of his troops on his faithful steed, Epona.
    "Alright!" Link bellowed. "We're going in for one reason: to kill! If it breaths, it dies! I know it's going to be hard, but if we wait another day, the day they said they're going to attack, they could be going into Hyrule, slaughtering our people! Let's move!" Link thrust his sword in the direction of the enemy castle. Link got off Epona and led them into the castle.
    They began immediately. Link slashed at whomever he saw: enemy soldiers, women, phesants. Link broke into a house and saw a soldier talking to a man. Link came over to them and slid the blade of his sword thorugh the soldier's neck. While he was doing this, the commoner had disappeared. Link went through the house quickly. The last room he came to was obviously a child's, decorated with drawings and filled with toys. On the door was the name Jeran. Link looked around. He discovered a small boy, no older than six, cowering in a corner. The boy was probably named Jeran. He had black hair spiked up and striking placid blue eyes. He was dressed in blue sleep clothes.
    Link approached Jeran. He wimpered softly. Link drew his sword and pointed it at the boy's neck. The timid child closed his eyes and sank further into his corner.
    How could I be doing this? Link thought. I have children of my own. I can't I won't I've killed enough. Link drew back his sword. He reached over and tousled the Jeran's hair.
    "Go," Link said. "Run, as fast as you can, away from here. I may have spared you, but my soldiers won't show you the same mercy. Go!" Jeran nodded. He grabbed at stuffed dog and a blue blanket from his bed. He looked back at Link. "Thank you," he said. Jeran hopped out the open window. Link left the house. He saw dead bodies everywhere. A couple of soldiers came and told him they'd killed all in the castle, and were now making a final sweep of the village. A couple of soldiers went inside Jeran's house, and one more wen't behind it. Link heared a scream of pain.
    It was a child's voice.
 
From afar, a black-haired, blue-eyed man watched through the window as a blonde-haired man in black raised a sword to his son's neck. His name was Link, judging by what was written on his shirt. The man looked away. A few minutes later, he heard a scream of agony. The man cringed.
    I will kill you, Link. He thought. In one way or another, I vowe I will take my revenge.
 
Link went home that night with a blood-stained tunic. He remembered Jeran's scream. He decided not to tell his wife of the blood shed. it will be my secret, Link thought. My deadly secret.
 
The father of Jeran gazed down at his son's dead body. He lay in a pool of blood, still clutching his blanket and favorite stuffed dog. He bent down And kissed his son's cold, colorless forehead. His eyes... so cold... he cringed at the thought of Jeran, once so full of life and color, as Link's sword met the small boy's neck.
    Link must die, he thought. Link must die.