The Legend of Zelda- Ocarina of Time

The Queen's Banner

Chapter 54

The Queen's Banner

Malon moved gracefully amidst the other dancers as the music played on. She spun, moving in time to the music, smiling as she exited her spin, Link's hand clasped in her own.

She was beautiful, Link thought. Beautiful and fluent, her movements graceful. He wasn't doing half as well; he almost stumbled, trying and failing to keep pace with her elegant stride. It didn't help that he was so tired, his sluggish movement butchering his steps.

"C'mon," Malon said, sounding breathless. "Try to look like you're having fun."

She instructed him slowly, both of them moving to the beating drum. The mood was infectious, and Link couldn't help but smile.

"There," said Malon. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Before Link could say anything, there was a burning sensation in his hand. Then there was a sudden sharp pain, and Link gasped, clutching his left hand. It was like someone had just sliced a knife through his flesh, the hot steel burning him.

He looked down, noticing that the Triforce mark was glowing faintly. Then, he felt another consciousness touch his own, not Courage this time, and he recognized it instantly.

Zelda. The sensation was just like in the Shadow Temple when she healed him. He could sense her emotions and fear surged through him as though it were his own. Panic. Desperation.

An image flashed in his mind. A man clad in armor and bearing the red knots of an officer on his shoulders was standing over Zelda as her voice seemed to cry out in Link's mind.

"Help me!"

Then it was gone. The image vanished, and Link struck something, no, someone, fouling their steps and sending them cursing onto the floor. Unable to shake off the disorientation from the brief vision, Link stumbled over the person he'd knocked over, landing in an ungraceful heap.

"Bloody lout," the man snapped. Link apologised, picking himself up. Before he could offer the other patron a hand, they'd already brushed themselves off and moved away, still muttering under their breath.

"What was that?" he wondered, struggling not to wince.

"Trouble," Courage answered. There was concern in the spirit's voice. "The enemy is in our midst."

"Did you have to do that?" Link almost seethed. "You made me look like an idiot."

"That wasn't hard," Courage replied flatly. "Besides, that intrusion upon your mind was not my doing."

"Link?" came Malon's incredulous voice. "What's wrong? Are you ill?"

Link shook his head. "No- I..." he looked at her, unsure how to explain himself. He doubted it would be wise to explain in the middle of a crowded common room; most of the inn's patrons would probably dismiss the claims of someone seeing visions as madness, but Link didn't want to risk drawing too much attention to himself. "I have to go... I just remembered I left in the stables."

It was a feeble lie. Pain still seared once again through Link's hand. He pushed his way to the door, trying to get through without causing a disturbance. If he was lucky, nobody would think he was anything more than a drunk gone past endurance. Link was so frantic with fear that he didn't realize Malon was alone. She stared at him, her face a mix of bewilderment and hurt.

As Link pushed his way through the door, careful not to knock anyone else over, Navi flew to his side. "What's wrong?"

Link closed the inn door, the newborn night swallowing the sounds of jolly merriment inside. It was almost as if the people inside had forgotten there was a war going on, or maybe that was the entire point. They wanted to forget, to waste away these precious hours with what joy they could find.