The Legend of Zelda

I'll make this short and sweet:
This doesn't take place in the existing Zelda universe, so it has no connections to the events of other games. While the characters, locations, and scenarios may have a strong basis in existing parts of the Hyrule world, the story is something altogether different.

As for why I have no subtitle, why I simply call this 'The Legend of Zelda' and not something more, you'll find out soon enough.


Chapter First

Marin’s dress flowed in the breeze, as even and fluid as a rolling offshore wake, as she gazed out over the great field of blue, the tide nipping playfully at her ankles. The water was just perfect, not so bitterly cold that she recoiled to its touch as was so often the case—if time stood still she could stand there comfortably for as long as she pleased. A flock of gulls passed overhead, flying high and free out to sea, riding effortlessly on the winds, and she watched them go until they vanished at the edge of the horizon. She closed her eyes and let the tranquil sounds and soothing touch of sea and wind kiss and caress her and bear her to another place, far from her lonely isle of Koholint, where she could breathe.

She loved that place, loved standing at the edge of the only home she had ever known, staring over the endless waters and wondering what might lie in wait beyond the horizon. If she could have but one wish, it would be to fly free like the gulls on the breeze and to finally have an answer to her wonderings. Such had been her dream since she was a small girl, and it had not died for all the years since. Koholint was a paradise, that much was true, but she longed for something more. Once she had thought the gods had finally smiled on her prayers—the day she had first met him.

Back then he had seemed to be the key to her freedom, and she had felt in her heart that he would be the one who would find a way to escape the curse of Koholint. She had never met someone who hailed from off-island before—his coming was surely a sign. But seven years had gone by since then, and still he remained confined within the island’s borders, same as anyone else. In a way, though, he had still managed to give her a taste of the freedom she so thirsted for—he had shown her that her hopes were not just empty dreams, that there was a big wide world beyond Koholint.

A lively shout echoed from a few yards down the beach, and Marin emerged from the depths of her reverie to see Link tugging viciously on his fishing pole, a victorious gleam in his eyes. As he yanked the pole into the air, up from the ocean shot his magnificent prize, and he grabbed the line and pulled it towards him to examine the catch, looking to be rather pleased with himself.

“At last!” he said triumphantly. “I’ve caught the fabled loach!”

He had taken surprisingly well to fishing. His parents had been wealthy merchants when he was young and so he had scarcely seen a day of physical labor before washing up on Koholint. Living with Alphon had changed all that—Link had grown from a snobby and entitled child into one of the most reliable young men in Kakariko. He was at the beach almost as often as Marin, but never strictly for play—he always took his pole along so he could land a few catches for supper.

Marin giggled and strode over to meet him as he delicately removed his barb from the fish’s maw. He was always so gentle with animals, even those he intended to eat. When he came to fish, he would often bring a Hyoi pear to give to the gulls. Sometimes she wondered whether he had always been that way or if spending so much time with her had rubbed off on him.

“See, I told you this spot was good,” Marin said playfully.

“Well, when you’re right, you’re right,” Link said. He dropped the fish into his pail and Marin watched it squirm as it descended with a resonant ‘kerplunk’ to join the others. “I think I’ve caught enough for today.”

“You’ve caught enough for the next week, if you ask me,” she replied, peering into the bucket, which must have held at least eight decently-sized fish. “But then I’ve also seen the way you eat, so maybe not.”

Link fell backwards onto the ground, clutching his heart dramatically, and in a broken Lynnan accent he said, “Oy, Madame! Your sharp wit pierces me like a harpoon!” He then abruptly tugged Marin down with him and despite her protests of “Hey!” and “Stop that!” wrestled her with ease to the sandy earth. Her hair sprawled across the beach, spread out in all directions like a red fan. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently before shoving him off of her.

“You’re so obnoxious!” she said, scowling, but Link gave no retort, instead simply shrugging and grinning boyishly.

He helped Marin to her feet and she brushed the sand off her dress and replaced the flower in her hair before combing through it with her fingers. Particles of beach had gotten stuck in places she did not wish to think about, and if she carried enough home that her father took notice she would have to endure all manner of awkward questions. Not as though she did not have enough of those to deal with as things were—she spent enough time with Link that everyone seemed to think they were an item.

“Ready to head back to the village?” Link asked. “Kafei’s bachelor celebration should be starting soon.”

Marin nodded, so Link picked up his fish-pail and started for home. She stood in silence for a moment and let her eyes trace the ground behind Link, and she found that his footprints did not travel in a straight line, but rather faltered here and there to either side. He must have been having some trouble with the bucket—he did land himself a respectable haul, after all—but there seemed to be something else, some distractedness to his step. After a while he turned around to see whether she had followed him, and she finally ran to catch up with him.

As they walked together, the sun began its slow descent beneath the clouds, covering the sky in an orange veil, which cast its glittering reflection upon the surface of the deep. The clouds too burst into flame, dyed red by the dimming daylight. Heaven and sea merged together, and the seam at the edge of the horizon faded away as the two became one, united. It was a glorious sight.

Marin often heard from young men that her hair was more beautiful than the Toronbo Coast at sunset, but she was not sure she believed them. How could her loveliness surpass that of the endless sky? She could scarcely trust the word of a man when he probably yearned to take her abed. Her mother had always taught her that real men were not like those in stories, and would speak pretty lies with which to sneak their way beneath fair lasses’ skirts if indulged. If the gossip she heard from the village ladies was any indication, the saying was true. Men were such troublesome creatures sometimes.

She flashed a sideways glance towards Link—somehow he had managed not to become just another of the town bachelors. He was the closest thing to a true man she had ever known, noble to the core and always a gentleman, even if he was a bit child-like for his age. Perhaps it was due to the fact that—

“What are you thinking about?” Link said. “You’re awfully quiet today.”

Marin turned to meet his gaze, and as his blue eyes pierced into her soul she felt her face glow like the setting sun. “Do you ever wonder how different your life would have been had you not washed up on Koholint?” she asked.

He nodded grimly and replied, “I do.” From the quiver in his voice it was obvious that he had to choke back his tears. “Every day.” There was a brief, understanding silence between them as Marin let him take a moment to regain his composure. “Why do you ask?”

“The men in town are always trying to court me,” she said. “Even Kafei used to fancy me, if you can believe it! It seems as though there is no end to the suitors. I feel sometimes like the men are competing against one another to see who can take me first.”

“True enough,” Link said. Marin cast him a probing glance, so he quickly added, “…You know how men are. They like to talk about the ladies they’ve got in their sights.”

“Yes, that’s what I mean,” Marin replied. “But you, Link… you’re not one of those men. You don’t come after me with flattery or flowers—you treat me like a friend. I guess I was just wondering whether things would be any different had you not run into that storm seven years ago. Had you met me in Labrynna, would you have been among the suitors?”

“I can’t really say,” Link said. “And I can’t travel back in time to find out, either. If I had to give you an answer, though, I like to think we would still be friends, just as we are now.”

“Good,” Marin said. “I enjoy your company. Aside from Father I’ve never really had anyone come out to the beach with me on a regular basis.”

“Well, I don’t think anyone else appreciates the sea as much as we do,” said Link.

“That’s true,” she said. “Do you remember when I found you lying on the shore? You were the first person to arrive on this island for as long as anyone can remember. The elders have always taught that the Great Flood washed away everything but our island, but I could never accept it. I often waited here on the shores, hoping that someday a ship would find its way through the currents and prove them wrong. When you appeared, I was overjoyed—I had been right to keep my faith.”

She stared out over the sea and sighed. When he had first landed on the island, he talked of nothing but his homeland of Labrynna. But a long time had passed since then, and he no longer spoke of his country as longingly as he had when he first landed—he now considered Koholint his home. What would he think of her after she told him of her foolish dream? Would she stir up that old longing, or invite only scorn for drudging up long-buried memories? There was only one way to find out.

“I have never spoken to anyone about this before,” Marin said, “but I hoped that you would someday find a way to get through the currents and leave Koholint.”

“And you wanted me to take you with me?” Link asked.

“Yes,” Marin admitted. “I could not tell you then, for fear that you would hate me for trying to take advantage of your plight. I can hardly bring myself to tell you now, even after all these years.”

“You needn’t have worried,” Link said. “At first I came to the beach with you to wait for a ship, too. My family was very wealthy—my old countrymen would have sent a small fleet to find them. When I landed, I thought I would only be here for a few weeks, perhaps months at the longest. As time went by, and I heard the stories told by your people—our people—I stopped looking for the ships.”

At those words, a tiny, euphoric pant escaped Marin’s lungs, the purest breath she had ever tasted, and she stopped in her tracks. Link too drew to a halt, and looked intently at her as she said, “But you did not stop coming with me to the beach.”

Her eyes met his gaze, and he spoke, “If a ship had come, I would have asked you to come along.”

She threw herself at him, and he dropped his buckets and held her.

:::

AUGH!

I hate you for ending it right there! It was so beautifully written, the descriptions so perfect, that I feel like you just stabbed me in the back by not continuing it! YOU MUST WRITE MORE BEFORE I THROW MANY LARGE BOULDERS THROUGH YOUR WALLS!

In a more polite and unoriginal wording, I am going to have to yank my hair out as wait for you to post more.

Ah, I miss the old days, in which I used to play Link's Awakening. Link's Awakening was my first Zelda game, and the only Zelda game I do not own at the present. Weird, eh?

I can't really think of anything bad about this chapter, so first off, good job!

I really like how you use the font to your advantage. It's the little things, like eye pleasing fonts, that make me want to keep reading.

I wonder if the entire story is going to be just in Marin's point of view?

In this chapter, you made me ask myself a lot of questions; Why hasn't Link explored more of Koholint? Is this not a dream to Link? Who's Kafei? and so on and so forth.

You also made me question if there is going to be a relationship between Marin and Link. You are leading me on to believe so.

So basically, what i'm saying is, all of these questions have me hooked to this story. And I agree with the poster above, you must continue this story!

In a story you should ALWAYS start a new paragraph at the beginnings of speech marks, no matter how disjointed it makes it appear.

Also there're some rather strange shaped commas around. Read it out loud and note where you make the half-pause for a comma; there are some which don't need to be there. There's also such a thin as being too poetic with description. I love it, but there are some who aren't so keen on too much in the way of metaphor and simile.

Other than that, there's some lovely nods to things and:
“I can’t really say,” Link said. “And I can’t travel back in time to find out, either."
Is the best line in a fanfic ever coming from Link!

P.S.- also, how'd you get into the Showcase with a first post? :s

Mm. The font is definitely pleasing to the eyes. It was well written though as said I think you overdid it a bit with all the similes. I enjoy most metaphors and personifications though, so those were okay. I'd like to comment about

Originally Posted by Artemicion

Marin turned to meet his gaze, and as his blue eyes pierced into her soul she felt her face glow like the setting sun. “Do you ever wonder how different your life would have been had you not washed up on Koholint?” she asked.

He nodded grimly and replied, “I do.” From the quiver in his voice it was obvious that he had to choke back his tears. “Every day.” There was a brief, understanding silence between them as Marin let him take a moment to regain his composure. “Why do you ask?”

Why had Link almost started crying then? And so quickly it seemed. I can understand him being sentimental but it seemed like she spoke and he about cracked. I think it would have taken him more than a moment to come close to tears. For instance pause then inhale a shaky breath or something of the sort. Then again that could just be me.

Otherwise good job. Continue.

Great first chapter!
Link's Awakening was my first Zelda game and as you described Koholint I found myself missing the island.
Your artistry with your words is amazing. Keep writing, please.