Chapter Four

Fish.
Link could smell fish.
Where am I? he thought. Fishing. I’m sitting by the stream in the Lost Woods, catching fish to eat for dinner. Maybe I will ride to the castle and invite Zelda for dinner. She seems to like my fish. She says she likes it better than the fancy seafood the castle chef sometimes prepares but that’s can’t be true… Zelda?!
All at once, Link remembered what had happened outside the tent at Lake Hylia. He recalled strange noises and then Zelda being captured and tied up. And pain. Awful pain.
Am I dead?

Link struggled to open his eyes. His vision was clouded and he blinked furiously until it cleared. He gasped when he saw that he was staring into the most hideous face he had ever seen. It looked almost like a skull. There were a few rotten, stained teeth sticking out at varying angles from the gums. Two slits for nostrils where a nose should have been. The eyes were round and sunken, and frizzy white hair stuck out either side of a blue cap placed on top of the head. The face suddenly came to life and spoke.
“Ooooh you’re finally awake!”
Link tried to say something but his throat felt too thick and his mouth was extremely dry. He was lying on his back in a soft bed, yet his entire body felt stiff and tired. He realized that he was shirtless.
“Don’t speak, drink.” A glass beaker was pressed against Link’s mouth. The dark liquid inside had a strong, fishy odour. Link eyed it suspiciously.
“It is good, very good for you.”
Link looked away from the beaker and back at the man in front of him, and then gazed at his surroundings. He suddenly realised where he was. This was the Lakeside Laboratory, and standing before him was the man Link had jokingly dubbed the Mad Scientist a long time ago. Link again tried to say something to the man, but found he still couldn’t talk.
“I made it myself. Full of very good things, yes! Drink.”
Link sniffed the concoction and almost gagged at the overpowering fish stench. Whenever Link had caught fish in the forest, Saria always made him clean and fillet them far away from the house because she hated the smell. But this smell was a hundred times worse than fish guts. Link held his breath and gulped down a couple of mouthfuls. It was thick and lumpy and the taste was so disgusting that it made him dry-retch and cough violently several times. Each time he coughed, he felt a sharp pain in his back.
“Yaaargh!” Link finally found his voice. “That’s revolting!”
“That may be so, but it is doing good things to you inside.”
“What’s going on?” Link asked.
“You poor boy, you were not in a good state when I found you.”
“Found me?”
“Yes, you were not too far from here at all. It was by chance that I did see you. I went out onto the lake’s little island as I do every morning to catch some nice little fishies for my hungry shar… er, my experiment. When I turned around to head back, I saw something in the bushes that wasn’t there last time I looked. At least that is what I thought. Sometimes my mind can play tricks, yes. Upon further investigation, I discovered a tent. And you boy, were lying outside, half dead and stone cold, not good at all. So I brought you back here and dressed your wounds. You must be a strong boy, because I didn’t think you would pull through.”
“Zelda!” Link tried to sit up. “Did you see anyone else?”
“Relax, boy,” said the scientist, “You are in no state to get out of bed. You have lost a lot of blood. Drink some more, it will replenish you.”
“I need to find Zelda!” Link said urgently, “I need to know she’s okay!”
“Drink.”
Link took a deep breath and downed the rest of the beaker.
“I have plenty more,” said the scientist.
“Really, I’m okay,” said Link, his voice hoarse as he tried to stop gagging. “I’m feeling much better.” In truth, Link’s body was telling him he needed sleep, but his mind was fraught with worry about Zelda.
“Ah, I knew my drink would work! Now you should just lie here and rest. Your healing will take time, even though I have used my own special ointments. I do not know how fast they will act on an injury as big as yours. But they worked well on me when I was once bitten by the shar… I mean, they work well on bites.”

A large splashing sound came from the other side of the room.
“Oh yes, yes, I almost forgot,” the scientist said. He walked away from Link, and a few moments later Link could hear several plops, the sound of something being thrown into water. There was more thrashing of the water, and then the noise subsided. Link took this moment to gaze at the table next to his bed. It contained Link’s empty beaker, along with several more filled with what had to be the same repulsive, fish-smelling concoction. Behind them were more bottles, including one that held a familiar-looking red liquid. Link wanted to reach out and grab it, but he found that didn’t have enough energy. For someone usually very strong, Link could not remember the last time he felt so weak and helpless. He didn’t like this feeling at all. Using every ounce of willpower he could muster, he focused what little strength he had into his right arm. Slowly, he reached out towards the bottle. Just a little further, he told himself, gritting his teeth. His fingers clamped around the neck of the bottle, and as he drew his arm back he clumsily knocked a few of the beakers. They rocked in place for a few moments, before falling to the ground, smashing into hundreds of pieces with a loud crashing sound. Link was not sad to see his drinks go to waste. The scientist yelped, clearly startled by the noise, and rushed over to Link’s bedside.
“What are you doing, boy? You should put that bottle back. I have not yet tested it. It may be very dangerous, yes!”
“What does it contain?” asked Link. He was certain that he already knew.
“A mixture known only as red potion. A woman from Kakariko Village that I dated last week makes it. She said that it had powers to restore health. I am going to investigate it to see if it does contain healing properties, for then I might add it to my own special medicine that I gave you.”
“You didn’t think to just try the potion instead?”
“My mixture is far superior, of course. That woman was a little crazy if you ask me. I don’t think she could be skilled at all in the medicinal area, no.”
Link wanted to smirk at the scientist’s comment about the crazy woman when he was clearly just as mad. However, the expression didn’t make it to his face. “Well, why don’t I demonstrate this to you? I’ll be your guinea pig,” Link unscrewed the cap, thankful that the bottle wasn’t sealed with a tight cork. He gulped down the potion. It had been a long time since Link had last used red potion. He recalled that it didn’t taste very good, but after the fish mixture it tasted like strawberries and chocolate. At once, Link’s body started to tingle, and he felt strength seeping into all of his muscles, a sensation similar to a surge of adrenaline. “That’s better,” he said, sitting up and stretching.
“Amazing!” the scientist gasped. “Can you turn away from me?”
Link sat so that his back was facing the scientist. The old man delicately began to peel away the dressings that he had carefully prepared hours earlier. The inner bandages were soaked with blood, however to his shock the wound had completely vanished. There was no trace of there ever being an injury, not ever a scar. “What a miracle. She must use magic!”
“Yeah,” Link said.

The scientist stood gaping in awe, and Link turned his mind to more pressing matters. Zelda. He recalled that it was Gerudos who had attacked him, and they had tied Zelda up. Where else could they have taken her but the Gerudo Fortress?
“Listen,” Link addressed the scientist, “Thank you for saving my life. I know I will never be able to fully repay you or thank you enough. But I have to leave now. The same people who attacked me kidnapped a friend I was with. I must go and find her.”
The scientist looked curious. “Attack? Kidnap? Who attacked you?”
“I wish I had time to explain,” Link said urgently, “But I really must leave immediately. She could be in grave danger. Uh, can I have my clothes?” He was wearing only a pair of white shorts.
The scientist passed Link his tunic. It was almost completely soaked with blood, which had dried and turned brown. The fabric was crumpled and the dried blood gave it a strange crusty texture. There was also a large gash in it from the weapon that had stabbed Link.
“I’m not sure if I can wear this,” Link said, turning up his nose.
“While you were asleep I went back and packed up your tent and belongings,” the scientist said, “Yes, there may be something else you can wear.” He rifled through a pile of things. Link saw his boots standing up nearby, and he recognized the tent and bedding.
“Ah, we have something!” the scientist exclaimed. He proudly held up the dress that Zelda had been wearing the previous night.
Link did a double take. “I am not wearing a dress!” he exclaimed. He shuddered as he had a vision of himself running to the castle and standing before the king and Impa in a dress. The skirt would playfully fly around in the breeze. He imagined the looks on their faces. “I think I’ll just wear my tunic.” Link pulled it over his head. He stood up for the first time, stretching his legs, and then strode over to his boots and pulled them on. He buckled his leather belt around his waist, using it to try and smooth out the crumpled tunic a little. “You didn’t see a sword lying around at all did you?” Link turned to the scientist.
“This?” The scientist was already holding it in his hands.
“Thanks.” Link buckled on his sheath, and then replaced the sword into it. “I will return for the rest of this later,” he added, gesturing towards the tent and bedding. He reminded himself to bring a reward for the scientist when he returned. He had no idea what that might be, but he decided to worry about that later. He caught sight of his reflection in a mirror on the back of the door, and shook his head at his dishevelled appearance as he opened it and left.

* * *

Harkinian had called an urgent meeting with his most trusted advisors. They sat around a small table with grim faces as he and Impa explained their situation.
“Nabooru would not stand for this behaviour!” Harkinian exclaimed. “I don’t imagine she could be involved, but I don’t understand how she would let this happen. And most of the Gerudo were in agreement with Nabooru and they supported the treaty.”
“It is possible that Nabooru may be away and does not know what is going on,” Impa pointed out.
“You said that this woman called Nabooru weak,” another advisor stepped in. He was an older man named Jasuf. “Are you even sure that she really is the second-in-command?”
“Yes, it may be that these women are rebels,” added another advisor.
“If this is the work of a minority, then it may be possible they are not even holding Zelda at the Gerudo Fortress,” Harkinian thought out loud. “We may be able to discuss this with Nabooru.”
“I do not think it wise to risk a trip to the fortress,” Impa said, “For if Zelda is indeed being held there, these women may see our visit as a threat and…” She did not need to finish the sentence. Everyone knew what she was thinking, and tried to block the thought from their minds.
Harkinian thought this over for a minute. “If only there was a way to send word to Nabooru or the real second-in-command,” he said, before his face suddenly lit up, “Ah ha! We may not be able to get into the Gerudo Fortress, but what if we had someone that could?”
“What do you mean your highness?”
“There is a Gerudo woman living in this town. Her name is Lorah if I recall. She married a Hylian man a few years ago. She is not popular with the rest of her tribe, who view her as an outcast for becoming involved with a man, but I am sure they would let her in to visit her family. As long as her husband was not around.”
“I think I know who you are talking about,” Impa replied. “The wedding caused a great deal of controversy. But I see what you mean. If Lorah is able to get into the fortress, we could get her to talk to Nabooru and send her a message. I am certain that as soon as she finds out about all of this, Nabooru will do her best to put a stop to it.”
“That is exactly my thought,” Harkinian replied. “Please summon Lorah the Gerudo!”