For the first time, Link feared for his life. A drunken man had cornered him in an alleyway and just started wailing on him. Blood dripped from the child’s face, seeping into the valleys in the cobblestone street. The boy was only about ten, he wondered why anyone would want to beat him to a bloody pulp? Link felt a sudden surge of anger. It ran through his body, into his limb and muscle, causing his spine to quake. His fist rocketed forward and hit the drunk square in the nose. There was a sickening crunch, one of cartilage breaking into tiny fragments, and the swish of blood moving about. Link started to run.

“You hurt the princess!” the drunk yelled, “Someone will get you!”

Link, having heard that remark, raced to the castle to see if it was true. His feet pounded the dirt trail, following it to the castle entrance. As he neared it, he saw something horrible. It was too much for a child’s eyes. Blood stained the walls where guards were slain. Link held in the vomit that seemed bound to come, as he ran past the dead guards and on a bee-line to Zelda’s room. He wondered if it was a good idea to go and see her, if she was still alive. The thought bounced around in his head. No it’s impossible, he shook out the idea, how bad could it be? Link opened her door and realized exactly how bad it was. The king and Impa stood off to one side mourning and young Zelda lie on the bed, her dress bloodstained. His eyes flared, he clenched his fists causing his knuckles to turn white.

“Who did this?” Link asked slowly, one word at a time.
“You.” Impa said simply, hate staining her voice.

Link did a double take. The young, innocent ,princess Zelda was dead, by his hands?
Impossible.
He rushed out of the room and the castle, heading straight for Lon Lon ranch.

Link made a decision. He would find his look-alike, and set him straight. First, he would need a horse. That, is where Malon came in.
“Link you shouldn’t be doing this.” Malon tried to persuade him not to search for Zelda’s killer. Concern was in her eyes, worry, in her voice.
Link climbed onto Epona’s saddle.
“What do you want me to do? Just sit back and let him get away!” Link yelled, “ I’m gonna find him, and when I do I’ll treat him the same way he treated Zelda. Death.”

With that, Link rode off, a cloud of dust trailing after. Malon stood quietly, watching, as tears slowly ran down her cheeks.