Link opened his eyes. It was early. He sat up, grinning to himself. Perhaps he could give Xyana a good scare to get her up. Surely she wasn’t up yet!

            But Link was disappointed. Xyana suddenly dropped down right in front of him from the high branch of the tree, grinning wildly, “Scared you, didn’t I?”

            Link smiled back, turning to gather his things. He didn’t want to waste any time. He strapped on his sword, passing Xyana’s blade to her. He admired the blade, saying, “This is a good broadsword. But it looks almost brand new!”

            Xyana slung her shield over her back, answering, “I use my bow far more than my sword, mate.” Link looked at her quiver, “How good of a shot are you?”

            Xyana whipped out her bow, notching an arrow and releasing the shaft all in one swift, graceful movement. The arrow sped off, light playing on the flint tipped head as it hit a hovering dragonfly out of the air, right on the wing. Link’s question had been answered. She never missed.

            As they were getting their things, Xyana began to hum a tune. Link recognized it at once. It was the Song of Time. Then, Xyana began to sing in a strange language Link could not understand. He had never heard words put to the Song of Time before. He stopped putting out the fire, and sat listening to Xyana. She had a beautiful voice. It was even better then Malon’s!

            When Xyana had finished the song, Link said softly, “That was beautiful.” Xyana turned quickly, her face crimsoning as she stuttered, “Oh, y…you…heard that…did you…I…I forgot that you were a Hylian too, and that your ears could…um…hear that.” She got up and set off at a lively pace across the bridge, calling to Link over her shoulder, “Come on! Hurry up! Or are you going to sit there all morning?”

            Link was about to get up; when he noticed his Ocarina was missing. He frantically began searching for it. Suddenly, he heard the Ocarina playing Epona’s song. He looked up.

            Xyana stood with the Ocarina to her lips, and Epona was rushing towards her. Link had jumped up and had begun running towards Xyana the moment he saw her. He reached her just as she swung herself onto Epona’s back, and away they went. Link stood, panting and tired, tears coursing down his cheeks as he laughed hysterically. After he recovered, he took his things and whistled. He saw Xyana’s horse galloping towards him, and quickly swung up and followed after Xyana and Epona.

Xyana saw Link riding near from afar. She was already at the other side of the bridge, and she smirked as Link stopped her horse and swung down.

            “You can’t get across, Link,” she said smugly. “What now?” She threw his Ocarina across the gap and turned Epona around sharply. She shouted some words aloud in a tongue Link did not understand, and Epona’s ears went flat back on her skull, and her eyes gleamed red. Xyana’s eyes were burning hatred, and Epona lurched forward and was away.

            Link picked up his Ocarina, dusted it off, and began to play. He watched in amusement as Epona came galloping back. She jumped over the gorge, and trotted to Link. Xyana sat on Epona’s back, her arms folded. She shot an irritated look at Link and slipped off. “That horse never ignores that song.” She giggled amiably.

            Link laughed with her, then he swung up and pulled Xyana up after him. “Hup there, Xyana,” he commanded. “D’ye plan to sit there grousin’ all mornin’? Aye, a fine sight you’d be. A tough looking warrior slouched on the ground whining?” Xyana sneered playfully and grunted, “Let’s get on.”

            Away Epona went, flying over the gap, landing as softly as a bird lands on a branch. Xyana had not gone far enough to see the Gerudo Fortress, and she drew in her breath at the sight. It was menacing and full of foreboding, but still beautiful in a wild, savage way. The buildings were stacked and bunched together on the side of the hill, and instead of normal doors and windows, there were only dark squarish openings in the walls. The brick and stone was a reddish brown color, and the sunlight shone on them so they blaze like buildings of fire.

            Epona slowed into a soft walk, and Link dismounted. Xyana followed his example, and together they walked to a broken staircase going up the slope. Link motioned to Xyana, indicating that she should drop down and crawl on her belly and remain quiet. She did so, and as they neared the top of the stairs, she understood why. Two Gerudo warriors stood at the top, their red hair falling over their purple cloaks. They held spears with scythe blade and were searching the area with keen eyes.

            Before they got too close, Link and Xyana unsheathed their swords quietly so as not to attract any notice. They crept up silently, and then Xyana moved first. She stood up and grabbed the first guard by the neck and slit her throat with her sword blade. She crumpled to the ground without a sound. The second guard turned, her eyes wide with terror at the sight of the savage warrior standing over her slain companion. Link moved like lightning. He swung his sword, severing the Gerudo’s head from her shoulders. She fell to the ground, her decapitated head still a twisted mask of terror.

            The two warriors stepped over the two bodies as silent as two cloud shadows. Xyana drew her bow, notched an arrow, and with a single arrow, shot the third guard lifeless. There were no more guards in sight, but Link and Xyana stayed low, knowing the Gerudos were famous for their skill in camouflage.

            They quietly slunk to the nearest opening, and found themselves in a narrow room with a cell in the corner. They began to make their way through the room, when they heard a noise issue from the cell. Then a rough, hoarse voice called out to them, “Ahoy there, mates! Don’t leave a poor sea dog who’s down on ‘er luck!” Link and Xyana whirled about.

Standing behind the bars was a girl of Xyana’s age, dressed in pirate garments. A brightly colored sash was wound about her brow, and her face was browned by the sun. She had strange red eyes and dirty blond hair, and many earrings, beads and trinkets dangled from her ears and hair and neck. She was in chains, and Link could tell that she had been in the cell for a long time.

            “Who are you?” snapped Link, menacing the strange girl with his sword point. The girl shrugged her strong, brown shoulders. “Can’t tell for sure, mate. I’ve a lot of names. Bree, Cap’n Bree, Buccaneer Bree, Bad Luck Bree. But mostly I’m called the Piratess. Hoy! Put that frog sticker down, mate! D’ye think I’m armed in this cell?” Link lowered his sword.

            Xyana was a bit more gentle, feeling sorry for the pirate. “So you call yourself Bree?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl. “You’ve got the look of a buccaneer. What brings you to this land, and of course, by what ill luck did you go through to find yourself in a cell?” Bree shrugged once again. “I’ll tell ye, mate. I was here with my crew and we were holed on the reefs when we were attacked! I was taken captive and here I am!”

Xyana went to the bars and said, “We’ll get you out of there, mate.” She turned to Link, “Can you pick that lock with anything, Link? Try this,” she gave him a small dirk, thin enough for the lock. Link went to it, working at the lock until he gave out a little grunt of triumph. He swung the door open, beckoning to the girl, “Come on out, mate!”

Bree walked calmly out, looking this way and that. She moved towards her two rescuers, and she looked as if she was going to thank them. All of a sudden, she brought her fist swinging out, catching Link in the stomach. Link doubled over in agony as the breath whooshed out of his lungs. Xyana cried out and lunged at Bree with her sword raised, but Bree moved nimbly aside and cuffed Xyana on the back of the head, catching her sword arm with her other hand. She wrenched Xyana’s arm over her back at a painful angle, causing Xyana to loosen her grip on the sword. Bree snatched the sword and bounded away with startling speed and agility.

Link heard Epona’s terrified whinny as a hard slap to her rump caused her to bolt into a wild gallop. Bree was riding away on Epona with Xyana’s sword. Link growled in rage. Xyana was surprised. She was embarrassed and crestfallen at the theft of her sword, but didn’t Link know he could call Epona back? She began chuckling. Link rounded on her, his voice like ice. “What’s so funny? This is no laughing matter! She stole your sword and my horse! We’re stuck here unless we want to get captured! Why that no good, dirty, slimy…” Xyana patted him on the shoulder. “Not armed, eh? Well, she was armed with her wits and brute strength! Anyway, she didn’t steal your Ocarina, so we can just call Epona and get my sword.”

However, the two had to make their presence known to the Gerudos, even thought it was already known from the dead bodies of the sentries. And Link, already fuming with rage at the indignity of having his beloved horse stolen, was eager to fight. The two warriors found themselves surrounded by Gerudos as they exited the building. Xyana’s eyes shone with battle-light, drawing her dirk. No sniping here!

Link drew the Master Sword, baring his teeth as he unleashed his battle cry and rushed at the nearest group of Gerudos. They went down like ninepins under his attack, two headless and the others mortally wounded with terrible gashes leaving their lifeblood to spill out over their weapons as they screamed in agony. Xyana was taking three at a time, never raising her sword arm above her head lest the long pikes of the Gerudos run her through. She slashed one from shoulder to knee, slaying her instantly as she severed another’s arm from her shoulder.

Link and Xyana found one another in the fray and stood back to back, whirling their weapons like a great tornado of death. Link backed up against a wall, swiftly playing his Ocarina as Xyana fought off any Gerudos. Epona was seen galloping through the carnage and Link swung up, pulling Xyana along. Xyana took her bow, sitting on Epona backwards and sending an arrow through any pursuers.

Xyana, right before the jump over the gap, swiftly turned back, holding on tightly to Link’s waist and shutting her eyes. At last, they were over, and the two warriors knew they were safe. Now they were after the thief, Bree.

Clouds were forming in the sky when the two caught up with Bree. She was sprinting with startling speed, but Epona was faster. Link somersaulted from Epona’s back and landed in front of the girl. She rammed into him with all her strength, but Link stood as solid as a rock and shoved her roughly away. Bree staggered back, panting, and prepared to charge him again, but Xyana banged her shield over her head. With a loud clang, Bree fell to the ground in a senseless heap.

Xyana triumphantly pulled her sword from Bree’s belt. Link pulled her unconscious body up by the hair, snarling, “What should we do with this bilge rat? I say run her through!” Xyana looked in horror at him. “No!” she cried, “Not while she’s senseless and unconscious! She just stole a sword, and it’s because she needed a weapon, and she’s a pirate. They steal. She could probably help us! Don’t kill her Link! We don’t want unnecessary death on our hands!” Link threw the body on the ground as he grated out, “She tried to steal Epona! And she’s a liar and a cheat! And she serves Ganondorf!”

Xyana looked bewildered, “What? She said she was captured!”

Link’s eyes were blazing hatred as he growled, “I saw her with him before! When I was young…a babe…I remember seeing my mother…she was carrying me and…and she screamed, felled by a big blade…a female pirate was standing over her! She had a sword dripping with blood, and she was laughing. She was laughing!”

His eyes burned red with hatred as the sky overhead boomed with thunder, announcing rain. Suddenly, Link drew his sword and thrust the point down onto the body with punishing force, but before it reached the target, Xyana grabbed the hilt of the Master Sword and thrust it away. The point of the sword did not pierce the heart as Link had intended, but merely grazed Bree’s shoulder. Link rounded on Xyana, his voice a shriek and his eyes like blazing blue flames. “You traitor! You dare to protect a servant of the one who slew my mother?” Xyana’s face was a mask of agony, and hot tears streamed down her cheeks and clogged her vision.

“Link!” she cried, “You are blinded by hatred! You’ve gone mad with blood-lust! You only think you saw her kill your mother! But how could she? She’s my age! How could she have slain your mother if she was only a babe at that time?”

Link grabbed Xyana by the shoulders, screaming into her face, “I hate them! Do you understand? I hate them all! I hate them so much!!”

Xyana was sobbing, beating at Link’s chest with her fists as she screamed back, “I hate them too! I understand your hatred, but don’t let it control you! Please, Link!”

Link thrust Xyana from him, stamping about insanely, raving to himself, “I swear I’ll kill her! She killed my mother! I’ll kill her!”

Xyana caught his hand, turning him around to face her. In that moment, they both looked into each other’s eyes. Both pairs burned bright blue, a strange flame, not to be found anywhere…but both eyes carried that flame. A flash of lightening illuminated the two faces…identical in features…posture…behavior.

Link steadied himself against Xyana, his hand on her cheek as tears poured from his eyes along with rainwater. He said breathlessly, “Xyana…who are you?”

Xyana tried to speak but couldn’t, her voice lost with the lump that had grown in her throat. She had seen Link somewhere before…long before they had first met. When she was a babe. When he was a babe.

Xyana gave a strangled cry that was accompanied with a roar of thunder, just as powerful.

“I’m your sister!”

            Link dropped his sword. The flame from his eyes disappeared. They shone out, bright and blue, but were filled with tears. He fell to his knees and laid his head against Xyana’s knees, clasping her hands in his, tears spattering the ground beneath him. Xyana knelt down and wrapped her arms around him. Link laid his head on her breast and wept like a babe, and Xyana held him in her strong arms like a mother comforting her child. She looked down at him, with his fair hair spilling out from his green forest hood and his handsome face scarred from many battles, and a burning love for him consumed her entire heart. She felt her tears begin to flow afresh. Rainwater trickled down her face, and she began to sing softly. She had heard Link play this song before on his ocarina, and it was a soothing tune. He had called it Zelda’s Lullaby. Link soon fell asleep in her arms, drifting into the soft relief of Sleep. Sleep opened up her gentle arms to receive him, and he willingly accepted her embrace.

            Xyana sat awake in the cold rain, but she would not have traded this moment for any other in the world. Her wounded heart, long thinking she had no one in the world but herself, felt this warmth spreading up through her body until she was consumed with it. She was oblivious to all in happiness, and she too fell asleep, still embracing her beloved brother.