Flames danced to a festive tune that played below the stone floor joyfully in their ears. The shadows they produced danced as fast as their partners... only one shadow seemed to sit quietly still and enjoy the light cackling of the fireplace. The room that served as the fiery ballroom was a library... a good size room with a large window covering the west wall through which you could view the world that streched far below it... or perhaps even the starry night sky that twinkled with midnight diamonds?
The soft, enchanting melody of a mezmerizing ballad began a few seconds after a still silences broke through the night. Crickets harmonized with their own akward violins... their own symphony harbored within the very walls of the castle's library... a sigh seemed to escape from the very walls themselves... as content with the bewitching scene as the young man sitting alone the firelight room.
"Wonderous and enchanting moonlight
soaks the midnight ground...
not a more contentful sight...
that this Hero has ever found...
to sit in a room..
not to worry about death or doom.
Such is the life of peace.
Into the moon does my eyes wonder...
glimpsing the future...
Midnight's magic begins to stir...
a night-time ballad leaves me to ponder...
am I in love with the Moon?
Her grace a mere delight...
her dances a enchanting sight...
but, no... I do not love her.
She merely provokes feelings
for the other...
my love... my darling... my Princess.
Shall she never know my secret...
I will be bless just to have her as a friend...
until my end... until my end."
A smile crosses the glonden haired blonde's lips as he closes his eyes once more... allowing them to rest from the beauty of the moon.
"Well, well, Link. You have ceased to amaze me. A great sowrdsman and gods, know what else... but, on top of it all... your a poet, too."
Link turned his head slightly so that the grey haired lady came into his view, "Ah, but such is the Poet's life...a life filled with misery and woe?"
"You seem upset." Impa smiled kindly at the young man, only out of his fifties... young for the Hyrulians of Elven descent... only few remain that are truly immortal.
"I am." Link said, sadly. "But, I do not wissh to speak of it at this time... perhaps, another day or hour, Impa?"
"If that is what you truly wish Master Poet." Impa felt fragile hearing the tone of near despair that echoed in his voice.
"I would not have said it if, I did not wish it." He stated, kindly.
"Good-night, sir."
"Sleep well, Impa."
The door shut quietly and left Link to his thoughts... he stood up and walked over to the great window that watched over his homeland. 'I stand here alone... a born immortal who may choose the time of their won death... a recent discovery,yes, but none the more troubling... joyous, I should be... but, I am not. Why?'
The Hero lifted his head up to the sky as if to call to the very goddesses themselves, "You have given me so many gifts... immortality, among them. But, what of love... am I doomed to die a bachelor... a sad man who's fate is to follow where the sword takes him? You are cruel... you may deny it but, that is what you are... cruel."
"Do you truly believe this, Master Lincoln?"
Link turned and faced the glowing beings of green, red, and blue. They smiled at him and bowed low.
"I believe that you do not understand the full compacity of the human emotion... am I not correct?"
"You speak of this as if we are to understand... we are not of the human race... nor their close kin as you are but, what we are does not leav us voidant of human emotion... rather, we feel it on a different scale. Do you understand?" Farore walked toward him and swept the hair in his face out of his eyes, motherly. "We don't want you angry with us, Lincoln..."
"Angry, dear godess, no... but, frustrated, yes. I have questions that I wished to be answered... I have..." Link stopped and stared into the green beauty's eyes. "I don't want to be alone for the rest of my-"
Din cut him off and finished his sentence as he couldn't do it himself, "You mean, Master Lincoln, that you do not want to spend the rest of your life without her."
Nayru smiled and swept over to the lad and pushed his bowed head up to look into her eyes, "We are not the ones untouched by human feeling, dearst Link, you are... you were left alone in a Korkri's world, a child's world, were many things you felt and needed were unfulfilled. A child in a land of children was lost among those so much older and used to wisdom... they didn't need motherly love or a father's protection as a Hyrulian would have."
"But, am I truly that lost? Am I beyond redemption? Doomed to confusion?" Link's deep voice trembled with near fear and his whole body seemed to give way... he slipped into a rustic chair seated near the large window behind him. He hid his face in his hands and shook with utter despair, "I feel so much... but, I feel nothing."
"Dearest, you hold your emotions in low regared... you ignore them because, your afraid of them in your respected right to be afraid of them... you do not know them... you do not understand them fully as you should... you have eternity to do this..." Farore smiled at him and knelt in front of the Hero of Time, cupping his face in her illuminating green hands. "You know who your guide will be... well, you may have an idea... but, child you must remeber what life was before you had all this weight put upon your shoulder much to small to carry your burden."
Link stared at each of the majestic women for a long time... each of them the same amount of time and the smae thoughtful face, "I apologize... I shoud not have said those things I did... should I plead for forgivness or shall I bow my head in shame that I do not know the answer?"
"Neither, you are to go on and find the child that hides in you... be young and as you children say, 'Reach for the sky.'." Din smiled and looked over at Link. "Am I not correct?"
Her puzzled face filled Link to the brim with incuralbe laughter that burst out of him so, suddenly and contagiously that the three goddess surrounging him fell into a fit of giggles behind him. He wiped away his laugh provoked tears and smiled like he hadn't smiled since Zelda had been betrothed to Xavier, Prince of Camelot. Link thanked each of the splendid beings as the made their ascent into the heavens...
"Fight for her." Naryu whispered in his ear just as she had faded fully out og his view.
Link smiled. 'So, my journey has just begun...'
The door to the library swung open and Link stepped out, confidence in his stride. He slid into his room given to him by the King and Princess Zelda as a gift. He put a dark green tunic on embroidered with a Ancient Hyrulian legend concerning the Master Sword and a his other fine garments. Before he slipped from his room he slipped a tiny object into his pocket.
The Ballroom music began to come alive as the conversation Link had just had began to fully sink in... "I don't have to be a leader or swordsman all the time... I can live life to the fullest." he murmured to himself. His voice holding confidence and the courage he had forgotten since peace had covered Hyrule, "I can fight. I am not the gentleman everyone sees as Lincoln... I am the Hero of Time, who will fight to remain a symbol of courage and detremination... I am Link Wolfgang Hudson... and I'm back to claim my right to life as I see fit... damn, those gentlemen and princes to hell. I'm a fighter and if their not willing to fight and get dirty... then they best get the hell out of my way."
Link swung the large Ballroom door open and the whole room turned... silence and yet, there was aloud gasp... there standing in the middle of the dance floor... was the radiant Princess Zelda... her eyes glowing with deep abmiration and love. Link stride toward her a cocky smile slapped across his face... eys flew wide open as they realized his intent.
Prince Xavier stood in front of Zelda and withdrew his sword placing it at Link's chest. Link's eyes focused on the Prince's face and his smiled widen into a cocky grin almost as if to say, 'That's it?'
"You aren't welcome here. You were not invit" Prince Xavier was cut short as Link's fist slammed into his face, sending him into a deep state of unconciousness and awe.
Link smiled down at the 'sleeping' Prince and focused his attention on Princess Zelda's face... he smiled, "Clearly he doesn't know who the hell I am or who he pissed off."
Zelda smiled, a light and loving smile, whispering softly so that only Link could hear her, "I'm glad your back, Link."
"Where did I go to Zelda?" Link took her hands in his and took a step closer.
"You left Hyrule for a while... without ever really leaving it... you haven't been yourself and I-" Link cut her off... his mouth catching hers with daring passion and undeniable love. Zelda's eyes flew wide open and she stood stunned for a mere second before realization kicked in. A slight moan escaped her lips as built up desire cluchted her... she wrapped her arms around his neck and they stayed locked for a time before Link withdrew... his forehead pressed against hers with a look of deep affection.
"I've missed you too, Zelda." Link smiled and he slipped his hand inside his pocket... pulling the Princess up against his body as the Hyrulian Symphony began to play music at the King's request.
The Party guest leapt back to life as Prince Xavier was pulled off the dance floor. Dresses swirled as the ladies of the Grand Ball were lead across the white marbal... but, many eyes watched as Link led Zelda in a waltz he had learned on his travels.
"May I ask why you dare defy... two kings' engagment plans?" Zelda smiled, laying her head on Link's chest and closing her eyes.
"I didn't defy two kings' engagment plans... only one." Link grinned, confidently.
"Oh, really... and how do you would you go about explaining that?" Zelda raised her eyeborw at him and chuckled but, caught herself as she flet a cool metal band slide on her ring finger. Her eyes widen and she swallowed her chuckle as she whispered nervously, "Link, what is that?!"
"My explantion... but, only if you agree it is a correct oberservation."
"Of what?!" She asked bewildered, wrapping her hands around his neck to glimpse at the prescious ring so dazzling that words couldn't describe it.
Link leaned forward and kissed her cheeck right along side her mouth going on to whisper, ever so tenderly, "Love... and what you mean to me... Zelda, I want you to marry me."
"And you've just decided that you are without my permission or anyone else's?" She said, glaring at him in enraged way that was more of sarcastic and upset that he surprised her in front of so many people.
"You haven't taken it off yet have you?"
Zelda glared deep into his deep blue eyes and grabbed his hand and whispered, almost too loudly, that she would like a word with him... alone. Link frowned and then straightened his face to hidden emotion....'gods, let me not have angered her... maybe I came back to life to quickly.'
Zelda slammed the door behind Link and turned to face him as he looked at her frowning, "Zelda, I nev-"
Zelda crushed her lips against his and wrapped her arms around him, "Link, shut up and help me get this damn belt off."
