Amends

Chapter 1

Zelda's eyes stared out of her chamber window. Her sapphire eyes watched the rain droplets drip down the windowpane, lost in her own thoughts. Her hands were folded behind her back absentmindedly, her features relaxed. She could see her own reflection in the window, but only barely. But it was enough. Though on the outside she seemed calm and collected, on the inside she felt unease. She could see it in her eyes, though no one else might not be able to. She was worried. The princess of Hyrule was not worried for her castle, no. The reconstruction of it was smoothing along quite well. After all, she had her own elegant chambers again. She was not worried about her people, they were quite safe and focused on rebuilding. Zelda was not worried about her country for it was in an era of peace. The thief, Ganondorf, had been slain and the twilight invasion stopped. No, Zelda was not worried about any of that, but she was worried about a dear friend who brought this peace to her kingdom, to his kingdom.

He was a boy at the start of it all. A farmhand that rounded goats. He was gentle and kind with golden hair and sapphire eyes that shined brighter than hers. He was and looked like a hero straight from storybook legends. But as kin to any hero, he was fierce. He was as ferocious as any beast, which oddly enough, was how they first met. In the tall tower of the old castle where she was captive, she had the chance to see the hero in his most feral form. He looked like a great beast, but he was no hero then. He was still a gentle boy. She could feel his timidity. It was not until she saw him burst into her prison seeking her help that she recognized his ferocity. She could see it in his sharp, beastly eyes. Someone had wronged him like no other at that point in time and all he felt was absolute rage. But, there was someone keeping him in check even then. A someone who was dealt a lethal blow. His feelings came second to her. Zelda was not ignorant of it. Although she could feel his rage, she felt something stronger within him. Anxiety and worry. No matter what had happened, she came first.

Zelda's gently closed her cerulean eyes as she took in a breath. Three times an incident like that happened to the hero. An incident where she was almost taken away from him. But the third time is the charm and they were severed apart. Zelda had seen it twice already when she beheld the third. What Link became when his emotions went unchecked. The dam almost broke twice and vanished on the third try. The first time was when the dam was dealt a mortal blow and Link had carried her to the tower to seek Zelda's aid. The second time was when Ganondorf nearly killed the person that Link held most dear. Zelda would never forget that day. It was the day she saw her castle fall... And the day she learned first hand what the hero, wronged, truly could do. The gentleness she saw when they first met no longer existed at that moment. The boy was no longer there. What stood on that day before Zelda was a fierce beast with cerulean eyes and an intent to kill. She praised the gods those eyes looking for blood weren't upon her, but upon Ganondorf himself. The battle was horrifying. His wounds were great, but Ganondorf's were greater. It was as if the hero felt no pain from Ganondorf's attacks, only more anger and rage.

Miraculously, she saw all of that fade like it never existed when he realized the dam was never destroyed. That the person he held most dear was still alive. Zelda watched him run to that person, noting it was probably the fastest he ever ran. She could feel his kindness and gentleness return. She could see that the blood thirsty hero was, at heart, still a boy.

But Zelda knows now that Link is no longer a boy. When Midna chose to separate the world of Light from the Twilight Realm, the boy Link had died. A man stood in his place, the same man that ran into Zelda's prison chambers. The same man that faced down Ganondorf in cold blood. The same man with cold sapphire eyes and cold intent. A man who was absolutely heartbroken. Link the farmhand died standing in the sand with the shattered Mirror of Twilight at his feet. Standing there in place of Link the farmhand stood Link the hero. A fierce swordsman who's journey had come to an abrupt, bitter end.

Zelda knew what Midna had done was probably for the best, but Zelda often wondered who it was best for. Because it certainly was not the best for Link. After the events of the Twilight Invasion had come to an abrupt halt and the Mirror of Twilight destroyed by the true ruler of the Twilight Realm, Link changed. His heart of gold had a hole. The dam was completely gone. Zelda heard rumors from the guards about Link. Rumors of a man who stole girls' hearts with his alluring smile, golden hair and chilling eyes. Zelda reopened her eyes and thought, 'Midna, if you could see what he would turn into, would you still have broken that mirror?'

'He's at it again,' Telma thought. Her eyes looked beyond the bar counter, her hands hesitating a moment before resuming wiping down the counter. There he was, leaning over a young girl sitting at a table who was falling for his enchanting smile and eyes. Link was still the womanizer, even when smashed. His tan cheeks were slightly tinted, giving him a flushed look. Telma had seen this happen a lot recently. Every night, a new girl. A new, innocent creature to fall prey to the beast. Link takes her hand, having completely romanced the girl before he even touches her. She accepts like she's being swept off her feet by a glorious knight. Telma was not fooled. She could see the hollowness in Link's eyes that no one else could perceive. Telma watches Link leave with the young girl at his side with a disapproving frown. She never thought that the same man who flushed at a wink from her, who volunteered to protect her caravan that housed an injured zora, could turn into what he did. A total womanizer. It was obvious to Telma that Link was hurting beyond repair. Telma had wanted to bring it up to Link, but she knows he's beyond words.

Telma looks to the door when she sees it open again, seeing Rusl walk in. He walks to the counter in his traveling raiment, looking sullen. "I just saw Link walk by, laughing with another young girl."

"I still find it hard to believe who Link is now," Telma sighs, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "To think he would toy with young girls' hearts."

"He's hurting, Telma. He has been for a while now. Link has probably put more into saving Hyrule than any of us combined. I know it happened during that time, when he was running about to save this land. Something was taken from him, or... Something happened... I wish I knew. Boy's like a son to me and now he's completely aloof to my existence... Though I don't think he means to be," he looks up at Telma with solemnity. "I just wish I could help."

"Believe me, I do too. But there's so little we can do. If that's who Link is now... We just have to accept that people change... Sometimes for good," she says as she closes her eyes in resignation.

After a long night of passion that made Link forget his troubles just for a moment, he stood in the Castle Town's marketplace, right in front of the fountain. He only had his white shirt on and his white slacks, the green cap on his head and his tunic draped over his shoulder. One hand rested on his hip, the other hanging idly. His eyes were somewhat focused on someone standing before him, but he didn't particularly care. He felt annoyed that the person was shouting at him. It was too early in the morning and Link had too much of a hangover.

"You...! I'll kill you for taking her from me!" A man stood opposite Link, holding rather clumsily a short sword.

Link smirked, laughing a little. This man was in no way threatening. "What was her name again? Iris? If you're looking for her, she's back at the hotel where I last left her. By the way... Did you know how wild she can be if you tease her -"

Link thought he was quite rudely cut off when the man's eyes widened with pure rage and charged with a battle cry at Link. Link wanted to agg him on more. Enrage him further. Link wanted the man to know that the golden-haired man was a far better lover. Sighing in annoyance, he raised his hand from his hip. In one movement, Link sidestepped the man's sword thrust as his gauntleted hand gripped the back of the man's neck. "Tell your wife she knows where to find me. I like a girl like that, she took it raw with no complaints," Link belittled the man, armed with the knowledge from the girl herself that he satisfied her more in a single night than her husband had in three years. With his hand still on the man's stiff throat, Link fiercely tossed the man forward with a jerk of his arm and swept the man's feet out from under him, watching him fall to the ground face first.

Seeing that made Link feel a little better, smirking as he continued to walk through Castle Town. In such a good mood from how the incident ended, able to hear a little sobbing as he walked, Link hummed to himself as he felt the eyes of the small crowd who watched the scene on his back. Link was in such a good state of mind, he thought about paying another visit to an older, more mature woman whom was also taken. Normally Link would not ever see a girl twice, but today was a special occasion. He knew her husband was gone at this time of day and with the right line of words, she would crumble in his arms again. With that goal in mind, Link couldn't help but laugh a little at how good the day was turning out to be.