Link awoke to someone repetitively poking his cheek. The eyes of the man who had saved Hyrule and the Twilight Realm snapped open to meet two glowing red spheres in the darkness.
"Twyla…" he spoke quietly at the sight. The one whose name he said immediately pulled her hand away from her father's face. "What are you doing up so late?" he whispered, glancing over his shoulder to make sure he didn't disturb his wife. From her even breathing it seemed that Midna hadn't woken up.
"Dawn can't sleep and won't go to bed until she sees you," the girl replied softly with a yawn. Link slowly pushed himself up from the mattress and into a sitting position, only now noticing another set of irises that hadn't been visible in the darkness when he was lying down. They peaked up over the edge of the tall bed, looking to their father. Link smiled, and then carefully stood up a moment later.
"Come on. I don't want to wake your mother," he whispered, reaching down to Dawn and lifting his youngest. His other daughter followed as Link brought them into the hallway, walking a short distance and standing outside the door to Twyla's room. Out of hearing range from Midna, he spoke normally to his young teenager.
"Thank you Twyla. You're a good big sister. Do you want me to tell you a story after I put Dawn to bed?"
"Dad, I'm too old for that," she sighed, rolling her bright eyes and sounding irritable. Link smiled, realizing just how fast his little girl had grown up. Only a few years more and she would be the same age as him when he met Midna.
"Of course. Sleep well then," he extended his arm and ruffled the already messy copper hair of his eldest child.
"Ugh! And that too!" she pulled back with annoyance, out of Link's reach. Twyla turned from him and went into her room, closing the door quickly before her father had a chance to say anything. Link smiled sadly, but after a moment he met Dawn's gaze with a true expression of joy. The child had watched the interactions of her father and sister with a beaming face.
"Are you ready to go back to sleep? I'll tuck you in."
She perked up at his words, suddenly becoming serious.
"No."
"What do you mean?" Link asked with a tilt of his head as he turned to the door next to Twyla's, stepping over the threshold into Dawn's room. He kindly set the girl on her bed once he entered, and the child spoke again as he stood fully upright.
"I don't want to sleep. I want a story."
"This late?" Link asked more to himself than to her as he blinked in surprise. He'd already told his daughter a tale earlier that night when he initially put her to sleep, but he couldn't deny her request now. The once-upon-a-time hero sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed and pulling the covers over Dawn. "Okay, if it will make you fall asleep, I'll tell you another story about the adventures of the Imp Girl and the Wolf Boy."
"But I don't want to hear about the Imp Girl and Wolf Boy!" Dawn almost shouted. Link jumped with her words, not expecting the sudden outburst. He was in shock. Those were her favorite stories, and to turn them down... "I want to hear a story about Daddy. Why are you so different from me and Twyla and Mommy and everyone else? Tell me that story!" she explained with enthusiasm.
Link continued to stare wide-eyed, not expecting her to ask him that, but knew she would one day. For a moment he contemplated getting Midna and having the three of them discuss the matter, but quickly thought against it. It was late, and she needed her rest. Everyone did. He decided to try distracting his daughter instead.
Smiling, he reached out and began to tickle Dawn. High laughs vaguely similar to those of Midna's when she possessed her cursed imp form came from the child. She rolled around on the bed and Link couldn't help but chuckle along with her joy for a few brief moments, but a thudding sound from the wall to Link's back caused him to immediately stop. Dawn's giggles took a second or so to fade, but they too stopped abruptly with another knock from the wall. It seemed Twyla overheard them and was implying that she found it annoying as she was trying to get sleep.
Link smiled sadly now that the fun was over, and he reached towards his youngest to straightening the covers that had become a tangled mess from the tickle attack.
"Goodnight," he spoke quietly, leaning forward to give Dawn a kiss.
"No, story about Daddy first," the girl said sternly, gaze serious. Link froze before he placed the sign of affection on his child's forehead, and he pulled back a moment later.
"W-why do you want to hear that story?" he asked with a stutter, facing the reality he now knew he couldn't avoid any longer; his plans to tire Dawn out having proven to be fruitless.
"The Wolf Boy and the Imp Girl are different from everyone else. You are too. I want to know why and I won't fall asleep until you tell me!" Dawn held her head high with those words. Link knew it was true; the girl wasn't the type to give in.
After her declaration the two were silent for a short while, Link thinking over how he was going to tell the tale.
"Okay then, here it goes," he eventually sighed. "But I'm going to start by telling you another story about the Imp Girl and Wolf Boy –"
"But Daddy!"
"No, listen. You want to know why I'm different, right? Then please be patient. I'll get to that soon."
Dawn pouted, but nodded for him to continue nonetheless. Link took a deep breath and began the explanation.
"After the Evil King was defeated, the curse on the Imp Girl was completely broken. She had become the most beautiful woman the Wolf Boy had ever seen. He was in shock from her appearance, and at his silence she asked if he was at a loss for words. He was, so he simply smiled. Since the Wolf Boy could change between two forms at any time, and she was no longer an imp, the two were finally free of their troubles. Peace had returned to the lands and they were happy."
Dawn nodded excitedly when her father paused, having heard this part many times before. Link continued at her eagerness.
"There is still a bit more to the story though. The boy – no, the experience made him a man. The man who saved two kingdoms and was previously the Wolf Boy was now a true Hero, while the Imp Girl had finally returned to being a Princess. The two wanted more than anything to be together, but they didn't tell the other that. The Princess needed to separate all connections between their kingdoms to prevent another battle like the one that had passed, so she put aside her happiness for that of her country and its people. They went to the border of the two kingdoms, along with the other royal that had helped them. The three stood by the gateway to the once cursed Princess's world…" Link drifted, recalling memories of that moment – the moment that changed everything. His gaze was unfocused as he thought over every detail of the event in depth.
The light of the twilit evening filtered through the ancient stone structure; casting long shadows and illuminating the single shining tear from the Princess as she said her goodbyes. The sorrowful face of the woman that simply stood, watched as he—
"What happened then?" Dawn asked, seemingly forgetting that she wanted to know about her father and instead becoming too wrapped up in the story. Even though he had told her about many adventures within the great quest, Link hadn't explained the very ending in depth. Her words brought him back to the reality that it was all merely a story now.
"The Princess broke the only doorway that connected the two kingdoms. She loved the Hero though, and said goodbye as he sadly watched, but…" Link drifted once more. Speaking had become harder for him suddenly, his breathing shaky. He inhaled deeply and continued, hoping that Dawn didn't notice his distress.
"As the gateway was breaking and she started to disappear into her kingdom, instead of just watching her leave, the Hero ran up the glowing steps that led to the world the Princess belonged in, throwing his arms around her in a strong embrace. She tried her best to push him away, to keep him in his world, but he wouldn't stay there. He desperately wanted to be with her, so he hung on to the Princess firmly, not letting go. The Hero knew he might never come back to his homeland, and if he joined the Princess, he would be the only one of his kind in her kingdom… But that didn't matter. He wouldn't let her leave him after all they had gone through together. Before the two knew it, they were in her country; the gate back to the other completely destroyed, and he trapped with the one he had struggled through so much with."
Link paused for a second or so, wondering just how to tie it all together. Dawn waited patiently, her warm gaze of oranges and reds glowing; looking into his cool blue sight.
"The kingdom he left behind was known as Hyrule, and he was a Hylian. Together with the Princess, they ended up in the Twilight Realm. Dawn… the reason I'm so different is because I'm not from this world. I'm the Wolf Boy, and your mother is the Imp Girl. She's the Princess and I'm her Hero. The stories I've been telling you… They aren't fairy tales – they're true."
Dawn stared up at her father in awe, mouth hanging open. She didn't speak for a few moments.
"You mean you and Mommy were cursed and had to go through all that?" she asked unbelieving. Link bit his lower lip and slowly nodded, not directly looking into the eyes of his daughter any longer. He hadn't realized when he started to tear up, and wasn't quite sure why either. All of that was in the past now, and he had no regrets. Quickly he wiped away the water that threatened to overflow from his eyes, and putting on a smile once more, Link's gaze met the irises of his little girl – eyes antithesis of his own.
"But it's okay. We're together now and we have you and Twyla."
"What a weird story this time…" Dawn eventually spoke, her voice fading into the night and her sight wandering from his. Link could tell she was tired, as was he, and highly doubted she really understood everything fully.
"I told you the story you wanted to hear. Time to sleep, okay?" Link spoke, pulling the covers further up over her. His daughter nodded slowly, eyes drifting closed. He leaned over and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead and whispered I love you as he drew back. A moment later the man that was once a hero, but now a father, stood and silently walked out of the room; softly closing the door behind himself and making his way down the hall once more.
The Hylian quietly entered his own chambers, relieved to find Midna still asleep. Cautiously as not to wake her, he crawled into the bed next to the woman he sacrificed everything for; lying down while he faced away from the Twili and thinking over all he spoke just moments ago.
"Are you okay?" his wife asked once he settled. Link tensed, not realizing she'd woken up. "You were gone for a bit. What's wrong?"
"Nothing is," he replied, voice monotone. "Dawn just wanted me to tell her another story." Midna shifted and he turned on his back to see her. The Queen had propped herself on her elbow and looked to him, slight concern apparent on her face.
"Really? This late at night? Why did she want a story now of all times?"
"She… wanted to know about me. Why I'm so different," he replied, not meeting her eyes.
Midna was silent for a few moments.
"And what did you say?" she asked, tone more serious than her previous one.
"The truth: that I'm from Hyrule, and a Hylian, not a Twili. I also explained that the fairy tales I tell aren't just stories…"
Midna sighed.
"I knew we would have to tell all that to her at some point. I still remember when Twyla asked…" his wife drifted, lying back down and looking up at the ceiling. "She didn't take it too well. Then again, I guess that can be expected from someone like her," Midna said. Link could almost hear a soft laugh with those words. Twyla was so much like her mother. "Anyway, how did Dawn react?"
"She believed me. I think at least a little. She's young, so it might not really register with her fully yet and still seem like just a story."
Midna was still and silent for a while after his words and Link wondered if she had dozed off. Suddenly the Twili broke the quiet.
"So, how do you feel about it?"
Her question caught Link off guard.
"What do you mean?" he asked, turning his head towards her.
His wife rolled onto her side and looked at him somewhat sorrowfully.
"Link, you know what I mean. You left all that behind and talking about it as not just a fairy tale, but the truth…"
The once-upon-a-time Hero of Twilight shifted to completely face the woman he loved.
"I feel…" he drifted. Midna noticed his hesitation and reached out to hold his hand in hers. Link looked her in the eyes and continued. "I don't know how I feel, really. Its different here, that's for sure, but it isn't a bad thing. It did take me a bit of time to adjust to living here instead of in Hyrule, but I love it in the Twilight Realm. Being with you and our daughters means the world to me. Hyrule no longer held adventure or anything new for me and I know I never would have been able to go back to my village life of goat herding after all the two of us went through together. That's for certain."
Midna smiled softly, the expression quickly slipping from her face with her words.
"I suppose that's true. I'm still sorry I tried leaving you behind. I didn't want to be selfish and tell you what I really felt… But in the end you still came with me. I only wish I would have given you the chance to come properly prepared."
For just a moment Link's mouth twitched upward in a sorrowful smile to match the one she previously displayed.
"It's okay, and I didn't exactly need to prepare. I don't regret what I've done because I was more scared of not seeing you ever again. I understand I'll never be able to return to Hyrule…" Link drifted. There wasn't anything for him there had all he needed right here: the happiness from his family that could cause even tears of joy, making all he went through more than worth it. "And I don't necessarily want to."
"Are you sure?" Midna asked tentatively, her face full of worry.
Link's expression spread into a loving grin, and then he kissed his wife on the tip of the nose. The Twili beamed in response to the words he proceeded to speak.
"Yes, because even if it isn't a fairy tale, I think we got a happily ever after."
A/N: Happy ninth anniversary Twilight Princess! (And of course, my OTP!) I'm so excited for TPHD! It's a dream come true for me and I immediately pre-ordered the bundle.
Yeah, Link and Midna have been together for more than nine years in my story, but whatever. :P I wanted to give them a peevish teenage daughter. xD (If only Midlink was canon… Why Nintendo, WHY AREN'T THEY?! ;_;)
Also, I made a drawing for TP's 9th anniversary and you can find the link to that at the bottom of my profile page.