Link sat patiently on the wooden floor as his shoulder-length hair was pulled into a haphazard braid, the comb forcing through the multitude of snarls caused him to wince, but otherwise he remained motionless and silent. The only lighting in the room came from the flickering purple candles mounted on the support beams of the bookshelves, a faint scent of lilac from the melting wax permeated in the air and created a feeling of calmness. More books than he could ever hope to read lined the shelves on the walls, how fortunate it was for those like him who had access to this room. It was true he wasn't permitted into the actual library, but being in this room never failed to make him feel at ease, it had been the first place the princess brought him to.
The comb harshly snagged a knot and a small grunt of pain managed to slip out of his throat.
"Sorry, that was unintentional." Zelda apologized sweetly, her soft voice always seemed to make him feel safe. Link turned and offered his friend a sincere smile, he knew she wouldn't purposefully harm him. She pulled out one of her dark blue ribbons and used it to firmly tie the end of his braid. Not only was she a comfort for him, he was a comfort for her, too. They adored their time alone, Zelda loved playing with Link's hair while talking about her day. While he wasn't always able to talk back, he always listened with open ears.
"Come now, I want to show you something. If that's alright?" that was another thing he loved, she rarely gave him commands unlike the rest of the inhabitants in the castle. The only time she did was when the situation called for it, namely when they were in the presence of other people. Link nodded his head in affirmation and the two carefully left the room through one of the many hidden passages. While what they were doing wasn't against any rules, both would rather avoid confrontation from nosy servants.
They climbed the narrow and musty stairway to the top, when the door was opened they were greeted to the sight of an ornate white and silver marble balcony. The rails were made up of delicately carved dragon and phoenix statues, the view overlooked the river that snaked around the eastern side of the castle. The half moon shone upon the land and reflected against the calm waters, shooting stars streaked across the midnight black sky.
Zelda was leaning against the railing, her loose blonde hair and yellow nightgown ruffled slightly in the warm night breeze. The ambient noises from Castle City were not present on this side of the fortress, instead all they heard were chirping insects and the occasional hoot of an owl. Link stood next to his friend and he closed his eyes contently, he always enjoyed the rare moments he was allowed outside. To feel the breeze upon his face and smell the summer air was pure bliss.
Something he and Zelda had in common was their desire to leave the confines of the castle, they'd often talked about running away when they were kids. Of course they had been nothing more than foolish childish dreams, the might of the king was not to be trifled with. One time he and Zelda managed to get as far as the orchard, they indulged themselves on sweet peaches and tart apples until they had been discovered by the Royal Guards. The princess had been grounded for a week and she wasn't allowed to have dessert after meals, Link had been taken into the knights' corridor for his punishment. Even to this day he'd never spoke of what transpired in the depths of the castle, he didn't want to burden her with that knowledge.
The princess was innately intelligent, however, Link knew she wasn't oblivious to his bruises and injured wrists. Over the years he stopped acting out and sassing back, nowadays he was seen simply as a mostly docile ornament, he didn't want to hurt Zelda with his impulsive actions anymore.
"You see that constellation up there?" Zelda asked while pointing her finger at the sky. Link located the diagonal four stars she was referring to and nodded. "It's called Farore's Courage." Link bristled upon hearing that, besides a few servants and Zelda, no one called him by his name. It was always 'hey you!' or 'kid' or 'boy'. On days when important nobles or dignitaries came to visit the king, he was paraded around like a precious treasure and called 'Farore's Courage', though they viewed him as an unfortunate byproduct. The triangle mark on his hand was all anyone cared about, they couldn't be bothered to care about the person it was attached to.
"Tonight is the night the star on the tip of the sword appears, you see, it's actually a planet called Vallores." she reached out and rested her hand on top of his. "I believe in the legends of old even if my father chooses not to. You should be treated as a hero, not as an object in a treasury. I think you are incredibly brave." she gently squeezed his hand and continued to gaze longingly at the starry sky.
The teens stood quietly on the balcony, both wished the peace wouldn't have to end any time soon. Zelda offered him a chunk of fudge she managed to sneak into her pocket and he gladly munched on it. Childish dreams be damned, someday he and Zelda would be free from this prison.
"It's getting late, we should go." Link nodded with frown and he looked at the sky one last time before they entered the dark interior of the castle. "Good night." Zelda said before they split ways. Link was on his own to navigate the musty pathways, thankfully he knew many of the corridors by heart and he was able to make it to his room before anyone spotted him.
His room was in the basement along with the other servants, the floor and walls were made of the same dreary gray stones. The room was just big enough to fit a cot and an elm chest filled with a few changes of clothing, in a free corner was a small table where he kept his few belongings. He brought the candle towards it and inspected his things; a partially eaten stick of dried venison, a quartz rock given to him by the cook's five year old daughter, an old Rito coin he found years ago in some unswept corner, and a silver necklace.
Link set the candle on the table and he grabbed the necklace, it had been a gift from Zelda a year earlier. The pendant that the silver chain looped through was crudely chiseled jade triangle, that made it all the better since Zelda had been the one to carve it. He slipped it over his head and the cold rock rested comfortably on his warm chest, wearing it gave him a small sense of security. After meandering for a few moments, he went onto his cot and tried to make himself comfortable by adjusting the straw in his pillow.
With an exasperated sigh he eventually closed his eyes and allowed himself to fall asleep.
When morning came he was awakened by the loud creak of his door opening, he groaned when a boot started prodding his side. He opened his eyes and cringed when he saw his alarm clock was in the form of an equally grumpy looking member of the Royal Guard.
"Get up, the Harinsons will be arriving by noon." Link took his blanket off and stretched his tense leg muscles. The knight waited outside his door to give him a bit of privacy while he relieved himself in the chamber pot and changed into his day clothes. Once he was adequately presentable he followed the guard to one of the massive entertainment rooms on the main floor, he stood in his usual spot next to a row of cushioned chairs. The walls were decorated with numerous red banners with gold trimming, the floor had a similar narrow rug that extended from the door to the far wall.
Behind him at eye level was a polished sword with an iridescent violet-blue hilt, a lump appeared in his throat when he realized it was there begging to be free from the glass prison it resided in. It was the same sword he pulled out of a pedestal seven years earlier, he remembered cheering with his friends in the old temple. The knights who guarded the place confronted him and invited him to visit the castle and royal family, what ten year old would pass up that opportunity? When he arrived it was explained to him the mark on his hand was valuable, then he did as he was told and placed the sword into the display case for supposed protection. After spending a week in the castle he thanked the knights and explained he needed to go home to his grandparents, they were probably worried about him. Incidentally that's when he discovered he wasn't allowed to leave.
Admittingly Link hadn't thought about his grandparents in a long time. Did they still think about him? Did they miss him? Were they even alive? He had no way of knowing.
His stomach rumbled and he rubbed it in a feeble attempt to keep it quiet, he'd get to eat when this meeting was over with. He glanced at the tapestry across from him and admired the needle work, it must have taken years to complete. It was a scene of the princess and hero of old legends fighting off a horde of monsters that seemed to manifest from wisps of black and purple smoke. The hero was holding a sword that bore a striking resemblance to the one that rested behind him, his blond hair was accented with golden thread, his blue eyes were the same color as the ocean on a sunny day. The princess looked similar, although her hair was a few shades lighter.
Link looked at the mark on his left hand for a moment and covered it with his right. There had been times where he had been told the mark showing up on his hand was an accident, he looked nothing like the past heroes. He'd also been told the mark chose someone with great courage, how could it possibly be him when he was too anxious to speak most of the time? They weren't wrong, this had to be some sort of cruel mistake. All he could do was endure.
A horn played a fanfare and ushered in the arrival of the knights and visiting nobles, once the room was filled the horn played a calm tune. The guests talked loudly and pointed at the different treasures and baubles that happened to catch their eyes. The lords and ladies suddenly bowed their heads; the sovereign had arrived. Link kept his head low and made sure to avoid eye contact while he did his best to not fidget in place. Whenever he was in close proximity to the King he always felt an urge to act out and fight back, he couldn't act upon his feelings though due to the fact he did indeed have a sense of self preservation. Besides, Zelda would be disappointed with him if he died in such a foolish way.
The King made an announcement about some nonsense pertaining to the occasion, Link couldn't be bothered to pay attention. Instead he focused on the floor and traced the grout lines with his eyes. He was aware of the nobles walking past him and observing him, the guard next to him explained to the onlookers he carried Farore's Courage. There were a few 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from that.
"So he's a hero then?" a lady within the group asked.
"Haha, 'course not, don't tell me you believe in those old fairy tales." a lord said while taking a sip of wine from a golden cup.
"Obviously the mark is hereditary, unfortunately it seems it transferred to the wrong blood down the line." Link tensed and narrowed his eyes after hearing that. He knew he wasn't hero material, but he was still a Hylian like the rest of these pretentious scumwads. He withdrew his arm and tore his hand out of the grip of the lord who happened to be inspecting it. Something in the back of his mind told him to take the sword, he could be free if he wielded it.
"You better knock it off and improve your be-" Link interrupted the whispering guard by introducing his elbow to the man's face. He spun around and punched the display case, the glass cracked and then finally shattered after a few more hits. The sword felt right in his hand, with it he could accomplish anything. A shout and clanging armor brought him out of his hazy thoughts and made him aware of the situation around him. People stared at him in shock, no, there was something else as well. Fear. They were scared of him.
He tossed the sword on the ground like it was a venomous snake, it clattered uselessly on the cream colored floor. Desperately he looked around and his eyes briefly met with the King whose expression was impossible to read. Link didn't know what overcame him with the sword, while the nobles were jerks he didn't wish to hurt them. The various noises were too overwhelming for him to focus on any one thing, he closed his eyes and hoped this was simply a bad dream. It wasn't.
Two knights grabbed him by the arms and led him away, when he opened his eyes he saw the one on the left was the one he gave a bloody nose to. He was escorted roughly to his room, a heavy thud indicated that the door was blocked. The room was dark and he hadn't found an opportunity to restock his candle supply, so he laid somberly on his cot in the blackness.
He still did not understand why he thought it was a genius idea to take the sword. Actually he hadn't thought at all, it seemed like it was a reflex. Zelda often told him he could be impulsive, she explained to him in great scientific detail that it wasn't his fault and it was related to his reluctance to speak but he didn't remember the specifics of the conversation. He was far too embarrassed to admit that sometimes when she spoke of things he didn't understand he would simply smile and nod instead of asking for clarification.
He hoped Zelda was doing okay.
Link lost count of how many times he woke from his restless slumber, it was hard for him to sleep without the flicker of a candle. A few times the door opened and a few pieces of bread and a cup of water were placed on the floor. He didn't know how often they were feeding him so that wasn't useful as a measure of time. All he knew was the meager bread was not enough to stave off his hunger.
After what seemed like an eternity the door finally swung open and revealed two guards. Without either of them saying a word Link knew what to do. He stood and leaned back on the wall with his hands crossed in front of him, it was a common enough ritual so he went with it rather than being yelled or kicked at. The guards tied his hands with a rope and led him out of the confines of his room. He thought being locked away with nothing to eat but stale bread was punishment enough, but evidently that wasn't the case.
Oddly enough he was taken up the stairs rather than the knights' corridor. His heart raced at the thought of being punished by the king, he'd never done anything bad enough to warrant that. His fear was confirmed when he was ushered into a sitting room he recognized that led to the main throne room. He sat cross legged on the floor and took deep breaths in an attempt to calm his racing heart, he allowed no emotions to display on his face. The guards talked quietly to each other and Link heard one of them mention they wouldn't have to be on babysitting duty anymore. Were they planning on getting rid of him?
"Those Gerudo are going to eat you alive, boy." one of the knights said loud enough for him to hear. He didn't give them the satisfaction of having a reaction, he continued to stare ahead while maintaining his deep breathing. The threat didn't scare him in the slightest, he met plenty of Gerudo traders back in his home village, they were peaceful people who liked to keep to themselves. Assuming of course something hadn't changed in his seven year absence.
The door opposite to the throne room opened and in walked a group of five people. They wore long elaborately decorated tunics that were both practical for travelling and elegant enough to indicate they were important. The golden jewelry they wore contrasted brilliantly against their dark brown skin, as did their fiery red-orange hair. Goddesses, he had forgotten how tall they could be. The lone male in the group stepped towards the guards with an air of authority.
He was shorter than all of the women and he didn't look all that old, despite that when he apprehended the two knights they both recoiled and looked as nervous as newborn hares. Link allowed himself a better look at the situation and he made eye contact with the Gerudo for a brief moment before refocusing his attention to more important things like the vacant wall.
"You keep your chosen detained?" the foreigner asked with a tone that practically demanded respect. There was a long pause and one of the knights nudged the other with his elbow.
"Chosen? He's just a kid with a fancy mark." the knight eventually replied. The Gerudo chuckled and said something to his companions in their own language. Looking moderately annoyed at being laughed at, the knight continued, "Besides, if a dog bites you, you put it on a leash."
"Hm, I suppose that is true," the Gerudo spoke while walking towards the throne room door, "but I hope you won't find it presumptuous of me to say you shouldn't give the dog a reason to bite in the first place. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with your...king." and with that the Gerudo entered the throne room and shut the door behind him.
The women spoke amongst themselves in a language he couldn't understand, although he still remembered a couple words from childhood not that he'd be able to uphold a conversation with them. One of them strayed from the group and she knelt beside him, the knights at this point were stationed by the door so they wouldn't have to be anywhere near the visitors.
"Hello, Link, was it? May I see your hand?" Link stared at the lady like an idiot for a moment, he wasn't used to people asking. Plus he was shocked he knew his name, it hadn't been announced or anything like that. He nodded his head eventually as a response. The woman gently inspected his hand and mumbled something in Gerudo. "My name is Urbosa, it's a pleasure to meet you. We'll deal with the rest of introductions later." she gave him a friendly smile before returning to her small group.
After roughly half an hour the door to the throne room swung open and revealed the rather smug looking Gerudo male. He announced excited foreign words to his companions and they seemed pleased by whatever it was he had to say. They grabbed their belongings off the ground and started to file out of the room. The male stayed behind and stood in front of Link with one outstretched hand. Link being none the wiser grabbed it and allowed himself to be hoisted up. Something strange was going on, his confusion must have showed because the Gerudo gave him a heavy pat on the shoulder as he was led out of the room by the stranger.
"Well Hylian, you are under my care now."
A/N: So I decided to write another loz story on top of my other one cause this was begging to be written. Please leave me your thoughts if you could be so kind. Thank you!