Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda, any of it's lands, or any of it's characters.
Time May Change Us, But We Can't Change Time
Chapter 1: An Old Friend
In the land of Hyrule, there was finally peace and prosperity after many years of ruthless war. A quiet calm swept the green, lush fields as many went about their days as they normally would. The Gerudos, an all woman tribe of warriors, trained in the art of theivery. The Zora, a race of half fish, half human beings, swam serenly in the beautiful blue waters of their domain. The Gorons, a group of rock people, simply slept and ate while cozy in their Death Mountain home. As for the Kokiri, the eternal children of the land, they played all day. Yes, everything was back to normal.
You see, ten years ago, Hyrule went to war against a land named Calatia. We didn't start the confrontation, but you can bet we finished it! There were times though, when things seemed very grim. The skies over the fields were dark, blood spattered across green grass, many homes had lost their fathers and husbands and sons, we were running out of options. Our armies grew thin, our soldiers were weak and weary, so that's when the young princess Zelda stepped up to help her kingdom. Merely eighteen, she forced herself to marry the twenty-six year old prince of Termina. This alliance allowed us to use Termina's soldiers and weaponry, causing the battle to continue. Out of all that bloodshed, we won, and for what? Both lands remained the same, no one was demanded to move from their home, no one was commanded to change, we just simply won.
In Hyrule castle town, the people went about their usual business. That is, until Link, the Hero of Time showed up. He wore a dirty dark green tunic with a long, flowing, pointed hat to match. Upon his feet were two, rather large brown boots that were tattered and torn, and slung on his back was the Master Sword and a metal shield, the Hylian crest sprawled across it. He had shaggy, dirty-blonde hair, piercing blue eyes that caught your soul and long pointed ears with a tiny, golden hoop earring hooked onto the lobe of the left one. His skin was tan and seemed a bit rough. To some, he may not seem like a hero, but he was one of Hyrule's most famous protectors. Many stopped to welcome him, children ran to hug him, the women did the same, while the men came to give him warm smiles and handshakes. He smiled as he returned the hugs and handshakes, he loved feeling so wanted. After making his way through the crowd, he gazed down the stone path ahead. Hyrule Castle's pointed towers could be seen from far behind the small houses and shops of the town. Wasting no time, he stepped lively to his destination.
The stone led to dirt as Link ran ceaselessly, he could hardly wait. After only a bit, he approached a large stone gate that seemed to go up for miles, it blocked the pathway, with tall, steep hills on either side, pretending to be walls.
"Hello!" Link shouted to the gate's gaurdian, he squinted to see a man dressed in metal, a red feather sprouting from the top of his helmet, and a spear in his hand standing on the top of his only way in.
"Who goes there?" The gaurd shouted,
"How can you not remember me?" Link shook his head, crossing his arms, "It is I, Link!" He called up to the man,
"By god, Link?" The gaurdian yelled, "Years of war have not changed you but a bit! I've only forgotten your face for a moment!" He grinned, opening the large, black, metal cage that kept the hero from where he wanted to go. Link entered through the gates, moving along the winding course. He glanced around, he remembered having to sneak around the gaurds as a young boy. He'd have to crawl, climb, and even swin to avoid their gaze and prevent them from throwing him out. Then he remembered the first time he laid eyes on her.
He snuck into the palace garden, despite it being illegal. He couldn't disobey the Great Deku Tree's orders, especially since it's passing. A small girl stood at a window at the other end of the large stone court. She looked to be ten years old, only a year younger than Link. He stepped toward her, she turned swiftly for fear of danger. To put it plainly, she was beautiful. She had yellow curls of hair that emerged from the bottom of the royal pink and white bonnet atop her head. Her skin was pale, to pair with soft pink lips, and a thin body, she seemed so fragile. Her eyes, they were an amazing violet, they appeared to welcome Link with love every time he stared into them. After that, it had only been eight years later when they met again. This time, in disguise she greeted the hero or, at the time, soon-to-be hero. A shiek in blue with a white turban covering his face revealed himself to actually be a woman. She was more gorgeous than he remembered, her tiny yellow curls grew into long, straight, golden locks of hair that hung from the most lovely head Link had ever seen. A small golden tiara lay amongst her hair with an emerald in the middle. Her face had matured to that of one without naivety, one with wisdom and strength. Her thin frame grew into a curvey figure that he couldn't tear his eyes from. Only eight years and she'd changed so much. He loved her, he wanted to marry her, and today, he'd planned to purpose.
"Zelda." Link sighed as he reached the moat,
"What business have you with the Royal Family?" A voice could be heard from behind a large wooden door, the castle seemed so much bigger up close,
"'Tis I, Link, Hero of Time, only requesting to speak with Zelda." He answered. A loud creaking echoed through the field, the large wooden door in front of Link fell forth, acting as a bridge over the moat. Link stepped over it, his boots clanking on the boards, he walked into the cold, hallow halls of Hyrule Castle.
Deep within the corridors of the same castle, a queen sat boredly on her throne. An older man sat next to her, he had black hair with a few grey ones beginning to sprout and strong features. He had a squared off jaw, broad shoulders, he was muscular, and over all seemed like a handsome man. He had brilliant straight, white teeth and lovely brown eyes. Even though he was not an ugly man, the queen still didn't seem the least bit interested in him. She leaned on the right arm of her chair with her elbow, staring at the windows far from and high above her, she couldn't see out of them, they were stained glass. Light shone through, translucently painting the colors of the windows on the floor as well. She sighed,
"Zelda, what's the matter?" The man sitting in the throne next to her asked,
"Nothing Frederick." The queen replied, not taking her eyes from the window, "Simply tired
of this unimportant crown." She groaned, she'd never seen being queen as important, all you did was sit in a throne all day and accompany the king, who made all of the decisions. She wanted to be out exploring or working, doing something fulfilling.
"If you bore of sitting here, we could go back to our quarters and have some fun." He slid his hand under hers, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it,
"No thank you." Zelda rolled her eyes, there was only one person she had ever wanted to make love to, and it was certainly not Frederick. He was so much older than her, he occasionally got too rough for her small body, and he did not, 'make love' in no way did Zelda feel loved when they did it, she simply perspired. It wasn't enjoying for her simply because she didn't love him. Though every night they'd mate, it was solely to produce an heir, not for love. The goddesses must have forsaken her, for though they tried, no child had come yet. Why would they do this to her? Knowing that she didn't want to have sex with this man. One of the long doors on the other end of the large room creaked open, Zelda's faithful maid, Melina emerged from the darkness of the hall. She had long, curly, brown hair that fell to her waist, pale skin, thin, red lips that looked good on her, and stunningly blue eyes. She was attractive, to say the least,
"Your Majesty?" Melina approached her, "Sorry to disturb you, but you have a guest." She bowed,
"Send them in!" Zelda said excitedly, sitting upright, finally, someone that could occupy her from this boredom! Just then, a man entered, he wore all green and had dirty blonde hair. Her breath ran short, her eyes wide as saucers, she couldn't believe it! Her heart pounded slowly, heavily, could it really be him? The man walked up to the couple and stood there, with his hands on his hips,
"What, no hug?" He asked, smiling,
"Link!" Zelda jumped from her seat and ran into Link's embrace, she was even more lovely than he remembered. Her hair was now up in a more sophisticated manner, back in a bun with a brain twisting around it. Her lips were full and pink, paired with those gorgeous violet eyes that he'd recalled so well. They were larger now and seemed as if they peered through his very soul. Her body had become more slender, causing her to obtain an hourglass figure. She was shorter than Link, so much so that, when they hugged, she could put her head on his chest. Link was more muscular than her, she seemed so frail in his arms, he was afraid to squeeze her too hard for he might break her. She still had that smile though, the one that warmed his heart every time it would spread across her face. He knew he still loved her, even after being away, helping with the war for all those years.
"I hope you weren't expecting me to bow." He chuckled,
"Oh, you'd better not!" She squeezed him tighter, he was the only one who treated her like a human being, not royalty. He didn't call her, "Majesty" or "Highness", he didn't bow in her presence, he simply spoke with her and laughed with her and, on occasion, tickled her.
"Ahem." A voice startled Zelda, snapping her from her thoughts. She turned swiftly, breaking the hug, to see Frederick standing behind her. She slumped,
"Frederick, this is my very best friend, Link." She gestured to the blonde man, "Link, this is my..." She paused, pondering if she should reveal this to her old friend just yet, "My... m-my..." Zelda stuttered,
"I'm her husband." The king said a bit louder, to make sure Link heard,
"Husband." Link said slowly, that one word stabbed him through the heart. That one simple title meant that he was too late, that his love must remain to himself. It squeezed the oxygen from his lungs viciously, mercilessly twisted his stomach in knots, and relentlessly ripped his heart into pieces. That one little word had killed him, but he wouldn't show it, not to her. The man across from Link held out a hand, he just glared at it,
"Yes, well," Frederick cleared his throat and removed his hand from the emptiness of the air, "What brings you here?" He asked Link,
"I just wished to speak with Zelda for a moment." Link turned his stare to the beautiful woman beside him, she'd seemed so fixated on the floor, "I think best if I wait a while though." He sighed, turning to the man whom he didn't even know, yet loathed to the core.
"Uh, Link," Zelda put a hand on her dear companion's shoulder, "Won't you stay for dinner?" She asked in a bit of a pleading manner,
"I'd love to." He gave her a weak wall of a smile, a crumbling wall that held pain and misery behind it. Just then, the door on the other end of the long room opened again. This time, a man in a metal suit entered the room,
"Your Highness," The soldier stepped to Frederick, the sound of his metal boots clanging against the marble floor echoed through the almost empty corridor, "We need you in the council room." He stood firm in front of His Highness,
"Will you be joining me?" King Frederick asked his wife,
"No, I think I'll stay here this time." She grinned to Link, Frederick glared at the young man in green as he left the room. Link furrowed his brows, how could Zelda marry such a man? "Come, let's go to the courtyard." She grabbed his hand and tugged it a bit. Knowing he couldn't say no, Link followed her out.