A/N ~ Omg, hi everyone! Remember me?!?!?! Lol, wow, I missed ff.net! So yeah, after I finished my Diamond of Eternity fic, I was gonna write Dragon Seed. I got to about chapter 17, and I realized that... it just wasn't working... and I didn't even understand my own story, and I'm... not ready... to create my own characters and backgrounds and stuff and write an original story JUST YET... and if I really am gonna be an author, I've got enough time to keep practicing before it really counts. Therefore... I'm back again, writing another Zelda story. I know the title says Diamond of Eternity II, but it's not really gonna be a sequal... unless I get bored and decide that Marissa is gonna pop up somewhere. Oh, and it's gonna be much different... mwahah ahahhaha!!!!!! Lol, I'll probably change the title eventually, when I get farther in the story... this is all I have so far. Please r/r so I know if I'm doing okay... thanks so much you guys!
3 nicoLe
_____________________________________
Chapter One
Dusk was slowly approaching as twilight gently embraced the vast sky, causing the scattered clouds to blush rose and the atmosphere dimmed golden. The air was still stifling and uncomfortable, just as it had been that afternoon and the fresh waters of the lake were bliss to his parched and dry skin. It hadn't exactly been a productive day; more traveling than looking, but it was what needed to be done before he could continue his search.
The return journey from Termina had begun at sunrise that morning, when the air was still chilled by the night. He had packed and left, and upon the strong back of his mare had cantered until midday through the deepest parts of the woods, occasionally catching a glimpse of the sunlight penetrating through the thick forest ceiling. He only permitted a pause in the journey so his horse could drink from the crystal streams that ran through the forest from the peaks of the Snowhead Mountains. As he let her rest for a while, he tried to relax himself but could not, for although the woods were usually the most comfortable place to go when it was warm out, it was the hottest time of summer and the normally cool air was snagged with humidity that could not escape from the dense forest.
Then, as he sat with his back against the gnarled trunk of a tall willow, for only the millionth time since he had first left, he found himself dreaming again of Hyrule. He couldn't wait to bathe again in the fresh springs of the Kokiri Forest, or gallop aimlessly in the meadows of Hyrule Field. He longed to visit the always-quiet village of Kakariko, wander the rocky peaks and valleys of the Gerudo thieves, and most of all he had been anticipating one of his long-missed summer nights, which he spent at Lake Hylia with the starry heavens watching over him on a bed of luscious green grass.
And after leaving behind the heavy brushwood of the forest that gave way to the Lost Woods, he directed his steed out into the large clearing where the children-who-never-grow-up lived. From there on, it was she who did the directing because now that they were home, the familiar land surrounding was the land she knew all too well. She knew her master just as much; she guessed correctly where he was headed. Together they raced from one end of the empire to the other, without stopping until the gates that lead to the lake were on the horizon.
It's good to be home, he thought.
A breath of air filled his chest as he inhaled deeply and forced himself under the water's surface. He dove downward, ignoring the growing pressure on the sides of his head and he reached out a hand to brush the rocky bottom. Once he opened his eyes, he felt the water pushing them deeper into his skull and he glanced around, veering upright and off his stomach. He lifted his face to the distorted sky that appeared hazy and darker than it had been before from underwater. Bare toes dug into the grimy floor and he propelled himself up and back to the surface for another breath. When he broke the water's surface, air involuntarily released from his lungs and he circled his arms to stay afloat. His mare, who had been grazing before, was now at the water's edge, sipping contentedly.
He checked the sky again; it was past sunset now, and growing darker. What had been such a great desire only hours ago suddenly washed out, and the idea of floating freely and swimming boundlessly while being quite alone didn't have as much appeal as it had had at first. It wasn't that he had grown tired of it, or that he was bored. It was more of the fact that it was getting late, and would be dark soon. She would be coming, she had said by nightfall, and she would be expecting to see him sitting by a small fire, not out for a dip in the middle of the lake.
With another intake of air, he stretched himself out underwater and swam ahead. He covered the distance from the small island to the main land rather quickly and when he was finally close enough, his feet hit the bottom and he stood up, the warm air already beginning to dry the water from his chest. Stars in the darkening sky were appearing now, and the clouds were clearing, promising that it would be a clear night. The heavens had become a velvety blue and he could tell that the air was cooling when droplets of water remained on his skin. He splashed closer to the land, where he had left his supply of weaponry and clothing. His mare stopped drinking and glanced up at him, her dark eyes meeting his.
"Aw, c'mere girl," he said slowing down, and water around his legs fell down to his ankles as he stopped splashing and stopped in front of her. With a low whinny, she jerked her head high, and merely blinked, as if playfully saying, "No, you come here." He chuckled and stepped nearer to his closest friend.
Her chocolate coat was silky and still held the warmth of the sun. He scratched her ears and buried his face against her neck. Snowy white wisps of her mane brushed against his lips and he smiled for no particular reason.
Moments like these were hard to come by, he had discovered not too long ago. Times when everything felt right with the world were rare. For months he had been gone, searching for any sign that would lead him to the truth-or something close to it. There was no guarantee that he would ever find anything, but he felt that this was something worth working for. It was much more personal than saving the land of Hyrule from certain dangers brought on by a certain Gerudo King. In all the searching, he usually felt defeated; it always seemed so hopeless. But right now, none of that seemed to matter, and he didn't bother to wonder why. So he smiled.
Besides. She would be with him there any moment. At the thought of it, his stomach whirled. He hadn't seen her since the day he left, and whenever he had thought about coming home, she had always been in his thoughts. He had missed her so much... to see her face, hear her voice, speak her name to someone other than himself was something he had looked forward to just as much as his swim in the lake.
The mare let out a sudden sigh an instant before he heard the familiar voice speak his name. "Link?"
His eyelids shot open, he lifted his face from the horses mane, and saw standing before him his princess.
"Zelda!" he gasped, suddenly very aware that he was standing against his horse, completely unclothed.
"Sometimes I really wonder what you and Epona spend all your time doing," she smiled, suppressing a laugh as she bent down and took his green tunic into her hands. "Please tell me you were swimming," she teased.
"I was," he grinned, not really knowing what else to do, only thankful that the horse was standing in front of him, blocking his body from her view. She tossed the shirt to him, and he caught it. "Thanks," he said awkwardly, yanking it down over his head and forcing his arms through. He stepped out from behind Epona still fixing the shirt. "I didn't expect you to come this soon," he mumbled, trying to gather the rest of his clothes.
"I told you by nightfall," she reminded gently, gazing up at the sky in which more stars had blossomed. She looked back at him, and stepped closer, putting her arms around him. "I'm glad you came back safely."
He returned the embrace and whispered, "Me too. I missed you," as casually as he could manage.
"Oh, I missed you too," she said, stepping back to look over him. He was surprised she had returned his remark. "You look different," she observed.
"I do?" he asked, wondering whether to be insulted or not.
"Only a little. You look older."
This was another of those moments that he had learned to cherish. He wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms again and keep her there forever.
"So lets sit down and start a fire. I want to hear everything that happened while you were gone. Did you find anything?" She took the pile of firewood that he had gathered already for when she came, and muttered something under her breath. The wood caught fire and crackled as she sat down on a boulder nearby, smoothing her cotton dress. She smiled at him as he struggled to put on his leggings and boots. "Not really... I found a woman who was the cousin of one of my mother's friends. Unfortunately, the two weren't exactly close cousins, so she had no idea who I was talking about when I asked if she knew my mother."
"Was that the closest you got to finding anything?" Zelda asked as he sat down against another boulder.
"Well..." he hesitated. "There was a really old man in a village somewhere north of Regalon... I don't know where it was really, it wasn't on the map. He said he had known a girl who knew my mother... and he told me she lived in Hyrule."
"Oh, that's great! Have you talked to her yet? Where does she live?"
"That's just it... the guy said she lived in a small town called Archina. I told him that I've lived in Hyrule all my life, and I'm sure that there's no such place. I don't really think he knew what he was talking about... probably a little mad."
"Hmm... that's strange. There is no such place... in Hyrule, at least. Maybe it's somewhere else?"
"Every other land I traveled to in the kingdom, I looked for it... and I couldn't find anything." Link's eyes trailed off her face and onto the ground. He wasn't exactly anxious to relive the unsuccessfulness of the journey. He wanted to know why Zelda had insisted on sneaking away from the castle and meeting him here, the first night of his return when he could have simply gone and visited her the next day. As if he had said his feelings aloud, the princess suddenly changed the subject. "Well while you were gone, about a week ago, a man came into the castle and spoke to me. He wanted to know something about the Temple of Time... I can't recall what, although it seemed innocent enough. But he did mention you. He said he remembered when you were a child, and the war was going on. I told him about how you're searching, and I told him you might be interested in talking to him."
"Really?" Link looked back at her and their eyes met. She nodded and added, "He said he was leaving for Termina and staying at the inn there. Sound promising?"
"Yeah, it does." He smiled. There was a long pause, in which he decided she was waiting for him to say something else. "Thanks," was all he could come up with, with her eyes searching his.
"I told you I'd help any way I could. I hope you find him." She sighed and retreated to gaze into the flames.
In the past six years, Link had had the chance to grow up just as Zelda had wanted. But he had done so alone, without much guidance, and although he had grown used to it and had gotten along fine without it, there were times when he felt as though something much greater was missing. He had always known that his mother had died shortly after he had been born. She had been the one who brought him to the Great Deku Tree in the Kokiri Forest, pleading for her son to be protected until the war between the countries was over. But there was the other figure that was supposed to have a parental role in his life. And although he had never really been one to need the help and advice of a parent; a father; he still knew it was something that he was missing.
3 nicoLe
_____________________________________
Chapter One
Dusk was slowly approaching as twilight gently embraced the vast sky, causing the scattered clouds to blush rose and the atmosphere dimmed golden. The air was still stifling and uncomfortable, just as it had been that afternoon and the fresh waters of the lake were bliss to his parched and dry skin. It hadn't exactly been a productive day; more traveling than looking, but it was what needed to be done before he could continue his search.
The return journey from Termina had begun at sunrise that morning, when the air was still chilled by the night. He had packed and left, and upon the strong back of his mare had cantered until midday through the deepest parts of the woods, occasionally catching a glimpse of the sunlight penetrating through the thick forest ceiling. He only permitted a pause in the journey so his horse could drink from the crystal streams that ran through the forest from the peaks of the Snowhead Mountains. As he let her rest for a while, he tried to relax himself but could not, for although the woods were usually the most comfortable place to go when it was warm out, it was the hottest time of summer and the normally cool air was snagged with humidity that could not escape from the dense forest.
Then, as he sat with his back against the gnarled trunk of a tall willow, for only the millionth time since he had first left, he found himself dreaming again of Hyrule. He couldn't wait to bathe again in the fresh springs of the Kokiri Forest, or gallop aimlessly in the meadows of Hyrule Field. He longed to visit the always-quiet village of Kakariko, wander the rocky peaks and valleys of the Gerudo thieves, and most of all he had been anticipating one of his long-missed summer nights, which he spent at Lake Hylia with the starry heavens watching over him on a bed of luscious green grass.
And after leaving behind the heavy brushwood of the forest that gave way to the Lost Woods, he directed his steed out into the large clearing where the children-who-never-grow-up lived. From there on, it was she who did the directing because now that they were home, the familiar land surrounding was the land she knew all too well. She knew her master just as much; she guessed correctly where he was headed. Together they raced from one end of the empire to the other, without stopping until the gates that lead to the lake were on the horizon.
It's good to be home, he thought.
A breath of air filled his chest as he inhaled deeply and forced himself under the water's surface. He dove downward, ignoring the growing pressure on the sides of his head and he reached out a hand to brush the rocky bottom. Once he opened his eyes, he felt the water pushing them deeper into his skull and he glanced around, veering upright and off his stomach. He lifted his face to the distorted sky that appeared hazy and darker than it had been before from underwater. Bare toes dug into the grimy floor and he propelled himself up and back to the surface for another breath. When he broke the water's surface, air involuntarily released from his lungs and he circled his arms to stay afloat. His mare, who had been grazing before, was now at the water's edge, sipping contentedly.
He checked the sky again; it was past sunset now, and growing darker. What had been such a great desire only hours ago suddenly washed out, and the idea of floating freely and swimming boundlessly while being quite alone didn't have as much appeal as it had had at first. It wasn't that he had grown tired of it, or that he was bored. It was more of the fact that it was getting late, and would be dark soon. She would be coming, she had said by nightfall, and she would be expecting to see him sitting by a small fire, not out for a dip in the middle of the lake.
With another intake of air, he stretched himself out underwater and swam ahead. He covered the distance from the small island to the main land rather quickly and when he was finally close enough, his feet hit the bottom and he stood up, the warm air already beginning to dry the water from his chest. Stars in the darkening sky were appearing now, and the clouds were clearing, promising that it would be a clear night. The heavens had become a velvety blue and he could tell that the air was cooling when droplets of water remained on his skin. He splashed closer to the land, where he had left his supply of weaponry and clothing. His mare stopped drinking and glanced up at him, her dark eyes meeting his.
"Aw, c'mere girl," he said slowing down, and water around his legs fell down to his ankles as he stopped splashing and stopped in front of her. With a low whinny, she jerked her head high, and merely blinked, as if playfully saying, "No, you come here." He chuckled and stepped nearer to his closest friend.
Her chocolate coat was silky and still held the warmth of the sun. He scratched her ears and buried his face against her neck. Snowy white wisps of her mane brushed against his lips and he smiled for no particular reason.
Moments like these were hard to come by, he had discovered not too long ago. Times when everything felt right with the world were rare. For months he had been gone, searching for any sign that would lead him to the truth-or something close to it. There was no guarantee that he would ever find anything, but he felt that this was something worth working for. It was much more personal than saving the land of Hyrule from certain dangers brought on by a certain Gerudo King. In all the searching, he usually felt defeated; it always seemed so hopeless. But right now, none of that seemed to matter, and he didn't bother to wonder why. So he smiled.
Besides. She would be with him there any moment. At the thought of it, his stomach whirled. He hadn't seen her since the day he left, and whenever he had thought about coming home, she had always been in his thoughts. He had missed her so much... to see her face, hear her voice, speak her name to someone other than himself was something he had looked forward to just as much as his swim in the lake.
The mare let out a sudden sigh an instant before he heard the familiar voice speak his name. "Link?"
His eyelids shot open, he lifted his face from the horses mane, and saw standing before him his princess.
"Zelda!" he gasped, suddenly very aware that he was standing against his horse, completely unclothed.
"Sometimes I really wonder what you and Epona spend all your time doing," she smiled, suppressing a laugh as she bent down and took his green tunic into her hands. "Please tell me you were swimming," she teased.
"I was," he grinned, not really knowing what else to do, only thankful that the horse was standing in front of him, blocking his body from her view. She tossed the shirt to him, and he caught it. "Thanks," he said awkwardly, yanking it down over his head and forcing his arms through. He stepped out from behind Epona still fixing the shirt. "I didn't expect you to come this soon," he mumbled, trying to gather the rest of his clothes.
"I told you by nightfall," she reminded gently, gazing up at the sky in which more stars had blossomed. She looked back at him, and stepped closer, putting her arms around him. "I'm glad you came back safely."
He returned the embrace and whispered, "Me too. I missed you," as casually as he could manage.
"Oh, I missed you too," she said, stepping back to look over him. He was surprised she had returned his remark. "You look different," she observed.
"I do?" he asked, wondering whether to be insulted or not.
"Only a little. You look older."
This was another of those moments that he had learned to cherish. He wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms again and keep her there forever.
"So lets sit down and start a fire. I want to hear everything that happened while you were gone. Did you find anything?" She took the pile of firewood that he had gathered already for when she came, and muttered something under her breath. The wood caught fire and crackled as she sat down on a boulder nearby, smoothing her cotton dress. She smiled at him as he struggled to put on his leggings and boots. "Not really... I found a woman who was the cousin of one of my mother's friends. Unfortunately, the two weren't exactly close cousins, so she had no idea who I was talking about when I asked if she knew my mother."
"Was that the closest you got to finding anything?" Zelda asked as he sat down against another boulder.
"Well..." he hesitated. "There was a really old man in a village somewhere north of Regalon... I don't know where it was really, it wasn't on the map. He said he had known a girl who knew my mother... and he told me she lived in Hyrule."
"Oh, that's great! Have you talked to her yet? Where does she live?"
"That's just it... the guy said she lived in a small town called Archina. I told him that I've lived in Hyrule all my life, and I'm sure that there's no such place. I don't really think he knew what he was talking about... probably a little mad."
"Hmm... that's strange. There is no such place... in Hyrule, at least. Maybe it's somewhere else?"
"Every other land I traveled to in the kingdom, I looked for it... and I couldn't find anything." Link's eyes trailed off her face and onto the ground. He wasn't exactly anxious to relive the unsuccessfulness of the journey. He wanted to know why Zelda had insisted on sneaking away from the castle and meeting him here, the first night of his return when he could have simply gone and visited her the next day. As if he had said his feelings aloud, the princess suddenly changed the subject. "Well while you were gone, about a week ago, a man came into the castle and spoke to me. He wanted to know something about the Temple of Time... I can't recall what, although it seemed innocent enough. But he did mention you. He said he remembered when you were a child, and the war was going on. I told him about how you're searching, and I told him you might be interested in talking to him."
"Really?" Link looked back at her and their eyes met. She nodded and added, "He said he was leaving for Termina and staying at the inn there. Sound promising?"
"Yeah, it does." He smiled. There was a long pause, in which he decided she was waiting for him to say something else. "Thanks," was all he could come up with, with her eyes searching his.
"I told you I'd help any way I could. I hope you find him." She sighed and retreated to gaze into the flames.
In the past six years, Link had had the chance to grow up just as Zelda had wanted. But he had done so alone, without much guidance, and although he had grown used to it and had gotten along fine without it, there were times when he felt as though something much greater was missing. He had always known that his mother had died shortly after he had been born. She had been the one who brought him to the Great Deku Tree in the Kokiri Forest, pleading for her son to be protected until the war between the countries was over. But there was the other figure that was supposed to have a parental role in his life. And although he had never really been one to need the help and advice of a parent; a father; he still knew it was something that he was missing.