A/N: This fic assumes that everyone remembers everything that happened before Zelda sent Link back to his childhood at the end of OoT and that Ganondorf remains trapped in the void he was banished to after returning to the past.
Link and Zelda are anywhere between about 14 and 20 years old in these stories, which is to account for them acting childlike in some chapters and more adult-like in others. Don't expect the stories to be in chronological order. This first chapter is a prologue leading in to all the other chapters.
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Chapter 1 - The After Years (Prologue)
Summary: What exactly happens after OoT & MM? What will Link do and where will he live? What happens when he sees Zelda again? Let's find out...
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Many options were open to the Hero of Time after helping to seal the usurper king Ganondorf to a faraway void and being returned to his childhood by Princess Zelda. After he returned from a frightening quest in Termina where an apocalypse was narrowly avoided, he contemplated returning to his childhood home of Kokiri Forest to resume living a normal life...if that was even possible anymore. However, now that he possessed the knowledge that his destiny was to grow old while the rest of the forest's denizens never would, the thought of returning there to live seemed somehow foreign...wrong, even. It clearly wasn't the place he was meant to be.
In the end, one place called to him more than any else—Castle Town. More specifically, the castle beyond the town. He knew that at the age of twelve, he was unlikely to be appointed as even a lowly squire, despite his long list of accomplishments from the other timeline. These impressive feats included the felling of an untold number of ferocious monsters, several of which were a hundred times his own puny size and strength.
He went to the castle with low expectations, thinking he should consider himself lucky to even be given a job shoveling manure from the horse stables. Nevertheless, he figured it couldn't hurt to ask. Being in service to the royal family was the only vocation that truly called to him, that would give him the adventure and excitement he craved and the purpose he needed. It was a job he had already undertaken with great success in the other timeline and, in spite of the danger, he had even enjoyed it. Standing in front of the castle's front gate like he had so long (soon?) ago, he knew that this...this was his place in the world.
It wasn't difficult procuring an audience with the young Princess Zelda. Although they had always been on friendly terms, he was still caught off guard when she broke protocol by rushing to greet him with a generous hug as soon as he came into view.
"It feels like it's been another seven years since I last saw you!" Zelda berated with a disapproving look on her face. Not long after meeting his eyes, though, she sighed heavily as her expression softened. "Ah...darn it, Link! Even if I wanted to, I just can't stay mad at you. But, in the future, would it kill you to drop me a line every once in a while? I swear, worrying about you is sure to send me to an early grave one of these days..."
Link sent a puzzled look her way.
"Oh, uh...haha..." she responded nervously, scratching the back of her neck. "That's something my dad always says. He must be wearing off on me or something..."
Link noticed that many of Zelda's mannerisms were uncharacteristic of royalty...he could only assume she was having trouble assimilating back into formal life after so many years hiding in plain sight among commoners as a Sheikah.
"There is...actually...something I wanted to ask you," Link ventured nervously, making frequent pauses. After all, his entire future was hinging on the outcome of this conversation. "I was wondering if there was...um...any work I could do...around the castle...for you."
"For me?" Zelda contemplated that last pair of words especially hard before her eyes lit up in response. "Oh! Oh, yes! Of course, Link! It...it would be an honor and a privilege to have you...um...have you in my service, I mean!" She laughed nervously at her hasty clarification, hoping that her face wasn't giving away the stark embarrassment she felt. "I'm sure you'll be an exemplary addition to the royal guard in no time. Of course, until you come of age, you'll remain in training, but I'll see to it that you're given immediate lodging in the knight's quarters of the castle and as much food as you care to eat!"
Link was more than satisfied with this offer. It was better than anything he ever could have hoped for.
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From then on, Link's days were filled with training exercises...hours upon hours of training exercises. He became good friends with many of his fellow knights-in-training even though the next youngest one was a full three years older than him. In spite of his young age, they didn't treat him any differently and, in fact, they already held much respect for him. Everyone knew of his deeds in the other timeline and felt nothing but pride to be in the same squadron as the legendary Hero of Time.
Once he reached fourteen years of age, Link was finally given the opportunity to undertake field missions throughout Hyrule. At first, he was always accompanied by at least one experienced knight and was only given simple tasks such as checking on the welfare of people in a remote village or guard duty. Without fail, the friends he had first met while on his quest in the other timeline were delighted to see him again. Some, like Darunia, even gave him special treatment...although, to be perfectly honest, this made him feel more uncomfortable than flattered. His childhood had taught him to value a simple, humble way of life. He had never expected to be venerated or treated differently from everyone else, no matter what he accomplished in life—he simply wanted respect.
Whenever stationed in the castle, Link tried to keep out of the young princess' way because he thought she must always be occupied with some important affair or another. Despite this, he didn't fail to notice that Zelda's "coincidental" run-ins with him (no matter what odd location he happened to be in the castle) happened more often than mere chance would dictate, especially considering the sporadic nature of her free time. She never failed to remind him of her appreciation for his services to her kingdom.
At times, she even reveled in teasing and playing tricks on her friend. One memorable example of this happened on a night when she was feeling particularly mischievous. She sneaked into his quarters after he had gone to bed unusually early and snatched his iconic, ever-present green hat from his nightstand. The next morning, she made a point of rising early and loitering in the vicinity of his room. The noise from drawers slamming shut, furniture being moved and the like were her clues that he was obviously awake. A gleeful smirk she simply couldn't contain found its way to her face when he finally emerged, sporting a frantic expression in place of his usual hat. It seemed he became embarrassed after spotting Zelda in the hallway since he promptly began fussing with his hair, raking his fingers through it in the frantic hope that it would be presentable to a high-ranking person like her. She could no longer hold back the laughter that had been dying to escape ever since she caught sight of his messy hat hair.
"Missing something?" she teased. As she approached him, she revealed the cap concealed in her hand and dropped it on his head, purposely placing it at the wrong angle so it partially covered his face. She strutted down the hallway as she continued giggling uncontrollably, leaving a stunned Link in her wake. With a mental fist pump, she silently congratulated herself for pulling off such an amusing prank.
One can only wonder if Link would ever notice that Zelda's widest smiles were reserved especially for the times when he was around.