(ReUpload)

*Author's Note: Please do not take this as a serious, mean-spirited jab at the original author of My Inner Life, LinksQueen. This was written to be a humorous, alternative take on that story, and nothing more. With that said, I hope you enjoy.*

It was a glorious day in Hyrule.

The spring air was cool, but not frigid, as we rode across the grassy fields just outside of Castle Town. Even Epona seemed to be enjoying herself immensely, as she stretched out her neck and galloped faster, with little to no encouragement from me.

Behind me, I heard Zelda laugh, and I looked back to see her white mare turning to the left, galloping up a nearby hill dotted liberally with colorful little wild flowers. Her escort was not following either of us immediately, seeming content to stand by at a distance and let the princess have a bit of breathing room. For her sake, I was glad. She had told me that, in the past, her father had been very protective of her, and while certain things were to be expected, she had found many of his decrees regarding her safety and well-being to be excessively paranoid.

It was funny in a way, that he would be more concerned with her than the threat that had been parading itself right in front of him.

The future was looking more promising than ever, now that Ganondorf was sealed away.

Sometimes, I still could not help but shiver, remembering that terrible future I had experienced. Zelda was horrified when I had told her everything that I had seen, but due to the choice made by her future self, she had no memories of anything that was about to happen. She no longer had any sort of premonitions after that evil man was finally arrested and sealed away.

It was a very odd feeling for me, however; that entire time in my life was terribly confusing, and for the longest time, my emotions seemed to change like the seasons, depending on how I feel each day. I was and still am very glad that Zelda no longer has to bear this burden, as I must, but that future Zelda was probably the only person who would have truly understood, except perhaps for Rauru, the Sage of Light…

It still feels shameful and selfish of me, even knowing what I do now. I still wonder how my resolve, my courage – the very reason I was supposedly chosen to be a hero – can be so easily shaken, but when I confided in the wise sage several years ago, feeling so lost and unsure, unable to cope anymore with the sometimes sudden, startling intensity of my resentment, he said that…such things are to be expected?

"My boy, very few things in life come at an ideal moment." The old man put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You were only a child when your destiny was revealed to you, and your mind slept for seven long years before being reawakened to fulfill that destiny. I believe that your child mind and heart still struggle to accept what has happened to you, and that is not wrong."

"But it feels wrong," I insisted, running a rough, shaking hand through my hair. "How was I ever worthy of this destiny in the first place, when these feelings can be so awful and bitter?!"

"This should be something that you discover in your own time, but if you want my opinion, the very fact that you are aware of these feelings and account for them means far more than if they were absent to begin with. Not many men have that kind of courage."

I opened my mouth to speak, but the sage raised his hand, sighing slightly.

"You are still young, but someday your heart and mind will become one, and only then you will truly know that courage is not just a thing of swords and battles."

Even with all I have learned, I still am not sure I agree with him…

Pushing away these thoughts, I turned Epona so that we could catch up with Zelda, only to find her horse stopped at the very top of the hill. I pulled back on the reins, wincing as my horse pulled up sharply, whinnied, and tossed her head in annoyance. I patted her neck apologetically, and she snorted.

"What is it?" I asked, seeing Princess Zelda glance out towards the south-western area of Hyrule Field. As I narrowed my eyes slightly, I was surprised to see that she looked a bit pale. "What's wrong?"

She turned her head slowly to meet my gaze, and then lowered her head and shook it sadly.

'It seems she is back again," she said quietly, almost dully. I frowned.

"Who?" If I squinted, I could just barely make out a small, dusty cloud rising in the distance. It looked to be surrounding a wagon drawn by two horses, and it was most definitely heading in our direction.

"…It's a long story." I looked back at the princess and nodded, waiting patiently as she seemed to struggle finding the words. "Suffice it to say that this girl's father was an old friend of my father's, and when he died, he begged us to look after her for him."

"So she's a childhood friend of yours?" I asked, already sifting through my memories to recall her ever mentioning this person before. Zelda grimaced slightly.

"I would not say that, precisely…" She bit her lip slightly. "It is more fitting to say that, for her sake and her father's, I try to be kind to her when she comes to visit."

"What is her name?"

"Jenna. Her family name is Chapman, and at one point, she was married to a cloth merchant named Norman Courcelle, but she seems to prefer being called 'Silverblade' these days."

'That's an odd name,' I thought to myself. But then again, who would I be to criticize? I never even knew my mother's name.

I was surprised when Zelda then looked at me beseechingly.

"Link, I'm sorry to keep you, but would you mind terribly to ride back to the castle and let my father know that she is coming?" She sighed and drooped her shoulders. "I suppose I should stay close and greet her when she arrives. I have a few errands to attend to in town before sundown, but she'll probably be here by the time I've finished."

"Of course," I said, smiling slightly in the hopes that she would cheer up. "I would be happy to go for you. Will you be alright here?"

She waved me off. "Oh yes, Ginto will keep me company while you're gone." Zelda tilted her head and gestured towards the guard waiting patiently near the drawbridge, his brown gelding pawing at the ground slightly. "I don't imagine we'll stay out much longer. He's probably anxious to eat by now anyway."

I looked overheard and saw that the sun was right in the middle of the sky.

"That reminds me. Could I grab a bite to eat at the castle?"

She snorted. "Of course. Just ask one of the servants and I'm sure they'll be happy to make something for you. In fact, Mina would probably trip over herself to personally get it for you."

We laughed at that. Mina was one of Zelda's newer handmaids and it was obvious that she was interested in me. I tried to be polite but firm and not set her hopes up, because she just wasn't my type. She was cute, in a way, but a bit clumsy and absent-minded. My closest friends were the only women I had seriously considered courting, and I still wasn't sure what to do about that, particularly in Saria's case. But my experiences with Ruto, the Zora Princess and Sage of Water, taught me the importance of being clear and upfront about your feelings, even at the risk of possibly hurting someone else's. Otherwise, people often try to decide your life for you.

Mina still seemed interested in me, however, and there wasn't much I could really do about it now. Zelda seemed to tolerate it well enough, sometimes finding it funny while other times seeming to find it eye-rollingly nauseating, especially if the girl was getting distracted from her duties. Mina became even more clumsy when she was trying very hard to impress people, particularly handsome young men who worked at the castle, and her idea of impressing someone did not quite coincide with the princess's idea of impressing someone, to put it mildly.

We chatted for a few more minutes, and I was pleased to see Zelda's mood growing lighter again. But it was funny; the way she spoke of this girl who was coming to visit seemed very unlike her. Really getting to know her over the years, I had found that Zelda was very kind, loyal, and smart, with just the slightest edge when she became really stressed or frustrated. She did not gossip nearly as much as other women at the castle, and if she could not be at least somewhat polite when speaking to or about someone else, she simply held her tongue.

From what little I could tell, this Jenna girl was going to be the exception, much as Zelda herself might try to fight it.

'Perhaps I should stay nearby for a little while, so that I can talk to her if she needs me.' I could send a quick message to Saria and let her know that I might not be home in time for the feast and festival tonight. Kokiri Forest always held a little celebration for the coming of spring, and while I've always enjoyed it, it was not my favorite of our holidays. Saria and the others might be disappointed, but they would understand.

I turned Epona around and was preparing to leave when Zelda put a hand on my arm.

"Thank you, Link," she said earnestly, smiling widely. "You are a true friend."

I scratched the back of my head, feeling slightly embarrassed, but smiled slightly back at her.

"It's nothing…Send for me when you get home. I'm thinking of staying for a few days, if that would be alright with you and your father?"

As expected, her hand rose and then slapped my arm. "As if you even need to ask."

With that, I squeezed my heels into Epona's belly and we cantered back down the hill. In a few minutes, we reached Ginto and the drawbridge into town. I waved to the man as we passed him, and behind me, I heard him riding forward, heading out into the field to speak to Zelda.

As I rode through the marketplace, people of all ages smiled, exclaimed, and waved at me. I felt myself blushing slightly, but waved back to each person in turn, while gently steering my trusty horse through the crowd as carefully as possible.

I would never quite get used to the way people treated me, but I accepted it, or tried to ignore it, as best I could. After so many years living in a secluded forest, going mostly unnoticed even by the Kokiri, it was just odd and uncomfortable, though I knew no one meant any harm by it.

The hero legends have been around in some form since the beginning of Hyrule, and ever since my story had come to light, people had been curious and excited to see and speak to me in person.

I finally made it to the castle itself and swung down from the saddle, wiping my brow and thanking the young man who came forward to take Epona from me. When he first came to work here, Perrino was a few years older than I had been when I first learned of my destiny, but now he looked much stronger and taller, not dressed in livery that was three sizes too large. His hair was blonde like mine, and he always had a ready smile. That had never seemed to change.

"Not at all, Sir. It's nice that you came to visit us today."

I shrugged. "Zelda asked if I would have some time to spend with her today. Originally, I was planning to head home after this, but I sense that she will need some moral support soon, so would you please have someone prepare a room for me?"

"Certainly!" Perrino looked curious at my meaning, but bowed low. "Would you like any particular suite, Sir Link?"

"Nothing lavish," I replied. "Whatever room you have available is fine." He chuckled at me.

"As expected."

Food was prepared while I spoke to the king, letting him know of Miss Jenna's impending arrival. His expression was...complicated upon hearing that news, but he thanked me all the same and bade me stay as long as I liked, quickly returning the his councilors. Not long after that, I took the platter I was given out to the garden and ate in relaxing silence, watching the clouds pass lazily overheard, as the wind morphed them into fluffy, but familiar shapes. At one point, I could have sworn I saw a dragon sauntering slowly across the vast, bright blue sky.

A few small birds were pecking at the ground all around, and after a quick glance around to make sure that neither Impa nor the royal gardener was there to see it, I tossed them some small bits of bread. They picked them up appreciatively and took off, and I watched them go with a contented sigh.

'It must be so nice to fly...'

The sunlight was full and beautiful; it lit up the peaceful garden around me almost perfectly. Muffling a sudden yawn, I set the food tray down off my lap and stretched out across the lawn, resting my hands behind my head. It might seem a little too casual, but I didn't think anyone would really mind if I took a quick nap. I had been up since dawn, and hadn't really slept much the night before...

With those final thoughts, listening to the gentle rustle of grass and leaf in the wind, I drifted off into dreamless sleep.