UPDATE: This story is officially on a hiatus as of 4-17-2019. I was nearing completion of the new chapter after a long period of writers block, when the flash drive I was working on decided to stop working. I still plan on continuing this at some point, I just need a while to recover, and figure out what to do next. In the meantime I might publish a oneshot or two.
CHAPTER 1: THE BIRTH OF THE HEIRS
King Dauphene Harkinian the Second, King of Hyrule, was an imposing man. Standing at a full six feet, and with the body of a career soldier, his mere appearance allowed him to dominate any conversation. A man of quiet confidence and supreme determination, he was the textbook image of the warrior king. After the tumultuous reign of Ricard "The Boy King," Dauphene's humble disposition and calm attitude were precisely what Hyrule needed. By keeping a level head and sticking to his path, he had been able to overcome all the obstacles faced by Hyrule in the decade following his ascension to the throne. This supreme confidence in his abilities was precisely what made situations such as the one he was now facing all the more nervewracking for him. He needed an heir.
The King was by no means an old man. His beard was still brown, and his eyes continued to shine with the vigor of youth. And yet he knew all too well the perils of waiting too long. King Graham had been an excellent monarch, loved by commoner and noble alike. But he had put off producing an heir for decades, not wanting to be forced to split his efforts between preparing the heir and managing the nation. By the time he got around to having a child, Graham had grown old, and while he did his best to prepare his son, it was far too late. A mere 11 years after the birth of her son, Ricard, Queen Fenria died, and King Graham followed her only a year later. Before talk of a regency council could even begin, Ricard had already claimed the throne, and nothing could be done. This had lead to five of the most tumultuous years in Hyrule's history, as Ricard's policies seemed to shift depending on how he felt at the time. In the end, the Sheikah Guard had intervened and removed Ricard from power before banishing him from the Kingdom. In the uncertain times following the coup, the Guard surprised everyone - including Dauphene himself - by recommending him as the replacement. At the time he'd been a minor noble, near the bottom of the ladder, so the offer came as quite a shock. The first decade of Dauphene's own reign was devoted almost entirely to rebuilding relations and righting the wrongs of Ricard, and what remained of the shadow of the Boy King's reign had only recently been lifted from Dauphene's reign. Dauphene didn't know how he would be memorialized in the future, but he refused to be remembered as the second king in a row who failed to prepare his heir.
His wife had already gone through two pregnancies, one before and one after his ascension to power. Both times the child had died within the hour. She had displayed signs of being pregnant again and had secluded herself to the Temple of Fertility, as was traditional for Queens of Hyrule expecting to give birth. For eight months he had been unable to communicate with his wife aside from messages passed through couriers, and it had been wearing down on his mental fortitude. To escape the pressure, he had fully immersed himself in his work, burying his desk in of diplomatic messages and covering the floor with dozens of pieces of possible legislation, each balled up and discarded. For the past week, he hadn't left his chambers except to eat and consult his advisors. In the corner of his vision, he could see the two guards posted at his door, sympathy in their eyes. Rubbing his eyes and leaning back in his chair, he threw the bill he was working on to the side in disgust. Just then, the door to his room burst open, causing the guards to rapidly level their spears at the intruder, preventing him from continuing.
Even as Impa was opening her mouth to demand the man's intention, he had already dropped to a knee and began to breathlessly explain. "My lord, your wife has given birth!" Immediately upon hearing those words, Dauphene sprung to his feet, his chair falling to the ground behind him. Taking a moment to breathe, the messenger continued. "Two children, just a few minutes ago... I ran all the way here." Collapsing into a coughing fit, he fell to the ground, apparently unable to continue.
Allowing a small grin to slip through his mask, Dauphene immediately turned to his guards. "Cado, take care of this man, Impa, follow me." Rushing out the door, he headed straight towards the stables, Impa following close behind him. Mounting on a horse, he barely waited for Impa to mount her own horse before beginning to gallop off towards the temple. Wind whistling in his ears, he raced through the streets of Inner-Castle Town towards the temple, ignoring the shouts of commoners and nobles alike as he went. The time for interaction would come later, for now, he had to get to his wife. Seeing the Temple in the distance, he began slowing down, before hopping down in front of the Temple and hitching his horse. Taking a deep breath, he walked towards the doorway, nodding at the pair of Hyrulean Royal Guards standing at the entrance. Immediately upon seeing him, they gave a quick salute before smoothly opening the door for Dauphene to pass through. Returning their salute as he moved, he began walking towards the Sanctum of the Temple, Impa trailing closely behind him.
Reaching the Sanctum, he gently opened the door, taking care to be as quiet as possible. Looking inside, he could see Analise laying on an elaborate ceremonial bed, fast asleep. To her side, two small bundles lay in a crib, wrapped in white cloths decorated in gold embroidery. Taking one more deep breath, he signaled for Impa to stay at the door before stepping into the room. Softly walking over towards the crib, he took a moment to peer at the children before moving over to his wife, and lightly shook her shoulder.
Groaning, Analise turned over, rubbing her eyes in confusion before looking around. Seeing Dauphene's face, Analise sprung up, embracing Dauphene tightly and laughing. "You're here!" she exclaimed, her voice slightly muffled by the cloak she was pressing her face against. "Goddesses, it feels like it's been ages since I last saw you!" Unable to respond, Dauphene simply planted a firm kiss on his wife's head before pulling back, smiling. Gently adjusting her hair, he opened his mouth to talk, before shutting it again, unsure of what to say. In the end, all he could manage was a simple "So. Can you introduce me?" followed by an awkward smile.
Returning his smile with a grin of her own, Analise nodded as she moved towards the side of the bed so that her feet hanged over the edge and she was peering into the crib. Bending over, she removed the embroidered cloth from one of the infants and gestured towards one of the infants. "This is our firstborn, our daughter." Even the knowledge that he would have a female heir rather than a male one did little to dampen his high spirits, and he listened as his wife continued. "We've always said that if we had a daughter, that I'd get to name her and, well, I've done quite a bit of thinking. When it comes time for the priests to bless them, her name will be Zelda."
Grinning, Dauphene gave a light chuckle before responding. "You can name her anything, and you choose Zelda?" However, seeing his wife's reddening face, he quickly backtracked. "Not that it's a bad name by any means, just... It's rather common. If I'm not mistaken, it will make her the fourth sovereign to bear that name." As Analise attempted to stammer out a response, he took a moment to examine the infant. Even from a cursory glance, it was apparent how much she took after her mother. The most readily apparent example of this was her skin color, far closer to the tan skin of Analise's mixed heritage than the alabaster skin common within Hyrulean nobles. Other factors, such as the more angular face, were also present - albeit less noticeable.
Finally, Analise managed to spit out a response to his earlier jest, softly insisting that "Zelda is a strong name..." Before murmuring something to herself. Waving off his confused question, she moved on to the next child, pulling off the other elegant cloth. "This..." She grinned. "Is our son. I figure that it's only fair to let you name him. This child was closer to Dauphene in appearance, sharing his lighter skin and more defined features. And judging by Analise's comment...
Dauphene looked up with a twinkle in his eyes. "A son?" He exclaimed, breaking into a smile as Analise have him a nod. "I have a son!" he half-shouted, only barely remembering to keep his voice down. Gazing down at the small infant, Dauphene softly uttered the name that he'd longed to say for years. "Link. His name will be Link." Looking down adoringly at his newly expanded family, the King let the smile break through his mask completely, as he laughed with joy. He had a son! A son!
Joining in on the laughter, Analise grinned wildly from her bed, looking up at him with gleeful eyes. "Queen Zelda and Prince Link. What a pair they will make." Patting him on his shoulder, Analise stretched before reclining back onto her bed. Yawning, she brought the covers back up over her body before closing her eyes. "Hey, Dauph? I know you have to get back to work but... But something..." She paused, a troubled look on her face. "Something tells me that, well, our kids should be blessed as soon as possible." Once she was finally able to get that out, the words seemed to flow nonstop from her mouth. "I know that it's probably nothing, but something just feels off, it's probably nothing, but I'd really appreciate it if-" At that, Dauphene held up a finger, stopping his wife in his tracks.
"Don't worry," he replied, smiling softly. "I'll personally go down to the Temple of Time right now. I'm sure Amaya would be willing to bless the children." Running his hands through her hair and taking one last look at the children, Dauphene stood up and began to walk towards the door. Amaya was the High Priestess of The Temple of Time, and the only Priestess technically authorized to bless those of royal birth. Reaching the entrance to the room, he paused a moment to compose himself, returning the emotionless mask to his face as he stepped out. Waving for Impa to follow him, he walked back out through the Temple, heading towards the horses. As the pair mounted up and began to slowly ride down the cobbled streets, Impa suddenly spoke up.
"So... The Queen is well, I presume?" The Sheikah asked, almost hesitantly. At his positive response, Impa continued speaking. "And, if you would permit me to ask, what is the situation with your new children?"
Turning to face Impa in his saddle, the King fixed her with a curious look. "Of course I'd permit you to ask. You are my Captain of the Guard, after all. I know that you're new to the position, but you don't have to worry about asking anything." The previous Captain, Purah, had retired only a month earlier, not so subtly suggesting to Dauphene that Impa be her replacement. Over the near decade that she had acted as his guard, Dauphene had built up an understanding with her, and she had essentially become his closest advisor. Pre-occupied with his wife's condition, he had not yet had the chance to do the same with Impa, and it showed. "Impa," he said, looking into her eyes. "You are entrusted with the protection of my family and me, and if there is anything you think will aid you in those duties, you cannot hesitate to ask me."
Her face reddening, the Sheikah responded. "My apologies, King Dauphene. I will attempt to be more open with you in the future." After a few more moments of riding in silence, she spoke up again. "To start with, where exactly are we going?"
"The Temple of Time," he responded pointing in the general direction of the building. "Analise feels that the children must be blessed with the utmost haste, and while I don't necessarily see the need, there is nothing wrong with setting her mind at ease." As the duo continued along the road, they fell into a comfortable silence, the only sound being that of their horses' hooves clicking along the cobbled path and the buzz of the crowd around them. As they rode through the bustling streets, the crowds parted around them, the roar of noise descending to a murmur as they passed. From the corner of his eye, Dauphene could see many of them cross their chests, praying to Hylia. As the head of not only the Hyrulean Kingdom but also the Church of Hylia, many commoners viewed the King as some sort of religious figure, affectionately referring to him as their "Little Father." It had never been a part of royalty he was comfortable with, but it was a necessary one.
Finally arriving at the temple, Dauphene paused for a moment, collecting himself. From the open doorway, the heavenly sounds of a choir emanated, helping to calm his racing nerves. Taking a deep breath, he walked in, beckoning for Impa to take up a position at the entrance. Walking through the marble halls, decorated with tapestries portraying the history of Hyrule, he couldn't stop a small smile from creeping onto his face. As a child, he'd made a habit of disguising himself to attend the services of the Temple as an average citizen, rather than as some stuffy noble. These visits, unofficially encouraged by his father, had been some of his only chances to interact with the ordinary people of Hyrule and had vastly widened his understanding of the Kingdom.
It had been on one of these excursions that he had met Analise. Despite being a mere commoner - and one with mixed heritage at that - she had instantly caught his eye. Running his hand along the aged fabric, his eyes lit up with nostalgia as he thought on his younger years. Having met Analise following one of the ceremonies he had attended, he began taking every opportunity to meet with her. His once monthly practice of attending service at the Temple became a near weekly trip, and the excuses he gave to his father for this behavior became more and more unlikely. Thinking back on it, he suspected that his father had a rather good idea of the truth of the matter, and was merely testing his son's devotion.
Tearing his eyes away from the beautiful tapestries and the memories they held, he focused his eyes on the floor and began walking again. He couldn't allow himself to get lost in memories, he had an important task at hand. Finally reaching the Hall of Prayer, he entered the open doorway, causing the beautiful chanting to go silent as the attendees looked on in shock, dropping to their knees. Immediately, Dauphene's ears warmed, and he held up his hand, speaking softly. "Not now. In the street, you shall bow. But for now, worshipping our Goddess, we are equals." Red-faced, the attendees rose to their feet, and Amaya, preaching at the head of the congregation gave him an appreciative nod, as she silently handed him a small book filled with hymns. Slowly, the singing resumed, with Dauphene joining in. As time passed, the presence of their king faded to the back of the attendees' minds, and the tension evaporated.
Prayer of Hope:
Hear us, O Hylia, and know that we have long exalted Thee.
Hear us, O Hylia, and know that we have long exalted Thee.
To Thee, the highest authority,
Mother of all,
do we lift up our eyes
in yearning:
Hear, O Hylia, the hopes
of your children.
Several hours later, the service had ended, and the attendees filed out of the Temple, murmuring amongst themselves about their unexpected visitor, Dauphene stayed behind, seated at the pew, head bowed in prayer. Eventually, he stood, opening his eyes and walking over to the Priestess Amaya, who in turn nodded her head respectfully, asking "What may I do for you, my lord?"
Bowing his head in return, King Dauphene spoke with a soft, reverent voice, "My wife has given birth. We seek the Blessing of the Goddess for our children. I believed that disrupting a ceremony of the Goddess would not be the best way to secure her favor, so I felt I should allow you to finish before making my request."
The priestess let out a barely audible gasp at the mention of the birth of children but kept her expression blank and her voice serene as she responded. "Of course my lord. You have my utmost gratitude for allowing me to finish my ceremony. I shall fetch the necessary ingredients to bless the children at once." Pausing to take a breath, she continued. "Where shall I meet you when I am ready to depart?"
Dauphene merely stated "At the entrance," before turning on his heel and began walking back towards the door, pausing one last time to give the room another glance, reminiscing, before walking out. As soon as he exited, Impa stepped forward.
"My lord, a message was delivered while the ceremony was in progress. The Queen and your children have been moved to your house in Kakariko to rest away from the bustle of the city. She has requested your presence as soon as possible."
Nodding, the King kept his mask of indifference as he responded. After all, he was in public now, and any displays of emotion would immediately be picked up by the rumor mongers and blown out of proportion. "Thank you for the information Impa, and for waiting until after the ceremony to inform me." Impa nodded and stepped back, adjusting her beret awkwardly over her white hair as she did so. The Sheikah members of the Royal Guard were still in the process of transitioning from their traditional uniforms to those of the rest of the Guard, and many were still uncomfortable without their traditional scarves. Still, they had handled the situation admirably and without complaints, as always. Folding his hands behind his back, the king closed his eyes, waiting for Amaya to exit the Temple.
The second that he heard the great wooden doors swing open, Dauphene began walking towards the horses, Impa rushing to follow him. As the king mounted his own horse and Impa pulled Amaya onto her own, they began the ride out of castle town and towards Kakariko. As the trio set off, Priestess Amaya started to rapidly bombard him with question after question, barely leaving any time for him to answer before moving on to the next one. 'What gender are the children, do they look healthy, did the nursemaid taken the proper religious preparations before the birth?' His head was swarming with the sheer number of questions, half of which he didn't even have the answer to. Eventually, however, the inquiries grew less and less frequent, and the group fell into a comfortable silence as they continued the trek back to his chambers.
AN: Alright, I'm gonna try this out again. Hopefully, I will get more than 3 chapters into a fanfiction before abandoning it for once! I don't necessarily have any plan besides some vague ideas, but I hope to iron out a storyline over the next few days. I hope that this interests at least a few people! :D
Additionally, I figure I should probably state the most significant geographical difference between BOTW's Hyrule, and the version of Hyrule in The Hero of the Mind's Eye. In my version, the central keep of Hyrule Castle is built on top of a slightly smaller version of The Great Plateau, and Castle Town spreads out from on top of the plateau and circles around the base. After all, it would make sense from a lore perspective for The Great Plateau to be the capital of Hyrule in BOTW. King Rhoam says that it's "the birthplace of Hyrule," it is the location of the Temple of Time, and it would be a superb defensive position. From a gameplay perspective, however, it obviously would make no sense for it to be right next to the tutorial area. Additionally, for the purposes of plot, Kakariko is closer to Castle Town than it is in the game.
The comment about the King being the "Little Father" is a rather direct reference to the religious aspects of the Russian Czardom. I figured it would make sense for the Hyrulean monarchy to be linked to religion, considering they literally share the bloodline of the goddess.
Impa is based off of her Hyrule Warriors model. And just to clarify about the "Changing uniforms" comment, most Sheikah still wear their traditional uniforms most of the time. The exception are the Royal Guards, who wear the Royal Guard uniform from BOTW.
Just FYI, I know this is now the third time I've posted this story. I've taken it down twice because I haven't been satisfied with it. Hopefully it'll stay up this time. The size of the first chapter has been lengthened from 950 words to around 3,500, so I'd say that the edits were certainly beneficial.