A/N: Hello readers! I hope you enjoy this story. It doesn't take place after any specific game, but there's probably elements of Twilight Princess, Breath of the Wild, and Ocarina of Time smattered throughout.

I've had multiple issues uploading this doc, including the formatting being weird, and my line breaks not being present. I think I've fixed everything, now, though, so it should read smoothly!

Enjoy! And remember to favourite/comment, thank you! :)

CHAPTER 1

The King of Hyrule had died, leaving his only child and last descendant to inherit the throne.

The rider came in the night, holding a piece of parchment in his satchel that detailed the events that transpired up to His Majesty's death.

Princess Zelda was awoken by her governess, Lady Impa. "Ma'am, you must wake—it is about your father, His Majesty," Lady Impa said, nudging the princess firmly with a hand on her shoulder.

Zelda blearily opened her eyes, the hazy, familiar form of Lady Impa taking shape in the darkness. "What…" She sat up, rubbing her eyes with her fingers.

"A rider came; your father has died, Goddess rest his soul," Impa said, a tightness in her voice. "I am so sorry for your loss, your Grace."

Zelda felt as if she'd been smacked in the chest with a hot fire poker. Father's dead? She threw the sheets off herself and stood up out of her bed. She looked up at her governess, her eyebrows kneaded together as she held her voice steady. "Thank you, Lady Impa, for informing me. I'll be downstairs shortly; please allow me to myself for a moment."

Lady Impa curtsied, lowering her eyes. "Yes, my Queen." She turned and left Zelda alone in her chambers.

Queen.

Zelda turned the word over in her mind.

Queen.

She mouthed the word.

Queen.

She shut her eyes and wrapped herself in her own arms tightly, a cool breeze from an open window sending gooseflesh erupting across her skin, her nightshift doing little to protect her. "Goddess Hylia, please guard my father's soul, and allow him eternal rest in your bountiful lands. And," she added more quietly, "please help guide me." She opened her eyes and took a deep, shaky breath, steadying herself. Now is not the time for weakness, she told herself. You are the Queen of Hyrule now, and much is expected of you.

Zelda left her chamber and descended the spiral staircase to find Lady Impa, Lord Kyrion, Lord Wyncaster, and the rider standing together in the main hall. The few candles lit during this time of the night flickered around the party, illuminating their grimaces.

They all turned their eyes upon Zelda as she emerged from the staircase and bowed in unison.

"Your Majesty," Lord Kyrion said in his husky voice. "On behalf of the Kingdom of Hyrule, I apologise for your loss."

Zelda nodded in acknowledgment, but went straight to the rider, her bare, delicate feet padding along the wooden floor quietly. "I am thankful to the Goddess for your quick riding skills, my dear rider." She looked at the parchment in his hand and extended her own. "May I?"

"Of-of course, your Majesty." He handed her the parchment. "I am sorry for your loss."

"Thank you." Zelda unrolled the parchment, her eyes quickly skimming the ink-blotched words, written in longhand Hylian.

24th of June

King Rhoam Nohansen, of the Great Kingdom Hyrule, took his last breath at half-past midnight this night. It is with great sadness that I declare the King dead, having returned to the Goddess in all her glory. He suffered from a great and fatal wound in the abdomen whilst boar hunting with a hunting party.

King Rhoam Nohansen had but one verbal request during his final moments, and that was for his daughter, the Princess Zelda, to be guarded at all times by the Hero of Hyrule, Sir Link. I trust that contact will be sent out to reach the Hero.

May the Goddess Hylia rest the King's soul and bless the Queen Zelda of Hyrule.

Respectfully yours,

Dr. Rane Rigotto, Royal Physician

Zelda looked up from the letter. "A hunting accident?" She said through clenched teeth. Her face grew hot as she struggled to keep her composure.

"Yes, ma'am," Lord Wyncaster said quietly. "A hunting accident." He bowed his head.

Zelda took a sharp, deep breath. "Preparations will have to be made for his funeral. Lord Wyncaster, I trust you can begin arrangements quickly?"

"Yes, ma'am. As your secretary, I will do so immediately."

"Good, yes, thank you."

"Your Majesty, if you don't mind me asking—what about the king's last request? I mean surely…no one has seen the Hero since he slayed Ganondorf two years ago. He refused our honours, only accepting a silly knighthood, and vanished like fog in sunlight! How will we be able to honour your father's request?" Lord Kyrion said, doubt etched on his face.

Zelda turned to Lady Impa. "I trust you can contact him?"

Lady Impa nodded once, crossing her arms.

Zelda sighed. "Thank you, Lady Impa. Find the Hero for me, please."

"Yes, my Queen." Lady Impa laid a gentle hand on Zelda's face. "I'll have him here within the week, I assure you." She kissed Zelda once on the cheek, then turned and left the hall, disappearing into the shadows.

!

The deer ate the green grass quietly, unassuming, though its ears flicked back and forth in response to the natural sounds of the woods.

Link admired the buck from his hiding spot, high up in a large oak tree, overlooking the forest. He hadn't moved from the crook in the branch for close to four hours; he had waited a long while for this buck to come through his patch of the forest.

Link silently knocked his bow. Steady now, he told himself, closing one eye to look down the arrow's shaft. He aimed directly at the buck's chest, right between the ribs, where the heart lay. He could almost hear the large heart beating, pushing the red blood through its circulatory system. In one swift motion, he released the arrow.

Thunk!

Quickly but silently, the deer hit the ground, a few tiny birds flittering away from the commotion. Link hopped down from his branch, landing skilfully on two feet. He slung the bow around his chest as he made his way over to the deer, stepping over mossy logs and stones.

He knelt down beside the deer, looking over it. Dead on impact, he determined. There was little blood coming from the arrow wound, though the red fluid still oozed out, trickling down the deer's girth.

Link rubbed his chin, the prickles of his growing beard scratching against his roughened fingers. He always felt terrible after taking an animal's life, but he needed to eat.

He sent up a quick prayer of forgiveness and thanks to the Goddess before wrapping his fingers around the arrow shaft. He placed his boot on the animal's chest, ready to yank the arrow out.

"Nice shot."

Link whipped around. In one swift move, he yanked the arrow out and knocked it to his bow to face the voice.

He sighed and lowered the bow when he saw who it was. "Impa."

Impa came forward out of the shadows, her lithe figure dressed in a tight black and blue suit. She approached him, crossing her arms as she did so. "How are you, Hero?"

"I'm finding isolation to be fantastic, actually, thanks for asking. How'd you find me, and why are you here?"

Impa sighed, meeting his eyes. "I'm a Sheikah, Sir Link. I have my ways. You look—and smell—terrible. Why don't I take you to a local inn; you could get some rest, maybe bathe. Maybe even get a drink? My treat."

Link scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Impa, I'm fine. And, please, don't call me 'Sir' anything. You know just 'Link' is fine. Just tell me why you're here."

She looked away into the forest, setting a hand on her hip. Her eyebrows twitched as she thought, trying to piece together the right words to pursue the Hero to trust and follow her.

She looked back at Link, resolved. "The king died a few nights ago."

Link blinked. "Oh," he said. "How?"

"Hunting accident. Boar," she said.

"That's too bad," Link said. "He was always kind to me."

"His last request involves you. And Zelda."

Link blinked again, silent.

"Will you take up on my offer now?" Impa said, sounding weary.

Link looked between her and his deer, contemplating. "Will you help me with this?"

"Sure. Where?"

"Not far, just up into that tree." Link waved a gloved hand, indicating the big oak tree towering above them. Impa blinked, staring at him incredulously.

Link sighed. "It's just to keep the other wildlife—like bears and such—away from my kill. I'll toss a rope over the branch to pulley it up. Here," Link reached into his pack, pulling out a thick rope. He handed one end to Impa. "Can you tie this end around the hind legs of the deer?" As Impa leaned down besides the deer, Link tied the other end of the rope to the shaft of an arrow. After Impa had finished tying the deer's leg's together, Link shot the arrow over the largest branch, watching as it landed and dangled on the other side. He went up to it and untied the arrow, and began pulling the rope. The deer's body dragged through the leaves and grass until it finally lifted up off the ground. Link could feel his arm muscles straining from the deer's weight, but continued pulling until the deer hung high up in the tree, its body swaying slightly from the effort.

Link staked the rope into the ground, ensuring the rope's tension with a twang from his finger against it. He turned to Impa, hands on his waist. "Alright, I think I'd like that drink now. Lead the way."

!

After they'd made their way out of the forest, Impa led Link to the local inn, where he was able to bathe and shave.

He dressed quickly, pulling a green and brown tunic over his head, thoughts about the king and Zelda rushing through his mind like a river. Impa had refused to tell Link anything until they'd gotten to the inn; now, she was waiting downstairs for him in the pub.

He came down the stairs, his wet, dark blonde hair sticking in every which way. Link had appreciated the wash, though he didn't want to admit it to Impa. He'd been fine living alone off the land; he didn't need anyone's help.

He took the stool next to Impa at the bar and requested two pints from the bartender.

"So," Link began, "What was the king's last request, and how does it involve me?"

Impa took a sip of her drink. "He specifically requested that you—you—guard the Queen. Which means that you will have to come to Hyrule Castle with me, and begin your royally appointed duty of guarding her."

Link took a gulp of his pint, swishing it around in his mouth before swallowing it. "No. I'm sorry, I can't."

Impa looked at him, bewildered. "Excuse me?"

"I just—I can't, alright? The princess—Queen, sorry—I'm sure she's perfectly safe. She's the most important figure in Hyrule, I'm certain she's got plenty of guards around her at all moments. Why would she need me?"

"Link—you're the Hero, you were specifically asked by the king himself. It was his dying request, for you to protect his daughter."

He sighed, tapping his forefinger against the bar, saying nothing for a few long moments.

Impa rubbed her face. "Where have you been the last two years? After you killed Ganondorf, you just disappeared."

Link shrugged. "Wandering. I've been wandering."

"Aren't you tired of wandering?"

Link drummed his fingers against the cool glass of his drink. "When you disappear for a long enough time, people forget what you look like. It's been nice, being able to blend, without people demanding you to tell stories of your adventures, and how you defeat the greatest threat to the kingdom. I like being invisible, and I've been surviving just fine on my own in the forest, making my way from town to town. I just avoid the main roads. I hunt, and eat what I hunt, and I survive." He shrugged. "I like wandering."

"As her private guard, you'd retain anonymity, Link. But you'd have a warm bed, food, and a home. And," she added, "a purpose."

Link searched her face, frowning slightly, his eyebrows pulled together.

"I think Zelda would like to see you, too. At the very least, come to the castle with me and see her again. She's been worrying about you for two years, now. Without a single word from you."

Link thought for a moment, trying to weigh the pros and cons in his mind, though the idea of seeing Zelda again dominated all other thoughts. They had grown close before Ganondorf's defeat, working long nights together to formulate a plan that would result in him being cast forever into the Dark Realm. Last Link had seen her, it had been the night after the knighting ceremony, where it seemed the entirety of Hyrule had gathered to thank the Hero for rescuing their kingdom. She had been naked beneath him, his name on the edge of her trembling lips, their sweating bodies—

Link closed his eyes tightly, pushing away her image. He wanted to see her again. He wanted to protect her, always—it was embedded deep in his soul to protect her.

Link downed the rest of his pint in one gulp and slammed the glass down on the table. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Alright, fine. I'll come with you. But this doesn't mean I'm taking the job, alright? I'm just coming with, to put Zelda's mind at ease."

Impa raised an eyebrow, inspecting her drink curiously, avoiding Link's eyes. "Mhm, alright. We leave first thing in the morning."

A/N: Thanks for reading! Chapter 2 should be up soon!