Hero
The snow laid softly on the ground outside as Link sat in the small cafe. He watched as Ruto sipped her coffee. Taking a bit of the roll, he took a broad butter nice and dabbed some strawberry jam in between the fluffy interior.
"So... Link... tell me... how did the Dragon in Cater Town work out? Heard it was a mean fight." she spoke, blowing the steam to cool. Link's head turned towards her, gazing at the aquatic Zora.
"Well... you know me... I really hate to brag...." the blushing was obvious in his tone... it was even more evident on his face. Ruto may not be the most attractive, but she defiantly knows how to inflate his ego.
"You mean that horrid green creature... that murdered seven town guards in one charge!?!"
Link cocked his finger and pointed at the waitress. "That's the one!"
A lumberjack took a gulp of his foamy beer. "Shit. What about it!?! That thing was huge. I mean it barbecued me mates whiles I was gettin' some timber."
A elder nobleman and his mistress sat at a candlelit table. His hands were delicately slicing a thick, juicy steak while the old woman sipped her wine from a dinner glass. "I say the boy tell us. I would love to hear his little fight with the bloody creature. Don't you agree, Mrs. Benderson?"
"Oh yes quite."
The crowd began to grow in an uproar. Cheering his name, shouting it out. Ruto turned towards Link. "Well? Come on Link. You're a hero. You saved a town... tell them... you should have the right to brag about it."
Link stroked his blond hair, blushing quite a bit. "Alright..." He felt a rush as he climbed up on top of the oak table. The glimmer of eyes shined all around as he held his hands out to silence their whispers of wonder. "Now.... where should I begin...." he thought, placing a rough index finger on his chin while cocking his head to the side.
"TELL US MORE ABOUT THE DRAGON!! Was it.... BIG?" questioned a small little girl as she shouted in the air waving her hands.
"Aye!! The thing stood taller then this building, and wider then the stables!" his hands gestured.
"Its claws... I've heard they were quite sharp," wondered Mrs. Benderson.
"Its claws? More like enlarged versions of battle axes to me."
"Its eyes.... what did you see?"
"Two giant pearls that saw nothing but a meal out of I." The crowd gave a hearty laugh. Link smiled as he held his sword at his buckle with one hand while waving the other to the crowd. "But seriously folks... you have to actually had to 'BE' there to understand how frightening it looked.... some women even fainted from the sight of it. Now... why don't I start at the beginning. I was just sitting in my house when I received a letter from a messenger... he was like ....'Link!*gasph gasph* we need your help!! A... dragon... attacking our town.... then the dropped dead...."
"MY GOODNESS!!" screamed a mother as she clutched her child.
"....oh well or so I thought. Turns out the guy was drunk when the attack started so he wasn't awake enough to give a decent message..... so like the brave, dashing, and pretty damn good looking hero.... RUSHED forwards to the town of..."
"...Cater," whispered Ruto.
"CATER... and saw the hideous beast. Man oh man.... and I thought Ganon and that guy off the Wonder Years was ugly....yeash....that dragon had people's limbs hanging from outside its mouth."
"THEN YA KILLED IT!!" shouted the lumberjack as he slammed his mug on the table.
"Umm, no... I had to kind of run out of its way or it would have been seven town guards and a handsome hero killed in the charge. I knew I had to behead it somehow so I took a pencil..."
"AND THEN YA KILLED IT!!" shouted the lumberjack as he slammed his mug on the table.
"No... I started drawing out a plan. After telling a couple of town guards on where to put the ropes at I ran over...."
"AND THEN YA KILLED IT!!" shouted the lumberjack as he slammed his mug on the table.
"NO!!!*teeth gnashing... hard* I didn't KILL it... yet... I had to distract it."
"ANOTHER BEER!!" shouted the lumberjack.
"NO I DID NOT KILL.... oh... sorry.... anyways I was like... 'HEY!! OVER HERE!!' It charged forward. I watched it carefully. If my timing was off I was finished. So I jumped out of the way, rolling into some bushes...."
"AND THEN YA KILLED IT!!!" shouted the lumberjack.
".......................................................... I was ROLLING into some bushes. I turned towards the dragon as two guards held its neck with a rope from side to side. I had to move fast. I took my battle sword... leaped in the air..."
"AND THEN YA KILLED IT!!!" shouted the lumberjack.
"HELL YA!!!"
*BUH DUM!!!!!*
The crowd clapped as Link took a bow. "Thank you.... thank you...." he spoke as he continued to bow to all of the folks in the tavern.
Later....
Link and Ruto walked out of the small building.
"Great story, Link," spoke Mrs. Gippert as she curtsied while passing him by.
"Thank you," he replied as Ruto held his arm.... much to Link's distaste.
The two paced down the street. "The snow is pretty chilly out," she whispered as her breath fogged in the cold air.
"Well don't worry. I mean we can stop over at my house. I know it ain't exactly a castle but I got some firewood already prepared and some hot chocolate powder."
A small little girl holding a candle walked right infront of Link.
"Please sir... do you three rupees.... I'm so cold.... all I have is this candle to keep me warm..." Her blond curled hair was strung out while dirt infested her cheeks. A small stench abided her body. Ruto's and Link's noses wrinkled from it as Link started to reach for his pocket. Ruto turned towards him and smacked his palm.
"What are you doing!?!"she harshed with a slight whisper in her tone. "If you give her rupees, she's gonna come back everytime asking for more. I know it sounds harsh but its for the best if you want them to learn." Link shook his head and continued to walk forward.
Two silver tears dripped down her eyes.
"I HEARD OF YOU, MISTER!! I HEARD YOUR STORY OUTSIDE THE TAVERN!!! PLEASE SIR!! JUST A FEW RUPEES!!"
Link sighed as he quickened his pace, trying to ignore her shouting.
The small little girl sighed as she sat on the curb of the sidewalk. Her bare feet were red from the bitter snow. Her small rags were thin and old. All she had was her candle.
"I thought heroes helped people," she whispered. She stared at the candle. Looking into the flame. "Maybe if I was a princess.... a beautiful beautiful princess... heroes would help me... instead of an ugly streetrat." An image shined in the flame.
A small little girl with radiant gold hair sat on top of a balcony high above a white tower. Her pink dress with silk sleeves, flower patterns shined with its diamonds embedded in it. A crown of flowers laid upon her head as she clasped her hands and looked up into stars. "Oh this tower... why must I be cursed to stay upon here all alone," she spoke humming sweetly to herself. All she could do was watch as the pure white turtledoves fly freely towards her finger and coo with her sweet touch, wishing she was a bird. A bird who can fly far far away from this awful place. "PRINCESS!!!" She turned down towards the rolling green grass. A handsome man ontop of a white noble steed galloped quaintly towards her. His blond hair was tied back while a green buttoned down jacket covered his broad chest. Medals decored all over his body while pearly white teeth shined even from above the high heights of the tower. "MY PRINCE!! You have come for me after so long!!" she gasped as tears ran down her eyes. He immediately dismounted and came closer to the tower. He held his hands out to her with a broad smile on his face. "My love, I have searched the highest of mountains, the deepest of oceans in search of you and only you!! Before I ascend this obstacle..... I ask... WILL YOU MARRY ME!!" he spoke kneeling down on one knee. "YES!!! Yes of COURSE I will marry you!! Please, come and rescue me from this horrible place... and take me away to make my dreams come true." "AT ONCE MY LOVE!!!" He ran as fast as he could. Grabbing at the vines that clung to the tower he climbed the strong green ropes and reached the small little princess. "Oh my love. My beautiful princess. My sweet dream, we are finally, after so long, united at last. Now no longer must you endure the harsh loneliness. No longer must you rely on the white turtledoves to come and drop food for you. No longer will you feel the pain. We are together. Let me carry you to my horse and take you away from your problems. Far far away." She smiled widely as he magically leaped off the balcony. The white turtledoves flew underneath and guided them to safety. The little princess watched as white and red roses bloomed from side to side. Watching as a the darkness became light. Watching as he sat her behind her and rode her off into the sunset.
Link slowly moved towards the door. "Link, what are you doing with that blanket?" asked Ruto as she walked out of his kitchen towards him. He sighed as his hand reached for the door knob.
"I kind've feel guilty... you know... for that poor girl. She looked what... five years old? She deserves for someone to reach a hand out to her. I know she looks terrible but if I look down at her... doesn't that mean that alot of others do the same? I'll be back a couple of minutes." Ruto nodded her head as she closed the door behind him.
Link trudged through the small blanket of snow. Down the same street he saw her.
"Hello? Little girl? Where are you? I got you something? I know its not much.... if you like you can stay over at my house until morning so you got a warm place to sleep a*..." his foot hit something. He turned his head from side to side. Leaning down, he brushed the snow off the object. There the small face of the little girl began to appear. A smile was forever embedded on her face. Next to her fingers was the candle, melted to where it was nothing but a puddle.
"Link? You found her yet?" asked Ruto as she ran out next to him.
"She froze to death.... didn't she?" she whispered. He nodded.
"Some hero I turned out to be."
a/n: This is a slight 'Topaz' twist to the story of the classic 'The Little Matchgirl' Hoped you enjoyed it. Also, the little dream sequence was meant to be written like that. Please understand it was taken from a 'five year old's' pov so it had to be written all magically and stuff.