The Legend of Zelda
"Do you think this will be remembered?" He asked as he escorted the princess across the vast fields of Hyrule, back to her domain. Together, they passed by countless caves and rivers and mountain ranges, each intricately familiar to him. It felt nice to sheath his blade for once and take in the view of his home land. It was strangely peaceful now.
He winced and clutched a bleeding wound. It was still raw from his battle only a few hours ago. That one final sword strike came with a price, but it was one he was more than willing to pay. The princess was free, the Triforce was restored, and all was well with the world. He had completed his task.
The princess stopped and fretted over his wound, but he brushed her off. He had been through worse. They kept on walking.
"I know I'll remember it." The princess admitted with a sigh. She lifted her dress up past her heels as he helped her over a creek. She wasn't accustomed to all this walking, but she was happy just to be alive.
Still, she expected a greater reception. An army of knights to swarm to her aid. An attendant and carriage to escort her home. What she got instead was just a boy, green in more ways than one. No more than a child, who had somehow managed so much, starting from nothing. It was admirable, if not a bit strange.
"I suppose that's what counts the most." He said with a laugh. She smiled earnestly. He liked her smile, and the way she acted so polite. He had never once met a princess before, but he was pleasantly surprised to find that they were apparently kind.
She was unlike anyone he had ever met before. The way she carried herself was delicate like a flower in the wind, and the way she spoke was soft and sweet. No one he had ever known carried themselves with such poise or precision. She had thick, waving brown hair and wore a splendid pink gown with white ribbon and bows all around the hem. She was the very definition of a princess.
"You'll be given the recognition that this kingdom owes you, of course." She promised. He stirred uncomfortably and let himself stumble off a rock he had jumped up on. His discomfort must have been regrettably visible, because the princess stopped and tilted her curious head.
"Is something the matter?" She asked with a frown and concerned look in her eyes. The boy stopped in his tracks and plopped down on to the ground, resting his head on his palm. The princess remained on her feet.
She watched him ruminate for a few brief moments, unsure exactly how to proceed. No one acted in such a way around her before. He had no knowledge of the proper etiquette around royalty. Except for the fact that he had removed his hat, and refused to put it back on since they met. Still, she didn't mind. It was almost refreshing. She could act like a normal Hylian with him. She felt as though she should do something friendly or comforting, so she rested a hand on his shoulder briefly, before deciding it wasn't for her.
"You know, I've never done anything like this before." He said, scratching his cheek and slouching just a bit in the shoulders. The princess didn't respond. "I probably won't do anything like it again."
"It was a great undertaking." She assured. She couldn't detect just what it was that had him so melancholy. "You're a hero now. They'll be telling your legend for the rest of time."
He wasn't what she thought of when she thought of the word 'hero'. He had wasn't very muscular, or particularly handsome. He had a large, silly looking nose and unkempt hair. He wore a simply ridiculous outfit with a green hat that flopped around whenever he moved. Still, he had courage, and that was the most important thing for a hero.
"I guess I am." He coughed, downing a swig of water from a bottle, gathering his things, and standing up to continue their journey. During his quest, he gathered a dozen artifacts, mystical and mundane, that were imperative. Among them were the likes of a magical rod that shot bolts of fire and a mystical ring that protected its wearer, along with less exciting things like a raft or a candle stick. But he had no place to store all these objects, so he just kept them on his person. Rods, bottles, bombs, all strapped with belts to his small frame.
It proved cumbersome at first, but he quickly got used to it. The princess thought it added to his disheveled, boyish look.
"The legend of Link." He said to himself, wiping the dust off of the rear of his tunic. He and he princess started back on their way for a short time, trudging through mud and over sand. All the while, he repeated he phrase to himself, over and over, trying to see if he could be excited about it. But as hard as he tried, he simply couldn't care.
"That doesn't sound right." He finally admitted, tugging at his collar uncomfortably. It wasn't his goal to upset or offend the princess, so he chose his words carefully.
"Whatever do you mean?" She questioned. "You'll be renowned the world over. People will always look up to you. You will forever be remembered as the hero of Hyrule. Is that not enough? I can offer little else."
"No, no, of course, that's more than enough! I'm so happy about it!" The boy assured the princess, turning to her. He made eye contact with an honest look and tried to smile, but his face drooped in to a more thoughtful look. "It's just..."
The princess watched him, waiting for him to continue, a bit agape at his sudden burst of energy. When he remained silent for a moment, she folded her hands on in front of her and tilted her head, hair bouncing with the motion. "Do go on."
"I guess I was never in it for the reward." He confessed after some silence. He left it at that. The boy had always been on the quiet side. It just came naturally, or rather, speaking too much never seemed terribly necessary. He just preferred to keep his mouth shut.
"Then... Why?" The princess asked. She tried to think of a polite way to phrase it, but that was the best she could do. The two stood together for a moment as Link formulated his thoughts.
"Mostly for you." He confessed. He knew it sounded strange, and it wasn't what most people would say, but it was the truth. Still, he hoped the princess didn't get the wrong idea. By her shocked expression, he guessed she did just that.
"But... how... We've never..." She began to protest his reasoning, but was too mystified to think of any words. She just fidgeted nervously with her hands.
"I know, we've never met. We don't know each other." He began, trying to keep from making the conversation any more awkward. "But I did know that you were alone. And you needed help. So I had to do this for you."
There was some silence. The boy was worried he might have upset the princess. He opened his mouth to continue, but couldn't find the words. The princess was the first to take action.
She covered her mouth with her hand, only slightly concealing a smile. She took her hero's hand, blinking tears out of the corner of her eyes. And for the first time, He bowed to her.
"I don't know what to say." She said wiping away the moisture from her eyes. The boy rose to his feet and shrugged, but couldn't hide the grin on his face. He was just glad that he got it off his chest without incident.
"So, you see?" He began again. "It was always about you. From the very start."
The two of them continued marching along, though now a bit closer than when they had started. They smiled and enjoyed the scenery together and tumbled down hills and scampered up rocks. It was the first time in a long time ha either of them had the chance to act like children. And they liked it.
"It was always about you." The hero repeated, walking down a long and dusty road. Hyrule castle was now in sight, and it wouldn't be long before the adventure was over. "That's why they'll be telling the Legend of Zelda for years to come."
Authors Note: Thanks for reading! Keep your eyes peeled for chapter two!
