Disclaimer: Quite obviously, I do not own the LoZ. If I did, I wouldn't be a poor, lonely teenager typing out fanfiction in my spare time.
Duck, left, weave, right, left, up, down, backflip, weave, left, roll. Underneath the stars and a bright full moon, a young warrior mentally ran through the motions as he battled imaginary opponents in the darkness of the night. He paused once to wipe the sweat from his brow before continuing. The motions were mechanical, almost a second-nature. Finally, he stood with his sword, breathing hard, as a cool breeze swept across his skin. "Link! Link!"
He gazed wearily over his shoulder as the young woman who ran towards him. She wore a silk gown the color of lilacs. Her long brown-blonde hair flew behind her as she ran across the palace courtyard. Finally, when she stood before him, Link could see her beautiful indigo eyes. "Link," she whispered, her voice soft and concerned. "Link, please, this again? You ought to sleep."
He shook his head. "Sit, then?" the woman asked.
Link sheathed the sword and sat. Smiling faintly, the woman sat behind him and gently moved the back of his head to rest on her bent knees. Gently, she brushed aside a few strands of his light brown hair and whispered, "Do you want to talk about them?"
He shook his head again. "It'll make you feel better."
Finally, he whispered, "There's so much blood and destruction. I see myself killing, and in my dreams…I'm so overcome…that I actually enjoy it. I want to kill. I see myself filled with such hatred and blood lust that I slay anyone who stands before me. I see the light fade from their eyes as they die. The dreams where I'm a wolf are worse. I feel my teeth tearing flesh, and I feel the warm blood on my tongue. I feel…I feel blood splash across my face, and I enjoy it. I enjoy all of it. It's like I'm a monster."
"They're only dreams," she replied. "Nothing more."
"They still haunt me."
"With time, they will fade. It's understandable. Mere months ago, you defeated the Darkness. You fought a war against evil. You're what—seventeen? Eighteen at most? You're tired; it'll be fine."
Link glanced up at her upside-down face. "Does it help?" asked Zelda. "The practice, I mean."
Link merely shrugged. Sighing, Zelda reached for his hand. "I'm glad you chose to stay," she said.
"As am I," he whispered back.
It was true for the most part. Link would've loved to return home, but just being in Hyrule with nothing to fight left him restless and anxious. No, going home to be a simple farmer was no longer an option. At least staying in Hyrule meant he could stay with Zelda, the most beautiful queen there was. She'd went through the war, too, but she hadn't killed. She'd helped slay the evil Ganon, but she hadn't killed like he had. She couldn't understand, but Link knew that for his sake she tried. "Why are you awake, Zelda?"
"I felt your distress," she murmured.
"You shouldn't be here. There's a banquet tomorrow. The leaders of all the lands are coming to swear loyalty and good will to you. You'll be tired."
"Then, I suppose we'll both be tired."
"And how will we explain that?"
"We'll simply say we didn't sleep well."
Link wondered if Zelda's mind went the same place his did when she said that, and it made him blush all the way to the tips of his ears. "You don't very much like people, do you?" she asked.
"Huh?"
"I mean, you don't talk much, and when people come, you just sort of fade to the background. Why is that?"
"I don't know."
"You will come, though, won't you? You're the hero of Hyrule. Please, say you'll come."
"Anything for you, Zelda."
"Thank you, Link. I'm glad you'll be there. One person I trust will be at my side."
"Only one?"
"A queen has few friends," replied Zelda. "Luckily, I have a dashing hero at my side."
Link gave her a lopsided grin. "Well, maybe not 'dashing'," Zelda mused, "But definitely cute. You have the most beautiful sapphire-blue eyes. I couldn't ask for a better savior."
"Even if you could get one that wasn't haunted by nightmares?"
"Even then," She replied, shifting her position until her chin rested on her knees, beside Link's head. "Now come, let's go inside where it's warm."
Link stood and offered her a hand, which she took. Gently, he pulled her to her feet, jumping back slightly when she leaned her head against his shoulder. If the young queen noticed, she chose not to comment. Instead, under her breath, she muttered, "Link, he come to town. Come to save, the Princess Zelda."
Link looked at her quizzically, and Zelda chuckled. "Haven't you heard that one? The young bards seem to enjoy writing songs about you."
Link first thought was a sarcastic 'fantastic', but rather than saying what he felt, he merely smiled. "Are they?"
Zelda nodded. "Some are rather good, but others…" A sparkle appeared in her eyes, and she winked. "Well, we'll just say they're not great."
His smile was a little more forced. It was selfish, but he couldn't help but be envious at the young woman at his side, who even with the stress of ruling the great nation of Hyrule, managed to be so carefree and happy. He'd once been like that—when he lived in Ordon. That was back when the most important thing to worry about was whether Epona was properly fed. When he'd merely aspired to be the best he could be and maybe, eventually, having a family. That was before the fate of the world depended on the least little decision he made.
"Did you celebrate the Winter Solstice in Ordon?" asked Zelda.
Link nodded. Sighing, Zelda moved her head from his shoulder and strode gracefully to the palace. Link really tried not to stare after her; she wasn't called the most beautiful woman on Hyrule for no reason, after all. She paused and looked over her shoulder before beckoning for him. Sighing, he walked to her side. It was hard to meet her eyes. To know she cared.
"Link, you ought to be happy…is there something you need? Whatever it is, I can get it for you. I know you miss your home. I know this is very different and difficult for you, but…if I can help, you can tell me. Please, tell me you know that."
"I do, Your Highness."
"It's Zelda, Link. Just Zelda."
Slowly, she turned and continued to the palace, Link following. "Do you think you could teach me?" she asked. "To use a sword?"
"You mean you don't know?" Link asked, the words out before he thought. "Oh, I mean, I'm just surprised. You have your rapier, so I'd assume you'd know."
"It's all right. My rapier is a symbol of my power. I don't actually know how to wield it. Will you help me, then?"
"Whatever you wish, Zelda."
She accepted his words with a nod. "Excellent, then."
They entered Hyrule Castle, and it was nearly empty, aside from the guards making their rounds. As Link and Zelda passed, they stopped and bowed to both of them, making Link slightly annoyed. People were always bowing to him. Even people he knew. After he'd become a hero, everything changed.
Link smiled as he nodded and greeted yet another courtier, eager to meet the young hero and see if he was as Queen Zelda had said. Link remained polite and tried his best to meet all the odd courtly customs, although he deemed most of them pointless and even disturbing (such as the custom that royals greeted by kissing one another on the cheek, a custom that apparently applied to him as the chosen hero). It mightn't have been so bad if he could've stayed with Zelda, but she'd encouraged him to mingle and speak with the people all over Hyrule, flocking to the capital to celebrate the end of the Twilight.
"Hero Link!" someone called, a girl with a voice that reminded him of a young bird.
He looked over his shoulder and saw Ilia, her face split with a huge smile. Ilia, one of his closest friends for nearly seven years, stood only a few feet from him. Link was about to hug her when she bowed to him, and he halted, confused. "What are you doing?" he asked.
Ilia rose and smiled wryly. "You are the chosen hero now," she said simply.
"But you don't have to bow to me."
"But I do. It's a sign of respect, Hero Link."
Hero Link? Was that a title suddenly?
"Ilia," he whispered, "I'm just Link to you. I always have been, and I always will be."
Her green eyes widened, and she shook her head. "Just Link? Just Link! You're not just Link; you're the Hero of the Twilight! Zelda's Hero! But…regardless, I came to see you. I'm sure there are many nobles you need to speak with, so I won't keep you long. I just wanted to see you."
"Well, maybe we can talk some other time. We can ride Epona."
Ilia smiled sardonically. "Good bye, Hero Link."
She walked away, and he hadn't seen her since.
That was a mere two weeks after he defeated Ganon. In two weeks, he was no longer Link. He was Hero Link. Zelda glanced at him, and Link pretended not to notice. The queen could always sense what he felt, and he hated that. His thoughts and feelings were private. Queen or not, she had no right to feel his emotions like that. No right at all. "You worry me, Link," Zelda stated.
He nearly flinched at the sound of his name. Of course, Zelda called him Link, without any of the stupid, unneeded titles, but none of his childhood friends would. "You could stay in my quarters tonight if it would help you," Zelda offered.
He'd slept with Zelda before—doing nothing but sleeping. Oddly, though Link had come to be suspicious of everyone he met, he didn't like being alone at night. The dreams weren't as often when he had someone beside him. There were worries, though, about what would happen if the court discovered Queen Zelda was letting the Hero of the Twilight sleep with her, whether the act was innocent or not. Zelda simply told him not to worry. Still, he had his pride—what was left of it, and shook his head.
As they stopped before her room, Link bowed. "The offer is very welcome and very gracious, but I'd like to decline tonight. I'll be fine."
It was very apparent from the look on her face that she didn't believe him. "Are you certain?" she asked.
Link nodded. "Well…very well, I suppose. Good night, Link."
She kissed him lightly on the forehead, just a quick fluttering of her lips against his skin, before she turned and opened the door to her bedroom. Link bowed again. "Good night, Your Highness."
After she closed the door, offering him one last concerned look, Link was alone in the corridor. He doubted he could sleep if he tried. Instead, he began walking. Hyrule Castle was huge, and even though he'd lived there a good three months, he still got lost sometimes. Still, it was an admittedly nice place to live. Zelda had told him he was welcome to go anywhere in the castle, a privilege not given to anyone else in the palace (Zelda excluded, of course). Everyone else was not allowed to enter several room along the West Wing, a few of which Link had been in.
Well, that seemed as good a destination as any, so Link continued walking. His boots slapped on the white marble floors, echoing eerily in the otherwise silent night. The two guards that stood before a huge set of oak doors bowed to him and opened them, admitting the hero into the forbidden wing. In the wing were the king's and queen's chambers, rooms that generations of Zelda's family had lived in, although the young queen herself had yet to occupy them. Further down was a library, filled with several of Hyrule's most ancient documents and work—peace treaties and whatnot. That was as far as Link had went into the wing.
He continued his walk, enjoying the silence and the moonlight shining through the window at the end of the corridor. His eyes trailed down from the window, and he noticed a door directly beneath it. He approached it, his curiosity peaked when he saw the High Hylian engraved on the door. He couldn't read the language, but Zelda could read some. He only knew the word 'courage', which was engraved on the door, beneath a gold rendition of the legendary Triforce.
He pushed the doors, but they didn't budge. Sliding his hands down the door, he found a small niche. He knelt down, and Link saw there were three of them. Perhaps something needed to be place in the niches for the doors of the room to open, but what could they be? They had to be small—maybe as long as his little finger. He vaguely remembered something and walked back down the hall.
Nudging aside the door to the library, Link looked around. He'd noticed it once before, only because it was decorated so oddly. There was a rough wooden shield that hung on the wall with three gems set in its base. It was there and far too high for him to reach, so Link pulled over a chair and stood on it. Gently, he lifted the shield from its place before jumping lightly from the chair. After sitting the shield on a nearby table, he unsheathed his sword and pried the gems loose, being as careful as he could not to damage the wooden shield. He was fairly successful in his endeavor.
The gems sparkled in the torchlight inside the room. They were an emerald, a sapphire, and a ruby. He sheathed his sword, gathered the gems, and walked back into the main corridor. As he approached the door, he knew he'd been right. The gems fit easily into the niches, and the door was pushed open easily.
The room inside was surprisingly bright. Stained glass windows covered the walls of the round shaped room, letting Link see the lands beyond the palace and the stars. Moonlight drifted through the windows, making the entire place glow with a seemingly otherworldly light. Suddenly feeling cautious, Link took careful steps forward and gazed around. The room was empty, save for a pedestal in its center, upon which sat a thick leather-bound volume. However, one of the glass windows caught his eye.
Even without the sunlight or torches, he could see the figure was garbed in the same clothes he'd been given—the clothes of the Hero of Time. He'd worn the clothing his entire journey, and it was locked in a chest in his room, where he'd put it after Zelda commissioned for him new clothing. He only wore it for public occasions or when Zelda requested he did, as the clothing was strange, and the courtiers changed their clothes every day (a concept that was completely foreign to Link). Curiosity piqued, he stepped closer, gazing in almost awe at the image of the figure.
He held the Master Sword over his head and a shield on his other. He looked to be about Link's age, and more remarkably, he looked a lot like Link. The hair was a couple of shades lighter and longer than his, but it looked very similar. His eyes were also blue, just as Link's were. Link lifted a hand to the glass, which felt cool beneath his touch. Where am I? He wondered.
The next panel featured a strong-looking man with red hair and eyes like burning coals. Link almost jumped back out of reflex. It was Ganon with a sneer on his face. The window beside it showed a beautiful blonde-haired woman, whose eyes were a rare indigo color. Beside her was the figure that looked like Link, a determined look on his face and sword in hand. Link realized, then, that it was a story. From his limited knowledge, it looked to be the Hero of Time. Maybe the book would explain it.
Link turned and walked to the book on the pedestal. He opened it, surprised at the gold writing and illuminated pictures. He'd never seen such work put into a book. This is the story of the Hero of Time, it read. This is the Legend of Zelda, the beautiful and wise Princess of Destiny and Sage of Light, and of the boy of the Kokiri.
Link stopped reading for a moment. He thought it odd how Zelda's name was mentioned, while no one mentioned the name of the Hero of Time. He took the book and sat beneath on of the glass windows, where the light was better.
Princess Zelda, even at the tender age of eleven, was a rose set to bloom. Her tresses were as spun gold. Her eyes were as diamonds and amethysts, shining with divine wisdom from the great Goddesses. Her cheeks were as ripe fruit, and her skin was as white and fair as freshly fallen snow.
Link mentally rolled his eyes and sarcastically tried to picture the princess with cheeks the color of ripened oranges and skin that white. It made for a rather comical image. After reading about her voice, Link flipped a few pages and read. The young princess knew, through her magic and divine wisdom, that a great evil was coming, but alas, none believed the young princess. Frightful, she fled to the Temple of Time and prayed for guidance and aid from the Goddesses.
The young Zelda received a vision of a young boy, with eyes of sapphire-blue and hair the color of honey, garbed in green. After thanking the Goddesses, she returned to her home in Hyrule Castle and waited for the boy she'd seen. Then, one clear, summer's day, he came, and his name was ancient.
Link. The Hero of Twilight. The Hero of Time. The book sounded as if it was him the story was about. In an odd sort of way, it made sense. Link had received his destiny from the Hero of Time, and he'd been informed by the Light Spirits that he was a reincarnation of the hero. Link wondered if it was possible the Hero of Time was one of his ancestors. It would have…a certain poetic quality if it were so, and when he thought about it...hadn't the spirit once mentioned 'our line' as if he and Link were of the same blood? The hero was a young boy, eager to save the land of Hyrule, ready for adventure, and ready even at a young age to fulfill his great destiny and duty to vanquish the evil Ganondorf.
He wanted this? Link wondered. But why?
The hero felt a sudden flood of anger. If the Hero of Time was his ancestor, this was his fault. He'd obviously failed, or Ganon wouldn't have returned. Link could've lived his life as he'd wanted, being a simple farmer in the land of Ordon. He wouldn't have to see the dead in his nightmares, or fear for his growing blood lust, or even feel the pain of what he'd lost. Then, he would've never met Midna. His thoughts came to a screeching halt. Midna. His partner, his friend. Would it be worth never meeting her? Link wasn't sure. Of course, if she'd never needed help, he would've never been dragged around all of Hyrule by destiny. It wasn't as if being forcibly turned into a wolf and then imprisoned gave you many options.
Sighing, Link continued reading, skimming the incredibly flowery passages in search of something interesting. Once he managed to get accustomed to the old language, though, the story was actually interesting, even though it made him feel both selfish and angry. He read about the Sages and about how the Hero of Time went through time to find them. He read about the Hero being locked in the Temple of Time—the same place he suspected he was—in order to grow and use the Master Sword. He read about the hero saving Zelda and defeating Ganon. He read about how the powerful princess sent him back in time to relieve what childhood he'd lost.
At that point, Link dropped the book to the floor and leaned back against the glass. It wasn't fair! How come his ancestor could go back and get everything? Why couldn't he? Link was filled with a sudden urge to hit something. Anything. He clenched his fists and forced himself to sit. Temple of Time or not, he couldn't just punch things. He contemplated drawing his sword and practicing, but as furious and angry as he was, that wasn't the best idea. Finally, having gained some control over himself, he forced himself to read the next sentence. Then, the next paragraph. The next page. However, as the boy was sent back, those in Hyrule who had no magic could not remember the deeds of the great Hero of Time. They lived their lives, oblivious to the great deeds that were done, but enough remembered to keep the legend alive and record it. Enough remained for the legacy of the Hero of Time and his deeds to live on. The boy, himself, remembered, and although he remained close friends with Princess Zelda, he returned to his home in the forests. The Kokiri do not age, however, and he left. Eventually, he married the young woman Malon and had three daughters. It was said the destined Hero would rise from the family again, under the name.
However, after some years, the legend became just a legend, and the family of the great Hero became lost. They lived as commoners in the land of Hyrule, or so it is assumed. Whether the legend or tradition continues, none know.
Truthfully, very little is known of the great Hero of Time after this, for one day he went on a great voyage and was never heard of again. The people merely hope that when Darkness returns, the Hero will rise once more.
Author's Note: As you can probably tell by the fact I'm writing fanfiction, I am a huge LoZ fan, and since there are many renditions and reincarnations of the series, I'm probably going to use a huge amount of shout-outs and references, and any conscious efforts of this will be in a commentary version that can be found on the site, also. The commentary will probably also answer some questions about the timeline and other things.
Also, I'm trying to fill in possible plot holes, so if you've noticed anything about LoZ that doesn't make sense, or you want to present a theory or something, just make a comment. This fic is going to have a lot of theories.