An Ounce of Courage
AN: Major spoilers for the end game AND Ravio's journal. Consider yourself warned. Also, there were often secret passages for servants like the one Ravio uses in this story in medieval castles…or you can just except that some artistic licenses have been taken…Also, haven't edited, I will do so in a few days…sorry grammar nuts. D;
He wasn't brave, he wasn't strong, but every now and then, the coward could rid himself of reason for the good of those he loved more than life itself. If indeed he would die for this stupidity, so be it, he would follow Link to try to convince her one last time.
Even if he was sure it would certainly be useless.
"I think it's time," he announced, suddenly, causing the light blue bird on his forehead to hop and twitter in alarm, "to end our retirement, old bud."
He stood grabbing his bag of Rupees and once more covered his head with his bunny hood, his heart thudding as he thought of his plan. He knew Link was going to Lorule, to the castle, but how could he follow him? He'd nearly ran out of magic the last time he had gone between realms, what if he got caught in between in that strange, twilight that linked their worlds?
These thoughts and doubts may have kept him stuck in Link's House for a fortnight, but another, more frightening one occurred to him. He knew Hilda. He knew she would keep fighting with every ounce of courage in her being until she dropped dead. That girl was as determined as Hyrule's hero to save the land she loved. All for Lorule, all because Ravio wasn't the kind of hero that Link was, all because he'd never had a scrap of courage to his name. For once, he prayed (if indeed there were gods to pray to), that he might be a little like his green clad twin. That he could set out to do what he knew needed doing.
"We have to visit our princess ," his throat felt dry and Sheerow gave a worried chirp. "I don't want to either, but…I don't want her to die, I—we have to go."
He left Link's house, walking to the fissure that served as a link between his world and this one. With a grim expression, he nodded at his winged friend, feeling the last of his magic surge up within him as he placed his hand on the crack. Ravio could only hope he had enough, he felt himself drift through the crack, closing his eyes as he thought of happier things than floating in this place which bound their realms together, and then, suddenly, was thrown out onto the dying grass of Lorule.
Quickly picking himself up, he scurried away from the nearby, one-eyed Hinox before they had a chance to throw any bombs his way, keeping to the trees as he crept up to Lorule Castle. The blue-fire torches lit it with an eerie grow in the violet light of this dying world. Moblins guarded the bridge across the great chasm, spears and shields in their hands, he was not sure how he would get past these fiends (or how Hilda had recruited them to her service), but he had to find a way. If only he hadn't sold all his items to Link, no…, he had never been brave enough to use them in combat anyways.
Think, Ravio, stop being a stupid idiot, he thought, and stop shaking. He needed a distraction. Every second he stood here, Link was getting closer and closer to Hilda, if he wanted to catch him he couldn't dally here, watching the Moblins.
Huh, that might work, Ravio thought, tightening his hold on his large bag of rupees until his knuckles went white. He could do this; it would only take a sound smack, and a little magic. Just a little, he hoped he even had that much. He bit his lips, donning the Magic Cape he had kept hidden in his bag, feeling his magic wane quickly as he splinted until he was behind both Moblins, turning visible and then soundly smacking them with his bag of rupees before they noticed him, knocking them unconscious. Ravio's shoulders slumped in relief, but he couldn't stay here long.
He quickly ran in, veering to the left and opening the secret servants' passage. He had long used it as Hilda's loyal vassal and childhood friend, and, unlike the path that Link had doubtlessly taken, it was not filled with lava, darkness, or the strange monsters that now filled the halls of Lorule Castle. While this passage may have been dark, it was lit enough for him to find his way to the throne room, yet, before he got there, he heard voices, echoing down the passageway.
"Please, Princess Hilda," Zelda, said, "No one understands the sacred duty a princess has to her people more than I, but you can't—"
Ravio ran quicker, going at a mad dash through the darkness, Sheerow flying swiftly behind him. No please, he closed his eyes. Please don't do anything until I get there!
"You understand nothing!" Hilda shouted. "Your kingdom has been under the protection of the Triforce…"
"But that's…"
Ravio sprinted faster, reaching the door that led to the throne room. There, Zelda in the flesh, her hero standing in front of her with the Master Sword ready to stab Ravio's princess if need be.
"This isn't over! I must have it," Hilda glared at them, bleeding and injured, limping towards them with the aid of her staff.
"Please! This has to stop!" He shouted, leaping forth and falling on his face as a few rupees fell out of his bag. Link gave him a quizzical look, Zelda gasped, and Hilda looked upon with disgust. He got to his feet quickly, and removed his hood, revealing to the two Hylians that he was, indeed, Link's look alike except for his dark hair and green eyes.
"Who ar—?" Zelda asked.
"Well, funny story there." he said, scratching the back of his head and giving Link a cheeky grin. "Your hero and I have gotten to know each other pretty well."
"Yeah, but I didn't expect you to be…me."
"We can talk about that later," Ravio continued, "but not long ago, I served the Princess Hilda here in Lorule. So,, begging your pardon, Princess Zelda, and well, me, but would you mind if I intervene here?"
"Your royal highness…" He said, now turning to Hilda.
Instead of allowing him to continue, she waved her hand, now glaring at him. "You vanished on me and now you come crawling back like some worm? Why?"
He bowed his head, "Forgive me, Your Highness. I'm…a coward at heart. There was no way that I had the courage to stand up to you and Yuga, but I was smart enough to go to Hyrule. I knew that they'd have a hero who could help me…"
Hilda struck her staff, "You betrayed me again?! This hero has proven useful to me but you…you wrench! You wanted him to defeat me? How dare you!"
"I…I'm sorry, my princess," Ravio went down on one knee, bowing deeper, "but it was with the best of intentions." He meant her eyes, "I wished the best for our kingdom, but by ruining Hyrule…? You'd only bring out the absolute worst in Lorule."
"What!?" She thumped her staff once more, "You'd rather see Lorule crumble?!"
"No…no…," Ravio shook his head, tears burning the back of his eyes, "of course not princess, but there must be some other way than this…"
"No…"
"Don't you realized?" He asked. "The reason your noble ancestors destroyed our Triforce…was to stop such chaos."
She clinched her chest, leaning more heavily on her staff, "That's not what I…wanted…"
"Princess," he said, "look around you, this is exactly why your ancestors destroyed our Triforce. It's what they wanted to prevent, don't you see?"
She gasped, eyes widening in horror. "Oh, no…"
"Princess Hilda…I…" He took her hand. "…I just wanted to save you from all this—you, who've worried endlessly about the fate of Lorule. Please, Princess Hilda, let's do the right thing. Lorule might be doomed, but at least our kingdom won't be condemned for stealing their Triforce."
"You're right," she said, then looked at Zelda, "Princess Zelda, I have been led astray, tempted by the power of your Triforce, but I swear…I did it for my people."
"Please," Zelda replied, "there is no need to—"
"No, please, let me finish," Hilda shook her head, "You are fortunate to have a hero like Link. What courage he has displayed! That alone proves that Hyrule deserves its Triforce.
"Now, I will ensure that you leave this dark kingdom of mine safely—and with your Triforce," The princess motioned towards them, "Please, follow me. I know a way that you can go home."
The princess led them to the Sacred Realm, Ravio in toll. Link hadn't expected him, and, to be frank, he hadn't expected that the crazy, bunny merchant living in his house was his twin either. Nor that his twin seemed as different from him as night was from day, despite what he had seen of Lorule and its people. Yet, Ravio's heart was kind, and his spirit true.
"Welcome to the Sacred Realm," the princess broke the green clad boy out of his thoughts. She stood on the round plateau before them a large tablet with a shining fissure in the middle stood in the darkened realm. This place, no, that tablet, filled Link with dread. There was something dark and menacing about its presence.
"Yuga discovered that there was a strange crack in this grim slate," Hilda began, "through it, we could sense that there was another world beyond ours…a place where the Triforce still existed. He and I devised the scheme that imperiled your kingdom, but I alone will make it right."
Hilda slowly approached them, then said: "Please, now, give me your bracelet, Link."
He took the bracelet off his wrist and handed it to her, "Here, what are you going to do with it?"
She ignored them, walking to the tablet, "I should be able to use the last of its power to send the both of you home to Hyrule."
Link blinked, he hadn't expected to leave so quickly. Ravio then grasped his hand, shocking Link with his abruptness, "It's been a pleasure, my friend. I got to meet a real, live genuine hero! Who knows? Maybe some of your courage rubbed off on me."
He smiled, and Link returned the grin, not quite sure what to say, "I kinda think you already have some, Mr. Merchant."
"No," his counterpart shook his head, "Thank you, Link. You're really kind, but whatever it was, it wasn't ol' Ravio."
Before the hero could disagree, the princess had used whatever power was left in that bracelet to send them back, and Link found himself (and Zelda) sent through the crack as portraits. Soon, he found himself woken up by Zelda in a place he knew was not Hyrule proper, or at least, not a place that he had been. Here, great marble pillars lined a marble walkway and mist clouded their vision.
Link smiled, standing up, then, she said, "Look, Link!"
The mist blew away, as if at her command, revealing the Triforce upon its pedestal. "You know," she said, "I've never seen the Triforce whole…do you want to take a look?"
He nodded, smiling shyly. Zelda returned his smile, her blue eyes sparkling and hair almost aglow in this light. To him, she appeared like some goddesses from ages gone by stepping forward in time to command him to approach the Triforce.
"How terrible for Princess Hilda to be driven to such despair." She sighed. "her kingdom was in such a sorry state. She and I are not as different as she thought, I understand why she needed our Triforce."
"To save her kingdom."
The princess nodded, "Yes, and I am sure I would may have done the same."
"But I'm not sure I could've done what he did." He looked down. How could he explain this in a way that made since? He was the hero after all, he was meant to be brave. He had raced into dungeons without a thought and fought monsters as big as houses, yet, when he thought of what Ravio did, he knew he would never have the heart to do just that. "Princess, I'm not sure even I would be willing to sacrifice my realm for somebody else's…"
There was silence for a moment then Zelda spoke, "Yes, even a scrap of courage may bring change... Do you recall what the Triforce can do?"
He nodded then she said, "Link, let's make this wish together."
It was only a few moments later that Ravio felt the earth quake beneath them. Part of him thought it was indeed, now, the end. That they had come to the last epoch and now the world would be completely destroyed as they had feared. It was unescapable, but at least he could now do so with the princess he—no, Link—had saved from herself. He had only spoken a few reasonable words, whatever part he played had been small, overlooked, and of little consequence.
He fell, on his back then sat up, watching as the crack in the middle of the vile slate spread, shattering the slate into millions of pieces and knocking him back once more. It was then that they both looked up. Above them, a new Triforce formed, shimmering forth like the sunrise of a new day. Illuminating a realm wrote for destruction with renewed hope and golden light, a new era of promise for all.
It was perhaps inevitable then, that she took his hand in hers as a smile gracing her face as tears fell from her eyes. He stood, finding her grin contagious, and of course it was, he had not seen it since those early days when he had merely been her playmate in the Castle and they had not quite realized what a terrible state their kingdom was in.
"Thank you Ravio." She said, even when he shook his head, she continued, "No, do not try to deny it. I only ask one thing of you…"
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"Ravio…would you help me rebuild this kingdom?"
"You'll take me back…?" He somehow felt his grin grew even wider. "I mean…after all those things I messed up and not having enough courage to save the kingdom or what if something happens…like someone tries to assassinate you or steals all my rupees or…?"
"Ravio."
"Yes?"
"Be quite. Perhaps Link could have taught you that as well?" He rolled his eyes as she smirked, then looked back at their Triforce. She didn't know how talkative the hero could be. "I will need your cunning and wisdom. Our kingdom needs it, and I…I cannot imagine ruling it well without my best friend by my side."
He took her hands in his. "Hilda," he said, "I'd be more than glad to, but please, you're the princess. If anyone is wise, it's you."
~The End~
AN: Still not sure it is Hinox or Hinoxes...okay, anyway. Hope you all liked it, if you did, please review, etc. etc. Good day! :)