Authors Note:
So this is the first fanficiton I've ever written. I've been a Legend of Zelda fan since I first played Ocarina of Time way back when. I'm currently in my last year of university where I study English Literature.
Enough about me. This story is to be set after the events of Ocarina of Time when Link is sent back to be a child. I wanted to explain what happened to the Gerudo between then and Twilight Princess, the capture of Ganondorf and basically everything that happened after. I didn't want to include Majoras Mask events because that would detract from the story I want to write.
So any feedback would be good.
Happy reading and I hope people will enjoy.
1. Endings
'I can return you to your original time with it. When peace returns to Hyrule it will be time for us to say goodbye. Now go home Link, regain your lost time.' Zelda looked away from me solemnly, her blue eyes staring at her feet.
'I can't go back to my childhood Princess. Too much has happened. I'm an adult, I've seen and done things that I can not just pretend did not happen.' Link pleaded against her wishes. How he changed all that had happened in the past year? He might have lost seven years of his life but all the time was made up in the past year.
'I finally know who I am, why I never fit in. I can't go back to my old life now!' Link shouted at her, his fierce eyes looking at her and his teeth clenching together.
'I…I'm sorry Link, but there is no other way. Time has to be restored properly…there has to be a balance.' Zelda faltered in her own words, not wishing them to be true either. Link looked at down her and studied her face, realizing she was just as upset as he was about all of this.
'You know I'll come and find you all over again don't you?' He sighed. Zelda looked up at him for the first time and saw Link was no longer angry. He had a determined look in his eyes and was waiting for her answer.
'I know you will.' She replied, her heart pounding against her chest. Duty always comes first.
'You'll warn me about Ganondorf just as before but this time we will stop him. We won't let him destroy Hyrule as he did before. We'll remember all of this….' She paused. Looking up at Link, waiting for him to realise the depth of the words she was saying.
'And what happens when Ganondorf hatches up another evil plan and the Hero of Time is once again stuck inside the body of a ten year old?' Link retorted, his face glaring back at Zelda. He knew he shouldn't be taking this out on her, it wasn't completely her fault but he couldn't help himself. How could she say all of this after everything we've been through? Zelda didn't reply straight away, she just stared back him feeling hurt and guilty.
'I'm sorry Link. This is the way it has to be.' She mumbled, almost on the brink of tears. She didn't want to go back as much as Link didn't. Unlike Link, Zelda had fled the castle with Impa and for seven years learnt the ways of the Shiekah. She had become a different person, learning a new culture, hierarchy and now she would have to return to her duty as a Princess and one day Queen of Hyrule. Where her duty was more important than her own personal choices, her own needs and wants. She looked back up Link. He was still studying her face, teeth still slightly clenched. Tufts of his dirty blonde hair were falling out from under his hat framing his face, which was covered in dirt and blood. He still looks handsome though. Zelda thought to herself. She gave him a half smile, the most she could manage.
'This isn't fair!' Link shouted out into the blue void of what he could only imagine to be part of the Chamber of Sages, his arms waved in the air as he let off his frustration.
'I know. I wish none of this happened in the first place…Thank you Link for everything you have done…For Hyrule.' Zelda replied despondently. Looking at the Ocarina in her hands. Knowing that their time was almost up. Link turned back to face her, wanting to tell her was glad that this had all happened. Without thinking, he pulled her tightly into an embrace. Wrapping his muscular arms around her smaller frame and resting his head on top of hers, breathing in her fresh scent. Link wasn't sure how long they were stood their for but he pulled away from her slowly, looking down at her shocked eyes, he took a step back from Zelda, removing all physical contact from her.
'Okay,' Link sighed, 'I'm as ready as I will ever be.'
Zelda composed herself and looked sadly back at Link. Their time was finally up.
'Goodbye Link.' She whispered, pulling the blue Ocarina to her lips.
'See you soon Princess.' Link smirked back at her.
The sweet sound of the lullaby filled the air around them and blue twinkling lights surrounded them both. Zelda looked at Link one last time before all the light consumed them both, hoping she would never forget his face.
When Link woke up he was standing in the Temple of Time. The cold, hard marble columns were all around him and he was stood on a mosaic with the crests of the Sages carved delicately within it. The Pedestal of Time was just in front of him, the Master Sword placed in her rightful resting place. Should he try and take it? The blue hilt glistened in the sunlight almost tauntingly. He looked up and saw the bright sunlight searing through the glass window. It was only when he went to cover his eyes that he realised he was a child again. Shocked, he looked at his much smaller arm and saw the twinkling of the Gorons' bracelet on it. He felt his face and noticed the lack of stubble that was growing, his hair which was shorter, his body less defined as he hadn't developed any of the muscles he had before. His mind was spinning. So it worked then? He asked himself. I'm really a kid again. He sighed and looked up. He felt confused as he could still remember everything that had happened to him, he remembered the temples, the sages, the monsters, Epona. This is like waking up from a lucid dream. It was then he noticed his left hand, on the back of it clear as day, the mark of the Triforce of Courage gleaming back at him. Stunned, Link grazed his fingers over it not believing it was real. If he had his mark then Zelda would also have the Triforce of Wisdom still. But that means Ganondorf would also have the Triforce of Power. Link wasn't sure what holding his piece meant for this time. Would Ganondorf be able to enter the Sacred Realm? I need to find Zelda. His thoughts were interrupted.
'Hey!' The familiar sound reached his pointed ears. By the window Navi was floating near an opening. In all the confusion he had forgotten about her. She floated back down to his eye levels but the light she gave off didn't blind him anymore.
'I have to go…' She stated and started floating back towards the window.
'Navi, wait!' Link shouted, he was taken aback by his own voice, not used to its high pitch-ness. But it was too late. Navi had already left Link standing in the Temple completely alone and he had no idea where she had gone. Quickly his thoughts went back to Zelda and realised he had to warn her as quickly as possible. Unless she already remembered everything. As he walked through the Door of Time he felt the ground shaking beneath his feet with a low grumble. What's happening now? He quickly turned and saw the back area closing, sealing the Master Sword away once again. His heart dropped in his stomach as the weight of what had happened settled in. He hadn't saved Hyrule. He hadn't freed the Sages, if they even were Sages in this time. He was no longer Darunia sworn brother, no longer an honorary Gerudo. Link's shoulders shuddered slightly wishing he could have stopped Zelda bringing him back here. He walked over to the black marble alter which was empty of the Three Spiritual Stones he was so used to seeing. He read over the inscription once more, Ye who owns 3 Spiritual Stones, Stand with the Ocarina of Time and play the Song of Time. Link sighed, turned on his heels and headed out the Temple towards the castle.
As soon as he stepped outside Link was shocked to see that Hyrule town was no longer in ruin. Houses were intact, people were walking around, the archery game shop was still there. Although Link had travelled back in time using the magic of the Ocarina before, this felt different. I know I can't go forward. He thought to himself as he started walking around. I'm trapped in this child's body. He looked around for familiar faces and was surprised he could see Anju the cucco lady carrying around a large box with 'Eggs' printed on the side. A few soldiers were also dotted around but no one else he was well acquainted with. He walked past a stall and up to Anju,
'Hello Anju, sold much today?' He asked cheerfully, pleased to see a friend. Anju looked down at linked oddly, pushing her red hair out of her eyes.
'Do I know you?' She asked politely.
'I'm Link,' She still looked unsure.
'I helped put all your cuccos back in their pen…' Link hesitated towards the end, half knowing why she couldn't remember and half not wanting it to be true. Anju examined him for a few seconds, putting down the wooden box. She smiled at him,
'Well, you do look familiar and my cuccos are always escaping.' She giggled at him. 'I'm sorry I don't really remember you though.' She started picking up her box again, 'I have to get back home before it gets dark. Perhaps I'll see you in Kakariko.' She waved at him as she left the stall area and headed out of the main path towards Hyrule field. Link stared after her. He let out a frustrated growl and headed away from the center and towards the castle gates.
'Has anyone seen my little Richard?!' Link heard a woman cry out over the bustling town center and shook his head. He couldn't believe the amount of times that woman had lost her dog. At least some things never change.
Just before the gates that led up the castle there was a vine that climbed a rock face, which led past the gate itself. As an adult Link could have easily handled two of the guards that stood by the gate but Link wasn't an adult. He had to resort to sneaking in to the castle like he'd done so many times. He pulled himself against the vines, using his limited upper body strength to help his footing. Once he got to the top he pulled himself up, bringing his left leg onto the ground to help him. He stood up and wiped his hands over his thick green tunic to wipe any dust off and scouted the area to find out how many guards were on duty today. Seven. This was like a walk in the park after everything that Link had faced. He ducked, dived into bushes and jumped into the man made moat that was around the castle. On one of his visits to Zelda when he was searching for the spiritual stones he realised that this moat had a gap under one of the fences. Link dove into the water and came up on the other side, gasping for air as he did. He got out of the water, his tunic and hair drenched. He crept up to the unknown door that led through to a kitchen hallway. He opened the door quietly, hoping it wouldn't creak whilst a continuing drip, drip, drip, followed any of his movements. Link looked left and then right, no one was around and he quickly bolted down the hallway leaving wet footprints as he did. After a few strides he took a sharp right and came to wooden door, which he quickly opened. Zelda had told him there was another way into the courtyard the second time he came to see her, rather than him keep getting kicked out by her guards.
'I'm not sure exactly where it is, but it leads through the kitchen and serving quarters and you turn right, you probably passed the door the first time you came here.' Zelda smiled at him as they sat together on the grass, her dress constricting her movements. Link looked around trying to figure out where it could be but all he kept an eye for were guards that were patrolling.
'Perhaps you'll find it when you next come and visit. If you do.' Zelda enquired.
Link just stared back at her, not sure what to say. He never really planned his visits just sometimes took comfort in the fact that Zelda was the only other person who he could talk too.
'Hey!' The bright ball of light circled Link's face, the sun was going down and he needed to leave before the night patrol started, who were a lot more observant than their day counterparts.
'Perhaps next time Princess.' Link stood up and pulled her up too. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her attendant, Impa, hiding in the shadows.
'I better go.' Link started to leave and Impa came out her hiding place to help him.
'Be safe Link.' Zelda called after him, watching him go. Link never turned his head to see her.
Looking right he saw the familiar circle courtyard and began walking towards it. The grass was plush underneath his wet boots. I'll take them off in a minute, he thought. Thinking back to the times in his childhood when he came here with Navi. Even though it had only been a few hours, Link was having a hard time adjusting to not having her presence with him consistently. He came to the opening of and saw her standing there looking through the window behind her. A sense of déjà vu swept through him and he realised this was the first day he came here, again. My head hurts.
Link stared at Zelda for a minute taking in the fact that she was little girl he had met all those years ago. Her hair was short and tucked underneath her head scarf. She was tip toeing to look into the window, her white dress still touching the ground. Link looked around but couldn't see where Impa was hiding but he knew she was there. Link started walking slowly towards Zelda she hadn't noticed him. He was still dripping wet from the moat and was starting get cold.
'P..Princess?' He called her. Hoping she would know who he was, not just from her dream, but really know him. Zelda turned immediately, her white dress fanning behind her as she did. She blinked at him a few times before replying.
'Are you Link?' She smiled at him and walked towards him, she stopped a few feet away. Links' heart dropped. She doesn't know you.
'You're soaking.' She giggled. 'I'm glad you came because I have to talk to you about something serious.' She looked at him with a more serious face and he looked back confused. Did she know him? Why he was here?
'Do you… know who I am?' Link stuttered out.
'Yes and no,' Zeldas smile leaving her face, 'I know you are from the forest, that you are the Hero of Time, that you saved me and Hyrule but I'm afraid that is all.' She looked up at him mournfully.
'I believe my future self took my memories away but for what reason I am unsure. Perhaps I believed that I should have a clear head on matters, but I am certain I will never know.' Zelda explained. Link looked at her blue eyes and wanted to ask the old Zelda why she would do this to him. Leave him alone in a world he had already lived. He wanted to blame this Zelda, to shout at her, to leave her standing here to sort this mess out herself. But he couldn't because this was not his Zelda. Here stood the young princess he had met seven years ago, innocent and without a clue who he was.
'Yeah, I'm Link, princess.' He bowed, remembering his graces. Zelda giggled again and Link stood up.
'You don't need to call me princess Link, Zelda is fine.' She smiled at the boy in front of her. 'Come with me.' She grabbed his hand and took him over to the window. Link knew this scene all too well.
'Ganondorf is in there right now but my father knows everything. He knows how evil he is.' She looked at Link and was grinning. Link looked back at her questionably.
'How? Why does he believe you this time?'
'I was able to show him using my powers. I'm not sure how I still have this however.' She answered, holding up her right hand.
'I'm guessing you have your mark too?' She asked eagerly.
'Yes I do. But what does it mean? And how much do you know?'
'I'm not really sure.' Zelda looked down at her feet. 'But what I do know is, that if you and I have our marks, that means Ganondorf is just as powerful.' She sighed looking back up at him.
'Which brings me to what I have to ask of you Link.' She took his hands into her own and looked into his eyes. Link stared back at her, his blue eyes fixed on hers, unsure of what she was going to ask. Do I get to be an adult again? He hoped. Zelda looked at him, a wave of guilt passing her face and Link knew that wasn't going to happen.
'I need…the kingdom needs you to….' Zelda stuttered.
'Just spit it out.' Link offered.
'You need to leave.' She blurted out. Holding on to Link's hands as he tried to let go.
'I need to what?' He stared at her, flabbergasted.
'I'm sorry Link but Ganondorf is too powerful in this time and he will try and use you to open the Door of Time again. You need to take the Ocarina and leave Hyrule until we can defeat him.' Zelda explained. But all he could think was the she wanted him to leave. To protect Hyrule.
'My father is going to try and arrest him, he wants to stop this as well but at the moment Ganondorf hasn't technically done anything wrong and my father does not want to go to war with the Gerudo.' She added. A flame flicked on in Link's head and it dawned on him.
'We could go to Nabooru. She disliked Ganondorf from the beginning. When I met her as a child at the Spirit Temple she told me so.' He said hastily. It could work and then there wouldn't be a war and more importantly I wouldn't have to leave. If there was one thing that was worse then being forced back into the body of a child where no one knew him, it was leaving the only home that he had ever known.
'The King could form an alliance with her instead?' Link suggested.
'That wouldn't work.' Zelda replied shaking her head. 'The most absolute of laws is that the Gerudo abide by is that every hundred years a male is born and he is King. He has absolute power and his word is final. Even if this Nabooru has some sway she cannot disobey her king.'
They looked at each other and their eyes filled with sadness. There really was nothing for them to do. Link had saved Hyrule and now had to sacrifice his childhood over again to ensure that Ganondorf did not gain access to the Sacred Realm. Zelda felt guilty at what she was asking Link, this stranger to her, to do for her country but knew it had to be done. What Zelda did not know was that if she had her old memories, this would be the hardest thing to ask of Link, to ask of herself and that she would be torn between her duty and desires. A conflict a princess should never allow to happen.
By now, Link was actually starting to get dry from the sunlight that was shining in the courtyard. Neither Link nor Zelda really appreciated the beautiful weather of the day. Hidden away as Link suspected, Impa was watching the two chosen ones discuss the fate of Hyrule, her red eyes focusing on their lips to understand what they were saying to each other. It was odd seeing these two children, one with an old soul sacrificing his life again for Hyrule, it seemed like the Goddesses had played a cruel joke in allowing his memories and their powers to remain as they were. Impa suspected she could also remember what happened as she was the Sage of Shadow and therefore not affected by the magic of the Ocarina and it was also her duty to protect Hyrule at all costs.
'Fine.' Link stated. 'I'll go.' He was conflicted but knew it was the right thing to do.
'Impa has already been instructed to go with you to collect your things.' Zelda offered.
'Thank you Princess.' He responded dutifully.
'I promise my father will try to fix this as soon as possible. I will send word when you can return Link.' She looked at him earnestly. Impa had come out of the shadows, reminding Link that there was never a private moment with Zelda. I wonder how many times Impa was there when Shiek was. He thought to himself quickly.
'We should leave soon Hero.' Impa advised him. 'You will need daylight to ride'
Link nodded in agreement and looked back at Zelda who stared back at him.
'My father will arrest him Link. It won't be forever. I'm entrusting this to you.' She held out the Ocarina of Time in her hands. Link took it and put it into one of the pockets inside his now almost dry tunic. 'Where will you go?' She asked him. Link thought about it and realised he could look for Navi, he had no idea where she flew off too but perhaps some of the Kokiri would.
'I need to find an old friend.' He replied. 'Goodbye again Princess.' He waved. Leaving the courtyard with Impa. Once they were safe, Impa led him to the royal stables where to mounted her white stallion.
'Come on little Hero.' She called him affectionately as she pulled him up and sat him in front of her. They rode in silence all the way to Lon Lon Ranch, which gave Link time to think about all that had happened to lead up to this. Once they arrived Impa helped him down unstrung a bag from her steed, as Talon came to them, pulling Epona by her reigns.
'It has clean clothes, some provisions and….'
'My sword.' Link grinned. 'Thank you Impa.'
Link played Eponas song on the Ocarina and the young mare was more then happy to let Link mount her. Whether she remembered him or not Link was unsure and despite her size he was happy to be with something familiar. He rode off to the east, looking over at Hyrule Castle one last time, unsure of when he would return.
So there it was that Link set off to the Lost Woods to find his beloved friend. But that's a different story for another time and place. Zelda prayed to the Goddesses that night to help her and her father in their stead and to protect Link wherever he went and for his swift return. But many moons and seasons passed before that would be so.
