AN: I like the Legend of Zelda because it's easy to come up with whatever you like. This story does not follow any of the games, but hints at one. I decided to make it a oneshot because I'm better at that than long stories.

Thank you for reading and please feel free to review!

Prologue

From every corner in Hyrule, the sounds of victory could be heard. After four years of war the kingdom from across the desert, who had been bent on conquest, plowing through the entire country side like a raging bull, finally met an end against the army of Queen Zelda.

"Have you heard?" The stories always began such. "After the fall of General Knox, long time loyal knight to the throne, who was struck down by a poisoned arrow from the enemy, the Hero of Time returned from his solitary quest and led the army of Hyrule to a victorious battle that lasted from dawn to dawn. The Master Sword in his hands, the hero led the charged straight into the heart of the dark forces, cleaving his way to their leader. The following duel was the stuff of legends, each matching blow for blow."

"Have you heard? The hero was wounded after a treacherous strike from the evil general, who wore a ring on his right hand which bore a small spike dipped in venom. The hero stumbled many times, his strength failing. The invaders were pushing the elite Hylian forces back, like waves beating on the seashore. Many brave knights lost life and limb, but held their own line till the end. By dusk that day, none knew the hero's fate."

"Have you heard? The goddesses came to the hero's aid, giving him back his strength, purging the poising from his body. He rose up once more to his feet, resolute to defeat the darkly clad general, the symbol of the triforce glimmering on the back of his left hand in the moonless night. The fight resumed, ending when the leader of the invaders lost his head in a single swoop. The Queen's army now return to Hyrule, hearts high with intoxicating victory, voices full of song."

Beneath The Legend

Already Zelda could hear the poems and chants that were being written in honor of the great victory. The servants were beside themselves with relief, for the invaders had numbers superior to that of the stars. She sat alone in her room, thanking the fates for such a welcomed end, the war having cost the lives of her people in the thousands. Zelda had herself seen the aftermath of raids and massacres that the invaders caused, as she wandered the land disguised as a shiekah. She had attended wounds of many, seeing some die in their own blood. She had wept for the dead every night. As queen, she felt that such was her duty.

Though the stories spoke of events well known, never would there be a tale of how the ruler of Hyrule walked the camp of her own soldiers, under the guise of a healer, and how she was present at the final battle as a warrior. Poems will relate how she waited in the confines of the castle and how she had prayed every day at the temple for victory, no one being allowed to lay eyes on her until her army returned victors. Such accounts would be false, for none knew that the supposed queen was in truth the young nurse and friend of Zelda, Impa of the Shiekah tribe, who daily dressed as her mistress and played her role.

Zelda arrived in the camp shortly after Knox had been struck with his fatal injury, the general fated to not see the next morning. Her face concealed, the queen saw the Hero of Time along with a handful of men carrying their wounded leader on a makeshift cot of padded shields, hurrying into the commander's tent. She could see the black arrow that protruded from his chest, near his heart. Her eyes moistened, knowing he would not recover. But healers were summoned nonetheless, and she went inside without hesitation.

"Don't retrieve it!" She cried out as she stepped through the entrance, seeing a young soldier grasping the arrow firmly. "He will bleed to death in seconds."

"Listen to her." The hero commanded. "Step back, men. Give her the room she needs."

The disguised queen inspected her general carefully. There was a stink in the tent of sweat, blood, and unwashed men, but she could clearly detect a putrid odor like acid combined with sulfur. "I need Kokiri fern herbs; see if another healer might have any left. He has been struck with Redead poison."

The men were stunned. The poison was merely rumored to exist. In order to obtain such a toxin, the arrows must be soaked in a body of water filled with rotting carcasses and left alone for many days. The name 'Redead' was given it because those who used such fiendish weapons joked that the dead were still managing to kill the living. There was no known cure.

The hero went out himself in search for the healing herbs, returning a short while later. By that time Zelda had already brought a small pot of red potion to a boil, and quickly added the herbs to increase the healing effects.

"Is there any chance?" The man whispered low so the others wouldn't hear.

Her reply was to simply keep working. Ordering the men out, the young man stayed behind, talking to his commander for what was to be the last time.

"There is no need for us to break camp and retreat. We killed many of them today. We held them at the fields, general. It is a victory for us." He said encouragingly.

"Our losses?" Knox asked, his face already very pale.

"Two, maybe three thousand, sir."

"Not good." Knox wheezed, trying to sit up. Zelda had to firmly push him back down. "That means another three thousands widows, orphans, and mourning families. Never forget that we lost lives today, Link, not simply soldiers."

"Yes, general." Was the reply.

The concoction finished, Zelda offered it to Knox in a warm bowl, and told him to drink all of it. "It will numb the pain, a little anyway. You will feel some strength return, but don't try to do anything. Let the potion do its work."

Her eyes wandered over to the blond man at the general's side. She could see a large dark spot on his tunic, the clothing torn where an enemy blade had managed to strike him. She could tell that if left untreated, he would have a fever by morning. More injuries became apparent upon further inspection, some days old.

Knox finished his drink, almost choking on it at one point. When he returned it, his eyelids grew heavy, quickly drifting off to sleep. Link ordered that a guard be present inside the command tent in case the general's condition worsened. He then went to his own tent afterwards.

Zelda followed, her eyes catching the limp in his stride, the stiffness in his right arm, and the dark circles under his eyes. But she didn't hear a single complaint from him. Soldiers came up to him as he walked, asking about their commander's condition. He always replied for them to rest and be battle ready.

"Think of your wives and children, fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters. These will give you resolve and strength." His words lifted up all the hearts that heard him. But Zelda's own fell.

The Hero of Time had no such loved ones to call his own. Where could he find the strength he needed to go on?

By the time the young warrior reached his tent, it was dark. Most of the men were in their own tents, eyes closed in battle weary sleep. Those posted on guard were also drowsy, the nights growing colder as the winter season drew near. Zelda pulled her cloak tight about her, daring to approach Link's tent. There was no door to knock on, and she knew he would never allow a healer to spend time on him when he knew others needed the attention. But if Knox was not to last the night, the army would need a strong, capable leader. Not one weakened by infection.

With her resolve firm, the queen of Hyrule entered the tent of the Hero of Time.

Link was already half undressed, tossing his bloody clothes in a neglected corner. There had been little time for laundry for the past few days; his only covering was a pair of white breeches. He did not see her until she spoke.

"You must let us do our work, master Link, or you could find yourself bedridden by dawn." She spoke those words to dissolve any argument he was about to start.

"But-" he began.

"Take a seat." She commanded; glad when she saw him obey.

Bruises covered his entire back, a jagged gash along his ribs. Pouring ointments into her hands, she proceeded to rub his back; feeling tight muscles under his skin loosen under the work of her expert fingers. For his minor wounds she used a cream made of field berries, to stop any infection and speed healing. For the serious cut she cleaned it with a cloth dipped in warm water and firmly bandaged it so that it would not tear open again if he moved in his sleep. At last she prepared him a hot tea, the ingredients comprised of an ancient shiekah mixture of herbs from the northern mountains.

"So?" She asked, rubbing his back once more, finding still more knotted muscles. "What gives you the strength to fight on?"

Link looked at the ground, arching his back whenever she touched a tender spot. When he finally answered, he sounded very tired. "I have been given a duty to defend Hyrule with every ounce of strength and courage I have. Just knowing that I am doing what I must is enough."

"Are you afraid to fight for more than that?" She pressed, keeping her voice devoid of too much emotion, even though her heart risked betraying her by the force from which it was beating. "You spoke to the men of loved ones. Do you have anyone?"

Link pulled away from her, turning around to look her in the eye. His gaze made her feel as though he could see past her disguise, and she hoped he couldn't see her blushing face. "I live dancing with death, Healer. How could I ever put those I love through such a torture? For most of these men it is their first true battle. I have lived with a drawn sword all my life. I know it is only a matter of time before I die by the blade. It's a way of living best lived alone."

"Callous." She remarked. "And unfounded. You know of the Lost War of Hyrule?"

"Yes. An evil man made himself king over Hyrule for seven years. The Hero of Time in that age struck him down and the flow of time was reversed, those years of tyranny lost. If it hadn't been for the princess of Hyrule at that time to recount the tale no one would've known that it had ever happened." Link had grown up hearing the legend. "But what does that have to do with me?"

"Are you not the Hero of Time in this age?" Zelda pointed out. "Did any of the heroes before you live a life of solitude?"

"Some did, others did not." He answered.

"And those who did now lay in graves unmarked. But they always had people who mourned them, who grieved their deaths. It matters not whether they had loved ones, their end caused much sadness. Why carry your burden alone when there are those who would gladly share it with you? We are alone at death, why be alone when you are alive?"

Link pondered over her words, but gently shook his head afterwards. "It's too late now. The invaders of Hyrule are camped mere hours away from us. This is no time for me to find someone to love."

This pained her, for what he said was the height of reason. He couldn't be sidetracked, not now. As much as she wanted to tear away the bandages that concealed face and declared to him openly the affections she always had for him, it simply was not the time.

"Get some rest." She said finally. "Let today's evils go. Face the world as a new man tomorrow."

She left him alone after that, wandering the camp in search of more men to help. By midnight she went to her own tent, which was some ways away from that of the army, with the rest of the healers. A small meal was all she could have, comprised of dry bread and old cheese. The water she drank was cold but not refreshing, leaving her feeling slightly bitter in her stomach. Castle life had made her somewhat soft, but her training under the shiekahs helped. Zelda soon found herself lying in bed, the thin blanket atop of her doing a poor job of keeping her warm.

But there was no rest in store for her. She soon heard a loud commotion from the army's camp, like that of a riot starting. She had removed most of her clothing to sleep, and cursed her slow hands as she tried to quickly redress. News reached her by the time she was done. General Knox was dead, but not by the poising. An enemy assassin had managed to sneak into the commander's tent and slit his throat. The men on watch had captured him and a large group had formed, demanding his death.

When Zelda arrived at the scene, there was a large, empty circle in the middle of a large crowd; the assassin bound hand and foot, kneeling on the ground. One soldier stood over him, a large, two-handed blade in his hands. Another man, younger than the first, stood at least ten paces away, his blue eyes sharp and merciless. She recognized Link immediately.

"I will give you one chance to live." He was saying, ignoring the negative reaction of the men around him. "You will give me the exact location of the supplies for your army. If you refuse, I will execute you myself."

A deep terror shook Zelda as she could see on his face that he meant what he said. She had known Link as a friend, a hero, a loyal knight, and a leader. But this was the first time she saw the killer in him. It frightened her.

The assassin, his skin dark from journeying through the Gerudo desert, smiled at him, his bottom lip split from the scuffle which resulted in his capture earlier. He seemed full of pride, one that was obviously from accomplishing his mission. He held his head high, a grin on his face. He remained silent.

Link drew his sword as he stepped towards the man, raised his sword above his head and brought it crashing down. Zelda looked away, but heard the sickening thud of a fallen head. No cheer rose from the onlookers, only a shared sense of deserved justice. Link stood over the dead body, his face firm, his jaw set. He raised his eyes to the surrounding men. They were all his men now, the responsibility of command falling to him.

"We will bury our dead come morning." He announced. "I ask that the watch be doubled and the camp searched for anymore assassins. Let this be the last death of the night."

The crowd slowly dispersed, soldiers muttering angry curses at the enemy.

Link stared long at the man he killed, watching as the body was dragged away to be burned. Zelda fought back from going to him, returning to her own tent before she did something rash. She spent the rest of the night tossing and turning, unable to sleep. What a nightmare war was. And to imagine that some actually enjoyed it! What monsters they must be.

By the time the sun was up the next morning, the enemy was in sight, a perfect line across the horizon. Link, now the commander of her army, was prepared to meet them, his own men ready. The other healers were helping the soldiers who couldn't fight to break camp under Link's orders. The Hero of Time had told them that this would be the final battle and that no chance should be taken.

Zelda had to make a quick decision. She knew of a small group of Shiekah's that were fighting in the army. Though having been trained by Impa, Zelda's experience was more oriented for stealth and hand-to-hand combat, not warfare. She could help with relocating the camp instead, but it felt to her more like running away. She quickly dressed into her ceremonial shiekah battle attire, the symbol of the Eye of Truth brightly portrayed across her chest. She had a whip, spikes for throwing, a sheathed dagger for close combat, and a gourd with a precious item inside. Ready and her face well hidden, Zelda headed out to join her men in what could be their last day of life.

The other Shiekahs were standing in a group all their own, their leader, and man named Ashbor, giving them last minute instructions. The Hyrulian army counted seven thousand, and the Shiekah counted merely fifty. Most of them were dressed as she was; some men, some women. A few carried short swords or fighting staff's, weapons that were deadly in the hands of a well trained fighter. Most had a pouch of deku nuts, vital for confusing an opponent. Ashbor was telling his people the importance of their role in the upcoming battle.

"Commander Link believes that if the invaders lose their leader, they will panic and fall back. From what we have heard their general rules by fear and force. Most of them don't even want to be here. We are escorting the Hero of Time to him, protecting Link at all costs. Much against my counsel, Link had decided to lead the charge. In the name of our beloved Queen Zelda, we cannot fail him."

The others replied by uttering ancient words which, when translated, meant 'Our lives we vow'. Zelda had not been taught those words, but made a similar promise in her heart. No one ventured as to who she was, their attention undivided on the advancing army. Zelda knew that the invaders counted some twenty thousand, but seeing them move all at once made them seem much, much more numerous. A strange fear coupled by excitement surged though her body, a sign of adrenaline in her blood.

The invaders were drawing closer and coming in faster, all of them roaring their battle cry. Link, at the head of the army, stood still, his hand resting on the hilt of the Master Sword. He appeared entirely calm, while others were trembling. The enemy was almost on top of them and still Link did nothing. Zelda was sure her heart would give out if she stayed still any longer. Only when the enemy was a stone's throw away did he finally give the signal, suddenly raising up his hand.

A fleet of arrows flew overhead, but not as many as Zelda had thought there could've been. Hyrule had a good two thousand skilled archers, besides the regular soldier who used such a weapon to hunt. But as her eyes looked skyward, she could see only a few hundred arrows. What was Link thinking? The answer came when the arrows hit the enemy's frontlines. Almost at once there were loud and terrible explosions, stopping the charge in a heartbeat. With the enemy disoriented, the rest of the archers fired, felling men like leaving falling off an autumn tree. Soon another volley of bomb arrows was released and once again confusion did the work for them.

"Brothers of Hyrule!" Link cried, drawing his sword. "Attack!"

Moments later Zelda found herself in the thick of battle, fighting for her own life. It was far worse than she could've ever imagined. The first man she saw die was a man she killed herself. Stabbing him in the belly, the invader grabbed at her throat in a desperate attempt to kill her as well. In his eyes she saw his entire life, from birth to that moment, watching as he fell to the ground. It was a whirlwind of violence around her, like a dream where nothing followed any kind of order. Screaming, wailing, cries of anguish were muddled with sound of battle cries, ringing swords and clashing shields. The Hylian archers stayed behind, firing deep into the enemy's side, trying to slow down any advance. Zelda caught glimpses of Link in the fray, his seasoned experienced prevalent as he twirled in circles, the legendary blade in his hands flashing in the early morning sun.

"Protect him!" Ashbor was shouting, engaging two men at once, a nasty gash fresh on his face. "Protect the hero!"

Zelda saw that Link was now entirely surrounded. He was holding his own, but even he would tire out soon. The shiekahs made a determined push through the enemy, reaching the young commander's side. One shiekah took an arrow in the throat, her last breath a raspy cry. Another young man took a javelin to the chest, but took longer to die. The others remained at Link's side, forcing a way through.

It was working! Like a spear head they were cutting through the invader's ranks, reaching the center. The Hylian army was close behind, each knight worth five of the enemy. Zelda was using both her whip and her dagger in the fight. The whip gave her the distraction needed to close the distance with her foe and hit him in a vulnerable spot, usually the neck or under the arm. The sounds of battle were quickly drowned out by the sound of her heavy breathing, her eyes stinging with drops of sweat. It was with surprise that she found herself matching the strength of any man she met, due to battle fever. She actually managed to tear a sword away from a heavily armed man and used it against him. With a single kick to the face, she knocked another one senseless. If she had the time to pause, Zelda was sure she was going to be sick.

An extremely loud ring sounded, and Zelda looked up. Link had his blade locked with that of the invaders' general. The man's stature was very large, well over six and-a-half feet. His sword was black, most likely from the dried blood of his previous victims, no doubt women and children included. Link fought with enough force to make the man take several steps back, but the man was matching him blow for blow.

However the battle was still going on, and Zelda hadn't the luxury to stand and watch. The general's personal guard where attacking the shiekahs, who were tired after forcing their way through the enemy. Zelda saw men and women fall left and right, most dead before hitting the ground. One soldier went for Zelda with a war hammer, not to different from what the Gorons used. Zelda ducked, but that was what the man wanted. His foot lashed out and caught her in the gut, doubling her over. He raised his weapon high above his head, giving her the time to throw a deku nut in his face. The man cried out, then stopped after she plunged her dagger in his heart. Zelda never saw the other man who hit her from behind with his shield, knocking her to the ground. She was too stunned to move and would've paid for that with her life had not another shiekah engaged the soldier afterwards.

The rest of the fight was a disaster. No other shiekah remained, Ashbor being the last when he was overwhelmed by his opponents. Link was still dueling, but was sluggish. The general, his face hidden under a black visor, laughed tauntingly.

Batting Link's sword away, he reached out, grabbing Link by the neck, forcing him to his knees. "A quick death won't give me any satisfaction. I will return for you later."

The general then showed Link a large ring on his hand, a small spike at the end of it. Link recognized the smell it produced. Redead poison. The man jabbed Link in the face with it, breaking a small hole in his skin. But it was enough. The venom had the immediate effect of weakening a man, the toxin spreading quickly. Link lost all muscle control and fell in a heap to the earth.

"After I crush the rest of this pathetic display of Hylian force, I will see you dead of despair." With that he was gone, what was left of his guards following him to the battle. The invaders had managed to push Zelda's army back several hundred yards during the duel, leaving Link alone.

Zelda still had no response from her body. The blow she suffered had been fantastic, it was a wonder she wasn't dead. She knew it was the shock of her feeling such sudden pain that had paralyzed her. Zelda had to regain control, for her sake as well as Link's. She began with her breathing. It had to be slow yet strong. That in itself took a long time. Next were her fingers. Zelda tried flexing them, but with no result. For a moment she was worried. Was her neck broken? Was she truly injured beyond healing?

Hope crept back into her heart when she saw her index finger twitch. She did it! The rest followed, but it took an hour before she was able to get up. By then the sun was low, twilight falling over the land. Zelda crawled her way to Link, tears in her eyes. It was like trying to move a mountain just to reach him, her arms and legs burning. When she did he was as pale as Knox had been the night before, and she feared the worst. Was he already dead?

"Link?" Her voice so weak she could barely hear herself.

"Link!" this time more forceful.

Nothing.

Zelda reached down for the gourd tied to her belt, her numb fingers prying at the cork. Though she knew it was easy to open, Zelda had to grit her teeth in her effort. It jerked loose with a hollow sound, and from within came out Hyrule's last hope. A small, child-like fairy hovered in the air, its translucent wings beating softly. She looked out of place in a bloody battle field, bodies strewn about everywhere. The fairy gazed about, trembling in fear of so much death.

Zelda grabbed it in her hands, holding it gently. "Please, my innocent friend. The Hero of Time is dying. Restore him, so that he can protect us."

The fairy silently turned to see Link, lying in the grass. It was now total darkness, the light from the fairy splashed highlights over the queen's face. With one beat of its wings it lifted itself out of Zelda's hands and landed unto the hero's forehead. It looked up at Zelda and smiled softly. It knelt down, touching Link with her hands, closing her eyes. The fairy's light grew brighter, until it enveloped the wounded man. Link suddenly took in a deep breath, his eyes opening wide. The light faded, and the fairy lay dead on the ground next to the Hero of Time.

Link sat up, looking around, unaware of how much time had passed. When his eyes met hers he nearly had an attack.

"Zelda!!" He exclaimed.

Her hands instinctively went up to her face. Her veil was gone, torn off during battle. Of course no one else had realized who she was, without her crown, dress and makeup. But Link had seen her many times, enough to know her intimately. It was too late to hide her identity anymore.

"I couldn't leave all my own knights and men to die alone, without me being there." She tried to explain. "I am queen, and will not sit back in a lavish throne while others lose their lives. I have to witness this, Link. I must!"

Link stared at her, and she could only wonder what he was thinking behind that startled look of his. Link reached out for her, pulling her close and into a tight embraced, tears streaming from his eyes.

"I thought I would never see you again." Was all he said.

They remained like that for awhile, all the horrors and emotions that had been buried for the past four years spilling out at that one moment. They held each other and cried, unable to say anything. After what felt like a lifetime of pain, they looked at each other, eyes red and swollen.

"We must end this." Link said.

Zelda nodded, looking down at the ground besides them. Link followed her gaze and saw the lifeless fairy, understanding what had happened.

Zelda picked it up, cradling it in her hands. "I found it years ago. Legend says they only sacrifice themselves for the noblest of hearts."

Link grabbed her hands in his. "I will make sure its death will be the one that saves all of us."

He rose to his feet, and once again Zelda saw the warrior of Hyrule. Link bent over and picked up the Master sword off the ground, the Bane of Evil emanating a slight glow as it reflected Link's power. The triforce of courage began to shine on Links' hand, the Hero of Time now completely ready for his final encounter with the evil general. Zelda felt her own hand tingle and saw the triforce of wisdom, the sight of it reassuring. She rose as well, joining Link as he began heading for the battle front once more.

Along the way Zelda found Ashbor, who was still alive.

"The pinned me down with a spear all right, but made a bad job of it." He said through painful gasps of air.

"I'll stay here with you." She said.

"No! Take my swords and fight with the commander. The honor of our tribe lies with you, young one." The man ordered, not realizing who she was. "Don't worry. I'll be alive when you come back."

Zelda obeyed, and soon found herself fighting once more.

The invaders had cornered the Hylain army at the River of Zoras, the battle raging on. The knight of Hyrule did not give up and even when they realized that Link had failed they fought on, holding their own. The night wore on, but still they stood fast, though the casualties kept growing by the second. The invaders toyed with them, deciding to extend their anguish rather than wiping them out quickly. So it was that by the break of dawn of the next day Link and the Queen of Hyrule attacked the General once more.

This time Link was at his full might, and had the element of surprise. The general's guard did not see them come from behind, giving Zelda the time to reduce their numbers to almost half before they could react. As Link fought the originator of all the suffering Hyrule endured, as Zelda fought off anyone who tried to intervene, her strength having returned as well, thanks to the triforce. Ashbor's blades cut through shield and sword alike, and soon Zelda had no other opponent. She turned to see how Link was fairing, giving a startled cry when she saw that the General running for her.

Zelda swung both swords at him, but he knocked them out of her hands with one blow. Grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her back, the general placed her between him and Link.

"I don't know how you got better." He snarled. "But surrender now if you don't want me to gut your queen!"

Link stood too far to do anything, but never wavered. He knew that surrender meant sure death for Zelda regardless, and knew that his task was more important than even her life. But it pained greatly him nonetheless.

Zelda saw his resolve, having seen it before when he executed Knox's killer. It suddenly dawned on her what Link had meant when he said the life of a fighter was best lived alone. It wasn't that he was afraid to die, it was that he didn't want to see those close to him die by the dangers he had to face. After all this time she understood that he wasn't running away from her. He was trying to protect her.

"I won't ask-ARGH!!"

The general cried out in pain as she struck him in the eye with her free hand, a spike held tightly in her fingers. It was a move Impa had pounded into her since the first day of her training, one that was rarely expected. The general unwittingly released her, clutching his face. Link moved in quick, the Master Sword blurring into an arc of light.

Epilogue

"Have you heard? When the army of Hyrule returned to the city, the songs of the people could be heard for miles, dancing seen on every street. The Sheikah leader was the only one of his tribe who had survived fought the battle and returned to his people a legend. The Queen herself hurried to meet her champion, accompanied by the rest of the royal entourage. All present had the unexpected surprised to see their ruler, who hadn't been seen for months, hidden away praying to the goddesses, run into the arms of Hyrule's greatest hero, her lips pressed to his in a kiss of such passion that not even the most romantic of poets could ever describe. Great is the victory over the invaders, who after their leader was slain were permitted to return home. May Queen Zelda and her consort, the Hero of Time, live the rest of their days in the peace they had fought so hard to earn."

AN: So? It's slightly dark, with the fairy dying. I figured that if they can give someone back their life, they must lose their own, right? I like Link and Zelda as a couple, but I didn't want to make it fluffy. I wrote this with a slight poetic angle, making them talk a little fancy.

Once again thank you for taking the time to read and critic my work.