This is simply the written version of a story that seemingly created itself inside my head as I played the game. I wanted to explore the story in more depth and bring together two characters which I have loved for years. Because no matter what happens in Hyrule; they will always have their princess and her hero.
(If this narrative is in anyway similar to anyone else's work on this site or others, please know, that this is not plagurised. While I have read LOZ fanfiction before, it has been quite some time (around the release of Skyward Sword) since I last read one. If it happens to be similar, or someone finds this to be too much like theirs or another's work; please tell me, and I will delete. With evidence, of course)
The characters and universe belong to Nintendo; creator of many children's childhoods.
Zelda was by all means an unconventional princess.
She shunned music, singing and devotion to the goddesses of old; previously celebrated activities by her ancestors and current nobles of the court alike. Instead she found her interests lying in more modern ideas and machinery.
Tenacious for a different life, Zelda would hide mechanical schematics and engineer's notes inside hymn books and behind furniture. And as often as possible, sneak peeks at the technical displays of mechanical might so fequently put on for the townspeople's entertainment and peace of mind.
They were safe from evil; even if the wayward princess did not come to possess the goddess's powers.
Zelda's father, the king, sought to suppress his daughter's more contemporary ideas by requesting that she dress, "as one would expect of royalty", quit her persuits of machines and to dedicate herself to the scriptures and teachings passed down by the royals of the female line.
However, he had to make allowances.
When the four Devine Beasts were discovered, Zelda took it upon herself to find Champions worthy of using them.
Her father relented after she begged him again and again to let her go; among speculation in the township that their king had simply given up on his daughter ever being able to use any kind of mystical power. They therefore began to put their faith into the military and machines; specially trained soldiers, great automatons known as Guardians, and the newly appointed Champions and their Beasts.
The king, in an attempt to restore the faith in the royal family, requested of his daughter to find the hero of legend; the one man who could wield the most powerful sword in existence, the Master Sword, that sealed evil away long ago.
Zelda resisted. If such a person could be found, they would forever be bound to her in duty for the rest of their lives; an eternal reminder of her failure to wield the powers of yore.
After many heated arguments, the princess yielded to her father, and consented to the ceremony.
This particular ceremony was fraught with danger. The weak-willed who touched the Master Sword were simply unable to pull it from the dais; in which it had slumbered for a millennia. However, those who approached it with wickedness in their heart were violently thrown away from it, as the sword fierce rejected them. Many a would-be thief had been found injured in this way. And according to some tales, separate from legend, some had, upon touching the hilt, simply keeled forward as their breath left them; never to move again.
One after another; men young and old; farmers, schoolboys and soldiers alike; ceremoniously bowed to their king, who watched over proceedings with his daughter, and gingerly approached the celebrated blade to claim the prize; but none prevailed.
Zelda, bored with the uneventful proceedings, had begun to let her eyes wander. She lazily scanned the waiting group; who's numbers had despairingly dwindled into single digits.
It was among this group that Zelda noticed a young man, not much older than herself, staring; not at the sword, but at herself.
He was dressed in the garb of the Hyrulean Knights, who directly protected the castle and its inhabitants, but the insignia he wore suggested that he was only a cadet; no one of any real importance or worth.
His hair was long enough to be pulled back into a ponytail and upon his ears were piercings; which told Zelda that he was not someone who always played by the rules.
His steadfast, almost piercing gaze slightly unnerved the princess and she returned her attention back to the main event, cheeks slightly flushed with agitation. The impertinence of that man!
Zelda momentarily closed her eyes and took in a deep, reviving breath in order to calm her rattled nerves.
But, her curiosity was piqued; she found herself watching him once again, however, he had turned his intense look to the prize sitting in front of him, as another took his chance.
This challenger, a man in his middle age who had a smile of quiet confidence on his face, approached the sword and with both hands grabbed for the hilt.
It's rejection was immediate and forceful.
The man screamed and was tossed into the air, hurtling towards the few remaining challengers.
Zelda gasped and stood, as the refused man flew past her, and watched in disbelief as the ponytailed man from before, simply sidestepped away from harm and watched as the remaining competition were flattened beneath a fellow challenger.
As the townsfolk clambered to assist the fallen, Zelda concentrated on the remaining competitor who, without the usual bow of curtesy, pushed his was through the gathering crowd, towards the legendary blade.
His eyes seemed to greet it like an old friend and with one swift movement, grabbed the hilt, and as if the stone dais had been mere paper, smoothly lifted it out and pointed the blade skyward.
The people nearest to him stared in awe, before some began to clap and cheer. Others, not immediately aware of the proceedings, began to realise and join in and the cheering grew.
The hero of legend had been found! They were safe! What a momentous day!
Some came forward and patted the victorious man on the back, smiling and offering congratulations.
The young man himself, however, looked to be elsewhere in his mind, and upon lowering the sword, broke from his reverie and turned to face his king, but always looking at Zelda.
The king stood and the townspeople shrank back in reverence, bowing their heads.
Zelda, realising that she too, was standing, took a step back, so that her father commanded the spotlight.
The new hero knelt; placing the Master Sword before him.
In his booming voice, the king proclaimed that Hyrule had found its hero once again and that he will henceforth, as the legend dictates, serve his daughter as her personal knight, aiding her until the time comes for his true duty; to defeat the terrible Calamity Ganon and save this great land from evil.
The people cheered as the king beckoned to his daughter to step forward; announcing that the swearing in ceremony would take place the following day; performed by his daughter: Zelda, Princess of Hyrule, and in the presence of the four Champions.
The king then retired, leaving Zelda on the stage, amid raucous cheering; a sure sign of a celebration that would last into the night.
The townspeople dispersed, making loud celebration plans.
Zelda was troubled. She stood frozen to the spot, thinking hard on everything that had happened, and everything to come.
Then a sudden movement startled her into realising that there was someone still there.
During her reverie, the young hero had risen to his feet and stuck the blade into his belt which hang from his waist; the Master Sword's sheath would be given during tomorrow's ceremony; she will be the one to give it to him.
Remaining silent, her new "shadow" as she had been calling him in her thoughts, turned to join the numerous parties that were starting in his honour. Deciding that it was in her best interest to be at least civil; she called out to him;
"Won't you-!" She began, loud enough for the youth to hear.
Her sudden cry stopped him in his tracks and he turned; brilliant blue eyes fixed on hers.
Zelda started again; her colour rising,
"Won't you please tell me your name?"
The young hero smiled and calmly walked up to the base of the stage.
Bowing slightly, yet never lowering his eyes, he simply replied;
"My name is Link."