Choices

-0-Crimson-0-Nightshade-0-

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda… or the awesomeness that is Dark Link.

Summary: Zelda must make a decision, a decision that she must make for the good of Hyrule. But how will the best decision sit with her heart? (DLxZel)

Note: I am not sure what the throne room of Hyrule castle looked like in OoT, so I will be describing the throne room from TP. And I want you all to thank my wonderful Beta CrimsonKaoru!!! Lets hear a big hand for her!!

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Zelda knew why Ganondorf, the Gerudo King, had summoned her. No feelings were betrayed, however, as she strode purposefully forwards, her flaxen hair flowing out behind her. Her face was set in a determined stare, blue eyes blazing, mouth tightened into a thin, angry line. Her delicate gloved hands were balled into fists so tight that her nails were digging into her skin. Her dress of white and pink silk whipped around her in the gentle breeze.

She paused when she reached the door to the Gerudo King's palace. Her hand quivered inches away from the knocker, for Zelda knew what awaited her in that castle. A choice that could alter the events in Hyrule forever; a choice between her duties, and her heart.

Sudden fear crossed her face, and she squeezed her eyes shut, grasping the knocker. She knocked three times, and each was like a blow to her heart.

Slowly, the door opened, and a grotesque creature appeared. It had blue skin, and a wide mouth filled with hundreds of sharp teeth. Two filthy tufts of white hair failed to cover its balding head. Its too-thin body was covered only from the hips down; all else was left uncovered. The creature's orange eyes widened with malicious glee when it saw who had come to its master's door, and it smiled at the princess, baring rotten teeth. It turned and chattered in its own language for a few seconds before turning back to the princess and saying in heavily accented Hylian, "My master has been waiting for you, Princess of Hyrule."

Zelda nodded stiffly and entered, following the bokoblin through the halls of what was once her castle.

As they passed through the hallways that she knew so well, she took care not to see what Ganondorf had done with the place. So instead, she stared at the back of the creature before her. They reached the throne room and Zelda finally looked up, gasping at what she saw. The statue paying tribute to the Goddesses was in pieces, although the rendering of the Triforce was still intact. She took a deep breath and looked to the throne.

On what was once her father's seat of power sat a man about six feet in height. His skin was a grotesque green color, but his eyes, gleaming with malice, were bright amber. His head was covered in a mane of bright red hair and he wore heavy black armor courtesy of his constant paranoia that he would be overthrown. His hands were folded on his lap, although they moved to the arms of the throne once he saw whom he was to be addressing. A smirk of epic proportions crossed his face and he stood, folding his hands behind his back.

"Princess Zelda," he called in a deep baritone, "so glad you could make it!" His sarcasm was clear. They both knew that Zelda had to come here to meet the King of Evil. Both knew that Ganondorf wouldn't hesitate to kill the princess of Hyrule if she didn't exactly as he said. "So," he said as he began to walk towards her, "you must be tired from your walk over here; I know the dungeons are far away."

Zelda remained silent, and she refused the chair that a bokoblin offered her. Ganondorf's smirk faded and a look of hatred took its place. "All right, princess, we both know why you're here. I have a choice for you. A choice, between two men that you know. One is the Hero of Time." Zelda had expected that, but she acted surprised all the same. Ganondorf smirked and continued, "And the other, my dear princess, is the shadow of the hero."

At this Zelda almost lost her composure; how could Ganondorf have known about that?! The moment that the Gerudo King had mentioned that name, she was overwhelmed by a rush of memories. She had met Dark Linksome time after she had met the Hero of Time. At first, she had actually though he was the Hero. He had come to her in the night, probably sent by Ganondorf to kill her. She had been frightened and asked who he was. The shadow had gotten confused and replied that he didn't know. They spoke for a while, and the shadow decided that he didn't want to kill Zelda. So he decided to lie to Ganondorf and return to the princess whenever he could. The two started to see each other every night. They would talk and joke and have a great time. In time, they began to fall in love.

Seven years passed and once Zelda revealed herself, the shadow would often visit her in the dungeons. He never told her that he was fighting the Hero of Time when he wasn't with her. It was here, in these secret meetings, that they first kissed. Ganondorf must have noticed something—the shadow's lighter mood, or the hours he spent in the dungeons—but soon, the shadow stopped coming to see the princess.

Zelda jerked back to reality and returned her face to its normal emotionless state. There was a look of almost glee on Ganondorf's face as he watched her reaction. Finally she asked, "And what will I be choosing between them for?"

At this, Ganondorf's smirk widened. "One will die today," he said simply.

"Bring them in!" he commanded of the two Stalfos Knights that guarded the door. They attempted to smile, but being a skeleton has its disadvantages. They opened the door, and two more Stalfos Knights led two men into the room.

The first walked in steadily, almost calmly. He wore a tattered green tunic and hat. On the man's back was a beautiful sword in a sheath with gold trimmings. He had hair the color of corn silk and eyes as blue as the sky. The moment the Hero of Time saw the woman he loved, the moment he saw Zelda, he began to fight his captors.

The second man was nowhere near as calm. He was held by at least twice as many chains. He struggled madly and probably would have been shouting insults to the Gerudo King if he hadn't been gagged. He wore a well taken care of black tunic and hat, although now both were soiled with dirt. His jet-black hair whipped around furiously as his crimson eyes glared at any monster in the room. When he saw the princess, his mad fight against his restraints stopped. He simply stared from Zelda to Ganondorf. The startling thing about the men was the fact that they were identical.

The Stalfos Knights forced them to their knees and held them still. Both looked at Zelda and avoided Ganondorf's eyes. Ganondorf looked down at the men and to the princess.

"Choose."

Zelda glanced between the two men mystified. How could she make a decision like this? She knew that for the good of Hyrule she should choose the Hero of Time. And yet her heart cried out for the man beside him to be chosen. If she chose Dark Link, the hero's shadow, the worlds only chance of freedom would die and the world would fall to darkness, leaving Ganondorf to rule forevermore. And if she chose Link, Hyrule would be saved, but the man she loved would be dead. A single tear ran down her face as she prepared to make her decision. She spoke one word and one word alone.

"Dark."

The shadow's head snapped up and his face softened. Ganondorf laughed raucously and lifted his hand to smite the Hero of Time. But before he could use his magic, Dark Link smiled crookedly and shook his head.

"No."

Ganondorf's face took on an ugly look. He turned to look at the shadow. "What did you say, boy?" he growled.

"I said no," Dark said, almost stubbornly, "the Hero of Time won't be dying today."

Ganondorf snarled and pushed Link towards the princess. He grabbed Dark Link by his hair and pulled his head back. The King of Evil leaned down and snarled at him, "You know you're a traitor, don't you?" Dark smirked in reply, and Ganondorf signaled to his minions to open the curtains. "Well, Dark, if you are to live as a shadow, then you are to die like one!"

Dark's eyes widened in terror but other than that, he showed no sigh of even caring about his death. He simply gave the King of Evil a strong if a bit frightened look. Ganondorf smirked grabbing him by the collar and threw him in the pool of sunlight. The shadow of the Hero screamed in agony and began to burn. He writhed in utter agony and tried to find a place of darkness. He clawed his way to the edge of the light, and managed to escape it. There he lay in a heap of burned cloth and skin. Ganondorf scoffed. "Leave him, he'll die soon enough."

Throughout the shadow's moments in the light, Zelda struggled madly against Link's strong arms. She wanted to help Dark― no she needed to. By the time Dark was free of the light, the three were left alone. The princess of Hyrule forcefully broke Link's grip on her. She hurried forward to reach battered form of the shadow.

"So, Zelda," Link's voice rang out from across the room, "you would rather choose for Hyrule to be in darkness, than in light?"

As the Princess worried over Dark's burned form, she called back, "Link, you… you don't understand."

"No, I don't," he murmured as he walked over. He looked Zelda in the eyes and asked, "You would rather have the shadow of someone than the real thing?!"

"I love him!" As soon as the words left her lips, she regretted them. The look of disgusted heartbreak on Link's face was too much to bear.

"Zelda…" came the raspy whisper below her. She looked down at Dark, tears beginning to form in her eyes."You," he began, "you need to know something..."

She gently touched his shoulder. "What is it?" she whispered.

"I..." he started, but at that moment, the burns that coveredhis body became to much to bear, and he slipped into unconsciousness.

Zelda held his body close and began a silent prayer to the Goddesses, begging them to spare the man she loved from death...

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The Meeting