Once Upon a Hyrule
By Brooke R. Wachter
An annoying and whiny voice pierced Link's skull. "Wake up Link!" He woke slowly and yawned. The remnants of his, probably good, dream drifted away. A blue light fluttered across his vision. Then another, and another. He sat up in bed. Many blue fairies floated across the room. Better get started. He climbed out of bed and went to his shelf. Bottles and bottles were piled unmannerly on it. He grabbed one bottle and swung it in the air catching one fairy in it. He quickly closed it and returned it to its place on the shelf. He then did that until all the fairies were caught in bottles. The left over bottles he put in his apron as he tied it around his waist. In the distance he heard many bells ringing and the shuffle of feet. Crap! He thought. Let's hope my stepfather doesn't realize I just woke up!
He hurried out of his room and immediately walked into the kitchen. "Your lucky I didn't tell your father you were sleeping." A voice said from behind the counter. Link looked behind it and saw Saria, the head maid, picking a pot off the floor. A liquid, that was most likely Link's family's breakfast, was all over the floor.
"And your lucky I don't tell him every time you drop a pot." Link replied and reached for a rag to help clean up the mess.
"It wasn't her, it was me."
Link turned and frowned at the back of a girl named Aryll. She had her face in the corner. "Aryll, why are you in the corner?" he asked.
"Because I put her there." Saria answered for her. "I told her to stay in the corner so she couldn't cause anymore trouble" Saria stood up and wiped her dirty brow.
Link shook his head. "This seems a little unnecessary. She isn't a child."
"That coming from the one that calls her kid all the time. Now get working! I can't keep your father in his bed. I made a second pot on the stove." Saria retorted.
Link nodded and got out three trays and three bowls. He filled each bowl with the liquid from the pot and made sure to cool one of them for his younger step brother. He then put them on each tray and carried one tray on his head and the other two in his hands. He smiled at Aryll when she turned her head out of the corner to wave at Link as he climbed the stairs. He heard Saria yell at her to put her head back in the corner. Climbing the stairs was the worst part about every morning. How did he do it?
First into Zant's room. "Good morning Zant. I got your breakfast."
"Is it hot?" he asked.
"No it isn't. I checked." Link replied calmly.
"You better be right." he snarled. He sipped his soup and immediately spit it out. "What is this!" he screeched.
"I don't know, Saria made it." Link said in a calm voice.
"I thought I told you to make Aryll make my meals from now on! I hate Saria's cooking!" he screeched louder.
"I'm sorry Zant. I'll do that next time." Link said still maintaining his calm.
"You better!" Zant yelled almost losing his voice. Link left the room and sighed. Now for Ghirahim.
"Hello my pet." he said before Link had entered the room.
"Hello Ghirahim." Link shivered slightly.
"I asked you to address me as master." Ghirahim chimed.
Link placed his tray on the bed. "And I thoughtfully declined. But thanks for the offer." Link turned to leave.
"Why don't you try some them."
"Do we have to do this every morning?" Link turned and saw Ghirahim holding his bowl out to him. He nodded. Link walked forward and took a sip from the bowl. The hot frothy liquid seeped down Link's throat and woke him up a little more. "There." said Link wiping his mouth. "Not poisoned."
Ghirahim licked his lips and downed the liquid as Link left the room. Now for stepfather.
When Link opened the door to his stepfather's room he heard snorting. "Hello stepfather."
"It's sir or sir Ganondorf to you."
"Yes sir. Your breakfast sir." Link said with a straight face. He put the last tray on his stepfather's bed and walked to the door, trying to avoid an unnecessary conversation.
"Don't forget Bulbo." The snorting pig shuffled through the dark and walked out the door. Link nodded and followed it out.
The pig walked ahead of Link down the stairs, snorting happily. Stupid pig. Wish it was a dog. Link thought. When they walked into the kitchen Saria was placing fresh corn in a dish for Bulbo. Link took the dish and smiled his thanks as he walked out into the courtyard by the cucco pen and the stables.
The cucco lady was throwing seed into the pen and gave him a little wave as he walked to the stables. "Good morning Epona." Link patted his tan horse. She was a good horse but had no shoes. Link set down the pig's meal in his outdoor pen to eat in. Bulbo snorted some more and happily ate. He didn't have much personality for a pet. Link got a brush and started to brush his horse down. She whinnied and nudged him back.
When he was done with taking care of his horse, he headed to the blacksmith shop on the grounds. He put on his wielding clothes and started working.
He made a fire and burned a half finished sword in it. He then beat on it with a hammer and cooled it in water. Why did I get this life? Link pondered.
. . .
"I know sire, but..."
"No buts, we must have it tonight!" the king of Hyrule angrily shouted at Darunia, his adviser.
"We can't just have a ball sire! We need time to prepare!"
"If I say tonight, that means tonight."
"What's tonight?" a silky voice asked.
The king turned to look at his daughter. "Well, um."
"Well spit it out!" she demanded.
"We are having a ball... to find you a suitor." he rushed out.
A long screech filled the halls of the castle. "What?!"
"Now calm down dear! It's just marriage!"
"I'm not getting married ever!" she shouted.
"I think it sounds delightful!" Zelda's mulatto friend strutted into the room, with her other friend following.
"Midna! Fi! What are you two doing here?" she hugged her best friends.
"We heard you were going to look for suitors." Fi stated plainly.
"I'm not getting married!"
"Come on! I'll get to browse the suitors!" Midna put her arm around Zelda's shoulders. "Also, you need a king if you want to rule. Otherwise, he will rule." she pointed to the princess's little brother who sat in the middle of a table covered in sugar and other food. He smiled with a mouth full of food.
"Your right. Alright father, I'll pick a suitor tonight, but let everyone come. I hate the princes." Zelda sighed.
Her father kissed her head and dragged his adviser out of the room. "Thanks dear! You won't regret it!"
Zelda sighed again. "I'm already regretting it."
"Oh come on! It'll be fun! Right Fi?" Midna chimed.
"I will find the suitor with the best genetics to go with yours." she answered.
"Well there you go! You can't deny genetics!" Midna patted Fi on the back. She turned and stared at her.
. . .
"I told you to have this sword done by the time I was done teaching your brothers German!" Link's stepfather screeched at him.
"I'm sorry sir, I tried but,"
"But what?! There is no excuse!" he put his head in his hands. "At least do you have horse shoes for mine and your brothers' horses?"
Link nodded and rushed to grab the metal shoes from the work bench. "Here sir."
Ganondorf took them and examined them. "At least your good for something. Finish that sword and bring it to me when you are done. As punishment, you get to help the boys practice their fighting tomorrow." He marched away.
"Not again!" Link grumbled. The last time he had fought with the boys he had been kicked in the face and pushed in the mud because he wasn't allowed to fight back. He never had a chance to show what he had learned just watching his stepbrothers fight. And he didn't even know he had an ability to fight.
"MAAAAAAAIL! GET YOUR MAIL!"Link rushed to the screaming post man. "The king has invited any man that could possibly be a suitor to the princess to come to the royal ball. Why even you could go! Give this to the master of the house." Link nodded and rushed inside.
"Zant, where is sir Ganondorf?" Link asked to the brother screeching at the maids again.
"What? He's in the study. He doesn't want to be bothered. Hey, whats in your hand?" Zant tried to grab it away from Link
Crap! If I can't bother him in his study, I know someone who can.
"Hey Zant."
"What?"
"This is a letter from the king, if you give this to your father first before Ghirahim, he might reward you."
"Really?"
"Really." Zant may have been older, but he had the mind of a little kid. He rushed up the stairs so fast Link didn't even see him rip the letter out of his hands. In the distance you could hear Zant squealing with joy at reading the letter.
"Link, Ghirahim! Come to my study now!"
"Well what could he want I wonder." Link hadn't noticed his stepbrother come up behind him. He shivered. "Lets go see, shall we pet?" They took to the stairs and climbed to the fourth floor and walked into their father's study.
"There you are. Ghirahim, Link already knows this but the king is having a royal ball tonight and all eligible suitors are invited."
"I would love to woo the princess." Ghirahim bowed.
"I want the princess!" pouted Zant.
"And that's why you will never have her." Ghirahim retorted. "Your too demanding. You have to let her pick you."
"Then I'll let her pick me!" Zant practically screamed.
"Boys!" their father spoke quiet but firm. Both turned to look at him. "Both will get the chance." Link stayed quiet. "As for you Link, you may go as well."
"What!?" came from two annoyed step brothers, but no one was as surprised as Link.
"But,..." He stuttered.
"It says all eligible suitors. That includes Link. If he can find a good outfit and get a saddle and shoes for his horse." Ganondorf continued.
"I will!" Link shouted eagerly and was about to leave when his stepfather stopped him.
"And Link, don't forget to make our horse shoes and saddles. And tell Saria to make us some outfits that will please a princess, to behold."
"But I just made you new horse shoes!"
"We want new ones." he responded smiling.
A small smile crept on Ghirahim's face. Zant was still pouting over Link being able to go that he didn't get it and just stood there with a dumb look on his face.
Link nodded and left in a hurry to start. There was still a chance he could go if he hurried. He stopped at the kitchen to talk to Saria then headed off to his shop.
Though all hours of the day you could hear him cutting, smashing, and cooling metal.
An hour before the ball, Link's step family came to see if what they asked for was ready. They rode up on horses wearing the new outfits Saria had just made. Link quickly caught the fairy floating in the air above him and put it into one of the empty bottles in his belt.
"Hello sir." Link said stepping out into the open.
"Link, did you finish our saddles and horse shoes?" Ganondorf asked.
"Yes sir." he presented them with their items.
"What's that?" asked Ghirahim. He gestured to the extra saddle and 4 horse shoes.
"Well I have good news. I was able to make my..." Link started to say.
"Oh thank you Link for the extra horse shoes for our horses." Ganondorf smiled. Ghirahim stepped off his horse.
"But..."
"Yes thank you stepbrother." Ghirahim walked towards Link while Zant also got off his horse. "And look at this saddle. I find it better than my own. I want this one instead." he looked at Zant and for once he caught on and showed signs of intelligence.
"But I would also like to have it." Zant said smiling.
"Then lets split it." Ghirahim said. He took the saddle in one hand and the sword Link had made for his stepfather in the other and split the saddle in half. "Oops, looks like it has no use now. Oh well." he dropped the now cut saddle in the dirt and went back to his horse. Zant grabbed the horse shoes and also went back to his horse.
"Oh, here Link." Ganondorf threw to the ground a, stomped on by horses, sea-blue tunic. "Saria made it for you. We couldn't get it to you in time." he and the brothers trotted away on their horses and headed towards the castle. "Oh, and I was told that there was a fairy in the stables. Get rid of it."
Link waited until his step family had left, to cry. Normally men don't cry, but at this moment Link was a boy. He cried for a little while then wiped his blue eyes and went to the stables. He saw no sign of fairies so he decided to brush Epona.
What was his life coming to? A boy that served men was not highly respected in his time. He shoved his face into Epona's mane.
Out of the corner of his eyes he saw a green light. He turned and saw a fairy. It was bigger than most and other fairies were blue. Was it a trick of the light, or did it just get a little bigger? A light tune played in the air. (Input great fairy song.) It grew and grew and as it grew so did the brightness of it's light and Link had to shield his eyes so he wouldn't be blinded.
"Hello Link." the light faded and before him stood a woman dressed in vines and leaves. He adverted his gaze. "Don't be ashamed. Look at me." and he did. She was beautiful and on either side of her were two fairies. "To my left is Navi. She is responsible for waking you up." the fairy seemed to glow a little brighter. "On my right is Tatl. She watches your progress and reports to me. We would like to thank you for saving all my fairies from your stepfather. He doesn't understand how much they like to wander." she giggled.
"Who are you?" asked a bewildered Link.
"I am the great fairy. I watch over others that need protection." she responded.
"Why are you here?"
"A prophecy was told that a man such as yourself needed to be at the ball for a certain fate to pass. I have watched you and found, you fit the description."
"What?" he asked confused.
"Walk with me." she walked towards Epona and took her reins and headed out of the stable. Link followed.
They walked together for a time and stopped in front of Link's shop with a saddle and tunic still on the ground in front of it. To Link's surprise the great fairy touched the tunic and it turned a bright shade of green which she told Link to put on. He took the tunic and went into his shop.
When he came out, he saw Epona washed up and wearing golden horse shoes. Her mane was brushed and she wore a polished saddle with gold embroider on the side of it. He nearly gasped. "Wear this." the great fairy gave him a sash to wear over his tunic and on it were many medals. He slipped it over his head.
"What is this?" he pointed to a metal with 3 triangles that came together to make a bigger triangle.
"That is a symbol of legend called the triforce." she pointed to one of the triangles. "That one means courage, which I know you have." Link beamed. "Get on your horse and ride to the castle." Link mounted his horse.
"Hey hey listen listen!" he recognized the annoying voice he heard when he woke up in the morning. "The magic only lasts till midnight so don't stay over or the people will all know your only a servant boy." Link grimaced at those words but nodded. He headed off.
"Navi, be careful what you say to people." the great fairy said as they watched Link ride off into the distance.
. . .
"Introducing, Prince Groose! And his advisers Cawlin and Stritch!" Darunia announced. Zelda and Midna laughed at the Prince's interesting taste in hair choice.
"Princess." he greeted her, hair flopping.
"Prince." she bowed giggling.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her close. "I would like to confess my love for you and I know you love me back because everyone loves me."
She managed to wriggle free. "You genetics are a 56% match with his'." Fi spoke up bored.
"Sorry bub. Don't match up enough." Midna said pushing him towards his advisers. They had to drag him out of the room while he started spewing poetry. "Awe he was kinda sweet though." Midna said in a baby voice. "And his hair was to die for." both Midna and Zelda laughed.
"Introducing sir, um sirs the know it all brothers!" three brothers stepped forward and smiled. They tried to all bow at once and knocked into each other.
"At least they aren't Princes." said Zelda.
"But too many of them." stated Midna. They bowed one at a time then carried on.
"Introducing, oh dear." the announcer didn't need to finish.
All the candles in the room went out then back on and a man wearing a monster mask was standing in front of the princess. "Prince Majora, my lady." he took her hand and kissed it.
"May I see your face?" she asked trying not to shudder.
"Maybe in your dreams..." he said practically floating away. Zelda looked at Midna and watched her friend shudder for the first time.
"No." was all she uttered.
"Anyway, introducing sir Ghirahim and sir Zent."
The younger one spoke up. "It's Zant you idiot! Zant!"
The older one came forward. "Sorry about my brother. Pleased to meet you." he kissed Zelda's hand and made a distasteful 'hmm'.
Zelda looked at Midna again and mouthed the word 'rude!' at her. She nodded. Fi kept her look of boredom.
"Introducing sir Mido!" a boy that was about average came up to Zelda and smiled. Midna gave a thumbs up. Zelda smiled back. They were about to bow at each other when a sight caught Zelda's eyes. She gasped.
"Oh my." Fi spoke suddenly having interest. "95% match."
"Oh my is right. Go meet him!" Midna said. They all stared at a young man with blond hair and blue eyes who wore a green tunic. The man in front of Zelda flashed anger in his eyes but moved to join the crowd.
"Introducing,... oh forget it." Darunia left his post as he saw the Princess and the strange man walk up to each other.
"Hello Zelda." Link bowed to her.
"Hello." she responded shyly. "What is your name?"
"I do not wish to be called by my true name tonight for although I am no prince, tonight I am your prince."
Zelda turned a deep shade of red. "Would you like to dance?" she asked.
"Yes I would." Link smiled. They took each other into a dance position and danced to the song the band decided to play. (Input song of storms.)
When the song was over they laughed and headed over to the food table. "Will you ever tell me your name?" asked Zelda.
"If we ever meet outside of this ball, I will." I high pitched flute could be heard under the table. Zelda sighed.
"Come on out." she said. A boy came out from under the table. "This is my brother G..." he kicked her leg. "Skull kid." she shot him a warning glance.
"Nice to meet you." Link offered his hand. The boy shook it then ran off playing a song on his flute. (Input Saria's song.) "Interesting boy." said Link.
"He's kinda shy about his name." Zelda explained.
"Oh." Link looked at the clock. It was 5 minutes from tolling midnight. "I must run." he dashed towards the stairs of the castle with a princess following.
"Wait!" she called. He didn't. Something shiny fell off of his shirt and fell on the ground. She stopped and picked it up. It was a tiny triangle. She looked but he was already gone. She held the piece of metal to her chest and went back to the ball.
. . .
Link hurried away on his horse. As they rode he noticed his green tunic slowly turn the color of blue and brown mud began to appear. He rode on. They were coming down the path that led to the house when Epona tripped because one of her new shoes came off. He walked her the rest of the way looking back at the left overs of horse shoes and saddle bits that trailed behind. He put her in the stables and cleaned up his mess. After dressing in his clothes, he went to his room and locked the door. All the fairies in their bottles were released once again into his room for the night.
. . .
Zelda roused the next morning with a plan. She set out on her horse and she wore a cloak over her head.
She went into the lower town and road her horse through the streets. She saw many people but they all avoided eye contact with her. One man, however, came up to her and he had his clothes hidden under a green cloak. "Rupees? Miss?" he stood next to her horse and stroked the side of it.
"Oh, here." she took out a small pouch and handed it to him. "Your name?"
He removed his cloak and it was a man wearing a green fairy suit. "Tingle tingle kola-imp-pa!" he ran away with the pouch.
"Interesting man."
"Hello Darunia." Zelda greeted her father's adviser.
"Hello Princess." he rode his horse up next to hers.
"You here to take me home." she asked irritated.
"No, the king told me to help you. He kicked me out of the castle." he briefly remembered the king literally kicking him down the steps of the castle.
"Oh." Zelda said. "Well let's go."
They rode on up and down the street for someone that fit the boy's description but everyone they asked would ignore them. "Please?" Zelda asked a man showing him her face.
"Your highness!" he bowed and Zelda quickly made him stand.
"Have you seen a blond boy with blue eyes?"
"The only blond boy I know is Link who lives at the big house down that street." the man answered.
"Thank you!" she said excited. With one hiyah, she was riding her horse down the street. Darunia quickly followed.
"What would royalty want with Link, the servant?" the man asked himself as he walked away.
. . .
"That's what you get!"
"I don't know what your talking about!" Link pleaded to his stepbrothers.
"Please! We saw you at the ball! Father saw you too! He has chosen to let us do our worst!" Zant yelled and cut at Link with a sword from his horse.
Link used the wooden shield to block the attack. The power of it sent him to the ground. He tried to get up but Ghirahim added to it with another blow and Link lay on the ground out of breath. The step brothers got off their horses and came toward Link. Ghirahim raised his sword to Link's throat.
"That's enough." both boys got back on their horses and rode back to the house. Ganondorf stood over Link. "Get up."
Link got up. "Why did you make them stop?"
"We have guests over. Go to your room."
"But...,"
"It's the princess and her adviser. Go to your room."
Link nodded and went.
. . .
"Hello princess. Nice to see you again." Ghirahim said surprised when he saw her in his living room.
"I heard a blond boy lives here." she said pushing towards the point.
"Oh my princess, I wished to tell you sooner."
"What?"
"I wore a disguise at the ball after you saw me before. I wanted you to see me as who I am on the inside."
"Really? Then where did you wear this?" she held up the piece of triangle that fell off of her prince when he left.
Ghirahim looked to his brother for help but he was playing with the adviser's shoes. "Oh details." he tried and saw she was not convinced. "Um, I think on my belt?"
She sighed. "It's alright dear. We will find him." Darunia said kicking Zant in the face to get to her.
"Do you know? She asked the younger brother holding his face.
He smiled then frowned and shook his head.
"I do." said a voice from the top of the stairs.
Zelda smiled, "Then come down!"
"I'm not the one your looking for." Saria came down with Aryll at her side. "What the lords aren't saying is that there is another male in the house. He's in his room." Aryll nodded trying to look defiant.
"Why you little...," Ghirahim for the first time showed his mad face. It was frightening and Aryll had to hide behind Saria.
"Show him to me!" Zelda held Ghirahim up by his expensive collar which knocked his madness away and turned him into a puddle in her grip. He weakly pointed to the door to Link's room. She dropped him and went to the door. He stayed on the floor.
"Are you..., What?" she gasped entering his room. He was sitting up on his bed but that's not what surprised her. It was the fairies that fluttered around his room. He quickly got off his bed and bowed to her.
"Hello, I wasn't expecting company." he winked at Aryll and Saria. Aryll winked back and Saria rolled her eyes. "My name is Link."
"I heard." said Zelda disappointed at his clothes. Well he wasn't rich but he wasn't a stuck up prince either. She smiled. "Can you tell me where this was on you at the ball?"
He took it and two other triangles like it that were connected and put the one back in it's place. "Yeah, it was with these on my sash. They're medals. The one you had meant courage"
Overwhelmed with joy Zelda jumped on Link and kissed him. Surprised he fell on the floor. "Sorry!" she said getting off him.
He stood up and smiled, "That's okay." he blushed. He cocked his head at her when she started to leave. She turned around to face him.
"You coming?"
"Where?"
"The castle! Come on!" she dragged him out the door. They stopped in front of Aryll.
"Take this." she handed Link a telescope. "A wedding present."
"Thanks Aryll!" he hugged her. "I always thought of you as my sister." she smiled.
Zelda grabbed him and walked to her horse outside. "Crap! I didn't bring you one."
"That's okay! I got one." he whistled and Epona came running out of the stables. To his surprise she had new shoes and a new saddle. He got on her and Zelda got on her horse. They both yelled hiyah at the same time and their horses went running.
"Wait! I'm still here!" yelled the frantic Darunia running to his horse to catch up. He got on and rode off after them.
Ghirahim got off the floor and whined, "Father!" he ran up stairs with Zant.
They entered his room which was dark and Bulbo was sleeping in front of the door. "Father?"
"Don't come near me!" he warned.
"Father are you all right?" asked Zant starting to blubber.
The brothers stepped forward to see their father covered in leathery sink and a big pink nose. "Swine flu." he said with an oink that followed.
"That's what you get for hurting my kind!"
a tiny annoying voice seemed to laugh in the distance.