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Chapter 1
It had been a long two years since Midna had shattered the mirror.
Link was still adjusting to living normally again. Ordon had welcomed him as warmly as always, but had never been able to get his story out of him. It was just too painful. Too traumatic. People don't come back from experiences like that easily.
For a while, he had brooded over Midna's absence. Then, when his heart had finally let him give her up, he began brooding about everything else that he had done. He reflected on all the bloodshed he had left behind in his quest to save Hyrule. He sometimes even wondered if he had done the right thing.
Link wiped the sweat from his brow and leaned against the shovel he was using, taking a moment's rest. The sun was slowly drifting down towards the horizon, and he estimated it to be about four in the afternoon. It had been a long day of hard work. The Ordon pumpkins needed planting. The villagers had to start early in the year because of the amount of time required to grow the giant pumpkins.
To Link, it felt like he had filled at least four fields with the seeds, but a quick scan of the surrounding area told him that he was still finishing up on his first. He cursed quietly at the realization, and then sighed. A few minutes later, the field was complete
"Fado, I'm going home for the night. I'm done with this field." He called out to one of the other villagers nearby. The young man nodded and gave him a thumbs-up, but otherwise said nothing.
Link dropped his shovel off at the communal storage shed outside the village, and then made his way through the goat farm and into Ordon. Bo waved to him as he passed by, and he slapped on a big, fake smile so that the mayor wouldn't be concerned. Bo was always asking about his wellbeing, never quite venturing onto the touchy subject of his travels, but always hinting that he wanted to know about them.
I wish I could tell you, Bo. I really do. Link thought as he crossed the bridge into the main section of Ordon. He glimpsed Rusl returning to his house, with Uli on the front porch to welcome him home. Colin, their son, was out in the front yard beating a straw dummy to death with a wooden sword. Their two-year-old daughter, Rita, was watching him in awe.
Past the store and out of the village, Link's house awaited. It was just as he'd left it, with the front door locked, windows and shutters shut, and the lights off. This was how it would stay all night. He preferred if nobody knew he was home, because they wouldn't ask questions.
He had never truly accepted the mantle of a hero. After everything was said and done, he had refused any accolades offered to him, as well as many offers to write a biography of that eventful year he spent wandering Hyrule in search of a way to defeat the spreading darkness. Requests from Princess Zelda to allow him to be commissioned as an officer in the Hylian military had been flat out ignored. Link wanted no part in leadership. She had even traveled to his house to beg him in person, but it had been futile.
How can I ever get people to follow me into battle if I can't even figure my own personal life out? He had thought as he set down the sixty-eighth letter from the princess a few days before. She still hadn't given up on him, and deep down he was touched. He usually returned the letters, as long as she wasn't asking him to take a job in the military.
Link hadn't seen Zelda in months. They had kept up regular correspondence, and he valued their awkward friendship more than anything he had in his life. It was difficult simply because she was so busy, not to mention the fact that she was royalty. They hadn't spent enough time with each other during Link's adventure to become close friends outside all of the calamity of her normal life.
As he unlocked the door, Link glanced at the small mailbox. There was a slight yearning in his eyes.
There's no way she sent another. Don't even bother looking. He thought to himself, turning the key in the door and walking inside. It's only been three days. I'm lucky if she sends me more than one per month.
The house was dark, as always. Link lit a candle in the kitchen and dug around in the pantry for food. There was hardly anything to choose from, but he managed to throw together some noodles and sauce for a small spaghetti dinner. It wasn't much, but it filled his stomach. That was all that mattered. Long days in the fields meant that he couldn't be stingy with the amount of food he ate.
Finally, when the light filtering through the shutters dimmed, Link made his way up to his bed.
Just another day. He thought sadly as he crawled under the covers and peered through the shutters into the evening sky. A year before, he would have thought of Midna and fallen into a deep depression. Now, though, he simply enjoyed being alone and watching the sunset. It helped him to stay sane.
Another day tomorrow. He reminded himself when the sun had dropped below the horizon.
And another day after that.
And another.
And another.
And another.
And another.
Another exasperated sigh escaped Link's lips as he rolled over and pulled the sheets up to his neck. He knew he shouldn't resent the life he had been given by the villagers in Ordon, but he couldn't help it. Goat herding and pumpkin growing were near the bottom of his list of interests.
"But what's at the top of that list?" He whispered to himself. It was an interesting question. He knew everything that he didn't want to do, but nothing that he did.
In fact, the only thing he was sure about was that he needed a change. This life was making him miserable.
He was amazed at how much he had changed from the eighteen-year-old boy that had left Ordon to save his friends. In one year, he had become a man.
He had also become a recluse. He held no fantasies about it. The only people he talked to on a regular basis were Rusl, Bo, and Fado.
As Link reflected over everything going on, his mind drifted to Ilia. She had gone absolutely crazy when she got back home, calling him her savior and nagging him constantly to try to get to the bottom of his reclusiveness.
…
"This is how I cope with it." Link said, hoping that Ilia would drop the subject. It was a futile effort, though. Ilia never dropped the subject.
"That doesn't matter!" She snapped angrily. "I'm trying to help you. You know that I care about you. Why are you doing this to yourself? Why are you doing this to me?"
It was more of an accusation than a question.
"You're just making it worse." Link replied, managing to hold his calm demeanor together. He didn't want to raise his voice at her. That wasn't how he handled anger.
"How could I possibly be making it worse?" Ilia growled. "It can't get any worse than it is now. All you do is mope in your house all day unless you're out in the fields. I haven't seen you in months. In fact, the only person I ever saw you let in was that funny brown-haired Hylian girl who came here last week. In the middle of the night, I might add. Why are you letting strange women in your house, but not even talking to me?"
"I don't see how that's any of your business." He shot back, having had quite enough of this conversation. He was alarmed that Ilia had seen Zelda. She had specifically travelled late at night so as not to attract attention. Even Link hadn't known that she was coming. "It's definitely not what you're thinking."
"Yeah, sure." Ilia scoffed. "I also noticed that you weren't in the fields the next day, but I never saw her leave. What's happened to you?"
"That's crossing a line." Link growled, trying not to show his fury. "Were you watching my house all night?"
"Yes, because I was concerned about you!"
Link clenched his fists tightly and took a deep breath. Once he had calmed down, he spoke in a more even tone.
"Ilia, you need to stop doing that. We've been over this before." He started, staring her dead in the eyes to make sure his point got across. "You're not my mother. I don't feel comfortable with you knowing everything about my personal life. Especially when all you're going to do is accuse me of things I'm not doing."
"What do you mean you're not comfortable with me knowing…" Ilia trailed off, staring at Link in disbelief. "When did that start? We've always been so close. I know everything about you! You've never been bothered by that before!"
"No, you only think you know me." He said, shaking his head. "I've changed. I'm not who you grew up with. I've been to hell and back. That changes anyone."
"Then why don't you just talk about it?!" Ilia was completely exasperated now. "Maybe if you talked about it, we could go back to how we used to be!"
"You think that talking about all the things I had to do will magically make them all disappear from my memory?" Link shot back. "You live in some fantasy world where you think that I want to go back to the way everything was before. Despite the burden that these memories are, I would never change what happened. I don't want or need help. Stop trying to force it on me."
He turned on his heel and walked away from Ordona's Spring, where they had been arguing. Ilia stared after him in shock, but for once in her life didn't attempt to stop him.
…
Link's night was filled with dreams of Ilia, Zelda and, surprisingly, Midna. Despite his bad memories before bed, the dreams had turned out to be surprisingly good, specifically when they involved Zelda.
"I should go see her." He muttered. It would be a nice change of pace, even though Fado definitely needed his help planting the fields. A few days off wouldn't affect anything in the long-term, though. He had weeks of planting left.
There simply weren't enough villagers, though. Even with every hand helping, their giant Ordon pumpkins would be growing too late into the season and be susceptible to frost damage in the later months. Late October was a dangerous time to still be growing pumpkins. One bad night could ruin thousands of plants.
As he ate a quick breakfast, Link shook off the notion of visiting Castle Town. As excited as he would have been to see his friend and the newly built castle, it just wasn't feasible. Fado definitely wouldn't let him go. Rusl and Bo certainly wouldn't be happy about it if he ditched them.
He was going to spend another hard day in the field whether he liked it or not. The day came and went without incident, and Link spent the next evening much the same as he had the day before, even down to having spaghetti again. Ilia knocked on the door three separate times, but he ignored her. He didn't want to talk to her. She always talked about the same things.
When he thought about it, he realized how much she had been nagging him about "that brown-haired Hylian girl." She brought it up almost every time they talked, and seemed way too interested in finding out who it was. For obvious reasons, he wasn't going to tell her that the monarch of Hyrule had made a secret nighttime visit to his house. That was sensitive information.
That night, Link crawled into bed and dreamt of his travels, like he usually did, and then woke up to another day in the field. He went about the same process, completing day after day. Time began to pass by in the blink of an eye as the days ran together. Many lonely nights blended together just as well, and his life settled into an unhappy routine, which was usually the case during planting season.
A month passed before all of the fields were planted. As was the tradition, Mayor Bo planted the final seed. In the fall, he would harvest the first and last pumpkins. When the last seed was planted, every villager cheered, although Link did for a very different reason than the rest. The long days of hard labor didn't bother him. Instead, he found himself hating his place in life more and more by the day.
It was time for a change, but he didn't know what to do.
I could always take Zelda up on that offer of a commission into the military. He mused as he walked back from the final seed planting ceremony. The idea was farfetched, though. He knew that he could never be an effective officer. He would never be a good soldier, either. He had grown up with too much freedom and too little respect for any chain of command. Even Zelda's authority didn't bother him too much. He still saw her as a person, rather than a monarch.
As he walked back through Ordon towards his house, he felt a small hand grab his and stop him.
"Link, stop."
He paused, recognizing Colin's voice.
"How's it going, Colin?" He asked, turning around to face the teenage boy. Colin was still young, but had filled out well in the past few years. He was losing his young boy look and turning into more of a man. He had hard, wiry muscle from hours spent practicing swordplay with both Link and his father, Rusl.
"I was wondering if you would be willing to come practice fighting with me for a little while now that planting season is over." He said nervously. "My father taught me a few things that I've been practicing, and I think I'll last longer."
Link looked at the sun, gauging the time. It was early morning, as the ceremony had, for obvious reasons, lasted only enough time to plant one seed.
"I've got some time. Do you want to use wooden swords?" He asked, altering his course and walking towards Rusl's house.
"Yeah, probably just wooden ones." Colin said, nodding. "I wouldn't want to hurt you when I win."
Link just laughed as he jumped over the creek. Colin followed right behind him, and then sprinted into his house to grab the practice swords. Link had made them a year before when Colin suffered an infection from a cut he had inflicted on accident. They were getting too light, but they would work for a few months. Colin certainly wasn't the only one that had been bulking up recently. Many of the women in the village had commented on how big Link's arms had grown.
The thought brought a small grin to Link's lips. He didn't remember having enjoyed the attention of women before he left originally, but it certainly mattered now. He chalked it down to being older and having had more time to think about it. It surprised him that he was more excited about it at twenty-one than he had been at eighteen, but shrugged it off as Colin ran out the door.
"You ready?" Link asked as Colin tossed him the larger sword.
"Ready as I'll ever be. Same rules as always?"
Link nodded.
"And exactly what rules are those?" Came a voice from behind Link. He turned around to see Mayor Bo watching them curiously.
Without warning, Link felt a sharp pain in his left side, and fell back away as Colin grinned triumphantly.
"There are no rules."
"Damn it, kid." Link groaned, clutching his side and fending off another blow.
"Hey, don't blame me." Colin taunted. "You're the one who made the rule about there being no rules."
Link took a deep breath and forced the pain from him mind. As he did so, he drew himself up to full height. Colin balked for a moment as he realized what he was up against, and Link took full advantage of his hesitation. He drove his sword hard into the boy's left side, where he only managed a panicked parry. A feint to the right with a quick twist brought the wooden sword down onto Colin's thigh.
Colin jumped back, more startled than actually hurt by the hit.
"Never lose focus." Link lectured, getting into his battle stance again. He lunged, driving the sword towards the boy's throat. At the last second, he dropped the point to the ground and used it to plant himself while he delivered a swift kick to the chest, which sent the boy flying.
"Just because I'm six foot five doesn't mean that you should be any more afraid of me." He continued, circling Colin as he crawled back to his feet. "You should be happy about that, simply because I'm a bigger target. Remember that I won't always use my sword as a weapon. I just caught you completely off guard with a kick, which would have left you open to any killing blow as you lay on the ground."
Colin was up faster than normal, circling carefully. Link was impressed with the boy's resilience. He would keep standing up until his body gave out or Link made him stop, which took immense determination. He had yet to make any kind of 'fatal' blow on Link, but was certainly getting the hang of things. In his eyes, Link could see a fire burning that would carry the boy far. If he were to move to Hyrule and join the military like his father had, he would be one of the greatest soldiers Link had ever known.
This time, Colin lunged, but twisted to Link's right. Link deflected the attack easily, and then knocked aside the lightning fast uppercut that followed. While Colin was reeling slightly, he brought the sword down on his arm, only to feel it smack into the dirt.
"Gotcha." Coin grinned. He had dodged the blow, and threw another one at Link's head. This one seemed too obvious. The fist that snaked out towards his stomach was just as easily deflected as the sword.
"You're trying to use my own tricks on me now?" Link asked with a light laugh. "I'm flattered."
Colin struck out again, this time at Link's wrists. Just as Link moved to deflect the attack, he twisted around and struck at his right side, but feigned again and barely managed to catch his left hand on the tip of his sword.
"Excellent." Link said, taking a step back. Colin, however, didn't stop to hear praise. Instead, he dove in again and pounded Link with a flurry of attacks, putting him completely on the defensive side of the fight. He parried blow after blow, but was stunned by Colin's speed. He had definitely been getting stronger over the past months.
Finally, Link caught a crack in Colin's offense and drove his fist into it. The boy fell back, but shook his head and drove forward again.
"Damn." Link muttered as he was forced to parry more attacks, surprised that Colin was still fighting. Before, he wouldn't have been able to keep going so quickly after a gut punch like that.
A quick glance around told him that a small crowd had gathered, including Rusl and Uli. Both parents enjoyed watching their son learn, and weren't overly concerned when he was knocked around. They both considered it a learning experience. The notion was working. Every time Link and Colin sparred, the younger boy would last longer. He was learning from his mistakes.
And then, in a moment of overzealousness, Colin dropped his defense to try and take Link out in one powerful blow. Within half a second, Link had kicked Colin's sword out of his hand and knocked him to the ground. He dropped on top of him and planted a knee on his chest, knocking the wind out of him.
"No matter how much of an upper hand you may believe you have, never underestimate your opponent and what he is still capable of." Link said sternly, holding the point of his sword under the boy's chin. "And never opt for power over precision. A real sword would never need that much power behind it to cut a man to shreds."
Colin nodded, and Link stood up, allowing him to breathe again. He helped the boy to his feet, and then dropped the stern expression.
"That was fantastic, Colin." He said, genuinely smiling at him. "You've learned a lot since the last time we did this. I've never seen you move so fast."
"It still wasn't good enough to beat you." He muttered unhappily.
"I have much more experience than you. That's not your fault. You'll surpass me one day soon if you keep improving like this."
Many of the people in the surrounding crowd clapped and cheered as Link and Colin dusted themselves off. As Link peered around, he saw Ilia standing beside her father. She was giving him a familiar stare. Link was going to have to talk to her whether or not he wanted to. She had caught him out in the open, and he wasn't going to have a moment of peace until he answered all of her questions.
"Wonderful." He whispered to himself, amazed at the amount of sarcasm he could put into a single word.
"We're done, Colin." Link said, putting off his dread of having to talk to Ilia for a few moments. "It looks like I smacked your nose, so you might want to go wash the blood off of it."
Colin wiped his nose curiously, and jumped when he saw that Link had been right.
"Oh wow, I never even noticed."
"I got stabbed through the thigh once during a fight and had no idea until an hour later." Link said, grimacing as he remembered the pain that had come only after he had seen the wound. "You have so much adrenaline running through you during a battle that your body stops focusing on pain."
Link patted Colin on the back and handed him the wooden swords before turning back to head towards his house. The gathered crowd dispersed quickly, but he could almost feel Ilia breathing down his neck as she followed closely behind.
When he got to his house, Link climbed the ladder to his door and unlocked it. After a short pause to steel his nerves, he allowed Ilia inside.
"Where have you been?" She asked quietly, although her voice had a deadly edge to it.
"Here." Link answered. "I haven't left Ordon since planting season started."
"That doesn't answer my question." Ilia said, giving him a knowing look. "Where have you been in all your free time? Why have you been hiding in your house and never answering the door when I knock? What's going on in here? Why are you doing this? Can't you ever just talk about what's wrong? Why-"
"Stop!" Link cut in, interrupting her long string of questions. "We've been over this before. I'm just a different person than I used to be. I don't enjoy running around the village like a little kid anymore. Sometimes we all have to grow up."
Ilia looked deeply hurt. "What do you mean 'running around the village like a little kid?' What's that supposed to mean? And why do you keep telling me that you're just a different person? People don't just change like that!"
"Do you ever stop asking questions?" Link growled, almost immediately regretting it. Ilia's eyes went wide, and then filled with tears. She leaned against a wall, put her head into her hands, and began to sob.
"Oh come on. No-" Link was completely exasperated already. He reached out to grab her hand. "Ilia, don't cry. You know I didn't mean it like that."
"Why can't you just be who you used to be?" She choked out between sobs as she pushed his hand away. "I miss who you were. I don't like this new you."
"I'm sorry." Link said, shaking his head sadly. "Sometimes these things happen. We can't always help it. I certainly couldn't."
Ilia was silent for a few minutes, save for the quiet sobs. Finally, she looked up at Link with bloodshot eyes and spoke again.
"Who is that woman?"
"What are you talking about?" Link asked, although he knew exactly what she meant. "Is this what's been bothering you for the past few months?"
"Yes!" She shouted. "Of course it bothers me!"
"And why is that?"
"Because…because…It just does!"
"The people I keep company with in my free time affect you?" Link scoffed. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that my free time was dictated by your rules."
I feel like a politician with how well I just avoided her question. He thought to himself, finding some humor in the situation.
"How can you ever say that to me? Don't you realize what I'm going through?" Ilia asked, switching back to her dangerously calm voice.
"Sounds like you're bi-polar."
That set her off again, and she started raging. "Do you have any idea what kind of future I wanted with you?! Do you know how many years I've loved you?! I won't be treated like this! I've spent so much time worrying about you and wanting you back, but you never really came back! You're just an emotionless shell! Who the hell is that woman?!"
Never mind. I guess I would be an awful politician.
She just told me she loves me. Link thought. It was obvious, and always had been. Ilia had had a crush on him since they had been very young, but had never truly admitted it. He had never shown her any kind of affection or signs that he returned her feelings, simply because he only thought of her as a friend. That was all she would ever be. He had hoped that she would have given up on the crazy notion that they were star-crossed lovers destined to be happily together for the rest of their lives.
Ilia didn't get a chance to answer his question, though. Link had more to say.
"That woman is my friend." He seethed. "One who doesn't constantly nag me about every minor detail she thinks is wrong with me. One who doesn't stalk me and watch my house at night. One who I can actually open up around because she went through the same thing I did."
"And yet you still avoid the question." Ilia said, having calmed down considerably. She was having mood swings every few seconds.
"That's because I don't owe you an answer." Link replied, wanting the discussion to be over. "I have a right to keep these things to myself. Last time I checked, I'm not courting or married, and especially not to you. So yes, I'm going to avoid the question."
"Are you just going to ignore the fact that I told you I love you?" She asked, as if she were expecting him to return the phrase.
"No, I'm not going to ignore it." He said, finally getting a grip on his nerves.
"Then what are you going to say?"
He took a deep breath and prepared for the storm. After a few seconds, he spoke.
"I will never love you like you love me. We won't be together. Ever. Move on from me. You're living your life in the vain hope that I'll return to the eighteen-year-old boy who left Ordon on a mission to save his village. I'm not that person anymore. I will never be that person again. I'm different, and there's no way to change me back. I won't even be staying in Ordon for much longer. So go, and stop clinging to the hope that one day, I'll love you back. It will never happen."
With that, Link opened the front door in the most blatant, obvious gesture that he could think of. Ilia stared at him for the most awkward minute of his life, showing no emotion besides complete and utter shock. This had been the last thing on her list of outcomes. She had grown up with the expectation that this moment would be followed by a steamy lovemaking session.
This possibility had never even crossed her mind.
"Just go, please." Link said after a while. He couldn't stand this anymore.
Without a word, Ilia took a few steps forward and left the house. Link closed the door and bolted it shut behind her. With that, he leaned back against the wall and sighed heavily.
"This day is awful already." He muttered to himself. He stood up and began walking away from the door.
"MR. LINK! WAAAAAAIT!"
"Holy crap!" Link nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the voice outside his door.
"Mr. Link! I have something for you!"
"Dear goddesses, postman." Link yelled, unbolting the door. "You scared me half to death!"
He flung open the door to reveal the ridiculously dressed postman, sporting his normal short white shorts, tank top, red hat, and flag. Ilia hadn't even made it out of the clearing yet. It was like the man had been waiting outside for him.
"Greetings, Mr. Link!" He exclaimed, way too excited about the fact that he was delivering mail. "I have-"
"Come to deliver a letter." Link finished. The postman beamed in excitement that he had memorized his standard greeting. "Who's it from?"
"It is a letter from Princess Zelda." He replied.
Link's heart leaped out of his chest. It had been months since he had gotten a letter from her. He had begun to think that she had forgotten about him, since the two he sent were never returned.
"Thank you." Link said, smiling.
"Well, my business is concluded!" The postman said, snapping a sloppy salute. "Onward to mail!"
With that, he turned around, jumped off the ladder, and hit the ground running. Link turned around and managed to make it to the kitchen table before tearing the letter open as quickly as he could.
Dear Link,
I'm sorry that I wasn't able to return the letters you sent me over the last few months. Hyrule is having some problems that were taking all of my time. There's been some issues with nomad tribes coming in from the eastern country of Celtica. They're causing mayhem for the towns and villages around there. The issues seem to have come to a standstill for now, so I finally had a few hours where I could sit down and write back.
The court is the same as always. Most of them are vultures, waiting for me to make any tiny mistake. They think that my young age makes me ignorant. I'm used to that. Unfortunately, I believe that one or more of them sent an assassin after some of my advisors, including Shad. Shad escaped the attempt, but the others weren't so lucky. Currently, I have no advisors, as I sent Shad somewhere safe.
I was hoping that you would be willing to come to Hyrule Castle to hear about something. I promise I won't be begging you to become an officer in the military. You will be free to refuse, but all I ask is that you come here to hear me out.
Please write me back soon and let me know if you will be coming.
Sincerely,
Zelda
Link's mind immediately began working overtime trying to figure out what this "something" could be.
"What could she possibly want?" He whispered to himself, staring around at his house as he forced his curiosity down.
He read the letter again three separate times just to be sure that he wasn't hallucinating. Sure enough, it read the same every time.
As he began to think hard about what Zelda's letter had meant, he moved over to the slightly old newspaper sitting on his table and began to flip through it. There might have been some clues as to what her offer was related to had the entire thing not been devoted to nitpicking every detail of what she did. Almost all of the articles were scathing personal accounts of some 'heinous crime against humanity' that Zelda had committed.
They had no idea who Zelda really was, and it made Link furious. They hadn't seen what she was capable of. They hadn't seen her sacrifice herself to save Midna. They hadn't seen her ride behind Link and shoot Ganondorf down. Her critics focused on minute details, such as the way she dressed, or the things she said. One journalist had even put an article in Hyrule's newspaper about how "bored and disinterested" Zelda was in her country because she "failed to dress to the standards of a princess."
It was ridiculous. The aristocrats were using this new media to their advantage, while also trying to discredit Zelda.
Link figured that even if he were to turn down whatever offer she had, he could at least distract her from her normal stressful life for a little while. And in any case, it wouldn't hurt him to get out of Ordon for a day or two.
Having decided this, Link sat down to pen his reply.
Your majesty Princess Zelda Nohansen
I would be honored to hear your offer. I will travel to Hyrule Castle as soon as possible. Expect me-
Link stopped when a different idea formed in his head.
"I could always give her a response in person." He muttered to himself, smiling at the thought. He needed a break from Ordon only slightly less than Zelda needed one from the castle.
For the first time in over a year, Link walked over to the kitchen window and opened the shutters. The cool breeze flowed into his tree house, penetrating every nook and cranny with the fresh scent of the outdoors. More windows followed, until the entire house was filled with the bright midmorning light.
When he was done, Link took a step outside to check the sun, and determined that it couldn't be past ten-thirty.
"I could make it to Castle Town before she gets in bed." He muttered to himself, suddenly glad that he lived in a secluded area. If any of the villagers saw him talking to himself as often as he did, they would think he had finally snapped and gone mad.
"Whoa! Look at that!"
Link looked down to the source of the voice to find Talo and Beth, the two young Ordon lovers, staring at him in amazement.
"What's wrong?" He asked them, curious as to why they looked so astonished.
"You're…outside." Beth started in disbelief. "Your windows are open and you're outside in your free time. What's going on? You haven't done this in years!"
"Did breaking up with Ilia make you this happy?" Talo asked genuinely.
"No, that's not…Wait. Hey! I didn't break up with Ilia! We were never together!" Link said defensively. "And no, rejecting her didn't make me happy."
"Then why are you so happy?" Beth asked.
"Don't worry about it." Link replied, smiling at the two adolescents. "It's just become a very good day for me."
With that, he went back in his house, leaving two very confused teenagers standing outside.
…
When he was fairly sure that nobody was watching, Link bailed out of his house and sprinted to Ordona's Spring, where Epona was waiting. As quickly as possible, he saddled her and set off towards Faron Woods.
The trip to Hyrule Castle wasn't particularly long, but he didn't arrive until after the sun had set. As he left the stables and entered the gate, he was reminded of how busy Castle Town could be at night. People were everywhere. There were more people in any given alley than there were residents of Ordon, and yet Link didn't feel uncomfortable. Fortunately, the hooded cloak he wore prevented the people from recognizing him. He had made the mistake of walking the streets unhooded once, and it ended up in him running away from a large crowd of adoring teenage girls.
Without the light from the sun, it was hard to make out more than the outline of the new castle. Its size was certainly impressive, but the other details were mostly obscured. A few burning torches placed on the battlements revealed enough guards to stop an army.
Link approached the gates cautiously, taking his hood off as soon as he left the light of the central square. He didn't want to scare a young, inexperienced gate guard.
"Who goes there?" One of the five guards at the bottom of the gate asked as he approached.
"Link of Ordon." He replied, holding his hands up in the air so that they could see he had no weapons, having left the Master Sword in the stables with Epona. It was in no danger of being stolen, as only he could pick it up.
"What business do you have in-"
"You're Link?" Another guard exclaimed loudly. By the look of him, he was young. He had probably gotten in trouble and been assigned overnight gate duty.
"Hush." Link snapped. "Do you want the entire city to come charging this way?"
The original guard turned around and smacked the younger one on the helmet. "Hush, boy. You're going to get us overrun if you speak out like that." He turned back to me. "Welcome, Link. I apologize that I didn't recognize you at first. What brings you to the castle after so long?"
"I have some business to attend to with Princess Zelda." Link replied, glad that there would be no harassment by guards who didn't know him. "I'm afraid that that's all I can share with you. Could I enter, please?"
"Absolutely. I trust that you're not planning anything funny. You spent a year of your life saving the princess, so that wouldn't make any sense." He said, clapping loudly. The guards at the top of the wall pulled their levers, and the gate opened almost completely silently.
Link chuckled as he walked past. "I wasn't planning on anything, although sometimes I have a knack for causing trouble."
The younger guard broke away from the group and walked next to Link, who peered at him curiously.
"What are you doing?" He asked the soldier.
"I was planning on escorting you." He replied. "That's part of the new rules, unfortunately. Some people don't believe that the princess can handle herself in a fight because of what happened with Zant."
"I would certainly hope someone is escorting me." Link said. "I have no idea where Zelda is, and I could be a Link look-alike who is planning on assassinating the princess of Hyrule. I'm sure she would appreciate it if you didn't allow anyone to walk around her castle unattended. However, I wanted to know what you're actually doing. Based on the look you're giving me right now, you have more motivation for following me than simply being an escort."
The guard looked around nervously, and Link knew that he had hit the nail on the head.
"Well now that you mention it." The guard started awkwardly. "I was hoping that you would autograph something for my son. He's a big fan of yours, and I've been doing gate guard duty for over six months in the hopes that I could find you."
"What do you need me to autograph?" Link asked. He was used to this. After Hyrule had been saved, everyone had wanted his autograph.
The soldier opened his satchel to pull out a leather-bound book and a quill.
"This is your biography. He bought this with money he had saved up. I think he's read it about fifty times, and it would certainly make his day if I could get you to sign it."
Link stared at the book inquisitively. "My biography?"
"Yes. It's the one Princess Zelda had published a few months ago."
"Hmmm, interesting." Link muttered, taking the book and quill. In the front cover, he signed his name, and then blew the ink dry. When he was done, he shut the cover and looked at the title.
The Twilight Princess
By Zelda Nohansen
"Interesting that I've never even seen my own biography." He said as he handed the book back.
"You never heard that she had written this? It's a complete account of your adventures from the time she melded her mind with Midna's." The guard said. "She also included how Zant achieved his power, as well as the final battle with Ganondorf."
Link nodded. He was somewhat disappointed that Zelda hadn't asked him for permission before publishing the book, but chalked it down to her being allowed to do pretty much anything she wanted.
Actually, he mused to himself, she did ask. I said I would prefer if she didn't. I never actually said no.
The guard led Link through the halls of the castle. From the inside, it was obviously new. The floors and walls shined, and the tapestries had been hung recently. All of the suits of armor were well polished, and it was quite a bit warmer and more accommodating than the original castle had been.
"Soldier, what do you think about our princess?" Link asked curiously. "Strictly off the record. I won't repeat anything you say."
The guard looked nervous, but answered the question.
"I don't truly know what to think. This whole 'newspaper' thing that the council started devotes most of its time to insulting her and picking on her for small things. Sometimes I wonder if she's not just a regular person held to extreme expectations. I haven't noticed anything but improvement in Hyrule since she's been the ruling monarch, so I don't know why the paper bashes her."
"So you think that they're attacking her character and personal life rather than her policies?" Link asked.
"I think so. All they do is make a mountain out of a molehill, in all honesty. There are a lot of folks saying that we should elect our leaders, though. I can't say I disagree with that, either. Anyways, this will be her room at the top of this tower. There's nothing else on these stairs, so you don't have to worry about getting lost. I'll let her personal guards do their thing. Thank you for signing that book."
"No problem." Link replied, subtly dropping a red rupee into the soldier's pocket. "Thank you for taking me here."
The guard nodded in appreciation of the tip, and then turned around and walked back towards the front of the castle. Link headed up the tower stairs.
After what felt like hours of climbing the spiral staircase, he finally got to the top, where an entire platoon of guards stopped him at the points of their spears. This room was almost pitch black, so the guards couldn't make out his face.
"Who are you and why are you up here at night?" One of them asked. Link guessed that he was the sergeant in charge of the platoon.
"I'm Link of Ordon. I'm here to request an audience with her majesty Princess Zelda."
"At ten at night? I think not. You can come back in the morning and attend court to address your concerns with her there."
"All I ask is that you tell her I'm here. She'll let me in."
"Corporal Kent, please escort this man back downstairs and out of the castle."
"Sergeant, this is Link." One of the other guards dared to speak up. "He just said so. And even if you won't take his word, just look at him."
"Yes, I'm sure he is. Now get him out."
Link had had enough of this. "Zelda!" He shouted as loud as he could. "I have a problem! It's Link!"
The sergeant cursed loudly and slapped the shaft of his spear into Link's side, although his thick traveling clothing absorbed most of the impact.
"Arrest him!"
The guards began scrambling around, trying to get a hold of Link as he jumped back and forth, nimbly dodging them. Again, he called for Zelda, hoping that she could hear him.
The double doors leading to Zelda's room flew open with a crash, causing all of the chaos in the antechamber to cease immediately. In the doorway stood the princess of Hyrule, dressed in a pink and white nightgown. She looked furious.
"What the hell are you idiots doing?" She demanded of the sergeant, who cowered in fear.
There was no answer, so Zelda walked over to Link and shoved the guards out of the way.
"If Link ever wants in, I don't care what time of night it is. You will never stop him again. Is that clear?"
All of the guards nodded like small children who had just been spanked for misbehaving.
"Good. Now that that is cleared up, you will all return to your posts and maintain professionalism, especially when dealing with the Hero of Light."
With that, Zelda took Link's hand and led him through the double doors. Once they were through, she shut them carefully and led him further into her bedroom, which was more like a small mansion.
In the main living area, she reached over to the table and lit a candle, allowing Link to see her more clearly. She was beautiful. There was no denying that. Her long brown hair was down, save for two thick braids on either side of her face that were tucked behind her ears. Her face was the picture of beauty. The nightgown she wore left much to the imagination, but Link preferred modesty to the alternative.
"Hello, your majesty." He said with an easy grin.
"Hello, Link." She returned the smile. "Why are you here after dark? Are you responding to my letter?"
"Well, I decided to deliver my response myself." Link said. "And I simply needed to get out of Ordon before I went crazy."
The princess chuckled slightly. "Well then, what's your response?"
"What was the 'something' you wanted to talk to me about, your majesty?" Link asked.
"Sit." She said, gesturing to a chair by the table. Link pulled her chair out from the table first before sitting down, earning a curious look.
"Did I do something wrong?" He asked, glancing around nervously.
"Not at all. Actually, I'm impressed. I thought chivalry was dead." She said with a smile before sitting down. "On to the topic, though. I believe I mentioned the nomads from Celtica being a problem in the letter I sent you, yes?"
Link nodded, so she continued. "I have a plan to drive them away, but it's way above the skill set of the average soldier. It requires stealth and precision, as well as quite a bit of luck. The Celts are a very superstitious people, and I plan on giving the remaining tribes something to be afraid of."
"I was considering multiple possibilities, but finally I decided on one that would be best. I read some of the Celt prophecies, and one of the more prominent ones is that seventeen of their voodoo priests will burst into flames and wreak havoc among their people."
Link nodded, seeing where she was going with this.
"So you want to light seventeen of their voodoo priests on fire in an attempt to scare them out of Hyrule?"
"Exactly. As gruesome as it is, I believe that it's the only way to truly get them out." Zelda replied. "We tried military force, but their fighters are incredibly good at what they do. The important part of this plan is to not get caught. I need someone who can slip in, light exactly seventeen priests on fire, and then slip back out. I need your help."
Link stared at the princess for a long moment, deciding whether or not she was serious. Finally, when he decided that she was, he responded.
"I haven't fought anyone in over two years, your majesty. At least not in a life or death situation. I don't have the same skill set I did when we took down Ganondorf two years ago. Farm life makes people forget those things."
"If all goes well, you won't have to fight." Zelda replied. "And I feel fairly certain that you will remember quickly. Don't forget that you went into your first adventure knowing virtually nothing about how to wield a sword, and yet managed to defeat Zant, Ganondorf, and myself with ease. You have a vast amount of natural talent."
"With all due respect, your majesty, there's a huge difference in this job and what I've done in the past." Link said. "I never had to be overly secretive when Zant was watching me. Ganondorf was watching me the whole time, so his minions always knew where I was. This…this is different."
"And yet, you don't act like you're going to refuse." Zelda said, cocking an eyebrow at him inquisitively. "Or am I reading you wrong?"
"I don't know, your majesty." He replied, shaking his head. "I was getting used to the whole peaceful lifestyle thing. I've never really thought too much about being a soldier again. I'd imagine you remember my responses to your request to commission me into the military."
"Yes, I remember them clearly." The princess said, but cut to the chase. "Will you do the job or not?"
Link debated the question for a few seconds before responding.
"You could order me to do it. You have every resource at your disposal to force me to travel east and complete the job or die trying. Why is it that you're not doing that, your majesty? Why go through all this with a stubborn goat herder? It's not like I'd have a choice if you ordered me to go."
"It's crossed my mind a few times." Zelda replied with a sigh. "But that's not how I do things. If I have to order you to do this, you'll resent me and most likely fail to do the job correctly. So I'm forced to beg. I need an answer, though."
Link stared at the princess curiously. She was begging him, of all things. It seemed so backwards.
"I'm afraid I'll have to decline, your majesty."
Zelda's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why?"
"I've seen enough blood and violence for a lifetime. I don't think I can subject myself to more without being permanently scarred from it." Link explained, hoping that it would be enough. "And I'm needed in Ordon."
"I can send a few people to replace you in the fields while you're absent." The princess offered, but Link shook his head.
"I'm sorry, I just can't do it, your majesty."
Zelda sighed and leaned back in her chair. After a few seconds, she stood up and walked over to the nearby window, which provided a fantastic view of Castle Town and the surrounding countryside. For a few moments, she just stared out the window absently.
"Link, I'm going to be going to do the job. I was going to accompany you, but it looks like I'll be going alone."
Link sat up a little straighter. "You're…going? Surely there's another way. You can't put yourself in harm's way like that. What if something were to happen to you?"
"Then this country will move on. As it stands, the aristocrats are trying to get rid of me anyways. I am not so helpless as you may believe, though. For the past few years, I've been receiving training in the ancient Sheikan arts, passed down through my bloodline from the Sage of Time and the Hero of Time. I was also trained with a sword and bow from a young age. I will not be in much danger."
Link wasn't surprised by the admission. He had always assumed that Zelda hadn't made it through Zant's invasion with luck alone, and she had proven herself stoic under the heat of combat when they fought alongside one another to defeat Ganondorf.
However, he wouldn't let the princess go face a strange enemy alone. No matter what his personal feelings about the job were, he would put them aside to make sure that Zelda never came to any harm.
"You leave me no choice but to accept the job, then." Link said with a sigh. "I wish you wouldn't go, your majesty, but something tells me that your mind is already made up."
"If only every male were that intuitive." Zelda half-grumbled. "Yes, I will be going no matter what. And thank you for deciding to accompany me, Link. I'll find five men with farming experience to go replace you in Ordon. For tonight, I can find you a room in the castle. I've been working on something to help us on this job, and I'll be showing you in the morning. Please be up moderately early."
Inwardly, Link groaned. He hated mornings.
"Will do, your majesty."
"Good. You can go. Tell one of the soldiers out there that I want you in the room underneath this one for the night."
Link nodded and stood up. As he headed to the door, he took a glance back at the princess. Something about her intrigued him, but he couldn't quite wrap his mind around it.
Zelda returned his glance with a curious look. "Is there something else?"
"No, your majesty. I'm just…actually never mind."
"Well then, please don't harass my guards on the way out."
"No guarantees." Link replied before leaving the room.