Hyrulian Holidays

Authors Note

Ok guys, this was intended to be posted in the Christmas season, but things happened such as the new laptop I got just for this purpose didn't want to let things work right. I finally got that fixed so sorry about the tardiness. Hope you like this.

I do not lay claim or claim to own anything from The Legend of Zelda. If I was I wouldn't be writing fics about this, I would be making a game about this. If there is any other thing in this Fic that isn't an invention of my own mind, then I also don't own it.

All throughout Hyrule, all prepared for Christmas. Many went to parties or had family dinners, others went to churches and prayed to the goddesses for good fortune in the coming year. Even in Hyrule castle, everyone was preparing for the party of the year, even the guardsmen were in the festive spirit, bright colors and singing were all about the castle and its town. All except one man, who at this very moment stood vigil over the door to one of the most important rooms in all of Hyrule. This man's name was Jack Halfstan. Royal Hyland knight Halfstan to be exact.

Clad in his normal ceremonial silver and gold armor he stands at attention, ignoring all and wishing for this all to be over. This is his story, the story of how Jack found happiness.

Guard duty, well the one night I actually want guard duty I get it. Other than the fact that I accompany the princess throughout the night and the party. Bloody worst duty I could have gotten, but at least I won't have to dodge invitations to parties and such. But even still this is better than nothing. Or worse, guard duty for the party itself, then I would be obliged to stay the whole night, only the few hours the princess spends.

"Sir knight? Would you mind bringing this in to the princess. I have other duties and I need to hurry up and get going. Thanks." Bloody hell. Now I have to go in there and give the princess this… dress? Bloody hell it's the princesses facing dress. Stupid servant, can't do his bloody job search he puts it off on me.

Fine time to go in. Seeing as the princess always said that if someone needed something or had to bring her something to just go in. So here goes nothing. Taking a deep breath, I push open the unlocked door, something I had argued constantly about with both her and her father, and entered the small anti chamber, or well more of a sitting room, seeing as I just left a small anti chamber. Looking around at the fairly plain room I allow myself a small smirk. Now this is the woman I want to rule, unlike her father she doesn't need all of the expensive trappings and a large comfortable room. No she has things simple. Just like most people who aren't royal. Seeing as she is more like the common folk I see good times for them coming up.

Walking, more like clanking up to the door to the princess's room I knock and wait for a response.

"Who is it?" I hear her say quietly, probably from a distance from the door.

"Knight Halfstan your highness. I have something here for you, given to me to give to you by one of the servants. May I enter?"

"Come on in Jack. Maybe you can help me decide."

Opening the door, it takes me a moment to find the princess in the dim room. "decide what my lady?"

"What I will be wearing to the party." Turning she looks at me and the thing I am holding. Her eyes light up as she sees it. "excellent, you have my dress. I thought it would never arrive. Help me dress."

I sputter and struggle to catch my breath. "help you dress? My lady what are you thinking. I am a man; I should not look upon one such as you unclothed."

She laughs and shakes her head as she puts her hair up. "I'm wearing some clothes, I'm not completely unclothed. Help me out I'm sure it's not to different than lacing up the leather under armor you wear. Anyway I can trust you not to do anything. Aren't you still seeing that one healer?"

With a shake of my head I strip off the exterior plate mail armor I wear over a much more utilitarian set of scale mail and leather. The ceremonial armor is designed mostly for show so it is extremely simple to take off. Moving over to lace up the back off her dress and then help her with the rest of the trappings of fancy dresses. "Who Almeria? No she found some young rich noble without a brain in his head. That was a couple of weeks ago. So no I'm not still seeing her."

"That's a shame. What about that other girl, the one you always seem to sit around with? Aren't you two close?"

"Jessica? Yea were pretty close. But it's only friendship with her. She has her eyes set on someone else. And yeah we are pretty close. Being childhood friends makes people close. Hold still my lady, this lace doesn't want to stay tied. There, should be good. Other than the miscellaneous things that you have left to put on, you should get one of the servants to do your hair. And don't even think of having me do it, I don't know anything about that."

She nods and turns back to the paper she was working on.

"With your leave my lady, I should return to my post. Give me some measure of warning before we are about to leave. I must return to my quarters and grab my helmet, Cape, surcoat and my ceremonial sword and shield. Again, with your leave."

"I have a name Knight. Use it." The tone of her voice is both cold and somewhat warm at the same time. Not sure how she does that, but I need to learn how to do it, would make dealing with certain people so much more enjoyable.

"Yes my lady. With your leave princess Annie. I'm certain you and Zelda will look wonderful. "

I turn and walk out my mind filled with questions of why the princess was being so forward with me. Maybe she has some sort of ulterior motives… I must ponder this further. Well I have time for that as there is a few hours till the party.

Finally it's time, the fast I get there the fast I can start drinking and the faster it will be till I can leave. At least there is no rule against those guards and Knights assigned to people from drinking, at least some drinks, not to excess of course, but enough to take the edge off the night. As the royal champion and knight assigned to the princess I get to wear full armor, ceremonial armor with all the extra embellishments, like the tabard with a mountain top with a massive Wolf howling as lightning bolts arc around it. All part of the crest that the castle I got when I was made royal champion. Other than the wolf. I added that in myself, to honor the other side of my family. House Wolfbane.

If I look imposing and regal in my armor, the princess looks elegant and Imperial in the dark red dress she is wearing. Couple that with all of the other artful additions of jewelry and her hair, she looks like an empress. Offering my arm to her and saying "Allow me to escort you to the party my lady." She smiles and takes the offered arm and we begin our trek to the ball room where the party is taking place. We are soon joined by a fist of Royal Knights escorting the king and queen. (A fist is 20 knights)

Walking in complete silence I can feel the stares of not only the other Knights but also the queen. Though I must admit, she has a reason. I'm pretty much the best looking Knight that is around. Well with the armor and helmet. Pretty sure the three scars across my right eye and the skin around it put her off. Or so castle rumors say. That and she never liked me. I think it was the fact that I replaced a man she had high hopes for getting to marry Princess Annie. Though I don't know why. He wasn't very smart and had a massive ego that wouldn't let him see anything but his own supposed importance. And there is the fact that I don't come from royal enough descent. Though my family did have a title and some weight behind our name, we were fairly common. I think the idea of such an important position filled with one so low class as me must make her burn with rage.

We are nearly at the ball room when Princess Zelda arrives with her guardian, and fiancé, Link. Dressed in the green tunic over chain mail and leather he always wears, he looks hands down the least dressed up of all of us. But I must admit being the hero of Twilight means he is almost required to wear it. And Zelda looks beautiful, wearing her typical white and gold with lots of stuff that makes her look regal. The only problem I have right now is the fact that I'm here and not where I belong, out in the wilderness killing monsters and bandits and keeping people safe. But unfortunately I made a name for myself and was knighted, and then my skill made me become the Royal champion. And then my skill again made me the only choice to guard Princess Annie. Which complicated things, but only a little bit.

Bloody hell really should have arranged for us to be closer. These boots are not the most comfortable and the armor isn't either. Though it's light, only meant for show, not comfort. And I am fairly certain that everyone but Link feels the same way. Lucky guy, gets to wear comfortable gear around while I am forced to deal with this shit.

We finally arrive at the massive ball room where the party is taking place. Filled with everyone who thinks that they are important and anyone else who didn't have anything better to do.

Breaking off into three groups the king and queen go do their things. Zelda and Link go off to mingle. And I follow Lady Annie to the closest bar, of which there are three in total but the closest one is right next to the door. It's pretty much an unwritten agreement we have from the various other parties I was forced to endure at her side. We both get drinks, I get as drunk as possible while still being wholly in control, and then we go do stuff. And tonight it's much worse. So many people and small talk and dancing. One or two of those at a time would be fine. All at the same time while rich people look down their noses and send insults hidden behind compliments. And the music. Not my favorite, not by a long shot. All happy and full of joy as if there isn't anything wrong with the world. Sure that's fine and dandy, but when there are only 3 songs that they actually play then just a hundred variations of those three, it gets fairly annoying quickly.

Receiving a tall glass of straight whiskey, I down it in a single go and grab another and then go easier on this one. Lady Annie walks up and sits next to me against the wall, where nearly no one is and even if there were then no one could hear us over music and chatter in the distance. Holding a glass of wine, she leans on the table and looks out at the masses of humanity.

"So, why do you hate this time of the year? I mean nearly every other time this party happened you would be nowhere to be found. A couple of days later you would ride back into the castle from goddess knows where and resume the same old routine. And you always get tense and quiet around this time, only relaxing when spring comes. I know you're not a big fan of parties but what is it about the holidays that you hate so much?" Annie of all people asks me this. Sure I always knew she was smart but I would expect this from Zelda. But as always she hits dead center with her question. Should have expected it but I was focused on more important things, such as forgetting all of the memories that this time of year dredges up from the depths.

"Shit, you really ask the hard questions don't you?" Realizing at this point I must be near that fine line of control and drunkenness. Bloody drink must have something more in it. Never been hit this hard by drink. Not even when I drink shit that the Gorons drink, and that takes at least three drinks. This is nowhere as powerful. "Fine get comfortable this might be a long one. When I was a kid my entire family went out to go to some amazing place my father had found, some cabin in the woods stocked with supplies so nothing could interrupt our holiday dinner. On the way my family was ambushed by a bunch of brigands. My father and my older brother were guards, and my grandmother was a mage. But there were too many bandits and nothing they could do would stop them, and they were all killed but me. I ran and spent the next 4 years in the woods living with a pack of wolves that took me in. Don't ask why, maybe they took pity on me, maybe the goddesses sent them. But it was my 14th year, and the anniversary of my family's murder when me and my pack mates found and set upon the murderers. Armed with a stone spear and hatchet I killed my fair share. But in the end the entire pack was wiped out and so we're all the bandits. I was alone again. But I had their treasure and heads. So I took the treasure for myself and turned in the corpses for the bounty. I then took my riches and moved to Hyrule, became a Ranger and keep doing what I did best. Living in nature and killing. The only reason I am here is because your father heard so many great things about me that he made me a knight on the spot. And then once my skill was made apparent I soon became the royal champion. Earning Castle Stormcraig as my own. It's fairly run down, yet others like me operate out of there. I house Rangers and hunters in the castle and they do service to me by keeping my small amount of land safe. They don't mind the disrepair of the place, and actually appreciate the fact it's so unknown. So long story short. I first ride up to the castle and check up on everyone. Then I ride to a spot that only I know, where I buried first my family, then my pack. Then I go into the woods and hunt monsters. And then come back to rejoin society. It's the only time I allow myself. It's the only time I would want. I do go any chance I get. But…" I shrug. "what can I do, I accepted this position so I should be ready to face the demands of the job that come with it. But sometimes I just feel the need to be among my kin." A single tear rolls down my cheeks, which pisses me off because I never cry. Finishing my second drink I turn to look at Lady Annie and find her eyes on me. Her cheeks flushed and her glass of wine empty. And the look in her eyes is something I have rarely seen, and those times it was never directed at me.

Before I could ask what's wrong she leans across the small table and kisses me, on the mouth completely. Surprised I stiffen then relax, then stiffen again as my drink addled mind realizes what is happening. Pulling away I'm about to say something when I feel a presence come near and deposited two chairs. Which then are filled with Link and Zelda.

"Well then sister. Never thought I would catch you doing that with Halfstan. I guess everyone has their own tastes though. As bad as they are." A laugh escapes Zelda and she smiles. "I think it's wonderful you two have each other. Your both so alone." Zelda's cheeks are also flushed and as I look at Link I realize he is the only one who is probably not drunk. Since he prefers not to drink, which means he is the only one still operating at full capacity. Which means he is the best suited to get my warning out to the others, and stop this party before people do something they will regret.

As the ladies are taking about some important matter like dress styles or hair, I turn to Link and scoot closer to him.

"Link I got a bad feeling that these drinks were spiked with something a lot more potent than alcohol." Shaking my head to clear it. "Link stop the party now and get everyone on high alert. Either this is a bad joke that we are bearing the brunt of, or this is an attempt to take the castle. Two drinks and I'm fuzzy, normally takes me much stronger drinks to do this. Actually stay with Zelda. Tell one of the guard captains what is going on and let him take care of it." Turning back to the obviously drunk Princess that I am assigned to watch over. "I kind of have to get this one back to her room to sleep off this. Then I need a bucket of cold water to get a hold of myself. And soon before the drink makes me do something I'm going to regret." Link nods and leads Zelda away into the crowd. I try to lead Annie but she is a little too drunk to actually walk. So I pick her up and carry her back to her room.

Finally making it to her room I lay her on the bed and sink down into a chair in the room. Drink clouding my mind once again. Loosing almost everything to the drink I stand and leave the room stumbling about in an effort to make it to my room. Seeming to reach my room much faster than I expected I strip off my armor and everything to a pair of light pants that go under my armor. Climbing into the bed I immediately curl up next to a warm object next to me and my mind is brought back to my days as a child and living with wolves. As sleep finally takes me I sink into the bed that feels much softer than my own.

Ok so here is the post chapter Authors Note, probably going to abbreviate this to AN like is common but I'm just writing this out for mostly my benefit.

First off, I just want to say while my first language may be English, I do not know every word in it and honestly I'm pretty bad at checking my own work, without spellcheck and the internet this would be so much worse. So please if you find an error, something misspelled, something left out i.e. punctuation or a capitalization, or if I by accident use a word that isn't real, or doesn't mean what I think it does. Please tell me. I will try to fix it as soon as possible, which could be almost immediately, or in a couple of days.

So well review and tell me if you like it and follow and favorite, because if you guys want more in the niche I guess I can make some more holiday themed fics based around Jack Halfstan and his lovely Princess. But speaking of that, I do have another fic based off these same characters in the making, its only one chapter, but if you guys really want me to try and write more, then by all means please do tell me.

Cheers mates

Wolf