Title: The Legend
Author: HermioneSparta
Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong to Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka and Nintendo.
Summary: They have been whispered of and documented throughout history. Yet who truly knows what it means to be "Guardian" and "Charge"? (unbeta'd)
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Sit with us, beloved children, and let your Mothers and Fathers tell you a story. Think of us not by the titles given, such as gods, but as muses. As parents. Because this story we wish to tell you is one only a parent can tell.
It is a story of love and hate, of pain and joy. Primarily, our tale focuses on two of our cherished, yet it stretches beyond them, encompassing their family.
To know their story, you must first understand their history, the "legend" of their very nature. We will herein quote their books and scrolls, their bards and child's stories. Do not mistake these words as false, my young loves. All myth has some form of truth, though many do not recall this simple fact.
Take for example, these words from TheEncyclopedia of Title and Rank. It can be found within any library.
Guardian: A Guardian is a Sheikah* meant to Guard his/her Charge. This Sheikah is said to be chosen by the Goddesses and Gods. It is speculated that all Sheikah Guardians have been female. Such speculation has not been confirmed.
A Guardian is bound to the soul of his/her Charge at the time of their creation, though a decade normally distances the individual births. A Guardian must be accepted by the Charge before their bond can settle fully. Rejection of the bond (by the Charges) leaves some remnant. It is speculated that this "remnant" is the "core thread" binding the two souls together.
There can be secondary Guardians, although this is very rare.
*See Appendix III, Section G for any and all known exceptions to the Sheikah Guardian.
Alternatives: Celestial Guardian; Maderone
Guardian Vow: "I accept you as mine. I protect you in all ways, for your life is before my own. I will nurture as a mother, be a confidant as a sibling, hold you and comfort you as a friend. For in all ways am I family to you, in all save blood. In this oath, shall the vow I give be unbroken for always. And if ever it does break or I fail in my duty, may my life be forfeit and rest on your noble judgment."
The above-mentioned vow was taken from the Popular Tales. Written, published and housed by the Hylian Museum, it is unclear if the vow within Popular Tales is a historically accurate utterance.
Charge: Is a person (often a royal female) who is in need of protection beyond the physical realm. Many of the noted Charges throughout Hyrule history have lived in times of peril and war.
These are the basic words given for a youth's understanding. These definitions cannot match the true depth of what a Guardian and Charge are. But are they enough for you to understand the importance?
Now it is our turn. Our words, our story. So few know the truth of this sacred relationship.
Hyrule was not the first land we laid eyes upon, though it is our most treasured. Even we, as with all parents, cannot help but have a favorite among our many children. The world and its inhabitants evolved over time, becoming what you know now. It was not birthed within a golden explosion, after which current life suddenly existed. We watched, we influenced, but we did not truly "create" the world. It was not a picture painted, or a statue sculpt. Your world is as it has made itself.
We long ago learned not to interfere. Do you not recall the story of Hylia?
My apologies, little loves. You wish to know about Guardians and Charges, not how the world came to be.
Sheikah and Hylian people evolved separately, but in such similar ways, that their very core energies became entwined. With time, the two races came to live in a single land. When conflict or great power became known, a single Sheikah would be born among the tribe which was…different from the rest. She, for Guardians were often female, was the embodiment and more of a Sheikah's nature. Once birthed, she was known by the mark upon her arm.
We watched as the different Guardians became known by various titles. Maderones, known too as Celestial Guardians by religious orders, stood above all other Guardians and warriors. They were fierce in combat, despite their nurturing traits. Healing was a skill they learned young, as was how to best utilize their keen intelligence. Eighteen years between their birth and the next Charge was the norm, with the occasional exception being noted.
Many watched as we did, noticing how each Guardian and Charge seemed…drawn to one another. Their sense of the other's presence and state spoke to their spiritual connection, though few would ever comment on how strong this connection was. Many recognized, however, that their bond grew to include communication.
There have been many Guardians and Charges over the years. Unfortunately, only those with high social standing are remembered today. These records focus on the instances within Hyrule's ruling family, often when the Triforce of Wisdom presented itself within a young heiress. From these recollections, there is a single note of a male Guardian.
The twin brother of Queen Eldora.
In the years immediately following their birth, it became apparent no Guardian would appear, despite Eldora's status as Weilder. The Sheikah and Hylian Guard tested any and all they came upon, seeking to find the lost Guardian. Or at least, someone who could equal such a person.
It wasn't until the twins met their first decade that all eyes turned to the young Prince Kelen. Without training, the young boy protected his sister from assassination. Even we could only gaze upon the unfolding events, captured, as the young boy accepted the title of Guardian and renounced his status as Prince. The Guardian Mark, as it later became known, he showed without hesitation.
Immunity from mortal law has long since been granted to the Royal Guard, be they Sheikah or Hylian warriors. Guardians, however, have been given freedom from most laws which would interfere with their duties.
We listened as, during Eldora's rule, the Sages deliberated. It was only then that they approached us, asking us for the power to judge and punish any Guardian who stepped beyond their role. It is not our place to interfere in the mortal realm, but the Sages and mystical powers mortals used were of different rules. Guardians, by their spiritual ties, fell within the crossroads of mortal, immortal—of physical and metaphysical.
We granted our permission, but with one caveat: the Sages must set a clear boundary for any and all Guardians.
They formed three laws, called the Cosmic Laws, and applied them to any being who stepped within the mystical realm.
Do no murder; only kill in self-defense if death cannot be avoided.
Do not have relations within the family.
Do not upset the Balance, Time, or Space.
At one time, the Sages had attempted to protect the chosen Guardian and Guard by banning all romantic relations between them. A plea for a bonded pair many years after Eldora's death changed their thoughts. While not encouraged, no longer was death or transfer of Guardianship a threat.
For so long, we had wondered…who had the right to stop love? To this day, we still question. As with then, we still do not speak our thoughts.
Can you wonder what it must be like to have such a bond? For your souls to be so united that it influences your ever action? We watch, time and time again, as history repeats. If their Charge marries, their full protection still remains with the Guardian. And still too, a Guardians will die soon after their Charge. Does it break your heart?
Or does it make you wonder…how profound would such love need to be? And how devastating must such a loss be, that a broken heart would lead to death?
Herein is their story, told in their words rather than ours. Is that not the way it should be? We are merely the eyes through which you see, and the heart through which you feel. Keep with you their history, so as they share each memory, you can understand.
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AN: I ask that anyone wanting to use my creation of Guardian-Charge and their bond please PM/email me first. This was an original idea and I am willing to work with other authors if they are inspired by it.
Kelsey Pearl has written some good stories based on this fic and I recommend her work. Kelsey Pearl also has permission to promote my stories in her own special way as she has on her profile...so no need to sic the admins on her or anything.
-Madorone (mad-or-own) is a combination of Mother, Maiden and Crone, the triple goddess of pagan religions, and (in my opinion) the three goddess of Hyrule.