Author's Note: Oh look, another thing to stop me writing my other stories! Yes I know that I have three other stories, but I am rather snowed under with work right now and, since I have one week left of classes, I'd like to give you all something fresh. It is an AU with many references to Skyward Sword; but it hopefully will be more than that later on. I suppose I have got some inspiration also from steampunk and Westworld too (an amazing series, I must say), and the concept and characters like Dolores is a big influence on this story's Zelda.

Bound History

Chapter 1: Her Ghosts

~O~

This was the end of freedom.

The night was drawing in fast, thick vines of ice weaving its fingers around the streetlights. The onslaught of snow was already in full effect, forcing many inside and those forced outside to huddle up. Steam billowed up from the chimneys, adding to the fog that clung onto the horizon. It had been a long time since I appreciated the winter, but at the same time this was not the best time either. I could feel the weight of the envelope in my pocket and the truth that would come with it, imagining his face as he read the letter and his sadness at hearing what would become of it.

I ran across the cobbled roads and between the trams, swinging past the snow dusted streetlight and onto the backstreets of Skyloft, the harsh wind finally disappearing once the walls protected me. The lights were soon snuffed out too, leaving me to rely heavily on the setting sun and warm orange glow. The temperature seemed to drop drastically as I entered the flat building and clambered up the cold steps, almost slipping as I picked up my speed. Reaching his flat was almost like muscle memory now, and a strange reminiscence came with it.

Reaching the fated door, I took a moment to collect myself before slipping inside. I bumped my side into the door, knocking it shut with a small thud. The small flat was messy at best, but somehow it felt cosy. Papers were dotted about the floor, books stacked upon makeshift shelves. He had never been one to keep the place tidy, yet he always seemed to know where everything was whenever I asked him. I walked past the empty fire and the nearby bed, cringing at its lack of comfort even from this distance.

My heart fluttered as I thought that he may not be here.

Then I found him sleeping against his desk.

Rolling my eyes, I glanced back at the window; happy to see the sun still setting. I had time. I crossed the room and shifted the logs on the hearth, picking up a used match and hovering my hand behind it. Thankfully I had the sun on my side for a few more minutes, shafts of light slowly receding back towards the windows. My eyes fluttered shut and I concentrated my power. For some reason this power had been within my for so long, and only now had I figured out that it worked after the sun rose and before the sun set. I had little chance to explore my power without being caught, but I trusted him enough to use it in his presence.

Even if he was asleep.

Taking a deep breath, I blew into the match once, then twice, and on the third time my breath caused the match to flicker alight.

Smiling softly, I lit the fire and the numerous oil lamps around the room, kneeling before him and tapping his cheek. "Wake up, Link," I soothed. He stirred but didn't wake. I shook his shoulder. "Rise and shine, Link; open your eyes. I'll give you something nice if you do." He seemed to become a little more alert at the sound of a reward, but it didn't stop the papers he was sleeping on from sticking to his face. I grinned as his eyes lazily found mine. "Honestly if I didn't come here so often you'd sleep the day away!"

"It's fine, Zelda," Link murmured, resting his head back on the desk. "I worked all night and it's only—"

"The sun has set, Link. It isn't only the afternoon." He checked the clock above him to be sure, then cursed at the time. I leaned around and plucked his book from the desk. "What have you been working on?"

He rubbed some life back into his face. "A new teleporter stone for you. I know your mother doesn't like you coming near this side of Skyloft, so I thought I'd make these stones a bit stronger so you can still spend time with us commoners."

My heart sank, scoffing to cover the pain. "I prefer being with the "commoners" than mother's friends. They like to think that they are masters of the universe because they have more money, but I have more things to care about... like you almost freezing to death." He instantly went to protest, to tell me that it was only one time and that he wasn't careful, only to be stopped when I grabbed his hands and began using my magic on his cool skin. "I love coming down here and spending my days with you. I love seeing your eyes light up when you tinker with any machine you can your hands on. I wish it could last... forever..."

Link raised a brow. "Why can't it last forever?"

I tugged him up from his seat, as I usually did, and guided him over to the lit fire as the sun's rays slipped below the horizon; the reign on my magic slipping away. Swallowing thickly, I produced an opened envelope from my leather pouch, placing it into his hand. He studied me. "Open it."

Hesitantly, he did as I asked and pulled out a piece of paper. Once his eyes flickered over the words, his lips parted. "Zelda... is this?"

"As much as I hate mother's friends, they can help," I explained. "You can finally be an engineer just like you wanted, Link. Money can't hold you back this time."

He swallowed thickly, "It isn't that I don't appreciate it, Zelda, but I... why did you do this?"

"Because you need to be appreciated once in awhile, Link, and no one else will bother to give you the time of day." But he still didn't stop giving me that look. He was working his way past my barriers swifter than ever, and it wasn't long before I smoothed my hair back and gave in. "Mother doesn't like it here, but she tolerates it. And yet… she despises the fact that I am here with her and constantly come here to see you. She…" I took in a shuddering breath. "She wants me to move to Castle Town where my aunt lives. She wants me to have a formal education away from people like you so I can be a proper lady."

"I can stay away, Zelda," he insisted. "I won't let you be forced away from home because of—"

I pulled his face into my hands. "It will never be your fault. My mother simply can't see past the money at her feet and wants me to be the same. She doesn't want me to be an engineer like you; it's undignified. This will be the last time that I see you, Link. I don't ever want to leave you to this part of Skyloft, so I had to get you out before I left..."

His eyes shone with awe and gratitude, holding back from doing something by hugging me tightly instead. "I'll never forget this, or you," he promised to me. "I'm going to get what I need and come for you. I may not have the money, but I can't let you stay like this forever."

I sniffed, "But I won't be Zelda by the time you find me. They'll have changed me so much that—"

"That I'll still come for you," he reassured, pulling away to meet my eyes. "It doesn't matter what they do to you because you have that fire within you, and as long as I come to you before it flickers out, then there is still hope. You are a brilliant woman, Zelda, and while you can't see it, you're going to fly one day. I can see it."

I simply let the tears fall and embraced him once more, never wanting to let go.

I snap out of the memory with a jolt, tightening my grip around my stallion's reins. He snaps his head over to me. "It's alright, Sauvage," I soothe, running my fingers through his dark mane. "Just... remembering bad decisions..." He nickers at me and nuzzles my face before leaving me be, and I can't help but smile as I mount him. After three years here, it seems that Sauvage has been my only salvation in this place.

It isn't long since the rain stopped here in Castle Town, leaving behind a fine layer of water over the cobbles. A dense fog clings to the buildings, the night not helping me see either as I guide my stallion away from the main fountain, the lighting beneath the Triforce statue reflecting an ethereal glow onto the ground. We pass the nearby shops that have long since shut, various wares still in the windows whilst lanterns and signs sway from above. My aunt normally forces me into before noble galas so that I don't "show her up," although I don't have the same reluctance now that I go past them on my own.

I nudge Sauvage's sides, bringing him into a slow canter down the western streets. My aunt had allowed me to have the day off from my studies, yet forbade me from visiting Lake Hylia like I did before so I could look for the Zora population. She found that rather undignified too. I stayed in the library for most of the day, researching engineering more until I was close to being caught by the other women. I don't have the fear of my pride being broken like my aunt does, but I'd much rather any rumours be put to a minimum.

Nodding to a nearby guard, I exit through the south western gate and increase our speed as the hill leading up to my aunt's abode comes into sight. My aunt isn't the richest woman in Castle Town by any means, but she is still accepted by their society. The honey glow from the two floors and roof windows are a rather welcome sight through the darkness, the shadows of maids rushing about through their shifts. I usually find myself spending time with them no matter what my aunt says; they are people I can relate to more; and tonight will be no different.

As I guide Sauvage up the dirt path, however, my hand begins to tingle. I ignore it at first, waving it off as nothing but my hand falling asleep, but it seems to pulsate more and more the longer I try not to think about it. I cast my gaze down to my left hand, the one that hurts the most, surprised to feel this sensation jump into my heart moments before Sauvage is spooked by something that I can't see. I barely grab his reins before I am thrown, leaning down to pat his neck with quaking hands.

"What's wrong?" I murmur into his ear, sad to see his eyes wide and apprehensive. Realising that this is worse than I had thought, I dismount and take his face into mine. "You're safe... you're safe..." He seems to be spooked more in these past few months, tenser and more apprehensive about riding between Castle Town and nearby towns. While I can't feel or see anything, he is much more sensitive to how the world works.

The tingling increases.

"I believe that the mule is reacting to my presence."

My heart leaps and I spin around in surprise, my hand instantly reaching for the hidden knife beneath my stallion's saddle. A cloaked figure stands at the bottom of the knoll, garments billowing up as a sudden wind hits us. I hold back from drawing the weapon for a moment, tugging at my sleeves in concern. I can't see their face, only make out that they could be male from their voice.

I trust Sauvage's instinct.

"Who are you?" I demand.

The man scoffs. "It's rather insulting that you don't remember me, Your Grace. Though I suppose mortal minds will forever be limited..." He notices my look and takes an uncomfortably large step forward. "We met before a long time ago, Your Grace—but no matter. This fated meeting has been a long time coming. I have been searching near and far for you, and you appear alone just waiting to be plucked from your perch! Surely you must have an ounce of logic to hide from me in a more cunning way..."

I take a step back, perplexed. "You must be mistaken, sir. I haven't been "hiding" from anyone, let alone someone I have never met." Sauvage shifts his weight beside me, and I know that he is eager to move. "I know nothing of Her Grace and suggest that you leave. I have a package to deliver and mustn't be tardy." It's not entirely a lie; I did have something to deliver earlier; but he doesn't need to know.

He holds my wrist tightly. "Don't play coy with me, Your Grace. You should recall that I am not one to be messed with."

"I'm not Her Grace, nor anyone of great importance," I retort, desperate to draw my knife. "I am an ordinary person like anyone else, and I'd like it very much if you left me alone!"

The man narrows his eyes. "You don't remember?"

"There is nothing to remember!"

There's a long pause where the man searches my face for any signs of dishonesty. Then, surprisingly, he starts to laugh. I study him carefully, panic seeping into my bones. "She doesn't remember. She doesn't remember any of it!" And yet, as soon as I try to move away, he tugs me back into place. The knife comes free in the process, only for a small pulsation to enter my arm through his fingers—rendering me useless. He can use magic as well... I conclude, fearing for my safety as he leans in close. "Well, this shall make your death all the more fun..."

"Please," I beg. "I am no one of—"

"Silence!" The man releases me long enough to slap me hard, his numerous rings digging into my skin. His magic fades and I tumble to the ground, the colour draining from my face as he knocks the knife away from my reach. My guts twists as I imagine what he will do, and it seems to take more effort to stop tears from building than to stop my limbs from shaking. "Now," he adds, the moon lighting up his grin. "Shall we begin?"

In that moment, I pray.

"No, I don't think we will."

My heart soars at the sound of a new voice, my eyes finding another man mere feet away; slightly out of breath from running. I praise every Goddess for sending me aid, especially when Sauvage kicks the man away with his legs. I can't see the man, yet I know that I am about to owe him my life.

The man doesn't even flinch. "Ah, it's you..." He turns towards the newcomer. "You have no place here, boy."

"Yes, it's me," he answers strongly. "And a criminal is about to harm another innocent for the sake of a wild goose chase. I think I have a right to be here." Again? I wonder, perplexed at how someone so brave knows a criminal.

Until he steps forwards into the light, causing me to gasp lightly.

"Link...?"

Three years later and he has not changed at all.

The Goddesses really have sent me aid.

He snaps his attention to me as I force myself to stand, eyes widening as the moon's light illuminates me enough for him to recognise me. He mouths my name, unable to find his voice. Despite himself, Link takes an uncaring step forward, jolting into a stop when the criminal's hand plucks out a pistol and holds it beneath my chin, the cold barrel breathing into my skin. Sauvage goes to attack though refrains, knowing it could cost us. "Calm down. We wouldn't want her blood to spatter on your hands, now, would we?"

Only my breath can be heard.

Link's face pales, but he thankfully does nothing.

"What do you want?" I bite out, flinching at the barrel shifts as my mouth moves. The cloaked man shifts his gaze to me and quirks a brow, intrigued. "You wouldn't be causing such a scene and threatening us in such a way if you didn't want something from me. Why would you want to kill me if you have been searching for one like me?" There's a pregnant silence between the three of us. I refuse to close my eyes, staring down the criminal despite the weapon pressing against my chin. Deep down I know that I am right, and I will not back down; not with someone so close to me only three feet away after three long years apart.

"Rather perceptive, aren't you?" the man muses absently before addressing me formally, irises dropping to my body. A part of me is desperate to wrap my arms around my blue dress; the one I actually like; but the furthest I can do is mess with my belt without looking weak. "Why, it seems that They sculpted you into an exquisite piece of art, correct? Just the spitting image of your mother..." My eyes narrow; I supposedly resemble my father more, not my mother. "But now Her Grace has finally honoured us with her presence, it is a pity that such a precious piece has become such a threat by drawing breath." The man reaches a gloved hand up to my cheek, rings glimmering in the light. "Once we have what is needed, we will have no more use for you, meaning that little blood can be—"

"Don't touch her."

The cloaked man glances over his shoulder with a smirk. "Your fear speaks for you. But don't worry, it will be over soon enough."

"You're playing with fire," Link responds without hesitation, emphasising the last word. "She has been a flame for as long as I can remember, and I know that over the years nothing will have changed. You want to take your claim over her and whatever you come across that will please who you serve, but this time you will be burnt and receive exactly what you deserve." As he speaks, the emphasis that he puts on certain words send my mind back to the tingling in my hand.

Within minutes of Link returning to me, something clicks inside of me.

I glance down to my left hand as Link helps to stall for time, being careful not to disturb the pistol. A tiny golden flicker has now sparked beneath my skin, following the creases in my skin and the blood in my veins. It's such a familiar feeling that I had suppressed ever since I had left Skyloft, and yet having it back seemed to fill a gaping hole on my heart. My eyes flutter for a moment as the feeling seeps up my arm and disappears beneath her sleeves.

Then I realise something.

For the first time, my magic is still working after the sun has set.

My eyes open.

"Would you like to see my fire?" I ask with a smile. The criminal turns back to me and shoves the pistol closer to my skin. I cough once at the suddenness then simply smile. I raise my fingers ever so slightly, a stream of red tendrils intertwining between one another and instantly knocking the pistol from the man's hand in a wave of embers. His eyes finally reflect the surprise that I wanted to see, although I don't stop. Without missing a beat, I finish by thrusting my hands forwards and knocking the criminal into the grass numerous meters away.

Thankfully Link darts forwards quickly enough to catch me when my knees suddenly buckle.

"Come on," he whispers into my ear. "I know where we can go." At first I refuse to be carried by him, however he is too stubborn and my burst of power has weakened me enough to keep me in his arms. We glance back long enough to see the criminal begin clambering back onto his feet, Link keeping vigilant as he hurries me onto Sauvage, climbing on after me and taking the reins; holding himself around me.

"Not to my aunt's," I tell him, touching his chest lightly. "He can't know that I live there..." He nods, and I sag against his form. Sauvage quickly speeds away just as the criminal grabs his pistol, spitting blood onto the floor as he fires numerous times at us, eliciting screams from me without wanting to. Bullets hit dirt and cobble paths beneath us, though they manage to miss my stallion. Link grunts at something, though I am pressed too closely to him to see what it is, glancing back for a moment before we enter Castle Town.

Link guides Sauvage away from the main area and onto the backstreets, descending two flights of steps before dismounting, pulling me down with him. "I can walk," I assure as he goes to carry me again, causing him to smile and finally let me down, watching me with concern until I prove that I'm not lightheaded anymore. He ties Savage's reins to a post beneath a nearby shelter before showing me to a small door, a honey glow seeping out from the crack at the bottom. He opens the door and steps inside, offering me a hand and bringing me in.

"You're back late, honey! Where in tarnation have you been?" a voice calls out of nowhere, making me jump. The dim lighting barely illuminates the tiles and worn through rugs dotted about the floor, let alone the figure behind the bar off to the right. Numerous tables are present and filled with a range of people, but no one that I know. As we veer off to the right, the figure behind the bar leans forward, revealing a pair of green eyes and dark braided hair tied back into a thick ponytail. Although her clothes are reveal more of her chest than I'd like, her eyes gleam with a jovial and maternal essence that calms me.

Link holds his arm around me. "Sorry, Telma. I found some unexpected company."

"Oh I see," Telma winks, studying me. "And you've brought back a sweet little thing too. For such a shy man, you must have charmed her well. What's ya name, darling?"

My cheeks hot up, and I can barely stammer out my name before she chuckles and ruffles my hair. "She's the one I told you about, Telma. The one that moved here a few years ago to live with her aunt." The lady's eyes glitter in recognition. "She was almost hurt when we met, though, so I'd like her to—"

"You don't need to say anything else, sugar," Telma cuts in. "She can stay here as long as she wants free of charge. I may ask either of you to do some chores, but other than that you'll be living here for free." She shuffles around the bar to force me into a hug. "You'll be safe here for as long as you need."

"Thank you, Telma," Link says with a chuckle when mine is muffled.

Telma pulls away and gives me room to breathe before going to say something else, only to notice Link lose his balance slightly. I near instantly recall him wincing when we rode away earlier. I grab onto his hand and vaguely listen to Telma saying where to go and she'll bring up bandages straight away; yelling orders for no funny business to go on in the bar whilst she's gone. That's the last I hear before I shove open the nearby door and tug Link up the stairs. I pull him lightly into a small room on the left, easing him onto the single bed and lighting an oil lamp as he takes his shirt off.

A part of me notes that he has become stronger over our years apart, but I force myself to focus. Telma enters after a minute with a roll of bandages and a bucket of warm water. "Do you need help, hunny?" she asks, standing on Link's other side and stroking his hair back. After a pause I nod, tugging off some of the bandages to clean the wound. As Telma helps, she can't help but ask, "How did you do this? You've come back with worse, but not since..."

"It was him again, Telma. I wasn't letting him hurt her, or anyone for that fact."

The tavern lady is silenced, and neither of us speak until I ask Link to sit up so we can bandage his side. My brow deepens. He had made it clear before that he knew the man, but he stunned Telma without even saying the man's name. Him? I don't recall anyone sounding like that back in Skyloft, although now I will never forget his voice. I constantly search Link's eyes for any sign of giving in, but he remains silent until we finish up and Telma shuts the curtains before leaving. Once I help Link lie down, I pull over a small chair and take one of his hands into my own. He merely smirks.

"Is that it? After three years and a confrontation with a criminal, you don't want a hug?" I smile at the irony. Before I wouldn't even ask for a hug; I'd just do it. Now, it seems, I have been taught to act more reserved. Seeing my hesitation, he opens his arms up to me. "I've missed you."

I smile, and my barrier cracks. My hands begin to shake, the memories of the meeting with that man and riding away returning, leaving Link hurt in the process hitting me hard. I dart forwards and wrap my arms around his neck, burying my head into his shoulder. "I missed you too, Link. I'm so sorry that I left..." He smooths back my hair, trying his hardest to calm me as I hold him close. "And now you're hurt because of—"

"Don't finish that," he cuts in without warning, pulling away to push my chin up. "The only time you ever hurt me was when you "accidentally" dropped a book on my head to wake me up." I grin at the memory, making him smirk. "There's that smile. Now I'm not going to spend my first night seeing you again trying to convince you otherwise. We're going to catch up and fall asleep from talking too much, and then tomorrow I'm going to keep you safe and happy; I won't settle for anything else."

I frown. "You won't do anything until you're healed."

He laughs lightly. "This scratch? You should see him after what you did to him." I avert my eyes, still hating myself for letting him get hurt in the first place. Link rubs my arm, holding me close. "Hey, I'm glad that your magic is better. You always said that you never wanted to be the damsel. If anything, it was my fault for not moving quick enough. You did say that I never moved quickly..."

His ability to lift my spirits hasn't left over these past few years.

I mould myself to his side like we always used to, listening to his heartbeat. "Who was that man, Link? How do you know him?"

Link sighs, then, "Not tonight, Zelda. I'll tell you some day, but not tonight; it's a long story." I huff but say nothing. "Don't worry about it for now, Zelda. We've got a lot happier things to talk about. For instance," he adds, reaching over me to pull a small pouch from his bag. "I have something to give back to you."

I raise a brow, but he does nothing. I tug at the cord and peer inside, shocked at what I find. "Link..." I say quietly. "Is this...?"

"I promised to come back, and since you left it behind I had another reason to track you down," he finishes when I trail off, lifting the item out. It's my necklace that I had left behind when mother sent me away, the undamaged silver Skyloftian crest still dangling from its thin chain. It was Link who made it for me and I was devastated when I realised that I had left it behind. It was one of the few things I had left of him other than a small photograph here and there. He was the one who taught me about Hylia and her rule, and crafting a homage to a story that I loved broke me when I didn't have it with me.

And now it's here and so is him.

"I don't know how I could ever repay you, Link. For this and saving me…"

He ties it around my neck. "You can repay me by telling me everything that has happened whilst we've been apart."

My lips part, only to be consumed by my grin. "I'll tell you my story if you tell me yours."

"Ah, but I asked you first," is his only response.

And we do. For the evening we talk about everything other than that horrid meeting with a deranged man. I tell him about my strict aunt, forgetting that I should be home right now, my secret fighting lessons that I paid for when there was an influx of crime last year, and in return he tells me what he learnt during his time becoming an engineer. He tells me of the friends he made and those he left behind to come live here in Castle Town, and how he met Telma too. He lives on the outskirts of the city where it is cheaper, and has been spending his time looking for me and earning money. The idea of Link looking for me is a lot nicer than the man scouring the land for me.

But as we turn in for the night next to one another—I can hear my aunt scoffing from afar at our closeness and lack of wedding rings—the memories of that man return. He wasn't looking for money or jewels, simply "Her Grace." The term is held for the highest women in the monarch or those in stories, not an aspiring engineer like me. I have a formal education like many girls I know and nothing else that sets me apart. Why would a man, a criminal, see me as someone more? I'm not anyone, just Zelda; a sheep to her aunt until she is married off like the rest and is sleeping beside a friend she hasn't seen for three years and showed her how to truly live.

Why me?

I shake my head and creep closer to Link, trying to put my mind at ease. It doesn't matter why he wanted me, because with Link at my side and a weapon in my hand, that man won't strike fear into my heart like he did tonight—not again, not ever.

But it isn't over, not yet.

"An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, and circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle. But it will never break."

~Ancient Chinese Proverb~

Author's Note: There it is; the first chapter. I haven't fully planned this story out, but I would love ideas on it. It all developed from the idea of Zelda having fire magic, and look where we are now. I want to incorporate more of Skyward Sword into the later chapters (if we get that far) and a bit more foreshadowing for the future. I don't see lots happening in this chapter other than introducing characters and getting a semi-basic plot, but hopefully in the next one it will read better for you. Anyway, please drop and rate and review to tell me what you think; I want to see anything that will help me improve. And, hopefully anyway, I will see you in the next chapter.

~RandomButLoved~