Eternal Memories
Chapter 2
Return Of A Hero
A dark figure appeared over the distant hills of Hyrule. A young red horse shook its white mane through the air. Its rider was adorned in a green tunic. His long, golden locks blew in the gentle breeze. A sword lay across his back, and a shield rested atop this, ready for use at a moment's notice.
Link smiled at the familiar sight of his homeland. He leaned forward and patted his horse's neck. "We're home, Epona. We're home."
Epona snorted in agreement at his touch. Link grabbed hold of her reins and snapped them down. Epona whinnied and rushed forward toward the gate. Link slowed her pace when they met up with the guard posted at the open drawbridge.
The guard bowed. "Welcome back. If you would, follow me." He turned his back on Link and walked across the bridge.
Link awarded him a curious look, but shook it away and nudged Epona forward. They slowly followed the guard into the town, which was surprisingly quiet. It was usually bustling with movement, but it was strangely the opposite. All the shops were closed and there were no people in sight. This made Link even more curious. First, there was the odd behavior of the guard. Now, the deserted marketplace. What had changed in the time he was away?
Uneasiness set into the hero with each step they took. "Where is everybody?
The guard simply shrugged his shoulders, but Link thought he could see him shaking with laughter.
'What the hell is going on?' he thought.
They made their way through the town and toward the large castle. Link considered stopping until someone would tell him what was going on, when suddenly the sound of trumpets broke the silence. Link jumped at the loud noise and Epona jolted in a start.
A long precession led up to the castle ahead. People were standing on both sides of the lane, smiling and waving to their hero. Zelda stood on the top step in a green, satin gown with a sweet smile on her face. Next to her, the King stood with a guard posted on either side of him.
The King grinned with excitement and threw his hands into the air, signaling silence. "Welcome, one and all, as we gather together to celebrate the return of our awaited hero, gone these ten months to spread his good works across the land. Now he has returned, and we welcome him back from his long travels with open arms. Link," the King smiled at him and Link nervously returned it. "Welcome home."
The whole situation made Link slightly uncomfortable and even more tired than he had been. He was hoping for a quiet return, but he had known that was probably a long shot. Now, he knew there was absolutely no chance of it. He might as well make the best of it, and so he put on a smile for the townsfolk. Link pulled up on the reins and Epona lifted her head.
The King smiled at the hero's enthusiasm. "Now, let the parade begin!"
The crowd cheered and applauded as Epona trotted up the lane, and Link waved to everyone as he passed.
"Hero of Time! Hero of Time!" the crowd yelled repeatedly.
When they rounded the last turn, Link nudged for Epona to move faster, and she did so, stopping in front of the castle steps. Link sighed and dismounted her as a guard walked up and took Epona around to the stables.
Zelda glided down the steps to greet him and gave him a tight hug. "Welcome back, Link," she whispered.
Link smiled. "It's good to see you too, Zelds."
Zelda smiled in turn, and he followed her up the ascension of the stairs. When they reached the top, King Hyrule pulled him into a tight hug. "We missed you, Hero."
Link pulled himself out of the squeeze and straightened himself. "You can call me Link, your Highness," he reminded him.
King Daphnes laughed. "Oh, you haven't changed, my boy."
"Umm, thank you?" Link answered, unsure of how he should have responded. What was the joke?
Zelda recognized the tone in Link's voice and rolled her eyes at her father. "Dad. It's getting late and I'm sure Link's tired after such an…eventful day. Isn't it about time we disbanded and go inside?"
He groaned, but nodded. "Of course, my dear. You're right."
Zelda grinned and held her arm out for Link to take. "Let's go inside then."
Link mouthed, Thank you to Zelda before he took her arm and led her into the castle.
…..
The castle hadn't changed much since Link's departure. Apart from the additional dust collection between furniture, nothing else really looked different. The guest room he usually stayed in had one difference: the bed was now positioned against the far wall instead of under the window. Did they think people would climb through the window and kill them in their sleep?
Link shook his head at the thought. "Talk about being paranoid."
"Is everything alright, Sir?"
Link reached for his sword, but mid-draw, saw it was only a servant. He released a sigh and pushed the weapon back into its former position. He straightened his composure and looked at the servant. "Yes. It's fine, thank you. That is all."
The servant bowed and walked away. Link closed the door behind him and turned back to the room with an exhausted sigh. Finally, he could get some rest. He had been traveling for several days, and sleeping on the ground was not the most comfortable of sleeping positions. Now, there was a nice bed to sleep on.
Link lazily removed his gear and laid his sword against the bedside out of habit. He yawned and plopped onto the comfy bed, drifting instantly.