Yeah, it's been too long since I continued. Call it an extended case of writer's block, life, and just forgetting about the story in the midst of things. I'm sorry for my empty promises about keeping this up. One of my New Year's Resolutions was to keep this story up to the best of my ability, so I'll do my best. Again, sorry.
Snowflakes flitted through the wintry air, coating the rider's face in an icy mask that bit into him as his horse, a young chestnut mare, slowly trudged through the thick drifts of snow that blanketed Hyrule Field. Shaking ice off the crusty reins, the horseman let a smile crack across his half-frozen face as he wiped his frost-beard off. He knew that bridge. Right across it, and only a short flight of steps carved into the mountain stood between him and a hot drink.
And maybe a cold one after? Oh, and food. Food was good.
Riding up under the arch that marked the entrance to Hyrule's favorite village, Link pulled back, slowing Epona into a canter as they approached the Frizzy Kikwi.
I still don't know what a Kikwi is… sounds familiar though…
Enjoying the satisfying scrunch his boots made as he slid off of his steed onto the snow, he pulled out some rupees for his drink(s?) and an apple for her to munch on out of the saddlebags. The rider tied the chestnut mare to a post under the shelter of the fluffy eaves. Turning to scale the steps up to the door, a snort from the horse interrupted his thoughts. Following her gaze to meet the apple in his hand, he tossed her the apple. "Sorry, almost forgot," he murmured as he turned back towards the door.
Lazily shoving the rickety door open, he walked in, letting it noisily grate shut on its half-rusted hinges. It wasn't like he wasn't used to it, but the atmosphere barraged his senses all the same.
Drunken warbling, clinking tankards, and raucous laughter greeted his senses, along with heavy scent of alcohol in the air. Keeping his hood on so as to not reveal his identity, he strode up to the counter.
"Coffee- extra cream," he told the bartender. Why would he get a cold beer after a cold ride? Stupid.
"Three rupees, anything else?"
"Nope. Thanks," he tiredly said as he rolled out three rupees on the counter.
As the ample-bellied bartender waddled around looking for a mug, the rider sighed and leaned his back against the counter, staring back out through the window at the snow-covered village. Ah, Kakariko. Normally, the village would be a beehive of activity, but everyone tended to stay home during Hylian winter.
Absentmindedly thanking the bartender for his drink, he walked off to a table in a dark, warm corner of the bar. Plopping down on the well-worn leather seat, he drank in the warmth of the atmosphere (as well as the coffee), and rested his eyes until the cacophony of the exuberantly inebriated seemed to dwindle to a buzzing murmur, and lulled him into slumber.
An immaculate, clear blue, the sky stretched out, perforated only by the noonday sun, hanging in its center, shining with a warm light on the temple's entrance.
"Link," she addressed me, the sun's rays rolling down her golden hair.
I lifted my head, exhausted but relieved that my quest to save Hyrule had succeeded at last.
"Thank you, Link. Peace will continue to reign in Hyrule, thanks to you."
Didn't have much to say to that. It was true, but I did it for Hyrule- and she had helped in the final confrontation with Ganondorf. I did it because fate- no, the goddesses, thrust the duty on me, I thought as I simply nodded in reply.
"You say he's sealed there forever?" We had imprisoned Ganondorf, the evil Gerudo prince who tried to usurp the throne of Hyrule, in the Sacred Realm.
"With the help of the other sages, the seal should hold for the time being. Link, I'm really sorry you were pulled into this. This calamity wouldn't have happened if it weren't for my youthful foolishness- I took seven years of your childhood that belonged to you."
"The past is the past, Zelda. It's fine."
She shifted uncomfortably, like she'd rather not say what was coming. "All the same, I want to make things right, if I can. If you give me the ocarina, I can send you back in time. All you'd have to do is put the Master Sword in the pedestal."
I paused for a moment, thinking.
I straightened my shoulders, and looked her straight in the face. She was beautiful, it was hard to not get lost in her eyes. Being shot from childhood to adolescence was quite a shock, I was still getting used to everything felt, physically and emotionally. Shaking myself out of it, I drew myself back to what I had to say.
"No," I stated. I can't blame you for what happened to me, or what happened to Hyrule, and neither can you. Everything that happened, the goddesses allowed to happen. You told me earlier as Sheik that time passes, and people move, didn't you? And you meant what you said?"
She nodded.
"Well, time has passed, and obviously, it's flowed cruelly to me so far. But I've also been told that my destiny is to always be Hyrule's hero. Someday, my descendants will also protect this place, won't they? But, if I leave, not only will there not be a hero, I would not be the same person. And, we'd be going against the goddesses' will. It was through their power that defeated Ganondorf- their power, not ours. The Triforce was their gift. If the price of remaining here to save Hyrule is seven years, so be it. I'm reborn eventually, correct?"
She nodded. "As am I, an ancient, unbreakable curse laid on us by Demise an age ago."
"So, if this cycle cannot be broken, the number of times I'll be reborn is absolutely immeasurable. And, being the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, I think you'll agree with me that it's statistically certain that in one of those lives, I have a childhood. If I remain here, I do not lose anything I haven't already lost. But if I chose to go back, I'd lose everything I live with today, all my experiences, hopes and dreams-I'd find myself trapped in a child's body with an adult's mind, tortured by the confusion of what used to be and what could've been. No, Zelda, my childhood is lost. I'd be lying to myself if I tried to relive it. Traveling back in time would show the goddesses that we have no faith in them, and I know that's not true. Besides..." I shifted awkwardly. I guess even in the brief time I'd gotten to know her, I kinda liked her.
"...I'd like to spend more time here... with you."
(This was the part where I mentally slapped myself and wondered why I couldn't come up with something better than that. Ugh.)
Did she just blush?
Smiling, she replied, "As serious as I was about my offer, I'm glad you declined- I didn't look at it that way before. You know, it's about noon. Care to join me for lunch?"
Grinning, I followed her back into the palace.
My eyes jerked open. I guess I'd dozed off, and the caffeine finally kicked in. Once more, the scent of alcohol slammed me like remlit breath. Well, I've never really seen (not to mention smelled) a Remlit, at least not in this lifetime, but I bet remlit breath would smell like alcohol. Not that I really minded the stuff, it just wasn't usually my choice of drink. Sometimes, when I was in the mood, Gerudo whiskey would hit the spot.
Grabbing some bread on the way out, I contemplated the events of the past year. To be honest, there wasn't much to contemplate, and I wasn't sure whether I liked that. It'd been calm- and calm made me uneasy, because I was used to anticipating the storm that usually followed. Zelda offered me countless accolades and awards for saving Hyrule. I refused all of them-but she practically forced me into accepting at least one, so I did. The name of Link grew famous all across Hyrule, and before long, I found myself as a celebrity among the people. At first, it was fun- I enjoyed the feeling of acceptance. I'd grown up with the Kokiri, none of whom had treated me like family besides Saria. But after a while, things got ridiculous. I couldn't do so much as walk into Castle Town without hordes of admiring fans, practically all teenage and female. Augh.
So, I donned a hood everywhere I went, speaking in a low voice, doing my best not to attract attention. The only people I really talked to were Malon, her dad, and of course, Princess Zelda-who had her work cut out for her, pressured on all sides to rebuild a nation still recovering from Ganondorf's reign of terror. It seemed a rather depressing and lonely job to me-besides a few trusted advisors, Zelda didn't have many true friends. Even I wasn't that close to Zelda- she'd been so busy over the past year with fixing a ruined Hyrule, we hadn't had much time to spend with each other.
Saddling Epona, I leapt onto her back and began to ride to Lon Lon- Malon had invited me over for dinner. Anything involving food and drink interested me!
As I spurred my way across the field, I sighed, letting my breath thaw the glistening snowflakes that seemed to ceaselessly float down from the darkening sky.
Life is getting too boring.
Farore: You made them wait way too long for this chapter. Like, waaaaaaay too long.
HBOD: Yes. The guilt will hound me for eternity.
Din: And this chapter felt different from the others.
HBOD: Well, yeah. I mean, it's story, not mythical prologue stuff. This is my first time, okay? It's the reviewers' job to be brutal, not yours. Sheesh.
