Eternal Memories

Chapter 4

Early Concerns

"I'm still worried about him."

Zelda sat beside her father at the breakfast table as she voiced her concern.

"We all are, my dear," her father replied with a laugh. "But he'll be okay. I'm certain of it. He is a hero, after all."

Zelda sighed. "I hope you're right."

Roy gave her an encouraging smile, "He's going to be fine."

Zelda smiled up at him and nodded.

"Of course he will," Kilik said through the toast in his mouth. "He is one tough guy. Trust me."

"Easier said than done," Roy told him with a slight smirk.

Kilik stuck his food-covered tongue out at him.

The King shuddered. "Ugh! Where are your manners, boy?"

"What are you talking about?" Kilik asked him, shoving another sausage in his mouth.

King Daphnes, who was sitting at the head of the table, groaned in disgust. He pushed his plate of food away from him. "I'm done!"

A servant rushed to the table and brought the full plate with him to the kitchens.

"Wha oo do tha fo?"

Roy rolled his eyes at him. "Kilik, if you're going to sit across from me, please don't talk with food in your mouth."

"Fine!" Kilik swallowed the food in his mouth, and then washed it down with a gulp of tea.

"Much better," Roy stated. He then looked over at Zelda. "You okay? You're quiet this morning."

Zelda lifted her gaze from the table and directed it towards him. "I'm just worried, is all. I'll feel better after I know what's wrong."

Roy pulled her into a side-hug. "I know, but this is Link. He'll get through it, no matter what the trouble is."

The King grinned, "The lad has a point, my child."

Kilik nodded in agreement with a wide smile spread across his face. Zelda remained silent and rested her head on Roy's shoulder.

…..

Link sat on the edge of his bed and pulled on his boots. He grabbed his sword and strapped it on his back, but he decided to leave his shield lying against the window.

Link yawned.

He had managed to fall asleep for about an hour, before the same dream had returned and awoken him yet again. However, he was grateful to have found no one else in the room this time.

"They must be worried," he muttered. "I'll have to let them know it was nothing more than a nightmare. Just a bad dream."

…..

"And then, I walked right up to him and poured my hot, hot coffee on his shoes!" Kilik finished dramatically, starting in a fit of laughter.

Everyone stared at him. The only sound in the entire hall was Kilik's laughter.

Zelda spoke first, "Umm…what?"

Through his merriment, Kilik explained, "I spilled coffee on his shoes and burned a hole in them!"

"Oh," Zelda muttered and took a sip of her tea.

Daphnes covered his ears. "My ears are too delicate for this shrill noise!"

Kilik finally calmed himself and wiped a tear from his eye.

"At last," the King lowered his hands and folded them across his lap.

Kilik turned to him with an anxious grin. "At last what? Is there a surprise cake hidden somewhere for me and you were just waiting for the right moment to bring it out? Oh, that is so thoughtful. Well, no time like now!" He held his hands out expectantly.

"Kilik, put your hands down before you hurt yourself."

"Who said that?" Kilik demanded, shrinking back in fear.

Link emerged from the doorway, a smirk across his face. "Calm down, Cuz."

Daphnes beamed. "Ahh…you've awoken! Come, sit near me!" he gestured to the chair diagonally beside himself.

Link shrugged and accepted the seat. He looked next to him, where Kilik was busily shoving the last of his breakfast into his mouth. "Only food can shut him up," Link mused.

"Wha oo saw?" Kilik stared at his cousin in perplexity.

Link snickered, "Nothing."

Kilik shrugged and went back to his food.

Across from his cousin sat Roy, and beside him sat Zelda. Link noticed that Roy was unassumingly holding the princess's hand. Link raised a curious brow at this.

"Umm…Link?" Zelda asked quietly.

He broke his gaze and lifted it to her concerned stare. "Yes, Zelds?"

"Are you going to tell us what happened earlier?"

"Nothing, really. I just had a…bad dream, is all."

Zelda narrowed her eyes. "It didn't sound like you just had a bad dream, Link. We all heard you yelling."

He glanced around the table at everyone. They were looking back at him, waiting eagerly for his reply. He sighed, "Look. I know you're all worried about me, but there's no reason to be. It's not a big deal. Really! Everybody has a nightmare now and then."

"Yes, but-"

"Zelda. I'm fine. Just forget about it. Alright?"

She smiled and nodded. "Okay."

Daphnes smiled, "Well! There you have it. You have absolutely nothing to worry about, my dear. Honestly, worrying is bad for your health."

Link rolled his eyes at him.

"Hold on. Weren't you worried about him too, Your Highness? You've been spending the morning the same way as the rest of us," Roy reminded him.

The King chuckled sheepishly. "W-what? I did not! I don't spend my mornings the same as any of you!"

Roy arched a brow. "That's not what I was saying. I meant tha-"

"I rarely get worried or excited about…anything," he continued.

Zelda awarded him an incredulous look, but he did not notice.

"Furthermore, I am in…excellent health and that is…proof…that I don't," he said between coughs. "So next time you try to prove me wrong, get all the facts first. I would've expected better from my future son-in law!"

Roy was about to reply, but Link cut him short when he suddenly jumped out of his chair in a start. "What? Future son-in-law? When did all this happen?"

Zelda chuckled nervously. "I told you…didn't I?"

Link shook his head.

"Oh. Well, no time like the present," she nudged Roy in the shoulder.

"Zelda, I think he should hear it from you."

Link returned to his seat and crossed his arms, his eyes on the two of them.

"Okay," she began slowly. "Well, as you know, Roy and I have been together for over a year now."

"Actually, I didn't know. I knew the two of you were very close, but nothing past that."

"I'm sorry. Everything was so hectic; it must have slipped my mind. Anyway, three months ago he proposed, and…I said yes," she smiled at her fiancé as she revealed this fact. "The wedding is in four months."

"Oh. And, just out of curiosity, why is this the first I'm hearing about this?"

"Link, I would've told you sooner, but no one knew where you were. We hadn't heard from you since you left ten months ago."

Link chuckled, "I suppose that's true. I understand. I'm very happy for you. The both of you." He leaned back in his chair and smiled. "At least it explains what he's doing here," he pointed to Kilik, who grinned.

"Zelda asked me to help out with the wedding stuff. I've been staying in a guest room for a few days now."

"Speaking of staying, I have to go."

Kilik looked up at Roy in surprise, "Why, Roy? We only just had breakfast."

"Don't act so childish. I have to get home before my father destroys another part of the house with his idea of re-modeling," Roy replied, rising from his seat with a sigh.

King Daphnes chuckled, "Come back anytime."

Roy nodded. "Thank you, sir."

"Bye, bye, Roy!" Kilik yelled, waving ecstatically to him.

Roy returned the wave with a roll of his eyes.

"Wait, I'll walk out with you," Link said, proceeding to leave his chair and walk over to him.

"Are you going somewhere?" Daphnes asked worriedly.

Zelda giggled as she thought, 'And he says he doesn't worry. What does he call that?'

"Don't w-" Link cut himself off before he uttered the word worry. "I'll be back later. I'm just going to drop in on a friend."

Zelda grinned slyly. "Say hi to her for me."

Link smirked. "Sure thing."

Zelda nodded. She hugged Roy in farewell and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "See you later."

"Yes. Goodbye, Zelda," Roy smiled. He then turned to Link, "Ready?"

Link nodded. "Bye, everyone!"

"W-wait! You haven't eaten! Don't you want anything for breakfast?" Daphnes urged.

"No," Link answered simply, before turning and following Roy out of the room.

…..

"You're going to Lon Lon Ranch, right?"

Link had followed Roy out to Hyrule Field, just past the drawbridge. "Y-yeah," he answered, somewhat sheepishly.

Roy nodded to the stable master and jumped on his horse. "Don't forget to say hi to Malon for Zelda," he reminded him, and he then rode off in the direction of Kakariko Village.

Link retrieved Epona from the stables and started his ride toward Lon Lon Ranch. He was not sure why, but after learning of Zelda and Roy's engagement, he had the sudden urge to see Malon.

…..

Malon hummed as she cleaned the stalls in the stables. She always made her work more enjoyable by doing this, and the work load seemed to speed by quicker, too.

"Malon?" Talon said, appearing in the doorway.

She spun around with a smile. "Yes, Father?"

"There's a horse and rider headed our way. Are the stalls clean?"

Malon nodded. "Just finished."

"Good. Now, go tidy yourself up. Quickly!"

"Alright!" she placed the cleaning supplies on the shelf and then ran past him.

When she reached her room, she walked over to the window and peered down at the field. She could just make out a red horse and a rider. He appeared to be a young man adorned in a green tunic.

Malon gasped. "Link!"