"You could have told me what I was up against!" Link grumbled, wincing in pain as his broken right arm was being treated. He was sitting on a small stool in the Temple of Time's inner sanctum, as two red fairies hummed up and down his damaged body, saturating him in powerful healing magic. The fairies usually healed minor wounds quickly, but more severe ones required a larger infusion of magic and a rest period to recover.

"Stop flailing around, you're messing up the recovery process," Saria said in distress, carefully applying a thick and smelly paste to several welts on Link's arm. She was the green-haired sage of the forest, and because of her caring and gentle nature Saria often found herself as a mediator in disputes or as a nurse. In this case, being the latter.

"Well, I'd have thought after eighteen years you'd have enough common sense to pack some extra equipment," Rauru huffed, dismissing Link's complaints. "Besides, I never explicitly stated the monsters were moblins. I just said they probably were."

"Probably," Link snorted, shifting his seat and earning a reproving glare from Saria. "Instead, I come up against two Iron Knuckles!" The painful memories of the afternoon's battle were still burning fresh in his mind.

"Nabooru would love to hear your story," Rauru said dryly. "She had some bad experiences with those things during the Dark King's reign. Did she tell you?"

Link groaned, his right arm thrumming in pain despite the fairies' best efforts to mend the broken bones.

"Anyways," Rauru continued, "If you think two measly Iron Knuckles are bad, what are you going to do about the Dark King himself?"

"I'm trying not to think about it," Link muttered. Truth be told, he grow more and more anxious as the days ticked by like a death timer. He had been training for this moment his entire life, under the Sages' careful tutelage, but now that his so-called "destiny" was almost at hand…

It was a scary prospect, there was no denying that. The Dark King. Link had only ever heard legends about the man, although the sages had all lived through his reign and even helped the legendary Hero of Time seal the monster in the Sacred Realm. Was he truly ready to accept his fate?

"Have faith in yourself," Saria said quietly, almost as if reading his mind. "We'll be there with you. You won't stand against the Dark King alone."

"Yes, the Dark King will certainly have to contend with us Sages," Rauru agreed. He glanced at Link. "Of course, in addition to you and Zelda." There was a pause in their conversation.

"Is it right?" Link asked quietly. Rauru seemed momentarily taken aback.

"What is?"

"Forcing… forcing Zelda into all of this," Link said. "She has no idea what this is all about. Surely she has a choice?"

Rauru opened his mouth as if to speak, and then abruptly shut it. There was complete silence in the sanctum. A weary look passed over Rauru's face, briefly highlighting the wrinkles and worry-lines etched on his ancient face. It was then that Link fully realized how old Rauru was, how tired and haggard he must be after all these centuries of harsh service.

"Yes, Link," Rauru said gently, his shoulders sagging ever so slightly. "Unfortunately, it is necessary. Sacrifices have to be made, to end this battle once and for all. Look at yourself."

"I'm a different case," Link argued. "I was abandoned by my parents in the poorest district of Castle Town. I had nothing to live for. I've got nothing to lose if I die in this conflict," he finished ruefully, eliciting a shocked gasp from Saria. "Zelda has the world. She has people who care for her, she has her whole life ahead of her… is it right of us to put all of that at stake?"

"But don't you see, Link?" Rauru cried, waving his arms. "Everything already is at stake! If we fail here, none of that will matter! Do you think the Dark King will be merciful to Hyrule's citizens? The same people who banished him for so long?"

"We can imprison the Dark King without Zelda's help," Link retorted. "She doesn't have to get involved at all!"

"But she does," Rauru said, his face turning white. "You know as well as I do that she is a crucial element. Without her, we can imprison the Dark King as many times as you like, but it will only ever be a temporary confinement. He will return, and return, and pick us apart one at a time, before destroying Hyrule utterly. It may take another thousand years, but it is only prolonging the inevitable!"

"Link," Saria interfered, stopping him from retaliating. "Rauru is right." Both Link and Rauru stared at Saria, their heated debate forgotten as her calm voice soothed the air.

"We need Zelda to do this. She's the only way we can permanently seal the Dark King away forever, something that should have happened centuries ago. The Princess back then… the Princess was a wise, kind, and just woman… but her emotions clouded her judgment, just as yours are doing to you."

"Saria!" Rauru whispered warningly.

She ignored him, dauntlessly continuing the tale. "The imprisonment spell was almost complete, when the Hero was felled by the Dark King. The lord of evil was poised to strike the killing blow. The Princess interrupted the spell in order to save the Hero's life."

Small tears trickled down Saria's cheeks. Rauru had closed his eyes, a painful expression on his face as he relived ancient memories.

Link sat completely still, listening in rapt attention to Saria's story. None of the Sages had ever told him what had truly happened on that fateful battle; they seemed reluctant to talk about those dark years. Rauru had recited the legend to him many times, but had always kept a part of it hidden from Link…

"She saved him," Saria said, "But in the process, the imprisonment spell was completed without her power. As a result, we sages could only create a makeshift barrier between reality and the Sacred Realm, a barrier that would only give Hyrule a brief respite from the Dark King's wrath."

"That is why, Link," Rauru said quietly. "The Princess was a noble woman, but in that one crucial moment, she faltered in her duty: she placed her own desires over that of her nation and people. We can't afford to make the same mistake again."

Link was silent for a long moment. He struggled to control himself, to convince himself that Rauru and Saria were right. What was one person's needs compared to the welfare of society as a whole?

"Link?" Saria asked kindly. She and Rauru gazed at him expectantly, waiting.

"I… I'll talk to Zelda," Link compromised. He wasn't sure if he could force her into this, despite what the Sages said.

"You need to tell her soon," Rauru urged. "We have barely two months left, and she will definitely require some training…"

"I know, I know," Link said wearily, standing up from his chair. The red fairies scattered back into Saria's outstretched hands. He tested his right arm. The bones were mended, but he couldn't move his arm much without causing a sharp pain.

"I recommend that you don't do anything to your arm for a few days," Saria advised. "Would you like a cast or sling?"

"No… I'm fine, thank you," Link muttered distractedly. He slipped on a pair of black gloves, hiding his Triforce mark from sight.

"Are you going now?" Rauru asked, raising his eyebrows. "Shouldn't you rest a bit?"

"I'll be fine," Link repeated gruffly, ignoring Saria's protests. He stiffly began to walk out of the sanctum, his body screaming in exhaustion. But he had to talk with Zelda. He had to see her. He needed to know if he was doing the right thing.

She was so innocent, unknowing of the dark horrors that hid behind the veil. Her world was an illusion, but was it better that way? After all, they said, ignorance is bliss. Revealing everything to her would destroy her world, everything she held dear. Could he tell her? Would she even believe him?

Link once again found himself wondering how she would react. Call him crazy? Probably. He would do the exact same thing, in her shoes. Somehow, the thought didn't exactly comfort him. He wanted to help her, be with her, protect her. Maybe it was the fact that they were both connected by the Triforce. Maybe it was something deeper. He didn't know, which only served to compound his confusion.

Rauru and Saria watched impassively as Link left, the Door of Time grinding open for the young hero. As the echoes of his receding footsteps faded away from the marble walls, the two Sages were left alone in the Temple.

"He's still hesitant," Rauru muttered. "I can see it."

"It's not an easy decision," Saria sighed, packing away her medical remedies. "But it's an important one that he has to make for himself."

"I wonder…," Rauru mused quietly. "He's so much like the Hero of legend. Do you think that Zelda is similar to the Princess?"

"I wouldn't be surprised," Saria said softly. "She was a noble woman, benevolent ruler, and kind friend to all."

"But yet…"

"I think," Saria interrupted. "I would have done the same, in her place."

Rauru nodded, slowly. "Was she right or wrong? Who can say? She acted upon what she believed was the right course of action. And perhaps it was. After all, this particular legend has yet to play out fully."

Saria smiled, brushing her short green hair. "The Goddesses watch over us."

"Indeed they do. That's one thing we have that the Dark King doesn't, if it's any consolation."

Zelda sat on her small dormitory bed, absentmindedly tapping her pencil against her Hylian Government textbook. She was supposed to be taking notes on the reformation of the constitutional monarchy after the Hylian civil war, but she couldn't focus on her work at all. Sighing, she glanced briefly at her cell phone: no new messages.

"Nayru, I've got it pretty bad," she muttered. Zelda didn't even know why she was so hung up over Link, considering she'd only known the guy for all of two days. She had had boyfriends and crushes in the past, but something was different about Link, something that really interested her.

It wasn't a feeling of blind love or wistful dreaming. Rather, she felt like there was a deep connection between herself and Link, almost as if they had known each other in some past life. But that was crazy. There had to be a logical explanation for her feelings… wasn't there?

She fished out the piece of paper that she had written Link's cell number on. It glared at her in bold blue ink, daring her to start dialing. I could call him. But what if he's not interested? That's dumb, if he didn't care then he wouldn't have asked for my number. Right? He's probably just busy. Maybe I should wait…

Her cell phone's ringtone suddenly blared out noisily, interrupting her mental battle as the first chorus of the New Wave Bossa Nova began to play. Eagerly, she reached over her work and grabbed her still-ringing phone.

"Hello?" She could hear her heart thudding in anticipation.

"Hey Zel. It's me, Malon," came her friend's voice from the other end.

Zelda accidentally let out a disappointed sigh, much to Malon's indignation.

"I'm sorry Malon, I'm sorry!" Zelda apologized profusely, hearing the red-head fume madly on the other end. "It's just that, I was expecting a call from someone else! I didn't mean to upset you, Malon, you know you're my best friend!"

"Goddesses, calm down Zel! I was just kidding, it takes a bit more than that to set me off," Malon replied, laughing at Zelda's stream of apologies. "So, what are you doing anyways?"

"Well… I should be working on my class work for Hylian Government."

"So… I'll ask again. What are you doing?"

"Waiting for Link to call me," Zelda sighed, glancing out her dorm window. She half expected to see him strolling amongst the shaded pathways on campus, but the only movement outside were the trees gently swaying in the wind. The grass was nearly nonexistent, carpeted in a thick blanket of red and gold leaves.

"It's only been a couple days. Didn't you say he was busy?"

"Yeah, he told me that. But I can't get him out of my head, Malon! It's driving me crazy!" His voice echoed in her head, accompanied by his handsome face. Princess, princess…

"Don't worry Zel, he'll get back to you soon. Just give it some time. Trust me."

"I suppose," Zelda said, not sounding entirely convinced. She closed her textbook and dropped it on the floor, deciding to read it later. "So, what are you up to, Malon?"

"Actually, that's what I called about. Vaati's having a party at his apartment off-campus. You wanna come?"

Zelda crinkled her nose. "Malon, you know what I think about Vaati."

"Yeah, he is a bit of a creep," Malon said apologetically. "But there'll be a ton of people there. It's not like he's gonna single you out or something. Plus, me and Sheik are going! Kafei and Mido said they might show up as well."

She remained silent, trying to decide what to do. Vaati was definitely a creep, but Malon and Sheik were going. Guiltily, she eyed her small collection of papers and books that sat by her bed. But then again, she could finish them on the weekend…

"Come on, one night isn't gonna kill you!" Malon urged. "All work and no play makes Zelda a dull girl!"

Her resolve began to waver. Party with friends, or homework? Seemed like a no-brainer. But then again, Vaati and his goons were at the party, and probably caseloads of alcohol as well. She didn't exactly relish the idea of drunken creeps trying to hit on her…

"Zel…," Malon wheedled. "It'll be fun. You, me, Sheik, Kafei, and Mido. If anything smells fishy at the place, we'll leave immediately."

Zelda again glanced at her pile of textbooks, wondering what her father would say if he found out about the party. She smirked as she envisioned his reaction. He'd go ballistic, definitely:

"Young lady, do you have any idea how scandalous this could be? What if my opponents got a hold of this information? I'd be ruined! My political career would be in shambles! A senator can't have his daughter running wild at parties in University!"

She'd be in safe hands with Malon and the others. It's not like I'll be there alone.

"Zelda?" Malon asked, breaking through her silence. "You there?"

She smiled to herself, feeling independent and vaguely rebellious. "I'm coming."

Well Chapter 4 was fairly short, but I thought that it would make a nice "connecting" chapter between numbers 3 and 5. I hope you liked it. As always, I'd love to hear your comments! I'll have Chapter 5 up in a week or so.