Carolina Rose
By: Xerphena (or dracosgirl400)
Beta: Glitch-Kitty
Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda and am earning no money with this story.
Link landed on the surface, Ghirahim with him. The pair had done nothing remarkable since the Isle of Songs, and they were now heading to the Water Temple to imbue the Goddess Blade with the true power it required in order to become the Blade of Heroes.
Link knew the power that the Master Sword had, and did not wish to inform Ghirahim of the true nature of the Goddess Blade. He knew that he was the chosen hero by the old goddesses, and wished that someday he would be able to feel comfortable sharing that information with the other.
The Sky Hero hadn't had much time lately to think about the choices he had made. He also hadn't had much time to think about the fact that he had been granted with the ability to go back in time. He had tried to go back by playing the song of time again, but despite his efforts, he didn't have the ability go back. It was as if the world he once knew no longer existed. But if this was the case, then where had it gone? What happened to it? Were all the people he once knew gone now, or was fate keeping him from going back? If the latter was the case, then what is it that this time has to offer as opposed to the time he was in before?
This was all too confusing, and Link didn't like it. But as he set his eyes on the entrance to the Silent Realm, he looked over at his travelling companion. Suddenly a new set of questions appeared, taking place of the old ones. He decided to voice these ones. "Debbie, why do you think you can remember the time before?" Link looked at Ghirahim, noticing the slightly shocked look which quickly then turned contemplative. "In my opinion, it would be because of that prophecy."
"Then what fate is involved?"
"Well…we are intertwined by a thread of fate… oh, and sorry about that threat… you know… last time." Ghirahim looked around sheepishly before asking, "So…umm, why are we stopping here?" Link looked at Ghirahim for a second before saying,
"Oh, it's the silent realm."
"Wait… the what?"
"The Silent Realm. It's the goddesses' challenge for the chosen hero."
"Oh, okay then. So do I come with you, or what?"
"No, I don't think you can… sorry about that." Link said, as he patted Ghirahim on the shoulder. Ghirahim placed his hand on Link's and squeezed slightly. He slowly led Link over to the entrance of the deep forest and sat down on the steps.
"Link? Do you mind me coming along with you on your adventure? I mean, I don't want to be a bother..." The demon looked at the hero through his bangs. He was shy, and didn't want Link to understand some of the feelings he had for the young hero.
The feeling had started not long ago, when he had stolen the Spirit Maiden from Link the second time around. He had that same feeling later in the temple but despite it, he had chalked it up to being annoyed, and not the least bit infatuated with the blond haired beauty.
Ghirahim had been shocked, to say the least, when he had awakened in the past. He had been in the same place as before- the Sealed Grounds. Just before Demise was sealed, he had been forced by the Demon King to resurrect him in the future once the Spirit Maiden made her appearance (as was depicted in the book of fate).
He didn't know what was going on. He had no means of looking for information other than several old tomes that had been left behind by Demise in a sealed off location. Those texts, though, only held information on bringing back the Demon King, and held nothing about time travel, other than to say that time travel was impossible without the Gate of Time.
Time was something that confused the Demon Lord. He didn't seem to understand how this worked. There was no 'other him'. Had he simply gone back in time, he would have meet up with a much more bitter and blind version of himself. He had thought of the possibility of having had made it all up (the other world) and wasn't actually the sadist he remembered. He hoped this had been the case, but he had the incline that it was a memory and not a figment of his imagination. If he had dreamed it up, he would have awoken long ago. He would have awoken because he felt pain. The pain of failing his master, and the pain of the punishment of a demon that followed. The punishment of his foolishness- he had believed that he would easily be let off and not forcibly reverted into his sword form that he so despised.
His sword form he considered a demeaning way to be. He hated it to say the least. It offered no form of protection against the elements he was exposed to and the tie he had with his master also had him feeling their pain along with his own. Demise had designed him like that as a form of power over him and protection of his ownership. This only worked because Ghirahim had no one he could trust.
-0-
"I'm really beginning to hate you." Tempestra said, as her sister came strolling into the room. She looked different than before- her usual pale blond hair was tired and haphazardly strewn on her head like the bedroom of one who had not passed his youth. Tempestra almost felt bad for her earlier statement, but knew she could not take it back. Had she lived on the earth with the mortals of the primitive Hyrule, she could have brought time back but instead she decided to show concern for her sister: "Is there something wrong?"
"Yes." Her voice was far and almost detached.
"What is it, Sister?" Tempestra asked, closing the small black book she had opened. She had gotten the book from the Royal Hyrule library; she quite enjoyed books on the theory of long passed ages, as she could not help but point out the inaccuracies that came with the limited knowledge of the humans in any time period.
"I just created another parallel universe for the hero. I am merely tired; you need not fret over me." Fatume sat down and crossed her legs, pulling up a small journal of her own. Tempestra recognized it as her fate book, the book that held the fates of all who are written within the pages. "Tempestra?"
"Yes oh tired one?"
"Do not be difficult." As Fatume said that sentence, Tempestra couldn't help but grin at the obvious annoyance that laced the words. Though she said nothing to voice her merriment, Fatume still shot her a glare before continuing her earlier thought: "You need to get them to go after the shards."
"Do I? When was this established?"
"Right now." Fatume said, with a convection that dared her sister to argue with her. Tempestra debated arguing the subject with her, as this was her idea in the first place, but went against it. Fate rarely liked showing herself in public, and when she did it was for short periods of time.
Tempestra re-opened her black book and began to read more on the early Hyrule- the early history of Hyrule that might just end up changing.
-0-
"Okay then, Debbie, I'm going to enter that gate there. Just wait here for me." Link said, as he stood from his spot on the steps. Ghirahim followed behind him as Link made his way over to the spot where the gate should be and pulled out his harp.
The song he played- a duet with his sword spirit- ended and the gate opened, allowing him through it into the world of spirit. Ghirahim rested against the hero and contemplated what it was that he was doing now with the hero.
Ghirahim wasn't stupid, and he knew he wasn't following the hero around solely because he felt he owed it to the other. He had other, more greedy ideas that he wanted to come from this and had to employ patience to get what he wanted.
He wanted Link. Oh, how he wanted the young hero. But he also understood that he wasn't about to tell the human what he wanted quickly and hope that it just magically works. He understood the friendship he had with the Spirit Maiden and the possible love he might have blooming for the young girl. Despite this, he pursued what he wanted, and should it not turn out the way that he wanted he didn't want to ruin the fragile friendship the two had at the moment.
-0-
A cool forest breeze woke Ghirahim from his sleep. He rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand and stood up. The Skychild was still in the Silent Realm; Ghirahim assumed it was because time passed differently within the confines of that place.
Ghirahim stretched and raised his arms over his head, letting out a long drawn out sigh. He let his arms fall and looked around. It was the middle of the night, the stars were out and they twinkled against the night sky. They were, sadly, barely visible because of the goddess' cloud barrier that blocked out the true night sky and had for about 1000 years.
Ghirahim looked over at the Skychild who held the sword, he appeared lifeless. The demon lord made his way over and placed his ear against Link's chest and listened to the steady heartbeat. "Hello? Can you hear me Skychild?" He whispered into the ear of the hero. When he got no reaction, he then licked the ear, which caused Link to involuntarily shudder, but otherwise he got no reaction.
Ghirahim looked at the sleeping hero and bit at his bottom lip out of nervousness. Before he could change his mind, he swooped in for a small, chaste kiss. He was smooth and gentle, and though Link didn't react he still liked the taste of the young hero's lips. He finally pulled away and curled up against Link, closing his eyes to go back to sleep.
-0-