Thank you to Axcel, Machina per Dei, Anonman, a Guest, Biggtedd, Whitworth5274, pikatwins234, and Sonochu for their reviews
Machina per Dei: I am very aware that the Hero in Link is all but missing, and that is because he's hiding from it, fighting it, he's worried that Heroes aren't allowed to be happy so he's suppressing it (I think I go a little bit into detail on this in this chapter, actually, but it's not as precise)
Anonman: Ella being Zelda is not a spoiler for this story, I want to make sure everyone knows that, there are very few spoilers, if any, regarding Link and Zelda directly, but that doesn't mean there won't be any twists
pikatwins234: I too couldn't wait for the reveal and I've written it already, however, I'm not going to say when it is since that would spoil the surprise
(If I didn't respond to your review that does not mean I'm ignoring you, it just means I don't have anything significant to say about it other than thank you so much)
Part I
A Hero's Second Chance
Years 504-505 FH
Chapter VII
Strong Words
Over the next few weeks, as winter closed it's chilling grasp over the hard stone and wood of the city, Link continued to discretely sneak out of the mansion to meet with Ella in Market Town. They'd only meet for an hour after lunch time and Ella was always there first now, instead of Link. She wasn't afraid of her father so she could get away without being noticed easier than Link and her excuses for when she was caught returning were always believed and her excursion forgiven without a single voice or hand raised against her.
It was on one of these cold days in the market with Ella that the disaster occurred.
"Arithmetic sucks," Link groaned, sighing deeply. He sometimes brought his class work with him when meeting with her because she was much smarter than him and her assistance helped Link greatly. "Why do I have to learn this?"
"Because you'll need to run an entire province, one of the biggest, when you turn sixteen," Ella answered in a very upbeat, matter-of-fact way. Her tone always changed when they worked on Link's books. "And it would be very unseemly if you couldn't count very well."
"I can count fine," Link grumbled. "What this is isn't counting."
"It is, just more complicated," Ella reassured him.
"And I don't need you calling me unseemly," Link whispered, only a slight hint of anger and offense on his voice. "I hear it enough as it is."
"Sorry," Ella mumbled shamefully.
"It's not your fault," Link reassured her. He hadn't been hit again, but the harsh words Quan spat at him whenever he tried to talk to him didn't stop in the slightest. And when he wasn't talking down to him in his annoyed, condescending tone, he was either ignoring him entirely or glaring at him like an old stain on the floor that just wouldn't come out no matter how hard anyone scrubbed.
"It's just not fair!" Ella professed loudly, standing up from the fountain where they sat, her bag still slung over one shoulder. "Why is he so horrible to you? You've done nothing to him!"
"Well, technically me not being dead means Quan loses everything he thought he inherited from my father," Link looked down at his feet.
"Well, that's just wrong! He shouldn't be bothered by something like that. Getting you back should have more than outweighed that and it's not even that important, being the head of a family! It's stupid!"
"I have disobeyed him multiple times," Link whispered cautiously. He was afraid that somehow Quan would hear him and appear out of the crowd of bustling shoppers, snatch him by an ear, and start yelling at him. "He doesn't like me to leave the mansion but…"
"Well, he's just being controlling!" Ella interjected. "And he doesn't have to know about this. Besides, I think you're better here where I can help you."
"You know, we're not so different anymore, Ella," Link mumbled. "Maybe you could just come to my house. That way, we can hang out and you can still help me with my class work and there's no chance Quan'll get mad at me."
"I… I don't think…" Ella took a deep breath. "Link, if I tell you something, promise you'll believe me and you won't tell anyone, okay?" Ella started to take a step towards Link when out of nowhere a boy came running from the crowds and grabbed her bag, making off with it as quickly as he had appeared. "Hey!" Ella was startled right out of her confession. "Link, that bag's got my mother's books in it!" Ella shouted.
Without a second of hesitation, Link jumped from the fountain and ran after the purse thief, Ella only a few steps behind him. The boy turned down an alley that Link knew well. It lead to the northern parts of the Lower Districts.
He didn't think about Ella following him or that fact that someone dressed as nicely as them were liable to get mugged or kidnapped in the poorer sections of Castle Town. His only thought was how devastated Ella had been when her bag had been ripped from her and the precious contents along with it.
They followed the thief through the complicated, natural twists and turns of the lower district, made as people settled there and built their shanties and small one room houses out of thatch and wood. No matter how fast they ran, the thief's legs were a little longer and the back of his coat always flapped in the wind just a few steps in front of them.
"Stop! Give me back my bag!" Ella shouted at him.
"Make me!" The thief turned around for a moment, stuck out his tongue, and turned down another narrow dirt alley.
Link felt his vision go red. The purse thief was none other than Malroy, the boy who had tormented him to no end just a month before. The boy who had stolen what little things he owned and kicked him from his own makeshift home.
Link's anger fueled his speed, but when they turned the corner just moments after Malroy, he was nowhere to be found.
"Dammit!" Link snarled.
"Whoa, Link," Ella stopped just behind him, breathing hard to catch her breath. "It's just a bag. And I can get new copies of the books. I could probably even find one or two in the library at home."
"I know where he's going," Link took off, Ella's words going right through him in his anger at Malroy.
He had never been this angry before, not even when he was wiping dirt from his eyes after a bad tussle with the bully, and he couldn't understand what had changed. If anything, he should be less upset. Ella could replace the bag, as she had said, and the book too, but Link didn't want to stop. He wanted to find Malroy and get the bag back, even if he had to beat it out of him.
"Link, stop!" Ella shouted after him. "It's dangerous here!"
But Link didn't stop. He knew how to get to his old sleeping place and Malroy had claimed the little patch of dirt and garbage as his own. Link didn't have a way to know if Malroy actually hung out there with his gang, but Link had to believe he did because otherwise he had no way of finding him.
It only took them an hour of walking to reach the alley. They had stopped jogging when Ella started to complain about her sides aching. It was understandable that she couldn't keep up with Link, she hadn't had to run from anything in her entire life while Link had run from more monsters than he'd care to count.
"Link, how much further? It's getting cold."
"We're almost there," Link reassured her.
"How do you know where to look?"
"He took my alley."
"How do you know he'll still be there?"
"He's there."
"Maybe we should go back."
"He'll be there," Link said more forcefully. For a second, he almost sounded like Quan, but he was too focused on Malroy's smug face when he had turned around to mock them, Ella's bag under his arm, to notice his change in demeanor.
The alley was just as Link remembered it, though evidence of him ever having lived there was gone and it was covered in a small layer of snow. Boxes and crates cleared of snow showed signs of having been sat upon and there were a bunch of small foot prints, matching theirs in size, so whomever had been sitting on the boxes was around their age.
"Malroy!" Link shouted angrily, his hands clenched into tight fists. "Give back the bag, now! I know you're here."
"How'd you know my name?" Malroy stepped out from behind one of the taller crates, his two friends behind him. He had the bag over his shoulder. He looked startled that Link knew him. He looked Link over once and then squinted at his face for a moment, before they widened with shock. "You're Tree Boy! Were'd you get duds like those?"
"I found my parents," Link snarled, no less angry than he had before, regardless of the anything but heartwarming reunion with his old bully. "Turns out they were rich. Lucky me." Link was bragging and he knew it and it was against his nature, but he wanted to see Malroy's face when he heard that he'd kicked around a noble's son.
"No shit," Malroy laughed nervously.
"Yeah, they were in the military. My dad was the General, so you'd better give the bag back."
"You're lying," Malroy narrowed his eyes skeptically. His two friends shifted uncomfortably behind him, much less confident.
"He's not!" Ella snapped at him from behind Link.
"Who's she supposed to be? You're girlfriend?" Malroy laughed. "You two in one of those stupid prearranged engagements the rich folks do?"
"Give back the bag," Link took a step closer to Malroy, clenching his fists even tighter than before, turning the knuckles white.
"What, so the boys and I give you the bag and you don't tattle to daddy?" Malroy snorted, gaining his old confidence back. He wasn't phased at all by Link's advancement towards him. "Isn't he supposed to be dead, and his wife? That's what my old man said. They're both dead so you've got no one to tattle to, Tree Boy."
"He was the best Knight of Hylia," Link reminded him boastfully. "All I have to do is tell one of them your name and they'd be knocking on your door instantly."
"Pfft," Malroy scoffed, swinging the bag on his arm mockingly and then tossing it to one of his friends. "You're still all talk. I could take you both on right now and no one'd ever know."
"Try me," Link snarled, taking another step towards Malroy, who this time handed the bag to one of his friends.
Malroy threw a swing at him without warning and Ella screamed in shock. Link ducked the moment he saw Malroy's arm twitch, the weeks of warm beds and hot, full meals had brought his old self back and with it, his old skills.
Link answered Malroy's missed swing with a quick, strong punch to the gut, causing the older boy to double over and cough in pain. Link swept Malroy's legs right out from under him with a kick to the shins. As Malroy fell to the grounds Link punch upward, hitting him square in the jaw. Malroy shouted in startled pain and fell to the ground on his back, trying desperately to blink off the blow to his face.
"Link, stop!" Ella made a move to hold Link back but Link had jumped on Malroy before she could reach him.
"How does it feel!" Link shouted angrily, punching Malroy in the face again. "This is what you did to me!" He continued hitting him, screaming angrily the whole time. "You kicked me in mud and spat on me, you bastard! You took my home and you took my savings and you ruined my life!"
"Link!" Ella grabbed him, pulling him to his feet and away from Malroy. He was still glaring angrily and if Ella let go, he was more than liable to start swinging again.
"You're crazy!" Malroy scrambled away from him, not trusting Ella's grasp.
"Just give back the bag and we'll leave," Ella negotiated.
"Why?" Malroy quipped cheekily.
"'Cause if you don't, I'll let go," Ella warned.
"Give them the bag."
"Whatever," Malroy's friend said, tossing the bag at Link's feet. "Let's get out of here, Roy."
"You're still an orphan," Malroy snarled at Link as they left. "Unloved!" Malroy shouted as he turned the corner.
"Bastard!" Link shouted after him, struggling violently against Ella, Malroy's last comment hit him harder than any fist ever could.
"Link, stop!" Ella shouted, trying desperately to keep a hold on Link. "Link, there's no point, you'd still be angry."
Link slumped to the snow covered packed dirt road. "I know, it just felt good to get back at him."
"This isn't like you at all," Ella observed, trying to keep a clam head when she was obviously freaking out. "You were hitting him so hard you could have killed him! I thought you couldn't hate anyone no matter how hard you tried."
"I don't hate him, he just makes me angry," Link answered, getting back to his feet and handing Ella her bag, now wet where it had touched the snow. His pants were also wet. "Besides, it'll come back around when I go back home. He'll have noticed I'm gone by now. Malroy's been wrong about a lot of things, but he wasn't wrong about me being unloved."
"Yes, he was," Ella crossed her arms and glared angrily at him. "You are loved, Link. You're my best friend and I love you. And your aunt, Ashyl, she loves you too. And the Taptons loved you. You're the most lovable person I know."
"Quan is incapable of loving me," Link answered numbly, turning to go to the main road so they could make their way back to the Market Square and then back to their respective homes. "He said so himself. He said love's a useless emotion that only gets in the way."
"Well, he's stupid," Ella answered, following Link closely. It was only a few hours past noon, but the days were shorter during the winter so the sun was already low on the horizon and Ella looked a little afraid.
"He's my uncle," Link answered. "Even if he's stupid, it still makes me feel empty when he raises his voice or gives me one of those looks that makes me feel like shit."
"You're swearing a lot lately," Ella noted.
"I guess I'm finally getting comfortable," Link answered. "I used to swear all the time when I was wandering."
"What'd you swear at?"
"Rain, and escaped game mostly," Link liked the distraction the change in their conversation offered. "Sometimes I'd have to avoid bandits and I'd swear a lot when I'd almost been done in by close calls."
"Sounds exciting," Ella mused distantly. She was not shy about her romanticized desire of adventure and action.
"It was sometimes, when I wasn't hungry or cold or hurt. One time, I killed a dragon!" Link encounters turning around and walking backwards so he could smile at Ella as they walked.
"No way!" Ella smiled back, half disbelief and half awed wonder.
"Yeah! Inside a volcano. It was really, really hot and it was so satisfying to finely get rid of it! Especially since it was making the volcano erupt."
"Link," Ella frowned at him, now a bit confused. "There's only one active volcano in Hyrule, Death Mountain, and there's no dragon in there!"
"Well, yeah," Link turned around, trying not to stutter. He wasn't supposed to talk about the future, just the past. Telling Ella about Dodongo, the Ancient Dinosaur King he'd killed three years ago at the age of nine was something he could tell her about. Volvagia, the subterranean lava dragon in Death Mountain was something he had defeated as an adult at sixteen, now three years in an alternate future he'd prevented. "It's not there because I killed it. The best heroes are the ones you never hear about."
"If I was a hero, I'd want everyone to know so that no one would tell me that I'm not a warrior, I'm a lady and just a lady. I want to be a knight that people respect because of the great deeds I've done."
"I'd rather people don't think of me as a hero, just as Link. That's all I am, really. Just me. I'm not great and I don't want to be treated like I am just because I did something no one else wanted to."
"You'd make a better hero than me," Ella concluded. "Glory is one thing and saving people for glory isn't the same as saving people because it's right."
"Either way, people get saved," Link responded. "That's all that matters, really. That innocent people walk away with a slightly brighter future."
"Sometimes…" Ella started a thought, but it drifted when she didn't know how to end it. She thought about it for a moment and then spoke again. "Sometimes, you're Link, right?"
"I'd like to think I'm always Link," Link smiled at her.
"Of course, yes. But other times, it's like you're a different Link. An older Link, but still Link."
"You gotta grow up, no matter how young you are, when you're all that'll ever look after you. Someone told me this one time that Wisdom isn't knowledge or age, it's experience, something you gain. And to complete the Holy Trinity of Virtues, Courage is something you have within you and Power is something you earn. You've got to have all three or the ones you do have are useless or even destructive."
"Very sound advice," Ella agreed.
"Yeah, it is," Link smiled up at the sky, just as the stars were starting to be visible. Ella didn't know she was agreeing with herself. They finally reached Market Square and to Link's relief, his books were right where he had dropped them.
"It's getting late." Link whispered, picking up his books. The underlying fear returned to his voice and his hands shook a little as he closed his fingers around the spines of the books. "Ella, I know I promised not to talk about death anymore, but… I'm more scared now than I was when I didn't have an uncle. Sometimes it's like I didn't get any real uncle, but the monster that grownups say hides under kids' beds escaped and disguised itself as a man and is posing as my uncle."
"He won't… he's not gonna kill you, Link," Ella reached out and grabbed his hand. They were reaching the part in the road where Link would turn one way and head home and Ella would pretend to head another but then double back and go up to the castle. "He'll just yell."
"And beat me and send me to bed with no supper and maybe even no breakfast, too. He's threatened me with boy's school in Snowpeak, you know. I… I'd write to tell you if he sends me away before I can see you and tell you, but you haven't told me enough about your address for me to send you one."
"Snowpeak's far away," Ella mumbled. "I'd miss you."
"I'd miss you, too," Link responded. "I know! I'll ask Ermin to tell you if that happens. He's my valet and I trust him. I might not see you for a few weeks. I'll have to keep my head low. Quan's gonna be really pissed."
"Just… just don't leave, okay?" Ella squeezed his hand tightly and didn't let go.
"I'll try, promise," Link gave her his most confident smile so that she'd know no matter how loud Quan yelled or how hard he hit him, he'd still be okay.
Ella hugged him and then they both went their separate ways, Ella with her bag over one shoulder and Link with his books under one arm.
(1)
Link didn't see the point in trying to sneak back in though his secret hole in the fence, so he walked right through the front door, head held high an an attempt to not be afraid. Navi's once told him, when he was a scared little boy in an adult's body, to 'fake it 'till you make it'. Link liked that saying because it helped a little and it rhymed.
Mr. Boggs rushed to greet Link when he pushed open the front doors and tried to make a walking dash for the stairs to hide in his room. Mr. Boggs looked much, much more nervous than he ever would allow himself to professionally be. "Young Master Link," Mr. Boggs started, stopping right in front of Link. "You're uncle and tutor and waiting for you in the private study."
"Could… could I just go to my room and you tell them I'm home?"
"I'm afraid that would not be suitable, sir," Mr. Boggs answered forlornly.
"Oh. How much trouble am I in?" Link tried to sound calm, but he was just as successful as Mr. Boggs and his voice cracked near the end if the question.
"Gods be with you, sir," Mr. Boggs responded. That was not what Link wanted to hear. "I will announce you."
"Thank you," Link whispered.
It was a harrowing experience to walk into a room with someone who wanted to strangle you then and there but couldn't show it. Link ears were ringing so loud that he didn't hear Mr. Boggs announce him to Quan and Professor Barton, but he trusted that he did. When he walked in, the first thing he saw was Quan standing in front of the lit fireplace, his jaw clenching for a moment and then unclenching, like it did when he wanted to hit Link but couldn't because physical discipline was something one could only do in private. Professor Barton was the one who rushed to Link worriedly.
"Link, my boy," Professor Barton adjusted his glasses, like he did whenever he was nervous or distressed or even in deep thought, or light thought, really. He adjusted them whenever something extraordinary happened and he was adjusting them very thoroughly right now. "Where have you gone to? We were so worried, dear boy. I'd thought you'd been kidnapped, and from the back yard no less! You're not hurt, are you? Oh, I should have been more careful, kept a closer eye on you."
"It's alright, Professor," Link insisted, his voice barely over a whisper. "I was just taking a walk and I guess I lost track of time. It was a very nice day and I suppose I just didn't want to go back inside. It's not your fault. I'm sorry."
"Yes, Barton, why don't you go home, now that Link has safely returned," Quan didn't turn from the fireplace. His held his hands behind his back, looking very regal. "I'm sure Link wouldn't want to inconvenience you anymore than he already has, do you, boy?"
"No, Uncle," Link agreed quietly. He knew what Quan was doing. He was getting them alone in the room so he could properly let loose on him. But Link didn't see the point in trying to delay the inevitable.
"Well, you're not hurt, my boy, and that's all that matters," Professor Barton adjusted his glasses once more, nodded his head respectfully first to Quan and then to Link, and left with a warm smile and a tip of his hat.
Link and Quan were alone in the room.
"Boy, come here," Quan's detached tone was gone to his quiet seething, the only trace of it that remained was his calculated voice. Link didn't respond, he only did as he was told and walked shakily over to his uncle, stopping a few feet behind him, wringing his hands nervously. "I'm sure you know what you've done wrong, do you not?"
"Y-yes, sir," Link whispered. "I… I mean, no, sir… I mean, I know, sir."
"Speak clearly!" Quan spun on him, his hand flying out at his face. Link could have ducked, he could have taken a step back, he had the reflexes and the skill, but he just flinched and let the hand strike him across the face, sending him to the ground on his hands and knees with a yelp.
"I'm sorry!" Link cried. His voice cracked an octave in his fear. "I didn't mean to! It's just that…"
"Silence!" Quan shouted, this time kicking him in the stomach, sending him to his side, clutching the impact point and gasping for breath, tears of pain in his eyes. "You disrespectful little rat! You rodent, you!" Quan shouted, kicking Link once more, this time in the chest. Link coughed and sobbed in pain. "I should send you away you right now and be rid of your impetuousness."
"I'm sorry," Link's voice caught on the lump growing in his throat. "I'm sorry, Uncle. Please, please, don't send me away, please!"
"You think you deserve any less after disobeying me‽" Quan snarled. He reached behind him and grabbed the iron poker from the basket it was resting in. "You wretched creature!" Quan raised the poker over his head to strike Link with it.
"No! No, please!" Link screamed, holding up his hand in an attempt to stop Quan from hitting him. "Please! I'm sorry! I won't do it again, honest! Honest!"
"The word of a thing like you means nothing," Quan hissed, bring the poker down on Link's side. Link screamed in pain and the metal collided with his ribcage. He cringed into a tight fetal position, covering his head with his hands, and sobbed.
"Please, please," Link whimpered.
"You deserve this, you awful boy!" Quan hit Link again, drawing yet another scream. Quan hit him once more, and then again and again. Link screamed and sobbed until he felt a coppery taste in his mouth. His throat had ripped from his terrible screaming. Link lost count of how many times the poker slammed into his side.
"Stop, please, Uncle, please," Link whimpered hoarsely. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just wanted to be happy and free."
"Happy!" Quan struck him again. Link screamed. "Free!" And once more, another scream. "You don't deserve such frivolities! You are trash! And you'll always be trash. You think that just because you were born to this family that you could ever be a part of it! You are not Hylexia and you never will be! You're nothing but trash!"
"No…" Link cried. He'd rather Quan just hit him with the metal rod than yell such horrible things at him. "Please, please, don't mean that. Please, I'm your nephew. Uncle, please." Link's body shook with tears, what was left of his heart crumbled and throbbed. "Please, I'm trying, I'm trying. Please, please, don't hate me."
Quan tossed the fire poker back into the holder and grabbed Link by the hair, wrenching him to his feet. A whimpered shout escaped Link's mouth. Everything was so blurry, the only thing he could feel was pain and fear. Link tried to choke back his tears and hiccups, but failed miserably.
He'd never thought that the one thing that could do something like this to him, tear him apart from the inside and out at the same time, would be his own family. His family was supposed to love and protect him, not hurt him.
Wordlessly, Quan dragged Link up the two flights of grand stairs to the floor with the family's rooms and threw Link to the ground outside Link's door. Quan fumbled with the doorknob in his anger, but got the door open quickly, grabbing Link once more by the hair. He tossed Link into the room, ignoring Link's shout of pain when he collided with the wooden bed frame and slumped to the floor with a small groan. Quan slammed the door behind Link and Link could hear the lock clicking.
"You will not leave this room until I say so, do you understand me, boy!" Quan shouted once Link was secured in his room.
"Yes, sir," Link whimpered. He curled up against the bed, still sitting on the floor where he had been thrown. He didn't think Quan had heard his words. He had barely heard them himself over his own sniffling.
"Do you understand me‽" Quan all but screeched, banging his fist on the door loudly, making Link jump.
"Yes!" Link shouted back, a sob escaping shortly after. He listened as Quan angrily stamped down the hall back to the lower floors. When he was certain he was the only one on the third floor, he buried his head in his knees and rocked back and forth, crying softly, "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you."
Link had said those words before about different people, all of whom had hurt him or wronged, some even objectively worse than Quan ever could, but he had never meant them. Not until now.
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