"The Serpent's Egg
By Nicolle
1st Note: Here it is, the last chapter. And, yes, I know it took too long to write this. Please don't kill me!
2nd Note: I take full responsibility for Bot's jokes. Of course, if you have to have a toddler around to know where a few of them come.
Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda belongs to Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo. Thank you for letting your fans borrow them. Lots of people out there are not nice about that sort of thing and its a real shame.
Chapter Ten
Zelda pulled Elana into a corner and covered her after the first explosion took out a chunk of the wall, saving both of them from being struck by debris from the second, which felled an outer balcony.
"Bot's really cutting it close."
Elana looked at the crumbling wall. "You're telling me. Let's go before he knocks the building on us!"
Zelda pulled Elana behind her and ran for the hole in the throne room wall. Leaping the debris, Elana dashed for the toppled throne as Gannon's minions escaped through the main door. Another blast rocked the palace and Elana stumbled. The Egg slid from her grip and rolled across the floor before coming to a gentle stop at the edge of the dais.
Gannon stepped from behind the curtains framing the room and lifted the Egg. "So kind of you to bring it to me."
Zelda raised her hands, spell ready.
"Not today, my dear." With a toss of his hand, Zelda flew out of the room and the doors shut behind her.
Elana used the distraction to grab the Egg. She tumbled mid-stride, and stared at the knife jutting out of her stomach.
x
Link stood with his sword resting on his shoulder as the waves of palace staff fled the building. Several guards came running out and stopped dead. Link took up a defensive stance.
"Is there ever a time when you get bored with looking cool?"
Link sighed and put his sword down. "You really know how to steal a man's thunder, Bot."
Bot raised his sword and rushed ahead. "And his glory!" He ducked a sword and rolled between two guardsmen coming up on his knees to slash across their backs.
"You win. That was cool." Link knocked one guard on his ass before putting a sword through him. A guard jumped him and Link shoulder tossed him into another. Moblins poured out of the palace to replace the fallen guards. One grabbed Bot and shoved him toward Link.
Link caught him. "See, I'm getting us both killed."
The two exchanged a smile and then hit the ground. The last bomb went off and pulled entire front wall of the palace down. The moblins attempted to scatter and were caught in the flying debris.
Link glared at his knight. "That one was really close, Bot! How exactly did you figure out bomb placement again?"
"With my mighty math powers!" Bot scrambled to his feet and was knocked over again when Zelda landed on top of him.
Link helped her up. "Are you alright, Princess?"
"I'm fine, but Elana's in there with Gannon." She brushed herself off and pulled her bow off her back. "Ready?"
"Hey! What about me?" Bot rolled to his feet.
Link shrugged and smiled. "I'm getting us both killed, remember?"
x
Elana knelt on the floor, blood pooling under her. She held the Egg against her chest, staring up the Gerudo King.
Ganon knelt in front of her. "I can save your life, heal your wounds, and give you the happy little princess life you lived before. Give me the Egg."
Elana closed her eyes.
"The Triforce of Courage does not fill me with great valor, but instead fills me with great love. And it is this great love that gives me the courage to choose what is right rather than what is easy."
Elana gripped the knife.
"A queen lives for her people and her people alone. The first and last duty of the queen is to serve them."
She opened her eyes, tears dripping down her face. "I am Queen Elana, heir of Erendal! She rolled onto her back and stabbed the knife through the egg and into her own heart.
"NO!"
A bright light erupted from the egg, shooting into the sky and parting the clouds. The light spread like a wave covering the land, restoring color, restoring life.
Link and Bot made a quick run over the debris and forced the doors to the throne. Ganon snarled as he stood, pulling his sword. Link blocked the way with a smile he reserved just for fighting his Enemy.
"Hello, Piggy! How many times do I have to put a sword through your chest before you finally die?"
Gannon howled and rushed forward.
x
All Elena could see was white going on and on forever. Sitting in her lap was a tiny serpent with tiny wings and a tiny rainbow crest.
"The damage done by Gannon cannot be healed by a simple exchange. Your sacrifice must be greater than those given in the past." It's mouth had not moved, but she knew it was the tiny serpent that spoke.
"I know."
"Have you made you your choice?"
Elena closed her eyes and called to mind one last image. "I'm ready."
x
Link grabbed Gannon's shirt collar and sent him flying into a pile of debris. He stood, summoning a shield from magic to block Zelda's arrows. Link pressed the advantage and attacked from the left, his sword sliced between the armor plating, cutting the straps. Gannon's breastplate fell lopsided on his chest, hindering his sword arm. He pulled at it desperately while blocking Link's attacks. Zelda used the distraction to land an arrow in Gannon's knee and he crashed to the ground.
Link's sword pierced Gannon's neck.
The world went still for a moment.
Link stepped back, pulling the sword away from his foe and Gannon fell to the ground. His body turned to light and disappeared.
They turned to Elena. Bot was holding her, rocking her gently.
"Come on, Princess! Wake up!"
Elena opened her eyes. They were completely white. Bot carefully lifted her, but when she tried to stand on her own, her legs gave way. He caught her and carried her over to the throne.
She reached up and touched Bot's face. "Thank you."
"Are you all right?"
"No. But the land will be." Shaking, she pulled her tunic off and carefully unwrapped the badges covering her back. Blood flowed from her back and her side onto the throne. The throne glowed and her wounds closed. She slumped in the chair, exhausted, eyes heavy-lidded. "Is everything turning green again outside?"
"Yeah," Bot said.
"Is Annie safe?"
"Yes."
"Will you hold my hand?"
Bot took her hand in his. "Of course."
"I didn't mean it like that."
Bot looked at Link and Zelda.
"It's your choice, Bot. I'll miss having my medic, but that's the least concern here," Link said.
Bot squeezed her hand gently. "Yes. I will hold your hand."
"Thank you." She drifted off to sleep.
x
Six months later, when the palace construction was almost finished and the traitors among the royal house hold had been apprehended, Zelda and Link returned for Elena's Coronation. Ceremony was quick despite Elena's loss of much of her mobility, Bot helping her when she needed it. He wheeled her over to Zelda at the feast. Elena reached out and Zelda took her hand.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better," she said, eye lids heavy over white orbs. "I'm not sure I'll ever be used to it, but that's probably for the best." She smiled. "I heard a rumor." Elena's hand fell to Zelda's ripening belly. "And it's true! Congratulations!"
"Thank you," Link said.
"Ma'am? You are needed. Miss Annie won't come out unless she sees you," a server said.
Bot snorted. "Tell her the 'dog man' is here. That'll get her out of her room."
"Is that what she calls me?" Link asked.
Bot nodded. "Oh yeah. She keeps asking if you'll come back to play with her."
"Wheel me over, Bot. I don't mind."
"Yes, Ma'am!" He waved as they headed off.
Zelda sat back rubbing her belly. "You know how stories like this are supposed to end, right? I thought the hero was supposed to get the girl."
Link put his arm around Zelda's shoulders. "Depends on who the story's about. I got my girl. And Bot got his." He kissed her cheek. "It's funny how, when you think about it, he's been preparing his whole life for this role. Following in his father's foot steps to become a doctor. Coming to me to become a knight. Living in the light of the Triforce to give him wisdom."
"The goddesses work in mysterious ways," Zelda said. She looked at her hands. "I'm sorry."
Link raised an eyebrow. "You know? You say that every life time. And every time I tell you that you have no reason to be. But I think we've both forgotten why it needs to be said."
Zelda looked toward the window and the setting sun, the memory of that first lifetime filling her eyes. "I guess so."
The End.
Author's note: I hope you guys like this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! If you liked it, let me know with a review. And if you really liked it, tell all your Legend of Zelda obsessed friends about it too. Thanks for reading!