Chapter 14: Kings and Heroes

It was with Dark Link's last breath that our journey was over. But we hadn't settled everything yet. The turmoil set off by Dark Link's plan was still prevalent. There were few in the castle that trusted the king and queen. I still refused to call for their abdication. I still believed that they would be the best people to move forward with. But, Link approached me about this after many days of argument with the knights.

"Joran, you can't keep this up forever. I think it's time for us to move on. Go ahead. Call for it. We know it'll be for the best."

"But Link, I can't. Your family deserves the throne. They have to know that you did not betray their trust."

"None of them will believe that, Joran. Just call for the abdication and we shall move on. I'm tired of this anyway."

It seemed to me that Link had accepted his fate. He had decided that it was time to move on.

"Very well, Link. But, just out of curiosity, who will take over?"

"Well, since I have no immediate family left other than my son, already a member of the family, it would be my highest ranking advisor."

"And who is that, Link?"

"I never officially appointed one, Joran. Next in line would be the person of highest rank among my soldiers."

I thought about what he was saying for awhile. I then came up with it.

"No! That's not the way it goes, is it? There is no way that could happen."

"It certainly does, Joran" he said, smiling "I can think of no one better."

"But, this won't do. There must be somebody else. There must be!"

"There isn't anyone who ranks higher among the soldiers than the Captain of the Hylian Knights. So, you're it."

"But I can't do it! I know nothing about being a leader!"

"Joran, you've been a leader your whole life. You've been both Lieutenant and Captain of the Hylian Knights, you've commanded an entire infantry into battle, and you guided us through Hyrule as a wolf and led us to the Forsaken Village.

"You took charge of the situation when Ingo was bullying Malon, and you took the lead in our search of the Blue Baron. You took charge of everything. You are a natural born leader. You'll know exactly what to do. You'll be a fine king."

I was incredibly honoured to hear Link speak so highly of me. I still wanted him to reconsider.

"Is there any chance I could change your mind? Come on, Link. Stay on as king."

"No, Joran. Nobody trusts me or Zelda anymore. I pass the torch to you, my friend. And I wish you luck."

Link extended his hand when he finished his sentence. I reached out and grabbed his hand in a firm handshake.

"Thank you, Link. I will need it."

We walked off together one more time before we went back to the meeting room. The knights convened in here daily, calling for my resignation. We both entered and I stood up at the front of the room.

"Gentlemen, I have come to s decision. This turmoil must cease and I will end it here. I will not resign as Captain. However, I am going to call for the abdication of the Royal Family."

I could hear the collective sigh of relief as the knights stood there.

Jon then addressed me.

"Joran, I thank you. Finally, you see the light. Now, Olan can have-"

"Olan is dead, Jon. He died of some sort of illness just a few days ago."

"Well, then. That means... who was the king's advisor?"

"Nobody, Jon. The highest ranking soldier shall be the new king."

I let them think it over like I did. They all looked at me in awe.

"Then that means..." said Verne, but he trailed off.

"Yes, Verne. I know what that means."

Ron stepped forward at this point.

"Then let us hail the reign of King Joran!"

The men in the room cheered at this, but I raised my hand to silence them.

"Cheers are not necessary, men. I will be the new king, but I will follow the example of my predecessor with the exception of all the unpleasantness."

They all seemed to like that and cheered again. I turned to Link.

"Well Link, it looks like you're out. After I am crowned, I would like you and your family to meet with me at Lake Hylia."

"Yes sir, King Joran."

"Link, don't call me that. I'm not king yet."

He smiled at me and I smiled back. Things turned out well after all.

Within a day, the reign of the Royal Family was over. I won't go into detail about my coronation, but I was glad Laya was there to be crowned princess with me. As I promised, I went to Lake Hylia with Laya, Kila and Rilon. We waited there for the three former members of the Royal Family. I heard a familiar voice approach from behind as I was staring at the lake.

"Greetings, King Joran" I heard him say. I turned around and saw Link with Zelda and Marcus walking up to greet us.

"Hello, Link. Don't call me king. You never let me call you that, so you won't get that privilege either. I have something I would like to discuss with you all."

"What's that, Joran?"

I had a plan in mind. I wasn't about to let three of the finest Hylians in the kingdom just walk off into the sunset.

"I have come to ask you all to join in the service of my kingdom. I would like you all to be involved with my staff within the castle."

"But Joran" Zelda said "You know how that would go over. None of us will ever be trusted around there again."

"You didn't let me finish. I would like you all to work for me as someone else."

They all look confused.

"What do you mean someone else?" asked Marcus.

"I mean, you must all change your names and appearances to come and work for me. Zelda, you can still use your magic in such a way, right?"

"Of course, Joran. That sounds interesting."

"Yes. Will you do it?"

They all paused to think about it. Link then spoke.

"Yes, Joran. I will do it. Marcus, how about you?"

"Yes, father. I will. And mother?"

"Of course, dear. It would be my pleasure to serve you."

"Excellent. Zelda, you shall act as nursemaid to Laya. How about we call you Sheik? I'm sure Rhan would be happy to accept you as a Sheikah. And this time you don't have to pretend to be a man."

"That would be lovely, Joran. I would be happy to do it."

I smiled at her. I then turned to Link.

"Link, I would like you to be the Captain of the Hylian Knights. Here, I have the pendent for you to show you that you are knighted. And something else too."

I reached down into my tunic and broke the string holding my shard of the Triforce of Courage. I handed it to him as well.

"You should really hold the whole thing. You and Marcus both are destined to carry it."

"Yes, Joran. Thank you. I will accept your offer. I would like my name as Captain to be the name of my father, Harik."

"Then it is done, Link. Marcus, I would like to make you a Hylian Knight. The youngest there has ever been. I have a pendent for you, too."

I handed him the pendent and he put it around his neck.

"Thank you, Joran. I would love to be a knight. And as for my name, I remember Laya telling me about the man you grew up with, Joran. She said she only met him a few times but described him in such a way that I felt he was something special. That is why I would like to be known as Sir Kiel."

I was touched by this. Kiel had always wanted to be a knight, but he hated the glamour of such a title. Now, in a way, he could be.

"Very well, Marcus Let it be done. Zelda, please make that spell happen."

She raised her hands in the air and a blue light came from them. It surrounded the family and totally masked them for a moment. When they reappeared, their features had changed.

Zelda was dressed as a Sheikah woman. Her hair remained blonde but her eyes had gone red. Not like Dark Link's deep fiery red but more of a soft red, like that of the Sheikah.

Link looked altogether different. His hair had turned brown and he had a scruffy beard on his face to match. His eyes, though, were still blue.

Marcus looked like he had grown a few inches. His hair was brown as well and his eyes had turned to a green hue, much like Laya's. Their faces looked similar to that of their old forms, but they all looked like completely different people.

"Good work, Sheik. I have one more thing I would like to tell you. I spoke to Orlin a few days ago, and he seems to be back to his old self. I would like you to know that he is a knight again. Captain Harik, I would recommend him as your Lieutenant, but I would suggest your son even more."

"Well, I would like to choose Marc- I mean, Kiel. But, someone with more experience would be wise. Very well. I shall inform him when the knights convene."

"Good. Let us head back."

"Wait Joran" said Sheik. "Yes? What is it?"

"Since you gave Link the remainder of the Triforce of Courage, I would like you and your family to have this."

She brought up her left hand and I saw a Triforce mark appear on it. The triangle on the lower left side of it glowed and then, floating there just above her hand, sat a golden triangle.

"Take the Triforce of Wisdom, Joran. The Royal Family really should have it."

I took it from her and suddenly felt warmth on my hand. I then looked and saw the Triforce symbol on the back of my left hand.

"Nayru has accepted you, Joran. I am glad."

"As am I, Sheik."

Link or, rather, Harik then turned to me with a thought.

"Will the knights accept me as Captain? They have no idea I am even a knight."

"Your father was legendary. I heard Jon and Colin speak of him all the time. Those two are the least cooperative so if you have them on your side, then the rest will soon fall into place. With a name like Harik, they will revere you. They'd be honoured to have a Captain Harik."

He smiled at me once again.

We then began our long trek back to the castle. Rilon and Kila separated from us before we got there.

"Where are they going?" asked Marcus.

"Rilon is taking Kila with her to live back at the Ranch. Those two have a strong bond and besides, people in the castle complain when they're around. They don't consider them officially members of the Royal Family."

Then a question formed in my mind.

"Where will you all live?"

"Don't worry, Joran" said Harik "I have made a promise to Saria that we will all go to the Kokiri Forest to live with her. She will finally be happy again."

I smiled again. It was something I couldn't help doing at this point. The happiness of this ending was too much to resist. This was the end of our long tale. What a strange and remarkable journey it had been. Hyrule really is filled with strange and remarkable tales. This was perhaps the strangest of them all.

Our tale had everything. Joy, sorrow, death, life, happiness, sadness, and everything else in between. With the end of our tale, another is beginning; a new chapter. We will soon find out what that new chapter is. And as we wait, we will be happy. The end is here. We have finally made it. This time, peace is here to stay. This is a tale for the ages.

The End