Zelda was the first to learn about the title that her father had given to him. Link pulled away from the kiss suddenly, though he kept his hands on her face. His eyes were shut tightly. Zelda held her breath- she recognized this stance. He was about to tell her something that had been on his mind. He could never be very intimate with heavy thoughts.
"Your father asked me to become the next leader of our people." He said, without a pause or hitch in his breath. Zelda looked up at his closed eyes as the words sunk in. It was easy for Zelda to imagine her husband as the next leader of the Skyloftians. He had everything a leader needed; courage, determination…but in the image she had of him as a leader, he was quite older. The fact that her father had so suddenly asked him to take responsibility surprised her.
Link saw her confusion, so, to prove it, he took out her father's red sash. It unfurled and touched the floor, as it had been sewn to be worn by a tall man. Zelda realized that Link was tall enough to wear it now as well. Yes, it would go down past his knees, but his recent height gain had provided him with the necessary inches to wear such a distinct article of clothing. Link swallowed before continuing. "He said I would be their new King. Not just the nickname…a leader who-"
"I know." Zelda cut him off. Of course she knew. She had fought alongside the last King of the surface against Demise ages ago. "And…what of my father then?" She asked. Link shook his head. "If he's ready to pass down the leadership to you already, what will he do?"
"He said that his place was in Skyloft." Link's voice grew weak. "He plans to stay there." Zelda looked away as hot tears flooded her eyes.
"The nerve and…he'd just only met Marin!" She would break from her stuttering to shout a few coherent phrases, before wringing her hands and mumbling again. "His granddaughter! And…" Link stepped closer, and her pink eyes locked onto his. She seemed out of breath already, like she'd been shouting for hours. "He's too weak to come here, isn't he?" She was right, but Link wanted to find a gentler way of agreeing with her.
"He just wants to stay there." He said. "Even if he could join us here, I think he would choose not to." Zelda nodded, but her brow was tight.
"It would be a stupid choice." She whispered, stepping back into Link's chest. He enveloped her in his arms, with just enough strength so he could catch her if she suddenly fell. She'd never fainted in his arms before, but he was a cautious, loving man. He also liked to hold her just tight enough to feel her breathing. Zelda sniffled. "He's so stubborn." Link smiled.
"Reminds me of someone I know." Zelda leaned back and lifted an eyebrow at him. Her eyes were still heavy with water, but no more tears were falling.
"Oh? Who would that be?" She playfully inquired. Link shrugged.
"Just someone." Zelda hit him lightly on the chest.
"Just someone?" She repeated, smiling now as well. He was getting flustered as he tried to keep up with their word game, but at least she was smiling again.
"I'll give you a hint." He offered. Zelda tried to contain her excited smile. "She's…"
"So it's a she!" Zelda laughed, as if he'd given her a groundbreaking clue. Link nodded.
"Yes, yes…and she is…blond. Blue eyed…very, very beautiful…" Zelda grinned, and Link looked over his shoulder at Marin's crib. "And she stole my Goddess-gifted cloak as a blanket." Zelda rolled her eyes and started to move away, thinking their game was done, but Link held fast. His eyes locked onto hers. "And I love her. I love her so much." And then he kissed her on the forehead, and Zelda swiftly guided his lips down until they locked with hers. She traced her fingers along the smooth burn-scars and through his hanging hair. Then she cupped his cheeks in her hands and pressed her forehead against his, staring into his ocean-grey eyes.
"And she loves him back…"
Link wasn't sure how to go about presenting his newfound leadership to the people of the castle. He told Groose and Pipit first, and both accepted it instantly. Groose suggested he wear the scarf fashionably around his neck and let the castle find out on their own, which was much too simple an answer for Link. Pipit suggested he dress up in his Unity Ceremony armor and ride one of the wild horses towards the castle while toting the scarf atop a spear point for everyone to see, and Link started blushing at the very idea of such a bold entrance.
He ended up knocking on Instructor Owlan's door the next evening before supper. But instead of Owlan, his fair-skinned friend opened the door and welcomed him inside.
"Good evening, Horwell." Link started.
"Ah, Link. Are you looking for Owlan? I'm afraid he's out at the moment." He said, taking a seat. The moment his back was against the chair, Mia jumped onto his lap and curled into a lavender ball. Mia's friend, named Lia by Horwell, pawed at Horwell's feet until the Instructor offered out his arm for the remlit to climb up on. Once both felines were situated, the Instructor set his eyes back on Link. "Can I help?" He asked kindly. Link smiled back instantly, slightly relieved that he could first talk to Horwell instead of the more severe Owlan. And Horwell was Link's favorite Instructor. He was always so eager to help, even when Link's problems weren't school-related.
Link nodded, and silently revealed the crimson sash. Horwell gasped loudly, and started to his feet, but sat back down when the remlits dug their claws into his skin. Link walked over and showed it to him.
"This only means one thing. If Gaepora gave you this, he is also entrusting the whole of Skyloftions to you as well." Horwell's voice was heavy.
"Yes, that's what he told me."
"Are you ready for such a responsibility?" Horwell asked. Link glanced at the sash. "You're hesitating." Horwell said. Link met his eyes nervously, unsure of what he meant, but Horwell had a reassuring smile. "The sash isn't going to talk, you know. Gaepora trusted you with this responsibility. He has faith in you, as do I. The question is, do you?" Link felt rushed. Horwell obviously wanted a direct answer, but the hero had too many questions left.
"I want to protect everyone." Link started. Horwell nodded encouragingly. "What would being King entail? And how would I even start?" Horwell waved his hand, motioning for Link to sit. He knew he was about to place even more responsibility on the young man's shoulders, and Horwell wanted him to be sitting so he could take the weight better.
"Gaepora, I think, trusted you with this responsibility because you have conquered the surface world already. He wants you to show everyone else how to do the same. If a threat appears, you will be the one most experienced in how to deal with it. So you would be responsible for coordinating a defense and offense…for protecting everyone, as you say." Link's mind raced, thinking back to the ancient war that Hylia has served in. The start of Skyloft's history. "If there are conflicts inside the castle, you must decide how to deal with them as well. But our people are small still, though growing, and domestic conflicts that would need your direction are few. Your job as King would be to lead us into the next era. Returning our people to life on the surface." Link lifted his head.
He could do that. He could tell them how to avoid most dangers…he could help build outwards.
"As for your…what is the word for it…coronation, I believe, yes, as for that…usually the previous leader helps in the ceremony, but Gaepora's health is not as it once was. We must make do without." Horwell reached into the desk, careful still not to disturb the snoring remlits, and opened a fresh page in his journal. "It will take me some time to think of a way to do this, and I'd like Owlan's opinion…" He looked up and smiled at Link. "You're going to make a fine King."
Zelda flew to Skyloft the very next day, determined to convince her father to join them on the surface.
While Owlan and Horwell were busy discussing the plans for Link's coronation, the hero took Marin to the fields where Pipit was taming the horses. Marin loved to watch them, just as she's loved the Loftwings, and Link had to admit that he enjoyed the animals' company as well. Pipit rode over on the bare back of a tall black horse, before sliding off its side and letting it run free again back to its herd. Pipit had been climbing all over those animals recently, until they seemed to have gotten used to it.
"You've really gotten the hang of it." Link congratulated him. Pipit gave an exaggerated bow.
"Thank you, your majesty."
"Stop that." Link said with a grimace. Pipit sat heavily beside him, fiddling with the tall grass.
"So, are you going with the armored entrance?" He asked. Link quickly shook his head, and Marin tried to copy him.
Karane joined them and sat patiently for minutes on end before she requested to hold Marin. Link gently passed his daughter into her awaiting arms, and breathed a sigh of relief when Marin smiled. Karane laughed too, and danced her hands above Marin's face, occupying the girl's attention. Pipit tapped Link's shoulder.
"C'mon, I'll show you how to get onto one of these thing's back." Link and Pipit walked back towards the horses, though Link occasionally looked over his shoulder.
"She's really good with her." He said, as he saw Karane lift Marin over her head, much to the child's delight. Pipit nodded, a smug smile on his face. Link frowned at him, until Pipit couldn't contain himself any longer.
"I'm glad she likes babies, because it looks like we're having one of our own!" Pipit happily declared. Link beamed.
"That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you." He turned back to see Marin. "And it makes me happy that Marin will have someone her age to play with."
"Don't forget about Luv's kid. She's a year old now." Pipit added. He leaned his head back and looked at the clouds. "I hope I have a boy. I want to teach him swordsmanship and stuff like that."
"Marin's going to learn." Link replied, without a moment of hesitation. When Pipit looked at him, Link nodded. He and Zelda had already decided that months ago. It was true that the tradition of female knights had been declining- perhaps due to the extra amount of work girls had to do, such as the special ceremony- but Link always respected the idea that women were just as strong, and very often fiercer, in battle. "Karane knows how to use a sword, and I don't plan on letting the traditions of female knights dying out." Completely, at least. "And the surface is still so dangerous…" Link said, his voice drifting off as a gust of wind blew across the plains.
His first degree as a King…he would make sure everyone still had their training. He doubted there would be a Wing Ceremony anymore though. The Loftwings hated the surface, and would not come unless persistently called. Maybe he could do something with the horses though. They were easy enough to tame.
Pipit gave Link a handful of sugar cubes to hold in his pockets, then whistled similar to as if he were calling his Loftwing. The black horse he'd ridden previously lifted his head, and started towards Pipit with its ears perked. A few other horses followed him, including the tan mare. Pipit showed Link how to calm them with treats and gentle petting, then lean himself against their back to accustom them to the pressure. The mare didn't mind Link at all, her velvety lips smacking over his flattened hand to find all traces of sugar.
"I warn you, I've only ridden a few of them, and that mare's not one of them." Pipit said. "But she seems to like you." Link nodded with a smile, as he pet back the mare's forelock to see the white blaze that went up her face.
Finally, Pipit showed him how to grab the hair at the base of the horse's neck and use it to pull himself onto its back. Link copied him in one fluid motion, and he was suddenly high off the ground astride one of the majestic beasts of the surface world. The mare jumped a bit, and paced sideways nervously. Link held onto her with his thighs and by her mane, and gently pet her neck to try and reassure her. But at the touch, she gave a wild cry and reared up on her hind legs, tossing him from her back. Link fell hard onto the grass as the horse trotted around him in a circle, seeming just as surprised as he was. Meanwhile, Pipit was laughing.
Though Link seemed to have been finding reason upon reason to remain in the castle, his call to adventure was greater, and he still found the time to escape away. Even if that adventure was just exploring the well-mapped Faron Woods, he still enjoyed walking among the tall trees and watching the wind shift the leaves like a watercolor over his head. Each day was different, and he would never tire of watching the scenery change.
And Marin liked it too.
He wrapped her up in the crimson cloak and slung it over his shoulder and chest like Zelda had shown him to form a hammock where she could rest, without Link having to compromise his hands. Because however safe the woods seemed to becoming, he would not risk it. But she liked being close to him, so she didn't complain when he bundled her up. She looked up at the trees, following Link's pointed finger whenever he told her something. Though she did not yet understand his words, she understood his tone, and she had already decided that she liked that place as well.
Link walked her deep into the forest, until the sky was blotted out by shifting green canopies and creaking branches. He came to a slow stop in a wide clearing, where bokoblins usually prowled. He had his left hand on his sword, and his eyes narrowed and quickly scanning the scenery. But that day, the hard packed dirt was unwalked upon. He tread on with care, all the way to the river, alert to every sound. But none were threatening. Perhaps, now that it had been over a year since the crisis, the Demon tribe that Ghirahim claimed to be a part of was vanishing with him. Link hoped so. He would give so much for Marin to grow up in such a peaceful place as Skyloft had been. Of course, even Skyloft had its worries and dangers. The bug swarm, and occasional erratic weather posed deadly threats to the people there. On the surface they had their fair share of difficulties as well, but Link appreciated the thick stone walls of the castle, and the populace of well-trained knights that resided there.
'But even stone walls couldn't keep everything out.' He reminded himself, wrapping his arms around Marin protectively. She looked up at him curiously, and her sweet smile drained some of his worry. He remembered the first time he had seen her. Covered in slick blood, like her father had at the moment, and protected from the world by nothing but a cloak and her parents' arms. So helpless and fragile and needing protecting.
"He won't hurt you though." Link whispered. "I won't let him."
The hero had taught himself not to make promises. He'd watched things fall apart, despite his best efforts to keep them together. He knew how hard promises were to keep. He promised that he would protect Zelda, but she was kidnapped and hurt anyways. But at that moment, things were so perfect that Link wanted to promise that things would remain that way.
Marin was too young to understand his words, but she knew his tone, and she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
And then, the water boiled and shifted, and the water dragon lifted herself of the foam before Link had a chance to find cover from the spray. He checked Marin, and was relieved to see that she still slept. It wasn't easy to wake her, it seemed. Another trait from her father, that Link was quite grateful for at the moment.
"Hmm…so, this is the reason you were so desperate to rescue Zelda." Faron rumbled. Link jumped to his feet, surprised to see her away from her court, and bowed. The dragon wore a new cloak, with shimmering silk thread that formed the insignia of Farore on her back, and a woven bow to tie it together. But Link's eyes ignored the bright cloth, and found her dull scars instead. There was a circle of dotting scars along on throat, where Eldin's fangs had tried to suffocate her, and numerous burns that matched the ones on his face. "Boy, you are staring." Link blinked away, but Faron continued. "It's too much to hope for that you would one day learn manners! Hopefully your child is not like you!" Link rolled his eyes under his closed lids.
"I'm sorry, I was surprised to see you out here. Are you feeling better?" Faron crossed her arms.
"I will survive." Link bowed again.
"Again, thank you for what you did. Without your intervention, I would have been killed, and Zelda would have been lost."
"Not only Zelda." Faron added, nodding to Marin. Link nodded. "Well, what is her name?"
"Oh, this is Marin." Link said, lifting her out of the cloak and into his arms. Marin's eyes were as wide as moons as she stared openly at the dragon.
"Hmph. She stares, just as you do." Faron grumbled, leaning closer. Marin started to reach for the dragon's whiskers, but Link grabbed her hand just in time. "I thought I sensed Zelda's presence here, but it was only her daughter. And you." Faron pulled her head back, wincing and touching her neck. "There have been many odd souls around as of late." Link frowned nervously, instantly thinking of Dark.
"Like what, exactly?" He asked, but Faron just shook her head.
"I am not certain…"
He did not like those words coming from her.
Marin began to wriggle around in the cloak and whimper, and Link realized just how late it was. Zelda should have returned to the castle by then, and Marin had missed lunch. Link bowed again, dismissing himself.
"Marin needs to be fed, so I need to go. I'll put an extra knight on watch though, and tell you if we see anything strange." Link promised her. The dragon watched him go, then rolled back into the water and returned to her domain as well.
Pipit and Karane were still outside with the horses as Link returned home, and the knight in gold insisted he try riding again. That time, the mare let him stay on his back. She even started grazing, as if Link wasn't even there. He tried petting her again, and she continued munching as if he were just the wind. Pipit flashed him a thumbs-up.
Zelda was waiting for them. Just as the sun was setting, she saw him out the window, and went to meet him as he entered the castle. Marin squealed in delight to see her mother, and the young family went upstairs.
Link usually left Zelda alone to nurse, but he was tired and didn't even notice. When he did, he leaned over Zelda's shoulder and kissed her cheek.
"Stop." Zelda ordered weakly, not truly bothered by his presence.
"Marin met Faron today." He said. Zelda looked at him for elaboration. "We went to the woods…" Link remembered Faron's vague warning.
"Link?"
"No, it's nothing." He kissed her cheek again. "I've got to go and find Owlan now. We're planning on announcing your father's decision at dinner." Zelda nodded.
"All right, I'll be down in a minute." One last kiss.
"Take your time."
Link requested that the entire population of the castle be at supper, and no one protested or asked why. Owlan nodded and told Link what a good sign that was. Link nodded, and fiddled with his sleeves. He didn't see why it was necessary to announce a new leader like this. Everyone was content as they were, and didn't need directions from a superior.
Of course, they were all just starting out. There was not even a market yet, or separate houses outside of the castle! There was no reason for conflict yet! But in a few years' time, people would begin rebuilding Skyloft on the surface. Luv was already talking about reopening her potions shop, and Gondo was hard at work restocking his armory. And when people began desiring more space, houses would surly pop up around the castle walls. All in due time, and Link was going to be the one responsible for making sure it all worked. He understood that now.
But…he wished he didn't have to announce it so publically. Owlan insisted that it was necessary, and that it would be accepted without a word of protest, but Link still felt a tug of anxiety that someone would be upset by it.
Henya and Kina made a filling dinner of pumpkin bread and freshly cooked foul caught from the woods that morning. There was enough for everyone, and besides Pipit and Groose fighting for the last drumstick, the dinner went on at an easy pace full of chatter and gossip. Link unintentionally sat at the head of the table. It had actually been left open for him, and he realized that he had been sitting there ever since moving to the surface. No one had said a word about it either.
Zelda sat to his left, and Owlan and Horwell to his right. As dinner slowed down, Owlan rapped his silverware loudly on his mug. Suddenly, Link realized, it was time to speak to everyone. Owlan started.
"Good evening everyone. If I may say a few words," He bowed his head for a moment, and resumed speaking "I am very proud to see us in each other's' company, in this wonderful new place, and still together as a family." A few cups were raised to commemorate the toast. "We have decided to begin life again, in this strange new world that we once didn't even believe existed, and that is worth another toast." Horwell clapped a bit, and more cups were raised. "Some have chosen to remain in the sky, and we will never forget them." Zelda's eyes fell as her mind drifted, and Link snuck his hand under the table and touched her. She squeezed his back, then smiled bravely at him. He needed all the courage he could gather for what he was about to do. "Our own beloved Headmaster has committed himself to the sky, and entrusted our people to their new leader. A man who has proved himself time and time again, to be dedicated to the people of this land." Link took a deep breath, but the air felt thick and hot, and released it. Owlan was surely setting the stage, but Link felt that it was too much. There would be nothing left for Link to say, though Owlan may have planned it that way due to Link's public speaking issues.
"But Headmaster Gaepora has requested that his title be changed. We are no longer just a school. We are a castle, and a castle needs its King." At the word, a few of the older people at the table raised their eyebrows, and nodded back and forth between each other.
Already, many eyes were on Link. Pipit and Groose were smiling reassuringly, and a few others began to connect the dots and follow the stares to the young man in green. Not one pair of eyes held hostility, and Link's confidence grew.
If they wanted him to lead, he would.
Link stood, taking the silence at his cue. There were a few more moments as he composed his thoughts, and then he began to speak.
"I have seen this surface world in my travels. Though it is a beautiful world, it is also very dangerous. In some ways, more than Skyloft." The younger knights glanced back and forth nervously. "But, its rewards are much greater. This land is vast, and I can see us making a new life here. If you will have me as your King, I will do everything in my power to ensure we succeed." Link wasn't required to ask for their permission. It was the Headmaster, and the Headmaster alone that chose his successor. But offering himself as he did, the people of the castle were even more eager to accept him. Even if he came with a shiny new title, he was still the same Link that they had grown up with. The boy that grew up without parents, and found a family with everyone else on the island. They knew they could trust him, because they had raised him.
He hardly finished speaking before the cups were raised and the cheers began.
"To King Link!" Groose shouted- his booming voice just loud enough to overwhelm the clamor, and start the cheers. Link bowed quickly and seated himself, but Owlan tapped his shoulder and reminded him of something, and Link was on his feet a moment later. A few laughs were uttered among the cheers. He was a mighty warrior, the marks of his hardships evident on his face, but he was still so skittish in front of crowds.
Link raised his mug.
"Long live-" He stopped, his eyes wide. The cheer used to be 'Long live Skyloft and may the Goddess watch over us!' But they weren't on Skyloft any longer. What had Owlan told him to say instead...Link couldn't remember.
Groose stood, his chair screeching loudly as he hurried to his feet. He cleared his throat and grinned at Link.
"Long live Grooseland!" He bellowed, and thankfully, no one picked up on the cheer. Many people frowned and shrugged. Peatrice rolled her eyes and put her chin back on her hand.
"Ah, it seems we haven't yet decided on a name for this land." Link explained. The laughs were unrestrained this time, but joyous still.
"Long live King Link!" Pipit suddenly shouted. Link was caught off-guard, and looked to him with a confused stare. Pipit winked back. The new chant was catchy, and soon the entire population of the castle was crying it out again. "Long live King Link!"
Their combined voices became one roaring chant, and Link was nearly overwhelmed with their praise. Finally, he bowed deeply, and the cheers mixed together again to form wordless clamor. Owlan presented the Headmaster's sash to him, and draped it over his shoulders where it would come to stay. It fell to just the right length, and everyone agreed that it suited him well. Cups clanged loudly against each other, and drinks were spread around heartily. Happy side-talk resumed, but in greater volume since everyone was still so excited. The topic of Pipit and Karane's marriage came up, and Pipit used the moment to announce that they were expecting their first child. More cheers, and the pumpkin soup flowed to refill bowls that had become half-empty.
Many people put down their meals to walk up and congratulate Link, and he bowed each time and humbly refused their praise. Zelda watched on, with proud tears in her eyes. She was also sad, for her ill father, but her happiness for her husband overcame it all. She wouldn't change anything. He cast glanced towards her, and they locked eyes knowingly, until someone blocked him from her view.
Dinner stretched into the late hours that night. Aged mead and wine was rolled out of the cellar, and Kina made her signature pumpkin soup. She presented a bowl of it to him, and Link had too many eyes on him to refuse. He sipped it sparingly, and complimented her recipe, though he was secretly cringing from the foul, sharp aftertaste. She distributed it from a large pot, and soon everyone was dancing atop the tables carelessly. Even Peatrice jumped to her feet after chugging some down. She locked her eyes on Groose, then grabbed him by his hair and kissed him. Link quickly averted his eyes, but the next time he looked, they both had vanished from the dining hall.
Zelda dusted off her harp and sang, and Link watched on. She had put Marin to sleep with Kukiel, and returned downstairs in a beautifully sewn golden dress. She had been working on it for ages, and apparently finished it. It shone in the torchlight, and Link permitted himself to stare. He guessed that was the reaction she had wanted, after all. When she returned downstairs, she locked eyes with him until he smiled openly. When she began singing, the loud conversation died down a bit so her beauty could be enjoyed to the fullest. Of course, Link appreciated the music more than anyone else. He knew its full meaning…its full significance. It was Zelda's favorite song, but it was meant for him.
Once the initial celebration had died down, he distanced himself from the party. First, by taking his seat and looking on wordlessly. Then when Zelda looked up, she saw that he had left. Pipit told her that he had dismissed himself a few minutes earlier, and taken the stairs to the rooftop.
Zelda checked on Marin, who was sound asleep, snoring quietly as Link did, then made her way to the castle rooftop.
He was alone. He must have dismissed the guards, allowing them a chance to join the festivities below. When Zelda lifted herself off of the last step, he turned quickly and faced her. He smiled though, and Zelda joined him.
"Are you all right?" She asked. Link nodded.
"Yes. I was overwhelmed at first, but not anymore." He reassured her, and Zelda stepped up beside him. "It really is a beautiful place." He said. Zelda nodded.
"It is." She smirked, and looked up at him. He had grown significantly taller than her in the past few years. "And it's deserving of a name." She added humorously. Link laughed and looked back at the grassy plains.
"Yes, you're right. We can't have Groose naming it- the Goddesses would get angry. I've been thinking of that." He took a deep breath. "This is Hylia's land, isn't it?" Zelda tapped her fingers together.
"She was not the one who created it-"
"But she looked after it." He met her eyes sternly, until she nodded, then he smiled softly. "So…we should name it after her…after you." Zelda looked away, a bit flustered.
"Well, you're going to rule it, so we should name it after you. You conquered it."
"You can't defeat a land." Link corrected. "I want to live in this place…without the need to conquer anything more. I've had my battles…and I know they aren't over, but…this place is on our side, I can feel it. We were meant to return here. This land wants us to succeed." He looked down at her, and she was so amazed by his words that she stared back, unblinkingly.
"We can't call it Hylia's Realm though. That era is over." Zelda said, finally turning her gaze to Faron Woods. Link nodded.
"But we owe this place to her."
"Then what should we call it?" Zelda asked. Link shut his eyes, mouthing out names. He paused, and then his lips repeated a certain name over and over.
"Hy…Hyrule." He said, aloud this time. He smiled at her. "What do you think?" Zelda took his hand and looked at their land. Their Kingdom, as the books called it.
"Hyrule." She repeated. "It's perfect." Link nodded.
"Hyrule it is."
Oh youth, guided by the servant of the goddess, unite earth and sky, and bring light to the land.
The End
Finally
A/N~ …so…
…BAM.
…I said I'd let you know when the ending was coming up…but it sort of snuck up on me here too. I was writing it out, and I had planned on the ceremony thing getting interrupted, but then I had things work out for once, and…and I just knew it was the right time. I just can't continue it from here with a simple, next chapter. It's the conclusion of the first part of their story, and everything that comes after is more of a lead-in to the next games.
I'll have you know that I was planning way more chapters, and a deeper ending, and that will still happen. I mean, the longer version's ending is full of blood and stuff...I LOVE blood and stuff! So that still has to happen.
But they'll occur more as disconnected oneshots to answer your guys' origin questions, and my desire for Link's blood. I may "continue" it under "Finally", or start a new story specifically for these oneshots….or maybe just make a hellishly long next chapter under a different name XD
Thanks for all your support!