Authors notes- I'm sorry, I know I said this would be the ending chapter...But the story is rich. This is Link and Zelda we're talking about here. This is their love story. I want to portray how they meet. They have a beginning. I believe that great characters need a foundation. This is a glimpse of Link's. I'm sorry for the delay and end of arc blue balls, It's not my intention. It's just that this has to be told now. That's the story...I want you to understand why Link does what he does, and why he gives a damn at all...I'm sorry. The next real chapter is the end I swear!
Chapter- Why we failed 100 years ago- Part-1
"Hurry and close the door Captain Caspin. I don't need the whole town to hear in on your whole scandal. This better not be about the women, I swear to the goddess if I have to hear one more time of your men—" the chancellor said sternly, tirelessly scribbling away at his desk paying no mind to the hinderance that entered his royal chamber. But soon realized, that this was of a different matter. Not of the usual grievance at all.
Something far more important was brewing in the minds of his men. "Now, what is it?" The late middle aged man continued impatiently. "And, what do I owe the pleasure of this...disturbance?" He finished, setting down his quill ever so gently crumpling it in his fist across the table like an echoing reminder of who is really in control of all things pertaining to the city and Hyrule. Or so he wished.
"My lord," the captain gulped, fixing himself upward straight as an arrow. "I...I mean commander."
"Get on with it man...What is the meaning of this intrusion."
"Well, there's just nothing to it but to tell ya, so I guess I'll just have to tell you bluntly..." Caspin said, erecting himself as a proud leader of his ruthless Dragoons.
But before he could say a syllable, one of his lower men who escorted him blurted belligerently before he could relay the message. "We're fucked!"
Both Caspin and the commander stood still in awe at such a declaration. Impossible, they could never...Not the Dragoons...They were the best of the best...The man's words stung and before anyone could utter a word edgewise, he blurted some more. "There's one among the guard, a prospect—no a fledgling actually, one who harnesses great skill, the likes of which we all have never seen."
Caspin's words were robbed of him and he couldn't utter a breath. He desperately wanted to contest the notion but was tongue tied by the brazen interruption of one of his men.
The commander's eyes lifted. His assessment of their sense of urgency only stayed by a silent coldness that captured several silent breaths. In no time he awoke from his trance of thought to slowly lean back in his chair.
The gentle master set his scroll aside and his deep blue eyes focused on them both as his dark brows bent in scorching anger. Well hidden by a stir of uneasiness that pitted deep within him. "I see..."
The old man continued stirring in his seat, brewing a calm rage within his thoughts of what they would say. "Will he be...a...problem for us?"
'No! I don't think so!" The escort blurted.
"Of course not! Shut up, will ya?" The unabashed captain Caspin said, elbowing his subordinate harshly back several paces from a helpful heave to the chest. "I'm in control here!"
"Are you now?" The commander said, his voice cutting through like a hot smelted dagger. "Because by the looks of it to me this is anything far from controlled. A downright disaster waiting to storm by the likes of it!?...And I forgot my raincoat...If you get my meaning." he finished with an angered smile of pitiful dissatisfaction.
"No, I Swear! Commander Danarus! Please, listen!?" The captain pleaded.
"You have one minute..."
"Yes." Caspin coughed. He knew that if anyone were to be crossed among the entire army, let alone the world, the commander was not one. That Lord Danarus's rank was nothing compared to his true ferocity. His reputation was leaps and bounds past any rumor unlike other men. So, he spoke as clearly and as fast as his lips could move "What if I were to tell you that there could be someone even more powerful than you or I? What would you say?"
The commander stood and turned, disquieted by his words.
Caspin continued. "And...What if I were to tell you that he, this lad, even has the talent, one that I believe could even contend with your own son, Arasmus?"
the commander jolted. "Nonsense! There's not a man alive who can beat my son in single combat, let alone challenge him. Surely, you're mistaken."
Silence filled the room and a pin could drop and fall before anyone was brave enough to dare and speak.
Caspin gulped but relayed again before the commander could interject. "And...What if I tell you that such a man, no, a boy is here...in this city...Now...One who can do all this...And in fact, he is on his way here right now? To the castle!...what if I were to tell you that?"
"Well, aren't you telling me this?" The commander stomped erratically in his chair, his patience wearing thin, disquieted by this new found knowledge.
"Yes! Right now as we speak he is being escorted by one of the Guard. Finn they call him...I don't know who he is to this boy but they are on their way here to retrieve something of inexplicable importance and deliver it to the princess for the ceremony! One of my men overheard them earlier today in the square. Whatever it is we can't be certain, but it's probably the—"
The commander waived his hand like a knife splitting air for him to shut up into his thoughts. Just at the mere inkling of a mention of it. Their ignorance was painful. They couldn't even begin the fathom the importance of what they were about to speak. But, he knew...Or did he?
Silence befell the room. He then quietly paced around, chin carefully cupped by his hand.
"Bah! He isn't that great!" One of the subordinates goaded, speaking out of turn. It was Farga. The drunken man from the bar just hours earlier the night before had spoken.
The commander spun, almost at a choking loss of the man's bravado. "Well, he beat you didn't he?" He said in a huff, unamused of his lackadaisical nature. His eyes were fixed on Farga, scalding his skin a roasting red.
Farga and Caspin both remained quiet, unsure what to say and Farga's lips were completely sewn shut from the fear of such a chastisement. He felt the heat of his Lord upon him and knew if he wanted to live another day he would do good to sew his lips shut.
Danarus, albeit old, was quite the old warrior, not the likes of which they have ever contended with in their day. He was from the olden days. The times during the war. He was from a time when death was as commonplace as a summer glass of milk from Romani's. But, aside from that, above all, he could tell who was truly the wheat and who was indeed the chaff.
"Well? Did he?" The commander grumbled, turning to face them both.
Farga coughed but the captain broke the tension between them first.
"It wasn't entirely like that! The boy—"
"You shut the hell up right now if you know what was good for ya! Not a word out of you, or you'll be dead where you stand! I swear to Hylia!" The commander reproached, raising his voice. "Was I talking to you or him!?" The sound of which shook like thunder in the room while his finger pointed across the room like a wand of a wizard until it slowly rested upon Farga.
Farga took that as his cue to speak as the commander huddled back, securing the true depths of his power. "Just a lucky shot!...Oh, sure, the kid may have a bit of talent, but it's nothing we cannot handle. He was just lucky I tell ya! I wasn't at the top of my game, and maybe had a bit too much to drink! He would have been nothing if he didn't catch me by surprise! I was just a little drunk, that's all."
"Yeah, and you probably still are by the looks of it to me!" the commander reprimanded.
Farga fell back from the sharp look from his liege. But, felt it wise to still offer up an explanation. "Sorry sir for my poor display in representing your great house. But, as I said before, honestly, I don't know why the captain is making it such a big deal...He's just a kid."
Captain Caspin jumped in and vehemently interjected. "I'm making it a big deal you brain dead oaf because that 'boy' which you say is no big deal bested ten of you worthless lot in a scrap! The best of Draene! And might I add that 'kid' is heading straight for the castle right now to make his acquaintance with the princess. Do you know what that means?" he said glancing over shoulder to Farga and back to the commander who knew all too well what the ramifications were if things were to carry on. The likes of he knew the underlings below Farga had no clue of.
"If that young man befriends her and indeed becomes a royal guardsman, we'll could be in trouble. She'll have a direct line of personal communication right to those guard bastards. And, if he is coming here to deliver what I think he is, then it's only a matter of time. Because if he ever realizes the power of the sacred vessel that which is carrying inside remnant relics of Old high Priest Sahasrala and the seven, he'll know then what we have been up to this entire time. If he tells her then it is all but over for all of us! They'll know everything! That's why!"
"You're not as dumb as you look Caspin..." The commander spun and cracked his knuckles. "That...is a problem...But, what if?"
"Sir?" Caspin and Farga both gasped, falling forward, biting their lip, on the teetering edge of what their lord would say.
"...What if, what if we could bring him to us first?" A slow smile creeped up his face. "Surely, he can be persuaded? It's not like someone like him owes any real allegiance to this crown? Surely, there is something we can offer him to make his stay his lips. Surely, there is something he would want in return. A farmer you said he is?"
"I never..." Caspin said, but was interrupted instantaneously by the commander.
"These pitiful peasants are all nothing but hopeless hapless farmers...I know the type. Nothing a small bit of gems can't fix. Go!...Go intervene and find him among his friend that is leading him here to the castle."
"Sir?" Farga questioned.
The commander stomped, reiterating his stance. "What am I speaking, Gerudo? I said go and get this boy! Kill the fucking spare if you have to and bring him to me...But be quiet about it...The festival begins today so we can't have any fuss before the opening celebrations...A lot of people have come from miles around to partake in this once an a lifetime event, so I don't want any trouble today. So, make it look like an accident. That would be all the better. But, bring him to me...We shall see if he truly wants to be a guardsman...Or a man of the world...Make sure it looks like an accident though...are we clear?"
Farga and Crispin bowed in accordance to his wishes.
The commander of Draene, Chancellor to the king then spoke a final word on the matter before they could leave. "If he is all that you crack him up to be, then I can use a man such as that...You may be worthless to me, but him...Yes, he may be just what I am looking for...For Hyrule...My Hyrule, we can use him..."
The commander finished, reaching down across the old oak table he leaned against, gripping a mug of stiff drink before swigging and closing his eyes...He could hardly wait...
UPDATE; 11/22/2021 I am currently finishing up the last chapter- let me know if you prefer that after this upcoming one is posted that I start a "New" Story on Fanfic. net to continue this story- to make things easier to look up and keep things organized( Like splitting up up book) or would you rather me just keep this thread going with more chapters? With that being said, I should have the last chapter in about two weeks. I had to make revisions for the end to match the next arc more appropriately. Going forward after this last bit, the story should be much more linear as well. Less occurring flashbacks and or future flashes. The climactic conclusion is here. It will be a massive one. Thanks for being patient. I do hope you enjoy the story thus far. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks! - Sky
UPDATE 12/02/2021- Hello friends, I wanted to let all know that I'm still finishing up the last chapter. It is quite large(over 20,000 words). So, it has been taking me some time to work out all the kinks and trim some of the fat. I know I said a few weeks, but, as always, I'm pretty bad with keeping deadlines. I'm shooting for the date of the game awards to coincide with BOTW 2's official trailer release. But, it's going to be tight to make that schedule. At the end of the day I want to put out a well written story. That is my number one concern. My overall goal is that you all enjoy the end of this arc. So, I cannot rush it.
UPDATE 12/11/2021- okay everyone, I know I said it should be out by now and you would be correct! But, I have been dealing with some personal relationship issues IRL and this whole week I have been a mess. For that reason, I haven't resumed work on this chapter since I last wrote my update. But, as of now my problems were resolved in my personal life and I'm feeling better than I was and should be able to continue starting this week when I am off from work. Sorry for the delay!
Thanks again for being patient. You are all truly appreciated. - Sky