Time moved at fluctuating intervals. At time, it moved forward at an aching crawl. At others, several days went by in what felt like the blink of an eye. Either way, days turned into weeks which turned into months. Before Link knew it, he had spent an entire year within Hyrule Castle under the Royal Family's care.
His condition had improved in small ways. He was able to go outside, even to Lon Lon Ranch, without too much issue. His mood swings lessened, and he was able to get his emotions under control a lot more. There was still a lot of issues which frustrated him.
Even after a year, Link wasn't able to talk about his experiences except in very broad strokes. Zelda insisted he would have to be able to confront these things if he was to move on from them, but he just wasn't sure of that. It didn't feel like it helped at all, so it was something he resisted.
Issues kept arising, and it was exceedingly frustrating because they didn't always make sense. Some days he was able to get out of bed, no issue. Other days, even a year in, it took him hours to muster up the willpower to do so. Some days he could eat fine. Other days he could barely eat and trying to force it made him vomit. Some days he even found he wasn't able to speak. Some days he couldn't even be with Zelda because of the memories that cropped up.
That was just the issue, there was never a pattern. It all seemed entirely random and made his condition far worse to deal with. He would wake up each morning having zero idea what was in store for him. Really, the only constant was how numb and empty he felt, dearly craving to be reunited with Navi once more…
One other constant presented itself every time he looked the mirror, just as Link did one morning a week after his birthday. Or, at least, the day he was taken in by The Great Deku Tree. Link stared, distraught at his reflection, knowing there was nothing he could do about what he saw staring back at him.
He was getting older.
It was something that was going to happen, of course. Such a thing was so obvious, after all. Yet even after being sent back in time by Zelda, it never really crossed Link's mind. After all, he had so many other intrusive thoughts going on, that it simply escaped him. Yet as the months went by, he started to realize his body was changing, if only slightly. He noticed he started getting a little bit taller, and his face grew a bit less chubby as he entered his eleventh year.
And he despised this.
Link had accepted he was a Hylian and that he wouldn't get to retain his youth as the Kokiri did. Yet actually seeing it in motion was haunting to him. For so long, he had thought he was done growing forever, and now he knew he'd grow back into that cursed form he was forced into. The thought of him growing so tall and oddly hardened again made him feel sick to his stomach. He wanted to remain ten forever…he wanted to be a Kokiri…
Link was startled out of his thoughts by a light knock on his bedroom door. "Link? Are you almost ready?" Zelda's voice called.
Taking a few deep breaths, Link went over to the door and answered it. He was wearing his tunic and hat, fully dressed for the day ahead. The boy also had wrapping on his hands, the previous night he had a breakdown again. He had seen his hands coated with blood, so he scrubbed and scrubbed…but it just never came off. The boy just kept cleaning his hands until they started to bleed.
He wished he could say it was the first time such a thing happened.
Opening the door slowly, peering out to see the Princess smiling softly at him. She hadn't changed quite as much in the past year as he had. Not that he noticed, at least. Link couldn't help but feel a bitter jealousy towards Zelda, one that he was ashamed of because he knew she hadn't even done anything wrong.
"…Yeah…I'm ready." He replied, leaving his room. That day, he was going to Lon Lon Ranch for another visit. A servant would take him on horseback to the property, but Zelda wanted to see him off. Link felt so horrible that Zelda dedicated as much time as she did to him. At times, it seemed as if she spent every waking moment on him and his needs. The Princess tried to hide it, but he knew she felt exhausted as well…
The trip to Lon Lon Ranch was uneventful, the young man that took Link over to the property keeping quiet as they went, just how the boy liked it. The servant always stayed outside the ranch entrance if it wasn't an overnight stay, using a book to pass the time until it was time for Link to go back to the castle.
Once they arrived and Link entered the property, he instantly went towards the large space that held all the horses. Most of the time, that's where Malon was, and this time wasn't any different. He heard her before he saw her, the young girl singing Epona's Song to the horse in question.
Link felt his face go a bit warm when he saw Malon, whose eyes remained closed as she vocalized and hadn't noticed him yet. Almost at all times, the boy felt numb, miserable, or angry. So rarely did he feel anything remotely positive. Yet when he was with Malon…it wasn't joy, exactly, or happiness…but he tended to feel content. He believed that Navis' departure robbed him of something vital that allowed him to feel proper happiness but being with the redhead was the best alternative he had found since.
Opening her eyes, Malon instantly broke out into a smile, trotting over to the boy, Epona following behind. The horse had grown attached to Link, the boy having played her song numerous times over the course of the year and was able to gain he trust. "Hi, Link!" The redhead chirped, quickly giving her friend a hug in greeting.
Link flinched, for a brief moment his body going into a fight or flight type of mood. He knew that Malon was harmless, just offering a greeting. Yet his body screamed that he was in danger because her arms were wrapped around him. Closing his eyes, he took a small breath and forced himself to be calm, eventually returning the hug.
"H…Hey…" He greeted back, having found himself missing being called 'Fairy Boy' by Malon. "I hope it's okay I visited again so soon…" The two would send letters to each other when one wanted to see the other. Thanks to the Royal Family's fast courier service, these letters went back and forth quickly. Naturally, Zelda would have to write out Link's letters for him. He refused to learn to read or write, feeling that he had to wait until he reunited with Navi.
"It's fine! I always like seeing you!" Malon replied, always so eager, it seemed. She let the boy go and glanced to Epona. "She missed you too, right girl?"
"Hello, Epona." Link said, patting the horse on the nose, getting a light snort in response. He enjoyed how the animal had grown to feel comfortable around him.
Malon frowned lightly, gazing at Link's hand. "Oh, hey, what happened to you? Your hands are wrapped up!" She pointed out, taking Link's hand, and looking at it closer.
Link never failed to feel flustered when Malon did things like this, and he never really understood why. She was a touchy-feely sort, who would grab at his hand or give him a hug whenever she wanted. Malon also stood within his personal space, generally. It always made him feel bad on days where he couldn't tolerate those sorts of things. The ranch girl was always understanding, though, and never asked too many questions.
"I…hurt it." Link murmured, glancing off to the side. Why did something so simple make his insides feel fuzzy?
"Well, duh!" Malon huffed. "But how did you hurt it? You weren't doing something dangerous, were you?"
Luckily, Link and Zelda had already come up with an excuse to tell Malon. He didn't enjoy lying to her, but he would be far more ashamed to admit his issues. The ranch girl really had zero idea what was wrong with the boy. There were times his emotions or mental state started to swing or wane, though he tried to especially keep himself composed around Malon. At times she seemed concerned for him, but if her worries or fears ran deeper than that, she didn't make it known.
"…I fell on the steps. I caught myself, but really hurt my hands." Link replied, managing to sound convincing. He hated these lies, but really, at times, it seemed like his entire relationship with Malon was a lie. It was, in a way. He pretended he had no idea who she was when he met up with her a year ago. He didn't tell her about the other timeline or how the two were already friends.
Speaking of which, Link felt guilt over the situation with the other Malon as well. He never grasped why she liked him so much, but even with his low opinion of himself, the boy realized she deeply cared for him. On top of that, he had promised to meet with her again one day…but that was a promise he could never, ever fulfill. Did she know what happened to him? Did the other Malon, by chance, meet with Zelda and learn the truth? Was she sad? Mad at him? Did she hate him for leaving? He'd never know, and maybe that was for the best…
The answer made Malon give a small titter of relief. "Link, you gotta be more careful!" She lightly chided. "Or I'll have to follow you around and tend to any injuries you have!"
"Uh…um…what?" Link was thrown off guard by that. It seemed a lot of the time when Malon spoke. It was mainly with her, too, and he didn't really get why.
Once more, the redhead laughed lightly, always laughing with Link, not at him. "I'm just kidding! What are a few scrapes, right? I get stuff like that all the time!"
"Oh…right…" Link replied, gently taking his hands out of Malon's light grip. "Just a few scrapes." He tried to play it off like it was no big deal.
Malon suddenly looked a bit more serious, frowning a bit. "Link, why don't you ever laugh? I'm just joking, you know…" The way she talked made it clear her feelings were a bit hurt. "I've never heard you laugh. Not once…"
Great. He messed up again. Link just never felt the urge to laugh at all since Navi left him. Not so much as a light chuckle or anything. Such things just seemed impossible to him, even if he wanted to do them. On top of that, he was sure he'd never be able to laugh in a convincing way, so he just…never did so. Now his lack of emotion hurt Malon's feelings.
"…I'm sorry. I just…don't." Link wasn't sure what else to say. What other explanation was he meant to give? He couldn't just explain what really happened, at least not yet. It didn't feel right to tell Malon how he hadn't felt explicit joy in over a year or how he wasn't sure he'd ever do so again unless he found Navi. Heck, Malon didn't even know who Navi was. Link hadn't mentioned her to the redhead. "I didn't mean to make you upset."
"I'm not angry or anything…" Malon said, eyeing Link as if she was studying. "I just don't know what's wrong. You're strong in a lot of ways…" She said, recalling how Uncle Ingo had made Link do a few chores the first few times he visited. Despite his age, Link was able to keep up with the adult with helping around the ranch. "…Other ways, you seem…I don't know…there just seems like there's something not right." She wasn't sure just in what ways, but even the rancher girl with considerably less contact with the outside world than most people her age was able to see something was wrong with Link.
Link really shouldn't have been surprised. It's not like it wasn't obvious. He knew he didn't act like a normal child. A lot of the times he almost felt like he wasn't one. This was a thought process that greatly upset him, though, because he insisted he was always ten when he went forward in time. His body may have changed, but his mind hadn't…
"I…I'm sorry…" Link repeated, finding it hard to find his words. "I'm not like other people." It was the closest he had ever gotten to admitting to his trauma to someone that wasn't a Sage.
Malon frowned, more concerned than angry. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad!" She insisted, gently taking Link's hand again. "You're a bit odd, but you're also really sweet and I like being with you!" Her frown quickly went to a small smile. "Come on, let's just drop it and go find Scamp. He'll want to see you too!" The dog had taken quite a liking to Link.
The boy felt like it wasn't quite as settled as Malon would have him believe. Still, he let Malon lead him towards the house, feeling like he had to tell her the truth sometime soon…
Link sat by the stump, leaning against Saria as she played a song for him on her new Ocarina.
It still stressed him out a great deal to be at Saria's secret spot. Being so close to the Forest Temple was a challenge to him, and the first time he tried going to his location, he had a severe breakdown that Saria herself had to help him through.
Thanks to several attempts, he was able to go to the location and remain mostly calm. While he still had a great deal of stress and anxiety, he was at least able to keep himself together. That, and it was worth it to be with Saria. With the Ocarina she had given him, and she insisted that he kept, Link was still able to travel to the locations he was able to in the other timeline. Granted, the secret spot and the Temple of Time were the only places he actually went to. Everywhere else was too dangerous or too traumatizing save for Lake Hylia, which simply held no reason for him to travel there.
"How are you feeling?" Saria asked as she put the Ocarina on her lap, her voice still as gentle and soothing as it had ever been, though its effect not nearly as strong as it once was. Few things could consistently put Link at ease, and those that used to weren't as effective.
"I feel tired." Link said, keeping his eyes closed. His body felt so heavy, and it was as if he hadn't slept for a week straight. Just another random symptom of his condition that came and went without warning. Despite how he felt, he had been desperate to see Saria again, so he powered through it.
"If being here is too much, it won't offend me if you go back…" The Kokiri girl insisted, having taken off Link's hat so she could run a gentle hand through his hair. She still had such little knowledge about trauma or mental illnesses, so she was out of her depth, even as a Sage. Still, she wanted to be there for Link as much as she possibly could.
"No, I'm fine. I want to be here." Link lightly argued, staring off into the forest before him. At one point in time, he felt so comfortable within the trees. Yet in a mere year, he started to feel almost uncomfortable within the Lost Woods. It made sense, given his true heritage, but he just never expected the difference to be so palpable. "…Do you think she's out there?" He asked, not even needing to clarify who he meant.
Saria frowned a bit, knowing full well that Link's obsession with Navi wasn't good for him. She had tried once to talk him into moving on, but he quickly shut her out and she took it back quickly. The Kokiri girl was just so out of her depth, she had no idea how else to handle it. "I'm sure she is…somewhere. I just haven't had any luck…I'm sorry…" On numerous occasions, she had gone searching for the elusive fairy, Fado even recently joining in. Link never saw any other Kokiri during his visits, him insisting it wasn't a good idea. Either way, Saria and Fado never had any luck. It wasn't exactly easy to comb through a forest with no known limits or any kind of mapped out geography.
Link was upset that Navi was still gone, having no idea where she went to or why. The conclusion he had come to was that she was disgusted in him and abandoned him. He figured that, maybe, if he improved his mental state, she'd somehow know this and come back to him. If Link could just prove he was strong again, she'd return. This was what he convinced himself of, and nothing was going to shake this idea from him…
"You don't need to be sorry. It's not your fault." The boy replied. He was sure Navi may not even want to be found, yet he was desperate to find her anyway, even if he couldn't look himself. At one point he had brought the idea up to Zelda, but she insisted he wasn't well enough yet, and he took her advice. Though his patience wore thin. If he could just meet with her once and talk to her, let her know he was trying…it'd really take a massive weight off of his shoulders. As Link pondered this, he suddenly found his mind jumping to something else. "…I miss her…"
"I know you miss Navi. You'll see her again one day, I just know it." Saria said with a soft smile, continuing to run her fingers through the boy's hair.
He frowned lightly, shaking his head a bit. "No…well…yes. Her of course. I meant…my mother." It was the first time he had talked to anyone about his birth mother since living in the castle. This was save for one occasion when he told Zelda that he had no idea who his parents were.
"You mean the Hylian woman who saved you?" Saria asked, recalling the other timeline where, even after awakening as a Sage, she still kept tabs on Link. She overheard the entire conversation where his true heritage was revealed to him.
"Yes. Her." Link felt a pain in his chest, like a hand squeezing around his heart. "I don't remember her. I don't know what her face looks like." He saw her in his dreams, though, but even then he never saw her with any kind of face. Her back was always to him or obscured by light or shadow. No guarantee that whatever face he saw would truly be hers anyway. "But I still want to see her…I miss her…" Link never really gave his Hylian father any thought, maybe because he never heard anything about him. He had no way of knowing if he was alive or not and, oddly, he felt little desire to meet him. "Is that weird?"
Saria was pretty surprised, never thinking she'd hear about something like this. She knew that Link hated the fact he was a Hylian, and he wished he was a Kokiri. He never quite said it explicitly, but she was able to pick up on it without him having to. After raising him for a decade, she felt she knew Link practically inside and out. "I don't think so. She saved your life, so it's only natural. Children want to be with their mothers, Hylians especially. I just wish you could meet her." If only such a thing were possible…
"I do too…" If Link couldn't be a Kokiri, then he wished he could've gotten a normal Hylian life at the very least. Him and his mother, maybe even his father too. No violence or monsters. No threats to the kingdom or anything like that. Just a peaceful, quiet existence. It was all he wanted, one way or another. Yet he felt like he would be haunted for the rest of his life, and that he would never know true peace until the day he died.
Maybe if his mother hadn't died, things may had been different. Maybe, somehow, he could've avoided his fate, even though the Golden Goddesses had cursed him with his destiny. A foolish thought, maybe. Either way, it didn't matter. Just as Link would never know the face or voice of his mother, he would never know how life with her could have been…
The buzzing of the party left Link both distraught and curious. It was a noise that had kept him up form sleeping and filled him with an unusual anxiety. Yet he decided he wanted to make a small investigation. Just this once.
It wasn't entirely uncommon for the King of Hyrule to have guests at the castle. Zelda had described them as parties where 'nobles' would come to gather. Link didn't really understand what nobles were and even at this point only barely grasped what it meant to be rich.
Usually these gatherings were small, but this night's was the largest so far.
Link had awoken from his sleep, creeping through the castle hallways while still only in his green sleeping gown, his hair disheveled and all over the place. The boy peeked into the large room where the guests had gathered. It was full of adult Hylians in extravagant and uncomfortable looking outfits. A piano blocked by the crowd played a gorgeous song and servants with plates of hors d'oeuvres walking about.
Aside from that, as far as Link could see, this party was just a bunch of adults standing around and talking, sometimes laughing. To the boy, it all seemed very boring. Was that all that happened in these parties? Even though he was never invited to any that he could recall, the Kokiri had parties of their own. Sometimes Link would peek in at them, and he remembered how wild they looked. They were certainly more entertaining than this…
Link was about to leave when he heard a noise from behind. A few guests were coming down the hall towards the party, apparently having left to see some other part of the castle for a bit. He panicked, not wanting to be seen. The party room was at the end of the hallway with nowhere else to go and nowhere to hide.
His body moving on his own, he found himself ducking into the party room.
Thankfully, no one seemed to notice him, at least right away. The guests were too busy chattering amongst themselves about who even knew what. It helped that Link stayed low, sticking near the walls. His body kept moving, the boy himself not even sure what he was trying to accomplish by going further from the door.
All the noise around him was making Link's head spin, and he found it more difficult to catch his breath. His eyes kept darting at the guests, nervous for reasons he didn't fully grasp. He had to get out, but…wait…which way was the door again? Moving about the room, Link's head started going fuzzy and he couldn't even remember which way the exit was!
"Hm? Who is that?" A voice called, one very close to Link.
He looked up to see one of the guests, a thin and elderly woman in an orange dress was staring at him. A few of the others near her did the same thing, their eyes seeming to be intensely fixated on him. His mouth went dry, unable to get any words out as he stared back at the guests. It was made all the worse when he spotted a brooch worn by another lady guest. There was a jewel within it, a perfectly round and red one.
All Link saw was a red eye staring at him.
His body froze and breathing became increasingly hard as the guests murmured amongst themselves, not seeming sure what to do with the boy. After all, he didn't seem to belong to the castle, yet how did he get there? As this happened, Link heard the beatings of a terrible drum, and a cold wind on the back of neck as if something unnatural and unseen was hovering right behind him.
Before anyone gathered the courage to try and touch him, a small figure gently made her way through the crowd. It took Link a few moments to realize that Zelda was standing before him, a look of open concern etched on her face. "Link? Why are you here?" She was confused, but not angry or upset with him. When the boy didn't answer, she reached a hand out to him. "Do you want me to escort you out?"
"…Yes…" Was all Link could muster. Slowly, he shuffled forward and gently took the Princess' soft hand. She took it back, to the light shock of some of the guests. None did anything further, though, simply parting to allow the two children out of the room. Once they got out into the hallway and the door was closed behind them, Link wrapped his arms around Zelda in a hug. On days like this when he was able to be touched, he greatly craved hugs, even if he wouldn't admit it. He didn't want to let people know just how needy for affection he was. Not even Zelda or Malon.
Zelda was surprised, it being quite rare for Link to just hug her out of the blue. Not that she minded, though. She imagined it was from the stressful situation. Slowly, she wrapped her arms back around him. "Hey…it's okay…" She whispered, patting at his back. "You're fine. It's all fine…"
Link fought to keep himself together, sniffling lightly as he pulled away. "Sorry…" He mumbled, wiping at his eyes. "I'm sorry…"
"It's okay, Link. I'm not mad." Zelda replied gently. "Why were you here at all? I would think you wouldn't like a place like this…" With all the noise and people, it seemed like the last place he'd want to go.
"I was curious." Link admitted, glancing to the door and then back to Zelda. "I peeked inside, and other guests came…so I ducked in. I panicked…"
Smiling softly, Zelda took Link's hand once more. "Come on, let's go somewhere quiet." She said, leading Link through the halls of the castle.
The boy allowed himself to be moved about, feeling too worked up to go back to sleep anyway. It wasn't long before the two found themselves in the library. As the door shut behind them, they went to one of the couches and sat down. "I hope I didn't ruin the party." Link said, staring down at his hands folded on his lap.
"No, don't be silly." Zelda replied, lighting a candle on the small table next to the couch. "It's not a big deal at all. Don't worry."
"I wouldn't want to go to a party like that. It looks boring." Link said bluntly, not able to imagine having fun in such a stuffy, claustrophobic space.
That got a light laugh out of Zelda. "Well, it is a bit. Even with the dancing it's not really my idea of a fun night either." Alas, she had to attend at least for a little bit as the Princess.
"The piano was nice…" He said, recalling that some days he'd go to one of the pianos within the castle and clumsily play it, just to distract himself.
"Yes, the tune was lovely…" The Princess mused, glancing over to Link. "…Say, do you want to dance?"
That got Link to look over to Zelda, open confusion on his face. "What…?"
"Just a short dance. You've never danced with another person, have you?" Zelda asked, standing up and offering Link her hand. "You don't have to, but I just thought it might be fun. Just a short, slow dance."
Link really had no idea what to do, she was right about him never dancing with another person. Really, even alone, he never danced. Still, it seemed like it'd make Zelda happy, so he'd just go through with it. Slowly, he took her hand stood up as well. "I don't really know how…"
"It's alright. It's easy, and I'll show you the way." The young girl responded, taking both of Link's hands. She kept one in her grip and placed the other on her hip. In the dim candlelight, neither could see how red the others' face went. After this, she placed her free hand on his shoulder. "There. Like this. Just follow my lead…"
Gulping, Link felt his face go warm as Zelda started to move. It actually wasn't so bad as he followed her lead. All this dance seemed to compose of was them walking a bit while staying near each other. "…Th…This isn't so bad…" He admitted, though this was a day where physical contact didn't bother him much. On many days, something this simple would be impossible for him to tolerate.
"See? It's easy. Nice and gentle, good and slow…" The Princess encouraged. She withheld a giggle, able to see how awkward Link felt in the candlelight, if only barely. It was funny, she was sure dozens of boys their age would kill for a chance to dance with her, and here he was doing it because she pressured him into it.
"Nice and slow…" Link echoed in a murmur, scared he would step on her feet or something. Luckily, she was able to direct him, so it didn't happen. He still felt so awkward, though…
Zelda thought this dance may be fun for him…but she also had selfish motives. Zelda just wanted to be close to Link, even if it was just something like this. In the year she had known him, the Princess felt her heart yearn for him more and more. The fact they were connected by destiny and had technically met before just increased things. She knew, of course, it was impossible for them to be more than friends. Despite all Link did for the kingdom, he wasn't royalty, so marriage was out of the question. That aside, the way he walked about Malon and how much he liked to visit her…it was clear something was blooming between the two.
Just for a few minutes, however, Zelda wanted to pretend…
The dance didn't last too long, the Princess letting go of Link and taking a small step away from him. "There…how was that? Not too bad, I hope." She said, lightly joking.
"It was…fine…" Link still wasn't sure how much fun dancing was meant to be. The moment they shared wasn't too bad, but he'd hardly anticipate another shot in doing it.
Zelda couldn't blame him for not being wild about it, even without taking his condition into account. "I'm just glad you gave it a shot. I enjoyed it, Link, thank you."
Link felt somewhat content, as if he managed to do something right for once. Hopefully that made up for accidentally crashing the party. The two didn't stay in the library much longer. Zelda had to return to the party, and Link had calmed down a bit.
That night, he even slept just a tad bit more soundly than usual.
Link and Malon lied on the cool grass of Hyrule Field. They were right outside the ranch, able to enjoy spending time outside the property since Ganondorf's influence over the expanse of land was gone. It was nice and safe…
The two weren't doing much, just staring up at the sky. It was a beautiful day, and it was just cloudy enough to prevent it from being hot but not so cloudy that the sun didn't brighten up the kingdom. Malon would point out shapes she saw in the clouds, a number of times confusing Link who just couldn't see what she did.
"…Hey, Link." The redhead started, sitting up. "Are you going to live at the castle forever?" It had been a few months since Link's eleventh birthday, and she still had no idea about his true past.
The boy sat up as well, feeling a bit awkward. He still had issues keeping his mask up, so wasn't able to hide how he felt from Malon. At times he was able to remain entirely stoic, but some days it was just impossible. "…I don't really know." He answered honestly. The topic hadn't really come up between him and Zelda about what would happen when he got all better. Some days he was somewhat normal, but there was still a lot wrong with him. A lot of days had him acting as an emotional mess, and simple things like stepping foot in Kakariko Village was still beyond him. "Why?"
Malon nodded, a pretty serious expression on her face, which was unusual for her. "I was just wondering. It'd be pretty surprising, and I just…" She trailed off, for once seeming to be unsure of what to say.
This was a new side of Malon, and Link was mildly worried. "Just…what?" He gently urged. Was something wrong? Did he do something to make her upset?
"I…I was just…I mean…you don't have a family, right?" Malon asked, her tone delicate. "I mean you said so yourself…"
"…That's right." Link replied flatly, not happy that they were discussing that sort of topic. "No family." Navi and Saria were the closest things.
Malon frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I was just…wondering…if maybe…" Once more, she seemed unsure of herself. "…Why don't you live with us? You can stay at the ranch!" She managed to blurt out.
This was not the idea Link was expecting, his eyes widening a bit. "Live…at the ranch? You mean…forever?" He couldn't help but ask, still entirely bewildered at the offer.
"I-I don't know. Maybe? I mean that'd be nice!" Malon replied, her cheeks tinting red. "I just thought since you had nowhere else to go…no family outside the castle…maybe you could live with us. I…um…haven't talked to my dad about it, but I'm sure he'd accept. Uncle Ingo would probably put you to work a bit, though…" She sounded nervous, frightened that her offer would be bluntly refused.
Link didn't do that, though. He was so confused and so shocked, he just stared at her for a few seconds. "Why? Why would you offer that to me?" It didn't seem logical to him that anyone would want someone like him living with them. He was surprised that Zelda was still able to put up with him, unaware of her true feelings for him.
Malon huffed, giving Link a somewhat annoyed look. "Don't you get it? I like you! A-A lot!" She clarified, her face quite red. "I like you a lot and…I'd like you living with us!"
That made Link's face go red too, for reasons he didn't grasp. The whole concept of romantic love was still an unknown to him. He had no idea that he was crushing hard on Malon. "You…really would? Me?" It still seemed so strange that anyone would like that, despite how sincere Malon was being.
"I wouldn't lie!" Malon pressed, grabbing Link's hand, and intertwining her fingers with his. "I want you at the ranch…and like I said, I like you a lot…"
Link felt his heart really hammer against his chest at this point. He never felt like this! It was confusing, even almost a bit scary…but…he actually liked it. This was the closest he had felt to being happy since Navi left him. "…I…I-I really like you too." He replied, just being honest. Malon just really made him feel content and comfortable, and he enjoyed her company on the same level as Saria! "…I…I don't know if I would be allowed…" Would Zelda be okay with it? "…I would like to live at the ranch, though…" It was a nice, simple place with almost no bad memories. A perfect blend of a comfortable manmade structure and nature…
The redhead beamed, quickly leaning in and kissing Link on the cheek. "It's settled! We can wait a bit to ask my dad, but we'll make it happen! Now come on!" She said, standing up and pulling Link up with her. "I'll make us something to eat!"
Link's face felt like it was burning at the kiss, the action having a lot more of an impact than when Ruto did it. He allowed himself to be pulled off the ground, gulping and barely managing to speak properly. "Uh…Right. Okay. Are you sure? About the food?" For some reason, the last few times Link visited, Malon insisted on cooking for him. Small things, but they were all very delicious. He didn't really question it much, she insisted she enjoyed it…
"Of course I'm sure! I've been practicing making a dessert and you're going to try it!" Malon declared, almost dragging Link back to the ranch. "You'll love it, I'm sure of it!" She did like cooking for Link, truly. It had been something she had practiced before meeting him, but a skill she really got serious about after the two started to hang around more and more often.
After all, to grab a man's heart, you have to reach through his stomach!
"Can I ask you a question, Link?" Zelda asked, looking over to the boy.
The two were sitting in the garden, the place where they met. Link was wearing his tunic, dressing himself properly more and more as time went by. His face was stoic and blank. "Yes. What is it?"
The Princess frowned lightly. "Please…I need you to tell me why you hide yourself like this." His mask had gotten more prominent as of late, and it worried her…
This hadn't been the first time she had asked about his mask. He wasn't surprised since for a long time he wasn't able to keep it up at all. Then it was that he could only do so for a day or two before dropping it for weeks. Then eventually, after nearly a year and a half, it was up almost constantly.
"…It's nothing. Don't worry about it, please." Link responded, giving a similar answer each time Zelda asked about it. He was surprised she brought it up now, since the two had simply been enjoying the outside together. There were times where she suddenly started a serious talk, usually on his more…stable days.
Zelda shook her head. "Link, please, I want to help you. You know that by now, surely. If this is something I can aid you with…I need to know." Slowly, she reached out a hand, gripping one of Link's own gently.
He allowed her to do this but kept his hand slack. "Why? It's fine…I don't need help with this." Link was surprised she kept pushing, as the other times she asked about this, she dropped it pretty fast when he turned her down.
"Because if you're hiding something, it might hinder your recovery." The Princess explained, sighing lightly. "…Do you think I'll judge you?" It was the only reason she could think of as to why he'd be so stubborn about it.
"What?" Link was taken aback by this. How did she guess so accurately? Well…he supposed Wisdom was her strength, after all. "What do you mean?" He chose to play dumb in an attempt to wiggle out of this.
"If you think I'll judge you because of your emotions, you're wrong. I'd never, ever do that." Zelda pushed, gripping his hand a bit harder. "I want to help you, nothing more. It will make things easier if I can just understand. Please…let me in…" This new development threw her off balance, it had seemed like his trauma hadn't expressed itself in new ways for so long…
For a moment, Link was silent, thinking over her words. Well, she had proven time and time again she really was going to stick with him. He had been afraid, near the start, that she would kick him out of the castle for being too much to deal with. Too much of a chore to bother with. Yet, she let him stay. Let him still live there and recover for well over a year…
He then thought about Saria, and what she had told him. She tried to get him to tell Zelda about his condition, the Kokiri girl long having figured out what his mask meant. He had turned down the girl's advice, but…maybe she was right. Saria had bemoaned the return of the mask. Darunia, Ruto, and Malon were confused by it, neither of them having any context for it. He saw Darunia and Ruto a lot less than the other three, so they hadn't questioned him on it as much.
"…How do I know you won't judge me? Or be disgusted?" He asked, staring down at the grass. Link wasn't usually so blunt in what he asked, but this was something different. This was a subject that had been around since before he ever laid eyes on Zelda.
"Link, please, I would never find anything about you disgusting! I promise that I won't judge you. You can trust me…" Zelda's voice sounded hurt, wondering how he could think that after all she had done…
"…Okay." Link said, finally relenting. He chose to put faith in Saria and the Princess. "It's because…I don't want people to see me. How I am. My true face." He admitted, it feeling strange to do so. Link figured Zelda would ask over and over again, so he'd have to tell her eventually. He still didn't see it as something that needed fixing, though.
Zelda was confused by this. She had seen his 'true face' plenty. Why stop allowing that now? "I don't understand. What do you mean…?"
"I don't like people seeing my emotions. Having to deal with them. It was hard to wear my mask before…but it got easier." Link explained, feeling awkward as he gripped at the grass on either side of him.
"…Link, that isn't healthy…suppressing your emotions will just hurt you." Zelda replied, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Please, reconsider this…"
At the touch, Link stood up. She didn't get it. No one did. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." He said, changing his mind quickly. "It's just better for everyone if I hide away." Before Zelda could argue, he quickly changed the subject. "I want to look for Navi." It was something that had been on his mind for a while, and this was the first time he voiced it to Zelda.
The change in subject caught her off guard, and it upset her that he just dropped something like that on her while she wanted to talk about something else so serious. "…Really? Where? For how long?" Zelda decided the talk of Navi was more important at the moment. He never really discussed what happened with her, only mentioning that she was missing.
"I want to go into the Lost Woods and look for her…I don't know for how long…" Link missed her so bad, and he felt like the void in him just kept expanding! "A few months?"
"…Link, I don't think you're healthy enough for something like that. I figure you'd be going alone, right?" The Princess asked, having a feeling of his answer.
"Yes. She's my companion, so I have to look for her now." He had requested Saria's help too many times. It was time he went on his own. Navi left because of him, so he assumed, so it was up to him to finally make things right by himself.
Zelda really didn't like this at all. The Lost Woods were so dangerous! "…Let's think this through for a while. I don't feel you're ready. So long in the Lost Woods is unthinkable."
"I need her. I have to find her." Link insisted, his hands clenching into fists. "Please let me do this, Zelda."
The Princess realized there was nothing she could actually do to stop him. She could request and beg, but at the end of the day she had no right to force Link to stay at the castle. "…Let's just think it over for a bit first. Can you promise me that?"
Link didn't like that…but he didn't want to make Zelda upset, and he hated to admit it…but if she was insistent that he wait, it was probably a good idea. "…Okay. I promise."
Without another word, he walked back into the castle, leaving Zelda alone in the garden.
The clashing of metal was a sound that normally sent Link into a panic. He forced himself to listen to the guards practice combat with each other for weeks, though, trying to make himself build a tolerance. One way or another, it seemed to somehow work.
Link and a guard were practicing with real swords in the training yard. The boy had his Kokiri Sword and the guard a blade of his own. Zelda sat in a chair off to the corner, watching with a nervous expression.
The two had decided that Link would leave to the Lost Woods after his twelfth birthday, and that he would stay for a month and no longer. In the meantime, Link wanted to practice a bit with his sword. Even without Ganondorf's horrid, cursed magic, the forest was still a dangerous place with unknown spirits and carnivorous beasts.
Zelda was pretty worried about the idea, worried that Link would have a mental break when trying to do something so drastic. In fact, he did the first few times. This current session was the eighth time he tried to practice his swordplay. It was going better than the others, but that guaranteed nothing. She wanted to be there, just in case…
Link didn't enjoy being near the guards. Their armor and weapons they had at all times always made him feel uneasy. It was hard to avoid them, of course, as they were all over the castle, both inside and out. Zelda's Garden was one of the few places they wouldn't go, there or Link's own room. This was why they were his usual sanctuaries when he wanted to unwind.
One guard in particular Link still couldn't lay eyes on.
Before pulling out the Master Sword for the first time, Link had to watch a guard die before his very eyes. Recently, he came to the conclusion that he himself killed the guard, as he could have saved him, but failed to do so. As far as Link was concerned, he was a murderer. One time he saw this same guard in the hallway and had a breakdown, confusing and freaking the man out as the boy kept screaming about how he should be dead.
Zelda made sure this guard always had posts well out of Link's way.
The weapons clashed, Link holding his own more than the guard expected. Neither of them was meant to actually land a blow on the other. It was just to see how their swordplay was. To little surprise, Link wasn't actually rusty at all. It made sense, as he was a natural with the Kokiri Sword since he first acquired it. He suspected this had to do with the Spirit of Hero that Zelda told him about. It seemed it still allowed him to wield the weapon with effectiveness, even after all this time.
As the training went on, the guard was surprised at Link's skill, and decided to go a bit harder. Some movement he made or the way the sword looked simply set something off in Link's brain. In an instant, the boy felt as though his life was in danger. He suddenly started fighting back for real, as if against a Stalfos.
The Kokiri Sword swung wildly, nearly knocking the guard's weapon out of his hand, much to his confusion. Link didn't stop though, getting in close and swiping at the man's head. He leaned back in time, only cutting a shallow cut across the chin that leaked blood.
It was when he saw this blood that Link snapped out of it. His eyes widened as his mask shattered, the boy dropping his weapon and backing away. "I…I'm sorry!" He yelled, his entire body shaking. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
This sequence of events happened within the span of a few short moments, so Zelda had no time to react until Link started to panic. She got up from her chair, approaching the two. "Are you okay?!" The Princess asked the guard, looking between him and Link.
"I…I'm fine." The man replied, more stunned than anything. "What was that?!"
"Please, just go! You'll be compensated later!" Zelda said, willing to put some extra Rupees in his next pay for this. The man refused to leave entirely, merely stepping away and watching. The Princess went over to Link, who was on his knees, and knelt beside him. She held the boy close, ignoring how he flinched as she rubbed his back.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" Link murmured, tears streaming down his face. He was too terrified to even be humiliated about his mask breaking. He had hurt someone, made them bleed…an innocent man! It could've been so much worse…
How did he ever think he was ready for sparring…?
"You're really going to do this, aren't you?" Zelda asked.
She and Link were standing in her garden, a week after Link's twelfth birthday. By this point, he had long planned everything out for his trip. His mask was stronger than ever. The Princess stared with tired, but beautiful blue eyes deep into the dull and broken eyes Link had possessed for years.
"I have to, Zelda. I've told you that." Link answered, keeping his face and voice completely neutral. "I thought I had your blessing." He was entirely geared up. The boy had his Kokiri Sword, a metal shield gifted to him by Zelda, a bow and a quiver of arrows, a bag to hold possessions including bottles of water, food that wouldn't spoil, a small knife, a flint and steel for fires, a blanket for him and Epona each, bandage, and a change of clothes. On his belt was Saria's Ocarina, a way for him and Epona to travel back to the Temple of Time when his month was up. He still had to get over to Lon Lon Ranch to fetch the horse, but aside from that, he was all set.
"You do. Of course you do." The Princess responded, still feeling she had no right to keep him from this. "I just worry for you. I don't know if you're ready. Your mind still needs healing, I know we're both aware of that." He had improved in some ways during the last two years, but he still had many issues. Link had still barley divulged much information on what happened on his quest, not having faced his past trauma as much as he should have.
The boy nodded. "I know. I just need to try. I can't keep waiting, who knows how far Navi is now? I promise that I will return within a month, just as we talked about." He had to get his friend back soon. This awful void within him due to her absence would just keep growing. Before too long, it would swallow Link up and erase him from existence…
"I don't doubt your words. I just can't help but worry. We're all worried about your trip. Are you sure you won't let Saria go with you?" The Princess would feel so much better if a Kokiri went with him.
"I can't do that to her anymore. She's searched so many times. I have to do this alone." Everyone made all sorts of sacrifices for Link, none of which he deserved. Zelda especially allowed him to live within the castle, even giving him his own room. Along with being one of his best friends, she was practically his caretaker and doctor as well, working hard these two years to pick up the pieces of his broken mind. One day, he hoped to repay her.
The Princess sighed, feeling the situation was as best as it could be, save for just one thing. "I see. At least allow me to give you this." Reaching into a pocket, she pulled out the Ocarina of Time. "Please, take this with you." The blue instrument nearly sparkled in the sunlight, almost radiating an aura of power and beauty.
"Are you sure?" Link asked, staring down at the instrument. He knew how precious it was to the Royal Family. "Why do you want me to take it?"
"It would make me feel better. I know you have Saria's Ocarina, but…having something so dear to me just feels right..." The Princess reached out, offering the instrument to her friend. "I'll keep Saria's Ocarina safe here for you.
Link felt strange about taking such an important item, but…if it would ease Zelda's mind, even a little, he felt he had no choice. Waling over to his friend, he gently took the instrument. "Thank you, Zelda." He said, handing Sara's Ocarina to the Princess as he placed the sacred instrument on his belt.
"If you ever find yourself in trouble, please don't hesitate to use it. It has many more powers than just being able to transport you across Hyrule." Not all that she knew of, but surely such abilities would awaken if Link needed them.
The boy recalled how, in that decayed timeline, an older Zelda used the instrument to send him back in time. It truly was a powerful relic. "I will. I promise."
The Princess hesitated for a moment before she entrapped the boy in a tight hug. "Be safe. I hope you return with Navi in tow." She still had no idea what to make of the fairy's disappearance, but she just hoped that she truly was out there somewhere.
Link hesitated himself before he gave Zelda a hug back, holding her close. "I hope so too." He was almost tempted to just stay in the Lost Woods if he couldn't find Navi within a month…but he couldn't do that. Zelda, Malon, Saria, Darunia, and Ruto all worried greatly for him. He wouldn't be able to bring himself to further their worry.
Soon, he hug ended, and the boy silently left his dear friend behind.
After being taken to the ranch by horseback, Link only offered the servant who transported him a brief glance as he rode back to Hyrule Castle before walking into Lon Lon Ranch.
By this point, it had been months since Link told Malon the truth about himself. She knew about the other timeline, vague details about his quest, the reason why he lived in Hyrule Castle…and even about the other her, as well as Navi. The redhead thought he was just spinning a tall tale at first, but with some convincing, he was able to get her to realize he was telling the truth.
She was a lot less upset than he thought she would be. The fact that he lied about not knowing her didn't anger her at all. Malon understood why he did it and swore to keep the situation a secret. She even suggested that Link take Epona with him into the Lost Woods, to make the trip easier, a gift he was very grateful for.
Link found Malon where he expected, in the gated area where the horses roamed. She was petting at Epona's side when the boy walked up to them. "…I'm going to miss you." The redhead muttered, frowning a bit. "I realize how important this is to you."
Even for Malon, Link kept himself stoic. The two had started to, somewhat officially, date. Neither of them called it that or referred to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend. Still, the two accepted that they had strong feelings for each other.
"I'll miss you too." Link said, looking to Epona, who snorted gently at the boy's arrival. "Thank you for trusting me with Epona. I'll take good care of her."
That got a small smile from Malon. "I know you will. And you'd better come back in one piece too, alright? If you get hurt out there, I'll really let you have it!" She said, speaking up louder and seeming more like her usual self. "I'd go with you, but I know you'd never let me."
And she was right on that. Link wasn't going to drag anyone else with him. The only reason he allowed Epona was because she'd help him cover ground faster. That, and the forest would be far more merciful on a horse than another Hylian like Malon. Link himself had to wonder if the Lost Woods would be as hash on him as with other Hylians. He was fine with Saria, but given that she was a Kokiri, that was to be expected.
"I'll be okay, I promise. If I get hurt, I'll make my way back." Link promised, remembering the few times that Malon yelled at Talon. He really didn't want to be on the receiving end of that.
"Before you go…I want to give you something for luck. Come here, Link…" Malon said, placing her hands on his shoulders.
"Hm?" Link didn't realize what Malon had in mind, and his eyes widened as she kissed him on the lips, both their faces very red as the kiss happened. It was the first time the two had kissed like this, so it was awkward and brief, but neither of them minded. When they separated, Link's mask faltered for a moment, so stunned by the new experience. His face was hot, and his insides felt all fuzzy.
Malon gave a nervous laugh, smiling awkwardly. "I liked it…" She murmured, almost like she was talking to herself. "I'll give you another one, but only when you return safe and sound. Okay?" She went on, speaking up once more.
Clearing his throat, Link muttered. "I liked it too…" He cleared his throat before speaking up again. "Um…thank you." Was it appropriate to tank someone for a kiss? He had no idea. Either way, he got onto Epona. "I'll be back in a month. I promise." The boy hesitated, gulping heavily. "I love you." It was something he felt he had realized months ago but could never quite spit it out. A young, innocent form of romantic love, though he still didn't understand it.
That redhead seemed shocked but smiled. "I love you too, Link. Good luck, okay?"
Link couldn't bring himself to say another word. He urged Epona further, riding her out of the gated area, Malon following. The rancher girl followed him and the young horse until they left the Lon Lon Ranch property entirely.
Malon stood by the entrance, staring at the receding form of Link and Epona, waving them off even though they had their gazes forward. She knew they'd be okay. Even without the knowledge of the other timeline, she knew that the boy was a capable and strong Hylian, whether he'd admit to it or not. It was clear he had a lot of issues, he even told her of his trauma, and while she didn't understand it fully, she didn't care. She still had a great deal of faith in him.
There the redhead stood, staring at Link and Epona until they vanished from sight, off to the Lost Woods.
A/N: I had more wholesome moments than I expected here, but I think there was enough angst to balance it out. I reused some portions of Tales of Termina entries here, with some tweaks and even changed the timeline around a bit, but I covered most of what I wanted.
But more importantly, the story is now officially finished. No more chapters, this I swear. It took a long time to get this far, longer than it should've, but I'm happy it's done. The story got more popular than I expected, though I realize I'm still a small fish in a large pond, but I never thought it'd get as much attention as it did. Thanks to everyone who left feedback, favorited the story, or anything else of the sort. Major thanks to SneakyHint who was beta reader and let me bounce ideas off of him at random times. A number of story elements I've seen people enjoy were his own ideas, so I gotta give credit where credit is due.
And a thanks to anyone that helped with the Tropes page of the story, which I can't link, but a Google search can bring it up easily.
And for those unaware, I'll be making a sequel novelization covering Majora's Mask. A lot of plot elements lifted from Tales of Termina of course, as well as all the stuff that the series never showed off. I'm taking a bit of a break from Zelda, though, so the story won't start for two or three months, and I'll be focusing on my Kingdom Hearts story instead.
With that, one last big thanks to all the readers, please let me know how you found the story, it'd mean a whole lot if you did.