Chapter 7:
Reconciliation
_____________
Garrison stands, feet side-to-side, hands clasped together as the robed man walks around the two prone, ebon-scaled corpses.
"Professor," he says, "Have you classified them, yet?"
"No...", the aged man responds, "No...these are like nothing I have ever seen, before."
He pries open the mouth of the beast with a pair of pliers, shaking his head and clenching his eyes shut at the stench.
"Horrid things...", he says, "Hm...no signs of blood loss or brain bleeding..."
He closes the jaw.
"Amazing...like they weren't even dead.", he says, "Good thing we got these two before they burned them...these are unique specimens indeed..."
It's something he's never imagined could happen.
Zelda was...is here, her lips moments away from his, her eyes burning with longing for him.
Link knows this is what he's always wanted. He's wanted her to admit that there is a chance, an ember that could be fanned into a flame, a love that fate itself mandated to be...
But he knew it was wrong.
He backs away, his hand on her cheek, keeping her in place, her eyes opening...and closing, as she looks down, biting her lower lip.
"Why are you here?", he asks, slowly, not sure whether to be angry or disappointed, "The truth, this time."
"I...I don't know, anymore.", she says, "My daughter looks up to you. Not who you used to be. Who you are."
"Zelda...I'm sorry. This has to be making this complicated..."
She pushes him away, clenching her fists, her eyes red with worry and a familiar lack of sleep.
"You're damned right it does!", she snaps, "My daughter's in love with you, damn you!"
She unclenches her fists, tears forming in her eyes.
"And...I think I'm in love with you, to.", she whimpers.
They stands there, for a moment, saying nothing.
He reaches out, taking her hand, pulling her with him over to his couch and sitting her down, sitting next to her.
"Zelda," he says, "I...look, this isn't right."
"My daughter wants you as a father.", she responds, biting her lip, wringing her hands, "I'll do anything for my daughter, Link. You should know that, by now."
He nods, sighing, placing his hand on hers.
"I...Zelda...", he says, and shakes his head, "I don't believe I'm saying this...but we shouldn't. No, we definitely shouldn't."
"Link, I'm ready to bed you because it would make my daughter happy.", she says, completely straight faced, her hands trembling under his.
Isn't this what you wanted?, the little voice inside his head...and the lower portions of his body...asks, She's here. She's ready to give herself to you. This is what you've been dreaming about since you reached puberty, Link!
"No.", he says, standing up.
He walks over to the kitchen, reaching under the cabinet and taking out a bottle.
She watches him as he takes a pair of glasses, tossing some ice into them from the icebox.
"Fruit juice.", he says, "Usually gives me cramps if I drink them at night...but I'm getting the feeling that I'm not going to sleep, tonight."
"I'm...I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here.", she says.
She makes no move to stand up.
He walks over, placing the glasses on the table in front of them, pouring the juice into the glasses and handing one to her.
She takes a sip, her hands still trembling.
"I...I thought you would go for the offer the moment I said it.", she says, "Why?"
"It was...it was just wrong."
"I never thought you'd turn me down.", she says, "You've been doing nothing but making advances on me since we saw each other."
He nods, taking a sip from his juice.
"Your husband's not even a week dead."
"You think I don't know that?!", she demands, incensed...and then quieting, tears becoming apparent in her eyes, "Dammit...dammit, I hate this...everything's just coming apart at the seems..."
He reaches over, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Zelda...I'm sorry. You really loved him, didn't you?"
She nods, saying nothing, holding back her sobs.
He takes the cup from her hands, placing it on the table, wrapping her arms around her shoulders as she collapses into his arms. He presses his lips against her soft, unbound hair, rubbing his hands on her back as he lets her cry in his arms...
The aged man folds back an ebon shell, seeing the soft-white flesh underneath, the protruding veins running along the skin.
"Amazing.", he says, Garrison watching on, "Commander...this is incredible. The circulatory system seems more effective than anything I've ever seen..."
"Good to know, doctor.", Garrison says, "How easy are they to kill?"
"Not particularly hard...", the aged man says, walking over, grabbing the arrow burrowed into the beast's head and yanking it out, "After all, a farmer killed this one with a single arrow through the head. Nothing to worry about."
He tosses aside the arrow, moving over to the other beast...
"...and I was barely twenty one when he began to court me. He wasn't one of those extraordinarily romantic people. But he was handsome. Intelligent. Had a good heart...unlike too many of the men trying to court me."
Link nods, playing with the strands of gold hair as Zelda lies across his lap, lying on his couch, her head resting on her folded hands as she tells her tale.
"It...was quick.", she continues, "We married when I was twenty two. His family was not particularly powerful or wealthy...but I insisted. My father agreed, and he agreed to the marriage. Naturally, his parents were ecstatic. Not every day that your second born son marries into the royal family."
"And you two?", Link asks, raising an eyebrow, "How were you two with all of it?"
"Well...we were so much in love we didn't care about anyone else.", she says, smiling softly, closing her eyes, "Jacob's hobby was painting. We'd spend days with him making portraits of me. For posterity...and some for a private collection."
He chuckles, slightly.
"I'll bet.", he says, "It never got rough?"
"...no.", she says, sighing, "It was...interesting...after Nina arrived. Jacob would sometimes be a bit melancholy. Probably because he knew the days where it was just us were over. But he snapped out of it whenever he was with our daughter. He was a good father. He loved Nina, cared for her. Always made her the center of his attention whenever he was around her...and Nina was heartbroken when he died."
"Does she know?"
"I told her Daddy would have to go away for a very long time.", she responds, "When she gets older, I'll tell her the truth. Or maybe I'll stumble across the Triforce and wish him back to life...I don't know."
"She's five. She probably doesn't know what death is.", he says, "Look...I'm going to defer to your judgement on this."
She turns to him, sitting up, her legs still draped across his lap as she rests against the back of the couch.
"On what?", she asks.
"My...role. In your daughter's life.", he responds, "I'm making things a lot more complicated than they have to be. If you want me gone, I'm gone."
She smiles, slightly...and touches her hand onto his bare arm.
"Stay.", she says, "Nina needs her father. If she can't have him, she should have her godfather."
He smiles, faintly, her fingers tracing down his arm, onto his hand, which is resting on her clothed knee.
"My daughter will one day be the Queen of Hyrule.", she continues, "She needs a grounding influence. You're a moral, determined, generous, heroic man, Link. Even if no one knows you're the Hero...you still are. Nina could learn much from you...I could learn much from you."
"I'm not your husband, Zelda.", he says, standing up, Zelda swinging her legs over the couch and sitting upright, "I can't replace him. I've accepted that fact."
"I know...I'm glad.", she says, smiling, folding her hands on her lap, "But...I know he wouldn't want me to wallow is self-misery for the rest of my life. He'd want me to live on."
He nods, folding his arms, silently looking down.
"I loved him, Link.", she says, sighing, "I loved him far more than I ever loved you. I'll never forget him, not as long as I live...but I know that we've always been friends, deep down. Maybe something more."
He sits down, next to her, hands folding together, chewing the inside of his lip.
A long silence passes, Zelda looking out the windows, towards the night sky, Link looking down, to the table and severed monster head underneath.
"Why didn't you ever marry?", she asks.
He looks up, smiling faintly.
"Why didn't I?", he asks.
"Yes. I wasn't the only person. I knew that if I ever did try anything, that I'd have competition.", she says with a slight smile, "So...tell me the truth."
He sighs, sitting back on the couch, folding his arms.
"Well...", he says, "I could have married Rukio and been a prince. I could have married Malon and lived on the ranch. I could have courted Saria and lead the Kokiri."
"And why didn't you?", she asks, tucking her legs underneath her, "Or are you just avoiding the question?"
He smiles, and turns to her.
"They weren't you.", he responds.
She says nothing, sighing, looking down.
"Is that the truth?", she asks.
"Absolute truth.", he responds, "Believe me on that. Also, I'm horrible at flattery and a terrible date."
She raises an eyebrow, a wry smile spreading across her lips.
"Really?"
"Honestly.", he says, hands up defensively, "I never drink, so I've got a horrible tolerance for alcohol. I got drunk off one short of whiskey...which is when I told the bartender about the whole Hero of Time thing...and which kinda convinced me to sneak into the castle..."
"And so here we are. Doesn't strike me as a horrible handicap.", she says, "Means you're less likely to get drunk in the first place, because you know just how easy it is."
He says nothing, for a moment...and nods, chuckling.
"And I'd also be a pretty cheap date.", he responds, "Well...now what?"
"Well....I honestly don't know.", she says, "I hate that feeling."
"Never had it before?"
"Rarely."
He chuckles.
"I have it all the time. Makes life interesting."
She nods. They sit there, for a long while, saying nothing, her hands folded in her lap, his face screwed with concentration his arms folded as he watches his clothes from the attack burning in the fireplace.
She sighs, her eyes roaming over the opposite wall of the house, over a set of books resting on the floor...
And he reaches out, grabbing her arms, turning her to him.
"What the hell.", he says, and leans over, pressing his lips against hers.
She gasps...and smiles, widely, wrapping her hands around his head, his arms around around her waist, as they slowly, passionately kiss....
Garrison snores, lowly, leaning against the wall of the lab, his sword keeping him upright as he leans on it...and wakes to the sound of a growl.
He snaps up...and sees one of the dissected monsters moving. Its wounds are closing, its blood returning to its body...and its sitting up on the table, the old man's back to it as he examines the other monster.
"Professor!", Garrison yells, "Behind you!"
The professor looks up, turning...and doesn't have time to scream before the monster swipes his head off with one swing.
Garrison holds up his sword as the other monster rises...and backs away, out of the lab, closing and barracading the door before running down the hall....
Her delicate fingers run through his hair as he feels her tongue beginning to explore his mouth.
For all his....well...relief that Zelda and he are finally in love...Link has to admit that she's had a lot more experience in kissing than he has.
He clasps his hands onto her back, her legs pressing against his as she pushes him back against the couch, slowly moving him down, making him lie back on the couch, Zelda's hands roaming over his chest as she lies on top of him.
He grabs her arms, pulling her off, breaking the kiss.
"I thought," he says, breathlessly, "That I should never do this again."
"I changed my mind.", she responds, her breathing slightly heavier than normal.
He smiles, shrugging.
"Okay," he says, and pulls her over, pressing her lips against his as he sits up, on equal standing with her, their hands roaming over each other, gripping at clothes and hair, their eyes closed, her body crushed against his as his hands roam over her back...
Before she pushes away, suddenly, her eyes wide with shock.
"Nina!", she screams, bolting upright.
He quickly stands up, helping her to her feet.
"Zelda, what is it?", he asks.
"Nina...Nina's in danger!", she says, frantic, her eyes wide in terror, "Something wrong, and something's loose in the castle!"
"Alright...alright, I can get Epona in a minute and we can be on the way.", he says, quickly walking over to his bed, pulling out a chest.
He pulls out an aqua-blue tunic, throwing it on and pulling on his boots...
And Zelda simply stands there, hands open and moving in some odd way...and her eyes flash white.
A crackling portal of blue-white light shimmers into existence in front of the table.
"Oh, yeah.", he says, standing up and grabbing his sword and shield, "Forgot that you used magic."
She turns to him, her face neutral, as he walks over, buckling his belt and the straps on his shield.
He leans over, and kisses her softly on the cheek.
"Let's go save my goddaughter.", he says, and walks with her through the portal, which promptly disappears.
Chapter 8:
Reclaimed Destiny
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Nina Hyrule climbs out of the bed as the soldier bursts into the darkened quarters of her family, rubbing her eyes as the soldier goes down to one knee.
"Your Majesty!", he says, breathless, "You must come with me! We're under attack!"
"Okay.", she sleepily responds, extending her hand.
The solder takes her head, quickly walking out, Nina yawning as she tries to keep her pace with him. She sees something green glowing in one of the halls they pass, and hears a low, odd growl...and she sees a black shape behind them.
The soldier turns as the shape rises...and reveals a massive, chitenous-covered creature with glowing green eyes, massive talons...and large teeth.
The soldier yanks Nina's arm, pulling her behind him as he raises his broadsword.
"Run, Princess!", he yells, and swings back his sword, "You will not harm her, beast!"
She watches, her jaw slack open...and screams as the red blood splatters over her dress and hair...backing away as the...thing...regards her with glowing eyes...and follows the dead soldier's orders as she turns and runs down the hall, the monster soon taking pursuit.
Garrison barks out orders, feeling the blood trickle down from the welt on his arm, as the beast rampages down the corridor, arrows simply bouncing off its shells, swords shattering before the beast rips its attackers in two.
The original plan was the pin the thing down in the lab...but its simply tore apart the barracade like paper, it and its companion splitting up...and they can't get past this...thing...to protect the rest of the royal family...
"Fire arrows!", he yells, "Archers, load up the fire arrows and fire!"
The arrows shoot out, leaving trails of smoke...and the demon catches each of them, tossing them aside, broken and silently burning out on the stone floor.
Garrison backs away, to order a retreat...and realizes they're all backed up against a dead end...
"Damn it.", he growls, hefting up his sword, "Soldiers, atta-"
Which is when he sees Princess Zelda walking out of a corridor, right in front of the soldiers, a thirty-year old man in peasant clothing walking out after her and over to the men.
"Don't worry.", he says, "She's got this one."
Garrison looks, dumbfounded, to the stranger...and then back to the Princess, who's standing in front of the beast as it barrels down the hallway.
"Your Majesty!", Garrison yells, "Get to safety, we can-"
She opens her hands...and an aura begins to glow about her.
She levels her eyes at the beast, an unnatural wind whipping about, her eyes beginning to glow with a bright red light...and she snarls, grinding her teeth.
"Burn.", she spats.
The beast screams as it's suddenly cast aflame, a yellow-white flame quickly consuming its body as it rolls to the ground, stopping in front of her, unmoving as it is quickly reduced to black ash.
She turns, the glow dying down from her eyes, her fists clenching.
"Garrison!", she orders, "Where is my daughter?"
Garrison lowers his head, falling to one knee.
"The man I sent for her has yet to return, Your Majesty," he says, "We do not know where she is. We only know another of those demons are loose in the castle."
"What? How?"
"You removed the damn arrows, didn't you?", the stranger asks, groaning, "Great."
"The arrows were through its head.", Garrison growls back, looking at the peasant who's daring to question his judgement...
"One of those things recovered instantly from a chest wound. I've got the scars to prove it.", he says, "Alright, have arrows had any effect?"
"None.", Garrison says, "Princess, by your leave, we will find your daughter."
"Get yourselves patched up, first.", she says, uneasily, "You are of no use to us if you are dead."
"It was simply a missed slash, your emminence. We are-"
She turns from him as she hears footsteps...and the stranger is gone.
"Dammit.", she whispers.
"Milady?"
"We must find my father.", she says, "Quickly. With me."
He rises to his feet, following her as they walk down the corridor...
He's thankful for his photographic memory. He knows the exact, shortest path to the royal chambers, in case he'd ever want to break in and sweep Zelda off her feet to live with him in the kokiri forest...
Damn. Mind's wandering again.
Shouldn't concern him. He'll take care of romantic issues later...now, he's got someone to save.
He quickly walks down the blue-carpeted hallway, his sword in scabbard, his shield on his arm, several small vials of antidote and potion on his belt...mainly because he knows how nasty these things are.
And one of them is loose here...and hopefully stupid enough so it hasn't caught her, yet...
He turns as he hears screaming, a high-pitched, little girl scream...and a low, bestial growl.
"God, no...", he whispers, running...and he takes a relieved breath as he sees Nina turning the corner, running down the hall towards him...and sees the second monster skidding as it turns, slamming into the stone wall...and cracking it, causing a torch to fall from its place and ignite a chair below it...and it begins its pursuit of the young princess, gaining on her...
"Well...worked before...", he mutters, undoing the clasps on his shield...
And he throws it.
The shield flies across the distance, slamming into the beast's head and snapping it to the side, the monster faltering in its step and tripping, rolling as it takes down a table, the potted plant falling on its head.
"Nina!", Link yells, running to the girl, the breath forced from his lungs as she crushes herself against him, her screaming dying down.
"Unca Link," she says, "Is it gone?"
He looks up...and sees the monster climbing to its feet, stepping on his shield and shattering it, shaking its head to remove the soil.
"Um...no.", he says, scooping her up, "Looks like we're going for a little run."
He backs away...and turns, running, the monster roaring before running in pursuit...
The doors to the royal chambers burst open, Zelda quickly walking in, Garrison behind him.
"Father!", she yells, walking around...and sighs a relieved breath when the double doors to the bedchambers open, the aged, slightly portly, grey haired man, a good half foot taller than Zelda, walking out, a five foot long sword in his hand.
"I was under the impression there was an attack.", he says, in a stately, aristocratic voice, propping himself up on the sword, "What has happened?"
"Two monsters we had brought from the Lon Lon Ranch had resurrected themselves.", Garrison says, "The Princess destroyed one of them with a spell, and the other...we are in pursuit of."
"And my granddaughter?", the King asks.
"We...do not know.", Garrison says, looking down, "We presume the man I sent to find her was killed."
"A friend of mine is searching the castle for her.", Zelda adds, "I think he will be successful."
Garrison bows, backing away, before hurrying out of the room.
The King sighs, shaking his head, sitting down in the plush chair in front of the couch.
"Then I hope Link has more luck.", he says.
She nods, quickly...and freezes, her hands clenched.
"...Father?"
He smiles, knowingly, chuckling slightly.
"Another time, daughter.", he says, "I think they will have need of your abilities."
She nods, shakily, before hurrying out, closing the door behind her...
And that was my favorite shield, to.
Link holds Nina tightly against him as he sprints down the halls, the monster running in fast pursuit, Link gaining a bit of headway at each turn.
As fearsome as those things are, they tend to lose their footing whenever they have to make tight turns. Wrecks the walls, a bit...but nothing they can't fix up later.
He can feel the hot breath as the beast slowly catches up to them. He can feel his legs burning as he reaches the limits of his exertion. He can feel his goddaughter squirming in his arms, screaming as she sees the monster chasing them, looking over his shoulder...
And he can feel his heart sink as they reach the end of the seventh hallway they've run through...and see that it's a dead end.
With an open window at the end of it.
He runs over, looking out the window...and sees a several story drop into the moat, below.
"Nina?", he asks.
"Yes, Unca Link?", she asks, gripping his sleeve tighter.
"Does your Grandpa keep monsters in the moat?"
"No, Unca Link."
He nods, looking up, sighing.
He turns, and sees the monster at the end of the hallway, locking eyes with him...and snarling, showing its many rows of impressive teeth.
He pulls Nina closer, pulling on part of his tunic and putting it over her mouth.
"Nina, whatever happens...do not let go.", he says, "Alright?"
She nods.
Well...let's see if this still works...
He climbs into the windowsill, grabbing a small pendant out of his pocket, Nina holding on tightly to him, pressing her face against his chest...
And he jumps.
Zelda walks out of one of the castle's side entrances, followed by Garrison and two of the soldiers...only in time to see Link leap out of the window of one of the towers...
And Nina is holding onto him.
She watches, open mouth, walking forward silently...and sees the window explode, the second beast leaping and diving after them.
"Oh God no...", she whispers, running to the moat, her face becoming one of sheer terror, "NINA!!!"
Link closes his eyes, tightly gripping the girl, chanting as he grips the pendant, pointing it to the moat below them.
He opens his eyes, seeing the monster falling faster towards them, its claws extending, its eyes flashing brightly...
And grunting as Link slams his boot into its jaw, causing it to rear back as they splash down into the moat...
And the monster screams as it explodes, shattering and burning into fragments as it vanishes in a burst of white fire.
He breathes, relieved, the water becoming air in this throat, as he swims to the shore, a few powerful, one armed strokes bringing them to land....
Where he sees people running towards them.
He climbs onto the land, Nina letting go of the part of his now-dripping tunic as she looks around...and squealing as Zelda snatches her from his arms, crushing her against him.
"My baby," Zelda whispers, tears streaming from her eyes, "Thank gods my baby you're alright my baby..."
She looks up at Link, her face beaming, soaked...and he tugs at the tunic, smiling slightly.
"Zora tunic.", he says, "Allows me or anyone breathing through the material to breathe underwater. I came prepared."
She smiles, widely, clasping his shoulder with her free hand, Nina resting in her other arm, her head resting on her shoulder.
"Thank you.", she whispers, the tears still streaming, "I...could never repay you for this..."
He smiles, slightly, nodding as Garrison and his soldiers catch up to them...and she pulls Link over, pressing her lips firmly against his, Link's hands spasming momentarily during the quick, passionate kiss.
He gathers her into an embrace, pressing her against him, as she levels her eyes with his, pressing her lips against his softly, one more time...
"Your...Majesty?", Garrison asks, looking, confused, at the two.
She turns, one of Link's arms remaining around her waist, smiling as she sees her daughter already asleep in her arms, turning to the chief of the guards.
"Garrison," she says, "This is Link Alrik, a dear childhood friend...and the man who just saved the life of my daughter at risk to his own."
"It wasn't that bad...", he whispers in her ear.
She smiles, suppressing a laugh.
"Garrison," she continues, "He is to be treated with respect and dignity like he was a member of the royal family, and is to be given quarters for the night. Am I understood?"
"Of course, your Emminence.", Garrison says, bowing, "Understood completely."
He backs away, about to turn...and stops, turning to Link.
"Water had no effect on the monsters.", he says, "How did the moat kill it?"
"Simple.", Link says, taking out a small, engraved pendant, "Water has no effect. Holy water does. I spent a year in semminary. I simply blessed the moat."
Garrison nods, furrowing his brow, and turns, walking back into the castle, his soldiers following him.
She turns, rocking Nina in her arms, smiling softly.
"You are a priest?", she asks.
"Some training.", he responds, "I picked up a lot of skills. Are you alright?"
She nods, looking back to the peaceful, resting face of her daughter, kissing her on the forehead.
"I couldn't be better.", she says, running her fingers on his cheek, "Thank you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart..."
He leans over, kissing her softly, lingeringly, pressing his forehead against hers as they release, some of his soaked, loose hair brushing against the remaining dry parts of her shoulders.
"It's...been a long night.", he says, "We should get some rest."
"...yes, we should.", she says, "Care to help me put Nina to bed?"
"It's be my priviledge, your worship.", he says, as he walks back with her into the castle.
They disappear through the doorway, and they shut to door behind them.
And in the moat behind...a burned, shattered fragment of a skull bobs to the surface, before fading into dust...