In the Heart of Hyrule

By: Ally Sapphire

This story is unlike any story ever written. It takes place in a wholly remarkable place called Hyrule. Never seen or heard of by any human, but yet, still a wonderful and vital place. This story is about courage. The core courage it takes to rise above what people see you as to become a leader. A hero. To find yourself, and save all things around you in a time of darkness and carnage. To fight for love and have love fight for you. To hold on to even the smallest glimmer of light. To protect and defend those you love, yourself and all the land around you when hope seems so gone, and darkness seems so vast. This is a story of a war, a time and a place. The story of one person. A goddess, and heroine of her people. One lone person. Born and received, in the heart of Hyrule.

It was 1540, the time of the Great War. The Evil Lords were at their peak of destruction. Whole cities vanquishing in the matter of minutes. Armies falling back. With the help of the God of Power and Destruction, the Evil Lords were gaining an advantage, An advantage that the people of light might not be able to hold back any longer. People burning in the streets, fires' raging viciously everywhere, their hot blue flames licking at the skies. No hope was seen by the people. The magic that once protected Hyrule, and the rest of the World, had begun to fade. The Evil Gods of War and Death were pumping more and more power to the Evil Lords. The war had been raging for nearly twelve years. Wars were no longer fought with courage confidence, but meekly fought hopelessly with no joy or pride. They wanted it to end. They wanted the killing to stop. It was impossible to stop at this point though. It was stop and die or go on and die. Honor was still vaguely there. There was only one hope. The mere mortals had no idea what was going on in the heavens that fateful day. That one vital day in early spring, what we know as April 15th.

Up in the heavens there were the screams of a goddess in labor. This was no ordinary Goddess. The Goddess of Destiny was, at last, bearing her first child. She had held out on having this child only because she knew better then any body, its fate. A horrible and long perilous fate, cruelly shown on the child's hand….

"Ah!" "Hold on Serendipity, it's going to be okay, the child is almost out…" "Ahhh" *She's not going to make it through labor, but….. we have to have a goddess of destiny…..* "Ahhhhhh….AH!" Suddenly the mothers panting was joined with the quite sobs of a small child. "…?" "It….It's… It's a girl Serendipity… I'm sorry…" Serendipity burst out into tears, It's not that she didn't want a girl, It was just… now she new, she new that her premonitions of this child were correct, the girl would live a life of sorrow and pain, but, she could never see the end of the child's life, her dreams always ended at a single, most, important choice, and that choice, was alone her daughters, and could not be mapped out by the gods. "This child's birth is to be a secret, You will take this to the grave Ania" "I..I understand." "Vow it to me, Vow to me you will not say a word, you know what Arkasty will do to it…" Arkasty was the father of the child, he was also the God of Power and Destruction. At first Serendipity thought she could sooth his cold heart, but she soon realized her efforts were futile. She still loved him, even till that day, but she was no idiot, she had told him about her dreams, he knew the child would be a large thorn in his road to succesfully taking over Hyrule and the rest of the world. And he would kill it . "I vow it, I won't tell a soul….what shall you name her Seren?" "…" Serendipity thought of all the glorious names commonly and uncommonly given to young goddesses, but she drew a blank, this girl was going to have to be hidden from the gods if she wanted to survive…that would mean… " I will call her…Zelda" "But…but that is a mere mortal name, it does not suit the most powerful goddesses don-" " What I think is that if this child is to survive we must….we must" A tear of sorrow and pain slowly moved down the goddesses pale face, "Without me around, I think the best option would be to send her to live among the …the mortals" Ania's face contorted with horror "But….But… what do you mean 'without you around'?" "Don't play stupid Ania, you know I can't stand it when people do that, I'm the bloody goddess of Destiny, thus I knew long ago that I would die after giving birth to this child, she's drained me of my immortality" " Oh…Seren….You can't send her to live amongst dirty mortals!!! You just can't-" "I think" she said "I can do whatever the hell I please, I am on my damn deathbed and you patronize me about my orders?!?!" Thunder struck and the heavens quaked, but only for a moment "no, of…of course not, I will do as you wish" "Hurry there's not much time, send her to live with Marlaina Depuis, she knows of me, she will know what to do" "you told a mortal about us?!?!? How could you?" "There's that patronizing again" "Besides," she said "They're not stupid they know about us" "I know, I am sorry" "Now, Ania, remember..ah…don't….tell…anyone… she must…survive….uh" At that moment the most powerful goddess ever, slowly died, and all the world wept, they did not know why, but they felt that a presence once there, had left. And through all the rain, if you listened closely, you could here a baby's cry, not any ordinary baby, but, mortal or god, tears are tears.

Ania looked coldly at the dead goddess "Pathetic" she said disgustingly "All that power and, look at her, dead, for some bloody baby" She eyed the child, a glimmer of recognition "But…" she said as she moved towards the now sleeping baby, she moved towards its hand "Not as pathetic as its mothe- Ah!" She swore, for as soon as she touched the child her hand burnt cold fire and the mark on the child's hand, hidden until now, had started to glow a dim steel blue, she looked coldly on the child "no, not so pathetic indeed" She put the child in her shirt, away from her skin, and started towards Arkasty's lair. "Yet……I feel….maybe….I'm sorry Serendipity" she said quietly and genuinely.

Little did she know that she would be killed moments later by one of Serendipity's close friends, who had been watching them the whole time. *Though the baby would be safe for now* she thought, *Arkasty already knows by now too. He felt the new energy.* She slowly descended towards Kakariko village.

Sixteen Years Later

A Entry from Zelda's Diary:

Hello, my name is Zelda Depuis. I am 16years old. I have wavy Chocolate brown hair that goes past my shoulders. I have azure eyes and a strange crescent moon type birthmark on my left hand. I have fair skin. My mother always said that my skin was so fair it was not suited on any mere country laborer, but on the princess of Hyrule herself. Mother… it seems so long ago when I had a mother. It happened when I was only 8 years old, on this very day, April 15th. Men came to our village; they bore fire and weapons. They attacked our defenseless village and burned it to the ground. I still remember my mother, hiding me in a hole under our house, it was a tunnel that led across Hyrule field to a small farm, we had friends there. I screamed at her, begged her to come with me, that's when I heard some men open our door. She whispered that she loved me and quickly shut the door, covered it with dirt and I heard her walk away. I didn't look back, I knew what I had to do, I crawled. Fast. I can still hear her screams, echoing behind me. Malon and her father were expecting me and helped me out of the tunnel. I never went back to my village. I couldn't. I've lived with Malon and her father Talon for eight years now. They have been wonderful and have become my best friends, but I've always gotten the feeling that they know something I don't. Like the fact that they won't let me leave the farm unless I'm disguised. When I ask them why this is, they give me a sorrowful look and tell me that some things are better left unsaid. It's been harder lately. I am sixteen now and my teenage hormones have been taking their toll. I want to leave this blasted farm, go out and fend for myself, but they hold me back, not with force, no, Talon has never laid a hand on me. Malon has been acting up also, she gets mad at me sometimes, and I don't know why. She seems jealous of me, I don't know why she'd be jealous of me, I'm just as average as you can get. But Malon seems to think I'm much more then I am. I have to admit, when I do go to town, I notice all the stares from the guys there; but could she be jealous over something as silly as that? At least she can go to town whenever, and she is very pretty, with her silky red hair and slim body.

I've decided I'm going to ask him, ask him today, why he won't let me go to town. Seriously, I really wanted to know. Well, it's know 5:55 a.m., they'll be getting up now, I'll go do my chores and ask them at breakfast. Wish me luck.

Zelda D.

"Good morning everybody" I say cheerfully, I watch in amusement their sleepy expressions. That's another thing, I never seem to need that much sleep, I'm always full of energy. "G'morning Zel" Said Talon with a warm smile on his face " Sleep good?" asks Malon cheerfully "Anymore nightmares?" she continues slowly. Lately I've been having nightmares, but once I wake up, they slip away. I am now going to try to keep a pen and journal by my bed to see ,if I'm quick enough, if I can write them down before I forget. " Nope, not last night, Thank you gods" An odd expression passed over their faces, one I've seen far too many times. This charade was going to stop in a few hours, at breakfast. "Well Zel, shall we go and collect the eggs, milk the cows and change the hay?" She said sardonically giving her father an evil, yet playful glare. "At least your not cleaning up the dung" He said smiling, he came over and group hugged us. Then his face changed, as if a light bulb had gone off. "Oh Lordie" he said "I almost forgot" He smiled at me "Happy sweet sixteen darling" Malon's smile broadened "That's right! Happy Birthday!" They came over and hugged me again and we all laughed until we eventually fell. "Thanks you guys" I said warmly. It might not be my real family, but, family is where your heart lies, and this was my family. *I'm on top of the world* I thought happily. After chores, Malon and I were walking towards the house, "So how does it feel to be sixteen?" she said, she had turned sixteen two months ago, we'd had a big party for her. Well… big for our standards. "well, I don't feel much different actually" I said, and it was true. I was occupied, trying to find the right thing to say at breakfast. *Oh Lordie* I thought, *This is going to be tough*. We walked through the doors and there on the table, was my absolute favorite meal "Oatmeal!" "Yes indeed" said Talon "With real Maple Syrup" I love Oatmeal! We sat down, but though my tummy screamed 'FOOD!' I just looked at it. "Is something wrong darling?" said Talon looking at me, Malon was staring, I guess I felt the blood drain out of my face. "Tell me what's going on" I said slowly. "Nothing dear why?" he looked really confused, but Malon wasn't dumb, I saw the look on her face, she knew exactly what I was talking about. "daddy…" she said slowly "she doesn't mean now in particular…" "I mean 'what's going on' as in, what's been going on since my mother died." I said it plainly, as cold as I cold…I couldn't, when the word mother was said I shivered and wavered a bit. Talon gave me a long hard look. As if he were seizing me up, seeing if he should, he glanced at Malon, she looked at him with a defeated stare. "Tell her daddy" she said, "she deserves to know, she's sixteen now don't forget, I think she's ready…" "Of course…. Of course…" and then… he told me.

The wind stung as I felt it blow against my face. I didn't notice. Not by a long shot. I couldn't believe what he had just told me. There was … no way it could be true. Yet… it all made sense, somehow. It was like waking up from a dream and looking at reality for the first time. Malon walked along side of me. Talon had decided, now that I knew, that it was time I left the ranch and started living my own life. He said I had earned it. He made sure I had protection. He had given me a blonde wig, brown contacts, skin darkening toner lotion and some more clothes. "I'm…going…to miss you Zel…" she said softly, I could tell she was crying, her sentence was cracking and choppy. "You've been like a sister to me" I heard her voice, but my brain couldn't measure it. The fact that my mother was not my mother was enough, but… a goddess? The only thing they hadn't known was why my mother had died, and why I was in hiding, they just knew that I had to be. Hyrule's war had been taken more east now, towards other countries. It was gray days, but we were recovering. I turned to Malon, a tear slid across my now tanned skin. I looked like a peasant farmer. Now I knew why Malon was jealous of me. I was pretty, I was a goddess. But it made no difference. I was still me, Zelda no name. " I'll visit, take care…. My friend…" I said sadly, I would be on my own now, it was going to be weird. We parted at the Hyrule drawbridge. She started off towards the farm, it was mid morning, she would get back before dark, It was only a couple hours walk. I looked towards town, closed my eyes and walked.

Hyrule town is crazy. People everywhere, and so much noise! I usually would've looked around in amazement but now, when I think that this is where I'll be spending the rest of my life…..*sigh* I just want to find an apartment for rent. I saw one across the street. Talon had given me his savings. I walked in the door. I had never talked to anybody but Malon and Talon for eight years. *This is going to be harder then I thought* I walk up to the front desk. "Excuse me?" "Yes Madam, and how and I help you?" "Yes um… I was wondering, do you have any rooms for sale or rent?" "Yes" she said grumpily "we do" "How much for one?" "You wanna buy or rent?" "Can I see both prices?" "sure" she flipped through a little black book "Yes, room 205 is for sale for 2000 rubies" 2000 RUBEES!! Oh jeese, that's all I have…. "um…thank-you but I'll be going now…" "Go back home to your mommy and daddy gurlie…" I blushed hard. I was a bit young for this, I wanted to go back to the ranch. ….No! I wouldn't give up so easily. I go from place to place, and finally I see a nice tan apartment called, 'The Oaks' I walk in… "Hello, and how are you today?" A cute young girl, about my age, with brown pigtails asks me "My name's Carrie-anne, can I help you?" "Yes please, thank-you" I said, I had been treated so roughly today, it was nice to hear a warm voice. "You can't believe the day I've had, may I sit down for a moment?" "Of course, of course" she said sweetly "tell me what happened?" "well…" I said cautiously "I've lived on a farm for all my life and, now I'm on my own, with no one to lean on. Today, I've been to 15 other apartments, all the secretaries have been awful and probably lying about their prices. 8 people have attempted to rob me and I've been shoved and pushed all day long, and I'm so hot and tired" I said in one big long breath. Phew! That felt good. "oh, you poor thing! I trust you wanted to ask about the room prices?" "Yes!, please" "Well if you want to buy one, there's one taken but free tomorrow, the guy there is moving out in the morning, you'd have to spend the night there with him, but there's two beds, and I'm sure you'll be fine, he's really nice, and very handsome!" hmmm that's doesn't sound too bad "How much?" "It's 400 rubies and all your expenses, like wax for candles and water, are paid for the first month!" wow! That is a splendid deal "I'll Take It!" thank- g-…….me? Oh lordie… "Here's your key miss…..?" "Um…just call me Zelda" "Zelda… always liked the name Zelda, very natural…well have a good evening" "You too, and thank-you" I said excitedly *My own place! For cheap! This is getting better by the second * . I walk up to my door, I can hear someone moving around inside, I knock lightly. No one answers, I put my key and turn, it doesn't open. It's stuck. I push with my shoulder, again and again. Finally I put my whole body against the door and…. WHOOSH, the door suddenly opens and me and the guy both fall on the ground. "What the hel…" He looks up at me and stops his sentence. *Wow! He is hot! * . I giggle to myself, I've never been this close to someone before "Oh…uh…I'm sorry" I quickly get off him and stand up, so does he. He must be a full 5 inches taller and one year older. Suddenly I notice how my wig itches. "Uh…hello?" he says surprised. "Who are you?" He has blonde hair and azure eyes, he is wearing some sort of red tunic thingy. "Uh… my name is Zelda, I'm the one buying this room tomorrow, um… I have no where to stay tonight, so I was wondering, if it was okay with you, if I could spend the night here? I could help you pack or stuff like that…" I say nervously. "sure" he says warmly "I could use the help, my name is Link" We look at each other for a while, I look away blushing. We pack and clean and soon enough the room is barren and empty. "Do you have any furniture?" he says "um…no" "let me guess, this is your first night out of the home?" "Bingo" I say blushing, it felt kind of embarrassing to admit this. "Well, do you come from far away?" "you could say that…" "So basically, this whole town is new to you" "Yes" "and you think you can survive here?" "…" "How many times did you get robbed today?" "…15…" "that's what I thought… lets make a deal, I have nothing to do and no where to go, so, you let me stay with you, we could be like, roomies, and I can show you around, how does that sound?" he said charmingly. *Well that sounds good, and it'll probably be safer and more fun, I mean it took me hours just to find an apartment today…* "okay, sure" I reply kindly. We talk for a while and then "Say, you want to go get something to eat?" he asks, it sounds like he's nervous *that's a first, he's been so open about everything* "okay, that sounds great, I'm starving" I say cheerfully "I know a place not far from here, should we leave now?" "sure, I just need to go to the bathroom" I walk in and lock the door. I take the brush out of my shoulder bag and comb my now sloppy wig. I clean my contacts, brush my teeth and exit the room with Link. "and where are you two headed?" asks Carrie-Anne, still smiling, as we pass "Out to get a bite to eat" Link says "Yum, well you two have fun" "we will, thanks" I say. "This town just never sleeps" I exclaim as I see almost the entire village out and around partying. "You got that right" we walk down the cool street and up to a small restaurant. "It's beautiful" I say awed "I've never been in a restaurant…" Link gives me an odd look "just how far away did you live?" "well…actually I lived just on the Lon Lon ranch, but I never traveled out of its boundaries, I was never alowed…" "really? That's not that far! It must have been boring…" "ya… a little, but I like it anyway" I say as we sit down at a table. "and what will be your order" says a little waiter with red curly hair. "I'll have…" I look down on the menu, *I've never seen so many foods, nothing familiar* "um…" "we'll have two spaghetti's" link says, saving me from total embarrassment. Once the waiter was gone I asked "Is it good?" "very, my favorite". The rest of the night we just talked and laughed, the spaghetti was great, and I tried out ice cream, which was fabulous. On the way home, the parties were still roaring and the music was still deafening, but all I could see was his eyes and all I could hear, was his heart… " I had a wonderful tome tonight Link…" I said "So did I" he replied, and as we stood there, underneath the lights of the parties, and swaying to the rhythm of the music, I came closer to him, so close our body's touched. I looked up into his azure blue eyes, so much compassion held in them. And as the fireworks went up around us, we kissed. My arms around his shoulders, his around my waist, our lips touched, and then we kissed passionately for a good thirty seconds. I looked at him, he looked at me, and somehow, I knew, I just *knew* we were soul mates. I never did know what goddess my mom was. Maybe the goddess of love? Is that how I knew, Oh who cares, back to Link's eyes. Without a word, he put his arm around my shoulder I put mine around his waist, and we walked back to the apartment. I heard my key click as I turned it in the lock. I heard the door creak, as I opened , I don't know how really, with all the racket coming from outside… We got in the room, We got into our night clothing and fell asleep.

I woke up with the sound of the birds, I saw Link still sleeping in the next bed. I got up, got dresses, brushed my hair, washed my teeth, and unwrapped a few muffins I had taken from home, for breakfast. I left one on the counter for Link, and left. Time to get a job. I walked around the whole village all day, sent in a lot of application forms and around 7:00p.m. I got the perfect job. I was hired to make pastry's in a Bakery. I loved to cook so this would be great. It was easy hours and enough money to pay the rent, supplies and start saving for furniture. I decided to go shop for some outfits I could look more professional in for work. About an hour later I was back in the apartment. *Something is wrong, I can feel it* the air was to still, there was no noise. Carrie-Anne wasn't at the counter. I walked up the eerie steps, I could hear all the normal noise out side, but inside, it was a tomb. I got to my door and almost screamed, the whole door was cracked open, inside the apartment was a mess beds overturned, the little furniture we had, was beyond repair. And there, in the bathroom, slumped against a toilet was Link. Bruised and battered, Blood coming from his nose and mouth. He was unconscious. "Oh my Gods!" I say fearfully, what had happened. I turn a bed back onto its legs and drag Link onto it. I clean and bandage his wounds. I walk downstairs, and there, behind the desk, is Carrie-Anne, dead. Her usually tan face looked like a china dolls and her lips were blue. " Oh Gods, What happened" I ran out into the street, I found a castle guard and brought him to the scene. Moments later about 10 guards were searching the building. Hours later Link became to come conscious. "urg…" "Link?!?! Oh my gods! Are you alright?! What happened?" I had a sinking feeling. Link didn't speak for about an hour, he recovered with a potion I had bought for him. "Zelda?" "yes?" "Who are you?…really?" My face drained of blood. Oh gods. No, this couldn't have been because of m-…. Oh jeese, but how… *I have to tell him* and I did…

We sat in silence he looked at me. I took of my wig and took out my contacts, I went in the bathroom and washed my skin, I came out looking fully like some sort of goddess, brown hair, blue eyes, pail skin. He sat in wonderment. "You really are a goddess" "Link…" I said starting to sob "It's…all…my …fault…Carrie-anne, you… Oh gosh, I should just hand myself over…" Link grabbed my shoulders "never" she said sternly "ever say that" his eyes pierced through mine "We will fight this, we will survive" "Zelda…" I looked in his eyes "yes?" "I love you" I let some more tears drop, before replying "I love you too"

That night we promised each other our lives. I gave him something of mine I could never take back, and he exchanged that for the same gift. That night we made love. It was the most unique thing I had ever done. The room seemed so much hotter. My skin was slick with sweat and I was breathing heavy, our hair matted together and I clawed his back as I screamed in ecstasy. It was a long and passionate night. The music outside, the breathing inside. We melted into each other and became as one. The rhythm to the music in our ears we pumped along, we went hard and fast. Our hearts beating as one. The whole time I could feel tomorrow. Tomorrow would be a time for tears. Right now was a time for love. At the end of it all, I fell asleep kissing him and telling him I loved him and him doing the same to me. We eventually fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning was rising. I could feel it coming. Even Link could feel something was up. There was a tingle to the air as we stepped outside. We were already packed and ready to go. I knew we'd have to leave today. It happened…

"Link!" Link turned and looked at the guard running towards us… carrying armor and swords. "Link, the Evil lords are coming, they'll be here any moment, saddle up and giddy up, we need you to help us fight." I looked at him in horror *no no no no no no* but I knew there was no stopping it, he looked at me with a pained expression "Link…" I said quietly "I have to" he said "I can feel it, with you around, I can almost feel my destiny waiting" We looked at each other and we kissed, It was the hardest thing I had ever done. I watched him saddle up "I'll fight too" I said. "zelda" he said "You know you can't and you know why you can't, they'll recognize you right away!" I didn't let any tears fall, Suddenly I could here the horses. The whole Hyrule army was watching us. They were coming. I got on my horse with my few belongings "Don't come back Zel…" he said "Never come back to this place, find peace. I kissed him one last time. "Hyaa!" I yelled and my horse took off. Link had shown me a secret pass to get out of the kingdom, I looked behind me one last time, looked back at him, one last time, That one moment, our eyes met. It was the last time I ever saw him. Last time I saw the heart of Hyrule.