Chapter 4 – Alone Together
"Have you gone mad?"
The king stood up from his seat to defend himself against the accusations of Damarus, the Kalendrian king. Damarus was a short, stocky man, only 35 years of age, which meant he was very young for a king, even by Kalendrian standards. It had taken him three days to reach the kingdom of Kalendra, where he would "apologize" for Princess Zelda's insolence and ask for ratification of their trade agreement. So far, their talks had gone absolutely nowhere.
The Kalendrian palace was much smaller and less grandiose than Hyrule Castle, and the King of Hyrule looked upon it with a little arrogance and disdain. King Damarus sat upon a throne located on a dais near the rear of the chamber, and in the center burned an open fire, the only source of warmth. Two guards stood beside Damarus, but other than that he was unaccompanied. From two large windows behind the throne, one could look out over the skyline of the capitol of Kalendra, a large, rather dull looking city full of square buildings and grid-like streets. It was a boring town, and in some places a wretched hole of poverty and despair. As in Hyrule Castle Town, the wealthy all lived near the palace, but that was where the similarities ended. The poor and destitute of Kalendra were far worse off than anyone in Hyrule, living in abject squalor. Such people in Hyrule had been given money and charity by the Royal Family, but here they clearly did not care.
"It was a just punishment," he retorted. "She ruined our agreement and made fools of us both. Surely you can understand."
"I do not understand how you could toss an eighteen year old woman out onto the streets who has no knowledge of how to live on her own!"
"Well what would you have had me do?" he fired back. "We agreed that she would marry your son-."
"You assured me she had already agreed to marry him!" he interrupted. "I do not know your customs very well, but in Kalendra, we do not force our women to marry against our will!"
"She is princess, Damarus. It is expected that she will bear a child that will ascend to the throne."
"But why force her, your Majesty? Can she not marry on her own?"
The king laughed in disdain. "She has no interest in men, Damarus. Zelda never would have married on her own, so I had to arrange a marriage for her."
Damarus stood up from his throne and sighed. "Your Majesty, there was a time in our history when a princess had her husband chosen for her by her father. Many of them, finding themselves trapped in a passionless marriage, killed either themselves or their husbands. Tell me, if for some reason Zelda could not bear a child, what would you have done with her?"
The king thought the question over. "I don't know."
"Your Highness, I find your actions reprehensible. Not only have lied and insulted us, but you have shown yourself to be a cruel and heartless man. We will not ratify your trade agreement, we will not sell you what you desire, and there will be no trade between our kingdoms. The kingdom of Kalendra does not deal with tyrants."
The king felt his anger and rage swell up inside him at Damarus's impudence. Had they not been in a foreign land he might have challenged him to a duel, but he was not so barbaric. Instead, he simply walked out of the palace without any words. He hadn't truly expected the Kalendrians to give them what he wanted, but that didn't matter. The king simply let his rage simmer and roil during his journey back home, silently cursing the name of his daughter.
That night was a sleepless one for Zelda. She was dreadfully tired and it was late at night, but her worries kept her from sleep. The fear that there are more of those Gerudo-wraiths out there had a strong hold on her, and every time she closed her eyes, Zelda could imagine one of the coming out of the shadow to attack her. It was now that she was wondering how safe this house really was. Hyrule was not the safest of lands; in its wilderness roamed many foul and vicious creatures, and in some places the environment was as dangerous as the wildlife. As she lay between the sheets, staring up at the ceiling, she tried to think of pleasant thoughts, things like a clear sky or a calm blue ocean, but tonight it didn't help. With a sigh of frustration, Zelda climbed out of bed and gazed out of the bedroom window. Looking at the branches of the trees swaying lightly in the breeze, she envisioned more of those creatures hiding in the shadows, waiting for the moment to strike. But nothing moved in the forest, and Zelda chided herself for her fearfulness.
But being frightened wasn't the only reason she was awake. That night, Zelda had admitted to Link she loved him, a feeling that had grown steadily inside her these past few days. She had not known what it was at first, but as time wore on Zelda realized that was she was experiencing was quite simply love in its purest form. Link was kind and generous, and above all, he respected her. He made her feel wanted and needed, and for the first time in her life, someone had shown her compassion and understanding. It seemed only natural that she should love him. But she had not intended to express her feelings to him that night. It had come out during an emotional moment; something that she felt needed to be said at that exact point in time. Despite her joy that Link loved her as well, one question continued to torment her: what now? What came after courtship? She had not been taught what a woman in love was supposed to do, and had no idea how to properly express affection. This was immensely frustrating for Zelda, who wanted nothing but to love and be loved, but had little idea of how to go about it.
Zelda quietly walked out into the hallway and to the open door of Link's bedroom. To her surprise, Link sat at the side of his bed, looking out the window. The moon was shining in the through the window, laying long shadows along the walls and floor. Lead on by a strange need and desire, Zelda walked into his room, her heart pounding her chest. Was he worried about the Gerudo-wraiths as well? Or was it thoughts of her that kept him awake? Who could tell what went on in that troubled mind of his?
Somehow hearing her soft footsteps, Link turned around. "Zelda…," he said softly, "is something wrong?"
"I can't sleep," she admitted, "I'm just frightened after what happened."
Link smiled at her. "That's understandable. I'm a little scared myself."
Zelda gently sat down on the bedside beside him. There was something enchanting about being close to him that Zelda longed for, an intangible feeling of warmth and intimacy. In silence, Zelda moved closer to Link until she was almost leaning against him.
She looked at his bandage. "How is it?"
"It aches a little, but it's almost as if it's not there at all."
They sat a silence a while longer, since they had nothing to say to each other. "Link…," Zelda began, "you…you've shown me the only real kindness I've ever known. I don't know what I would have done without you."
Link could not think of a reply, so they simply gazed into each other's eyes. It was at that point that Zelda got a rather odd idea into her head. It was something she had seen many couples do, yet had never actually contemplated doing herself. She hesitated at first, worrying that Link might find it offensive, but decided that now was good a time as any. She slid one arm around his neck, being careful to avoid irritating his wound. She loved Link, something she had admitted to herself many times over the last few hours, but had been unable to express her love, until now. Lead by an almost preternatural instinct, Zelda leaned her head closer to Link's, and closed her eyes. Taking one last breath, she pressed her lips against his, and then her world changed forever. Zelda felt all of her years of repression, loneliness, and anger fall away like a heavy cloak, letting her true self come forth. Her mind was suddenly filled with passion and emotions, wonderful feelings she had never experienced before. She pulled herself closer to him and Link held her tightly, and Zelda became unsure of whether this was a dream or reality. The feel of his hands through her thin silk nightgown, the warmth of his body close to hers, and the way his lips softly caressed hers, it all made her lightheaded and wobbly until Zelda feared she might swoon. She pulled away to take a breath, and then she kissed him again, this more firmly and passionately. Her heart was now in complete control of her body, and all she could do was quietly moan in pleasure at these new and wonderful sensations.
"Oh Link, I love you," she whispered, nearly gasping for air.
Link paused to catch his breath, for he was more than a little shaken and surprised at all this. But instead of saying anything, Link simply put a finger to his lips and gave a gentle "shush" as they held each other in the pale moonlight. Zelda could almost shed tears of happiness, but she just closed her eyes and suddenly she began to feel very sleepy.
"I…I should sleep with you tonight," she said with a yawn, "should anything bad happen…"
Link smiled at her flimsy excuse and climbed beneath the sheets. Zelda did the same, still in her dreamy and passionate state. She had come so far tonight and she was certain now that she would never return to Hyrule Castle no matter how long she lived. Perhaps there were other kind and handsome young men in the world, but Zelda had given her heart to Link, and she could never be with anyone else. Underneath the bedsheets, Zelda nestled herself tightly against him, partly because she loved him, and party because she was still a little afraid of the dark. It was delightful, feeling Link's bodily warmth through the fabric of her nightgown and his hand gently around her back. They had known each other for less than a week, but it seemed like months had passed between now and their meeting. Zelda reached over and gently caressed his face, smiling at each other. They kissed one last time before falling off asleep, and then Zelda knew no more.
Malon giggled with delight as she poured her new husband another glass of champagne. It was late in the evening, and now that the wedding reception was over and all the guests had left, they were privately celebrating their union in their new home. It was a rather large manor, situated on a small hill near Hyrule Castle. The house itself had been built by Ronan Vigo's father over a hundred years ago, yet it still looked as new as ever. Its luxurious interior and many comforts seemed strange to Malon with her country upbringing, but she knew she would grow accustomed to it with time. The house had many rooms for only two people, but that would change. Malon wanted nothing more than to have a family, and she planned to have many children now that they were married. But tonight it was only about them; they both had many years ahead of them and they could afford a little selfishness now and then.
They were laying in bed together, dressed only in their nightwear. Candles were lit on the side tables, filling the room with soft, flickering light that accentuated the romantic mood of the evening. Malon was feeling a little tipsy from all of the champagne she had imbibed, but she didn't care. She felt much sympathy for her father Talon, being all by his lonesome on the Lon Lon Ranch. They had promised to visit him often, a promise she intended to honor. But she was a woman now; no longer was she his "little girl." After finishing her glass of champagne, she sat the glass aside, deciding she did not want to become too woozy to enjoy the evening. She was very much relieved that the wedding reception had gone well, and that nobody had complained about it being held at the ranch. Much to her surprise, Link had actually shown up, against her expectations. He was such a recluse, living all alone in that home in the forest of his, that Malon wondered if he might ever show his face outside the woods again. But he had not come alone to the reception; instead he had come with a strange and exotic looking young lady Malon had never seen before. How had Link, a man with all the social graces of a lump of rock, come to possess such a gorgeous woman?
But this was not the time to think of such things. Leaning over, she kissed her husband, who gently ran his fingers through her red hair. He rolled over and kissed her again, holding her tightly. They both laughed in delight, and continued to kiss and caress each other amorously as newlyweds do. Malon loved Vigo so much, and now they were going to spend their lives together. It was so wonderful that she should be so blessed with a loving husband. Many times she had wept herself to sleep in loneliness and worry that she would never marry, but now she had found her soul mate. But then, Vigo broke their kiss and moved away.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"My love, there is something that has been bothering me."
"What's that?" she said, wrapping her arms around his chest and nuzzling her face against his.
"That man you were talking to at the reception, Link was his name. I have seen his ladyfriend before."
"Oh? And were you surprised that a man like Link would ever attract a woman?"
He laughed. "From what you've told me about him, yes I was! But that's not it. My dear, I know you will not believe this, but the woman he was with was the Lady of Hyrule herself."
"You're a terrible joker," she said with feigned indignity.
"No, I have seen her in Hyrule Castle before, and I swear it was her at the reception."
Instead of acting surprised or astonished, Malon threw her head back and laughed loudly. "The poor woman!"
"I wonder how a man like Link could possibly have courted her. The Princess of Hyrule is nearly a prisoner of her own castle! Tell me about this "Link" fellow."
Another laugh. "He is just a fool, without any good qualities!"
"Now, now, my love, you shouldn't say things like that."
"But Link is not here! He spends all his life in that home of his, and never does a bit of work! It's not right, I say! He has no friends or family and," Malon stopped to catch her breath, "and he would never have a ladyfriend!"
"I shall have to ask the king about tomorrow; it seems rather odd that she should be outside of the castle without any guard."
"It's odd that a woman would even talk to Link! A man who is content to live alone without the pleasures of marriage and family cannot be much of a man at all!" Malon realized she was saying rather unkind things, so she held her tongue for the moment. But the drink made it so much easier to say things she had always wanted to say…
"But why would he be with the Princess of Hyrule?"
Malon shook her head. "Maybe it was someone who only looked like her…"
"No, I never forget a face, especially not one as fair as hers. Not as fair as you, of course."
Another kiss. "Forget about Link, my love. He is nothing but a fool."
"Fool or not, tomorrow I shall go to Hyrule Castle and talk to the king about this."
"But my love, I thought we were going to Lake Hylia tomorrow," Malon protested.
"I will wake up early; I will be back before you know it."
"Oh no you won't!" she teased with a laugh. "We will be so tired from tonight we will sleep all through the morning!"
Ronan gave his wife yet another passionate kiss. "Well dear, I suppose Hyrule Castle can wait." With that, he blew out the candles and for the rest of the night, Ronan and Malon thought no more of Link or the Princess of Hyrule, but only for their own passions and desires.
It was a typical warm and pleasant day when Link awoke. His vision, as well as his memory, was still muddled and hazy. He tried to sit up, when something stopped him. When Link looked to his left, he saw that Zelda was still tightly nestled against him with an arm around his body, holding him down. She was still asleep, and all Link could feel was the beating of her heart and the gentle rhythm of her breathing. He remembered what had transpired the night before, her coming to his room, their kiss… Link did not want to wake Zelda; she looked so peaceful and content lying beside him. She was beauty and fairness made flesh, her body sculpted by the hands of the goddesses themselves, and the princess looked for all the world like a sleeping angel. Since he did not want to disturb her slumber, Link just lay there and thought to himself. If they truly loved each other, where would it go? What would they do? In the Royal Family it seemed so simple, you courted a woman and then asked her father for her hand in marriage; he would undoubtedly say yes, and then it would be done with. But Link was certainly not prepared for the responsibility of marriage. If only his mother and father were here to guide and advise him. The love he shared with the princess was like a winding path through the forest; you could only see so far ahead before the pathway became obscured.
His stomach rumbled, so Link lifted Zelda's arm off his body as gently as possible and slipped out of bed. Quickly donning his usual clothing, Link strolled downstairs, feeling rather elated about himself. He was thinking about what he and Zelda might do today, when suddenly he noticed something. Link could not feel any pain or soreness from the vicious wound he had received the night before. Unbuttoning his tunic, he looked at the bandage, and then carefully peeled it away. Much to his shock and surprise, the wound had completely healed without any scar or blemish. He ran his finger along where the knife had pierced his flesh, and he felt no pain. There was nothing to show that he had even been hurt at all. Laughing in delight, he tossed the bandage away and fastened his tunic. Zelda was obviously a woman of great power, although she probably did not even know her own strength.
Link poured himself a glass of Lon Lon Milk as he always did in the morning, and he found himself thinking of Malon and her new husband. Eighteen seemed like a very young age to be marrying, even if it was Hylian traditional. For a race that lived for hundreds and thousands of years, should they not take a little more time in choosing a mate? How could anyone spend a thousand years with anyone, for that matter? Would they eventually grow so accustomed to each other that they could anticipate what the other was going to say? Would they live in silence because everything that could be said had been said? But was living with someone worse than living with no one? Link pictured himself living alone in this house for the remainder of his life. It seemed like a bizarre purgatory where he would go mad with loneliness and despair.
Link scolded himself for letting his mind wander like that. Sometimes he would set out to do something and forget about doing it because he had been too consumed with something else. He finished his glass of milk, and wondered what exactly it was that made this milk so special. A cow was a cow was a cow, Link thought. How did the Lon Lon Ranch get away with selling it for nearly double the price of ordinary milk? Nobody else in Castle Town ever seemed to buy it. Link smiled at the thought of him being the only supporter of their product.
For some reason, Link found himself simply gazing out of the kitchen into the forest outside. The trees seemed like an ancient wall that shut him out from the world, as if fate had wanted him to be alone. He often considered leaving this home and all of its unhappy memories, but where was there for him to go? He possessed more than enough money to buy himself a new home, but there was nowhere in Castle Town that was seemed better than his old home. The houses there were all so dreadfully dull, so bland and boring that it was hard to tell one from another. They were buildings of a civilization that seemed tired of life, tired of its own apparent immortality. Nothing ever changed in Castle Town. Every day he walked its streets, the town and its people were exactly the same as every day before. Maybe a life of a soldier would be better than that of a peasant, Link thought. Better to have lived a brief life of heroic battle and combat than to slowly wither away, forgotten and obscured. Whatever the truth, Link knew he could not stay in Hyrule forever. There was a whole world out there that nobody had really cared to explore, and he wanted to see and experience all of it.
There was some shuffling about upstairs, and then Zelda, dressed in her beautiful white dress, walked, or rather floated down the stairs. Without a word, she tightly embraced him, and they simply held each other for a little while. The silk of her dress was very fine and smooth, a pleasure to the senses. It was so wonderful being in love, especially with someone like Zelda. It was not often that a man could say he had woken up with a beautiful princess in his arms. What a curious twist of that he had fallen in love with the most unlikely of women.
"How is it?" Zelda asked, lightly resting her hand on his shoulder.
Link again unbuttoned his tunic, and Zelda stepped backward in surprise when he did. "Oh Link," she gasped, "I…I didn't know this could happen…" She ran her fingers along his bare skin, looking for any mark or scar. But there was none.
"You're very gifted," said Link, buttoning up.
Zelda blushed and embraced him again. She was so fair, yet was so sad. If being here made her happy, then he would do everything he could to keep her in his home. Would he go so far as to deny the king's wishes, should he demand the return of his daughter? But with every passing day, Link became surer that the king had completely disowned his daughter. To a child, there must have been no greater torture than the knowledge that you were not wanted.
Link moved his arms up her body and then around her neck, gently pulling her closer. With a deep breath he laid a kiss on her, slowly caressing her warm, soft lips. He was so lucky, so fortunate to have someone whom he could love, someone who wanted to be held and touched and kissed. Link didn't know if Zelda was his perfect mate or not, but as he felt her lips dance upon his, he knew she was the only one for him. Who else was there? Malon, the only other woman in his life, had just been married away to a nobleman. No, there was no one else. He wondered if their love was true and pure, not misplaced affection or a meaningless infatuation arising from the impetuousness of youth. But Zelda was someone who could seriously consider spending his life with, and that was almost frightening, given how soon it had come after their meeting. They had both been raised to believe that love took time, that you had to carefully court and woo a potential mate, but Link and Zelda had suddenly and unexpectedly fallen hopelessly in love with each other.
They continued to kiss and caress one another for what seemed like a blissful eternity. Zelda was perfection in every manner, from her beautiful body to her mind that had not been jaded or encumbered by the troubles of the world. Slowly, Zelda broke their passionate kiss, but continued to hold him tightly in her arms. Her azure eyes shone with the morning sun, and he could see in her eyes happiness and contentment he had not seen before. A true princess she was, fair and noble, and possessing an unworldly elegance. Someday she would have become a queen, ruling a kingdom by her husband's side. But it seemed that was not her path to take; that destiny had chosen a different fate for her. Through fortune or coincidence, he and the Lady of Hyrule had fallen for each other. He did not know if it was right or proper for them to be in love, but there was no denying how strongly Link and Zelda felt towards each other. The king did not want a princess, and the world, it seemed, did not want Link either.
"Link, I…I don't know how to say this, but I never want to return to Hyrule Castle. I just want…to stay here with you…"
Link smiled and softly touched the side of her face. "My love, if you wish it, there is no power in heaven or earth that can part us."
Zelda laid her head on his shoulder and began to shed tears of happiness. For so many years she had suffered through sorrow and unhappiness; her will to live slowly fading into the night. Even to look upon Hyrule Castle brought back painful memories and emotions better left undisturbed. One day she hoped to leave this land with Link, to run away to a place truly their own, where they could be alone together. Zelda did not like people very much; they always seemed so distant and uncaring, and she did not want to live among them.
Reluctantly, they let go of each other. "Where will we go today?" Zelda asked.
"There is a place in the forest, a secret place, which only I and my mother knew of. She told me never to go there alone, that ancient spirits still dwell there. I have never laid eyes upon it, but I have much desired to go there…"
"Then what are we waiting for, love?" Zelda asked before sweeping him away with another kiss.
Far away in the west, black clouds billowed into the air, darkening the sky with poisonous fumes. This was a land scarred by countless battles, and the dark, featureless terrain was all that was left of a once great civilization. Nothing grew or lived here; as Link had put it, the land itself was dead. For miles in all direction, there was nothing but a bleak landscape of scorched earth and craggy mountains of sharp, broken stone. At one time, this land was home to a thriving Hylian city named Tach'tlan, until the Gerudos came. It is said that a male is only born to a Gerudo every hundred years, and that man will have a heart blacker than pitch or coal. Such a man led the Gerudos out of their hiding in the north, where they stormed and breeched the walls of Tach'tlan. The city, which had no army, quickly fell to the might of the Gerudo king. After every man, woman, and child had been slain, the Gerudo king asserted his domination of the land, declaring himself the ruler of everything west of the River Hyrule that ran through the Gerudo Valley. The fair city of Tach'tlan was corrupted and despoiled into a blackened shell of its former self over the years, utterly beyond reclamation. The Gerudos may have been a despicable race, but they were fiercely loyal to their king. He often spoke of their glorious victory over the arrogant and overconfident Hylians, but such words did not go unheeded in Hyrule. The Hylian army declared war on the Gerudo king, and after many fierce and bloody battles, the Gerudo race was all but extinct. But the Hylian army never found the Gerudo king, who had retreated and hidden away in the desert wasteland.
But beneath the surface of the ruins of Tach'tlan, forges and foundries worked endlessly to produce weapons and equipment, spewing putrid clouds of ash and sulfur into the air. The Gerudos were far from extinct, and now they lived with a fiery hatred of all things Hylian burning in their souls. The Gerudo king had returned from his self-imposed exile, and was consumed by an indomitable desire to return his people to their former glory. Over the past seven years he had raised an army numbering in the thousands, but since the Gerudos were all female, without fresh breeding stock they would soon die out completely. But the Gerudo King wanted, above all else, revenge upon the people of Hyrule. Upon his face was a deep scar that had been given to him by a particularly zealous Hylian soldier. He had mortally wounded his enemy, of course, but not before the cursed Hylian had cut into his flesh with his sword. He hated Hyrule, he hated its people, and he hated everything they represented. For the last seven years his hatred and malice had grown and festered as he bided his time, waiting for the time when the Gerudos would claim their destiny. After all, he was the Gerudo king, and patience was a virtue.
The Gerudo king stepped up from his throne, a hideous thing made from iron and wood, and walked over to a balcony overlooking the ruined city. What had once been homes, stores, and places of worship were now but cracked foundations and piles of rubble. For countless miles in every direction around him there was a desolate, inhospitable landscape, as if a great fire had purged of it any life or vitality. The forges and smithies of the town below sent enough ash and soot upwards to partially blot out the sun, turning the land into what was almost a living hell. Gerudo women of all ages worked tirelessly to churn out blades, shields, armor; everything an army would require. The mighty furnaces were fueled by coal mined in the nearby mountains by Gerudos and the slaves that had been foolish enough to venture out into the west. It was a terrible place, a land so wretched and foul it seemed as if the goddesses themselves had forsaken it. But the Gerudo king did not believe in the Goddesses; that was a crutch for the weak minded. The Gerudo people had their own spiritual beliefs, but he cared not for them. Instead, as he looked down from his balcony, he saw destiny at hand, a time for the Gerudos to take their rightful place. He knew that the walls of Castle Town would fall and that he would see Hyrule Castle crumble, for he was the Gerudo king, and his named was Ganondorf.