The Legend of Zelda: Her Story
Chapter 10: Zelda's Answer
By: The Kirby Kid
Disclaimer:
The Legend of Zelda™ is brought to you by the letter 'N' and by the letters 'intendo'…and by the number #1 …that is: the #1 franchise in gaming history… aside from maybe that plumber guy.
Authors Notes:
How is everyone? I hope you enjoyed my last chapter. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed.
I know some of you weren't happy with Invincible having been killed, and neither was I. In fact that last chapter made me ill and angry. In any case, he's dead.
For anyone who wants to read about the great Invincible's exploits before he was called Invincible, read my first fic ever: The Gerudo Keepsake. Also if there are any characters mentioned and you don't know who they are in relation to my stories, read the first chapter of this fic… History and Biography.
This fic is going to have a lot of action in it's future…in fact, it's going to basically revolve around the special abilities of Hyrule's youth. I might have to write up a new summary…but we'll see.
Well, that's it. Try to enjoy this chapter. And please…if you read it, please leave a review. Thank you.
************
"I was always so proud of you, Zelda…"
It was two days after the State funeral, and his final words still rang through her head, even now as she lay silently on her bed, looking up to its bright and silky canopy.
"My little girl…"
Zelda lay with one arm draped over her eyes and sobs escaped her chest while tears leaked from her eyes.
"My little girl…"
Why didn't she even consider that possibility? After all that time he spent with her…even since her birth. Hindsight was perfectly clear, and now that she looked at herself, at him and his family…she began to see things. Her dirty blonde hair, her complexion…her freckles, they all came from him.
"My little girl…"
Zelda opened her eyes when she felt a small weight on her cheek. Moto was on top of her and was licking her cheek. Slowly, she rose to a sitting position and held her little friend in her hands. A sudden memory came forth from the depths of her mind…
***
The little princess hiccupped between breaths as she cradled the tiny creature in her hands. She hid between the Castle outer and inner walls, in its small and perfect garden, because she didn't want anyone to see how she failed so miserably. The little creature was going to die, and it was all her fault. How useless was she?
"Ho! Kiddo," a voice called from behind her. Zelda froze and turned around, staring back at the young man with her huge blue/green eyes.
"U…U…Uncle, " she choked, and she clutched the creature even closer to her chest. The young man, dressed in a green tunic and a long-tailed toque, knelt by her and patted the bonnet atop her head.
He smiled that heart-warming smile of his, and for a moment she felt better…but only for a moment. "What's the matter, Zelda? You shouldn't be crying…it's unbecoming of a princess you know."
Zelda sniffed again, and then brought out the creature that lay still in her arms. "The pet you gave me for my fourth birthday…" she hiccupped. "It's gonna die. I can't take care of it."
Link hummed thoughtfully and nudged at it's tiny head. Link had found her a rarest of the rare type of animal…a Bombchu/Keaton hybrid. It was so cute…but it was born premature and it was very small. Why did he think she would be able to take care of it?
"What did you try?" Link suddenly asked. "Did you try to feed it?" Zelda nodded. "Did you give it water?" Again, she nodded. "Did you play with it? Hug it and all that? Tell it you love it?" Zelda nodded at all these, and Link simply smiled. "Zelda…that's all you can do. It's up to the little guy now. If it dies, it dies, and you'll have to go on, but…at least you'll have its memories won't you?"
Tears began to flow from her eyes again. "I just…I just don't want it to die…"
Link hummed again, then he snapped his fingers. "Did you give it a name yet?"
"Huh?"
"Give it a name…then call out to it."
"A…a name?" Zelda's eyes wondered left and right as she thought about it…and then they brightened. "I want to call him Miyamoto-san."
Link blinked. "M…Miyamoto-san?" he said, then he turned away and said under his breath, "Man what a strange name." He then cleared his throat and called out to the creature. "Miyamoto-san? Hey, Moto-san!"
The creature opened its eyes and rolled over from its prone position in Zelda's hands, and it slowly rose to its feet. "K…Ku?"
"Moto-san!" Zelda cried, and she hugged the animal to near death. Link laughed and patted her head again.
"It'll be okay. Just keep doing what you're doing…and call it by his name. I trust you Zelda, you'll take care of it…of him…"
Zelda turned to Link with big bright eyes. "Uncle Link…don't tell my parents, but I love your present more than I did mother's or father's." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
Link just sat back and looked at her as she played with Moto…
***
The look he gave her at that time…it was the same look her father…the man she thought was her father, Prince Rile, gave her all the time. It was a look filled with parental love. She never even recognized it…but now…
Zelda wanted to scream.
Instead she turned to her darling Moto-san. "You saw it didn't you?" she sniffed. "You knew all along he was my real daddy?"
Moto twitched his huge ears and tilted his head to the side. "Ku?"
It was…utterly amazing. She had two fathers she didn't even know about. They both loved her as a daughter and they both cared for her. Now they were both gone. How could it have ended up like this?
Then another thought came to her…her father…Prince Rile? Did he ever know? Did he die thinking she was his biological daughter?
And what about Auntie Malon! She…she couldn't have known. She always treated her so well. Talon and Romani…they were her half-sisters. She had sisters! Her hands flew to her hair and she started to pull at it painfully as her eyes squeezed shut. This was all…too…much…
"Zelly."
Zelda's head flew up and she turned to the doorway. Impa was standing there. She didn't even sense her come in.
"Zelly…are you all right?"
Zelda stared back at her and growled. "What are you doing here?"
Impa fully entered her room and closed the door behind her. "I'm checking up on everyone…Tibalt…your mother…"
Before she could continue, Zelda got a wild thought into her head, and she blurted out, "Impa…am I-"
As Impa stared back at her, Zelda found herself unable to go on. A sudden inexplicable sense of shame rushed through her body like a brushfire. She blushed and looked away, but she did continue. "Am…am…am I…am I Link's…"
Impa sighed heavily, and lithely moved her large frame over to Zelda's bed. She sat down, causing the bed to tilt to one side and Zelda to fall towards her. However, she regained her balance. Impa sighed again and pulled Zelda towards her.
"Zelda…you have to understand…Link and your mother…they always loved each other. They fell in love when they were fourteen. Their big mistake was that they decided that the needs of the Kingdom outweighed their own needs. Zelda was a princess, and her marriage had to be as much for the Kingdom as it was for herself. So they never did get together."
"You're saying even though he was a Hero…because he wasn't a prince or a king or a regent or something they couldn't get married?"
Impa shrugged. "Zelda was a stickler for tradition at the time. It was only during her time with Link that she began to take a softer line with life. In any case, a few years after the last Cataclysm's Eve, a year before Link married the one who'd become love of his life, Malon…and about a few months into Zelda's marriage…the two of them got together." She shook her head solemnly. "It was only once, but it was enough. After that, you were born…and they knew that they were finished."
Zelda stared ahead blankly. So…it was true. "Did…did mother even love him? Father I mean? I…I mean Rile."
"Of course she did," Impa said with an incredulous look on her face. "Don't ever doubt that. In this world, it is very possible for people to fall in love with more than one person. Link…he wasn't a lech. He just had a lot of good women in his life, and he grew to love them all. Hell, his first love was probably Nabooru…but she died." With that, she threw a large arm around Zelda and with a smile, pulled her even closer. "I wouldn't even call what he and your mother did a mistake, because you're here after all. I couldn't imagine life without you. I'm sure that's how he felt too."
"You think so?" Zelda murmured, before immediately regretting it. No, Link wasn't perfect. He wasn't invincible, but he did love her…she knew that much.
Impa saw the look on the girl's face and decided not to bother answering that question. "Zelly…I have to ask you a favor. I must plead with you not to mention any of this to either your mother, or to Malon and her family."
Zelda raised her head angrily. "Bu..but…"
"Malon's family is in terribly rough shape right now. I don't think they could handle this. Maybe sometime in the future…I'm sure Talon and Romani would welcome you as a sister...but not now. Do you understand?"
Zelda nodded and looked to the floor with Moto clutched to her breast. She didn't look up as Impa got off the bed and left the room. Before she was completely out, the Matron turned to her one more time.
"Zelly…I know it's a lot to think about. I wouldn't want to stay cooped up here…that's simply too dangerous. Maybe you should see how your friends are?"
As Impa left the room, Zelda glanced to the floor…and then to her left hand. The Triforce of Wisdom shone out from the other triangles that were tattooed to its surface. A thin fracture ran along all three of the symbols.
The fractured Triforce.
The magical blade Gram.
The death of Invincible, the Hero of the Triforce.
…Her father…
This all had to mean something!
Zelda rose to her feet and moved to her closet to dress and leave the Castle.
************
A group of Knights were returning to the Castle after two days of reconnaissance. After the incident at No Man's Land, the Knights regrouped to scan the land for any remaining Ghanims. All their searches turned up negative, and it seemed as if everything they had seen and observed before the incident was just the lead-in to a trap. It seemed there were no Ghanim's near Hyrule, that the only one was probably in their prison now, the one who killed Invincible: Rin.
The lines of Knights made their way back to Hyrule, and within their ranks were some First Rank, including Bixenta and Donnelly.
"Well…I suppose we have our answer as to why your nose wasn't picking up those guys we 'saw' earlier," Don said silently. Bixenta simply nodded. Don scratched his neck and shrugged. "I guess we were all taken for fools. Man that must have been some spell."
Busy was still silent, and the walked that way for a while, before Don started up again. "All that hassle…just to kill him. Man…I guess it wasn't just us who thought he was kinda important."
"Why won't you shut the hell up?" Busy hissed, suddenly enraged.
Don didn't back down. "And what the hell should I be doing then? Stay quiet and broody like you? I don't think so. It's easier for me to say something." He turned and faced Busy directly. "What are you thinking right now, Busy?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Too bad, cause I'm making you!"
"Donnelly…" Busy growled.
Don ignored her and rushed on. "The only way you're gonna get me to shut up is by knocking me out. So we're not going anywhere until you tell me what's on your mind, or I'm flat on my back. Choose now!"
Busy squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth. "Donnelly…"
"Bixenta!"
"He…he was supposed to make me stronger…"
"Grow Bixenta. Become stronger. Feel the howl of the Wolfos in your blood. Control it; Master it. Then, and only then will I come to you. Then can you seek your reckoning."
"Busy?" Don said confusedly.
Bixenta was biting her lip, and tears were flowing from her eyes. "I don't know if I can do it without him."
Don had no idea what she was talking about, but at least she was talking…and that was enough for him. He patted her on the arm and stood silently in the fields.
"All right, we'd better be going back."
Don whirled and became face to face with Rocco. How the guy always seemed to come out of nowhere unnerved the hell out of him. He sometimes wondered if the guy was even human.
He wasn't going to get on his back now, especially knowing how his girlfriend's family was suffering.
"Hey…hey…Rocco, shouldn't you be with…um…"
"With Talon?" Rocco finished.
Don and Busy glanced at each other and then turned back to him. Rocco just shook his head.
"A huge gap's been created now that Sir. Link is gone. We all have to do our part to fill in that gap." Rocco turned and headed back to the Castle with the other Knights.
As they walked, Don could tell that Rocco's mind wasn't with the Knights, it was back in Lon Lon Ranch. Don turned to glance at the ranch in the horizon and sighed.
"Man," he thought gravely. "I just hope things don't get worse…"
************
"It's a difficult situation. We clearly have the boy, who's admitted what he's done and there's no doubt to his guilt. So then, how should we proceed?"
The Queen sat with her hands clasped together at her chin, and she was staring ahead into nothing. The council began to talk around her.
"I don't believe we can do business as usual," a Councilwoman started. "Normally we'd send him to prison for life…but…"
"But that wouldn't satisfy the people of Hyrule, would it?" Another Councilwoman finished.
"Link…"
"You're talking about…an execution?"
A council member nodded his agreement, but another placed his hands on the table in earnest. "There wasn't even an execution when the Prince, Goddesses keep him, was assassinated."
"That's because those responsible died when they attacked the Knights."
"But now…we're talking about killing an unarmed-"
"Unarmed but dangerous!" a member cut in. "And hated. The people need closure."
"I wasn't able to protect you…like you've always protected me." The Queen squeezed her eyes shut.
"I agree. This is a special case. Link was a hero of the highest order, and even those who don't know what he did during the last Cataclysm's Eve loved him. In order for the people of Hyrule to heal and go on with their lives…especially his family… his killer must die."
"I'm so sorry…"
"So then. Execution. Is it agreed?"
All of the council members nodded their heads. Then one turned to the Queen. "Your majesty?"
"I'm so sorry…" she cried.
A councilwoman leaned towards her and reached for her gently. "Your highness."
"If it's what will heal my people, then I have to go along with it," the Queen gulped.
"Rin…will be executed as soon as possible."
************
"Wind circled around itself in a little cyclone and light began to coalesce within its centre. Finally it dispersed, and Zelda stepped out from it quietly. She was wearing a simple long black dress, and she wore a black collar around her neck. It's something both her and her mother wore outside the Castle, to represent the grieving they were doing. Zelda didn't glamour her hair or face though. She promised Link she wouldn't hide herself again, and she wouldn't.
She looked around the Ranch and commented to herself on how it was strangely quiet. When she focused her hearing, she could hear sounds coming from the barn.
Zelda made her way to the shed in peeked inside. There she saw Talon loading up bales of hay into feeding troughs for the cows. She didn't look good. Her long red locks of hair were dishevelled, her clothes and her face were covered with dirt and mud, and sweat was plastered all over her face.
"Talon?"
The girl turned to her as she bent to lift another bale of hay, and then she turned away. "I'm sorry I can't entertain you right now, Zelda."
Zelda stepped into the barn and lifted the hay with her Wisdom. "I'm not here to be entertained," she said as she poured the hay into a feeder.
"I wish I could do that," Malon said with a weak smile. "Thanks. I love your new look by the way."
Smiling and lifting another bale into the air, Zelda looked up and down Talon's tired form. "Talon…why are…"
"Do you see anyone else here to help me?" Talon blurted as she lifted some hay off of the ground. "My mother won't even come out of her room. She won't do any work, she won't help cook she help won't clean, she hardly talks to us." Zelda could see that Talon was furious. "She just lies there in that room of hers."
"Talon…just give her some time-"
"The nerve of her! Does she think she's the only one who's sad!? He may've been her husband but he was my father!"
"She…knew him longer though Tal-"
"But I still get up at five every damn morning to take care of this family." Talon turned to Zelda with a desperate look in her eyes. "I know, we have a lot of money now…but I'm not willing to let these animals die. They still need to be taken care of. Why doesn't anyone appreciate that?"
Zelda gulped slowly and tried to get closer to her friend. "Why don't you hire others to help here?"
"Between taking care of my mother and the brat, do you think I have time to go looking for help?" Talon shook her head and squeezed her palm against her temple. "And that brat. Always with the "Where's my daddy! Where's my daddy!" Constantly…Zelda she doesn't stop! I swear I'm gonna…"
The princess finished off the rest of the hay and then took her friend by the hand. "When I get back, I'm going to send people to help you out around here," she said as she led Talon out of the barn. "I'll send a counsellor to speak to you and your family. Actually I'm surprised no one's come yet…"
"They have," Talon groaned. "Mother sent them away. That was before the f…funeral. Then she locked herself away…" she trailed off when she saw her little sister coming towards them from the house. Romani, he had always been so bright and cheerful, now looked dark and angry. She dragged around a beat-up Keaton doll. Zelda recognized the doll as one Link had won her a couple of years back during a festival.
"Romani," the princess said brightly. "Tell me…how're you doing?"
"I'm fine, Zelda," Romani said with a straight face. She then turned to her sister, who returned her look with one of pure malice.
"Don't say it again you b-"
"Where's my daddy! Talon! Where is he!?" Romani screeched. Talon held her hands over her ears and winced. "Where is he, Talon? Tell me where my daddy is!"
"I told you he's gone!" Talon shouted back, but that wasn't good enough for the little girl. Her voice became louder by several decibels.
"WHERE'S MY DADDY! WHERE IS HE!?"
Talon shrieked and lunged for the girl, but Zelda quickly grabbed her and clamped her hand over her mouth. The farm girl struggled but couldn't get out of Zelda's grip. All the while Romani was shrieking.
"WHERE IS HE? WHERE'S MY DADDY? WHERE-"
"Romani"
The girl stopped and became wide-eyed, and she clutched the Keaton doll close to her. The voice in her head belonged to Zelda, but she didn't move her lips. Of course, Romani couldn't understand because she wasn't a magic user.
In fact, telepathic communication to a person who wasn't magical was extremely difficult, but Zelda could manage it.
"Romani, please don't make things difficult for your sister."
The girl glanced around, as if not sure where the voice was coming from.
"You have to be a good girl, and you have to help your sister."
"I am a good girl."
Zelda smiled. "I know…just be a good girl to Talon and your mommy. Help her get better. Can you do that?"
"I just want to know where my daddy is," Romani said quietly.
Nodding, Zelda continued reassuringly. "If you be a good girl and help your mommy and your sister, they'll tell you…but you have to promise to listen to them." She leaned forward and added, "You promise?"
Romani nodded as well. "I promise."
"Okay then. Go back inside for now."
When the girl turned to go back into the house, Zelda released Talon from her grip. She turned on the princess angrily and was panting heavily. She stood there and faced off against Zelda, before she started to sway on her feet. Zelda caught her by the shoulders and pulled her close. Then Talon started to cry.
"Zelly…" she said between sobs. "I…I want Rocco here more often. Can you help me?"
Zelda grimaced and looked away. "He's…really taking his job even more seriously now that…well…now that…"
"Things are so much better when he's here," Talon sniffed. "I really need him with me. Couldn't you just…"
Zelda sighed and smiled. She just wouldn't take 'no' would she? Those two must really be getting serious now. "I'll talk to him."
Talon wiped her nose and stepped away from the princess. "Thank you, Zelly…you're a good friend."
Zelda smiled again and hugged her fiercely. "Yeah…" she thought with a bit of resignation. "That's all I am. A good friend."
************
"Execution!?" Zelda shouted. It was a few hours after she visited the ranch when she returned to the Castle and heard the news from her mother.
"It was a council decision," was all the Queen said, as she was walking a sleepy Tibalt bed. Zelda shot in front of her with her arms held wide.
"Mother! An execution!? I know we used to do that…but that before I was born. I thought it was deemed cruel and unusual?"
"Zelda…I agree…but this is a council decision."
"What council? You're the Queen, aren't you? You can override any decision."
The Queen paused, and then she glanced down to the floor. Zelda had never seen her mother so unsure of herself like this before. "I think it's good for the people, Zelly… It's what they want?"
"It's what they want, or it's what you want?"
Normally something like that would cause her mother to get very angry and scold her, but this time all it caused was a sigh. "It's in two days. There's nothing that can be done about it. Just let it be." With that, she picked Tibalt up and started down the hallway.
Zelda watched her walk by and then stared in front of her, completely vexed. Executed? But…did anyone talk to Rin? Did anyone even ask him why he did what he did?
There had to be a reason why? There had to be meaning to her father's death.
She had to find out. Zelda turned and headed towards the dungeons.
***
She found Rin sitting in a small cell. There was a bench and a window and a latrine, but she found the young man sitting on the floor against a wall. He was staring up into the ceiling. He looked so wan and small, not at all like the man who killed the Hero of the Triforce.
Zelda looked around the room and saw a guard in full armour standing by the cell. He saluted when he saw her. Apparently she was still recognizable, even with her hair short and her makeup off.
"Bring some food and water for the prisoner," Zelda said simply. The guard blinked and looked at her in confusion.
"But Princess…"
She suddenly twirled on him and slammed him against the bars with her magic. "But Princess? Are you even talking to me!?" She felt so angry…and it was not anger caused by the guard, but it was anger she had held since the moment Link died. She had not even acknowledged it up until this point, but now that she did, it felt like it was going to explode and vaporize the entire Castle. "What kind of Kingdom do you think this is? Do we starve our prisoners? Tell me!"
"P…Princess!"
"Get the hell out and bring the prisoner some food and water! NOW!"
She released the guard, who fell to the ground and immediately started up the stairs to get what the princess demanded.
She turned towards the cell, which flew open at her command and walked inside. As she approached, Rin started to his feet, possibly out of respect. Zelda didn't care. She lifted him off of his feet with her Wisdom and slammed him hard into a nearby wall.
"P…Princess…" he groaned.
"You're going to tell me…everything about you… and then you're going to be executed. Did you know that?"
Rin nodded. "Princess…nobody else cares about what I have to say."
Zelda shook her head slowly. "I do. I have to know why he had to die…because…because there has to be a reason for all of this." Again, she glanced towards the Triforce on her hand. "There has to be a reason," she whispered.
"Princess…" Rin bobbed his head. "Okay then. I'll tell you everything."
************
It becomes his story.
The Story of Rin.
He doesn't want any pity, any sympathy…
He only wants to be listened to.
Zelda listens…and after a startling and sudden revelation from the condemned prisoner, she prepares an action.
This action will set her on a path towards a true Destiny.
Next Chapter:
The Legend of Zelda: Her Story
Zelda's Action
Hope you'll enjoy it…and this one. If you read it please review. Until next time! –(o'.')o