Authors note: A huge apology for this long delay. I looked at the date of my last post, and realized that it has been over a month. Unfortunately life seems to be saturated with other things that have called my attention. A big thanks to those that reviewed, and, in response to a request, here is a very brief explanation of the timeline. I will try to reformat earlier chapters and include this at the beginning at a later date. Also, to those who thought Taryn would get off scot free and were a little upset by it, don't worry. He will get what he deserves.
#Explanation#
Past: When the story is in the past, it is referring to the Link and Zelda from the Ocarnia of Time game, as they are when they are adults and Ganon has been defeated.
Somewhere in the future, a couple of hundred years later, there exists another Link and Zelda that have no association with any other Legend of Zelda game.
In the story, the timelines occur simultaneously. For example, when five days pass in the past, they also pass in the present.
Link from the past and Link from the present are pulled into a void where time does not exist by Ahenous, the villain of the story. Present Zelda eventually rescues them, but Past Link travels with Present Link and Zelda until he is able to return to his own time by the use of the master sword.
I hope this helps clear up the story a little.
Enjoy.
~*~
Present~*~
"Shhh. We can't drop it. Who knows what will happen." Link whispered to Zelda as they made their way down a darkened corridor of the palace, a very familiar basin between them, their jostling threatening to tip the strangely colored liquid over the side. With the Hero of Time, the two had devised a plan that they hoped would be successful in taking them back in time, back to the days of the old Hyrule, when there were still many races that shared the land in peace.
"How much farther?" Zelda asked, puffing a little as she struggled to drag the basin one step at a time.
"We are almost to your room, and hopefully we will be able to arrange some other kind of transport to take this to the ruins."
Although she did not know the specifics of how Ahenous's basin worked, Impa had done some research in the library, and had come to the conclusion that their best chance to get to the proper time was to use the liquid in the Temple of Time at the same time the Hero traveled with his sword. Hopefully the stream of time would catch the two of them up and carry them back with the Hero.
"What time is it, do you think?" Link asked her as they paused to catch their breaths.
"Almost midnight. We should have plenty of time to get this and the Hero out of the castle and well away before Taryn's deadline."
He looked in her eyes, opening his mouth as if to say something, then closed it and looked away. She reached over and grabbed his chin, meeting his gaze with her own, reading his thoughts.
"No, I am coming with you."
"Zelda, I have nothing. Here you have everything. I can't take you with me." He closed his eyes, turning his gaze away from her lovely face. "I have nothing to offer."
She moved around the basin, reaching out to him and drawing herself close. Burying her head in his chest, she murmured, "Oh Link, how many times do I have to tell you." She looked up, her eyes wet with tears as they met his. "You are my everything."
He looked wordlessly down at her, before drawing her in and kissing her deeply.
"Ahem." The two broke apart quickly, looking up the stairwell to see an amused Hero braced against Impa.
"Are we ready?" The Hero asked the couple, leaning on Impa heavily as they made their way down the stairs to the landing where the couple was standing.
"I have a horse and cart already to go out behind the stables. No one should see us slip out."
"Are you sure you won't come with us, Impa?" Zelda asked her nanny, suddenly realizing that this would be the last time she saw her.
"No, my place is here. Besides, you will need someone to cover your tracks and make sure the kingdom is safe with Taryn."
The four made their way through the darkened courtyard, their footfalls silenced by the gurgling of a nearby fountain, and their motions covered by the nighttime darkness and the lack of moonlight.
~*~
Past~*~
I was pacing nervously in front of the stone pedestal. Impa gave me yet another one of those looks that said she would like to glue my feet to the floor to stop my nervous movement. I shouldn't have let him go. He was in no condition to be hopping through time like he was out for a pleasant, midday stroll through the woods.
"Zelda, he will be all right."
I gave her a stony look as I paused in my nervous journey from the doorway to the pedestal that had held the master sword. "He has been gone almost a whole day."
"Why don't we go back and wait at the castle. You need some food and sleep. This isn't good for the baby."
"I'm fine." I snapped, a little too harshly, and instantly regretted it as I saw Impa's hurt expression. "I'm sorry," I said, much more softly, "I can't wait. I have to be here when he gets back." The worry in her face was evident, and I devised a task that would hopefully take her mind off of her feelings of helplessness, even if it would not help me.
"Impa, I do feel hungry. Could you run to the castle, and fetch some dinner, and maybe a blanket or two?"
She smiled, seeing right through my effort. "Of course Princess. I will be back directly."
I sigh and resume my pacing as she leaves the room. Humming softly to myself, I began to count the number of steps it took to reach the master sword's pedestal from the doorway. One…two...three…uneven stone….four…five…a weird fluttering movement in my stomach interrupted my count. It was slight at first, and I shoved it aside, convinced that maybe Impa was right, I needed food. But then it came again, stronger, like a circus act had started deep down in my inner organs. My hand flew unconsciously to the spot where a bulge reminded me of my son or daughter's presence. Again, the jolt came, and this time my hand could feel the pressure of his or her foot pressing against my skin, letting me know of its presence and eagerness to join the outside world.
"Ohh." I couldn't believe it. This was the first time I had actually felt my baby kick, and it struck me anew that this was tangible evidence of Link and my love. In my exhilaration, I did not even notice the familiar blue light that filled the chamber.
"Zelda, are you alright?" I whirled around to find my husband propped up between two strangers, a concerned sound in his voice at his misinterpretation of my sound.
"Link!" I flew towards him, gathering him in my arms and temporarily ignoring the two strangers on either side of him. "You were late. I was so worried."
"My love, what is the matter?" His hand reached up to caress my cheek and the tears of joy that had begun to fall. I grabbed his hand and placed gently on our baby's temporary home.
"Feel."
He looked at my quizzically, before his eyes widened in wonder as he felt the next kick. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Yes." I drew in his lips for a kiss.
"Ahem." A nervous cough and slight chuckle drew my attention away from his mouth and towards the two people who were on either side of my husband. I backed away, blushing slightly and met Link's gaze, who was glowing with a strange look of pride on his face.
"Zelda, Link, I would like you to meet my wife, Princess Zelda of Hyrule."
"It is an honor Princess. We have heard so much about you, and are finally glad of this chance to meet you in person."
The man smiled shyly. "Your Highness. I would like to thank you for being so gracious as to host us."
The Princess looked a little stunned, especially at the Future Link's declaration and formal manners. "Please, my name has been and always will be Zelda." I moved around, helping the other two move Link out of the chamber holding the master sword to the main entrance that held the three spiritual stones. Sitting my husband down on one of the stairs, I sat next to him, propping him up until Impa could return and help us move him to our room.
Zelda from the future sat next to me. "It is quite refreshing to be around royalty that isn't so stuffy all the time. Quite an odd experience for Link and I."
I looked at her strangely. "I would have thought the royalty would be almost outdated by your time."
Her eyebrow tilted upwards. "Why would you think that? In our time the royalty is stronger than ever. In fact, we hope to stay here after Ahenous is defeated." Her head dropped slightly, and her Link moved beside her to take her hand.
I looked at my husband, surprised at this sudden revelation.
"Her brother is the King, and has declared that it is beneath his and Hyrule's dignity to let them marry."
"But I thought that law you had written would take care of that?"
"Apparently not. In public, he declared himself pleased with the match, but in private it seems like he can be a real tyrant. In fact, when I asked to see Link and Zelda…" he chuckled at himself "…sorry, it seems funny to be using our names to talk about someone else. Anyway, when I asked simply to be allowed to see them, he had his guards interrogate me for a couple of hours in the dungeons."
I looked back at the couple, their eyes beginning to look hopeless. How could I refuse them this simple request? "Of course, you will stay here. Besides," with this I grinned at my husband, "it will be nice to have another woman around the castle."
"But Impa is here."
"She hardly counts. I mean face it, she is so stiff and formal sometimes I think she is made out of wood rather than flesh."
"Then it is settled. Link and Zelda will stay here, with us."
She looked at her fiancé, joy-diffusing through both their faces before replying. "We accept, with all our hearts. But please, call me Zel. I think it will be confusing, both of us running around being called Zelda. Besides it will be nice to make a break with my past self."
"I guess I will have to make my name longer. There isn't much you can do to shorten Link, is there?"
Zel laughed at him. "We can always just use your last name too."
He thought for a moment, turning with his hand outstretched. "Link Arends, at your service."
~*~
Present~*~
"I don't believe it. Call my council. NOW!" An angry Taryn had been pacing back and forth for hours now, listening to the sounds of the mob outside his palace.
"What did you expect your majesty. The people are dismayed to hear that their heroes have been chased out of the country by their own King."
"I couldn't have her marry him. She was supposed to drop him and marry a royal I picked. After all, I am King, aren't I? Isn't what I say supposed to go?"
"Taryn, Taryn. All these years, and you still have learned so little." He swung around to see Impa laughing at him from a corner.
"What do you think you are still doing here? Get out of my palace. Or I will have you thrown into the dungeons, and it will be years before you see sunlight again."
"I would like to see you try it. Haven't you realized yet, that you have no power? That mob outside wants your head. You have gotten rid of the only member of the royal family that they would willingly follow. They trusted Zelda, trusted her to keep you in check. Even if it was all a façade. And they loved Link. He saved the country. A commoner."
"So he saved the country. So what?"
"Don't you realize what that means?" She motioned out the window. "Those people realize that they don't need you anymore. You did nothing. You were helpless. And then you get rid of their heroes. You are finished Taryn. Gone. Done with."
He stared at her in anger. "Get out! Get out!" His ministers fled the room as his face grew redder and redder, finally reaching the color of the carpeting that led to the throne.
She laughed. "Goodbye Taryn. And I leave you with his final thought. Your sister is happy and will live her life out to the fullest contentment. And you, you will rot in your own dungeon until the end of your days."
Her laughter echoed through the halls as he slumped to the floor, his head between his knees and his hands desperately running through his hair. "What have I done? What have I done?"
