Chapter 10
Kafei stared at him with his mouth hanging open. The Water Temple business had been pretty astounding, but that was just..overwhelming. He had so many questions but he didn't want to interrupt.
"Well? Then what?" Link smirked at him.
"Then..."
~ Link lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling. What would happen to him now? Would he start acting like a woman? He shuddered at that thought. No, he realized he knew the answer without really knowing how he knew. He was still him.
Zelda was sure she heard screaming coming from the Temple of Time. Moving quickly and carefully through the crowd, trying to avoid grasping hands, she made her way over to the temple doors. Link had no intention of getting up, so he was a little irritated when he heard the doors to the temple opening. ((Now I *have* to get up.))
Zelda made her way through the Door of Time into the chamber beyond. When at first she didn't see anything, or anyone, she decided she was just hearing things and was going to leave. The sight of the Master Sword resting peacefully in its place stopped her dead in her tracks. The sudden voice of the person she thought she'd probably never see again had her startled even more.
"Did I disturb your festivities, Zelda?"
"Dammit, Link, where are you?!"
"Right here," Link whispered in her ear from behind, causing her to jump and spin around.
"You have to quit doing that. It scares me."
"Oh, I'm sorry," he said in a mock apologetic tone. That was it for Zelda. She didn't know why he had put the sword back, but for whatever reason, it was going to stay there now no matter what. She was thankful she didn't have to "retrieve" it from him herself and put it back.
"Get out Link." Link had started walking to another end of the room, and upon her words turned around and approached her.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm banishing you Link. I feel you are a threat to me, my country, and most of all the Master Sword. I don't know what you were going to do with it, but it would have been disastrous I'm sure. I can't take that chance, not knowing how it might affect this land, or this time."
"Zelda-"
"No, Link. I don't want your phony explanations or your lies. I want you to leave, and I don't want you to come back. Something has happened to you, and you are not the Link I once knew. Leave." Zelda stood there pointing to the exit and Link was so furious with her, he decided it would serve her right to just leave the sword with the evil it held and go.
That's exactly what he did. But he didn't leave without getting in the last word.
"You'll regret this Zelda, and I hope you're sorry I'm not there the day you realize what a big mistake you made." With that he was gone, and Zelda held her head high, trying to convince herself she *had* made the right choice. She didn't know it quite yet, but this moment would change her forever. ~
Link thought about that day almost two months ago. He was childish to have left without doing something to keep the sword away from anyone who dared go after it, but Zelda had angered him and hurt him. So he fled to Lon Lon Ranch once *again* and stole Epona.
He wasn't ready for an encounter with Malon, he didn't think he'd ever be ready now that he had his own mind back. He was afraid she would convince him to stay, and he couldn't. He didn't belong anywhere near Zelda, the Master Sword, or Malon for that matter. He had hurt her too much.
She wouldn't know that it was his fault her step-mother was dead, but that was just too much for Link. He couldn't face her knowing that he'd taken Karyn away from her family, that her soul was now trapped inside his body. He tried not to think about her as being trapped, she had sacrificed herself for him. When he died, her soul would be set free also.
"Link?"
"Huh?"
"What happened to the sages?"
"I'm almost certain I saw into another world when I held onto the sword for those last few moments as the light surrounded me. They were there. I think they're hiding in the Light World with Rauru." "What did happen to Rauru? Did he die?"
"I don't think so, not quite anyway. He knew all along what was happening with me, and went to the Light World to give the others aid from there, knowing they would need that open connection between the two worlds." Kafei looked at him dumbfounded. He didn't even have to ask Link how he knew, Link just tapped the side of his head and smiled.
"Hero of Time man, I just know things." Kafei grinned. Link knew that grin. "No, you don't want to be the Hero of Time. Trust me. Look what's happened to me." Kafei just shook his head and chuckled.
"Well Link? What about Dark Link?"
"What about him?" Link took a potato and turned it in his hand as if it amused him. He was obviously avoiding the question.
"Don't give me that. You know damn well what I mean."
"Look, I just need time, ok? I need a plan. I can't just go barging back into Hyrule to steal the Master Sword. Zelda might be counting on that. Besides, no one but me and my kin can pull that sword, so it'll be safe for now while I cool down."
"And just how long will it take for you to 'cool down'?"
"We'll just have to see."
*************************
2 years later....
Link awoke to the sounds of birds chirping overhead. He slowly opened his eyes and was met with a big black nostril in his face.
"Yuck, get away Epona," he moaned and rolled over, trying to shield the sun from his face. He had been traveling the whole day before and part of the night, and right now he just wanted to sleep. His first mission was to go to Lon Lon Ranch and confront his biggest fear right now. The second, was to somehow retrieve the Master Sword and make sure nothing could free Dark Link.
That evening after gathering supplies he headed towards Lon Lon Ranch and rode up towards the pasture. Letting Epona run around, he went back to the farmhouse and knocked on the door. He was actually a little surprised when Malon answered the door.....Malon never answered the door. She was hardly ever actually inside the house during the day. She took one look at him and Link just knew she was going to slam it, but to his relief, she didn't. Instead she stepped aside as an obvious invitation for him to come inside. Only nodding, he stepped inside and she closed the door, leaning against it. No one spoke for a few minutes. Finally gathering up his courage, Link walked over to Malon and pulled her to the table so they could sit down.
"I don't know where to begin.." Link wouldn't take his gaze off her and it unnerved her somewhat.
"You don't have to, Link. Karyn told me what she planned to do, and I accepted it because I knew it would save you, even though it meant I would lose her."
"I.."
"Shhh. I don't want you to feel guilty, because I know how that whole thing affected you. I know you cared about her. I know you care about me."
"Malon, I-"
"Father didn't take it as well, at first. We've had two years to heal though, Link. Some of the pain has receded -most of it- but it will never be completely gone."
"I know that, and I'd do-"
"Don't make promises you can't keep. I have forgiven you Link. What we had between us, the friendship, that won't ever be the same. But I will never hate you. I could never hate you."
Before Link could even say anything this time, Malon got up and started for the stairs. "We can be friendly toward each other, but I'm afraid it will never go past that. I just can't. I can't, and I need you to accept that even if you don't understand it."
"Stay in the barn if you need to, but I'm afraid that's all I can offer for now," she said in a voice that Link perceived as somewhat guilty.
"This is it huh? No more?" Malon didn't say anything and headed up the stairs, leaving Link with his thoughts.
*********
Link's eyes snapped open when he felt a familiar churning in his stomach. ((Odd,)) he thought. ((I get that feeling when I'm time traveling.)) Climbing out of the hay, he got onto Epona and rode out of the ranch toward New Castle Town. When he saw a few guards ride up as he entered, he figured it would be best to stay out of sight, seeing as he'd been banished. Hiding behind a few shrubs just outside the Temple of Time, he overheard the guards talking. "The princess is no where to be found, and the Master Sword seems to have mysteriously disappeared. If she's not back by sundown tomorrow, the king will surely declare war on the city of Erryl."
"Why Erryl?"
"Fool, that is where Lord Eiraki captured him. He is sure that Eiraki's successor has been plotting something against him, and this could be it. The king's been looking for an excuse to attack anyway..."
"Enough! Let's get out of here."
((So, Zelda's been kidnaped and the Master Sword has vanished. Interesting indeed.)) Link emerged from the shrubs and went to get his horse.
Flinging the door open to the farmhouse with a bit more force than necessary, Link raced up the stairs and pounded on Malon's door. The possible outbreak of war had his heart racing and his mind swarming. He had to tell Malon what he really thought of her and now, before he lost his nerve and it was too late.
"Malon!" Malon opened her door and Link pushed past her before she could shut the door. He didn't want her avoiding him anymore because of pride, he knew she felt the same way about him as he did her. "I'm going to talk to you, and you're not going to interrupt."
He pulled her with him and sat her down on the bed. He kneeled down in front of her so their faces would be level.
"I love you, ok? I have for a long time even if I couldn't tell you in the past. I couldn't grasp that feeling, it was out of my reach, but now that my mind is my own, I know it through and through. I'm not finished yet. I know you said you didn't want anything beyond just friendship, but I don't understand it and I sure as hell can't accept it, because I know *you* can't accept it Malon.
"I know how you feel about me and there's no getting around it. You're mine and you always will be." He breathed. "There, I've said it. We belong together. I love you." Malon didn't say anything, but she smiled. Link knew everything would be ok now. It had to be ok. He would die if it were anything other than ok.
"I knew my knight in shining armor would sweep me off my feet someday. I'm glad it was you, Link."
Hugging each other, they both thought they had finally found peace at last.
***********************
3 years after that....
The war was a lost cause. Though what war wasn't?
Link and Kafei walked side by side through the mass of dead bodies, their troops not far behind. The war was finally over after three years and they had survived. Link promised himself that he would survive...for her. They were on the outskirts of the Gerudo Valley where the last battle had been fought.
Day after day, battle after battle, it seemed to go on forever and forever until there was no more land to fight on. Everywhere the soldiers went, more innocents died, and more land had gone to waste. It was to be expected in war, and with such a war as great as this, it was a surprise the whole world hadn't been destroyed in the process.
Though the fighting was over, there had been no victory. The Princess Zelda was lost to all, as was the king of Hyrule. The king died with pride, sword in hand, during a battle as great warriors should die. The princess, however, seemed to have vanished from the very earth. Link and Kafei walked sluggishly back toward Hyrule, not knowing what had become of the once beautiful country.
A couple days later, they stood on the border between Gerudo Valley and the Hyrule Field, unable to do anything but stare in shock and defeat. The land was black, marred by flame and battle. There were sporadic fires across the field and bodies, so many bodies, lay bloody as far as the eye could see.
There was a moment of panic as Link realized the fighting had ranged over the entire country, and wasted no more time to get back to his home. Running like the devil, Kafei and his friends right behind him, it didn't take them long to reach the gates of Lon Lon Ranch. The burning gates of Lon Lon Ranch.
"Oh Goddesses, no." Link ran to the farmhouse and searched for his wife. When he could not find her he searched the pasture, the barn, the milk tower. He searched everywhere but could not find a living soul.
"Link..." Kafei whispered as he tapped him on the shoulder. "Link, over there..." Link turned and followed Kafei's gaze to the far north end of the ranch, where on the wall three crosses had been mounted. Without saying anything, Link ran toward them and stopped so suddenly he almost fell at the sight of the three crucified bodies. Talon, Ingo, and...no.
There was an instant when everything went dark, and then he was all of a sudden flooded with memories of two lives, combined into one. It was mostly her though, glowing the biggest and brightest.
"I knew you'd come back to me, love," she said. "I knew it wouldn't be long."
"I'm almost there, just give me your hand." Their fingers met and his world exploded as white light surrounded them both and they were carried away.
Link had died instantly, his heart exploding within his chest. Kafei lit a fire in the center of the ranch and threw the four bodies into it, praying for their souls. He then lead the troops back out into the black world that waited for them. The land threatened to swallow them whole, filling them with despair and bitterness for the consequences of that useless war.
Kafei straightened himself and promised he would not let his best friend down, that he would not give in to death. He would survive because Link hadn't, and he would make sure the people knew of the legend of a great hero that defeated a great many evils, and would continue to fight on in the next life. The Hero of Time would be reborn, and it would be a dark day when evil crossed his path.
"Now you are free, Link. You are both free." And Kafei set out for home.
Kafei stared at him with his mouth hanging open. The Water Temple business had been pretty astounding, but that was just..overwhelming. He had so many questions but he didn't want to interrupt.
"Well? Then what?" Link smirked at him.
"Then..."
~ Link lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling. What would happen to him now? Would he start acting like a woman? He shuddered at that thought. No, he realized he knew the answer without really knowing how he knew. He was still him.
Zelda was sure she heard screaming coming from the Temple of Time. Moving quickly and carefully through the crowd, trying to avoid grasping hands, she made her way over to the temple doors. Link had no intention of getting up, so he was a little irritated when he heard the doors to the temple opening. ((Now I *have* to get up.))
Zelda made her way through the Door of Time into the chamber beyond. When at first she didn't see anything, or anyone, she decided she was just hearing things and was going to leave. The sight of the Master Sword resting peacefully in its place stopped her dead in her tracks. The sudden voice of the person she thought she'd probably never see again had her startled even more.
"Did I disturb your festivities, Zelda?"
"Dammit, Link, where are you?!"
"Right here," Link whispered in her ear from behind, causing her to jump and spin around.
"You have to quit doing that. It scares me."
"Oh, I'm sorry," he said in a mock apologetic tone. That was it for Zelda. She didn't know why he had put the sword back, but for whatever reason, it was going to stay there now no matter what. She was thankful she didn't have to "retrieve" it from him herself and put it back.
"Get out Link." Link had started walking to another end of the room, and upon her words turned around and approached her.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm banishing you Link. I feel you are a threat to me, my country, and most of all the Master Sword. I don't know what you were going to do with it, but it would have been disastrous I'm sure. I can't take that chance, not knowing how it might affect this land, or this time."
"Zelda-"
"No, Link. I don't want your phony explanations or your lies. I want you to leave, and I don't want you to come back. Something has happened to you, and you are not the Link I once knew. Leave." Zelda stood there pointing to the exit and Link was so furious with her, he decided it would serve her right to just leave the sword with the evil it held and go.
That's exactly what he did. But he didn't leave without getting in the last word.
"You'll regret this Zelda, and I hope you're sorry I'm not there the day you realize what a big mistake you made." With that he was gone, and Zelda held her head high, trying to convince herself she *had* made the right choice. She didn't know it quite yet, but this moment would change her forever. ~
Link thought about that day almost two months ago. He was childish to have left without doing something to keep the sword away from anyone who dared go after it, but Zelda had angered him and hurt him. So he fled to Lon Lon Ranch once *again* and stole Epona.
He wasn't ready for an encounter with Malon, he didn't think he'd ever be ready now that he had his own mind back. He was afraid she would convince him to stay, and he couldn't. He didn't belong anywhere near Zelda, the Master Sword, or Malon for that matter. He had hurt her too much.
She wouldn't know that it was his fault her step-mother was dead, but that was just too much for Link. He couldn't face her knowing that he'd taken Karyn away from her family, that her soul was now trapped inside his body. He tried not to think about her as being trapped, she had sacrificed herself for him. When he died, her soul would be set free also.
"Link?"
"Huh?"
"What happened to the sages?"
"I'm almost certain I saw into another world when I held onto the sword for those last few moments as the light surrounded me. They were there. I think they're hiding in the Light World with Rauru." "What did happen to Rauru? Did he die?"
"I don't think so, not quite anyway. He knew all along what was happening with me, and went to the Light World to give the others aid from there, knowing they would need that open connection between the two worlds." Kafei looked at him dumbfounded. He didn't even have to ask Link how he knew, Link just tapped the side of his head and smiled.
"Hero of Time man, I just know things." Kafei grinned. Link knew that grin. "No, you don't want to be the Hero of Time. Trust me. Look what's happened to me." Kafei just shook his head and chuckled.
"Well Link? What about Dark Link?"
"What about him?" Link took a potato and turned it in his hand as if it amused him. He was obviously avoiding the question.
"Don't give me that. You know damn well what I mean."
"Look, I just need time, ok? I need a plan. I can't just go barging back into Hyrule to steal the Master Sword. Zelda might be counting on that. Besides, no one but me and my kin can pull that sword, so it'll be safe for now while I cool down."
"And just how long will it take for you to 'cool down'?"
"We'll just have to see."
*************************
2 years later....
Link awoke to the sounds of birds chirping overhead. He slowly opened his eyes and was met with a big black nostril in his face.
"Yuck, get away Epona," he moaned and rolled over, trying to shield the sun from his face. He had been traveling the whole day before and part of the night, and right now he just wanted to sleep. His first mission was to go to Lon Lon Ranch and confront his biggest fear right now. The second, was to somehow retrieve the Master Sword and make sure nothing could free Dark Link.
That evening after gathering supplies he headed towards Lon Lon Ranch and rode up towards the pasture. Letting Epona run around, he went back to the farmhouse and knocked on the door. He was actually a little surprised when Malon answered the door.....Malon never answered the door. She was hardly ever actually inside the house during the day. She took one look at him and Link just knew she was going to slam it, but to his relief, she didn't. Instead she stepped aside as an obvious invitation for him to come inside. Only nodding, he stepped inside and she closed the door, leaning against it. No one spoke for a few minutes. Finally gathering up his courage, Link walked over to Malon and pulled her to the table so they could sit down.
"I don't know where to begin.." Link wouldn't take his gaze off her and it unnerved her somewhat.
"You don't have to, Link. Karyn told me what she planned to do, and I accepted it because I knew it would save you, even though it meant I would lose her."
"I.."
"Shhh. I don't want you to feel guilty, because I know how that whole thing affected you. I know you cared about her. I know you care about me."
"Malon, I-"
"Father didn't take it as well, at first. We've had two years to heal though, Link. Some of the pain has receded -most of it- but it will never be completely gone."
"I know that, and I'd do-"
"Don't make promises you can't keep. I have forgiven you Link. What we had between us, the friendship, that won't ever be the same. But I will never hate you. I could never hate you."
Before Link could even say anything this time, Malon got up and started for the stairs. "We can be friendly toward each other, but I'm afraid it will never go past that. I just can't. I can't, and I need you to accept that even if you don't understand it."
"Stay in the barn if you need to, but I'm afraid that's all I can offer for now," she said in a voice that Link perceived as somewhat guilty.
"This is it huh? No more?" Malon didn't say anything and headed up the stairs, leaving Link with his thoughts.
*********
Link's eyes snapped open when he felt a familiar churning in his stomach. ((Odd,)) he thought. ((I get that feeling when I'm time traveling.)) Climbing out of the hay, he got onto Epona and rode out of the ranch toward New Castle Town. When he saw a few guards ride up as he entered, he figured it would be best to stay out of sight, seeing as he'd been banished. Hiding behind a few shrubs just outside the Temple of Time, he overheard the guards talking. "The princess is no where to be found, and the Master Sword seems to have mysteriously disappeared. If she's not back by sundown tomorrow, the king will surely declare war on the city of Erryl."
"Why Erryl?"
"Fool, that is where Lord Eiraki captured him. He is sure that Eiraki's successor has been plotting something against him, and this could be it. The king's been looking for an excuse to attack anyway..."
"Enough! Let's get out of here."
((So, Zelda's been kidnaped and the Master Sword has vanished. Interesting indeed.)) Link emerged from the shrubs and went to get his horse.
Flinging the door open to the farmhouse with a bit more force than necessary, Link raced up the stairs and pounded on Malon's door. The possible outbreak of war had his heart racing and his mind swarming. He had to tell Malon what he really thought of her and now, before he lost his nerve and it was too late.
"Malon!" Malon opened her door and Link pushed past her before she could shut the door. He didn't want her avoiding him anymore because of pride, he knew she felt the same way about him as he did her. "I'm going to talk to you, and you're not going to interrupt."
He pulled her with him and sat her down on the bed. He kneeled down in front of her so their faces would be level.
"I love you, ok? I have for a long time even if I couldn't tell you in the past. I couldn't grasp that feeling, it was out of my reach, but now that my mind is my own, I know it through and through. I'm not finished yet. I know you said you didn't want anything beyond just friendship, but I don't understand it and I sure as hell can't accept it, because I know *you* can't accept it Malon.
"I know how you feel about me and there's no getting around it. You're mine and you always will be." He breathed. "There, I've said it. We belong together. I love you." Malon didn't say anything, but she smiled. Link knew everything would be ok now. It had to be ok. He would die if it were anything other than ok.
"I knew my knight in shining armor would sweep me off my feet someday. I'm glad it was you, Link."
Hugging each other, they both thought they had finally found peace at last.
***********************
3 years after that....
The war was a lost cause. Though what war wasn't?
Link and Kafei walked side by side through the mass of dead bodies, their troops not far behind. The war was finally over after three years and they had survived. Link promised himself that he would survive...for her. They were on the outskirts of the Gerudo Valley where the last battle had been fought.
Day after day, battle after battle, it seemed to go on forever and forever until there was no more land to fight on. Everywhere the soldiers went, more innocents died, and more land had gone to waste. It was to be expected in war, and with such a war as great as this, it was a surprise the whole world hadn't been destroyed in the process.
Though the fighting was over, there had been no victory. The Princess Zelda was lost to all, as was the king of Hyrule. The king died with pride, sword in hand, during a battle as great warriors should die. The princess, however, seemed to have vanished from the very earth. Link and Kafei walked sluggishly back toward Hyrule, not knowing what had become of the once beautiful country.
A couple days later, they stood on the border between Gerudo Valley and the Hyrule Field, unable to do anything but stare in shock and defeat. The land was black, marred by flame and battle. There were sporadic fires across the field and bodies, so many bodies, lay bloody as far as the eye could see.
There was a moment of panic as Link realized the fighting had ranged over the entire country, and wasted no more time to get back to his home. Running like the devil, Kafei and his friends right behind him, it didn't take them long to reach the gates of Lon Lon Ranch. The burning gates of Lon Lon Ranch.
"Oh Goddesses, no." Link ran to the farmhouse and searched for his wife. When he could not find her he searched the pasture, the barn, the milk tower. He searched everywhere but could not find a living soul.
"Link..." Kafei whispered as he tapped him on the shoulder. "Link, over there..." Link turned and followed Kafei's gaze to the far north end of the ranch, where on the wall three crosses had been mounted. Without saying anything, Link ran toward them and stopped so suddenly he almost fell at the sight of the three crucified bodies. Talon, Ingo, and...no.
There was an instant when everything went dark, and then he was all of a sudden flooded with memories of two lives, combined into one. It was mostly her though, glowing the biggest and brightest.
"I knew you'd come back to me, love," she said. "I knew it wouldn't be long."
"I'm almost there, just give me your hand." Their fingers met and his world exploded as white light surrounded them both and they were carried away.
Link had died instantly, his heart exploding within his chest. Kafei lit a fire in the center of the ranch and threw the four bodies into it, praying for their souls. He then lead the troops back out into the black world that waited for them. The land threatened to swallow them whole, filling them with despair and bitterness for the consequences of that useless war.
Kafei straightened himself and promised he would not let his best friend down, that he would not give in to death. He would survive because Link hadn't, and he would make sure the people knew of the legend of a great hero that defeated a great many evils, and would continue to fight on in the next life. The Hero of Time would be reborn, and it would be a dark day when evil crossed his path.
"Now you are free, Link. You are both free." And Kafei set out for home.