Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda or any of the characters in the Zelda series (if I did, I wouldn't waste my time here). I'm not making any money of this and if I forgot anything else in this disclaimer I did or didn't do that as well.

Chapter 38 - The Hero of Time

A year had passed since Link had killed the dark Goron, and in that year many monsters had showed him it didn't end with Rock. Even with the help of Romani he had trouble keeping peace in Hyrule and in some cases the armies of the Zora and Goron had to help and in some very rare occasions the sheikah came to help, but Zelda remained always in the castle. So Link decided to go to the castle himself to ask Zelda if she hadn't have any visions concerning the new evil that threatened Hyrule or if she knew things about the war that had raged in Hyrule when he was born.
"Do you want me to come with you?"
Link shook his head.
"That's not necessary, Romani, I can do it on my own."
"I know, but the kids have never even seen the palace before, and I'm sure they would love to go."
"Yeah dad, can we come? We'll be good." The little kid asked when he suddenly came crawling from under the table.
"Not now, but I will take you, all of you," he smiled at Romani, "some other time, when I don't have so much on my mind, so we can have a fun trip. So you stay here with your brothers and sister, okay?"
The little kid pouted and went back to the table.
"And don't pout, Mikau, you're five years old!"
Mikau turned back to his dad with a smile.
"Just trying to change your mind, dad."
"Well don't do it like that. Where are you brothers and sister anyway?"
Mikau whistled and Darmani came running of the stairs with Dekaru on his back and Malon right behind. He put his kid brother down and looked up to his dad. Link couldn't help but smile when he looked at his kids. Mikau and Darmani, both five, looked identically even though Mikau had a blue shirt and Darmani a red one, Dekaru was only two years old but looked already very similar to his brothers and sat there with a green shirt on, waving a deku stick. Malon was the only one who had her mother's red hair, the boys were all blond. She had just turned three and had a purple dress, thought she preferred pants to play in. Just like the boys, Malon was always ready to sneak out and explore the world. Luckily Dekaru was still too young but seemed ready to take off any day now.
"Are you really going away dad?" Malon asked.
"Of course not, I'm just going to the castle and then I'll come back." Link dropped on his knees so his face was right before Malon's.
"That's what you said about going to Tempora and you had to go and save Holodrum and Labrynna." Darmani reacted.
"That's right, thank you for paying attention to my stories, but that was outside my power to stop that. So, if I don't return tonight, that's because I'm off adventuring, but know that there's no place I would rather be than here at home with all of you. And in a few months or even weeks, we'll all visit the castle, after we've gone to aunt Cremia to stop the ghosts from taking the cows, okay?"
"But not before the troubles stop, right dad?" Mikau asked.
"Right."
He smiled, hugged his children and kissed Romani goodbye. Just a few moments later he rode of to the castle with Epona, stopping once to look at his home, just south of the entrance of the Lost Woods. He had found happiness there and he hoped it would last for a long time. He really didn't want to leave them behind, but it was just for a few hours, he would be back at night, and he really wanted to ask Zelda some questions about this whole situation. He hoped Zelda had the answers.

The castle guard took Epona to the royal stables as Link quickly made his way to the courtyard. He smiled as he thought of the first time he tried to sneak in. It took him almost three days to reach Zelda. His smiled broadened when he thought of the last time he sneaked in as a kid, he got to Zelda in twenty minutes. He suddenly felt the urge to do it again, although it had been eighteen years since his last attempt, but he thought Zelda's bodyguards would be a bit too jumpy and might try to harm him before they saw it was him, so he stayed on the ground and passed the guards.
"Zelda," he said as he entered the palace garden, "it's been too long."
"Link," she smiled as she looked up, "how nice to see you again. What news brings you here? How's Romani and the kids?"
"They are fine, thanks for asking, but I would like to ask you some questions, if I may."
"Certainly, go ahead, but if it's about the recent trouble in Hyrule, I'm afraid I can't help you. I haven't had any visions yet."
"That was one of the reasons I came here, but I would like to know if you could tell me a few things about the war that raged in Hyrule before Ganondorf."
"That was from before my time, but you're in luck," Zelda turned and waved at one of her sheikah who immediately left, "there is some one here who can tell you everything about that."
Link looked up at the man who came in the garden. He had short black hair with a strip of grey at the side and a short trimmed beard and looked about fifty. He was dressed in a shining breastplate with the Triforce engraved on it. The sleeves of his tunic were blue, just as his cloak.
"This is Madakar, the ancient Hero of Time. He fought in the war. I'm sure he can tell you anything you want to know."
Link saw an immediate distrust and dislike in the eyes of Madakar and decided he didn't like Madakar as well.
"Madakar, I would like you to meet Link, the defeater of Ganondorf." Zelda smiled.
The handshake was short but firm.
"You have fought in the war?" Link asked.
"I did, but it costed me my wife and unborn child, as well as my best friends. What do you want to know about it," his eyes grew suddenly very hostile, "and why?"
"I've been told the troubles in Hyrule are tied together with the events during Ganondorf's reign and the war."
"And who may have told you that?"
"Someone who tried to kill me, now I would like to know how the war started and why there was a war."
Link grew a bit impatient. Madakar didn't gave any answers. Suddenly he wanted to return to his family and find out things on his own.
"The sorcerer Kaligan tried to conquer Hyrule and I stopped him."
"That's it?" Link was surprised, he would have thought the war would have been a bit... harder.
But then again, the fight against Ganondorf took him over eight years, not counting the timeloops, and Ganondorf had killed a lot of people in that time.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but the war lasted over four years and it was me that killed Kaligan after our troops had destroyed his."
"Troops?"
"You don't think I went in alone do you?"
"Well to be honest..." that's what I did, Link was about to say, but was interrupted by Madakar.
"If you don't take this serious, I have no further business with you!" Madakar shouted, "now be gone!"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard the general," one of the sheikah said, "leave."
"Zelda?" Link looked at Zelda for help, but received nothing.
"I'm sorry, Link, but I must agree you haven't shown proper respect for one of our greatest hero's."
"This is ridiculous, Zelda," Link turned around and walked away, "this isn't over, you will need my help and you will regret your attitude. Mark my words."
"I'm sorry for this, Madakar, I truly am."
"That young man has no respect. You say he has beaten Ganondorf? Then Ganondorf was nothing."
"I'm sure I could have beaten Ganondorf myself, but I had to go into hiding and Link was lucky enough to find some temple treasures and fought Ganondorf himself. I don't even know what Link was doing in those temples."
"He should at least show respect to you, my queen, I'm sure your father would never tolerate this kind of behaviour."
"I'm sure of that, but unfortunately he is too strong and because he has killed Ganondorf, he thinks he can do as he pleases."
"I must be honest, my queen, but I don't trust him, I know it sounds crazy, but deep down, I believe he has something to do with the death of my wife."
"How can that be, that's..." one of the sheikah began but was silenced by a motion of Zelda.
"Then I believe we must bring Link to order. I will send some of my sheikah to his house, maybe you could join them?"
"I will, and I will show him you treat the Hero of Time with the proper respect."
Madakar greeted Zelda and left.
"Perfect," Zelda whispered and turned to one of her sheikah, "tell her she can start."

Link rode back to his home totally pissed off. All of a sudden Epona was startled by something and threw Link of her back. As Link tried to get up he saw Nayru before him.
"Nayru? What are you doing here? If this is about sex..."
"No," she shook her head, "you seek answers about the war, answers that I can give you. Just relax and you will be given everything you need."
Nayru stretched out her hands and the world around Link started to ripple.
"Nayru, what are you doing? Stop this befo-"
Link disappeared and Nayru couldn't help letting out a tear.
"You did good, my little bitch," Ralph laughed as he appeared from behind Nayru, "now let's return to Labrynna."
"Yes, master." Nayru quietly said and transported back to the Black Tower in Labrynna.