XX
Link smiled contently as he sat outside the castle, awaiting the return of the Queen. Finally, peace. It's over now, no more battles for me. Ganon is gone, I have the Triforce, and we can focus on rebuilding Hyrule yet again. What else can go wrong? What other adventures can there be? Perhaps now I can finally lay my sword to rest, and end the constant battles.
He watched the entourage approach, the Queen returning to her somewhat ruined castle. Roam, the remainder of Hyrule's army, other attendants, and random refugees came with them, delighted to see the end of the journey. It was tough on them, of course, having seen their homes devastated for the second time in only a few years. But perhaps Link could help this time. Perhaps they will be happier, knowing that Ganon was gone forever now.
As the entourage arrived, Link approached Zelda. "The castle is secure, My Lady. Ganon has been vanquished, and his men have left."
She smiled down at him and responded. "Thank you, Sir Link. We are once again in your debt." She lingered a moment longer, and then entered what was left of her castle. There would be time to talk later. Right now, she had to be the Queen and reestablish her rule.
But Roam did find Link and took him aside. He looked more nervous than Link had ever seen him, and Link knew what was coming. "You have done well, Sir Link, and now the crisis is past. And I cannot forget my treachery against you and Hyrule. Despite the wizard's magic, I still misjudged you badly, and I am at fault for what happened here. I will resign my service in the Queen's army immediately, and I wish for you to take my place. Once I have left my post, I will accept whatever punishment given to me.
Link sighed, gathering his thoughts. Of course, Roam was too good of a knight to forget about what happened. He had devoted his life to his duty and to upholding the law of the land. And he could not allow himself to be a hypocrite here. Link did not know how much of this came from Roam's guilt and how much came from his sense of duty, but he suspected more of the latter. Roam did not resign immediately, he waited until the crisis had passed. He was too intelligent to do any different. "It is not for me to decide your fate, Roam."
"But it was you who I attacked. You have a right to know that I am removing this threat to you."
"Roam, I do not know what you want from me. But Hyrule will need a leader to rebuild her army. You are better suited at that task than I. We still need you."
Roam nodded. "It shall be up to the Queen to decide. But know this; you have nothing to fear from me. I have misjudged you, and I regret that deeply. But I know now how fortunate Hyrule is by your presence. I shall not make the same mistake again." And with that, he left.
Of course, Link knew full well that Roam would retain his post. There was little guilt, only regret, in Roam. And Zelda was far too wise to give up such a fine leader. But something had to be said, even if what was important was not said. And Link sincerely believed him. There would be no more hatred from Roam anymore.
But what would become of him now? Surely, none could doubt now that he deserved his place, whatever it may be. There would be no more derision and resentment from what was left of the older knights, especially with Roam's endorsement. But did he truly have a place in the army now? If the hero worship from before was almost intolerable, it would be worse now. What now?
It was later that night, when things had finally settled down, that Zelda came to him. "Link… thank you."
"I should thank you," he responded. "It was your faith in me that allowed me to see the truth, and to see the power within myself."
She smiled at that, and continued. "So is it truly over now? Can he return again?"
"No, Ganon is gone. All power he had has been stripped away, his spirit gone forever. I made sure of that. There will be peace in Hyrule from now on. I promise."
"No more threats? Is the… Triforce helping you now?"
He smiled. "Yes. It always was. I just didn't notice it. I was afraid of it. But I know now what power it holds. I know my purpose, why I was chosen. It's been centuries since the Triforce split, since it was last used justly. But no more. It's over Zelda, everything is. I can feel the power within me, and it cannot be taken away."
She looked away at that. "So, where does that leave you? What will you do now?"
"I don't know. I'm not sure what lies in store for me."
"Please stay with us, in Hyrule. You're a hero now, and well deserving of that title. I… we... need you. I'm…afraid Link. Of what the future, your future, will be like. This realm would not be the same without your presence. Our future's very uncertain. We…I would be grateful if you remained. I…"
"I will stay in Hyrule; I will not leave. This is my home now. I promise."
She smiled at that and tried to compose herself. "Thank you," she said softly, and then hugged him. "Thank you."
Link thought, then, of their meeting weeks ago, before he left on his quest. He thought of what she said to him, and what wasn't said. He turned inward, realizing just how often he had thought of her throughout his adventure. He thought of how concerned he was for her, not as the queen, but as a person. He thought of how she helped him, how he needed her guidance. And he thought of her here, now.
And then he remembered back, years ago, when Impa gave him that scroll that allowed him to find the Triforce of Courage. "For generations, my family has been handed down these things which have been set aside for a time when a great king will come," she had said. He had not given the matter much thought at the time, but now the word king stuck in his head. And as he looked at Zelda, he could not help but think that such an idea may not be as impossible as he had once thought.
[Acknowledgements: In Chapter XVII, as Link was visiting the time before his sixteenth birthday, the passages quoted are from the Adventure of Link instruction manual (as does the final quote in this chapter). The other quotes from the chapter come from Ocarina of Time.]
Link smiled contently as he sat outside the castle, awaiting the return of the Queen. Finally, peace. It's over now, no more battles for me. Ganon is gone, I have the Triforce, and we can focus on rebuilding Hyrule yet again. What else can go wrong? What other adventures can there be? Perhaps now I can finally lay my sword to rest, and end the constant battles.
He watched the entourage approach, the Queen returning to her somewhat ruined castle. Roam, the remainder of Hyrule's army, other attendants, and random refugees came with them, delighted to see the end of the journey. It was tough on them, of course, having seen their homes devastated for the second time in only a few years. But perhaps Link could help this time. Perhaps they will be happier, knowing that Ganon was gone forever now.
As the entourage arrived, Link approached Zelda. "The castle is secure, My Lady. Ganon has been vanquished, and his men have left."
She smiled down at him and responded. "Thank you, Sir Link. We are once again in your debt." She lingered a moment longer, and then entered what was left of her castle. There would be time to talk later. Right now, she had to be the Queen and reestablish her rule.
But Roam did find Link and took him aside. He looked more nervous than Link had ever seen him, and Link knew what was coming. "You have done well, Sir Link, and now the crisis is past. And I cannot forget my treachery against you and Hyrule. Despite the wizard's magic, I still misjudged you badly, and I am at fault for what happened here. I will resign my service in the Queen's army immediately, and I wish for you to take my place. Once I have left my post, I will accept whatever punishment given to me.
Link sighed, gathering his thoughts. Of course, Roam was too good of a knight to forget about what happened. He had devoted his life to his duty and to upholding the law of the land. And he could not allow himself to be a hypocrite here. Link did not know how much of this came from Roam's guilt and how much came from his sense of duty, but he suspected more of the latter. Roam did not resign immediately, he waited until the crisis had passed. He was too intelligent to do any different. "It is not for me to decide your fate, Roam."
"But it was you who I attacked. You have a right to know that I am removing this threat to you."
"Roam, I do not know what you want from me. But Hyrule will need a leader to rebuild her army. You are better suited at that task than I. We still need you."
Roam nodded. "It shall be up to the Queen to decide. But know this; you have nothing to fear from me. I have misjudged you, and I regret that deeply. But I know now how fortunate Hyrule is by your presence. I shall not make the same mistake again." And with that, he left.
Of course, Link knew full well that Roam would retain his post. There was little guilt, only regret, in Roam. And Zelda was far too wise to give up such a fine leader. But something had to be said, even if what was important was not said. And Link sincerely believed him. There would be no more hatred from Roam anymore.
But what would become of him now? Surely, none could doubt now that he deserved his place, whatever it may be. There would be no more derision and resentment from what was left of the older knights, especially with Roam's endorsement. But did he truly have a place in the army now? If the hero worship from before was almost intolerable, it would be worse now. What now?
It was later that night, when things had finally settled down, that Zelda came to him. "Link… thank you."
"I should thank you," he responded. "It was your faith in me that allowed me to see the truth, and to see the power within myself."
She smiled at that, and continued. "So is it truly over now? Can he return again?"
"No, Ganon is gone. All power he had has been stripped away, his spirit gone forever. I made sure of that. There will be peace in Hyrule from now on. I promise."
"No more threats? Is the… Triforce helping you now?"
He smiled. "Yes. It always was. I just didn't notice it. I was afraid of it. But I know now what power it holds. I know my purpose, why I was chosen. It's been centuries since the Triforce split, since it was last used justly. But no more. It's over Zelda, everything is. I can feel the power within me, and it cannot be taken away."
She looked away at that. "So, where does that leave you? What will you do now?"
"I don't know. I'm not sure what lies in store for me."
"Please stay with us, in Hyrule. You're a hero now, and well deserving of that title. I… we... need you. I'm…afraid Link. Of what the future, your future, will be like. This realm would not be the same without your presence. Our future's very uncertain. We…I would be grateful if you remained. I…"
"I will stay in Hyrule; I will not leave. This is my home now. I promise."
She smiled at that and tried to compose herself. "Thank you," she said softly, and then hugged him. "Thank you."
Link thought, then, of their meeting weeks ago, before he left on his quest. He thought of what she said to him, and what wasn't said. He turned inward, realizing just how often he had thought of her throughout his adventure. He thought of how concerned he was for her, not as the queen, but as a person. He thought of how she helped him, how he needed her guidance. And he thought of her here, now.
And then he remembered back, years ago, when Impa gave him that scroll that allowed him to find the Triforce of Courage. "For generations, my family has been handed down these things which have been set aside for a time when a great king will come," she had said. He had not given the matter much thought at the time, but now the word king stuck in his head. And as he looked at Zelda, he could not help but think that such an idea may not be as impossible as he had once thought.
[Acknowledgements: In Chapter XVII, as Link was visiting the time before his sixteenth birthday, the passages quoted are from the Adventure of Link instruction manual (as does the final quote in this chapter). The other quotes from the chapter come from Ocarina of Time.]