A/N: (is playing Gamecube)

SSG: UPDATE!!!!

WAAAH!!!! DON'T DO THAT!!

SSG: But I want you to update... :'(

Link: Why should she listen to you?

SSG: :( BECAUSE!!! (kicks him)

Don't worry, I'll update now!! Here's the chapter!

SSG: (stops kicking him) YAY!!

Link: Ow... My rear end...

Rise of the Heroine of Time: Chapter 4: Decisions Made

The Royal Family was safely inside the castle. Most of the guards were sent to the marketplace, so it was awfully quiet. In one of the bedrooms, Link sat on a bed shirtless, clutching his ribs painfully as Florence examined him over. Zelda sat quietly in another part of the room.

"That's some mighty fine bruising you have there, Father," said Florence. "And a few of your ribs are cracked. I can heal them, though. May I...?"

"Yes, please do!" he hissed in pain through clenched teeth.

"Okay, please lay down then..."

He obeyed and laid face-down, allowing her to begin her healing process. She placed her fingers gently on the injury and passed into a trance as the healing began. Beneath her gentle fingers, cracked bones began to knit, torn tissues mended, and hidden bleeding subsided. The feeling of pain leaving his body was soothing to Link, and he would've drifted into a calm sleep had not so much had been on his mind. His chin was propped on top of his folded arms, eyes stern, deep in thought. The silence was heavy, but then Link's voice broke it.

"I don't know how Ganondorf broke out of the Sacred Realm... But he must be stopped as soon as possible."

Zelda sighed. "You're right, Link, but..."

"Zelda, the monster was sending!" Link reasoned. "Who knows what other powers he gained in his imprisonment? His sickness will bring grief to many unless we seal him up again."

"But how? He's obviously grown much more powerful, and he's creating his army of monsters as we speak!"

"Yes... An army..." Link mused. "He plans to use his monsters to attack Hyrule, doesn't he?... Well, we have the Royal Army... What if we hit Ganondorf's army head on with our own?"

"You mean open war?"

"Exactly."

"But Link!" Zelda countered with reasoning of her own. "We shouldn't concentrate on the entire army! If we seal Ganondorf again, his monsters will disappear!"

"I know, but that pig can't do everything at once! The war will be a distraction, and as he tries to control his army..."

"... He'll be vulnerable for capture!" Florence finished, catching on quickly.

"Hush, Florence," Zelda shushed gently. "Concentrate on your work."

"But like she just said," Link continued. "With Ganondorf busy with the war, we can seal him up again!"

"But we cannot risk open war!" Zelda exclaimed. "We lost many lives in both the Great War and the Imprisoning War! We cannot afford to lose too many people in this war either!"

"If we want to save lives, then open war would be the better choice." Florence interrupted.

"Florence!"

"Shh, let her speak..." Link shushed his wife gently.

"If we just let Ganondorf come, it'll be a hopeless massacre. But if we let the men fight, and evacuate the woman and children to safer regions, then there would be much less deaths. Besides," Florence smiled down at Link. "Father told me that Ganondorf's power is spread out among his monsters. Four Stalfos equal the strength of just one Hylian soldier. We have an advantage, even if their army is bigger then ours. And Ganondorf's wrath will effect all of Hyrule, so what about the other tribes? Kokiri, Gorons, Zoras, Sheikah, Gerudos... We can persuade them to help us in this war! With all of us together, Ganondorf will fall and we'll lose less people in the process!"

Link smiled up at his bright daughter. "Very good, Florence. That's exactly what I was thinking."

"Thank you, Father."

Zelda sighed. She was convinced, yet still hesitant. "I don't like the idea of open war... But it seems like the only way..."

"There," Florence concluded, lifting her fingers off his healed ribs. "Good as new, Father."

"Thank you, Florence." He stood up and approached the window, staring out into his land.

"So what is your decision, Link?" Zelda asked.

Many minutes of silence passed as Link silently thought of his next decision. Finally, he turned back to his family, a new kind of determination flashing in his eyes.

"We prepare for war."

A/N: Okay, not much happened in this chappie, but still.

SSG: An update is an update! :D

Link: Yep.

Sock Puppet: Yeppers!!

Link: O.o

XD Review, people!