Hylian Kings By CM
Third Chapter: Longest Delay
Seven years later…
Seven years passed. Seven peaceful years for Link. Never once did he consider going back. His thoughts ran back up the castle steps in his dreams. It was already too much for the nineteen year-old. In those seven years, he'd grown to know the woods like his realm. He knew them even better than Mikau and Darmani, who had both turned out to be the closest to best friends he'd ever get.
He still remembered the first nights in the Shack, as they'd called it, despite all the fixing they'd done. The Shack had demanded a lot of upkeep, but with appointed tasks and quick habits, they'd made it a lively place, fairly well kept and distinctively home to three males.
Not that Link had met anyone else but the Mikau and Darmani anyway, so the way the Shack looked didn't really matter since its only inhabitants were male.
Link turned the ocarina over in his hands. Darmani had made it for him as a welcoming present. Link had taken care of it for the past seven years, and had practiced the playing of the flute-like instrument to the point of perfection. At times, a few fairy-like balls of lights would wander near, attracted by the eerie, gentle sounds, then fly off quickly, seeing that a human was making them.
Seven long years. Link peered at his reflection in the stream. Only slightly disturbed by the ripples, the same blue eyes peeked back at him, still as warm but much sharper. They had thinned only a bit, giving him a more adult look. His dirty blonde hair had grown to fall into them. He'd taken one of Darmani's razors to keep it relatively short, under control, but he didn't want to crop it too short either.
His features had gone from soft to defined. He'd noticed the bump on the front of his neck, the Adam's apple, and he'd seen various bodily changes. At first estranged, he'd grown accustomed to his adult body, and had learned to use it to his advantage. He was now as tall as Darmani, who had seemed so huge before. He could lift heavy objects, and could do the job of a grown man.
His skin had been pale before, but it had faintly darkened. Fresh air did that to people. His fingers had gotten longer, hands larger, and his shoulders were almost twice the size of his childish ones. Lean, he wasn't bulky, but had easily defeated a wolfos last year with his knife, to Mikau's delight.
Wolfos meat had turned out to be a rare delicacy. And the thick fur had kept him warm during the chilly winter. As for the bones, Darmani had made new knives out of them.
The two men had taught Link to use every last part of the game, down to the emptied guts. At first grossed out, Link had quickly learned to gut an animal and store as much as possible in their tiny barn. They didn't keep animals and hunted only when necessary. Mikau had told him to respect the world and its creatures. Link had thus grown immense respect for the nurturing forest.
Link brought a hand down, erasing his reflection in the water, and brought a handful of liquid to his mouth. He drank directly from his hand, uncaring for manners, which they'd all lost quickly. His eyebrows furrowed as the cold water froze his temples, and he grimaced, waiting for the cold to subside.
The young man sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes against the sun that peeked through the foliage. A faint smile played on his lips. He could hear the stream cascading down a tiny cliff, and he could see the forest stretch very far. On the horizon, he discerned mountains. He believed those were the Death Mountains, home to the likes of Darmani and Darunia.
It was a beautiful day, and he'd taken time to relax. He readjusted his pack behind his head to make himself more comfortable and slung an arm over his forehead, smiling.
It was a wonderful way to live.
"Hey, Link!"
Opening one eye, Link glanced at Mikau as the man made his way over to him. Link didn't speak, but nodded. Mikau collapsed beside him, sighing in satisfaction.
"A nice day, innit?"
"Sure is," Link acknowledged. "How'd you find me?"
Mikau shrugged. "Ya weren't by the Lights Pond, so I knew the only other spot was here. So? Slacking of any satisfaction to ya?"
Link groaned, closing both eyes, and Mikau chuckled amusedly. Link mumbled, "I've done enough for today. I'm not working anymore."
"Darmani ain't too proud of ya. Those deku sprouts ain't going to get clean all by 'emselves."
"Hn."
Mikau shrugged, leaning against the tree and assuming the same position as Link, closing his eyes. The dark haired young man mumbled something that sounded like, "I like sprout salad."
Link smiled faintly, quiet. The sun warmed his face and he wanted to lie there forever.
"Do ya?" Mikau suddenly asked, a bit more intelligibly, and Link wondered if he'd spoken his thought aloud.
"Do I what?" He asked.
"Like sprout salad?"
Link shot Mikau a weird look and said, shaking his head, "Yes I do, what kind of question is that?"
Mikau shrugged, dusting himself off. "Well if ya like sprouts, then ya better come an' clean 'em."
Laughing, Link sat up with a groan of effort, at which Mikau rolled his eyes. Out of the three, Link was possibly the most fit. He watched as the young man stood, brushing dry grass off himself.
"Fine then," he muttered, "let's clean some deku sprouts."
"We've also got some deku baba leaves. They were hell to uproot, but I tasted them. They're crispy and sweet."
"What 'bout the beehives?" Link absently asked as they both made their way down the hill. Mikau shrugged.
"Darmani checked the one behind the barn. But it's been darn dry recently. They hav'n't been producing a lot of extra honey. So we chose to let 'em keep it."
"Alright."
"D'ya check the farmyard for 'tullas?"
"Skulltullas?" Link mumbled, looking over at Mikau. "Yes, but you know they hate the sunlight. I'll be checking again tonight to be sure they aren't eating our crops."
"Fine with me."
"Have you gotten some meat for tonight's meal?"
They rattled on, discussing what had become the usual concerns. Food. Sleep. Fun.
Link looked up at the bright blue sky, feeling satisfied. Life had been good to him until now.
Zelda looked at the land, awed at how horrid it had become. The ground was dark, grey, used. The trees were dry and in comparison, the pale azure sky seemed dream-like. What used to be a city lay at the bottom of the hill in a poor state. She could see a few inhabitants struggling to carry their few belongings from place to place. She knew that they wouldn't find a proper home. Everything was either destroyed or so run-down that living arrangements were constantly changing.
She threw her hair over her shoulder, sighing and returning her gaze to the book she'd convinced Ganon to let her read.
Every distraction cost an extensive amount of begging, convincing and disappointment. This book had required a lot of effort to get, and now that she had it under her fingers, she couldn't focus on it.
Her eyes flew distractedly to the door, which she knew was locked. Ganondorf would never be so stupid to let her wander the castle alone.
To keep in shape, Zelda had to do stationary exercise. She would usually do so after nightfall, when nobody ever bothered coming in.
Zelda glanced at the tall mirror that hung over a deceivingly rich dresser. She saw a beautiful young woman, if she listened to her maid. The bright light in her ice blue eyes had dimmed somewhat, more subdued ever since the day her father and Darunia and… Link died.
Her long blonde hair fell in curls over her shoulders, wavy in the back. Her maid always said that it was the colour of spun gold, shining in the little sunlight that entered through the window.
Her skin was pale, as she hadn't had a chance to go outside. It contrasted with her dark gowns, so greatly that she looked almost ill. And weak. Ganondorf had jested that it was to help her mourn the loss of her dear father.
At seventeen, Zelda didn't find his jokes any more amusing than they had been back then. Still, she'd learnt years back that retorting to him brought on extreme pain.
Ganondorf had never laid a lustful hand on her, but when he hit her, it bruised her pale complexion for days.
No. Ganon never touched her inappropriately, but she knew he wanted to. Constantly feeling threatened, she had learnt to hide in her room. He never entered it. She knew it was because of the lock. She locked it from the inside, and he locked it from the outside when he was angry with her. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't break the door down.
Zelda closed the book. She couldn't focus.
"O Din," she absently whispered, as had become her habit when in need to think peacefully, "who created the blazing sun, O Farore with whom life begun, O Nayru who made two become one, have mercy on those we shun, have mercy on those undone, on every daughter and son. Have mercy."
With a split second of thought, she chose to address herself to the Goddess of Wisdom. "O Nayru," she breathed, "I pray you to guide my way."
She was at loss. She wanted to ask Nayru to get her out of this misery, but knew that Goddesses did not respond in such ways. Or so her father had told her.
She'd always hoped that her prayers were correctly executed. She hadn't known much back then and Ganondorf had refused to provide her with an opportunity to continue her religious education.
Would the Goddess Nayru respond to such a vague demand?
She chose to explain herself. "I need to bring my country back to peace and happiness, as it was before. I need help, but I know not where to seek it."
She was silent a long moment, before adding, in case, "What must I do, O Great Goddess?"
Zelda waited a long time, pondering the question herself. A thought constantly bugged her. She was annoyed that it should haunt her, because she knew it was impossible.
If only Link was there. If only she could bring Link back.
Blinking, Zelda paused all train of thought. She cleared her mind.
Link.
He popped into her mind again. She cleared her mind in annoyance.
Link.
How old would he be today? He was twelve years old, seven years ago… He would have been nineteen today…
Thoroughly unnerved, Zelda shook her head, trying to be a bit more receptive to a possible answer from the Goddess Nayru.
Yet, he came to mind almost immediately again. Link.
Zelda's eyes widened.
Link!
How dim-witted she was! Of course! Such an obstinate thought was highly unusual after all.
Zelda stood from her chair, going to the window. His name reverberated in her mind.
Until then, she hadn't ever considered that perhaps Link had still been alive. She'd only assumed his death before. Now it became a bit more plausible that Link hadn't died seven years ago.
She hadn't seen him die anyway. She'd only thought he'd passed because Darunia had.
But knowing Darunia, the warrior had probably ensured himself that his apprentice was safe before rushing into battle.
As seconds ticked by, it dawned on her that the solution for her country's crisis was only a memory away all this time.
And her long-gone childhood friend was her solution!
Where to start searching? She'd have to ask her maid if she knew any young man—how strange to think of Link as a young man!— in the city by his name, and in the eventuality that she didn't, then she'd resort to her last option.
Finding him herself.
Excitement and hope thrilled her. She joined her hands together, thanking Nayru with all her heart.
She'd find Link and save the land of Hyrule. And herself.
No matter how long it took.
R&R, children!
Love,
CM