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Hylian Kings

By CM

Eighth Chapter: Retrieving the Sword

Zelda had fallen into silence. She'd made her decision. She'd go back home the next day. She wouldn't hinder Link and Mikau and Darmani any longer.

She'd… go home and find a way to not get caught again.

She shivered as cold wind entered through the window. It was pouring heavily outside, and Mikau and Darmani were quietly sitting by a big fireplace, one of them carving something and the other contemplating the flames.

Link hadn't come home.

It was late, it was raining, where was he? She hugged a blanket close. She was bitter at Link's attitude, but wasn't heartless enough to let him die of cold once he came back… if he came back. She'd go back home once he wasin safely. She'd make sure he was truly happy here, and then she'd go.

Pain filled her gut, coming to her throat.

She'd go back to a Hyrule infested with cruelty, a world ruled by an Evil King, back to hunger and bony children and dirt and weakness. She'd go back to a place that didn't feel right, or like a home should.

It ached.

A thump outside the door made all the Shack's occupants look up. Mikau and Darmani had obviously been awaiting Link as worriedly as she had. What Mikau had said had been true. They really did worry for him. Zelda wasn't the only person around anymore.

It hurt.

Mikau went for the door, Zelda close on his heels. She was ready to give Link the warm blanket.

As the door swung open, they saw that it wasn't Link standing on the wet front step. Drenched from head to toe, a young man with piercing red eyes smiled at them.

"Ah, how long it's been since I saw a warm household," he said.

Mikau immediately grew wary. "Who're you?" He bluntly asked. "Where's the kid?"

Sheik, because it was he, chuckled. "Oh, a long way from here now. Why, it's been raining two hours. What did you think?"

Mikau squinted, not grasping Sheik's words. It really didn't make coherent sense.

Zelda was the first to move aside. Sheik gingerly moved to come inside, only to be blocked by the imposing Darmani.

"You'll tell us where the boy went, or you won't make it out with all your limbs."

Sheik didn't seem fazed in the least. Instead, he stood in the rain, completely soaked, and grinned. "You shouldn't wait too long. He won't be coming home for supper."

Zelda's eyes widened behind Mikau and Darmani's backs. Protective both of the princess and their home, they shot the stranger sceptical glances.

Sheik seemed to notice Zelda, then. He smiled slowly, bowing low.

"Highness," he acknowledged. "How long… How long since I last saw you."

"I'm afraid," she said, "that I do not know you."

He smiled, shaking his head. "Yes, yes. I believe that. Fear not, however," he said, backing off only lightly as Darmani and Mikau reached for their respective knives, "I am not here on behalf of anyone but yourself."

She blinked from behind Darmani's large shoulder. "I beg your pardon?"

He gazed at her a long time, unbothered by the heavy downpour. "You've addressed a prayer to the Goddesses, am I wrong? More precisely," he added at her sharp intake of breath, "to the Goddess of Wisdom, Nayru."

She brought a hand to her mouth as Sheik bowed again.

"I make myself a messenger of the Goddesses. And in answer to your prayers, those prayers you haven't spoken but which walk along the Godly paths, I am here to make your hopes true. My name is Sheik. At your service."

"Tell me then," she breathed as Darmani and Mikau slowly, warily moved aside, "messenger Sheik, where has Link gone? Is he… Is he…"

"Dead?" Sheik chuckled. "No. Far from it. I do believe I've never seen him so alive. But search for him not."

"Why not?" Zelda asked, angry that her voice should waver then.

Sheik stepped back. He looked up at the low, cloudy, weeping heavens and sighed. He looked back at Zelda with a heartfelt smile.

"Link, son of Raven, apprentice of Darunia Goroni, has made a decision which will undoubtedly affect you all." With a last smile, Sheik said, "He went back to pick up his forgotten sword."

Before Zelda could speak her shock and disbelief, Sheik vanished before their eyes in a flash of blinding light.

A long, very long moment passed between the three people, and suddenly, Mikau started laughing.

Glancing at him worriedly, Darmani eventually began chuckling, his laughter a low rumble.

"I'll be," Mikau cackled, hilarious, "I'll be," he gasped. "The kid did what he wanted to after all!"

Zelda's eyes were tearing. Her heart felt cramped in her chest. It had swollen with gratitude, and now, she was sobbing. Darmani brought a big, rough hand up and put it to her slim shoulder.

"Now, now, Princess," he chuckled, "Don't be so hearty. I'm sure you'd have convinced the kid yourself eventually." He sighed, and Mikau sobered up. "Link's a wise boy. He'd have done the right thing, I think."

Zelda tried speaking, but her jumble of words was incomprehensible. Mikau smiled.

"Get a hold o' yourself, Princess. If we want to catch up with the kid, we have to leave now."

Zelda watched in shock as Mikau and Darmani ran around the house, picking things up, happier than she'd ever seen them. It seemed a flame long extinguished had livened up suddenly at Sheik's word.

And suddenly, she looked back out at the rain and smiled.

Thank you, Nayru.

The more he moved, the more the land became grey and dry. The more the trees seemed dead, the more the grass crackled under his feet. The more he moved, the more the mountains in the distance looked dark and foreboding, when in fact they had seemed majestic from his perch back home.

But where was 'home', really? For the longest time, he'd thought it was in the forest, and now he was off to free a land that was his other 'home'?

It was tiresome, but he had to. Ever since Sheik had left him to think, it seemed the only possible way to live free of sorrow was to go back. It was either risking his life then having peace, or feeling ill-at-ease every time he woke up from a memory.

Yet, the more he moved, and the more he came to understand that things simply could not stay the way they were.

His breath was ragged, and he had to stop. He gazed up at the grey sky. It was still foggy and humid from the previous rain. The breeze was cold and wet. He was grateful for the fog, though. It would cover him until he was close enough to Hyrule Castle to make a proper estimation of what needed to be done. In fact, the closer he came to the plain before the gates, the thicker the fog became.

Link paused and sat behind a monticule of rocks to catch his breath. He eyes sought the familiar Hylian Gates, the well-known ramparts surrounding Hyrule Castle Town.

Yet, through the thick fog, he could discern none. He thought he saw a flicker of a torch, but it was unique and it seemed more like embers rather than an actual flame.

What had happened to the glorious fortress of Hyrule? What had happened to the large, impressive drawbridge he always loved to cross, or sit on the side of to catch some fish from the river, that gentle river which doubled as a moat?

He looked over the fog, trying to discern the double towers that supported the drawbridge and the gate.

His earlier fear that the glory of Hyrule's defence had been destroyed proved wrong. Severely damaged, from what he could see over the plumes of fog, the gate was still intact.

Though he wasn't at ease having to pass under it.

He turned back and leaned against the rocks again. He had to think. He'd run into this adventure with no preparation whatsoever. He needed a weapon, and he hadn't even bothered to take one.

No matter. He supposed he could steal that from the enemy.

Linkknew the layout of the castle and town well, but it was a matter of knowing where to search first.

What was he seeking here? He wanted to kill Ganondorf. That was for sure. He wanted to get rid of those Gerudos from the West. He simplyhad to know how to do it, though he would seek no ally, however. He wouldn't risk it.

Hesaw a dead tree to his side. With hesitation, he finally chose to break a branch. He gripped it with both hands, holding it in first stance, trying to remember all those things Darunia had taught him before he died. It seemed so very far away now.

He began a motion to swing it, stopped, then brought it back to where it was before. The next hit he tried was a full swing, trying to see how far his arm reached.

He tried again, trying to familiarize himself with those movements he used to know all too well. It felt different, perhaps because of his adult size and strength. In any case, he had to know just how strong he was. Lifting various objects back in the forest couldn't tell him whether a hit would strike with enough force to kill.

The thought sent a shiver up his spine. Kill.

He hadn't ever wielded a weapon with that thought before.

Darunia. What had he said about this? 'The instinct for survival is often equalled to the lust for blood, but they must never mingle, because that is when one's hands are tainted and when one loses his sanity.'

Link thought. Was the urge to kill Ganondorf bloodlust or a simple play of defence? Where did vengeance come into Darunia's teachings? Had he ever mentioned it before?

He had. Once.

'Link, you must never seek vengeance. In due time, the Goddesses will send punishment to the perpetrator of these acts. You must never allow anger to take over.'

No anger? How, Darunia, could he not feel anger?

He shook his head clear of these thoughts, turning his attention back to the thick branch he held. He glanced at the rocks and mentally calculated, theoretically, how much strength would be needed to break his makeshift practice sword on the stone.

Positioning himself, he focused. He had to put all his strength into this hit, and he had to see if he could perhaps splinter his weapon somewhat.

He had to know how strong he was.

In his arms, his muscles tightened, and his fingers flexed around the end of the branch, anticipating its recoil.

With one single, large swing, he slammed it onto the rocks. He was surprised at how his body moved in time, as though he had been doing this since forever. Perhaps he hadn't lost it all, in the end.

He heard a loud crack, and when his momentum slowed enough for him to regain immobile balance, he saw that he had not only broken his weapon. He had burst it cleanly. The other end was lying in the long grass a few lengths away.

It took him a moment to realise how strong he had become in the past seven years. Pride and relief warmed him up in the chilly field.

But now he had to find another weapon.

He was about to start searching again when the sound of heavy, running footsteps made him pause. He looked around, searching blindly in the fog for the source of these sounds.

It seemed like more than one person was running, but he wasn't sure.

Then, he heard hushed voices. There were three, two of which were arguing.

"This," the male said, "is what we're fighting for?"

Breathless, a familiar female voice answered, frustrated, "This is… my… home… So don't be rude."

Then, the third voice, a low, growling one, cut off their bickering and said, "Enough. We have to find the boy now, so don't go killin' each other."

Link hurried in their direction, and soon enough, found the three most heart-warming people in the world.

"Mikau, Zelda, Darmani," he breathed, voice hoarse and low, "what are you doing here?"

Whirling around, Mikau exclaimed, "Link! Well, fancy meetin' ya here, eh?"

Link vividly motioned for him to quiet down, and turned to Zelda, who, unlike Darmani, hadn't muttered a welcome.

They stared at each other, awkward. Finally, she looked away and started walking towards the huge Hylian Gate.

Link watched her go, feeling himself crumble. Darmani's heavy hand on his shoulder made him feel like he was sinking into the ground.

"What must I do…?" He whispered desperately to the fog.

Review! I command you!

Love,

CM