A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
A Normal Knight
Chapter 6- Blessed
Hyrule Barracks, The 19th of Autumn, 11th year of King Lanster the First's reign
Dearest Malon,
It brings me great joy to be able to write to you again. I felt so anxious when I stepped out onto the battlefield, a little image of me never being able to see you again. But, here I am, two days later, much to your worries, I hope, unharmed. Happiness has finally reached me here, for a while, I expect.
It is clear to me why no one would ever talk about their services in the military. I cannot fully write to you what I saw happen during my duty to defend Hyrule Castle. It is too unbearable to think of, and too terrible to remember. All that I can say is, is that I am alive, and much to my relief, my two comrades, Zid and Miru, has shared my fate. I cannot say the same for Hugi, for I heard he died at the front, honorably I shall say, for what happened there. The only thing I can say without grief is that I served my home all the more worth it than my home serves me. Despite the fear and horror of dying, I found through it all courage, honor, and duty. I found the meaning of courage. I found the meaning of power. I found the meaning of wisdom. But, the one thing that kept me going and alive besides you, my love, is comradeship. Zid and Miru, we've been through much at the battle. Too much. We fought to what seems like our last being, our spark of the heart inside. The enemy managed to break through the drawbridge and swarm throughout Hyrule Castle Town. My legion retreated back to Hyrule Castle, but we, I, Miru, and Zid, were forced to find safety in the Temple of Time. We almost crossed the line of life and death there. All I thought of while Death nearly touching me is you, Malon.
The Gorons, the reinforcements, came, and, with their unique ability to roll with deadly spikes, we defeated Ganondorf's assault army at the foot of Hyrule Castle. I could hardly believed what relief I had that night. A night of celebration followed our victory. Discarding any thoughts of the battle before, we celebrated in a cheerful, adult way of a man. I, myself, accepted some champagne the residents of the town had left behind. Now, I know you are against stealing and of course me drinking, but after all I've been through, should I not deserve something?
I enjoyed the night. Everybody was singing around a fire that goddess knows who made. We all conversed and laughed with each other, like old friends, all because of the battle we've been through. I found myself inebriated to the point where I blacked out later for the whole night. However, it was not without a suspicion I saw and had. Miru was unusually near Zid all night, who, of course, was heavily drunk and singing horribly. Miru was drunk, too, but even I don't think that when a man is under the influence he should stick to another man that close throughout the night. Why is that? Strange, I thought. Maybe it's the alcohol. Curse its illusions and the aftereffect of waking up.
The residents came back the next day. But, to their dismay, the town is in ruin. Zid, Miru, and I were sent back to the Barracks, this time not for more training, but for something else, they said. Zid thinks that we are to be branded traitors for fleeing to the temple. We greatly doubted that, even Zid himself. I wonder what they have in store for us. If it's a notice to leave the army, I shall write in joy next time. If not, you will have to wait longer, my love.
Link.
--
The three wakes up peacefully this morning. Why? The army gave them the 'better' rooms of the Barracks, which, of course, means rooms as comfortable as Malon's room. And, there are no instructors to tell them to get off their lazy behind. Link finds himself awoken by the sun, seeing Zid up and stretching.
"Hey, where's Miru?" Link asks.
"Uh, I think he went to the bathroom there." Zid points at a door.
"Hey, Zid…" Link decides that maybe he should know, "do you remember anything the day before yesterday?"
"Not really… I was too drunk."
"So… you don't remember…"
"Remember what?"
"Nothing… Er, I think I was too drunk to remember, too."
The bathroom door opens, Miru stepping out.
"'Morning, you two," Miru greets.
"Er, Miru…" Link doesn't know where to start.
"What?"
Zid laughs. "Miru, you forgot to put your clothes on!"
With that, Miru quickly sees he's forgotten them. Strangely, he blushes and flies into the bathroom again.
"Link, man, I swear, Miru's so damn girly."
"I guess… Well… have you ever thought that…"
"Thought what?"
"That he might be… well…"
"Might be what?"
"You know…"
"Scared of every little thing?"
"No, I mean… Forget it."
"If you have something to say, Link, just spit it out."
"Nothing. Never mind."
Finally, Miru comes out, this time with an undershirt and boxers.
"There. I'm clothed," Miru declares.
"Hah hah! Just remember to look down before you go out of the bathroom, all right?" Zid suggests.
"Okay…"
"Well, what do we do now?" Link wonders. "Unless there are more battles out there, we're stuck in this place."
"They could just let us go home."
"No, Miru," Zid disagrees. "If they did that, they would have done so yesterday. This is something more important."
"Well, how important?"
"Something, I don't know. They didn't leave us here in this room for a day without a reason…"
The door opens, and a King's maid, a rare person to see here in the Barracks, enters. She kneels to the three.
"His Majesty requests your presences, Link, Miru, Zid," the maid said.
"For what reason?" Zid lifts an eyebrow.
"An occasion. Now, if you please, dress appropriately. After that, follow me…"
Having no idea why King Lanster decided to summon them, they dress the most proper way they can, and follow the maid out of the Barracks. A carriage awaits them, luxurious to their eyes.
"Whoa!" Zid exclaims. "The King must think highly of us if he sent out one of these carriages."
"Now, I'm interested…" Link eyes the carriage. "What could it be that His Majesty wants to see us?"
Still confused, the carriage leads them to the drawbridge of the castle, beautiful and strong against the morning sun. Entering, the maid leads them to the throne room, where the honorable King Lanster the First sits, by his side his daughter, Princess Zelda, ethereally beautiful, standing. Oddly, she doesn't recognize Link at the entrance. It had been many years, however, and she dismissed Link as a nobody ever since their first meeting.
The throne room is made of cleanly carved rock. A red carpet leads from the entrance of the double wooden doors to the seats of the royalties. Guards stand by the two rows next to the carpet, loyal to defending the King. Clear, tall windows allow light to brighten the inside. From a peasant's view, this is a magnificent sight to behold, but then… this is suitable enough for any king.
However, today is different, as around the King and his daughter are famous nobles of near and far. And knights make their appearance here, standing firmly without so much a faltering movement.
"Ah, come now, the three of you," the King of Hyrule greets. "A great deal will be done on you today."
The three slowly and carefully walk down the carpet to the King. Remembering the one thing to do when meeting royalties, Link kneels down when he reaches King Lanster. Following suit are Zid and Miru.
"Up, up, now." The King waves. "No need to do all that."
Now, this really confuses them. They stand up, an expression on their faces that tells the King everything.
"Now, you were maybe wondering why I summon the three of you here to my court…" King Lanster starts. "Well, after the Battle of the Castle, I had heard about your heroic stand at the beginning of the battle, showing bravery of great persevere, outliving the other young fine men lost there. Yes, I know about it, from the beginning, to the defense of the middle of the line, to the final soldiers to leave Hyrule Castle Town. And then, your dramatic hold inside the Temple of Time. Yes."
The three don't dare make a noise. It could mean otherwise.
"You three have demonstrated unparalleled duty to Hyrule, and to that, I must congratulate and reward."
Link's heart goes up. If the reward could turn out as he hope it could be, it could mean-
"My father shall dub you three," Princess Zelda explains, "knights of Hyrule."
CRACK! Link is sure anybody could hear his hope break. Zid's face lights up. A dream made is a dream come true. Miru remains the same. What else could he do?
"Beginning tomorrow, my father shall summon you again to the court here so that he may bestow upon the three of you the titles of knights," the princess continues. She then has a look only noticeable in her eyes, a look of… disgust. "Now, go back to… wherever you three came from and come back with the… appropriate garments we will send to you. We shall continue from there."
"Can you believe it?" Zid said with a hint of excitement when they left. "We're going to be knights!"
The three are already back to their room, going over the rather very brief meeting with the King.
"Oh, yay, we're going to be knights," Link said with a monotonous voice. "That means more fighting for us…"
"But, hey, Link, you did say you want to come back as a 'knight in shining armor' for Malon, didn't you?" Miru asks.
"Well, yeah, but… I really did want to go back soon, when the King summoned us."
"She'll just have to wait then, Link," Zid pats him on the back, "because we're knights now! And she would want a knight to come back, no?"
"Right… Right, right, I get the picture."
"A dream that started a year ago. Now, it will be done. I always knew we three would be knights. I just had to be patient."
"Patient?" Miru repeats the word dismissively. "You were complaining almost every night for the last year about how we couldn't be knights any sooner."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever… But, the important thing is, we are now what we shall be, right, guys?"
"That made no sense," Link points out.
"Fine. We… are… going… to… be… knights… okay, slow people?"
"And… you… should… shut… up… about… it… okay?" Miru answers back with the same rate.
"Okay, whatever, but it can't stop the inevitable tomorrow."
"But, you know they're going to train us even more, starting the day after tomorrow, right?" Link reminds.
"Oh, right… But, all for being a knight, right?"
"For sure, yeah."
"Come on! For what we're fighting for, right, guys?"
Miru nods. "For what we're fighting for!"
"Seeing as I'm going to be stuck here for a much longer time…" Link pauses. "Well, then, for what we're fighting for!"
--
I'm so happy… You're okay, Link. That's all that matters to me right now.
Malon sighs with relief as she finishes Link's letter. Things turn out better… for the better. Link is okay, but the way he described everything is as if he's changed somehow.
I hope… he's still the same fairy boy when he comes back. I don't really care if he comes back as a knight or not… I just want him to come back…
Malon stands from her seat and blows out the light, to prepare for her sleep.
But, I am SO going to get at him when he comes back. HOW could he steal champagne and then DRINK it!
