Hello everyone! I'm baaaack!
Sorry it took so long. I was going for doing an update every two weeks, but unfortunately, I haven't been getting enough hours at work so I've been busy applying to jobs and I just got a new roommate too that I have helped adjusted moving in. Life has been crazy and I still have to do second interviews and such but I'll get up the next chapter in about 2 weeks...maybe 3.
So there were some comments on this fic on A03 where I explained why Link was effected the way he was and the start of his PTSD and his Psychogenic Fever. Please go read it if you are interested. I will explain it a little bit in the next chapter or two, but feel free to read them!
THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SOME SLIGHTLY GRAPHIC DETAILS. I just talk a bit about blood, bruises and stuff like that. Nothing too awful this time.
I STILL DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA. I just wrote this story!
CHAPTER 2: The Princess and the Hero
It wasn't Zelda's first time greeting her father as he returned home, but it was the first time she greeted a small blond boy covered in blood.
Zelda blinked a few times, making sure everything she saw was real. Sure enough, a young boy was breathing heavily against her father's chest, wrapped in his cloak. His hair was wild, face bloody, bruised, and there was a gash on his lip. Dry blood stuck to his clammy, pale chin and throat like a spout. Huffing and gasping for air, the boy had his eyes shut tight. His face contorted like he was in pure agony. The hand that was resting on Zelda's shoulder was suddenly gone. Her mother, who had been standing next to her, was running forward as the king made his descent from his pure white horse.
"What happened? Are you all right?" The Queen gasped, cupping his cheek and checking for injuries.
"I am fine, but the boy is not. He must be treated. I sent ahead some knights, so the imperial physician should be on their way."
Zelda watched as guards raced around her, making her anxiety grow. She wanted to search for clarity, find a voice in the storm to guide her through, but she couldn't. Instead, the thundering footfalls of guards and stablemen echoed against the walls. She felt as though she was lost at sea in the middle of a storm. The clanging of metal sounded like crashing waves that threatened to capsize her ship and drag her into the thrashing waters. The sunlight reflecting off of the swords and shields blinded her, like lightning. The clip-clop of hooves on pavement sounded like the ticking of a clock, as if she was running out of time.
Shaking, she looked around for her mother, her father, anyone who could hold her and help her breathe. Instead, she caught the scent of blood and grew dizzy. Her vision spun and her legs trembled.
"Zelda, my love, go with your maid to your room."
And finally, there it was.
The eye of the storm. The calm in the middle of all the chaos. The sunlight that broke through the dark clouds. Zelda was still anxious, her stomach proceeding to do flips, but she felt safer now. Like she was pulled out of the dark, violent waters of her fears and into the light.
The soft and warm voice, her mother's voice, was the light that had rained down upon her. Her mother's firm hands on her shoulders grounded her.
"Y-yes, Mother," Zelda's voice squeaked. She turned, grabbed her maid's hand, and ran inside towards her room. She didn't stop until she pushed open her doors.
Despite the lack of air in her lungs, Zelda finally felt like she could breathe again having entered her own space. She jumped up onto her bed and lay there, breathing slowly.
Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.
She was woken up a few hours later by her maid so she could get ready for dinner. Having slept through her lunchtime, her stomach growled at the mention of food. Her maid quickly fixed her clothes and hair while they listened in on the conversation of the maids who lingered nearby.
Normally, Zelda didn't pay attention to rumors (mostly because she was too young to understand or care), but when she heard them talking about a blond boy who was in the castle, her ears perked up and she hung on every word they said, trying to satisfy her curiosity. Her maid, on the other hand, had other plans. Once she finally realized what and who they were talking about, she hushed them and chased them away, but Zelda had already heard it all.
And so, Zelda heard many rumors about what happened to the boy during the next few days. After all, nothing this interesting had happened in Hyrule, let alone Hyrule Castle in a long time, so everyone was talking about it. It was both thrilling and spine-chilling to think about, with the sudden danger of possible monster attacks and all.
She had heard about the lacerations and bruises, the broken bones, the fever he suffered from, that when they had bathed him, the water turned completely red in mere minutes. She heard how the boy had to witness the death of his parents as well as a few knights that had been with them. That he was rendered unconscious after fighting for his life. Zelda didn't quite understand the severity of what she was hearing since she was only 5 years old, but she listened and tried to understand anyway.
But no matter the mouth that said them, all the rumors had one thing in common.
They all talked of how the boy had fought courageously against fearsome monsters and won. They all stated how he was a hero.
Zelda called for her maid to get a book from the top shelf one day during tea time. Sipping on rose tea, she waited for her maid to place it down on the table in front of her before picking it up herself. She traced the edges carefully. It was a hybrid book about Hyrule's history and some sort of drawn prophecy. It was leatherbound, withered by time and use, but it was Zelda's favorite. Even the green dye was growing darker from oily hands due to the number of times it had been read. Zelda flipped through the pages. As she shut the book, she came to a conclusion.
He was a hero.
Zelda wanted to see him right away, but her parents had commanded that she stay in her room until things calmed down. She grew tired of it after only a day, but she had no other choice. She finally got her wish a week after the boy had arrived, when Zelda's mother came to her room.
It was rare for her parents to come to her. She only ever saw them in their studies during the day and would eat with them during meals. On rare occasions, she'd see them in the throne room if she was invited, but Zelda was usually the one to come to them. Regardless, Zelda was happy to see her mother.
"Good morning, Little Bird. Would you like to go somewhere with me today?"
"Yes!" Zelda exclaimed loudly.
"I think our guest is a little shy, but he seems very lonely. Would you like to go see him?" Zelda smiled and nodded at the question. She hopped up and down in place, making the Queen giggle.
"Can I bring a book for him?"
"Sure, my love. I'm sure he'll love that."
Zelda rushed over to her bookshelf and pointed to one on the top shelf. The Queen picked it up and a smile appeared on her features.
"The story of the Princess and the Hero?"
"Yes! It's my favorite!" Zelda exclaimed.
"This is a good one. I think he will like it."
"He's like the hero in the book! And I'm the princess, see?" Zelda flipped through the pages until she found the one she was searching for, "That one is me and this one is him."
Drawings of a girl in a white dress with a golden light surrounding her and a boy in green with a sword were on every page, but this was by far the most detailed and astonishing of the rest. They stood next to each other, facing the reader with glittering golden hair and sparkling eyes. The princess, still dressed in white, extended a hand where glowing, divine powers were ready to be released. The hero had a Hylian shield and "the legendary sword that seals the darkness", as her parents liked to call it. Zelda had never seen the sword itself, yet she knew its name before anyone had ever told her.
The Master Sword.
"I think you're right, Zelda. Maybe when you're both grown up, you'll be the ones to save all of Hyrule." Zelda's eyes sparkled brightly, but the Queen's smile faltered for a second before returning. She closed the book, placing a kiss on Zelda's forehead. The Queen could only wish her daughter wouldn't have to deal with the hardship of war in her lifetime.
"Can we go see the boy now?" Zelda asked excitedly.
"Of course. Let's go."
Holding tight to her mother's hand, Zelda walked from her wing of the castle to the room the boy was recovering. The Queen knocked on the door, sparking Zelda's excitement all over again. It felt like forever before someone came by to let them in. A nurse pulled open the heavy wood doors, a smile appearing when she saw the new arrivals.
"Are you here to see the patient, Princess?" She asked the young girl.
"Yes!" Zelda replied cheerily. A smile appeared on the woman's face. The nurse opened the door further and allowed the Queen and Princess inside.
The boy was laying in bed, slightly elevated. His blue eyes looked at them as best he could, but the angle was a little awkward. He tried to move, to sit up, but a strangled whine reverberated in his throat at the attempt. Zelda's mother lifted a hand to stop the boy.
"Please don't move. I'm sure you must be in great pain. Please rest." The Queen commanded. The boy stopped his struggle and settled back down. The Queen came up next to him and ran a hand through his sweaty hair. He still had a slight fever, but he was better than he had been the past few days. The Queen came to see him every day, but he had finally become conscious just two days prior to her and Zelda's visit.
"I've brought my daughter. Is that okay?"
The boy didn't answer, instead giving a weak smile. He flicked his gaze over to the princess who watched him with awestruck eyes.
"We still haven't been able to figure out why he isn't speaking. His vocal cords weren't damaged, nor was his brain. We can't think of any other reason why he has yet to speak."
The Queen didn't answer, instead focusing on the injured boy's appearance. He was watching them with a tired look on his face. He had dark bags under his eyes. His pale complexion wasn't any better than the past few days she had visited him. She sighed sadly before walking over to him.
"Is it okay if I heal you again today?"
The boy smiled a second time.
Zelda watched closely as her mother extended her hand into the air, golden light emerging from it. The boy sighed, eyes closed, but he now looked far more comfortable than he had when they walked in earlier. His heavy body sunk further into the pillows and mattress, his muscles relaxing and his face a little less strained than before.
The boy lifted a shaky hand from underneath the sheets.
"Goodness! Your powers are amazing, Your Majesty! He hasn't been able to move any appendages since his arrival."
"Thank Hylia it's been working. Can you check his condition again? How much longer until he can walk?"
"One minute please." The doctor responded, giving Link a once over. He asked Link to try and move his body, asked how he felt, and wrote notes down on his parchment paper. Link didn't answer a single question verbally, instead smiling as yes, closing his eyes as a no, and pointing with trembling fingers where he felt the most pain.
"I can't be completely sure, but if you continue to heal him and he receives the correct medicine and physical therapy for his body, he could be back to normal in about two weeks. Your power has helped speed along the process, and it seems as though he is a fast healer, so he might even be up before then."
"Thank goodness. Seeing him like this hurts my heart. Poor child." The Queen gave a sad look. She glanced towards the child laying down who was staring out the window at the sunset. When she had first seen his eyes, they were dull, devoid of life, but now they sparkled (if only a little), reminding her of the drawing in Zelda's favorite book.
"Zelda, how about you show our guest your picture book now?"
"Okay!" Zelda vibrated in place while grabbing the book from her mother's hands. A chair was pulled over for Zelda to sit and she showed off the leather book to the boy who stared at her in curiosity.
The Queen of Hyrule observed as her daughter held the book and pointed at the pages before almost shoving it into the boy's face. She turned towards Zelda's maid who had accompanied them.
"Please take Zelda back to her room when she is ready, or when the doctors say it's time to leave. I must return to my work."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
A few days later, Zelda brought the book again.
Zelda brought the book every day. She loved it, so that was the main reason she always brought it with her, but she found that their guest liked it as well. So she brought it again, but this time was different.
The first time their guest could barely see the drawings due to Zelda's enthusiasm, the pages being too close to make anything out before she pulled it away and shoved it back into his face. The next day, the boy had been given medicine that helped him sleep and recover, so he fell dozed off before Zelda could even get through half of the story. But today…
Today Zelda got permission to sit on the bed next to him. She held the book between them and quietly told him about the story while her mother talked with the physician. The Princess peeked at the patient, finding him completely immersed in the drawings. He even slowly traced Zelda's favorite page with his finger. When her voice ceased, he glanced in her direction before extending a sturdy hand out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Zelda's heart started beating wildly in her chest.
"Wh-what's your name?" She stuttered, face warming up. The boy gave a small smirk and tilted his head to the side, quirking an eyebrow.
"Hey, I asked you what your name is!" Zelda huffed. The blond boy blinked in surprise and smiled apologetically at her.
"Zelda, the doctor said that he can't speak right now. Be patient, okay?"
Zelda huffed again. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and pouted, facing away from the boy next to her. She felt a tap on her shoulder that she knew was him. She wanted to ignore him, but she gave in and turned towards the blond. He smiled at her when she turned. The boy pointed at the book in his hands before propping it up between them. His shining, blue eyes bore into hers. She couldn't resist.
She leaned back on the pillows and began pointing out the pictures to the person next to her again, soon forgetting her anger. Eventually, her arms grew heavy, so she rested them at her sides. Her eyelids began to droop, so she let them close for what felt like only a few seconds. When she opened them again she knew she drifted off to sleep.
Zelda wasn't sure when she fell unconscious, but the grogginess made it apparent that she slept at some point.
And something rested lightly on her head.
When she finally opened her eyes enough to take in her surroundings, she realized she was still in the young boy's room. Her mother was deep in conversation with the doctor nearby in the sitting area, the smell of their tea wafting throughout the room. The fragrance was sweet and calming.
Her eyes moved to the bed. She was sitting atop the covers next to the blond boy just like she had when she was awake earlier. The book lay flat against the sheets above his lap. It was closed with one of his hands atop the back of the leather book, while the other was just barely touching the princess's hand, their pinkies interlocked.
She turned her head in the direction of the blond to find his face very close to hers. It was obvious to her now, she remembered she had started to doze off and found a nice place to lay her head, but she hadn't realized it had been his strong, yet delicate shoulder. At some point, he also must have fallen asleep and rested his head against hers.
Zelda flushed pink up to her ears and let out a high-pitched screech at the closeness, startling everyone in the room, including the child next to her who jolted from his sleep and shielded his ear from the attack.
"Zelda, what's wrong?" The Queen questioned urgently, but Zelda was now turning red in embarrassment.
"N-nothing. N-nightmare."
"Oh, Zelda. Come now, it's about time we go." Zelda nodded in agreement. She snuck a glance at her new…friend? Still tomato red, Zelda met his eyes before slipping off the bed and rushing to her mother. She hid in the skirt of the Queen's dress, covering her crimson face from the boy who had caused it. Every minute or so, she peeked in his direction to find him staring right back at her before she stuffed her face back into the silk.
As they turned to leave, Zelda heard mumbling from across the room. At first, she thought she was imagining it. It was muffled by the doctor and her mother conversing, but when she looked back at the boy, she could see his lips moving.
Zelda hesitantly let go of her mother's dress and wandered back over to the bedside before climbing up onto the mattress and surrounding the blond's injured body with her hands and knees.
"...nk…" He whispered.
"Huh? What are you saying?" Zelda strained to hear, bringing her ear closer to his mouth.
"Zelda! Be careful, he's in a fragile state!" The Queen warned. The pair of adults bolted over to the children.
"Li…ink." Zelda heard, still unable to completely understand him.
"Lee-ink?"
"Link." He let out a little louder this time.
"Link?"
The boy gave her a bright smile, carefully nodding his head.
"He said 'Link'!"
"He spoke?" The doctor finally reached their side, "Did he say anything else?"
"No. Just Link."
"Link." The boy repeated sheepishly.
"What is Link?" The doctor asked, scribbling down his new findings.
"...ame."
"Hmm?"
"Name." The boy said louder.
"Your name is Link?" The doctor asked.
The blond boy nodded in confirmation, not looking the group in the eyes. He curled back in on himself, almost trying to avoid the attention the three people gave him. The physician picked up on it right away.
"Perhaps we should give him some room to breathe. We can finish our discussion another day, but it's about time for his dinner and then he must rest for a bit."
"Yes, indeed." The Queen agreed, helping Zelda down from the bed without disturbing the injured boy. They backed away and headed back for the door.
"Book." Link blurted, a little louder than he had meant to. They turned to the small child, who recoiled again but held out Zelda's book towards them. Pink dusted his cheeks.
"Go on, grab your book, Zelda."
The Princess held out her hands, slowly reaching for the book, which he gently placed into her waiting arms.
"T-thank you…Zelda." Link flushed deeper. He couldn't meet her eyes. Their situation from earlier had suddenly reversed and Zelda was the one who couldn't stop staring. She giggled, covering her mouth with the book.
"You're welcome, Link."
Thanks for reading! Please follow, like, and comment and other stuff if you want. I promise it'll get exciting and we will see more characters soon!
P.s. comments inspire me 😊
