A/N: This is the first LoZ fic I ever wrote seriously. It actually was started about three years ago and has been finished on and off after having survived through three hiatuses and a serious consideration of scrapping. But I decided to give it another chance, and am actually quite pleased with the results. Rated PG-13 for violence and Link's surprisingly dirty mouth; warnings include angst, sadness, violence, Link/Zelda pairing (no citrus), and alternate realities. The timeline I'm basing things on is a quasi-alternate-reality of my own creation: I base most if not all of my Zelda fanfiction on the idea that all the deeds done and chronicled in the Zelda games (with the exception of the Wind Waker for obvious reasons) were the deeds of one brave young lad chosen by Destiny and the three Goddesses as the Hero of Time, the Legendary Hero. Oh. And I don't own Linky (more's the pity) or Zelda or any of the game's other characters. They are copyrighted to Miyamoto Shigeru-san and Nintendo, the lucky bastards. I own, however, sole copyright of each and every one of my original characters. Steal them and I will hunt you down and break your elbows. Remember: A vague threat is no one's friend.
-Act I-
A Twist of Fate
6
Zelda ran, and she didn't stop until she was out in the bright, noonday sunlight outside the entrance to Spectacle Rock. She saw Epona standing patiently next to the cavern, and threw herself against the steed, sobbing uncontrollably. Epona seemed to understand the Princess' deep emotions, for she didn't move. The calm horse just nickered once, seeming to say 'it's all right, I'm here for you.' She tossed her head, mane flying in the sun. Epona suddenly stared to paw the ground anxiously.
Zelda dried her eyes, sensing the evils that lurked all too often in the shadows that constantly pervaded Death Mountain. She rubbed the horse's neck comfortingly. "How about it, girl?" she asked. "Don't suppose I can talk you into letting me ride you, huh?" she waited, but there was not even so much as a whinny of a response. Feeling somewhat like disaster was slowly closing in, Zelda tried again. "Look, I'm sorry, but he's not coming back. I'm all you've got until you can go back to Malon. Let me take you away from this mountain. You'll be a lot happier. Besides…I think there might be some carrots and apples in the palace stables with your name on them…" she promised, and there was an acquiescing whinny from the chestnut mare. Zelda smiled, and climbed into Epona's saddle. Spurring the horse on, she rode at breakneck speeds down Death Mountain Trail, not even stopping as she tore through Kakariko Village, doing her best to ignore the whispers and pointing fingers once the residents saw who sat astride Epona's saddle.
Zelda rode straight through the village. Ignoring the bridge across the river outside Kakariko, she made Epona leap across the small stream, and rode right over the Hyrule Castle Drawbridge. She slowed the steed to a walk, and rode, back straight, face imperiously calm, through the crowds of startled inhabitants. The looks of happy surprise on the faces of her subjects became looks of confusion, and even near panic when they realized Link was not with her. That fact tore at her heart, though Zelda did not show it. She rode through, and stopped at the castle gates. She stared down coldly at the guard on duty, who was standing there staring at her in open shock. When the gate was not immediately opened, her glare became icy. "Open the gate," she said dangerously.
The soldier was too much in shock to comply, and so Zelda got even more deadly. "I am not accustomed to having to repeat myself," she grated quietly.
The gates were opened.
Zelda rode up to the front door of the castle, dismounted, and left Epona's reins in the hands of a stunned groom who was so unable to respond that the reins just lay in his open palm as Zelda strode past. She walked into the throne room dignified and every inch a princess. Her father shot from the throne to meet her, eyes wide and face pale as Zelda walked in. "My child…" he whispered, and the moment their eyes locked, Zelda collapsed in his arms, weeping brokenly.
"Where is Link?" he asked finally.
Zelda shuddered as she looked up at him with sad blue eyes, and told him. "He vanished," she sobbed. "He was there, and he saved me, and then he wasn't…Ganondorf said that I'd n-never s-see him ag-again," she sobbed. "I tried to save him, but he wouldn't let me…said he wasn't important as long as I was safe…I tried, I tried, I tried…" finally Zelda's words descended into unintelligible, silent sobs that shook her entire body.
Her father, however, had focused on a different part. "His last thoughts were of you…" the king whispered. Boy, what a son-in-law he'd make…
-Act I-
A Twist of Fate
6
Zelda ran, and she didn't stop until she was out in the bright, noonday sunlight outside the entrance to Spectacle Rock. She saw Epona standing patiently next to the cavern, and threw herself against the steed, sobbing uncontrollably. Epona seemed to understand the Princess' deep emotions, for she didn't move. The calm horse just nickered once, seeming to say 'it's all right, I'm here for you.' She tossed her head, mane flying in the sun. Epona suddenly stared to paw the ground anxiously.
Zelda dried her eyes, sensing the evils that lurked all too often in the shadows that constantly pervaded Death Mountain. She rubbed the horse's neck comfortingly. "How about it, girl?" she asked. "Don't suppose I can talk you into letting me ride you, huh?" she waited, but there was not even so much as a whinny of a response. Feeling somewhat like disaster was slowly closing in, Zelda tried again. "Look, I'm sorry, but he's not coming back. I'm all you've got until you can go back to Malon. Let me take you away from this mountain. You'll be a lot happier. Besides…I think there might be some carrots and apples in the palace stables with your name on them…" she promised, and there was an acquiescing whinny from the chestnut mare. Zelda smiled, and climbed into Epona's saddle. Spurring the horse on, she rode at breakneck speeds down Death Mountain Trail, not even stopping as she tore through Kakariko Village, doing her best to ignore the whispers and pointing fingers once the residents saw who sat astride Epona's saddle.
Zelda rode straight through the village. Ignoring the bridge across the river outside Kakariko, she made Epona leap across the small stream, and rode right over the Hyrule Castle Drawbridge. She slowed the steed to a walk, and rode, back straight, face imperiously calm, through the crowds of startled inhabitants. The looks of happy surprise on the faces of her subjects became looks of confusion, and even near panic when they realized Link was not with her. That fact tore at her heart, though Zelda did not show it. She rode through, and stopped at the castle gates. She stared down coldly at the guard on duty, who was standing there staring at her in open shock. When the gate was not immediately opened, her glare became icy. "Open the gate," she said dangerously.
The soldier was too much in shock to comply, and so Zelda got even more deadly. "I am not accustomed to having to repeat myself," she grated quietly.
The gates were opened.
Zelda rode up to the front door of the castle, dismounted, and left Epona's reins in the hands of a stunned groom who was so unable to respond that the reins just lay in his open palm as Zelda strode past. She walked into the throne room dignified and every inch a princess. Her father shot from the throne to meet her, eyes wide and face pale as Zelda walked in. "My child…" he whispered, and the moment their eyes locked, Zelda collapsed in his arms, weeping brokenly.
"Where is Link?" he asked finally.
Zelda shuddered as she looked up at him with sad blue eyes, and told him. "He vanished," she sobbed. "He was there, and he saved me, and then he wasn't…Ganondorf said that I'd n-never s-see him ag-again," she sobbed. "I tried to save him, but he wouldn't let me…said he wasn't important as long as I was safe…I tried, I tried, I tried…" finally Zelda's words descended into unintelligible, silent sobs that shook her entire body.
Her father, however, had focused on a different part. "His last thoughts were of you…" the king whispered. Boy, what a son-in-law he'd make…