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 V-

Restoration

5

Two weeks had gone by since the unearthly visit from Hylian deity, and Link was on his way back to that jeweler's shop. He walked in the door and the grizzled blacksmith-turned-jewelry-maker grinned at him from his forge. "It's ready, young sir," he said, and reached down behind one of his shelves to lift a bundle wrapped in blue satin onto the counter. The satin was pushed aside to reveal a chain of deep sapphire beads with a silver rose - hand-created with chisel and hammer - in the center. It seemed burnished, almost glowing with a life of its own.

Link stared at it in awe, fingering the two small beads - one blue, one green, sapphire and emerald - that hung from the silver pendant. "Breggan, it's lovely," he said. "How much do I owe you for it?"

Breggan gave him a knowing look. "Is this for the Lady that I believe it to be?" he asked, one busy eyebrow arched.

Link blinked at him. "What? Oh…hm. Yes. I'd be much obliged if you didn't spread that around, either," he said, giving the jeweler a warning look.

Breggan waved him off. "Not a word from me, don't worry. But I'll only keep my lips sealed if you allow me to give you this free of charge."

Link stared at him. "Something like this…no. I can't. It's worth too much."

Breggan planted his huge fists on his hips. "You'll not be able to argue into payin' me for this, lad…the whole countryside has been waiting for a certain announcement since you revealed your return at the coronation two weeks ago. If you pay me for this and people find out I charged you…I'll be driven from business!"

Link couldn't help it. He started to laugh.

Breggan gazed steadily at him, waiting for the laughs to subside. "It's no joke, young sir. No joke. I've heard the threats. The city folk will never buy from my shop again if I charge you for that."

Link just shook his head in amazement. Had he really been so blind? "All right, but I'm going to be back fairly soon with some more work for you to do, and I will be payin' you full price for it."

Breggan smiled widely. "Agreed. Let me wrap this for you." He placed the satin around the pendant once more, and slipped it into a small pouch of radiant blue silk. "And here you are, lad. Goddesses bless you."

Link smiled, thanking him with a nod, and turned to leave the shop, unable to keep from musing that maybe, just maybe…the Goddesses already had.