Hylia's Promise
~oOo~
The cheerful, chirping calls of many birds welcomed the sun on a beautiful, late spring morning, and echoed in the tiny, pointed ears of the blond moppet that was wakening to the promise of the new day. The moppet's name was Link, and this was a very special day – it was his fifth birthday, and the first time his parents would take him to the main plaza of Skyloft, and the bazaar that lay beyond it.
Normally, he was a heavy sleeper that didn't like rousing early, but he was excited for today, and had been since his father had told him that he would finally get to see some new places. It would be a great adventure, just like the stories his father had told him of the hero of legend, or the hero who had saved Skyloft from a horde of demons just a few years ago, to his childish mind. In fact, he was so excited, that his mother'd had quite the difficult time the evening before, getting him to settle down enough to even sleep at all.
For once, little Link didn't waste a moment once his eyes had opened and he realized that it was finally the long-awaited day, he jumped up from his bed and scampered into his parents' tiny room, setting about the task of waking them very... energetically.
"Mama, papa, wake up!" he shouted, jumping on to their bed and bouncing into the middle to nudge at them. "It's time to go to the ba-baz-zaar," he fumbled the word out, his voice squeaky with excitement. "Hurry up! The sun might go down if you take too long!"
His father, D'aylen, chuckled, and shook his head as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He glanced a little wryly at his wife, Merilee, who was also trying to come to full wakefulness from a dead sleep.
"Hm... maybe we should go another time. I'm still tired, I want to go back to sleep," he teased his son, turning his face into his pillows, and acting as though he were going to do just that. "It's too early to get up."
That was usually Link's answer when he was being woken for the day. "It's too early," he would mumble while rubbing at his eyes, an adorable pout pushing his little lip out. "Can't the sun go back to sleep?"
But not today. Today, hearing those words, his bright blue eyes widened with horror and he squirmed closer to his father, trying to yank his pillow from his hands. "No, papa, not today! The sun took long enough getting up already!"
At that, both his parents burst into laughter, and his mother tugged him closer to her, and hugged him. His father reached over and swept his bangs out of his eyes.
"Don't worry, little one, we haven't forgotten what day this is. Happy birthday, Link," she said with a gentle smile, his father echoing her words. "Five years old already. You're growing so fast, my little one."
Her smile widened at his engaging grin, and she shook her head with more laughter at his impatient bouncing. "Go then, my sweet. Set the dishes on the table, and I'll make your favorite breakfast."
Link scrambled off the bed at that, and immediately headed for the cupboards next to the hearth, where his mother kept the crockery and silverware. He was very careful, despite his excitement, not wanting to break anything and ruin the day. He just couldn't get into trouble today – he'd already waited for what seemed like forever to him, and now that the long-awaited day had finally arrived, nothing could be allowed to mess it up.
Just as he finished carefully setting out three places at their small table, exactly the way his mother had shown him, she and his father came out of their room, dressed and ready for the day. Both grinned as they watched his careful, deliberate movements, having almost expected a broken piece of dishware from the overly-excited little hands of their son.
D'aylen shook his head, still grinning, as he watched Link. "I have the feeling that today is going to be very interesting, for some reason," he said, before grabbing the wooden bucket that sat next to the hearth to draw some water from the well. "Come on, son, let's allow your mother to start breakfast while we get water, and gather some eggs for her."
The birthday boy nodded and grasped his father's outstretched hand eagerly, such a bright smile on his little face that it made his mother's heart ache. She waved at him as he skipped out the door at his father's side, her smile just a little wistful as she watched them go. He really was growing so fast, and soon he would be starting school. He was their only child, and he would remain so; his birthing had been difficult, and she had barely survived it. For her own safety she could never have another. That had been a hard reality for her to accept – both she and her husband had wanted a large family, but it was not to be.
They both doted on their son a little more because of that, although that wasn't to say he was a spoiled child, either. He was a generally well-behaved youngster, though just like any other, he had his bad days, too. Most of the time, those bad days consisted of him doing dangerous things while looking for adventures of his own – things he knew he wasn't supposed to do. He might only be five on this day, but he was like a little daredevil sometimes, and he was doing things most others wouldn't be able to do until they were several years older...
… Like dragging off his father's sword and trying to get it out of its sheath – fortunately, it was still too heavy for him to really lift it, and they'd caught him before any harm could be done. Or, somehow shimmying his way up a tree, and onto the roof of their home. She'd almost had a heart attack that day.
But most of the time he was a sweet-natured little daydreamer, and Merilee was content with that. He had a penchant for laying on the small hill at the edge of their property, and staring raptly up into the sky for hours at a time, if he was allowed. That was a safe enough pastime, she figured, and neither she nor her husband scolded him overmuch for it. Time enough for that as he got older, and tried shirking his chores to do the same.
By the time the two came back, Link carefully carrying a half dozen eggs in a strip of heavy cloth, the house was already beginning to smell delicious, with the eggs being the last things to be cooked along with the bread she was toasting over the fire.
Fifteen minutes or so later, the three sat down to their breakfast, and as was usual, bowed their heads in prayer to the goddess. They were a devout family, praying to Hylia at every meal, and in the evenings before bed, as well, for they had much to thank the goddess for. Surprisingly, unlike most children, Link had never shown any impatience with it, and had even come up with his own prayer almost as soon as he'd learned to talk.
And since today was his birthday, his father gave over to him, allowing Link to lead the short devotional prayer over their breakfast.
The young boy beamed at his sire, before bowing his head and clasping his hands together.
"Goddess Hylia, we thank you for the food we are about to eat," the little boy began, carefully following the words he'd been taught, "and for all of what you have done for us, your devoted people. Please keep us safe in your em-embrace, as we go about our day."
With that, he looked back up and grinned eagerly, squirming a little in his chair. "Okay, I'm ready, mama! I'm real hungry, so give me a lot today!"
With that, his parents once more dissolved into laughter, and breakfast that morning was especially merry, as both listened to their son's excited chatter with joy. Hylia had indeed blessed them in their son, and both sent silent words of extra thanks to the goddess for giving him to them.
"Well, son, are you ready?" D'aylen asked, with a wink at the little imp standing impatiently by the door.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Link ran towards his father and jumped into his arms, nodding so fast his mother began to wonder if he was going to give himself a headache. "Yes! I've been ready forever, I was just waiting for you and mama." He leaned over and looked around his father's arm to see his mother just picking up her shopping basket, and slipping it over her forearm. "Come on, mama, hurry, before it gets too late and the sun decides it's bedtime again!"
His parents both chuckled at him as his father set him back on his own two legs and grasped his hand. "Now, there's no need to worry over that, my boy," D'aylen replied, "the sun always goes to his bed on a schedule. It's nowhere near time for that – although, by the time this day is through, you'll probably be wishing it were time to find your bed."
"No, no, I can be tired tomorrow, but not today," his son said, his little face as serious as if they were discussing something of the utmost importance. "I promised Her Grace."
Both of his parents blinked at that, their expressions a little lost as they exchanged a glance.
"What do you mean?" his mother asked. "What did you promise Her Grace?"
The young boy, now tugging impatiently at his father's hand as he reached out to open the door, stopped for a moment and looked up at them. He looked confused, as though he couldn't understand why they didn't know what he was talking about. "She asked me to come visit her in the sq-quare today, and I promised. And you said that promises have to be kept no matter what, right? So I have to see her."
His parents traded concerned glances once more, and after a moment, his father crouched in front of him, still holding his hand. "Yes, that's true. If you promise someone something, then you must always be prepared to follow through. But... when did the goddess ask you such a thing?"
Link just shrugged, seemingly unconcerned by their questions. "When I'm sleeping she talks to me. She said I was going to meet someone special today, after visiting her."
Not at all certain what to make of what their son was telling them, the now rather uncertain couple exchanged yet another look. Was their son... touched ? Had he a mental weakness, or was he really being guided by the goddess' hand? Did he have some sort of extraordinary destiny in store for him?
D'aylen couldn't help his mind returning to the past, to a day that had brought many horrors and deaths for Skyloft... and a hero that had come from the future, and saved them. Link. Their own son's namesake, for that Link had saved both his wife and their unborn child on that day, and he had sworn to name his firstborn son in honor of the hero that had saved so many. So, perhaps... perhaps they shouldn't be so surprised by their son's words.
He was brought out of his thoughts by the anxious tugging of said son.
"Papa, papa, come on! Her Grace is waiting!"
Shaking his head, and truthfully still a little disturbed, nonetheless, after another glance at his wife's face, D'aylen stood and followed after their son, listening to him chatter on. After a few moments, he finally just shrugged – a gesture much like a certain little moppet's – and let go of the matter. Their son wasn't deficient, he was actually very smart... so he must be special to the goddess in some way. If that were the case, then he and his wife both were indeed honored to be a part of Link's life, in any manner at all.
He vowed to cherish every moment they were given, and give the young boy that was eagerly skipping at his side anything he could, anything that could enable him to fulfill whatever destiny the goddess had planned for him.
Thank you, goddess Hylia, for the great gift you have given us in our son. May he be all that you wished, and fulfill all that you desire of him.
The walk into town was a mostly quiet one – at least, for D'aylen and his wife. Their son chattered away, not at all concerned that his parents were so silent, which was, after all, a little strange. Usually, Link was the quiet one... but that made this day even more special, to hear the boy's voice so happy and carefree.
Merilee reached over as they neared their destination and tousled her son's hair with a slim hand; when Link looked up at her, she asked, "Did the goddess tell you who this special person that you're going to meet is?"
The little boy shook his head. "No. She just said that I'd know who it was when I saw them. I asked her how, and she smiled and said that my heart would tell me."
"I see."
Just about that time the trio came into sight of the core of Skyloft, and Link stopped and stared in awe at everything. After a few moments, he looked up at his parents through eyes shining with excitement.
"It's so big, and there's so many people," he cried, before tugging on his father's hand again and exhorting them to hurry. He wanted to see all there was to see.
But most of all, Link wanted to see Her Grace. And then meet the special person she had promised. She had told him that this person would be a great friend, and he could barely wait. After all, he didn't really have any friends at this point, having rarely ever left his home. They lived on one of the many small islands that encircled Skyloft, so even though he'd met other people when they would come to his home to see his father, his contact with others was fairly minimal.
He'd never felt lonely, though – not with Her Grace there to talk to him, and sometimes, when he'd lay on the hill by the house and stare into the sky until he started to drowse off, he'd feel the comforting softness of feathers brush against him, and hear a soft calming cooing. He knew what that gentle touch was. It was his loftwing, the one he would meet someday when he was old enough, a loftwing just like both of his parents had, like everyone on Skyloft had. Yet, somehow it was like no other, he just knew it.
Still, it would be nice to have a friend that he could actually see now, and not just in daydreams. Someone to have adventures with, someone that wanted to see the whole world, like he did. He didn't know why, but he'd always longed to explore, to go out and see all there was to see, to fly freely through the sky... to live.
So much boiled beneath the surface, feelings rather than actual thoughts; since at his age his vocabulary was still fairly simple, he had no way to explain these things to anyone else. The goddess always seemed to know all of his thoughts and wishes, though. When he said he wanted to fly, she knew what he meant. She'd smiled serenely at him, though her eyes had seemed sad for a moment, before promising that he would one day... that he'd fly farther than anyone else ever had, and discover a whole new world while he was at it. Promised that he would have a bigger adventure than he had ever even dreamed of.
Just like any child listening to a trusted adult, he believed her. Now all he had to do was grow up. Sometimes he wished that day would hurry, though. Sometimes, it felt like he would never grow up. In those moments, Her Grace would assure him that he would get there, but that he had to be patient. All things come in the fullness of their time, my love, she would say.
As with everything else, he believed her. And so he did his best to be patient. For her, because he wanted to please her. When she was pleased, she smiled, and it was the most beautiful thing the young boy had ever seen. It made him want to please her always, to keep her happy so that she could smile forever and ever.
The angle that the small family had approached on had kept the goddess statue mostly hidden, so when they finally reached the plaza, they stopped so that their little boy could take it all in. Yet, while his eyes were wide with wonder at all there was to see, his feet were anxious to make their way to the foot of the gigantic statue.
He slipped his hand from his father's, and as his parents watched, he walked quietly up to the altar that lay at Hylia's feet, and knelt. Then he lowered his head and clasped little hands together, and started speaking. His voice was both reverent and adoring, and D'aylen and Merilee looked at each other, still a little uncertain of what to make of it all. But it was clear to them in that moment, at least, that there would be far more to the story of their son's life than just growing up, becoming a knight of Skyloft, and marrying and having a family. No... while he might do all of those things, too, his life wouldn't be so mundane. His might just be a story to rival the greatest of legends.
Both parents tuned in to their son's words, greatly curious to know what he would say.
"Good morning, Your Grace," the little lad began. "I came just like I promised I would. This s-statue is very big, but it doesn't really look like you, though. You're a lot more beau-t-tiful-" he stammered over this relatively new word to his vocabulary, "-than that. I really like it when you smile. It's better than the sun going down, or the blue sky, or even the stars."
A bright smile of his own lit the boy's face, then, and to his watching and wondering parents, it seemed as if he were actually speaking to someone, pausing and listening, and responding as if they were a trusted and well-loved friend. As if he'd been speaking to her since he'd learned his first words, and taken his first steps into a world outside their home.
Perhaps he had.
But suddenly their son's face fell, and D'aylen and Merilee both took an involuntary step forward before stopping themselves, not wanting to interrupt whatever might be happening. Instead, they continued listening – and they weren't the only ones, as several people had stopped upon seeing such a young lad kneeling reverently before the goddess statue and praying. Most parents had to force their kids to settle down long enough to do so, yet here was a lad most had never seen, kneeling in prayer willingly?
"But why?" the boy wailed, his features now upset, as if he were about to cry. "I don't want you to go away! Not even to meet someone to be my friend! Please don't go, Your Grace," he whispered despondently after another pause. "Did I do something bad? I didn't mean to if I did..."
Just as his parents hearts' broke for seeing that expression on their son's face, he sniffled and his head dropped even further in defeat. "Will I ever get to see you again?"
For mere seconds out of time the young boy seemed to glow, as if touched by a divine hand.
"Okay. You promise that you'll always be with me, even if I can't see you? You have to promise, 'cause promises always have to be kept, just like mama and papa told me."
After an eternal-seeming few seconds, a little bit of a smile eased the sadness on Link's face, and he sniffled again, this time wiping at his eyes with one small hand. "Well, okay. As long as I get to see you again, someday. But I-I'm going to miss you... Please don't forget about me."
Another fragment of time slipped by, and the little boy's smile widened again, and though it wasn't his biggest, it was still more true than the last one had been. "I love you, too, Your Grace," he said, and then, with a little sigh, he slowly dropped his hands and lifted his face. Opening his dazzling blue eyes, he stood up and turned back to his parents, and though the smile was still there, both D'aylen and Merilee could see that he was upset underneath it.
Both knelt when he reached them, and his mother pulled him to her heart. "What's wrong, my little one? What did the goddess say to you?"
There was a tiny sniffle as Link clutched at his mother, needing the comfort. "S-she said that she wouldn't be able to come into my dreams anymore. But she said that I'd see her again, and she even promised, so I'll wait for her. She always keeps her promises."
D'aylen put a hand on his young son's shoulder, wanting to comfort him as much as his wife did. It was rare to see such unhappiness on the boy's face, for usually he was all sweet smiles and bright, inquisitive eyes.
"That's right, Link. Her Grace always keeps her promises. In time, she will come to you again, you'll see. So until then, just keep her in your heart. Time will fly, and sooner than you think, that day will come. And didn't you say she told you that you were going to meet someone special today?"
That perked Link up a little, and he nodded. Letting go his mother, he stepped back and shuffled his feet. "She said that the person will be my best friend for the rest of my life. But I told her that she was my first best friend, and she smiled at me really big and hugged me. And then she said it was the same thing. I don't know what that means, but when I asked she just shook her head and said I would understand someday. When it was time, she said."
Out of curiosity, Merilee asked, "You said that the goddess doesn't really look like the statue. What does she look like, then?"
At that question, a wide, almost dreamy smile crossed Link's face, and to his parents, he looked like nothing so much as a little boy in love for the first time in his life. They once again exchanged concerned glances, and waited for whatever he was going to say with a slowly growing sense of concern.
"She's more beau-ti-f-ful-" he stumbled again, "than anything, even the stars. Her hair looks kind of like yours, mama," he reached out a hand and tangled little fingers in a lock of his mother's pale golden hair, "but it's longer. And her eyes are blue, like papa's, but not as dark. She wears a long white dress, and pretty beads with lots of sparkles are in her hair. But the best of all is when she smiles. It's better than anything else, ever."
Link looked back at the statue, and then finished with, "She doesn't have wings. That's okay, though... she doesn't need wings to fly."
Not at all certain what he meant by that, the two were about to set it all aside for the moment and continue on their way to the bazaar, when a small commotion at the edge of the square made itself heard. All three turned their heads to look.
A small, glowingly golden child was tugging on the hand of a rather large man – a man who wasn't unknown to them. It was the Headmaster of the Knight's Academy, and the beautiful little girl with him was his daughter.
A daughter named Zelda, at the request of the same Hero that Link himself was named for.
Link had never seen her before, but the moment he laid eyes on her, he knew, just like the goddess had said he would. Without a word to his parents, and with a look of wonder on his childish features, Link crossed the distance to stand before the little girl, who was watching him with the same look of wonder on her face as he had on his.
"Her Grace was right," he mumbled, blushing a little as the girl stared at him with eyes the exact same shade as the goddess he already loved.
"About what?" the little girl inquired, her head tilted with curiosity.
"She said I would meet someone important today, and that my heart would tell me when I found them. And she was right. It was you she told me about," he ended, still blushing bashfully and scuffling his shoe on the stone of the square.
"Oh," the little girl breathed, and then she grinned. "I'm Zelda... what's your name?"
"Link."
"It's nice to meet you, Link. When do you get to start school?"
The little boy blinked, a bit confused by the change in subject, but shrugged. "In a few months... when do you?"
Zelda beamed. "It's the same for me! Father, did you hear? This is Link, and he gets to start school the same time as me!" Impulsively, the little girl grabbed the equally little boy's hand, and began tugging him around, firing questions at him and pointing out all the different things that he'd never seen before with equal facility, leaving the adults to stare after them with surprise, though they were smiling, as well.
D'aylen looked over at the man who stood with them. "Gaepora, it's good to see you. And that's Zelda... wow. She's grown so much since the last time we saw her. She looks so very much like Wrenna."
Gaepora looked a little sad at mention of his late wife, but he still smiled and nodded. "She does, indeed," he rumbled as he stared after her fondly. "And young Link – he also has grown much since last I visited. He is a handsome young lad, much like the one he was named for. If I'm not mistaken, the hand of the goddess lays gently upon him, as well. You have been blessed, my friends."
Merilee smiled at Gaepora. "As have you, in your daughter. She's beautiful, and the sun obviously loves her."
The Headmaster chuckled. "It does. Sometimes, it almost seems as if she's the one glowing, and not the sunlight upon her. But she can be quite a mischievous little imp, too, which means trouble for me. She's got far too much energy while at it, and I can hardly keep up."
The trio once more turned their heads to look for their children, and watched as one golden child led another who seemed just as golden around the plaza, determinedly pointing out everything of importance to an enraptured little boy. Both laughed and giggled as they dashed in and out of the crowds, as though they'd known each other forever, rather than just having met.
"I've never seen her take to someone so quickly," Gaepora murmured thoughtfully. "She's a friendly, open child, but she's never been so carefree with anyone else. I think she's found that best friend she's always spoken of finding one day."
D'aylen and his wife both blinked in surprise at his words.
"What do you mean?" Merilee asked, intrigued. Link had mentioned someone that the goddess had told him would be his 'best friend'. Had Zelda also been touched by the goddess? Was she destined to be that friend?
"Ever since she learned to speak, she's insisted that there was someone she would meet that would be her best friend forever, as she says. But when I would ask her about it, all she would say is that she would know in her heart when she met them." He gestured with one big hand, indicating the two children scampering around, their own hands still clasped together. "It seems to me she has."
The couple could hardly deny that it indeed seemed to be so; despite Link's excitement for the day, and the promised 'best friend', he was normally a bit shy when people would come to their home, or when they would visit others in their homes. But he'd taken to Zelda right away, and if the look on his face was any indication, he was already a goner.
Finally, D'aylen broke the small silence that had fallen between them. "Well, I suppose it's fitting, at that. They were named by the same man – the man who saved them both before they were even born. And I imagine that when they start school, they'll get up to all sorts of mischief together." He laughed and clapped a friendly hand to Gaepora's shoulder. "If only we could find a way to tap into all that energy... who knows what we could accomplish, eh? Though, I don't envy you having to keep up with all the children every school year, that's certain."
Gaepora laughed ruefully. "Most don't, when it comes to that. But it keeps me young, I suppose. I certainly don't have the time to worry about the years that are passing me by."
Just then, Link and Zelda ran back up to them, hands still clasped together, with little Zelda in the lead and tugging Link behind her. Both were smiling, the boy a little more bashfully than the girl, but joy was radiating equally from the pair.
"Father, Link is my best friend forever, just like I told you about! And he said the goddess told him that he would meet me today, you heard him!"
Once again, Merilee knelt down. She had decided to introduce herself, in case the little girl didn't remember her. After all, it had been quite some time since they had visited Gaepora.
"Hello, Zelda," she began, "I'm Link's mother, Merilee." She paused for a moment as the small girl smiled up at her brightly, replying to her very politely. "Can you tell me how you knew that you were going to meet Link someday? Did Her Grace speak to you?"
Zelda shook her head, her smile fading as her eyes, sky-blue and containing a vast intelligence that the older woman had no problem detecting, became consumed in thought. She put a finger to her chin as she considered what the older woman had asked. "No, ma'am... I just knew," the little girl shrugged after several seconds. "My heart told me. Father always says not to look a gift loftwing in the mouth, so I don't." She smiled again, that sunny nature once more surfacing as the thoughtful look she'd had the moment before faded away. "He's here, and now we can be together forever."
The adults looked at each other with raised eyebrows at that. "Forever, eh?" Gaepora asked, and his daughter nodded firmly.
"Of course!"
Merilee stood back up, and settled her eyes thoughtfully on her son, who was blushing shyly and seemingly tongue-tied, but nodding in agreement with Zelda nonetheless.
After a moment more, she smiled gently at the children. "Well, perhaps you will be. But for now, we were about to take Link into the marketplace, since he's never been there. Would you like to accompany us, if it's alright with your father?"
Her answer was the small girl looking pleadingly up at her sire and begging for his permission, which he gave, with the added, "When you're ready to head home for the day, just drop her off at the academy," to D'aylen and Merilee. "You mind them, my dear, and don't get into any trouble," he tacked on at the last minute.
Link's parents agreed, and Zelda nodded at her father's instructions with a, "Yes, sir." And with that, the two (still) holding hands fell into step with Link's parents, the sunny girl chattering rapidly at her new best friend once more.
D'aylen shook his head, watching them. "Well, I was certainly more right than I knew when I said I had the feeling today would be interesting," he said to his wife softly.
She merely nodded, still with that considering look in her eyes as she watched her son and Zelda. "That day," she began, her own voice soft, not wanting the children to really hear her, "when we were attacked... I'd had the feeling something terrible was coming. But when I saw that young man charging into the fray and throwing himself in front of Wrenna and I, I knew... knew that he was extraordinary the moment I saw him. He seemed... almost familiar. I think..." she hesitated for a few seconds, then finished, "I think that his extraordinary fate will be shared by these two, someday."
Her husband could do naught but agree, though after a slight pause, he began chuckling, and his wife looked at him questioningly.
"What?"
He leaned closer to her ear, to make sure the youngsters didn't hear, and whispered, "I think we might just have met our future daughter-in-law. I suppose it's a good thing that Gaepora is the one who will foster our son if anything ever happens to us. He'll take good care of Link, and I have the feeling that little Zelda will take even better care of him."
Despite the thought of leaving their son behind - especially while he was young - making her heart clench, she couldn't help but agree.
"I'm sure you're right. And the goddess certainly won't abandon him, either, if she's already laid her hand upon him and claimed him for herself. I... only hope we get to see their fates unwind."
Suddenly much more sober, her husband met her eyes for a moment, then looked down at the two children, and agreed wholeheartedly.
I hope so, too. But if we don't, at least I'll go knowing our son is in good hands, and that he won't be left alone...
May the goddess keep her hand protectively upon you, my son... and on Zelda.
And then he firmly shut the door on such thoughts, and simply enjoyed the easy day with his family, and the little girl that he was almost certain would one day be family, as well.
