notaname: I'm fine now, but those pain meds made me REALLY loopy. I'm kind of scared to read the replies I sent... and last chapter's Author's Note. O_O

Chapter 27: The Lycanthryn Mystery

"Bit by bit, I've gotten Link to open up to me. It turns out he's quite the glutton - he can't resist a delicious meal!

"When I finally got around to asking why he's so quiet all the time, I could tell it was... difficult for him to say. But he did.

"With so much at stake, and so many eyes upon him, he feels it necessary to stay strong and to silently bear any burden. A feeling I know all too well... For him, it has caused him to stop outwardly expressing his thoughts and feelings.

"I always believed him to be simply a gifted person who had never faced a day of hardship. How wrong I was... Everyone has struggles that go unseen by the world... I was so absorbed with my own problems, I failed to see his.

"I wish to talk with him more and to see what lies beneath those calm waters, to hear him speak freely and openly... And perhaps I, too, will be able to bare my soul to him and share the demons that have plagued me all these years."

Zelda walked through the halls. It was early in the morning, the halls lit only by the rising sun, whose dim rays filtered through the large, stained glass windows. The only other people she had seen were the guards that lined the walls, watching dutifully and silently as always.

She wondered if she had ever passed her own knight before. He was just that, after all - a knight. He had even been a member of the Royal Guard before being promoted to her personal knight, which was no mean feat, considering his age.

Zelda shook off the thought as she turned a corner. She needed to focus. Before leaving her room, she had decided to take a longer route to the library. She wanted to see the hall of portraits, a place she hadn't been to in years. However, because she hadn't been there in years, she needed to concentrate on remembering how to get there.

After pausing at a place where the hallways split, she thought a moment. I think it was left… or was it right?

After glancing once more between the halls, she took a right. She recognized the hallway - she was going the right way, thank goodness. There was just a turn or so until she reached the right place.

Making the final turn, she was greeted by a long corridor with high, arching ceilings, lacking windows. Instead, it was lit by several large chandeliers that hung down from the ceiling, as well as the expensive wax candles that were propped by the paintings. Guards posted at various points along the hall stood stiff and emotionless, giving the corridor an air of elegance. It made even herself feel as if she was trespassing.

The paintings on the right were all large, their frames ornately decorated with gems and finely carved details. These were the paintings of previous rulers - Queen Zelda III, King Daphnes, and various others that she had long since memorized. She marveled at the first few of the royals, but then turned her attention to the left.

The paintings on the left were smaller, depicting nobles, war heroes, and the most memorable and dutiful knights. She had never paid them much mind before, but for some reason she found herself drawn to them this morning. No name plates lined any of the paintings, leaving these grumpy old women and stiff knights' names lost to time.

For awhile she was content with simply walking past, sparing nothing more than a glance for each portrait. But then one in particular caught her eye.

This painting showed a man - a knight of the Royal Guard, as his uniform ranked him as. But that was not what was shocking.

It looks just like Link, she realized. Dark golden locks framed the man's face, messy bangs tumbling from the hat… it all matched up.

Nonetheless, this knight was clearly older. His facial features, though the same as her knight's at first glance, were sharper and more matured. A slight stubble decorated his chin. Not only that, but his eyes were a warm forest green - not the cold, piercing blue of her knight's gaze.

Zelda turned to the guard that stood stoically a few feet away. Perhaps he would have answers? She knew it was part of a guard's training to memorize many of the knights and heroes. Their stories were often used to strike courage and inspiration into the hearts of their soldiers.

"Excuse me, Sir?" Zelda asked, using her sweetest voice.

The guard turned his head towards her. "Yes, Your Highness?" he asked emotionlessly.

"I find that I am having difficulty in identifying the knight in this portrait," Zelda said, gesturing to the painting. "Would you happen to know who this is?"

The guard stepped toward her, his armor clanking. It was only a moment, one short glance at the painting, before he nodded with familiarity. "Yes, I know who this is," he said. "His first name escapes me right now… but this is Sir Lycanthryn."

"Lycanthryn?" Zelda echoed. The name sounded familiar.

The guard nodded again. "A legendary knight in the Royal Guard, he was. But he's better known for the Lycanthryn Mystery."

That definitely sounded familiar. "It rings a bell, but I find that I don't recall that story," Zelda admitted.

The guard scrunched up his face out of distaste. "It is... not a happy tale, Princess. As violent as they come, you see. I don't feel it is my place to tell you."

"Not all the details," Zelda assured him. "Just the basics. That might jog my memory."

The guard gave her a hesitant look, but gave in, sighing. "It was a while back - before I had completed my own training, actually. Sir Lycanthryn had only recently retired to Hateno. After the townsfolk hadn't heard from him or his family for a week or so, someone went up to investigate."

The guard's face twisted into a grimace. "He was found a few days dead, split open from shoulder to hip, the symbol of the Yiga painted on the floor in his own blood."

Zelda shivered as the gruesome image shaped itself in her mind. But instead of the older man in the painting… she saw Link. The mere thought struck fear into her soul.

"What could have happened?" she found herself asking. "Surely the Yiga killed him for a reason."

The guard shook his head, looking back to the painting. "I think that he was murdered as an act of revenge. He apprehended many a Yiga in his time - led many attacks on them, all of which were successful... they certainly weren't fond of him."

"That's horrible," Zelda murmured. Such a violent death…

The guard nodded. "Anything else, Your Highness?"

"No, thank you," Zelda said, waving the guard off. With a bow, he clanked his way back to his post.

Zelda continued down the hall, deep in thought. A tragic story indeed… but for Sir Lycanthryn to be of such likeness to Link… could her knight possibly be… related?

Zelda shook off the thought. It was merely a coincidence. She didn't even know if this Sir Lycanthryn had any family, nor how long ago it was that he died. Sir Link's surname was definitely not Lycanthryn… was it?

She suddenly found herself struggling to remember her knight's last name. Was it... Equador? No, that wasn't it. Equiter? That was closer, but that wasn't quite right. Equi… Equitem! That was it. Yes, her knight was Sir Link Equitem. Not Lycanthryn.

And so the princess continued toward the library, pushing the remnants of the thought from her mind.

"I've decided to write a bit more honestly. If it's information that's dangerous… I guess I'll just have to burn it. It's not just Impa that insists now - Fi's gotten in on it, too. If I lie to her, she knows instantly. I suppose that's what happens when you're sharing a headspace.

"The last few weeks, I have been forced to shirk my duty. First, it was because the princess made me. It's not as if I've ever done anything helpful for her, anyway. Everything I've done up until now has been pointless. She was almost killed because of me, for Hylia's sake! But now… the captain caught me researching the Calamity. I was punished, of course - rightly so. I'm a fool for thinking I could do anything more than kill. The only way to prepare myself for the darkness to come is to train. I must hone my skills, or I will be no match for what is to come.

"However… instead of masking the marks of my punishment, I grew frustrated. I went to the training yard, despite the pure foolery of it all. The princess found me, demanding an explanation for my injuries. I couldn't tell her it was the captain - she wouldn't have understood that it was necessary. It was essential to open my eyes to my denial - I've denied my duty. I still snuck away to the kitchens, despite my punishment for doing so years ago. I still researched, thinking, like an idiot, that I could find answers.

"I'm not a scholar, and I'm not a cook or a servant. I'm a weapon. That's all I am, and all I'll ever be."

The quill's tip snapped on the parchment. "This will have to be burned," he said softly.

"Why do you insist on doing so?" Fi asked. "It is not as if anyone will invade your privacy."

Link shook his head. "It's too risky," he explained quietly. "There have been too many instances when information is left carelessly lying around and it ends up in the wrong hands."

"If you say so, Master Link," Fi replied as Link started the fire in his small fireplace, tossing wood into the pile. His room may have been small, but the fireplace was a luxury some soldiers didn't have, and he was grateful to have it.

He was blessed, he realized. Many would kill for the honor of wielding the Sword that Seals the Darkness. So… why didn't he see it the same way? Why didn't the goddesses choose someone more willing?

"One reason you were chosen was due of your lack of ambition. Your selfless nature ensures that you would do whatever is necessary to save Hyrule."

"So long as it's killing something, we're fine," Link huffed. "I'm useless otherwise."

"You are not useless, Master Link."

"No," he agreed. "I kill things." He had never been fond of doing so… but it was necessary. It was all he was good for.

"You are much more than a weapon," Fi stated. "You are more than even I understand."

Sure, Link thought as he watched the fire grow, adding more firewood. He had become efficient at starting fires when he was young. His mother had taught him. Back then, it has been necessary to move quickly. One step behind... and they would be dead.

He shook off the memories. Those were dark times. Dark times he did not wish to recall right now. Yes, he was indeed blessed. He no longer had to live in terror. They had no power over him anymore. Not here. They wouldn't dare go near the castle.

"Did you ever discover why they sought after you?" Fi asked.

Link shook his head. "No," he replied firmly. "And I'm not sure I want to. There are some things that you aren't meant to know, no matter how much you want to."

He chased away the memories that crept up against his will. Perhaps, one day, he would write them down and watch them burn. But for now, despite the time that had passed, he wasn't ready to let go. He was foolish like that - idiotic to hold onto the past. But there was nothing he could do about it now.

Deciding that the fire had grown to a decent enough size, Link went back to his small desk. He gently brushed the corner of the page, overlooking it momentarily.

His bad decisions were in the past. He would make sure he didn't make the same mistakes again.

He blew on the ink, making sure it was all completely dry. After that, he tore the page from the bindings of his journal.

He crumpled up the page, ignoring the way his heart sank at the thought that this page could have been. A tree had been cut down, and had gone through the rigorous process of being turned into parchment, only to be wasted. Someone better, more skilled than himself, could have used this page to create art. They could have drawn up something beautiful! They could have written and recorded observations that change the world and cure the deadliest diseases! They could have written a story that touched the hearts of many!

But instead, here it was. Crumpled in his hand, covered in his moping, self-hating thoughts. It could have been so much more, but instead, he had ruined it.

Link tossed the paper into the flames, where it immediately began to writhe and tangle itself within the angry and fiery wisps.

He watched, his eyes watery and stinging. It was painful, yes, but he couldn't - no, he wouldn't look away. He watched it as the flames grew, the parchment glowing with bright gold and red tendrils before the corners began to blacken and shrivel.

It wasn't long before it was gone, reduced to nothing but ashes.

Well, Link... just embrace the pyromania. For me, why don't ya.

Heyo! It's been awhile, but I swear I'm not dead. This week I have a family reunion though, and with that, combined with some writer's block, and slowly becoming obsessed with drawing (I got a new toy - send help DX) and manga, I might not be able to update next week.

I've kind of been falling into an "Every other week" schedule. But I've also noticed that, with more time to look over writing and such, the quality of the chapters has slowly been going up. This particular chapter is a page over average (8 pages in Google Docs, font size 12 and double spaced), and the next one is TWO pages over average (which is really impressive, because there are no big scene shifts - when it does change, they actually walk, and it flows pretty darn well. That's very difficult for me to do, as I'm pretty sure I'm slightly A.D.D., so the fact that I managed a whole chapter, let alone two pages over average, is a bit incredible for me). So... look forward to that!

THANK YOU REVIEWERS! We had a total of NINE reviews last chapter (not that I'm keeping track or anything... but I am XD), and that, compared to the one or two that I used to get per chapter, is pretty darn amazing. You guys are so nice (too nice - I'd like some real criticism! XD) and supportive, and that's wonderful! Y'all are great! ("Y'all?" Did I seriously just say/write "Y'all?")

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! :D

Sincerely (SQUIRREL!),

Ari~