"This story begins a few years after the Hero awakened the Princess from her slumber, and after the newest threat to Hyrule. Agahnim, was defeated after multiple attempts to gain the Triforce of Power. The temporary ruler of Hyrule, the Council, had pressured the Princess to marry before assuming the title of Queen, to safeguard the future of her line against any other threats. However, the Princess was headstrong, and after four years since her coming of age, the Council relented, giving the throne to the rightful ruler. However, unknown to the Princess, a deal was made in secret. Let her be coronated, and then enact a plan so devious that will tear Hyrule's chosen son and daughter apart… But for now, I shall tell you of the day it began…"
20 years ago, North Castle
"By the power of Din, the knowledge of Nayru, and the grace of Farore, I now deem thee, the seventh Zelda Harkinian, Queen of Hyrule. May thee govern Hyrule with courage, wisdom, and power." The priest held the crown encrusted with three large stones, a ruby, sapphire, and emerald, adjacent to smaller jewels. Above where the head. The golden model of Hyrule's great treasure was erected over the headdress of the crown, and the young lady took a deep breath as it was lowered onto her reddish-brown hair. She released her breath as she accepted her fate.
At 22 years, she was finally crowned Queen Zelda VI, the first one since the aftermath of the war between worlds. The priest smiled at her as she turned around, but the moment was not a happy one for the woman. She hadn't become Queen because it was her time, but because it was necessary. Her mother, Queen Daphne Nohansen Harkinian, died at childbirth, the curse of the Zelda name, and not but a decade earlier, her father, King Daphes Harkinian, passed to the Sacred Realm at the hands of the Prince of Darkness Ganon. His absence bothered Zelda, as it should have been him, not the priest, who crowned Zelda her due title. However, as the priest turned away to the crowd, a flash of green and brown resurrected her happiness, though she kept it internally for formality. At least one man (and by extension, one lady) important to her was here to see her transition from Hyrule's Princess to Hyrule's sole sovereign, for the time being.
The priest raised his hands, and molded them into a triangle. "Long live the Queen, and long prosper Hyrule!"
"LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!" Zelda smiled as the priest gestured her to stand, and she overlooked the crowd of her subjects. She took her eyes to two people to her right, one an elderly woman, who had been Zelda's nurse and 'mother' since she could remember. She nodded her approval, and then looked up to the young swordsman beside her. Zelda did as well, and her smile grew tenfold. The man returned a cheesy grin as he folded his arms behind him, and bowed slightly to the new Queen. She managed to hold off a laugh, and returned her gaze to the priest, who now held a scepter, began to lead a processional out of the Temple of Time. Zelda followed right behind him, followed by the swordsman and nurse, and then the nobility. The crowd clapped in sync as their sovereign left the church, to the awaiting carriage outside where those who couldn't get inside could get a first glimpse of the newly crowned Queen. She waved to everyone as the swordsman and nurse passed her to enter the carriage. The man turned to the Queen, and beckoned her to her ride.
"Your Majesty, time to go."
Zelda reluctantly took the man's hand and entered her ride, and off the trio was whisked from the Temple of Time in Rauru Town back to the open fields between the previous town and Zelda's home, the North Castle. It would be late evening when they arrive for the banquet in honor of the Queen, and the festivities would prolong deep into the night. After an hour of riding in her carriage quietly, seeing the same scenery she had gazed upon hundreds of times, she heard someone awaken from their nap, and turned to face then. It was the swordsman, who stretched his limbs to get the blood flowing his extremities, "accidently" kicking the Queen on her leg. She frowned as he smiled playfully, wiping the spot he kicked her at. "Excuse me, Prin- Ah shucks. I guess I need a new catchy catchphrase, because it won't sound right by saying 'Queen' or 'Your Majesty.'"
"You'll be alright, sir. It won't take a lot of your time to do so."
"Ah, but it will, Your Majesty. I cannot have the quality of my one liners be so low. I mean, you know my other ones are memorable. 30 years from now, and 'Well, excuuuuuuse me, Princess!' will be something boys quote to girls, and annoy them as well. Then there's my favorite."
Zelda blushed as the swordsman moved to sit beside Zelda, taking her hand in his. "And what shall that be, my knight?"
The knight slowly leaned into Zelda, whispering softly, "First off, my name is Link. Second, I prefer to be called Link by you. Third of all… Kiss me."
Zelda probably would have actually done it, but the third figure in the carriage fiercely kicked the knight's shin. Still in her sleep, the elderly woman chastised Link, "You still trying, boy? After all these years, you are so desperate for one simple kiss."
Link rubbed his shin, whimpering in pain. "Oww… Impaz, why?"
"The fact you are still begging for kisses lets me know who wears the pants in this relationship...although when I did find you all those years ago…Such a shame those monsters didn't run off at that sight."
"IMPAZ! Geez, I don't need a reminder."
"All I'm saying, Hero of Hyrule, is that one day you will marry sweet Zelda, and then become either Prince Consort, or should the Council shove their balls up their ass, King of Hyrule. Nobody wants to hear that the Hero plays fiddle to the Queen."
Link grumbled to himself as he looked out the carriage window opposite of Zelda, while the latter laid her head on the Hero's shoulder. "You should listen to Impaz. We know that she gave Rusl the same lesson, and now he's engaged to Uli. I'm going to miss my favorite lady in waiting."
Impaz grunted. "Maybe Impa can take the spot, and my advice. Din knows I'm going to die without grandchildren, and you, Your Majesty, won't have a Sheikah for your child.
"Really? I sworn Rusl got the guts from Nabooru."
"I think Nabooru would have given him much more...lewd advice."
"Which is why I never listen to the woman, although probably I should. Rumor has it- OWW!"
This time, Impaz was wide awake, pointed a frail, shaking finger at the swordsman. "Remember who you are speaking too, boy. She isn't the Princess any longer, but a Queen. Keep your filthy rumor mill to yourself, at least until you are officially courting WITH Council approval."
Link scowled at the mentioning of the group of washup, fearful traditionalists called a Council. "In that case, I might as well leave the castle, because that will never happen."
Zelda optimistically shrugged. "They gave me my coronation, they might let us court for real."
Link, giving into Zelda's optimism, sighed and returned his gaze to the green fields. "Somehow… I wish I could believe that."
"The Queen and the Hero loved each other dearly, and highly banked on the idea that the Council would indeed let them court and eventually marry. Having saved Hyrule multiple times when he was a teenager, the Hero was, by many, the obvious choice for the title of King, and since he was a high-ranked knight, he was eligible to court royalty. But the Council, hoping that the Queen would conform to their plans as they conformed to hers, had a different choice. They knew she was unofficially courting her knight, and allowed it when she was still a Princess, but now that she was Queen, that grace period was over. They waited until Her Majesty was comfortable in her role just a few months after her coronation, before they announced their plans.
However, the guy that they wanted to be Hyrule's King didn't wait a night to make that fact known to the world. On the night of the Queen's coronation, he was revealed…
"Link…"
Said man in the green tunic didn't hear his date, the newly crowned Queen of Hyrule, call his name. He could attribute it to the loudness of the crowded room, but she knew him too well to know that he was focusing on something that had nothing to do with the both of them slow dancing at the moment. She withdrew her head from his shoulder to face him, and got his attention. "Link, is something wrong?"
Link didn't look at Zelda at all, but he did not ignore her. "No, everything is okay."
"Liar."
"I'm a little nervous."
"Nervous? About what?"
Link sighed as he finally eyed Zelda, and held her close again. "I have been thinking about what you and Impa said earlier about the Council. What if they are right? What if I am not fit to be king?"
"Link…"
"No, I am not saying I don't think I cannot be a good king, because I know I'll be the best one I can be. But, Zelda, their opinion matters, whether we like it or not. You might hold the most power, but because they are your 'parents' in this matter, I can be, most likely will be, denied the right to...marry you."
"They allowed you to court me, Link. I'm sure they'll allow you to take my hand in marriage. You the hero of our country. Whether or not those old geezers hate you, they have to respect what you did. I will fight them for us, Link. I will not rest peacefully until I have their approval. All I need from you is faith."
"Faith," Link chuckled, "from the girl who won't kiss me. Yeah, I'll keep that in mind." The hero soothed the hair of his love as they relaxed into comfortable silence for the rest of the song, and many more songs after. Time seemed to escape their minds, for it wasn't but for a half-hour later that Link and Zelda were returned to reality.
Making his way through the crowd to the pair was a young man, not much older than his targets. Silver purple hair covered most of his facial features, beside the left half of his pale face and orange eyes. A purple cloak flowed over the tunic of the same color and dark red pants underneath. He was tall, lean, and based on the stares by both swoon noblewomen and jealous noblemen, pretty darn handsome. Everyone parted out the way as he approached the Queen and Hero of Hyrule, and once he was close, clapped loudly to gain their attention. The music stopped, and those who were still dancing paused to see the man, the hero, and the royal. Link and Zelda paused as well, and released each other to face the newcomer. He smiled brightly as he watched the hero visibly grimace, but the queen kept her composure as always as she quelled the standoff.
"Sir Vatis."
The man, Vatis, bowed to the queen, keeping the smile on his features. "Your Majesty. I have come to ask for a simple dance, if you shall grant it." Zelda looked to Link, who sighed and walked off, careful to not shoulder bump the nobleman on his shoulder. The Queen held out her hand, and Vatis took it, gleefully nodding to the musicians to start the next song. The eyewitnesses resumed their dancing as well, leaving the attention of Zelda and Vatis to Zelda and Vatis.
Zelda was well aware that Vatis is and was one of her many candidates for a husband, and quite frankly, he is one of the very, very, very few that stood a chance. His family, the Inish, were well respected, and deserved every ounce of it. During Ganon's tirade years ago, it was the Inish family who summoned the knights in North Hyrule to search for the younger Zelda, and not too long ago, Vatis himself negotiated the biggest treaty between Hyrule, Hytopia, Calatia, Labrynna, and Holodrum, with much success. It was he who worked on the revitalization of Hyrule's military, starting with the promotion of Auru Twilight to General. Had Link not been in the picture, Zelda would have not a single qualm about marrying Vatis. On top of his accomplishments, he was...rather quite handsome.
"Your Majesty?"
Zelda snapped out of her reverie, and glanced up to the subject of her thoughts. "Vatis?"
"I supposed you didn't hear me congratulate you on your coronation."
"Oh… Thank you. Thank you very much."
"To be honest, I'm surprised that is all you made the Council concede to. Given that everyone in and out of Hyrule know that you are courting Sir Link, I cannot formulate as to why you didn't press on not only today being your coronation, but marriage to the Hero. Two Keese, one sword."
Zelda cracked an amused laugh, and looked away from Vatis' inquiring glare. "You're right, but if the defeats of Ganon and Agahimn and passing the trials of the palaces weren't enough to make them old coots change their judgement of him before, what'll change it now? Yes, they let me court him, hoping I'll find fault in him." Zelda challenged Vatis' glare with one of her own, along with a knowing smirk. "Oh course, you were against it, not for my benefit, but you knew that the Council's plan would backfire, and twice a revolution later, you stand corrected. House Inish, renowned for their cleverness, still retains that reputation."
"And House Harkinian, known for their wisdom, doesn't disappoint. But there's is a very thick line between wisdom and cleverness, Your Majesty. If you was clever, you'll have a King."
"And if you were wise, Sir Inish, you'll tell the Council that they can make their next move. Now, I must bid you adieu. I can feel Lady Veran's eyes on our Hero." Zelda released Vatis at the end of the song, and turned in the same general direction Link left earlier. But before he was out of her earshot, Vatis shouted words Zelda would never forget.
"Go to your Hero, Princess. Destiny links many together, but destiny always bring those who shall break such links."
Link held up a hand to pause the story. "I never heard of this Vatis figure before. My father and Impa, while they never spoke of whatever happened, did tell us about their former occupations at the capital."
The storyteller nodded. "Captain Rusl was one of the Hero's closest friends and fellow member of his team, which reported directly to the Queen, as well as his other friends and myself as well. Hyrule Warriors, we were called, although I don't think we made the name official. As for Impa, she was the daughter of the Queen's nursemaid, and also her personal guard. Strong supporter for the union of the legendary pair. As for him, Vatis was no friend. He was the competition for Her Majesty's hand, and the Hero hated the nobleman for it."
"So who won? I mean, she's no trophy, but who gained her hand?"
"I could ramble about what happened for those two years, but that's all filler. The Hero utilized his friendship, reputation, and current romance for his advantage, but Vatis retained the political strength and the side of the Council. For nearly two years, they silently waged war, and only if Her Majesty had spoken up sooner, she would have her choice of the Hero. But the Council grew impatient, and felt they were owed after willingly breaking tradition to let Her Majesty rise to Queen. So, after months of secretly organizing a wedding, the group of political men and women took it to a vote. Her Majesty and her two suitors' fate rested in the hands of 8…"
18 years ago, North Castle
The air in the hallway outside the closed Council Room has never been so stuffy. For one man, stuffy was second nature, as he sat down on a bench, looking to the world outside the building. For the other, it was pure armageddon.
Never in Sir Vatis Inish's life has he been so nervous. True, he knew he was the Council's own pick for the title, and he knew Zelda knew that he was the right man for the job. Vatis didn't care for Zelda as a woman, like most suitors in the past have, but he admired her as a leader, given the broken state Hyrule is still slowly recovering from, despite the reunification of the Triforce and the defeat of two evils. He also admired her for courting a commoner, who he highly respected, but Vatis was sure Link thought in return that he (Vatis) was some snobbish noble, when everyone knew it was the quite opposite. Currently, the nobleman had funded a project to pave a safe land route between North and South Hyrule through Death Mountain. The only safe way was by sea or going west through Calatia, but a route through Death Mountain will save time and money, as the Calatians did make money from Hyrulean merchants passing through with toll taxes.
As for his opinion on whether Link would make a good king, Vatis would admit that the Hero did have qualities he himself didn't possess. Link knew the land much, much better than Vatis, and although both men doubted monsters or petty invaders from other kingdoms would attack in force, should push come to shove, Link's military experience would be handy. However, Link lacked the political know how a king definitely requires, and even though Vatis lacks military knowledge, he has men and women for that job. No one can replace a king besides a queen, and even then, that's hard.
Zelda's indecisiveness shocked Vatis', because the he expected that the Hero of Legend would indeed be selected. Vatis counted on it, even through this cold war with Link, because love should have been the deciding factor. That was apparently not the case. Whatever caused such a phenomena, either Zelda's sickness over the last three months or something else, baffled Sir Inish.
Vatis stopped his nervous pacing and looked to the hidden, but obviously nervous face of the Hero of Hyrule. His last thoughts still embedded in his head, he slowly walked over to the hero, and took a seat beside him. The younger man glanced a moment in his direction before looking back to the window, not wanting to break the silence between them. Vatis, however, cleared his throat, aiming to make a final conversation before their fates are decided. "Why did you let her do this?"
Link frowned, his eyes wavering to all but Vatis' direction, before he spoke, "What do you mean?"
"You love her, and she loves you, which is better than what I can say me and her share in common. You were supposed to win. That's how the story was supposed to end. Two guys, fighting for a woman's hand in marriage. One guy fights for love, the other for power. I'm the bad guy, you are the good guy that the readers cheer for. Yet the readers are given a twist to the cliche tale, with the woman neglecting her choice. Why is it, Link, that at the end of this story, one of us wins, but not because she chose? To be honest, you should have been crowned two years ago. I know you may not like me much, but I have to be frank with you. You possess what I don't. Any moment now, Hyrule can be thrusted into war, and you know how to win when the odds are against you. I know how to make peace and shit."
Link chuckled at the nobleman's language. "That's not formal, Sir Inish."
"Screw formalities. Every man has mud on his hands they cannot wash away."
"But some men can hide the mud, while others will keep it unhidden. As for the mud that we can wash away, it could lands on our feet."
"And wherever we walk, it follows." Vatis rubbed his hands together, and looked to the large brown doors to the chamber of their destiny. "Eight men and women are in there, and despite whoever they choose, mud cakes their hands and feet." Before Vatis could continue, hurried steps rounded the corner, and made way for the two seated men. The owner of the steps belonged to a man in a green suit, who paused in front of the nobleman, his breath racing in and out of his white-bearded mouth.
"Sir, terrible news. The Death Mountain crew… they were…"
Vatis stood up, and helped the man stand as well. "Ezlo, my friend, speak once your breath is yours."
Ezlo shook his white-haired head in distress. "I cannot do such a thing, especially when...monsters killed innocent men and women."
Vatis, shocked, looked to Link, who now had his full attention on Ezlo. "Impossible. I sent well over 100 people over there, about half were from my personal workforce! No way even a small band of monsters could have done such a thing."
"One of your men did come back… This attack was not made by a small band of those devils." With that proclamation, Link stood up, and began walking down the hallway, gripping the hilt of his sword. Vatis strolled down to the hero's side, effectively stopping him.
"Link, what are you doing?"
"You are right about you not having some qualities like me. You should be happy to not have the one I do possess." Turning to Ezlo, he bent his brow. "Where on Death Mountain?"
"The southern side, in close proximity to...the Lair."
Link nodded, and turned back to Vatis. "You asked why love didn't prevail. Truth be told, Zelda wasn't the one to make this decision. I did, because I know you need a chance to win. I don't have the luxury of knowing how to rule a country, only how to save it. A king must be willing to sacrifice his life, and that I am willing. But a king must also be able to give himself wholly to his country, and I will be a hypocrite if I said I could do that for Hyrule, when I am from Calatia. But the reason why I know you will win, and the reason you should win, is simply because you won't do what I'm about to do. You are wiser than I could ever be, and ever aim to be." Link looked to his left hand, where the mark of the Triforce progressively began to shine brighter and brighter. Zelda was coming, which meant the decision was made. "Whatever decision is made, I don't care. All that matters is that the right man for the job sits on that throne."
Vatis nodded. "Then may Farore favor her champion once more." He reached his hand to Link, and Hyrule's great warrior joined his calloused hands in Vatis' slightly smoother hands.
"Thank you… Your Majesty." Link turned and moved down the hallway. Before he turned the corner, Vatis called back to him again.
"What shall I tell Zelda?"
Link looked down, eyes gazing to the symbol of the Triforce. Courage fully glowed brightly, while Wisdom and Power, both possessed by the Queen, were highlighted around the edges. "Tell her to remember the promise, and I shall make sure it doesn't happen. Tell her that I love her, and should I fall, I thought of her to the very end. Tell her that...when her sickness is over… I pray she'll be the happiest woman in Hyrule." Link turned once, and disappeared from Vatis' sight. Just as the Hero of Hyrule vanished, the large brown doors parted.
Vatis never heard the results, but he did turn in Zelda's direction, and then back to Link's.
"Vatis would officially be declared King of Hyrule, but their reign was only two or so days ending on this day 18 years ago." The man relaxed his shoulders as he looked to his hands. "My little band of knights, as we were close to the Queen and the Hero, hated Vatis, without merit, of course. Vatis was a prime example of what a king should be, but...we were severely pro-Hero to a fault. But when the castle fell, I felt… I felt as though maybe Hyrule lost two great leaders, along with a fallen hero… I was there on Death Mountain with him and a full battalion and to tell the truth, I was terrified of the sight. I had seen my fair share of monsters, but none as so plentiful in one spot. I knew most of us, hell, even as blessed the Hero is and was, would never make it out. One did, and lives with half his sight and an occasional limp. The man who should have lived, the one blessed with an unshakable spirit, died that day. The ones that survived never made it back to the castle to tell the news, as it was already over. In three days, we gained a king, lost a hero, and lost its royalties and itself to another dark time. I know I haven't kept up with the happenings over the eighteen years, planning to live out what days I have left in Calatia, but," The muse looked to the pendant in Link's hands, still glowing softly as ever, "seeing you with that brings me to the conclusion that maybe you, Link of Ordon, are our future. Maybe you are not the hero Hyrule deserves, but you are definitely the hero Hyrule needs. Now I don't know if Ganon has returned, or maybe a new threat has arisen from the ashes of the demon, but I do know there are two more pendants we need to find before the Imperials and the Resistance finds them."
Zelda looked to the pendant, confused. "The Imperials, I understand, but why not the Resistance?"
"I fear my old comrades are leading the rebellion. Let's just say I'm not ready to join them until I know we can fight the Imperials decisively. There's also...some...things that I will have to deal with, and the deaths of Rusl and Impa are already too heavy on my mind, as I am sure it is heavy upon yours. But we should remain focused. These pendants are vital to our cause, and we are already ahead of the ballgame. We have one, and two more to find. Did the Eagle reveal any clues?"
"Spryte, tell him what was inscribed in the chamber."
"'A boy failed, a girl jailed, a man prevailed. Trusted, he was, but beaten because. The world needs not skill, for it has already paid that bill. Courage, the pendant knows, for the one it choose can't say no. Courage he shall be, and to the dark sky, he shall find wisdom.'"
"'A boy failed' clearly speaks of the hero, and 'a man prevailed' speaks for our dark ruler. 'A girl jailed'...doesn't ring a bell."
Link tossed in his input. "Her Majesty?"
The man paused for a moment, then shook his head. "As much I want to believe that Her Majesty did survive that day, why would she be imprisoned? If that was the case, the Imperials would have long ago made her useful to quell the Resistance. No, this has to be another… The next line speak of my old comrade. He was trusted to save Hyrule, and beaten for that reason. My team, the Hyrule Warriors, were the most skilled fighters in the country, yet we failed as well as our leader, and Hyrule paid for it." The man turned to Link, and pointed to the Pendant of Courage. "The next line refers to you, Link. Your courage kept you from wandering in misery mire with stupid pink hair because of your father's death. Like a true son of a Knight of Hyrule, and much like the Hero of Legend himself, you taken up steel and shield and put it to use. Whether or not you believe yourself to be the hero, you know one thing, and that's tyranny must end. To that, you cannot say no. As for the last phrase… Ah, I understand. Zelda, what do you typically find in a dark sky?"
"You'll find stars and the moon."
"Right." The man stood up, and beckoned for the kids to do the same. He began to walk over to the bridge connecting the island to the mainland, not waiting for Link or Zelda to prepare Epona for travel. "If I correctly guess where our next location is, we should find the Pendant of Wisdom inside."