Inspiration: Sagas.

Author Note: The story continues! Thank you to all of you who read book I.

Word Count: 3,214

The Covenant, The Keeper, and The Promise: Book II

Chapter 1

Fifteen years later: King Link

Time was like sands in a glass. It went on steadily whether life delivered an exhilarating high or a devastating low. That simile aptly described the last fifteen years. Fifteen years of rule as Hyrule's king. Fifteen years of watching and keeping Hyrule safe. Fifteen years of watching my children grow and thrive. Fifteen years of understanding the world in a whole different way. Fifteen years of life, death, and rebirth.

There were the existential things that grounded the previous supposition, like good weather and plentiful harvests. On the other hand, systems of industry and the macroeconomics of the people were much harder to manage. There were times when I made decisions that puzzled the citizens and even my wife, the queen. However, I learned a great deal from Zelda, and it was because of her tutelage and guidance that I was able to make decisions that seemed affront at times.

For instance, King Draco of Dragon Roost reported recently that he was raising more dragons in the fire pits because of the rarity of the species. There were only five dragons in Dragon Roost as of late and King Draco wanted to change that. I agreed with the king. The citizens thought I was mad for making such a decision, but there was a point to Draco's request. Dragons were a part of the dragon masters culture. Letting the dragons go extinct would be like expecting Hyrule to thrive without the Triforce. It could never happen. Also, there was a caveat to the dragon masters power. The dragons only obtained their power due to the Triforce. If the dragon masters ever attempted a coup on Hyrule, Zelda and I had the power to control their dragons due to the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage. Of course, there was a controller for the Triforce of Power too, but Din had not yet bestowed her element on anyone. That could prove to be a problem if Din decided to be unconventional, which she often did.

Even so, my reasoning for making the decisions I did was based on a deeper respect for the history of Hyrule. I wanted the people to see Hyrule in all its facets, all its glory. It was also why I expanded the provinces so that the citizens living far away from the city could preside closer if they so desired. It was also a logistical measure. There was a well underneath the castle called the Eternal Well. It was called that because the engineers who originally constructed it used it as a proviso for the people if the castle ever went under siege. A siege with no water or food would lead to fates worse than death.

Understanding tactics for war as I did, I recognized this was an extremely important forethought. In like manner, I had a few landscape engineers construct such wells for each province in the kingdom. The water was procured from Zora's Domain. It took seven years to finish the massive endeavor, but the efforts were well worth it. Every province had a constant flow of water. Water and water irrigation was the life blood of crops. I was completely aware of that fact. In exchange for the water, I promised King Zora that his land was his own in perpetuity. No noble would ever have access to it. A few in the aristocracy were peeved by my decision, but after the actions of a certain subset, I did not care if the nobility thought I was being acrimonious.

Fifteen years was a long time to clean up a mess started by a group of ambitious, yet unsavory lords. I divulge this because there was an assemblage of such ones involved in a sadistic cult that nearly brought about the destruction of Hyrule. Needless to say, many of the actors in that drama were dead, but the remnants effaced by them were felt long after. Many of the aristocrats who died in that incident were business men and women, curators, auteurs, financiers, and land owners. In the immediate aftermath, family members of these individuals demanded an explanation as to how and why so many died. There were those who legitimately had no idea their family members were part of a sect. However, there were others demanding action who already knew why their family members were dead… others being Lady Rue Morgue and Lady Filgore. They knew why their husbands' deaths were inconsequential. The two ladies died ten years after the incident themselves, but their next of kin were equally as auspicious of me as their family members had been. I had no qualms about that. There were plenty in the aristocracy who did not care for me.

I welcome their hatred.

In any such case, probates went on for years between relatives, causing investors to sell portions of their reserves. A regulatory committee had to be created due to many of the benefactors being other dead nobles. It took two years to stop the hemorrhaging of assets from certain businesses, while other assets were frozen immediately. I then had to conduct a tribunal and redistribute the wealth that was legally promised to each family. Some were incensed by the verdicts, others were satisfied. In the interim, Hyrule stayed afloat. However, there was one case that still had a great deal of mystery around it… one that would never go away. The case of Lady Bathory.

Elvira Bathory was the sole surviving noble of the incident related to the cult, yet she disappeared. Her life was spared because she was no longer the woman she once was. Her influence and power were gone. Even so, there were those who demanded to know what became of her. In the weeks succeeding the occurrence, a representative of hers came forward stating she was alive and no one could simply seize her assets. Bathory owned the biggest diamond mine in Hyrule. She was one of, if not the richest, noble in the land. However, I was keenly aware of why she would never show her face again. She knew it and I knew it. I informed Zelda of everything, but due to not wanting to intersect too much, Zelda agreed with me on not actively pursuing her. Bathory was in hiding because she was the monster outwardly as she was inwardly now.

Even so, the servants in Bathory's Manor were fiercely loyal to her. Her steward and the others in the crypt were found dead, but the steward's assistant quickly took over. From what I understand, he found her, nursed her back to health and swore to be loyal to her. I found the man's loyalty strange, but Bathory was a complex woman with complex relationships. I had spies sending me information on her whereabouts, but my network had become infiltrated over the years as was the case with many grids. My assumption was that one of my informants got found out and was no longer viable for information. I had not heard about Bathory and her kiln in over five years. There were rumblings in the underbelly, but nothing significant to start a fire. Bathory was not at her manor, which and had been cleared out, and she was living quietly without making any appearances in the country.

Had she gone to Balaam? I wondered. No, she would have been found.

Shifting to Balaam, King Squallous had proved to be an invaluable ally over the years. However, I attributed much of that to his beautiful wife and queen, Hilda. Theirs was an interesting story, and Hilda was not always the one to whom Squallous was promised. There was a time he was betrothed to Lady Bathory, but that union ended when Bathory disappeared. It was not because Squallous did not look for her. He tried. Bathory did not want to be found. I felt for Squallous at the time because he truly was in love with her, and he could not understand why she would just disappear without explaining herself. Though, he could not grasp what she was doing with so many dead nobles in her home. He had no idea she was intertwined with a cult and was only seeking him for his power. Even so, how did Squallous expect Bathory to explain herself? There were times when I did not understand the heart. It was so treacherous, but I understood that all too well myself.

In any such case, after a few months of search, Squallous stopped trying to find Bathory. His sadness was apparent for a while, but then I sent as an emissary to her people, Hilda of Lorule to Balaam. Hilda left her kingdom in trust to her advisor Ravio so she could live within the confines of Hyrule to understand the culture. Her work in Hyrule helped to bring light to a history long forgotten. As such, Zelda suggested at my behest, for Hilda to go to Balaam and create an alliance there. Hilda was reluctant at first, but she agreed. It was the first time another country outside of Hyrule knew of Lorule. However, it was important for people of all regions to understand that there were other lands out there looking for peace.

As such, Hilda was a brilliant addition to international diplomacy. She explained Lorulian culture in a way that was competent and accessible. She became a regular fixture in the court of Balaam. It was there Squallous grew very fond of Hilda. I remember him telling me on one visit that beyond her beauty was a fierce and righteous woman. He liked that about her. He also admired her chastity too. In that regard, she was the exact opposite of Bathory, who saw no value in being chaste. Hilda resisted Squallous's charms for months, stating she was only in Balaam to help her people. However, as time passed she too began to express an affection for the prince. She said she admired his kind heart and compassionate since of justice. It was only a matter of time before the two fell in love. I knew he would ask for her hand, and when he did, I was not surprised.

Squallous and Hilda's wedding was a jubilee one year after their courtship. And a year after they married, Hilda gave birth to a beautiful little girl named Quistis. Quistis, now fourteen, was quite a beauty, with long raven black hair and bright blue eyes like her father. Quistis had her mother's exquisite cheek bones, catlike eyes, and full red lips. That young lady was going to be an instrumental factor in forging alliances in the future. She could speak six languages, she could write in ancient Hylian, she could swim like a fish, she rode horses with the best of the equestrian league, and she was considered the brightest student of all her tutors. However, her parents also nurtured her to care about the poor and down trodden. They did not want her going through life not knowing what suffering was. Quistis really was a lovely young lady. She was always polite and courteous, and my wife adored her. Zelda thought she was the perfect girl for Daphnes. I also knew that Quistis was quite fond of my boy. Unfortunately, Daphnes was a lot like me, dense. I loved my son, but he had no idea how the opposite sex viewed him. Maidens and ladies fawned over him. He was the firstborn prince after all.

Daphnes II, name after his grandfather, was my eldest son. He was going to be sixteen in the coming months and he was groomed to be the next king. And what a king he would make. I could not lie, Daphnes was my pride and joy. There was nothing I would not do for him. He was a brilliant boy, taking on his mother's intelligence and tenacity, but he also had my penchant for adventure. Daphnes was very talented with the bow and the sword, often being the most gifted when we went out for the hunt. I taught him myself, and we practiced together hours on end every day for years. He snagged a gull in midflight with pinpoint precision one afternoon. Daphnes was the best archer among his contemporaries, but if he kept practicing he could eventually be the best in the land, perhaps even besting me. He would be a great warrior if the time ever came for it. However, I wanted to avoid that for him at all cost. Peace was a better arbiter for my people than war.

Daphnes was a handsome lad, with my sky blue eyes and golden hair. He was strong, stronger than he looked because he was lean, but he packed a punch. He enjoyed horseback riding and reading a scholarly book under the deku trees in the garden. I would be lying if I did not disclose that he was my favorite, but I loved all my children equally. I just knew there was a huge responsibility waiting for Daphnes in the future. I wanted him to be a successful king when the time came for it. He was already on the right track by being best friends with the crown prince of Dragon Roost, Xavier Wilhelm. Xavier was the only son of King Draco and would be a necessary and powerful ally in the future. The two boys were inseparable. They had known each other since they were two years old. I had high hopes for them. Seeing the two of them so close often made me think of my dearest friend Saria. I spoke with her every month for the last fifteen years, but I had not seen her in that same amount of time. It was just as well. Nothing good would come of it.

My second son Rhombart, fourteen, was not as active as Daphnes, but he was a very bright boy. He liked to spend his time in the garden and study the plant life. At dinner he often spoke of his findings, speaking on the horticultural aspects of ancient Hylian life. Rhombart was Zelda's favorite. She loved speaking with him because he was so intellectual like her. He believed in questioning and the analysis of all things. He looked just like Zelda, from his strawberry blonde hair, to his slightly darker blue eyes. He was handsome too. In fact all my children were exceptionally good looking people. That was not a bias from me. That was simply a fact. Daphnes may have been the herald, but Rhombart was equally as doted on as he. I did wish he were a little more interested in the bow and arrow like his brother, but I digress. He would be a brilliant scholar.

My third and fourth sons came in a set, Kaepora and Gaebora. They were twins, with hair the color of the sun. It was so golden I thought they would give Daphnes a run for his rupee. They were twelve years old, and I loved them dearly, but they were the misfits of the bunch. I got a report all the time speaking on how they were running around the castle and causing trouble for the cooks, or the lawn manicurists, or the librarians, or somebody -anybody. I took more time in disciplining them than anything. I did not want to be a harsh father to them, but they were constantly causing trouble for other people. I have yet to figure out what would channel their energy. They were handsome, but frankly not much else. They did not have their older brothers' athleticism or brilliance. They received the best education that anyone could ask for, but they did not particularly care for high minded ideals, though they were named after a scholar. They did not care about politics or how politics shaped their lives. They just seemed to only care about having fun or making other people's lives miserable. I needed to get to the bottom of why these two in particular were turning out this way. Perhaps they needed more time from me personally. Perhaps I was too busy to give them the time and attention they needed. I did not want to cast them to the wind. They were still important members of this family.

My last child was definitely not my least. She was my only little girl, Linkle. I had no idea with all my boys why we never named one of them after me, but then decided to do so with our daughter. I originally wanted to name her Saria, but that would have been too complicated of a situation to try and reconcile, so we chose Linkle instead. Linkle was my little princess. She was so beautiful. She looked just like Zelda with her strawberry blonde hair and dark blue eyes. She was sweet and kind, probably the gentlest human being I ever knew. She was sensitive and she cried easily when she saw someone hurt. She hated to see her brothers fight, or cause problems, so she would go around apologizing for them. She brought gifts with her and she made things for the people that were offended. She loved to read books on nature and she loved animals. She was always checking on her horses and making sure they were well cared for. She had more depth of character at ten years old than most people ever could conceive in their lifetime. I loved her dearly, and she truly was my little princess. It was my hope she would be a good influence on her brothers someday.

One could only hope.

Currently, I was standing out on the balcony adjacent to the royal bed chambers I shared with my queen for the last sixteen years. I reflected on the days when I was that ten year old boy leaving the forest and coming of age at a pivotal moment in history –vanquishing evil, becoming a man, fighting as a knight, and then becoming a king. Loving someone I could never be with, but keeping her close to my heart. I have not seen that someone in a long time, but I still love her. I'll always love her. I speak with her every month on that ocarina. That green hair. That smile. That face. Our worlds were miles apart, but at least I know she is safe. I kept my promise, and I will keep my promise.

Thirty-one years later as a forty-one year old man I was grateful for those lessons bestowed upon. It shaped me. It groomed me. And though I made a litany of mistakes along the way, I was grateful for the lessons learned. There are some things I wish I could take back, but life was about moving forward, not looking back. As it stands, this is my life.

I am Link.

I am the king of Hyrule.

It is my duty to keep my country safe.

The next chapter will be up soon.