Chapter 9: Childhood Memories
Hylia's memories had stopped playing themselves in Zelda's mind and her own memories began to playback. The first one was a memory of Zelda and Link as precious children. Link's parents had died when he was very young and he was taken in by a small family and raised there until he was old enough to attend the academy. Zelda and her father lived on the academy grounds long before Zelda enrolled. The two met down by the stream while Link was learning to fish. The two of them were only small toddlers at the time but they were destined to be together.
"What are you doing?" Little Zelda asked as she skipped over to a strange boy kneeling by the river bank. Zelda's father was training students at the academy for the day, leaving Zelda to wander around their floating paradise all by herself. Her father cautioned her to never go to the edge of the land and to stay in the plaza by the tower. When Zelda noticed a small boy and Rusta sitting by the river, she ran right over.
"Uncle is teaching me to fish." Little Link replied.
"Pay attention boy, or you'll lose your catch." Zelda knelt by the river bank and peered over the side, trying to catch a glimpse of the fish that Link had landed. Link jumped for joy as he pulled his fishing pole back. "Loosen your grip a little or you will lose it." Rusta cautioned. Rusta rose from his spot and stood behind Link as he tried to reel it in. Rusta grabbed the pole and tugged it back with Link. Link and Zelda cooed over the small fish that was hooked on the end of the line.
"It's so cute!" Zelda squealed.
"Zelda, there you are!" Gaepora called as he frantically ran toward his daughter.
"Here I am Daddy!" Zelda held up her arms as Gaepora swooped her up in his.
"I thought I told you to stay in the plaza." Gaepora scolded her. "She didn't cause you any trouble did she, Rusta?"
"Of course not Headmaster," Rusta picked Link and his fish up in his arms. "I was just teaching young Link here how to fish."
"Oh yes, the lad who was recently orphaned. It was so gracious of you to offer to look after the boy." Gaepora praised him.
"I don't have any children myself and Henya would have cooked me in your next meal if I would've turned the poor kid away."
"Well, it seems as if my little Zelda has taken a liking to the boy. Perhaps we should bring them together once in awhile." Gaepora suggested. Rusta promised to take him up on that offer. Gaepora and Zelda said goodbye to Rusta and Link and the four of them parted ways. The next day, Rusta walked Link to the Knight Academy. He instructed Link to wait at the bottom of the stairs while he went to speak to Gaepora. Link sat down on the stairs and looked around the academy. He spotted Zelda playing in the classroom around the corner. Link rushed over to the classroom and joined her.
"Zelda!" Link called to her.
She whirled around and saw her new friend running toward her. He hugged her enthusiastically. "What are you doing?"
"I came to play with you." Link's easy going smile smeared across his little pudgy face. Zelda offered her hand and Link took it. Together, they walked to the front of the classroom where Zelda introduced Link to her other friends. Cawlin, Fledge, Karane, Pipit, Strich, and Groose, along with little Zelda, were brought to the academy while their parents tended to the land and their businesses. The children were taught the basic education until they came to the age of seventeen. After that, they would be entered into the official Knight Academy until they passed the Wing Ceremony; Then and only then, would they be named an official knight of Skyloft.
"I'm gonna be the best knight ever." Groose said.
"You sure are Groose." Cawlin echoed him.
"Zelda, let's play over here." Link reached for her hand and pulled her over to join Karane, Pipit, and Fledge were playing. Groose was not happy to have lost Zelda's attention. He gazed angrily at Link; if only that orphan had not come along. Groose, Cawlin, and Strich watched as the other children played and they kept to themselves. Later, Gaepora and Rusta finally came down to the classroom. Rusta called to Link; he ran directly to him and took his hand. The two of them left the academy and returned home.
The next memory that played in Zelda's mind happened a few years after that, on Zelda's tenth birthday. Gaepora held a birthday party for her at the academy classroom and invited the others to celebrate with her. Groose was the first to arrive and he was going to take full advantage of that.
"Happy Birthday Zelda." Groose blushed as he handed her the gift he brought.
"Thank you Groose." She took it and smiled happily. Groose looked around nervously and ran his fingers through his hair.
"So, Zelda…um…I was wondering….do you…do you, you know…" Before Groose could ask, Zelda cried,
"Link!" Groose watched as Zelda ran toward the door and jumped into the arms of that little orphan he detested so much. Groose huffed and went to the other side of the classroom, where he would not be bothered until his lackeys showed up to the party. Groose watched angrily while Link and Zelda talked and joked, even Pipit and Karane joined in upon their arrival. Groose promised himself that he would not let the likes of that orphan take away his chances with Zelda; one day he would be with Zelda while that obnoxious Link would hide in the corner.
Later, as Zelda watched her memory of that birthday party play out, it was cut short and everything went to black. Zelda was confused; she didn't understand what was happening. She felt a light pulsating around her like it had its own heartbeat. The glow was warm and inviting; Zelda embraced it. She let the light envelope her as it continued to pulsate. In a burst of power, her encasing shattered into thousands of amber pieces; each of those pieces glistened and disappeared in the wind.
Zelda inhaled deeply as she breathed in the fresh air; for the first time in so long, she felt alive again. When her feet touched the floor, she opened her eyes and looked upon Link's face.
When I opened my eyes, Link stood ten feet away from me. I instantly felt reassured when that smile flashed across his face. He was put through a lot because of this destiny that the two of us shared and I knew it wasn't easy for him. But when I saw him standing there, I was relieved. I walked down the stairs before me, gracefully closing the gap between him and me. After the last step, I began to feel dizzy and lightheaded. I felt my body falling toward the floor; all of that time spent in my sleeping state, my body must have grown weak. I began to fall until Link rushed to my side and caught me, just before I hit the floor.
I looked into Link's eyes and he was relieved too. "Good morning, Link." I smiled.
"It's good to see you again." Link told me. "I told you I would come back for you didn't I?"
The dizziness finally began to subside; enough so that I was able to lift my head. Link smiled back at me and helped me to my feet. I kept a hold of his hands. "I never doubted for a moment. You have always been there for me."
Link grazed my cheek and held my hand again. "And you have always been there for me; that smile kept me going." Link gently grasped my chin and pulled my lips to his. He kissed me tenderly and with slight hesitation. I gave myself to his kiss and he did as well. After our lips parted, I took his hand in mine. "Come on, there's someone waiting to see you."
Together we walked through the creaking doors and down to the Gate of Time. The kind old woman stood on the platform before the gate and Groose waited down below. When we met, Groose, he was overcome with joy and relief that words were unable to pass through his lips. I put him at ease. "Hello Groose." Groose looked so happy; his emotions rendered him speechless. He waved his arms as if he wanted to hug me and to my surprise, he began to cry.
"Groose? What's wrong?" I asked. Link and I looked at each other and we laughed together. As we did, Groose approached Link and placed his hands on Link's shoulders. He shook him back and forth with great force.
"You did it! You did it! You did it!" Groose cried over and over again. "I'm just so happy that Zelda is safe and to my surprise, it's all thanks to you." Link patted his hand and thanked him. Groose bawled once more and rushed to hug Granny.
"Pull yourself together young man." She told him.
Groose sniffled and walked down the stairs toward us. Link and I moved to meet him but a sharp blast knocked us to the floor. My palms scraped against the ancient temple floor and I let out a painful cry.
"Zelda!" Link shouted from across the room. I let out a short sigh and brushed my dress off. "Zelda, are you okay?" Link asked, his voice thick with concern.
"Yes. I'm fine."
"What was that?" Groose asked.
"We are not alone young ones." The kind old woman cautioned us. Out from behind the pillar, Ghirahim appeared. He laughed manically and glared directly at me.
"This is all very touching but I'm afraid I have to cut this moment short." He disappeared and reappeared right next to me. "It's best for everyone if you forget about your friend. The little goddess is mine now."
"Don't you dare touch her!" Link shouted angrily. The shock from Ghirahim's magic caused me to become so very weak and fatigued. I couldn't move, even when Ghirahim lifted me up in his arms and held me over his shoulder.
"My master may have perished in this age, but in the past he lives yet. I'm taking the girl back through that gate to help me revive the demon king. You've been so adorably dogged in your quest to get in my way," Ghirahim continued, "and as much as it has delighted me, I can no longer tolerate you nipping at my heels."
"…Link…" I whispered.
"Let her go now if you know what is good for you!" Link unsheathed his sword. "I'm warning you for the last time, LET HER GO!" Link was beyond furious, I could feel his anger pulsating throughout the room. Ghirahim was unimpressed.
"You know boy, you've really pushed me too far. The moment I had sweat and bled for is at hand. I don't even have the time to grind my heel into a pathetic worm like you. Not now." In a split second, I reappeared before the Gate of Time next to the old woman and Groose.
"Get…back…here." Link struggled to stay on his feet. "Let her go."
Groose got up and tried to block the gate. "I won't let you pass."
Ghirahim scoffed at him. "Stand down, you're in my way. And the sight of your hair makes my gorge rise." Ghirahim kicked both the kind shaman and Groose off of the platform. They let out terrible huffs as they hit the floor, I could hear it from my perch on Ghirahim's shoulder. My consciousness was slipping away and it was harder for me to move.
"Groose! Hey!" Link shouted at him.
Ghirahim activated the Gate of Time, with a loud, creaking sound, the wheel of the gate began to turn and the fabric of time spun back to that time thousands of years ago, right after Demise was sealed in his beastly form. Instead of going right through the gate, Ghriahim turned around and addressed Link again; this man was too fond of boasting about his power and his abilities in front of his greatest enemies. I believed in Link and I knew without a doubt in my heart that he would defeat Ghirahim and Demise.
"You've done a fine job of spoiling my plans to revive the demon king in this age, so I see no point in dawdling here." His next words sent a shiver down my spine. "But the past…oh the past…so full of possibilities. I shall resurrect him in the past and with the divine soul of your little girlfriend."
"I said don't you touch her!" Link said. "If you harm her, I swear I will kill you!"
Ghirahim scoffed again and turned back to the gate. He walked into the gate and that is when I lost consciousness.