A/N: A little clarification here for those of you slightly lost. If you remember the beginning of Wind Waker, it tells you about the disappearance of the Hero of Time, the timely reappearance of Ganondorf and the Triforce sinking Hyrule. This story is to explain WHY that happened to begin with.

Chapter Two: Harsh is the search for the answer

He bent down looking at the epitaph in the eye. It had not moved at all, and he could see the shadows flicker from beneath the carved words. The grass brushed themselves lightly against his thick brown soled feet. The Sun passed over his eyes, making them seem almost an unearthly blue. Zelda's blue was more natural, darker and almost gloomy while his was lighter as if a sad melody had been changed to suit a lively circus passing through the halo of the Sun.

People have not seen this new addition to their community graveyard. And if they did, what would they say? Before he used to know exactly the way their minds thought. Verily, his mind was like theirs but that too had changed. He grimaced at that thought and wondered, 'Have you changed me this much Ganondorf?'

He never called Ganondorf 'Gannon' though the Sages said that that was his true name, his true nature. Link never believed them. Because he still remembered the look Ganondorf gave him before he died. That was not a look of pain or torture. In fact, the look seemed so full of an odd blessed relief that it made Link sick to the stomach because he had given Ganondorf something he himself could never have.

He got up brushing away some dust that had gathered on the top of the tombstone. It gave him a feeling of longing everytime he came here. The same desire to understand what exactly Ganondorf had gone through and what drove them both to such inescapable ends. Was death always the way to resolve this cycle of destruction?

It was almost morning. He could see the tip of the great Sun, one of the blessings of Farore gave to them. Of course, it was the few blessings to abuse as well for the powerful fire arrows came from there as well. Does she wonder to what purpose they are used? To kill monsters? Or worse?

Link shook his head, allowing his hat to tilt against his head. His golden hair tickled his face as he brushed it back so that he could see. He'd better get going. Zelda didn't like it when people (even people she knew well) were late. She was the kind of person who likes things orderly and in control. Yes, Zelda learnt well from her late father. Being in control means you have all the strings.

But, Link thought rebelliously, if she thought he was her string, she'd better watch out 'cause this string is going to snap very soon.

A well known tradition of Hyrulians is to bow when in the presence of royalty. This was one custom that escaped the reasoning of Link. Why bow to someone? Why do you need to prove that you are lower than them? In Kokiri forest, this was not the way things work or was that his pride talking? Bowing to anyone seems like an insult that went against his grain of life. But if he intended to get on the good side of Zelda, he must act meek and lowly. Even if he was the Hero of Time, she was also the Princess of Hyrule as well as the Seventh Sage. Zelda had powers he did not fully understand nor want to come in contact with.

She was on her throne of lapis lazuli, an enchanting stone that she obviously got from the Zoras. They had a large varied collection of blue stones as they appear near their river occasionally. As Zoras are the knights of the queen and one of the deadliest races of fighters around with their almost cat-like flexibility. They gave you the impression of a twisting river on land. And their blades were sharp to say the least. It was enough to slit a Goron's throat.

She gazed at him and he had the distinct feeling that she was trying to read his mind, so he cleanse his mind of all incriminating thoughts that might be used against him in the future. A surge of anger rose in his throat at this direct violation of his privacy, but restrained it as well. Anger was unbecoming now. Before he was rash, but he had learned from his previous actions. Ganondorf was utter proof at that.

"Hero of Time," she said, her voice low and bitter like ice-capped mountains that blew frosted winds over Hyrule a long time before, "What is your request?"

Link pushed down all feelings and tried to pull up a blank face. He noticed at the back of his mind that she deliberately avoided saying his name and felt an odd wave of regret. When they were children, Zelda was so much more truthful and she had cared for him, believed in him. Had seven years robbed her of her hope?

He spoke quietly, "I wish to seek the Triforce."

He saw it even before the full sentence left his lips, the gathering frown on Zelda's brow. But he didn't budge. He refused to cower for her and he knew that she would have to let him go. She owed him her life and that is no petty thing. There were laws for life debts and she knew that even she did not have that kind of power left to bend a law that has been in power since the time of the Three Goddesses.

"Why?"

That quick almost impulsive question caught him off guard. He stared at her, noticing a slight glimmer in her eyes and smiled cockily. It seems those seven years hadn't robbed her of everything. Her childish curiosity was still there, barely suppressed. That was good to know.

"I want to learn more about…" And here he hesitated. Zelda hated Ganondorf with every fibre of her being. Ganondorf was the reason her father passed away early and he was always a touchy subject. She never once spoke of the things Ganondorf did to her when she was discovered, but her eyes turned to steel when he was mentioned, "…myself."

That was a partial truth. He felt a bond between Ganondorf and himself and wanted to understand more about what exactly made him do what he had to do that fateful night. He needed to assuage his guilt; somehow he had to justify the cause of Ganondorf's death.

"I will allow you to leave," She said slowly and turned those dark blue eyes at him. It never failed to amaze how something so dark and lonely could look so mesmerizing at the same time. But he could never love her the way she saw him; as a Hero.

"Thank you," He clicked his heels together and left without so much of a second glance, though her eyes bored through him even as he left.

He could never be the Hero she wanted, because he was a Hero no more.

Now…he was just Link.