Hello! This is the first fanfic I've written, and I hope it's not too shabby. I know it's a tad short, but I'm not accustomed to writing long chapters. Sorry! I hope I kept all the characters within their personality; I tried, but I've only played Oracle of Seasons and Ages, so...
The story's AU, so the only resemblances between the places are the names, and that's it! The only pairing that I'm attempting right now is Link and Zelda. I may do some others later. There are about 15 chapters in all in this story.
I'm only saying this once: I don't own the Legend of Zelda.
Finally, here's chapter 1! It's a bit slow because it's pretty much an introductory chapter for Zelda. In any case, I hope you enjoy!
She squinted her eyes, pulling the edge of her sunhat a little over her eyes. The bright glare was unforgiving and harsfh to her; after all, the thirteen year-old spent most of her life underground. Even so, Aryll thought with a smile as she smoothed the wrinkles on her dress, it was a pleasant change to be outside.
The young preteen waited patiently on the sidewalks fof the busy streets. People barely gave her a second glance, and she hid a secretive smile. She knew how to remain inconspicuous; in fact, it had become second nature to all of…them.
A few minutes later, a tall, well-built young man strolled nonchalantly through the crowds in her direction. His somewhat messy, dirty blonde hair surprisingly attracted little attention; neither did the blue earring that he sported.
"Goddesses, Link," Aryll greeted cheerfully as she fell into step next to her brother, "you took your sweet time getting here, didn't you?"
The young man in question simply smiled a strained smile at his younger sister. "Yeah," he replied absent-mindedly, searching the crowds. "Do you really think the Nohansen will be here? Today?"
Aryll rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes, she really will be. Stop worrying; it doesn't suit you."
Link visibly relaxed, and his smile was much more natural and confident. "Right; sorry, Aryll. It's just, if she is a Nohansen…"
His sister merely smiled and nudged him. "Come on, let's walk a little faster. We can sit at one of those little tables at the café. We'll have a clear view of her from there."
With a decisive nod from Link, the two quickened their pace. They made their way easily down the block, barely glancing at the dirty and rundown stores that lined the streets; they knew the area like the back of their hand, having grown up in the general vicinity.
Within a few minutes, the two siblings arrived at the café, and Aryll hopped into the shop while Link seated himself at one of the tables outside. Pensively, he studied the passers-by on the other side of the sidewalk, and every time the sunlight reflected off a head of blonde, his gaze became piercing for a moment before returning to his previously polite indifference.
A few seconds later, Aryll triumphantly returned with two cups of pitch-black liquid. "The best coffee in Hyrule," she announced sarcastically, grinning as she handed Link his paper cup.
Without tearing his gaze from the crowd, Link put the cup to his lips and drank slowly. He couldn't help but grimace at the bitter and cheap taste of the drink. Even after years of it, he still wasn't accustomed to the sour unnaturalness of the café's coffee.
"There," Aryll suddenly said, and she was uncharacteristically quiet and serious. Link, shaken out of his musings, immediately turned to look at his sister and followed her intense gaze until he spotted what they had come searching for.
"Yes," he said softly. "That is Zelda Nohansen."
"Oh, come on, Zelda. You can't be serious. It's been two hours, and we haven't bought a single item of clothing yet."
Zelda Nohansen averted her eyes as her best friend, Midna, shot her an exasperated look. "Well," the elegant young woman replied defensively, "I just can't find anything I want."
Midna groaned loudly and turned her eyes skyward. "Oh, Goddesses," she seemed to appeal to them, "Did you hear that? She can't find anything she wants, even though she has a body any sane girl would kill for." Turning back to the blonde in question, Midna sighed. "Everything looks good on you, Zel. Why don't you just choose one? The dinner party, or whatever, is the day after tomorrow."
Midna's tone turned sour near the end, as it usually did whenever she mentioned one of her friend's expensive gatherings. For the umpteenth time, Zelda tried to apologize. "I'm sorry, Midna. You know I don't like the parties, but I don't have a choice in whether or not I attend. My father—"
"Yeah, yeah," Midna interrupted moodily. "Your father is the governor of the town and has to maintain his reputation. Of course, you're rich and can afford hundred-dollar dresses for the frequent parties. I've heard it before, Zel; you don't have to keep telling me."
The other girl bit her lip, feeling guilty that her friend was upset about the difference in their statuses. While Zelda was the daughter of the governor and considered as one of the highest class, Midna was…well, Zelda wasn't even sure what Midna was. She never spoke of her life, but Zelda knew that Midna was not of the same class.
"I'm sorry," she repeated quietly, but Midna simply looked away. "I know my life seems overly extravagant and luxurious, and I'm spoiled senseless," Zelda continued, trying to make amends, "but…Midna?"
Her friend did not respond and continued to look across the street, and Zelda turned her head to get a glimpse at whatever had caught Midna's attention. "Midna?" she curiously asked again.
"What?" Midna asked, turning around to shoot her friend a reassuring smile. All previous animosity was mysteriously gone, but Zelda was simply grateful that her friend seemed in better spirits.
"What was so captivating about a coffee shop?" she teased, glancing at it again. There was nothing interesting there; no patrons were sitting at the tables in front of the café. In fact, it looked quite empty, save for a few customers in the shop itself. They were dressed in clothes that were more like rags, and Zelda felt a pang of sympathy which she quickly crushed. She had done all she could to persuade her father that the homeless should be attended to, but he had not listened and simply laughed her requests off as childish desires.
"Did you see that hot guy?" Midna asked breezily, turning to Zelda. "That blonde one, sitting in front of the café?"
Zelda frowned. "No."
Midna's smile turned mischievous. "Pity; I know you like those blonde-hair-blue-eyes types."
Zedla flushed. "I do not. I have a boyfriend, you know."
Her companion merely rolled her eyes and took hold of her wrist. "Let's go; this is the slummier part of Hyrule, and you're definitely not going to find a store for evening gowns around here."
Midna all but dragged her friend a good way down a few streets before they stopped at a flashy-looking store. "Come in here; this is a really famous brand. They've got all the current styles."
Before she passed the doorway, Zelda gave the coffee shop one last thought. There was nothing – and definitely no one – outside of the café except an empty coffee cup, rolling gently on one of the tables.
Zelda smiled in appreciation as she handed her bags to her chauffeur. "Thank you for coming on such a short notice," Zelda said graciously. "I'm afraid Midna left quite suddenly."
Indeed, Zelda reflected as she climbed gracefully into the car and seated herself in the back, immediately after she had purchased an evening gown, Midna received a call on her battered cell phone and excused herself. Zelda sighed and closed her eyes, leaning back slightly. Midna was a very interesting person, Zelda decided. Although the two of them had only known one another for two years, they were quite close.
It seemed odd to many that Zelda and Midna, two so very different people, were friends, but after they had met at the local bookstore, they had become the best of friends, oddly enough. Even as Midna's best friend, Zelda knew practically nothing about her life. Midna indicated that it was a sensitive subject, and Zelda respectfully refrained from asking questions. She had met Midna's parents once, and she thought they were quiet and somewhat shady. Their house was really a shack that Midna had been too flustered to invite her into. That was a surprise; Midna was rarely embarrassed about anything.
"Anything the matter, miss?" the chauffeur asked politely as he skillfully navigated the crowded streets.
"No, no," Zelda assured him and smiled briefly. "I'm simply a little tired from today's outing."
The chauffeur nodded knowingly, and they lapsed back into a comfortable silence. Zelda barely registered the chauffeur parking in front of the mansion. Only when her door opened did Zelda look up in surprise, shaken out of her quiet reverie. She stepped out of the car and gazed at the familiar sight of her home.
Zelda admired the elegant architecture of her house. Although the Lake Hylia residential area was filled with expensive houses, Zelda liked to think that the mansion she lived in was most majestic. In the bright sun, the white mansion looked almost like something out of a fairytale.
In an instant, all quiet was shattered as the front door burst open, and a young woman wearing a T-shirt and jeans bounded out. Zelda smiled at her younger sister as she approached the car. "Well, Zelda," Tetra declared grandly, "Did you happen to buy me anything?"
Zelda smiled at her tomboyish sister and dug around in her bag. "I did, in fact," she said, pulling out a skirt. Tetra's face fell comically, and Zelda couldn't help but giggle. "Not this," she reassured and held out a dress.
Her sister sighed in relief. "Oh, you've saved me. I was afraid I would have to go shopping with Impa for my dress. Thanks, Zel!" Tetra gave her sister a one-armed hug and dashed away into the house to put the dress away.
With an amused smile, Zelda took hold of her bag and walked up the stairs. At the doorway, a maid relieved her of the shopping bag, and Zelda thanked her. Immediately after the maid disappeared, Zelda spotted Impa making a beeline for her, and she had to hide a smile at the sight of her stern nursemaid and bodyguard.
"Did anything happen to you?" Impa asked testily, giving Zelda a protective once-over to ensure that nothing had harmed the young woman.
"No," Zelda said, fighting to keep from laughing. "I told you it was perfectly safe. See? Not a single bruise or scratch."
Impa didn't seem to relax her tense posture, but Zelda knew her bodyguard was reassured. "Hm," was all the stern woman said before Zelda smiled. "How was your work today?"
Impa worked with a government group called the Sages. Zelda couldn't help but wince at their name – the Sages? – but greatly respected their work. The group attempted to locate and disband gangs, a huge problem for all those not of the highest class in the city of Hyrule. Zelda had once asked Impa what the gangs did that posed as such trouble, and Impa replied, curtly, that the underground market thrived because of them. All sorts of illegal things occurred due to the gangs, and, then, they were always fighting one another in an attempt to gain complete control of the underground. It was a thankless and almost hopeless task.
"Good," Impa replied, snapping Zelda out of her thoughts. "But we still have no leads, and it's been a few years. It's rather dispiriting."
Zelda frowned sympathetically. It really had been several years, and they had only located a few of the minor gangs. Sensing Impa's frustration, Zelda changed the subject to lighter matters. "Where are my brothers?"
At this, Impa sniffed and looked mildly annoyed. "Having another brawl, I suppose," she said, gesturing with a hand towards the upper levels of the house. "Earlier this afternoon, they decided that ruining the carpet upstairs was good fun."
Zelda hid a smile and shook her head at her sibling's antics. "Oh, dear," she sighed and made her way upstairs.
As Zelda stepped onto the carpet, she felt her weight sink into water. The boys had flooded the floor with it! Unfortunately, the carpet had absorbed most of the water, and Zelda gingerly picked her way up to the third floor. A good portion of the carpet on the stairs was soggy, too.
Once she made it to her destination, Zelda knocked on her brother's door.
"Come in," a voice called from inside.
Zelda let herself into Sheik's room. Her brother was at his computer, typing quickly, and he didn't bother to turn around. "Is that you, Zel? You're the only one who ever knocks, besides the maids. Tetra just barges in, and Ralph practically kicks the door down."
He heard his sister sigh and stopped typing to turn around and look at her with his mahogany eyes. "Look, sis," he began in his naturally quiet voice, "I know what you're going to say. Yeah, Ralph is our half-sibling, and I should set a better example, but it was just a little fun, okay?"
Zelda couldn't help but sound a little upset. "Sheik, we're both seventeen. You have to grow up sometime, right? Dad and Ambi just got together a few months ago, and Ralph is new to the family, but you've already turned him into a partner in crime."
"Not my fault," was all Sheik said, and Zelda sighed in frustration. She appealed to her brother, "Look, the party that Dad's throwing is the first time that he'll appear in public with Ambi and her son. They have to make a good impression; otherwise, the public will question him."
Sheik had turned back to his computer and seemed to ignore Zelda. She waited a few moments longer for him to say something before she shook her head and exited the room. When she put her hand on the doorknob, Sheik finally warned, "Don't reprimand Ralph."
Zelda rolled her eyes. As if she would even try it; he had quite the devil-may-care attitude, and nothing seemed to faze him.
The young woman retired to her room and sunk into the armchair next to the wall that was made completely of glass. While she was free to enjoy the scenery, anyone on the other side who tried to peer through the wall would simply see their reflection. Zelda loved the view; her room overlooked their land behind their house. She liked to think of it as the backyard, although she was sure most backyards didn't contain a grove of trees or a small pond and acres of grass.
After a few quiet moments, there was a soft and polite knock at her door. "Yes?" Zelda called tiredly, unable to find it in herself to rise and open the door.
"Master Nohansen says that it's time for dinner, ma'am," a maid called from the other side of the door, and Zelda replied, "I'll be there in a few minutes."
She heard the soft pattering of feet die away on the carpet as the maid left, and Zelda remained in her armchair for another minute before hauling herself up to join the rest of her family for dinner.
When she arrived in the dining room, everyone was already waiting for her. She murmured a quick apology, and the talking resumed with spirit. Zelda took a seat to the left of her father and smiled at Ambi, who was sitting across from her. Zelda's mother had died after giving birth to Tetra, who was a year younger than Zelda and Sheik, the twins. After thirteen years of grief, Daphne Nohansen met Ambi. A year later, they were happily married, and Ralph, Ambi's son, joined the family at eighteen years of age.
"So, Zelda," her father rumbled, "How was your trip with Media?"
"Midna, father," Zelda gently corrected him, but he seemed not to hear her. "It was…fun. Quite tiring, actually, but I did find a suitable dress to wear for the party."
"Good, good. What of you, Tetra? Dressing suitably has always been a problem when it comes to you and parties."
The girl scowled and tugged at her shirt. "I hate parties. And, yes, I have a dress."
Zelda smiled good-humoredly, and the talk was light and cheerful after that. The young woman glanced around the table, studying each of the faces that she came to love so much: her father, her new step-mother, Sheik, Tetra, and Ralph.
After dinner, she and her brother joined her father and step-mother in the study. The four of them discussed the state of the city; Zelda's father had an optimistic opinion that the once-reputable Hyrule would soon return to its former state. Zelda and Sheik exchanged glances at this; they were aware that Hyrule had been a place of peace and loveliness in the past, attracting visitors from places as far as Subrosia, but, for the past decade, Hyrule gradually degenerated until it was infamous for the numerous amounts of illegal activity. Other places, such as Labrynna and Holodrum, mocked Hyrule and its governor, but Zelda steadfastly believed that, one day, things would get better.
After an hour of conversation, Zelda and Sheik joined their other two siblings, and the four of them laughed and argued and exchanged gossip about their friends: Quill, Makar, Medli, and Komali, who was Zelda's boyfriend. The others politely did not mention Midna; Zelda's father disapproved of associating with those who were not of a reputable social status.
Later that night, as Zelda prepared to sleep, she smiled joyously, content.
Even though Midna was bitter and even contemptuous about the life that Zelda led, she couldn't help but be joyful of what she had. The happiness and peace that she felt was overwhelming; what more could anyone ask for than a happy family and a roof over their head?
Her life was perfect in every way.
I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think. Seeing that this is my first fanfic, I'd appreciate any suggestions on improvement, but please don't flame me.
Thank you for reading!