Thanks to all who reviewed and favorited and followed and the like! -Bean

)()()()()(

Zelda fiddled with the memory stone in her hand, pondering everything she had seen vividly over and over again. She had seen his face, his stature, the way he walked, everything. She had seen the thing she thought most detestable in this world. Actually, the two most detestable things in the world: the Prince and Dresden. There was still something she couldn't pin about the heir though. She delved back into the sheikah-charmed crystal, submerging herself within the memory recorded through a magic spell.

The trance led her through the motions once again. Drums began as the memory played from the masses of the crowds, excited shouts and talking pervading her senses. The sounds of the crowd stopped with the drums, and their King walked onto the platform to address the people in the city's center.

"People of Ariat! Throughout these past fifteen years we have experienced the threat of the oppressor Hyrule, the curse her people have inflicted upon us! It is now that we will stand to defend our way of life, our beliefs, and our freedom!"

The crowd cheered again as Zelda strained through her mind to listen and watch closely. The King raised his hand to silence the masses, and they did so eagerly.

"Also during these past fifteen years, you have lived in sorrows passed. The late King Derek and the late Queen Grace have burdened our hearts ever so with their tragic loss. Thirdly, you have suffered the strain of the lack of an heir, something that I apologize greatly for, since you have endured grave uncertainty at my choice to not marry again. However my peoples, today is a day to rejoice! For fifteen years in secrecy has the late Queen Grace's son been raised!"

The crowd was silent for a moment before all chaos ensued, there were people screaming and rejoicing and crying at the news. Zelda was still appalled by the reaction, shaken to her core at the people's release of worry of their country. It was a release of fifteen year's worth of pent up emotions escaping from thousands all at once. The king raised his hand again, this time the crowd taking more time to silence than before.

"My dear peoples, it was for his safety and the safety of the house of Ariat for which he was hidden away. For if word of his barely clinging life had been announced at his moment of birth, it would have been but mere days before Hyrulean assassins would have come in and taken the last hope of Ariat. Foreseeing this, I protected him to the best of my ability, and he has grown stronger than anyone could have ever hoped. People of Ariat!" Dresden extended his left arm behind him where a vanguard of helmeted warriors stood, some verified as generals and captains, the last three unmarked and in silver and black, only a raven engraved on their chests. "May I present to you, your long awaited heir and soon-to-be crown Prince of Ariat, Prince Raven Edric Perseus of Ariat!" The middle soldier dressed in the black and silver with the raven engraved on his chest stepped forward as his name was called. Zelda's breath hitched as she watched the memory proceed inside of her head. Taking his left hand he pulled his helmet off as he proceeded down the flight of stairs to stand next to his stepfather on the podium. His long and lanky figure suggested his young age, still not fully grown into his height yet. His muscles could be seen rippling underneath his tight black uniform, and the chest plate glistened in the sun. He stopped and stood strong next to Dresden, his feet apart and helmet held pressed against his side and left forearm. The crowd was wild with energy. The prince merely stood silently, no expression upon his face. Zelda continued to stay in the memory as the sheikah wove her way through the crowd, trying to gain a closer look for the purposes of the memory stone. As the warrior progressed, Zelda got a better look at the prince once again. He was wearing a matching black ceremonial cape, notched at his shoulders and extending his length to rest with 6 inches on the ground. She then took in his stature; it was built and lithe: one ready to fight. She looked at his face. It was pale and looked as if he had lost too much blood or hadn't seen the sun in five months. His eyes were a blue-gray, framed by locks of platinum blonde hair. Despite his pale and almost sickly appearance at first glance, Zelda could see the ferocity in eyes that appeared almost dead. She could see his brutality in his stance, and she could most definitely sense the courage in battle that coursed through his veins. She knew he wouldn't shy from the blade, for it was written in his very soul. However, as the memory wavered, she saw his eyes flick across the crowd once through, and just before it went out she saw a different look in his eyes that she had been trying to pin for the past three hours after midnight.

"Fear." Zelda thought to herself out loud. She wondered how she couldn't have seen it before. Yes, he appeared brutal and unmoving, but how could someone be as stone as that? Even Impa had her moments of emotion. It had finally hit her that his once fault was fear. Fear of what?

Her thoughts were interrupted as a knock startled her.

"Who is it that calls at three in the morning?"

"Princess it's me, Impa."

"Come in, then." Zelda looked to the door from her desk, the memory stone sitting in the middle as her fingers played with it. Impa walked in with a document in her hand, looking grave and tired.

"Ariat has moved their armies. There will be a battle within the next few hours, probably when the light comes up." Zelda sat back in her chair and looked at the stone as she played with it again. Thinking of what this meant to her. She made no reply and no reaction to Impa.

"There is no sign of the Elite troupes from Ariat. Meaning the Prince is most likely being saved as a pawn for a later time." Impa paused to see if the exhausted princess would reply. She walked over to the desk and tossed the document written by the scouts onto Zelda's desk when the princess gave no response. "There's a meeting tomorrow morning at the hour of 8. I suggest you get some sleep." With that, Impa exited the room and left the Princess alone. When the door clicked shut, the princess stopped her playing fingers, and she placed the stone to the side of her desk, pulling the sealed document to the center. Unfolding the outer envelope Zelda opened the reconnaissance document. She scanned the pages, and looked at the locations of where the Hylians were placed, as the full Hyruleans forces had yet to be called to action. This was still only a human's war; the other races and tribes did not want involvement just yet. She looked at the location of the Hylian elites, The Lost City. They would be defending the largest citadel on the border with the enemy, who was fast approaching from Faron woods, and would meet her peoples on the field just feet in front of the stronghold's walls itself. Currently, the bulk of the forces remained behind the first charge group, still in the cover of Faron woods; many more men and women most likely trailing from the capital city of Eryzaeth located days away. This was the eve before the war, and there was nothing Zelda did but sit in silence. What could she do? She only had to wait until she was called to battle, when the bastard prince showed his face, then she would kill him and end this goddamned war. I'll kill him. So wait she would in a brooding hatred, its ugly tendrils taking root in her heart. She looked once more at the document, scanning the rest of the page. She looked to where the reconnaissance scout had written a few notes at the bottom right.

No sign of the elites. Only the regular soldiers and a small cavalry. The army is heading from the main pass, as well as from the mountains and the far side of the forest near the lost woods. Arc pattern of attack at different cities: week before they reach their destination. –Link, Elite 2, Captain

Zelda's eyes remained on his signed name, the flourish of the "L" ever prominent as usual. She knew whey Impa had brought it to her; it was the original version of the reconnaissance document, not a copy. With a brush of her finger over the name, she placed the document in the wooden box and went to bed.

)()()()()()()(

Zelda sat in the meeting, listening the things she had already heard three times before from the previous meetings. Yes, the war had begun, however no battle had ensued so there was really nothing to talk about as of yet. It was only a waiting

game. Zelda stared at the war map placed in the center of the table, little flags and models placed around to represent the troupes and their locations. She stared at the horse and rider carrying the Arms of her House, the once that represented Link's location. She wondered if battle had begun, if it had ended, if they had lost, if Ariat lost the first battle, if Link was hurt or dead or alive or- Her thoughts broke as Impa nudged the arm that was holding the princess's head up with her elbow. Zelda sat up straighter, and listened to what was going on.

A squire carrying a message had come in, and it had the seal of the general. The King broke the wax as the meeting was halted mid-sentence, the rest of the members sitting in silence around the room, tensely waiting for the new of the content of the letter. Zelda's father's eyes quickly scanned the page, drinking in everything that was written. He sat back in his chair as he skimmed it once more before setting it down and explaining.

"The first battle against Ariat was located in front of the citadel of The Lost City. The Araitians attacked first, and the Hylians counteracted with the elites and the troupes thirteen, fourteen, and ten. Around ten minutes ago the Hylians won the battle. The letter was delivered by a the Sheikah via teleportation." The King finished, a small pull at his mind as he thought about the swiftness in which he would end this war. But he was wrong.

)()()()()()(

Three months after the first battle, September was fast approaching as the hot August sun was giving off its last blasts of heat in its final week. Zelda sat outside in her training clothes. Since June she had received four more letters from Link, and to match his amount of letters, four more battles had been won. The Hylian forces has crept forward and taken the North Aratian field along with the small agricultural town of Zahlen just miles from the citadel. There was a standstill in the battles, and the troupes were being redirected to protect the borders past Kakariko and Lake Hylia. The Araitians had won a single battle, and it looked as if the war would be over before the New Year began. Zelda sat and stared across the empty training grounds, moping in the exhausting heat. She heard footsteps approach her from behind, and assumed it was Impa. She was startled when she heard a different voice.

"Well Princess, what say you?" Zelda turned around wide-eyed to see a smiling Link standing before her, his idiosyncratic smirk plastered on his now highly freckled and sun kissed face. His eyes popped and his hair glistened. They both stared for a good minute, as if they had just met each other again. This time though, his face was different. It was scarred.

"Your face." Was all Zelda said.

"I know."

"When did that happen?"

"Two months ago. Bastard tried to split my head open." Link's smirk faded slightly as he readjusted the pack he was holding on his shoulder. Zelda studied the line that nicked his brow, cut off part of his eyebrow and shaded itself over his left cheek and disappeared before hitting his chin. It had missed his blue eye, and was only really a faint line. Link must have ducked out of the way just in time.

"You still have your eye though. Albeit you pretty little face isn't so much a hot commodity anymore. The noble ladies like men who are perfectly in-tact." Zelda said flatly, with a sarcastic tone leaking its way into her voice.

"Well too bad. I wonder who'll care about the poor scarred soldier now." After he finished his sentence they both flew to each other's arms and Link dropped his satchel to the ground, burying his face into Zelda's shoulder. They pulled away to look at each other as Zelda brushed her thumb over the scar, Link looking at her with sad and mismatched eyes.

"I think I like your scar actually."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know. It should be a reminder that you could have died, but I think it shows your courage. Makes you look a little more fierce and older."

"Well, then let me get so many scars that the enemy runs away from just looking at me." Zelda laughed and Link smiled.

The two sat on the ground beneath a tree in the training grounds, Link retelling the stories of the battles, and Zelda telling him of her lessons in healing magic. They didn't leave until the sun had begun to dip behind the horizon, and the air cooled.

"How long will you be here for?" Zelda asked Link as they walked on the path, Link trying to catch a lightning bug.

"A week at most, we're set to be here for four full days at least. We have a few injuries to take care of with some of the elites, and we also have to restock and refurbish armor and horses and food and such. Stuff you probably know about already." Link said as he attempted to seize the deftly flying bug, failing in his pursuit until he finally did catch it and closed his hands around it, watching it for two seconds, and then letting it go.

"You have a short attention span." Zelda said as she watched the show Link had put on, the occasional trip and miss entertaining her highly.

"Just really jumpy from being on the front lines, is all. Used to being on the move and scouting." They continued inside until they came across Impa.

"I see you have returned. And with a scar on your face." Impa said, looking Link up and down crudely as she examined him to his core.

"Yes, actually. Funny story actually-"

"I'm afraid there isn't much time for storytelling. Zelda, Katara requires your assistance. Link, I do believe you have your own things to take care of as well?" Impa eyed the two as they both looked at her with a glare declaring her the happy-mood-killer. "I suggest you two be on your way then. You'll see each other all week." Impa walked on and turned the hall as Link and Zelda watched.

"She seems crankier than I ever remembered her to be." Link said.

"No kidding." Zelda responded.

)()()()()(

Six days had passed since Link had returned, and the announcement had been made that the elite's would leave on the morrow. The two had spent as much time as they could together, working in moments around Zelda's healing of the wounded, Link's duties as captain, and a plethora of other obstacles. They both had gotten too accustomed to each other's presence again, and sat forlornly once again in the window seat in the library. Link was occasionally dozing off and waking up, and Zelda was reading a book of the Era of the Hero of Time. Link woke up once again, and looked to see what she was reading, since the last time he was awake, she was flipping through a pamphlet regarding the war.

"What are you reading?" He asked in a hoarse voice, laden with sleep.

"The Trials of the Hero of Time."

"You like the books about Hyrule's legends a lot a I take it?"

"I do. They're interesting. Did you know that the Princess of Destiny had taken on the disguise of a Sheikah to aid the Hero? For seven years she evaded the Demon King until she revealed her identity and was immediately overwhelmed and captured."

"She changed her appearance?"

"Yes, and I'm curious how since it's unheard of to be able to do that in this day and age. Must have been an ancient magic we don't know about."

"Mmm." Was Link's response as he stared at the ceiling.

"What time do you leave?"

"Around seven this time."

"Will you meet with me beforehand?"

"Of course." Was Link's response as his eyes closed again, and Zelda looked at him, her inquiring face pondering his short answers. Her questions where answered as she looked at how tired his face really was. He hid everything so well during the day, but when he fell asleep she could see the toll of the war written in his features. She studied him for a time before setting the book down, looking outside at the late afternoon sun, and laid down next to him. She thought over what he must have gone through to look so gaunt and troubled, and fell asleep while doing so. She was woken up to being kicked in the shin, and looked around as her eyes adjusted to the late twilight, the nook in a dark blue hue. She was whacked again and was alerted to the sound of troubled breathing. She sat straight up and looked to Link. She soon realized what was going on.

He was having a night terror. He was breathing erratically, his brow creased as he moved about now and then, a small sound escaping his lips that was a mix between a grunt and a whimper that broke Zelda's heart to hear. She touched his shoulder to try and wake him gently but it only made things worse. He shouted with a strained and fearful voice, his hand smacking hers away before going to clutch the scar on his face. Extremely worried now, Zelda dared not touch him again as she wracked her mind for a way to wake him up and relieve him of his nightmare. He was beginning to shout more frequently and a sweat was starting to build up at his brow as his breathing became more and more panicked and he murmured things under his breath. Zelda called his name, but he soon began to scream at the top of his lungs and arch his back as he clawed at his shirt right above his heart near his collarbone. He gave a strangled and gravelly grunt as one does when in pain, as tears slipped from under his closed eyelids. Zelda cared not for getting hit as she tried to pin him down as a second scream escaped his lips, his thrashing becoming wild and forceful. She struggled to pin his arms down that scratched in an attempt to draw blood at the left side of his neck, before sitting on his stomach to pin him down. His hands tried to push her off and away from him as frantic tears and breaths escaped him, in addition to grunts and the sounds of a third scream threatening to pierce the air. She pinned his right arm underneath him as he tried to arch his back again, and she pushed her knee into his elbow to hold it there. With his now partially immobile state, a third scream so desperate ripped the air as Zelda felt tears well in her eyes, as she called his name. At this point she only struggled with his dominant left arm that had successfully broken the skin underneath his collar. In a last ditch effort to wake him up, Zelda let go of his arm and wound her right arm all the way back. With all the desperate force she had she smacked him hard across his face. He yelled in pain as his head was thrown to the right, and his eyes snapped open wide. He startled to full attention as he looked up at her, her hand still suspended in the air as tears ran down her cheeks.

His breathing started to calm as he brought his left hand to hold where she had whacked him. He felt the warm residue of tears, as well as a familiar sticky substance on his nails. Blood. He looked at Zelda again as she retained her position of holding him down.

"Link." She said with a worried tone. Link made no reply as he rested his head down and covered his forehead and left eye with his hand as uncontrolled tears left his eyes. Zelda let him have full reign of his body again as she went to try and comfort him. "I'm sorry I hit you. I didn't know what else to do, you were hurting yourself." She went to slip her hand to touch his stinging cheek his hers, before she saw the blood he had gotten on his cheek from his earlier moments. She moved her hand to pull to collar back to see the extent of the damage that had been done. He stopped her hand quickly by grabbing her wrist.

"Don't. Please."

"Link, let me see I can heal it." She stared at him intently as he seceded to her will, and let her move the collar to see where he had drawn blood. As she pulled it back, she noticed other small scars similar in size to the ones that would form from his self-attack in the night terror. She looked him in the eyes as he looked away, his mismatched irises glistening from the tears in his eyes. She couldn't see much beyond their faint outline and summoned a flame to light the candles.

"Sit up." Link did as he was told, his left arm used to prop himself up as his right was cradled in his lap. His head was hung low on his chest as he sheepishly looked at Zelda from under his bangs. She went to move his collar to the side to see the damage in the better light, and noticed that the other scars went farther down. She sighed as she closed her eyes before opening them again to look at Link, whose face was covered by his hair and turned to his right shoulder, hung low. She breathed in once more before she began to undo the ties to his shirt, something he protested to by grabbing her wrist again, once more seceding to her as she slapped his hand away, continuing on. She tugged the shirt to the side before stopping in horror. Among the many scratches was a larger scar that extended down his torso, cutting deep into him. It was an extension of the scar on his face. He had ducked out of the way; however, it was only to salvage his head and prevent an ending blow. As he had ducked his face away from the blade, his torso had pushed forward, and by doing so the blade had ripped through his body instead.

"Oh my goddesses." Zelda whispered as she looked at the thick scar. It was still slightly scabbed in areas, but the stitches had long since been absent. Among the thick scar were numerous scratch marks from previous night terrors, some faded and some fresh.

"Why didn't you tell me." Link mumbled something incoherent under his breath before Zelda yelled at him. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I didn't want you to worry!" He shouted back, his desperate eyes looking at her water laden ones. She looked down ashamed at herself for yelling at him.

"How bad was it?" She waited for his response.

"It wasn't."

"Wasn't what, Link?! I know you would have been unconscious how long were you out for, and how bad was it?!" They stared each other down as Link began.

"I fell unconscious an hour after. I was in and out of unconsciousness throughout the next day and was fully awake for the next week as I was stuck in bed while it healed."

"When did the night terrors start." Zelda demanded.

"During that week."

"How often do you get them?"

"Every couple of nights. The other two captains usually pin me down and call the doctor to wake me up."

"I see." They sat in strained silence some time more before Zelda looked at his sullen face.

"Link." He looked up at her sadly. "Please tell me next time. I'd rather worry than not know until something like this happens again. I never want to have to hear you scream as if someone was killing you."

"I'm sorry.."

"Don't be. It's not your fault." Tears began to well in his eyes again as Zelda went to hug him. He rested his head on her shoulder as his arms intertwined around her waist, her arms cradling his head and upper back as they both cried.

)()()()()()()()(

Last two and a half weeks were attack of the projects oh my gosh. Well, I wrote this all in one night. I'm still playing around with a name for the capital city of Ariat. It was originally Chicago, now its Erynzaeth, and I don't really like that either, though I want to keep the Er as well as the y and z. Any and all ideas are welcome, even completely different ones from what I have. Thank you to all who favorited/followed/and reviewed! It means so much and helps a lot! Please keep it up! We are about to get into some actually bloody scenes. Yes, I will go to the battlefield, but that will be around the springtime in the story. The first year of the war is gonna go fast, then we're gonna slow it way down for fun time with killing people. :) 4440 words.