Link had the Triforce of Courage. He was The Hero. He had been scared before, but it never got in the way of, well, saving the world. Or anything.
He was walking the Castle Town walls. He leaned exhaustedly over the side, staring down into the moat.
So why was he so terrified now? He couldn't even think straight because he was so worried about Saria. He stroked the fuzz of his goatee.
A glint caught his eye, and he looked onto the field. It came from a few miles away. Link was pretty sure about what it was, but he needed to be sure.
He ran to the other side of the wall and whistled into the city. A neigh answered him and Epona appeared from where he'd left her at the gate. He leapt over the side of the wall onto a roof, walked down it and descended to the ground before mounting Epona and spurring her back to the gate.
"Lower the bridge!" Link shouted. The guards hurried to do so, and Epona galloped across it and into the field.
It was midday, which had Link concerned. If he'd really seen what he thought he did, he was glad he'd closed up the city and surrounding areas. He slowed Epona as they got closer to the spot, and he began looking around while loosening the sword on his back.
A shrieking yell reached his ears, and a blue-skinned creature with a pig's snout and a makeshift metal sword ran at him from behind a rock. Link drew his sword and leapt off Epona. He caught the moblin's blade on his own, parrying it a few times before making a blunt blow.
The moblin fell to the earth, dazed. Link caught his breath as he listened for any others and thought of what to do.
It was as Link had thought. Whenever Ganon's evil magic or another magic similar was used, monsters were sure to follow.
Whatever had happened at the castle, it was big. This wasn't a keese or a chu-chu, a lower-class monster. This was a moblin, a monster that could take specific orders and even speak. Moblins were intelligent, and Link always wondered why they always seemed to side with the bad guys. What exactly did they get out of it?
Maybe he would seek out King Bulblin and convince him that the "winning" side was still Hyrule. Maybe he could convince the rest of the moblins and bokoblins to not attack.
The moblin was trying to get up, and Link strode forward, put a foot on its chest and pushed it back onto the ground. "Hey! My name is Link, you heard of me?"
The moblin's eyes widened and it hid behind its clawed hands, squawking.
Link applied more pressure to the moblin's chest. "You still follow King Bulblin?"
The moblin nodded.
"Good! TELL him," he said, pushing on the moblin's chest for emphasis, "LINK wants to SPEAK with him. NOW." He removed his foot and stepped back. "Can you tell him that for me?"
The moblin nodded again and stood up with some trouble. Link heard other squawks nearby, probably reinforcements, but the moblin answered them in a "shut up!" kind of way. He gave Link a calculating stare, then hurried off. Link heard that one and the others soon get further onto the field from him.
Link mounted Epona and galloped quickly back to Castle Town.
It was evening before Link got an answer. The guards on the wall were alerted to a large group of moblins heading toward the city. Link gave the order to stand down before any guards could send off any arrows or catapults.
He didn't want to mess this up. He climbed the wall and used a telescope to see who it was exactly that was coming. A group of at least thirty moblins came, most on the back of giant boars, holding aloft their banners. At their front was the largest moblin of all, riding the largest boar of all.
King Bulblin was looking fit and fat, as usual. His two horns had grown back in the past several years and again curled above his head magnificently, decorated with stripes of red and green. He halted his troops right outside the town walls, pulled a large, hallowed horn off his hip and blew into it. A loud, deep call spread across the field for miles around.
Link descended the wall and walked to the drawbridge, which was shut. Hyrule had put together a legion of soldiers, who stood uncomfortably with their new weapons. The Resistance Fighters, Shad, Rusl, Ashei, and Auru (who refused to retire), stood in front of the soldiers. A stand in for Shadow sat on a black charger next to Epona. Link climbed onto Epona's back and gave the signal to lower the drawbridge.
The drawbridge lowered with loud clanks, slowly revealing to each side the prowess of the other, and finally settled with a loud bonk. King Bulblin and Link sized each other up. King Bulblin did not even bother to look at anyone else. He acknowledged only the one that had bested him in battle. He grinned proudly. Link, his face carefully expressionless, walked Epona languidly across the drawbridge. He gestured with his head at the large moblin.
"Your horns grew back."
King Bulblin laughed. "Are they not more magnificent than before?"
"That depends on why you've come here. After all, last time you were on the losing side for almost the entire war. Surely you won't be so foolish again." Link smiled tauntingly.
King Bulblin tilted his head with an amused smirk. "Speak."
"I'm giving you an option to be on the winning side immediately, and I ask that you cease your pillaging of Hyrule before it even starts. No catching travelers unawares, no kidnappings, no doing the bidding of Ganon. You will be on our side, and you will work with us."
"And what do we get in return?"
Link had spoken to Zelda about this, and he quickly replied, "Land. And freedom to travel through Hyrule safely. You can barter and sell things just like all other Hyruleans. If this truce is respected, you may come into our cities, as long as your are unarmed."
King Bulblin shook his head. "We have claws." He spread his hands. "And horns. No one of us will ever be unarmed in the eyes of your people."
Link nodded. King Bulblin had a point. Mixing Hyruleans with Bulblins would be difficult.
"All we have known is battle," continued King Bulblin. "Would you have us put up our swords and become like you?"
"Our people will need body guards. You have felt it, the evil moving across the land. We fear it will only get worse, but with your help, perhaps Hyrule's people will remain safe as they cross the fields under your protection."
He heard uneasy mutterings behind him among his troops, but he ignored it.
"There will be plenty of opportunity to sharpen your ax, King Bulbin. Just so long as you do not heed Ganon's—"
"It is not the King of Evil, nor is it the Usurper King."
A silence fell on the Hyruleans. "How do you know this?" Link asked, genuinely curious.
King Bulblin glanced at his troops, then said, "As you said, we have felt it. It is a power my people have not felt for a very long time, that of the Lord of Wind."
"Lord of Wind? Do you know his name? We are trying to—"
"He is not the one you must ready your blade for." King Bulblin's face was more serious than Link had ever seen it. The moblins, bokoblins, and bulbins in his ranks were stiff and still, silent. It was unnerving. "Do you know our belief," King Bulblin stated, "our story of how we came to be, O one with the Holy Blade?"
Link shook his head.
"Many thousands of years ago, there was a being who craved the light. His name was Bellum. In his greed, he created us that we might gather the light for him, and feed it to him. As young creations, we were eager to serve our god, and did so. We plundered, and murdered, and made war with the creations of the goddesses. Our god reigned for many generations, until all light was taken from the world.
"With no more light to feed his hunger, the god we had pledged our hearts to serve turned on us, and began devouring us camp by camp, army by army. We pleaded with our god, certain that he was merely angry, that we could again gain favor in his sight, but our cries were ignored. Our own creator cared more for himself than his creations. We were mere pawns, tools to be used and discarded.
"Your goddesses, in their desperation, called on the Hero, one of your ancestors, and that hero sealed Bellum away and freed the light he had stolen. With Bellum's defeat, my people were driven back into the shadows, for we had no place among the children of the goddesses."
For a long moment, Link mulled over King Bulbin's story. Then he said, "You will have a place now. We open our arms to you and your people."
King Bulblin nodded slowly. "This pleases us. We have no desire to serve our selfish god once more. However, how can we be sure we will not be betrayed?"
"That is a question we have about you, as well."
King Bulblin shifted, and then dismounted his boar. "Let us discuss this like fellows. Bring your counselors."
Raising his eyebrows in surprise, pleased, Link dismounted Epona and gestured at The Resistance Fighters, who then hurried across the bridge to him. A few of King Bulbin's own came, walking at a respectful distance from him. When the two groups were facing each other, King Bulblin motioned to his own, and they sat. Link copied the gesture. When only Link and King Bulblin were left standing, they nodded and slowly sat at the same time.
King Bulblin sat cross legged and rested his elbows on his knees. He brought up a clawed hand and said, "My elders have come up with a plan that would serve both of us in this endeavor."
Again, Link was surprised. They had already considered an alliance?
"We do not expect you to trust us outright," King Bulblin began. "And for this reason, as a symbol of our agreement, we would like to issue a trade."
Link leaned forward. "I'm listening . . ."
"We have . . . a very precious person in our ranks. You are aware of our loyalty to the Gerudo King?" King Bulblin waited for Link to nod, then continued, "That loyalty, while it has diminished, still remains. The Gerudo were kind to us when no one else would be. When the Gerudos fled from the desert into the next world, wherever that may be, many ill-fit to travel were left behind, including one . . . that they surely did not design to leave. Our people have raised this one as our own. It would be a great boon to us if this child were to learn to ways of Hyrule, and we would be entrusting a precious member of our people to you."
"That seems . . . possible," Link replied.
"In return," King Bulblin continued, "we ask that the Hylians return the favor in kind, send one of their own to be with us, someone equally as precious, to learn the ways of the bulbin."
Murmurs began again behind Link. No one could imagine sending anyone to live in such barbarous conditions as the monsters in front of them lived. Link, however, saw that was exactly the point. It didn't make him any less nervous. "I would be happy to accompany the bulbin."
King Bulblin laughed. "No, no! You are a great general, your place is on the field. We want someone a little more . . . close to the heart."
"The princess is with child, and there is no way I'm letting her go with you."
Again, King Bulblin shook his head. "We care not about the princess' heart. It is your heart we wish to entreat."
Link was confused, and King Bulblin made a wide gesture back to his troops, and a single boar came trotting to them. At first all Link saw was a moblin on its back, but as it got closer his heart plummeted in disbelief as a head of beautiful red hair appeared behind the moblin, a young girl in a bright yellow dress.
Link leaped to his feet immediately, drawing his sword instinctively. "MELODY!" He heard the soldiers behind him begin to move onto the drawbridge, he heard metal scraping against metal as they, too, readied their weapons. King Bulblin lofted his ax, and his people drew their arrows and swords. Link forced himself to stop, ignoring the pounding in his chest. He held an arm high, motioning to every soldier to stop.
The moblin on the front of the boar took Melody by the arm and lowered her to the ground. Another person dismounted behind her. "It's okay, Papa!" Melody's cheerful voice helped to calm Link's alarm considerably.
"Melody . . ." Link tried to form words. "Are you okay?"
She grabbed the hand of the person behind her and dragged them both to Link. "Yes, Papa, Nanaco saved me from a lightning chu-chu." She tugged on the person's arm. "Tell them, Nanaco!" The person seemed to be a young man, masked, and he stood uncomfortably in Link's presence. King Bulblin barked a command at him, and he removed his mask.
If Link felt unnerved before, now he felt absolutely livid, but he forced himself to remain still.
The boy his daughter was so enamored with, the one who had supposedly "saved her," was in fact a Gerudo Male. Only one male was born to the Gerudo every hundred years, and the last one had been Ganondorf.
The boy returned Link's glare with his own piercing gaze, the gold eyes shining out of an olive green face, round and fierce, his head with the same red hair as the man who had caused Hyrule so much trouble. Just seeing someone who looked so nearly like the King of Evil brought so much anger into Link's heart. He could not look away. The boy, Nanaco, innocently looked back.
"This is the precious one we mean to entrust to you," King Bulblin announced, stepping over and putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Our Gerudo prince, Nanaco."
He heard Shad whisper to the others, "They can't be serious." Then louder, "Link! You can't possibly be actually considering this!"
"Easy, boy," interrupted Auru, his old voice cracking. "Leave this to Link."
"There's no way the people of Hyrule would accept . . . that thing into their city!"
"Why not?" Ashei piped up, putting her hands on her hips and continuing deadpan. "I think it'd be swell. Always wanted to learn about moblins, everyone else can get over it."
"What is happening?" The new voice was Ilia's. She had jogged up to them and clutched Shad's arm. "Why does he have Melody?!"
Link stayed silent. He remained silent until the whispering stopped. It took all of his will power to disconnect this boy from the man that had spread so much evil across Hyrule, had killed so many. He forced himself to remember he was an honorary brother to the Gerudo, and missed them as much as King Bulbin's people. He told himself that he ought to care about the Gerudo's prince as well, that they would want him to take him in should the need arise.
And the need had arisen.
"I . . . will have to speak with Her Majesty about harboring your lad . . ." he looked at his daughter and his exposure fell away. "But there is no way I can let my daughter live among you."
King Bulblin frowned, displeased. "We offer our most precious treasure, but you cannot offer even your own child?"
Link knew he was being irresponsible. This sort of trade had happened often in Hyrule's history, but it didn't make him any more willing to do it to his own daughter. He implored King Bulblin, "She's just a girl, she's not used to . . . to your kind of life. You don't understand how fragile she is."
"Papa!"
"There must be someone else."
"There is no one. We have thought this over long and hard."
Tensions were getting ever higher, Link knew. He felt Auru set a hand on his arm. "Link . . . it would seem they will take no other option. They must fear you greatly, and must care for their prince a great deal. They are giving you charge over their own 'child,' if you will. This is a language they understand. I'm not sure anything else will persuade them."
Link knew they couldn't manage having King Bulblin against them, certainly not if he was telling the truth about this Bellum. He hated what he said next. "Would you permit an escort for her? We would allow—"
"We will not. It is crucial that she learn our ways without filter."
His stomach was in knots.
"Come on, Papa! I'll be fine!" Melody seemed to think this was all just one grand adventure. She was practically bouncing on her heels.
Link watched her every move, burning it into his memory. He couldn't imagine not seeing her for who-knew-how-long. He couldn't imagine . . . he couldn't imagine it!
"Please," Link begged. He dropped to his knees. His hands were shaking. "King Bulblin, I'm begging you. I've already lost one daughter. I can't . . . I simply cannot lose another."
King Bulblin softened. Suddenly he pointed a clawed finger at the Resistance Fighters. "That one! He shall accompany her."
Shad pointed at himself and shrank. "Me?!"
"NO!"
Both Link and King Bulblin were taken by surprise. Ilia stepped in front of the fighters, head held high. She looked bravely at King Bulblin. "Do you remember me?"
King Bulblin nodded with a smile. "Yes, the brave one."
Ilia's fists were clenched so hard her knuckles were white.
Link put a hand on her shoulder. "Ilia, what are you—"
"Do you remember what lengths the Hero went to recover me and the children you stole, all those years ago?"
King Bulblin nodded.
Ilia took another step forward, dislodging Link's hand. "Then I will go, and you should know that if any harm or discomfort comes to Link's daughter, I will not hesitate to tell the truth! If you wish to betray us, you will have to kill not only Link's daughter, but me as well, and in doing so, you will NEVER be welcome in Hyrule again. Link will forever seek to destroy you, to keep you in your dark caves and trapped in your insignificant existence as godforsaken beasts until the end of time! Is that favorable to you?"
The Hylians were stunned by Ilia's speech. Apparently, so was King Bulblin. He guffawed. "You will fit right in with the bulbin, she Hylian."
Melody rolled her eyes. "Her name is Ilia," she said pointedly.
"Very well, Lady Ilia. Does this suit you better, Hero?"
Link did not feel suited at all, but he nodded stiffly.
The tension in the field had dissipated largely. The moblins stood down and seemed rather happy. Link heard Auru telling the Hyrulean soldiers to also stand down. Link held out his arms to Melody, and his daughter ran into them. He clutched her tightly.
"Papa, I'm so excited!"
Link knelt again and took her face in his hands. He bumped foreheads with her. "You'll be fine, princess, I promise. I love you."
"Papa, why are you crying?"
"I just, I love you, okay?" He hugged her again and kissed her head.
"Sheesh! Let go, Papa!" It was a minute before Link finally did let go. He wasn't sure what to say to his excited daughter. Should he scare her with the truth, or let her be oblivious? Would the truth make it easier, would she even know what he was talking about?
Melody had quickly bounced back to the side of that Gerudo boy. Link was left with his hand outstretched to her, fighting the urge to grab her and retreat into the city.
"We will be here until the moon rises," King Bulblin announced. "Be ready to return with us then! Prince Nanaco," again he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You carry the hearts of your people ever with you. Be strong, my son."
Nanaco nodded minutely.
Ilia looked back at Shad and tilted her head down apologetically. She smiled. "Sorry, Shad."
It was only then Shad broke out of his stupor. He rushed to her. "You can't do this!"
Ilia's face said that, yes, she could.
"No! King Bulblin!" Shad ran after the retreating back of the moblin, who refused to give him any attention. "Take me! Take me!"
Ilia smiled again and found Link staring at her. He looked absolutely crushed.
"Ilia . . ." He suddenly pulled her to him in a crushing hug. "Thank you, Ilia, thank you."
"Oh, Link," Ilia hugged him back, feeling tears fall down her face. Returning to the hands of King Bulblin was the last thing she had ever wanted, but she would do anything for Link, anything for Link's children.
"Be safe. Oh Goddeses, be safe, Ilia." It was not a command or a request.
It was a prayer.