Dark by S. Park
Part five To Soothe the Savage
The scaffolding that still surrounded the partially rebuilt Hyrule Castle made a good place to brood. It was night, the moon bright overhead. Link was presumably asleep. I knew where his room lay, but it was one place where I had difficulty watching him. It was on the second floor, and there was no scaffolding directly outside it. And I had to sleep sometimes myself, much as I wished I could watch for my chance at all times. Night seemed more likely to yield opportunities. Though not as many as I might have hoped. Whether Link knew what I was up to or whether he was still merely operating on wartime footing despite the fact that peace had broken out I didn't know, but I had found none yet, for he was always within reach of the Master Sword.
I needed to think of a new approach. The closest I'd gotten to him yet was while we sparred, which we did often now. But approaching him with weapon in hand was never going to get me anywhere. We were too evenly matched. It was very rare that either of us got a touch on the other during our sparring matches, and should I press the attack in earnest he merely had to resort to one of his other weapons and I would have no recourse. He carried them all with him, in a pouch that had to be magical, since some of the items were bigger than it was.
But how could I catch him off guard? How could I get the sword and that pouch away from him? I turned countless ideas over in my head. Somehow I had to get close to him, that was the key. I came close during our sparring matches, but those were all wrong. I had to get close to him when the sword was sheathed, at least, even if he never actually set it aside.
I could think of no other option, I was going to have to try and befriend him somehow.
As I plotted in the darkness, I heard a gentle whisper of sound floating out on the night air. It was music. Familiar music. The soft, hollow tones of an ocarina, a sound I knew very well. I didn't recognize the song, it was not one of the magical melodies I knew. It was a wandering tune, and I suspected the musician was improvising, simply playing whatever came to mind.
It was Link, of course. Thinking of him should have stoked my rage, but the music was too calm for that. It reminded me of the still pools of his eyes. I closed my own eyes and drifted in the sound.
When at last the song ended I was left with another puzzle. How could I find such peace in a thing of my enemy's creation? I hated Link with all of whatever soul I might have. And yet I was sad that he had stopped playing, I wanted to hear more. I suddenly wished I had an ocarina, so that I could answer his melody with one of my own. I didn't understand this urge. I wanted to kill him, and sparring with him was only a way to hone my skills. But there was no such explanation for this urge.
I turned this new puzzle over in my mind until the moon was low in the sky, then with a sigh I climbed down from the scaffolding where I'd perched and sought my bed. I had no answers, but this peaceful moment would not undermine my resolve, Link still must die.
But as I lay in my bed I heard the music begin once again, and the anger faded from me. I sighed softly, and drifted to peaceful slumber with Link's song faintly echoing in my ears. And for the fist time since waking in the Water Temple I slept without nightmares.