Chapter Sixteen

Void stood in the stone room. His hands rested on the windowsill, looking out over Hyrule. His blood burned and boiled in his veins as he stood, gazing across Castle Town. He hated being the Castle almost as much as he hated the princess herself, but they'd had to come here. Void tensed at the feeling of being trapped in the chamber. It was lavishly furnished with fine tapestries and rugs and heave oak furniture, but it made Void sick.

Arms sound around Void's waste and he closed his eyes, leaning his head back against Link's shoulder. He opened them to glance at Link out of the corner of his eye. He could feel tension in his lover's body as well, but it was nothing like the high-strung state Void was in. Link didn't like the Castle because he'd been imprisoned here before he met Midna, but, unlike Void, he didn't carry memories of Ganondorf ruling time and again from this godforsaken place and being the Thief King's puppet.

Link sighed; looking out the window Void had been staring out and said quietly, "We'll be able to go home soon."

For all that had changed, Void was still aggressive and short tempered. He sighed in frustration before turning in Link's arms to kiss his and mutter, "We'd better."

Ordon was in the long and slow process of being rebuilt. They'd gotten aid from Princess Zelda for funding and supplies—she was the princess, Void reasoned angrily, she has to off aid to her people—enabling them to rebuild more quickly than they otherwise would have, but it wasn't able to compensate for what had been lost.

Void rested his head on Link's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around Link's waste and closed his eyes, opening them partway a moment later when a thought that had been plaguing him for days now worked its way back to the front of his mind. He and Link were lovers now, but one day Link would die. He would be reincarnated, but the new Link would be a completely different person. Void was just finding something in life to keep him grounded, to keep him human, and in a number of years, he would lose Link to the flow of time. This thought burned unto the forefront of his mind and made him bury his face in Link's shoulder, his fists clenching Link's tunic.

Link felt Void's fists clench and looked curiously down at him. With a questioning expression, he pulled back from Void and asked, "What's bothering you?"

Void looked into Link's blue eyes and looked away, his crimson gazed a mix of sadness, desperation, and anger. When he spoke, his voice was hard. Finding words to tell Link what was racing through his mind and clutched is heart with cold fingers wasn't easy. For a moment he closed his eyes and refused to look at Link. With a sigh, he looked back at Link and said, "One day you're going to die and things will go back to the way they were. This is only a short time in my life, it'll end too soon. I'll lose you."

Link was taken aback and pulled Void against his chest. He rested his forehead against the other's and said quietly, "You're right, but it'll be for my entire life. You're all I'll ever need, besides I'll come back, you'll see."

"No," Void said shaking his head. "You won't come back. The next Hero won't be you, they may have the same soul, but all the Hero's are different. There will never be another you."

Link remained silent for a while, his thoughts racing at what Void had said. It was true that they would be separated, but they'd be together in another form or another. Her held Void close and wondered: what would happen to Void after he died? Where would void go and what would he do? With a faint sigh he ventured to ask, "What about you?"

Void shook his head, "I'll return to the shadows. I'll have nowhere to go and nothing to do. There has never been any reason for me to exist until now."

With a shake of his head, Link pulled back and directed Void's gaze out the window. "You've survived this long; you'll be able to do it again. We need to enjoy our time together while we have it which means not dwelling on things we can't control."

Another thought plagued Void's mind and he voiced it almost inaudibly, "You'll have to have children. The Hero's soul in passed down through the generations, one day, you'll have to have a descendent."

"We'll figure something out," Link said softly. Void's statement had brought Link up short and he looked quietly out the window.

The sun dropped low on the horizon, bathing Hyrule in its fiery glow. Void and Link sat with Zelda at a small table in the library of the Castle. Zelda nodded slowly as she listened to Void's words. Her own soul had passed through many princesses in the royal family before her time. She had never thought much of this, but now she pondered what could be done. The Hero's line had to continue as did the line of the royal family. She folded her hands in her lap, looking thoughtful.

Carrying the Triforce of Wisdom, Zelda only had to think for a short period of time. She straightened up and looked rather defiantly at Void and Link, saying, "I'll carry Link's child."

"What?!" Link stared at her, baffled. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Zelda had just said she'd carry his child, meaning she'd bare an heir for him.

Void held still, his crimson gaze burning into Zelda. Did she truly understand the gravity of the situation? He didn't know and sat straight up, challenging, "Do have any idea what you're suggesting?"

"Of course," Zelda countered her voice and gaze even. "After the occurrence of the Twilight, we have no idea what could happen. There is no heir for the throne other than myself. I'll be ascending to Queen in a matter of weeks and there will have to be an heir one day. I have no intention of ever marrying, this is problematic in the fact that the royal family must live on. I'm suggesting that the lines continue on as one, for a while at least. They will diverge again, but there will be no harm in them being one, for now at least."

Link and Void exchanged a glance. It was an option, the most logical, Void reasoned, but the thought made his skin crawl. He drew in a breath and let it out slowly, venturing, "You and Link wouldn't be married, would you?"

Zelda looked at him, her expression softening as she shook her head. "No, I wouldn't do that to either of you. I would want him, however, to be part of the child's life."

"We were planning on returning to Ordon," Link voiced, his mind reeling.

"Of course," Zelda said nodding. "I will call on you if things ever arise, though. Please understand this."

Void nodded in gratitude towards Zelda, but unease at the situation still ate away at him. Link thanked Zelda, a mixture of emotions coursing through his veins.

When they returned to their chamber in the depths of the Castle, Link pulled Void closed and asked, "Is this what you want?"

"It's not about what I want," Void snapped, his gaze angry, a level of grief in his crimson eyes. "This is what has to be done. Both you and Zelda have to have children. I'd rather it be with her than someone else. But never again will I let you sleep with anything else."

The snarl in Void's voice made Link smile slightly. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said, kissing Void and walking him back towards their bed.

Void and Link stood at the Ordon Spring, their fingers intertwined. The sun was setting, steeping the clearing in twilight as it painted the sky with golds and reds. Void let out a calming breath, his heart racing. They'd received word that they that Zelda was, indeed, pregnant. It had been a matter of months since they'd left Hyrule Castle and returned to Ordon where things were beginning to return to normal after the fire. The rebuilding had gone well so far.

The residence of Ordon had had help from the remaining residence of Kakariko Village as well as from Telma and the Resistance when it came to rebuilding the village. They had help from old allies. The Twilight had left scars in the land, but those were beginning to heal to.

Void turned to look at Link, his crimson gaze far calmer than usual. Link nodded in response to the silent question and look a step in to the water of the spring, guiding Void to his side. Light erupting in the clearing, forcing Void to narrow his eyes, but Link gazed into the light without incident. Before them rose the Spirit of Light, floating placidly above them.

"…I see…" The Spirit said. "The land is healing and…the Twilight has been banished…"

Void gripped Link's hand as the Spirit turned to look at him. There was fear and unease in his grip, but it was tempered by the calmness that had come over him. His gaze wasn't challenging for one.

"…Void…You have done…well…" The Spirit told him. "…Protect…this land…"

Void bowed his head, unhindered by hatred for the Spirits and the Goddesses. He breathed, "I promise to do what I can."

"…This land is…blessed…once more…" The Spirit's voice echoed as it vanished into the spring once more.

In the fading light of the setting sun and washed in twilight Void turned completely to face Link. He wrapped his arms around Link's neck and said, "I love you, Hero Chosen by the Goddesses."

A smile pulled at Link's lips as he replied, "I love you, too, Void."

Link pressed his lips against Void's, holding him close. They would face what was to come in the future, but for now, there was just the two of them. Link and Void, a Hero and the Shadow he's fallen in love with.