The Serpent's Egg

By Nicolle

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda belongs to Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo. Thank you for letting your fans borrow them.

Chapter Nine

Zelda pushed Link's hair away from his face. "You look like hell."

"I did just beat myself to death."

She moved his hand from where it covered his heart and gasped at the wound. "He did this?"

"It's what I did to him."

She pressed his hand back to the wound and dug through his bag for a potion. "You never told me that this happened when you fought the other."

"There's a lot of things I don't tell you."

Zelda smiled softly. "We all have our secrets, Hero."

Link flinched. "This is one I shouldn't keep." He shifted a little to sit up straighter and grimaced at the pain. "I didn't die that lifetime."

Zelda froze. She sat back as he took her hands from the bag.

"I was such an idiot, so very selfish. I was the hero and I knew it. I was so arrogant, I opened my mouth without thinking. Your constant denials made me so unbelievably angry.

"And when I defeated Ganon, I knew there was one thing you didn't need anymore: me." Link's shoulders sank.

"I went to Lanayru and begged her to make me someone new, to make me forget. She told me that as Farore's chosen I could never be someone else. I could never forget, but she could give me another face. And with it I went back home.

"I used the rupees I gained from fighting Ganon to buy myself a dairy and settled into being a farmer. I met a woman who was nothing like you. Elsa wasn't as bright and beautiful as the sun, but she was sweet, and she loved me with all her heart."

Link sighed and looked down at the wound over his heart. "When our children were grown, Elsa asked me to take her to Hyrule. She wanted to see the grand country of legend. It was during that trip that I saw you again. You were standing on the balcony in your black gown. And when a passerby mentioned to Elsa that you wore it for me, I was elated. I wanted to dance in the streets.

"The selfish black thorn resting in my heart had finally turned it cold." He sighed. "When I took Elsa to Lanayru's shrine, everyone inside fell into a deep slumber. And Lanayru called to me. I went into the shrine and all three goddesses stood there: Din, Nayru, and Farore.

"Farore said that the Hero she had chosen could not harbor such coldness in his heart. To be so devoid of compassion for the woman he was chosen to protect was unacceptable. And from then on my heart would be tested for its eternal worthiness.

"Nayru drew all the darkness out of me, all of my arrogance and all of my fear, and it coalesced into the other." Link put his head down. "I hadn't picked up a sword in ages. I barely came out of the fight alive." He looked at Zelda. "Elsa said that I was different when we left the shrine. Like a great sorrow had lifted from my heart. She never knew I was the hero of Hyrule, but she always believed that some greatness rested within me, choked off by a normal life. And she was happy that I was so suddenly content."

Zelda sighed. "We both had a lot of growing up to do that lifetime." She leaned forward and whispered a healing spell over him. The warm glow closed the wound over his heart. "Why tell me now?"

"Because your tears can change my mind." Link took her hand. "It wasn't my place to remind you of a lifetime you would rather forget."

"Would you rather forget it?"

"No. Despite the coldness in my heart, it was still a pretty good life and better than I deserved."

"Then I shouldn't forget it either." Zelda sat next to him and put her head on his shoulder. "We had our time, wasted though it was. You can make it up to me this time around."

Link took her chin in his hand and tilted her face, revealing tears. "You are too good to me, m'lady." He kissed the tears from her eyes. "We should go find Elana."

Elana could see the surface of the water above her, but couldn't reach it. It seemed so far off and the Egg was so heavy for being so small. Her lungs gave out and she started to sink. The world took on a dreamy quality and she swung at the bubbles over her head. A hand plunged into the water, grabbed her by the wrist, and pulled her out.

Elana fell to the floor of the shrine, coughing up water. Air burned its way into her lungs and she rolled to her side, shivering.

Bot pulled her up. "Come on, princess. We need to get you out these cloths before you freeze to death."

She nodded slowly and let Bot undress her. He helped her into a new tunic and wrapped her in a blanket before settling against the wall and cuddling her close. Annie curled up next to them.

Elana laid her head on Bot's chest and sighed. "Thank you."

"Isn't the dashing knight supposed to rescue the princess?"

Elana smiled. "So I'm told." She frowned. "The Guardian didn't bother you?"

"I didn't see a Guardian. The door opened when you opened that one. I came through just in time to see you dive."

She sighed.

"You have the Egg."

Elana looked at the Egg. It glowed from the inside and she could make out a serpent twisted around on itself inside the shell. She smiled sadly. "I guess I do."

Bot frowned. "Is it really that hopeless?"

"For me, yes." She patted Annie on the head. "But Annie will be fine."

"Why?"

She looked up at him. "Why what?"

"Why do you want to save Annie?"

Elana put an arm around Annie. "I always wanted a little sister."

"It's more than that."

"You're being really observant. Please stop."

Bot sighed. "Is there anything I can do?"

Elana looked up at him for a second and then laid her head back down on his chest. "I can think of a few things, but those things might make me falter." She put a hand on his chest, over his heart. "I haven't slept in two days. Will you hold me while I sleep?"

"As you wish, Elana."

She shivered and closed her eyes. The sound of laughter woke her. She was still in Bot's arms, but they were no longer in the shrine. The Egg rested in the crook of her arm. She took a deep breath and sat up. She looked around and saw Annie riding on the back of a wolf.

"Annie!"

Bot put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay."

The wolf jumped into the air and Link landed on his feet. Annie squealed. "Again!"

Link hopped with her on his back. "It'll have to wait, Sunshine. Elana's awake."

"Ahh." Annie gave him her best sullen look and he ruffled her hair.

Zelda knelt in front of Elana and touched her forehead. "How do you feel?"

"Okay."

"The Gerudo mentioned a Guardian. What happened to it?" Link asked.

Elana suddenly looked embarrassed. "I, uh… beat it up."

Link nodded. "Nice."

Zelda nodded and handed her a piece of leaf bread. "Good. What happens next?"

Elana took a bite of the bread. "I, um..." She watched Link chase Annie around a tree. She looked back to Zelda, determination renewed. "I need to get back into the throne room. The Guardian said I need to enact the ritual there."

Zelda frowned, but Bot beat her to the question, "Why do you need to the ritual in the throne room?"

She looked at her lap. "Because that's where mom and dad died."

"Ooh. Full on palace assault is different," Link said.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "We are not taking on Gannon's entire army via the front gate."

"No, 'we' aren't." He caught Annie and gave her a little toss into the air. "You and Elana are taking the passage into the garden and sneaking in the back. Bot and I take the front gate."

Bot huffed. "Are you trying to kill me?"

Link grinned wide. "Nah. I'm trying to kill both of us."

"That doesn't make me feel better."

Link's smile turned sly. "We are not going to fight an entire army. We are going to pick them off with a page out of Gannon's book."

"Bombs?"

"Bombs."