Disclaimer: GrimGrave does not own any of the characters of their respective franchises; Metroid and Legend of Zelda belongs to Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo, while Soul Calibur belongs to Namco Bandai. GrimGrave does not make money for writing fiction.

A Hylian's Harem

Epilogue #4

Love Poison, Poison Love

/ "I'm going to take the next step and see what the future holds. I want to give it a chance… and I want to walk that path with you."

As soon as all eyes turned to the woman Link looked at, the room was in an uproar. He was chewed out, questioned about his sanity, or ignored in favour of speculating what foul magic was controlling him.

Link's words fell on deaf ears.

It had been a day to remember, albeit for the wrong reasons. /

Seven years had passed since then. Having not lost his bad habit of sleeping in, the Hylian remained sound asleep, despite knowing, before he went to bed, that he was in for a rude awakening. It was the usual routine every morning for the last four years.

The door slammed open with a loud ´slam´ and startled the Hero, but there was not enough time to shield himself from the sudden weight that tackled his chest.

Honestly; when would he learn?

"Papaaaa! Wake up!" someone yelled, and Link groaned. "It's morning already!"

He looked up at the little tyke sitting on his chest. "I'm a-awake… Rohesia. Papa can't get up if you're on him, though."

The girl – Rohesia – seemed to think about it before she cracked a grin. She was almost the spitting image of her mother, with apricot hair and turquoise skin, but she had her father's azure eyes.

"Okay!" She jumped off Link and observed him, as if making sure he did get up. "Hurry, hurry! Rohesia wants to play!"

"Alright, alright," the Hylian said and stretched. "Should we wake up mommy as well?"

His daughter shook her head. "Nah! Papa is much more funnier to play with!" she exclaimed.

"You heard her," his lover stated. Link glanced back to see the sorceress smirk at him. "You two have fun now."

The Hylian rolled his eyes. "Very well. Let's get some breakfast, Rohesia."

The little girl beamed. "Yay!"

The two headed downstairs with the child running like the wind. She was a handful more often than not, but Link loved her all the same.

It had been seven years since he declared Veran as the one who pulled his heartstrings; the reaction had been exactly what he had anticipated, but the backlash had taken its toll on him, spiritually. His friends had distanced themselves from him, and Princess Zelda – while allowing him to be with the sorceress – had banished her from Hyrule. They now lived together in a simple house outside the borders of his homeland.

It was understandable, and yet it saddened Link. He could always return to Hyrule, but not his family – or rather, his lover and child. He and Veran had yet to wed.

Despite all this, Link was happy. There was goodness in the sorceress – goodness that only he could bring out of her, and goodness that she only showed him.

He set the table, trying to avoid his daughter who kept running around. It was still difficult for him to believe that he was a father, and lover to a self-proclaimed "Sorceress of Shadows", but it was happening.

And he didn't regret it.

"Paapaa!" Rohesia exclaimed as she dug into her food. "How did you meet mama again?"

Link chuckled. "I've told you before, darling."

"Rohesia forget! Tell the story again!"

"Oh, alright," he said. "I first met mama out on the field to the east. It was raining, and she was in need of help. So I did."

"So papa helps mama, and mama love papa?"

"Not quite…" Link replied. "You see, papa and mama had to become friends first. And after some time, we did."

The little tyke cocked her head to the side while she unceremoniously ate her food. "So why did mama love papa?"

Children and their endless questions. "Well, you see, darling –"

"Mama fell in love with papa because he was the only one to trust me," Veran interrupted as she stepped into the room. She sauntered over and draped an arm over her lover's shoulders, kissing him on the lips. "Why papa trusted mama, I don't know – maybe because papa is a fool. But then, maybe mama is a fool as well."

The Hero smiled. "Good morning…"

"Good morning," she replied. "Is my little darling asking questions again?"

"Rohesia likes to hear story again!" their child said happily.

Veran smiled slyly. "Oh, is that right? Then mommy has another story for you, my dear."

"Yay!"

The sorceress took a seat and patted her lap, causing the little tyke to bounce from her seat and over to her mother. "Would you like to know the story of how mama managed to make an entire country hers?"

"Yay! Yay!"

Link blanched. "Uhm… Veran, I don't think that story –"

"Hush, dear. Now, back when mama had not met papa, mama was once a famous sorceress. I even had a tower built in my honour."

Their child gasped. "Mama is so cooool!"

"Oh, don't I know it," Veran replied. "Mama is the best, isn't she?"

Rohesia nodded furiously. "Mhm! Mhm! Mama is the best!"

"Uhm… Veran, don't go and –"

"Hush, love. Don't interrupt my story-telling."

"Yeah, papa! Don't intewupt mama!"

Link grimaced at the sight. He loved those two, but the similarity was disturbing.

"Mama knows magic, so mama is cool! But papa is more funnier to play with!" Rohesia stated. She calmed down and seemed to be locked in thought. "Mama knows magic!"

"Yes," Veran said. "Yes I do."

"Can mama make baby brother or sister then?"

Link sputtered out whatever he was eating. "A-about that, sweetheart…"

Veran flashed him a mischievous grin that had a chill run down his spine.

"Oh, my dearest Rohesia," she said. "I believe I can conjure something up…"

X.x.X

While the Hero of Time remained loyal to Hyrule, his closest friends were sceptical about his devotion to his lover. He remained by Veran's side, however, enjoying the occasional banter and shenanigans from his daughter and son. Sources tell of how they either lived to ripe old age, or somehow disappeared from their home through magic – perhaps seeking a new home elsewhere.

No one knows what happened later in his life, but scholars agree on that, despite his and his lover's differences, they cared about each other very deeply.