Link's knees were trembling as he knelt in front of his father, his gaze carefully trained on the floor. He heard the quiet clatter of armor behind him as the castle guards followed his example and sank to the polished granite floor of the throne room.

"Prince Lincoln Russl Smith Hyrule," the king boomed, and Link felt himself jerk in response to hearing his whole name. "Do you accept your sacred responsibility as a descendant of the Hyrule family of your own free will and choice?"

Link swallowed back his irritation at his father's words. It didn't seem to him that he had any choice in the matter. "Yes, father."

"Then take up the sword that seals the darkness and assume your duty as its protector," King Rhoam's voice rang throughout the throne room, and Link robotically rose to his feet. Still keeping his eyes carefully trained on the ground, he wiped his sweaty palms on his green doublet and moved to the pedestal placed in the center of the throne room. King Rhoam rose from the throne and unsheathed a sword from off his back. Link gazed at the sword with a pang of anxiety in his heart. Even though he'd never seen it withdrawn before, Link knew immediately what it was-the Master Sword. The magic sword that sealed away the darkness and that his family was sworn to protect for generations. The blade was well-tempered and seemed to glow with an ethereal blue light, and Link immediately recognized the emblem of the triforce at the base of the blade.

The King swept down the steps to the center of the throne room with the sword held carefully out in front of him. Link immediately recognized the excessive tightness in his father's grip and wondered how long it had been since he'd fought with a sword.

As King Rhoam approached the pedestal, Link's heart began to pound. Even though his father had prepared him for this from the moment he was born, he half-hoped the sword wouldn't respond to him, and he would be free of its crushing responsibility. But an inkling of courage still remained in Link's heart, and he watched stoically as his father lifted the sword above his head and drove it firmly into the stone pedestal.

"Approach the sword, Prince Lincoln," the King urged, stepping back, "And claim your birthright."

Link took a deep breath through his nose and grasped the deep blue hilt of the master sword in his left hand. Immediately, Link felt a thrill of energy rise into his palm, coupled with a sudden sense of exhaustion. Remembering his father's warning, he brought his right hand around to mimic his left, gripping the sword in both hands as he pulled steadily upwards. The sense of exhaustion grew stronger, and Link started to see stars dotting his vision. But the power was growing stronger to match the tired aching that Link felt in his arms, and Link clenched his jaw before giving one more hearty tug on the sword. With a loud shink, the Master Sword seemed to leap out of the pedestal, and Link staggered back, the sword still clenched in both hands. The exhaustion vanished the moment the sword left the stone, but the power and energy remained in Link's perception. Remembering his father's instructions, he dropped his right hand and reversed his grip, the point angling up towards the high vaulted ceiling of the throne room. A quiet song filled Link's mind as he looked at the sword in his hand, but as Link strained to hear more, it was gone. The power faded slightly as Link continued to gaze at the master sword, but he felt a distinct presence push its way into his mind, as if it were looking for something.

"Prince Lincoln of Hyrule," King Rhoam boomed, bringing his right arm to his chest. Dozens of knights and hundreds of nobles in the court mirrored him, slapping their arms to their chests in unison. The presence dissipated, and Link finally released his gaze off the sword to look down into his father's face. "The Guardian of the Master Sword."

Hey friends, sorry for disappearing.

This is a multi-chapter epic thing I've been piecing together for a while, and I'm actually super excited to see how it goes. I'd love reviews and feedback so far, I have high hopes for this fic!

Cheers-

~Maylyn

(Cross posted on A03)