You Are the Thunder,
And I Am the Lightning.
By: Cutegirlmayra (I know right? Cool, title bro. Anyway, I've been so LAZY lately that I've seemed dead and gone. But I want all of you to know that each time I read a comment, or see that someone's viewed my work, it makes me so unconditionally happy. I want to try and finish this chapter and hopefully show you all that I'm trying to improve my writing so I can give you the experience you deserve. It's mostly a thank you, today. A thank you for sticking with me ;J other than that, the final chapter's next. So enjoy this one before that :) )
"And he just… left! Like that, Cappa! It was horrible!" Zelda fell on her long extended chair that also served as a couch at times. "I mean.. I bought him a horse! How else does he expect me to show how much I-"
"Young princess, now, settle down. Haha!" Cappa, who was at his desk, apparently attempting to teach the girl something, waved his arms down to try and calm her. Getting up, he walked over to the small library section of the small office room. "I know your fond of the boy, but he was kinda spooked by your father's presence. Not to mention, even through his bravery at speaking before the king, he is a knight in-training. If he wishes to become a full fledged knight, then he must obey the king's every command. And you know your father's only doing this because he loves you. I know it's strict… but he is just.. Misguided is all." Cappa was rummaging through the shelves, searching for something apparently.
"I know, Cappa… I know.." Zelda solemnly, lifted her head. "It's just.. Ever since mom died he's tried to take on the kingdom and raising me on his own… and for that I've tried to be a good girl, honest I have! But some of his rules are just… well, there plain cruel. Why am I to not have a friend, Cappa? Mother and Father were friends before… weren't they?" she looked to Cappa, whose cheery face grew sad with pity.
"Y..yes.. But that may be why he's worried as well.." Cappa muttered. "Ah-ha! Here it is! The Legend.. Of… ehem.. Zelda." he got the book, and smiled when he mentioned Zelda's name.
"Of me?" Zelda grew enchanted, dashing over to her favorite scholar. "What is it about?"
"Well, your great ancestors of course." Cappa cheerfully led her over to her work study area, where she sat down obediently as he placed the book on a pedestal for her. "This.. Is why your father fears for you, and keeps you locked up so tightly in his household. Look, look, look! But dare me say,…" he spoke excitedly, before the end where his voice grew grave. "Don't tell your father I let you read this book." Zelda looked to him fearfully, before he smiled and she giggled.
"I won't. How could I ever betray you, Cappa?" Zelda hugged him and kissed his cheek, then began to read through the book's first page of contents.
"Haha, well, I know you, Zelda. Your loyal, kind, and extremely easy to teach. And at times, you puzzle, and might I say scare, the other scholars with your infinite wisdom that is, to say the least, quite unexpected for a girl your age." Cappa praised, but Zelda just looked up and smiled sweetly to him, and then continued to indulge herself in reading. "Yes… well.. I do hope that-" Cappa began to walk to the window, holding his robe's long scarf around his big waist as he walked bristly over. "That showing you your father's grief and worry… will somehow save him in the end. I fear that great evil may return, as the prophesy so suggest… but maybe.. This boy could be a ray of light in your life. A spark of some kind… to lead you away from that destiny. And who knows-" he looked out the window, smiling at seeing Link battling in the training ring. "Maybe your not the new Zelda of legend… maybe your just Zelda… and maybe, just maybe-" he held up his pointer finger, waving it in Link's direction and turning to wave it towards Zelda's, "He's not the hero of old reborn…. Zelda? Are you listening to me?"
"….Hmm?"
"…Oh… never mind."
Cappa smiled, flopping his arms up and then down, showing he had given up. The girl was so consumed by the story, she didn't hear a thing he had spoken. Tuning out all things around her, Zelda became slowly more and more convinced, that her role playing was one day going to happen…. For real.
Link dodged a hit, and another. He usually loved play-fighting, but today was different. It had been just torture these last few days, haven't seen Zelda and trying to avoid her. As he fought, he zoned out, seeing Zelda's blonde hair moving gently in the breeze coming from her bedroom window, hearing her voice call his name, re-correcting him on something he had done wrong in the role play, and then having her giggle on that beautiful stallion.
"Link! Keep your eyes on his sword! Where's your head boy?! Attack! Your just… dodging!" his official called out to him, seeming to be furious with the fact that he wasn't paying attention at all to him. "Linnkkkk!" he yelled, yet again. He acted like a sport coach getting fed up with his star player not reacting properly. "Boy, are you deaf!?"
"…ah!" Link threw himself back into reality as a boy lunged from above to strike him, having his sword fall upon him. Link quickly rolled to the side, and spun to effectively strike him on the back, "HYAH!".
"That's a boy! There he is! Go get'em!" the official knight overseer called. "That boy's something else. It's like… it's like fighting was embitted in his blood."
"Or in his memory.." a stranger appeared behind the woman, dressed in a long black hooded cape, and having warrior women standing behind her. Each with the look of a Gerudos and having long but curved swords to the side of them.
"Ah! Ma'am! This is the knight's training grounds, who are you?"
"Oh… just a visitor to the king. I'm here to show him my son." a small boy moved in front of the woman, as she placed a hand on him.
"A Gerudo…boy?"
"Yes. He's to show the thriving linage of my people, and hopefully, a future king as well…." she moved her hooded face down to the boy, and the boy looked up to her smiling, something wicked in his eyes.
"R-right… of course. I hear only in hundred, or thousand years, does the Gerudo clan ever have a man child… hello, your highness." the official bowed.
Link, at a distance, looked to see what the commotion was about. Seeing the Gerudo boy, a instinctual spark flared in his bosom. He clutched his chest, not sure what it was, but the Gerudo boy looked to him with a horrifying grin. A sweat drop dripped down the side of Link's face.
"Ganon… would you like to spare before you meet the king?" The woman asked, taking her hand off the boy's shoulder.
"This king…" the boy smugly said, folding his arms as the knight official looked rather creeped out by his words.
"Yes… I think I rather would." he walked over and picked up a wooden sword. "You! The one with yellow hair!" the boy called, pointing the sword to Link.
"Face me!"
"Eh..?"
The boys around them gathered, dropping their training to form around the battle ring to watch.
"What..? Afraid of me, boy?" Ganon began to circle Link, but Link knew from training to follow the circle, and so he did so, both of them keeping fair distance from each other.
'Why do I feel… like I need to protect something?' Link thought to himself. His face turning serious, but confused as well. He bent his eyebrows down sufficiently, though they twitched in uncertainty.
"Hmm? Zelda! Come see this! Immediately! As in now!" Cappa saw the two circling, and the large group forming around them from the window. He quickly, without a moment's thought, pulled Zelda away from the book, which she was half way done with anyhow, and started dragging her to the window, where he opened it for her to look out from.
"B-but! I'm almost done with the page!"
"Not now, Child! Look!"
Zelda gasped, "It's Link! But… whose he fighting?"
"I know not… I've never seen his face before… if I weren't so mistaken… I'd say he looks Gerudo… by his skin color and all, but that's…. impossible.." suddenly, the man's face turned to sheer horror as he raced away and swung open the door.
"Wait! Cappa! Where are you going? What about Link?" Zelda turned around, but double looked back to still keep her eyes on the impeding battle at foot.
"No time to explain! I must warn your father! The king!" Cappa hollered from the hall.
Zelda looked worried, as she placed both her hands on the window sill, her heart seemed to skip a beat and stink all at the same time. "Link… be careful." she whispered, as something inside her began to stir. A worry.. Or a fear, prephaps… something much more..
Love?
The boy lunged at Link, aiming to spike him through, or in this case, just jab him in the stomached. Link skillfully dodged, rolling to the side and quickly getting back on his feet. The boy was relentless though, his style of fighting was different from the land of Hyrule, and Link had to keep jumping back, or to the side to dodge him and learn his moves.
"What's wrong, boy!? Afraid? Losing hope?" the boy laughed maniacally, swishing the wooden sword around.
"Grr.." Link thought he could see an opening, and so he went to seize it, but as he lunged for his side, Ganon quickly spun the sword back, now holding backwards in his hand, and turned his head to smile that same wicked grin back to Link.
"Ah-ah…ah.." he shook his head, and then pushed Link to the ground.
The people gasped, was Link, one of the top students at the academy of knighthood, being bested by this young prince?
Link, rushing to scoot back and away from the boy's feet, which were quickly stomping down, trying to pin him and keep him on his back. "Come on, is this what Hyrule and it's Godesses have to defend itself? Bahahaha!" the boy threw back his head and laughed. "Your nothing more than a cowardly, fool!"
Link, gripping his wooden sword, closed his eyes for a moment. Something… something was trying to reach him from within himself. He opened his eyes, and swung his body around, like a windmill with his feet, he tripped the Gurudo boy, and got back on his feet.
The whole audience lost their breath for a moment, never had they seen a battle move like that, before. But my, what a perfect come back, counter attack!
Not only did Link just switch positions flawlessly, but now he was the one pinning the boy down.
"….surrender." Link spoke out to the boy, breathing for air as he had placed the tip of his wooden sword at the boy's chest, just below his neck. The boy slowly moved his other hand up, as if begging for mercy.
"…You can do it, Link! Whoo-hoo!"
"Eh..?"
Link turned around, ever so slightly with his head, to see Zelda flinging her arms around, and jumping for joy. "Yes!" she said, taking a handkerchief and throwing it out the window. Then doing a small dance and putting her arms behind her head and flinging them up again. "You did it!" she cried out, cutely. Giggling in excitement for him, and then pushing her hair down with her hands. "I knew you would!"
Link's smile could never be described, nor written. He only felt a moment of praise from Zelda, but it's effects gave him strength like he never knew he could possess.
At the moment of distraction, Ganon gripped his sword and reversed it in his hand, back to how a sword should be held, and was about to swing.
Before he could hit though, the main official grabbed the wooden sword before it could swing and hit at Link's face. Link looked back with a shocked expression and stepped back.
"What… are you doing!?" the boy called out, angry at the Hyrulian.
"The battle's over. You have lost." he stated, and quickly, but forcefully, jerked the sword out of the boy's hands.
The Gerudo women rushed to the young prince's side, though he tried to shove and move them, demanding to finish his fight.
"Excuse the young prince. He is not used to …. Defeat." The queen, it seemed, took off her hood, and looked to Link. "…That boy.. Has an ancient fire in his eyes. He should be forewarned… my son doesn't stay down for long."
Link moved behind his official, and looked down respectfully, avoiding her piercing and foreign eyes. He looked back to the window, where Zelda had her mouth covered by her hands, she must of felt horrible for almost having hurt Link by distracting him.
Link smiled kindly to her though, seeing her so happy for him… his heart seemed to be creating it's own symphony.
"My lady,-" The king finally made his way outside, Cappa being held back a ways away by the other scholars, all seeming to be angry and hating of him.
"My king-wait! Wait! Listen to me!" he shouted from them, but they pulled him back inside. "My kinggg!"
"I have heard word of your arrival, come in. I have a special feast prepared for you in your honor." he gestured her to follow him. Austan also, ushered her warriors to follow beside him.
The queen smiled, and took her boy's hand, who was still having a bit of a tantrum, and moved him to her side. "That would be… lovely." she looked once more at Link… and then walked on with the king.
Later that night, Cappa had been cast out of the castle, as the reason was he had gone mad with fore-telling events that were simply stories of the old times. Zelda, now had to attend the feast with the Gerudo boy, who she avoided as she stayed close to Impa's side. Mourning the lost of her dear teacher, and having seen the storm clouds roll in, she begged for Impa to stay with her tonight, as they made they're way to her room.
"My princess, you know I must stay on guard duty." Impa replied, and with a frown picked the girl up and into her bed.
"But Impa, the storm! It's so loud! I-" as Impa tucked her in bed, Zelda reached out and grabbed her hand. "I'm frightened." she admitted, hating to have to admit her weakness.
"My princess, you must be silent now. Here." Impa took out her ocarina. "This was your mother's, am I correct?"
"Y-yes…"
"Then.. If you would have me. I shall play your lullaby."
"But even my mother's lullaby won't drown out the rain… nor the lightening flash.. Or the thunders-"
KA-BOOM! Da-doom…
Zelda hid her head under her covers, shaking in fright.
"My princess,-" Impa tried to bring her out.
"Enough! Leave me! You do no good to serve me! You or my father! Cappa and Link were the only people who ever, ever cared about me!" Zelda cried, having no one to turn to anymore….except…
"….I'm sorry, princess.. I know your upset. I shall leave now." Impa, seeing as the princess was distressed, and seeing as nothing she could say would do any help, placed the ocarina by her bed, and began to leave. "….I hear the boy you speak of… is sleeping in the kitchen tonight. Next to the storage room, I believe." With that final word, Impa closed the door.
Zelda's head twitched, and slowly removed the covers off of her. The lightening flashed and the thunder roared again, and she quickly jumped out of bed and ducked. When the noise was gone, and the rain continued to splatter against her window, she quickly took the courage to grab the ocarina and sit by her bed side.
Crying, she tried to play the melody, feeling as she may only be able to comfort herself, but it was no use. She couldn't gather enough air to blow into the instrument. And so… she made a run for it.
Opening the door, she tried to have it creek as less as possible. The guard there was still a young boy, and she took a deep breath. "…Psst…. PSST!"
The boy, seeming to be scared, turned around and looked wide-eyed at the princess.
"I think I hear something in the other room.." she shifted her eyes to the room next to her. "I think it's assassins!" she cried out silently. "check for me?" she gave him an innocent look as he gulped and walked toward the other room.
Having distracted him, she quickly closed the door, knowing he wasn't allowed to go in, and dashed toward the kitchen's stairs and silently stepped down them toward the storage units.
Link was silently reading the book Cappa had secretly lent him. Something called, 'The Legend of Zelda.' Which intrigued him greatly. Seeing as the title was… well, you know. As he read, he heard something creep outside his door. Fearing it to be mice, he quickly took his sling-shot, ready just in case. As kitchen duty suggested, he was also going to be tasked with pest control if the cooks ever found out there were mice in the kitchen. The candle flickered slightly as Link got out of his bed, and walked slowly, and very stealthily, toward the door. The sound grew louder, and Link squished his lips together, getting prepared for the surprise attack. Growing more serious, he placed his back on the door, and then opened it wide, holding the sling-shot out toward the ground. It was dark, and so the moment he heard something, he shot!
"Ah! What was that!?"
"….Ze…Ze-ehh!?"
Link immediately dropped the sling-shot after recognizing the voice. Hurrying over to her, he ushered her in his small, and temporary living quarters as he picked the sling-shot up and closed the door. Breathing heavily after realizing he could of shot the princess's toes, he rushed to check her ankles, making sure she wasn't injured.
"L-l-link!? Is that you? What- oh, Link! My feet are fine! I jumped back before your .. Uh.. Ammo could hit me." Zelda assured him, and Link let a sigh of relief out. But when he realized how highly inappropriate it was for him to be, not just looking, but touching Zelda's ankles were, he quickly jumped back and stood up straight. Zelda was back in her light pink night-gown, and her cheeks were a little flushed too, making Link wonder if his cheeks were the same color right now too.
"Hehe… it's good to know you still care.. After leaving me with poor, rejected Epona. I swear, how could you do that?! I know from Cappa that my father spoke to you but-"
KA-BOOM-KA-ka…!
"EKKK!" Zelda rushed toward Link, making him freak out. Grabbing on to him, he almost lost balance, and so he had to turn his body and land on the stiff bed of his to avoid falling over.
"..Ah… You.. Your scared of… thunder?" he asked, having Zelda gasp at hearing his voice.
"So…so you do talk… Cappa said you did but…"
KA-BOOM-Da-doom!
"HEEEELPPP!"
Zelda dashed back into Link's embrace, making his whole face blow up in red like Death Mt.
"It's…It's okay!" Link finally got the words out, after being so lost in this surreal moment. "I.. I got you." he slowly moved up, Zelda tearing up in his chest, gripping his white under shirt as tears began to form more prominently.
"..You… you left me… you ran from me. What hero does that? What hero leaves the princess to fend for herself.." she looked up at him, her face just below his chin. "Why would you abandon me!?"
KA-BOOM-DA-BOOM-doom…!
A moment went by where the two just stared at each other, Zelda looked down and moved slightly more away from him. Link, backing up to the back of the wall, didn't respond, but looked away and down also. The thunder roared and Zelda twitched often, lightening from the kitchen windows only shown slightly underneath the door and it's frame, but it was still enough to out shine the candle on it's small night stand. The kitchen windows with there wooden shutters slamming and cracking as the wind tried to break through them. Zelda noticed the book and slowly picked it up.. Rubbing her eyes, she chuckled.
"Your reading this too..? Heh.. Cappa thought I might be the next Zelda of Legend…but.." she sniffed, and moved her arm over her eyes again, "I know I'm to weak to ever be like my ancestors. I would fail them, I would bring them dishonor."
Link looked up to Zelda, and then took off his hat, which he hadn't really realized was still on. Sometimes, he would keep it on even at night, not realizing till the morning that he had slept in it and given it more wrinkles for his higher ranked officials to scold him about. Inside it, he pulled out the hero's doll, and placed it on the book.
"…He would… never abandon you… he would tell you how sweet.. And how endearing you are." Link began, not daring to look up at Zelda, although, she had to look up to see him. ""You've endured so much," he'd say, "You're the strongest woman I've ever known, and the prettiest. You've done everything to save your people, and I sure everyone, even your ancestors, are proud of you for that."" Zelda gripped the hero's doll, which still had Link's hand on it. His eyes slightly widened, as he dared to look up at Zelda. "…He'll be lucky… heh.. Cause he'd have the power to save you…" he looked to the side, again. And then back to Zelda, this time more serious as he cupped her cheek in his hand, making her look at him with wide-eye wonder and comfort. "…Something… I wish I could do.. Right now…"
"L..Link…"
KA-BOOM-KA-DOOM-BOOM!
"Then… save me. Save me right, now!"
"H-huh?"
"Hold me. I'm scared."
"B-but…"
KA-BOOM!
-FLASH-
"Link..!"
Link embraced her as the thunder rolled on, but slowly began to pass by. That night, they read the book together, all the while, Link and Zelda never let go of the hero's doll. Instead, Link did everything possible to make Zelda laugh, and not think of the storm. In fact, to Zelda, it wasn't even there anymore. Before Zelda fell asleep, Link sat on the floor, because he was letting her take the bed, and played the song Zelda had just taught him. But he had revised it slightly, making it his own, and he called it, 'Zelda's Lullaby'.
The next day, Zelda tried to sneak back into her room. However, she found her father and some of the guard there, petrified. "F-father?"
Her father had tears in his eyes, until he looked to Zelda, and his face brightened slightly, "Z-Zelda! My child! Your alright!" he dashed to her, embracing her and holding her with his whole being. "Zelda…" he cried, something the king would never do in public.
Impa came rushing to his side as well, "Princess, I'm gald your safe."
"Em..ehfh- Impa!" Zelda wiggled her mouth out of her father's shoulder, who wasn't seeming to let up on holding her so tightly. "What's wrong? What has happened?"
"Assassins came in the night, they ransacked your room, seeming to be looking for… something." Impa said the last word gravely, as suddenly the king joined in.
"They were looking for you…"
"Your highness, we don't know that-"
"But it's true! The prophesy is coming. I won't have them take her from me! Not my little girl… not you.." he cupped Zelda's face, but she was worried. She had read the whole book with Link, and if she was the chosen princess, then she knew what her father was going to do, even if it was for love, was wrong.
"Father! I know you love me, that I'm your whole world and that I'm your whole world! And I know you made a promise to mother… but now's the time to act! We must prepare! We must find the Hero of Time! He's the only one that can-"
"W-what..?"
The king's face grew grave. "Who told you of him?"
"…C-…I learned it from a book!" Zelda remembered what Cappa had told her, and didn't dare let his name escape her lips.
"A book… Quick, I want this castle to become the safest place in all of Hyrule. No one, is to enter without being thoroughly searched, and lastly,…. discard the boy, known as Link."
"W-what..?! Father, no!"
"It's for your good, Zelda. From now on.. I shall be the only one you rely on. Not this, Hero… of time!"
That day, Zelda ran to Link, escaping her guards, and saw him packing up his things. "Ah..! Ze-Zelda…" Link turned around, his face filled with sorrow.
"L-link… they can't do this.. They can't take you away from me! Link!" she dashed into his embrace, the only place that felt safe to her anymore.
"Zelda… I know you want… to believe that… I'm the-"
"You are! You are the Hero!"
Link let a quiet chuckle out, "…No… I'm not." he pulled her away from him. "But when he comes… Zelda… which we both know he will…"
Zelda looked down, not wanting to hear this from him. She began to cry again, and Link brought her face up to his, wiping the tears away with his gloves. "I promise you, he will be… better than any hero in your, or our, role plays." he smiled, trying to lighten the mood.
"No… Link.. Please.. Please… don't leave me again.." Zelda gripped his green tunic, but Link just looked to her, and then his face was in shadows. He pulled out his hero doll, and gave it to her.
"To remember me by… I promise… he will come… he will come." he brought her head into his chest, and cried.
"H-here…" Zelda said through sniffles and a tear-stricken face. She handed him her princess doll.
"W-what..?"
"To.. Remember me by." she looked up and tried her best to smile. "Just…" she sniffed, "if you aren't the hero… become him."
Link took a step back, surprised by her words.
"Come and save me. I know you can… and only you can. You're the only person I can trust enough to save Hyrule and… and myself."
Link… not sure if he could really let Zelda go, living her life in her father's loving prison, not allowed to see the break of day in her father's fear that someone may shoot an arrow through it to her.
"…Promise me..?" Zelda looked up, but the royal guards suddenly rushed in, along with Impa…
"Princess…" she looked at her sadly, as if not even wanting to utter these words to her, seeing her face. "…kindly remove yourself from him. Your father wishes you to be at his side at all times. For your … safety…"
"Impa.. No.. not you too… please. Why doesn't anyone listen to me!?"
"…Zelda…" Link pushed her slightly away from him.
"No! No! I won't leave you!" she clung to him, and that's when the men took her and forced her away from him. "NOO!"
"Let's go, boy!" a man shoved Link, pushing him out towards the door.
"LINK!"
"Princess, this isn't the end." Impa took her and held her back, holding her as she tried everything to break free. "This is only the beginning…"
Zelda reached an arm out to Link, and then looked to Impa, remembering something, "At least… at least let him keep her."
"Her?"
As Link was given his things, his general looked to him with such sorrow and grief that Link didn't know if he was sad at losing his potentially greatest pupil or someone he revered as a friend or son. But Link knew it didn't matter, he was still sad to see him go, and that's all he wanted.
"Link.." his friend, coming up and giving him a goodbye hug too, "I won't forget ya, buddy! Nor will my arm! Ahah!" his friend whined up his arm, which Link had struck at many times during combat practice, since that was his friend's ultimate weakness that he never seemed to be able to protect.
"Em…" Link nodded, not sure he could speak right now. His heart was broken, and he knew after this… he may never see Zelda again.
"Link!"
Neeighh… bruurrr…
Epona came dashing out, having Zelda riding her out. The people gasped, especially the stingy scholars. "Take her! As a goodbye present from me." royally spoke Zelda, as she tried her best to not cry or grab Link and dash out of the castle. She got off, and took Epona's reins, smacking in them into his hands.
Zelda froze though, when Link grabbed her hand that had just given him Epona's reins.
"Zelda…"
He whispered this directly in her ear, and her sensitive elf hearing made her blush at how well she could pick up how loving he sounded right now.
"….I… promise."
With that, Link jumped on Epona, a for a moment, from below his silhouetted form, Zelda swore she saw a picture of the Hero of Time from, 'The Legend of Zelda' book they had read together. "….Link…" she repeated the name, "The Heroes name… it never mentions it but..-"
Link rode off, as the students all gasped, repeating, "She gave him a horse!? A HORSE?!"
As he rode off outside the castle gates, Zelda placed her hand on her heart, realizing..
"His name… means to connect… both worlds, people, Gods, hearts, and… and peace." she smiled.
"Please be the hero….Link."