(Zelda's POV)
Ouch.
Zelda woke up to a throbbing headache. It felt like the pain was piercing through her skull! The feeling was so intense that she couldn't think straight.And,on top of all that, she couldn't see anything.
So this was how today was going to be.Trying to ignore the splitting pain in her skull, Zelda forced her eyelids open. She was met with the comforting darkness of night. The stars were giving off a dim glow, lighting up the night sky. It was actually... quite beautiful! Laying back, she gazed up at the night sky in quiet bliss. Father had never let her have time for stuff like this.Wait.Now that she thought about it, the last thing she could remember was getting knocked out...
Did that mean...she was dead?
Finally!
Yes!
Atlastshe didn't have to worry about the problems of her kingdom! She didn't have to bear the burden of her sacred power anymore! But...did that mean she had let them all down after all? That her whole kingdom would perish to the Calamity? So she reallywasjust a failure...
A sudden jostling brought Zelda out of her thoughts. She was suddenly aware of a pressure on her back and legs. As well as the sound of raged breathing. Looking to the side, Zelda realized the grassy plain below her was moving. No,shewas moving. Glancing upward, a massive structure caught her eye.Hyrule Castle.So she wasn't dead after all.
Suddenly, the grip on her legs loosened.
Wait. The grip?
Zelda slowly twisted her head around, afraid of who (or what) was carrying her. She was met with a face. Zelda gave off a high-pitched shriek. The sound echoed throughout the quiet night and whoever was holding her suddenly stopped, most likely startled.
Zelda fell to the ground with a thump.Great.Now her butt hurt.
Now curious instead of scared, Zelda looked back at the face. It was definitely human, and by the looks of it, a male Hylian. His long, dirty blond hair was coated in a crusty brownish color, likely either dirt or blood. Probably blood, since streaks of red also coated his face.
Zelda groaned as pink blossomed on her cheeks.Link.He must have carried her back to the castle after she had been knocked out. The thought of him carrying her unconscious body made her blush. Howstupidshe must have looked! The princess of Hyrule, knocked out after needing to be saved.Why had she even run away?Hyrule was a dangerous place, and she knew she could have been killed.Speaking of being killed, what had happened to the guardian? Had Link killed it?
Zelda was yanked out of her thoughts by a loud thump. Standing up and looking around, she noticed that Link was laying on the ground.Oh no! He must have collapsed! Maybe he's injured?
Rushing over to him and kneeling down, Zelda quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and propped him up, trying to check for a pulse.Dang, this armor is heavy! How could he fight in this?
Finally succeeding in flipping him over, Zelda stopped, frozen. A small gasp escaped her list as she stared in horror at his stomach. It was a mess. Zelda couldn't even begin to describe it.
There was a massive hole ripped through his armored uniform, blood spilling all over his ragged body. There were also blood stains everywhere on his uniform. A massiveditchwas carved into his abdomen, seared skin at the edges.
Zelda couldn't stand it anymore. Turning away from the horrid sight, she felt bile rising in her throat.
Then it all came out.
Her breakfast, lunch and dinner all in one, poured out of her throat onto the grass.
Sure, she hated him, but he didn't deserve to die!
Steeling herself for what was to come, Zelda hoisted Link's ragged body over her shoulder, and set out for the castle.
"G'night soldiers!"
The captain of the Hyrulian Army shouted to his trainees as he prepared to take the night watch. Soldiers, one after the other, filed past him into the castle as he locked up the gate. They had been out training well into the night, the clash of wooden swords echoing throughout Hyrule Castle Town. All was safe and well.
However, the captain couldn't help but worry. He had received an announcement from the King. Apparently, his daughter, the princess, had run off earlier that evening. So, naturally, he had sent his best soldier, Link, after her.
But it had been hours and there was still no sign of him. Sitting down, his back to the gate, he held his lantern out. Searching for any type of threat that could be out there. Rather soon, his eye caught a figure shambling up towards the castle. Immediately standing up, he held his light out to look closer. The figure in question,(getting closer by the second), looked as if it were a hunch-backed man, covered in blood.
Drawing his sword, the captain stepped closer. "Show yourself!" He shouted, and the figure perked up as if it had heard him. Slowly turning towards him, the figure suddenly broke into a sprint straight for him.
Startled, the captain jumped back, readied his sword, and prepared to swing.
"John! Captain John! Thank goodness it's you!
The sound reached John's ears before he could step through with the swing. The figure closed the rest of the distance and halted before him. It was the princess. And it looked like...she was carrying someone.
Zelda looked up towards him, tears in her eyes.
"It's Link! He's dying!"
Everything was a blur.
Tears streaked down his cheeks. Or was that blood? He couldn't tell anymore. His stomach hurt. Maybe he had eaten too much.
He'd just have to drink lemonade. That would make him feel all better.
The throbbing pain had returned.Oh yeah.Back to the matter at hand.
The lemonade.
Link tried to get his hands to stop shaking long enough for him to sign for help.Dang it! His hands just wouldn't stop shaking!
For the first time since he was five, Link spoke. It was a gravelly sound, scraping and scratching the back of his throat, rough from disuse. "Le...mo...nade. Get the... le-lemo-lemonade"
At first there was no response. Then a voice reached his ears.
"Link, buddy? You alright down there?"
Huh?
"Nee...need...need lemonade." Link tried again.
"I don't know what you mean, but I know you're in a lot of pain right now. We don't have any lemonade, but we're on the way to the Healing Wing right now, so try and hold on for me, ok Link?
Link couldn't bear it any longer. The pain in his abdomen was overwhelming. It was burning, freezing, full, and empty all in one. It was like nails scratching on open flesh. It felt like his skin was stretching taut over his frail form.
Trying his hardest not to scream, Link clenched his fists so tight they turned white.
"Link, it's okay buddy, you've arrived at the Healing Wing! They're gonna give you pain elixirs and a sedative. You should feel better after that." The voice was back.
Link nodded, gritting his teeth as not to let out a scream.
He felt hands. Hands sliding under him. Strong hands, lifting him up before placing him down onto a soft, white, cushion. Looking up at the figure, Link gasped.
"Dad?"
"Aaaaaauuugh!"
Link's scream echoed throughout the dark room. His stomach was on fire! He was burning, burning! Burning to death! The pain was unbearable. Link's vision swam. Eyes watering, he screamed again. It was a cold, chilling sound. Figures wobbled at the edge of his vision.
"Dad?"
"Zelda?"
The Princess.
He had forgotten all about Hyrule! If he didn't defeat the Calamity, they would all die! Everyone would die, and it would all be his fault!
Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes, dripping down onto the cushion.
He wouldn't ever see Zelda again, let alone get his kiss—
A light thump on his head sent him into the oblivion, and everything went black.
The next time Link woke up, everything was dark. He couldn't see much of anything. He could, however, make out the dark outline of the four-poster bed he was lying in.Huh.His stomach was wrapped up in thick white bandages.Oh yeah. The guardian.He had been shot in the stomach by a rogue guardian!
On second note, the room was slightly illuminated, moonlight pouring in through the open window. There was a figure perching on the open windowsill like a bird, raising its head to the sky.
Link sighed. He must be still dreaming.Hmm.There was also a hazy glow shrouding the room. Link turned his head back to face the figure.
It was gone.
"Die!"
Link twisted his head back to face the wall in front of him, surprised. He gasped.A cold, steel blade was plunging into his chest. Blood spurted upwards and splashed over his covers. A red splotch seeped through his shirt, constantly growing bigger.
An eerie laugh echoed around the room."Fool! The Hero is nothing but weak! You will die by the hands of the Yiga! Glory to Master R—"
The door burst open and a soldier rushed in. The light from the hallway illuminated the dark figure. It was lanky and thin, wearing a skin-tight red bodysuit. His vision was swimming again. Not being able to make out any more details, Link laid back down. Everything was blurry, and he was so,so,dizzy.
Was that people fighting?All he could hear were the clashing of blades.Maybe the soldier will save me...
The darkness creeping up his vision was overwhelming. Closing his eyes, Link succumbed to the night.
—-
The next few days went by in a blur. Doctors came and went, food was brought in and taken away, his bandages were changed. He was told that he was lucky to be alive, surviving a rogue guardian blast as well as an attempted murder. Apparently the stab had missed all of his vitals, so the only danger was blood loss. They had brought in a fairy just in case, but it could only heal part of his wounds. The rest would have to recover on their own, the doctors had said. I'm the meantime, he would be stuck in bed for a few weeks.
A few people came to visit him throughout those few weeks. Captain John, for one, came in to congratulate him on his bravery for taking the Guardian blast instead of the Princess. Speaking of the Princess, there was even one time when he woke up to find her sleeping at his bedside. She had immediately jerked up upon realizing that he was awake, and had continued to bombard him with accusations and even threats.
"Youidiot!We could have both gotten killed! What if I didn't wake up in time to take you back! If we had died, who would have saved Hyrule! Everyone would be doomed!"
She had then stormed off, slamming the door behind her. The was the first, and last, visit he ever got from her, as well as the first time he had actually talked to her.
About a week later, he was cleared to try and stand upright again. When he had first dragged his legs over the bed and tried to stand up, he had fallen over, only to be caught by the soldier standing guard.
A week after that, he had finally gotten the hang of walking around again.
It was about the morning of his fifth week in the Healing Wing, when a soldier brought him a message reading;
Dear Link,
You are hereby summoned to the Royal Sanctum to
discuss with the King about your attack. Trusting that you
know your own limits, the King will assign you your next task.
Upon reading the letter, Link grabbed his boots and shoved his feet into them, ignoring the protests of the doctors. After he had changed into his Royal Guards uniform, he rushed to the sanctum as fast as his injuries would let him. He barely had time to enjoy the sunny day as he ran towards the upper part of the castle.
—
Link placed his hands on the wooden door and pushed it open.
The room was hot and stuffy, especially in his uniform. Tugging at his collar, Link walked into the Sanctum. King Rhoam sat on his throne looking down expectantly at Link.
Link strode to the center of the stone floor, and knelt on one knee, facing the King. The marble stone of the room was a dull gray, in stout contrast to the royal red carpet that adorned the stone. Turning his attention back to the King, Link stood up, having received permission. Looking up into the king's cold blue eyes, he shivered.
Rhoam stared him down for what seemed like forever, before finally speaking. "Link. You have been summoned here to discuss the culprits behind your attack." Link nodded. "The Yiga," Rhoam continued, "Have plagued the kingdom of Hyrule for as long as anyone can remember. They are a very large force of ruthless mercenaries who will stop at nothing to bring down the Hero. They are dedicated to bring back the Great Calamity!" Rhoam thrust his hands into the sky.
"But why does all this concern me?"Link signed, confused. "First of all, you are the fabled Hero. Second of all, their leader..." Rhoam trailed off and rubbed his forehead."Their leader what?"Link asked.
Rhoam drew in a deep breath before continuing. "Their leader...used to be one of my most trusted Captains. That was... before...before I had to sentence him to beheading for betrayal."
Link drew in a sharp breath.
"I see you realize the depth of our situation yes?" Rhoam asked. "The leader of the Yiga, one who has escaped death time and time again, is former Captain, Master Rektis." Link stopped breathing.
"Your Father."