Chapter VI: Curses and Blessings

It had been nearly nine months sense the fall of Volvagia. The Hylians made little progress discerning who, or what for that matter, was behind the event that nearly destroyed Link's childhood home. A few lesser disturbances had also sprung up sense then, though nothing compared to Volvagia. The attacks seemed to stem from different sources. From undead like Volvagia, to lesser demonic hordes. Link was worried, fearing some greater evil, perhaps more than one, was manipulating these events, however he had no idea what they were, which irritated him greatly. Worried though he was, he couldn't help but smile.

 

Link and Zelda were sitting in the courtyard were they'd first met. It was a neatly cut grass field, with a large bed of flowers in the center. It was surrounded by a small moat and large white stone walls. The stairway on which they sat led to a large window, beyond which was the throne room. This was the couple's favorite place to go for time alone. It was quiet, beautiful, and was also a very special place for the both of them. Link looked toward Zelda grinning slightly. She was staring down rubbing her stomach and smiling. She was pregnant, and the baby was due any day. Zelda looked over and noticed Link staring.

 

"What is it Link?" She asked.

 

"Nothing..." Link said still grinning. "You just look so happy is all."

 

Zelda nodded. "It won't be long now..."

 

"Yeah." Link replied. "I can still hardly believe we are going to have a child!"

 

"Me either." Zelda said.

 

"You'll make a great mother, My Love..." Link said.

 

"You really think so?" Zelda asked genuinely unsure.

 

"Of course!" Link said confidently. "Why would you think any different?"

 

"I don't know..." Zelda thought for a moment. "I guess I'm just nervous is all."

 

Link gave her a reassuring kiss on the cheek.

 

"Don't be. You'll be a wonderful mother." Link said. "The goddess' know your already a wonderful wife."

 

"Link..." Zelda said blushing slightly. "Your to sweet."

 

"It's my job." Link said grinning.

 

"I thought your job was to be a hero." Zelda joked.

 

"Well, that to..." Link said chuckling slightly.

 

"You know, we should probibly start thinking of names." Zelda said.

 

"Hmm..." Link said. "Your right."

 

Link thought for a moment, trying to think of a name.

 

"Why not Matthew for a boy?" He asked.

 

"Ok. And if it's a girl we'll call her Tatyana." Zelda replied.

 

"Sounds good to me." Link said. Zelda was always better at these things than he was.

 

Link's face suddenly turned serious.

 

"What's wrong?" Zelda asked concerned with Link's shift in expression.

 

"It's just..." Link began. "All these things that've been happening lately."

 

"What do you mean?" Zelda asked.

 

"The disturbances." Link explained. "Some of the monsters were things I've never seen before in Hyrule or anywhere for that matter. It's true it hasn't been very bad, but something tells me whatever is behind this is just toying with us. Like it's waiting for something..."

 

"I've felt the same way Link." Zelda admitted. "But what can we do? Even our best scouts have found nothing..."

 

"I know." Link said. "But I worry for you and the baby... I thought after we sealed Ganondorf it would be over, but now I think it's only beginning..."

 

"Don't say that Link!" Zelda said. "What ever is causing this, we'll stop it like always..."

 

"Your right." Link agreed.

 

Link gave Zelda a soft kiss. She was right. No matter what happened Link would always protect his home and his family, and he knew Zelda would always be at his side for support. They sat there for some time, not thinking of particularly anything, simply enjoying a companionable silence. Suddenly Zelda gasped, and Link immediatly turned to face her.

 

"What's wrong?" Link asked concerned.

 

"The baby's awake." Zelda said. "Come feel."

 

Link walked in front of Zelda.

 

"Where?" He asked.

 

"Right there."

 

Zelda took Link's hand and placed it on her stomach. Link grinned widely at the feel of the baby's kick on his hand.

 

"Strong..." Link declared. Zelda smiled.

 

"Just like it's father." She said.

 

"I still can hardly believe it." Link said.

 

Link took Zelda's face in his hands and kissed her passionatly. At that moment, they knew they were the happiest couple in all of Hyrule. Link gently helped Zelda to her feet and lead her through the courtyard and back into the castle where the others awaited.

 

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"It's tonight." Demoria said studying the Orb of Shadow which now emited a dark purple glow.

 

"You're sure?" Severius said raising his hooded head slightly.

 

"It's about time..." Xavier said, irritated as usual.

 

"Yes... This is the night the Orb's power will awaken." Demoria said, a wicked grin spreading across his dark face. "When it does, Hyrule will be as good as ours!"

 

"What is this "power" exactly?" Koume asked.

 

"In time we will know..." Agahnim said. "Suffice it to say the power we will gain will rival even the Triforce."

 

"Indeed." Demoria affirmed. "All we need now, is to await nightfall.

 

"Angata, may I ask WHY you are still watching that thing?" Xavier said.

 

Angata was watching her mist screen, upon which Link, Zelda, and the rest of the Royal Family sat in the banquet hall. She seemed to find the lives the Hero of Time and his family most entertaining. None of the rest knew why, and Xavier was the only one who really cared.

 

"Aww... It looks like her baby is due soon!" Angata said cheerfully seeing Zelda's swollen stomach.

 

Xavier shook his head in annoyance and leaned back in his seat.

 

"Sirens are strange beings Xavier..." Agahnim told the Vampire.

 

"She's way passed strange, she's off her crock..." Xavier muttered as Angata giggled watching the screen.

 

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Dinner was nearly finished. Link, Zelda, Daphnes, Impa, and Darian talked casually about whatever came to mind, though it always seemed to return to Zelda's unborn baby. Link and Zelda, noticing this found it quite amusing. Impa had come from Kakariko Village to visit the Royal Family, which she often did. She had a reputation being the Midwife for the Royal Family's children. She'd insisted to be the one to help Zelda with her own child, having been like a mother to Zelda herself. Link and Zelda graciously accepted the offer, knowing there weren't many in Hyrule more capable than she.

 

"Have you decided on names yet?" Impa asked taking sip of her wine.

 

"We have." Zelda replied.

 

"If it's a boy, his name will be Matthew, and if it's a girl, Tatyana." Link finished for her.

 

"Those are wonderful names!" Daphnes replied cheerfully. "You two should be proud of yourselves."

 

Link and Zelda both blushed modestly from the compliment.

 

Malon and Cyrus for their own part had remained strangly quiet, speaking only when nessisary. Malon whispered something to Cyrus, who nodded. The two of them stood up, drawing the attention of the rest.

 

"We have something to tell all of you!" Cyrus said grinning widely, nodding at Malon to continue.

 

"Cyrus and I found out a few weeks ago." She said with a nervous smile.

 

"Found out what?" Link asked. The rest looked on curiously.

 

"We know Zelda's baby is due very soon and well..." She stopped, her smile widening.

 

"Malon? Are you saying..." Zelda said, a grin slowly spreading across her face.

 

Malon nodded, then burst out.

 

"I'm pregnant!" She screamed cheerfully.

 

"Really?!" Link exclaimed. "How far along?"

 

"Oh it won't be for a while. Months after Zelda's is born." Cyrus explained grinning at Link, who'd risen from his seat.

 

"Congratulations you two!" Impa said happily.

 

"You need to find someone yourself, Darian!" Link joked turning to his brother, Darian punched him lightly in the arm.

 

"Mabye your right..." Darian admitted. "But you can't rush something like that y'know?"

 

Link nodded.

 

"Congratulations, Red." Link said using Malon's hated nickname.

 

After dinner was finished, all of them retired to their rooms to get some rest. It was a happy time for them all, a perfect life. Surely, things couldn't get any better.

 

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But they'd soon get much worse...

 

Demoria stood with the rest of the counsel upon the summit of Death Mountain. He looked up into the sky. It was clear.

 

"Perfect" he thought. "Nothing to disrupt the ritual..."

 

The seven members of the Counsel of Evil stood around the Orb of Shadow, which hovered before them. Koume and Kotake, The Sorceress Sisters. Xavier, the Vampire Lord. Angata, the Siren. Severius the Greater Lich. Agahnim the Wizard of Darkness. And finally Demoria, the Shadow Knight. Above them a cluster of stars surrounded the moon in shape of an inverted geometric star.

 

Soon, the Orb of Shadow began to glow a bright purple, surrounded by a black aura that looked like flames. Above them, the sky turned a dark shade of red as if the moon itself was bleeding. A crimson light shot from the moon, now in the direct center of the constelation and collided with the Orb. Demoria smiled evilly.

 

"This is it..." He said in a menacingly calm tone.

 

The orb slowly grew in size, pulsating with dark energy, until it split. From the Orb of Shadow, six powered orbs seperated, each one floating to another member of the counsel.

 

"The Orb... of Decay..." Demoria said gesturing to the orb which hovered before the Twinrova sisters, a sickly green color.

 

"The Orb... of Corruption." He gestured to the one before Severius, The grey of rotten flesh.

 

"The Orb... of Deception." The one before Angata, A deep purple colored one.

 

"The Orb... of Bloodlust." Xavier's, a blood red color.

 

"The Orb... of Betrayal." Agahnim's, A dark sorrowful blue color.

 

"And mine..." He said laying his hands on his orb, A solid black one with faint pulses of red. "The Orb... of Chaos."

 

"Now what?" Asked Xavier

 

"Wait... It isn't over yet." Agahnim interrupted.

 

The orbs began to glow once agian, enveloping their weilders with light. They floated toward them. They all waited calmly for the Orbs to come. Each orb entered the chests of their weilders, Koume and Kotake's spliting into two smaller orbs between them. They desolved into their bodies like they were liquid. The counsel members glowed  faintly with the orbs' power before it faded.

 

"I've never felt such power!" Xavier cryed as the energy flowed through his vains.

 

"Now you see the value of patience, dear Vampire..." Agahnim said.

 

"It's time for us to take our places as rulers of this realm..." Demoria started. "But first, we must be rid of those who protect it."

 

"We shall see to the deaths of the Hero and Princess..." Kotake said sneering through what few rotten teeth she had.

 

"Of course... As was our agreement." Demoria smiled.

 

"But first... We must prepare." Agahnim suggested.

 

"Yes, we must learn to utilize this new power to it's fullest." Angata reasoned. "To attack now would be foolish, if we know not the extent of our new abilities..."

 

"Indeed..." Demoria whispered darkly.

 

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Zelda woke up suddenly breathing heavily. Her face was red and her eyes wide. She began gasping for air. Link woke up to the noise, and turned to look at Zelda. She looked as though she was in pain. Link immediatly snapped out of his tired state and took her hand.

 

"Zelda! What's wrong?!" He asked attempting to calm her, though the worry in his voice was evident.

 

"I..." Zelda gasped. "I think it's time!"

 

Link's expression changed from concern to joy for a second, but quickly changed back as he saw Zelda.

 

"Someone get Impa!" He called.

 

Moments later Impa rushed through the door, followed closly by Daphnes, Malon, Cyrus, and Darian, who were awoken by the shout. Impa and the king rushed to Zelda's side while the others looked on.

 

"What's happening?" Malon asked.

 

"It's time..." Link said still clutching Zelda's hand.

 

Zelda was breathing heavily squeezing Link's hand with a strength he never knew she had.

 

"Zelda, you need to push." Impa instructed calmly.

 

Impa had been delivering the Royal Family's children for many years. She was no stranger to it and knew to keep calm. Zelda complied. She squeezed Link's hand hard, but he didn't care. Not even Zelda's vice-like grip could take his mind from her and their child.

 

"Come on Zelda." Link encouraged. "You can do this. I'm with you."

 

"It hurts..." Zelda gasped.

 

"I know..." Link soothed. "It'll be over soon, just keep going."

 

"Just a little more Zelda..." Impa said. "One more push."

 

"Here that Honey?" Link said. "Just one more, you can do it!"

 

"I'll try..." Zelda whispered.

 

Zelda screamed and pushed one last time. There was a sound of crying.

 

"You did it, My Love." Link said kissing Zelda on the forehead. "You did it."

 

"I couldn't have done it without you, Link..." Zelda whispered smiling weakly.

 

"Would you like to hold your daughter, Princess?" Impa asked proudly.

 

"A daughter?" Zelda asked smiling.

 

Impa handed her the baby with Link at her side. Both of them smiled at the sight of their little baby girl. She had thin wisps of blond hair and cerulean colored eyes. Her eyes slowly closed as she drifted off to sleep in her mothers arms.

 

"Princess Tatyana Hyrule..." Link said the name.

 

"She's beautiful Link..." Zelda said smiling.

 

"Just like her mother." Link replied.

 

Both of them were at a loss for words after that. Fearful of disturbing the rest of their beautiful daughter. Cyrus, Malon and Darian smiled on, but said nothing. The sight left them all speechless. Watching the Hero of Time and Princess of Destiny with their newborn daughter, it seemed almost to perfect to be true. Yet there they were, laying side by side with their child.

 

"Hyrule is going to turn upside down when the people hear about this!" Link said grinning at Zelda, then their baby. Zelda smiled weakly

 

"We'll worry about that later." Zelda said. "I'm exhausted..."

 

"You did great." Link praised. He then turned to Impa.

 

"Thank you Impa..." He said.

 

"No thanks necessary Link." Impa smiled.

 

"No, you deserve it." Link replied. "I don't think me or Zel would have been as trusting if anyone else were to deliver our child." Zelda nodded in agreement.

 

"Well, your welcome." Impa replied. "But honestly, I've helped raise Zelda as if she was my own daughter, and I always hoped I would be blessed to see her bare a child of her own."

 

Link smiled at the Shiekah woman and then turned back to Zelda and his daughter. Link leaned over to give Zelda a soft kiss, and gently brushed his finger agianst his daughter's face. Link no longer worried about what evil force worked agianst them now. He would always be the shield for his family. No matter what happened, nothing would come close to harming his wife, or his daughter as long as he drew breath.

 

He would protect them, with his life.

 

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Authors note: OK lots to say about this one. you probibly have a few questions about some things. I'll try to clear up some that wont be cleared by the story itself.

 

For one I'd like to say, all the events in this chapter take place in pretty close proximity, which is why everything seems to go pretty fast here.

 

First off, at the begining Zelda's pregnant. You probibly figured on that one from the last chapter. Basically it's your average conversation when your expecting a baby. Deciding on names. Not much to say there. Also Impa's there. Why'd she come back just to help with Zelda's baby? Well think of it: Impa had been like a mother to Zelda sense she was born, it's only natural she'd want to be there to help when Zelda herself became a mother. That's why she came from Kakariko for a while.

 

Later on the Orbs power is revealed. It basically absorbed dark energy from the ritual and split into six powered orbs. Each of these were focused on a certain aspect of the ones who held them (Corruption, Deception, Bloodlust etc.). The exception is Chaos. Think of that one as a kind of Omni Orb so to speak. Having aspects of the others, plus more. I thought it was appropriate for Demoria sense, in theory he's the leader.

 

Another question regarding this. Why only one orb between Koume and Kotake? Well as in the game, they work as one. So much so they are actually able to merge together. I figured having two different orbs between them would only complicate things more than one would. So I left it at that. Also if was to make and Orb of Fire, and an Orb of Ice, that would completly go off track sense those aren't aspects, they're elements.

 

Lastly the birth of Zelda and Link's baby. A question you might have is "Impa's been delivering the Royal Family's children for generations? Just how long has she been around?" Well I have a theory about Hylian/Shiekah lifespans. Hylians and Shiekah are a race of Elves, and Elves live a long time. My theory is, from birth to about age 20 they age at the rate of a human. then after that, the aging process slows considerably, prolonging their lives. That's how Impa's been around so long. In terms of human lifespans, she's really old, but in terms of Hylian and Shiekah lifespans she's probibly only about the equivilant of age 50 or so.

 

Sorry about the long comment, I seem to be doing alot of those, but this one was necessary to explain a few things that the story itself won't. So I hope I answered a few questions you may have had.

 

 

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