The sun was rising in the horizon.  Link stared out onto the crystal clear waters of Lake Hylia.  He took in a deep breath through his nose and closed his eyes.  The water reminded him of a young princess' eyes.  He remembered how they sparkled in the afternoon sunlight and shimmered in the midnight moonlight.  He fixed his mind on how her eyes grew a darker blue the closer they got to the pupils.  It was so dark it was almost purple.  Link took another breath and opened his eyes.  He stood on top of the lake scientist's laboratory.  A small ladder led to a small balcony looking out onto the large lake.  Link climbed over the railing and sat down in the bar.  The sun turned from a dark orange, to a pale yellow as it rose into the morning sky.  Link decided to walk across the bridge to the tiny island in the middle of the lake.  He jumped off the railing and landed with a muffled thud in the grass.  Epona stood nearby, munching on some of it. 

"Stay here girl," he said, patting his reliable horse on the back.  He walked across the bridge and…

"Ruto!" Link exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Princess Ruto stood at the other end of the bridge, fluttering her eyelids…all four of her eyelids.

"Hello, link," she said in her liquid like voice. "Fancy meeting you here."

"You've been spying on me haven't you?"

"What makes you say that?"

Link raised an eyebrow at her.  He was all too familiar with her playing dumb act.

"Ruto, I'd appreciate it if you would let me be by myself for a while."

"Okay," she said in a flirty tone. "I'll see you later, hero boy."

Ruto melted into an aqua colored liquid, seeped through the bridge, and disappeared.

"I hate it when she does that," he said with a cringe.  He took out his long shot and aimed it for the big tree on the island.  He fired it and flew strait for the island.  He caught the branch and hoisted himself up to the top part of the tree.

"Soooooo," Navi said. "Whacha thinking about?"

"Princess Zelda," Link whispered.  "I wish I could talk to her, but…"

Navi had heard this before.  She started mouthing along to what Link was saying.

"…the guards won't let me in. I just wish I could see her…"

Link turned around as Navi was still going.

"If you're going to do that," Link said, "stop when I stop."

Navi clamped her mouth down tight in embarrassment.

"He he he," she giggled quietly.

Link rolled his eyes and turned back towards the shimmering lake.  He whipped out his ocarina and started playing his favorite song, Zelda's Lullaby.  Navi drifted down onto Link's lap and fell asleep.  He stopped playing and looked down.  He smiled and leaned back on his hands, looking up.

"I wish I could see her," he whispered to the clouds, "one more time."

            The corridors of Hyrule castle echoed with every step that Princess Zelda took.  The king had ordered the carpets to be taken out so he could hear anyone coming down the halls.  This was of course, so Zelda couldn't sneak out, and Link couldn't sneak in. 

"Why in the world would he need to keep me in? I'm not that fond of him anyway," she lied to herself.  Her head wanted to block out his plain face, but her heart wanted to take in his neat blonde hair, his slightly tan skin, and his deep blue, content eyes.  She sighed and opened the door to her room and softly closed it.  She walked straight past her bed to the balcony.  The sun sparkled in her deep blue eyes as she stared into the sky.  It was about noon and very warm.  Off in the distance she heard a familiar song.  It's was her lullaby, the one that Impa used to play for her when she was young to lull her to sleep.

"Link is playing his ocarina again," she said, leaning of her pale elbows, listening to the sweet melody of the ocarina's magic notes.  Then, it stopped.  Zelda sighed and went back into her room…her utterly silent room.  She flopped onto her bed and stared at the cream colored ceiling.  She took a lock of her long golden hair and twirled it through her fingers.

"Why me?" she asked herself. "Why do I have to be a princess?"

            "Why does she have to be a princess?" Link asked Saria.  He was sitting cross legged, on the warping platform, in the Lost Woods, while Saria was sitting on her usual tree stump listening to Link.

"Some things just have to be how they are," she replied.  Link was softly hitting his forehead with one of his empty bottles.

"Maybe you should go talk to Malon," Saria said. "I don't have much to say."

"Oh, alright.  Thanks for trying," he said, pulling out his ocarina and playing the Serenade of Water.  That was one of the only places he could call Epona to take him to Lon-Lon Ranch.  Blue sparkles swirled around him, and he felt as light as air as he evaporated into the blue mist-like light taking him to Lake Hylia for the second time that day.

            Link pulled out his ocarina again and played Epona's song.  He heard his beloved horse whinny in the distance.  Then, he saw her come galloping along, her hooves hitting the ground with a powerful thud.  She slowed down to allow Link to climb onto her.  He nudged her sides and shouted, "Hiya!" and she galloped to Lon-Lon Ranch.

            "Well, it seems you have a bit of a ditch in your way," Malon said, sitting on the fence of the ranch. "Maybe you could try to reason with the king."

"Excuse me?" Link said. "I don't think the king is going to go for reasoning!"

"It's worth a shot," she shrugged.

"But it's not worth my head!"

"I thought you wanted advice."

"Hmph!" Link grunted.  He crossed his arms and hunched over.  He was behaving like a child.

"Those seven years asleep must have only effected your age, physically."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing…"

"I need to go," he said, standing up and (once again) taking out his ocarina.  He put the instrument to his lips and played the Prelude of Light.  This time, a golden, misty light swirled around him as it swept him away to the Temple of Time.

            Link dashed out of the temple, through the market, and towards the gate of Hyrule castle.  He climbed up the vines that led over the gate walls.  He was about to cross the gate when he tripped and tumbled to the ground.

"HMM!" he mumbled, stifling a scream (or was it a swear word?).  He had a scrape on his arm, and his fore head had a small gash.  He was breathing through his teeth in pain as he got up.

"Why didn't I just roll?" he asked himself.  He limped toward the entrance to the Great Fairy's Fountain.

            He reached the Triforce symbol on the floor and played Zelda's Lullaby again.  He heard the disturbing, maniacal laugh of the fairy as she appeared out of the fountain.  She sat in the air with her legs crossed, and her chin in one of her hands, leaning on her knees.

"Hello, Link," she said. "Come; let me soothe your wounds."

Her hands flew to the sky and a ray of light poured down on Link.  His gash disappeared, and he no longer had a scrape on his arm.

"Thank you," he said with gratitude.

"Anytime," the Great Fairy said, "the battle makes you weary, just come and see me."

She maniacally laughed and disappeared into the water.  Link cringed at her laugh.  Why did she always have to do that?

"Much better," he sighed.

            Back out in the open, Link tried to stay hidden while sneaking to the castle.  This was bitter-sweet.  The good reason was because it was dark and the guards had heavy helmets on that blocked whatever moonlight was out.  The bad part was…Navi.  Being a fairy, she gave off a lot of light.

"Navi," Link said, "get in my pocket!"

"Come on!" Navi whined as she slipped into Link's green pocket.  He rolled his eyes and ran from behind a bush to the other side of the front yard of the castle.  He climbed up the uneven piece of wall that jutted out on one part of the mini cliff.  He pulled himself over and jumped into the moat.  The current took him to the east side of the wall of the castle.  He wished he was small enough to fit through the drain like he did as a kid.  Instead, he climbed over a fence that led to the back, to Princess Zelda's room.

            Princess Zelda lounged on her sofa, outside, and stared at the starlit sky.  She saw the Zora Constellation, the great fish…Jub-Jub. She saw the Goron Constellation, a giant sword known as the Biggoron sword.  To the south she saw the Kokori Constellation, the Sage of the forest, Saria.

"She has her own constellation," she said. "Lucky her."

            Link flung himself over yet another fence.  He stood and looked up at the balcony, and heard a female sigh.

"That must be Zelda," he whispered to himself.  He grabbed the ivy that led up the balcony and started climbing.

            A little while later, Link moved his hand to grab another vine, but found himself gripping…

"AHH! A snake!"

Link let go of the snake and the vine falling to the ground.  Zelda heard the thud and rushed over to the edge, looking down at Link.

"Hello, Princess," he said, rubbing his head.

"Link? What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I just wanted to talk. Is that so bad?" he asked hoisting himself back up to the balcony.

"YES!" she shouted.  She was about to call for the guards, when Navi came flying up into her face.

"Hi, your Majesty," she said.  Link knew she was acting.  Navi never acted this innocent.

"Sooooo," Link said. "What's been going on lately?"

"Alright!" Zelda said. "Spit it out! What do you really want?"

"Zelda," Link said. "I saved the world from a psycho Gerudo King. What do you think?"

"I think you should be going."

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Then talk.  What did you really want to tell me?"

Zelda had both hands on the railing and was leaning slightly forward.  Link was about three quarters the way up the vines.  He climbed a little higher, and then pushed up with his hands and feet, meeting his lips with hers.  The kiss lasted about five seconds until Link pulled away.  He saw that Zelda's blue and shocked eyes were still open, and her once pale face was now blushing in surprise.

"I wanted to tell you," Link whispered, "that I love you."

Zelda gasped, and placed a small hand over her mouth.  The Triforce symbol on her hand began to glow a little.  Link was puzzled at this.  He looked down at his left had and saw the Triforce Symbol on his left hand was glowing through his glove.

"What is going on?" Zelda asked. "Why are they glowing?"

"Is it because you love me too?" Link asked, a bit flirtatiously.

"Of course not," she said, crossing her arms and turning her back on him.  She stuck her nose up in the air for a few seconds and then her expression softened.  She looked down and then uncrossed her arms, turning back at Link.

"Why would I?" she said.  "I mean who could love you, with your…straight blonde hair…"

Zelda's and Link's face drew closer with every feature of Link she said.

"…your deep blue…concerning, and thoughtful eyes, and your soft touch…"

Their lips met once again in a loving kiss.  And this time, Zelda's eyes closed with content.  They pulled away, and Link pulled himself up onto the balcony and put his hand under Zelda's chin and pulled her to him.  He kissed her again, wrapping his arms around her slender body, protecting her.  Zelda reacted by wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders.  The moonlight reflected off of Zelda's crown, and Link's mirror shield, that he just happened to have out.

"I love you now, and I always will," Zelda softly exclaimed.  "Please don't leave me!"

"I won't leave you," Link said, slightly tightening his embrace.  Then he whispered, "Not as long as I'm in your heart."

Zelda gazed at Link with her eyes stinging with tears.  Then, they both heard a rustle in the bushes nearby.

"Oh, no! It's probably one of father's guards," Zelda said. "I shall wait till the next time we meet."

"I shall try to see you again," Link said, kissing her one last time.  He climbed down and dashed through the bushes.  WHACK! Something heavy slammed down hard on Link's head, knocking him unconscious.  Zelda stared in horror.

"Link!" she shouted as the king's guards carried him off. "LINK!"

She fell to her knees and wept with her face in her hands.  She feared for him, she prayed for him; she loved him.

            The king brought to trial the case of Link "being in the wrong place at the wrong time".  Zelda stood in one corner, but no one could see her.  She was invisible.  Whatever Link's sentence was, she was going to endure it too.  She stared helplessly at Link, bound and brave.  His wrists were cut by the chains, and his head was bruised from the blow.  He stood in silence until the king entered the room.

"Link of the…" the herald looked at the scroll and then at Link. "…Kokori Forest, you are accused of illegal meeting with the princess."

What? Zelda thought. This is barbaric! I couldn't care less if he came before the sun came out.

"How do you plead?" the king said.

"Innocent," Link bravely announced, "until you can find any way that I have hurt or offended the princess."

"It's not a matter of what my daughter thinks or feels.  It's a matter of what I think is best for her.  And being consulted and improperly addressed by a mere commoner is preposterous!"

How dare he, Zelda thought, just about losing her verve. He's not even half way into the trial and he's already insulting me!

"Enough said, take him to the prison while I try to figure out what his sentence should be."

A guard grabbed Link and pushed him out of the throne room.

"Justice has been served, once again," the king proudly told himself.

"Justice did not even enter the room, father," Zelda said.  The invisibility spell had worn off and she stepped out from the shadows.

"Daughter!" the king said.

"I have not been offended or hurt by him in my life.  Father, he saved our world. And I love him."

The king thought his daughter had gone mad.

"You must need a doctor, Zelda. I'll call for one."

"NO!" Zelda shouted. "I am not sick, father. I am angry! You unfairly trialed an innocent man, and threw him into an awful place!"

Zelda felt her face grow hot.  Her fists were clenched, and her teeth were gritted.

"Please," she said, as her voice softened. "Please, let him go."

            "Get out!" the guard shouted, throwing Link outside the castle walls.  "The king has banished you."

Link wiped the grass off of his tunic and headed towards Lon-Lon Ranch.

"He banished you?" Malon was astonished by this.

"I just came here to tell you goodbye."

"Where are you going to go?"

"I guess back to Kokori Forest." Link shrugged. "That's technically not part of Hyrule."

He hugged Malon and took Epona to Kokori Forest.

            "Link, your back!"

"We missed you!"

"What is that you're riding?"

"Will it bite?"

All of the Kokoris were happy to see Link.  Epona had never been in here before, so it was a bit of a shock to her.  Link kept on riding to his old house.  He climbed up the ladder and entered his old tree house.  He found the cow standing in the middle of the room, chewing on its cud.  He realized that his house hadn't been cleaned in…well seven years. (It didn't look any different than it did already!) He dropped his sheathed sword and both shields and flopped onto his bed.  He blew some of his bangs out of his face, and stared at the ceiling.  Link noticed that it was filthy with seven years of mold build up.  He hated his house.  He pulled out his Ocarina and played Zelda's Lullaby.  The soothing melody carried throughout the Kokori Forest.  Small heads were lifting at the song.  Mido even awoke from his snore-filled nap and listened to the tune play on and on.  Then Link stopped, and the Kokoris went back to their daily duties.  He sat up, placed his head in his hand and softly sobbed.  Navi flew out of an empty jar and sat upon Link's shoulder, comforting him.

"Hey, listen," Navi said, but this time she wasn't shouting it in an obnoxious tone.  This time, she seemed…concerned. "It'll be okay. I'm sure you'll be able to see her again."

"No," he whispered, in a frustrated whisper. "No I won't."

His fists clenched a bottle filled with Lon-lon milk.  He gripped it and flung it with rage at the other side of the room.  Its glassy surface hit the wooden wall and shattered, spilling the white liquid everywhere.  Navi sighed and went to get a cloth to clean the mess up.  Link didn't care.  He just stared at the ground until he fell asleep sitting up.  The Triforce symbol on his hand faded to a gloomy gray, and all but one ounce of hope that lay in Link's heart slipped away in the darkness of the night.

 

Part 2

 

            Two years went by, and the sky grew drearier with every passing day.  Link, a nineteen year old man, living in a Kokori forest, having nothing to do but run errands for the shop made him pretty bored most of the time.  He would have given up on everything and let himself go if it weren't for that one ounce of hope that stirred inside him; hope that some day he would see his golden haired love, riding towards him in the rising sun.  Link forgot was it was like in Hyrule.  He forgot the taste of sweet, fresh pastries at the bakery every morning.  He even forgot the one girl's name with the red hair, that he had always gone riding with every Sunday, and then play at least one prank on her before the day ended.  He had forgotten…his life.

            "Zelda…Zelda!"

The male voice stirred in the young princess' dreams.  She lay in her bed, eighteen years old and dreading every moment of her life.  Every morning she wished to be dead instead of waking up to a loveless life.  Every night she prayed to the goddesses to take her life away in the night to ease her pain.  She hated her father, and she missed her mother.  She missed…

"Your Highness?"

Zelda awoke from her sleep and sat up, her braided hair swished as she sat up.  It was Impa.

"The King wants to see you, dear."

Zelda got out of bed and put on a simple purple dress with a built in shawl.  She stepped out of her room and into the echoing corridor.  In the throne room, Zelda blew a strand of hair from her face and curtsied.

"Zelda," the king said, sounding a bit more cheerful than usual. "I have wonderful news that you will most likely find very pleasing."

Zelda's heart lifted.  Maybe he would bring back Link!  After all, it was going to be her birthday in a few days.  Then her heart dropped to her stomach as she heard the words that were spoken straight from the king's mouth.

"I believe have found you a husband! I think you will find him very appealing."

Zelda stared in horror at her father.  How could he decide her future like that?  She wanted to slap her father in the face, but instead took a deep breath and said nothing.

"You seem pleased with this proposal?"

"Oh!" Zelda suddenly gasped. "It seems a bit sudden."

"Oh, but he is smart, handsome, and very rich."

"What do riches and brains have to do with love?"

The king became impatient.

"You will be courted by Prince Reuben, and you will marry him!"

"Father!" Zelda gasped horrified. "How can you choose who will fall in love with who?"

"It's not a matter of love! You will marry Prince Reuben on the third day of the fifth month!"

"But that is in three months!"

"It does not matter! Away with you!"

Zelda stormed out of the throne room and into her bed room.  She collapsed onto her bed and sobbed into her pillow.

            Saria ran out of the Lost Woods and nearly knocked over one of the twins, Tina.

"Saria!" Tina said, startled. "What are you doing here?"

"I have news for Link," Saria said, breathing very hard. "Princess Zelda is getting married!"

"Oh, Farore!" Tina gasped. "Are you sure?"

"Positive!" she replied. "Link is not going to like this."

Malon stared at the night sky in dreary sadness.  All the stars seemed to fade with each passing second. Eventually, a few stars actually disappeared behind the misty clouds that covered the sky in a coal black sheet of grief and heartbreak.  Moonstreak, Malon's stallion trotted up next to her and nudged her side.  Malon patted her beloved horse.  Moonstreak was all black, except for one white streak that went down the right side of his long face.  His tail brushed the ground ever so slightly, and his mane completely covered the right side of his neck.  Malon gazed at this for legged animal with pride, and then with sadness.  Moonstreak had been so miserable since Link left Hyrule.  Malon knew that he knew that they were only a gallop away, but the bridge through that cut through the Lost Woods and went straight into Kokori Village frightened him. It took Link forever just to get Epona over there.  Malon's look turned from grief to fierce determination.  Her hand moved from her hand to Moonstreak's mane.  She gripped it and flung herself over his broad back.

"Yah!" she said.  She nudged the stallion in his side and he took off.  The wind whipped her hair this way and that as Moonstreak galloped across Hyrule field.

"It's too soon for Link to give up," Malon muttered.  "He can't give up yet…Not yet."

            Link stood on top of his house, throwing pebbles at the occasional bird that flew by him.  He accidentally hit Navi, once.  She got steamed and tried to "hit" him.  He had lost everything now that Zelda was getting married.  Then Link's ears picked up a familiar sound.  Far in the distance he heard the galloping hooves and heavy breathing of a stallion.  He stood up and cupped a hand to his ear.  He knew that Epona was behind the house, munching on some grass, but who was coming?  Link drew out his bow, preparing for whoever might come.  He tried using logic to determine who was coming.  Only nobility, royalty, farmers, and Lon-lon Ranch had horses.  There was no absolute reason any nobles would come to this forest.  Most farmers didn't even know this was here, so it was either Malon or the "mighty guards".  He heard the swishing of a greatly ornamented horse's tail.  Link's grip tightened on his bow and arrow.  It was the guards probably coming to arrest him.  As he saw a dim shadow emerge from the tunnel he saw some one he didn't expect to see.

"Malon?"

He saw the wave of fiery red hair swishing through the tunnel.

"Malon?" he repeated.  Malon got down off of Moonstreak and walked over to Link's old tree house.

"Hey!" Malon shouted. "Get down here!"

Link was two steps ahead of her.  He leaped down and asked, "How did you get in here on a horse, much less Moonstreak?"

"I can think of a few reasons," she said, rolling her eyes so that they pointed towards Epona.  Moonstreak didn't hesitate to trot over and nuzzle her.  He was happy to see her.  Moonstreak had a regular crush on Epona.

"What is going on?" Link said. "What are you doing here?"

Malon gave him a punch on the shoulder.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, rubbing his shoulder. "What was that for?"

"You give up too much!" Malon said. "You left Hyrule without a fight."

"And with my head," Link said.

"Not the point!" Malon said. "If you love Zelda, you shouldn't just walk away without the decency to tell the king!"

"Next time I risk my neck to tell Zelda I love her, I'll let the king know," he muttered sarcastically.

"Link!" Malon said, punching him again. "You need to go back before she gets married!"

The thought of Zelda marrying some one else pierced Link's heart like a sword.  Hi so longed for her to become his wife and raise a family and…

"It's no use…"

"LINK!"  Navi shouted. "You're being a dope! At least try to convince the king!"

"Navi, shut up."

Malon sighed and whistled for Moonstreak.  He trotted over from the other side of the house.  She climbed onto the horse and nudged his sides.  He would not move.  He was too busy staring at Epona.  This time Malon kicked him and he took off.  Link was mad, very mad.  He stomped to his newly constructed house and sulked on his bench.  He would never get over this.

            May 3rd came along and Prince Reuben walked up to the king.

"Give me my bride," he said.

"She is getting ready, Reuben. Be patient," the king replied.

ZAP! The handmaiden, Haley screamed as the doorknob to the princess's room shocked her hand.

"Yow!" she screamed. "Your Majesty, we must get ready!"

"No!" Zelda snapped. "I don't want to get married!"

Impa countered the spell on the door and entered with Haley.

"Princess Zelda," she said. "Are you afraid of getting married?"

There was a long pause.

"No," sobbed Zelda. "I just don't love him, Impa!"

She collapsed into Impa's arms and cried her eyes out.

"It's alright. It's okay. Shhhh." Impa tried everything to calm her down.

"Maybe you've been ignoring his good features and focusing on his bad ones the whole time. Maybe he's not that bad."

"I still don't love him." Zelda continued to sob. "I don't love him."

"Well," Impa said. "It's not going to change, so you need to get dressed and get it over with."

Zelda's sob's softened a little as she looked up at Impa and actually smiled.  Haley helped her get her dress on and fix her hair.  Impa focused on her makeup and attitude.  Haley brought in a bouquet of white roses.  Zelda clasped onto them so hard, that her knuckles turned as white as the roses that she was holding.  The eye shadow was icy blue, and her lips were bright pink.  Make up could not hide the pure sorrow and misery in her eyes.  Not even the light coming through the window could make her eyes shimmer one bit.  Her lips were pulled into a tight tense line as she thought of kissing Prince Reuben.

"Are you ready, dear," Impa softly muttered. "This is a big day."

"I realize that," Zelda replied, with not even a hint of emotion in her voice.  She walked down the corridor to the wedding hall.  She closed her eyes and prayed that the goddesses would take her life before she reached the end of the long corridor.

            Link, put on his transformation mask and a black cloak, and rode out of Kokori Forest.  He couldn't go to the wedding as himself, but he could go as some one else.

"I'm going to that wedding," Link said. "And I'm going to stop it."

            The wedding bells rang as the princess bride strolled down the blue carpet.  There were tears in her eyes, her steps faltered a bit, and the white roses in her hands began to droop with every eye stinging tear that fell onto its soft petals.  She saw Prince Reuben, waiting for his bride.  She saw her father standing behind in the center, ready to bond the prince and Zelda in a "loving marriage".  The music stopped as the king began to speak.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here…"

            Link charged on Epona to the castle.  Everyone moved out of the way as he galloped through the streets on his noble steed.  He heard the wedding music stop as he stopped himself from ramming into the castle door.  All the guards had gone to the wedding.  The front courtyard was as quiet as a grave yard.  He pressed his ear against the door and listened in to the king wed Prince Reuben and Princess Zelda.  He heard just faintly his voice.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to bond this prince and this princess in holy matrimony…"

Before Link had a chance to hear the rest, he burst open the doors, hopped back on Epona, and charged through the inside of the palace.  He could still hear the king.

"…if there is anyone who does not wish for these two to marry please speak now, or forever hold your peace."

There was a long pause and then the king continued.

"Do you Prince Reuben, take Princess Zelda to be your wife, to guard and protect her, to love her and care for her till death to you part."

 

"I will," Prince Reuben proclaimed loudly.  Then the king turned to the sweet and sad face of Zelda.

"And do you Princess Zelda take Prince Reuben to be your husband, to serve and respect him, and to love and care for him till death do you part."

Tears drenched her face now.  She stuttered to say the words she longed to say with Link by her side.

"I…I…"

"Daughter," her father whispered. "You are supposed to say 'I do'."

Zelda turned back at Reuben and to the crowd that stared at her and then back at her father.

"I…wi…wi…"

"I OBJECT!!!"

There was a loud boom and the doors swung open, Epona standing on two legs and kicking furiously.  Link sat in the saddle and shot a stern look at the prince and the king.

"I object!"

"Who are you?" the king asked. "I demand you tell me who you are to disrupt my daughter's wedding!"

Link jumped from the safety of his horse and stepped slowly down the isle.

"I am Link, once of the Kokoris, but now of the Hylians, son of Serena, my mother, wife of Rako, my father. I am one who saved your land and daughter from Ganondorf Dragmire, king of the Gerudos.  I am the Hero of Time."

"But you look nothing like Link.  You can't be him. Guards!"

"Oh, but I am."

He reached for his face and took off his mask.  "Swoosh" went the black cloak that he threw off his shoulders.  "Shing" went the Master Sword as he drew it, prepared for battle.  Link was ready.  He smirked.

"Oh, I am The Hero of Time!"

"Guards!" the king continuously called.

"I will handle this," Reuben said.  He drew his sword and walked towards Link.  His face was straight and his brown eyes were steely.

"I you know what's good for you," Reuben taunted. "You will go back to the Kokori Forest where you belong!"

He took a swing at Link.  He dodged it easily.  He took another swing, and Link blocked it.  Then in no time, there was a raging sword fight in the wedding hall.  The swords clanged and sparked.  Left, right, stab, dodge, up, down, duck!  Zelda nearly fainted when Link barely escaped a spinning slash from Reuben.  I've seen that attack before, Link thought. But whom…WHOM?!?!

Reuben took another spin slash at Link and it tore the shoulder of his green tunic.  Zelda's eyes widened as she recognized that swing.  That was the sword movement that Gerudo thieves used!  Zelda closed her eyes and put her hands together, a swirling beam of light erupted from her hands and shot towards Reuben.

"Daughter," the king exclaimed, gabbing her wrist. "What are you doing?!?"

"That is not Prince Reuben, father…"

Zelda wrinched away from his grip.  The beam hit Reuben in the back and he arched in pain.  His appearance began to shift.  His hair turned a fiery red, and he grew about two feet taller!  His clothes turned black and his sword grew longer and thicker.

"…it is Ganondorf!"

Zelda opened her eyes and clenched her right fist.  Another beam of light came from her hand, but it was fiery pink and it only grew about three feet long.  The bottom part of the beam turned silver and it expanded into a grip, then the rest went "shing" as it turned into a sword, glowing the burning pink that it had first been.  Her hair shortned and her body mophed to fit a blue outfit with the eye of truth printed on the front.  All her fingers except her thumbs were wrapped in a cloth and her head was sheilded by the saime material.  Shiek charged at Ganondorf with her sword raised in one had.  She brought it down with extreme force, but it did not do any damage.  It only clanged against the force-field that Ganondorf had conjured up with his dark desert magic.  Sheik stepped back in pain.  She had thrown out her shoulder.  Ganondorf shoved Link away and turned around.

"Why hello, my bride," he sneered.  He shot a black blast of energy at Sheik, catapulting her onto the alter steps.  She returned to the normal princess, flying through the hall.  A groove of earth lay where she had slid.  Her hair was strewn out onto the steps and her chest heaved with desperate breaths of air.  Her eyes were shut tightly, and a ripped, and bloody gloved hand clenched her chest as she gasped for air.  Her dress was tattered and singed.  The king stared in shock as his daughter was dying on the very steps she was going to get married on.  Link jumped up and slashed at Ganondorf.  He dodged it and punched Link in the face.  He fell down onto the floor and wiped is bloody lip off.  He stood up, his knees shaking, his arms trembling, and his soul grew weak from battle.  He caught a glance at the injured Princess Zelda strewn onto the steps of the altar.  His eyes grew fiery, and his spirit burned with the power of love.  He raised his sword and straightened his stand.

"Why don't you just accept death?" Ganondorf shouted bringing his sword down hard, ready to slice Link's scull in two.  Link raised his sword and blocked the blow.  Ganondorf shot another spinning attack at him, but Link dodged to the left, stepped behind him and stabbed him straight in the back.  Ganondorf roared in pain as he rolled onto the floor, dead.  All of the groom's side turned into Gerudo female thieves, and quickly picked up Ganondorf's body and rushed out the door.  The guests on the other side were pressed against the wall, hoping they wouldn't get gored, their eyes full of amazement and fear.  Link dropped his sword and ran to Zelda.  Her breathing quickened, and her face was a deathly pale.

"Zelda," Link said, cradling her in his arms. "Zelda!"

He shook her a bit and her eyes opened.  She looked up at Link and smiled, she raised one hand and touched his cheek.

"Link," she said in a horse whisper. "It's you. You came."

He couldn't find anything to say. He caressed her cheek with his fingers and tears stung his eyes.

"I missed you," he said.  "Happy birthday."

Zelda stared at him in weak surprise.

"You remembered?" Zelda gasped. "After all these years, you remembered?"

"I never forgot you," Link said. "Never. And I knew that some day, we would meet again. That day has finally come."

His tears stained her wedding gown, meant to be worn for "Prince Reuben".  He was afraid to think that it was time for her to go.  Link feared for the worst.  But just then, he heard a sloshing in one of his bottles.  He took it out and gaped.  It was a blue potion.  He could have sworn he put a red one in.  He looked at Navi.  She smiled in an innocent yet mischievous way.  Go ahead, Link, she seamed to tell him in her thoughts.  Link nodded and turned back to the sweet face of the dying princess and tipped the liquid into her mouth.

"You need to drink this," he said.  Zelda cooperated and swallowed the blue potion.  It was warm and comforting in her mouth.  She smiled one more time at Link.

"Thank you," she whispered.  The she closed her eyes and fell asleep.   Her breathing softened and her face turned from pain to content.  Link sighed in relief.

"Why did you come back?"

Link looked up at the white bearded king.  He wasn't smiling, or frowning, just staring.

"Because," Link said. "Because I love her, Your Highness. And I would do anything for her."

The king looked at his in confusion.

"Link, my boy," he said, putting his had on Link's shoulder," you are a lucky young man to experience love like this.  I never had love. Zelda's mother was my arranged wife. We were the best of friends, but never in love.  You and my daughter have a blessing form the goddesses. I thought she wouldn't experience love, but I was wrong. She has found you."

He smiled down at Link and called for Haley.

"Yes, Your Highness?" she said and then stopped dead in her tracks. "The princess!"

"She is alright, Haley," said the king. "Just help Link get her to her room. I'll call for Impa."

"Yes Your Highness."

Haley bowed and left.  She came back with a long sheet.

"We can carry her on this," she said.  They both lifted her onto the sheet and quietly carried her to her room.  They gently set her down on her bed and waited for the sleeping, golden haired beauty to wake.

            There was mist all around, as far as the eye could see.  Zelda swirled around to find some door, some passage way to get out of this place.  She saw a figure in the distance, but she couldn't figure out what it was.  Her eyes focused and she gasped.

"Mother!" she shouted, and ran toward her. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, my dear Zelda. It is me."

Zelda looked up at her long departed mother and sobbed in her arms.

"I've missed you so!"

"I've missed you too, my little angel."

"How did I get here? Am I dead?"

Her mother chuckled and replied, "No, Zelda. You are very much alive. And your love is waiting for you."

She pointed to the misty ground and a window appeared beneath Zelda's feet.  She saw Link sitting at her bedside, his hands were shaking, and his head was turned downward at her sleeping self.

"The last thing I remember," Zelda murmured, kneeling and touching the glassy surface, "was I was flying through the air, shot by Ganondorf's dark balls of magic."

"Your magic skill have strengthened. You did very well. But that does not matter now. Link has won the battle, and he is waiting for you."

Zelda looked up at her mother and gasped.  She was getting farther away.

"Mother!" she exclaimed. "Please don't go!"

She ran to her but disappeared into the white mist that surrounded her.

            Zelda woke up with a startled look on her face.  She took in what had just happened and started to cry.

"Zelda, you're awake!" Link said. "Why are you crying?"

Zelda didn't even think to hesitate.  She immediately threw herself into Link's arms.

"Is saw my mother, Link" she sobbed. "I saw her!"

Link reacted by patting her head.

"It's okay," he whispered. "You're safe."

Zelda looked up at him.

"I missed you so much."

"I've missed you too."

"I'm glad you're safe."

"Link?" Impa said, entering the room. "You need to leave now. Zelda needs her rest. And you do to. Go home and get in bed."

Link rolled his eyes and gazed back at Zelda.

"Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Where will you see me again?" she whispered, raising an eyebrow.

"Our favorite place in the world."

He kissed her on the forehead and walked out the door, nodding to Impa.  "Pfff" went Link's cushy bed as he gratefully sank into the comforter.  He was one word, "tired".  The moment his head hit the pillow, he was asleep.

 

 

Part 3

 

            The sun rose above the castle's stone tops.  The light shone through Zelda's window.  She woke up and rubbed her eyes.  Then, she dressed into her favorite dress that she had worn when she seen Link for the first time as his adult self.  She brushed her hair straight and stepped out the door.

            The ripples of Lake Hylia danced in the sunshine as Link sat upon the very top of the tree in a cross-legged position.  He was meditating.  This was something Saria had suggested to him just the night before.

"You should try it," she said. "It helps relieve stress."

And boy did he have some stress.  Well, not as much as he did Zelda's "wedding" night.  Now all the stress he was experiencing was what he was about to do.

"Link!" Navi said, being muffled by the way his tunic folded with his legs crossed.  "I can't breath! There's not enough room in here for me and the…"

"Shh!" Link whispered.  He sensed some one coming.  He heard the swishing of long hair and a gown.  He softly sniffed the air and smelled a faint scent of lavender perfume.  He felt the vibrations in the earth of tiny footsteps and the heartbeat of a lover.  All of his senses had reached extra high levels now that he was calm and relaxed.  Then he opened his eyes and smiled.  He found himself staring into the eyes of another.  They grew darker as they drew closer inward and they sparkled with radiant beauty in the sunlight.  Princess Zelda's eyes were like those carved from a sapphire.  She was indeed beautiful.

"Hello, Link," she softly said. "We meet again."

"Yes," he uncrossed his legs and noticed that Zelda was floating in mid air.  Link swung off the branch of the tree and landed in the soft grass just before Zelda.

"I seen you have found a new hobby? Meditating…interesting."

"Eh, it's no big deal."

"LINK!" Navi shouted. "I can't stay in here any longer! This thing has got to go! It's too cramped for the…"

"Shh, Navi," Link scolded.  He rolled his eyes and looked back at Zelda.  In an instant, she was in his arms.

"I missed you so much!" she said, burying her face in his chest. "Why did it take so long?"

"It took seven years for me to return last time. You are pretty impatient," Link teased, stroking her hair.

She looked up at him.

"I'm glad it's all over," she whispered.  She backed up and smiled.

"I have something," Link said. "It's for you."

Zelda felt a "zing" travel through her when she saw Link take out a little black box.  He went down on one knee and opened the box.  Inside was a ring.  Not any ordinary ring, but a ring woven out of golden ivy.  It twisted tightly around a tri-jewel.  And what was a tri-jewel you ask?  Well, it was an ancient stone formed together from the Spiritual stone of the Forest, the Spiritual stone of Fire, and the Spiritual stone of Water.  It took the shape of a small Triforce and could only be found wedged into the walls of any fairy fountain.  They were so rare that the fairies that inhabited the fountain made it even trickier and pushed them even further into the walls.  Link dug for hours to find just one tri-jewel.  He spent even more hours weaving the golden ivy that came from the deepest part of the lost woods around a thin ring of wood and fitted the tri-jewel onto the ring.  He was very proud of himself that he had accomplished something like this.  Zelda gasped at the beauty at this ring that came entirely from the earth.  Who knew that the most beautiful of things could come from one of the most humble of places, the awed princess thought.  Link held up the ring and asked those magic words.

"Zelda," he said,"…will you marry me?"

Tears sprang to her eyes as she placed a hand on her neck.

"Yes!" she exclaimed.  She felt the wondrous ring slip onto her finger and sighed.

"Finally," she sighed.  Link embraced her and sealed their engagement with a kiss.  Zelda hand felt warm, and she knew that the Tri-force on her hand was glowing.  And Link felt the warmth on his hand too as their love traveled forth into the symbols of Wisdom and Courage on the backs of their hands.  Navi turned her face and smiled.

"And this is the end of the battle for love," the little fairy whispered as the sun shone and sparkled in the eyes of the two lovers.

"No," she whispered to herself again. "It's a whole new beginning."

      Little did they know a dark figure loomed behind the Lake Scientist's house.  He leaned against the wall, watching the to Hylians delcare their love to each other.  He was dressed in a dark cloak and had red stealy eyes.  He rested a hand on a dark sword that was similar to the Master sword.  The hood was pulled over his dark face and he smiled an evil smile.

"Just you wait, Hero of Time," the dark sinisher figure hissed as he disapeared into the darkness. "Just you wait."

 

The end... and to be continued.

 

 

Back to Story Menu