Hearts on the Sea

Author's note: The story is actually based about 400 years after the last Legend of Zelda. By this point they have gotten black powder weapons. I choose the backdrop of Sid Meier's Pirates! because I enjoy that game. I give glory to God for putting the crazy idea in my head. Hope it's successful.

It is a pleasant day on the open sea of Hyrule as the sun rises up. A small ship a brigantine to be exact is on a return trip from the kingdom of Somarsia. This trip was an offer for peace between the two kingdoms of Hyrule and Somarsia. King Hannibal of Somarsia rejected the deal even though the delegate delivering it was the Zelda the 19 year old blonde haired Princess of Hyrule. Feeling that she had indeed failed her father she was returning home. The trip over had been pretty quiet but this return trip the weather had been miserable. A storm had delayed the ship’s departure by a couple of days and when they finally made it out to the open sea the wind had been working against them. In Zelda’s heart she quietly yearned for adventure like the stories her father had told her of previous generations of the family. She had much to her father’s displeasure taken fencing and learned how to shot a pistol. Her dream was to be swept off her feet by some handsome gentleman that loved adventure as much as she did.

Princess Zelda wearing a dark red day dress is sitting in her quarters at her desk trying to figure out how to explain the failure to her father King Hezekiah when suddenly she hears great excitement coming from the deck above her. She moves to the door where a young boy tells her to remain in her quarters and that they have encountered a pirate ship. She thinks to herself ‘oh no I am dead for sure now, daddy told me about the different pirates and how they look down on royalty.’ She hears someone say from the deck above her “that’s Captain Link’s ship I believe, we have to get out of its range.” But it’s too late she feels the entire ship shake. The cannons on the deck above respond and there seems to be a back and forth cannonade for what seems like an eternity to her. She nervously paces her cabin waiting for whatever outcome there may be. She hears the captain yell “Oh no they’re about to ram, prepare to repel boarders!!” Then she hears what sounds like a sword fight along with pistols and muskets being discharged on the deck above. In another twenty minutes all goes pretty much quiet. She goes back and sits on her bed awaiting her fate. A knock comes at her door. She cautiously says “Who is it?” A voice on the other side of the door says “I am Jonathan and I am second Lieutenant of Captain Link’s flagship ‘The Wild Turkey’. Can you come out here?” Zelda pauses for a second and then thinks ‘they’ll know who I am.’ She walks into the hallway where Jonathan and two of his men stand. Jonathan is a young boy of about 16 years of age with light brown hair and blue eyes he doesn’t look much like a real dangerous pirate, but Zelda knows that looks can be deceiving. They all walk up onto the main deck. Bodies are laying everywhere which causes Zelda to be sick and she runs over to the side of the ship and throws up. She regains her composure and returns to the center of the deck. Captain Link steps forward out of the captain’s cabin of the ship Zelda was on. Link’s flowing dark brown hair is seen as it blows in the wind and flashing blue eyes stand out. He looks quite the part of a captain, but a little younger then one might think perhaps 19 or 20 years of age. His clothing is a long shelved white shirt with a green vest, brown pants, a black hat, and knee high black boots. Jonathan steps forward, salutes, and addresses his captain “Captain Link”, he said “I have conducted a search of the ship and really not found anything. This woman was in one of the lower level quarters. I don’t know who she is but I am sure as soon as can we should leave her at a port. Bad luck to have a woman aboard you, know.” Link says “Thank you Lieutenant, you have done well.” Pointing to the Princess “You don’t know who this woman is let me introduce you. This is Princess Zelda of Hyrule and she will be our hostage. I checked in the log book and I am sure her father will pay a handsome reward for her safe return.” Then to Zelda “Princess since you are my guest is there anything I can do for you?” Zelda is scared and quietly responds “I don’t think so captain. You’re not going to rape me or anything like that are you?” Link laughs and says “My dear princess I would never do anything like that to you. You are perfectly safe among my sailors. I am placing you in my First Lieutenant’s cabin in my ship. I will assign two guards to make sure you stay safe.” Zelda feels a little better and then asks “Captain if you wouldn’t mind could you have my luggage brought to my new quarters?” Link says “Sure no problem.” But what Link doesn’t know there is a problem part of this brigantine caught on fire during the battle and that was where the Princess’ luggage was. Link has the two sailors escort the Princess to her new quarters where she settles in. She is uncomfortable thinking of herself as a hostage or that her father will have to pay a ransom for her.

About forty five minutes later as she is sitting in her quarters a knock comes at the door and the familiar voice of Jonathan says “Princess Zelda I have all of your stuff from the room you occupied on the other ship, but the luggage you was destroyed during the battle. I am so sorry. Can I enter?” She says in a disgusted manner “Yes, you may enter.” Jonathan goes on to continue to apologize for the luggage being destroyed. Zelda stops him “It is not your fault that my luggage was destroyed, I blame your captain instead because he engaged the ship I was on.” Jonathan drops the stuff off that he has gathered and says “I will take my leave now again I am sorry for this,” as he walks out the door, shutting it behind him. Zelda goes through the things that have been brought and does inventory. One green day dress and undergarments, her journal, and some writing paper not a whole lot that she can use. She is brought lunch around noon and enjoys it almost forgetting she is a hostage. About six hours later another knock at the door she calls out “Who is it?” “It’s me,” it’s Captain Link. She asks “What do you want?” Link says “I wanted you to join me for dinner if that’s okay with you.” She thinks a minute and decides ‘what’s the harm in having dinner with him’ she says through door “Sure why not.” He waits in the hallway and then escorts her to his cabin where the dinner has been laid out before them. They enjoy the meal and conversation where Zelda finds out that he too is an enemy of the King of Somarsia. Their conversation switches over to why she had went to Somarsia with a peace offer and that she had advised her father that she doubted that it would work. She asks how much of a ransom will Link demand from her father. The ransom amount is 2 million rupees. At the conclusion of dinner they both rise from the table and Link walks Zelda back to her cabin where she settles in for the night.

Zelda thinks to herself ‘my, he wasn’t near as bad as I thought he might be maybe even somewhat a gentleman.’ But then she thinks ‘I shouldn’t be thinking this he is a pirate and as such if he’s captured by my father he’ll be executed and I wouldn’t say a word in his defense. His treatment of me will not be considered so it doesn’t matter.’

The voyage goes on for weeks then a month and each evening Link has the princess join him for dinner. They become rather close friendly even. Link one evening during the course of dinner tells her why he is a pirate. He says “Five years ago I was living with my parents in Kasuto Village on the far southern coast of Hyrule. All was at peace then one day one of the villagers spotted a group of raiders attacking a caravan outside of our village. We thought it was just an unusual occurrence and wouldn’t happen again but in the following weeks it did several more times caravans were attacked and destroyed. This made the elders of our village very nervous and they sent for help from Duke Gregory but he didn’t have the time to deal with or didn’t care. We went to him three more times trying to get his help and he wouldn’t help. We were supposedly under his care, his people if you will. Finally one day the raiders about 100 of them came to our village. They demanded money, but we were farmers and didn’t have any. They slaughtered everyone they could. My parents were among the first. I ran for my life. For two hours they sacked my village before they left. I thought I was the only one but I found Jonathan and about thirty other kids also doing the same hiding from the raiders. All of us were boys, there were no females amongst us they had gotten caught, raped, and murdered. That day we swore revenge on the bandits. If the law would not protect we would find a way to get justice. We journeyed and found others that were from villages done much the same way ours was done. Before long we had about 120 men altogether. We pooled all our resources while plotting the revenge on these raiders. We were able to buy swords and at the same time discover the main bandit camp. We planned an attack at night, but before we could move in they went off and raided another village. When they returned it was early morning and they were all drunk. We decided the time to strike was now. We charged into their camp killing them much the same way they killed our families. After all the bandits were dead we had captured their leader. I recognized him as the son of Duke Gregory. I was about to turn him in when he managed to break free and attack me I defended myself and killed him. After that Duke Gregory demanded justice for his dead son. I and all of my people were labeled outlaws. I could find no where on land where someone wasn’t after me for a reward. So I discussed it with the leadership of our group and we decided to buy a ship and sail off until we were forgotten about.” Zelda is find the story so interesting and then says “I never knew I am sorry for your loss, Link. Maybe I could talk to my father and get him to see things your way about Duke Gregory.” Link says “I really appreciate that but think about it Princess I am a poor farm boy and Duke Gregory he is a high lord. Your father might hear me out before he orders me executed.” Zelda agrees “Yes, I fear that you are right about that.” Link finishes by relating one other thing to her “My first lieutenant went back home thinking that Duke Gregory had forgotten it ended up very unfortunate for him. After a couple weeks some men from Duke Gregory showed up and executed him on the spot. So I think at this point I cannot return home.” Later that evening they finish dinner and again Link escorts her to her cabin.

As the time goes by Zelda is given more freedom she is even allowed on deck during the day. She manages to get a hold of some smaller clothes that fit her. They are clothing that some of the sailors were going to toss over board. When she walks the deck she is outfitted in black pants, a red striped shirt, and larger hat that she tucks her hair under. Link at this point has three ships under his command. Whenever he goes raiding he takes one of the other ships leaving his Second Lieutenant Jonathan in charge. Of course every evening Link is around the princess and him have dinner together. After some time at dinner one evening Link informs the princess “Well, your father has agreed to the ransom so you will not be with us much longer. He has said he will need some time to get the money together perhaps another couple of weeks.” Zelda is not really pleased and Link can sense this but says nothing. The next day Link orders Jonathan to take the other two ships into a port and sell one of them. Jonathan leaves on the ship that carried the princess. This same day while waiting for Jonathan to return the lookout yells “Sail ho! They look like pirate hunters from the King of Somarsia.” Link hollers “Prepare for battle, men!” Zelda who is on the deck runs up to Link and says “Is there anything I can do for you?” Link responds “Get to your cabin.” Zelda says “No, I mean I want to help you. These people are my enemies too.” Link is a little frustrated “You have to go below. Otherwise you might get killed.” Again she refuses “Let me help on one of the guns.” Link gives up trying to argue with her and assigns her on one of the guns. The battle gets under way with a crash of cannons. Both ships are taking a beating. The lead gunner on Zelda’s gun is killed after the first thirty minutes. Zelda takes charge of targeting the gun. She manages her gun quite well for a first time gunner. Both ships get very close and Link realizes the enemy ship is about to board his. Zelda at this point aims her gun directly where the enemy sailors that are planning to board have gathered. Boom! All the enemy boarders go down but more rally there and then board. Zelda picks a rapier which is laying on the ground to defend herself. It is sword swinging melee with pistols going off. Link confronts the enemy captain, but unknown to Link the enemy captain has two other men near him. Link approaches drawing his long sword when the other two men, one a first lieutenant of the enemy angrily attack Link. Three against one very bad odds for Link. Zelda sees this as she has just killed one of the enemy crew. She thinks to herself ‘I could let him get killed and hope that they would spare me. I would most likely end up free. But then again these people are our enemies.’ She thinks for a brief moment then reacts picking up a pistol and rushes over shooting one of the men attacking Link and confronts the first lieutenant herself. Link is a little shocked by this turn of events then concentrates on the enemy captain. Link fights with all his heart killing the captain in a sortie of sword blows. Zelda though never thinking she would do this fights the enemy lieutenant bravely. Link moves toward her to help but one of his men stops him saying “This is her fight let her win it on her own.” Zelda and the enemy officer go back and forth before Zelda makes double hit on this enemy forcing him to drop his sword and surrender. The battle is over both Link and Zelda flushed with victory smile.

At this point Jonathan’s single ship appears and rejoins the other ship. Zelda realizes that her chance to escape is gone. She still has the sword got during the battle. Link walks over to her and congratulates her on her fight. Zelda says “I guess since the fight is over with you wish me to give you this sword back.” Link smiles back “no, you keep you have earned it.” This was Zelda’s first real battle and she handled it surprisingly well like an expert.

Over the next couple of weeks Link captures more ships with Zelda fighting alongside him in many of these battles. Zelda manages to capture a loose fitting fencing shirt so now her outfit is complete. After the last of these exploits Link decides to dock his fleet in a pirate stronghold. The crew goes to shore and Zelda tags along with them. Link tells Jonathan to keep a close watch on her, but she manages to give Jonathan the slip and sneak away on her own. Jonathan relays the news to Link who is pretty upset thinking that he has lost his ransom just like that. He quickly orders his men back the fleet and gives orders to immediately sail. Just as they begin to cast off Link hears someone on the dock say “Hold that ship I need to get back on board.” Link recognizes the voice as Zelda and stops the ship from leaving. Zelda returns to the ship with two packages as she jumps on board. Link says to her as she comes aboard “Why did you come back? You could’ve escaped.” She responds “I didn’t feel like escaping really. If I wanted to get away I would have allowed that enemy we faced a couple of weeks ago kill you.” Link realized she was right and was pretty happy with her decision to rejoin them. Zelda changes to what she had in one of the packages a purple double breasted frock coat that has white bib, with white pants, brown hip high boots, and a black tri core hat with an purple ostrich feather. She looks quite the part of an officer. After they make it out to sea the crew decides to hold elections for officers Link would still be captain, Zelda was elected as first lieutenant, and Jonathan remained second lieutenant. Zelda was surprised with this outcome as was Link who thought ‘she is my hostage and my men want her as an officer this won’t work I fear’ but he accepted it anyway.

After a couple more weeks of sailing a place was set up to meet with the King of Hyrule to accept the ransom for the Princess. Link made the announcement to the whole crew (except for Zelda who was in her cabin) which seemed to disappoint quite a few of them. At dinner that evening Link let Zelda know about this. “Tomorrow we will meet with your father and you will return to him. He has the money that he promised and I will keep my word to him that you will no longer be my hostage,” Link says. Zelda says “I.I.I do not know what to say. I want to return home to my father, but I love this adventuring on the sea.” “It is your choice at this point. If I force you to return home the crew might find out and desert me somewhere. But I have to keep my word to your father.”

The next day they sail into the port where they are to meet Zelda’s father. Zelda wears her uniform which makes Link a little nervous because her father will think he has convinced her to remain with him. They both enter the tavern where they meet the king who graciously welcomes them shaking Link’s hand and hugging his daughter. The king notices Zelda’s outfit but doesn’t say anything about it to her. The king addresses Link “Captain, I have the ransom here as promised. You hold all the cards at this point.” Link says “Your highness I turn her over to you at this point as promised.” Zelda is happy to see her father but not happy at what is transpiring. Zelda butts in “Father, Link I have decided something I wish to continue adventuring on the open sea.” Link hits himself thinking ‘she blew for me I am dead now’. The king glares at Link in an angry manner “You told me that if I paid this ransom she would return to me.” Link smiles and responds “I.I.I thought she would, but look at it on the bright side since she has decided this you no longer have to pay the ransom.” The king is not happy and says “You think that’s funny. I will have your head for filling my daughter’s head full of this nonsense.” Zelda again responds “Daddy this was my choice I am a first lieutenant aboard his ship. You know that none of your army or navy officers would allow me to join them. But this crew did allow me to join and elected me to fill this post I now hold.” King Hezekiah looks at his daughter trying not to be to angry “My daughter Zelda, please return home with me.” Zelda looks at Link “Captain, could you please allow me to talk with my father by myself. I will return to your ship as soon as I am done.” Link gets up from his chair and says “Yes, I will see you back at the ship if that is your wish Lieutenant.” Link leaves the tavern while Zelda stays. Zelda says to her father “Father the decision I made was not under any stress. I have since my capture realized that I enjoy this life on the sea. And since my first battle also realized that I get a great deal of excitement out of battle. I am sorry. I cannot return home with that life beckoning me.” The king realizes he has lost admits “Is there anything I can do for you and one other thing, where did you get that uniform?” Zelda says “The money you offered for ransom. If you wouldn’t mind parting with say 2,000 rupees that would help the crew. I got it at a port we were at. Daddy there is one thing I would ask help for.” The king says “And what would that be?” Zelda tells him the story Link told her about his village and asked if he would investigate it. He agrees to both give her the rupees and look into the story that he was told. Zelda hugs and kisses him wishing him well. As they part company, he says “Be careful on your journeys. I wish you well against our enemies.” She heads back to the ship to leave. Link is overjoyed to see her return though he was quite certain she would. They sail off into the sunset together. The end for now.