It was a crisp September evening. Link, hero
of Hyrule, and now husband of Hyrule's Princess was leaning upon the balcony of
the north-east tower
of North Castle,
surveying the rapidly reddening countryside around him. Autumn had finally
arrived, symbolised by the russet tones of the trees and the slight coolness
upon the air. Next month would mark his one year anniversary of being married
to Zelda. He smiled, thinking about his beautiful wife. Everything was so
perfect between them, and of course, within Hyrule itself. With the threat of
the evil Ganon gone, they had led a peaceful existence for the past year and
for once, Link didn't mind the lack of adventure. Being with Zelda was all he
needed to be happy. And soon, they would be even happier, for anytime now, his
wife was due to give birth to their first child. Son or daughter, Link didn't
mind, but a family of his own was all he'd ever wanted. He smiled again, thinking about it, and then
turned and entered the tower through the nearby french
windows set into the tower exterior.
A small fire was burning in the fireplace of
the circular room, providing warmth. This was Zelda's bedroom; their bedroom
now. Sometimes Link still couldn't get used to the fact that he was considered
royalty now. In his heart he still felt like a lowly peasant, and no number of
fancy clothes or titles would ever change that. Zelda was a princess, the sole
heir to the throne of Hyrule, she could have had her pick of any number of
princes or noblemen in the world, but in the end, she'd chosen Link. They had
loved each other since they'd met, well over eight years ago now. Only Zelda
had taken so long to admit that she felt that way, he'd almost given up. If she
hadn't, things could have been very different. Then again, Link knew he
wouldn't have ever been able to love anyone else the way he loved Zelda.
She was sitting up in the sumptuous
four-poster bed at the far end of the chamber. She hadn't heard him come
inside, instead intent on the book that she was reading, her long golden hair
cascading down around her face, the soft purple embroidered blankets gathered
up around her in an effort to keep warm. He walked across towards the bed.
"Interesting Zel?" he asked. She
looked up in surprise, her pretty green eyes wide.
"Oh Link, I didn't hear you there!"
she exclaimed, smiling at him.
"It's all those years of being a hero,
you get good at stealth," he grinned.
"Come to bed, we can read this
together," she suggested, waving the book in front of him. It was one of
the old, dusty tomes from the castle's vast library. Probably
written in Hylian. And
probably boring. Zelda loved to read, particularly anything that
was long and complicated and about either the Triforce or Hyrule's history.
Link liked to read too, although he preferred things like Warriors Fortune
Quarterly rather than the in-depth novels that Zelda loved.
"What's it about?" he asked warily.
"Oh, it's all about the Knights of
Hyrule from centuries back... they were so very different to the knights of
today," Zelda said. Link nodded. His close friend, Drake Benowyc, was Head
Knight at North Castle. Drake had been giving him
magazines for years, not to mention teaching him all manner of card games and
making him sample as much ale as possible.
"They protected the seal to a place called The Golden Land or
Sacred Realm... that's where the Triforce came from," Zelda added. Link pulled off his boots and undid the clasp
of his belt. If it hadn't been for the Triforce, he would never have met Zelda.
Those magical prisms, supposedly containing the essences of the power of the
goddesses who created Hyrule... they had caused Hyrule nothing but trouble for
centuries due to people fighting over them.
He took off his tunic and his shirt, folding them neatly onto a nearby
chair. Before he'd got married he just used to throw his clothes on the floor,
but Zelda hated messiness of any sort and he was getting tidier with each
passing day.
"The Golden Land...
I wonder what it was like," he mused, stripping off his leggings and then
pulling on a nightshirt before he got too cold.
"It must have been one of the most
beautiful and wondrous places in existence," Zelda replied.
"Well I don't know about you, but right
now, Hyrule is the most beautiful and wondrous place to me," Link smiled,
jumping into the warm bed beside his wife and pulling her into a cuddle.
"Oh Link, you can be so romantic,"
Zelda sighed happily, leaning against his shoulder.
"I really mean it," he affirmed. He
couldn't imagine ever living anywhere else. When he'd left Catalia all those
years ago, he hadn't been sure where he was going to go. All he knew was that
he had an aunt and uncle over in Hyrule, and having no-one else to turn to
after his village had been attacked and his friends and family cruelly
massacred by the Tanolian raiders, he'd decided, at
the tender age of 14, to head over there. His uncle Govan and aunt Janey had
taken him under their roof, but after a few months his adventurous streak had
got the better of him, and he'd gone wandering around Hyrule. There he'd bumped
into Impa, Zelda's nursemaid and the King's most trusted advisor, and set out
on the quest to retrieve the Triforce of Wisdom and rescue Zelda from Ganon.
The rest was history. Hyrule would always be home to him from now on. He gently
kissed her on the lips, before running his hand softly over her swollen belly.
Zelda was almost nine months pregnant and due to give birth in due course. Out
of all the things he wanted from life, a child of his own was what he yearned
for most. Now, just a month short of their first wedding anniversary, the would get their most precious gift of all. He felt
Zelda's hand rest atop his own and they gazed into each other's eyes, smiling.
It wouldn't be long now.
***
Mouth-watering smells came from the banquet
hall as Link entered later that evening after returning from an errand in
Saria. He took his seat, two places to the left of the King, noting anxiously
that Zelda was not sat at the chair immediately to the left of her father. He
also noticed that the resident healer, Selina Rowen
was missing, and Impa.
"Your Highness..." he started,
looking at the King.
"Yes, it is her time. But she is in the
best care. Try and eat, we shall hear the news soon enough I expect,"
Harkinian said warmly, although the look in his eyes showed that he too, was
nervous. Link looked at the table platter, trying to control his irrepressible
urge to run up to the Northeast tower to be with his wife. The meal was one of
his favourites; tender chunks of cucco casserole,
flavoured with fresh herbs and served with green beans, carrots and boiled new
potatoes. Hunks of crusty, buttered bread were set in baskets at intervals
along the table for those who wanted it. Crisp, apple cider was in the crystal
goblets. But although he was hungry, Link knew that he wouldn't be able to eat.
Not until he knew Zelda... and his new son or daughter, were safe and well.
Disregarding everybody seated at the table, Link rose and pushed his seat
aside. Everybody looked up at him.
"Uh I'm sorry but... I have to go!"
he exclaimed, before turning and rushing out of the hall.
"Link, you can't just..." Fenella
started, looking rather shocked, her sentence trailing off as the hero dashed
out of earshot. "It really is most
improper," she stated primly to the members of the table.
"Fen dear, the boy is very close to my
beloved daughter. Just let him be," the King
replied, taking his wife's hand and squeezing it. The Queen merely grimaced.
Raymundo, her own daughter's recently wed husband, wouldn't be quite as
indecent, she knew. However she kept
quiet for Harkinian's benefit. She didn't agree with
Zelda's marriage, but Zelda was not her daughter so she had no right to voice
protest over the matter. Everybody continued eating their meal quietly, each
wondering whether Zelda would have a son or daughter as the next heir to the
Hyrulian throne.
***
Link raced up the tower steps faster than he
ever had in his life. Nothing mattered except that he be
with Zelda the whole time, just to know that she was okay, and not suffering
too much. He remembered when his little brother Shawn had been born. Link had
only been six years old at the time but he still remembered his mother's
screams of pain and being incredibly worried about her. Of course she had been
fine but it left him no doubt that the whole birth process wasn't too pleasant
and that a woman needed all the support she could get. He pushed open the heavy
oak doors and entered the room, rushing across the bed upon which Zelda lay.
Both Impa and Selina were already by her side; Selina was bathing her forehead
and Impa was supervising the birth. They all glanced up in surprise at his
approach; Zelda was clearly weeping but her pretty face showed some sort of
relief upon seeing him.
"Link!! Oh Link
I'm so glad that you're here!" she managed to exclaimed, as he knelt by
the bed, grasping her hand in support.
"Link you really shouldn't be
here," Impa said sternly, although her face was smiling beneath her
austere words.
"Oh Impa, please!
I want him here," Zelda begged.
"I'm not leaving," Link added
stubbornly.
"Fine, but we need to concentrate on
this baby, now come on Zelda, you need to try harder!" Impa said.
"Oh but I am!" Zelda exclaimed. She
gave a small gasp of pain as she experienced another contraction, gripping onto
Link's hand hard. He stroked her hair in
comfort. This moment, right now, was far more nerve-wracking than any battle
he'd been in.
"Come on Zel," he whispered. The
Princess bit her lip, more tears forming in her eyes.
"Another push," Selina encouraged.
"Not much more to do."
"This baby will be born within the
hour," Impa said. Zelda only hoped that it was true, as did Link. He
couldn't bear to have her go through all this pain. It simply wasn't fair. He
wanted a baby more than anything but why did it have to be so much trouble for
his beautiful wife?
He didn't need to worry much. Impa's
prediction had been correct. Less than an hour later, the two were sat upon the
bed together, Zelda cradling a tiny baby boy wrapped in soft blue swaddling.
Impa and Selina had left them in peace together a few moments earlier.
"I'm so proud of you Zel," Link
said happily, glancing down in awe and amazement at his newborn son. "I'm
so happy," he added.
"Me too, all the entire nine months was
worth it," Zelda smiled, also looking down at their son, who was sleeping
quietly in her arms. Leaning across, she gently placed the baby in Link's arms. "Here, you hold him," she said,
wrapping her husband into an embrace. They met in small kiss, before both
smiling down at the baby again. Link gently stroked its tuft of dark
reddish-brown hair.
"Hello little one, you ready to meet
your daddy huh?" he said, talking softly to the baby in his arms. "He's so tiny..." he continued,
still feeling amazed by it all. This beautiful little baby was his son!
"I know... I still can't believe we've
finally got a child of our own," Zelda said, linking hands with her
husband.
"Finally, everything is perfect for
us," Link replied. "Hyrule is safe, I'm married to the most amazing
woman I've ever met and we have an absolutely wonderful child to call our
own." He leaned over to kiss Zelda once more. "Now we just need to
name him." Zelda nodded.
"Any ideas?" she questioned,
smiling prettily. "Maybe we ought to name him after Hyrule's most famous
hero!" Her smile turned mischievous.
"Ah... well... you know, that could get a
little confusing Zel..." Link grinned. "Although
I'm flattered, of course."
"How do you know I was talking about
you?" Zelda teased.
"Of course you're talking about me! Who else?" Link retorted good-naturedly. They both
laughed. "Doesn't your family have
a tradition of using Hylian names?" he asked after a few moments. Zelda
pulled a face.
"Yeah, don't remind me! I hate my
name," she grumbled. "And Father's is rather awful too."
"I think you have a beautiful
name," Link flattered. "A beautiful name for a
beautiful lady."
"Oh shut up Link," Zelda replied,
although he could tell she secretly enjoyed his compliments. She would just
never admit it, that was all. "Besides, aren't we
rather off the subject?"
"Hardly. Come
on Zel, you must know a few nice Hylian names," Link pushed. Zelda shook
her head.
"We don't have to use a Hylian name. We
could use a Hyrulian one, or even a Catalian one," she protested.
"I think it's a nice tradition, we
should stick to it," Link argued gently.
"I'm just trying to do things the right way, Zel. That's all,"
he added. She smiled.
"Oh I know Link, but please don't worry
about silly things like that. You might not be a royal by lineage, but you'll
always be noble to me." Link looked
down at the bed, a little shy. Sometimes he still got overwhelmed by his new
status. It was difficult, knowing that in a few years time, he would rule by
Zelda's side as the King of Hyrule. Although having spent the last ten years or
so living at North
Castle, and even taking
part in the Royal Council, there was still a lot of
things he didn't know about, and sometimes he was worried about saying or doing
the wrong thing. Zelda and her father were extremely down to earth considering
their importance and this helped Link a lot, but sometimes he still felt like
the whole of Hyrule, not to mention other countries were watching him
critically, no matter how untrue it was. It was just how he felt.
"Link... if you want to use a Hylian
name so bad, we can you know," Zelda finally said after a few moments of
silence. Link glanced up at her unsurely.
"I would... if I knew any," he
said, looking slightly embarrassed again. Zelda had a thought. Reaching across
to the nightstand, she found the book that she'd been reading the previous
night.
"Look... in here, plenty of old Hylian
names," she said, opening it at a random page. There was an intricately
illustrated picture of a Hylian Knight. Link read the placard beneath. 'Sir Ewan De'Clanwyc of Ruto Town'. The knight was a handsome looking fellow,
with reddish brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Just like his
own son.
"Prince Ewan," Link tried, looking
down at the sleeping baby in his arms.
"You know Link... that sounds nice.
Ewan..." Zelda said, trying out the name herself. "Ewan Hayden
Gratia-Illustrisquidam." Link gave her a
surprised look.
"Hayden?" he asked. Hayden was the
name of his brother, who had died not long ago. In fact, he had died as Link
has saved Zelda. It still hurt this day, even though at the time, his brother
had been involved with the evil Carcastan cult. He
knew it was Zelda's way of trying to make things right. He squeezed her hand
gratefully. "I think it suits him," he said, smiling over at his
wife.
"You think?" she asked, smiling
back and ruffling Ewan's hair.
"Yeah. Ewan
Hayden Gratia-Illustrisquidam. It's perfect," he
said. They both smiled at each other.
"A Hylian name and a Catalian name. Then
he'll always remember his heritage; that his father was a Catalian," Zelda
said.
"Thanks Zel," Link replied.
He never thought of himself as being a
Catalian anymore. It all seemed so long ago, Hyrule was his home now. He still
had that soft Catalian accent, but it was something most people in Hyrule
didn't ever seem to remember much. Link was Hyrule's destined hero, after all.
To Link, Catalia was like a faded memory. His simple village life, with the
rest of his tribe, the Kokiri, was growing misty. Link of the Kokiri, he was no
more. In marrying Zelda, he had taken her family name, the centuries old Hylian
royalty name, that commanded reverence throughout the Demiari for it's purity and hegemony. He had been proud to take on that
name. And now, even prouder that he had a son to carry on that name.
At that moment there came a knock upon the
heavy oak door to their room. Link passed Ewan back to Zelda and got up to
answer it. The King, Zelda's father was stood there in the tower
passageway.
"Greetings Link, I hear all is well from
Impa!" Harkinian smiled. Link smiled back and nodded.
"Yes! Come in, Zel will be pleased to
see you," he said, opening the door a little wider. Harkinian stepped into
the room and walked over to where his daughter was sat upon the bed, cradling
their baby close to her chest.
"Dearest daughter, I'm so proud!
Harkinian exclaimed, and indeed Link could see, the King was beaming from head
to foot. His lined face was smiling and his blue eyes twinkling merrily.
"Oh father! We're just so happy!"
Zelda said, smiling back at her beloved father. Harkinian sat on the edge of
the bed, peering down at his new grandson.
"Your mother would have been so joyful
to see this," he said softly. Zelda leaned forward to hug her father. Even
though he had remarried and seemed content to be with Fenella, he still missed
her mother an awful lot, as did Zelda. No-one could ever replace her in either
of their hearts.
"I know dad," she replied, leaning
back again. Link had been hanging back slightly as the father and daughter
shared their moment together, but at this point, Harkinian beckoned for the
hero to come over and join them.
"He is a beautiful baby. Do you two have
a name for him yet?" the King asked. Link and Zelda both nodded.
"Yes, Ewan Hayden," Zelda replied.
"Link picked it, isn't it wonderful?"
"A noble name indeed,
and this wonderful babe is indeed worthy of it," Harkinian said. Zelda
gently placed Ewan in her father's arms.
"How does it feel to be a
granddad?" she grinned.
"Absolutely wonderful!
Ever since you grew up I've waited for this moment!" the King smiled.
"You and me
both!" Link laughed, glancing across at Zelda. She simply gave him
a wry smile, while Harkinian winked at his son in law. Giving Ewan a small
kiss, the King replaced him back into his daughter's arms and rose.
"I'll leave you three alone now to get
some rest, before the celebration christening we need to start planning
tomorrow," he smiled.
"So soon?"
Zelda said, looking a little surprised.
"But of course! Hyrule's most important
person must be introduced, after all!" Harkinian beamed. With a last
smile, he turned to leave.
***
The whole of the kingdom and beyond turned
up to see the
new Prince of Hyrule. Zelda was particularly miffed to
see that her much-hated and now heavily pregnant step-sister, Fayette, made the
three day sea voyage across from Brynnel to come and
be nosy. Clinging pathetically on the arm of her stocky, handsome husband
Raymundo, she attempted at every possible moment to be the centre of attention
instead of Zelda. After Zelda had wed Link, a tragic accident had occurred
shortly after in which their dear friend, Prince Nicolas of Dalsona's
boat had been struck by a lighting bolt, killing all. Fayette had been pursuing
Nick as a potential husband at the time. Although she made out to be
heartbroken, she had then married Raymundo only a month or so later. It was well
known that the pretty Sosarian Lady had had a long
list of suitors all over the Demiari and picked them out like ripe apples from
a tree. Raymundo, with his dark good looks and massive wealth plus title as
Overlord of Brynnel had obviously fitted the bill of
Fayette's requirements best and they had been married in January of this year.
Not only that, but Fayette had got pregnant more or less straight away;
something she had boasted about greatly to her mother. It had taken Zelda
several months to conceive, giving Fayette plenty of opportunities to make snide
remarks about her love life. Looking
over at her step-sister now, Zelda guessed she only had a month to go, if not
less. As she noticed Zelda looking at her, Fayette smirked and waddled over
towards where Zelda was stood, beside Ewan's crib. The christening ceremony had
ended not long ago, and now everyone was congregated in the Great Hall for the
celebration party.
"What a delightful little child,"
she cooed, peering down into the crib. "He looks so much like his
father!" she added, rather snidely.
"Doesn't he just," Zelda replied
glibly, turning her attention away from her stepsister.
"Nothing like
you at all!" Fayette continued.
"Well at least there's no doubt as to
who his father is!" Zelda finally snapped, feeling
annoyed. True, Ewan did seem to look more like Link than her, but did
that really matter? Of course though, Fayette would make a big deal over such a
small thing just to irritate her.
"Did I ever say a thing?" Fayette
said, in an innocent tone, raising her hands in mock defence. "Really
sister dear, you need to get a grip!"
"Oh shut up Faye," Zelda retorted
rudely, folding her arms and scowling. "I didn't invite you here anyway,
your mother did. If I'd had my way,
you wouldn't be here at all!" Fayette scowled back.
"You're so selfish Zelda! I oughtn't to
have travelled... a woman in my condition. But I did, to show my familial
support," she said. Zelda let out a short laugh.
"Familial support indeed! You just came
to be nosy!" she replied.
"Well he's not much to look at, if I do
say so!" Fayette retorted.
"You said he was delightful
before," Zelda reminded.
"I was just being polite," Fayette
replied, turning her nose up at Zelda and pouting. "Not that I should have
bothered!" Zelda shot her a dirty look.
"No you shouldn't have. I don't expect
you to make special allowances towards me Fayette, after all."
"Humph!
Just wait till I tell my mother about you!" Fayette whined her
trademark phrase.
"Tell her," Zelda retorted. "I
don't give a toss what your mother thinks of me."
"Ooh you really are awful Zelda! If
anyone heard you speaking like that..." Fayette started. Zelda ignored her, bending down to scoop Ewan
up out of his crib. "...you really are a disgrace, not a lady at
all!" Fayette continued. Zelda raised an eyebrow.
"Faye, I've never cared for your silly
opinions, and never will. So if you don't mind, I have better things to do than
stand around discussing how much of a disgrace I am." With that, she
turned on her heel and walked off across the room gracefully, leaving an
extremely fat and an extremely seething Fayette behind.
That evening, Link was unwillingly dragged
out of North Castle by Drake and Aaron to their
favourite local drinking hole; The Red Swan in Mido. He'd wanted to stay with
Zelda and Ewan, but they'd insisted on his company, and Fenella had urged him
out of the door, feeding him some rubbish about Zelda needing time alone to
'bond' with Ewan as only a mother could. He knew that she was probably, in
reality, being subjected to a torturous family evening alone with Fayette,
insisted upon by Fenella herself. Hands in his pockets and vowing to leave as
soon as possible, he trudged up the paved streets of Mido to the tavern, following
Aaron and Drake who were talking loudly about one of the new castle guards.
The Red Swan was cosy and welcoming with its
intimate wooden and red leather booths, roaring log fire and well stocked bar.
The barkeeper was jovial and the barmaids were beautiful. Any other time he'd
be glad to be here, but right now it just didn't seem important. Drake said
that he was getting boring, but Link really didn't care. From the moment Zelda
had admitted to loving him, his life had changed, and he wouldn't have it any
other way. He and Aaron sat down in one of the corner booths and Drake
disappeared to the bar to order the ale and flirt with the comely barmaid.
"Missing little Ewan
eh?" Aaron inquired, seeing Link's expression. He nodded.
"I guess. Am I getting boring?" he
asked his friend. He could always count on Aaron to say the right thing. Aaron
smiled.
"Hey Link, look.
I know you love Zelda heaps and that this was what you wanted. I can understand
why you want to spend all of your free time with your family."
"I just didn't want to leave Zel to the
clutches of Fayette, that's all," Link replied. Aaron laughed lightly.
"Come on, Fayette's not that bad,"
he reasoned. "She's kinda pretty," he
added, blushing a little. Link rolled his eyes.
"Sure she's pretty but that doesn't
count for a thing. She really winds Zel up bad," he said. "Anyway," he added, grinning
mischievously, "didn't I hear a rumour that you
think a certain seamstress is very pretty too?" At his words, Aaron blushed even more. Drake
arrived at the table, plonking down the mugs of beer.
"What's this about pretty seamstresses
eh?" he inquired loudly. "I
hope you're not planning to get tied down too, young Aaron! At
your age too!"
"Uh... well..." Aaron started.
"I don't know, you haven't even seen the
world yet, or sampled the many fine women the Demiari possesses!" Drake
laughed.
"Drake! Where's
your sense of honour?" Link protested, grinning.
"It's not about honour, but there's just too many lovely ladies to commit to one
straight away," Drake replied.
"I really like Aimée, she's... she's really nice,"
Aaron interjected.
"She's nice, of course she's nice, but
so is Evelyn over there," Drake said, pointing across to the blonde-haired
woman serving drinks behind the bar. "As is the lovely Selina Rowen," he added on afterthought. Aaron had had a
crush on Selina for years but had never quite worked up the courage to attempt
to woo her.
"You just say that Drake because you
haven't met the woman of your dreams yet like we have," Link said,
grinning. Drake simply snorted at this
comment. It was rumoured that the roguishly handsome knight had a lady friend
in every town and village in Hyrule; whether it was actually true was unknown.
Drake had a big ego and he liked his reputation to be embellished as much as possible.
"Two handsome chaps like you, you should
have women falling at your feet at every possible moment!" the knight
remarked.
"I'm not interested in any woman but
Zel, and never have been," Link said stoically. Drake laughed.
"Oh now come on, I seem to recall you
breaking the hearts of quite a few village maidens when you was a wee laddy."
"Uh... hardly.
Besides I was just trying to make Zel jealous that's all," Link argued.
Drake took a swig of his ale.
"Yeah yeah, whatever ," he said a bored tone. "Damon and Dion are meant to be calling
in tonight as well," he continued, referring to two of their closest
friends.
"Great, I didn't get much chance to chat
to them at the christening celebration this afternoon," Link said.
"Too busy with your
royal duties eh?" Aaron laughed.
"Nah, it was just cos
there were so many other people to talk to!" He grinned at his friends, feeling like the
happiest man in the entire world.
***
A week later there came another
significant date for Zelda. She left Ewan in the capable care of Impa, the
castle nursery finally in use after over fifteen years.
"It is good to see these rooms alive
again," Impa said, as she watched carefully over Ewan's crib. The nursery was a large, airy yet cosy room
at the front of the castle on the second floor. It had been in this room that
Zelda had been brought up as a young girl, looked after by Impa, and her
mother. There were shelves and shelves of beautifully illustrated books,
expensive toys and games, comfy armchairs, brightly coloured rugs and charming
pictures of faeries and animals upon the walls. A large picture window took up
most of the south wall, showing a clear view of the Midoro Mountains and beyond. Impa's cosy
quarters were through a door to the right, and there was a small
schoolroom to the left. Now Ewan would spend much of his early life here, and
any other children she might bear in the future.
"I'm so glad Ewan has you too,"
Zelda said, smiling over at her old nursemaid. Impa was the family's most
trusted servant, and it was no wonder she was one of the chief council advisors
to the king. Not only was she kind, but also extremely wise. She had been a
second mother to Zelda, and also her teacher. Now Ewan would benefit from the
same treatment and Zelda was glad. Today, Zelda has something important to do,
and with Link away training with Aaron, Drake and a few others, Impa was the
most suitable person to leave their son with. Impa reached over to the Princess,
touching her on the arm.
"You'll be okay?" she asked,
understanding the importance of Zelda's personal journey. Zelda nodded.
"I'll be fine. So long as I know Ewan's
with you, or father, or Link, I'm happy," she said.
"Just don't be getting yourself too
upset. But would you not rather accompany your father later this afternoon with
the rest of the court?" Impa implored. Zelda shook her head.
"I'd rather do it alone, like I always
do. It feels better that way," she replied.
"As you wish.
Your father did ask for me to ask you though," Impa said.
"I know... it's just... well... this is
my way of dealing with it that's all," Zelda explained. Impa nodded.
"If that's how you feel Princess, I know
I shan't change your mind." Zelda leaned in for a hug from the old woman.
"Thank you Impa. Thank you for
everything," she said, before turning and pulling on her cloak and walking
across to the door.
"May the goddesses be with you,"
Impa murmured, watching the princess leave. Then she turned back to Ewan, who
was sleeping peacefully in his crib. "And may the goddesses smile down on
you, beautiful Ewan. May you never experience the tragedy of loss like your
parents have," she said to the napping babe. Whatever his destiny was
planned to be, Impa only hoped that it was a happy one.
Not long later, Zelda trotted her mount
leisurely along the Great Coast
Road, south of Mido Town.
Only a mile or two away from Hyrule's capital was the biggest and oldest
cemetery in existence. It was mostly hidden by numerous leafy trees and a great
long rusty iron fence that spanned almost the entire length of the graveyard.
It was a place Zelda didn't like, yet her visit was entirely necessary. She
dismounted from Moonmist, letting her horse wander
free on the nearby grass, and pushed open the great iron gate
that was set into the railings. It was a lonely, eerie place, devoid of little
life, besides the bright flowers that grew upon the graves and the trees that
surrounded it. The princess wandered up the crazy paved path, right into the
centre. Here stood the royal tombs, a great mausoleum that housed the dead of
her family line. It was built of white
marble, with Hylian emblems and the royal crest carved upon it. Many names and
dates were engraved lower down on front face. The door to the vault was around
the back. Zelda never went inside. She knew it contained nothing but jars of
ashes, and it was not something she'd ever want to see. Later today, a service
would be held to commemorate the death of her mother, Queen Alina, fifteen
years ago. Zelda had rarely attended that service, mostly because it made her
cry. She hated anyone to see her cry, and so, every year, she cried here,
alone. She wouldn't even permit Link to
come with her, although on some occasions he would wait outside the cemetery
for her. Today he had asked her again if he could come, but once more, she had
declined him. This was something she had to do on her own.
Kneeling at the base of the epitaph, she
placed a single white rose that she had purchased back at Rauru Village earlier that morning. The tears were already springing to her eyes
as she thought of her mother.
"I wish you'd never left me mother, I
wish you'd been here to see Ewan," she murmured to the grave, the tears
now rolling down her cheeks. In fifteen years she'd accepted that her mother
would never come back to her, but the pain of losing her never grew any less.
She loved her father dearly, because for many years, aside from Impa, he had
been all Zelda had had, they had such a close bond that could never be broken.
She didn't begrudge him for remarrying, because she knew that he wasn't
betraying her mother's memory. Harkinian would always love Alina more than
anyone, aside from Zelda, of course. Being with Fenella made him happy, and he
loved her, yet his love for Alina never grew less. Zelda knew that. The single
rose looked so lonely upon the bear earth, signifying just how Zelda felt at
this particular moment. Shortly, it would be surrounded by many more flowers
and wreaths, just as Zelda would be surrounded later by her friends and family.
But for now the rose stood alone, just as Zelda did. "Please watch over my
son, like you've watched over me, mother," the princess whispered.
Emotions finally overwhelming her, Zelda covered her eyes with her hands,
trembling with each sob.. "Oh mother I wish you
were here, oh how could the goddesses be so cruel! I
curse them!" she wept. A gust of wind caused the trees to rustle slightly
and the gate slammed shut in the distance. Zelda jumped in surprise, drawing
her cloak around her more closely. A sign of the goddesses'
anger of her denunciation? She cared little though, whether it be a omen or simply the weather. Zelda had never been religious
for she felt nothing but anger at the fates for how they had conspired against
her. Her father and many others at North
Castle worshipped almost everyday but in her
later years, she had never bothered. As she rose from beside the tomb, a new
feeling pervaded her consciousness. She could feel Link's approach before he
even set foot in the cemetery. Such was their psychic connection, an intimacy
that no-one else could ever claim to share. He was stood at the gates, as
handsome and dashing as ever, dressed in his statutory green tunic, brown
leggings and white shirt. She had never been so pleased to see him. They met in
an embrace.
"Come on Zel, I'm taking you home,"
he said, pulling her close for a comforting hug. She couldn't have agreed more.
***
Ewan was sleeping peacefully in his crib
nearby. Zelda lay comfortably in Link's embrace as they read a book together
later that evening.
"You okay?" Link asked softly a few
moments later.
"I am so long as I'm with you," she
replied, leaning back slightly to gaze up at him.
"I'm glad," Link said, running a
hand through her silky golden hair.
"I hate seeing you sad," he added.
"I used to always feel sad at this time,
but now I'll be happy because it's when Ewan was born. It's like a new
hope," Zelda said. Link nodded. He understood exactly how she felt. He'd
lost all of his family, after all, every year making a trip to Catalia to visit
their lonely graves. It never got any easier, or the pain any less. But being
with Zelda had given him hope in his own life, he'd
never forget their first meeting. He'd known from that very moment, in Death Mountain,
when he'd defeated Ganon and rescued Zelda, that this
was the woman he'd love for all eternity. Placing the book to one side on the
bedside table, he pulled Zelda towards him for an impassioned kiss. She
responded willingly, enjoying his loving ministrations.
"Feel better?" he asked.
"Much better," Zelda replied.
"After next month, we'll have been
married a whole year," Link said.
"It feels like it's always been
forever," Zelda breathed. "I want it to always be forever," she
added.
"It will be," Link assured, meeting
her in another warm kiss...
Outside the stars shone brightly in the
Hyrulian night sky. And here, the Holy Trinity, the Goddesses of the Westlands smiled down on baby Ewan. Little did his parents
know that he was a very special child indeed. Ewan
Gratia-Illustrisquidam had powers that surpassed his
own mother and father. He had the power of three. Wisdom, Courage and Power
flowed through the blood in his veins and one day, in the far distant future,
he would be the saviour of the entire Demiari.
The fate of the world rested on this boy's shoulders but it would be a
long time indeed before he realised it. A long, long time...