Disclaimer: I don’t want to get in whatever trouble people can get into when using other people’s characters so - .The Legend of Zelda, Link, Zelda, Ganon, Hyrule and other related characters and settings belong to to that wonderous console company, Nintendo. No infringement intended.
Juliet A. Singleton (Scullys@bigfoot.com) & Kirsty Singleton (Space@xs.clara.net)
Link and the rest were grateful as North Castle came into sight. As they all walked into the Great Hall, they were met by the King. "I am glad that you are all back," he said. "This afternoon is the formal ceremony of the appointment of Hyrule's new heir, so please get dressed up," he stated, not even enquiring on what had happened at Death Mountain.
"What?" Link said in surprise.
"They're appointing Fayette, Link," Drake explained.
"Oh," he replied softly, feeling slightly hurt. However, he smiled at the King. "Give Fayette my best wishes," he said, before turning and walking off to his room. The King didn't notice that Link was upset, but Drake and a few others did.
"Should I go and talk to him?" Selina asked.
"No, leave him," Drake replied.
"It's so unfair. I would have chosen Link over Fayette any day," Aaron said. Damon nodded.
"He's done so much for Hyrule, he and Zelda together did so much. It's only right that he gets rewarded." Drake sighed.
"Friends, I was asked by the King myself to become King, but I felt that Link deserved it more. However, knowing how he is, if the King had asked, he would have declined anyway. He's just feeling hurt that he didn't get asked in the first place," he said. Selina looked unconvinced.
"Fayette isn't even from Hyrule!" she said angrily.
"You Hyrulians are so set in your traditions! Perhaps your new little princess will do a good job if you give her a chance!" Dion suddenly spoke up. Aside from Nick and Charles, he just received stubborn glares from the others.
"No-one will want Fayette," Aaron said.
"People, if I may just speak," Nick said. Drake nodded. "I have spent time with the princess, and she appears to be an extremely nice girl, although hardly the maiden I want. However, it seems that almost all of you here hold an evident dislike over her, and I do feel like Dion. Perhaps you should give her a chance," Nick said. Selina still looked sulky, and Aaron, Damon and Drake looked unsure. However, they nodded.
"Perhaps the responsibility will make her grow up. But it's Zelda and Link who the people want. Now Zelda is gone, and Link will suffer more than anyone else in this room, even His Majesty the King. So perhaps he was right to choose Fayette," Drake concluded.
"Maybe," Selina sniffed, and Aaron just shrugged.
Link looked around his room sadly. His room, his home even, for the last past seven years almost. For seven whole years, he had served the Hyrulian Royal Family. Fought for them, protected them, ate with them, celebrated with them, even fallen in love with one of them. Now it just felt like nothing. Perhaps the King had never liked him anyway, had never approved of his and Zelda's friendship. But thinking of all the good times past, he decided that wasn't true. But with Fayette in power, things might be so different. Perhaps it was time to go back home. Without Zelda, it felt like there was nothing left in Hyrule for him. Maybe he should go back to Catalia, go back with Kylara to Gardarika. He'd trained up Aaron as an excellent apprentice, and he was almost 17, more than old enough to accept responsibility of Triforce Protector. And yet... he felt a strong sense of loyalty to Hyrule and its people. Ganon was still not dead, and therefore still a threat. He knew he was Hyrule's best hero and was proud of that fact, but there were others who were almost as good. His good friends... Aaron, Drake, Damon, Selina... Perhaps they would be okay without him. He looked around the room again, trying to make the decision. Did Catalia need him as much as Hyrule? Should he devote the rest of his life to serving his birth country? He walked over to the Triforces and looked at them. Almost three. There were only four of five shards missing, for the faeries had been working hard to find them. He suddenly wondered where Sprite was, he hadn't seen his companion since the previous day. If there was one person who could keep him back, it was Sprite. He and the faerie shared a deep affinity, not like the one he and Zelda had, that had been more of an attraction, but of a friendly fondness. She'd been his first real friend in Hyrule, and he knew he'd miss her. Impa too. She was like the grandmother he'd never had. He sighed. It was no use just standing there thinking of the things that could keep him in Hyrule. It was time for a change, and he had to get away. Too many memories of Zelda lingered here at North Castle, in fact they were almost everywhere in Hyrule. Catalia gave him bad memories, but they had faded over time, and the fresher ones of Hayden and Zelda took precedence instead. Link packed quickly, simply taking his most treasured possessions and keepsakes, weapons and clothes. He'd leave without telling anyone, after Hayden's and Zelda's funerals, which would take place on consecutive days that week. For one last moment, he stood out on the balcony , gazing across to Zelda's tower, as if she might suddenly appear there. He made up his mind to go to her room, just to take a little thing that might remind him of her.
So, three nights later, before he called on Kylara, Link sneaked up to Zelda's room. He did it the dangerous way; swinging across on a rope from his balcony. Luckily, he'd tried it so many times that it was almost an art. He looked around her room, suddenly feeling sad again. Everything was in its proper place, so neat and orderly. He wandered over to her desk, and opened a drawer. Inside were her journals. Link felt bad about prying, he wouldn't have when she had lived, not that he'd ever had a chance to read her private thoughts, for she had never left him alone in her bedroom. Underneath the books lay a collection of letters. He picked up one, and with a start, realised it was from him. When he had been younger, he'd tried capturing her attention a variety of different ways. Notes, sent over from his balcony to hers, had been one method. He'd always figured that she'd thrown them a way, but looking through, his heart heavy, he realised that she'd kept every single one. Why couldn't she have admitted her feelings sooner? he thought sadly, replacing the notes where he'd found them. Sitting down on the bed, he glanced briefly through her diaries. As long back as when they had met, in her words he read of her compelling attraction towards him, her confusion and shyness over the matter. He didn't know whether to feel pleased or not, not that it mattered now of course. He put them back. Looking around, there wasn't really anything he could take after all, perhaps it was better not to. Instead, he left the room without looking back, and made for Kylara's room.
Sprite attempted to blast the door of her cage off, but it was magically locked. She'd been caught by a notorious faerie hunter, and had been trapped for nearly four days. "It's no use missy, you'll never get out," said one of the faeries who shared her prison. Sprite scowled.
"Of course I will! It's just too bad that I'm not strong enough to lift this stupid spell," she retorted, flipping her curls indignantly.
"Princess, surely your parents will notice you are missing?" another faerie said.
"They wouldn't. I don't even live with them. I left, because of Fleur, remember?" Sprite answered, studying the cage intently. On the first day, she'd exhausted all of her power trying to undo the magical cage. The spell must have been extremely powerful though, because she couldn't seem to destroy it. She wished Felicity was here, Felicity could oppose almost any kind of magic.
"He's supposed to be working for Ganon, you know. Some say he's doing research on us, so that Ganon can find a way to use our magical powers," one faerie said in a dark tone.
"Well, isn't that just like him!" Sprite said angrily. She was worried about Link; how had he fared with Ganon all those days ago? Had he found Zelda?
"Coincidence, that we're so near Death Mountain, too," another faerie added. Sprite paced. Stuck here for almost four days, and she couldn't escape. Or had any help arrived. At that moment, her captor walked up to the cage. Muttering something Sprite couldn't hear, he removed a magical key from his pocket, and put it in the cage. Sprite realised that this might be her only chance to escape. As he opened the cage door, she sent her most powerful bolt of faerie magic out at his incoming hand. It hit, and the man pulled his hand out in surprise, his hand burning.
"Come on you idiots!" Sprite cried to the assortment of faeries behind her. "Get moving, else you'll never be free!" she cried, flying out of the cage. The hunter was quick to grab his net, sweeping it to attempt to catch her. "Not so fast!" Sprite retorted at him, letting loose another magic missile, while watching out of the corner of her eye to see if the other faeries got out safely. A few helped her attack the hunter, and as they did so, Sprite flew out towards the door.
The faerie found herself in an underground passage way. She guessed that Ganon's caverns had to be somewhere fairly nearby, if the other faeries had been telling the truth. "Don't hang around, princess!" said one, flying past her. Sprite decided to take the advice, and flew down the passageway as fast as she could. Five minutes later, she was convinced that the faerie hunter would have lost her in the darkness. What kind of person would work for Ganon anyway? What a traitor! Probably one of Trenon's kind, the faerie thought to herself. Now, all she had to worry about was whether Link had defeated Ganon and Trenon, and discovered that Zelda wasn't really dead. And moblins, of course. She shuddered at the thought of the dog-faced monsters, they were her greatest fear, and seemed to somehow have built-in faerie detectors. Flying high up to the roof of the cavern, she hoped that she would be safe from any surprises. The only monsters that hid high up were just ache bats, and she could handle them. Sighing, she flew onwards, attempting to gather her bearings. Her natural sense of direction told her she was on the right path. She just hoped she'd reach the heart of Death Mountain sooner than later.
"What do you mean, gone?" Drake demanded.
"He's not here. He's left," Aaron replied.
"Who's left?" Fayette said, sweeping into the room, Nick by her side. Drake felt like telling her to mind her own business, but didn't because Nick was there.
"Link," Aaron replied.
"Are you sure? Perhaps he's just gone for a ride," Selina said sensibly.
"He left a note in his room. He's truly gone for good," Aaron replied unhappily.
"A note? Where is it now? Give it to me," Drake commanded. Aaron handed over the piece of paper he'd found only a few minutes ago. It read;
Your Majesties, my dearest friends, and good people of Hyrule,
I am sorry to say that I am returning to my home country, Catalia. I have obligations there which need to be fulfilled, and while I have a strong sense of duty towards Hyrule also, after the death of my most deeply loved Zelda, I fear it is too hard for me to remain here. Trenon is dead, but you are still under Ganon's threat. However, with the help of my apprentice Aaron, Sir Drake and a few others, along with the Triforces should protect you over his worst wrath.
I have friends in Catalia, so don't worry about me being alone. And, if Hyrule ever needs me, don't hesitate to call me back, for I shall stay loyal as your hero. However, I just need some time away, perhaps in time, if the pain ever grows less, I shall return.
Link
"Well, isn't that just great?" Drake muttered darkly.
"I understand how he feels," Selina said softly. Aaron nodded sadly, remembering their companion Aramis, who had tragically been killed not so long ago. Selina, although she kept up a cheerful demeanour in front of her friends, was still hurting over it. He'd been her only true love. Drake looked like he was going to say something, but then didn't.
"Whatever will mother and Harkinian say?" Fayette declared. Her mother and step father, the King of Hyrule had set off for a trip to Sosaria only two days ago. They'd never had their honeymoon, and they'd felt the break would do them good, especially after Zelda's untimely death. Now Fayette was in charge, and while she acted as mournful as everyone else, several people had noticed how much she was enjoying her new position.
"Well, it's the boy's choice, if he doesn't want to stay. There's nothing His Royal Highness, the King, can do about it," Drake answered.
"But what if that nasty Ganon attacks?" Fayette immediately wailed.
"We're competent enough to cope, Princess Fayette. Although, yes, we'll certainly miss Link's skills of course," Aaron replied, fingering his sword hilt nervously. Fayette looked at them all.
"Well, you haven't got much choice, have you?" she declared coldly. She turned to Nick and smiled at him. "Come on Nicolas, let's go to the drawing room for a while, before dinner is served," she suggested to him. He gave her an apologetic smile.
"I'm afraid I can't, Faye. There's something I rather need to discuss with Sir Drake," he replied. Fayette looked slightly angry, but she was quick to smile.
"Of course. Well, I shall see you all during dinner," she said, exiting the room in a graceful fashion.
"Really Nick, you can't be serious about marrying her, can you?" Drake said.
"Well Drake, she can be rather charming when she pleases to be. She is a nice girl, just a little misled, I think. Probably her mother's fault," Nick defended loyally. Drake grinned.
"Sorry, we just never got off on the right foot, Fayette and I," he apologised. Damon, Dion and Charles suddenly entered the Great Hall, bows slung over shoulders.
"Greetings, amigos," Dion said.
"You'll never believe what someone in Ruto told us," Damon said, looking troubled.
"What?" Selina asked.
"It's to do with your hero, Link," Charles explained.
"That he's left?" Drake asked. "How did you know?" Damon enquired.
"Aaron found his goodbye note," Nick said.
"I see. We stopped by Ruto for lunch, and one of the barmaids there said that Link, and a dark haired girl had stayed there the previous night," Damon began.
"That young lady he brought back from Catalia? Miss Kylara?" Drake asked.
"Yes, Kylara, that's it. Well anyway, they left early this morning to board a ship bound for Catalia. But Anya, the barmaid, says she was chatting to Kylara the night before, and she said that Kylara says she and Link are going to Catalia where they can get married," Damon finished.
"What?!" Drake cried, surprised.
"Are you sure?" said Selina, equally shocked.
"That's what she claims. And Anya's not one to gossip," Damon said.
"But..." Aaron began, unable to say what he felt.
"How could he?" Drake roared in anger. "He's been acting weird ever since he got back from Catalia, he must have been cheating on Zelda, and now she's out of the way, he and Kylara..." the knight stopped. Selina slowly shook her head.
"No... no, Link's not like that. Anya must be mistaken, surely?"
"But why would she lie?" Drake pressed.
"Then it must be Kylara who is mistaken. Perhaps she's in love with him. I wouldn't be surprised if she was, and has mistaken his leaving, not because he's upset, but because he wants to be with her," Selina replied.
"I know I don't know you all that well, but I know that Link was seriously in love with your Princess. He told me everything, when we went to Death Mountain a few days back. I think Selina may be right," Charles spoke up. Selina smiled across at the Lemmian king gratefully.
"Yes, I agree," Nick said, nodding. Drake nodded too.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions," he said ruefully. "I think we all almost did," Damon said quietly.
"Let's not worry about this, amigos. Tell them our good news instead!" Dion suddenly said.
"Oh... how could I forget?" Damon said. Charles handed him a sack.
"Look what we found, whilst out hunting!" he said sounding excited. The woodsman pulled out a glowing piece of blue crystal - a wisdom shard!
"Oh, how wonderful! The faeries brought us another piece only this morning! Why, that could be the last piece!" Drake said excitedly.
"Let's go and see!" Selina said, her eyes shining.
"It is! Our Triforce is finally complete! Why Zel..." Aaron trailed off there. Everyone looked solemn, but it didn't stop them from rushing up to the Triforce tower to restore the Triforce of Wisdom.
Sprite hovered nervously around Ganon's throne room. The evil wizard was seated in his throne, holding something shiny up. Nagul's amulet? she wondered, flying closer to see if she could get a better look. The round golden amulet hung from a gold chain. It had to be the artefact Imilda had told her about, no mistaking it. "Skoll! Aspete!" Ganon suddenly screeched. Sprite flew upwards, frightened. She hoped that Ganon's moblin scout wouldn't be able to smell her. It was too late to do anything though, for the big moblin and his bony sidekick, the stalfos Skoll, had already entered the room.
"Yeah, Your Evilness?" Skoll asked. Ganon leaned over towards them, still holding the amulet.
"The time is almost ready," he said in an evil tone.
"Uh, for what, Master?" Aspete asked dumbly.
"For the final take-over! Link is gone, we must work before he gets wind of our attack and attempts to return. My spies tell me that they have all three Triforces, but while Zelda remains locked up here, they have no-one to strong enough to attempt to use them against me. Between this amulet, and having our two trouble makers out of the way, I shall be invincible!" Ganon screeched. Sprite gasped in horror, the colour draining from her face at Ganon's words.
"Er, so when do us attack, den?" Aspete enquired.
"We shall get them when they least expect it. In fact, we'll attack tomorrow night!" Ganon answered. Sprite had heard enough. Zelda is here! I must help her! The faerie thought. She felt worried, Ganon sounded so confident... And, oh no! If Ganon says that Link is gone... What if he has kept his word, and has gone back to Catalia! Or if Ganon and Trenon have killed him? the faerie thought in horror. She listened to see if Ganon said anymore, but he didn't. She flew off in the direction of Ganon's dungeon. Zelda was Hyrule's last hope, if Link truly was gone.
"Zelda!" Sprite whispered. The Princess looked up hopefully. She looked tired, and worried.
"Sprite!" she exclaimed.
"Shh!" the faerie ordered.
"Where's Link?" Zelda asked.
"I'll answer your questions later, Zelda," Sprite replied.
"Well, can you at least get me free?" Zelda then demanded. Sprite scowled.
"I'm doing my best!" she snapped.
"Well, sorry! But you took your time getting here," Zelda retorted.
"If you must know, I also spent the last four days locked up," Sprite answered, firing off a bolt of magic on one of Zelda's bonds.
"Try a week!" Zelda replied, looking angry.
"Oh, do shut up. Someone might hear," Sprite said, working her magic on the other bond. A few moments later, thanks to Sprite, Zelda was free from her bonds. Now all that remained was the door. Sprite flew back through the bars. "Don't force it," she ordered. "Where are the cell keys kept?"
"I'm not sure, they'll be nearby though. Ganon always handed them over to one of his guards," Zelda answered. Sprite flew along the passage. It was luckily quiet, there must not have been any monsters on duty, Sprite found some keys just left on a peg. She lifted them, made them smaller with a spell, and carried them back to where Zelda was waiting. She made the bigger once more, and passed them through to the Princess, who unlocked the door quickly. "How often does Ganon come to see you?" Sprite whispered.
"Once or twice a day," Zelda said. She saw an axe leaning against the wall, and picked it up. "He's been trying to get me to remove the spell from the tower, but a day ago, he came back and said that he might have a better way to get Hyrule to hand over the Triforce," she said. Sprite shivered.
"We must get back to North Castle at once!" she said.
The two slipped through most of Ganon's domain unnoticed. Twice they were attacked, but they managed to get rid of the monsters get away before any sort of alarm was raised. It was dark when they reached the outskirts of Death Mountain, taking a long passage which came out near the east coast of Hyrule. As they crossed the bridge which led across to the northern part of West Hyrule, Sprite explained what had happened in the events after Zelda had 'died'. "Link went into awful mourning, he thought that it was all his fault," Sprite began. "How could he even think that I was dead?" Zelda asked.
"I don't know, but that was one strange illusion. It looked, and felt real. And you were gone," Sprite replied. Zelda nodded.
"I had a feeling that it might happen like that. But then I know that Link came to Death Mountain. Ganon was with me when a messenger informed him," Zelda said. Sprite looked puzzled.
"I can't help you anymore there, I was captured on my way to Death Mountain, after I'd spoken with Imilda."
"Why did you see Imilda?" Zelda asked.
"Wait. Link and Charles went to seek vengeance on Trenon. I left them to it, to see Imilda about something," Sprite answered.
"Yes, but Link must not have known I was here. Ganon came back and told me he'd left, and that he was none the wiser about me. I think he must have killed Trenon, for I never saw him after that," Zelda replied.
"Well... that's strange. Ganon said that Link was out of the way..." Sprite began. "What?" Zelda exclaimed.
"I think... I think he may have gone back to Catalia," Sprite replied.
"Why?" Zelda questioned.
"He... I'm not sure, he was feeling sad for you and wanted to get away. But I don't know, he just mentioned it to me, that he might go," Sprite answered. Zelda paused. They were walking along the Great Coast Road. It could be several hours before they reached Mido, or indeed, North Castle. She glanced nervously across at the graveyard on the other side of the road. Then she looked at Sprite.
"So Link isn't here?" she asked. The faerie shrugged.
"As soon as I escaped today, I came straight to find you. I have no idea," she said. Zelda frowned.
"I have a bad feeling," she murmured.
"I'm not surprised. Don't you know that Ganon is in possession of the Amulet of Nagul?" Sprite asked. Zelda looked puzzled.
"The amulet of what?" she asked. Sprite sighed.
"Zelda, it's a dangerous artefact," she explained.
"Well I certainly haven't heard of it," Zelda answered, folding her arms, and walking off. Sprite flew after her.
"Listen!" she ordered.
"I'm listening," Zelda said, her tone sulky. Sprite then began to relate to the Princess the tale that Imilda had told her.