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It was a beautiful day at Lake Hylia. The lake stirred with calm, lazy waves, the summer greenery stood out vividly with its wild, bright colouring, and the sun shone splendidly as it bathed the land with a warm, gentle glow.
Link never considered himself the nostalgic type, but even he couldn’t deny the small smile that slipped through his stony expression at the sight.
It was always a welcoming place for the aged knight; those days of letting his guard down to rest and spend time at the fishing shack were one of the few moments in his first quest where he didn’t feel the pressure of the world on his shoulders for once. The underwater labyrinth hidden below stirred less than pleasant memories, but he pushed that memory out of his mind before it could sour his good mood.
He gently pulled the reins and slowed Epona to a stop. The elderly mare huffed and gratefully lowered her head for a quick graze on the dewy grass below. Despite nearing twenty-five, Epona was still a hearty girl, or more accurately was just too stubborn to let age drag her down. He would have preferred to use a different horse for such a leisurely travel to save the old girl some soreness, but she always got so moody whenever he did that and had even headbutted him into a stack of hay the last time that had happened.
“She still suits you, hon. Look at the pair of you, both so old and grouchy now!” Malon had teased.
Sweet Farore, he loved that woman.
“Woah!”
Link turned his head at the sudden noise, huffing in amusement at his daughter’s mesmerised expression as she leaned over her saddle to get a better look. The cerulean eyes he had passed to her were almost shining in their admiration as they took the sights in.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked rhetorically. “Your mother made that same face when I brought her here years ago.”
It had been rather embarrassing when he had realised that it had been their first, actual date. It had been a spur of the moment decision on his part when they were still hopeless teenagers skirting around their obvious feelings for each other. Lake Hyrule was beautiful in the summer so he figured it would be a nice place to visit to get away from the monotony of farmwork for a change, completely oblivious to the unintentional implications behind the invitation. Now eighteen years later they were married and had a daughter.
Funny how some things worked out.
Aria blinked. “You took Ma here but not me?” She puffed her cheeks and shook her head in outrage, copper red pigtails flailing with the motion. “Pa! This place is great, why’d ya take so long to bring me?”
His easy smile transformed into an uneasy grimace. “Well…” he mumbled, the gears in his head turning as he tried to formulate an answer that would satisfy the curious girl. “I was just always too busy back in the army and your mother was preoccupied with the farm. But she was talking about how you’ve been keeping up with your chores lately so we figured now would be a good time to bring you.”
A harmless half-lie. How did one explain the dangers of war to an ten-year old? Neither the Hylian army or the Gerudo had set up a base of operations at Lake Hylia, but he was paranoid of bringing his family anywhere outside of the farm that wasn’t the terrifying haunted woods that would deter any sane pursuers, or the well fortified settlements of Castle Town and Kakariko Village.
In truth, he had initially been against this visit, even with the recent ceasefire. Call him paranoid, but it was better than risking his daughter getting caught in the crossfires from an ambush. It was only Malon’s fierce insistence that had him reluctantly agree to bring her while she stayed back in the farm to run things alone.
“I can manage things alone for a day or two, you old oaf!” Malon kissed his cheek and ushered him out the door with a firm push. “Go on, let our little girl live a little for once.”
He shook his head and nudged Epona forward. “Anyway, let’s get closer.”
Aria clicked her tongue and followed behind him on Epona’s own child, a young stallion who was only a little older than a coal and who had inherited his mother’s vibrant chestnut colouring. He had been a gift for Aria’s eight birthday, the excited young girl having named him after Mido, much to her father’s amusement and the hot-heated Kokiri’s bemusement.
They had only visited the Lost Woods a few weeks ago, Link found himself with an abundance of free time as the peace talks continued so he had taken Aria for a visit at the young girl’s request. Even as an adult, he was able to successfully navigate through the ancient, spiritual woods with ease thanks to experience, no longer requiring a fairy guide to keep him from getting lost. There was a dark irony to be found in the fact that he felt most secure in what most would consider the most cursed and mysterious land in all of Hyrule, but for him it was a place of peace even after all the less than pleasant experiences he had faced within.
Saria still doted on the girl that was named in honour of her like she was still a newborn. A rather odd sight considering Aria was almost as tall as the ancient forest spirit these days. The young girl was always so embarrassed by it, he could sympathise slightly with the way Saria occasionally treated him like he was still that starry-eyed youth who had sat on her knee while she passed the day playing her ocarina.
To his mild disappointment, the fishing shack had closed down after all these years, but that didn’t deter Link. There was an entirely good lake still available for fishing after all. They dismounted from the horses at a nice grassy spot suitable for setting up camp later.
Giving Epona a sugar cube and an affectionate pat on the neck, he reached into the saddlebags strapped to her side and pulled out a compact fishing rod. “Now, you remember how to fish, right?”
Aria snorted, retrieving her own rod from Mido’s saddlebags. “Yeah, Pa. This ain’t exactly the first time you’ve seen me fish.” She giggled mischievously. “Or did ya’ finally start forgetting in your old age?”
Link bit back the chuckle that rumbled in his chest. The cheek on this girl, she really had taken after her mother. “Just checking. I noticed you were having trouble mounting Mido before we left so I was wondering if you were the one starting to lose your memory.”
Aria blushed and averted her gaze. “That- that was nothin’! Mido’s just dumb and keeps getting taller than me.” To emphasise her point, she fixed the chestnut horse with a steely glare as he contently chewed around a mouthful of grass and ignored her. The young girl stuck her tongue at him, blowing out an angry razzberry. “Jerk!”
He quickly pulled her towards the lake before she could verbally abuse her clueless horse any further. With bait placed on their hooks, they let loose and cast their lines into the lake. Link sighed contently, at peace with simply standing still and waiting for something to bite. Aria had about as much patience as one would expect from youth, pulling at her line often and bouncing up and down on her toes as if that would assist her.
Link was perfectly fine with waiting in silence as he was want to do, but Aria had inherited her mother’s motor mouth and was eager to fill the air with chatter and questions.
“What’s the biggest fish you’ve ever caught?”
“Have you ever fished up a monster?”
“Can we take Ma here next time?”
And on and on it went. Link tried to answer the constant stream of questions as best as he could, but Aria’s energy truly knew no bounds. He sometimes had to wonder if the effect of wearing those bunny ears back in Termina had passed onto his bloodline somehow because she certainly didn’t get it from him naturally.
“Calm down, Aria.” He chuckled. “We still have plenty of time before nightfall, don’t tire yourself out at once.”
Aria harrumphed as if insulted. “It’s not my fault this is so boring. Are you sure there’s fish here? I’m not getting anything yet.”
He reached into his pocket. “Here, place some cheese on your hook.” He placed a portion of cheese in her hands and shrugged at her bemused expression. “Sounds strange, I know, but it works. Fish just love the taste of it apparently.”
“That’s weird,” she commented, but placed the cheese on her hook nonetheless before flinging it back to the lake. “Ma told me the moon was made of cheese once. Do you think that’s true?”
“I’ve been to the moon and I don’t recall seeing any cheese.” He frowned. “Just lots of mean people up there.”
Aria blinked, squinting at him in confusion. “You’ve been on the moon?”
“Once, yes,” Link answered honestly even if it was obvious she would take it as a joke. “Well, inside of it anyway if you want to get technical.”
Aria frowned, pointing a finger at him in accusation. “You’re making fun of me.” She stuck her tongue at him in dismissal. “You’re a terrible liar, Pa.”
Despite himself, Link’s lips thinned and he quickly fixed his eye back to the calm lake before Aria could mistake it as anger directed at her. The child had unintentionally struck a sour note. Malon and Zelda believed his stories about his former ‘adventures’ but there would always be that gnawing doubt at the back of his mind that wondered if they were authentic about it or were simply humouring him.
Was it even real? Link thought so. He was no stranger to nightmares and what happened in Termina felt far too vivid to simply be another dream or hallucination. The scars he had gained from that time were still present and a part of him was grateful that there was at least some proof to what he had gone through.
Or maybe he really was insane and it was all in his head, the scars self-afflicted. Clawing at himself like a deranged animal wouldn’t be too out of line with his previous behaviour…
He shook his head, forcefully clearing his thoughts with a scowl. No, no more moping. Not today. Today he had a rare chance to spend time with his daughter unobstructed and he wouldn’t waste it by looking back to the past.
For once fate decided to take pity on him, Aria’s shaking line quickly diverted his attention. The girl cried out in shock as the rod almost slipped out of her lax grip. She hastily tugged it back, reeling the line in like her life depended on it as Link grabbed the end to steady it. With a victorious cry, she gave one final tug and forced the rod over her shoulder, dragging her prize out of the water and into the air.
A sizable yellow fish with a white belly flopped about miserably as the hook in its mouth kept it trapped.
“A Hyrule Bass.” Link laid a hand on Aria’s shoulder, beaming down at her in pride. “Not the rarest catch out there, but a pretty good size.”
Aria was significantly less pleased, squinting at her catch in disappointment. “A bass? Lame! I wanted to at least catch a loach.”
Link huffed in amusement and ruffled her hair with a calloused hand. “You’ll need to work your way up to that, can’t catch a loach just like that. Be proud, we all need to start somewhere.” He withdrew his line. “I’ll set up camp along with a fire to cook the fish later. Why don’t you try to catch something else in the meantime?”
“Heck yeah, I will!” She excitedly threw her line back into the lake, bouncing up and down on her toes excitedly. “Just you watch, I’ll get a loach next time.”
Link waved her off and made his way back to the horses “You do that.”
Blessed Nayru, what was he going to do with that girl? She was far more energetic and competitive than he was at her age. Having been raised as the youngest of the Kokiri, interacting with children was hardly his strong suit.
As he got to work on setting up a tent, his mind began to wander to darker thoughts.
Granted, it wasn’t like he had much experience with family life in general. The Great Deku Tree had been a hands-off parent who entrusted his upbringing to the Kokiri while he focused on warding away threats to the Lost Woods. If he had been a true Kokiri like he had assumed for a good portion of his life, that would have worked out perfectly. But he wasn’t. He had been a Hylian unknowingly masquerading as one of the forest spirits, he had required an entirely different nurturing approach that the child-like spirits weren’t capable of providing for the most part and which caused the ancient deity’s lack of direct involvement in his life to stung even to today.
And then there was Navi, who had gone and mysteriously vanished on him all those years ago, her absence leaving a festering open wound in his heart that would never truly be healed. He had given up hope of ever seeing her again after Termina, but a small, childish part of him longed to see her again, to know why she had left him as she had. He had assumed she had secretly gotten sick of him over their quest despite her warm, maternal attitude, but now whenever he looked at Aria and saw the trust and warmth radiating at him from her large, blue eyes, he questioned the validity of that theory because he certainly couldn’t fathom leaving Aria in a similar way.
Saria was honestly a gift from the Goddesses themselves, he didn’t want to imagine how he would have turned out without her presence growing up. She had always stuck by him, always loved him something resembling a proper mother, no matter how much time passed, regardless of his unnatural lack of a guardian fairy that had caused the other Kokiri to shun him over time in his youth. He felt guilty for not visiting her more often after all she had done for him, but he only had so much time free from his obligations and it only felt right to spend the lion’s share of that time with his family. Saria understood and didn’t fault him for it, she always did, but her understanding only fed further into his guilt.
He tried to follow her example as best as he could when it came to raising his daughter, but some days he wondered if he was too lax on her. But the thought of raising his voice or reprimanding her like he was prone to do to incompetent recruits simply rankled him. Hopefully it wasn't required, Talon had never yelled or raised a hand against Malon and she had turned out perfectly fine after all. That was unfortunately the only example of healthy fatherhood he had personally witnessed. Not like he could ask that lovable slacker for parenting advice now, the older man having passed away several years ago, bless his sleep-loving heart.
With camp set and a fire lit at the centre, he stood up, rolled the aching kinks in his shoulders, and strolled back to where his daughter was trying to wrangle another bass into the bucket with a sour look. Banishing the dour thoughts from his mind, he patted her on the back to announce his returned presence.
“Watch and learn, sweetie.” Link cracked his knuckles, reaching for his rod once more. “This is how you really fish. We’ll be eating loach in no time.”
Aria scoffed dismissively. “Pfft, as if.”
He tried, and failed, not to be too smug when he caught a loach on his first attempt.
The rest of the day passed quickly, with a loach secured they fished a bit longer for fun and tossed any other catches back into the lake. Aria failed to catch a loach of her own, but she promised vengeance against him later when she secured a catch that made his own look miniscule in comparison. Naturally, he wished her the best of luck, which only seemed to enrage her further for some reason.
They strolled around aimlessly on the horses for a bit, taking in the sights and simply enjoying the rare chance to spend time together in such a setting. Eventually nightfall arrived, so they went back to camp and got to work on preparing dinner. Well, Link prepared dinner, Aria was disgusted by the thought of gutting the fish and excused herself with the excuse of brushing the horses.
It was during dinner that things changed for the worse.
Link swallowed his last bit of fish and swallowed it down with a bottle of milk Malon had packed for them. Wiping his mouth with his sleeve in a decidedly un-knightly manner—not like any stuck up nobles were here to judge him—he stared at Aria with a raised brow, having noticed she had barely touched her skewer of fish. “Sweetheart, it tastes better when you chew it instead of looking at it.”
Aria blinked, looking up from her fish skewer, having taken nothing but small nibbles. “Oh, uh…sorry.”
Link tossed his empty skewer to the ground, worried at her uncharacteristic timidity. “Hey, c’mon.” He scooted closer to her, lowering a hand to her shoulder. “What’s wrong? I thought you liked fish?”
“I do!” Aria shook her head, sending her tied hair flying about. “Sorry, just thinking about… stuff. I’ll eat it now.”
The young girl proceeded to make a poor show of pretending to be engrossed in her meal, taking large bites of her skewer and chewing it down with little passion.
Link sighed, feeling painfully out of his element. “Stop that.” He reached for the skewer, forcefully lowering it from her mouth, earning him an annoyed look. “Come now, what’s the matter? What’s this ‘stuff’ you’re thinking about?”
Aria stubbornly looked away. “Nothing.”
“Clearly it’s something,” he deadpanned. He wracked his mind for what could be ailing her and came to the most obvious conclusion. “Is it because I’m heading back soon? You really don’t need to worry, it’ll only be for a few days while the diplomats sign papers and then I can finally retire for good.”
That was a tad bit optimistic if Link was being honest, but he was genuinely hoping this would all be over soon even if his cynical side refused to believe he would ever have the chance to permanently put down his sword. After years of war and hundreds of casualties, they suddenly wanted peace? Excuse him if he was skeptical no matter what Zelda told him.
“No, it’s not that.” Aria chewed on her lip, seeming greatly reluctant to speak.
Seeing that she clearly wasn't in the mood to speak about, Link shrugged it off and began on his next skewer. If she felt like sharing, she would. Until then he wouldn't force her.
Not even a minute passed before she spoke up, whatever was on her mind clearing eating away at her until she could no longer keep it in.
"Hey, Pa?" Aria timidly began, looking up at him with eyes full of cautious hope.
Link hummed patiently. "Yes, dear?"
"Can you teach me how to fight?"
All traces of warmth vanished from his face. “What?” he asked simply, his voice as sombre as the grave as he tossed his skewer aside.
Seeing his clear displeasure, Aria rushed to justify herself. “I mean, the war’s basically over, right? You and Auntie Zelda told me yourselves. I won’t have to fight Gerudo or anything afterwards! I can stick to monsters instead. I mean, I saw some Tektites our way over here and those would be a great way to start small-”
“No.” Link’s tone was firm and unyielding. “We’ve already talked about this. Under no circumstances are you allowed to learn how to fight. You’ll stay at the farm with your mother. If you want to be independent that much, we can get you enrolled into Castle Town’s college, there are plenty of other trades you can train and study for. Ones that won’t land you in an early grave for one.”
“I don’t want to be a boring old scholar or farmer!” Aria scowled, her earlier reluctance forming into childish anger and stubbornness in an instant as she stomped her foot into the ground. “Why can’t I learn to fight like you! You go out and slay monsters all the time! I want to do that too!”
“Because I said so!” Link snarled, silencing his daughter in an instant as she leaned back in fright, her expression turning to one of shock. Throughout her life, he had raised his voice around her enough times to count on a single hand, she didn’t have the slightest clue how to react to having his direct anger levelled at her. “Enough, we’re done talking about this. Finish your food and get ready for bed.”
Aria’s lips pressed into a thin, displeased line, her eyes stinging with unshed tears as she grabbed her skewer and took large, exaggerated bites in a fit of anger and refused to look anywhere near him.
Link resisted the urge to roll his lone eye in exasperation at the sight. Children were so overdramatic. He’d let her mope, it was better that she got this out of her system now rather than later.
So much for a peaceful trip. He just hoped she would get over it by the morning.
Link awoke to the sound of Epona neighing loudly and stomping her hooves into the dirt in a panic.
A single blue eye snapped up in alarm as he sat up in an instant, his hand instinctively reaching for the sheathed sword by his side before he could form a single thought.
He palmed nothing but empty air.
With his head snapping to the side, his worry intensified when he saw that his sword was nowhere in sight. Cursing under his breath, he turned to where Aria was curled up asleep next to him. “Aria, where’s my-”
The bed roll beside him was empty.
His daughter and sword were both missing. He quickly put two and two together.
“Aria!” he screamed as he pushed through the opening of the tent. He looked around the lake in a panic, nothing but the deathly silence of the night answering the desperate father’s cries. “Aria, where are you!?”
Epona strolled up to him, nudging his chest with enough force to leave him stumbling, which was just enough to ground him back to reality. “Epona, did you see where they went!?” he asked the uncannily intelligent equine. The loud snort he received in return was answer enough. He climbed over her saddle in record time, his heart hammering in his chest. “Go on, girl, lead me to them.”
Epona bolted off to find their children, as nimble and strong as when he had first ridden her in that ruined timeline when they’d both been in the prime of their lives. As the wind whipped past his face, his mind raced with questions.
How far was she? Was she injured? Why in the world would she take his sword and sneak off like this?
He was never a devout man after everything he had gone through in the name of destiny, but for the first time in his life he whispered a prayer to the goddesses under his breath that his daughter was safe.
Epona led him to the edge of the entrance to Lake Hylia, where a chestnut stallion was stomping around in a panic. With Mido located, Aria wouldn’t be far. As she led him closer, his trained eye scanned the darkness in haste, spotting a familiar set of copper hair a short distance away, along with the sound of panicked screaming.
He didn’t even bother nudging Epona forward, choosing in his panicked state to jump out of the saddle mid-gallop to race forward on his own two feet with a speed he hadn’t achieved since his youth, the aching pains in his aged joints going ignored.
Aria was surrounded by several Tektites, the unnaturally large insectoid monsters hopping around and forcing the girl to ungracefully dodge out of the way to avoid getting pinned under their weight. She was holding his sword in an unpractised grip, the longsword meant for a grown man dragging uselessly on the ground as she struggled to hold its weight.
She clumsily attempted a swing with both hands wrapped around the pommel, the blade rising from the ground and completely missing its intended target as the Tektite closest to her simply hopped backwards to avoid the amateur blow. Without a target to embed itself in, the swing continued its course, dragging Aria with it as it forced her body into a half-spin and planted itself into the ground, leaving her back completely exposed to her attackers.
The Tektites were quick to take advantage of her inexperienced mistake. One of them hopped forward, pouncing on her back and forced her to the ground. Aria’s face hit the floor, only narrowly avoiding slicing her throat against the blade underneath her. The Tektite’s four spindly legs landed on the ground and surrounded her like a cage, the monster’s red eye glowing ominously as it prepared to sink its fangs into the easy prey wriggling futilely beneath it.
Link didn’t give it the chance, he leapt into the fray without hesitation. The Tektite startled above Aria as he appeared, but it was too slow to react as Link’s boot struck it directly in the eye with a running kick, rupturing the sensitive organ instantly and launching its body off the girl with a spray of dark green blood that stained his cheek.
The remaining two Tektites reacted quickly, hopping over its fallen ally with little regard as they went directly for the new threat. Link weaved to the side as a Tektite pounced at him, grabbing one of its legs tightly and using the momentum of its jump to spin around with its body in tow and slam it into its friend with punishing force. The carapace of the Tektite in his hands cracked under the force of the blow, leaving it defenceless as Link dropped it to the ground and savagely stomped it to the death until its soft innards were strewn about among the grass.
The sole remaining Tektite was knocked onto its back from the previous blow, its thin legs frantically waving in the air as it tried to flip itself. Kneeling down, Link swiftly ripped his sword out of Aria’s petrified hands and marched over to sink the blade into the soft belly of the beast. The Tektite’s legs stiffened, until it went lax entirely as life slowly left it.
Link breathed in and out in harsh, uneven breaths, his hand shaking around the bloodied blade. He’d been in far worse fights over the decades, but it felt like ages since his heart had been so rattled and full of panic.
“Aria,” he slowly murmured, forcing his breathing back to normal as he turned around to where his daughter was still laid prone on the ground. “Are you alright?”
Slowly and shakily, Aria rose to her feet and faced him. He grimaced at the large, angry bruise on her forehead, but she was thankfully unharmed outside of that. “Uh…” Tears of fright were streaming down her cheeks that she hastily wiped away. She was unable to meet his gaze, eyeing the ground as if hoping it would swallow her up and bring her anywhere but here. “Yeah, yeah, I’m okay.”
Link closed his eye and breathed out in relief. “Good.”
The Goddesses had answered his prayer. His daughter was safe, slightly bruised but otherwise unharmed.
The worry that had been eating away at his chest slowly faded.
And then the anger came; blazing, suffocating, and smothering anger.
Link marched forward, drawing a flinch from his daughter when he was suddenly glaring down at her up close. “What was that!? What in Din’s name was that!? Are you trying to get yourself killed!?” he roared, anger and worry mixing together to form an ugly cocktail of emotions in his chest that led to him looming over his daughter’s bruised and shaking form with a furious snarl. “What were you thinking!? How could you be so reckless!? If I was even a second late then you would be dead right now!”
“I- I was just…“ she hiccupped. “I was just trying to be like you!”
“Like me!? Like-“ Link tilted his head up to unleash an enraged groan to the sky. “What part of running off alone and almost getting yourself killed like a fool is anything like me!?”
“You kill monsters all the time! I just wanted you to know that I could do the same too, so you’d finally teach me!” She shrieked back, defiance overcoming her fear as she angrily stomped the ground. “I don’t wanna be a boring farmer like Ma for my entire life, Pa! I wanna see the world! I wanna fight monsters! I wanna be a hero just like you-“
Whatever she was about to say next was cut off as a scarred hand viciously struck her cheek, the sound of flesh impacting against flesh filling the clearing as the young girl was sent stumbling backwards from the force of the blow, landing on her back. Aria froze, slowly lifting a hand to her reddened cheek in pained disbelief.
A beat of shocked silence passed the now deadly quiet clearing.
Link recovered first.
He knelt down and tightly grabbed Aria’s wrist with his free hand, forcefully yanking her upwards until she was forced to sit up and meet his gaze directly. “You’re going to drop this nonsense. You will stay at the farm, you will study, do your chores, and forget all about wanting to fight.” His voice grew colder and quieter by the word as he towered over her with a cold, seething expression. “And you will never, ever be like me. Do you understand me?”
With fresh tears streaming down her cheeks, Aria sniffled and looked away.
His grip on his sword tightened audibly. “Aria!” Dropping her wrist, he grabbed her by the collar of her dress and shook her harshly. “Do you understand!?”
“I understand!” Aria sobbed out, trembling. “I understand…”
Bit by bit, Link’s tense shoulders loosened. “Good, that’s… good.” He sighed, a heavy and exhausted sound as he released her. “Let’s just get back to camp.”
They travelled back to camp in a suffocating silence, dismounting off their horses once they had reached the lake. Aria had wordlessly crawled into their shared tent without a single glance at him. For once he cursed his keen sense of hearing, hearing his little girl cry herself to sleep pained him more than the haunting shriek of a Redead or jagged blade of a Lizalfo ever could.
He wanted to go in there, to apologise, to promise that he would never hurt her again, and to hold her in his arms like he did whenever she crawled into his and Malon’s bed for comfort during stormy nights.
But he didn’t do any of that.
Instead, he laid down on the cold, hard ground next to the tent and curled up into a miserable ball with his sheathed sword held to his chest like a safety blanket; like he had often done when he was a child himself. He couldn’t bring himself to face her, to see the hurt and fear in her eyes again knowing that it was directed at him.
He laughed bitterly into the empty air. The wielder of the Triforce of Courage wasn’t even brave enough to go comfort his distraught daughter. What a sick joke. The Goddesses were surely laughing at him now, more so than usual.
Epona and Mido were resting closeby, the former butting her head harshly into her son’s midsection to push him around. A reprimand of her own for his part in Aria’s stunt, no doubt. He tuned the sight and sounds out as he sunk into his own misery.
He didn’t know what to do now. Aria wanted to be like him? He didn’t want a life of hardship for her, the thought of her bright and happy eyes being as dull and lifeless as his own were at her age would break him. He wanted her to be happy, that’s all he wanted now.
“You…What makes you…happy? I wonder...What makes you happy...Does it make...others happy, too?”
Happiness was no longer a foreign concept to him. While the past weighed on him as it always would, there had been innocent years with Malon at Lon Lon Ranch that had healed him by degree, patchwork bandages over a ragged wound beyond sealing. It had stemmed the bleeding and he had been truly happy but now he felt as if it had always been a lie, a jest by cruel fate to play him the fool in thinking the past was behind him. He had been overjoyed at the birth of their daughter, crying tears of joy as he held her tiny wailing form for the first time in his shaking hands. He had foolishly hoped that happiness would last for the rest of his life, a reward from the Golden Goddesses themselves for his service to Hyrule.
But it was not to be. The Gerudo had wanted retribution for their exiled king that those fools that called themselves sages had failed to properly execute. He had never wanted to pick up a sword again; not after Termina. However, the incoming war would engulf the nation and it demanded action. He wasn’t able to prevent the massive loss of innocent life that had occurred on both sides, all he could do was minimise it to the best of his ability.
His closest friend and liege, Queen Zelda, had quietly knighted him with a sad, defeated expression very early in his military career. The two of them knew that his chances of returning to his family life after the war, a life he had fought so hard for, were...slim at best.
“Your friends... What kind of... people are they? I wonder... Do those people... think of you... as a friend?”
Sleep continued to elude him as he laid under the blank canvas of the cold, dark night sky. The moon shone brightly despite his dour mood, mocking him with its brilliant glow, much like how he could still picture those furious amber eyes and the crazed scowl in phantom moments across its skin.
What was he supposed to do now? Teach her how to fight so she could follow in his footsteps like she wished to? Or perhaps deny her dreams and allow her a peaceful, if uneventful, life in the tranquil ranch? Should he lead her into a life of pain with his blessings as she wanted or force her into a life of peace even if it cost him her eternal ire?
Which choice was the right one?
“The right thing… What is it? I wonder… If you do the right thing… Does it really make… everybody… happy?”
Suddenly desperate to escape his own thoughts, he rose. Trotting over to the lake and taking a knee, he stared deeply at his reflection in the water. His hand, calloused from years of battle and farm work alike, gently ghosted over the face in the water.
The image in the water rippled to that of a frightened Deku scrub who had perished alone and afraid at a tragically young age.
To a proud Goron warrior whose inability to protect his people had haunted him more than his own death.
To a peaceful Zora musician who had been cruelly denied the joys of parenthood.
And finally, to a naïve blond child with broken blue eyes who had been forced to grow up far, far too early.
"Your true face... What kind of... face is it? I wonder... The face under the mask... Is that... your true face?”
The reflection slowly rippled back to his present appearance of a tired and one-eyed Hylian knight with a bloodied cheek. Was this it? Was this his true face? A ‘hero’ whose deeds would be forgotten about like they had never even happened? A glorified killer with medals on his chest? A father who beat his own daughter for the crime of wanting to be just like him?
He didn’t get any sleep that night.
The admission of guilt didn’t come immediately when Link and Aria came home in the morning. Instead, it came late in the day right after an unusually sombre dinner, after Aria had quietly excused herself to her room under the excuse of feeling tired, a bandage wrapped around her bruised temple.
“What happened?” Malon asked simply as she took their plates and began to wash them in the sink.
Still seated at the kitchen table, Link stiffened in dread. After a moment of silence, he bowed his head shamefully. “I hit her.”
Malon paused, the dish she was holding hovering uselessly mid-air. “Oh,” she said in lieu of a response, not quite knowing how to take that. She tapped the counter with an index finger in a steady rhythm, her voice going cold as she turned to face him. “You hit our daughter?”
Under his wife’s scathing glare, Link felt like Ganon himself was towering over him at the moment. “I- not the bruise, I slapped her because of what caused the bruise. It’s…a long story.”
Malon stared at him for a moment longer, before huffing and turning back to the sink to scrub the dishes with furious motions. “Okay, so what happened? What made you, Mr. ‘Emote Once a Day in His Childhood’ furious enough that you would do that?”
Link frowned. “She said she wanted to be like me.” He went silent for a beat. “And then she snuck off in the middle of the night, stole my sword, and tried to fight a group of monsters alone to try to impress me when I said no.”
Malon’s scrubbing halted. “Ah.” Her voice turned a note softer in realisation. “That bruise on her forehead…”
“One of them managed to knock her to the ground,” Link grimly explained. “It was close to biting out the back of her neck out before I kicked it away.”
Malon raised a hand to her mouth in horror. “Goddesses…”
He couldn’t blame her. The memory of their daughter, their baby, the light of their lives almost getting mauled to death by some horrible monsters made him want to double down and vomit. He was quick to anger yesterday with Aria because he had been so close to having a breakdown from the sheer panic he was feeling the entire time.
“I- ugh, at least you were there to save her.” Malon shook her head, giving a pointed look to the seat Aria had just been seated at only a few minutes ago, picking at her vegetables with a frown like usual. “So, I’m guessing she failed to impress the mighty Hero of Time?”
Link’s face twisted in exasperation at the horrid title he was stuck with. Malon really did like to get under his skin with that one, sometimes he regretted ever sharing that bit with her. “If flailing a sword around and almost tripping on your own feet in panic is what you call impressive, then I’m the most impressed man in all of Hyrule.”
Malon clicked her tongue. “Cut the squirt some slack, not every ten-year old is the reincarnation of a hero chosen by the Goddesses himself.”
The old oak chair that the heavy weight of his dearly departed father-in-law had worn down over the decades creaked as Link leaned back with a heavy sigh. “Honestly, I just don’t get why she’s so obsessed about the whole thing, even with the war going on. I didn’t care about swords or fighting at her age, far from it.”
“Well, Aria grew up with a basement stuffed full of weapons and magical knick-knacks; can’t blame the girl for developing a slight interest.” She tilted her head in consideration. “Maybe if Saria juggled swords or something when you were a lad you’d have been more eager for the whole hero thing.”
Link snorted in amusement. “Or more likely I would have lost my eye a lot earlier.”
Malon abandoned the dishes in favour of drying the water and soap-suds off her hands with a dry towel. She walked over to the other side of the kitchen to wrap her arms around her husband’s tense shoulders and rest her chin on top of his head. “Are you still angry at her?”
Link sighed, leaning backwards into her gentle touch. “I stopped being angry halfway back to camp,” he admitted. “I’m just scared. You know what fighting at her age did to me.”
“I know.” Malon’s grip on his hand tightened.
Of course she knew. They had been inseparable in their adolescence and she had witnessed first-hand how broken his adventure at Termina had left him, with him waking up screaming most nights and hiding away from things as plain as the sight of the moon and fireworks.
“I just…” Link swallowed, his throat feeling dry and clammy. “I don’t know how to get her to stop. She’s already hurt herself, and would have even died if I hadn’t arrived on time.”
Malon was silent for a moment, and when she spoke her voice was quiet and measured. “Maybe you shouldn’t try to stop her.”
Link shoved her arms aside, standing up to look at her in abject horror. “Malon, you can’t be serious!” He shook his head, anger flooding him at the very thought. “She’s a child! We can’t let her fight, can’t let her walk into danger or-”
Malon raised her arms to calm him. “I’m not saying you should go take her monster hunting and whatnot.” Her eyes softened. “Our little girl’s growing up, she won’t be a little one forever. If she wants to be a warrior when she grows up, then there’s not much we can do to stop her.”
Link said nothing, marching back and forth across the floorboards in an agitated pace.
“I wanted to go out in the world too when I was her age; go on adventures around the world, taste the finest food, and even meet a handsome knight that would sweep my off my feet.” Her eyes lidded mischievously. “At least I got that last one.”
Link huffed, his cheeks heating up for a moment. “That’s not the same.”
Malon cocked her head at him, placing her hands on her hips. “Sounds like it to me. Some kids want more than just peace, hun. They want adventure! They want to get out there and make their mark on the world.” She emphasised her point by swinging an arm widely. “You spent half your childhood feeling like an outsider in your own home and then spent the other half fighting monsters three times your size and saving the world. The quiet life was a reward for you. But for our girl? It’s the only life she’s ever known. She wants more than that.”
“What if she gets hurt?” Link stopped and quietly asked, his voice a fragile whisper.
“Then at least she’ll know she’ll have a warm home and a pair of worried old coots back home to look after her.” Malon squeezed his arm reassuringly. “Yeah, it scares the crap out of me, but that’s life. She’ll get hurt, make mistakes, and then hopefully she’ll learn from them and know how to avoid getting hurt in the future. All we can do is prepare her the best we can. And to be honest, I’d feel a lot better if I knew she can defend herself whenever we’re not there.”
Link sighed, his shoulders loosening as he drew his wife into a tight hug. “I- I see your point. I don’t like it at all, but I’ll think about it.”
Malon hummed, her red hair tickling his cheek as she buried her head into the crook of his shoulder. “That’s all I ask.” She withdrew herself to give him a quick peck on the lips, before giving him a light shove to send him off upstairs while she finished up with cleaning. “Now go, shoo. You’d better come up with a way to make up with her before heading off back to that fancy castle.”
Link raised a hand to his head in a mock-salute, a rare unguarded smile reaching his lips. “Yes, ma’am.”
They didn’t really sell cards in Castle Town saying ‘Sorry for smacking you in the face that one time’. Instead, he had to get creative with his apology. It couldn’t be something simple that could be bought from the shops, it had to be something straight from the heart.
So, while his wife worked the farm like usual and his daughter moped in her room, he toiled away inside the work shed all day. The perfect gift for Aria had not taken very long to decide on. He had been conflicted regarding the nature of the gift, knowing what it would signify to her. But his mind was set now, all he could do was hope for the best.
Malon was right, he couldn’t force her to walk the path he wanted, the path of peace and safety. She would grow up and find her own way one day regardless of his wishes, all he could do was try to walk it alongside her if she allowed him to.
Being a soldier, a husband, and a father were all things he was but didn’t quite know if he was good at. But woodworking? That was at least one thing he knew he was good at.
He was sorting through the saddlebags on Epona when finally worked up the nerve to approach Aria. The treaty signing was scarcely a day away and Castle Town was a few hours' ride from the ranch. He wouldn’t be able to stay for much longer. No doubt Zelda would also force him to wear that ridiculous set of ornamental armour that was expected of knights at formal events. The horns were just so gaudy and pointless, there were some things about nobility that would forever elude him no matter how much time he spent surrounded by Hyrule’s high society.
Aria was brushing Mido when he found her in the barns, her back turned to the door and unaware of her father awkwardly standing a few feet away with a bundle in his hands. He certainly didn’t feel like the wielder of the Triforce of Courage with how his feet felt chained on the ground. He turned his head, sending a pleading look to Malon through the window of their home and received a cross, expectant look in return.
Sighing, he stepped forward and cleared his throat. “Aria?”
Aria stiffened at the sound of his voice, slowly turning around with an uncomfortable expression. It tore at his chest knowing he was the cause of it, but that was why he was here in the first place.
“Can you come here? There’s something I’d like to talk to you about?” he gently requested.
She didn’t seem pleased at the sudden turn of events, but slowly approached him anyway, carefully, like she expected him to slap her again at random. That hurt a little more than he’d like to admit.
“I know that you’re still upset about what happened the other day.” That was an understatement, she had yet to speak more than two words at him yet after a whole day. “I’ll be leaving soon, so I just wanted to clear things up.”
Aria said and did nothing, her eyes fixed to the floor and away from him.
Link sighed. “Do you know why I lashed out at you like that?” He coughed. “Well, aside from almost getting your head bitten off by a giant bug anyway.”
“I know,” Aria muttered, speaking up at last in a defeated, dejected tone. “It’s because I’m a girl.”
Link blinked, his line of thought going completely askew. “What.” It wasn’t truly a question, simply a declaration of shock. “I- where in the name of Nayru did you get that from?”
Aria’s mouth twisted. “Don’t make fun of me, Pa.”
Link paused, mouth agape in shock. “You…” A startled bark of laughter escaped his mouth. “You actually thought that of all things was the reason I didn’t want you to be like me? Because you’re a girl?”
Aria sullenly stared down at her feet, a frown crossing her expression.
He suddenly felt like the biggest jackass in all of Hyrule right now. “Oh, sweetie, no, no, no. That’s not it at all.” He knelt to meet her at eye-level, gently nudging her chin up with a finger. “Hey, look at me. Where did this nonsense come from?”
“Girls can’t fight, they’re too weak and dainty for fighting,” Aria sniffled. “That’s why all the soldiers in the army are men. The boys in Kakariko Village told me that.”
A single blue eye rolled in annoyance. “Well, then the boys in Kakariko Village are a bunch of little idiots. Some of the strongest people I’ve ever known in my life were women. Your mother could lift me up over her head and throw me out a window anytime she felt like it. And have you ever fought a Gerudo? I have and let me tell you that it’s a terrifying experience. That’s not even mentioning your Auntie Zelda.”
Aria huffed dismissively. “Auntie Zelda lives in a big, fancy castle with guards, she doesn’t know how to fight.”
Oh, if only she knew.
“I wouldn’t say that, she’s got quite the large selection of spells underneath those puffy, silk sleeves of hers.” His mind warped back to a morose youth in Sheikah gear who had the most unfortunate method of leaving a conversation. It was a miracle he had saved Hyrule the first time around without going blind in the process. “And a right terror with deku nuts if she ever gets her hands on them.”
“So…” Aria looked at him, looking more curious than uncertain now. “If girls can fight, then why can’t I?”
Right, they would be doing this now.
Link took a deep breath, feeling just as nervous as the time he had fought a dragon or so-called King of Evil. “It’s… a very long story, sweetheart. Do you remember those times I mentioned fighting at your age?” At her nod of confirmation, he continued. “Well, I wasn’t exaggerating. When I was your age, I was fighting giant spiders, wolves, and monsters of all kinds of size and shapes.”
As he spoke, Aria dropped her earlier apprehension entirely. Her eyes shone with clear interest as they would whenever her mother or grandfather would regale her with tales of adventure as she hung onto his every word in fascination.
He’d have to get rid of that quickly. “When it was over, I would wake up screaming almost every day and sometimes even be unable to say a single word for some days. Food and drink lost all sense of flavour. I was tired all the time and just getting out of bed in the mornings to take a walk was too much most of the time. I wasn’t living, it was like I was undead myself.” He sighed. “If it wasn’t for your mother and Auntie Zelda, I would have eventually withered away to nothing. For years, they took care of me through all the nightmares and bad days until I could regain the strength to stand up by myself again.”
Aria stared up at him with something close to morbid fascination, never having heard of this side of her father that he had worked so painstakingly hard to hide from her when she was younger. A parent needed to be a pillar of support, unyielding and strong, not weak and fragile like he truly was on the inside. A pang of shame coursed through him that she now knew and was burdened by the truth, but it was too late to take it back.
“You had nightmares?” Aria asked in a small voice.
He bobbed his head slowly. Calling them nightmares almost felt like simplifying it, they were so much more than that. They were reminders, mental wounds that haunted him with Ganon’s snarling visage and Majora’s terrifying eldritch aura plaguing his thoughts and reminding him of all he had lost. He still had no clue how he had survived so much over the years, but it certainly left its mark on both his body and mind.
“Oh.” Aria said simply. “Um, I…I had a nightmare last night.”
“Oh?” Link knew that problem well enough. Pity wasn’t something he had ever appreciated whenever he opened up about it to Malon or Zelda, but an open ear certainly always helped. He already had a good idea of what it was, but it was up to her to tell him about it if she was comfortable. “What was it about?”
Aria grasped the hem of her dress, clenching and unclenching it unconsciously. “It was back at the lake. I can’t stop thinking about those… things . They knocked me over but you weren’t there that time, so they…they-”
Link raised a hand to stop her, partly so he didn’t have to hear the rest. “You don't have to continue, I understand. I know it must seem silly, but it’s natural. You went through something terrible, it’s not something that just leaves your mind even if you’re safe now.”
Aria scowled. “I know. I just- Agh!” She kicked a stray pebble in frustration. “I had it all planned out, y’know? I was gonna kill some monsters with your sword to show you that I could and then you’d train me properly. Then they got close and I just… I just wimped out.”
Link leaned forward, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Can I be honest with you? There’s something I’ve been keeping a secret for years now, even from your mother.” Aria’s face scrunched up in confusion for a moment, but she was quick to nod in curiosity. “When I’m out there fighting, I’m scared all the time.”
Aria blinked up at him disbelievingly. “Really?” She shook her head, red pigtails whipping about. “Nuh uh! You fight monsters all the time!”
“I do, and every time was as terrifying as the last. I’m not invincible, as you can clearly see,” He reached up to tap his eyepatch in demonstration, drawing a wince from his daughter. “There have been so, so many times that I’ve been in a fight that I thought would have been my last. It’s honestly a miracle I’ve made it this far. Even then, the thought of dying, of leaving you and your mother alone? It scares me. I hate picking up my sword and leaving home, never knowing if it will be the last time I see either of you.”
Aria looked shocked at the confession, looking down at the wooden sword in her hands with a new perspective. She was still so young, Link realised with a pain in his chest, still so innocent and clueless about the world. He’d prefer if she stayed that way forever, to never have to know such a pain, but life could be cruel and merciless and that was something everyone had to learn one day. He just hoped Aria could handle it better than he had at her age.
“Were you scared?” he asked. “Back when you fought those monsters? Did it scare you when they got up close and you realised how dangerous they really were?”
Aria stiffened at the question, averting her eyes from his in favour of eyeing a small band of ants marching through the dew-covered grass. After a moment, she slowly nodded her head with an ashamed expression. “Yeah...”
“Good.”
Aria’s head whipped up in shock. “What?”
“It’s a good thing that you were afraid. You can’t be brave without being scared first.” He nodded sagely. “A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage.”
Privately, he sent Zelda a quiet word of thanks for forcing all those etiquette lessons on him after being knighted. There was no way he could have worded that well a decade ago. He almost sounded like he actually knew what he was doing.
“Now that you’ve gotten a taste of my life and how dangerous it is, is it still something you want to pursue?” he asked.
Aria chewed on her upper lip for a moment as she contemplated the question, then nodded once. “I do.” She straightened up, a determined glint in her eyes as she balled her hands into fists. “You and Ma have been protectin’ me for so long. I wanna protect you both one day as well. I can’t do that if I can’t even beat a bunch of dumb bugs.”
Link digested her words in a thoughtful silence. He noted that she was now tall enough for her head to reach his elbows. When did she get so tall? It felt like only a short while ago when she barely came up to his knees and constantly outstretched her arms up at him for a lift. He felt pride and sadness in equal measures to her so grown up, knowing she relied on him and Malon less and less every day.
Maybe that was part of being a parent too, accepting the inevitable pain of one day saying goodbye and watching your children grow to no longer need you. The Great Deku Tree and Navi’s respective last words too him had been tinged with such regret and sadness despite their warmth, and even now Saria’s eyes were full of melancholy whenever she looked at his towering form, so different from the little boy who would go to her for comfort whenever he scraped a knee while playing.
Link bowed his head, resigned to her wishes. “I understand. Even if I don’t want that for you, this is your life and only you can decide what’s best for you. But…” He presented her the covered bundle in his hands. “If you really want to be like me, then it’s best that I teach you how. I certainly know that I could have used a proper teacher at your age.”
Aria eyed the bundle nervously, glancing up to him once and relaxing at the warm smile he gave in response. She slowly reached forward, his worn, calloused hands dwarfing her tiny, delicate ones as she took the bundle. She removed the sheet, a tiny gasp escaping her as a small wooden sword perfectly sized for her was revealed.
Link smiled down at her nervously. “I know, I know, it’s not a real sword like you wanted. But we can get you real steel after you learn how to properly-”
His words were cut off as Aria tackled him, wrapping a single arm around his neck in a tight hug with the other fiercely cradling the sword to her chest. “Thank you, Pa! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
His lips stretched out into a rare, large smile as he gently returned the hug with both arms. “Well, I’m glad you like it.” He chuckled. “But listen, this isn’t a gift, Aria. This is a responsibility. If you want to be a warrior, then you’ll have to work hard for it. I promise to teach you everything I know, but it won't be easy.”
Aria detached from him, nodding excitedly as she looked down at her ‘sword’ with glee. “I know, I know! I'll word hard, I promise.”
“We’ll get up every morning at the crack of dawn to train, it’s important to keep a consistent schedule to steel your discipline. It won’t just be sword training we’ll be doing, we’ll also run exercise drills to raise your strength and stamina. That’s how we do it in the army and that’s how we’ll do it here.” His voice turned stern. “You’ll still have to keep up with your chores on top of that, miss a single day and I’m taking that sword away.”
Aria’s smile slowly faded into a horrified expression with every word, only now realising the true extent of what she had signed herself up for. “Uh…”
Amused, Link raised an eyebrow. “What? You didn’t think this would be all adventure and slaying monsters, did you?”
“Um, no!” Aria answered back, clearly lying. “I’ll do all that stuff, just ya watch.”
Link grunted. “You’d better after all this drama. Don’t think you’re getting off scot-free for what happened back at Lake Hylia. We’ll talk about that more when I get back from Castle Town.”
“You’re leaving now?” Aria asked in surprise.
He nodded. “I just need to finish packing. Don’t want to keep your Auntie Zelda waiting on a day as important as tomorrow.”
Aria pouted, her cheeks puffing up as she sadly looked down at her sword. “Oh…”
Despite himself, the pitiful sight made him freeze. He repressed a sigh, already knowing he would get an earful from Zelda later for arriving at the last minute.
He flicked her on the nose, smiling down at her cheekily as she recoiled and looked up at him in surprise. “Stop pouting. Wait here for a moment.” He walked over to the shed and retrieved the second, slightly larger, training sword he had crafted beforehand in preparation for this moment. At Aria’s giddy expression, he stopped at a respectful distance across her and playfully twirled it around with well-practised finesse. “I suppose I can sacrifice a few more minutes, might as well get you started before I leave." He pointed the tip of the sword towards her in challenge." Alright, show me what you got, oh daughter of mine.”
Aria raised her sword over her shoulder and rushed him with a delighted cry of war. “You’re going down, old man!”
Laughter filled the fields of their home as they tussled, Link forgoing all the marital skill he had accrued over his experienced lifetime in favour of swinging his sword in wide, telegraphed movements that even a Moblin would find sloppy. Aria tittered in delight, easily evading his strikes and peppering him with a flurry of amateur stabs to the chest with her own wooden sword held in an unsteady grip that had him staggering backwards with a hand to the chest and an exaggerated death cry on his lips.
There was so much to teach her, to mould, refine. But the mask of the infamously strict general that terrorised the royal army’s freshest recruits for the most minor of mistakes wouldn’t be present today, for there would be no masks worn today. Today, he wore the genuine, happy face of a father playing with his child and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Through the window of their modest cottage, Malon looked upon the sight of her husband and daughter with a proud smile. Laughing to herself, she turned and gave them some privacy for their special moment.
If only he had known that it would be the last time they would be together, then he would have stayed for even longer.
The peace talks had been a sham, nothing but an attempt to strike down Zelda out of a desperate need for revenge. He hadn’t hesitated to jump to his closest friend’s defence, cutting swathes of Gerudo down to keep her safe.
But there were too many, the rest of the guards were quickly overwhelmed by their sheer skill.
Perhaps in his prime he could have taken them all, but he was older now, slower, and only had half his vision. That didn’t stop him from fighting with every fibre of his being though, unleashing nearly every single technique, tool, and magical spell he had gathered over the decades. By the time he had taken half of them down, the survivors were warily circling around him in the blood-soaked throne room with their weapons drawn as if he was a dangerous animal backed up against the wall. He had responded by tiredly lifting his now chipped and bloodied longsword up to his shoulder and charging at them with a furious roar, Zelda flinging spell after spell behind him.
They hadn’t fought together in decades—technically never, in her case—but they fought like a well-oiled machine nonetheless. Perhaps it was instinct, perhaps it was the reincarnated spirits within them synchronising from past experiences, but whatever it was overwhelmed their attackers.
But his luck and skill had finally run its course.
As the last of the Gerudo fell, so did he, having taken a scimitar through his breastplate that had been meant for the queen. A particularly strong strike to the face had shattered his helmet’s faceplate, unveiling his pained and tired expression to the world.
Zelda was kneeling next to his bloodied form, her regal white and pink formal dress splattered with blood and her priceless crown askew on her head. She was desperately shaking his limp shoulders and screaming for a medic as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Zelda… Malon… Aria…
Zelda, a more loyal and patient friend than he had ever deserved. She had worked so tirelessly to heal his fractured mind after all the horrors he had faced in his youth. He would have never known the happiness of a family without her assistance.
Malon, the love of his life, who had shown him a life outside of the misery he lived as Hyrule’s hero and had given him more happiness than he had ever thought possible.
Aria, his little girl. He would have given the world for her, but now would never get to hold her, to train her, to tell her how much he loved her and how happy she made him.
It wasn’t fair.
He coughed, soiling his golden armour and Zelda’s dress with more splotches of crimson blood, his vision darkening as her terrified expression began to blur.
He had done everything that the Goddesses had demanded of him; he had defeated Ganondorf, he had saved Termina, he had sacrificed his own life to keep the queen who held Hylia’s blood safe. Why did they have to take away the only shred of happiness he had received from his service?
It wasn’t… fair…
He would never get to grow old with Malon, now doomed to live the lonely life of a widow with a child to raise single-handedly.
He would never get to pass his skills onto Aria as he had promised on their last meeting, to watch her grow from a child to an accomplished grown woman.
He would never get to hold his grandchildren and simply bask in the peace he had sacrificed so much of himself for in his twilight years.
Never.
Never.
Never.
It wasn’t…
… fair…
…
A Moblin was sprawled down on the ground, its throat messily ripped out as it gurgled its last, desperate breath before going still. The forgotten Hero of Time stood over its corpse and licked his bloody chops clean.
Although he had his doubts about the golden lupine form he had been ‘blessed’ with in his undeath, he couldn’t deny its effectiveness in scouting out threats. The monsters were becoming more active lately, undoubtedly a sign that the return of evil was near.
Ganondorf.
Even centuries later, the name alone drew a hateful growl from his throat. That miserable wretch couldn’t do the world a favour and just stay dead. He’d put him in the ground himself if he could, but that was out of his hands now.
Instead, it would fall to his… successor .
From the clearing he had secured, he watched, hidden away, as a small Hylian boy clad in humble and patchwork clothing stumbled out of his home, yawning with a raised hand rubbing at his eyes. He had messy dark blonde hair and eyes that were a familiar shade of blue. The spectre’s phantom heart clenched in pain at the sight of the boy.
His little Aria had born children of her own. He had missed so much, had so much stolen from him. What had she thought of him afterwards? Did she tell her children of a kind and just father? Or of an abusive and restrictive liar? He did not know, perhaps he would never know. He could not fault her if she never wished to face him again wherever she was.
Even this display couldn’t be called heartfelt, not when he knew what the boy that had his blood truly was.
Another child cursed by destiny, just as he had been.
There was so much of his beloved wife and daughter in the boy—his smile, his eyes, the boundless love he bore for his fellow villagers. It churned his stomach, knowing that fragments of himself lingered in something so pure, so good. That innocence, that light, would shatter, replaced by scars and anguish, the inevitable price for saving Hyrule and its people.
Oblivious or indifferent to the fierce glare fixed on him, the spirit of light inclined his head with respectful grace. "O' honoured hero of old, thou heir yet rests peacefully in the village of my people."
"..."
"His destiny is clear, the dangers ever-growing from afar."
"..."
"Will thou not prepare him? Will thou not train him in the ways of the hero—"
"Silence!" The wolf surged to all fours, snapping his jaws with a feral warning. The guardian spirit recoiled, startled, its glowing form flickering faintly. "Do not presume to remind me of what I already know, fool! I will ready the boy when I see fit. Not you, not Ganondorf, not even the Golden Goddesses will dictate that choice."
"What foolishness is this?" With civility shattered, Ordona’s luminous form flickered with a sharp intensity as the spirit glowered in disapproval. "This is not the way of things. Thou would place all of Hyrule in jeopardy with this reckless defiance?"
In an instant, the golden light of the spirit dissipated, retreating into the safety of the spring.
Typical. No matter how much time passed, the so-called mighty spirits of this land remained craven cowards, more skilled in urging others to action than solving their own problems.
With a frustrated huff, he dropped back onto the cool ground. His tail twitched erratically like an agitated metronome, betraying the storm of thoughts roiling within as he brooded over the spirit's words.
Oradna hadn't been wrong. He knew what he had to do, what he had stubbornly willed himself to this undead existence for, why he had refused to merge into the boy’s soul like his predecessors had. The boy would finish what he had started long ago. He would vanquish Ganondorf, receive the training he had promised Aria, and ultimately release him from the burdens that tied him to this remorseful existence.
Yet still, he would not act. Not yet. The impulse to intervene gnawed at him like an itch he couldn’t scratch, but he held firm. It was foolish, he knew, to withhold the essential training the boy needed. One day, the child would face horrors beyond imagination. He would be broken, forced to carry on by sheer will and love for his people. His kingdom. His friends. His family.
But for now, the boy was simply a child—a child who laughed with his friends, cherished his neighbours, and was cherished in turn. A child unburdened by destiny’s cruel weight. It was a life of simplicity, joy, and love. And in the boy’s bright eyes, the hero saw a happiness he himself had never known among the Kokiri.
How could he steal that? How could he snatch away this fleeting moment of peace from a child cursed by fate?
No, the divine could wait. Their schemes, their prophecies, their urgencies mattered little to him. He would let the boy grow, let him live in a world of warmth and love before forcing him to walk the lonely path of a hero. If the gods disapproved, so be it. He would sooner wander these lands as a tormented ghost for eternity than subject another innocent soul to the life he had led.
The forgotten Hero of Time, a mere shade of what he once was, laid his golden head upon his front paws. As his lone scarlet eye drifted shut, he let himself dream. Of vibrant red hair. Of the comforting scent of a home-cooked meal. Of the clash of wood against wood in playful training.