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The Legend of Zelda : Twisted Destiny	By : Gamesplayers Category: Zelda > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 5872 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda nor any of its characters, and I make no profit out of this story. Not at all.

Chapter List
- 1-The Legend of Zelda : Twisted Destiny
- 2-I
- 3-II
- 4-III
- 5-IV
- 6-V
- 7-VI
- 8-VII
- 9-VIII
- 10-IX
- 11-X
- 12-XI
- 13-XII
- 14-XIII
- 15-XIV
- 16-XV
- 17-XVI
- 18-XVII
- 19-XVIII
- 20-Showdown
- 21-Breakdown
- 14
- 15
- 16
XIV

                Letting her head fall down and her wet hair conceal her face, Tatl was sitting into the kitchen, on the floor. She had cried herself until no tears would come out again without irritating her eyes and skin so much that it would be painful. She was quiet, now, merely staring at her hands and fingers as the time flew by. A blanket that Olwen had put around her was hanging from her shoulders. She was cold, for the wind was chilly at night, into Kakariko, but she did not mind.
                Olwen was looking at her in a way that a powerless father would stare upon his heart-broken daughter as he prepared tea. He was well aware that she would, most probably, not touch the cup, but he would take a chance anyway. Tatl hadn’t eaten, drank or slept for a whole day, now, and it was worrying the Sheikah.
                But the Twili wasn’t his only source of concern, right now, as he knew that Sheik was just as afflicted as the princess from the Hero’s condition. The blond was curled up into a chair by the living room’s window, his back to the butler, and he stared outside. The weak light of the moon traced his contours into the night as he was still and unmoving.
                Olwen sighed softly as he poured the hot tea into cups. He put one on the ground beside Tatl. She moved to look at it, then went back to stare at her hands. The Sheikah butler also offered a cup to Sheik who took it, looking down, then brought it to his lips, blowing lightly into the liquid to make it cool down.
                Into the darkness and under Sheik’s ridiculously thick hair, it was hard to see, but Olwen just knew the smaller man enough to know…
                To most people, it was a legend that Sheikah’s cried blood.
                But it was very true… And that explained the dark lines going down the blond’s cheeks.
                Olwen put down a hand on Sheik’s shoulder. The blond rested his head against it as he kept looking out the window.
                Into the blond Sheikah’s mind, he had failed Link as he hadn’t been there to watch over his back when it had happened. It was his job as a friend, as a brother, as a comrade and as a tutor to watch over that kid and keep him safe.
                So now, not only was he on the edge of losing the most important person into his life; he was failing his greatest mission.
                And a Sheikah failing a mission isn’t a Sheikah anymore…
                Olwen understood that thought. He hadn’t exchanged words with the blond about that once, but he was sharing the same pattern of reasoning as being a Sheikah isn’t only a race… It tells you how you are going to live your life. And failing as a shadow was, at some point, failing at life…
                Upstairs, Nami and Zelda were sitting together into Link’s bedroom as they stared at his… Pale, unconscious body. He was breathing… And that resumed his situation. Along with the fairy’s help, Zelda had taken care of his wounds at the best of her capacities, using more white magic that her body could permit her. She was exhausted, but she wouldn’t leave his side as he could need assistance, once again.
                They had cleaned him of all that blood, but the bandages would quickly get soaked in red, so they had to change it every now and then. However, they had, in the end, succeeded to stop the hemorrhage.
                Zelda had pulled the blankets up above his wound so no one would see more than what was needed… He had, after all, Isca’s hands tattooed upon his neck into dark purple marks…
                And, Goddesses, he was pale… So pale… It was almost possible to see his veins through his skin…
                Zelda sighed and she looked down at the fairy beside her. Nami seemed tired and worried as well. The princess smiled. “I’m going to announce his condition to the others… You might as well go check on your mage and tell him that, if Link survives, it’ll be his doing.” Nami looked up at the blond woman, blushing.
-          “Y-yes.” She raised and left the room, not looking back at Zelda as she was too shy to meet that smile again.
However, the princess’ smile faded as soon as she looked down at Link. “I’ll be praying the Goddesses for you… But you have to fight. I won’t do all the work for you.” She got up. “I know that my words reach you, Link… And you must know that, from now on, only your will to live or die will decide upon which world you will wake up in… Might it be the world of the dead or the world of the living. You are the only one who can choose that…”
Sighing softly, she exited the room and closed the door cautiously behind her.
***
                The stairs creaked under Zelda’s weight as she made her way downstairs. She was welcomed by eerie silence and Tatl’s puffy, worried red eyes. The blond princess smiled softly to the Twili, just as Olwen offered her a cup of tea. She took it from him, thanking the Sheikah.
                Zelda sat down at the kitchen table. Tatl joined her. The blond woman sighed and hung her head. The Twili’s eyes widened and filled with tears that hurt her irritated skin. “What? What is it? How is he!?” She demanded as she started to panic. Zelda stared at Tatl a moment, wondering how she should phrase her concerns.
-          “… He is alive.” She said, after a moment.
-          “And?” Asked Tatl.
-          “That sums it up.” The two princesses stared at each other. But the Twili soon casted her gaze down.
-          “C-can I see him…?” Tatl’s voice was merely above a whisper as she was sinking in despair. Zelda tilted her head to the side as she studied the other woman.
-          “Right now is not a good idea… You would try to touch him and it might… Cause him more pain. And… It would hurt you more than you already are.”
-          “He is… That much-“
-          “Injured? Yes.” Zelda was running her index tip around the rim of her cup as she looked at the brownish liquid. “You should concentrate on all those times he smiled at you and you thought he looked handsome… And keep these images in your mind, for now.”
Tatl looked up at Zelda once again. They stared at each other into heavy and meaningful silence for a short moment… And then, the Twili brought her hands to her face and started sobbing. The blond looked at her as she cried and as tears rose into her own eyes. She moved into her chair to reach for Tatl and brought her into a tight hug as she cried quietly.
Olwen’s eyes trailed to the dark living room. Sheik was still there and he hadn’t move. But he knew that the Sheikah had heard everything and must have been as affected as the Twili. Yet, it seemed as if he had turned into a statue. From where Olwen was standing, all he could see was the blond’s long braid falling down the couch and onto the floor.
The silver-haired man knew that Tatl would overcome this situation because she allowed herself to live her emotions fully. However, Sheik had shut up completely… And sincerely, Olwen was way more worried for the other Sheikah than for the pregnant Twili…
***
                Nami was sitting by Erk’s bed when he finally woke up. Slowly, he sat up and looked over at her. She blushed. “I-I-I was only making sure you were fine…” She explained, looking down when he pushed the blankets down to his waist and revealed that he was shirtless.
                Erk was slim and not exactly muscular –he wasn’t- but he had a nice shape nevertheless. “Thank you.” He said. Nami jumped slightly when she heard his voice. She looked at him.
-          “You d-don’t have to thank me… We should be thanking you, in fact… If Link survives, it’ll be because you used your powers…”
-          “It is my duty as a part of this team to protect our most important piece.” His soothing violet eyes seemed to pierce through her clothes and skin. Nami looked away, unable to support that steady and wise stare.
-          “N-no… It’s… Not… Not until you exhaust yourself, at least.”
-          “If you say so.” He kept staring at her. “So you waited that I wake up to tell me this?”
-          “Y-yes!”
He stared at her as Nami wasn’t able to hold his gaze. She blushed deeply red and played nervously with the rim of her dress. She could feel her ears reddening an-
Erk chuckled.
Nami looked up sharply.
The mage was smiling. It wasn’t a large smile, but his lips were curved upwards. It was the first time he had done so since she had met with him and… He was smiling to her…! The fairy’s heart melted as her blush became more violent. “Remind me to thank you properly when all this angst will be gone and the Hero bouncing around.” Erk said.
Nami nodded and butterflies danced into her belly.
***
                Tatl’s head was placed upon her forearms and her hair was covering most of her reddened cheeks as she slept more or less peacefully onto the kitchen table. Softly, Zelda caressed her hair as she drank her third cup of tea. The princess stared out the window, into the night and into the distance. She was thinking.
                Truth be told, she was sure that Link wouldn’t wake up.
                She was persuaded that he’d let himself die: that would provide him the best way to run away from his life and responsibilities. Zelda wasn’t Link’s closest friend that was for sure… But she read the Hylian with ease: he had allowed her to understand him fully the day that he had tried to get down on her into the forest.
                Link had no intentions to become a Hero and even less to become a father. Under that smile of his, the will to run away was tickling his nerves day after day. He did not believe that he would survive the final fight, though he wanted nothing more than the promised liberty that he would get if he succeeded.
                However, death was liberty, in some way…
                And if he died right now, he would still be considered a Hero for he died while trying to save the kingdom…
                So, Zelda was wondering how to stop the evil once Link would be dead for good. Technically, the world-saving team was very well equipped to get the kingdom rid of its evil for it was made of very skilled fighters.
                However, any of them was allowed to wield the Master Sword as the blade had the pretension to choose its user (and because it had chosen Link, Zelda was sure that it was the soul of a woman that was held into that weapon).
                Along with this, Link had been chosen not only by his holy sword, but by the Goddesses… The qualifications were beginning to be hard to fill, to become the Hero of Time. She sighed: if Link embraced death… Hyrule was most probably doomed.
                Zelda turn her head to meet Olwen’s stare. He was standing in the shadows, nearby, but wasn’t concealed into it. “How did it happen?” She dared to ask, for the first time. The silver-haired Sheikah briefly looked into the living room’s direction, then seemed to sigh. Nevertheless, he decided to come and sit at the opposite side of the table.
-          “In the temple of fire, there is, at some point, a very, very long wooden bridge that goes across a gigantic pit of lava to the other side of the room.”
-          “Yes, I know the temple’s architecture well.”
-          “Well, we were engaged upon this bridge and into a totally useless group discussion. The knight had been walking behind the group for a while and acted strangely. Sheik and I doubted that he had found out about milady’s affair, but he wasn’t proving dangerous until then, so we had no reason to think that this would happen.” Explained Olwen. Zelda nodded.
-          “But you were wrong. We all were. No one would have thought that Isca was able to commit such actions.”
-          “Perhaps you didn’t think so. I was persuaded that he could.” Said he, his stare piercing. “But I was also persuaded that he was too much of a virtuous man to avenge himself with such impulsivity… Nevertheless, the Hero stayed behind as we talked to observe something. The knight took the opportunity to hit at that moment.”
-          “But Link should have seen it coming; he stabbed him in the chest.”
-          “In fact, the Hero was turning his back to him. The knight was intending to backstab him, aiming at the heart, but the messenger warned him just in time so he could turn around and… Take the blade into a lung, instead.” Explained Olwen. Zelda stared at him, then blinked.
-          “So Isca was really wishing to kill him…”
-          “That is the impression we had… And the impression became certitude when he pushed the bleeding Hero down on the bridge to wrap his hands around his throat and strangle him… With the strength he applied, I am still surprised that he didn’t break his neck.”
-          “I still can’t believe Isca did this…”
-          “Jealousy and deception is a strong weapon to any human. Had he used his rage in a rightful situation, he might have killed a dragon barehanded.” Said Olwen in an attempt to make the princess feel slightly better. He knew well that she had a severe crush on the knight. Zelda nodded.
-          “Thank you for telling me what exactly happened…”
-          “It was my pleasure.” He got up. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I will bring milady to her bed.” Zelda smiled and nodded at him.
-          “Yes, please do so.”
Olwen neared Tatl and, with incredible ease, he seized her in a bridal style and lifted her into his arms, proceeding to carry her to her bed upstairs. As he neared the stairs, he took a quick glance towards the living room to see how Sheik was doing.
And he stopped.
Sheik wasn’t there anymore.
However, he very well knew where he was.
***
                Sheik was standing by the window, pressing his back against the wall right beside it as the gloomy atmosphere of the lit candle didn’t help his feeling that he was now staring at a corpse.
                He had locked the door behind himself, making sure that no one would enter and disturb them. Him.
                He stared at Link with so much calm and stillness that it was hard to tell the difference between a statue and Sheik. He knew that his little brother wasn’t dead because Zelda had said so, and he knew the princess wouldn’t lie just to make them feel better, but besides being assured by her that he lived… Well, he looked plainly dead.
                His skin was way too pale and he was way too still… And Sheik thought that he looked cold… That was exactly why he kept as far away as possible from his body… Just to make sure he wouldn’t touch it and feel its coldness…
                Because if he did… If Link was dead… Sheik knew that he would merely fall apart and into pieces right beside that bed.
                Link was a childish brat. He got on Sheik’s nerves all the time. He hated how much the decisions he took were mostly reckless and stupid. He hated his love for pain and how he burnt himself to his dangerous games. He hated his attitude. He hated his grin. He hated his friendship.
                But he loved him twice as much as he hated him.
                They had grown up together. They had been together their entire life… And even if Link was full of himself most of the time, Sheik knew better than anyone what was hidden under this cold-hearted appearance.
                Sheik loved him as unconditionally as a parent love their child.
                He might have had a mountain and a half of flaws, Sheik also saw the ocean of qualities that these steel cold eyes held secret.
                That is exactly why the blond smiled sadly.
                And now, more than ever, he felt that he needed to talk to the dying Hylian. So he stared at him as he tried to form the words that he wanted to say… As he tried to find a way to express what a Sheikah should never mention…
                And to Hell with Sheikah dignity right now…!
                “Link…” Sheik interrupted himself: his voice seemed so strange into that room, right now. He cleared his throat. “There is a saying that… People who are unconscious can hear what you are saying anyway… So, if you ever wake up and remember this monolog, keep it to yourself, will you?” He chuckled. “Listen to me, for once…”
                Sheik crossed his arms over his chest. “I was merely thinking that… It is only under such circumstances that we tend to remember and talk. It is only when it is too late that we say what he had to… Regrets is part of anyone’s life, I am no exception.” He stared at Link. “What would I give right now to see you sit up, grin widely and shout that this was all a joke just to make me spit my heart out… I think I would kill you, though, and I wouldn’t miss.”
                He chuckled softly, bitterly. “I was remembering, reflecting, on all those years that we’ve spent together. Can you believe that I once changed your diapers?” The Sheikah smirked. “That does hurt your dignity, doesn’t it?” But the dying man didn’t move, didn’t answer. Sheik casted his eyes away. “I remember when you came to me, once, asking if I had kissed anyone before. I said no and you stared at me with big eyes. You had some gigantic eyes when you were a kid… Eyes that brought many dangers upon you, might I add…” He shook his head. “Anyway. After a while, you pushed me against a wall and kissed me. Shocked, I stared at you. You giggled and ran away. When the surprised passed, that got me laughing.” And sheik smiled under his mask.
                In fact, he felt uncomfortable to still hide himself in the presence of a half-dead Link. So he took off his mask. “No one will see me right now, anyway, and you’ve seen my face many times before. Why should I hide now that I’m spitting on my values as a Sheikah?” Link didn’t answer.
                Sheik sighed as the wind softly blew upon his face. It was a feeling that he did not often felt. “I have failed to protect you, Link. That, I will never forgive myself, for I had promised you that nothing would hurt you as long as I would be there the day that I found you, in that puddle of mud, in Castle Town.”
                “And if you die, Link, I will personally go on a hunt for that knight and kill him with my bare hands. I swear.” His eyes were fiercer than ever as his brows were furrowed in anger. But all the hatred subsided, a few instants later, as sadness was a too great feeling, right now. “However… I have to admit that you’ve been searching for this to happen… So many times I’ve told you to get your hands off of that woman… I know you love her, you really do and I can see it. But… Was it really worth risking your life?” He stared at the Hylian’s pale and still face, then shook his head. “Might you be awake, you would say that it was.”
                Sheik looked down at the floor for a moment, thinking. Then, he snorted. “I remember when you started to prostitute… I wasn’t aware of your activities and you said that you were pick pocketing nobles, which explained where all these rupees came from. I believed you for three days, then I thought I was strange how much you were successful and that no guards had arrested you, yet. So I followed you, one night. You had no idea, of course. And I watched. You were fourteen, Link… Still a kid… And that old bastard came to you. You both spoke a moment… Then you followed him.” Sheik sighed, rubbing his forehead. “And I followed you both. What I learned and saw was… sickening. When you came home, that night, I was so damn angry at you… You promised you wouldn’t do it again. But you didn’t listen. You never listened.”
                “I knew you hadn’t stopped, but I thought that I should let you do whatever you wanted since you wouldn’t take my advices. However, one night, you didn’t come back, and I was worried. I went out to get you, to scold you, but I couldn’t find you.” He stopped, thinking. “And for the first time I felt fear. I was terrorised to lose you… Terrified to find your body into a dark alley, your throat sliced open…”
                “So I ran around the city, using the roofs to have a better view of the surroundings… When I spotted you.” Bloody tears raised into his eyes. “You were into a dark alley, as I had feared, and my heart stopped. Curled up in the snow, you were crying. I came down to you and you jumped into my lap, screaming as you smelled of alcohol and drugs…” Sheik blinked the tears away. “You had been abused, and there was nothing I could do but get you home, help you walk, clean you off and glare at you while reminding you that I had warned you. You nodded and stared at the floor for a while, too traumatized to meet anyone’s stare. After that, I never let you go out at night on your own.”
                “So many times you’ve been running at your own death and demise with arms wide open, and so many times I watched… You’re an asshole, Link. But you’re the best asshole that this world ever created.” He smiled softly at the corpse-like man.
                “I have memories of stupidities you have done, and I have many. But I also remember times where you made me so proud… All those times you helped poor people even if you had nothing yourself, or how you hated social injustices, and still hate these.” Sheik smiled and laughed softly. “You don’t think of you as a Hero, Link… But to the people into the slums, you were their Hero. Everyone knew you and everyone respected you because you respected them. You were, probably, the only man willing to stand up to protect what he believed in, in that city.”
                “I remember seeing you, many times, protecting beggars from guards by risking your own life. They’d pursue you all around the slums and you’d laugh at their faces. You stole noble’s purses and gave the money to that mother who was raising her child in an abandoned building. You never kept anything for us, but I didn’t mind, because I was really proud that you were able to help those who couldn’t help themselves.”
                “Times were hard for us, I agree, but you probably made the sun shine brighter for the poor, the weak and the sick people of the slums. However, you never saw this and you were persuaded to be the worst bastard of the world. And you acted likewise. How many women you’ve used and abused? Probably you don’t even know…”
                He stopped talking and spotted a chair nearby. He sat down and proceeded to think for a while. Then he sighed and stared at Link harder than before. “What I’m trying to tell, Link, is that…” The words were caught up in his throat. “I’m not… Much of a talkative person, you are aware…. However I… I need to tell you something, now.” Sheik swallowed, a bloody tear trailing down his right cheek.
                “Link… I love you and… You make me proud.”
***
                Olwen and Erk were sitting on the balcony of the house, fighting each other into a fierce chess match as the mage used the blacks, and the Sheikah controlled the white side. It was draw, up until now, as both men seemed to be able to block the other’s move. So they had both been analysing and thinking over this matter for over an hour, now.
                Zelda and Nami were sitting nearby, chatting lowly as they watched the game. Being patient, they didn’t mind the time spent merely staring at the Sheikah and the mage as they thought. In fact, Nami found that Erk was quite handsome when he was stuck into deep analyzing.
                It had been a few days, now, that Link had been brought to Zelda’s care. He wasn’t doing better… But he wasn’t doing worse, neither. The princess believed that his injuries were healing slowly (with a lot of magic involved), but now she feared that he wouldn’t wake up and stay in that vegetable state for way too long…
                Anyhow, as long as he breathed, there was a slight chance that he’d wake up.
                Tatl and Sheik were, most of the time, nowhere to be seen. The Twili still had not acquired the right to see her lover, which frustrated her. She kept herself alone into her bedroom most of the time, crying, thinking and trying to understand.
                Sheik, on his side, just preferred to be alone. He let only Olwen get near him, but he wouldn’t talk to the butler much. However, he seemed in a better state since he had visited Link, a few nights earlier.
                Anyhow, Olwen and Erk were reaching the same conclusion, by now: they should interrupt the match for the time being because they weren’t able to get out of this even situation that kept them unable to move. They needed to get their minds off of the game to regain the ability to think correctly.
                That announced, the two men got up. Olwen informed the three other people that he would head for the kitchen and prepare tonight’s meal. Zelda decided to get back into the house. Therefore, on the balcony, remained Erk and Nami.
                A fist upon his hip, Erk stared at the fairy. She looked away, shy. “This atmosphere is too dark.” He stated, simply. “We should probably go out on a walk and think about something else than the possible death of the Hero and destruction of the kingdom.” Nami looked up at him.
-          “Y-yes, probably…” He smiled to her. She was surprised, again.
-          “Then… Would you come with me?” Erk offered the fairy his hand. She stared at him, at his hand a moment, as she became deeply red… Then she nodded, softly, and, shaking lightly from stress, she took his hand.
Erk kept smiling softly to her, and he bowed, bringing her hand up to his lips, and kissed it gallantly. Might it have been possible for the fairy to blush a deeper shade of red, she would have. The mage straightened up and chuckled lightly when he saw her expression. Then, without another word spoken, he proceeded to drag her into the village.
***
                The night was young, and Zelda was looking out the window as always. Erk and Nami had disappeared together a few hours ago, and it warmed her and Olwen’s heart to see something sweet happen in such dark times.
                And now, because Sheik and Tatl weren’t close, the butler and the princess could permit to talk to each other of the situation and the possible outcomes freely.
                Zelda held a dark prognostic towards the Hylian’s recovery, and even if the butler wasn’t ready to bet that Link would survive, he wasn’t entirely agreeing with the Princess of Destiny that the lad was going to die. Olwen, in fact, thought that the Hero of Time had surprised them many times before and could surprise them once again.
                Perhaps it was possible, had answered Zelda, but he wouldn’t come back from the death, if he were to die. Magic was great to keep a person alive, but it couldn’t bring someone back from the netherworld, and sincerely, necromancy was something that was against nature and that the blonde woman would never touch.
                And the subject of necromancy had brought a arguing between the shadow-tied man and the light-filled princess. Of course, Olwen wasn’t against undeads, as pretty much all his race was walking around in such a state, deep in the earth, underneath their feet. But Zelda thought that this was merely unbearable for dead to rise again.
                It was a common and casual argument session between the dark realm and the light realm.
                After a while, Zelda sighed. She had to admit that Olwen had good arguments, but hers weren’t bad either. However, their intrinsic nature as shadow and light forced them to disagree on some subjects, and this petty argument was merely a demonstration of this.
                She got up. “Well, I’ll leave the undead to your good care, Olwen, and I’ll go see our almost-dead Hero.” The butler nodded.
                Zelda left and went up the stairs. He heard her steps echoing for a brief moment, then a door opened and closed.
                Olwen looked out the window. Nothing interesting was happening outside, of course. The village was lively and unaware of its possible incoming destruction. People were enjoying themselves, others were drinking and others were crying: to put it short, life was going on.
                And that’s exactly what made the Sheikah admire the Hylians: at the verge of annihilation, they would still stand and live. They would party like any other day, drink like any other day, smile and laugh as if there was a tomorrow. It was something that a Sheikah couldn’t understand, as they were careful creatures, always fighting to stay alive for the time being, and ensure that tomorrow would come. But there was no certitude.
                As carefree as the Hylians were, they still were happier than any Sheikah, and they always rose to the challenges. With faith, they conquered armies and tribes. With carelessness, they expanded and grew. This kingdom was based upon the belief that tomorrow would come, and that was exactly why the sole Hero who could overcome Evil would have to be Hylian: because he would be careless enough to think that there would always be a tomorrow.
                And Olwen chuckled.
                He was sure that Link would survive because he was Hylian, because tomorrow would come for him. The night was only long before the sun would rise again for the rising Hero of Time.
***
                Tatl was sitting on the bed she used to share with Isca. She was hanging her head lowly, hair falling all over her face again. She wiped her eyes, wanting to keep her irritating skin from hurting badly. She had cried so, so much…
                Not only was she afraid that the man she loved would never wake up… She was feeling horrible because everything was her fault. Had she had been courageous enough to face Isca and tell him that she was leaving him… Perhaps this would have ended differently… Perhaps he would have merely disappeared and not stab Link…
                Now, the future father of her child was dancing at the Death’s door, pleading for entry… Because of her.
                She caressed her belly. It was starting to show, now, that she was pregnant. It was perhaps a little early for her to be this big, yet, but she did not make light of it. All she knew was that she would become a mother in a few months, and she couldn’t imagine raising that child without Link by her side.
                Yes, she could be wrong and it could be Isca’s child, which she sometimes thought was the case since she was getting this big, this fast… Considering the knight’s physique, it appeared normal to her that the baby would be huge, if he were the father…
                Yet, she was so sure that it was Link’s doing… Or, maybe, she was only hoping it to be, since she planned to raise the child with him… She did not know: she could not know. Well, not until birth. And if the baby was born with features that resembled her more than the father, it would probably take twice as much time to figure it out.
                She hugged herself, thinking she was hugging her child.
                Tatl was very young and too immature to be a mother, she thought, but she also loved that child already and was eager to be able to hold it in her arms… Perhaps she was young and inexperienced, but she would make a great mother. She was sure of it.
                A door slammed open in the corridor outside. Tatl was surprised and looked up sharply, as if she could see through her own door.
                “Olwen!” It was Zelda’s voice. “Bring me a lot of bandages! Quickly!”
              Tatl’s turned white as the blood drained from her face. She got up, hurried to the door and slammed it open as well. She looked into Zelda’s direction.
                The princess was halfway into the corridor and into Link’s bedroom, she was staring anxiously inside and she was…
                Covered in blood.
                Tatl’s legs gave up.
***

                Nami and Erk entered the house, smiling. But they were welcomed with the darkest ambiance they had ever felt before. Quickly enough, their smiles faded as they saw the team’s expression.
                Olwen was standing in the darkness, his back to a wall, arms crossed over his chest as Sheik was sitting nearby, his hair hiding his expression. Tatl was sobbing upon the kitchen table as Zelda was in the living room, her dress covered with blood, talking quickly and lowly with a tall and large old man.
                Nami recognized him right away: it was Rauru.
                Erk looked over at Olwen, worried and perplexed. “What happened?” He asked. Sheik glared up at him, a single red eye piercing like fire through the darkness.
-          “The Hero’s wounds re-opened.” Simply stated the butler as the blond looked away again.
-          “How did it happen?” Questioned Nami, eyes wide, voice choked by the surprise.
-          “We have no idea… Zelda went to tend his wounds, and she thought that he was paler than normal… so she took the bandages off and was welcomed with a haemorrhage.” Explained Olwen. Nami sat down on the nearby chair.
-          “What are his chances, now?” Asked Erk. Sheik glared up at him, once again.
-          “None.” Bluntly growled the blond as he clenched his fists violently. Olwen rested a soft hand on his shoulder to calm him down.
-          “What do you mean, none?”
-          “That he will not… Wake u-up…!” Explained Tatl between uncontrollable sobs. “Zelda’s magic doesn’t work…! Neither does Rauru’s! He’s just going to die and all we can do is watching him!” She shouted, slamming her fist into the table at every few words. Erk sat down beside Nami.
-          “His case is between the Goddesses’ hands…” Explained Sheik. “At least, that is what Rauru said.” His voice was now soft and filled with deep pain.
Olwen got a chair for himself and sat down beside Sheik. Now that everyone was reunited under the gloomy light of a candlestick, the silence was heavier than the weight of the world. For some, it was Link’s death in itself that was unbearable. For others, it was the knowledge that the kingdom was reaching its end the way they knew it that was making their souls sink. It was also the weight of failing such a mission that crushed their spirits.
It was the feeling of faith leaving their minds that was horrible.
Faith for a friend of a lover to be back and smile again.
Or faith that better days would come. For one’s self or for the people living into the Golden Kingdom.
That numb pain was assuring that the sun would never rise again with the same shine to it or the same colors. It was the knowledge that something important was dying along with the Hero of Time.
It was the moment where they’d lose faith in the Goddesses they prayed. It was when they learned about the world’s true face and cruelty.
For those who were losing a man to care for, the inherent destruction of the kingdom had no importance. For the others, the incoming and un-escapable death of themselves was clouding their mind.
And that is what made them understand how important Link was and had been to the whole group, to the whole kingdom: not only a man, a symbol.
They knew that they would have to stand against the Evil menacing Hyrule. But they also knew that without him, their success was forfeit. Why? Because they wouldn’t have faith into the incoming days. Because, for them, the death of the Hero meant the death of Tomorrow.
Zelda, behind them, raged as she growled loudly and clenched her fists with strength. Rauru put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. Yet, she pushed him away. There was nothing to be done: Hyrule was doomed and even she could not stop it.
Because she could not wield the sword of Evil’s Bane. Because she hadn’t been chosen by the Goddesses for that deed. Because.
Because a miracle was something only the Holy ones above could bestow, and they hadn’t offered any yet to kingdom. And a miracle was what they needed at the present time.
Tears of rage and anger raised into the usually calm and wise violet eyes of the princess. Rauru sighed. He was going to go upstairs and confirm the Hero’s death in a moment.
Tatl cried her heart out on the kitchen table. Nami looked down at her and Erk’s hand, which were joined, with bitterness. She had just found love and yet, she would have to give it away…? So soon…?
Erk seemed calm as always, though he was resigned. He did not think of his life to be very important to the world’s profit. However, he did feel slight anger at the thought that he would have to separate from Nami this early... He had never experienced love before, and this was only cruel that, when such a great feeling would reach his heart, it already would be too late…
Olwen merely looked ahead into the darkness, his thoughts flowing out the window as he was thinking about his life. What it could have been and what it had been. He regretted nothing… Or almost.
Sheik, on his side, couldn’t believe what was happening. He was fighting between feelings of deep hatred and piercing pain. Hatred for the world and for the knight: for everything that made his and Link’s lives cruel and unfair. Pain for the brother and friend he was losing. He couldn’t cry because of the anger… And he couldn’t rage because of the over-invading sadness…
To tell the truth, hey had all believed that Link would, in the end, rise again.
Raise again to be the Hero he wouldn’t admit he was.
Raise again to be the father of a not-yet born child.
Raise again to be a friend.
Raise again to be a lover.
Raise again to be a brother.
But it was gone. Everything was gone with the simple death of a single man. The death of a Hero, of a symbol of faith and hope.
Tatl was hitting the table with rage, clenching her fists with such strength that her nails dug into her palm and drew blood. She was sobbing, unbelieving that this was happening to her. Unbelieving that it was all her fault.
Rauru started going up the stairs, his attitude solemnly dark. The wood creaked under his weight and it felt like Death itself was going to claim Link’s soul.
Zelda turned towards the group and she stared at everyone with strength… She seemed to overcome them in tallness, for a moment, as she looked confident and about to say something that would make it all better… That was why she was a ruler, why she was a princess and a future queen…
She opened her mouth…
And brought her hands to her face as she started to sob, so suddenly, so brutally. “I’m so sorry!” She exclaimed herself. “So, sorry! I couldn’t save him in the end!” She let her weight fall against the nearby wall, then slipped down to the ground as she cried, as she broke.
She had been strong all the way up until now, knowing that Link being in such a state, it was her role, now, to keep the morale to an acceptable level. But she had failed, and she was just as miserable as everyone else.
Rauru was now upstairs.
It was over, he would pronounce it soon.
So they cried and cursed the Goddesses above.
It was all done and gone.
He was dead.

Feeling light being put on her, Zelda discarded her hands from her face, looking for the person holding a candlestick near her face, intending to yell at him or her… But there was nothing. Perplexed, she brought her hands down. The light followed her movement. Followed her right hand.
She brought her hand up to her face, stared at her palm… Eyes widening, she slowly turned her wrist around … She froze.
Slowly, she brought her left hand to the wall behind her as she got up on very shaky legs. Olwen caught her movements and looked into her direction. So did Erk and Nami. The mage and fairy’s eyes grew wide and they stared at each other a moment before looking back at the princess.
Olwen’s brows furrowed as he stared at Zelda. She was standing, her back against the wall, trails of tears going down her cheeks, eyes wide. She was looking with intensity and unbelief at her glowing hand. “By the… Goddesses…” She breathed.
Zelda looked up the staircase and, for the first time, Olwen realized that Rauru was taking way too much time, up there. The princess seemed to become paler into the low light as she engaged herself into the stairs. She seemed to float, as if she was a ghost, her facial expression unmoving.
As she floated up to the second floor, Olwen could finally see what was glowing upon her hand: a golden triangle.
Wait, what?
Olwen and Erk got up at the exact same time and they both hurried up the stairs, Nami following right behind. Sheik and Tatl looked up at them, surprised. They exchanged a quick glance before rushing to the second floor as well.
What the Hell was going on?
Upstairs, they saw the trio enter Link’s bedroom.
They both started to run towards the room, their hearts beating madly into their chests. They did not know what they were about to find there and they weren’t sure if they wanted to know what it was, but they had to.
Into this adventure, everything was possible.
There could have been a giant monster waiting for them.
Or an assassin.
Or an angel.
Or Death itself.
But they had to go and see!
Sheik pushed the door open. He and Tatl rushed in at the same time, getting slightly stuck into the doorway.
And inside, they found the group blocking their way as they stood, immobile and apparently staring in disbelief at something. Sheik slid between Erk and Olwen to get a sight of what was going on. He froze as well. Tatl followed him, pushing the Sheikahs to have a glance at the scene.
Rauru was standing beside the bed, talking (which Tatl hadn’t realized he was doing up until now), as he rested a hand upon a pale man’s shoulder. And that pale man was holding his chest as it bled, as he tried to get up. He was sitting at the edge of the bed, struggling to get free from the old man’s soft grip.
Link was sitting and arguing senselessly, mostly growling.
On his left hand, the one holding his bleeding wound, was a glowing triangle. It shone twice as bright as Zelda’s.
“Link…” Said Tatl, tears rising to her eyes once again.
For the first time in what seemed ages, Link looked at her. He stared through her, he stared at everyone with feverish eyes.
“Who the Hell tattooed a fuckin’ shiny triangle on my hand while I was sleeping, you fuckers?”
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The Legend of Zelda : Twisted Destiny