Fan Fiction ❯ Legend of Zelda: Ring of Memories ❯ A Trip to Hyrule ( Chapter 1 )

The wind steadily blew across the vast opening known as Hyrule field, rustling what little bit of green grass was left. Fall had begun to set in leaving the colors of the leaves fit enough to put in a coloring box any of the crafty merchants could sell. The morning frost could still be seen down all over kingdom making the earth sparkle like a thousands diamonds when the dawn or the morning sun touched down on all of Farore's blessings. On the crest of a hill, one could see the great Lake Hylia normally calm, but today it was showing just the slightest hint of waves. Each waves had the tiniest but of ice to it for the temperature drops dramatically overnight leaving those without shelter a little frostbitten. The clean white clouds that normally surrounded Death Mountain had been making friends with some darker looking clouds, probably the ones that would rain snow across the valley one of these coming days.

The sound of a horse leaving the Sacred Forest was the only thing to be heard on this crystal clear morning. It was a beautiful mare a shade of bronze with a mane as white as the first snowflake when it snowed. On top sat a young man wearing green accompanied by a trademark green hat. His bangs blew gracefully around the distinct outline of his face, housing eyes of a deep blue. His hair was the same dirty blonde it had been when he first left the forest along with the same goofy grin he couldn't make leave his face. His tunic clung to his chest giving hints of rippling muscles that could only have been acquired from countless hours of training. Beside him flew a fairy, now some didn't believe in fairies but after being saved by a boy with a fairy more than once, they had changed their minds. They rode in silence only to enjoy each other's company as they made their way to Hyrule Castle, just as the draw bridge was lowered. Once inside they exchanged a quick grin then nodded their hellos to the people of Hyrule Market and castle guards, only to receive the same friendly exchange back.

"So Tali, excited to be back here?" was all he could say to his companion as the excitement of visiting the market filled her petite fairy body. Link remembered well how much she had enjoyed trying the wonderful foods Hyrule farms and the head chiefs produced. Then how he spent showing off his amazing talent to win every treasure the towns' game shops could offer.

"Are you kidding?! I've been waiting to come here ever since we left that last time!" "I can't wait to see the castle again, and the exotic flowers Zelda has growing in that secret garden of hers!" said Tali, glowing even brighter at just the thought.

`Zelda, it's been awhile since I've seen her …………...' Link was lost in thought again over his old friend and old companion. "I hope she's alright" he wondered out loud, remembering the last time she had communicated with him. It had been in the form of a letter, and he couldn't understand why she hadn't told him in person. He pulled out the letter for probably the thousandth time since a lone Hyrule guard had stopped him a whole two weeks worth away from Hyrule just to deliver it.

Link,

I figured it would be appropriate for me to tell you this before it was announced to the public. I have finally been betrothed to the prince from Etherian across the sea. His name is Prince Darinux and he has been repeatedly asking for my hand in marriage, until recently I had been politely declining, but as you know my father passed away a few years back leaving me as the only successor to the throne. My court has been urging me to find a suitable man to take the place as king; he was my best choice to them. This should also increase the trade bond between our kingdom and his and it would make my father proud. There isn't a known date for the wedding as we speak, but I would like to see you one last time before it happens. If you get a chance please stop by the castle for a week or more; the guards like you a lot and won't give you a hard time so you don't need to worry about having to sneak in like may years past.

Sincerely yours,

Princess Zelda

Link hadn't expected as letter like this. In all the years past, Zelda had always sent friendly letters asking Link to come and spend time with her, but this letter seemed like a death sentence somehow. Even this time reading it he couldn't shake this feeling he had like something was wrong like she needed to see him more now than ever. Whatever it was, it made him stop his assistance in the faraway town he had been to come back here. Tali of course had come too for she had always been there when he needed someone and he was glad she pulled through again. There was nothing more he could've asked from her. He started thinking about the time they first met. She had hated him or at least that's what he thought. He was in a new world, a new place and in the form of a Deku scrub and she was just left behind from her brother and best friend. No wonder she had resented Link so much, she had just been betrayed by two people closest to her.

`Time sure has past' he thought, shaking his head thinking of the 12 years that had past since that fateful night and things have been turning out like it had been destiny all along. He pulled a loose lock of hair behind his left pointed ear that graced the head of Princess Zelda and every other Hylian here. He remembered growing up in a little cottage just out of the Lost Woods with Tali for she didn't see him as different like the kids he had been raised with did, and living a castle life just wasn't for him even though Zelda had pleaded. Instead he spent a lot of time with Zelda, visiting a few times a week to maybe go on a walk or give her a ride on Epona whom he had legally bought from Lon Lon Ranch. When he wasn't spending time with her he had been with Tali, exploring everything and taking her on every new adventure. Even with their rough beginning, he couldn't have hoped for a better best friend. She was everything he wanted in a friend; she was fun, always in the mood to travel the country, and laughed at all his lame jokes. But as years passed, he had hit puberty and even with his body being a little out of proportion and maybe a pimple here and there; Tali had stuck by his side.

A few years after, Link started getting the look from local and foreign girls. You know the look you get when somebody wants to jump you? Then letters, flowers and presents. He didn't understand what was happening and was all by himself for Tali had stayed back in the forest saying she needed to talk with some of her own people. He stayed up all night waiting for her, wondering what this crazy feeling about her was.

"What am I feeling?" "I just want to see Tali so bad and now she's not here." His heart pounded with excitement at the thought of just seeing her. Link lay in the soft summer grass surrounding the forest he had just left, thinking more and becoming more confused. The stars above twinkled as if they knew something he couldn't figure out. Being frustrated he jumped up from the ground, pulled out his ocarina and started playing Epona's song.

As usual his faithful steed galloped as if from nowhere to his side. "Good Epona, you've already relaxed me." Link brushed the silky white mane that covered his horse, and spoke in a soft soothing voice as if not the calm the horse, but instead his own beating heart. Sliding smoothing onto Epona's back, Link started off in a gallop to who knows where. The breeze felt good on his face, the wrinkles of wonder and worry melted away returning his boyish good looks.

Meanwhile Tali returned to where Link had been to finally tell him something she had been holding in for oh so long, but he wasn't where they agreed to meet that night. In fact he wasn't anywhere insight. Worry started to creep over her, yeah there had been a lot of gorgeous girls back in the town they had just left swooning over Link, but he hadn't even batted an eye in their direction. She also couldn't believe that he hadn't ever looked at any girl that way. He was very good-looking; the picture perfect hero that only of few people knew was his true calling.

"I mean just look at him, who wouldn't want him!" she said out loud to no once in particular. "He could have anyone he wants so why doesn't he??" More upset than tired, she landed on a patch of flowers, being careful not to crush any of their new and delicate petals. Sighing to herself, Tali couldn't help but start to cry and then to sob. "I knew he would never feel the same way as me!" she said between each hiccupping sob. "I knew it would never work, we're not even the same races but I can't help feeling this way!" It was out of the question and she knew it.

The frustration that had clouded Link's mind was gone but the feeling of needing Tali still remained. "This is what riding a horse is all about, clearing your mind of the unanswerable," he thought silently nodding as if the confirm himself. After a few more random runs through some field he decided it would be best to go back. He could hardly wait to see the person whom he promised to meet. He pulled up a few minutes later to the spot in which he had left. Slowly he dismounted from Epona and looked to the sky. The evening light that was there when he left had long been gone filling the sky with a deep pool of black, swirling the light coming from the stars as if the heavens were shining down on the night. The stars couldn't have been brighter, it was like someone had just polished them; one even seemed to wink at Link. He took a few more moments to gaze at another wonder from the Goddesses before he spoke. "I sure wish Tali could be here with me to see this, she would absolutely love it!"

"Link….?" Was all that could be heard coming from a faint voice over in the flowers. Link quickly but carefully went to the newly blooming blossoms. `Moonflowers,' he thought remembering the legend of the flowers that bloomed only at night, releasing a glow that attracted everything to them; including Link. In the midst of glow came an even brighter one; Tali. Link kneeled down and smiled at her, making his heart flutter up again. She didn't look up. He then realized that she had been crying and alarm started to set over his now rigid body.

"What happened Tali, who did this to you!?!" Standing up Link drew his sword and shield as if to protect himself from an oncoming attack. `I'll kill the bastard who would dare hurt Tali!!!' Now people knew Link as nice caring guy, but if someone ever hurt anyone he cared about, he knew how to take care of them.

"Link it's alright, I'm fine," Tali said hoping to calm him. She didn't want him hurting himself while thinking he needed to protect her from an invisible force.

"Are you sure??" Link asked still full of concern. She nodded while her heart clenched just thinking about how much he would do for her. She knew if push came to shove he would die for her. At that thought a new batch of tears filled the rim of her eyelids and started to spill over the edges. She tried to cover them up but failed in her attempt.

"Tali?!? What's wrong? What happened??" Link looked intensely at her with a swarm of concern filling his eyes as deep as Lake Hylia. Again tonight he couldn't understand something and again it had to do with her. `Why do I feel so helpless, she won't tell me what's wrong,' even the voice inside his head was full of concern. `What's wrong with my heart, it's beating so fast and my stomach's filled with what seems to be butterflies.' He didn't know why his heart wouldn't relax especially since they weren't in any danger and the butterflies were just unexplainable.

"Link it's alright," Tali said assuring him again. "I don't know what came over me but I'll be fine now," she said as her hands wiped the last bit of tears from the corner of her right eye. As if to confirm herself, she looked Link in the eye and gave him the best smile she could.

Link was taken back; he couldn't believe how beautiful Tali was. He felt like Gandadorf had punched him in the face. She looked so hurt and he couldn't do anything about it. `Why didn't I notice the color of her eyes before?' They were a dark maroon and watched his every movement with a hint of fire that must have come from her soul. Her fair skin, her delicate body, the way her lavender hair rested below her shoulders. He always knew she had been beautiful for fairies were like tiny people with wings, but just looking at her now defined a new type of beauty. She glowed. Maybe it was the flowers that kept him there, kept him staring at her making him unable to take his eyes away, unable to breathe.

"Link, what's wrong?" Tali asked, worried that she might have upset him, but he didn't take his gaze or the look on his face away from her. She thought back to why she had stayed in the forest tonight instead of going ahead with Link. She needed to talk to an old friend of hers; Auna. Auna hadn't aged a bit and was still as pretty and full of life since Tali had last seen her so many years before. She had shimmering blue hair that almost seemed to be full of diamonds and eyes as lime as lime green goes. She was over excited to see her. Tali didn't know what to do about this feeling for Link and thought that maybe she could help. She had grown up with Auna and Link had met her once, feeling Tali was in safe hands, they agreed to meet outside the forest after her reunion.

"Tali what is it that seems to be bothering you?" Her old friend asked. Knowing Tali for years she knew that only one thing could upset her this much and it was a boy. Remembering back to the secret crush Tali had so long ago for a boy her and her brother had met at Termina. She let out a soft smile.

"It's Link, you remember him. Well lately I can't help but notice he hasn't met a girl to keep, but there are always many of them around no matter where we go." Auna watched as her friend's brow furrowed just thinking about her last sentence. "I am so confused, it hurts just thinking about it, and well to tell you the truth I kind of just want to spend time alone with him. I don't want to see him with another girl!" Tali didn't look up after she finished. Auna knew she felt ashamed for saying something she thought sounded selfish. Just then she knew how to help.

Turning her back to Tali, Auna made her voice as serious as possible. "Well Tali I can't help until you tell me how you feel."

"What do you mean how I feel? Weren't you just listening?" Was the respond of a now worked up Tali. How could her best friend in the whole world not understand her, especially now when she needed her the most? She sat confused more now than ever.

"I don't care about the other girls or anyone else for that matter; I want to know how you feel about Link," Auna urged.

`How I feel about Link?' Tali thought hard looking more helpless and confused than ever. "He's my best friend…………….……….aside from you of course,"

Auna smiled. "I better be first"

"He's courageous, he's kind, he's always ready to fight for what he believes in, and he's gorgeous," Auna nodded with much agreement. "And he's funny and he's……………"

"Tali!" Tali jumped from her daydream by the command in Auna's voice. "Tali I want to know how you feel about him!" Auna starred at her demanding to know.

"HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL?!" "I LOVE HIM!" Tali clamped he hand over her mouth acting like she had just said something wrong. She couldn't believe she had said that even she had put it out of her mind because it didn't seem right. Auna only smiled like she had known all along. She told Tali she needed to tell him, but Tali didn't think it was even possible.

"I'm just going to get hurt again!" Tali said unable to even convince herself thinking that all hope was futile. After much more needed conversation, Tali had left feeling better but still unsure of an answer. Auna said to just go for it, but Tali still didn't understand what she had meant. "I can't just go for the impossible." She said right before she left to look for Link. Bringing herself back to Link she couldn't decide what to tell him.

Tali thought that maybe she shouldn't have been crying and that he wouldn't want to be with her anymore because she wasn't strong. At that thought one more round of tears began to stream down her face, but they were the silent ones. The kind you cry when you've lost someone dear.

"Don't cry………." came a quiet voice almost unsteady. Tali jerked her head up to see Link's eyes full of tears. They eyes or her friend, the eyes of a hero and the eyes she loved the most.

"Tali has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are or how happy you make me? That I spend every night knowing the faster I go to sleep the faster I can see and talk to you in the morning?" Tali sat shocked unable to take in all of what he had just said. He began again, "I don't understand what I'm feeling but all I know is that I want to be with you all the time."

Without even thinking she blurted out the one thing she had been keeping to herself this whole time. "Link, I love you." Now it was his turn to be shocked.

`Love,' he thought. It was the word he had been looking for all night. The one thing he wanted to tell Tali the most. He felt a burden be lifted from his chest.

"I love you too, Tali." It had escaped Link's mouth before he even knew what he was saying, but it felt so right. They spent the rest of the night just being in each others' presence just needed the thought of the other person to live to the next day.

"Link we're here," came the voice of his companion; the voice of the woman he loved. Shaken out of memories past, Link looked up to see the castle of Princess Zelda. He thought he felt his heart jump with excitement as the last group of guards let them through. Link jumped to the ground letting Epona loose to roam the quiet field that sat in front of the castle. Hopefully she could get her share of green grass and apples before all died once total fall set in. He missed all the times he spent sneaking into the castle as a child to just get a glimpse of the fair princess. How times have changed.

"Well we're here!" Link said aloud before they made their grand entrance.

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Hey everyone!!! I hope you guys liked it!!!! Please PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I want to know how I'm doing being this is my first fanfic and all.