Blood Moon: A Story Before the Calamity

Chapter 28

A/N: Oh boy. The chapter I've most looked forward to ever since I started this fic. I'm actually nervous right now, haha... So, here goes.

     The past few weeks passed by without major incident.

     However, today was different. It was the day where all the knights that inhibited the castle returned to visit their families at Castle Town. The security was as strong as ever, as the Guards were normally free to return home when their shift was finished and the visit day was unnecessary, but suddenly, Zelda was struck by how quiet the Castle seemed without the knights in the Barracks, or perhaps that was only her imagination.

     This meant that Link would be in Castle Town as well, Zelda deduced, as he was a Knight that slept in the Castle. She sighed, prowling the empty halls, suddenly aware of how alone she was.

     It suddenly occurred to her that she had never heard Link speak of his family before. She amused herself for a moment, trying to picture his parents in her head. His father would probably have Link's sky-blue eyes, and... perhaps dark hair. He would, of course, be militarily excellent, so he would be well-muscled and fairly tall. His mother would be... honey blonde, like Link, and would have gentle brown eyes that shone with warmth. She would wear a soup-stained apron, judging from how much Link loved food, and would constantly smell of freshly baked bread.

     The father would be stern but gentle, training Link on how to use a sword with all the patience on Hyrule. Would it show in his skills if he was trained by his family? If so, then his father must have been an excellent teacher. He would have laughed at all Link's jokes no matter how bad, and he would chuckle with exasperation whenever Link did something particularly stupid. He would have been Link's role model, someone Link resolved to be like in the future. And his mother would be loving and kind, beaming at everyone and talking animatedly at the market. Link as a child might have held on tight to her large skirt, her carrying a large basket underneath her arm and gently prompting Link to look at the piles of apples on sale. She would have been an excellent cook, and had a soft voice to read stories or sing to her child. She would have been there to embrace him whenever he woke up screaming from a nightmare, and would always know exactly what to say when he was down.

     It made Zelda a little bit happier, putting all her expectations of a parent into these figures, and imagining Link's joy when he finally ran into their arms after so long of not seeing his parents.

     If she had her mother back, if she had never lost her to death, then would she have succeeded at unlocking her powers? If she had a more understanding father, would this whole torturous process be slightly easier? 

     Don't make excuses, Zelda. She thought furiously. You really have no one to blame other than yourself.

     Without realizing where her feet were taking her, she found that she had arrived at the Knight's Barracks. Sighing, she was about to turn away when suddenly movement attracted her attention. 

     Wait... what!? They're all at home!

     And then she realized who it was down there, who was striking a practice dummy with such vigor that straw was falling like a fine snow, who was the only Knight remaining in the Castle.

     "Link?"

     Link started, then turned around to see Zelda standing at the doorway.

     "Well, well, well..." A sardonic smile crept up his lips. "How the tables have turned, I-thought-I-made-it-clear-I'm-not-in-need-of-an-escort."

     "Um." Zelda took in her surroundings. It was a mess. Straw littered the floor, the insides of more than 5 dummies, and punctured burlap bags that rather looked like a sword had been run through it. Link himself was covered in straw, tangled up in his hair, dust settling on his shoulders. His eyes... they looked half-wild, even when his posture was natural. "The dummies were particularly annoying today?"