Sunlight flooded through the windows, and once its warm welcoming rays
shone upon her pale form laying on the bed her eyes fluttered open in
awakening. Exhausted, yet not undaunted by the numerous emotions running
through her, Zelda sat up in bed and looked about with her sparkling blue
eyes. The twittering sounds of birds outside filled her ears, and the
moment she gazed through the windows of her room she was met with a
beautiful azure blue sky and wispy ivory clouds.
The morning seemed to suit all too well her mood, for she could not forget the events of the previous night with Link. He was so warm, so wonderfully caring and gentle...far from the cold hearted and anxious man who greeted her when he returned to the castle. The events that took place thereafter seemed like decades ago; when in reality it was merely days. She would not forget his kiss, his embrace around her body and the look of pure and deep emotion in his eyes. During her restless sleeping she wondered if it had all even happened, though the moment she opened her eyes she knew everything was had it occurred.
Where had Link departed? Observantly she scanned the room, before rising from her bed in search of him. She remembered Link had spent the night with her, until she rested her head upon his muscled shoulder and fell asleep there. Deep within she knew he had stayed with her until she was sound asleep, though after she had no idea what became of him. Perhaps he left to go to breakfast, but his absence without telling her seemed very odd.
The moment she stepped into the corridor, she had a feeling something was amiss. As she hurriedly walked through the halls she passed numerous windows of sunlight that flooded upon her form and seemed to illuminate her golden blond hair. Zelda was not at ease, she could feel her heartbeat quicken in pace with her worried steps. Why when things seemed to settle down and resume to normal, did it suddenly change so suddenly? Her brow furrowed at the thought of her questioning mind, though she would not be easily misled by what appearances had left her.
Link may have traveled to the breakfast room for tea and biscuits as customary in the morning, but something tugged within her that all was not well. Hurriedly she moved through the passageways, her ears intent on listening for Link's footsteps and her eyes daring her to give a backward glance out of hope she may have accidentally passed him by. Not once had she sighted him, and when she entered the brightly sunlit breakfast room to look upon the solid oak table, the princess did not sight him at the far end where he usually seated himself. Rather, the room was merely filled with servants who turned to her upon her arrival and questioned politely.
"Lady Zelda, it is a pleasure to see you this fine morn!"
The eldest servant said with a crooked grin, before placing a steaming cup of tea at her side of the table, as well as a small pile of scones, a cup of orange marmalade and butter. Though the food seemed appetizing, Zelda did not feel hunger wash through her. She stood for a moment staring at the servants with a fixated gaze, till her question escaped tensely from her soft crimson lips.
"Has Link by chance already eaten his breakfast? I am in search of him, yet I cannot find him anywhere within the castle..."
The servant shook her head, her eyes darting nervously to the floor upon hearing her question. It was evident by the woman's nervousness that the entire castle had become all too accustomed to the occurrences between Zelda and Link. The princess knew of their worry and fears over what was occurring between them, as some suspected there was more than met the eye behind Link's forgotten memories. The realization of it all muddled her greatly, but she would not cease her search of Link.
Perhaps she was becoming overbearing and selfish, by constantly looking for Link and keeping such a close watch on him? The princess did not wish to appear rude or irrational by her emotions, which proposed the thought of consuming her morning meal and waiting for Link to arrive. It was a simple conclusion to cease her actions, as well as to not appear overly concerned with her beloved. Zelda hesitated to think she would not bother to search for him, but decided within herself that if Link did not come at all during the time she dined, she would go off in search of him once more.
"I am sorry my lady, Link has not been seen here all morning. I'm afraid he must be about somewhere on his own."
The servant finally replied, which confirmed what Zelda planned to do. Reluctantly the princess approached her seat at the table and sat down slowly, before glancing listlessly at the food set out before her. She was inappropriately dressed for breakfast, still wearing the same gown she wore the night before at the ball, but she had not the thought of changing her clothes. Exasperatedly Zelda leaned back in her chair, which caused a younger servant to go to her and say hesitantly.
"My lady, your princess attire has been cleaned and is at your disposal if you so choose to change before you eat."
In acceptance Zelda looked up at the servant before rising from her chair, knowing she should not be wearing such a formal dress for breakfast. The servant led her out of the room and down a long passageway where a large lounging room was. Within the brightly lit room at the far end was a small area for her to change in. The princess's pallid and lilac lined gown and gloves had been placed out for her use.
"Thank you, I will return for breakfast shortly."
Zelda said softly, and waited until the servant departed and closed the door before she removed her ball gown and allowed it to slip off her crème colored body. Within moments she had changed into her less formal attire, though it still gave her the image of a princess and looked no less extravagant than the gown she wore earlier. With a disheartened sigh, the princess departed once she finished and returned to the breakfast room.
There was still no sign of Link; the plate set out for him had not been touched. Reluctantly she seated herself in the chair once more, before picking at her food with her fork listlessly, her mind continuing to be drawn to Link's strange absence. Had he been bothered by the previous night they shared? Perhaps he became more confused than he was already, though she could not deny when she looked into his stunning blue eyes she saw a man of determination, who knew what he wanted and no longer felt hesitant toward her. What if that was merely something to deceive her from how he actually felt? What if...
No, she could not dwell so helplessly on the things that could potentially destroy her emotions. Deep down Link adored her as much as she adored him, however what was the cause of not attending breakfast on such a beautiful morning? Zelda looked out the large windows in the room and at the glorious bright sunlight that streamed through in pale golden beams, and then resumed consuming her meal. Link was not with her, and as a result her food tasted bland and lacked any meaningful purpose other than to sustain her well being. Link on the other hand, he was the blood that coursed through her veins and to her heart, and without him she could not go on. Food was as nothing to her, not when she could consume the love he had for her instead.
Abruptly she rose from her chair and swept out of the room, not compromised in the slightest by the surprise glances the servants gave her to see her depart so suddenly. Gracefully she swept down the castle corridors, her eyes darting nervously in every room she passed in hopes Link was about. Yet still she found no trace of him, until she desperately entered the library in bitter hopes he might have been there. As much as she doubted his presence in the great room lined with hundreds of shelves containing books and scriptures, to her breathless fear she caught sight of Link lying unconscious in the middle of the room. His body was limp and sprawled on its side; all the while his golden locks fell in front of his smooth pale face.
"Link!!!!"
Zelda cried despite her fears, before bounding to him as quickly as she could. Hastily she fell to her knees beside him on the hard marble floor, before taking his head and resting it softly in her lap. What had happened to him? She remembered vividly how he fainted before during their outing in Hyrule field, but since his memories slowly began to return to him as his understanding of who she was became a vague recognition, she did not imagine more problems would occur to hinder his once exceedingly well progress. She would not weep this time, despite the despair she felt, rather she held him close to her chest soothingly as her delicate hands stroked his silky hair and contoured face.
Link appeared to be sleeping, and as much as she wished to believe he was, there was something about his solemn expression that chilled her to the bone. His skin felt hot and tempered to her touch, almost as though if it grew any warmer it would burn her. However, despite his feverish temperature, Link's face did not flush with warmth but instead remained pale as though nothing was amiss. How could he be burning with fever yet look no different? Quickly her hands moved to his forehead, whereupon she felt for perspiration of any kind and found none. There was no possibility he could have a fever and such a high temperature without breaking a sweat, giving her all the more an indication something was terribly out of place...
"Oh Link! My darling, what is wrong? Why do you continue to fall so ill?"
She cried out pleadingly and gave him a gentle shake, only to find he still did not stir in her arms. The library was deserted and there was no one she could turn to for help, and she would not leave him to lie on the floor in such a state. Suddenly she began to feel warm as well, and it was not because she held Link so closely to her. In surprise she looked away from Link and around the room, which seemed to spin wildly and become distorted under a dark black cloud that appeared from the ceiling. The sunlight flooding through the massive windows in the library dulled to the point of vanishing, leaving her to cradle him in near complete darkness.
Wildly she looked around, her deep azure blue eyes tracing every inch of the large room until gazing up at the clouded ceiling. The clouds were so dark they seemed to absorb all of her attention to them, and the longer she stared at them the less happy she felt until it seemed as though every moment of joy she experienced in her life drained away and left her depressed and desolate. She had to be strong for Link, even though she felt her whole being drained away and paled by the blackness consuming the room.
It was then that she saw him, a figure so frightening that she gripped Link closer to her in hopes he would revive. It came in the form of a man, emerging through a large vortex in the clouds and descending slowly to where she remained. It was a man, but not just any man – Ganondorf. His height was taller than that of the average person, his body clad in thick black armor, which exposed every strand of his bright flaming red hair and darkly tanned skin that evil turned into a serpent green color. Zelda could not break her gaze upon him, her mind filled with utter disbelief to see his presence in the room, as thoughts ran through her mind regarding how he could have escaped from the evil realm.
She had sealed him inside it, along with the other sages! There was no possibility he could escape the barrier of the seven sages, a barrier she carried with her until the day she died. It was by her conclusion alone that it was not the fully-fledged form of Ganondorf, but a magically conjured form of him that appeared before her. Perhaps she concluded that because she was in denial of believing he escaped, though it was confirmed when she saw his image flicker slightly when the magic supporting it weakened for but a split second. Ganondorf's powers were weak, he could do nothing to her and Link...or could he? There was no doubt in her mind he was the one responsible for Link's memory loss, however why would he do such a thing? What purpose would it serve?
Drawn to the force of his evil, even if it was not truly Ganondorf's form that descended onto the stone floor before her, she could not help but look into his glittering golden eyes. There was a strange glow about them, and the harder she attempted to study it the more his eyes resembled false golden beauty, but instead two deceiving vortexes willing to suck the rest of the happiness within her. In contempt of him she forced herself to break his beckoning gaze, though resumed to look at his sinister face that stared down at her maliciously. His large powerful hands clenched into fists, while his long torn red cape billowed behind him, even though there was no breeze blowing through the room because the windows were tightly closed. A dark silent energy coursed around his large frame, an energy that allowed him to hover above the ground.
"Link...still lives..."
His voice filled the air, low and ominous that echoed through the room and projected clearly to her ears. Zelda continued to gaze at him in utter shock, while protectively she clutched Link closer to her in fear he would attack. Instead, the form of Ganondorf continued to float before her until saying once more.
"My curse to imprison his mind into nothingness has failed...yet you continue to protect him from me with a power greater than mine alone. I shall no longer tolerate this defiance..."
"Defiance? What do you speak of? I will not allow you to harm Link any longer you despicable man! Return to the sacred realm and remain there until the end of your days, or else I will gather the powers of the sages once more and slaughter you!"
She cried out to him within her rage, her eyes turning as chilled as ice, as her body grew constantly warmer. The frown he wore upon his lips turned to a sinister smirk, although Zelda could find no reason for him to respond in such a way. More importantly, the pressing matter of finding out the reason behind the evil king's plans plagued her mind. What were his intentions? Did he not realize the consequences he would surely face if Link awoke to see him? Resistant to her bold retaliation, he did not flinch in the least. Rather, a bone-chilling chuckle echoed in the large room, its sound short yet enough to send the princess into a panic enough to attempt to shake Link awake once more. Her efforts were failing, and if she did not wake him soon...
"Before you weaken my powers further, I must annihilate you both. My plans have backfired greatly, and even my attempts to send Link into permanent unconsciousness have failed...all because of your incessant persistence to make him remember who he is..."
"How could you do this? You have been trapped inside the sacred realm! It is not possible..."
Zelda accused in nearly a scream, her eyes flaring upon seeing him look down upon her as though she was a child that did not understand. As much as it angered her to think of it in such terms, she had thought she knew everything there was to know about the sacred and evil realms. Evidently she did not, considering Ganondorf had managed to maintain what was left of his power to connect into their world. None of it made sense, and the harder she tried to sort it out within herself, the more confused she became. Finally the great king responded with abhorrence, his golden eyes flashing with the power of a thousand suns, all the while piercing into her as if stabbing an invisible stake through her heart so that the blood she shed was through tears of pain and sorrow. He was the cause of her grief, of everything she and Link suffered...
"Foolish princess. You possess the triforce of wisdom, yet you do not understand that I contain the triforce of unlimited power, and with it I have found a weakness in the evil realm. It is not enough for me to break free, however so long as I can see about your deaths while imprisoned from the might of your sages then that is my will. With my dying breath I preserved a portion of what remained of my powers before the sealing of my spirit, and now I shall seek out the last obstacle in my path."
Abruptly the princess ceased trying to shake Link awake, to stare at him in disbelief. Her body and soul were frozen in time from the words he spoke of. Indeed he did have all the power in Hyrule at his fingertips, and she was foolish enough to believe that merely sealing him in body would prevent further destruction of Hyrule. It may have stopped him from gathering his full power, but it could not stop his spirit from finding another way to take their lives. Virtually left speechless by her new revelation, she forced herself to listen as he continued with growing malice.
"Yes...I am quite proud of my accomplishments, though arrogance leads to downfall in due course. If I allowed the hero of time to maintain his memories, including the knowledge of the triforce of courage he carried, he could defeat me once again as he had the first time. Thus I used my influence to erase his memory of everything he had done, especially that of who he was in hopes eventually he would circum himself to weakness and perish after time passed. Several times I tried to eliminate him by forcing him into a state of unconsciousness to weaken his body, yet always you came to revive him before my task could be completed. I curse you for that, and now you have left me with no option than to destroy you both a lot sooner than I planned..."
To hear him speak so coldly about taking lives left the princess feeling more bitter and enraged at Ganondorf than ever before. In speaking to her he answered all the unexplained actions of Link she did not understand, such as his sudden bouts of weakness by fainting, as well as the constant confusion whirling though his mind in regards his feelings. The entire time Ganondorf was attempting through his power in the evil realm to make him forget what was within him all along, and as a result leaving him dissolute and in constant fear of himself. The longer she thought about it, the more horrible it was to actually understand Ganondorf was trying to destroy Link by killing him when he finally let go of who he was, as well as to destroy her indirectly in the process by causing her so much pain and agony from his plight. Ultimately the evil king failed because she regained some of Link's memories, thus giving him strength to live on. Now it was the final test of if her efforts proved vital in the end, for Link was in the same state of unconsciousness, and if he did not wake...
"I will not forget the vow I made to destroy you, the princess of Hyrule, and Link the hero of time. You have done well to survive so long, though it is for nothing for you both are doomed to your fate as I am mine. However, by killing you both now, when I am able to break free I will have no resistance. I have foreseen into the future the lives you will lead, the children you will have, and I must prevent the possibility of your descendants rising to imprison me once more. I grow tired of explaining such matters to you, for it will not differ your eventual deaths."
It was then Zelda gently laid Link down upon the floor, before rising to her feet to face Ganondorf – alone. If he was to attack, then let it be her who died first. Perhaps Link would revive thereafter, a thought she knew as unlikely. Ganondorf was unpredictable, and now that he still had power left she was unsure if she could destroy his connection to their world with her powers. She possessed very little magic capabilities, and the last of it had been used to bind the seal of his banishment. It was clearly evident to her as well that the evil king was trying to weaken her as he had Link, for she felt oddly light headed and faint with an undetectable fever. There was not much time left for her, she would die if she could not revive Link before falling unconscious...
As she stared at Ganondorf with despicable hatred, she watched him raise one of his large claw-like hands and summon a glowing orb of energy into it. For a second the energy pulsated and grew, until with a loud cry he threw it forward at her in an attempt to finish her off before she could get to Link. Valiantly Zelda threw herself aside from the blow, and felt its hot raging power burn at her dress though doing her no harm. As she lay on the floor, her golden locks falling into her face and nearly blinding her vision, a noticeable crater was left in its wake on the floor. Link was unharmed for he lay out of range, though it would not be long before he would either die from Ganondorf's desperate last stance to completely obliterate his memory, or be vaporized from the impact of his energy orbs.
There was no reasoning with Ganondorf; death was all he brought to Hyrule during his seven-year reign of terror. If she failed to bring Link back into her world from his unconsciousness, then Hyrule's future would be doomed to be destroyed once he broke the barrier. The only advantage she had was that he was weak due to only being a projection of his true self, but nevertheless he was just as cruel and meticulous as she remembered.
Her eyes fell upon Ganondorf once more, who floated above the floor glaring at her in angered seething after realizing she did not die from his blow. It would take him some time to gather enough power for a second attack, which meant she could use it to try to call Link back to her. Relentlessly the princess flew across the floor and to Link's side once more, before leaning over him on her hands and knees and saying to him rampantly, her voice quavering from her fear.
"Link! You must awaken! Do not forsake the memories you know are there within yourself, do not forsake me so that I might die at the hands of evil! Please...do not leave me here...I cannot bear to lose you again when I tried so hard to bring you back..." Her vision became blurred, not only because her eyes were filling with tears, but also due to the fact she was falling into the state of unconsciousness the evil king was bringing upon her. In exhaustion she took in deep labored breaths, her heart strained to find Link did not stir at all since her voice filled the air. The sound of the energy orb growing within Ganondorf's hands echoed in her ears, and all at once time seemed to slow down as if she and Link were the only ones in the room, as if nothing else was of importance. The longer time seemed to slow, the harder her mind focused to concentrate, till her voice filled the air yet again in further desperation than before.
"Please Link!!! I cannot survive without you, not because of Ganondorf alone, but because you and I have the same destinies! The memories we share are a part of our destines, and if you do not regain them we shall perish and everything we strived for in our lives will be for nothing! I cannot allow your efforts to save this land fail, for you have sacrificed more than merely memories to save Hyrule...you sacrificed your childhood, your freedom...do not sacrifice your love as well..."
She paused, feeling herself weakening, her frame falling forward no matter how hard she tried to stay awake. The deep portentous sound of Ganondorf's cry entered her ears once more, before she could see the glowing energy he sent forth at her and her fallen hero in her minds eye. It was then she lost her ability to hold herself up, and fell next to Link's body with a blood-curling scream. She did not completely lose her state of mind, even when the events slowed down as though automatically paused in time, she reached out to Link and wrapped her arms around him, her head resting near his neck. Perhaps it was all for nothing after all...and if it was her last moment of life, then she would proclaim to him what Ganondorf could not take from her as well as Link's heart in death.
"Link...I love you...always...forgotten memories cannot undo the love we share..."
The light energy was growing closer to them, and as her eyes adjusted to its bright glow she looked away from it and to the handsome face of the man she coveted above everything else. His eyes were closed gracefully, his lips forming a somber line across his face to give the impression of sleeping. Time was nearing its end for them, and with her last ounce of strength she took his face in her hands and pressed her lips against his in a bittersweet kiss of everlasting passion. Tears tricked down her paled cheeks from her closed eyelids, her mind focusing on Link and Link alone. Death was but a door to a new beginning...though her kiss was also a final attempt to revive him, to bring him back to her before it became too late...it was all because she loved him, beyond till death do them part...
Then, she felt something that brought a new hope into her soul. Slowly she felt his hands grasp hers softly, before wrapping around her tenderly as he drew her deeply into the vortex of his being. In their kiss he swallowed every pain she carried, every amount of despair and fear she endured for him. It was a brief touch of who they were, and at that moment he regained his full spirit and everything he lost from the call of evil. Zelda knew, not based on merely proof, but because in that kiss everything within her told her Link had returned along with his memories. It felt slow during such an eternal moment, yet in reality it was swift and nearly impossible to understand. Gradually she felt her beloved release his grasp around her, both of them feeling the energy projecting toward them to the point of colliding into them, however Zelda was unafraid. She felt Link rise from the floor, as though magically lifted to his feet by an unseen force, and as he rose the master sword drew from its sheathe on his back and held firmly in his hand. A metallic strike sounded as he swung his muscled arm and hand containing the blade, causing the energy to fly away from them and headlong into the floating visionary of Ganondorf.
As she lay on the ground, she could hear Ganondorf's scream fill the air, before an explosion of light erupted in the room and silhouetted Link's shadow over her. She opened her eyes and looked upon him, and for that brief second she saw him turn to look upon her, his piercing blue eyes gazing down at her with unspoken love. His frame was tall and able, and moments later she felt his arms encircle her protectively, all the while she gazed behind him to find Ganondorf had vanished from their sight. The clouds looming above over them suddenly drifted away into nothingness, and as she rested her head upon Link's muscled shoulder, she suddenly felt his lips touch hers once more with undaunted passion like she always knew he possessed. Even during the time he forgot his memories, he would never forget her kiss.
Author's Note: Well here it is!!! The long awaited answer to all your questions! I really hoped you enjoyed this; it took me a while to write. This is not the end yet, for the next chapter will be the epilogue to Forgotten Memories, something you will not want to miss. I tried so hard on this chapter, especially on the romance aspect; so don't forget to leave a review telling me what you thought of it!
Special thanks:
Lady Kumiko: Thank you very much for enjoying my description! I hope my sort of ending to the dilemma over the memories with Link did not disappoint. Sorry for lacking on the fast update thing I'm usually known for, I have been on a holiday and also have been working on my original fiction. Thanks so much again for your continued support! I hope to hear from you!
Hyrule Master: Thank you very much for liking my characterization! This is my most successful fic yet, and I'm glad people are enjoying it as much as I enjoy writing it. I found out recently about the new Zelda game, and although I do not have a Game Cube I may consider getting one so I can play it when it comes out the graphics look superb too, and Link is still hotter than ever lol
Aslant-chic: Thanks a lot! Well It makes my story really long by adding paragraphs between speakers, but I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the review!
Faceless Serenity: Wow it made you cry? I hope this chapter maybe brought out just as much emotion, especially since it s been a while since I last updated. Thanks for reviewing!! Zeldaisthebest: Thanks! Sorry for late update! I hope you look forward to the epilogue!
Berlin'sBrownEyes: Its ok about not adding your new story until August, in fact its a good idea to pre-write it so that you don't get pressured by updating. I find its hard to keep up sometimes, and I might consider doing that for future stories. I hope you enjoyed this latest update, I worked hard and hopefully it paid off with happy readers!
TheLegendsOfZelda: Oh your welcome, I'm so thrilled that you enjoy it! People who enjoy my work encourage me to continue, and for your sake as well as mine as a writer I will since I want people to read my work and consider it unique among the other works in the Zelda section. Thanks for reviewing!
Rainer Aquarias – Sage of Time: Hey you listed some good points about how I didn't explain that, and I was planning to later anyway so hopefully this chapter helped. You might also want to note the reference with Zelda's kiss to a previous chapter when Link was unconscious and she kissed him and he began to stir and come back into reality. I thought I would give readers a vague remembrance of that moment in this chapter, and I really hoped you enjoyed the romance aspect as well as the action parts with Ganondorf and his reasons behind it all. Thanks for being such a loyal reviewer, I look forward for updates to Heroes of Hyrule!
Kat-SageOfWisdom-princessZel: Thanks a lot for liking the kiss! Heh even in action parts this chapter has kissing so I hope that bit of fluff was enough to sustain you till the epilogue! Thanks for reviewing, as always!
Gryphon Tamer: Thanks for submitting your comments, I'm glad you read and commented on every chapter. I know I have spelling errors, I plan on correcting them when I edit it for mistakes later on. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Hylian Heroine: Thanks a lot for enjoying my story! I hope you found the sort of pre-ending to be suitable to the storyline. I tried hard to come up with a good ending that involved Ganondorf in some way since he's always up to something, and I think this may have been the best way to do it. Thanks as always for reviewing, and I will continue to hope you enjoyed my story thus far! Stay tuned for the final chapter, which will be updated a lot sooner than this one...
Inspired-fire: Wow glad to see you think its good! I hope my lack of updating won't deter you from coming back to read this chapter! Thanks a lot!
Sawyerzelda: Yay thanks for coming back to review my story! I'm doing great, busy as a writer but great nonetheless. I hope you enjoyed this, fluff and action all in one! My kind of style lol
Midnight Starfire: No need to apologize for a 'late' review, I should be apologizing for a now late update! I'm so thrilled to see you think I have talent as a Zelda writer/writer in general, because when I read your work I cannot help but still be inspired, especially after your latest chapter to fire and ice. Thanks so much for being such a continued and loyal supporter of me, because without that I would probably think there was nothing special about how I write!
Lunatic Pandora1: Well I hope this was the something you were waiting for! And the addition of fluff as well, keeping in mind my story is categorized in the romance section of lol thanks for reviewing!
Fanged Wolf: Sorry I didn't mean to sound like I was asking you to make compliments or anything, I just mentioned that casually. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
Acrossthestars158: Well maybe this answered your long awaited questions about Link and Zelda! I hope you enjoyed this and thanks for the compliments, and you can bet I'll update the epilogue a lot sooner. I just hope the whole Ganondorf thing worked out ok into the story, if it didn't I tried my best!
Vampiress24: Lo, thanks! Description is important to get a feel for the characters, especially when they kiss because that is one of the most important showing of affection between two people in love. I'm glad you liked my fluff, and maybe this chapter proved to be just as compelling as the last!
The morning seemed to suit all too well her mood, for she could not forget the events of the previous night with Link. He was so warm, so wonderfully caring and gentle...far from the cold hearted and anxious man who greeted her when he returned to the castle. The events that took place thereafter seemed like decades ago; when in reality it was merely days. She would not forget his kiss, his embrace around her body and the look of pure and deep emotion in his eyes. During her restless sleeping she wondered if it had all even happened, though the moment she opened her eyes she knew everything was had it occurred.
Where had Link departed? Observantly she scanned the room, before rising from her bed in search of him. She remembered Link had spent the night with her, until she rested her head upon his muscled shoulder and fell asleep there. Deep within she knew he had stayed with her until she was sound asleep, though after she had no idea what became of him. Perhaps he left to go to breakfast, but his absence without telling her seemed very odd.
The moment she stepped into the corridor, she had a feeling something was amiss. As she hurriedly walked through the halls she passed numerous windows of sunlight that flooded upon her form and seemed to illuminate her golden blond hair. Zelda was not at ease, she could feel her heartbeat quicken in pace with her worried steps. Why when things seemed to settle down and resume to normal, did it suddenly change so suddenly? Her brow furrowed at the thought of her questioning mind, though she would not be easily misled by what appearances had left her.
Link may have traveled to the breakfast room for tea and biscuits as customary in the morning, but something tugged within her that all was not well. Hurriedly she moved through the passageways, her ears intent on listening for Link's footsteps and her eyes daring her to give a backward glance out of hope she may have accidentally passed him by. Not once had she sighted him, and when she entered the brightly sunlit breakfast room to look upon the solid oak table, the princess did not sight him at the far end where he usually seated himself. Rather, the room was merely filled with servants who turned to her upon her arrival and questioned politely.
"Lady Zelda, it is a pleasure to see you this fine morn!"
The eldest servant said with a crooked grin, before placing a steaming cup of tea at her side of the table, as well as a small pile of scones, a cup of orange marmalade and butter. Though the food seemed appetizing, Zelda did not feel hunger wash through her. She stood for a moment staring at the servants with a fixated gaze, till her question escaped tensely from her soft crimson lips.
"Has Link by chance already eaten his breakfast? I am in search of him, yet I cannot find him anywhere within the castle..."
The servant shook her head, her eyes darting nervously to the floor upon hearing her question. It was evident by the woman's nervousness that the entire castle had become all too accustomed to the occurrences between Zelda and Link. The princess knew of their worry and fears over what was occurring between them, as some suspected there was more than met the eye behind Link's forgotten memories. The realization of it all muddled her greatly, but she would not cease her search of Link.
Perhaps she was becoming overbearing and selfish, by constantly looking for Link and keeping such a close watch on him? The princess did not wish to appear rude or irrational by her emotions, which proposed the thought of consuming her morning meal and waiting for Link to arrive. It was a simple conclusion to cease her actions, as well as to not appear overly concerned with her beloved. Zelda hesitated to think she would not bother to search for him, but decided within herself that if Link did not come at all during the time she dined, she would go off in search of him once more.
"I am sorry my lady, Link has not been seen here all morning. I'm afraid he must be about somewhere on his own."
The servant finally replied, which confirmed what Zelda planned to do. Reluctantly the princess approached her seat at the table and sat down slowly, before glancing listlessly at the food set out before her. She was inappropriately dressed for breakfast, still wearing the same gown she wore the night before at the ball, but she had not the thought of changing her clothes. Exasperatedly Zelda leaned back in her chair, which caused a younger servant to go to her and say hesitantly.
"My lady, your princess attire has been cleaned and is at your disposal if you so choose to change before you eat."
In acceptance Zelda looked up at the servant before rising from her chair, knowing she should not be wearing such a formal dress for breakfast. The servant led her out of the room and down a long passageway where a large lounging room was. Within the brightly lit room at the far end was a small area for her to change in. The princess's pallid and lilac lined gown and gloves had been placed out for her use.
"Thank you, I will return for breakfast shortly."
Zelda said softly, and waited until the servant departed and closed the door before she removed her ball gown and allowed it to slip off her crème colored body. Within moments she had changed into her less formal attire, though it still gave her the image of a princess and looked no less extravagant than the gown she wore earlier. With a disheartened sigh, the princess departed once she finished and returned to the breakfast room.
There was still no sign of Link; the plate set out for him had not been touched. Reluctantly she seated herself in the chair once more, before picking at her food with her fork listlessly, her mind continuing to be drawn to Link's strange absence. Had he been bothered by the previous night they shared? Perhaps he became more confused than he was already, though she could not deny when she looked into his stunning blue eyes she saw a man of determination, who knew what he wanted and no longer felt hesitant toward her. What if that was merely something to deceive her from how he actually felt? What if...
No, she could not dwell so helplessly on the things that could potentially destroy her emotions. Deep down Link adored her as much as she adored him, however what was the cause of not attending breakfast on such a beautiful morning? Zelda looked out the large windows in the room and at the glorious bright sunlight that streamed through in pale golden beams, and then resumed consuming her meal. Link was not with her, and as a result her food tasted bland and lacked any meaningful purpose other than to sustain her well being. Link on the other hand, he was the blood that coursed through her veins and to her heart, and without him she could not go on. Food was as nothing to her, not when she could consume the love he had for her instead.
Abruptly she rose from her chair and swept out of the room, not compromised in the slightest by the surprise glances the servants gave her to see her depart so suddenly. Gracefully she swept down the castle corridors, her eyes darting nervously in every room she passed in hopes Link was about. Yet still she found no trace of him, until she desperately entered the library in bitter hopes he might have been there. As much as she doubted his presence in the great room lined with hundreds of shelves containing books and scriptures, to her breathless fear she caught sight of Link lying unconscious in the middle of the room. His body was limp and sprawled on its side; all the while his golden locks fell in front of his smooth pale face.
"Link!!!!"
Zelda cried despite her fears, before bounding to him as quickly as she could. Hastily she fell to her knees beside him on the hard marble floor, before taking his head and resting it softly in her lap. What had happened to him? She remembered vividly how he fainted before during their outing in Hyrule field, but since his memories slowly began to return to him as his understanding of who she was became a vague recognition, she did not imagine more problems would occur to hinder his once exceedingly well progress. She would not weep this time, despite the despair she felt, rather she held him close to her chest soothingly as her delicate hands stroked his silky hair and contoured face.
Link appeared to be sleeping, and as much as she wished to believe he was, there was something about his solemn expression that chilled her to the bone. His skin felt hot and tempered to her touch, almost as though if it grew any warmer it would burn her. However, despite his feverish temperature, Link's face did not flush with warmth but instead remained pale as though nothing was amiss. How could he be burning with fever yet look no different? Quickly her hands moved to his forehead, whereupon she felt for perspiration of any kind and found none. There was no possibility he could have a fever and such a high temperature without breaking a sweat, giving her all the more an indication something was terribly out of place...
"Oh Link! My darling, what is wrong? Why do you continue to fall so ill?"
She cried out pleadingly and gave him a gentle shake, only to find he still did not stir in her arms. The library was deserted and there was no one she could turn to for help, and she would not leave him to lie on the floor in such a state. Suddenly she began to feel warm as well, and it was not because she held Link so closely to her. In surprise she looked away from Link and around the room, which seemed to spin wildly and become distorted under a dark black cloud that appeared from the ceiling. The sunlight flooding through the massive windows in the library dulled to the point of vanishing, leaving her to cradle him in near complete darkness.
Wildly she looked around, her deep azure blue eyes tracing every inch of the large room until gazing up at the clouded ceiling. The clouds were so dark they seemed to absorb all of her attention to them, and the longer she stared at them the less happy she felt until it seemed as though every moment of joy she experienced in her life drained away and left her depressed and desolate. She had to be strong for Link, even though she felt her whole being drained away and paled by the blackness consuming the room.
It was then that she saw him, a figure so frightening that she gripped Link closer to her in hopes he would revive. It came in the form of a man, emerging through a large vortex in the clouds and descending slowly to where she remained. It was a man, but not just any man – Ganondorf. His height was taller than that of the average person, his body clad in thick black armor, which exposed every strand of his bright flaming red hair and darkly tanned skin that evil turned into a serpent green color. Zelda could not break her gaze upon him, her mind filled with utter disbelief to see his presence in the room, as thoughts ran through her mind regarding how he could have escaped from the evil realm.
She had sealed him inside it, along with the other sages! There was no possibility he could escape the barrier of the seven sages, a barrier she carried with her until the day she died. It was by her conclusion alone that it was not the fully-fledged form of Ganondorf, but a magically conjured form of him that appeared before her. Perhaps she concluded that because she was in denial of believing he escaped, though it was confirmed when she saw his image flicker slightly when the magic supporting it weakened for but a split second. Ganondorf's powers were weak, he could do nothing to her and Link...or could he? There was no doubt in her mind he was the one responsible for Link's memory loss, however why would he do such a thing? What purpose would it serve?
Drawn to the force of his evil, even if it was not truly Ganondorf's form that descended onto the stone floor before her, she could not help but look into his glittering golden eyes. There was a strange glow about them, and the harder she attempted to study it the more his eyes resembled false golden beauty, but instead two deceiving vortexes willing to suck the rest of the happiness within her. In contempt of him she forced herself to break his beckoning gaze, though resumed to look at his sinister face that stared down at her maliciously. His large powerful hands clenched into fists, while his long torn red cape billowed behind him, even though there was no breeze blowing through the room because the windows were tightly closed. A dark silent energy coursed around his large frame, an energy that allowed him to hover above the ground.
"Link...still lives..."
His voice filled the air, low and ominous that echoed through the room and projected clearly to her ears. Zelda continued to gaze at him in utter shock, while protectively she clutched Link closer to her in fear he would attack. Instead, the form of Ganondorf continued to float before her until saying once more.
"My curse to imprison his mind into nothingness has failed...yet you continue to protect him from me with a power greater than mine alone. I shall no longer tolerate this defiance..."
"Defiance? What do you speak of? I will not allow you to harm Link any longer you despicable man! Return to the sacred realm and remain there until the end of your days, or else I will gather the powers of the sages once more and slaughter you!"
She cried out to him within her rage, her eyes turning as chilled as ice, as her body grew constantly warmer. The frown he wore upon his lips turned to a sinister smirk, although Zelda could find no reason for him to respond in such a way. More importantly, the pressing matter of finding out the reason behind the evil king's plans plagued her mind. What were his intentions? Did he not realize the consequences he would surely face if Link awoke to see him? Resistant to her bold retaliation, he did not flinch in the least. Rather, a bone-chilling chuckle echoed in the large room, its sound short yet enough to send the princess into a panic enough to attempt to shake Link awake once more. Her efforts were failing, and if she did not wake him soon...
"Before you weaken my powers further, I must annihilate you both. My plans have backfired greatly, and even my attempts to send Link into permanent unconsciousness have failed...all because of your incessant persistence to make him remember who he is..."
"How could you do this? You have been trapped inside the sacred realm! It is not possible..."
Zelda accused in nearly a scream, her eyes flaring upon seeing him look down upon her as though she was a child that did not understand. As much as it angered her to think of it in such terms, she had thought she knew everything there was to know about the sacred and evil realms. Evidently she did not, considering Ganondorf had managed to maintain what was left of his power to connect into their world. None of it made sense, and the harder she tried to sort it out within herself, the more confused she became. Finally the great king responded with abhorrence, his golden eyes flashing with the power of a thousand suns, all the while piercing into her as if stabbing an invisible stake through her heart so that the blood she shed was through tears of pain and sorrow. He was the cause of her grief, of everything she and Link suffered...
"Foolish princess. You possess the triforce of wisdom, yet you do not understand that I contain the triforce of unlimited power, and with it I have found a weakness in the evil realm. It is not enough for me to break free, however so long as I can see about your deaths while imprisoned from the might of your sages then that is my will. With my dying breath I preserved a portion of what remained of my powers before the sealing of my spirit, and now I shall seek out the last obstacle in my path."
Abruptly the princess ceased trying to shake Link awake, to stare at him in disbelief. Her body and soul were frozen in time from the words he spoke of. Indeed he did have all the power in Hyrule at his fingertips, and she was foolish enough to believe that merely sealing him in body would prevent further destruction of Hyrule. It may have stopped him from gathering his full power, but it could not stop his spirit from finding another way to take their lives. Virtually left speechless by her new revelation, she forced herself to listen as he continued with growing malice.
"Yes...I am quite proud of my accomplishments, though arrogance leads to downfall in due course. If I allowed the hero of time to maintain his memories, including the knowledge of the triforce of courage he carried, he could defeat me once again as he had the first time. Thus I used my influence to erase his memory of everything he had done, especially that of who he was in hopes eventually he would circum himself to weakness and perish after time passed. Several times I tried to eliminate him by forcing him into a state of unconsciousness to weaken his body, yet always you came to revive him before my task could be completed. I curse you for that, and now you have left me with no option than to destroy you both a lot sooner than I planned..."
To hear him speak so coldly about taking lives left the princess feeling more bitter and enraged at Ganondorf than ever before. In speaking to her he answered all the unexplained actions of Link she did not understand, such as his sudden bouts of weakness by fainting, as well as the constant confusion whirling though his mind in regards his feelings. The entire time Ganondorf was attempting through his power in the evil realm to make him forget what was within him all along, and as a result leaving him dissolute and in constant fear of himself. The longer she thought about it, the more horrible it was to actually understand Ganondorf was trying to destroy Link by killing him when he finally let go of who he was, as well as to destroy her indirectly in the process by causing her so much pain and agony from his plight. Ultimately the evil king failed because she regained some of Link's memories, thus giving him strength to live on. Now it was the final test of if her efforts proved vital in the end, for Link was in the same state of unconsciousness, and if he did not wake...
"I will not forget the vow I made to destroy you, the princess of Hyrule, and Link the hero of time. You have done well to survive so long, though it is for nothing for you both are doomed to your fate as I am mine. However, by killing you both now, when I am able to break free I will have no resistance. I have foreseen into the future the lives you will lead, the children you will have, and I must prevent the possibility of your descendants rising to imprison me once more. I grow tired of explaining such matters to you, for it will not differ your eventual deaths."
It was then Zelda gently laid Link down upon the floor, before rising to her feet to face Ganondorf – alone. If he was to attack, then let it be her who died first. Perhaps Link would revive thereafter, a thought she knew as unlikely. Ganondorf was unpredictable, and now that he still had power left she was unsure if she could destroy his connection to their world with her powers. She possessed very little magic capabilities, and the last of it had been used to bind the seal of his banishment. It was clearly evident to her as well that the evil king was trying to weaken her as he had Link, for she felt oddly light headed and faint with an undetectable fever. There was not much time left for her, she would die if she could not revive Link before falling unconscious...
As she stared at Ganondorf with despicable hatred, she watched him raise one of his large claw-like hands and summon a glowing orb of energy into it. For a second the energy pulsated and grew, until with a loud cry he threw it forward at her in an attempt to finish her off before she could get to Link. Valiantly Zelda threw herself aside from the blow, and felt its hot raging power burn at her dress though doing her no harm. As she lay on the floor, her golden locks falling into her face and nearly blinding her vision, a noticeable crater was left in its wake on the floor. Link was unharmed for he lay out of range, though it would not be long before he would either die from Ganondorf's desperate last stance to completely obliterate his memory, or be vaporized from the impact of his energy orbs.
There was no reasoning with Ganondorf; death was all he brought to Hyrule during his seven-year reign of terror. If she failed to bring Link back into her world from his unconsciousness, then Hyrule's future would be doomed to be destroyed once he broke the barrier. The only advantage she had was that he was weak due to only being a projection of his true self, but nevertheless he was just as cruel and meticulous as she remembered.
Her eyes fell upon Ganondorf once more, who floated above the floor glaring at her in angered seething after realizing she did not die from his blow. It would take him some time to gather enough power for a second attack, which meant she could use it to try to call Link back to her. Relentlessly the princess flew across the floor and to Link's side once more, before leaning over him on her hands and knees and saying to him rampantly, her voice quavering from her fear.
"Link! You must awaken! Do not forsake the memories you know are there within yourself, do not forsake me so that I might die at the hands of evil! Please...do not leave me here...I cannot bear to lose you again when I tried so hard to bring you back..." Her vision became blurred, not only because her eyes were filling with tears, but also due to the fact she was falling into the state of unconsciousness the evil king was bringing upon her. In exhaustion she took in deep labored breaths, her heart strained to find Link did not stir at all since her voice filled the air. The sound of the energy orb growing within Ganondorf's hands echoed in her ears, and all at once time seemed to slow down as if she and Link were the only ones in the room, as if nothing else was of importance. The longer time seemed to slow, the harder her mind focused to concentrate, till her voice filled the air yet again in further desperation than before.
"Please Link!!! I cannot survive without you, not because of Ganondorf alone, but because you and I have the same destinies! The memories we share are a part of our destines, and if you do not regain them we shall perish and everything we strived for in our lives will be for nothing! I cannot allow your efforts to save this land fail, for you have sacrificed more than merely memories to save Hyrule...you sacrificed your childhood, your freedom...do not sacrifice your love as well..."
She paused, feeling herself weakening, her frame falling forward no matter how hard she tried to stay awake. The deep portentous sound of Ganondorf's cry entered her ears once more, before she could see the glowing energy he sent forth at her and her fallen hero in her minds eye. It was then she lost her ability to hold herself up, and fell next to Link's body with a blood-curling scream. She did not completely lose her state of mind, even when the events slowed down as though automatically paused in time, she reached out to Link and wrapped her arms around him, her head resting near his neck. Perhaps it was all for nothing after all...and if it was her last moment of life, then she would proclaim to him what Ganondorf could not take from her as well as Link's heart in death.
"Link...I love you...always...forgotten memories cannot undo the love we share..."
The light energy was growing closer to them, and as her eyes adjusted to its bright glow she looked away from it and to the handsome face of the man she coveted above everything else. His eyes were closed gracefully, his lips forming a somber line across his face to give the impression of sleeping. Time was nearing its end for them, and with her last ounce of strength she took his face in her hands and pressed her lips against his in a bittersweet kiss of everlasting passion. Tears tricked down her paled cheeks from her closed eyelids, her mind focusing on Link and Link alone. Death was but a door to a new beginning...though her kiss was also a final attempt to revive him, to bring him back to her before it became too late...it was all because she loved him, beyond till death do them part...
Then, she felt something that brought a new hope into her soul. Slowly she felt his hands grasp hers softly, before wrapping around her tenderly as he drew her deeply into the vortex of his being. In their kiss he swallowed every pain she carried, every amount of despair and fear she endured for him. It was a brief touch of who they were, and at that moment he regained his full spirit and everything he lost from the call of evil. Zelda knew, not based on merely proof, but because in that kiss everything within her told her Link had returned along with his memories. It felt slow during such an eternal moment, yet in reality it was swift and nearly impossible to understand. Gradually she felt her beloved release his grasp around her, both of them feeling the energy projecting toward them to the point of colliding into them, however Zelda was unafraid. She felt Link rise from the floor, as though magically lifted to his feet by an unseen force, and as he rose the master sword drew from its sheathe on his back and held firmly in his hand. A metallic strike sounded as he swung his muscled arm and hand containing the blade, causing the energy to fly away from them and headlong into the floating visionary of Ganondorf.
As she lay on the ground, she could hear Ganondorf's scream fill the air, before an explosion of light erupted in the room and silhouetted Link's shadow over her. She opened her eyes and looked upon him, and for that brief second she saw him turn to look upon her, his piercing blue eyes gazing down at her with unspoken love. His frame was tall and able, and moments later she felt his arms encircle her protectively, all the while she gazed behind him to find Ganondorf had vanished from their sight. The clouds looming above over them suddenly drifted away into nothingness, and as she rested her head upon Link's muscled shoulder, she suddenly felt his lips touch hers once more with undaunted passion like she always knew he possessed. Even during the time he forgot his memories, he would never forget her kiss.
Author's Note: Well here it is!!! The long awaited answer to all your questions! I really hoped you enjoyed this; it took me a while to write. This is not the end yet, for the next chapter will be the epilogue to Forgotten Memories, something you will not want to miss. I tried so hard on this chapter, especially on the romance aspect; so don't forget to leave a review telling me what you thought of it!
Special thanks:
Lady Kumiko: Thank you very much for enjoying my description! I hope my sort of ending to the dilemma over the memories with Link did not disappoint. Sorry for lacking on the fast update thing I'm usually known for, I have been on a holiday and also have been working on my original fiction. Thanks so much again for your continued support! I hope to hear from you!
Hyrule Master: Thank you very much for liking my characterization! This is my most successful fic yet, and I'm glad people are enjoying it as much as I enjoy writing it. I found out recently about the new Zelda game, and although I do not have a Game Cube I may consider getting one so I can play it when it comes out the graphics look superb too, and Link is still hotter than ever lol
Aslant-chic: Thanks a lot! Well It makes my story really long by adding paragraphs between speakers, but I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the review!
Faceless Serenity: Wow it made you cry? I hope this chapter maybe brought out just as much emotion, especially since it s been a while since I last updated. Thanks for reviewing!! Zeldaisthebest: Thanks! Sorry for late update! I hope you look forward to the epilogue!
Berlin'sBrownEyes: Its ok about not adding your new story until August, in fact its a good idea to pre-write it so that you don't get pressured by updating. I find its hard to keep up sometimes, and I might consider doing that for future stories. I hope you enjoyed this latest update, I worked hard and hopefully it paid off with happy readers!
TheLegendsOfZelda: Oh your welcome, I'm so thrilled that you enjoy it! People who enjoy my work encourage me to continue, and for your sake as well as mine as a writer I will since I want people to read my work and consider it unique among the other works in the Zelda section. Thanks for reviewing!
Rainer Aquarias – Sage of Time: Hey you listed some good points about how I didn't explain that, and I was planning to later anyway so hopefully this chapter helped. You might also want to note the reference with Zelda's kiss to a previous chapter when Link was unconscious and she kissed him and he began to stir and come back into reality. I thought I would give readers a vague remembrance of that moment in this chapter, and I really hoped you enjoyed the romance aspect as well as the action parts with Ganondorf and his reasons behind it all. Thanks for being such a loyal reviewer, I look forward for updates to Heroes of Hyrule!
Kat-SageOfWisdom-princessZel: Thanks a lot for liking the kiss! Heh even in action parts this chapter has kissing so I hope that bit of fluff was enough to sustain you till the epilogue! Thanks for reviewing, as always!
Gryphon Tamer: Thanks for submitting your comments, I'm glad you read and commented on every chapter. I know I have spelling errors, I plan on correcting them when I edit it for mistakes later on. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Hylian Heroine: Thanks a lot for enjoying my story! I hope you found the sort of pre-ending to be suitable to the storyline. I tried hard to come up with a good ending that involved Ganondorf in some way since he's always up to something, and I think this may have been the best way to do it. Thanks as always for reviewing, and I will continue to hope you enjoyed my story thus far! Stay tuned for the final chapter, which will be updated a lot sooner than this one...
Inspired-fire: Wow glad to see you think its good! I hope my lack of updating won't deter you from coming back to read this chapter! Thanks a lot!
Sawyerzelda: Yay thanks for coming back to review my story! I'm doing great, busy as a writer but great nonetheless. I hope you enjoyed this, fluff and action all in one! My kind of style lol
Midnight Starfire: No need to apologize for a 'late' review, I should be apologizing for a now late update! I'm so thrilled to see you think I have talent as a Zelda writer/writer in general, because when I read your work I cannot help but still be inspired, especially after your latest chapter to fire and ice. Thanks so much for being such a continued and loyal supporter of me, because without that I would probably think there was nothing special about how I write!
Lunatic Pandora1: Well I hope this was the something you were waiting for! And the addition of fluff as well, keeping in mind my story is categorized in the romance section of lol thanks for reviewing!
Fanged Wolf: Sorry I didn't mean to sound like I was asking you to make compliments or anything, I just mentioned that casually. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
Acrossthestars158: Well maybe this answered your long awaited questions about Link and Zelda! I hope you enjoyed this and thanks for the compliments, and you can bet I'll update the epilogue a lot sooner. I just hope the whole Ganondorf thing worked out ok into the story, if it didn't I tried my best!
Vampiress24: Lo, thanks! Description is important to get a feel for the characters, especially when they kiss because that is one of the most important showing of affection between two people in love. I'm glad you liked my fluff, and maybe this chapter proved to be just as compelling as the last!