towerofanimus | Prelude ♫ Introduction

[And she gets the message loud and clear, her own expression taking a turn for the grave. Link knows evil, after all.]

I understand. Any creation of that man should only be approached with utmost caution, if approached at all. I shall be careful.

[She will if she has to. >:| But she's also got him thinking about why he's a douchebag so HMM. ~~There's a lot Link doesn't know about her whoops--~~]

Do not fret. I have not survived so long to meet my end here.

[ ... Oh. Right, of course, one shouldn't doubt her. The Princess had eluded Ganondorf all this time, so you shouldn't sell her short, right?

Granted, Link's... had nothing but poor experiences with the doppelganger, so there might be some animosity there, but far be it for the hero to even bring that up. For starters (from Link's perspective), a lot had changed about their views on things, and honestly? There wasn't much desire to tell Zelda about what had happened to them, or much else. If she asked was another story entirely, though.

... Link is far too socially awkward to say much more on the matter (then again, with Navi around, why would there be a need to speak?), other than deciding to believe what she's said, despite not being aware of Zelda's other identity. ]

I'm still seeking a way out of this place, and though the Ocarina seems unable to work... I do not believe Hyrule is gone.

[ The unsaid here being that Link is too stubborn to admit to defeat or that this could be a problem caused by the failure of the Hero of Time--it was impossible. They simply had to win, there was no way around it. Though... it IS a little odd Zelda has the Ocarina of Time with her. Perhaps they met sometime further in the Timeline Link had not yet witnessed, and the Ocarina was returned to her? It was hard to tell, because even though Link fundamentally understood time travel as the Hero of Time (it was almost a sort of requirement to, really), that didn't mean there wasn't still some confusion as to certain things.

The best to hope for here was that Zelda would not question anything, or find Link to be off-kilter, because... well, the doppelganger had told them that the one they were cloned from was... different. From another world, perhaps. Well, only one way to clarify it, really... ]

I... was concerned you may not have made it since the time we'd last met. From where I stand, it has been seven years... please forgive my absence in that time. I should have found you sooner, both here and in Hyrule.

I do not either. You have my assistance.

[Zelda is equally stubborn, though due to her place in time, it's for slightly different reasons. The Hero had won, the villain had been sealed, and though the princess had been ready to throw herself into restoring her broken and battered kingdom, Hyrule's fate was ultimately left to the Goddesses. And she refuses to believe they would wish such annihilation upon their creation, nor does she believe that they would allow some outside force to besiege it. So, obviously, Hyrule is fine, and these "saviors" are lying. And that's all there is to say about that.

But, ah, there are other things to talk about for the moment. That plea confirms her suspicions on when Link is from, and while she may not know the exact point, the implications are the same. Link does not know that they had met several times before.

She shakes her head.]

No, I should be the one to apologize. It was my plot that allowed Ganondorf to reach the Triforce. I was too young to comprehend the consequences of attempting to control the Sacred Realm, and you paid the price for my foolishness.

...And to hide from the Evil King, it was necessary to deceive you as well. But, please believe me when I say I did everything in my power to aid you from my place in the shadows.

[Clutching the Ocarina closely to her chest, she looks at Link with just a touch of hopefulness in her eyes. She cannot repay this hero - not here, not now. The only thing she can do is hope for forgiveness.]

[ Link is silent for a moment, mostly because, truthfully? They didn't really believe that Zelda was to blame, and thus, Link's response is merely a headshake. ]

... No, your intent was as good as mine, but it was just as much my fault as any other's. I was... foolish, and young. I saw it as far simpler than it ought to have been; didn't we both?

[ But... "deceive you as well"? This made no sense--as far as Link was aware, Zelda was in hiding. Was she speaking of something that they weren't aware of? ]

If anyone should carry blame... it should be I. Much happened in those 7 years that... I did nothing to stop.

[ There was more than a small amount of guilt for all that had happened. And... though it was difficult to tell, Link was quite certain Saria and many of the Sages had died. Only Impa and possibly Ruto might have still remained alive, but there was just no plain way to tell. They were all dear friends, and the implications of that were too much for Link to bear.

And yet, if Link had never meddled, Saria might still be alive in that timeline. Belonging to them or not, it didn't matter; Link desperately desired to stay and switch between them until all was set right. So much so, that despite the childhood lost in those years, and the things they'd given up... they felt staying even after Ganon's defeat merely to HELP would need to happen for the mistakes that had been made on their part. ]

Although I do not know how you have deceived me, Princess, but... you are as important to me as anyone else. ... Please, do not blame yourself for trying to do good.

You were not ready. The mantle of Hero of Time is too heavy for the body of a child to wear, and had you fallen...

[Our hope would have been lost. But her protest is half-hearted. She has spent so long blaming herself, so many years internalizing the pain she's felt and seen as Hyrule slowly withered under the Evil King's reign... the thought that her good intentions would actually mean anything to anyone when all was said and done - it was impossible. Nothing more than wishful thinking.

At the time. But now... now it's Link saying it, and not her own optimism. So, there must be some truth to it, right...? Her heart jumps at the thought.]

...You are too kind, Link. [But seven years is a long time to watch the world burn, and it will take more than a few kind words to completely recover from such an ordeal.] Even so, I am Hyrule's princess, and it is my duty to protect my country from harm. Only when it has been restored to its former glory can I believe I have truly atoned for my mistakes.

[There's a pause, and her eyes slip closed, as if in thought.]

As for my deception... you met with a Sheikah survivor several times on your journey, did you not?

[ ... There is just so much guilt here for them both, on the subject, that Link cannot let Zelda push it all onto herself. Coming back in a somewhat groggy state to all of that... it made them feel responsible. ]

If that is the case, then I am just as accountable as you are. Not once did I stop to think about my actions compromising the fate of Hyrule. ... You weren't the only one who had seen visions in your dreams. I had been having nightmares about the day you fled for quite a long time, but I never once stopped to consider what that might have meant, even after I met you.

[ After all, they were ten. When the great journey was thrust upon them, they had never thought to think they might have been a potential cataclysm for those events.

... But this all said, Link is a little surprised. ]

... I have, yes. Do... you know something about him? The last time we met was outside the Temple of Spirit.

[ Link is, unsurprisingly, quite curious about this boy, bordering on something of an obsession. What did he want, how did he know so much? And WHERE did he come from? Naturally, the hero had always wanted to stop him and question him, but he always disappeared before that time could happen. ]

[Her eyes remain closed, but a ghost of a sad smile appears on her lips. Link had been having dreams as well, hm?]

Destiny is neither kind nor forthcoming with those it is close to, it would seem.

[And that is the closest she will come to sharing responsibility for the state of Hyrule. At least, for now. After all, there are other secrets to reveal now, aren't there.]

I do. He was one of the first people you met with after you awoke, and he periodically met with you afterward to teach you these songs. He never lingered, though, always vanishing back into the shadows lest he reveal too much about himself...

[As she speaks, there's just a hint of magic in the air, barely even perceptible despite their close proximity to one another. After a moment, she exhales, the magic dissipates, and she looks up at Link with the blood red eyes of a familiar Sheikah minstrel.]

...Because he is not who he said he was.

[ There would have been some sort of retort here, but the words die in Link's throat, because all along, something that may have, or perhaps, should have become obvious the moment Zelda spoke about the topic...

Has only just now reached the obvious conclusion in their mind.

... Zelda was Sheik. So all this time, that boy who, really, Link had just wanted to properly talk to, to know him and thank him--it had been her.

Suddenly... the so-called hero feels more like an ass than anything else. Here Zelda was, revealing secrets, trusting them, and yet all this time, for all their encounters... Link had never stopped to be truthful? Even now, upon seeing her again after what they had thought to be a long time, it turns out it wasn't long at all. Even so, Link cannot find the proper words to say. It felt wrong, but if she didn't ask... if she did not ask, were they being expected to reveal things back?

Part of it is fear, perhaps (as strange as it is to say, even the wielder of the Triforce of Courage has their own inner skeletons in the closet), it was just the concern of rejection. But either way, the normally quiet Hero of Time falls back into silence, stunned. ]

...

[ If... if Sheik had been a girl (like Zelda, all along--), then did that make them the same? The silence lingers, as Link's brain struggles to think of something for them to say. ]

[Silly child, you honestly expect her to reject you after everything you've done for her kingdom? For her? Just what kind of person do you take her for?

But, of course, Zelda is no mind reader, and as the silence lingers on she finds anxiety settling into her heart. She has done this all before, yes, but the circumstances had been different then. These revelations had been driven by necessity, and there wasn't time to ponder the implications. Now... she just thought Link deserved to know. Perhaps she misjudged? It wouldn't be the first time she's done that, after all.

Red eyes fade back into blue as she searches Link's expression for any evidence of what the hero is thinking. When it becomes clear that Link is not going to respond verbally any time soon, she swallows thickly and tries to fill the silence herself.]

I... I am truly sorry for lying to you. I never wished to, but it was the only way I could help you on your quest. Please, forgive me...

[She meant well. Goddesses above, she's only ever meant well.]

[ Zelda's words promptly snap Link back to reality. She was... apologizing--no, gosh, that was not the right intent.

Of course they'd be worried about rejection, even after this point. It probably couldn't be helped, but it wasn't as though Link was royalty or anything like that. Why would anyone accept the "Hero" they waited for, if not specified, to be anything but a man?

Of course, that little encounter with Dark Link had not helped ease those nerves any. ]

... You shouldn't apologize. I'm not upset with you. ... I understand the need to conceal yourself.

[ ... No, her reasons were far better, far less shallow, after all. Goddesses above, this was terrible. They had wished to find Zelda all this time, but as it turns out--well... now it felt more like an obligation to be truthful than anything, and it was something that concerned them.

Or, rather, her. It's she who is hesitant to speak the truth, after all. Zelda deserved that much, didn't she? ]

You... are not the only one hiding things. If anything, I... I should be the one apologizing.

[ Maybe, more than anything, it's fear of shattering that "perfect image" of this great Hero she'd worked for so much to build. That maybe Zelda will be like others, who will be shocked and angry and not fine with it at all. Irrational fears, perhaps, but there was no real way of predicting how anyone would react to such a thing. ]

[There's an ever so slight headtilt, her brows furrowing partly in curiosity, but mostly in concern. She can hear the hesitation in Link's voice, feel the tension in the air, and whatever it is, she can tell the hero has been shouldering it for very long while.

And so she has already resolved to ease that burden however she can.]

Whatever you feel the need to hide from me, I shall not judge you for. Do not fret.

[Her voice is steady in a practiced sort of way, but she means every word. There is nothing she could fault Link for.]

... Yet you say that I am the one who is too kind...

[ Heh. She might not realize just how much that meant to Link. Somehow, hearing that from Zelda of all people, is... reassuring, almost. There is still so much hesitance on their mind, however... because a lot had happened to them, and it was hard to go through what Link had and somehow not remain hesitant to be truthful.

But Link takes a deep breath, trying... to smile. Trying, even if it is a worried one. Words were too difficult, and they'd never been great at conveying the things that Link had WANTED to say properly. That was why the hero so often allowed Navi to talk for them, but she was not here to help. There would not always be chances to hide behind the fairy's chattiness and disguise how poorly Link did when it came to social interactions and speaking.

If... actions spoke louder than words, then surely the easiest way to explain this would not be in words at all. Zelda had managed to use an action to convey her feelings just fine, so surely... ]

... Would you mind following me somewhere that we could be undisturbed...? I believe... my room should be empty for the moment.

[ Anywhere but in the open Tower, and hey, at the very least that would put a door between the two of them, and whoever could perhaps disturb them.

Yes, Link is being a little vague and cryptic about this, and possibly a bit more secretive than is normal for the adopted 'fairy boy,' as some would put it. ]

That is, if... you do not mind being taken somewhere by an escort hardly befitting a Princess.

[ That may or may not be a small attempt at humor, at least, which is something. If Zelda is willing to take their hand, Link will at least extend it so that she may follow. This... was something of great importance from Link's perspective, even if to some others, it would seem like a small thing. ]

[Her expression softens a bit at that retort, but she says nothing, simply smiling back softly - if a bit concernedly - in return. Something must really be hurting Link if it calls for such secrecy...

She nods without hesitation. Despite the cryptic nature of the hero's words, she trusts Link.]

Of course.

[And then that smile grows just a bit as Link extends a hand. What a ridiculous statement. But she does take the offered hand, and is only slightly reminded of a similar moment she had in the sky not too long ago. And hey, a lighter mood definitely would be appreciated right about now.]

I am hardly a traditional Princess in the strictest sense of the word, but I believe you will be more than fitting nonetheless.

[ Link isn't out to deceive anyone... at least, not with ill intention, really! Of course there were some things that had been hidden, but nevertheless, at least Zelda seemed... not to be bothered with this.

Which was what made this far, far easier on Link in the long run.

It isn't that... Link does not believe Zelda. No, really, it is more that, even as they begin walking (and it's a good thing it isn't a very far walk to the dorms!), hand in hand, it's just... simply that Link has never felt that they were good enough. Call it something of a developed complex, but even back home, there had been little, small worries. Not having a fairy wasn't as hard as things had become after the seven long years had passed. Those years were not spent in getting used to the world and learning to be comfortable with things--they were spent in a stasis inside the Chamber of Sages, unfortunate as it was.

Which meant the shock of everything, upon leaving, had taken it's toll. It had aged Link, matured a child into an adult far too quickly.

Even so, Link falls into silence as they walk, nervous, but hopeful. When they finally reach the room, it is thankfully empty, and Link just lets the door shut before finally letting go of Zelda's hand. Just... breathe. This is not difficult, right? ... Right. It's with all the courage they can manage that Link then quietly moves to the other side of the room, facing away from Zelda. This is a little awkward, so hopefully the Princess will just bear with them, here... ]

Edited 2012-01-17 10:59 (UTC)

[ To start with, they need to remove all the gear they're wearing, from the top down. The sword, the shield, the Silver Gauntlets, the different and innumerable bags containing all the items they'd collected, the bow and quiver, even the boots down to only their socks... and finally, the Kokiri tunic is also removed and placed on Link's bed, all just for this.

... Thankfully, Link wears rather plain underclothes, so this isn't SO awkward, it merely reveals the plain white pants (not really just tights, thank you!) and shirt under it, and better shows the Hero of Time's build as... not what you might expect.

Without the tunic and all the gear on, it's a little easier now to spot something that, truthfully, most do not notice: just how Link's body is actually shaped. It is, in reality, rather more curved than you would think of an adolescent male's. Oh, there is muscle, and plenty of it, but it is hardly of the bulky type you'd think to see in a swordfighter who was also a man, right? In fact, the shoulders are not as broad as they might at first appear, and rather more curved than straight. Link is a little bit shorter without the boots, too, only slightly taller than Zelda herself.

If that is not revealing enough, and she has not gotten the hint by now, there remains... one final thing that has to be done, here. With a small inhale, Link reaches under that shirt, still facing away from Zelda (because it would be too embarrassing to do this any other way), and slowly unwraps the white bandages hidden under it. This all happens with silence, still, but Link presses on, until the bandages are fully removed, which remain in their hand.

Some of this may be oddly familiar to Zelda herself, even. ]

[ That finished, if it is not apparent by now, when Link turns around, it is now extremely obvious that Link is not, in fact, male at all.

In fact, Link is entirely female, down to her anatomy, and the fact her chest is no longer flat as of being unbound makes this glaringly obvious, if it had not been before.

Basically: everything about Link is now screaming "I am a girl." She is silent for just a bit more before finally speaking again, nervous. ]

... I... did not feel it was fair to continue to lie to you, after what you have shown me and said to me. I apologize for never telling you the truth before now.

[ ... And she worries, now, just what Zelda will think. Will she dislike her forever, as some might choose to? It wasn't right, for the Hero of Time to be a girl, she knew that much. So she'd decided it would simply be easier to hide that fact. All this time, they'd both been hiding nearly exactly the same thing from one another... ]

Edited 2012-01-17 06:20 (UTC)

[Had it been anyone else, the silence on the way up might have been disconcerting. But she knows Link has never been much of a talker, and she respects the request for privacy, falling into silence as well.

When the dormitory door shuts and Link releases her hand, however, she opens her mouth to ask... something that never quite finishes formulating in her mind, because Link starts removing clothing and oh dear. Accepting or no, it still comes as a bit of a shock. She keeps her eyes averted, flushing a lovely shade of pink. Only when Link speaks does she very tentatively look up.

And, well, it would be a lie to say she isn't surprised, at the very least. As it sinks in, she finds herself mentally going over every encounter they've had and, ha, it's amazing how they managed to dance around each other for so long. In fact, had she never woken up in this strange place, she would have never known. Amazing.

Her gaze falls on the bandages and she nods. It's familiar indeed. Smiling gently, she meets Link's eyes once more.]

I understand.

[So you don't have to be afraid anymore, okay?]

[ For a moment, she lapses into silence, holding her arm. What that Shadow of her had said... part of her was still dwelling on it.

'Oh, but I'm not a copy of you, sister. My other half, much like myself, was a man. Not some kind of wrapped up liar.' It still hurt, so much more than she wanted to ever possibly admit. ]

... You deserve someone far better than me. I am sorry I... lied. I have lied to many people. Your reason for hiding was far more noble.

[ The words are quiet and more than a little shameful. She hates herself for being who she is more than she could possibly ever admit to saying. Sure, the Goddesses were revered and Zelda was a Princess, but when it came down to it, she was just some forest girl. Normal women weren't fighters. She was a freak. ... She would never be good enough for her title as Hero of Time. So many had expected the one who would save them to be a man.

She saw examples of women as always being wives and bearing children, if not blessed by the Goddesses, royalty, or aristocracy. ... She was none of this... she was merely a fake trying hard to be the hero that her title entailed. But, even if she defeated Ganondorf, would she be?

Heh. In the end, maybe she was just a fake. Fake everything. Even her age wasn't technically right, it was just her physical one. ]

I believe I know precisely what I deserve.

[She retorts, but there is no malice or disgust in her voice. Simply quiet certainty. Yes, perhaps the heroes of legend have always been male, but is she going to reject the closest thing she has to a friend on the basis that she is a girl? The answer is no. Besides, in her mind, Link's actions have been nothing short of heroic. That's more than enough for her.

There's the slightest moment of hesitation before the princess steps forward, reaching out to take Link's hand in her own once more.]

And I could not possibly ask for a kinder, braver, more noble soul than the one that stands before me at this very moment. To do so would be asking for divinity.

[ ... She's so confused--

More than she can probably express. The look on her face here shows that Link was expecting almost anything but such... tolerance, really. ]

...

[ Oh, Goddesses.

She... hadn't cried since... since that time, many moons ago, and had promised she'd never let herself be that weak or helpless feeling ever again. But right now, for some reason, she honestly feels nearly moved to tears, that Zelda would say that. ]

Do you truly believe that? That Dark Shadow of me... I worry he may be right. What... what if--

[ ... There's some hesitance, and it sounds stupid when she says it, she realizes. ]

What if I am a "fake"? There are... many different timelines and worlds here, not just the ones I am familiar with. Perhaps... I'm not the right person at all.

[She purses her lips just a bit in displeasure. Okay, perhaps she needs to have a Word with a certain someone.

But of course, that can wait. There are more important things to attend to now.]

Look.

[She gestures to Link's bed, where all of her gear has been carefully laid out. But there is only one particular thing that she's interested in at the moment.]

The Master Sword is Hyrule's most legendary blade. It is said to have been forged by the Goddesses themselves, and it has the power to repel even the darkest of evils. It will not allow itself to be wielded by just anyone, however; only those who have been chosen by destiny have the right to carry such a blade.

Perhaps there are worlds where things are different, but that does not change the fact that that sword chose you, Link.

[And personally, she trusts the sword more than she trusts the shadow.]

[ ... "That sword chose you." These words seem to make her pause, considering it quietly. ]

...

[ ... There is a long silence here. It's awkward because she... she really isn't sure what to say now. She's bad at talking anyway, and this is a subject she hasn't told a soul about. Even Navi, the fairy always by her side, only knew about some things. Her gender, yes, but she never told her about how she felt.

Though, obviously, it was easy to see from the fairy's perspective when she was upset, or that time she'd cried-- ]

... I... have always felt that I need to live up to my obligations, as the Hero of Time. I must be what is expected of me.

[ Here, she pauses, mulling over how to put this, unsure of how to proceed. It's funny, really; Link can be so confident at times when it comes to fighting and really, most anything else, she never panics or is afraid to proceed. But when it came to how she felt and viewed herself? That... was an entirely different story.

She may wield the Triforce of Courage, but that is because she has true courage in the face of difficulty. It does not make her utterly fearless; she's only human (or Hylian, as the case may be) in the end.

... It wasn't anyone's fault. She just had been shocked by the views of others into feeling insecure and... unhappy with herself. How some, if not most, women were expected to be fru-fru homemakers. ... Impa, Zelda (now that she knew she was also Sheik) and, of course, the Gerudo were women she looked up to immensely. ]

If I may make a small request, could you... not tell anyone what I have told and shown you, here? Whoever is keeping us here made the mistake of placing me in a room with the men. I would rather not... go through what has happened before a second time...

[ Shock, judgement, disdain for what she WAS. She couldn't take it. Her very feelings had brought her all the way to this sort of behavior, and it had become second nature to continue this. A habit, if you would. A fear that controlled her enough to even make her constantly vigilant with lowering her voice, behaving as close to a man as possible, and hiding all evidence. Cutting her hair, piercing her ears, flattening her chest--all of this was her way of becoming what she thought others wanted out of the Hero of Time.

Heck, now that she's not hiding, it is plain and easy to see just how feminine she truly is, down to her actual voice. ]

I... I'm truly sorry for burdening you with this, but I felt it unfair to continue lying to you when you'd been truthful to me. But as unfair as it may seem, I have a second request I must ask of you as a friend, Princess--no, Zelda.

Believe me when I say you have more than proven yourself worthy of that title.

[And though she doesn't say as much, there is an apologetic undercurrent to her words. To think that there are those in her kingdom that would discount Link's accomplishments over something so... cosmetic - it makes her feel responsible in a likely irrational sort of way.

And while she wishes the hero in front of her did not feel the need to hide, she understands that this must be incredibly uncomfortable for her. It's right there in her body language.

She nods, placing a hand over her heart.]

I swear to you, I shall not breathe a word.

Prelude ♫ Introduction

It doesss. ;3; LJ or DW, it doesn't matter. HTML will get you.

/tl;drs thoughts all over sob

This is a touching and confusing reunion okay it's appropriate. ;3;

IT IS THE MOST TOUCHING ;~;

SO MANY FEELINGS. ;^;

asdhfg ;~; all the feelings.

One day they will get over this. Today is not that day.

Meanwhile Link's brain is broken and inner turmoil ensues HOORAY

WHOOPS. SORRY LINK.

I think these two need group therapy or something

Yeah. Yeah, that would be accurate. Mini!Link can come too.

Also, TL;DR EVERYWHERE!

/GATHERS IT ALL

[1/3] ... OKAY WELL, this'll be long o o p s.

[2/3]

[3/3] TL;DR: Holy crap she's a girl. /sobs, physical descriptions suck

Babbyyyy ;3; /holds

ashdfg sob she needs all the holding u///u

It's okay Zelda is here she will help. ;3;

[1/2] asdfhg ;///; Zelda ;O; ALL HER ADMIRATION

[2/2]

SHE HAS FAITH IN YOU, LINK. o9!!

[1/2 again jeez] asdhfg IT'S GOOD SOMEONE DOES, SOB ;_;

[2/2] also sorry for all this tl;dr.......

[1/2 I CAN DO IT TOO] It's cool, there are Feelings here.

[2/2]

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