The men that had entered the Woods right before Link were in their beds, safe and asleep, when Link returned. He sneaked by them and grabbed his blanket off of his bed, wrapping it around the Master Sword in case anyone was awake.
He crept through the hallways of the military camp and to his father's quarters. As he raised his hand to knock, the door opened, revealing his father fully dressed and strapping on his weapons. "Link." He looked up in surprise. "You usually have to be dragged out of bed. What are you doing awake?"
"I..." He had no words. "Father." He slid the blanket off of the hilt and exposed it to him.
It took Link's father a moment to identify the sword, but then his expression changed drastically. He gasped and looked at his son as if for the very first time. "Link," was all he said.
He ushered him into his quarters and locked the door. "My boy, where did you get that?"
"The forest. The other soldiers went to the Lost Woods and I followed, and--"
"You went into the Lost Woods? Link, I told you not to wander off!" His father shouted.
Link winced. "I know, but I just thought that I would disappear from the forest like everybody else. No one ever gets hurt!"
"There are monsters-"
"I can handle monsters."
"Not always, son. But that doesn't matter now. You appear unhurt and...is that what I think it is?"
Link dropped the blanket and laid the sword across his palms. It had a blue grip and a winged guard. Anyone would recognize it from the legends. There have been countless replicas but the sword gave off an aura in Link's hands, and Link wasn't one to play such fruitless pranks.
His father breathed, "The Master Sword. Dear Hylia, I can't believe I'm seeing it. And you," he smiled at Link and grabbed his shoulders. "You are the one worthy enough to pull it out. I am so proud of you."
And he was, Link could tell, but he was also afraid. Fear for his son's life gleamed deep in his eyes, and Link could see it. He could feel it.
He knew he had to become stronger. He didn't want his father to spend the rest of his life worrying about him, about his fate. Already his mother and sister were at home, fretting over Link as he accompanied his father on all of his travels. Despite Link's incredible capabilities at his age, his mother cried in relief every time they came home.
Link knew she would be devastated to know he was destined to fight Calamity Ganon.
He hardened his grip on the blade.
"We must tell the King immediately," his father said.
They rode hard and fast to the castle. Epona, Link's horse, had been eager to run the moment they entered the stable.
His father canceled training that day, to the delight of the soldiers. They had left with no issues and the simple excuse that the King had summoned his Captain of the Royal Guard for something confidential. It was nothing out of the ordinary for his son to leave with him.
When they made it to the enormous structure in the center of the kingdom, it was high noon and Link couldn't stop gaping. He had seen the castle from afar but not yet had he been there. If his father was there it was because he was working, and Link couldn't tag along when his father was protecting the royal family.
"Come," his father said, gesturing for him to follow to the front gates.
The soldiers stationed up on the wall waved and smiled at his father. The gates parted to let them through.
A guard ran up to them once they were inside castle grounds. "What is your business, Captain? You were not meant to return for a fortnight."
Link's father slid off of his steed. "I need to speak with the King as soon as possible."
The guard nodded and ran inside, and the message was sent. They waited outside the castle for half an hour before the same man returned and waved them after him.
"You are bringing the boy?" He asked.
"Yes."
The guard looked concerned but did not protest.
Inside the castle was a grand staircase and a massive ballroom. Link had never seen such elegance and wealth before in his life. Everything was so clean, and reflective. It smelled clean.
They were led down a series of hallways and up a flight of stairs before they stood before what must be the King's office.
Link took a deep breath. He had never even seen the King before--and now the King was seeing him. But his hands were still as he held the sword, wrapped in cloth, close to his chest.
The doors opened and there he was--King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. He sat behind an ornate wooden desk cluttered with papers. His crown stood proud on his head. He was a large, intimidating man. Almost exactly what Link expected.
Link's father trusted him with their kingdom, so Link did too.
"Captain," the King said, his voice deep, demanding attention. "You have returned early. What is so urgent?" His heavy gaze shifted to Link, but he did not acknowledge him further than raising a brow. Link bowed his head.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty," Link's father said. "I'm afraid I have rather significant news."
"I see. You may proceed."
"Your Majesty, my son, he... Link, show him."
Link, hands steady but mind in turmoil, raised his head and removed the cloth from around the Master Sword, revealing it to the King.
All blood drained out of the King's face at the sight of the magnificent blade.
"Oh," he said, softly. "I see you have pulled out the sword that seals the darkness." He brought a hand to his beard and stroked it in contemplation, eyes locked on his desk. "You are so young...if you have pulled out the sword that means my daughter must be the princess to seal the Calamity."
The King looked up. "Leave me."
That night, Link spent the night in the castle barracks with his father. Not only did he get a chance to see the inside, he was sleeping there, too.
Normally sleep came easily to him, but he was unable to drift off. He couldn't get comfortable; his body was terribly sore from the effort of pulling out the sword, and the sword itself was hidden under his blankets so the other guards wouldn't chance upon it. It did nothing but remind him of what he had done.
What he had to do.
There were too many different stories for Link to have an accurate picture of Calamity Ganon, but they were all similar enough for him to know that it was the incarnation of evil, and fighting it wasn't an ordinary feat. Impossible, even, for just one man. It couldn't be killed--only sealed away. That's where the princess came in.
Princess Zelda.
Link had never seen her, but he had heard plenty. They said she had golden hair and fair skin, and that she was smart and kind to her servants and guards. In her blood was a sealing power given to her ancestors long ago, and she was meant to wield it someday.
Wield it alongside Link and the sword.
The next morning Link's father woke him up only to tell him he was taking him home. The King would see him again soon, but for now there were preparations that needed to be made. That, and Link was still a child. Only twelve, soon to be thirteen. He wasn't yet old enough to enlist in the army.
There was still time before Ganon's seal broke and Link was determined to use every moment of it to become worthy enough to protect his kingdom.
He was the one to set Ganon's arrival into motion. The prophecy said he would pull the sword when the time came for the seal to break. It was him that represented all of this. He had to appear as if he really were a hero.
The ride to Hateno Village took days, and Link had to do it without his father. A couple castle soldiers were sent to chaperone him on his trip back.
When he crossed the short wooden bridge in front of his house, the door burst open and his younger sister poured out. He dropped to his knees and let her throw her arms around his neck. His mother waited in the doorway, exaggerating his return like she always did, with hands over her mouth and tears in her eyes.
The guards said goodbye to Link and left to stay the night in the village inn before making the trek back.
Telling his mother about the Master Sword was almost as difficult as pulling it out of the stone. She burst into sobs. A terrified mother, worried about her son's treacherous future.
"I've always known you were special," she said later. "You are such a passionate, powerful young man, Link. And your magnificent skills! No wonder." She laughed and held his smaller hands between hers. "It was meant to be."
Maybe it was. But something told Link it wasn't meant to be yet.
The sword was still so big in his hands.
Link lived at home for a few months before the first letter from his father. He told them that he had been busy with preparations for the Calamity. The King was occupied with the Princess and the Sheikah so the Captain was handling all aspects of the military almost entirely alone.
After some digging, the librarians were able to find that ten thousands years ago they used enormous machines to assist the Hero and the Princess in the defeat of the Calamity. Plans for excavating large areas of land were in motion.
Link wondered what the King's plans for him were. His father said absolutely nothing about the Master Sword.
What if he wasn't relying on Link because he was so young? The Calamity, though not expected for at least a few more years, could come at any time. But Link had no official training. Sure, his father was the Captain of the Royal Guard, and Link was naturally very skilled, but he was still just a boy.
They way his mother and father looked at him with fear in their eyes told him so.
Or perhaps the King was simply too busy to deal with him at the moment.
Link, as he always had, trained in the yard by the small stable everyday. Epona roamed the space and stole apples from the tree branches she could reach. They spent most of their time together until Link's birthday, occasionally joined by Link's mother or younger sister.
When Link's father came home for a short vacation, he brought with him the news of their trip to Zora's Domain.
Link was ecstatic. He was thirteen now and he hadn't seen Zora's Domain since he was ten. His father brought him along on diplomatic missions the King sent him on.
Zora's Domain was so far the most beautiful place Link had been to. It was carved of shining stone that gleamed even at night. Its people were kind and welcoming. He had made a friend there the first time he went, at four years old. Her name was Mipha, the Zora princess. They exchanged letters as he grew, but he hadn't seen her in three years. He was eager for that as well.
Leaving his mother and sister again was not easy, but he managed it better than they did. Link waited by Epona as his mother and father embraced. They didn't get to see each other often those next few years, with all the preparations for the Calamity. It hurt Link's heart.
Link and his father left for the castle before the Domain. His father was on a job to escort some diplomats from the castle to the Zora city. He wasn't told to bring Link along, but he knew how much he wanted to go. And as long as Link didn't get in the way, nobody cared.
Link thought of Mipha and the blue waters, and not of hard years before him.