【 P R E S E N T L Y 】
You weren't too sure how long you spent lamenting to the sunset. It could've been minutes, or it could've been hours. That's one of the few wonders of Hyrule. If you truly wished it, the sunsets can last for a lifetime [1]. This was the only time when you really felt like you were able to talk to Midna, and a part of you wished she would listening from her rightful place on the throne of Twilight.
You sighed before standing up and dusting off your clothes. However, you never really got to that part. Somehow along your ascent, you overlooked the thicks roots tangled beneath your feet. You didn't even have time to scream before you toppled over the edge and was embraced by gravity.
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Elsewhere, a young man was alerted of a new arrival. The kind creatures of the forest, the monkeys, came to him in a flurry of panic and worry. He was quite startled by their sudden appearance, given the fact that his mind had previously been indulged in ancient text.
"What's wrong?" He inquired. He was half concerned for their behavior, yet curious at the same time.
The group of monkeys hopped and squealed about. Only when he removed his glasses and put down his book did the monkeys scurry from his tent. The young man quickly followed suit, ignoring the curious shouts of his fellow guildmates.
He didn't care if he was leaving the safety of his camp. He wasn't sure why, but something deep in his gut told him he just had to follow the animals. For once, his academic hunger was subdued by nothing but a feeling alone.
The monkeys didn't lead him too far from the Sacred Grove, and he suddenly knew why. Lying beneath a tree, there was a mess of tangled roots, vines, and fabric. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it was more than just some flora lying about. It was a person.
"Oh my!" The young man gasped, immediately rushing to your side. "Are you alright?"
When you did not answer, the young man began to fear for the worse. He quickly placed his fingers against your neck, checking for a sign of life. He didn't have to pray long before he got the results he desired.
Ba-dump, ba-dump.
You were alive!
Without wasting any time, the young man proceeded to check your motionless body for any signs of injuries. To his surprise, you had barely sustained anything beyond superficial. It was a miracle. As he went to pick you up, however, he suddenly stilled.
A look of recognition flashed through his eyes. He knew you.
His intelligent mind exploded with a multitude of questions. The last he heard, you had retired from your days of heroism in favor of living out the rest of your days back home in peace.
So why... Why were you here in the Sacred Grove, away from home?
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Ilia shuffled her feet, a habit of hers when she began to lose patience. It had already been hours since Link set off on his search for you. No matter how much Ilia pleaded, the hero refused to bring her along.
She felt more alone than ever.
She barely even recognized Link before he left. He seemed to have become the ghost of the man he was. He looked absolutely... Haunted. The fire in his eyes had been put out, his laughter turned to silence, and his skin was paler than snow.
Ilia could only understand so much as to why her beloved was in this state. She always knew he had formed a special bond with you since you first moved to Ordon, and that bond had only continued to grow when you both set out to save Hyrule. Ilia, of course, knew that she could never understand the deepest layers of Link's psyche because she just wasn't there to face all those horrors.
Yet he still came back for her.
Now, as she stood upon the lonely forest road, she could only hope that Link would soon return once more, back to her and her alone.
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"Excuse me, but have you seen [Y/N]?" The hero politely asked while tapping on the shoulder of the first villager he came across.
"Um..." The kind woman narrowed her eyes and tapped her chin as if she was searching for the answer within the deep recesses of her mind. "I don't believe so...?"
Link sighed in disappointment. That was not the answer he was hoping for.
"Oh!" The young woman suddenly snapped her fingers, alerting Link. "But her father is in town for the night! Why don't you go see him?"
Link raised his eyebrows. Well, that was better than nothing.
"Could you point me in the right direction?"
"Why certainly!" The young woman beamed before raising an arm towards a distant cottage settled between a couple of trees.
Before Link could take a step in that direction, he was stopped by a gentle hand upon his shoulder.
"I don't mean to pry, but is everything alright? Is [Y/N] alright?"
"You know her?"
She smiled. "Why, yes. She used to help out at my flower shop." Then she gestured at the basket of flowers in her hands. "She'd sing to the flowers, and they'd bloom beautifully."
Link couldn't help but crack a small smile upon learning a small piece of your life. "She really is quite something."
The young woman beamed before glancing at Link with a knowing look in her eyes. "That she is. I'm glad you can see she's quite special too."
Link wasn't a hundred percent sure what that meant, but he had a pretty vague idea. Somehow, he found that he didn't want to deny it either. For the first time since you've left, he felt the tiniest speck of hope. He bowed his head politely before excusing himself.
He made his way towards the direction of your home. It didn't take long until he found himself standing before quite a large property. The cottage was quite simple, yet somehow adorable in design. It was almost like it had been taken out from a fairy tale. A low, brick fence surrounded the yard, and the gardens bloomed with colorful flowers. This was the first time Link had visited your home, though he always thought you'd be by his side for his first visit.
"You...!"
Link didn't even have the chance to step onto the property before finding the man he was looking for.
"Krane," Link addressed with a nod of his head.
Your father wasn't exactly a stranger. The two of you often encountered him on your journey since he was a peddler. For whatever reason, Krane didn't seem to have a problem knowing his beloved little girl was putting her life on the line trying to save the world. He didn't even mind the fact that a man was accompanying you. In fact, he was more understanding and supportive than anything. He often supplied the two of you with traveling necessities and allowed you to borrow his name too when needed. It was surprising to learn how well-known Krane really was. He dealt almost everywhere, from Hyrule Castle Town to Goron City, and even to Zora's Domain.
"How you've been, boy?" Krane asked while setting his gardening tools on the ground. "What brings you here?"
Link's throat suddenly went dry. Gods, he hadn't planned far enough or even rehearsed what he was going to say. How in the world was he supposed to tell Krane that his precious daughter was missing? Especially since he made a vow long ago to Krane that he'd never let anything bad happen to you?
Krane sighed deeply in exasperation. He closed his eyes and gently rubbed his temples in a circular motion like he was trying to soothe a headache.
"Well, I knew this day would come eventually," the middle-aged man muttered quietly underneath his breath. Then he opened his eyes and extended an arm towards the entrance of his home. "This might take a while. Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?"
Link was hesitant to accept the offer. It wasn't because he didn't trust the tradesman, nor because he felt as if his life would be in potential harm. It was more because he was bewildered at this point. He knew from experience that Krane was an understanding and supportive father, but he didn't think he'd be this understanding, to invite into his home the man who failed to look after his daughter.
Krane seemed to take Link's hesitation as a 'no.' He lowered his arm and shrugged before saying, "whatever. I'm out of tea anyway."
Link raised an eyebrow at your father's quirkiness. Nonetheless, he bowed politely in respect and apologized, "sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."
"Don't worry about it," Krane replied with a small shrug. "But this is going to be a rather long story, so be my guest and make yourself comfortable on my lawn."
"It was roughly seventeen years ago when I was journeying through the woods at night." Krane suddenly began, launching right into the story before Link could even get a chance to make himself comfortable.
For whatever reason, Link began to believe that Krane wasn't actually all that calm as he made himself to be. This must be his way of getting back at Link for neglecting your well-being. Well, it could be worse. The hero was just thankful that your father was a tradesman and not a bandit.
"It was a stupid move, I know. They always say never to travel at night alone, but for some odd reason, I just felt like I had to. And as fate would have it, I was ambushed by monsters. I was no warrior, so I left all my wares behind and fled, hoping the demons would leave me be. Unfortunately, they gave pursuit.
"Eventually, I stumbled across Faron Springs, and no one will ever believe what happened next. I must have been graced by the Gods or something because the Light Spirit appeared before me. Cradled within Faron's light was a baby girl, who I was told had been abandoned by her birth parents not long ago.
"The Great Spirit entrusted her tiny little life to me. But I protested. I was a traveler, a businessman. I was no father, and even if I wanted to be, it would be too dangerous to travel with an infant. Yet as soon as I held her in my arms, I knew she was different. She was the one that had been graced by the Gods. She was destined for much more than just being the daughter of a tradesman.
"She was a hero from long ago. The spirit of a warrior who saved Hyrule countless times since the age of the Gods. But her existence is a tragic one. The hero whom she had been created for did not share in her fate. With each life, he forgot their time together. With her, she always remembered. Now, in our time, she is needed once more. And Gods, her powers were beyond legendary, as you might know.
"Those monsters who gave chase after me? They were completely obliterated by nothing more than just the sound of [Y/N]'s laughter.
"So hero, if my daughter has left your side, it's because she's simply seeking to create her own destiny, to escape the fate she is eternally bound to... You."
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[1] If you truly wished it, the sunsets can last for a lifetime. --- No, but seriously? Why is the sun always set in "Twilight Princess"? And why does it take FOREVER? D: