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“Ascension”AscensionBy
: Alexandra
SpearsLink was sitting outside one spring afternoon, waxing his sword and keeping an eye on his eight-year-old daughter Reva. Yes, life was good. He had married Princess Zelda when they were both sixteen and a year later their daughter had been born. The only cloud on the horizon was Ganon, who was still trying to get the Triforce of Wisdom from Princess Zelda. “Hey, Dad, watch this!” Reva called. Link looked up and watched as Reva executed a series of cartwheels and finished with a back flip, her sandy hair flying. “Hey, that’s really good!” he said. “I taught you well.” Reva went up to her father and sat next to him. Link looked at his daughter and smiled. She was a mischievous little girl. The color of her hair clearly combined her mother’s blonde with her father’s brown, so one could say she had dark blonde or light brown hair. Her eyes were green like her mother’s, her complexion as fair. “Your mother is going to make you take a bath when she sees you,” Link chuckled as he tousled her hair. “Into the mud again? Good thing you’re wearing your play tunic.” “I don’t mind getting dirty,” said the child, whose face was streaked with dirt. She wore only a tunic with a belt around it and she was barefoot. Better than dirtying her good clothes, her mother had figured. “Well, it’s almost time for lunch. Go take a bath and get dressed,” said Link. He kissed a clean spot on her forehead. Reva ran off, past her mother, who was headed to where Link was sitting. “I sent her to take a bath and get dressed already, Zelda,” said Link as he stood up. He looked at his wife’s face. “Zelda–what’s wrong?” “Link, I’m worried about my father,” said Zelda, sounding near tears. “He’s been sleeping more and more and he keeps spacing out more often. It seems like he barely recognizes Reva, his own granddaughter. And yesterday I heard him asking my mother something–and my mother has been dead twenty years.” “He’s, what, seventy now?” Zelda nodded. “Link, I don’t want to lose him. I don’t feel ready to be Queen of Hyrule just yet. I was only five when my mother died...but I remember her....” Link put his arms around her and hugged her. “I’d hate to see him go too...he’s almost been like a second father to me these past ten years.” “I just think his time’s coming to an end,” said Zelda, tears coming to her eyes. Link gently brushed
the tears from her eyes and kissed her lips. “Everything will be all right,
Zelda,” he said. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
The family sat down to lunch. Reva was the last, as she’d been getting dressed as her father had requested, and she was wearing a pretty burgundy-colored dress. She went up to her grandfather, who was sitting at the head of the table. “Hi, Grandpa,” she said. “Oh, hi–Zelda–I mean, oh yes–Reva,” he said, clearly trying to remember her. Reva sat down in her seat, which was to her grandfather’s left. Across from her was her mother, and sitting next to Zelda was Link. Reva gave her mother a confused look. Zelda shook her head, meaning “Not now.” “Our granddaughter is lovely, isn’t she, Jennica?” Harkinian asked. “Grandpa, who’s Jennica?” asked Reva. “Your grandmother,” Link said quickly. “Just eat your lunch, Reva, and we’ll talk later.” “I thought Medilia was my grandmother,” said Reva. “Your other grandmother...you had two,” said Zelda. “Let’s drop the subject for now.” Reva sat quietly
and ate her lunch. Something was wrong, something that her parents didn’t
want to talk about right now. She gave a mental shrug. They might
tell her later.
Impa had summoned the Royal Family, except the King, into the room where the Triforce of Wisdom was kept--Link’s room before he’d married Zelda. The short old woman stood before the Triforce, her white hair flowing down her back, as Link, Princess Zelda, and Princess Reva entered. Impa looked up at the little family. “Princess Zelda, it is time for you to prepare to ascend to the throne of Hyrule,” she said solemnly. “My father–“ “Is dying,” Impa said sadly. “He is very old and will not see autumn. Link, Zelda, it’s time for you to prepare to be the Queen of Hyrule and her consort.” “Grandpa is dying?” asked Reva. “Yes, my child,” said Impa as she hugged the little girl. “Be a good little girl for him and show him that you love him, it’s all that can be done for him.” “Isn’t there anything that can heal him?” Reva demanded. “Princess Reva, we are all mortal. Your grandfather’s time is at an end. It’s the way of things. You’ll understand more as you grow older,” said Impa. Link hugged Zelda,
who was starting to cry. Impa looked up at him. “Link, spend as much time
as you can with Zelda, she’s going to need your love and support.”
Link nodded.
Summer in Hyrule often brought thunderstorms, and on one such day Zelda was curled up on the bed she shared with Link, lost in thought. She had always remembered her father being a bit on the old side; he’d married late and had been forty-five years old when she was born. Her mother had become ill and died when she was twenty-five, when Zelda was five. Since then it had just been Zelda and her father. Of course there had always been Impa–and then Link. Zelda got up off the bed and leaned on the window sill, gazing out at the gray sky. The weather matched her mood so perfectly today. Even the heavens seem to be crying, Zelda thought as she watched the driving rain. Her father was bedridden now. Right at the moment her little daughter Reva was sitting with him, reading to him from her favorite books. Whether or not he knew what was going on was anyone’s guess, but no one was going to discourage Reva. The door to the bedroom opened, and Link stepped in. “Zelda?” “I’ll be okay, Link,” she said. “It’s just knowing that my father is going to die...and that I’m powerless to stop it....” She burst into tears, and Link went over to her and led her to their bed where they sat down. Link held her and let her cry on his shoulder. He didn’t say anything, just held her and stroked her hair, letting her know he was there for her. “Link--I’m just not ready for this,” she sobbed, her shoulders shaking. “I know, I don’t want to lose him either,” said Link, tears streaming down his own cheeks. He was rather fond of the old man; not only that, he couldn’t stand to see his wife cry. He held her more tightly; perhaps if he held her tightly enough, he could shield her from reality, from the cruelties of life. But he could not; all he could do was provide her some measure of comfort. There was a knock at the door. “Come in,” said Link. Impa entered.
“Zelda...your father...it’s time now,” she said sadly. Link helped Zelda
to her feet and led her out the door.
“Oh, Daddy,” Zelda cried as she knelt next to her father’s bed. Reva was still there, and she clung to her father. Harkinian turned his head, saw his daughter. “Zelda...my only child...,” he murmured. “You and Link...you and Link will be good rulers...Link...where is Link....” “I’m here, Your Majesty,” said Link, kneeling next to Zelda as Impa took hold of Reva’s hand. “Link...take care of Zelda...Reva...I love you all....” He closed his eyes and breathed his last. “Daddy–Daddy!” Zelda shrieked, shaking her father. “Daddy, please wake up, please!” she wailed, collapsing on his chest. Link gently pulled her back up. “Zelda...darling...he’s gone...,” he said quietly. Impa respectfully covered Harkinian’s face with his blankets. “A great leader has gone today,” she said, her voice breaking. Zelda clung to her husband, hiding her face in his shoulder. Link held out his hand and a sobbing Reva took it. They stood there for quite a while, tears streaming down their cheeks. Finally Link lifted an emotionally drained Zelda into his arms. “I’m going to have Zelda lie down,” he said. Reva followed her father as he carried her mother up the stairs. She obediently opened the door, and Link carried Zelda in and laid her down on their bed. “Lnk, I can’t believe my father’s really gone,” Zelda murmured. “Is he really?” “Yes, I’m afraid he is,” said Link. He sat down on the bed. “Daddy, why did Grandpa die?” asked Reva, her green eyes full of tears. “He was very old, sweetheart,” said Link. Reva climbed up
onto the bed and curled up next to her mother. Zelda put her arm around
her daughter and held her tight. Link went and sat in a chair. He
sat there, hunched over, his head in his hands. He was sad to see his father-in-law
gone and he was worried about his wife and daughter.
One had to be in
the next dimension not to know about the passing of King Harkinian of Hyrule,
so of course the evil wizard Ganon knew about it. “So–that buffoon of a
king is finally gone, eh?” mused Ganon as he stood before the red glow
of the Triforce of Power. “That would make Zelda Queen of Hyrule, and after
that her daughter.” He thought about that. “Her daughter. Perfect!
I know just how to make myself the next ruler of Hyrule!”
Zelda felt as if she were in a kind of limbo during the three days between her father’s death and his funeral. Numbly she handled the funeral arrangements, with the help of Link and Impa. During the day she tried to compose herself, but at night she cried herself to sleep, and Link would hold her in his arms. The night before the funeral she was practically inconsolable. She was curled up on her bed, crying brokenheartedly, wondering if the pain and emptiness would ever stop. Link came into their room and started getting ready for bed. “Link?” Zelda said. “Yes?” “Don’t you leave me too,” she said. Link went over to her and kissed her. “I sure don’t plan on it,” he told her. “I just feel so...alone...abandoned,” Zelda whimpered. “And I’m so scared....” “I know, Zelda. Come on, let’s get you ready for bed.” Zelda lay there as Link undressed her and put a nightgown on her. “Link, we’re going to bury my father tomorrow,” she said. “I just don’t feel right doing it. I can’t stand the thought of putting him underground and leaving him there.” “He’ll be with your ancestors,” said Link as he got into bed with her and pulled the blankets over them. He pulled her into his arms and held her. It seemed like they had been asleep only a minute when Reva was shaking her father awake. “Mommy, Daddy, I can’t sleep,” she whimpered. “Bad dreams.” “Well, come on up here,” said Zelda. “You can sleep with us tonight.” Reva settled in between her parents and curled up against her mother. She hadn’t done that lately, come into their room when she was having a bad dream, but Link and Zelda had been expecting it. Link kissed his daughter on her forehead. “Feel safer now?” he asked. Reva nodded.
“Good night, Daddy,” she said as she fell asleep.
The funeral was being held in the Great Hall in the castle. Zelda preferred to stay by her father’s open casket at the altar. Link helpfully greeted people as they came in the door. Impa kept an eye on Reva. At the appointed time the door was closed. Link helped Zelda to her seat and put a comforting arm around her. Reva sat on the other side of Link, and she leaned up against him and he put his other arm around her shoulders. An old sage came in and closed the casket, which had the crest of the Kingdom of Hyrlue–the symbol of the Triforce–embossed on the lid. Zelda cried even harder and Link tightened his arm around her. That simple act held such a note of finality, reinforcing the fact in Zelda’s mind that her beloved father was gone. The sage gave a speech, praising King Harkinian’s kindness and generosity. “His loss will be felt by all, but especially by his beloved daughter Zelda, his son-in-law Link, and his little granddaughter Princess Reva,” he concluded. “Princess Zelda’s coronation will be held three months hence, to give her time to grieve–and to prepare to be Queen of Hyrule.” After the speech, mourners filed by the casket, touching it or laying a flower at the base of it. King Harkinian would be buried in the cemetery south of the town of Mido. Outside, mourners were milling about as the Royal Guard placed the casket on a cart to be drawn by the King’s horse. “Oh, Zelda,” said Queen Seline of Calatia, Link’s homeland, who had been Zelda’s mother’s older sister (Zelda’s mother had been Princess Jennica of Calatia). She hugged her niece. “My sister loved him so. I know you did too.” Link’s parents, Arn and Medilia, were comforting him. “You need to take care of your wife through this, Son,” said Arn. “I’m glad you’re holding up all right.” “Zelda needs me, Dad,” Link said simply. Medilia held her
little granddaughter Reva in her arms. “You make us so proud, Link,” she
told her son.
Six people could fit in the horse-drawn carriage that was reserved for the deceased’s closest family and friends. Link, Zelda, and Reva sat in it on one bench in it, facing Queen Seline, Arn, and Medilia. The carriage was immediately behind the King’s casket. Zelda blankly looked out the window as they rode along the road to Mido and then turned south. Mourners gathered
around the freshly-dug grave and watched as the casket was carefully lowered
into the ground. Link held on to Zelda while his parents held Reva’s hands.
The sage performed the service, and the mourners each threw a handful of
dirt into the grave. “Good-bye, Daddy,” Zelda whispered as she tossed her
handful in.
It had been a week since her father’s death. Zelda barely ate anything and lately she’d been sleeping a lot. There was still a lot of sadness in the air, and people in the castle barely smiled. One afternoon Zelda woke up and decided to get dressed. She found Link in the den sitting in a chair, looking thoughtful as he gazed up at the portraits of Zelda’s ancestors. “Link, I want to go visit my father’s grave,” she said. “Where’s Reva?” “Wandering around,” Link replied. “You want all three of us to go?” “It would be nice,” said Zelda. Link looked up at his wife. “Have you had lunch yet?” “I was just going to.” “Good. I was worried
that you’d starve to death. Go on into the kitchens and I’ll find Reva.”
After they had
something to eat, the little family rode to the cemetery on Link’s horse
Catherine. Fortunately Catherine could carry two adults and a child.
“I miss Grandpa,” said Reva. “I do too,” said Link. Unbeknownst to
them, one of Ganon’s birds, a Moby, was looking for them. Seeing the family
in the graveyard, the Moby quickly flew into an Underworld entrance not
too far away to alert Ganon.
“Perfect!
All three of them!” Ganon cackled gleefully. “Now go, my servants!
Bring all three here!” He pointed to his Evil Jar and an army comprised
of Molblins, Stalfos, and Goriyas appeared. “And I want them alive.
I have something very special planned for all of them.”
Link, Zelda, and Reva were getting ready to leave when Reva thought she saw something. “Mommy, Daddy–over there,” she said, pointing. Before they knew it, they were surrounded on all sides by Molblins, Goriyas, and Stalfos. A Goriya threw a boomerang and it struck Reva on her forehead, knocking her out. “Reva! My baby!” Zelda shrieked as she ran to her daughter. “Bad enough Ganon has to bother us–but he has absolutely no respect whatsoever!” Link growled. “Link!” Link turned, saw
that a Molblin had hold of Zelda and Reva. The monster held a spear to
Zelda’s throat. “You come with us or they die,” said the Molblin. Link
knew that Zelda could not break away; their daughter was unconscious.
He had no choice.
“Welcome to my lair once again!” Ganon laughed as he held Reva in his arms. He’d ordered the child’s parents to be locked in a cell. “Let go of my daughter!” Link shouted. “She’s done nothing to you.” “Quite right, hero!” Ganon agreed. “And in fact, she can do something for me. I have a plan that is perfect! And I’ll tell you what it is. You two are going to remain imprisoned and watch while I raise your daughter. When she’s old enough, she will be my bride. I’ll have her do away with you two and she and I will rule Hyrule together!” He laughed maniacally. “No!” screamed
Zelda.
When Reva came to, she was lying in a huge bed. “Mommy? Daddy?” she moaned. “Wake up, Princess Reva,” someone purred. Reva opened her eyes–and saw Ganon at the foot of the bed she was lying in. She immediately gave an ear-piercing scream. “Mommy! Daddy!” she shrieked. “Now what kind of welcome is that?” asked Ganon. “My soldiers found you hurt and brought you here so I can take care of you,” he lied. “Where are my parents?” she asked, looking around. She’d never been in the Underworld before; this was where she must be. The room she was in looked like it had been set up for her. A child-sized vanity table was off to the left, next to an armoire. “Your parents didn’t want you,” Ganon told her. “They deserted you.” “No–they love me! They wouldn’t do that!” Reva cried. Ganon studied the child. This might be a little harder than he thought. Apparently Link and Zelda left no doubt in the child’s mind that they loved her. For a split second he considered just killing her and her parents right then and there, but then he remembered his plan. “Don’t you trust me, Reva?” Ganon asked. “No!” “Well, since you feel that way, here’s the deal. Your parents are in my dungeon. And you are going to do what I tell you to or they both die–slowly and painfully.” Ganon was tired of playing around. It was time to play hardball. “What are you going to do to me?” Reva asked in a tiny voice. “Nothing terribly bad,” Ganon replied. “Just raise you as my own and keep your parents prisoner. And don’t you dare try anything to help them escape–there will always be someone watching you. If you slip up I may kill one or both of them, or just torture them. Depends on how good a mood I’m in.” He left the room, locking Reva in. He’d thought about releasing either Link or Zelda and making them bring him the Triforce, but it would probably be a bad mistake. He knew what would happen–one of them would do something smart and they’d wind up escaping, and Ganon would still be stuck with only one Triforce. No, this time he’d have to be patient. He would wait until Reva was thirteen–the absolute youngest a Hylian girl could marry–and make her his bride. Then, once that was accomplished, he would kill her and rule Hyrule forever. Of course he’d have fun with her first. He went into his throne room and walked up to the cell where Link and Zelda were sitting. “Where is our daughter?” Link demanded. “Oh, she’s safe–for now,” smirked Ganon. “If you and Zelda do anything I wouldn’t want you to do, however, I’d have no problem with killing all three of you and getting the Triforce of Wisdom myself.” “If you put so much as a scratch on my child you will pay dearly,” Zelda spat. “Oh, that will
have to wait five years,” laughed Ganon. “I’m using your rules of succession.
I know that if you had no child and something happened to you, because
you have no siblings Link would be King of Hyrule. I will marry your
daughter when she is thirteen, and after that I’ll kill the two of you.
She will be Queen--and then I’ll kill her and become King. And no one will
have the right to oppose me!” He cackled. “Oh, this plan is
so perfect! I’ll have to wait five years but it’ll be worth it!”
A day passed. Link and Zelda were desperately trying to come up with a plan to free themselves and their daughter. Ganon had hung their weapons up on another wall in the throne room. Not only that, they did not know where Reva was right at that moment, and even if they could get away, Ganon might harm her. Ganon came into the chamber with Reva. “I want you to dust in here and make things nice and neat, Reva,” he told the child. “Mommy! Daddy!” Reva cried, seeing her parents. “Ganon, may I please please please see my parents really quick? Please? I’ll be good!” Ganon narrowed his red eyes and studied the child. She didn’t seem to be up to anything–and she was just a little girl. “Very well–five minutes, no more!” he said. It would be worth it if he didn’t have to be on her every single minute to do something, since she was as stubborn as her mother. He wondered if he could put up with five years of this. Reva hugged Ganon. “Oh, thank you Mr. Ganon,” she said gratefully. The child saw a ring of keys hanging at his waist. Quick as a wink, she snatched them and slid them along the floor–and through the bars of the cell her parents were in. “You little brat!” Ganon howled. “You asked for this! I’ll kill you right now!” He snatched at her long sandy-colored hair but she ducked. “Link, hurry!” Zelda cried as Link fumbled with the keys. She could see Ganon after their daughter. Ganon began running after Reva, so mad he forgot about teleporting himself around the room. She had tricked him! Reva ran to the far side of the room, behind the Evil Jar, and grabbed her father’s sword. Ganon approached her slowly, laughing evilly. “What are you going to do now, little girl?” he asked, his voice low and menacing. Reva backed into the corner, still holding her father’s sword, whimpering. “Please don’t hurt me,” she sobbed. Ganon reached forward and grabbed the child’s long hair and began lifting her off the floor. Reva screamed. Suddenly, Ganon howled in pain as he was delivered a swift kick from behind. “Forget about us, Ganon?” asked Link as Reva quickly handed him his sword. “Zelda–get Reva and get out of here!” “You’ll pay for that you wretch!” Ganon roared. A split second later a bolt of magic shot from his finger to the Evil Jar, and a dozen of Ganon’s servants appeared. Reva ran to her mother. “Link, I’m going to help you,” said Zelda. Link quickly took her pack off the hook on the wall and threw it to her. He was backed in the same corner Reva had been and he began zapping away with his sword. Zelda pulled out a crossbow and began zapping Ganon’s servants right and left. Her daughter clung to her all through it. Link managed to zap Ganon twice. “One more and you’re de-energized!” he said. The creatures Ganon had summoned were all back in the Evil Jar, and it was Link and Zelda against Ganon now. “Come forth my servants!” Ganon hissed as he raised his hand to summon more of his creatures. “No way, Ganon,” said Zelda as she shot two arrows at him in quick succession. “Nooo!!!” Ganon howled as he faded, reappeared, and disappeared, to reappear once more in his Evil Jar. Link saw that he was standing next to the pedestal the Triforce of Power was on. “Let’s get this and get out of here before he recovers!” said Link as he grabbed the glowing red relic. He concentrated a little, and a chain appeared beneath it so he could pull it, like a balloon. Ganon was still in his Evil Jar, shrieking with rage. He used both his index fingers to shoot bolts of magic, and the jar burst open, a pink sea of the jar’s contents pouring out. Ganon was carried down a corridor and it would be a while before he could get back on his feet. Still, Link and Zelda heard the Evil Jar explode and knew they had to hurry. They pressed on, Link clutching the Triforce of Power’s chain, Zelda holding tight to Reva’s hand. “Link, whatever
you do, do not use that Triforce’s power,” said Zelda. “Or you’ll be corrupted
like Ganon, since we don’t have the Triforce of Wisdom with us.”
Zelda took the Triforce of Power. “Link, come with me, Reva, hurry! We need all three Triforces together! So long as they’re separated like this we’re still in danger!” Link lifted Reva into his arms and followed Zelda to his old room, where the Triforce of Wisdom was kept locked up. Zelda opened the window, saw a whole army of Ganon’s monsters out there, ready to attack. Zelda placed the red Triforce of Power next to the green Triforce of Wisdom. Link held out his hands, palms up, and the blue Triforce of Courage joined the other two Triforces on the pedestal. “Ganon will no longer bother us–ever,” said Zelda, as she held her hands over the three Triforces. In an instant Ganon’s army vanished. “It worked!” said Link. “We finally defeated him!” Zelda hugged her
husband tightly and pulled Reva into the hug. “At last, our kingdom is
safe from Ganon!”
Three months later Princess Zelda became Queen Zelda, and the coronation was taking place. It was even more festive in light of Ganon’s defeat. Once the Triforce of Power was taken from him, he had shriveled up and died. That day, Link was dressed in his finest, a green tunic over white leggings. His sword was sheathed at his hip, as usual. At his side was Zelda, dressed a beautiful pink and burgundy dress that had a scooped neckline, the symbol of the Triforce on her chest. Link led her to her throne. Off to one side, standing next to Impa, was Princess Reva, looking very happy for her mother. Zelda smiled at her as she walked up the red carpet, up the steps of the dais, and seated herself on her late father’s throne. The sage that had officiated at King Harkinian’s funeral placed a ring with the crest of the kingdom on her right ring finger--the Queen’s Ring. He then took out the silver queen’s crown that Zelda’s mother had once worn. “Because you are the next heir to the throne of Hyrule, I hereby crown thee, Princess Zelda, Queen Zelda of Hyrule. May your reign be long, and may you be a kind and just ruler,” he intoned as he gently placed the crown on Zelda’s head. “May I now present, Her Majesty Queen Zelda of Hyrule, her consort the Honorable Link, and their daughter, Her Royal Highness, Princess Reva of Hyrule!” The crowd that
had gathered cheered. Zelda’s father had been a kind ruler, and they had
no doubt that Zelda would rule as fairly as her father had. The party that
took place afterward went on into the middle of the night. Slowly the party
broke up as tired guests headed home. Impa had already put Reva to bed,
as the child wasn’t accustomed to staying up so late.
Zelda was standing on the balcony leading to her and Link’s bedroom, looking up at the stars. She wondered if her father were up there now, watching over her. She wondered if he was proud of her. She sighed. She’d always known that one day she would be queen, but she had never wanted her father to die. “Daddy, I miss you,” Zelda whispered, tears coming to her eyes. Even now, three months later, the feelings of emptiness and loneliness came to her unexpectedly. Something might remind her of her father and she’d feel depressed for a while. Zelda felt as if a chapter in the book of her life had been closed, and as if she were on the threshold of something different. Like she had been forced to take a path she hadn’t really wanted, a path that led to destinations unknown. A path that didn’t include her father. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around. “Oh, it’s you, Link,” she said, smiling a little. “Are you okay?” he asked. “Just thinking about my father,” she said. “One thing I’m glad about–he had a clear moment right before he died,” said Link. “I’m glad too,” said Zelda. “So he knew how much I loved him when he died,” said Zelda. She took a deep breath. “I think I’ll be okay now, Link. I think I’m ready to move on with my life.” She wound her arms around his neck and they shared a sweet kiss. “I like this dress on you,” said Link. He hugged her. “I don’t know about you, but I’m kinda tired.” “Would you like to take this queen to your bed, O Honorable Link?” Zelda asked. “I guess I’m not all that tired,” Link chuckled as he
lifted her into his arms. Zelda rested her head against his chest as he carried
her to their bed. She would always miss her father, always love him, but now she
felt ready to face the road ahead, her husband and daughter by her side. They
would always be there for her, and she was grateful for that. |