Fan Fiction ❯ Harry Potter and the Hero of Time ❯ After the Wedding ( Chapter 19 )

Chapter 19-After the Wedding

Link and the others found themselves right back at the wedding. He and Zelda had just said their vows, and he was back to his normal, Hylian self.

"It's like a dream come true," said Zelda. "We're finally married, and Ganondorf is gone for a while."

"I know, Zelda, but I have to rescue my dad. He's my only living relative, and I am sure he'd want to live with us, since he is a native-born Hyrulian."

The wedding reception was held in the Great Hall of the castle. All of the guests were invited, and there was a large amount of the most sumptuous, delicious food anyone could imagine, ranging from savory Wolfos meat to sweet Leever pulp. For the Gorons, there were rocks from Dodongo's Cavern to eat and some hot Lava Soup, not to mention Goronade and Lava Juice to drink. Zora preferred the fish, and drank only spring water from Zora's Fountain.

The feast, though, could not start without a few toasts from a number of the guests. Darunia, as best man, got to make his toast first.

"I have known Link for over seven years," the Goron chieftain began. "He helped Gorons everywhere by liberating Dodongo's Cavern from the clutches of Ganondorf's monsters. He is a true warrior, and the best friend a Goron could ask for. I hereby toast the friendship between the races of Hyrule, even the Gerudo, long thought our enemies, but now under a wise leader."

"To friendship," said everyone.

"I am proud to call Link my friend," said Mido. "When he was a kid living with the Kokiri, I, most unwisely, bullied him. Luckily, Link ignored my taunts and jibes, showing his great wisdom, for which I honor him."

"To wisdom," said everyone.

"A few here would remember," said Princess Ruto, "that Link and I used to be engaged. We broke off the engagement shortly after we made it seven years ago, because Zora are fish and Hylians mammals. But, fish or mammal, Zora or Hylian, Kokiri or Gerudo, Goron or Sheikah, Deku Scrub or Skull Kid, witch or warrior, we are all Hyrulians. I salute the country and the royal family."

"To the country and the royal family," replied the crowd.

"As the groom, I have the honor of saying the grace," said Link, standing then with his eyes closed and his right hand clasping Zelda's left. "Holy Goddesses, we thank You for the peace You have granted us on this sacred day of Midsummer. We thank You for the bounty You have given us for this feast. Let us always remember that You are merciful and will protect Your Children if they act in a way befitting Your protection. Shai tairas."

"Shai tairas," responded the crowd. The feast was now officially open, and everyone agreed that there would be none like it for at least a generation. Everyone had more than enough of their favorite foods, be it stuffed mushrooms from the Lost Woods or the pulpy flesh of mobile Leever cacti of the Haunted Wasteland. Of course, nobody who was not there could begin to imagine such flavors, but one can always try.

After the main course was completed, Link took up a large cake knife and began slicing the seven-tier wedding cake. The royal chefs had provided more than enough for everyone, and the cake was over six feet tall, even taller than Link himself by a good foot. That made the cake even more enjoyable, and the flavored frosting made it beyond compare. The cake had red cherry frosting, orange-flavored orange frosting, yellow lemon frosting, blue blueberry frosting, violet grape frosting, green lime frosting, and white vanilla frosting.

After they had the cake, everyone grabbed a partner as the band struck up a pleasant waltz. Link and Zelda danced with each other, Saria with Mido, Malon with Shiro, Ruto with Mikau, Sheik with Impa, and Darunia with Nabooru. That was the traditional first dance between the bride and groom. Afterwards came the father-daughter dance, another tradition shared with the Christian wedding on Earth. And so it went, hours of dancing on past 2100 hours (9 p.m.), the traditional bedtime for many there. But at last the joyous celebration had to end, and everyone was quickly led by the royal guard to their homes, to ward off any Stalchildren that might attack on Hyrule Field.

The other races, though, escaped using less conventional means. Impa played the Nocturne of Shadow, and all residents of Kakariko vanished with her. Ruto and the Zora vanished likewise in the Serenade of Water, followed by Darunia and the Gorons in the Bolero of Fire. Saria and Mido played the Minuet of Forest, and they warped back to Kokiri Forest by way of the Lost Woods. The Gerudo retrieved their horses from the royal stables and, led by the exalted Nabooru, they rode back to the Gerudo Fortress just east of the Haunted Wasteland.

Link was a little tired, since it had been a very long day. It had been arranged that he and Zelda would occupy a room just across from her old nursery as a married couple. This would save them a lot of running when they had children, as they inevitably would. The room was tastefully decorated with Zelda's favorite portraits, a peg on the door for Link's hat, two pegs over the bed for Link's sword, and some maps of Hyrule.

When Link carried Zelda into the room, he set her down gently on their bed and went into an adjoining chamber. This chamber was a bathroom and had a toilet built into one wall. Link made it a habit to use the toilet before going to bed and to bathe at least once a day to keep himself clean. He picked up the habit once he moved into the castle after returning from Termina.

Sheik, meanwhile, had set up a tent in the castle courtyard, with Skull Kid, Navi, Tael, and Tatl.

"I am glad you're here," Skull Kid said. "Those guards give me the creeps."

"I definitely agree," Sheik replied. "He is a very lucky man to have married the Princess of Hyrule."

"I always thought he and Ruto were engaged," Navi interjected. "But, I must admit, he and Zelda do have that telepathic connection thing that let Link learn the Song of Time."

"That explains what happened on top of Clock Tower," Tatl shouted. "Navi, while Link was looking for you, he stumbled onto Skull Kid, Tael, and I. Skull Kid was possessed by Majora's Mask at the time and that foul bit of wood turned Link into Deku Link. Epona was also horse-napped and taken to Romani Ranch in Termina, which is pretty similar to Lon-Lon Ranch here."

"Anyhow," Skull Kid continued, "Link-as Deku Link-eventually got a magic bubble attack that knocked the Ocarina of Time from my hands. He picked it up and then he went all dreamy, as though he was viewing a memory in his mind's eye or something. Right after that, he went back in time three days by playing the Song of Time on Deku Pipes."

The masked bard, the imp, and the three fairies stayed up a long time through the night sharing tales of Link. Every one of them learned a few things that remained hidden, but Sheik kept his biggest secret to himself. That would be revealed when the time was right, and not before. Sheik was a stranger in this Hyrule and he knew it, but that shouldn't be revealed until Link, Zelda, and the Sages could handle it.

Epilogue

Ganondorf and Drakan were back in the Evil Realm. Ganondorf was keeping himself well away from Drakan. The crazed deity was busy blasting anyone and anything that bothered him, and that could mean trouble for Ganondorf. Eventually, however, Drakan began to cackle wickedly.

"What is it, Master?"

"Ganondorf, I have found a way to keep that annoying father of mine from interfering with our plans any further. Do you have a crystal ball on you?"

"Ah…you have supporters in Hyrule, Lord Drakan?"

"You could say that, my Gerudo friend. You could say that indeed."

Ganondorf drew out a magic bag of holding and reached inside. Soon enough, he had a crystal ball full of milky white fog resting on a stand. Drakan pulled some of the Aether into the form of a table and two chairs. He and Ganondorf sat down while the foul God of Evil concentrated his will into the crystal. Slowly, the face of a man with the mark of a sword across his forehead came into view.

"Ah, Salvarth," Drakan said.

"A pleasure to see you as always, Father," responded Salvarth. "How may I serve you?"

"Cast a gate spell from your lair to the Evil Realm. Ganondorf and I need to be back in Hyrule presently."

"Of course, Father. Whereabouts in the Evil Realm are you?"

"Near the gate from the Opal Tower."

"Excellent. One moment, please." Salvarth turned away from the crystal and the orb went blank. Drakan and Ganondorf saw a circle appear nearby, and they dove through, taking the magic crystal with them. And on the ring finger of Drakan's right hand was a small circlet of gold…

"Ohdearieandgraciousme," said Lexicon at the palantír, "thisdoesnotbodewellatall, WilliammustbeinformedatonceifHyruleistobewarned."

The End

Note: Yes, I know, most people put adult language into their stories. However, I do not use adult language or adult content often. If I use adult language, it will be in the Hylian tongue used by Kasuto of Kataan at his Hylian Language Institute. If you want to reach me and comment on my story, do so at wpgivens@ameritech.net, where my primary brain can be reached. I am one of the Sages, and an authority on game strategy to be certain. Please enjoy my Ocarina of Time Guide!