Excerpt from a (possibly) upcoming project.

-This here is, as of now, the only completed chapter I have of a fan fic I currently have in the works. It's basically a reboot of one of my old fan fictions which takes place in the OOT generation. There are a few changes to it as of now, the biggest one being that it takes place in the TP generation instead of the OOT generation (it goes better with my curent ideas, I can only hope that I can think of a full story for this one). Also, I guess it can just be to give you a good example of my writing. This chapter is near the end of the early fraction of the story where my character, Lun'ros, is called to a private meeting with Princess Zelda making it the first time they meet eachother as well-

Chapter #n/a: First Impressions

Not the most formal way to stand, one would say. Or so that's what Lun'ros himself would say were he not the guest. With his weight shifted mostly on his left leg, with his thumb and forefinger of his sleeveless right arm stroking his shaggy black-haired chin, while his long-sleeved left arm clutched the sheathed sword and dagger at his waist. Normally, one would consider a meeting with Hyrule's very ruler, the Princess herself, an honor, especially when at her own request. For one such as Lun'ros though, a young man not even of Hyrulian descent, all he could fathom was the likely suspicion of this meeting. But for the time, the wait alone was becoming less than tolerable--it may have very well been nearly an hour since he had been escorted from his living quarters in the castle since this summoning to its grand throne room, not that the escort to his room the evening earlier was any more enjoyable. Being trailed by guard after guard in the castle only made it more awkward. Even now, as he waited, there was one on each side him, left and right, as still and silent as statues.

In the silence, Lun'ros' ponderings were all he heard. While Link had told both he and the Princess of one-another, this would still be their first formal introduction. If such were her only reasons for summoning him, that would be a displeasing reason to say the least, given the time he had endured up to this point. But like a blade through flesh, as good a metaphor as Lun'ros could care to come up with, the quiet was cut by the first voice heard since he had entered the throne room.

"That will do, guards. You are excused."

Within that moment, the motionless men at Lun'ros' sides broke their statue esque posture and turned to leave, in obedience to the recognizably feminine voice's orders. Lun'ros gave a turn of his head, just to see them off. With their departure came a figure from behind him, an elegant silhouette, who's appearance became clearer and clearer as it, or rather she, took more steps down the long hall's carpet, the sound of hard heeled shoes landing on the harder floor.

"Princess Zelda, I presume?" said Lun'ros, a question in need of no answer--the woman before him had fit Link's description flawlessly. Appearing roughly Lun'ros' age of eighteen years, Princess Zelda stood just below his nose in height. Clad in a dress of off-white, with a magenta corset-like top, the young woman was of unparalelled beauty. Her hair was a dark shade of blonde, nearly brown, much like Link's hair color. Even her eyes were the same shade of blue as Link's, appearing similarly shaped, but of course more feminine and delicate. At the moment, her face was expressing little emotion, something Lun'ros would pass off as stern, much like himself. In all, she was immediately viewed by Lun'ros as not only the definitive princess, but Link's female look-alike as well.

"And you are Lun'ros?" asked the princess in response. But to this, Lun'ros said nothing. Though more than likely the most informal gesture anyone could make to one of royal background, she did not repeat her question, instead simply walking by Lun'ros and to the top of the small stairway in front of them, where her throne awaited. "Link has told me much about you," she continued "I assume he's done the same with you about myself."

"You fit his descriptions well." Lun'ros said, bringing his arms up to his chest before putting them in a tight fold. Though sounding more flirtatious than serious in saying such a nonchalant compliment, he thought nothing of it, and could only assume the princess did the same. He waited for Zelda to take her seat on the throne to continue speaking; he was certainly aware of the many questions he was likely to answer, but he himself had a few of his own he wanted answers to. However, he noticed that instead of sitting down, she made a single gesture with her hand. Being motioned to come up the steps, Lun'ros was once again face-to-face with her, and though while Zelda's face expressed neutrality, Lun'ros' was one that was neither neutral, nor even particularly welcoming. "So then, might I ask why you have summoned me here?"

"That will be answered soon," she bluntly put "But I must first ask you: From where do you come, and why to my kingdom of Hyrule?"

A typical first question among strangers, Lun'ros thought, but one that was always easiest to answer. "I am simply a drifter, one who has come here in order to find a home to finally settle down in, and maybe put my travelling days to rest."

"Have you yet found such a settlement?" asked Zelda

"As of now, no. But my time spent here has been short so far, no more than two weeks."

"I see..." As Zelda turned to her throne, Lun'ros' instincts began to rise slightly awry. There was a feeling of emptiness between them, one which was not easy to stomach when in such a situation. "You haven't answered my question," he said, impatience more than legible in his tone of voice, something that was ordinarily rare with someone as quiet and collected as himself. "Why have you called for me?"

The fair princess sighed, gently lowering into her seat, her hands placed lightly atop her lap. "Calm yourself, please. I do not wish for any tension between you and I." Her sigh was one that seemed more exasperated than ordinary, one that showed she was well aware of Lun'ros' fading patience knew just how nervous she assumed Lun'ros was. For a young man of less status than a typical citizen to speak with the ruler of an entire kingdom, immense anxiety was easy to assume among many. "You are a foreigner in the eyes of my people, from a place farther than even the Ordona Province I would assume." Yet another blatantly obvious statement, such to the point that there was no need to waste words, and Lun'ros nodded, his eyes not leaving the object of his conversation. "You must pardon my suspcions, sir Lun'ros, but for someone like you to simply appear here at a time when Hyrule is only beginning to recouperate from its recent...issues...I find it only proper that I, Hyrule's ruler, know of your existance before any other."

"Well, I can understand that," Lun'ros replied, the twisting in his gut finally easing up. Zelda certainly seemed to be an intelligent one, a stark difference from the usual spoiled nature of the many princesses of a child's story. "But is that...the only reason for this? To meet me face-to-face?"

Zelda shook her head lightly as she lowered it, placing her arms at her sides before bringing her head back up. "No," she said. "To be blunt, Link has told me that you are a swordsman like himself."

"Did he, now?"

"Yes, and your skills, your style, your power, he had told me that yours are the best he had seen since training under his own mentors."

Lun'ros felt an eyebrow raise in surprise. Indeed, Lun'ros had demostrated his skills to Link many times beforehand, fighting to a draw in most of their sparring duels. He had yet to reveal all of his abilities though, and was always on the assumption that Link too, had not yet exerted himself against Lun'ros. Still, he would not let simple hubris get the better of him, he was taught better than that. "Before wandering alone, I had been trained since my childhood by a certain group of warriors," said Lun'ros, in a way that seemed like a change of subject, but his story could not be more relevant to the conversation. "Why exactly does this seem important to you, Princess Zelda?"

"Link seems to trust you, is all," Zelda said. "I only wish to see if I too can trust you."

"Trust me?"

"From Link's perspective, you seem to be quite the competent warrior. What I have called you here for is to give you a chance at proving him correct."

With her hands placed on the arms of her throne, Zelda gently pushed herself up, back on her feet. However, her eyes did not focus on Lun'ros. Her entire head, in fact, was facing the floor at her side. "Since Hyrule's recent turmoil, the soldiers themselves, the royal guard, has been, how do I say...sub par in performance. Though he is no older than either of us, Link is, without question, a warrior with more courage and experience than Castle Town's entire militia. For one such as him to commend you for your abilities, I can only put these 'pieces' together into one logic. For that, I have for you an offering that I am sure you will be satisfied with."

The response Lun'ros gave to this was more than enough to turn Zelda's full attention back to him. Lun'ros gave out one loud, grunting scoff, one that reflected every bit of amusement he had at th Princess' words. Following this, he took a sharp about-face, quickly descending the small stairway, each step could be heard echoing through the entire throne room. Upon reaching the base of the steps however, he stopped, his back still rudely facing Zelda. "If you're trying to recruit among the ranks of your soldiers, it's futile. I've no intention of becoming but an ordinary grunt. Your soldiers' lack of enthusiasm is not my problem."

"Please, if you will not join as a soldier, I ask that you at least let yourself be known among them. For as long as it takes, you and Link may remain living here in the castle, with every privilege our higher guards have."

"Is Link not worthy for this...task?" he asked, his head turning to have at least half of his face visible to Zelda. "Why not ask him?" As of now, Lun'ros saw himself and the Princess as mere people in a talk, their comparative positions on the general heirarchy not even taken into account.

"I had asked this same thing of him some time ago. Long before he met you. He had refused this offer as well..."

"Why is that? He speaks of you as if you were his friend. I would only think he holds your opinions in high regard."

"Our personal friendship meant little to his decision..." Zelda said, a melacholic gloomieness in her voice.

"What...?" blurted Lun'ros. Hearing that answer had, in some sense, forced him to turn once more, back to Zelda. With a look of suspicion and disbeleif replacing his stern concentrated glare, Lun'ros slowly folded his arms once again, his head shaking once to the left and once to the right. "I won't assume that I know Link better than you do, Princess...but from what I DO know about Link, that sounds nothing like him."

"...I too was less than pleased at his refusal. But you know him well too." A tired exhale escaped from Zelda's parted lips, it was an expression of that was all the more obvious that she was becoming more and more desperate for Lun'ros to accept her offer. At least that was how much Lun'ros himself knew henceforth. "He simply prefers the adventurous lifestyle he has right now."

Even with his stern, but formal nature, and his more often than not temper, Lun'ros never before felt that his heart was ever in the wrong place. But now, something different had come to him. He felt something missing, like a tree with a broken branch, a puzzle with a missing piece, an empty page in the middle of a book. He was torn, or rather, undecided, on what course of action he were to take next. His skepticism and doubt grew ever bolder, clouding his sense of trust.

Lun'ros, agitated, sighed from his lowered head. He knew that he would never be able to resolve this confusion on his own, but he could not leave it in the air. So, he turned, his eyes glaring the exit some many meters away.

"I'll meet you gain at your behest...Princess Zelda." he said, taking his first steps forward to his leave. "I'll show myself to my quarters."

At that moment, the fair lady's calm yet unsettling face loosened in apparent relief, a sweet diminutive smile in its place. "You have my thanks, sir Lun'ros." she said, a bow unseen by Lun'ros following after her thanks, and preceeding her next words, which travelled far across the hall to the young man, now but a few feet from the exit. Lun'ros could tolerate one last halt from the Princess before returning to his quarters. "I should let you know that were this meeting not private, your behavior in front of me today would have been considered most unacceptable."

"You'll have to forgive me." Lun'ros replied, back still facing Zelda, his front the exit. "I've little experience with royalty..."

-There you have it. Now while this one seems like a rather simplistic premise, my ideas for the story are intended to have a few good twists. Eariler chapters (which I can only hope to complete), will explain more, and will justify later events.-

Here's the next chapter. After this one, I'll be working mainly on the preceding chapters to these two.

Chapter # n/a: Aiming for the simpler life

"She asked you to what?" Link's glass lowered back onto the table before he could take another sip.

"I don't get it either," Lun'ros' posture did not so much as twitch since starting his story, his fingers were linked together in front of his mouth, elbows resting on the table. He had not since touched his glass. Soon enough, his back straightened out, leaning into the hardwood chair and curtaining his face with his hand as his seat reclined until on it's two hind legs. This bar seemed rather diminutive for such a bustling town, but welcoming nonetheless; the dim lights eased Lun'ros' eyesight, the seats felt passably comfortable, and the barmaid was certainly welcoming, to say the least. "But I can't just leave it alone." He recalled how Zelda had said that she did not wish for any tension between them, that she wanted what was best for him if he were to stay in Hyrule. But one's sincerity could merely be the facade of another's more ominous intentions, something Lun'ros beleived to hold truth, and never forgot to take into account, regardless of who or what the subject was.

"Don't think so much of it, now," said the motherly voice of the barmaid, as she restocked the shelves of bottled beverages behind Lun'ros. "It's astounding for the Princess herself to ask this of you." With the last bottle on the shelf, Telma turned her attention to the two young men, hands on her hips. "It's really no surprise, what with how incompetent the cowards on the job still are, strong young men like yourselves could really do good for us all!"

Lun'ros scoffed at this, the same way he did when he had first heard Zelda's 'offer' for him. "She did mention something along the lines that." he uttered, followed by a low but legible mumble, "I would actually be surprised if that really was the only reason." While he did indeed wish that it could be as easy as Telma was trying make it out to be, his own personal code had always come first, and that code had one major rule: to expect both the unexpected and the expected at the same time, at all times. Such a view on life seemed paranoid by many, to say the least, but Lun'ros always countered such criticisms with either indifference, or the same line again and again "I'm simply being cautious." While Lun'ros knew there were always exceptions to such a rule, he also knew that nearly everything had exceptions.

"You should listen to Telma." said Link, his glass back up to his face. "You've been given a real honor."

"An 'honor' that you turned down, according to Zelda..."

Link's pose stopped at a dead halt, and his eyes, closed to savor the taste of his beverage, bolted open and darted directly at Lun'ros. Taking one last sip from his drink, Link set the mug down on the table, all the while his eyes rolled to the highest point possible. "So she brought that up with you," he said "I won't deny it, I guess. It's true, I was offered a place as one of her knights, and I DID turn it down, but I think my reasons were good enough."

"Well, let's hear it, honey!" Telma exclaimed, her voice thick with her typical sassiness, loudly enough to give Lun'ros, whom she was standing behind, a quick shock. "Might it have to do with you not paying a visit here for so long?"

"I'm afraid so, yes. It was about a year ago, and I received a message from Zelda. She said, after witnessing my fighting, that I was worthy of becoming one of her knights. Her personal guard in fact."

"That sounds like a far better position than what I was asked of," grumbled Lun'ros. "I think that the princess wanted me as nothing more than to set an example for the other soldiers."

"Even so, I just wasn't able to stay confined to my life here any longer. After what I had been through, I felt that I needed to see more. Not just the rest of Hyrule, but as much of the world as possible."

"So then why are you back here now? After a year away?" Lun'ros asked. Link took a quick look at his friend, and in those brief moments of staring, he could tell that he was rapidly beginning to intrigue him with his story. There were innumerable more tales that he could have told Lun'ros of his travels, ones that he thought could even succeed as written books. Yet, with all his new knowledge of the world itself, and the many sights that were etched into his memories, none of them could have compared to the journey he had set out to do in the very kingdom of Hyrule. In retrospect though, Link could not think of it as anything more than a mission. A truly dire mission indeed, but just a mission nonetheless. As Link continued to stare off into oblivion, so too did he resume speaking.

"During my travels, I thought of finding a new home to live in. Away from Hyrule."

I would suppose that makes two of us, Lun'ros thought, his eyes too, beginning to glare off into space.

"Eventually though, I realized along the way that...I could never abandon this kingdom, even if I wanted to."

Link smiled briefly as a low, soft snicker left his closed lips. It seemed ironic when looking back at it all from the start. The events that had transpired in Hyrule were what had inspired Link to see beyond the kingdom, but too many things that had happened because of his journey had been what began to call him back. He had felt foolish since returning; all he held dear was in Hyrule, and to abandon it all to find his real place in the world felt, to him, despicable. Perhaps it had taken that journey to have such an epiphany, that his place was with everything he had grown to love. "It's funny, really," Link remarked, more than aware that he would be the only one able to truly understand the meaning behind that. "After all that happened here, I really wasn't sure if I'd ever come to terms with my life. But now...I can't think of living anywhere else..."

"No place like home, as they say," said Telma. "I'm sure that Hyrule is going to seem a whole lot brighter now that you're finally back."

The story put a smirk on Lun'ros' face, he rubbed it off with his hand, letting it stroke his stubble. "That's very admirable," he said, the raspy, higher-pitched gravel of his real voice seeping through. While even Link knew of Lun'ros' boldly unaccented voice being something of an act, he also made sure not to call him out on it, as he was never sure anyone else could see through it. Still, Lun'ros had started his life anew by choice. Unlike Link, there was nothing that Lun'ros could have left behind. That's how it had always been, and that's how it will stay, the story of Lun'ros' life. But then, he wondered, what was the point in agreeing to accompany Link on his early search? Or to appeal himself to the counil? Or for the first time in years, actually befriend someone? Was it a spur of the moment? A twist of fate? A predestined encounter? When there was no answer to find, the only thing to do was lure it out. For that, Lun'ros had no intentions of leaving Hyrule in the near future. "I suppose I have yet to get truly acquainted to your friends, Link..."

Lun'ros pushed back out from the table and stood from his chair. "I think I'll do just that." A quick tightening of his cloth belt's knot, and Lun'ros was at the door. "Which reminds me--it was a pleasure meeting you, Telma." A smile and a nod accompanied his departure, and the door behind him gently closed shut.

There was an extended lull in the bar, neither Link nor Telma bid him farewell in kind. Link had seen Lun'ros' changes in behavior from stern to formal before, and knew that as sincere as it was, it made his intentions all too clear, which reminded Link of one thing. There was at least one friend Lun'ros had been told of, but not introduced to, but for good reasons, no less. Ever since Link's return, Ilia had only once bothered to so much as come face to face with him--he could still feel the stinging on the side of his face. If Lun'ros were to meet her like that...for Ilia to meet Link's new friend, after he had neglected all the Ordonians for so long..."That idiot's about to get himself killed..." Link murmured.

"What's that, Link?"

"I'm afraid I have something important to do right now..." he darted up from his chair, leaving two blue rupees strewn across the table for Telma to gather. Without so much as a goodbye, Link was out of the bar. Outside, the evening was passing along at a slow pace. Traces of blue were still quite visible in the sky, only lightly masked with an orange hue. Link was moving at quite a faster pace, eager, or perhaps desperate, to catch up with Lun'ros. What he thought would be a tedious search through the town however turned out to be cut short. Lun'ros' pale gray top was the first thing to catch his eye as soon as he took a turn to the outer gates of the town. He stood relaxed, leaning against the wall, far more casually than what Link was used to seeing of him. Link could tell that Lun'ros was going to wait the whole time for him. A wise choice, he thought, but awfully presumptuous.

Lun'ros plopped from the wall, briefly stoping by Link's side, but facing forward to the town's central plaza "I'll reside in Kakariko Village for a time," he said. "If I am to stay in this kingdom for an extended period, I'd rather it be in a place that was less crowded."

"You're going alone?" Link asked, preventing another step from Lun'ros.

"I won't stop you if you come with me, but all the Ordon villagers seemed welcoming enough on their own from what little time I've met them."

After a moment of silent consideration, Link cleared his throat, erecting his posture. Even standing in the same broadened stance as Lun'ros, he took notice for the first time of Lun'ros' slightly taller height. The top of Link's head came up at around the bottom Lun'ros' nose, he must have been around five feet and nine inches at best Link thought. "Fair enough. I'll let Zelda know where you'll be," Link said, letting Lun'ros depart. Looking back, Link made one last comment to see off his friend "But she'll probably call you back here anyway."

"I'm sure she will," said Lun'ros' gritty real voice, unable to use his more 'formal' voice loudly enough to speak through the hindreds of pedestrians walking all around them. "I'll just head back to Kakariko afterwards. She seems like an understanding woman."

"I suppose," Link uttered under his breath, knowing that nobody would hear such a lowered voice among so many civilians. "I just hope that the rest of the council will be as well..."

Sunset...

Time certainly did not fly by for Lun'ros. Travelling on foot was something he was well accustomed to, but the last few days spent in Hyrule's luxurious castle may have pampered him some. He felt the burden of his treking lighten immediately as the road ahead of him showed its end just a short distance away. Amping up his pace into a moderate jog, he came to the entrance before slowing back down. His hand still grasped the sheath of the bladed weapons at his waist, the sticks hung vertically down his back dangling on each side from his spine. The dirt on the sides of the road began to become more and more scarce, replaced with lush, well-trimmed grass, with the many houses leading down through the dirt road. Lun'ros did not care about what Link had told him about how this village was when he first saw it--he could never believe that such a thriving little town was once a barren, deserted shell of its former self just over a year ago.

The way the evening sun shone on the lively Kakariko only made it more captivating for Lun'ros. The glowing firey orange was always his favorite part of the setting sun, it made everything all the more beautiful to look at, it made him forget his hatred for strong sunlight altogether. If it were his choice, it would always be this time of day. But wishful thinking had managed to block Lun'ros from reality once again, and trance of sorts was suddenley broken by a spontaneous voice, from right beside him no less.

"Hey there, you." came the sweet-sounding voice of the young lady to Lun'ros' right. He stuttered a moment, shocked that he had not even seen her approach him, he was so lost in his thoughts. "You new here?" she then asked. Lun'ros took a quick minute to examine the girl. Short, dirty-blonde hair, an off-white top, and soulful eyes. All in all, she seemed quite 'cute' by Lun'ros' standards, her warm smile only complimenting her subtle attractiveness even more. Regaining focus with a clearing of his throat, Lun'ros tossed aside the formalities to answer her question and made her the new subject.

"You're a local here, yes?" he asked

"That's right. My name's Ilia," she said, her brightening introduction. "Nice to meet you."

"Lun'ros." he said in return. "It's a pleasure."

"So, first time in Kakariko?"

"Not exactly. I'm awaiting an summoning from Princess Zelda."

"The princess? Really?" questioned the already intrigued girl, her sapphire eyes gleaming from the sun.

"Yes, but it should not be for a while. I just thought I could stay at the village's inn for a few nights before I--"

"Well, that's no good, now!" Ilia reached for Lun'ros' forearm, clutching the sleeve with both her hands before giving him a light tug as a beckoning. "Come with me. I'll take you to meet my father."

Lun'ros almost stumbled from a loss of his footing after Ilia pulled his arm. In spite of the many things he was ready to say to her now--he had just then remembered where he had heard the name Ilia beforehand--he had felt he lost his chance to even bring it up. But Ilia's proposition seemed all too random for Lun'ros to stay completely silent. "That's alright. I don't wish to be a burden."

"Nonsense. My father's the mayor here, and he's a member of Hyrule's council." the mention of the council brought a cold blankness to the back of Lun'ros' head, but Ilia's guiding was too distracting for him to think of it for anymore than an instant. "If you're involved with the Princess, my father'll see to it that you're given the best hospitality you can get here. The inn is booked solid with reservations anyway."

It was puzzling. Ilia's initial image hardly coincided with Link's stories of her. The worst he had heard was of her infrequent outbursts, he could see the utter sincerity in her generosity all too easily for it to all be a facade. Lun'ros was well-acquainted to his own temper, but it took only the greatest of provocations to put him over the edge. It must have been the same case with Ilia, and Lun'ros could not blame her for just that. At least not yet. As they would always say: Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn...