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You are the princess, I am a servant
Fate divided, miserable twins
I’ll protect you, if it’s for that
I will even become evil
Though he was only fifteen years old, Link was the queen's closest confidant and bodyguard. There were tasks - horrible, cruel, secret tasks - that she only entrusted to him. Each came as a small scrap of paper in a glass bottle. The note being burnt to ash was a silent agreement; the next time he saw the queen would be upon the task's completion. They never agreed on a signal of refusal.
Many men would balk, at the things she had Link do, if word were to spread. How could the young boy rest soundly, as a willing agent of the queen's cruelty? Which was precisely why the queen had chosen Link. Who else could Zelda trust, but her own twin brother?
The two had been ripped apart by the machinations of the royal court, when they had been but children. Hyrule had no room for twins to share the throne, and everyone had opinions on which twin should have it. Their debates began to turn violent, first with words and then with weapons. He didn't want his sister to get hurt, so he offered to go away and allow Zelda to be the crown princess. He vanished into the night, the twins' mother pronouncing the prince dead.
One of the royal guards, an Ordonian man named Rusl, recognized the young prince. He chose to raise the boy as his son, bringing him to the small village of Ordon. As part of this new life, the former prince chose a new name: Link.
Early into Link's time in Ordon, he stumbled across a hidden path in the woods. It led him to an ancient grove, with crumbling stone walls beneath a canopy that cloaked the sky. In the center of those ruins sat a marble pedestal, with a gleaming blade standing atop it. Purple wings flared out on either side of the hilt, a shining blue-and-gold sheath laying beside the blade. With no one else around to claim it, the blade became Link's.
When Link was thirteen, he'd learned that his mother had died, leaving the throne to Zelda. He joined the Hyrulean military not long after. Rusl had reservations, but Link argued that it would raise suspicion for the son of a guard to avoid enlisting.
His sister - now the queen of Hyrule - recognized him immediately. To the outside world, they had to keep up the ruse that Zelda was the only surviving twin. Nonetheless, she chose Link to be her personal bodyguard. With the Master Sword sheathed at his hip, who could possibly be a better protector for the queen?
While on an outing to the neighboring country
In town I happened upon that green haired girl
I fell in love at first sight
With that kind voice and smile
Anytime Zelda left the castle, Link was always beside her. Whether it was for diplomacy or otherwise, he accompanied her. One such occasion saw Link accompanying Zelda to Kakariko. The town was barely larger than Ordon Village, but it bustled with activity nonetheless.
While walking down one of the streets of the village, a person caught Link's attention. A young woman, close to Link's age. Fiery red eyes, with orange hair to match that framed her face. Glowing teal markings peeked from beneath the flowy fabric she wore, while they shone through the pieces of shadow she wore on her skin.
She was a Twili, and the sight of her took Link's breath away. She was gorgeous.
The Twili woman must have caught him staring. She flashed him a grin, pointed canines poking out from her mouth. To Link's embarrassment, she walked over to him.
With a flip of her hand to send a mesmerizing ripple through her hair, she stopped in front of Link and placed her hands on her hips. "See something you like?" Her voice was melodic, every word a lilted song of its own.
Eventually, words found their way to Link's mouth, stammered and awkward though they were. "Um, sorry, I didn't mean to stare, that was rude of me." His face burned.
She giggled, a hand in front of her face and a purple flush on her cheeks. Then she stuck her hand out. "I'm Midna."
"That's a really pretty name!" The words left his mouth before he could stop himself. His face burned hotter. "I, I mean. My name is Link. It's nice to meet you, Midna."
Midna smiled, her sharp teeth peeking out again. "That's a nice name. So, what are you doing in Kakariko?"
"I'm here with-" He turned to look for Zelda. Somehow, she'd vanished into the crowd. "Oh, um, I should, probably be going to look for her." He turned to face Midna again.
Midna tilted her head. "Her?"
Link nodded. "My s- boss. I work at the castle."
Midna's eyes widened. Then she smiled, and snapped her fingers. A slip of paper appeared in her hand. With a wave of her other hand, words appeared on it. Link watched, his eyes wide. She was using magic! He'd never had a chance to see magic in Ordon, and the other soldiers weren't interested in magic. Even Zelda wasn't very interested. To see someone use magic, and so casually without a second thought!
The paper fell into his hands, so gently that he might as well have caught a small butterfly. On the slip of paper was an address. At the bottom, in lovely handwriting:
Since I don't know when you'll be here next, why don't we keep in touch?
His face burned. Pretty, and clever.
Over several months, Link and Midna wrote letters to each other. Link told Midna about Zelda being betrothed to the king of the desert, and Midna told him about working at a tavern in Kakariko. Link sent a picture he'd drawn of one of the horses at the stable (a beautiful chestnut mare), and she sent a short poem she wrote about the night sky. They wrote about their days (with Link being careful to leave out mentions of the secrets he'd been sworn to keep), about themselves, about each other, and about their plans for the future.
He learned that Midna was working at the tavern to make enough money to find somewhere else to live. She had come from the kingdom of the Twili, all alone, as a little girl. One of the places she'd thought about going to was Castle Town, but it was far too expensive. According to her boss, she'd have to save up for most of her life just to afford one of the cheaper houses in Castle Town.
But, Link reasoned in his letter, if she were to live at the castle, she wouldn't need to worry about money.
But if the princess
Asks me to erase that girl
I shall answer that
Why? These tears won’t stop
A letter, from the Gerudo Desert, was what sent the wheels of fate in motion. Zelda eagerly ripped the envelope open, only for her face to fall - first into sorrow, then rage - as she read it. "The nerve! How dare he?!" She threw the letter to the floor.
Link stepped over and gingerly lifted the offending letter. In simple Hylian script, it read:
Queen Zelda,
I send this letter to inform you of the dissolution of our betrothal. During our time apart, I met another who has captured my heart, and I intend to pledge my life to her instead.
Goodbye,
Ganondorf
Link frowned. Breaking off the engagement, for a sudden affair with someone else? He shook his head, turning instead to comfort Zelda.
Zelda's gaze was stony. "Whoever his mistress is, she will pay." Venom dripped from every word, oozing and seeping into the carpet at their feet. "You don't steal from the queen of Hyrule and get away with it."
Zelda's face could have been carved from marble, so rigid and cold it was. She handed Link a small glass bottle - no larger than his index finger - containing a slip of paper. Whoever had hurt his sister, the Sheikah spies had found her identity.
He coaxed the paper out from the bottle, unfurling it to read the elegant Hylian script upon it:
The woman's name is Midna. A Twili.
Eliminate her.
Link's heart clenched. He silently begged - to Hylia, to Farore, to Din or Nayru or any other gods or spirits that would listen. This had to be some misunderstanding. Not Midna.
Zelda's gaze never wavered. "Well?" She didn't need to flick her eyes to the fireplace. Link already knew what was expected of him.
His heart thundered in his chest. Midna. Eliminate her. If he refused, Zelda would have him imprisoned. Maybe even executed. And she would send someone else to kill Midna.
His hand shook as he took a step towards the fireplace. He'd never had a choice in the past. Why did it only bother him now? What made this time so different?
Another step. Each was like wading through thick honey, the syrup clinging to his legs and binding him where he stood. Why had the others been so simple, so easy?
A third step. It didn't matter if he could do this or not. He had to. He'd sworn to, all those years ago, when he became Zelda's bodyguard. There were no other options. Not for him.
On the fourth step, Midna's smiling face appeared in his imagination. Her smile faded to anguish and betrayal, her eyes silently pleading to understand. Link's heart ached.
Like a clap of thunder only he could hear, the truth followed the ache of his heart. He loved Midna. He loved her, and now he was being sent to kill her.
The final step brought him to the fireplace, flames already greedily licking along several wooden logs. Ashes from countless other notes had been swept away over the years, the other servants none the wiser that they were contributing to hiding Zelda's demands. This note's ashes would soon join them.
Once upon a time
I had a very precious sibling
Who reigned at the top
Of a fiendish kingdom
Link reached Kakariko under the cover of night, with the hood of his cloak drawn up. The Master Sword, sheathed at his hip like always, seemed heavier. Its sheath seemed to rattle and clank more loudly. Every time light glinted off of it, Link had to blink away the bloodstains that dripped onto it.
Like always, he found Midna in the Elde Inn. She grinned when she noticed him, a purple flush coating her cheeks. Even now, the night he was being ordered to kill her, he couldn't help but admire her beauty.
He couldn't muster up a smile of his own, as hard as he tried. "I, um… I need to talk to you, about something. Somewhere…" Somewhere nobody would hear or see them. "Quiet."
Midna raised an eyebrow, a teasing smirk on her face. "Really now?" Her voice was a sing-songing purr, as she drew closer. "What might that be?"
Heat rose to his face even with the vice in his chest. He shook his head. "Not- not like that." A futile gulp of air. "It's." Bad. Terrifying. Horrible. Inevitable. "Serious."
Midna's grin fell to somberness, her eyes softening. "Oh." She hummed, glancing around the inn. "There's a spot behind the graveyard, that's pretty quiet."
A chill ran down Link's back. Of all the places… But he nodded. Quiet was important.
She took Link's hand and led him out the door, some bystanders chuckling as they passed. He followed her, through busy and then nearly-empty streets, until-
An old wooden sign dangled over a fence's gate. The gate had been so thoroughly claimed by rust that there was no use trying to shut it. One of its hinges must have broken, from the awkward angle it rested at.
Each gravestone tugged at the vice in Link's chest, worsening the ache and the heaviness of the Master Sword. They clawed at him, dragging at his arms and legs until he couldn't walk any further. No matter how big of a gulp of air he took, it wasn't enough.
A gentle hand, on his face. "Link? What's wrong?" Midna had a worried frown on her face, and the teasing lilt her voice often had was gone.
His hands shook. The Master Sword was so heavy. He didn't want to see blood stain it again, not this time. This blood would probably never come clean. It would be there, clinging to the blade and begging to understand, forever.
He couldn't do it.
Midna's eyes were so soft, so gentle. "Whatever it is, you can tell me. I'm here."
He couldn't do it.
Midna's hand stroked his cheek, gentle and loving.
He wouldn't do it.
Warmth spread through his chest, at that thought. He took Midna's hand in his own. "We need to escape. The queen sent me to kill you, but I won't do it-"
Something slammed into his side, sending him sprawling onto the ground near one of the gravestones. It knocked the wind from his lungs and sent stars dancing in his vision, his ears ringing. When his vision cleared, a couple of Sheikah spies stood over him, their faces obscured by masks and scarves. A familiar voice tsked as it drew near.
Zelda stared down at him, a frown etched into her face. She shook her head. "And to think I trusted you. Just one itsy bitsy little test, and you. Failed."
What? A test?
Zelda grinned, almost leering down at him. "You really thought that letter was real?" She scoffed.
Link's head spun. It hadn't been? Then- then why-
Zelda crossed her arms, pouting. "You swore loyalty to me, remember? But you broke that promise when you chose her over me." She sneered at Midna, who had fallen to the ground a little away from Link. "I won't have a disloyal bodyguard."
Zelda turned to one of the spies. "Relieve him of the blade. It has no business being in the hands of someone who would put his own petty interests above the queen."
The spy, without a word, kneeled down. Link flailed, wriggling away from their grasp. He staggered his way to his feet, a hand on the Master Sword's hilt.
Zelda raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You would raise a blade against the queen?" She laughed, high and mocking. As her laugh fell away, her expression faded into a deep frown. "You know what we do to traitors."
Link stared, his grip on the Master Sword tightening. "You- you wouldn't! You wouldn't kill your own brother!"
Zelda scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous." She looked into his eyes. "Everyone knows Prince Linas of Hyrule was killed by an assassin."