If the Boot Fits

Hero

Manacles were slapped around Link's wrists, digging into his skin. He walked without a struggle through the corridors of the lockup to the west of Hyrule Castle. Zelda had left to prepare for the second night of the ball, leaving Ganondorf by himself to mock and ridicule Link. He led the knight holding the chains down a narrow, twisting set of iron stairs. The smell of mildew, mold, and rat droppings was suffocating in the lower part. A steady drip of water splashed into a small puddle. The air was cold and damp, sending shivers down Link's body. There were no prisoners behind any of the bars. Only one man stood watch in the center of the hall. Ganondorf stopped at the last cell cast in shadows with the lack of light.

The knight pulled Link inside, and, only when Ganondorf told him to, snapped cuffs connected to the wall around his ankles. He replaced the ones around his wrists with a matching set of manacles chained high, leaving Link vulnerable and hanging. He forced himself to stand tall, but soon his arms would grow tired and he would collapse against the cold stone behind him. Why was he chained like this? If he was a common criminal, shouldn't he just be locked in the cell instead of locked to a wall? None of this made any sense.

The knight left, Ganondorf stepped into the cell, leaving the door wide open. He took his time to lumber across the tiny space, a devilish smile darkening his features. Link scowled at the vile man before him.

"I didn't steal the money," Link growled in his face. "I was framed. You have to see that. Catch the real criminal."

Ganondorf didn't so much as blink. "No," he said.

"Why?" Link asked.

He waited, leaning foward so he could whisper in Link's ear. He didn't say anything for the longest time. Link doubted he would ever answer, until he whispered:

"Because I did it."

Link bristled, hair raising on the back of his neck. "What?" His brow creased, confusion and fear playing in his stomach. The chains softly clinked as he swayed. Ganondorf stole the money, he just admitted to it, yet he was free and Link was chained. Did the princess not see it? Or was he keeping himself free with that power of his? Why did he yell at Ghirahim? Do they know each other? Questions swirled in his head, creating a dull ache.

Deep laugher escaped Ganondorf's throat. He turned the other direction, slowly pacing the length of the cell.

"You are probably wondering why you are here," Ganondorf started, slowly pronouncing each word. "Wondering what you did to get in this mess. Well, let me tell you something: it is not your fault - was never your fault. All the blame is to be put upon your oldest ancestor. Because of him, Demise was never able to claim Hyrule."

What was with all the history lessons lately? Zelda told him of Demise the day before, going on about the Hero. Link already knew the legends, the myths. What did this have so do with anything?

"So over the centuries," continued Ganondorf, "the spirit of the so-called-Hero, the princess, and Demise were reborn. Evey time, the boy won. But not this time." Ganondorf quit pacing, standing menacingly in the center of the cell. "Never before has the Hero been completely in the clutches of Evil."

Link reeled. What did he just say? Hero? If Link was anything, he was not a hero. He was the poor boy everyone ignored - up until now, so it would seem. Is this what Zelda was trying to tell him on the bridge? That he was supposed to save them all?

"Oh, is this the first you heard?" Ganondorf feigned shock. "Congratulations. Special day for us all, is it not?"

Link barely heard his ill-hearted joke through the tumult of half-formed thoughts drowning his brain. He couldn't be the Hero. He has the wrong guy. Never once has Link fought monsters or battles in the physical sense. Sure, Ghirahim is a horrible man and a monster himself, but Link never went to war against him. Ganondorf was giving him a role to play; the life of a dead hero. If Link could use this to his advantage in his escape, he would surly do it. He would fit the role of hero long enough to save his own skin. How to do it without getting killed was the trick.