The Darkest Memories

Link took a deep breath, his eyes still downcast as he began to speak. "When I was a child," he said, his voice low and measured, "I was taken to the Sacred Grove. I was told that it was a place where the Master Sword would choose its wielder, and that I had to wait there until it did." Zelda's grip on his hair tightened, her expression a mixture of curiosity and concern. "What do you mean, you had to wait?" she asked, her voice gentle. Link's eyes flashed with a hint of pain. "I was restrained, just like this," he said, tugging on the ropes. "I was kept immobilized for...I don't know, it felt like an eternity. I wasn't allowed to move, wasn't allowed to speak. I was just a prisoner, waiting for the sword to choose me." Zelda's eyes widened in shock. "Who did this to you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Link's face went blank, his eyes gazing into the distance. "The Kokiri," he said, his voice flat. "They said it was the only way for the Master Sword to choose its true wielder. They said I had to be pure, had to be still, in order for the sword to sense my heart." Zelda's expression was a mixture of horror and compassion. She reached out, gently stroking Link's hair as he continued. "I don't know how old I was when it started," he said, his voice cracking. "I don't know how long it lasted. All I know is that it was a long time, and it was...it was hard." As Link spoke, the sound of his words seemed to carry up to the rest of the castle, spreading like wildfire through the corridors. In the great hall, Darunia was sitting at a table, a mug of ale in front of him. He looked up, a concerned expression on his face. "What's going on?" he asked, turning to a nearby guard. "I heard that Zelda had Link restrained in the dungeon. What's she thinking, tying up the Hero of Hyrule like that?" The guard shrugged. "I don't know, Your Highness," he said. "But I heard it was something to do with the Cortana. Maybe she's trying to break him, make him submit to her will." Darunia snorted. "Zelda would never do that," he said. "She's not that kind of person. But what's going on, then?" Meanwhile, in the castle kitchens, Impa was busily stirring a pot of stew. She looked up, a concerned expression on her face as she overheard the conversation. "Restrained?" she repeated, her voice low. "That doesn't sound like Zelda at all. Unless...unless she's trying to protect him. Maybe there's something wrong with Link, something she needs to keep him from doing." In the castle's east wing, a group of guards were huddled in a corner, whispering among themselves. "I heard it was a ritual," one of them said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Zelda's trying to unlock some hidden power in Link, but she needs him to be restrained in order to do it." Another guard snorted. "That's ridiculous," he said. "Zelda's not into that sort of thing. Besides, Link's the Hero of Hyrule. He doesn't need some ancient ritual to make him powerful." As the rumors and speculation spread throughout the castle, Zelda and Link remained in the dungeon, lost in their own conversation. Zelda listened intently as Link spoke, her heart going out to him as he shared his darkest memories. She realized that his fear of being restrained was more than just a simple phobia - it was a deep-seated trauma, one that she would have to help him overcome if he was going to master the Cortana.