I recently finished playing "Wind Waker" and couldn't help noticing how impatient the King of Red Lions seems, always pushing Link here and there without allowing him so much as a rest. So, I decided to write this ficlet, to show the King that even heroes have a breaking point and sometimes, it's best to take things slowly. This is my first attempt at Zelda fanfiction, so any criticism you have to offer would be greatly appreciated.

There are slight spoilers for the ending of Wind Waker in here, so read at your own risk.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda or the King of Red Lions (for which I am extremely grateful...)

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Virtue

The wind whispers across the waves of the Great Sea, still blowing to the Northwest as the hero commanded them. The same hero who is now late in returning from the temple.

Where is that lazy child? I think impatiently, bobbing up and down as the waves push me against the shore. He has been in there for over three hours. How long can it take just to kill some monsters? He is probably resting inside somewhere, lazing about and dragging his feet while the world drifts closer to the darkness every second. And that Makar certainly won't be helping him to move faster. Imagine falling into an evil forest while a ceremony of utmost importance to the survival of the Great Deku Tree is waiting to be performed?

Link is late. Very late. The Goddesses know what evils Ganon has had time to commit while the hero sits around. When he finally emerges, I will have a few things to say to him...

Suddenly, a pillar of bright light appears before the temple, and the small green-clad figure descends. He lands on the ground rather harder than normal, and slowly makes his way towards me. I wait impatiently in the water for him to climb aboard.

"We must head to the Earth Temple immediately," I snap without preamble. "You wasted long enough in getting out of there. Now we have little time if we are to stop Ganon."

The Hero does not speak, merely walking wearily to my side and climbing aboard. I notice he is holding his left arm oddly. He also favors his right leg more than his left as he carefully slides over the railing onto my deck. I dismiss these things as nothing. We have stayed here long enough, and have no time to delay.

"Put up the sail, Link! We must catch a southwest wind if we are to reach the Temple soon."

He opens the locker behind my neck and pulls out the sturdy cloth and collapsible wood of the sail. I wait impatiently as he slowly snaps the pieces together. His movements are sluggish and he is only using his right arm to work.

"Faster, Link!" I say. "We have no time for games!"

He looks up at me briefly, his eyes large, blue, and endless. Then he turns back to the sail, snapping the last piece together and slowly hoisting the cloth to the winds. I begin to float northwest as the breeze billows behind the fabric.

"Now use the Wind Waker, Link," I say, as I begin to drift away from the island. "We'll get nowhere with the wind blowing this direction!"

He does not answer. What is that boy doing? I can feel him through my boards... he is... lying down?

"Link!" I say angrily, craning my dragon head around to look at him. He is lying against my side, his eyes closed and breathing slow. "There is no time to rest now! Use the Wind Waker!"

He opens those endless blue eyes and blinks sadly at me for a moment, then searches his tunic for the magical conductor's baton. He slowly sits up, not bothering even to stand, and waves the Waker in the familiar motions of the Wind's Requirem. The wind sings in response to his direction, oddly in a more subdued key than normal, and shifts towards the south.

The wind fills my sail once more, pushing me in a circle and around towards the next temple. Link says nothing as we voyage onwards, the Wind Temple's island soon disappearing into a speck in the distance.

Dusk begins, and angry clouds billow up overhead. Lightning flashes in the distance and I feel liquid on my deck; it must be raining. I sigh, and wait for Link to beg me to stop. The boy seems terrified of storms, an odd trait for one raised on the sea. But we have no time to wait this one out. We must reach the Earth Temple as quickly as possible.

Link says not a word as the storm begins to escalate. I decide he finally must have realized the hurry we are in and kept silent. Though, it is a bit strange how quiet he is being... I dismiss the thought from my mind. Link has always been a boy of few words, and anyway, I have more important matters to think on.

Like, for instance, Hyrule. Somewhere deep below, the remnants of my kingdom remain sleeping. Restoring the Master Sword is the only way they can be returned to their former glory. I smile as I think of what the simple island folk like Link will say once Hyrule rises from the waves again. They will probably be shocked at first, but in the end they will realize how much better life on land is. They will see the Golden Age in its glory and wonder how they ever could have lived anywhere else.

I frown suddenly. The wind is beginning to send us drifting too far west, and Link has not moved to correct our course. Come to think of it, I do not believe he has touched the tiller since we left the temple. I turn around, and find the islander lying motionless against my side.

"Link!" I say impatiently. "Wake up! You cannot sleep now. You have work to do!"

Link does not stir, his blond hair hanging limply to his face as he lies against the deck. His blue eyes are tightly closed, shutting out the storm and the world.

"LINK!" I shout, but he does not stir. I growl deep in my throat. Lazy, useless boy... I crane my neck around as far as I can and nudge him with my snout. He does not react to my touch, his mind still locked away from reality as he wanders his dreams.

Stupid child! I think as I push him harder, willing him to open his eyes. Now we will be delayed further. I growl again. Every second we waste here, the more powerful Ganon becomes and the stronger his grip tightens on this world. "Link! Wake up! Your King commands it!"

My snout connects with Link's sword arm, and he gasps in pain, curling up on himself. Yet, he is still asleep. I draw back in surprise, looking down at the pitiful bundle that calls himself a hero. Something is wrong. Suddenly, I notice an odd stain on his tunic. I nudge it and my snout feels wet. It is blood.

I push Link to the side- he does not resist- and reveal a puddle of the sticky red substance where he had been lying a moment before. The liquid I had felt on my deck before had not been rain. It was the Hero bleeding.

I stare dumbstruck for a moment, unable to decide what to do. Link is injured- very badly, judging by the amount of blood on my deck. Why had he not told me? I feel a surge of anger towards the small islander. Now we will be delayed further because he had been too proud to say anything...

But no. No. This is not his fault. It is mine. I saw the signs- saw him limping out of the temple, the odd way he held his arm, the slowness of his movements and the lateness of his arrival- and did nothing. I was so consumed in my impatience and my desire to get moving that I did not consider the safety of the most important thing on this quest- Link.

Without Link, nothing can be done. Through all my planning and plotting I had forgotten who was actually doing the work, forgotten the dangers of the trials I was pitting this boy against, forgotten that even heroes have limits.

In the search for the powers of the gods, I had forgotten that my searcher was human- and fallible.

I nudge Link gently again, hoping that by some miracle he will awaken. He still does not stir.

"Come on, Hero..." I whisper. "You cannot give up now..."

There is only one thing to do. I must find Link shelter and medical attention, and quickly. Already, his skin is turning pale and splotchy, and he trembles with what must be the beginning of a fever. I mentally scan the map of the Great Sea. The closest land would be Windfall Island, but in the rain and the wind, would anyone be outside to discover Link? I, being a boat, cannot walk on the island and find help...

Still, it is my only chance. I can see Windfall in the distance, but the wind is blowing too far to the west. Unless it shifts, I will sail right past, and then Link... I must shift the course of the wind. Craning my neck around once more, I spot the Wind Waker lying limply in Link's right hand. Gently, I pick it up in my mouth and begin to wave it in the motions of the Wind's Requiem.

Nothing happens. I curse silently, not wanting to open my mouth for fear of dropping the Waker into the ocean. This conducting is more difficult than it looks. I remember all the times I shouted at Link when he was first learning to use the baton, and resolve to be less demanding in the future.

Up... left...left... No! Right!... I wave the Waker around wildly, wishing I had hands. It was so much easier to conduct when I was still human, leading the Sage's orchestra. Finally, I get the melody right, and the wind sings out and shifts south just in time to bring me to the island.

I drift into the Windfall beach, peering out through the now-falling rain, searching for any villagers still out during the storm. There is no one there. Behind me, Link moans in pain and twitches in the throes of some feverish nightmare.

I place the Wind Waker safely on my deck and shout into the gloom. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

Silence answers my pleas. I try again. "Hello! I have a boy here who needs help! Will someone answer me?"

This time, there is the sound of footsteps, and someone emerges from the darkness around the town gate. My wooden heart leaps as I see it is the Rito postman, Quill. I thank the Goddesses that the Rito take their postman's oath of 'in rain, snow, sleet or hail' seriously.

The postman sees me floating in the water and quickly rushes over, presumably recognizing me as Link's boat.

"Link!" he says, spotting the fallen hero on my deck. "What's happened? Are you all right?"

"He is unconscious," I say, and the Rito jumps backwards, obviously startled at hearing a boat speak. "Do not be alarmed," I reassure him, bobbing my head in greeting. "I am the King of Red Lions. But there is no time for talk now; Link is in urgent need of medical aid. I am afraid he has lost a lot of blood."

Quill nods, seeming to decide Link's survival takes precedence over incredulity. He gently lifts the islander into his arms. The boy moans as his injured arm is jostled. With a pang of alarm I realize how small and fragile he looks.

"I will take him to the potions master," the postman says. "He should be able to help. Will you wait here?"

I nod. The Rito hurries away into the darkness, carrying the hope for the world in his arms.

I sigh and watch them leave. Link will be all right now- given time. It will be a while before he is able to fight monsters again. This is unfortunate, but I realize now that I cannot push Link any more. It is my negligence that has caused his injuries, as I forced him to keep fighting so long he became careless. Our quest is not so important that he should have to sacrifice his health. After all, if Link is not well, nothing can be done.

I settle back in the water. Above, the clouds begin to break and the rain slacks off. We will stay here until Link is well, and then continue. And I will remember now that some things are more important than speed. Hyrule has slept for centuries; it can sleep a few days more.

I look up into the lightening sky and smile. I suppose I shall just have to be... patient.

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