This is a fanfiction originally written for a discord contest. Though it didn't win, I'm proud of it, just like I'm a proud Malon x Link shipper, and all you Zelink fans can cry me a river and drown in it. Okay that's a bit much, sorry. Anyways, enjoy.

In the vast land of Hyrule, the sun was setting, blanketing the land in the dim light of twilight. Not far from the great Hyrule Castle itself in the small ranch known as Lon Lon Ranch, two young boys played in front of their house as their parents watched them from inside. Kido, a strong, red-headed boy of eleven years, brought up the stick he held as though it were a sword. He remained calm and collected as he parried and deflected the blows from his younger brother, Terin. A flash of determination shone in the nine-year-old boy's striking green eyes as he pressed his older brother's defenses with his own "sword". His messy blonde hair flung about as he pressed on, attempting to breach Kido's defenses.

Kido suddenly smiled, and swung at his young foe, who had barely finished his own swing. With alarming reflexes, Terin brought his branch up and blocked the attack, and countered with another of his own. Though Kido raised his branch to block, the attack was so swift and strong that it broke right through and made firm contact with its target. Kido dropped his now-broken weapon and fell to his knees, clutching his side.

"Good Hylia!" he exclaimed, as a slightly pained expression washed over his face. "How'd you get that good?"

Terin beamed, and flexed his free hand. "Sword fighting is just in my blood, I know it!"

"How do you know that? Mom's never taken training for combat, and Dad's just a ranch hand. You sure you're right about it being in your blood?"

Terin nodded. "I just know! Or else how am I so good at this? I bet there's a mysterious hero somewhere in our family tree!"

That moment, a red-haired woman popped out of the front door. Though it was now growing dark, it was as though her smile could light up the word. "Terin, Kido, time to come in! It's getting dark."

The boys both gave a united sigh of disappointment before obediently striding towards the house. Behind them, the final ray of sun disappeared, and darkness ruled the sky.

About an hour after the boys had been put to bed, their mother made her way into her own bedroom. There she found her husband, a muscular but thin man, with messy blonde hair like Terin's. He sat on his knees, staring into an open wooden chest with the three triangles of the Triforce engraved on the front.

His wife was soon at his side, her hand on his shoulder. "Reminiscing again, dear?"

The man was silent for a moment, then spoke with a firm, yet gentle voice. "Malon, do you think the boys know?"

She gave a sad smile and shook her head. "They never will if you never tell them. Don't you want them to know you as the hero you are?"

The man shook his head. "As long as they know me as 'Dad'. That's all I could ask. They don't need to know. I want them to love me as a flawed father who does his best, not some perfect hero they could never live up to."

Malon smiled, and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. She gazed down into the box that her husband cherished. There lay a child-sized tunic and cap, a bright green in color. Nestled safely on top of the tunic were two items, so full of memories that all the Rupees in the world would not be able to amount to how much they were worth.

The first was a small sword: the Kokiri Sword. It had slain many monsters in the past, and kept its owner safe from harm. The other item was an ocarina, deep blue in color. This unusual flute had proven its worth time and time again, with songs that could perform such wonderful feats of magic. This was indeed the sacred Ocarina of Time, that gave its owner the title "Hero of Time".

The man stood up, and his loving wife did likewise. The man gave a smile, but it was not one of sadness. It was the kind one makes when looking back on the fondest of memories.

"Link," Malon said in a soft voice, "let's go to bed now. Maybe you can teach the boys how to sword fight properly tomorrow.

Link, Hero of Time, champion of Hyrule, and head of a seemingly normal family smiled. "That'd be wonderful."

He knelt down once more and gently closed the chest, hiding its priceless contents from view. He'd been a hero once, many, many years ago. Over the years, however, his deeds had been nearly forgotten. Very few still remembered who he truly was. Once he was great.
Link locked up the chest.

Its contents were the past. A past he was proud of, but one he would not linger in. He was a father now. His sons needed a father, not a hero.