A brisk morning in Hyrule offered a pleasant sunrise for the denizens of the castle. A gentle, cool wind blew through the open windows and down the large halls of the proud fortress. Large shadows of the massive building criss crossed the gardens and other open areas nearby. The workers were already up preparing for a new day, even as many other Hylians were still sound asleep.
A harsh sound of crashing steel reverberated through one of the large courtyards. Two adversaries faced off, circling one another in the grassy area. In previous days, this place had been an area for dignified guests to socialize and behold the beauty of the well-kept gardens. Queen Zelda had hosted more than a few dinner parties in this very spot. Now, it was the site of an intense sparring match.
There was a sudden flurry of swordplay between the two opponents. They moved with such speed that almost nobody else could keep up with them. It had gone on for only a few minutes, but it had exhausted both of the fighters already. Every strike was immediately met with a retaliation from the other. It was a regular occurrence for them now, with some sessions going on for several hours with only a few short breaks.
"Getting tired, general?" Zelda joked, flourishing her blade in front of her opponent. She had foregone her regal attire as it was far too clumsy to wear for heavy activity. Instead, she sported her familiar Sheikah garb, as it was far more practical for training like this.
"Not even close, Your Majesty," the green-clad warrior replied with a smirk. "Keep your guard up."
He thrust his own sword towards her, being especially careful not to put any real power behind it. It was less of an offensive strike and more of a test to see how she would react.
Zelda deflected it and returned an attack in kind towards his midsection. Though their blades were blunted to the point of being useless in a real fight, Link was never one to be careless, even with a sparring sword.
"Well done," Link stated. "Your attacks are becoming faster, but remember to mind your footwork." Zelda nodded in response.
The duel's audience consisted of two young ladies and the occasional curious passerby. The younger, blonde girl, clad in a light blue dress, wrung her hands together slightly and winced multiple times as the steel weapon came dangerously close to the Queen. Her green eyes followed Zelda with apprehension, and she had to look away several times.
"Oh dear... Why am I watching this?" she asked herself, placing her hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp. "Yesterday I practically fainted. Can't believe she talked me into watching this again."
While she had nothing but trust and admiration for Link, she instinctively worried about the safety of the queen anyway. On more than one occasion, she would let out a small, scared yelp if Zelda narrowly avoided an attack.
"Be careful, Zelda," Lera stated for what must have been the fourth time all morning. She had no expertise in combat, and the only time that the young Royal Adviser had ever picked up a weapon was to hand it back to Zelda after she had dropped it.
The other young lady watched on with far less worry. She was only slightly more familiar with combat, but she knew that they were hardly in any real danger from a friendly sparring match. She crossed her arms and smiled from ear to ear, proud of the skill of both her husband and her friend.
"Don't worry, Lera. I think Queen Zelda's got the upper hand," Malon said with a small laugh. "I can see you sweating from here, Fairy Boy."
Link looked to her and rolled his eyes, momentarily taking his attention away from the duel. It was just long enough for Zelda to pivot on her foot and deliver a surprisingly swift blow towards Link's side. Barely deflecting it in time, Link fell onto his backside with a thud, ending the match. He sat in the grass for a second, embarrassed that he had let himself become so easily distracted.
"I told ya!" Malon said with another laugh, approaching her husband to help him off of the ground. "You alright, Link?"
"Yes, I'm fine," he responded.
Lera breathed a sigh of relief and wiped a bit of sweat from her brow as both she and Zelda also helped to dust him off.
"You did well, General," Lera stated, trying to make him feel better. Before she even finished the sentence, she remembered that he was not fond of his friends referring to him by that title. "I mean, you did great, Link."
"Thanks, Lera. I think I would've done better if somebody hadn't distracted me," he joked, poking his wife in the side several times. She let out a giggle and tried to bat his hand away.
"Or maybe you need more practice, Link!" Malon joked back. "Queen Zelda, I think you've improved quite a bit," she declared, regaining her composure after Link had stopped messing with her. "I might not know much about fighting, but even I can see your progress."
"She's right," Link added as he straightened out his tunic. "What's the record now? I think you're starting to catch up."
"Well, thank you. I learned from the best," she replied, glancing towards Link. She quickly returned her practice blade to its sheath and took a seat in the shade on a nearby stone bench, wiping her hands with a cloth. "I think another training session is in order this afternoon. Shall we say... around one o'clock?"
Link was mildly surprised to hear such a thing from her. When they had first started their matches, she was quite hesitant to fight at all. For a while, it had been the low point of each day. It was physically exhausting and took too much me from her royal duties, she figured.
As of now, she had developed a clear, healthy enthusiasm for their duels. It kept her mind sharp and her body in much better physical condition. The confidence that came with it was also welcome, and the fact that it allowed her to spend more time with her friend had made it even better.
"I don't know if Link is ready for another one," Malon said with a wink as she and Lera joined Zelda on the bench.
"You know, she's right," Link returned with a grin, stretching a bit. "I'm just a tired old officer now."
"I'll just have to find someone else then," Zelda replied, faking disappointment. "Perhaps you could watch Impa and I instead."
"What do you mean?"
"We have been training in our free time. There's a lot to be learned from the Sheikah. Fascinating techniques. I think you'd be interested."
Link stroked his chin and nodded his head at the idea. He had always been curious as to what exactly the Sheikah were capable of, though he had not yet approached Impa to ask. He had encountered Zelda masquerading as Sheik a handful of times during the conflict with Ganon, but this had not satisfied his curiosity. Indeed, her sudden departures perplexed him and always left him with far too many questions. Sometimes he wondered if she was being mysterious simply to mess with him.
"I think I'll take you up on that offer sometime. But if you'll excuse me for a moment, I have to go clean myself up. Can't stay looking like this all day." He gave a small bow and left for the cavernous halls of the castle, eager to clear the dirt and sweat off of himself.
As Link departed and was out of eyesight, Malon's happy demeanor began to fade. Her head drooped low and she began to stare off at nothing. She held her head in her hand, trying to hide her face a bit. Her blue eyes seemed a bit more empty, as though she wasn't really there at all. Her friends easily noticed.
"Something the matter, Malon?" Lera asked, trying to move her head to see her friend's face. "I don't think he was injured in the fight."
"Oh dear," Zelda said, suddenly aware of the possibility. "I promise I wasn't trying to hurt him or anything. You know I'd never do that." She thought carefully to any attack that she had made that could have possibly wounded him.
"I don't think I saw any serious wounds," Lera added. "Nothing more than a bruise or two."
"No, no," Malon replied quietly, shaking her head a bit. "It's nothin' like that. If he was hurt, we'd all know it."
"Well, we don't want to see you like this. Do you want to talk about it?" Lera asked, placing her hand on Malon's shoulder.
"I'm worried about him... he hasn't really been himself lately. It's been going on for a while now."
Lera and Zelda became uneasy at her choice of words.
"Sometimes Link's able to relax for a little while, but it seems like he's always watching for... something. Always uneasy," Malon said quietly. "He's eating less and less, and his sleeping habits are getting worse too."
She gathered herself, careful not to let any more nervousness slip into her tone. Zelda and Lera exchanged a glance. They both knew how much pressure Link was under, but they were unaware of just how significant it had become.
"A few days ago I woke up to find him still awake. Must've been almost two in the morning. He was just pacing about the house, looking around at nothing. He didn't even notice me until I approached him. His face was so... blank. Not like him at all."
Zelda and Lera were both disquieted by her words. They could think of no healthy reason for him to do that.
Malon continued. "I asked him why he was up, but he gave me a short answer about being uncomfortable. But I know it's more than that. Sometimes I wonder if he sleeps at all anymore. There have been so many mornings where he's just exhausted after being up for hours."
She gave a quiet sigh before she went on. "It wasn't always like this. When we first got married, I had never seen him so happy all the time. But something's changed..."
Zelda's eyes turned downward. Link's sleeplessness reminded her of her own in the past. She was thankful to have gotten past most of it, but she knew firsthand how detrimental it was. It affected everything she did, and only made her normal duties that much more taxing, mentally and physically.
"Has he said anything else about this?" Lera asked.
"Not really. Everything he says is so vague. I just want to help him, but I can't help but wonder if he's keeping something from me."
"I'm so sorry, Malon," Zelda said, patting her on the back. "Is there anything we can do to help?"
Malon had no specific request, partially because she didn't know where to begin. "I... I just don't want to see him like this, Queen Zelda. I don't like seeing him become so quiet and sad for no apparent reason. I can't stand him sleeping with a knife under his pillow every night."
"I fear he's allowing his obligations to consume him," Lera stated sadly. "Years of conflict have made it more and more difficult for him to abandon his duties."
"I don't even know what to tell him anymore." Malon began to tremble slightly as she released a slow, unsteady breath. "What else can I say now? 'Stop worrying'? That's not enough. I can barely remember the last time when he was truly relaxed."
Zelda closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "There is something I can do."
"Did I miss anything?" a voice called out from the other end of the courtyard.
Link approached with a smile, though Malon could tell that it was a bit of a mask at this point. Looking into his eyes, she could easily recognize a shadow of unease and stress. She regained her composure and returned a cheerful grin to him as best as she could. Zelda and Lera also wiped away their sorrowful looks, for the most part.
"Not a lot," the farm girl replied.
"Are you sure?" he asked, having noticed their sad expressions.
"There was one thing I wanted to say," Zelda spoke up, trying to avoid speaking directly about their conversation. She had to think for a few moments before she went on, wanting to choose her words very carefully. The young queen decided to get straight to the point and stood up with Lera.
"I would like to formally offer you the chance to leave your military duties behind."
Malon's eyes widened, not having expected such an offer. Lera had been anticipating this for some time now and simply stayed quiet. She watched Link carefully, hoping that he would accept the offer.
"Wait, what? Are you sure, Your Majesty?" Malon asked.
"I'm quite sure," she replied calmly. "I think you could use a long vacation, Link. It can be for the rest of your life, if you'd like." A small grin crossed her face, but Link could only offer a look of silent confusion.
"We know how much you've done for this land," Lera added with a nod. "You've done more in a few years than 100 men have done in a lifetime. We think it's time for you to remove that burden from your shoulders."
"I think your wife would enjoy an early retirement as well, Link," Zelda added, giving her a brief, concerned look. Malon smiled very slightly to acknowledge her.
Link stared at the three of them but couldn't come up with any words. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it once more, uncertain of what he even wanted. Part of him wanted to settle down and never look back, but another part of him believed that it would be selfish to even consider the idea.
"Queen Zelda..." he began, his eyes shifting back and forth. "I don't know."
"You wouldn't be leaving the land undefended," Lera added. "We're quite prepared to deal with threats."
Link fixed his gaze on his beautiful wife, and couldn't imagine a happier existence than to live a simple life with her. No conflict, no missions to far off lands. Just the simple joys that other people were used to. Perhaps even someday, they would raise a child of their own, he thought.
"Please say yes..." she thought. "You don't have to keep doing this any more."
The look on her face was unmistakable. Though she hadn't said a single word to influence his choice one way or the other, he knew that she was desperate for him to say yes. When he had returned from his last trip, scarred and weakened, she was horrified almost beyond words.
"Just accept the offer," he told himself, forcing himself to look away from Zelda. "It's what Malon wants."
However, Link couldn't help but shift his gaze over to the young queen. Instantly, memories came back to his mind- numerous times where she had asked him to defend Hyrule in some form. As he looked at her face, he could still see flashes of their childhood, back when they first met in the castle. She had changed so much, but perhaps the world around them had not changed enough. Ganon was no longer a threat, but evil would always remain.
To leave Hyrule so vulnerable seemed wrong to him, despite Lera's assurances to the contrary. He released a deep breath, realizing that he was not prepared to accept her offer. The others returned his look, all of them eagerly awaiting what his decision might be. Judging by his expression, Malon could already tell what he was going to say - she knew him better than most people.
"I'm with you no matter what, Link," she reminded him. She stood up and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. "Do what you think is right."
Link returned her hug but his look drifted to Zelda once more as they parted. "I can't do that, Queen Zelda. I appreciate the offer, but I just... can't." He lowered his head, knowing full well that his answer had disappointed all of them, particularly his wife.
Their own heads drooped as the words came from him. They had all hoped for a different response, but sadly were not surprised by the one they received. Zelda shook her head slowly and closed her eyes.
"No, that will not do," she told herself. "The longer he continues, the more difficult it will be for him to leave give everything up. Perhaps if he sees what a regular existence is like... he'll be ready to sheath his sword forever."
"Link," she began with some sudden firmness. "You're going on vacation. That's final."
He was taken aback by her response, figuring that she would not say anything further. "But Your Majesty, I-"
"No arguments, Link," she replied calmly. "For the next several months, you will not be receiving any requests from me. No adventures, trips, or anything of that sort. You may do what you want," she said with a warm smile.
Malon smiled a bit as well. It would be the first time in years that he was not continuously preoccupied with something. Zelda turned to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"And we will ensure that you have time off as well, Malon. We will send some workers to your ranch to ensure that your duties are fulfilled."
The happiness grew on Malon's face even more as Link continued to stand by in confusion. Time off had become so rare for him, after jumping at almost every chance to help the land. He thought carefully to the last extended period of time when he was not serving Hyrule in some way.
"Well, there was that one week from about two years ago. Didn't do much then," he thought, rubbing the back of his neck. "Come to think of it, I have been meaning to finish that book and fix up the kitchen.."
"Well... okay. T-thank you, Queen Zelda," he said sheepishly.
"This sounds wonderful!" Malon exclaimed, hopping up and down briefly. "Oh, thank you so much, Your Majesty! We've always wanted to see the world! This'll be the perfect chance, Link!"
"Yeah, you're right," he replied, still trying to process what was happening.
"Don't mention it," Zelda replied with a bit of a laugh. "You both deserve it. Now go on, your vacation has already started. Don't waste it here!"
Before Link could say anything else, the redheaded farm girl grabbed his hand and dashed off towards the gate leading to Castle Town, waving goodbye to Zelda and Lera along the way. Link struggled to keep up with her as she pulled him along. Neither of them knew what they would do first, but Malon was far too excited to worry about that.
Lera looked up at the queen and nodded slightly. "I think you did the right thing, Your Majesty."
Zelda continued to watch them until the two had left her eyesight, rather amused at her friend's burst of enthusiasm. Within moments, they were gone. "No one person should have to endure that kind of pressure for so many years." They began walking back towards the inner portion of the castle, not entirely certain how Link would react to this sudden change. "I don't want Link to have to draw his blade for war ever again."
"Nor do I," Lera replied. " But he seemed awfully uncertain. Do you think this will work?"
She turned to her young friend as they entered a large hallway. "I definitely hope so, Lera."