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Chapter 6: Interrogation for Dinner
In the royal dining hall, Zelda was politely inquiring the status of the Gerudo negotiations when two elite guards burst into the room.
Stunned silence prevailed for a moment before the senior officer, as signified by the purple plume mounted on his helmet, stepped forward to address the king. "My Lord," he began in an informative, yet commanding tone, "an intruder has been discovered and captured in the castle. Standard security procedures dictate that any visiting parties be escorted by a squad of my fellow elites to their quarters, which are being searched for additional infiltrators as we speak by no less than two dozen royal guards."
"In that case," the King of Hyrule said, rising from his elaborately decorated dining chair and turning to his Gerudo counterpart. "I must apologize, my Lord Ganondorf, but, for your safety, I must insist that your delegation do as my guards ask. We will continue our discussions tomorrow at noon."
Ganondorf rose with a convincingly worried expression plastered on his face, before replying with a bow, "As you wish, your highness. Should you need any assistance, send for Nabooru, my most trusted general, and she will be at your disposal."
"That is very generous of you, but it is unnecessary."
After the Gerudo procession had departed, the King returned his gaze to the pair of elites standing at attention on either side of the entrance to the dining hall, giving a curt nod.
The senior officer saluted before continuing to brief his King, "The intruder was found in the courtyard shortly after her highness left. He did not resist, but, since he was heavily armed, he was escorted to the dungeons to remain until Lady Impa is ready to interrogate him."
"Very good," the King commented as Impa dropped from the rafters of the vaulted ceiling, causing the guards to jump slightly. "Wait outside the doors until the all clear is sounded. Impa is sufficient protection for now."
The guards bowed and exited, closing the doors behind them, whereupon the King turned to address his herald, "Leave us."
As the herald was obeying his King's order, Impa leaned down to Zelda's ear, whispering, "If I didn't know you any better, I would think you worried for this intruder."
This good-humored teasing caught the Princess by surprise, causing her to blush momentarily before she got her emotions back under control.
Impa's face, however, remained calm as she continued in a more serious tone, "If he does this again, though, I'll kill him."
Blinking in shock, Zelda looked at her father as he walked toward the window situated behind his chair at the head of the table before replying in a whisper of equal volume, "Get in line."
"This had better be good," the sovereign of Hyrule addressed the other two beings in the room as he looked out of the window.
Impa was the one who responded, "My Lord, the Sheikah information network has relayed worrying reports. Both the Zora and the Gorons have stopped all communication with their neighbors. I suggest sending a royal messenger to deliver an announcement of the impending Gerudo declaration of allegiance." Glancing at Zelda, Impa continued, "There have also been sightings of a boy dressed in the garb of the Kokiri traveling towards Castle Town from the direction of the Lost Woods."
There was a pause before the King questioned, "Is that all you wished to inform me?"
Finally, Zelda spoke up hesitantly, "Father, if I remember correctly from my studies of Hyrulean law, a unanimous vote is required from the leaders of each tribe in order to admit a new tribe into the alliance. It is also my understanding that an envoy has yet to be sent with the proper summons for a vote. Do you wish to restart the civil war that claimed Mother?"
Immediately seeing through his daughter's ruse, the King replied with a touch of anger, "The dream again? How many times have I told you that it is just a DREAM?! It is nothing more!"
Frustrated with her father's persistent negligence, the twelve-year old rose from her chair, which was situated to the left of the Kings, and shouted, "Is your infatuation with this race of women blind you to the thought that my concerns may be legitimate? Are you blind to the fact that, since you invited the Gerudo out of the desert, the people have been reporting increased Stahlchild sightings at night? Is it so impossible that a boy with the courage of a warrior might come to warn you of what your new bedfellows' intentions are?"
"SILENCE!" The King's bellowing voice forced the white-hot rage coursing through the young girl's veins to freeze into cold, heart-stopping fear and regret.
There was a pause of panting from both parties involved before Zelda's voice returned, "I apologize, Father. I went -"
"It seems that you need some time away from this monarchy. After the negotiations are over, and the vote has been held, you are going to travel West to Termina and stay there until after the Moon's festival in eight months. There, perhaps you will learn both respect and the reason why our family does not hold elections for the throne." The King interrupted with a calm, stern manner.
Before Zelda could reattempt her apology, the bell at the Temple of Time tolled thrice to signal the all-clear, and the King continued, "Impa, escort my daughter to her chambers. Have the guards outside attend to her security. I want a full report on our intruder, from his statement to his armament to his method of infiltration."
Zelda once again attempted to speak, but was cut off by a glare from the King. "I will have your meals delivered to you, and your tutors will come to you in your chambers for your instruction. You will not mention any of this to the Gerudo delegation when you attend the summit tomorrow, and you will not leave your chambers unless I send an escort along with Impa to fetch you. Good night."
