Author note: Hello friends! I enjoy reading everyone's reviews and feedback, you guys are the reason I am excited to write every single chapter. Big things are heading this way in the story, so keep an eye out. Don't forget to favorite this story so that you know when I add chapters, which I will do regularly. I plan on expanding the world more, and get in touch with the world of BOTW we all know and love. Can't wait to share it you everyone! Thank you again, and enjoy this next chapter!
-Written In Bold
Chapter seven, Progress
"Where in the world did you get these?" Zelda asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know," he responded jestingly.
"Well, thank you, they are lovely." She batted her eyes at him intentionally just to watch him blush. Sure enough, like clockwork the tips of his ears turned red, and he bashfully laughed.
"I didn't know what type of flower is your favorite, so I just grabbed whatever types I could find, I thought it would make a fitting birthday present for you."
Zelda giggled a little, "If you could have found my favorite flower within the castle walls, I would have been truly speechless."
He eagerly leaned in, "What type is it? What does it look like?"
"It's a wildflower called the Silent Princess. It is my mother's favorite flower too, she says it carries a significant symbolism of growing stronger when you are allowed true freedom. Unfortunately, we have never been able to grow it domestically, it can only flourish out in the wild. Thus, it is a precious treasure to behold, a beautiful flower with white petals, that fade into a rich blue towards the center."
"Well, maybe I will find one someday out in the wild, and I'll bring it to you." he responded resolutely.
"Certainly not! I would hate for you to pick such a rare flower for my sake. It is because of their rarity we should only pluck them up for very special occasions."
"Well, isn't your birthday a special occasion?" he posed it as a question, but his mind was clearly already set on the answer. Zelda laughed radiantly,
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Link, so don't even try!"
A huge grin struck his face, "Mm. I'm not so sure about that, Princess."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Zelda insisted, trying to hide her smile.
Link laughed, "To repeat what I said earlier: 'wouldn't you like to know!'"
Link shot up in his bed. The vivid dream vanished into thin air. He wanted nothing more than to relish in it a little longer, soaking up every detail of that night under the stars with Zelda. Her smile, her voice, the gentle breeze that flew past her golden hair. He felt as if he was leaving the real world, and now was entering a nightmare, a reality of only pain and misfortune.
The sun wasn't up yet, but he couldn't fall back asleep so he decided to stand up and stretch a little. He made his way into the kitchen, looking for something to eat, but was disappointed with what he found; which was nothing. Oh well, he grumpily thought. Once in the workshop, he poured a small bucket of charcoal into the furnace, and lit it, using the giant bellow to bring the charcoal to a bright orange and white heat. He found a small scrap of metal that was thin and long, and he stuck the end of it deep into the fiery coals. They spat out sparks of orange in protest, but settled down eventually. It was not long until the metal bar was completely white and orange from the heat, so he pulled it from the furnace with a pair of tongs, and brought it to the anvil, which sat in the center of the workshop. He used one of the heavier hammers in his father's arsenal, as it allowed him to shape the metal quicker. He had no design in mind, but he did not really care, he just wanted to hit something, hard. With every stroke of his hammer, the anvil cried out in a deafening ping as he worked his way up and down the piece of metal, flattening it out into a wide, and thin round shape. He tried to press the events of the previous day from his mind, and focused on his work, but it proved to be a difficult task.
Why does it have to be like this? I never asked for this. The more he thought about it, the guiltier he felt. First, he abandoned Zelda, without ever telling her or giving her a reason as to why, shutting her out completely. And now Ariel sought companionship from him, which he knew he could never give to her in good conscious. If only I had made my intentions clearer from the beginning, I didn't want to hurt her feelings, yet now I've gone and made the situation even worse. It doesn't help that father is forcing me into situations with her. Link did not know what to do, how could he hope to defuse the situation without stepping on anyone's toes. And on top of all that, now Zelda thought that he left her for another woman. That's the worst part of it all. Maybe I could have explained the situation better when I saw her in the Marketplace. Maybe she would have understood. Before she saw Ariel with me she looked happy to see me. What if I could've mended our friendship right then and there? He put all his strength into his next strike, angry from his lost opportunity. His hammer bounced back, it left an uneven dent in his work, a shockwave shot up his arm. If only Ariel wasn't there. But I can't blame her, she is innocent in all this, she deserves someone better than me. Strike after strike, he threw his whole body into it, each resulting in a painful reverb.
"You don't have to strike so hard you know? The metal can be deceptively soft once it is hot enough." Link realized his father had been watching him from afar, he looked concerned.
"Did I wake you?" Link asked.
"Eh, I'm up this early anyways."
"Sorry." He returned to his work, softening his strikes.
His father sighed, "I take it your lunch-dinner did not go very well yesterday?"
"It went fine, what makes you ask?"
"Because no one your age gets up at four in the morning to wail on metal for no reason," his father responded starkly. Link shrugged his shoulders, signaling he didn't want to talk about it, but his father pressed in: "Do you find her to be displeasing?"
Link scoffed, "Not at all. She is a kind girl, but I can't give her what she wants."
"Why not?"
Link placed his hammer down on the anvil, "because I barely know her!"
"But you have been friends since you were children!" he insisted.
"People change over the years, father. I'm certainly not the boy I once was."
"And she has changed just as much as you have. I saw her make you laugh and talk more in two days than I have seen you do in months, despite how much you tried to hide it." His father sounded frustrated. "Why not give her a chance, get to know her better." Link remained silent, stubborn in his choice.
How can I? I still love Zelda. How could I hope to make Ariel happy, knowing that I don't care for her like that? "I appreciate your concern, but I've made up my mind."
His father sighed disappointedly, "Well I can't force you. But promise me you will at least try to get to know her better."
Link grunted unamused, "Okay... But only if you promise to stop forcing me into situations with her." His father only grunted in response, begrudgingly agreeing. Link continued, picking up his hammer again: "I don't have much time left anyways, my orders should be coming in any day now."
"And until then you will be a perfect gentleman to that young lady, understood?"
"Yes sir," he reluctantly replied. As his father turned to leave, he began to cough violently in the door way. He coughed and coughed painfully until he hacked up a small amount of blood onto his handkerchief. "Have you taken your medicine, father?" Link asked as he walked over to help him.
"No-cough, not yet-cough cough." Link led him inside, and retrieved the small bottle of medicine, and poured him a glass. He drank it, sticking his tongue out in disgust as it slid down his throat. "Goddess, what an awful taste, I don't think I'll ever get used to it."
"Has it gotten any better?"
"Only after I take the medicine. But it wears off quickly I'm afraid."
"Well, just keep it up, hopefully it will heal with time."
Link spent the rest of the morning helping his father in the workshop, lifting heavy equipment and works, keeping the furnace feed and hot. Link even helped hammer and shape a metal cross piece for a carriage assembly. His father remarked that if he should ever retire as a knight he should seriously consider becoming a blacksmith. "You have a natural talent for it, son," he said, beaming with pride. They continued their work until lunch was closing in, both were famished, after skipping breakfast. They paused to go prepare food to eat when an unexpected visitor arrived.
"Good morning gentlemen!" Ariel excitedly greeted the two, holding a small basket. "I see you two have been hard at work."
"Ah, yes. Link here took up the initiative and started working bright and early in the morning, to help me get ahead." His father poked at his arm with his elbow.
"Well that is very thoughtful of you," Ariel replied, smiling at Link. Link simply nodded. Ariel paused for a moment, then began to explain her sudden appearance. "Oh! I forgot to mention, my mother has mistakenly cooked a little too much food for lunch, and so she thought to see if you gentlemen wanted any." Ariel brought her small basket over, and opened it up, revealing a simply yet heaty meal of steamed mushrooms and roasted trout.
"How kind of her, please thank her for us, she always was an excellent cook!" Link's father replied jovially.
Ariel nodded and replied, "I will!" Her statement was accompanied by a following silence, as if waiting, in hopes that Link would say something. When Link did not add anything, Ariel continued her thought: "Well, I guess I should be off. Thank you, gentlemen." She turned to leave when Link's father interrupted,
"Uh, Ariel-," he hesitated and looked at Link, remembering his promise not to drag his son into anymore forced situations with her. "Have a good day!" he continued. Ariel nodded and returned home. When she was out of hearing range Link's father harshly remarked, "I hope you're happy."
Of course I'm not happy about it. I feel awful, but it has to be this way.
Their meal was delicious, and they soon felt re-energized and ready to continue their work. They slaved away for an hour or two, wiping away the sweat that had accumulated on their arms and foreheads when a Royal Messenger appeared. He was a young and fair boy, not much younger than Link was.
"Are you Link?" the boy asked.
"Yes," he replied.
"I have your orders here for you. You should open it immediately." Link exuberantly snatched the small scroll from the boy's hands, thanking him for delivering it. The boy nodded and left. Link wasted no time to open the scroll that had been sealed with a small circle of wax, bearing the crest of the Royal Family. He carefully read every line.
"What does it say!?" his father pressed in.
Link's face lit up with a boyish grin. "I've been accepted into the Royal Guard's Academy!" His father laughed jubilantly, and slapped his son on the back, congratulating him.
"Where, when?"
"I am to report to Commander Varin at the castle training yard on Saturday. Says here 'In light of your exemplary performance during your basic training, I would like to personally invite you to train in the newest regiment of Royal Guardsmen. You will be the youngest recorded knight to have joined the Royal Guard, but I have no doubt you will make great strides in training.' It also says that some of my former comrades will joining me as well."
"I knew you could do it! They could not have chosen a better man for the job! We will have to celebrate tonight!" His father embraced his son, laughing loudly, beaming with pride. "How long will your training be?"
"A little less than two years, but it will be much more intense than the training I've had before, however if there's anything I'm confident in, it's training!" Finally! Purpose, no more mindless wandering, no more torturous silence; a real reason to get up in the morning. This was the news he was hoping for, he could finally find joy in something again, instead of letting his mind sulk in misery, thinking about her.
"Let's finish up work here soon as we can, we're going to celebrate at the Inn tonight!"
The Inn was filled to the brim with weary travelers, guards, and late-night drinkers. Link's father had put a large mug in his hand, telling him 'You're a man now, despite your age, have a nice big drink.' Link took a big gulp and nearly coughed it all up. His father roared in laughter, slapping him on the back.
"It'll come with time. The burn won't always be so bad!"
Dan and Liam were there too. Link was overjoyed to hear that they were also selected to train in the Royal Academy alongside him.
"It's a shame no one else that we know got in," Liam remarked. "But I guess not everyone is ready for that kind of training. We'll be hard a work I'm sure."
"Ah, it's Link we gotta look out for, He'll make us look like fools if we aren't careful," Dan jested, smiling.
Link simply laughed in response. "Just try to keep up, and you'll be fine."
"Cocky words coming from a kid who barely says anything, and can't even hold down his liquor. But he'll be a regular drinking, fighting, machine in no time, just you wait!" Dan and Liam laughed from their bellies, downing their mugs, and slamming them down on the table.
Liam turned to Link's father after finishing his drink, saying: "Has he ever told you about when he single handily fought off three of us at one time? With nothing more than a flimsy shield and training sword."
His father laughed, "No, he hasn't! Like you said, he doesn't say much anymore." He slapped his son on the back again, disrupting his drink.
Dan took over storytelling; "He was giving Liam and I a proper beating, dodging, and weaving like it was nothing more than a childish dance. So, Captain Kerrigan was determined to push him to his limits, so he called over Craig, who was undeniably the biggest son-of-a-bitch in the company, and he threw him into the mix. Now let me tell you, Craig had no love for Link, so he didn't hold back one bit. Collectively we beat Link a handful of times, but then he started darting around the ring as fast as lightning, spinning and diving between us and began to whittle us to pieces. Pretty soon he was turning every situation around on us, making us look like fools, and giving us nice bright purple bruises on every inch of our bodies."
"That doesn't surprise me," his father laughed. "Even when Link was a boy he was always getting himself into situations where he was either outnumbered or fighting someone twice his size, he's been forced to learn how to adapt."
"The man fights like an animal to say the least!" Dan replied.
Link only shrugged his shoulders amusedly, finishing the rest of his drink. It still burned his throat but he was growing accustom to it, I kinda like it, he remarked.
"Well looky there, he's downing drinks like a champ. Like I said, a drinking, fighting machine in no time!" Dan spouted
"And he's already got the fighting part down," Liam added with a jovial laugh.
A small toothy smile was on his father's open mouth, as if remembering a fond memory. "I distinctly remember when he was about seven or so, he got into a fight with this ugly looking boy who stood about a foot taller than him. And although he hit Link so hard that he could've knocked his teeth out, he got back up, tackled him, and managed to wrap himself around his arms and legs. Link held him there for as long as he could and squeezed with every ounce of strength he had. You should have heard the boy squeal as Link pinned him down, he sounded like a trapped boar! I had to tear Link off the poor brute." His head shot back from laughter.
"And what did this brutish kid do to deserve such an embarrassing defeat?" Liam asked, turning his head to Link.
Link shrugged his shoulders, "Eh. He got in my way."
"No, he did much more than that," His father insisted. "His friend Jonathan had gotten into a dispute with the lad, apparently he was bullying his younger sister Ariel. So, when Jonathan confronted him, the brute knocked him out cold, and continued to hit him on the ground, until Link shoved him off."
Long lost memories of that day flooded back into Link's mind. It was the first time he had met Ariel, when the only words she ever uttered was 'thank you,' and her brother's name.
His father continued, with the same open smile on his mouth. "Now the brutes mother was worse than he was. When she saw Link practically strangling her son, she came running over, yelling, and hollering like a banshee! She demanded that Link be punished for 'attacking her son,' but I knew Link better than that; he wouldn't have attacked unless provoked. I tried to calm her down and explain the situation, but she wouldn't hear any of it. She even got the guards involved, demanding that they lock him up to teach him a lesson." His father burst into a fit of laughter, "You should have seen the look on her face when the guards recognized Link, and resolutely took his side in the argument. This wasn't the first time he had a run in with the officials, and they had grown quite fond of him, despite his curious nature."
Dan chuckled, "Seems like you were always looking out for the little guys, even as a kid."
"More like looking out for the big guys, from the even bigger guys. Jonathan was three years older, and much larger than Link," his father added.
"Well, I say we raise a toast for the little guy, looking out for the bigger guys. Let me go get us some more drink." Dan soon retuned with four more mugs, foaming to the brim. They brought their drinks together, Liam shouted "And down the hatch it goes!"
He said goodbye to Liam and Dan as they haphazardly walked down the street in a drunken stupor. Link finally felt lighthearted, or maybe it was the heavy drinking; he didn't care either way. Link awoke the next morning with a slight headache, and spent the day preparing his few possessions, and enjoying his finally day with his father for what would probably be a very long time.
"I'm guessing you won't have much time to visit me?"
"Hard to say. I will undoubtedly have less time than I did during basic training."
"That's too bad. I enjoyed having you around to help me in the workshop, these old bones don't work as well as they used to," his father stated, stretching his arms back.
"Well, perhaps you can hire an apprentice, pass the trade on."
"It's certainly a thought. I'll think about it."
The rest of their day was uneventful, only a small sprinkle of a rain storm being anything of note. As the sun set through the crimson clouds Link and his father enjoyed their last simple dinner together in their cozy home.
"I'll get up early tomorrow, so that I can join you on your walk over, if you wouldn't mind."
"Of course not, I'd be happy if you came along. I'm meeting up with Dan and Liam on my way up." Link replied.
That night, Link found it hard to fall asleep. He couldn't tell if it was excitement, or nervousness that kept him awake. He closed his eyes, trying to let his mind drift off to rest. The events of the past few days ran through his mind repeatedly. Despite how poorly it had all gone, he was hopeful. Maybe this is a new beginning, becoming a Royal Guard. Maybe I can still make this all right between Zelda and me. I miss her so much, I just hope that she will understand. Link knew he could never allow himself to return to the way he once was with her, but he knew that he could serve her and her family loyally, even if she grew to despise him. He thought it was odd, but in a way, maybe it would be easier to uphold his duty if she did despise him, at least then he would only have to fight off his own desires, not hers as well. His mind eventually drifted off to sleep, and he dreamt about another night under the stars with his beloved. To his despair however, this dream was over taken by the same ominous nightmare that haunted him from time to time. The same darkness, the same pain, and blood. So much blood.
His father was already up and bustling about by the time Link dragged himself from bed. The sun was only a few minutes from surfacing, so he set about dressing himself in his uniform, strapping his bright sword on his hip. His ceremonial armor was wrapped up in a fine cloth and placed inside a leather carrying bag so that he could easily string it over his back. Before leaving he took a few bites out of some left-over bread, and he and his father set out on the empty road. It was much too early for most people to be out and about, so they did not meet many people in their walk. Dan and Liam were waiting for them in the empty Market Square, where only a few vendors were setting up shop. Link looked upon the silent square. This is where it all started, he remarked. All four continued their walk to the castle gates together.
"State your names and business." The guard demanded, in a not overly polite voice. They all showed the guard their orders, and he allowed them to pass, except for Link's father.
"So, this is it huh? Another goodbye," his father's voice was quiet.
"Looks like it." They embraced one another, saying their goodbyes, it was a routine they had done before. Link, Dan, and Liam entered the castle gate, it would be the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. They met a few of the other knights that were selected to join the newest regiment of Royal Guards. Some of them were slightly older and more experience knights, others were relatively younger men. Despite this, the trio of newly graduated knights were the youngest in the regiment, Link being the youngest of the three. They cast doubtful eyes at them, but never said anything demeaning. More knights poured in, until their numbers stood to approximately thirty men. Commader Varin appeared after a time and commanded the new regiment to fall in and form up.
"Good morning gentlemen," he began. "For those of you who don't know me, I am Commander Varin, I will be overlooking your training. If this were some other training, I would pass the responsibility of shaping you men up to a lower ranking officer, but we are not training you to be a group of rag-tag warriors, we are training you to be the elite forces of the Royal Guard. I will be plain and straightforward with you all, this is going to be a painful and long drawn process. Many of you will either fail or quit before two years' time. But follow my orders, and stay strong and you will make it just fine. This not basic training, this is the Royal Guard's Academy, I will demand absolute discipline, and I will receive absolute discipline from each and every one of you. No exceptions. Do as you are told, and we will get along just fine." Commander Varin laughed from his belly before continuing, "I think that you will all find me to be an agreeable and fair man, as long as you follow my orders. Understood?"
"Yes sir!" they all replied in unison.
"Excellent. We will waste no time, you will be led to your barracks, and you may drop off your armor and weapons, then we will begin your training. You will want to also change into something light, prepare for a vigorous work out."
Link heaved air in and out of his chest, his heart pounded violently. He couldn't remember what mile it was, four? Five? Commander Varin kept a steady pace, he made it seem like nothing more than a leisurely stroll. The only comfort to the pounding pain in his feet and chest was the cool breeze of the wild blowing across his face, that and the country side was beautiful. Hyrule field was a stunning display of rich green grass, colorful insects, and the occasional proud tree. Above them the bright blue sky radiated. As they continued their run, they passed a quaint, small ranch that bred and raised some of the fairest horses in all of Hyrule. They then followed a gravel path that led them past an outcrop of trees that surrounded a ritualistic looking site called the Ceremonial Grounds.
"That is where they performed many ancient rituals and ceremonies before the rise of the Calamity," Commander Varin called out in short breaths. "It was one of the last things they restored while rebuilding the castle."
The castle was a remarkable sight, especially from this perspective. It stood as a beacon of majesty in the open fields. Great monolithic spires of ancient Sheikah design peered out towards all sides of the castle, although they had lost their fluorescent blue glow. Much like all the ancient Sheikah relics, the spires had seemingly powered down, and sat dormant under the aging sun, as a testament to the bygone age. For a moment Link forgot the burning in his chest, looking upon the scenery, as they ran in unison. The regiment was allowed to march, instead of running once they reached the outer wall of the city. Sweat dripped down their faces, but their heavy breathing had finally ceased. They passed though Castle Town on their way back to the training grounds, viewing the busy spectacle of Hylian, Gerudo, Rito, Zora, and Goron people busy about their daily lives.
Once they were back at the training grounds, they resumed their exercise routine, ending their session with several rounds of hand-to-hand combat. Every member was exhausted from their run, but they threw everything they had left at each other. To the surprise of the regiment, excluding Dan and Liam of course, Link was an opponent to be reckoned with. What he could not match in strength he returned tenfold in speed and determination, often outsmarting his opponents into painful submission. If any of them had doubted him before, they certainly did not now. Regardless, they did not enjoy being so soundly defeated by some Castle Town boy.
Commander Varin sent them off to wash themselves, barely giving them enough time to properly bathe before commanding them to fall back in, dressed in their armor. The Commander spent the next hour meticulously examining every inch of their armor, ensuring that it was perfect. If there was even a single buckle out of place, they would fail the test.
"Gentlemen, in light of the fact that nearly half of you failed your inspection, we will be holding an additional exercise routine after your classes this evening. Everyone will be present, regardless if you failed or not. Until this regiment learns the importance maintaining a flawless uniform, you will be forced to pay for your mistakes with additional exercises, and disciplinary actions. As Knights of the Royal Guard, you must look the part, not a hair out of place, and that takes practice and dedication. For those of you who passed, take it upon yourselves to share the information to your success to your brothers-in-arms. Understood?"
"Yes sir!" they shouted.
Link felt at home. Despite the roughness of the training, he loved every minute of it. Order, discipline, purpose. He could finally focus on one goal. No more being lost in thought, no more not knowing what to do; here, in the training grounds, he knew himself, he knew exactly what he needed to do, and how to achieve it. Even in the classrooms, which often bored him as a boy, he found a resolute purpose. He soaked ever drop of information, jotting notes, learning every facet of militaristic strategy, memorizing every fort and road in Hyrule, and studying the history of each race that inhabited the four corners of their land. He was determined to be the best of the best, no matter the cost.
After their late evening exercise, every muscle in Link's body ached, but he knew that with every hardship he faced, he would grow stronger, faster, and smarter. Being one of the few that passed the inspection he graciously offered pointers and advice to his comrades, some thanking him, others scoffing in contempt. I'll earn their trust, eventually, he thought to himself.
"I haven't seen you this lively since we started basic training," Liam remarked.
"It's nice to finally have a purpose again. I've missed the discipline of training," Link responded. Liam nodded in agreeance, smiling smartly.
Training began before sunrise every morning. They would start every day with a long run, lasting roughly four miles, sometimes less, sometimes more. Then they would move on to training the rest of their bodies, heaving great weights, or building up their agility. After exercising, they would train their minds in their small classroom. From there they would practice sword fighting, archery, or some other combative skill, which Link excelled at. It was no surprise that after a week he was promoted to the rank of Regiment Sergeant, and chosen to lead their group. This was to the disapproval of some of the older knights, but they certainly did not want to fight Link for it, they quickly learned that he would beat them on every front. The position would have gone to one of the other knights that had been promoted to Sergeant during his prior service outside of the regiment, giving him seniority over Link, but he had injured himself during a run, and was forced to leave training. Others dropped out as well, and in just three short week their numbers had fallen to twenty-seven.
Time travelled fast, from Link's perspective. Several months had flashed past in what seemed to be merely weeks, but he felt stronger than ever. He could cut through any of his opponents with ease, defeating even combat-experienced knights like they were nothing more than trainee's. Much like Captain Kerrigan did when he was in basic training, Commander Varin often pitted him against two or three opponents at once, but despite their efforts, no one could best their Sergeant.
"We're going to have to look for tougher men to fight you, eh boy?" Commander Varin once roared out in laughter. Regardless of how easily Link could dispatch his comrades however, he never relented in his training, constantly pushing himself to only accept perfection. The sword in his hand felt like an extension of his arm, he could spin it around in a flurry of shining steel, every strike was like the beat of a drum in an intricate dance; a dance that was deadly, and beautiful.
When they weren't practicing combat or spending time in a class room, they were back out in the open fields of Hyrule, leaving behind the humdrum of the city, and traversing into the unknown and tranquil expanses of the wild. It is here that they learned to scavenge what they could use to survive. It was likely they would never have a use for such skills, since their primary roles were to oversee the security of the inner castle, as well as protecting the Royal Family, but as Commander Varin put it: "You are to become the elite forces of our kingdom, it is your responsibility to master any and every skill, you can never know when you will need them. It may save your life, or more importantly the Royal Family's lives someday."
Their training was to last an allotted twenty months, and they had already passed through eight of them when the regiment was now assigned regular guard duties within the castle. Of course, they couldn't simply allow undertrained Knights to stand guard, so every Royal Knight-in-training would be stationed with a veteran member of the Royal Guard, so that they could learn the ins-and-outs of their patrol routes, alarm systems, and defensive protocols directly from the men who stood as sentries. When on patrol they would wear their typical knights armor, as they would first have to graduate to earn the right to wear the gallant armor of the prestigious Royal Guard, which vividly marked by their ceremonious helmets and cloaks of deep blue. Link was always stationed with a stoic individual named Galen, who he estimated to be around the age of thirty to thirty-five. Galen stood a few inches taller than Link, and always looked like he had his jaw clamped tight down, as the muscles in his cheek always looked tense. While on duty, Link and Galen would stand watch over the back entrance to the castle's kitchens. It was not the most prestigious place to be posted, but since there were people constantly coming and leaving, delivering food, disposing of trash, and other necessities of a kitchen, it was important that they were placed in charge of ensuring no one unsavory could sneak in through the back. Every half hour, one of them would walk a quick patrol of the area, checking for anything out of place, and if they had nothing to report, would return to their post. When not baking or cooking, many of the members of staff would take small breaks outside, to catch a breath of fresh air. Link made friends with a particularly friendly cook named Robert, who would often take the time to passionately describe how he would prepare certain dishes. When Link mentioned that on their outings into the wild he would catch and cook fish, but noted how bland they would always turn out. Robert was more than happy to give him a few pointers, and even ran back inside to grab a small sack of spices, which he gifted to Link saying: "I made my own blend of spice, it has a good amount of salt, and cracked pepper, as well as some other special ingredients. You can keep it, see if it makes your fish a little more savory." Link thanked him for the gift, and promised to let him know how it turned out.
As the Knights-in-training gathered more trust among the Royal Guard, they began to allow them into the more crucial positions in the castle. Soon, Link was posted just outside the main entrance of the Castle Library, which was indeed a monumental collection of both ancient and new works, ranging from scrolls and tapestries that dated from thousands of years back, to books that were written in more recent years. It was on his first day in this new position that he saw her, for what seemed like the first time in years. Zelda wore an eloquent gown of blue and gold that flew behind her as she briskly walked towards the library, with her face buried in a small brown leather book. She never looked up from the its pages as she walked to the entrance of the echoing chamber, clearly too enthralled with its contents to look where she was walking. For a moment Link's heart stopped, he wondered if she would notice him, or even recognize that it was him. He considered greeting her, in a manner befitting of his status of course, but decided that it would be presumptuous to do so. So, he remained silent and bowed his head in respect as she passed, but she took no notice. Her shoes clapped loudly on the polished floor of the expansive hall. She proceeded at her normal pace, but once she was a few steps past the threshold of the door she screeched to a halt. Link did not look back, but he could sense her eyes on the back of his head, and the absence of loud footsteps entailed that she had stopped walking.
Did she see me? He wondered as his heart pounded harder, but it was not his place to intrude, so he remained as still as a statue. Link could feel the tension in the air, his chest grew hot. Oh, either say something or leave, don't keep me in this awful suspense.
"Link, it's time for you to make your rounds," Galen's deep voice called out quietly, as if cutting the tension with a knife. Link nodded and turned to walk down the hallway. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of her. She stood still, gawking at Link as he left, a small smile shot across his lips, turning his head ever so slightly, so that she might see it.
She saw me. The thought sent chills down his spine. She looked more beautiful than ever. Her vibrant wide eyes, her eloquent chin. Memories flooded back in, but he restrained himself; he had work to do. He completed his patrol, and began to walk back to his post, turning the corner to see Zelda walking straight towards him.
"Link? Is that really you?"
"Yes, my lady," he said, bowing slightly.
"Goddess. You've changed so much since I last saw you, I barely recognized you. You look so much… older, and taller." She eyed him up and down while smiling, his heart was still pumping quickly. "But it's only been what; nine months? When we were in Market Square, you were with-," she hesitated. "Your neighbor, Ariel, weren't you?" After her hesitation, she took on a much more formal tone, clearly guarding her words.
"Yes, my lady. Her mother asked me if I could accompany her to the Market. She's very protective of her, especially because of her age." Link chose his words carefully. He intended to present it in way that would draw attention to the fact that he was asked to escort her, not that he had done it out of his own volition.
"I see. And how is she doing? She seemed like a very kindhearted girl." Zelda maintained her formal tone, it did not have the familiar personality to it that Link fondly remembered.
"Well, I haven't spoken to her since that week, my lady, I received my orders the day after."
"You mean you haven't visited your friends or family in over nine months?" There was a tinge of urgency in her voice.
"No, I have, my lady. I've visited my father on a handful of occasions, as well as Mrs. Tamlin, the one who owns the cuccos."
"And not Ariel? You two seemed close." she asked intently, anxiously awaiting his response.
"I haven't, my lady." Is it working? "Like I said, her older brother and I were best friends as children, but I can't say that we ever got that close." A wave of relief pulsated through his body, Zelda's demeanor changed, he began to hope that she finally realized that he never had a romantic relationship with Ariel.
A small meaningful smile touched her lips, "So I see." The formality in her voice had vanished for a moment, Link could sense the personable cadence of her voice again. There she is, he thought relievedly. He was suddenly aware of a peaceful silence between them, but then remebered he still was on duty.
"Well, I'm afraid I have to return to my post, my lady." Link bowed his head dutifully.
"My apologize for keeping you from your responsibilities." She dipped down a little, in an informal curtsy. She began to walk, but turned for a moment, saying: "It was nice to see you again, Link. I've missed you." Her last sentence fell quietly from her lips.
"As I have with you, my lady." Link could listen to her say goodbye a hundred times and would never grow tired of it, but he ensured that his tone of response was proper and fitting for a knight of his standing. Zelda smiled, and continued down the hallway.
It is more than I could have ever hoped for. He felt at ease now that the disruption between them had finally been resolved. He adamantly reaffirmed himself that he could never allow it to go beyond friendship, but he took comfort in the fact that maybe he could fix the damage he had done.
"Your patrol took a little longer than usual." Galen commented as his comrade returned.
"Sorry, I got sidetracked. It won't happen again." Link responded, taking his position.
"It was nice to see you again, Link. I've missed you."
The words repeated in his mind. And I've missed you, more than I can tell you.