((I'm sure everyone has experienced something similar to this in their lifetime. It's a sad truth of things. But bully's tend to be everywhere. Even in Hyrule.))

Chapter 7

Bully At Hyrule Castle

Link had spent his entire morning at Telma's and in the temple. As such, when he stepped back out into the market, it was nearing midday. The sun had risen high up into the sky, and with its power it had banished the hazy mists that had settled upon the towns people that morning. The sun's rays cut through the clouds, clearing them with ease, and when Link looked out now, he saw it shining down upon Hyrule. He had to smile. The day was already looking up, and things were promising.

I can't believe I didn't think to ask Zelda myself. She keeps such a careful eye on everything that happens in Hyrule. She would probably know something about the dark man I'm seeking. Especially if he's been causing trouble here in Castle Town.

And with that thought, Link stepped down off of the temple's stairs and back into the main square. In a hurry yet again, and with a destination before him, he ran straight through and across. The entrance to the castle was dead ahead of him and directly across from the temple. As such, he didn't have far to go to reach its outer gates.

The crowd thinned as he exited the main square and started up the cobblestone roadway that guided him to his objective. The two, huge, main double doors that lead through the high stone walls that protected the castle stood closed, and as usual, there were two castle guards posted. Dressed in metal armor, complete with helmets on their heads, they stood at stiff attention at all times. Each one was holding a spear, but Link knew very well that they also had swords girded around their waists. But none of that really mattered: Link had a permanent VIP invitation to the castle, and was welcome whenever he chose to visit. He knew, even though it hadn't been said, that this extended to the dead hours of the night as well. If he wanted to step into Hyrule Castle at two in the morning, he knew he'd still be welcome.

And so, not expecting any trouble, he walked straight up to both guards. Each one immediately saluted, resting their stiffened hands above their brows.

"Salutations, Link of Ordon, knight of Hyrule. As always Hyrule Castle extends its welcome. You may proceed inside." The two guards stepped aside and the two, large, heavy wooden doors were opened, Link assumed from the inside by men who were keeping watch. The two doors were far too heavy for humans to open, and Link had once observed the use of a chain on a wheel to be the device that pulled them inward. All the same, he still marveled at it. Obviously, they had nothing like it in Ordon Village.

They didn't open the doors all the way, there was no need, and so, Link stepped inside the entrance made for him. Once in, he then found himself in the courtyards.

He couldn't quite help himself, his features stiffened. He would never forget the bloody battles he'd had here, in this place that now seemed so serene and peaceful. The hedges were perfectly trimmed, either into geometric shapes, like circles or rectangles, or into the shapes of animals. He spotted a unicorn hedge far off in the back, and a lion to the right.

The pathways had been remade, all of the stones new, and white, and glistening. Flowers had been carefully grown, and a lot of the buds were blooming into great sundials of pink and orange.

Link could not deny it was beautiful. But his memory still haunted him. He could still see the wreckage that had been here: the upturned stones, the huge holes in the dirt and grass, and the burning piles of rubble that had been part of the attack. He could still see the moblins that patrolled these courtyards once. More appropriately…he could smell them.

Anyone who'd ever been close enough to a moblin didn't forget the way they smelled. It was a foul, sour, odor that a human being found to be almost overpowering. And Link had the awful experience of also getting a good whiff of them as a wolf as well. With the sensitive nose of a canine, he'd almost been knocked flat by the scent the first time he experienced it.

And that was just the smell. Link knew no one in all of Hyrule would ever have the experience of having to sink their teeth into such a creature as a moblin. And he thanked the goddesses no one else ever would. He'd never forget the putrid taste, or the feel of flesh giving in under powerful jaws. He'd never forget the feel of his canines piercing skin and sinking deeply into muscle. And the instinct to tear and rip that came with being a wolf was so powerful. And the smell of blood and the taste of that metallic blood as bones crunched under the power of his jaws was so…

"…"

Link stopped himself. Shaking his head, he put a quick hand to his face. Carefully he closed his eyes, just for a second or two in order to gather himself.

This is not the time to be having a flashback, he told himself. And with that reminder, he instead focused on his breathing, for having come out of his memories; he noticed that he simply hadn't been. And so, he inhaled deeply, taking time to taste and smell the sweetness of the air that was here now, in the present, and not what it had been in the past. He focused on the scent of flowers, and clean water as it ran through the fountains and irrigation system.

I'm a human, he told himself. I'm a human… The hand that he'd lifted to his face gently started to trace the features of his humanity. Carefully, he felt his features, just wanting to confirm that he had a nose and eyes and lips that were all human.

He would not deny that he sometimes missed being a wolf, but…he also had nightmares about it. And every time he truly thought about his experiences, he thanked the goddesses for returning him to his natural shape.

For he was human. He'd been born human. He would die human. And he knew he wasn't meant to be anything else. And as a wolf, he'd done what he always did as a human: whatever was needed of him. As a result, he'd fought in the only way he could.

All the same, there were plenty of times that it made him feel dark, and dirty. Link was convinced that no human was ever meant to be anything other than human. It had been frighteningly easy to forget himself, the longer he'd remained a beast. Wrapped up in powerful smells, and sights and sounds, he'd almost succumbed to instinct. And even after returning to human shape, he'd felt different, and confused for some time.

It'd been hard to remember exactly who he was.

Ordon, he reminded himself. Ilia. And those two things were usually more than enough to right himself. Those two simple words brought back powerful memories. And although, he didn't have the same powerful senses a wolf had when he was human, his emotions had always been much, much stronger. Exceedingly so. A wolf could not love the same way a human could. And in thinking of the things he loved, the things he so desperately needed in his life, always returned him to himself.

Link opened his blue eyes. Gazing out at the courtyards around him, he found them to be as normal as ever. There was no destruction here; only carefully maintained lawns and flora. His features relaxed, and slowly, he lowered his hand away from his face.

Of course I'm human, he thought, almost a bit chastising in manner. Link had never been the type to succumb to personal weakness. And he certainly wasn't going to start now.

No. I have things to do. And with that simple thought, he lifted his boots and moved forward down the walkway. Anything that would steer him away from his inner light simply had never been tolerated.

And so, moving ahead, in a straight line, Link headed toward the second set of doors which stood in the inner wall just across from the courtyard. Once he stepped through there, he'd be inside the castle. Not wanting to be distracted any longer, Link didn't turn his attention away from his goal. He didn't look to the flowers or the shrubbery. Instead, he kept marching, one foot ahead of the other.

In another few moments, he reached the second set of doors. This set had two guards in front of it as well. Like the first set, they stood at attention, spears in hand. When Link approached, they saluted. Link couldn't help but to notice that the one on the left however, swallowed a bit more harshly than he should have.

He's nervous, he thought. Link had to frown then. It's probably the serious expression on my face. Link hadn't meant to make the young guard nervous. But he hadn't realized he had a hard look in his eyes until this moment. But of course, he'd just been thinking about rather serious things. And not to mention that he was famous now. Maybe that had something to do with it.

But whatever the case, hoping to fix it, and not wanting to be viewed as hard or unfriendly, Link offered a smile. But the young guard was trained well, and didn't move from his spot. The elder of the two spoke instead.

"Welcome Link of Ordon province! As a knight of Hyrule you're always welcome in Hyrule Castle. You may proceed." Again the doors were opened, but this set was smaller than the first, and Link saw men pulling them open from the inside.

Link offered the elder of the two guards a nod, and then stepped in.

Once inside, Link found himself in a rather large entrance hall, decorated beautifully with chandeliers. He'd been here during the war too, and he couldn't stop the frown from cutting through his face all over again. But, since he was aware of his minds desire to drift back into memory now; he was much more easily able to control it. And so, instead of lingering, or allowing himself to think of the past, he simply moved forward.

The castle was huge, and he by no means knew his way around most of it, but he did at least know his way to the throne room, which was where he was knighted and the most likely place he would find Zelda. And, since it was indeed a throne room, it was always the easiest place to locate. After all, events and declarations and knighting ceremonies were held there, so it was made large enough and easily accessible enough for the public to gather.

And so, Link headed straight through another set of doors across the way, and this time found himself in a very large hallway. Red carpet beneath his feet, he marched toward the last barrier in his way. There was only one door left between him and Zelda's throne room. Passing by windows on both sides, all of which were larger than life and intricately beautiful, Link ignored his surroundings. This included the high vaulted ceilings and the expensive white columns that lined both sides of the hall. He'd been here a few times before and had already seen it, but besides that, he wanted to remain focused. And so, after making his way down the expansive hallway, he reached the last barrier.

Here, only one guard stood in his way, for the door to the throne room was smaller than all the previous doors. All the same, Link would never actually use the word 'small' to describe it. It was at least as tall as Sera's shop back in Ordon. Stopping in front of the last guard, Link offered a nod.

The guard however, instead of reacting like the previous guards, did not salute him right away, or stand more stiffly at attention. In fact, Link was rather surprised to see a sneer cross his features from beneath his helmet.

"Link of Ordon Village, knight of Hyrule," he said, and it would have been rather difficult to miss the dripping tones that came with it.

He's unhappy to see me? Why? Confusion crossed Link's features and the guard before him let out a quick gruff.

"I've never seen you in person before, but I certainly never expected you to have such an innocent or clueless expression on your face. You certainly don't look like the 'savior of Hyrule' everyone always goes on about." Link frowned then, immediately understanding why the guard was sour.

It's rather hard not to notice his jealousy, he thought. But if he had any brains at all, he'd realize there's nothing at all to be jealous about. If he'd seen any sort of battle, participated in any small bit of the war…he would not wish for more of it.

Link knew right then and there that the guard was green. Not just with jealousy, but green as in a new fighter as well. He didn't carry himself as someone who'd seen action. And his attitude was more than poor; it was idiotic.

You want blood on your hands? Link thought a bit maliciously. He simply hated people like this. And he'd run into a few since he'd become famous. People who went on and on about the 'glory' of battle, or the 'honor' of being a knight. They were all fools. And this type here, was the worst of all. The type that wanted to be a killer. The type that thought it was 'cool' or that it was even a title of deserving. And without a voice, Link had never been able to set these people straight.

Just let me through, Link thought. I don't want to deal with your nonsense. But of course, the guard couldn't read his thoughts, and instead sneered a second time.

"Look at you. You're short! Shorter than my kid brother. And you're small. You're practically built like a woman."

A quick snarl came to Link's lips. He knew very well that he'd become a target for this man's inferiority complex. And unable to argue, or retaliate orally, Link did what he always did, and that was to act. He decided to simply step forward and bypass the situation altogether. He certainly wasn't going to just stand there and take this man's verbal abuse. And so, moving forward, Link reached for the door just passed the guard.

But of course, the guard wasn't going to let him go that easily. He immediately muscled his way in, pushing himself in front of Link's path and roughly shoving him aside. Link let out a grunt of frustration. Looking to the guard once more, Link didn't bother to hide the anger that was rising to his face. But the guard wasn't impressed.

"You can wait for my permission to enter, like you're meant to. I'm a royal castle guard you know! You have to respect that, I don't care how famous you are!" The guards face was growing mean, and Link could see his ego inflating by the second at having been able to say something so arrogant to the Hero of Hyrule.

Link wanted to yell.

It was on rare occasion that he did. But he most certainly wanted that ability now.

He wanted to yell. It didn't even matter what words they were. He just wanted to have words to holler with. But alas, as always, he didn't. And short of punching the man in the face, he was running out of ideas on what he could do to get passed.

Would Zelda even be upset if I punched him in the face? He's not a very good guard after all. And if she knew about this, he'd be fired in a second…

But Link's thought process immediately tapered off as he realized that the very reason the guard was doing this to him, the reason he thought he could get away with it, was because…he could. Link knew as well as the cruel guard before him, that Link couldn't tell Zelda anything. Link couldn't report this incident. He couldn't get the man fired. Without a voice…he was sure the guard was expecting him to just stand there and take it.

The guard grinned triumphantly. Thinking that he had indeed won and that he could do whatever he pleased due to Link's handicap. As haughty as if he were the king himself, he sneered down at Link once more.

"Tell you what, hero," he mocked. "If you ask for permission to enter, I'll let you right on through. No hassle, no problems."

Link felt that familiar sting of a pin prick at the guard's mockery. He felt the usual inflammation of offense at such a purposeful jibe. It was a stabbing sensation, and he could not control the flash of anger that flared up inside of his gut at the insult. His hands and fingers tingled at the quick rush of adrenaline he felt. His face transformed. His golden eyebrows lowered over his cool blue eyes as the same snarl from earlier reappeared on his lips.

Link felt as if he were normally a very patient person. He had to be with his condition. But the subject of his voice had always been sensitive and it had always been off limits. No one really ever addressed it or even pointed it out, due to politeness. And certainly it was never used as a weapon against him. Any purposeful mockery such as this, although very rare throughout his life, had always caused anger to flare up inside of him.

No! I'm better than that! I'm not going to hit him! He's not worth the trouble! Deciding to push his way past the man once more, Link roughly shouldered the guard, shoving him out of the way. Caught off guard, the man stumbled aside. Link reached for the door a second time. But of course, now the guard was furious. His face became ugly indeed as his own snarl reached his crooked teeth.

"I don't think so, hero!" With a growl, the guard lowered his shoulder and returned Link's shove with one of his own, pushing Link savagely aside. Link stumbled back, but the hall was large, and so, didn't come anywhere near any of the columns or windows. Catching his balance, Link's face became just as ugly as the guards. The two men glared at each other, both deciding what their next move would be.

"Come on now Link," he guard derided. "Ask nicely and I'll let you in." Link's cheeks flared pink. His eyes flashed dangerously.

Oh that is it! Suddenly far too angry to control himself, Link started to march forward, his intent very clear on his face. He was ready for a fight. And the guard, seeing Link coming, reached behind himself and withdrew his sword.

Maybe he thought it would scare Link off. But quite obviously, a war veteran like Link wasn't going to flinch at the sight of steel. Quite the opposite in fact. In seeing the flash of metal in the sunlight, it was just instinct to draw his own in defense. In a flash, and in a rather short amount of time, the argument was way out of control as both men faced off with swords at the ready.

"You wanna fight?" The guard cried. "Fine! Reputation or not, I can take on a short, stunted, mute, freak like you!" The insults hurt, and wounded his pride. Link felt the temptation to simply lunge forward and engage the man in battle. Then this arrogant guard could hear his voice and how loud he could yell. But…even through his rage, he knew this had gotten completely out of control.

I drew my sword because he did, but I can't possibly fight this man, he thought as he tried to envision his first move. Tried to envision plunging his sword into his flesh. No. He's obviously a novice. He wouldn't stand a chance. It wouldn't be a fair fight. Besides, I can't fight Zelda's guards in her own castle. Not after what she's done for me. This is wrong…

Still seething, and wanting nothing more than to prove himself, and show this man what he could really do, Link knew better. He remembered what Rusl had said to him as a young boy when he'd first started to train with weapons. Never draw your sword unless you intend to kill the man standing before you. Rusl's words rang through his heart, and Link knew he would only dishonor him if he fought someone so obviously weak compared to his current skill level.

Rusl would be so disappointed if I used my skills for something like this.

"What's the matter, hero? Come at me! Or are you too scared?" It was a ludicrous accusation. Link had fought fiery demons, wrapped in skin of lava that were twenty times this guards size. It was hard to have someone question his courage. But all the same, Link knew what he had to do.

Still shaking with anger from the position he was suddenly in, and the difficulty of doing the right thing, he nevertheless lifted his sword and slid it purposefully back into its sheath on his back. Hanging his shield up the same way, he emptied his hands.

He knew he was in no danger. This man, with a sword or not, was no threat to him physically. He could hurt his pride, but that was all.

I'll have to find another way inside…

But, instead of diffusing the situation, as Link had hoped, the guard grew suddenly livid at Link's display. He seethed in place; his shoulder's rising and falling as he growled. His face flushed a brilliant crimson with embarrassment and rage.

"You dare put your weapons away when an opponent stands before you? Are you saying you don't even consider me as a rival?" Link watched, feeling the tension in the air grow very thick, very fast.

He's taken it as a major insult. Carefully watching the man's body movements with his well trained lupine eyes, Link saw his muscles tighten, saw his body poise itself. Link stood at the ready, very aware that the man was going to strike.

All the same…I won't draw my sword. Link felt confident that he could beat him barehanded. And if it came to that, then so be it.

The guard seethed, then let out a terrible yell, then charged forward, sword raised in inexperience high into the air. But it was at this exact moment that the door to the throne room opened. And seeing as the guard had been running straight past it, he instead collided into it head first with a very loud, resounding, clang that ran through the hall.

"Oof!" With a cry, he had a very hard fall, his bottom hitting the red, carpeted, stone, floor. There he stayed as the person who opened the door stepped out. To both men's complete surprise, they looked up to see Princess Zelda.

"Princess!" The guard cried. For a second, neither moved. But then, immediately, Link fell to one knee, bowing his golden head. He really just had no idea what else to do. He couldn't apologize, so this was all he could offer.

Zelda looked from her guard, then over to Link.

"What in Nayru's name is all the commotion out here?" She looked cross. Link couldn't blame her. It was a disgrace, what had taken place in her castle, in her very hall before her throne room. Her guard quickly scrambled to his feet. He stood up straight and tall, at attention, his sword and shield still in hand. He faced his princess, sweat already forming on his face. He quickly saluted her, which had been both dangerous and sloppy considering his sword was still gripped firmly in his hand. It whizzed through the air, far too close to Zelda's face for Link's liking. Remaining on his knee, Link lifted his head just enough to send a warning glare the guards way. And indeed, crouched as he was, a look of anger on his face, Link very much resembled the wolf he'd so purposefully rejected in the courtyard only moments ago.

"Princess! My sincere apologies." The guard gave a quick bow, and then stood back up to face her. "Link just barged in here, wanting to enter the throne room. I told him you were in the middle of an important meeting, but he wouldn't listen! I tried to prevent him from entering and he grew hostile!"

Link immediately stood up and shook his head negatively, his blue eye wide at the sudden lie that came from the man's lips. Zelda glanced Link's way, but her calm face was very hard to read. She then turned her cool gaze back to her guard. Very knowingly, very decisively, she met her guard's eye.

"You're saying Link attacked you?" Link's heart fell. It fell clear out of his chest and into his stomach as his fingertips grew cold. He shook his head again, but Zelda wasn't looking his way. Instead, she kept her gaze glued to her guards face. The guard, seeing an easy way out, immediately nodded.

"Yes princess. He tried to force his way in. He would have cut me down had you not stepped out here to stop him."

Link simply couldn't believe what was happening. No one had ever taken advantage of his handicap to this degree before. There had been things here and there over the years, especially as a child. Children often lied or tried to blame someone else to get out of trouble, but this was on a totally different level.

I could be thrown in the dungeon! He suddenly thought. What would Rusl think? I can't explain myself to anyone! Link was trying hard not to panic, but his palms were growing sweaty as his heart raced. What can I do? The unfairness of it all was almost crushing. The lack of having a voice was suddenly becoming more and more of a problem every day he was alive. And seemingly, every second he was alive. Now that he was more focused on it, more aware of it, it seemed that everyone else was focusing on it too. It had never been this hard before.

Hurt and unable to do anything but shake his head in denial and wait, Link watched the scene play out before him as a spectator.

I can't even become involved in my own life! Link tried to suppress his emotions. Zelda was standing right there. He wasn't going to let the trials and tribulations of his own personal problems with his handicap demean him in front of his princess. He would at least stand tall and true, no matter what was decided about him.

"Garthol," Zelda said addressing her guard. He lifted his head expectantly, the guards gray eyes meeting his princess's. A deep, deep frown cut through the beauty of the young princess's face. "I am extremely displeased. So much so that I'm not even sure what I wish to do with you. Did you not think I would see through your lie?"

The guards face immediately fell with shock as Link's pointed ears rose.

She knew all along?

"Did you not think that with all of the fuss you made, and with all of your hollering that I wouldn't hear you from within the throne room? I gave you a chance to at least tell me the truth and confess to the harassment I heard you subject the castle's most honored guest to! But instead you stand here and lie to my face!"

Garthol's mouth fell open, his face paling as he realized he'd been caught. He immediately shook his head, looking very much as Link did only seconds ago.

"No! Your highness! I can explain! It wasn't me! It was Link that…"

"You shut your mouth this instant Garthol Doyal if you know what's good for you!" It was rare to hear Zelda yell. Link wasn't sure she had the ability. She always seemed so collected, so poised and elegant. She was by every standard a queen. To hear her yell was shocking. And Link saw that it was so for Garthol too.

"If you dare try to blame this incident on Link another second more when I heard all that had transpired out here, then you are willingly committing yourself to treason!"

Garthol was smart enough to immediately shut his mouth, seeing as he had little control to as what came out of it. Saying nothing was better than offering Zelda any sort of explanation.

"I see you have your sword and shield drawn! Link's weapons are put away! Not to mention I, and all of my honored visitors whom I'm trying to have a conference with, heard your insults! It is shameful! To disgrace Link in such a way, when he saved your very life, when he saved the lives of everyone in my kingdom is something I will never tolerate, especially in my own home!"

Finally, Garthol lowered his head. He actually appeared ashamed of himself. At least he had that going for him. But all the same, it didn't lessen Zelda's anger.

"You are being tossed into the dungeon until I can figure out what to do with you." At this, Garthol lifted his head and immediately shook it in protest.

"No princess! Please don't! I…I'll apologize! I'll…"

"This conversation is over Garthol. You may go to your quarters and pack your things. Quite obviously, you're fired. And when you leave the dungeons you can also leave my castle."

For a moment Garthol stood frozen in shock. But then he realized Zelda was giving him a chance to at least gather his belongings before his fellow guards men came to find him. Not only that, but she was promising that he wouldn't be staying in the dungeon very long. Taking the chance he'd been given, he immediately turned and ran off down the hall before anything else could happen.

Link stood, unmoving, and as always, in silence as the entire thing unfolded before him. He was honored. He never imagined that the princess of Hyrule would get so angered over someone like him.

I'm just a farm hand, he thought. But of course, he wasn't just a farm hand. Link was plenty of other things too. And with the way the Hylian people viewed him, well, he'd been given a great honor. He supposed, that even Zelda was recognizing of that.

Or maybe…she did this because we're friends? Link looked to the princess who was only a few years older than he was. Were they friends? Could a commoner like himself have such an important person as his friend? She was tall and graceful. Her dress was made of materials that Link was sure were worth more than all the goats in Ordon. Her hair was smooth and looked as if it had been worked on for at least an hour that morning.

Well, she did have an important meeting. But of course, Link had no idea what that meeting was about or what it entailed. Castle life was beyond him. And feeling rather awkward, he continued to stand unmoving. But with Garthol gone, Zelda of coarse turned to him. Her pale face was, as always, beautiful. And in seeing it, Link started to miss Ilia.

"Link, I am so terribly sorry. Please except my apologies for this atrocity. You've done so much for us. We can never truly repay you. And when you come to my castle, I want you to at least be treated with utmost respect."

Zelda offered Link a quick bow, which of course immediately made Link uncomfortable. He lifted his hands, waving to show that it was ok, that she didn't need to do that. But, she had done it once before, at the end of the war, just after he'd slain Ganon, the evil king. But despite his silent protest, she finished her sweeping, graceful bow, and then rose back to her full height. Stepped toward him, she closed the distance between them so she could stand before him. Standing this close, her blue eyes met his.

"I heard the things he said to you, and I'm terribly sorry. Please forgive me for employing such scum." Just as uncomfortable as before, if not more so, Link waved his hands again and shook his head.

It's fine, it's fine! Please stop apologizing to me! He silently begged.

Zelda, reading his face and body movements, could see that he was indeed ok with it now that it was over. Relieved, she decided it would be better to get down to business and find out why he'd come.

"Hyrule Castle is a long journey from Ordon. Let me dismiss my conference, then we can sit down and talk about why you're here." Link wanted to tell her that she could finish her meeting first. It had sounded so important. But of course, he could do no such thing, so instead, nodded, like he always did. Zelda offered him a kind smile.

"I'm glad you're here," she said. And Link couldn't help but to be a little surprised by the delight he saw on her face.

Zelda glanced back toward the throne room door cautiously, then the other way down the hall, and Link recognized that she was making sure no one was around. Then to his surprise, she leaned in a little closer to him and whispered in his pointed ear.

"This meeting had grown dreadfully dull. You wouldn't believe how boring these aristocrats can actually be!" Link gaped at her. Was she allowed to say something like that to him? Was he allowed to listen?

"Meet me in one of the sitting rooms. Just head back out this hallway and make a right at the nearest door. Then head down that wing and make a left at the second door. Make yourself comfortable. I'll be with you as soon as I can." Turning from him, she faced the throne room doorway once more. She quickly stood up straight, then smoothed her dress with her gloves. Lifting her chin, and taking all emotion off of her face, she suddenly appeared much more queen-like than she had a second ago. And, in being ready, she stepped proudly and dutifully back into the room.

Link decided that they were friends after all. He felt privileged to see her when she was herself. He wondered how many people got to see the princess when she had emotions on her face instead of a cool exterior. That, and she'd gotten so angry for him when Garthol had said such awful things.

Link felt suddenly a lot better about his circumstances. It was nice to have someone else be his voice for him, even if he would have liked to be his own.