I've grown so used to being alone
Couldn't be much worse if I were gone and in a way, I am
It's just too hard to hold onto what is never around…
LeAnn Womack "He Oughta Know that by Now"

Chapter 10

The Royal Tour

Zelda visited Marth's bedside every day for the next week. The morning council had never seemed to drag on so long when as she sat wishing for them to end so she could go to see him.

His recovery was close to miraculous. Every day he seemed stronger and more alive. Sitting in the quiet of the healing hall the two spent much of each day in each other's company.

Zelda soon learned that Marth was a brave warrior, and if he was a little cocky he had reason to be. He had a royal bearing, but was, at heart, very down to earth. He had a fiery intensity about him that was captivating, and she couldn't help but notice that he was extremely handsome.

Her first impressions seemed to hold true. He was completely open and free from inhibition. Everything he undertook he seemed to go at with a power and conviction she had never before experienced. Failure was not an option to him. If he started something he would finish it, no matter what.

It was easy to see that Marth would never accept defeat. The very fact that he was alive stood as a witness of his fortitude. She could see it in his eyes as he spoke about his home and all he had done in his time as ruler there. The years of suffering and toil he had endured seemed to have left him slightly hardened and wise beyond his years, but he was still quick to laugh and seemed overflowing with warmth as he would stare deeply into her eyes. His life had been anything but simple, but then again, neither had Zelda's and the two soon found they had much in common.

In fact, she found she could relate to him better than anyone she had ever confided in. He seemed to understand her. He didn't dismiss her feelings, he simply listened to her… and that was all she really needed. In a world which looked upon her at such a surface level it was a breath of fresh air to meet someone who could see beyond her crown and her title and see who she truly was. She was a princess, but that wasn't all she was. He never condemned, and it wasn't long before she found herself trusting him to a degree she never thought possible. In fact, it was all a little frightening to her.

Her time with him became her most treasured hours of the day. Council days were fast becoming her most dreaded. She would sit while they droned on, her mind far from their squabbles. Her eyes would glaze over, her mind would wander and images of Marth would cloud her vision. Her inattentiveness was becoming more and more evident, much to the annoyance of her father.

So it was with a sinking feeling that she made her way to the council a bright, clear morning some two weeks after Marth had regained consciousness. She walked silently down the hall, stifling a yawn and already wishing the morning was over. Suddenly her heart leapt into her throat as she felt a hand close around her wrist and pull her into an adjacent hall.

She nearly screamed out in fear. Then she saw who it was and cried out in shock, "Marth? What are you doing here?"

"Really, is this anyway to congratulate me on my recovery?" he smiled.

Zelda was beaming now. "Althea discharged you?"

"My sentence has ended," he bowed dramatically. "I had to fight her pretty hard to get it to end, but I couldn't stand another day in that bed!" he exclaimed.

"You're completely healed, then?"

"I feel better than I have ever felt before," he said with a wink.

"I'm glad," she replied lightly.

"Of course, Althea told me to take it easy, but we both know I won't."

Zelda gave him a crooked smile, "From what I've heard about you, no, you won't."

"How about it, would you like to give me a tour of your Kingdom now that I'm free?" Marth asked.

"I'd love to," she replied honestly, "but I have to meet with the council."

"You can do that any day. This is a day of celebration! Let's go."

"I really would like to, but I can't," Zelda said.

"Sure you can," he said. Taking her by the wrist once more he started down the hall.

"No, I really can't," she shook her head, trying to plant her feet. "My father will kill me if I skip out!"

Marth was undeterred, "We'll explain it to him. He'll understand."

"Marth, please," she begged, her eyes pleading. "Really, he'll be furious."

Marth stopped now, turning and looking at her with those dark, piercing eyes. "You're afraid of him, aren't you?"

She felt her heart stop beating. Why did he have to ask such questions? He waited for an answer, but she couldn't give one.

"Zelda, you've told me about your Mother, about Impa, about everything, but not him. He's your father. Surely you have something to say about him."

She felt her stomach clenching. She had a lot to say, but she couldn't utter a word.

He looked at her even more closely. "You really are afraid of him." It wasn't a question. He seemed genuinely perplexed.

"You seem to find that hard to believe," she commented, her stomach still twisting.

"Well, yes. I mean, my life has been far from a picnic, but the one thing I could always count on was my father. I'd give anything to have him back."

"I once thought the same thing," she muttered without thinking.

He furrowed his brow, apparently digesting this new dimension of Zelda's life.

"I-" she stuttered, "I'll come see you when it's-" He grabbed her wrist once more.

"No, let's go now. Come on." It was not a request. He bent his head low, close to hers. She wished he wouldn't look at her that way. He smiled and began to pull her once more. Suddenly her legs were no longer under her control and she found herself following him without question. "He'll understand. Don't worry."

But Zelda did worry. She worried all the way to the castle's gate. She had always found a way to sidestep her father's demands when she really wanted to. She was afraid though. She was afraid of him. Marth had put it into words: made it real. It was an awful feeling to realize it was true.

Her fear quickly began to melt, however, as they walked together out of the castle's front gate and down the grassy path to the main entrance.

"Good morning, Princess, council ended early this morning?" the guard at the gate greeted her.

Before she could answer Marth replied simple, "Yes, it has."

Without further question the guard bowed as he allowed them to pass. They exited and made their way down the sloping road into town.

By the time they came to the end of the path that lead down to the market her fears were gone. Marth had stopped and was gazing around the bustling town with an appraising eye.

"Let's go," she smiled, almost bursting. "There's so much to show you!"

They spent hours perusing the shops and bazaars. Zelda had a lot of fun explaining to Marth the origins of different goods and items they would see. Marth seemed genuinely fascinated by what Zelda had to say.

At one point Marth ran headlong into a Goron at a trading post, which began Zelda on an explanation of the different peoples of Hyrule and where they came from.

"I love the Goron people," Zelda said. "They're big and little scary looking, but they're a good hearted people. They're really very gentle and kind.

"Oh, come on!" she exclaimed suddenly, grabbing his wrist and pulling his arm. "We have to go Bombachu bowling!"

"Bomba-what?" Marth asked as they ran.

"Bombachu bowling!" she laughed, pushing him into the door of the shop. "Come on, I'll show you how!"

"I've never seen a place like this before…" Marth commented as he craned his neck to peer around the brightly colored and well lit Bombachu bowling alley.

"What games do you play in Aritia, then?" Zelda asked as she began inspecting the Bombachus, looking for a satisfactory one.

"We don't really play games," he replied with a furrowed brow. "Most of our time is spent trying to stay alive. There's no time for play."

"Even as a child?" Zelda queried, looking up from her Bombachu.

"I was trained to take my position as king from the moment I was born. I fought in my first full-fledged battle at age eleven. I assumed the responsibility to rule my kingdom at sixteen. I was never allowed to be a child. I can't remember the last time I played a game," he admitted. He was barely twenty years old, only three years older than Zelda herself, yet in his eyes she could see age and maturity far beyond his years. A wave of pity swept over Zelda for this poor man. She put a hand on his arm.

"Sometimes I wish I could go back… have a second chance at it all," he mused.

"I did go back," Zelda replied quietly, images of her own lost childhood haunting her. "I got a second chance."

"I know," Marth replied, a note of jealousy in his voice.

"You don't understand. I got a second chance, and in some ways it didn't really matter. You can never really go back. There are some things you simply cannot change… no matter how you try. Some things are just meant to be," an image of her father's glowering face hovered before her mind, "or not meant to be, no matter where you go or what you do. You cannot go back."

"I know," Marth said again, this time with a sigh of regret, "but I envy you," he went on. "I envy your ability to smile… to laugh... regardless of the past."

"But- you always have a smile on your face," she replied, a little shocked.

"I guess I have- of late," he remarked in an offhand manner. "Back home, though, there isn't much to laugh about."

"You miss it- Aritia- don't you?" she asked quietly.

"I'd go back right now if it were possible," he replied without hesitation, "but my returning without Link would only mean despair for my people. There's no way I can go back without him. I have to wait, even if I hate it."

"There's really no way to find him?" he turned to Zelda, his eyes pleading, though he knew it was futile.

"I wish there was," she replied, "but no, we just have to wait."

He sighed heavily. "I've fought in war, been wounded and beaten and betrayed and faced suffering of every sort, but this is the hardest thing I've ever done." He had fallen suddenly into a very grim mood. His eyes were suddenly distant and shadowed: his entire countenance changed. Zelda knew that it was hard for him, and the best way to get his mind off of it was to have fun. He didn't need sympathy and sorrowful words from her. Dwelling on despair that could not be avoided would only make matters worse. He needed a smile, so she turned to him brightly.

"Well, we'll just have to wait then and try to make the best of things," she grinned as she handed him a Bombchu, "and this is a good way to start."

After they had exhausted all the game centers in the market, eaten treats from every cart and examined the goods at every shop, they made their way through the twilight into the quiet solitude of the temple courtyard.

"This is my favorite place of all," Zelda said as they entered the tree lined square. "That's the Temple of Time. It's beautiful, isn't it," she craned her neck towards its magnificent spires, her eyes sparkling. Marth, however, was looking at her, his eyes sparkling as well.

"Yes, very beautiful," he remarked, not taking his eyes from her. She slowly looked down and into his face, her cheeks reddening slightly. "Can we go inside?" he asked.

"Yes," she said softly. He took her arm and led her up the steps.

Their footsteps echoed ominously throughout the cavernous hall of the temple. A sense of isolation overtook them as they stood, small and insignificant, in the silence of the enormous hall.

Everything was utterly still. The very air inside the temple seemed to resonate with the sacredness of the building.

"This is where the Triforce is…" Marth mused, half to himself, but even as he spoke he looked quickly down at Zelda as though waiting for a response. Even whispering, his voice carried loudly through the silence.

"Was," Zelda corrected him. "The Temple of Time was build over the spot where the three goddesses ascended into the heavens after creating Hyrule. It is this very spot where the Triforce appeared, and was kept in the Sacred Realm. The Triforce is now within Link, Ganondorf and myself," Zelda explained.

"What do you mean," Marth's head turned sharply. He coughed and continued more casually, "I mean, I thought that Link held the Triforce."

"Well, he does hold a part of it. There are three pieces of the Triforce."

"Link failed to mention that," Marth spoke with raised eyebrows rubbing his chin. "You said you hold one of them?"

Zelda looked hesitant. Marth was staring at her with an odd expression. She didn't quite understand this sudden change in him. "Yes…" she replied tentatively.

"Ah," Marth nodded, then fell into silence. Zelda couldn't help but be puzzled, but Marth suddenly continued on. "Where then is the Master Sword?" he asked.

"The Master Sword is through that door," she nodded her head towards the tall stone door across the long chamber.

"How did Link get through there?" he asked casually.

Zelda furrowed her brow. There was something about the Temple of Time… she could feel memories of Link and the Triforce and their adventures seeping back into her. "He collected the three spiritual stones, and the door was opened to him. He used that very sword to destroy Ganondorf. It was the only weapon that could."

"Amazing," Marth whistled.

Zelda gazed around the room without speaking. She had once stood in this very spot and revealed to Link her true identity. Not long after she had been captured by Ganon, and Link had come to her rescue.

"Stop it!" a voice within her demanded silently. "Don't think about that anymore."

"Why are you so interested in all of this," Zelda asked him in an attempt to get her mind off of Link.

"It's a part of your past- a part of your kingdom's past. I simply want to learn more about you," he smiled at her and her caution melted.

"Oh," was the only reply she could muster. She could feel her heart fluttering inside her. "We should get going," Zelda said feebly. "It is getting late."

Marth nodded and led her back out into the courtyard.

As they made their way down the steps onto the grass Zelda found the courage to ask the question she had wanted to ask all day, "So you will leave immediately after Link comes back," she asked nonchalantly, her eyes searching his face.

"Yes, I must," he replied, watching her face closely as he did so.

"Right," she replied, then she furrowed her brow. "You never told me how you made it here in your condition, when you said Aritia is so very far away."

"Oh," he smiled slyly. "Let me show you," he seemed pleased that she had brought it up. In the ever darkening courtyard they stopped. Marth unsheathed his sword and held it out for her to inspect. "This is the Flachion Blade," he explained. "It is a divine sword passed down through my family's line from the days of Anri. While it holds many mysterious powers, there is one in particular which has helped me through many tight spots.

"This sword has the ability to cut through the fabric of space itself," he paused dramatically and Zelda stared at him half blankly. "Watch," he said mysteriously.

He swiped at nothing, but, to Zelda's amazement, the sword seemed to slice through thin air. The space in front of Marth split open in a long, jagged rip, as though he had torn through a piece of cloth. The split widened and as it did a bright light began to shine through. It looked as though he had cut a window in the blank space before him. Through the glowing tear Zelda could see a tree lined field covered in amber colored grass which was blowing softly in the faint breeze.

Marth slashed at the air to the left of his first tear. A new rip opened, revealing a landscape on the shore of a great lake. He slashed again, and again. Forests, deserts, beaches, valleys, mountains, snow covered hills and tropical venues appeared in glowing portals all around her. She gazed at Marth in awe.

"I can travel anywhere instantly," he said. "The entire world is at my fingertips."

Zelda was too overwhelmed to respond. After a moment he sheathed his sword, and immediately the rips began to repair themselves, closing slowly, blocking their various destinations from view.

"Amazing," she gasped as the last portal sealed itself, leaving them once again in near darkness.

"After I was attacked I quickly made a gateway to Hyrule and escaped through it. I wanted Kokiri Forest, but in my situation I was a little hasty. I landed in Hyrule field instead and was left too weak to travel any further."

"You are full of surprises," Zelda looked at him, visibly impressed. Marth seemed to glow under her praise and admiration.

"We'd better get back to the Castle, or your father will have a few surprises for us," Marth said, taking her arm once more. As they walked his arm slowly moved from hers until he was holding her around her shoulder. It was strangely comfortable to stand next to him, his arm around her, protecting her. She felt safe. She felt happy….

Without a word Zelda fell into step beside to him and made her way back home, her mind miles from the Temple of Time and anything that had once happened therein.