The Springs of Hylia

Chapter 12

So I've gone back to school, which means my publishing will be irregular, if it wasn't already. But I promise I will continue to write and update whenever I can!

Thanks!

Gerudo Town had been a success. Everyone they had asked, they all seem to want to help in their own little way, it was fantastic!

Zelda felt such love and support from her people.

The Gerudo had offered materials, things like cotton, silk, gossamer and more.

They seemed to be running on time, if not, early.

It had been over a week now, and no doubt some of the 'recruits' had arrived at the colosseum. They had one more stop, Rito Village, she wondered if the Rito would believe who they were. Link had said before, along their travels, that they thought him a Champion descendant.

Which surprisingly bugged him.

Zelda was currently waiting at a shrine just outside of Tabantha Bridge Stable. Link had asked her to wait here as he would teleport back any second now…

He had gone and met up with Hudson wherever he was to see his progress on getting Bolson Constructing to recruit more people than just people's names ending with 'son'. Hudson, she forgot, had also been responsible of seeing the Sheikah Tribe and asking if they would help. She was yet to hear if they had agreed. She would find out when Link returned.

She and Link hadn't spoken much. She terrible, and yet, she didn't feel guilty at all. He wouldn't admit it, but she knew, that he wasn't admitting, that she was right. It frustrated her.

But, she did feel the need to apologise non-the-less.

And she would, eventually.

Her archery lessons had cessed as well as the talking, did Link no longer want to talk to her? Because he was mad?

She heaved a sigh. He should really apologise too…

Blue tendrils materialise in the air and form a shape.

"Well? How were things?" Zelda asked.

"Good, the Sheikah have agreed to help, and word has spread like wild fire among the Hylians, many have joined Bolson Constructing. I also checked in at the colosseum. That's why I took a little longer. Gorons, Zoras, Sheikah, Hylians and even some Gerudo are already there. We need to hurry up. I feel bad for making them wait."

Zelda nodded and they both remounted Espen and Zelda.

"I think we should try and be done by tomorrow, take as little time as possible."

Zelda just nodded again.

She saw Link's eyes linger on her a little longer, before he looked away.

Half an hour later when they were nearing Rito Stable Zelda groaned and buried her head in Espen's mane.

Link cast her a worried glance.

"I can't go on like this! Ok, I'm sorry! I know your mad at me for nearly dying and I'm mad at you for nearly dying too, ok! I understand that you need to protect me, but I am so sick and tired of being useless, I know you say I'm not, but I feel helpless in situations like those. I know my safety if your priority and I respect that, no doubt the Champions have told you I can be defiant and stubborn," she almost felt them nod around her. "and… I know you care, you're just protecting me, because that's what friends do."

She saw his shoulder's slump, in relief or annoyance, she wasn't sure. "So, you finally understand." Link let out a soft chuckle, his hair shielding his face from view. "took you long enough." He looked up and met her eyes, "I'm not the only one who cares. The Champions do, your parents do. The whole of Hyrule does. Zelda, you are our future. And I understand that you feel the need to protect me also because you care. But even though im training you, Zelda. As I said you are our future. You are the most important thing to this kingdom right now. They need you."

"But, Link…" she slid off Espen and Link sild off Zelda, they left the horses in the care of the stablemen. "I'm not the only one important. You are important."

Link scoffed and gave her and amused half-smile. "Nice that you think so, I'm just another knight, who just happened to be chosen to protect the most precious thing on this continent, who just happened to be cursed with the burden to slay the Ganon beast, and be told over and over again, to be the perfect warrior, solider." Link shook his head. "No, I might've been special, but Revali is right. I thought I was so special, just because I was chosen by the sword." Link drew out The Master Sword and seemed to examin it as they walked.

She mentally cursed Revali. "Well." She said and turned to face Link, stopping him in his tracks. "If that's what you think, then no, you aren't special. But no matter what you think, you, are one of five Champions, own your title, in fact. That isn't even your title, you are not the Princess' Appointed Knight, you are not the Hylian Champion. Link, you are the hero of Hyrule, and whether everyone sees it, or nobody does. You will always be special to me. Don't ever, ever, think that you aren't special. Everyone is special in a different way, some more than others, you, Link, are one of those few. Be proud."

Zelda turned and continued walking across the swaying bridge, the first one of four.

Link watched her walk up, reach the next bridge and continue walking, he was pretty sure, she knew he had stopped.

But he couldn't move, he was frozen in place. His heart was swelling for his princess. Those words had touched him. Never before had he felt special in anyone's eyes, had never felt special at all. The passion in her eyes burned when she said them, she truly believed, in him. She truly thought him special, and assured him, that he held a special place in her heart.

Taking a shuddering breath, he followed after her.

Cheers and clapping erupted from the crowd of Rito at the base of Rito Village.

The fact that Link and Zelda had been encouraged and supported so much by the people they were asking so much of, it brought a tear to Zelda's eye. Hyrule's people were truly some of the kindest most devoted people she had ever encountered, and, really, the only ones. She had never ventured out of her treasured continent. And to be honest, she didn't want to. She was fine just where she was, it was her own little world.

The Rito were all for it. Link had spied some of the adult Gerudo fly off to begin packing.

They had urged them to get flying-and quickly. It would be a long flight. Of course, some Rito would stay behind, like some of each race was. Their own homes had to be protected. And that is why they only asked, never demanded.

For the Rito and Gorons, they had the longest trips. While the Gorons could roll, it was not all downhill. And although the Rito's could fly, it wasn't always still safe skies.

So they wished them a happy trip, and that they best be on their way.

Cecili, who worked at the inn, had offered them beds for the night.

Link and Zelda had kindly declined, also stating that they best be on their way.

The elder of the village, Kaneli, had been so kind to offer them bows and arrows, not to mention some of their most delightful fruit!

Teba had given Link a large pat on the back and a squeeze.

And soon after, Link was falling asleep in his saddle, but Zelda, she was wide awake.

"What a quick visit!" she exclaimed. "They must've heard from the others."

Link agreed quietly.

"And all of them have been so kind, not at all protesting, but instead offering more." She sighed wistfully. "The Gorons offering their ore and spice, the Zora's for artillery and architects and luminous stones, the Gerudo for their beautiful materials, and the Rito for their fruit and more artillery!"

Link nodded, but it looked more like his head just lolled forward and back, in rhythm with the horse.

Zelda huffed a laugh. "You can sleep if you want."

Link shook his head, "I-must-stay, awake."

"Seriously." Zelda giggled, feeling light after sorting everything out with him. "I know the way. Trust me."

"I do." Link mumbled. "I just. Don't want anything to happen."

She knew what he meant, I want to be awake in case you can't protect yourself. She sighed. "Link, your exhausted, sleep hasn't been able to catch up to you these past few weeks, you were still running on adrenaline, your tired. Sleep. I'll wake you if anything occurs."

Link tried to nod again. But simply couldn't, he slumped against Zelda's mane and practically fell asleep instantly.

Zelda sighed and smiled. How hurt this boy had been, how hurt he still is. How many burdens he's carried and carrying.

Zelda just hope she could always be there to bear some of those burdens if she could and ease the pain he felt.

Zelda knew sleep relinquished Link each night, because she knew something that he wouldn't admit. When she had supposedly been asleep, she would watch Link in the dark. See fear in his eyes.

Sleep resided from him each night because he had vivid nightmares. She had seen and heard him thrashing. And other nights, he would be as still as the stars, exhausted. Could almost consider him dead, with his clammy skin and pale face. On those nights, Zelda always had to check to make sure he didn't have a fever. And on the nights where he would have nightmare, he would be sweating buckets and breathing hard. She often wondered what he was having nightmares about… his death? Ganon? She never knew.

And Zelda wished that she could help him, but thing was, she would also have nightmares. She also knew Link knew that too.

Sometimes when she would be pretending to sleep, she could feel him looking at her, and could feel the concern and worry evoking off his gaze. She always itched to tell him not to worry, that they would go away, tell him that about his own nightmares too. Give him a hug and squeeze the nightmares out of him, out of both of them.

Maybe that was a bit far-fetched, she thought a blush tinting her cheeks.

Tomorrow everything would change, and she was excited, this was why sleep had abandoned her, her stomach was being attacked by butterflies, and those butterflies by frogs, and those frogs by fish, and those fish by bears. He stomach was a whole food chain, all inside her stomach.

She couldn't wait to see everyone working together. Couldn't wait to see the new castle once it was finished. But she would be sad to see the old one go.

Blue prints clouded the back of her mind. Idea's falling into place and a whole big plan for the design, with the approval and help of the architects of course.

Her home had felt quite dark and… dank. She hoped to brighten this one up a bit. Not just with the luminous stones the Zora had offered, but maybe instead of a dark grey, a white, or, she didn't know, just, a dark castle didn't feel like a new start, it felt like a setback.

Excitement build up in her veins, almost to the point where she wished to screech with anticipation.

Everyone was gathered around the colosseum. Everyone stood somewhere in the ruins. The Gorons had brought safety equipment for everyone. So everyone, including Zelda wore a constructing helmet.

Link had to admit, seeing her in charge, it seemed right, and her smile, had been plastered on her face from when he had woken up early that morning near Outskirt Stable. They could hear the chitter chatter from the other side of the rock wall.

Link had been amazed to hear Zelda had done an all-nighter. And she seemed ot be in amazing spirits.

She stood over a wooden work table arms outstretched on either side of her, as if to brace herself.

The Zora's had drawn up a blueprint at a remarkable rate from what Zelda had thought of, and he had to say, it was good.

He had stood on her right and listened to their talk.

"Mhm. Yes, we will need to start here."

"Once its down we should do this first."

"Allocate them here."

"What about the outer areas."

"What about the rest of the ruins."

"We're getting there."

It made his head spin in all different directions.

Then Zelda clapped her hands loudly twice and leaned against the table, everyone's attention on her.

"Alright. First off, it is amazing to see you all here together, I cannot wait to start this with you guys. And second off, I just wanted to once again express my thanks to you all, this means so much not only to me, but to the kingdom, and to my father, who, isn't with us physically, but" a hiccup in her voice. "he's here." She smiled at them all, and they returned it. Link couldn't help it he smiled for the first time in a while. Her smile as much as beautiful, was infectious. "we'll start with the Rito taking down the castle from the top. As much as a piece of me still wishes to keep what is left over of the castle, the Zora's have already stated it, too damaged to be repaired. So, we will be knocking it down and restarting. As we work our way down I think the Gorons should be the ones to take apart the bottom levels. Then Bolson Constructing you will put up the scaffolding and we will work from there, alright." Nods from everyone. "If you have any questions, consult me, Link, or the Zora architects."

Link made a surprised noise, still not used to being in the spotlight. Zelda put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I must warn you all, you will need these." Zelda indicated to a wall and tables full of an assortment of weapons. "Many monsters still lurk in the castle, if you see any, kill them, there are enough weapons for each person to carry two, two is the maximum per person. This has never and will never be their home, ever, again."

The audience nodded vigorously.

Zelda's face brightened into a grin. "Let's get started."

So, excited. I rushed out this chapter because I just, yeah.

Hope you enjoy!