Chapter 12: Phase I field testing
Zelda POV
Tears were still running down my face by the time I finally came back to my senses. Perhaps the strangest thing about the whole ordeal was that I couldn't figure out exactly why I had been crying.
They had talked for goddess's sake! They hadn't done anything other than have a nice, friendly conversation…. Friendly. I wasn't so sure of that last word. Mipha had gotten so close to him; closer than he had ever allowed anyone else. I knew that they were childhood friends and had spent many magnitudes of time longer with each other than I had with Link but it still hurt like a thorn to my chest when he had gazed at her with such focus, how Mipha hadn't melted there and then is a mystery I will probably never solve.
Deciding to ignore the continuing pangs in my chest I rose to my feet and hastily wiped the now crusted tears from my face. I turned once again to face the control panel but this time keeping my eyes firmly averted from the still raised trunk of Ruta and tried once more to concentrate on the issue at hand.
Vah Ruta was apparently having an issue with water flow. This, therefore, led me to two scenarios: the first, that the four pumps in Ruta's feet were either fully or partially blocked somewhere along its path, the second, that there was a mechanism failure in one of the control systems.
The latter option was the easy one to check as all the beasts systems and functions were relayed through the central panel and a quick scan of the screen told me that everything seemed to be operating within normal parameters. On further inspection, however, the screen was also displaying a red triangle next to Ruta's back left leg.
This would be much more difficult to fix as someone would have to physically get into the pipe and clear any blockage manually. I paled at the prospect.
Link would, of course, do anything I told him and I doubt very much whether crawling up dark, slippery and confined pipes would faze him in the slightest but part of me wanted to do this alone, wanted to show Mipha that I was just as useful to our group of champions. And the other part didn't want to go near Link just yet.
"Disgusting!" I said aloud as I crawled out of the control tube twenty minutes later, covered from head to toe in reeds, water and various lake-dwelling animals.
"Why I ever even thought to do tha-" I cut myself off abruptly as my eyes fell upon two figures eyeing me up and down, both with smirks on their faces.
Being honest with myself this is not the way I would want anyone to see me. Dirty, sweaty and covered in weeds is not becoming of the Princess of Hyrule and my father would probably have had a seizure there and then in the control room had he been here.
Battling with a sudden desire to laugh at the thought of my father going slowly purpler and purpler in the face as he always did when he was angry I stood up a little taller, trying to regain some composure, and walked toward the two figures who were still grinning at the state of my attire.
"It's rude to stare." I stated coldly, more directed at Mipha thank Link but the effect on my knight was immediate. As if sensing my current mood he suddenly looked extremely sheepish and cowed slightly under my gaze, the smile gone as quickly as it appeared.
Mipha meanwhile seemed to feed on my lack of enthusiasm and bounded forward to swat a struggling Octorok egg from out behind my ear, still beaming.
"Thank you so much for fixing Ruta Princess! I cannot express my gratitude and judging by your appearance it wasn't an easy fix either." Mipha winked, still patting and swatting at my body as more detritus fell to the floor.
This was one of the many things that infuriated me about Mipha. She was impossible to be mad at.
Her calm, innocent smile and dainty laugh was so similar to a small child I could never hold anything against her for long and before I knew it I too was laughing heartily.
"I had to crawl through four access junctions that were all mostly flooded AND on top of that, I got covered in some of that lake reed stuff down by the left leg. How you Zora like the water is beyond me, just the stuff that lives in it creeps me out!"
"Well, Princess it's always a new experience when you're in town! But we'd better be getting back or my father will think we've been attacked; he's getting more paranoid by the day you know…" Her smile faltered slightly but recovered herself quickly.
"Allow me to escort the pair of you back to the domain. I hope you'll be staying the night!"
And so, with my knight in tow, I followed Mipha back down the steep sloping path back to Zora's domain and back to what, I hoped, would be a chance to have a private conversation with Link.
After a lengthy meal with King Dorephan in which myself and Link were grilled endlessly on the other champions and the status of our defences, we were finally able to retire to the quarters that were reserved for Hylian guests. For this, I was grateful as the Zora guest rooms were a little too… aqueous for my taste.
When we reached the door I swiftly entered and surveyed its interior.
I had been here once before but it appeared to have been renovated since then as three new bookcases stood, rammed with the latest literature, against the furthest wall while a new four-poster had been erected to my left. The balcony overlooking the Domain had too been expanded and now had a small telescope fitted to the outer railing, perfect for stargazing on a clear night.
I had just opened my mouth to point this out to my appointed knight when I realised he wasn't in the room. Turning wearily around I noticed him still standing just back from the frame of the door and looking, if possible, even more, worried than earlier.
"Are you going to stand there until tomorrow morning or come inside?" I inquired, in as friendly as a voice as I could muster, to my knights still hunched form.
"I-" he began in barely more than a whisper "I feel that it would be inappropriate for me to enter your chambers, Your Highness, especially in such a place as this."
I actually giggled at his words. Considering we had camped wild on at least two occasions before, Links sudden urge to be a gentleman seemed very out of place.
"Link I value your protection and your conversation. I will not have you sleeping in the hallway like a common dog as I know was your intention."
Giving the corridor he was in one final check back and forth Link gave a slight sigh before slowly and deliberately stepping over the threshold as if not wanting to disturb a single piece of dust from the floor.
"Right!" I exclaimed, almost sending him running back out of the door in my enthusiasm, "now that you've managed to overcome that piece of protocol please take one of the seats on the balcony. I want t-to talk with you."
Hurriedly turning away from Link as I felt my cheeks gain heat I heard him sigh once more and carefully walk onto the balcony and wait.
I needed to pull myself together if I was going to have the strength to ask the question I wanted to ask. I needed to get this weight of… Something! Off my chest.
Taking one last steadying breath and hoping my blush had died down somewhat I paced over to the balustrade and saw Link still standing next to his seat looking at me as if for confirmation.
"Please sit," I repeated and he did so immediately. "It has been a while since we have been able to speak properly Link. Though it may seem quite the opposite sometimes I do value your insight and your views."
"Thank you for your faith in me Your Hi-" I flashed him a warning look "Zelda!" he finished with a small gulp. "However I'm still unaware as to why you asked me-"
"What do I do next." I cut across him before he could finish "Where do I go and how do I proceed. Everything I've tried to far has failed and I have no reason to believe that anything I could think of would also be unsuccessful. So… I turn to you. An outsider to this business if you will, to give me advice."
He stared, wide-eyed at me for so long after I said this that I was considering simply cutting my losses and going to bed there and then when finally he spoke, again in that hushed almost anxious tone.
"As your appointed knight and an 'employee'" he raised his fingers to make speech marks around the word "of your father, I must defer to his judgement on visiting the various springs around Hyrule and offering prayer to Hylia."
"But that clearly isn't-!" I began before he spoke in a clearer voice over mine.
"However as a… a friend" my heart leapt at the word "I would spend whatever time you can doing what you love, what you enjoy doing, what feels worthwhile to you. There is nothing more fulfilling that sitting down in the evening and not regretting a single event in the day. Most days aren't like that. So if an opportunity for one of them arises I take it by the horns and ride it to Kakariko! A-and so should you." He finished rather lamely after his sudden outburst.
I pondered his words. On the surface, they were just a rehash of what every therapist in Hyrule told their gullible clients day in day out. 'Go to bed early and have fun in the day!'
But when he had talked to me it had seemed like so much more than that. Like he had been trying to convey some part of himself to me. Perhaps the part I was most jealous of; his ability to find worth and meaning in everything no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to someone like my father.
"And you would suggest?" I responded, taking my eyes off the floor and looking him in the eye.
"W-well…" I could see the confidence he had had earlier fading and hoped he would find his courage again "Well forgive me for saying so but you always seem to be smiling when you're reading or studying something in that workshop you have at the castle. It was like watching a totally different person whenever you worked in there. I remember one time you fell asleep on a huge pile of books on the Sheikah language; you seemed so peaceful and cal-" he stopped suddenly as his face went pale and began an uncoherent babble of noise before spluttering.
"I apologise, Princess, that I was out of line and did not consider your dignity on the matter. I will remove myself immediately."
"Sit down!" I barked as he tried to get to his feet. "So…" I said in a silky tone that I tried to blend with some danger "you, against specific orders not to might I add, followed me around even in my study?"
The only response I got was a small gurgling noise from Links throat as he tried and failed to utter a response.
It truly was unbelievable that my knight could be so cooled and composed when fighting the world's most terrifying beasts but was brought to a complete state of panic when confronted with a violation of rules.
Unable to keep up the charade any longer I laughed and said: "I'm only joking Link it was your job after all and I don't blame you."
He turned his head upwards like a dog seeking reassurance and I continued "You do however raise a good point. If there's one thing I would do forever if I was given the choice it would be to research the world we live in. There is so much ignorance in our society and if I am remembered for anything I would love it to be for removing at least some of it from the world."
I shook my head vigorously before finishing "but with my current situation of being under constant surveillance and the weight of a Kingdom on my shoulders that isn't an option…"
"If you want P-Zelda… I could omit a day of this journey from my official report. Just hypothetically speaking of course; if you wanted to do anything that the King would potentially disapprove of."
"You've got yourself a date!" I proclaimed, beaming from ear to ear. That was before I realised what I had said however and both I and my knight immediately went scarlet and broke the eye contact that seemed to have lasted since we got here.
The embarrassment was so intense I was sure that my face couldn't have been cooled with the strongest heat-resistance elixir so I attempted to drag myself out of this ditch by once again trying to start a less compromising conversation.
"So!" I keenly began, trying to shed all traces of my flustered state from my voice "What did you and Mipha need such privacy to discuss?"
My question did not have the effect I had intended. Instead of throwing Link a lifeline from his sea of dismay I had simply made matters worse. His face now resembled an overgrown radish as his blush increased tenfold.
That pang of annoyance once again struck somewhere in my core and I was instantly much more composed.
"It was nothing really Zelda; just a couple of old friends having a chat about… things." He trailed off now looking sadly up to the moon that was at this point high in the sky overlooking the Domain and our conversation.
I moved to the telescope on the railing and peered more closely at the satellite before re-embarking on the reason I even asked Link out here in the first place.
"It looked like something rather important from where I was stood though, surely it couldn't have just been a catch-up."
"S-she… " he let out a slow breath, "She asked me if once this was all over I would come back here and spend more time with her."
Another blow.
"I was in a difficult position up there. She obviously wanted a yes-no answer which I couldn't provide. The issue isn't that I don't want to see her more often but I know what she wants when she says 'spend time together'. She's mentioned it to me more than once you know."
Links newfound openness was slowing my thought process slightly and I dimwittedly attempted a "what do you mean" sort of look.
"Marriage. Her hints became less and less subtle over the years and I've avoided an open proposal so far but I have a feeling my luck will run out fairly shortly."
"Do you want-"
"Do I want to marry her?" Link stated calmly, too calmly "that's a question that would keep me awake at night if I were to think about it, Princess. And speaking of, it's getting late and if we intend to allow you to have a day off soon we need to rest."
He gave a small smile and started to unpack his sleeping gear out on the balcony and stepped aside from the doorway to allow me to re-enter the now darkened room.
Hours later it was me, not my appointed knight, lying awake pondering the question that I had asked him.
The fact it would keep him awake sent jolts through me. Link never sat on the fence about anything, he would always follow his instincts into any decision and the fact that this was one choice he had been struggling with for what sounded like years now made me nervous, anxious and… what was that? Jealous?!
I rolled onto my side and groaned into my pillow praying for sleep to take me.
The following morning was an orchestrated mess of packing and goodbyes.
King Dorephan and Mipha both wished us well and even the young Prince Sidon waddled over to give us a small Hylian Bass he seemed to have caught himself.
"Now now Sidon!" King Dorephan said sternly "What have I told you about Hylian guests hmmm?"
Laughing heartily as I gave one final bow before him I turned and began the long walk back to Hyrule castle and, potentially, a nice long stop somewhere in Hyrule field. The perfect place for what I had planned.
The world I was fortunate enough to be born into contains a wide variety of flora, fauna and wildlife. As can be expected some of this is extremely common and has managed to win the evolutionary battle with its competitors. Others are extremely rare; either due to over-farming, hunting or other natural causes.
"Princess!" Links deep voice snapped me out of my reverie as I felt his hands around my waist and the ground part contact with my feet.
Before I could do more than feel the same heat as last night rise in my cheeks the contact was gone and I was standing back on firm ground again.
Now taking the chance to look at the situation I saw to my right a panting and panicked looking Link and to my left a steep slope leading to a river valley. Putting two and two together I quickly apologised for my lack of concentration and started along the cobbled path once again.
'But' a small voice in my mind started 'If you're slightly more reckless he may have to be closer to you more often.'
I shut my eyes tight, trying to clear my mind, trying to forget the warm feeling of his strong hands at my hips.
This was going to be a long journey.
Two days passed, two days of endless walking and even another instance of shield-surfing which I like to think I improved at since the last disastrous trial.
When we finally crested a hill and saw the luscious green grasses that spanned in all directions and the sight of the great looming castle plastered against the sky I felt relieved. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the hiking and camping as much as the next person but as I had been out near enough every day for the past few weeks I was looking forward to some real rest. Some time to myself.
I hurried down the incline into the field and pulled out my Sheikah slate. While much of the life here had been documented in books and so forth I wanted it to be my mission to create an album of these real images the slate can provide.
Link was still awkwardly stood somewhere behind me; looking around in mild interest but still seeming somewhat bored. I needed to find him something…
"There's one!" I exclaimed, drawing him into my thoughts "Oh, and another!"
He looked at me with a concerned expression and I reiterated.
"The flowers we have in Hyrule aren't just beautiful… They're also quite useful as ingredients for a variety of things." I zoomed slightly on the slate and gasped.
"This one here is called the silent princess. It's a rare, endangered species. Despite our efforts, we can't get them to grow domestically yet. The princess can only thrive out here in the wild."
Realising how that must have sounded I flushed and continued on.
"All that we can hope… is that the species will be strong enough to prosper on its own."
The end of my little speech was flawless. Apart from the falter toward the end as I saw something truly marvellous. My! I hadn't seen one of these since that time Mother had one in a jar.
I gave an audible gasp and sprung forward.
"Is that what I think it is?!" I had never seen one of these alive!
"Look at this!" I shrieked at Link, holding out my hands to show him "I don't believe it, but I actually caught one! This delicacy is known to have very, very potent effects under the proper circumstances."
I opened my hands to show him the green, bulbous looking creature in my palms and waited for the look of recognition and awe to form on his face. When no such reaction was observed however I brazenly carried on.
"Research from the castle shows ingesting one of these can actually augment certain abilities. We wouldn't be in a controlled environment out here, and with your level of physical fitness" oh god how did that slip out "you'd be a perfect candidate for the study!"
Filled with my newfound certainty in this experiment I thrust my arms out toward my appointed knight and cried "Go on! Taste it!"
Links disgusted reaction was nothing but confusing to me. To be selected as the man to get to ingest a hot-footed frog was beyond an honour. If this worked it could hurry into production the manufacture of various potions and elixirs all designed to boost the average individual's speed, stamina and even strength.
Still pursuing him on my knees the frog gave a final haughty croak and bounded right at Links face.
He yelped extremely loudly and tumbled backwards as I lunged, open-armed, for the escaping sample.
Link fell backwards and I, still airborne, knew what was about to happen and flung out my arms on either side of me not a moment too soon.
Now on my hands and knees, I looked down.
I had landed directly on top of my appointed knight and our now blushing faces were mere inches apart.
Wow ok I did not expect this update to take half a year!
I apologise to all my readers because half of the wait has been me being lazy and half has been with my increased workload.
I'm just heading into my final exams before University so my time will be becoming more and more limited.
However with this in mind I hope to have at least 1 more chapter out before my exams are upon me but I make no promises because look at this one :D
Thanks again for sticking with me (or not) and I hope you got some enjoyment from this one.
P.S. writing scenes with any sexual tension is hard as balls and those who can do it smoothly are blessed. The rest of us have to spend 20 minutes reading a line over and over and deciding if its below 'vomit' on the cringemeter.
