Throne Room
Why?
Just, why?
All he did was enter the forest with the rest of the soldiers and managed to pull out a sword. And because of it, they decide to place him in the Imperial Guard and make him captain of the Princess's personal guard. Not only that: they wished to make him a champion.
The champion.
Four champions from the four different races of Hyrule had already been chosen: Revali, the best warrior and archer of the Rito. Daruk, the leader and strongest of the Gorons. Mipha, the princess of the Zora, who had the amazing ability to heal whomever whenever she pleases. Urbosa, the beautiful chief and warrior of the Gerudo.
And then there was himself. Link, the worthless mutt who just happened to be able to pick up a sword.
Why on earth did they think that this was a good idea?
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when somebody to his right snapped their fingers in front of his face. He blinked and turned towards them.
It was his blademaster. The large man had taught him how to wield a sword. How to be a man. He never used very ideal techniques to teach, however.
He was the first before many to call the young man worthless. The blademaster had beaten him as a kid. Once, the authorities of the castle had forgotten to feed the soldiers. He was only a child at the time, but he was hungry, so he had snuck into the castle's kitchen for food, and stole an apple. Just a single apple. Some other large men had caught him with the apple, seized him, and dragged him to his blademaster.
The blademaster had had him whipped.
He still had three large scars on his back from that day several years ago. Lasting memories of the pain tortured him from that moment on.
Returning to the present, He stared at his blademaster, waiting for him to speak.
"Stay focused," he said. "Do not look up at the king, and do not speak until you say your oath, got it?"
He nodded.
"Good. And remember…" The blademaster leaned in. He could feel his hot breath on his face. "You are only our weapon. I don't care if you become captain. I don't care if you get named the Champion. You exist to kill. Nothing more. Got it?"
He nodded again.
"I said, got it?"
He gulped. "Yes, sir…"
He hated how weak his voice sounded.
"That's right. Now go in there, and don't mess up."
He gulped again just as the giant doors began to open. There was a carpet on the floor leading up to where the king sat, splitting the crowd in two.
Like a machine, he stiffly walked across the carpet before the king, never looking him in the eyes. He knelt, and bowed his head. He suddenly heard a bold, firm, but slightly older voice.
His Highness speaks...
"Link of Hyrule, do you swear by the three golden goddesses that you will protect this land of Hyrule. That you will raise your sword against the forces of Ganon, and play your part as the Hylian Champion?"
He inhaled deeply before saying the oath that he had run through his head over and over for the past few weeks:
"I do swear, until the goddess relieves me, or death takes me."
"And do you, Link of Hyrule, swear to keep her highness, the Princess Zelda safe as she learns to awaken the power to seal away Ganon?"
His eyes widened. What? Protect the Princess? He had never been informed of this task…
But the king was waiting for him to speak.
So he did.
"...I do swear, until the goddess relieves me, or death takes me."
He was officially Princess Zelda's appointed knight.
Until death takes me…