Quick note: Make sure you all watch Memory #5: Zelda's Resentment before reading this chapter!

Chapter Nineteen

A Proper Chance at Escape

Of all the times to see that accursed Sword on his back, this was one of the worst. Her father had spent more than enough time that morning reminding her the success of drawing up that weapon signified… again!

Would she ever be free?

"It seems I'm the only one with a mind of my own. I, the person in question, am fine regardless of the King's orders. Return to the castle and tell that to my father please."

How many times had they been through this, Zelda wondered? It seemed like everyday was a new struggle with her Appointed Knight, and it showed no signs of improvement. He was still just so stubborn and dead set on crawling under her skin!

Zelda was not in the mood to be followed around; to have his eyes boring holes in her back wherever she walked. Not now, and not ever.

And yet, here he was, defiant of her expressed order to leave her be. Expressed! After what he did to her mother's dress―she was certain it was intentional, or at least he wasn't all that sorry if it really was an accident―Zelda had no more room for patience.

No room at all!

But even with that in mind, shortly after she berated him for following her out of the castle, an ill feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. It was like a whisper… a shadow. She wanted to ignore it, and in some ways she did, but after mulling it out in her head, Zelda came upon the conclusion that perhaps it was―and only a slight inclination to, mind you―a feeling of regret.

But only a little!

After all, he was doing his job. A foolish, unnecessary job, she thought, but a job all the same. If only he could get it through that thick skull of his just how pointless this all was. She was certain he didn't want to be there. Surely not…

But no. She had to focus on the important part. He was here, and Zelda felt like she was on the verge of exploding, or arguably worse: falling apart and breaking down.

"And stop following me!"

The words burned on the tip of her tongue with vehement heat. And yet, he kept on following, just like he always did. Link didn't even shy off for a moment. From the top of the mountain where she had failed―like so many other times―to reopen one of the ancient Shiekah Shrines, all the way down to the western banks of Hyrule Field, her Appointed Knight trailed her like her own shadow:

Silently and eerily solemn…

Luckily, the Princess found some small distraction from him when a caravan of traders crossed their path. They brought wares of the common variety: food, linens, fine silks, jewelry, and Zelda made sure that this time she had more than enough of her own money to buy what she pleased. She wasn't keen on the idea of ever being in Link's debt again. That was unpleasant business, she thought.

Well, there was one good side to that story. At least she was able to get that adorable little Keaton Mask.

However, on this particular day, the Princess made no such large purchase like that. When the tactful traders made their best best attempts to sell her fine handmade jewelry and the softest silks they had to offer, Zelda had to decline with good graces.

She was almost saddened to see the way their warm smiles turned disappointed frowns. There wasn't much sense in buying any of that, there was plenty of that sort back at the castle. She did, however, buy a handful of apples to feed to her horse.

Maybe that would win old Garin's affection.

Zelda had seen Link do that same for his horse before, and those two seemed to share of bond of rider and mount like unlike any she had seen. It was if Link merely had to shift his hips or turn his head and the creature would know exactly what he wanted and where to go. No hesitation, no stubborn nickering, just perfect unison. He didn't even have to tie the horse up at night. The gentle creature just lingered and indulged itself in fresh green grass before dozing off peacefully.

It was a bond to be quite envious of, that was for certain.

Perhaps, she thought, the secret was in the treats you gave them. Wasn't that how one would train children to behave? Reward certain behaviors? It was a scientific study she would have to pursue someday; what treats made your horse the most loyal and well behaved?

The idea sounded fun, really!

Not that she would have time for something as unimportant as that for a long while. There were too many ancient Guardians to service till they were functional. Ever since Link destroyed the last one she and Purah brought back to life, they had been hard at work trying to put that spark back into the decaying machines. Digging them out of the ground was one thing, but getting them to work again…

Well, they hadn't been successful quite yet.

"So, what do you think, Garin?" Zelda whispered in her horses' ear, sneaking a bright red apple right in front of his smacking lips. Garin took a greedy bite from it, and nearly a good chunk of her finger with it! She just barely managed to pull back before the lumbering oaf took her whole hand!

"Keep you palm flat, Princess," Link said nonchalantly from atop his saddle. "Let the horse come to you and scoop it off your hand. Otherwise you'll lose a finger."

"I know that, thank you very much." She did, honestly! Gerin just took a little more than she expected, that was all. He wasn't the most well-behaved horse yet, or at least he didn't like her very much, but he would someday.

Per usual, Link's only response was a slight nod. Infuriating little…

The Princess sighed with great duress. Zelda felt at her wits end in all this mess. She needed an escape. A true escape, where she could just be herself without all these pressing expectations and demands bogging her down, testing her patience, running her thin. Better yet, she wanted to be where ever there weren't any irksome Heroes stalking her.

Lucky for Zelda, however, that chance to escape came far sooner than she could have ever anticipated.

It was by the end of that same day back at the castle stables that Zelda witnessed a rather peculiar sight. It was one of those rare times when her Appointed Knight wore a face that could almost be mistaken as something other than cold stone; it was as if that mask of his began to slip away. His eyebrows furrowed with the faintest hint of concern, and his lips twitched and turned with deep pondering.

Strangely enough, the cause of this strange sight came in the form of a hand-written letter delivered with great haste.

Mali, Hyrule Castle's most recurrent Rito courier, had met them at the stables with a flutter and hoot that Zelda remarked as very rushed and impatient. Not that it was anything new, he always moved with urgency.

With papers and letters piling up just at the brim of his couriers satchel, it was obvious Mali had far too many letters to deliver and very little sunlight to do it. Naturally, the courier was very hurried when he approached Sir Link with a curt―but still courteous―greeting and shoved a tattered envelope into his hands shortly after dismounting his horse.

"They said it was pressing," the Rito huffed, feathers ruffling with impatience. "Don't know about what, but ain't my business to ask. Good day, Sir Link. Good day Princess." And without another word, he took off, just barely managing to lift the heavy parcel bag across his shoulders.

The whole thing struck her as a little odd, but nothing more than that.

Zelda was already well on her way up the stairs to the east castle gate when she glanced back to see her Appointed Knight pouring over every line of what ever letter he received, and he didn't seem happy about it. Not that he ever looked anything a normal person could call happy…

But she could hardly bring herself to care. She had seen enough of his face today, and a warm bath was in order wash away the day's toils. Perhaps Lini would even allow her a small glass of wine to combat the headache she felt coming on.

Zelda didn't think much of the strange occurrence after that… that is at least until she heard the maids whispering amongst themselves.

The maids always were whispering, though Zelda tried to ignore it most of the time. Hardly anything interesting ever came from their musings, they were usually young inexperienced women easily prone to excitement and fluff. Of course, the Princess could remark the same of herself, being of roughly the same age, but at least she kept her rumoring and gossiping to a closed group. Between Purah, Lini, and of course Urbosa when she was around, Zelda spoke little to anyone else.

Especially not Link.

Which was why when she heard his name whispered on their lips while she bathed on that late summer's night, her ears seemed to twitch and turn to listen. "The grooms said he left in a hurry," one of them buzzed in the other's ear, "barely had the saddle back on his horse before he bolted off like a…"

"Do they know why?" the other asked, but Zelda missed the answer that came. "Wonder if he'll be back before autumn… Well how am I supposed to know…? At least the Princess…"

"Where did he go?" Zelda asked, though all her maids turned red and fell to silence. They were lousy whisperers, anyone could have heard them. But in this instance, that was to Zelda's advantage. "Sir Link, where did he go off to in a hurry?"

"No one knows, Princess," one of the braver maids replied with a wobbly bow of the head. "We only heard he left mere minutes after he escorted you back to the castle. He didn't say a word―at least that's what the grooms said… I'm sure it's nothing, your Majesty."

Immediately, Zelda thought of the strange letter he received.

What its contents were to make him behave as such was no concern of hers, but this was an opportunity she wasn't going to waste! Making quick work of her bath, Zelda tip-toed back to her bedroom and dismissed her maids after dressing, desiring silence to think and plan.

With no certainty as to when Link would be back, the Princess would have to act fast, but carefully. Her escapade earlier that morning had gone off without a hitch―that is at least until Link caught wind of it―so she was confident she could slip out of the castle again without any trouble.

Just as long as she kept quiet and stuck to her plans, she would be well on her way by the first light of morning. The only question was where should she go first?

The answer came to her later that night when a dreadfully cold wind passed through Hyrule like a storm front, and set her to shivering even under her blankets with no fire set to warm her. Zelda hated the cold. It reminded her to much of her morning routine praying in the freezing waters of the castle sanctuary.

It seemed summer had at last come to its inevitable end, and the first chill of autumn had come. Soon the trees would change color, the grass sparse and paler, and she would shiver like a fool.

There was no better a time than now to visit her good friend and Champion in the one place where the sun always shone and the heat always returned in the morning. Not to mention the fact that the one person she was trying to avoid would be barred from the city gates without question.

Tucking her knees into her chest for warmth, Zelda smirked as she slowly drifted off towards a long-desired sleep. Gerudo Desert would do wonderfully indeed. For a time, the Princess wondered what could have possibly called her Appointed Knight away with such urgency… but that thought passed away with time, and soon she dreamt of warm dunes and sand seals.

Commander Jorn had never seen anything quite like that in all his years as an East Post Garrison guard. He had rarely seen anyone ride at night―especially when it was so dark―at any rate, and certainly not with such speed and reckless abandon. Who ever it was, he obviously had a death wish riding like that in the pitch black of night.

A horse could easily break an ankle on an unseen upturned stone, or worse, ride right into a low hanging branch in darkness, but the mysterious rider seemed to care. They couldn't even close the gates in time before the madman bolted through as quick as a flash of lightning.

Watching that hooded rider gallop over the hills and through the garrison gates under the patches of pale cold moonlight reminded him of a story he had once heard as a child about a lone rider that haunted Hyrule at night like a wraith hellbent on one purpose. The rider had no face, it wore only a mask blacker than the darkest nights, as the story went, and though it had a tongue to speak it remained silent as the grave.

But his eyes… Well there was something more about them.

As the story put it, his eyes could cut right through the heart of even the bravest Knights and set them to shivering with fear. The hooded rider could be anywhere, the story went, and with him came ill omens and portents of sickness. Keep clear of the hooded rider, the story went, unless you wanted your household to fall ill with disease.

It was a wives-tale, no less, little more than a fancy story to scare children out of sneaking out at night, but even as a man Jorn had to admit it set his skin to crawling. Just who in there right mind would ride so recklessly on a night like this?

"Should we go after him?" one of Jorn's comrades asked, pulling down his helmet so that it could hide his shaken face better.

"I see little point in it," Jorn answered after a pause. "We'd never catch him. Besides, some other garrison is sure to stop him for questioning. All will be well, I'm sure of it." Jorn's companion didn't seem to take much comfort in that―he was a young lad, green and jumpy―but he did not give anymore voice to his concerns.

"Why do you think he's off riding like that at night?" the lad asked.

"Who knows? Just keep that gate closed, you hear? I don't want anymore suspicious riders gallivanting through my garrison again."

"Aye, Commander."

And off to Gerudo Village Zelda goes! As I'm sure you all know what happens there, I think you will be happy to know we are at the landing of the stairs of progress! Don't worry, this slow burn won't last forever ;)