Time's Saga
First Life: Prince of Power
"Nabooru! Let's go! We need to move!"
"But-but what… what happened? What did Link do? Link… what did you do?"
Chapter 44: Turmoil in the Throne Room
"Did you get a good look at her face? I felt inspired to sketch it down!"
"Oh, please tell me that you did! I would pay some good rupees for that."
"Tell me, how much?"
"Twenty."
"I'd pay thirty!"
"But you bought the last sketch of Peau-trid last time! Let me have something to tease her about, please!"
"Well, if you want it so badly, why don't you ask your father for a bigger allowance?"
"Ladies, ladies! No need to argue! I have so much material to work with that there's no need for this war. I'll cut you a deal. Twenty-five rupees a piece, but you have to tell me in detail how she reacts to each one you show her."
"Deal!"
"Deal!"
Such conversations floated all around the throne room hall, though few were currently as malicious as this group of young noble ladies. They were standing on the ground floor in the far back as they were just children. They didn't have the honor of standing in front, but still they were nobles and were required to attend the whole boring affair. To pass the time they of course did what every other noble was doing and that was: gossip. It was once said that the favorite pastime of a Hylian was to speak of nothing but Hyrule, and that aphorism never rang truer than within the walls of Hyrule Castle.
Zelda wanted to groan in exasperation. She was exhausted already, and yet she hadn't even made her appearance yet. Already this peaceable affair was crumbling to pieces, and the Gerudo envoy hadn't been here a full day yet! But if truth be told, the Princess wasn't sure if she wanted that written agreement with the Gerudo. There were far too many puzzling pieces left unanswered, despite the many calls for action she knew they had sent. Added to that was the troubling nightmares. She would wake in the middle of the night breathless, shaking, and covered in sweat. Thankfully it was only Impa who heard her whimpering cries.
She had consulted book after book, even going so far as to read the precious ancient journals left by her predecessors. But there was very little to go on. The best she found was that her power was immature and only daily meditation would help her. Yeah, right. Meditating in this atmosphere? Impossible. She would have to consult Sahasrahla again, despite his wishes. This was too important to cater to one man's desire for peace and quiet, even if he was a renowned mage.
She needed to know what to do to avoid that dark future, whatever it was. Her ancestors spoke on the diverging paths of fate and how Wisdom was there to guide Hyrule to peace and prosperity, but each one failed to explain how Wisdom worked! It was deeply frustrating. And her gut told her that the future was somehow tied to Link. Even worse, to that Gerudo King. That man was far too cunning for her to believe anything he said, not that she believed much of what anyone in court had to say. But that dark-skinned man held such an arrogant air that it could have rivaled the Chancellor's. And that was saying something.
"Your Highness! You shouldn't slouch like that. What if a servant happened to see you?"
"Think of a demon and he shall appear," Zelda mumbled far too quietly for anyone to hear. But nevertheless she straightened her shoulders. Almost a bit snidely she replied, "No servant ever comes in here. I know, because it's far too dusty. This alcove probably hasn't been cleaned for a century."
"Well if there is something amiss, Your Highness, you only need to say the word."
Zelda sighed. This man was infuriating. "No. There's no need. The servants have plenty to do already."
There was a pause and Zelda lazily watched some dust motes floating through the air. She didn't allow her mind to wander, though. The man standing behind her was someone she would never let her guard down around.
The man smiled, though in no shape or form could it be called friendly. It was the kind of demeaning smile where it looked as if he could hear her thoughts and found them utterly amusing. Which was preposterous. No one could read minds, and Zelda certainly wasn't thinking of anything remotely hilarious. No, by now Zelda had learned it was one of the Chancellor's many methods he used to make his opponents slip into his slimy, greasy hands.
To be fair, those hands that gripped the cane were neither slimy, nor greasy. They were, in fact, manicured to perfection, which matched every other part of the man. From the green overcoat to the golden belt, even to the white polished shoes, the man was nothing less than eye-catching. Perhaps to keep the attention solely focused on him was the reason why Chancellor Cole had deemed it necessary to wear not one, but two top hats. It certainly looked funny. If anyone else were to wear such a foolish outfit they would be scorned to death. But no, never the Chancellor. He was a trend-setter.
Not that Princess Zelda cared for whatever clothing trends he engineered, but his overwhelming influence in court infuriated her. She was the crown princess, and yet the Chancellor held far more sway over the ruling of Hyrule than she did. It wasn't a matter of pride to Zelda; she was just realistic enough to know the danger a man like that presented.
"Where is father?"
Surprisingly, the Chancellor's face slipped at Zelda's inquiry. Cole's true colors began to show as he grumbled, "Since he finished signing some documents early, he said he wanted to work up a sweat. It's absolutely inappropriate, having his face flushed while meeting a foreign envoy. I told him he didn't need to."
Zelda had to bite her lip to keep from grinning. Of course the Chancellor would be angry about father doing something like that, and not for any aesthetic reason. Since she didn't see any extra guards located near the training courtyard the only logical place the King was training at was underground; or in other words, the domain of the Sheikah. And for father to arbitrarily decide on this course of action it could only mean one thing: some new, highly sensitive information had been gathered. And considering the timing of it all it was likely linked to the Gerudo envoy.
Deciding to give up on fighting her smile, Zelda turned it into a proper, pleasant one. In a cool tone she casually sent the message to the Chancellor. "I understand, Chancellor Cole. I will properly scold my father for his lapse in judgement, but in all honesty I'm quite happy to hear that he is looking after his health. I don't want him to stagnate in mind or body."
"Long live the King," the master of intrigue mechanically said without even blinking.
Even without any of the physical cues she wanted to see, Zelda was quite happy with the silence that followed. It wasn't often that Chancellor Cole failed to follow up. Obviously something was bothering him and the princess's curiosity was piqued. Again, she took in the appearance of the man, but after only a second he caught her gaze and the smile was back.
"Tell me honestly, your highness, what do you think of this outfit? I had it specially ordered months ago from Madame Couture's, and I only just received it. I especially like the double top hats, don't you?"
"Honestly speaking," Princess Zelda began with that smile plastered on, but silently in her head she was screaming to not break her façade and burst out giggling. In the end she couldn't go through with her lie and simply choked out, "It's… very you."
The man seemed delighted by her comment and performed a series of pirouettes. Somehow his hats managed to not fall off with his exaggerated movements. As he was starting his third twirl the chancellor suddenly stopped and faced the back door. A moment later the King walked into the curtained alcove. Immediately both Chancellor Cole and Princess Zelda bowed respectfully to the King of Hyrule.
"Chancellor, has everyone gathered?" Sir Nicholas asked as he waved a hand of dismissal at their obeisance.
With a click of his heels, Cole made himself look important. "Yes, Your Highness. I suggest we begin immediately, lest there be more rumors about your lack of punctuality."
Lightly huffing the King drawled, "Yes, don't want to be known as an unreliable King." Before the smaller, funny looking man could comment on the poor mannerisms, he quickly gave the order, "Go start the proceedings."
"Yes, Your Highness." And with another click of his heels the Chancellor walked to a parting of the rich blue curtains and with a flourish entered the throne room.
Over the blustering voice of the Chancellor, Princess Zelda couldn't help but giggle at the expression her father made. He winked at her, shook his head, and said befuddled, "Double top hats? What in Hylia will Chancellor Cole think of next? A formal dining suit made of golden thread?"
"Quiet, father! He might take your idea seriously!" Zelda gaffed. She then perked up when she heard where in the Chancellor's speech he was at.
With a sigh, Sir Nicholas adjusted his crown. A moment later he marched over to the same place Cole exited from and once the applause was begun, he smoothly transitioned to the other side.
Zelda couldn't help but gaze longingly at her father's back. It was such a short moment, but she truly cherished how her father had relaxed standing next to her. She was being perhaps more honest than she should be when she said she was happy he was taking care of his health. Even if it was a pretext, Zelda would be more than happy for any sudden news from the Sheikah if it meant her father would have a moment to breathe deeply again.
Straightening her back, Princess Zelda then lifted her skirts and marched over to the entrance. Once her title was announced, she too brushed past the curtain and faced the hall.
It was a grand hall. With pristine white walls, tall pillars that supported a second viewing floor, and vaulted windows that let in an abundance of light, it was the second largest chamber in the whole castle. The first being the main dancing room. It was crowded. The whole of the bottom floor was packed with people on either side of the rich red carpet that led to the thrones, of which Zelda glided towards. Her father's throne was large and ordinately encased in gold. A plush blue pillow that he was sitting on was the only thing that looked remotely comfortable.
After her beautiful curtsy first to her father, then to the high nobles sitting on the second floor, Princess Zelda then carefully settled herself into her polished chair. It was much smaller than her father's, but still, she felt dwarfed in it. Thankfully, it wasn't as ostentatious, only being made of fine wood and several plush pillows for her bottom and back. Folding her hands daintily in her lap, she then lifted her eyes to the crowd.
There were a lot of them today. Word had spread over lunch of the fearsome looking Gerudo King so it must have been a mix of horror and curiosity that so many courtiers had gathered. There was nothing they enjoyed more than a new object of gossip. If not for that then no one would willingly suffer through the whole dull affair that had already begun.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw the King lift his hand. The crowd hushed as his baritone voice echoed. "This meeting of the Kingdom of Hyrule and the Gerudo Territories will shortly begin. Footman, allow the Gerudo King and his envoy to enter the throne room."
With a gallant bow the two footmen stationed at the heavy oak doors then silently pulled them open. Despite their size the double doors opened with barely a whisper, and a moment later the Gerudo strode in.
A high shrill emanated from the left-hand side of the room as a noble lady fainted and her companions rushed to her aide. The minor commotion rippled into greater noise as the giant of a man walked on, uncaring about the uproar he was causing. Zelda felt her hands tighten as she looked at him. He was taller than an average Hylian, but surprisingly short when compared to the women who strode behind. His broad shoulders made up for that though, as everything about the man radiated a raw, undiluted power. The sharp eyes only flickered over the crowd then immediately dismissed them as he approached the throne.
Zelda squeezed her hands tight. She felt as if she was rooted to the spot, unable to escape that horrifying feeling encroaching on her mind. She flickered her eyes to her father, but the man seemed unaffected. Instead, the King of Hyrule stood from his chair at the exact time the King of the Gerudo stopped.
"I, the King of Hyrule, Sir Nicholas Roahm Nohansen Hyrule, warmly greet King Ganondorf of the Gerudo. I welcome you to Hyrule Castle and I sincerely hope you enjoy your stay as we negotiate the terms of our agreement."
Sir Nicholas had to raise his voice to be properly heard over the hubbub of the aristocrats. Thankfully, his tone of voice was still spot-on.
In response, Ganondorf gave the absolute perfect bow according to his station. What was more, his reply was absolutely perfect. Zelda knew she shouldn't judge based on looks, but the man's sweet-sounding voice completely threw her off.
"Thank you for your warm welcome, King of Hyrule. I apologize to you and the court for my appearance. I did not wish to wear such a warlike appearance for these peaceful negotiations, but my guards have insisted foremost on my safety."
"Yes," Nicholas said, though it sounded far more hesitant than Zelda would have liked to have heard. With careful consideration to his words, he asked, "Would you be so kind as to explain? I'll admit, I don't rightly understand your choice in attire when I personally guarantee the safety of Hyrule Castle."
There was a pause as Ganondorf looked as if he was considering the King's words. He then abruptly stepped to the side and announced, "Perhaps it would be best if Prince Link of the Gerudo explained the situation."
For a brief moment Zelda caught her father's eye. Though the entire script had deviated, everything felt too smooth, too well choreographed to be a simple conversation. The balance had shifted, and Zelda's muscles tightened in agitation.
Her eyes grew wide as she set her sights on Prince Link. She hadn't seen him until now, as he was both directly behind the Gerudo King and she had her attention solely fixed on the chilling man. She allowed herself a moment's beration. She had to keep her attention spread far across everyone in these sorts of proceedings, so she made note to be more aware as the Prince spoke.
A rippling murmur spread across the hall as everyone witnessed the boy bend to one knee, placing his hand over his heart and tipping his head forward. Startlingly though, he stared intently at the King of Hyrule.
Jarringly, his voice was just the opposite of what Zelda expected. A youthful boy so inclined to music like him should have a melodious voice. And from what she remembered, he did. But the dry, rasping, crackling tone only made his solemn words that much more startling.
"O, King Nicholas Hyrule, High Ruler of the Three Kingdoms, and Purveyor of the Golden Goddess's Justice, I, Prince Link of the Gerudo, humbly beseech your assistance. If you will listen to my tale, I will tell it all."
A heavy hush fell over hall. The pressure began mounting as people leaned forward in anticipation of the humble prince's story.
Zelda felt like curling into herself. Her heart pounded in her chest and it felt as if a heavy hammer was looming over her. A glance at her father told her that he was calculating the damage already done with that figurative hammer. This envoy was prepared far better than they were, and it was starting to show. Zelda really didn't want to sit through this. Whatever was coming was likely going to set the entire negotiations into a tailspin. But there was no way out. The announcement was already made, and the courtier's curiosity wouldn't be appeased if this was taken into a more private meeting. Frustratingly, those rumors could be far worse than what might be said here and now. The Gerudo had set this up perfectly, and Zelda watched with growing dread as her father consented.
With narrowed eyes and a locked jaw, the King of Hyrule nodded his head. Slowly, he sat down on his seat and propping both elbows on the chair arms he intertwined his fingers before his mouth. Calmly he stared down at the Prince, but Link didn't seem at all perturbed by the electrifying air.
With that raspy voice he began, "At the end of the last summer I came to this Goddess blessed land to learn of your culture. Guiding me was the Queen of the Gerudo, Ruvano. I learned many wonderful things both from her and from these beautiful lands. At the end of the period, when we were returning to our own territory we were camped at a traveler's safe site. In the-"
Here, Link stopped. It sounded as if he was hesitant to continue. He ducked his head and brought his hand to his throat. After brushing the jeweled collar her wore he unlatched it. He stared at it for a moment, seemingly lost in his thoughts, seemingly unaware of the breathless anticipation of the aristocrats behind him. But then his fingers moved to unbutton the black silk shirt he wore and immediately he rose to stand.
Zelda gave an audible gasp of surprise and her hands flew to cover her mouth. With wide eyes she witnessed him pull back the shirt so that the grotesque white scar could be clearly seen against his tanned skin. It was a horrible thing. The skin rough and puckered across his neck, then dipping down below the shirt. Princess Zelda had seen scars before on generals and various soldiers, but few could rival the brutality this scar told. It was sickening, and Zelda felt like her world shifted once she saw that.
A rumbling of mutters groaned about the room at the Gerudo Prince's blatant discourtesies. Clearly the Gerudo were as barbaric as they ever were, undressing before royalty like that. But no one could see that scar. Zelda wanted to drop her hands and tell everyone to shut up, that they had no right to think that. That scar was proof of something awful and she couldn't help but feel like she should protect him from the noble's accusations. But Prince Link acted of his own accord. In what others would consider an even greater act of disrespect by slowly turning in a circle and turning his back to the King of Hyrule. A startled hush fell over the onlookers as they were shocked into silence. They had seen the scar, and only the blind or stupid wouldn't understand the implications of its location. It was then Link seized the opportunity.
"In the night we were attacked. Five of my sisters died, either immediately or suffered immeasurable pain and later succumbed to their wounds. One of these unfortunate souls was Queen Ruvano, who was also carrying the future Chieftain of the Tribe."
The weight of what the prince said was crushing. The hammer had finally dropped, and it was far worse than what Zelda could have imagined. They had received letters and reports that a Gerudo troupe had been attacked near the border and of course there was an investigation, but it ended with nothing conclusive. That sickening feeling of anxiety nearly pushed the princess over the edge. But still, the grating voice of her friend continued to speak.
"In all honesty, I should have died. It was only through the combined efforts of the tribe that I am able to stand before you today and give witness of the atrocities that have occurred. In the grieving that followed we were unable to ascertain who it was that committed these heinous crimes. That is why I kneel before you today," Here, Prince Link again kneeled with his hand over his heart. The difference this time he closed his water-blue eyes. "And I humbly ask for your assistance in finding those responsible. The Gerudo Tribe has waited long enough. It is time that our Blood Price be paid."
Zelda's heart leapt to her throat. The suddenness he looked up at the royal family was startling, but what was worse was his eyes. Those weren't water-blue, like she had previously thought. Those were fire bright; the kind of blue that could only be found in the deepest parts of a roaring flame. Zelda felt as if she were being consumed by that blaze.
The thickness of the air was only disturbed by the Hyrulian King as he carefully leaned back to look at the ceiling. Breathlessly, she watched him, and without moving his lips, she heard him faintly whisper, "Tit for tat, eh? What a cruel fate."
Opening his pale blue eyes, he then turned his attention back to the Gerudo King. Addressing him, he said, "I now understand the precautions you are forced to undertake and let me say that I appreciate your willingness to come this far when understandably your people fear for your life."
Focusing his sights back on the prince, he gave his answer, "You are a bold one, Prince Link." Link merely blinked, giving no indication if he thought the comment was positive or not. "Your story is truly a sad one and it is far worse that what I had gathered. We had received reports from around that time of an attack near the border, and the investigation was inconclusive. Clearly, we will have to discuss this heinous matter in greater detail, but for now I hope that my promise to you will suffice."
After a brief nod from the prince, Sir Nicholas then rose to stand. In a regal voice he proclaimed, "As the King of Hyrule, and as the Purveyor of the Golden Goddess's Justice, I promise that we will discover the truth of the crimes, and in accordance to the Goddess's wills, will finish the matter."
A few hushed whispers were heard about the room, but it seemed that no one was willing to speak loudly for fear of being singled out. It was the Gerudo's turn now, and so Link slowly rose from his kneel.
Dipping his head and shoulders in respect, he replied, "Thank you, Your Highness. I greatly appreciate your decisiveness in this moment."
A short nod was all the King gave, before he moved on. "Now, I believe it is time to end this meeting. I have much to discuss with my advisors. I sincerely hope you will still be our honored guests at the banquet tonight?"
"Yes, we will be in your care, your Excellency," King Ganondorf smoothly said. With a final bow from both him and the Prince, they then turned to leave.
Silently, the Hyrulian King watched them, an unreadable expression on his face. Zelda nervously gripped the arms of her chair and flickered her eyes between her father's indomitable figure and the back of the small Prince. She swallowed hard as visions of last summer floated in her mind's eye.
Link had changed.
She knew the boy she had met in the market could not act the same once exposed to the Castle's climate. But this? This was beyond anything she was expecting. From their interaction she figured out he was capable of mostly holding himself well in court, but this meeting today blew everything out of the water. Every word, every act was a masterstroke, and Zelda hadn't felt this overwhelmed by a competitor in ages.
But then she had to stop and think. Was Link really a competitor? As she watched him stride away, she couldn't help but feel that she needed him now more than ever. He was the Goddess's chosen hero; she was sure of it. But how could such a scrawny boy do anything? He was practically nothing but skin and bones. Malnourishment had turned his beautiful golden hair dull, and the gaunt look in his face only emphasized the hungry fire in his eyes. For now, she decided, he wasn't physically capable of being the hero, but his skills in manipulating the court would still be useful.
The thundering of the doors being shut behind the Gerudo shook Zelda out of her thoughts. Respectfully, she stood as her father passed by. A shiver crawled up her back as she mistakenly looked at his eyes. They were thunderous. She had a hard time composing herself well enough to follow him out of the throne room. She did not want to hear what was going to happen next.
As expected, the chancellor was quick on her heels, and as soon as they were behind the curtain, he pushed past her trying to catch up to the King. Sir Nicholas marched on, swinging the door open without a care in the world and startling the soldiers on duty on either side.
"Your Highness!" Cole squeaked nearly tripped over his own feet.
"Hurry up!" was all Nicholas ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Cole said.
Even though the order wasn't explicitly given to Zelda, she still quickened her steps. Even though she was in the empty hall far from the courtiers, the princess refused to relax. Instead, she continued to grind her teeth in worry, her eyes constantly fixed on the lumbering man before her. Each step he took was louder and heavier than the last and echoed painfully against the stone walls. Finally he stopped. Taking a deep breath he slowly turned around. With a sure step forward, the Hyrulian King rounded on his Chancellor.
With precisely enunciated words, the thunder rolled from his throat. "Chancellor Cole. Explain to me what happened in there. Why did the Prince bring up those accusations? Why were we not prepared for this catastrophe? Where are those in charge of the investigation? I want them in my study tonight, to present their findings in detail. We have to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. I'm amazed the Gerudo haven't retaliated already, considering it was their Queen!"
A heavy moment of silence dragged on. All throughout the King's fury, Chancellor Cole stood resolute. Opening his squinted eyes a crack, he uttered the forbidden words, "Your Excellency, I don't wish to pose this idea, but I feel it must be said. There is a possibility that the Gerudo are lying. They've done it in the past to get what they want and considering the enormity of the negotiations that are to happen, they've set their hand up perfectly with this act."
The King stared for a moment. A sharp spike of fear overwhelmed Zelda for a moment and she almost threw her foot down and screamed something childish like 'Link wouldn't do that!'. But no, she bit her tongue and took a step back. This wasn't her turn to speak yet.
"No." Zelda's shoulders almost slumped in relief with that single word. The King continued his reasoning, "No. That boy held the look of someone who went through hell. You can't fake that. The Gerudo are out for blood. Chancellor Cole, I'm ordering you to discover who the culprits are. This is your top priority. I want results before the end of the week. If you don't get something we can kiss our friendly relations good-bye and we'll have retaliations all along our western border."
"Yes, Your Highness." Chancellor Cole said as he clicked his heels together. His face had darkened as the King was speaking and a grim line was all his lips had become. Zelda noticed how tightly he gripped his cane, and she chewed her cheek in worry. This incident even had the Chancellor visibly on edge. The man with nerves of steel and could laugh away any national incident was worrying. That wasn't a good sign.
As Zelda slowly trailed after her father a single question pounded in her mind. It was something she dearly wanted to ask as soon as possible, but she was also afraid of finding out. Furrowing her brows she counted the sconces on the wall she passed, and with each one the question sounded louder and louder.
What happened to you, Link?
A/N: Some kind of exciting news. I decided to begin posting this story to other sites. You can now find Time's Saga at WattPad and AO3 under the same story title and author name. The chapters posted there should be of better quality, as I'm doing some editing. Nothing big, mind you. Just grammatical checks and the like.
Anyway, big stuff going down. Link's played his part masterfully, so far. Let's see if he can keep it up! XD For next week, I invite you to dance at the ballroom. :D
