Link and Mipha were back sitting on his bed. After their guarded escape from the base, they made their separate ways, but only after Dorian strictly instructed them not to breathe a single word to the reporters – or anyone – about the attack and the rise of Ganondorf. And despite Link's interrogations, Dorian provided no answers to where the next portal was, and no explanation to the attack that just happened.
Mipha held his arm carefully as she worked to heal the deep gash he had sustained in the battle. Her hands were warm on his skin and Link felt very aware of her touch. His hard expression softened, and he could no longer focus on all his unanswered questions. When she finished, she let her hands linger on his arm for a moment longer before pulling away. Neither had spoken since they returned to his room, and the silence between them felt heavy, though Link was unsure why.
"Thanks," he finally said softly. He let his head rest against the wall and closed his eyes.
"Of course." Mipha's voice was just as soft.
Link opened his eyes and glanced towards her. Their gazes met and she smiled sheepishly. He realized, then, how close they were to each other, and he couldn't help but to lean closer to her. Mipha met his gaze, her lips pursed together.
There was a sudden loud knock on the door, and Aryll's voice shouted his name. Link jumped back, the distance between them growing dramatically, and he shot an angry glare towards the door. "What!"
The door opened and Aryll bounded into his room. "I saw you on tv, Link!"
"Great," Link muttered. He pulled his knees to his chest and turned to Mipha, but she was averting her gaze, staring down at her feet.
"You too, Mipha!" Aryll continued. "I saw you all! You kicked butt!"
To Link's dismay, his father poked his head around the doorway. He studied them for a moment. "Fortunately for you, the camera did you a favor by adding ten pounds."
Link narrowed his eyes on his father. "What do you want?"
His father crossed his arms and Aryll continued to jump excitedly around the room.
"You're gonna be famous!" she said. "And everyone's gonna want your autograph!"
"I hardly think so," their father said. "In fact, their doing a hell of a job of slandering your names already."
Mipha frowned. "Slandering us? How?"
He shrugged a shoulder and turned on the tv. A reporter flashed on the screen mid-sentence, her brows knit together with determination.
"...attack is unclear. Whether the legends are true or not, what is clear is that Hyrule is in grave danger."
The screen flashed to another reporter who stood outside of the base. "The king has made no comments about the attack as of yet, but we'll stay on scene to catch the latest developments as soon as they happen. We're expecting the king will make a statement shortly. Until then, stay tuned."
The screen flashed again, back to the newsroom where two more reporters spoke to one another.
"Can we talk about those kids for a second?" he said, turning to his partner.
"I can confirm that none of them are recruits," she said in response. "And their ages are currently being questioned."
"What in the name of Hylia would they be doing in the middle of a war zone?"
She shook her head. "We don't have any footage of the battle, either."
"Do you suppose, then, that the legends are true? That we are supposed to put the fate of our world in the hands of a bunch of teenagers?"
"I have yet to see any proof that they are the living embodiment of Hylia and her supposed Chosen Hero. It's nothing but nonsense, and they're only going to get killed."
The screen flashed to a woman who was being interviewed. "They're just children," she said, her brows knit together. "Who could have allowed them to get caught up in this mess?"
The screen flashed to another interviewee. The man was clearly angry. "It's not right," he said. "Especially if they're minors."
The screen flashed to Dorian, making his earlier statement. The six wide-eyed Champions could be seen behind him.
Link got to his feet and shut off the tv. He turned to glare at his father.
"Don't get all cranky with me," he said to his son. "Besides, this isn't your problem."
Link crossed his arms. "I get no respect around here."
His father grinned and turned to leave. "Yeah, get used to it."
"I believe you," Aryll said, turning her gaze to her brother. She smiled up at him. "You can do it!"
Mipha stood and sighed. "Now that my face is plastered all over the news," she said. "I should probably go and prepare for the wrath of my parents."
Link frowned at her. "I'll come to your funeral."
"Thanks," she said with a grin, but it quickly disappeared. Her stomach knotted with the idea of facing her parents and telling them the truth. She was sure they would be as doubtful as the rest of the world was. And, of course, there was no easy way to explain to them that their daughter was putting her life on the line every day for the sake of Hyrule.
"How did you convince your father to be okay with all this?"
Link snorted. "I didn't have to. He already knew."
Her brows furrowed. "He knew?"
"It doesn't matter," he said quickly. He hesitated. "I'd offer to help, but I don't think your parents would be very happy seeing me right now, either."
"You're probably right," she admitted. "It's alright. I'll be fine. I'll text you later."
Though Link had no interest in the gossip shared by the news reporters across the channels, he waited anxiously for the king to make his appearance, staring anxiously at the screen. Aryll lay on her stomach on the floor, coloring in a coloring book and humming happily to herself while her father and brother sat on the couch.
"We're live in front of the palace where King Roham has just stepped out -"
Link cast his eyes back to the screen. The camera zoomed in and focused on the very serious looking king of Hyrule as he took his place behind a podium, ready to address the crowd of reporters and civilians that had gathered despite the late hour. They fell momentarily silent as the king spoke. Behind him, just at the edge of the view of the camera, Link spotted Zelda, her expression serious, yet she regarded her father with wary caution and curiosity. It seemed she was just as unaware of how her father would handle the situation as the rest of the world was, waiting patiently.
The king wasted no time with a needlessly long introduction, nor did he sugar coat the situation. "As you may be aware," he began, "there was an attack outside of the city."
The crowd began to murmur, but they fell silent once more as the king continued.
"I can assure you that the attack did not stem from our neighboring countries. Hyrule remains at peace with our allies." King Roham hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "However, there is an evil that threatens this kingdom. The attack this evening came from Ganondorf's forces, which can only mean the return of the King of Darkness, Ganondorf himself."
The crowd erupted at that moment, shouting their questions and accusations at the king. The reporters thrust their microphones and cameras as close to him as the security details would allow them, their faces mixed between anger, confusion, and fear. King Roham looked over the crowd for a moment, then raised a hand in an attempt to quiet them. When they did not, he continued, his voice booming as he spoke over them, and they quickly quieted once more to listen.
"I can assure you that I am taking every precaution to keep this city and this kingdom safe from Ganondorf and his dark forces. Troops have been stationed across the country and are prepared for whatever may come." He paused, listening to the reporters as they shouted their questions at him. After a moment, the crowd quieted once more, eager to hear his answers.
"The legends are indeed true," he said in answer. The crowd waited with baited breath. Zelda's eyes moved to her father, her lips pressed together as she waited, and he continued. "Though a grave darkness threatens our home, we are not without light, without hope. Just as we this kingdom has done in the past, we will overcome. We are prepared. We will stand strong in the face of evil, and we will keep this world safe from all who dare threaten it."
Despite his confidence, many in the crowd remained skeptical, and their questions turned to the teens that were seen in the barracks. Though there was no footage to prove what had taken place on the battlefield, rumors spread quickly from those who had caught a glimpse of the heroes who threw themselves into the battle and came out victorious.
"There are many people involved in this impending war with Ganondorf," he said simply. "It is their duty to ensure the safety of Hyrule, and it is my duty – the duty of our troops – to keep them safe. I can assure you that Hyrule is in the best hands possible."
He was avoiding a direct answer, of course, but it was not enough for the reporters, and only angered them more. They demanded the truth. They demanded to know of the mere children and the roles they would play. They wanted answers.
"As you can imagine, the situation at hand is a very delicate one," King Roham continued. "We are doing everything in our power to keep all involved safe and keep the threat of Ganondorf at bay. There will be no further questions at this time."
The reporters lurched forward as the king turned to depart from the podium, but the security detail held strong against the rioting crowd. Zelda quickly followed her father into the palace, and the cameras turned violently back to the reporter. The woman stared open mouthed into the camera for a moment, but a voice in her ear caught her attention. Her expression hardened and she nodded once before speaking into the microphone with the news stations logo on it.
"It seems we won't be getting any more details at this time."
The camera cut back to the two reporters back in the news room. They glanced to one another with wary expressions before regarding the camera once more. On news stations all across Hyrule, reporters were expressing their doubts towards their king's press conference, more questions raised than answered. It seemed there was nothing more they could do but utter gossip and wait for war to break.
