Treacherous Intentions

By: dontwaitupxx


Chapter Fifteen


It was no later than the sun rising over the horizon that found Link and Zelda departing from the Akkala Citadel.

True to his word, Link had checked in with the Captain of the citadel upon his arrival in the late, late evening. He even went above and beyond, having the Captain of the Akkala Citadel sign a letter to be sent to the King, stating their arrival and their intentions. It was overkill, he knew, but he was going to follow every order from the King from that moment on to the letter.

That is, until the Princess's special birthday assassination.

Then, he would be free to dance on the graves of the King and all of his subjects. But for now, he had a role to play – one that he needed to work harder at.

Link and the Princess had hardly gotten a wink of sleep. It was all they could do to grab a late, quick supper with the Captain before retiring to bed. Link was used to getting little to no sleep. It was part of the job – of being both her appointed knight and an assassin. His time in the Yiga Clan had taught him that any moment asleep was a moment with his eyes closed: and the potential for a knife in the back. And thus, unless he could deem it absolutely safe, he would lean more towards staying up and keeping watch, than letting his guard down and sleep.

The Princess, however, was not used to such sleeping habits.

She awoke groggily, with bags under her eyes, and had even pleaded that they sleep in and leave a little later: she commented dryly that the trip to the springs would make little to no difference anyways. However, Link already had a strike against him from the King. While the King was not there, his men were, and Link needed for the King to be undeniably trusting of him.

It was the only way that this mission would succeed.

Any other assassination, at the first sign of the mission going south, Link would normally just high tail it to his target and stab them repeatedly until they were swimming in their own blood. However, this was not an option for Link in this mission. The parameters were clear: assassinate the Princess in the light of the Blood Moon on her seventeenth birthday. That meant that he had to hold out on her bloodshed until that very moment. If his cover was blown any earlier, and his intentions found out, then the Princess would be put under lock and key, and it would just make her assassination all the more difficult.

Not impossible, certainly: just more difficult. Link would go to whatever measures necessary to get the job done, and done well at that.

They trekked out towards the north, making their way through the Shadow Pass. Link had debated about bringing their two horses: the trek would take only a little more than half a day on foot, and it would be much easier to guard the Princess if he didn't have two horses to worry about either. However, the map the Commander had given him had two locations marked near the shrine as Lynel territories. While he was confident that he could maneuver both himself and the Princess around those territories, in the event that one had migrated, he needed a way to get the Princess out quickly if worst came to worst.

As they passed under the canopy of tall, luscious trees, Zelda sighed.

"I used to spend summers here," Zelda murmured, almost inaudible, "in Akkala. With mother. We would stay within the Akkala Citadel at night, and then venture out into the wilderness during the day. She was always a bit more lax with me than father was."

Link grunted in response, and Zelda took that as an invitation to continue.

"She was the first who took me to the Spring of Power. She had me watch her in the spring, and I saw as the water glistened and shimmered in a way I never thought possible. My training was to begin the year after that, with her. She had told me that my powers would develop in time, when the moment was right. However…"

She paused, and Link looked up from Epona's mane.

"Yes?" Link prompted, while doing a quick survey of the area for any signs of danger.

Well," Zelda wiped a stray tear away, "It was not long after that mother was taken far too quickly from this world."

"Is that why you didn't want to go to the Spring of Power?" Link asked, his eyebrows crinkling.

"Partially, yes," Zelda whispered, taking in a deep breath of the fresh, Akkala air, "Brings back some sore memories. It reminds me of what I've worked so hard for, and reminds me that I'll never get those summers back. I think Akkala is for me what Deya is to you: a sore reminder as to what I have lost."

Link knew not how to reply to that.

They made it to the Spring of Power by midday, the sun casting fleeting shadows over the Ordorac Quarry. On any given day, men would be down in the mine, excavating iron from the mineral rich deposit. However, in light of the Princess's pilgrimage to the Spring of Power, they had all been sent away to different mines, in order to give the Princess the privacy she desired.

In the shadows of Death Mountain, the sun was all but blocked out as it made its descent throughout the sky. It made the spring noticeably cooler, and noticeably quieter, despite the raging waterfalls that differentiated it from the previous spring. Indeed, this spring differed greatly from the Spring of Courage: while the Spring of Courage had shallow waters, which were warm, given the climate, the Spring of Power had deep, cooler waters – despite being at the foot of Death Mountain. The waters went up to the Princess's waist when standing, and there would be no option for her to properly kneel before the shrine without her head being covered by the tranquil waters.

Although, Link would most certainly like to see her try.

As Zelda stepped into the inner chamber of the spring, she sighed, her face an awash of emotions that Link could not pinpoint. She wasted no time, fetching her bag from Link. He took that as his cue to give her some privacy, as he stepped into the main hallway, that connected the quarry to the spring.

The only indication Link was given that he could go back in was the sound of faint splashes – from the displacement of water as the Princess stepped into the spring.

He walked back into the inner chamber to see her walking slowly, apprehensively, towards the benevolent and foolish Goddess statue. It was almost as though the Princess were finally beginning to understand that her Goddess only dealt in empty promises and treacherous lies. Link knew from their previous excursion to the Spring of Courage that Zelda would stay still as a board, praying in the waters for hours on end.

Based on the tones of her voice, it was a similar prayer that she whispered incessantly to the goddess Din as she had Farore. The failed prayer would take hours, with multiple ancient rituals associated with it. Thus, Link tuned out her murmured prayers, focused in on the sounds of the tranquil waterfalls around him. He dug the tip of the Master Sword into the ancient stonework of the spring, and counted fireflies to pass the time.

Needless to say, the wait had been excruciating. Link had counted a full ten fireflies by the time the moon had risen high above their heads, casting the spring in a magnificent cerulean glow. It would seem that they were not as populated in this region as they were in other areas of the continent.

Or perhaps, they steered clear of the spring altogether, in respects to their goddess.

Yes, it would seem that even the fireflies were fools in their own right.

"I come seeking help…" Zelda's voice floated over the sounds of the waterfalls. Good grief, it would seem that she had finished her ancient ritual and had begun its repetition, "Regarding this power that has been handed down over time… Prayer will awaken my power to seal Ganon away…"

Link shifted in his stance, getting himself comfortable. It would seem that the Princess was not going to stop for supper, instead diving straight into her next ritual. It would be a couple hours yet until Link would need to set a fire and get supper ready. Perhaps the smells of dinner cooking would be enough to get her to speed her prayers along.

"Or so I've been told all my life…"

Well, that was new. Link hesitantly looked over his shoulder to find the Princess speaking freely, her hands down at her sides, the ritual forgotten and disregarded.

"And yet… Grandmother heard them – the voices from the spirit realm," Zelda whispered, her voice just barely travelling over the sounds of the waterfalls, "and Mother said her own power would develop within me. She used to tell me, 'Zelda, my love, all will be well in the end. You can do anything'. But I don't hear… or feel anything!"

Link almost felt sorry for the girl; the way she was forced to plead with deities that neither listened nor cared.

"Father has told me time and time again… he always says, 'Quit wasting your time playing at being a scholar!' Curse you," her arms dropped into the cool waters in frustration, sending ripples across the calm, tranquil waters, "Mother said that I could do anything, and yet I've spent every day of my life dedicated to praying! I've pleaded to the spirits tied to the ancient gods… and still the holy powers have proven deaf to my devotion."

Her voice was beginning to grow thick and shaky. Link could sense her distress from the opposite side of the spring. Prayer time was over.

"Please just tell me… what is it…? What's wrong with me?"

Link fully turned around, to see Zelda visibly shivering from across the spring, "Zelda, I think that's enough prayer for today."

"Prayer will awaken my power to seal Ganon away…"

"Zelda, get out of the water."

"Din, Nayru, Farore, please hear me."

Oh, enough with this, already.

Link set down the Master Sword beside him, and as an after thought, took his boots off and set them to the side. He stepped one foot into the chilly waters, shivering involuntarily to himself. If he was just one foot in and shivering, how in the world had Zelda stayed deep in prayer in the chilly waters in nothing but a flimsy dress?

He trudged through the waters, towards the shaking and shivering Princess, who did not seem to notice him until he was directly next to her in the ancient pool, as a calloused hand reached out towards her upper arm.

Her head turned towards him, her eyes glassy and red, "Link, what -"

"It's time to get out of the water, your highness," Link murmured, his voice firm, yet gentle. He noticed how goose bumps spiked along her flesh where his hand resided, "You've been in the water for hours. It's time to rest."

"Link, I can't," Zelda stuttered, her eyes turning upwards towards the benevolent, blank stare of the goddess statue, her hands shaking as they clasped together at her chest, "I have to unlock my sacred powers. It's the only way that we'll be able to defeat Ganon, and the only way…"

"The only way…" Link echoed, noticing her eyes grow more and more unfocused. His grip on her arm tightened slightly.

"…the only way father won't think me a failure," Zelda whispered, long, heavy droplets escaping her eyes as her shoulders shook, her brow scrunched up in firm determination as she fought against the tears.

"Oh, Zel," Link whispered, reaching up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind Zelda's freezing ear. He noticed how she leaned slightly into his touch. Hiding his distaste, he drew his hand back, "Your father doesn't think you a failure."

"You haven't heard the extent of what he's said to me," Zelda whispered, the venom in her voice bleeding with every syllable, "Sometimes, he won't even look at me. I think it's because I look so much like mother – members of the Royal Court constantly remind me. It's for this reason that he is so disappointed in me: that I am just the worthless shadow of my mother, with not even the powers required to defend the country against Ganon."

Link was silent as Zelda freely cried in front of him. He bit his tongue as he stopped himself from agreeing with her: that she was just a worthless shadow of her mother. Though he supposed it wasn't her fault that she couldn't unlock these powers. She was just a girl with the entire weight of the world on her shoulders. No, the blame really ought to be directed at her malicious Goddess: for entrusting the world in the hands of a teenager.

"And I just," Zelda whispered, her fingers clawing desperately at her chest, "I just miss her… so much. I've spent the last ten years struggling and fighting to make my father proud, but I haven't even the faintest idea where to begin. I have been stumbling around for the last decade, searching blindly for Hylia's Grace," her voice caught in her throat, her eyes widening, "and still: not even a step closer to understanding this blessed power. Not even a sign to show my progress."

"I understand all too well the agony that comes with losing a parent," Link said, his thumb caressing lightly on her arm where it still resided. Her skin was ice cold to the touch.

In his mind, he heard Urbosa's rich voice echo, She once passed out in the freezing waters trying to access this sealing power.

He had to do something before history bent and repeated itself.

"Perhaps we can talk more once we get you warmed up? You'll probably feel much better after you've eaten something," Link offered, gesturing over towards where they had left their bags for camp.

Zelda nodded numbly, the water around her sloshing as she slowly stumbled her way out of the spring. As she fully surfaced from the spring, Link had to avert his eyes from the way her white gown clung to her body in ways that he had never imagined or expected. Though it was still fairly dark, the moon shimmered brightly, and the last thing he needed was an accusation of him ogling the Princess.

Completely emerged from the waters, Zelda began to shiver violently, her teeth clattering against the gentle breeze and the tranquil sounds of the waterfalls. Link chided himself: he didn't think she would have emerged for another couple of hours, so he hadn't set up a fire yet for the evening.

With haste, Link fetched Zelda's bag with her spare set of clothes, "Change quickly," Link all but ordered, noticing how her skin seemed almost blue in the moonlight, "You're going to catch a cold if you stay in that dress any longer."

Zelda nodded wordlessly, and disappeared from behind the archway, into the tunnel that connected the spring from the rest of Hylia's country. Link quickly set up a small, roaring fire, and prepped the Princess's bedroll. As an afterthought, he placed his blanket on top of hers.

It wouldn't do for her to die of hypothermia this close to Ganon's revival.

By the time she returned, Link was preparing a warm broth of soup over the fire: he thought it best that she have something that would warm her up from head to toe. Zelda sat down next to him by the fire, curling up in both hers and Link's blankets. If she noticed that she had his as well, she didn't voice it, as she watched the fire crackle with blank, empty eyes. As he passed Zelda her bowl, she nodded her thanks wordlessly, never taking her eyes off of the fire.

"I had a dream last night," Zelda said, unprompted, and it was enough to make Link look up from his bowl of soup.

What, of ponies and unicorns?

"A dream?" Link asked.

Zelda nodded wordlessly, setting down her bowl of soup beside her, "In was dark in my dream. Darkness consumed me from every corner. No matter what I did, I could not escape it. It was all that I could do to not become one with the darkness myself," She heaved in a unsteady sigh, then continued, "Then, out of the darkness, came the most lovely woman I had ever seen. She gazed at me, her light penetrating the darkness, but the darkness fought back, inching closer and closer. Her light was blinding, and I felt that she was not of this world. Was she a fairy? A Goddess? I'm not sure, but she was beautiful."

What she was describing sounded like some sort of Divine dream. While he wasn't sure what entity could have been reaching out to her, Master Kohga often told his clan of visions and messages that he had heart from their Demon King himself. Perhaps this was something similar…

…or perhaps, more likely, the Princess's overactive imagination had simply conjured up some fantastical fairytale.

Link found himself nodding, though, setting his bowl of soup aside as well, completely forgotten in the story.

"I could see her trying to speak to me," Zelda continued, "Her lips moved urgently, but no matter how hard I tried I could not hear her. I have to wonder if she was trying to tell me something important: something about the prophecy and about the return of Calamity Ganon."

"Perhaps it wasn't all that important," Link offered, trying to steer her away, "to me, it just sounds like some weird dream."

Zelda's gaze broke from the cackling fire in front of them, "Perhaps," she whispered, "perhaps it is just the product of some weird dream. But Link, what if it isn't? I've never had a dream like this before. Link, I can't help but wonder if I could have heard her if my power had been awoken. What if she was trying to warn me, and had I been able to hear, we could have all been saved? But instead, Hyrule's doom is going to be entirely my fault."

Zelda was beginning to grow hysterical, her breath shortening and her eyes widening. Link intervened, "Hey, hey, hey," he whispered, turning to the side to face her. He saw that her eyes had started to become watery, the green orbs panicked in her fear, "Hyrule's doom is not going to be entirely your fault."

"Oh, so you think it is going to be partially my fault!"

Link needed to lay off of the cold, hard truths for a bit.

"That's not what I meant," Link backtracked, biting his tongue.

"But you think Hyrule will be doomed."

"No," Link lied easily, grasping her shoulders in his firm grip. They shivered beneath his touch, "That came out all wrong, I'm sorry. Hyrule is not going to be doomed. And it's not going to be your fault… because Hyrule won't be doomed," Link stumbled lamely, trying to get back on track, "You're going to unlock your sacred powers. We're going to find the rest of the Guardians. The other Champions are going to continue mastering their Divine Beasts. And when that moment arrives that Ganon does, in fact, return, we are going to be ready for him."

Zelda sniffled, turning towards him, "You think so?"

"I know so," Link whispered, his thumb reaching up to catch one of her stray tears fall down her cheek. A small, sad smile blossomed on her face, "Let me tell you, we are exactly on track with our mission. And besides, we don't even know when Ganon is going to make his return. It could be tomorrow -"

"Tomorrow?!"

"Or it could be in years," Link quickly recovered, lowering his voice in a soothing manner, like velvet, "You have all the time in the world to unlock this power at your own pace."

"It doesn't seem like it," Zelda whispered, shrugging herself out of his hold. His hands dropped from her shoulders, and Link felt an instant relief: like having taken his hands off of burning coals.

"Can I tell you something, Link?"

The way she spoke those words sounded ominous, foreboding, and held a hint of despair.

"Anything," Link murmured, letting the flames dance off of his icy blue eyes in a way that he knew would look inviting.

Or perhaps downright intimidating. It was one of the two, he was sure.

"Ever since that dream," Zelda said, each word growing more and more anxious, "I've had this horrible feeling."

"Horrible how?" Link asked, his eyes flickering out towards the Goddess statue. Her Grace smiled back blankly as she always did.

"It's going to sound ridiculous," Zelda hissed, the corners of her lips turning upwards in what could faintly be reminiscent of a smile, "I wouldn't blame you if you wouldn't believe me… but right now… I can't shake this strange and terrible certainty that something awful is about to happen."

"Awful how?" Link said, slowly, carefully.

"You said it yourself," Zelda said, her tone empty, "Ganon could return tomorrow, and that's just how this feels. I get the feeling that Ganon is going to return sooner than we have all anticipated. I think it's only a matter of time."

This Goddess-damned Princess was far too smart for her own good. Trusting in whatever pointless dream her consciousness had conjured up for her in the dead of night. It was foolish; it was naïve.

And Zelda was absolutely, and irrevocably correct in her assumption.

But he couldn't let her believe that.

"Zelda," Link whispered, scooting even closer to her. Their knees were touching ever so slightly, "It was just a dream. There's no way that it could have been tied to the fate of the world."

"Mother said that she could sometimes convene with the Goddess Hylia," Zelda said, absentmindedly playing with a strand of hair, "It was never on her terms, of course, and it was usually just a one sided conversation. But I have to wonder if this was a warning from the Goddess herself."

Now Zelda was beginning to talk like a lunatic. Well, it was a full moon that night, so perhaps Link wasn't far off.

"You're tired," Link offered, "and you've barely eaten since dawn this morning. I think you should eat some more, and then get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

"Of course you wouldn't believe me," Zelda said, bitterly, turning away from him and crawling towards her bedroll, "Why should you? Coming from Hyrule's Failure of a Princess."

"I do believe you," Link said, scooting closer to her once again. Zelda looked up at him again, this time with an emotion in her eyes that Link couldn't place. There was surprise there, but something more, "I believe that you had this dream. But there's absolutely no use worrying about something that is completely out of your control. All you need to worry about is what you can control in this moment."

"What I can control in this moment?" Zelda echoed, slowly, her eyes meeting his, a clear question in her eyes.

"Yes," Link said, his mouth suddenly dry, as they both stared at each other, the flames licking shadows up and down their bodies.

And Zelda was getting closer, and closer to him…

Oh, no.

Oh, sweet baby Ganon, no.

What did he just say 'yes' to?

Shut it down, Shut it down.

"Anyways," Link stood up abruptly, grabbing both his and Zelda's soup bowls, both completely forgotten and cold in the springs, "I need to clean these."

"Oh," Zelda simply stated, still sitting by the fire. The blankets that had been around her shoulders had dropped somewhere around her waist, "Yes."

It was silent between the two of them, the distance deafening, as Link washed their dishes and prepared their camp for rest. Zelda sat, as she stared into the fire, her eyes wide and blank, gripping her blankets tightly, her knuckles going white.

And if Link scrubbed their dishes any harder, they very well might just shatter.

He had his back facing her as he scrubbed, letting his face betray him as he struggled to comprehend the last few moments with Zelda. Had the Princess tried to kiss him? Good grief, she was falling for him, it seemed. What a horrific mistake on her part. Not only was he her knight, and the only outcome that could come from this would be his head on the chopping block within Hyrule Castle, but also, she wouldn't be able to tell if a guy had less than noble intentions if it smacked her in the face.

Oh, he should have done that.

He was no good for her, anyways.

"I suppose that it is about that time for us to head to sleep," Link managed, packing away the now immaculate bowls into his bag, "What time would you like for me to wake you, Princess?"

"Ah," Zelda stumbled, shaking her head vigorously, "Before dawn, if you would. I will begin my morning prayers then."

"Very good, Princess."

Link said as he lowered himself onto his bedroll, placing the Master Sword unsheathed beside him. Likewise, Zelda pulled her blankets up to her chin, opting to face away from both him and the dying fire.

"Oh, and Link?"

"Yes, Princess?"

"Enough with the honorifics."


"Link?"

He was awake, of course. He knew better than to sleep soundly in deep Akkala with no other guards attending to the Princess. It had been a few hours since they had gone to sleep, and the fire had been reduced to mere embers. Overhead, the moon had set. Dark shadows loomed around them, where those without the noblest of intentions could be lurking. Of course he would be awake.

Despite this, he muffled his voice, letting out a sleep-ridden, "Hmm?"

"I'm well aware that you're awake, Sir Knight," Zelda giggled, and Link rewarded her by leaning up on his elbow, looking at her shadow from across the remains of their campfire. He could see the shadow of her outline leaning on her bedroll as well.

"What is it, Zel?"

"I have to wonder," Zelda whispered, "The vision from my dream. I know you said it was just a dream… but the woman was so beautiful, and while it might not be likely…"

"What are you thinking?"

"What if she was mother?" Zelda said, her voice barely carrying, "Grandmother heard our ancestors from the spirit realm – what if that was mother reaching out to me?"

"If it was, she was probably reaching out to tell you how much she loves and misses you," Link said, leaning back down to lie down on his bedroll.

"Perhaps," Zelda sighed, as she lowered herself back down to her bedroll as well.

Link closed his eyes, suddenly feeling heavy. Perhaps he could get just a little bit of light sleep in.

"Link?"

Or not.

"Yes, Zelda?"

"Thank you."

What a bizarre creature.

"You're welcome, Zel."

Link rolled over, shivering slightly. He reached down to pull up his blanket.

The Princess still had his blanket.


A/N: Oh sweet baby Ganon, indeed. Where last chapter I leaned into the Zelink just a little bit, this chapter I tripped on my own shoes and stumbled straight out into the busy intersection with it.

I abide by my promise I made earlier: I ain't doing that thing in this story where they smoochy smoochy. But I do have to set up some specific givens for the later chapters.

So like, I never realized this until I was writing this chapter and getting all of the landmarks in, but the Ordorac Quarry… doesn't that sound like something else to you? Like another place that just so happens to be next to a spring?

Before y'all attack me, yes, I know Ordon Village is set just beyond the Faron Woods, and is DEFINITELY the wrong region, but I had to wonder, hmm, isn't that interesting?

Probably looking far too into it, probably just a lil nod, but then again, that's something that I do that best.

Also, I have to wonder too… is it too far fetched to say that Vah Rudania was excavated out of the Ordorac Quarry? It seems like it would be just the right size, AND it is just at the foot of Death Mountain. Not Eldin region, but right next door. But then why placed right next to the Spring of Power.

Masterworks, explain. EXPLAIN, MASTERWORKS!

Also, in a bit of real talk here: how's everyone doing / coping? I'll be honest, I'm not at my best right now, having been laid off and applying for unemployment. It sucks. This whole crisis sucks. But I try very hard to think about what I'm grateful for, and it helps some. Writing helps too, but it's difficult to get myself TO my laptop, sometimes. I'm spending a lot of time with my cats, which is nice. But ugh. I just wanna take this coronavirus and seal it away for another ten thousand years (or forever, tbh).

Anyways, enough about that. Thanks for reading! Drop a word down below with your thoughts! I will see you all next Wednesday!