She knew she was chosen for this task because Groose couldn't do it. He couldn't fly or walk or anything required to hide the oddly shaped ruby Orielle now held in her hands. But she didn't mind the task at all. She had grown to trust Zelda and Link and like Groose, agreed that hiding the Master Sword was important.
"Hey there!" She heard someone exclaim, quickly placing the ruby back in her pocket and turning around.
It was a Goron with a map, Orielle walking forward with a neighborly smile.
"Do you happen to know what this place is called?" The Goron asked.
"Eldin Volcano," Orielle said.
"Huh," the Goron said, looking around. "Niiice weather, don't ya think?"
"It's a bit hot for my taste," Orielle reasoned.
"To each their own," the Goron said. "Maybe I'll rile up my brothers and settle here. They'd probably never go for it, we're nomads by trade you know, but maybe setting up a base isn't such a bad idea…a whole city of Gorons…"
Orielle gave a nervous smile. Really, she just wanted to get this whole ruby business over and done with. Although an important task, going through with it meant that Hyrule was another step closer to peace.
"Sorry," he said. "I must be boring you with my nonsense. Thanks for the info!"
"You're welcome," Orielle said with a nod, turning around with the intention of departing, finding some place to hide the ruby.
She reached in her pocket and felt the stone, stopping as the idea occurred to her.
"Wait," she said, turning back around to face the Goron.
"Are you familiar with the goddess Hylia?"
"Of course!" The Goron said excitedly. "One of the common traits among us Gorons is an unrelenting passion for researching the relics she left behind in order to better understand her."
"I have the pleasure of being in leagues with the goddess," Orielle said, the Goron already getting excited. "How would you feel about being entrusted a task from the goddess Hylia herself?"
"Hoooohh!" The Goron bellowed as he hopped excitedly from one stubby leg to another. "I would be absolutely thrilled! Could such an honor truly befall upon me?!"
"Establish a civilization," Orielle said with a step forward, "here in the mountains. Gather the rest of your kind. Build a city fit to protect this."
Orielle offered the textured ruby forward. The Goron's eyes were wide.
"If you are loyal to the Goddess Hylia," Orielle said. "She will bless the future of your kind. If you keep this ruby safe and share it only with your trusted and sworn brothers, this volcano will benefit you, I promise."
The Goron nodded and took it.
"Tell the goddess," he said. "That her ruby is safe with the Gorons."
Zelda sat with her feet dangling over the calm waters of Floria. The dragons chambers were empty as she stared at the sapphire she held in her hands, three blue circles conjoined by gold. She traced the circles slowly with her thumb, losing her focus on where she was and why.
Her sadness was overwhelming her, dampening her, placing a weight in her chest that brought her down from her happiness. She tried to confront her future grief head on, with courage, like Link would, but she just couldn't. She couldn't fathom her father's death as she sat there. She couldn't imagine having to grieve him. She couldn't fathom not having him around.
She couldn't fathom approaching any of it with courage.
Nor wisdom, nor power, really, she didn't know how to approach it at all.
"Your Grace," a Parella said as it broke the surface of the water. "Do you need something?"
Zelda didn't reply at first, blinking her eyes.
"Yes," she said quietly.
With a deep breath in and out she looked at the Parella.
"Please hide this," she said shakily as she offered it forward. "Where even I don't know where to find it."
"Yes," the Parella said as Zelda handed it over. "Yes, of course. It will be safe in our waters."
The Parella departed and Zelda blinked at the rippling water. She shifted her weight by placing her hands behind her, looking up at the stars above.
They glimmered like they always had. If she stared long enough, she could convince herself that nothing had changed since her and father lay stargazing on the roof of the Knight Academy. She could lay down right here and imagine he was right next to him. She could imagine him as healthy as he was then, with a seven year-old daughter that he still had much to teach. She could imagine he hadn't yet lived a full life, and that there was still so much left that she would learn from him. He would live years upon years, to his very old age with nothing impeding him from a very long life, with grandchildren.
He said he was satisfied with his life, but Zelda couldn't fathom a life without her father as she teared up, bowing her head and letting herself cry.
