Link woke up early, slowly sitting up as he examined his surroundings. The Zora had returned with fish that were piled aside while a few of the guards that had been on watch tried to relight the fire with the coals from the fire the night before. Grax was gone, though he expected that the man would have been busy organising things in the early morning before most were even awake.
He got up and stepped out, making his way toward the warmth of the fire. It wasn't as cold as it had been when they'd been travelling to the Rito village but it was still cold by the water in the early hours, the sun only just over the horizon. He sat down on some logs that had been laid out like chairs and looked at the Zora soldier that brought over a cup of tea to him, accepting it with some hesitation. ''Thank you,'' he said, unsure of why he'd been treated with such a gesture.
''You're welcome, sir,'' they said and Link understood the intentions by just the tone of voice. They were already starting to view him as someone of great importance, getting ready for the man to soon be king. He wasn't sure he liked the forced respect because of his position instead of his character.
Link could see Grax and Zelda approaching from the distance, both in deep conversation. ''Good morning,'' Zelda said as she sat down beside Link, taking his hand in hers as she leaned against him. ''I woke up early and wanted to go for a walk. Grax and I were discussing the guard restructure that the two of you had been organising.''
Grax sat down on the ground beside them, stretching out as he rolled his neck and shoulders to release some of the tension from spending the night fairly alert and uncomfortable. ''Hopefully we'll have enough people soon to start forming the different sectors.''
There had been a reasonably steady intake of new soldiers but it still needed more to be able to cover all of the shifts it required so everyone could get the breaks they deserved. Once there was a king, they would need to form smaller groups within the military with the purposes of escorting the king and queen individually whenever it was required. They could get away with a single group for a while but both needed their own specific knight who had traditionally assisted as an advisor in the past. The advisors were usually chosen long before someone took the crown but the hundred year gap had put a huge strain on selecting the right people for the positions.
''Have you decided who will be your advisor yet?'' Link asked, moving a little so Zelda could get more comfortable. He could feel how cold she was, holding her hands in his to try and warm them.
Zelda took a moment. ''We know who my advisor is,'' she said and she was met with silence. ''Impa was the one chosen for me.''
''Her role has changed since then,'' Grax said as he looked up at the sky, taking in the warmth starting to come from the sun. ''She has different responsibilities now. She's also not fit enough to be alongside you wherever you go.''
Zelda sighed. ''There is no one else that has stepped forward as suitable,'' she said. ''Traditionally, the queen's advisor is Sheikah because of the spiritual ties. Understandably, there aren't many that are ready to leave the safety of Kakariko village while there is still a lot of prejudice toward them.''
Grax could relate to that. He thought carefully as he ran through every Sheikah he knew, clicking his tongue. ''I might know one that could be interested.''
''Former Yiga?'' Link asked and Grax turned to him.
''Yes, but she's been independent for a long time now. She was like me. A lot of us were. She left even before the calamity was over,'' he assured him. He could tell that made Link no less cautious; Grax had proven himself but that didn't mean those he knew were good too. They very easily could have been lying to him, taking advantage of their former camaraderie.
Zelda gave Link's hand a squeeze. ''We'll work yours out soon. The advisor to the king doesn't have as many specific requirements.''
Link nodded; on one hand, he was looking forward to having an advisor to help him through his duties but it meant it was someone else he had to trust very closely. He liked to give people the benefit of the doubt where he could but he had strict lines when it came to talking about things that affected the kingdom or its leaders. ''Have you got any ideas?''
Zelda was quiet. ''None I'm confident about yet. But I have been thinking about it,'' she said and Link nodded. He would have been more surprised if she hadn't; if she was so adamant about his position as king then she needed to give him as much help as he could get.
Link watched as a couple of soldiers began to cook, making sure there was enough for everyone. They began to pack as soon as breakfast was eaten, preparing for the rest of the trip ahead. The Zora took back to the water and the royal guard circled them all closely. Link did his best to stay quiet and let Grax give direction; at least he could watch how the man handled real situations instead of just simple training exercises. They slowed as they got closer, making sure they were extra vigilant as they made the final stretch.
The land was relatively open except the cliff faces that lead down to the river where the Zora waited, making it obvious as they approached that those in the centre of the area were the ones that were waiting for them. ''Your highness,'' a voice called out as the people in the centre of the area got down on one knee, bowing in their direction. It didn't create any ease; the air was tense as Zelda kept her head high, trying to keep a look of confidence on her face.
''Are you the leader of these people?'' she asked and the one in the centre looked up.
''No, he sends his apologies. But I do have a message from him,'' they said and Zelda got closer, slowly coming to a stop. She stayed on horseback; it was much easier for her to escape with speed if she stayed there and it helped to keep an appearance of power.
''Speak then.''
The man in the centre stood, holding something in his hand. He threw it in her direction and Grax immediately got in the middle, catching it in his hand. He seemed to recognise it, holding it tight as the man didn't look disappointed that Grax had taken it. It almost looked like it had been on purpose, aware that the new knight would check it over before handing it to the queen. ''Formal recognition.''
Zelda frowned. ''I'm sorry? I don't understand what you're talking about.''
''Our people want to be heard. We have been cast aside long enough and our voices are ignored. Our views are valid and we want to be recognised as such,'' he said and Zelda nodded.
''I am sorry you feel that way,'' she apologised as she relaxed slightly. ''This should not have happened. However, I must ask, why do you think threats will make others show you respect?''
The man stepped toward the queen, Grax putting an arm out to stop him from getting too close. ''Your majesty, we only return what we receive. For decades, we have been in a state of war. Our people were killed by the Sheikah and their technology, yet the other villages all run to their aid and ignored our concerns for safety. We had to take it into our own hands, for which we were persecuted even further. Please forgive us if our only way to get the attention of the kingdom is to force a severe reaction.''
Zelda began to move off of her horse and Link grabbed her arm. ''Don't-''
''I will not sit on my horse and pretend I am superior,'' she said to him and Link didn't change his expression. ''Have you not heard their concerns? They want to be listened to. I cannot truly listen while I am busy imposing my rank over theirs.''
Link let go, aware that she wasn't going to change her mind. He dismounted his horse as well, Grax getting down to stand on her other side. It was enough of a warning; Link's reputation was known across the entire land and Grax had been slowly building a reputation for himself as well. Any person who did anything to threaten the former princess would be dead at their feet within seconds.
''Thank you, your majesty,'' the man said as he bowed again. He stood up and took Zelda's hand. ''Our leader would like a seat within the council.''
Link wanted to speak out but stopped himself; it wasn't his place to make those decisions. Zelda took a moment. ''I'm very sorry but that's not the way the process works, and it is not my place to say who represents the citizens of the kingdom. Your village is more than welcome to write up a proposal and I shall deliver it to them, but I cannot grant you that myself.''
The answer didn't seem to please them. ''You are queen.''
''And we don't live in a dictatorship,'' Zelda replied. ''I'm sorry to disappoint you but I don't have as much power as you seem to think I have. My role is a mediator between all people in the kingdom, not to force everyone into what I wish.''
There was silence as neither party would budge. Zelda took back her hand, placing them by her side as she remained resolute. She certainly wasn't lying; it wasn't her place to make decisions for the entire council. ''How do we get a seat in the council?'' the man finally asked and Zelda felt relieved; she really didn't want to keep repeating herself.
''Write a proposal and I can hand deliver it to them myself at our next meeting. They will make the assessment based on a variety of factors and will let you know their verdict. If the answer is no, they will tell you why and what you need to do to change that. However, in the meantime, you are more than welcome to organise hearings so your issues are still raised with the council, you just won't have a formalised position to make decisions on issues relating to other areas in the kingdom,'' she explained. ''This is the same process that each of the current council positions went through to get their place.'' She could see there was still a mixture of hesitation and frustration on their face. ''This is not me saying no. This is me giving you equal opportunity like everybody else in the kingdom. Equality is what you are after, isn't it?''
The man nodded. ''Thank you, your majesty. I will deliver this message for you.''
He turned and began to walk as Zelda put her hand out to take what Grax had been holding. She recognised it enough to look up at Grax, confirming her suspicions. The red and gold cloth was almost obvious, particularly with the gold rings that dropped down ''Sheikah monk? I thought they were all gone. They all sealed themselves within the shrines.''
''I know of one,'' he said as Zelda looked at the group that were walking away. Clearly they'd come with a backup plan in case Zelda had blatantly told them no.
''Excuse me,'' she called out and the group all turned. ''Where did you get this?''
The man folded his arms. ''We needed insurance to make sure we were heard,'' he called back and Zelda held the cloth tighter. ''She's getting cold. You might want to go and find her. She's on top of Mount Lanaryu.''
Grax was on top of his horse within a second, Link helping Zelda up on her horse. ''You should go back to the castle. I'll retrieve her on my own in case it is a trap.''
Zelda rode toward the group that was continuing to leave, clearly ignoring Grax's warning. ''If this is a trap and you hurt this person or anyone else, know that I will make sure your proposal is never accepted,'' she threatened and the original man bowed his head.
''The only people we will hurt are the ones who have hurt us. Ask the leader of your guard what he saw when he stood atop that hill, watching our village burn and be buried with that woman by his side,'' he replied and Zelda looked at Grax.
Grax knew he had a lot to explain but that wasn't his priority. ''I will explain once Adela is safe.''
Zelda took off in the direction of Mount Lanaryu, everyone else following. She'd trusted him this far; this person couldn't have been that awful if the group had decided to use them as bait. They rode forward, even through the night to arrive at the mountain peak. The soldiers spread out to keep watch, a few beginning to cook up food and elixirs while Grax jumped off of his horse, walking up to the goddess statue with hesitation.
Zelda and Link were much less hesitant, watching Grax look at the statue with a mixture of emotions across his face. ''Grax,'' Zelda said as she put a hand on his back, trying her best to work out what he was thinking while Link wandered around the statue, looking for any signs of the woman they were looking for. ''When did you last pray?''
Grax looked at her. ''Every day. But I haven't faced the goddess in a long time.''
Zelda smiled. ''Once we find your friend, we can all pray to her together,'' she suggested before looking around. ''I think we've been sent to the wrong place.''
''We haven't,'' Link called out from within the cave behind the statue, stepping out toward them both. ''Have you got the Sheikah slate?''
Zelda nodded, pulling it from her bag as she walked toward him. Grax followed, still looking spooked by the giant statue as he walked around it. Their eyes set on the trail of old blood into the entrance of the shrine that was hidden in there, Link holding it closely as he opened it up. Zelda made her way onto the platform, Link standing beside her. Grax hesitated but followed, standing patiently as he closed his eyes and hoped everything would be okay.
The platform took just long enough they thought it would never move, clicking as it dropped down slowly into the Earth below. Grax opened his eyes as he felt the platform stop, his eyes looking across the room as Zelda and Link stepped out. Link made his way up to the pedestal at the front of the room, looking at the parallel to the image he remembered from just before Zelda's coronation. Hopefully, that meant she was also healing like the queen once had.
The wall like structure was much higher and it was obvious she'd been there for a while. He imagined it was the way the monks once looked before they'd been mummified in place, her hands in the shape of a triangle as she crossed her legs, a serene look across her face as she stared into the distance.
''Adela,'' Grax said as he stepped forward.
She didn't move and Link hesitated to touch her. He was worried that he'd release her soul like he had the others, keeping his hands by his sides while he tried to work out what to do. Grax reached forward and immediately pulled back his hand, pain surging through his arm. The voice that bellowed was not of the woman in front of them, but rather something much more powerful. ''You are not chosen.''
''Let her out. We're here to save her,'' Grax called out back, as Link moved uncomfortably. He was going to have to take a chance; whether it meant she was safe or not.
Zelda put a hand out and pushed Grax backward before Link had the chance to move. ''Goddess, thank you for keeping this woman safe. We're here now to see her free with your permission.''
She slowly reached forward, her arms glowing as she put her hands through the wall. Adela gasped for air at the queen's touch, the wall disappearing with a glimmer in the air before Grax took Adela's other side and helped her off of the pedestal. ''Grax?'' she asked as she looked at him and then at the queen. She pulled her arms away and got on the floor, bowing down on a single knee. ''Your majesty.''
The woman would have been of similar age to the new lead guard, her head remaining low until Zelda told her to stand up. She looked at the three people that had come to retrieve her, a look of confusion on her face. ''Why are you all here?''
''Were you attacked?'' Grax asked and Adela didn't look any less confused.
''Yes, I was caught. You can't tell? My face is like a giant, blue truffle.''
Zelda smiled. ''The goddess has healed you,'' she said and Adela touched her own face hesitantly before she looked at her hands. She didn't seem to recognise them. ''How did you get in here?''
Adela looked at the entry way. ''I was running from those pigs that hate our kind. They've been trying to capture and torture me for a long time now and they finally caught me. I managed to escape, so I stopped in front of the statue and prayed. I heard her voice and she told me to come inside and sit on the pedestal. After that, I don't know but you're now here.''
Grax looked at the queen, his hands going behind his back as he began to resume his formalities now the immediate danger had passed. ''Adela is a former member of the Yiga like myself. She lived in the same village as I did before it was burnt down by those in fear, and we stuck together for a long time. Eventually, things happened and Adela decided to go off on her own while I stayed under Master Kohga until his demise. She's dedicated her life to being a monk since she left.''
''Repentance for all the awful things I've done,'' Adela added.
Zelda looked at Grax. ''Now may be the time to explain what was said earlier,'' she suggested, ushering to the silence around them. No one would overhear and given Adela was clearly a close friend of his that knew a lot of his history, he shouldn't have been uncomfortable in doing so.
Grax nodded. ''As I've explained before, the reason I used to train when I was younger was I wanted revenge for my family. Adela had done similar to also protect the last of her family that were living. The family she'd kept in hiding were killed and the motivation got a lot stronger-''
Adela interrupted him. ''He tried to stop me. I lured guardians to their town and had them spot the villagers, letting them execute them like they'd feared. Their lasers destroyed the mountain side and it collapsed over the top of them. Grax tried to help them unbury the people but they tried to kill him in return because they were determined he was the one who led the guardians there,'' Adela said very clearly. ''He made me watch the people die so I could see what I had caused. Watching them scream in physical and emotional pain while almost the entire village died only made me feel worse and I have been living off of the land with nothing more than the clothes on my back, dedicating myself to the goddess to repent ever since.''
Grax was quiet. Zelda looked between them; the talk of genocide made her feel disgusted but there was a look of discomfort on their faces, showing clear regret for their actions. ''For a long time, they thought we stood there because we were enjoying watching them burn. We stood there so we could see the destruction that we had caused and feel the remorse we should have,'' he cleared up.
Zelda looked at Adela. She knew Grax well enough now that she trusted he was beyond his past, trying to make up for all of his mistakes. However, this was the first time she'd met the woman and didn't know whether she was ready to take her word yet. ''If it is not too much to ask, who did they kill to cause you to want to kill them all?''
Adela immediately looked upset. She couldn't bring herself to say it, so Grax did for her. ''Her husband and son.''
Zelda could see that it clearly still hurt, even as Adela straightened out her face in the way that clearly demonstrated her fighting past. It was the same as Grax and Link hiding their expressions. She took a deep breath, trying to think without interruption of anything beyond the facts. ''It's very late. We should eat something and go to bed before we travel back to the castle tomorrow.''
They stepped out of the shrine, watching as the soldiers all sat huddled together to keep warm, unprepared for the cold of the mountain. Link was very cautious; he trusted Grax but there was something strange about the fact they'd found this woman so easily when the previous group was trying to use her as bait. He got up and quietly spoke to a couple of female guards in particular.
''Keep an eye out on the woman. She isn't to spend the night next to the queen in case she is working for the enemy,'' he said and the women nodded.
The night was restless as Link remained on guard, even after Grax insisted he could sleep again. Between the cold and the sun they only had a few hours of sleep. Zelda took Grax's wrist not long after she woke, leading him to the statue again. They had at least some privacy there to pray and speak quietly.
Zelda could still see Grax's discomfort. ''Why don't you want to see the goddess? I thought as Sheikah you would be happy to,'' she asked and Grax looked at the statue as he slowly got on his knees.
''I am not worthy,'' he said clearly as Zelda got on her knees beside him and held her hands together. ''I pray for forgiveness. Though the destruction of that village may have been my worst single action, the number of smaller things I've done clearly outweighs it. There are too many innocent people who suffered because of my actions. Killing someone was not the worst of my crimes, it was what I left behind after doing so. Children to wake and find their parents' bodies, parents to find their children missing as ransom, who were killed if they didn't pay the price. How could someone who has done what I have ever think they can expect the goddess' blessing and her presence?''
Zelda had heard smaller things that Grax had done but clearly there was more to learn about his time as an assassin. ''You said that Adela became a monk to repent, how do you feel you are proving yourself again?''
Grax looked at her with a slight turn of his head. ''I protect and serve the goddess' mortal incarnation,'' he said as Zelda suddenly understood his determination to be in her guard. ''Even if the goddess herself gave me her forgiveness, I would still feel like I needed to prove myself. Forgiving is not the same as forgetting, and as I'm sure you understand, some things will never truly be forgotten.''
Zelda smiled as she put his hands together. ''Let's pray together then. The goddess is more merciful than most seem to believe,'' she said as she put her hands together beside him, closing her eyes and lowering her head.
Link sat by the fire again, keeping a watchful eye on his queen. He heard footsteps as Adela sat on the other side of the fire, wrapping her clothes around herself a little tighter. ''I should be glad the goddess let me into that shrine. If she didn't you would have found a popsicle,'' she said, trying to start a conversation with the former knight. He was generally quiet but his clear look of disapproval toward her was making it more obvious his silence was on purpose. ''I didn't ask to be saved. I should have guessed they'd be playing Grax like a fiddle. If it's okay with you, may I accompany you back to the castle just to make sure you return safe? My suspicions tell me they may not be finished with you yet and I don't want it to be my fault.''
''Then you shouldn't have gotten caught so we'd have to save you,'' Link replied and Adela frowned.
''Have I offended you somehow? I'm offering to help.''
''And we know nothing about you other than you used to be Yiga. What do we have to go on to trust you?'' Link asked, looking at the woman as she stared back at him. ''I am only looking out for the queen's safety. Prove my concerns wrong and I'll start listening to what you have to offer.''
Adela looked at the fire. He wasn't wrong to have his concerns, she'd just expected him to be more merciful because of his stories. But she supposed when it came to the queen, it didn't matter if he was usually friendly or not. ''What did Grax do to gain your trust?''
Link looked at his hands. ''He fought me and won.''
Adela frowned. ''And you're the one who defeated Ganon?'' she asked and Link looked at her. She left the topic be; she could see that the topic was just making the tension even worse. She turned her head instead and looked back at the pair by the statue, a small smile curling on her lips. ''The queen sure is something. I couldn't drag Grax to a statue kicking and screaming.''
Link looked at Zelda with a look in his eyes that was reserved for just her. Adela was right; she really was special. ''Well the only reason we are here is because he was coming here to save you without us or not.''
Adela put her hands on her knees, standing up. ''I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that your soldiers aren't making something suitable for Sheikah monks,'' she said as Link shook his head. ''I'm going to pray.''
Grax and Zelda returned as the food began to be served, Adela remaining by the statue as everyone ate. She sat with her legs crossed, hands in a triangular shape as she faced the statue and kept her eyes closed until she heard everyone packing up. Zelda called the group together before they began their journey. ''We're just travelling into Kakariko village where you can all get a good night's rest before we do a long day's travel back to the castle to try and make up time. We'll escort Adela there to have her out of harm's way while we're unsure of the whereabouts of those targeting her.''
''I'll be fine, your majesty. Your guards should concentrate on protecting you,'' Adela insisted. ''If it is alright with you, I will follow as far as you'd like me to do I can offer my services to protect you as thanks for your help.''
Zelda smiled. ''That will be wonderful,'' she said as she walked toward her horse. ''Let's get moving.''
They were quick and cautious, entering Kakariko in the late afternoon with exhaustion written across each of their faces. Dorian and Cado waited with one of the guards that had travelled ahead to make them aware of their arrival. ''Good afternoon, your majesty. Impa is waiting upstairs for you and we've prepared the inn for yourself and the soldiers.''
Zelda began to walk up the steps and Link followed. Grax stepped onto the bottom stair and caught the weapon that came down in front of his face. Zelda and Link turned to see Dorian blocking Grax's path. ''Do they know?''
''Yes,'' Grax said as he looked at the other man. ''I was very upfront about my history. They know. You can step down.''
Dorian looked up at the queen and the soon to be king just to verify, earning a nod from Link. He stepped back and straightened the weapon, letting the other man through. Zelda looked at Adela. ''Adela, you come too.''
Adela followed up behind, walking beside Grax as they entered the room. Impa sat waiting, looking up from under her hat at them all. ''Welcome, your majesty. Feel free to stay as long as you need.''
Zelda smiled as she sat down on her knees, placing her hands on her lap. ''Hopefully not too long,'' she said as Link got down on the floor beside her. ''Have you met Grax and Adela? Grax is the new head of the royal guard and Adela is a Sheikah monk.''
Impa had a small smile on her face. ''I have heard about Grax but that was many years ago now,'' she said and Grax was confused.
''Dorian?''
''Adela,'' she said and Grax looked at the woman beside him.
Adela looked at Grax. ''I was asking for Impa's help to keep my family safe while I tried to leave the Yiga. I had planned to move them too late,'' she said as she bowed her head. ''It has been a very long time, Lady Impa.''
They all spoke for long enough Zelda felt comfortable with Adela; if Impa had no concerns about the woman and knew her story then they didn't have to be too concerned. ''If you'd excuse us, I have some things to talk to Impa about while we're here.''
Link got up and followed Grax and Adela out the door and down the stairs. The rest of the guard had gone to bed to get some rest. ''I never thought I'd see you leave,'' Dorian said and Grax let out a laugh as he looked at the man he'd known from what felt like a past life. ''Good to see you've come around.''
Grax nodded. ''I had to work it out eventually,'' he said as he put a hand on the man's shoulder. ''How are your daughters?''
''Growing up too fast,'' he said as he looked at the Sheikah woman beside him. ''I don't think we've met.''
''Yeah, we have, I was just always wearing a mask,'' Adela replied. Dorian looked confused. ''I ran the induction program and was directly under Master Kohga. I left about fifteen years ago.''
Dorian looked curious. ''What motivated you?''
''Family,'' Adela replied as she folded her arms.
''Common theme. Where are they now?'' Dorian asked.
''Buried,'' she replied and Dorian went quiet. ''I don't like to talk about it.''
Dorian looked disappointed. ''If it helps, my wife is buried up the hill. Probably for the same reason,'' he said and Adela gave him an empathetic glance before changing the subject.
''I think we should all get some rest. I'm not sure whether the queen wants me to follow onwards tomorrow or not but I'd like to be ready either way,'' she suggested and Grax agreed.
Link stayed by the stairs. ''I'm going to wait for the queen.''
Grax hesitated. ''Would you like me to stay with you?''
Link shook his head and Grax took a few moments before walking off with Adela, talking the way that old friends did now there was less pressure. Kakariko village was one of the safest places in all of Hyrule; it helped that the entire Sheikah race were born warriors and all that tried to overtake it never succeeded.
Zelda slowly made her way down the stairs a little while later, unsurprised to see her former knight waiting for her. ''You should have gone to bed.''
Link shook his head as Zelda kissed his cheek. ''Did you say everything you needed to?''
Zelda nodded. ''I was actually asking for some advice,'' she said as they began to walk back toward the inn.
''About?'' Link asked quietly, unsure of whether it was too sensitive to talk about in public.
Zelda stopped outside of earshot of anyone inside the inn. It wasn't the worst news but she certainly didn't need to announce it. ''I've asked for her to give me a list of potential Sheikah that would be suitable to become my advisor. And while she's doing that, if she knows of anyone at all that is suitable for you.''
Link had to think about it for a few seconds. ''Did she suggest anyone?''
''The only one here that she thinks may be suitable is Dorian but he won't leave his daughters. So her next suggestion was Grax,'' she said and Link frowned. That was going to cause problems; no one else was ready to lead the royal guard yet and Link was uncomfortable with letting him go until there was. ''Otherwise, she thinks we should consider Adela. However, she did express a lot of caution with that option so I think we'd need to have her around in some capacity first to see if she's completely trustworthy. She's safe enough that we don't have to worry but she removed herself from politics altogether and went out on her own; what's to say she will be able to commit to the kingdom?''
Grax was looking like the better option. They knew nothing about Adela other than the unfortunate and genocidal circumstances in which she left the Yiga; it certainly wasn't something to admire. ''Would you like us to invite her to the castle? She may not even be interested.''
Zelda nodded. ''I think that may be the best way forward. As for you, the best candidate is sadly heir to his own domain,'' she said and Link frowned. ''If he wasn't prince of the Zora, Sidon would be the best option for you. He gets politics, he is handy with a bow and can assist you in a fight if you ever needed it. He's a great leader. But he won't leave his race behind, even when you'll be handing over your position long before he's likely to become king.''
Link was quiet as he let it mull over. She was right; if he could pick anyone in the world to become his advisor, it would have been Sidon with no debate but that was never going to happen. ''Any others?''
''None that stood out but I've got a few now to think about. I'm very uncertain so I'd rather watch and observe for now. Gather all the information I require to make the best decision. You need an advisor before I do.''
Link could only agree with that; if he had to try and do what Zelda did without help, he was going to fail almost immediately upon beginning. ''I'll let you know if I think of anybody.''
Zelda smiled and kissed him quickly. ''We'll speak to Adela in the morning and ask her if she'd like to join us back at the castle. That will give a good starting indication,'' she said and Link was still hesitant. She stepped inside and Link followed, watching as she walked through to the bed in the safest corner of the inn and slide under the covers. He was only a few beds over but he felt too far, wishing the day would come sooner when he could hold her without disapproval. But that came with a whole lot more responsibility and he could wait for that forever.