Chapter 6
Salutations
Each step they took up, the cold luminous stone staircase seemed to have echoed throughout the entire grand hall. It seemed like an eternity before they would reach the top court of the king. Nervous feelings swirled and intensified in Zelda's stomach after each step she took. This would be her first grand appointment in over one hundred years. I have to make it count, she thought to herself. As she glanced towards Link, she saw that he, too, was unusually anxious as well. In his mind, he was never well suited for grandiose meetings with royalty. The thought of him having to speak made his mouth go dry and forehead bead several small tears of sweat. But there was no turning back now. Link and Zelda, alongside the Zora prince, had finally made their way to the audience of the King.
"Bless my fins, do my eyes deceive me? Could that possibly be? " the large and towering Zora King said as his stern voice vibrated throughout the entire hall. He then beveled over to get a closer look at the beautiful golden-haired princess who stood before him.
"It is father...Princess of Hyrule, safe at last...Zelda," Sidon said back as he waved his hands before the King, pointing towards the young Hylian princess.
The King smiled. "It is with great joy and relief that fills my heart to see of your safe return from the clutches of the Calamity, which has ravaged this land for so long. For one hundred years, we have hoped for your safe return to us and for peace to be restored to our great land...and it would have seemed the Gods have finally answered our prayers...but you haven't aged a day? You look the same from when I last saw you as if it were only yesterday?" King Dorephan said to her, curiously lifting an eyebrow in wonder.
The Hylian princess then lifted her chin up towards the king. "Yes, it is I who stands before you now; I am no illusion, and your eyes do not deceive you, dear King," Zelda said as she stepped forward, with a hand pressed against her chest, she addressed the king and his court. She then smiled, looking to everyone present. "My life has been spared, and by the power of the goddesses themselves, I was preserved dormant for one hundred years, locked away in another realm, a realm where time does not pass or flow freely as our own. There I had to stay, using all the power my heart, mind, and soul could muster to contain the Calamity until the time came for Link to fulfill destiny," she continued.
"Indeed, and it would seem destiny has been fulfilled, I'd say. For Calamity Ganon is no more. Smitten at long last," the King added. He then sat back on his throne and lifted a cheerful smirk.
A voice from the side then cut through. "How utterly convenient that Hyrule's Princess has been safely returned, whereas ours has perished," Muzu interrupted bitterly as he stood leering at Link and Zelda.
"Muzu!" Sidon stepped forward in protest of his words, embarrassed on behalf of him.
"Well, it is true, isn't it!?" Muzu added not relinquishing or backing down from his words of condemnation.
"Muzu, I forbid you to speak ill to the princess that way again, and that goes without saying, Mipha knew what was asked of her and of the sacrifices she would have to make. She would not want you to spend all your time moping around, mourning her, and holding grudges for what she freely gave of her own free will. There is no greater honor than I could have had asked for, then having been blessed with a daughter such as Mipha," the King said firmly.
"Hmph! Well then, it seems I'm no longer needed or wanted here. May I take my leave from your presence, my liege, at least until these outsiders are no longer among us," Muzu complained, taking a few steps back, bowing his head in surrender to the King's words. The king nodded in approval for him to leave the meeting. Muzu then did an about-face and marched out of the grand hall with a huff, grumbling under his breath as he stormed off.
"Do forgive his outburst, dear Princess of Hyrule, he misses Mipha dearly, and seeing you there safely returned without so much a loss of a hair on your head fills him with bitterness and contempt," The King said turning his head back to face Zelda.
"It is quite alright. He has a right to be upset. You all do...and I take full responsibility for what all has happened, and that includes..." Zelda's face turned to the side, and her eyebrows bent; her face was instantly filled with sorrow. She stood a moment longer and reminisced her long-lost friend, who she dearly missed. She then shook off the trembles in her voice and continued. "...The loss of Princess Mipha...I know dear king there is nothing in this world that I can offer you that can replace and fill the hole in your heart, that has been torn open from the loss of your only loving daughter, but if there is anything I can give you, that is within my power to give, thou shalt only ask of me, and you shall receive," Zelda said as she held her head low, giving sincere condolences to the King.
"Don't trouble yourself over it, little princess, Mipha was my heart, and nothing can replace her. However, I hold no blame for either of you. I know she did what she had to do. She loved this Kingdom of ours dearly, and she would have done what she did all over again. If she had to choose again, I just know she would," The King smiled back at Zelda and Link. "And with that, I thank you for your kind words, Princess of Hyrule, it warms my heart to know of the love you genuinely have for my daughter. But my Mipha would want us to focus on the hope of a future...not dwell on sorrows of the past, we have a lot of work still to do. Defeating Ganon spared us all a cruel fate, and we have you two to thank for that," the king smiled again.
"Yes, dear King, I'm afraid there is still much more work for all of us to do to rebuild this beautiful Kingdom of ours. Since almost time immemorial have our two great peoples have ever been friends and allies," Zelda said as she stepped forward with her head held high, facing the king.
"Yes, we can never forget the eternal bonds we have forged together since the Zola war of wrath and how the Hylian people came to our aid in our most dire hour…now it is our turn to return the favor to you, together as one we shall rebuild this Kingdom of Hyrule,"
Link's face had a suddenly puzzled stare come across it. "Zola…war of Wrath?" Link questioned under his breath, forgetting he spoke aloud.
"Oh yes, you never heard of its grand tale? It was a great and terrible war," The King said as his enormous whale-like body leaned over and faced Link. Link stood confused. How could the king have heard him when he was confident he spoke softly. Unaware that Zora being of marine origin, have an excellent sense of hearing, even of the faintest whisper.
Zelda then turned to face Link, who was standing as firm as a sentinel, at full attention at the King's words. She smiled, slightly giggling to herself on how over the top reverent Link was behaving. "At ease, Link…no need to be a statue. It was you after all who did defeat Calamity Ganon," she winked at him.
"Indeed, so! At ease, lad!" The king said as he let out a roaring full belly laugh.
Link relaxed his posture and cleared his throat, so he could be well heard this time. Link wasn't well suited for long-winded speeches or grand appointments, but he forced out his words anyways. "I don't think that I have…heard the legend of that war that is, in either lifetime for that matter," Link said, glancing at everyone gathered in the room as he made a few slow steps forward.
"Oh, it is no mere legend, tis true history! Our very existence here in this Domain was carved from its very tale," the king replied.
"Yes, the Zola war was what cemented the bond between Hylians and Zora if I remember correctly," Zelda added as she slowly paced about in the room with her hand cuffed to her chin. "That, and the great Rutala dam which has given them a permanent home here in the Domain…It would seem we have a long history of helping one another," Zelda smiled joyfully towards the king.
"Indeed, so dear princess, you know you're history well. Us Zora are willing to answer the call of the crown of Hyrule in whatever way we can, now and for always," The King reassured. "But, you wanted to know more about the Great War between the Zola and us Zora? Correct?" he said, turning again to Link.
Link just stood there, not sure if he should have nodded yes or no.
"Well, long ago, before my people settled these waters, we were much farther north. We were once nestled in the heart of the vast inland 'sea,' where the Hylian House of Tarble now watches over. Great friends, are they to us, Zora. They, along with the royal House of Hyrule, came to our aid when we thought the end of our people was all but inevitable. It was the Lizalfos King and the Zola tribes that invaded our lands," The king said but was interrupted unintentionally.
"Zola?" Link questioned, confused by the term.
"Yes, a twisted form of life they are, once Zora, who were seduced by Ganon's dark magic, their lust for power slowly turned them into his slaves. Accursed and ruined, they became as they regressed back into their savage nature, forgetting who they once were. Because of Ganon's growing influence of the land at the time, even before the war, our waters slowly became poisoned and polluted. Something these new mutilated forms of life needed to thrive. Many of us good Zora, who resisted the dark magic of Ganon, were getting sick and were dying. Our once thriving lake that fed the marshlands soon became a misery mire. Even though Ganon was already defeated for some time before the actual war that took place, the effects of his magic lingered on and were lasting on the corrupted Zora for many generations. Changing their very existence into something new entirely. The Zola they became," the king said, taking in a deep breath, about to continue when his son chimed in.
"Yes, foul savage beast they are, the Zola, it sickens me to no end that I share kindred blood with their kind," Sidon said as he made a face of pure disgust at the thought of it.
The King then leaned forward and continued his story. "Yes, for many, many years they sought after our lands, and we were able to beat them back on our own. Until one day, after forging an alliance with the Lizalfos King, another former servant of Ganon, a tide for the worst became of us. With our homeland water still sick, we Zora were suffering and couldn't afford to wage any more open war, especially against the superior might of the Lizalfos at the time. For their king was a brilliant general and war tactician. Ours was not. And after many failed battles against the Zola and their new-found allies, we thought all hope was lost for us. We were on the verge of abandoning our home and were on the brink of extinction.
"It was then at our final moment when House Tarble under orders from Hyrule came to our aide. At the time, they were just south of our old Domain, where the marshlands met the mainland. Because of their overwhelming numbers and ships they had, which they used to lay cannon siege upon our enemies, the tide of the war changed. We were saved," the king said
Upon hearing the king's words, Zelda took a step forward. "Speaking of House Tarble, Impa of Kakariko had sent word on behalf of me, to them," Zelda said to the King
"Oh, is that right? I was wondering about what your plans were on how to go about reviving the kingdom to what it once was, little princess. Tell me now, what are your plans?" the king said with a lifted brow towards her.
"Well, we actually sent word to all three of the noble Hylian houses of Greater Hyrule. We are hoping once it reaches their ears of Calamity Ganon's demise, they will answer the call and send the help that we so desperately need her, "Zelda said with her hands spread out as she was justifying the details to the king.
"Hmm, well, House Tarble are good friends of us Zora, always have been. We even gave them our old homeland in gratitude for what they have done for our people. Without them, we wouldn't have survived," the king added.
"Yes, and they have done a great job watching over those lands and even managed to restore the health of the waters there, at least, that's what I remember from one hundred years ago," Zelda said as she smiled rubbing her arm in contemplation.
"Your memory serves you very well, dear princess of Hyrule, but even so, a lot has changed since one hundred years ago. For example, you may recall that old Lord Allister Tarble was liege lord of the Marshlands when you were last here, but he has long since passed into the afterlife. His Grandson, Talin Tarble, is now Lord of the Lakehouse Fortress. A good man from what I know about him, a bit round at the waist like me, but strong and fierce like his grandfather, " The Zora king said.
"Oh yes, it will certainly take some getting used to, to the missing time that is…us hylians don't normally linger on to one hundred years like you Zora who have been blessed with long life," Zelda said again gracing the king with another warm smile.
Zelda then looked to both Sidon and Link, who were still present, both just listening to the two royals make their exchanges. "Even though we won't be staying long in the Domain, we still have a lot of ground to cover Link and I. We still must visit the other loyal clans in the inner kingdom, but even still, I wanted us to go investigate Divine Beast Vah Ruta tomorrow at first light. Earlier today, it went dark on the Sheikah Slate. Most peculiar because the others still are shown to be at their locations," Zelda said with an inquisitive tone in her voice, confused as to why it went black on the slate.
"Well, last reports from my men tell me, is that Ruta is still in its same location undisturbed," the king replied.
Sidon chimed. "That is true father, at last reports, it seemed to be just fine. I even have two of my best men watching over it as we speak. It is most peculiar indeed what may have caused this disturbance on the Slate. In any case, we will go search it out tomorrow and solve this mystery."
"Now that you mentioned it…Dear princess, I think I may, in fact, have something to ask of you after all. If it be no trouble to you, that is," The King said, smiling towards Sidon and Zelda this time.
"Yes, anything at all. Whatever your heart's desire is," Zelda said, tilting her head to the side, eager for his response.
The king then stood taller and stuck out his chest as he took in a long, deep breath. "Sidon…my son…stand before me," the King commanded in a louder voice as he looked over to him.
Zelda and Link were taken aback at the king's sudden change of demeanor. He was more serious and authoritative in his tone. Zelda stepped back away from the king to make way for Sidon, who then took her place directly in front of him. Other Zora were also gathered in the Hall of Kings, witnessing from the side court. Patiently she waited alongside Link to hear what the king had to say next.
"Sidon, my son, you have grown up to be a great leader, for you have learned all the ways of our people and have become a symbol of hope for them as well. But, the time has come for you to grow even further, to become who you were born to be, the king you were meant to be. For too long have you treaded in the safety of our calm waters when the whole world still awaited you. It is now time for you to leave your home and venture to new seas. For a king must be strong in all things and not just in the place of his birth. And I can think of no greater teacher for you to learn from than Link. For he has done what was once thought impossible and slain the greatest Calamity of our age. A great warrior he has become, perhaps even the greatest of all," The king said. He then faced more towards Zelda. " And it would be a great honor to have my Son serve under him dear Princess of Hyrule, if thou whilst allow it? Until he has learned all that Link has to offer, only then will he be ready to take my place as ruler of the Zora people," the King announced, asking Zelda his most desired wish of her.
"It shall be done as you say," Zelda said with another smile and a bow of the head.
Sidon bent his head to his father in a show of respect and then did a quick spin around, still in shock of his father's decree but well pleased. He suddenly knelt to the hard-stone floor in the audience of everyone while facing Link and Zelda directly. There he was about to declare an oath of fealty to both of them as he took his knee. He then reached for two sheathed ceremonial Zora crafted blades that he had strapped to his side belt and swung them out in a crossed grandiose fashion stabbing them towards the ground as he knelt.
"And here is my pledge to you, my oath of affirmation, that I Sidon, son of Dorephan, by our gods and your gods solemnly vow to give my life in your service if thou wilt has me. For I shall shield your back and sword down your enemies until you release me or till death takes me. So as it is promised, so shall it be done," Sidon said head bowed to both Link and Zelda, waiting to hear their response before he lifted it back up.
Upon noticing Link's wonder-struck blank stare and apparent muted voice, Zelda decided to answer on behalf of him. "We accept your oath Prince Sidon…" she said, motioning him to rise up. She then lifted a cute smirk towards Link, softening up the seriousness. "Well, it appears now 'Sir-Link' you found yourself a squire! And a magnificent one at that," she said, giggling a bit at the notion of the monstrously tall Sidon squiring under Link. They would make a great fighting pair, she thought.
"Indeed so, but now my son, you will need two actual swords, for the ceremonial ones won't be much use to you out on your quest," the King added, giving a roaring full belly laugh that echoed throughout the entire hall.
"Ha! And just because I'm your squire now Link, don't be thinking I'm an amateur. I'm the best swordsman and wielder of the trident in all of the Domain!" Sidon said as he flexed his arm again in a grand pose.
"I bet you are!" Zelda added with a chuckle.
"Hmm, we will see." Link quietly replied with a half-grin, mildly amused.
The king then sprung up and interjected."Now that that is out of the way, I am sure you two are both tired from your long journey and possibly hungry as well… Usually, we Zora sleep communally, but I know you hylians are unaccustomed to that practice, so we will prepare a secluded residence for your stay here, one preferably that is dry and to your liking," the King said again letting out a chuckle.
"Thank you, dear king, yes you are right, it is late, and tomorrow we have a big day ahead of us with Ruta," Zelda added. She then turned to Link as two Zora attendants entered the hall and were at the ready to escort them out of the King's chamber to their quarters. "We bid you thanks for your warm welcome and good evening," She said, smiling as she and Link marched, away from his presence.
As Zelda and link made their way to their part of the Domain, it was a beautiful room that was prepared for their arrival. An oval-shaped overwatch that stretched out over the still clear waters of the domain, away from the heart of the great Zora city. The room had comfortable seating as well as two Hylian style beds positioned where a classic Zora pool for where they would typically sleep was drained. As she and Link were still unloading their belongings and were preparing for their night's stay, all the while waiting for their evening meal to arrive, Link struck up a conversation with her.
"I thought you said you didn't know the old histories? It seems to me you know them quite well. More than most, actually. All that business with the Lizalfos king and Zola you were mentioning with the king," Link said while he cracked a cool smirk.
She stopped with her hand still firmly placed in her bag and lifted her head in a witty response to him. He was just behind her next to his bed.
"Well, just because I'm not a professor of the old histories doesn't mean I have the education of a mere back alley ruffian," Zelda replied back with a huff.
"Oh, so that's what I am now... a back alley ruffian?" Link asked sarcastically.
"No, that's not at all what I meant. I would never call you a-Oh oof! You're terrible," she complained at his jokes.
"I'm terrible? You're the one that said it, not me," he added back fast.
"Oh, c'mon Link, you know I would never call you that! Honestly," she said, seemingly begging his forgiveness.
"Alright, just this once I suppose I'll let you off the hook, I mean I sort of have to, you are a princess after all," he said as he smiled flirtatiously.
"Well, I guess that makes us even then. I'll forgive you for not telling me about your night terrors, and you'll forgive me for insinuating that you are a back alley ruffian. Do we have a deal," Zelda stared back with a playful pout on her face.
"Now that you mentioned it, I kind of like being a back alley ruffian.," Link confessed with a joyful smile.
She gasped at his admission. But before she could continue the tit for tat conversation, she was taken aback by the surprisingly gorgeous view of their terrace quarters. The full moonlight sparkled upon the crystal clear waters, and its reflection made the ceiling of the room and walls shimmer brightly with color as it illuminated the fine stonework of the Zora. Zelda was breathless by the sheer beauty of where they were staying. They were alone at last her and Link.
She took this moment to stop what she was doing and walked out towards the elegant railing of their room that peered just above the water's edge. There she stood beneath the moonlight facing the calm lake. The wind carried a cool but pleasing mist that gently waved her golden hair against the side of her face.
"Such a beautiful place, Zora's Domain," She said, letting out a faint breath of wonder gazing upon the magnificence of the Domain during a peaceful evening.
After hearing her words, Link's ears twitched, and he made his way towards her. He was previously unloading gear that they both had but figured it could wait till after. Spending time with Zelda was more important to him now.
"It is…much like our spring, wouldn't you say?" Link said, surprising her. He had a smile, warm as a new campfire.
Zelda's heart danced in her chest at his words. She was filled with joy that Link, in fact, did honestly remember the times they spent together from one hundred years ago. With her hands still stretched out and placed on the railing, out and alone against the chill wind, Link took in a deep breath as he swallowed the doubts he had pitted in his stomach from before and made his way closer to her. It was now, or never he felt.
Without so much as a whisper, he cozily fixed one hand over hers as she stood there, still soaking in all the beauty and wonder of the place they were at. Zelda looked down at his gesture, feeling the warmth of his hand glide over, his fingers slowly intertwined in hers, she knew her Knight truly did remember her. Her heart swelled, and her whole body resonated with waves of excitement and euphoria as to what would happen next. She was starved for his affection, even if it was just a little. A glimmer of hope resounded in her as she thought more of the idea that he genuinely was her Link from a century ago. But as soon as she turned to face him and got closer, enough for her to finally bare herself to him as she always wanted, a trumpet horn rang aloud off in the distance.
As both of their gazes were trapped, locked, and lost, staring into each other's eyes, just inches apart. The loud and distracting horn jolted them both away.
"That's...that's Urbosa's horn?" Zelda questioned aloud. Link also turned at the sound of it, confused as to why it sounded throughout the Domain of the Zora of all places.
"Yeah, what's it doing here in the Domain?" He asked.
"It could only mean one thing, the Gerudo are here," she confirmed. As she swung herself out from his close proximity like an over-eager child, she felt the need to quickly turn herself back into him. "C'mon, let's go investigate the situation." She said, smiling. Link just nodded his head in approval and motioned her to lead the way back to where the heart of the city was, where the horns were sounding.
As they were making their way through the intertwined bridges that made up the domain, from their higher vantage point, they could oversee the main entrance that led up into the Domain. Zelda stopped mid jog to lean over the rail to catch a better glance at the scene unfolding below.
"Oh look, it is the Gerudo, and they are accompanied by several Rito and Gorons as well?" she pointed, looking back over her shoulder to Link. "C'mon let us go greet these guests into the Domain shall we?" she said joyfully.
Sidon also left his chambers, which was nearby theirs. He, too, heard the trumpets sound and went to greet the commotion that was brewing by the main archway into the Domain.
"Well, hello there! Welcome!" Sidon shouted to the entourage of different tribes entering his city. It appeared to be mostly a small company of Gerudo, only fifteen of them, accompanied by just two Rito and two Gorons.
Link and Zelda caught up to Sidon and stood alongside him, awaiting the formal arrival of their surprised guests.
"Well now, sorry to disturb your rest, dear princess. If we had known more guests would be visiting us here in the Domain, we would have prepared better for it," Sidon said, looking downs towards the princess who stood just to the side of him on the bridge. His eyes were apologetic, looking down towards her.
"It is quite all right, the more, the merrier." She smiled back up to him.
"I think they are here for you," Sidon replied. "Oof, here they are..."
The Gerudo led in an organized single file, marching into the city they fanned out in strategic military fashion. Out from the middle of their ranks came their chief Riju, who was being led by her main attendant and personal guard Buliara. The two of them came on horses and dismounted quickly.
"Welcome to the Domain friends; your presence here is most welcomed and appreciated by the Princess of Hyrule and us," Sidon declared to his new guests as they made their way closer to him, Zelda and Link.
"Greetings and apologies for our late hour interruption, but we came as soon as we have heard of the destruction of the Calamity," Riju explained as she stopped mid-step following after her attendant who now stood at the side of her. "We were told by Impa whom we met at Kakariko, that she would be in your company prince of Zora, so we made quick haste over to meet her," she continued telling Sidon.
After looking around for a moment, she quickly caught a glimpse of the princess who stood behind the Zora Prince. The same princess from all the stories she heard so much about while growing up.
"And you must be the Princess of Hyrule, returned to us at long last... my oh my, I have heard many grand tales of your beauty, and I must admit, that for once, all the rumors and stories are true. On behalf of all the Gerudo people, we are well pleased to see your safe return to us. Please accept this gift as a sign of our unwavering loyalty to you, Princess of Hyrule," she said to Zelda, who stood before her. Riju then performed a complete, solemn bow to the hard stone floor of the Domain. Following after her, all the Gerudo in attendance also bowed, as well as the two gorons and rito.
"Thank you, your words are very kind," Zelda replied humbly.
Upon rising from the floor, she signaled one of her lieutenants to offer up a gift to Zelda. It was a chest full of riches and spoils of the desert. "Surely, this will come in handy for those who are poor and should also help in rebuilding the capital," Riju smiled. "It's not much, but we also offer our strength to you as well. When the time comes to clear out the filth that has nested in the great city."
"Indeed, so it will, I on behalf of Hyrule, thank you profoundly for your generosity in our hour of need, it shall not be forgotten...Umm...forgive me, though, what is your name again? " Zelda asked bashfully.
"Oh my, where are my manners? Here I am going on and on, and I haven't even properly introduced myself. I am Riju...Chief of the Gerudo. And this is my right hand, Buliara," Riju confirmed, pointing towards the battle-hardened Gerudo woman, who stood fierce and firm.
Taking notice that Riju already made her greetings on behalf of the Gerudo, the main Rito in attendance with them was Teba, the same rito who helped Link on his quest to free Divine Beast Vah Medoh, made his way to greet the princess as well. Followed shortly after by Yunobo, the great-grandson of champion Daruk of the gorons, he too was eager to meet the princess on behalf of his people. As Zelda was preoccupied with the company of her new guest, Riju used this slight window of opportunity to walk over towards Link, who was out of earshot of Zelda.
Riju wore a mischievous smile as she crept her way towards him. "And what do we have here?... Good to see you again, Link," Riju squinted as she leaned in closer towards him. Link stood up and backed away from her, unsure what she was about to do next. Riju then shot a glance at Link and then over to Zelda, then back to Link again, catching his eyes follow her as she was making her way, greeting all the incoming guests.
"My oh my, her beauty was not an exaggeration, wasn't it? Now I can see why you were in such a hurry to get yourself killed, to chase down certain death and stare it in the face, without a care in the world. At first, I wasn't sure if it was bravery or just mere stupidity…But with a princess like that to save, I can see now why you were so…motivated," she said, throwing yet another gotcha grin towards him.
Link just stood there awestruck by her words as his mouth hung wide open. He felt caught and nervous by what she said and remained silent.
Riju then leaned back and sighed at the thought of her next statement. "And here I thought the two of us had a shot together. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to steal away myself another Hylian voe...one just as handsome and strong as you are," She said as she leaned in closer towards him. Link gulped in fright. "Ha! I'm only kidding...We Gerudo gave up that barbaric practice many, many generations ago. We don't kidnap our voes anymore, we ask them nicely...and if they don't come nicely...well," She said as she tilted her head devilishly. At that moment, she relinquished a tiny curved dagger on full display playfully towards him. That of all things did not put his worries at ease. "Ha! I'm just kidding again...if only you could have seen your face, though, " she said, letting out a faint laugh. "Oh, and don't make it so obvious, will ya?" She said, pointing towards the princess. "No use trying to deny it...it's written all over your face...but don't worry, your secret is safe with me...for now," Riju chuckled as she stuck her finger to lift Links chin up to a close. She then winked and walked away from him in an exaggerated hip swaying fashion.
Zelda then turned back to where Riju was walking away from Link.
"You say something, Riju?" Zelda asked curiously as if she was trying to listen to what she was telling Link from afar, all the while still being greeted by the other guest.
"Oh, nothing...I was just saying hello to an old friend. Link is quite the hero among us, Gerudo, and boy do I have a story to tell you, dear princess," Riju said again, wearing another mischievous grin walking towards her. She knew Link was listening. Almost enjoying having him squirm from afar at what she might say. Link couldn't help but speculate what sort of stories she was going to tell Zelda. Then it hit him like a wave of guardians, the vai disguise! Links face went pale, embarrassed at the idea of Zelda finding out of what lengths he was willing to go to free the Divine Beast.
"Have you had your evening dinner yet, princess?" Riju asked Zelda.
"No, me and Link, we're about to turn in for the night. We were still waiting for our evening meal to be brought to us to our quarters, but that was when we heard the horns sound throughout the Domain. And now, here we are," she replied back.
Zelda then shot a look to Link as she knew he could never go without a good meal.
Sidon, who also was present, overheard their particular starvation situation.
"Well, say no more, let's all go to the grand banquet hall. Surely we can prepare something for all these weary travelers, or I am not Sidon, prince of the Zora!" He said gleefully, displaying another shark-toothed smirk at the small gathered crowd.
"Sounds great! I'm sure you will hear no complaints from Link!" Zelda teased, letting out a cute giggle as she poked fun at him from a distance. Link was still leaning up against a railing from where they first stood when the entourage of guest arrived. He was still stewing about what Riju implied earlier.
"Yes," Riju agreed with the notion. "May I accompany you, dear princess, as we walk towards the banquet hall? I have so many things to ask you about Urbosa. You knew her firsthand, and I always wanted to know who the woman she was. Oh, and I have a story or two about Link that you will love to hear as well," Riju said again, shooting a wink towards Link who heard her again.
"Certainly, I would love to," Zelda smiled in her reply to her.
The group then followed Sidon, who lead them to the wing of the Domain where the grand banquet hall was.
As Zelda and Riju were walking arm in arm, Link slowly trailed behind them, keeping a safe, respectable distance from them. It was in order to give them their privacy. After all, it wasn't like she was in any sort of danger, being surrounded by friends and warriors alike.
All the while, he could hear busy chatter from the two of them. It would peak suddenly as it broke into roaring laughter. He even caught them both staring back to him, peering over their shoulders from time to time, followed by even more chuckles. This continued on as they made their way up the winding bridges that led to the banquet hall. Link couldn't help but wonder what sort of mischief Riju was up to. They were just loud enough to where he can hear them but not loud enough to know what they were saying. What could she be telling Zelda concerning him? The walk was only ten minutes, but to Link, it felt like ten years.
"Link did what!?" Zelda yelled aloud, almost bursting into wild laughter as she was walking alongside Riju. It was the only audible sentence Link heard as they slowly walked ahead of him. Link just knew the cat was out of the bag now.
It was a humble and mellow gathering of friends eating a late-night meal together rather than a lively feast. It was quick and to the point. Everyone was talking in hushed voices, and it was apparent everyone had heavy eyes and were tired. Shortly after noticing everyone cleared their plates, Sidon dismissed the guest alongside Link and Zelda. They had a long day ahead of them with the Divine beast, after all, so they quickly made their farewells till dawn and went back to their quarters.
After arriving back to their room, Zelda approached Link from behind. He was just laying down his scabbard and undoing his other gear as he was preparing for the night's rest. She surprisingly placed her hand on his shoulder as he was setting his equipment beside his bed.
"Oh, and don't think I have forgotten. Where is your potion?" she asked as she pulled on his shoulder.
Link jerked around and faced her, realizing he almost forgot about the potion himself and was about to go to sleep without it.
"C'mon Link, you heard what Impa said, you need one drop every night before bed. And I'm going to make sure you have it every night without fail," she said, wearing a smug smile.
Link was amazed by her persistence and sudden over protectiveness over him. He was finally beginning to see how much she outwardly cared for him in a way she never did before. She was openly displaying her affection towards him now, regardless of who saw. Although Link would never admit it, he liked the attention from her, even if his expression may have seemed apprehensive or dismissive of her doing so.
They didn't have a sweet tea this time to mask the awful flavor of the potion. Water would have to suffice. So Zelda reached for the small vile and dripped a single drop into his cup for him to drink. She knew Link was in for a surprise indeed, and she made no effort to warn him of what was to come. She may have had a slight bit of fun in watching him swallow down his mug of medicine.
"Here you go, Link, down the hatch," she said with a squinted smile as she placed the cup in his hands.
Link looked down to his hands as he sat upon the edge of his bed, which was directly across from hers. He then mustered up the courage to embrace the poison and drained his cup. His face went pale in disgust, and he nearly spat it out. Some even escaped his mouth out of sheer bodily protest and ran down his chin. She then quickly scorned him in doing so.
"Link, I said every drop!" She said, laughing, pointing towards his chin.
"I did! Look, the mug is empty! See?" He said, lifting it on full display to her in his defense, showing the bottom of it to be dry.
"Yes, because half of it made it to your chin and not your belly! That's why!" she retorted.
She then reached out to him with a handkerchief that she carried and tried to wipe his chin. He snatched it from her hand before she even lifted it up to his lips.
"I got it, don't worry," he said sternly.
"Well, I am worried. You were supposed to not waste any of it; that was the rules," she huffed back.
"I drank most of it. Perhaps it will be alright. I didn't know it was going to taste so putrid on its own or I would have fought the gag better," he admitted looking down to his hands still holding the cup in one hand and the handkerchief in the other.
"It's alright, it was actually quite funny, watching you make that face again. You're so serious most of the time, especially around the others. So seeing you get excited and anxious over a cup of medicine makes it all worth it," she said as she rose up from her bed, holding back the laughter.
She then coolly walked away to behind another curtain she had arranged. It was a mock-up area she had prepared for her to change out of her adventuring clothes and into something more fitting for bed.
Link being the noble knight that he was, also arose from his bed and also made sure to face the other direction, even though she was behind a veiled curtain. At the same time, he undressed into a simple Hylian bed shirt and loose cotton trousers that were more comfortable for resting. Link was rapidly fast when he wanted to be, so he was able to change his state of attire before Zelda could finish herself.
However, unbeknownst to him, Zelda's curtain had a tiny hole torn through it. It was large enough for her to sneak a peek through. Zelda was a lady, but she still had passion. It was the fiery passion of that of a young woman her age. Even though she always tried hard to fight back the desires in her heart, she couldn't help herself but take one quick peer through the 'lens of truth' she had for herself that night.
As she made small talk with Link from behind her curtain, she used breaks in the chatter to have a look through the tiny hole, watching him undress and switch into his bed attire. He never got fully nude for her eyes to see, but she was afforded a handsome look of his full upper body and bare legs. Link wasn't overly muscular, but he was strong nonetheless. Chiseled like a fine sculpture, one she would have guessed only the goddesses could have made. He was something out of a legendary tale, she imagined, the way he was shaped so perfect in her eyes. He had everything she liked in a young man. It was almost as if he was fined tuned to be that way, created for a single purpose. She got excited watching him twist and turn, displaying more of himself unknowingly. But she knew she had to contain herself and decided she had enough excitement for one night that a young woman could bear. So she quickly adorned her gown after fixing her hair and walked out from the cover of the veil.
Even in her simple nightdress, Link saw her as absolutely stunning. To him, it felt as if it was the first time he ever saw her all over again. Every time she would reveal herself to him in a different state of dress, he always would seem to find something new about her that was more beautiful than the last. This time it was her hair. It was carefree and loose. Unrestrained from before, like her, it too was free. There it flowed against her soft face as the gentle breeze carried it in the wind. Her eyes also were more alive this evening as well. He saw the burning passion she had hiding from behind them. And how careful she was to contain it.
As Link sat back down against his bed, watching her slowly make her way towards her own, he was left breathless. The words were robbed from his lips on how to express what he felt when he gazed upon her. All he could do was take a deep breath in the wonder of her beauty.
She noticed he was at a loss for words yet again, and as she got closer to him, he scooted back more towards his bed to give her plenty of space to get situated on her own.
"Well, I guess this is goodnight...Link," she said as she flipped over the soft, Zora blanket that covered her bed. Link just sat back, unable to speak yet again. He couldn't understand why he was so nervous this time. If she wasn't staring at me the way she is now with those gorgeous emerald eyes of hers, it would be a whole lot easier, he thought to himself. Her lips were saying goodnight, but her eyes were asking for something more. But Link being the proper guardsman and knight that he was, wasn't going to initiate anything that wasn't proper of him.
"I said, good night, hero..." Zelda prodded as she awaited his reply or action.
Link just swallowed his throat and forced his words out. "Goodnight Zelda, I'll be waiting for you in the morning," he said, slamming his head back against his pillow on his bed as he tried to get to the morning as soon as possible to free him of this situation he was in. Zelda just sighed at his words, slightly disappointed, and she too laid back. But being the bold princess that she was, she arose out from her bed covers and hopped out of her bed as she made her way to Link. He was already laying, facing the other way at his bedside. She then poked at his shoulder for him to turn to meet her.
"You forgot this," she said, wearing a sweet smile.
"Forgot what?" He questioned.
She then leaned into him and graced his cheek with yet another long kiss. Yet again, it felt as if he was zapped by a goddess of lightning if there ever was one. Link couldn't respond fast enough to reciprocate like before. As she pulled away, she smiled.
"Now it is goodnight. I'll see you in the morning, okay?" she said, hopping back into her own bed. There, she flung the bedding over herself and turned over to her side to sleep. She fell fast asleep, wearing a smile with no trouble at all.
Link, on the other hand, was still in awe of what happened yet again. He cursed himself in his head for being too slow to take action during the heat of the moment. Without thinking, he then slammed his head back against his pillow and missed, hitting the headrest harder than ever before. As much as it hurt, Link knew it was well-deserved punishment for the way he acted earlier in slow motion. There he laid for a few minutes frustrated with himself. And after letting out a deep sigh of contemplation, he forced his eyes to slam shut. The dawn would soon arrive. Ruta awaited them.