Chapter 18: Castle Town

Warm, buttery apple juice flowed over Zelda's tongue, enticing another immediate bite. The carmelized liquid trailed down the tips of her fingers.

"Here." Sitkel held out a silk handkerchief.

Since it was only Sitkel, who had caught her in more embarrassing situations, like sleeping during one of Naina's lessons, Zelda took the offering, catching the droplets before they got on her clothes. Naina would be horrified Zelda was eating such a messy food in front of someone else, which gave Zelda more pleasure to take a final bite to finish the apple off before wiping her face with the kerchief.

"Thank you." Zelda went to slide the kerchief into her pocket. "I'll wash this and get it back to you soon."

They were strolling through the vendors, lanterns swinging over the wares in the fading skylight. There were fire arrows, ice arrows, electric arrows, and bomb arrows from an archery stand. Next to it was a blue Zora selling a variety of fishes from Mighty Carp to Armored Porgy and the stand they were currently passing was a Gerudian selling sparkling Ruby necklaces, Topaz earrings, and Sapphire circlets. Soft music from the fountain accompanied the shoppers.

Sitkel shook his head, hand out. "I am not having the Princess of Hyrule doing my dirty laundry. Give."

"But," Zelda began. Sitkel, quick as a Stealthfin, nipped the handkerchief from Zelda's fingers, stowing it out of sight. A small smile stayed on his face.

"Still too quick for you, I see. Glad to know that even out adventuring, you still can't beat me in hand to hand combat."

Zelda smirked. "You know the real competition was never in that." Her eyes caught onto some ingredients by a local food stand. "What's the purpose of the Hyrule Herb?"

Sitkel glanced at the yellow and green stalk of Hyrule Herb next to the cooking pot. He tsked. "Oh, please. It boosts energy levels and helps heal wounds when cooked into different dishes." He placed his hands on his hips. "You'll have to do better than that, Your Highness."

Zelda broadened her view to another table holding shrooms. "And what about Stamella Shrooms?"

Sitkel shot her a disbelieving look. "Seriously? It's in the name. Helps with stamina and helps you feel full longer."

"Wildberries?"

"Boosts metabolism for a short time. And makes delicious crepe toppings by the way."

"Fortified Pumpkins?"

"Come on, the Sheikah grow the best Fortified Pumpkins in all of Hyrule. Supports muscle growth and bone density. Identical effects to Ironshrooms by the way."

Zelda held up her hand, the stickiness of the apple still on her fingers. "Courser bee honey?"

"Incredibly energizing and boosts mental health. Here, wipe your hands again. Just don't get any of that stickiness on me." Sitkel whipped out the handkerchief, shuddering.

Zelda sighed as she removed the last of the sweet treat from her skin. Two teenage Hylians passed them, giggling and whispering. "How do you know all of that? You hardly ever care about details like these."

"I'm a poet. My job is to pay attention to the details." This time, Zelda automatically handed Sitkel the kerchief back, not bothering to fight about it. He delicately pinched an unused corner before stuffing it in one of his side packs.

Zelda fell silent, letting the happy, contented throng part around them as they neared the end of the trader market. She thought for sure she would stump him. She used to quiz him like this in whispers during study sessions in the library, during which he would throw out an impossible answer making her laugh at the absurdity of it. Like Bladed Rhino Beetles being baked into a pie.

"You know I only learned all of that listening to you."

Zelda looked at him in surprise, a mischievous smile on his face.

"You probably thought I wasn't paying attention. But I was." Sitkel winked.

A wry grin crossed her lips. "Well that explains it. You always were good at acting like you weren't paying attention." She smiled satisfactorily. "I guess I won."

Sitkel scoffed. "As if. I answered all your questions correctly. Doesn't matter how I got the answers."

Loud cheering erupted as the smooth tones of the instruments quickened into triple time. Looking around the central square, couples and mothers with children began spinning and clapping. Another work day over, the citizens were enjoying the beginning of the night. Tavern doors stood open, people going in and out in a steady stream. Those holding a drink or a snack from the vendors watched on, tapping feet against the flagstones. Zelda felt her foot instinctively follow the tempo.

"Would you like to dance, Princess?" Sitkel's open palm extended towards Zelda.

She immediately stilled her foot, shoving her hands behind her back. "Oh no. I'm afraid dancing isn't my thing." The hot embarrassment of the dance with the Gorons and Link watching her burned in her memory.

Sitkel withdrew his hand, a flash of disappointment crossing his face before his usual humored smile returned. "Then how about a game?"

Zelda followed his gaze to a shop across the square. The building glowed with multiple lamps to catch passerby's eyes, promising entertainment. The two-story building had been hollowed out on the first floor to create a shooting range. The owner leaned on the counter, fingers twirling an arrow, a longing look at the tavern on his face. A simple wooden bow, ready for use, lay on the counter. "Yes," Zelda smiled.

The owner's eyes lazily went to them as they walked up, but widened as he caught a second look at Zelda's shirt where the triforce emblem shone. He straightened, setting the arrow down in front of him. "Your Highness!" At Sitkel's warning look, the owner lowered his voice. "Your Highness, welcome! What can I do for you?"

"I would like to play your game. What are the rules?" She noticed the targets at the back weren't all in a straight row like a normal archery range. There were some pulled more to the front, one on the ceiling, one in a corner, two hiding behind a foremost one.

The owner nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Here, don't use that bow, Your Highness. This one is better." He reached under the counter pulling forth a bow that looked brand new, the grip of the riser in pristine condition. She took it, mentally comparing it to a Boko bow. The wood was sanded smoother and the handle more decorated, but the weight and build of the bow was nearly identical. Good. Zelda enjoyed the more elementary bow. Straightforward and simple.

"Now all you have to do, Your Highness, is hit those targets before the timer runs out." The owner pointed at an hourglass next to his arm. Marked on it were different straight lines in a descending order from the middle of the glass.

"What are the lines on it for?" Sitkel asked. He'd noticed it too.

The owner ran his finger over them. "If you not only make it before the sand runs out, but do it fairly quickly, I mark your time here. These are previous marks of some of the fastest runs people have completed."

Zelda leaned forward, thinking her eyes were tricking her. There was a marked line just barely above the rim of the bottom. It must be a mistake on the part of the crafter. The owner noticed her squinting. "Are you looking at this mark here?" He touched the one she had been examining. Most of the marks didn't even come close to that one. Zelda nodded her head. The owner whistled. "Fastest time I've ever seen in my life. I saw him aim and then I blinked and he was done. Haven't seen his face around here since."

A suspicion snaked through Zelda's mind. "What did he look like? Was he young?" She felt Sitkel's eyes on her.

The suspicion faded with a shake of the owner's head. "He wasn't old, but he wasn't young. Dressed in knight armor. Had quite the serious look to him. Could tell he enjoyed the challenge though. He tipped well." The owner smiled fondly. "Had a good drink that night thanks to him."

Sitkel slid two red rupees across the counter. "We'll accept the challenge."

The owner looked eagerly at the rupees, swallowing once. His hand began reaching for them then darted an uneasy glance at Zelda. "The cost is only 10 rupees, Your Highness."

Sitkel leaned into the counter, coming face to face with the older man. "We know. This is so we can play as long as we like. If we don't use 40 rupees worth of a game, you can keep the extra."

The owner nodded his head. "I'll just pull this lever here and it'll start the targets in motion." He pulled on the handle and the two targets that had been hiding behind the front one began trundling in opposite directions from each other before coming back to cross paths behind the first. The rest of the targets stayed still but on two of them, a flap descended, covering the targets briefly before ascending again.

"No pressure, Your Highness," Sitkel smiled impishly. "It's only a drink for this good man here that'll be lost if you miss too many times." The owner was keeping a pleasant face, but his mouth drooped slightly at the poet's words.

Zelda stepped onto the platform to shoot from. The owner passed Zelda a quiver full of arrows. She strapped it on, raising the bow. "Ready?" The owner's fingers pinched the hourglass, preparing to turn it. Zelda threw Sitkel a deliberate look.

"Yes."

The hourglass flipped.

Her first shot struck the foremost target's center exactly.

That was the closest one. Zelda swiftly reloaded aiming for one of the trundling targets. She hit it, just a little off from the middle. The next arrow struck the second trundling target better.

Her fingers felt slow and clumsy as she mentally chided herself to go faster. A shot to the target on the ceiling barely made it before the trapdoor descended, clipping the tail end of her arrow, throwing it off to the outside ring of the target. Zelda focused on the last remaining target, releasing on instinct. The trapdoor hinged back and forth when her arrow lodged into it. Taking a breath to steady her nerves, Zelda tried again. The arrow neatly struck the center of the target.

Her eyes darted to the timer, which had filled up at least halfway on the bottom. She lowered the bow, disappointment filling her.

"Your Highness, that was a good run," the owner nodded encouragingly, fingers brushing the rupees. "See?" He touched a space on the hourglass. It looked like Zelda had beaten some previous archers, but was still nowhere near the fast marks of some others, and especially out of the league of the reigning champion. She slouched a little, putting the bow down. Sitkel whistled short and sharp.

"Looks like someone's been practicing."

Zelda shot him a dark look. "Don't patronize me."

Sitkel held up his hands, laughing. "No, really, Princess. Last time I saw you step up to target practice, you made one shot? Maybe two?" He smiled at her, a light in his eyes. "You really have gotten better."

Zelda folded her arms, huffing slightly as she turned away. As if she needed the praise from him. But thinking a little more about the last time Sitkel had witnessed her archery skills and all the shots she'd taken since then, shots that she had made and helped make a difference in battle, the stiffness left her shoulders. She had improved. Not as much as she would have liked, but being a professional archer like Link or Revali didn't happen overnight. One look at how hard they trained every day proved that.

Zelda uncrossed her arms, raising a brow at Sitkel who had stepped into the shooter's position. "You're going to try it?"

"I don't just dish it out, Princess. I can also take it." Sitkel grabbed the bow, handing it back to the owner. "But I won't be using this." He placed his hands on the knives at his waist.

"No other weapons–," the owner stopped. Sitkel reached forward to grab one of the red rupees back. The owner's mouth abruptly shut. Zelda shook her head, propping an arm on the counter. She smiled apologetically at the owner.

"Ready?" The owner touched the timer.

"Almost." Sitkel turned around, his back facing the targets. Zelda's eyebrows drew together in confusion. Sitkel's eyes met hers briefly before he closed them. "Ready."

In the milliseconds of the timer twisting in the air as the owner flipped it, Sitkel brought his hands up, knives glinting between his fingers as he spun around. The timer landed on the counter, grains of sand starting to fall.

The knives flew through the air, three from his left hand implanting dead center on the targets along the bottom, the remaining two from his right striking home on the upper targets before the trapdoors could even lower once for his round.

It was over in an instant. Zelda blinked in shock. Her eyes went to the timer. Sitkel had made it in the champion's time.

The owner shook his head. "Quite impressive, but since you used outside weapons, your time won't count with the other winners."

Sitkel hadn't moved since releasing the knives, eyes lost in the targets he'd just hit, a small, secretive smile on his face. "I know. I've always known that." His eyes closed, the smile falling down.

Zelda reached toward him. "Sitkel?"

His eyes slowly opened, and he breathed out a small sigh. Sitkel turned to Zelda, all trace of his strange melancholy moment gone. He gently took her hand. "Why, Princess, thank you for helping me down."

Zelda pulled her hand away, rolling her eyes.

"Looks like you get that drink after all. Enjoy!" Sitkel waved cheerily at the owner. The owner couldn't have looked more pleased to see them go.

They left the chatty, fast-paced atmosphere of center square and entered the West District. Since Hyrule Castle Town was the largest city in Hyrule, this also made it one of the wealthiest. Staying in inns for long cost a pretty rupee and having an apartment here, let alone a house, meant you were part of the Hylian court, managers in charge of trade routes, or from the finest knighted families. Yet, there was a division among the people. No matter how wealthy, there were still the wealthier. The more wealthy lived in the East District and where Zelda and Sitkel were now walking towards, was the West District. This was a part of Castle Town Zelda was unfamiliar with. She was unfamiliar with all of the town, but she had visited a widower from court in the East District with her mother long ago. The layout faintly seemed the same over there as it was here in the West.

Away from the crowds, citizens were settling in for the night, candles glowing behind curtains. Soft conversations drifted through the open windows. Lamps hanging over door frames lit the way before them.

Zelda and Sitkel appeared to be the only ones walking around this area. A cucco clucking came from a house's backyard. The royal banners swayed in the breeze, marking the public path. Yet it felt private as they moved past the majority of the houses. A fountain burbled somewhere ahead of them. Usually guards patrolled each terrace but they must have been caught up elsewhere.

"Sitkel." Zelda nervously glanced behind them, seeing no one, but feeling like she was being watched. "Is it safe to be walking these streets this late?"

He turned, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. At her worried look, Sitkel grew serious.

"Your Highness, your safety is my utmost concern." He met her eyes, a passion lighting in his pupils. "I promise no harm will befall you."

She believed him. It wasn't as if Sitkel would ever lie to her about something she was seriously concerned about. Despite his joking manner, Zelda knew he did take his standing in the castle very seriously and felt like no matter the jokes, Zelda was always well respected by Sitkel. And with that knife trick in the archery range, she didn't doubt he was capable of fighting…but his promise felt false.

Her eyebrows furrowed. Why did it feel like even though he believed he was telling the truth, Sitkel couldn't promise that? Not like…not like some other boy in her life who had proved, time and time again, that harm would never befall Zelda while he drew breath. Her chest ached. She wished he was with them right now.

Sitkel took her hand, pulling her behind him. "I just want to show you something."

She let him guide her to indeed a fountain burbling and a little ways behind that was the reservoir for the town. However, Sitkel brought her to the door of a house.

"Sitkel, why are we here?" The lights weren't on and the curtains were shut. "It looks like they're sleeping."

Sitkel chuckled. "They're not." He pushed the door open.

Zelda pulled her hand away. "We can't just walk in," she furiously whispered.

"Why not?" Sitkel entered and a moment later, a lamp was lit, followed by another and another. He grinned at her. "It's my apartment."

As the room filled with light, Zelda hesitantly looked around, sure she was going to spot sleeping Hylians angrily waking up to them intruding. "Sitkel, what are you talking about? You live in the castle…"

Her voice trailed off as Sitkel went over to the small kitchen, throwing some pans in the sink. The apartment was small and sparse. There was a desk and a chair and stacks and stacks of papers tightly bound together. Bottles of unopened ink covered a small stand in the corner next to bundles of quills. There was a bookshelf along the wall opposite the window, papers sticking out of some of the books. She took another cautious step forward.

"Why do you live here? I thought my father invited you to live in the castle?"

Pans clanged together as Sitkel turned towards her. He noticed a paper on the floor, quickly scooping it up. "He did. But there is only so much you can learn from one place. I'm guessing you know that too?" He gave a faint smile.

Zelda didn't answer. She did know that. Most of her entire life was finding some reason to leave the castle.

"So," Sitkel set the piece of paper on the desk, shrugging. "I asked to stay in Castle Town to observe the people here. Get a better idea of what Hyrule looks like from the view of its citizens. The result," Sitkel spread his arms at the space around him. "A place to myself to think and write. Quite nice."

Zelda was more than a little surprised. She'd seen Sitkel enough times during her day-to-day activities in the castle to never believe otherwise that he lived there too. Reviewing back, however, Zelda couldn't remember ever asking Sitkel where he lived. Or what he was up to most of the time. Or what he thought about being a poet. She'd been so caught up in her own head, she hadn't cared about those around her. Sitkel had always been the one asking questions, trying to get her to open up. Zelda actually knew very little about her friend.

How selfish I've been all this time. Guilt swept through her as she gazed about at Sitkel's life. For some reason, Zelda's eyes caught on a piece of paper that was tinted with pink. The ink on it was a rich blue. "What's this?" She reached out, eyes catching the words, 'steady in the storms' and 'silent as the flower'. "Is this the poem my father asked you to write?" Before she could read any more, it was snatched out of her hands. "Hey, I would like to read that."

Sitkel looked amazingly out of sorts. His eyes wouldn't meet hers as he laughed nervously. The piece of parchment seemed to have disappeared into thin air. "No, that's for someone else. It's not finished, and I prefer if no one sees my work until it's finished." He pushed some hair out of his eyes, his hand hiding his cheek. "Anyway, I just wanted you to see where I actually lived. We can go back to the castle now."

Zelda was flummoxed at his change in behavior, but let him lightly push her out the door as he closed it behind him.

They retraced the way they came, a tangible silence between the two of them as Sitkel kept at least a distance of a foot in front of her. Zelda wondered if she had done something wrong. Thinking back to the piece of parchment, how it was colored pink and how any coloration of parchment was more expensive and hard to get, a delighted feeling spread through her. The ink had been an unusual color as well. And the way he'd grabbed it from her–

Zelda skipped to catch up with Sitkel. "You have a lover!"

Sitkel couldn't have looked more red with a sunburn in the Gerudo Desert. "What?" The word came out strangled.

She smiled wider, quickening her steps to keep up with his fast pace. "That piece of parchment you wouldn't let me read. You obviously care very much for this person."

"You are misinterpreting things." Sitkel almost was at a jogging pace, but Zelda wasn't going to let this go. She had never seen him so agitated…except yesterday when she'd asked him why he wasn't working on his previous poem…

"No, I'm not. You were going to tell me who when I got back weren't you? When I asked you about what you were working on before I left?"

Sitkel pulled his scarf higher on his face. "Why are you always so sharp when I don't need you to be?" He muttered.

They were passing through the central square, heading up the highroad to the castle gates. A pair of guards stationed in front of them waved at a guard up top. The doors groaned open.

"You must tell me who it is." Zelda paused thoughtfully, still speed-walking alongside Sitkel. "Impa?"

"Impa?" Sitkel asked in outrage. His voice went up an octave. "Are you out of your mind?"

Zelda exploded into laughter. "I knew it."

Sitkel watched bewilderingly. She wasn't sure where it was coming from, but Sitkel's outraged face had done her in. Tears gathered in her eyes as she kept laughing. Another laugh soon joined hers. The guards exchanged amused looks as chortling Sitkel and Zelda passed through the gate.

Sitkel blew out a loud breath. "Okay, no offense, Your Highness, but don't ever bet. You'd lose every time." His eyes shone down at her, a warm smile quick to follow.

Zelda giggled, light and happy. Goddess, it had been a fun night.

They were just about at the entrance she'd entered yesterday when Sitkel changed. His smile disappeared faster than one of his throwing knives in the air, his eyes focused and hard. She turned to see what he was looking at.

Link stepped out of the shadows.

"I figured you'd be waiting for her." Sitkel called out, leaning on one hip a few feet away from the Hylian Champion.

Zelda was still too surprised to see Link standing in front of her. From the torches around them, he had cleaned up since the workout this morning, dressed in his spotless blue champion tunic. His hair was in its usual tied back position, blue eyes sharp as they cut to Sitkel, then Zelda, lingering on her a little longer, before shifting back to Sitkel who held out his palm.

Link didn't move forward.

"I was going for a handshake since we haven't had a civil introduction yet, but okay." Sitkel shrugged, his hand falling away. There was a snarkiness to Sitkel's tone that Zelda had never heard before with him. She cast him a firm look, but his focus was entirely on Link.

Link's eyes narrowed slightly.

"What are you doing here–," Zelda began.

Sitkel turned to Zelda, bowing low. "Princess, thank you for a most wonderful evening. Truly unforgettable." His hand took hers, and before she could stop him, planted a soft kiss on her fingers. She felt him smile against her skin. He released her, straightening himself.

Out of the corner of her eye, Link crossed his arms over his chest.

Sitkel spun on his heel suddenly, running back the way they had come. "I'll see you around, Princess!" He called out before a smoke bomb covered him completely from sight. Zelda placed her hands on her hips, annoyance flitting through her. What was that about?

She shook her head, turning around. Link stood unmoving by the entrance into the castle. As much as her heart beat a little faster at seeing him, Zelda was annoyed by Link as well. Remembering the feeling of being watched in the West District, she stomped towards him.

"Were you following us the entire time?"

His expression revealed nothing, but his brows creased just slightly. She threw him a dirty look.

"I don't need a guard spying on me when I'm with my friends." Link frowned and if she didn't know better, she'd think he was confused. "I'm going inside to my room unless you want to follow me there too." She strode into the castle, angry at being back, angry at Link for spying on her, angry at Sitkel's weird behavior, but most of all, angry because she had a good night and her seeing Link since not being with him all day had turned out poorly. Again.

When she stole a glance back to see if Link was still standing at the entrance, he was gone.