Haha... I'm baaaaccckkk! I'm really really REALLY sorry for not updating for so long! I had a really serious case of writer's block for this chapter... It was... bad... My ideas for this fic are very... scattered... But I DO have an awesome idea for the next few chapters, then my mind's blank for the following ones, then I have a REALLY awesome idea for the end... --' Yeah... But I WILL finish this! MUST FINISH. Got an awesome FE fic idea... Will post that soon too! Won't neglect this fic though... My first fic... how could I ever neglect it? I'm gonna try something new with this chapter... OK, so it's not really new, but still! I'm gonna try and um... just kinda describe what happened in part of the chapter, like a reporter maybe? Dunno... Argh! I'm not making any sense, am I? --'
Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Reviews make me really happy! Yessee... this chappie will have some character development, more Link/Zelda matchmaking fun, some more surprises, another little mystery, and a fight scene! On with the fic!
Chapter 12: Farore's Fight
Lyson was mad. No, he wasn't just mad. He was mad, mad enough to tear that stupid Link apart from limb to limb and knock all his teeth out. The prince of Calatia glanced coldly at his loyal follower, Srie, who was staring blankly at the setting sun. The crowds of people had long gone home, and all the competitors were most likely either in the castle rooms allotted to them, or at the training grounds, preparing for the final competition. The two Calatians were the only ones in the stands.
"Idiot. Why don't you remove that armor? You don't have to wear it. The next competition takes place tomorrow."
The knight did not answer, did not even look back at his liege.
"Why must you be so... irritating? You were quiet before, but never this quiet! What's wrong with you now? You... you... WORTHLESS..." Lyson's voice grew louder with each word.
Srie merely looked at the ground.
"Fine! Ignore me! But if you... if you DARE to mess up tomorrow... I swear that I will personally see you quartered and hanged. And I'll have your head up on a pike for all the peasants to see what the price of disobedience is." Lyson spat at the knight's armor, turned around and headed back to his room at the castle.
Srie did not budge, did not respond. He merely stared back at the setting sun, watching the moon and the stars gradually appear in the darkening sky, as if he were waiting, waiting for the darkness, for the shadows, for the night...
Bright and early the next day, the stadium was again filled with excited onlookers, all eager to witness for themselves just how well the weapon arts of Calatia would fare against the multitude of differing techniques practiced by the races of Hyrule. The spectators whispered excitedly among themselves; many gesturing at a large rack of what appeared to be a collection of dull weapons and shields.
There were all sorts of swords, ranging from thin rapiers to curved scimitars to long broadswords. An entire section of the rack was dedicated to axes, some with long handles for greater reach; others with short handles for more control. Some people pointed excitedly to an extensive display of spears and lances, while others admired the many different sizes and shapes of the various shields lying on the rack.
Trumpets heralded the arrival of the Royal Family and the competitors, who were greeted with wild cheers. The King of Hyrule dismounted his horse and walked up the stairs of the podium with Zelda. Once there, he took a good look at the gathered crowds, cleared his throat, and began.
"This... is the day you have all been waiting for, am I correct?"
The crowd erupted into cheers, some rooting for certain contestants, others just randomly screaming and waving.
King Harkinian smiled. Never had an event attracted so much attention. Though it was probably just due to the fact that the people of Hyrule adored contests of power, wisdom, and courage, especially if between one of their own and a famed warrior of another country, the King of Hyrule could not help but feel a certain sense of pride for being able to bring so much of his people together at one little event.
He laughed heartily and continued. "I assume that you all know that today's competition is a weapon usage contest, or should I say... an exhibition of all the different sorts of weaponry mastery. Of course, I am very eager to see what the Prince of Calatia has to offer us."
Lyson smirked confidently as the spectators cheered again, but louder this time. He turned and bowed to Zelda, who was up in the podium, but the princess steadily ignored him.
"I also assume that you realize that all mock battles will be staged with two teams of two fighting each other. All competitors will be allowed a choice from the blunt practice weapons we have saved up specifically for this event. The match will continue until both members of a team have either surrendered or are unable to continue. Injury is not the goal of this competition, but it cannot be prevented. If we do happen to have... accidents, then Hyrule's finest physicians are here on hand. I assure you that the contestants are all in quite capable hands." King Harkinian nodded knowingly to the competitors waiting anxiously in their own fenced-in preparation area, complete with delicately carved marble benches.
"Well then, without further ado, allow me to present to you..."
And that was how the rest of the day was spent, with the king presenting each group of fighters as their turn came, and Zelda congratulating the winners. Even those who had lost were rewarded with a token of appreciation, a small bronze medallion with the Hylian crown symbol engraved on it. Everyone accepted his or her gifts and congratulations quite graciously, all except for Lyson.
The Prince of Calatia mocked his opponents before the match, during the match, and after the match. It was quite fortunate for him that he was actually quite skilled with a sword, or his boasting would have been a very hilarious thing indeed. He and Srie formed a formidable pair, with the knight wearing down their opponents with his ridiculous strength, and the prince stepping in to finish off the tired fighter. However, it was clear that the two could not be defined as a "team" in any way or form. Lyson was always ordering Srie around, but the knight never flinched or seemed angry. The spectators appeared to adore him for that, always cheering for Srie but never for Lyson, which of course, made the Prince of Calatia very very angry.
As the contest proceeded, it soon became clear between which two "teams" the final battle would take place. One of them was the combination of Lyson and Srie, and the other was, of course, the team of Hyrule's very own beloved hero, Link, and Kira. If Lyson's and Srie's matches had been amazing, then Link's and Kira's were downright spectacular, mostly due to Link's swordsmanship, of course.
Even without the Gilded Sword, the Hero of Time was an unbelievably good swordsman, winning matches without hurting his opponents at all. He blocked or dodged all of their attacks, almost if he knew their every move ahead of time. And when they let their guard down, even for just a split second, he had his sword at their necks, effectively ending the match. It was a risky move, one that a less experienced swordsman would surely have botched, but Link's control over his weapon was so fine-tuned that he could stop his blade within a hairsbreadth of his opponents' skin, even if that very same blade had been in a powerful swing only moments before.
Kira was not nearly as skilled with a sword as Link, but she made a decent partner for him, defeating weaker opponents and distracting stronger ones long enough for Link to finish the match. The Hero of Time was grateful for her assistance, but he was sure that he would have been more grateful if it wasn't for Kira's endless teasing every time they won a match. The girl truly believed that Zelda would always congratulate her hero with "a special look," reserved only for him, and being the dedicated matchmaker that she was, would start to point at Link and laugh.
Needless to say, Link was very embarrassed by that, especially when the teasing took place in front of the crowds... and Ruto. The crowds, like all other crowds, were very fond of gossip, so it didn't take long for them to come to a conclusion about their princess and hero. Ruto... Link didn't even want to think of what Ruto would be doing. He tried not to maintain eye contact with the Princess of the Zoras, but it was rather hard resisting the urge to look for the source of the loud "Linky-poo! Over here, Linky-poo!" that was... broadcast over the crowds every time he and Kira won a match. Yes, the gossip was much better. Of course, even if he denied it publicly, Link didn't mind the gossip much at all, as long as it didn't go too far... After all, Zelda was very pretty...
Wait! What am I thinking?
The Hero of Time shook his head lightly, trying to clear his mind of his... very uncharacteristic yet pleasant... thoughts. Kira had been unusually quiet during the latest round of congratulations, and she hadn't made a single noise after she softly accepted Zelda's praises. Suspecting that the problem had something to do with the fact that their next opponents were Lyson and Srie, Link soon found the reason why.
Sitting all alone on a marble bench in the corner was Kira. She was absentmindedly polishing her Triforce pendant with her sleeve, eyes staring blankly at the shiny golden trinket. Link sauntered over and sat himself down next to her.
"Nervous?" Link asked.
Kira nodded.
"There's no reason to be. You're doing perfectly fine. The goal isn't to kill, remember? Don't have to worry, you know."
Kira slowly looked up at Link. "But I just feel so... anxious... I don't know why; I'm always so scared whenever I have to face a problem... I can't help myself..." She looked down at her pendant again.
Thinking for a moment, the Hero of Time asked, "Well, why don't we discuss a strategy instead? Help you take your mind off the stress?"
"Sure..."
Link grinned. "Right. I've got it all planned out. You take on Lyson. I think you'll be able to match him. Try to wear him out. I'll come and help you as soon as I take care of that lumbering hunk of armor."
Kira looked up again. "Al... Alright. I'll try... But what if-"
"What if we can't beat them? Hey! Are you doubting my prowess as the number one hero in Hyrule?"
"Link... But this is so much more dangerous than the other contests... There's no guarantee that we won't get hurt... we might even be..."
"Killed? Like I told you, we're not supposed to kill. Of course, I can't be sure of Lyson's intentions, but think about it. What if we don't even attempt to win in this competition? Then wouldn't we just be letting Lyson get what he wants? And there's no way I'm letting him lay his dirty, grimy paws on Zelda." Link clenched his fists tightly; just thinking about the Prince of Calatia made him angry.
Kira smiled, a somewhat evil glint in her eye. "You're being really protective now... See? I knew you liked her!"
Caught unawares by that comment, Link stuttered, trying to think up a reasonably good answer. "No! That's not true! I'm just... I... I... um... It's cause I'm a knight! Yeah! And we knights have to protect our liege, you know."
"That's a stupid reason." Kira looked away again, seemingly still distressed at the thought of fighting their toughest opponents yet.
"But it is true. And I'm glad that you're not so nervous anymore. You have to be sure of your every action, and you can't hold back just because you're scared. That's no way to triumph in a swordfight. So why don't we get out there and win? That'll solve everything."
"Thanks, Link. Thanks for making me not so nervous anymore... I get so... frightened... whenever I face a problem I can't solve..."
The Hero of Time grinned and answered, "It's nothing. But we really must work on that courage of yours... Maybe Zelda can help you get a bit more confidence. I wish I could help, but it's best left to a girl..." He turned his head toward the sky, trying to look as thoughtful as possible.
"Are you trying to hint at something?"
"'Course not. Now why don't we go and crush Lyson's fantasies?"
"Sure!"
Both Hylians picked up their respective contest weapons and headed for the mock battlefield. Lyson and Srie were already there, and upon Link and Kira's arrival, both teams took their places on either side of the field. The judge had left to get a drink of water, so there was nothing left to do but stare at each other. Kira felt confident and cheerful; thanks to the talk she had had with Link just a few minutes before. Moments later, she found the temporary courage Link had given her quickly dispersing under the unnerving faceless stare of Srie. Luckily, before she descended into a state of panic, Kira remembered what Link had suggested to relieve her tension previously to the match. She tried to muse over other things.
She first attempted to figure out Lyson's motives for being so... well... mean, for lack of a better way to put it. Recognizing that it was impossible to do, Kira decided that Lyson was just annoying and mean for the sake of being annoying and mean, even though she wished he wasn't.
It would have been fun to make friends with a Calatian prince...
Kira looked over at Link, who was engaged in a vicious staring match with Lyson. She sighed.
Then again... There's always the problem of loving Zelda...
Suddenly, the voice of the judge disrupted her thoughts, and Kira realized with a grin that she had just, for the first time, stopped herself from panicking. She was ready for this match and anything that would happen!
"Begin!" the judge shouted, and a split second later, both teams were hurling themselves toward each other, weapons at the ready.
Just as they had planned before, Link immediately attacked Srie, leaving Kira to deal with Lyson. He noticed a quick look of surprise on the prince's face before directing all his attention toward the Calatian knight. Srie was on the offensive, so the hero decided to take a defensive position, to see if he could wear the knight out. After a few dodges and rolls, Link chanced a quick glance at Kira and Lyson. She was holding her own, blocking all of Lyson's blows, but he wasn't sure how long she would be able to endure. The Hero of Time jumped out of the way just in time to avoid Srie's axe. The knight was swinging the weapon with all his might, bringing it down heavily on the ground every time, with a force strong enough to cleave a wooden shield in half and seriously dent an iron one.
But that was also his weakness. Srie needed a lot of time to wind up before each swing, thus allowing Link to dodge all of his blows with relative ease. The Hero of Time couldn't help but picture the knight as an Iron Knuckle; the styles of fighting were rather similar. He would have to question Srie about it after the match. Rolling out of the way of yet another axe swing, Link shifted his glance toward Kira to see how she was doing with Lyson. What he noticed was not exactly heart-warming...
He had to finish off the knight... and fast. Link could see that Kira couldn't hang in much longer; she was starting to falter under Lyson's relentless barrage of sword swings and thrusts. Added to her dilemma was the fact that Lyson was constantly belittling her sword-wielding skills. It was obvious that the insults were taking effect, as the girl flinched noticeably at every comment thrown at her. Link grit his teeth and turned back to face Srie. He would deal with that problem later.
After "reviewing" all of his past experiences with Iron Knuckles in his mind, Link decided that he was extremely happy he had chosen a wooden shield instead of an iron one. Quickly devising a solution to his current predicament, the hero changed his grip on his shield from a sturdy grasp to a more impractical position. Ignoring the spectators' frantic screams for him to change his grip back to his original one, Link steeled himself for Srie's next blow. Just as the Calatian knight brought his axe down... hard... Link threw his shield at the incoming weapon. As he had expected, the iron axe cut through the wood cleanly and easily. There was, of course, an added bonus, something that Link had predicted would happen, and did happen. Srie stopped for a moment, both surprised and shocked that his opponent had just given up his own shield. That moment was all that Link needed. Stepping behind Srie, Link struck the base of the knight's helmet with a vicious blow, just as he had done before. And just like last time, the Calatian fighter fell to the ground with a heavy thud, completely out cold.
Thrilled with his victory, Link quickly turned his sights on Lyson, who had now almost entirely overpowered Kira. Knowing full well that the Prince of Calatia was a worthy swordsman in his own right, Link approached the battle cautiously. Lyson had noticed his knight's unfortunate fall, and was cursing readily. Seeing Link advancing did not allay his temper in any way. He had originally planned on letting Srie crush the girl so he could have a one-on-one match with the annoying peasant called Link. And even though his plans had been destroyed, Lyson was still set on having his way. Especially if that way would bring him closer to gaining Zelda's affection. The prince held up his hand, signaling that he wanted a pause in the action. Both Link and Kira stared at him confusedly, but obeyed the rules of the competition anyway. Lyson turned to the judge of the match, a strange glint in his eye.
"Your Honor. I would like to have a single match with that... Link," he stated as sweetly as he could manage.
The judge looked at King Harkinian, confused. No one had foreseen this... complication, and the judge had no idea how to deal with it. The king debated over it for a few moments before nodding to the judge, who, in turn, agreed to Lyson's request and announced it to the spectators.
The stadium was silent as Link and Lyson took their places on either side of the mock battlefield. Kira reluctantly allowed a soldier to lead her off the field, but she just had to smile when she noticed Zelda's worried expression as the princess kept her eyes glued on Link.
A drum sounded, and the match began.
The two swordsmen circled each other, each looking for an open spot. Lyson lunged first, thrusting his sword violently at Link. With a quick sidestep, the Hero of Time dodged the attack and retaliated with one of his own, which Lyson blocked. Then, the Prince of Calatia launched into a flurry of rapid sword strokes, with Link blocking each one as it flew at him. The final one, however, caught him off guard, and the hero was barely able to twist out of the way. He felt the cool metal of the sword glide by his shoulder, and was surprised to feel something wet and warm trickle down his arm soon after.
Blood... But... the blade should be dull! And there wasn't enough force for it to cut! Unless...
Link stared at Lyson murderously, who smirked and held up his sword for Link to see. There, on its blade, was the faint trace of the red of blood... and the Hero of Time knew instantly what had happened.
That dirty little... He somehow either sharpened his blade before the match or got another sword!
The judge had uttered no complaint, a sure sign that he had not noticed. Knowing all too well that protesting would be futile, Lyson would find a way to deny everything, Link clenched his teeth shut and decided to continue with the match. It wouldn't be the first time he had fought on with an injury and it definitely wouldn't be the last. The Prince of Calatia smirked again and brought up his sword for another round of attacks.
This time, however, it was Link who struck first. Catching Lyson completely by surprise, Link knocked the offending weapon out of the prince's hands with one swift blow. He then proceeded to wrestle Lyson to the ground, and ended the match with his sword tip barely touching the Prince of Calatia's throat. The crowds roared with wild cheering as Link smirked at Lyson, just as the prince had done before.
Trying his best to block out the shouts of the onlookers, Link whispered quietly, almost inaudibly, into the ear of a still shocked Lyson, "You thought you had won... and that was all that I needed."
Releasing his grip on the prince, Link stood up and turned toward the podium, crashing into Zelda by doing so. Both hero and princess blushed, but Zelda recovered faster, leading Link excitedly toward the raised dais where the king and Kira were waiting.
Zelda smiled at her hero while holding his hand up in the air to force him to wave to his fans. "Link! You had me so worried!" she exclaimed.
"Ah... you didn't have to. Didn't you think I could win?" Link grinned back, still blushing, but remembering to hide his wound from Zelda.
"Of course I knew... but I still don't want you hurt, you know that, don't you?"
"Yeah... Um... Thanks for caring." With that, the conversation ended as the two reached the podium, the spectators still wildly cheering, and the competitors happily clapping.
King Harkinian smiled at Link as he approached. "Ah Link. You have done Hyrule proud. And you too Kira."
Both young Hylians bowed slightly at the compliment, and Zelda beamed at her father. The King of Hyrule continued, "Therefore, as a reward for your grea-"
Lyson's shrill and indignant voice interrupted the king's words as spectators, contestants, and Royal Family alike stared at the prince, annoyed. "Your Majesty! They cheated! I demand a rematch!" Lyson practically screamed as he ran up the stairs of the podium, panting.
The King of Hyrule took matters into his own hands. "Prince Lyson. I saw no such thing, nor did the judges notice any peculiarities about your match. You did a splendid job; that is certain, but this competition has been won by Sir Link and Lady Kira. You will not dispute against that any longer."
Lyson looked as if he were ready to murder someone. "My father shall hear about this! Just you watch!"
"Hyrule and Calatia have enjoyed a friendly relationship for hundreds of years. Your father, King Cirlatan, will see no reason to threaten that relationship. So I must apologize, but Prince Lyson, your threats will do you no good at all. I suggest you retire to your room to think this carefully over."
Lyson stormed angrily off the podium, muttering curses and threats of revenge under his breath. Srie followed him sullenly for a while, then headed off into a small thicket. King Harkinian turned to Zelda and smiled sweetly. "Zelda, will you greet your knight?"
The Princess of Destiny blushed fiercely and faced Link, who turned red immediately. Kira, standing off at one side, giggled silently until both princess and hero glared at her. She looked away, trying to contain her merriment.
"Link, no... Sir Link... for your great achievements and as the male member of the winning team, I proclaim you... the guest-of-honor at the annual ball which will be held in a few weeks!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as Link gently took Zelda's gloved hand into his own and slowly leaned to place a tiny kiss on the back of her hand. The princess of Hyrule turned beet red, but beamed at her hero, who returned her smile. They were hesitating about what to do next before Kira grabbed both their hands and grinned.
"Come on you two lovebirds! We have to go get you two ready for the big dance! I can't wait to see what you're gonna wear!" she announced excitedly, dragging them off the podium in the direction of the castle, despite their protests.
And in the wildly cheering stands, a lone figure, cloaked from head to toe, smirked.
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A/N: So... the competition is finally over! And the ball's coming next! With its share of surprises, of course. Any ideas who the "lone figure" is? Does anyone still want to guess who the "antagonist" of this fic is? Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I suck at writing fight scenes, don't I? Anyway... Please R/R!