Inspiration: The Ambiguous Law of Sines, lithostratigraphy, quartz and shale rocks, sine waves, harmonics in music, "Quest 64," by THQ (the crystal caves), the liturgical words: ira, superbia, & avarita, and "Tree of Life" album by Audiomachine for the 2020 reedit.
All Original Shout Outs: Guest, Jolie, Stagetrinity, thanks for reading new reading new readers.
Recommended Readings: "Little Lies," by Stagetrinity; "I Dream of Jeanie," UniqueRosa Damascena; "Different Kind of Hero," by Silver Warrior.
Author Note: Reupload 3/4/2020. Reedited 4/2/2020.
Word Count: 14,390
Chapter 9
Three days later
After leaving Castle Town, Link and I spent the next three days traveling across Hyrule Field. Castle Town was a nice pit stop, but it was too close for comfort for me. I was grateful to sleep in a warm bed, but the delay set us back half a day. In addition to that, my concerns regarding Dr. Borville and his staff prompted me to write another letter to Lydia and Shad. In it, I told them if any rumors started about me and the hero, please ignore them, and also to increase security in the surrounding provinces. Shad would probably be more confused regarding the situation than Lydia, but it would be nearing a month soon that I was gone, so he needed to be kept abreast. I had to keep the ruse going, and a tryst for a month with Prince Elbourne would be illogical at this point, especially given what happened in Castle Town with the doctor. Although, the town's people had no qualms believing it if that man who spoke with Link was any barometer.
In any such case, I told them to make a public announcement that I sailed to Balaam to look after family there, which wasn't a complete falsehood. I did have family there. However, I did inform them that I would still be in Hyrule and I would contact them soon. I didn't sign either letter with my insignia, but I made sure to add information that they would both know that I only knew. What bothered me most about Dr. Borville was the time he took away from caring for his patient to focus on me and Link. That woman could have died because of his salacious nature. It was frustrating how selfish he was in that moment. Even so, I shouldn't have just stood in his office with my mouth agape. If Link hadn't been there, it would have been more disastrous. Unfortunately, to make matters more complicated, there was an article published in the morning issue of the Hyrule Historia regarding Link's recent 'secret marriage'. The article was on the last page, but it managed to take up four columns. Boreville wasted no time. Or, perhaps it was the patient, or the nurses with the slippy mouths. Who had four columns of gossip to write about with one utterance? Link reassured me this gossip would blow over. However, I wasn't so certain. It would be hard to refute the printed page in some people's minds.
In the mean time, my list of concerns were growing. With each passing day there seemed to be a new problem presenting itself. Before leaving the city, Link picked up a copy of the afternoon issue of the Hyrule Historia from the previous day. There was an article on the front page talking about the growing incidents of the Arbiter's Tribe pillaging across the country. That woman and her children were not a one off occurrence. It was highly likely the men we fought yesterday were members of the Arbiter's Tribe. We were fortunate to only meet them in passing, but it was quite possible the odds of that were going to increase. The article went on to explain that the marauders weren't just a band of thugs, but actually scavengers for a cult. Everything Shad and Rusl warned me about was coming true. It was believed the bandits were gathering things for their 'leader'. Who or what their 'leader' was was still a mystery. Did it have anything to do with the mirror? Were the attributes coming into play somehow? I couldn't lie. I was unsettled after reading that.
To add to the problems, there was the ongoing lack of transparency from Hylia. I understood she was the Goddess of the land, so essentially her word was law. However, I didn't think she would be the adjudicator of willful deceit. No matter how many times I asked, she was not going to be clear with me regarding the true nature of this mission. Even Link was beginning to pick up on that. The goddess's secrecy, coupled with the veiled, and not so veiled, warnings from the guardians, was telling me that this venture was possibly leading to a disaster. But, what disaster? That I wasn't sure of, and that was what I needed to know. Why wasn't the goddess being more clear? Why was this endeavor not as black and white as it was once was purported to be?
Why?
Why?
Why?
Another clear and present danger was this business regarding this Sheikah individual. Who was this person? And, why was he so keen on stopping me and Link? If he was a true servant of the royal family, he wouldn't have been hostile in his dealings with us. Something about him seemed off from the very beginning. Why of all things was his first conversation with me a threat? Why didn't he offer to lend a hand in helping me with that woman? Why did he first aide Link, only to fight him afterwards? What were his true motives? I had a terrible feeling we were going to meet him again, and soon. It felt like everything was coming to a head all at once.
I took in a deep sigh.
Can it get any worse?
The days ahead would let us know. In the mean time, it was mid-morning and we were about three quarters of the way to the actual gorge. We could visualize it in the distance. Even from here it was mesmerizing. The light spectra dazzled even in the day time, with refracted rainbow-like light shining into the heavens. We passed several posts warning us of the danger ahead. It was amazing that something so beautiful was also the death of so many. As we traveled, Link and I didn't speak much. I think we were just too preoccupied. The hero looked lost in his thoughts, and I thought the journey overall was taxing. The last few weeks had been a revelation. I was beginning to think he had something very troubling on his mind. I hope he didn't think I was dissuaded from my goal. I wasn't. I was still determined to help him find Midna no matter what.
I decided to address him about that.
"If you're going to have that expression on your face great hero, then you are begging for a question to be asked of you." I finally broke the silence.
Link didn't respond right away, but he did grin at my utterance.
"A simple 'are you okay Link?' will suffice."
I smiled.
"Your point has been made, but then I wouldn't have gotten the reaction, thus the smile."
He turned and stared at me for just a moment. His smile widened.
"I suppose."
I then let my head fall slightly to my left shoulder.
"No, but really," I changed my tone a little, "what's the matter?"
He sighed and shook his dark blonde tresses.
"It's pretty much the same thing that's been bothering me since we left Castle Town. I was just thinking about that warrior and some of the things he said."
I nodded.
"And by 'that warrior' I assume you mean the bandaged fellow."
Link nodded and returned to looking ahead.
"He was so unusual. He was insistent that what we are doing is going to bring about the destruction of Hyrule."
I was frustrated at the thought of all these doomsday prophecies. I couldn't ignore them, but I didn't want to give them the power that gave them their influence. It was important to keep them in mind, but they also needed to be kept at bay. Ganondorf was sealed away. The Moon Goddess was not a threat to my people. Vaati had not risen. Zant no longer had any influence. A lot of good had been done by Link's actions. I didn't want this endeavor to give unnecessary power to those who no longer had it. I was not going to let that ninja take our goals away from us. We worked too hard to get to where we were. I tried to lend a more optimistic viewpoint.
"He may have just been saying that to deter us. There are imbeciles every day trying to predict the downfall of Hyrule."
Link looked on thoughtfully, but shook his head anyway.
"This wasn't an empty threat Zelda. That ninja was dead serious. I really believe we will see him again."
There was no denying that, but I wanted to appear confident.
"If so it will be his disadvantage. There's no one that can stand against the Hero of Twilight."
Link then looked at me surprised.
"I appreciate that, but I believe you think too highly of me your majesty," he replied humbly. "Although I will agree that I am competent in my ability, any man can have a bad day in combat."
I grinned at him and decided to coax him further. One thing I knew about men, they loved a little encouragement. Goddesses, they loved a lot of encouragement.
"It's Zelda, remember? And I fear you think too little of yourself. You should wear the title Hero of Twilight with pride."
Link smiled at my notion, but shook his head again while looking ahead of us.
"You know what they say about pride Zelda."
His point was taken, but in some instances I couldn't say I always agreed with it. Pride wasn't a terrible thing as long as it had its place.
"What's that?" I asked anyway.
Link shrugged.
"It comes before the fall."
It was then I gave an exaggerated sigh and rolled my eyes pretentiously.
"I've never completely agreed with that. I think it's all in how a person exhibits their pride. If you only show it in times of distress, then it is not a faulty virtue to have. Pride in one's lineage and country are not faults either."
Link turned his head slightly.
"You consider pride a virtue?"
I thought about the question for a moment. I suppose in the way I said my previous statement I was making that deduction. However, I couldn't say that pride didn't have its virtuous moments. I think if Hylians were more lateral thinkers they could see that pride didn't always stem from a negative construct. There was good to be had from the feeling as well.
"It can be a vice or a virtue. It all depends on how it's displayed."
Link paused before he answered, then finally nodded in agreement.
"I guess that's a good way of looking at it. Most people would say it's the first."
I had a counter for that.
"Most people look at things with only vices in mind. More people need to expand their minds and see the virtue behind it. Virtue isn't some grand concept where vice isn't teetering right along the opposite side."
Link nodded again.
"You do that Triforce of Wisdom justice Zelda. I never thought to think of it that way."
I smiled.
It was wonderful impressing such an honorable man. This was the way I hoped it would be between us, civil. I was enjoying our conversations very much, and by the end of all this I hoped we would be friends again. Or, if not friends, at the very least friendly acquaintances. I didn't want another five years to pass us by and we not speak to each other. I was more optimistic now than I was a few weeks ago. Even so, I knew all that desire was going to take time.
Link spoke up again.
"Since we were on the subject of virtues. I wanted to apologize to you."
I was puzzled just then.
"For what?"
Link took a long time hesitating before answering.
"For my saying you weren't a warrior back in Ordon. I realize how stupid and foolish my behavior was. My anger got the better of me."
My cheeks blushed.
I wasn't expecting this.
"It's alright."
He shook his head, stopped his horse, and turned to look up at me once again.
"No Zelda, it isn't alright. It wasn't right for me to disrespect you like that in front of everyone. The other day you more than proved me wrong. You shot those arrows with amazing accuracy, and if you weren't with me, that woman and her entire family would have died."
My cheeks flushed more with the way he was looking at me. I just couldn't help it.
"I..." I did not know what to say, "I thank you for that."
He stared into my eyes for a long time and didn't reply right away. He finally grinned to ease the subtle tension.
"You're welcome," he whispered.
Link reached up and placed his hand over mine and squeezed it affectionately. I was surprised at this and had to look away to make light of it. Everything was going so well between us... too well it seemed, to be quite honest. My natural cynicism was creeping back to the fore. When was this perfect scenario going to end? When was he going to start hating me again? I was surmising this because now would have been an excellent time to clear the air and try to start over officially. However, I wasn't sure how Link was going to feel about us discussing the past. He made it clear to me a couple weeks ago that he did not even want to consider it. But, I knew that wasn't reality. It wasn't going to stay in the background forever. Eventually, we were going to have to address it. I decided to try and be subtle about my approach regarding it again.
"Besides, I knew where all that anger was coming from when I first showed up in your village."
Link was silent, but seemed surprised by the directness in my statement. So much for subtlety. However, he still wasn't baited into the conversation. He slowly let my hand go and I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was debating whether we should address this now or later. That 'it' was conjuring itself in his head like an old festering wound. He narrowed his eyes slightly, but still didn't say anything regarding the matter. I avoided his gaze, hoping he would say something about the past. Anything. Even if it was just a small acknowledgement. However, as it stood, that was just wishful thinking on my part. He said nothing.
Do you want to talk about it now Link?
My heart started beating faster. However, the hero turned back around and moved Epona forward once again.
"Even still," he ignored my attempt, "I was out of line. You have nothing to prove to me. You're an extraordinary marks woman."
I appreciated his kind words, but I was a little disappointed that he didn't even want to venture into discussing our misgivings. But, when I considered the issues from his point of view, I could understand where his reluctance was coming from. There was a great deal of pain still there for him, for the both of us actually. I decided to let the matter go for now, even though I felt that now was the perfect time. I wanted to discuss our problems when we were both ready. I didn't want to discuss anything when we were emotional. Nothing beneficial would come of that. I also knew that ignoring it wasn't healthy either. Sooner or later, we were going to have to discuss it.
"I thank you again. That means a lot… really."
When he heard how quiet I got, Link turned to look at me and grinned when he saw the color at my cheeks.
"I knew it," he said, and with a light chuckle added, "you just can't help yourself, can you Zelda?"
I looked down at Epona and shrugged. That had to be his favorite question to ask me.
"I guess not." I wished the burn would go away.
Link chuckled more at my reply, which made me grin. I really enjoyed his laugh, he sounded so carefree when he laughed.
"Don't worry too much about it. It's actually very flattering on you. It always has been, even when we worked together."
The compliment made me blush more. I rolled my eyes at how ridiculous I was being.
Come on Zelda, get a hold of yourself. It was merely a compliment.
"Thank you once more kind sir."
He grinned, then countered with the usual.
"It's Link, remember? And a simple 'thank you' will suffice."
I wouldn't look at him now.
"Right." I wished I wasn't feeling like such a prude in that moment.
I couldn't help but think if ancestral mother were in my place, she would have taken advantage of this conversation and had the hero laughing for a completely different reason. She would have said something witty or off the wall and have him bursting at the seams with laughter. I wish I were more spontaneous like her. Though Link laughed at some of the things I commented on, I think it was more because of my unassuming inflections than my words per se. In any such case, it wasn't a big concern, I just appreciated spontaneity and wished I possessed more of it. Maybe if I learned more peasant vernacular, I could do so. Even so, we rode along in silence for several more miles before either one of us spoke again. I spoke up first and decided to ask him about Midna. I wanted to know more about the illustrious twilight queen from his point of view. I wanted to know why he was so fascinated with her.
"Tell me about Midna," I said suddenly.
Link was mildly taken aback by the subject.
"Excuse me?"
I had no qualms.
"Tell me about Midna. What was she like? Why was she so fascinating? Tell me about why she's so perfect for you."
Link paused notably at the inquiries. I shouldn't have been surprised by that.
"Why?"
I shrugged.
"I'm just curious. If you think I'm prying, you don't have to tell me."
Link didn't want to seem unreasonable.
"It's not that. I just... didn't think you would be interested."
I grinned.
"Well I am. So tell me, don't keep me in suspense."
He probably thought it was odd that I was essentially asking about the 'other' woman, but I didn't care about that. I wanted to know why he was so enamored with her.
Link ran a hand through his hair and looked uncomfortable for a moment.
"Uh... she's a good and decent person."
I giggled with how he said that.
"A good and decent person? That's all?"
He shrugged.
"What do you want me to say?"
"I want you to be honest."
"I am being honest. She is a good and decent person."
I smiled.
"You can find a girl like that a rupee a dozen. It has to be more than that. Come on, tell me."
He took in a deep sigh.
"Zelda..."
I giggled and pressed him more.
"She's good and decent, AND beautiful?"
He was reluctant, but he nodded.
"Yes."
We were making progress.
"And funny?"
It was brief, but I noted a blush at his cheeks when I uttered that. Link blushed over a comment. Would the wonders ever cease?
"In her own way, sure."
I giggled again at his facial expression.
"And smart?"
He nodded.
"Of course."
I smiled and paused.
"You see, that wasn't so bad."
Link then stopped Epona and turned to face me. He studied my features for a moment. His expression went from perplexity to suspicion all in one go. I think he thought I was being insincere. I didn't know why. I had no malice.
"What?" I asked anyway.
He shook his head.
"You don't have to do this."
I then looked at him confused.
"What are you talking about? Do what?"
He studied my face again.
"You know what I mean."
I raised my hands in surrender.
"I promise I do not."
Link stared at me hard in that instance and shook his head.
"You're forcing yourself to talk about Midna when you don't want to. You don't have to do that."
I looked at him taken aback at his conjecture.
"I most certainly was not doing that," I insisted. "You couldn't be more wrong."
He gave me a disingenuous look.
"I think I'm pretty right about this one. All things considered."
I shook my head. I had no idea what he was talking about.
"I'm just making conversation."
He scoffed gently.
"Stop it Zelda. You know that isn't true."
I was offended by what he was implying.
"I don't have to lie to you Link about this. There are no ulterior motives here."
He was not convinced.
"You don't have to, but you are," he accused outright.
My mouth became agape at that.
"Excuse me?"
Link didn't flinch.
"I don't think I need to repeat myself."
I was not going to let that slide.
"You're taking a very conceited position by assuming so much Link."
He started petting Epona's mane.
"I think in this case I'm justified."
That was just arrogant.
"I beg your pardon? You're being ridiculous."
He went to test that notion.
"Am I?" he challenged. "Do you really want to hear from me how much I love her? How much I miss her? How much I dream about her? Is that something you really want to put yourself through to prove you're strong?"
I froze at hearing that. I couldn't lie, those words stung and I wasn't expecting them to. I looked at him taken aback. I didn't answer right away.
"I... I wasn't asking about that at all," I reassured. "I just wanted to know what she was like."
Link didn't obfuscate.
"But you were," he ignored my last point.
I wasn't going to let him brand me.
"I wasn't."
We were becoming circular.
"But that's what we would have gotten to, wouldn't we?" he countered. "That's what the eventuality would be."
This was frustrating.
"I was only trying to create small talk. I wasn't trying to grandstand."
He scoffed unintentionally.
"You can stop now. We both know that isn't true."
That comment was not necessary.
"Now you're just being rude. Please don't tell me what my intentions are. You have no right to do that."
He gave me another obvious look.
"Then don't ask questions you aren't ready to hear the answers for."
I was not going to let that slide either.
"On the contrary, I am ready. I've been ready. I'm not afraid to hear what you have to say."
Link shook his head and then giddied Epona again, completely ignoring my last statement.
"This is ridiculous," he muttered and started walking us once more.
However, I tugged back on the reigns to stop the mare. She actually obeyed my command. Link turned and looked at his horse surprised, then up at me.
"Zelda, we have to get going. This is nonsense."
"This is not nonsense. Your implications are unreasonable. Now, answer my questions, your arrogance is keeping you from telling me."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"And your pride is making you act like this. So now you want to revert us back to what we are: you being the queen and me being your servant. You want to demand answers from me now? Why don't you just command me then?"
My breathing quickened, but not due to embarrassment, but from anger.
"You still think I'm that scared woman you left five years ago, but you're wrong. I've changed, I'm not running any longer. I'm not jealous of her the way I once was. I'm aware of how different our relationship is now Link. However, I wasn't asking you anything with any malicious intent. I was asking you because I hoped you considered me your friend."
Link stared at me long and hard before he replied.
"You think you have a right to say these things to me?"
I nodded.
"As a matter of fact I do. I didn't realize there were borders on conversation!"
Link looked away, but I saw him struggling to keep his composure.
"Zelda... I'm not telling you. That's the end of it. Now, we need to get to the canyon before it gets dark." He attempted to guide Epona again, but again I stopped him. "Zelda-"
"Stop ignoring me. Stop ignoring this. Why are you so sensitive about Midna?"
Link looked my way again and lost his patience in that instance.
"Because I love her alright!" he raised his voice. "I don't want to talk about her because I love her! I miss her! I feel like a part of me is gone without her! That's why I don't want to talk about her, especially with you!"
There was an immediate silence that followed that I wish hadn't, but there was no stopping it. I understood all too well what that last part meant. It didn't take a genius to understand his position on the matter. I looked away from him and felt my throat tighten. I guess we still had a long way to go.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you angry."
Link closed his eyes and pursed his lips together.
"I'm not angry."
I forced a chuckle and turned to him again.
"Like hell you're not," I said more honestly than I wanted to, then got to the heart of the matter. "You know this is deeper than Midna. You know this is about us. This is about your disdain for me. This is about a conversation you refuse to want to have!"
Link immediately shook his head.
"I'm not going there. I refuse to relive that nightmare again."
He was proving my point.
"Link you'll never forgive me unless you do." My voice started breaking and I hated myself for it. "Please I-"
"You think you have a right to demand this of me? You have no rights to anything from me except my service to the country! That's all!"
That hurt even more. I stared at him and felt my eyes sting. I said nothing.
"First Ilia and now Midna," he went on for some reason. "Why do you need to know my relationships with either of them? Why is it any of your business?"
I refused to allow my tears to fall.
"I don't," I said simply to the first question, "and it's not," I said of the other. "I was speaking to you much in the same way you were asking about Elbourne."
Link groaned at the dragon prince's name and cut his eyes to me.
"Don't you ever compare Ilia or Midna to that scum Elbourne! They have honor. He doesn't know what that means!"
I was stunned at this turn of events. This all happened because of a question I asked about Midna. A question about Midna. It made me realize nothing had changed for us really at all. The progress we made was artificial at best and evaporated in an instant with this one conversation. I hoped for so much more. It seemed I would need to keep hoping.
"I never compared either one of them to the dragon prince." I tried to keep calm, but he was testing my patience. "However, you can't make deductions on a subject you have no authority on. Elbourne is many things, but he has always been loyal to me. He's always been my friend."
Link looked at me taken aback.
"Are you suggesting I haven't? Are you comparing me to that bastard?"
"If you have to ask those questions then perhaps you need to revisit history Link," I replied.
He stared at me in disbelief.
"I need to revisit history? Do you hear yourself? Do you even know how deluded that sounds?"
There was another silence that followed and I immediately regretted saying those things to him. Feeling vindicated in a moment was never a substitute for real progress. Even so, what was done was done. The hero stared at me with a hint of disbelief and I was growing tired of this back and forth. I hated quarreling. I hated it.
Link shook his head.
"I'm not the villain here your majesty, and if you think finding a goddamn mirror erases what you've done, you're wrong. You are incredibly wrong."
That poignant remark cut deep. He sounded exactly as he did when I first got reacquainted with him in Ordon. The anger was still there. The hatred was still there. Nothing had changed. Nothing had changed at all. I didn't expect miracles, but I hoped for at least civility. We had it for a little while, but now it was gone. Maybe the dream was over. Maybe this was the true reality from now on. I would rather it be out in the open than brimming beneath the surface. I was tired of the facades. If Link hated me, I wanted him to hate me openly. However, I realized something else too, I didn't have to put up with this charade. I didn't have to subject myself to being constantly attacked. He refused to talk about the past, but then weaponized it for his convenience. I didn't have to subject myself to that. If Link was so hell bent on being grudge worthy, I saw no point in doing this. There was no reason to go any farther if he found my company so detestable. Afterward, I dismounted from Epona, which surprised him a little. He stood unflinching as I walked up to him and stared him straight in the eyes. I wanted a concession. That was all.
"Do you want to forget this whole endeavor then? Because I see no point in going any farther if this is something you no longer want."
Link stared back, but didn't look as sure as he did a moment ago. He probably wasn't expecting me to be so direct. But, what other choice did I have? Seriously, what choice did I have? He looked to be pondering deeply on what I said. It was then I decided to address his apparent issue with my speaking about his precious Midna as well. I wanted to be clear. I wanted to assure him I meant no ill will.
I spoke up once more.
"Look, I know... I know how much you love her. All I want is for you to have the opportunity to see your beloved again. Why don't you let me try and make things right so the two of you can be together? I'm sorry about what happened to you years ago. I'm sorry I was the person who put you through a great deal of that. I was wrong... I was terribly terribly wrong. But now I implore you to let me try to make things right. That's all I want to do. All I want is your happiness Link. However, the choice is yours. Do you want to forget this endeavor and go home, or do you want to keep going?"
There was a long silence that followed my utterance. The conviction in my tone and the sincerity of my words must have resonated with him on some level. His manner shifted a little judging from the expression now on his face. He had to know he was being unreasonable at this point. He had to. Even so, he rolled his eyes and looked away. He took in a deep breath and sighed. I waited fully expecting him to accept my offer.
A moment later, he grunted and turned back to staring in my eyes.
"No, no I don't want to go back to Ordon. I want to keep going. I'm accompanying you because... because I want to see this through to the end. I have no intention of turning away now, especially when this opportunity has been presented to me."
Though that was the answer I fully anticipated, I paused for a moment, not certain I wanted to put up with his attitude any longer myself. If we were going to continue, we needed to come to a consensus and stop arguing. This was getting ridiculous. Either we were going to deal with our past or we weren't. But, I refused to keep playing these silly back and forth games with him. We were adults and adults dealt with matters openly, not in these tiresome squabbles.
You have to be the bigger person Zelda. Ancestral mother helped you to see the importance of taking responsibility for your own actions when it comes to him and you.
"Are you certain?" I asked anyway. "Are you sure you want to travel with me?"
He gave me an obvious look, but that didn't deter me.
"Yes, yes I'm certain."
I looked away and felt a little unsettled. Even so, I mounted Epona once more, but not with any real conviction. I worked hard to fight back the tears misting my eyes. I wasn't the type of person who liked fighting with people I cared for. I knew Link saw me as a horrible individual right now, but I didn't see him the same way. My throat tightened and I was trying so hard not to become emotional.
Fight it Zelda, he doesn't feel the same way. Fight it.
"Well then…" my voice broke a little, "shall we get going?"
Link looked up when he heard the crack I tried hard to conceal. I wasn't staring at him, and attempted to appear stoic. At this point, the tears were there, but I refused to let them spill over. I didn't care if he saw them at this point. I just wanted to get this over with. I saw a hint of remorse on his face from the corner of my eye as he stared at me, but he didn't bother to speak up. He actually seemed disappointed that we regressed back to this state. At least, that was what I gathered from the expression on his face.
He then pulled on Epona's reigns and rallied her along.
"Come on girl," he said gently to his mare.
I guess that was that. I was disappointed that our relationship shifted back to this unstable point. I closed my eyes and hoped for better things in the future.
We have to get past this, we have to!
We continued on our way to Kakariko Gorge.
~SSS~
Four hours later, Kakariko Gorge
We arrived at the open trenches of Eldin Fields four hours later. It was nearing dusk as we made our approach. Along the edge of the far eastern side of the planes was the entrance to the brightly lit canyon known as Kakariko Gorge. The chasm was deep, with crevices spawning for hundreds of yards into the earth. The brilliant luminescence shining heavenward was the phenomenon known as the Hylialis Borealis. The rainbow-like lights dazzled onlookers from miles away. Every year the nobles put on a fireworks show that celebrated the beauty of the Hylialis Borealis. Unfortunately, that beauty might be disappearing before the night was over. Even so, it certainly was a sight to behold, especially up close. The lights shined like a mirror and it was easy to see why people who got too close fell to their deaths without realizing it.
Once Link and I were near the entry point, I dismounted Epona and we headed for the barely seen entry at the fork in the rode. Epona was left to roam freely. Link had a whistle to call her when he needed her. Afterwards, we descended into the illuminated earth. Beyond the fork, was a narrow pathway that led down into the chasm. The light from the opposing direction shined vividly, making our way down especially difficult. I paused and nearly stumbled. Link was quick to help me.
"Careful."
I covered my hand over my heart.
"Sorry."
This is overwhelming.
Link looked at me concerned.
"Do you want me to go alone? I've been down this canyon before."
I hesitated. There was no telling what was waiting for us when we got into the canyon. These were my trials, so that very well could have meant that something was specifically planned for me as the Triforce of Wisdom bearer. I made a quick decision.
"I have to come. I don't think I have a choice."
Link was still reluctant.
"Are you sure? Are you going to be alright with the lights?"
I looked at the incandescent road ahead.
"This promises to be dangerous, but I have to go."
Link still hesitated, but then offered his hand.
"I'll lead, that way if there are any hurdles I'll come across them first."
I was concerned with that.
"But I don't want anything to happen to you."
He stared at me with a hint of surprise regarding my concern, probably due to our previous conversation. However, this was way more important than trivial squabbles.
"Nothing's going to happen to me. I have to stay alive to protect you."
Now that was a surprise to hear, but he was obviously thinking beyond pettiness as well. I looked at his hand and then took it. He squeezed it securely.
"I won't let you get lost," he reassured. "I promise."
I appreciated that.
"Thank you."
Afterwards, we headed down. I had to admit I was frightened. The lights were surreal with an almost opaque feeling. If Link was not holding my hand I would not be able to see him in front of me. I had no idea how he was able to see the road below or what was guiding him. There was a sensorial shock to my sight that was quite terrifying. I held onto Link's hand for dear life. My heart beat faster with each step. When Link stumbled for just a moment I nearly screamed, but held it in.
"Are you alright?"
He didn't answer right away.
"Yes, there's a fissure here that was not here before. Be careful on that step."
I would normally take note, but I couldn't see a thing.
"I'm afraid that's going to be difficult for me," I admitted.
Link made sure his grip was firm and then I heard him hop over a small gap in the road. My heart raced more, but his hand never left mine. Afterwards, he directed me.
"Jump."
I hesitated, but realized that was only going to delay us. I closed my eyes and said a quick prayer, hoping to get some relief. I got a little, but then jumped. I landed unpleasantly and nearly knocked the hero over.
"Sorry."
"It's fine." He kept his balance. "Are you okay?"
I nodded, knowing he couldn't see it.
"I'm okay," I reassured.
"Let's go."
Afterwards, we kept on. Finally, almost out of nowhere we reached a point where the dense light lifted and we could see each other. I was relieved. Link then let my hand go and scanned the way forward. He gestured for me to join him when he saw there were no immediate dangers. We trekked ahead, about half way down the path. At this point we found ourselves stuck at an inlet that led to a path continuing down into the great crevice. The pathway bifurcated into two separate directions: one to the left, and one to the right. It was here where Link and I encountered our first trial.
Link placed his hands on his hips.
"Great, now which way?"
A fitting question. I groaned while pondering on what to do next. My best bet was to look in the Book of Mudora and check for any clues. I removed my satchel from over my shoulder and took out the large text. I opened it to a chapter on caves and caverns. After skimming over something related to the country of Somaria, I found an obscure notation that read this way: 'when in doubt of where you need to go, take the road less ambiguous.'
I looked on perplexed.
"Less ambiguous?" I verbalized.
Link peeked into the book too.
"What are you talking about?"
I sighed.
"It's this reference here." I pointed to the paragraph. "It doesn't make sense. How are we supposed to know which road is 'less ambiguous'?"
The hero shrugged.
"I see your point. Is there anything else we can refer to?"
I skimmed the page again, and saw a tiny citation related to the word 'ambiguous'. Underneath it was a footnote. The footnote read: 'triangulate the location for the answer.'
"There's this." I pointed to the bottom of the page.
The hero read the citation.
"Hmm," he moaned, then added, "what does ambiguity have to do with a triangulation reference? It almost sounds as if it's an off reference related to mathematics, or geometry or something."
When he uttered that, I looked at Link surprised. That made perfect sense.
"Wait a minute," I felt an abrupt sense of excitement, "say that again."
Link looked at me slightly taken aback, not sure why I was suddenly so enraptured.
"It sounds like something related to mathematics?"
I closed the book immediately after that and turned to face him. I was confident that I now had the answer.
"Exactly, mathematics! Of course that's it! And what theorem is related to ambiguity and triangles?"
Link raised his hands and shrugged.
"Uh... the ambiguity triangle theorem?"
I gave him an offhanded look.
"No silly, the ambiguous law of sines!"
He looked at me perplexed for a moment.
"The ambiguous law of what?"
I rolled my eyes and shook my head at his apparent unawareness.
"The ambiguous law of sines!" I repeated enthusiastically, clasping my hands together. "The book must be referring to that! It's a theorem that determines whether a triangle is real or not."
Link's mouth opened into an 'O' of surprise, afterwards he grinned.
"Wow, that was nice of whoever to leave this clue like that."
I smiled as my confidence grew.
"Indeed it was! Now all we have to do is utilize it."
Link shook his head for no particular reason.
"I'm pretty impressed with how you figured that out. I'll tell you one thing, I'm glad you came with me. I don't think I would have figured this one out on my own."
I would have agreed with him outright if my reply didn't sound conceited.
"That's okay, we worked together to figure it out. That's why we're a team in this."
The ambiguous law of sines is a mathematical concept that uses the actual law of sines to determine the missing measurement of an angle. That measurement will constitute whether a triangle is truly a triangle. The idea is based off the scientific notation of: side, Side, and angle, or SSA for short. If a triangle has three angles and three complete sides it is real. If it didn't it isn't. It was as simple as that. Even so, how did that relate to the pathway? And better yet, what numerical computation would I use to solve whether the triangle was real or not? That was what we needed to find out.
I looked around the cavern.
"There must be something in the geography around here that simulates constant triangulation, like a nook in the road that breaks off or something. Or perhaps the book is referencing angles of sediments, which all have natural logarithmic breakdowns, thus allowing the angles to change. Maybe those numbers need to be input into the theorem to determine which road was real or not! We can calculate the trajectories using the ambiguous formulation and determine whether or not we should go right or left! That has to be it! But then what mineral is it? Is it goddess ore, or plain flint? Is it luminous rock, or sapphire stone?"
I was being dead serious in all the time I was explaining, but Link was grinning at me. That was a little surprising considering our conversation earlier, but it was nice to see. His expression made me stop for a moment and address him.
"What's so humorous?"
Link merely shrugged.
"I've just never seen anyone get as excited as you when it comes to things like this. Well, except maybe Shad."
I didn't have much to say in a manner of reply. It was what it was. I loved academia and these sorts of things excited me. I looked to the ground and nodded.
"Yes… well…" I was slightly embarrassed by my behavior, "I love riddles and such, I always have even when I was a child. It's one of the few things that comes naturally to me and I'm very good at it."
Link gave me a wayward look at my summation.
"Don't you think you're selling yourself short now? You have many talents, your intelligence just happens to be one of them."
I was surprised at the compliment considering how rude we both were to each other only a little while ago. I hated quarreling, I simply hated it, and I didn't think we would have any real civility again after our fight. I simply wanted to make amends with Link and move on with my life. I would love to have things be as they once were, but that was a concession we both had to want. Link came up to me just then and I avoided his eyes. Surprisingly, he took hold of my shoulders gently when he saw me tremble a little. I wanted to calm down, but I didn't want a repeat of earlier. I didn't want to fight with him anymore. I was so tired of fighting... I was so tired of it. I still didn't meet his eyes until he lifted my chin. I was finally forced to meet his beautiful sky blue gaze.
I waited for the inevitable.
What now?
"Yes?"
His eyes were searching my face just then.
"I want to apologize for how I treated you earlier."
I didn't answer right away. I figured he was going to say something like that. We were so cyclical at this point it was becoming a routine. We fought, we made up, we fought, we made up, we fought again, and now we were making up again.
I looked away.
"You don't have to apologize."
He shook his head.
"Yes I do. I was wrong, I'm sorry."
I didn't know what to say.
"I shouldn't have been so nosy. That would frustrate anyone."
A guilty look came across his face.
"That's no excuse. Talking to you like that is never going to be okay. Treating you with disdain is never going to be okay. You're doing this for me and I treated you like a senseless woman. Look, I know we have our issues and everything, but I want to put that all behind us. I was wrong in how I approached you."
I wanted to believe what he was saying, but I just couldn't. There was too much vitriol in our last argument.
"Link-"
He seemed determined this time.
"I'm serious Zelda, I don't want to argue with you anymore. I'm tired of going back and forth, when all I want is to go forward with you. I was wrong with what I said and I was wrong in how I said it. I don't want to spend our days traveling together walking on cuckoo shells."
My throat tightened. I really wanted to believe what he was saying.
"I don't want that either," I said anyway, feeling a slight break in my voice.
Dear goddesses, don't become emotional Zelda. Don't.
It was too late for that. My eyes already teared up. I tried to avoid his gaze, but that was proving difficult to do too. I think he saw my frustration and wanted to reassure me.
"Some of the best times have been just talking with you while we're walking or riding. That... and watching you smile. I... I really enjoy your smile Zelda. I'd forgotten how beautiful it was. You have no idea how much you light up a room. Your laughter, your brilliance, your kindness, everything."
I took a step back, taken in by his words. Where was all this coming from? I must have missed something, or perhaps I was swaying the pendulum of opinion the wrong way. Unfortunately, my eyes teared up more at his utterance. My resolve seemed to be proving futile.
The hero continued anyway.
"I realize how stupid I was with some of what I said. I know what truly happened back then. I know who's truly at fault. I know who was monopolizing hearts... and it wasn't you." He avoided my eyes for a moment. "So, because I was such a fool in how I responded and how I misspoke, I need for you to forgive me... please."
I was speechless. There was an earnestness to his tone that wasn't there before.
"I... I don't know what to say."
He looked at me hopefully.
"Say you'll forgive me for being so stupid."
His words made me chuckle.
"I wouldn't put it quite that way, but yes... of course I forgive you Link."
His eyes were still searching my face. It seemed he had a little more to get off his chest.
"I know what I'm about to say may seem out of left field, and I asked you this once a long time ago. But I was hoping we could be friends again. I really miss your friendship Zelda. You were one of the few people I completely trusted."
I couldn't believe he was saying this. This was the last thing I was expecting. The last thing. I stared at him dumbstruck for a moment.
"You... want to be my friend?"
He nodded.
"Yes I do. I'm older, I'm wiser now Zelda. I won't take you for granted again. I won't make the same mistakes like before."
This sounded too good to be true. I looked to the ground again and shook my head.
"Are you sure? About what you were talking about earlier, I-"
"I promise I won't bring up five years ago, directly or indirectly, again. Seriously, I'm done with that. I never should have done that in the first place, it wasn't fair to you."
I swallowed hard. I wanted to believe him so badly. I wanted peace. I wanted nothing more than to be Link's friend again. I wanted to help him find Midna and be content with being his friend. I remember how close we were in the past when it came to our friendship. I remember him telling me his 'terrible' jokes and me laughing at them. I remember it all and I wanted a little of that back. Could we really be friends again? Could we really put the past behind us? That I wasn't sure of, but at the behest of more possible disappointment I decided to be hopeful again. Instead of fighting it, I decided to embrace our third attempt at a truce. Hopefully, this time it would stick.
"Really?"
He nodded.
"Really. I was just as much a party to what happened back then as you. It's unfair and stupid of me to blame you for doing what you thought at the time was right."
It seemed that was all the catalyst I needed. That was it. I tried to control my tears by blinking several more times, but they finally spilled over. I probably looked foolish right now. I knew my reaction was silly, but I really wanted to put the past behind us. I even covered my mouth to prevent a sob from escaping my throat. I just couldn't hold my feelings in anymore.
"Thank you," I whispered finally.
Link stared at me seriously for a moment, then without waiting for a prompt, took me in his arms in a tight hug. I gasped softly from his embrace because I was stunned... stunned. It felt so nice to be hugged. My goddess, it had to have been at least five years since he hugged me like this, with care, with feeling. I teared up more. I was hesitant at first, but I hugged him back. However, my reluctance was more out of fear of this not working again rather than me not wanting to express myself. If I could truly express myself, I would have told him what's been locked in my heart for so many years. I would have told him I still loved him. I remember when he used to hug me all the time. He hugged me when I was happy. He hugged me when I was sad. He hugged me when I was feeling low. He hugged me all the time. It was nice to have a little of that back.
When he pulled away he caressed my wet cheeks.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded and looked away. I didn't reply.
"Please don't cry. You know I hate it when you cry."
I nodded again, trying to pull myself together.
"I know, I'm sorry. It was foolish of me."
I attempted to wipe my cheeks with the back of my palms when shortly thereafter Link stopped me. Much to my surprise he reached into his pocket and pulled out the handkerchief I gave him and finished wiping my cheeks for me. When I realized what he was doing, I looked at him astonished. My bottom lip started quivering and I stared up into his eyes. I didn't know what to think. I wasn't expecting him to be so forthcoming about the gift, but I guess I made it obvious that I knew he still had it.
"Link..."
He wiped under my eyes gently.
"You gave this to me. The least I can do is wipe your tears with it."
I pursed my lips together to control them.
"Thank you for keeping it."
Link nodded.
"You're welcome. I had no intention of losing it. Thank you for getting it back to me."
I looked back down at my hands nervously.
"It... it was all you had left to remember me for awhile. I wanted to make sure you had it."
Link didn't reply to that. Instead, he lifted my chin and caressed my cheek again. I wasn't sure what to make of what was happening between us right now, but I didn't want to be confused by it. I would rationalize this like the kiss in Castle Town: it was nothing. It was just a fleeting moment. So, I stepped back and out of his grasp and we were silent for a few moments. I felt a little nervous, but I was happy we were trying to make things right. I appreciated his efforts.
"We seem to go back and forth, don't we?" I half joked.
He looked at me seriously.
"Not anymore. From now on we'll only go forward."
I didn't reply right away.
Let's hope this actually lasts.
Link gave me a more poignant look when he saw I didn't answer.
"Deal?"
I tried to smile.
"Deal."
This really needed to be the last time if we were ever going to move on. There couldn't be this constant back and forth. It wasn't productive.
I'm glad that's over.
With our issues settled for now, Link looked past me down the chasm at the junction before us.
"So… let's see about getting that shard."
I smiled and nodded.
"Absolutely."
I turned back around and directed my attention to the road ahead of us. I needed to pick up where I left off, which was me analyzing both avenues. I noticed both roads led down illuminated paths. There was however a subtle difference in how the light reflected off the goddess ore versus the luminous stone walls. The left pathway created triangles of different shapes and sizes, while the right pathway consistently made the same pattern going down the road. It was clear to me based off what I was seeing that the right road was the right way to go. However, just to be on the safe side, I did a quick estimate of the angles and plugged them into the formula in my head. The longest side was the big 'S' at ten feet. The altitude was determined by a quick calculation of the law of sines. The small 's' was the shorter side at four feet, and the 'a' was the acute angle, roughly thirty degrees. I began figuring out the calculations internally, and saw a consistent pattern of inconsistency in the left pathway. There, I deduced the altitude was insufficient and could not create a real triangle. I calculated the measurement for the right as well so as not to be presumptuous. The outcome was as I predicted. The right road was the less ambiguous one.
"We're going right," I said with a confident smile. "The light reflections on the left vary too much."
Link grinned at my enthusiasm, then gestured for me to go ahead of him.
"Ladies first."
I nodded and began down the pathway. The crevice shined beautifully in all directions even down here, but it wasn't as blinding like earlier on. The walls resembled more mirrors than rock, possibly due to the constant casting of light and the embedding of goddess ore. I stopped to look at a prodigious reflection of myself. It would have taken four of me to equal that size of me in reality. I snickered at the portly woman staring back at me.
"So that's what a greedy Zelda looks like." I shook my head. "I better lay off the tea cakes."
Link grinned at the sight of me, then looked at his own reflection. His was the exact opposite. He was standing in a demarcation that reflected a tall malnourished version of himself. We were quite the opposites, but I couldn't help but feel this subtle variance signified a truer reality. That was the way my people probably saw me, an insatiable woman only thinking of herself. It was strange to me that such a sobering thought came to me all of a sudden. Maybe it was this place that warranted such contemplation.
Link saw the now serious expression on my face and inquired of it.
"What's wrong?"
I stared at my reflection once more, then finally looked away.
That's not who I am. Everyone will know soon enough.
"Nothing, nothing at all."
Link gave me an offhanded look.
"Are you sure?"
I nodded.
"Yes." I wanted to forget the excessive woman the wall was showing to me. "Let's continue."
We traveled farther into the chasm, until we finally reached the bottom. Again, the surface shined from the goddess ore, as light reflected all around us, but something about it seemed manufactured... false in a way.
The shard must be in here. It must be.
"'Faded pictures of celestial bodies are reflected on fractured sand.'" I looked around the room. "Where are you fractured sand?"
Link was next to me, but then narrowed his eyes and walked up to a far wall in the distance. After staring at it for several seconds, he ran his hand across the surface blindly. I looked over at him puzzled.
"Do you see something?"
Link didn't answer right away.
"I've learned to never trust just my eyes."
I nodded at his words.
"That's a wise way to go about things."
Link continued feeling against the wall, until he suddenly pulled back when he sliced his thumb.
"Ouch!" he groaned softly.
I looked on surprised.
"Careful," I cautioned.
The hero examined his thumb as bright red blood seeped from it.
"I found it." He backed up a little bit.
I walked up to him and took hold of his hand.
"Are you alright?"
Link ignored the bleeding.
"I'll live." He took his hand from my grip and went back up to the wall. "I'm going to pull it from the niche it's resting in."
I looked up to see where he was talking about. After examining the wall, I couldn't determine how he made his conclusion.
"Where is it?"
Link gestured to the center left of the wall.
"It's right there. Whoever hid this thing is a clever bastard. You would never be able to tell it was down here if you weren't actively looking for it."
I had very little to say on that.
My ancestors… they had to put this mirror here.
"That was the whole idea I suppose."
Link went back up along the wall. A few moments later, he was pulling and tugging at a large orifice, until the mirror loosened and dislodged from its aperture. Immediately after the dismantling of the mirror from the wall, the luminescence abated. Literally, the Hylialis Borealis disappeared. Link and I looked around the commodious area slightly startled. The sudden darkening took us both by surprise. Even though I had my hypothesis, the darkness was unnerving.
So... it was true.
"The Hylialis Borealis disappeared!" Link said shocked, then looked back at me. "Is that suppose to happen?"
I nodded, not having much to say regarding the phenomenon.
"Unfortunately yes, the whole occurrence was set up by… unsavory people."
Link stared at me taken aback, but then suddenly raised his brows when he glanced down at the huge mirror in his hands. Out of nowhere, a strange red light began glowing from it. Perplexed, Link walked back slowly to where I was with the mirror still facing him.
"What about this?"
His voice carried waves of growing concern. I watched him mildly puzzled.
"What is it?"
Link looked from the glass to me and back again. He shook his head.
"See for yourself."
I stared at him perplexed. However, my puzzlement turned to a subtle foreboding when he turned the mirror around and let me see what he was staring at. I looked at it taken aback.
What in the…?
There, as if branded in bright red letters on the glass, were three words written in ancient Hylian: ira, superbia, and avarita.
"Wrath, pride, and greed," I whispered more to myself than to him.
A sinking feeling welled at the bottom of my stomach.
My facial expression was none too reassuring.
"Do you know what this means?"
I slowly shook my head.
"No, I have no idea why it's there."
The unsettling feeling never went away. I may not have known why, but I was definitely going to find out. There was something very disconcerting about this. Why were ancient letters hidden on this shard? A moment later, the words suddenly disappeared from the mirror. Afterwards, the shard shook in Link's grip and shrunk down to about the size of his palm. The whole occurrence happened quickly without a word. It was very strange. We both looked on bewildered. There was no proper explanation for it.
"Do you think it shrank so we could carry it?"
The hero had no definitive answers.
"I suppose so."
It was the only rationalization that I could come up with.
Link then gripped the shard hesitantly. He shook his head.
"I... I have a bad feeling about this," he said more to himself than to me.
I couldn't have agreed with him more.
"What do you think we should do?"
He shook his head.
"I don't know."
I tried to remain enthusiastic, though it was admittedly a fleeting feeling.
"Well… we've come this far, we might as well keep going."
Link paused at my words. He was obviously conflicted by the decision.
"Do you honestly think we should? I keep thinking about what the guardians warned us about and what the ninja a few days ago said. Now there's this… it all seems to be pointing to something terrible."
He was right, but then there was someone else to consider.
"I understand what you're saying, but what about Midna? Don't you want to see her again?"
He contemplated the questions for a moment. He was apparently bothered by the notion of what seeing his beloved could mean, but if he was willing to go on, so was I. I was serious about helping him find her.
"Of course I do. More than anything else."
That was all I needed to hear. However, this was no longer just about Link, I also wanted to solve this mystery for myself. What was at the end of this tektite hole? What was at the end of this elaborate puzzle? Perhaps we were on our way to unlocking a very ancient treasure. Something Hyrule hadn't had access to in many years. I actually felt a little more encouraged after considering this. There was more than just the twilight queen to consider here, but I wouldn't disclose that to Link.
I nodded.
"Then getting you to her matters more to me than pondering over things that we think may or may not happen."
Link hesitated again and reluctantly nodded. However, he didn't share my enthusiasm.
"I suppose." His doubt was apparent.
There was a brief silence between us just then.
"Let's get out of here and then we'll figure out what to do next," I suggested. "There are probably people already on their way to this area wondering what happened to the light spectra."
Link nodded again.
"True," he put the shard in his satchel, "let's go before they find us."
I notice a tunnel leading deeper into the underground and considered taking that direction. I gestured for Link.
"Do you think we should go this way to see where it leads? We could avoid better detection that way."
However, the hero was adamantly against it.
"Trust me when I tell you that direction does not lead to a place where you would want to venture off to, especially you."
I looked at him surprised and stared down the tunneling once more. All he did was ignite my curiosity.
"Where does it lead to?"
Link was already heading in the opposite direction.
"A little place called the Red Lantern District." He didn't bother to elaborate. "Come on, we're not sticking around here."
I was taken aback.
"The what?"
He didn't bother to answer me again.
"Let's go Zelda."
Link quickened his step as he started towards the incline. I hesitated before I followed after him. The Red Lantern District... I heard rumors about that place. I never knew where it was, but I knew it existed. Elbourne was a legend in the gossip circles regarding that place. However, it seemed the hero had a little knowledge too. Link was all to eager to get away from here now that he knew where we were. Had he been there before? Judging from our conversation at the inn, and the rumors circulating about him, I'll wager he had been. Is that why he was so adamant about not going? I knew it was best not to ask, nor was it any of my business. Instead, I hurried after him to catch up.
We started the long trek back up the ravine to Hyrule Field. When we got back to the main landing, Link called for Epona. I mounted her and we headed towards Kakariko Village. We looked for lodging, but saw that the village was already in an uproar over the sudden disappearance of the Hylialis Borealis. If we stayed, we knew anyone just coming into town would look suspicious. We even overheard some villagers talking about a team of geologists from their village already on their way to the ravine. They were going to investigate the sudden disappearance.
After the close call in Castle Town, Link and I decided to take no chances and forego the inn. We would camp out on the open planes of Eldin Field by firelight. With the decision made, we traveled in the opposite direction of the ravine so as not to be noticed. Admittedly, I found nothing comfortable about itchy green grass and possible bug infestations, but beggars could not be choosers. This was the 'roughing it' Link spoke of weeks ago. While I set up camp, Link took Epona and went to gather some fire wood. It was a gamble leaving me alone unattended, but I insisted he go so we could be warm for the night. I set up a couple spots for us to sleep, used some stones to make a fire pit, and waited for the hero to return. In the mean time, I started looking in the Book of Mudora for clues to deciphering the second riddle. I was in the middle of decoding a term, when suddenly a bright light flashed across the sky and a beautiful, but familiar, apparition appeared before me.
She floated down slowly before walking over to me.
"Hylia!" I jumped to my feet to greet her.
She smiled, but then for some odd reason looked ready to scold me.
"That's ancestral mo-" she started, but then stopped herself. "Wait, no it isn't. You finally get it right and I start to crack up. Oh well. Anyway, how's it going?"
I really didn't know where to start with that question.
"Since you already know, I think it's safe to say that it could be better."
Hylia relaxed and sat herself on the ground.
"What do you mean by that?"
I shook my head.
"I mean everything. There are bandits chasing after us, crazy ninjas trying to fight us, disgruntled servants finding out my identity, cryptic codes, skeptical guardians -just the whole nine cuckoos."
Hylia nodded and smiled.
"But you've never looked happier."
My cheeks blushed at her utterance. I guess that was true with the exception of today.
"We... we did have a fight today," I admitted.
She fanned that off.
"And you two made up. No harm, no foul."
I still found some of the things she said strange. I grinned.
"Oh Hylia."
Hylia crossed her arms over her chest and gave me a quick once over.
"This is the happiest I've seen you in a long time."
I guess she was right, but my happiness still didn't take away from the fact that I felt all my actions were leading to a very bad outcome.
"I suppose," I sat down next to her, "but I have to ask you why all this is happening."
Hylia stared into my eyes for a moment and hesitated. I took note of that.
What's this all about?
Hylia turned to look out at the fields.
"It's nothing," she said in answer to my thoughts. "Everything happens for a reason Zel. You just have to ask yourself is it worth it to you."
She was being evasive again.
"I believe it is for Link's sake."
Hylia then turned to look at me.
"What about for your sake?"
I avoided her eyes.
"I'm happy as long as Hyrule is safe. That's all I care about."
Hylia sighed.
"Right," she said sarcastically, "that's why you were discussing having children with the man you're in love with. That's why you're struggling to determine if you want to keep this ruse going. That's why you get all sexually aroused when he just looks at you."
I was surprised at her rather scathing recounting.
"I beg your pardon?"
She gave me a knowing look.
"You need me to repeat it?"
I stared at her taken aback.
"Hylia-"
"When are you going to tell Link you're in love with him?"
One subject seemed to shift into another. I shook my head, not sure what to speak on first.
"I'm-I'm not in love with him," I fibbed. "Link doesn't feel that way about me. We just now got back to being friends again."
Hylia took in an irritated breath.
"That won't work on me Zel. You know you can't lie when I'm around. I know you're still in love with him."
I shook my head.
"He loves Mid-" I tried.
"I'm not talking about Midna. I'm talking about you and Link. You think he can't tell that you care about him with all that blushing you do? Trust me, he knows it's not just your cheeks that are on fire, your loins are pretty hot as well."
My eyes widened in shock.
"I-I-I-do not get that way around him! What you're suggesting is preposterous!"
Hylia leaned on her side on the grass.
"Look, I'm not trying to pick on you, but you know as well as I do you need to tell this man how you feel before he ends up in the arms of that twilight chick, then he'll be stuck in the twilight zone if you know what I mean. If you don't start getting over your hang ups and approach him like a real woman, trust me baby, she will."
I looked away from her angrily. She didn't understand, it wasn't as simple as she was making it.
"He's in love with Midna," I insisted stubbornly. "He reassured me of that today. It is my duty to make things right between them."
Hylia rolled her eyes and looked at me defiantly.
"Who are you fooling? Link can see right through you just as well as I can! He was practically giving you permission to tell him how you felt about him at the bottom of the chasm, and what do you do? You screw it up by thinking more of your pride than what you want as a woman!"
I stared at her stunned. I was so sick and tired of being reminded of how pathetic she thought I was. Yes, I was aware that I was putting my feelings aside. Yes, I was aware that I was hurting myself by doing this for Link. Yes, I was aware that I could potentially be throwing something wonderful away that may have been growing between us. But, Hylia wasn't understanding the other side of the story. She didn't realize Link wanted to be with his beloved Midna. Hylia didn't see how he lit up when he talked about her. She obviously chose to ignore the argument he and I had over his precious twilight monarch earlier today, which nearly made us depart from this venture. Hylia apparently didn't see that I was trying, that I was hoping, and that -bloody hell- I was dreaming of making things right. She couldn't see that there may have been something more important going on than my love life. There was more to Hyrule than the selfish pursuits of its queen. There were the people to consider. My people. No, I was tired of being Hylia's whipping girl and she was going to hear first hand from me why
I had had enough.
"You don't get it!" I then stood up. "How many times do I have to tell you he doesn't love me ancestral mother?! He's in love with another woman! He doesn't want to get to know me the way I want to know him! He doesn't! He's said these things to me! Why should I grovel after someone who doesn't want me? Am I wrong for wanting to keep my decency if he rejects me again? Am I wrong for thinking I'm better than being someone's second choice? So would you kindly do me a favor and stop bothering me about this! Leave me the hell alone!"
After I was done, Hylia stared at me stunned. I had to admit, I didn't know where that fiery woman came from, but I was so tired of always having to cater to people, only for them to want to walk all over me in return. I wasn't the ice queen that everyone thought I was. I was a person damn it. I had feelings. That was years of pent up anger released in one moment. Afterwards, there was a silence that followed. It stayed that way, until I finally calmed down and broke it.
"I'm sorry I raised my voice," I stroked my hair behind my ears.
Hylia remained quiet and got up. She came up to me and put her hands on my shoulders.
"Don't apologize. I'm glad you did that. You have so many pent up feelings. I'm glad you let some of that out. I'm sorry for needling you like that, but I had to."
I looked at her confused.
"You did that on purpose?"
Hylia grinned and nodded.
"Yes, you think everything so vividly. That woman you were in the ravine is the woman you need to be all the time. You should be vivacious and full of life. Stop holding back because you're afraid he'll say no. Let him, because if he does it's his loss."
I felt my eyes sting, but the tears didn't come.
She did that on purpose. Even though I was upset at the onset, I was grateful I was able to express myself.
I put my hand over my mouth when a perplexing smile curled my lips. Hylia quickly pulled my hand away.
"Stop that. There's nothing wrong with your smile. Like Link said, you have a beautiful smile, and it's wonderful that you're showing it."
I characteristically blushed at hearing that.
"I suppose."
"You shouldn't suppose. It's true."
I looked down and nodded.
Hylia released me from her grip, then removed one of her bracelets from her wrist. Afterwards, she took my hand and dropped the bracelet in it.
"This is for you."
I stared at the jewelry surprised.
"What's this?"
Hylia looked at the bracelet for a moment, then stared directly into my eyes.
"Something you need when the time is right," was all she uttered.
I looked at her puzzled.
"How will I know when the time is right?"
Hylia grinned at me.
"A little birdie will tell you."
I still didn't understand.
"What?"
Hylia fanned off my concerns.
"Don't worry about it. Trust me you'll know. Anyway, I think I've bothered you enough, and pretty boy is on his way back. I still have hope for you two. Don't blow your opportunity because you want to be noble Zel."
I looked at her surprised.
That's advice?
"Yes," she replied, flashing me a dirty look, "that's advice."
I knew I could never win with her.
Hylia then took a few steps back and snapped her fingers. A moment later, she was gone. I looked up to heavens wishing I understood her way of thinking better. But, digressed that that was just the way of the divine. Afterwards, I put the bracelet around my wrist and admired my hand for a minute.
It's actually quite pretty.
"A gift from the goddess herself. Who'd have thought."
With the goddess now gone, I went back to my spot on the grass and resumed my studies. I was making good progress with the second riddle. I went back to decoding.
'There must be a perfect harmony of water kissing the wind.'
I would take apart this riddle like I did the first one. First, what was perfect harmony? I turned a few pages in the text to find a section focused on the function of harmonics. It stated that in music, harmony was based off the perfect integration of sine waves set at different amplitudes and frequencies. Sine waves were oscillations where the amplitude started at the origin. However, the waves were also effected by phase shifts, which were movements to the left or the right of the origin, and vertical translations, or shifts up and down the musical gradient. I came to the conclusion the 'perfect harmony' aspect of the riddle had something to do with music. I wasn't sure yet, but it was a start.
Now moving along, what was 'water kissing the wind'? It was a symbolic saying obviously, but there was enough jargon to deduce it referencing a real geographic location somewhere in Hyrule. But where? Well, there were two places where water was the primary source: Zora's Domain, and Lake Hylia. Considering Link and I just left from Lake Hylia, I knew the guardians weren't going to make it that obvious for us to just backtrack. No, that shard had to be hidden somewhere in Zora's Domain.
The next question to answer was: how did water 'kiss' the wind? Swells of water could be created if enough force by the wind was actuated upon it. Waves of water during a gusty storm could be the ideal situation for 'water kissing the wind.' In any such case, it was a start. There were still some things I wasn't sure about, but at least I knew our next destination. The shard was somewhere in Zora's Domain, and it was hidden by music. This one wasn't as complicated as I thought it was going to be. I closed the Book of Mudora, and looked out onto the horizon to see Link galloping towards me atop Epona. When he dismounted, he started to unbundle the wood he had tied to the saddle.
I went to help him.
We worked silently before I finally said something. I thought of ancestral mother.
"Stop holding back because you're afraid he'll say no..."
She was right. I had to stop living in fear.
"I... I wanted to tell you that from now on I'm going to make a more concerted effort to say what's on my mind without any regrets. With tact of course."
Link stopped what he was doing and appeared perplexed.
"Excuse me?"
I didn't look his way.
"I'm going to say what's on my mind. I think it's very important that I start being honest with you."
My utterance cleared nothing for the hero.
"What are you talking about? Haven't you been already? You seem like an open book to me... for the most part."
I shook my head and smiled.
"Never mind, it doesn't matter."
He stared at me for a second and didn't reply right away. He was assuming something else.
"Are you still upset about earlier? Is that why you're saying this?"
I finally turned and looked at him.
"No, I wasn't even thinking about that."
He paused and nodded, then avoided my eyes for a moment. He lowered his voice a little.
"I... I didn't mean those things I said to you. Really and truly."
His tone made me blush, but I was quick to reassure him.
"I understand. I promise I wasn't thinking about that at all."
Link paused, then continued unsaddling Epona.
"I meant what I said to you about wanting to be your friend again. I really hope we can get back some of what we lost."
I was surprised to hear this, but I was appreciative he was making such an effort.
"I hope so too."
I looked into his eyes for just a moment and smiled. He grinned back, but then gave me this strange brooding gaze. It was long and mesmerizing.
"What?"
He shook his head.
"Nothing."
It, of course, made me blush, but I turned away. We were silent for a long time, and I found that he was still staring at me.
What's this all about?
I decided to dissuade this by changing the subject.
"Anyway, I figured out where we're going next."
He looked impressed.
"Already?"
I nodded.
"We head out at dawn," I said. "We're going to visit the Zoras. They may have a little something we want."
Thank you for reading.