Scattering petals

Link & Zelda

Chapter 8: Kingdom ahead

When travels around the meadow bring fighters altogether


Once the soothing wind of the meadow hit her face, Zelda knew she had escaped her golden cage. At least for a while even though she was on a dutiful mission through Tabantha. Whatever her destiny had prepared for her, this was better than being stuck inside the castle. Yes, she was aware of her responsibilities. She was willing to spend sleepless nights to devotions and march the rest of the day to her destination. None of her obligations would be ignored despite being used to feeling like she did. In fact, she was only replacing the comfort of her lessons in the castle with the consuming trip to the Rito village. All in all, the pressure as a royal heiress would not disappear despite being outside on a journey.

The stillness of the sparkling nature allowed the princess to internalize her worries. As thoughts spun through her head, her mount advanced in the wild vegetation. The soldiers guarding her path marched rhythmically, aiding the trance. Whoever dared to look at her highness could swear that she was in a remote universe, mind far away from reality. Little did they know that her twirl of worries was far from being fictional.

Link glanced at her distant eyes, locked away at the horizon. He guarded her right side, sword polished and always ready to strike at whatever horde of monsters could cross their path. Nevertheless, their journey was awfully calm to the point it wasn't even stimulating. Knights in the front and the back of their highness could say the same, as troops in a useless position were a sign of fanfare rather than danger alongside their trip. They were so used to combat's adrenaline that the second option was more fitting rather than limiting themselves to be a demonstration of the kingdom's power. Their position, however, wasn't much different than Zelda's. She was also a sign of the promised success that was about to thrive in Hyrule. But, in reality, nothing happened to demonstrate such a hopeful omen.

Zelda's left eyebrow slightly twitched, a detail that didn't go unnoticed by her appointed knight. A feeling of guiltiness darkened the princess's expression as she realized a crucial fact: the lack of her father's figure during her journey made the weight on her shoulders feel less saturating. In fact, she didn't miss him at all. Their status and duties left their relationship as father and daughter to a domestic matter that never had the chance to develop. It had been different, with her mother, whose passing away had scarred Zelda's heart. Her father, however, had always prioritized his duty as King over his role as a father. Zelda wondered if her father was aware of that fact, and if that was the case, did he regret not being able to act as a regular father? She couldn't sentence that fatherly love was out of the question. But the crown always had priority over everything else in their lives. That could never be changed. And if they didn't manage to succeed in defeating Calamity Ganon, they would die without knowing the answer.

As Link's vigilant eyes scanned the landscapes they crossed, Zelda allowed herself to drift away in thoughts and finally succumbed to enter a fictional reality. She wondered how would her family live if they hadn't been born into royalty. Death would have hit her mother's health anyway as diseases don't discriminate according to wealth. Then it would have been just her father and her, living a modest life in some peaceful village. Zelda placed herself working as a crafter, maybe knitting clothing for the local peasants and managing to earn a subtle amount of earnings to feed herself. Her father would surely work until noon in the fields to bring fresh vegetables and fruit home, where she would wait for him with the domestic labors finished. Maybe in that scenario they would have shared a deeper bond. But, what would the sake of their kingdom be, then? The princess tried to convince herself that she was in the right place and at the right time despite the chain of failures that had struck her since the queen's loss.

"Bokoblins ahead!" The leader of the troop announced, automatically triggering the rest of the knights to adopt a defensive position. The princess immediately snapped out of her thoughts and spotted a horde in the distance. Then turned to find Link's gloved hand aiding her to get off her mount. She swiftly obeyed and the knight protectively pushed her behind him. In a matter of seconds, the intoxicating smell of monstrous blood filled their nostrils, causing the princess to cover both mouth and nose with her sleeve. It had been a while since she had been out on a direct battlefield and one never gets used to the bloodshed that easily.

The rest of the troops on the back covered Link and Zelda, remaining beside her uneasy horse that was startled by the screams of the battle. The movements of the mount ended causing mayhem between the safety of the shield the knights created.

"Royal! Calm down, please!" The princess exclaimed, taking the reins to control her horse to no avail. Being surrounded by the troops and in the middle of an attack made the situation impossible to tame a scaredy mount.

The next moments went by in slow motion before the princess' eyes. Royal aimed at Zelda with its hind legs, ready to strike. Foreseeing the attack allowed for her to prepare, covering face and stomach with her arms to try and block the upcoming hit. However, Zelda wasn't the only one to perceive it. Link also used his arms to protect the princess from the kick to, at least, divide the damage. However, he was agile enough to use the shield on his left and avoid the direct hit.

The strength of the blow made both Link and Zelda fall to the ground, sliding backward until they reached the other knights that had formed a protective barrier around the princess. Link felt his skin being scratched by the small pointy stones on the soil but the pain didn't stop him from getting in his feet once more. The princess' horse whined and ran away in the opposite direction, pushing the soldiers aside. The bokoblins were too much for the few soldiers standing to handle so Link took the task to tame Royal back to them as his new mission. But he couldn't leave Zelda behind. He was the one in charge of her security during the journey.

The princess, on the other hand, struggled for a few seconds to get up. Her head throbbed due to the impact and her sight went blurry, though it could have been much worse. Her body felt sore and tingly as Link's warm hands helped her back to her feet. It took her a few instants to react and realize she had been kicked to the ground alongside her knight. Royal was no longer around to be seen.

"Your mount, princess Zelda." Link reminded her, pointing at the horizon where the horse ran off to.

He didn't even care to wait for Zelda to reply. She trusted him enough to allow his hand to hold hers and guide them outside the mass of soldiers and monsters to chase Royal around the field. Anywhere else was safer than being in the middle of a horde.

"How do you plan to tame Royal back?" The princess asked, barely breathing while trying to keep up Link's pace.

"We have to reach it before worrying about that." He replied.

With Zelda barely able to run straight behind Link, they got far from the main troops. Their defense was enough to keep the monsters busy with the fight, allowing them both to escape the battle. The wind impacted with their numb figures, the sun guiding them through their way. Link turned his head to check up on the princess and found her looking behind, worried for the well-being of the troops that were left behind struggling. The distraction made her trip over a rock, but Link's broad shoulders kept her on her feet, steady. It was the ideal moment to kneel down and observe the wild horse. Zelda imitated her knight's actions, keeping herself close to his back, hidden between some bushes.

Royal's albino fur shone with the last sunset rays. Its figure slowed down once it perceived the lack of movement around. It took the horse some minutes to let the guard down. It was the perfect opportunity to approach silently and retrieve its reins. Link motioned for the princess to stay hidden while he crawled through the high grass, unnoticed by the horse. In another kind of situation, Zelda would have felt offended by the barbarism of blocking so abruptly her way in a gesture. At that moment, however, the princess obeyed and laid down on the ground, the only spectator of the scene.

Link had no trouble in approaching Royal, that was already calmed down and quietly looking around. In a flash, the knight achieved to mount the horse and remain on its back despite the defiance and resistance that opposed him. With an agile show of mastery, the knight finally steadied Royal through caresses and gentle sounds. It took him a great amount of strength on his thighs to stay mounted, but at least it was worth it. In a blink of an eye, the knight was back to Zelda with her horse. The sight of them together made the whole process seem effortless. She tried her best to hold the surprise inside even though deep down she felt slight envy for the easy communication between her knight and her mount.

"Thank you, Link." She said cordially, immediately being self-conscious of her position on the floor. She got up and lightly dusted the dirt off her clothing to no avail. Link handed her the reins of the horse, which didn't even move as Royal seemed to prefer him as a company. "How did you do it?"

"Make sure you take your time to soothe your mount next time." The knight advised.

He showed Zelda how to calm the horse with gentle caresses and soft whispers. The princess' eyes shone with admiration for the naturally gifted knight that had managed to communicate with her own horse better than she ever managed to do before. Later, she felt encouraged to do the same as Link, letting the horse accept her by showing it the palm of her hand. Once Royal accepted her scent, Zelda proceeded to rub its head as he did previously. A small smile escaped her lips, Link as the receptor of that unusual expression. Nobody could believe there was still a fight going on some meters away. Luckily, the soldiers were trained enough to achieve victory against the horse of Bokoblins.

Eventually, Link and Zelda returned to the rest of the troops with a calmer Royal beside them. Corpses and blood-stained weapons lay on the ground, a permanent reminder of the conflict that blossomed in the spot. When the weary soldiers saw the return of their highness, their knees fell down to the floor to show their respect. Zelda felt a stab on her chest, a product of the guilt of fleeing away to do something as trivial while her troops fought in her name. It was the dynamic of knighthood and royalty, yes, but Zelda could never get used to the loyalty of the troops to the royal family.

The princess knew she wasn't as precise and keen as her father, much less when it came to doing speeches. The situation, though, made it necessary for Zelda to say a few words to, at least, thank the duty and dedication of the knights that were accompanying her kingdom ahead. The soldiers lifted their heads when the princess cleared her throat to find her voice.

"This is no exception when it comes to a demonstration of strength from you, hyrulean warriors." Head up, straight shoulders, the princess glanced slowly at every single one of her fighters to make sure her words pierced their spirits. "This is another chance to show gratitude for your service and loyalty to thee."

The princess scanned the knights' faces. She was being too frigid and distant for the circumstances they were going through. Besides, such formal language didn't suit her, it was more of her father's trait. She felt like her words were empty if she spoke with such cordiality. The personal factor was missing, so she cleared her throat again and fought the urge to fidget with her hands before continuing:

"Without your aid inside and outside Hyrule, I would have never been allowed to cross these fields." Zelda spat with impacting sincerity. It caught everyone's attention, including Link. "If we are here today, it is because of the faith this kingdom has in our troops. Time has proved you worthy and capable of maintaining our kingdom's sake safe. Even ensuring my protection..."

The intrusive thought came to Zelda's mind: 'But I have done nothing for my kingdom to deserve this'. It made her pause abruptly, suddenly decreasing the strength of her words. Unconsciously, the princess's green eyes traveled back to Link, who gave her a nod. He was motioning for her to continue, gaining his approval. It made Zelda forget her inner insecurities about her role as blessed heiress. Head high, she returned to her speech.

"So I have to deeply thank each one of you personally. Your presence makes the great walls surrounding Hyrule even stronger."

Silence crept after Zelda's last words. A slight breeze filled the void that the speech had caused between the hyruleans. Some of them glanced at each other with amazement due to Zelda's unpredicted confession. The princess was often so veiled among her own duties that nobody could ever suspect she was capable of speaking up in a similar way the king usually did. She couldn't be compared to the years of experience and diplomacy the king handled, but it wasn't expected of her to speak her mind out just like that. In reality, it was an unseen trait that she had been forced to develop in political lessons in the loneliness of the castle. Link glanced at Zelda with proudness, knowing the hours she had to spend in lessons and rituals during her undervalued routine. Calamity aside, she was prooving to be a worthy heiress to the throne. The only fact that was holding her down was the lack of progress in her journey to awaken the sealing powers passed down to her.

"Let's call it a day." The princess ordered, seeing that the event had caused such impact that nobody dared to move. Besides, the sun had already disappeared behind the mountains in the landscape. "Find a secure location to camp. We'll have rest, warm drinks, and food for everyone."

The tension and surprise of the afternoon faded into an excited mood from the knights, that immediately obeyed and got to their job, dividing themselves in small groups to compare which spot was better to set a camp. Link remained beside Zelda, who was also assimilating what just happened. Even Royal, now serene with the moonlight, seemed stunned after all. A shy glance was thrown at Link, who expected some kind of precise task to accomplish too. Instead, he met a hesitating princess, a true facade that she could only show in privacy.

"That was meant for you too, Link. We had a rough start." Zelda admitted, making the stoic expression on her knight's face change somehow. His frozen stare made a shiver climb up her spine, so she changed the focus of the conversation somewhere else. "Luckily we will reach our goal and reunite all four champions in a few weeks."

"Sure thing." He muttered, complicity implicit in his eyes. He showed no sign of doubt. And if he didn't, Zelda thoughtlessly started believing in herself too.


I must confess that this wasn't a chapter that I had previously scheduled. I originally planned to do a time skip to Rito's hometown. However, it seemed too rough for the storytelling's sake, so I decided to write about the beginning of their journey outside of the castle. We got Zelda's character development in this one and I can assure you that the next chapter will have Link development as well. Also, Revali will be starring! Be sure you don't miss out on the next one!

Yours, Stella