Unhappy Arrangements
"Another attack?"
"They're getting bolder and bolder every day, I regret to inform my Queen."
"We should tread carefully. Please have the mess in the lockup and hospital cleaned up immediately. I am surprised it wasn't tended to instantly," a voice scoffed.
"Was the Prince injured in the ambush? Have the researchers finished the investigation?" The same voice queried in rapid fire.
"The Prince was injured but not severely. He is still limping but his cuts have been stitched up. The Sheikah Researchers are still in the process of assessing the room."
"Good. And what of the Yiga?"
"Nothing more than what Lady Impa reported."
"I see...continue questioning. The court and I will discuss further details in the investigation and convene later. Inform Count Elwin of my decision. You are dismissed, Barta."
"Understood, my Queen."
As quick as lightning Barta's flash of flaming red hair fled from sight through the grand folklore doors. Alone stood the Queen, Impa and a Heroine in the large overextravagant room. The walls were hung with paintings of past rulers, their eyes narrowed as though in judgement of the three figures. Grand golden bookcases lined the walls.
The three figures were in the Queen's apartments which were a part of the Queen's living chambers. The Queen was always a very dignified person and didn't want to be seen ill in public. So, the very honored ceremony was taking place in private, in none other than the Queen's own living quarters.
By the glowing fire, the wise Queen stood before the young Heroine, Zelda. The glowing wisps of fire reflected in the Queen's piercing brown eyes. The Herione kneeled alone on the soft purple carpet. Impa watched the two but with little interest as though she wished she was anywhere else.
Zelda bowed down before the Queen. The Queen's presence unnerved her and made her feel small. This isn't what she had wanted. She had been asked before to escort the Prince but back then it wasn't as serious as there wasn't a looming danger at that time. The request had made her father and grandmother proud. But they never would know, ever, how much of a burden it was.
Becoming the Prince's appointed knight was not just an honor it was a burden at least to her. Zelda had wanted to stay away from him as far as possible. But now she would never get away from him. The task was forced upon her.
Zelda was now compelled to accept the task since she was the one to wield the sword that seals the darkness. She only saw herself as a mere guard. Never in her imagination would this have been possible.
Even now she felt it on her back... the sword, the burden.
Why had the heroes in stories and legends always make it seem so easy? It was a first to have a female as the Prince's appointed knight. And this wasn't the only first. She was the first Heroine to wield the sword. Even as proud as it felt, proudness came with pressure. Life was never going to be the same again.
Still, she found it baffling that she found it. When she had reported for duty a mere four days ago after the incident in the Lockup, they had taken the rusty sword off her hands.
Within a day they pronounced her the Hero of Hyrule! Apparently, the sword she found in the dream was the Master Sword. It was destined to be by her side.
As soon as this information was relayed to the Queen, she decided to assign Zelda as her son's appointed knight whether Zelda wanted it or not. It was strange that Barta had asked Zelda to do this before, but Barta acted like she never even asked.
Like she had forgotten it. Barta told her the Queen asked Zelda to be the Prince's appointed knight when she was sent to lockup duty and at that time Zelda refused. It was odd that Barta didn't seem to remember asking her before.
Zelda looked up at the Queen's brown eyes. Those eyes were filled with power and determination even as sick as she was.
The Queen beckoned Zelda to stand, and she followed obediently. Now they were at eye level and the grand room around them seemed all too spacious. Impa stood behind the Queen and studied Zelda's face. Zelda's hands were trembling, but she clenched them to her sides to keep them still.
"Zelda, you are the Prince's appointed knight. As you know there are protocols. You will treat him with respect and dignity. Put aside all your feelings in this matter. You must face the task at hand. You and Prince Link must work together. You will put his life before your own. Do you understand?" the Queen looked Zelda dead in the eyes and firmly spoke.
Zelda nodded solemnly.
"I need words, gestures mean nothing until words are spoken and sworn upon," the Queen stated, glaring down at Zelda.
"I am the Prince's appointed knight. I will follow the protocols. I will treat him with respect and dignity. I will put aside all my feelings in this matter. I will face the task at hand. I will work with Prince Link. I will put his life before my own. I understand." Zelda repeated and kept her eyes low to floor.
"My Queen I think you're forgetting something," said a voice.
Zelda looked back behind the Queen.
(How could the Queen forget something?)
Zelda located the voice. It was Impa. She had almost forgotten Impa's presence. Impa stood by the grand bookcases encased with thousands upon thousands of volumes.
"Oh yes?"
The Queen turned towards Zelda again. The warm fire danced around in those determined brown eyes. As if a fire was burning them.
"You must always stay on task. You must be fully committed to staying on task. Never should you stray. You are knight and you must have no attachments other than your task. You must not be drunken. Your only task is to protect the Prince."
"I understand." Zelda whispered.
(How am I supposed to do this? I'm no hero.)
"Now for the garment," the Queen turned away trailing off to a small table across the room. Zelda looked up at the Queen as she walked. She wondered what the garment would be. A small cough was muffled by the pale Queen across the room.
(What they say is true. She must be sick. The disease may be fatal. Wait is her disease contagious?)
Lost in thought. Zelda had forgotten about the Queen momentarily until the Queen's demanding voice clouded her mind.
"I present your Champion Tunic. You shall wear this from now on as your daily attire" the Queen ordered.
The Queen unfolded the delicate sky-blue fabric. The Queen's shaky fingers unfolded it piece by piece. There it was. It seemed like a golden glow emitted from it, but it must have been a trick of the light.
The beautiful fabric had carefully threaded strings sewn into it. Right down the chest a proud sword made of fabric shone. Every thread had been thought through carefully. Zelda's eyes fell onto the blade of the sword. It was slightly slanted to the side and not fully sewn in. Zelda didn't judge it though, people made mistakes all the time.
Zelda knew mistakes all too well.
But who made it?
"I see you have been observing it," a voice said. Zelda looked up suddenly meeting the those determined brown eyes again.
"You are probably wondering who the maker is," the Queen stared aimlessly into the burning fireplace.
Even though it was morning the sunlight evaded the room and only the firelight cast illumination. The flame licked the logs with their fiery touch in the glowing fireplace.
This room was prone to being bright in the afternoons and dark in the morning. The sun never touched it in the morning, it was as if the sun didn't feel the Queen deserved a nice awakening each morning.
The Queen averted her eyes from the burning fire and stared directly at Zelda again.
"It was I who made it."
Instead of taking a proud stance as Zelda thought she would, the Queen shifted slightly where she stood. She then turned back to the fireplace avoiding Zelda's eyes again.
"When I was younger, so much younger..."
Zelda didn't say anything and let the Queen speak. Her eyes kept low.
"You better treat it well" she looked down on Zelda with an undecipherable gaze, "That sword of yours and tunic were his, the Hero of Hyrule."
"I cannot make a new one. My hands aren't what they used to be," the Queen held out her fists in front of her.
"That tunic you have has been woven with prayers of hope and safety. Hopefully, it will benefit you and still work though I am not sure" The Queen reflected.
The Queen's gaze was glued to the glowing embers. Suddenly she gripped onto the fireplace. She almost lost her footing as her knees buckled. But the Queen steadied herself quickly trying to gain her dignity once again. Impa reacted quickly and rushed over to her.
"I'm fine! I'm fine! Please," the Queen breathed, waving Impa away with a shaky hand.
An emotion flashed across the Queen's face. Maybe it was embarrassment?
Impa nodded quickly and retreated to her position. A moment of silence covered the room. The Queen spoke again pretending nothing had occurred.
The Queen straightened her back and made direct eye contact with Zelda once again. Her hand hardly gripped the ledge of the fireplace. Zelda swore she saw bits of the brick crumbling under the Queen's fingers.
"I want to know exactly what happened in the lockup. You know where your loyalty lies. I know the Prince will make some twisted up version that doesn't incriminate himself," the Queen demanded.
She adjusted her footing and pierced her eyes into Zelda's soul. Zelda looked up tentatively into the Queen's sharp brown eyes.
"My Queen, where do I begin?" Zelda asked carefully and hesitated.
"At the beginning of the night. What was your business being down at the lockup at that time?"
"I-I was sent down as an assignment. Really it was a punishment. Barta sent me." Zelda looked up at the Queen again.
The Queen raised her eyebrow in uncertainty.
"Go on."
The Queen didn't indicate any memory that she had directed Barta to tell Zelda to escort the prince earlier. Maybe the disease made her lose memory or something like that. Or maybe Barta had not gotten that order from the Queen. Or had Barta lied to her and made it up?
"I was sent on guard duty in the lockup. I know I shouldn't have fallen asleep, I don't know how it happened. It was so strange in the dream."
"Yet you found the Master Sword in that dream. You must be vigilant. I will let it slide this time, but you must not drift off in sleep again."
"I understand. I was fighting an old man that I encountered earlier in the lockup, during the present. Then I was fighting him during the dream. He was strange in the Lockup but in the dream he was even stranger. The old man was covered in that black substance that was in the secret room."
"About that substance ...later may you must tell me more about it. Time is precious and the Prince will be arriving soon. That will be a very delicate conversation so please make haste in your story."
Zelda's left hand twitched involuntarily. Thankfully, it was currently covered by a black glove which avoided any unwanted questions.
"In the dream I found the rusty sword and used it to kill the old man. He had taken my royal broad sword which proves that it may have been real life or a live dream. I am not sure. But the royal broad sword was gone when I woke up from the dream. When I awoke the old man's cell was empty, and I was called to find Prince Link."
A confused expression appeared on the Queen's face, but she let Zelda continue. Zelda kept her head low, avoiding eye contact.
"Then I encountered him when I was walking to search for Prince Link. The prince insisted I accompany to find the secret room with him, so I followed him."
"Prince Link opened the door using a paper that he read aloud. When the door opened, Prince Link and I entered and found it empty. Then an unknown attacker attempted to kill him and promised him a horrible fate for apparently 'challenging him to the death'. Then the attacker left Link unconscious in the room. I wish in too much shock too much to do anything and I'm sorry."
Zelda had obviously left out some important details, but no one seemed to notice.
"I see...what was the appearance of the attacker?" the Queen questioned. The Queen seemed to be thinking deeply about something. Impa tensed as the conversation went on.
"He had flaming red hair and was unusually tall for a Hylian."
The Queen sighed deeply and rubbed her temple but didn't take her eyes off Zelda.
"Were they Gerudo?"
"I don't know" Zelda replied.
Now Zelda was doubting herself.
"Well, I didn't think it would happen so soon." The Queen's face was conflicted with emotion. She fidgeted slightly where she stood.
"I just needed to confirm it. I didn't want to believe it... He's back again."
"Who?" Zelda and Impa asked in unison. Zelda tilted her head. Impa studied the Queen's face.
"Did either of you even read your country's folklore?" The Queen sighed as she glared at them with a knowing look.
Zelda and Impa just stared at her as if she were talking another language. The Queen ungripped her hand from the ledge. She seated herself on a grand purple layered chair that was close by.
Zelda was still kneeling on the carpet. She wished she could stand because her knee was beginning to ache in pain but knew she could not ask such a request.
The Queen leaned her arm on the plush armrest and put her fist to her cheek. She stared off into the distance out a window.
(Does she do this often or is she just being dramatic?)
Zelda felt very awkward just kneeling while the Queen was staring off into some far distance. Zelda's eyes glanced over to Impa, who was fiddling with her knife. If Zelda was seeing correctly, Impa was cleaning her knife and wiping off a familiar crimson. Zelda's eyes widened and went back to staring at the soft carpet.
(Did she kill someone?)
Part of her didn't even want to know what Impa did. Was it cloth or blood was Zelda's question?
Suddenly a bang of the oak doors opening interrupted Zelda's running thoughts.
The Queen stood up with a furious expression on her face.
"Be careful with those doors," the Queen huffed but she stayed in her position.
A tense feeling entered the room between the Queen and this unknown person that Zelda couldn't see. It took every ounce of Zelda's self-control not to whip around to see who had arrived.
"I have arrived per your request," a dull lifeless voice answered.
Zelda recognized the voice with dismay. How had she forgotten he was coming?
"Do you have a need to speak with me, mother?" Prince Link asked.
It had been the first time for Zelda that she had heard the Queen being called "mother".
"Did you open the secret room?" The Queen demanded furiously.
Link stepped into Zelda's sight. She could see him squinting at the Queen.
He bit his tongue and looked at her with uncertainty again. He seemed confused by her anger.
(He's so clueless!)
"Yes, I did." Link hesitated and scratched the back of his neck.
"You..." The Queen stammered "YOU IDIOT!"
"This is all your fault! You did this. You unleashed that onto the land. Do you have any idea what you have done!" the Queen yelled.
"No," Link replied in a small voice. He hung his head.
Zelda knew this would happen. Of course, why wouldn't she be angry. She felt partially bad, but he did drag her into this mess.
Impa shook her head and pretended not to see this argument.
"Ganondorf is back because of your clumsiness and your arrogance!" the Queen accused.
"Ganondork?" Link questioned with his face contorted into confusion once again.
Zelda's eyes were as wide as saucers and she tried her best to keep herself from laughing at such a serious situation. Impa dropped her knife and stared at Link with such intensity that one could die under that gaze.
The Queen tented her hands over her nose, closed her eyes wearily, and dramatically inhaled.
"It's Gan-" she began.
One would think that a voice that cried out over the horizon would be heavenly...it was not. From the direction of the Gerudo Desert a voice called out in annoyance.
"Its Ganondorf! You ignorant sandseal!" a booming voice rolled into the room.
Links lips went very straight, and his eyes became very wide. An awkward feeling filled the room as silence enveloped it. The Queen peered out the window towards the direction of the voice, towards the Gerudo Desert, and shook her head.
Everyone in the room heard the unknown voice, but they didn't realize that all had heard it. They each thought it was a voice in their mind alone. Impa furrowed her brows and peered out the window then shrugged. Zelda wondered whose voice it was but shook the thought from her mind. Link looked utterly embarrassed and was clawing at his face trying to hide it.
"Anyway, what has happened has happened. I would fix it myself but currently I am unfit for the job." The Queen sighed and she held her fists before her.
The Queen glared at Link as though it was his fault...which it was. At least for the lockup part.
"Link you have to fix this. You are responsible for it and it is your fault." The Queen ordered.
"Oh, and Zelda is your appointed knight." The Queen finished with an exasperated look on her face.
"What?!" Prince Link blurted out. His face filled with shock and anger.
Zelda rolled her eyes.
(Yeah, did you not hear?)
Light slowly started creeping through the glossy windowpanes. The light landed on the arguing royals.
Prince Link's eyes narrowed at Zelda. His eyes lingered on her Champion Tunic folded by her side. Then his eyes fell on the Master Sword strung around Zelda's back.
His eyes brimmed with jealousy and fury. Zelda could see his jealousy burning inside him as if he a were boiling pot over a fire. He turned back to the Queen crossing his arms and narrowing his bright blue eyes.
"When did she get the Master Sword and the Champion Tunic?!" Link spat at the Queen.
"She earned the Master Sword when she in the lockup," The Queen sneered.
"What am I supposed to do? Sit around and let her guard me like a child?" Link yelled and steped towards the Queen in a threatening way.
"Precisely."
"I'm not a child!"
Zelda tensed. She really didn't like to be the subject of this argument. She understood him in a way, but he had been rather reckless in chasing down that secret room. Zelda was still surprised and angry at herself for listening to him.
She wouldn't be his appointed knight if she hadn't saved him. Or was it inevitable since she would gain the Master Sword anyway. Zelda shook her head and sighed just quiet enough for the royals not to hear.
"You act like one! You went down recklessly and could have killed yourself. Don't be like your father." The Queen finished. Then a flash of regret crossed her face.
A strange feeling filled the room as her words lingered in the air. Zelda looked out of the corner of her eye. Prince Link's eyes were glued to the floor and his hands hung limply at his side. The Queen's piercing brown eyes glared at him as she seated herself once more. She looked up at Prince Link but then shook her head and stared at the flickering fire.
"I have decided."
"Decided what now? My death. Do you want to be responsible for my death too? Huh?"
"You are to journey to Gerudo Town first." Then the Queen looked up at Prince Link registering his reply.
The Queen waved her shaky hand at him in a scolding way. "Stop it. Don't be dramatic and act like you're the wounded one."
"Oh, so I'm the dramatic one." Prince Link held his hand over his chest and glared at the Queen.
"And I know my feelings better than you do. You have no respect for Father, anymore do you?"
"Did you even love him?"
Link baited her, knowing it would make the Queen's temper rise. He knew very well it would push her over the edge and make her unbelievably furious, yet he had done it. But the Queen did not answer the question.
The Queen held her dignity and pride...somewhat.
"I believe you were taught respect, Prince Link." The Queen growled as she slightly tilted forward in her chair, gripping the armrests.
"Do not bring your father into this matter. He has nothing to do with this. My personal feelings about your father are private as yours should be as well."
Prince Link scoffed but remained silent. The flickering fire illuminated the Queen's face as the sun slowly peeked up over the horizon. Zelda found it very strange that it seemed that the royals had forgotten that Impa and her were present in the room.
Perhaps these conflicts were common? What even happened to the King? Zelda had thought it was a simple death. Now she thought she had been mistaken.
The Queen deeply sighed and glanced over at Zelda. Her brown eyes were layered with deep complexity. Maybe the Queen was different on the inside. Though Zelda was sure she would truly never know.
The Queen closed her eyes and then looked at Link again. Her eyes showed pain as she looked at her son. Though the reason was somewhat unclear and clear at the same time.
"I have decided that you and Zelda will set out."
The Queen stood up and seemed to tower over the lot of them. Impa looked up from her knife and quickly slipped it into a sheath. Prince Link rolled his eyes and avoiding meeting his mother's eyes.
"Link, I am sure you are confused but a lot has happened since you went into the Lockup. Currently the Divine Beasts ...well... I am not sure how to put this," The Queen trailed off.
"Perhaps it would be called consumed. I and the court have narrowed it down to a likely suspect. Ganondorf seems to be the most likely candidate for this. These Divine Beasts have been terrorizing the four main settlements. Gerudo Town, Goron City, Zoras Domain and Rito Village. I command you and Zelda to tame them once again to bring them back to our side."
(Sure, sounds Divine. You got to be kidding me. Tame some robots sure that will be easy. She makes it sound likes its child play.)
Zelda resisted her urge to groan in frustration. She had seen paintings of those things and they were not small! How was she going to tame that! What exactly did tame mean?
Another problem arose in Zelda's mind.
(How I am I supposed to do this? I can't be with Prince Link for a whole trip! Its just going to be complaining and whining for the whole thing! Its one thing to save him when he's unconscious. Its another thing when he is awake.)
Though Zelda tried to deny it, an exceedingly small part of her was drawn to him despite the complaining and whining. She tried to hide it, and she did hide it well. But something pulled her towards him, and it wasn't a part of duty.
As Zelda's mind cleared, she entered reality again from her fuzzy thoughts.
"I apologize my Queen and Prince, but I have been receiving reports from Rito Village." Impa held her head high and stood straight as she spoke.
"What are they saying Impa?" the Queen asked as she momentarily forgot about the conversation with her son.
"The Dragon of Fire and Power, Dinraal. Well, he has been consumed as the Divine Beasts were. He was never known to attack people but now he has started attacking the village and attacking travelers on the road by releasing balls of fire. The Rito are gravely concerned about this."
"Have the other dragons been affected by this?" the Queen asked. A hint of worry glimmered in her eyes.
"Sadly yes." Impa gravely informed.
"The Dragon of Ice and Wisdom, Naydra. But she doesn't seem to be fully consumed. Hateno Village has noted her disappearance. She doesn't come by their village any more. Thankfully, they have located her at the Spring of Wisdom." The Queen breathed easier but Impa had more to say.
"She is wounded, and they haven't been able to get close to her because of that frigid environment. One of her claws has been consumed though they haven't been able to pinpoint which one.
She is refusing to let anyone help her and keeps driving them back by the freezing air. She hasn't attacked directly and violently yet except by isolating herself."
The Queen's face was paler than usual.
"No one told me of this. When did this happen? Why were the Divine Beasts the only problem informed to me?" The Queen queried with a look of disgrace.
"This is recent information I got this morning, my Queen." Impa informed.
"How is Farosh?" the Queen inquired with a deeply concerned stare as she waited for an answer.
Impa sighed, "The Dragon of Electricity and Courage, Farosh? Yes, as happy and clueless as ever. He is currently uninjured and roaring happily."
"He was always an oddball that one." The Queen reflected to herself.
"I wonder..." the Queen looked at Prince Link who was staring off as if in a daze.
"I have changed the plan." The Queen announced with her arms held stiffly at her sides. She glanced between Zelda and Prince Link.
"You will be going to Rito Village, first." The Queen told the three people amongst her.
Prince Link suddenly snapped out of his daze,
"What?!" Prince Link paused still a bit fuzzy "But you said-"
"I have altered the plan. Pray I don't alter it further." The Queen glared but that didn't silence Link's complaints.
"Don't make me" Prince Link threatened "I have the power of irritation!"
"Sure, you do. Grow up. Don't tell me you don't want to go there because Revali lives there." The Queen challenged raising her eyebrow at him.
"He doesn't just live there! He acts like he owns it!" Prince Link protested.
The Queen sighed deeply and observed her son. Zelda swore she saw a hint of satisfaction in the Queen's eyes.
"I'm not going," Prince Link crossed his arms across his chest.
The Queen threw up her hands and stood up.
"I am done. It's final!" she shouted at Link.
The Queen's dress trailed behind her as she stormed off and her brown eyes flashed back at Link again. As she slammed the door to her inner bedroom she yelled, "You heard what I said IT IS FINAL!" A small click of a lock was heard from the bedroom door the Queen had just exited through.
"Pack up Prince Link. You and Zelda are to set out as soon as possible." Impa sighed.
Impa glanced over at Zelda, "Zelda you are dismissed."
Zelda nodded and left the room with more information than she ever wanted to know. The stiff carpet felt like cardboard under her tired feet. Zelda knew this would be a long trip and by a long trip she meant a very long trip.
Zelda didn't have many belongings since most of them were at her father's house. So, packing went very breezy. She packed a change of clothes for the snowy environments and hot environments.
An extra change of traveler's clothes. Necessary supplies, a little trinket her mother had owned, and a simple painting of her family.
The painting was simple but meaningful. Her father gazed down at her mother lovingly while Zelda as a little girl was jumping up and down in excitement. Her grandmother stood to the right of Zelda with a winning smile gleaming on her face.
Zelda smiled fondly at the painting and was reminded how much she missed home. Gently she placed it on top of all her belongings and tied the bag.
Then she was turning over the Champion Tunic debating if she should wear it or not. She decided yes. Roughly she pulled it over her head and touched the fabric. It felt unusually soft, and the beautiful sky blue fabric brightened the room with its vibrant color.
Quickly she readied her chocolate colored steed and mounted with grace. All too soon she was waiting at the front gates where she was to meet Prince Link for departure.
She checked the time again. It was now 11:00. She wondered where he was. At 11:20 Prince Link rode in with his dashing white steed and 5 bags with him and an unamused Impa dragging him along. Horrifying enough he wore an eerily similar shirt to the one Zelda wore.
Impa nodded at Zelda and sarcastically mouthed.
"Good Luck"
Zelda scoffed and glanced over at Prince Link as he situated himself.
"Are you ready?" She kicked the back of her horse setting it into a gentle trot.
"No! No! I'm not! Wait for me!" Prince Link shouted.
Zelda skidded her horse to a stop and gave him a dirty look. She wanted to get this trip over as quick as possible.
"Yes. Yes. Now I am...HYAH!" Prince Link yelled.
His horse took off at lightning speed and Zelda's eyes burst open. The horse showed no sign of stopping. As Prince Link whooped, Zelda smacked her forehead. She chased after him. The high morning sun shone down on them as they galloped through the grassy fields. Delicate flowers were trampled in Prince Link's destructive path. The cool breeze blew through Zelda's bright blonde hair. Zelda desperately tried to urge Prince Link to slow down...he didn't listen. Or he didn't know how.
(Well, this is off to a great start.)