Chapter 11: Appointed Knight
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Link could tell right from the start that the ceremony wasn't quite going to be what Daruk had described the previous day.
The Princess had walked out of her room in the morning wearing a painfully dreary expression. Her eyes were dull and slightly swollen, whether from sleeplessness or stress he couldn't tell. Her mouth was an emotionlessly straight line with the corners just barely turned down, and her shoulders slumped as she left her quarters behind.
It was the first time since Link had been assigned as her protector that she didn't offer a hesitant "Good morning," nor eye him uncertainly or nod a curt greeting.
Instead, she completely ignored him, not even sparing a slight glance in his direction as he took his place behind her.
The action - or rather, lack of it - weighed down on his heart, and he couldn't help but remember his musings from the day before, about what the Princess thought of him.
Maybe… she's just in a bad mood?
The thought did nothing to ease his conscience. As he thought about it, he could imagine how annoying it would be to have someone constantly following around.
And if that someone was shunned by nearly the entire kingdom… well, she wasn't likely to want someone like that around.
After the morning meal, the Princess rounded on him quite suddenly as they left the smaller dining room. "We shall be meeting the Champions at the Castle Town cathedral in an hour, after I finish my morning prayers," she said, her voice stiff with unhappiness. "The first part of the ceremony requires you to purify yourself in the waters of the Spring of Hylia within the cathedral."
Link's mouth went dry; he could feel his cheeks growing warm. He swallowed thickly. "What does that mean, purify myself?" he asked, slowly and carefully enunciating each word to keep himself from stuttering in his discomfort.
The Princess regarded him flatly. "It is no different from the purifications I undergo once a month at the cathedral as well. You shall kneel beneath the stream, garbed in white, in the waters of the spring. With your dominant hand over your heart, you shall recite three prayers in the old tongue, one for each of the archaic golden goddesses, and then on your knees you shall prostrate yourself before the statue, offering a final prayer to the White Goddess Hylia. Upon completion, you shall remain still until the flow of water ebbs and complete silence falls. Then you will stand and enter the chamber behind the statue of the Goddess to get dressed."
Link gulped. "Should these prayers be memorized?"
The Princess handed him a folded piece of paper from a small pocket in her gown. "Ideally, yes. Granted, you don't have much time, but surely our Hylian Champion will not have trouble memorizing a few simple words," she said, much too sweetly to be sincere. With a storm brewing in her eyes she whirled back around and strode forward, heading towards the castle's cathedral for her prayers.
With a shaking hand, Link looked down at the paper. The words had been written very neatly in the Princess' own hand; the creases and the color of the paper told of its age. A strange wave of warm empathy washed over him, and he almost smiled. Perhaps at some point she needed to memorize these prayers as well, and used this to practice.
The urge to smile was swiftly decimated when he realized he had barely an hour to memorize the words. And his literacy skills weren't exactly top notch.
The Princess' private morning devotional passed by much too quickly; before he knew it he was following her out of the castle and towards the Castle Town cathedral, desperately running through the prayers in his mind.
The old tongue was close enough to the current language that he could understand what each of the prayers was saying, and yet they were foreign-sounding enough that he had difficulty remembering the words. None of them were particularly long, for which he was grateful, but he dreaded having to recite them out loud. There's no chance I'll pronounce everything correctly!
The Champions were all waiting at the doors to the cathedral. Princess Zelda stood tall and regal, her serene expression demanding reverence. Daruk shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, looking slightly confused; Link couldn't blame him.
He expected some sort of celebration. This is… probably the opposite.
"Enter behind me," the Princess told the Champions, gracefully dipping her head. "Appointed Knight, at my side."
Link moistened his lips, jogging forward a few steps to take his place at the Princess' side, matching her pace as she walked between the massive double doors of the cathedral. Sunlight streamed down in colorful shafts through stained-glass windows depicting scenes from ages long past, battles and heroes and goddesses and princesses. A plain, but regal, red carpet lined the central path down the main hall, cutting between the rows and rows of pews.
At the back of the room, the Princess turned, leading them through a smaller door to the side; behind it, there was another large chamber, this one with a smooth, simple stone floor in front of a large pool. Link was surprised to see green grass, cattails, and lily pads breaking the surface of the water - it was a natural spring; apparently the cathedral had been built around it.
On the far edge of the spring was a statue of the Goddess Hylia, a benevolent smile upon her stone features, her hands clasped in front of her. A shaft of light filtered down onto the water through a circular window in the ceiling, tinted a pale blue, like moonlight, due to the color of the glass in the window. Behind the statue Link could just see a low opening leading into yet another room.
"I must ask for your silence, in respect for the Goddesses," the Princess said, facing the Champions. "Sir Link, you shall find the ceremonial garb waiting for you in the next room. Please make the necessary preparations and return to begin the ceremony."
Link's throat tightened, and he nodded solemnly, offering her a brief bow before striding quickly away from the others, around the edge of the spring and behind the statue, ducking under the low opening and into the next room.
He stopped in his tracks, once more caught by surprise. High stone walls rose up on all sides, but there was no ceiling, allowing bright golden sunlight to flow downwards, onto the soft carpet of neatly trimmed green grass at his feet. A pedestal stood in the center of the room; evidently someone had been in to prepare for the ceremony beforehand, since some sort of white garment lay on the stone platform. Link held it up, wincing instantly.
The first piece was some sort of military skirt in an ancient style with a blue and gold belt, held in the middle by a buckle in the shape of the Triforce. The second appeared was a long rectangular white cloth that he guessed was meant to drape across one shoulder and held in place by the skirt. His heart rate spiked a little with panic as he desperately searched the area around the pedestal. There has to be more than this!
But there wasn't. There was nothing else meant to cover his body, except for two thick, decorative wrist cuffs with the same patterns as the belt.
And, he supposed, thinking about the Princess' prayer dress, this would be a logical male version of religious ritual attire.
Goddesses, preserve me, he thought earnestly. And… blind Mipha, or something, so she doesn't take advantage of this.
His cheeks flushed warmly as he pulled his baldric and the Master Sword from his chest and removed his gauntlets before hurriedly pulling his Champion tunic and undershirt over his head. His boots, stockings, and trousers were quick to follow, and then the white ceremonial garb went on up to his hips and across his right shoulder, and he slid the two armbands over his wrists.
Feeling like an idiot and mentally pleading that he would never have to do anything like this again, he returned to the spring. A faint squeak echoed through the chamber; he didn't have to look to know it was Mipha. Daruk shushed her fervently, and Link pressed his lips firmly together, holding back a grimace.
The Princess pulled a lever in the wall, opening a panel in the ceiling. Water tumbled forth, landing in the Goddess statue's cupped hands before dripping down into the spring below. Biting his lip, Link stepped forward, wading into the cool water, shivering as it crept up his legs, coming to rest around the middle of his thighs.
He sank to his knees beneath the trickle of water falling from the statue's hands, letting it splash down over his head and shoulders. Another chill passed through him, and he closed his eyes, brow furrowed as he recalled the words of the prayers. Alright. Alright…
Inhaling deeply, he began the first prayer - the one to the goddess Din, asking for the physical might to win against whatever evils would threaten the Princess. Monsters, assassins, anything that could do her harm - even herself.
The second prayer, to Nayru, asked for insights as he worked to protect his charge, that he could anticipate possible threats and his mind would be sharp and clear, enabling him to maintain complete awareness of his surroundings.
As he began the third prayer, he was struck with a sudden wave of emotion - a fierce, burning desire to help and protect. This prayer, to Farore, asked for the courage to defend the Princess no matter the circumstance. The courage to do the right thing regardless of his own doubts and fears.
When he finished, he fell silent for a moment. Peace had entered his soul; he felt calm and relaxed for the first time in several weeks, despite the Champions all staring behind him.
The Goddesses really are listening.
Emboldened and comforted, he bowed himself lower, leaning forward on one arm, and recited the final prayer. The words fell smoothly from his lips, words that asked for the Goddess Hylia's guidance, for her blessing and for her protection, in his efforts to shield the Princess from everything that sought to harm her.
Silence fell. The Princess must have released the lever sending springwater down into the Goddess statue's cupped hands; the little stream no longer dripped down and disturbed the pool below. Link remained where he was, doing his best not to shiver, waiting for the ripples swirling across the pool's surface to fade. It didn't help that his hair was drenched and sent drops of water falling down back into the spring.
He waited, stiff and tense in an attempt to keep himself from shivering even as his hair sent icy beads of water down his back and arms. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, listening to the heavy silence thickening around him. How long should I wait? Is this enough? Do ripples even count?
He chose to wait a few moments more; until his hair no longer dripped at the slightest movement. Then he got to his feet and waded out of the pool, avoiding the Champions' gazes. The peace that had filled his heart faded a little at Mipha's twitterpated sigh, and he ground his teeth together, his cheeks flaming with embarrassment.
As he ducked into the back room once again, his wet feet slapping loudly on the stone, he could hear Urbosa chastising the Zora Princess. "This is really a sacred event, Mipha; you must try to show more… respect. It isn't often that a single knight is specifically chosen to protect a member of the Royal Family, and it's even less often that the knight is guarding a Princess with the sealing powers -"
"And even more rare that the knight is the Hero of Hyrule and the wielder of the Master Sword and all of that nonsense," the Princess cut in, her voice dejected and unhappy. "We all know how special he is, Urbosa, thank you. There's no need to say it all again. Let's just get this over with."
"I agree!" Revali cut in, sounding annoyed. "He doesn't seem particularly valiant or honorable at all. In fact, I'd say that hardly any of this is warranted. Getting named a Champion of Hyrule is probably just as rare and special, if not more!"
"The King and the Goddesses disagree," Urbosa sighed. "The position of Appointed Knight goes back much farther than the position of a Champion - all the way back to the dawn of the kingdom millennia ago."
"When the Goddess Hylia chose a knight to wield the Master Sword," the Princess agreed quietly, her voice hardly audible.
Link cinched his own leather belt around his waist and buckled his baldric back on, frowning heavily. The peace his prayers had planted in his soul was all but gone now, erased by the Champions' words. It hit him then, the importance of this title, and he felt empty with inadequacy.
Revali is right; this… isn't warranted. I'm not a hero, or even really a knight - I just drew a sword that marked the possible end of the world. That's not doing anything or anyone a bit of good.
He thought of his nightmares, of the agonizing training methods he used, of his recovery in his horse's stall afterwards. He thought of the circle of lonesomeness that constantly engulfed him. Surely a real hero would have friends. Surely a real hero could handle a few bad dreams.
Surely a real hero would be worthy of something like this.
As for me… well, I'm not. I'm not a real hero. I'm not worthy of this position, no matter how many battles I win.
Link swallowed thickly, pushing himself to his feet. He paused a moment before heading back to the spring to join the others. There was such a long list of responsibilities and expectations placed upon him; he closed his eyes, trying to recall as many as he could.
I may not be worthy for this position, but I'm stuck with it anyway. So I must make every effort to, at least on the outside, look like I'm everything they want from me.
He stood straighter, squared his shoulders, and closed his eyes, forcing his face to form a calm, emotionless mask.
A good place to start is to lock away all of my feelings - I must display myself as stoic and unmovable. That way… maybe they won't see inside; they won't see that I'm afraid.
Breathing in through his nose, he marched out of the side room, striding confidently along the edge of the spring to where the Champions waited.
"Ah, congrats, little guy!" Daruk said quickly, patting his shoulder and glancing tentatively at the others. "That was… that was, uh…"
"Sir Link," the Princess interrupted coolly, but even as he looked at her the distaste faded from her eyes and she looked… defeated, somehow. "We will now proceed to the second part of the ceremony - the Blood Oath."
Almost instantly a question arose on his tongue, but he swallowed it back. Blood Oath? What does that mean? What do I have to do?
"This way," the Princess murmured, turning her back on them and heading the way they had come. "There are three parts to this ceremony, just as there are three parts of the Triforce of legend and three golden Goddesses of creation, marking it as one of the more important rituals we practice in our worship. The first part, here in the cathedral, in the Spring of Hylia, is an offering unto the Goddesses - an offering of penitence and humility."
She paused and inhaled deeply as they stepped into the bright morning light beaming down upon them, as if the air within the cathedral had drained her somehow. With a slight shake of her head she walked gracefully down the elegant stone steps and into the streets of Castle Town. "The second is an offering unto those that have come before, who have given their lives and shed their blood in defense of this kingdom," the Princess continued. "It is a recognition of their courage, and a vow to match that courage with your own. This will be held beside the fountain in Central Square, which serves as a memorial to the heroes of ages past."
"There were a couple soldiers blocking it off, last I saw," Daruk protested uncertainly. He craned his neck, peering around the corner at the market square.
"They're blocking it off for this, you imb -" Revali cut himself off, shaking his head. "Never mind."
"I thought it was just a fountain," Mipha admitted quietly. "The plaques don't say anything about a memorial…"
"The King of Hyrule at the time it was built was… rather absent-minded," Zelda explained. "He wished to commemorate those who worked to protect us from evil, and he wished for it to be done in his name, but… in the inscription, he forgot to include quite a bit of information. It says only 'On this day the King of Hyrule opened this structure to the public,' without specifying which day or which structure or which King. There's an identical plaque above the stairway to the Great Plateau and the Temple of Time, so I'm told."
"You haven't been there yourself?" Daruk asked, tilting his head.
The Princess shook her head, her frown deepening. "Not yet, but I mean to. Old Sheikah maps indicate several structures upon the Great Plateau; excavations are underway as we speak." She sighed heavily. "I… I mean to ask my father if I can go to aid them soon."
Her voice sounded utterly forlorn; Link's heart went out to her. I hope he lets her. It… it really means a lot to her.
As Daruk had noticed, several soldiers stood in a wide ring around the fountain, keeping market-goers and civilians out of the way. The sunlight glimmered on the streams of water trickling down into the pool at the fountain's base and made the Princess' hair shine like new gold; in that moment with the Central Square empty behind her she seemed the very picture of isolation.
"Sir Link," the Princess said, turning to face him. "Come with me closer to the fountain."
Link nodded, following her several steps from the others, around the curve of the fountain until they reached the plaque. The Princess stood in front of it, her back towards the castle, and clasped her hands together. "Kneel before me," she said. "Before the memorial."
Link obeyed quickly, dropping to one knee. His heart pounded faster; he had no idea what to expect. It was nice of her to give me a warning before, for the first part…
"You have been chosen to serve as my protector from this time forward," the Princess began, the clipped tone of her voice revealing that her words were planned and memorized beforehand. "This makes you the next in a long line of mighty warriors chosen for tasks of great importance in Hyrule."
Revali, standing back with the other champions, snorted at the phrase 'mighty warrior.'
The Princess cleared her throat with a slight cough and continued. "The requirements of this position can be demanding and often extract a heavy toll. It will not be uncommon for your very blood to be sacrificed." She inhaled deeply, her brow furrowing in discomfort. "I ask now for a vow. Do you swear to protect me, to disregard your own safety and comfort in favor of my own, as your predecessors have done?"
Link wet his lips nervously. "Yes."
"Do you swear to disregard anything that may distract or impede your ability to protect me, even the innocence or safety of other people and their possessions?"
Link's eyes widened; he couldn't help it. What… what exactly has happened to the Princesses of the past? "...Yes."
"Do you swear to take any and every blow aimed at me, whether they be physical attacks or more subtle attempts on my life?"
"Yes."
"And do you swear to pay blood, limb, and life in my defense?"
Link gulped. I happen to like my limbs the way they are - what in Din's name have I gotten myself into? "Yes."
"Do you understand that failure to abide by these oaths will result in severe punishment to be decided by the King of Hyrule?"
"I do."
"I ask from you at this time proof of your commitment," the Princess murmured, wincing a little. "Draw your blade across your hand and bare your blood."
He blinked rapidly, his pulse racing faster. Biting his lip, he unsheathed the Master Sword and placed its edge against the palm of his left hand, taking in a shaky breath before clenching his teeth and tightening his grip on his blade. He slashed his weapon downwards, a sting of fiery pain shooting through his hand. Hot blood oozed instantly from the wound, and he raised his hand, palm facing outwards, towards the Princess.
"I swear myself to you," he said before he could stop himself; the words seemed to fit the situation and the Princess' prior requests.
Her eyes went wide and darted from side to side; she had been caught off guard and was fighting to regain her composure. "R-right. Well… bind your wound, and… and rise, Appointed Knight. As Princess of this realm I declare you officially and irrevocably my protector."
Link stood slowly, studying the Princess intently. Her gaze kept flicking down to his bleeding hand; guilt and even horror glinted in her emerald eyes. I messed up, didn't I? I did something wrong - I did something wrong in one of the most important ceremonies we have!
He cursed himself mentally, sliding his uninjured hand into a pouch at his belt and pulling out a small roll of bandaging cloth, wrapping it carefully around his palm. The Princess rushed closer to Urbosa, her features drawn and swiftly paling - Link caught a few words of their conversation.
"...didn't know he would make it so deep!"
"He knows what he's doing; it's not your fault -"
"I feel awful! This is - this is such a pointless part of the ceremony; it's so selfish! How can I ask someone I barely know to die for me? And - and the blood - I thought it would be just a tiny cut, maybe a finger prick, not - not that!"
Link bit down hard on his lip to hold back a grimace. I did; I really messed up. Fantastic.
The Princess was noticeably less talkative as they made their way through Castle Town towards the Sacred Grounds for the final part of the ceremony. Her head was bowed and her posture stiff, although her movements were as graceful as ever. Merchants and travellers spotted the Champions in the street and waved and cheered their names; Mipha blushed and ducked her head while Daruk and Revali waved back with wide grins, and Urbosa offered a smile here and there. There was a distinct lack of shouts of the Link and the Princess' names.
Link jogged forward a few steps to fall into place just behind her. All these people… it's an ideal situation for an ambush, he reminded himself, refocusing. I need to be on my guard - always. Even during a ceremony.
But the worst he noticed from the crowd were unsettled glares thrown in his and the Princess' direction; they reached the peaceful Sacred Grounds without incident.
The last time Link had been to the Sacred Grounds, he was being knighted. It had happened shortly after he drew the Master Sword, and he remembered feeling no pride at his accomplishment, but rather fear, and guilt. Most other knights in the kingdom had been knighted as a result of great acts of valor and importance. Groose had jumped over a cliff to save a child from drowning beneath a waterfall. Garmish played a crucial part in foiling an assassination attempt on the General. And Hanvorien single-handedly defeated a monster horde attacking Mabe Village, where he was born.
And me? What did I do? What grand act of courage did I perform to deserve such an honor?
I drew a stupid sword that confirmed the Calamity's return.
He resisted the urge to shake his head as the Princess gestured for him to kneel in the center of the Triforce seal engraved into the stone at the heart of the Sacred Grounds. He felt uncomfortable; his own skin felt too tight around his chest, and he wished he could just shrink away. This isn't right. I'm not supposed to be here - I have done nothing to prove myself worthy of this position or this title! I'm not a hero; I'm not who they want me to be - I can't do this!
The Princess stretched out her hand before him, her palm hovering inches from his head. She inhaled deeply, and Link quickly closed his eyes in respect, his heart hammering wildly.
"Hero of Hyrule, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness," the Princess began, her voice reverent yet weary. "You have shown unflinching bravery and skill in the face of darkness and adversity, and have proven yourself worthy of the blessings of the Goddess Hylia."
Link could feel his heart seeming to shrivel within his chest. These, like the prayers he had recited earlier, must have been pre-decided words - traditional words, meant for people who actually had done something of importance. They aren't true for me. This is pointless - surely the Goddesses won't bless me when the words of the prayer are a lie when applied to me!
"Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the embers of twilight," the Princess droned on, "the sacred blade is forever bound to the soul of the hero. We pray for your protection… and we hope that - that the two of you will grow stronger together, as one."
Silence fell for a moment and Link swallowed, hoping uncertainly that it was over. He kept his eyes tightly shut, listening closely, and then the Princess sighed and continued. "Forged in the long distant past, the sword that seals the darkness, guardian of Hyrule -"
"Gee, this is uplifting." Daruk's voice - and it was sarcastic? Distracted, Link tried to return his attention to the Princess as the Champions continued their hushed conversation behind him.
"- forever bound to the hero, in the name of the Goddess Hylia -"
"- we already lost," Daruk huffed.
Revali snorted. "Wasn't this your idea? You're the one who wanted to-"
"- bless you and your chosen hero. Over the seas of time and distance -"
"- does seem to be overkill," Revali growled. "I think I'm on the same page as the Princess regarding… this boy."
"- need the golden power of the Goddess, our hope rests in you to be forever by the hero's side -"
Urbosa's voice, stern and regretful, distracted him once again. "That boy is a living reminder of her own failures."
Link's mind screeched to a halt. Wh-what?
He had thought it was the opposite - that she could see as clearly as everyone else how inadequate he was, how inexperienced and unreliable. How could I - how could she think she's a failure when she looks at me?
It made no sense to him. Not when she was so accomplished - so intelligent, so dedicated. And her work with the Sheikah technology… well, from what he had seen, she was anything but a failure in that field. She was nothing short of inspiring, in his eyes.
But… I make her feel like a failure? Why? Anyone would have my skills at swordplay if they did nothing else from the time they were three years old; it's nothing special. And the Master Sword… well, I don't know why I was chosen for that. It doesn't make sense.
And neither does the fact that I remind her of her failures.
It was flawed logic, but perhaps because neither of those made sense, they were connected in some way?
It took him a moment to realize that the Princess had fallen silent. Slowly he lifted his head, just in time to meet her gaze. Instantly she looked away, but he had seen something painful in her eyes - a gleam of hopelessness.
She inhaled deeply, raising her hand once more over him. "May the Goddesses find favor with you," she murmured. "Rise, Sir Link of Thyphlo, chosen hero of the Master Sword, Appointed Knight to the Princess of Hyrule."
He blinked and got to his feet. For a moment more he looked into the Princess' eyes, and then she turned around and walked away, across the stone platform and down the steps, heading back towards the castle without looking back to see if anyone followed.
So that's it, then. The ceremony's over.
I'm officially sworn to the Princess.
Updated 7/8
