Here is chapter 6. I don't have too much to say as the author on this one so read away and don't forget to let me know what you think by liking or leaving a review! Constructive criticism is welcome!
As they headed for the stable, Zelda started to feel badly for how she had been treating Link and decided to wait for him this time. Impa's words came back to her And you don't know his story. She was fairly certain she did know his story. What really was there to know? He was a gifted swordsman who found success easily everywhere he went. Was that really a reason to treat him with cruelty though?
Link gave her a leg up onto her steed and passed her the reigns before mounting his own and she led the way back. He kept a respectable distance and they continued to travel in silence.
Once they reached the canyon, Zelda decided to try some conversation with him.
"Lovely day today." She offered.
Link looked up at the sky as if he hadn't noticed then back to her and offered nothing back.
Zelda chewed her lip trying to think of something that might get him to speak. "Do you have any siblings?" She asked as sweetly as she could manage.
He shook his head and still said nothing.
"I know your father is a knight… what is your mother like?" That would be safe enough and maybe it would give her some insight on what it would have been like to have a mother.
Link shrugged and offered nothing more.
What the hell does that mean? She no longer wanted to talk to him and the two continued on in silence.
She did, however, take a Southern detour when the road forked and thought for certain he would say something about needing to get back to the castle on time but even that couldn't get a sound out of him.
When they arrived at Lake Kolomo, she dismounted, tied her horse to a nearby tree and took out the Sheikah Slate. While Link was following suit, she started walking along the shore towards the ruins of the garrison on the other side of the lake.
"From here, we'll make our way to Goron City," She announced, not expecting a response from her silent shadow, "Then, we'll need to make some adjustments on that divine beast so Daruk can manage it as easily as possible. He's figured out how to get it to move… However, it's apparent that we still have much more to learn." Her enthusiasm got the better of her as she thought of the ancient Sheikah technology and she couldn't help but continue on despite her irritating companion, "But to think… that divine beast was actually built by people… That means that we should be able to understand how it works and how to use it to our advantage." She paused, thinking of all of the giant animal-like machines they had found, "These divine beasts… So much we don't know… But if we want to turn back Calamity Ganon, they're our best hope." She slowed then stopped. They weren't their best hope. At best, they were a help… and a useless help if ultimately she couldn't unlock her powers.
She looked over her shoulder to Link, sadness straining her voice, "Tell me the truth… How proficient are you right now, wielding that sword on your back?" She paused, "Legend says that an ancient voice resonates inside it." He glanced over his shoulder to the sword then looked back at her, "Can you hear it yet… hero?"
Of course, he said nothing. Zelda sighed and continued walking toward the ruins.
Excited noises caused her to look up and that's when she saw three bokoblins running toward them.
Before she could move, Link had positioned himself between her and the monsters. As they ran toward them, he twirled the Master Sword in his hand then when they got close enough, he launched at the first one with an upwards slash, shearing the red bokoblin clean in half. The two sides fell outwards and Link had stepped over it to face the next one. He sliced horizontally at it but the creature blocked his attack. The other red bokoblin was about to hit him from behind but he spun, slicing it just under the armpits and it crumpled backwards, gasping it's last breaths. He spun back to the remaining blue bokoblin and kicked it in the gut as it was about to swing it's club. It doubled over and he finished it off by beheading it. He looked around to be sure there were no other threats then took a cloth from his pocket and wiped off the blade before sheathing it.
Zelda just stood there, stunned. He'd killed them so easily. It almost made her feel bad for them. He looked at her, waiting for her to continue with his usual neutral expression. She quickly composed herself and kept walking. When she reached the garrison, she looked around inside, it didn't take her long to find what she had been looking for. "Ah! There it is!" A small, leather bound book lay on the floor under some debris. She picked it up and held it to her chest.
"I forgot this here the last time I was out doing research with Purah." They began walking back to the horses and she put the small notebook in one of her saddlebags. They mounted up and continued on their journey in silence.
Link wished she would talk about her research more but he didn't want to push it. It was nice hearing her be so passionate about something. It helped to distract him from his own worries.
After a long day of riding, they arrived at a stable. Link took the horses to the stable hand and while he was distracted, Zelda paid the stable owner for room and board. They would each have their own bed to sleep in tonight and wouldn't need to camp out in the rain. When Link came back, she told him the news and he only nodded in response.
Zelda shook her head incredulously when his back was turned then looked out at the land around them. This was the Wetland Stable and Death Mountain was almost due North, looming in the distance. Tomorrow, they would make it to their destination.
*They set out early the next morning. While Zelda finished her breakfast, Link readied the horses and off they went. They followed the road North until they crossed Thim's Bridge and from there, they took the road Southeast. It eventually curved Northward again and they arrived at the Foothill Stable.
Link boarded their horses there for a small fee and they stocked up on fireproof elixirs before they continued up the mountain.
Their journey, as always, was silent. So silent, that she might have forgotten Link was even there if she couldn't feel his eyes burning into her back constantly. The feeling only made her quicken her pace and soon they'd reached the Southern Mines. One of the workers rolled up the mountain to send word to Daruk of their arrival and they continued their trek.
Daruk met them at the gate to Goron City, "Hey little guy! Princess! Great to see ya make it all the way up here for a visit!"
Zelda couldn't help but smile at the Goron's warmth and genuine cheer at seeing them. "It's good to see you too, Daruk."
"It's getting late! Have you two eaten yet? I've got a roast ready with your names on it!" He turned to lead them towards his home. Zelda was certainly hungry but she thought she saw Link grimace.
As soon as they walked into the little hut, she understood why Link had made that face. She couldn't help but cringe at the thought of eating rocks. "Dig in, guys!" Daruk said, waiting for the two of them to take their share. Link started to reach for a plate but Zelda piped up to save him from having to eat rocks, "Thank you, Daruk. We actually ate just before we reached the Southern Mines. I don't think either of us could fit another bite in without exploding."
Link flashed her an appreciative look and dropped his hand before Daruk could notice.
Daruk looked disappointed, "Aw, shucks, that's too bad. Oh well, more for me, I guess!" And he dug in with abandon. Before long, the rock roast was finished.
"You two must be pretty tired after coming all this way up the mountain. Get a good rest tonight and we'll head on up to see the divine beast in the morning. You two can stay here if you'd like!" With that, the big Goron headed off to bed.
In the morning, the three of them set off toward Vah Rudania. Along the way, Zelda got distracted but a shrine just outside the city.
Link and Daruk stood to the side while she examined the ancient structure.
Before long, Daruk turned his attention to the large lizard-like machine marching its way around the top of the volcano. "That thing sure has been giving me some trouble. I try to get it to do what I want it to do but it seems to just have a mind of its own. Any guesses on what the problem is?"
Link looked back at Zelda, concerned to leave her alone but Daruk quickly put his mind at ease.
"Don't worry, little guy! The Gorons here would never allow harm to befall the princess. Once she is done here, one of them will guide her up to meet us." And with that, Link set off down the path towards the divine beast. Once they got close, Daruk stood and looked up at it but Link had other ideas and pushed him into the ancient machine.
"You want me to explore this thing eh? I guess looking around and understanding its innards wouldn't hurt." So he proceeded wandering around inside.
Really, Link was hoping for some advice from his friend but couldn't figure out how to put his question into words. Instead, he wandered along inside the divine beast with Daruk. The Goron champion paused periodically to examine a structure or to see how different parts connected. After a few hours, the two of them made their way up above and stood on a nearby platform. Daruk seemed much more confident with his role and they hadn't needed to make any adjustments.
"Yeah! I think I'm finally getting the hang of controlling this divine beast!" Daruk stretched his sides and did a few twists to loosen himself up. "I tell you what… sure is a blast piloting a toy like this around." He turned to face Link, "Let those other Champions know, they better eat their gravel if they wanna keep up with Daruk."
He looked up to survey the mountain and Link followed his gaze, "Speaking of which, can you believe this view? Just look at all those delectable rocks sprinkled on those mountains… Mighty tasty!" He suddenly changed his tone to one more serious. "I may not know a whole lot about this Calamity Ganon thing… but mark my words, I'll protect this land of ours to the death! Right, little guy?" And before Link had a chance to blink, the big Goron slapped him on the back so hard he stumbled forward. He winced as he tried to straighten up again but Daruk just chuckled, seemingly oblivious to his friend's pain.
"Hey, by the way… congrats on becoming the princess's appointed knight. That's a really big deal! Protecting the king's daughter…" Daruk chuckled again and put a hand on his friend's back much more gently this time, "No pressure!"
The Goron straightened up again, "Seriously, though. The princess is a strong personality… so strong, she can't quite see the range for the peaks." Link didn't quite understand that idiom. It must have been a Goron thing. "Remember that, and you'll be fine."
The ground began to shake violently and Daruk looked up the mountain, "Huh? What the-?"
Several huge boulders shook free from the mountain and plummeted towards them. Daruk roared and put his fists up just in time to block the rocks from crushing them. A red dome appeared over them and the boulders broke apart and fell harmlessly down around them. Once they were safe, the red dome disappeared and Daruk turned around to face Link again, "All right, so what was I saying?" He turned back up towards the mountain, concern etched all over his face, "That was a little strange… As far as I know, Death Mountain has been quiet for decades. But if the mountain is shivering enough to send down a bunch of boulders that size, then-" He seemed to catch himself and shook his head, "Never mind. Forget I said anything."
A few minutes later, they heard Zelda call up to them, "Are you all right? The mountain shook and I saw some boulders fall…"
"Don't you worry, little princess! We're just fine! Link showed me how I can better pilot this thing too! Check it out!" Daruk proudly maneuvered the divine beast around the mountain and Link had to grab onto an outcrop to keep from falling off.
"Well done, Daruk!" Zelda cheered from the ground when he'd stopped then entered the divine beast to check on the settings.
It bothered her that yet again, Link had easily done something that she had struggled with. What had he changed? Did he mess with any of the settings? When she looked them over, they were all exactly how they should have been. How could he have known?
Link and Daruk met her inside the beast and she turned to Daruk, "It has been a very lovely visit and I hope to see you again very soon. Link and I must be off, though."
She twirled on her heel and walked outside afraid she would start crying or screaming if she slowed down.
Link and Daruk looked at each other in confusion then Link followed after his charge.
Zelda said nothing to him as she marched them down the mountain and Link got a sense that he had done something wrong though he didn't have a clue what that could have been.
Once they were nearly at the foot of the mountain, Zelda turned on him, "What did you change in the Divine Beast? How did you know how to set it?" She demanded.
Link stepped back in confusion and just stared at her.
"For once in your life, could you just say SOMETHING?!" She yelled, exasperated.
Link's mouth opened but nothing came out. He didn't know what she was talking about. He hadn't changed anything in the divine beast. They hadn't touched any of the controls.
She made a frustrated noise and continued down the mountain towards the stable. Link gave her some space before following behind her.
They stopped at the stable to rest until morning but Zelda didn't wait up for Link and found her spot to rest for the night. When he came over to where she was seated, she turned her back to him and he got the hint to leave her well enough alone. Whatever he had done, had really upset her this time. In the morning, she still wasn't speaking to him and once she got on her horse, she took off at a canter and Link really had to hurry to keep up.
They arrived at the castle at noon. She dismounted, handed the reigns to a stable hand and went straight up to her room. Link watched after her as he dismounted from Epona. Once she was out of sight, he turned to his own horse and patted her on the cheek. He would care for the horses and give her some time to cool off.
*Several days passed and Zelda had done her best to avoid him. He still didn't know what he'd done to upset her so much but he knew better than to bother her about it right now. He did his best to perform his duties but also give her space. It turned out to be quite the balancing act and most of the time, he just tried to stay out of her sight.
After a week of her avoiding him, he was about ready to confront her about it. He made his way up to her room and knocked on the door.
No answer.
He knocked again and there was no answer.
He opened the door and pushed it open before looking in and again, no answer.
When he did look inside, the princess was no where to be seen. Suddenly alarmed, she looked around trying to figure out where else she could be. Foolishly, he'd allowed her to sneak out without him noticing.
He cursed under his breath and headed down to the stable. After questioning the stablehand, he found out she had taken the west road out of the castle. He didn't have time to get Epona ready so he just grabbed the first horse he saw that was saddled and ready and headed off at a gallop, watching the road for signs of where she could have gone.
Zelda crouched down to examine the pedestal in front of the shrine. She stood and touched the Sheikah Slate against the ancient symbol of the Sheikah tribe. When she lifted it away, it was just as it had been before, "Hmm… Nothing. Just as I thought."
She looked up at the shrine before her, "Hmm… It appears that this structure was designed to be exclusively accessed by the sword's chosen one."
Just the thought of him being able to get inside but not her made her blood boil. "But designs can always be worked around, at least I hope." She took a few steps back, trying to get the full picture for some sort of clue. "How do I get inside? I need to activate it somehow."
The sound of a horse neighing and galloping up the hill pulled her from her reverie. She gasped and turned around to see HIM riding up the hill. He jumped from the horse's back while the horse was still moving and continued to run up to her.
She tensed up and put the Sheikah Slate back in it's case at her hip and marched toward her horse. "I thought I made it clear that I am not in need of an escort." She stopped in front of him, huffed and put her hand on her hip as she looked to the side, "It seems I'm the only one with a mind of my own." She looked back to the stoic knight and put her hand to her chest to emphasize, "I, the person in question, am fine, regardless of the king's orders." She started walking past him towards her horse, "Return to the castle and tell that to my father, please."
She continued to walk to her horse when she could hear him walking along behind her. She turned on her heel and snapped, "And stop following me!"
That stopped him in his tracks. The confused look on his face made her feel guilty for how she was behaving. He hadn't deserved to have her snap at him like that but she wasn't ready to apologize for it either. She mounted her horse and set off back to the castle.
By the time she got back, she felt truly wretched for how she'd behaved. She had been ignoring him for a week and the first time she saw him, she lost her temper. No one deserved that. And yet, she couldn't help but feel more angry at him for making her feel guilty for it.
After tossing and turning for half the night, she eventually got out of bed and went out to the walkway leading to her study. She stood out by the ledge and looked up at the sky.
Mother… why couldn't you have left some clue about how to unlock my powers? She prayed while making a fist on the stone rampart.
A noise down below caught her attention. She looked and saw Link going through the motions with the Master Sword. His movements were crisp and flawless yet fluid as though they were one continuous motion as one slice led into the next stab and so on.
She watched him for a time, entranced by his fighting dance and it made her think back to the ball where they had waltzed. He had been as graceful then as he was now.
He looked up to her and she stepped back to hide behind the railing before he could figure out she was watching him. By the time she stepped forward again to look, he was gone.