Scattering petals
Link & Zelda
Chapter 24: Diplomatic mission
When the hero and the princess must depart to persuade the last ally
Author's note: It seems like after the mourning process, my inspiration has finally returned. Despite binging Arcane and falling in love with LOL's universe and many hours of playing Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, I still have time to write new chapters for you. This one is quite long, so it kinda justifies the late update.
I enjoyed the creative process behind the visit to Kakariko Village a lot! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.
Link found himself sitting in front of a table wider than the whole Castletown barracks. Compared to its generous sizings, he was practically the size of an ant. He had witnessed the same room with plenty of furniture like that one in banquets before, just not from that perspective. The new point of view, lacking from the vigilante's usual distance, was now welcoming the knight as a guest. And despite frequently daydreaming of becoming one of the fortunate ones to taste the food Hyrule Castle offers, the hero couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. The mere sight of such a large display before him was simply too much to handle. And not to mention the servings of delicious cooking…
The sudden crack of the wooden doors made the knight snap. He turned, slightly on his guard, to face the person who was just entering the dining room. It was Princess Zelda. She was still wearing the sacred robes from the daily prayers. The King summoning them so unexpectedly hadn't granted her enough time to change into a formal gown.
"Good afternoon, Link." She greeted softly, skipping the formality of his title at the lack of people around. Her expression was softer than it once was. Link could tell she wasn't bothered by his presence anymore. The hint of a smile gave it away.
He nodded in reply and knelt down in a swift motion. He wasn't privileged enough to skip the royal protocol. Zelda's right eyebrow rose at the gesture as it looked too much for the occasion. Nothing, however, could change the fact that the kingdom's Princess had to be greeted with a minimum display of courtesy in court.
"Any clue about the reason Father summoned us?" She pushed further, mind never at ease.
Unluckily for both of them, Link didn't know either what the occasion called for such measures. The members of the royal guard sometimes possessed a bit of extra information about the castle's future schedule to ensure its safety protocols were being followed. This time, nevertheless, King Rhoam had kept secret the reason for the improvised meeting at the dining hall. On another occasion, they should have been called for at the sanctum. Why were all of them, instead, attending a private lunch?
The knight's vigorous attitude brought him forward to take a peek at the main table. Princess Zelda followed close as well; a shadow of intrigue veiled her jittery state. Link welcomed her presence around to make time go by swiftly as they waited for the King.
"What is this even for?" Link asked eventually, grabbing a golden tool with engravings on its metal. It wasn't sharp enough to cut meat like a knife or round to eat soup. He gestured to the possible uses, not finding its purpose.
"It's called decoration." The princess giggled, returning it to its place by the candles. "It reflects the light around more efficiently." She explained almost in a motherly tone. For a moment, the knight felt like a child again. A goofy grin escaped his lips as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. What a complex ornament, then.
"I would have never guessed it." Link finally admitted.
Despite confessing his lack of knowledge, Princess Zelda's eyes lit up with sparks of energy. That was a fact the knight had grown fond of. No matter the level of skills the person beside her possessed, Zelda always cared enough to adapt her speech depending on who she was interacting with. The same thing happened back at Goron Village with the children admiring her lesson about reptiles. Link tried to imagine an alternate reality where the princess title was bestowed on someone else: Zelda would be a renowned teacher with her own research facilities around Hyrule. And Link would be a stableboy in charge of the horses. But that had only happened once in his dreams.
"An ordinary design determines an excellent invention, quite contrary to popular beliefs." She commented further, somehow glad about Link's clueless behaviour. He locked his eyes on her jade iris, enjoying the enthusiastic way she talked. "Making technology look familiar to the human eye is important too. Its use becomes more appealing to people."
The warmth surrounding each one of her explanations made the escort's firm heart skip a beat. He tried to find the reason behind the feeling of plentifulness inside him to no avail. Just having Princess Zelda around sharing fun facts and having small talk with him was meaningful. People around the court could criticise the lack of formality of the scene, but to him, it felt right. Apparently, she must have felt the same way too as she kept ranting about curiosities in the castle. He kept on following her around the room.
She explained patiently how the sunlight hit on each stained glass, designed to reflect each colour in the room depending on the time of the day. Link listened closely and tried to absorb her knowledge, amazed by her wisdom. There was no doubt she was the embodiment of the triforce's wise fragment. He just wished she could perceive herself like the rest of the people did. Maybe then she would irradiate the confidence she much needed.
"Blue is meant to merge with the other shades." Zelda pointed at the biggest faux vitrail above them. Link figured out it was because cerulean tones represented Hyrule's flag. "It's a subtle way to display the defeat of the Crimson Moon, a legendary night where evil forces manifest to take over the world. We still don't know if the myth is actually true, but still."
Unconsciously, out of admiration, a sigh escaped the hero's lips. Zelda became self-conscious all of sudden and the gleam of passion on her glance slowly vanished. The sight reminded Link of porcelain falling to pieces with a simple scratch. Guilt filled his chest instantly.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She apologised, lowering her head with modesty. "I got carried away."
Link cursed his damned breathing even if its lack meant dying on the spot.
"No, no-..." He started but was silenced out of a sudden by the gates from the hall.
The loud crackling from the wooden doors announced the much-expected arrival of the King. Princess Zelda took back all insecurity to stand tall, becoming regal in the instant. Link too tried to forget about his sigh interrupting the princess's speech to kneel down on the floor out of respect. From his perspective, the knight could only hear the heavy steps from the ruler's boots.
"I'm afraid I lost track of time." Rhoam commented. Actually, a King was never late. It was always the guests who arrived way too early. "Rise, child. Let's have something to eat. All of us." He ordered next.
Link obeyed the King's command and, surprised by the order, followed Princess Zelda to sit beside her at the main table. She too looked clueless about his presence at the private lunch. It was an exceptional case, judging by what the knight had seen so far during his watch. Only ministers, priests, counsellors and high-ranked members of the court had the privilege to sit there before.
As soon as the King sat down, a pair of servants appeared from behind the curtains at the bottom of the room. The cloth with the kingdom's flag was used to cover the secret hallway that connected with the kitchen. The dining room wasn't the only place in the castle that used that type of secret passageway. Ones were better hidden than others, especially the one at the sanctum. Though the knight had to admit the library's hallway was unique. He wouldn't have acknowledged its existence if it weren't for the Princess's sheikah slate.
The recently baked cookies could be smelled from miles away. Apparently, Link had been wrong about his suppositions. The castle's staff served some pastries with hot tea. Royal protocol indicated it was not yet the time to have dinner. King Rhoam cleared his throat among the fog of warm milk and boiled herbs created.
"Unfortunately, King Dorephan has declined the task to pilot Divine Beast Vah Ruta." He spat out without prelude. A handwritten letter was displayed before both Link and Zelda, who had to scoop closer in order to read it. The message was from Zora's ruler in person. "His advanced age has stolen his vitality. And he isn't willing to risk his heirs' lives."
The hero's mind snapped at the mention of Zora's domain. The princess's name was highlighted before his eyes in the letter. King Dorephan made himself clear: Mipha was too valuable to the rule's destiny and Prince Sidon was too young to be considered a warrior.
"How shall we proceed, Father?" Zelda's tone was urgent and filled with uneasiness. The diplomatic missions had been her tasks and failing in assigning pilots for the Divine Beasts was just another disappointment she just couldn't allow. "King Dorephan isn't even offering an alternate pilot for Vah Ruta."
Link's hand stopped its motion towards the pastries. His hunger left as soon as he empathised with the Princess' worry. Shyness aside, the cookies no longer looked mouth-watering to him.
"That is the reason why I summoned Sir Link as well." King Rhoam explained, not sharing the same anxiety as his daughter. He, instead, redirected his keen eyes to the knight. "I heard Princess Mipha is a childhood friend of yours, correct?"
The hero nodded. Zelda raised her eyebrows in surprise, ignorant of that fact. Just for half a second, Link locked his cerulean eyes with her as a sign of support. The motion was so quick not even the patriarch noticed it. The intention to show support, however, was still there.
"I will require your persuasive skills in the next trip: Goddess incarnate and Chosen One together to display Hyrule's conviction against the Calamity."
King Rhoam's strategy was clear and went straight to the point. All doubt vanished from the heiress's expression as she nodded in agreement. Link didn't say anything against it, so his determination was present de facto. Hyrule's sake was at risk, after all.
"We can't give into despair after all we have been through." Zelda concluded, glancing at her escort. Link felt his breath cut for a second, perceiving her strong conviction. "We have King Dorephan's rejection, but Princess Mipha may agree to pilot Vah Ruta."
"She will." Link added, nodding. He knew that Princess Mipha, no matter the royal title, was one to put up a fight. He also knew as well that King Dorephan was sometimes too overprotective of his daughter.
Despite not having seen the Zora heiress in a while, Link knew she wouldn't have changed. Mipha had been one of the greatest persons his inner child grew fond of. She had been a constant in his childhood, always a friend he could count on.
After the late Queen got married to King Rhoam, Link's father had been reassigned as the general of the hylian guard back at Zora's Domain. Due to its closeness to Hateno Village, their family's hometown, the new rank was found more appropriate for a father like him. There was a point when Aryll and Link visited him on a daily basis, becoming usual visitors to the domain. Coincidentally, Princess Mipha was around the same age and the establishment of a newfound friendship was eventually inevitable. Plus, there weren't many children around the domain. And Link was one to get into trouble as if he were one of the Zora guards as well. Not knowing him was impossible: the fearless hylian kid. And wherever harm fell upon a citizen, Princess Mipha was there to learn to use her healing powers.
"Settled, then." King Rhoam concluded once he finished his tea. Link, however, still hadn't touched his cup yet. His Majesty noticed that and said: "Suit yourself, boy. Don't be shy."
And so, the hero finally found enough courage to serve himself a couple or two of pastries displayed on the table.
Princess Zelda had proposed to stay for the night at Kakariko village. The town was on the road to Zora's Domain and the timing became excellent for them to rest from the weary travel. The temperature felt different on the eastern lands as the rain was a frequent circumstance in that area. Luckily for them, the weather had remained favourable: not too sunny nor too cloudy.
Link had never been to Kakariko Village before. The sheikah's hometown was a cosy and ancient town surrounded by the duelling peaks. He had witnessed the place twice during archery practices, but he had never imagined the sensation of actually being there. The peaceful location granted its wooden houses a reliable shelter in terms of time and protection. Despite the technical purpose behind the tribe's lifestyle, it still felt welcoming. A well-deserved status after so many centuries supporting the Hylian crown, fighting as the kingdom's right hand. But Link was not the one to talk about history as he knew just the basics. The princess would be far more appropriate to recall the chronological events, he thought.
Twilight consumed the last rays of the sun as the hero stretched his muscles to conclude his solo training with the Master Sword. The main square in the village had enough space to grant him total liberty for movement and the sound of Hylia's fountain water running down had aided his concentration. Despite the physical effort, Link felt his energies recharged. The type of tiredness stored in one's body after travelling by horse should have been talked about more. At least his limbs didn't feel numb anymore. Plus, he had just completed his daily list of tasks. Nightfall was all his to enjoy.
"You have fostered a bond with the Master Sword, it seems." Impa's wise voice interrupted the scenery, snapping him back to reality. The hero sheathed the weapon after witnessing the Princess' presence beside the sheikah advisor as well. "Dim gleaming embraced its edge. Princess Zelda sensed it."
"Right." Her Highness added with a shy nod, still trying to hide his own insecurities to not bother people around her. "I even thought it was a sunset firefly glowing. But it is too early to catch sight of them yet." She joked lightly.
"Speaking of which, you two should stay near the hill. The fireflies will be out soon." Impa added, noticing the Princess' heart drop at the lack of her own progress in magical matters. "I will make sure your rooms are ready by then."
Link sighed out of relief at the mention of a soft bed to sleep in. He was lucky that Impa was Kakariko's heiress to its leadership. Her influence had granted them a warm welcome with delicious food and proper care. Despite her elevated rank in the hylian court, she still was the one in charge of overseeing all preparations were taken care of. That revealed a lot about her personality. Quite the contrary to the court's poet, who shared the same roots, Impa still remained modest and humbled with people.
"I feel like I shouldn't stay up until late, Impa." Zelda commented, her eyes drifting to Hylia's statue in the central pond. Both Link and Impa noticed the small detail.
"By Hylia, Princess. You are the only person I know capable of demanding creatures to alter their sleeping schedule." The advisor joked but immediately returned to her formal self and added a personal reflection for Zelda to make: "Isn't admiring nature's gift an act of devotion itself as well?"
"I suppose." Zelda finally replied, not so certain of it but also not having much choice but to deny it.
A weird silence replaced their words but, luckily for them, the attention was bestowed on the Princess again. The sudden interruption of a sheikah couple kneeling before Her Highness allowed the knight and the counsellor to have a word.
"Follow the main path upwards and bring her next to the hill. She will love the view." Impa advised low enough for Zelda not to hear it.
To avoid any excuses, Link approached the Princess as soon as she was left alone. She looked around for the sheikah advisor, but Impa was nowhere near to be found. Instead, the escort wrapped his fingers around her palm and started walking, giving her no other choice rather than going to the hill for fireflies sighting. Her shy steps followed the hero as he brought her up the path.
The villagers had already lit the torches around the main streets. The landscape became warmer, filled with light that gave life to Kakariko despite the lack of its people outside. Smoke came from inside the houses, its smoke exiting through the wooden chimneys. The smell of their homemade cooking followed, all its different scents delicious and unique in their own way. The soft wind carried it around, dissolving the smoke in the nocturne sky. Yet the tasty scent lingered.
Finding the spot Impa described was relatively easy. Embraced by two waterfalls at each side, a spot of fresh grass offered ideal views, just right up the goddess' fountain. Light also shone from within the pond's water, offering enough light for the hylian pair to find their place to sit down but not too much to eclipse the fireflies' appearance. However, there still was no trace of them. It was a matter of time just what Link and Zelda needed to clear their mind from the pressure of the trip to Zora's Domain. With the alliance at stake, both of them had stored uneasiness inside their chests. But at that moment, the knight made it his mission to make the royal heiress forget tomorrow's worries.
Link turned to see the Princess' eyes lit up at the sight of the scenery around them. She immediately reached for the sheikah slate, tapping on the image rune to take a picture. Zelda looked through the screen and got up from her brief seat. Her jade eyes detected the knight's glance examining her.
"Pretend I am not here." She commanded, excited for the ideal frame displayed on the screen. "Just for the picture, please?"
The hero let out a playful sigh and turned his back on the Princess. Zelda, on the other hand, bent down to find the perfect perspective. Her eyes scanned the surroundings but, despite the landscape's beauty, Link took all the protagonism. The way the Master Sword laid across the knight's back, the moonlight's beam on his hylian armour, his hair messily falling from his ponytail around his shoulders… His presence was simply competing against the view's mesmerising charms. And it was hard to decide which one caught all of the attention in the frame.
The loud snap of the camera brought back Link's freedom to move. He quietly observed how Princess Zelda sat down once more. The blue gleam from the slate's screen highlighted her smile as she scrolled through the gallery. The knight, for the first time, noticed that she had been keeping up with the task of capturing several moments from their diplomatic missions around Hyrule. She scooped closer with one hand's impulse and brought the sheikah slate between herself and Link. He returned her considerate gesture with interest, observing what images had been stored in the slate.
The first two pictures were a test taken in the royal lab. Its distinct surroundings were unmistakable: messy calligraphy, abundant manuscripts, pieces of ancient technology, manuals scattered around the table… Link could almost hear Purah and Robbie making theories in the background. The theme didn't change for the next two pictures, which had been taken inside the Shrine of Resurrection. The screen showed the sheikah runes' inscriptions on the wall. Its poor lighting made it difficult to identify each shape. The ticking of time, too, hadn't improved what remained written in stone.
"I have yet to decipher the meaning. For now, I only have the very first sentences translated. Sheikah runes are complex even for experts like Impa or Purah." Zelda explained, zooming on the image. "It may be silly to store hopes about it being of use for the pilgrimage. But still."
"What else do you have?" Link asked, reconditioning the attention to their free time alone. His interest made the princess draw a shy smile on her peachy lips.
"The next ones are from Rito Village. I don't have many because of the snowstorm, do you recall?" She asked in a poor way to distract him from the Rito champion's dislike. The princess also remembered how he had admitted to disliking the feathered warrior, so it was in his best interest to change the topic soon. Link nodded for her to continue.
Vah Medoh had been captured on screen from the floor's perspective. Even Revali was immortalised in one of the images, caught in a not-so-intimidating expression while flying. His bow and scarf were tightly attached to him but the camera's objective had caught an ungraceful face of his. His eyes were blurry and his beak was half-open, turning the presence into a rather comic sight.
"Extort material." The knight joked, stealing a giggle from the royal heiress.
"I hadn't noticed until now." She admitted, zooming on the feathery warrior. Zelda couldn't help but laugh a bit louder this time.
Her regular self returned once she scrolled through the next pictures, which were taken during her trip to the flying Divine Beast with the Rito Champion. Vah Medoh was also the main protagonist in these just like before. This time, nevertheless, the perspective had changed as Zelda was on top of the mechanisms in too likely dangerous conditions. The escort gave the Princess a questionable glance, reminding her that he was not present to protect her during that trip to Medoh. Not that it had been her fault, more like Revali's for denying bringing him along. On second thought, he should have thought of an alternative on his own to make his way up the Divine Beast.
"You missed the views." Zelda commented with a darker tone. "Though this one is way better."
Her try to make amends about the past seemed to work. For Link, at least, they hadn't been even necessary from the start though he appreciated the intention.
"These are from Death Mountain." She explained, scrolling for the next pictures.
Her doing was present in each one of the pictures. The attention to detail turned casual images into exceptional pieces. Most of them were mere reflections of the main landscape. Her fingers continued slipping through several rough tries to catch a reptile's run, concluding in blurry pictures. The next ones, however, focused on the details of half-unearthed guardians like the one that got triggered and attacked the troops on their way to Goron Village. The intention to capture the machine's extensible legs was clear. Some images were more detailed than others but surely sheikah researchers would appreciate having them displayed around the lab for them to study.
Vah Rudania came next and Link couldn't suppress a noticeable huff as he remembered how he fell into its dungeon. Luckily for him, Princess Zelda's brilliant idea to create ice columns for him to climb up the central platform saved him from being boiled alive in lava. Apparently, she understood the reason behind his exasperated sigh and skipped to the next group of photographs.
"Oh, I really like these." The Princess' excitement made the escort bend closer to observe how she showed him gerudo region pictures.
Due to the circumstances of her loneliness, Zelda had almost filled the entire camera roll with pictures of the flora. Most of them had safflina or other adaptable plants as targets, being the only ones capable of surviving in the middle of the desert. The photographs of the main landscape showed the Great Fossil in the distance. Among all the shots, from time to time, an image or two appeared blurry. The occasion finally allowed Her Highness to check the quality of them and, with a slide of her finger, the sheikah slate automatically erased the discarded ones from the camera roll. That fact was just an indicator of her new obsession with her mother's journal as she hadn't bothered to clean the virtual gallery. Link, however, was nobody to share his thoughts about the matter. Having the Princess sit down with him and relax was already enough progress.
And then, the knight felt his blood freezing out of fright. The snap displayed before him was none but a picture of him… just dressed as a woman, instead. Despite the crowd at the marketplace, he managed to stand out in the photography. And judging by Zelda's expression, she hadn't figured out yet that he had been following her undercover through Gerudo. His sudden paleness, nevertheless, was enough for her to tell he was hiding something.
"Do you know this woman?" She spat on her first try, but Link shook his head in negation. "What's wrong with it, then?"
"Absolutely nothing." He denied, looking away in the distance to dodge her keen eyes. Part of him wished for Zelda to discover his feminine camouflage but, on the other hand, he had promised Urbosa not to reveal their secret.
"You liar." She huffed in a mix of annoyance and amusement. The knight couldn't hide his smile at seeing her so concerned and Zelda, eventually, noticed the sharp shine of his teeth between his lips. "This is grounds for conspiracy, Link." She teased further.
The mere mention of his name made the escort drift his eyes back at her. He scanned her expression thoroughly and could even notice how she judged her own words, mind wondering if she had gone too far with the joking intention. For once, her sincere expression brought Link's chest to his knees. Luckily for that, he was already sitting on the ground. The Princess kept analysing him until the glow of diversion flickered in her iris. That drastic mood change made the knight turn closer to her, ringing alarms in his head.
"You never tell me a thing unless I ask." She thought out loud, not with annoyance but maybe guilt. He wasn't able to catch the meaning behind her interrupted smile. "Perhaps personal matters are out of limits?" Zelda theorised.
"If I really spoke my mind, it would definitely be grounds for treason. And sacrilege, probably." Link replied to himself in his thoughts, trying to vanish the numbness on the tip of his fingers. He didn't even dare to put into words what his own will, beyond his oath as a knight, really desired to express. But the Princess was so respectful and talked so considerately to him despite being a mere servant to her life… The hero's heart clenched awkwardly before her tender gaze. A chill crawled through his spine all the way up to the back of his head. It was all too much to handle.
"I'm an open book." He simply replied, not standing anymore with her concerned expression. They were back to teasing again. The ambiguity of the sentence made him feel the need to clarify. "You like reading."
The Princess squinted her eyes as if she could see through her escort. A few seconds later, she made a low hum and nodded to herself. Judging by the way she stared at him, these kinds of conversations weren't abundant in her daily routine.
"I know what you are thinking." The blonde girl sentenced, crossing her arms over her chest with determination. Link felt a handful of saliva slide down his throat as he gulped. Did she, now?
Zelda's eyes lit up with shiny sparkles in her jade iris. Her expression, however, darkened as if it were the most serious announcement in all of Hyrule. He could catch a glimpse of King Rhoam's genes in her now severe look. It was intimidating, even. It made his breathing alter its regular pace, freezing his blood too during the seconds of silence. She made him taste the wait's bitterness.
"You are thinking of food." She finally revealed.
The release of his corporal tension made the knight sigh loudly. He couldn't help but slide down into the grass as the Princess laughed. His body released the caught-up numbness in connection with the floor. However, Link had to admit, the heiress's giggles were the ideal tune for the night.
"It's always food." The hero confirmed with a smirk. She wasn't wrong, though.
From his actual perspective, Link could notice the way her golden hair fell like a cascade, her fingers against the fresh grass and the slight blush on her nose and cheeks among other details. Happiness was a whole new look on her. It wasn't just how her smile enchanted the shape of her face but also the fact that royalty's burden had dropped from her responsibilities. The sight of becoming a regular girl, even if it was just for a second, suited her refined charms. Not too frigid nor too ordinary.
The knight had never experienced mystic revelations from the goddess herself until that moment. The lock of their eyes together enlightened the immediate surroundings, bringing glimpses of shining lights around them. The reflection of them highlighted the Princess' fair skin around her cheekbones and the tip of her pointy nose. She looked around to find the source of such energy in the ambience and the movement of her strands emanated her floral perfume around. Link closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet smell, filling his lungs with the starry night air.
"Sunset fireflies, Link." Zelda said in a whisper, not wanting to scare the insects away. Her escort, however, was in a whole new universe created by the goddess's reincarnation. His cerulean eyes didn't open again until her fingers caressed his shoulder as a form to catch his attention. What the Princess ignored was that she was the reason for his relaxed state. "Link, look." She insisted.
The once already-illuminated pond now beamed with the presence of the fireflies' shine. Kakariko turned into an even more mesmerising village in the middle of the mountainside. The trees around adopted emerald and jade shades along with the flying bug's appearance, creating a kaleidoscope of colours on its leaves. Its light was pure thunder in comparison with the torches around the Goddess' statue on the pond. It was a gift from mother nature itself if the earth's will ever existed. Such a phenomenon could never happen in the sacred grounds of the Temple of Time or in the castle's frigid gardens. Sometimes, one had to exit its comfort zone to experience new things. And Princess Zelda had already found the benefits of doing so.
The ethereal scene went by in slow motion as a tiny firefly approached the resting knight's frame on the floor. The bug flew too close to Link's face, causing the hylian pair to freeze on the spot. Such proximity allowed the couple to sense the small vibrations of the insect's buzzing movements. The hero paused his breathing to prevent scaring it away and judging by the princess' round eyes, she had forgotten how to take in some air as well.
And then, the small firefly landed on the tip of Link's nose.
The knight felt its minuscule legs tickling his skin. He had never been disgusted nor alarmed by insects though none had ever settled on his face. The sensation was extremely flattering though feeble. It felt like the peaceful innocence boosting the bug's light could be broken anytime. Just like glass about to shatter at a minor impact.
Despite his immobile settling, Princess Zelda raised the stakes and began leaning forward. Link was far too overwhelmed to notice until the princess' breath brushed the firefly's thin wings. She was practically over him, just a few inches apart, the insect being the only obstacle between them. In another context, the knight would have questioned the heiress' intention but, seeing such a pair of beautiful creatures above him, Link was far too amazed to dare to part his lips to speak. The princess, on the other hand, didn't mind sharing the space as her golden mane flowed at her escort's side while she observed the firefly.
Zelda's finger rose up to the knight's nose, right where the firefly had landed. As if a silent command had been given, the bug briefly flew to the princess' fingertip where she studied it closer.
"Amazing." She sighed in an almost inaudible tone. He could hear it, however, because of the lack of distance between them.
Link was still trapped by Zelda's frame and she was too mesmerised with the creature in her hands to notice the awkwardness of their position. With the magical lights surrounding them, each of her hair strands seemed to possess its own will. The proximity felt so intense he even began to feel like a rock being swallowed by the growing vegetation around. In that case, nevertheless, the thorns capturing him immobile were just some of the princess's locks braided in ringlets. And he was the one willing to stand by and keep staring at her enchanting sight. He didn't move, not even when her other hand leaned down on the grass, blocking the only way out of his lying form. Despite not being self-conscious about her current state, the royal heiress looked rather powerful while towering over him. Something in his chest clenched, creating a wave of shivers that sneaked all the way to the back of his neck. He could feel each one of his senses sharpening. Touch was the most concerning one.
"Princess." He dared to whisper, making the girl snap out of her hypnotic trance. Her jade eyes met his and the sense of recognition immediately pierced Zelda. Only then his chest released the caught-up air in his lungs. The mere eye contact had allowed him to breathe again.
The heiress was about to say something when the firefly suddenly stole the words from her mouth as it prepared its wings. A small sigh of sadness escaped Zelda's lips as they slowly flew away from her finger. Link couldn't say he did the same as he was deep down glad to have the princess silhouette lean closer over him with a poor intent to convince the insect to return to her hands. That was exactly the problem. He didn't want her to move away at all. The chills now lurked down his spine, triggering a sensation close to hunger within him. But he couldn't allow them to show.
"Zel-..." He began, leaning forward to try and make his presence noticeable to the focused princess. But he couldn't finish pronouncing her name as she moved forward in hopes to admire the firefly again.
The Princess' forehead met Link's jaw as they sloppily stumbled into each other, ways crossing despite the constant proximity they had been sharing for the past minutes. The knight's back fell to the grass once more as Zelda lost her balance. She let out a painful sigh as the palm of her hand landed on sharp stones. A few seconds later, the weight of her entire body was over him as well.
The hylian pair froze on the spot. The escort, on one hand, had returned to his task to hold the air in, not even daring to exhale. He could feel her breath caressing his collarbone and the warmth that came along with her fall was far too comfortable for his sake. Zelda, on the other hand, was too shocked to say anything or move. Her sore hand had landed right on the hero's chest and despite the previous pain, her skin was sensitive enough to feel his rapid thumping through his armour. That meant his heart was beating incredibly hard.
"Pardon me." She muttered, leaning back on her knees slowly enough for him to prevent another incident. Link immediately did the same too, gaining some centimetres between them. The sensation of his own weight grounded him to the floor, fading the amount of energy that had been circling in his lower stomach like a hurricane of wild butterflies. Or fireflies, more likely.
"I had never seen a firefly so close before." She commented in a humble try to disperse the tension of the previous moment.
"Me neither." He agreed more quickly than he ever would have in the past but adrenaline was still making a number on him.
"You should be flattered, then." Princess Zelda went on, making her escort skip a beat for the nineteenth time in the last five minutes.
Unconsciously, Link's hand travelled up to the back of his head where he used his fingers to scratch his low ponytail. Was that what her highness considered a relaxing break from duty? Was she fond of making her companions uneasy with light teasing like that often? He didn't know how to properly answer as it was their first trip not starting on the wrong foot. The knight hadn't gotten to know Zelda at that point yet. Until that moment, Link had only seen the princess act frigid around the court, obviously self-aware of the constant eyes set on her. But now that their proclaimed friendship had begun, the escort had started to see her true colours. The sound of her laugh, the way her cheeks blushed at a minimum compliment, how she sighed whenever she was tired… It was all becoming familiar so fast that it seemed like they both had never been apart. At least, that was what he somehow perceived from his perspective.
It was at these times that he began to understand, after all those years of training, of fears and wonders and bruises, the nature of magic. The fireflies merging with the landscape seemed to promise everything the priests ranted about: the so-called miracles faith can do. That something torn to bits might be mended without a seam, that what had vanished might reappear, that a scattered handful of doves or dust might be reunited by a word, that a paper rose consumed by fire could be made to bloom from a pile of ash. But Link knew that it was only an illusion.
The true magic of this broken world lay in the ability of the things it contained to vanish, to become so thoroughly lost, that they might never have existed in the first place. Just like Princess Zelda's smile as soon as she was summoned to fulfil her midnight prayers amongst the mist and the gleam of the moon on Hylia's pond.
Quite an insightful ending. I have one question for you readers: Is The Legend of Zelda fandom still active? I haven't been receiving visits or reviews in the last five chapters and I've been worrying about it. Should I change to another site?
Yours, Stella.
