Chapter 36: To Mount Lanayru
Zelda watched astride Storm while Link said goodbye to Athel.
She felt like an unwanted outsider looking into something private as Athel's face twisted from stony to on the brink of tears. The girl threw her arms around Link, and he held her while smoothing flyaway strands from her braid. Zelda looked away before either could notice her staring. Guilt reared its familiar head as she looked over the early morning residents of Hateno Village. She was what was pulling Link away from his home, from his family.
Her hands tightened on the reins. She wouldn't let it be for nothing. She would awaken her power and this threat would be over.
A yawn threatened to overtake Zelda suddenly, and she curbed it with a raised hand to her mouth. She'd barely slept last night, dreams waking her more than once. However, any chance at grasping what the dreams were about fled from her conscious mind as soon as Zelda began to ruminate on them. The feelings of the dreams, whatever was in the dreams, left Zelda wary and anxious.
Footsteps alerted her to someone approaching and she looked down at the ground to see Naina smiling up at her.
"It was so good to see you, my child."
Zelda smiled easily back. "It was wonderful to visit here. I would have loved to stay longer."
"I would invite you to come visit soon," Naina patted Zelda's leg. "But I know you have much to accomplish ahead of you." Her smile tapered at the edges into something almost sad. "I feel we won't meet again in this lifetime." The Wise One's words doused any smile from Zelda's face. "Remember, child. Have faith. Everything will work out as it should." Naina reached up to squeeze Zelda's forearm once before walking away. Zelda watched her go, feelings disjointed at the older woman's words.
Link passed her, Naina placing one hand on his shoulder, whispering something before he nodded, heading towards Zelda. His steed for the journey, a borrowed dappled thoroughbred, hardly moved at the stranger mounting it. Link assured the horse he was friendly with a caress through the horse's mane. Instinctively, Zelda copied his movement on her own horse, and Storm tossed his head as if wondering what Zelda thought she was doing.
"Are you prepared for our leave?"
His sobriety was back, shoulders straight, hands clenched on the reins while his eyes gazed steadily at Zelda, giving her a slight nod. He was wearing the blue Champion tunic once more, Master Sword clearly displayed on his back. There was the barest waver as he glanced back once, Naina and Athel standing on the doorstep, Athel gripping her arms close to her chest. When she noticed Zelda looking, the girl dropped her hands to her waist, a frown forming.
"Then let us be off." Zelda dug her heels into Storm, urging him onto the path leading away from Hateno.
The travel was hasty and voiceless. They made great time with the galloping horses, the castle soon appearing in their sights before afternoon began.
Everyone was waiting for their arrival. The Castle Town guards allowed them past without a search and coming up the hill toward the castle itself, the gates were wide and welcoming. Once past the first gatehouse, Zelda spotted the Champions assembled in the courtyard below her room, looking like they had been talking amongst themselves before Zelda and Link trampled up the path. Grooms stood by ready to take the horses, Zelda barely handing the reins over to one of them before smooth, strong arms wrapped around Zelda, hugging her.
"Oh, Little Bird. I'm so glad you are alright." The relief in Urbosa's voice was palpable and caused the sudden burning of tears at the back of Zelda's eyes. Her own arms embraced the Gerudo chief around the midriff, avoiding the sword and shield strapped to Urbosa's back. Urbosa reflexively hugged Zelda tighter. She must have heard then, Zelda thought, lingering in the comforting feel and smell of her mother's dear friend.
She pulled away from Urbosa, gaze going to the rest of the Champions standing behind the two of them. Despite the snuffing glance Revali passed her way, Zelda had the distinct feeling he also hid feelings of relief beside the openly concerned look Daruk watched Zelda with and the small, tight smile Mipha had on that looked like she was about to cry for repressed worries.
"Those Yiga proved once again the scum that they are." Zelda's eyes swiveled back to Revali as he placed feathered wingtips on his hips. A malice entered his expression. "It will be a pleasure to destroy them along with Calamity Ganon."
"Hear, hear!" Daruk conjoined, and for once, Revali didn't roll his eyes at the Goron's enthusiasm. They must have all been waiting heavily upon Link and her arrival then, the only news they had about their absence coming from Mipha who had last seen Zelda in not such an appealing state. A ping of gratitude pulsed under her skin as she looked at each of them in turn. Somehow, in the short time she had known them, the Champions had become dear to her and their concern for her well-being proved the feelings were mutual.
"I apologize for worrying any of you. I had not intended for any of that to happen, nor how long I would be gone. I assure you, Link and I are completely ready for making further preparations against the Calamity."
Revali tutted, finally rolling his eyes Link's way. "It was not his well-being we were concerned about. In fact, if he had done a better job protecting you–UGH!" The Rito Champion glared at Urbosa who pulled her elbow back in from jabbing his side.
"The Yiga are crafty and clever. Their deceits would fool the best of us. Which is why we must stay on high alert for them," Urbosa relayed soberly. "It was a mercy that you both have escaped with your lives."
Mipha shifted, intentionally moving a few inches closer to Link who didn't seem to notice her growing proximity. The look she subtly slid to Link however, relayed the suppressed feelings Mipha had about the nearness of Link's recent encounter with death. Zelda knew it was silly and trivial to care about that look Mipha gave Link, but a part of her still wanted to react.
Instead, Zelda straightened her back, and raised her gaze to look each Champion squarely in the eyes. "Urbosa is correct. If anything, this experience shows how sure the Yiga clan, as well as any other followers of Calamity Ganon, feel in their Master's rising. They are only pawns for the bigger threat looming. That is why I have called each of you here today. We must finalize our strategy for the rise of Calamity Ganon. Come. The hall should be prepared to receive us."
It took little swaying to get the Champions to follow her, all responding business-like as they traveled to the empty Sanctum and traversed the stairs to the meeting room where each took their seats promptly. Their eyes all fell upon Zelda, who only felt slightly more confident than the memory of being here before. What did she have to say regarding their strategy?
As if in answer to her silent plea, a figure came racing into the room. Impa. Zelda unwound. Perhaps the Sheikah had more information about the ancient technology they could use.
"Sorry I'm late! Purah insisted on writing out notes." Impa pulled a face as she handed Zelda a scroll, taking her place in the seat beside Zelda. The Sheikah winked at Revali who looked more than annoyed at her presence. It eased some of the tension in the room. Zelda unfurled the parchment, quickly scanning Purah's messy handwriting.
"It looks like the Sheikah have already placed the Guardians we've found near the main villages of Hyrule and stationed many within Castle Town." Zelda silently congratulated the Sheikah on their progress. "They brought all the Guardians they have found online and can successfully control them. Already, they dispatched one to take out a Bokoblin nest and all of the enemies were incinerated." She lowered the scroll to take in the reactions of her comrades.
Urbosa crossed her arms, a contemplative look crossing her face. Daruk grinned widely. Revali smirked, and Mipha looked, well, like her usual thoughtful self.
Revali spoke first. "Good riddance. I already knew the capabilities of those unseemly pieces of relic trash, but hearing them being put to use in our favor makes me think they aren't as useless as I first thought."
"Indeed, this is a welcome strength to our efforts," Urbosa waved one arm as she spoke, gaze traveling the room. "Let us pray this strength does not become our weakness."
Daruk, confused, rubbed a hand over his beard. "What do you mean?"
Mipha stepped in to elucidate. "I agree. We must not rely too much on these Guardians without accounting for our own actions." Urbosa nodded along to the Zora Princess's words. "Since this covers our defenses, I suppose that leaves us to discuss our offenses."
"Finally." Revali slouched back into his chair. "We are back where we started a week ago. I cover the skies while the rest of you cover the ground. We converge on the castle and take turns beaming Calamity Ganon. Nothing has changed." He paused, half-lidded eyes sliding to Link. "Unless we want to change who the forerunners are in attacking Calamity Ganon directly."
Zelda knew Revali's attention lay on Link, but she couldn't help feeling the sly remark meant for her as well. She rolled the scroll up in her hand, gathering her thoughts as she gathered up the long piece of paper. Zelda slid the scroll into her belt pouch.
"Things have not changed on that front." Zelda interfered firmly, pressing her hands into the table. Eyes moved to her. "Link and I will go to the castle when Calamity Ganon decides to strike and face him here. This is what we have been preparing for this entire time. These preparations were not meant to be in vain."
Urbosa tilted her head, a conflicted expression crossing her features. "I understand, Princess. Our plans have been foolproof. Yet, I can't help feeling that since your power has not yet woken, I would not want you in the middle of the heat of battle. You have grown in skill," she continued placatingly, even as Zelda's heart dropped at hearing her words. "But this is the greatest threat Hyrule has faced in millenium. You stand as our only hope of sealing this threat away and if something were to happen to you before you were ready, I don't think we would win this war." An apology lay hidden in Urbosa's words.
Zelda tilted away from the table, dismay growing at the collective agreeing looks the Champions wore.
"I agree with Urbosa," Daruk chipped in, shooting Zelda plaintive eyes. "We cannot risk losing you, Princess. We would need to get you to safety if you haven't accessed your powers yet."
"Yes," Revali cut in. "You are a valuable asset to this plan. Better let one of us go in your place. Or rather," another snide look to Link, "both your places."
"But what about the Divine Beasts?" Mipha intervened as a way to curtail Revali's churlishness. "Each of us needs to command them. No one else can. We have been the only ones training with each of the ones assigned to us."
"Mipha is correct," Urbosa nodded, staring fixedly at Revali. "We are each needed with the Beasts."
"Then that means the little guy should still go in." Daruk smiled positively at Link. "I'm sure he can handle Calamity Ganon on his own."
On his own. The last of Zelda's will left her and she sat down, refusing to allow the failure of herself to overcome her. Have faith. That's right. They didn't know about her one last chance. And she couldn't bear the thought of telling them her idea only to see those doubting glances cast her way. No, she wouldn't tell them until tomorrow when she was already headed in that direction.
Inhaling to ease the hurt, Zelda cut in the middle of Revali's rant against Link being incapable. "I know this is merely a contingency plan we are discussing if my powers fail to awaken in time. But let us stick to our earlier plan. We all know our roles and how to carry them out. This will work but only if each of us does our part." She leveled a stern gaze at each Champion in turn. "I trust each of you to do yours. Please trust us," she motioned to Link by her side, "to do our part. The Goddess will not allow this evil to win." There was a twinge of guilt at the lie, but Zelda pressed forward anyway. "I believe it. She is with us."
A hallowed silence fell upon the conversation and Zelda felt more than heard the unsaid concerns of the Champions. But for some reason, none spoke against her. There was a tightening of Revali's eye, a furrowed brow of Daruk's, an averted gaze of Mipha, and a worried expression of Urbosa.
"If there is nothing anyone else has to add, then I suggest we convene tomorrow. I will send a messenger to each of you telling you where to meet." Zelda picked up the scroll again, inclining her head at Link then the door to take their leave.
"More training?" Revali asked warily, shooting Impa an accusing stare.
"No." Zelda did her best to smile, but it felt forced. "Not for you." Deep down, her insides were twisting at the possibility of what tomorrow would bring.
Purah's notes had also contained a small transcription at the bottom of the parchment, asking Zelda to meet her at the tech lab after the meeting. She wondered what Purah had to show her this time, making her way to the stables as quickly as she was able. The stable boy quickly got to work preparing Storm and amazingly, Link's steed, which was back from the Lanayru region. Someone must have journeyed to drop the mare off. Link wrapped his arms around the horse's neck, rubbing her as she smelled his hair affectionately.
To the left, in Storm's stall, the stableboy was about to array the common saddle and reins Zelda usually journeyed with Storm.
"Wait." Zelda went over to the stable boy who stopped in surprise. "I would like to put something else on him." She relayed her order and the stableboy rushed off to fulfill it.
Twenty minutes later, Zelda and Link made their way away from the castle and through Castle Town, more appraising looks from the citizens coming their way than usual. Zelda acted as if she didn't notice them, but every time the light bounced off the royal crest ornaments dangling from the straps of the Storm's breast collar and breeching it was hard to resist pulling her spine in tighter and lifting her head higher. To complete the ensemble of the royal gear, there was a browband with a single gold ornament of the royal crest prominently displayed. Storm shook his head to the side every once in a while, setting the trinkets tinkling as if he was getting used to the feel of the accessories.
She was overall pleased though with her horse's behavior. She'd expected him to resist more as the stableboy put the decorations on, but Storm had stood still, as if figuring out what this new experience was about. It made her wonder if his rebellious temperament was all in Zelda's mind. She'd gotten into the saddle with no fuss and now, clopping towards the royal tech lab, Storm emitted no snort or whinny at being directed in any direction Zelda chose. Even when she pulled up, affixing his reins to a lamp pole to wait for her, he just bent his head to munch on grass. Link had his horse tied up faster than Zelda and waited for her just outside the front doors. His eyes went from Zelda to Storm, a question on his face. The corner of her mouth curled up. She would explain later.
The smell of oil and singed metal hung in the air along with a coppery aftertaste in the mouth. Hammers clanged away at the Guardian's armor, echoing in the massive, yet rather empty lab. Only a handful of Sheikah researchers were spread throughout the organized chaos, each at a table picking apart springs, shafts, gears, and other ancient technology that seemed not to be functioning properly. Zelda's eyes lingered too long on one table where the researcher rubbed rust off a spiral-shaped disc that could fit in one's palm. It pulsed with an orange light and reminded Zelda of an artifact very similar to one that she had found with her mother a long time ago exploring. She wasn't sure where that artifact was now.
"Princess!"
Zelda shook off the memory, turning her attention to Purah striding over to her and Link, a quill behind an ear, ink or oil on her fingers as she waved a greeting to them. She placed a hand on a hip, motioning to the activity going on around her. "Impressive, isn't it?"
Zelda nodded her head as sparks flew from one corner of the room where the guts of a Guardian lay spread on the floor. "It truly is. Your notes mentioned you can now move and direct them?"
Purah must have caught Zelda's wistful look, smirking. "Oh, yeah, Princess. We've come some way since you last were around. Not only can we control the Guardians, but we've been able to activate their scanners so without probing from us, we just insert what we want it to attack and it will go and do that on its own."
"How?" Zelda asked dumbfoundedly.
"Remember how the Sheikah Slate can take pictures? Well, the Guardians have that function too, so by uploading images like those of moblins or lizalfos, they will go and attack only those things." Purah motioned to the Sheikah Slate clipped on Zelda's belt. "Sort of how the Sheikah Slate can locate any item you set it to locate. Pretty cool, right?" Purah's pleasure grin widened.
I didn't know the Slate was capable of that. "Yes," Zelda replied slowly, focus going once more to the Guardian being worked on in the back which had suddenly started glowing, swiveling its head while emitting beeping noises. "Is there ever the chance they will attack something that you haven't uploaded?"
Purah was already shaking her head. "We tested them in Hyrule Field and only the pumpkins and melons we uploaded were shot at. I know your concern, but we've got them under control. They'll just walk around villages, searching for whatever we've told them is a threat, ignoring any people or buildings. They are quite incredible."
That they were. Zelda was glad about this new development. It would make the upcoming battle a lot easier and safer for those who fought around the Guardians. She shrugged off the nagging worry at the back of her mind. "Is this what you wanted to tell me about?"
Purah, examining something on her tech pad, looked up, as if suddenly remembering she had summoned Zelda here. "No. Let me show you,-Carl! Watch out! If you pull on that spring–,"
Her warning came too late as a loud grinding and then clanging followed Carl being covered in a pile of gears and shafts. He waved feebly at Purah that he was okay. Purah shook her head as if this had happened more than once before. "Link, would you mind?"
Already, Link headed in the direction of Carl to begin pulling ancient tech off of him.
"Anyway," Purah blew out an exasperated breath. "Here are the design specs of the chamber we found on the Great Plateau."
On the tablet, was the still image of the container in the middle of the secret room within the hillside. It still surprised Zelda the ability of the ancient tech to take detailed pictures in less than a second and have a complete accurate portrayal of what you were looking at. Purah swept her finger across the screen, the picture sliding to the left and being replaced with another image of the room but from a different angle.
Wow, Zelda wondered. Amazing.
"Remember how we speculated this could hold something? The shape of it is almost like that of a person?"
"Yes," Zelda responded, already guessing where this questioning was heading. "You are saying it can hold someone." She peered closer at the tubing going into the chamber, likely to pump fluids into the basin. Like a tub. "To…heal them?"
"Correct," Purah answered promptly, ready to continue with her reveal. "This is a medical facility capable of long-term stasis that can be activated and maintained until healing is complete. After reading the inscriptions in the room, we discovered that this place was called the Shrine of Resurrection."
Zelda slowly looked up at Purah. "Long-term stasis…which means, the healing would have to be dramatic…to heal the worst of injuries…" The Shrine of Resurrection. As in, bringing someone or something back to life from decay, disuse, or…death. Her voice trailed off as her mind flew to what could possibly necessitate the Sheikah to build something like that. But it was obvious even as she began to think. 10,000 years ago. The rise of Calamity Ganon.
Her stomach dropped, leaving a breathlessness to her body rhythms.
"-should think they had other means but possibly this was a fail safe. Either way," Purah was saying over Zelda's racing thoughts. "We have started on making the adjustments necessary to bring it back to working order as soon as I discovered the possibilities of having this machine online. Who knows when it will come in handy, right?" She shot Zelda a careless smile, but Zelda's gut only twisted painfully.
"How long until repairs are complete?"
Purah clicked a button on her tablet, the images of the Shrine disappearing. Zelda was grateful not to look at them anymore for all the unease the shrine caused her. Purah scanned through some notes she'd inputted. "The engineers assigned are almost finished. In fact, here's a new note for me to come take a look at it since they think it is able to be used."
"Good. Make sure to go visit the Shrine as soon as possible."
Something in Zelda's tone made Purah look away from her tablet, eyes scrutinizing the Princess's face. "I'll do that first thing tomorrow morning, Your Highness." Purah promised with finality.
The bad feelings still squirmed inside, Zelda looking around for Link so they could go. He had finished replacing everything from the floor back into their places, Carl shaking Link's hand avidly as his bun flopped up and down on the top of his head.
"Link," Zelda called out. He turned to her immediately, Carl hurriedly getting back to work. "I would like to go for a ride."
He nodded, following her out.
She merely started directing them past Passeri Greenbelt, following the trail as it so led. The trail continued behind the Colisseum and around to Outskirt Stable on the Colisseum's other side. Her eyes skirted the hill she'd sat on with Link as they stared out into the night at Hyrule Castle. The castle's presence was still obvious, but now, Zelda's thoughts weren't focused on the castle. If anything, the whole of the past few hours cemented a clearer image of what tomorrow swept towards her and all she felt were jitters and nerves. Everything was building towards something. Zelda could feel it.
As they continued on past the stable and over Manhala Bridge, however, the fresh air soothed the worries to a low buzz. Their progress was slow and steady, Zelda in no hurry to return to the castle. Link had remained silent as always next to her on his horse, surveying what was around them, his thoughts as usual, remaining within himself. He seemed neither irritated or curious as to why she had them taking this supposedly leisurely jaunt through the Hyrule countryside. If she had to settle on what he was feeling, it would most likely be enjoying the fact that no monsters or enemies appeared. This close to the castle, guards were positioned at varying outposts and they irregularly spotted companion knights passing on the trails dressed in full armor. The routes weren't as patrolled as around Castle Town, but it was enough to warn off monsters who would prey on unsuspecting travelers.
Once over the incline leading to Dalite Forest, the trail veered in two different directions, one she knew dead-ended in the forest while the other led into a circuitous route back to the castle. They took the latter path.
As they plodded to the left of the overlook of Nima Plain, the large pasture below them where wild horses often liked to graze, and the sacred Satori Mountain rising across the meadow from their position, the setting sun glinted off the royal ornaments slung on Storm, catching her eye. A smile was brought to her face despite the inner turmoil. Zelda still hadn't explained the attire to Link.
Rolling her shoulders back, Zelda bent closer to Storm's head, stroking his neck. "'Be sure to take time to soothe your mount. That's the only way it will know how you truly feel.'" She leaned back into her saddle, gripping the reins loosely with both hands and glanced sideways in Link's direction. "Your advice was quite helpful–thank you." There was a tilt of Link's head, accepting her compliment.
Satisfied, Zelda returned her focus to the back of Storm's head. "This little one and I are getting along quite well now. At first," Zelda smirked to herself at her previous captious opinion. "I wasn't sure if I should outfit him with all of the royal gear. I thought maybe he should have to earn it first. But it works! He wears it like a true natural." She whipped her head back towards Link. "I'm trying to be a bit more empathetic." Zelda dropped one shoulder down, proffering Link satirical contritement. "Benefit of the doubt, you know?" There was no change in Link's observant expression, but those eyes, in between one blink and the next, interpreted her meaning and responded with the humorous resolve of an indistinct smile.
Zelda pulled her gaze towards the top of Safula Hill where the path led to the popular stopping grounds of Sanidin Park. Meant for riders to refresh themselves and their horses, the park resembled a horseshoe shape, with wooden ramps for the horses to tromp on and stone staircases offset to the side of the railings for travelers on foot. The ramp and staircase led to a small deck with a quaint burbling fountain facing the rear of the Park that faced Satori Mountain before descending down the other side where the travelers could continue on their way. Zelda made to completely ascend and descend the ramps leisurely as just another place to view in passing.
But the glow of the setting sun became eclipsed as it began its descent in the east, catching her eye upon the landmark that the light shone round from. The nerves were back as if they had ever gone away, and Zelda felt the internal resolve to face them. Or at least acknowledge them head on.
"Let us rest the horses here," she suggested with feigned nonchalance. Zelda didn't know why she bothered with Link. He wasn't going to negate whatever she wished to do or call her out on her discomfiture. All the same though, she put herself out there and was rewarded with a studying lowered brow from him.
She guided Storm up to the topmost level where another fountain, this one with the statue of a rearing horse in the middle of it, sat in the middle of a patch of grass. Three metal posts evenly spaced with rings on the tops of them, gave a place for Zelda and Link to tie their horses's reins to while the steeds enjoyed the turf. She brushed a hand distractedly through Storm's mane as he bent his head to graze, noting the fine muscles contracting and relaxing as the horse chewed. She exhaled, lowering her voice to him. "You do your part most obediently. Now it is my turn."
Zelda stepped away from the horses, her gaze going towards the concentrated spot in the sky where the greatest of the orange light came from. Her footsteps went from crunching of grass, to clacking on wood planks to finally clicking on stone as she paused on the edge of the squat ledge hovering above the walkway nearest the guardrail. The Park dropped away past the railing to a small water hole for collecting rainwater for the fountains to draw from. Ripples shimmered in the country breeze, catching the last of the sun's color and bathing the water golden. The guardrail's shadows stretched across the flagstones below, and she knew that her own shadow spanned out behind her. Zelda inhaled through her nose deeply. Link was watching, but she had solace in the fact that he couldn't see her face at that moment.
To the left, in the distance, stood the castle, but where her gaze went was to the mountain showcased along the horizon.
"See that mountain?" Zelda murmured softly, her voice carrying on the wind. "That's Mt. Lanayru."
Positioned as she was, Zelda didn't know if the name registered any significance to Link, but she continued on whether he knew the gravity of the location or not.
"It takes its name from the Goddess of Wisdom." Mentioning the holy being lowered Zelda's gaze from the mountain to the reflective pool. She spoke solemnly, doing her best to impress not Link, but herself, on the sacredness of a place she had always been told about.
"Lanayru's decree is very specific. It says: 'No one is allowed, under the age of seventeen…" She stalled, hesitant. "For only the wise are permitted a place upon the mountain.'" The wise. It was pure speculation as to whether Zelda had gained the wisdom necessary to set foot upon the mountain. When she'd imagined herself going there, it was always with such confidence that she was meant to be there. Her vision didn't include the fears and worries that hounded her, pushing Zelda toward the mountain out of necessity instead of out of assured maturity.
She looked back up in the direction of the peak. "I've prayed at the Spring of Courage and at the Spring of Power," shamefully, her eyes dropped once more to the watery reflection below. "Yet neither awoke anything inside me." There was no concealing Zelda's true disappointment in these experiences as much as she had buoyed her faith back up after each one. It was with a prayer that she faced this next Spring.
"But maybe up there…,"Zelda's voice gathered hope, forcing her gaze back on the horizon."Perhaps the Spring of Wisdom, the final of the three," her eyes narrowed, "will be the one."
A hitch in the breeze contained the heaviness of her determined, yet desperate hope hanging naked between her and the invisible Link. Cupping her hands, she raised them to her chest, holding that faith trapped there. She couldn't let it go. Else…"To be honest, I have no real reason to think that will be the case. But there's always the chance that the next moment will change everything." Her hands fell back to her sides, the reason she had wanted to pause here on this hill drawing her around to view the Hylian Champion once more. He had been waiting for her to face him.
"Tomorrow…is my seventeenth birthday." The weight of Link's gaze tethered Zelda to her next words, the promise solemn and binding. "So then I shall go…and make my way up the mountain."
There wasn't anything else to say or do after Zelda acknowledged her last hope. Link said nothing, so Zelda said nothing, and they traveled back in silence, reaching the castle caught in the twilight.
She dismounted from Storm, providing three swift carrots as a reward for his impeccable behavior all day. As they departed the stables, and as they arrived at the bottom of the outside stairs leading up to her chamber, Zelda stared up at the darkness of her room, one last thought coming to mind.
"Either way, what tomorrow brings will be the answers I've been searching for."
Her foot found the first step.
Fingers brushed against her hand. Zelda halted from going any further, turning to catch Link looking up at her.
The light from the lamps in the courtyard and the stars overhead allowed Zelda to witness the fervent gaze with which Link possessed as his hand tightened on hers, channeling his strength into her. For once, Zelda understood his absence of words. There were no words that could be said. She had laid herself bare, the desperation of her situation upsetting to admit but unable to be avoided. There were no words for what would happen if Zelda wasn't able to awaken her power, nor any words that could ease the concerns that would no doubt haunt her all night long.
But the feel of his eyes, the touch of his hand in hers, that she could draw solace from. He wasn't going anywhere; he was not going to let her go through this alone.
Swallowing back the surge of emotion at his dependability, Zelda gripped his hand back. "Thank you," she whispered.
Zelda wanted to lean towards him, imagined getting so close she could feel the heat of his body inches from hers…but she refrained. This was not the time, and this was not the place. If there was ever to be the right time, it would have to wait until Calamity Ganon was behind them. Her chest constricted painfully. She had no idea how long that would take.
His fingers slid away, but he remained standing at the bottom of the stairs until Zelda arrived in the archway of her chamber. Giving him one last look, she retreated into the bedroom, forcing herself to push away those deep blue eyes and prepare for the inescapable tomorrow.