The midday sun was beating down on the stadium, and Zelda found she was truly thankful for the canopy shading the royal box. One hundred feet below her, on the hard sand and stone of the arena, the winners of the Champions division horse race, a small young man named Taru Vaun, and Talon and Malon who owned the stallion, were accepting the trophy and prize money from her father the King. After all the time she had spent at the castle over the last month, King Iolan embraced Malon like his own daughter, and the raucous crowd roared with enjoyment. Zelda could see Malon's face becoming red and turned to joke with Link, but realized at the last second he was gone. He had barely left her side in the past week, ever since her terrible dream and the warning he received from the Forest Spirit. She felt naked and alone without him, even while surrounded by the Lord Generals, visiting royalty, and Gerudo council. It was only two days until her birthday, two days until she would test herself, to test her worthiness to wield the Triforce of Wisdom.
When Link wasn't around, such as now, off competing in the Knight's tournament, Impa shadowed her as she had done in years past. This was, of course, to be expected but had become a great annoyance to Zelda, as Impa was forever being shadowed herself, by Alysa of the Bohdan. It turned out that before being appointed ambassador, Alysa had served as Nabooru's second in command, and naturally was fascinated by the famous Sheikah warrior. She was forever asking questions about Sheikah battle tactics and history. Alysa followed them everywhere, and Zelda couldn't very well send her away, not the chosen representative of the Gerudo. Not now that the Gerudo had come out from seclusion for the first time in two hundred years. Part of Zelda knew that if she wasn't so anxious over her own troubles, and Alysa didn't have the relationship she did with Link, there would be no tension. But it was a very small part of Zelda, and as she constantly she rationalized to herself, Zelda had bigger concerns at the moment.
So it was that a very exasperated, edgy Princess Zelda found herself rapping her finely polished nails on the arm of her chair, impatient for the final act in the Knight's Tournament to play out. Malon and her father were walking their horse out of the stadium, while the young jockey Taru trailed behind, waiving excitedly to the crowd which had already forgotten about him. Their focus was on the ten men in green shirts running to different sections around the oval arena, and the twenty men in red Guardsmen coats who stood in the center of the stadium floor. The Knights Tournament finale was about to begin.
The Knight's Tournament was always the most exciting event at the summer festival. It begins with the Parade of Champions on the first day of the week, where the competitors and their sponsoring nobles ride through the streets from South Gate into the stadium. Everyone in Hyrule loves the parade, from the boys and girls emulating the Champions and Ladies, to the merchants who traveled from all across Hyrule in hopes of making a festival fortune. The tournament was an epic undertaking, administered by the Guardsmen leadership and specifically, Warden Donah, who appeared as edgy as Zelda these days.
Link's involvement was one reason that the tournament had drawn even greater crowds than normal this year. His now infamous dual with Lord Jaser Malnus, legendary defeat of the dragon, and his apparent humble roots had earned him hero status with the city dwellers. Zelda smiled as she remembered how the crowd surged against her Guardsmen entourage during the Parade, throwing flower petals and shouting out encouragement and praise. With Jaser competing in the tournament this year for the first time, opening up the potential for a rematch with Link, the stadium had been packed every step of the way.
The Tournament tests a competitor's abilities in almost every conceivable form of combat. Depending on the number of contestants, there could be as many as three rounds consisting of one-on-one duals with the winners moving on. This year had so many entrants they had to hold contests in the streets outside the stadium, and bring in retired soldiers to judge them. After the field is winnowed to thirty competitors, they are tested in archery. The fifteen best archers then must compete in hand to hand combat, which is basically a bar room brawl staged in the center of the arena, with the last four competitors standing moving on to the final round.
The final four in this year's competition included Link and Jaser, naturally, and two surprisingly finalists. Finlay Snow was a young farmer from outside the northwest city Borus. Zelda had done some digging to find out his story, and actually felt quite sorry for the man. He had fallen in love with the Lady Jessalyne Kory, who was about Zelda's age. Finlay's family had died in a plague outbreak in Borus seven years ago, which unfortunately took most of their livestock as well, and he barely had enough to get by. Lord Kory would not hear of his daughter marrying a poor farmer, so Finlay struck a deal. He asked the Lord Kory to sponsor him for the next year's Knights Tournament, promising him the prize money, a thousand rupees, as a dowry if he won, and never to speak to the Lady Jessalyne again if he lost. An infamous gambler, Lord Kory couldn't resist, and so Finlay sold all his possessions, taking the proceeds he traveled across Hyrule to Athlone. There he gladly gave the rest of his money to the once famous swordsmen Orca Sturgen to teach him.
The last contestant was the even more surprising, Medila of the Altan Gerudo. Medila had come to Alysa days before the tournament, begging her to convince her mother, Jalie Altan to give her permission to compete. Zelda had overheard the conversation, and being unable to resist, asked why Medila wanted to participate. Zelda had surmised fairly quickly that the Altan family was one of the fiercest opponents of the alliance with Hyrule, so Medila's desire to compete in a Hyrule event seemed most peculiar.
"Excuse me Alysa, but may I ask, why do you want to compete Medila?"
Medila hesitated, looking back and forth between Zelda, Alysa, Impa, and Link, before bowing her head low to Zelda. "I would like to prove the Gerudo's worth in battle Highness, by showing that even the youngest Gerudo warrior can compete with Hyrule's finest.
Zelda watched as Alysa's eyes bore into Medila's back before questioning her. "What did your mother say when you asked her Medila?"
"I…I have not asked her yet." Medila blushed as she turned to face her superior.
"Then why come to me now?"
"I know that you are old friends. Mother is stubborn, but if you ask her, she will agree with you, as she did…as she…as she has many times before." Zelda caught the flick of Medila's eyes, and understood her wavering. The Altan family had not wished for the Gerudo Army to come swear fealty to Hyrule. Apparently Alysa had helped broach the agreement between the families. Zelda could not sense the same reluctance in Medila as she did in her mother, but the girl would not want to shame her family.
Zelda could command of the Gerudo Army, but not their people; it was not her place to make this decision. She waited silently with Link and Impa, who both were watching the silent battle of will between Medila and Alysa.
Alysa considered the request for sometime before agreeing. "I have no objection. Nabooru will no doubt be pleased to see the Gerudo represented. I will speak with your mother."
How the conversation between Alysa and Jalie had played out, Zelda did not know. Medila had already secured the backing of a young Hylian Lord, Zariel Tain, who owed land along the Gerudo wall. Lord Zariel had leapt at the opportunity; apparently he was quiet taken with the Gerudo women.
The horns from the arena floor drew Zelda out of her reverie. Her father had just sat down next to her, and rest of the royal box was gathering around them. Impa and Alysa stood behind her chair, while Nabooru and the Lord Generals sat to her father's left. Julian Malnus was barking loudly to his servants to bring him wine, while leaning over to Lord General Baden, declaring what a shame it was going to be when his son won; denying Alastara a new recruit. Her father smiled at Zelda and patted her hand as there was a small, collective, humph, from Zelda, Impa, and a bit surprisingly, Nabooru and Alysa.
The horns rang out once more and the great clamor of the fifty thousand strong in the stadium fell silent. Each of the ten men in green shirts bellowed to their section of the crowd, which was repeated by even more men in green shirts standing in the aisles of the stadium.
"Welcome! Welcome to our fellow Hylians, and our sister Gerudo. Welcome to our visitors who have traveled far and wide to our fair Hyrule. Today we are witnesses to one of the greatest sporting spectacles in the world. The completion one thousand and twelfth Knight's Tournament! Our first finalist, the great swordsman from the South, Captain Lieutenant of the Southern Army, Lord of Crionact, Jaser Malnus!" There was a roar from a corner for the stadium, and boos from another side. A gate at the southern end of the stadium opened and Jaser Malnus followed, striding out of the darkness. Dressed his army uniform, polished black boots, grey pants and dark blue tunic, he held his arms out wide, soaking in the cheers from the soldiers, and southern civilians gathered over his entrance.
"Our next finalist, the beautiful young Medila of the Altan Gerudo, sponsored by Lord Zariel Tain!" A rhythmic cheer broke out over the western end of the stadium across from the royal box. Thousands of Gerudo soldiers, whose twenty-thousand strong army now sat encamped along the western wall of Castletown, had filed into the stadium, taking up an entire section. Their beautiful dark skin set against their white blouses made a formidable site. There was a lone Hylian, sitting in the middle of the rest of the Gerudo council at the bottom row. Lord Zariel Tain rose as was custom, to salute his champion and receive her salute. Zelda thought she could see frowns from some of the council as Medila, dressed in tradition billowing blue pants and midriff revealing white blouse, gave the briefest nod to Tain. The Gerudo continued their rhythmic cheer until she reached the center of the stadium, where the great Finon Circles stood between four two hundred feet tall pillars.
"Our third finalist, the powerful Finlay Snow, sponsored by Lord Jacobi Kory!" Zelda thought she heard more women than men in the crowd noise as plainly dressed Finlay trotted out of North Gate in his brown leathers. Lord Kory was trying vainly to pull his daughter to her seat, but she was to busy jumping and waiving enthusiastically to her love.
"Our final contestant, the protector of our Lady of the Crystal Lake, the great Dragonslayer, Link! Sponsored by her Royal Highness, the Lady Zelda Irule." The greatest cheer yet erupted from the crowd, even some of the Gerudo joined in, beating their feet on the stadium steps. Zelda couldn't see the gate below them open from where she stood at the balcony, but she was aware that many of the eyes in the stadium were turning to her. Link appeared below on the stadium floor, and turned to face her, dropping dutifully to one knee. Zelda felt the connection between them open for a moment. Link was as calm as always, his mind blank like a stone. There was no fear, nor was their excitement, only that tremendous calm. 'Link, I love you.' It was the first time she had ever said it. Link had felt it in her. He knew it for certain, but Zelda had, for whatever reason, never said it. The part of her that was Link warmed for a moment, and then with a curt nod as he rose to his feet, and they shut down their connection. Zelda remained standing at the balcony as her love strode to the center of the arena.
The twenty guardsmen surrounding the outer ring of the Finon Circle parted to let each contestant into the center. The entire stadium drew quiet as they gathered around Warden Donah for the final instructions. Four wooden practice swords were handed out to each competitor by a young blonde training cadet from the ring of guardsmen. Link shook his hand vigorously, and Zelda supposed it was Yamal, whom Link thought very highly of. His instructions complete, Warden Donah motioned to the ring, and they spread out into four groups around each pillar. A flag representing each competitor's sponsor was raised up the pillar; a black bear on a field of gold for the Malnus family, a white deer on green for Lord Kory and Finlay Snow, and the Golden Hawk on blue for the Royal Family and Link. Lord Tain had made a concession, and two flags were raised for Medila, his own family's red and white brick wall flag, and the red lioness on tan field which the Gerudo chose as their symbol. Black flags would be raised as a competitor was assessed points. There was only one round in the finals; each competitor was given thirteen points, amassed from taking different types of strikes would. A single point penalty would also be enforced for stepping outside the outer circle. The last finalist in the ring would win.
Zelda set her focus on Link, who was twirling the wooden practice sword in his left hand as he always did. Satisfied with the weight, he smacked the edge against his right hand while bouncing lightly from side to side. The other competitors were doing the same, testing the weight of their instruments, loosening up. The ten men in green shirts turned to face the center for the ring, and at Warden Donah's signal, ten trumpet blasts fractured the silence that had fallen over the crowd.
Medila was the first competitor to move, before the crowd could even raise a cheer. She bolted straight for Link, her sword held close to her body. Link didn't move at first, waiting until the last second, when Medila leapt from her feet a bit Link dove underneath her attack, rolling away, but keeping Finlay and Jaser in sight.
Finlay looked from Jaser to Link and back again, but neither moved. Medila again took the fight to Link, who couldn't evade her this time. They were engaged in a fierce battle, the smaller Medila's amazing speed forcing Link to keep his focus on her. Link was just as fast though, and soon he turned the tide, the surprise of Medila's attack giving way to his superior skill. Looking desperate, Medila hopped back, feinting retreat before leaping straight at Link, attempting to knee him in the head. Link wasn't fooled, and he slid to the side, slicing his wooden sword against both her legs at the ankles. Medila tripped as she landed, and rolled out of the circle to the groans of her Gerudo sisters. Zelda could hear both Nabooru and Alysa tut in disapproval behind her, and Lord Julian bellowed with laughter. Seven black flags flew up her pillar, two dismembering blows and a penalty for going out of the Finon ring.
Link turned to face his opponent, who was slow to get off the ground. Medila winced visibly as she took gentle steps, her ankles in obvious pain. Finlay was again looking at Jaser, but didn't move. Medila had still not entered the circle, leaving Link waiting for her. He was pacing back and forth along the edge of the circle ten feet from her, while Finlay and Jaser remained at least thirty paces away from him. Zelda watched in interest as Medila sat back on the ground and removed her leather slippers. Ripping strips of cloth off the bottom of her pants, she wrapped them tight around both ankles. Testing out her work, she jumped in place a bit before entering the circle again.
Zelda held her breathe as Link assumed a defensive pose. She wondered if Link was being chivalrous by not taking the attack to Medila, or was he simply being cautious of turning his back on the other two. They inched slowly towards each other, circling a bit before Medila lunged in another attack. She showed no sign of slowing down from injury, and continued to press Link, her blade moving in sharp jabs at his chest making him side step and keep his own wooden sword close to his body. Suddenly she took a swipe at his feet, and Link could only leap backwards, into the center of the circle.
Out of nowhere Finlay rushed into the center of the ring, his sword coming high, aiming to land an immense blow at Link's head while he was turned face Medila. The crowd roared right before the blow and Link instinctively dropped into a roll to his side; away from Finlay and then sprung to his feet. Finlay and Medila were on either side him now, closing in. Jaser barked something that Zelda couldn't hear, and started to circle around to Link's back.
Zelda turned to glower at Julian Malnus, who wore a smug smile. Finlay and Medila charged Link at the same time, but even if this was a planned alliance, as Zelda suspected, they weren't used to fighting with each other. Link was able to parry their attacks, and keep them from landing a blow. Jaser was still circling around him though, and inching closer by the second. The crowd noise was erratic, most of them cheering wildly as Link avoided each attack, the others agonizing over their champions inability to land a blow.
The combination of Medila and Finlay were forcing Link backwards, toward Jaser who waited lustily. They were both excellent fighters, and while Link was avoiding being hit, he couldn't manage to get any offense attacks in. Zelda was gripping the edge of the marble balcony tightly, angry and anxious at the same time. She barely noticed as the rest of the royal box began to drift up to the edge with her, Nabooru and Alysa now stood on either shoulder, their eyes focused intently on the battle scene below, arms folded in unison beneath their breasts.
Breath caught in her throat as Zelda saw Jaser's opening unraveling. Link stumbled a moment, backing away from Finlay who was slashing down at him. Jaser was now sprinting from behind, three paces away, his sword already raised to deliver a crushing below. Link blocked Finlay's attack, both hands reinforcing his wooden blade against the strike, but there was no way he would avoid Jaser, who was just two paces away. Zelda felt her hands drifting up to her eyes, she didn't want to watch. Nabooru reached out and grabbed them before her small hands could shield the view.
Medila had fallen back, but now she too was sprinting forward. She planted her foot in Finlay's bent back, sending him sprawling on top and over Link, crashing into the charging Jaser. Medila had kicked off him, flipping over the tangle of men. Jaser tumbled over Finlay and Link, who was rising quickly to his feet. Finlay was doubled over, clutching his stomach after having caught the handle of Link's sword in his gut as he fell.
Zelda heard Julian Malnus curse vehemently as he threw his wine goblet to the ground. Nabooru leaned toward Zelda, and whispered, "Medila overheard the Malnus boy plotting this before the tournament while she was lost in the castle one day. He planned to buy off whoever was in the finals, and use them against Link. That is why she entered. She was only a ten year old novice in the Lion Army when Link stayed with us, but she remembers watching him defeat me in single combat. The first, and last, time that has ever happened. Her generation has great respect for the Wolf-Cub, as we called him." Zelda smiled as she grazed her new friend on the arm.
The stadium was cheering manically as the four finalists steadied themselves; Jaser was facing Link, while Finaly was still on his knees, clutching his stomach, back to Link, Medila stalking towards him. She didn't wait for Finlay to straighten up, swiping at his sword hand, sending his practice blade tumbling over the flagstones while three black flags flew up the deer-flagged tower.
Jaser flinched visibly as Finlay struggled to his feet, dodging a strike to his stomach from Medila, and ran to pick up his sword. The four fighters were now clearly separated, Link and Jaser five paces away from Medila who chased after Finlay. Link used the hesitation to his advantage, diving into an attack on Jaser. The Lord of Crionact was on his own against Link, and from Zelda's vantage point, he didn't look too eager.
Jaser was retreating wildly as Link poured on an onslaught of attacks. Quick stabs and slashes to Jaser's arms and legs yielded four black flags up Lord Malnus' pillar. Frustrated, Jaser literally turned and ran across the circle, brushing past Medila and Finlay, who were oblivious to the retreating noble. The crowd began to boo as Jaser kept the fighters between him and Link. With his back to the Gerudo section of the stadium, Jaser was receiving thunderous cries and though she couldn't hear them exactly, Zelda was fairly certain they weren't shouting encouragement.
Suddenly, Medila broke the stalemate, flipping backwards into the air; she kicked Finlay in the chin, and then she twisted into an unexpected attack on Jaser. A bloodied Finlay attempted to rush her from behind, but Link grabbed him by his shirt, yanking him to the ground. The crowd noise was deafening at this point, and losing a bit of royal decorum, Zelda shouted her own encouragement to Medila and Link.
Finlay rolled on his stomach to avoid a blow to his head. Link stood his ground, waiting for Finlay to compose himself, secure that Medila had Jaser occupied. Indeed, Zelda was torn which fight to focus on, as Jaser was a better fighter than Medila, but the young Gerudo girl was fighting with unbelievable passion. Jaser had scored two more glancing blows on Medila, leaving her with nine flags.
Zelda felt like she was getting dizzy, her eyes buzzing between Link and Finlay, Link struck another severe blow, this time to the left knee; then to Medila and Jaser, Medila performed another acrobatic attack, cart wheeling to her left and striking Jaser at his left ankle with the sword in her right. A look to the scoring poles revealed that Medila had nine points against her, Jaser had seven, and Finlay six. Link alone had yet to be hit.
Finlay was moving slowly after the hit on his knee. He had assumed a defensive only strategy, deflecting thrusts and parrying attacks, but Link was getting closer and closer to landing what amounted to a mortal blow, which would eliminate Finlay. A roar erupted from the Gerudo, and Zelda shifted her focus just in time to find out what was going on. Jaser had somehow knocked Medila to the ground, and she was writhing in obvious pain, Zelda watched in horror as three flags drifted up her pole, Jaser only had to glance her with is practice sword to eliminate her.
Jaser kicked the wooden practice sword out of her hand, and then suddenly with all his considerable might, crushed his sword into her stomach. Her legs flailed up to the sky, and Medila clutched violently at her stomach. A tidal wave of curses streamed from the Gerudo faithful, but very quickly the Gerudo council stood up as one to calm their angry sisters, who looked ready to charge the stadium floor. The guardsmen that manned Medila's pillar ran into the circle and lifted her gently to the side. Lord Tain and Jalie Altan crawled down from the front row and hurried over to check on her. Zelda thought for a moment what an odd sight it was to see these two, Lord Tain and Jalie, who would have been bitter enemies just days before, coming down together.
At the prompting of the crowd noise, Link had back away from Finlay, surveying the results of the other duel. Both Jaser and Finlay were limping and moving slow after taking hits to their legs. They were fanning around Link, slowly decreasing their radius. Link took the fight to Jaser first, attacking with quick, sharp swings to his legs, but with the threat of Finlay coming up behind him, he couldn't engage for long. They continued on this way for a bit, Link leaping out to attack one or the other, creating space before retreating. Each time he made less and less room though.
Finally they were fully engaged, Link attacking forcefully to push one back while defending against the other. He couldn't block everything though. Finlay and Jaser each struck him hard in either arm. Now they were all just one mortal strike away from elimination.
Diving hard to the ground and rolling hard to his right, Link was too quick for the slowed pair to hit him. Jaser motioned for Finlay to circle around behind him again, and Link assumed a new defensive position which Zelda had never seen before. Grasping his sword firmly in both hands, he held it point down to the ground along his right leg. He lunged forward slightly on his left leg, the weight of his body on the balls of his feet. Jaser flicked his sword a bit, and he and Finlay both charged, allowing Link to catch them both off guard. Link sprung forward only one step, and spun hard around in a circle, trailing his sword violently behind his widdershins twirl.
Jaser and Finlay both tried to slide to a stop, but their weakened legs wouldn't hold them. Jaser managed to get his sword up to block at the last moment, but the power of Link's strike sent it flying away. Blood splattered red upon the sand and stones as Link's wooden sword crushed Jaser in the face, dropping him to the ground with a sickly thud. Link continued the attack around to Finlay, who never even raised a defense, and Link's wooden sword shattered against his neck. Both men lay crumpled at Link's feet, unable to stand.
The crowd erupted at the amazing finale. Chants of 'Link! Link! LINK! LINK!' drowned out the men in green as they blew futilely into their horns. Warden Donah stepped over the body of Finlay Snow and grasped Link's hand, lifting it up to the sky in victory. Zelda was eager to race down to the field to congratulate Link, but she had to make pleasantries with the various Hylian nobility and visiting royalty. Lord General Baden was the first to congratulate her, but for some reason, Zelda couldn't remember talking to Lord Julian Malnus.