Chapter Two
"Boy, the princess hasn't even arrived yet, and you persist on sneaking around here."
Link sighed later that morning, clutching the sack of milk bottles behind his back as he adjusted himself to hold them more comfortably. An intrigued smile had taken his lips, however, as he looked at the angry guard before him, who seemed to appear like a statue while guarding the gates. With his glossy armor and stiff posture, he could have very well been mistaken for one.
"Leopold, as you can plainly see, and as I have said three times now," Link addressed him, hunching his back a bit from the weight of the bag, "I have brought milk for your highnesses from the Lon Lon Ranch."
His body moved now, looking directly at the young man, a scowl pecking at his face. Quite firmly, his hands placed upon his hips.
"Do not address me as Leopold. I am sir to you."
"Leopold, please, how often are we going to have to do this? You've barely seen me around here in the past year. I was sent by Talon from the ranch. And I'm sure the king will be more than happy to see me." Again, he smiled.
And again, the guard frowned, but he also heaved a breath of defeat, turning towards the gates now.
"You stay with me the whole time until we reach the king's chambers."
Link grinned broadly as the older man opened the gate and escorted him inside.
He recalled very clearly the day Zelda had departed for Gerudo Valley.
The girl was fifteen years old, short, and lanky. It was difficult to say goodbye to Link, her closest friend, but yet simultaneously she was excited to partake in her training. And it was this fact that almost made her venture sound impossible.
The Gerudo warriors had offered the princess a chance at training in the fighting and defense style of the Gerudo. This was inspired after their leader, the exotic Nabooru, had visited the royal family, and spoke to the princess, where she expressed her desire to receive physical training.
With her father's reluctant permission, and Impa's constant disapproval, Zelda had managed to allow herself to take the Gerudo tribe's offer, and so she had left her family, her castle, and her best friend to pursue the training in the deserts.
The princess had gone with tears, as the young blonde began to seem hesitant to leave, taking a moment before she actually entered the carriage to depart. As the short, frail girl turned to leave, she gave the young Hero once last, memorable glance, her ample blue eyes gleaming towards him.
"I promise that we will duel whence I return," she swore with a gentle smile curving her lips. "And I will show you how skilled I'll have become."
Her promise seemed to taunt him throughout the months she was gone, as the sound of her feminine, nasally voice had replayed itself constantly. It was hard to imagine Zelda retrieving the skills of a Gerudo warrior. Yes, she was quite lovely, a bright creature, but she was also very thin, very delicate, appearing quite young for her age. It kind of frightened him seeing her now, beholding what she had become during her absence.
"My king, I have brought milk from the ranch."
And thus, the young man kneeled humbly before the royal authority, presenting the sack of bottles. He had arrived in the king's chambers, and felt oddly uncomfortable as two guards stood on each of his side, bleakly staring at him with expressionless gazes. Clearing his throat, Link allowed his stare to rise from the ground and at the king directly, a hint of a nervous sparkle in his eyes.
The king was a bawdy man, his crown placed neatly upon his nearly white hair, his beard somewhat long and prominent. Sitting on his chair with a strict, upward posture, the horizontal line on the man's face, which seemed to be his mouth, slowly curved pleasantly.
"Link, get up."
Timidly, the boy stood. "Um..." Smiling bashfully, he placed a nervous hand behind his head, letting out an anxious chuckle.
"Timothy, take the bag from the young lad and bring it to the chef."
Link remained silent as one of the stiff, silent guards approached him, taking the sack from him, and exiting the room with it in a sort of marching stance. The boy stared after him for a while, rubbing at his forehead curiously, his brow raised.
"Men, you are excused."
The remaining three guards adhered to the demand of the king's low, deep voice, as they exited one by one, in a line that appeared to be strangely too straight, the sound of the door closing behind them consuming the whole chamber.
Link hadn't bothered returning his attention to the king until he had addressed him.
"Link, I am sure that you've heard of the princess's return later this afternoon."
Shifting his body so quickly to face him once more, Link nearly toppled over struggling to regain his balance. Pressing at his head to keep his hat from falling, he adjusted the green covering. Yet, with a flush of his cheeks, he quickly pulled it off, holding it against his chest humbly, revealing his nettled blonde hair that was tied in a short, messy pony-tail in the back. Again, he attempted to kneel.
"Yes, your majesty I-"
"Link, get up."
The order sounding very familiar to him, the young Hylian man stood up again, now clutching the hat behind his back. Out of timidness, he began to rub his knees together, feeling the friction created from his tights. He didn't understand why he felt so nervous. He had not seen the king in a while, and never had he actually grown comfortable speaking to him personally. Zelda or Impa had always been around in instances such as this, but now he was in the authority's chamber, being ordered not to humble himself.
"Yes, your majesty."
It was hard not to keep his gaze on the floor, but Link forced himself to stare at the king, noticing in bewilderment the amused grin capturing his face. He laughed at the nervous lad, his belly quavering a bit as he did. His amusement only made the young man more anxious.
"You have grown into a fine young gentleman," the older man mused, nodding his way in approval. "I remember the first day the guards had caught you in the princess's garden. I was tempted to have your head decapitated."
The king bellowed with laughter. Link gulped.
"However, my daughter found an interest in you. She begged me not to. Ganondorf, however, had almost convinced me."
Link tilted his head at the sound of the vile rogue's name, his fist clenching lightly as a wrinkle became apparent on his nose. The king seemed to tense just then, his tone suddenly evolving into a more grave sound.
"It is because of you, Link, that we were able to investigate Ganondorf and arrest him before he could attack the castle," the king admitted softly, a gentle glisten in his eyes. His face seemed to tighten just then, as he relaxed his posture, his back now delicately slouched.
"To think, I had trusted that man, allowed him into my home and near my sweet daughter." His gaze appeared to focus on nothing, losing himself in the memory. However, he immediately regained himself, clasping his hand on his lap and shifting his gaze once again to the sturdy young man cloaked in green.
"Your tale did seem rather bizarre and farfetched," he admitted, leaning his elbow on the massive, gold plated arm rest, his forehead resting against his palm while a soft sigh escaped his throat. "But the princess was very persistent, and she believed your story. And it is because of you that the kingdom is safe, and that is why I allowed my daughter to train with the Gerudo, because I never realized how easily her safety could be threatened. She needed this, and I have been waiting until you've grown into a mature young man to tell you this, Link. In fact, when the time is appropriate, I would like to knight you."
The king's small monologue only caused the young Hero to blush immensely, as well as being taken aback by his offer. There was a sudden dryness to his throat, his fingers tugging lightly at the collar of the white shirt underneath his tunic, his knees bent together like a small child.
"Kn-knight?" he replied awkwardly.
With a noble smile, the king nodded. "You have earned it, young adventurer."
Link then chuckled sheepishly, rather speechless. Everything the king had said was true. When Princess Zelda had sent him back to relive his childhood, he had returned to visit the princess, warning her of what Ganondorf's schemes were. The young girl had only recalled telling him to get the sacred stones to open the Door of Time, but what he revealed to her was that opening the door would only allow Ganondorf access to the Triforce, not prevent it.
He had also gone on other various quests since that incident, which included a very perilous feat in Clock Town, and of course he would always return to tell the royal family all about them, particularly to the very interested and awed princess. He knew he was appreciated in the castle, well, at least by Impa, the king, and his daughter. But never had he even considered that he would be knighted. This idea frightened him as much as it satisfied.
"Your majesty, I don't know what to say..." he trailed off, rubbing at his nose.
"You'll say that you will stay here for the rest of the day, so that you may greet the princess, and help make her return as pleasurable and relieving as possible."
He had no choice but to obey the authority's request.