Link strolled back into the castle and headed up to the ramparts where he had a stunning view of the courtyards below as well as the land that lay beyond the outer walls. He also had a view of the spot where the throne room used to be. It looked like the reconstruction was going well. Support pillars were erected along the perimeter of the massive room, and the outer edges of the roof were already in place.

Located on the corners of the ramparts were small stone buildings. Remembering the directions given to him by a helpful soldier in the Royal Guard, Link was easily able to locate the building where Zelda would be meeting with her Council. He sat down on a wooden bench near the door and pulled a knife and a wooden block out of his pack. Link had always enjoyed whittling, but in the aftermath of his showdown with Ganondorf, he had begun to find even more comfort in whittling.

He sliced away slivers off the edge of the block. Some people rushed the process, but Link took his time. He did his best work when he went slowly. He didn't have an end goal in mind at first but gradually the subject he had in mind evolved. First, he wanted to carve a person, then specifically a woman, then a woman of noble bearing. Finally, without setting out to carve her as his initial goal, Link finished carving a small wooden figurine of Zelda. Satisfied with how it turned out, Link stuck the figurine in his pack.

It wasn't long after he finished when the door to the Council chamber finally opened. Four stout Royal Guards emerged from the door, hands on the hilts of their sheathed swords. Following behind them were several people whose faces Link didn't recognize. Most were men and most were middle-aged or elderly, but there were a few women and few younger people in the mix. Zelda emerged last. Her brow was furrowed as she walked, eyes distant as if deep in thought. Life returned to her face as soon as she saw Link standing there smiling. A grin appeared on her face as she practically jogged over to greet him.

"Well, you look the image of the handsome prince" she said. "I see Serana and Zoey certainly did a good job cleaning you up."

Link adjusted his collar and cast his eyes downward. "Yes, they certainly were thorough."

Zelda's jovial expression shifted into a suspicious glare. "OK, tell me. What did they do that has you looking so uncomfortable."

"Well…" started Link. "They had me undress, and then they…"

"Oh, I get it" said Zelda. "I forgot you're a country boy. I guess I am so used to being bathed by chambermaids that I didn't think to consider that it might be a little awkward for you. I would have warned you if I had thought of it. I'm sorry about that. A man of your station can certainly enjoy all the hospitality that the castle staff have to offer, but I sometimes forget that this wasn't always your station in life. Seeing you in those clothes just makes it seem like you were born into royalty. You look as regal as any prince I've seen, but I think I'm getting a bit carried away. I really am sorry about that."

"It's really quite all right" said Link. "It was just a very different experience for me. It's something that will take getting used to. But since you keep bringing up the issue of my current station, just what exactly is my status here and what sort of position did you have in mind for me?"

The smile that broke out on Zelda's face almost looked involuntary, as if she couldn't help but smile at Link's question. "Oh, I have something in mind for you, but it's a bit premature to discuss it at this time. Let's just say that I will hopefully be making you a formal offer soon, and if you choose to accept my offer, you will have a status far above that of goatherder. But this is something I still need to meditate on. You will have to trust me on this. I will tell you when the time is right. In the meantime, I have been trying to lay the groundwork for you."

"I trust you" said Link. "But what do you mean by 'laying the groundwork' for me?"

"I'm sure you noticed how the Royal Guard salutes you constantly. While all of Hyrule respects what you did, I had a lot to do with making sure the Royal Guard publicly displayed that respect. I am deliberately trying to create the image that you are someone of noble stature. Well, you already are in my eyes, but in the Royal Court, appearances matter more than facts. It's an unfortunate reality that I have to deal with every day. As unfortunate as that is, however, it is still essential that your image conveys the message that you are a person of supreme importance. That may involve dressing like royalty, allowing yourself to be served by chambermaids, participating in social events, or being seen with powerful people."

"I am with the most powerful person in the world right now" said Link. "That counts for something."

"Yes, it does, Link" said Zelda. "It counts for more than you realize right now. And maybe one more thing. You should probably leave your traveling pack behind when you are walking around castle grounds, but definitely wear the Master Sword at your hip. For people who have never seen your face before, the Master Sword is the most easily recognizable feature about you."

"I have been meaning to talk to you about that" said Link. "When I was in the North Courtyard earlier, I saw this black obelisk with the Triforce symbol etched on it. The Master Sword seemed to react to being near that obelisk. It was almost like the Master Sword was trying to warn me of something."

Zelda nodded. "That isn't surprising. Hyrule Castle had been the focal point of numerous power struggles over the centuries. More often than not, magic played a significant role in these power struggles. You saw this firsthand the last time you were in the castle. The aftereffects of powerful magic don't always dissipate easily. The best way to describe the situation would be to have you imagine that a thundercloud envelopes all of Hyrule Castle, but the thundercloud contains traces of magic instead of electricity."

"So, if these black obelisks contain traces of this power, can they be removed?"

"I'm sure they can" replied Zelda. "But one of my ancestors intentionally put these obelisks in place. They serve the useful function of redirecting this magical energy into a somewhat comprehensible pattern. The act as focal points to arrange the outer nodes of this energy field. While the outer nodes are unstable, their opposites are mirrored in a central inner node, which is the most stable part of the whole field."

"I'm afraid I have to play the role of country boy again" said Link. "I'm not sure I really understand what's you're talking about, but where is this inner node you spoke of?"

Zelda pointed at the remnants of the throne room. "The inner node is located in the throne room. That is yet another reason why I made its reconstruction a priority. I cannot allow the field to become unbalanced or the results could be catastrophic. In fact, I believe Ganondorf destroyed the throne room by manipulating the energy flows of the nodal vertices to cause an explosion. Perhaps Midna's power when using the Fused Shadows acted as a conduit that Ganondorf then seized control of."

"I'm still not sure I completely understand but that would make sense. I thought it strange that Ganondorf could make the throne room explode on a whim but couldn't best me in a simple swordfight."

"My thoughts exactly!" said Zelda. "Ganondorf wielded power that wasn't inherent in him, just as you wield the Master Sword to use powers that aren't inherent in you."

"Are the construction crews working on the throne room in any danger?" asked Link.

"Not to my knowledge" replied Zelda. "Fluctuations in energy of the sort that destroyed the throne room before don't happen accidentally. The outer nodes regulate that. One would have to be intentionally trying to create a fluctuation for that to happen."

Link chuckled to himself. "You are very different from the assumptions most people have about you. I couldn't imagine a wiser Queen that Hyrule could possibly have."

"Thank you, Link" said Zelda. "I'm a new Queen but I hope I live up to your expectations." She stared off at the sun setting on Hyrule Field. "It's getting late. I should be going to eat with dignitaries from the Gerudo soon. You, of course, should come along with me. I want you to meet them."