Notes at the end of the most recent chapter.
"Sikumar, I just don't know what I'm going to do. Zelda refuses to spend every minute working toward harnessing her divine blessing, opting to watch others work hard instead. This is quite a pressing matter as well, considering Ganon's return is imminent. Will we be lost to the ages because of her failure?"
Rhoam whirled around to face the guard captain, indicating his question was in fact not rhetorical.
Sikumar considered his words very carefully. "Your majesty, I do believe she is trying. Zelda devotes herself to divinity and spirituality; however, her patience is running out. I think pushing her too hard could delay the training. If I may, sir…"
"Go on."
"You aren't getting any younger. Perhaps you should consider carefully who is appointed as her companion. Zelda's coronation can't be that far off, I'm sorry to say. We're running out of time."
Hyrule Castle has been home to the royal family for centuries. In each succession of the throne, the new monarch is accompanied by the best warrior in the kingdom. King Rhoam's comrade was Aerius Sikumar, known for lightning-fast swipes of a sword and moving at an incredible speed. There was no match for his skill, which is why Rhoam's mother, Queen Irio, appointed Sikumar as his protector before he inherited the throne. The king now would have to bear the same responsibility for his daughter Zelda. The princess was still quite young to be a ruler, and she didn't much care for diplomacy or traveling. Rhoam feared that her ineptitude could result in the fall of the ancient kingdom, so he needed more a strong warrior. He needed somebody who could advise Zelda in politics while still staying true to the Knight's Oath—somebody intelligent and strong-willed.
"Frankly, I agree with you. Unfortunately, Hyrule has seen better classes of guards, don't you think? Nobody's over-the-top anymore, only above average at best. Zelda's protector must wait for now, unless you can think of anyone capable…" Rhoam trailed off.
"Your highness, it may be rather unorthodox, but what of those outside the guard—someone equally devoted and intelligent, yet not in the royal ranks?"
Hyrule's king considered the proposition for a moment.
"That doesn't sound very safe, Sikumar. What if they turn out to be a Yiga spy, here to dig up as many secrets as possible? Or what of their mannerisms and how they behave around the royal family and the nobles? I can't simply entrust some peasant with the fate of the kingdom, you know."
Sikumar relaxed his stance and approached Rhoam slowly.
"The one I had in mind is already accustomed to our ways. I think it's best if you see their abilities for yourself."
The king sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Fine. Where is this one you favor?"
Link's journey to the Sheikah village was rather uneventful, minus Impa's advice. He was absent from the castle for just shy of three days, yet the training grounds were already a wreck. The field masters went mad, attempting to keep things at least functional. Sikumar could only assure them the field boy would return soon.
The field masters had grown used to the boy's handiwork and appreciated the perpetual tidiness of the training grounds, so his absence incited a bit of panic.
Just when chaos had nearly descended upon the fields, Link walked in. The usually fearful, shy boy now carried a strange air of confidence. He held his head high and marched through the field, inspecting the damage. Though unnoticeable from the outside, his heart beat at an unnaturally quick pace; he was terrified. What if he was scolded for acting so boldly? Will he be punished by the new field masters?
He did his best to push his feelings away, just as he'd been told to do.
Link looked at the pile of bent, dull swords outside the repairman's shack and all the straw scattered on the ground where training dummies used to stand. He'd have to work several extra hours tonight just to get the grounds to a reasonable condition.
A distraught field master caught sight of the repair boy as he bent down to pick up the damaged training blades, so she ran over to him.
Link spotted one of the new field masters running over to him with an unreadable expression on her face. The boy gulped in fear.
"Hey! Here, let me give you a hand," the armored field master pushed open the door to the shack so Link could carry the swords inside.
"Thanks," he whispered.
"No problem at all. Sorry, I don't think we've met before. You're the repairman, right?"
"Um… Yeah. My name is Link," the boy offered a sheepish smile.
"Well met, Link! I am Master Ario," she greeted, offering a salute.
Link reluctantly returned the gesture.
"Glad to have you back. Say, why do you stay cooped up in this place every day? I'm sure the new class would like to meet you," Ario offered.
The thought of leaving himself vulnerable to a hundred trainee warriors terrified him for an irrational reason. Link has been training every night for over a year, yet he doesn't see himself as a formidable warrior. Seeing as he probably wouldn't have another chance, Link swallowed his fears.
"Yeah I'd like to meet them too…" Link said softly. He meant what he said: staying in the repair shop all day resulted in a very lonely life. Sikumar's occasional visit was just about all the interaction he had.
"Splendid! Come with me outside when you're ready; I'll have the guards fall in to their ranks."
Link nodded, and Ario left. He was still wearing the soiled clothing from his travels, so he opted to find a more decent outfit for a first impression. He changed into simple brown boots, tight navy-blue pants, and a skin-tight t-shirt. Link also cleaned the grime off his face and put on his spare pair of gloves.
"Here we go, Link. Be confident and they'll look up to you. This is your chance, don't mess it up," he whispered to himself.
Strapping the scabbarded sword to his belt, Link headed for the door. As he did, the familiar whistle of a field master signaled the cadets were falling in.
By the time he walked outside, Ario's class was already assembled and standing at attention.
"…and here he comes now! Students, this is Link. He will be taking care of the training grounds, so if you have any issues with your equipment, talk to him."
Link blushed and offered a small wave.
"Training is dismissed for today. Return to your assigned barracks; meals will be served before sundown."
The trainee guards dispersed, returning swords to the weapon racks and heading to the exit.
As he observed the students, Link realized that he was probably the same age, if not a hair younger, than this class. Maybe it wouldn't be so awkward talking to them after all.
"Well, Link, good luck with this mess. We'll return tomorrow at the same scheduled time."
"Thank you, Ario. Good luck with your students." Link said.
Ario nodded and left with her students.
"That wasn't so bad…" Link told himself.
He sighed, knowing he had a full night of work ahead of him.
By the time Link finished, the training grounds looked better than before he left. He was very satisfied with his work, a huge smile spread across his face. The boy had discarded his shirt, which was drenched in sweat, hours ago. He figured there was still a good chunk of night before sunrise, so he retrieved his personal training dummy and started attacking it wildly. Being more confident earlier that day had bolstered his spirit, so Link was grunting as he practiced full-power attacks on the defenseless sack of straw. He was enjoying his training wholeheartedly, too absorbed to notice that a small audience had formed behind him…
"Where are you, Sikumar…" Rhoam mumbled to himself, pacing in his quarters.
Arriving precisely on time, the captain walked into the room. But instead of wearing cumbersome steel plate armor, he wore simple navy-blue clothing and his sword was sheathed at his waist.
"There you are. Why must we do this at such an unholy hour?"
Sikumar grinned. "This is the only time he trains. He's busy during the day."
"Fine. Lead the way."
Sikumar took the Hyrulian king through the various corridors of the castle that led to the training grounds.
"It's best to not bother him—just watch," Sikumar whispered.
Rhoam nodded.
As the pair rounded the final corner, the king looked out at the now-deserted field. It appeared in perfect condition and everything was in order, except for the faint glow of a torch beyond the armory in the center.
"He's just over there."
Approaching silently, they snuck around the field until the subject was in perfect view. Rhoam squinted, studying the figure who was skillfully and relentlessly striking a training dummy. His eyes widened when he recognized their face…
"Is that… oh blast, what's his name—Link! Is that Rolomius's son?" Rhoam's tone suggested he wasn't disappointed with what his guard captain was showing him.
"It is. He's been training like this for quite a while now, but not before he takes care of the training field." Sikumar gestured to the perfectly-attended-to grounds, which Rhoam scrutinized.
"His handiwork is most impressive. This is the best the fields have ever looked and—wait, he does this every night? In addition to training?"
Sikumar nodded.
"Amazing. Perhaps I judged this boy prematurely in the past. I shall see how he grows, though. I don't yet trust him with the lifeblood of Hyrule. Look at him. Sure, his muscles are well-defined, but I don't know if he can deliver a killing blow. The boy's small."
"I understand, your majesty."
The king and captain snuck back to the royal chambers.
"Oh, before you go, Sikumar…" Rhoam trailed off.
"Yes?"
"Thank you. You've soothed a few of my worries, for now. I shall speak to Link tomorrow and congratulate him for his efforts."
Sikumar's heart skipped a beat, and he lost a bit of his composure.
"Uh—he… Link's a bit… shy. And he seems to suffer from occasional anxiety attacks, so… try not to surprise him?" Sikumar's worry was genuine. Link barely spoke with anyone, much less the king of Hyrule himself.
"I can see that you care for him. I will take that into account."
"Thank you, Rhoam." The king offered one more smile before he closed the door to his chambers for the night.
Sikumar hoped the king's meeting with Link tomorrow wouldn't scare the boy too bad. Though the king had his doubts, the captain was sure Rhoam had already made his decision.
Link's late-night training caused him to sleep in later than usual. He awoke to his door rattling. Half-asleep, he quickly put on some clothes, grabbed his sword, and opened the door.
Ario was standing outside.
"Good morning, Link! Sleep well?"
Link blushed.
"Sorry, master Ario—"
"SORRY? Are you kidding?! You fixed the entire field in a night! Link, you work harder than anybody else in the guard. I came here to thank you personally for your dedication."
Ario smiled, while Link blushed and looked away.
"Th-thank you…"
The field master's smile quickly faded when something dawned on her.
"Link, can I ask you something personal?"
"Uh, sure," he felt so small for being shy—a paradox of embarrassment. Link vowed to himself that he'd work on his confidence. He hadn't been committing to Impa's instructions. His emotions were still affecting his decisions, and he hated himself because of that. But Link had no idea he was destroying himself. The poor boy didn't know he should be embracing his ability to care and have compassion, not push it away.
"People don't thank you, do they?"
The question hit Link like a ton of bricks. She was right; Sikumar's small tokens of gratitude were the only thanks he'd ever received since he came to Hyrule Castle. He'd unconsciously started to believe he didn't deserve thanks, which was utterly false. Just as Ario said, he works harder than anyone else in the guard, if not the castle. But Link would never let himself think that he's worthy of anything. He'd just ignore everything his heart told him… because that's what people do, right?
"Uh… not really, no. But that's okay. I like what I do," Link replied quietly, forcing a smile.
Ario sighed. "Link, I don't agree with you. You work too hard for it to go unnoticed. Anyway, I see that you have a blade of your own. Could you help me in a demonstration for the students?"
The boy felt his heart skip a beat. Other than with Sikumar, his swordsmanship was a private affair. For Ario to simply assume he knew how to use the blade at his hip made him giddy inside… but only until he pushed his happiness aside.
"Sure, I could do that."
"Great! They're already waiting, so let's go."
Link followed Ario to the central part of the training grounds, just outside the armory.
"Listen up, students. I've summoned Link to aid me in a demonstration. You will be pairing up to practice basic parrying. Parrying can be achieved by observing how your opponent's blade is moving toward you and moving yours to intercept it. Observe:"
Ario drew her blade and nodded to Link, who drew his blade. The boy had never practiced his swordsmanship with a real opponent; only inanimate dummies. As Ario moved to strike, Link instinctively raised his sword to block in a perfect parry.
"Notice how he angles his blade to prevent mine from slipping away. That is a skill you won't master for a while. For now, only practice intercepting your opponent's swing."
Ario released the pressure on her sword, so Link followed suit and sheathed his blade. The students went into the armory to retrieve training blades and vests.
"Link, that was perfect. Thank you for helping."
He simply nodded in acknowledgement, preventing any emotion from surfacing.
'I'm getting better at this!' Link thought to himself. Only, he didn't know that bettering that specific skill was not helping him.
The field master scanned the field as her students practiced, ensuring everyone was progressing. But as she looked, Ario noticed Captain Sikumar with the entire royal entourage entering the field. She abruptly stiffened, but then quickly became fluid again as she blew the assembly horn. Through the phalanx of the kingsguard, she saw none other than King Rhoam himself.
The students must have also seen him, as everybody dropped to the ground in respect. Link was confused at first, but soon recognized the formal insignia. His heart sank and beat harder than a war drum as he too dropped to the ground.
Rhoam and his escort approached slowly, carefully. As the royal convoy neared, they turned specifically toward Link.
The king's voice boomed, "Cadets of the guard and Master Ario, rise."
Ario and her students did as instructed, but she soon realized he didn't mention Link. Her suspicions correct, the phalanx broke and Rhoam approached the kneeling boy.
Link was doing everything in his power to remain calm. He knew the king was standing directly in front of him, which was very intimidating. The boy dedicated all his willpower to not curling up into a ball and giving up.
"Link, rise." Rhoam's voice was softer as he addressed Link specifically.
Taking one more deep breath, he did as he was commanded. He slowly rose until he was completely upright. However, his head was still bowed.
The king's voice softened even more as he spoke, "Look at me, Link."
He raised his head to see King Rhoam clad in his royal attire; flowing white beard extending beyond his throat; tanned skin reflecting the sunlight; and golden crown indicating his status.
His mouth twisting into a small grin, Rhoam spoke: "Link, you have shown consistent dedication to this kingdom and your service has been recognized. I would like to formally induct you into the high guard, if you would be accepting of such an honor."
Link froze, feeling panic starting to absorb him. He ignored the warning signs and instead spoke calmly, "Your majesty, I am grateful for the invitation. I would be honored to serve Hyrule in such a position."
Rhoam's grin spread into a wide smile. "Good! Captain Sikumar will show you to your new quarters later tonight. You'll have the rest of the day to prepare."
The king stepped back into his phalanx and retreated to the castle.
Link almost forgot about his anxiety, which reminded him of its presence by taking over.
The boy didn't want to be seen in such a state, so he sprinted to the repair shack, locked the door, and lay on the floor.
He squinted his eyes shut, balled his fists, and began whispering to himself, "Don't feel anything. Push it away. Don't feel anything. Push it away." After several minutes of emotional trauma, Link began to calm down. He would never admit it, but pushing away his feelings was the cause of his anxiety. By trying to be a shell of a person, Link was destroying his emotional balance.
But the boy is naïve. He'd be in a much more demanding position very soon, and the only thing he'd ever been told is to not feel anything. So, he'd keep pushing himself closer and closer to destruction.
The clock had officially started ticking…