Notes at the end of the most recent chapter.
Zelda fervently paced in her private study. He was waiting just outside, ready to ward off any who would dare do her harm. Of course, it was his sworn duty, but Zelda couldn't help imagining he did it as someone more than a bodyguard. It hadn't even been a week and she was already falling for his feminine features and lithe body.
The princess routinely had to remind herself that even if he did reciprocate any romantic feelings, a relationship would almost certainly result in punishment for him. Still, it wasn't necessarily her fault his stances were so suggestive all the time… no. She had to stop these thoughts before her emotions overruled logic. Link swore to die for her, and what has she done to thank him? Had the hots and shyly looked away when he glanced in her direction? Not only was it completely inappropriate; her behavior was unfair to Link. She'd have to keep their relationship purely professional—or at least far from amorous.
Stopping in her tracks, Zelda closed her eyes and took deep breaths. 'I need to get out of this blasted castle…' she thought.
The princess donned her royal insignia and grabbed her Sheikah Slate—an ancient piece of technology that played some unknown role in defeating Ganon should he return.
Zelda checked herself once more before walking to the door. She took one more breath and opened it. Link was indeed standing guard, facing away. However, when he heard the door open, he moved to a sideways position to allow the princess to pass, holding a rigid posture. 'Always so formal. Lighten up, would you?' she quipped to herself.
The princess passed her knight and picked up the pace. She genuinely wanted to leave the castle and get some fresh air; see new faces. Of course, there was one face she'd always have to see. Over her shoulder, she asked, "Link, what do you say we get some fresh air?"
No reply. But that didn't slow her down; she knew he surrendered his right to speak. Thinking about it, Zelda felt a bit sad for him. Here she was asking him questions that she knew he couldn't answer. Was it cruel? Maybe. It would be far more awkward if she didn't say anything, she decided.
Nearing the main gate of Hyrule Castle, she spotted Sikumar flipping through an old book.
"Captain Sikumar! Nice to see you today!" she hollered.
The captain lifted his head up to see her, smiling when he recognized who called his name. He also noticed Link following at a respectful distance, which made his grin grow even more.
"Good morning to you as well, Princess. I take it you will be reveling in today's exquisite weather?"
Zelda nodded, smiling just as wide as Sikumar. "Most certainly! Well, I must be off. Do take a moment to appreciate the weather yourself, okay?"
"By your orders, Princess!" he joked.
Zelda laughed, twisting around to depart. Link did not offer a single gesture to the captain, which did feel rather unusual. Sure, he couldn't speak, but for him to blatantly ignore him? That was strange.
'I wonder what's happening in that mind of his…'
Following the princess as she performed the trivial tasks accompanied with being the princess of Hyrule was truly a relief for Link. He noticed that she didn't take much—if any—satisfaction in repeating the same formal greeting to every single noble she encountered. Though he never participated in the interactions, Link fantasized what it would be like to be royalty. Zelda had grown up so different; her worries aligned with the future of the kingdom and diplomacy, whereas his focused on avoiding emotional (and physical) pain.
Link often assumed his worries for his personal safety were nothing more than selfish impulses, at least in his younger years. However, with the Master Sword in hand, he genuinely felt that he had the courage to do anything.
But leaving the safety of high stone walls and armed sentries was truly alien for the knight. Zelda did so regularly, but for Link it felt like he was abandoning the only home he'd ever known. He followed Zelda into Castle Town until they reached the stables, where their mounts were waiting.
"Link, that dark one over there is yours. Though I'm not sure if we'll ride anytime soon. My horse seems to find me rather distasteful. Maybe a long hike would do us both well," the princess offered.
Invisible to the naked eye, the boy froze. He knew she was talking directly to him, but he didn't want to violate his oath or say something that would upset her. With so many people suddenly counting on him to succeed at his unidentified goal, Link's only option was to remain stolid.
Zelda looked in his direction and nodded toward the city gates.
"Let's go."
"I do have a diplomatic matter to attend to in the Rito city. Perhaps you can meet with their champion—Revali—on a more personal level? My meeting shouldn't take very long. I'll be discussing with their elder the specifics of repairing Kolami Bridge. Just politics," she smirked.
The trek to Rito Village was uneventful. Zelda took the liberty of indicating significant landmarks along the way: Tabantha Bridge, Nero Hill, and Strock Lake. Her knight did his best to memorize the layout should he ever find himself traveling the world. He knew it was highly unlikely; he just had to distract himself from his own thoughts.
Upon arrival, Zelda cheerfully greeted each Rito as she made her way up their vertical city. Link was sure to follow her closely in this new, unfamiliar environment. But just as they neared the top, Zelda turned around to address him.
"Link, I've asked one of the Rito to summon Revali. He'll meet you out over there," she instructed, pointing to a relatively large wooden platform that overlooked the entire Rito village, which was surrounded by a huge lake.
The knight nodded and walked over to the platform, which had a strange mark in the center. He waited for mere seconds before a sudden gust of wind caused him to crouch low on the platform. Link looked up to see Revali gracefully descending on the balustrade, his talons securely locking onto it. The avian began speaking the moment he landed:
"Impressive, I know. Very few can achieve a mastery of the sky. Yet I have made an art of creating an updraft that allows me to soar. It's considered to be quite the masterpiece of aerial techniques, even among the Rito. With proper utilization of my superior skills, I see no reason why we couldn't easily dispense with Ganon."
Revali skillfully hopped off the balustrade and approached Link, who stood solid with a blank expression.
"Now, then, my ability to explore the firmament is certainly of note… But let's not—pardon me for being so blunt—let's not forget the fact that I am the most skilled archer of all the Rito. Yet despite these truths, it seems that I have tapped to merely assist you. All because you happen to have that little darkness-sealing sword on your back. I mean, it's just…asinine. Unless…you think you can prove me wrong?" Revali grew uncomfortably close to Link, clearly trying to intimidate him. "Maybe we should just settle this one on one?"
The knight tensed. Was one of the champions, who fights on the same side as he, challenging him? What should he do: accept and duel his own comrade, or deny and admit defeat? Link's eyes stiffened as the bird-man continued walking around in a circle, toying with him.
"But where…? Oh, I know! How about up there?!" Revali insolently gestured to Vah Medoh, which was currently maintaining a circular patrol pattern around the Rito village.
"Oh, you must pardon me. I forgot you have no way of making it up to that Divine Beast on your own!"
Revali obviously resented Link. After training for his entire life and proving his worth as a warrior over and over, he assumed that he would be chosen by the sword. When the Mr. Nobody Hylian was chosen, he certainly resented the whole situation. Still, that didn't justify how he was treating Link—the boy had nothing to do with the process other than possessing the soul of an ancient hero. He didn't consciously decide to wield the Master Sword—his fate had already been woven.
The Rito champion spread his wings and pompously demonstrated his updraft technique. In seconds, he was already soaring straight up to Vah Medoh.
He called from high above, "Good luck sealing the darkness!"
Link simply looked on in fascination. The technique was indeed unique and artful, yet he couldn't shake the fact that Revali had just directly insulted him. He can't lose his temper; too many people are counting on his success. Maybe he'd just keep his distance from the avian…avoiding confrontation is probably the best option.
"Link! Are you ready to depart?" Zelda asked from behind him.
Link turned around.
"Great! We should be able to make it back to the castle before sundown. Tomorrow we will head over to the Goron City. Daruk needs some assistance in understanding how to control his Divine Beast."
She offered an eager smile before turning to leave the Rito Village. Link noted that she seems to enjoy diplomacy and researching this ancient Sheikah technology.
When the princess and her appointed knight were traveling back to Hyrule castle, Link sensed something was off. He wasn't sure what it was, but it caused him to take each step with more vigilance. He also found himself surveying every inch of their surroundings, checking for anything out of the ordinary.
Luckily, even if he wasn't on full alert, Link had something to focus on. Zelda could certainly talk about absolutely anything… which made the long treks more enjoyable.
As the pair neared the colossal expanse of Tanagar Canyon, the knight spotted smoke from a campfire just off the main road. He ensured that the Master Sword was ready to be deployed at a moment's notice, just in case they ran into trouble.
Surely enough, a pair of Bokoblins—large, barbaric creatures that will eat anything they can kill—attempted to ambush the princess and her knight. Link skillfully drew his Master Sword and dueled the monsters, even at unlikely odds. He seemed to have no trouble taking on two at the same time, and the fight was over in no more than a minute.
"Link! Link, are you hurt?"
The knight sheathed his blade and held up his arms for Zelda to inspect. She looked over his whole body, ensuring he was unscathed. If she had to explain that her knight was wounded in a small ambush, somebody would insist that more guards accompany the pair. To her relief, Link seemed perfectly intact.
"I'm worried you might get yourself hurt, Link. Please, I know you've taken an oath to protect me, but don't be reckless. That said, your courage certainly suits you well. I see why the Sword would choose you…" she trailed off, looking somberly at the ground.
"Come, now, we should get back to the castle before dark."
The rest of the journey was as uneventful as one would hope. Zelda informed King Rhoam of her political mission's results then retreated to her private chambers. Tonight, Link would be standing guard outside her quarters and sleeping on intervals—trading off every two hours with a member of the high guard. It was a standard arrangement that he was still getting used to, be he valued it more than a normal eight-hour block of sleep. Link felt that he could be active at all hours when he slept like this rather than experiencing only two thirds of each day. Maybe it was some strange quirk he inherited from his parents.
Though, as he was nearing the end of the first shift, he heard somebody walking toward Zelda's chambers. He studied the approaching figure closely in the dim torchlight, yet he was still unable to identify who it was. Link stiffened his posture as the figure did not slow their approach. It walked closer, closer, and… it was Sikumar. He relaxed a little, offering a polite nod.
The guard captain was outfitted in his informal attire. He whispered at a deathly quiet volume, "Link, it's great to see you're doing well. Princess Zelda has asked me to come here."
The knight briskly stepped aside, allowing him to enter.
"Thank you for protecting her, Link. Even with all the castle's defenses, Yiga assassins would do anything to strip Hyrule of its godly bloodline. I won't be long."
As Sikumar pushed open the large door, Link noticed Zelda was already sitting at her desk, obviously waiting for him. Upon his entry, she stood up to greet him. Link looked away; this was private business.
"Thank you for coming, Sikumar. I apologize for the inconvenient time."
"It's no worry, princess. What is it you'd like to discuss?"
Zelda's voice dropped to the same deathly whisper Sikumar had used on Link moments ago, "Well, it's Link."
The captain's volume matched hers. "Sorry?"
Zelda sighed. "Why are knights required to swear off their right to speak?"
Sikumar thought for a moment.
"It's not part of the job description. Stewards and aides will do the talking; an appointed knight's sole duty is to protect the throne's heir at all costs, including death."
"I thought that...that having a personal companion would make the days feel less lonely, but without him saying anything it's like he's not even there. My imagination runs rampant trying to figure out what he's thinking or what he would say."
Sikumar smiled sadly. "That's the point. Typically, the protected person has no interest in speaking with their defender. But you haven't been assigned any stewards because you always insist they aren't necessary—at least while you're still only a princess. A knight takes their oath and upholds it to be as little of a burden as possible while still protecting the heir with their life."
"That does make sense. However, I do have a question regarding how that works."
"And what might that be?"
"You took the Oath, didn't you?"
Sikumar nodded.
"Why is it then, that specific facet of knighthood doesn't apply to you?"
"Short answer or long answer?"
"Whichever better answers the question," Zelda teased.
The captain smiled, leaning back against a wall of the princess's private quarters.
"Well, in truth, the rules change. During the king's coronation, he appointed me as captain of the Kingsguard. Ever since, he's never relieved me of knighthood, but I think that the promotion made it quite clear he was making an exception. Plus, he was quite the warrior back in his day. I still remember when he'd 'command' me to help him raid monster strongholds with a quarter of the high guard. We grew very close in those days, and eventually he told me in private to disregard the 'no talking' rule. He told me that he had a brother who died before he had the chance to meet him, and that I was like the brother he'd never met. Through all these years, we've always stayed just as close—like brothers. I'll go on a whim and say that when you become queen, it will be up to you. But until then, he must stay true to the Oath."
Zelda took a moment to process everything Sikumar just told her. First off, she had an uncle?! Sure, he was dead, but she wished that Rhoam had at least told her. Maybe it still brings him emotional pain. It is best not to pry… mostly because it would negatively affect the king's relationship with Sikumar.
But, more importantly, Link wouldn't be forced to stay silent once she was queen. The princess still recalled that day on the courtyard when he pulled the Master Sword out of the ground. His voice was so even and gentle… it was a shame it had to be silenced.
"Thank you, Sikumar. But I'm still having troubles with the perpetual silence."
"Zelda, trust me when I say he's listening. It's something he's very good at. No, he can't converse with you, but Link certainly listens to everything you say. It brings him some peace."
"What do you mean?" Zelda's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Thinking back to when I was in his shoes—freshly knighted, still learning the ropes—I did everything in my power to remain silent. It tears you apart at the core a little, so all you hear is the sound of other voices. It's actually quite comforting when one of those voices talks to you directly."
Zelda thought for a moment.
"I see. But… there's no way for him to speak to me, even in privacy?"
"Zelda, I trust your discretion, but the threat of execution is very real. This is likely the most critical jobs of the entire kingdom, so its responsibilities are taken very seriously. I do not condone forcing him to speak, but his will is your command, princess."
"I understand. Frankly, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I was the one who sent him to die…" she trailed off.
Sikumar nodded and left the relative comfort of the wall, waving goodbye to Zelda. She returned the gesture, rising from her desk chair to return to bed.
Link ended up sleeping for a total of six hours. Even with the slightly below-average sleep time, he felt completely rejuvenated and ready for the day.
'Am I allowed to bathe…?' he wondered. The knight deemed it absurd for him to not be able to bathe, so he quickly ran to the bathhouse before anybody else arrived there.
Link was somehow able to wash up, get dressed, and have a small breakfast in only ten minutes. He must have timed it perfectly, because he arrived at Zelda's quarters the minute another guard was leaving.
As soon as he took his post, the door behind him swung open. Zelda wore her usual royal clothing, adorned with numerous golden insignias and elegant laces.
"Good morning, Link. We will be traveling today. I presume you are ready to depart?"
The knight nodded, respectfully waiting for the princess to lead the way.
'It sure is nice to leave the castle so often. There's so much to see!' Link thought.
After over half of the day had passed, Zelda and Link reached Gatepost Town. It was past lunch time, so the pair was quite hungry.
"Link, this is Gatepost Town. Why don't we enjoy a nice meal before going to Goron City? It will take multiple days to get there."
He did not reply, which Zelda was expecting. Sikumar's advice rang in her ears: 'Link certainly listens to everything you say. It brings him some peace.'
"So, appointed knight, do you enjoy a nice meal?"
Link wanted so badly to scream 'YES!'. A delicious meal would always cheer him up, which is why he enjoyed the royal banquets with Captain Sikumar so much.
This time, Zelda looked over her shoulder, asking for a response. Link did his best to suppress a smile and nodded curtly.
"Oh? Well, then let's have a divine feast!" Zelda picked up her pace and led Link to a building that poured out delicious smells of bread and pastries.
'I know just the place…' Zelda smirked.
The princess insisted on buying absurd amounts of food, simply to watch Link devour it. She had never seen this side of her knight before, even after weeks of his company. He was smiling as he ate the various pastries and breads laid out before him. His guard was completely down… and Zelda enjoyed that. He was always so tense—so guarded. Maybe if she took Sikumar's advice seriously, he'd disclose more to her and she could see this side of him more often.
But when Link realized Zelda was staring, he felt immeasurably ashamed. 'No! I promised myself I wouldn't let emotions cloud my judgement. This was a test. She wanted to make sure I wouldn't let my guard down, and I've failed it horribly…' his smile suddenly faded into the familiar emotionless expression he always wore, and he shot up from the table. He retreated to one of the dark corners of the dining area and stood rigid, like a knight should.
Zelda's heart immediately panged with guilt when she saw him behave in that way.
'I did this to him. He feels like he's failed as a protector. I should have known. I did this for me, not him. My attraction to him is clouding my judgement. But it's not like he's helping it! He never says what's on his mind, so this is the only way I get to see the real Link.' The princess sighed. She rose from the table—which had breadcrumbs scattered across it—and paid for the meal. As she exited, Link followed close behind her.
The little episode at the bakery reminded Zelda of the bigger picture. Why was she parading around with Link as if he was some sort of toy? The threat of Ganon is very real. She should be helping Daruk control Vah Rudania, not toying with her companion.
Zelda pulled out her Sheikah Slate to plot a course for Death Mountain.
"From here, we'll make our way to Goron City. Then, we'll need some adjustments on that Divine Beast so Daruk can manage it as easily as possible. He's figured out how to get it to move… However, it's apparent that we still have much more to learn. But to think, that Divine Beast was actually built by people…" she trailed off.
"That means we should be able to understand how it works and how to use it to our advantage. These Divine Beasts…so much we don't know… But if we want to turn back the Calamity Ganon, they're our best hope."
As she finished her small speech, Zelda was reminded of her inability to control the power of the goddess. She's tried to harness it all her life but to no avail. Zelda pictured Link effortlessly pulling the Master Sword from the ground, not even knowing it was his destiny until the deed was done.
The princess stopped in her tracks. Link looked on with worry and confusion, yet it wasn't evident on his face.
"Tell me the truth… How proficient are you right now, wielding that sword on your back? Legend says that an ancient voice resonates inside it. Can you hear it yet… hero?"
Link wasn't sure what to do. He simply stood in awkward silence until the princess sighed and continued walking.
"I'll be working with the Goron scientists trying to figure out the inner workings of Vah Rudania. Why don't you speak with Daruk while we're there? He seems to have taken a liking to you."
He couldn't help but feel like Zelda was pushing him away. Was it because he failed her test earlier? Link wasn't quite sure, but he recalled Zelda saying the trek would take days. He now dreaded the journey, because he feared that the princess wouldn't say a word after that. Her voice aired a tone of jealousy, but the boy couldn't figure out why.
'I'm over-thinking this. No more thoughts. No emotions. Just do as you're told,' he finally thought to himself.
Tick-tock, tick-tock…