Notes at the end of the most recent chapter.
Link rose early in the morning. He was thankful that he caught some sleep, feeling ready for the day.
He opened his bright eyes to see the sun barely above the Gerudo Highlands, indicating it was about to get very warm. Being the princess's champion meant he wore very thick clothing, ensuring that a blow would not break skin. The girth of his tunic and trousers meant he was well-equipped for frigid weather. Desert heat, however, is a different story.
Link winced at the memory of his skin charring on the hike up Death Mountain. The knight knew all too well what heat exhaustion can do to a person. He was hidden from the view of anyone on the main trail or in the city, so he shed his outermost layer in favor of a more comfortable temperature. He still had clothes on, of course, but to remove his royal armor in public is a violation of his pledge. After formally researching the details of a knight's duties, Link knew that the purpose of the Oath was almost entirely to satisfy the public. So, following proper protocol in public was a necessity.
For the first time since his induction, he inspected the bright blue armor piece dubbed the Champion's Tunic. It was soft and beautiful on the outside, adorned with lace patterns and tailored to fit his physique perfectly. He probed the inside of it, feeling the hardened leather beneath. The whole piece didn't weigh as much as chainmail would, but it certainly had some heft to it. And it was comfortable to wear, which is always a bonus. Link could only wonder what fine blacksmith designed it.
He gently ran his fingers through his lush blonde hair. He played with the two locks of hair in front of his ears. This was the only hair style he'd ever worn, which he found some peace in knowing. He felt the aquamarine ear piercings that dangled from his earlobes. Link finally stopped feeling his head. It was somewhat absentminded, yet he found himself thinking about how he could be better. The knight spent so much time criticizing and scolding himself, never taking a second to think positively.
'Where are these thoughts coming from? There's nothing I can do. I'm such a failure. What's the point in even trying anymore?'
Perhaps there was something symbolic about taking off his armored tunic. Maybe something in his subconscious unlocked when he didn't force himself to cover his true thoughts with a façade of stolidity, or maybe his contention indicated that he was unfit for duty. Whichever it was, the knight again donned his tunic and secured his weapon harness to his back. He would wait patiently in the shadows of the nearby temple ruins, watching for the princess's departure of Gerudo Town.
"Urbosa, I can't thank you enough for comforting me after…last night's events." Princess Zelda smiled.
"Remember, he's just a boy. I understand if you two don't get along, but you need to understand that he's just doing what the king asked him to."
Zelda nodded. "I know, but… I'm not sure how to proceed now. I'll I've ever done is push him away. What if he gives up and accepts execution because of how I've treated him—"
"Princess, do not allow these thoughts to pervade your consciousness. Return to the castle and make things right. I'm sure you'll know what to do when the time is right."
Lady Urbosa and Princess Zelda embraced once more, and Zelda turned around to leave.
"I'll see you soon, Urbosa."
Zelda made it about halfway to Kara Kara Bazaar before she noticed something odd: on either side of the road, there seemed to be an unusual amount of blood in the sand. As she inspected it closer, the princess realized some of it was fresh. A bloody battle had just been fought here, yet she couldn't see anyone around.
Which could only mean one thing…
'Yiga…'
Right on cue, three Yiga Clan assassins wielding bloody scythes appeared behind the princess.
Zelda never ran so fast in her life. She knew they were gaining on her, but all she could do was run. She saw the familiar rock outcrops and shimmering waters of Kara Kara in the distance, so Zelda sprinted with as much power as possible. As she neared the small oasis, her legs were giving out. She could barely keep a jogging pace.
Two of the assassins blinked into invisibility and re-appeared in front of her. Zelda tried to catch herself, but instead ended up falling to the ground. She was helpless as the three assailants surrounded her painstakingly slow, relishing in the fact that three measly amateurs would have the head of the princess.
One of the Yiga raised their scythe, aiming to decapitate the princess in a single, swift strike. She saw his hand begin to swing down, and Zelda knew that this was the end. The only person who would protect her was long gone, for she pushed him away even when everyone else insisted that she didn't. The princess closed her eyes for what she knew would be the last time.
Instead of feeling the stinging pain of a blade, Zelda heard a familiar grunt and a brief commotion, then silence. She snapped open her eyes to see none other than Link in a defensive position, intimidating the other two assailants. The third, who nearly took Zelda's life, lay motionless behind her.
'Did he… was he… after I'll that I've done, he still endangers himself to protect me. How could I ever think he wasn't worthy? The sword chose him for a reason. He has the spirit of a hero, and all I've done is shun him for that. This…all this…isn't his fault. It was all my doing. Oh, Hylia, please forgive me!'
Zelda remained sitting on the sandy ground of the desert, staring at her knight in awe.
The other two Yiga took the hint, running away as fast as they could. Link sheathed the Master Sword, turning in her direction.
He silently approached her, extending a gloved hand. Zelda took the hand, hoisting herself up.
"Thank you, my… Link."
The knight froze at his name. This was definitely a violation of the Oath. Not only did the princess thank him, she also called him by name. Link did not know what to do, so he stared at the princess with wide eyes and a rigid posture.
"I think the time is right. We… need to talk. I mean it." Zelda offered a small smile to which Link nodded reluctantly.
"Let's be off, then. This heat is unbearable."
As usual, the castle staff was happy to see the princess return safely. Link had certainly been doing his job well, at least from the public's perspective.
The pair followed their usual routine: inform Captain Sikumar of their return, then part ways until dusk.
Link bathed himself, ate a hefty dinner, polished his weapon and boots, and fetched a new change of clothes.
Zelda too bathed herself (in her private bathhouse, of course), ate dinner with her father, and donned her nightgown.
By sundown, Link was already standing guard in front of the princess's private quarters. He didn't think much of the day's earlier events or of last night. In fact, he usually forced himself to not think at all. He always ended up hurting himself when he thought.
Link was surprised when the door behind him opened suddenly. He respectfully stepped aside, expecting Zelda to exit the room. Instead, the princess stepped close to her knight.
"Link, come inside."
His head snapped in her direction, and their eyes locked. Zelda did not smile or waver, indicating she wasn't playing with his will.
He swallowed, reluctantly obeying her command. Link sheathed the Master Sword and followed her in—closing the door behind him. He'd never been inside of her private quarters before, so he took a few moments to analyze the room: a grand bed with lush blankets and pillows; a small desk with a few books and a lit candle; bright blue tapestries with the insignia of the royal family hung from the vaulted ceiling; and a wooden wardrobe sat in the far corner or the room.
Zelda wore a simple white gown (nothing fancy about it) and her hair was in its usual style. Her facial expression was almost as unreadable as Link's, which the knight found slightly disconcerting.
The princess led Link to the bed, where she sat on top of it. She patted the emptiness next to her, gesturing toward the boy. Again, he froze and went wide-eyed. Before he could think himself to death, Zelda assured him: "This is an unspoken part of the Oath. My father insisted that I wait until the right moment, but with Ganon's return imminent I don't think there will ever be a good time. I won't force you to do anything, but it's right that you know what I'm about to tell you."
The princess's serious tone did relieve Link a little, so he slowly descended onto the bed. He never stopped looking at the princess—assuring her that he was listening intently, like he always did. She, however, averted his gaze.
"Link, when you swore to uphold the Knight's Oath, there was one clause that you weren't told about. That is why Sikumar explained it to you. I could never have withheld it from you…" she trailed off.
Zelda closed her eyes tight and balled her fists, breathing deeply.
"You'll be able to talk to me. It's… it's part of the Oath. The first part of knighthood is to make sure you can handle yourself being completely alone. Then, the bond between liege and vassal strengthens by conversation being allowed. It's why Sikumar can speak to the royal family; Rhoam relieved him of his silence long ago. They're inseparable, Link, which is what I thought we were going to be when you were sworn as my protector. I'm so sorry for being naïve and thinking that's how it would be. I assured myself that you still needed to understand your duties and that you weren't ready yet. But I was wrong, Link. You fully understand the responsibility you've undertaken as my guardian. That much was proven today…out in the desert. I realized that it was I who didn't understand. I've tried my whole life to unlock this divine power to fight Ganon, yet I've only succeeded at failure. I think…I was jealous of you. I saw you as my enemy, yet you're the only one who could possibly be my friend in all of this," a tear rolled down Zelda's cheek.
Link simply sat next to her, listening closely to her words.
"It broke my heart to see you shut yourself out from everyone. Everything you ever knew was ripped away from you the day you drew the master sword from the ground. You used to talk to Sikumar, and I remember watching you train some nights in the field…"
The knight's jaw dropped at that sentence. Zelda watched him train…meaning shirtless in the firelight?! Public nudity was a serious offense in Hyrule, and the princess easily could've had him executed for such a crime.
Link could no longer appear stoic. His face reddened like an apple, which the princess grinned widely at.
"And that's why I think now's the time. Link, I formally grant you your voice. You may—no, please, speak to me." She offered a sheepish smile.
'Is… is this a test? What do I do?!'
Link wanted to scream. He was confused, scared, and embarrassed. His stare went blank, and he started shaking.
He calmly tried to stand up, but he utterly failed and fell hard on the floor.
Zelda gasped, rocketing up to catch him. Luckily, she caught his head before it cracked on the stone floor. He looked even more terrified now that he was on the floor and the princess was holding his head. The boy started hyperventilating and shaking rather violently. Zelda simply whispered sweet nothings into his ear, rubbing small circles on his chest. After a couple minutes, he slowly sat up. Zelda continued comforting him, which he appreciated.
Link's breakdown slowed itself to a halt. He eventually bowed his head and studied the floor while Zelda continued rubbing circles into his back.
After all the terrible things she did and said to her knight, the first words he ever spoke to her were nowhere near what she was expecting.
"I'm sorry…" Link whispered, his voice so restrained that Zelda barely heard it. Not wanting to startle him, she slowly retracted her hand and spoke quietly.
"Sorry for what? You've done nothing wrong," she stated plainly.
He turned toward her and crossed his legs, clasping his hands above his lap. Link kept his head bowed.
A tear fell from his eyes.
"I failed you. I should have been better. I'm sorry," his voice was still barely a whisper.
Zelda scooted closer to him and lifted his chin, forcing him to look at her.
"Link, you are not the one who has failed. You've done everything right. Please, don't tell yourself that you've failed. You were chosen by the Master Sword for a reason. You have courage. You are brave. You are strong. Link, please don't beat yourself up. You deserve praise, and… you deserve happiness" Zelda brushed the tear off his cheek.
His eyes again returned to the ground. Instead of an expressionless face, he wore a look that suggested he was deep in thought.
Zelda decided to lighten the mood.
"Do you recall when we were in Gatepost Town, Link?"
He nodded.
"Which of the dishes was your favorite?"
The knight's head perked up and a small smile played across his lips.
With a more elevated volume, he answered, "Everything was amazing! I could always go for a delicious meal. Food is—" he cut himself off, covering his mouth with his hands.
Zelda laughed heartily.
"It's okay! I had no idea your voice was so soft and smooth. Please, I've wanted to know for so long, Link. But first let's get off this terribly uncomfortable floor."
Link grinned and nodded. The pair groaned as they returned to the much softer bed.
"So… you like food?" the princess began.
"Yeah… I like cooking, too. I like just about everything food-related. I taught myself how to cook when I was very young, but the castle served every meal so I haven't had a chance to cook in a long time," Link was beaming. Zelda liked this side of him: genuinely happy and worry-free. But she knew it wouldn't last. Tomorrow, they'd return to their normal routine. Tomorrow Link wouldn't be allowed to talk.
"I had no idea you were such a glutton, Link," she teased. His face reddened at the comment, but not before a grin spread across his face. Both broke into a laughing fit, clutching their stomachs and enjoying each other's company.
Link and Zelda made some more small talk before it was time for Link to change shift with the other guard.
"Link, I enjoyed seeing you with your guard down tonight. You're a great person. I hope that…this won't be the only time," she offered timidly.
Her knight nodded nervously, unable to prevent a blush from spreading across his face.
"Thank you for allowing me to speak, princess. It means a lot for somebody to care about me…" he trailed off.
Link stood up and walked toward the door. He turned around and smiled at Zelda, who waved goodbye.
Stepping into the corridor outside the princess's chambers, Link again masked all his emotions with stolidity and impassiveness.
The boy could only wonder why the princess had granted him this privilege. Did she genuinely care for him? Why would royalty want to make small talk with peasantry?
He could never understand the mysterious ways of the princess.
At least he wasn't about to explode like he was only a few nights ago on Vah Naboris.
Maybe he could treat his pain.
The scars would stay, but the wounds can heal.
Right?