Notes at the end of the most recent chapter.
Zelda could not forget the previous night's events. Had she really heard his voice? Did Link spend all that time simply holding a conversation with her?
Even the idea seemed surreal, not to mention the actual memory. Her knight—who swore to never use his voice and protect her with his life—had actually made himself vulnerable to her. How long had he been begging to speak? Did he enjoy the freedom?
The princess mulled over the entire situation for hours the day after. Her knight had been given a day to himself, to recuperate from recent journeys and live the day at his own leisure. Zelda planned to stay in her study for most of the day…she didn't have anything to attend to for nearly a week. Maybe she could talk with Link again, in private?
'No…' the princess cursed herself. She'd already toyed with his will and manipulated him. Link has been nothing short of loyal, yet she continues to seek reasons to chastise him. No matter how hard she looks, there is nothing to be found. He is dutiful, responsible, and respectful—everything expected of a vanguard knight for royalty. It is unfair to him to continue such behaviors. Any punishment he receives for breaking ancient protocol would inadvertently result in her accepting all the guilt available. She's the one who pushes and compels him. He's just following her commands.
Zelda found herself a victim of her own speculations. She could no longer consider every angle; it was all too much. There was only one other person in Hyrule who could help her with such a situation—someone who could empathize with her and the knight.
A knock came from the door. Zelda was obviously expecting a visitor because her fervent pacing immediately altered into a beeline for the door. She opened it and ushered in the great Captain Sikumar, hoping he could answer some of her questions.
"Princess! What urgent matters did you wish to discuss?"
Zelda shifted her weight from one side to the other.
"With all due respect, captain, I'd prefer to ditch the formalities for this particular conversation. It entails more personal matters…" she trailed off.
Sikumar's posture loosened considerably.
"Of course. What's on your mind, Zelda?" the captain asked, seating himself in one of the study's chairs. Zelda followed suit.
Her volume significantly lower, she continued, "It's about my… relationship with Link. I won't go into specifics, but we've grown… closer, recently. And I—I fear that it may evolve into a friendship, which is strictly forbade by the Oath. I do not know how to continue without breaking any more protocols, or more importantly without hurting anyone in the process."
Sikumar scratched his chin.
"You made him speak, didn't you?" he deadpanned.
Zelda's eyes flared for a moment, clearly shocked by the claim. Her lips did move, but no words came. He was right. She couldn't tell him otherwise.
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me!" he joked.
"Seriously, though. Your father and I have been discussing this matter since the boy was sworn in. It was only a matter of time before this happened. Don't feel that it was wrong, but also don't flaunt it publicly. It is a risky affair—I'll admit that—but if you want my opinion, it's about time that both of you had someone to hold onto. That boy hasn't had a real anchor since… well, his past isn't my story to tell." Sikumar winked at the implied point.
"My point is that it's healthy for you two to communicate effectively, but don't make a habit of it. He's still new, naïve, and inexperienced in the eyes of the people. If word gets out that he's letting his guard down, Hylia knows what will happen. Well, you know what will happen, so make that an incentive to keep this private."
Zelda grimaced at the very thought of no longer having Link by her side…
The two sat in silence for a short while before Sikumar cleared his throat.
"You're doing the right thing, Zelda. You know that I know what you have been facing for your entire life. You give so much effort to unlocking your power yet you have nothing to show for it. Link… he knows what that's like, too. He understands your distress because he's felt it before—working hard every minute with no reward. You're opening up to him, and that's helping him cope with his thoughts, too."
Zelda's head shot up at that remark.
"Really? What do you mean helping him cope?"
Sikumar laughed dolefully.
"It's rather curious, honestly, that I'm telling you this. I thought you already knew. You aren't alone in this fight. I mean that both literally and figuratively. Calamity Ganon will be upon us, very soon. You know that. Link will be fighting alongside you when that time comes. And leading up to that is your mental fight to stay strong and harness your divine blessing. You aren't alone, Zelda. He's there not only as your protector but as your companion. He thinks about it, too. Link is very intelligent. He can help you and you can help him. Link is scared, Zelda. He's scared out of his mind. Just like you. The day that sword chose him he lost everything. At least his life in the fields made sense. He knew what to do and how to do it. But now… he drifts just as much as you do. It will take both of you to defeat Ganon, but the first step is understanding each other and staying on the correct path."
Zelda considered these words very carefully, trying to draw the meaning out of them.
"So… are you suggesting that I… continue speaking with him?"
"I suppose in a way I am. But be careful, Zelda. Tread these waters very lightly. It is impossible to tell when a storm is brewing."
"Thank you, Sikumar. Well, in that case, have you seen him around the castle today?"
"I believe he was in the armory earlier before he left the castle. Some of the sentries told me he was wearing heavy gear when he left—" he stopped himself short, eyes widening at a realization.
"He may be in trouble. Zelda, it is not my place to ask this of you, but you should seek him out and ensure he is okay. I fear… he may have done something regrettable."
The princess's eyes widened. Seconds later, she shot up out of her chair and ran to the castle stables. She would find Link and make sure he was okay... She would find her friend.
Link rose early in the morning. He decided that today would be a day of honing his skills. Ganon's impending return is only more reason to do so.
He'd never admit it, but Link was only trying to not think about last night. Did he really talk to the princess?! Surely, that was just a hallucination. He'd never give up on his duty so easily. It's best to just distract himself from reality.
He ate a hearty breakfast and groomed himself for the first time in months. Link removed his peach fuzz facial hair, trimmed his long blonde locks, and washed his hair.
Next stop was the armory. He had the master sword and his tunic, but the boy planned to do far more than take on a few assailants. Link needed to feel the rush of battle. He would assault an enemy stronghold. Alone. He'd ignore anyone who tried to stop him.
Maybe this was adequate enough of a punishment. Link understood that he broke protocol the night before; he had to answer for his crimes. The Oath is not taken lightly.
Link donned thick steel plate armor over the Champion's Tunic and his trousers. He decided against using a helmet; the tactical advantage of increased sight is invaluable.
A blow to the head would be a quick way to die, wouldn't it?
Checking his gear one last time, Link decided he was ready. He snuck in to Sikumar's study in the barracks and checked for the most recent intelligence on monster activity. Apparently, the western plateaus of Death Mountain were buzzing with activity.
'Death Mountain'… what a fitting name!
Link calmly—silently—headed for the stables. He mounted his steed and set off at a full gallop.
The Hero of Hyrule didn't quite value living as much as those around him valued his life. But how could he ever accept that? Nobody cared for him. He's expendable. And he was going to prove it. He was going to prove just how easily he could be replaced.
When Link arrived at the location specified in the captain's intelligence reports, he instantly knew he was in the right place. The entire mountainside was brimming with monsters: Moblins, Bokoblins, and Lizalfos pervaded the ashy, red landscape. Link thought about all his past mistakes:
Talking to the princess.
Talking in general.
Failing his duties.
Failing the princess.
Wielding the Master Sword.
Training at night.
Watching the guards train.
Reading Haseem's books.
His parents' death.
Being born.
Link could only think that his entire life was an accident. Why would he be the one to wield the sword? How could Hyrule's fate be bound to such an insolent, churlish, moronic boy?!
Tears fell freely from his eyes. He was at his worst. Rock bottom. Link drew the Master Sword, which glowed a compelling light-blue. His breath hitched, and his hands shook. This was it.
Again, he thought of his mistakes. His life. His failures.
Himself.
Link was seeing red. He would kill anything—anyone. Nothing mattered. He charged the entire legion of monsters, completely fearless. Link struck each one with a blow powerful enough to split a mountain, never missing a stroke. He flailed the blade through the throats and heads of each individual monster, shrieking disturbing sounds somewhere between howls of sorrow and barks of anger as he cleaved through the infinite adversaries.
One by one, the entire unit of monsters that once held Death Mountain now stood as a tribute to the volcano's namesake. The smell of rotting flesh began to permeate the mountainside.
Every monster challenged the Hero. And every monster was met with unmatched fury and unmatched despair.
Link was heaving painfully. His lungs ached and his muscles burned. He was exhausted.
He dropped the Master Sword, which clanged against the gravelly terrain. He dropped to his knees, a faraway look in his eyes.
He lifted his arms, inspecting each one. His right arm was covered in blood. Not monster blood—which has a strange purple hue—red, Hylian, blood. His blood. Now the pain matched the sight.
Link wailed in pain, the anguish taking over. He bent inward and grasped his forearm, which burned like the sun.
He looked closer at his arm, and confirmed his suspicions: a shock arrow had broken through his armor and the tip had chipped off—lodging itself into his forearm. Link quickly undid the steel armor pieces, tossing them away. He removed his gloves and stuffed them into one of his pockets.
Now came the truly painful part.
Link reached into the open wound and, with his fingers, pulled out the electric arrow tip. Most of the pain did fade, but there was still an intense throbbing sensation. He used the small flask of water he brought to rinse the wound and his hands. At least he wasn't covered in blood anymore.
As he was patching himself up, he didn't notice the figure standing in front of him.
"You're… alive…"
Link froze. He knew that voice. It could be easily picked out in a crowd.
The figure quickly rushed up to him and sat next to him. Princess Zelda's concerned expression told him that she knew what he did here. The unusual part, however, came when she tightly embraced him. Link involuntarily grunted at the sudden pressure on his arm.
Zelda instantly backed away.
"Link! You're hurt!" she reached out to his arm and gently pulled it away from him. She looked at the gash left by the arrow tip, which was now starting to heal.
"That cut doesn't look too bad, actually. You're fine for now. But you know, there's a fine line between courage and recklessness."
'I know. This was reckless. I'm so sorry, Zelda… all I ever do is fail…'
The princess's tone switched from concerning to scolding.
"As brave as you are, that does not make you immortal."
Zelda looked out across the field of dead bodies and blood pools that stained the mountain.
"It seems that, not only is the frequency of these types of attacks on the rise…but the scale of beasts we are facing is intensifying as well."
The princess seemed to think that Link was attacked. She had no idea that he came here intentionally and out of his own volition, seeking a battle.
"I fear that—I fear that this is an omen which portends the return of Calamity Ganon. And, if that's the case, then I'm ready to expect the worst. We'll need to make preparations as soon as possible."
Zelda stood and began walking toward her horse. Link followed suit, using every ounce of his willpower to suppress the grunting sound he made as he stood.
As he followed Zelda down the mountain, Link looked at the newly-formed gash on his forearm. Now that he had his fit of rage and destruction, he could think at least somewhat clearer.
Link's life had never been a mistake.
The mistake came when he thought his life was meaningless and that others didn't care. Zelda came to find him. Sikumar was probably worried, too. How could he be so selfish? His life did matter; not just as a pawn in some grand game of war, but as a person. What he did on this mountain today was a mistake. There is no doubt about it in his mind. But this scar will never be erased. He will learn from his actions today and move on.
'The scars will stay, but the wounds will heal…'