Chapter 9
Link awoke slowly, disoriented and blinking at the dim orange light casting horizontal shadows across a light-colored wall. It took his mind several long seconds to recognize the space beneath the stairs in his house. The cot underneath him felt foreign, though that wasn't surprising given he had only purchased it the day before. He rolled from his stomach to his side, somewhat surprised to feel his sword shift across his back as he sat up. He must have been very tired to fall asleep without removing it the night before.
Sitting up drew his attention to the bone-deep ache in his right arm, from the tips of his fingers clear up to his collar. He flexed the limb a few times, trying to ease some of the soreness while trying to remember what he had done to injure it in the first place. He didn't think he'd pulled anything while carrying the cot home. Perhaps he'd just slept on it wrong?
Mentally shrugging, the swordsman turned his attention to the rest of the room. Light flickered from a few lanterns hanging over the table, illuminating Zelda's form bent over something on its surface. She looked tired, half-laying on the table with her head propped up on one hand. No light shone in through the shutters on the windows, testifying to the early hour. The princess had either gotten up very early for some reason or hadn't yet made it to bed. Link felt it was probably the latter, though he couldn't remember what had prompted him to turn in before she did.
The cot creaked as Link stood, rising up on his tiptoes and raising his arms above his head in a full body stretch. He grunted at the satisfying crack of his joints popping, dropping his arms and falling back onto his heels as Zelda spun toward him.
"Link!" she cried, the cloth covering the bottom half of her face muffling her voice slightly but not the relief that colored the tone. "How are you feeling?" she asked, rising to her feet and stepping forward to close the distance between them before stopping herself. Her hands twitched open and closed a few times, as if she didn't know what to do with them.
Link blinked, taken aback by the unwarranted concern. "Uh, fine, I guess," he answered, giving her an odd look. He debated asking about the mask, but decided against it. Her choice in clothing was none of his business. Her sudden interest in his health, on the other hand, meant she knew something he did not.
"Did Purah find something?" he asked, trying to decide if it was good or bad news. Zelda's expression was impossible to read with the mask covering most of it, but the jerky movements of her fingers indicated uncertainty or perhaps nervousness.
"Yes, actually," she said slowly, biting her lip beneath the mask as her eyes slid away from his. She'd been over her explanation countless times after ordering him to bed, and there was nothing indicating this incident would be different from any other one he'd told her about. Yet she still couldn't silence the persistent voice in her mind whispering this time was different and he might remember what he'd done. Her fingers rose to her neck, lightly resting over the bruises hidden beneath the scarf.
Realizing what she was doing, she quickly snatched her hand away. "Can you tell me the last thing you remember?" she asked, keeping her voice as even as she could and clasping her hands together in an effort to at least appear calm.
There was sinking feeling in Link's stomach as he realized where this line of questioning was headed. But surely it couldn't have happened again so soon. Purah did point out that the memories lapses were increasing in length, but to jump from once or twice a month to only days apart seemed extreme. "We...picked up a few necessities in town. After lunch, I started cleaning some of my armor. Then... Then I..." He trailed off, blue eyes widening when he could not find any memories beyond that point.
Zelda's clasped hands tightened, her knuckles turning white. Link's reaction was not encouraging. Did he remember? "Then what?" she prompted, leaning forward slightly.
Link shook his head. "Nothing," he admitted quietly.
Zelda let out a relieved sigh. "I thought as much," she said, nodding to herself.
"How long was I...?"
"I noticed it after I finished bathing," she said, reaching for the slate sitting on the table to check the time. "It's a little before eleven right now, so maybe eight or nine hours? Unless you came back to yourself while you were asleep, then it could be closer to five or six."
Link nodded, gaze distant as he tried to process what that meant. That he hadn't realized anything was amiss when he woke meant that he may have had more lapses than he'd previously thought.
Although relieved he didn't remember the incident, Zelda needed to move the conversation forward before he started asking dangerous questions- like what happened during the gap in his memory. "The good news," she said a little too quickly, drawing Link's attention back to her. "Is that we know what's causing it. Once I realized what was happening, I took you to be examined by Purah. She wasn't there, but she recognized the symptoms after Symin described your behavior."
Zelda hesitated, looking away as she set the slate back on the table. "Have you heard of anyone being infected by Malice in your travels?" she asked carefully. Purah hadn't heard of any cases in a good long while, but that didn't mean Link hadn't come across any on his journey.
"No," Link said distractedly, his mind recalling the first time he'd come into contact with the substance so many months ago. He remembered the rain-slick tower, its base surrounded by Malice. A wrong turn at a fork in the road had taken him to Akkala instead of Lanayru, so it had seemed like a good idea to activate the tower in order to gain a map of the region. He shook his head, trying to focus on the conversation here and now. "No, I can't say that I have."
"Well, she's certain that's what has happened to you. Have you...ever come into contact with Malice?" Zelda asked, hesitantly.
"Yes. Uh...a few weeks after I woke in the Shrine, I think," Link answered slowly.
Zelda nodded, her eyes crinkling as she smiled beneath the mask. "Well, now that we know what's wrong, we can take the next step."
"Which is?" Link asked, his eyes meeting hers once more.
"According to Purah, the cure can be found at the Spring of Wisdom," she explained. She raised a hand to her mouth as she faked a yawn, only for it to turn into a real one halfway through. The mask slid down her nose as she opened her mouth a little too wide and she hastily turned her head to the side to conceal the bruise, her fingers pulling the material back into place.
"Forgive me, I must be more tired than I thought," she apologized with a laugh that was just a bit too high to be genuine. "I'm afraid the hour is rather late. Would you mind if we discussed our route tomorrow?"
Link nodded his assent, noting Zelda's odd behavior even as he wondered what cure was waiting at the top of Mt. Lanayru. Plant life was scarce on the snow-capped mountain and nothing that did grow there was exclusive to the spring itself.
Zelda returned his nod. "Then I shall turn in now. I know you just awoke, but try to get some more rest," she said, excusing herself and avoiding his gaze as she stepped past him and climbed the stairs. Once out of sight, she let her head drop into her hands with a sigh. The topic hadn't even come up and she already felt guilty for withholding the incident from him.
The bruise on her cheek throbbed as she dragged her fingers down her face, renewing her determination. Link would leave her if he knew what he'd done, regardless of the circumstances, and she could not allow that to happen. Steeling her resolve, and acutely aware of the swordsman listening to her movements on the floor below, she changed into the loose nightclothes he had purchased for her earlier that day. The scarf and facemask were dropped unceremoniously on the nightstand as she pulled the covers back, certain Link wouldn't come up without her permission.
It felt good to remove the cloth, the novelty having worn off rather quickly as she realized how stifling the material was. She ran her fingers across her cheeks, still feeling its phantom touch against her skin. Slipping between the sheets, she stared up at the wooden rafters as she contemplated tomorrow's itinerary.
Now that the initial confrontation with Link was over, the emotional stress of the day washed over her with an almost physical force, leaving her feeling mentally exhausted and incredibly drained. The faint flickering light from the lanterns below was mesmerizing, coaxing her to let her eyes slip closed. The soft sounds of Link moving about in the kitchen- of his own accord and not because she told him to -were as soothing as a lullaby and it wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep.
Link sliced a carrot and whisked a couple of eggs in a bowl, moving quietly to keep from disturbing the princess. Middle of the night or not, lunch was a long time ago and he was starving. His mind wandered back over the conversation of only a few minutes prior as he poured the mixture into a hot pan, sprinkling a bit of rock salt over the omelet.
Infected by Malice. He had no idea what that really meant, except that there were periodic gaps in his memory. Still, having a name for his condition- and more importantly a cure -was more relieving than he'd have thought possible. A few more missing memories here and there had seemed inconsequential in the face of Calamity Ganon being loosed upon Hyrule, and was preferable to losing himself again in the Shrine. He'd not mentioned it to Zelda, but there were a few times in the dark of the night when sleep eluded him that he'd wondered if something in his mind had been irreparably damaged.
He flipped the omelet over when it was almost done, letting the other side cook as his eyes were drawn to the loft's railing. The smile fell from his face as he replayed Zelda's expressions and movements in his mind. She had seemed fidgety and tense; nervous despite the good news she had to share.
Link transferred the omelet to a plate and dug in, thinking back to their first real conversation after he had apparently defeated Ganon. Zelda had been nervous and downright timid then, like she was expecting him to lash out at her. She'd said he'd refused to talk or even look at her on the plains, forcing her to beg him not to be left behind. Although her behavior wasn't quite the same now, there were definitely some similarities.
He couldn't help wondering what he might have done this time. She had recognized...something about his behavior that made her realize he wasn't in control of himself, right? He shook his head, hoping she wouldn't hold it against him. Either way, he'd have to wait until tomorrow to ask about it.
Link blinked, setting down his fork as something clicked in his mind. They were traveling to the Spring of Wisdom. Although he didn't remember their trip to that particular spring 100 years ago, he did remember standing guard at the Spring of Power when she broke down and begged the Goddess to tell her what deficiency she possessed that kept her from accessing the sealing power. And when the Calamity had finally appeared, they had been standing at east end of the Lanayru Promenade, having just descended Mt. Lanayru after visiting the Spring of Wisdom. She had been despondent, forced to admit to the other Champions that she'd once again failed to unlock the power.
Was that where her nervousness came from? The thought of facing the spring and the Goddess who had seemingly been deaf to her words all those years ago? From what little he remembered, Link certainly couldn't blame her for not wanting to return. And he couldn't forgive himself if he knowingly put her in a position where she felt obligated to go with him. It seemed his next course of action was clear.
Decision made, he quietly cleaned the dishes and retrieved his cold weather gear from the slate Zelda had left on the table. The down-lined tunic was already making him hot just in the time it took to put it on, but he would be grateful for that warmth soon enough. He opted for the Zora greaves over his snow boots, the odd scaly material feeling almost clammy against his skin. After he was dressed, he put out the lanterns and checked the door to make sure it was locked.
With one last glance to around to make sure everything was in order, he slipped the ruby circlet onto his head and pulled the map of Hyrule up on the slate. The magic from the stone washed over him, heat engulfing him as he tapped on the shrine at the Spring of Wisdom. He placed the slate onto the holder on his belt as his vision was swallowed in the blue glow of ancient Sheikah technology.
The world came back into focus seconds later and Link found himself facing a stone doorway with the back of the Goddess statue just beyond it. He stepped off of the platform in front of the shrine and into the spring, the water reaching about mid-calf. It was just as cold as he remembered, sucking in a sharp breath at the sudden drop in temperature though the waterproof material kept him dry. Knowing he'd acclimate to it soon enough, he grit his teeth and exited the doorway.
The dark star-speckled sky was visible beyond a light haze of clouds, a few small snowflakes gently gliding through the air. Thick pillars of ice jutted out of the ground around the sides of the spring, reaching up toward the peak of the mountain some thirty yards above him. The spring itself was oval in shape, a round stone platform in the middle stopping six or so feet in front of a Hylian-sized statue of the Goddess.
Link abruptly realized he had no idea what he was supposed to be looking for. He glanced around the area, feeling the tranquility of the spring wash over him though no magical cure was readily apparent. Naydra was nowhere to be seen, presumably circling the mountain range as she was wont to do each night, and the only plant life he could see was a small clump of chillshrooms growing past the water's edge at the head of the spring. Unwilling to return to Hateno and wake Zelda, he decided to ask another for help instead.
Link sloshed through the icy water around to the front of the winged statue, stopping about midway between it and the platform that lead to the front of the spring. He stared up at the serene expression etched on the stone visage and prayed.
A shaft of light seemed to shine down upon the effigy despite the hour, the snowflakes glittering as they fluttered through the beam. The statue was a bit brighter than before, almost seeming to glow on its own. The hair on Link's neck stood on end as Hylia arrived, her overwhelming presence filling the spring and engulfing him with a warmth that seemed to penetrate to his very core.
You have done well to vanquish the Calamity and return peace to Hyrule. The soft words of the Goddess flowed through his mind like a gentle spring breeze. What would you ask of me?
"I have been infected by Malice," Link explained, part of his mind wondering why the Goddess always responded so readily to him when she had refused to answer Zelda's prayers for years on end, though he dared not give voice to that question. "I was told the cure could be found at this spring, but I don't know what I should be looking for."
The 'cure' of which you speak of is a scale from Naydra, the Goddess said, her tone changing to one of displeasure. Though that is not the solution you should seek.
Link's brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand."
Consuming the scale itself does not heal the affliction, but instead transfers it to the blue spirit of Lanayru.
Link's lips parted slightly in surprise, remembering when he'd first found the Spring of Wisdom. The air was heavy with the stench of sickness and decay, the dragon curled around the summit wheezing and groaning as if every pained breath might be her last. Abscesses of Malice had erupted all over Naydra's serpentine form, though the poison had not yet sullied the spring itself. Under Hylia's instruction, Link had been able to help the guardian spirit free herself of the corruption.
"I see," he said, dropping his gaze to the statue's feet. He refused to do anything that would hurt the servant of the Goddess, especially as it had been his own clumsiness that had caused his aliment in the first place. "Is there another cure?" he asked. Something faintly brushed his face, as if an unseen hand briefly cupped his cheek.
Water from the Spring of Wisdom and a shard from Naydra's horn, the Goddess replied, the slight warning in her tone at odds with the affectionate gesture. Water from the Spring of Power and a shard from Dinraal's fang. Water from the Spring of Courage and a shard from Farosh's claw.
"Naydra's horn, Dinraal's fang, Farosh's claw," Link repeated softly, trying to make sure he kept them straight. "Anything else?"
The other ingredients are common and most are likely already in your possession; however, know that this a path not easily trod. Gathering the main components and brewing the remedy will pose little challenge for you; the true difficulty lies in withstanding the cleansing process, she cautioned. While traversing the castle in your impaired state, you absorbed a large amount of Malice. The small portion already running through your veins allowed your body to acclimate somewhat to the poison over the last year. This has allowed the power of the Master Sword to counter the worst of the effects, even after the amount increased tenfold. Cleansing it will take time and the strain placed on your body will be great. It will test the limits of endurance, but endure you must if you wish to be freed from the Malice's grasp.
"The Master Sword? What does that-" Link paused, realizing he only had the vaguest idea of what happened to him during his episodes. "What does the Malice actually do to me?" he asked instead. "And how does the Master Sword help?"
Malice suppresses your consciousness, your will, and replaces it with a drive for destruction. The Master Sword silences those urges, leaving you in a complaint state where you are susceptible to suggestion. Should you be parted with the sword during that time, the destructive impulses will consume you once more.
Link was silent for a moment, remembering coming back to himself clutching the broken remains of a sword or missing his weapon entirely in the early days of his affliction. Though he hadn't noticed it at the time, in retrospect it was obvious that had stopped happening after reclaiming the blade from Korok Forest. "What about when I have the sword stored in the slate?" he asked, motioning to the ancient piece of technology hanging from his belt. "Does it still protect me?"
Yes, provided the slate is on your person at the time.
Link nodded in relief. He was very proficient with a blade and the thought of facing someone of his skills who was overcome with a 'drive for destruction' was downright terrifying. Truth be told, 'susceptible to suggestion' didn't sound much better, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about leaving a trail of dead bodies to mark his passage.
He blinked as something else occurred to him. "So I lose all sense of self and will basically do anything anyone tells me to," he summarized. "How did I defeat the Calamity in such a state? I mean, no one told me storm the castle or to fight back when I was attacked...did they?"
You will continue to perform the last action prior to entering the impaired state until someone gives you a different command, Hylia explained. In this instance, you were heading to face Calamity Ganon. In lieu of conscious thought, your battle reflexes took over whenever you were attacked. While impressive, you were not infallible and several fairies revived you ere you met the beast in the inner sanctum. The princess' direction during the final fight allowed you to emerge victorious.
"I see," Link said slowly, absorbing everything the Goddess had told him. It seemed he owed Zelda more than he'd realized. He shook his head, bringing his focus back to the matter at hand. The holy blade was only a temporary solution; it would have to be returned to the pedestal at some point now that the Calamity had been sealed away. Whatever the cleansing process entailed was surely better than one day waking after an episode in the middle of a town, surrounded by residents that had been cut down by his own hand. He raised his determined gaze once more to the statue's eyes. "Tell me what I must do to rid myself of the Malice."
Zelda slept fitfully, her fears and anxiety from the day's events refusing to let her rest. She started awake after a particularly bad dream, Link's harsh reprimand for keeping the incident from him and the slamming of the door as he left still ringing in her ears. Whether because of her lack of sleep or perhaps due to the vulnerability brought on by the darkness of the night, the dream left her unsettled and plagued by doubt. The memory of how the conversation had actually gone brought no comfort and her imagination would not be silenced until she confirmed the swordsman's presence with her own eyes.
The world showed no signs of the coming dawn beyond the windowpane as she moved aside her blanket and slid her feet onto the cool floorboards. What little light that did shine in only seemed to deepen the exiting shadows, swallowing all but the vague outline of the furniture in darkness.
Zelda carefully felt her way to the stairs, lamenting her lack of foresight in not placing a candle on the nightstand. The wooden boards creaked as she descended them, keeping one hand on the wall for balance.
The recess where Link slept was darker than the rest of the house, the stairs keeping the scanty amount of starlight from reaching into the corner beneath them. Zelda focused on listening, hoping to hear some faint snore or breathing that would let her know he was there. Nothing but silence met her ears.
The fire in the kitchen had long since burned out so Zelda felt her way to the shelf next to the door, retrieving the flint and steel Link kept there. It took a few more minutes of groping in the dark to locate one of the small lanterns hanging over the table, its wick easily catching flame.
With the lantern in one hand, and an excuse on the tip of her tongue in case he woke, Zelda carefully moved to shine the light into the corner beneath the stairs. The cot was empty.
"Link?" she called, quickly checking every nook and cranny in the small house for the missing swordsman. "Link!"
He wasn't inside. He wasn't with the horses. And the Master Sword was nowhere to be found.
Scarcely taking the time to slip on her shoes, Zelda headed into the town. The moon was just dipping below the horizon though dawn was still some hours away. She shivered as the night breeze swept passed her, raising goose bumps along her arms and legs. She ignored her own discomfort, lantern held high as she hurried down the worn dirt streets.
No lights shown from any of the windows. No cuccos crowed in their coops. And after traversing the town from one end to the other, there was still no sign of her knight.
Where had he gone? Was he having another episode? If so, why would he leave? He had seemed incapable of making decisions on his own earlier that day. True, she had forgotten to tell him about the importance of keeping the Master Sword on him at all times, but he had apparently taken it with him anyway. Was he going to fight something? If so, what? And why in the middle of the night?
A chill that had nothing to do with the cold ran down her spine. Did he remember what happened and decide to leave? Surely he would have left a note for her, at the very least...
A bright blue light drew her attention as she headed back to the house, shining like a beacon in the dark night. Glowing tendrils of energy were appearing out of the air and drawing together downward, condensing into something just out of sight beyond the rooftops.
Zelda altered her course without a second thought, suddenly remembering Link disappearing in the same way earlier that day. She'd completely forgotten about it in the aftermath of the incident at the lab, Symin's reaction and Link's injuries pushing everything else from her mind. While she intended to question Link about this apparent new mode of travel, she wanted answers about why he disappeared without a word first.
The shrine came into view as she crested the hill leading to Link's house, the ancient structure tucked away almost out of sight behind the general store. Her missing knight was calmly stepping down off the shrine's platform, rolling his shoulders to reposition the weapons across his back. His movements were unhurried but he looked surprised to see anyone else out and about at this hour. "Princess?" he asked, squinting a little to see past the lantern she was holding. "What are you-"
"Where have you been?!" she demanded, cutting him off as anxiety gave way to anger.
"W, what?" Link stuttered, caught off-guard by her hostility.
"I spent the better part of the day watching over you and hoping you'd come back to yourself, only to wake and find you've disappeared in the middle of the night, without so much as a word!" she continued, her voice rising to match her anger. "I've been worried sick! Searching all over the town, wondering if you're having another episode and where you might have wandered off or if you-" She abruptly turned away, snapping her mouth shut as if to physically stop the words from pouring out.
"I'm sorry," Link apologized. Once his mind was made up, he hadn't given leaving a second thought. After spending the last year on his own, going where he wanted when he wanted, it hadn't even occurred to him to leave a note. "I didn't mean to make you worry."
Zelda pinched the bridge of her nose, forcefully reigning in her temper. It wasn't fair of her to take it out on him when she was at fault for not fully explaining the situation to begin with. After all, he'd been dealing with these episodes for a long while; there was no reason for him to think twice about continuing on as he always had. "Would you mind telling me what was so pressing you felt it could not wait until morning?" she asked, her voice tightly controlled.
Link shrugged. "I went to the Spring of Wisdom."
That was certainly not the response she had been expecting. "You...what?" Zelda asked, completely baffled. "Why would you... How did you... And in the middle of the night...!?" She shook her head, not even sure where to start.
"I didn't think you wanted to return to the spring," Link explained hesitantly, as if unsure whether his reasoning would set her off again. "Considering what happened last time, I mean."
Zelda just stared at him. She hadn't considered the possibility of Link remembering any of their trips to the springs, or that he might have another way to reach it than on foot. She raised her hand to her forehead, sighing heavily. "You could have at least left a note."
"I probably should have, yes. But, as you said, it's the middle of the night," he repeated, the corner of his lips quirked up in an apologetic smile. "I didn't think you'd wake up before I got back."
A cold gust blew passed them, cutting off Zelda's reply as it ruffled her thin gown and sent another shudder through her. She reflexively wrapped her arms around herself, the lantern bumping against her side as she silently berated herself for not taking the time to grab something a little warmer.
"Let's head back." Link closed the distance between them, taking the lantern and placing an arm around her shoulders to help ward off the chill as he ushered her quickly back toward the house.
The princess nodded, holding herself tightly against the cold as she eagerly matched his brisk pace. It wasn't long before they were back inside, Link setting the lantern on the table and starting a fire in the hearth while Zelda lit a few more of the lamps hanging from the rafters. There were several questions she wanted answers to before going back to bed and there was no reason to discuss such matters in the dark.
"I suppose I can understand not wanting to wait any longer than necessary, once you knew where to find the cure," she began, her tone apologetic as she pulled out a chair to stand on. "But you must tell me about how you use the blue light to travel. Given the color, I assume it is another piece of ancient Sheikah technology?"
"It is." Link grabbed the fire iron and stirred up the ashes in the fire place, laying some tinder and a few pieces of kindling on the hot coals. "Once I activate a shrine, a 'travel gate' is added to the map. I can then use the slate to be transported there any time I want."
"Instantaneous travel?" Zelda asked, her voice soft with shock.
"Yes." He carefully blew on the smoking tinder, coaxing a flame to life.
"Incredible," Zelda breathed, idly replacing the lit lamp and reaching for another. "And you can go to any shrine you've activated? Anywhere in the country?"
"Yep."
"If we could understand the technology, perhaps even replicate it..." Zelda murmured, her mind spinning with the possibilities.
"It certainly is convenient," Link agreed, slightly adjusting the placement of the sticks to help encourage the kindling to catch fire.
"That is an understatement, if ever I'd heard one. To be able to move between regions in mere seconds," Zelda muttered distractedly, wondering if Purah was aware of that particular function of the slate. She shook her head, putting such thoughts aside for another time. "Is there a shrine close to the spring?" she asked instead, not remembering seeing any when they traveled there in the past.
"Just behind it actually, built inside the rock wall at the back. Each of the springs has one."
Zelda could certainly see why he thought he could visit the spring and return before she awoke. "Did you get it, then?" she asked, her eyes on his back as she hopped down off the chair. "Naydra's scale?"
"That's...not really a cure," he hedged, reluctant to bring up his conversation with the Goddess. "But I did find out how to make one, and I gathered all but two of the ingredients."
"What do you mean?" Zelda asked, bewilderment coloring her tone. "According to Purah, people have used Naydra's scales to rid themselves of Malice since it first appeared 100 years ago. How could it not be a cure? And who told you this?"
"They rid themselves of the Malice, yes," Link agreed, keeping his eyes on the fledgling fire in the hearth. "By transferring it to Naydra. When I first saw her, she was curled around the peak of Mt. Lanayru above the spring, so heavily corrupted by Malice that she could barely move." He reached for a log, carefully laying it atop the burning kindling. "Hurting someone else to save myself is not the type of cure I'm looking for."
Zelda didn't know what to say. The thought of one of the guardian spirits being reduced to such a state was shocking to say the least. "So that option is out," she agreed quietly. "You said you learned of another way?"
Link nodded. "It uses various shards from all three dragons, as well as water from each spring, and a number of more widely available items." The flames were now licking at the bark which was already starting to catch fire. Link brushed his hands off as he stood, turning back to his companion. "It must be prepared in a certain way to-" He broke off mid-sentence as he got his first good look at Zelda in the light.
"To keep from transferring it back to the dragons?" she guessed.
Link didn't reply, his expression darkening. "Who did that?" Though quiet, the anger simmering beneath the carefully controlled words was easily heard.
Zelda paused, taken back by the abrupt shift in her knight. She just blinked at him, not sure what he was asking about.
"The bruises. Who attacked you?"
Her eyes widened as her hand flew to her cheek, belatedly remembering the facemask sitting on the nightstand in the loft. "It's fine," she murmured, the intensity of his gaze sending a shiver down her spine. She turned away, as much to hide the marks on her flesh as to avoid his stare. "It has already been dealt with."
Link clenched his jaws together, anger at the thought of someone hurting the princess burning hot through his veins. Had she been attacked while he was gone? That would certainly explain why she was awake and looking for him. Guilt took hold of him even as logic dismissed the idea, the bruises obviously having been forming for several hours at the very least. That meant whatever had happened took place during the most recent gap in his memory. "That's not what I asked."
Zelda took a deep breath, dragging her gaze back up to meet his. Her nerves were still frayed from the day's events and her nightmare about a possible outcome from this very conversation. "Link, please-"
"I just want you to tell me what happened!" His tone was hard, brooking no discussion over the matter.
"And I'm ordering you to let it lie!"
The words hung in the air between them, the first demand for obedience from princess to knight in the last century. The silence was thick with tension as they stared at each other for a long moment, waiting to see who would be the first to back down.
Zelda couldn't help the shuddering breath that escaped her as Link turned away. The response had been automatic, a throwback from the days before the Calamity. Though the swordsman had relented, the minor victory left a sour taste in her mouth and a cold pit in her stomach. She tried to apologize, but could not force the words out past the lump in her throat.
Once upon a time her knight would have weathered her tantrum stoically, letting her words pass over him like water from a duck's back as he performed his duty with or without her consent. At another he would have continued to press the issue until she was the one who gave in, regardless of whatever opposition she offered. This middle ground between the two highlighted just how different he was from back then and left her off-balance. Something would have to give if she didn't want to drive him away completely.
Zelda sighed, sitting heavily on the chair she'd been using to light the lanterns. She leaned forward on her elbows, threading her fingers into the hair at her temples as she rested her head in her hands. "I'm sorry, Link," she apologized. "I meant it when I said you were no longer bound to me. The monarchy fell with Ganon's rise 100 years ago. I am a princess in title only now- I have no authority to give orders to anyone, least of all you. Please forgive me for forgetting myself."
Link did not turn around, one hand gripping the hearth as he stared into the flames. "Will you at least tell me what happened today?" he asked, his voice low. "I swear I will not seek vengeance against whoever hurt you. I just...I have enough blank spots in my memory already."
Zelda squeezed her eyes more tightly shut. She had just renounced any power she might have held over him. What right did she have to decide what he should or shouldn't know concerning events he himself was a part of? What right did she have to...stop him from leaving, if he wished to do so? And yet, how could she simply stand by and do nothing if he decided to walk out of her life entirely?
"Promise me you won't do anything rash," she said, coming up with the best compromise she could think of on such short notice. "And I'll tell you everything."
"Is that an order?" Link's quiet voice was carefully devoid of any emotion.
"No," Zelda answered quickly, shaking her head despite the fact he could not see her from his position. "Merely a request...from one friend to another."
It wasn't an unreasonable request and it was clear Zelda was trying very hard to treat him as her equal rather than her attendant. "You have my word," he stated, keeping his back toward her. The fact she felt such a promise was necessary after he'd already said he wouldn't hunt down those responsible was worrying.
Though relieved by Link's agreement, the hard part was just beginning. Zelda took another deep breath before she began to speak. "The local gossip stopped by this afternoon, asking who I was. I told her a heavily edited version of the truth and sent her on her way before stepping out to tell you, as it would be better for our stories to match. I found you outside cleaning your armor, but you did not seem to see nor hear me at all. While trying to get some sort of response from you I discovered that you reacted to commands, doing whatever you were told immediately and without question. Seeing the similarities between your behavior now and after defeating the Calamity, I told you to go to the lab, intending to walk with you. Instead, you pulled out the slate and disappeared into glowing strands of blue light.
"It stood to reason that, whatever you had just done, I would likely find you at the lab, so I headed up there." Zelda hesitated, biting her lip. "It was...chaos when I arrived. Purah wasn't there but Symin realized something was wrong, so he tried to examine you. When he had you remove the Master Sword you were overcome by a berserker rage and attacked him. I arrived shortly after and you attacked me as well. I...reacted without thinking, calling on the sacred power."
Zelda closed her eyes, her voice wavering slightly. "You were thrown across the room. Symin immediately restrained you while you were stunned, tying you to a chair. I returned the Master Sword to you and the madness receded, leaving you docile and compliant as you had been before. After a disagreement with Symin, we returned to the house and a...fairy helped me create a tonic to treat your wounds." She took another deep breath, steeling herself for his reaction. "That is what happened today."
The room was silent but for the crackling of the fire. Link hadn't moved during her recounting of the day's events, letting the words wash over him. It wasn't often reality was worse than his imaginings, but this was one such occasion. His first instinct was to run, to put as much distance between himself and Zelda as possible, but he was reasonably sure that's what she'd been trying to prevent when she'd extracted the promise. He needed time to think it over, time process everything. But there was something else he needed to know first.
"Is...Symin all right?" The words were barely above a whisper.
"Just some minor bruises, according to Purah," Zelda said, trying to reassure him. "She said he's had much worse from accidents in the lab."
Link nodded, letting the silence stretch between them once more. After several long minutes he pushed away from the hearth. Zelda couldn't help straightening as well, almost afraid to hear what he had to say.
The swordsman turned and headed for the door, without a word or even a glance in her direction.
"Link-" Zelda began, standing and half reaching out to him. The words begging him to stay stuck in her throat, her resolve to accept his decision warring with her desperation not to lose him again.
He stopped with one hand on the handle but did not turn around. "I need some time to clear my head." The tone was even and as unreadable as the first time they'd met.
"...of course," Zelda breathed, her eyes lingering on the door for a minute or two after he closed it behind him. Heaving a deep sigh, she sat heavily back in her chair and slumped forward over the table again.
Link had left. Whether he planned to return, she knew not. Fear had driven her to break the trust between them and her uncertainty of the future before her was greater than ever. However, instead of being overwhelmed by anxiety, she just felt...numb.
The fire was still burning merrily as she put out the newly-lit lanterns and climbed the stairs to the loft, slipping back into her bed. Sleep seemed far away as she stared at the rafters, her mind blissfully blank now that the decision was out of her hands.
Link would make his choice. And she would have to live with the repercussions of hers.
To Be Continued
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