XXIII – A Dying Ember
Paya caught Link just in time before he could report back to his unit and dragged him away from the masses of people gathering in the main square, leading him to one of the towers.
"Where is Sheik?" Paya asked.
"He travelled to the desert," Link answered, "what's wrong?"
"Impa wants to see you. It's important. Come on."
Link followed her up the stairs inside the tower until she stopped in front of a door, knocked four times, and then walked inside, dragging him along. Impa was sitting behind a desk, a map spread out before her. When she saw them, she got up from her chair, closed the window and motioned to Paya to close the door.
"Where is Sheik?" Impa asked, mirroring Paya's exact words.
"He went to the desert to help the Gerudo," Link said.
Impa hummed. "Then he did the right thing. I suppose you received the king's order?"
Link nodded. "Why did you want to see me?"
"Link, I need you to do something for me," Impa began, "we are having quite a situation here. Cases of infections have been reported and a virus seems to be spreading among our people. They have been quarantined and are currently looked after, but we don't know yet how many people have been in contact. The king is sending his daughter away, that's why he summoned you here. Come closer."
He took a few steps closer and looked down at the map spread out on the desk. Impa put her finger on a spot on the map and looked at him.
"This is where he wants you to take her. There is a small Goron village just north of Death mountain, and it is high up, surrounded by hot springs. The road will take you through Deep Akkala. The village is very secluded and the king deems it safe enough."
Link nodded. "Sounds reasonable."
"I need you to take her somewhere else," Impa said and bore her red eyes into his.
"Why?" he asked, confused.
"Because I think Zelda is the key to peace in Hyrule, and I think she is much more valuable than I first anticipated. Her powers are slumbering deep inside her, and no matter how much she prays to the Goddess Hylia, they will not awaken. However, with the right training..."
"What do you have in mind?" Link interrupted her.
"Bring her to the Great Deku Tree." She pointed to a spot on the map north of Hyrule castle. "This is the Great Hyrule Forest and probably the safest place in all of Hyrule at the moment – if you are granted access."
Link gave her a questioning look.
"It is forbidden to enter the forest," Paya said, "you need the Great Deku Tree's permission to get inside."
"Then...will we be granted permission?" Link asked.
Impa took a small box and a bundle from the shelf and handed them to him. "Take these with you. The Great Deku Tree is very wise and I trust he will take the right decision. And this." She removed her Sheikah slate from a drawer and gave it to him. Link opened the bundle and found an item resembling a magnifying glass in the shape of the Sheikah crest.
"What is this?" he asked, examining the item curiously.
"This is an ancient artefact, handed down from generation to generation. It's called the lens of truth."
"Lens of truth? What does it do?"
"It lets you see things that are not visible to the naked eye – well, naked Hylian eye. Link, I don't have time to explain everything in detail to you, but know that Paya is right. Humans are not allowed to enter the ancient forest, but the lens of truth will show you the way through the mist. The box contains offerings for the Great Deku Tree – when you stumble upon the small wood creatures called Koroks, give them those offerings. As for the slate, the road to the forest would bring you dangerously close to the capital, and I do not want to risk that. The enemy has spread out vastly and Guardians are roaming the roads. The woodland tower is located just south of the forest. Link, do not talk about our plans to anyone for now, not even to Zelda. Not until you have convinced her to go with you. Can you do that for me?"
"I trust in your wisdom," he said and wrapped the cloth back around the lens.
"Then go. Take her to the tower first thing in the morning. Oh, and one last advice before I release you. Take a bath before reporting back. You smell like blood and sweat."
Link couldn't deny having mixed feelings when he entered the common dining room that night and saw Keet and Pipit sitting at a table. Even though they were his closest friends, they also reminded him of his duty and the position he had accepted inside the royal army, and he couldn't get Sheik's words out of his head.
"Link! It's been some time!" Pipit cheered, and raised his beer jug. "A toast to Link for all his heroic deeds!" Keet chimed in and soon the whole table had their jugs in the air and drank to their comrade for having freed all three divine beasts.
"You seem in an awfully good mood despite everything that's going on," Link said, lifting an eyebrow.
"We gotta keep our heads up in times like these," Keet answered, and poured down the cold beer, "how did your meeting with the king's hand go?"
Link shrugged. "Not much to say. I will leave tomorrow morning and ride out with the princess."
"I should've become the princess' personal knight instead of you," Keet muttered, "you get to spend time with her somewhere secluded while we have to fight a war."
Link shook his head. "I should be here to fight for Hyrule's freedom, too. Not hide away."
"Well, you are her personal knight after all, so keeping her safe is your main duty. But honestly, no one agrees with the king's decisions lately," Pipit said, "I heard that he is using the Zora to take out the hostile troops that are marching towards Akkala from the south without sending reinforcements."
"The Zora?" Link asked.
"Yes, apparently their prince has been fending off monster hordes all by himself for a while, because the king refused to spare some of his own troops."
"Sidon..." Link said, clenching his fist.
"Until someone defied his orders and sent aid to the Zora. Captain Hoz has taken his men south."
"Rumour has it that it was the Sheikah chieftain who sent those men. The king was furious, but could do nothing against it in order not to jeopardise the Zora's alliance any further," Keet said, "however, this doesn't seem to bode well for the Sheikah."
"What do you mean?" Link asked, feeling his jaw tightening.
"The Sheikah have since always been a thorn in his side. He fears them but needs them to win the war and to overthrow the Gerudo. Once the war is over and we have reclaimed the capital, he will probably dispose of them," Keet explained.
"Another purge..." Link mumbled.
"You know about the Purge?" Keet asked, surprised.
"Keet, where did you get all of this information?"
Keet shrugged. "Eagus seems to have his ears everywhere. Link, what happened that night you beat up that soldier? Who was that person they attacked?"
Link sighed. He had hoped that Keet had forgotten all about it. "He's...my friend."
"Correct me if I am wrong, but he's a Sheikah, right?"
Link nodded and emptied his jug.
"Where is he now?" Pipit, who had remained silent until now, asked.
Link shook his head. "I don't know," he lied, "probably on a mission of his own."
Pipit raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"So, you're leaving early tomorrow, eh? Hope you will be back in time to kick some ass," Keet said.
"Yeah, and I should slowly get going, pack some things."
"Make sure you finally make good use of your time alone with the princess, Linky." He winked and gave him a smug grin, receiving Pipit's elbow in the side as a result.
"Come on Keet, stop pestering Link. You know it's not appropriate to take advantage of his position."
"Oh come on, what are you, a saint? You'd go for it too if you were in his stead."
"Who are you calling a saint? Not everyone is as dick-driven as you."
"Hah! Look who's talking!"
Link smiled as he watched his friends bicker and wondered if he'd ever be able to sit with them and have meaningless conversations like that without a care in the world. And as he prepared to leave them behind and hugged them goodbye, he felt as if he no longer belonged.
The sun had barely started to show behind the red crowns of the maple trees, bathing the landscape in a soft orange glow. Link was waiting nervously outside the stable for the princess, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He hadn't told her about the change of plans yet and didn't know how she would react. He wanted to believe that she would understand the reasons and be compliant, but feared that she would raise a ruckus and blow Impa's plan before he could even take her to the forest.
When Zelda finally showed up in her travelling clothes, her face lit up upon seeing her personal knight waiting for her.
"It's been a while," she said, smiling.
He returned her smile, his hand resting on the Sheikah slate on his hip.
"All set?"
She nodded and handed him her backpack, which he shouldered. "I wish I could stay but I guess I don't really have a choice."
He cleared his throat and looked her in the eyes. "Zelda. Do you trust me?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Why would you ask that? You swore an oath to protect me."
"And I still hold to that oath. That's not what I meant, though. Will you follow me even if we take another route?"
"Another route? But why? My father..."
"I know," he cut her off, "his orders were clear. But I am asking you again: will you follow me?"
"Link...why..."
"I have my reasons and I will explain everything to you later. I promise. But please answer me."
She nodded, and followed him hesitantly past the stable and through the empty courtyard to the base of the tower. Once they reached the top, he removed the slate from his belt and put it into the pedestal like he had seen Sheik do it few times, connecting it to the internal system.
"What are you doing?" Zelda asked, watching him with anxious eyes. "Why are we on the tower?"
"Because travelling by teleportation is faster and safer than riding on horseback," he answered, "don't worry, I've done it before. It's safe. If you're ready, give me your hand and close your eyes. You might feel a slight nausea, but it will wear off soon."
The princess did as she was told, ignoring the warning voice in the back of her head and focusing on her curiosity instead. She felt a slight pain behind her eyes and a wave of nausea washing over her as their bodies dissolved into thin air and reappeared in another place. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself on her knees atop another tower, still holding on to Link's hand. "How did you do that?" she gasped.
"The Sheikah slate has a teleportation rune," Link explained while trying to calm down his nerves as well. He was getting better at handling it, but it would probably never become his favourite means of transportation.
"Link, where are we?" she asked, digging her nails into the back of his hand.
"Woodland tower," he answered and freed his hand from her iron grip.
"I can see that this is not the Eldin region," she said, "because Eldin is east of here."
"Yes, but I am not taking you to Eldin," Link said, "I will explain everything to you later."
"No!" she exclaimed and crossed her arms in front of her breasts, "I want to know where you are taking me. Why aren't you following your orders? Why are we here and not in Eldin?"
"I am taking you north, because Eldin is not safe!" he said, his voice taking on a slightly angry tone, "the enemy is marching on. Prince Sidon cannot keep the hostile troops away forever. Do you think they will stop in South Akkala? Your father is a fool if he thinks the Goron village in northern Eldin will be spared. Look down at the roads. Go on, take a look!"
Zelda was taken aback by Link's outburst, but walked to the edge of the tower nevertheless and peered down. The main road not far below was being patrolled by Guardians and the watchtowers that had been previously controlled by Hylian guards were all occupied by Moblins and smaller, hooded creatures that looked alarmingly human. Zelda swallowed and looked at Link.
"Then why did you bring me so close to the castle?" she asked.
"Because the safest place in Hyrule is just north of it," he answered, pointing his finger at the Great Hyrule Forest.
"The Lost Woods? Have you gone mad? Any Hylian who has ever set foot in those woods hasn't made it out alive. It is forbidden to enter."
"Unless we get permission."
"Link, this is madness!"
"You know what else is madness? Trying to 'purge' these lands of a tribe you fear and deem inferior." His eyes sparkled dangerously.
"What are you talking about?" She looked confused.
"I am talking about all the atrocities that have been committed by the hands of our people – on your father's behalf. He's leading a war that's solely based on his hate towards other nations."
Zelda crossed her arms and an angry line formed on her forehead. "What kind of atrocities? I think you forgot who started the war. The Gerudo attacked us first!"
"The Sheikah purge. Isolating the Gerudo by closing the borders and stopping all trade. Refusing help to the Zora and risking prince Sidon's life to keep the enemy off his back. Leaving the infected to die on their own without medical help. Shall I continue?"
The princess paled and Link realised that she genuinely knew nothing about all of this. He sighed and took a deep breath, calming down.
"Zelda, I'm sorry. I know you are not your father and I believe that you know nothing of his true intentions, so I don't blame you for anything. I vowed to protect you with my life, and I will hold true to it, but I hope that some day you might understand why I am no longer willing to carry out the king's orders. Impa asked me to take you to the Great Deku Tree, because his realm might be the only safe place left in Hyrule. That's why we are here."
"Is all of this true?" Her lip was shaking and Link could see a treacherous tear glitter in the corner of her eye.
"Perhaps you shouldn't be hearing this from me. Talk to the Great Deku Tree, and if you are still convinced that I am wrong about this, I will take you to the Goron village. But right now we should get moving before any of those roaming Guardians detect our presence. Now will you go with me?"
As soon as they set foot in the age-old forest, the heavy mist swallowed them. Link opened the bundle and removed the lens from the cloth, holding it in front of his face.
"What is this?" Zelda asked.
"It's an ancient Sheikah artefact. It's supposed to show the way...but I can't really see anything."
"Let me see this," she said and reached out for the lens. As soon as her hand touched the handle, a slight tingling surged through her fingers. "It's pulsating magic," she said fascinated and held it in front of her face. The tingling sensation became stronger and soon the mist cleared inside the lens.
Link let out a low whistle. "So it does work. It seems to respond to you. Maybe your power has a connection to Sheikah magic?"
She moved the lens around. "I don't know. But it does work. There. This looks like a path."
He peered through the lens and nodded. "You are right. Shall we?"
Her fingers curled around his hand and held it tight. "Yes. Let's go."
Link had lost all sense of time while wandering through the thick mist. He fully trusted Zelda with handling the lens of truth while trotting behind her, trying to make out shapes, but the fog was so dense that he could barely see Zelda's form in front of his eyes. After what seemed like hours of wandering around, he could feel her tiring, her steps less and less energetic.
"Zelda, do you need a break?" He slightly pulled at her hand and motioned to her to stop.
"Yes," she said, sounding tired, "I think using this lens is draining my energy. Can we rest for just a moment?"
"Of course," he said, "do you want to sit down?"
She nodded and pointed to something he couldn't see. "Let's sit down next to that statue."
She plopped down on the forest floor and rested her back against the raven, closing her eyes. Link sat down beside her and gave her a worried look.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, but I am not sure how long I can keep going at this pace. And I have no idea how far we still have to go. It feels like we have been wandering for hours and still no change. The path seems to go on and on and everything looks the same," she muttered unhappily. "I think we are lost."
Link shook his head. "No, I don't think we are. I trust in your senses, Zelda, and right now, you are just tired. Let's rest for a short while and try again."
"I want to sleep," she mumbled, her head lolling to the side.
"Then take a nap," he suggested and let her use his body for support, caressing her arm. Before long, she had fallen asleep and was resting her body against his. He took the lens out of her hand and put it in his lap, removed the water skin from his belt and took a sip. A loud yawn escaped his lips and he suddenly felt very tired too. He stretched his legs and neck and looked at Zelda who was fast asleep. Few more minutes and I should wake her, he thought and yawned once again. His eyelids suddenly felt so heavy. Just a quick nap, he thought as he lost the fight against the urge to close his eyes. Before long, he had drifted off into a deep, dreamless slumber.
When he came to, the same dense mist greeted him, but the forest looked darker than it had before. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, feeling Zelda's weight still against his body. He gently woke her. "It's time to move on," he said and reached out for the lens in his lap, but his fingers groped at nothing but air. He looked down at his lap, patted the ground next to his left and right side, but the lens wasn't there. Panic slowly rose inside him as he began to frantically look around.
"What's wrong?" Zelda asked tiredly, stretching her aching limbs.
"The lens. It's gone..." he said.
"What?!" she exclaimed and was fully awake all of a sudden. "What do you mean it's gone?"
"I fell asleep," he confessed, "and when I woke up, it was no longer there."
"You're kidding me, right? How could you fall asleep?"
"I am sorry. I couldn't help it. I was so tired all of a sudden," he moaned.
"Link, this is bad. Without the lens, we are lost."
"Let's calm down," he said and stood up, "where could it be? Who could have taken it?"
"This is all your fault!" she shouted, and Link could tell that she was extremely upset, "now we will end up as Stalfos!"
"Please calm down. Let's think for a moment. What did the path look like that we have been following all the time?"
"It was a goddamn path, Link! Trees and dirt and grass!"
"What about these statues? Were there more of these statues?"
She took a deep breath and her voice trembled, and Link was afraid she'd hit him anytime soon. "Yes. There were also these goddamn statues."
"Then perhaps we should follow these statues," he suggested.
"How? I can barely see my own feet in this impenetrable muck!"
"Perhaps the beak is pointing in the right direction," he offered, but Zelda was nowhere close to calming down and thinking logically.
"I should have never followed you," she wailed quietly. Link sighed and put his hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes. Yes, and I wish I could be with Sheik right now, helping him free the divine beast instead of being insulted by a hysterical princess in a godforsaken forest, he thought, and it took all of his willpower to stay calm and not lash out at her in return.
"We will find a way out. I promise," he said, "trust your senses and don't let panic overrun your logical thinking. For a start, let's try to walk in the direction the beak is pointing."
"Do we have another choice?" she muttered, but seemed to finally have calmed down a little. Link took her hand in his and interlaced their fingers, and they started moving further into the forest in a straight line. Without the help of the lens, they had to sharpen their other senses and soon Link began to notice little changes in the air and the smell of the forest. The tangy scent of pines faded and made way to a sweeter smell, and the mossy forest floor was soon replaced by a firmer underground.
"Was that a bird?" Zelda suddenly asked after walking quietly for a while. Link perked up his hears and listened. In the distance, he heard the faint call of an owl, and smiled.
"Yes. An owl. Hey, look!" he said and pointed at a small statue of a raven, "its beak points east."
"I hope you are right." Zelda's voice sounded less desperate and a bit more hopeful.
They continued to follow the bird statues until they reached a dead end, and Zelda let out a desperate cry, hammering her fists on the trunk of a big tree. And then she cried.
"Zelda," Link began and rubbed her back, "please don't cry."
Between her sobs and the hammering of her fist, Link heard a rustling in the undergrowth and the sound of something akin to a wooden windchime. He looked around, trying to catch a glance of the source through the impenetrable mist, but all he could see was the same dull grey wafts. Something then bumped into his leg and he heard a soft "ow".
"Zelda," he said and bent down, reaching out for whatever had just touched him. His fingers grabbed something hard, like a piece of wood, and when he lifted it into the air, both Hylians stared at the strange creature.
"What on earth is this?" Zelda asked as she examined the tiny tree-like creature.
"I think this is what Impa referred to as a Korok."
"Let me down," the Korok squeaked and struggled in Link's grip. Link put it down on the top of a tree stump and knelt down beside it.
"I'm sorry," he said, surprised that the little creature mastered the Hylian language, "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" the Korok asked, tilting its adorable little head, shaking its single leaf in the process.
Link remembered the box that Impa had handed him and that was still, unlike the lens of truth, in his possession, and took it out of his bag. He opened the lid and put his hand inside, removing a little black acorn which he presented to the Korok. The Korok looked at the acorn and then back at Link, frowning.
"We wish to speak to the Great Deku Tree. Can you take us to him?" Link asked.
The Korok squeaked, grabbed the acorn, jumped down the stump and disappeared into the forest.
"Hey! Wait!" Link called after it, but it was gone. He sighed. This mission was stretching him to the limit. "I give up," he moaned and sat down on the stump, burying his face in his hands.
"Wait. Link, listen," Zelda said as she sat down beside him. The pitter-patter of tiny feet and the distinct woodchime sound echoed through the quiet forest and then came closer. Before long, a small army of Koroks had assembled before them and stared up at them. The tallest Korok among them with a heart-shaped leaf as a face held out its tiny hand and looked at them expectantly.
"Link, give them all of your acorns," Zelda whispered and Link did as he was told, putting down the box on the ground. The heart-shaped leaf Korok took one of the acorns, examined it and put it in its mouth, then placed it back into the box, nodding. It turned around and began to speak to its comrades in a squeaking language that Link supposed was its mother tongue.
"I think they are consulting on whether to help us or not," Zelda whispered, afraid to disturb their deliberation.
After a short while and a heated debate, the tall Korok faced them again and harrumphed. "Your offering is very generous and we have decided to help you," it squeaked, "you may see the Great Deku Tree, but you cannot take your weapons. Only the Great Deku Tree will decide your fate, because you have trespassed forbidden territory."
Zelda sighed with relief and Link began to remove his sword, bow and quiver and shield and placed them against the tree trunk behind him. When he was done, the Korok nodded approvingly and motioned to the Hylians to follow.
Link wasn't sure what he had expected to see when he first heard about the Great Deku Tree, but the forest spirit truly lived up to its name. The deity had taken on the shape of a massive cherry tree with branches that reached high up into the sky, bearing a thick, green foliage and delicate pink blossoms. Its face seemed partly carved out of its trunk and partly built by thinner branches, but its appearance filled the Hylians with awe. Link was sitting on a tree stump amidst the clearing while the spirit was having a talk with the princess of Hyrule, and he fiddled with the slate, thinking of Sheik. Five Koroks had gathered around him and watched him curiously, touching his legs and boots from time to time. Link couldn't blame them, Zelda and he were most certainly the first Hylians they had ever set sight on and with the Deku Tree's reassurance, they had become less timid. The fog had lifted the moment they had stepped into the clearing and Link was relieved to breathe fresh air and see clearly again. He wondered what the Deku Tree and Zelda were talking about, but was decent enough to give them the privacy they needed and not resolve to eavesdropping. When Zelda returned after what felt like half an eternity, she looked a lot calmer.
"The Great Deku Tree wishes to speak with you," she said, "meet me later?"
Link nodded and followed the Korok to the pedestal right in front of the forest spirit's face, sitting down cross-legged.
"So," the Deku Tree said, "your name is Link and you are princess Zelda's personal knight. Lady Impa has sent you."
"That is correct," Link answered, unsure of how he should address a sacred being.
"I have decided to accept princess Zelda in my care, but something tells me that you don't plan on staying. What is making you so restless?"
"I think I am needed somewhere else," Link said, trying to word his answer carefully.
"If you are worried about Zelda's well-being, I can assure you that no harm will come to her in Korok forest. What is bothering you?"
"This war...just seems so wrong. The more I learn about the king I serve, the less I want to be part of the royal army. Sheik was right about so many things."
"Sheik?" The Deku Tree moved one of the smaller branches, making it look as if he was lifting an eyebrow. "Ah yes, the Sheikah boy with the dreadful past."
"You know him?" Link asked surprised.
"Not personally," the Deku Tree answered, "but his grandmother, the Lady Impa, is well-known to me."
Link's jaw dropped and he stared at the forest deity. "Impa is Sheik's grandmother?! But that makes Paya..."
"His sister. Half-sister. Yes, you are right."
Link took a moment to digest the news, but then shook his head as if to clear his mind of unnecessary clutter. "Sheik went to the desert to free the divine beast from the enemy's grasp. I wish to help him," he said, looking down at his fingers.
"The Sheikah have always been an admirable people," The Deku Tree said, "just as the Gerudo, they deserve their rightful place in Hyrule. I can feel your inner torment."
"When I joined the Hyrulean army, I knew nothing about who I swore to serve. I only saw it as a means to earn my living and some prestige, but the more I learn about this war, the more I wish to resign my position as a royal knight."
"When making decisions, always follow your intuition. Just as you did when you decided to disobey the king's order and bring Zelda to me."
"Impa said you'd help her awaken her powers."
The Deku Tree seemed to smile. "Yes, I know just the right person to do that."
"Who?"
"There is more to this forest than you know. Just trust me on this." He took in a deep breath and the leaves on the lower branches danced in the breeze. "It's getting late. Stay the night and take counsel with your pillow. The Koroks will guide you to the cottage."
Zelda was sitting on the only bed in the cottage in a nightdress, fiddling with her necklace when Link finally entered.
"Link," she said, "I've been waiting for you."
"Aren't you tired?" he asked, closing the door behind him.
She shook her head. "I wanted to apologise to you for my behaviour earlier. I know you only have the best interest for me in mind. I am sorry for putting all the blame on you. I know it wasn't your fault. I..."
"It's fine," he cut her off, and sat down on the chair beside the small table, running his hand through his bangs. He was tired and not in the mood to have another talk.
"The Deku Tree confirmed your accusations against my father," she said, "he also told me about the Purge. You were right...all this time I wasn't aware of his true intentions."
"It's not your fault," he said, "Zelda, can we have this talk tomorrow? I need some time to think."
"Y-yes. Of course."
Link stood up and approached the bed where the princess was still sitting on. He put his hand on her head and lightly stroked her hair. "Please, take a rest. I will be back later."
The night air was chilly but refreshing, and smelled like pine cones and tangy resin. Link inhaled it as he walked on the soft forest floor, past age-old trees and newer ones, always making sure to always stay inside the clearing, afraid to get lost in the mist once again if he wandered off too far. Every now and then, he would hear or see a curious Korok watching him, but they never approached or called out to him. His thoughts wandered off to Sheik. He missed him and was worried about him. Not that he doubted Sheik's capability to defeat the monster on his own even for a second, but not knowing where he was and what was happening to him made him feel anxious. If the Deku Tree's advice was to follow his intuition, there was no way he would stay in the forest any longer than absolutely necessary.
When he returned to the cottage an hour later, Zelda was asleep on the bed, the blanket pooling around her feet. He quietly approached the bed and grabbed the blanket, pulling it over her body to keep her warm.
"Link?" she murmured sleepily and reached out for him, her cold hand holding on to his wrist.
"Sleep," he said, but she sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes.
"I am restless," she said, "can you stay with me tonight?"
"I won't go anywhere tonight."
"I mean in bed. Next to me," she said timidly.
"Zelda..."
"Please."
He sighed and resigned, motioning for her to scoot over and make space for him. Zelda backed down into the corner and he laid down on the bed, folding his arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling. He felt her body moving closer and she rested her head in the empty space under his armpit, looking up at him.
"I missed you," she whispered, and her hand found its way to his cheek. "They kept me in this damn tower for far too long."
Link inhaled deeply, but didn't move an inch. He didn't like the way she was looking at him.
"Sleep now," he said and gently moved her hand away from his cheek.
"I want you to kiss me," she breathed and propped herself up on her elbow, looking down at him expectantly.
He sat up abruptly and pushed her back down on the mattress. "I can't. I am sorry."
"Why? Are you afraid to touch me because I am a princess?"
"No, that's not it. I...I have feelings for someone else."
Her lips formed an O as realisation hit her, and she paled. "I...I'm sorry, Link. Who...?"
"Does it matter?" he asked.
"Is it Paya?"
He looked at her and contemplated for a second to tell her the truth, then decided against it. "Please stop asking. It makes me feel uncomfortable."
She moved away from him them and pulled the blanket over her body, mortified for assuming that Link was attracted to her. All the hugs and the gentle touches had led her to believe that he was harvesting romantic feelings towards her. Of course he would be attracted to Paya, she was a beautiful and sweet girl and had spent a lot more time with him. A simple girl – not a princess. Link laid down on the side, facing away from her, sighing.
"I will leave this forest tomorrow," he suddenly said into the silence. "The Deku Tree promised me that you're in good hands here and I am needed elsewhere."
Zelda swallowed. "Where will you go?"
"To the west. Releasing the last divine beast from the enemy's grasp is crucial."
"You're going where the Yi...Sheikah is, aren't you?" she asked quietly.
"Yes. I intend to follow Sheik to Gerudo desert."
She fell silent then and pulled the blanket up to her nose, closing her eyes to stop the tears from falling. Her personal knight had finally made up his mind to resign his position, choosing once more the Sheikah she despised so much over her.