Chapter 16: Pressure

Gusts drifted from the eastern shore of the Lanayru Sea, all the way out to the ancient valley in the north east. The further away from that ocean, the less inhabitable the environment became. There, the trees did not flourish with palm leaves and fruits. The bark was coal-black, as if charred. Bare, spiraled twigs were specked with yellow and faded colorations of battle-worn magic.

Sea gulls preferred to fly around the valley, rather than over it, until they were in the comfort of the coast. Instead, crows scavenged the wasteland, their keen eyes like ravenous spies. They plucked at the sand for buried remains, or prowled along the rockier terrain and the occasional crumbled ruins.

Such was the desolation that encompassed the Valley of Seers.

The region was generally avoided, and as a result, few knew what stirred within the land nowadays. Veterans claimed demons had come from underground in the past, and this made a number of people question the possibility of their enemies having another world underneath.

To prevent public panic, the Occult Council, an organization designed to maintain secrets of each kingdom and uphold peace between them - reasoned that if demons truly had a world of their own, neither world could be easily accessible to each other.

The idea of demons rising from the ground again however, wasn't completely brushed off. Although the Hylian forces had been victorious in the previous war, there were still reports of demons occasionally being sighted, having scattered to the other kingdoms after fleeing Hyrule. Again, the Occult Council stated that all that was left under the sandy valley were buried corpses of fallen warriors. Whether or not those stirred, remained to be seen.

What was even less widely known was that in the course of the last twenty years or so, a foreign, serpentine creature made an appearance once a year, traveling underneath the sand. No one had the faintest idea where this beast had come from, or what it wanted. There had never been incidents of anyone being harmed from it, but then again, it wasn't as if people wandered into the area often, let alone lived there.

Some believed that the creature was a security system of the valley, or something sacred sent by the goddesses to keep evil away. For reasons unknown, the Occult Council did not bother investigating this phenomenon. Perhaps they thought that these beliefs would keep people from fearing another demon outbreak.

Today had been such a day where the creature had returned for its yearly routine. Its long body jutted in and out as it traversed within the sand. Every now and then, the tip of its head would emerge, like the fin of a shark hunting for prey. Reaching a cave, the creature slithered out of the ground, taking to the shadows. There, a more well-known beast greeted its presence.

"I still don't know why you bother hiding," Dodongo growled. "It's not as if there are any humans around. Especially near this cave."

Though the creature was barely visible from the lighting, the silhouette of its massive, coiled body could be seen, a sheen of silver brimming from its scales. It shook its horned head. "That is incorrect, King Dodongo," the voice, although deep, was an octave higher than a male reptilian's. Female. "I've spotted several people a few days ago. One of them, questionably so. I almost had her mistaken for a demon."

The golden beast stretched out his claws, lying on his stomach. "What's this? The undercover demon hunter can't tell a human from a demon now?"

She gave a low roar of irritation. "This isn't time for jesting. The woman was cloaked and wore a beaked mask. I saw her at the summit of the valley. The area with the altars. She was talking out loud, but there was no one near her. Then she began chanting… a ritual if you will. Whatever it was she was trying to do, it didn't work, and she looked frustrated."

Dodongo cocked his head. "So?"

"This ritual she was doing," the silver creature explained. "It's not something a mage just happens to know. This was demon magic. But since I'm still unclear if she's a demon, I'm not sure how she would be able to possess such magic."

A distant, but audible sound of multiple, languid footsteps had Dodongo sit up. They both went silent, until the noise had ceased further away. Then she spoke again. "The dead ," she hissed. "I know that's why you're here, too. Their behavior has been unusual. They've been piqued ever since that woman stepped foot here. I saw her transport a group of them into a portal. What's more… they obediently followed her, like she was a necromancer. What do you make of that?"

Confusion and disbelief flicked in his red eyes. "What could she want with a group of Redeads?" he then guffawed. "If she really is into that necromancy nonsense, then so be it. Even if a couple of corpses wander past these caves, they'd either go toward the Faron Woods, or the Eldin Caves. Not sure how those forest folk would go about dealing with them, but if the Redeads stumbled to my brethren - ha! We'd douse them with a bit of flames, and they'd become nothing but burnt remains. We have nothing to be afraid of."

"You forget the mountains behind the Valley of Seers. Not that I would allow them to go there," the serpentine beast barred her fangs. "Still, I would not rely on such blind confidence, Dodongo. I know demon magic when I see it. I have been hunting demons throughout kingdoms for a long time now. See me as scout if you prefer, and heed to my words."

Dodongo nodded. "I suppose Hyrule has you to thank for, or at least partially, for keeping the demons away from here."

"The demons have taken everything from me," she said darkly. "Don't let them, or any threat, do the same to you. Stay in these caves as much as you can, and hold back the Redeads, if any of them try to leave. If she comes in here again, be on your guard."

His instructions were clear. She needed a place to establish a base, in addition to her temple in the forest. Somewhere expansive in size, and preferably isolated so as to avoid suspicious bystanders. Somewhere like the Valley of Seers.

This has not been her first visit, but due to her companion's paranoia, she had to space out some time between when she would return, to stay clear from any observers who were potentially keeping track of her schedule. And she too, felt that she was being watched at times, so she complied with making her visits more random to ensure her discretion.

Making her way to the north of the valley, she climbed up the surrounding stair case that led up to an altar.

This altar area will be the perfect set up for our base, his voice carried on approvingly in her mind. What's more, is that it's so far out from the other regions, that the likelihood of anyone venturing here is low, at least for a time. Best of all, it's the most opportune location for you to open the Gate of Souls. However…

Of course. There was always a catch, no matter how powerful she grew, there would be an inconvenience in its path.

As you've seen, your magic isn't yet strong enough to open the Gate of Souls, he said plainly. We will need to have walls built around the altar. Even though this spot is distant enough from the mortals, the sight of the glowing portals will be bound to catch attention, so we need this base covered. Until you have mastered your ability to control minds, we have no army. There will be no point in having hordes of monsters pour from the gates if you cannot command them yet.

"I have my Dark Links," she protested. "Don't forget the Redeads we warped from the nearby caves to one of our prison cells. And the Hylian soldier in the other cell. I could probably summon another Manhandla too, or a different creature in time."

He made a low tut, unconvinced. So far, our Dark Links can hold back the average fighter, but not seasoned warriors. Not to mention they are temporary. You need to have constant minions, not just summoned ones. Redeads are obeying us because we've led their instinct to believe that they will have flesh to feast on if they're on our side. You have a basic grasp on manipulating them, but it will not suffice. This is why you still can't overtake the mortal prisoner. Now, let us see what more in this valley we can find for our use.

The Dark Sorceress scowled as she descended the steps from the altar to continue exploring the vacant site, the wind billowing her hood, cloak, and the feathers near her mask. He underestimated her. She would find a way to coerce the prisoner, if not by magic yet, she would use other means. That soldier will become her Darknut. She was aware that she would have plenty of Darknuts to come once she opened the Gate of Souls, because she had seen glimpses of them in her recent vision, among a variety of other minions. But this particular soldier felt like a test of sorts, and she wanted to overcome it.

And to prove her companion wrong.

Cia did not know how long she had searched past the rubbles while her mind had been brain-storming an imaginary list of methods of persuasion and intimidation. The soldier… had a family, did he not? Why should she give his family a chance to be happy upon his return, when her family never sought to return to her? As soon as her parents assumed her old enough to burden the responsibility the so-called Goddesses set out for her, they had left and she had never seen them again.

Your family gave you a home, he pried into her thoughts. And they made sure you'd stay fed, otherwise the hooded monks wouldn't leave food outside your gate every month.

"The monks weren't for my benefit," Cia said acidly. "They work for the Occult Council. And they're all about keeping dangerous or abnormal matters hidden. The Triforce and my role being dragged along with it - are just few examples that warranted such secrecy." She rolled her eyes. "They'd probably trip over their righteous robes if they knew I warped here. The only time they've seen me stepping out of my temple is to inform the king regarding my visions. Even those are usually closely monitored."

My point is that your family left you with something, he countered. You did not have to scrummage for food, or look for shelter in harsh weather conditions.

"And you did?"

All thought of bases, subjugating soldiers and petty squabbles were temporarily cast aside. Ever since she had shared visions of the past eras with him, he'd sometimes go into stretches of shrouded silence, like he was trying to recover a lost memory. She had dared to ask him his thoughts, only to have him snappily reply that he was trying to focus. Given that they both shared their minds together, she found it maddening that she couldn't actually read his mind. In all this time she had spent around him, there was very little she knew about him.

I think, he said prudently. That you should stop flirting with me and pay attention to the task at hand.

Flirt? With him? "As if I'd flirt with a disembodied voice!" she said loudly. "At least my libido is toward someone with a full body!"

"May I… help you, Madam?"

She was so perturbed by the sudden presence that her hands jolted, as her staff slipped from her fingers. Her companion's deep cackling ringing in her head was not helping. Embarrassed and annoyed, she glared at where the voice had come from, and this time, someone who did actually, have a body. That is, an aged, wrinkled form, limping toward her. He had appeared from around a short, but surprisingly whole tower.

Cia leaned down to pick up her staff. How had she not noticed this structure before? What could she say? This was mortifying. She hoped the old man was nearly deaf or hadn't heard her.

"Are you here to visit my museum?"

Oh. This she had not expected.

"There's a museum here?"

"Why, yes," he said conversationally. "I mean, it's in progress. The Valley of Seers may be a haunted wasteland to most people, but I want to change that. I collected many interesting artifacts across Hyrule, though the ones that stood out the most were the ones from this valley. Ancient weapons and the most curious materials found on armor that I have never seen in our present time. Even skeletons of great warriors and fangs of beasts that could very well have been unrecorded from centuries ago."

Hm, said the voice pensively. It might not be a bad idea to inspect this mortal's museum. Worst case scenario is that it's all a pile of junk and we've wasted our time. Best case scenario, you'll have a full body you can take back to your home and enjoy.

My, my, is that sarcasm a mask of jealousy? She jeered back at him in her mind. This old bag of bones couldn't imagine a body like Link's, even if he went back thirty years. You, perhaps thousands of years.

Oh, but I could, he said silkily. In more ways than you know. As if I need to be reminded, given the… adventures of your dreams. And you're one to talk about age.

What?! She almost yelled out loud in her outrage. You can see my dreams now too?!

I have for a long time, he said snidely. It's not my fault you have a wild imagination.

This was… there were no words to define what this was. How dare he look into her dreams- those were private! On one hand, Cia wanted to shrink where she stood, but on the other, she wanted to humiliate him in return. She was not given the chance to mull over this however, because the old man spoke.

"Madam, are you alright?"

"Yes," she said distractedly. "I would like to visit your museum."

I would like to visit your museum and lock my companion in a display tomb for all eternity.

The museum's tower was much smaller than she had expected. Inside, there were chunks of stone lying in piles, some from the cracks along the walls.

"I know it's not in the best condition," said the old man apologetically. "But as I said, I'm still working on rebuilding it. Managed to get this place standing in just several weeks! Oh, please don't touch that."

Cia had been skimming her fingers over a squared patch of snake skin. It would make a stylish purse. She turned to face him, her hand halting in place from the object, but not withdrawing. "You've been rebuilding this tower? All on your own?"

"Me, some men, and a little help from my grandson. But we're looking to hire more workers," he said, white brows furrowing. "Please, Madam. That snake skin sheds very easily."

This time she retracted her hand, and continued peering around. "Still," she said, almost to herself. "Being able to build something from a place that's mostly in ruins in a timespan of a few weeks, with only a few people - is quite impressive. Very impressive, actually."

She wasn't sure if the apprehensive smile on his face was from the compliment, or something else. Perhaps he was growing uncomfortable in her presence. And he very well should be. Her lips gave a malicious quirk when she had her back to him again. If she could command him, then he could work on building those walls around the altar, and she'd have her base. He could probably build more for her too.

"And this?" she asked, standing in front of a coffin.

"Ah," he said knowingly. "Mind the rot, my senses have dulled, so I can barely even tell but -" he carefully opened the coffin. Inside was a corpse wrapped in bandages. "This is a Gibdo. The practice of mummification is rare in Hyrule today, but before the Gerudo had been exiled to the western kingdom further in the desert - this was one of the methods they believed their Spirit Goddess favored. The embalmers would wash the body and wrap it with linen bandages. The bandages were covered with a gum that has shown both waterproofing and antimicrobial agents."

Cia thought she had imagined it, but a disgruntled sound echoed in her mind. It doesn't please me to say this, he spoke up, the first thing he had said since she had stepped in the museum. But we could use this Gibdo until we gain more of them from the Gate of Souls. I can help you with reanimating it. Soon though, see what else he has.

One knew they had spent too much time with the demonic voice when the thought of resurrecting dead corpses or herding a group of them into a portal back home - was standard procedure. The difference this time was that she would have to do so in front of a person. Which meant that he'd no doubt, report her actions, which meant trouble for her.

Why do you sound reluctant about sending one Gibdo into a portal, when you had no issue with us sending a mob of Redeads? She retorted. His cutting silence however, told her she wasn't going to get a response anytime soon.

"You seem very engrossed on the mummified corpse," the old man noted. Damn it, she had forgotten she had to speak at some point. She hadn't exactly interacted with people on a daily basis. "If you'd like, I can show you the one who had compelled me to build this museum in the first place. This heroic warrior was quite a masterpiece, I might add."

Cia followed him inquisitively. He led her to a small room, however the artifact in question was the only one she had seen so far that had a room for itself. There was a long, display case of glass, this one more elaborate compared to the others she had seen. Inside it was the body of what appeared to be a human skeleton. Except that it was considerably taller than the average human. In its folded arms were two longswords, one club, and one axe.

"During many wars ago," the old man began. "The Hylian forces were on the brink of losing to the demon army on this valley. Many wounded soldiers had taken sanctuary in the same tower that this warrior was in. Those that survived described in their notes that men and women dwarfed in height in comparison to her. She had a strong stature, and a fierce expression. No one really knew if she was human, despite possessing the features. But what she had been remembered for the most…"

He pointed to the weapons. "She was able to wield all four weapons in battle. Generally two in each hand, but the strength and speed that she swung made it seem like she had four arms. With her might, she held off masses of demons, rendering them unable to get past her in the doorway. By the end of that battle, that tower… this tower was the only fortification that was left standing. She disappeared after, but no one knew her name. So they called her the Tower."

"My, how heroic," said Cia, trying to disguise her cynical tone. She was intrigued by this skeleton, but not for the same reason as this man's. And it seemed that her companion was too.

Sounds like we got a haul to take home, he commented, as if he was going over groceries. But what I want to know is how you intend to deal with this mortal. You could try to control him, but it would likely result in you getting about as far as you got with the prisoner. Unless you plan to take him as prisoner too, but then you'll be having more mortals asking questions, and given that the monks supposedly watch you frequently from outside, then well… this could be getting into a bit of a mess.

I have this under control, Cia thought determinedly.

"So tell me," she said, turning her attention back to the elder. "With all this hard work you've done on rebuilding this place, and starting your exhibits… why don't you have more workers by now? I do find the price you offer to visit here pretty cheap, but if there are so few visitors to start with, how are you benefitting financially?"

He paced about, motioning for them to leave the room, and she continued trailing after him. "Actually, I've acquired a modest amount of rupees over the years. I've even sold some of the artifacts I've found, though it was not without regret. When I began my museum in this location, I couldn't help but feel affected by the many lives that had been lost, particularly from the last war."

Then he sighed. "I had lost everyone in my family, so I could relate to those who had lost theirs. Once I began to make money here, I used my earnings to donate to the missing families. That was when I adopted a child who too, had forgone loss. I had always wanted a grandchild, but my daughter had passed away from sickness. And so, the adopted child had become as real of a grandson to me as if he had been my own blood."

The sorceress surveyed a large fang that had been from the snake skin she had seen earlier. In the days where she would have felt a connection to the goodness that once resided in her heart, she might have been touched by his story. Yet she experienced nothing of the sort. Right now she wanted nothing more than to finish her business here, and move on.

Cia reached for a decorative pouch from around her waist, the sound of rupees jingling inside. "How long do you think it would take to build a keep?" she asked.

"In the valley?" he said, puzzled. "Well, it would depend how much of it still standing. Building one from scratch can take years."

She shook her head. "That won't do, that's too long. But suppose you had many strong workers, working at it every day with no more than a few hours of sleep."

"I… then of course it would take considerably less time, but that would be cruel to demand such hours of them. Why are you asking me these things, Madam?"

"Life is cruel, darling," she said nonchalantly, before throwing the pouch next to his feet. "But I'm generous, and I pay well. Twenty thousand rupees are there, to get you started. Go and hire as many workers as possible, and I want their hours maxed for efficiency. I will sketch a drawing of how I want the layout of the valley to be. The first keep will be built surrounding the altar at the summit. And once that is done, I will require nine more keeps. So a total of ten, for now."

His eyes looked to be bulging. "Ten keeps? That could take many years to finish! The type of schedule you're asking for isn't reasonable either. Sure, most of these men will likely be poor, but they too have families -"

The aura of malice that radiated from her suddenly grew vivid, as she swung her leg violently at the elder, her heel digging sharply into his stomach. He bawled from the brutal contact, his old limbs colliding with a skeleton display, detaching both arms and its skull as everything tumbled to the ground.

"Let me make this clear," she said dangerously, bending forward to pick up one of the boned arms. "I want ten keeps built, the first being the northern one at the altar. Starting today, you will take the rupees I have provided, and hire as many workers as will be needed for the completion of this task. Failure to do so -"

"Grandpa!"

A young boy who looked no older than eleven burst open the door from the entrance of the museum, likely having heard the recent, noisy commotion from nearby. He rushed to the old man's side. "Are you okay? What's… what's going on?" he glanced from the elder, to the skeleton, and then to the witch.

What interesting timing, her companion remarked. I'm pleased with how you're doing, so I will assist you with the magic you need for us to finalize everything here. Don't worry about not being able to control a mortal's mind yet, the minions we're going to obtain here shortly will listen to us. Allow me to make use of those two skeleton arms.

Slightly confused, but curious, Cia watched as the boned arm from her fingers left her grasp and levitated briefly in the air, the other arm from the ground joining in. Both arms then flew in the direction of where the body of the Tower had been.

"Get up, Grandpa," whispered the boy, terrified. "We need to get out of here! Grab my hand."

Before any of them could do anything, a demented, guttural sound came from the room, followed by a shattering of glass - which could have only been from the glass case that had previously been there. Then came a clunking noise, repeated clunking of armor, getting louder as the figure appeared at the doorway.

There in all its splendor, was the skeletal form of the deceased warrior. Armed with a helmet, guards, shoulder pads, and four weapons in each arm, the Tower hunched, its height still towering over all of them. And now Cia realized what her companion had done with the additional skeletal arms.

Yes, he said loftily. If this warrior had once been skilled with all four weapons, then why not bring her to her full potential? With now four arms, she will be able to wield each with ease. Welcome our Stalmaster. She will obey our every command, as will the Gibdo that I will reanimate. Now, to deal with these mortals.

"Grab them," she ordered. "The boy first."

"Wait!" the elderly man cried out, putting his hands up in the air above his horrified face in a desperate surrender. "I… I will do as you say! I'll go find workers to start building your keeps immediately!" Cia made a gesture with her hand to signal the Stalmaster to stop, and it hesitated at once. "Just please… don't hurt my grandson."

You see, her companion pointed out. There are more ways than just magic to get someone to obey you. In time, you will learn this skill, too. Be aware of all your options, because when one doesn't work, you will have others to choose from. Mortals are more rebellious in nature and gullible than most creatures, so they can be more complex to control. You always have to look for weaknesses. Threatening families or loved ones as starters, tends to put us in a favorable position.

Yes. Cia was most certainly seeing this now. She had already been considering this idea with which to use against Duncan - and now seeing it work to this effect convinced her further, made her feel more in control.

Now that she had a Stalmaster and soon, a Gibdo, not to mention her Redeads and prisoner back in her manor - she would have to be more discreet again, as if she wasn't enough already. But it would be a matter of time before the monks would notice her continuous trips away from home. And they too, will have to be dealt with eventually.

"Should anyone ask you what you are building, and why," Cia told the old man. "Tell them the keeps are for the purpose of expanding your exhibition. So that you'd give a more accurate representation of what war keeps are actually like. Same applies to you, kid," she narrowed her eyes at the quavering child. "If I hear anything of anyone obtaining information about me, and what I've done today, I will make sure the Tower will deal with you both. I'll be visiting here now and then to check on the progress, so no slacking. Am I understood?"

They both nodded fearfully, as Cia prepared her portals for both herself and her new minions.

Not yet aware of the dangers lurking within the forest and valley, the king had different issues to face at the moment. The foreign royals had been one of the more prominent matters, which unfortunately tied to his daughter's decision-making, or lack of. Every day he had to come up with a reasonable explanation to the royals as to why she was not yet ready to pursue a potential engagement with any of them. Most had been considerate enough, but their patience was starting to diminish, and as was his.

He had tried speaking with Zelda about the subject on multiple occasions, and each time was met with exasperation and haste, for she would constantly try to find a way to excuse herself. He had heard everything from, "Sorry, Father, I need to study." To "I have training today." And "I'll give it some more thought." The last of which, he wondered if she truly did. It wasn't that he believed his daughter to not care about the situation… he only wished she would speak to him.

And not just about the foreign royals, but in general. She was still respectful enough, but she was also distant. This wasn't a sudden change either, he had noticed her aloofness from him over the years. Since he had pressed the marriage issue however, she had become increasingly elusive. Strangely enough, she appeared to be in a good mood most of the time lately, so he couldn't tell if he was upsetting her or not.

If he asked Impa for advice, he already knew what she would say. Was he being too easy on her? Did he really have to be more forceful and make a choice for her? Or was he already being difficult enough as it was? He didn't know. Being a father was incredibly stressful at times, let alone without her mother.

Today he decided that he would opt for a different approach. One that he knew for sure would please her. Perhaps incentive was what he needed to give her. This wasn't an idea he had ever been fond of either, but if it could help…

He had asked her to meet him at the castle's front gate, the one that faced the marketplace. Thankfully, she was already there by the time he arrived. Her eyes had been closed, and her back had been leaning against the gate, looking content, and he almost felt guilty about disturbing her seemingly pleasant daydreaming.

"Feels nice outside, doesn't it?" he greeted, and he sort of wished he hadn't said that, because he himself, had been the one preventing her from being outside most of her life in the first place. But she didn't appear bothered, and nodded in agreement, greeting him in return.

Then she frowned a little. "Is your back doing better? Impa told me you were having those back pains again."

He had almost forgotten about the back pains. There had been so much in his mind, that he had grown used to it when they did occur, and usually dismissed it. "Yes, well, they could be better, but I'm fine. Impa said I shouldn't stay up so late in my study, but I can't help it sometimes."

"I think neither of us can't help it but not to listen to Impa sometimes," Zelda added mischievously. "Let me know if you're ever in need of more medicine for it too."

Smiling, he leaned against the gate across from her. Perhaps this wouldn't go so bad. Or rather, he had expected it to go well, but not entirely - and he was likely over-thinking everything again. No wonder he had back pains. He cleared his throat.

"Thank you, I will. And… you've probably found it strange for me to arrange a meeting place here instead of the castle."

"A bit, yes. But I like being outside, so I don't mind it."

"I'm sure ," he said knowingly. "It's why I decided upon here. And because," he gave a deep sigh. "Starting today, you are free to go anywhere you please."

In that moment, all that could be heard were the birds chirping in an upbeat mimicry and the far-off yells and laughter of children from the busy town.

"What?" she said dubiously. "Did I hear you correctly? By anywhere you mean -"

"I mean anywhere," he finished. "Inside. Outside. Of course, I would prefer if you could stay near Castle Town - and be home at reasonable times. I'm not forbidding you not to, not for now at least. Hopefully I won't at all, but yes. I feel that I've long owed you this freedom, and I wish I could have granted you this earlier, but circumstances interfered with my fears. And I still have some of those fears, but, I feel much safer now than I did."

It was like seeing his little girl all over again as her face lit up, and she was practically jumping with joy, thanking him and looking as if she was ready to rush toward Castle Town right away and run through every street. The sight was uplifting to see.

"I only ask one thing," he added. "If you could allow one of the foreign royals to take you out now and then. I wasn't comfortable with the idea of them doing so outside the castle at first, and I'm still not, but I've spoken to them and they're fine with a bodyguard accompanying you. If you feel that it's necessary. I would feel better about it too, at least as a first date, until I'm more at ease with your suitor."

The cheerfulness that he saw there a moment ago vanished quickly. She hung her head slightly, and his stomach churned. "So is this why you're allowing me outside?" she said, and he could sense the effort it took for her not to sound cross. "So that I can have dates with them?"

This was going horribly wrong. He knew it wouldn't end up as nicely as he would have liked, but he had not expected for himself to feel this uncomfortable. "That's not the only reason!" he said anxiously. "I've been planning to allow this for you for a long time, I just didn't know when - and I thought that maybe, as an afterthought, this could give you a bit more motivation to… to be interested in them."

"I'm not interested in them."

"But you haven't even tried -"

It was her turn to take a deep breath this time. Her voice had gone considerably quieter, though again he could tell that it was taking a strain on her. "Father, I do appreciate the freedom you've given me. I'm not… declining what you wish of me, but, I feel that it would be a waste of time - both on my part, and theirs, to spend time together with the intention of them wanting to marry me. I'm being honest with you here."

"I… Zelda, please, can you at least consider it?" he pleaded. "You don't even have to think of it as a date. Just let them talk to you, and hear what they have to offer. Can you at least do that?"

The princess gave a reluctant nod. "I will consider it, for the sake of hearing them out. And for your sake. Is this enough for you?"

"It is," he said in relief, but he didn't feel much better.

"May I go now? I need to check on a request I've made for Eveline."

"Yes," he could feel himself growing more depressed when she disappeared. He stood there for awhile, trying to comfort himself, but he was not finding it here. Impa was setting up jousting plans with the foreign royals, and he didn't feel like bothering her - nor having to deal with them if he did. He didn't even feel like going back in the castle.

The king wanted a drink. But not in there. He headed toward the direction of Castle Town. The walk and the fresh air would do him some good.

Volga raised the two-handed axe above his head and slammed it down. The wood atop the stump split, and he repeated the action again, resizing them, before placing them on a pile with more logs he had already chopped. The sun felt pleasant on his bare torso, whereas most humans would have been disgruntled with performing such a task under sunny conditions. But he wasn't like most humans, and he was fine with that.

"Geez, you look like you could go on for hours, and you've already been at it for awhile," the owner of the wood chopping store praised. "Really appreciate you doing this. Here are the rupees for your work. You said you'll come back tomorrow, right?"

The Dragon Knight nodded, accepting the exchange. "I will. With the chill upcoming in a few weeks, I think the castle would appreciate having firewood in advance."

"That's considerate of you, Volga," came a familiar voice, pleased.

Both Volga and the store owner gave a start, before bowing at once. "Your… Majesty," he said, taken back. "I wasn't expecting to find you here."

"Nor I you," he said in amusement. "Have you been working here long?"

Volga shook his head, taking his discarded shirt, and putting it on. "No. I made most of my rupees doing smithing back home, sort of like Martel. But since I've been spending a lot of time in the castle lately, I figured I could do a few quick jobs in town."

The king's face turned worried. "I hope we've been paying you enough. Today was supposed to be one of your break days too, wasn't it? I thought you would want to relax a bit."

"Oh no, the pay is well," he reassured him. "And it's fine, this can be relaxing sometimes."

I don't know how to explain to you that I'm mostly doing this for Zelda. Because as much warmth as I can give her myself, it's much harder to be at that proximity around the castle. The extra rupees is nice too because I can buy her things now and then.

Volga knew that his newfound intimacy with her had to be kept secret, so he worked with what he could to try and respect, not just Zelda's wishes, but her father's. Not that he and Zelda had perfectly succeeded in their attempts, because he could never find it in himself to turn down any affectionate approaches she did to him when they both thought they were safe from wandering eyes, nor did he wish to. Because of how careful they had to be, such moments were uncommon and he felt blessed each time they had the chance.

"Walk with me."

Her father didn't sound like he was ordering him to, but more like an offer. Volga nodded, feeling slightly nervous for some reason, after they bid the shop owner good-bye. What if her father had somehow figured it out already? Or suspected? Had he been too obvious… had Zelda?

"I'm still shocked to see you in town, Your Majesty," said Volga, ambling alongside him. "I don't believe I've ever seen you this far from the castle before."

The king chuckled. "I don't blame you. I can't even remember the last time I had taken a stroll in town. Did you know that when I was around your age, I actually spent most of my time outside? I was quite the adventurer. Don't let my current bloated self fool you."

"Really?" he said, surprised. "No, I wouldn't have guessed. And not because of the bloated thing," he added hastily. "I've just never thought of you as the exploring type. What changed, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Come. I'll tell you more inside."

Her father led them both to a tavern, which too, he had not been expecting. Every eye fell upon them when they entered, an echo of gasps, followed by clumsy bowing. So it wasn't only Volga. No one had been prepared for the King of Hyrule to casually walk into a pub, as most likely presumed that it was such a peasant concept to do for someone as dignified as him, who had wine poured to him for free, anytime he wished.

When the king offered Volga a drink, everyone gaped at him as if he had been offered a piece of land. The Dragon Knight politely declined, and took a seat next to him on the bar stool. Even if he felt like having alcohol right now, he hadn't been used to it enough to the point he was comfortable drinking it around flammable property. Besides, he felt a bit responsible right now, for the king's state. To whatever had happened to this man that brought him here.

Volga had noticed that the bar tender had checked the glass three times before serving the king, probably to make sure it was clean. Everyone was still staring. "Carry on, everyone," her father waved a hand in annoyance. "I'm not going to banish you all for drinking and chatting."

The customers gradually returned to doing just that, though Volga could hear well, and he knew most were talking about the old ruler. "But yes, Volga," he started, taking a tentative sip from his glass. He grimaced at the flavor, but it didn't stop him from taking another. "I guess you could say that I too, was a foreign royal. When I first came to Hyrule, other men from other kingdoms also came. We were all here to appeal to the queen's hand for an arranged marriage. Sometimes I still don't understand why she chose me, I was a complete fool." He laughed dryly.

A nearby customer, somewhat drunk, turned to him. "You had an arranged marriage? Aren't those supposed to be horrible?"

Volga listened closely. "They can be, yes," the king replied. "And neither one of us were keen in the idea of it. But again, arranged marriages around here aren't as limiting as people seem to think it is. Both still have a choice in who they marry… it's just that they have to pick from a particular set of options. It's only horrible when one's not interested in any of the options. Like my daughter."

"Maybe she already fancies someone," the same customer suggested. At this, Volga inhaled sharply. It would not be the best idea to have the king dwell on this thought.

"But if neither you nor the queen were interested," he said breathlessly. "Then how did you two end up marrying?"

The king set down his half-finished glass. "Ah," he said, and a somewhat glazed expression appeared on his face. "When we first met, there was a competition, starting with archery. I suppose you could say that it was our chance, that is, me and the other foreign royals - to impress her. Ha! But she had a better shot than any of them, made them all look like amateurs. I was the only one who was able to shoot with the precision she had, and this made her furious with me. I was such a smug lad too back then, so I loved showing off. We pretty much competed at everything with each other."

"A relationship based off competition sounds more like a love and hate thing," the bar tender mused, bringing him a second glass that he had requested. "How did you two end up together with such a rivalry mentality?"

Her father not only finished the rest of his glass, but downed the entirety of the second one in minutes. "I wouldn't say there was ever any hate," he corrected. "It was just competition, but it was our way of flirting with each other. She injured herself badly one day though, and wasn't allowed to partake in as many events for awhile. Competing without her didn't feel the same. And I… I don't know. I ended up taking care of her. We've grown to really appreciate each other's company, and it became more from there."

"That's so sweet," cooed the bard lady who had been about to play a flute. "I'm sure you two were really happy when she gave birth to the princess."

Volga didn't know why, but he felt a wave of concern for the king when he slumped on the chair, motioning for another drink. The topic must have been painful for him, even if he started it - and the enhancing effect of the alcohol was possibly jumbling his mind. "We were. And I'm sure she still would be, if she were here," he said solemnly. "But that's a story for another time."

After he finished the third glass, Volga took it upon himself to keep him from ordering another. "Your Majesty," he said cautiously. "It might be best for you to ease down on the drinking for now. Your health might not take it too well in such amounts."

"My health is already in rapid decline anyway," the king slurred, but he set the glass down. "You're right though. You. You're a hard-worker, a trait I admire and wish I could see more of in the foreign royals trying to court my daughter. Volga, I gave her my approval today to go outside whenever she wanted."

"She must have been really happy about that," the Dragon Knight said in wonder. He could imagine her reaction too, the delight in her eyes and smile. Volga found himself grinning at the thought.

"She was," he said absently. "But then I ruined it by asking her to spend time with the foreign royals, giving her the option to do so outside, if she wished." He exhaled heavily, clearly wanting to grab another glass, but heeding to Volga and deciding against it. "Even if she does what I asked, I'm still going to worry. I told her I'd prefer if she had a bodyguard, and can you blame me? What if one of them jumps her when she doesn't want that? What am I supposed to do, as her father? I don't trust any of them. And if that wasn't enough, she probably detests me right now. I know I care too much. But damn it, I'm trying here."

Volga was starting to understand the reason, or one of the reasons, the king had been down. "I believe you're doing what you can as her father, and I doubt she detests you. If it would be of comfort to either you or her, or both - Impa or I can fulfill as her bodyguard for this, or for anything that you would need of us. But, I do have a suggestion, if I may."

"It is of comfort… thank you, Volga. And of course."

The king looked up at him, attentive despite his drunken stupor. "Well," Volga began. "If you feel that you're not getting along with her, then perhaps you can try spending some time with her. Not just inside the castle, but outside too. I'm sure she would enjoy that. And I know you'll still want to address the matter of the foreign royals, but maybe save that for a time that's not part of your planned time-spending. If that makes sense."

"It… it does," her father went quiet for a moment. Then he beamed. "You know, that's actually a fantastic idea. Thank you. I will try that. We should probably get going. This is the longest I've been away from the castle in ages, and they'll probably start wondering about me."

He sat up and stumbled. Volga offered his support, helping the old man, despite his occasional protest, trudging from the tavern back to the castle.

Never had he envisioned such a situation was to happen, and even more the need he felt to take care of him, in the same sense that he felt for his clan. For a family.

Author's Notes: I want to apologize for how long this took. As I said in my previous note, I've been (and still am) caught up with life issues, mostly health and financial. I'm trying to work at what I can, and yes, I do still intend to finish writing this story. I appreciate those of you who are sticking with it, even through the long waits.

I hope my writing hasn't been too rusty. I really want to put some attention into the development of the king with both Volga and Zelda. And more development with other stuff will also happen of course. I hope you enjoyed.