Chapter 12
Arrival
It all happened suddenly and without warning. Like the gods flipping a coin, their fate made a turn for the worst.
Wasting no time, Sidon sounded the alarm and shouted to the others. "To arms! To arms!"
Simultaneously, everyone who could sprang up into action against the assault.
Zelda knelt there, holding her dying friend in her arms with no time to react or think, even as several more arrows zipped through the air toward her. Stricken with fear at the sight of the projectiles falling from the sky, the princess froze. However, just as the deadly shafts approached, prepared to pierce her and the fallen Riju once again, Link swooped in with a grand leap from over the wagon they leaned against.
Swinging his mighty sword outward, he dashed through the air in front of the two young women. As if in slow motion, he hacked and slashed at the incoming arrows, knocking them from the sky as they flew towards them, and shattering them into splinters on the grassy plains. As he landed, he shouted to Teba, startled by the surprise attack and attempting to make himself battle ready.
"Teba, take them out! We won't last long against those archers!" the Hero commanded, his head turned in the direction of the enemy archers in the distance on the grassy hillside.
There were only a few of them, but they were safely tucked behind their main force, which had already begun a full charge straight for Link's group. The surprise attack had proved effective, and enemies would be closing in on the knight and his comrades at any moment. Only seconds remained to act, if that.
"On it!" Teba replied as he nocked an arrow, drew back the string of his finely crafted bow adorned with many colored feathers from his tribe, and took aim.
The rito people took great pride in being masters of the bow, and Teba was no exception, well-trained since a hatchling, and leagues ahead of any bokoblin underling. Without hesitation, he loosed several arrows in retaliation at the incoming horde. One by one, the enemy archers we're thoroughly dealt with, Teba's aim steady and true. Each arrow cut through the air perfectly, penetrating deep into the necks of each target.
Link turned to face the two girls, assessing their situation and how he might get them to safety. Riju was seriously injured, but even on the brink of death she tried to remain strong for the princess. Her breathing labored and panting in Zelda's embrace, she tried to calm her fears, muttering quiet whispers of courage to her.
"Get behind this wagon and take cover now," Link ordered, moving toward them. "Here's a shield. Hold this up, and huddle yourselves behind the cover of the wagon. Quickly!"
The lightweight Traveler's Shield he placed in Zelda's hands was more buckler than proper shield, but it would have to suffice for now. Anything was better than being out in the open, unguarded.
The princess held Riju tightly, one arm placed firmly beneath the gerudo chieftain's shoulder for support, carefully lifting her. The smaller girl clutched at her wound, the arrow protruding from her flesh. The two limped away to where Link had instructed them to hide. They would be safer behind the line of supply wagons.
Buliara, having witnessed her chief struck down by the piercing arrow, charged her way over to the three of them, the speed of her approach seeming mismatched for her enormous size.
"Yunobo! Buliara! Stay with the princess and Riju! Guard them with your lives. Sidon and everyone else, with me!" Link shouted as he turned to face his party, rallying the remaining warriors available to him. They rapidly formed a line, ready for the battle that would soon be upon them.
From what Link could tell as he looked to the rampaging horde, he saw there had to be at least forty foes. The force, mainly composed of bokoblins and a smaller number of much larger moblins, had begun to move and would soon be surrounding them.
Yunobo was terrified. Everything was happening so fast around him, and he had never participated in a true battle in his life, nor had he ever seen anyone die for that matter. Link noticed the fear in his eyes beginning to swell, his friend's attention slipping away like sand through a sieve, distracted as he was by the chaos. The knight couldn't let that happen, so he roughly grabbed him and shook him roughly, all in an effort to return his thoughts to the situation at hand.
"Yunobo, I need you to focus! We need you!" Link shouted.
Yunobo nodded sternly in Link's hold and shook away his worry. He knew there was no time to let the panic and fear sink in. They needed him. All of them.
With that, he did what he thought could help them the most, and made his way to act as a barrier for the princess and the wounded chief. With Link's words still whirling in his head, he cleared his mind, focused his thoughts and began to summon his family's sacred gift of protection. He slowly pressed his fists together, and felt the warm glow of the power deep within him burning. That power was a treasured family heirloom, a blessing upon him to use in dire situations. He knew he could use it now to shield his friends. He had to try. So, with all the focus his mind could muster, the crimson flame of Death Mountain slowly began to flicker and spark here and there. Suddenly, the power ignited and swirled around him, ready at a moment's notice to charge up and become a fiery stone wall of impenetrability.
Meanwhile, Buliara raged. She unsheathed her enormous scimitar, roaring a terrible war cry loud enough that the ferocious growl could even reach the ears of the enemies on the towering hill. There she stood, ready for war, her blade out pointed towards the screeching, cackling, charging scourge.
Seeing that his princess was safely under the protection of Yunobo and Buliara, Link turned his attention to the others and signaled for his group of battle-hardened gerudo to follow his lead. Twenty-two heroes charged against a force of at least forty rushing goblinoid enemies.
Without hesitation, Teba flapped his wings and caught a warm current beneath him, launching himself high into the air, bow clenched firmly in his talons as he fired several more steady shots. This time the enemy anticipated such a volley, simultaneously lifting their broad shields to catch the arrows on the protective bark-covered surface of the thick wood. Not a one of them were felled by the strike. Teba returned to the ground to check his quiver, beak clenched in frustration at the sight of only nine remaining arrows. He would need to wait until a better opportunity presented itself.
His bow no longer useful for the moment, the rito drew forth his shining sword from its tribally decorated scabbard. Though slightly curved, and short by comparison to a blade like the Master Sword, it was nonetheless a sword that would serve him well. He would embrace close quarters combat, for now, at least until an opportunity presented itself to pin more arrows to the gizzards of his enemies.
The scourge of enemies was at a full sprint, racing downhill toward the line of heroes standing at the ready. Link glanced over his shoulder, and gave Sidon a firm nod for luck. The zora prince's grin bared his shark teeth as he braced for battle, crossing his arms in front of his chest and gracefully drawing twin swords from his side sheaths. He whirled them out in front of himself to point menacingly at the incoming horde.
Everyone else also prepared their battle stances, weapons out and ready for the enemy. Time seemed to slow in the closing seconds just before they would collide with their adversaries. Even as it felt like the moments had come to a crawl, the two groups clashed, and the speed of the world suddenly ramped up even faster than normal.
The clinks and clangs of impacting swords and shields could be heard reverberating all throughout the grassy plains. Link tore through three rotten tomato colored bokoblins easily enough, but in doing so, charged deep into the enemy line. Soon finding himself separated from the others holding the line, he was caught off his guard by the approach of a towering moblin. Without fully registering what was happening, the monster already had its large, bone-horned greatclub raised high over its head, prepared to bring it crashing down atop the knight.
The beast snarled and roared, and only by pure instinct did Link find the presence of mind to leap away from the moblin's blow, narrowly escaping as the club it smashed and catapulted the earth beside him. Mud and torn long grass shot upwards from the strike.
Unfortunately, due in some part to having jumped on pure instinct, Link lost his footing, caught flat on his heels. The terrible monster recovered quickly and swung again. This time it pounded Link away as he tried to parry its blow with the Master Sword. But the sheer force combined with poor footing knocked Link over onto the ground, even as the pristine steel of his sword chopped back at the thick boned club.
Before the hellish giant could make his final attack to smash the hylian hero there on the hillside, a red arm came from out of nowhere to wrap around the foul beast from behind, impaling it with two swords upwards through its sternum and out the back of its long neck, slaying it instantly.
The knight had been saved by his own squire, Prince Sidon.
Not wasting any time, Link sprang to his feet, recovered his sword, and returned to the disorganized battle. Rejoining the fray, Link smirked toward the zora prince. "Thanks, Sidon! I owe you one!"
Sidon ripped the dual swords from the moblin's corpse, blood spilling from it as it collapsed before the two of them on the long grass.
"Ha! Aren't you the one who is supposed to be watching my back and teaching me?" Sidon chuckled as he spun back around to confront two more eager bokoblins just behind him.
Link turned away from Sidon with a laugh of his own, lunging the opposite direction to deal with a dark-skinned bokoblin veteran of his own.
Just as the battle raged on in the front, so too did it in the rear. Huddled against the wagons were Zelda and Riju, guarded by Buliara and Yunobo. The princess tried desperately to apply pressure with her hands to Riju's wound in an effort to slow the bleeding. The chieftain's breathing got heavy and erratic, her mumbling voice beginning to shake. Riju was dying...
Even with all odds against her, and the danger of the battle raging around her, Zelda found the courage within her to do what she could to save her friend.
"I have to get this arrow out of you, Riju," the princess quietly calmed the poor girl. "It's the only way to stop the bleeding. I need to get you bandaged up, and quickly."
"No, please wait! Don't leave me!" Riju begged as she lay against the wagon wheel Zelda had propped her against. Riju was slipping into terror.
The princess gently cupped the injured chieftain's face in her hands, locking eyes with her.
"Riju, I'm not leaving you...but I have to get you fixed up," Zelda soothed her. "I'll be right back, I promise."
With that, Zelda pulled away to find a means to aid her friend. It was the first time the princess had ever seen the fear of death in Riju's eyes. She was just a young girl after all, more so even than herself. Riju still had her whole life ahead of her, even if most times she tried so hard to act older, like a good chief would.
Zelda remembered that there had been clean linens packed in one of the other wagons. She could tear up some makeshift bandages from the sheets. It could very well be her only option to save her. She also recalled that she still had some of the special ointment she used on Link's hand wound just a day prior. As a magical zora treatment, perhaps it would be enough to stop the bleeding for the moment, at least until the battle ended and she could offer proper care to her friend...she hoped.
Unfortunately, the wagon that had the much needed medicine and cloth happened to be the wagon closest to the ongoing fray, and that wagon was at least fifty feet away from her. She would have to make a dash for it while remaining unnoticed by any enemy if she were to make it. So, that in mind, she swallowed the fear that pitted in her stomach, and bolted past those fighting around her to quickly make way to the standalone wheel-cart that carried the provisions. She only narrowly avoided being hit by the myriad of loose swings of someone's sword, spear or club.
After reaching the wagon, she climbed atop it, thrashing around the stacked crates and rummaging through several trunks to find what she needed. The hot breeze carried the noise and scent of the battle all around her, as it rang in her ears, and made it harder to focus. The worry gnawed at her mind that at any moment she might be struck down by an unnoticed villain from behind, or worse, that Riju might die alone and suffering, waiting for a friend that took too long to help. She had to hurry, but the more she hurried, the more her hands shook, causing her to drop things and force her to start looking all over again.
When she finally spotted the jar of healing ointment in the corner of her eye, a red-skinned bokoblin noticed her atop the wagon. The creature snorted and cackled as it snuck its way over to her in a shamble. Unaware of its presence, with cloth and medicine in hand, Zelda spun around to return to Riju's side. But having not noticed the approach of the beast, she was startled by the bokoblin, falling to her backside after coming face to face with the cretin. Zelda screamed in fright and disgust at the raving, drooling cretin as it attempted to jump atop her in the back of the wagon.
By quick, terrified reflex and a stroke of luck, the princess managed to kick the club out of its grip, confusing it for a short moment. It didn't deter the bokoblin for long, however, as it tried to snatch away the items in her hand.
"Let go! Unhand that, you foul creature!" Zelda shouted, kicking and pulling back on the cloth and jar.
The bokoblin screeched and barked back, spitting on her in doing so. Zelda flinched as she fought with all her strength to retain what was hers. As they both rolled, tugged and pulled on the glass jar from the back of the wagon, it slipped from out their hands launching high into the air and fell beside them, shattering outside on the ground. Angered, the beast growled and decided to simply attack Zelda directly.
The goblinoid scratched and clawed trying to get ahold of her, finally managing to wrap its hands over her throat to strangle her. The princess attempted to scream, but couldn't let out a breath. Even as she dreaded she would close her eyes for good and go limp from lack of air, she desperately searched with her free hand for the pant loop on the back of her black journey pants for the dirk Riju had gifted her the other day.
The beast was nearly about to squeeze her into submission, and Zelda could feel herself going tired, but she forced the blade up using all her strength and stabbed, twisting the knife deep through the bokoblin's ear and out its cranium. Blood squirted and drained from the wound over her torn journey outfit, and the monster slobbered as it hung limply over her body. There she lay, on her back inside the wagon, a dead bokoblin atop her with a knife in its brain.
The beast was vanquished, and its eyes rolled back in its head. Finally, with its grip loosened, the princess kicked and shoved its corpse off to the side of her. There she sat for a second on the back of the wagon, rubbing her sore neck and coming to grips with what just took place.
The princess shook and tried wiping her clothes of the blood as best she could, but they were completely ruined.
"Disgusting creature," Zelda complained to herself under her breath, upset not only at the bokoblin blood covering her, but also that she'd dropped the jar of medicine. Good at least that the cloth for the bandages, tossed away during the scuffle, had avoided being showered in blood. Perhaps some of the medicine still was left in the broken jar.
Unfortunately, just as the princess prepared to get to her feet, she was met with a whole new nightmare. A moblin had made its way over to her, having seen her struggle with the smaller monster. The immense creature towered over her as she looked up from the back of the wheel cart, lying within its monstrous shadow.
Stricken with icy cold fear, eyes wide, Zelda froze as the beast lifted its enormous club, preparing to bring it down upon her head. She closed her eyes against the sight, certain that she was about to meet her end...
...yet nothing happened. No killing blow swung down to strike her.
The terrified girl gathered her courage and opened her eyes to find that she wasn't hurt at all, and that once again, like one-hundred years before, the young hylian warrior who she'd come to love had saved her from peril.
Link stood before her, standing upright in the back of the wagon between her and the moblin behemoth. Wielding the Master Sword in one hand, her knight had deftly utilized the flat of the blade to block the enormous club. Zelda felt an enormous wave of energy as Link's sword collided with the enemy weapon, pulsing outward from her knight's body and through the wagon, shaking her.
In one fluid motion, Link shielded her with one hand, bracing against the moblin's club with the Master Sword, and used his free hand to slip a dagger from the side sheath he wore. Without hesitation, he stuck the blade up through the monster's neck. In one fell swoop, Link slain the moblin and jerked back his blade, simultaneously kicking the monster backward to fall upon the ground.
The knight turned to face his princess, worry filling his face. "What are you doing over here?"
"I...had to get bandages and treatment for Riju," Zelda replied. "If I do not get them to her quickly, she will die. I'm sorry, Link...but I didn't have a choice."
He nodded in agreement, assured of her reasoning. He held out a hand to help her back to her feet. "Are you alright?"
The princess nodded graciously, accepting his outstretched hand and getting back to her feet.
"Let's get you back to Riju and the others," Link said as he gently helped her off the back of the wagon.
"Wait," Zelda responded, turning to move swiftly to the side of the wheel cart. "I have to get the medicine!"
Link followed her as she knelt before the side of the wagon, clutching at the broken bottom half of the jar. Luckily, some of the thick ointment remained unsullied. Though most had spilled onto the ground, a small portion remained smeared upon the inner side of the glass.
It may still be enough, Zelda hoped.
No sooner had she grabbed the remains of the jar, ready to be escorted back, than another bokoblin came dashing towards the duo before they could make their way to the others. Link led Zelda with one hand, his other deftly wielding the Master Sword, cutting down the bokoblin with several swift slashes as they dashed toward their hunkered down companions.
Three more bokoblins charged towards them from the side. Link loosened his hold on Zelda, waving her onward to make the run to Riju, guarding her back against the enemy approach.
"Go!" he shouted.
They were only a few more feet from their objective as Link spun around to fight off the three beasts. He would need both hands for this fight, since the creatures outnumbered him.
Zelda bolted her way from him carrying the bandages and treatment. Upon reaching her friend, she knelt next to Riju's shivering body, still propped against the wheel cart.
"I told you I'd come right back." Zelda said, quickly unravelling the bandages beside her, prepared to dress her wound.
Riju smiled and let out a faint laugh, barely able to keep her eyes open. "Took you long enough..."
Zelda, though still distressed, smiled back with some encouragement. She handed Riju a stick found along the ground. "I have to remove the arrow before I can treat this. It's going to hurt, so bite down on that branch. You ready?"
Riju placed the stick in mouth and gave a weak nod. Together they took three long deep breaths, eyes locked on each other. With a quick snap and pull, Zelda broke the arrow protruding from the chieftain's flesh, and pulled it out from her back. Riju let out a muffled wail, eyes bulging as she bit down tightly on the makeshift bit in her mouth, jaw clenched so tightly that Zelda worried she might snap it in two.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry," Zelda whispered, fidgeting to do the next step. "You're doing well, but we're not out of the woods yet. Just a little more."
Riju's eyes widened with worry, as if that pain wasn't already enough to bare. The princess reached for the broken jar, scooping out some of the ointment left inside. With no delay or warning, she smeared the fluorescent rainbow medicine onto the gerudo's open wound. The medicine took effect immediately as the wound singed and smoked, cauterizing bit by bit. Riju again jerked in pain as the ointment scalded her.
The magical medicine had coagulating properties to it, slowing down the blood loss as it artificially closed part of the wound, but it it wouldn't be enough to fully heal her. Unfortunately, Riju's wound was too great, and there simply wasn't enough medicine left. Although it helped considerably, she would still needed proper care, and soon. She would have to wait until the battle was fought and done.
Zelda clutched the fabrics tightly, wrapping Riju's torso as best she could, and applying firm pressure to the wound to prevent any more bleeding from occurring.
"You're going to be just fine," Zelda reassured the frightened girl, who was on the verge of fainting from the sheer pain. The princess wiped her forehead, her attention momentarily torn away by the sound of a sudden attack from behind. She need not worry, however, with Yunobo and Buliara there to guard them.
The hardened gerudo veteran engaged two bokoblins, passing the others and dueling them simultaneously, driving them back as she entered the fray. As she became preoccupied with that, the worst imaginable happened. Another giant moblin spotted the defenseless princess and her friend, now only guarded by the unarmed goron.
The beast, excited and standing roughly fifty feet or so away, leaned over to grab a nearby boulder. Moblins might have half the brain of their smaller bokoblin kin, or any other creature for that matter, but they were freakishly strong. It easily lifted the massive stone and hurled it through the sky toward the two girls and Yunobo, seemingly about to crush them.
However, Yunobo had swallowed his fear and found his courage. He'd witnessed the bravery of Link and the others, and knew in his heart that if they could act as such, so could he. He had to try, no more running away. So, with every fiber of his being down to his very core, he slammed his fists together and leaped into the path of the flying boulder. Before it could slam into its intended targets, he flexed his arms and shoulders outwards in a grand display.
All Zelda heard was a loud war cry reverberate all around her, followed immediately by a bright flash and explosion mere feet away from her and Riju. As the dust settled, she saw Yunobo standing before her, engulfed in a shield of swirling flame and as bright as the noon day sun. Surrounding him was his family's sacred gift of defense, Daruk's Protection. The boulder had disintegrated, but the powerful magic of his family was short lived and gradually faded away into silence. Yunobo fell to one knee, exhausted and wheezing to catch his breath.
Thankfully, the moblin could not pursue them further, as Link and the others surrounded the lone remaining monster. The surviving gerudo, along with Link and the rest, swiftly dealt with the large beast. The battle was over...or so they thought.
"Is that all of them?" Buliara questioned and paced loudly, still with her massive sword at her side, looking in all directions nearby.
Sidon lifted his head and pointed to the tall hill from whence they'd come. "No! Look!"
It was a horrific sight indeed. One by one, more enemies slowly came into view amassing atop the hill. It wasn't just some random skirmish met on the open fields as they previously thought...their party had been hunted down. What seemed like an entire army gathered above them, readying to deal the killing blow.
Link glanced around, assessing the camp and damage. Two brave gerudo women had been killed in the fight, with several more were wounded, and Riju was in the worst shape of them all. He didn't have time to strategize or plan, not with enemy ready to descend from the hilltop at any moment and massacre them.
Link turned to Sidon, who stood next to him on the battlefield. "Get the princess and everyone else as far away from here as you can. The woodlands are just behind us, and they're our only chance."
"What are you saying? You're not thinking of fighting them alone are you?!" Sidon questioned.
"Just beyond those woods, not too far off, there is a large stream. If you hurry, you can make it. Bokoblins don't like water, so if you can cross the river they won't be willing to pursue you. Go now! Quickly! I'm trusting her to your care. She is yours to protect now"
"Have you gone mad?! There are over a hundred of them! And not just that…there are lynels with them! Three of them! Link, if you stay here, you are going to die!"
"I have to stay. Don't you see? If I don't, we'll all die, and I can't let that happen!"
Link swung his sword in a grand display. Sunlight kissed the pristine metal of the blade, making it shine gloriously.
"Look, I am not about to stand aside and let you die. Not today," Sidon argued, content on staying by his side to fight.
"That isn't your choice to make. You swore an oath to follow me, and this is an order. Now, go!"
Sidon's face went dumbstruck as he stood there, pausing for several moments as he contemplated Link's words. He knew Link was right. It was the only chance they had, even if he would have preferred another way.
"Okay...just this once, I'll obey this order. But it is the last time I will do something like this. Don't you even dare go and die on me."
Sidon grinned as he waved farewell to his brave hylian friend. The prince then spun around and darted to the others, who braced themselves for more battle. Link smirked as he left.
Sidon signaled to the remaining warriors to rally as he bolted back to where Zelda and the others were grouped behind the wagons. The startled princess' eyes met prince's as he approached.
"Let's go princess," the large zora spoke. "We have to get you out of here now!"
"But what about Link? We can't leave without him!" Zelda declared to Sidon, voice shaking with worry. Her gaze shifted to her knight, off in the distance.
Sidon insisted, gently grabbing her shoulders motioning her to leave. "He made his choice, and we have to go! Yunobo, you're going to have to carry Riju. Everyone, we must make a run for the woods right now or else we will never make it! Let's go!"
"I'm sorry, Sidon, but I'm not leaving without him!" Zelda jerked away stubbornly, uncaring of her own safety.
"This isn't up for debate! Let's go!" Sidon tried grabbing her again by the arm, this time more forcefully, but she dodged his maneuver yet again, taking steps toward where Link stood.
The princess pushed her way past Sidon, shouting at the Hero in the distance. "Link! What are you doing?! What do you think you are, some sort of one-man army?!"
She desperately wanted him to come with them, on the verge of tears. She knew even he wouldn't be able to survive an assault like that, no matter how powerful he thought he'd become.
Link simply turned, offering a sweet, farewell smile as the wind caught the bangs of his hair. Her heart sank. It felt so unfair, so short-lived a joy, that this was to be the last smile she would ever have of his to keep.
He twisted back around and struck a firm battle stance.
That's exactly what I am, Link thought to himself. I won't allow any harm to come to her! I'll destroy you all if I have to, I don't care how many of you there are! I won't lose! I didn't almost die for one-hundred years, come back, and defeat the greatest calamity that there ever was, just to fall in battle to you pathetic cretins! Not today!
And with those thoughts of courage resounding in him, he lifted the Master Sword high as he slowly walked towards the approaching army. Whether he was focusing his next strategy or whispering a silent prayer, it couldn't be certain from where the others saw him.
Zelda watched as he coolly made his way towards the army of darkness. It was only mere seconds, but it felt like days had gone by. Sidon rushed over to her, he too freezing at what he was witnessing.
Link was about to face the entire army...alone.
A golden lynel stood majestically upon the hill. The obvious commander of the remnants of Ganon's forces, he too saw the lone knight standing below him on the grassy plains - a sentinel of protection for the others, those about to attempt their escape from his army.
In a cursed speech that sounded like growls, roars and the gnashing of teeth to any righteous being, the lynel commanded his subordinates to attack the would-be hero.
The monstrous titan grinned devilishly. "What does the fool think he is doing? He thinks he can fight us all on his own? Go down there and destroy him. Quickly now. I want his friends to see this. I want them to see their champion fall before I kill them all. Now, go!"
His fellow lynel underling released a mighty roar as he charged ferociously, like a beast on the hunt.
Link saw the other lynel, one of average size and coloration compared to his commander, galloping toward him. With terrible power and swift violent anger, the massive beast swung his thick and terrible lynel sword toward the knight as he charged. The knight saw the attack coming from a mile away, gracefully leaping out of the way over the slashing air of the sword. As Link launched himself over the swift attack of the blade, Link landed on the ground near the beast.
Zelda and the others couldn't believe their eyes. Link was going head to head against the lynel, dodging his attacks and deflected his moves as if it were an elegant dance.
Angered by the magnificent display of warrior prowess, the monster screeched furiously, seeking to crush Link with his fist as the warrior crouched beside him. With the same strength he'd used against the zora warrior Seabass only hours prior, Link caught the strong fist of great monster. The earth below his feet quaked from the impact of his hand stopping the punch of the lynel, digging deep into the dirt.
Link mustered up his full power and strength, leaping up high into the air, returning a mighty blow of his own square to the chin of the lynel, smashing him backwards. As his fist collided with the monster, a magnificent pulse of intense energy shot out from the hit. The lynel fell back several feet onto his knees, but quickly recovered and reoriented itself as it shook its head and roared yet again.
Zelda's heart raced to watch him do battle alone, while the others were just about ready and starting to make their escape from the battlefield. But she couldn't leave, not yet. Sidon made another attempt to pull her away, but she jerked from him again, eyes fixed on her hero.
The lynel brought down its mighty blade again, slashing several times at the small hylian knight, who dodged every attempt. Each slash cut the air with force enough to cause blade of wind to lash outwards, shaking the air around it with tremendous energy.
Uncaring for how he swung, the beast slammed and cut away at him, missing all the while, hitting the earth, flinging up mud and torn grass in his wake. It was then Link saw his opening, as the beastly warrior began to get frustrated and careless with its brazen attacks, angered that his commander was watching him perform with such a displeasing show of strength.
Link smirked as the monster made one final attempt, this time spinning around as fast as it could to bring all the force and strength that it could muster from within to cut down the mighty hero.
Link ducked just in time as the lynel's great sword flew over his head, and as if time had slowed around him, Link stabbed the Master Sword up through his enemy's neck and out his back. Having impaled his foe upon the Sword that Seals the Darkness, Link jerked the sword from the lynel's lifeless corpse. Its motionless body fell to the side, heralding its defeat
Link gazed up to the top of the hill toward the army of darkness and their general. He readied his stance yet again, unafraid of what was next, not backing down.
Having none of it, the commander of the army growled so loud the earth quaked all around. It was an order...an order for his entire army to charge down below and massacre the escaping band of heroes, once and for all.
Link spun back around to see that the others had not left yet. He shouted back towards them. "What are you still doing here?! You have to get out of here, now! Go!"
His eyes locked on Zelda's, and even as she saw what he was willing to do to save them all, she couldn't force herself to leave him. She...loved him, and did not want to abandon him.
Sidon picked her up anyway, and this time she didn't evade him, as her heart had mind had been fixed on Link. She hardly noticed the red prince lift her up as he carried her away from the battlefield, toward the woods with the others.
But just as Link started tearing through the first line of bokoblins that caught up to him, something that nobody expected happened.
Sidon halted mid-run as he carried the princess. He paused, listening intently even as the noise of war was upon them. He closed his eyes and focused, trying to fixate on whatever it was. It was low tone vibrations he felt.
Zelda became confused as he slowed down, stretching his hands out, trying to hear something nobody else could hear. She attempted to bring him back to his senses, shaking his arms and trying to break free from his hold as he carried her, and presumed it had worked when he halted. But that wasn't the reason for why he stopped running.
"What's going on?!" Zelda asked, anxiously. "We need to help-"
The prince cut her off as she spoke, eyes wide and more serious than she had ever seen him. "Shhh! Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?!"
"Horses... hundreds of them, heading straight for us!"
"What?!"
She panicked. As if an army of bokoblins on foot wasn't enough, more on horseback were on their way to finish the job of slaughtering them if by some chance the others failed?!
"Then we have to save Link! We must!"She begged, falling to her knees as Sidon released her from his hold.
The prince heard her words...but it was happening so fast! Even as he turned and saw his friend fighting off in the distance, the unimaginable happened.
Link cut through several more bokoblins, finding some reprieve in the fact that the main force of enemies was still quite a distance away from him. He braced himself again for the next wave of enemies, but he knew this last fight would be his last. His breath was getting shorter, as the battle had taken its toll on him. He had bruises and several cuts, not to mention the sheer fatigue. The adrenaline had worn off, and it would seem the entire mass of foes would be encircling him at any moment. His only hope would be that the others would be able to make their escape in time.
When he was mere seconds from colliding with the charging horde, just as he was about to meet his fate in one final climatic battle, what seemed like a hundred flaming arrows came raining down just in front of him, stopping the enemy advance as scores of them were struck down. In total awe by the sight of it, this strange miracle, he turned back around to see who had fired the volley that saved his life.
Also amazed by what they were witnessing, Zelda, Sidon and the others spun to face the origin point of the arrows. They were being launched from the woodlands, as if from the trees themselves, and the arrows could be seen flying out from the small wood and onto the battlefield just beyond where Link stood guard, killing many bokoblins as they rained down like hellfire upon them.
At the same moment the arrows fell, a loud trumpet horn could be heard sounding throughout all the plains, a song like music to Zelda's ears.
The princess' face lit up like a beacon of hope. "I know that horn...I know it anywhere...Could it be?"
She pondered this aloud, almost rhetorically, as if begging the Gods themselves for a miracle. Sidon listened to her speak as she considered, looking off to the side of the hill away from the enemy.
As Zelda spoke, coming into view from over the side flank of the enemy army on the grassy hillside, was an entire cavalry of hylians. At least one-hundred strong, she must have guessed, and in full charge with lances out.
"Look, there, on the pavilion! It's the Crystal Pale Stallion of Illiastar! They have come at last!" she shouted, smiling face filled with hope as she pointed for the others to see the waving sigil carried by the bannermen as they galloped toward the enemy army. "They answered the call after all!"
Link slowly stepped back as the arrows continued to rain down upon his enemies. No sooner had the volley of arrows had stopped falling than the monsters, filled with fear and caught by surprise, turned as the lancers of Illiastar charged into them, cutting through them like paper. Link continued his steady retreat from the fray, careful not to be mistaken as a bokoblin by some errant lancer. He witnessed how swiftly the enemy army was torn apart, as the tsunami of lances and swords pierced and sliced through their lines like a wave breaking upon the shore, washing them away. Link smiled at the sight. It had been so long since he'd seen his fellow brothers in arms, and for a brief moment he felt immense pride and happiness that he was not alone.
Seeing that his fortune had turned for the worst, the commanding gold lynel signaled a full retreat to his nearest forces, abandoning his main force to be slaughtered by the superior might and tactics of the hylian army. They were no match for the well-trained army that fought on horseback. He had no choice but to flee.
As if this miracle wasn't enough, one by one, archers emerged out from the woodlands with their long bows, just behind the princess and the worn-out band of heroes. She knew exactly who they were, for they carried a different banner among them, and wore a different sigil on the chest of their clothing. It was the frozen water lily of House Tarble, come at last to save them.
And, indeed, saved they were. The last remnants of the enemy forces had been slain, and Link made his way back closer to the princess. In the commotion, as the soldiers rallied and encircled the wandering wary travelers, the knight spoke to Zelda.
"Are you alright?" he asked, concern apparent in his voice.
"I'm fine," Zelda replied quickly. "Riju is the one who needs help. And what were you thinking, attacking head on all by yourself?! You could have been killed!"
"I wasn't," he retorted bluntly, walking beside her. "That's all that should matter now."
Zelda huffed in indignation at the response and turned to Sidon. "Riju needs our help. Can you do anything, Sidon?"
The zora prince followed her and Link, all three kneeling by the side of the wounded gerudo chiefain. Sidon did his best to glance her over, but scratched the back of his head in response. "I'm sorry, princess, but my sister Mipha was the one skilled in the old magical arts of healing. I was brought up to be a warrior. Forgive me."
Zelda merely nodded.
Further talk on the matter would need to come later, as the bowmen from the woods integrated themselves among their ranks, as the companies of reinforcements met the main group. Also galloping from atop the hill was a finely dressed hylian man in his mid-twenties, escorted by what seemed to be a private guard. Link, Sidon, Zelda, and the others waited, unsure what to expect, if anything at all as the man made his approach toward them.
Many of the soldiers encircled and fanned themselves out among Link and the others, assessing the area and awaited further orders from their leader.
The finely dressed man quickly dismounted as he finally met the main group, his extravagant red cape flapping behind him as he walked closer to where they were. The man possessed a very chiseled chin paired with a pretty face albeit more pale than Link and Zelda. His chestpiece also bore the proud house symbol of Illiastar. His profile was framed by long, flowing blonde hair combed back, easily a match as bright as Zelda's own.
The lord finally made his way over to the princess, addressing the wary band of heroes who had so narrowly escaped death only moments prior.
"Hello there, friends!" he called, as jovial as if they'd only just met in a pub rather than a battlefield. "Tell me, what brings a group such as yourself so dangerously close to the castle in such a time as this? You all could have been killed if it weren't for me and my men. Quite lucky you all were that we were on a royal errand on behalf of the beloved princess, who has come back to us again at long last. If not for that, I fear your story would have met a much more dire end!"
He eyed the young hylian girl on her knees by her wounded gerudo friend, still caring for her. The man then glanced around the others, seeing indeed just how much of a ragtag group of travelers these different races made up. It was most peculiar to him.
The princess unknown to him tried to rise from where she lay next to her friend. She lifted out her hand in friendship towards the man as he stood beside her, asking for him to help her up back to her feet. But the man was subconsciously vain. His eyes swiftly wondered to her worn out state of dress and noticed how filthy she was from the battle and that there was stained blood on her hands too. So quickly he adorned some fancy leather gloves he had and shook her hand, face filled with a slight disgust of having to be cordial with commoner types.
The noble puffed out his chest, returning his attention to all those gathered. "Now that I get a chance to look upon you all, I must ask...who are you people, and what business do you have out on the plains like this?"
Zelda's mouth widened at his poor display of manners to her, but he had already turned from her to greet the others. Not having any of it, she spoke sternly, cutting through the chatter.
"I am the princess of Hyrule that you are searching for. I am Zelda," she stated, pouring all of her nobility and force of will into the words. She turned to face the masses of soldiers, bowing her head in thanks. "And I thank you all, humbly, for saving us on this day. Had you not come, we'd have surely perished."
The princess' words jolted the nobleman and his men nearby.
He spun back again to face her and offered a reverent tilt of his head. "Forgive me...princess. I didn't realize it was you I was addressing. Surely because of the battle, I think. I am the lord of Illiastar, come to answer your call. We received your letter, and we have come to right the many wrongs done to our people and this kingdom."
"I am glad of this, for my companions and I are in need of aid. My friend...she is dying-"
As Zelda spoke, another horn sounded behind the gathered armed forces of Illiastar, and the princess turned to face the sound.
The young lord also turned, rolling his eyes. "Here he comes..."
Zelda's was puzzled by what he meant.
In no time, another finely dressed man approached, he too escorted by and honor guard of some sort. As he dismounted and strutted his way over to the princess and her gathered group, she got a better look at him. Superficially, this man was a twin to the first, likely a brother given their nearly identical resemblance. The one detail that set this new man apart from the other lord was that he was possessive of older eyes that bespoke experience, as well as a bent nose that scrunched into his face, likely severely broken at some point in his past.
The man finally caught up to the pair of them, interrupting the previous conversation unabashedly. He waved out his cape dramatically at his approach, a white length of cloth to contrast his relative's red.
"Is my younger brother telling lies already?" he spoke, voice noticeably deeper and firmer than the one he claimed to be his brother. "I swear, he never gives it a rest with new faces. Such a child at times...I am the lord of Illiastar."
The younger hopped closer to the older sibling, a giddy grin plastered across his face. "Indeed, and you can easily tell the two of us apart, thanks be to father! I'm the one with the strapping good looks."
Zelda and the others just listened, feeling somehow caught in the middle of the exchange.
The older brother spoke again. "That may be so, but it's because of my broken nose that I will get to keep the Crystal Citadel when mother passes on."
The younger brother leaned toward Zelda's ear, as if to tell her some secret. "Yes, our dear, loving father made sure of that. It is said far and wide among those who know us that it is because our own father couldn't tell us apart when we were little that he decided to do something rash about it. Because Simon was the eldest, even though we were both only wee lads, my father grabbed his golden goblet and busted up Simon's nose with it, quick and easy as you please. My brother cried for hours, the poor lad! Still bent up about it, too. Literally."
Unamused, the elder brother responded, cutting through the nonsense. "He did no such thing, you yarn-spinner! You know damn well my nose broke wrestling you after you took father's favorite horse from the stables! Which, by the way, was something that I had to answer for! As always! I got a licking for it, too! So, not only did I break my nose on your behalf, I also had to deal with father thanks to your pranks!"
The younger lord merely shrugged and paced away slightly. "Why must you always spoil all the fun? Well, wouldn't you agree my story is the better one?"
He looked again toward the princess, who was still attempting to come to grips with what just happened moments prior, uncaring for their antics.
"In any case, he is only older than me by two minutes," the younger spoke again.
"Those two minutes mean all the difference between ruling and keeping the Crystal Citadel, whereas you are to be left among the temple maids and servants. You can keep your good looks, little brother, as I will have all that I need."
Satisfied that he had quieted his sibling the elder brother turned his attention back to the hylian girl standing before him. "Now that you have formally met us, I am Simon, and this braggart here is my kid brother Sylmoor. And you are, miss...?"
Sylmoor's eyebrows raised, and he grinned back toward his brother, eager to get a rise out of him. "Why, she is the princess brother. The princess."
Simons eyes widened, and he looked over to his brother for reassurance. "You're...serious?"
He gazed back into the princess' eyes, realizing the truth of his obnoxious brother's statement. "My apologies, your highness. It's just...I would have imagined you to have looked…different...perhaps, dressed more…appropriately."
Zelda, who could care less on a regular day, but whose patience had already worn quite thin, spoke brashly. "Well, I am so sorry to disappoint you! Not all of us have the luxury of castle maids and servants following us around like those from the Crystal Citadel! Maybe where you're from people still treat things as if nothing ever happened, but here in the heart of the kingdom, we have been barely able to get by with what we do have! I have much more important things to concern myself with than how I loo—"
Simon stepped closer. "Forgive me, your grace, and say no more. Sorry if it seemed that I misjudged you, or if I was being rude. That certainly was not my intention in the slightest. Seeing you now, I can truly see the beauty pierce beyond and around you. Beauty that I have heard so much about all my life. You truly are cast in the image of the divine, even dressed as you are, and it gives truth to the tales that spoke of you. But because I could not recognize you in the moment, I humbly apologize again."
Zelda blinked, realizing she'd been making a scene. She breathed in deeply and let her stress float away on her breath. "All is forgiven. But if we can get to the matter at hand, now that all of that is out of the way, my friend is in dire need of medical treatment. She needs a doctor."
"Of course, your grace..." the lord complied, spinning to address a soldier standing near him. "Corporal, fetch the head field medic and tell them to get here at once. Their princess demands it. Now, make haste, for there is no time to lose!"
Simon turned back to Zelda. "He will be here shortly, I promise you. Now, if you'd like...as we set up camp here tonight, I can have some clothes brought for you to wear. Perhaps something more...worthy of a princess."
"It's fine," Zelda replied, though she caught herself dusting off her worn out pants and shirt. "I have my own clothes."
"I must insist. It is the least we can do, my princess. My kid sister Bella wouldn't mind at all, and you two are just about the same size. Her wagon has followed us here with her travel belongings, and she will be joining us herself once we've taken back the great city. My men can have a hot bath drawn for you, as well."
Zelda's face lit up upon hearing him mention taking back the city. Link's eyebrows also raised at this notion. With her spirits lifted at the sudden revelation, and not wanting to rudely disregard the hospitality of the people who had saved their lives, she accepted his offer. "If you insist...then I will change out of these clothes. Thank you again for your kindness."
"Certainly, your grace. I might beg that you do me the honor of staying in my tent. It is large, and I am certain you will find it to your liking once my men have pitched it."
"That will not be necessary, Lord Simon," she smiled, looking to her knight. "I shall sleep in my own tent, thank you very much."
"Well, alright then. Should you change your mind, it is at your behest," Simon bowed. As he lifted his head, he shot a smile off into the distance at who he saw was approaching.
He shouted past Zelda and the others. "Great performance back there! Our plan worked out beautifully, I'd say!"
His words were aimed at another man, who had seemingly snuck up behind where Zelda and her friends stood. This person quickly made his way from among the bowmen of the woods, and if the crest emblazoned on his chest piece was any indication, he was of House Tarble.
The older, thin Tarble man, with dark brown hair and clothed in black huntsman gear, spread out his hands in a proud gesture as he walked over to the main group.
"Yes, it did, didn't it?" he replied to the noble lord who stood in front of the princess. He then turned all attention to her and spoke to her directly. "I am Taleran, head of her lady's bowmen and private guard. Speaking of, the lady of the lake sends her warmest regards and apologizes that she won't be able to make it today, for she had to stay behind to care for her ill father. But she should be joining us within a fortnite."
"Oh, okay. Well, thank you for letting me know, good sir-"
"Taleran. The name is Taleran, your grace."
"Taleran, thank you again. Your lady and all of you are most welcome here, and I am eager to finally meet her," Zelda said, but no sooner had she spoken than she realized something was missing. "Where...where is House Draene?"
Simon stepped toward her. "Your grace, only our great house of Illiastar and Tarble departed together. We have heard no word from them. You were quite lucky, too. Were it not for us pursuing a few of their wolf pack scouts to this location, we probably would have never known to confront their main force."
"Do they not intend to come?" Zelda asked, brows furrowing with agitation.
"I am sure they are coming, your grace. Don't forget, House Draene is two days further than we and House Tarble. I am certain they have received your letter, and are answering the call as well."
"I hope so," she replied quickly.
"You shall see, your grace. All will be made right soon enough."
As he spoke, the head medic and his team made their way to the wounded group, and Zelda's full attention returned to her wounded friend. She thanked her lords with a smile, following the field medic in kneeling beside Riju to look her over. The medic poked and prodded at the wound, removing some of the bandages to have a better look.
"Yes, I see...," he muttered to himself. His eyes then lifted as smiled. "These field dressings were done well. It probably saved your life, young lady. But we need to get you some medicine before the sickness sets in and close you up. Your wound is still bleeding quite badly."
The head medic then turned to face the princess directly. "I'll have to perform surgery immediately. Splinters from the arrow are still lodged inside her, and will need to be removed to prevent complications. She also needs more powerful medicine, Zora medicine to be precise. These wounds are beyond our skill alone to heal, I'm afraid. I will do what I can, of course...but without medicine, it is likely that she will fall ill."
"Okay, medicine it is, whatever it takes to get her well," Zelda said. She turned to address the lord, interrupting him as he coordinated with his men. "I need your best rider to make haste to the Domain, and fetch some much-needed medicine for my friend."
"Certainly, your highness. It will be done as you say," the lord said bowing his head. With that, he passed the order to a nearby soldier. "You heard the princess! Head straight to the Domain as fast as you can, and bring us back the medicine her friend needs. Go, now!"
The soldier lept onto his steed and kicked off, riding past the camp and towards the direction of Domain.
At that time, more men arrived with a stretcher, carefully placing the injured Riju upon it to transport her to the infirmary tent for surgery. Zelda sighed with worry as the men took the gerudo girl away.
The lord then spoke to her. "Go, my princess. Tend to your friend while we prepare camp for your stay among us."
With that, she looked to Link standing beside her, and with a glance and a nod indicated that they should follow after her. So, she, Link and Sidon left in the direction of where they'd carried Riju off.
Nightfall soon came, and with the help of their long-lost allies from one-hundred years ago, the band of travelers were saved from the ruthless scourge attacking them. The princess, her lowly knight, Sidon and several of the others were gathered under the tent of Lord Simon of House Illiastar. There they debated and prepared for the days to come.
Simon started off the strategic meeting by ushering two of his banner men to unravel a long parchment map across an overturned tree trunk fashioned into a planning table. The two men centered dimly lit candlesticks at each end of the sprawled-out map to light the view. The young lord then fixed his gaze toward his princess.
"I'm sorry to summon this meeting and pull you away at such a time as this, when your friend needs you the most, but this absolutely requires your attention, your grace," he stated sternly in his deep, baritone voice.
Zelda, standing at the entrance of the military tent alongside Link and Sidon, looked downcast at the reminder of Riju's condition. "It is alright. The field nurse says she has stabilized, for now, and is resting. We will have to wait until the rider returns from the Domain with more medicine. I pray he makes it back in time…I hope."
"We all pray for your friend's speedy recovery. If things should turn for the worst—"
"That will not happen!" Zelda interrupted, paying no heed to the rudeness of her action. "Riju will pull through! She must!"
"Indeed, forgive me...Then, I will continue and be frank, princess. We won't be able to seize the great capital for at least a couple more days. Until the bulk of our main force arrives, along with our supply trains. And that is all without considering that we still need our catapults and siege weapons brought to us, things of that nature—"
Zelda attempted to interrupt once more. "Hold on just a minute—"
Link interjected, finishing her sentence for her. "We're here to liberate the castle and its city, not raze them to the ground!"
Simon snapped back, his patience with the princess and her insolent knight clearly strained. "And how do you suggest we do that? My scouts tell me we face a force of five-hundred more of the filthy beasts you saw here today, fortified and hunkered down, prepared to keep what has been theirs for over a century! Scores more of their number pile in by the day...and not only that, but they are being led by a lynel. Not just any lynel, mind you - Malroc the Terrible, a golden scourge lynel. One who's been bloodsoaked in the Calamity's malice, and reborn out from that darkness, magnifying his power many fold over.
"I will risk no more Illiastar or Tarble blood than I have to. If that means I must tear the city down, brick by brick, then so be it!"
By the end, his words had become shouting toward Link. Just as he prepared to continue his tirade, he stopped suddenly when he realized something peculiar about the knight. Lord Simon took note of Link's modest attire – the well-worn tunic, the simple traveling trousers, the mismatched gear. At any casual glance, this young man looked more like a common mercenary than any soldier or knight.
"And who…who are you again?" Simon questioned.
Link only had a chance to get a single syllable out. "I'm—"
Zelda impatiently marched in front of him, cutting him off and apologizing on his behalf.
"This is Link, son of Tye...and he is my knight," she declared, glancing back at him and then back to the lord.
Simon's caterpillar brow lifted. "I see...your knight, eh? And what...house...do you declare, Ser Link?"
Link made to speak, but was again cut off by the princess' own words.
"He is of no house, my lord. He is commoner and low born," Zelda stated bluntly, trying to quell the tension. In doing so she felt a terrible guilt boiling up within her for saying something about the man she loved that was so certain to tarnish his reputation in front of these nobles, as if he were just one more grunt on the front lines. This was the young man that held the key to her heart, even if he did not know it...and for that reason, in that moment, she hated herself.
"Ah, I see...," Simon sneered, looking down his nose at the commonborn knight conscript.
Link winced as she spoke those words, words of where he came from and what he was...rather, what he was not. Nevertheless, Link felt he had no real reason to be upset by her words, and why should he? It was the truth, after all. He belong to no great line, and was of low birth. So, even though she said those things, and even though it stung him deeply to his core, he couldn't hold it against her for simply telling the truth.
But it wasn't the truth that burned his soul and tore at his heart. It was because the young woman he cherished beyond measure said those things, and he was yet again reminded of the truth of his heritage and his lowly position. She was a princess, after all, and he was nothing but just a glorified guard...nothing more. It was in that moment that he truly realized that it must have always been a fool's hope for him to have ever believed that anything else might happen between them. It was all just a fantasy he had deluded himself to believe in.
Simon placed both fists on the map spread out upon the table. "You should know your place, knight. Tell me, do you always speak this way to your princess?"
Link cut from his thoughts, raising his chin and sternly replying, "I wasn't speaking to her like this, I was talking to you!"
"Careful, boy. Even my patience has its limits...I have had men whipped for much less than what you have done here tonight."
Zelda had enough of the back and forth and, stepping between the two men with her palms held out toward both, her royal authority roared over them like a trumpet horn. "Enough! I command that you stop this quarrel at once! Both of you!"
Simon stepped back with a small tilt of the head towards her, waving his hand outwards under his extravagant cape. "As you wish...Pardon me, your grace."
Zelda turned her annoyed glance that she was wearing toward Link, who she had found already kneeling by her side, his head hung low.
"Forgive my outburst...princess," he said slowly, lifting his head so that his gaze met hers. Zelda's heart melted at the way he looked at her, knowing he was only trying to defend her position on the matter, and that he always had her best interest in mind. She swallowed as she peered into the calming blue waters of his eyes...and knew that she hurt him. It was something she would never have wanted to do to him in a lifetime...
There was a new sadness in his eyes which was as evident as the fact he'd had to stop himself from using her given name. He wasn't even able to call her Zelda, as a friend or someone meant more might, and was forced to refer to her by her title in the presence of others. Like a common stranger to her, a servant. Nothing more than a mere soldier among the ranks.
The selfless sacrifices Link made for her tore her apart from the inside. She knew he was only doing so to appear distant from her, to avoid bringing unwanted attention toward her, or distracting her from her sacred duty to the realm. She knew he understood that her task as ruler must come above all other desires...
...even so, she had to be a princess right now. Other leaders among her kingdom were present, and she had to act accordingly. So with that, she prepared to ask Link and Sidon to leave the meeting...when Link, head still bowed, beat her to it with his own request.
"Permission to leave, your highness?" he asked firmly. He knew she would be safe in there, surrounded by guardsmen. He wanted an excuse to leave. He felt as if he was going to be sick. A feeling he never felt in his entire life bubbled up deep within his gut, tearing at him. Regardless of that feeling, he also knew Zelda needed to have some private words with the Lord and his brother, as well as the representative of House Tarble on plans for the kingdom. All matters beyond Link's station.
She just glanced down to him and nodded, muttering a soft, "Yes."
Link arose quietly, leaving the meeting trailed by Sidon, who joined in his departure with a frown.
Lord Simon chuckled at the knight's leaving, along with a few other members of his court in attendance. "Now, your grace, if we can continue..."
Zelda glanced over her shoulder, almost uncaring at what the lord had to say, and saddened by Link's departure. Even so, as her knight left her presence, she forced herself to return her attention back to the meeting at hand.
Link and Sidon finally made their way over to their part of camp. The knight, usually so calm and collected, was angry tonight, letting the better part of his temper boil over as he kicked a nearby cauldron near his tent. He tossed aside his gear as he did so, uncaring as he threw it to the ground. Sidon had prepared a warm fire for the two of them, but upon hearing Link raging as he paced behind the large zora, the prince attempted to offer some comfort to his old friend.
"Hey, don't let what happened back there get to you, man," Sidon advised, hoping to lift the knight's spirits. "I'm certain she did not mean it."
Link's pacing halted, and instead the man simply stood still, contemplating his words.
"She's a princess after all, and...well, she is going to have to act a certain way sometimes, friend. Don't take it so hard," Sidon smiled, flexing his arms in a grandiose pose. "I'm sure she will make things clear with you! Just you wait and see!"
Link neither smiled nor laughed at the zora's attempt at charm, his mood unimproved. Sidon merely sighed and turned back towards the fish stew bubbling over the fire. "Well, we will be having a hot meal tonight...so at least there is that to smile about."
Link, seemingly gone mute once again, sighed and sat himself before Sidon and two other guards who shared the fire, and quietly waited for the meal to be prepared.
Zelda just finished her meeting and stormed out of the Lord's tent after giving her good night salutations. She, too, felt sick. She was upset with herself, and upset for how she treated Link, but she simply didn't know how to fix it. It was not as if she had lied. It was...the way she said it...the way she made him feel, and she knew it.
So, it was all she could do to march over back toward her tent, pitched not far from Link's and Sidon's. Hers she would share with Buliara, and with Riju once she was deemed well enough to leave the infirmary.
Zelda made her way into the tent, closing the entrance flap, and leaning heavily against a stack of crates and belongings the servants had brought to her quarters. She clenched her fist tightly around some linens that had been laid out, bringing the scented sheets to her face, and crying softly into the cloth.
A servant in the tent she had not noticed already inside the tent coughed politely, startling Zelda out of her crying.
"Your grace, your bath has been drawn for you," the servant spoke softly with a polite bow.
Zelda ceased her leaning, turning away from the stacked boxes, and wiping her eyes and face.
"Okay...thank you," she said to the maiden, voice shaken. "Leave me."
"As you wish, your grace," the young girl bowed and departed.
Zelda knew she had to fix things with Link, but how? Things would get no easier going forward, only more complicated. But that would have to wait until tomorrow. For tonight, she needed clean herself up and get some much needed rest.
Authors Notes- I do apologize for the late posting. I've just been so busy at work these days in real life, working 50-60 hours, that finding time to write has been a little difficult. I want the story to be up to the standard of what your imaginations deserves. So I want it to be the best it could be as I'm writing and revising it. And this takes a little time. I thank you for your patience. And do not worry the story will be finished regardless. So expect like 30 more chapters. Please leave a comment(good or bad) if you haven't, it is what motivates me. I love to know your thoughts. And always thank you so much. Next chapter should be in serval weeks. I'll try for sooner.