To Capture the Heart of a Hero

Chapter 24 – Prayer

Later that evening, the entirety of Kakariko Village gathered together once again to share a meal. This time, they planned to dine outside the inn with tables and chairs set up right in the middle of the street. The dinner consisted of wild boar, and it was prepared over a roaring bonfire. This created a more casual and friendly atmosphere, which Zelda wasn't usually accustomed to, but she appreciated it all the same.

After the dinner, "spirited drinks" were offered to the guests. Zelda politely declined, as she wasn't exactly keen to lose her wits at this time. Fost, on the other hand, was more than happy to accept a bottle and become merry with the villagers. Before long, music and dance broke out among the crowd. The Gorons played drums and bongos while the Hylians had woodwind and stringed instruments. The resulting sound was a cacophony of beautiful, fast-paced melodies, which only served to liven up the crowd as they danced the night away.

Zelda joined in a bit of the dancing for the sake of being polite, but much like the outdoor dining experience, this sort of dance was something that she wasn't accustomed to. She was more familiar with the slow dances that you might expect at a formal ball as opposed to this frantic swinging of arms and legs. She managed to join the crowd for at least a few songs, but she made sure to slip away at her earliest opportunity.

By this point, night had fallen over the village, and the only sources of light were the lanterns hanging around the street, as well as the large bonfire which burned ever bright. She took a moment to gaze at the crowd, watching them continue their happy dance as the music rose and fell. She soon spotted Fost, who was red-faced and grinning while he chatted with a nearby Goron. All the while, he continued guzzling away at whatever drink the villagers had served him.

Zelda just smiled a bit as she watched him. She knew that the Minister could be a pain at times, but she was truly glad that he was enjoying himself on this trip. And not only that, but she was also glad that he was distracted for a moment…

Zelda glanced around to make sure that no one was watching her, and then she silently slipped away from the crowd, heading further down the street. As she walked, she heard the sounds of both the music and the crowd slowly fade away behind her. She then breathed a sigh of relief. It had been fun to spend time with such a rowdy audience, but Zelda was honestly grateful for some peace and quiet. Not to mention, she would require silence for what she had planned.

Zelda continued walking until she eventually reached the spring at the edge of town. She had intended to visit this spot earlier in the day, but she had been too caught up in the tour's events to find the time. Fortunately, she was here now, and that was all that mattered.

Zelda walked right up to the water's edge before stopping. She then gazed out over the calm, quiet pool that sat before her. Towards the back of the spring, she could spot a small waterfall, gently pouring into the basin below.

Zelda smiled a bit as she stared at the peaceful sight. While it was a location that was rich in beauty, the Princess also knew that it was more than that. This spring was a sacred place, as it was home to the Light Spirit known as Eldin, who presided over the entire Eldin Province. With a small nod, Zelda soon clasped her hands together and went to bow her head.

However, a voice suddenly called out, interrupting her. "What are you doing?"

Zelda opened her eyes and glanced behind her, only to find Link slowly approaching her position at the edge of the spring. Like the Princess, he seemed to have abandoned the crowd at the other end of the street.

"I was hoping for a moment of peace and quiet," Zelda explained with a small smile.

Link just frowned, looking a little guilty. "Oh…And once again, I'm here to interrupt it…"

Zelda shook her head at him. "Nonsense. You're more than welcome to join me out here. After all, I assume that you wanted a break from the crowds as well?"

"A little bit," Link admitted with a smile. "Also, I spotted you walking away, and I was a little curious to see where you were running off to."

Zelda smirked. "Ah, and here I thought that I had made a clean getaway. Leave it to the Hero to always keep a watchful eye on me."

"Someone has to," Link said with a shrug. "I don't think Fost would be happy to know that you snuck away without any guards to accompany you."

Zelda just laughed a bit. "I don't think Fost can even tell his left from his right at the moment. And besides, what he doesn't know won't hurt him. That is, as long as you are willing to be sworn to secrecy."

"You want me to keep my mouth shut?" Link asked with raised eyebrows. "And what if doing so gets me into trouble?"

Zelda shrugged. "I'm sure it won't be anything that I can't bail you out of."

Link just frowned in response. "Well gee, that's reassuring."

Zelda giggled a bit at his reaction. "You will keep this secret for me, won't you?"

Link scratched his head for a second, but soon smiled. "All right, fine. But just know that if I do end up getting in trouble for this, I'm dragging you down with me."

"Fair enough," Zelda agreed as she smirked once more. Truthfully, she knew that if it really did come down to it, she would gladly spare the Hero and accept all of the blame herself. It had been her decision to sneak away in the first place, after all.

"So what brought you to the spring?" Link asked as he walked up and joined Zelda by the water. "You didn't have to travel this far if you just wanted some quiet time."

Zelda nodded. "Truth be told, I actually came here to pray."

"Pray?" Link repeated, suddenly looking surprised.

Zelda nodded again. "Yes. As I'm sure you recall, in our final battle against Ganondorf, I called upon the four Light Spirits and asked for their aid. In response, they gifted me the light arrows, which I used to fight against the evil tyrant."

Link nodded as he listened. Of course, he recalled all of that perfectly.

"As part of the tour, I would like to visit each of the Spirits' homes, and offer them my gratitude for providing their assistance in our hour of need. Without them, who knows if we would have made it out alive?"

"That's true," Link agreed as he closed his eyes. So many people had helped him on his journey to save Hyrule, that it could honestly be hard to remember them all. From the Resistance to the various races he encountered, to Midna, Zelda, the Light Spirits, and even the Goddesses above. It really was a miracle that everything had worked out in the way that it had.

"So now here I am, ready to pray," Zelda concluded as she turned towards the Hero. "Would you care to join me?"

"In prayer?" Link asked with a frown. Zelda nodded. "Admittedly, I've never really prayed much before. I'm not sure if I even know what to say."

Zelda gave him an encouraging smile. "You don't necessarily have to say anything. A prayer can be something as simple as expressing your feelings of gratitude. As long as it comes from your heart, the Spirits will understand."

"You make it sound so easy," Link replied, still looking a little nervous.

"Are you at least willing to try?" Zelda asked softly. "I'm sure the Spirits would appreciate your prayer in addition to my own."

Link nodded at this. He wasn't confident that his meager attempt at prayer would be worth anything, but after all of the help the Spirits had given him on his journey, he felt like he at least owed it to them to try.

"All right," he agreed quietly. "Tell me what to do."

Zelda smiled at his nervousness. "It is very simple. Bring your hands together, bow your head, and close your eyes. Then, just let your heart speak for you."

Link found that the gestures were simple enough to perform, but he struggled to understand the final instruction. Let his heart speak for him? How was he supposed to do that? Still, he tried the best that he could. With his hands clasped together and his head lowered, he attempted to project his thoughts towards the Spirit which resided in the spring.

Oh great Eldin, thank you for lending me your aid throughout my journey. I know that we wouldn't have succeeded without your assistance, and for that I am grateful. Um… Link paused, trying to think of what else he should say. And please continue to watch over us and the good people of Kakariko. Amen…

Link breathed a small sigh of relief as he finished. Sure, he had directly spoken to the Light Spirits before, but it felt completely different to bow to them in reverence like this. The entire experience felt a bit humbling, as it reminded Link of his place in the universe, and just how much he had to be thankful for.

Meanwhile, Zelda also poured her heart into her prayer. She thanked Eldin for aiding her Hero and Kingdom during the Twilight Invasion, and she asked that the great owl Spirit continue to watch over them all. She expressed her hopes that the Kingdom would continue to prosper under the Spirit's influence for many ages to come, and she asserted that the Royal Family would be forever grateful for his protection and guidance. She then thanked the Spirit one final time before ending her prayer and raising her head.

As she opened her eyes, Zelda turned to find the Hero had already finished. She gave him a small smile. "I've said what I needed to say. How about you?"

"Well, it wasn't very ceremonious, but I at least said what was on my mind," Link replied with a shrug. "Hopefully, it was good enough for the Spirit."

Just then, the two of them were caught by surprise as the spring suddenly flared to life. It began to glow with a faint white light; the crystal-clear water now shining onto the cliffs that surrounded it. Both Zelda and Link watched this phenomenon for a few seconds before it gently faded away and the spring returned to normalcy.

"Um…what was that?" Link asked, feeling a little stunned.

Zelda simply smiled some more. "I think that was Eldin's way of showing his thanks for our prayers. Clearly, the Spirit was pleased to hear what you had to say."

"Huh," Link replied, staring down at the water once more. "So, he really heard us?"

Zelda smirked at his suddenly awed expression. "Of course. Never underestimate the power of prayer, Link."

"As if I could after seeing that," Link said with a small smile. "I have to say, that was actually pretty cool."

"It sounds like you enjoyed the experience," Zelda noted happily.

"Yeah, I think I did."

"In that case, would you care to join me again when we eventually visit the springs of Lanayru, Faron, and Ordona? I'd be pleased to have you by my side when the time comes to offer prayers to them as well."

"Sure, count me in," Link replied confidently. "After all, it wouldn't be fair to just thank one of the Spirits, now would it?"

"No, I suppose not," she agreed with a smile. "The Spirits are not especially fickle beings, but it would be best to not show partiality when offering your gratitude. In the end, they all helped us, and therefore, they should all receive a proper 'thank you'."

"Agreed," Link said, nodding again. He then glanced around at the now calm waters. Seeing no further signs of activity, he soon pointed back towards the town. "So, should we go ahead and return to the party then? You know, before people start wondering where we are?"

Zelda nodded. "Yes, I think that would be wise."

The two of them turned and began walking side-by-side back towards Kakariko. They weren't in a particular rush to return to the festivities, so they kept a casual pace, simply enjoying the evening stroll, as well as each other's company.

"I think the music and dancing will start to die down soon," Link informed the Princess. "It's starting to get late, and Renado mentioned that he wanted to do one last thing before dismissing everyone for the night."

"Oh?" Zelda replied, sounding curious. "And what exactly does he have in mind?"

Link paused before grinning in a creepy way. "He said that he's going to share 'the tale of the old cursed well of Kakariko Village'..."

Zelda just stifled a giggle as she looked at him. "What's with that expression? Is that supposed to be ominous?"

Link just dropped the expression and laughed. "You don't scare easily, I take it?"

"Not from something as goofy-looking as that," Zelda shot back.

Link laughed some more before shrugging. "Renado made it sound like it's a scary story. I guess I'm just not selling it very well."

"In that case, I'll try to keep my preconceived notions in check," Zelda teased him with a smirk. "I'd hate for Renado's tale to be ruined by the thought of your cheesy grin."

"Ha ha, very funny," the Hero replied sarcastically.

Zelda giggled a bit before looking away. She had a feeling that Renado would be a much better storyteller than Link, but she didn't plan to tease him about this any more than she already had. The Hero had already endured enough for one day, and the Princess was nothing if not merciful.

Besides, Zelda's thoughts were soon drifting towards another topic. Specifically, she was thinking about the Shaman that had been mentioned. A moment from earlier in the day still lingered in her mind, and once again, she found it catching her curiosity. She soon turned to the Hero once more.

"Oh, that reminds me, Link. There was something I wanted to ask you."

He turned to face her as well. "Hmm? What is it?"

"You know Telma, from the bar in Castle Town, correct?"

Link nodded. "Of course I do. She helped me out a lot during the Twilight Invasion."

Zelda nodded back before frowning a bit. "By any chance, do you know if there's something going on between her and Renado? Earlier today, I mentioned that she might have an interest in moving here, and he didn't seem very pleased about it."

Link blinked for a second before a look of realization crossed his face. "Ah, is that so?"

Zelda frowned some more as she closed her eyes. "Yes, I almost wonder if I've done something wrong by mentioning it. The Shaman seemed rather uncomfortable about the whole thing."

Link sighed a bit before rubbing the back of his neck. "Well…I don't know too much about it…"

His hesitation caught Zelda's interest. She immediately turned her curious gaze back to him. "But you do know something, I take it?"

Link sighed again. "Listen, I don't know the full story, so this is mostly guesswork. But…I think that Telma fancies Renado a bit."

Zelda's eyes widened in surprise. She knew that the barmaid could often be smitten with her patrons, but she had never expected her to have taken an interest in someone as mature and reserved as Renado. "Is that so?" she asked.

Link slowly nodded. "Yes…but I don't think that he feels the same way about her."

Zelda paused for a second before casting her gaze down towards the ground. Upon hearing this, she couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity in those words. After all, they accurately described her current situation with the man walking next to her. One of them had feelings for the other, but the other simply wasn't interested.

"Oh, that's…rather unfortunate," Zelda eventually replied, sounding a little sad.

Link nodded a bit before shrugging. "If I had to guess, that's what could potentially be causing strife between them. Although, if Telma is considering relocating to this village, it sounds like she hasn't given up."

Maybe she should, Zelda thought glumly to herself. She knew all too well the pain of pining after someone that you couldn't be with. Even now, she had her own feelings for the Hero carefully bottled up within her. She wondered, how long was she going to hold on to them for? Would she ever be free of them? Zelda didn't know the answer, and she honestly wasn't sure if she ever would.

The Princess soon sighed, pushing such thoughts away as she often did. She knew that there would be time to dwell on them later. Besides, she had other things to focus on, namely the ongoing party that they had now returned to.

"Looks like they're still playing music," Link said as he gazed around at all the dancing figures.

"Indeed," Zelda said, also watching them. She couldn't help but wonder how late these sorts of festivities ran here in Kakariko. Would they eventually settle down, or would they be up all night?

Before long, a less than graceful Fost stumbled in front of them. He soon glanced up at the duo with unfocused eyes and cheeks that were somehow even redder than before. "Ah, Princessss!" he exclaimed, slurring his words. "I was wondering where you d…disappeared to."

Zelda just stared down at the short Minister, who was clearly drunk. She chose to greet him with a smirk. "Good evening, Fost. Enjoying the festivities, I take it?"

"A'course!" he replied, speaking in a far less formal tone than usual. "It's been wonderful. Sssimply wonderful."

Zelda couldn't help but giggle a bit as she glanced over to Link. He too smiled in amusement at the Minister's uncoordinated behavior. This was a far cry from the man who was typically so dignified and composed.

"Anyhoo," Fost continued. "They're about to perform the last song of the night! Would you care to join me for a dance, Your Highnessss?"

Zelda just watched as the short man politely extended a hand towards her. "You are requesting a dance with me?"

"If…" Fost paused, suppressing a small hiccup. "If you would be so kind."

Zelda stifled another giggle as she watched him. He must have really been too far gone if he was requesting such a thing at this hour. So much for him being the responsible one on this trip. "I don't know, Fost. I think that you might be better off retiring for the night."

"Non-ssssense!" he insisted. "I feel like I can stay up for hours…"

Zelda just gave him a skeptical look. "Are you sure you're not tired? You seem a little…disoriented," she said, trying to put it delicately.

Naturally, Fost just gave her a dismissive wave. "Oh, don't worry about me, Prrrincess. I'm really enjoying myself! So now, I just want to make sure that you're havin' fun on this trip as well."

Zelda couldn't help but blush a bit at this. He was trying to provide her with an enjoyable time? She sometimes forgot that in spite of Fost constantly being a nagging nuisance in her life, he was also a kind soul that truly cared about her. "Oh, well isn't that sweet of you?" she asked with a smile.

"I am as d…diligent as ever," he assured her as he produced a drunken grin.

Zelda smiled some more before closing her eyes. "Very well, I'll agree to one dance." The old man started to cheer while Zelda turned to the Hero who still stood beside her. "Sorry, Link. I hope you don't mind if I abandon you for a bit."

"No, of course not," Link replied, smiling at the bond that the two of them shared. "Go have fun."

She gave him a nod of appreciation before she took Fost's hand. The drunken fool was all too giddy to accept it and lead her out into the crowd. They then took up a formal dance position as the musicians began to play a slower song; the first and only one of the night.

Unfortunately, Fost had clearly lost any sense of balance that he originally held. His lazy and drunk movements led to an incredibly unappealing dance, with the Minister stepping on the Princess's toes on more than one occasion. Zelda knew that he wasn't doing any of this intentionally, but she still felt like chiding him for it all the same.

"You know, Fost, I don't think that those bottles you downed earlier have done you any favors. You're a bit of a disorganized mess right now; a far cry from the graceful gentleman that I used to know."

Fost simply scoffed. "What's the problem? I'm just havin' a bit of fun here."

Zelda smirked. "At the expense of your composure?"

"Oh, loosen up a little, Princess."

Zelda nearly snorted at this. You're telling me to loosen up? Do you even hear yourself? Who are you and what did you do with the real Fost?

"Wh-What's so funny?" the old man asked, his lazy eyes trying to focus on her expression.

Zelda giggled. "It's nothing, Fost, nothing."

The two of them continued to dance with one another until the final song came to a conclusion. At this point, the Princess released the Minister, only to watch him stumble around a bit on his shaky legs. After giggling some more at his foolish behavior, Zelda took him by the hand and insisted that it was time for bed. He tried to resist at first, but his exhaustion from the day's events was quickly overtaking him, and he soon obliged. Zelda then led him to the inn where she made sure that he was properly placed in bed for the night.

Once that was settled, Zelda returned to the party which had quickly quieted down. The musical instruments had been put away, and the crowd had now gathered around Renado, who stood before the great bonfire. He waited for everyone to settle, some of them rearranging the tables and chairs while others simply chose to stand. He then began recounting his story: the tale of the old cursed well in Kakariko.

As Zelda rejoined the crowd, she spotted Link, who was sitting at one of the tables closest to Renado. He soon spotted her as well, and gestured to the empty seat next to him. "I saved you a seat," he whispered as the Princess approached.

Zelda gave him a small nod. "That is much appreciated, thank you."

She soon took a seat next to him, and tried to listen to Renado as he told his old tale. However, she didn't end up listening too closely, for she found that she was far too distracted by her own thoughts. After discussing the Telma and Renado situation with Link earlier, she admitted to herself that she had felt a little sad about her own situation. Fortunately, all of those negative feelings had been quickly washed away after she experienced that one fun little dance with an old friend of hers.

And she was truly grateful for that distraction.

The next morning, Fost ended up sleeping in a bit later than he usually did. It was rather uncharacteristic for a man who was typically known for being an early-riser, and Zelda was all too happy to point out such things once he awoke.

"Mmph," the Minister groaned, rubbing his forehead a bit as he walked out into the hall. "Goodness me. What exactly happened last night?"

"You mean you don't remember?" Zelda teased him.

"No, I do. It's just all so…fuzzy." He then paused before frowning and giving her a bow. "Oh, forgive me, Princess. I believe that my behavior last night was irresponsible, immature, and rather unbecoming of a man of my position."

Zelda just crossed her arms. "Yes, and to think that you were supposed to be the one looking after me on this trip. Meanwhile, I had to be the one who made sure that you were safely tucked into bed last night."

Fost soon blushed, looking incredibly embarrassed. "I'm afraid that I have no excuses. I am willing to accept any punishment for my uncouth actions."

Zelda couldn't help but smile at his guilt-ridden expression. It truly was nice to have the upper hand on him sometimes. "Who said anything about a punishment? I for one had a good time last night."

Fost frowned some more. "But, Your Highness, I foolishly stepped on your poor feet on so many occasions, all while making a complete mockery of what formal dance ought to be."

"Which is a crime that I am willing to forgive, if only because I was so amused by such foolish behavior coming from you."

Fost just bowed his head, partially in reverence to her, but mostly in shame. "You are too kind, Your Highness. I don't deserve such forgiveness."

"And you are too hard on yourself," Zelda said adamantly. She then walked over and gave the short man a tiny kiss on his temple. "I really did have fun though. Thank you."

The Minister ended up placing a hand on his head, looking a bit confused. Meanwhile, Zelda just smiled and walked away. He didn't need to know how much she truly appreciated him. How much she truly enjoyed being able to spend some time with him and forget the troubles of her heart for a bit.

No, she would just let her actions speak for her.

I love the wholesome Zelda and Fost relationship. I hope you do too.