To Capture the Heart of a Hero
Chapter 34 – Requests
Before long, Link led Zelda back to the other end of the village where his home sat in the open glade. The children naturally tagged along as well, sensing that something exciting was about to happen once again. Upon arriving, Link directed the group off to the side, where a small scarecrow stood before a clump of trees. He then gestured out into the forest.
"Well, it isn't much, but welcome to Ordon's finest shooting gallery."
Zelda just smirked a bit as she quickly noticed what he was talking about. Dotted amongst the trees were a number of wooden targets, each one hand-painted with rings. They had been placed just about everywhere. From the ground to the tree trunks to even dangling from some of the higher branches. It was certainly a lot more chaotic than the shooting range at the castle which Zelda was used to, but she had to admit that this setup had its own unique charm to it. With the targets having been placed so haphazardly around the trees, it created a more natural feeling to the environment. As if Zelda were truly out in the woods, hunting some wild beast.
"Well, what do you think, Princess?" Talo asked loudly as he jumped in place a bit. Clearly, he was excited to see her reaction.
Zelda just smiled down at the boy. "It's very impressive. Did you guys set this up yourselves?"
"Well, Link set up the targets, but we helped make them," Colin said with a bashful smile.
"I did the painting," Malo pointed out.
"This place is really fun!" Talo continued. "Link lets us come here whenever we want to practice with our slingshot."
"I can see that," Zelda said as she took a closer look at the targets. Each one had been peppered with tiny dents in the wood, with each mark serving as a sign of a successful hit. She soon turned to Link. "Are the targets sturdy enough to handle arrows?"
The Hero nodded. "Yeah, I practice my archery out here from time to time."
Zelda's smile grew even wider, as she felt her own excitement rise within her. "In that case, do you mind if I give it a try?"
"I had a feeling that you would ask that," Link replied with a smirk. "Go ahead."
Zelda gave him a grateful nod before walking over to Reina. Fortunately, the white mare was still with them after the goat-herding, so she didn't have to go far. After taking a few seconds to ruffle through her saddlebags, she managed to retrieve her elegant bow as well as a full quiver of arrows. She then made her way back to the shooting range, only to be met with numerous looks of excitement.
"The Princess is gonna use our shooting range!?" Talo asked incredulously.
"This is going to be so cool," Colin agreed, his own eyes glistening.
Zelda smiled at their reactions before turning to Link once again. "Any requests?"
Link seemed surprised at this. "Oh my, someone is confident."
"I assure you that it's not arrogance," Zelda said with a shake of her head. "I'd just like for the crowd to be as entertained as I'm about to be."
Link couldn't help but smile at the Princess. He soon recalled his own archery practice with her only a month ago, where she had been completely against the idea of any crowds forming to watch her. Now, she seemed like the complete opposite. As if she wanted nothing more than to perform in front of an audience, and create a more enjoyable experience for all.
"If you want a request, how about trying for a bullseye on every target?" Link suggested. "If you can pull that off, I guarantee that the kids will be impressed."
Zelda slowly nodded back before flashing him a smirk. "And what about you, Hero? What will it take to earn your admiration?"
Link just blinked, a bit surprised at her sudden playfulness. Still, he couldn't deny that this was typical of her character. "You want to impress me as well?"
"I'd like to go for a completely satisfied crowd, if you would be so kind."
Link laughed at her polite yet sportive attitude. He then took a second to brainstorm. What would it take to impress him here? He glanced around at the trees, and before long, he felt like he had his answer.
"Pin a leaf," he said as he crossed his arms. "Pin a falling leaf to one of the targets with your arrow. And of course, it must be dead center."
Zelda raised her eyebrows a bit, but she didn't seem afraid of such a challenge. "Very well, but how am I supposed to predict when a leaf will fall?"
"Not to worry," Link assured her before reaching down into his pack. He soon pulled out one of his trusty weapons. "I have the Gale Boomerang with me. I can use it to rustle some leaves free before you take your final shot."
Zelda's eyes widened in understanding. "Ah, very wise."
"I wasn't about to demand the impossible," Link said with a grin. "Although, I imagine this will still be quite difficult. Especially since the boomerang's gust might end up shaking some of the targets around."
Zelda nodded a bit before eyeing him, still looking positively fearless. "Tell me, Link, have you ever managed to pin a falling leaf to a target before?"
Link smiled and shook his head. "Nope. I've never even thought about trying it."
"And yet you ask so much of me," Zelda said, smirking a bit. "But worry not, for I am a Princess who lives to serve her people. If you wish for a bullseye on every target, and for a falling leaf to be pinned, then I shall do my best to make it happen."
Link grinned some more. He knew that he had asked a lot of her, and yet the Princess was still radiating confidence. He had to admit, he was excited to see how this would turn out.
With the goals having been set, Zelda stepped forward, taking her place at the firing line that had been drawn in the dirt. The rest of the crowd safely congregated behind her, save for one boy, who seemed content to stand just off to the side. Zelda eyed him for a second before frowning. Somehow, she wasn't surprised to see him there.
"Young man," she said with all the sternness of a disappointed mother. "Your name is Talo, correct?"
The boy just jumped at her tone before giving her a confused look. "Um…yeah."
Zelda simply shook her head as she approached him. She then turned him around and placed a hand on his back, pushing him towards the crowd. "Would you kindly stand back with the rest of the children? I don't want you to get hurt."
Talo furrowed his brow. Get hurt? How would he have gotten hurt? It's not like he was standing that close to the targets or anything…
Zelda nudged the boy until he fell in place next to the girl that continued to admire the Princess with glistening eyes. Zelda soon turned to her. "Excuse me, Beth, was it?"
Beth nearly gasped. "You…You remembered my name…"
Zelda smiled, amused at the girl's expression. "Of course I did. Now, by any chance, would you be able to do me a favor?"
"Anything for you, Princess," the girl breathed, almost in a sigh.
"Would you be able to keep a close eye on Talo and make sure that he stays back with the crowd?"
"Of course, Your Highness," Beth replied before immediately locking a hand around Talo's arm.
Zelda gave her another appreciative smile before turning away. "Thank you, sweetheart."
As the Princess walked back to the firing line, Beth found herself sighing once again. "Haaa, she's so mature and responsible…"
Meanwhile, Talo just frowned, still feeling confused. "I don't get it. Why'd she ask me to stand back like that? She didn't ask anyone else."
Beth just smirked at the boy. "Because, the Princess knows that you're the only one dumb enough to stand near the targets."
"That's true," Malo muttered from beside them.
Back at the firing line, Zelda ignored the crowd's comments as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She allowed a great calmness to fall over her. Things became silent. Peaceful, even. It was the perfect mindset for wielding her bow.
Feeling determined, Zelda reopened her eyes and fetched an arrow from her quiver. She soon placed it against the bowstring, and strung it back, all while keeping a close eye on her first target. She carefully adjusted her position, raising her bow so it was just right.
Fwip! She released.
Thunk! It struck.
Naturally, it was a bullseye.
The crowd quickly began to murmur their awe, many of the children gawking as their eyes widened. But Zelda didn't leave much room for their appreciation, for she was quickly moving onto the next target. She had no intention of letting this take long.
And so it was, with arrow after arrow hitting target after target, each one striking dead center, just as Link had asked. The children were beyond impressed. Never in their life had they seen someone with such precise marksmanship. Even Link on a good day would have struggled to produce results as accurate as this.
Before long, each and every target had an arrow to call its own. All save for the last target, which still hung loosely from the tallest branch. Zelda just stared up at it before raising her bow and taking aim with what was about to become her final arrow. Once she was satisfied, she glanced at Link out of the corner of her eye, and gave him a tiny nod.
She was ready.
Seeing her determination, Link took a second to take careful aim with his own weapon. The boomerang soon flared to life within his hand as he set his sights on the highest of branches above them. With a small wind now whipping around him, the Hero released the boomerang, and it soon collided with the branches, setting dozens of tiny green leaves free of their home. They quickly began fluttering towards the ground, while Link successfully caught the returning boomerang in his hand.
Zelda tightened her focus as the numerous leaves showered down from above. As predicted, the final target that dangled from the branches was swinging back and forth a bit, having been rustled by the gale. But Zelda didn't mind. All she needed to do was be patient and concentrate. She only needed one leaf to make this work. Just one leaf in the right place at the right time, when the target had swung into the perfect position. In all honesty, the odds were stacked against her. There was no guarantee that things would line up as perfectly as she hoped. And even if they did, it would still take an incredibly well-trained eye to spot such a golden opportunity.
But Zelda wasn't afraid. This was archery at its finest. This was her element, and she intended to make Link proud.
A second later, Zelda released the arrow. Up until now, time almost seemed to have slowed as everyone awaited the Princess's final shot, but in an instant, it all came rushing back. Zelda couldn't even spot the loosed arrow before it hit the target with the mightiest thunk yet.
It took a few seconds for things to calm down. For the leaves to hit the ground and for the hanging target to stop swinging so everyone could get a clear view of what exactly had happened. As the crowd waited, the silence was deafening. The tension was nail-biting. Everyone was desperate to see the results of her final shot.
Fortunately, their patience was soon rewarded, for as the target came to a halt, everyone in the glade glanced up to see that a sole arrow had pierced through a leaf, pinning it dead center in the middle of the target.
The crowd immediately erupted into cheers, the children completely unafraid of being raucous in their amazement. Zelda just breathed a small, content sigh as she pushed some of her hair back behind her ear. Even she wasn't quite sure how that last shot would turn out, but her success was apparent, and she was incredibly proud. She soon turned to the children with a beaming smile. She ended up giving them a curtsy, showing them how thankful she truly was for their support.
As she finished, Zelda glanced at the Hero to find him beaming as well. He soon walked over, all while applauding her efforts. Zelda couldn't help but blush a bit at his amazed expression.
"Did that satisfy you?" she asked humbly.
"That…was incredible," he answered with a wide grin. "Honestly, Zelda, I think that you might be the best archer in the entire Kingdom."
Zelda blushed a bit more at his praise, not having expected it to be so excessive. "Maybe when it comes to trick shots," she agreed halfheartedly.
"And battles," Link insisted. "I'm sure that even Ganondorf would agree that your arrows have a knack for always hitting their mark, no matter how difficult the target."
Zelda couldn't help but giggle at this comment. The thought of the evil tyrant being both equally impressed and frustrated with her skill did sound rather amusing. "Thank you, Link."
It wasn't long before the children were by her side as well, gawking and praising her skill just as much as the Hero.
"That was awesome!"
"Very impressive."
"Not even Link could do that!"
"It's true," Link agreed with a chuckle. "When it comes to using a bow, I think I can safely say that the Princess has me beat."
"Are you able to fight with that?" Malo asked as he eyed the weapon in question. "Or is it simply for sport?"
Zelda nodded at the child who was surprisingly mature for his size. "Yes, I am able to fight with this, but I only use it when it is necessary."
"That's so cool!" Talo exclaimed. "Imagine the Princess riding around a battlefield, shooting arrows at all the monsters!" He soon mimicked the motion of the bow, as well as produce the exaggerated sound effects with his mouth.
Beth just scowled at the boy, clearly unamused with his performance. "As if the Princess would ever look that stupid, Talo. If she had to fight, then I am sure that she would do it gracefully and majestically."
Talo just ignored her, choosing instead to turn to the Princess with an excited grin. "Hey, Princess, do you have any other cool skills?"
Zelda smirked a bit before giving another nod. "Why yes. I happen to be proficient with the sword as well."
"Really?" the boy replied, his eyes flashing with interest.
"Wow, you really are just like Link!" Colin said with a smile.
"Can you show us your sword?" Talo asked as he started to fidget. "Please, please!"
Zelda giggled a bit before turning to Link. "My, these children are rather excitable, aren't they?"
Link just shook his head and released a sigh; a tired sigh that could only have been accumulated from years of handling these kids. "You have no idea..."
Zelda smiled before turning back to the children. "Very well, follow me." She soon led them over to the spot where Reina was resting, where she carefully stored her bow and quiver away (Link promised that he would collect her arrows for her later). Zelda then took out a long instrument which was wrapped in cloth. She slowly unraveled it, revealing the sheathed blade within. She then encouraged all of the children to stand back as she took the hilt in hand and pulled the sword from its sheath. She proudly held it before her, high enough for the children to see.
"Wow…" the kids murmured, each of their eyes going wide.
"What is that?" Colin breathed.
"Is that really a sword?" Malo asked.
"It looks like a metallic stick," Talo noted.
Once again, Zelda smiled at their reactions. "I take it you've never seen a weapon like this before?" They all shook their heads. "This is a rapier. It is a thin blade that is useful for making quick, precise cuts."
Colin's face lit up. "Can we see?"
"Ooh yeah, show us, show us!" Talo insisted.
Zelda gazed down at them with soft eyes. It was amusing to see how much they adored her. Because of that, she didn't want to disappoint them. She carefully took her stance, instructed them to step back further, and then threw out a few casual swipes. The thin blade moved so quickly that it almost whistled as it sliced through the air.
"Whoa…" the kids mumbled incredulously.
"It's a good weapon for those that rely on speed," Zelda explained as she brought the rapier back to her side. "The blade is so thin and light, it allows you to attack before your opponent even has a chance to react."
"So impressive," Beth sighed dreamily.
Colin nodded. "I wish that we could see your sword skills in action."
"Yeah!" Talo agreed. "The Princess would be all like fwoosh and swish!" Once again, he used his wild movements to create a poor reenactment of what the Princess had shown them.
Zelda just giggled at his behavior. She then turned to the Hero. "Is there any sort of setup here for practicing swordsmanship?"
Link shrugged. "Well, we have that dirty old scarecrow," he said, pointing to the pitiful little thing in front of the shooting gallery. "It's really only good for taking hits from wooden weapons though. I imagine that if you took your rapier to it, you'd slice it to pieces."
Zelda smirked. "And I assume you would prefer that I didn't do that."
"Aye. I do still use it for training sometimes, as decrepit as it is."
"I see," Zelda said, taking a moment to think things over. A second later, an idea came to mind. A bright, wonderful, amusing little idea. Without warning, she suddenly took her thin blade and pointed it straight towards the Hero's chest. "In that case, how about this?"
Link just frowned, staring down at the rapier with wide eyes. "I'm…not sure that I follow…"
Zelda smirked some more. Of course he didn't understand, but she intended to make things perfectly clear. She immediately spoke up in a loud, majestic tone. "Link, Hero of Twilight, I, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, would like to challenge you to a duel."
Link blinked in response. "Wait, what?"
"You heard me," Zelda replied. She gently poked the end of her rapier into his tunic before drawing it back to her side. "I would like to have a duel with you, in order to properly display my proficiency with the sword."
Link just stared at her, feeling dumbstruck. "Are…Are you serious?"
"Oh yes, very much so," Zelda said with a strong nod.
Naturally, it didn't take long for the kids to get excited.
"Whoa, Link is going to duel the Princess?"
"This is going to be amazing!"
"This might be the coolest thing that's ever happened in Ordon."
Link quickly frowned. He didn't exactly appreciate their enthusiasm at this moment. "Now hold on, I haven't agreed to anything yet!"
To his surprise, Zelda simply nodded before looking at him expectantly. "That's right, I am still awaiting an answer."
Link ended up shutting his mouth. He didn't like that look on her face. That smug, playful look that claimed that she was confident and easily believed that she could coax the Hero into agreeing with her request. But Link wasn't about to be convinced so easily. He had a lot of reservations about this proposal, and he fully intended to voice them.
"Zelda, I don't think that this is such a good idea," he said, trying to sound stern. "One of us could end up getting seriously hurt."
"I have no intention of injuring you," Zelda replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Do you have any intention of injuring me?"
Link just froze, staring at her. Why did it seem like she had managed to derail his argument so easily? Honestly, he was starting to loathe having discussions with her, if only because she was so good at bending things to her will.
Zelda smirked at his reaction. "We won't be using real weapons, of course. I'm sure that you have some wooden practice swords on hand, don't you? Those should suffice."
Link sighed, preparing himself to jump back into the battlefield that was this conversation. "Well, yes, but even a wooden sword can leave a nasty bruise if you're not careful."
"Ah, but we will be careful," Zelda countered back. "There will be no need for any of our swings to connect. I'm sure that you've participated in this sort of thing while training with the guards at the castle. We will simply fight until one of us is disarmed or has the sword pointed at the other's throat."
Link frowned, feeling frustrated. He knew that she had a point here. He honestly had participated in such duels before, not only with the guards at the castle, but also with Rusl and the Hero's Shade that had trained him. He knew how to conduct himself in such battles, and he also knew that both combatants were likely to come out completely unscathed.
But still, to take a sword up against the Princess? To attack her in the same way that he would attack an enemy? Link wasn't sure if he could stomach the thought. He had already done it once before, when Ganondorf had possessed her body, and finding the will to fight back had truly pained him. Zelda was an important friend of his. He would never want to risk injuring her, and if he did, he knew that he would never forgive himself for it. It wasn't just about her wellbeing, but the wellbeing of his own conscience as well.
But how could he possibly make her understand that?
Suddenly, the kids ran up to Link's side, drowning out any sense of thought with their unrestrained volume.
"Come on, Link!"
"You've gotta do this!"
"It will be so cool!"
Link clenched his teeth, growing even more frustrated. How could he make any of them understand how he felt? Was it even possible to provide an answer that would satisfy them?
Growing desperate, Link glanced at Zelda again, and a bright idea quickly came to mind. Maybe this would be his answer!
Grinning a little, Link soon shook his head. "But Zelda, even if we did have this duel, it wouldn't exactly be fair, would it?"
Zelda raised her eyebrows a bit, looking both surprised and intrigued. "What do you mean?"
Link grinned some more, feeling his confidence rising. "I believe that I would hold a significant advantage over you."
This statement only managed to capture even more of her curiosity. "Oh? How so?"
"Your clothing," Link replied, pointing at her long, elegant dress. "It isn't suitable for battle."
Zelda just blinked before glancing down. "Oh, this?" she asked, taking a second to run her hand over the beautiful fabric. "This shouldn't be any trouble."
Link just paused, immediately losing his momentum as a wave of confusion overtook him. "Huh? It won't?"
Zelda gave a confident shake of her head. "No."
Link nervously bit his lip. He hadn't expected her to deny his claim so effortlessly. "But…surely it is difficult to move around in such a thing."
Zelda raised her eyebrows again, but this time she held a smirk on her lips. "Not for me," she assured him. "Believe it or not, Link, I am more than capable of fighting in a dress."
Link frowned. "Yes, but only with a bow and arrow."
"And a sword as well," she insisted. "I have been wearing these garments since the day I was born, and I assure you that I have long since grown accustomed to moving around in them."
Link paused again. He didn't know what to say to that. He didn't even know if there was anything that could be said to that. His argument had been completely dismantled. He was now back to square one, and he honestly didn't know how to proceed.
Zelda just felt her expression soften as she looked at him. She soon felt a pang of sympathy well up within her heart. She knew that he was conflicted. She knew that he had his reservations about this. She knew that fear had taken control of his heart. His concerns were understandable, but Zelda felt that he was needlessly worrying. She was certain that nothing would go wrong. That they both would be careful and provide a wonderful time for their audience. Still, Link held his doubts, and Zelda understood that it was up to her to assuage those doubts.
Without warning, Zelda took a step closer to the Hero, and stared directly at him with her bright, sapphire eyes. "Link, I trust you completely," she said, her voice both soft and sincere. "Do you trust me?"
Link just stared back with his own blue eyes, looking lost and unsure. "I, um…"
Seeing his hesitation, Zelda took another step forward, this time placing a hand over her heart. "Do you trust me, Link?"
Link gulped at the sincerity in her voice. The subtle desperation to know the answer to the posed question. Before long, it naturally escaped from his lips. "Of course I do, Zelda…"
Zelda smiled, her expression turning both warm and grateful. "Then let go of your fear," she whispered.
Link wasn't sure why, but he felt shivers ripple through his body when she said that. Her words seemed to have had a profound impact on him. They always did.
For the first time, Link began to understand how she truly felt. She wasn't afraid like he was. No, she was faithful: completely confident that the two of them could do this. That there wouldn't be any injuries. That there wouldn't be any accidents. It would just be a fun, innocent, entertaining bout between the two of them. A magnificent spectacle for the people of Ordon to enjoy.
And if that was all she wanted, then who was he to say no?
Link closed his eyes before sighing. He then slowly reopened them and gave the Princess a smile. "Fine, let's do it."
Zelda's face slowly lit up as well. "You'll accept?"
Link gave a nod, his confidence suddenly rising. "Yes, I accept your challenge, Princess Zelda of Hyrule."
Zelda couldn't help but grin. "Excellent."
The children soon erupted into cheers as well, excited to know that they would be getting some more stunning action. Apparently, they were almost a little too excited, for they soon felt the need to share it with others.
"Don't start right away," Colin said as he took off towards the village. "I'm going to tell my dad to come and watch!"
"Hey, that's a great idea!" Talo quickly agreed, chasing after him. "I'm going to tell my dad!"
"I'm going to tell the Mayor," Malo mumbled as he tottered off as well.
"Link, is it okay if I go and fetch the wooden swords?" Beth asked with a grin.
Link just smiled back. "Sure, they're in the basement."
The girl nearly squeaked with glee as she climbed the ladder and ran into Link's home. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have been nearly this ecstatic to see some silly old sword duel. This time would be different though. To think that she would actually get to see the Princess's graceful battle technique in person! The thought alone was enough to make her heart swoon.
Link just shook his head as he watched her go. He then turned to Zelda with a smile. "It sounds like we're going to have quite the crowd watching us this time."
Zelda smiled back. "I don't mind. The more the merrier, they say."
Link soon glanced over, carefully watching her expression. "I take it you are enjoying your time here in Ordon?"
"Very much so," she assured him. "Thank you for agreeing to do this, by the way."
Link simply nodded. "Of course. I want to have fun too, after all."
This time, Zelda carefully watched his expression in return, only to eventually release a small sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness," she murmured.
Link just raised his eyebrows at this. "What?"
"To be honest, there was a moment there where I was beginning to worry that you had turned into Fost."
Link immediately frowned, scowling at her exaggerated joke. "Okay, I'm not that bad."
Do you ever just stop and think about how awesome Zelda's character is? Because I do. I imagine her as an absolute queen of archery, and I just love getting the chance to show off her skill :)
