To Capture the Heart of a Hero

Chapter 59 – Intimidate

A few weeks had passed since the evening of the ball. The event had proved a rousing success, with all of the guests expressing their utmost gratitude and contentment. It had clearly meant a lot to the people of Castle Town, and even now, it seemed that the citizens were still happily reflecting on that night, claiming it was the most fun they'd had in ages.

Despite all of her initial reservations about the event, knowing this made Zelda glad that she had decided to go through with it. She was overjoyed to have been able to provide such a wonderful experience for her subjects, especially after all they had endured during the Twilight Invasion, in addition to the support they had always shown her. Thinking back, it was practically the least she could do.

Needless to say, the Hylians weren't the only ones who had thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Renado, Darbus, and Ralis all wrote letters expressing their satisfaction with the event as well, and thanked the Hyrule Council for throwing it together. However, their joy simply paled in comparison to Kanora's. The Gerudo Chief cheerfully informed Zelda that she had not only had the most wonderful time, but she had also managed to find a few men interested in pursuing her. And it wasn't just the Chief either. Many of the Gerudo women claimed to have encountered men that fancied them as well, and they hoped to develop these introductions into full-on romances down the line. After all, was there any force in the world greater than love? (These were Kanora's words, of course. Not Zelda's.)

The Princess smirked as she reflected on Kanora's giddiness. That woman was honestly such a headache. Perhaps one of the worst that Zelda had ever known. Nevertheless, she was happy to know that the ball had meant so much to the desert tribe, in addition to proving so successful for those romance-starved hussies.

And besides, at least Kanora wasn't prioritized with pursuing her father. That fact alone filled Zelda with such a relief that she could practically forgive everything else.

But the Princess shook her head and digressed. She hardly had the time or reason to dwell on the relationships of others. At least, not when she had her own romance to focus on.

Yes, in the weeks following the ball, Zelda had continued to spend her free time with Shad. The two of them were still quite new to each other, but with every shared moment between them, Zelda could feel their hearts drawing closer together. They spent their time doing light and casual activities. Sharing a meal. Exploring the castle gardens. Visiting the library and discussing the more interesting parts of history. Occasionally, Zelda would even request that Shad open a book and read to her. He happily complied, translating written word into vocals while she would close her eyes and listen.

It was always so peaceful, listening to him read.

She had truly come to enjoy Shad's company. He was so kind. Patient. Understanding. Intelligent, bright, positive. Passionate about anything and everything history. She soon came to realize that she eagerly looked forward to the time they spent together. At every separation, Zelda would naturally wonder when next they would meet. And it was in discovering this that she managed to realize something else.

If Zelda wasn't careful, she might just end up falling for him. And she already knew what an emotional mess it could be to fall for someone so completely.

But still, she found that she wasn't worried. If anything, she felt that she might just be brave enough to take the plunge…

One evening, Zelda and Shad found themselves on an excursion away from the castle. The scholar so often spoke of the ancient ruins he enjoyed studying that the Princess finally insisted he take her to visit one. He had been quite startled by this proposal, but it didn't take long before he happily agreed to it. He was always excited to share his passion with others, and now he was being offered a chance to show it off firsthand to someone who was just as interested in history as himself? Talk about a wonderful opportunity!

Zelda simply giggled at his enthusiasm. Personally, she had her own reasons for encouraging such an outing. The two of them spent so much of their time in the castle, that she felt it would be nice to go on a little "adventure" for once. And of course, she was always glad to have a reason to depart from her home, even if it was only for an afternoon.

And so it was that Zelda organized a carriage which ferried them to an old ruin site south of Castle Town. The ancient statues and stone structures were nestled against a cliffside, almost appearing as if they had been carved out of the earth itself. Shad claimed that this was a site tied to the Oocca of centuries past, and while he had visited this location before, he was eager to journey here again and see if he could glean anything new.

Zelda was also curious to see if any discoveries could be made, and happily accompanied him as he paced around the site. She nearly laughed when he spotted a familiar plaque containing ancient sky-writing, for his face brightened boyishly. Among these decrepit ruins, he was practically a kid in a candy store.

Shad soon began deciphering the glyphs, cross-referencing his journal to make sure that he understood each word with perfect clarity. Zelda, wishing to make herself useful, withdrew a book from her bag and graciously offered to help translate. Shad was obviously grateful for her assistance, although he did seem a little bashful about receiving it.

"What's the matter?" she asked, noticing the oddity that was his guilty expression.

"It just…It feels wrong to ask someone as important as a Princess to help me with such mundane tasks."

Zelda simply smirked, amused by this notion. "Then don't think of me as a Princess. Think of me as a girl who enjoys history and wants to lend you a hand. And I wish that you wouldn't downplay what we're doing here. This isn't some 'mundane task', this is your important research! And I will always be happy to help you with that."

Shad blushed, stunned by her kind words and encouragement. But he soon smiled and gave her a grateful nod. "Of course, you're absolutely right. Forgive me for misconstruing the situation, Prin—I mean, Zelda."

The Princess softly sighed at him. The two of them had been spending time together for over a month now, but it seemed that he still wasn't used to calling her by name. She wondered how long it would take for him to finally grow comfortable around her. To willingly treat her as a person before a title. She hoped he would find the courage to overcome his nerves sooner rather than later.

The afternoon passed in relative peace. Zelda and Shad continued to move around the ruin, inspecting various places where ancient glyphs were inscribed. Occasionally, Shad would utter a remarkable "Aha!" before jotting something down in his notebook. Meanwhile, the carriage driver that had accompanied them released the horses from their harnesses so they could graze. Two guards were also among their number, and they spent their time practicing their form and battle maneuvers before eventually settling down to take a nap. Nobody minded though. It was such a tranquil day.

Unfortunately, it was approaching sunset when everything suddenly began to change. Zelda paused in the middle of flipping through her textbook, surprised to feel an odd prickling sensation coming from the back of her hand. It was the same hand that had been blessed with the holy symbol of the Goddesses. It wasn't often that such a mark grew active, but whenever it did, it usually meant that danger was nearby.

It was as she was entertaining this thought that a single arrow whizzed past her head.

Zelda immediately cursed, ducking below the nearest stone wall and forcing Shad to do the same. The poor scholar was so startled, he nearly dropped his quill and journal.

"Wh-What? What's going on?"

"Attack!" Zelda screamed, loud enough for her entire company to hear. "Take up your weapons and defend yourselves!"

Shad was absolutely bewildered, but Zelda ignored him for now. She needed to discover what exactly was going on, and she needed to do it quickly. She raised her head back above the wall, only enough to let her eyes bear witness to the scene.

She spared no more than a moment inspecting the carriage. She watched as the two guards snapped out of their stupor and scrambled for their weapons. Meanwhile, the driver was desperately trying to gather the horses' reins before they grew skittish and fled. Zelda merely sighed, content to know that they were fine for now.

What she really needed to discover was their enemy. Who were they? How many were there? What did they want? Then again, the arrow that had flown past her head was probably enough of an answer for that last query…

Fortunately, it didn't take long before her scan of the horizon provided answers for her other questions as well. She managed to spot a familiar form. Green skin. Beady red eyes that almost seemed to glow. Short horns that curved out of the sides of their heads.

Bulblins…

Zelda cursed as she ducked below the wall for cover once more. She had only caught a quick glimpse of their company, but by her estimate, there were at least a dozen of them. She had no idea what they were doing here, and honestly, she didn't feel that she had the time to find out. The Bulblins were notorious for being nomadic, wandering the fields of Hyrule as they pleased, and willingly attacking any unsuspecting travelers they encountered. Again, she supposed that this was enough information to surmise their intentions.

Frowning, Zelda grabbed her bow from her bag and went to nock an arrow. She was so grateful that she never chose to leave the castle without it. Whenever battle broke out, the Princess would always summon her courage and prepare to fight, no matter how sudden and terrible the situation.

She soon glanced at her partner, who still sat somewhere between startled and frightened. "What's happening?" he asked, his voice no more than a whisper.

"A band of Bulblins is approaching us," she explained patiently. "Are you able to fight?"

Shad gawked, but only for a moment. He gently set his scholarly items down before drawing a dagger. "If I must."

Zelda nodded. "Stay close to me. I'll try to drive them off with my arrows, but if they draw near, you'll have to be ready."

Admittedly, Shad didn't seem like much of a fighter. Anyone could have told Zelda that (and Ashei in particular would've likely been happy to do so). But Shad was a hardened member of the Resistance, and when push came to shove, Zelda trusted that he could be counted upon to defend himself.

The Princess paused, taking a deep breath and a moment to compose herself. Her eyes then flared to life, a bright fire burning intensely behind them.

She was ready.

Swiftly and suddenly, she rose from below the wall. As soon as she pinpointed the nearest enemy, she let her arrow loose. Not even a second passed before the Bulblin crumpled to the ground, grasping at its bloody throat.

Zelda was quick to nock another arrow, and another after that. Two more Bulblins fell victim to her projectiles, one in the chest and one in the forehead. These creatures may have held numbers, but they were no match for the best archer in all of Hyrule.

However, upon attempting to strike at her fourth enemy, Zelda was stunned to watch her arrow stop short. Yes, quite literally, it froze in midair. With wide eyes, she dared to look past the floating bolt, closely observing her foe for the first time. And it was here that she realized her recklessness. This creature was no ordinary Bulblin. No, this one was wearing a dark cloak, its face decorated with piercings on its nose and both brows. And unlike its brethren, this one's eyes shone in a brilliant shade of violet.

But perhaps most unsettling of all, were the words it was chanting while running its fingers through the air.

Magic! Zelda realized. And not a moment too soon, for as she watched her frozen arrow fall helplessly to the ground, she witnessed the remaining Bulblins all raise their bows in turn. She quickly ducked below the wall as fiery arrows soared overhead.

Shad, who had been peeking over the wall, also ducked for cover. "What was that?"

"They have a witch among their number," Zelda said with a shake of her head. "I didn't even know that they were capable of such things. But that Bulblin in the center is certainly casting spells."

Shad gulped but nodded. "Then how are we to drive them off? Your arrows won't prove effective, will they?"

"No, I'll have to use something stronger than an arrow." And with that decisive thought, Zelda soon withdrew the other item that she never left home without: her sturdy rapier. As always, it glinted in the light of the setting sun. "I'll have to rush in with this."

Shad looked utterly terrified. "Wait! You wish to confront that entire horde? You can't do that! It's completely unsafe!"

"Someone has to," Zelda said resolutely. Somewhere in the background, she could hear her guards crossing blades with the Bulblins. There was no doubt that they had their hands full. If anyone would take on the witch, it would have to be Zelda.

"It's okay," she said, trying to produce a reassuring smile amidst the chaos. "Believe it or not, I am quite capable with a sword, and I am confident that I can deliver us from this situation without injury."

Shad stared at her, still seeming very hesitant about this decision. Nevertheless, he soon sighed and gave her a nod. "In that case, allow me to accompany you. I may not be worth much, but this dagger will at least keep me from being useless."

"Very well," the Princess agreed. "On my signal then, let's rush forward."

"Understood."

With a final nod to each other, the two of them collected themselves once more. They waited for the barrage of arrows to cease before Zelda led the charge. In an instant, she was on the other side of the wall, dashing forward with Shad right behind her. The Bulblins seemed mildly stunned by this daring approach, but they held no mercy in their hearts. With fresh flaming arrows, they took their steady aim.

But it was of little use. If the Bulblin witch could produce a simple magic barrier, then Zelda could too. She called upon the Goddesses above to protect them, and a moment later, a golden force halted all approaching projectiles. With nothing holding her back, Zelda continued onwards.

Off to the side, she managed to witness one of her guards decapitate his Bulblin foe. Fortunately, it seemed that while these men were a little lazy, they were more than capable of handling these creatures. And knowing this was enough to drive Zelda forward with immense courage in her heart.

Within seconds, she faced the horde. Specifically, she looked to the witch herself. Her glowing purple eyes narrowed as she sneered in return. A daring invitation to dance.

But before the she-Bulblin came her allies. Realizing that their bows were useless, they rushed forward, brandishing axes and clubs. Zelda gladly met them head on. Raising her rapier before her, it sliced through the air as magnificently as always. Not even a moment passed before the Bulblins' blood flowed freely.

One lost an eye. Another grasped at its bloody neck. Another lost all of their fingers and dropped their weapon. Zelda didn't bother to watch if they fell lifeless to the ground. She was already juggling too many opponents to pay attention to any single individual. Besides, she was insistent on cutting her path forward to the witch. Once she fell, things would become so much simpler.

Fortunately, Zelda had Shad to back her up, and he proved himself more than a reliable ally. Much like Zelda, he was nimble and light on his feet, sidestepping all of the heavy blows that the Bulblins tried to cast upon him. Faithful to his nature as a scholar, he aptly practiced patience and waited for a golden opportunity to strike. And it was when these moments arrived that he would deliver a swift and lethal blow with his dagger before moving onto the next foe.

Zelda was not only impressed, but also grateful. As long as he was on cleanup duty, she could continue her march forward. And so she did, stabbing and slicing Bulblins apart until no one stood between her and the witch.

By this point, the Bulblins' numbers had thinned considerably. Only a handful remained, and the witch was less than pleased with these results. With another sneer, she glared at the Princess. In fact, she almost seemed to be casting her purple gaze to the golden circlet that rested on Zelda's brow, but the Princess paid this no mind. The she-Bulblin would soon be slain anyway.

Raising her rapier, Zelda swiped faster than the wind itself, aiming directly for the witch's neck. But of course, the little devil had been ready for this, and simply waved her hands while muttering something in an unrecognizable tongue. Zelda's thin blade smashed into the air in front of her, the metal ringing from the impact. Another barrier.

But it was no use. How could it have been, when Zelda relied on the favor of the Goddesses themselves? With a brief prayer, she reached forward, placing a gloved palm against the barrier. Not even a second passed before it shattered to pieces. Once more, Zelda raised her blade, prepared to make the killing blow.

However, it seemed that this witch was nothing if not shrewd and cunning. As if she had already anticipated this outcome, she placed her palms together, her long, sharp fingernails appearing as claws as they intertwined. She muttered another quick phrase, and a flash of reddish-purple fire encircled her. The flames quickly grew bright, tall, and immensely hot.

With the fire serving as a new makeshift barrier between them, Zelda felt forced to retreat lest she get scorched. She scowled as she eyed the flames, which were so great in height that they eclipsed the witch from view. Clenching her teeth in frustration, Zelda began to pray once more. Anything that this witch was capable of summoning, Zelda was certain she could dispel.

And so she did, conjuring incredible gales that slowly began to smother the fire down to earth. Zelda watched the flames carefully, waiting for the first sign of the witch to reappear, for as soon as she did, Zelda was insistent on finally making her strike.

However, it seemed that the she-Bulblin had the exact same plan. Without warning, something dark shot out from the shrinking inferno. By the time Zelda noticed it, it was already too late. It struck her directly on her left shoulder.

She blinked, recoiling a bit as she wondered what had just happened. What was that? A spell? She quickly went to inspect the area and managed to discover a black mark on her bare skin, almost as if it had been physically inked there. She then frowned as she watched it slowly fade from sight, as if it had never been there to begin with.

It was gone. There was no wound. No pain. No sign that she had even been hit in the first place. What exactly was going on?

Unfortunately, Zelda didn't have the time or the energy to consider it. Not as long as her foe drew breath. Snapping her gaze forward, she was just in time to see the witch's horned head appear over the tops of the dying flames. This was it! Her chance to finish this!

But it was not meant to be. For as soon as Zelda took her aim, the witch murmured something under her breath once more, before promptly clapping her hands together. She did it so swiftly and casually, it was almost as if she wasn't bothered by the Princess's threatening presence at all. And perhaps she had no reason to be, for as soon as her ritual was completed, the she-Bulblin vanished from sight.

Zelda stabbed forward as the inferno finally croaked. As expected, her blade met with nothing but air. The witch was gone, and Zelda was only left to curse.

Teleportation magic… she realized with a glare. She didn't know why the witch had chosen to abandon the battle as well as her allies so abruptly, but Zelda was certain that this is what had happened. She could feel it from the subtle prickling on the back of her hand. That the greatest threat was long gone from the area. In fact, as far as Zelda knew, the she-Bulblin could be halfway across the Kingdom by now.

Zelda cursed again. It wasn't often that she used such profanities, but this day had quickly soured, and it didn't seem to be getting any better. Case in point, she soon heard Shad cry out from behind her.

"Aggh!"

Whipping her head around, Zelda's eyes locked onto the two remaining foes. The only Bulblins that still drew breath. To her horror, she found that the scholar was currently wrestling with them. One was grasping the man from behind while the other was trying to turn Shad's own dagger against him. It was all the scholar could do to keep the blade from reaching his throat.

"Shad!" Zelda cried, suddenly feeling panicked. She was such a fool. Just because the witch had vanished didn't mean that the battle was won! She immediately rushed to his aid.

The first Bulblin fell easily. It never expected to receive a blade through the back of its skull. It fell limp, releasing Shad's dagger.

The second Bulblin was more alert. More cautious. It kept its fierce grip on Shad, using the scholar as its own personal shield. But Zelda was having none of it. A surprisingly beast-like cry escaped from her throat, and she closed the distance between them. What followed was an incredibly brief struggle, with spinning and tugging and wrestling before one of the Bulblin's arms finally came loose from its torso. Naturally, Zelda's blade was responsible.

The creature released Shad and fell to its knees, bellowing a bloodcurdling scream as it writhed in pain. Feeling bloodthirsty yet merciful, Zelda put a swift end to it. Her rapier entered its throat, killing the sound. And with a violent twist, the neck was severed and the head came loose. Its body met the dirt with an unremarkable thud.

And just like that, the encounter was over.

Zelda stood there for a moment, letting her shoulders sag while she tried to catch her breath. Her rapier was covered in bloodstains, as were her dress and gloves. She could tell that her hair had grown somewhat loose and disheveled. She imagined that she must be quite the sorry sight right now. Not that she minded, of course. It was better to be alive and stained rather than dead and pretty.

It wasn't long before her guards ran up to her, looking much the same with blood covering them in odd spots from head to toe. Thankfully, they seemed unharmed. "Are you all right, Your Highness?"

"Yes, I am fine," she assured them. "Is the driver okay?"

"He is. He's managed to collect the horses and they're unharmed as well."

"Thank goodness," Zelda breathed, allowing herself to relax a little more. It seemed that no one had been injured in this battle, and that was something to be grateful for, at least.

However, the Princess soon blinked, realizing that there was still one person she needed to check upon. Feeling guilty, she turned to the scholar who stood behind her and went to inspect him.

"How about you, Shad? Are you okay?"

Zelda extended her hand, hoping to provide him with a light and reassuring touch. But to her surprise, the scholar promptly flinched and took a step back, leaving the Princess's bloody fingers hanging in the air.

Zelda silently looked at Shad and found him staring back at her from behind his round spectacles. To her horror, she discovered that his eyes weren't staring at her as they used to, with a look of admiration and kindness. No, in this moment, he looked upon her with fear, as if the Princess herself was just as frightening as the monsters she had slain.

Zelda didn't know what to say to this, so she simply said nothing, allowing her hand to slowly fall back to her side. Eventually, Shad swallowed and managed to speak up.

"Um, yes, I'm fine…Th-Thank you…"

His voice. It sounded so awkward. So hesitant. So uncomfortable. And it was right then and there that Zelda realized the truth of their relationship. She intimidated him, and despite all of the time that they had spent in each other's company, this was not something that the scholar could look past.

The Princess was simply terrifying.

Feeling like both a beast and a monster, Zelda frowned while her eyes lost a bit of light. When she spoke up, her voice was hollow. "I'm glad. Let's…head back to the castle."

She meant it. They would all collect their things and journey back to the castle together. But despite sharing each other's company on this final trip home, it wouldn't mean anything. The bond was broken. The illusion was shattered.

The relationship was over.

I told you guys I was going to break some things, didn't I? First item on the agenda: Zelda and Shad's relationship. I honestly thought they made a nice match, but I think there are many parts of Zelda that Shad probably isn't comfortable with. Mostly her title, as well as her sudden spurts of bloodthirst haha. I'll expand on the fallout of this in the coming chapters.

On the bright side, Zelda got to be a total badass here! I hope you all enjoyed it. I know I certainly enjoy writing it :)