To Capture the Heart of a Hero

Chapter 63 – King Bulblin

Zelda slowly lifted her eyelids, feeling her wits return to her at a similar pace. She felt so groggy and out of sorts, in addition to downright uncomfortable. She found herself standing up straight, her back resting against something hard and wooden, with her arms raised overhead. What an odd position, she mused.

Unfortunately, her dreamlike tranquility was interrupted as soon as she fully opened her eyes and found a violet pair staring back at her.

Zelda nearly gasped, but instead her breath caught in her throat. She would've taken a defensive step back if there wasn't something blocking her path. "You!"

The witch cackled, as if amused by such startled behavior. It was a haunting sound, wicked and unsettling. The she-Bulblin then relaxed, happily baring her fangs.

Zelda tried to turn away from the devil, hoping to collect her bearings instead. Unfortunately, her surroundings proved to be an equally unwelcome sight. The sun had finished setting, the sky now shifting into shades of navy blue while the stars announced their presence. Because of this, the landscape had grown dark, but Zelda spotted numerous bonfires and ruined buildings scattered throughout her peripheral vision. Each bright flame contained the silhouette of a Bulblin resting nearby. Their numbers were great, and certainly a cause for concern, but Zelda was more preoccupied with her immediate situation. She found that her back was pressed to a wooden post, one with a chain dangling from the top. At the end of the chain were iron manacles that had been clamped on her wrists and kept her arms overhead at all times. She tried to tug on them, but while her feet were firmly planted on the ground, she could barely move an inch. She was completely and utterly bound.

Zelda didn't have the slightest idea of how she had ended up in such a place, but she was at least able to determine the where and why. She was in a Bulblin camp, and she was their captive.

At times like these, she supposed that nothing else really mattered.

Clenching her teeth, Zelda went to make her move. She called upon the Goddesses, humbly asking them to bless her with their light as she prepared to cast a spell that would free her of her bindings. Once she accomplished that, she'd swiftly attack the witch before fleeing. If she was lucky, she might be able to acquire one of the Bulblin's mounts and make a clean escape before they caught her—

Her strategy promptly died there, for Zelda soon realized that while she had called for the Goddesses' blessing more than a few seconds ago, nothing had happened. She was still tightly bound, the iron chain as sturdy as ever.

Zelda felt confused but attempted to recite her prayer. All she needed was a small bit of magic to shatter these manacles. It should have been a simple task. One that was more than manageable.

And yet, once again, nothing happened. This time, Zelda frowned. Something was seriously wrong here. Another cackle from the witch was all she needed to confirm it.

The Princess glared down at the wretch. The Bulblin taunted her by waving a finger in the air, while also muttering something in a language which Zelda did not understand. Nevertheless, the message was perfectly clear. Zelda was incapable of casting spells at this moment. Perhaps the witch had done something to her. Marked her with a curse that would prevent her from accessing magic. It was a logical conclusion, especially since there was no other way to confine someone as capable as Zelda.

The Princess released a heavy sigh as she allowed her arms to hang limp against the chains. If she was stuck, then she supposed that her time was best spent thinking through her current roadblocks. Assuming that she was truly cursed, then she had no way of accessing magic, and no way of removing said curse. Not to mention that an escape would be out of the question too. With that dismal fact established, Zelda returned to her earlier queries. How had she come to be here, and what did her captors desire?

It was no surprise that royalty often made for valuable hostages. Their very lives could be exchanged for just about anything their captors sought. Riches. Power. Favors awarded through threats and demands. It was a wretched outcome, but certainly a plausible one, considering the circumstances. Still, Zelda hesitated a bit as she considered how well such a strategy matched her particular captors. Did the Bulblins desire power? Did they desire wealth? Honestly, she had a hard time believing it, especially since the Bulblins were usually known for being simple at heart. Creatures who only ambushed and stole because it would mean filling their bellies for the night, and nothing more.

But if that was the case, then why would the Bulblins have kidnapped one of the most important figures in the Kingdom? Surely they would demand something more than mere food, yes? She'd at least like to believe that her life was worth more than that…

"You have awoken," a deep, gruff voice demanded her attention. Zelda nearly froze as she tried to determine its source. Not only did it sound terribly imposing, but it immediately caught her curiosity as well.

Hylian speech? In a Bulblin camp?

While trying to wrap her mind around something that she believed to be an impossibility, the owner of the voice revealed himself. Stepping out from the shadow of nearby ruins was a great, masculine figure, one who was far larger than any Bulblin Zelda had ever witnessed. He stood as tall as she did, if not taller, and his muscular body was both heavy and stout. Zelda might not have assumed him a Bulblin at all, if she hadn't recognized his green skin, piercing red eyes, and horns which curved out and then up, far over his head. His mouth was ajar, revealing an uneven row of teeth. And his weapon of choice? A massive axe that was somehow even longer than he was tall, horns included.

Zelda nearly shivered as she continued to take him in. He was just so menacing, even at a glance. It wasn't long before his large figure lumbered closer to her, his beady red eyes looking her over in return. She wasn't sure, but for a moment, it almost seemed like they studied the golden circlet that rested on her brow.

"You are the monarch," he said in his gruff voice.

Again, Zelda had to pause and realize that this creature was actually speaking to her. The Bulblins were known to have spoken their own, primitive language, but it had never been studied by the scholars of this era or translated into Hylian speech. Which is why it was an even greater shock to discover a Bulblin who freely spoke the Hylians' common language. This was entirely unprecedented.

"Do you have no words?" the large one demanded, seeming impatient.

"I…I was not aware that you spoke in our tongue," Zelda finally answered back. "How have you come to learn our words?"

The Bulblin merely scowled. "I have known it from birth, in addition to many other tongues. But that is not of importance."

Zelda vehemently disagreed. As a history buff and someone who loved to study culture, this sounded like a monumental discovery! One that needed to be explored and expanded upon. But she wisely chose to hold her tongue. She knew that this dire situation was not the time or place for such things.

"You are the monarch?" he repeated, this time stressing the fact that it was a question and that he very much expected an answer.

Zelda boldly stared at him. "I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule, yes. Now, may I question who is asking?"

He scowled again. He did not seem pleased to have the Princess directing any queries back upon himself. Nevertheless, he chose to answer. "King Bulblin, the one who leads this Hunt."

A Hunt, Zelda reminded herself, was the term often used to describe a Bulblin's traveling party. So this was who she was speaking with. A rather important figure, considering the circumstances. "And what does the leader of the horned devils want with me?"

"Bait."

It was an answer so blunt and unexpected, Zelda needed a moment to process it. "Bait? I'm not sure that I follow…"

"You don't need to," he asserted.

This time, Zelda was the one who scowled. She felt that if she was going to be forced into a hostage negotiation, then she at least deserved to know what was going on. And besides, this "King Bulblin" wasn't really threatening her in any manner, so she found him far from intimidating at the moment.

"Please, what is it that you desire?" Zelda coaxed him. "Wealth? Land?"

"We have no use for such things," Bulblin replied, being as blunt as ever.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Food, then?"

"No."

A bit of a surprising answer, but a relieving one too. At least her life was worth more than mere consumables. "Then explain. What do you want? I'm sure that as long as it's feasible, I can assist in the negotiations."

Bulblin shook his head. "You have nothing that I want."

Another answer that left Zelda stumped. The Bulblins had planned and successfully pulled off a royal kidnapping. It was by no means an easy feat, and one that was sure to be handsomely rewarded if they played their cards right. And yet, despite their favorable position, the King was saying that he desired nothing from her. Nothing at all. What a conundrum this was turning out to be.

"I don't understand," Zelda said with a shake of her head. "If that is the case, then why have you gone to the trouble of bringing me here?"

"Reshka assured me that it was no trouble at all."

"Reshka?"

"Our Hunt's finest witch," he said with a jerk of his head. Zelda followed the motion only to be met with the short little she-Bulblin. She bared her fangs in a wide grin which continued to frustrate the Princess to no end. "She claimed that it was a simple matter to strike you unawares and steal you away from your home. And so it was."

Zelda clenched her teeth, only growing more irritated. They were practically insulting her. Stating that the Princess and her castle were incapable of defending her from one measly witch. Although, based on her current situation, she couldn't exactly disagree with them…

"She used a delayed sleeping spell," Zelda surmised as she finally put the pieces together. "That's what the black mark was. And once I was vulnerable, I'm sure that a quick teleportation in and out of the castle was enough to do the job."

"I don't claim to know her methods," Bulblin answered. It wasn't clear if he was withholding the satisfaction of being correct from the Princess, or if he just truly didn't know. Reshka cackled all the same, earning her a glare from Zelda. This little witch really was a thorn in her side.

"Well then, surely there is some reason why I've been dragged out here and chained to a post?" Zelda continued, drawing upon an untapped stream of sarcasm. "Or should I try my luck and kindly ask you to unbind me? I know that it's late, but I still would very much like to go home."

"Enough," the King growled. His tone made it evident that he was not in the mood for any games. "The only thing I require from you is to remain here. As long as you do, he will come."

Zelda frowned at this. It was her first inkling as to what Bulblin was up to, and yet he was still being as vague and blunt as ever. "He?" she finally repeated.

"The one in green," Bulblin muttered. "The Hero."

"Link?" Zelda then froze, wishing that she could clamp a hand over her mouth. She hadn't meant to utter his name like that. It had been pure instinct.

Fortunately, Bulblin didn't seem to think anything of it. In fact, he barely even shrugged before lowering himself to the ground, resting his back against the pillar of an abandoned building. He seemed content to sit for a while.

Amidst the calm and quiet, Zelda gathered her courage to speak once more. "What do you want with the Hero?"

He eyed her lazily, almost as if her existence didn't matter to him in the slightest. Nevertheless, he continued to answer her queries.

"Battle."

"A battle? You…wish to fight with the Hero?"

"Aye."

Zelda paused, recalling how Link had shared stories of a large Bulblin who rode atop a boar, and had battled him on many occasions throughout his adventure. She could only assume that this was that same Bulblin. Who else could possibly fit the description? And if this was the case, then it was certain that both Hero and King shared a connection…

"Why do you wish to fight the Hero?" she continued. "Is it for revenge? To settle an old rivalry?"

Bulblin grunted, looking displeased. "You think so little of our people. Offering us riches. Knowing not why we battle. Your ignorance insults us."

Zelda went silent at this. She never intended to offend her captors with what she believed to be a fairly innocent question. But she couldn't deny that there was truth in his words. She knew so little about the Bulblins aside from secondhand accounts. And even then, who could say whether or not those accounts had any truth to them? For the first time in her life, Zelda realized that this band of green-skinned, horned ambushers was almost a complete mystery to her. A mystery to all of Hyrule.

"Forgive me," she said, bowing her head. "I do not intend to insult; I merely intend to understand. Why do you seek a battle with the Hero?"

Bulblin scowled once more. "Will your questions ever cease?"

"How am I to understand if I do not ask?"

"Tch." He looked away, staring at the nearest bonfire. Around it sat the slim figures of his Bulblin brethren, happily helping themselves to the meat of some creature they had slaughtered that day. Zelda glanced over and watched them for a while too.

"The Hero is the only one who has ever bested me in combat and still lives," Bulblin mumbled. "There was once another, but his life was snuffed out by the Hero's hand. Now it is he and he alone who I consider the strong."

Zelda felt shivers run along her skin. She was startled to know that such a gruff, grotesque, and seemingly primitive creature could speak with such heart. Such conviction.

"I follow the strongest side. That is all I have ever known. The first man to best me took advantage of this. He commanded me and my brethren to serve him, and we did, committing many atrocities in his name. But it was also through this servitude that I encountered the Hero, challenging him time and again. He was strong, and he continued to grow in strength until he eventually slayed the only man who stood above me."

"And that man's name…was Zant, wasn't it?" Zelda asked quietly.

Bulblin only returned the smallest of nods. "After this, I encountered the Hero in one final battle, and it was here that he bested me with a strength so absolute, I dare not question it. So I retreated. The Hero in green would become my new goal. The only one who stood above me, and the only one I follow.

"However, in the time since that final battle, the Hero has not once sought me out. Has not once given me or my brethren instructions. Has not once challenged others, or displayed his strength to prove his dominance. He has become complacent. He whittles his time away in his village of goats and pumpkins. This…is not who I follow. This is not the warrior who bested me. I refuse to accept it."

Zelda frowned at this. "You seek a conqueror?"

"I seek direction," the King clarified. "The man of Twilight and the Hero are both strong. The man of Twilight provided us with direction and purpose. The Hero has not. Now we are aimless. My strength is questionable. What am I to do but continue the only thing I have ever known? Ram my horns against all who stand above me."

"I see…" Zelda mumbled, finally feeling like she was beginning to understand just who King Bulblin was, and why this entire scenario had been concocted in the first place. "You wish to battle with Link–I mean, the Hero, in order to find out if he still has the right to stand above you? To see if his strength still exceeds yours, and if he is worthy of your allegiance."

"Aye," the King replied simply.

The Princess soon sighed, letting her arms hang loose in their cuffs. Never in her life would she have imagined that a Bulblin could hold such sophisticated ideals. To constantly seek strength as a source of guidance. To submit to strength in order to attain it. It sounded barbaric, but also passionate. She imagined that it took a great deal of pride and trust to follow these foundations wholeheartedly, and her respect for the monster who had kidnapped her was slowly but steadily rising.

"Thank you," she eventually whispered. "I appreciate that you were willing to be so open and honest with me, King Bulblin. Considering the circumstances, you really had no obligation to share this information with me, and for that, I will treasure it."

The King stared at her, slack-jawed as always. Perhaps this was his way of frowning. "Do as you please," he muttered.

"It is strange," Zelda continued. "You have committed terrible deeds, but you do not seem like a terrible person."

A grunt came from the hulking figure. Zelda almost felt compelled to smile.

"Is it safe to presume that you mean me no harm?"

"I only want the Hero."

"In that case, can you clarify one final thing for me? For what reason have you brought me here?"

"Bait."

Ah, yes, bait. Now it all made sense. To put it in fishing terms, the Princess would be the disgusting worm who lured Link into Bulblin's trap. Zelda almost felt ashamed for not putting it together before now, but then again, the King's blunt answers hadn't made the connection very clear…

Zelda suddenly frowned. On second thought, things still didn't quite add up here. What was the connection?

"You…believe that keeping me here will lure in the Hero, yes?" Zelda asked slowly.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To fight."

Zelda sighed again. "No, I understand that. I mean to say, why would you use me as your hostage? Surely there were easier targets you could have acquired?"

Bulblin seemed confused by the question. "I already told you that Reshka stole you easily enough-"

"No," Zelda said, feeling daring enough to cut him off. "You're strong, aren't you? Surely you could have stolen anyone to lure the Hero in. A child from his village, perhaps? It certainly wouldn't have been the first time you did such things…So, why go to the trouble of kidnapping me?"

Bulblin was silent for a moment, but he eventually shrugged. "The Hero is at his strongest when he fights for you."

Zelda was equally quiet as her lips fell into a frown. "What do you mean?"

"I have seen the Hero fight to save a child. I have seen the Hero fight to save a sick Zora. I have seen the Hero fight when a monster simply stands in the way of his path. But the only time I have ever fully submitted to him, was when I stood in the way of the Hero saving you."

Again, Zelda felt chills flow through her while she shivered. Was that really true? Did Link truly become stronger whenever he believed that Zelda was in peril? She then recalled the final battle against Ganondorf, and how bravely and ferociously Link had stood his ground. Staring daggers at the tyrant as if he were no more than a goat who had escaped its pen. Stepping forward to challenge him while Zelda and Epona remained safely behind.

Perhaps she could see it after all…

"The Hero draws strength from his monarch," said Bulblin, "and it is that strength which I seek to combat. Let us both hope that he will not disappoint."

Zelda slowly nodded before glancing up at the stars. "Aye, let us hope," she agreed.

There was more silence, save for some soft background noise. The howling of wind. The crackling of the bonfires. The distant cackles of the Bulblins that sat around them. For some, this scene might have been a nightmare. But for someone as brave as Zelda, she almost found it tranquil.

She chose to softly speak up once more. "King Bulblin."

Unfortunately, his response was less than welcoming. "Quiet. I've had enough of your queries."

Zelda frowned at his rudeness, but she continued without faltering. "I've never encountered a Bulblin who could speak my language. And if you can speak, and I can understand, then the two of us should talk. I'm ashamed to admit that my people know very little about yours."

His red eyes narrowed, as if being cautious. "Perhaps it is best left that way."

"I disagree," she replied with a shake of her head. "I believe that we both could have something to gain by knowing each other better. There seems to be a great hostility between our people, but perhaps it doesn't need to be that way. Perhaps we could come to an agreement."

The King sat there for a while, appearing lost in thought while he casually tapped his axe against his shoulder. Eventually, he shook his head back. "I have no need for understandings or hostilities. I only follow the strong."

Zelda frowned some more. "But don't you see? This could be a wonderful opportunity for-"

"Enough," Bulblin growled for the second time that evening. "I've already said that I've heard enough of your words. Reshka."

The Bulblin witch perked up before answering back in a foreign tongue.

"Put the monarch to sleep. We have no need of her until the Hero arrives."

"King Bulblin, please-" Zelda tried to begin, but it was no use. Reshka was quick to obey her orders, weaving a spell that promptly lured the Princess off into the land of dreams. The last thing she saw before entering that darkness was a pair of red eyes. Red eyes that were hostile, but also held the smallest spark of curiosity within them.

I have big plans for the Bulblins! It's actually a lot of fun to be able to explore their characters. It's also kind of the reason why this story ended up being 100 chapters long lol. Hopefully it will all be worth it in the end :)