To Capture the Heart of a Hero
Chapter 64 – Rescue
In the realm between conscious and unconscious, amidst the fragments of dreams and nothingness, Zelda stumbled upon a distant memory. It was winter, and she was a young girl, likely no older than five. She found herself in the courtyard of her family's manor in Snowpeak, where fluffy white crystals continuously showered upon her.
Before long, a youthful woman ran up from behind and snatched Zelda into her arms. She had long brunette hair and a beautiful smile. She held Zelda close as her voice chimed with laughter.
"Ah, I've got you now, Princess. You'll never escape this witch's grasp!"
Zelda's face brightened. She recognized this game of "Rescue", which she so often loved to play with her parents. Of course, her mother always insisted on being the witch. She thought it was charming.
"Now that I've got you in my grasp, I'll cast a spell of one thousand kisses!" the Queen teased. She soon made good on this threat, pulling the girl close and kissing everywhere from her head to her neck to her cheek.
Zelda promptly squealed before giggling. She spotted her father on the other side of the courtyard and called for him. "Someone help!" her youthful voice squeaked. "I need (hehe) a Prince to save me!"
A younger, livelier Caius stopped what he was doing and grinned. As if he needed to be told twice. He soon rushed to his daughter's aid with a hearty chuckle. "Don't worry, Princess! I will rescue you!"
What ensued was a playful back and forth, Athena swinging her daughter through the air to keep her out of Caius's reach. Zelda eventually escaped and the situation dissolved into her parents happily tossing snow at one another and laughing. Once they had their fun, Athena graciously surrendered.
"You've bested me, sweet Prince," she said, as dramatically as ever. "But I'll be sure to capture that Princess again, just you wait."
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Caius replied confidently. He then scooped his prize up into his arms, holding Zelda close. As always, he expected a small thank you kiss. It was only fair after he had so courageously come to her rescue, after all.
Zelda gladly complied, kissing her father's cheek. After this, the family retreated to the den, content to relax and warm up after their time of play was finished.
Separating from the memory, Zelda's present self reflected on this. The simple games that she had experienced with her parents so often. She supposed that this is where it all began. That distant, youthful, innocent dream of hers that she had wished for ever since she was a child. A dream that was almost forgotten at times, and yet had always lingered within her heart. A dream that even now, still made her feel equally giddy and breathless just from thinking about it.
The dream of a brave man riding to her rescue, should she ever find herself in danger…
With a start, Zelda awoke. A loud horn rang out, waking the rest of the camp as well. It was currently dawn, and the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon. The nearby ruins—now revealed to be abandoned and run-down homes in the light of morning—cast long shadows on the fields before them.
Zelda glanced around, trying to gather her senses as well as her bearings. She was chained to a post. In a Bulblin camp. A horn was blaring.
Why was a horn blaring?
The sight of several Bulblins rising to their feet and grasping their weapons answered that query soon enough. The sound of the horn was a warning. It meant that someone approached their camp, and they were all expected to prepare for battle.
Similarly, King Bulblin rose from his place on the ground, large axe firmly held in hand. He turned, facing away from the sun and following the shadows that trailed across the open plain before them. Zelda glanced in the same direction, and there, in the very far distance, she spotted a lone horse and rider approaching them.
Bulblin soon began issuing orders in his native tongue. The Bulblins ran to and fro, their archers taking positions on top of the deteriorated homes, while the axemen stationed themselves around the sides. Before long, they stood in what appeared to be some sort of bottleneck formation, their lines leaving an open pathway directly to the King, as well as Zelda's post.
The Princess also noticed that Reshka remained by her side throughout the commotion, her expression blank and eyes disinterested. Feeling daring, Zelda attempted once again to ask the Goddesses to bless her with magic so that she could free herself, but it proved just as fruitless as before. The gifts of magic were still beyond her. She wondered if her proximity to the witch had something to do with it. Perhaps her presence alone intensified whatever curse had been placed upon the Princess.
Either way, it appeared that Zelda was stuck, and this person riding fearlessly into the Bulblin camp would be her new ray of hope. Her light in the darkness which would rescue her from her imprisonment. She soon smiled at the thought. She had the utmost faith in him. After all, he had done it once before.
The Hero clad in green reached the outskirts of the ruined buildings. His chestnut horse moved swiftly, and it would be mere moments before he encountered the first of the Bulblins. However, just as the horned creatures atop the buildings began to raise their bows and take steady aim, the King called out in their tongue. He was loud and stern, and seemed to be issuing careful instructions. A second later, the bows fell, and those brandishing axes and swords lowered their weapons as well.
It was clear that the King had ordered them to stand down. Link seemed to have taken notice of this and simply scowled. He gladly ignored the peons so he could focus on his true opponent and the woman who was chained up behind him. Even at this distance, Zelda felt like she could see a bright flame ignite behind his beautiful blue eyes.
Epona dashed all the way into the heart of the camp, where Link gracefully slipped off from her back and landed in a crouch. He then smacked Epona's rear, silently instructing her to leave him. She obeyed, dashing straight out of the camp and into the open fields. At first glance, it almost seemed like a foolish decision. The Hero had clearly just cut off his path of escape, and any chance of fleeing from the Bulblins would certainly prove fruitless. But Zelda understood his decision perfectly. The Hero only wanted to ensure that his beloved horse would be safe once the inevitable battle broke out. In instances like this, it was better to keep her far rather than near.
With that matter out of the way, Link slowly turned to face his opponent. There was still a good amount of distance between them, so the Hero kept his arms at his sides, far from the sword and shield at his back.
"So," he said, sounding unexpectedly calm, "you're the one behind all of this?"
Bulblin briefly nodded. "Aye."
Link frowned and shook his head. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me. And I assume it's a battle you want?"
"Aye."
The Hero was silent for a moment, but soon gave a firm nod. "Very well."
Zelda almost felt herself go breathless at this brief yet efficient exchange. Somehow, it seemed that Link had managed to surmise all of King Bulblin's goals in an instant. He knew that the beast wanted battle. He knew that Zelda wouldn't be released until he agreed. Honestly, the Hero might have been wiser than most people tended to give him credit for. At the very least, he had managed to reach an understanding with Bulblin far sooner than the Princess had.
It was around this point that Link's fierce eyes flickered to Zelda's location, and promptly softened a bit.
"Zelda, are you okay?" he asked, his voice remaining as calm as undisturbed waters.
She soon smiled back, trying to reassure him. "I'm a little stiff and uncomfortable, but otherwise fine."
His expression softened some more, now appearing a little guilty. "Can you hold on for a little bit? I promise I'll get you out of here."
"Of course," she responded sweetly. "Take your time."
A simple but appreciative nod was all she received in return, and yet this small gesture was still enough to send her heart into a frenzy. Enough to remind her of her silly little dream that she had held ever since she was a girl. She looked upon him. Her friend. Her Hero. Her savior. The man who would always defend her and make sure that she was free from harm.
For months, she had been plagued with conflicting emotions. Affection and admiration. Trepidation and reservation. A desire to pursue. A desire to let him go. Endless weeks caught up in the torment of her own heartbreak.
But it was here, in this one moment, with the light of the morning sun falling on Link's face as he confidently drew sword and shield alike, that her feelings for the Hero became unquestionably clear.
Zelda loved him with all her heart.
"Ready?" Link asked his opponent.
A single grunt was all that followed as the King grasped his large axe with both hands. He even cracked his neck for good measure.
And without another word, the battle for the fate of the Princess began.
Link rushed forward, fire in eyes and sword and shield in hand. He swiped horizontally, but Bulblin casually blocked it with the handle of his axe. Apparently, it was sturdy enough to accept such blows without trouble. But the Hero was relentless, raining heavy strike after heavy strike, looking for an opening. Bulblin's mouth fell ajar as he continued to block every attack.
Eventually, the King caught Link's blade in the hollow of his axe where the head met handle. Seizing this opportunity, the beast swung hard, sending Link stumbling back a couple of steps. Now free of the close combat, Bulblin raised his axe high overhead, ready to bring it vertically upon his opponent.
It was fated to be a deadly strike. One which would cleave the Hero in two if he wasn't careful.
Fortunately, he was, stepping to the side quickly enough to avoid losing an arm. The massive axe sunk into the earth, and Link did not waste this opening. Shield in hand, he bashed the metal right into Bulblin's unsuspecting face. The beast recoiled from the bluntness of the blow. This led to a split-second window of opportunity, which the Hero capitalized on with actions that appeared as natural as breathing.
Leaping into the air, Link performed a brief front flip while slashing Bulblin in the shoulder. The beast snarled as Link landed safely behind him. The edge of the Hero's sword was now red with blood.
Bulblin recovered swiftly, making his fresh wound seem like a trifle. Zelda anxiously bit her lip as she watched the two of them square off once more. She was impressed by Link's flawless performance so far, but it seemed that the battle was far from over, and she feared whatever came next.
Link closed the distance again, slamming his sword against the handle of the axe. He may not have been able to land any significant blows, but as long as he was in close quarters, Bulblin wouldn't have the time or room to properly swing that axe of his. All the Hero had to do was wait for an opening.
It came far sooner than he could have prayed for.
Link thrust his Ordonian sword forward, successfully plunging it into the upper arm of the beast. His piercing red eyes winced as he growled some more. Feeling satisfied, Link withdrew the blade, leaving a spurt of blood to follow in its wake. At the same time, the Bulblin's grip on his axe loosened until he was only wielding it with one hand.
Another opening! Link realized. Hoping to once again capitalize on a new vulnerability, he swung his sword towards the undefended side.
Or so he thought.
With a fierce glare, Bulblin raised his bleeding arm up and caught the sword with his bare hand. The sharp steel sunk into his palm, drawing more blood as he clenched his fist tight.
Zelda winced. That had to have been excruciatingly painful, but the beast didn't seem to care. At least not when he had the Hero stuck in his grasp.
Link's wide-eyed expression revealed that he understood the gravity of his situation too. Before he even had a chance to withdraw his sword, he could already see Bulblin raising his axe into a thrusting position. He intended to impale Link's arm just as he had been impaled. The only difference was that the axe was so broad and girthy, it would leave more than a minor flesh wound. It would likely tear the Hero's arm off.
Bulblin roared as he thrust forward, while Link responded in the only way he could. He raised his shield while clenching his sword tight.
Time seemed to slow. Bulblin released the sword, his blood falling to the ground. After this, not even half a second passed before the wide head of the axe crashed into Link's shield with a metallic sound ringing as loud as a bell. The force of the blow was so powerful, Link was pushed back again, this time being lifted off of his feet. He stumbled a bit when his boots fell back on the hard ground, but he at least kept sword and shield in hand, and while he was a little breathless, he was relatively unharmed.
Unfortunately, the good news promptly stopped there. Bulblin wasn't giving the Hero an inch. Not when his blood was boiling in the heat of battle. With his mouth still ajar and eyes still glaring, he took his axe in both hands and wound up for the mightiest swing yet. It was all Link could do to plant his feet firmly on the earth and raise both sword and shield into a defensive position.
The blow was swifter than a guillotine. The massive axe collided with the Hero's weapons, and Link barely had time to let out a yelp before he was knocked away. His airtime was so brief, you could have blinked and missed it, but Zelda managed to catch every horrifying moment of it. The Hero flew back-first into a ruined home, smashing through a rotting door frame as if it were hay.
From there, the Hero vanished from sight, but there were just as many disturbing sounds to be heard regardless. The sound of wood snapping and beams breaking and a man grunting while some glass shattered. The snapping of old wood then became a symphony of noise as the entire home began to quiver. A few seconds later, a portion of the roof collapsed inward, burying whoever remained inside.
Zelda clenched her teeth, trying to step forward while the manacles around her wrists held her back. She was terrified. Breathless. Speechless. She couldn't even bring herself to scream, for she couldn't see what good it would do.
The only thing she could even think to do was pray, so she poured her entire heart into it.
Oh, Goddesses, please protect him. I'm begging you. Oh, please, please, please, let him walk out of here alive…
Meanwhile, the Bulblin camp erupted into enthusiastic cheers and yips and other celebratory noises. Even the wretched witch next to Zelda contented to share one of her haunting cackles. As for King Bulblin, his expression remained unfazed, his mouth lazily hanging open just like always. He kept his eyes glued on the collapsed structure, as if waiting for something. Something inevitable.
Clunk.
The camp fell silent. Zelda opened her eyes and forced them on the wreckage, just as everyone else did. A few wooden boards slid loose before a Hylian shield appeared amidst the rubble. It was soon followed by a sword and a body clothed in green.
Scratched and bruised, the Hero pushed himself to his feet before walking between the few walls that remained. His lip was cracked, and a stream of red trickled out from its side. He soon spit and blood hit the ground. He brushed at his mouth with the back of his hand.
His eyes never left the King.
Zelda wasn't sure, as she did not consider herself an expert on reading Bulblin's expressions, but she could've sworn she witnessed his mouth curve upwards into a slight grin.
Link, on the other hand, seemed less than amused. He simply raised his sword and shield up once more, as if nothing was amiss. He was all business.
It wasn't long before Bulblin responded in kind.
Without a word, the two collided. Link tried to draw near while Bulblin used wide sweeps to keep him back. The Hero knew that the blows were too heavy to withstand, so he chose to dodge, duck, and weave. But this strategy was of little help to him. In order to fight, he needed to get in close.
Throwing caution to the wind, Link fell into a roll, just narrowly dodging Bulblin's latest swipe. He masterfully circled around behind the brute, leaping up into a spin. His sword sparkled red as it drew blood from Bulblin's back.
"Grah!" the beast roared. He whipped around, ready to sink his axe into the scrawny man that dared to strike him.
But the Hero was gone. Having rolled further around the brute, he now crouched next to Bulblin's short but sturdy legs. Wasting no time, he plunged his blade into the nearest thigh.
Another roar escaped the victim's maw. He couldn't take it, he fell to one knee, snarling as the blood escaped his veins. He swung his axe at his opponent once more, and this time Link didn't flee.
There was no need. Not when faced with such a weak, desperate attack. Clenching his teeth, he swung his own weapon and met the attack head-on. The pieces of steel collided, and yet Link remained standing. If anything, it was the King who sank deeper into his crouch.
Link dropped his shield, and took his sword in both hands, just as his opponent did. Raising the blade overhead, he prepared to bring it down without mercy.
Wham!
The blade met the handle of the axe. It was all Bulblin could do to protect himself while in this vulnerable position.
Wham!
Another blow. This time it was so powerful, the wood began to splinter.
Crack!
It was over. The once sturdy handle completely shattered under the might of Link's blade. The hefty axe-head fell to the ground with a thud, leaving a splintered log as the only remaining tool in Bulblin's grasp.
Which wasn't much use now that Link had his blade to the King's throat.
The Hero breathed, slowly and heavily, the exhaustion from his actions catching up to him. His cracked lip continued to bleed, but he paid it no mind. His eyes were still solely focused on his foe.
"It's over." He said it with such finality, Zelda almost felt shivers rush across her skin.
Bulblin breathed in equal measure before letting his shoulders fully sag. He soon tossed the remainder of his axe away before grasping at his bleeding arm. He bowed his head, but only enough to avoid the tip of Link's blade.
"It's over," he agreed. "Once again, I submit to the strongest side."
Link gave a small nod before gesturing to the post where Zelda remained. "Have her released. Now."
Bulblin kept his head down, but barked out orders in his native tongue. The Bulblins seemed agitated, some of them raising their weapons as if to retaliate, but an even louder, sterner sound came from Bulblin's throat, and his people soon fell silent and still. Reshka scowled a bit, her purple eyes appearing as no more as pinpricks for a moment, before muttering a spell.
A few seconds later, Zelda's cuffs opened, and for the first time in the last twelve hours, her arms were allowed to fall to her sides. They felt extremely stiff and sore after having hung in the air for so long, but Zelda just breathed a small sigh of relief. It was good to be free.
However, it wasn't long before Reshka clamped her sharp fingers tightly around Zelda's wrist and began pulling her forward. Zelda lacked any arm strength to fight back, and her legs were also rather sore from supporting her all night, so she was left with little choice but to comply.
Fortunately, there was nothing to fear, for the short witch led Zelda straight to where Link awaited her. Once they were close, the she-Bulblin released the Princess, nearly tugging her forward as she did. Zelda stumbled a bit, but she recovered easily enough. She then looked up to find Link extending a hand to her.
"You still okay?" he asked with a soft smile.
Zelda could feel her face flood with even more relief than she thought was possible. "Never better," she assured him. She soon took his hand, and he pulled her close.
"I'm glad," he told her. His expression then turned serious once more as he faced his foe. The Bulblin in question stared back at him without fear.
It was strange, actually. As Zelda gazed upon him, she couldn't sense any malice in the brute's eyes. Any hatred or contempt for the wounds that had been inflicted upon him. If anything, it almost seemed as if there was something positive in those beady red orbs of his. Something akin to…admiration.
It seemed that the King of the Bulblins truly did follow the strong. In this moment, Zelda realized that this creature was as simple and honest as they came. And she respected that.
"I'll spare you this time," Link muttered. "But know this. If you ever lay a finger on Zelda again, I'll kill you."
King Bulblin blinked, his mouth hanging open like always. "You are very protective of your leader," was all he said.
"Never forget it," Link stressed with a nod. "And would you please stay out of trouble from now on? I'd rather not have to do this again. Ever."
"If that is your wish," Bulblin replied with another bow of his head.
"Good," Link said, using the same amount of finality as earlier. He then sheathed his sword and collected his shield as well. Still keeping a tight grasp on Zelda's arm (perhaps for the sake of keeping her close and safe), he soon pulled out a small whistle and blew into it. Its high-pitched melody echoed out into the air for a moment.
"Epona is on her way," Link assured Zelda. "Come on, let's start heading back to the castle and leave this whole mess behind us."
Link gently tugged on her arm, encouraging Zelda to follow him out to the plains where Epona would greet them. However, the Princess found herself feeling hesitant and reluctant. She dared a glance back at the Bulblin camp. At the Hunt that collectively stood motionless, appearing defeated and silent. She soon felt conflicted. As if it would be wrong to simply leave like this.
"Link, wait," she suddenly said, surprising herself nearly as much as the Hero. She pulled her arm free of his. Then, before she had time for any regrets, she retraced her steps back to where Bulblin kneeled. By this point, he was practically sitting in a pool of his own blood, but just like everything else, he hardly seemed concerned about it.
Mustering her courage, the Princess soon spoke up in her stern, majestic tone. "King Bulblin, I come to you with a humble request." She paused, placing a gloved hand over her heart. "I ask that you pledge yourself to me, and officially establish your people as one of Hyrule's own."
The camp fell silent. The Bulblins remained motionless in their positions. As for the King, he simply stared at the Princess for a while before slightly tilting his head, as if confused. Although his confusion was nothing compared to Link's.
"Wait, what?" he interrupted, quickly stumbling over to the Princess's side. "Zelda, what did you just say? You can't be serious."
She merely raised a hand, calling for silence. The Hero complied, although he still looked rather concerned about whatever was happening here.
"Pledge your allegiance to me, and the Kingdom of Hyrule," Zelda repeated again. "If you agree to work with us, we will gladly welcome you as proper citizens."
Unfortunately, Bulblin seemed as disinterested as ever. The Princess's words barely managed to affect him at all. "I will not follow you. I only follow-"
"The strongest side," Zelda finished with a smirk. "Trust me, I understand that now. You are saying that you will only swear fealty to the Hero, correct?"
"Aye."
"And what if the Hero already swore fealty to me and my Kingdom? Would you not then become subjects of Hyrule by extension?"
The King paused, closing his mouth for a moment only to have it fall open again. "I suppose..."
Zelda's smirk grew wider. "Then there shouldn't be any issue. By your own choice, you will follow Link, the Hero of Twilight. And Link," she turned to the Hero, "you will always be loyal to me, will you not?"
Link appeared stumped. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, and he felt even more caught off guard once the Princess started involving him in the conversation. "What? Well, I mean, yes, I will always be loyal to you, Zelda, but-"
"But nothing," she quickly interjected. "Your loyalty to me shines through. I'm sure that everyone here can acknowledge that. And since this is the case, our path forward becomes clear and obvious."
Link frowned. He wished to say something. To interrupt this fiasco once more, but Zelda was already moving on without missing a beat. The Princess crouched so that her eyes were perfectly level with Bulblin's own. Even from the side, Link could spot those sapphires of hers burning as bright as ever.
"King Bulblin, you will swear fealty to this Kingdom. You will swear fealty to the monarchy that governs it. You will live and abide by our laws with the utmost integrity. Additionally, you shall take your place amongst the leaders and Kings of Hyrule by joining the Hyrule United Roundtable. From this day forward, you will work together with us, and your people will strive to make our Kingdom a better place to live. Not just for yourselves, but for all peoples. That is your future. That is your direction. And it will be through the Hero's will that you shall carry this out."
There was silence. Not a soul dared to move. King Bulblin continued to eye the Princess before him, as if curious and lost in thought. Link felt similarly stunned. He couldn't believe how much passion was invoked in her speeches. How she easily conveyed the beliefs of her own heart, as if they were a hard truth that simply needed to be accepted by all those around her. She was offering to instate the Bulblins as one of Hyrule's domesticated peoples, an idea that sounded absolutely absurd on paper, and yet she said it without fear. As if this future she envisioned was the most natural course of action. He truly admired her wisdom and courage.
Amidst the silence, Zelda eventually extended her hand forward. "Are we in agreement?"
Bulblin remained still for a while, likely thinking everything through. Eventually he glanced at the Hero for a brief moment before sighing. "I agree."
The brute accepted the Princess's hand, swallowing it up in his massive fingers. They shook as drops of blood stained Zelda's pristine glove. But she didn't mind. She was practically grinning from ear to ear.
"I look forward to working with your people," she said with the utmost sincerity. "The Hero and I will be in contact with you again soon, so in the meantime, please refrain from ambushing any travelers, or harming any of this Kingdom's settlements or citizens. I'm sure that you can promise me that, can't you?"
"If the Hero wills it," the beast replied bluntly.
They both turned to Link with an expectant gaze. Bulblin's expression seemed lost, as if looking for an answer, while Zelda's appeared bold and beseeching. He knew that she was relying on him in order for any of this to have even the smallest chance of success. Let alone making a lick of sense.
But of course, Link had a weakness for Zelda's soft, pleading eyes, and he soon felt the answer tumbling from his mouth without any effort on his part.
"That is my will."
"Then it shall be done," Bulblin replied simply. "Our future shall align with yours, Monarch of Hyrule."
"Please, 'Princess Zelda' will do for now," she clarified with a smile. "I eagerly look forward to working with you, King Bulblin." She then broke free of their clasped hands before fully returning to the Hero's side. Her expression was one of pure triumph.
"There, now we can be off," she decided.
I used to lack confidence in my ability to write fight scenes, but nowadays I feel like I at least enjoy writing them to an extent :) Similar to when I put Zelda in battle, I love giving Link the chance to be badass too!
Also, remember when I said I had big plans for the Bulblins in this story? Well, guess what? I meant it ;)