The Hero, the Princess, and the Cursed King

Chapter 7: A Princess's Sacrifice

[Zelda]

Zelda sprinted through the castle corridors, her bare feet slapping against the cold stone floor. She hadn't had time to dress correctly, let alone put on her shoes. She finished straightening her skirts as she arrived in the castle's main hall. It was roaring with life. Dozens of captains and majors stood around tables scattered throughout the room, trying to talk over one another. Soldiers ran to and fro to bring messages or reports to their superiors. Zelda's heart dropped. There was only one reason the castle would be this alive in the middle of the night—Gerudo and Hyrule were finally at war.

"Ah, there you are, Zelda." Urbosa was in the middle of the commotion, standing in front of a massive table littered with maps. "I'm glad you're finally here."

"Sorry that I'm late." Zelda approached the table, feeling extra conscious of her messy hair and rumpled dress next to the fully armored soldiers. "I was. . . resting."

"I can tell." Urbosa smiled at her, but it seemed tight and strained. "Our scouts arrived back home late tonight, and, as you've probably guessed, we're under attack. But now that you're here, I can gather everyone."

Zelda hurriedly tried to get herself somewhat presentable as Urbosa gathered the army's captains and majors. Zelda smiled at Link and Ganondorf as they arrived at the table.

"We have received word that the Hyrulian army has finally crossed the northeast border." Urbosa started the briefing by getting straight to the point. "This is not a mere skirmish but a full-blown assault. Somehow they have managed to bolster their numbers, and they now outnumber us almost two-to-one."

"Do we know why they're attacking?" An older captain asked.

Urbosa looked sideways at Zelda. "They think that we've kidnapped their princess."

Zelda's heart squeezed, so this was her fault. She knew her presence among the Gerudo might have serious repercussions but had never thought they would be this extreme.

"Why would that bother them?" Link asked, raising his eyebrow. "They tried to have her killed."

"The king tried to have her killed." Urbosa corrected and, rubbing her forehead, continued. "It seems King Rhoam somehow discovered Zelda's presence among us and used her supposed kidnapping to rally his reluctant subjects to his side. Most of that army believes that they are marching here to save their beloved heir, Princess Zelda, from the cruel hand of her captures."

"Is there a way we could negotiate a peace treaty?" Someone suggested.

Another major nodded her head, agreeing with her fellow soldier. "It's a simple misunderstanding. Surely the people of Hyrule want peace as much as we do."

"But it is King Rhoam calling the shots, not the people," Urbosa explained. "A peace treaty won't work. The tension between us has been building for a long time, and I doubt King Rhoam will settle for anything other than war."

Zelda zoned out as Urbosa and the other majors and captains continued talking strategy. She couldn't believe it. It had been six years since her father had tried to have her killed. He'd always hated how she and her mother had resisted his desire for war.

Zelda trembled with rage. How dare he use her name to justify a war? She was just as much Gerudo as she was Hylian, and she couldn't bear the thought that thousands—possibly tens of thousands—of people would die in her name. Zelda glanced over at Link and Ganondorf, who were both intently listening to the discussion, and her heart sank even lower. If either of those two died in the coming war, she would never forgive herself.

"What are your thoughts, Zelda?" Urbosa asked, all eyes turning to the princess.

"The answer is simple," Zelda spoke up, her voice sounding more confident and assertive than she felt. "I will turn myself over."