Couple of the Wild (ZeLink)

Chapter 56: The Princess Who Used to Smile

"There we go," the royal guard muttered, gently placing the little girl in his arms down onto the large bed. He dusted off his white gloves in an attempt to rid them of the dirt marks that had come from Aryll's dress before turning to the little boy that was standing silently behind him. After inspecting his palms to ensure they were as clean as he could get them, he got down onto one knee and looked at the boy with a gentle smile.

"Link, was it?" the guard asked. Link nodded in response. "It's nice to meet you. I was a knight trained by your father years back. If it weren't for his teachings, I don't believe I ever would have dreamed of being on the royal guard. Do you plan to sleep soon? It is getting fairly late."

Link shrugged, unable to keep his eyes locked onto the knights. They had begun to wander, taking in the sight of the large, stone room they were currently in. A row of windows lined each wall, with moonlight illuminating the room to showcase each design that had been intricately crafted into the stone brick. The beams on the roof had some sort of detailed craftsmanship, as the grey stone contrasted with the red tile. With another glance down towards the base of the walls, wooden desks and dressers could be seen lined against their borders. Neither a splinter nor warp could be seen in their shapes, with light shining off the wood from how smooth they had been sanded. Even the carpet beneath their feet made Link feel as though he was standing on his bed at home. The knight watched as Link observed his surroundings before chuckling.

"It must be different from your home in Hateno, isn't it?" he asked. Link nodded again, this time much slower as he continued to look around. The knight began to look around as well with pride showing on his face as he continued to talk. "This castle is the center of Hyrule, a show of our pride and unity. While clean and perfect in every regard, this castle is centuries old. It's a testament to our kingdom's prosperity, possibly the oldest building in our lands apart from, say, the Temple of Time. Not many get to enjoy its guest bedroom, so make sure you savor this moment. I just wish you were here under... more enjoyable circumstances."

"Is the princess okay?" Link asked suddenly, turning his attention to the royal guard once being reminded of why they were here. The guard returned his gaze to Link, his prideful feelings falling to slight sorrow.

"The Little Highness... has kept to herself for the most part," the guard said, standing to his feet as he looked towards the large wooden doors of the guest room. "She's been staying in her room. Whereas before she would be everywhere around the castle, now we barely see her. They say she hasn't cried. Even the Sheikah and maidens that attend to her say they haven't seen an ounce of emotion from the poor girl. Behind that stone face must be a girl that feels a lot, just sitting in her room trying to process what happened at such a young age. She can't be much older than you, possibly even a month or two younger."

The royal guard sighed in sorrow as he continued to stare at the doors. After a deep breath, he looked back down at Link as he tried to place a smile on once more.

"Sorry. Here I am talking to one as young as you with such complicated matters," he said. "The best thing you can do for the princess, and the king, is to attend the funeral and send your sincerest prayers to the Goddess. Can you do that?"

Link nodded once more in agreement. The knight nodded in return before beginning to turn around. Before heading to the door, however, he stopped before looking back at the boy once more.

"Are those the only clothes you have?" he asked, receiving another nod in answer. "Then if you plan to stay awake for a bit longer, I shall send a handmaiden in a few moments with... a gift. Wait for a knock at the door, alright?"

With that, the royal guard disappeared. After another glance around the room, Link walked over to one of the windows before standing on his toes to look out into the distance. Parts of the castle, towers, and buildings, could be seen from his room. In the distance, far below he could see the illuminated city of Castle Town. While this was a beautiful view, it didn't help take his mind off of the girl that kept appearing in his thoughts. The image of the princess was just sitting in her room alone kept flashing in his mind, unable to rest the worry. It wasn't until he heard a knock at the door did he tear his eyes away from the glass plane.