A Couple of Trials (ZeLink)

Chapter 33: Misguided Jealousy

"Incredible," she remarked. "We're at a point now where we can actually control them. At the current rate, we'll soon know all we need to understand about the guardians and the Divine Beasts."

Confidently, Zelda turned to her knight with a confident gleam in her eye.

"Should Ganon ever show herself again, we'll be well positioned to defend ourselves."

She stared into Link's eyes, who gave her a simple smile in return. The two were so entranced with each other's gazes that neither heard their visitor step onto the bridge.

"What are you doing out here, Zelda?"

The deep, rumbling voice made Zelda's heart stop. Suddenly, all the confidence she had been excreting had completely vanished as she quickly turned to see her father walking toward them, his heavy boots echoing with each step he took. His dark brown and gold accented robe that wrapped around his large body billowed at his ankles, while his perfectly white beard and mustache under his large nose matched his under-robes perfectly. Immediately, the knight that had been so gently smiling at her had become stone-faced, the persona of pure silence returning as he knelt before the King of Hyrule, who came to a stop only a few feet away from his daughter, joined by two guards at each side.

As King Rhoam stared down at his daughter with his tired, but stern eyes Zelda felt her heartbeat quicken, as if realizing only now that her father had asked her a question.

"I–I..." Zelda began nervously, but using what little confidence she retained, she balled her hands into fists. "I was assessing the results of the experiments with the guardians. These pieces of ancient technology could be quite useful against the—"

"I know that," Rhoam said quietly, but sternly. His heavy tone vibrated through Zelda's body, right to her core. "They are essential to Hyrule's future, and our research demands we keep a close eye on them. However, as the princess, you currently have a crucial unfulfilled responsibility to your kingdom."

At these words, the confidence Zelda had managed to scrape together began to vanish, Lowering her head, she looked down at the stone she stood on.

"Let me ask you once more," the king continued. "When will you stop treating this as some sort of childish game?"

"I'm doing everything I can," Zelda answered, trying to maintain her composure. Digging her nails into her palms, she continued. "I–I'll have you know I just recently returned from the Spring of Courage, where I offered every ounce of my prayers to the Goddess—"

"—and now you are here wasting your time," the king finished for her. "You need to be dedicating every moment you have to your training. You must be single–minded in unlocking the power that will seal Calamity Ganon away."

"I–I already am... Don't you see? There's nothing more I can do!" Zelda said loudly, throwing caution to the wind that brushed past them on the bridge. Releasing the tension in her fist, she raised a hand to her chest. "My hope is... My hope is that you... That you'll allow me to contribute here in whatever way I can—"

"No more excuses, Zelda!"

The weight of his words would've brought the princess to her knees hadn't she known it would've made things worse.

"Stop running away from your duty," Rhoam continued. "As the king, I forbid you to have anything to do with these machines from this moment on, and command you to focus on your training."

Zelda's heart broke, and it was clear Rhoam could see it in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, he stepped to the side of the bridge and peered down at the guardians she had been watching.