The rise of a Hero

Chapter 5

Knight's code of honour

3. He is faithful to the given word; it cannot and should not be doubted.

oOo

"I do not need your services today. You are dismissed for the morning," Zelda said to her knight not far from her chambers.

With that, she left him, along with his incomprehension, in the middle of the hallway. The princess could finally feel relieved from his presence and be more at ease. At least, with Cassius by her side, she could have a conversation and forget for a few hours her status as the royal priestess. She found him at their meeting place, and they didn't waste a moment. But Link couldn't afford to let her go without an escort... He took the liberty of following them from a distance while keeping an eye on their surroundings.

He saw Zelda trying to decipher the words engraved on the shrine. What a strange building... Link wondered what the reason for its presence was. No one could enter inside, so what was the point? His surveillance would have gone smoothly if Cassius hadn't eventually noticed him. The vivid blue of his tunic seemed to have betrayed him among the tall grass. The princess was outraged by this behavior: to be followed in such a way, it was... disrespectful! She didn't have the words to describe it. Zelda didn't hesitate to reprimand her knight regarding his previous orders: he was supposed to stay at the castle and not follow her. She reported this to her father, who didn't miss the opportunity to remind her that it was Link's duty to protect her and that he had done it for her own good.

Moreover, the king reproached her for her carelessness and reminded her repeatedly that she should be praying instead of playing the seeker. It was not fitting for a princess. Zelda didn't dare to reply. She felt quite ashamed in front of Link. However, she would have preferred that he had stuck to his leave. Her father also pointed out that the captain of the guard had all the cards in hand to fight against the return of the Calamity, unlike her, who couldn't tap into the power that lay dormant within her. Zelda knew... Link's asset that he mentioned was indeed the Master Sword. It alone reflected all the abilities and talent of the Champion. As for the princess, she felt the complete opposite...

From now on, the royal priestess didn't even bother speaking to him. She knew very well that she would hit a wall. She only spoke to him to give him orders or instructions. Zelda also started to think that he walked several meters behind to be forgotten. And since her meeting with her father, every time she saw the legendary sword, a terrible feeling of shame overwhelmed her and reminded her how unworthy she was.

One morning, the princess had a strange dream. Or rather, she couldn't tell if it was a nightmare. In her dream, she saw herself running in the middle of a plain, as if she were fleeing from something. Fear was written all over her face. But an individual was holding her hand and pulling her along in her escape. Everything was so blurry... She couldn't see his face. Only the blue of his clothing. Then, for a few moments, her mind went blank. There were only cries and powerful detonations. When the vision returned, Zelda was holding the individual in her arms and pleading with him not to leave her alone. Although she couldn't see his face, she felt through her dream that they exchanged a farewell look.

Zelda woke up with a start, forehead sweaty and breathless. The fear she had just felt made her heart beat rapidly in her chest. The young girl couldn't understand how she had such a dream. And the blue tunic... She would recognize it anywhere. The Hylian furrowed her brows as she lay back down, not knowing why her knight had appeared in her dream. Why was she so affected when she had begun to find him insufferable? It didn't make sense.

She tried to forget the nightmare during her morning routine, but she couldn't stop thinking about it. It disturbed her far too much for her liking. So, when she found Link waiting for her as usual, she promptly sent him away, pretending she didn't need his services for the day. But of course, the knight continued to follow her from a distance. In the citadel, everyone could be suspicious. As they crossed a courtyard, a messenger knight arrived running and handed a letter to the princess after saluting her.