How To Be a Prince

No more obstacles

Everything seemed... scorched. The field was littered with bodies and weapons. She could hear the wind whistling through the now quiet field, maybe the pleads of the deceased souls. She could taste the blood lingering in the air, and smell the fear that was once present. Not any more.

Stood a few feet away from here was a group of men, and at the front, a man with a sword held in the air, ready to come down on another man kneeling on the floor. The man's blond hair swayed in the wind as he brought the sword down, ending another one of many lives. The man relished the blood dripping off his sword, as he picked up the head of the and lifted it proudly in the air.

One of the soldiers ripped the crown off the beheaded head, and threw it to the ground, taking care to stamp and spit on it. The once proud triforce was now discarded in the dirt.

The blond haired man snapped his head towards her direction, and pierced her with his brilliant blue eyes; eyes that once felt familiar to her. He leered at the sight of her, and advanced towards her, a malicious and power-hungry expression painted on his face.

"No more obstacles..." Leered the man.

The sword briefly glinted in the air before-

Zelda bolted up, her breathing fast and shallow. Sweat was rolling down her neck and face, probably mixed with tears too. She looked down at her hands to see that they were shaking violently.

Zelda kicked the tangled bed sheets off herself, and stumbled out of her bed, hobbling over to the bathroom sink. She splashed cool water on her face, which was like splashing relief. Zelda calmed her breathing down, and stared into the mirror.

"No more obstacles..."

The words danced around in her mind. What did that mean? What was he doing? Why was he doing it?

Its just a dream she told herself. Just a dream.

There was a loud knocking on the door, which made her want to scream out loud.

"Is your nanny gone?"

Zelda steadied herself before walking over to the door, and opening it, to reveal Link, in his boxers and shirt, and tousled hair, a broad smile painted on his face.

"What are you doing..." Demanded Zelda.

He shrugged.

"Its late." Stated Zelda.

"Yeah..."

"Go back to bed." She ordered.

Link's eyes darted to the bed in her room.

"Your bed!" Zelda snapped.

"Are you alri-"

"Just go!"

Link looked hurt by her hostility towards him, but nodded regardless, and shuffled towards his own room

What is wrong with you?! It was just a dream!

Half of her wanted to call out to him, and tell Link to lay with her, wrapping her with his comforting arms; but she didn't, and allowed him to head dejectedly back to his room.

*******

"Are you all packed?"

Jorulph stood over Link as he was sitting by himself at the table, eating his breakfast.

"I'm not going..." Link mumbled

Jorulph wore a stone expression on his face, as he drew back a chair and sat opposite Link.

"Yes, you are." said Jorulph, "Think of all the lives you're putting at stake by not going."

"But what about Zelda!" Link whined.

Jorulph stared at him angrily and bent a fork.

"That is the last time I hear that..." He growled.

Jorulph reached into his pocket and unrolled a map across the table.

"The journey to Learia is a long one." Explained Jorulph, "But if we take this shortcut here..."

He pointed to a passage way between two mountains.

"We could cut off an ample amount of time."

Link gulped down his scrambled eggs on toast without chewing.

"But. That's... Dangerous!" He choked, trying to clear his throat, "That's where Hylian and Learian soldiers are position in case anyone tries to go through."

"Yes..."

Link stared at Jorulph sceptically.

"I'm a humble guess of the King of Hyrule, and you a citizen." Stated Jorulph, "And we are the princes of Learia. We should be able to get past both of them without much of a fuss."

"I still don't get why you can't do it yourself..." Muttered Link.

Jorulph threw the bent fork at him.

"Can't you get it in your thick head!?" He spat, "I. Can't! I'm not fit for the job. If I do it, I'll just end up finishing my father's mission. My father has moulded me into an ideal tyrant, if I'm in charge, God knows how many lived will be lost. It has to be you."

Link looked slightly alarmed, but mostly because the fork barely missed him.

"You know how to show compassion," Jorulph carried on, "Yet you are fierce. You can love your friends, as well as evoke fear in your enemies."

Jorulph waited for Link to react.

"Be Learia's saviour." Said Jorulph, "Be Hyrule's saviour. I don't care who's saviour you want to be, but just do it."

Link stared down at the map of Hyrule and Learia. He guessed that this must've been an extremely old map, a map from when Hylians and Learians lived side-by-side. Jorulph was right: it was up to him to make things right.

"You don't owe this to anyone." Jorulph said, "But I was hoping your morals would get the better of you."

"Will we come back?"

Jorulph sighed.

"That depends." He replied.

"What's the plan?" asked Link.

Jorulph got up, and looked solemnly at the map.

"I will tell you later." He said, "Go pack, and... Perhaps say your goodbyes."

Jorulph nodded to Link, and walked away.

"She doesn't know." Called out Link, "What should I tell her?"

"Make sure nothing gets in the way." Replied Jorulph, before leaving the dining hall.

Sorry, this was a bit shorter than usual.