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The Silent Hero

Journal Entry #7

[19:39]

[April 14th, 10333 AFGC]

It's one thing to be seen as valuable but another to be seen as valuable enough to be in need of protection.

After I gained the title of Hylian Champion and The Sword's Chosen One, I was entrusted to be Princess Zelda's bodyguard. Although I still am her bodyguard, one of the king's advisors suggested that the bodyguard should have a bodyguard. So, King Rhoam assembled some guards to protect me.

I believe the reasoning behind it is obvious. I must be preserved for the war against Calamity Ganon since I'm the one who wields the Sword that Seals the Darkness. There are a lot of foes around, not to mention, I'm a target for the Yiga Clan, so I assume they thought that the extra precaution was necessary. I appreciate the thought, of course, but I can't see the logic in it. Why am I protecting the princess when I too need protection? It's contradictory. I'm admittedly kind of angry because (although I'm sure it wasn't their intention for it to come across this way) it feels like a dismissal of my skills.

It's been two weeks since this little policy has been put into action. It has been three since I started writing a journal to kill time and use it as an emotional outlet. I heard somewhere that it's therapeutic and a healthy way to write about anything. I've decided to use it to just talk about my day or how I feel about X. It appears to be working so far, but I can't tell if it's just placebo. Either way, does it matter in the end? Though, I've been writing more frequently recently due to this stupid new rule. To put it bluntly: I can't take it any longer.

A few days ago, I decided that it was in my best interest to speak with the king directly and politely ask for the whole idea to be revoked. Not to sound like a snob, but suffice it to say, the competent guards that were given the job were useless and absolute assholes. The first one, Torra, was always talking about himself and never seemed to shut up even when I asked him to be quiet so I could train. I had caught Bossak secretly taking swigs of rum when he thought I wasn't looking. And as for Ranga, he had an attitude on him that was borderline unprofessional, always snapping at me or speaking back to me whenever I asked anything of him. By Thursday, it was clear that I was just better off without them. I had a right to be pissed, for anyone in my position would, so as the Guard Captain, I dismissed them.

I spoke to the king Wednesday afternoon after I arranged an audience with him. Unfortunately, it took longer to organize than I hoped since there was a first-come-first-served waiting list of people who had filled up his schedule. Eventually, I managed to get my 30-minute slot to speak to him about how I felt about the ordeal. If I wasn't able to convince him to repeal the policy, I was hoping that I could at least give an official complaint about the three guards that I had. Maybe then, I could get some replacements. Impa took my side but the other advisor (who's name I forget) wasn't convinced. The king himself however, sympathized with me but refused to rescind the idea, and instead negotiated a slight alternative. In the end, we agreed on the plan to limit the guard number from 3 to 1, much like how Princess Zelda only had me guarding her. I disliked the idea and still do. Yet, I was in no position to complain when I had managed to reach an adequate compromise with the king and his advisors, succeeding some reluctance from the latter. So, the meeting ended with the king informing me that they would arrange for a knight to replace Idiot 1, 2, and 3 to make up for the lower number in skill. (And secretly so I couldn't return to complain again about guards with near-novice ability.)

I'll be introduced to the new knight tomorrow. I'm hoping that they'll be more professional and better mannered than the last three. I just hope that they aren't too pissed about being taken away from their regular duties to have their schedule line up with mine. Torra and Ranga made it very plain that they certainly didn't.