Following the trail of blood that leads to my room, Cado stands by the door, his gun raised in uncertainty.
"Stand back, Link!" Cado commands, his voice grim and harsh.
"What?" Link raises both hands but his body doesn't move.
"Link, step away from her!" Cado shouts again.
Confusion and fear grip me as I shift my body to shield Link. "Cado, what's going on?"
Cado steps inside the room, his eyes darting back and forth between Link and the blood on the floor. "I'm calling 911," he says.
"No!" I get up hastily, unable to take my eyes off the gun. I've never had a gun pointed at me! It's even worse than a knife! One wrong move and–
"Miss, you are clearly in need of medical attention!" His gun still aimed, he orders Link to step away from me.
"Link didn't hurt me!" I say. "Put the gun down before I report this to my father!"
Cado hesitates, thoroughly weighing his options. I appreciate that he is trying to protect me from danger, it's his job after all, but aiming a gun at Link despite having known him for so long is unacceptable! Link has become part of the family and Cado should trust in that.
The gun remains raised. Cado approaches Link cautiously and instructs him to step away from me one last time. Link doesn't comply. His arms are raised, but he stands resolute, refusing to leave my side, which forces Cado to take a different approach. Without second-guessing himself again, Cado jerks Link away from me, his grip both forceful and controlled.
"Cado!" I gasp.
Pushing and pulling with an authoritative presence, Cado ensures Link's arms are securely held behind his back. Link knows better than to fight an armed man. Despite the tense encounter, he shows remarkable restraint, not offering any resistance.
"I order you to stop this at once!" I say to Cado but he doesn't listen.
"I serve your father, Miss, and his instructions were clear. My duty is to safeguard this home from any potential harm and danger!"
Cado knows the gravity of the decisions he must make, balancing his loyalty to my father's orders with the possibility of misjudging Link's intentions.
"Link is not dangerous," I insist, trying to reason with him.
Cado's stern grip on Link's hands remains unyielding as he probes me about my injuries. The weight of his scrutiny adds to my anxiety, and with a racing heart, I resort to a lie.
"I cut myself."
I can't fool him. He demands the truth. "Where do your injuries really stem from?"
"It's the truth, you have to believe me! I cut myself while shaving."
His skepticism is evident as he probes further. "You shave your arms? And your face? Those are clearly stab wounds. Who attacked you?" His gaze briefly shifts to Link, suspicion lingering in the air. "Are you protecting him, Miss? Are you scared of him?"
I can't tell him about Malice but I also can't let Link take the blame for this either! My lies are flimsy, and I know it. Panic settles in, and I realize there's no way I can come up with a more convincing explanation.
Maybe Cado will believe me without an explanation. I speak sincerely, cautious about my words. "Link did not hurt me. I'm not protecting him and I'm not scared of him. You have to believe me."
"But I heard you scream," Cado says. "I heard you say the word 'stop'."
The slightest hesitation gives it all away. At least to Cado, there is only one logical explanation for all of this. His mind is made up and he doesn't give me another chance to lie my way out of it. He takes decisive action, forcefully dragging Link out of my room.
He comes to a sudden stop when he reaches the hallway, his eyes following the blood on the floor.
I get up swiftly despite the pain shooting through my ankle as I hop after him. "Cado!" I shout, his hand reaching for the doorknob to Malice's room. "Wait!"
But before I can catch up, he opens the door. Not only is the creme carpet marked by unsettling blood splatters, but a strange girl is lying motionlessly on the bed like a corpse.
I contemplate the potential consequences of Cado's next move. If he calls an ambulance, Malice will go to jail. If he calls the police, both Malice and Link will go to jail. And I can't even begin to imagine Father's punishment for inviting Malice to our home. All the outcomes are looking bad.
My mind races, desperately searching for a solution that will protect everyone involved. There is no time to waste. When Cado dials 911 on his phone, I have to come forward with the truth.
"Okay, I can explain," I say, trying to get his attention.
I hear a faint voice on the other line. "911, what's your emergency?"
"Cado!" I urgently grab his arm, trying to make him understand. "She's a friend," I pant. "She stayed the night, that's all!"
But Cado remains focused, knowing better than to wait for questionable explanations.
"This is Cado, the security guard at the Hyrule residence," he speaks into his phone.
I have to stop him!
"Cado, please hang up, let's talk this through! I know this looks bad, but calling for help right now will only make things worse."
However, Cado continues to relay the situation to the operator, not giving my words much thought. "There are multiple injuries that require immediate medical attention," he says.
I need to act fast. I open the pocket knife. I know it's a dangerous move, but one that might just save us all. Link watches me with a mixture of worry and confusion.
Once he understands my plan, Link shakes his head in distraught. "Zelda, no, what are you doing?"
"One of the residents has suffered stab wounds," Cado continues, his focus solely on the phone, his back turned my way. "Another individual is unconscious. I have the attacker restrained."
"Cado!" I cry out again, but my voice seems to fall on deaf ears.
It's Link's urgent and desperate shout that finally grabs Cado's attention. "Zelda! Stop!"
Cado finally turns to see what is happening behind his back. His eyes widen in shock and disbelief as they fixate on the knife in my hand. The persisting voice of the operator fades into the background as she repeatedly asks for an address.
"W–What are you doing?" Cado asks in shock.
The knife is not pointed at Cado. It would be irrational to threaten him. His job is to protect me, not himself, and so I knew I would get him to listen if I threatened myself instead. The cold blade pressed against my wrist, its sharp edge poises to breach my skin.
"Hang up," I demand in a grave tone.
The weight of the moment hangs in the air, as if time itself is holding its breath. My heart pounds in my chest, and I know that the stakes are high.
"But... Miss Zelda..."
I apply pressure to my skin, my eyes never leaving his. "Listen to me carefully, Cado. Link didn't hurt me, and that girl doesn't need an ambulance. So hang up the phone."
Meeting my fierce gaze with his own, Cado finally makes the right decision and tells the 911 operator that help is no longer needed. He ends the call. "Now hand me the knife," he urges.
I don't move. He needs to hear me out first. "Malice is resting. You will not disturb her, understood? You will not call 911, and you will not report to my father either. I promise, we'll explain everything to him, we just need a little time to sort things out first."
"It is my duty to–"
"Safeguard this home," I agree with him. "Link is innocent and Malice needs rest. Keep us all safe by walking away right now. Don't talk to anyone about this and don't intervene unless asked to do so." He looks disturbed and uncomfortable with the idea of leaving this scene the way it is. "Please trust me. Let me handle it. I'll make sure everyone gets the help they need."
Cado turns to look at Malice, his expression a mix of confusion and concern. "Zelda, what's going on here? Who is this girl? And who caused your injuries? It certainly wasn't your own doing."
"The truth is... That girl is my friend. We went to a bar last night," I make up yet another lie. "We had a couple of drinks and strolled along the beach afterwards. That's where we... We got attacked by some homeless person. He threatened us with a knife. I gave him all the change I had on me but it wasn't enough. He wanted more. Fortunately, we managed to get away from him with only a few minor cuts. It's really nothing. Link already took care of my wounds and my friend just needs to sleep off her hangover."
So far Cado hasn't interrupted me, which I take as a good sign. "Why did you shout out the word 'stop' earlier?"
"Because my friend tried to do the same thing you tried to do. She tried to convince me to call for help. But if we call 911, my father will find out that I went to a bar and we will get in trouble for underaged drinking. Just trust me on this, okay? We need to sober up and then my friend can go home without anyone getting in trouble."
Cado's features soften slightly as he absorbs my words, but his duty to protect remains steadfast. "I understand your intentions, but keeping something like this a secret is dangerous. Your father wouldn't approve, and he deserves to know what's happening under his roof."
"I know, but please, just give me a chance to explain everything to him," I plead. He will be back Monday and I will sit down with him and tell him everything.
Meanwhile, Malice remains unconscious on the bed, oblivious to the turmoil surrounding her. Her breathing is steady, but the marks of her rough life on the streets are evident, and my heart aches with the desire to help her heal.
Cado knows the risks of keeping secrets, but he also understands the consequences of his actions.
"Alright," he finally says, relenting slightly. "But you need to talk to your father as soon as possible. This situation can't remain hidden."
I nod gratefully, relieved that Cado is giving me a chance to handle the situation myself. Little does he know that I have no intention of telling Father about any of this.
Cado extends his open hand. "Now hand over the knife," he requests firmly.
"Let go of Link first," I say and he obliges. I hand Cado the knife.
"I will send the maid for the blood," Cado offers, attempting to be helpful in the aftermath of the chaotic situation
"Give her the day off," I say. "I will clean it myself."
I can't risk the staff's gossip reaching Father's ears.
Cado looks hesitant, wrestling with the conflicting responsibilities of his duty and his concern for the household's well-being. However, he ultimately respects my wishes and nods in agreement. "Alright, as you wish, Zelda. But I need to trust that you'll handle this properly. I will be checking on you. And you must tell your Father."
"I will. Just let me handle it."
As I watch Cado leave the hallway to return to his post, I let out a long breath and quietly shut the door to Malice's room. I can't believe that worked... Now I have to get rid of the blood and cover the cuts on my arms. And I have to come up with a better story because my skin will not have time to heal before Father comes home.
Once Cado is out of sight and the tension is gone, Link turns to scold me. "Are you insane?" He snarls, sounding breathless. "What the hell was that? Do you have a death wish or something?"
"I needed to do something!"
"Slitting your wrist is not helpful! What the fuck, Zelda!"
I hate it when he swears at me but I can't blame him. I understand his frustrations.
"At least I got him to listen to me," I say, aware that my impulsive decision may not have been the wisest. "I needed him to leave us alone, Link."
"Jesus Christ," he pants, massaging his neck aggressively.
"What was I supposed to do? Let him arrest you?"
"You scared the shit out of me..."
"You knew I wasn't going to do it."
"Did I?"
"Did you not?"
"How was I supposed to know that, Zelda! Did we have a code word that I didn't catch on to? A secret wink or hand sign that says 'hey I'm just pretending to threaten to kill myself in front of everyone right now so lean back and enjoy the show'? Shit, you could have accidentally hurt yourself! Don't ever do that again! "
"I'm not planning on it."
We both take a moment to catch our breath, allowing our nerves to settle.
We walk back to my room where the white sheets look like a crime scene. Link's voice softens, filled with genuine concern and care. "You know, maybe calling 911 would be the right course of action. I'm not really qualified to take care of your wounds, and Malice might genuinely need medical attention."
"I know." I'm already steering for his phone on the nightstand. "That's why we're going to call Mipha."