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.
I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
The legends of Hyrule's Hero had been recited to you many times when you were young. The reminder that the hero would return again in your lifetime then followed. The message that the fate of Hyrule rested on his shoulders was repeated to you time and time again.
Though, at that age, you didn't realize you were fated to meet him.
"I'm (Name). It's a privilege to make your acquaintance, Master Link! I hope we can work well together!"
You gave the blond your best smile, holding out your gloved hand. Link silently shook your hand in greeting, giving a polite nod and a half-smile. You withdrew your hand, letting it fall to your side, keeping the smile on your face as Link turned away to view what was going on in front of him. You took the time to study him, as it was the first time you had met him up close. Strong build, extremely attractive with a cool nature.
You had been informed that Link wasn't one for conversation, but that much you already knew. You had quickly picked that up from the gossip spread among the other knights and the castle staff. After being offered what was essentially a promotion for a solo job, you jumped at the opportunity and wholeheartedly accepted.
Your new job was an interesting one, and caught your attention from the moment it was proposed to you. You had to admit, a knight suddenly getting informed to guard another knight was unorthodox and perhaps a little strange, to say the least. But in retrospect, you finally understood why they had asked a knight to fulfill the role since, no offense to the guards, but none of them had the refined skill, endurance, and stamina to take on a job that was meant for three people (two being the bare minimum). The job would be difficult for sure. You were used to alternating shifts when it came to guarding nobles or royals. You would no doubt get tired, and you would have to think outside of the box if you ever got sick. Yet, you didn't feel like you had the option to turn down the job. The pay rise was enticing enough, but even if you wanted to refuse, you doubted they would maintain faith in you since they clearly expected you to accept without hesitation. There was a certain atmosphere of expectation that surrounded your superiors when the job was proposed to you, and something told you that refusal was off the table long before the thought would even cross your mind. It was a good thing you would never turn it down in the first place.
It was jaw-dropping that you had to guard Link of all people. He was the strongest and most experienced knight in the whole castle. He was remarkably proficient with many weapons, especially skilled in the art of swordsmanship. You had even heard that he was a child prodigy in combat. Not to mention, he was the Master Sword's Chosen One, Hylian Champion, Imperial Guard Captain, Hero of Hyrule (even though he hadn't really done anything yet), and Princess Zelda's personal guard. The royal family profoundly trusted him, and he was on his way to a future brighter than the sunshine coming through your bedroom window on your day off. If you were to rate yourself in comparison, you were probably a solid fourth in skill level and an eighty-third in fancy, over-the-top, bit-of-a-mouthful titles. The job wasn't asked to the second and third best knights because it was beneath them. Or maybe it was proposed, but they had the option of saying no without the small chance of being reprimanded. Either way, there was definitely an invisible line between you and the top three knights. A line that you were yet to cross.
You received a thorough briefing of what was expected of you, your longer shifts, how you should expect the work times to fluctuate depending on the situation, a reminder of how to refer to Link, the other Champions and royals with the proper honorifics (which for Link was either Master Link, or Ser Link depending on his personal preference that you would have to find out for yourself), and got given a schedule that corresponded with Link's that you were expected to revise and follow. Not to mention, you were given some quick advice on some interpersonal tips on how to communicate effectively with Link, considering that he preferred to keep verbal communication to a minimum. Not that your job was to get too chummy with him anyway, but there were times where you would have to talk to him. You were instructed that you were to remain invisible. That your presence around him had to be near non-existent, and as ignorable as possible, as not to become a hovering entity. As harsh as the instructions were, you understood the reasoning behind it, but you believed that you could at least form some sort of a friendly, professional bond with him nonetheless.
Although not explicitly mentioned in the briefing, it was to your understanding that Link had been under the protection of three guards that were fresh out of training prior to you. Their names had been long lost on you, but there was clearly a bit of pressure to outperform them as you were the one-man replacement. Not that would be much of an issue anyway. You were confident enough in your skills and knew the do's and don'ts of the job, so as long as you didn't slack off, you had nothing to worry about.
You turned to follow Link's gaze as he looked down at the Guardians being trained in the western courtyard. You watched the scene with interest, as you had never had the chance to stop and watch it before. It was fascinating. The ancient technology was an enigma, but the Sheikah had done extremely well to study and crack down how to get the Guardians up and running. There was still a way to go until they were controllable and fully operational, but things were looking positive so far.
Link appeared to have free time for the next few hours as the princess wasn't due to leave the castle until three. It was evident from him wearing his regular (and slightly scruffy) day-to-day clothes as opposed to the Champion's uniform. You wondered what Link did in his free time, but you would undoubtedly find out soon enough. So far, he seemed quite content studying his surroundings, occasionally stopping to view sites of interest. You began your first shift now since it was an appropriate time to introduce yourself and get on solid, amiable, acquaintance terms with Link while he was free.
Link finally turned away and walked along the catwalk into the building ahead as you followed behind, giving your surroundings a once-over. If you were going to act as a higher-skilled guard, then you would need to assess yours — and, more importantly, Link's — surroundings at every given opportunity.
You and Link walked through the castle for the next five minutes, making your way down and out into the central courtyard. You curiously followed him through it, observing a few castle staff and Sheikah members stopping to wish you or Link 'good morning' or give a small wave and a smile. The difference between you and Link's response was that you returned the greetings with a bright grin and a wave or a cheerful 'good morning' while Link just gave a silent nod and the occasional half-smile that you received earlier. You were already learning more about Link in the quarter of an hour that you had been around him. There was a lot of speculation why Link refused to speak. Some of the other knights argued that he couldn't and had dysarthria, apraxia, or some other speaking disorder or learning disability that hindered his speech. Others pointed out that some people claimed to have heard him speak before and that he just chose not to. And others just believed that he did it to appear cool. You personally were reluctant to write it off as the latter and thought that there must be more to it. Nevertheless, you didn't want to poke your nose into his business. Something told you it was personal.
You followed Link over to the stables where all of the horses were lined up. Link went over to his horse, a dark bay one with a black mane, white ankle fur, black hooves, and a white marking from its forehead to its black muzzle. You gave the horse a curious once over, surprised to see that Link didn't have a horse that was more likely to grab people's attention, but it seemed like he didn't care much about that. It was a lot like yours, average-sized, plain, and not very flashy.
You leaned on one of the wooden poles, watching Link enter the stable and give the mare a reassuring pat. It wasn't long until he led her out and tied her to one of the wooden posts outside. He then picked up a pitchfork and a wheelbarrow and got to work clearing out the stable.
You supposed you could add 'chores' to the ongoing list of things that Link did in his free time. It really wasn't surprising. All the knights and guards did chores when they didn't have shifts, albeit reluctantly. Cleaning and taking care of your uniform, horses, and weapons were just part of the job. Some knights and guards managed to cut down on chores, bribing hall boys to clean their uniforms and weapons and paying the stable boys to take care of their horses. It wasn't explicitly against the rules, though many of your superiors would turn up their nose at the discovery. Though, the younger castle staff were always looking for ways to make a couple of extra rupees. Whether it was taking the royals' old or unwanted clothes to the pickers or doing extra chores, it didn't matter much to them. Though, it was refreshing to see that Link didn't use his position or money to avoid pulling his weight.
As Link started cleaning, you let your gaze drift to the sky. No doubt, you would be hanging around for a while. Though it only looked like the stable required some new straw rather than a full clean, so unless Link decided otherwise, you wouldn't be there for too long.
Maybe you could try talking to him? Now was a better time than any. It wasn't like cleaning a stable required much concentration.
'Though he does look pretty focused...' you mused, glancing over at him. His eyes were fixed on the ground; lips pulled into a thin line. 'No, not focused. Just thinking...' you affirmed, looking at him mildly.
"You know, lots of the other knights get stable boys to do their work. It's nice to see you pull your weight," you stated, smiling. Not exactly an icebreaker, but it was a start. You hoped you didn't come off as patronizing. Link snapped out of his slight daze and spared you a small glance out of the corner of his eye but continued working. "Though it does get tedious. Getting real free time — the kind without chores — is hard. It can get a little painful to watch people basking in the sun on a day like this," you chuckled.
Link didn't respond, and you awkwardly bit your tongue. Well, weren't you off to a great start? You weren't necessarily expecting a response, but even just a smile or some non-verbal pleasantries would have been fine. You would have even settled for a change in his demeanor.
Perhaps you were set up for some awkwardness. You hoped he wouldn't get too sick of you, but considering that you had a minimum seven till nine shift that could be relative to various circumstances, you figured that might be an unavoidable outcome. You could sometimes be a bit annoying. It was no lie that you could get a little too chatty. It was something you had to work on. You didn't want to give the impression to Link that he was forced to talk or even listen to you. Maybe you should make that clear?
"Hey, um...I know you don't talk much, so don't feel like you have to listen to me ramble on. I can take a hint, so if you want me to shut up, you don't have to say," you explained. This time Link stopped working and looked up at you. You took this as a cue to continue. "But uh, it will make communication between us difficult. So I wanted to ask you if there is anything I can do, and if there is anything, I should be aware of, now that we're going to be spending a lot of time together."
Link looked at you with a contemplative expression, leaning on the pitchfork. He looked up and softly sighed, mulling something over. You bit the inside of your cheek, anxiously awaiting his response.
He then looked back at you, and although reluctantly, opened his mouth and began speaking.
"I'll ask you if I need anything. I have regular private meetings with the other Champions and sometimes need to discuss confidential matters with the princess," he listed monotonously, about to turn away before suddenly stopping. "And I go to bed late," he quickly added on.
You blinked, feeling momentarily stunned. You certainly weren't expecting him to speak. It seemed as if he wasn't as tight-lipped as you thought. Though, having said that, he seemed very uncomfortable talking. You would make sure to try to avoid having to coax words out of him from now on.
A warm smile grew onto your face. Though, you couldn't deny that you felt a little privileged. You were sure that not many people got to hear Link speak.
"How late?"
Link began working again, "Usually ten...twelve at the latest."
You sharply bit your tongue. Well...it seems like you wouldn't be able to finish with your hourly minimum after all. Great...
You nodded and continued smiling, though it had become a bit strained. Link then turned away and carried on loading the staw into the wheelbarrow. You took one final glance at him and turned away, shifting your attention back to the sky, watching a mountain crow land on a tree branch.
♙ ♝ ♙
When it was finally time for you and Link to head out, you headed over to the armory to grab extra weapons and supplies. You two briefly parted so Link could get changed into his Champion's tunic and nicer pants while you left to get changed your full armor set, as opposed to the light chainmail and leather sword strap that you wore inside the castle grounds. You two then returned to the stables to load up your horses to set off to meet up with Princess Zelda.
You and Link didn't exchange any words as you both got onto your horses and left the stable. You contently followed along behind Link as he led the way over to the front gate. Upon arriving, you noticed the princess on her horse, looking a bit disgruntled as she waited for Link. As soon as she laid eyes on him, her frown deepened, but her eyebrows quickly shot up upon noticing you trailing along behind him. Her face settled on a frown as her gaze returned to Link.
"I shouldn't have to wait for you if you're going to take this long," she remarked as you and Link draw near. Link didn't respond, so she turned her attention to you. "And who are you? Don't tell me my father assigned you to look after me as well."
You ignored her rudeness and put on a smile. "My main role is to guard Master Link, but as he is your appointed knight, I am to ensure your protection as well. I'm (Name)!"
"Ah, yes, I forgot. It's nice to meet you," she greeted transiently, though her tone wasn't as brash this time. Although, her greeting seemed entirely formal rather than friendly, as she didn't smile and turned away quite dismissively after uttering out her response.
You bit the inside of your cheek, feeling disgruntled at the princess's bitterness. Though, you tried not to take it too personally. You watched her gaze return to Link one final time and send him one last glare. Something told you it wasn't just the afternoon result of the usual Monday blues. You wondered what on earth Link had done to upset her.
The princess began leading her horse through the gates as you and Link followed along behind. You walked through Castle Town, receiving waves and attention. You kept an eye on each of the people, making sure that they didn't get to close to the horses or block the path ahead. You admittedly got a bit anxious when two boys ran out in front of Zelda's horse, startling it, but thankfully the horse didn't get too much of a scare, nor did the children get trampled on as their mother pulled them out of the way and scolded them.
Once you made it out of the main gates and into Hyrule Field, you immediately went on high alert. You began keeping an eye out for any nearby monster camps, or any Chuchu or Forest Octoroks that may pop out of the grass at any given moment.
You decided to fall to the very back so you could keep an eye on the two of them. In this type of situation, it would have been nice to have at least one other knight leading upfront so they could monitor the road ahead while you kept an eye on Link and Zelda from the back, keeping them sandwiched in the middle. Though since it was only you, you had to settle with following from behind while taking the occasional peek up ahead rather than moving to walk upfront. It was usually the smarter and safer decision when not walking on hazardous grounds.
"We'll be heading out into Hyrule Field. I have a theory that the Sheikah Slate may be the key to unlocking the Shrines around Hyrule, and now that Doctor Purah has finally got it working we can see if it reacts when in close proximity to them," Zelda announced, pulling out a heavy gold and brown slate from her bag. You didn't get a good look at it, but you recognized the blue Sheikah eye emblem on the back. She began swiping her finger across the blue screen and occasionally tapping it. You didn't fully understand what she was talking about, but you didn't feel that it was appropriate to start asking questions.
You scanned the area every once in a while. It seemed that Link had caught on to your train of thought once he glanced behind, seeing you crane your neck to scan the road ahead. Your eyes met his, and that was all of the confirmation he needed to urge his horse into a trot so he could walk upfront. You noticed the princess' frown, as he passed by her and slowed down once he replaced her position as the leader.
You rose an eyebrow pensively but didn't comment on it. Although you wouldn't have liked Link to fill in that role for you since he was one of the people you were meant to protect, it was probably for the best anyway. Interestingly enough, when out with the princess, the priority of protecting her preceded the priority of protecting Link when push came to shove. Despite Link being the focus of your job, the briefing told you that in a dire situation and you had to choose between Link and Zelda, you were required to jump in to protect her. It sounded contradictory at first, but it was logical. Zelda had limited fighting capabilities while you and Link had years of experience. Not to mention, she was a royal. It only made sense that she would become the main priority. Although Link was part of the royal court, at the end of the day, you were a Hylian Knight, and your main priority would always be to protect the royal family.
You stared at the back of Link's head. You weren't stupid. You knew Link could take care of himself. In fact, he'd last longer in a fight compared to you anyway (more or less). Anyone could see that he would do just fine. He didn't need protection at all, and that was plainly obvious to everyone around, including the people who made the decision to give you the role of his guard in the first place. Yet, the real reason why you were there was much darker than what your role's official description was. Link didn't need protection, but he needed to be preserved. He was needed for war and was an essential asset for the Hylian Army to defeat Calamity Ganon. Without him and the princess, Hyrule was undoubtedly doomed. Your job wasn't to fight all of his battles for him. Your job was a precaution so you could be there in a dire situation.
Your job was to die in place of him.
If a spear was thrown, it was your job to jump in front of him. If a bridge was falling, it was your job to shove him off it. If you were unsure if something was poisoned, it was your job to test it for him. If a strong foe came along, it was your job to fight for him. You were there to give your life in place of his. Short and simple.
"Start heading that way," she stated, pointing to the right. Link spared a quick glance behind at her hand and steered his horse in that direction. The three of you began walking down the path leading to Carok Bridge.
Once you got near enough to the river, you strayed from the path as Zelda instructed Link to head over to Quarry. The princess appeared to be following some sort of map on what you assumed was the Sheikah Slate she mentioned earlier. You wondered where exactly you were all headed, but you supposed that Zelda herself wasn't entirely sure either.
The three of you dismounted your horses after crossing the moat surrounding the small island. Zelda marched on ahead while you and Link trailed along behind, scanning the area.
"According to this, there should be a Sheikah structure just up ahead. I studied the one inside the castle and the one we passed a few minutes ago, but I haven't been able to find the connection between the Sheikah Slate and these ancient structures just yet," the princess explained, looking up at the large mount thoughtfully. "Though, it certainly would be useful if I could just find the structure..." she muttered to herself with a frustrated sigh, looking around.
You and Link stood by as Zelda wandered around and scoured the rocky mount. You trusted that Zelda would make it obvious if she were in trouble. Link, much like you, was scanning the area for potential hazards. You noticed him quickly snap his head over to the trees and suddenly relax when a fox ran by. The scene made you chuckle a tiny bit. He might be taking his job a little too seriously...
Link looked over at you with confusion upon registering your quiet giggle that slipped past your lips. You blinked and stopped after being caught red-handed.
"Sorry, it's nothing. I just find you getting worked up over a fox a little funny," you admitted, smiling. Link still looked confused despite your words, but didn't reply and just went back to scanning the area as he leaned on a tree, while somehow still looking quite stiff. You did the same, although with a more relaxed posture, and forming your next words based on his behavior. "You know, don't be afraid to let loose a bit while I'm here. I know your job is to look out for Her Highness, but in a way, part of my job is to take some of the workload off your shoulders. It saves you the trouble of multitasking. Not to mention, the princess becomes my main priority when out here...though that isn't to say you're not important too, but I'm a Royal Knight first and foremost, of course."
Link didn't respond to your words but was clearly listening. You hoped he would at least bear your words in mind. You got the feeling Link would be reluctant to do what you suggested straight off the bat, but maybe once he eased up around you, he would trust you enough to keep watch so he could focus more on keeping an eye on the princess.
"Oh, and I forgot to ask this earlier, but how do you want me to refer to you? Do you prefer Master Link or Ser Link?" you inquired, glancing over at him to study his reaction. He ever so faintly turned up his nose at both titles and shook his head. You caught on pretty quickly. "I'm required to use one or the other. I can't refer to you by anything else, I'm sorry."
Even though you and Link were both Knights of Hyrule and you didn't have much to do with him prior to now, he was still technically your superior. With all of his skill, it came to no surprise that he got promoted to Imperial Guard Captain. So, you were instructed to use honorifics. Link averted his gaze and softly sighed through his nose, mulling it over. Reluctantly, he picked one.
"Master..." he muttered softly and turning away uncomfortably.
Wow, so he really hated speaking that much, huh? You felt bad that you kept asking all of these questions. It seemed he was forcing himself to give you a response as all of his answers were short, blunt, and to the point. Maybe he thought he was saving time that way? Or perhaps he preferred to say as little words as possible? You would go with the latter.
Since becoming the princess' knight, Link gained the title 'Sefr' before acquiring the title of 'Master' along with the other Champions. Maybe he preferred that so there wouldn't be much difference when you referred to Lord Daruk, Lady Mipha, Lady Urbosa, and (perhaps more specifically) Master Revali. Though, even still, he felt uncomfortable with just 'Master' too. You wondered what his reasoning behind it was. Maybe he was just humble? Possibly. Though the same could be said for you but even you were okay with the title of 'Ser (Name).'
You had a little suspicion that your presence made him uncomfortable. The thought left an anxious feeling in your stomach. You understood how the whole thing must look to him. He was probably feeling a little embarrassed. Or that his position was getting little too high for his liking and the attention that came with it was starting to make him uncomfortable. Perhaps with you being there, he felt as if he was being smothered and fussed over?
"Sure," you smiled and turned to look out at the scenery. You had seen Hyrule Field more times than you could count, but its beauty would never get old. It was a shame you didn't always get the chance to enjoy it nowadays. You were always so busy.
You weren't sure how long you spent just standing around, but you were secretly relieved when you realized it was time to head back. You and Link turned to the princess, as she walked back in a huff. You shot her a questioning look.
"There's no structure here. I've looked everywhere!" she huffed.
Link didn't say anything and only looked over at her expressionlessly. While you let your eyes wander over the large rock mount. A thought came to you, and you let your gaze drift back to the irritated princess.
"If I may, Your Highness..." you began, watching as both Link and Zelda turned their attention to you, "have you considered the chance that it might be underground?"
The princess rose an eyebrow and fully turned to you.
"You're telling me that it may be under that mount?" she questioned, glancing at it. "And what would you know about Sheikah technology?"
You froze, feeling embarrassment wash over you. "Oh...not much. A while back, I overheard a conversation that some Shrines are built in strange and sometimes hard-to-get-to locations, so I was just curious about the possibility. It was just a suggestion..." you trailed off, sheepishly letting your gaze drifting away from her face and to the grass.
The princess sighed, "I think we're done here."
With that final statement, Zelda turned away and began walking down the slope and over to the horses. You could feel how warm your cheeks were as you silently followed Link back down. His neutral expression didn't falter as he followed behind the princess, like an obedient dog.
'Okay, so that went well. Guess I should just shut up and stick my head down a toilet,' you bitterly thought to yourself, fighting the urge to start frowning and sulking.
You kept quiet for the rest of the journey back to the castle. You all stopped by another Sheikah structure near the walls of Castle Town. Instead of dismounting, you and Link waited on your horses as the princess studied it and took notes. It surprisingly didn't take as long as you would've thought as she soon returned to her white horse wearing an indifferent expression.
The three of you returned to the castle by five o'clock. Once the princess dismounted her horse, she was ushered away by her lady's maid as one of the stable boys led her horse back to the stable. You and Link didn't have that luxury and headed over to the stable to put your horses away yourselves.
For the next half hour, you and Link were silent as you both took care of your horses. You got changed into your chainmail and comfier attire, thankful that you could finally relieve yourself all of your heavy armor. Link, however, kept his blue tunic on and headed back into the castle as you followed behind.
You wondered why Link was keeping his tunic on. He headed up to his room and went inside, while you patiently waited outside. He spent a long while in there, while you leaned on the wall near the door, bored out of your mind. You internally cried out in joy as Link came back out, no longer carrying the Master Sword on his back and no longer wearing his chainmail. He didn't look as scruffy as he did earlier and you could only assume that he spent the time bathing and cleaning himself up a bit. You pushed off the wall and followed as the blond began venturing through the castle.
You followed Link through the corridor, trying to recall where he was meant to be now. You checked the time on your pocket watch. It had just gone seven. You were still in the process of memorizing Link's schedule. You wracked your brain for what was at seven o'clock until it hit you. Seven was when all of the Champions had dinner together. Although you didn't spend too much time in the main areas of the castle, it didn't take a genius to figure out that Link was leading you to the dining room.
As you walked through the halls, you took the time to admire the architecture of the castle. It was rare you got to be in a place so ornate. Pillars were lined up on either side of the corridor, and large windows let in light. You looked at some of the stained glass windows that you passed. All of them depicted moments in Hylian history, some of which featured all of the reincarnations of the hero. Some showed the Hero of Twilight and the invasion of the Twili while others rendered The Hero of Time and the defeat of Ganondorf. Some windows even showed historic moments as far back as the Sky Era, depicting the Fall of Skyloft and the Hero of the Skies. You had only seen similar architecture in the main hall back home, though the stained glass windows there portrayed slightly different moments in Hyrule's history.
"This place is beautiful. I haven't been to this part of the castle before. You're really lucky you get to live up here," you remarked. You didn't like the heavy silences that you and Link shared. You had to talk. You couldn't help it; the silence was deafening. Link didn't respond, but he was listening. "The reason behind it isn't great obviously, but in times like these, it does you good to stay positive and find the silver lining, even if it's something small. Anything to keep your spirits up for now."
You smiled but didn't expect a response. You may have sounded a bit happy-go-lucky, but most people had this serious and slightly melancholy aura to them. Obviously, you couldn't blame them; a civil war was coming. It was a natural reaction. Yet, sometimes, being around them could get a bit suffocating. You could only take so much negativity.
You had to admit; you were jealous that Link a nice room in the main part of the castle. Your quarters weren't bad by any means, but it was quite small and basic, filled with the bare essentials, similar to your room back home. You wondered how nice Link's room was. No doubt, he had one of those fancy, modern spring beds and a special rack to keep the Master Sword and the Hylian Shield. Not to mention, he got to eat in the royal dining hall. Nayru, you could only imagine how delicious the meals were.
The thought of food made your stomach faintly growl. You blushed, hoping that Link didn't hear it. You hadn't eaten since your lunch break, which was only just some lousy salad sandwiches, an apple, and a lukewarm coffee. You were looking forward to your dinner. Unfortunately, you would have to wait until you went off duty and go searching for something to eat. You would definitely miss the eight o'clock dinner in the knights' dining hall so you would probably have to whip something up when you got back to your room. From now on, your evenings would likely be dining alone in your room or out at a restaurant, considering your new schedule. You made a mental note to go grocery shopping next time you had a chance to go into Castle Town.
Link slowed down his prompt walk and turned to some fancy, double doors. Boisterous, booming laughter, frustrated curses, and chatter could be heard from inside. You took your place near the wall as Link opened the door. You began to stare off at the blue vase across the hall, beginning to slip into a daydream to amuse yourself. Though instead of going in, you noticed Link hovering.
You turned your head to see what was wrong, first noticing his hand on the door handle. Your gaze drifted upward to his face. He was looking down at you, waiting for something. You blinked and looked at him questionably.
"What is it?"
Link motioned his head to the door. Your gaze traveled to the ajar door, and then back to Link. You immediately shook your head, finding the invitation almost absurd.
"No, no! I'll just wait out here. I'll eat after my shift. Go enjoy your meal with your friends!" you smiled reassuringly.
Link looked like he wanted to say something but immediately went against it. He didn't protest and went inside, shrugging it off. You heard some of the other Champions call out to Link and welcome him in. You heard Lord Daruk inform him in his booming voice that they had cucco and vegetable soup for starter. As soon as Link shut the door behind him, your smile disappeared.
Your blank stare traveled to the window. The sun had begun to set, casting a faint golden glow through the windows. It was beautiful, lighting up the stained glass windows, making them cast multicolored rays onto the carpet.
You looked at the image of the Hero of Twilight in the window opposite you. The image of the Hero of Twilight in his wolf form racing across Hyrule Fields with Princess Midna riding on his back as they rode off to Hyrule Castle in the distance. The windows must have been millions of years old along with the castle itself. You wondered how many Links and Princess Zeldas had walked these halls. You recalled that sometimes the old legends of the hero and the princess were told incorrectly. You remembered overhearing a frivolous dispute over the color Hero of the Skies' loftwing. One guy argued that it was grey, the second guy argued that it was purple, and the woman claimed that it was blue. The one in the window, however, was green. Perhaps that settled it?
You stood by the door for about an hour and a half. You could hear the chatter and laughter come through the door. You couldn't make out what was being said through the door, but you doubted it was anything of any importance. If they were going to speak about anything important, it would be during their meetings.
You slightly jumped and got snapped out of your daze as the door opened. You quickly rid yourself of your plain expression and turned your head to the doors. Out came Lady Mipha and Princess Zelda. Mipha gave you a polite nod, which you returned with a bow of your head to the Zora princess before she left down the corridor as the princess left in the opposite direction, looking troubled. Shortly after, Link came through the door, briefly meeting your gaze and heading in the direction Mipha went.
"Did you enjoy your meal? I heard the royal kitchen make the best meals in all of Central Hyrule. Especially the steaks! Apparently, they cook amazing steaks! How do you like yours done? I'm a medium-rare fan myself!" you grinned, jumping right into your habitual chatter. You promptly followed along behind Link like a duckling, making idle talk. You then heard your stomach make another faint growl, and you decided that you should probably stop talking about food. Especially warm, juicy steaks.
You and Link continued up the main staircase and walked back to his room. By the time you got there, you were just longing for the day to end. You were ready to go back to your room, eat, have a warm relaxing bath, and go to bed. As you neared Link's room, you began talking again.
"It's been a long day, but I'm glad I've finally been able to meet you. You wouldn't have known me prior to now, but I'm friends with Rolph and Ciram, who I'm sure you know. It's to my understanding you've worked with them before?" you asked, referring to the second and third best royal knights, who you often hung out with. Link glanced at you over his shoulder and nodded. "Right. Anyway, again, I'm delighted I've been able to properly meet Hyrule's best knight! I'm a bit of a fan of yours! I've heard you're particularly talented with a sword," you admitted with a winsome grin, watching as Link stopped to look down at you as you both made it to his room. "A-Anyway, are you retiring early?" Link nodded, hesitating in front of his door. "Well, in that case, my shift is done for the day. I'll see you in the morning. Have a good night!" you waved, and Link silently nodded in farewell. Link entered his room as you turned around and left, eager to get back to your room and eat.
♙ ♝ ♙
You let out an exhausted sigh, flopping down on your bed after finishing your Tabantha wheat noodles, one of the most insipid dishes in the world, but one you found bittersweet solace in. You looked at your day clothes crumpled on the floor in a heap. After you stopped at the armory to drop off your chainmail and sword, you immediately stripped out of your day clothes once you had returned to your quarters.
You shut your eyes, enjoying the tranquility. It was one of the things you looked forward to when you finished your shifts — a nice calm evening.
You snapped your eyes open to the sound of a crow cawing outside your window. You groaned, realizing that your tranquility was short-lived. You hauled yourself up off the bed and crossed the room over to the window and opened it.
As expected, a mountain crow stood on your windowsill preening itself. You quickly let it in, making sure no one was watching. You reached out to its leg, finding the thin, metal canister attached, painted black and carefully camouflaged. You opened up the top, removing the small piece of white paper. You sighed and moved to read it under the light of the oil lantern on your writing desk, unrolling it and scanning the message written across.
I'm in town. Meet me at Durro's at 1:00.
- M
A smile grew onto your face. You opened up your lamp and held the paper over the flame, letting it burn up and turn to ashes. You made your way over to your cabinet and poured some oats into your hand, laying them down for the crow to peck at, giving it a few strokes that were well received. It deserved a reward for coming all of this way.
You checked the time on your pocket watch and groaned. You knew that you would only get a few hours of sleep. Not only that, but you would have to be up early tomorrow morning.
After the crow finished its meal, you opened the window and let it fly into the night. You closed your window and sat back down on your bed. You had a few hours to sleep before you would have to wake up. You would need all the sleep you could get. You set your alarm clock for midnight and climbed into bed after turning off your lamps.
You buried yourself in the blankets and shut your eyes. Eventually, you fell into the clutches of sleep.
♙ ♝ ♙
You woke up to the sound of your alarm ringing. You moaned and rolled onto your stomach, trying to gather your bearings. You reluctantly got up, left the coziness of your bed, and got ready for your early morning meeting.
You threw on a black tunic and some dark brown pants and boots. You then crouched down to remove the faulty floorboard in the corner of your room and unwrapped your secret weapons from their brown cloth. You chose to bring your dagger as the usual precaution, as a sword would make too much noise as you walked and would be too eye-catching. You slipped it into the holder on your brown belt. You then pulled out your hooded black shawl and slipped that on over your tunic, making sure it covered your weapon. You put the floorboard back in place and checked your appearance in the full-length mirror, remembering your last essentials.
You raked around in your medicine cabinet and pulled out a sneaky elixir. Without taking too much time to think about it, you quickly chugged it and almost gagged when you moved the empty bottle away from your lips, enduring the repugnant aftertaste. It was always the monster parts that gave it the rotting flesh smell and the slightly waxy taste, making it extra revolting. As if crushed, liquefied bugs weren't revolting enough.
You walked over to your vanity and raked through your makeup bag. You pulled out your favorite red lipstick, encased in a black, metal casing with a decorative red heart around the lid. You carefully applied it to your lips and checked your appearance. A more familiar face now stared back at you and you softly smiled in approval. You then put your lipstick away and quietly left your room.
You cracked open your door ever so quietly, checking left and right for anyone walking down the hall. You took a few moments to listen very carefully for the sound of any footsteps before slipping out. With the small help from the elixir, you made as little noise as possible as you snuck through the corridor where all of the knights' quarters were lined up on each side. You quickly left through the main door and out into the eastern courtyard. You quickly pulled up your hood and promptly made your way down the path, eager to get to the meeting spot before you were late for the third time in a row.
You quickly crossed the courtyard and over to the eastern gate. Unfortunately, you couldn't avoid getting seen by the guards stationed outside the pedestrian gate. It was the worst thing about venturing out, but what other choice did you have? Climbing one of the walls would look extremely suspicious and would likely draw in more attention compared to just walking through the gate and playing it cool. Thankfully, a lot of people passed through the eastern gate and you knew for a fact that, secretly, quite a few of the castle guards could barely remember a face so the likelihood of them remembering you in the dead of night was far-fetched. That said, they weren't idiots, so you tried to change up your exit route every so often to give each of them time to forget you.
You lowered your hood to avoid looking suspicious and walked into Castle Town, venturing out into the lit streets. You pulled up your hood again and crossed the street.
The town wasn't nearly as loud and as populated as it was during the day, but it was still full of life and noise in the early hours of the morning. The oil street lamps were lit and lined up on either side of the street, illuminating the sidewalks and roads. There was muffled chatter from the pedestrians walking home and faraway hollering from drunkards mulling after stumbling out of the taphouse, combined with the faint barking of a dog in the distance. All of the shops were shut and bars were beginning to close their doors and kick people out as everyone retired for the night. Only a few lights came from bedroom windows belonging to the night owls who refused to go to bed just yet. Carriages and carts made their way up and down Mainstreet with horses hooves clopping against the cobblestone roads to places unknown.
You avoided getting close to anyone and slipped into the nearest alley to keep out of the street light. The darkness of night tempted you to close your eyes and go back to bed. Even though you were so very tired, that option was obviously off the table as you had work to do. You kept close to alleys and sparely populated areas and avoided the main streets where you could. You passed a drunk slob loudly snoring as he leaned on a trash can and the occasional junkie smoking a blunt filled with blue nightshade. You heard that while they were good for stealth when cooked into a meal, but they could make you high as fuck if you dried the flowers wrapped them in paper. You had heard somewhere that they contained dopamine.
When you reached the western area of Castle Town, you slipped into Welter Alley. It was a shady place, infamous for getting you into a lot of trouble if you were caught skulking around there. The twisting alleyway was dark and grim, tucked away from the popular streets of Castle Town to house many niche shops, bars, and brothels, along with a big black market selling all kinds of strange, illegal, and sometimes dangerous artifacts. A place as disreputable as it was, naturally, many would think you were up to no good. It was home to many attacks, kidnappings, and muggings. No person who came to Welter Alley ever had any pure intentions. The people who hung around there were unusual, disquieting, and sometimes threatening, often behaving fairly suspiciously. It wasn't the type of place you would want to accidentally wander into while drunk or high. Who knows what would happen to you and where you would wind up, come morning.
You passed by many people, all of which ignored you, only giving you the usual passing glance. You kept a calm face and avoided meeting anyone's eyes as you walked through the damp, cramped passage. Welter Alley was always much worse at night, but you appeared to have gotten lucky tonight, as everyone seemed content in minding their own business. If you kept your nose out of theirs, then other people were likely to keep their nose out of yours. It was an unspoken rule, that only those who were looking for trouble breached. And trouble they would undoubtedly find.
You slipped out of the alley after almost tripping over a stray, black cat as it crossed your path, looking quite startled as it hissed at you. You rolled your eyes and emerged out of the last alleyway and out onto the main sidewalk. You stopped in front of a local tavern, The Triforce, spotting the sign hanging above the door with the ancient symbol painted on to attract any good historian or patriotic local to come in and have a drink. Ignoring the 'closed' sign on the door, you swung it open and stepped in.
Immediately you were met with warmth. It was a stark contrast to the cold, crisp evening outside. The heat came from the fire across the room, giving the empty bar a cozy atmosphere. The chairs were all stood on top of the tables for cleaning and the room was silent, besides the soft crackling of the fire and the muffled voices from the living area upstairs. As soon as you shut the door behind you, you caught the attention of the barkeeper, Durro. He stopped wiping down the bar, grinned, and came over to greet you.
"Kiroha! It's so nice to see you! She's in the back; I'll let her know you're here!" he smiled, shaking your hand.
"Thanks, Durro, it's nice to see you too," you smiled, taking off your shawl and hanging it on the coatrack. You took a seat on one of the stools at the bar, eyeing the bottles lined up on the shelves as Durro quickly left the room through the 'Employees Only' door behind the bar and rushed upstairs.
Barely a minute passed when you heard hurried footsteps come down the steps and rush into the bar. You immediately turned to see Minea with a big grin on her face, which only widened when she made eye contact with you.
"Kiroha! Sabien!" she gleefully cheered, pulling you into a tight embrace. You returned it with a grin of your own.
"Minea! Din, you're here! I didn't think I'd be seeing you until June! I was so shocked to see that the message was from you!" you grinned as Minea took the seat next to you, looking exactly the same as the last time you saw her. Native Sheikah white hair, copper skin, and crimson eyes with a young face as fresh as a raindrop.
"Yeah, I literally had to beg First Sister Athiel to let me come in her place. I really wanted to see you, so here I am!"
"I'm gonna go upstairs. Now you ladies are allowed one free drink each! I don't want to come back to find that the shelves have been cleared," Durro jokingly warned while you and Minea chuckled.
"Yeah sure, Durro. Have a nice evening!" you smiled.
"Give me a shout when you're leaving so I can lock up. Goodnight, you two!" he waved, going up the stairs as you and Minea bid him goodnight. After he left, Minea turned to you with an excited grin.
"So, how are you? How's it been working under Lady Nyra? Please tell me she's treating you well!" you asked, turning back to the young Sheikah girl.
"Very well! I've been having so much fun touring Hyrule with Third Brother Antid! I've just come from Zora Domain and it's so beautiful! I love seeing the sights! We've been working on the Divine Beasts in each region, and of course, Third Progenitor Nyra has been overseeing the operation. You should see the Divine Beasts! They're massive!" she explained animately, using her hands as she spoke.
"That's amazing! It's good that Lady Nyra is keeping you busy. Farore, you must be having so much fun..." you sighed wistfully, comparing Minea's day to yours. While she was out and about seeing all of Hyrule, you were standing outside of doors for hours on end. "You know, you didn't have to come out all this way to come see me, y'know?" you reassured, remembering how long the trip was from Zora Domain to Castle Town.
"Nah, it's fine. Besides, it's more convenient that I came to see you with the report instead. I'm here to take a look at the Guardians, and then I'll be returning home for a while before heading back out. You probably won't see me around, so I decided to come see you now," she chirped.
"Well, thank you for coming!"
"It's your first day trailing the hero, right? You must be glad to get into action finally."
"Yeah, I've been counting the days to when I've been able to do some real work. Escorting nobles is so dry, not to mention, just about every other knight here is an arrogant, overly patriotic asshole. Sometimes I need to get out of there before I put my head through a wall," you scoffed, rolling your eyes.
"Well, at least it's over now," she reassured. "You probably want to get back, so let's just jump into your report."
"Sounds good. What's going on?" you asked, getting up to prepare two gin and tonics for you and Minea.
"The Order is concerned that we have a mole among us," she began, as her tone become serious.
"What? You mean amongst our sectors?" you frowned, returning to your seat and sliding a glass over to Minea.
"No, Lady Nyra has assured us that we don't have a spy among our ranks again. We suspect that the mole is one of the people living here in Castle Town," she explained, taking a sip of her drink.
You snapped your head to the stairway, immediately thinking of Durro. You sighed and lowered your tone. "Minea...if we have a mole among our connections in Castle Town, then why are we here?"
"Calm down, Kiroha. Durro and his family are close friends of the Order. It's safe to talk here."
"How can you say that when we don't know who the mole is?" you pressed, frowning.
"Because we know who they're feeding their information to," she smirked, licking her lips in anticipation. She always got fired up whenever any issues arose. Usually, it meant someone was going to die, and nothing else got her more excited. Much like a wolf in a cage about to be fed.
Your eyebrows shot up in interest, "Do tell."
She leaned in before jumping into her explanation. "You know those wackjob conspiracy theorists who stand on the sidewalk every day and preach nonsense about the war and the apparent 'end of the world'?"
"Yeah?" you replied, taking a sip of your drink.
"Well, surely you're aware that some of these conspiracy theorists speak about the Order. Telling everyone that we're still around, working in the shadows, and we're more than just an old legend," she began, taking a gulp of her drink. "Well, these conspiracy theorists are increasing in numbers, more and more are coming out onto the streets to tell the world about us. Some are touring Hyrule on this missionary voyage to every region. Gerudo, Faron, Lanayru, Eldin, Necluda..." she listed, trailing off.
"I understand, but what does this have to do with our mole?" you quizzed.
"I'm getting to that," she waved you off, continuing with her explanation. "These people...all of them are gathering information from one person in Castle Town to spread our secrets far and wide. We're trying to track down who it is, but whoever they are, they're either one of our own or are in association with our mole. They are spilling secrets to this whole cult of conspiracy theorists, and no doubt to Hylian Intelligence and the royals as well. We follow the little paper trail that has been left and we find the mole," she elaborated.
"But what makes you so sure it isn't Durro? I know he's your biological uncle, but you can't let old ties cloud your judgment. You've sworn an oath to the Order of Troe, and you always have to put us first before anything or anyone else. No matter what happens, we're your family now..." you explained, looking down at the fifteen-year-old and placing your hand on her shoulder.
"I know, I know. 'Malice is thicker than blood,' I know," she sighed, "I would never put anything above the Order. But I honestly, truly don't think it's him. Just trust me on this," she pleaded.
You sighed, "Okay, if you say so."
"Thank you."
You nodded as another thought came to you. "Uh...does First—"
"Yes," she interrupted, cutting you off. "Yes, he's aware, but we will not concern him until it gets out of hand. Lady Nyra and Lord Obok are looking into it. First Brother Kozu is doing some digging to see what the royals are aware of so far. You'll be made aware of his report after we receive it. You'll likely find out during your next meeting. For now, we just wait. First Sister Athiel is checking in with all of our friends in Castle Town to see if she can pin down the source of the leak. If this gets dire, then they might call me in to poke around in their heads," she shrugged, taking another big gulp of her gin and tonic.
"Well, at least it's being dealt with. Is there anything I can do?" you questioned.
"Just your job. Build a rapport with Link and the other Champions and gather what intelligence you can. Pay close attention to their private meetings, relationships, and their fighting styles. We need all the information we can get."
"Well, in that case, do you want my report?" you asked.
"Shoot," she smiled, pulling out her notepad.
"Well, it's only been a day, but I've gathered what I can about Link. Like I've mentioned before, he's really not a talker, and that's only become more apparent after today. It's still unclear what the cause of his limited speech is, but I suspect that it may have emotional or psychological roots. His skills are refined from what I've seen so far. I've only gotten glimpses of him in training a few times in the past, but I noticed that he's is extremely alert at all times, especially when outside of the castle. Therefore indicating long-term experience with surprise attacks in the field as his hearing is quite acute, rivaling that of a Sheikah. I need more time to test and analyze his intuition skills but with a guy of his skill and position, I imagine they're quite sharp. He's also kind of stoic? Personality of a rock! Hard to talk to, nothing seems to phase him and he's got some Din-awful social skills. Though, despite this, he appears to be quite popular even without getting too friendly with the people around him. No doubt that can be traced back to his roles as Hylian Champion, Imperial Guard Captain, and the Master Sword's Chosen One. I'm yet to see him directly interact with any of the other Champions but they seemed quite pleased to see him when he turned up for dinner. It's still unclear what his relationships with each of them are. However, interestingly enough, his relationship with the princess is strained. She doesn't appear to favor him and has no trouble talking down to him. I don't believe she likes having a chaperone, particularly him. Link's feelings towards her resentment are unclear as he hides all of his emotions. Signs point to this being intentional. As to how Link feels to having me around, again, unclear, but his demeanor has been quite stiff and awkward," you shrugged while Minea noted down your words onto her notepad. "I did my best to initiate friendly conversation to make him feel more comfortable, but I know it'll be a work in progress to get him to come out of his shell and ease up around me."
"Did you see any of the other Champions?"
"Only Princess Mipha. The Champions have their dinner with the princess at seven o'clock in the main dining hall. Note that down as they're distracted for an hour. Oh, and Link and the princess go out into Hyrule Fields to study the ancient shrines, as they did today. I imagine they may broaden their search soon. The princess has an interest in the sciences, so she may begin to conduct experiments on Sheikah structures. The princess also has this Sheikah tablet thing? I haven't any idea of what it is or what it does but—"
"The Sheikah Slate?" she asked.
"I guess? I don't know; it was this brown and gold stone slab with the Sheikah symbol on the back."
"That's it. It's ancient Sheikah technology created to activate Sheikah structures. It was created to be used by the Sword's Chosen One to assist him in taking down our Lord Ganon. It activates the Divine Beasts, the Guardians, The Sheikah Towers, and apparently the Sheikah Shrines as well. The Divine Beasts and the Guardians have, of course, been activated, but I can't say the same for the Shrines and the Towers. The last recorded account of when they were activated was back during the first Calamity, 10,000 years ago by the Sword's Chosen One. They're said to bestow a great treasure on anyone who passes their tests," Minea elucidated, sipping her drink.
"Is there a chance the princess will open the Shrines?" you inquired.
"Unlikely. There's no way to redirect power to them."
"Then I suppose we don't have much to worry about there," you confirmed, taking a few gulps of your drink.
"There have been rumors that the princess is in possession of the slate. I suppose this now confirms it. Lady Nyra will be very pleased to hear this," Minea smiled, noting it down.
"Is that it?" you asked, as Minea quickly went over her notes.
"Unless you have anything else to tell me, yeah. Though, there is something else I should tell you before I let you go," she mentioned. "As we prepare for war and the best moment to strike, the Progenitors have announced that they'll be picking the next generation."
"So...Lord Ganon has decided that he wants three new ancients by his side..." you mused, a soft smile hiding your excitement.
"The race is finally on," she grinned, "may the best man win!"
"Do you believe Lady Nyra will pick you?" you inquired.
"Pfft! Are you kidding me? I'm aiming for the top spot, I'll have you know!"
"Oh, I don't doubt it! But you know what I mean," you smiled, rolling your eyes.
"I think so. If I'm going to be optimistic, I think she's taken a liking to me," she bashfully smiled.
"That's good to hear."
"But what does it matter? I want my chance to be chosen as the First Progenitor. Everyone is going to get really competitive now, even more so since this time, whoever gets chosen for the top spot will rule Hyrule under Lord Ganon's guidance. I mean, who on earth is going to pass that up?" she shrugged.
"I suppose so, but you can't deny that Third Sisters and Brothers tend to get chosen for the spot as Third Progenitor. Just like I will likely take Lord Obok's spot as Second Progenitor unless he chooses Second Brother Nako instead."
Minea grinned, "But you won't let that happen."
"Of course not. I'm not going to lose to that sly, little shapeshifter," you smirked. "But having said that, it doesn't mean I won't be aiming for the top spot as well, just like you, First Sister Athiel and First Brother Kozu."
"Challenge accepted Second Sister," Minea competitively smirked which you wholeheartedly returned.
"Well, I should be heading back now. I need to get back and get some sleep since I have to be up at six," you announced, getting up and finishing the rest of your gin and tonic.
"Will you be coming back home soon?" she asked, getting off her stool and following you over to the door.
"I don't know when I get the chance to return to the Stronghold. I won't get much time off with my new 'promotion,' but we do get leave. No doubt Lord Obok will want to see me soon, so I imagine First Brother Kozu will get that sorted out in the near future," you responded, putting on your shawl.
"That's good. I really miss you. I want some time to hang out before King Ganon's return. There's no guarantee that you or I will survive to see the New Era," she sadly smiled.
You sighed and rolled your eyes, "Don't be silly. Of course, you and I will survive the Calamity. You're more than my best friend; you're my sister. Even if we're not biologically related, were bound by the Malice in our hearts. Don't think for a second that it can be trounced by something as fickle as Hylia's children. We'll win the war, and you and I will spend a lot of time together afterward. I promise."
Despite your slightly cheesy speech, Minea smiled and pulled you into a hug. You returned it with a smile of your own before you both broke apart.
"Good luck with Link. Ran'al."
"Ran'al," you waved, pulling the hood over your face. "Make sure to give Loga a kiss and a hug for me," you winked. You opened the door and hurried off back to the castle, ready for the day ahead.
The legends of Hyrule's Hero had been recited to you many times when you were young. The reminder that the hero would return again in your lifetime then followed. The message that the fate of Hyrule rested on his shoulders was repeated to you time and time again.
Though, at that age, you didn't realize you were fated to eliminate him.
A/N (June 5th, 2020): Fun Fact: 'His/Her/Their Majesty' and 'His/Her/Their Highness' aren't the same. To refer to a King, Queen, or any other sovereign, you refer to them as 'Majesty' and refer to princes, princesses, and anything related as 'Highness.' So if anyone is writing a story or fanfiction involving royalty, you now know the correct honorifics for each! If anyone is curious when exactly this chapter takes place in the timeline of flashbacks, it's following Daruk's Mettle (Daruk and Link's conversation on Vah Rudiana) but prior to Zelda's Resentment (where Zelda snaps at Link in front of the Tena Ko'sah Shrine). Each chapter is going to be split in half. 'A' chapters will be pre-Calamity along with accounts from Link's Journal, and 'B' chapters will be post-Calamity with accounts from Reader's journal. I hope this quells any possible confusion. Don't be afraid to leave a comment if you have any other questions! I imagine the Order to speak Calamity Ganon's native tongue, so I created a language for him. You don't really need to know what they mean, but the translations and pronunciations for the words are below.
Sabien (Sa-bin) = Hello/Hi
Ran'al (Ran-al) = Goodbye