3 – In the End

A faint mist of rain hissed. Princess Zelda blinked, squinting. Water dripped off of her nose as she peered down at the blurred screen of the Sheikah Slate. Her green eyes caught the reflection of a pulsing light – the Sheikah Sensor, beating in time with an urgent beeping, the sound effect a recent addition that she'd programmed herself.

I will have you know, she thought, imagining her father in front of her. That my research has proven to be useful.

Zelda smiled. She felt joy bubble in her heart and, surprisingly, it had nothing to do with her feeling exonerated. Despite the rain, and despite what had afflicted her tongue, the princess felt happy. Why?

Because I managed to pull a smile out of Link! It was a feat on par with drawing blood from a stone. More importantly, though, was what he'd said.

Friend. He wanted me to look at him as a friend.

Her smile broadened. Zelda's mind rolled back to the moments before the heavens had opened with rain. Her knight had trotted off to scout the area. The princess had been left beside a crackling fire. She'd quickly noticed that Link had left behind his cookpot and bowls.

A sudden whim had set the princess to work. She'd flipped open a cooled pouch on her belt – another of her designs brought into realisation by the craftsmen back at the castle – and had drawn out a strip of meat. She'd been saving it. Link seemed to be quite the fan.

Then she had dropped the still-fresh foodstuff into the swirling liquid within the pot. It was bubbling by the time her chosen knight returned.

"My lady," he said, blinking in surprise as he came to a stop. "What is this?"

Zelda closed her eyes for a moment to slowly inhale the scent of the broth, then ladled some into a bowl and set it down on the ground. She happily tapped away at the Sheikah Slate.

CARE FOR A SNACK?

Link's face stiffened. "If you were hungry," he said. "You should have just –"

She cut him off by holding up the Slate again.

NOT FOR ME. I'LL BE TAKING A SHORT WALK.

"That's…" Link began. He ran a hand through his hair. "That's not necessary. I have no need for food at the moment."

Zelda tapped at the screen.

IT'S MEAT STEW.

Link stared at her, face blank. "Leave the bowl."

And Princess Zelda had grinned.

Now the Sheikah Sensor hit fever pitch, pulling Zelda out of her thoughts and back into the rain-sodden moment. She stopped short on the narrow mountain pathway. Blinking rainwater from her eyes, Zelda turned to glance up at the mountainside. A yawning opening loomed large in front of her, the surrounding rock dark from the relentless downpour.

Anticipation grew taut in Zelda's heart. This was it. The Silent Princess was within this very tunnel.

The princess took a step forward – when her knight rushed past her, sword in hand. A single slash tore a thick vine blocking the opening, then without a word he took point.

His actions stoked the warm embers in her heart. Link would always be there to protect her. Even, Zelda imagined as she followed him into the tunnel, if she lived to be one hundred. A thick, earthy scent enveloped her. The walls and floor were rocky and uneven, and they all glistened with a slick coat of damp.

Unease crept into the pit of Zelda's gut. There were torches, set in crudely made sconces along the wall, the soft flames sputtering quietly. Is someone already here, I wonder…?

Straggly roots hung from above her and the princess had to carefully walk around them to make sure they wouldn't cling to her face. Her gaze dropped. The torchlight revealed tiny shapes slithering over the jutting deposits of rock below. Zelda stared in fascination. If her handmaids had been here, they'd have screeched, grimacing, lifting their skirts to avoid the creeping insects below. The princess, on the other hand, crouched to take a closer look.

Such amazing creatures…

She saw a pair of pincers wriggling as one of the insects, smaller than the rest, struggled in amongst its companions. Zelda dangled a finger in front of it. The pincers grabbed hold, and the princess slowly pulled it free. She held it up to her face and smiled as it dangled.

Zelda saw Link staring at her, his face pinched with barely concealed disgust.

Not a fan, it would appear…

"Princess," he said. "We don't have the time for bugs."

Zelda sighed and set the critter down. She felt a pang that they couldn't linger just a bit longer to investigate. She stood up and tapped at the Sheikah Slate.

I THINK, she wrote just before she held the device up for her knight to see, I SHALL NAME THAT ONE 'COURAGE.'

Link looked at her blankly. "Right."

He moved off to leave and Zelda sighed again before she followed. The path began to ascend, then opened up slightly into a circular cavern ringed with flickering torchlight. A trio of stone slabs hewn at roughly the same size lay littered across the ground. Another slab stood in an opening just up ahead. The only other opening.

Link turned to her. "My lady," he said. "Are you certain this is the way to the flower?"

Zelda looked down at the Slate, then looked back up and nodded. It was the way to a flower, at least.

Link sighed, then made his way over to the blocking slab. The Sheikah Slate dangled from Zelda's right hand. The left she wiped on her tunic. A smear of sweaty grime marked the path of her palm. Zelda's chest heaved, hand flexing with restless energy, as she saw Link crouch beneath a sizzling torch and place a gloved hand of his own against the chalky surface. It wasn't a door, exactly – there were no hinges – but when the knight gave it a slight push, it didn't give.

Link pursed his lips. He looked up at her and shook his head.

Blocked. A clammy touch of dismay needled Zelda in the very centre of her soul. This couldn't be it. How, then, had all those traders even spotted the Silent Princess …?

A thought shot into the princess's head. Zelda worked furiously on the Sheikah Slate. Once she'd finished, she made her way over to Link and gave his sleeve a quick tug, then held up the device.

LINE UP ALL THE SLABS. LIFTING THEM WILL BUILD UP ENERGY. KNOCK THE FIRST ONE DOWN. THE STORED ENERGY WILL TRANSFER TO EACH ONE AFTER AND BRING THE DOOR DOWN.

Link stared, blinking, then slowly began to nod. His awed expression told Zelda that he was impressed. Once again, her research worked. Her giddiness was tempered, though.

If only you were here to see this, father…

Zelda waited as Link set the other slabs up in a row. She watched, swallowing, as he positioned himself at the first one. He leaned against it, face soon flushed red, his jaw set and his arms straining. The princess winced in silent sympathy.

All these ideas, she mused. I just wish I had the power to help more!

She doubted her sealing power would even do much good here. But that's not all she had.

Zelda gestured excitedly to get Link's attention. He looked up, and she then beckoned for him to step away. Her finger slid across the Sheikah Slate's screen. The Stasis Rune came into view. She tapped it.

Pulsing yellow energy spilled out of the Slate. Zelda directed it onto the first slab, which then froze within a prison of incandescent chains. She gave her knight an urgent nod.

Link understood. He reached for the Master Sword, then hacked away, sparks flying with each strike of steel against stone. Zelda's heart thudded in chorus with the Slate's timer as it built up to a crescendo – then the energy exploded outward and the slab wobbled, then slowly toppled, knocking it into the next, then the next, and finally knocking the door flat on its face.

Zelda almost did a little jig of happiness on the spot, but remembered her courtly manners and held back. She did clutch the Sheikah Slate harder, though. The runes it held were fragile things – were the Slate to be damaged, then Impa had informed her that the runes would, in order to protect ancient Sheikah knowledge, leave the device and lock themselves away in one of the many Sheikah Shrines that dotted the landscape of Hyrule.

A sour thought made her grimace. Shrines that I have no access to at all.

Link nodded at her, and they stepped through the fresh opening. Zelda's eyes fell upon her knight's back. She felt a nudge of guilt at the affronted act she'd put on. She hadn't really wanted to make him feel bad, especially not so soon after offering him an apology for shouting at him. She had just, on a whim, wanted to make him react.

I needed to know. Did he feel anything under that stoic exterior of his…?

And he clearly did.

Friend.

It surprised her how few of those she actually had, what with her time eaten up by her twin passions: trying to unlock her sealing power and her ever-diligent studies.

Zelda looked up. The path ahead was completely clear. The ground had evened out, and the smooth surface didn't even hold a speck of dirt. Another single door stood at the end of the passageway. The princess took in a long breath as her confidence surged. She made to stride on ahead –

When Link's arm snapped out like a whip to block her way.

"Wait," he said in a low murmur. A clod of earth fell from the ceiling to hit the ground and spill soil right beside their feet. "Something's not right."

Zelda felt her heart squeeze. Link's tense demeanour was contagious.

The young knight slowly fell into a crouch. He looked on ahead, rubbing his chin as he poked the inside of his cheek with the tip of his tongue. A faint part of Zelda's mind found that quite endearing.

Link scooped some pebbles up off of the ground, weighed them in his palm, then sent them scattering on ahead. A metallic tinkle sounded – and then the floor ahead gave away with a loud clunk.

Zelda took a few stumbling steps back. She swallowed. Twin metal flaps opened out onto darkness below.

Link slowly stood, his face creased in thought. Zelda, on the other hand, had already got to work. She punched away at the Sheikah Slate, then looked up as the Magnesis Rune went into action. Twin streams of pale, blue light hit the false floor. A single, sharp tug from the princess swung the two halves up together again. The click of a lock echoed through the tunnel.

Link turned to look at her with amazement. He clearly forgot himself – a relieved smile crossed his face. He opened his mouth to speak. "My lady, I think you're-"

Then stopped.

Zelda stared.

I…am what?

Link's smile vanished. "You're…you are…ready to move on." He slid his gloved hand through his hair. "I mean…I think we should move on." He cleared his throat, then faced stiffly front. "Let's move on."

No, no, no, no, no! That is not what you were going to say, Link! Zelda hissed in frustration. Curse this affliction to my tongue!

But her knight had already stepped out onto the metal platform. With a sigh of defeat, Zelda flicked the Magnesis Rune off and followed suit. The false floor gave slightly under her boots, but didn't fall open. She smiled – and fortune must have been looking down on her from above as Link looked back at her, his smile returning in the form of an encouraging grin.

Which then froze in place as the entire tunnel shook. A sudden rumble of grinding gears sounded. Zelda locked eyes with Link. Her gaze slowly swung to the left. The cobweb-dusted wall there was beginning to slowly shudder its way down. Zelda's heart hammered in her chest. Her gaze crept to the right – same again, though this time she saw the glint of steel darts peeking out.

What in the world is this place?!

Fear knotted Zelda's shoulders. Her fingertips dug into the smooth, polished surface of the Sheikah Slate. Her gaze slowly rose to meet Link's face. She saw a bead of sweat run down his face.

The rumbling stopped.

"Princess," Link whispered.

Her wide eyes stared as she gave the tiniest of nods in response.

"Duck."

They both dropped. A chorus of whispers marked the launch of the darts. Zelda flinched as she heard the clatter of wood above, then felt the splinters drizzle down all around, some sliding down through her collar and nestling at the base of her back.

Another rumble, another hushed gasp of shooting darts. This time Link swung upright, drawing the Master Sword as he did so, and sliced through the haze of tiny arrows. The knight's eyes widened. Yet another set of darts had slid into place.

Zelda looked up ahead. Her heart squeezed. Too far to make a run for it. Her finger slid across the Sheikah Slate's screen.

Stasis Rune. No. Bomb. No. Album. Useless!

Her eyes snapped up to Link. He was staring down at her.

"Princess," he breathed. "I just want to say –"

Zelda felt a ridiculous surge in her heart. Yes…?

"Take cover!"

Link drove the Master Sword into the wall. Sparks flew. Darts shattered. Zelda jerked her face away as she heard a satisfying crunch of shattered gears. She took a peek up. Link tore the sword free, then whirled around to plunge it into the other wall –

And a shot of electrical energy grabbed hold of the knight.

No!

Link stood there shuddering, jaw clenched and eyes wide, his sword arm trapped in the current. Sparks flew from within the wall. A few remaining darts slid into place, aimed directly at the young knight's face.

NO!

Teeth bared, Zelda punched the Magnesis Rune into action. The energy seeped into the fresh hole. She stood up and pulled, the Sheikah Slate vibrating in her hands as she felt the strain thrum into the marrow of her bones – and then the entire wall mechanism tore free and fell with a dull clunk onto the floor. Zelda fell back onto her rump.

One last spring twanged. Link relaxed, free at last. He bent over, chest heaving. A long, slow breath blew through Zelda's lips. Her shoulders sagged in time. They'd made it.

Link looked at her. "Thank you, princess."

Standing, she tapped away on her Slate without even thinking about it.

I DO BELIEVE, she wrote, WE MAKE QUITE THE TEAM.

She flashed him a grin. Link gave her a short nod and a small smile in response.

He's been smiling so much now, thought Zelda, that I'm beginning to wonder if he really is as implacably serious as he makes out.

Well, that was a riddle for another time. They stepped off of the false floor. Now the door they'd spotted earlier stood before them. Zelda reached up – and her hand froze in mid-air as the stone slowly slid aside with a groan. Flecks of rain fell into her eyes.

The door had opened out onto a flat outcrop of rock jutting out of the mountainside and open to the rain. A sheer drop surrounded them. Silent lightning split the dark sky above and the wind whistled softly all around.

Zelda's eyes widened. A man surrounded by a gaggle of Hylians sat at a table where there stood a small vial of green liquid and –

The Silent Princess! Zelda stared, mesmerised. Glowing patterns of ancient tech ran up and down the tall stem. It's beautiful.

"You," said Link, breaking into Zelda's reverie. "You tried to steal the princess. You were following. How did you get here before us?"

Zelda gawped at the man. This was my kidnapper…?

The Hylian stranger smiled. "Well," he said. "Thereby hangs a tale…"

The rain began to fade, though sheets of lightning still flashed in the distance.

"You see…" the Hylian began. "I wanted to explain back at the inn." His eyes shifted over to Link. "But you wouldn't let me."

Link's gaze fell upon the Hylians surrounding the stranger. Their eyes were wide, pleading.

The other man spoke again. "I wish to challenge the Chosen One." A ripple of movement ran through the Hylians. "Yes," the man went on. "This is your Chosen One. And, like I said, I want to offer a challenge."

Link's eyes darted up to the Hylian. Challenge? he thought. Sure.

Life was full of them, after all. And each and every one, large and small, all carried one single message:

Be better. Be better than what you are now.

Perfection. Every step in life led to it. Not the absence of mistakes; that wasn't the perfection Link meant. But using your mistakes to take another rung up on the ladder. Building on them. Improving.

That's what the Chosen One had to do.

Link saw the princess staring with wide-eyed attention as the nameless Hylian spoke on. He moved to stand closer beside her. Lightning rolled across the sky.

"Let me ask you," said the stranger. "Do you know what courage is?"

Yes, thought Link. A bug.

"Courage," the Hylian went on without waiting for an answer, "is standing up for one's beliefs. And do you know what I believe…?"

Princess Zelda slowly shook her head.

The stranger bared his teeth in a grin. "I believe that I, Zabloda, should be the Chosen One."

Another ripple of movement ran through the other Hylians. Zelda stiffened.

Link, though, simply sighed. "And why," he said, "should you, Zabloda, be the Chosen One?"

"What's the matter?" the Hylian replied. "Is that fear I hear in your mocking tone…?"

Link said nothing. The whistling wind began to pick up. Loose stones rattled across the rocky ground, then flew off the edge into the abyss below.

"Let's cut to the chase, then," said Zabloda. "Power." He licked his lips. "I was born with power. Perhaps you noticed it…?"

"You can teleport," Link replied.

Zabloda bared his teeth in a wide grin. "And I can turn invisible."

"Useful."

"Special!" the Hylian spat. "The word you want is special. Why? Because that's what makes me worthy of that sword you carry."

I don't think so, buddy.

Zabloda walked around the table. Link flexed his fingers. Now he got a good look at the other Hylians. These were no guests. Not judging by the chains binding them. Metal clinked as the wind disturbed their bonds.

"I tried to take the princess," said Zabloda, "so you'd come after me, oh Chosen One, at a time and place of my choosing. It didn't work out." He shrugged. "So I followed the two of you. You couldn't see me, obviously. But I learned so very much."

He turned back to the table to point at the Silent Princess. "You want this. Right?"

Link could see Zelda twitch from the corner of his eye.

"Well," Zabloda went on. "I got it first. Clearly. And then, one by one, back and forth, back at forth, teleporting all the while, I gathered m…captive audience." He gestured at the watching Hylians. "One minute in this village, the next back to following you. In all that, I managed to discover this forgotten temple. It seems fate has truly blessed me – what are you doing?!"

Link jolted awake with a start. He blinked away his sudden fatigue. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Standing idle for too long. Tend to drop off."

Zabloda's cheek twitched as he glared. Then, suddenly, he chuckled. "Ah," he said, wagging a finger. "Ah! I know what this is. I've watched you. Watched when you couldn't see me. Oh yes, very clever. I have watched you." He raised his chin. "You hide your true self behind a mask of gormless wit."

Link blinked in rapid succession.

Harsh…

"But enough," growled Zabloda. Forked lightning streaked across the sky above. Still no thunder came. "I challenge you, Chosen One, to a fight to the death." He held out a palm. "And these people shall stand witness. Win, and you can free them, take your flower and –" His palm curled into a fist so he could point at the vial of liquid. "- take this antidote to cure the princess."

Link's entire being funnelled in onto the tiny bottle. That's all that mattered now.

Zabloda lowered his hand, then spoke on. "Lose, and you all die. I take the Master Sword and my true mantle as the Chosen One. What do you say? Fight? Or will these people find their faith was really in cowardly fool all along?"

The insult didn't sting in the slightest. But Link could tell that it did bother some of the prisoners. He stepped away from the princess – ignoring her agitated gestures – then slowly drew the Master Sword and fell into a fighting stance – weapon drawn up close to face, one hand around the hilt, the other at the base of the blade, ready to thrust.

Link's voice dropped to his much-practised growl. "Call me that to my face."

He'd said it for the prisoners. Link could see them grin with tribal pride. For Zabloda, too. Now the Hylian would think the knight had lost his cool when, in reality, he was in full control.

"Excellent!" said Zabloda as he pulled of his own blade free. The sword glowed with ancient tech. A Guardian sword, Link realised. "Now. One last thing. The Chosen One is noble. And so, I promise not to use any of my powers."

You're all heart, my misguided friend.

"And let's begin!"

Link's combat reflexes kicked in.

Never stand still.

The young knight broke into a sprint.

But don't dance.

He closed the gap between him and his opponent within seconds. His boots splashed in the puddles.

Don't hang back. Don't just feint and parry. This isn't a game. A fight never lasts long.

Zabloda swung up. Link saw lightning flash reflected in the incoming blade.

Strike when they strike.

Link thrust. Steel clanged as the Master Sword skewed the attack aside, then slid down the length of the other blade and came to a sudden halt when it hit the Hylian's pommel.

Be aggressive. Take the initiative.

With both swords still locked, Link drove his shoulder into Zabloda's chest. The Hylian staggered back.

Use your body. And –

Zabloda punched him straight in the mouth.

And don't get punched straight in the mouth.

Link's face felt numb. He stumbled back. A hot, copper taste coated his tongue. The world seemed like it was all underwater. It was only then that he realised just how much bigger Zabloda was to him. Another punch brought Link to his knees. He lost his grip on the Master Sword. It hit the ground with a loud clang.

Another well-trained maxim rolled around Link's ringing head.

Size your opponent up before you engage.

One mistake was all it had taken. Link felt the sharp edge of Zabloda's blade come to rest on his neck. The ancient tech hummed. His breathing began to shudder.

He's bigger. But is he smarter…? Smart like the princess?

Link's eyes dropped to the fallen Master Sword. Reflected lightning flashed in the blade's polished surface. A spark spat.

"Take it," Link said suddenly.

Zabloda's voice floated from above. "What?"

Link snapped out his arm and clutched the Master Sword. "The sacred blade," he said. "Take it. It's yours." His voice dropped so that the other Hylians didn't hear him. "Just don't hurt me."

Link heard his opponent shuffle in hesitation. Something buzzed – just for the faintest moment. Zabloda crouched. Their eyes met. Link nodded. His hand left the Master Sword.

Wary eyes on the young knight, Zabloda tentatively reached down for the sacred blade. Link did nothing. He could see the Hylian's lips twitching in a desperate attempt to hold back a smile.

Zabloda's hand curled around the hilt of the Master Sword. His eyes shone with greed as he stood. Link stood as well, taking a few steps back, then glanced over his shoulder. Princess Zelda stared, concern etched on her face. The look made something jump in Link's heart.

He turned back. The wind whistled all around them. Another spark spat. Zabloda cast his own sword aside. It toppled over the edge of the outcropping and fell silently out of sight. The Hylian only had eyes for the Master Sword. He grinned.

"You're Chosen One now," Link breathed as the princess sidled up to stand beside him. "You deserve it."

"Well," said Zabloda, his regard still not leaving the sacred blade. "I think I was wrong about you. I thought you a warrior hiding under a witless mask. Now I see you're just an idiot hiding under the mask of a warrior."

Link shrugged. Another buzz. Another spark. "Maybe," he said. "I'm a bit of both."

Lightning struck. It hit the Master Sword and ran straight through the Hylian. Zabloda screamed. He dropped the blade and stumbled backward. Link saw Zelda working away on the Sheikah Slate out of the corner of his eye. A moment later a spherical bomb of iridescent blue rolled from her hand, over the wet ground, and came to rest at the Hylian's feet. The princess gripped the Sheikah Slate hard. Her finger punched the screen –

And the bomb exploded, hurtling Zabloda off the edge.

Link released a long breath.

Job done.

Another day in the life of the Chosen One. The true Chosen One.

Link walked over to where the Hylian fell and stood there for a moment, one hand clutching the other wrist. Finally, a peal of thunder rumbled overhead. Link, though, just gazed down. He didn't gloat. In fact, he had nothing to say. It wasn't often he got a chance to reflect on another life taken.

Princess Zelda's voice rang out from behind him. "It worked!"

Link turned to see her smiling, one hand holding the empty antidote vial, the other clutching the Silent Princess. The look on her face warmed his heart. And that was worth more than all the king's gold.

The still smiling princess approached him.

"You were right," he said softly.

Zelda raised a questioning eyebrow.

Link smiled. "We do make quite the team."

She glanced back over to where the prisoners still sat huddled. "That's good," she said, then looked back. "Because I can't do this alone."

And as she walked off towards the other Hylians, Link wasn't quite sure what she was referring to.

The prisoners – releasing them and helping them back home…?

Their greater task against Calamity Ganon…?

Or maybe, just maybe, she means life itself…

Princess Zelda lay on her bed in her room within Hyrule Castle. A clock ticked. The only other sound was the scratching of her quill as she wrote in her diary.

Bit by bit, she wrote, I've gotten Link to open up to me. Out of the corner of her eye, Zelda saw the glowing Silent Princess standing on her dresser. She still hadn't worked out exactly what it did. Her father had thus declared her little sojourn a wasted trip.

But the princess didn't think that. She'd learned a lot – about how people responded to the Chosen One; how some thought they were emulating him, and how others thought they were better. Zelda would've wondered if her knight's emotionless shell was having the opposite effect to what he desired – except she remembered the gratitude Zabloda's prisoners had shown him, how safe they felt in his presence as he escorted them silently home.

He's a mirror, she mused. Those with a dark heart will only see that same darkness when they look upon him.

So, if that were true, then what did Zelda see about herself when she looked at Link…?

Well, for one thing, that I'm not suited to silence like him!

She smiled as she finished her diary entry. I wish to talk with him more, she wrote, and to see what lies beneath those calm waters, to hear him speak freely and openly. And perhaps I, too, will be able to bare my soul to him and share the demons that have plagued me all these years.

That was the next step. Zelda snapped the diary closed. They were friends now – her and Link – and friends shared.

A soft knock came at her door.

"My lady…?" Link's familiar, if muffled, voice came from outside. "It's time."

An instinctive grin came to Zelda's face. Link had that effect on her.

Maybe that's the reflection I see in him, she thought. He hides his contentment well – and I long to see it rise to the surface of those same calm waters - but I know he is content. And that makes me feel content, too. If only for a brief time…

Princess Zelda swung her legs down off of her bed. "I'll be right there," she said.

She bounced over to the door in happiness, ready to join her knight in facing whatever the new day would bring.

A/N: And that's a wrap! (No, for those asking, this isn't in the same continuity as Silent Knight. Also, Silent Knight is complete! Go read it!)

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