Scars

Chapter 3

"Link, do you think...do you think we can rebuild Hryule's castle?"

The topic lingered for hours; the knight would always help Zelda, but this was a big project. They would be writing history.

Though, it wasn’t like they hadn’t already done that. Talk about a power couple--I mean duo.

Ideas of who to recruit for the castle, how to build from ruins, and who to run the castle bounced back and forth from the pair as they laid on the grass. They hadn’t noticed it, but the cool environment of night tinted the grass into an almost turquoise hue. 

"It'd take years," the princess said, seeming defeated. "And not to mention the issue with forming a monarchy once more. My father ran it so well."

"...You're not giving yourself enough credit, Princess." Link managed to choke out after half a minute. "You're the one who taught the Champions how to guide the divine beasts."

He was careful with how he used his tone of voice. What was usually a rough, static voice became soft and grateful. 

She smiled as a thank you, and replied,"You do know you don't have to call me Princess. I'm not--"

"I know that," He interrupted, "I don't call you Princess because of your royal status." He smiled, knowing Zelda knew exactly why he called her Princess, proven by the reddening of her face. He moved his arms from the back of his head to his side of his waist as the knight sat upright on the grass, his wrists making a popping noise. “I don’t know really what else to say. I don’t remember much of what Hyrule used to be, or the inner workings of the castle.”

“I don’t know if many people alive even do. If we're building the castle back to its former glory, we are going to need someone who does.” She looked up at Link, watching the blue of his eyes seemingly dance in moonlight. The emotion in his eyes never changed; even before his 100-year slumber. It was always in wait, expecting the next change of events, never antipaicating moment of rest.

“What would it mean to bring back Hyrule Castle?” He asked, having thought about it for a while.

“It...It would mean we could finally bring back a sense of normalcy to this land. All the villages and people, they’re all separated. Hyrule field was always full of teeming activity, but now it's seen as No Man’s Land.” For a second, she was able to pull her gaze off of Link and look into the horizon, past Dueling Peaks. “It could be my way to apologize, for being absent for so long. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had forgotten me.”

Her knight thought silently, unable to put words to his thoughts. He couldn’t figure out how to convey she didn’t owe anything to Hyrule; it was almost the opposite. Zelda was constantly giving herself away, whether it be her research, training, or mere presence, for the sake a land of which had nearly forgotten her. She needed to forgive herself for not awakening her powers in time; both of them knew it.

The moon was at its highest in its dance around the sky and its million spots of light. The night was quiet; it wasn’t filled with the yells of children and the chatter of townspeople. The night might’ve been feared by others; prompting anyone in the dark to fear the unknown, but if you just stayed still for a moment, you would see how the sky became a silent ballad, calm yet full of life, even in the dark. 

Zelda was zoning out for a bit, but the crack of Link’s joints as he stood took her out of her daydream. Nightdream? Not-keeping-track-of-what-time-it-is-dream? 

“Princess,” He began. “I will help you at any chance I get.”

“I feel like there’s more to your sentence, Sir Link.” She looked at him with inquisitive eyes and smile, still lying down on her back on the grass with her hands on her stomach.