Hero by Heart

Chapter 57

Zelda could not suppress a happy smile, every time she saw her knight pass by.
     Ever since their shared moment at the Sacred Ground Ruins, she felt happier, and full of hope again.
One look at the handsome knight brought back those memories, and even two days later, she still felt a blush rise to her cheeks when he smiled back.
'Blushing again,' Reeza said in an almost bored tone of voice, when Zelda was staring after Link riding over the open plains of Castle Town.
The Gerudo warrior had taken a liking to teasing Zelda, and had incessantly commented on her behaviour, no matter how small.
Since Reeza had more or less become Zelda's personal escort through town, that meant she was ready to tease most of the time Link was anywhere in sight.
Zelda just laughed it off and playfully shoved her shoulder, before continuing her inspection of the latest reports.
'I have to find some joy around here, right?' She asked, not bothering to look up at the Gerudo. 'These reports aren't exactly doing the job.' She jabbed a finger at the tiny scribbling, an annoyed frown on her face.
Reeza chuckled dryly. 'It all depends on your definition of joy, Zelda.'
The princess shrugged, smiling softly.
     'So it's no good news?' Reeza went on.
     'It's barely any news at all,' Zelda sighed. 'Still cowering in their dark hole. If only we knew what they were planning!' She groaned in frustration.
'Be patient,' Reeza said. 'We'll be ready when they come. The longer they wait, the more time we have to prepare.'
Zelda nodded. 'I'm just worried that they are waiting for something. If they are getting some kind of backup, we will be heavily outnumbered.'
Reeza shrugged. 'I think we will be alright. As long as we can keep them outside our walls.'
Zelda looked up, towards the stone walls in the distance. Nowadays they were constantly occupied by guards, parading the walkway. 'I really hope we can.'
The Gerudo patted her on the shoulder. 'And here I was, thinking you were so cheerful lately.' She chuckled.
Zelda laughed too. The comment alone made her think of Link, and she immediately felt happier.
'Actually, it is time for our daily training,' Reeza said with a knowing smile.
Zelda grinned up at her and pushed her away playfully, before walking towards her horse.
The day before she had picked Thunder up at the Wetland Stable, so that she could move around town faster. It made her feel more confident to have her trusted steed with her, no matter how short the distance.
Now she mounted him and trotted in the direction she had seen Link go earlier, Reeza marching on her left.

The eastern part of town had been completely transformed into a battlefield, spreading over several ruined foundations, crumbled roads and grassy plains.
Link had set up a variety of exercises, suited for every form of fighting, so that anybody could brush up on their skills.
Right now it was busy with people from all Races, gathering for the daily warm-ups.
To give a realistic impression of the battle to come, Link had set up routines that made everyone work together, so that Zora, Gerudo, Rito, Gorons and Sheikah learned to trust on each other and their skills.
He had even trained a small group of Hylians to handle swords and spears, although they only learned the bare minimum of techniques, just to stand their ground.
Still, it filled Zelda's heart with joy to see the men plated and armed, most of them handling Royal weapons, left in the castle by the Royal Knights of old.
It was a small group, and they looked insecure and terrified, but they were the only remnants of the strong army that had once lived here.
When Zelda arrived, Link had just finished his motivational introduction, explaining the purpose of these trainings, and he stepped down from the raised platform that had been built.
When he mounted Epona, he looked out over the crowds and his eyes met hers. A big grin immediately appeared on his face, and he waved happily.
'Blushing again,' Reeza chuckled, but Zelda didn't care. She gently swatted her arm, without breaking her eye contact with Link.
'By the Seven Heroines,' Reeza muttered. 'You're going to get yourself killed if you keep staring at him constantly.'
Zelda snapped her head to the left and shot her a sharp look. 'I certainly won't,' she said defiantly, knowing it was a weak response.
In all honesty, she knew she had to concentrate, definitely if they were really going to fight. It would be too embarrassing to die because she was distracted by the knight that was supposed to protect her.
Slowly the crowd around them dissolved, as everyone found a place and a way to train, and she quickly started looking for a piece of terrain that was still accessible.
Eventually she stopped at the edge of the battlefield, and dismounted. She took out her weapons and took position across from Reeza, who stood patiently waiting.