Royal Rebel 4 ~ The Return

Chapter 5: Dying Lies

"I want you to tell me why it seemed like a good idea to let my daughter into the dungeon?" Link growled as he placed his hands down on the table and leaned over it, staring down both of the guards sat nervously across from him, occasionally glancing between each other just to avoid the glare of their king. Both of them shrugged, too afraid to talk to him in this state. "I thought I made myself very clear when I stationed the pair of you down there. If I personally did not authorize someone to enter, then they will not. Tell me, please, what part of that you failed to understand?"

"Link." The king quickly whirled around to see his wife standing in the doorway, Paya and Purah close behind her. He glanced back at his guards and then gestured for them to leave to allow for the women to come in. Once the guards were gone, Zelda closed all of the doors and locked everything up. Trying to soundproof the room best she could.

"What's going on?" Link asked as Paya and Purah sat down, watching as the queen hurried around to secure the small quarters. "Zelda." He held his gaze on her, and she finally finished what she was doing and turned to him, sighing as she thought of a way to put the initial issue.

~~~~

"So there was a lynel attack," Link sighed, and I could hear the creaking as he leaned back in his seat. "I was worried we'd be receiving signs soon enough." Signs? Signs of what? I continued to listen as I pressed my ear to the door, hoping I could keep quiet enough as to not alert them I was here.

"Well, if it really happens, what are we going to do?" Mother asked, and I could hear the queen release a deep sigh.

"If the Calamity is to return again soon," She breathed out, her voice getting quiet. "I have found a way I can sacrifice myself and potentially hold it back for another ten thousand years."

"No!" The king slammed his hands down on the table, startling me a bit. "I am not going to allow you to give yourself up to Ganon and suffer for millenia. You've done enough, Zelda." He said, and the room was silent for a long few seconds. Enough for me to start questioning.

What was the Calamity? And what does she mean by another ten thousand years? I tried to remember, anything from the books I had read with Grandmother Impa, but she had never spoken of this. Yet it sounds so important. Why else would the king and queen be having such a secretive meeting if it wasn't important?

"We cannot risk Hyrule falling into another devastation. I know that now we are better prepared, but... I cannot help but fear that a future generation will suffer what we did just years ago..." She was whispering now, almost as if she knew I was listening. "Link, it is too late to change our plans now. Over a decade ago, we decided that we would do anything to get rid of Ganon for good."

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to that. To this. I was so sure we wouldn't have to deal with Ganon again in our lifetime." He groaned, and I pushed a little further against the door, now hearing the sound of bracelets jingling. "I don't want to lose you to this monster. Not like you lost your parents. Not to his minions that took my parents. And not like we lost _____."

"Link..." Her voice was starting to get hoarse, and it almost sounded as if she had been crying. "I would rather it be my life in place of anyone else's." I could hear my mother trying to console them, however I was too busy trying to put the pieces together to listen to that part.

What was the Calamity? Who was _____? Who was Ganon, and who were his minions?

I would have to tell Idalia as soon as I saw her again.

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"Oliver! There you are!" I beamed as I stood up from my spot on my picnic blanket, and he waved to me as he slid off his horse's saddle before getting the steed settled by the fence. Once he was, he came over and sat down next to me on the blanket. "You have no idea how much I've missed you all week!" I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I brought your favorite~"