Royal Rebel 4 ~ The Return

Chapter 49: Hard to Tell | Pt 1

It was very late at night as Idalia padded down the short walkway between the room she was staying in and the room Ellet and Azu were in, and she carefully pushed the door to let herself in as it was already cracked open. Azu wasn't anywhere in the room, but Ellet was comfortable in his bed, seemingly soundly asleep.

She took a few steps into the room, but on the third, the floor quietly creaked, but just loud enough for Ellet to wake to the sound.

"What are you doing in here, Idalia?" He asked, glancing out the window to guess what the time could've been. The moon wasn't even at its midpoint in its journey across the sky yet. "You should be sleeping."

"I want to. But everytime I fall asleep I keep having dreams about Harbinger, and the malice." She sighed, and Ellet's face softened as he could see the unease growing in the princess's expression. "I kept waking up with you in my mind so... I decided to come in here and see if being with you would help. If you don't mind, of course."

"Oh, no, I don't. I'd let you sleep in Azu's bed but I don't know when he'll be back from his night patrol he wanted to do." He scooted over to the left side of the large mattress he was sleeping on and he pulled the blanket down. "But I have room here."

Idalia walked to the right side of the bed and climbed in, and she quickly pulled the covers over herself. Ellet smiled softly as she quickly got comfortable, and he sunk back into his own spot.

"I feel better already," She whispered and smiled, and he did the same and quietly chuckled. "Thanks for letting me stay in here." It didn't take her long to fall asleep after that, but now reliving the experience from earlier, Ellet found himself unable to fall back asleep. He was wide awake letting it replay over and over in his head. And it didn't help when Idalia was right there, reminding him when he tried to forget it.

Down the hall, the king sat curled up against a wall beside the entrance to his room, his mind scattered and scared. He tried to take deep breaths to keep himself calm, but he had worked so hard to hold himself together at Fort Hateno, and it was all falling apart now.

It had only been a few hours since he finally reached the castle to save his wife, only to find out he was too late. His hands still felt cold from when he held her and made the realization, his chest still shook the same way it did when he sobbed and cursed Elric for what he had done, and the guilt still rested heavy on his shoulders, just as it did when he had told the guard. Perhaps heavier now, knowing he lied to his daughter.

He lied to his daughter about her own mother's death.

It was one thing to hide the past of Hyrule and life of his own fears and devastation to her, but this was something she was obligated to know. And no matter what, she'd find out by the end of the day. And not only would she see him as an even worse liar now, he might be seen as the one to blame.

He did nothing to stop the tears that streaked his pale face as he kept his eyes locked onto his golden crown sat neatly on a pillow on his bed. It was one of few things that was recovered from the ruins of his kingdom, but what was his crown worth without his queen?

A light knock on the door interrupted his lost thoughts, and he scrambled to wipe the tears from his face as he worried it might be Idalia.

"Come in." He managed, turning himself away from the door as he took a deep breath. He looked back to see Azu standing at the entrance, holding a glass of water.

"Are you okay, Link?" He asked, setting the water down on a dresser next to the other side of the door. "I thought I heard you."

"I'm alright, kiddo, don't worry." Link walked to the dresser where he set the cup and lifted it from its place before sipping it. He sighed and set it down, but Azu was still there. "Oh, I forgot to say thank you, Azu."