Noble by Nature

Chapter 40

'What's gotten into you?' A voice came from behind, followed by the form of a large Zora moving into his line of vision.
Link didn't look up, instead continuing to swing his sword at the wooden pool wrapped in ropes.
He had left Zelda's room to go back to the inn, hating that he had failed to make up with her.
Even after a hot bath and a small meal he was still fuming with anger, making it impossible to sleep.
In the end he had tossed and turned until he simply gave up. He had hardly slept in days, but that didn't seem to matter now.
Instead he had gotten dressed and walked around town, enjoying the quiet night air until the sun rose in the east. Somehow he had end up in the castle's courtyard to do some training, which he had to have been doing for a few hours now.
'What has that dummy ever done to you?' Sidon chuckled.
'It's not the dummy,' Link grumbled, casting a quick glance at the prince and seeing the growing worry on his face.
'Seriously, Link,' he said, 'what happened?'
Link sighed, finally dropping the point of his sword to the ground. 'I had a fight with Zelda.'
Sidon's eyebrows shot up at that, followed by a concerned frown. 'Again?'
Link simply shrugged and shook his head, focusing back on the pole in front of him.
'What was it about?' The Zora asked.
'She's just being selfish and stubborn,' Link grunted, swinging his sword with so much force that it cut through the rope and bit into the wood underneath. As he yanked it free he noticed Sidon's stunned expression, and bound in a bit.
'I'm trying to get her to talk to me and make her see I only want to keep her safe, but she insists everything's fine and that she can take care of herself. She doesn't listen to me.' He sighed.
'Sounds to me like you're both being stubborn then,' Sidon said with a grin. 'Listen,' he then added quickly, when Link shot him an annoyed look. 'She has always wanted to be in charge of her own life. I think we can hardly blame her, right? Having been cooped up with that lunatic for a hundred years.' He shrugged. 'I think she is mostly resisting anyone telling her what to do, not so much what you're telling her.'
Link thought about it. It actually did sound logical. 'I should've thought of that,' he said.
'Well, to be fair, she can be complicated,' the Zora chuckled. 'I talked to her when she first returned from Faron Woods, you know.'
     Link nodded. He had known, but exactly what she had told him she hadn't said. It made him wonder why his friend would bring it up now, and he braced himself for whatever it was.
     'She was devastated, having gone through all that with Ganondorf, losing her child,' his voice was hushed when he mentioned it, obviously not wanting to upset Link, but he continued on, 'having been separated from you.' Sidon crossed his arms, staring out at a distant wall as he thought back on that conversation. 'Even back then there was so much hurt she was pushing down. I could tell she was desperate to be comforted by you, and she hated having sent you away.'
     Link felt his insides turn. He had resented her for it for so long, never really allowing himself to truly believe she had felt at least as reluctant to separate as he had.
     'We all saw her wasting away a little bit every day,' Sidon continued, his face full of sorrow. 'But no one could reach her. I was certain she would start to bounce back once you arrived.'
     'But she didn't,' Link muttered, 'did she? Not really.'
     'No,' Sidon said. 'She pretended to. I thought it might need a little more time. But I think she has never stopped blaming herself for all of this.' He made a broad gesture around them. 'She has always been convinced she failed everyone during the Great Calamity, but now there's Ganondorf. Indirectly she thinks she is responsible for the loss of your child.'
     Link shook his head. 'She isn't.' He stared at the sword in his hands.
Sidon nodded. 'Of course not. But I think part of her believes you must think so too. She thinks her failures have led to the loss of the people she cares about. Her father, her friends, even you, before you were put in that shrine. And there was that war last year. She feels responsible for every death during those battles. And now there's people dying again.' Sidon sighed. 'The weight of all of that... Of course that drags her down.'
Link dropped his head. 'She mentioned being afraid she would get me killed. I should have taken her more seriously.'
'Look, Link,' the prince said, placing a hand on his shoulder, 'I know what it's like to feel responsible. We have both led people into battle who haven't made it out. It rips you apart. You know that as well as I do.' He shrugged. 'But I don't know what it's like to lose the person you love. Anyone can see the two of you are made for each other. I can't blame her for fearing to lose you.'
'I can't either,' Link muttered. 'I'm terrified just thinking of her in any kind of battle, let alone her fighting Ganondorf. It tears me up. How can I tell her not to worry when it's all I do?'
Sidon looked at him apologetically. 'You can't. She is going to do it either way. But she isn't restricting your freedom, is she?'
Link shook his head.
'I think all she wants is for you to do the same. Give her back the ability to make her own choices.'
'But it's still different,' he muttered. 'I'm a knight. I'm trained to fight and to protect her. She is a princess. Our only princess. The kingdom can't afford to lose her.'
Sidon shrugged. 'Is there anything we can do to prevent her getting hurt? You just can't predict what will happen.'
'No, but we can at least try not to put her in the thick of it!' Link exclaimed, throwing up his hands in exasperation.
'If I understand correctly, we will need her Sealing Power to fight Ganondorf.' Sidon remained calm, looking down on the knight. 'She is already in the thick of it, Link. Why would you waste time fighting about it instead of spending that precious time with her?'
Link dragged his hand through his hair, frustrated by his inability to keep her safe like he wanted to.
'You never know what'll happen,' Sidon said. 'Just enjoy every second you have together. Let her see you support her, listen to whatever she is able to tell you. Don't push her. She knows you're there no matter what.'
'What if she never talks about it?' Link asked.
'Then she won't.' Sidon shrugged. 'But I truly believe she will, once she is able to sort it out in her head. Believe in her, as you always have.'
     Link slowly nodded. 'You seem to know a good deal about this,' he said with a weak chuckle, 'for someone who has never loved someone like that.'
     'I had a great teacher,' the Zora prince said with a sad smile.