Noble by Nature

Chapter 42

In the morning Link woke feeling refreshed and energized again, having slept soundly through the entire night. No nightmares had plagued his dreams this time.
     It was as he'd thought. As soon as he was safe and sound in Zelda's bed, her reassuring presence beside him, he was gone.
     He had secretly wanted to make it up to her a little more, but hadn't been able to resist the pull of sleep, comfortable as he was.
     Now he woke up to the sound of rain against the stones outside, with the soft and even breathing of the princess beside him.
     He smiled. He couldn't help it. It felt so good to be back at her side.
     He got up to relieve himself and when he returned Zelda stirred, opening her eyes and smiling up at him.
She looked absolutely gorgeous to him, especially considering she only just woke up.
'Morning,' he said huskily, leaning over and kissing her slowly.
A lazy smile appeared on her lips. 'I missed this.'
'Me too,' he said, pulling her closer and wrapping her in his arms.
Zelda glanced at the window, where a faint, dull daylight was filing through the grey clouds. She groaned. 'We have to get up.'
He nodded. He knew there would be no more time to be alone, however, so he took his time kissing her again.
The princess relaxed in his arms, moulding into him with her eyes closed.
She had been anxious to leave for Rito Village as soon as possible, convinced they would be in more trouble the longer it took them to help.
The day before they'd spent the entire evening planning out their strategy, as well as meeting with their captains and discussing their assignments.
Link had felt like he had gone from a lone warrior infiltrating monster camps to someone with the responsibility of a king in the blink of an eye. It kind of made him miss those exhausting moments outside the walls. At least he'd been able to hear his own thoughts.
He knew he'd had this responsibility before, that he had simply slipped away from it for a little while. But he certainly hadn't missed it.
Luckily Zelda had already thought out most of the plan. He still wasn't particularly happy that she insisted on going out there, exposing them to the monsters and possibly to Ganondorf himself. But he couldn't deny that she had really thought it through.
He'd asked her why she believed they would need so many Gorons, to which she had answered that they were most capable to fight those blasted Octoroks. Her exact words.
The Gorons could resist the huge boulders being flung at them, allowing them to approach the monsters and take them out.
It was the spill of her plan.
He sincerely hoped it would work. He hated knowing she would be in danger, but secretly he hated it even more to think that the Rito were being attacked and they would do nothing. Of course they needed to help them.
Link looked down on Zelda's beautiful golden hair, deeply inhaling her scent, fresh and lovely. Like her eyes, it always reminded him of the wild.
Those eyes now turned to his. She sighed deeply. 'Okay, let's go.'
He watched her get up and reach for her clothes, taking in every detail of her body. He had wasted so much time being angry and resentful, and now there was no way to tell when their next night alone would be. If ever.
'Come on,' Zelda said with a jerk of her head. 'We can't be late. Reeza would never let me live it down.'
He chuckled but did get up. Time to get his focus back. It wasn't like he was going to leave her side after all.
They would be together, no matter what their fate may throw at them.

'Why would they have attacked the Rito?' Yunobo asked, hoisting up a heavy breastplate to fasten it around his neck.
Their small army had assembled near the western gate, where they were now preparing to set out.
It wasn't easy coordinating so many people, but they were all skilled and trained warriors, in great physical condition. Everyone was already accounted for and nearly ready to set out.
The only one who might slow them down was Harth.
Link had insisted that he needed to come along to Rito Village, since they didn't know when they'd be back. If they were going to get the Voltfin Trout there, he wanted to use it as soon as possible.
Two strong Gorons would carry a small wagon between them. It only barely fitted the tall Rito, but at least he had some sort of roof over his head to shield him from the unrelenting rain.
Other than that, they hardly had anything to take with them. All warriors carried their own weapons and of food they barely had enough left. A few horses were laden with what little they dared to take, as well as some medical supplies. It wasn't much, but Link and Zelda both hoped they could reclaim Rito Village as soon as possible. From there they'd be able to recover, hunt and collect food.
'Maybe he wants to draw us out,' Link replied to Yunobo's earlier question. He was fastening the last clasps on Epona's gear and checking if everything was secured properly.
'So we are doing exactly what he wants?' The Goron asked anxiously, his hand reaching up to scratch the back of his neck.
'I don't think that's it,' Zelda intervened, placing a comforting hand on Yunobo as she passed him. In her other hand she held a bag, which she started to stuff into her saddle bag. 'At least not entirely.'
'Then what do you think?' Yunobo asked, obviously hoping for a more positive possibility.
'Well,' Zelda started, straightening up from checking Thunder's hoof and looking at him over the horse's back. 'I believe he sees them as the biggest threat.'
Link cocked his head at her. She hadn't told him this before. Between the Gerudo, Zora, Gorons and Rito he didn't know who he would pick as the biggest threat, but the Rito weren't the first to spring to mind.
Of course they were incredibly powerful in the air, amazing with a bow and fast too. They relied on them for so much, but in one on one combat they would not win it from the other races.
Link had always thought of the Gorons as being strongest in defence, with their nearly indestructible bodies and immense strength. In offence it would be a close call between the Gerudo and the Zora.
Nearly all of them were skilled with a spear, but most Gerudo could wield a sword just as easily. The Zora had the advantage of being able to fight in the water, though.
They all had their own strengths as well as weaknesses, so Link couldn't figure out why Ganondorf would think differently.
'Not in general necessarily,' Zelda said, 'but right now, with how this war is going.'
'What do you mean?' Yunobo asked, his voice small. He looked around nervously, as if afraid they were losing and he hadn't noticed.
'Just think about it.' Zelda put her hands on her saddle for them to see, holding up eight fingers. 'There's eight settlements that might make a small difference.' She looked from Yunobo to Link and back.
'Our people in Kakariko and Hateno Village, as well as Tarrey Town, are completely locked in, cut off from the outside world. They're easy targets once he turns his attention to them.' She made a fist of her one hand, leaving the other palm up.
'Then there's Lurelin Village, but we haven't had any word from them since I got to the castle, so I can only fear for the worst.' She folded down her thumb, a pained expression on her face.
'The Gerudo have sent nearly their entire force here already, and I'll bet anything that Gerudo Canyon is crawling with monsters again. Whoever might still want to back us up from there will never get through.' She put down another finger.
'Same with the Gorons.' She said, giving Yunobo a sad look. 'You have barely left anyone who might be able to help us anymore. They are needed to protect your home. Besides, it would be suicide to try and get through those monsters on the mountain.' She folded her finger. 'We can't expect help from that direction.'
Link stared at her, amazed by the cool way she was displaying the facts, horrible as they were.
But she wasn't done yet.
'That leaves the Zora and the Rito,' she said quietly, her eyes sparking. 'King Dorephan hasn't yet sent his full power, but he needs to protect the domain too. The valley is also riddled with monsters, so I doubt he'll send his men out now. It'd be too dangerous.' Another finger went down.
She stood with both hands resting on her saddle, wiggling her last remaining finger.
'So the Rito,' Link mumbled. 'They're our last hope.'
The princess nodded. 'They are the only ones who could still move around relatively safe. If they fly high enough no monster can reach them. Their village is surrounded, but that's not very effective is it?' She shrugged. 'The Rito have been essential in supplying us with new information. Not to mention that they are pretty much the only ones keeping us fed.'
Link slowly nodded, having finally understood the extend of their problems. 'Not the biggest threat in combat, but to this idea of besieging us.'
'Exactly,' Zelda said. 'By attacking their home he pretty much ensures all Rito rushing back there to help. That leaves us blind, starving and vulnerable.'
'Won't he attack the castle then, once we're gone?' Link asked, feeling an anxious flutter in his stomach.
'I don't know,' she whispered. 'I hope his attention will be elsewhere as soon as he learns we aren't here.'
'But... Ehm,' Yunobo said awkwardly, looking as if something pained him. 'We are about to just walk out these gates, right?'
Both Link and the princess nodded.
'So then that whole plan of putting up a siege is kind of pointless, isn't it? If we can just get out.' A blush rose to his cheeks and he shuffled a little, clearly uncomfortable under their combined gazes.
'You're right, Yunobo,' Zelda said with an endearing smile. 'That's why I believe the castle will remain relatively safe. He'll be too angry with the army that just burst through his ridiculous blockade.'
'So you're counting on him to follow us,' Link said, shaking his head as realization fully sank in. 'Zelda, we'll be sitting ducks out there!' He raised his arm, pointing in the general direction of Rito Village. 'There's no protection for us on the way. No walls to hide behind. We'll be what —two hundred men in total? We'll be surrounded and outnumbered.' He bit back his anger, telling himself that he was doing things differently this time around. 'How could you put us at such a risk?'
'We have to make a move, Link,' Zelda said calmly. 'Whether it's now or later, once we are completely out of food, malnourished and exhausted from having to keep throwing back those attacks. This can work, I know it can.'
'We don't know where he is,' Link muttered quietly, letting her see a hint of the fear in his eyes.
'We're going to find out,' she replied fiercely. 'I'm done waiting for him. If he's still gathering his strength I will not sit by and wait until he is more powerful than ever!'
Yunobo cleared his throat uncomfortably. 'I think they're ready to move.' His face showed the relief he felt at someone interrupting the situation he had suddenly found himself in.
Link looked up to see Riju, Teba and Bazz headed in their direction. Their faces were full of concentration, prepared for battle.
He looked at Zelda again, sighing deeply. Resignation settled over him. They were going to have to fight Ganondorf sooner or later. Maybe they would be able to end this.
At least he was in good physical shape again, being rid of those horrid attacks. The Master Sword was whole again and stronger than ever, safely in its scabbard on his back. Zelda was there with him, her Sealing Power under her control. It might not be as strong as it could be, if he were to believe the Deku Tree, but it would be enough.
They could take him.
He stepped closer to Zelda and nodded. 'If he shows his face we'll end him.' He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. 'Together.'