After the knighting ceremony, Zelda had lost her freedom of solitude. It was not like Zelda was not used to an appointed knight. She had Ashei before Link and Ashei had also never left her side. Link following her everywhere was nothing new to Zelda. He stood by her as she read from the library. He stood in her room until she went to bed. He stood beside her during official meetings with the captains and the king.
But at least Ashei would talk to me. Zelda thought. Since Link became her new retainer, he had not uttered a single word nor even hand the princess a simple emotion. Link had only given her the same icy stare that even she could feel as he walked behind her. It made her feel anxious and weary... the feelings linger.
Zelda tried to ignore him and figure a way to find some time alone from him and the rest of the castle staff. It had been two weeks since he was assigned to her. Two weeks of having nothing to do in her free time except to continue studying Hyrule's history and people. She had already begun to reread a lot of texts as she was losing newer books to read. She wanted to observe the guardians again, they would give her excitement. She could do so with Link yet it was his gaze that prevented her from doing so. Even if she couldn't watch them by herself, she would do anything to get away from his uncomfortable watch.
"I'm feeling a bit tired from today," Zelda feigned a yawn as she opened her bedroom door. "I'm going to sleep a bit earlier than usual, so you can stay outside and rest for today." His eyes looked at her with suspicion and let her be. She closed the door behind her and removed her shoes to avoid making too much noise. Zelda then rummaged through the numerous gifts her suitors gave her that she tossed to a corner of her room. She remembered that Groose had given her a Skyloftian heirloom that could assist her in her escape.
Zelda softly lifted a matching Zora spear and shield set to avoid clanking the silver with the stone of the floor to find a pair of sailcloths lying under. She had never glided with one before but now was a good time to see what it could do. She snuck out to her balcony and knelt over by the small wall that divided her and the open air. Zelda raised her head to see who was out on patrol. There were two guards on the balcony closest to hers but they seemed to caught up in their game of cards to even notice her sneak past. However, the knights on the castle's west wall, that was in front of her room, were more vigilant as they were tasked to watch for any intruders that the guardians could not detect. Therefore, Zelda could not research the guardians anytime soon.
She looked down at the castle's flower garden to see that it was protected only by the fireflies that danced by its blooms. Without hesitation, Zelda rushed off the balcony and at the last moment, pulled out her sailcloth to float all the way down to the center. She didn't have plan come back to her room unnoticed but she was giddy on the idea that Link might express an actual emotion after he noticed she snuck through his watch. Just a tiny drop of emotion from him may amuse her enough to forget the possible amounts of scolding her father would unleash on her.
Zelda moved a hand under her dress and sat down on the grass masked by twilight. She had never visited the castle garden since her mother died ten long years ago. She distracted herself the flurry of memories by watching the fireflies dance around the garden's goddess statues. The golden colors of the fireflies coddled with the depth of blues of the night sky. It was quiet yet she could still hear the voices of patrolling guards from above and the hums of fireflies that gathered in the area. Zelda was finally by herself without worrying about the watchful eyes that drowned her.
"It worked two weeks ago." The voice dragged Zelda to the ground. She snuck to the side of the goddess statue as the couple of footsteps walked past her. She could barely hear the conversation from her position. The walkway that separate the castle garden into was a little bit far from the garden's goddess statue. "That's when we make our strike." She tried to uncover the faces to these voices yet they were already gone. Zelda let out the nervous air she held in and turned to her side. The green in her eyes met with the watchful blue of her appointed knights.
"Hylia," Zelda quietly gasped and her back feel onto the grass. For a second, she could've sworn her reaction caused a little amusement for her otherwise expressionless retainer. She toke notice to how his armor reflected the dark hues of the night and glow of the fireflies and how his hair danced with expression with the soft breeze. However, he was still a blank slate and she was no longer alone. "How did you get here so fast?" She was greeted with no response but her eyes sneaked around to see the pink sailcloth she had left behind in her room.
Link slowly stood up and held out a hand to guide the princess up. Zelda's hand refused it as she stood up on her own and began walking away. She walked faster and faster to try to create more distance between the two of them but Link followed faster and faster. The hunt followed down the hallways and up the stairs, all the way to her bedroom. Zelda grew more frustrated as they were growing farther away from the garden.
"I just wanted time by myself," Zelda muttered loud enough for Link to hear before she entered her room, "And I can not get that without you by my side every single hour I'm awake." Her brows furrowed as her frown deepened. "I just wished you'd stop following me." She turned back to him to see the same emotionless face he had given her everyday. That was what drove Zelda over the edge. She thrusted the door open and flung herself onto her bed. The door closed and yet she was the only person in the room. Link did not follow her in.
