The Legend of Zelda: The Silent Princess

Who Are We?

A week had passed since our visit with Mipha. Monsters were everywhere we went along with the Yiga Clan. We avoided the clan as much as possible, but sometimes it wasn't doable. Our travels were mostly from the two springs and the Divine Beasts. That day, we were heading for the Spring of Courage.

I had since been thinking about what Mipha had said to me. It had been on my mind a lot to distract myself from thinking about my failures at the two springs. All I could really say was that I did want to get to know him better. To allow myself to say that I would have chosen him as the hero.

As we were taking a break from traveling for the night, I thought of the one question I had also found myself wanting to ask him. While we sat outside the Akkala Stables with a fire in front of us, I stared across the flames at him. The light of the flame flickered in his eyes.

When his eyes looked up from the fire at me, I required softly, "What is the purpose of staying so quiet when you have so much to say?"

He appeared a little stressed about the topic. I worried that the question had made him uncomfortable. I didn't have a set goal for making his life miserable . . . anymore. I wanted him to feel encouraged to tell me things, not the other way around.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly, "You don't have to answer that!"

A delicate smile came to his face. Then he moved over so he didn't have to look through the flames to see me. He focused on my face.

"As you know, Princess, there's a lot at stake and so many eyes watching, I know I must stay strong for them. I bear my burdens silently. Telling them the truth would scare them."

I breathed in, trying not to cry for his forgiveness once again. Everything he said was exactly how I dealt with what I had been through, except I couldn't hide my fear as well as he could. My people were angry with me because I couldn't keep my feelings inside. I couldn't look at him any longer.

"I guess we're one and the same. You and I," I said to the flames, "Who would've thought?"

Suddenly his hand took mine. I gazed at him, tears nearly blinking from my eyes. He wore an understanding expression. I smiled as I squeezed his hand.

Firmly I said, "I have tried to get the other Champions to use my name. You're the only one I haven't asked that of yet. I know that they still use my title, but would you . . . well . . . just call me Zelda?"

He nodded while giving my hand a squeeze back. We both stared back at the fire, keeping our hands knitted together. Soon though, my head started to nod off. When my head went down the fourth time, I felt his other hand guide my head to his shoulder.

* * *

Link and I were finishing up our journey to the Spring of Courage. Because of what I learned the night before, I had promised myself that I would tell Link my own fears that have haunted me over my life. Mipha had been right to believe that there was some special connection between Link and me. Whether that connection was romantic, I didn't know.

Before we made it past the East Post, I noticed a shrine. I hopped off my horse and ran to it with excitement. Link was right behind me.

I took the Sheikah Slate and then looked back up at the shrine. "Researching the ancient relics has so far been the one strength I have accomplished. The Sheikah Slate is the only thing showing what I have discovered. But I've recently read something about the slate. At the time, it hurt my eyes to read it, but I figured I should tell you about it."

My eyes went over to his as I extended the slate out to him, "The slate was once carried by the hero."

He took the slate, and I watched as he pressed the slate against the shrine's terminal as I held my breath. Nothing happened. I sighed, disappointed. Like everything else, the shrine wasn't active, so of course it wouldn't respond. He handed the slate back to me, looking just as disappointed as I felt.