Written in Blood

XX . A reason to beat me up

I almost get another heart attack when I hear a voice pop out behind me out of nowhere, a shout compared to the relative silence.

"You think you're better enough to spar me?"

"For the love of all that is holy... can you not sneak up on me like that?! I nearly had a-"

I spin around on my heel to glare at her. Zelda returns with an innocent smile. She's ridiculous.

It's been around a week since returning from the siege at Kakariko, and for the most part I've been taking it easy around here. The princess hasn't needed me for anything yet, but I guess I'm healed enough to train with her by now. Zelda's already outfitted in her Sheikah gear, and once again I know I'll end up having to spar with her anyway.

I sigh, accepting my fate, "Alright, let's do this."

A smile brightens on her face, lighting up her eyes. For a quick second I forget I'm supposed to be angry at her, seeing the clear happiness in her expression.

No. I am mad.

The only reason I agreed to this was simply that I had no other choice, and I just decided to do it instead of arguing with her. It just isn't worth it if most of the time she leaves me be. Besides my apparent "ranch arrest" my new situation isn't too shabby. But still, even if I'm somewhat glad she's letting me off relatively easy, that doesn't mean we're now going to be friendly. I'm just following her orders like in her servant. That's all this is now, and it's more than it should be at that.

"I'll go get your gear with you, okay fairy boy?"

"Sure."

I start walking before she can drag me over across the field to the armory. I don't need to be humiliated further.

The field's been thinned out. There's a lot of injured still at the infirmary, and there's just a general lack of people. Malon's there slaving away with the other medics to help all those harmed. The siege took a lot out of us, not just lives but resources too. A portion of the soldiers who had been here were as far as I know transferred to Kakariko for two reasons. To clean up the mess of bodies and destruction and to help fortify the town against the possibility of another attack.

I don't know if the graveyard's big enough for all the dead. And not just from the battle... injuries have caused death after the fact too.

But there's still morale, hope. Our victory showed what we can do, even outnumbered and taken by surprise. Well, for most people. The loss of that many seemed to outweigh the victory for me. And this isn't the end, it isn't over until he pays for his deeds against Hyrule- known and forgotten- with his life. Then I'll rest easy.

The days are finally beginning to cool down, and the armory is vacant except for a few soldiers nearby. Those that are here aren't unharmed either, just less hurt than the majority of our force now.

Zelda get over to the sword racks and picks one out for me. It's similar to the blade of evil's bane, but nothing is quite like that sword. The cross-guard's design is similar though. Instead of handing it to me carefully like a normal person, the princess instead holds it out to me, the blade pointed at my chest.

"Careful! You could've impaled me!" I growl at her, avoiding the blade and snatching it from her hands.

"Sorry," she mutters.

Yeah, whatever. I don't care. It's just a mix of my already pre-existing irritation of the princess and my track record of injuries ever since I returned. All of that is just mixing together into a stew of irritation and anger and annoyance. But it's fine.