Kingdom of Power, of Courage, and of Wisdom

Dragmire's War - Still Powerless

The room imploded into silence. Not merely quiet, but fully silent. Most stopped breathing, their jaws slack and eyes wide in shock. The creaking of wood as the Fae constructs moved ceased as they stilled. The soldiers around the room faltered. Link gaped openly and felt his limbs go numb. Not even Ganon nor Impa were unaffected, as they openly stared.

The only ones unaffected by this admission was Ryo's faction, Ryo himself, and Zelda.

He... he had just openly admitted to sending the assassin her way. In front of so many witnesses.

Link heard something echo in his ears, something sharp and high enough to pierce the chains holding his stunned state of mind down. Link felt the numbness give away to sharp pain, and his vision narrowed in on Ryo. He felt his blood boil in molten fury. Without thinking about it, he grabbed his sword and started to rise, but Ganon grabbed his head and slammed him to the ground.

"Don't!" Ganon hissed quietly.

"But he admitted to it!" Link argued. He resisted against Ganon as the sound came again and Zelda laughed and-

Zelda was laughing.

The sound swept over him like cold water. He shivered and his skin crawled with goosebumps.

He had heard Zelda chuckle, and at most have a very quiet laugh that lasts little more than a single breath. Both were the rarest accomplishments he could imagine against her ever present scowl or cold stare. Just receiving an eye roll or smirk were considered impossible by anyone else's standards.

And she was laughing.

The laugh was real. It was wrong. It was loud, jolly, and clear. It was horrifying and filled Link with dread. Most of all Link understood and perceived why she laughed. The laugh was as real as it was fake, because it was not funny, but Zelda was pulling off the act well.

Because she was afraid.

"Wha..." Link whispered. "I-Is there really that big of a gap between them?"

Ganon clenched his fists tightly, "Endure it."

"Don't screw with me!"

"Endure it. That is all we can do. We follow her lead."

"But you're a king like her!"

"And this is her court." Ganon replied. "This is her palace, her home, and her court. I will not tarnish it by being a rude guest. If she cannot stand here and now on her own two feet, then my intervention will only be a slap in the face and take her power from her."

Ryo joined her in her laughter. His faction laughed. Link, Ganon, and Impa did not laugh, but a few of Zelda's ministers forced themselves to laugh, at most nervously.

Zelda smiled cheerily, and said, "Chancellor, enough of this jest. Such a thing is unthinkable!"

"Truly! Truly!" Ryo laughed. "Perhaps my jest is in bad taste, it did after all occur only last night. So I humbly apologize if it is rude."

"A little humor is good for the soul and extends your days. Abhdan knows most of all!"

Abhdan laughed.

"At his rate, he may very well outlive both of us." Ryo smirked.

"Oh-ho! Ho! Ho!" Abhdan laughed. "I swear I will! I've outlived three kings, and am still active since my days as Chancellor. You are both a hundred years too young to think you can know my secret! My secret dies with me!"

The three of them laughed, and Link stopped resisting. He felt more defeated then he ever recalled being. If Zelda said for him to pick up his sword and fight, he would. But when the leader he placed himself under did not have the resolve to fight... how could he?