The Queen and the Hero

2

Ravio stood before the door that led downstairs to the Servants' Quarters, his hood down once again as he nervously pushed open the door and began walking down the stone staircase.

He had only been gone for a few months from Lorule while hiding away in Hyrule, waiting for Yuga to come to Hyrule to begin capturing the Seven Sages and the Princess of Hyrule, and waiting for the perfect opportunity to start the Hero of Hyrule on his destiny.

Link was so much younger than him, as was Zelda, so when he had first seen Link, he thought it'd be best to masquerade as a young teenage merchant instead of a full-grown adult, though he felt even more like a creep when did so.

Link didn't speak much, but Ravio was used to reading facial expressions and determining one's feelings on that alone, as Hilda didn't like to talk much, though it was mainly from the increasing pressure from Lorule's impending doom.

The only time he had ever seen her so happy was when he had first kissed her, and everything that had happened after.

His face went red as he reflected on that night, he could still feel Hilda's lips on his own, and the feeling of her skin against his as they embraced each other.

Ravio was afraid to admit to himself that he was in love with his future Queen then, but now, he wasn't so sure he should even bring it up ever again.

Hilda's heart was shattered when he had left her alone, as did Ravio's, as he had sobbed for hours once he had found somewhere safe to hide in Hyrule.

Hilda could never trust him again, and he wouldn't blame her, because he broke her heart.

Ravio quickly shook his head to bring his thoughts back to his current situation, as he had to confront his mother about him leaving as well.

She had encouraged him to leave, to save Hilda, to save Lorule, but that didn't change that she had been left alone in a crumbling kingdom, without knowing whether her son was alive or not.

The guilt from leaving behind the people he most cared about weighed heavily on his heart as he approached the bottom of the staircase, arriving at the second wooden door that laid between him and what could possibly be another confrontation, and another cold shoulder.

As he walked down the hallway, he noticed it was eerily empty, no servants scurrying around or talking with each other like it was before he had left.

"So much has changed in such little time. Have I changed too?" Ravio thought to himself, before he saw a door at the far end of the hallway slightly propped open.

He looked at it with confusion before hurrying to it, his boots hitting the stone floor so hard that if anyone was in the Servants' Quarters, they would hear him approach.

He pushed open the door to see that it led into the laundry room, where he could see all of the servants that were huddled together in the far corner, all quickly looking up and seeing Ravio standing in the doorway.

All of their expressions immediately changed simultaneously to one of shock.

"Ravio?" They all shouted at once, and Ravio scanned the room to see one face staring at him that had a look of relief.

His mother.

Myra saw the face of her son standing before her, wearing her deceased husband's robes, his face and hands covered in cuts and scars, presumably from living in the wilderness while in Hyrule.