Chapter 02: Plan of attack

I awoke hours later still tired, but feeling more rested. Quickly I dressed, deciding to go with something a little more casual, but still formal enough to meet with my father. I put on black pants and a blue and white blouse. Then I tied on a thick tan belt and pulled on tan traveling boots. I undid my braid and brushed through my hair until it looked nice. Then I took two sections of my hair near the front of my face and plaited two small braids and pinned them so they formed a pretty frame around my face.

Satisfied with my appearance, I walked to the dining hall. Feeling as if I hadn't eaten in days, I scarfed down my food until the hole in my stomach had been filled. Feeling better, I made my way to the sanctum, knowing my father was likely waiting for me.

As I walked to meet him, I began to mentally prepare myself, trying not to lose my nerve. I went over the plan I had made in my head, over and over. I had to make him understand how important this was and we needed to take preventative measures against Calamity Ganon now.

As I reached the sanctum I took a deep breath and then walked inside. My eyes met my fathers and I held my head high. "Zelda." He greeted me, his eyes curious as to why I had asked to meet with him.

"Greetings, Father." I returned.

Not wasting any time my Father asked, "What is it that you wished to discuss?"

I gritted my teeth and determination filled me. "We need to start preparing for the return of Calamity Ganon." I stated, my voice firm and resolute.

I could see the surprise on my father's face. He arched an eyebrow, "Go on."

I breathed a sigh of relief, happy that he was willing to hear me out. "I know there have been many rumors lately that Calamity Ganon is returning. Even though they are just rumors, I believe we should take them seriously. If we don't and they turn out to be true, I fear Hyrule won't stand a chance. But if we begin to take precautions now, I believe we will have a fighting chance."

My father regarded me with stern eyes. He remained quiet for several minutes, mulling what I had said over. Finally, "I agree. Even if the rumors turn out to be just that, it will do us no harm to prepare for his return. In fact, that is one of the main reasons I enlisted Link, for he wields the legendary blade that will seal the Darkness. Together with your powers, you two are destined to defend Hyrule from Calamity Ganon."

"We can not know that for certain, Father." I replied, "We do not know how strong Calamity Ganon is nor do we know how Link's abilities will compare. And as for my powers..." I trailed off, wincing at the sore subject, "We need to take further action."

My father arched an eyebrow. "Oh?" He inquired, "What did you have in mind?"

And here it was, what I had spent a decent amount of the night planning out. "If we are to defeat Calamity Ganon, Hyrule must stand united. I propose a unison between the six Clans of Hyrule. Our people have lived in peace for many centuries, but now it is time to unify and prepare. The Sheikah are known to be adept ninjas and their skills combined with the Hylian militia will be a force to be reckoned with. Additionally, the Sheikah have many potentially useful technologies we could use. I believe the researchers Purah and Robbie would be great assets in helping us fight against Calamity Ganon."

"And the other clans?" My father asked, his voice neutral, so it gave me confidence that he was at least considering what I was saying.

"We will select a champion from each of the remaining clans. They will represent their respective clans in a group whose main goal is to destroy Calamity Ganon when the time arises. I will lead this group and Link will represent our clan, the Hylians."

"And who will be the champions from the other clans?" My father sounded intrigued.

"I can think of no better warrior to represent the Gerudo than their Chieftain, Urbosa. And as for the Gorons, I believe my sensei, Daruk, would be fitting. As for the Rito and Zora, I do not have specific candidates picked out, but I had hoped to talk with their leaders to see who they recommended."

My father stared at me intently as I talked, his hand upon his chin in a contemplative manner. "Additionally Father, each clan has their own unique battle strategies. If we combine forces, I believe we can defeat Calamity Ganon."

"And you plan to travel to each region and talk with the leaders of each Clan?"

I nodded, "Yes. Along with training to help unlock my Sage powers."

"I hope this isn't some desperate attempt to put off unlocking your powers, Zelda."

I winced, but quickly replied, "Never Father. I know how important it is to unveil these powers and that will be my utmost priority. However, Hyrule can not rely on merely two people. Hyrule must be united and fight together."

I could see my father was thinking very hard about this. Eventually he responded, "I do see the wisdom in your plan. A united front stands a better chance... Yes, I will condone your plan Zelda. But only if you promise to take your training more seriously when it comes to your powers."

I nodded, "I promise I will." I gave a slight bow of my head in gratitude. With my Father's approval I could now begin preparations. I had to make sure Hyrule was prepared as best it could be because as things were progressing, I feared my powers would never awaken. If that were to happen, it was my duty to make sure Hyrule had a fighting chance.

"And when do you plan on setting out?" My father asked me.

"In five days." I stated. This would give me enough time to prepare as well as discuss with my father what the plan was for the Hylian military while I was gone. They would have to start war preparations.

"Link will be accompanying you." My father reminded.

I gave a forced smile, "Of course."

It's not like I have a choice. I thought, and then contemplated running away from Link during our travels. Although tantalizing, I knew I couldn't do that to the poor knight. If he returned to the castle without me, my father surely would hang him.

"Very well." My father said, and I gave a real smile now.

"Thank you Father." I said.

My father sighed, "Do not forget your real duty while you are on this expedition. While important, you are the key to defeating Calamity Ganon. You need to understand this Zelda."

My smile faded and I nodded, "Yes, of course. I will do everything within my power."

But even then I don't know if it will be enough...

With that I knew I was dismissed and I quickly retreated, hurrying back to my room. I grabbed my notebook and began to finalize my plan. I grabbed my Hyrule map and began to plot out a path to take and started jotting down things Link and I would need for our journey. Fireproof Elixir would be a must for when we visited the Eldin region and a set of warm clothes for when we went to Tabantha. While we were in the desert we would need sun protection... and I would have to bring many arrows with me to test out. It would be best to bring supplies to make my own arrows too, just in case I ran out before I could buy more.

When I had finally finished planning everything out, I realized dusk had fallen. Yawning, I suddenly felt very tired and decided to curl up in my bed and do some reading. I quickly grabbed my book and curled up under a blanket, my body instantly relaxing upon the soft mattress.

It felt as if I had merely read a sentence before unconsciousness claimed me.

I awoke at dawn, feeling rejuvenated. A good night's sleep and a solid plan made me feel optimistic, however I still had a lot to get done in five days when Link and I would leave. I frowned upon thinking of my knight... I would need to inform him of the trip so he would have time to prepare as well.

I let out a long exhale and rolled over in bed. Great. That means I have to talk to him.

My mood slightly dampened, I climbed out of bed and began to get ready. As I did so, I decided to take advantage of waking up early and do some training. The guards would not be in the training grounds for a few hours at least, so I had ample time to get a good workout in. Quickly I put on my joggers and a sports bra and tied my hair up into a high ponytail. I grabbed a thin blue jacket to keep me warm as the mornings did have a chill to them. Then as I left my room I grabbed my hand wraps and made my way to the training grounds.

Once there I claimed a sandbag that hung from a tree. Jogging in place to start warming up, I began to wrap my hands. Finishing this, I did a few quick stretches and then I faced the bag, my eyes lighting up.

I recalled when I first started training in martial arts... I had been around 4 years old and my mother had insisted upon it. She had told my father it was just as important to train physically as it was mentally to harness my powers. Thus, my mother had found a teacher for me, one of the Gorons, who were hardy people that trained in the extreme heat of the Eldin region, hardening their bodies into rocks. Daruk was the Goron my mother had chosen as my Sensei. And for years he had trained me and honed my abilities. He had been there for me when my mother passed and felt more like a father to me than my actual father.

Taking up a fighting stance, I readied myself for attack. And then I began my assault, throwing an array of punches, kicks, knees, and elbows at the bag. I went through all my movements, each coming to me naturally. And then I moved on to combos, putting each individual movement together until it flowed into a smooth combination of attacks. Quickly I threw two straight punches and then followed with a hard hook and then a snappy kick with my rear leg. The bag swung from the jarring force of my attacks.

Continuing my besiege, I pummeled the bag until sweat dripped from my forehead and down my back. Peeling off the jacket, I threw it aside and began to focus mainly on speed, throwing everything as fast as I could. Following this, I switched to power, now mustering all my strength into each blow. And then I switched back to speed... and then power... And so on until my breathing was so labored, I had to crouch low to the ground to recover.

Looking up at the sky, I saw the sun had risen quite a bit. Resolutely I picked up my jacket and slung it over my shoulder, wanting to leave before the soldiers arrived. Turning to leave the grounds, my eyes fell upon a familiar figure and I stopped.

Link had stopped too, a little ways off from where I was, probably surprised to see me here. He had his sword in hand, clearly ready to train. I let out a resolute sigh and began to walk over to him. He remained motionless, but his eyes followed me until I was standing in front of him. I put a hand on my hip, feeling awkward.

"Do you have a minute?" I asked him.

He said nothing, but gave a slight nod of his head.

"Ok..." I trailed off and looked around me, paranoid the other soldiers would show up soon. "Ugh, let's go somewhere a little more private." I proceeded to walk past him and back into the castle. Uncertain where else to go I led him back to my room. At least that way I could show him my plan and the path we were taking so he could plan adequately.

Opening the door, I walked in and closed the door as he entered behind me. "Right." I said as I threw my jacket on the floor and grabbed a T-shirt. "I talked with my father yesterday." I started and quickly filled him in on my plan. He didn't so much as react or ask any questions. Finishing my explanation, I said, "I'll need you to be ready in five days time. Pack everything you'll need. It will be a long journey. Also make sure your horse is prepared as well." Grabbing my map, I threw it open on my desk. "Here." I gestured for him to come over. "This is the path I outlined for us to take." He walked over to me and studied it for a second. As he did so, I felt his shoulder brush mine briefly.

He remained quiet as he looked over it and once he was done, he looked at me and gave a quick nod of approval. "Excellent." I replied, happy to have another thing checked off. "Five days from now let's meet at the castle stables in the morning. Understood?" I met his blue gaze. He nodded, his eyes determined.

"Perfect." I said, surprised by the resolute look in his eyes. Perhaps he too was as invested as I was in trying to stop Calamity Ganon. My eyes shifted to the sword upon his back... it had not chosen him for nothing. "I'll see you then." I dismissed.

He turned to leave and then he was gone.

Looking back at my desk, I folded up my map. Shaking myself, I quickly showered and changed into black pants and a T-shirt. Then I made my way to my study, ready to set to work on everything I had to prepare before I left. The list was long and I grew anxious thinking about the time crunch, but before I knew it, I was lost in my work.

The sun's rays felt wonderful as I laid down in the lush grass. Nearby I heard Icefire grazing, also enjoying the wonderful day. Four days had come and gone in the blink of an eye. I had been so busy making sure everything was prepared and packed to go for tomorrow's departure. I had been locked up in my room and study most of the days, only coming out early in the morning or late at night to train or sneak food from the kitchen. I had met with my father and the military general briefly as well to discuss preparations for Calamity Ganon's return.

But I had finished everything this morning and had decided to enjoy myself before the long adventure ahead of me. It felt nice to relax away from the castle. I had not gone far, just over the bridge into the Ridgeland region. The castle was still close by, but far enough away I did not feel its overbearing presence.

I had donned my armor, grabbed my bow and quiver, and taken Icefire for a leisurely ride. Once I had found a nice place, I had dismounted and found a nice spot to sit. The scholar in me couldn't help but notice some of the natural flora, and I ended up writing some observations in my notebook. But that had not lasted long. Instead I stretched out my limbs on the earth and stared up at the sky. I had intended to shoot my bow for a little bit, but it just felt so good to bask in the sunshine.

I heard Icefire walk over to me and felt him nudge me with his nose. I giggled and pushed his nose away. Then I grabbed my satchel and pulled out two apples. Icefire instantly grabbed one and began to devour it. I bit into the second one and rubbed Icefire's neck, admiring his beauty. He was a pure white stallion, tall and strong.

Finished with his apple, Icefire gave a little huff and then walked away. I smiled, humored by him. He acted regal and noble most of the time, but then he had silly moments like this. Laying back down, I continued to eat my apple and watched as wisps of cloud passed by overhead. I closed my eyes and felt myself drift off.

Time passed and eventually I heard the beat of horse hooves approaching. Quickly I snapped awake from my state of stupor. I grabbed my bow and arrow, ready to fire if needed. From the North I spotted someone coming on horseback and as they drew closer, I lowered my bow. Annoyance flared up inside me as I recognized my knight upon the dark brown horse.

I frowned and hung my bow and quiver on my back and then grabbed my satchel. Clearly my little escapade was over. As I whistled to Icefire, Link and his horse stopped and Link hopped off his horse. "You don't have to get off." I snapped, "I know you've come to collect me." Grabbing Icefire's saddle, I mounted my horse. "Let's go already."

Link didn't say anything as he remounted his horse and followed me back to the castle. We went at a slow trot; I was in no rush to go back. Still annoyed, I turned to look at the knight and asked, "Shouldn't you be enjoying your last day before you have to follow me around Hyrule?" He looked at me, his expression unreadable. I turned away, even more annoyed, "Instead you're herding the Princess back to the castle."

He said nothing and for some reason his silence just made me more frustrated. "Do you ever talk?" I wondered out loud, now realizing I had never heard him utter a single word.

There was no response and I huffed, "Guess not."

I simmered in my saddle as we rode back to Hyrule Castle. I had been enjoying myself so much too. Why couldn't Link have found me a few hours later. Would that have been too much to ask?

I let out a long exasperated sigh.

My head jolted up suddenly as I heard scuffling in the distance. On instinct I grabbed my bow; glancing over at Link, I saw he too had drawn his sword. Then from the bushes hobbled out a mob of bokoblins, all carrying wooden clubs and spears.

My eyes opened in surprise. Bokoblins hadn't entered the Ridgeland region in decades. Pulling on the reins, I stopped Icefire and then I put my hand up towards Link, signaling him to stop too. They had not noticed us yet and I wanted to observe them momentarily as this was very unusual. The bokoblins seemed to be scanning their surroundings, slowly looking around and then stopping, as if they had forgotten what they were doing.

The group consisted of only red and blue bokoblins, thus they weren't much of a threat and they were ill equipped for battle anyways. Even bokoblins knew they couldn't win this far into Central Hyrule, especially with low-quality weapons and few numbers. And that is why they had avoided it for so long. Seeing them now made me nervous.

Positioning an arrow into my bow, I let it fly. Instantly it made its mark, nailing a red bokoblin in the skull. The bokoblin didn't know what hit him and fell to the ground, dead. As the one bokoblin collapsed, another noticed and let out a startled yell. The others took notice and soon they were all letting out startled screams. Taking advantage of their momentary confusion, I spurred Icefire into movement and grabbed another arrow.

As Icefire neared, the other bokoblins noticed. They held up their weapons, ready to fight, but I released another arrow, this one sinking deep into the eye socket of a blue bokoblin. He fell to the ground, instantly dead.

Notching another arrow, I rode Icefire past them and then circled round. I took aim and let my arrow fly, killing another red bokoblin. As I did this, I noticed Link had followed me and had jumped off his horse as he neared the enemy. His sword hacked and slashed through the remaining bokoblins. Letting go of my arrow, I easily took care of a blue bokoblin as Link sunk his sword into the last bokoblin.

With the enemies dead, I rode to Link's side and hopped off, inspecting the corpses. "Hm." I finally said, "This does not bode well."

I heard Link walk up behind me and I looked back at him, seeing the question in his eyes. "It looks like they were here on a scouting mission. They are not prepared for battle and too are few in numbers to cause too much of a problem. But that does allow them to pass fairly unnoticed. Which explains how they made it so far without being attacked yet." I narrowed my eyes, but I shook my head. This wasn't proof of anything.

But it was still odd.

Standing up, I said, "Let's go. I need to report this to my father."

The two of us quickly climbed atop our horses and then made our way back to the castle, my pace much faster now. I couldn't help but feel a gnawing uneasiness in the back of my mind.

Back at the castle, I quickly reported back to my father, informing him about the bokoblins.

"Bokoblins!" He exclaimed in disbelief. "That's impossible!"

"I can assure you father, they were quite real." I said seriously, "I can't say for sure if this means anything, but I don't think we can take any chances. This could be a sign Calamity Ganon is-"

"Zelda, although unusual, I don't think a stray group of bokoblins means anything."

"Yes, but bokoblins haven't been in the Ridgeland region for so long. Why now all of a sudden?"

"Perhaps they were lost?" My father chuckled, "Bokoblins are not the smartest of creatures after all."

"They looked like a scouting patrol father."

At this my father let out a loud laugh. "Zelda, you think Bokoblins are intelligent enough to gather information on their enemies?"

I clenched my fists and looked down. Why would he never listen? "No, but that doesn't mean they couldn't be following someon-"

"Enough Zelda." The King said in a commanding tone. "I'm sure your encounter with the Bokoblins was by chance. A rarity. Let's be thankful Link was there to protect you from them."

At the mention of the knight's name, I remembered he was in the room with me, kneeling behind me, quietly listening. Seething, I replied, "I did not need his help. I could have fared fine on my own!"

And then I spun around on my heel and stormed out of the room. Link followed me and once we were far enough away from my father, I whipped around and pointed a finger at him. "I'm going to my room now, so you don't need to follow me any longer. In fact you should make sure you're ready to leave tomorrow. Make sure you rest up." Pausing, I crossed my arms and said, "And by the way, I could have taken out those bokoblins just fine on my own."

Link simply stared at me in return, silent as always. I huffed and turned away, "Does everyone think I'm incompetent?" I murmured to myself.

"No."

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned slightly to look back at the knight, my green eyes meeting his blue. "You're not incompetent." He said, his voice steady. I stared at him for what felt like minutes, but was certainly just a few seconds.

Then, breaking our moment, Link gave a small nod of his head and walked away. I stared after him, rooted in place, even after his figure had disappeared from view.

Footsteps sounded behind me and I instantly snapped out of my moment of stupor. Shaking my head, I quickly walked back to my room and undressed, showered, and put something comfy on. Then I meticulously double checked that everything on my list had been packed as well as went over the travel plans I had written out. I gazed at the map, memorizing the route we would take tomorrow to Kakariko village.

Yawning, I looked out my window to see night had fallen. My stomach growled and I knew I should go get food, but I really didn't feel like leaving my room. However, a knock sounded on my door and as I opened it, I saw Myti on the other side, a tray of food in her hands. "They said you were leaving on an adventure tomorrow, Princess, so we wanted to make sure you were well fed before your journey."

I gave a heartfelt smile and grabbed the tray. "Thank you so much Myti."

She smiled back, "Make sure to get a good night's rest. We all know how you like to stay up late in your study."

"Of course." I replied, and then Myti gave a slight bow and left. Closing the door, I set my tray of food down and grabbed a bread roll and shoved it into my mouth. The subtle flavor filled my mouth and I felt so content eating my roll. I loved bread.

Finishing my roll, I began to eat the rest of my meal: rice, simmered vegetables, and a small cut of meat. For dessert was a delicious fruit cake, made of apples and berries. Before long, my tray was empty and my stomach full. Scanning over my packed bags, I fought the urge to check them again, and instead laid down on my bed. I stared up at the ceiling, many thoughts coursing through my head.

Excitement tingled throughout my body at the thought of traversing through Hyrule. But beneath that was a sense of dread at the prospect that once again my efforts would result in failure. In addition to that, the return of Calamity Ganon weighed heavily on my mind. The bokoblin sighting... Some instinctive part of me knew it wasn't just a coincidence; seeing them today in Ridgeland had meant something... and it wasn't good.

And then my thoughts wandered to a certain dirty blonde-haired knight with blue eyes. Was he too concerned about the return of Calamity Ganon? After all, that's why our fates had intertwined... The knight with the sword that seals the Darkness and the princess with goddess-bestowed powers had been prophesied to defeat Calamity Ganon just as the legends foretold. Was he as anxious as I was? I doubted it; he appeared as if he had it all together, just quietly keeping to himself.

Zelda, you should know more than anyone the weight of silence.

My hand went to my opposite arm, running it along the underside of my bicep, feeling the many scars there. I sighed, clenching my hand around my bicep.

You're not incompetent.

His voice rang out in my head as I recalled what he said. His words had surprised me. He had remained silent, never uttering a word, until that moment. Perhaps he didn't think I was a failure of a princess like everyone else.

I bit my lip, guilt creeping up into my chest. Perhaps I had misjudged him. The first time I met him, he had been nothing more than another knight, a very skilled knight, but just a knight. And then he had been assigned as my knight, and my heart had filled with contempt. I yelled at him and scorned his help. But he was merely doing his job. Even if I didn't appreciate it, he could hardly disobey the King.

Perhaps I needed to give him a chance.

I exhaled, frustrated. It was just every time I saw him, anger filled me. Anger and disappointment. He was a reminder to me that while he had succeeded at his part, I had failed time and time again at mine. And because of my failure, my father and many people in Hyrule thought I was incapable. Thus being assigned a personal knight had been such a huge blow to me because it screamed to me that no one thought I was able to do things on my own. That I needed someone constantly there to watch over me.

I placed my forearm over my eyes. I wondered how Link felt about the entire thing? Was he just as upset as I was about his assignment? If he was, he clearly was able to hide it better than I was. I smirked; it was well known that I had a bad temper.

Rolling over, I grabbed my blanket and threw it over me. The morning would be here before I knew it. With that thought in mind, I tried to clear my head in order to get a good night's rest.