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The Upper Side of Zora's Domain
Zoras. There was never real privacy in their kingdom. Zelda stared at the vastness from around the area. She had taken to walking and Prince Sidon was walking with her. She had gone in silence for some time, running through the different scenarios in her own head before choosing to speak to Prince Sidon. "What do you think of me, Prince Sidon? Do you think I'm a danger or not?"
He had that same happy smile she used to see on his little face when he was just a little Zora. "I believe you are not a danger!" He pulled his arm together in a strange way, like he wanted to flex, but he was cheering instead. "I believe that you ended up in a bad situation." He put his cheering gesture back away. "I believe that Calamity Ganon is a sore loser who wanted to take you down, knowing he was trapped and couldn't win."
Nice to see he was on her side. "Are you a viable choice?" He seemed surprised at her boldness a moment. "I don't have the convenience of being bashful, nor do I have time for other things like discovering love." She didn't in the past and she certainly didn't now. "I am trying to form options, but it does no good to consider options that would not work. It's wasted time."
"Fair. Father is an option," Prince Sidon told her. "I am sure you noticed that. He doesn't seem to mind whether you are a daughter-in-law or wife."
"As long as the Zoras get their hands on Hyrule," she said. "I understand. Everyone will have their own reasons for what they choose."
"Honestly, I have very little memories of you," Prince Sidon offered. "I remember that Mipha was kind and gentle. She tried to teach me as well as she could, being such a little Zora. What I do remember is that you got along well with her." He smiled. "You seemed to be good friends actually."
"We became friends," Zelda admitted. "I grew close to all the champions. I worked so closely with them all the time, it was impossible not to create friendships." She smiled. "Your sister was a wonderful person. I wish many things had turned out differently."
"I'm not a choice, and I am," Sidon answered. "I believe I would have to get to know you better. Father is completely a choice. He is salivating over Hyrule. The different fish, the new sources of water, the ability to be near water and on so much land at the same time. Zoras who crave more land than water would have so many more options. His biggest dream is for him to handle Zora's Domain, for me to take Hyrule, and when he has passed on, leaving me with both kingdoms."
"His dream. Your father will not mince words either." She stared below. "I appreciate the honesty."
"Will you choose father?" Prince Sidon asked.
"I will take every day I am allowed to have choice to make the decision," she answered. Every day.
"Understood. I am the same way," Prince Sidon revealed. "There are several I can choose from, many Zoras do like me. I don't know why, I suppose they like my spirit." He smiled at her with a toothy grin. "I have a fun spirit! I enjoy life and live it the best I can. I know father will press me harder soon, I am growing and he wants me to find someone before he gets much further along the final rivers of life. So?" He smiled at her. "That is another reason I am an option and not. I have to choose someone soon. I really want him to see and know his grandchildren. Then again? There are pretty Zoras out there." He suddenly backed away. "Not that I mean to offend."
"I understand." Zelda started to walk again. "Thank you for your honesty too."
"It's tough though, isn't it?" he questioned her. "No one else has to go through this."
"Everyone gets to decide when or if they want to marry." Zelda knew exactly what he was talking about. "They could choose to marry for any reason besides carrying on nobility. It's a fact we've known since we were very small though, wasn't it?" She stopped again to look over. "My father used to say 'Aren't you excited about your future, my sweet little Princess? One day you will marry a strong man, rule Hyrule together, and have a noble family.' Of course, it always sounded like a dream come true when I was small." She scoffed slightly, realizing she may be going too far. "I am thankful for the chance to let the kingdom move on and that my life was not taken." So far.
"You don't have to watch yourself around me," Sidon said to her. "I understand. I started hearing it when I was small, shortly after my sister left us forever. Before then it wasn't even discussed. I was too young, and she was obviously the perfect choice to continue. Mipha was older, she had amazing healing powers, and she was revered. Afterwards, I soon learned the reality of life."
She noticed he'd glanced back at her a couple of times oddly.
"On one hand, I would be expected to have little Zoras with you quite quickly," he said, "on the other? No one else really understands this burden. We certainly must have some qualities and experiences that match with each other."
Zelda watched the Zoras swimming in the water playfully.
"Consider me a courter," he decided. "It would be rougher, but if I am chosen, it would be not only good for the Zora kingdom. I wouldn't have to call you mother," he teased her. "I would keep you safe and sound afterwards too. I don't feel you are a danger with anyone, Zelda. Your malice is only a scare, it isn't a way for Ganon to return."
He was now using her first name. The puzzle had a couple of extra pieces.
Then the sound of a different piece coming out greeted the air. Zelda didn't want to turn around. She already knew that sound. He was right next to her, unable to be ignored. "Link." She didn't have to ask about which guard would be assigned to her.
Link glanced at Prince Sidon. The Prince smiled at him. He didn't smile back. He looked back into the waters of Zora's Domain, much like Zelda had been as Prince Sidon walked away.
"This outcome is the best I could have hoped for," Zelda spoke to Link directly. Better chances to make him leave. "Father planned on marrying me off back then too. I'm just getting a bit more rushed." Yes and everyone she personally knew for choice was dead. The next King of Hyrule would have no experience with the monarchy unless she took Prince Sidon. Which wasn't much of a choice in itself. "I wasn't sentenced to death, that leaves me happier." That sounded even more pathetic.
She was trying to convince Link this was all okay. It was all okay. None of them had wanted to sentence her to death. Things couldn't have worked out better, she was fine, and he should leave. There was no room for a hero there. No need for one.
She wanted him to believe that lie.
Not a single movement.
"Well, you won again," Zelda said to him specifically. "How did I not know Rija would pick you. Link." She plopped her arms over on the siding of the bridge. "Why? Why do you continue on insisting on being the knight you once were toward even the very bitter end? It's not like you were it for years, or that I can help you regain any of your memories about other times. Other people. I didn't even know your father or mother except through what I heard from others. I know of some of your time with talks through Mipha. And? That's it. That's it!" She declared to him. "So why? You weren't even my knight a whole year, you were given the position only because of father's fear!"
Nothing. None of her scolding, rebelling or persuasion had changed his mind or would. "They are all gone," Zelda said softly. "All of them. Every one but you." She ducked her head into her arms. "What if defending me, gets you hurt again? I couldn't take it, Link. I can't stand to repeat the mistakes of my past. Please. Step down from the position."
Link didn't answer.
"One lowly Monster Princess am I now," she said to him. "You are not only courageous, you are smart, Link." She didn't move. "You know why it is this way, and you know the eventual outcome." No more lies. He knew how it would end as well as she. While she pretended that it was okay, and that her father would have done the same thing?
It wasn't the same thing. King Rhoam would have found a successor to continue on the royal name, but Zelda would still be there to rule. It was a precaution, to make sure everything continued. What she was sentenced to, was to find the best king to leave on the throne for Hyrule. That's it. They weren't planning on her living long past that. She had one purpose, one. To pass on her lineage, so that the next time Ganon came in another future, someone could fight it. After that, she was done. A princess of a monster's malice would not stay on the throne for too long.
Link would probably be ordered to stay away at certain times, and then toward the end, assigned to stay away for good. To protect Zelda, he would have to go against the King or the people of the kingdom. He would be outcasted. More would come for Zelda's life, until he could handle it no longer. Either dying in the process again, or losing her. Her lineage was a curse and a gift. It had saved her life, but only temporarily, and with no other purpose than to find a new king and bring new blood to the throne. "If I don't figure out a way to cure this malice inside me, I am doomed to death," she admitted out loud, "but you are dooming yourself with me, with these damning actions you are taking now. You are worth so much more than this, Link! Don't throw your life away when you don't have to. Go back to the life you were trying to build, before you felt compelled to chase me down. It's not worth it."
She continued to stay in the same position, not moving. She had nothing else to say. He knew the dangers and he wouldn't back off. It was a choice she couldn't undue.