《The Silent Queen》Akkala Citadel

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"And to think that the divine beasts were functioning 10,000 years ago was simply baffling enough, but its how they made it!"

Link was slumped over his horse as he listened to Zelda get excited over the book she was reading. They were now travelling to the citadel to check how the construction was going.

"I mean, if this was 10,000 years ago, what could we make now?" She asked.

"Watches..." Link muttered as he held up his right hand.

"It seems that we are still using the same energy they used." Zelda continued, oblivious to Link's boredom, "Oh! There's just so much potential!"

She riffled through the pages of the book and eagerly dug her nose into it. Link wondered if she'd be that excited about a book made about himself. Maybe he'd write one and gift it to her. He was sure that she'd like it. Who wouldn't?

"Perhaps we can make some improvements to the divine beasts." Zelda said, "Just think of the possibilities!"

"Perhaps they could have an in-built kitchen?" Link replied.

"That's all you have on your mind: food." Zelda cried indignantly, "Food this. Food that. Food, food, food!"

"Food is yummy." He shrugged.

"Food is food!" The Queen exclaimed, "It'd be a miracle if I could get you to love me the same way you love food..."

Link cocked his head to one side. It would be a miracle. Food meant a lot to him, so it would be useless to compete against it. Then again, Zelda was probably the top contender...

"Do you think they'll have any food at the citadel?" Link asked after a while.

"How should I know?"

"Aren't you supposed to be all-seeing or something?"

"Aren't you supposed to be courageous?"

Link opened his mouth to retaliate, then thought against it. She had a point. He barely had any courage. Perhaps he used it all up on defeating Ganon, and now, there was none left for the more important things.

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"Are you ok?" Zelda asked after while.

"Why shouldn't I be?"

"You normally come out with a rude retaliation." She stated, "But this time you just stay silent."

"Maybe I just don't want to waste my breath talking to you." Link replied with a smirk.

Zelda smiled at him fondly. To think that this was the very same person who was given the task to protect her life one hundred years ago. Back then, he was silent, and only focused on doing his job, but now it was the complete opposite. She liked it. Link really was great company, even if he was incredibly annoying.

As they neared the citadel, Zelda could hear the bustle of construction work, which consisted of clanging metal, and orders being shouted at each other. The bridge connecting the pathway tot he citadel had been fixed, so Zelda and Link could bring their horses across.

"Ah, Your Majesty!"

A burly construction worker hurried over to the travellers as they dismounted their horses.

"Good day." Zelda replied, "We're just here to check on the construction."

"Well, as you can see, we're practically done." The worker replied, "We've had to build around that darn Sheikah tower, though."

"What's actually been done?" Link asked.

"Well, General, we've reinforced the defense, made some quarters for the soldiers to sleep in, added a watch tower, built a weapons room and some other things that you'll probably find useful when you station your men here."

"Very good." Link replied, "It won't be long before we have this place running again."

He dismissed the worker with a curt nod, and walked over to the edge of the ledge with Zelda. Here, a few cannons were stationed, ready for their use in the future. The citadel was very high up, and gave any person a magnificent view of Akkala, which could also prove as a useful vantage point.

It was hard to believe that this had been the place where the previous knights of Hyrule took their last stand against the calamity. It was truly tragic. When Link had come here to activate the Sheikah tower a few years back, he couldn't help but to take some time to just step back and inspect the ruins of the citadel which had been massacred with malice. Any ruin holds a story, but this one seemed to radiate true horrors. You could feel the fear of the knights as they looked on at the onslaught of guardians, firing deadly beams in all direction, yet not knowing what they truly were. You could feel their hopelessness, knowing that they didn't stand a chance, yet pledged to defend Hyrule until their dying breath. These men probably didn't even have a chance to comprehend what was going on before the citadel and the people within it met with their terrible fate.

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"This place..." Zelda whispered after a while, "I can't begin to imagine what happened here."

"That doesn't matter now." Link replied reassuringly, taking hold of her hand, "We have to move on. We keep on living in the past, but the reality is that we can't possibly change it."

He turned to her and brushed the hair away from her face, holding her close.

"But we can change the future." He whispered.

As they kissed, Link's words were ringing in Zelda's head. "We" can change the future. There it was again! It was driving her half-insane that she couldn't be sure of which "we" he was using. The most obvious answer would be to mean the both of them, but then that would mean... But surely he didn't mean it like that, so it must have been the other "we", but why would Link ever use that form?

"Are you alright Zelda?"

"We?" She burst out without thinking.

"Huh?"

"I'm fine..." She sighed, "Just really... Sad... About the citadel... And the history of it..."

"Yes, it is sad." Link said solemnly, bowing his head down, oblivious to Zelda's red face and awkward expression.

His eyes then met hers, and then he looked at her weirdly, raising one eyebrow.

"Are you sure you're ok?" He asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She laughed uncomfortably.

"Because you normally reply with a sassy insult." He smirked.

"Well..." She paused, "I haven't got anything to say!"

She crossed her arms and turned her head away from Link, causing him to laugh.

"Oh Hylia!" He chuckled, "You're just like a child!"

"Says you!" Zelda snapped, "You have the mentality of a six year old!"

"Well, I guess our children will find me fun." He said under his breath.

"Pardon?" Zelda said, turning her head to him.

"Wha- I d-didn't say anything!" He said hastily, going a very deep colour of red.

"Oh, I could've sworn that I heard... Oh never mind."

She wandered off to inspect the citadel and Link sat down on the ledge, swinging his legs off of the edge.

"I really need to get my act together!" He said to himself, "What is wrong with me!!"

He dug his face into his hand and groaned.

"I'm going to have to make a move eventually..."

"What if she says no?"

"We've been together for four years."

"She might hate me."

"She loves me, right?"

"Why am I so stupid!!" He cried.

He took off the scabbard on his back and laid it next to him, glaring at the hilt of the Sword of Evil's Bane. So much for being the wielder of a legendary sword... He couldn't even ask a simple question.

"I'm brave..." he said, "that's basically who I am, right? I'm supposed to be the courageous one, the one who can do anything. If I can beat the hell out of some malice possessing some sheikah tech, then I can ask the question!"

He picked up the scabbard and placed it on his back again, then clenched his fists.

"I can do this..."

He took one step away from the edge toward the direction in which Zelda had left.

"Actually..."

He stopped.

"Never mind..."

He quickly turned in the other direction and ran away.

———————

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