Hyrule Academy: A Zelink Story

Dedication

Zelda's POV

Oh no. What on earth is father doing here? I quickly, but carefully, scoop Maple up in my hands. The last thing I want is her flying out the door my father has now opened. Terrako has hid behind the shelves, aware that he will get into trouble if father finds him here. Link and I stand as we silently watch him stare back at us. A man enters behind him and I immediately recognise who it is: Mr Deku. He's from another rich family that helps fund the organisations that protect Hyrule. He's in charge of commanding the police forces. He has visited my home a lot of times in the past and has been a close ally and friend to my parents. I smile slightly at him. He's kind, but no one can fully calm my father when he's angry.

"Well, you're probably wondering what we're doing here, but I'm sure you'd find it more appropriate to explain why the two of you are here, first." He stands tall, waiting. I shuffle my feet and want to desperately explain what happened, but words fail to form for me.
"Mr Muzu put us here, sir. We were a bit too loud while searching for Purah's bird around the campus." Link steps up. I'm still mad at what he was insinuating about me being friends with the sisters seeming unfit, but I am a bit thankful he's explained for me. I mutely stretch my arms out to show them the cooing dove. Mr Deku chuckles.
"Ah. Helping a friend out and you get in trouble? Of course Muzu wasn't going to stand for it." Mr Deku smirks at father.

"Forgive him. He has had a bad day, but I met him on the way here.... Link, you may go. You have your training to attend to." Link nods and picks his bag up. He takes a quick look at me as he walks by and nods once more to the two men in the doorway as he leaves. Mr Deku remains at the door, but father steps towards me. I begin to feel very nervous and try to delay whatever he wishes to lecture me about.
"What are you doing here, Mr Deku? We haven't met in a good few months." I smile gingerly to him.
"Ah, yes. It has been quite a long time. I was hoping to visit one of these days. Even my patients has limits, you know." He smiles.

"I have bought him here to show him the place we plan to turn into a student support room, in order to provide the help and guidance some pupils may require to excel in their studies. Mr Deku has some political students here that love the idea, so he wanted to discuss it with me." Father steps closer.
"Now then, what was that about you going on a wild goose chase to assist your mad scientist friend?" I don't like how he referred to Purah.

He always judges her and Impa's choices and attitudes, thinking they are bad influences on me. Even after knowing they were always there for me when mother died, when he never was. He cared about his business and my training, rather than my mental state and whether I was truly coping with her gone or not. He would stay out of the house for hours on end, everyday. Even till this day, he's never thought twice about leaving me alone to travel to different meetings and parties across our vast land of Hyrule. At least now, I'm not currently living in that deserted house. When I cried myself to sleep in the room next door, he never heard me. Did he even care? He's my father. He has to care, right? He even tried taking Terrako away from me, only a few weeks after mother passed away. He wanted me to focus on my training, instead of 'playing' with a robot. The sweetest little robot mother and I made together.

"It's a dove and Purah is not mad." I speak softly, nerves and frustration mixing in my stomach.
"You're also probably wondering about me and Link being here, but please trust me. He came to me offering to help find Maple, that's the only reason we were together-" Father lifts his hand to stop my words.
"There is no need to explain on Link's behalf. I trust that young man." ...What? He trusts Link? Father's words have completely taken me by surprise. He's never trusted anyone, except mother and Mr Deku. I, his own daughter, am fighting everyday to gain his entire trust and prove I'm worth being his pride. I breath through my nostrils, pushing my anger away.
"You do? May I ask why?"