Zelink BotW Sequel/ Legend of Zelda and the Last Knight

Chapter 41 He's always late

Chapter 41

He's always late

Nightfall brought a chill, but not one that couldn't be remedied by the cozy warmth of friendly smiles and cheerful merrymaking. Inside the massive main tent of the pavilion, a party had begun. Toward the back and at the center of attention stood a raised wooden dais constructed for the night's feast.

Perched atop was a majestically carved, oval, and enormous Deku stump made to serve as a dining table. A place where the princess and those seated beside her would overlook all others gathered. Glistening platters and goblets sat atop its sturdy amber grain, complementing the ageless striping of its petrified bark. Anyone with a bit of strong drink in the belly and with one eye open, could argue that it rivaled the Great Deku tree himself. That is, if they ever met him of course.

At the center of the table, Zelda faced her gathered guests alongside her noble lords and ladies from Illiastar, Tarble, and Draene. They sat to her right. Lesser vassals filled the seats to her left, beginning with the wizard, then her sheikah counselors, starting with Impa, and so on and so forth. At the wrap-around end of the stump was a place setting for Sidon, Buliara, Teba, Yunobo, and finally, Link —who, along with Sylmoor, had curiously yet to arrive. He would be sitting directly across from her...

If he ever decides to show up, that is, Zelda thought.

At the edge of the dais where the honorary hosts of twenty-six dined, exquisite rugs widely spanned the ground. Atop them lay comfortable, colorful seat pillows where bards played to set the mood. Past them was an open space to dance, and even further ahead of that was a large fire pit in the middle of the tent.

The blazing bonfire chased the chill of the night away and bathed everyone's faces in a warm orange glow as its flares would brilliantly flood the entire space with light. Through a wide vent above, the flames danced high, sending their fiery tips crackling and popping to flicker away into the night sky to become stars.

Cherry smoke rings twirled high above, lingering long to be seen far beyond the borders of camp. Lazily they drifted through the treetops of the neighboring wood, toward the frontier and the many brooks of the kingdom's plains, signaling to all the world that peace had prevailed in the land of Hyrule once more. For if one listened closely, they might even hear the song of laughter and the slamming of mugs echoing into the wee hours of the morning—for tonight, a celebration of the ages was being held.

Inside the banquet tent and beyond the bonfire stood rows of benches and tables to host the soldiers. They, too, would join in the splendor of the night's revels. After all, this celebration was in their honor.

The room buzzed with conversation, and the glee on everyone's face reflected back a hope. A hope that the worst was finally behind them, and at long last, all things were on the cusp of returning to their proper order. A chance to live life without the ever-present looming doom of the Calamity anymore. Where children can be raised not knowing the horror of war and where old men can find peace until the end of their days.

Between the intermission of songs and drink, chatter brightened up the room, echoing off the elegant furnishings that Simon arranged throughout. Zelda was quite impressed by how quickly his men could have mustered such a lavish venue and all under the pitch of a tent. A massive tent, but a tent no less. Gazing from the outside, you wouldn't have suspected such a marvelous feat hidden underneath its drapes.

Even she knew that this was no easy task for how little time they had and that this wasn't a mere tent to shelter the downtrodden anymore. This pavilion could have rivaled the mighty halls of kings or at the very least, competed with the tourneys and festival feasts from other sires.