Curse of the Dragon

Chapter 2

Zelda grinned confidently as she narrowly parried away one of Impa's thrusts, always enjoying her practice spars with her Sheikah guardian. Since the kingdom had been enjoying a few weeks of relative peace, the princess had more time on her hands to take part in such leisure activities, for she knew that practicing her swordplay was always important. Zelda got low as Impa swiped her naginata towards the young royal, who retaliated with an upward strike. However, the Sheikah guardian was just as skilled as the princess, and she was quick to backflip away from the attack. Upon landing, Impa placed her naginata aside and let out a deep breath, giving Zelda a pleased smile.

"Excellent work today, princess," the Sheikah guardian said with an encouraging nod as her young ward sheathed her rapier and rested from the duel.

"Thank you, Impa," Zelda said with a smile, though it quickly faded as she glanced towards the open skies above the training yard. "It's getting late... Link should be back by now. I wonder what's keeping him..."

"Maybe he found something," Lana interjected, having been observing the duel between the two female warriors from the sidelines as she poured over one of her magical books. "After all, Cia's forces haven't made a move in weeks. He might have found something out about her next move."

"I'm certain he is fine, your highness," Impa said reassuringly, placing a hand upon the princess's shoulder. "You should know better than anyone that the boy can handle himself... most of the time..."

Zelda couldn't help but giggle a bit at this, thinking of how resilient Link was, even despite the fact that he so often got himself into trouble. More than once the hero had returned from a patrol bruised and bloodied, yet with a daring smile still on his face and a courageous gleam still in his blue eyes. Zelda certainly admired him for such traits, as they were what made him so unique. In fact, it was those things about him and more that she had fallen in love with, that, and the fact that he loved her in return.

"Now, while we wait for his return, why don't we go a few more rounds?" the Sheikah guardian asked with a sly grin. "You can never get enough practice, you know."

The princess's smile widened at this, always glad to raise her adrenaline in a fight. However, right before she could draw her rapier, a voice from behind interrupted her.

"Zelda!" Link exclaimed happily as he approached the princess, feeling a sense of relief in seeing her again after thinking that he would die before he got another chance to. The entire way back to the castle, he had already heard Proxi chew him out for what had happened back at the Veil of the Dragons, but for the most part, the hero shut her out, especially as his thoughts turned to Zelda. Even if he hadn't been able to apprehend and defeat Volga, he was still satisfied in simply returning to her side where he belonged.

"Link!" Zelda beamed brightly as she spun around to face the hero, glad that he had finally made it home safely. Without a second thought, she raced towards him, enclosing him in a tight, affectionate embrace as Impa and Lana watched on with small smiles. Of course, the Sheikah guardian approved of the budding romance between the two of them, so she really had no problems with such showings of affection. The white sorceress, however, found that she had a hard time watching the couple for too longer. After all, since her and Cia were two halves of the same whole, they shared the same feelings for the hero; however, where Cia's feelings had turned into outright lust and obsession, Lana learned to suppress them and deny them for the sake of the greater good. After all, it was the black witch's burning desire and evil intent that had started the ongoing war in the first place.

"Where have you been?" Zelda asked Link as they were still holding each other in their embrace. "I was worried about you."

"I... got in a little trouble on the way home," the hero said, even though he was under-exaggerating what he had been through. "It was nothing I couldn't handle though."