competition
n. a competitive event between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize
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From high above the ground, seated lavishly in the shade of a stone awning beside the king, Zelda looked down upon a sea of her people. Knights, nobles, townsfolk and everyone in between gathered in the amphitheater to witness young men and women fructify their training in a competition to determine the best among them.
The first event was a series of small challenges meant to showcase a variety of skills, followed by a free-for-all battle to whittle down the competitors in a final, bracketed tournament in which the best of sixteen knights would be crowned sole victor.
The princess had found Mido that morning to wish him luck—not that either of them thought he would be needing it. When she asked if he was nervous, he scoffed.
"Nervous?" he had said. "Zel, I'm excited. Hyrule's about to see what their hero is capable of."
Way, way down in the middle of the arena, the knights moved like Lanayru Ants. Purposeful, eager, swirling with determination. Despite this, Mido's ginger hair was easy to spot under the bright summer sun, and when their eyes eventually locked, Zelda waved eagerly.
"Rooting for someone in particular today?" Rhoam inquired upon witnessing his daughter's gesture.
She hadn't told him about last night. What would she have said, anyway? Father, Mido snuck into my bedchambers and proposed a courtship. Is that alright with you? No, that was something she'd broach later, with some carefully omitted details.
Even so, the king was so far removed from his daughter's life, he hadn't an inkling that she had even had a special someone. For months now she had been spending time alone with Mido.
"Hylia's hero," she admitted truthfully. When the king quirked an interested eyebrow, she offered more. "He's going to thwart the Calamity with me after all, so it's only natural that I am eager to observe his talent."
He nodded thoughtfully. "I see. I am rooting for him as well."
Trumpets blared. Below, knights moved into formation for the first of the smaller challenges.
Did... did her father really just hold a conversation with her in which he didn't bring up her dormant power? What's more, was it possible Papa actually approved of Mido?
She bit her lip to hide the stupid smile trying to break through.
The games began and naturally Mido stood out amongst the other knights like a Satori Cherry Blossom in a forest of evergreens. Challenge after challenge, skill after skill, one after the other.
During the archery showcase, a flock of arrows flew through the air and plunged into straw dummies. The crowd waited with baited breath for the first person to land a bullseye—marked by a red dot—on the dummy placed furthest from the competitors. Only experts had the precision to hit red from that great a distance.
Mido stood back with folded arms, allowing the other knights to release their arrows first. He didn't want his getting lost in the flurry. The hero wanted full command of the crowd when he nailed the furthest bullseye.
Fwump fwump, fwump!
Zelda watched arrow after arrow sail and lodge into straw. Bullseyes hit; none of which were on the furthest dummy, though some were bold enough to try. The releases were finally slowing down when at last—
Fhhwump!
Raucous whoops and hollers ricocheted throughout the amphitheater. Zelda grinned, but when her gaze fell upon Mido, his arrow was still nocked. The hero glowered over his shoulder. The princess's eyes followed to where the other knights had parted around a sandy-blond boy.
YOU ARE READING
Fortune Favors the Courageous
Fanfiction"Princess!" he yelled after her. "Where are you going?" "Back to the castle," she replied without stopping. "Not by yourself you're not!" "I'm sorry,"-she whipped around-"I didn't realize you were my father?" "Your father, the king, would execute me...
