Love in Zora's Domain

Chapter 41 - An Eventful Decision

Summary: Zelda elects to begin the exploration of the Forgotten Temple.

It had been two weeks since Zelda's meeting with Mipha, Link, Impa, Purah, and Robbie, and for the first week after, Zelda was lost in introspection. She was weighing her thirst for knowledge against potential unforeseen consequences. Royce couldn't help but notice her preoccupied state whenever they were together.

"You seem quiet and distracted lately sweetheart," Royce said as they strolled through the castle gardens holding hands. "I hope it's not something I said or did."

"I apologize for not being better company. It's not you, dear. I just have a difficult decision to make," Zelda replied.

"You're always perfect company to me," Royce replied, squeezing her hand. "Everyone has their ups and downs. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Actually, you could help by distracting me from thinking about it while we're together. I don't want you to influence my decision and possibly feel guilty afterward if things go wrong. I'd rather keep my personal life and duties separate for now."

"I understand completely and won't bring it up again. What do you think about cross-pollinating some of the plants in the garden?"

In the end, despite her inner turmoil, Zelda couldn't resist deciding to explore the mysterious Forgotten Temple. She tasked Robbie with leading the project, and he returned from inspecting the temple to give a report during a meeting with herself and Purah one late afternoon.

"The team's initial objective will be to clear away the vast amount of debris that has accumulated over the years, possibly from landslides. The temple has suffered from years of neglect, though signs of past excavation work can be seen, along with patches of wall where newer bricks were used for repairs. This task will involve removing rocks and rubble that may conceal hidden chambers or passageways. The presence of numerous Guardians protecting the temple hints at the significance of this location for the ancient Sheikah people. This sacred site likely held secrets worth defending against intruders."

"Or perhaps it was simply a sacred place for them, as it holds the oldest statue of the Goddess Hylia," Purah said.

"True, there is no guarantee we will find anything useful," admitted Robbie. "I've made that abundantly clear from the outset."

"I still believe it's worth exploring," asserted Zelda. "At the very least, by clearing away the rubble, we can restore the temple to something of its former glory. Restoring Hyrule has been my ultimate goal since the Calamity, and we've already made great progress on the towns and villages."

Robbie hesitated before mentioning another matter, wondering if it was worth it, then decided he should.

"There is something else, Your Majesty, although I cannot be certain," he began cautiously. "But now that the decision to explore the temple has been made, I feel it's important to mention it. About two weeks ago, I noticed my translation notes were not arranged as I believed I had left them. It seemed as though someone had secretly entered our lab and looked through them. To confirm my suspicions, I set a trap in case they returned. But either the perpetrator returned to the lab and was exceptionally clever, or they never returned at all."

"Or perhaps there never was any intruder involved, and you simply failed to organize your notes as neatly as usual," observed Purah.

"Yes, that is also a possibility," conceded Robbie. "So, I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily, Your Majesty, but I thought it worth mentioning."

"I'm glad you did mention it, as I believe it's best to be cautious when you learn of something suspicious," said Zelda, expressing her concerns. "I will arrange for guards to monitor the lab. In the meantime, I will also have a team of workers organized to begin clearing the rubble at the temple. And I'll contact Darno in Goron City to see if they can spare some people to help with the digging. Will you be able to oversee their work in three days?"