Forgotten Champion (BOTW)

7 | A Major Test Of Strength

The clothes were a tight fit.

It was a new dawn, sunlight flowing through the cracks in the wooden shed. I was laying on my back, an arm slung over my eyes when the door creaked open.

"Get up, Beedle."

I groaned, rolling over and placing the pillow over my head. After a moment's pause, footstep made their way over to me, and a hand tugged the pillow from my hands. I sighed, rolling back over and meeting Meilyn's eyes.

She had her normal clothes on, but this time a light sword was at her side and a bow and quiver across her back. I tugged off the bedroll, rubbing my eyes before gesturing at her getup.

"What's with," I made a circling motion that encompassed her entire being, "this?"

"We're going to fight," she said, and when I tilted my head in confusion, she continued. "I want to see how much you know, if you can still fight." She grabbed my sheath, throwing it at me. When I caught it, she made her way out the door, and I quickly trotted after to her.

"Well, what's the point?" I said, dodging a small child as they chased after their friends, "you never told me what I did, will I even need this?"

She swallowed, as if she didn't want to tell me, which confused me a fair bit.

"I-I'll tell you after."

"Ya know," I said, tilting my head and giving her a pointed look, when she promptly ignored, "I would say 'fair enough', but to be honest, it really isn't." I finished, closing my eyes and pouting with my arms crossed.

"I said I'll tell you after," she said, and I cracked open an eye to see her nervously fidgeting, "just be patient."

"Oh yeah?" I opened both eyes, but my arms remained crossed, "you're really making this out to be a big deal, I'd figure you'd want to tell me as soon as possible so I can fix it."I lifted a hand, palm facing towards her. "I mean, it has something to do with the princess, right? I ought to be on it right now."

She pouted as well, saying "later means later."

A tense silence settled over us as we made our way to the other end of the village. Once there, it was a long walk up a rising path to the pasture atop. It was fenced in and a little uneven in places, but we found flat ground away from the animals.

That's when she pulled out her sword.

I had little time to react, barely unsheathing my own before steal clashed. Her sword was lighter and smaller, allowing her to swing much faster and fight much more aggressively. My blade was fairly long, yet still able to be used one handed. As we fought, I used it's length to easily block strikes, occasionally putting both hands on the blade for a powerful swing that forced her to either dodge or risk me breaking her defenses if she tried to block. She wasn't afraid to fight dirty, kicking my shin or kicking up dirt.

Overall, it was a tough and gruesome battle, fueled by some rage she hadn't told me the cause of.

I gripped and swung the sword with both hands, and she dodged away, coming in from behind. I ducked, the blade flying overhead. I used the opportunity to ram her, forcing her back and on unsteady feat before finally kicking her to the ground.

I quickly pointed my sword at her throat.

I stood there, panting as she did. I grinned, whipping my forehead as sweat dripped into my eye.

"Look familiar? You seem to meet the point of my blade often."

She hissed, rolling away suddenly and back on her feet. I shouldn't have been cocky, because she was now attacking with new found energy and vigor. Our swords clashed, meeting each other a way that resembled an "X", both parties trying their hardest to overthrow the other's blade in a major test of strength. Our eyes met, and she pushed on with newfound strength, but she was no match for my larger blade and my own might, and I quickly took back control. She gave everything she had, and by the end we both screaming from the strain, but I proved too much. With one last heave, and shoved her off, sending her careening into the ground. She tumbled to her side, staying there. To my surprise, she slammed a first into the ground, screaming.

"How are you better than me? I've been training my whole life to make a difference and I can't even beat you! You've forgotten everything about combat yet you still won!"

Rain streamed overhead, and my blade was slick as I sheathed it.

I yelled back, saying "that's what this is about? That's what you nearly killed me over?"

She sat up, and that's when I noticed she was subtly shaking with sobs. I hurried over to her, nearly slipping on newly made mud as I slid to her side. I didn't know what to do, so I merely rubbed her back with my hand, not daring to get any closer. A powerful sob racked through her, and in a panic I leaned her into my side, wrapping an arm around her. She pressed her head into my chest, and I stroked her sodden hair.

"Just let it all out, Meilyn," I said, "deep breaths, deep breaths."

She took a ragged gulp of air before whimpering, much quieter and in more control of herself. I said nothing, leaving her to speak whenever she wanted as I took in the darkened sky, raindrops splashing on newly made puddles. She took a shuttering breath.

"I- You-"

"It's fine, Meilyn. You don't have to talk."

"It's not fine! It's not fine Beedle, it's not!"

She shuddered, this time from the cold, so I took hold of her rain-slick hand and heaved her up. We stared at each other, furious tears leaking from her eyes amongst the rain. She said nothing, so silently tucked her into my side and began to walk home.

I didn't say anything, and when we were half way to the village, she spoke.

"How?"

I knew what she meant.

"When we were sparring, it became more familiar as we fought on. Just like when I was cooking, it was like my body had a mind of its own."

I glanced down at her, even as she hid her face in my chest.

"I didn't deserve to win."

She swallowed, and we spent the rest of the walk home in silence.