Huh, Liesl didn’t usually arrive at their training room first. In fact, she never did. And yet, the room was empty? How strange. Well, Rowan did actually have an important job, and she was lucky that he’d been able to get away so regularly over the past few months. And even if he wasn’t here yet, she wouldn’t waste this time either and headed straight for the swords wrapped in cloth and hidden away behind some of the crates.
Once she removed the blades, she took one in both hands and went to the center of the room before running through the warm-up exercises she’d been taught. If only she could get her muscles ready before every fight…

By the time Rowan did finally arrive, she had worked up enough of a sweat for drops to bead on her forehead and a dark ring to develop on the collar of her tunic. After finishing a controlled slice at an imaginary foe, she let the sword tip fall to the side before a smile kicked up on her lips.

“Took you long enough.” She’d meant it as a joke, but the look on Rowan’s face when he turned around immediately caused her amusement to fade. And when it looked like he wasn’t going to say anything, her eyebrows narrowed and she took a cautious step toward him. “Is…everything alright?”

Still, he remained silent for a few moments before bringing up a hand to rub his temple. “I suppose there’s no point in sugar-coating the news.” His arms went akimbo, and then he looked Liesl dead in the eye. “There’s been another attack, and it seems to have been done by those responsible for the one at the temple.”

“Another attack?” Liesl didn’t ask because she hadn’t heard the man; it was more that she couldn’t believe it. A feeling of dread knotted her stomach, and her eyes dropped to the sword in her hand for a moment. She was really going to have to use this thing one day, wasn’t she? Goddesses. “Where?”

“To the south, in the domain of the Zora.”

“The Zora?” Oh, well…that wasn’t what she had been expecting. “They attacked the city?”

“Thankfully, no,” Rowan said with a shake of his head. “There was an ambush at the mouth of Zora’s River where it empties into the ocean. A patrol was attacked there, with all lost but one survivor. Presumably to tell the tale.”

At the mouth of the river? The same river that started at Lake Hylia? Oh, Liesl didn’t like that. Even if the Zora weren’t part of the kingdom, the two peoples were not only connected physically by that all-important waterway, but they also had a long history of cooperation going back to previous conflicts with the great evils of the world.

“Why? And why let people know what they’ve done?” This just didn’t make any sense. They had gone from attacking Liesl when she was a child, then at the temple of light, but now at the far edges of the kingdom?

But Rowan only shook his head and offered a shrug instead of an answer before stepping past her and heading for his sword. “I wish I could tell you. I haven’t the faintest idea about the first other than the fact that the Zora helped our people seal away Ganon all those years ago. But so did many others. The Goron, the Ruto, even the Gerudo sent aid last time…”

Liesl nodded in consideration before her mind recalled the stories. Every Hylian knew that the great peoples of this land came together to defeat the spreading darkness. Even without a formal education, songs of that time survived to this day, telling the stories of the hero’s struggle alongside their allies. Of her future struggles, apparently.

“As for the other, I’m betting they’re trying to scare people or dishearten you as the hero.” Which is probably why Rowan hefted the sword in one hand and gave it a few practice swings before adopting a fighting stance and wrapping his second hand around the hilt. “Alright, come on.”

She turned to face him then, and was surprised to see the weapon being hefted in both hands before he fell into a fighting stance. “Now? Really?”

“Yes, now.”

Liesl’s mind was still having difficulty absorbing the knowledge, but she did her best to take a step forward and bring her sword up before taking a deep breath. However, before he started, Rowan tilted his head and dropped his eyes to her grip. “Don’t hold it so firmly…and drop your second hand more toward the pommel.” The corrections weren’t sharp, but they were things Liesl should already know by now. “Relax, Liesl.”

“It’s a little hard to relax right now, Rowan,” she admitted before adjusting her hands in line with his instructions.

“But you have to,” he started before nodding and smacking her blade to the side. No doubt he was trying to find an opening, but Liesl gave him none. She’d been expecting the blow (as was his tradition) and quickly brought the tip of her sword back in his direction. They began their dance then, circling each other with eyes locked. “There may come a time when you suffer a defeat, and yet, you have to keep calm. You have to keep your focus or you will invite another.”

Focus. She could do that and only nodded her understanding before taking a step forward and thrusting her sword in his direction. It wasn’t a serious attempt at landing a blow, and Rowan knocked it away easily. However, Liesl let the momentum drive the sword around in an arc until she brought it down over her head in a slash. Rowan met it with his own blade, causing the small room to fill with the sound of clashing steel.

“Good, Liesl. Good.” But even as he offered praise, it was Rowan’s turn to go on the attack, and Liesl had to parry two blows in rapid succession. By this point, he was no longer holding his strength back, and she could feel the shock of each block travel into her arms. The third met only air as she danced back, both to give her arms a break and also to see if he would overextend himself with his attack. Trying to match his strength would only end one way, after all. But of course, an experienced warrior like Rowan wouldn’t let his weapon draw him off balance.

After a few minutes, no clear winner emerged. Rowan did not give her the opening she desired, but more importantly, she didn’t surrender one either. Or at least at which the skill level he set himself to, because she had no doubt that he could best her in only a few swift movements if that was what he wanted. It was something he’d proven time and time again when he must’ve felt the lesson was necessary. Otherwise, what would be the point? Besides a rap to her wrist at the beginning, it seemed that she wouldn’t be going back to Zelda with any new bruises. Even with the unfortunate report of the attack swirling around in the back of her mind.

“There is more news,” he started before stabbing low toward her thigh.

More? Goddesses, what else could it be?

“What now?” She asked after guiding the blade away with her own.

“There’s to be another ball.”

“What!?” Liesl spat before her feet stilled and her brows furrowed. The distraction nearly cost her a blow to the shoulder, and the hard swing she blocked knocked her to the side a few steps. “Even with this latest news?”

“The King feels it’s necessary given the news.”

No doubt the planning for the fucking thing had to have started before they all learned of the attack, but pushing on despite it? This man…

Liesl didn’t notice her grip tighten ever so slightly, and her next swing was just a touch wilder. But maybe it wouldn’t be so bad? Maybe this would be as unsuccessful as the last? “Who would want to travel after these attacks?”

“The King isn’t going to tell the nobles. They might not come otherwise.”

So, he was going to put people in danger all in to fulfill the desire to look for someone who had already been found. “That’s ridiculous!” Another wild swing followed, and then Liesl stepped forward, bringing her sword up for another hammering blow as soon as the previous was finished. “It’s reckless, people might get hurt! Does he think word won’t spread?”

“Word of mouth from all the way in the south?” Rowan asked with a hint of derision in his voice. “How long will that take? Surely, not fast enough to stop people from coming. And even if it did, the risk might be worth it to win Zelda’s hand.”

Ugh, hearing it put like that pissed Liesl off to no end. The Princess was not a prize, nor was she a tool; she was a wonderful woman, and she deserved more than to be treated as either.  Liesl’s breathing became hard as she pressed her attack, and her gritted teeth prevented her anger from escaping through words. Instead, it manifested in near-frenzied swings. At least until Rowan took the opportunity provided to knock her sword away. And not just to the side but entirely out of her hand. It clattered to the stones uselessly, and as soon as Liesl recovered from her shock and looked back, the dull edge of Rowan’s sword was pressed to her unguarded throat.

“Fuck,” she whispered before closing her eyes and swallowing hard against the torrent of tears that threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes.

However, instead of the lecture she had expected, she felt the cool touch of the metal fall away, and only opened her eyes once she heard it too fall to the floor. Then she felt warmth embrace her, and Liesl let her body nearly go limp against him. “It’s not fair,” she squeaked with a voice full of pain.

“No, it’s not,” Rowan agreed.

“Does Zelda know?”

“I imagine she’s been informed by now. I found out this morning, along with the other news.”

“What do I do, Rowan?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, even if the frustration she could hear in his voice meant he wished he did. “Be there for her, at least.” Eventually, he brought his arms up to her shoulders and pushed her back until he could find her eyes. “Which means keeping your head about you, hmm?”

Liesl only nodded before bringing a hand up to wipe away the lone tear that formed at the corner of one eye.  “Yeah.” And that was all he needed to say because she knew she’d been foolish.

“Good,” he said before bringing up a hand and tapping her chin lightly with his knuckles as if punching her in slow motion. The gesture brought out a weak smile, which he mirrored before using that same hand to point to the door. “Now go on, you’ve learned the lesson for the day.”

“What? Really?”

“Contrary to what I just said, you’re distracted and could probably use a break. More importantly, I’m sure Zelda is hurting right now. Your duty is to be at her side, so go be at her side, Liesl.”

Well, you didn’t have to tell her twice, and Liesl almost turned and started running for the door. This time, though, she launched herself into his arms and gave him a big hug instead. “Thank you, Rowan. For telling me and for teaching me.”

“Yeah, yeah, hurry up before I realize I’ve gone soft.”

“Yes, sir!” Liesl stepped back and gave him a mock salute before turning and heading for the door, letting him deal with the swords. She was through it without so much as a glance back his way, and then was racing down the hall and up the stairs at the end of it. It was earlier than they typically ended, so this part of the castle wasn’t as busy yet. Which was perfect for what she needed to do. Move fast, naturally.

Still, it took a few minutes to reach their room, and when Liesl burst inside, she found it empty. Her brows furrowed once she confirmed at least twice that Zelda wasn’t here. However, a noise from the bathroom caused her eyes to snap to the door and her feet to carry her in that direction. Was that…crying? As she neared the door, the sobs slipping from underneath it became clearer and clearer. There was no doubt about it, someone on the other side of that door was crying, and she knew just who it was.

Liesl didn’t hesitate to open it when she got close enough and then step through to find Zelda in the bathtub, facing away and hunched over. Her hair looked as if it had been hastily undone, and the tips rested in the water, turning them darker than the rest. Her whole body shook from her sorrow, but once she realized someone else was here, she turned around in surprise. Only for her expression to fall to something dismayed. “You’re back? That can mean only one thing…” The tears suddenly reappeared with a deep grunt, and Zelda buried her face in her hands.

But Liesl didn’t stop moving, not until she was at the side of the tub and kneeling so she could reach out and wrap her arms around the Princess. “I’m here, love,” she whispered before turning her head and placing a cheek atop her head. “I’m here.”

“I hate him,” she managed between gasps. “Why? Why is he doing this? When everything is falling apart…”

Liesl wished she had an adequate answer in place of the truth, but when none appeared, she shook her head softly. “I’m so sorry.”

A fresh round of tears escaped Zelda’s eyes, and she turned and wrapped her arms around Liesl’s neck. No words came, but it didn’t matter. Liesl held her tight with one arm while using the other to softly stroke her hair.

At first, it seemed the gentle strokes had the opposite effect, and Zelda’s sobbing only increased in volume and intensity. Or perhaps she was just letting it all out now? Liesl gave the space to do so, and the two stayed like that until the last bits of warmth that seeped from the water. At which point, Liesl had to encourage the Princess to get out and dry herself off lest she catch a cold.